A Five-Million-Dollar Slander: The High-Stakes Romance and Hilarious Hoaxes of “Libeled Lady”

Libeled Lady (1936) directed by Jack Conway, is a breathless, high-stakes MGM screwball comedy that weaponizes romance to avert a devastating legal crisis. The chaos begins when the unscrupulous, high-society heiress Connie Allenbury (Myrna Loy) files a staggering $5 million libel lawsuit against The New York Evening Star after the paper mistakenly publishes a scandalous, fabricated story branding her a husband-snatcher. Desperate to save his publication from financial ruin, the paper’s frantic managing editor, Warren Haggerty (Spencer Tracy), concocts a convoluted, wildly unethical scheme to turn the false rumor into a reality before the case can ever reach a courtroom.

The lynchpin of Warren’s desperate plan is Chandler “Bill” Chandler (William Powell), a smooth-talking, cynical fixer and former journalist with a reputation for smoothly navigating impossible situations. Warren hires Bill to track down Connie on a cruise ship and insinuate himself into her life, with the ultimate goal of staging a compromising romantic situation that will force her to drop the lawsuit. However, to ensure Bill appears thoroughly off the market and capable of ruining a marriage, Warren must first convince his own long-suffering, perpetually jilted fiancée, Gladys Benton (Jean Harlow), to enter into a temporary, strictly platonic marriage of convenience with Bill.

The narrative engine kicks into high gear as the four principles converge at an upscale fishing resort, where the meticulously planned scheme rapidly disintegrates into a web of unexpected emotional entanglements. As Bill deploys his considerable charm to ensnare Connie, he unexpectedly finds himself genuinely falling for the elegant heiress, while Connie begins to let down her guarded exterior. Meanwhile, a fiercely jealous Gladys begins to take her faux-marriage to Bill far more seriously than Warren ever anticipated, resulting in a frantic, razor-sharp battle of wits where professional survival, shifting loyalties, and genuine romance collide.

 

Jack Conway (1887–1952), born Hugh Ryan Conway, was a highly dependable, prolific contract director who became a foundational pillar of the MGM studio system during its Golden Age. A former actor who transitioned behind the camera during the silent era, Conway developed a reputation as a consummate craftsman who could seamlessly handle any genre, specialize in fast-paced storytelling, and keep massive productions on schedule and under budget. He possessed a remarkable talent for directing top-tier star power, helming seminal pre-Code hits like Red-Headed Woman (1932) and Viva Villa! (1934), as well as spectacular commercial blockbusters like the definitive 1935 adaptation 1935 adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities and the sophisticated four-star screwball comedy Libeled Lady (1936). Conway remained a loyal, top-tier asset to MGM for over two decades, delivering reliable box-office hits well into the 1940s before retiring from filmmaking and ultimately passing away from a heart ailment on October 11, 1952, at the age of 65.

Jean Harlow (1911–1937), born Harlean Harlow Carpenter, was the definitive screen siren of the 1930s and Hollywood’s original “Blond Bombshell.” After breaking out in Howard Hughes’s aviation epic Hell's Angels (1930), she signed with MGM and quickly became one of the decade's top box office draws by subverting the traditional vamp archetype with a unique blend of street-smart toughness and brilliant comedic timing. Her electric chemistry with Clark Gable solidified them as one of cinema's most celebrated on-screen pairings in hits like Red Dust (1932) and China Seas (1935), while her sharp satirical skills shone brightly in classics like Dinner at Eight (1933) and Bombshell (1933). Tragically, her life and career were cut short at the absolute pinnacle of her fame when she died of kidney failure on June 7, 1937, at the age of 26, leaving behind an enduring legacy as an ultimate icon of classic Hollywood glamour.

Myrna Loy, William Powell, and Walter Connolly

William Powell (1892 – 1984) was an American actor who was most famous for the Thin Man series, in which he co-starred with Myrna Loy. Loy and Powell made 14 films together. Powell was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times: The Thin Man (1934), My Man Godfrey (1936), and Life With Father (1947). Powell was under contract to Paramount, Warner Bros., and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he had his greatest success. Some of Powell’s popular films include Manhattan Melodrama (1934), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), The Last of Mrs. Cheney (1937), Love Crazy (1941), Life with Father (1947), The Senator Was Indiscreet (1947), Dancing in the Dark (1949), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), and Mister Roberts (1955).

