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The Sheepman (1958)
One of the bad westerns I used to watch
I'm really glad I'd already seen dozens of Shirley MacLaine movies before watching The Sheepman. She was really green in this one, almost as if it were her first movie. Her shouting grated on the nerves, and her amateur expressions probably didn't please her leading man, Glenn Ford, who was a veteran by 1958. And I'm never a fan of ridiculously obvious wigs and falls - but that's not her fault.
In any case, this lighthearted western features Glenn as a new cowboy in town with a cocky attitude and a knack for irritating others. He plans on becoming a sheep farmer, which really irritates the cattlemen. Shirley bickers with him every chance she gets, but somehow there's supposed to be romance on the horizon, even though she's engaged to Leslie Nielson. I'm a huge fan of westerns, but I didn't used to be. I used to really dislike them, if you can believe it. I'd just seen all the bad ones first and thought the rest of them were all like The Sheepman and Shane. Unless you have the opposite taste as me, I wouldn't recommend this one.
The Redhead and the Cowboy (1951)
Why wasn't it in Technicolor?
Call me crazy, but shouldn't The Redhead and the Cowboy have been made in Technicolor? How are we supposed to know Rhonda Fleming has red hair? Alright, we've seen her in other movies, but I still maintain that this movie wasn't as effective in black and white. And speaking of other movies, I fully admit I suffer from "Humphrey-Bogart-It is" with her: the first movie I saw her in left an unchangeable impression. No matter how many movies where she plays a bad girl, I'll always think of her as Princess Sandy. Mark Twain made me loyal to her sweetness. She's so beautiful; it's a shame Hollywood made her a villain a lot of the time. In this movie, she plays a Confederate spy who plays men as easily as she looks at them and takes everything she can get. But, what about Princess Sandy! Can't she be a good girl deep down?
Glenn Ford plays her latest mark. He's a stranger in a small western town, and when he follows a flirtatious Rhonda into the back room of a saloon (hoping to get lucky, let's face it), he winds up alone with a corpse. Edmond O'Brien and other witnesses think Glenn is a murderer, and they chase him out of town - but Glenn is chasing Rhonda to clear his name. She's the only one who knows he's innocent. Unless Edmond believes him, or else why would he help him with his narrow escape? There are some twists and turns to this movie, but it's not the best Confederate western I've seen. I like The Texans far better. Or if you want Glenn Ford's comic timing, check him out in Advance to the Rear.
Men Without Souls (1940)
Heavy drama for Ford
What a break for Glenn Ford! Hollywood started him off in heavy dramas (check out the same year's Babies for Sale) but when audiences liked him better as an everyman, he quickly got typecast. This is a prison movie, and instead of playing a lawyer or one of the upstanding guards, he's one of the inmates! Don't let his baby face fool you. He proves to be an enormously tough cookie throughout the movie. He's befriended by the equally tough Barton MacLane, who hates the evil prison guard, Cy Kendall. Cy is a sadistic bully, and Barton and Glenn would like nothing more than to take him down.
Among the prisoners is a very sympathetic and unorthodox reverend, John Litel. He works with the convicts and the warden, and when he starts to understand the truth of Cy's behavior, he starts to take a more active role. This movie is very heavy, and it reminds me of the pre-Code prison movies made in the early 1930s. It's violent, upsetting, and gets you hooked in with the characters from the get-go. If you like this one, check out Public Enemies with James Cagney and George Raft.
The Mating of Millie (1948)
Cute but slightly kooky
In this cute but slightly kookie comedy, The Mating of Millie feature Evelyn Keyes as a career woman with zero romantic experience. She may notice her good-looking neighbor, but she knows he'll never look at her in a hundred years. Glenn Ford is a bus driver who randomly decides to quit his job; Evelyn admires his gumption and gives him her business card so she might find a job for him. Also randomly, another of her neighbors is a neglectful mother who prefers to spend her nights partying rather than taking care of her adorable son, Jimmy Hunt. Evelyn absolutely adores Jimmy and enjoys taking care of him whenever he's left alone. After his mother dies, Jimmy is sent to an orphanage. Evelyn tries to adopt him but is told that as a single woman, she's ineligible. So goes her search for a husband, and the rest of the movie! Will she rope Glenn into a wedding ring, or her neighbor, or the orphanage director?
