This site is devoted to the love of classic movies. What qualifies as a classic film or movie is somewhat subjective. There are certain films which endure because they strike an emotional chord long after their initial release. For example, a movie like "Casablanca" (1942) would qualify as a classic under that definition.
Crack-Up (1946) is an American film noir directed by
Irving Reis and starring Pat O’Brien, Claire Trevor, and Herbert Marshall. The
supporting cast includes Ray Collins and Wallace Ford.
Art critic George Steele (O'Brien) remembers surviving a
train wreck that never took place; it's just the first incident in a growing
web of intrigue and murder.
Film critic Leonard Maltin described the film as a “Tense, fast-paced
Hitchcockian thriller with many imaginative touches.
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) All My Sons (1948).
Pat O’Brien (1899 – 1983) was an American film actor.
O’Brien appeared in more than 100 films, often playing characters of Irish
descent. He played cops, priests, and reporters. He was often paired with friend
and movie star James Cagney. O’Brien is probably best known for his roles in Angels
with Dirty Faces (1938), Knute Rockne, All American (1940), and Some
Like it Hot (1959).
Claire Trevor (1910 - 2000) was an American
actress who appeared in over 60 movies. She received nominations for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Dead End (1937),
and The High and the Mighty (1954). She won the award for her
performance in Key Largo (1948). Trevor got her start on the
New York stage and made her film debut in 1933. She also appeared on radio with
Edward G. Robinson in the popular radio program Big Town. Trevor’s
most famous role is probably Dallas in Stagecoach, but she had
other memorable roles in Murder, My Sweet (1944), and Born
to Kill (1947). Her last film role was in Kiss Me Goodbye (1982)
where she played Sally Field’s mother.
Herbert Marshall (1890 – 1966) was an English actor
of stage, screen, and radio. Marshall was a popular leading man during the
1930s and 1940s. He starred opposite Barbara Stanwyck, Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford,
and Bette Davis. Some of his films include Trouble in Paradise (1932), The
Good Fairy (1935), Foreign Correspondence (1940), The Little Foxes
(1941), and The Razor’s Edge (1946).
Pat O'Brien, Claire Trevor, and Herbert Marshall
Crack-Up trivia
Crack-Up was the only film noir from director Irving
Reis.
Laura (1944) and Scarlet Street (1945) also
make use of painting and art.
The film was set in New York City, but several scenes were
filmed in Los Angeles harbor.
Reis directed many of the “Falcon” movies during the early
1940s.
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2024, 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
Did you like the background of the art world?
Was the story believable? Were you able to just enjoy the
ride?
What did you think of the performances?
Did O’Brien and Trevor have good on-screen chemistry?
Born to Kill (1947) is an American film noir directed
by Robert Wise and starring Lawrence Tierney, Claire Trevor, and Walter Slezak.
The supporting cast includes Esther Howard, Elisha Cook Jr. Philip Terry, and
Audrey Long. The cinematography was by Robert De Grasse (Stage Door, Carefree,
Kitty Foyle).
After obtaining her divorce in Reno, Nevada, San Francisco
socialite Helen Brent (Trevor) meets Sam Wilde (Tierney), a mysterious man who
intrigues her. Little does she know that he is responsible for two murders.
Wilde follows Helen back to San Francisco and begins to
court Helen’s sister Georgia (Long). Helen believes Sam is marrying Georgia for
her money. Georgia inherited the largest newspaper in the city and lives in a
beautiful mansion. Sam quickly convinces Georgia to marry him and that’s when
the trouble starts.
Lawrence Tierney and Claire Trevor
Robert Wise (1914 - 2000) was an American
director, producer, and editor. Wise began his movie career at RKO as a sound
and music editor. For several years, he worked with senior editor William
Hamilton. Wise’s first solo film editing credits were on Bachelor
Mother (1939) and My Favorite Wife (1940). He was the
film editor on Citizen Kane and was nominated for an Academy
Award for Film Editing. Wise got his chance to direct at RKO from Val Lewton,
the producer of horror classics like Cat People (1942). The
Curse of the Cat People (1944) was the first film that Wise received
director credit for. He eventually directed films noir, westerns, melodramas,
and science fiction. Some popular films directed by Wise include The
Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Executive Suite (1954), I
Want to Live! (1958), which earned Wise his first Oscar nomination for
Best Director. He went on to win Best Director Oscars for West Side
Story (1961) and The Sound of Music (1965).
