When you can't afford the originals ...

Think Small, Think Trade cards

   Ann Harding, Myrna Loy, Alice Brady and Bob in When Ladies Meet 

               Bob and Rosalind Russell in Night Must Fall (1937)

            Bob, Roz and Alan Dinehart in Fast and Loose (1939)

And, when you definitely do not have the extra money for an original Hurrell, try this trade card.

       Bob, Joan Crawford and Franchot Tone in No More Ladies (1935)

So Many Birthdays ....

Yes, so many ... decided to combine a few Bob co-stars, six from this week alone.  So, Happy Birthday to ...

Anita Page, Aug. 4th, co-starred with Bob in Free and Easy (1930)

Reginald Owen, Aug. 5th, co-starred with Bob in several movies, decided to use this photo of Mr. Owen in Sherlock Holmes (1932).  He is Dr. Watson to Clive Brook's Sherlock.  Love the bowtie.  

Irene Purcell, Aug. 7th, appeared with Bob in Man in Possession (1931).  She and Bob worked so well together, wish they had done more.

Ann Harding, Aug. 7th, shown here with Bob in Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935). 

Nat Pendleton, Aug. 9th, was a very busy supporting actor in the 1930s and 1940s.  He did a great job with the role of Madge Evans' unwanted suitor in Fugitive Lovers (1934)

and, finally, Dorothy Jordan, Aug. 9th, portrayed a rather demure young lady when co-starring with Bob in Love in the Rough (1930) and Shipmates (1931).  I like this sexy version of Dorothy.  

It's August and all those Bob Birthday Ladies

 Let's see, I did manage to do a birthday post for Myrna.  Since then I have missed Anita Page, Aug. 4th, and Ann Harding and Irene Purcell, both born on Aug. 7th.  And I remembered Reginald Owen and his Aug. 5th birthday.  Yes, not a leading lady, but being in seven Bob movies puts him in a special class.  

Dorothy Jordan, born Aug. 9th, and Bob were a precious pair in both Love in the Rough (1930) and Shipmates (1931).  There was a big MGM publicity push for Bob becoming a Star!, including starring him in Shipmates.  Wish they had given him a better movie.  They did take a fair number of publicity shots of Bob and Dorothy.  Now they are just great.  

                    Bob and Dorothy Jordan in Shipmates (1931)

The Future According to MGM

 MGM's Screen Forecast for 1934 - 1935, is a small publication, about 3-1/2" x 4-1/2", with 28 pages.  I'm assuming it was given out as a freebee at theaters and tells briefly the movies MGM stars were cast in for release in 1934-35.  And just like the weather, MGM's forecast was somewhat limited in accuracy.  

Of course, not all were incorrect ... Robert Montgomery did co-star with Ann Harding in Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935).  

Unfortunately, Robert Montgomery did not appear in Mutiny on the Bounty (1935). 

 

William Powell and Myrna Loy appeared in a whole lot of movies together, but The Casino Murder Case (1935) was not one of them.  Paul Lukas and Rosalind Russell inherited this crime mystery.  

Some slight changes were made to the Shearer romance movie, Marie Antoinette, not released until 1938.  Lets see, it lost Charles Laughton and Herbert Marshall, and gained Tyrone Power and John Barrymore.  Must have been some changes in the storyline as well.  I mean, I just can't see Herbert Marshall and Tyrone Power up for the same role.  No way.

And, saving the best for last, and I quote:  "Gloria Swanson will co-star with Clark Gable in a thrilling romance."  Now that's funny.  Gable must have choked on his steak when the MGM rep. brought up that idea.  Perhaps he let Joan Crawford take care of Swanson.  Trying to move in on her guy ... really.

Strangers May Kiss (but they don't have to)

I enjoy photoplay editions of books upon which movies are based.  The They Were Expendable edition is just great, eight photos and six have Bob in them!  On the other end of the pole, the photoplay edition of Lady in the Lake does not have any photos at all inside, just those on the dust jacket.  Strangers May Kiss is kinda in between those two books ... four photos and none of them feature Bob!  But, they are decent photos, particularly the photo of Ms. Shearer at the front of the book.  I'd say it gives one a pretty good idea of the flavor of the book. 

The captions are worth showing in a legible print size...

                      Elizabeth aches for the kiss of this stranger - 
                             yielding to a passionate embrace.

                     Alan tires of their unconventional interlude.

               In one mad night after another, Elizabeth sought
                        escape from the spectre of her folly.

By the way, Happy Birthday thoughts for Norma Shearer whose birthday is August 10.  And the same for Dorothy Jordan whose birthday is August 9.  And belated Birthday thoughts for Ann Harding and Irene Purcell who share August 7 as their birthday.  My, but Bob had to work with a lot of Leos!!

