Spency Tracy and Irene Dunne star in “A Guy Named Joe”

A Guy Named Joe (1943) is an American romantic drama directed by Victor Fleming and starring Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, and Van Johnson in a breakout performance. Also in the cast are Lionel Barrymore, Ward Bond, James Gleason, Barry Nelson, Don Defore, and Esther Williams.

During the height of World War II, Pete Sandidge (Spencer Tracy) is a reckless but talented B-25 bomber pilot stationed in England. Despite the pleas of his devoted girlfriend, Women Airforce Service Pilot (WASP) Dorinda Durston (Irene Dunne), Pete continues to take unnecessary risks in the air. His luck eventually runs out during a perilous mission when he sacrifices himself to destroy a German aircraft carrier. Pete dies in the crash, leaving a devastated Dorinda behind to mourn the man she couldn’t convince to fly safely.

Pete awakens in a celestial “pilot’s heaven,” where he meets his “General”—a high-ranking officer who explains that deceased pilots have a new mission: to act as unseen guardians and mentors to the next generation of fliers. Pete is assigned to guide Ted Randall (Van Johnson), a young, green pilot who reminds Pete of his own younger, impulsive self. As Pete whispers advice and maneuvers into Ted’s subconscious, the novice pilot blossoms into an ace, but the situation becomes complicated when Ted is reassigned to the Pacific and falls deeply in love with a still-grieving Dorinda.

The film reaches its emotional climax as Pete must overcome his own ghostly jealousy to help Dorinda find happiness again. Realizing that his final duty is to let her go, Pete uses his spiritual influence to guide Dorinda through a dangerous solo bombing mission, ensuring her safety and giving her the closure she needs to embrace a future with Ted. Pete finally accepts his place in the afterlife, understanding that his legacy lives on through the lives he saved and the love he fostered, embodying the soldier’s creed that no one truly dies as long as their spirit guides those who follow.

 

Victor Fleming (1889 – 1949) was a quintessential “man’s man” of Hollywood’s Golden Age, a former auto racer and cameraman whose rugged, masculine energy translated into a reputation for being a master of large-scale, high-stakes productions. Known for his ability to handle difficult personalities and complex sets, he achieved the unprecedented feat of directing the two most iconic films of 1939: the whimsical fantasy The Wizard of Oz and the sprawling historical epic Gone with the Wind, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director. Though he was often viewed as a “studio craftsman” rather than a stylistic auteur, Fleming possessed a unique talent for extracting legendary performances from stars like Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, ultimately shaping the visual language of American escapism before his sudden death in 1949.

Spencer Tracy (1900–1967) was a titan of Hollywood’s Golden Age, revered by his peers as the “actor’s actor” for a naturalistic, understated style that made him one of the screen’s greatest realists. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Tracy rose from the Broadway stage to become a dominant force at MGM, where he became the first person to win back-to-back Academy Awards for Best Actor for his roles in Captains Courageous (1937) and Boys Town (1938). Though his off-screen life was often marked by a private battle with alcoholism and a complex, decades-long romantic partnership with actress Katharine Hepburn, his professional consistency was unmatched, earning him a total of nine Oscar nominations over a career that spanned nearly four decades. He delivered his final performance in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967), passing away just weeks after filming concluded and leaving behind a legacy as one of the most versatile and enduring figures in cinematic history.

Irene Dunne (1898–1990) was often called the “First Lady of Hollywood,” a title earned through her unparalleled versatility and a reputation for being one of the most gracious and professional stars in the industry. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, she transitioned from a successful career in musical theater and opera to film, where she became one of the few actresses to excel equally in heavy melodramas, sophisticated screwball comedies, and lavish musicals. Over her two-decade career, she earned five Academy Award nominations for Best Actress for diverse roles in films such as Cimarron (1931), The Awful Truth (1937), and I Remember Mama (1948), yet she never won the elusive trophy. A woman of deep Catholic faith and a happy, 40-year marriage to dentist Francis Griffin, Dunne retired from the screen in 1952 at the height of her powers to focus on philanthropy and international diplomacy, passing away at her home in Los Angeles at the age of 91.

