New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (5)

Summer is only a few months away. You need to stock up now so you'll have plenty to read on vacation! Need some suggestions? I’ve got you covered with a brand new list of upcoming classic film books. Publication dates range from February to May 2016.

Are you new to my list? Here are the details. Links lead to Goodreads or the publishers' page. Books include biographies, memoirs, scholary texts, coffee table books and more from a variety of publishers. All publication dates are subject to change.

Here are my previous round-ups :

New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (1)

New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (2)

New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (3)

New & Upcoming Classic Film Books (4)

Not to Be Missed: Fifty-Four Favorites from a Lifetime of Film
by Kenneth Turan
PublicAffairs
368 pages – January 2016

Better Living Through Criticism

by A.O. Scott

Penguin Press

288 pages – February 2016

Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood’s Golden Era

by James Bawden and Ron Miller

University Press of Kentucky

424 pages – February 2016

Master of Ceremonies: A Memoir

by Joel Grey

Flatiron Books

256 pages – February 2016

Shot on Location: Postwar American Cinema and the Exploration of Real Place

by R. Barton Palmer

Rutgers University Press

290 pages – February 2016

Frank Sinatra: A Celebration of the Music and Movies of Ol’ Blue Eyes

by Ben Nussbaum

i5 Press

96 pages – March 2016

Girls Will Be Boys: Cross-dressed Women, Lesbians and American Cinema, 1908-1934

by Laura Horak

Rutgers University Press

296 pages – February 2016

Matinee Melodrama: Playing with Formula in the Sound Serial

by Scott Higgins

Rutgers University Press

232 pages – February 2016

Reframing the Past: History, Film and Television

by Mia E. M. Treacey

Routledge

198 pages – March 2016

Above the Line: My Wild Oats Adventure

by Shirley MacLaine

Atria Books

224 pages – March 2016

Cycles, Sequels, Spin-offs, Remakes, and Reboots: Multiplicities in Film and Television

by Amanda Ann Klein and R. Barton Palmer

University of Texas Press

366 pages – March 2016

Slow Fade to Black: The Decline of RKO Radio Pictures

by Richard B. Jewell

University of California Press

296 pages – March 2016

Stealing the Show: African American Performers and Audiences in 1930s Hollywood

by Miriam J. Petty

University of California Press

312 pages – March 2016

Tappin at the Apollo: A Career History of the African American Female Tap Dance Duo Salt and Pepper

by Cheryl M. Willis

McFarland & Company

March 2016

Unsung Hollywood Musicals of the Golden Era: 50 Overlooked Films and Their Stars, 1929-1939

by Edwin M. Bradley

McFarland

277 pages - March 2016

Audrey and Givenchy: A Fashion Love Affair

by Cindy De La Hoz

Running Press

176 pages – April 2016

An Auteurist History of Film

by Charles Silver

Museum of Modern Art

256 pages – April 2016

The Book of Joe: About a Dog and His Man (reissue)

by Vincent Price and Leo Hershfield

Open Road Media

(e-book) 156 pages – April 2016

Buccaneer: James Stuart Blackton and the Birth of American Movies (Film and History)

by Donald Dewey

Rowman and Littlfield Publishers

272 pages – April 2016

Citizen Kane: A Filmmaker’s Journey

by Harlan Lebo

Thomas Dunne Books

384 pages – April 2016

Cinema: From the Silent Screen to the Hollywood Blockbuster

by Graham Tarrant

Summersdale

160 pages – April 2016

eYE Marty: The Newly Discovered Autobiography of a Comic

by Marty Feldman and Eric Idle

Rare Bird Books

320 pages – April 2016

Howard Hawks: New Perspectives

by Ian Brookes

BFI

272 pages – April 2016

Orson Welles, Volume 3: One-Man Band

by Simon Callow

Viking

624 pages – April 2016

Reel Wisdom: The Complete Quote Collection for Movie Lovers, Film Buffs and Cinephiles

by Sean K. Smith

Hatherleigh Press

112 pages – April 2016

The Rhapsodes: How 1940s Critics Changed American Film Culture

by David Bordwell

University of Chicago Press

160 pages – April 2016

Sinatra and the Jack Pack: The Extraordinary Friendship between Frank Sinatra and John F. Kennedy—Why They Bonded

