Look, who's gone Hollywood!

When Hollywood is doing a biographical film, you can be sure that they'll put a lot Hollywood in it - and so did Daniel Fuchs and Isobel Lennart when they were writing the screenplay for LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME (1955), which was directed by Charles Vidor and is about famous 1920ies singing star Ruth Etting. Though Daniel Fuchs earned an Acadamy Award for best writing, motion picture story and a Writers Guild of America Award for best written american musical.

In a nutshell:

Chicago, 1920ies. Martin “Marty –the Gimp” Snyder (James Cagney) is a big shot in – not so clean – laundry business. He knows what he wants – and he wants ex-taxi-dancer Ruth Etting (Doris Day). Ruth knows what she wants, too: She wants a career as a singer – a real big number. In this case Marty is a great help: he gets her a job as a singer, starts her radio career, puts her into the Ziegfeld Follies and brings her Hollywood to star in the movies. And then there is Johnny (Cameron Mitchell), a pianist, who was interested in Ruth. Now he is a Hollywood conductor - and Ruth is going to work with him. What will Marty do about that?


Schmooze:

• James Cagney asked for Doris Day to do the female lead in this film - they had worked together previously on WESTPOINT STORY (1950). LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME is the only film he - as a star - accepted second billing - he thought Ruth Etting was the central character in this film and Doris Day should be payed with a top billing for her work - and he sure was right about that.
• Joe Pasternack who produced LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME has a short and uncredited cameo as a producer.
• Ruth Etting wanted Jane Powell to be in the female lead - but the studio didn't to put cute Miss Powell into a Nightclub scenery..
• You may know Harry Bellaver (Georgie) as Det. Frank Acaro from TV-series NAKED CITY (1958-63) or from ANOTHER THIN MAN (1939) from THE THIN MAN SERIES where he played "Creeps" Binder - you may remember the baby party? Sometimes I get the feeling that you could relate almost any classic film to one of the THIN MAN SERIES.. ;")
• Jane Russell was asked to do the Ruth Etting character - but she refused.
• Veda Ann Borg has an uncredited appearance as dance hall hostess.
• Doris Day wrote later that she first did not want to take this role, because of it's vulgarity. After the film-release she received many fan letters which were not so polite about her playing such a dislikeable person. She answered every letter herself and declared that there was an difference between herself and her roles. In my opinion it is commandable that she did that.
• The German titles for this film are NACHTCLUB-AFFÄREN (lit.: "Nightclub affairs") and TYRANNISCHE LIEBE (lit. "Tyrannic Love").
• MGM's favoured Ava Gardner to play Doris Day's part - but she refused, accordingly because she did not want to be dubbed again.
• Ruth Etting later stated that she never worked as a taxi-dancer.
• James Cagney said that this film would be - out of all his films - in his top five.
• According to Doris Day most of the more violent scenes between James Cangey and her were cut out.

Scene to see:

Every scene between Doris Day and James Cagney is most exquisite but to choose one: The fighting scene after the Ziegfeld show which ends in a (faded out) rape. Doris Day and James Cagney did brilliant fight scenes!!


See the beauty in it:

The blue dress Doris Day changes in after her first Ziegfeld number – the colour is amazing!

Murphy’s Law:

• The clothes and cars aren’t always true to the era.
• The Ziegfeld Follies NEVER billed any performers name over the show title.
  
  

Sing a song:

My favourite song is “10 cents a dance” – but there are several very good songs in this movie, like: “Shakin’ the blues away”, "Stay on the right sight, sister" and many more.

Here you have the real Ruth Etting singing for you:


Quotes Corner:

“I’m what make you tick. Don’t you ever forget that!”