Yes, the screenplay is a bit uneven, but overall it was a cute movie. Evelyn is a poor man's Deborah Kerr, and she does her best with a transformation from librarian to party girl. Glenn is pretty cute as a playboy, and as always, his comic timing is great. I'm a hard sell when it comes to kids, but Jimmy won me over. I would fight to adopt him if I were in Evelyn's shoes, too!
Jubal (1956)
'Marty in Oklahoma'
Welcome to Jubal, or as I call it, Marty in Oklahoma. The year after Ernest Borgnine won his Oscar for playing a nice fellow who wasn't too bright, and Rod Steiger snarled his way through Jud in the midwestern musical, they both got cast in a "sequel". Rod's accent, the way he stretched out his words when he was being sarcastic, and his backwards-leaning walk were identical. Perhaps he didn't care about giving a good performance; perhaps he was (rightfully) still bitter about Ernie taking the remake of Marty when he'd made the original. But if you're going to watch this western, don't watch it for the acting.
Glenn Ford is actually the lead, so you don't have to pay attention to the supporting cast if you don't want to. At the start of the movie, he's near death, abandoned in the wilderness, and when Ernie rescues him and shelters him on his farm, he agrees to work with the cowhands. Rod doesn't like the newcomer and feels threatened by how much Ernie likes him. Ernie's wife, Valerie French, also takes a shine to Glenn, which Rod really hates. Valerie is a total tramp and makes it clear she'll have an affair with Glenn any time he says the word; but when he tells her he's loyal to her husband, she gets a little miffed. With both Valerie and Rod anxious to get revenge, what chance does Glenn have?
Western fans will find it entertaining; bad guys and good guys are clearly delineated, and the beautiful landscape serves as its own character. But it's not the greatest I've ever seen, because of the acting and the one-dimensional villains, so in the future, I'll probably pop in a good ol' Randolph Scott movie or my all-time favorite, Hondo.
Interrupted Melody (1955)
What does it take to win an Oscar?
As much of an old movie aficionado as I am, I had never seen Interrupted Melody until recently. It's hard to find, but if you can, get a copy because you'll want to watch it over and over again. Eleanor Parker gives a tour-de-force, a "what does it take" performance that is one of the greatest in screen history. I always maintained that Susan Hayward was robbed of her Academy Award in 1955 when Anna Magnani won for The Rose Tattoo. But after seeing Eleanor Parker, I revise my opinion that Miss Magnani stole from two women that evening. Eleanor plays an opera singer and if she looks convincing in her lip-synching, it's because she was actually singing! She was dubbed for the final product, but during the takes, she sang all the notes an octave lower for authentic mouth, jaw, and throat movements. Professionally and romantically, Eleanor is a success (she falls in love with Glenn Ford and marries him), but personally, her health suddenly suffers. It's frightening, frustrating, and finally, devastating. Not only does she age from an innocent teenager to a mature and experienced woman, not only does she recreate opera scenes, but she also weeps and shows all her anguish for her debilitation. What does it take?
Glenn Ford, in an uncharacteristically emotional role, showed that if Hollywood gave him a chance, he could have been in heavier dramas. His comic talents were excellent, but when he holds Eleanor in his arms and asks, "God help us! Please, God help us!" you can't help but wish he'd been in more dramas.
I highly recommend Interrupted Melody, even if you're a staunch Susan Hayward supporter. I am, too, and I still believe Eleanor deserved a statuette for her incredible work. If you love great acting, music, opera, or just beautiful women, you'll enjoy it. Eleanor is lovely to look at anyway, but she's absolutely breathtaking in this movie.
Imitation General (1958)
A good effort
Immediately after The Teahouse of the August Moon, Glenn Ford's military comedic talents were utilized again in Imitation General. The premise wasn't exactly funny, but the film took a dark comedic take on the war. It's very hard to make a total comedy in a war background, since war isn't funny, but this movie takes its best chance.
