The April 2013 TCM Schedule

[The Ingenue]

Whew! That one-handed typing wore me out. So I had to put the thing down, and come back--on a real computer--for a second helping. This has been such a delicious (re)discovery!

I think Cher should check out Dennis in THE HARD WAY.

I think I must check out Dennis Morgan in "The Hard Way"! You and Wendy--you've sold me. And Stanley Morner sold me. I did see enough of it once to be able to repeat plot points. But the half-an-eye I had on the screen was, again, too far across the room. I can't wait to sit down with the movie and really look at performances.

Thinking over the Morgan titles that've been mentioned here, I'm realizing: that latent liking for Morgan had been growing and growing--also with "Three Cheers for the Irish" ( where the psuedo-Irish lad plays a Scotsman ), and "The Lady Takes a Sailor" ( what can I say? I just like it ), and "Two Guys from Texas" ( that's right: Texas--like another Road picture )... Growing so quietly, it was almost imperceptible. And then, seeing "Mama Runs Wild" on Friday... Boom! "Why didn't you tell me I was in love with you?"

Actually, I don't think that Morgan's character should have any "weight" in this role in Kitty Foyle since is playing a man whose life has been smooth sailing for so long, his saving grace is that he senses (even if he can't quite articulate it) that something is missing. I believe that is one reason why he becomes enamored with Kitty (Ginger Rogers), though once he is exposed to the disapproval of his family, he crumbles, predictably.

So perfectly put, Moira. As ever.

I'm so glad that you were able to make the transition to your new name without much inconvenience from CarrieLiz to The Ingenue.

Moira: Thank you for rigging it! And Sue Sue, thank you for starting it! And, if there are any more wizards behind that curtain, please know, I thank you too.

. . .

As a parting shot, I thought this might be appropriate: a slightly flawed, but unquestionably handsome still, from my collection of such Things Paramount. Look at the name in the lower-left corner.


( Is the writing too small? )

[moira finnie]

Gee, I wonder what marketing genius thought that Richard Stanley was a boffo name? It seems so incredibly bland! Also, people always claim that Dennis Morgan must be an Irish moniker...I always thought that Morgan was a Welsh name, but I guess one Celt is the same as another, right? (That thundering sound you hear are herds of Welsh, Scots and Irish rising to point out the fallacy of this assumption).

Here's a link to a thread about The Very Thought of You (1944):
http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... f=1&t=2171

[JackFavell]

It turns out I have seen The Hard Way. I can't believe I forgot, because it was within the last six months. I watched it because I knew Bronxie liked him in it. He's really really good, a bit tough and sexy, pretty much the perfect match for Ida Lupino. And In This Our Life I find him multi-dimensional, trying to be something he simply is not (the character I mean, not Dennis himself) but honest when it comes down to it. These traits of restlessness work to his advantage in dramas, and all the more when he then breaks through with some emotion.

Would you all say that perhaps he was the Irene Dunne of male actors? Able to do all sorts of things well, but never really getting the critical success of others who were more niche performers? Perhaps all that work time put in with Jack Carson, while putting Stanley's food on the table, also gave him an image as a lightweight he couldn't shake? Or perhaps he didn't want to shake it? There are some actors of the era (Ruth Hussey comes to mind) who didn't really have much ambition. Is it possible he was happy being just exactly what he was? I think what I liked in Mama Steps Out was that he seemed to really care about his performance. Later on, his smoothness seems almost like shallowness, but it's a gift that many actors would love to have. Or maybe there was a dark side - once he got labeled as 'musical comedy', he wasn't considered for anything else?... could it be that he just didn't care after a certain point? I don't know much about his personal life and ambitions. I wonder if he had any kids? I think he did pretty well for himself, personally. And we are forgetting radio, he may have had a much different career on the radio, doing more serious work there, for all we know. He might be an interesting subject to delve into.

[Vecchiolarry]

Hi,

Gee - after reading all these post about Dennis Morgan and all his various names - it would be a wonder if every morning he didn't wake up and wonder who he actually was!!

Actually - what is his real name?

