Bob and Madge made such a great couple

TCM update for June:  Fast and Loose (1939) and Night Must Fall (1937) will begin their June showings on June 4th and Lovers Courageous (1932) on June 13th.  Meanwhile, three movies from May will continue to run until June 14th (The Divorcee and The Easiest Way) and June 15th (They Were Expendable).  That's a lot of Bob available to watch!  

I definitely need to check out Lovers Courageous.  It has been ages.  Bob and Madge made such a great couple.  

                 Bob and Madge Evans, Lovers Courageous (1932)

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 Clear Your Busy Schedules on May 21 and Watch Some Bob!

 Gorgeous photo.  As is the subject!  

                      By Hurrell for Blondie of the Follies (1932)

TCM has come through with a seven-movie Montgomery marathon for his birthday!  Mr. Montgomery would have appreciated that.   

 The list of movies with show times in PDT:

                 6:00 a.m. Piccadilly Jim (1936)

                 8:00 a.m. The Last of Mrs. Cheney (1937)

                10:00 a.m. Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)

                12:00 p.m. They Were Expendable (1945)

                2:30 p.m. Night Must Fall (1937)***

                4:30 p.m. When Ladies Meet (1933)

                6:00 p.m. The Lady in the Lake (1946)

*** The TCM schedule lists the 1964 version of Night Must Fall.  I do hope someone catches that error!  

When Ladies Meet is the only pre-code movie.  This is a collection of Bob movies wherein he has developed into an excellent actor.  From a dramatic thriller (Night Must Fall), to a screwball comedy (Mr. & Mrs. Smith), to a dramatic war movie (They Were Expendable), Mr. Montgomery simply excelled.

And, yes, the photograph does not match up with the rest of the post. But ain't it sweet!

Review: "He gives a swell performance." Not exactly Pauline Kael...

 A look at the October, 1936 issue of Movie Mirror ... Let's see, a one-page feature on Piccadilly Jim (1935) and a friendly review.  Nice photo of Bette Davis on the cover.  

The print on the article is much too small to read, so:  "Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans are so happy to be together again in "Piccadilly Jim."  It's a real mutual admiration society, for Bob is Madge's leading man and Madge is Bob's choice among leading ladies.  Right now, Bob's all excited about his big chance in his next picture, "Night Must Fall," which will be entirely different from anything he's done before---and, if it can be arranged, Madge will be in that film with him, too.!"

Actually, Bob's next movie will be The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) and, no, Madge would not have worked out in Roz Russell's role as Olivia in Night Must Fall.  The casting is perfect as is.  

As for non-Bob coverage in the magazine, I rather like this photo of Joan Blondell and Dick Powell.  A cute couple.  

And the back cover ... Cigarette companies certainly advertised a lot in the 1930s.  This is a good example of their expertise at selling products.    

Danny was the Villain? With that Sweet Face?

 No, you can't have too many photos of Danny.  With the very expressive face of Mr. Montgomery, they are all different and interesting.  Of course, I am a wee bit biased.  I like the write-up that came with the photo.  Quite informative.  

"ROBERT MONTGOMERY:  For the first time in years Robert Montgomery appears as the villain of a screen play in M-G-M's "Night Must Fall," the weird drama of murder produced by Hunt Stromberg.  Montgomery has the role of a bellboy with a way with women, who kisses and kills.  Rosalind Russell is opposite him, with Richard Thorpe directing the screen version of the London stage hit which ran 55 weeks in England.  Half the London stage cast, headed by Dame May Whitty, was brought to Hollywood for the film."

                   Robert Montgomery in Night Must Fall (1937)

Bob Talks About Making Lady in the Lake

 Interesting interview from the May, 1947 issue of Movie Show Magazine.  Believe me, it is a faster read than it appears.

Just Love It!

I doubt it comes as a surprise, but I just love the wonderful Danny portraits taken for Night Must Fall (1937).  Bob is in full character in all of them and it is captured excellently by the photographer, C. S. Bull.  This one may be showing its age but, to me, the color makes him seem more alive, more real.  Just love it.

            Robert Montgomery as Danny in Night Must Fall (1947)

Happy 120th Birthday, Mr. Montgomery!

 "BIRTHDAY SMILES ... Robert Montgomery celebrates his birthday on the set of a new Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film.  Helping him cut the cake which members of the company presented him is Audrey Totter, who plays opposite him in the film."

         Bob and Audrey Totter on the set of Lady in the Lake (1946)

Just love the smile.  So rare to see Bob actually laughing.  

Good month for catching some Montgomery movies on TCM.  Right now there are four movies available for streaming:  Forsaking All Others (1934) until June 8th; Night Flight (1933) until June 11th; Night Must Fall (1937) until May 30th; and Live, Love and Learn (1937) ends tomorrow, May 22th.  Then two Bob war movies will premiere during the Memorial Day weekend, They Were Expendable (1945) --- of course! --- on May 25th and War Nurse (1930) on May 27th.  

What's Better than Bob? Six Bobs ....

