I've been a fan of Olivia de Havilland's work for many years and have a small tribute site dedicated to her titled Olivia de Havilland ~~ One Classy Lady. From here on, I'l be referring to Olivia de Havilland as OdH.
In this piece, I'm going to focus on an OdH film that many of her fans may not have seen. Not as a Stranger (1955) is a medical drama produced and directed by Stanley Kramer. It was based on the very popular 1954 novel of the same name by Morton Thompson. Not as a Stranger is one of the first films where a human heart is seen beating during surgery.
The film featured OdH and Robert Mitchum in the lead roles, backed by a stellar supporting cast including Frank Sinatra, Gloria Grahame, Broderick Crawford, Charles Bickford, Lon Chaney, Jr., Harry Morgan, and Lee Marvin.
OdH plays the Swedish (complete with accent and blonde hair) Kristina Hedvigson Marsh, a hard-working, down-to-earth registered perioperative (surgical) nurse and oldish plain-Jane spinster.
Notice how glamorous a blonde OdH looks in the images above. The images aren't true to the character she portrays in the film. I'm sure they were publicity shots taken to sell the movie to the general public (false advertising in this case). Movie-goers don't normally rush to the box office in droves to watch nurses (except for Pam Grier in Coffy).
Also worth noting, Kristina Hedvigson Marsh (OdH) is supposed to be quite a bit older than Dr. Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum). OdH was born July 1, 1916 and Robert Mitchum was born August 6, 1917. They would have been 38 and 37 when the film was made in late 1954.
Another age issue causes believability problems in the film. Mitchum playing a medical student at 37 is a stretch. Worse yet, Frank Sinatra was nearly 39 when he portrayed medical student Alfred Boone. OdH playing a seasoned surgical nurse at 38 is age-appropriate and credible.
A true testament to her talent, the beautiful OdH was Oscar-nominated and won an Oscar for portraying plain women: Melanie Hamilton Wilkes in Gone with the Wind and Catherine Sloper in The Heiress.
OdH and Robert Mitchum prepared for their roles by attending eight operations and are very convincing as surgeon and surgical nurse. Broderick Crawford attended an autopsy for his autopsy scene and promptly threw up.
I have to give a nod to the fabulous Stanley Kramer. Not as a Stranger marked Kramer's directorial debut. He was an American independent film producer and director who created unconventional, socially conscious works on a variety of issues not usually addressed in mainstream Hollywood fare. The first of his notable “message” pictures was The Defiant Ones (1958). Kramer's collected body of films received many awards, including 16 Academy Awards and 80 nominations, and he was nominated nine times as either producer or director.
I'd like to call attention to Not as a Stranger's cinematographer Franz Planer. He shot over 130 movies, including Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) plus the color films The Big Country (1958) and Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). Planer worked with Stanley Kramer on seven films: Champion (1949), Cyrano de Bergerac (1950), Death of a Salesman (1951), The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. (1953), The Caine Mutiny (1954), Not as a Stranger (1955), and The Pride and the Passion (1957).
Not as a Stranger's editor Frederic Knudtson worked with Stanley Kramer eight times. Knudtson's productive association with Kramer began in 1955 and yielded his greatest work. The eight films are: Not as a Stranger (1955), The Pride and the Passion (1957), The Defiant Ones (1958), On the Beach (1959), Inherit the Wind (1960), Judgment at Nuremberg (1961), Pressure Point (1962), and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963).
Olivia de Havilland as Kristina Hedvigson Marsh, Robert Mitchum as Dr. Lucas Marsh
Frank Sinatra as Dr. Alfred Boone, Gloria Grahame as Harriet Lang
Broderick Crawford as Dr. Aarons, Charles Bickford as Dr. David W. Runkleman
Here's a bit of star trivia for you. Odh's cousin was Sir Geoffrey de Havilland. He was a British aviation pioneer and aircraft engineer. His Mosquito has been considered the most versatile warplane ever built.
Robert Mitchum played the saxophone and wrote poetry.
Although James Van Heusen and Buddy Kaye are credited onscreen with the song "Not as a Stranger," and it was recorded by Frank Sinatra in 1955, only the instrumental version was used in the released movie. Sinatra's recording of the song was released in 1959 on his Look to Your Heart album. Listen to it below:
Gloria Grahame, unhappy with the tilt of her upper lip, often stuffed cotton along her gumline to straighten it out. This made it difficult for her to speak.
Broderick Crawford played Lennie in the play Of Mice and Men during its Broadway run (November 23, 1937 - May 1938).
Charles Bickford was mauled by a lion while filming East of Java (1935). Please read my post about him.
Myron McCormick as Dr. Clem Snider, Lon Chaney, Jr. as Job Marsh
Jesse White as Ben Cosgrove, Harry Morgan as Oley
Lee Marvin as Brundage, Virginia Christine as Bruni
Here's some more star trivia for you. Myron McCormick won a Tony Award in 1950 for his portrayal of sailor Luther Billis (the dude in the coconut bra) in South Pacific.
Lon Chaney, Jr.'s real name was Creighton Tull Chaney.
Jesse White starred in TV commercials as the Maytag repairman.
Harry Morgan played Officer Bill Gannon, Joe Friday's partner in the revived version of Dragnet (1967–1970). He also played Colonel Sherman T. Potter on TV's M*A*S*H.
Lee Marvin is interred at Arlington National Cemetery where his headstone reads: "Lee Marvin, PFC, US Marine Corps, World War II."
Virginia Christine is particularly remembered as "Mrs. Olson" (or the "Folgers Coffee Woman") in a number of television commercials for Folgers.
Medical student Lucas Marsh (Robert Mitchum) has one, burning passionate desire in life. He wants to be a doctor. Unable to fund his studies himself, he woos the warm, supportive nurse Kristina (OdH), who has the financial resources he needs for him to realize his dreams. But his strong belief that a physician should be perfect has turned him into a demanding idealist. To him, anyone who deals in human life must be infallible. So, as Lucas completes his training, marries Kristina, and moves to a small town, where Lucas works as an assistant to Dr. Runkleman (Charles Bickford), his relentless perfectionism continues to alienate the people closest to him. Then a fatal mistake forces Lucas to decide who serves the patient best; an unerring machine, or a human being doing the best job he can?
Morton Thompson died a few weeks before the publication of his novel. A Variety news item of February 3, 1954 revealed that producer Stanley Kramer made a pre-publication deal to purchase the screen rights in early December 1953 for $75,000. The novel subsequently became a bestseller.
On February 17, 1954, the Los Angeles Times reported that Stanley Kramer wanted Montgomery Clift for the role of "Lucas Marsh" and Ingrid Bergman for "Kristina Hedvigson."
According to a May 20, 1954 Hollywood Reporter news item, Kramer followed the "same book-plugging campaign used on The Caine Mutiny" by visiting book editors in large cities and making personal appearances at bookstores in order to publicize the novel and create a larger audience for the film.
According to a September 8, 1954 Hollywood Reporter news item, Dmitri Tiomkin was originally set to write and direct the film's music score but dropped out due to "conflicting commitments."
Buildings on the UCLA campus served as exteriors for the medical school. A November 5, 1954 Hollywood Reporter news item added Whitman Air Field in the San Fernando Valley as another shooting location.
On March 10, 1955, Hollywood Reporter reported that "the biggest ad, publicity and exploitation budget in United Artists' history"—at least $1,000,000—was to be spent publicizing the picture. Other Hollywood Reporter news items noted that a special five-minute trailer, featuring Kramer explaining the film's story and how the cast was selected, and showing clips of the stars' makeup tests and performances, was to be shown on television and in movie theaters.
The film's West Coast premiere, held on June 28, 1955 in Los Angeles, raised over $30,000 for the new Mt. Sinai Hospital.
Not as a Stranger received an Academy Award nomination for Best Sound Recording (Watson Jones). Frank Sinatra was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor, and Charles Bickford won that year's National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actor.
There's a scene in the film that always makes me giggle. Dr. Lucas Marsh (Mitchum) has a brief affair with sexy widow and horse breeder Harriet Lang (Gloria Grahame). Check out their symbolism-laden tryst in the horse barn! They're playin' horsey!
As an old-school, cap-wearing registered nurse, I love this photo!
She looks like a nurse.
Watch OdH's Powerful Scene in Not as a Stranger
Kris is mad as hell (and with good reason). It was high time she told off her unfeeling husband. To see what happens after the big scene, watch Not as a Stranger below.