I think this is one of the films Groucho Marx was referring to when he stated that he knew Doris Day “before she became a virgin.” ;”)
This film contains two of my all-time favourite actors: Doris Day (who I also appreciate as a truly gifted singer) and James Cagney. In my opinion Doris Day is a marvelous actress who is at her best when she gets the chance to act in a more dramatic role. James Cagney is indeed doing a thing that he was always good in: the gangster. I am feeling somewhat sorry for Marty who has the saddest part in this film’s trio. Though as a teenager I was fallen for Uncle Buck of HIGH CHAPARELL and I do like Cameron Mitchell – I think it wouldn’t have hurt the film when he was changed against any other young handsome actor. I don’t have a candidate for that on hand but I have not the feeling that he is putting something extremely special into this role – but to be fair: that would have been an enormous task to any actor opposite these two stars. ;”)

“You can put it down that I got the greatest respect for Miss Etting as an artist.”

The End? Wait and watch.

Yours (well and) truly

Frl. Irene

"Charlie... You're not talking... - You're nibbling!"

In 1955 a succesfull play by Robert Paul Smith and Max Shulman - addapted for the screen by Julius Epstein and directed by Charles Walters - was brought to the screen in Eastmancolor: THE TENDER TRAP.

In a nutshell:

New York, mid-1950ies: Charlie Y. Reader (Frank Sinatra) - a theatrical agent - lives a happy life for a bachelor: numerous women(Lola Albright, Carolyn Jones, Jarma Lewis) clean his home, care for his meals and do other things for him, which a bachelor of 35 years would like. (you get the picture - don't you?) A special friend of him among this ladies is Sylvia Crewes (Celeste Holm), a sophisticated classical musician and no love interest of Charlie - though she is interested.

Then Charlie's childhood friend Joe McCall (David Wayne) visits him. Joe is a married father of three children and tired of marital life - and Charlie vice versa envies his friend a bit for his calm lifestyle incl. wife and children.

At an audition Charlie meets the actrice Julie Gillies (Debbie Reynolds) - and is at once interested in her. But Julie has definite plans for her future: She wants to get married - and though she doesn't know her future husband yet, she has a strict shedule: The wedding date is already set and at first sight Charlie is not the man she would like to take part in her plans.

While Charlie and Julie get acquainted to each other, Sylvia and Joe spend time together and Joe starts to develop romantic feelings. More problems ahead, when Julie decides that Charlie could be the man she was waiting for and Charlie is not (yet) ready to give up his female-filled life.

Watch out for:

• A blonde Carolyn Jones as dog-sitting Helen - and watch the TV program carefully: There you can spot Esther Williams - quite tempting.
  

Schmooze:

• Lola Albrigth - who was a hat model and a showgirl in EASTER PARADE (1948) and one of Manuela's (Judy Garland) friends in THE PIRATE (1948) - played the part of Poppy Matson, whose familyname is boworred of Max Shulman's agent Harold Matson, while the surname of Joe McCall is borrowed of Robert Paul Smith's representative, Monica McCall.
  
• Carolyn Jones is best known as Morticia Addams in TV series THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1964-1966).
  
• THE TENDER TRAP shares some staff with HIGH SOCIETY (1956): Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm and director Charles Walters.
• The costumes were designed by Helen Rose.
• The German DVD release has a 16 rating..
• There is another film called THE TENDER TRAP: It is a 1974 documentary about carnivorous plants - narrated by Vincent Price!!! I would love to see that one!
  
  
  My favourite feature:
  
  Charlie's apartment is great!
  
  
  My favourite character:
  
  I love David Wayne - so this is no real question. .
  
  
  Celebrate the celluloid:
  


• You could eat whitefish and/or


• "rare Wisconsin cheese" and drink


• scotch,


• martini and/or


• coffee.
  

Scene to see:

The restaurant scene - well, I would have start to watch the whole part in the restaurant beginning with Sylvia, Charlie and Joe talking and Julie joining them later - but this is pretty close to what I would have recommended:

Window shopping:

Celeste Holm's wedding costume is my favourite.

Quotes corner:

"When a man comes in and pays $15 for a tie - is it too much to expect a stinking tie to tie?"



