Outcast Lady(1934).

Outcast Lady(1934). Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. With Constance Bennett, Herbert Marshall, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Hugh Williams.

Sir Maurice, disproves of Iris March and his sons Napier Harpenden's, up coming marriage, because he believes that Iris will hurt his son's political career. As a compromise, Napier suggests that they wait to marry until he has established himself in the British diplomatic service in India.

After four years of waiting, Iris accepts the proposal of Fenwick, a wealthy friend of her brother.

When Napier receives word of Iris' engagement, he leaves India to attend her wedding in England. Just before the ceremony, a woman hands Iris a note, which Iris pockets without reading.

Then on her honeymoon, Iris remembers the note and starts to read it in front of Fenwick. Disturbed by the note, Iris tries to throw it away, but Fenwick insists on reading the note. When Iris asks if the note, which claims that, under an assumed name, Fenwick committed and served prison time for a heinous crime, is true. Boy, says that it is true. Although, Iris dismisses the confession, Fenwick is overcome with shame and jumps out of the hotel window to his death.

A passerby, Dr. Masters, and Hilary, a family friend, learn Boy's secret but, because Iris refuses to reveal the reason for Boy's suicide to anyone else, she is suspected both of pushing him out of the window and of causing his death. In spite of their love for her, even Napier and Gerald, who worshiped Boy, suspect Iris of treachery and turn their backs on her. Condemned by family and friends, Iris moves to France and becomes known as Europe's most notorious widow.

Five years later, Iris is notified by Hilary that Gerald is seriously ill and living in squalor and immediately returns to England to see him. After seeing Napier and hearing of his engagement to Venice, Iris goes to her brother's tenement.

Still angry at his sister, the drunken Gerald refuses to see her and fearing that he will die without forgiving her, Iris agrees to allow Hilary to tell him the truth about Boy. Before Hilary reveals Boy's past, Gerald declares his love for Iris and dies without learning the secret.

Although relieved by Gerald's forgiveness, Iris returns to France and lapses into a feverish, state. When he learns of Iris' illness, the now married Napier, who has just distinguished himself as a Parliamentary leader, rushes to be with her. When Venice sees Iris and Napier together, she understands the depth of their love but, because of Iris' unexplained past, worries that her husband will one day be hurt.

Unable to keep Boy's secret any longer, Hilary finally tells Napier and Venice the truth, and Venice agrees to a divorce. Bothered by the thought that Napier has forgiven her without knowing Boy's secret, Iris recovers and prepares to face Sir Maurice. Although Sir Maurice, backs down from his condemnation of Iris when Napier finally tells him about Boy, Iris is unable go through with the divorce plan and commits suicide by deliberately crashing her automobile.

Constance Bennett, a first class actress, plays Iris, a penniless heiress, who she and her drunken brother live very well despite their circumstances...

Elizabeth Allan (9 April 1908 – 27 July 1990) was an English actress who worked in both Britain and Hollywood, making about 50 films over more than a quarter century.

She was born at Skegness, Lincolnshire in 1908 (some sources indicate 1910), and after four years onstage with the Old Vic, she made her film debut in 1931, first appearing in Alibi. She began her career appearing in a number of films for Julius Hagen's Twickenham Studios but also featured in Gainsborough's Michael and Mary and Korda's Service for Ladies.

In 1932 she joined Wilfred J. O'Bryen — to whom she had been introduced by actor Herbert Marshall — in a marriage that lasted until his death in 1977.

Her first US/UK co-production and first US production came in 1933, and she worked in the United States under contract with MGM. 1935 was her most memorable year in Hollywood, when she not only distinguished herself in two memorable Dickens' adaptations as David's unfortunate young mother in George Cukor's David Copperfield and as Lucie Manette in Jack Conway's A Tale of Two Cities, but was also featured in Tod Browning's Mark of the Vampire.

Allan did not think highly of the latter film, to which she had been assigned, and considered it "slumming". MGM announced her for a leading part in King Vidor's The Citadel, and, when she was subsequently replaced by Rosalind Russell, Elizabeth sued the studio. The studio retaliated by refusing to let her work, and, frustrated, she returned to the UK in 1938.

