Q & A with Matthew Kennedy on Joan Blondell & Edmund Goulding

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Matthew Kennedy
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Re: Curmudgeonly...?

Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Dear Bettyjoan,
There is a noble tradition of curmudgeons in classic Hollywood, isn't there? In addition to Greenstreet and Rains, there's Eugene Pallette, Frank Morgan, Thomas Mitchell, and Charles Coburn. Old Hollywood was so great at making art out of characters. Perhaps the actors felt typecast, but their legacy of entertainment is hard to deny.

And speaking of Lizzie, the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley is screening it and ten other Blondell titles during their "Joan Blondell: The Fizz on the Soda" retrospective June 13-29. I'll be introducing the programs on the 13th (Blonde Crazy and Night Nurse) and 15th (Footlight Parade). If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, I'll hope you'll stop by and introduce yourself!

Here's the link: http://www.bampfa.berkeley.edu/filmseri ... ondell2008

Sincerely, Matthew

bettyjoan wrote:Hey Matthew:

I have to suggest that "curmudgeonly" would be a GREAT topic for another book of yours! - Why not? Guys like Sidney Greenstreet, Claude Rains, ad infinitum. - And by the way, being a curmudgeon is rather an attractive quality for some of us intelligent and discerning gals.

Yeah, "Lizzie". Neat, queer kind of film. All kinds of disreputable-seeming peripheral talented actors in that one. And the lovely Eleanor Parker: skin like milkglass, Titian-haired. - And that lovely, dusky voice.

Thanks for the feedback. Looking forward to more.

Cordially yours,

bettyjoan

______________

Victoria Jarvis
Matthew Kennedy
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Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Her slower pace post-code seems to have been by her own design. She was having kids, and wanting very much to be at home. She was making good money, and had more clout at Warners by 1934, though she was hesitant to throw her weight around. And nobody could have kept up her early pace for long - 10 movies in 1931, 10 movies in 1932, 7 in 1933, including two grueling Busby Berkeley musicals. She once said it was a good thing she was young at the time, because the demands would have otherwise killed her.

The star question is one of the big themes of her life. She addressed the question quite directly later in her life, and said it was due to a lack of ambition. She really did prefer to have a happy home life, and wasn't a self-champion like Bette Davis. But her marriages failed, so there's a sadness to how her choices played out. She did have a career as leading lady for a good 15 years, but, as you said, she was usually in programmers during that period.

She also never had a top drawer director who fought to put her in movies equal to her talent. There was never a Lubitsch, or McCarey, or Capra to nurture her.

Matthew

jondaris wrote:Thanks for coming!

My question (actually two) is about Blondell. It seemed like she was onscreen almost non stop before the code, but her roles slowed considerably afterward. To what extent do you think her popularity was tied to the lack of code enforcement.

Also, what were the reasons that she wasn't a bigger star? I find it impossible to watch anyone else while she's onscreen, but she never made it as big as other stars. It seems that her star roles were limited to programmers, while in bigger films she always played second banana.
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Post by catherine »

Hello Mr. Kennedy!

Marie Dressler really was a distinct and charming presence in film and I so look forward to reading your book and I shall also submit a request at my local (Canadian) library for others to have a reference copy. :wink:

Having just started Frances Marion's well researched biography, I wonder how useful were Marie Dressler's own autobiographies MY OWN STORY (1934) and the poignantly titled THE LIFE STORY OF AN UGLY DUCKLING (1924) from which many of her astute quotes are taken? I love a well written autobiography but upon future reading I find their interpretation of history is, well, personal and skewed. One does get a sense of the person through their own words, though and perhaps Marie would have used an emoticon of the famous Lillian Gish smile from BROKEN BLOSSOMS!