Larry

[moira finnie]

Actually - what is his real name?

He was known in real life as Stanley Morner...sorry to take up so much space here, Larry.

[The Ingenue]

Gee, I wonder what marketing genius thought that Richard Stanley was a boffo name? It seems so incredibly bland!

It does!

Reminds me of what Mark Stevens went through at first: born Richard Stevens, credited as Stephen Richards; then taking "Mark" for Zanuck's pride in Mark MacPherson.

Now, the name of Richard Denning... That has a nice ring to it. Or does it seem so just because I like the guy?

And In This Our Life I find him multi-dimensional, trying to be something he simply is not (the character I mean, not Dennis himself) but honest when it comes down to it.

Hmmm... I saw that in "Mama Runs Wild" too. His character seemed to be really the nice boy Betty Furness kept saying he was. One who, for insecurity in his background, or just plain self-doubt, was acting the part of a jerk. Sabatoging one's own chances can seem better than facing the possibility of having them cut out from under you.

I loved the scene where Dennis is singing alone in his hotel room. It felt not at all like The Obligatory Reprise. No... No, not at all. It felt like he was singing for his own amusement, enjoying his own voice. A girl he knew told him she loved it. And it seems to me he's tasting her love for him as he sings then.

[moira finnie]

I loved the scene where Dennis is singing alone in his hotel room. It felt not at all like The Obligatory Reprise. No... No, not at all. It felt like he was singing for his own amusement, enjoying his own voice. A girl he knew told him she loved it. And it seems to me he's tasting her love for him as he sings then.

The way you describe this scene is delightfully apt.

Oh! Before I forget--perhaps we should probably take our future musings on all things Dennis here to an existing thread devoted to him...
http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... f=5&t=4729

[The Ingenue]

Oh thank you!

A Dennis Morgan thread? I'm practically there right now.

[Rita Hayworth]

Tonight is Glenn Ford on TCM

I am looking forward in seeing The Loves of Carmen (with Rita Hayworth), 1948 Film; The Undercover Man (1949), and Framed (1947) ... These three films that I really looking forward too. I just saw A Stolen Life not too long ago this is the kickoff film at TCM tonight beginning at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

[moira finnie]

Tonight is Glenn Ford on TCM

I am looking forward in seeing The Loves of Carmen (with Rita Hayworth), 1948 Film; The Undercover Man (1949), and Framed (1947) ... These three films that I really looking forward too. I just saw A Stolen Life not too long ago this is the kickoff film at TCM tonight beginning at 8pm Eastern Standard Time.

Thanks for the heads up about the massive number of Glenn Ford movies being shown on TCM in the next 24 hours in celebration of the 98th anniversary of his birthday on May 1st, Erik.

A person doesn't have to be a die-hard Glenn Ford fan to enjoy some of these movies either. Here are a few I'm curious about or have enjoyed previously listed below. Hope you'll chime in with your own choices:

Anyone who hasn't seen Framed (1947) might want to rev up the DVR just to see Janis Carter slither across screen (though Barry Sullivan does a pretty good job imitating a reptile too--though he's no match for JC). It's a dark, satisfying slice of noir, discussed here previously.

Above: Janis Carter finds Glenn Ford appealing in Framed (1947).

The Undercover Man (1949) is one of Joseph L. Lewis' best movies and highlights the psychological cost of duplicity as well as featuring some memorable, quietly domestic moments between Ford and the excellent Nina Foch. In an interview, Lewis later pointed out that in key scenes the dialogue and action between the pair were improvised, which greatly enhanced the naturalness of the moment. I always like to watch this movie just to enjoy James Whitmore's effortless scene-stealing and to see Barry Kelley's tough mouthpiece. (If you can't catch this movie tonight you can see it here on youtube)

Above: James Whitmore beetling his brow in his usual compelling way...and the star of the show, Glenn Ford in The Undercover Man (1947).