I've always enjoyed the film, radio and television work of Olivia de Havilland. My small tribute site at meredy.com, Olivia de Havilland ~~ One Classy Lady, has been around for many years. For OTR (Old Time Radio) fans, please check out the end of the post which is dedicated to Miss de Havilland's radio performances.
I'm so glad Turner Classic Movies is celebrating her centenary and career by choosing her to be the Star of the Month for July 2016. Her films will be featured every Friday evening and early Saturday morning (EDT).
8:00 p.m. Raffles (1939) BW - 1h 12m
A suave thief (David Niven) falls in love again with his high school sweetheart (Olivia de Havilland) and finds temptation and a detective on his trail while visiting her family.
Ernest William Hornung wrote the A. J. Raffles series of short stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London. John Van Druten and Sidney Howard adapted the film's screenplay from Hornung's tales.
Director: Sam Wood
Cast: David Niven, Olivia de Havilland, Dame May Whitty, Dudley Digges, Douglas Walton, E. E. Clive, Lionel Pape, Peter Godfrey, Margaret Seddon, Leyland Hodgson.
9:15 p.m. Gone with the Wind (1939) Color - 3h 58m
Epic Civil War drama focuses on the life of petulant southern belle Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh). Starting with her idyllic on a sprawling plantation, the film traces her survival through the tragic history of the South during the Civil War and Reconstruction, and her tangled love affairs with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) and Rhett Butler (Clark Gable).
Olivia de Havilland was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as Melanie Hamilton Wilkes. She lost to Hattie McDaniel for her portrayal of Mammy.
Directors: Victor Fleming, George Cukor, Sam Wood
Cast: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland, Hattie McDaniel, many more.
1:15 a.m. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) Color - 1h 42m
When King Richard the Lionheart is captured, his scheming brother Prince John (Claude Rains) plots to reach the throne, to the outrage of Sir Robin of Locksley (Errol Flynn), the bandit king of Sherwood Forest. Rounding up his band of men and eventually winning the support of the lovely Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland), Robin accuses Prince John of treachery and, when the escaped Richard returns covertly to England, joins forces with the king to prevent Prince John from taking the crown.
This was the third film to pair Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland (after Captain Blood and The Charge of the Light Brigade). They would ultimately star together in eight films: Four's a Crowd (1938), The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), Dodge City (1939), Santa Fe Trail (1940), and They Died with Their Boots On (1941). They also appeared in Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943). All the films are being shown on TCM in July 2016.
Directors: Michael Curtiz, William Keighley
Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, Patric Knowles, Eugene Pallette, Alan Hale, Sr., Herbert Mundin, Melville Cooper, Una O'Connor, Ian Hunter, Montagu Love, many more.
3:15 a.m. The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939) Color - 1h 46m
Queen Elizabeth (Bette Davis) secretly loves the ambitious and courageous Earl of Essex (Errol Flynn), but at the same time she distrusts his desire for power, fearing he will exploit his political influence to her detriment. Though Essex's popularity soars when he returns victorious from a military campaign in Spain, Elizabeth instead chides him for prosecuting an unprofitable war. While the lovers quarrel, Sir Walter Raleigh (Vincent Price) schemes to bring about the downfall of Essex.
The original play, Maxwell Anderson's Elizabeth the Queen, was produced on Broadway in 1930 as a vehicle for Lynn Fontanne and Alfred Lunt.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale, Sr., Henry Daniell, Vincent Price, Henry Stephenson, James Stephenson, Nanette Fabray, Ralph Forbes, Robert Warwick, Leo G. Carroll.
5:15 a.m. Captain Blood (1935) BW - 1h 59m
In England in the 1600s, Dr. Peter Blood (Errol Flynn) treats the wounds of a man who had been injured in a rebellion against King James II, for which he is convicted of treason and sold into slavery in the Caribbean colony of Port Royal, Jamaica. Despite the kindnesses of his new owner, Arabella Bishop (Olivia de Havilland), Blood and his fellow slaves escape to begin a life of high-seas piracy. But when Captain Blood crosses paths with Arabella again years later, he remembers her compassion.
The film is based on the 1922 novel Captain Blood by Rafael Sabatini and features a stirring musical score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stephenson, many more.
7:30 a.m. Anthony Adverse (1936) BW - 2h 21m
Based on the novel by Hervey Allen, this expansive drama follows the many adventures of the eponymous hero (Fredric March). Abandoned at a convent by the heartless Don Luis (Claude Rains), Anthony is later mentored by his kind grandfather, John Bonnyfeather (Edmund Gwenn), and falls for the beautiful Angela Giuseppe (Olivia de Havilland). When circumstances separate Anthony and Angela and he embarks on a long journey, he must find his way back to her, no matter what the cost.
The film won four Academy Awards. Gale Sondergaard won the first Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Gaetano Gaudio won for Best Cinematography and Ralph Dawson for Best Film Editing. Best Music (Scoring) was won by the Warner Bros. Studio Music Department, Leo Forbstein, head of department (Score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold).
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Cast: Fredric March, Olivia de Havilland, Donald Woods, Anita Louise, Edmund Gwenn, Claude Rains, Louis Hayward, Gale Sondergaard, Akim Tamiroff, Ralph Morgan, Henry O'Neill, Pedro de Cordoba, Alma Lloyd.
10:00 a.m. The Irish in Us (1935) BW - 1h 24m
Like any brothers, Danny (James Cagney) and Pat (Pat O'Brien) have had their share of differences. But the sibling rivalry gets pumped up to the next level when lovely Lucille (Olivia de Havilland) comes between them. Pat, a police officer, is planning on marrying Lucille, but only if he can trust Danny to take over the financial support of their mother. But when Danny instead risks it all to be a boxing promoter, and starts romancing Pat's girl, the gloves finally come off.
A modern source notes that publicity for this film focused on the fact that James Cagney did his own boxing.
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Cast: James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Olivia de Havilland, Frank McHugh, Allen Jenkins, Mary Gordon, J. Farrell MacDonald, Thomas E. Jackson.
11:30 a.m. Alibi Ike (1935) BW - 1h 12m
With his job on the line, Chicago Cubs manager Cap (William Frawley) needs to turn around his lackluster team fast—especially since nothing less than the pennant will keep him employed. Fortunately for Cap, rookie pitcher Frank "Ike" Farrell (Joe E. Brown) has just the talent to pull up the fledgling team. However, Ike always has an excuse or a lie handy for every problem—and the real trouble comes when a group of gamblers look to fix the Cubs' games, and Ike is their main target.
Popular major league baseball players make cameo appearances, including Guy Cantrell, Dick Cox, Cedric Durst, Mike Gazella, Wally Hood, Don Hurst, Smead Jolley, Lou Koupal, Bob Meusel, Wally Rehg, and Jim Thorpe.
Director: Ray Enright
Cast: Joe E. Brown, Olivia de Havilland, William Frawley, Ruth Donnelly, Roscoe Karns, Eddie Shubert, Paul Harvey, Joe King, G. Pat Collins, Spencer Charters, Gene Morgan.
8:00 p.m. In This Our Life (1942) BW - 1h 37m
In this melodrama, pampered sibling Stanley Timberlake (Bette Davis) is 24 hours away from marrying her lawyer fiancé, Craig Fleming (George Brent), when she absconds with Dr. Peter Kingsmill (Dennis Morgan), the husband of her sister Roy Timberlake (Olivia de Havilland). To clear the way for her sister's marriage to Peter, Roy quickly divorces him, but then starts seeing her sister's former fiancé, Craig. Stanley's true nature begins to reveal itself, forcing Peter to look for a way out.
The screenplay by Howard Koch was based on the 1942 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same title by Ellen Glasgow.
Director: John Huston
Cast: Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Frank Craven, Billie Burke, Charles Coburn, Ernest Anderson, Hattie McDaniel, Lee Patrick, Mary Servoss, Charlotte Fitzroy, William B. Davidson, Edward Fielding, John Hamilton, William Forrest.
9:45 p.m. They Died with Their Boots On (1941) BW - 2h 20m
George Armstrong Custer (Errol Flynn) is a rebellious but ambitious soldier, eager to join the Civil War. During the war, Custer has numerous successes to his credit, even though he disobeys orders. After the war concludes, he marries Libby Bacon (Olivia de Havilland) and is assigned to the Dakota Territory. Custer negotiates honestly with the Sioux on land, but due to corruption from others, a battle with Sitting Bull's forces occurs at Little Big Horn.