By the 1950s, Allan had made the transition to character parts. Particularly memorable is her appearance as Trevor Howard's brittle and dissatisfied wife in the film adaptation of Graham Greene's The Heart of the Matter (1953). In 1958, she appeared as Boris Karloff's wife in The Haunted Strangler.

Red Dust(1932)

Red Dust(1932). Directed by Victor Fleming. The picture is the second of six movies Clark Gable and Jean Harlow made together and was produced during the Pre-Code era of Hollywood.

After Vantine arrives at the plantation, hiding from the authorities in Saigon, she quickly adjusts to life on the plantation. Carson resists her and he wise cracks at first, but soon gives in, and they quickly begin a sexual relationship.



Carson soon loses interest in Vantine when the Willises arrive. Carson is immediately attracted to Barbara, and after sending Gary on a long surveying trip, he spends the next week seducing Barbara, as heartbroken Vantine watches. He talks Barbara into leaving Gary for him, but changes his mind after learning how deeply Gary loves Barbara. He decides to send both of them home. Carson turns Barbara's feelings against himself by pretending that he never loved her, at which point she shoots him. This provides a cover for Vantine and Carson to save Barbara's marriage.

Jean Harlow (March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937), was a film actress and sex symbol  of the 1930s. Known as the "Platinum Blonde" and the "Blonde Bombshell". Harlow performed in several films, mainly designed to showcase her magnetic sex appeal and strong screen presence, before making the transition to more developed roles and achieving fame under, MGM.

Pre - Code: Baby Face(1933).

Baby Face (1933). A dramatic film directed by Alfred E. Green. Cast:  Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent. Based on a story by Darryl F. Zanuck. This Pre-Code Hollywood film is about an young woman who uses sex to advance herself socially and her career. People knew that... "She had it and made it pay", the film's open discussion of sex made it one of the most notorious films of the Pre-Code Hollywood era.

The story begins when Lily Powers, the daughter of Nick Powers, a speakeasy owner, tries to keep her distance from men, who her father forces on her. It does not take long before Lily, decides to use men to get what she wants. She leaves town with her maid Chico and takes a job in a bank, in a near by town. There she seduces Jimmy McCoy, his boss Brody and Ned Stevens, Brody's supervisor. Stevens sets Lily up in an apartment, even though he is engaged to Ann Carter, the daughter of one of the bank's high power executives, who also falls under Lily's charm and sets her up with an even more elegant apartment.

Out of jealousy, Stevens kills Carter, then himself, creating a scandal at the bank. Lily feels that she is a victim, then the bank decides to send her Paris to stop the scandle.

When Courtland Trenholm, is transferred to Paris, he too falls in love with Lily and marries her. Trenholm signs over all his money to Lily and when the bank falls into bankruptcy, Lily refuses to help him. Feeling helpless Trenholm decides to shoot himself, will Lily arrives in time to save his life ?

BABY FACE is a perfect example of pre-Code naughtiness and Barbara Stanwyck is wonderful as the bad girl. She knows how to work the men unlucky enough to find themselves in her way.

John Wayne, appears as an unsuccessful suitor for Stanwyck's. This would be the only time these two performers appeared together on screen.

Margaret Lindsay (September 19, 1910 - May 9, 1981). After some minor roles in Pre-Code films such as Christopher Strong and Baby Face, Lindsay was cast in the film, Cavalcade.

Lindsay was selected for a small role as Edith Harris, a doomed English bride whose honeymoon voyage takes place on the Titanic. Her performance in, Cavalcade earned her a contract at Warner Bros. where she became a supporting player, working with Paul Muni, Errol Flynn, Henry Fonda, Warren William, Leslie Howard, George Arliss, Humphrey Bogart, Boris Karloff and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

 Lindsay was cast four times as the love interest of James Cagney in Warner films from 1933-1935. She performed with Cagney in four films: Frisco Kid, Devil Dogs of the Air, G-Men and Lady Killer.

 Lindsay co-starred with Bette Davis in four films: 1934's Fog Over Frisco; in 1935's Dangerous, Bordertown, Jezebel(1938), The Law in Her Hands (1936), in which she played a mob lawyer. Author Roger Dooley identified the film as "being the only film of the 1930s to have a pair of female legal partners".

