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.  

Pre-Code Bob Times 8 ...Just Great!

 Ah, gee, aren't they cute.  Dorothy Jordan was such a petite lady.  Check out her right hand resting on top of Bob's rather large hand.  Almost doesn't look real.  

               Bob and Dorothy Jordan in Love in the Rough (1930)

Hope you got a chance to watch some of Bob's movies from Monday's mini marathon.  So far, four of them will be available to stream on TCM until mid-August:  Love in the Rough, Strangers May Kiss (1931), Untamed (1929), and Lovers Courageous (1932).  The Divorcee (1930) is available only to July 21st.  For some reason, Another Language (1933) and Private Lives (1931) are shown as available to be streamed, but the ending dates are not included in the write-up.  And When Ladies Meet (1934) is not listed at all.  Not that I'm complaining.  Overall, this summer is proving to be just great for Bob movies.  Thanks again to the programmer at TCM!  

Thanks to TCM for a Very Pleasant Surprise!

Ta- Da!!  Coming this Monday, July 14th on TCM:  Daytime Theme - Robert Montgomery Pre-Codes!  Eight, yes EIGHT!! Bob films.  From Untamed (1929) to When Ladies Meet (1934), watch a young and eager youth develop into an excellent actor and handsome leading man.  

                Bob and Myrna Loy in When Ladies Meet (1934)

Now, I probably won't make it up for Lovers Courageous (1932) which begins the celebration at 6:45 a.m. PDT ... but the second half looks doable.  Hopefully the streaming schedule is good for all eight movies.  The movies in order shown, all times PDT.  

         6:45 a.m.     Lovers Courageous (1932)

         8:15 a.m.     Private Lives (1931)

         9:45 a.m.     Untamed (1929)

        11:15 a.m.    Love in the Rough (1930)

        12:45 p.m.   The Divorcee (1930)

         2:15 p.m.    When Ladies Meet (1934)

         4:00 p.m.     Another Language (1933)

         5:30 p.m.     Strangers May Kiss (1931)

Hope everyone has the chance to see a favorite once more or discover a new one. 

Happy B-Day Ray!! (Just a tad late...)

 Yes, Mr. Milland's birthday is the 3rd of January.  I hope he would understand my not working on the blog on a weekend.  He seemed a basically good guy, the forgiving type.  

This photo was taken by Wide World Photos for their morgue file for Ray.  All the news services would try to have their own photos of news makers, kept without doing any touch up work.  Ray is still a handsome lad at 41, even with the blemishes and a few wrinkles under the eyes. 

 I'm glad Ray was taken up by Paramount in 1934.  MGM didn't know what to do with him, used in bit parts and crowd scenes.  In 1932 Ray is cast as "Mr. Stewart - Party Goer (uncredited)" in But the Flesh is Weak.  In Strangers May Kiss (1931), Ray was "3rd Admirer (uncredited).  Ray would do much better at Paramount, for sure. 

   Bob, Heather Thatcher and Ray Milland in But the Flesh is Weak

Wonder Who Drove Whom Home

 Edward J. (Eddie) Nugent was tall, dark and handsome; born in 1904 in New York.  Wow, I could be describing Mr. Montgomery!  He was in four movies with Bob playing small and sometimes uncredited roles.  The movies are in a three-year span, 1929 to 1931, a period of partying and high times for Bob.  I can imagine Bob saying a good word for Eddie to get those parts, always nice to have a good pal on the set and available at night to join in the partying. 

Eddie was one of those actors who almost made it big in Hollywood.  Almost.  Had lead roles in a few low budget movies, worked often between 1929 and 1936, but never got the big contract or role.  Did some stage work in the 1940s and had a contract with ABC to direct TV in the early 1950s.  Eddie lived to be 90, certainly beating out Bob (77) on that one!  And died in New York City, same as Bob.   

I have photos of Bob and Eddie together in three of the movies they made together.  Don't have any for Strangers May Kiss (1931), don't have many photos from that movie at all, darn it. 

 

   Bob, Joan Crawford, Director Jack Conway, Gwen Lee and Eddie Nugent in Untamed (1929)
 

  Bob, June Walker, Eddie Nugent and unknown in War Nurse (1930)                                                        

           Hedda Hopper, Bob and Eddie Nugent in Shipmates (1931)
                                                            
 Can you just imagine the attention those two handsome gents got when they entered a nightclub in full tuxedo regalia.  Rrrff!

P.S. Edward J. Nugent was not related to Elliott Nugent.  Elliott co-starred with Bob in So This is College (1929) and remained a life-long friend and often business associate. 

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!!

An Evening With Amanda and Elyot

It's Norma Shearer month on TCM ... all five of Bob and Norma's movies are being shown!  Yes! They're not all great, but they all have young, beautiful Bob to make them all a worthwhile watch.  My favorite is Private Lives (1931).  This is the fourth movie of the pairing, and their comfort level with each other is reflected in their performances.  And, of course, it is an excellent Noel Coward play, so the script is excellent.  I understand Irving Thalberg actually filmed the stage version for the cast to study, a first, I believe.  Additional time was given for studying the script and rehearsals, to assist Norma in developing her role.  A Noel Coward play was not Norma's cup of tea, but she apparently put a lot of effort into it, didn't exactly embarrass herself.  Bob, meanwhile, handled his role superbly.  If only he had gotten more good movies in which to show his stuff.

               Private Lives (1931) with Bob and Norma Shearer

  The movies will be shown on two nights and all times are EST.

          November 10th  -  Private Lives 8:00 p.m.
                                        Divorcee (1930) at 12:45 a.m.
                                        Their Own Desire (1929) at 2:15 am.

          November 17th  -  Strangers May Kiss (1931) at 8:00 p.m.
                                        Riptide (1934) at 3:15 a.m.

And a special bonus, Lady in the Lake (1947) will be shown on the 22nd at 8:00 a.m.  November is a good movie for Montgomery viewing.  More, more, more ...

Photo (Advertising) Friday: A Free Soul

In support of Norma Shearer week over on Out of the Past...

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