Lawrence Tierney (1919 – 2002) was an American film
and television actor best known for his roles as gangsters and tough-guys. He
became a popular star with the release of Dillinger (1945). His
performance as the notorious gangster led to a string of popular films noir.
Some of his famous films include The Devil Thumbs a Ride (1947) Born
to Kill (1947), Bodyguard (1948), and Kill or Be Killed (1950).
Once Tierney’s film career slowed, he appeared on television guest
starring on shows like The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
Claire Trevor (1910 - 2000) was an American
actress who appeared in over 60 movies. She received nominations for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Dead End (1937),
and The High and the Mighty (1954). She won the award for her
performance in Key Largo (1948). Trevor got her start on the
New York stage and made her film debut in 1933. She also appeared on radio with
Edward G. Robinson in the popular radio program Big Town. Trevor’s
most famous role is probably Dallas in Stagecoach, but she had
other memorable roles in Murder, My Sweet (1944), and Born
to Kill (1947). Her last film role was in Kiss Me Goodbye (1982)
where she played Sally Field’s mother.
Walter Slezak (1902 – 1983) was an Austrian-born film
and stage actor. Slezak started in silent films as a leading man, often
directed by his friend Michael Curtiz. As he aged and gained weight, Slezak
played character roles. He made his American film debut in Once Upon a
Honeymoon (1942) starring Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers. He appeared in over
100 films. He also worked on Broadway where he won a Tony Award for Best Actor
in a Musical for his work in Fanny. Slezak also worked on radio and television.
In 1974, he appeared on the soap opera One Life to Live, playing the
godfather of Victoria Lord, played by his daughter Erika Slezak.
Born to Kill trivia
Tallulah Bankhead was considered for the role of Helen, but
she was unavailable and the role went to Claire Trevor.
Phillip Terry divorced Joan Crawford the year before the
film’s release.
Esther Howard, part of Preston Sturges’ stock company, does
a rare dramatic turn.
Claire Trevor wears more hats in this film than probably any
other film actress.
Although not a box office success when first released, it is
considered a classic film noir by many of today’s critics and fans.
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2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email with
an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.
Discussion questions
What did you think of Lawrence Tierney’s tough-guy
performance?
The film was considered shocking in its day with many
contemporary critics considering it unsavory. Did you find it shocking?
What did you think of Claire Trevor’s performance as Helen? She’s
not the typical femme fatale. Instead of leading the man astray, Helen is
drawn to his brutality.
Hard, Fast and
Beautiful (1951) is an American drama directed by Ida Lupino and starring Claire
Trevor and Sally Forrest.
Millie Farley (Trevor) is dissatisfied with her suburban
life so she pours herself into her daughter Florence’s (Forrest) career as a
tennis star. As Florence wins tournament after tournament, Millie uses her
daughter’s success to climb the social ladder. This alienates her from her
husband Will (Kenneth Patterson) and brings tension between her and her
daughter when she tries to get Florence to break up with her boyfriend Gordon McKay
(Robert Clarke) when she discovers he’s not as rich as his uncle who owns the
country club where Florence practiced and won her first tournament.
Will the Farley family be able to come to terms with
Florence’s success without destroying each other?
Sally Forrest and Claire Trevor
Ida Lupino (1918 – 1995) was an English-American actress,
director, and producer. She appeared in over 50 films and was one of Warner
Bros.’s biggest contract players during the 1940s starring in High
Sierra (1941), The Sea Wolf (1941), and The Man I Love (1947). After she left Warner Bros., Lupino formed her own
production company, producing, writing, and directing films that tackled
subjects the big studios wouldn’t touch. During the 1950s, Lupino was the only
female director working in Hollywood. She directed several small independent
films but really made a name for herself directing for television. Lupino
directed episodes of The Twilight Zone (starred in one too), The Rifleman, Bonanza, Gilligan’s Island, It Takes a Thief, Family Affair, and Columbo. In 1966, she directed her one-and-only big-budget studio
picture, The Trouble with Angels starring Rosalind Russell and Haley Mills.
Claire Trevor (1910 - 2000) was an American actress who appeared in over 60 movies. She received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Dead End (1937), and The High and the Mighty (1954). She won the award for her performance in Key Largo (1948). Trevor got her start on the New York stage and made her film debut in 1933. She also appeared on radio with Edward G. Robinson in the popular radio program Big Town. Trevor’s most famous role is probably Dallas in Stagecoach, but she had other memorable roles in Murder, My Sweet (1944), and Born to Kill (1947). Her last film role was in Kiss Me Goodbye (1982) where she played Sally Field’s mother.