by Michael Sheridan and David Harvey

Skyhorse Publishing

276 pages – April 2016

18 Holes with Bing: Golf, Life and Lessons from Dad

by Nathaniel Crosby and John Strenge

Dey Street Books

224 pages – May 2016

Ben-Hur: The Original Blockbuster

by Jon Solomon

Oxford University Press

640 pages – May 2016

Encounters with Godard: Ethics, Aesthetics, Politics

by James S. Williams

SUNY Press

320 pages – May 2016

Film Books: A Visual History

by Breixo Viejo

Oak Knoll Press

268 pages – May 2016

Into the Dark: The Hidden World of Film Noir, 1941-1950

by Mark A. Vieira

Running Press with TCM

336 pages – May 2016

James Bond: The Evolution of the World’s Most Famous Spy

by Annika Geiger

i5 Press

96 pages – May 2016

Lincoln Before Lincoln: Early Cinematic Adaptations of the Life of America’s Greatest President

by Brian J. Snee

University Press of Kentucky

174 pages – May 2016

Moguls, Monsters and Madmen: An Uncensored Life in Show Business

by Barry Avrich

ECW Press

400 pages – May 2016

One for My Baby: A Sinatra Cocktail Companion

by Tom Smith

Peter Owen Publishers

160 pages – May 2016

Reconstructing Strangelove: Inside Stanley Kubrick’s “Nightmare Comedy”

by Mick Broderick

Columbia University Press

208 pages – May 2016

Stanley Kubrick and Me: Thirty Years at His Side

by Emilio D’Alessandro and Simon Marsh

Arcade Publishing

384 pages – May 2016

Turner Classic Movies: The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter

by Jeremy Arnold and Robert Osborne

Running Press with TCM

304 pages – May 2016

When Movies Were Theater: Architecture, Exhibition, and the Evolution of American Film

by William Paul

Columbia University Press

432 pages – May 2016

Did any of these books catch your eye? Tell me in the comments section below. I'm currently reading Conversations with Classic Film Stars.

The Good, the Bad and Me: In My Anecdotage by Eli Wallach

The Good, the Bad, and Me: In My Anecdotage
by Eli Wallach
Mariner Books
320 pages/9 hours, 42 minutes
May 2006

My current enthusiasm for all things audiobooks has me seeking out every classic film related recording on Audible I can find. But that wasn’t enough. After listening to Dick Van Dyke’s audiobook Keep Moving, I wanted to hear more from the stars themselves. There is something very intimate about listening to a famous person tell you their story that you don’t get from just reading their words on the printed page. Having their voices transmitted right into your ear as they tell you story after story is an amplified experience. And for those stars who have shuffled off their mortal coil and left the world of the living, an audiobook recording of their memoir is as close to them as we can get.

Eli Wallach has been a favorite of mine for years. Not only did I admire his talent and devotion to his craft, he always struck me as a genuine and quirky kind of a guy. (Did you know Wallach collected antique clocks? ) Wallach was lovable and charming even when he so effortlessly played villains on screen. In his 2006 memoir The Good, the Bad and Me: In my Anecdotage, Wallach takes us on a journey through his life and career. We start with his early years as a Jewish kid growing up in Brooklyn and we follow him as he finds his calling as an actor, goes to college in Texas, serves in the medical corps during WWII and meets the love of his life Anne Jackson. He even tells us how he learned about the birds and the bees in the most frank yet lovable way. Wallach’s narrative slows as he relates the details of his theater and film work. There is much here about his training as a method actor as well as the differences between acting for theater and acting for film. Wallach loved the immediate gratification of working on stage but was also lured by the rich rewards, fame and money, of film work. He shares lots of behind-the-scenes stories and reflects on his past experience with all the wisdom and self-reflection that comes with living a long life.

Classic film fans will love hearing anecdotes about Wallach’s movie work. He shares a lot of stories about The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) , the film that inspired his memoir’s title, The Misfits (1961), The Magnificent Seven (1960), How to Steal A Million (1966) and his first film Baby Doll (1956) . Audiences will love to hear his stories about notable figures including Marilyn Monroe, Sergio Leone, Clark Gable, Audrey Hepburn, Elia Kazan, Tennessee Williams and more.

Wallach was a charming storyteller and it’s easy to be captivated by him in this book. His voice demonstrated the wear and tear of old age but there is still a magic that comes from listening to the man himself tell his own story. You can almost see the twinkle in his eye as you listen to his words. Besides the many stories about his film work, I was particularly taken with his reflections on his home life. Wallach explains the complexities and challenges that come with being married to an another actor and raising small children. Wallach and Jackson struggled yet found balance in their work and marriage. They highly respected each other’s careers and although Wallach was the bigger star he made sure not to neglect her acting work. Wallach lovingly remembers the births of each of his three children and I particularly love the anecdote of him heating up milk bottles while pretending he was Louis Pasteur.

Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson (source)

Even though I already owned a paperback copy of The Good, the Bad and Me, I’m glad I invested in the audio version. If you enjoy Wallach’s films and appreciate him as a person, listening to this audiobook will be a special treat. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself tearing up when the book is over. And as an added bonus, Anne Jackson makes a small cameo in the recording.

I purchased this book at Audible. It seems to be the only place online where you can find it. The original audiobook recording is most likely out of print.

Doctor, You've Got to be Kidding! (1967)

1967 was a rough year for Sandra Dee. She was in her mid-twenties and had outgrown the youthful persona that made her famous. Her contract with Universal, the last of the studio era, had ended a couple of years ago and now was the time to transition into a new phase of her career. However, the cutesy image of Sandra Dee was one that was difficult for the public to let go and when her husband Bobby Darin left her during the filming of Doctor, You've Got to be Kidding! (1967) it seemed like that image was shattered forever. This time proved to be a natural end to her acting career. She made a couple more films including Rosie (1967) and The Dunwich Horror (1970) and various film and TV appearances but Sandra Dee the movie star was no more. Even with all of this I refuse to look at Doctor, You've Got to be Kidding (1967) as anything but a fun, kooky film that captured the last of an on screen personality that has continued to captivate and charm us many years later.

Doctor, You've Got to be Kidding is an MGM film directed by Peter Tewksbury (originally intended for Charles Walters)  and based on the novel Three for a Wedding by Patte Wheat Mahan. The plot for the story would be nothing without adding a bunch of zany antics to up the entertainment value. It starts with a crazy race to the hospital. Heather Halloran (Sandra Dee) is about to give birth and the identity of the child’s father remains a mystery. Her three suitors want to make her an honest woman and fight with each other to capture her as their prize. Who is the father of the child? Is it one of the three? Or someone else? And so the mystery begins.

Dick Kallman, Dwayne Hickman and Bill Bixby

We flashback to the beginning of Heather’s story. Her mother Louise (Celeste Holm) is an elevator operator determined to make her daughter a singing sensation. Over the years Louise has trapped various entertainment executives in her elevator and forced them to listen to Heather’s rendition of Be My Love. These elevator pitches got them nowhere. Heather grows up, dates boys, graduates college and joins the workforce all to her mother’s dismay.

Sandra Dee

Celeste Holm

Heather tries to live a normal life amidst the antics of her kooky mother and a trio of pushy suitors Hank (Dwayne Hickman), Dick (Bill Bixby) and Pat (Dick Kallman). She’s got plenty of guys going gaga for her but it’s her new boss Harlan Wycliff (George Hamilton) who drives her crazy. At first he’s just annoying her with his constant multi-tasking and his brutal honesty. But it just takes one car ride alone together for them to see fireworks. What’s Heather going to do now that she’s about to become an unwed mother and everyone in her life is absolutely bonkers?

Harlan: "Your trouble is that you're wholesome."

Heather: "What a rotten thing to say!”

Sandra Dee and George Hamilton

For those of us who have a deep appreciation for Sandra Dee, this film is a charming entry to her body of work. It’s a glimpse at the last moments when she was happy before she went into the dark post-Darin years. It was during the filming of Doctor You’ve Got to be Kidding that Sandra Dee found out Bobby Darin had left her. In one scene with Bill Bixby, Dee’s character slaps him and she breaks down in tears. That is a real breakdown for the actress who couldn’t hold back her emotions during a turbulent time in her life. According to a TCM article, Dee slapped Bixby so hard she gave him a concussion. When you watch the scene closely there is a continuity error with her hair. It goes from wildly out of place to perfect coiffed. I’ve always wondered if the scene was too much for Dee and the rest had to be shot another day hence the continuity error.

Doctor You’ve Got to be Kidding has a sad background but is essentially a fun wacky film. It might be a bit much for contemporary audiences but those of us who love the absurdity of the 1960s will enjoy this one. My husband watched this one with me and was overwhelmed by it’s kookiness. I had to remind him that “it’s the ‘60s baby.”

 

This film gives 1960s devotees a glimpse at the youth culture of the time notably dancing, music, nightlife of teens and young adults. For those who love vintage style there is plenty of eye candy including Celeste Holm’s colorful outfits, Bill Bixby’s glasses, Sandra Dee’s shimmery gold ensemble and George Hamilton’s slim fit suit. It’s worth the price of admission just for the shots of Hamilton’s office which is a splendor of 1960s corporate excess. Mad Men eat your heart out.