I am really looking forward to catching one of those forgotten "social issue" B movies from the past on late at night on TCM tonight:
Babies For Sale (1940) from Columbia, where Ford got his start as a lead. Directed by Charles Barton (he made The Five Little Peppers movies as well as the deliriously musical Reveille with Beverly and numerous Abbott & Costello flicks), it may star a very young Glenn Ford (in his lost puppy stage)--but it features two actresses who are often very watchable: Rochelle Hudson, who is adorable in a doll-like somnabulist way & Isabel Jewell, who is always appealing, especially when she gets her teeth into one of her tough-talking, bruised blossom roles.

Above: Left to right: Joe Steffani (in background), Glenn Ford, Isabel Jewell, Rochelle Hudson and Mary Currier during a tense moment in Babies for Sale.

The Doctor and the Girl (1950) is one of those beautifully made MGM productions with a medical setting and a dash of social significance tossed in thanks to Dore Schary's earnestness. It also features some expressionistic touches courtesy of the director and one of the masters of black and white cinematography, Robert Planck.

Glenn Ford is pretty good here playing a man whose unexamined life has not always made him a likable or stronger person. Directed by the often interesting Curtis Bernhardt (Possessed, High Wall, My Reputation), the movie is graced by a very touching performance by Janet Leigh (whose early performances in this movie, The Red Danube, Holiday Affair & Act of Violence may be among her best). There are also some underrated MGM stalwarts of that period as Ford's relatives, played by Gloria DeHaven & Nancy Davis. Davis wasn't the greatest actress, but she showed a spark of intelligence as an actress on occasion (Shadow on the Wall, Night Into Morning) & . The welcome sight of Bruce Bennett as one of Ford's more mature co-workers highlights the leading man's shallowness as Bennett's matter-of-factness makes the supporting actor's character much more believable and appealing than the leading man (take that, Monte Beragon!). Charles Coburn plays the controlling patriarch of a rather smug family of doctors with an equal blend of coziness and sliminess that has always made him fascinating and just weird. You can see The Doctor and the Girl on youtube, beginning here too).

Glenn Ford learning the ropes from Bruce Bennett in The Doctor and the Girl (1949).

Below is the full Glenn Ford lineup extending from Tuesday, April 30th through much of Wednesday, May 1st (all times shown are ET):

8:00 PM
STOLEN LIFE, A (1946)

A twin takes her deceased sister's place as wife of the man they both love.
Dir: Curtis Bernhardt Cast: Bette Davis , Glenn Ford , Dane Clark .
BW-107 mins, TV-PG, CC,

10:00 PM
LOVES OF CARMEN, THE (1948)

A Gypsy temptress seduces an innocent young officer, and then dumps him for another man.
Dir: Charles Vidor Cast: Rita Hayworth , Glenn Ford , Ron Randell .
C-97 mins, TV-PG,

12:00 AM
UNDERCOVER MAN, THE (1949)

A treasury agent tries to convict a ruthless mobster of tax evasion.
Dir: Joseph H. Lewis Cast: Glenn Ford , Nina Foch , James Whitmore .
BW-84 mins, TV-PG,

1:30 AM
BABIES FOR SALE (1940)

A reporter attempts to stop a crooked adoption racket, operating out of a supposedly charitable maternity home.
Dir: Charles Barton Cast: Rochelle Hudson , Glenn Ford , Miles Mander .
BW-65 mins, TV-PG,

2:45 AM
FRAMED (1947)

A femme fatale lures an unemployed man into helping her with a criminal scheme.
Dir: Richard Wallace Cast: Glenn Ford , Janis Carter , Barry Sullivan .
BW-82 mins, TV-PG,

4:15 AM
GILDA (1946)

A gambler discovers an old flame in South America, but she's married to his new boss.
Dir: Charles Vidor Cast: Rita Hayworth , Glenn Ford , George Macready .
BW-110 mins, TV-PG, CC,

1 Wednesday

6:15 AM
DOCTOR AND THE GIRL, THE (1950)

A doctor leaves his wealthy family to work in the slums.
Dir: Curtis Bernhardt Cast: Glenn Ford , Charles Coburn , Gloria De Haven .
BW-98 mins, TV-PG, CC,

8:00 AM
WHITE TOWER, THE (1950)

