Dueling Divas Blogathon: In Name Only(1939).

In Name Only(1939). Cast: Cary Grant, Carole Lombard and Kay Francis. Based on the 1935 novel Memory of Love by Bessie Breuer. This movie was intended to be a reunion for Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, but following the failure of Bringing Up Baby at the box office, Hepburn left RKO after being named "Box Office Poison". Carole Lombard was brought in as her replacement.

Alec Walker, finds himself trapped in a loveless marriage, to a woman who married him only for his money. When he meets Julie, a widow and her daughter Ellen, he quickly falls in love with her.



His wife Maida, has Alec's parents convinced that she is the perfect wife, so when, Alec asks for a divorce, Maida, says that she will sail to Paris to stay with his parents, hoping to prolong the divorce.

Alec, follows Julie to New York, where he proposes to her, Julie accepts. After, returning home on Christmas Eve, Maida promises Julie, that she will never give Alec a divorce, and if he files for one, she will sue Julie for alienation of affections and have her daughter testify in court against her.

After which, Alec and Julie decide to go their own way. It is not long before Alec, becomes very ill with pneumonia. When the doctor says that his only the hope is to be with with Julie, she comes up with the lie that Maida has agreed to a divorce. Maida tells Julie, that she wants all of the Walker family's money and Alec's parents happen to overhear her. Now what will happen to Maida, after she is exposed for the Gold digger she is?

This is the perfect movie to celebrate dueling divas. The performances are wonderful and Lombard, is absolutely gorgeous. I think another good reason to see this film, is to see Kay Francis performance as Maida, Cary Grant's vindictive wife, which is great fun to watch. Lombard's fans won't be disappointed either with her heart-breaking performance.

Both actress break new ground in this classic film, In Name Only(1939). Carole Lombard brings it down a notch from her sexy blonde of screw-ball comedy fame to perform a straight dramatic role. Kay Francis, plays the woman you love to hate. She should have received an academy award for her performance.

One Way Passage (1932).

One Way Passage (1932). A romantic film starring William Powell and Kay Francis. Directed by Tay Garnett. It was remade in 1940 as 'Til We Meet Again, featuring Merle Oberon and George Brent. Powell and Frances performed in four films at Paramount before being signed by Warner Brothers.The music score, later heard in the background of many a Warners "B" film, is classic.

The story begins when, escaped murderer Dan Hardesty, is on his way to Hong Kong, where he accidentally meets terminally-ill, Joan Ames.



Police Sergeant Steve Burke, catches up with Dan and escorts him to a ocean liner, heading back to San Francisco. On board, Dan spots Joan among the passengers and talks Steve into removing his handcuffs. Dan and Joan fall in love on the month-long cruise, not knowing the others troubles.

Two of Dan's friends are also aboard, thief Skippy and con artist "Barrel House Betty", masquerading as "Countess Barilhaus". The countess keeps Steve entertained to help Dan. Just before they reach a stop over in Honolulu, Steve has Dan put in the brig, but he escapes and goes ashore. Where, he and Joan spend a wonderful day together. When they drive back to the dock, Joan feeling weak faints. Dan carries her aboard for medical help. Later, Joan's doctor tells Dan about her condition.

Meanwhile, the "countess" and the policeman fall in love and he proposes to her. She then tells him her true identity, but he still wants to marry her. As Steve and Dan get ready to leave, a steward overhears the truth and when Joan comes looking for Dan, tells her what he knows. The two lovers part for the last time without letting on they know each other's secret. Joan collapses after Dan is out of sight.

They had agreed to meet again on New Year's Eve, a month later. A bartender can not believe his eyes when two glasses on the bar break with no one around.

"One Way Passage" is one of my favorite Powell and Frances films. You also could not ask for a better supporting cast: Frank McHugh, as a drunken conman, is perfect comedy relief along with the wonderful Aline MacMahon, as the phony "countess".Sadly, after this and "Jewel Robbery", Powell and Francis were never paired again.

Aline MacMahon (May 3, 1899 – October 12, 1991) was an American actress. Her career began on stage in 1921. She worked in film and television until her retirement in 1975. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Dragon Seed (1944).
Warner Brothers, offered her the chance to become a leading lady, but MacMahon knew that her best parts would come with the character roles that often stole the limelight away from the stars. MacMahon, performed in the classic musical, "Gold Diggers of 1933" and other well known films: "The Merry Frinks" and "While the Patient Slept", "Dragon Seed" and "The Search".

Pre Code: The House on 56th Street (1933)

The House on 56th Street(1933). Drama. Cast: Kay Francis and Margaret Lindsay.

