The Silver Screen Oasis

"I've done an awful lot of stuff that's a monument to public patience." ~ Tyrone Power, on his own career.

"The secret of charm is bull***." ~ Tyrone Power, when asked to describe his ability to beguile audiences.

I just wanted to note that today, May 5th, would've been Tyrone Power's 93rd birthday, (though I know that no one can imagine him at that age). I had the pleasure recently of introducing the film The Mark of Zorro (1940) and Blood and Sand (1941) to a couple of youngsters who'd never heard of the man. To make a long story short, Mr. Power wowed them all over again, almost 70 years after making these films. In a couple of years, I hope that I'll have the privilege of introducing the same kids to his best work on film, The Razor's Edge (1945) and Nightmare Alley (1946).

I don't know if it would've pleased Power to know that his much-deprecated "charm" can still entertain and inspire audiences. He was much more than charming--he was one of those few twentieth century actors who could successfully communicate the spirits of adventure, wonderment, poetry, and romance on film. I don't think it was just "charm", but talent and hard work.

Oh, yes, and he was rather handsome, too, don't you think?

Moira wrote: "I had the pleasure recently of introducing the film The Mark of Zorro (1940) and Blood and Sand (1941) to a couple of youngsters who'd never heard of the man."

I had a very similar experience recently with Mr. Power. In a course on Film Noir I was teaching this past fall I showed the film NIGHTMARE ALLEY. Most everyone in the class had either a) never heard of or seen him before, or b) were only familiar with his more congenial, heroic roles. After the film, I couldn't contain the enthusiasm that everyone displayed. Those who had never seen him before were anxious to become acquainted with his other films and those who only knew him as a freewheeling swashbuckler were only too eager to voice their new-found respect for him as a serious actor.

Moira,
Another great post, but you forgot to mention that Tyrone Power was Irish - American . How could you ! He was at his best in MHO in ZORRO, NIGHTMARE ALLEY, and THE LONG GRAY LINE.

Say, I just remembered that a boxed set of Tyrone Power movies, called The Swashbuckler Set for obvious reasons, is out on dvd. It includes the seldom seen Son of Fury:The Story of Benjamin Blake (1942), with George Sanders & Roddy McDowell as the young Fury, and two of the greatest beauties of the screen, Misses Tierney & Farmer, as SHolmes mentioned. I haven't seen this one in years but remember it fondly.

The other films include Blood and Sand (1941), Captain from Castile (1949), The Black Rose (1950) and Prince of Foxes (1949) which features Power in fine fettle as a Renaissance parvenu, and finely drawn performances by Felix Aylmer, Everett Sloane, Katina Paxinou and Orson Welles, making like a Borgia. The latter film always seemed to me to be aching to be filmed in color, since it was produced on such beautiful Italian locations, but I guess Zanuck needed extra dough for those big cigars of his! This set seems to be around for under $40, so I'm sorely tempted to use my mad money for this self-indulgence.

Besides The Eddy Duchin Story, some of my favorites of Tyrones are In Old Chicago, Alexanders' Ragtime Band, and The Luck of the Irish. His looks are what got him into acting, but as he continued he got better and better. I thought he looked his best in Untamed with Susan Hayward. But in the middle of his career, he did all sorts of roles from comedy to drama and historical. Nobody did a Mississippi gambler type better than he. He definitely was a real piece of eye candy for the ladies. (me included0.

Anne

Anne,
I've just seen Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) for the first time in, oh, decades (!) and found it to be extremely entertaining, though I had to laugh at the scene in which Tyrone Power, finding Alice Faye's spangles and feathers to be a bit vulgar, plucks her of most of her doo-dads before allowing her onstage to sing with his nascent band of musicians who are trying to make ragtime music "respectable".

I think 20th Century Fox repeated this scene about 12 times over the years in various musicals, sometimes the plucker was Cesar Romero, Victor Mature or John Payne, and the pluckee was Betty Grable or even Rita Hayworth or poor Alice (again!), but man, those boys knew how to recycle!!

Gotta agree about our pal Ty, though I hear tell that the guys of all persuasions like him as well. Now, if only 20th Century Fox would have the good business sense to issue all their technicolor pirate movies in a boxed set--that would really make my Tyrone Power & Maureen O'Hara day.

Ooops, I hear Ken thundering toward the computer to add an "Amen" and a few choice words about the Irish--again. Gotta love that enthusiasm, Kenny, me lad!

Yes it was a western with Susan. He and she pretended to be married because the were stranded at a stage depot with some bad guys, or something. I don't recall any of the particulars, and since I don't have FMC, I can only hope it will show up on the Western channel sometime on Encore. I could be wrong, but I think he was sort of a jerk, and she had a baby. Now you have me wondering, I'll have to go look it up on imdB.

Anne

Hugh Marlowe was " Zim " the outlaw leader in Rawhide. Hugh Marlowe as a tough guy is a bit of a stretch, Jack Elam was the real baddie of the bunch.

Ken 123 : I really enjoy Jack Elam's moments on film. Either as a villain or a sidekick, he always seens to draw attention to his presence.

Moira: I always feel so happy when I can interest any of our youngsters in classic film, so I am lucky enough to experience the pleasure you discussed.

Dewey: teaching a film course is such a joy. I teach college English every once in a while, and I always try to work in a noir film, and discuss its history or legacy.

JohnM wrote:Tyrone Power was always held in very high regard in my family, because he portrayed my grandfather's first cousin, who is also my namesake (middle and last name). in The Long Gray Line, No matter what film we were watching, he was referred to by us as "Cousin Marty".

I'm so pleased that TCM is finally airing The Long Grey Line in it's Summer Under the Stars tribute to Maureen. I havent' seen the movie in ages but I remember liking it tremendously.

In each of Ty's performances I sense that he is so earnest about giving you the very best of his abilities and that he ached to become a truly first-rate performer, not to rely on his dazzling looks. That appealing quality is what wins me over because I appreciate anyone who cares about giving the audience enough respect that they get their money's worth. From what I have read, too, he was a genuinely kind and caring man with a delightful sense of humor.