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

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

Loy, Powell, Jean Harlow, and Spencer Tracy

Libeled Lady trivia

• A Real-Life Romance On Screen: At the time of filming, William Powell and Jean Harlow were one of Hollywood's most high-profile real-life couples. Despite their off-screen romance, the studio cast them as the pair who don't end up together, instead pairing Powell with his most famous and frequent on-screen partner, Myrna Loy. This dynamic created an electric, unique tension on set, as Harlow had to play a woman furiously trying to keep Powell away from Loy
• The Famous Fishing Sequence: The hilarious sequence where William Powell’s character clumsily attempts to fly-fish to impress Connie’s father was entirely authentic in its physical comedy. Powell was actually an avid, highly skilled fisherman in real life. To pull off the scene, he had to meticulously choreograph his movements to look as uncoordinated and inept as possible, nearly falling into the rushing river multiple times for the sake of the gag.
• A Four-Star Powerhouse Nomination: The film is one of the rare screwball comedies to achieve ultimate industry recognition, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Much of this success was attributed to its perfectly balanced marquee; it represents a pinnacle of the MGM studio system, successfully juggling four of the studio's absolute biggest top-tier stars at the height of their individual box-office drawing power.
• The Title Confusion: While the film is widely celebrated today as a definitive 1930s classic, its release year often causes minor confusion in filmographies. Though production wrapped and preview screenings were held in late 1936—earning its official Academy Award eligibility for that year's cycle—the movie did not see its full, wide national theatrical release across the country until early 1937, making it a staple of both cinematic calendar years.

Click HERE to watch the movie online.

Click HERE to join the discussion online on June 15, 2026, 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

1. How does Libeled Lady utilize the classic screwball comedy trope of class warfare, and does the film ultimately side with the working-class journalists or the ultra-wealthy Allenbury family?
2. Given the legendary on-screen chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy, how does the inclusion of Jean Harlow alter the traditional romantic dynamic of the film? Does her presence elevate the stakes or shift the audience's loyalty?
3. Warren Haggerty’s willingness to compromise his fiancée's marital status to save his newspaper is a radical narrative choice. How does Spencer Tracy’s performance keep a fundamentally manipulative character likable and sympathetic to the audience?
4. In what ways does the film satirize the ethics of 1930s journalism, and do you see any parallels between the sensationalized yellow journalism depicted in the film and modern media culture?

2025 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival—Planning V. Reality: What Did I See? #TCMFF

Every year, I try to plan what movies I’m going to see at the TCM Film Festival. It’s tough keeping to the schedule you planned out beforehand, but there are challenges. Below are the films I planned on seeing and what I actually saw. The reality of what I ended up seeing is in red.

Thursday April 24

7-8 p.m. Teacher’s Pet (1958) – I’ve never seen this film, and I’m excited to see it on the big screen with an audience. And for this night only, it doesn’t conflict with any other movie I’d like to see. I actually kept to schedule on this one. I was determined to see this film. I had never seen it before, and I wasn’t disappointed. Day and Gable were great, and so was Gig Young, nominated for a Best Supporting Oscar for his performance; it was well deserved. It was entertaining, and it looked great on the big screen.

Gig Young, Doris Day, and Clark Gable

10 p.m. – 12 a.m. If I can stay awake, I may see Hud (1963) in the Egyptian Theatre. It’s been years since I’ve seen this film, and never in the theater, so this could be fun. Well, I wasn’t able to stay awake. I wasn’t too disappointed, but I would have liked to have seen it with an audience at the Egyptian.

Friday April 25

9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Thunderball (1965) starring Sean Connery as James Bond. Screening in the Chinese Multiplex House, and Luciana Paluzzi will be at the post-screening. Cinderella (1950) is screening at the El Capitan Theatre at 10 a.m. I’m tempted to go see it because I haven’t seen it since my older sister took me to see it when I was a kid, and the El Capitan is a really beautiful theater. I’ll probably end up seeing the Bond film. Odd decision between Thunderball and Cinderella, but that’s how it goes at the TCMFF. I ended up seeing Thunderball, and I was glad I did. It was a beautiful DCP presentation. The color was perfect; it looked brand new. It was a James Bond film I hadn’t seen before, so it was a real treat to see it on the big screen (you might be seeing this phrase often). Bond bad girl Luciana Paluzzi was interviewed after the film by Eddie Muller. Paluzzi, who is 87 years old, was a delight. She looked amazing and had wonderful stories about the director, Terrence Young, and Sean Connery. She and Connery remained lifelong friends after the film wrapped.

12:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. This is a toss-up. The Time Machine (1960) and Babe (1995) are both scheduled at the same time. The Time Machine is in the small Chinese Multiplex Theatre 4. I didn’t follow my plans at all. I chose Servant’s Entrance (1934), starring Janet Gaynor and Lew Ayres. The supporting cast included Ned Sparks and Walter Connolly. I had never heard of this film, a screwball comedy, but it packed out the Egyptian. The movie is a forgotten gem that includes an amazing animated dream sequence by Disney animators, three years before Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I was glad I saw this film; it may be my favorite from the whole festival.

3 p.m. – 5 p.m.; 3:15 p.m. -5 p.m.; 3:30 – 5:15 p.m. Three movies that I would like to see, but I have to choose one. In order of show times, it’s: Bringing Up Baby (1938), The Enchanted Cottage, and Edge of the City (1957). Which movie would you choose? I ended up seeing The Enchanted Cottage. I had seen Bringing Up Baby on the big screen just a few months ago, and Edge of the City was playing in Theatre Four, which is the smallest of the multiplex theatres, and it’s a challenge to get in sometimes. So, I decided to see The Enchanted Cottage. I hadn’t seen that movie in decades, so it felt like new to me. It was a restored DCP presentation, and looked beautiful in glorious black and white!

Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire

6:30 p.m. The Lady Eve (1941) is a movie I have to see on the big screen with an audience. It’s one of my favorite Preston Sturges films, and it stars two legends of the screen: Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. There wasn’t a chance I was going to miss this one. It was wonderful seeing it on the big screen for the first time with an audience primed to enjoy it, and we did!

9 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. Now, Voyager (1942); 9:15 – 10:45 p.m. Lili (1953). Another toss-up and two completely different movies. I may just flip a coin on this one. It might be tough getting into Lili since it’s screening in Theatre 4. Well, I decided on Lili. I remember seeing Lili when I was young. They used to play it at children’s matinees. I think they thought the puppets made it perfect for kids, but it’s a film that deals with some adult themes. The film was shown in 35mm.

Saturday April 26

9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Ben-Hur (1959) is being presented in a world premiere restoration in the Chinese Theatre. I can’t think of a better theatre to see this Academy Award-winning epic. If I see this film, that means I’m giving up a chance to see two other movies. I would like to see Daisy Kenyon (1947) at the Egyptian Theatre in a nitrate print. I opted to see Ben-Hur at the Chinese in a world premiere restoration that was absolutely glorious. I can’t remember the last time I saw a movie as clear and perfect as this one. The color was so vibrant and clear, it was like seeing it for the first time. The chariot race on the screen at the Chinese was thrilling. As many times as I’ve seen Ben-Hur, the chariot race never gets old.

3:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. To Be or Not To Be (1942) is screening at Theatre 4 so it could be tough getting into this one, but I’m going to try. This Ernst Lubitsch comedy is one of the best of the era. I got in and it was great. The audience was totally into it, and made it all the more enjoyable.

9 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. A Guy Named Joe is a movie I wanted to see as soon as it was announced. The film stars Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne, with a star-making turn by a young Van Johnson. It’s in Theatre 4, so I’ll have to get in line early. I was determined to get into this movie, so I skipped the group of movies that started at 6:15 p.m. I ended up being number two in line. I shouldn’t have worried because the theatre wasn’t filled?! I could have seen any one of the movies before it and gotten in. I was glad I saw it on the big screen, regardless. I thought a film starring Tracy and Dunne would have been a bigger draw, but there was a lot of competition during that slot. Oh, by the way, I was number two in line.

Sunday April 27

Sunday can be a crap shoot with the TBA movies being revealed. As of this moment, I don’t know what I want to see. Nothing is a must-see for me, although there are some movies I’d like to see on the big screen, like Splendor in the Grass (1961) at 11:45 a.m. in Theatre 1. I may go see the silent version of Beau Geste (1926) in the Egyptian Theatre at 7:30 p.m. I ended up seeing at 9 a.m. All This and Heaven Too (1940) in Theatre Four (my luck getting into this theatre was extraordinary). I did go to see Splendor in the Grass in Theatre 1. Wood’s daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner, with her daughter were interviewed before the film by Alicia Malone. Natasha’s daughter had never seen the movie before, so she was seeing it for the first time on the big screen with an audience. She never met her grandmother. At 5:30 p.m., I went to see Moonlight and Pretzels (1933). This pre-code musical was a hoot. A low-rent imitation of 42^nd Street (1933), was so bad it was good. The audience ate it up, and so did I. Some memorable numbers from the movie included “Dusty Shoes.” Check it out below!

The last movie I saw was Beau Geste (1926) starring Ronald Colman, Neil Hamilton, Ralph Forbes, with Victor McLaglen and William Powell. This silent film was making its world premiere restoration at the Festival. Shown in the Egyptian theatre with a small orchestra and a foley artist who provided sound effects. It was quite amazing to experience a silent film the way audiences would have when it was first released.

All in all, I saw 13 movies in four days, which comes to 3.25 movies a day. In past Festivals, I’ve seen as many as 16 movies. This year, I took out some time for lunch and dinner, something I neglected in past years.

2025 Turner Classic Movies Film Festival: What movies will I see?

Turner Classic Movies Film Festival Plan – Subject to change

Planning for the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival (TCMFF) is always tough. The way movies are scheduled means you have to make tough choices. Often, you are disappointed that a movie that you really love is scheduled at the same time as another movie you really love.

Here is my schedule (subject to change) at this moment in time.

Thursday April 24

7-8 p.m. Teacher’s Pet (1958) – I’ve never seen this film, and I’m excited to see it on the big screen with an audience. And for this night only, it doesn’t conflict with any other movie I’d like to see.

Clark Gable and Doris Day in Teacher's Pet

10 p.m. – 12 a.m. If I can stay awake, I may see Hud (1963) in the Egyptian Theatre. It’s been years since I’ve seen this film and never in the theater, so this could be fun.

Friday April 25

9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Thunderball (1965) starring Sean Connery as James Bond. Screening in the Chinese Multiplex House, and Luciana Paluzzi will be at the post-screening. Cinderella (1950) is screening at the El Capitan Theatre at 10 a.m. I’m tempted to go see it because I haven’t seen it since my older sister took me to see it when I was a kid and the El Capitan is a really beautiful theater. I’ll probably end up seeing the Bond film. Odd decision between Thunderball and Cinderella, but that’s how it goes at the TCMFF.

