Wonderful photos, Wendy. My favorites are Algiers, Cluny Brown, History is Made at Night, Arch of Triumph and Hold Back the Dawn.
I haven't seen Tovarich in a long time, I need to revisit it.
One that hasn't been mentioned, is Conquest. I feel I should include it because Boyer made the
only Napoleon I could believe or enjoy watching. I also thought he was one of Garbo's most congenial
leading men.
CHARLES BOYER
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MissGoddess
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Sigh, thankyou Wendy for those lovely pictures . Thank you Moira for the link to his first film role, I watched the excerpt from What's My Line where he's trying to hide his famous accent, it's tremendous.
Nothing on his pinkie ring in his biography although I would be surprised if it wasn't off Pat, he had no attachments of note before hand and no close family ties.
PT, thanks for the links to the radio programmes, I'll download them.
I'd love to see Hold Back the Dawn after reading about it in his biography.
I watched rewatched Liliom this afternoon, felt awfully guilty because the kids had gone to their grandparents whilst I waded through my ironing, well, the ironing is still there, I watched for 2 hours in complete peace, ah, it was lovely, both the film and the peace. I've done a complete about face on this movie, the first time I watched it, being ignorant of the subject matter I waited and waited for him to come good but he doesn't, not truly. I like Borzage's picture for the stylisation and I like Charles Farrell but at no time does he feel completely dangerous and off the rails. Boyer's Liliom was a hooligan, capable of flashing moments of care but viewing his love for Julie as a weakness to be overcome. I love the way he shouts about his child and then shuts up when Julie enters the room. I saw Brando here too, almost twenty years before he growled onto the screen in Tshirt and denims.
He's one of the greats, his chemistry is second to none whoever he is acting with and some of those dames had big characters, yet he never hits a bad note with any of them.
Nothing on his pinkie ring in his biography although I would be surprised if it wasn't off Pat, he had no attachments of note before hand and no close family ties.
PT, thanks for the links to the radio programmes, I'll download them.
I'd love to see Hold Back the Dawn after reading about it in his biography.
I watched rewatched Liliom this afternoon, felt awfully guilty because the kids had gone to their grandparents whilst I waded through my ironing, well, the ironing is still there, I watched for 2 hours in complete peace, ah, it was lovely, both the film and the peace. I've done a complete about face on this movie, the first time I watched it, being ignorant of the subject matter I waited and waited for him to come good but he doesn't, not truly. I like Borzage's picture for the stylisation and I like Charles Farrell but at no time does he feel completely dangerous and off the rails. Boyer's Liliom was a hooligan, capable of flashing moments of care but viewing his love for Julie as a weakness to be overcome. I love the way he shouts about his child and then shuts up when Julie enters the room. I saw Brando here too, almost twenty years before he growled onto the screen in Tshirt and denims.
He's one of the greats, his chemistry is second to none whoever he is acting with and some of those dames had big characters, yet he never hits a bad note with any of them.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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JackFavell
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
I just watched that What's My Line appearance.
Tremendous is right! He was SO expressive - as wonderful as he is in movies, he must have been even more so in real life, that stride as he went to shake hands, and his good humor. Ahhh. He looked so relaxed and happy. I wish I could have met him.
Isn't Arlene naughty? "Miss Kilgallen and I are thrilled that you are appearing opposite us..." Her voice is so mellow as she makes her innuendo. She always has a quick line to make you laugh.
Tremendous is right! He was SO expressive - as wonderful as he is in movies, he must have been even more so in real life, that stride as he went to shake hands, and his good humor. Ahhh. He looked so relaxed and happy. I wish I could have met him.
Isn't Arlene naughty? "Miss Kilgallen and I are thrilled that you are appearing opposite us..." Her voice is so mellow as she makes her innuendo. She always has a quick line to make you laugh.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
I'm not overly fimiliar with What's My Line, the only other one I've watched was Louis Jourdan and he did a great job of covering up his accent. I watched the Maurice Chevalier and he was guessed pretty quickly, he just couldn't completely hide the accent in his voice. I never give the panel credit, I think it's obvious it's an accent being covered up, now who has one of the most famous accents? I think Boyer had a marvellous sense of humour on the programme and charisma.
He didn't always have humour about his career, apparently the line 'Come with me to the Kasbah' which he never said would really annoy him when mentioned in interviews, he thought it belittled his acting about which he was really serious, he never thought of it as an affectionate compliment from the public that loved him.
