Submarines and Designer Swimsuits ... Not Quite a Match

Nice photograph of Madge Evans, taken as part of the ad campaign for Hell Below (1933).  The bathing suit almost blends in to make it appear Madge is wearing only straps and a belt.  Not that it wasn't intentional, I'm sure.  I still wonder about high-heeled shoes being paired with a swimsuit and swimming cap.  Just never saw that at the beach.  

                            Madge Evans, 1933, Hell Below

War, Desire and Hell - Sounds Like a Good Movie to Watch!

 There are three Bob films available for streaming on TCM right now.  Hell Below (1933) can be seen until July 7th and both War Nurse (1930) and Their Own Desire (1929) until July 20th.  Watching them in chronological order would be a good way of watching young Mr. Montgomery master his craft.  He continues to improve his acting skills after Hell Below, but he is obviously better than in his early movies.  

I rather like this Hell Below herald.  It is not the original, but don't know when or by whom it was produced.  It looks like a German herald, but it is in English.  The captions even provide a good outline of the story.  And, of course, there are numerous pictures of a very handsome Robert Montgomery.  

Pig Boat ... Glad They Changed the Name

 INTERNATIONAL NEWS PHOTOS LOS ANGELES BUREAU -- Robert Montgomery who is playing the leading role in M.G.M.'s "Pig Boat" pauses long enough to renew acquaintances with his favorite characters in the funnies.     

CULVER CITY, CA -- 12/22/32

                         Bob on the set of Hell Below (1933)

The Thrill Picture of All Time!

A love story without equal!  Months in secret production with a cast of thousands!  Mightiest picture of all time!  

Well, there is perhaps a tad bit of exaggeration involved in this Hell Below (1933) ad.  I'm not sure why "months in secret production" would make a movie better.  Seems like that would be difficult to accomplish having to deal with a cast of thousands...  I rather like the movie.  The adventure scenes are quite good for 1933.  Bob does a fine job of his strictly dramatic/romance role.  It's the humor element that is the weak part.  I mean, Jimmy Durante fighting a kangaroo.  Really?  

Who Was That Handsome Man With The Whip?

I came across this photo a while ago.  It is a re-issue print from the original negative made in 2003 for Public TV.  The line on the bottom of the image tells you about the negative, this one originally made in June of 1929.  A lovely photo with a great subject.  Let's see ... there's Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. on the far left.  Just 19 and already an established star in silents.  Next to him is Jack Conway, a prolific director at MGM, who directed four of Montgomery's pictures (Untamed, 1929; The Easiest Way, 1931; But the Flesh is Weak, 1932; and Hell Below, 1933). 

Next is Joan Crawford, of course.  She looks rather natural with a whip in hand.  Then comes the young man I could not identify for sure.  He looks like William Haines, and he and Joan were good buds, but why would he be showing them whips he just happened to be carrying around.  I could not identify a movie the four were all in.  Anyway, time passed, I'd forgotten the photo, until I ran across another photo showing the familiar set and whips, as well as the distinctive collar of Joan's blouse. Voila!  The movie is Our Modern Maidens (1929), directed by Jack Conway and starring Joan, Doug and Rod La Rocque (not Haines).

Movies, photography and social history of the first half of the 20th century....all my favs combined in one photo.  Just makes my day.  And I have a new movie line to add to my favorites.  The movie is a silent so this is a card that reads, "There is something in my pocket.  Dig in for it."  Definitely a pre-code, pre-MeTooMovement line for young Mr. Fairbanks.  

One Handsome Gent (Well-Dressed too!)

This photo was used on the cover of Cine Monde, a french magazine, in 1933. ( I was relieved to discover that there was no inside article on him that I would have to translate, my interest was purely the photo anyway.  Do note the spelling of Bob's name in the blurb!)

28-year-old Bob was just so very handsome, and this is a nifty photo of him.  He appears to be modeling the perfect ensemble for recreational horseback riding, for the country club set.

I later realized I had a sister photo ... two excellent environmental portraits. 

Almost as good as this one, taken a few years later on his new yacht.  Still handsome and wearing the perfect yachtsman attire, I'm sure.  The man had class.  

                                              Bob at 57.

And two alerts for Bob movies on TCM:  Another Language (1933) will be shown tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. PST, and The Divorcee (1930)'s showtime is Thursday at 7:30 a.m. EST/4:30 a.m.

Such a Gorgeous Sight to See!

So I am strolling through picture lots that are occasionally up for auction on emovieposter.com. (If you haven't heard of the site, do check it out.  You can trust them, no hit-or-miss like on eBay.)  Some of the lots are huge, I concentrate on lots from the 30s to 50s which are generally smaller and look for gems --- think Bob movies. 

I had begun checking out lot #6m262, 30 stills from movies of the 30s and 40s.   All 30 photos are shown in an overview ... and I see it.  Bob's face jumps out of a sea of stills.  It's a still from Hell Below (1933).  Well, make my day!  I put a bid in, won the lot for only $17 and rejoiced.**  Such a deal. 