12:15 p.m. – 2:15 p.m. This is a toss-up. The Time Machine (1960) and Babe (1995) are both scheduled at the same time. The Time Machine is in the small Chinese Multiplex Theatre 4.

3 p.m. – 5 p.m.; 3:15 p.m. -5 p.m.; 3:30 – 5:15 p.m. Three movies that I would like to see, but I have to choose one. In order of show times it’s: Bringing Up Baby (1938), The Enchanted Cottage, and Edge of the City (1957). Which movie would you choose?

6:30 p.m. The Lady Eve (1941) is a movie I have to see on the big screen with an audience. It’s one of my favorite Preston Sturges films, and it stars two legends of the screen: Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda.

Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck in The Lady Eve

9 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. Now, Voyager (1942); 9:15 – 10:45 p.m. Lili (1953) Another toss-up and two completely different movies. I may just flip a coin on this one. It might be tough getting into Lili since it’s screening in Theatre 4.

Saturday April 26

9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Ben-Hur (1959) is being presented in a world premiere restoration in the Chinese Theatre. I can’t think of a better theatre to see this Academy Award-winning epic. If I see this film, that means I’m giving up a chance to see two other movies. I would like to see Daisy Kenyon (1947) at the Egyptian Theatre in a nitrate print.

3:45 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. To Be or Not To Be (1942) is screening at Theatre 4 so it could be tough getting into this one, but I’m going to try. This Ernst Lubitsch comedy is one of the best of the era.

9 p.m. – 11:15 p.m. A Guy Named Joe is a movie I wanted to see as soon as it was announced. The film stars Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne, with a star-making turn by a young Van Johnson. It’s in Theatre 4, so I’ll have to get in line early.

Sunday April 27

Sunday can be a crap shoot with the TBA movies being revealed. As of this moment, I don’t know what I want to see. Nothing is a must-see for me, although there are some movies I’d like to see on the big screen, like Splendor in the Grass (1961) at 11:45 a.m. in Theatre 1. I may go see the silent version of Beau Geste (1926) in the Egyptian Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Choosing which movies to see is tough, and if past years are any guide, I’ll change my mind when I get to LA.

Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal, and Ruth Roman have "Three Secrets"

Three Secrets (1950) is an American drama directed by Robert Wise and starring Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal, and Ruth Roman. The supporting cast includes Frank Lovejoy, Leif Erickson, and Ted de Corsia.

Three women (Parker, Neal, and Roman) gave up a son for adoption when their lives were in turmoil. After a private plane crashes in the California mountains the sole survivor is a five-year-old boy. All three women believe that the boy on the mountain may be the son they gave up for adoption. 

As the drama on the mountain becomes a national story, all three women recall what their lives were like five years ago. How will the news of their past affect their present and future?

Publicity photo of Ruth Roman, Patricia Neal, and Eleanor Parker

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 of 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), and 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).

Eleanor Parker (1922 - 2013) was an American actress in film and a three-time Best Actress Academy Award nominee. She signed a long-term contract with Warner Bros. in 1941. For the next few years she played minor roles in some important films, but her first big role came in Between Two Worlds (1944) opposite John Garfield and Paul Henreid. She was again cast alongside Garfield in Pride of the Marines (1945) and that film made her a star. Some of the films she made after that were not as successful and Parker was more careful choosing film roles, often refusing parts and being put on suspension. Warners cast her (after much lobbying from Parker) in Caged (1950), a film about a woman’s prison. The film was a hit and her performance earned Parker her first Best Actress Academy Award nomination. For her performance, she won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival. After leaving Warners, Parker freelanced for a while with limited success. In 1953, she signed a long-term contract with M-G-M. At her new studio, she co-starred with Clark Gable, Robert Taylor (they made three films together), and Glenn Ford. One of her most celebrated roles was as opera singer Marjorie Lawrence in Interrupted Melody (1955) which earned her third Oscar nomination. In the mid-50s, Parker was one of the most popular female stars in the movies. With all her accomplishments during her prime, she will most likely be remembered for her role as Baroness Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music (1965), one of the most popular and successful films of all time.

Patricia Neal (1926 - 2010) was an American film and stage actress. Neal gained fame on Broadway, winning the 1947 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in Another Part of the Forrest. Coincidentally, 1947 was the first year the Tony Awards were presented. Hollywood came calling and Neal signed a contract with Warner Bros. In 1949, she made three films including The Fountainhead co-starring Gary Cooper. In 1951 she starred in the science fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still. In the early 1950s, she left Hollywood to go back on the stage. She returned to the screen in 1957's A Face in the Crowd co-starring Andy Griffith. She co-starred with Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard in Breakfast at Tiffany's and she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1963 for Hud. Neal continued to act in film, stage, and television until 2009.

Ruth Roman (1922 – 1989) was an American film, stage, and television actress. Roman got her start in the movies starring in the Jungle Queen (1945) film serial. She had a notable role in The Window (1949) which lead to her being cast in Champion (1949) co-starring Kirk Douglas. These successes earned her a contract with Warner Bros. During her years under contract, she co-starred with some of Hollywood’s top leading men including Gary Cooper, Errol Flynn, Glenn Ford, and James Stewart. Roman also worked steadily on television during the 1950s and beyond, appearing on such popular shows as Mannix, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Mod Squad, The FBI, and The Outer Limits.