Glenn and Kent Smith, a general, are isolated together after a particularly bloody battle, and when Kent dies saving Glenn's life, he's extremely humbled. He holds the helmet of the late general, and that's when another unit finds and rescues him. They assume he's holding his own helmet, and Glenn doesn't correct them. He thinks it will inspire the troops if he pretends to be the general and tells them what a great job they're doing. However, he doesn't count on Red Buttons, the only soldier of the bunch who has met him before. Mixing situational comedy, fast timing, and the somberness of war, Imitation General does its best to make audiences laugh while they're watching soldiers. The Teahouse of the August Moon is a rarity, but keep in mind it takes place during post-war reconstruction, not during active battles.
Human Desire (1954)
Sizzling and intriguing
In an interesting noir that will please fans of Double Indemnity, Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame simply can't resist each other. She is unhappily married to Broderick Crawford, and you can imagine she wishes she weren't. Glenn's an honest railroad worker, and despite sizzling chemistry, he tries to avoid Gloria because Brody is jealous and violent when he drinks. Gloria is more of a risk-taker...
There are some more twists to this plot than you'd originally guess, but it's a good guess that if you liked Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck, you'll like Glenn and Gloria. Glenn has that same everyman quality, and although Gloria doesn't wear an anklet, she's still sexy in a tramp-y way. Glenn isn't the only man Brody is jealous of, so it's a nailbiter whether or not he'll turn his rage against the protagonist or if Glenn can play around behind his back. Check out this steamy drama (and the other movie they made together, The Big Heat) for an intriguing evening.
The Gift (1979)
Great acting from Glenn Ford
In The Gift, Gary Frank plays a teenager coming home from boot camp before getting sent off to Korea. He expects a loving family to support him and a girlfriend to wait faithfully. Instead, he finds his girlfriend has dumped him for a street thug and his dad, Glenn Ford, barely even speaks to him. His mom, Julie Harris, constantly does damage control, but when he wants his dad's love and approval, nothing she says can help.
Even though he seems mean at the start of the movie, Glenn gives a very good performance. He's a tough Irishman who sings songs at the bar and gets excited about sports, but he only has one leg and is still extremely upset about it. Julie maintains that he was loving and sweet before the amputation, but Gary has never heard the story of what happened to his father, so it's hard for him to understand. When Glenn finally breaks down and tells him, there isn't a dry eye in the house. This tv movie isn't great, but watching Glenn makes it worthwhile. In his youth, Glenn was put in comedies, westerns, and everyman roles, with very little emotional acting required. The Gift shows that had he been called upon to cry, he could have delivered in every film. It's easy to imagine him as George Bailey after this movie. Well done, Glenn.
The Fastest Gun Alive (1956)
A solid story
I've been known to say Glenn Ford wasn't my favorite western star, but I will give him credit where it's due: he was an excellent horseman and reportedly the fastest draw in Hollywood. With that statistic, it's no wonder he was cast in The Fastest Gun Alive. He plays the title character, of course, and anxious to start a new life where he doesn't constantly have to live up to his reputation, he moves to a new town with his wife and changes their names. Jeanne Crain is glad he's decided to settle down and become respectable, and together they hum along as humble shopkeepers. Until one day. . .
If you like Glenn Ford westerns, you'll probably like this one. I would have liked it better with Randolph Scott in the lead, but if I want to see that, I have about eighty films to choose from. In the supporting cast, you'll see Broderick Crawford, Russ Tamblyn, Allyn Joslyn, and some recognizable western faces, Leif Erickson and Noah Beery Jr. The story is solid and has a great ending (no spoilers), so give it a chance and see what you think.
Dear Heart (1964)
A romantic treasure
Where do I start with Dear Heart? It's so delightful, I've seen it over a dozen times and have never gotten tired of it. Based on a story (which I've tried effortlessly to find a copy of, to no avail), Tad Mosel's screenplay is witty enough to belong on the stage, naughty enough to make you blush, sweet enough to make you cry, and romantic enough to make you believe in love.