 Made after the Motion Picture Production Code came into effect. Lindsay's favorite film role may have been, The House of the Seven Gables in 1940, with George Sanders and Vincent Price. Directed by Joe May from a screenplay by Lester Cole, the film's musical score by Frank Skinner was nominated for an Academy Award.

 Her 1940s film series included Columbia's first entry in its Crime Doctor series, as well as her continuing role as Nikki Porter in, Columbia's Ellery Queen series from 1940-1942. Lindsay performed in a supporting role in the 1942 film, The Spoilers, starring John Wayne, and in Fritz Lang's Scarlet Street in 1945.

 While her work in the late 1940s would occasionally involve a supporting role in MGM films, Cass Timberlane with Spencer Tracy, after which her film career began to fade. Her last film was, Tammy and the Doctor (1963).

 Early in her career, Lindsay lived with her sister Helen in Hollywood. Later in life, she lived with her youngest sister Mickie. Margaret Lindsay's sister, Jane Kies (1909–1985), was also an actress named, Jane Gilbert. In 1940, Jane married the son of Hedda Hopper, actor William Hopper, best known for his role as Paul Drake in the Perry Mason television series. Lindsay's niece Peggy Kenline and great-nephew Brad Yates were also actors.

Double Wedding(1937).

Double Wedding(1937). Romantic/comedy. Cast: William Powell John Beal, Florence Rice and Myrna Loy.

The story begins with Irene Agnew and her fiance, Waldo Beaver, taking acting lessons from a free spirt Charlie Lodge, a director, who they would like to go to Hollywood with. Irene's domineering sister Margit, is shocked when she finds out they have been staying out all night and confronts Charlie.

Irene, admits that she now in love with Charlie instead of Waldo and Margit  decides to get rid of Charlie, who she believes is a phony.

She asks her butler Keough, a former policeman/detective, to learn everything about him and to stall for time agrees to let Charlie paint her, hoping that she can talk him into breaking it off with Irene. Charlie suggest that he and Margit take his trailer to a remote location while he paints her. On their trip, Margit becomes attracted to Charlie's, but fights the feeling and drives back to the city.

Later,Margit tells Irene and Waldo that they should be married as soon as possible. Keough, then tells Margit that Charlie's ex-wife Claire, is in town and Mrs. Kensington-Bly, informs them that Charlie, was once her guide in Paris.

Charlie goes to see Mrs. Kensington-Bly and invites her to his wedding in the trailer at three that afternoon to Margit. He then tells Waldo that he is marrying Irene at three. Waldo, tells Irene that he understands why she prefers a man like Charlie over him and kisses Irene goodbye, then asks Keough for some of Margit's "medicinal" alcohol.

Margit visits Claire and learns that she divorced Charlie because her money got in the way of their happiness. She warns Margit not to change Charlie and surprises her by saying that Charlie invited her to his wedding that afternoon.

As three o'clock nears, Margit goes to see Charlie, along with Irene and several of Charlie's pals from the bar. Margit, agrees to give Irene her blessing to marry Charlie and soon the Reverend Dr. Blynn arrives to perform the ceremony. During the ceremony, Irene and Waldo both say "no," when Dr. Blynn asks them if they take each other as husband and wife and Margit and Waldo get into an arguement.

Will Waldo, arrive in time to save Irene and will Margit finally admit to Charlie that she loves him?





I thought Loy was at her best. I also loved the Art Deco sets. This film also reminded me a little of the classic film, Shop Around the Corner. It is amazing to watch them knowing how they were dealing with Harlow's death during shooting.
Fun Facts:

Production was partially shut down because of the death (7 June 1937) of Jean Harlow, to whom William Powell was engaged.

The seventh of fourteen films pairing William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Florence Rice (February 14, 1907 – February 23, 1974), became an actress during the early 1930s and after several Broadway performances, found herself in Hollywood where she acted in almost fifty films between 1934 and 1943.

Blonde, pretty, and wholesome, Rice was cast as the reliable girlfriend in several MGM films. Rice never became a major figure in films, but had many on screen pairings with Robert Young.

Her best known performances were in the films, Double Wedding (1937), Sweethearts (1938) and in the film, At The Circus (1939).

You Can't Buy Everything (1934).

You Can't Buy Everything (1934). Directed by Charles F. Riesner. Cast: May Robson, Jean Parker and Lewis Stone.

