Double feature: "Ivy" and "Moss Rose" (1947)

[jamesjazzguitar]

I found this to be a throughly enjoyable double feature of crime/noir films set in England, both of which happened to be released in 1947; caught them on Criterion Channel just before they leave at the end of November - if you haven't seen them or want to revisit them, make sure you do that before Nov. 30th!

Ivy is a 1947 Universal film directed by Sam Wood and starring Joan Fontaine, Patric Knowles, Herbert Marshall and Richard Ney, taking place in Edwardian England. Moss Rose is a 1947 Fox noir directed by Gregory Ratoff and starring Peggy Cummins, Victor Mature, Vincent Price and Ethel Barrymore; this one set in Victorian London.

Cummins, of course, would go on to become one of the most legendary femmes fatale of all time with 1950's Gun Crazy. This is a great opportunity to check out another very solid of her noir performances.

Without spoiling anything for those who haven't seen them, one of these movies is about a very naughty lady and one of them is about a very proper one who is trying to find a better life - and willing to do almost anything to get there. I think to reveal more would be bad form!

At another movie website we have been discussing both of these noir-set-in-England films. I highly recommend both. As noted, both have fine cast. At first glance I wondered if Victor Mature would fit in such a setting (vs a gritty American city setting in the noirs he is known for), but he does very well here. Note that Cummins was filming Forever Amber for Fox but was removed from the project and replaced by Linda Darnell.

From Wiki:

"The reason given later was that it was felt Cummins was very good as the young Amber – she had been extensively tested for these scenes – but looked too young to play Amber as she grew up. In the words of The New York Times "they found that Miss Cummins as grown up seductress looked more like Fluffy wearing her mother's old clothes and smearing on mom's lipstick when she wasn't looking".

The good thing is Fox gave her the part in Moss Rose and she shines.

As for Ivy: The role was somewhat of a transition for Fontaine from previous portrayals. E.g. the type of young woman we see in The Women, Rebecca, Suspision, Jane Eyre etc.

[HoldenIsHere]

I highly recommend IVY.

I've seen it three times.

[speedracer5]

I highly recommend IVY.

I've seen it three times.

"Ivy" is excellent. I watched it on internet archive awhile back and was delighted to see it on Criterion Channel as part of their "Gaslight Noir" series. The print was excellent--much better than the internet archive one. I am hoping that this means that the film has been restored, or that potentially a physical copy is on the way. This seems like a title that Kino Lorber would release.

Speaking of "Gaslight Noir," I also watched "Ladies in Retirement" with Ida Lupino and loved it. The story took a turn I was not expecting. Ida was only in her mid-20s playing a 40-something spinster, but she was very good. I am hoping that this film will receive a blu ray in the future as well.

[CinemaInternational]

I've seen both, but Ivy definitely was the one that stood out more to me. It's one of Joan Fontaine's best roles.

[Hibi]

Another thumbs up on Ivy. I saw it once on TCM. I think it was during the Joan tribute when she died.

[cmovieviewer]

Another thumbs up on Ivy. I saw it once on TCM. I think it was during the Joan tribute when she died.

Hibi -

To jog your memory, Ivy (1947) was shown on TCM on January 28, 2016 as part of a tribute to William Cameron Menzies, who is credited as a Producer of the film. For the introduction, Robert Osborne discussed the film with James Curtis, who has written a biography of Menzies. This happened to be one of the last introductions that Robert presented, as he retired from TCM at the end of that month. This is also the only time so far that Ivy has been shown on TCM.

[Hibi]

Another thumbs up on Ivy. I saw it once on TCM. I think it was during the Joan tribute when she died.

Hibi -

To jog your memory, Ivy (1947) was shown on TCM on January 28, 2016 as part of a tribute to William Cameron Menzies, who is credited as a Producer of the film. For the introduction, Robert Osborne discussed the film with James Curtis, who has written a biography of Menzies. This happened to be one of the last introductions that Robert presented, as he retired from TCM at the end of that month. This is also the only time so far that Ivy has been shown on TCM.

That must've been when I saw it. I know it was the first time that TCM ever showed it. (and sadly, the last)

[CinemaInternational]

Another thumbs up on Ivy. I saw it once on TCM. I think it was during the Joan tribute when she died.