Heather and the Wild Affair

There are some notable minor roles in this film including beloved Allen Jenkins who plays Joe Bonney, a victim of one of Louise’s many elevator pitches. He helps Heather and her bad The Wild Affair nab a sweet gig at a club run by Mort Sahl’s character Dan Ruskin. Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek fame has a minor role as a secretary in Hamilton’s grandiose office. I had fun spotting Erich Von Stroheim Jr.’s name in the credits; he was an assistant director on the film!

Allen Jenkins and Celeste Holm

Nichelle Nichols and Sandra Dee

Doctor, You've Got to be Kidding! (1967) is available on DVD-MOD from Warner Archive. This kooky film is a must see for Sandra Dee devotees and anyone who loves 1960s camp. It's a fun film if you don't take it too seriously.

 Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. I purchased Doctor, You've Got to be Kidding! from Warner Archive. Heck I even requested this title when I wrote to them for their podcast. The episode aired sometime in March 2015.

Anne of Green Gables (1934)

Anne Shirley and O.P. Heggie in a publicity shot for Anne of Green Gables (1934)

"I cannot imagine my red hair away. I do my best but it's no use. It will be my lifelong sorrow." - Annie Shirley

It's the film that gave actress Anne Shirley her name.

Anne of Green Gables (1934) stars Anne Shirley as Anne (with an "e") Shirley, the protagonist of L.M. Montgomery's beloved series of books. It was a surprise hit for RKO who had secured the rights to the story but severely underestimated its potential. Directed by George Nicholls Jr. and with musical direction by Max Steiner, this is a charming adaptation that gives us a brief taste of the world of Anne of Green Gables. I say that because this 78 minute film can only capture so much of the idyllic fictional town of Avonlea and its residents. Reading the book and devouring the TV mini-series will give you much more. (And if you're a weirdo like me you also watch the Anne of Green Gables animated series for kicks.) It's not a faithful adaptation but Anne Shirley does a marvelous job with her role and you can't help but want to reach through the screen and hug O.P. Heggie who plays Matthew Cuthbert.

O.P. Heggie in Anne of Green Gables (1934)

Brother and sister Matthew (O.P. Heggie) and Marila Cuthbert (Helen Westley) live at Green Gables. They are getting on in years and could use some help around the house and on the farm. They send for a boy from an orphanage. Not only do they get a girl instead of a boy, they also get a lot more than they bargained for with the energetic Anne Shirley. She's got a crazy imagination, a mouth that keeps yapping away and bright red hair. And she's also got the biggest heart. We follow her adventures as she adjusts to life in Avonlea, has a less than stellar start with future beau Gilbert Blythe (Tom Brown) and befriends her bosom buddy Diana Barry (Gertrude Messinger).

Helen Westley, Anne Shirley and O.P. Heggie in Anne of Green Gables (1934)

Anne Shirley is one of the most beloved and complex characters of fiction for a reason. She is the embodiment of individuality and gives us all license to our weird quirky selves. We love Anne for her wild ideas, her flowery language, her love of people, her rambunctiousness, her red locks and even her fragile ego. Anne energizes everyone around her. She breathes life into Matthew and Marila who up until that point were just going through the motions. We see her breathe new life into them and into others too.

Readers of the novel and the audiences of the many adaptations of the story can’t help but see Anne as their own bosom friend. But it goes beyond that. Anne is a character many young women admire. Not only do we want to be Anne, we want to fall in love with Gilbert, be friends with Diana, hug Matthew and please Marila. And we want to frolic around Prince Edward Island too.

Anne Shirley is full of spirit even though she comes from rather dire circumstances. Everything seems to be going against her. She’s an orphan who doesn’t seem to be wanted by anybody. Her red hair doesn't help matters either. Even the Cuthberts aren’t quite sure what to do with her, although they are quickly won over. The system tries to break her down but her personality withstands it all.

Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables (1934)

I’ve always had a deep love for Anne of Green Gables. The novel by L.M. Montgomery is one of my favorites and the character of Anne Shirley is one I keep close to my heart. Matthew Cuthbert is also very special to me. I consider him the sweetest character in all of fiction. For those of you who were affected by his storyline in the novel, you’ll be happy to know that it’s altered in this film to save you some heartache.

