Robert Mitchum, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Robert Preston star in “Blood on the Moon”

A classic “noir Western,” Blood on the Moon (1948) is an American Western noir directed by Robert Wise and starring Robert Preston, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Robert Preston. The supporting cast includes Walter Brennan, Frank Faylen, and Phyllis Thaxter.

The film centers on Jim Garry (Mitchum), a drifter and a hired hand. He’s called to a remote part of the American West by an old friend, Tate Riling (Preston), who’s involved in a dispute with a local cattle rancher. Initially, Garry agrees to take on a role in what he believes is a straightforward business deal, but he quickly discovers a complex web of deceit, betrayal, and violence.

The film’s plot thickens as Garry becomes entangled in the conflict between the cattleman and a group of homesteaders. The rancher's spirited daughter, Amy Lufton (Bel Geddes), immediately distrusts Garry, suspecting he’s on the side of her family’s enemies. As Garry begins to question his friend’s true intentions and the morality of his own involvement, he finds himself caught between opposing sides, each with their own secrets and hidden agendas. He learns that the stakes are much higher than he first believed and that he’s a pawn in a much larger, more dangerous game.

Torn between loyalty to his past and a growing sense of justice, Garry must navigate a treacherous landscape of shifting allegiances and constant danger. His journey to uncover the truth and choose a side forces him to confront his own cynical nature and determine where his true loyalties lie.

Blood on the Moon trivia

• After seeing the film, Howard Hughes canceled Barbara Bel Geddes’s contract. He said she wasn’t sexy enough.
• For the night scenes, director Robert Wise and cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca chose to use infrared film, despite the problems it could cause with the tones of clothes and makeup.
• According to some pre-production press, James Stewart was set to star in the Mitchum role.
• Walter Brennan thought Robert Mitchum looked like an authentic cowboy.

 

Click HERE to watch the film on the Internet Archive.

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Discussion questions

1. Noir Western or Traditional Western? Blood on the Moon is often called a “Noir Western.” What elements of film noir does it incorporate? Do you think the film ultimately adheres more to the conventions of film noir or the traditional Western genre?
2. The Morality of Jim Garry: At the start of the film, Jim Garry is a hired hand, a man for hire with no clear moral compass. How does his character evolve throughout the film? What events or interactions, particularly with Amy Lufton, lead to his shift from a cynical opportunist to a man of principle?
3. Trust and Betrayal: The film’s plot is driven by a complex web of deceit. Discuss the theme of trust as it applies to the relationships between Jim Garry and Tate Riling, Jim and Amy, and even Amy and her father. In this world, who can be trusted, and why?
4. Symbolism of the Setting: The film’s desolate, rugged landscapes serve as more than just a backdrop. How does the setting—the canyons, the isolated ranches, the moonlit nights—reflect or enhance the film’s themes of moral ambiguity, isolation, and conflict?

 

Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, and Barbara Bel Geddes have only “Fourteen Hours”

Fourteen Hours (1951) is a taut, suspenseful drama that chronicles the true-to-life events of a single day in New York City. The film begins with a simple act: a young man, Robert Cosick (Basehart), steps out onto the ledge of a 15th-floor hotel window. This action sets in motion a high-stakes, real-time crisis that captivates the entire city. Down on the street, a crowd of thousands gathers, turning the private tragedy into a public spectacle. The media, including newspapers and early television crews, descend upon the scene, while police and emergency services race to save the man's life.

At the heart of the story is Charlie Dunnigan (Douglas), a compassionate traffic cop who is the first to establish a rapport with the troubled man. As time ticks by, Dunnigan becomes the sole lifeline for Cosick, who refuses to talk to anyone else, including psychiatrists and family members. The film delves into the unfolding drama on the ledge, as well as the diverse reactions of the people below—from those genuinely concerned to those placing bets on the outcome. The narrative also explores subplots involving other people whose lives are affected by the standoff, including a young couple who meet in the crowd and a woman contemplating divorce.