Louis Zamperini, Olympic athlete and subject of Unbroken, was an extra in this film just before being drafted into the United States Armed Forces during World War II.
Director: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Arthur Kennedy, Charley Grapewin, Gene Lockhart, Anthony Quinn, George P. Huntley, Jr., Stanley Ridges, John Litel, Walter Hampden, Sydney Greenstreet, Regis Toomey, Hattie McDaniel, Minor Watson, Joseph Crehan.
12:15 a.m. Santa Fe Trail (1940) BW - 1h 50m
After graduating from West Point, James Ewell Brown (J. E. B. - Jeb) Stuart (Errol Flynn) and George Custer (Ronald Reagan) are both stationed to Fort Leavenworth in Kansas. Once there, they find that the violent abolitionist John Brown (Raymond Massey) has laid waste to the state, killing anyone who gets in the way of his anti-slavery crusade. While the duo must work together to battle the murderous revolutionary, they also come to blows over their competing love for Kit Carson Holliday (Olivia de Havilland).
The film entered the public domain in 1968 when the copyright wasn't renewed by then-owner United Artists Television.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Raymond Massey, Ronald Reagan, Alan Hale, William Lundigan, Van Heflin, Gene Reynolds, Henry O'Neill, Guinn Williams, Alan Baxter, Moroni Olsen, Erville Alderson.
2:15 a.m. Dodge City (1939) Color - 1h 44m
In 1872, Dodge City, Kansas is the epicenter of cattle drives and lawlessness. Run by Jeff Surrett (Bruce Cabot), Dodge City isn't safe for anyone or anything. When Wade Hatton (Errol Flynn) arrives for a cattle drive, he's moved by the violent death of a young boy to take up the post of sheriff and take back the town from Surrett and his cohorts. But first he must contend with the rowdy townsfolk who, having been so long without law, desire to take the law into their own hands.
Filmed in early Technicolor, it was one of the highest-grossing films of the year.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, Alan Hale, Victor Jory, Frank McHugh, John Litel, Henry Travers, Henry O'Neill, William Lundigan, Guinn Williams, Bobs Watson, Gloria Holden, Douglas Fowley, Ward Bond, Clem Bevans.
4:15 a.m. The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936) BW - 1h 55m
While stationed in India during the Crimean War, Major Geoffrey Vickers (Errol Flynn) is twice betrayed. His brother, Captain Perry Vickers (Patric Knowles), has swept his fiancée, Elsa (Olivia De Havilland), off her feet. Meanwhile, after Vickers saves the life of Surat Khan (C. Henry Gordon), the rajah launches a massacre in a nearby city and allies himself with the British troops' Russian enemies. Vickers and his Light Brigade respond to this provocation at the historical Battle of Balaklava.
For the filming of the climactic charge, 125 horses were trip-wired. Of those, 25 were killed outright or had to be put down afterward. Some sources claim the figure is higher. Errol Flynn, an accomplished horseman, was outraged. The numerous animal deaths forced Congress to look at animal abuse in film for the first time. Flynn later asserted in his autobiography that it was he who complained to the ASPCA.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, Henry Stephenson, Nigel Bruce, Donald Crisp, David Niven, C. Henry Gordon, George P. Huntley, Jr., Robert Barrat, Spring Byington, E. E. Clive, J. Carrol Naish.
6:15 a.m. It's Love I'm After (1937) BW - 1h 30m
Despite constant bickering on and off stage, Shakespearean actors Basil Underwood (Leslie Howard) and Joyce Arden (Bette Davis) intend to marry after their closing performance in Romeo and Juliet. But following the show, debutante Marcia West (Olivia de Havilland), smitten by Basil's interpretation of Romeo, visits backstage to declare him the perfect man for her. Basil is initially flattered by her attentions, which enrages Joyce—until they both find Marcia more than they can handle.
The screenplay allows Leslie Howard to draw on his classical background by having his character quote lines from Macbeth, Hamlet, The Taming of the Shrew, and Romeo and Juliet.
Director: Archie Mayo
Cast: Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Eric Blore, Patric Knowles, George Barbier, Spring Byington, Bonita Granville, Valerie Bergere, E. E. Clive, Irving Bacon.
8:00 a.m. The Great Garrick (1937) BW - 1h 29m
Celebrated 18th-century British actor David Garrick (Brian Aherne) receives an invitation from the Comédie-Française in Paris, but they mistakenly hear that he's planning to give them acting lessons. Insulted, the troupe arranges to stay at his inn and put on an outlandish performance to convince him of their acting skills. When Countess Germaine de la Corbe (Olivia de Havilland), who is fleeing an arranged marriage, shows up, Garrick thinks her romantic advances are part of the plot.
The film is based on the play Ladies and Gentlemen by Ernest Vajda.
Director: James Whale
Cast: Brian Aherne, Olivia de Havilland, Edward Everett Horton, Melville Cooper, Lionel Atwill, Luis Alberni, Lana Turner (bit part), Marie Wilson.
9:45 a.m. Call It a Day (1937) BW - 1h 30m
An actress, a bachelor and an artist flirt with an Englishman (Ian Hunter), his wife (Frieda Inescort) and their daughter (Olivia de Havilland).
The film is based on the 1935 play Call It a Day by Dodie Smith, known best for her novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians (1956).
Director: Archie Mayo
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Ian Hunter, Anita Louise, Alice Brady, Roland Young, Frieda Inescort, Bonita Granville, Peggy Wood, Marcia Ralston, Walter Woolf King, Peter Willes, Una O'Connor, Beryl Mercer.
8:00 p.m. The Snake Pit (1948) BW - 1h 48m
In this psychological drama, Virginia Cunningham (Olivia de Havilland) is confused upon finding herself in a mental hospital, with no memory of her arrival at the institution. Tormented by delusions and unable to even recognize her husband, Robert (Mark Stevens), she is treated by Dr. Mark Kik (Leo Genn), who is determined to get to the root of her mental illness. As her treatment progresses, flashbacks depict events in Virginia's life that may have contributed to her instability.
Olivia de Havilland was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Jane Wyman won for Johnny Belinda.
The film led to changes in the conditions of mental institutions in the United States. In 1949, Herb Stein of Daily Variety wrote "Wisconsin is the seventh state to institute reforms in its mental hospitals as a result of The Snake Pit.
Director: Anatole Litvak
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Mark Stevens, Leo Genn, Celeste Holm, Glenn Langan, Helen Craig, Leif Erickson, Beulah Bondi, Lee Patrick, Howard Freeman, Natalie Schafer, Ruth Donnelly, Katherine Locke, Celia Lovsky, Frank Conroy, Minna Gombell, Betsy Blair.
10:00 p.m. The Heiress (1949) BW - 1h 56m
Catherine Sloper (Olivia de Havilland), a young woman who stands to inherit her father's large fortune, falls in love when she meets Morris (Montgomery Clift), who gives her the love and affection her father doesn't, and which she desperately needs. Catherine's father (Ralph Richardson), believing Morris is only after the money, tells Catherine she will be disinherited if she marries him. Morris' true intentions are put to the test when he finds out about the amended will.
After seeing The Heiress on Broadway, Olivia de Havilland approached William Wyler about directing her in a screen adaptation of the play. She won her second Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Catherine.
The film was written by Augustus and Ruth Goetz, adapted from their 1947 play The Heiress. The play was suggested by the 1880 novel Washington Square by Henry James.
The Broadway cast: Wendy Hiller as Catherine Sloper, Basil Rathbone as Dr. Austin Sloper, Peter Cookson as Morris Townsend, and Patricia Collinge as Lavinia Penniman.
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson, Miriam Hopkins, Vanessa Brown, Betty Linley, Ray Collins, Mona Freeman, Selena Royle, Paul Lees, Harry Antrim, Russ Conway, David Thursby.
12:15 a.m. To Each His Own (1946) BW - 2h 2m
During a night watch in London, middle-aged American Jody Norris (Olivia de Havilland) meets the brisk but kind Lord Desham (Roland Culver). Later, Jody recalls her youth when she fell in love with a pilot and bore his illegitimate child after his death in the war. Jody tried to arrange to adopt her own child, but the boy ended up with her best friend, and Jody's efforts to regain custody were fruitless. Years later, when Jody's son arrives in London as an American pilot, Desham provides help.