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

To join the discussion on October 10, 202, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Did you find the situation realistic or believable?
2. Of the three women, did you have a favorite? 
3. If this film were made today, how might it be different or the same?
4. What did you think of performances? Did one of the actresses outshine the others?
5. Did the film remind you of other films you've seen?

William Holden is a prisoner in “Stalag 17”

Stalag 17 (1953) is an American comedy-drama directed by Billy Wilder set in a German prisoner of war camp during World War II. The film is based on the Broadway play of the same name written by Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski. Bevan and Trzcinski based the play on their experiences as prisoners in Stalag 17B in Austria. The film stars William Holden, Don Taylor, and Otto Preminger.

The camp has prisoners from several nations including many Americans. At the beginning of the film, two Americans try to escape through a tunnel but are shot by guards waiting for them. It becomes obvious to the other prisoners that there is a traitor in their midst. The men suspect that J. J. Sefton (Holden), a man who trades with the Germans for food, blankets, and other luxuries is the one betraying their plans to the Germans. Things get more complicated when another prisoner, Lieutenant Jame Dunbar (Taylor) arrives at the camp. 

After being beaten by the other prisoners who suspect he is the traitor, Sefton sets out to discover who the real culprit is.

William Holden

Billy Wilder (1906 - 2002) was an Austrian-born American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He won six Academy Awards for his writing and direction and was nominated twenty-one times over a career that spanned five decades. Wilder started his career as a writer, penning the screenplays for Ninotchka (1939), Ball of Fire (1942), Double Indemnity (1945), The Lost Weekend (1946), Sunset Boulevard  (1951), Sabrina (1955), Some Like it Hot (1960), and The Apartment (1961). As a director, he won Academy Awards for directing The Lost Weekend (1946) and The Apartment (1961). Wilder directed fourteen different actors in Oscar-nominated roles. He is considered one of the most versatile directors from Hollywood’s Classical period.

William Holden (1918 - 1981) was an American actor and major movie star. He was one of the most bankable stars of the 1950s. Holden starred in some of the most popular and beloved films of all time including Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, Picnic (1955), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and Stalag 17 for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Holden became a star with his very first role in Golden Boy (1939). He had lead roles in other popular films like Our Town (1940), and  I Wanted Wings (1941). World War II interrupted his career. Holden was a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Force. After the war, he made some popular but forgettable films. It wasn’t after he collaborated with director Wilder on Sunset Boulevard that Holden’s popularity and stature in Hollywood grew to superstar status.

Others in the cast include Don Taylor, best know for playing Elizabeth Taylor’s husband in Father of the Bride (1950) and its sequel Father’s Little Dividend (1951), and producer-director Otto Preminger. Preminger directed many popular films including Laura (1944), Forever Amber (1947), The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), and Anatomy of a Murder (1959).

Robert Strauss (Stanislas “Animal” Kuzawa) and Harvey Lembeck (Harry Shapiro) played the same characters in the original Broadway production.

Stalag 17 trivia

• William Holden didn’t think he deserved to win the Academy Award for Best Actor over Burt Lancaster and/or Montgomery Clift who were nominated for Best Actor the same year.
• Holden thought the character of Sefton was too selfish and wanted Wilder to make him more likable. Wilder refused.
• Charlton Heston and Kirk Douglas were originally considered for the role of Sefton. 
• The film was shot in chronological order.

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

To join the discussion on March 30, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email with an invitation and link to the meeting on Zoom.

Questions for discussion:

1. Did you like William Holden’s character? 
2. How realistic do you think the film was?
3. Did you have any suspects as to who the informer was before it was revealed?
4. Were you surprised to see Otto Preminger in an acting role?

Why watch Stalag 17?

• It is a fictionalization of real-life events during World War II.
• Director Billy Wilder is considered one of the best writer-directors from Hollywood’s Golden Age.
• To see William Holden’s Oscar-winning performance and see how it holds up today.
• It’s a rare opportunity to see producer-director Otto Preminger in front of the camera instead of behind it.
• The film is an example of what the studio system was capable of producing.

Cary Grant and Jeanne Crain learn that “People Will Talk”

People Will Talk (1951) is a romantic comedy written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, starring Cary Grant and Jeanne Crain. The cinematography is by Milton Krasner who won an Academy Award for Three Coins in the Fountain (1954). He also did the cinematography for A Double Life (1947), House of Strangers (1949), and All About Eve (1950).

Jeanne Crain and Cary Grant

The plot centers around Dr. Noah Praetorious (Cary Grant), an unconventional doctor who teaches at a medical school, but also runs a clinic that treats patients in a holistic manner. Dr.Praetorious’s medical practices are at odds with Professor Elwell (Hume Cronyn) who is determined to remove Praetorius from the university faculty.