As the standoff extends into the night, the film peels back the layers of Cosick’s troubled past, revealing the complex psychological and family dynamics that led him to the brink. The tension mounts as all efforts to talk him down seem to fail. The film’s strength lies in its documentary-like realism and its exploration of the collective human experience—the mix of empathy, curiosity, and ghoulish fascination that a public crisis can elicit. It remains a powerful and emotionally charged portrait of desperation and the lengths to which a stranger will go to help another.

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway began working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors such as Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932), starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox, where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968), which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Paul Douglas (1907 – 1959) was an American actor. Douglas starred on Broadway and in film. He is mostly known for his comedic performances in films like It Happens Every Spring (1949), Angels in the Outfield (1951), and Never Wave at a WAC (1953). Other Douglas films include A Letter to Three Wives (1949), The Big Lift (1950), Love That Brute (1951), and Clash by Night (1952). Douglas was set to play the role of Mr. Sheldrake in The Apartment (1960), but died of a heart attack right before production was to start. He was replaced by Fred MacMurray.

Barbara Bel Geddes (1922 – 2005) was an American stage and screen actress. She starred as Maggie in the original Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955). She played Irene Dunne’s daughter in I Remember Mama (1948), and was Midge, James Stewart’s on-again-off-again girlfriend in Vertigo (1958). Bel Geddes also worked on television during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1978, she starred as Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow on Dallas (1978 – 1990), the role for which she is most famous.

Richard Basehart (1914 - 1984) was an American actor who worked steadily in film and television. Basehart starred in several films noir of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He also had a lead role in director Federico Fellini’s La Strada (1954). Other film roles include Moby Dick (1956), Decision Before Dawn (1951), and The Brothers Karamazov (1958). Baby Boomers would remember Basehart as Admiral Harriman Nelson on Irwin Allen’s science fiction television series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964 -1968).

Fourteen Hours trivia

• Film debuts of Grace Kelly and John Cassavetes.
• Richard Basehart’s wife, costume designer Stephanie Klein, was diagnosed with a brain tumor during filming in May and June 1950, and died following brain surgery during production of the film in July.
• The film is based on a real-life event that happened in 1938 in New York City.
• Except for brief scoring under the main titles and at the film’s conclusion, the film has no music.

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Exploitation of Tragedy: The film depicts the crowd below the ledge with a mix of genuine concern and ghoulish fascination. How does the movie comment on the public's relationship with tragedy and spectacle, and how does this theme resonate with modern media and social media?
2. Moral Compass: Police Officer Charlie Dunnigan is presented as a compassionate, ordinary man. Why is he, rather than a trained professional like the psychiatrist, the only person who can connect with Robert Cosick? What does this suggest about the importance of human empathy over clinical expertise in moments of crisis?
3. Family Dynamics and Mental Health: The film offers a glimpse into Robert’s fraught relationship with his mother and father. How does the movie portray the impact of family dynamics on mental health? Do you think the film's psychological explanations for his distress hold up today?
4. Suspense in Stasis: For much of the film, the main character is physically stationary. How does director Henry Hathaway build and maintain suspense despite the lack of traditional action? Consider the use of camera angles, the subplots, and the real-time element of the story.

Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, and Barbara Bel Geddes star in Elia Kazan’s “Panic in the Streets”

Panic in the Streets (1950) is an American film noir directed by Elia Kazan and starring Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The film expertly blends elements of crime thriller and medical drama. Set in the gritty, bustling port of New Orleans, the story begins when a mysterious man is found dead with a lethal, highly contagious plague. Dr. Clint Reed, a dedicated and tenacious Public Health Service officer, is tasked with identifying the victim and finding anyone he may have infected. He’s given a mere 48 hours to prevent a city-wide epidemic, a ticking clock that intensifies the film's suspense. Despite his medical authority, Dr. Reed faces skepticism and outright hostility from the police and the city’s underbelly, who are more concerned with their criminal activities than public health.