This was Olivia de Havilland's first film role in three years. She was suspended by Warner Brothers when she filed suit against the studio on August 23, 1943, and was officially fired by the studio after she won her suit by unanimous decision on December 8, 1944. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Josephine "Jody" Norris.
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Mary Anderson, Roland Culver, John Lund, Phillip Terry, Bill Goodwin, Virginia Welles, Victoria Horne, Griff Barnett.
2:30 a.m. Devotion (1946) BW - 1h 47m
As sisters Emily (Ida Lupino), Charlotte (Olivia de Havilland) and Anne Brontë (Nancy Coleman) all work on their novels, they each face their own series of tragedies. Both Charlotte and Anne fall in love with handsome Arthur Nicholls (Paul Henreid), and Emily struggles to keep their troubled brother, Branwell (Arthur Kennedy), away from the bottle so he can focus on his painting. While happiness eludes them, all three sisters use their personal heartache as inspiration for their writing.
Devotion was filmed between November 11, 1942 and mid-February 1943, but its screening was delayed until April 5, 1946 at the Strand Theater in Manhattan, due to a lawsuit by Olivia de Havilland against Warner Brothers. De Havilland successfully sued her studio to terminate her contract without providing the studio an extra six months to make up for her time on suspension. It proved a landmark case for the industry.
Director: Curtis Bernhardt
Cast: Ida Lupino, Paul Henreid, Olivia de Havilland, Sydney Greenstreet, Nancy Coleman, Arthur Kennedy, Dame May Whitty, Victor Francen, Montagu Love, Ethel Griffies, Edmund Breon, Odette Myrtil, Doris Lloyd, Marie De Becker, Eily Malyon.
4:30 a.m. Wings of the Navy (1939) BW - 1h 29m
Two brothers (George Brent, John Payne) train as Navy pilots, go to Honolulu and romance the same girl (Olivia de Havilland).
Wings of the Navy was filmed on location at the Naval Air Station on North Island in San Diego, California, and the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Florida and was dedicated to the U.S. Naval Aviation Service.
Director: Lloyd Bacon
Cast: George Brent, Olivia de Havilland, John Payne, Frank McHugh, John Litel, Victor Jory, Henry O'Neill, John Ridgely, Regis Toomey, Jonathan Hale, Pierre Watkin.
6:15 a.m. Hard to Get (1938) BW - 1h 22m
Maggie Richards (Olivia de Havilland) is a spoiled brat who, having forgotten her purse, thinks she can buy gas simply by mentioning her wealthy father (Charles Winninger). But gas station employee Bill Davis (Dick Powell) isn't having it, and makes her work to pay off her debt at the pump. Determined to get revenge, Maggie deceives Bill into thinking that her father might help finance Bill's dream of building a motel, knowing full well that he will get thrown out on his ear.
"You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" (Harry Warren and Johnny Mercer) played during the opening and closing credits, sung by Dick Powell.
"Sonny Boy" (Ray Henderson, Buddy G. DeSylva, and Lew Brown) played by the band at Atwater's and sung by Dick Powell in blackface. (I detest blackface performances.)
Director: Ray Enright
Cast: Dick Powell, Olivia de Havilland, Charles Winninger, Allen Jenkins, Bonita Granville, Melville Cooper, Isabel Jeans, Grady Sutton, Thurston Hall, John Ridgely, Penny Singleton, Granville Bates, Jack Mower.
7:45 a.m. Gold Is Where You Find It (1938) Color - 1h 34m
Mining expert Jared Whitney (George Brent) is courting Serena (Olivia de Havilland), but her father, farmer Col. Ferris (Claude Rains), views Jared as a symbol of the new mining techniques that damage the land and disapproves of him. As Jared goes to work for a devious mining company run by rival members of the Ferris family, Serena begins to sour on him. But when Jared learns that his employer's recklessness led to a man's death, he sees why the elder Ferris resists some new mining companies.
The film is lifted out of the ordinary by its early use of the newly perfected 3-strip Technicolor process, its big-budget director and cast, and its musical score by Max Steiner.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: George Brent, Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains, Margaret Lindsay, John Litel, Marcia Ralston, Barton MacLane, Tim Holt, Sidney Toler, Henry O'Neill, Willie Best, Robert McWade, George Hayes, Russell Simpson, Harry Davenport, Clarence Kolb, Moroni Olsen, Walter Rodgers.
In this classic screen adaptation of Shakespeare's fantastical play, the royal wedding plans of Theseus, the duke of Athens (Ian Hunter) and Hippolyta overlap with the antics of forest fairies, led by Oberon and Titania, and a ragtag troupe of actors. Meanwhile, young lovers, including Lysander (Dick Powell) and Hermia (Olivia de Havilland), deceive each other in amusing ways, and magic adds a mischievous element to this enchanted romantic comedy.
Olivia de Havilland originally played the role of Hermia in Max Reinhardt's Hollywood Bowl stage production of the play. Although the cast of the stage play was mostly replaced by Warner Brothers contract players, de Havilland and Mickey Rooney were chosen to reprise their original roles.
Directors: Max Reinhardt, William Dieterle
Cast: Ian Hunter, Verree Teasdale, Hobart Cavanaugh, Dick Powell, Ross Alexander, Olivia de Havilland, Jean Muir, Grant Mitchell, Frank McHugh, Dewey Robinson, James Cagney, Joe E. Brown, Hugh Herbert, Otis Harlan, Arthur Treacher, Victor Jory, Anita Louise, Nini Theilade, Mickey Rooney, Katherine Frey, Helen Westcott, Fred Sale, Billy Barty.
8:00 p.m. My Cousin Rachel (1952) BW - 1h 38m
When Philip Ashley's (Richard Burton) wealthy cousin, Ambrose (John Sutton), dies suddenly, his suspicions drift to Ambrose's new and icy wife, Rachel (Olivia de Havilland), who stands to benefit greatly from his cousin's death. When Ashley is introduced to Rachel at Ambrose's funeral, however, his fears are immediately laid to rest: how could such a beautiful young woman possibly be a murderer? But when the estate is left to Ashley, he begins to fear for his life.
The film received four Academy Award nominations: Best Art Direction, Black and White (Lyle Wheeler, John DeCuir, Walter M. Scott), Best Cinematography, Black and White (Joseph LaShelle), Best Costume Design, Black and White (Charles LeMaire, Dorothy Jeakins), Best Supporting Actor (Richard Burton).
Richard Burton won the Golden Globe Award for Most Promising Newcomer – Male. Olivia de Havilland was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama.
Director: Henry Koster
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Richard Burton, Audrey Dalton, Ronald Squire, George Dolenz, John Sutton, Tudor Owen, J. M. Kerrigan, Margaret Brewster, Alma Lawton, Ola Lorraine, Kathleen Mason, Earl Robie, Argentina Brunetti, Mario Siletti.
9:45 p.m. The Proud Rebel (1958) Color - 1h 43m
Confederate veteran John Chandler (Alan Ladd) returns from defeat in war to find his home razed, his wife dead and his young son, David (David Ladd), traumatized and rendered mute. Desperate to cure the boy, Chandler takes David to a small town in Illinois where he hopes to find a doctor. But, soon after the pair arrives, Chandler finds himself framed for assault—and forced to choose between serving hard time and working for struggling local farmer Linnett Moore (Olivia de Havilland).
The film was based on a 1947 short story by James Edward Grant. Grant famously collaborated with John Wayne on twelve projects.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Alan Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger, David Ladd, Cecil Kellaway, Harry Dean Stanton, Tom Pittman, Henry Hull, Eli Mintz, John Carradine, James Westerfield, Percy Helton, Dan White, Mary Wickes, King as Lance, David's dog.
11:45 p.m. The Ambassador's Daughter (1956) Color - 1h 43m
Senator Cartwright (Adolphe Menjou) and his wife (Myrna Loy) arrive in Paris as the guests of Ambassador Fiske (Edward Arnold). Cartwright has a plan to restrict the city from American soldiers on leave due to their boorish behavior. Fiske's daughter, Joan (Olivia de Havilland), tries to prove that Cartwright is wrong about the soldiers by going on a date with one named Danny (John Forsythe). Although Joan does not reveal her plan, Danny acts like a gentleman, and she starts to fall for him.
Christian Dior was the film's costume designer. It was prominent character actor Minor Watson's last film.