Sally Forrest (1928 – 2015) was an American film, stage, and TV actress. She was also a dancer and was signed to a contract with M-G-M right after high school. At M-G-M, she was a chorus dancer. Her acting debut was Not Wanted (1949), produced and directed by Ida Lupino. She starred in two other films directed by Lupino, Never Fear (1949) and Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951). After her marriage in 1953, Sally began to work on television and the stage. She starred on Broadway in The Seven Year Itch, Damn Yankees, and Bus Stop. Her last film was While the City Sleeps (1956) co-starring Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, and Ida Lupino.
Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan as tennis fans
Hard, Fast and Beautiful trivia
Look for Ida Lupino and Robert Ryan (34 minutes in), watching Sally Forrest's character playing tennis at a match in Seabright, New Jersey.
Sally Forrest was borrowed from M-G-M where she was under contract.
Eleanor Tennant, who is credited as a technical advisor for this film coached Sally Forrest in
her tennis scenes. Tennant was the first female tennis player to become a
professional. She was also famous for instructing Hollywood stars like Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
Robert Clarke had his hairy chest waxed to appear in the scene by the swimming pool.
To watch the movie on YouTube, click the link below.
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Discussion questions
What did you make of the mother-daughter dynamics? Was it believable?
This was Sally Forrest's third film for director Ida Lupino. Do you think her acting improved with this film?
The relationship between Claire Trevor and Kenneth Patterson was strained to say the least. Do you think Florence's father should have been more assertive when it came to how his daughter's career was being managed?
There's a lot of tennis in this movie. Was it believable?
Did anything about the film surprise you? Did it remind you of any other films you've seen?
Dead End (1937) is a crime melodrama directed by William Wyler and starring Sylvia Sidney and Joel McCrea. The supporting cast includes Humphrey Bogart, Wendy Barie, Claire Trevor, and Allen Jenkins. The screenplay was written by Lillian Hellman, and based on the
play Dead End (1935) by Sidney
Kingsley. The cinematography was by Greg Toland (Citizen Kane, Wuthering
Heights, The Best Years of Our Lives) and the music was by Alfred Newman.
Tommy Gordon (Billy Halop) is the leader of a gang of poor
kids on their way to being more than petty criminals, is being raised by his
older sister Drina (Sydney). Drina works hard to provide for Tommy and to keep
him from the criminal element that he seems to admire.
Mobster Hugh “Baby Face” Martin (Bogart) returns to the
neighborhood to visit his mother and girlfriend (Trevor), causing commotion
and excitement among the young gang members. Dave Connell (McCrea) recognized
Martin who was raised on the same street as he, warns him to stay away. Martin
ignores Dave.
Dave is a trained architect, but hasn’t been able to gain
employment in his chosen field, works odd jobs to make ends meet. He is
involved with a rich debutante Kay Burton (Barrie). The relationship is doomed
due to the fact that Dave is poor and Kay is used to a life of comfort and
ease. Eventually, Dave finds himself drawn to Drina, someone he has known from
his childhood.
Will Dave, Drina, and Tommy escape the dead end of their
current existence?
Joel McCrea, Sylvia Sidney, and Billy Halop
William Wyler (1902 - 1981) was an American (born in Mulhouse, Alsace, then part of Germany) film director and producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Direction three times: Mrs. Miniver (1942), The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), and Ben-Hur (1959). Wyler was nominated 12 times for Best Director, an Academy record. Wyler started working in the movie business during the silent era, eventually making a name for himself as a director in the early 1930s. He would go on to direct Wuthering Heights (1939), The Westerner (1940), and The Little Foxes (1941). Actress Bette Davis received three Oscar nominations under Wyler’s direction, winning her second Oscar for her performance in Jezebel (1938). Other popular films directed by Wyler include The Heiress (1949), Roman Holiday (1954), Friendly Persuasion (1956), The Big Country (1958), and Funny Girl 1968).
Sylvia Sydney (1910 – 1999) was an American stage and film actress. Sydney was a major movie star during the depression with starring roles in An American Tragedy (1931), Fury (1936), Dead End (1937). In 1936, she starred in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, an early three-strip Technicolor film. When Sydney made Sabotage, she was the highest-paid actress in movies, earning $10,000 per week. She made a total of $80,000 for that film. Later in her career, she appeared in supporting roles in Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams (1973), Beetlejuice (1998), Used People (1992), and Mars Attacks! (1996) which was her final film role.