Thanks for your time here and isn't it great to have a term paper finished sent and forgotten...'til the next one- never underestimate lifelong learning, as they say!
Last edited by catherine on May 7th, 2008, 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Matthew Kennedy
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Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Dear Moira,
Christopher Bean is worth a look for any Dressler fan, but it is very, very rare. The only copy I'm aware of is at the George Eastman House in Rochester. (It may be at UCLA or Library of Congress.) I made a special trip to Eastman to see it, and was glad I did. It's no masterpiece, mind you, but the participation of Lionel Barrymore and Beulah Bondi add interest. It has some of the comedy-drama qualities of Emma.

There are copyright issues that keep it out of circulation. I don't know the details, but I was told these things usually involve the estate of the original author, in this case Sidney Howard. Perhaps a write-in campaign to Turner would help free it from archival bondage. :wink:

Marie eventually bristled at being paired with Moran and Beery. In the case of Moran, she liked her as a person, but the movies were quickies that were rewarding only financially. She most definitely did not like Beery, who was by all accounts very unpleasant on the set. (Check out what Jackie Cooper has to say about Berry. Today we'd call it child abuse.) His curmudgeon act was no act!

Mayer's heavy handedness irked Marie more than once. She reveled in her great success in the early 1930s, and felt a debt to Mayer, but the almost parental control he had over her and other contractees brought harsh words in private.

I never had the impression that Marie guided her own destiny at Metro. She had several people lovingly watching out for her, including Thalberg, Frances Marion, and publicist Howard Strickling. She loved playing Marthy in Anna Christie, Min, Emma, Tugboat Annie, and Carlotta Vance in Dinner at Eight. She seems to have been satisfied enough with what came her way to leave the casting decisions to others.

Matthew
moirafinnie wrote:Hi Matthew,
Here's a few questions for you...

Re: Marie Dressler: A Biography
Unfortunately, my ordered copy of your book is still not in (Barnes & Noble, how could you?). Still, I'm curious about the great lady's last movie, Christopher Bean (1933), especially after seeing & enjoying Thelma Ritter's '50s tv version recently. I realize that Marie Dressler was ill when this was made, but is it worth seeking out? Why do you suppose this hasn't been shown on TCM nor, as far as I know, on broadcast tv? Are there copyright issues?

What did Marie Dressler think of MGM's pairing her with other actors, such as Wallace Beery & Polly Moran, who were, IMO, not as accomplished, or to put it another way, as nuanced, as she as a film actor? Did she get along with both of them off-camera or was the rumored dislike of Beery manufactured gossip?

Did it irk Dressler to have L.B. Mayer allegedly ask her not to appear at a rally for Franklin D. Roosevelt in the '32 presidential election?

During her years at Metro, did Marie sort of "go with the flow" of studio dictated life and follow the career path that good fortune brought her? Did she bring properties to the attention of the studio for her to appear in?

Thank you.
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Re: Question for Matthiew Kennedy

Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Hi Scott,
I was striving for a balance in reporting Joan's public and private lives, so your comments are appreciated and I thank you.

Biography of Ann Harding? Terrific! There's someone who has not received enough attention. It's very perceptive of you to consider the autobiographical elements of Goulding's life in Harding's character. The fact that Eddie was caring for his invalid wife during the making of The Flame Within, and that he served as writer-director-producer, would suggest it was perhaps the most revealing and personally felt movie of his career.

Matthew
OScott wrote:Welcome Matthew! And allow me to express my gratitude for your most satisfying biogrpahy on Joan Blondell. While paying homage to her talent and career, you allowed for an intimacy that reminded the reader that stars are human beings.

My quesiton for you is in regard to MGM's The Flame Within (1935). As I am working on a biography on Ann Harding, I am curious as to how much of Goulding's own character is reflected in Harding's role of the psychiatrist? Does her philosphy of letting go of self-interest in order to allow for the "greater ecstasy in doing the right thing" show up in Goulding's personal story? I know his wife passed away just before filming began on The Flame Within. I am curious as to what extent, if any, you think their relationship was reflected in this story.

Again, thanks for being here this week!
Scott O'Brien
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Re: Hi Mr. Kennedy, thank you for joining us!

Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Charlie and Marie in Monsieur Verdoux. The mind reels.