Geraldine Page stars as Evie Jackson, a slightly quirky, overly friendly woman who tries to make every stranger feel less so. She's a postal worker in New York for a convention, and in her opening scene, we see her finishing conversations with train passengers and calling ahead to her hotel to leave a message for herself so she'll seem more popular than she is. We feel sorry for her loneliness, and when an old schoolmate of hers pretends to catch up with her over coffee, our hearts break. Her friend is so obviously disinterested in her life, but Geraldine doesn't catch on.
Glenn Ford plays Harry Mork, a travelling salesman who has spent decades living out of suitcases in hotels and is anxious to settle down. He's engaged to a generous widow with an enormous extended family and a little boy of her own; it will be a huge adjustment for him, but he's already starting to refer to his "wife" and "son" as practice. But in his entrance scene, we see him kissing the woman who greets him at the train station and returning to her apartment for "lunch" (which has nothing to do with food).
How will they meet? Will it be love at first sight, or will they need to let each other in to work through their issues? And where does Angela Lansbury (whose name is even larger than the title in the opening credits) come in? Michael Anderson, Jr. Is hilarious as he talks about his father issues and his hippie girlfriend named Emile Zola Bernkrant, who's "giving up all her principles for him." Practically everything out of his mouth will have you in stitches; his timing is so great! Barbara Nichols plays a ditzy clerk at the magazine counter, and she makes it look so easy. She didn't make many movies, but I always like her when she's in the supporting cast.
If you've never seen this 1964 romantic comedy, you're missing out on a great treasure. With Henry Mancini's sweet song "Dear Heart" played throughout, you'll absolutely fall in love with Evie and Harry. There are so many wonderful scenes, whether they be humorous, romantic, dramatic, or a mixture of both, that it's impossible to pick a favorite. The roles seem tailor-made to the actors, and it's a story that will draw you in from start to finish.
Day of the Evil Gun (1968)
Similar to 'The Searchers'
When Glenn Ford returns home to his small western town after three years, he expects to find it thriving and his wife waiting patiently for him. Instead, the town is in shambles and his wife and kids are missing. They've been kidnapped by Indians along with the reverend's wife - but the latter was released and returned to town. When Glenn sees her, it's clear she would have been better off if she'd been killed. Of course, he fears the worst for his wife and sets off to rescue her - and with an unexpected sidekick in tow. Arthur Kennedy insists on coming along. It turns out, while Glenn abandoned his family, Arthur stepped up to the plate and pitched woo.
It's such an interesting premise: will they find her, and if so, who will she choose? If you like westerns, you'll find this one entertaining. Dean Jagger's "I'm a crazy peddler who speaks in rhymes" gimmick got old after fifteen seconds, but the rest of the story is good. I'm a big Arthur Kennedy fan, so of course I was on his side. But keep in mind, Hollywood usually cast Glenn as the good guy. Arthur got roles like the child molester in Peyton Place. If you don't like westerns (I used to be like that, if you can believe it!), this movie probably won't change your mind. Try Hondo or any The Bounty Hunter for that.
The Doctor and the Girl (1949)
Excellent story and characters
Hollywood loves making medical dramas, but not all of them become classics through the decades. The Doctor and the Girl is an excellent movie, but I'm willing to bet most people have never heard of it. Glenn Ford and Janet Leigh play the titular characters, and Charles Coburn has a pivotal role as Glenn's father. He's a doctor, too, and he expects Glenn to take over his lucrative practice in a very wealthy neighborhood where there's usually nothing more serious than housewives' nerves. Glenn, however, wants to help the impoverished and seriously sick. They argue constantly about the direction his life will take, and it's very well written because you can see both sides.
You won't find any blood and guts in this movie, like modern medical television shows. But you will find three-dimensional characters who are conflicted when they make life-altering decisions. A father wants what's best for his son, financially and romantically. A young man wants to believe he's making a difference. If you like this drama, try Not As a Stranger or The Young Doctors for equally obscure but powerful stories.