Mountain climbers in the Swiss Alps mull over past problems while trying to conquer a perilous peak.
Dir: Ted Tetzlaff Cast: Glenn Ford , Alida Valli , Claude Rains .
C-98 mins, TV-G, CC,

9:45 AM
YOUNG MAN WITH IDEAS (1952)

A country lawyer moves his family to Los Angeles.
Dir: Mitchell Leisen Cast: Glenn Ford , Ruth Roman , Denise Darcel .
BW-85 mins, TV-G, CC,

11:15 AM
TERROR ON A TRAIN (1953)

It's a race against the clock to defuse a time bomb on board a speeding train filled with high explosives.
Dir: Ted Tetzlaff Cast: Glenn Ford , Anne Vernon , Maurice Denham .
BW-72 mins, TV-PG, CC,

12:30 PM
BLACKBOARD JUNGLE (1955)

An idealistic teacher confronts the realities of juvenile delinquency.
Dir: Richard Brooks Cast: Glenn Ford , Anne Francis , Louis Calhern .
BW-101 mins, TV-14, CC, Letterbox Format

2:15 PM
INTERRUPTED MELODY (1955)

True story of Australian opera singer Marjorie Lawrence and her battle against polio.
Dir: Curtis Bernhardt Cast: Glenn Ford , Eleanor Parker , Roger Moore .
C-106 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

4:15 PM
TRIAL (1955)

A Mexican boy accused of rape and murder becomes a pawn for Communists and red-baiters.
Dir: Mark Robson Cast: Glenn Ford , Dorothy McGuire , Arthur Kennedy .
BW-109 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

6:15 PM
RANSOM! (1956)

A wealthy couple tries to cope with the press and the police when their son is kidnapped.
Dir: Alex Segal Cast: Glenn Ford , Donna Reed , Leslie Nielsen .
BW-102 mins, TV-PG, CC,

[JackFavell]

Glenn Ford is the actor who rose most in my estimation from TCM's SOTM showings. Of actors I didn't like for many years, only John Wayne has risen higher for me and has become a great favorite.

I can bear to watch Ford now that I realize he's not that greasy haired old guy I grew up watching on TV who thought he was tough. I even like him a lot in some films - like 3:10 to Yuma (the film that completely changed my opinion of him as an actor), Gilda (sigh), Human Desire, Framed, Heaven With a Barbed Wire Fence, Go West Young Lady (I like this one because he repeatedly gets beaned in the noggin with a skillet), Jubal, The Secret of Convict Lake and Gallant Journey. He's actually quite good in Dear Heart as well, but I can't bear Geraldine Page, and have never learned to get over my dislike. I like him sensitive and trying to hold it in or hide it, rather than like Dave in The Big Heat. I can even watch Blackboard Jungle now without too much groaning.

I'm looking forward to some of the more obscure Glenn Ford movies listed here.

[moira finnie]

Glenn Ford He's actually quite good in Dear Heart as well, but I can't bear Geraldine Page, and have never learned to get over my dislike.

Oh, sister, move over and give me the secret pinkie handshake!! I can just about take her in Hondo because John Wayne, the dog and the kid are really good, (but it bummed me out that the Duke's entourage was mean to her on the set according to a bio I read once). Still, Geraldine Page was probably phenomenal on stage, and I know many people revere her work, but I just don't get it. What's wrong with us?

One other Glenn Ford movie in the lineup I like, despite its many flaws: Young Man With Ideas (1951) due to Mitchell Leisen's attempt to keep things humming and the presence of Ruth Roman, who is an actress I didn't used to like, but now appreciate much more.

[JackFavell]

Maybe we're not the problem! She makes Glenn Ford look like a great actor though.

[knitwit45]

Either of you ever see Trip to Bountiful? She's very good in that, and I am actually the founder of the secret pinkie handshake when it comes to her.....

[JackFavell]

I swear I've walked in on the end about 50 times, but no, I've never seen the whole thing. Maybe by that age she is impossible to recognize? Or adopted a simpler acting style? One can hope, can't one?