The film’s tension escalates as Dr. Reed, with the reluctant help of police Captain Warren, delves into the city's seedy criminal world to find the two men who were with the victim before he died. They navigate through a labyrinth of dock workers, shady characters, and back-alley dealings. The main antagonists, a cruel and paranoid gangster named Blackie and his dim-witted accomplice, find themselves on the run, oblivious to the fact that they are carriers of the deadly disease. Their desperation and fear, combined with Dr. Reed’s frantic search, create a thrilling and nail-biting chase through the city.

Panic in the Streets stands out for its realistic, on-location shooting in New Orleans, which lends an authentic, documentary-like feel to the film. Its blend of a high-stakes medical mystery with the classic noir aesthetic makes it a compelling and timeless thriller.

 

Elia Kazan (1909 – 2003) was an American director, producer, writer, and actor. He is one of the co-founders of the Actors Studio in 1947 with Robert Lewis and Cheryl Crawford. Kazan is also one of the most celebrated directors of the theater and movies. Kazan won two Best Director Academy Awards, in 1947 for Gentleman’s Agreement and 1954 for On the Waterfront, and a Lifetime Achievement Academy Award in 1998. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) was Kazan’s feature film debut as a director.

Richard Widmark (1914- 2008) had a sensational movie debut playing the crazy villain Tommy Udo in director Henry Hathaway’s Kiss of Death (1947). His performance won him a Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year – Actor. He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as Udo. Widmark was under contract to Twentieth Century-Fox, where he played mostly villains. Later in his career, he started playing more heroic roles in films like Slattery’s Hurricane and Down to the Sea in Ships (both 1949).

Paul Douglas (1907 – 1959) was an American actor. Douglas starred on Broadway and in film. He is mostly known for his comedic performances in films like It Happens Every Spring (1949), Angels in the Outfield (1951), and Never Wave at a WAC (1953). Other Douglas films include A Letter to Three Wives (1949), The Big Lift (1950), Love That Brute (1951), and Clash by Night (1952). Douglas was set to play the role of Mr. Sheldrake in The Apartment (1960), but died of a heart attack right before production was to start. He was replaced by Fred MacMurray.

Barbara Bel Geddes (1922 – 2005) was an American stage and screen actress. She starred as Maggie in the original Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955). She played Irene Dunne’s daughter in I Remember Mama (1948), and was Midge, James Stewart’s on-again-off-again girlfriend in Vertigo (1958). Bel Geddes also worked on television during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1978, she starred as Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow on Dallas (1978 – 1990), the role for which she is most famous.

 

Panic in the Streets trivia

• The feature film debut of Jack Palance.
• The on-location filming in New Orleans impacted the film’s success at the box office.
• According to a press report in 1949, Dana Andrews and Linda Darnell were originally cast in the film.
• Director Elia Kazan has a cameo as a mortuary assistant.
• Won an Academy Award for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story (1951).

 

Click HERE to join the online discussion on September 22, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you’ll receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive.

 

Richard Widmark and Paul Douglas

Discussion questions

1. The Role of Public Health and Law Enforcement: How does the film portray the dynamic and often conflicting relationship between Dr. Reed, representing public health, and Captain Warren, representing law enforcement? In a real-world scenario, what are the ethical and practical challenges of this collaboration, especially when a crisis requires them to work together?
2. Fear, Panic, and the Public: The film’s title, Panic in the Streets, points to a central theme. How do the various characters—from the criminals to the ordinary citizens—react to the threat of a plague? What does the film suggest about the human response to an unseen danger and the role of fear in a public crisis?
3. Filming Location and Atmosphere: Elia Kazan chose to film on location in the gritty, real-life streets of New Orleans. How does this decision impact the film’s tone and sense of urgency compared to if it had been shot on a soundstage? What specific elements of the city’s environment contribute to the film’s noir aesthetic and overall atmosphere?
4. Moral Responsibility vs. Self-Preservation: The film features characters who are either unaware of or choose to ignore the public health threat for their own benefit. What is the film’s commentary on individual moral responsibility versus the instinct for self-preservation? How do the actions of the film’s antagonists, Blackie and his accomplice, serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of prioritizing personal gain over the collective good?
5. Moral Responsibility vs. Self-Preservation: The film features characters who are either unaware of or choose to ignore the public health threat for their own benefit. What is the film's commentary on individual moral responsibility versus the instinct for self-preservation? How do the actions of the film's antagonists, Blackie and his accomplice, serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of prioritizing personal gain over the collective good?