JoelMcCrea (1905 – 1990) was an American movie star who appeared in over 100 films. During his almost-five-decades career, McCrea worked with some of the top directors in Hollywood including Alfred Hitchcock (Foreign Correspondent 1940), Preston Sturges (Sullivan’s Travels 1941, The PalmBeach Story 1942), and George Stevens (The Morethe Merrier 1943). McCrea worked opposite some of the top leading actresses of the day including Miriam Hopkins, Irene Dunne, Veronica Lake, Claudette Colbert, and Barbara Stanwyck with whom he made six films. He was the first actor to play Dr. Kildare in the film Internes Can’t Take Money (1937) costarring Stanwyck. McCrea married actress Frances Dee in 1933. The two were married until McCrea’s death in 1990.
Joel McCrea, Allan Jenkins, and Humphrey Bogart
Humphrey Bogart (1899 – 1957) was an American film and stage actor. He is one of the most famous and popular movie stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Nicknamed Bogie, the actor toiled in supporting roles in both A and B pictures for a decade before his breakout role as Roy Earle in High Sierra (1941). Many more film roles followed including The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942), Key Largo (1948), and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). His career continued with good roles in films like In a Lonely Place (1950), The Caine Mutiny (1954), and Sabrina (1954) co-starring William Holden and Audrey Hepburn. Bogart died from cancer in 1957.
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Dead End trivia
The was the first appearance of The Dead End Kids who went on to make movies under various names until 1958.
Sylvia Sydney was borrowed from Walter Wanger and Humphrey Bogart was borrowed from Warner Bros. for their roles.
The set for Dead End was one of the most elaborate and realistic sets ever created.
Samuel Goldwyn supposedly said of the Dead End set, "Why do directors always want these slums to be so dirty? Clean it up!" Director Wyler convinced Goldwyn that most slums weren't clean.
Discussion questions
The movie was based on a very successful stage play. Does the film feel like a filmed stage play?
Sylvia Sidney was a huge star when the film was released. What did you think of her performance as Drina?
Bogart was still playing gangsters and second leads at this point in his career. Was he convincing as mobster Hugh "Baby Face" Martin?
This film was released at the height of the depression. What do you think audiences thought about when the film premiered?
Claire Trevor was barely on screen for five minutes but she was still nominated for Best Supporting Actress. Do you think she deserved the nomination?
Stagecoach (1939) is an American Western classic directed by John Ford and starring Claire Trevor and John Wayne. The film was produced by Walter Wanger Productions and the cinematography was by Bert Glennon (Young Mr. Lincoln-1939, Our Town-1940, Destination Tokyo-1943).
Considered not only one of the best westerns of all time, but Stagecoach is also considered one of the best pictures of all time. Supposedly, Orson Welles watched the film 40 times in preparation for the making of Citizen Kane (1941). Welles said Stagecoach was the “perfect textbook of film-making.”
When a group of strangers boards a stagecoach in June of 1885, from Tonto, Arizona Territory, to Lordsburg, New Mexico, little do they realize their lives will forever be changed. On that stagecoach is Dallas (Trevor) a prostitute who is run out of town by the all-female Law and Order League, Doc Boone (Thomas Mitchell), an alcoholic, Mrs. Lucy Mallory, (Louise Platt) an officer’s wife, whiskey salesman Samuel Peacock (Donald Meek), and gambler and Southern gentleman Hatfield (John Carradine). Along the way, they pick up dishonest banker Henry Gatewood (Berton Churchill) who has just embezzled money from his bank.
As if the stage wasn’t crowded enough, they meet up with the Ringo King (Wayne) who escaped from jail to avenge the deaths of his father and brother at the hands of Luke Plummer (Tom Tyler).
How these diverse personalities interact along the way is what makes the film so engaging. Will they be at each others’ throats or will they be able to pull together as they ride through dangerous Indian territory?