The story begins when Hannah Bell, a wealthy widow, emits her young son Donny, who has broken his leg, into the charity hospital, because she does not want to spend her money.

Later that day, Hannah reads in the newspaper that John Burton, will be the new vice-president of the Knickerbocker Bank and rushes to withdraw all of her money.

Hannah, is then is visited by longtime friend Kate Farley, who convinces her to make a donation to the children's clinic. They begin to talk about Hannah's past romance with John Burton and her unhappy marriage to a gold digger.

After Donny graduates from Princeton University, tells him that he must give up his dream of becoming a writer and take a job at the bank.

Two years later, Kate goes to see Dr. Lorimer, to talk about Hannah's over bearing hold over Donny. Kate arranges with Dr. Lorimer to bring Hannah and the now widowed Burton together. Although, Kate and Dr. Lorimer's scheme backfires when Donny meets Elizabeth, Burton's daughter, it is love at first sight.

In spite of his mother, Donny proposes marriage to Elizabeth . When Hannah learns of Donny's engagement, she threatens to cut off Donny's money. Hannah, watches as, Donny and Elizabeth marry and leave for their honeymoon.

By the time they return from their honeymoon, Wall Street is in the middle of a financial crisis and Burton offers five million dollars of his own railroad stock as collateral against a loan. To his surprise, Hannah agrees to lend him the money but, after his bank is secure, she demands immediate repayment. When Donny hears of Hannah's demands, he calls his mother as a cruel and heartless.

 After Hannah confesses that she married Donny's father only to spite Burton, who had left her without explanation at the altar. Donny tells her that Burton left her because her father had tried to force him to sign a pre-nuptial agreement that said that he could not touch any of the Bell money.

Broken hearted, by Donny's rejection and finding out the truth about her father, Hannah comes down with pneumonia. Before leaving for a journalism job in San Francisco, Donny, learns of Hannah's condition and with Elizabeth, rushes to her bedside. Hannah, admits that she was jealous and apologizes. Will Hanna be reunited with her son and end her grudge against Burton and return all of his railroad stock?

Fun Facts:

May Robson's character is based on Hetty Green, known as "The Witch of Wall Street," because of her financial acuity and frugality.

First film of Robert Paige.

This is a story about a woman going head-to-head in the man's world of Wall Street. May Robson, makes a wonderful villainess. You will need the Kleenex box for this one..

Jean Parker (August 11, 1915 – November 30, 2005). Was discovered by Ida Koverman, secretary to MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer, after she saw a poster featuring Parker portraying Father Time.

She had a successful career playing important roles as in the original, Little Women, Lady for a Day and Gabriel Over the White House, Sequoia, Limehouse Blues, The Ghost Goes West, and the Empress. In 1939, she starred in RKO's The Flying Deuces.

Parker stayed active in film throughout the 1940s, performing in, Dead Man's Eyes. Parker managed her own airport and flying service with then-husband Doug Dawson in Palm Springs, California until shortly after the start of World War II. During the war, she toured many of the veteran hospitals throughout the U.S. and performed on radio. In the 1950s, she stared in, Black Tuesday, The Gunfighter and Lawless Street (1955). Her last film performance was in, Apache Uprising (1966).

On Borrowed Time(1939).

On Borrowed Time(1939). The film is based on a novel by Lawrence Edward Watkin. Cast: Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Barrymore plays Julian Northrup, a wheelchair user (Barrymore had broken his hip twice and was now using a wheelchair, though he continued to act), who, with his wife Nellie, played by Bondi, are raising their orphaned grandson, Pud.


The story begins when, Death, who comes in the form of Mr. Brink, hitches a ride with Dr. James Northrup and his wife, causing a tragic car accident. They leave behind a young son Pud in the care of his grandparents, Julian Northrup and Nellie. Pud's aunt, Demetria Riffle, an old maid, pretends to care about the boy, but really only wants his inheritance. Gramps, knows exactly what she is up to.

When Mr. Brink comes for Gramps, he tricks him into the apple tree. Mr. Brink is not able to come down from the tree, because only Gramps has the power to free him. After their pet cocker spaniel dies after touching the tree, Gramps has a fence built round the tree to protect others.