He didn't always have humour about his career, apparently the line 'Come with me to the Kasbah' which he never said would really annoy him when mentioned in interviews, he thought it belittled his acting about which he was really serious, he never thought of it as an affectionate compliment from the public that loved him.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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MissGoddess
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
CCFan, have you ever seen the episode of "I Love Lucy" in which Boyer appeared? It's terribly funny
and in it Boyer makes fun of his own Gallic lover image. You can see it here:
[youtube][/youtube]
and in it Boyer makes fun of his own Gallic lover image. You can see it here:
[youtube][/youtube]
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
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Professional Tourist
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Indeed he was. Mr. Boyer studied the script of "Don Juan in Hell" for five months before the rehearsals started.charliechaplinfan wrote:he thought it belittled his acting about which he was really serious
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JackFavell
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Oh my gosh! I'm having my Sanka break and I just wanted to tell you, this episode of Lucy is a riot!So far, I think it's my favorite. Smoldering, jealous Ricky is so funny!
Now back to the show.
Now back to the show.
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charliechaplinfan
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
What a treat Miss Goddess, I'll watch it a little later when all is quiet here 
If I like it anywhere as much as Wendy I'll be having my own riot.
PT, I've tracked down a download copy of Don Juan in Hell, when the kids go back to school I'll be listening. I'm hoping I like listening to plays, I want something to engage me whilst I'm doing humdrum housekeeping tasks.
Whilst looking for a recording I found that Boyer had made a record singing amongst other things Gigi (one of my favorite musical tunes) and La Vie En Rose.
If I like it anywhere as much as Wendy I'll be having my own riot.PT, I've tracked down a download copy of Don Juan in Hell, when the kids go back to school I'll be listening. I'm hoping I like listening to plays, I want something to engage me whilst I'm doing humdrum housekeeping tasks.
Whilst looking for a recording I found that Boyer had made a record singing amongst other things Gigi (one of my favorite musical tunes) and La Vie En Rose.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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moira finnie
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Don't miss The Mave's tribute to Charles Boyer, found here at http://themave.com/Boyer/
It is chock full of info, pics and sound and video clips of the actor. Bright Lights Film Journal regular Dan Callahan wrote about the actor here in a wonderful article entitled Nuts to the Squirrels and Roués Redeemed:The Discreet Charm of Charles Boyer
It is chock full of info, pics and sound and video clips of the actor. Bright Lights Film Journal regular Dan Callahan wrote about the actor here in a wonderful article entitled Nuts to the Squirrels and Roués Redeemed:The Discreet Charm of Charles Boyer
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MissGoddess
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
charliechaplinfan wrote:What a treat Miss Goddess, I'll watch it a little later when all is quiet here
PT, I've tracked down a download copy of Don Juan in Hell, when the kids go back to school I'll be listening. I'm hoping I like listening to plays, I want something to engage me whilst I'm doing humdrum housekeeping tasks.
Whilst looking for a recording I found that Boyer had made a record singing amongst other things Gigi (one of my favorite musical tunes) and La Vie En Rose.
CCFan...Charles Boyer....SINGING? How heavenly that must be!!
And when I'm puttering around I love to have old radio shows on in the background...in some ways it's better than the TV because I don't have to worry I'm missing anything
Wendy, glad you're enjoying the show. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrarrrrrrrrrr! .
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
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moira finnie
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Romantic Songs of Love by Charles Boyer (CD available all over the internet)
Songs on the album are:
1. What Now My Love
2. When The World Was Young
3. Autumn Leaves
4. Gigi
5. La Vie En Rose
6. Once Upon A Time
7. All The Things You Are
8. Where Does Love Go
"La Vie en Rose" (more like languid speech than singing, but enjoyable)
[youtube][/youtube]
"C'est la Vie" from Algiers
[youtube][/youtube]
Songs on the album are:
1. What Now My Love
2. When The World Was Young
3. Autumn Leaves
4. Gigi
5. La Vie En Rose
6. Once Upon A Time
7. All The Things You Are
8. Where Does Love Go
"La Vie en Rose" (more like languid speech than singing, but enjoyable)
[youtube][/youtube]
"C'est la Vie" from Algiers
[youtube][/youtube]
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MissGoddess
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Thank you so much, Moira! My butter is melting!