A cute film. My favourite part - besides the restaurant scene - is when Charlie tries to get a date with one of "his" girls and all of them have other men! I think that is because in the beginning when all this girls are cleaning and caring it seems like he is putting on them and in the end he is the one who is left.

This film exaggerates satirically the chliché of the bachelor's and the bachelorette's dreams. David Wayne has again some sharp-tongued lines, which I like - and I love when Frank Sinatra - after a hard battle - forgoes to tie his tie.

Though it is in the mean part a comedy there are some not so cheery parts. And for the fans of 1950ies design: Julie visits a furniture exhibition! The scene is not very long, but all we will get in this film.

And of course - you'll get the opportunity to hear Frank Sinatra singing the song which was nominated for an Acadamy Award - this opening reminds me that I am going to need glasses:

I like opening credits..

Goodbye - I'll go and watch another movie - or this one again?

"Who was the girl in the turkish shoes? Because I think I am engaged to her."

"She may be his wife - but she is engaged to me!"

Another picture which is based on a play came up to the silver screen in 1936: LIBELED LADY - directed by Jack Conway.

In a nutshell:

Society girl Connie Allenbury (Myrna Loy) is falsly accused of stealing another woman's husband. She sues "The Star" - a newspaper, which headlined the wrong story - to pay $ 5 millions damages.

Journalist Warren Haggerty (Spencer Tracy) comes up with an idea to save the newspaper: He engages his ex co-worker and oldtime rival Bill Chandler (William Powell), who suggests that he seduces Connie so Haggerty's fiancée Gladys Benton (Jean Harlow) - acting as Chandler's wife - can catch them red-handed. That way Haggerty would be able to proof that "The Star" didn't tell a lie.

Chandler who learns that Connie's father (Walter Connolly) is fond of trout fishing pretends to be a writer and passionate angler to get near to Connie. Problems appear when Chandler falls for Connie and Gladys decides that she is attracted to Chandler..

Watch out for:

• Hattie McDaniel as the maid in the Grand Plaza Hotel hall.
  

Schmooze:

• Charley Grapewin, who plays Mr. Bane is known (amongst many others) as Uncle Henry in THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), Gramp Maple in THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936) and as Grandpa in THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)


• The German titel is LUSTIGE SÜNDER which can be translated "Cheerful sinners".
  
• The four leads became good friends. Allegedly Spencer Tracy used to state jestingly that Myrna Loy broke his heart by marrying producer Arthur Hornblow, jr.. It is said that Tracy reserved a table in the canteen for men who felt that Loy walked out on them - the "I hate Hornblow"-table.
  
• LIBELED LADY was nominated for "Best picture" at the acadamy awards but lost to another movie starring Myrna Loy and William Powell: THE GREAT ZIEGFELD.
  
• Jean Harlow and William Powell were a couple whilst this film was produced so Harlow intended to get the part of Connie so she and Powell could end up together - the studio objected because they felt the audience wanted Powell and Loy to be paired at the end. Harlow gave in and was in the end pleased with her part.


• Walter Connolly (Myrna Loy's father in this picture) played the father of Claudette Colbert in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934).
  
  
• There is a remake called EASY TO WED with Esther Williams as Connie Allenbury, Van Johnson as Bill Chandler, Keenan Wynn as Warren Haggerty and Lucille Ball as Gladys.


• Rosalind Russell was first choice for the Connie Allenbury part.
  


• It was the fith film pairing Myrna Loy and William Powell.
  


• Billy Benedict - one of the original Bowery Boys has an supporting role at the news paper.
  


• Lionel Barrymore was supposed to play Connie Allenbury's father.

Celebrate the celluloid:


Eat pancakes/flapjacks or fish (trout!).

My favourite feature:

I like that raft in the lake. Gosh, won't you love to sit there and watch old movies on a big screen with some friends and splash around with your feet? (just an idea..)

Scenes to see:

William Powell angling and the lovely good-bye -scene with Powell, Harlow and Tracy - please look out for George Chandler's (the bell boy) mimic.