I agree with you wholeheartedly about Cagney and Blondell. In fact, I'd call them one of the great screen teams of all time. No other actress ever held her own against him as well. (My favorite Cagney-Blondell match-ups are Blonde Crazy and Footlight Parade.)

They enjoyed working together very much. In fact, they worked together on Broadway, and were brought to Hollywood simultaneously and debuted on film together in Sinners' Holiday. Based on a few comments Joan made, I wonder if she was in love with him...

Matthew

charliechaplinfan wrote:
Matthew Kennedy wrote:Hi Shonna,
I actually don't have anyone in mind at present for a biography, but I'm open to suggestions! I'm not a great idea person. Wish I could say I've got a storehouse of subjects to write about, but I don't. I am working on a new book, however, which is not a biography. I have to be on low volume as to the exact topic, but it's about musicals.

Matthew
If it's about musicals please count me, I know you can't say more but please can you come back at a later date and tell us more.

Thanks for filling me in in regards to Charlie and Marie. I think they were such a good pairing. It's a pity Chaplin didn't make Monsieur Verdoux years earlier as Marie would have been brilliant as one of his wifes (although she might have stolen the show)

I'm becoming more fimiliar with Joan BLondell as I watch more and more movies. Everything that I've seen her in also has James Cagney. I've read an interview with Cagney were he said that Warners was like a treadmill, you didn't really get to know who you were working with (this particular comment was about Ruby Keeler). James Cagney and Joan Blondell had such good chemistry together on screen. James Cagney is such a strong performer on screen that some can be overshone I never find this with his pairings with Joan. Did they enjoy working together?
Matthew Kennedy
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Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Dear Judith,
Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Chester Morris - not exactly househouse names, but they were put through their paces at Warners' as was Joan. They may not have worked quite as much as she did, but they were definitely fellow hard laborers at the studio factory.

I have only a vague understanding of the role of agents at the time. During the studio era, executives like Jack Warner and Mayer ruled, while agents were more likely to advise on contractual fine print and act as referrals in the event of lawsuits. And if a star walked out, she'd be put on suspension without pay and replaced. Under those conditions, an agent's ability to leverage on behalf of his client was limited.

Yes, yes, yes! There was a contradiction running through Joan. She always said she put home and family first, yet she worked almost continuously, even when she didn't have to. Being born and raised in vaudeville, she spend her entire life performing. So if she quit - what would she do with herself? Wife and mother was never enough. I do think work was more important to her than stardom, hence the missing ingredient that would have made her a bigger name and won her better roles. Noone earned the label "trouper" more than Joan Blondell.

Thanks for the Mae Clarke tip.

Matthew

jdb1 wrote:Welcome to the SSO boards, Matthew Kennedy. I recently read your excellent book on Joan Blondell and enjoyed it very much. I'd like to follow up on jondaris' question: your description of Blondell's work schedule at Warners sounds hellish. I can understand that, especially in the 1930s, work was work and people were glad to get it. But -- I wondered as I read about it -- were there other actors at the studio at that time whose workload was quite as heavy as Blondell's? And where was an agent to protect her interests?

How much of this rigor do you think was economic necessity, and how much may have been driven by Blondell's ego? In her heyday, was she such a "big" star, and perhaps the passage of time has dulled the memory? Do you think working was more important to her than was stardom? My impression from your book was that although she appears to have been a very nice woman, she had plenty of ambition and drive and didn't mind the attention and adulation one bit.

As for your next book, may I suggest as a subject my new favorite classic actress, with whom I became acquainted thanks to TCM: Mae Clarke. Not a major star, but a fascinating woman who led a fascinating, and sometimes harrowing, life. Actually, whether it's a good thing or not, Clarke's life story is the sort that's quite in vogue right now.

Thank you very much. Judith
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Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Phillips Holmes appeared in Dinner at Eight with Dressler, and was directed by Goulding in The Devil's Holiday. He was also the son of Taylor Holmes, who appeared in Nightmare Alley, which starred Blondell and was directed by Goulding.

