VINCENT SHERMAN

[CineMaven]

VINCENT SHERMAN

Prolific or prosaic...there's no doubting Vincent Sherman ( 7/16/1906 - 6/18/2006 ) directed some of the most memorable films that came out of Warner Brothers. In his first film, he directs Humphrey Bogart in "The Return of Doctor X." Many of his films ( including "The Hard Way" "Mr. Skeffington" "Saturday's Children" "The Unfaithful" ) provided strong vehicles for many actresses. He directed four actors to Oscar nominations ( Bette Davis & Claude Rains in "Mr. Skeffington" Richard Todd in "The Hasty Heart" and Robert Vaughn in "The Young Philadelphians." ) He directed tv-series, and tv-movies into the 1980's. Also an author, Sherman penned: "Studio Affairs: My Life as a Film Director."

Today, TCM tips its hat to Mr. Sherman screening several of his films today:

6:45 AM - OLD ACQUAINTANCE (1943)
Two writers, friends since childhood, fight over their books and lives. Cast:  Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Gig Young. BW-110 mins, TV-PG, CC.

8:45 AM - NORA PRENTISS (1947)
An ambitious singer ruins a doctor's life. Cast:  Ann Sheridan, Kent Smith, Bruce Bennett. BW-112 mins, TV-PG, CC.

10:45 AM - HARRIET CRAIG (1950)
A woman's devotion to her home drives away friends and family. Cast:  Joan Crawford, Wendell Corey, Lucile Watson. BW-94 mins, TV-PG.

12:30 PM - THE DAMNED DON'T CRY (1950)
Fed up with her small-town marriage, a woman goes after the big time and gets mixed up with the mob. Cast:  Joan Crawford, David Brian, Steve Cochran. BW-103 mins, TV-PG, CC.

2:30 PM - GOODBYE, MY FANCY (1951)
When she returns to her alma mater to pick up an honorary degree, a congresswoman re-ignites an old flame. Cast:  Joan Crawford, Robert Young, Frank Lovejoy. BW-108 mins, TV-G.

4:30 PM - THE GARMENT JUNGLE (1957)
A dress manufacturer brings in the mob to fight unionization. Cast:  Lee J. Cobb, Kerwin Mathews, Gia Scala. BW-88 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format.

6:00 PM - A FEVER IN THE BLOOD (1961)
A former governor is murdered and his killer's trial is sensationalized in the media. Cast:  Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Angie Dickinson, Jack Kelly. BW-117 mins, TV-PG, CC.

Of the films shown today, my favorite would have to be "NORA PRENTISS." If you can, watch at least the last five minutes of this movie.

A picture is worth a thousand words:



...And I love this shot of director Sherman with leading lady Ann Sheridan posted by our own Mongo in his gallery of CANDIDS. Says a lot, don't you think?

[charliechaplinfan]

I don't know a great deal about him Theresa but I do think he was good director of some very strong personalities, often past their first bloom of stardom and no doubt some colud be wilfull. He made some very good movies and helped give a second career to the likes of Joan Crawford.

[Rita Hayworth]

VINCENT SHERMAN with
Rita Hayworth on the Stage/Set of Affair in Trinidad - 1952 Film

Good Friends ...

Here is three pictures from my collections ... only three that I have ... Great Photos too.

[Lzcutter]

Didn't he have a series of torrid flings with many of his leading ladies including Bette Davis? I seem to remember a TCM interstitial (or maybe it was a clip from one of the docs about Davis) with Sherman talking about Bette and the fling.

Or maybe I'm misremembering.......

[Sue Sue Applegate]

I seem to remember reading something about how she wanted to have an affair with Sherman, but he wasn't so keen on the idea, and kept trying to sidestep the issue....

[moira finnie]

I don't think they were all that torrid, but after reading Sherman's autobiography, I can report that the box scores were:

Joan 3 (Goodbye My Fancy, The Damned Don't Cry, Harriet Craig)
Bette 2 (Old Acquaintance, Mr. Skeffington)
Rita 1 (Affair in Trinidad)
Hedda Comorau 53 (Mrs. Sherman from 1931-1984)

He seemed to like the actresses he got involved with, feeling that they were vulnerable people afraid to get involved with available single men, when there were any worth their time. According to my interpretation of his account, when Joan and Bette felt insecure, they really liked to yank his chain, [Bette was pretty impossible during Mr. Skeffington as their affair wound down, and her husband died and Sherman just wasn't interested in pursuing things & Joan insisted on bunking next door to the married Sherman on location] but Rita was just a sweet kid who needed assurance--more than he could give, but he seemed to genuinely like her. Also, the movies they made with Sherman were better than they might have been--maybe he helped their performances by reassuring them of their appeal via these affairs? Many people think he was inflating his own reputation by reporting his on the set amours, but I'm not too sure. At least he waited until all the women were dead before publishing his book.

I'd love to read Hedda Comorau Sherman's memoirs.

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Well, it must be a great read because you were keeping score....

Donchaknow, Mrs. Sherman would have had a good audience!