Cimarron (1960)
Don't like the story
If you thought Far and Away was the only movie made about racing horses to stake one's claim in a plot of land, you'll be surprised to know that there are at least two other movies with the same plot point that were made prior to 1992. One of them is Cimarron, a sweeping drama starring Glenn Ford, Anne Baxter, and Maria Schell. When the film starts, Glenn and his family are ready to own a piece of land in Oklahoma and build their home. There are hundreds of other horses and covered wagons gathered and waiting, and when Anne Baxter shows up on her beautiful horse wearing a striking red riding outfit, she is fittingly given the subtitle "bad girl".
It turns out, Anne and Glenn had a relationship before he married Maria and settled down to a decent way of living. When Anne swipes the piece of land that he wanted from right under his nose, it sets in motion a chain of events that last the rest of the running time. There is obviously some tension between the two, and you can guess correctly that there is going to be a love triangle in the plot. Based on the epic Edna Ferber novel, it has one dramatic turn after another, including politics, swindling Native Americans out of their land, and war. Normally, I'd like this kind of story, but I really dislike this one. I don't like the characters, I don't agree with the choices they make, and I don't like the way everything turns out. Of course, you can give it a chance (or the 1931 original), but it's not a movie I'd choose to watch again.
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
Cute father-son story
The younger generation probably only thinks of Ron Howard as a famed director (and Bryce's dad), but old timers remember him when he was Little Ronny Howard. If you want to go back in time and see him as a very sweet little boy, check out The Courtship of Eddie's Father. It was so successful, it spawned a television series. Paired with Glenn Ford, they play a family who have recently become mother- and wife-less. They have their ups and downs relating to one another, and their housekeeper, Roberta Sherwood, and a kindly neighbor, Shirley Jones, try to help out. Shirley was a friend of Glenn's wife, and she has a deep mothering instinct towards Ronny.
The cutest scenes, of course, are the ones when Ronny tries to play Cupid with his dad. He encourages him to ask out Shirley, and even role-plays to help him practice his dialogue. Glenn might not listen; he might have his eye on bombshell Stella Stevens instead. . . Keep in mind, there is a fair amount of drama in this movie: when Ron's pet fish dies, he has a traumatic reaction because he's reminded of the death of his mother. Glenn isn't always the perfect father, but try to remind yourself that it's just a movie. Hopefully the two got along really well off screen. As a side note, I wonder if Ron admired Glenn or particularly enjoyed his movies, because later in life, he remade two of them from his director's chair. Glenn Ford starred in the original Ransom, and in Cimarron, he had to race others on horseback and covered wagons to stake claims of land (a crucial plot point in Far and Away).
The Big Heat (1953)
Meaty role for Gloria Grahame
Glenn Ford and Gloria Grahame had great chemistry together, and Hollywood thought so, too! They made the interesting crime noir The Big Heat together, as well as the thriller Human Desire. In this first one, Glenn plays a married cop investigating a fellow policeman's suicide. Everyone tells him to leave it alone, but he when he gets conflicting information, he continues asking questions - with disastrous consequences. This drama is very heavy, and at times, pretty upsetting. There are at least three scenes detailing violence against women, so make sure you have a strong stomach - and maybe put the kids to bed.
I'm surprised that Gloria didn't win her Oscar for this movie, when she was given infinitely more to do with this character than she was in The Bad and the Beautiful. There is a very gruesome scene that allows her to act more than she did throughout the rest of her career. But, if you like her, you will be happy that winning the Oscar the previous year led to being cast in such a meaty role.
For 1953, this is a pretty daring movie. It really shows the seedy side of mobsters, rather than just showing them in the back room of a nightclub wearing tuxedos and counting cash. It shows the frightening length people can go to for a cover-up, and the sacrifices truth-seekers have to pay to do the right thing.
Kiddy Warning: Obviously, you have control over your own children. However, due to violence, I wouldn't let my kids watch it.
