Deanna Durbin: Winnipeg’s Sweetheart

This post is part of the O Canada blogathon hosted by Kristina of Speakeasy and Ruth of Silver Screenings. For more on famous Canadian movie folk, see the link at the bottom of this post.

Deanna Durbin sang on
Eddie Cantor’s radio show.

Canada born
Deanna Durbin was born on December 4, 1921 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. In 1923, Durbin’s parents moved to Southern California where they raised Deanna and her older sister Edith. From a young age, Durbin’s extraordinary singing voice was recognized and nurtured. Before long, Hollywood took notice and Durbin was signed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1935.

That other girl singer
At M-G-M, there was another girl singer singed to a movie contract named Judy Garland. The studio starred Durbin and Garland in a short film, Every Sunday (1936). The film was a showcase for the vocal talents of both young women. Garland’s contemporary “swing” style of vocalization contrasted with Durbin’s classical operatic voice. After the film’s release, the studio dropped Durbin from their star roster, but kept Garland. There are a lot of stories surrounding the reason Durbin’s contract was not renewed, but it just appears to have been more of an oversight than the studio preferring Garland.

M-G-M’s loss was Universal’s gain

A mature glam shot from
the 1940s.

When M-G-M didn’t renew Durbin’s contract, she was signed immediately by Universal Studios. Producer Joe Pasternak cast her in her first feature film, Three Smart Girls (1936). It was a box office bonanza and is credited with helping to save the struggling studio from bankruptcy. The film was so popular that it made Durbin an overnight sensation. She, along with Mickey Rooney, received a juvenile Oscar for their film work in 1938.

International superstar
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Durbin was one of the biggest and most beloved movies stars in the entire world. She was one of Anne Frank’s favorites; Frank had a picture of Durbin on her bedroom wall, in the home where the Frank family hid during World War II. When Durbin received her first screen kiss in 1939’s First Love, from Robert Stack, the press dubbed it “the kiss heard around the world.”

One of  Durbin’s most enduring films

Highest paid woman in the world
By the time Durbin celebrated her 21rst birthday, she was the highest paid woman in the United States and the highest-paid female movie star in the world. One of the best movies she made during this period was the romantic comedy It Started With Eve (1941), costarring Charles Laughton and Robert Cummings. As Durbin matured, she wanted to tackle more serious roles. She starred in the dark murder-mystery Christmas Holiday (1944), based on a story by W. Somerset Maugham. The dark-themed movie paired her with screen newcomer, Gene Kelly. With the innocuous title, Durbin and Kelly fans were probably expecting a musical rather than a noirish, melodrama. To many, it proved Durbin could act and if given the proper vehicle, she might have transitioned to more challenging adult roles. Even though Christmas Holiday was a box office success, Durbin’s fans preferred her in lighter fare. Durbin followed up Christmas Holiday with Can’t Stop Singing, her one and only Technicolor film. The musical, featuring a score by Jerome Kern with lyrics by E. Y. Harburg, was a box office smash. It broke all records at New York’s Loew’s Criterion Theatre between December 1944 through January 1945.

Durbin puts her hands and feet in cement
at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre

Little Miss Fixit no more
During the rest of the 1940s, Durbin continued to star in successful light romantic comedies. Even though the quality of her films wasn’t always the best, she was still a big box office draw and her fan club was the largest in the world. Growing tired of the poor scripts Universal was giving her, Durbin later declared, “I couldn’t go on forever being Little Miss Fixit who burst into song.” By 1949, Durbin turned her back on Hollywood and decided to retire at the ripe old age of 28. She married for a third time to producer-director Charles David and moved to France where she lived a very private life as wife and mother.

Gene Kelly and Durbin in
Christmas Holiday

Leave me alone!
Durbin turned down numerous offers to star in films at other studios. Bing Crosby wanted her to costar with him in Top o’ the Morning and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (both 1949). Pasternak, now at M-G-M, tried to lure Durbin to his new studio. Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II wanted Durbin to star in the Broadway production of Oklahoma! Durbin was Alan Jay Lerner’s first choice to play Eliza Doolittle in the original Broadway production of My Fair Lady. For years the offers would come and Durbin would turn them down. She shunned the press for decades. She reluctantly agreed to an interview in 1983.

