Quite the Relief ... Turns out to be a good movie!!

Yes, Letty Lynton has FINALLY arrived in Bakersfield (all the way from LA?).  Hopefully everyone else has theirs as well.  Thoroughly enjoyed watching it without getting a mild headache squinting for a clearer image.  Beautiful print.  Bob just perfect in his first scene wearing that gorgeous white suit.  Had warned my husband we'd be watching it the same day it arrived.  He actually laughed out loud during the scene with Jerry and Letty in the boat's dining room.  Their exchange of one-liners is really quite good.  One of my favorite scenes is with Bob running up a flight of steps while carrying Joan.  He was in good shape, for sure.  Anyway, the nifty thing is that he stops his run with one step to go, one foot still in camera range.  You'd think there would've been a landing for him to step onto and put Joan down, but...or maybe he just ran out of gas!  

Anyway, it is a most enjoyable watch.  A beautiful print with beautiful stars and a decent enough storyline, especially for a 1932 movie.  That's only three years since the advent of the talkies.  Such a long time ago.  And we're just now getting to enjoy it.  For me it was worth the wait.  

Now, if someone would hunt down a copy of Three Live Ghosts(1929) ... Or a decent copy of Unfinished Business (1941).  Or Hell Below on DVD.  Or .... at least the list is one movie shorter!

                  Bob and Joan Crawford in Letty Lynton (1932)

Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhh, Part 2!

 So....Amazon has delayed the (hopeful) delivery of the Letty Lynton DVD once again, until July 20 to July 22.  And they actually asked if I still wanted my order.  Aaarrghh!  These people just don't get it.  Waiting all these years .... sigh.  (I know ... get a grip, woman!)

               Nils Asther and Joan Crawford, Letty Lynton (1932)

Meanwhile, June Bride (1948) is available for streaming on TCM until August 11th and When Ladies Meet (1933) only until July 18th.  

When you can't afford the originals (pt.2) ...

 Think Small, Think Postcards

George Hurrell took a lot of portraits of Robert Montgomery.  Unfortunately, very few are in circulation.  Heck, even the postcard versions are rare.  

It is Norma Shearer being won over by Bob in this publicity shot for Strangers May Kiss (1931).  Yes, even posing for publicity shots could be enjoyable with the right partner.  

Hurrell took a goodly number of photographs for Riptide (1934), with Bob, Norma and Herbert Marshall.  They were taken to highlight Norma; the silk gown and no underwear helped.   

Forsaking All Others (1934) was filmed late in the year, after Hurrell left MGM.  A gent named Tanner took this photo of Bob, Joan Crawford and Clark Gable.  Joan was in between marriages, enjoying her affair with Clark; Bob was enjoying working with friend Gable, and not with Hurrell.  

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)

Letty Update ...

 So ... the TCM Festival did decide to have a second showing of Letty Lynton, on May 3rd.  What a thrill for those lucky people.  

According to Joan Crawford's grandson, who has been involved in bringing Letty back from the grave, the DVD will be released in the "coming months."  What a tease!  Anyway, I need to start saving money for that 4G Blu-Ray.  Might be a good time to buy that 4G TV.  

Jerry and Letty find romance ...

He looks even better in the white suit.  

The Unguarded Hour with Roz?

Errr...Bob did not make "The Unguarded Hour" with Roz or anyone else.  I'm sure the studio had that planned for him when the article was written, but ...  Bob made Petticoat Fever (1936) with Myrna Loy when he returned from his extended vacation in 1935 and then Trouble for Two (1936) with Roz.  The Unguarded Hour was made by the studio, starring Franchot Tone and Loretta Young.  Personally, I am quite happy he made Petticoat Fever instead.  

Be Still, My Beating Heart!

  Can you guess what I can't stop thinking about these past few days?  It is a range of emotions from sheer ecstasy (hopefully seeing a clear print of a Beautiful Bob movie for the first time!), to having a nightmare about the Paramount+/Warner Bros. Discovery merger killing any plans to release Letty on DVD!  Aaarrggh!  

Favor to ask, if any of you or anyone you know are fortunate enough to attend the screening, please, please, Please drop us a line or two or as many as you want!  The word for the day, good people, is Share!  

Bob in his prime.  Wearing that gorgeous white suit.  Nirvana.  

                   Bob and Joan Crawford in Letty Lynton (1932)

"... with all legal impediments extinguished ..."

 YAHOO!!!!!!!!!  

Great news shared by Ms. Carrie today ... a 4G restoration of Letty Lynton (1932) is being featured at the TCM Classical Film Festival.  On May 1st Letty will be shown in all its glorious B&W at the Egyptian Theatre in L.A.  Just fantastic.  Unfortunately, there is no mention of the movie being released to DVD, but surely TCM/Warner Archive will do the honors, particularly since Warner Bros. Discovery did the restoration.  

Anyway, it is going to happen, period.  I'm thinking about the scene wherein Mr. Montgomery makes his first appearance on the boat.  Ahhh...  

Are we up to a little game? Hey, Bob's in it.

 I absolutely love photos like this, a shot of the cast and crew.  Unfortunately, they don't exactly work on the blog.  On the small side.  Can you tell it was taken on the set of Forsaking All Others (1934)?  Let me enlarge the major cast members. 

Guess who!  In all his splendor ...

And while we're checking out the rest of the cast, can you guess what they have in common in these photos that is different from Mr. Montgomery?  First, we have good friend Roz Russell.  Poor Roz was given a truly ugly dress to wear in the movie.  

Then, there is Billie Burke and Charles Butterworth, two excellent scene stealers.  

And, lastly, there's Mr. Gable with a big smile.  Ms. Crawford is not included in our little game, too interested in being snuggled up close to Mr. Gable.  