Hollywood is such a small town. 8)

silentscreen wrote:Good suggestion Judith! I'm not sure if anyone has written about him or not, but another suggestion for a bio would be precode actor Phillips Holmes. I remember him from "Night Court" with Anita Page and "Dinner at Eight." He had a brief and fascinating life, never made it as a major star, and died in a freak accident. Sounds like something that would sell. 8)
:arrow:
Matthew Kennedy
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Post by Matthew Kennedy »

Dear Catherine,
Thanks for putting in a word about Marie at your local library. As she was a Canadian native, she should be in EVERY library in the country! :wink:

I find Marie's autobiographies delightful to read. It's so easy to hear her speaking; they are full of her gently self-effacing humor. But they don't probe into her psyche, to put it mildly. I found them useful in quoting fairly light topics such as what she thought of this or that person, leisure time activities, etc.

As for term papers, I'm getting rather than giving. I'm a college teacher, and they were due yesterday, and, oh, the pile on my desk... :roll:

Matthew

catherine wrote:Hello Mr. Kennedy!

Marie Dressler really was a distinct and charming presence in film and I so look forward to reading your book and I shall also submit a request at my local (Canadian) library for others to have a reference copy. :wink:

Having just started Frances Marion's well researched biography, I wonder how useful were Marie Dressler's own autobiographies MY OWN STORY (1934) and the poignantly titled THE LIFE STORY OF AN UGLY DUCKLING (1924) from which many of her astute quotes are taken? I love a well written autobiography but upon future reading I find their interpretation of history is, well, personal and skewed. One does get a sense of the person through their own words, though and perhaps Marie would have used an emoticon of the famous Lillian Gish smile from THE WIND!

Thanks for your time here and isn't it great to have a term paper finished sent and forgotten...'til the next one- never underestimate lifelong learning, as they say!
catherine
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Post by catherine »

Oops, of course and whatever side of a term paper you're on, there should be a celebration when all is said and done!

It sounds like Marie Dressler's autobiographies are collectors' books, rare and unattainable, like Valentino's book of poetry DAY DREAMS and film distributors could consider reprinting small handsome editions of these to include in box sets with restored films. This would pique interest in more substantial biographical fare. Thank you again, Mr. Kennedy and most Canadian libraries don't have a single Mary Pickford film on DVD, appalling but easy to remedy!
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silentscreen
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Re: Phillips Holmes

Post by silentscreen »

bettyjoan wrote:Hi Silentscreen:

Per Phillips Holmes, wasn't he in a long-time romantic entanglement with the bizarre Lillian Holman? I think she wore him down and then seduced his actor brother, whom she later married. Phillips died young and tragically, proportedly broken down by Ms. Holman's unholy ministrations and then when his brother came back from the war she demeaned him and drove him to drink and an early grave. Ms. Holman led a sordid life and I believe she died mysteriously too.

Bettyjoan

Hi Bettyjoan,

I think I did read that he was involved with Libby Holman for several years, and after they broke up she married his brother, who later committed suicide. Even stranger, she was involved with Monty Clift, who later made "A Place in the Sun", a remake of Holmes earlier film," An American Tragedy" with Frances Dee. It is a very small world!


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Victoria J.
"Humor is nothing less than a sense of the fitness of things." Carole Lombard
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Post by moira finnie »

Hi Matthew,
Thanks so much for spending a third day with us.

Re: Joan Blondell: A Life Between Takes & Edmund Goulding's Dark Victory:

In your book on Joan Blondell and your biography of Edmund Goulding you write that Joan described the director Goulding as "that nut" while making Nightmare Alley. Given the fact that the performance she gave in that movie is among my favorites, (next to her wonderfully compassionate Aunt Sissy in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), do you think she lacked the rapport with Goulding that she clearly had with Elia Kazan on the Betty Smith adaptation?