My Deanna Durbin Coffee Mug

Lasting legacy
In spite of Durbin’s disillusionment with Hollywood, she left a body of work that documents her extraordinary vocal range. Combined with her natural acting abilities, Durbin endeared herself to a generation of moviegoers. Today, Durbin’s films might seem corny and formulaic, but even in her most pedestrian vehicles, her warmth and charm shine through. Deanna Durbin may have turned her back on Hollywood and all that came with screen stardom, but her fans never turned their backs on the girl with the golden voice.


Some Durbin essentials:

Three Smart Girls (1936)
One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937
Mad About Music (1938)
That Certain Age (1938)
Three Smart Girls Grow Up (1939)
First Love (1939)
It Started With Eve (1941)
Can’t Help Singing (1944)

See and hear Deanna sing “I Love To Whistle” from Mad About Music

Portions of this blogpost appeared in a post dated December 4, 2010, Ms. Durbin’s 89th birthday.

Can’t get enough of Canadian movie folk? Click here for more interesting posts in the O Canada blogathon!

Val Lewton Blogathon Begins Here!

Boo! You’ve come to the right place. Check out my post below and then click on the links to posts by other bloggers to get their take on Val Lewton, his films, and his legacy. Be sure to leave comments on the various posts and let us know what you think!

Stronger Heroine: Betsy Connell shines in I Walked With A Zombie
One of the things that distinguishes Val Lewton’s horror films from his contemporaries is the strong roles he created for his leading ladies. Lewton’s heroines aren’t just around to scream and cling to their male costars. Lewton’s women are independent and can think and take care of themselves. Nurse Betsy Connell (Frances Dee) in I Walked With a Zombie (1943) is one of the strongest.

Told in flashback, the film begins in Ottawa, Canada, where Betsy learns about her new job—taking care of a sick woman, Jessica Holland, (Christine Gordon) the wife of the owner of a Caribbean sugar plantation. As the interviewer describes the position, we see snow falling outside the window, a stark contrast to the climate Betsy is about to encounter on the island of St. Sebastian.

Traveling alone to the island by ship, Betsy encounters Paul Holland (Tom Conway), the plantation owner and her new boss. Betsy is dazzled by the beauty she’s encountering, but is cautioned by Paul who says,“…everything seems beautiful because you don’t understand. Those flying fish—they’re not leaping for joy; they’re jumping in terror. Bigger fish want to eat them.” A few moments later Betsy glimpses a falling star. Paul continues by saying, “Everything good dies here, even the stars.” That “warm” welcome foreshadows what is to come.

On her carriage ride to the plantation at Fort Holland, the driver gives Betsy a brief history of St. Sebastian. He talks about slaves being brought there long ago. Is the island living under a curse because of its slave-trader past? Not moved by the driver’s comments, Betsy can only see the natural beauty around her.

Jessica and Betsy on their “walk”

Beauty quickly fades to reality when Betsy discovers that her patient is a “mental case,” something she wasn’t prepared for. The rumor among the servants at Fort Holland is that Mrs. Holland is a zombie. Voodoo is vigorously practiced on St. Sebastian and some suggest the voodoo priest can heal zombies. Jessica seems alive, but she doesn’t speak or seem to have any sense of what is going on around her. Along with the suggestion that Jessica is a zombie, we learn that there was a love triangle between Paul, Jessica, and Paul’s stepbrother, Wesley Rand (James Ellison). Wesley who still loves Jessica blames Paul for Jessica’s present condition. Mrs. Rand (Edith Barrett), mother of both Paul and Wesley, desperately wants peace in the family, but there is none to be found.

Like Jane Erye longing for Mr. Rochester, Betsy finds herself having romantic feelings for Paul. Instead of giving into her feelings, Betsy channels them into diligently trying to care for Jessica. She goes so far as enlisting the island’s medical doctor and advocating for a controversial procedure that has been successful with similar cases. When that procedure doesn’t work, Betsy tries something much more risky.

