Libeled Lady (1936)

Spencer Tracy plays Warren Haggerty, a newspaperman known for postponing his Maridel nuptials, this time due to a young woman (Myrna Loy) threatening to sue the paper for slander.  Haggerty quickly hatches a plan to persuade her to change her mind, in comes lady's man Bill Chandler (played by William Powell), who slowly woes himself into the hearts of Connie and J.B. Allenbury via J.B.'s affinity to trout fishing.  By the description on the DVD slip I expected to watch a drama, but instead I found a great comedy. Should I have expected anything less from Nick and Nora Charles?

 Anyway, Chandler checks-out every book on trout fishing know to man and the result is tall tales of fishing glory and a trout fishing trip with J.B. to prove his skill.  Needless to say,  craziness and sheer luck ensue.

Bill Chandler's fishing tactics

Haggerty's fiance, Gladys Benton (Jean Harlow) is also in on the act, marrying Chandler in order to play the scorned wife later on with the master plot of seduction. The problem?  Both girls have fallen in love with him.

This movie had me avidly watching and cursing out Bill Chandler (sorry William Powell) but at the same time he had me laughing, especially his fishing efforts.    The acting was acceptable and perfect for a slapstick comedy which was the feel that I got.  While I have not seen any other "Best Production" nominees for the 9th Academy Awards I was a little surprised that it was in that category; particularly because comedies are not typically chosen for said category.  Overall, it was a fun movie and I am happy to have seen it.

Dark Victory (1939)

Bette Davis is my favorite actress and Dark Victory is one of my favorite movies.  Although I might not have made this statement if Bette hadn't pestered Warner Bros to buy the rights to Dark Victory; Jack Warner skeptically broke down, commenting "Who wants to see a dame go blind?"  When Dark Victory became a box office success, he ate his words.


In Dark Victory, Bette Davis plays Judith Traherne who begins having frequent "hang-overs" eventually leading her to brain surgeon Fredrick Steele (George Brent) who operates at alarming speed removing a tumor; although she is still going to die.  Doctor Steele makes the excutive decision not to disclose this and lets Judith go on her merry way.

I myself had brain surgery and even though this is one of my favorite movies I usually end up yelling at the screen because of its inaccuracies.  Besides Bette Davis having a cigarette moments before surgery (oh the good old days) my biggest problem was her hair growth.

She went from this...

cap is covering supposed "bald spot"

To This...

In six months I had a buzz cut.  What is her secret?

On this watch I realized what an annoying spoiled brat Judith was and didn't understand how she had so many potential suitors i.e. Ronald Reagan, Humphrey Bogart and George Brent so really didn't care if she lived or died; but yet somehow Bette Davis had me moved to tears by the end.  She is just that good.  The storyline, while maybe a little melodramatic (being the trend in 1939) I still think it is brilliant and like Jack Warner, on first viewing believed it was a subject that is not to be touched upon.  Although now we have so many fatal illnesses movies from Stepmom to Wit that it seems the norm.

I have touched on Dark Victory's Best Picture and Bette Davis' Best Actress nomination and as to the last, Best Score I didn't pay much attention to it as I was so enrapt in Judith's journey (despite my newly found dislike of her)  so cannot judge on that award.  Have I mentioned I love this movie?  with a fantastic cast and plot Dark Victory deserves nothing less that prognosis positive.

The Scarlet Pimpernel! (1939)

In the year 1792, Sir Percy and Lady Marguerite Blakeney are the darlings of British society—he is known as one of the wealthiest men in England and a dimwit;she is French, a stunning former actress, and “the cleverest woman in Europe”—and they find themselves at the center of a deadly political intrigue. The Reign of Terror controls France, and every day aristocratsin Paris fall victim to Madame la Guillotine. Only one man can rescue them—the Scarlet Pimpernel—a master of disguises who leaves a calling card bearing only a signature red flower. As the fascinating connection between the Blakeneys and this mysterious hero is revealed, they are forced to choose between love and loyalty in order to avoid the French agent Chauvelin, who relentlessly hunts the Scarlet Pimpernel.

Ah, I love the 1934 version of The Scarlet Pimpernel staring Leslie Howard, who I absolutely adore and Merle Oberon, who I am beginning to love in period pieces.  Leslie Howard has just the right amount of flamboyance, not enough to look queer, nor for people to take him seriously and suspect him as the scarlet pimpernel.  Lady Blakeney can get a tad annoying in both the book and the movie, but at the same time must be pardoned for her ignorance in the whole matter.  Merle Oberon does a wonderful execution of her, being a little stuck-up and innocent about her husband's "going-ons" to caring and intelligent.  Of course you could not have found a better Chavelin than Raymond Massey, who plays the conniving aristocrat to a tee.

Jamaica Inn (1939)

Jamaica Inn is another Daphne Du Maurier novel that was directed by Hitchcock, this was also the first of said author's novels adapted to the big screen as Rebecca was produced in '40 rather than Jamaica's '39.  Anyway, like Rebecca this was a film I didn't know Hitch had directed.

Considering I have not read the book, I found the storyline very original and well acted too.  I loved Charles Laughton as Sir Humphrey Pengallan.  He was the perfect villain/double agent because I disliked him to no other but was still willing to give him a second chance (and don't ask me why).

My only complaint about this classic was the quality of the film, mostly with the sound.  The octave went up and down like a merry-go-round.  Although this could have something to do with the fact that it was on Instant Netflix.  Despite this small complaint, Jamaica Inn was a very enjoyable film.