Window shopping:

Gee, I'd like to get that light suit Jean Harlow is wearing.

Quotes corner:

"This is love, not liquor." or "I am just a mug, Gladdie, but I love you." or maybe best known: "Marry your newspaper and become the father of many newslines."

I love the witty lines in this picture especially William Powell suggesting to Jean Harlow how to pass her time: "Maybe you could learn to read." and one I often use myself: "I am awful appealing in blue." This is an awesome screwball comedy and a marvellous cast!

I don't know anything about American eating habits, but I think it is funny to put the flag of the United States into a fish. I don't want to offend anyone but it seems strange to me. I mean: this film doesn't take place on 4th of July - as far as I know. But: Please correct me - I am eager to learn!

Goodbye! I'll go and watch another movie - or this one again? And:

"I like music with my moonlight."

"I am legally dead!"

It was the first film, that Fritz Lang made in America after he flew from the Nazi regime in Germany - yes, I am talking about FURY (1936).

In a nutshell:

Joe Wilson (Spencer Tracy) and Katherine Grant (Sylvia Sidney) are engaged to be married. To raise money Katherine goes west and takes a job as a teacher, while Joe stays in Chicago and - together with his brothers Charlie (Frank Albertson) and Tom (George Walcott) - establishes a filling station.

A year has elapsed and on the way to Katherine (finally the date for the wedding is set) Joe is mistaken for a wanted kidnapper and arrested. Gossip goes wild in that small town called Strand and a furios mob - leaded by Kirby Dawson (Bruce Cabot), a local ne'er-do-well - rages against the prison, where Joe is locked, and blows it up.

Joe is believed to be buried to death but he has survived. He pretends to be dead and goes back to his brothers, where he hides out. Tom and Charlie bring 22 citizens, who were ivolved in the lynching, to trial. The witnesses tell lies to protect the defendants. Joe anonymously sents evidence, which prove Katherine that he is still alive. Tom and Charlie change their opinions and want to withdraw the charge, whilst Joe is all "eye for an eye". Finally he changes his mind and in the moment the defendants are about to hear wether they are found guilty or not guilty he steps in the court.

Watch out for:

• Walter Brennan (who may be bestknown as "Stumpy" in RIO BRAVO),
• George Chandler (one of the Sheriff's helpers - amongst others he was the bell hop in LIBELED LADY) and
• Walter Abel, who gives a marvellous perfomance as district attorney.
• And if you wonder wether you know that youngster at the salon yelling: "Come on, let's have some fun!" - it's George Offerman, jr, whom you may know from A LETTER TO THREE WIVES.

Schmooze:

• Rainbow, Joe's dog, was portrayed by no one but Terry, who you may know as "Toto" of THE WIZARD OF OZ - I forgot to mention that in my last post: Terry has a fighting scene in THE WOMEN at "Sydneys"! She later would star under the name "Toto". (Guess why!)
• Ward Bond and Clara Blandick (another cast member of THE WIZARD OF OZ) did scenes but were cutted out.
• It was the only film Sylvia Sidney made for MGM.
• FURY was Leila Bennett's (who plays the "modiste" Edna Hooper) last picture.

Celebrate the celluloid:

Eat salted peanuts!

Murphy's law:

• When the newsreel pictures a held you can still hear the projector.
• After Kirby Dawson has thrown a stone into the sheriff's office you can see, that he had worn out one bar. When the sheriff goes to the window and looks out of it, there is no bar left - boy, what a pitch!!

My favourite feature:

The wedding ring Katherine gives to Joe! It is engraved "Henry to Katherine to Joe" - Henry was her father and she is named after her mother - In my opinion this ring says: "You are part of my family." and I think this is a really, really wonderful thing to say to someone.

Scene to see:

The court scenes are a must - and because half the movie takes place in the court, you might as well watch the whole movie.. ;")

Wishlist:

I simply love Sylvia Sidneys' hats and I would like to get some of the flowers of the flowershop Spencer Tracy gazes at..