Marathon, Part 2 (One Day To Go!)

And now for the other five movies being shown tomorrow ...

Untamed (1929) receives a 4.6 rating on IMDB.  Ouch.  Granted, the movie is one of those rather awkward transition from silent to sound movies.  The use of titles for scene changes at the beginning is right out of the silents.  Hey, we are still learning about sound films, give us a chance!  If you are a Crawford fan, you will enjoy the beginning.  Joan, as "Bingo", gets to both sing and dance.  It is interesting to see musical numbers being used in the early sound pictures, whether it had anything to do with the rest of the movie or not.  Even Bob has to sing a love song to Bingo.  Too much.

I would suggest going 21 minutes into the movie and watch it from Bob's entrance on, the movie improves greatly.  This is Bob's third movie.  His transition is from stage to the talkies and he still has room for improvement.  But it is simply fun to watch him, the young, very exuberant Bob, still working on his basics, the way he walks, what to do with his hands when standing still.  The boxing scene is great fun, with some attempt of disguising just how skinny and small-framed the young Bob is.  But he can throw a lot of punches very fast!

Three years later, Bob has improved significantly.  In But the Flesh is Weak (1932), he has become the Bob we know so well ... so handsome, elegant and smooth.  The rating is only 5.7, probably so low because of the main plot of Bob and his Dad being gigolos with the quest of Bob marrying  a wealthy woman.  Yes, not exactly politically correct these days, but it was all fun in 1932 having men in the usual role held by women, of looking for a sugar daddy.  The beginning has a great scene of Bob preparing for and taking a bath, do watch that if nothing else.  I have always felt the big weakness of the film was Bob's co-star, Nora Gregor.  She was quite popular in Europe, but did not catch on in Hollywood.

                   Bob and Nora Gregor in But the Flesh is Weak

In Made on Broadway (1933), Bob gets to play a different role.  He is a fast-talking, streetwise fixer, not his usual suave, upper crust self.  He meets his match in Sally Eilers, and the two work to make her into a celebrity.  He begins to fall in love with her, while his wife, Madge Evans, waits patiently to see if he returns to her.  Bob is quite good in the role, interesting to watch.  IMDB's rating is 6.5.  That's fair.

In the same year, Bob made When Ladies Meet.  Based on a very sophisticated and successful play, the movie has simply a great cast; Ann Harding, Myrna Loy, Frank Morgan, Alice Brady along with Bob.  It is a witty play about current day morality.  Myrna is in love with Frank who is married to Ann, while Bob is in love with Myrna and will do anything to get Frank out of the picture.  It sounds strange to have Myrna in love with Frank rather than Bob, but Mr. Morgan makes it believable.  The laughs are provided by Alice Brady, and the "country home" set by Cedric Gibbons is amazingly beautiful.  I seriously want that home for myself.  The movie's rating is 6.9.  The main complaint would be that it could be viewed as being too talky. 

Lastly, Trouble for Two (1936) reflects being made after they began enforcing the Hayes Act.  Bob gets to kiss Roz Russell gingerly and that's about it on the sex front.  It is based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson, "The Suicide Club", and is primarily a somewhat strange mystery, with Bob and Roz as European royals, and Frank Morgan (again!) as Bob's watch dog.  It is rather an adjustment for me watching Bob with a mustache and a curly wig!  It is also an under use of Ms. Russell, as often happens.

My, but it is getting late (or early, depending on your perspective!)  Hope my rambles make sense.  Remember, Monday is Bob's Day! 

And What Do Ann, Irene, Dorothy and Norma All Have in Common, Besides Bob?

Okay ... four of Bob's ladies have birthdays this week.  Ann Harding and Irene Purcell share the 7th.  Dorothy Jordan's is the 9th and Norma Shearer's day is the 10th.  Well, one big Happy Birthday wish goes out to all four of you delightful ladies.  Just noticed Bob starred with Dorothy, Irene and Norma in 1931.  Wonder whose birthday invitation Bob would have accepted if he could attend only one party.  Ha.  Like he could have said no to a summons by Ms. Shearer.  Then too, in 1931 he would have found a way to attend all three parties!! 

                   Bob and Dorothy Jordan in Shipmates (1931)

I hate to pass up on a chance to use one of my Bob/Dorothy photos, there are so many great ones.  Such a good-looking couple.  The word beautiful does not come to mind first when I think of Ms. Jordan.  Cute does, she was so amazingly cute.  Beautiful comes to mind more often when I think of young Mr. Montgomery.  So, who do you think had more natural curls?  

Happy (Early) Birthday, Mr. Taylor!