Dr. Evans, soon believes that Death is trapped up in the apple tree, when several of his cases of certain death do not happen. Evans tries to disprove Gramps's story, but nothing dies, except a mouse that touches the apple tree. Evans begs Gramps to let Brink down. Saying that a world without death would cause people with incurable diseases, to suffer. Gramps, thinks about his own old age, but still cannot let Brink out of the apple tree.

The next day, Evans comes with papers to commit Gramps and turn Pud over to Demetria, convincing Gramps to let Brink out of the tree. After he breaks the news to Pud about his decision to go with Brink, Pud cries that saying he wants to go with Mr. Brink, too. Heartbroken, when Gramps tells him he can't come, Pud runs away. Gramps, pretends that Mr. Brink has said that Demetria and the sheriff are due to die soon. Marcia Giles, Gramps's housekeeper, also pretends that she heard it too, frightening Demetria and the sheriff into leaving. While Marcia and Gramps are looking for Pud. Mr. Brink calls him a "baby calf." Pud trying to climb the tree falls to the ground and is paralyzed. Will Gramps now call Mr. Brink from the tree?

This is a wonderful, magical, movie, with some very heartbreaking scenes. A movie you will not soon forget. One of my favorite Lionel Barrymore performances.

 

Beulah Bondi (May 3, 1889 – January 11, 1981). She made her Broadway debut in Kenneth S. Webb's "One of the Family" at the 49th Street Theatre on December 21, 1925. She next performed in, Maxwell Anderson's "Saturday's Children" in 1926. It was Bondi's performance in Elmer Rice's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Street Scene," which opened at the Playhouse Theatre on January 10, 1929, that brought Bondi to the movies at the age of 43. Her debut movie role was as "Emma Jones" in Elmer Rice's Street Scene (1931), which starred Sylvia Sidney, and in which Bondi reprised her stage role, followed by "Mrs. Davidson" in Rain (1932), which starred Joan Crawford and Walter Huston.She was one of the first five women to be nominated for an Academy Award in the newly-created category of "Best Supporting Actress" for her work in The Gorgeous Hussy, although she lost the award to Gale Sondergaard. Two years later, she was nominated again for Of Human Hearts, and lost again, but her reputation as a character actress kept her working. She would most often be seen in the role of the mother of the star of the film for the rest of her career, with the exception of Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) as the abandoned Depression-era 'Ma' Cooper. She often played mature roles in her early film career even though she was only in her early 40s. Bondi played James Stewart’s mother in four films: It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Human Hearts and Vivacious Lady.

Dodsworth (1936).

Dodsworth(1936). Drama film directed by William Wyler. Sidney Howard based the screenplay on his 1934 stage adaptation of the 1929 novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis. Cast: Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Mary Astor, David Niven, Baron Kurt Von Obersdorf, Spring Byington.

After Sam Dodsworth, a successful business man, sells his company he makes plans for a glamours European trip with his social climbing wife, Fran.



Sam, does not fit in with Fran's new friends and when she begins an affair, he heads for home. When her affair ends she decides to go back to her husband Sam, for a short time, until she begins another affair with a much younger man, Kurt von Obersdorf.

Sam, is traveling alone in Naples, when he runs into Edith Cortwright, who he first met on the voyage to Europe. Edith, invites Sam to lunch at her villa and then asks him to stay.

Kurt's mother, does not want her son to marry Fran, because of the age difference. Heartbroken, Fran returns to Sam, but just as they are about to sail for America, he realizes that he is in love with Edith and wants to go back to her.

The film Dodsworth, shows the emotionally sad ending of a marriage.. David Niven, does a wonderful job with one of his first performances. The costumes are absolutely beautiful in a film that you will not soon forget.

Ruth Chatterton (December 24, 1892 – November 24, 1961). Chatterton moved to Hollywood with her husband Forbes in 1928, and with the help of Emil Jannings, was cast in her first film, Sins of the Fathers. That same year she was signed to a contract by Paramount Pictures. This was followed by roles in, The Doctor's Secret (1929), The Dummy (1929) and Madame X (1929). She received her first nomination for Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the latter film. The following year she received a second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in, Sarah and Son (1930).

She co-starred in the film, Dodsworth (1936), which is thought of as her best film. Due to her age and the studios' focus on younger actress, she moved to England and continued to star in films there. Chatterton's last film was, A Royal Divorce(1938).