This film is really awesome. Sometimes I wonder that the newsreel pictures show so many angles - but that's allright with me.

It is quite creepy to see that mob go off the rails. (I confess: especially the women!) - And each time I wonder wether I should laugh about that visual analogy between the chatting women and the gaggling chicken or should I be offended. (Most of the time I laugh..)

And my favourite line is that about a citizen "peaceably armed with an axe". Terrific!!

By the way: To those who expected a post about "that horse-movie": There are actually NO horses - I have checked that. But don't be sad: There're a few puppys in it. (who don't look like their mother, but: they're dogs and that's possibly the main point..)

Goodbye - I'll go and watch another movie. Because:

"An impuls is an impulse. It's like an itch. You gotta scratch it."

"Most of my friends exit horizontally"

Clare Booth Luce is reported to have heard some gossip-loaded talk at a powderroom in a nightclub and got the inspiration to write a play, which became a Broadway-hit: The Women.

In 1939 it was adapted to screen. George Cukor was director and Anita Loos wrote together with Jane Murfin the screenplay.

In a nutshell:

Mary Haines (Norma Shearer) considers her life as perfect. She is happily married and has a daughter, who she loves a lot. Then - with a little help from her friends, esp. her cousin Sylvia (Rosalind Russell) - she finds out, that her husband Stephen has an affair with Chrystal Allen (Joan Crawford) - a femme fatale selling perfume. Eventually Mary goes to Reno, gets a divorce and new friends.

Two years go by and Chrystal Allen is now good friends with Sylvia and married to Stephen Haines, whom she betrays with a singin' cowboy. Mary figures that out and finally gets her man back.

Watch out for:

Butterfly McQueen (her film debut!), Virginia Grey, Ruth Hussey, Hedda Hopper, Hattie McDaniel and Dorothy Sebastian in bit parts.

Schmooze:

Margaret Dumont played a Mrs. Wagstaff (probably the wife of Prof. Quincy Adams Wagstaff of "Horsefeathers" - a Dumont-free Marx Bros. movie?? Wouldn't that be great?!) but her scene were deleted.

In the fightscene Rosalind Russell bites Paulette Goddard (Mrs. Charles Chaplin at that time). Miss Goddard maintained a scar from that bite. Anyway they remained friends.

Allegedly there are (in addition to an all female cast) only female animals in this movie. Even art, books etc. are penned by women.

Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer and Rosalind Russell are rumoured to have a quarrel till George Cukor stepped in.

Joan Fontaine is the only cast member who is still alive.

My favourite feature:

"Sydneys" - the beauty parlour! It is just marvellous! I love the opening scene when these women are chatting and running through that awesome setting. "Sydneys" was named after Sydney Guilaroff - MGMs chief hairstylist.

Wishlist:

I'd like to get that perfume flakon for "Summer Rain"!! Or some of the dresses from the Adrian fashion show (the only part in this film in Technicolor.)

This film is one of my alltime favourite - it would be among my top ten. I love the opening credits when all the bigger parts are presented with a picture of an animal and a portrait of the actrice. Although the end scene is way to corny. (Norma Shearer, what's that supposed to mean? Do you never ever went out of a picture that way! That's so Norma Desmond!), this picture contains all I love about comedies: Pretty ladies, opulent settings and decor, marvellous costumes (Rosalind Russells' hats!!) and hairstyles and most important of all: a witty script. I really love these tartly ladies of "The Women" (1939)!

If you don't want to see the whole film watch Rosalind Russell doing her excersises or.. or.. *er*. No, you've got to watch that movie!

There were two remakes: one of 1956 ("The Opposite Sex"), which I will review some day and a 2008 version (also called "The Women") which I avoid to see - so somebody out there has to do that review.

And here the most famous quote out of "The Women" (1939):

"I've had two years to grow claws, mother! Jungle red!"

Good bye! I got to go and watch another movie! So:

"Get me a bromide - and put some gin in it!"