3:10 to Yuma (1957)
Casting isn't believable
I know Glenn Ford made an enormous amount of westerns during his career, and while I admit he is an excellent horseman, he has never been my favorite western hero. He's just too nice. Yes, Randolph Scott is very nice too, and so is John Wayne, but they both have a rugged streak to them. Glenn Ford has such a sweet baby face; it's almost impossible to imagine him drawing his gun at a saloon or joining a posse with the sheriff.
Which brings me to one of his most famous films: 3:10 to Yuma. Even now, although I have seen the movie and have reminded myself of the cast many times, and I can't believe that Glenn Ford plays the villain to Van Heflin's hero. Surely it must be the other way around! Glenn's gentle way of talking and his genial face do not lend themselves to playing bad guys. Van Heflin played some convincing villains in his time, using his posture and expressions to look suspicious and calculating. And yet, Van is the innocent party, and Glenn is a dangerous outlaw. I just couldn't get behind the casting choice, and consequently, the story fell flat.
I love the remake, however, and own a copy. In fifty years, the tension and obstacles were increased, and, with proper casting, the end result was a much better film. My grandpa loved Glenn Ford, and even 3:10 to Yuma in particular, but I prefer Glenn when he is playing someone nice - which is almost always.
Mr. Skeffington (1944)
Classic melodrama with great performances
Of all the movies Bette Davis and Claude Rains made together, Mr. Skeffington might be the best. Then again, Now Voyager is excellent, and Deception is a very good melodrama. But, still, I'd have to pick Mr. Skeffington as my favorite. It's such a classic story that plays to each of their unique talents - and I learned recently that it's completely different from Elizabeth von Armin's original novel. On the page, Mr. Skeffington isn't even in it! I'm sure Claude Rains (whom Bette loved working with) was glad of the screenplay's change.
Bette starts off as a version of "Jezebel", a beauty who is the belle of the ball and has groups of men propose marriage every couple of weeks. She lives in a beautiful house with her brother Richard Waring, and when her cousin Walter Abel (a solid character actor who enjoyed a large amount of screen time in this picture) comes to visit, she confides that the family is broke and merely pretending to be rich by hosting lavish dinner parties. When Richard embezzles from his employer, Claude, they're in quite a pickle. Bette sets her cap at Claude and is determined to make him one of her devoted suitors; but is she intrigued by his elegance or merely his money?
This, of course, is only the beginning. This period piece spans over three decades and two world wars, with tons of dramatic turns that will have you feeling terribly sorry for the main characters. Claude has some wonderful internal expressions when he's with Bette, and the few times he lets loose, he's very emotional - which he didn't get to be onscreen very often. Bette shines brightly in the last third of the movie (it clocks in at two-and-a-half hours) as she's faced with a reality she refuses to accept. Although it could never be remade today, for several reasons, it was an excellent story at the time that featured top performances. I'm not even interested in reading the book; I'd rather just watch the movie again, and again!
Experiment in Terror (1962)
Badly directed
Unless you like creepy horror movies, I would not recommend Blake Edwards' Experiment in Terror. First of all, the story has some creepy elements in it, like a woman who creates mannequins and whose apartment is strewn with various naked body parts. In my opinion, these details don't add to the movie but instead cheapen it. Second, the acting isn't very good. Lee Remick seems to have one expression on her face the entire time: "I'm frightened but still very beautiful." When her life is in danger, her sister is being threatened, or she has to execute plans thought out by the FBI, you would think that she would have varied expressions or a different way of delivering her lines. Since Miss Remick is a good actress, I blame the director. Which brings me to my third and greatest criticism: Blake Edwards.
Perhaps he was trying to prove that he could make a non-comedy, perhaps he gave all creative control to his director of photography, or perhaps he just had very bad taste. There are strange camera angles that take you completely out of the story and remind you that you are watching a movie (Film school 101 tells you never to do that), like being closeups that are too close or framed below the chest so you practically get a neck ache. There are also moments when he cuts abruptly from a quiet scene to a very noisy or busy scene, a cheap tactic designed to make the audience feel on edge; but like I said, it's a cheap tactic.