Such a gorgeous sight to see ...

** Of course there is the problem of dealing with the other 29 photos.  Anybody want a photo of Fred MacMurray in 1945's Captain Eddie?  No?  How about Fibber McGee and Molly in Here We Go Again?  I have such deals for you!

Good Job, Madge!

Bob and Madge Evans ... such a handsome, or rather Gorgeous couple!  Bob is 28, Madge 23 ... both at the top of their game, in the looks department.  There just weren't that many women around who could hold their ground in a photo with the 28-year-old Mr. Montgomery.  I mean, even his hair is gorgeous!  Good job, Madge. 

                            Bob and Madge in Hell Below (1933)

And Happy Birthday to Madge, born July 1, 1909. 

Quick, Which Navy Bob Is For Real?

                  Hint:  Captain Henry Montgomery, Jr, U.S.N.R.

Do hope you all have wonderful plans for the holiday weekend, and that they all come true.  A great time to hug a veteran and say thanks for their service.  

The Eyes Have It

Bob made five movies with Madge Evans, they were a great pairing.  Those five movies produced a lengthy list of great promotional shots of the couple.  For Lovers Courageous (1932), the shots are of a young, adorable couple.  A year later, for Hell Below, it is a much more mature couple that is captured in some downright sexy photos.  In the photo below, notice how their bodies are intertwined, but they are gazing away from each other.   Yeah, they are past the stage of long, yearning looks into each other's eyes.  Could that be just a bit of a smirk on Bob's face?  

                   Bob with Madge Evans in Hell Below (1932)

Eugene Pallette Caught In Between

Love the total control studios had over portraying their images to the public.  As in even the behind the scenes photos were impeccably set up.  Note in this set photo from Hell Below the crew is dressed to the hilt, the camera man at the very top even has a hat on!  Right.  And what, pray tell, is he filming from that angle ... the top of Eugene Pallette's head?  Whatever.  It is an interesting photo with Bob in it, so what's not to like!

                Eugene Pallette and Bob on the set of Hell Below

Bob Has a Bad Day in Hell (Below)

               Bob as Lt. Tommy Knowlton in Hell Below (1933)

2 Very Young Bobs and 1 Very Handsome Bob

TCM is showing three of Bob's movies this weekend:  

     Untamed (1929) on Friday, 22nd at 9:00 a.m. EST/6:00 a.m. PST
     Hell Below (1933) also on Friday at 2:45 p.m. EST/11:45 a.m. PST
     Love in the Rough (1930) on Sunday, 25th at 5:00 p.m. EST/                       2:00 p.m. PST. 

Untamed and Love in the Rough are hardly great movies, but both have some fun moments.  Bob's amorous duet with Joan Crawford in Untamed is a hoot, and his fight scene at the party is great fun ... a rare shirtless Bob!  In Love in the Rough you get to see him pantless (egads!) in an early musical number. 

By 1933, we've gotten away from the "all singing, all dancing" approach to movies.  However, Hell Below gets bogged down with gratuitous "humor" scenes.  If you can survive the Jimmy Durante bits, Hell is a decent enough action movie for the time. 

                                 Bob and Madge in Hell Below

                                   ... and a tad closer up.

Bob gives a good, totally serious performance in Hell.  It really is a shame he was given only a few dramatic roles.  

Hey, this gives me the excuse to revisit one of my favorite Bob photos!  29 and ever so handsome ...

                  Bob and Walter Huston on the set of Hell Below

Happy Birthday, Ms. Evans!

Well, it's almost Madge's birthday ... born July 1, 1909.  Madge (Miss Nice Girl) Evans made five movies with Bob:  Lovers Courageous (1932), Hell Below (1933), Made on Broadway (1933), Fugitive Lovers (1934) and Piccadilly Jim (1936).  They were a handsome/cute couple, certainly not edgy like Bob and Joan.  Just love the many great photos of the two from Lovers Courageous and Fugitive Lovers.  Today, it's just Madge.  Definitely a tad more than "cute". 

Happy Birthday, Mr. Montgomery!!

Captain Henry (Bob) Montgomery, Jr., U.S.N.R., and good friend Jimmy Cagney on the set of The Gallant Hours in May, 1959.  Bob is just turning 55.  The photo below is a blow up of Bob from the photo.  The baby face is gone, the sideburns are gray and the crow's feet are more pronounced, but, hey, he is still one handsome dude.   

Flashing forward to early 1968, we find an almost 64-year-old Bob aging gracefully, still dressing elegantly and, as always, eyeglasses in hand while being photographed.  Notice the colonnade on the left side of the photo....your simple Manhattan apartment! 

And now for a step backward in time to find Bob, 28, on the set of Hell Below in late 1932, with Walter Huston in the background.  Woof, one good-looking man.  