What can I say ... eight of Bob's (Montgomery) co-stars were born in August and I do a post for Robert Taylor.  Well ... he was every bit as good-looking as the ladies.  Sorry, ladies, but ... 

Older Robert was handsome ...

Younger Robert was downright gorgeous.

Mr. Taylor was born August 5, 1911, in Filley, Nebraska.  A heavy smoker throughout his life, Robert died of lung cancer before reaching his 58th birthday.  Much, much too young. 

Today, August 4th is Anita Page's birthday.  She had a 98-year-run!  Ann Harding and Irene Purcell share the 7th as their birthday.  Happy Birthday ladies!  I'll try to do something a bit more for the others. 

Bob Competes With Frank Morgan for the Girl? Only in the Movies.

When Ladies Meet (1931) is included in the newly released Forbidden Hollywood, Vol. 9.  Bob co-stars with Myrna Loy, but it is definitely a Myrna Loy movie with able support from Ann Harding, Frank Morgan, Alice Brady and our Bob.  The 'forbidden' description applies because of Myrna's designs on married Frank Morgan.  Bob, her ardent suitor, seeks to break up the Loy/Morgan affair by setting up a meeting of Frank's wife Ann Harding with Loy.  Great scene, great performance by Harding.  The movie has a really excellent script adapted from a Rachel Crothers play with superb art direction by Cedric Gibbons ... most of the scenes are in a Connecticut country cottage, a home about which to dream.  

Myrna discusses discusses filming Ladies in her autobiography, Being and Becoming: 

Bob Montgomery adored Alice Brady, and, both being great wits, they made very entertaining companions.  We became a little coterie of three, occasionally going to Alice's house or having something to eat after work.  That kind of easy camaraderie is rare in pictures, everything goes so fast you very often don't get to know people.

 Now that had to be a fun trio. 

Robert Taylor and 8 Beautiful Ladies

The result of snuggling couples on a cold December night --- a lot of August birthdays!  John Huston was born on August 5th, as was Robert Taylor. (Two more different people I can hardly imagine!)  Bob is 35 at the time of the photo below.  He has passed from his incredibly beautiful stage to merely extremely handsome. 

                                     Undercurrent (1946)   

And eight of Robert Montgomery's leading ladys were born in August:

                               August 2nd   - Myrna Loy
                               August 4th    - Anita Page
                               August 7th    - Ann Harding
                               August 7th    - Irene Purcell
                               August 9th    - Dorothy Jordan***
                               August 10th  - Norma Shearer
                               August 16th  - Ann Blyth
                               August 29th  - Ingrid Bergman

***Which also happens to be my birthday ... Me and Dorothy ... another argument against astronomy!  She was just so darn cute.

               Bob and Dorothy Jordan in Shipmates (1931)
 

Bob Learns From His Older Women

Bob's August Birthday Ladies, Nos. 3 and 4.  August 7th is the birth date of both Irene Purcell (1896) and Ann Harding (1902).  Irene is excellent in Man in Possession, a delightful pre-code movie.  The scene with Bob and Charlotte Greenwood mugging it up in the kitchen after Bob and Irene's tryst ... too funny.

                                  Man in Possession (1931)

Ann co-stars with Bob in Biography of a Bachelor Girl, a post-code movie based on a play written in  pre-code days.  Needless to say, the changes necessary to get the project past the censors mucked up the plot line.  It's still okay ... Bob's in it right?!  A character in the movie refers to Kurt (Bob) of "talking like a communist."  At the time, Bob was a New Deal Democrat so it was not particularly funny then.  I'm sure it caused a few giggles when watched in the 1950s, as Bob was by then enconsed in the Eisenhower White House. 

                           Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935)

So, Happy Birthday, Irene and Ann! 

Cake, Tea and a Ten Minute Break

In most workplaces, a cake and small celebration is given co-workers for their birthdays.  In Hollywood, there is the slight difference of having it staged for the set photographer.  The photo below is from the set of Untamed  (1929) on which they are celebrating Director John Conway's July 19th birthday.  I'm sure Joan Crawford baked the cake for the boss!  Bob is stylish, as always, with a dressing gown swung over his bare shoulders.

Ann Harding serves cake at her own August 7th birthday event on the set of  Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1934).  Bob, far right, is again in a dressing gown, and quite the gown it is...what d'ya think, pure silk? 

There was no information provided for this photo taken on the set of The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937).  None of the principal cast members had birthdays during the filming.  Maybe Joan just had the urge to serve afternoon tea.  It's not the clearest of pictures ... that's William Powell on the far left.  They found an interesting way to get Bob in front of the group.  I'll bet he enjoyed having Joan wait on him ...