I tried to give the movie a chance for Glenn Ford's sake, but even as the seasoned FBI agent, he wasn't able to save it. He's a classically nice guy and usually puts the audience right at ease, but his God-awful haircut was distracting, as was his ill-timed, inappropriate flirting with Lee. Not only was it unprofessional, but the last thing she should want to do when her and her sister's lives are at stake, is flirt. Even if he had a good haircut, even if he looked like Brad Pitt, she should be concerned for her safety and flirt later.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. There are random tilted angles or swerving camera motions that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
Babies for Sale (1940)
Terrible that this actually happens
The start of this movie tells the audience that although there are thousands of legitimate adoption agencies around the country who do a wonderful service to the mothers and families involved, there are also fraudulent organizations that actually sell children to adopting parents. It's terrible, but it did (and does) happen, and in 1940, Hollywood decided to take a stand and show this cautionary tale.
In Babies for Sale, reporter Glenn Ford writes a story about an adoption agency that sells babies. He gets fired because of backlash from doctors, and he decides to find out the truth on his own time. Meanwhile, Rochelle Hudson is a poor, young widow who has come to a clinic run by Miles Mander, She believes it to be a kind shelter that takes care of women when they have their babies and finds them good homes. She starts doubting the good reputation when the other pregnant women tell her stories about how things are really run there. Will Rachel escape in time before she has her child (which she wants to keep, unlike most of the other girls there) or will Glenn find and bust the racket himself?
Although short in running time, this movie packs a punch and features an awful lot of information. It also shows young women walking around in loose smocks, which is the closest to showing pregnant bellies that the Production Code would allow at that time. It's sad that some many women were tricked, and it probably continues to happen, but at least movies like this can make people aware and wary.
Three on a Match (1932)
Upsetting, depressing
What a disturbing story! The film gently warns the audience of the phrase "three on a match means one will die soon", but it also informs us that it was merely an invention by a matchstick company owner who wanted folks to use more matches. It worked!
In a brief opening segment, we see three girls graduating from junior high school. One is a bundle of trouble who's probably headed for reform school, the second has goals at business school, and the third (a young Anne Shirley with her real name, Dawn O'Day) is ladylike and going to finishing school. The years pass by with newspaper headlines reminding audiences how much had changed during the early decades of the 20th century, and the girls have grown up. Joan Blondell is a coarse showgirl with a heart of gold, Bette Davis has a steady job at a newspaper, and Ann Dvorak is married to the wealthy, classy, successful Warren William. He adores her and they have the cutest little boy, but she's bored and unhappy. Warren allows her to take their son on an ocean voyage alone to Europe so she can "find herself", but she doesn't even make it past sailing time. She meets bad-boy Lyle Talbot and leaves the ship with him. Warren is terribly worried and has no idea his wife and child are shacked up in a gambler's crummy apartment until Joan tells him. Ann is just plum no good. She completely abandons her life, her husband, and any selfless thought process. She gets hooked on drugs and doesn't even feed her child until others remind her to.
Joan has a sweet character, but Bette has hardly any screen time. She has the smallest part of the three by far, so if you're looking for a Bette Davis movie, this isn't it. This is a pre-Code movie that shows a very bad woman harming others and finally getting a terrible punishment for it. I'm not spoiling anything; even in pre-Code movies, there are consequences to naughty behavior. Watch at your own risk and have a comedy on hand for afterwards.
A Stolen Life (1946)
Two Bettes for the price of one
In A Stolen Life, audiences got to see two Bette Davises for the price of one admission ticket. As one of the top actresses of the silver screen, that must have been quite a draw. She made a few movies where she was pitted against another leading lady and one of them stole the other's beau. In this one, funnily enough, she gets to steal a man from herself!
Both twin sisters fall in love with Glenn Ford (I hope he likes big eyes!) and when he picks one over the other, the losing Bette is devastated. She turns to art for comfort and pretends to support the happy couple. But when she and her sister go out sailing together, there just might be an accident. One sister might return instead of two, and Glenn might not be able to tell the difference. I can imagine Bette had a lot of fun making this movie, with her dual "personalities". If you like this exciting romantic thriller, check out Dead Ringer or Olivia de Havilland's turn at twins in The Dark Mirror.