John Ford (1894 - 1973) was an American film director who won a record four Academy Awards, more than any other director in history. He is perhaps best known for his western films, but ironically the Academy Awards he won weren’t for his classic westerns like Stagecoach (1939) and The Searchers (1956). Ford got his start in silent film, first as an actor, then as a writer-director. He directed many silent films including the epic The Iron Horse (1924). Once the sound era arrived, Ford was one of its first pioneers. He hit his stride in the 1930s with films like The Lost Patrol (1934), The Whole Town’s Talking (1935), and The Informer (1935), which brought Ford his first Academy Award for Best Director. Other popular Ford films include The Hurricane (1937), Wee Willie Winkie (1937), Young Mr. Lincoln (1939), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), and The Grapes of Wrath (1940) the last three all starring Henry Fonda. He also had a long collaborative relationship with John Wayne. Wayne starred in many classic Ford films including She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), The Quiet Man (1952), The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
Walter Wanger (1894 - 1968) was an American film producer. He was active in films from 1910 until 1963. Wanger attended Dartmouth College and served in the United States Army during World War I. While working for what was to become Paramount Studios, during the early days of talking films, he recruited Broadway performers like Claudette Colbert, Jeanette MacDonald, Fredric March, and Miriam Hopkins to the movies. He also brought directors George Cukor and Rouben Mamoulian to the studio. Some of the films produced by Wanger include Foreign Correspondent (1940), The Long Voyage Home (1940), Scarlet Street (1945), The Reckless Moment (1949), Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956), I Want to Live! (1958), and Cleapatra (1963). Wanger was married to actress Joan Bennett (1940 - 1965).
The cast of Stagecoach
Claire Trevor (1910 - 2000) was an American actress who appeared in over 60 movies. She received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Dead End (1937), and The High and the Mighty (1954). She won the award for her performance in Key Largo (1948). Trevor got her start on the New York stage and made her film debut in 1933. She also appeared on radio with Edward G. Robinson in the popular radio program Big Town. Trevor’s most famous role is probably Dallas in Stagecoach, but she had other memorable roles in Murder, My Sweet (1944), and Born to Kill (1947). Her last film role was in Kiss Me Goodbye (1982) where she played Sally Field’s mother.
John Wayne (1907 - 1979) was an American actor and filmmaker. Nicknamed Duke, Wayne was a pop culture icon and one of the most popular movie stars of all time. During the end of the silent era, Wayne worked on movie sets and played bit parts in movies. He got the chance to play the lead in director Raoul Walsh’s The Big Trail (1930). The Western was an early widescreen epic and a box office disaster, which relegated Wayne to roles in a string of B Westerns. It wasn’t until his role as the Ringo Kid in Stagecoach that he became a star of A films who was now paired with some of the top actresses of the day. Wayne played a variety of roles in the movies but he is most identified with the Western genre and the movies he made with director John Ford. Some of Wayne’s popular films include Red River (1948), The Quiet Man (1952), Rio Bravo (1959), The Searchers (1956), and The Longest Day (1962). Wayne won his one and only Best Actor Academy Award for his role in Tue Grit (1969).
John Wayne and Claire Trevor
Stagecoach trivia
The hat John Wayne wore in the film was his own. He wore it in many westerns but retired it in 1959 after completing Rio Bravo.
Local Navajo Indians played Apaches.
Stagecoach was one of several big-budget Westerns released in 1939 including Union Pacific, Jesse James, and Dodge City.
John Wayne made less money than most of his costars
Thomas Mitchell won a Best Supporting Academy Award for this film but was very busy in 1939. Besides Stagecoach, he had important roles in Only Angels Have Wings, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Gone with the Wind!
To watch the film on YouTube, click the link below.
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Discussion questions:
What did you make of John Wayne’s star-making turn in this film?
Of all the character actors, did one stand out to you?
How much experience with women do you think Wayne’s character had before meeting Dallas?
Why do you think this film is held in such high regard by critics and filmgoers today?
What do you think director John Ford thought of the character of Dallas?
Great Films of 1939 series: Stagecoach Where: The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street, Chicago, IL When: April 16, 2016 Time: 6:45 p.m. Hosted by Stephen Reginald
Stagecoach (1939) changed the western film genre forever. Prior to this film, westerns weren’t taken too seriously and were relegated to low-budget second features or serials. John Ford’s classic also began the fruitful association and partnership with star John Wayne. Before Stagecoach, Wayne was starring in low-budget western second features at poverty row studios. The film boasts a wonderful performance from the female lead, Claire Trevor, who should have, like Wayne, emerged as a major movie star. The supporting cast features many who would become part of the John Ford stock company, including Thomas Mitchell (Academy Award Winner), Andy Devine, Tim Holt, and John Carradine.