The Three Queens of Paramount: Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, and Veronica Lake star in “So Proudly We Hail”

So Proudly We Hail! (1943) is an American war film directed and produced by Mark Sandrich and starring Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, and Veronica Lake. The cinematography was by Charles Lang, and the music was by Miklos Rozsa.

The film follows a group of U.S. Army nurses stationed in the Pacific during the early days of World War II. The story is told through a series of flashbacks as one of the nurses, Lieutenant Janet “Davy” Davidson (Colbert), is being evacuated back to the States. She recounts the harrowing experiences she and her fellow nurses endured, starting with their idyllic pre-war lives and their subsequent deployment to the Philippines. The film portrays the close-knit bonds that form among the nurses as they face the brutal realities of war, including the constant threat of Japanese attacks and the overwhelming casualties they must tend to.

The main plot focuses on the nurses’ heroic efforts to care for wounded soldiers during the Battle of Bataan and the subsequent Fall of Corregidor. Led by their compassionate chief nurse, Captain Olivia D’Arcy, the women demonstrate incredible resilience and bravery while working in makeshift hospitals under deplorable conditions. The film highlights the personal sacrifices they make, including those to their own health and well-being, in service to their country. Romantic subplots emerge, with Davy falling in love with a dashing soldier named Lieutenant John Summers, adding a layer of emotional complexity to the narrative.

Ultimately, the film serves as a powerful tribute to the courage and selflessness of military nurses. It chronicles their struggles and triumphs, from their initial arrival in the Pacific to their eventual capture and internment by the Japanese. The movie’s final scenes depict the stark contrast between their valiant service and the grim reality of their fate, emphasizing the tremendous human cost of war. So Proudly We Hail! is a classic example of a wartime propaganda film, designed to honor the contributions of women in the armed forces and boost morale on the home front.

 

Colbert, Goddard, and Lake

Mark Sandrich (1900–1945) was an American film director, producer, and screenwriter best known for directing a series of successful Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals at RKO Pictures in the 1930s. A notable example is Top Hat (1935), which is widely regarded as the duo's best film. Sandrich began his career in the film industry as a prop man before moving on to direct comedy shorts and eventually feature films. In the 1940s, he also worked as a producer on films he directed, including the highly successful musical Holiday Inn (1942), which featured the debut of the iconic song "White Christmas," and the patriotic war drama So Proudly We Hail! (1943). His career was cut short when he died suddenly from a heart attack at age 44 while working on the film Blue Skies (1946).

 

Claudette Colbert (1903 -1996) was an American stage, film, and television actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Ellie Andrews in Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night (1934). For her role in that film, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress. She was nominated two other times in that category. Colbert got her start in the theater, where she played a variety of ingenue roles. In 1928, she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures, where she quickly made a succession of movies. Her breakout role came in 1932 in The Sign of the Cross (1932) starring Fredric March and Charles Laughton. In 1934, she made three films that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture: Imitation of Life, Cleopatra, and the eventual winner, It Happened One Night. No one had been able to match that record. Other popular films include I Met Him in Paris (1937), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), Midnight (1939), The Palm Beach Story (1942), Since You Went Away (1944), and The Egg and I (1947).

Paulette Goddard (1905–1990) was an American actress who rose to fame in the 1930s and 1940s. Born Marion Pauline Levy, she began her career as a child model and then became a Ziegfeld Girl on Broadway. She moved to Hollywood and gained attention for her relationship with Charlie Chaplin, who cast her as the female lead in Modern Times (1936) and The Great Dictator (1940). Goddard went on to become a major star for Paramount Pictures, appearing in popular films such as The Cat and the Canary (1939) and Reap the Wild Wind (1942). She earned her only Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role as an army nurse in So Proudly We Hail! (1943). Her life after Hollywood included her marriage to writer Erich Maria Remarque and a legacy of philanthropy.