Van Johnson (1916–2008) was the quintessential “boy next door’ of the WWII era, whose sunny personality, athletic build, and shock of red hair made him one of MGM's biggest stars and a premier idol for the “bobby-soxer” generation. Born in Newport, Rhode Island, he worked his way from Broadway choruses to Hollywood, where his career nearly ended before it truly began due to a near-fatal car accident during the filming of A Guy Named Joe (1943). The accident left him with a metal plate in his forehead and rendered him unfit for military service, ironically allowing him to become the screen’s most ubiquitous soldier while real-life actors were away at war. Known for his “all-American” reliability in hits like Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944) and the gritty Battleground (1949), Johnson successfully navigated the transition to musicals and television in later years, maintaining a busy career on stage and screen until his death at the age of 92.

Ward Bond, Irene Dunne, and Spencer Tracy

A Guy Named Joe trivia

• The “Saved” Career of Van Johnson - The film was nearly recast when Van Johnson was involved in a horrific car accident during production. He suffered a skull fracture so severe that the studio wanted to replace him to stay on schedule. However, stars Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne refused to let that happen. They insisted on a production hiatus until Johnson was healthy enough to return, effectively saving his career and turning him into a major star.
• A “Spiritual” Connection to Steven Spielberg - If the plot sounds familiar, it’s because Steven Spielberg remade the film in 1989 as Always. Spielberg was a lifelong fan of the original and even watched it multiple times during the production of Jaws for inspiration. In his version, he swapped the WWII planes for firefighting planes and cast Audrey Hepburn in her final film role as the “celestial” guide (the role originally played by Lionel Barrymore).
• The Real-Life Tragedy of the “P-38” - During the filming of the aerial sequences, a real-life tragedy occurred that mirrored the film's somber themes. A P-38 Lightning pilot, Major James P. Murphy, was involved in a deadly crash while performing stunts for the movie. This somber reality hung over the set, reinforcing the film’s status as a tribute to the very real dangers faced by Allied pilots.
• Patriotic Title Origins - The title A Guy Named Joe comes from a common piece of American military slang from the era. It was based on the sentiment that any “average Joe” could be a hero. In fact, General Claire Chennault, leader of the “Flying Tigers,” once remarked that “A guy named Joe” was the backbone of the American air effort, a quote that served as the primary inspiration for the movie’s name and its focus on the common soldier.

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Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, and Van Johnson

Discussion questions

1. The Morality of the “Invisible Guide” - Pete’s role in the afterlife is to “whisper” guidance to young pilots, but he often struggles with his own personal feelings, especially regarding Ted’s pursuit of Dorinda. Does Pete’s interference in the lives of the living represent a selfless act of mentorship, or does it cross an ethical line by manipulating the free will of those he left behind?
2. Propaganda vs. Grief - Released in 1943, the film served as a morale booster for a nation in the midst of heavy casualties. How does the film’s depiction of “Heaven” as a military bureaucracy serve the needs of a wartime audience? Does the idea that “no one truly dies” provide a genuine comfort, or does it risk trivializing the finality of the soldiers’ sacrifice?
3. The “Reckless Hero” Archetype - At the beginning of the film, Pete is criticized for his individualism and “hot-dogging” in the air. By the end, he is teaching Ted the importance of discipline and teamwork. How does this shift reflect the military’s real-world transition from the “lone wolf” pilots of WWI to the highly coordinated, bureaucratic air power required for success in WWII?
4. Dorinda’s Agency and the Ending - In the film’s climax, Pete “allows” Dorinda to take on a dangerous mission to find her own closure. Some viewers argue that Pete is still the one in control, even in death. Does the ending empower Dorinda as a pilot and a woman, or does it reinforce the idea that her life and safety are ultimately guided by the men—living or dead—in her life?

Van Johnson and Vera Miles know there are only “23 Paces to Baker Street”

23 Paces to Baker Street (1956) is an American mystery directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Van Johnson and Vera Miles. The supporting cast features Cecil Parker, Isobel Elsom, and Estelle Winwood.