With the help of Fort Holland servant Alma, (Theresa Harris), Betsy takes Jessica to a voodoo ceremony at the Houmfort (voodoo temple). In the dark of night, Betsy escorts Jessica through the fields of sugar cane. This famous Lewton walk, all done on an RKO studio soundstage is almost lyrical in its execution. With no music and only the sounds of nature as a background, it’s one of the most compelling scenes in the entire Lewton canon. When Betsy encounters Carrefour (Darby Jones), a giant of a zombie, guarding the Houmfort, she is surprised and frightened, but she continues and walks past him with Jessica.

Dr. Maxwell, Betsy, and Paul discuss Jessica’s condition

Betsy observes the voodoo ceremony respectfully with Jessica. She then notices people walking up to a small building at the Houmfort where folks ask “someone” for help. Betsy waits her turn and explains Jessica’s case. Instead of a word through the door, Betsy is ushered into the structure. Inside she discovers Mrs. Rand. Instead of shrieking in horror or surprise, Besty inquires what all this means. Mrs. Rand, the widow of a missionary, tells her it was easier to reach and teach the natives about sanitation and health precautions if she mixed her advice with a little voodoo.

Betsy returns to the St. Sebastian estate with Jessica, setting a series of events in motion. The voodoo worshipers are convinced that Jessica is a zombie and summon her. Before long Carrefour walks to Fort Holland in search of Jessica. Mrs. Rand, who seems to have control over the zombie, commands him to stop. Carrefour listens and returns to the Houmfort. Although frightened, Betsy is not hysterical. After this event, it becomes clear that Paul is falling in love with Betsy.

The action begins to pick up with Jessica heeding the summons of the voodoo worshipers. She walks toward the locked gate, going no farther until Wesley opens it to let her go. After removing an arrow from a figurehead in the courtyard of the estate, Wesley follows Jessica. Wesley pierces Jessica with the arrow and then carries her lifeless body into the ocean where he commits suicide. The next scene is of spear-fishermen who discover Jessica’s body, floating face up in the water. This is another beautifully shot piece of film the likes of which you’re not likely to see in a horror film. The movie ends with the bodies of Jessica and Wesley being carried to Fort Hollard with a voice-over of what sounds like an island native: “O Lord God most holy. Deliver them from the bitter pain of eternal death. The woman was a wicked woman, and she was dead in her own life. Yea, Lord, dead in selfishness of her spirit. And the man followed her. Her steps led him down to evil. Her feet took hold on death. Forgive him, O Lord, who knowest the secret of all hearts. Yea, Lord, pity them who are dead and give peace and happiness to the living.”

Betsy and Paul share a tender moment together

Although the story begins after Jessica’s illness and her affair with Wesley, the contrast between Besty and Jessica is clearly set. Paul, like Maxim de Winter, doesn’t love his “dead” wife. And Wesley, like Jack Favell, believes that Jessica loved him, not Paul. Betsy, unlike the second Mrs. de Winter isn’t lacking in self-confidence; she more than holds her own in the Holland/Rand household. She doesn’t need to be saved by Paul. Betsy can stand on her own, but chooses to love Paul in spite of his past, or maybe because of it.

Frances Dee’s performance as Betsy is one of her best in a career that spanned over six decades. Never a major movie star, Dee was often cast in supporting roles. As Betsy Connell, Dee had a role that required her to carry the picture and she did so most capably. As Lewton heroines go, Betsy is stronger than most. Unusual for a horror heroine in 1943, she has a career, is independent, and strong-minded. She doesn’t shun men or romance, but she’s perfectly capable of standing on her own two feet and making her own decisions. Betsy Connell is a true Lewton heroine in every sense of the word.