Veronica Lake (1922 - 1973) was an American film, stage, and television actress. She was a popular star of film noirs, often paired with Alan Ladd in the 1940s. She was also famous for her peek-a-boo hairstyle. Her home studio, Paramount, dubbed her the peek-a-boo girl. Women and girls all over the world copied her hair-over-one-eye hairstyle. Lake became an overnight sensation with her role in I Wanted Wings (1940). During the height of her career, Lake was making $4,500 a week. Some of her popular films include Sullivan’s Travels (1941),  This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key (1942), So Proudly We Hail! (1943), and The Blue Dahlia (1946). Lake’s career declined due to her struggle with alcoholism. She died from cirrhosis of the liver in 1973. She was 50 years old.

 

So Proudly We Hail trivia

• Claudette Colbert was 39, Paulette Goddard was 32, and Veronica Lake was 20 during the film’s release.
• Lake, in keeping with Army regulations, changed her famous “peek-a-boo” hairstyle. She let her hair down only once toward the end of the film.
• Goddard was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. It was her one and only nomination. The film was nominated for three other Academy Awards.
• Paramount went to great lengths to ensure the film’s accuracy.

 

Click HERE to watch the film on the Internet Archive.

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Discussion questions

1. How does the film’s narrative structure, which incorporates flashbacks from Janet Davidson’s perspective, affect the viewer's emotional connection to the characters and the events?
2. In what ways does “So Proudly We Hail!” serve as both a tribute to military nurses and a piece of wartime propaganda? Consider the portrayal of gender roles, patriotism, and the enemy.
3. Discuss the different types of relationships depicted in the film—friendships among the nurses, romantic relationships, and the professional dynamics with the soldiers and doctors. How do these relationships evolve under the stress of war?
4. The film often contrasts moments of intense combat and suffering with quieter scenes of camaraderie and personal reflection. How does this juxtaposition contribute to the film’s overall message about the human experience of war?

 

 

 

 

 

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglass star in “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House”

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) is an American comedy film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Cary Grant, Myna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas. The supporting cast includes Reginald Denny, Sharyn Moffett, Connie Marshall, Ian Wolfe, and Louise Beavers. The screenplay was written by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama (White Christmas), the  music was by Leigh Harline, and the cinematography was by James Wong Howe.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House follows the misadventures of a New York City advertising executive, Jim Blandings (Grant), and his wife, Muriel (Loy). Feeling cramped and fed up with their small apartment, they decide to escape the city's confines and build their ideal country home in Connecticut. Their pursuit of this "dream house" begins with an idyllic vision of pastoral bliss, promising a life free from urban stress and full of domestic tranquility.

The film chronicles the couple's journey from a naive fantasy to a harsh reality. They purchase an old, dilapidated farmhouse and a large plot of land, only to discover that their new property is riddled with unexpected problems. From a collapsing chimney to a waterlogged basement and a host of hidden structural flaws, their simple plan spirals into a series of costly and chaotic construction nightmares. The Blandings must contend with an assortment of eccentric contractors, rising costs, and a project that seems to have a mind of its own.

As their dream home transforms into a seemingly endless money pit, will the Blandings keep their sanity?

H. C. Potter (1904 - 1977) was an American theatrical producer and director, and a director of motion pictures. Potter graduated from Yale University in 1926 and was part of the Yale Dramatic Association. He founded a theater group, the Hampton Players, based in Southampton, Long Island. He eventually made his way to Hollywood, where he became a film director. Some of his popular films include The Shopworn Angel (1938) starring Margaret Sullivan and James Stewart, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939) starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, Mr. Lucky (1943) starring Cary Grant and Laraine Day, and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas.