Philip Hanson (Johnson) is a blind playwright living in London. With the help of his butler Bob Matthews (Cecil Parker), Hanson writes in his flat overlooking the Thames river. One day, Hanson overhears a conversation at a local pub that sounds to him like a plan to commit a crime. He tries to get help from Inspector Grovening (Maurice Denham) without any success. So he turns to his butler and Jean Lennox (Miles), his ex-fiancée. Will the three of them crack the case or find themselves in more trouble than they bargained for?

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like 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.

Van Johnson (1916 – 2008) was an American film, television, stage, and radio actor. He was a major star at M-G-M during and after World War II. During his heyday, Johnson was packaged as the boy next door which made him a popular leading man into the 1950s. Johnson starred opposite some of the biggest female stars in Hollywood including Esther Williams, June Allyson, Judy Garland, and Elizabeth Taylor. Some of Johnson’s many films include Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Thrill of a Romance (1945), Easy to Wed (1946), and In the Good Old Summertime (1949).

Van Johnson and Vera Miles

Vera Miles (1929 - ) is an American actress (retired) who was a popular leading lady in film during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1957, Miles signed a five-year personal contract with Alfred Hitchcock. Earlier he cast her opposite Henry Fonda in The Wrong Man (1956) and was his original choice for the female lead in Vertigo (1958). Hitchcock was grooming Miles as his next “cool blonde” replacing the recently retired Grace Kelly. When Miles became pregnant, she lost the role to Kim Novak. Miles starred in two classic John Ford westerns: The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Other film roles include Lila Crane in Psycho (1960), Beau James (1957), The FBI Story (1959), and Hellfighters (1968).

23 Paces to Baker Street trivia

• A lot of the film's exteriors were shot in London as opposed to a Hollywood backlot.
• The balcony scenes overlooking the Thames were shot from the Savoy Hotel.
• The scars on Van Johnson's face are real. He was in a serious car accident—his head went through the windshield—in 1943 while filming A Guy Named Joe starring Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne.

To watch the movie on YouTube, click the link below.

To join the discussion on January 9, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Did this film remind you of other films you've seen?
2. Was Van Johnson convincing as a blind man?
3. Did the on-location filming make a difference in the overall feel of the film?
4. Would the film have been better if it was filmed in black and white?
5. Were you surprised by anything?
6. Does the title have anything to do with the film?
7. Was the ending satisfying?

Classic Movie Man’s Favorite Christmas Movies: 2014 Edition

It’s Christmastime again. And it’s time for some more classic Christmas films to enjoy during the holidays. Some of these films you might not associate with Christmas, but all feature the holiday prominently. Make some hot chocolate, light up the fireplace and get cozy on the couch or your favorite chair to watch some great classic movies!


Lady for a Day—1933 This early Frank Capra classic (released a year before It Happened One Night) is about Apple Annie (May Robson), a poor woman who sells fruit on the streets of New York City to support her daughter’s education in a Spanish convent school. Her daughter is coming to visit her mother, who she thinks is a society lady. Annie needs a Christmas miracle to keep up the charade when her daughter arrives with her fiancé Carlos and his father, Count Romero. Will Annie’s street friends and gambler Dave the Dude (Warren William) come to her aid? What do you think? It’s great classic entertainment from one of Hollywood’s great masters.

Backstory: Capra wanted Robert Montgomery (it was written with Montgomery in mind), James Cagney or William Powell to star as Dave the Dude and Marie Dressler to star as Annie, but their respective studios wouldn’t loan them out.

The Thin Man—1934 The first of the classic films featuring Nick and Nora Charles (William Powell and Myrna Loy) includes several scenes during the Christmas holiday. Nick, a former detective and Nora, his rich wife, solve murders for the fun of it. The film combines comedy, mystery, and slapstick (check out Myrna Loy’s terrific pratfall at the beginning of the movie). The Thin Man basically invented the comedy murder-mystery genre. It’s fast and furious, featuring some of the best dialogue of all time. Nora utters my favorite: “Waiter, will you serve the nuts? I mean, will you serve the guests the nuts?”

Backstory: The very efficient W. S. Van Dyke reportedly shot the film in only two weeks. The Thin Man was the first of six movies featuring the sleuthing Nick and Nora Charles, all starring Powell and Loy.

