What?! Bob Loses the Girl?! Yikes.

1929 did not produce many great movies, not many good movies either.  Everybody was madly working out how to handle that new crazy development of sound.  Many movies featured musical numbers, although they were not musicals as we know them now.  The musical aspect was easier to understand than having people actually talk, that took a while to master.  So, you just needed a story line that will work with the occasional song being thrown in.  Hey, why not a college movie!

So This is College was one of those 1929 productions, featuring songs like the classic "I Don't Want Your Kisses". 

It starred young hopefuls Elliott Nugent and Robert Montgomery, and featured songster Cliff Edwards ... someone had to be able to sing!  Eddie (Nugent) and Biff (our so young Bob) are best pals, fellow football stars and leading gagsters at their fraternity.  Life is perfect for the two when ... shudder, shudder ... they find themselves in competition for the same girl. 

Yes, Babs (Sally Starr) is the new girl on campus and manages to win over both of the boys and breakup their friendship when she chooses Eddie over Biff (What?! Bob loses the girl? Eek.) 

Will Eddie and Biff get back together?  Will they reconcile long enough to play the big game and beat the hated rival?  For these answers, and more, check out the movie being shown on TCM tomorrow (Friday) at 7:00 p.m. PST

Silky Takes a One-Way Trip to England

I have always enjoyed Bob's The Earl of Chicago (1940).  Yes, the movie has its problems, but Bob's performance at the end makes it worth watching.  Found this book a while back.  It is not a photoplay edition, but the nifty jacket makes up for that (well, almost). 

Robert "Silky" Kilmount is not a nice guy.  Here we have him being restrained by "Doc" Ramsey (Edward Arnold) from slapping the poor henchman again. 

Silky cleaned up nicely after becoming the Earl of Gorley, and getting out of Chicago.  Below, the Earls's butler, Munsey (Edmund Gwenn) helps Silky dress for the final scene.  Bob obviously lost a lot of weight at this time.  I am not sure if he was getting ready for his military service or feared having to appear in britches and tights with the extra weight he had been carrying the last couple of years.

TCM will be showing Earl this Thursday at 9:00 a.m. PST. 

Non-Bob Odds and Ends

My vote for worse miscasting of 1941:  Bad Men of Missouri with Dennis Morgan, Wayne Morris and Arthur Kennedy as the infamous Younger Brothers. 

This tidbit comes from the October 15, 1935 issue of Film Weekly.  Note there is no writer credit for this critical review of the Hays Office.

And the winner for worse colorization of a movie still in 1951:  Santa Fe, starring Randolph Scott. 

Modern Screen Magazine, March 1934

Lucky and Pauline

The photo is showing wear, but the content is just perfection.  The young couple, newly in love, gazing at each other to discover every small thing about each other.  Pauline touching Lucky's jacket ...  just too good. 

                  Bob and Maureen O'Sullivan in Hide-Out (1934)

Craig & Alexis, Bob & Dolores, Bob & Betty and Loretta

It is November, 1947, and a group of entertainers are departing New York for London, for a royal command performance.  Of course, we need to capture this momentous event on camera.  Five of the party are smiling/laughing.  Betty is trying to smile, but not making it.  She's probably upset she did not get the memo re the ladies wearing mink stoles. 

                        Craig & Alexis Smith, Dolores Hope, 
                     Bob & Betty, Loretta Young & Bob Hope

Now, Bob is having a really big laugh ... slightly bent over, his mouth open wide. 

Wish I were in on the joke.

While suffering from a nasty virus ....

Isn't young Bob just too cute?  My, my.   Makes my day.  Helps lift my achy, fatigued spirit.  You just gotta smile looking at this photo, right?  The best medicine available. 

               Photo taken by George Hurrell for Shipmates (1931)

Where Did the Summer Go?