Director: Norman Krasna
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, John Forsythe, Myrna Loy, Adolphe Menjou, Tommy Noonan, Francis Lederer, Edward Arnold, Minor Watson.
1:45 a.m. Hold Back the Dawn (1941) BW - 1h 56m
Impressionable teacher Emmy (Olivia de Havilland) is swept off her feet when she meets Georges (Charles Boyer) in a Mexican border town. Unaware that Georges is a gigolo looking for a woman who will unwittingly help him get a green card, Emmy marries him after only a few days. While carrying out the charade, Georges begins to fall for Emmy, angering his girlfriend, Anita (Paulette Goddard). As his scheme is jeopardized, Georges learns keeping Emmy may be more important than his green card.
The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Leading Role (Olivia de Havilland), Best Adapted Screenplay (Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder), Best Art Direction, Black and White (Hans Dreier, Robert Usher, Sam Comer), Best Cinematography, Black and White (Leo Tover), and Best Score of a Dramatic Picture (Victor Young).
Public attention was focused on the Best Actress race between sibling rivals Joan Fontaine in Alfred Hitchcock’s Suspicion and Olivia de Havilland for Hold Back the Dawn. Fontaine’s victory was the only time an actress won for a performance in an Alfred Hitchcock film.
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Cast: Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland, Paulette Goddard, Victor Francen, Walter Abel, Curt Bois, Rosemary DeCamp, Eric Feldary, Nestor Paiva, Eva Puig, Micheline Cheirel, Madeleine LeBeau, Billy Lee, Mikhail Rasumny, Charles Arnt, Arthur Loft, Mitchell Leisen, Kitty Kelly.
4:00 a.m. The Strawberry Blonde (1941) BW - 1h 37m
At the turn of the century, dentist Biff Grimes (James Cagney) recalls his association with politician Hugo Barnstead (Jack Carson). The men meet over their romantic rivalry for striking strawberry blonde Virginia Brush (Rita Hayworth). Despite Biff's efforts, Virginia pushes her friend, nurse and women's rights advocate Amy Lind (Olivia de Havilland), on him and elopes with Hugo. After Biff and Amy fall in love, Biff join Hugo's firm, only to learn that his rival is still a double dealer.
The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture and features songs such as "The Band Played On," "Bill Bailey," "Meet Me in St. Louis," "Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie," and "Love Me and the World Is Mine."
Director: Raoul Walsh
Cast: James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Rita Hayworth, Alan Hale, Jack Carson, George Tobias, Una O'Connor, George Reeves, Lucile Fairbanks.
6:00 a.m. My Love Came Back (1940) BW - 1h 25m
A New York student violinist (Olivia de Havilland) falls in love with her anonymous benefactor's (Charles Winninger) business manager (Jeffrey Lynn).
The film is notable for Heinz Eric Roemheld's musical direction and Ray Heindorf's unique swing orchestral arrangements of classical pieces.
Director: Curtis Bernhardt
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Jeffrey Lynn, Eddie Albert, Jane Wyman, Charles Winninger, Spring Byington, Grant Mitchell, William T. Orr, Ann Gillis, S. Z. Sakall, Charles Trowbridge, Mabel Taliaferro, William B. Davidson, Nanette Vallon, Sidney Bracey.
Dr. Schlenna (S.Z. Sakall) and Farnsworth (Edward Everett Horton) are attempting to put together a wartime charity show with an ensemble of stars, but must indulge the hubris of singer Eddie Cantor (Eddie Cantor) in order to gain the participation of Dinah Shore (Dinah Shore). Meanwhile, Eddie Cantor look-alike Joe Simpson (also Cantor) drives a tour bus, taking tourists to various Hollywood locations. When the producers discover his singing talents, he offers them a solution to their problems.
The stars donated their salaries to the Hollywood Canteen, which was founded by John Garfield and Bette Davis, who appear in the film.
Director: David Butler
Cast: Eddie Cantor, Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan, Edward Everett Horton, S.Z. Sakall.
Cameo appearances: Humphrey Bogart, Jack Carson, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Ruth Donnelly, Errol Flynn, John Garfield, Alan Hale, Sr., Mark Hellinger, Noble Johnson, Ida Lupino, Mike Mazurki, Hattie McDaniel, Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith, Madame Sul-Te-Wan, George Tobias, Doodles Weaver, Don Wilson, Spike Jones and His City Slickers.
9:45 a.m. Four's a Crowd (1938) BW - 1h 32m
Reporter Jean Christy (Rosalind Russell) convinces publicity man Bob Lansford (Errol Flynn) to buy the failing paper she writes for from owner Pat Buckley (Patric Knowles). Initially reluctant, Bob agrees to Jean's plan when he learns Pat is engaged to Lorri Dillingwell (Olivia de Havilland), whose wealthy grandfather he hopes to snag as a client. Bob soon runs a critical story on Lorri's grandfather in a scheme to later "save" the man, making Jean wonder if she did the right thing.
The fourth film pairing of Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. Warner Brothers borrowed Rosalind Russell from M-G-M for the film.
Director: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell, Patric Knowles, Walter Connolly, Hugh Herbert, Melville Cooper, Franklin Pangborn, Herman Bing, Margaret Hamilton, Joseph Crehan, Joe Cunningham, Gloria Blondell, Carole Landis.
8:00 p.m. The Fifth Musketeer (1979) Color - 1h 43m
A somewhat older D'Artagnan and company help Louis XIV's twin (Beau Bridges) swashbuckle his way to the throne.
Olivia de Havilland makes a cameo appearance as the Queen Mother. This was de Havilland's final theatrical film.
Director: Ken Annakin
Cast: Beau Bridges, Sylvia Kristel, Ursula Andress, Cornel Wilde, Ian McShane, Lloyd Bridges, José Ferrer, Alan Hale, Jr., Olivia de Havilland, Rex Harrison, Helmut Dantine, Patrick Pinney.
10:00 p.m. The Swarm (1978) Color - 1h 56m
Scientist Dr. Bradford Crane (Michael Caine) and General Thaddeus Slater (Richard Widmark) join forces to fight an almost invisible enemy threatening America; killer bees that have deadly venom and attack without reason. Disaster movie-master Irwin Allen's film contains spectacular special effects, including a train crash caused by the eponymous swarm.
The film was a notorious box office bomb upon its release in 1978, barely making it two weeks in theaters.
Believe it or not, it was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design (Paul Zastupnevich).
The Swarm was Fred MacMurray's final film. Wonder why?
The movie is notable for a "Scream Moan" by veteran actress Olivia de Havilland who screams a moan when she sees dead children outside her window. Watch below:
Director: Irwin Allen
Cast: Michael Caine, Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland, Ben Johnson, Lee Grant, José Ferrer, Patty Duke, Slim Pickens, Bradford Dillman, Fred MacMurray, Henry Fonda, Cameron Mitchell, Christian Juttner, Morgan Paull, Alejandro Rey, Don "Red" Barry.
12:15 a.m. Light in the Piazza (1962) Color - 1h 42m
Meg Johnson (Olivia de Havilland) is very protective of her daughter, Clara (Yvette Mimieux), a gorgeous young woman who suffers from a mental disability. While on vacation in Italy, Clara meets the dashing Fabrizio Naccarelli (George Hamilton), who is immediately smitten with her and doesn't initially grasp the extent of her developmental handicap. Though Meg is wary of letting Clara fall into a romance with Fabrizio, she realizes that he may be able to give the girl a better life.
The film is notable for its extensive location shooting in Florence and Rome by the award-winning cinematographer Otto Heller.
Director: Guy Green
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Rossano Brazzi, Yvette Mimieux, George Hamilton, Nancy Nevinson, Isabel Dean, Moultrie Kelsall, Barry Sullivan.
2:15 a.m. Libel (1959) BW - 1h 40m
An English nobleman's (Dirk Bogarde) wife (Olivia de Havilland) has him sue a Canadian (Paul Massie) who has called him an impostor.
The film's screenplay was written by Anatole de Grunwald and Karl Tunberg from a 1935 play of the same name by Edward Wooll.
Director: Anthony Asquith
Cast: Dirk Bogarde, Olivia de Havilland, Paul Massie, Robert Morley, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Anthony Dawson, Richard Wattis, Martin Miller, Richard Dimbleby.
