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?

 

 

 

 

 

Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, and William Bendix in “The Blue Dahlia”

The Blue Dahlia is a 1946 film noir, directed by George Marshall, about Johnny Morrison (Alan Ladd), a decorated naval aviator who returns home from the war to find his wife, Helen (Doris Dowling), has been unfaithful. After a heated confrontation, Johnny leaves, only to learn later that Helen has been murdered. The police, led by Captain Hendrickson (Tom Powers), quickly make Johnny their prime suspect. As he attempts to clear his name, Johnny becomes entangled in a web of deceit involving Helen's new lover, the charming nightclub owner Eddie Harwood (Howard da Silva), and Harwood's estranged wife, Joyce (Veronica Lake).

Johnny, with the help of his friends and fellow veterans Buzz (William Bendix) and George (Hugh Beaumont), tries to piece together the events of the night of the murder. He discovers that his wife, Helen, was a troublesome alcoholic and that Eddie Harwood's business partner, “The Man with a Gun”  Leo, had a long-standing feud with her. The film’s plot is driven by Johnny's race against time to uncover the truth and prove his innocence. He forms an unlikely alliance with Joyce, who also suspects her husband is involved, and together they navigate the seedy underbelly of the Los Angeles nightclub scene.

Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake

George Marshall (1891-1975) was an American film and television director, screenwriter, producer, and actor. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Marshall dropped out of the University of Chicago and worked various jobs, including as a mechanic, logger, and newspaper reporter, before entering the film industry. He began as an extra in 1916 and quickly moved into directing, with his early work consisting mostly of westerns and comedies. He directed films for various studios, including Fox, Universal, and Paramount, and worked with notable actors such as Laurel and Hardy, W.C. Fields, and Bob Hope. Later in his career, he also directed television series. He received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960.

Marshall directed films across many genres throughout his career, which spanned over 50 years. He is known for his work on movies such as Destry Rides Again (1939) and The Blue Dahlia (1946). He also co-directed How the West Was Won (1962), for which he directed the railroad segment. Marshall died in Los Angeles, California, in 1975 from pneumonia.

Alan Ladd (1913 – 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Before Ladd made in big in movies, he had a successful career on the radio. After numerous bit parts at just about every Hollywood studio, Paramount signed him to a long-term contract and crafted roles that propelled him to superstardom. Ladd established himself in films noir like This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key (1942), and The Blue Dahlia (1946). Other important films include Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and The Great Gatsby (1949). Ladd also established himself in the western genre, starring in Whispering Smith (1948) and one of the most famous westerns of all time, George Stevens’s Shane (1953). George Stevens offered the role of Jett Rink in Giant (1956), but Ladd turned it down because it wasn’t the lead. Ladd’s last film was in a supporting role in The Carpetbaggers (1964).

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.

William Bendix (1906 – 1964) was an American film, radio, and television actor. Bendix usually played rough guys, gangsters, and blue-collar characters. In 1942, he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in the World War II drama Wake Island. As a youngster, Bendix was a batboy at Yankee Stadium. He was fired for buying Babe Ruth a hot dog and soda before the game. Bendix starred in several classic films noir, including The Glass Key (1942) and Blue Dahlia (1946). Perhaps his greatest role was as Chester A. Riley, a role he played on radio and television to great success.

The Blue Dahlia trivia

• The film was rushed into production because Alan Ladd was called to military service.  When the script was completed, men over thirty were released from service.
• Cars with the “B” sticker on their windshield could only purchase eight gallons of gas per week. Gas was rationed during World War II.
• This was Raymond Chandler’s first original screenplay without a collaborator. Chandler drank heavily to help him meet the deadline and worked from home, which was unheard of during the studio era.
• Fourth film pairing of Ladd and Lake.
• Raymond Chandler objected to Veronica Lake being in the film. He didn’t think she was a good actress. He also thought director George Marshall was a hack. 