The Star (1952)
Bette didn't learn from her character
The tragic turn to The Star is that Bette Davis somewhat followed her character's path in real life. She plays an actress who has to either embrace middle age and the new roles it brings or end her career. Much like Norma Desmond of Sunset Blvd, she has great difficulty accepting that she is no longer twenty years old and a romantic lead. In real life, Bette didn't adapt her acting style throughout the decades, and her very stylized manner (which worked very well in the 1930s) didn't translate in the 1960s. While Katharine Hepburn was making Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Bette was making Dead Ringer.
There's another similarity to Sunset Blvd, in that Bette's character is broke but refuses to do anything with her life but hope for an inevitable comeback. No studio is anxious for her to return, and she believes a younger man (Sterling Hayden) will not only revive her career but also romance her. Different, though, is that Bette's character is a mother to a teenage daughter (Natalie Wood) and wants to pretend she's still relevant and popular. I'm not a big fan of the Norma Desmond story, but if you are, you can check out Bette's stab at it. I prefer All About Eve.
A Piano for Mrs. Cimino (1982)
Sad to see her feeble, but at least she acts
Bette Davis fans might not like A Piano for Mrs. Cimino, but I stuck with it because my mom insisted it was a good movie. On my own, I probably would have turned it off. She's given an irregularly cut gray wig to make her look unkempt, coke bottle glasses to make her look confused, and starts off the movie being carried out of her house screaming. She's put in a hospital, stripped of her dignity, tied in a straight jacket, and incoherently sits through a hearing where she's deemed mentally incompetent and sent to an old folks' home. This is not the type of role her fans want to see her in.
If you don't mind, or just want to see her in a very meaty role during her sunset years (to redeem herself from the horror flicks), you can keep watching. It's a very sad topic that is unfortunately realistic. Old people go through hard times (Bette's husband has just died) and their kids assume power of attorney and send them to a home - when young people go through hard times, they get sympathy and therapy. Thankfully, Bette's devoted and smart granddaughter, Alexa Kenin, finds an innovative and unorthodox rest home run by Penny Fuller. Penny believes that old folks' minds atrophy from lack of use, and in her home, the residents go to classes to revive their little gray cells. If and once they recover, they have a graduation ceremony and return to their lives or start anew with independence. If more retirement homes were run like this, imagine the possibilities!
My favorite part of the movie was seeing Bette reunited with Keenan Wynn, her devoted (onscreen) husband from Phone Call from a Stranger. There were scenes that were hard to watch, since I love Bette and don't like to see her suffer. There is a very upsetting scene where she finds herself a victim of an elaborate financial scam. It's frightening for anyone, young or old, and it's deplorable that these villains frequently target old people to try and steal their money. But I'd rather see Bette suffer and act than ham her way through Whatever Happened to Baby Jane.
The Petrified Forest (1936)
This made Humphrey Bogart?
As Humphrey Bogart often said, he owed his entire career to Leslie Howard in The Petrified Forest. In fact, he and Lauren Bacall named their daughter after him! Leslie and Humph starred in the original stage version together, but when Hollywood came calling, they wanted Edward G. Robinson as the villain, since he was a bigger box office draw. Leslie refused to act in the movie without Humph, and the rest is history.
I prefer Humph when he's not playing a bad guy (you can find a few of those throughout his career), but he usually played the snarling, one-dimensional villains who could kill his grandmother without batting an eye. The Petrified Forest is one of those movies, but it did help put him on the map. He's a gangster who takes a diner (complete with waitress and lone customer) hostage as he waits for his moll to meet him so they can go on the lam. Bette Davis and Leslie Howard are reunited in a more normal relationship from Of Human Bondage two years prior, and while she looks pretty cute, it's not really their show. It's the "look how mean the bad guy is" show. If that doesn't appeal to you, stick with The African Queen and Of Human Bondage.