The film begins with Peggy Martin, who is living with Lindon Fiske, but.. she really is in love with another man, Monte Van Tyle. The couple marry against his family's wishes and move to 56th St., soon they have a baby girl. Things are going well, until a very ill Fiske, comes back into Peggy's life. When she refuses to leave her family to come back to him, he threatens to commit suicide. Some how, the gun goes off and she is sent to prison for twenty years, for a murder she did not commit.

While Peggy is in jail, Monte is killed in World War I and their daughter Eleanor is told that her mother is also dead. Soon, after Peggy's release, she meets her future partner, gambler Bill Blaine. They go to work for Bonelli, a New York politician who has opened a gambling house in Peggy's old home on 56th St. No one can read Peggy's poker face.

Not even Eleanor, who visits the gambling house and it soon becomes obvious that she inherited her mother's love of gambling and begins to win big money. Peggy, recognizes her now grown daughter and does not like the path she is following. Peggy, decides to teach Eleanor a lesson and makes sure she does not win. Things Take a turn for the worse when Blaine calls Eleanor, into his office and threatens to tell her husband about her debts, to prevent him from doing so, Eleanor.. shoots and kills him. How will Peggy protect her only child from going to prison?

This story is full of unexpected twists and turns and Kay Francis, plays a very brave character who stands up to the plate no matter what life throws at her.

Margaret Lindsay (September 19, 1910 - May 9, 1981). Her time as a Warner Bros. contract player during the 1930s was particularly productive. She was best known for her supporting work in films such as Jezebel (1938) and Scarlet Street (1945) and her leading roles in lower-budgeted B movie films such as the Ellery Queen series at Columbia in the early 1940s. Critics regard her portrayal of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Hepzibah Pyncheon in the 1940 film adaptation of The House of the Seven Gables as Lindsay's standout career role.

Pre-Code: Trouble in Paradise (1932).

Trouble in Paradise(1932). Pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Kay Francis and Herbert Marshall, and features Charles Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton and C. Aubrey Smith.

In Venice, during dinner, Lily accuses Gaston(who is posing as a baron) of being a thief and he in turn, accuses her of being a pickpocket. But when he presents her garter to her, she falls instantly in love with him and they decide to join forces. They are almost caught while robbing aristocrat Francois Fileba's room.



A year later, in Paris, Gaston and Lily are still in love and working together when, at the opera, Gaston steals a diamond-studded purse from Mariette Colet, owner of Paris's perfumerie, Colet and Co. Posing as Monsieur LuValle, Gaston returns the bag to collect the reward and lands a job as her secretary.

It is not long before Gaston, begins making plans to embezzle money from the company. Lily, works as Gaston's assistant and pretends to be devoted to Mariette even though she is jealous of her and Gaston's relationship.

After a few weeks, Mariette introduces Gaston to her friends and Fileba, asks him if he has ever been in Venice, of course Gaston denies it. Now, fearful that Fileba, will expose them, Gaston and Lily must leave Paris. Fileba, soon remembers Gaston, was the man who robbed him in Venice and warns Mariette, but she does not really seem to care.

When Lily, realizes the reason why Gaston, wants to leave in the morning, is because he made plans to meet with Mariette, she steals the money from the safe. Now, that everyone knows his true identity, how will Gaston get out of this love triangle?



What I loved most about this romantic comedy, was the many beautiful sets and costumes.

Kay Francis (January 13, 1905 - August 26, 1968). She costarred with William Powell many times and performed in as many as six to eight movies a year, making a total of 21 films between 1929 and 1931. With her dark beauty and her deep voice perfectly suited for early sound- films made Francis one of the top film stars of the early 1930s.

She performed in the films, Girls About Town (1931) and Twenty-Four Hours (1931). After Kay's career skyrocketed at Warners, she would return to Paramount for the film, Trouble in Paradise (1932).

In 1932, Warner Brothers persuaded both Francis and Powell to join the ranks of Warners stars. In exchange, Francis was given roles that allowed her a more sympathetic screen persona.

Great On Screen Couples: Cary Grant and Carole Lombard

Ok for the few people in blog land who may not know this...Cary Grant and Carole Lombard are my favorite actor and actress ever. I love them more than any other actors and actresses. And while I think Irene Dunne is Cary's best on screen partner, due to the three wonderful films they made together (The Awful Truth, My Favorite Wife and Penny Serenade), Cary and Carole had some great chemistry of their own. True they only made one full film together in 1939's In Name Only, they co-starred early in their career in The Eagle and The Hawk with Fredric March, but they shared no scenes together. Also just learned from VP81955 that Cary had a role in one of Carole's earlier films, Sinners in The Sun and they do share the screen together. Must track that down to watch that one. Thanks VP!