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive

Click HERE to join the online discussion on August 11, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. The character of Johnny Morrison is a returning veteran who finds his life in disarray. How does the film use his character to explore the themes of post-war disillusionment and the challenges faced by soldiers reintegrating into civilian society?
2. The Blue Dahlia is a classic example of film noir. Discuss how the film utilizes common noir tropes, such as shadowy cinematography, a cynical protagonist, and a femme fatale, to tell its story. How do these elements contribute to the film's overall mood and tone?
3. Raymond Chandler, a master of hardboiled fiction, wrote the screenplay for The Blue Dahlia. How is his signature style evident in the film's dialogue, plot, and character development? Do you think the film effectively captures the essence of his literary work?
4. The film presents several complex female characters, particularly Helen and Joyce. How do their roles challenge or conform to the stereotypical portrayals of women in 1940s cinema? What do their actions reveal about the social and moral landscape of the time?
5. Buzz, one of Johnny's friends, suffers from a psychological condition related to his combat experience. How does the film portray his struggles, and what does his character add to the film's exploration of the lasting impact of war?

Ladd, Lake, and Donlevy star in “The Glass Key”

The Glass Key (1942) is an American film noir directed by Stuart Heisler and starring Brian Donlevy, Veronica Lake, and Alan Ladd. The supporting cast includes William Bendix, Bonita Granville, Richard Denning, and Joseph Calleia.

The Glass Key centers on Ed Beaumont (Alan Ladd), the trusted right-hand man of political boss Paul Madvig (Brian Donlevy). When a local gangster, Shad O’Rory, is found murdered, suspicion immediately falls on Madvig, especially since he had recently been publicly feuding with Shad over the affections of Janet Henry (Veronica Lake), the daughter of a powerful senator whom Madvig intends to marry. Ed, despite his personal feelings for Janet, is fiercely loyal to Madvig and sets out to clear his name. He dives deep into the seedy underworld, navigating corrupt politicians, rival gangsters, and the cynical social circles of the elite, all while facing threats and beatings designed to deter him.

As Ed investigates, he uncovers a tangled web of deceit, betrayal, and hidden motives. 

 

Stuart Heiser (1896 – 1979) was an American film and television director. Heisler started out as a film editor from 1921 to 1936. He then worked as a director for the remainder of his career. He directed films starring Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Gary Cooper, and Loretta Young. He directed Susan Hayward in Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman, considered her breakout performance. She earned her first Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her performance. Other films directed by Heiser include Along Came Jones (1945), Blue Skies (1946), Tulsa (1949), Dallas (1950), The Star (1952), and I Died a Thousand Times (1955).

Brian Donlevy (1901–1972) was an American actor noted for playing tough guys in movies. He mostly worked as a supporting actor, but sometimes played the lead, as in the Preston Sturges classic The Great McGinty (1940). Donlevy worked in the theater but soon found regular work in silent films. He transitioned to sound pictures and starred in “A” and “B” pictures at most of the major studios. He supported the biggest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, and Bing Crosby.

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.

Alan Ladd (1913 – 1964) was an American actor and film producer. Before Ladd made in big in movies, he had a successful career on the radio. After numerous bit parts at just about every Hollywood studio, Paramount signed him to a long-term contract and crafted roles that propelled him to superstardom. Ladd established himself in films noir like This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key (1942), and The Blue Dahlia (1946). Other important films include Two Years Before the Mast (1946) and The Great Gatsby (1949). Ladd also established himself in the western genre, starring in Whispering Smith (1948) and one of the most famous westerns of all time, George Stevens’s Shane (1953). George Stevens offered the role of Jett Rink in Giant (1956), but Ladd turned it down because it wasn’t the lead. Ladd’s last film was in a supporting role in The Carpetbaggers (1964).

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on Monday, August 4, 2025, 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email with a link to join the Zoom discussion. 

 

Brian Donlevy, Veronica Lake, and Alan Ladd

The Glass Key trivia

• William Bendix accidentally knocked Alan Ladd in a fight scene.
• This was a remake of the version first filmed in 1935, starring George Raft in the Ladd role.
• Paulette Goddard was originally cast in the role of Janet Henry, but had to drop out due to a prior commitment. It was announced that Patricia Morison would replace her, but after the producers saw the chemistry between Lake and Ladd in This Gun for Hire (1942), Lake was cast as Janet.
• This was the second of the four Ladd/Lake pairings.

 

Discussion questions

1. What do you think of the second pairing of Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd?
2. Some film noir plots are hard to follow, or in some cases, are second to the relationships between the male and female characters. Was the plot of this film hard to follow?
3. What did you think of the supporting cast? Did anyone's performance stand out to you?
4. Did anything surprise you?
5. Was the ending satisfying, believable?

Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, and Alan Ladd in “This Gun for Hire”

Release date: May 13, 1942

Director: Frank Tuttle

Story by: Graham Greene

Adapted from: A Gun for Sale

Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd

This Gun For Hire, based on the novel by Graham Greene, was released in 1942, long before the label “film noir” was invented. As an early film in the genre, some of the plot devices that we associate with film noir are here: A killer who is a major protagonist, a cool female lead, an honest-by-the-book cop, and a double-crossing villain.

The plot concerns a hired gun named Raven (Alan Ladd) who has been double-crossed by a man named Willard Gates (Laird Cregar) who represents a chemical company that may be working with enemies abroad, selling them poison gas. To keep tabs on Gates, the U.S. government enlists a beautiful novelty entertainer named Ellen Graham (played by Veronica Lake). Ellen is a magician who sings while she performs her magic act. She auditions for Gates, who, in addition to his duties at the chemical company, owns a popular nightclub. Her audition captivates Gates, and he hires her.

Straight and vicious—that’s what this picture is. But it is a good cut above the average, both in its writing and its tensile quality. Bosley Crowther, The New York Times

While on a train to perform at Gates’s Neptune Club, she accidentally runs into Raven. Gates, also on the same train, sees the two sitting next to each other. He assumes they’re working together, which sets him on edge and puts Ellen’s life in danger. Ellen’s cop boyfriend, Michael (Robert Preston), does his best to save her and capture Raven.

Lake was an established star when the movie was released. Ladd, as Raven, gave a breakout performance, making him an overnight sensation. New York Times movie reviewer, Bosley Crowther, compared Ladd’s performance to James Cagney’s in The Public Enemy a decade earlier. In his 1942 review of the film, he said, “Keep your eye peeled for this Ladd fellow; he’s a pretty-boy killer who likes his work.” Crowther also complimented the leading lady: “Miss Lake is a competent customer, and handles her men with cool disdain.”

The chemistry between Lake and Ladd was noted by the public and the executives at Paramount. It didn’t hurt that Lake was 4'11" tall, making her the only leading lady Ladd worked with who was shorter than he was. Ladd was reported to be 5'5" tall. The two costarred in a total of four films, all of which were very popular with critics and 1940s film audiences.

Publicity photo with Ladd, Lake, and Preston

This Gun for Hire trivia

• Ladd and Lake made six more movies after This Gun for Hire: The Glass Key (1942), The Blue Dahlia (1946), and Saigon (1947). They also appeared as themselves in  Star Spangled Rhythm (1942), Duffy’s Tavern (1945), and Variety Girl (1947). 
• In the novel, Raven’s motivation for becoming a killer was due to his mother disfiguring his face. Paramount didn’t want Ladd’s handsome face to be maimed, so they had his aunt permanently cripple his wrist with a red-hot flatiron.
• The film was released five months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
• Nineteen-year-old Yvonne De Carlo appears as one of the showgirls at the Neptune Club. She’s uncredited.
• Laird Cregar was borrowed by Paramount from 20^th Century-Fox for this picture.

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on Monday, July 21, 2025, 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. This is considered an early must-see film noir. Would you recommend this film to your friends?
2. What did you think of the pairing of Alan Ladd with Veronica Lake? Do you see what audiences in 1942 saw?
3. Some of the violence was shocking to audiences in 1942. Is any of the violence in the film shocking or surprising to you?
4.  Was Laird Cregar convincing as Willard Gates?
5. Robert Preston was originally up for the role of Raven. The director thought Ladd presented a more menacing characterization. Do you think the film would have been the same if the roles were reversed? 

Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake in Preston Sturges’s “Sullivan’s Travels”

Sullivan’s Travels (1942) is a satirical look at life in Hollywood as only director Preston Sturges could tell it. It centers around successful movie director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) and his quest to learn more about life so he can film the deadly serious novel O Brother Where Art Thou?

Sullivan’s previous films were profitable comedies, but the director yearns for more. He wants to be taken seriously like Frank Capra.

To learn about life, Sullivan disguises himself as a hobo. Along the way, he meets a disillusioned young actress (Veronica Lake) who convinces him to take her on his quest. Together they experience many adventures where they discover that a bit of laughter goes a long way in tough times.

But then the movie world is suddenly turned upside down when Sullivan goes missing. Where is John L. Sullivan?