And speaking of looking good in a uniform ... two photos that have been used on the blog before, that, to me, represent Bob at his prime in both his private and professional lives.  When someone asks me who Robert Montgomery was, this is what I try to convey to them.  First, we have real Bob, or more correctly Henry, on board a ship at the beginning of his overseas duty in September, 1942.  What else could a 39-year-old Montgomery do to defend his country!  
 

And, professionally, it's Bob clad in his Hollywood uniform for Petticoat Fever (1936).  The old pro at 32 yrs of age, at the top of his game ... rrfff.

Thanks for being you, Robert.  Enjoy your day.

A Little Warmth for a Cold Winter's Night

                       Bob and Madge Evans in Hell Below (1933)

What a Handsome Couple

It's been a few weeks since I included any Bob pictures in my entries.  That's too long.  So, ta-da, two of my favorites to share with you.  The second photo is probably quite familiar to you, but I just love the serious face of the young Mr. Montgomery.  Maybe it was the uniform.  

                    Bob and Madge Evans in Fugitive Lovers (1934)

                           Bob and Madge Evans in Hell Below (1933)

Just Three Typical Sailors on Shore Leave

Jimmy Durante, Bob and Eugene Pallette posing for the studio photographer on board ship departing for Honolulu from, I assume, Long Beach, CA.  It is November, 1932, and they are headed for location filming for Hell Below.  (I used a sister photo to this one in my July 15 entry, "Watch Out Girls, Here They Come." )

                                      Hell Below (1933)

In the mid 50s, Bob will have his own TV show, "Robert Montgomery Presents," as will Durante, "The Jimmy Durante Show."  Not exactly original show titles, but there is no confusion as to what the shows are about.  Of course, Jimmy ended all of his shows walking off into the darkness under a single spotlight, stopping briefly to say "Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash --- where ever you are!"  Just a great finale. 

Eugene Pallette, a man of size with a great gravelly, bullfrog voice, made over 240 movies, many of them silents.  He was of "normal" statue in his early career, making numerous westerns.  In the late 1920s, he started developing the girth that becomes a large part of his persona and turns primarily to comedies.  I have to admit it seems odd to think of him competing with Adolphe Menjou for the girl!

                                   His Private Life (1928)

Palette was great as the valet/manservant.  He gave hungover Bob a rough time in both Made on Broadway (1933) and Unfinished Business (1941).  He is one of a trio of my favorite manservants, competing with Eric Blore and Arthur Treacher.  Well, they actually share a special place in my heart for actors who have brought much joy into my life. 

How to Dress Well 201

Continuing the discussion of Bob the immaculate dresser ... the picture below was used in a 1970 newspaper feature article on the well-dressed man.  The caption fits Bob perfectly:  "Robert Montgomery, star of film and television, dresses according to the common-sense rules.  Shirt cuffs show below the jacket, jacket collar rides comfortably but snugly around the neck, shoulders of jacket are not over-padded.  A good example of how to wear clothes, not let them wear you."

                                 Robert Montgomery (1950ish)

Dressing well was always part of the Montgomery psyche.  In the photo below from Hell Below (1933) Bob is being dishonorably discharged from the navy, but that doesn't stop him from dressing well.  The collar is snug, the jacket sleeves cover the shirt cuffs --- per navy guidelines --- and his pants cuffs come to just above the top of his shoes.  Note the baggy pants that extend to the heel of the shoes of the other sailors.  Of course, having your own personal valet on the set does give one an advantage in keeping up one's appearance. 

                                       Hell Below (1933)

Getting down to the basics, Bob looked just great without any clothes!

                                         At home in 1938

Nice Surprises in Small Packages

                 Franchot Tone, Joan Crawford and Bob (1933)

I bought a copy of the July 1, 1933 edition of Picturegoer for its pictorial spread on Hell Below.  It is quite good, but I really enjoyed finding the picture above.  Franchot, Joan and Bob strolling merrily along on the MGM lot ... love those "candid" shots.  Note:  Bob is wearing his white bucks but no ascot.  Ascots were perhaps too formal in a work situation? 

Paying considerably less, I found a pictorial book in a library remainder bin about the movie industry going to war titled Movie Lot to Beachhead (1945).  It has hundreds of photos re the making of war movies, as well as stars who were in the services during WWII.  There's a nice photo of Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery, of course, and in a section discussing Hollywood before the war, I found this small picture of an unidentified star signing autographs.  Have not seen a photo of Bob smoking with a cigarette holder anywhere else.  He probably thought it looked good with his tuxedo.  (The book is available on Amazon, will cost you about $10 with shipping.  It's definitely worth it if you have an interest in the subject.)

         
And, in some forgotten magazine, I ran across the photo below of Messrs. Cagney and Montgomery on the set of The Gallant Hours.  One just cannot have too many pictures of Jimmy and Bob.