Below are more contributions celebrating the extraordinary talent of Val Lewton. You’ll find fascinating and interesting posts written by some of your favorite—or soon to be favorite—classic movie bloggers. And if you want to read more Lewton posts—you know you want to read more—be sure to check out Kristina’s Speakeasy blog; she’s cohosting this event with me. Be sure to check her interesting take on the classic The Ghost Ship. Some blog links may not be up immediately, so check back regularly for updates. Enjoy!


She Blogged by Night  – The Body Snatcher

Old Movies Nostalgia – Man in the Shadows: A Biography of Val Lewton  @moviesnostalgia

The Stop Button – Mademoiselle Fifi @thestopbutton

Journeys in Classic Film – Cat People and I Walked With A Zombie

@NitrateDiva – Lewton’s use of Point of View & Voice-Over

50s Westerns – Apache Drums

Kellee Pratt - Lewton’s Influence on the Horror genre @irishjayhawk66

Classic Becky’s Brain food – I Walked With A Zombie 

Critica Retro – Tale Of Two Cities Lewton the Producer @startspreading

Jen Garlen – Bedlam

Can’t Stop the Movies – Bedlam talks about what insanity is and how it was “used” in this story @mr_sheldrake

CP’s  Classical Gas – Isle Of The Dead looks at the value of a great script and whether or not the film was as Lewton itself called it, an unholy mess


More posts! Check out Kristina’s blog to get their links.

Once Upon a Screen – Cat People not only a great analysis of the film but of Lewton’s “important role of bridging the gap in horror films between Universal’s golden era to the resurgence of the genre”

Thrilling days of Yesteryear –  The Seventh Victim  an extensive look at the movie’s controversial subject, its influence and its cast @igsjr

Furious Cinema – Isle Of The Dead  Pete reviews director Mark Robson’s work and the movie’s influence on the modern psychological thriller @furiouscinema

Laura’s Misc Musings – The Leopard Man  as one of the lesser known but not less spooky & enjoyable Lewton movies @laurasmiscmovie

Craig of Viking Samurai – Body Snatcher @craigr3521

The Last Drive-in (Monster Girl) – Curse Of The Cat People  through the themes of the feline, the fearsome female and the fearing child in 2 posts!   part 1  and part 2 @thelastdrivein

Lasso the Movies – Cat People @lassothemovies

Classic Movie Gab – The Body Snatcher all about Karloff’s performance, the real life background of the story & more @pinkpetalz


Classic Screen Screams!
Looking for some classic films to watch during Halloween? Check out these Val Lewton classics by clicking the link here.

A creepy scene from The Leopard Man

Val Lewton blogathon coming your way October 31, 2012!

Val Lewton

Horror Film Master
Horrors! Get ready for the Val Lewton blogathon! Kristina of the Speakeasy blog and Stephen aka Classic Movie Man will be cohosting this event.

Lewton, the subject of a documentary produced by none other than Academy Award winning director, Martin Scorsese (Val Lewton: The Man in the Shadows, 2007) was a horror film genius. He didn’t invent the horror film, but elevated it to a new level by commissioning literate scripts, (often written anonymously by himself), carefully casting his main characters, and incorporating film noir techniques. Not a household name, Lewton produced the horror classics Cat People (1942) and I Walked With a Zombie (1943). Often imitated, Lewton influenced legendary directors Scorsese, William Friedkin, and George Romero, to name a few.

The Rules of the Blogathon
Pick a Val Lewton movie or theme that you’d like to explore. Possibly you want to discuss a certain performance, or how Lewton’s films influenced the genre. Then blog your heart out! Since there can be many takes on the same film, duplicate posts will be allowed, but feel free to ask what’s been taken (so far Bedlam, Isle of the Dead, I Walked With a Zombie and The Ghost Ship are definites). In the body of your blog post, please mention the blogathon with links, or just cut and paste this handy bit here:

This post is part of the Val Lewton blogathon hosted by Stephen aka Classic Movie Man &  Kristina of the Speakeasy blog  – more here as we both set up landing pages

E-mail Stephen at   sreggie@sbcglobal.net   or   Kristina at   mail.speakeasy@yahoo.com  to let us know which movie you want to do. When corresponding, please include “blogathon” in the subject line of your e-mail. Along with your link, please include your Twitter handle, if you have one. It will help us promote you, your blog, and the blogathon.