Hibi -

To jog your memory, Ivy (1947) was shown on TCM on January 28, 2016 as part of a tribute to William Cameron Menzies, who is credited as a Producer of the film. For the introduction, Robert Osborne discussed the film with James Curtis, who has written a biography of Menzies. This happened to be one of the last introductions that Robert presented, as he retired from TCM at the end of that month. This is also the only time so far that Ivy has been shown on TCM.

That must've been when I saw it. I know it was the first time that TCM ever showed it. (and sadly, the last)

Call it the curse of Universal. Their better known titles (which also include Pre-1950 Paramount talkies) will air frequently on TCM, but the lesser known titles rarely see the light of day. I honestly don't think they care about them; if they did, old copies of them would not be flooding the far reaches of the internet, easily accessible via a video search.

Universal did a very intriguing modern noir in 1948 that is AWOL except online called A Woman's Vengeance that had a script by Aldous Huxley and came with a great cast: Charles Boyer, Ann Blyth, Jessica Tandy, Cecil Hardwicke, Mildred Natwick. I hope that one gets out some day again.

[speedracer5]

Hibi -

To jog your memory, Ivy (1947) was shown on TCM on January 28, 2016 as part of a tribute to William Cameron Menzies, who is credited as a Producer of the film. For the introduction, Robert Osborne discussed the film with James Curtis, who has written a biography of Menzies. This happened to be one of the last introductions that Robert presented, as he retired from TCM at the end of that month. This is also the only time so far that Ivy has been shown on TCM.

That must've been when I saw it. I know it was the first time that TCM ever showed it. (and sadly, the last)

Call it the curse of Universal. Their better known titles (which also include Pre-1950 Paramount talkies) will air frequently on TCM, but the lesser known titles rarely see the light of day. I honestly don't think they care about them; if they did, old copies of them would not be flooding the far reaches of the internet, easily accessible via a video search.

Universal did a very intriguing modern noir in 1948 that is AWOL except online called A Woman's Vengeance that had a script by Aldous Huxley and came with a great cast: Charles Boyer, Ann Blyth, Jessica Tandy, Cecil Hardwicke, Mildred Natwick. I hope that one gets out some day again.

A Woman's Vengeance is excellent! Kino Lorber released it on blu ray in one of their Film Noir box sets, that's how I saw it. At first, I thought 'Vengeance' was just a re-hashed "Gaslight" with Boyer playing the same type of character, but I was incorrect. I was pleasantly surprised with how the film turned out.

[Cinemaspeak59]

Joan Fontaine gives any of the great femme fatales a run for their money. Ivy is fantastic. Along with Born to Be Bad (also excellent), she manages to be refined, vulgar and erotic at the same time.

[jamesjazzguitar]

Joan Fontaine gives any of the great femme fatales a run for their money. Ivy is fantastic. Along with Born to Be Bad (also excellent), she manages to be refined, vulgar and erotic at the same time.

Fontaine was on an episode of Wagon Train. Her character was the stepmother of a young woman, where the rich ranch owner, (husband and dad), had just passed. Fontaine wants it all, and she manages to be refined, vulgar and erotic all at the same time trying to get her way.

[Hibi]

Hibi -

To jog your memory, Ivy (1947) was shown on TCM on January 28, 2016 as part of a tribute to William Cameron Menzies, who is credited as a Producer of the film. For the introduction, Robert Osborne discussed the film with James Curtis, who has written a biography of Menzies. This happened to be one of the last introductions that Robert presented, as he retired from TCM at the end of that month. This is also the only time so far that Ivy has been shown on TCM.

That must've been when I saw it. I know it was the first time that TCM ever showed it. (and sadly, the last)

Call it the curse of Universal. Their better known titles (which also include Pre-1950 Paramount talkies) will air frequently on TCM, but the lesser known titles rarely see the light of day. I honestly don't think they care about them; if they did, old copies of them would not be flooding the far reaches of the internet, easily accessible via a video search.

Universal did a very intriguing modern noir in 1948 that is AWOL except online called A Woman's Vengeance that had a script by Aldous Huxley and came with a great cast: Charles Boyer, Ann Blyth, Jessica Tandy, Cecil Hardwicke, Mildred Natwick. I hope that one gets out some day again.

Many of Fontaine's 40s films were released through Universal as she and her husband at the time, BIll Dozier, had a production deal with them. So none of these films pop up on TCM. Ditto Maria Montez and Yvonne DeCarlo desert epics, which I'd love to see!