WHAT SILENTS & PRE-CODES HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[feaito]

Hi Wendy, who are the actors in your avatar? They look like Joan Fontaine & Phillips Holmes....

[JackFavell]

Good eye, Ferchu! Joan and Doug Jr. from Gunga Din.

swoon!

[feaito]

Thanks!

[moira finnie]

Good eye, Ferchu! Joan and Doug Jr. from Gunga Din.

swoon!

So, let me get this straight.

Joan Fontaine appeared opposite:
Fred Astaire
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Laurence Olivier
Cary Grant
Tyrone Power
Charles Boyer
Louis Jourdan
Robert Ryan
and Brian Aherne in real life--though she tossed him aside.

Must some girls have all the luck?!

[JackFavell]

It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

If only it were me.

[CineMaven]

Here's how much of a Maven I am. I thought your avatars were Irene Dunne and Randolph Scott, and I pulled out some of my locs trying to think of what movie this was from. (Aye yi yi )

IT'S A TOUGH JOB...BUT SOMEBODY'S GOT TO DO IT

May I please add two other actresses who I believe had it hard in her career with leading men we would all die for?

INGRID BERGMAN:

1. Spencer Tracy
2. George Sanders
3. Bogart
4. Cary Grant
5. Gary Cooper
6. Charles Boyer
7. David Niven

And luckier still...

DEBORAH KERR:

1. GABLE
2. Cary Grant
3. Gary Cooper
4. Anthony Quinn
5. Robert Taylor
6. William Holden
7. Robert Mitchum
8. Yul Brynner
9. Gregory Peck
10. David Niven
11. Richard Burton
12. Burt Lancaster
13. Stewart Granger
14. David Farrar

This is in no way a complete filmography of either actress with all of their leading men but Lord have mercy...< ( SIGH! ) > I say...nice work if you can get it!!

C'Mave.

[JackFavell]

I'll say!

[charliechaplinfan]

Personally I'd take Olivia's list

Fredric March
Errol Flynn
David Niven
James Cagney
Charles Boyer
Henry Fonda
Lew Ayres
Montgomery Clift
Richard Burton

[charliechaplinfan]

Yesterday, I had a whale of a time watching the wonderful Norwegian silent epic Laila (1929, George Schnéevoigt). It proved in a par with the best Swedish sagas I had seen before, Gunnar Hedes Saga (1923) and Gösta Berlings Saga (1924) both by Mauritz Stiller. Schnéevoigt was a Dane and worked mosty as C.T. Dreyer's cinematographer. But with Laila, he proved he could make a film with great visual sense and gripping narrative. This film follows the destiny of Laila, the daughter of two Norwegian merchants who lose her during an attack by a pack of wolves. She is rescued by Lapps and becomes their daughter. The film shows the life of the Lapp people in Finnmark (the northern part of Norway). They live in a very hostile environment with flocks of reindeers. This animal means everything to them: food, clothes and like a horse, it can pull sledges and men on ski. Laila becomes a real Lapp, loving to foul around with reindeers and going down a torrent in a small boat. The film also shows the clash of society. On the one hand, you have the Norwegians close to civilisation and on the other, the Lapps who are still living like nomads. No Lapp girl can marry a Norwegian guy (they even call them 'Rados'). The lead was played the Swedis actress Mona Mårtenson. She gives her Laila all the energy and charm necessary. I have always loved Scandinavian silent films and this one is certainly becoming a favourite!

I watched Laila today, I was absolutely smitten by it, it has all the charm of Gosta Berling's Saga and the beauty of the silent German mountain films. It's a long silent film running to 2 and a half hours yet not a minute dragged, the sheer beauty of the landscape, the shots of the men being towed over the ice are marvellous, the risk must have been very real and the result on film is gripping. The storyline contains a beautiful love story and a tale of two different people.

[CineMaven]

"Personally I'd take Olivia's list..." - << (( CharlieChaplin )) >>

I hear ya, Chaplin. But a list without Gable...Cary Grant? I dunno...

[charliechaplinfan]

Actually I missed out Gable, they were both in GWTW so I'm counting him. I did think about Cary Grant, he's such an omission, I balanced it up because Olivia got to act with Montgomery Clift. What a pity Cary and Olivia were never teamed together.

[JackFavell]

Joan wouldn't have stood for it...

[CineMaven]

"Actually I missed out Gable, they were both in GWTW so I'm counting him. I did think about Cary Grant, he's such an omission, I balanced it up because Olivia got to act with Montgomery Clift. What a pity Cary and Olivia were never teamed together." - << (( charliechaplinfan )) >>

Chap...you're right about "GWTW." I missed that myself. But Cary Grant. Whew!

* * *

"Joan wouldn't have stood for it..." - << (( JackFavell )) >>

Oh wow, Jackaaaay! HA! Yeah, ya got that right.

"Lord help the Mister
Who comes between me and my sister...
But Lord help the Sister
Who comes between me and my man!!"

[charliechaplinfan]

Poor Olivia, she nearly had the full house but Joanie would never have stood for it. Joan was lucky enough to work with Louis Jourdan too, it is difficult to decide which sister had the cream of the leading men ad they'd never agree over it themselves.

[feaito]

I re-watched "Smart Money" (1931) with my wife (it was her first time). What a great Precoder. IMO this film tops even "Little Caesar" (1930), which I've never liked so much anyway. Edward G. Robinson is such a great actor. He's superb as this peacock kind of character with a very soft spot for blondes...he's a sucker for them! His pairing with Jimmy Cagney is great and the final scenes are quite unexpected and well acted. Noel Francis gives a truly impressive performance of a conniving, double-crossing woman, who at the end is really in love with the little guy. Evalyn Knapp, plays a much lesser interesting role: a wishy-washy, cowardly woman. Ralf Harolde plays one of those crooks he's so good at, a skunk as in Mae West's "I'm No Angel" (1933). Very clever, full of wisecracks, fast delivered dialogue and smart characters. Splendid entertainment.

Also watched "The Hide-Out" (1934) a highly enjoyable story of a rather disagreeable Playboy racketeer (Bob Montgomery) who in hiding from the police in a farm, falls for the beautiful, naïve daughter of the farmers (sweet & lovely Maureen O'Sullivan).Those scenes at the farm are priceless and Mickey Rooney as Maureen's young brother, Elizabeth Risdon as sweet mama and Edward Arnold as a tough police who still has a heart underneath his rude exterior are some of the best characters in this entertaining photoplay. An engrossing film.

I also saw a very amusing short titled "The Smart Set Up" (1931) in which a womanizing nightclub singer is used by a society dame in order to sing in her birthday...when he realizes that she only is interested in having a celebrity "for free" to entertain her guests he delivers an unforgettable speech, before leaving the wrecthed party. Great, snappy Short by Vitaphone with Walter O'Keefe. Had a great time watching it.

Finally, I saw a Ruth Etting short called "Roseland" (1930), which was not as good as the former but nevertheless amusing, with Donald Cook as a society man who falls for the singer.

Great Sunday!