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of the most popular leading men in film history. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies, including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations for Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Myrna Loy (1905 - 1993) was an American film, television, and stage actress. Loy was a trained dancer but decided to concentrate on acting, appearing in silent films before becoming a major star with the advent of sound. Perhaps Loy is most famous for playing Nora Charles opposite William Powell in The Thin Man (1934) and its subsequent sequels. Loy and Powell were one of the screen’s most popular acting teams; they appeared in 14 films together. Loy starred opposite the top leading men of the day, including Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Tyrone Power, and Cary Grant. Some of her films include Wife vs. Secretary (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Test Pilot (1938), Too Hot to Handle (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Love Crazy  (1941), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948).

 

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House trivia

• Mr. Blandings $15,000 a year salary would be equivalent to $193,000 today.
• The house built for the movie still stands on the old Fox Ranch property in Malibu Creek State Park, in the hills a few miles north of Malibu. It is now used as the park’s office and as offices for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy.
• Director H. C. Potter wanted Irene Dunne for the role of Muriel Blandings, but she was working on I Remember Mama at the time and was unavailable. Potter wanted Dunne because all three of her pairings with Grant were box office gold.

 

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Melvyn Douglas

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on September 8, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Idealism vs. Reality: How does the film's portrayal of the Blandings' "dream house" project serve as a commentary on the American ideal of home ownership? In what ways do their romanticized expectations clash with the harsh realities of construction, and what does this say about the pursuit of perfection?
2. The Role of Consumerism: The film is set against the backdrop of post-war American consumer culture. How does advertising executive Jim Blandings' profession influence his decisions and desires regarding the house? What message does the movie convey about the pitfalls of consumerism and the pursuit of material goods?
3. Humor and Relatability: The film is a comedy, but it deals with serious themes like financial strain and marital stress. How does the use of humor, satire, and exaggeration make these challenges relatable to a modern audience? Can you identify specific scenes or characters that effectively use comedy to highlight the frustrations of building or renovating a home?
4. On-Screen Chemistry: This was the third and final film starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy. What did you think of their on-screen pairing? Were they believable as husband and wife?
5. Recommendation: Would you recommend this film to your friends?

Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple star in “The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer”

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) is an American screwball comedy-romance directed by Irving Reis and starring Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, and Shirley Temple. The supporting cast includes Rudy Vallee, Ray Collins, Henry Davenport, Veda Ann Borg, Johnny Sands, and Lillian Randolph. The screenplay, written by Sidney Sheldon, won an Academy Award for Best Writing Original Screenplay. It was the only Academy Award nomination for the film.

Richard Nugent (Grant), a carefree and charming artist who finds himself in legal trouble after being accused of corrupting a minor. The accuser is the stern and elegant Judge Margaret Turner (Loy), whose younger sister, Susan (Temple), has developed a fierce crush on Richard. Susan's infatuation, sparked by his magazine photo, leads to a series of chaotic misunderstandings that land Richard in Margaret's courtroom. In a fit of frustrated fury and a desire to teach her sister a lesson, Margaret sentences Richard to "rehabilitate" Susan by pretending to be her boyfriend until her teenage crush fades away.

What could go wrong?

 

Irving Reis (1906 – 1953) was a radio program producer and director, and a film director. Reis directed several notable and popular films, including Hitler’s Children (1943), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and All My Sons (1948).

Cary Grant (1904 – 1986) was an English-born American actor who became one of the most popular leading men in film history. Grant started his career in vaudeville before heading to Hollywood. He became a superstar in the late 1930s in a series of screwball comedies, including The Awful Truth (1937) with Irene Dunne. He was a memorable C. K. Dexter Haven in The Philadelphia Story (1940) opposite Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart. He received two Best Actor nominations for Penny Serenade (1941) and None but the Lonely Hearts (1944). Other classic Grant films include Gunga Din (1939), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), and Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). He made four popular films with Alfred Hitchcock: Suspicion (1941), Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959). He was presented with an Honorary Oscar at the 42nd Academy Awards in 1970.