Bright Eyes—1934 This was the first film developed for Shirley Temple. Temple is Shirley Blake who lives with her mother Mary, (Lois Wilson) a maid in the house of the Smythe family. When she becomes an orphan on Christmas morning, Shirley’s future is uncertain. Her bachelor godfather and pilot, James “Loop” Merritt (James Dunn) would like to adopt the orphan, but wheelchair-bound Uncle Ned Smythe (Charles Sellon) wants Shirley to live with him. His snooty relatives, Anita and J. Wellington Smythe and their obnoxious daughter Joy (Jane Withers) reluctantly agree to his wishes, hoping to stay in his good graces financially. This is the film that features the song “On The Good Ship Lollipop,” a tune forever identified with Temple. Bright Eyes established Temple as a top box office star. Temple would continue to be a major fan favorite throughout the 1930s.

Backstory: Temple won a special juvenile Academy Award in 1935, the first year it was presented, for her work in Bright Eyes and Little Miss Marker. Shirley’s dog, Rags (Terry) was the same dog that played Totto in The Wizard of Oz.

Love Affair—1939 One of the great films from that amazing year stars Irene Dunne as singer Terry McKay and Charles Boyer as painter and playboy Michel Marnet. The two, both engaged to other people, meet on a trans-Atlantic liner and fall in love. Terry and Michel decide to meet at the top of the Empire State Building (the closest place to heaven) six months later. When the date arrives, Terry is hit by a car crossing the street and is badly injured. It is uncertain if she will ever be able to walk. Not wanting to gain Michel’s sympathy or be a burden, Terry refuses to contact him and tell him the reason she didn’t’ show up. The two accidentally meet at a theater, but it isn’t obvious to Michel that Terry cannot walk. Michel visits Terry on Christmas, gifting her with his mother’s shawl, something Terry had admired when she met the old woman who is now deceased. Michel finds out about Terry’s injury, but decides it doesn’t matter; they will be together whatever the diagnosis.

Backstory: Love Affair was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actress (Dunne). The film was remade twice: An Affair to Remember (1957) starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr and Love Affair (1994), starring Warren Beatty and Annette Benning.


My Reputation—1946 Barbara Stanwyck plays Jessica Drummond, a young widow and mother of two sons from Chicago’s North Shore. Jess is mourning the loss of her husband as well as attempting to navigate the demands of being an upper class society woman. Her mother, Mary (Lucille Watson) is no help at all. She’s shocked when her daughter refuses to dress in black and makes Jess feel guilty for not following her example—Mary, a widow herself has been wearing black for decades. Fortunately for Jess, she has a great friend in Gina Abbott (Eve Arden) whom she confides in. Gina invites Jess to spend a week at Lake Tahoe with her husband. While skiing she meets Major Scott Landis (George Brent) who takes an immediate interest in her. Jess likes Scott and enjoys his company, but is reluctant to get too involved. The plot thickens when a friend of Jess’s mother sees her enter Scott’s apartment. It doesn’t take long for the society gang to spread rumors about Jess and her reputation, now seemingly tarnished. When Jess’s boys Kim (Scotty Beckett) and Keith (Bobby Cooper) come home from a Christmas party after hearing the gossip about their mother, things take an interesting turn. Stanwyck gives a subtle and sensitive performance as Jess and is ably supported by Brent and the rest of the cast. My Reputation is so well done and it’s a wonderful film to watch during the holidays.

Backstory: Made in 1944, the movie wasn’t released until 1946. The movie premiered in England to the Armed Forces. My Reputation was the first movie since the production code—enforced in 1934—to feature a double bed in a married couple’s bedroom.

In the Good Old Summertime—1949 Don’t let the title fool you! This musical remake of the Ernst Lubitsch classic, The Shop Around the Corner has several critical scenes that take place during the Christmas holidays and features the song “Merry Christmas.” Veronica Fisher (Judy Garland) and Andrew Larking (Van Johnson) are battling coworkers in a music store owned by Otto Oberkugen (S.Z. Sakall). Unbeknownst to Veronica and Andrew is the fact that they are each other’s secret pen pal. Garland is absolutely charming as Veronica and Johnson is perfect as Andrew. The supporting cast is a film buff’s delight that features the talents of Sakall, Spring Byington, Clinton Sundberg, and Buster Keaton, making his first film at M-G-M since being fired from the studio in 1933.