In the middle of all this enters Deborah Higgins (Jeanne Crain), a single young woman who discovers she is pregnant. Deborah is determined not to let her father (Sidney Blackmer) know of her situation. She takes some desperate action that brings her to the attention of Dr. Praetorious. And then there’s Dr. Praetorious’s mysterious constant companion, Mr. Shunderson.

Will Dr. Praetorious’s career and future be ruined and sullied by those who are jealous of his accomplishments and popularity with the student body?

Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1929 – 1972) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. Mankiewicz won Academy Awards for directing and writing A Letter to Three Wives (1949), and All About Eve (1950). He is the only director to win back-to-back Academy Awards for writing and directing. Other films directed by Mankiewicz include Dragonwyck (1946), The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947), Julius Caesar (1953), The Barefoot Contessa (1954), and Guys and Dolls (1955). He directed the 1963 crisis-plagued production of Cleopatra which negatively affected his career as a director.

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

Jeanne Crain (1925 – 2003) was an American actress whose career spanned more than three decades. While still a teenager, she was asked to take a screen test with Orson Welles. He was testing for the part of Lucy Morgan in his production of The Magnificent Ambersons (1942). She didn’t get the part (Anne Baxter did), but she was on her way. She had a bit part in The Gang’s All Here (1943), but had a leading role in Home in Indiana (1944). The film was a box office hit and Crain became a favorite of film fans everywhere. She had another hit with Winged Victory (1944) and co-starred with Dana Andrews in the musical State Fair (1945). That same year, she was the “good girl” opposite Gene Tierney’s “bad girl” in Leave Her to Heaven. More good roles came her way including leads in A Letter to Three Wives (1949), The Fan (1949), and Pinky (1949). The latter won her a Best Actress Oscar nomination. She lost that year to Olivia de Havilland. Crain’s popularity continued into the 1950s but suffered when she was released from her exclusive contract with 20th Century-Fox. She continued to work in films and on television until 1975.

People Will Talk has an excellent supporting cast that includes Finlay Currie, Hume Cronyn, Walter Slezak, and Margaret Hamilton.

People Will Talk Trivia:

• Jeanne Crain campaigned for the female lead, but the role went to Anne Baxter. When Baxter became pregnant, Crain played Deborah. The opposite happened with All About Eve. Crain was originally cast as Eve Harrington. When Crain became pregnant (Crain had seven children), Baxter got the role and screen immortality.
• Margaret Hamilton was uncredited in spite of the fact that she had a sizeable supporting role.
• Dr. Pretorius’s car is a 1951 Lincoln Cosmopolitan 2-door convertible. Only 857 convertibles were built that year. It cost $3891 (about $40,000 in 2020).
• Grant had his hand and footprints immortalized a Grauman’s Chinese Theatre at the premiere of People Will Talk.

Below it the YouTube link to watch the film. Please us this link as there are several on the channel of inferior quality.



Join us August 25, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. for a discussion on Zoom. The invitation and link are below.

Stephen Reginald is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Discussion of "People Will Talk"

Time: Aug 25, 2020 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/74191376726?pwd=WVdHK2JVc25HWTNsbEx3REROWTVwQT09

Meeting ID: 741 9137 6726
Passcode: jAUD7h


Questions for discussion:
1. What did you think of Dr. Praetorius and his medical philosophy?
2. What do you think drove Professor Elwell’s jealousy?
3. Do you think Dr. Praetorius was in love with Deborah when they married?
4. Would you like a “Mr. Shunderson” as a friend/companion?
5. Does Deborah’s plight hold up in the 21st century?

TCM Classic Film Festival Special Home Edition - April 16 - 19

From Turner Classic Movies:




We're excited to announce the TCM Classic Film Festival: Special Home Edition, a celebration of #TCMFF movies and moments from the past decade that fans can enjoy from the comfort of their homes. This special edition of the Festival takes place from April 16-19 on TCM and will include TCM Hosts, special guests, and events to follow on-air and online. Find more information here: http://myt.cm/TCMFF2020 Connect with Turner Classic Movies: Visit TCM WEBSITE: http://myt.cm/TCMwebsite Follow TCM on INSTAGRAM: http://myt.cm/TCMinstagram Like TCM on FACEBOOK: http://myt.cm/TCMfacebook Follow TCM on TWITTER: http://myt.cm/TCMtwitter Subscribe now to watch more classic film content from TCM http://spr.ly/6017cTBT

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2019 Edition

It’s Christmastime again and here we are with another selection of Classic Christmas movies. For me a Christmas movie is any movie that has some of its focus during the holiday season. There are many movies that take place entirely during Christmas and many others that have short, but important scenes set during the holiday. Here is a new crop of classics for you to consider this year.

All That Heaven Allows—1955 This classic directed by Douglas Sirk centers around the relationship between widow Cary Scott (Jane Wyman) and the younger gardener Ron Kirby (Rock Hudson) that she falls in love with. Set in a New England town, their romance becomes the source of gossip and condemnation from Cary’s friends and the general population of Stoningham. Probably no one disapproves of their relationship more than Cary’s adult children who think that she should sit around at home watching television. The idea that their mother should have any chance at a second romance is shocking and embarrassing to them. Shot in gorgeous Technicolor, All That Heaven Allows is quintessential Sirk at the height of his powers.