Jane Randolph takes a swim in Cat People.

Ready, Set, Boo!
When your post is complete, send the link by end of day October 26, 2012 (Central Time, US). Links to posts will go live on October 31, 2012. Your submissions will be posted to both Classic Movie Man and Kristina’s Speakeasy blogs. The combined posts will include the titles of your blog posts with their respective links to your blog.

Any questions, please contact Stephen or Kristina.

The Blogathon is closed, but please click here to read Val Lewton post from other bloggers.

———————————————

Val’s credits:

COMPLETE FILMOGRAPHY

DIRECTOR (feature film)

Feel free to post this image, courtesy of
Paula Guthat, to your blog.

1. A Tale of Two Cities (1935) as Revolutionary War seq arr by.
WRITER (feature film)
2. The Body Snatcher (1945) as Written for Screen by.
PRODUCER (feature film)
3. Apache Drums (1951) as Producer.
4. Please Believe Me (1950) as Producer.
5. My Own True Love (1949) as Producer.
6. Bedlam (1946) as Producer.
7. Isle of the Dead (1945) as Producer.
8. The Body Snatcher (1945) as Producer.
9. The Curse of the Cat People (1944) as Producer.
10. Youth Runs Wild (1944) as Producer.
11. Mademoiselle Fifi (1944) as Producer.
12. I Walked with a Zombie (1943) as Producer.
13. The Ghost Ship (1943) as Producer.
14. The Seventh Victim (1943) as Producer.
15. The Leopard Man (1943) as Producer.
16. Cat People (1942) as Producer.
EDITING (feature film)
17. A Star Is Born (1937) as Ed asst to David O. Selznick.

The lineup so far (as of October 1, 2012)

Classic Movie Man (this blog) - I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE @sreggie on twitter

Speakeasy - THE GHOST SHIP @HQofK

Jen Garlen - BEDLAM @garlengirl

Once Upon a Screen - CAT PEOPLE @citizenscreen

Can’t Stop the Movies – BEDLAM @mr_sheldrake

Thrilling days of Yesteryear - THE SEVENTH VICTIM @igsjr

CP’s Classical Gas - ISLE OF THE DEAD

Furious Cinema - ISLE OF THE DEAD @furiouscinema

Laura’s Misc Musings - THE LEOPARD MAN @laurasmiscmovie

Craig of Viking Samurai - The BODY SNATCHER @craigr3521

The Last Drive-in (Monster Girl) – CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE & ISLE OF THE DEAD @thelastdrivein

Lasso the Movies - CAT PEOPLE @lassothemovies

Caftan Woman – THE SEVENTH VICTIM @caftanwoman

Cinematically Insane – ??? @willmckinley

Old Movies Nostalgia - VAL LEWTON BIO @moviesnostalgia

The Stop Button - MADEMOISELLE FIFI @thestopbutton

She Blogged by Night - THE BODY SNATCHER

My Love of Old Hollywood - A STAR IS BORN

Journeys in Classic Film – ???

A Shroud of Thoughts - ???

@NitrateDiva - Lewton’s use of Point of View & Voice-Over

50′s Westerns - APACHE DRUMS

Kellee Pratt - Lewton’s Influence on the Horror genre @irishjayhawk66

Classic Becky’s Brain food – I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE

Ivan of Thrilling Days of Yesteryear created this cool flyer

to promote blogathon.

-Remember, more than one take on a movie is fine, especially if you find a unique angle, so long as there aren’t tons of posts on one movie.

-Someone could do Val’s bio, or the making of a movie or one special performance.

-Do not think you have to be a horror fan to participate? APACHE DRUMS is a technicolor western. Robert Walker was in PLEASE BELIEVE ME as one of the guys romancing heiress Deborah Kerr & Walker was also in the romance MY OWN TRUE LOVE, if you want to write about something different.