Since A Tree Grows in Brooklyn was a critical and popular success, why didn't 20th Century Fox promote Joan Blondell for a Supporting Oscar Nomination? In your biography of Joan, I got the impression that the actress believed that her work went unrecognized because the part had been eviscerated by the Hays Office. Censored or not, she was so wonderful, I wondered why there was so little apparent recognition of her acting by her contemporaries.

Could you please talk a bit about Ian Keith and his extraordinary performance in Nightmare Alley? Did you find any background information about his relationship to Goulding during filming?

One of the fascinating aspects of Edmund Goulding's life and career is the divergence between what you called his "elegant romanticism" and his notoriously dark tastes in exploring the frontiers of human behavior. Do you think that his own experiences informed the powerful and tawdry story of Nightmare Alley?

I see a great deal of spiritual yearning in Goulding's movies. Perhaps not in a conventional way, but in the themes of kinship, as seen in White Banners and Dawn Patrol the longing for a lasting relationship with another human being, as in The Constant Nymph and Dark Victory, and a restless, inchoate desire to believe in something beyond one's temporal experience. Did these reflect any of the director's private concerns?

Thank you so much for writing your books. They are among the best I've read on their subjects. I really appreciate your taking the time to answer our queries, and hope that you're not too overwhelmed by this and your duties toward your students.
Thanks a million!
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Post by Birdy »

Hello, and thank you for being here.

I just read Joan Blondell and found it to be a charming and endearing account of the work and life of one of my favorite actresses. I must confess, I usually do not like biographies (because of the ending) so I read from her Oscar to the end, then from the beginning to the Oscar! (I cried anyway, just at a different time). Although some incidents in her life were sordid, her life was not sordid, nor was your account of it.

I agree with Jon that I can't take my eyes off her when she's on screen. She said that if she had taken herself more seriously and fought for better roles she might have been a good dramatic actress, like Bette.

Well, you know what? I don't care much for Bette or Joan C. (except to enjoy hating their characters from time to time) and I don't have most of their movies recorded and back-up recorded like I do Joan's.

I particularly liked a quote from her in your book which referred to the state of mind of the country in the 30's depression. But if I edit that quote just a little, the sentiment is ageless, as is Joan's legacy of reliable smiles.
"...People needed to laugh, to be released from despair. They needed to forget fear even for even a few hours. They needed to sway, to hum..." And we still do, don't we?

Thank you for sharing what you learned about this marvelous actress. From the extensive notes, it must have been a huge undertaking. And now, for a question. Which is your favorite of all Joan's characters? Who would you like to have seen her paired with that she was not? (Male or female)
Last edited by Birdy on May 10th, 2008, 11:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
bettyjoan
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Hi Silent Screen - and PS to Mr. Kennedy

Post by bettyjoan »

Silent Screen: Right you are r/t Ms. Holman. There is a fabulous biography written about her, whose title, of course, at this late hour - about 8pm, which is nearly-beddie-bye for me (sic?), I forget! - Anyway, what a fateful woman!

SS and Mr. Matthews: I think Mr. Holmes performance in the original "Place in the Sun", which of course, carried the Dreiser novel's title, which again, my cerebellum can't deliver-up right away - well,
Holmes, I think, wasn't a top drawer, glam fancy-actor but it was his very quiet, understatedness that made the character so clean and real. - (Sylvia Sims played the ill-fated former lover he attempts to drown.) Truly, Holmes's performance allows you to experience a kind of dreary, tragic inertia, just as Dreiser told the tale. (Based on a true case.)

Per Mr. Matthews: Sir, I never go anywhere, but I travel a lot. ( I'm sure someone else MUST have said that.) - Which is to say I don't suppose I will be down Frisco Way anytime soon. (Good thing too, the day I get off the plane, the Big One will hit.) - But may I recommend you partake of the San Fran waters? I read recently that they are chock full of neat pharmaceuticals like Viagra and various and sundry psychotropics. - Ought to prime you for your debut at the Blondell film fest. - Have a grand time! - And again, thanks!
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