Good month for Bob on TCM.  There are six movies coming and going, all of them in the better Robert Montgomery films group.  

Two movies are almost through their showing.  Private Lives (1931) ends on the 21st and Piccadilly Jim (1936) the 23rd.  The Divorcee (1930) will be shown until May 1st.  The Man in Possession (1931) is just being shown this morning.  Hope it gets a long run.  Everybody should see the role just made for the young Mr. Montgomery.  He handles it so well.  And an excellent cast simply makes this movie a gem of pre-code Hollywood.  Cheers for Charlotte Greenwood, Irene Purcell, Reginald Owen, C. Aubrey Smith and Beryl Mercer.  

And two more movies will "open" in April:  Lady in the Lake (1946) on the 20th and Night Must Fall (1937) on the 30th.  And everybody should see these two movies ... Mr. Montgomery's passions.  

Some great viewing!  Enjoy.  

Only Eleven Days To Go ... Eek!

 Rather hectic time of year isn't it!  We all need to take a break, sit down and watch a Montgomery movie.  Yeah, that sounds good.  TCM is offering three Bobs to watch:  Another Language (1933) with Helen Hayes beginning December 15th; Lady in the Lake (1946) on the 20th; and Night Must Fall (1937) the 28th.  Lady in the Lake for Christmas and Night Must Fall for New Years ... sounds great.  Which reminds me, need to add eggnog to the shopping list.  

Danny Admires His New Knife

 Just what could he be thinking of doing with it, I wonder.  (Bob looks really in touch with his inner Danny.)  

                  Robert Montgomery in Night Must Fall (1937)

One of the Finest Performances Ever !

Not that bad of a review.  Well, except for giving up what happens to Dame May Whitty.  And too much about Bob's character.  But they are right on about Bob's performance!  (From the May 21st, 1937 issue of The Family Circle.  Nice birthday gift to Mr. Montgomery.)  

Happy Birthday, Robert Montgomery!

 From young ...

                                        1929 5x7 fan card

and cocky ... 

                                  Made on Broadway (1931)

to a superb actor.  Truly one of a kind.  Thank you, Mr. Montgomery.

                               Danny in Night Must Fall (1937)

Robert Montgomery, aka Danny

 Bob so captured the essence of Danny, the charming psychopath of Night Must Fall.  He was certainly in character when the publicity stills were taken, this portrait is downright mesmerizing.  (And that houndstooth jacket doesn't help any!)  

                    Robert Montgomery in Night Must Fall (1937)

If it's Friday...I must be a Day Late for my Thursday Post! No Good Excuse, Just OLD.

 Bob quenches his thirst on an outdoor set for Night Must Fall (1937).  I like the water dispenser, but maybe they could have put it on a higher shelf, for the ladies at least.  Perhaps a glass of water would have been delivered to them.  To think that a modern day star would have to stoop to such a menial task! 

 Night Must Fall is being shown on TCM this Sunday at 9:30 p.m. PDT/12:30 a.m. EDT.  Great viewing times for the movie, best seen at night for sure. 

Con Man Bob Meets Dubious Roz

 "ROBERT MONTGOMERY DISPLAYS HIS TRICK BILL-FOLD....to Rosalind Russell in a moment between scenes in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's "Night Must Fall".  Bob has pulled this pet trick on everyone in the cast ..."

 I remember this 'trick bill-fold' from my childhood!  Seems my Dad came up with it, his kind of humor.  It was great from the viewpoint of a child.  Roz doesn't seem to be very impressed.  Maybe it was just Bob's pitch...

Try thinking of Danny being dubbed in Italian...

I like the Italian title of Night Must Fall.  "Notturno Tragico" sounds much more dramatic, great for trailers.  These two 14 x 20 Italian posters are nifty the way the color red was used to punch up the images, particularly the blood on Danny's hand.  Hey, they would have caught my attention, for sure. 

And "Buon Compleanno" to good friend Debbie.  My gift to you, knowing anything to do with Night Must Fall makes your day!

Time to Prepare for the Celebration!

Okay, everyone, mark this on your calendar!!  Bob's birthday is next Thursday, the 21st, and TCM will be showing eight (yes, 8!) of his movies!!  Unfortunately (for me, anyway), it is a daytime marathon, so get those DVR's ready.  The movies are as follows (ET):

                     6:30 a.m.  Yellow Jack (1938)
                     8:00 a.m.  Fugitive Lovers (1934)
                     9:30 a.m.  Hide-Out (1934)
                   11:00 a.m.  Piccadilly Jim (1936)
                   12:45 p.m.  Ever Since Eve (1937)
                     2:15 p.m.  Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)
                     4:00 p.m.  Night Must Fall (1937)
                     6:00 p.m.  Lady in the Lake (1946)

It has been some time since I saw Yellow Jack and Fugitive Lovers, so they will be my 'must sees' this year.  Bob is ever so handsome in Fugitive Lovers.  Rrrff!

                  Bob and Madge Evans in Fugitive Lovers (1934)