Pre-Code: Men in White (1934).

Men in White (1934) is a Pre-Code film with Clark Gable and Myrna Loy, and directed by Ryszard Bolesławski. Because of the illicit romance and the abortion in the movie. The Legion of Decency claimed the movie as unfit for public viewing.

After working all day at the hospital, intern Dr. George Ferguson, is not really looking forward to a dinner date with his fiancee, Laura Hudson. Because later that night, he may have to return to the hospital for a patient, who needs a blood transfusion. Unfortunately, George, can't keep his date with Laura, whose wealthy father John, is now also patient in the hospital. Things even become more complicated after, George disobeys a senior doctor's orders which saves a young girl's life. George learns that the transfusion patient has died and telephones Laura, who is not too happy with him. Laura, who has had enough of him putting her off, refuses to see him and the devastated George, returns to his hospital dormitory room.

Barbara Dennin, a student nurse, comes to George's room and asks to borrow notes for an upcoming examination. George and Barbara share their doubts about the medical profession and then give into temptation.

Later, hospital board members, concerned over rising operating costs, ask Hudson for a large donation and then promise him that they would give George a prestigious appointment, in appreciation. Hochberg, does not believe that George, would ever agree to it.. George, confides to Hochberg that, because of the problems that he is having with Laura, he is having second thoughts about his hospital career.

Soon after, George learns that Barbara is seriously ill from a botched abortion and needs emergency surgery. On orders from Hochberg, Laura goes with George to help with Barbara's surgery. Just before Barbara falls asleep, she tells George that she loves him, which is over heard by Laura. During the operation, Laura faints and later refuses to see George. Will George ever be able to make it up to Laura?

A very entertaining medical drama with Gable/Loy/Allan, in a romantic love triangle, to spice things up.

Elizabeth Allan (9 April 1908 – 27 July 1990) was an English actress who's most memorable performances were as David's young mother in, David Copperfield and as Lucie Manette in, A Tale of Two Cities and Mark of the Vampire.

By the 1950s, Allan had made the transition to character parts: The Heart of the Matter (1953). In 1958, she appeared as Boris Karloff's wife in The Haunted Strangler.

Speed(1936).

Speed(1936). Action film with James Stewart and Wendy Barrie. The film begins at Emery Motors, where the companies publicist Jane Mitchell, takes a tour of the factory with the plant's engineer Frank Lawson and test driver Terry Martin. There Jane learns that Terry is trying to build a better/bigger/faster carburetor with Clarence Maxmillian Haggerty, also known as "Gadget,".

Both and Frank and Terry invites Jane to the company dance, but she refuses at first saying that she has to work.. Frank tells her that he told Josephine that he couldn't go to the dance with her because he was taking Jane, she then agrees to go with him. At the dance, Terry is upset that Jane did not go to the dance with him.

Because of their hard feelings Frank and Terry find it very hard to work together. After the trials, Terry does not think the carburetor is ready, but Frank insists that everything is all right and Terry drives in the race.

Something goes wrong and Gadget is critically injured and Terry hospitalized with a concussion. Terry blames Jane, who now realizes that she is in love with him. He accuses her of only caring about the money and wants nothing to do with her.

Soon Terry, is well and ready to back to work, but no one wants to finance his project. Jane then secretly asks her uncle the companies owner to back Terry's project and he agrees. Later, at Medoc dry lake, everyone watches as Terry runs the first half of the course.

The rules of the contest say that he must finish within thirty minutes, which no one has done before. Frank and the others rush to the car and find Terry has almost been asphyxiated and Frank races him to the hospital. Will Frank's quick action save Terry's life?



Fun Fact:

Archive footage of an actual Indianapolis 500 race is included in the movie.

What is fun about this film is that it made before Jimmy Stewart became a star and he plays a character you would never expect from him.

Wendy Barrie (18 April 1912 – 2 February 1978). While still in her teens, she began pursuing a career as an actress, helped by her red-gold hair and blue eyes. Adopting the stage name Wendy Barrie (in honour of Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie, who was said to have invented the name "Wendy"), she began her acting life in English theatre then in 1932 made her screen debut in the film Threads, which was based upon a play.