Sullivan’s Travels features the great Sturges stock company, featuring William Demarest, Robert Greig, Eric Blore, Esther Howard, and Franklin Pangborn.

Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea

Preston Sturges (1898 - 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. Sturges was one of the first film directors to direct his screenplays, opening the door for Billy Wilder and Joseph L. Mankiewicz to do the same. Sturges was a successful playwright, Hollywood screenwriter, and script doctor. As a writer-director, Sturges had an amazing output of films in five years, all considered classics today. These films include The Great McGinty (1940), Christmas in July (1940), The Lady Eve (1941), Sullivan's Travels (1941), The Palm Beach Story (1942), Hail the Conquering Hero (1944), and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944). After leaving Paramount Pictures in a dispute with upper management, Sturges's career declined and he never produced anything close to the quality of his earlier successes. Despite this decline, Sturges is considered one of the greatest talents to come out of Hollywood.

Joel McCrea (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 Palm Beach Story 1942), and George Stevens (The More the 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 died in 1990.

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.

Sullivan’s Travels trivia

• Veronica Lake was six months pregnant when she signed on for this film. Costume designer Edith Head designed a wardrobe to hide this fact. Production was from June 12 to July 22, 1941, and her daughter Elaine Detlie was born on August 21, 1941.
• Sturges wanted to use a clip from a Charlie Chaplin film in the church scene but Chaplin refused permission.
• Sturges wrote the film with Joel McCrea in mind. He never considered anyone else for the role.
• Anthony Mann was Preston Sturges’s assistant.

Click HERE to watch the film at the Internet Archive.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on February 24, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join us on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. What did you make of Sturges’s critique of Hollywood? Do you think there was any truth in his satire?
2. This was Veronica Lake’s first big starring role. Was she up to the task? Many studio heads didn’t think she was right for the role.
3. The film is filled with great dialogue. Was there a line from the movie that was, particularly memorable or funny?
4.  Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake supposedly didn’t get along. Did that show in their performances?
5. The film has many character actors that Sturges used in many of his movies. Do you have a favorite? 

Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake in Preston Sturges’s “Sullivan’s Travels”

 Sullivan’s Travels (1942) is a satirical look at life in Hollywood as only director Preston Sturges could tell it. It centers around successful movie director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) and his quest to learn more about life so he can film the deadly serious novel O Brother Where Art Thou?

Sullivan’s previous films were profitable comedies, but the director yearns for more. He wants to be taken seriously like Frank Capra.

To learn about life, Sullivan disguises himself as a hobo. Along the way, he meets a disillusioned young actress (Veronica Lake) who convinces him to take her on his quest. Together they experience many adventures where they discover that a bit of laughter goes a long way in tough times.

But then the movie world is suddenly turned upside down when Sullivan goes missing. Where is John L. Sullivan?

Sullivan’s Travels features the great Sturges stock company featuring William Demarest, Robert Greig, Eric Blore, Esther Howard, and Franklin Pangborn.

Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea

Preston Sturges (1898 - 1959) was an American playwright, screenwriter, and film director. Sturges was one of the first film directors to direct his own screenplays, opening up the door for Billy Wilder and Joseph L. Mankiewicz to do the same. Sturges was a successful playwright and Hollywood screenwriter and script doctor. As a writer-director, Sturges had an amazing output of films in a period of five years, all considered classics today. These films include The Great McGinty (1940), Christmas in July (1940), The Lady Eve (1941), Sullivan's Travels (1941), The Palm Beach Story (1942), Hail the Conquering Hero (1944), and The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944). After leaving Paramount Pictures in a dispute with upper management, Sturges's career declined and he never produced anything close to the quality of his earlier successes. In spite of this decline, Sturges is considered one of the greatest talents to come out of Hollywood.

Joel McCrea (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 Palm Beach Story 1942), and George Stevens (The More the 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.

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.

Sullivan’s Travels trivia

• Veronica Lake was six months pregnant when she signed on for this film. Costume designer Edith Head designed a wardrobe to hide this fact. Production took place from June 12 to July 22, 1941, and her daughter Elaine Detlie was born on August 21, 1941.
• Sturges wanted to use a clip from a Charlie Chaplin film in the church scene but Chaplin refused to give permission.
• Sturges wrote the film with Joel McCrea in mind. He never considered anyone else for the role.
• Anthony Mann was Preston Sturges’s assistant.