Backstory: Judy Garland replaced June Alyson who had to drop out of the movie due to pregnancy. Liza Minnelli made her film debut as the child of Veronica and Andrew in the closing shot.

Room for One More—1952 This heartwarming family film was a favorite of my family, especially around Christmastime. The movie stars Cary Grant and Betsy Drake (who were married at the time) as George “Poppy” and Anna Rose, a middle-class family who foster children who eventually become permanent members of their family. Anna is the softy of the two, or so it seems. The Roses have three children of their own, but after visiting an orphanage, Anna feels compelled to help at least one child. Poppy who is reluctant and grumpy about his wife’s willingness to bring strange children into their home, eventually warms up to the idea. Room for One More is a wonderfully entertaining film that demonstrates the importance of family, love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.

Backstory: The words “under God” are missing from the Pledge of Allegiance the schoolchildren recite because they weren’t added until 1954.

What do you think these of these choices? I would love to hear from you. Merry Christmas!

There are so many great classic movies to watch during the holidays. The above are just a small sampling. For a list of some other classic Christmas movies, click on the links below.

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2010 Edition
Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2011 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2012 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2013 Edition

Irene Dunne in “The White Cliffs of Dover”

By 1944, Irene Dunne was one of the top female stars in Hollywood. A four-time Academy Award nominee for Best Actress, she was in demand by all the major Hollywood studios. In 1943, Dunne signed on to star in a picture at Metro Goldwyn Mayer. A Guy Named Joe paired the actress with Spencer Tracy and a young newcomer named Van Johnson. During filming Johnson was involved in a serious car accident. Dunne and Tracy didn’t want to replace Johnson, so production was delayed while he recuperated. Since Dunne was already on the lot, M-G-M scooped her up for The White Cliffs of Dover.

Verse Novel Source for Film
The White Cliffs of Dover is based on a verse novel The White Cliffs by Alice Duer Miller published in 1940. The novel was an instant success and sold almost a million copies. Duer Miller was a popular writer and screenwriter. In fact one of her stories was made into the musical Roberta starring Dunne in 1935.



War-Time Romance

Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell

The White Cliffs of Dover focuses on a young American woman, Susan Dunn, played by Dunne and her father (the irascible Frank Morgan) who are touring London before the outbreak of World War I. She meets a young British aristocrat and army officer, Sir John Asherwood (Alan Marshall). After a whirlwind courtship they marry, but their honeymoon and marriage is cut short. Susan Dunn Asherwood remains in her adopted country and has a son, John Jr.

Serene and Dignified
The film is told in flashback as Dunne’s character recalls her younger days, while serving as a nurse during World War II. At the beginning of the movie, Dunne plays a young girl of 20, which was quite a stretch since she was 46 years old when the film was released. Even though it’s obvious that Dunne isn’t in her 20s, she captures the spirit of a young woman in both her mannerisms and speech. As the older woman, Dunne is serene and dignified. In his May 12, 1944 review of the film, New York Times critic Bosley Crowther said, “Miss Dunne gives to her character a nice glow of American charm...”

Alan Marshall and Dunne

Like Mrs. Miniver (1942), The White Cliffs of Dover was popular with wartime audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. The novel on which it is based, cemented the relationship between the United States and The United Kingdom, during the war years. The movie cost $2,343,000 to produce, earned $4,045,000 in the U.S. and another $2,249,00 in foreign receipts making it a blockbuster hit and a good choice as the M-G-M 20th Anniversary film.

In a famous photograph of M-G-M movie stars, commemorating its 20th anniversary, Dunne, technically not a studio contract player, is seated in the front row two seats to the right of studio chief, Louis B. Mayer. It’s a tribute to Dunne’s popularity (and Mayer’s keen marketing sense) that she was included in this iconic image.

More stars than are in the heavens: M-G -M celebrates 20 years.
Dunne is in the front row fourth from right.

This post corresponds with the class Elegant and Madcap: The Incredible Versatility of Irene Dunne—Class starts November 16, 2011. Meets on Wednesdays from 7p.m. - 10 p.m. for six weeks. Classes are held at Facets Film School on Fullerton Ave. in Chicago, IL.