So it is with In Name Only, one terrific romantic drama from the golden year of 1939 that showcases my two favorite people working their magic. Cary is Alec Walker, a wealthy New Yorker in a loveless marriage to Maida (the amazing Kay Francis) who meets the beautiful and caring Julie Eden, a widow (played by Carole) with a young daughter. Alec and Julie hit it off immediately but Maida will not let him out their marriage. She will hold onto Alec even if it makes him miserable.

So this is a true romantic tear-jerker with an love triangle that just won't give an inch, especially by Maida.
Top notch drama and it's great seeing Cary and Carole in a film together. A nice change of pace of Carole in one of her few dramatic roles. She proves she can hold her own with the Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburns. Her pairing with Cary is just wonderful to see. I mean I would have loved for them to team up again for a screwball comedy but sadly that would not happen.

In Name Only is one of my all time favorite films. If you have never seen it, watch it immediately.

Notes:

This movie was intended to be a reunion for Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, but following the failure of Bringing Up Baby at the box office from the previous year, Hepburn left RKO being after deemed "Box Office Poison". Carole Lombard was subsequently brought in as her replacement.

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie onDecember 11, 1939 with Carole Lombard, Cary Grant and Kay Francis reprising their film roles.

Filmed on location in San Marino, California

Pre -Code: Jewel Robbery (1932).

Jewel Robbery (1932). Comedy directed by William Dieterle. Cast: William Powell and Kay Francis.

The Baroness Teri, is bored by her older wealthy husband and her boyfriend and wants more excitement in her life. She meets her husband, after a wonderful bubble bath, at a very fancy jewelry store where he promises to buy her a twenty-eight carat diamond ring.

Just as a well dressed, robber breaks into the store, (even with their elaborate burglar alarm), with his men and empty out all the cases and robs the customers of their jewelry. As all of this is going on the robber flirts with Teri, but you are never quite sure if he has eyes for her or her jewels.

The robber, later gives everyone a choice between being locked in the safe or smoking marijuana. Everyone who smokes it is told to inhale deeply and the Robber, tells them that later they will have huge appetites when they wake up tomorrow.

Some men refuse to smoke the marijuana, so The Robber locks them in the vault, knowing it will open automatically in the morning. As the Robbers are leaving the happy group they give some of their wacky tobacky to the guard.

Later, that night at the police station Teri, tells them she fainted and cannot positively identify the robber. The guard from the jewelry store is too high and is no help to the police, so they decide to send Teri home. The guard offers the officers the wacky tobacky and they all start giggling and begin making crank calls.

When Teri arrives home she finds a huge bouquet of red roses from The Robber. Teri and Marianne start fantasizing about the robber and his past adventures. It is not long before Teri is worried she's been robbed, after seeing her safe has been opened. She sees her diamond ring is still there. Marianne, frightened that The Robber may return she quickly leaves. The Robber comes out from his hiding place. She tells him he has to take the ring because she would never be able to explain how she still has it. The police arrive and cuff The Robber and take Teri with them to make a statement.



It turns out the police are really The Robber's men. They've taken her back to The Robber's luxury apartment for a romantic evening, while Teri's husband and friends believe Teri has been kidnapped.

The Robber shares with Teri how he entered into a life of crime. She asks to see his jewels. He explains that he stole a necklace while a woman was talking with the Prince of Wales and she was so entranced that he "could have removed her dress" and she would have noticed.

When The Robber suggests they run off together, Teri asks if they can meet in Nice the next Thursday and leaves his apartment to go home. The Robber's butler notices the jewel case missing and The Robber knows that Teri has robbed him.

She changes her mind and goes to return the jewels, but the police arrive. She runs back to the apartment where The Robber forgives her. They promise each their to meet up later, and he ties her up and leaves her sitting in a chair. Will the Robber and his men escape the police in time?

I was very surprised when Powell gives his victims marijuana cigarettes to smoke to keep them subdued. The police station scene is a little far fetched. But.. This is still a very entertaining gem of a film to watch. With it's spirited dialog and beautiful scenery.

Helen Vinson (September 17, 1907 – October 7, 1999). Vinson's screen career often featured her in roles in which she played the part of the other woman or (pre-Code) loose women with active romantic lives.

Her first film role was Jewel Robbery (1932), which starred William Powell and Kay Francis. She performed as Doris Dulafield in, The Kennel Murder Case, which starred Powell as Philo Vance.

One of her memorable roles was in, The Wedding Night (1935). She played the wife of Gary Cooper and the rival of Anna Sten, in a story about the Connecticut tobacco fields.

Another performance was in the RKO film, In Name Only (1939), in which she was cast as the treacherous friend of Carole Lombard, Kay Francis and Cary Grant. Another stand-out role for Vinson was as an undercover federal agent posing as a femme fatale opposite Richard Cromwell in the action drama entitled, Enemy Agent (1940).

She followed that role with the role of Helen Draque, in The Thin Man Goes Home. Vinson's film career faded by 1945.