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

To join the discussion on July 31, 2023, at 6:30 p.m., click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. What did you make of Sturges’s critique of Hollywood? Do you think there was any truth in his satire?
2. This was Veronica Lake’s first big starring role. Was she up to the task? Many studio heads didn’t think she was right for the role.
3. The film is filmed with great dialogue. Was there a line from the film that was, particularly memorable or funny?
4.  Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake supposedly didn’t get along. Did that show in their performances?
5. The film has many character actors that Sturges used in his films over and over again. Did you have a favorite? 

Lake and McCrea taking direction from Preston Sturges

Happy Halloween from Veronica Lake and Classic Movie Man!

Veronica Lake in I Married a Witch (1942)

Happy Halloween!

Publicity photo of Veronica Lake for I Married a Witch

Review of “The Blue Dahlia” at #NoirCityChicago

I went to see The Blue Dahlia, at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave., Chicago, last night. The 1946 Paramount release, directed by George Marshall was presented in a clean 35mm print. The original screenplay from detective story legend, Raymond Chandler is just a tad less confusing than Howard Hawks’s The Big Sleep released the same year. But like that Bogie and Bacall classic, The Blue Dahlia is just as enjoyable nonetheless.

Terrific publicity shot of Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake

Introduced by Film Noir Foundation Founder and President, Eddie Muller, who provided some interesting background information, as well as putting the film in context. For example, the film was rushed into production before star Alan Ladd was off to serve in the Navy toward the end of World War II. Muller also noted that Ladd’s Dahlia and frequent costar, Veronica Lake, was never a femme fatale, at least not in the films she made with Ladd. Muller said Lake, by contrast, was always a self-confident woman, a positive example to the women watching her on the big screen. Muller said that Ladd and Lake were the 1940s most popular acting team. Judging from the box office success of their films, one could reasonably make that argument.

Seeing the film with an audience was a delight. The best part of the film was the snappy dialogue between all the major characters. Some of the situations portrayed were laugh-out-loud funny, but probably weren’t meant to be so in 1946. Besides the top-billed Ladd and Lake, there’s great support from William Bendix, Doris Dowling, Howard Da Silva, and Hugh Beaumont (yes, Ward Cleaver before Leave it to Beaver fame).

Lobby card for The Blue Dahlia featuring Ladd and Lake

The plot surrounds the murder of Ladd’s wife after he returns home from military service. When Ladd discovers that his wife has been unfaithful and was responsible for the death of their young son, he walks out on her. Their arguing overheard by the house detective at Dowling’s bungalow, casts suspicion on Ladd when Dowling ends up dead. Ladd goes on the run when he realizes he’s a murder suspect. Lake picks up Ladd in her car when she finds him walking in the rain. Lake befriends Ladd and the two strike up an uneasy friendship. When it is revealed that Lake is the estranged wife of Da Silva, the nightclub-owning-gambler and Dowling’s boyfriend and potential murderer, things get complicated. Just about everyone in the movie has a motive to bump off Miss Dowling, which holds your suspense, but also makes the plot difficult to follow at times. But no matter, it’s the dialogue between Ladd and Lake and the other cast members (as Muller noted in his introduction) that really make this movie hum.

Without giving in to spoilers, let’s say that everything makes sense in the end.

The Blue Dahlia was a big hit for Paramount and one of the most popular of Ladd and Lake’s films. Ladd’s career continued to climb, but Lake’s was pretty much over by the end of the decade.

The Noir City Chicago film festival runs through August 23. The see the remaining films on the schedule, click here.

Sullivan’s Travels: “There’s always a girl in the picture”

The posters for Sullivan’s Travels
emphasize “The Girl.”

Preston Sturges was one writer-director who could make fun of the American public and their conventions without insulting them. Even when he makes fun of motherhood, romance, and marriage, he never makes you feel foolish for believing in them. In 1941 Sturges took on the motion picture business that is both hilarious and poignant.