4:00 a.m. The Male Animal (1942) BW - 1h 41m
On the weekend of the big football game at a large Midwestern university, English professor Tommy Turner (Henry Fonda) unexpectedly gets embroiled in a free-speech controversy. When a trustee (Eugene Pallette) learns that Tommy intends to read a letter by convicted anarchist Bartolomeo Vanzetti in class, he threatens the professor's job. Meanwhile, Tommy's unhappy wife (Olivia de Havilland) is wooed by her visiting college boyfriend, ex-football star Joe Ferguson (Jack Carson).
The film was based on a hit 1940 Broadway play of the same name written by James Thurber and Elliott Nugent. The screenplay was written by Stephen Morehouse Avery, Julius J. Epstein, and Philip G. Epstein, based on Thurber and Nugent's play. The film was also directed by Elliott Nugent.
Cast: Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Leslie, Jack Carson, Eugene Pallette, Herbert Anderson, Hattie McDaniel, Ivan Simpson, Don DeFore, Jean Ames, Minna Phillips, Regina Wallace, Frank Mayo, William B. Davidson, Bobby Barnes.
6:00 a.m. Government Girl (1943) BW - 1h 34m
At the height of World War II, auto engineer Ed Browne (Sonny Tufts) is called to Washington, D.C. from Detroit to head a new experimental aircraft project. A screwball misunderstanding at his hotel introduces him to brassy Smokey Allard (Olivia de Havilland), who turns out to be his new secretary. Despite her engagement to scheming Senate aide Dana McGuire (Jess Barker), Smokey and Ed fall for each other against a backdrop of corporate intrigue and wartime espionage.
Leading lady Olivia de Havilland absolutely hated the role. She had not wanted to do the picture in the first place, but was forced into it by an arrangement whereby Warner Bros. loaned her services to David O. Selznick, who turned her over to RKO.
Director: Dudley Nichols
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Sonny Tufts, Anne Shirley, Jess Barker, James Dunn, Paul Stewart, Agnes Moorehead, Harry Davenport, Una O'Connor, Sig Ruman.
7:45 a.m. Princess O'Rourke (1943) BW - 1h 34m
Princess Maria (Olivia de Havilland) and her uncle (Charles Coburn) are in Washington, D.C., where it is hoped she will meet a suitable man to marry. After a number of misfires on the romance front, Maria flies to San Francisco, sedating herself beforehand to combat her fear of flying. Still asleep when the plane sets down, Maria is taken in by the pilot, Eddie (Robert Cummings). When Maria wakes up and meets Edward, sparks fly—but her royal lineage could complicate matters.
Although conceived as a vehicle for de Havilland, Princess O'Rourke turned out to be a troubled project that led to the de Havilland Law, that changed the status of contracts in the U.S. film industry. Filmed in 1942, the release was held up for one year due to legal issues that resulted from the production.
Director: Norman Krasna
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn, Jack Carson, Jane Wyman, Harry Davenport, Gladys Cooper, Minor Watson, Nan Wynn, Curt Bois, Julie Bishop, Ray Walker.
Olivia de Havilland on the Radio
Academy Award (Theater)
"Hold Back the Dawn" - July 31, 1946 - Olivia de Havilland, Jean Pierre Aumont
"Cheers for Miss Bishop" - November 6, 1946 - Olivia de Havilland
Lux Radio Theatre
"Saturday's Children" - October 26, 1936 - Robert Taylor, Olivia de Havilland
"Captain Blood" - February 22, 1937 - Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Donald Crisp, Henry Stephenson, Herbert Marshall
"Under Two Flags" - May 24, 1937 - Herbert Marshall, Olivia de Havilland, Lupe Velez, Lionel Atwill
"Green Light" - January 31, 1938 - Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, C. Aubrey Smith
"The Scarlet Pimpernel" - December 12, 1938 - Leslie Howard, Olivia de Havilland
"Vigil in the Night" - May 27, 1940 - Olivia de Havilland, Herbert Marshall
"Wings of the Navy" - October 7, 1940 - George Brent, Olivia de Havilland, John Payne
"Appointment for Love" - May 1, 1944 - Olivia de Havilland, Paul Lukas
"Suspicion" - September 18, 1944 - William Powell, Olivia de Havilland
"Tender Comrade" - January 22, 1945 - Olivia de Havilland, June Duprez, Dennis O'Keefe
"Guest Wife" - December 10, 1945 - Olivia de Havilland, Don Ameche, Dick Foran
"And Now Tomorrow" - June 10, 1946 - Olivia de Havilland, John Lund
"Cluny Brown" - January 27, 1947 - Olivia de Havilland, Charles Boyer
"The Snake Pit" - April 10, 1950 - Olivia de Havilland, Mark Stevens, Leo Genn
"The Corn Is Green" - June 12, 1950 - Olivia de Havilland, Richard Basehart
"The Heiress" - September 11, 1950 - Olivia de Havilland, Louis Calhern, Van Heflin
"My Cousin Rachel" - September 7, 1953 - Olivia de Havilland, Ron Randell
Screen Directors Playhouse
"The Dark Mirror" - March 31, 1950 - Star: Olivia de Havilland Director: Robert Siodmak
The Screen Guild Theater
"Three Days March" - February 12, 1939 - Olivia de Havilland, William Bakewell, Clarence Derwent, Akim Tamiroff, Spencer Tracy
"Next Time We Live" - February 18, 1940 - James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Jeffrey Lynn
"My Love Came Back" - March 16, 1941 - Olivia de Havilland, Robert Young, Charles Winninger
"The Strawberry Blonde" - October 5, 1941 - James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Jack Carson
"The Male Animal" - December 28, 1942 - Olivia de Havilland, Joel McCrea, Jack Carson
"Remember the Day" - November 15, 1943 - Olivia de Havilland, Walter Pidgeon
"The Cowboy and the Lady" - April 29, 1946 - Olivia de Havilland, Gregory Peck, Patsy Moran
"Kitty Foyle" - March 3, 1947 - Olivia de Havilland, Henry Fonda, William Lundigan
Suspense
"Voyage Through Darkness" - September 7, 1944 - Olivia de Havilland, Reginald Gardner
Thanks to Steve of MovieMovieBlogBlog for hosting the blogathon. Please visit Steve's fine blog. You'll be glad you did.
I'm writing about the pre-Code Jean Harlow flick Red-Headed Woman, which is filled with Anita Loos' laughs and loaded with 1932 dynamite. Jean Harlow is as sexy with titian hair as she is with platinum blonde locks. And only Harlow could make you feel sympathy for a gold digger like Lillian "Lil" "Red" Andrews. In any other actress' hands, the character of Lil might have been an unsympathetic, vile tart but Miss Harlow makes her so humorous, so likable that you can't help but smile over her exploits. Lil's a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who uses sex to get what she wants.
Lil rooms with wisecracking hairdresser Sally (Una Merkel), has a bootlegger boyfriend, and works as a secretary at the big coal business owned by the rich and ritzy Legendres, Junior and Senior (played by Chester Morris and Lewis Stone).
Fortunately for Lil, nearly all the men in her life think with their third legs and are boobs for boobs. This makes her "job" as a gold digging, homewrecker a whole lot easier. Not that Lil lacks sex appeal to get the "job" done. She first uses her body to obtain and manipulate Legendre Junior's purse strings. After Lil marries Junior (Chester Morris) for wealth, she then tries to blackmail and bed her way toward social acceptance by her husband's peers. But one too many indiscretions—with the chauffeur—takes the bloom off her rich man's bud, and not even reconciliation with her hubby works now. Eventually she skips off scot-free to a charmed future as a noble concubine—with a racehorse, a titled lover, and the same chauffeur all her very own.
Lil's score list in a 79 minute movie: 1. Al, the bootlegger (William Pawley) 2. Bill Legendre, Jr. (Chester Morris) 3. Charles B. Gaerste (Henry Stephenson) 4. Albert (Charles Boyer) 5. Unnamed Parisian millionaire. I think William Legendre, Sr. (Lewis Stone) and Uncle Fred (Harvey Clark) are the only men who manage to keep their trousers buttoned when Lil's around.
"Red-Headed Woman," words and music by Raymond B. Egan and Richard A. Whiting, is the film's theme song. Listen below:
Jack Conway was an actor turned director and producer. He was with M-G-M as a contract director from 1925-1948. He directed Jean Harlow in four films: Red-Headed Woman (1932), The Girl from Missouri (1934), Libeled Lady (1936), and Saratoga (1937).