Myrna Loy (1905 - 1993) was an American film, television, and stage actress. Loy was a trained dancer but decided to concentrate on acting, appearing in silent films before becoming a major star with the advent of sound. Perhaps Loy is most famous for playing Nora Charles opposite William Powell in The Thin Man (1934) and its subsequent sequels. Loy and Powell were one of the screen’s most popular acting teams; they appeared in 14 films together. Loy starred opposite the top leading men of the day, including Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Tyrone Power, and Cary Grant. Some of her films include Wife vs. Secretary (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Test Pilot (1938), Too Hot to Handle (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Love Crazy  (1941), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948).

 

Cary Grant, Shirley Temple, and Myrna Loy

Shirley Temple (1928 – 2014) was an American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat. Temple was Hollywood’s number-one box-office star from 1934 to 1938. As the most famous child star of all time, Temple achieved worldwide fame. Her films are still popular today. Some of Temple’s movies during her child star period include Baby Take a Bow (1934), Bright Eyes (1934), Captain January (1936), Stowaway (1936), Heidi (1937), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938), and The Little Princess (1939). Her popularity as a top star at Twentieth-Century Fox ended with the release of The Blue Bird (1940). The film was Fox’s answer to The Wizard of Oz (1930), but it was a disaster with critics and, more importantly, with audiences. She had some success as a teen star in films like Since You Went Away (1944) and The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947). Temple turned to politics in the 1960s. She was the United States Ambassador to Ghana (1974 – 1976). She was the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States (1976 – 1977), where she was in charge of President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration and inaugural ball. She was appointed the United States Ambassador to Czechoslovakia (1989 – 1992) by George H. W. Bush.

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer trivia

• At the time of filming, Shirley Temple was 18 and had been married for ten months. Cary Grant was 42 years old.
• Movie in-joke references to Shirley Temple appear in the film. Cary Grant is served a “Shirley Temple” drink in a soda shop. When Shirley’s character is packing in her room, she takes a Shirley Temple doll off the mantle of her fireplace in her bedroom.
• Myrna Loy was almost 23 years older than her younger “sister” in the film.
• This was the second of three movies starring Cary Grant and Myrna Loy:
• Wings in the Dark (1934), and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dreamhouse (1948).

 Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on September 1, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. How does the film's title, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, reflect the central conflict and themes of the story? What does the term "bobby-soxer" reveal about the period in which the film was made?
2. Analyze the character of Judge Margaret Turner. Is her decision to sentence Richard to "rehabilitate" her sister an abuse of power, a clever solution, or both? How does her professional role as a judge contrast with her personal role as an older sister?
3. The film uses a significant age gap between the characters of Richard Nugent and Susan Turner for comedic effect. How do the performances of Cary Grant and Shirley Temple ensure that the relationship remains a lighthearted infatuation and never feels inappropriate?
4. Beyond the central love story, what does the film say about the differences between generations and the expectations placed on young people and adults in the 1940s?

Get ready for Noir City Chicago 2025

Noir City Chicago 2025 is a week-long film festival dedicated to celebrating classic film noir and neo-noir. The event will be held at Chicago's Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., from September 5 to 11. Presented by the Film Noir Foundation, the festival is a must-see for fans of hardboiled crime stories, high heels and fedoras, and shadowy cinematography. The lineup for the festival is curated to include both renowned classics and obscure rarities, often presented in double-bills, and will feature screenings of 35mm prints alongside digital restorations.

Joan Bennett and Edward G. Robinson in The Woman in the Window

The 2025 program promises an eclectic mix of films, including classics like Stanley Kubrick's The Killing and Fritz Lang's Scarlet Street, as well as a selection of neo-noirs such as The Grifters and The Hot Spot. The festival will be hosted by Eddie Muller, the founder of the Film Noir Foundation and host of TCM's "Noir Alley," for the opening weekend. Following that, screenings will be presented by Film Noir Foundation board member Alan K. Rode. This year's event highlights the lasting legacy and influence of film noir, providing audiences with a chance to experience these gripping tales of desperation, greed, and betrayal on the big screen.

Click HERE for the full schedule.