John L. (Sully) Sullivan (Joel McCrea) is a successful motion picture director best know for light comedies and musicals like Ants in Your Plants of 1939. However, at this point in his career he wants to tackle more serious fare. “Something like Capra” studio executive Mr. Hadrian (Porter Hall) says, to which Sullivan retorts. “What’s the matter with Capra?” He wants to film O, Brother Where Art Thou?, a novel that deals with “social significance” (think The Grapes of Wrath). Sullivan says “conditions have changed, these are troublous times.” The studio executives, Mr. Lebrand (Robert Warwick) and Mr. Hadrian, see their top moneymaker slipping away so they ask Sullivan what he knows about trouble? While Lebrand and Hadrian contrast Sullivan’s charmed life—boarding school, college—with their own hardscrabble youth—mostly fiction—selling newspapers and supporting their families. Sullivan has to admit that he doesn’t know what trouble is. At this point, Lebrand and Hadrian try to coax him into making Ants in Your Pants of 1941 with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, Jack Benny and Rochester, all names movie audiences would have been familiar with. This name-dropping continues throughout, which makes it even more enjoyable for classic movie fans.

Preston Sturges directs Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea

But no, Sullivan is determined to learn about suffering by disguising himself as a tramp with only a dime in his pocket! The studio suits reluctantly give in to Sullivan, but plan to exploit his adventure. They enlist studio publicist Mr. Casalsis (Franklin Pangborn) who has renovated DeMille’s “land yacht” that he used while filming Northwest Mounted Police (1940) to follow Sullivan. Along for the ride are a doctor, a writer, a secretary, a radio operator, a cook, studio publicists, and a driver. Sullivan ditches this group and spends a day with two sisters working as their handyman. When one sister gets too amorous, he runs away and hitches a ride with a truck driver who lets Sullivan out in Hollywood, the town he’s been trying to get away from. Sullivan stumbles into a diner where he meets “The Girl”—“There’s always a girl in the picture” (Veronica Lake) who has decided to leave Hollywood and forget about a career in the movies. At first she takes pity on Sullivan thinking he’s a tramp down on his luck, even buying him breakfast, until it’s revealed that he is in fact a famous director who knows (Ernst) Lubitsch, the director she would most like to meet.

McCrea and Lake at a revival meeting

When Sullivan goes back on his journey The Girl convinces him to take her along. Dressed as tramps, they travel with the poor and downtrodden, eating at soup kitchens, and sleeping in shelters. At one point they’re reduced to looking through trashcans for food. Sullivan decides they’ve had enough and the two return to Hollywood. Sullivan feels he has now “suffered enough” to direct O, Brother Where Art Thou? Before he returns to directing, Sullivan secretly hands out five-dollar bills to the homeless folks in appreciation for those who were kind to him. Unfortunately one man wants more and assaults Sullivan, steals the money and loads the unconscious director on a freight train. The thief runs away accidentally dropping cash on the train tracks. While trying to pick up the money, the thief is hit and killed by a train. When his mangled body is discovered, a studio identification card sewn into his boots identifies him as Sullivan (the thief stole Sullivan’s boots earlier). The studio and The Girl are informed that Sullivan is dead.

Sullivan and the chain gang watch a Mickey Mouse cartoon.

Sullivan wakes up in a freight car with no memory of what had happened to him. Due to his confusion and memory loss, he ends up assaulting a railroad worker who finds him. This assault lands him on a chain gang. When his memory comes back, no one believes he is John L. Sullivan the famous director. As life on the chain gang becomes more routine, he and the other prisoners go to a black church where they see the Walt Disney cartoon Playful Pluto. At first Sullivan watches the cartoon looking glum and unhappy, but when he sees the audience laughing, he joins them. It’s at this point he has an epiphany. Maybe directing movies that make people laugh, helping them to forget their troubles for a while, is nobler than he thought. Out goes his plans to film O, Brother Where Art Thou?, but how does he get off the chain gang?

Sullivan has an epiphany!

While thinking of ways to get off the chain gang, he has a brainstorm. He says he killed John L. Sullivan, which gets his picture in the paper and he is quickly released. When The Girl, now a movie star, sees Sullivan alive on the front page of the newspaper, she leaves the set (where Sturges is the director). She runs out of the soundstage, where she almost mows down Ray Milland, who looks like he’s in costume for Reap the Wild Wind (1941). Sullivan is released and reunited with the girl and his studio, but he decides “There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that that's all some people have? It isn't much, but it's better than nothing in this cockeyed caravan.”

Sullivan is too happy to make O, Brother Where Art Thou?

Sturges supposedly wrote Sullivan’s Travels as a response to other comedy films that he thought tended to be preachy. I like to think that he was commenting on Hollywood and its tendency to take itself too seriously. Preston Sturges loved movie comedy enough to make fun of it even if it was at his own expense.