Barrie went on to make a number of motion pictures for London Films under the Korda brothers, Alexander and Zoltan, the best-known of which is 1933's The Private Life of Henry VIII which starred Charles Laughton, Robert Donat, Merle Oberon, and Elsa Lanchester. Barrie portrayed Jane Seymour.

In 1934, she performed in the film, Freedom of the Seas and was contracted by Fox Film Corporation for a film directed by Scott Darling that was made in Britain. The following year, she moved to the United States and made her first Hollywood film for Fox opposite Spencer Tracy in the romantic comedy, It's a Small World, followed by Under Your Spell. Loaned to MGM, Barrie starred opposite James Stewart in the 1936 film Speed. In 1939 she starred with Richard Greene and Basil Rathbone in the 20th Century Fox version of, The Hound of the Baskervilles and with Lucille Ball in, Five Came Back. During the early 1940s, Barrie made several of The Saint and The Falcon mystery films with George Sanders. She made her final motion picture in 1943.

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.

Personal Property(1937).

Personal Property(1937). Romantic/comedy. Cast: Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor and directed by W.S. Van Dyke. It is based on the play The Man In Possession by H.M. Harwood.

The story begins when, Dabney Lingerie and Underwear, hits hard times and Claude Dabney makes plans on marrying a wealthy American widow. Claude's younger brother Raymond, comes home after being released from prison for stealing a car. His mother is happy to have him home, but his father and Claude are worried that his return will end the marriage plans, so they ask him to leave.

That evening, Raymond attends a performance of "Aida" and is seated next to Crystal Wetherby, who he does not know is Claude's fiancee. After the performance Raymond, follows her home in a taxi. Outside the house, Raymond meets Herbert Jenkins, who represents Crystal's creditors. When Jenkins tells Raymond that he would like to leave because his wife is having a baby, Raymond offers to fill in for him and will stay to make certain that nothing is stolen.

Once inside, Raymond is told by Crystal that her husband is upstairs. She then stomps around the house in boots, hoping that the noise will convince Raymond, that her husband is home. The next morning Raymond learns from Clara the maid, that Crystal is a widow.

Raymond, offers to work as her butler "Ferguson" during a dinner party for her, fiance and his parents and is shocked to see that her fiance is his brother Claude. The Dabneys, do not acknowledge their son, then, while Raymond is out of the room, Claude tells Crystal that her butler has been in prison.

Crystal begins to realize that she is in love with Raymond. Later, Claude offers Raymond five hundred pounds if he promises to leave England, which Raymond accepts. Raymond pays all of Crystals debts, but, because she now owes him the money, he has Jenkins repossess all of her furniture just before her wedding to Claude. Raymond then tells Claude about Crystal's financial problems, after which Claude and all the guests leave. Now, what is Crystal to do that she is left at the alter?

Fun Facts:

Throughout the film, Jean wears a star sapphire ring, a sort of engagement ring from her boyfriend William Powell.

Harlow and Taylor make an excellent comedy team and I only wished that they had work together again. The story is very charming and the wit goes along at a nice pace, charming characters and beautiful costumes make this a wonderful movie.

Una O'Connor (October 23, 1880 – February 4, 1959). For many years, she worked in Ireland and England as a stage actress. She landed a part in Alfred Hitchcock's Murder! (1930). She had not attracted much attention until she was chosen by Noel Coward to appear in, Cavalcade (1933). Her success led her to Hollywood to reprise her role and with its success, O'Connor decided to remain there.

A favourite of the director James Whale, O'Connor's best remembered roles are her comic performances in, The Invisible Man (1933) as the publican's wife and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) as the Baron's housekeeper. She played 'straight' roles too, such as the grieving mother of a captured IRA member in, The Informer (1935).

O'Connor also performed in supporting roles in theatre productions, and achieved an outstanding success in the role of "Janet McKenzie", the nearly deaf housemaid, in Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution at Henry Miller's Theatre on Broadway from 1954 until 1956. As one of the witnesses, in what was essentially a serious drama, O'Connor's character was intended to provide comic relief.

O'Connor was highly praised for her work, and also played the role in the Billy Wilder-directed film version of the same story in 1957. The film was a great success, and O'Connor once again received excellent reviews. It was her final film performance. By this time she was in her late seventies and decided to retire.

Bureau of Missing Persons(1933).