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
-- Will Rogers
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JackFavell
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Moira - those are great clips, and also thanks for The Mave and Bright Lights Film Journal articles. I just reread them this week when I knew we were going to be talking about Boyer, because I think they are quite best write ups on him.
I want to hear him sing All the Things You Are from that record. SWOON!
I told PT this a while back, but my dad had the record of Don Juan in Hell when I was growing up. I don't think I ever actually listened to it, or if I did I probably thought it was too "boring". I just remember the cover, and my dad telling me it was great.
I want to hear him sing All the Things You Are from that record. SWOON!
I told PT this a while back, but my dad had the record of Don Juan in Hell when I was growing up. I don't think I ever actually listened to it, or if I did I probably thought it was too "boring". I just remember the cover, and my dad telling me it was great.
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moira finnie
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
Please forgive me if this has already been mentioned, but Don Juan in Hell can be heard on the Internet Archive here
Before I forget, thanks to MichiganJ and others for your suggestion of Liliom (1934), which I thought was rather brilliant on the part of Boyer and Lang. (Only Fritz Lang would imagine heaven as a vast, celestial police station!).
Has anyone mentioned Charles Boyer in his early role in English language movies as a naughty chauffeur making eyes at Jean Harlow in Red-Headed Woman (1932)? He's only on the screen for less than 5 minutes, but he made quite an impression. Boyer also made several French language versions of American movies during that brief period when the studios did those at the beginning of the talkie period at MGM. I would love to see these, which include Le procès de Mary Dugan (1930) (The Trial of Mary Dugan, which starred Norma Shearer in '29) and Révolte dans la prison (1931) (The Big House from '30)
Has anyone ever seen When Tomorrow Comes (1939)? In the film directed by John Stahl and based on a James M. Cain story, Boyer played an unhappy husband to Barbara O'Neil (poor Babs got pretty much this same part in an upscale version in All This and Heaven Too). Boyer is distracted from his marital ennui by a down-to-earth waitress, Irene Dunne and the pair are caught up in the deadly Hurricane of '38 that devastated New England in real life. It's kind of crazy that this movie isn't better known considering the talent involved and the fact that it did win an Oscar for sound. I've never seen it, but, having been through several hurricanes, I've always had a penchant for movies that feature this spectacular natural event. Here are some stills I found of this movie, which received mixed reviews when it was released:
Is zat water rising or is it me?
Before I forget, thanks to MichiganJ and others for your suggestion of Liliom (1934), which I thought was rather brilliant on the part of Boyer and Lang. (Only Fritz Lang would imagine heaven as a vast, celestial police station!).
Has anyone mentioned Charles Boyer in his early role in English language movies as a naughty chauffeur making eyes at Jean Harlow in Red-Headed Woman (1932)? He's only on the screen for less than 5 minutes, but he made quite an impression. Boyer also made several French language versions of American movies during that brief period when the studios did those at the beginning of the talkie period at MGM. I would love to see these, which include Le procès de Mary Dugan (1930) (The Trial of Mary Dugan, which starred Norma Shearer in '29) and Révolte dans la prison (1931) (The Big House from '30)
Has anyone ever seen When Tomorrow Comes (1939)? In the film directed by John Stahl and based on a James M. Cain story, Boyer played an unhappy husband to Barbara O'Neil (poor Babs got pretty much this same part in an upscale version in All This and Heaven Too). Boyer is distracted from his marital ennui by a down-to-earth waitress, Irene Dunne and the pair are caught up in the deadly Hurricane of '38 that devastated New England in real life. It's kind of crazy that this movie isn't better known considering the talent involved and the fact that it did win an Oscar for sound. I've never seen it, but, having been through several hurricanes, I've always had a penchant for movies that feature this spectacular natural event. Here are some stills I found of this movie, which received mixed reviews when it was released:
Is zat water rising or is it me?
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JackFavell
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Re: CHARLES BOYER
I'm sorry. I was distracted by Boyer's pouty lips in that last shot.
Oh, When Tomorrow Comes is the one I was most curious about. I thought it had a most interesting plot, plus poor Barbara o'Neil again as the yucky wife. And guess what? It's on youtube:
[youtube][/youtube]
Fritz Feld is in it too, he's another of my favorite continental types.
Oh, When Tomorrow Comes is the one I was most curious about. I thought it had a most interesting plot, plus poor Barbara o'Neil again as the yucky wife. And guess what? It's on youtube:
[youtube][/youtube]
Fritz Feld is in it too, he's another of my favorite continental types.