This post is part of the Hollywood on Hollywood blogathon sponsored by the Classic Movie Blog Association (CMBA) running from October 17 to October 21, 2016. To read more posts in the Hollywood on Hollywood blogathon, click here.

Preston Sturges series: Screening of “Sullivan’s Travels” June 28 at Daystar Center

Preston Sturges series: Sullivan’s Travels
Where: The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street, Chicago, IL
When: June 28, 2016
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Hosted by Stephen Reginald

Veronica Lake and Joel McCrea

Sullivan’s Travels (1942) is a satirical look at life in Hollywood as only Preston Sturges could tell it. It centers around successful movie director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) and his quest to learn more about life so he can film the deadly serious novel O Brother Where Art Thou?

Sullivan’s previous films were profitable comedies, but the director yearns for something more. He wants to be taken seriously like Frank Capra.

To learn about life, Sullivan disguises himself as a hobo. Along the way he meets a disillusioned young actress (Veronica Lake) who convinces him to take her along on his quest. Together they experience many adventures where they discover that a little laughter goes a long way in tough times.

But then the movie world is suddenly turned upside down when Sullivan goes missing. Sullivan’s Travels features the great Sturges stock company featuring William Demarest, Robert Greig, Eric Blore, Esther Howard, and Franklin Pangborn.

Backstory: Veronica Lake was six months pregnant when she signed on for this film, which made Preston Sturges furious. Fortunately, Sturges was able to film Lake in such a way that it is almost impossible detect.

Veronica Lake getting last minute makeup attention on the set

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.

This Gun For Hire: 1st Film in “High Heels and Fedoras” series at Daystar Center February 12, 2013

Tuesday, February 12, 2013
6:30 p.m.
The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center
1550 S. State Street

This Gun For Hire, based on the novel by Graham Greene, was released in 1942, long before the label “film noir” was invented. As an early film in the genre, some of the plot devices that we associate with film noir are here: A killer who is a major protagonist, a cool female lead, an honest-by-the-book cop, and a double-crossing villain.

The plot concerns a hired gun named Raven (Alan Ladd) who has been double-crossed by a man named Willard Gates (Laird Cregar) who represents a chemical company that may be working with enemies abroad, selling them poison gas. To keep tabs on Gates, the U.S. government enlists a beautiful novelty entertainer named Ellen Graham (Veronica Lake). Ellen is a magician who sings while she performs her magic act. She auditions for Gates, who apart from his duties at the chemical company, owns a popular nightclub. Her audition captivates Gates and he hires her.

Straight and vicious—that’s what this picture is. But it is a good cut above the average, both in its writing and its tensile quality. Bosley Crowther, The New York Times

Veronica Lake publicity still showing off
her iconic peekaboo bang

While on a train to perform at Gates’s Neptune Club, she accidentally runs into Raven. Gates, also on the same train, sees the two sitting next to each other. He assumes they’re working together, which sets him on edge and puts Ellen’s life in danger. Ellen’s cop boyfriend, Michael (Robert Preston) does his best to save her and capture Raven.

Lake was an established star when the movie was released. Ladd, as Raven, gave a breakout performance making him an overnight sensation. New York Times movie reviewer, Bosley Crowther compared Ladd’s performance to James Cagney’s in The Public Enemy a decade earlier. In his 1942 review of the film he said, “Keep your eye peeled for this Ladd fellow; he’s a pretty-boy killer who likes his work.:” Crowther also complimented the leading lady: “Miss Lake is a competent customer, and handles her men with cool disdain.”

Alan Ladd, Lake, and Robert Preston

The chemistry between Lake and Ladd was noted by the public and the executives at Paramount. It didn’t hurt that Lake was 4' 11" tall, making her the only leading lady Ladd worked with who was shorter than he was. Ladd was reported to be 5' 5" tall. The two costarred in a total of four films, all very popular with critics and 1940s film audiences.

To purchase tickets for the February 12 screening, click here. Tickets are $5 per person general admission and $3 for students and seniors. Tickets may be purchased at the door.

Discover the other films in this series by clicking here.

Backstory: The modern classic L.A. Confidential (1997) paid homage to film noir from the 1940s. Academy Award winner Kim Bassinger is Lynn Bracken, a call girl who adapts Veronica Lake’s iconic look.