Backstory: This was a follow-up to Wyman’s and Hudson’s successful pairing in Magnificent Obsession released the year before. All That Heaven Allows opened in Los Angeles on Christmas Day, 1955.

Auntie Mame—1958 Rosalind Russell made an indelible impression on moviegoers when this film was released. The character of Mame had been the subject of a novel and play (eventually it would become a musical). Mame is one of those larger-than-life-characters that in spite of their eccentricities and odd behavior you just can’t help but love. Mame’s life has its ups and downs and during the Christmas season she experiences some hard times after the 1929 Stock Market crash.

Backstory: Rosalind Russell recreated the role she originated on Broadway and was nominated for Best Actress of 1959. The film was nominated for another five Academy Awards; it lost in all categories. The movie opened December 27, 1958.

A Summer Place—1959 How could a movie with that title have anything to do with Christmas? This 1950s melodrama directed by Delmer Daves was one of the biggest hits of the year when first released. The theme from the movie is one of the most recognizable pieces of music from the mid-twentieth century. The plot focuses on two former lovers now married to different people who are reunited during one summer. The complicated relationship affects both families, pitting parents against children. There’s a critical scene at Christmas where Helen Jorgensen (Constance Ford) confronts her daughter Molly (Sandra Dee) about her relationship with Johnny Hunter (Troy Donahue) just days before Christmas. It doesn’t end well for Molly and one sad Christmas tree.

Backstory: The musical theme from the film was Number One on the Billboard chart for nine consecutive weeks.

The Lion in Winter—1968 This complicated family drama—you think your family is dysfunctional—takes place at Christmas in 1183 in the medieval Angevin Empire. The film stars Peter O’Toole as King Henry II and Katharine Hepburn as Eleanor of Acquitane his estranged wife and Queen. The plot revolves around the king and queen fighting over which of their sons deserves to follow Henry on the throne. You’ll need an extra blanket and some hot cocoa to watch this movie because it’s one of the coldest Christmas movies you’ll ever watch, but an enjoyable watch it is nonetheless.

Backstory: The original stage production of The Lion in Winter was a major flop. Hepburn won her third Best Actress Oscar and the film marked the debuts of future stars Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Classic Movie Man!

Check out past Christmas favorites by clicking on the links below.

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

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2012 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2013 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2014 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2015 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2016 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2017 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2018 Edition

Happy Thanksgiving from Classic Movie Man!

Save a piece for me, Jeanne!

Screening of "A Letter to Three Wives" May 29 at Daystar Center

A Letter to Three Wives (1949)

Where: Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street

When: May 29, 2018

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Hosted by Stephen Reginald

A Letter to Three Wives (1949) is based on a novel by John Klempner. His novel was entitled A Letter to Five Wives. Writer-director Joseph L. Mankiewicz thought the novel was too long and would be difficult to transfer to the screen. So, he shortened it to four wives and then shortened it again to three. Mankiewicz adapted the screenplay with author and screenwriter Vera Caspary (Laura).

The plot revolves around three wives who, just before going on a boat ride and picnic with some disadvantaged children, receive a letter from a society friend named Addie Ross. In the letter, Addie says she’s run off with one of their husbands. While the women spend the afternoon volunteering, each looks back on her marriage and wonders if hers is the husband who ran off with Addie.

Is it Deborah Bishop’s (Jeanne Crain) husband Brad (Jeffrey Lynn)? Deborah, a poor farm girl, met her husband in the Navy during World War II. Somewhat insecure and naïve, she thinks Brad is attracted to Addie because she is beautiful and sophisticated. Is it Rita Phipps’s (Ann Sothern) husband George (Kirk Douglas)? Rita has a career writing radio soap operas, the quality of which, her schoolteacher-husband disapproves. She wonders if her job, which brings in some much-needed cash, is somehow intimidating to George and ruining their marriage. Is it Lora Mae Hollingsway’s (Linda Darnell) husband Porter (Paul Douglas)? Lora Mae is a girl literally from the wrong side of the tracks who tries her best to marry up by marrying her boss, in part, to help provide for her widowed mother (the wonderful Connie Gilchrist) and younger sister Babe (Barbara Lawrence).

Like Mankiewicz’s All About Eve a year later, A Letter to Three Wives has witty dialogue delivered by a cast of pros. Crain, Sothern, and Darnell are all wonderful as the three wives, with Darnell a standout. As Lora Mae, Darnell has a tough exterior, but in many ways is more vulnerable than either Crain or Sothern.

For Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1949 was an extraordinary year. Not only did he win the Academy Award for Best Director, but he also won for Best Writing as well. Writing and directing was something Mankiewicz had always wanted to do and A Letter to Three Wives showcases Mankiewicz at the height of his creativity.

Have some Joe and Enjoy the Show!

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.

Classic Movie Man’s Favorite Christmas Movies: 2017 Edition

This is the seventh year that I’ve been picking favorite Christmas movies and it’s getting harder to feature movies that haven’t already been covered in previous years’ blog posts. This year’s group isn’t exclusively Christmas-centered, but all have important scenes set during the holiday season. Enjoy the holiday season and enjoy watching these classic movies!