So, what do Roz, Billie, Charles and Clark all have in common that Bob doesn't?  They are all looking and listening to the director on their left.  Whereas Mr. Montgomery is looking directly at the camera, always appreciative of what made his success in the movies.  

Joan Firmly Holds on to the Boys

Nifty photo.  It is the first (and last) time Bob, Joan and Clark are in a film together.  Of course, Joan and Clark are lovers at this time.  Bob had to feel like the odd man out.   

And a good close-up of Bob's long lean hands.  Compare them to Joan's and Clark's.  Yes, he should've been a concert pianist.  

I wonder if Bob even realized he had a cigarette in hand.  As a former heavy smoker, they do become a part of you.

Bob and Joan in Letty Lynton

 Beautiful couple, but there's just something not quite perfect.          

Well, yes, a great pairing, but ...

Ah, Bob alone.  Yes, that's it.  Perfection.

Bill, Bob and Joan, together in 1929!

 This is a 1929 issue of Cinearte, a Brazilian magazine.  Interesting coloring of a drawing of William Powell, a rather distracting red smudge on his right cheek.  Hey, at least his eyes are blue.  

Actually, the reason I bought the magazine was this photo of Bob and Joan.  A rather passionate pose, Bob grabbing her arm, Joan grabbing his collar.  Interesting kiss, Bob's nose being on the camera side.  And check out the thick head of hair on our young Mr. Montgomery.  A young actor in need of a hair stylist!  

                    Bob and Joan Crawford in Untamed (1929)

Bravo, Ms. Crawford!!

It has been forever since I last did a blog entry on Joan Crawford.  Used to think she got enough coverage from other sites so that it would be best to spend my time on Bob, who so seldom gets mentioned these days.  However, it does seem the remembrances of her are from those trashy horror films she made late in her career, and, more positively, the tough broad films of the 1940s.  

Joan Crawford, to me, is the young star of the 1930s.  She reaches the very top of her profession in her mid-20's, and she definitely came up all the way from the very bottom with a determination unmatched by few souls.  I mean, having teeth pulled to sharpen your facial image was a mild step for her to take in that uphill climb.  

Doug and Joan ... the best-looking couple ever?  Darn close, if not.  

I'm guessing most Crawford fans would have to agree that the blonde look did not work for Joan.  

The caption for this magazine clipping discusses Joan's well-maintained body.  That her face may not be beautiful, but the rest of her makes up for it.  And I'm sure she worked hard at it, as she apparently did for everything she wanted.  (The magazine gave Hurrell credit for the photograph.  Not his usual style.)

Gooooo, Joanie!  

Bob and Joan, the Cameras Loved Them

Our Blushing Brides (1930) is being shown tonight at midnight PST.  Unless you are a night owl like me, that is not the best viewing time of any Bob movie (Well, Night Must Fall, perhaps!).  Hopefully it will be available for streaming after the showing.  It is not the best of Mr. Montgomery's movies, but he and Joan make for a very sensual pairing and a good reason to watch it.  And just look at that curly hair (Bob's, not Joan's) ...

               Joan Crawford & Bob in Our Blushing Brides (1930)

Bingo Ready to Defend Andy from the Darkness

Bob and Joan Crawford in Untamed (1929)

TCM is showing five (!) Bob movies during September.  Well, there are just 4 upcoming, The Big House (1930) has already come and gone.  The remaining 4 have horrid show times (all in early a.m.), but should all stream afterwards.  Hey, better than no showings!

      FREE AND EASY (1930), Sept. 12th at 4:00 a.m. PT

      PRIVATE LIVES (1931), Sept. 19th at 4:15 a.m. PT

     THE LAST OF MRS. CHEYNEY (1937), Sept. 22nd at 6:30 a.m. PT

     UNTAMED (1929), Sept. 27th at 4:30 a.m. PT

An Enemy of Louis Mayer ... Aren't We All!

William Haines (1900-1973), another good-looking guy.  Best friend of Joan Crawford.  Enemy of Louis B. Mayer, who finally got Haines off the MGM lot in 1932.  As you probably know, Haines was openly gay and would not marry because Mayer ordered him to.   

In 1930 Haines was assigned a movie called Remote Control, gets a 5.6 rating on IMDB.  I ran across this still from the movie with an oddly attired Mr. Haines.  I'm guessing he would've quit movies on the spot, but that MGM contract paid all too well.  

                    William Haines in Remote Control (1930)

The one good thing from the movie:  one nifty music sheet cover.  

Eek!! Is it Really Thursday Already?!!!

 How embarrassing.  My blog, the only deadline responsibility I have and I blow it.  Geesch.  Meanwhile, may I offer you a rather nifty photo of three favorite people doing their thing, giving joy to their fans.   Now where did I leave my keys ...

             Bob, Joan and Bill, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)

Tall, Lean and So Young

       Ernest Torrence, Joan Crawford and Bob in Untamed (1929)

                                            Cute, too!

Any Bob Movie Has its Moments

 A 10x13 version of this photo would look just great, framed and hanging on a wall of my home.  Yes, indeed.  Anyway, this is a really nice postcard by Ross Verlag from their collection of cream-colored photocards of MGM stars.  So luscious looking.  (Particularly the men!)  

If you're interested in watching Bob, Joan and Clark "live", Forsaking All Others (1934) is available for streaming on TCM until March 9th, as is The Divorcee (1930).  Forsaking suffers from being one of the first post-code productions.  Being hurriedly transformed from a quite racy Broadway play starring Tallulah Bankhead to a 'wholesome' movie to make the censors happy, well ... they did their best.  

Bob, The Hollywood Smoothie!

 A Hollywood star in the 1930s being interviewed by a fanzine reporter about another star ... you should believe every word!!