Katharine Brush's 1930 novel Young Man of Manhattan was made into a film starring Claudette Colbert, Norman Foster, and Ginger Rogers. Rogers' character, Puff Randolph, utters the cool line, "Cigarette me, big boy."
Brush's 1931 novel Red-Headed Woman was adapted by Anita Loos into the film of the same name.
Katharine Brush's 1946 short story "Birthday Party" is often taught in literature classes and appeared on the 2005 Advanced Placement English Literature Exam. Read it here.
Anita Loos was a screenwriter famous for a colossal number of films. Just a few of her hits are Red-Headed Woman (1932; writer), Hold Your Man (1933; screenplay; story), San Francisco (1936; writer), Saratoga (1937; screenplay; story), The Women (1939; screenplay), Blossoms in the Dust (1941; screenplay), and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945; uncredited).
Loos was also a playwright, known for Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1949) and Gigi (1951), and an author, famously writing the novels Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1925) and But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1927).
Jean Harlow and Anita Loos
Douglas Shearer was a pioneer sound designer and recording director who played a key role in the advancement of sound technology for motion pictures. He worked at M-G-M with his sister, Norma Shearer.
Cedric Gibbons was an art director and production designer for M-G-M. He is credited as the designer of the Oscar statuette in 1928. He was nominated 38 times for the Academy Award for Best Production Design and won the Oscar 11 times. Gibbons also made significant contributions to movie theater architecture. He was married to actresses Dolores del Rio and Hazel Brooks.
Adrian Adolph Greenberg, known mononymously as Adrian, was M-G-M's costume designer from 1928-1941. He worked with Joan Crawford 28 times, Norma Shearer 18 times, and Jean Harlow 9 times. Adrian famously insisted on the best materials and workmanship in the creation of his designs. Though openly gay, he was married to Janet Gaynor from 1939 until his death in 1959.
Harold Rosson was a cinematographer who was nominated for five Academy Awards for his work on: The Wizard of Oz (1939), Boom Town (1940), Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), and The Bad Seed (1956).
In 1936, Rosson was awarded an Honorary Oscar for the color cinematography of the 1936 David O. Selznick production The Garden of Allah.
Rosson was briefly married to Jean Harlow.
Blanche Sewell was a noted film editor at M-G-M from 1925 until her death in 1949. She edited Grand Hotel (1932), Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), The Wizard of Oz (1939), and many others.
Jean Harlow, born in 1911 as Harlean Harlow Carpenter, was a wildly popular film actress and sex symbol of the 1930s. Nicknamed "Baby," the "Blonde Bombshell," and the "Platinum Blonde," she died at age 26 of kidney failure.
Chester Morris was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for his role in 1929's Alibi. He portrayed Boston Blackie in the Boston Blackie film series. In later years, he appeared on Broadway in Blue Denim, Advise and Consent, and The Subject Was Roses.
Lewis Stone was an actor known for his role as Judge James Hardy in the Andy Hardy film series and as an M-G-M contract player. Stone was one of the most prolific actors during the early years of the film-making industry.
Leila Hyams was a model, vaudeville and film actress. Her film career began in 1924 and ended when she retired in 1936. She appeared in more than 50 film roles in those 12 years.
With her Kewpie-doll looks and wry line delivery, Una Merkel was a popular second lead in a number of films of the 1930s, usually playing the wisecracking best friend of the heroine, supporting actresses such as Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard, and Loretta Young.
Henry Stephenson was a British stage and film actor. He portrayed friendly and wise gentlemen in many films of the 1930s and 1940s. Stephenson appeared with Errol Flynn in four films: Captain Blood (1935), The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), The Prince and the Pauper (1937), and The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939).
May Robson was a major stage actress in the late 19th and early 20th century. Robson was the oldest person to enjoy a major Hollywood career and the oldest to receive an Oscar nomination, for her leading role in Lady for a Day in 1933. She usually played crabby old ladies with hearts of gold.
Charles Boyer was a stage and silent film star in France before coming to the United States. His first Hollywood break came with a very small role in Jean Harlow's Red-Headed Woman (1932).
Harvey Clark was a stage and film actor. He appeared in 198 films between 1915 and 1938.
After the credits, the first 1:18 of the picture features snappy dialogue by Anita Loos. Some of the film's best remembered lines are from this small portion of the movie.
Jean Harlow's first words as she reclines in a salon chair with her perky breasts draped in satin:
"So gentlemen prefer blondes, do they? Yes, they do."
In the next scene, Harlow adjusts her dress as she sexily saunters over to the window. She pulls the skirt of the dress tightly over her legs and asks an unseen woman the following question: Harlow: "Can you see through this?" Unseen woman: I'm afraid you can, Miss." Harlow: "I'll wear it."
The next scene features a shot of Harlow's gorgeous gams. A newspaper falls to the floor. She had cut a headshot of her boss from the newspaper and inserts the photo into a frame on her garter. She says:
"The boss's picture. Well, it'll get me more there than it will hanging on the wall."
In the final scene Lil (Jean Harlow) meets Sally (Una Merkel) at a store with a soda fountain. Their conversation: Lil: "I'm on my way up to the boss's house with his mail." Sally: "Why didn't his secretary do it?" Lil: "Because I swiped it off her desk. These are important and they gotta be answered right away. Maybe I'll get a chance to stay and take dictation." Sally: "What'll that getcha?" Lil: "Don't be dumb. His wife's in Cleveland." Sally: "Say! Bill Legendre's crazy about his wife." Lil: "Well, he's a man, isn't he?"
More racy (and humorous) dialogue by Anita Loos. Friends and roommates Lil and Sally are quite a pair. Harlow even flashes a bare breast while changing into her nightwear.
Lil: "And there we were like an uncensored movie, when in walks Mrs. William Legendre, Jr. and catches us! Right in the old family parlor!" Sally: "Ahhh! Oh, you dirty little homewrecker! Whaddya think that's gonna getcha?" Lil: "Listen, Sally, I made up my mind a long time ago, I'm not gonna spend my whole life on the wrong side of the railroad tracks." Sally: "Well, I hope you don't get hit by a train while you're crossin' over." Lil: "A girl's a fool that doesn't get ahead. Say, it's just as easy to hook a rich man as it is to get hooked by a poor one." Sally: "Oh! So that's what you're gonna do!" Lil: "That's it. I'm gonna amount to something in this town. You'll see! Sally: Sure!" Lil: "Well, you son-of-a-sea-snake! Have you got on my new pajamas? Yeah, well you shake right out of 'em, Hortense." Sally: "Alright!" Lil: "I'm too important these days to sleep informally. What if there'd be a fire?" Sally: "You'd have to cover up to keep from being recognized." Lil: "Say mug, let's have a little more respect outta you, now that I belong to one of the fine old families." Sally: "Oh, yeah? Well if I were you I'd go a little bit slow." Lil: "Whadda you mean by that?" Sally: "Well, Bill Legendre and his wife might get together and decide that you were merely a strange interlude."
(Jean Harlow's bare right boob appears at 1:14-1:15 in the film clip above.)
Lil: "Strange interlude, nothing! When I kiss 'em, they stay kissed for a long time." Sally: "Well, see you don't get left holdin' the bag, sweetheart, full of nothin' but air. You better hang on to that bootlegger of yours." Lil: "What? Go on with Al after Bill Legendre? Oh no, I've started on the upgrade, and whatever happens, baby, I'm in the big leagues now."
The famous (infamous in 1932) S and M scene
Lil: "Oh! Do it again! I like it! Do it again!"
The Hays Office approved Red-Headed Woman after the elimination of some suggestive dialogue and shots of Jean Harlow. But this sadomasochistic scene was considered okay for public consumption in 1932? I'm surprised it wasn't retooled or cut. It's one of the reasons the film was banned in the UK until 1965.
Red-Headed Woman Images
Likeness of Jean Harlow on cover of Photoplay Aug. 1932
Portraits of Jean Harlow
Colorized photo of Jean Harlow
Chester Morris and Jean Harlow
Lobby cards 1, 2 and 5 feature Chester Morris and Jean Harlow. 3 features Chester Morris, Jean Harlow and Leila Hyams. 4 features Lewis Stone, Chester Morris and Jean Harlow.
I'm writing about the character Joseph "Joe" Devereaux played by Robert Wagner in Broken Lance (1954). Joe is the son of Matthew Devereaux (Spencer Tracy) and his second wife, a Native American princess played by Katy Jurado and called "Señora" Devereaux out of respect for Matt but not out of respect for her.