Part of the “Great movies of 1939” series. Discover some of the greatest movies from Hollywood’s most famous year.
Backstory: Thomas Mitchell had a great 1939. Besides Stagecoach, Mitchell had major supporting roles in Only Angels Have Wings, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Gone with the Wind!
Have some Joe and Enjoy the Show!
Before the movie, grab a cup of coffee from Overflow Coffee Bar, located within the Daystar Center. You can bring food and beverages into the auditorium; we even have small tables set up next to some of the seats. General Admission: $5 Students and Senior Citizens: $3.
Join the Chicago Film club; join the discussion
Twice a month we screen classic films and have a brief discussion afterward. For more information, including how to join (it’s free), click here. The Venue 1550 is easily accessible by the CTA. Please visit Transit Chicago for more information on transportation options.
Stephen Reginald is a freelance writer and editor. He has worked at various positions within the publishing industry for over 25 years. Most recently he was executive editor for McGraw-Hill’s The Learning Group Division. A long-time amateur student of film, Reginald hosts “Chicago Film Club,” a monthly movie event held in the South Loop, for the past two years. Reginald has also taught several adult education film classes at Facets Film School, Chicago.
Daystar Center located at 1550 S. State St. works through a grassroots network of collaborations and partnerships with individuals and other nonprofit organizations. Through this web, they’re able to provide educational, cultural, and civic activities that enrich and empower their clients, guests, and community members. To learn more about classes and events offered at the Daystar Center, please visit their Web site.
Tuesday, April 9, 2013 6:30 p.m. The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center 1550 S. State Street
Murder, My Sweet, based on the novel by Raymond Chandler, was released in 1944, a few months after another noir classic, Double Indemnity. It was popular with audiences and critics alike. It transformed Dick Powell from a pretty-boy singer into a film noir icon. It also provided a great femme fatale role for Claire Trevor, one of Hollywood’s most versatile and talented actresses. For Anne Shirley, who was acting in the movies since she was four years old, her portrayal of Ann Grayle would mark her last film role.
Powell was probably the only actor in Hollywood who actively campaigned to play Walter Neff in Double Indemnity. Most of his contemporaries were afraid to play a murderer, but Powell was desperate to reinvent himself.
As a contract player at Warner Brothers, Powell was cast in musicals often costarring tap dancer Ruby Keeler and his first wife Joan Blondell. With his pretty-boy looks and tenor voice, Powell was a matinee idol during the early to mid-1930s. As the 1940s began, Powell thought he was too old to continue playing young romantic leads.
Powell starred in movie musicals during the 1930s.
Although he didn’t get the Walter Neff role, Powell did secure a contract with RKO where they were developing a B-movie based on Raymond Chandler’s detective novel, Farewell, My Lovely. When Powell and Trevor signed on as leads, the budget increased, turning it into an A-picture. Audiences and critics loved Powell’s portrayal of detective Philip Marlowe. Powell was now a successful dramatic actor. His reinvention was complete. Here’s what the New York Times said of Powell: “This is a new type of character for Mr. Powell. And while he may lack the steely coldness and cynicism of a Humphrey Bogart, Mr. Powell need not offer any apologies. He has definitely stepped out of the song-and-dance, pretty-boy league with this performance.”
Murder, My Sweet made Powell a bankable star once again. It also gave Trevor one of the best roles in her long movie career. For director, Edward Dmytryk, it raised his profile at RKO. He was given more A-movies to direct, including the Academy Award nominated Crossfire (1947). Dmytryk would go on to direct the epic Raintree County (1957), The Young Lions (1958), and the all-star The Carpetbaggers (1964), which was the highest grossing film that year.
To purchase tickets for the March 12 screening, click here. Tickets are $5 per person general admission $3 for students and seniors. To download a flyer to post in your building or office, click here. Tickets may be purchased at the door.
Anne Shirley (center) in Anne of Green Gables
Backstory: Anne Shirley began acting in silent movies when she was only four years old. She started out as Dawn O’Day, but when she portrayed Lucy Maud Montgomery’s heroine Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables, she took that name for her own. Shirley progressed from child star to adult roles; she was one of many actresses who tested for the role of Melanie Hamilton in Gone With The Wind, eventually losing out to Olivia de Havilland.
She met and married her second husband, Adrian Scott, who produced Murder, My Sweet.