The Thin Man—1934 The first of the famous film series, featuring Nick Charles (William Powell), a retired detective, and his wife Nora (Myrna Loy) who decide to spend the Christmas holidays in New York (they’re based in San Francisco). When the daughter of a former client, Dorothy Wynant (Maureen O’Sullivan) asks Nick to help her find her father, Gilbert Wynant (William Henry), who has gone missing. Even though the evidence seems to suggest that Dorothy’s missing father is guilty of murder, his daughter refuses to believe that he could murder anyone. When Nick discovers that Gilbert himself has been murdered, suspicions turn elsewhere. The true murderer is discovered during a famous dinner party scene, but my favorite scene is the Christmas party that Nick and Nora throw for Nicks’ old friends—a collection of misfits—many of whom he sent up the river as a detective. At the party, Nora says, “Waiter, will you serve the nuts? I mean, will you serve the guests the nuts?” This has to be one of my favorite movie lines of all time.

Myrna Loy and William Powell toast each other at Christmas.

Backstory: The movie was shot in 12 days by director W. S. (One-Take Woody) Van Dyke on a shoestring budget. The film went on to become a huge box office hit that spawned five sequels.


So Proudly We Hail!—1943 This classic stars the three queens of Paramount: Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, and Veronica Lake as military nurses sent to the Philippines during World War II. After the bombing of Pear Harbor, the lives of the military nurses will never be the same. Onboard a ship during Christmas Eve, the nurses and the rest of the military crew celebrate the holiday. The chaplain (Walter Abel) encourages everyone to have faith, not a mindless faith, but a faith in each other and “our beliefs.” It’s an interesting counterpoint to the uncertainty of war, especially during the time this film was made and released. It’s hard to imagine what audiences in 1943 were feeling as they watched this film and the events depicted were unfolding in real time.

Claudette Colbert, Paulette Goddard, and Veronica Lake star as
army nurses in So Proudly We Hail.

Backstory: Veronica Lake changed her trademark “peek-a-boo” hairstyle to keep with Army regulations in real life. She let her hair down for her final scene. Paulette Goddard was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, losing to Katina Paxinou in For Whom the Bell Tolls.


A Tree Grows in Brooklyn—1945 Based on the best-selling novel by Betty Smith, the drama tells the tale of an impoverished family living in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. It’s a coming-of-age story about Francie Nolan (Peggy Ann Garner) who loves reading and school. With a mother (Dorothy McGuire) who washes floors and collects rags to earn money to support her family and an alcoholic mostly out-of-work father, life for the Nolan’s seems pretty bleak. In spite of his irresponsible behavior, Johnny Nolan (James Dunn) is idolized by Francie. Johnny is gentle and indulgent where her mother, Katie, tends to be stern and strict. Because the family is so poor, they can’t afford to buy a tree for Christmas. On Christmas Eve, Francie and her brother Neely (Ted Donaldson) get a free tree by catching one that the tree salesman throws their way when he no longer call sell them. The Nolan’s celebrate a happy Christmas with Katie’s sister Sissy (Joan Blondell) and her husband (John Alexander).

Ted Donaldson (Neely) and Peggy Ann Garner (Francie) carry the Christmas tree
they caught on Christmas Eve.

Backstory: James Dunn won the 1945 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of the tragic Johnny Nolan. Peggy Ann Garner won the 1945 Academy Juvenile Award for her portrayal of Francie Nolan. A Tree Grow in Brooklyn also marked the movie directorial debut of Elia Kazan.


Lady in the Lake—1947 This iconic film noir takes place during Christmastime. In fact the opening credits feature Christmas Carols and a set of Christmas cards, which hide a gun underneath. Robert Montgomery stars as detective Philip Marlowe who is hired by a publishing executive Adrienne Fromsett (Audrey Totter, who is awesome, by the way) to locate the wife of her boss, Derace Kingsby (Leon Ames). The film is shot from Marlowe’s point of view, which means we only see Marlowe’s reflection in a mirror or when he is directly speaking to the audience, since in true noir fashion, the movie is told in flashback. Everywhere you turn, there’s a Christmas wreath, tree, or other decoration. There’s even an office Christmas party at the publisher Kingsby owns and where Adrienne works as editor. As Marlowe gets closer to the truth, dirty Detective DeGarmot (Lloyd Nolan) runs him off the road. Having just enough energy, Marlowe calls Adrienne for help. She takes Marlowe to her apartment and declares her love for him; they spend Christmas Day together. After the usual noir twists and turns, the major plot points are revealed and Marlowe and Adrienne go to New York City to start their life together.

Movie themed title credits for Lady in the Lake

Backstory: this was Robert Montgomery’s first film as a director and his last for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, where he had been under contract since 1929. Montgomery completed the movie nineteen days ahead of schedule, helping to make it a box office winner for the studio.

If you want to check out the Christmas favorites from past years, please click on the links below.

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

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2012 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2013 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2014 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2015 Edition

Classic Movie Man's Favorite Christmas Movies: 2016 Edition