Matt Devereaux (Spencer Tracy) and Señora Devereaux (Katy Jurado)
Joe Devereaux (Robert Wagner)
I fell in serious like with Joe at age 11 when introduced to the film by my mother, a classic movie lover. She also thought (and still thinks at age 94) that the 24-year-old Robert Wagner was especially dreamy in this well-done tale of the Southwest. Dressed in western garb by William Travilla and riding a beautiful pinto, Wagner looks so handsome in CinemaScope and Technicolor thanks to the talent of cinematographer Joe MacDonald, known for his fine outdoor color photography.
In addition to Joe, Broken Lance also features one heinous hunk and two himboes. Matthew Devereaux (Spencer Tracy) had three sons by his first wife. She died when their boys were young. Matt was busy building an empire and had no time for his boys. He never showed them the affection they wanted and needed desperately. Joe's mother treated her stepsons with love and encouraged her husband to do the same. Unfortunately, her stepsons rejected her out of prejudice and Matt did not listen to his wife on the matter of his sons. He continued to treat them worse than the hired hands.
The heinous hunk in the top photo is Ben Devereaux (Richard Widmark), the oldest. The two himboes in the bottom photos, Hugh O'Brian as Mike Devereaux and Earl Holliman as Denny Devereaux, follow Ben like sheep out of their stupidity.
Top L: Jean Peters plays Barbara, Joe's love interest. I want to be Barbara in the worst way.
Top R: E. G. Marshall plays Horace, Barbara's father, governor of the state, and a prejudiced creep.
Center L: Eduard Franz as Two Moons, the coolest of cats and Joe's savior.
Center R: Carl Benton Reid as Clem Lawton, Matt's friend and attorney.
Bottom L: Philip Ober as Van Cleve, the slimy prosecutor.
Bottom R: Robert Burton as McAndrews, the nasty copper mine foreman.
For those who like to read the credits like I do:
Broken Lance is the story of a family empire in the Old West. The plot is derived from King Lear, though its more direct precursor is the film noir classic House of Strangers (1949), a similarly themed film also written by Philip Yordan. Though Yordan won an Oscar for Original Story for Broken Lance, Richard Murphy wrote the screenplay and also used the 1949 novel I'll Never Go Home Any More by Jerome Weidman as source material.
I must mention the work of Spencer Tracy and Katy Jurado in this film. They are both top-notch. Jurado was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar while subbing for Dolores del Río who was having visa trouble. In addition, the film is well-cast with reliable character actors in the supporting roles.
The film also benefits from having the talented Edward Dymtryk as a director. He was known for his films noir and received an Oscar nomination for Best Director for Crossfire (1947).
I drool over this photo of Joe (Robert Wagner) and Barbara (Jean Peters) while pretending to take her place. :)
How Mom and I Like to Watch Joe Devereaux
First, we plan the menu for the cinematic event. Most of the time we keep it simple and decide on Half-and-Half Bars (recipe below) and a beverage. A word of warning. Never call the bars Half-Breeds. Joe hates being called that and I don't blame him. It's damn offensive.
Half-and-Half Bars
For the brownie layer:
1/2 cup plus 2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup plus 2 T. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) (I love nuts!)
For the blondie layer:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts.)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
One 6-ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Generously grease the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking pan.
Prepare the brownie layer. Mix together the cocoa, flour, salt, and nuts in a large mixing bowl.
With an electric mixer, beat the melted butter and sugar together in a separate mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating until it has reached a smooth, light yellow color and creamy consistency. Beat in the vanilla. Add the dry mixture in small amounts, beating on low speed after each addition until batter is well blended. Spoon into your prepared pan
Bake the brownies for 20 minutes. They will not be done, but will just be beginning to set. While the brownies are baking, prepare the blondie batter.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir in the walnuts and set aside.
With an electric mixer, beat the melted butter and brown sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. On low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in small amounts, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips. The batter will be fairly thick.
Gently spoon the blondie batter on top of the partially baked brownie batter, trying to distribute the batter evenly on top; however, do not try to spread the batter on top of the brownie layer, because this will cause the brownie layer to break up. Don't worry too much if it looks uneven, as the heat from the oven will distribute the batter.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the blondie layer is beginning to lightly brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool in the pan.
Occasionally our menu gets slightly more elaborate and we make Devereaux Dogs (recipe below) to eat before the dessert.
Devereaux Dogs
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Generously grease the bottom and sides of a large baking dish.
Put your favorite kind of uncooked hot dog on your favorite kind of hot dog bun.
Put condiments on the hot dog. Mustard, ketchup (or catsup, if you prefer be more formal), onions, and pickles all work well. If you use relish and/or sauerkraut, remove some of the liquid first. I don't recommend using chili until after the hot dogs are cooked.
Top with a slice of cheese. I normally break the cheese in pieces so it covers the whole hot dog.
Put the hot dog/bun combos in the large baking dish.
Cover with aluminum foil, shiny side down.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
We eat in front of the TV on tray tables and begin to watch the opening credits via Roku and Amazon Prime. We cheer when Robert Wagner's name appears.
"Joe, Joe, Joe!"
Joe is being released from prison for a crime he didn't commit. He went to prison to spare his father the ordeal. Check out the perfect "V" of broad shoulders to narrow waist in the image above. Yummy!
The governor wants Joe to stay away from his daughter. Joe's brothers want him out of town on the 6 p.m. train. Joe throws the wad of moola ($10,000) in the spittoon. Gotta love that boy!
We yell, "Way to go, Joe! Yes!"
Joe is warmly greeted at the Devereaux Ranch gate by Two Moons, his old friend. Joe looks especially handsome when showing his pearly whites.
Now there's a flashback to family trouble and what led up to Joe being jailed. Matt catches the two himboes stealing cattle and changing the brand. Matt tells the himboes to get off the ranch. Kindhearted Joe pleads with his father on his half-brothers' behalf in the image above.
That evening, Joe gets the devil from his father for bringing the himboes back to the ranch. Joe get around his father with his charm.
Barbara is about to eat what Matt describes to her as "pickled cactus grapes." Kindly Joe (such a sweetheart) warns Barbara that what she is about to eat is a cayenne pepper. Watch and see what she does. :)
How could a girl not fall in love with a man who brings her milk to cool her burning mouth? Aw, Joe! We love you so!
McAndrews (Robert Burton): "You know you're right about one thing, Devereaux! The company didn't send me out here to be buffaloed by a loudmouthed farmer with a squaw for a wife and a half-breed kid!" Joe: "Go ahead! Pull it! Draw and I'll blow your head off!"
1: Joe drives Barbara home from the ranch the morning after they meet. (I wish! Sniff...sniff.)
2: On the way, Joe takes Barbara to his special place and tells her the story of his parents' romance. He confesses his love. Barbara tells him she returns his love. (She's no fool. What girl wouldn't love him?)
3: Joe wants to speak to her father. Barbara tells Joe she wants to work on her father first. (Her father is a bigoted ass.)
4: Barbara informs Joe that her father did not appoint the judge as Matt had requested because her father asked Matt to break up Joe and Barbara as a condition of the appointment. Matt refused to do it. Joe is mad as hell.
1. Joe is hard at work on the prison rock pile. (Makes me teary-eyed.)
2. Joe resists but the guard brings him in to see Barbara.
3. Barbara tells Joe she loves him and will wait for him. He doesn't want her to waste her life. (The wait would be worth it, believe me.)
4. She doesn't care if he's filthy, sweaty and stinky, Barbara kisses Joe and clings to him. (She's a wise woman! Who could resist him?)
5. Joe asks Barbara not to come back. He can't take it. Her visits almost destroy him.
Part 1 of why the film is titled Broken Lance. Watch and see. :)
Joe sees his mother for the first time after getting out of prison. He takes his father's pistol from its holster and wants to take revenge against his brothers. She says:
"You are speaking like a boy, my son. And the years should have made you a man."
She gives Joe sage advice about Barbara and life.
"Take her away, Joseph. And when you are together, you will know there is no need for blood."
1 and 2. Joe practices high diving and swimming courtesy of
one who shall not be named because you really need to
watch this terrific film and find out who the creep is.
3. Thank goodness for Two Moons.
Part 2 of why the film is titled Broken Lance. Watch and see. :)