Bureau of Missing Persons(1933). Drama/comedy, directed by Roy Del Ruth. Cast: Bette Davis, Lewis Stone, Pat O'Brien and Glenda Farrell. The screenplay by Robert Presnell is based on a story by Carol Bird adapted from the book Missing Men by former New York City police captain John H. Ayres.

When by the book Detective Butch Saunders, is assigned to Norma Roberts' missing husband case, he finds himself attracted to her. He is very disappointed to learn that, she is also wanted for her husbands murder.

Later, when the police find her clothes on the dock, Butch is sure that Norma didn't commit suicide. He stages a fake funeral to try and to lure her out from hiding. Just as he had hoped, she attends the funeral. Norma, tells Butch that when she was Roberts' private secretary, she found out he had an mentally handicapped twin brother. He killed his brother, making it look like he himself was dead to escape embezzlement charges. Butch, takes him in to the Bureau of Missing Persons. Will Webb be able to get him to admit the truth and will Norma be cleared of murder?

If you are a fan of the Hollywood films of the Thirties and Forties, you will love this fast moving classic film. All the characters are perfect in their roles and there are some interesting plot twists near the end. Davis, as young actress, looked absolutely beautiful in this film.

Robby, from: Dear Old Hollywood Blogspot: Bureau Of Missing Persons(1933).. Wrote a very interesting post on some real LA locations in the film. Please stop by and check out his awesome post.

Glenda Farrell (June 30, 1904 – May 1, 1971). She was best known as the wise-cracking, dizzy blonde, along with Joan Blondell, with whom she would be frequently paired.

She is best known for her performances in the films: Little Caesar (1931), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932), Havana Widows (1933), Bureau of Missing Persons (1933), Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) and The Big Shakedown (1934).

She became one of Warner Brothers’ most prolific actresses of the 1930s, solidifying her success with her own film film series, as Torchy Blane, "Girl Reporter". In this role Farrell was promoted as being able to speak 400 words in 40 seconds. Farrell would portray the character Torchy Blane in approximately eight films, from 1937 to 1939 when the role was taken over by Jane Wyman.

In 1937 she starred opposite Dick Powell and Joan Blondell in the Academy Award nominated Lloyd Bacon and Busby Berkeley directed musical comedy, Gold Diggers(1937).

Farrell went out of vogue in the 1940s but made a comeback later in life, winning an Emmy Award in 1963, for her work in the television series Ben Casey.

Lawyer Man(1933).

Lawyer Man(1933). Drama directed by William Dieterle. The story is based on the novel by Max Trell. Cast: William Powell and Joan Blondell.

Lawyer Tony Adamis, is asked by successful lawyer Alan Dinehart, to join his law firm. Even though Tony, has found himself on the wrong side of a very important political leader, David Landau.

Later, showgirl Virginia St. Johns wants to hire Tony, to help her sue her fiancee, Dr. Gresham, for a "phony" breach of promise case. To his surprise he later learns that Virginia is helping Gilmurry frame him. He defends himself in court. Even, with a hung jury his partnership with Bentley is finished.

Tony breaks off his relationship with Barbara, not wanting to involve her in his problems. Tony takes every shady case that comes his way, including the case against Gilmurry. When Gilmurry tries to settle out of court, Tony agrees to accept the position of assistant district attorney.

Gilmurry warns him that Gresham is part of his organization, but Tony, believes in himself and wins the case of fraud against the doctor. Gilmurry offers Tony a judgeship, but Tony turns him down. With his trustworthy secretary at his side, they return to the old neighborhood to set up an honest legal practice.



Not one of Powell's best films, but.. he is still wonderful playing a character that gets in over his head. Joan Blondell, is always good and I always try and catch her films whenever they are on TCM.

Helen Vinson (September 17, 1907 – October 7, 1999), performed in roles which she played the part of the other woman or (pre-Code) loose women. 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, with Powell. 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 film, In Name Only (1939), in which she was cast as the treacherous friend of Carole Lombard, Kay Francis and Cary Grant. Another well known role for Vinson was as an undercover federal agent posing as a femme fatale opposite Richard Cromwell in, Enemy Agent (1940). She followed that role with the role of Helen Draque in, The Thin Man Goes Home. After which Vinson's film career faded.