Anne of Green Gables (1934) gives you a glimpse into the world of Anne and Avonlea. It’s really an appetizer more than a full course. Because it’s such a short film much is missing but the essence is still there. Tom Brown adeptly plays Gilbert Blythe, a romantic character who rivals Austen’s Mr. Darcy from Pride & Prejudice for devotees. There are lots of great performances in this film most notably the leads Anne Shirley, who embodies the spirit of the character, O.P. Heggie, whose facial expressions as Matthew are spot on, Helen Westley as the tough Marila and Sara Haden as busybody Mrs. Barry.

Tom Brown as Gilbert Blythe in Anne of Green Gables (1934)

Anne of Green Gables (1934) captures all the charm of the original story. What it lacks in plot it makes up for in ambiance. This film s is available on DVD-MOD from Warner Archive.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. I received Anne of Green Gables (1934) from Warner Archive for review.

Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

As we count down to another summer Olympics, this year marks the 80th anniversary of the 1936 summer Olympic games held in Berlin, Germany. It was a time rife with political, racial and ethnic tensions. Hitler and the Nazis were growing in power and the Olympics was an ideal platform for their propaganda. A remark made by a villain in the film Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937) beautifully illustrates how the games were symbolic of something much greater than the sports being played in the stadium:

"A most illuminating spectacle Mr. Chan -- the nations of the world about to struggle for supremacy on the field of sports. Yet behind all this there is another struggle going on constantly for world supremacy in a more sinister field." - Zaraka to Charlie Chan

What could bring Charlie Chan, the humble police detective from Honolulu, all the way to the Berlin for the Olympic games? International espionage of course! In director H. Bruce Humberstone’s Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937) the drama starts with a mysterious plane crash. Charlie Chan (Warner Oland) and his #2 son Charlie Chan Jr. (Layne Tom, Jr.) investigate. The test pilot was murdered and an important new invention has been stolen; a military device that controls airplanes remotely. It turns out the device is in the possession of a lady wearing a white fox stole, Yvonne Roland (Katherine DeMille) . She’s on a boat along with hundreds of Olympic athletes heading to Germany for the games. Roland’s part of an international spy ring and is on a mission deliver the device (often referred to as a robot) to the diplomat from an unspecified country Charles Zaraka (Morgan Wallace). Several people want to get their hands on that device and Charlie Chan is on the case to retrieve it for the US government.

Layne Tom Jr., Warner Oland and Keye Luke in a publicity still for Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937)

"Hasty accusation like long shot on horse race. Odds good but chances doubtful." - Charlie Chan

It just so happens that Charlie Chan’s #1 son Lee (Keye Luke) is on his way to the Berlin Olympics too. He’ll be there to compete in the 100 meter swim. Lee takes over from Charlie Chan Jr, who is left behind in Honolulu, as his father’s sidekick. There are multiple story lines going and Lee is not only trying to compete at the games but he’s also trying to help his dad solve a mystery and to patch things up between his friend and fellow athlete Betty Adams (Pauline Moore) and her beau Richard Masters (Allan Lane), who is smitten with the mysterious Yvonne. At one point Lee is kidnapped and the ransom is of course the device. Charlie Chan faces the international spy ring head on with some help from the Berlin police.

"Truth, like football, receive many kicks before reaching goal." - Charlie Chan

Charlie Chan at the Olympics is the 17th film in the Charlie Chan series and the 14th starring Warner Oland as the title character. It’s the first film featuring Layne Tom, Jr. as one of Chan’s sons and his performance in this film is quite charming. He went on to make a other Charlie Chan films with Sidney Toler. The DVD’s special features includes an interview with Layne Tom, Jr. who passed away last year.

Warner Oland and Katherine DeMille in Charlie Chan at the Olympics

 Katherine DeMille’s performance as the exotic and mischievous Yvonne is notable. She was the adopted daughter of legendary direct Cecil B. DeMille. I thought Lee, #2 son, and his storyline were particularly interesting. His character is clearly infatuated with Betty and could whisk her away from her beau Masters who only seems to only have a halfhearted interest in a relationship with her. But the audience knows this is completely out of the question because Lee is Asian-American and Betty is Caucasian. It’s a sad reminder of race relations during that era.

As an entry in the Charlie Chan series this film holds up because of two very special factors: the Berlin Olympics and the Zeppelin Hindenburg.

Jesse Owens relay race (Source)

Although some scenes take place in the Olympic village and the Berlin Olympic Stadium, everything was filmed on the 20th Century Fox lot and at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with stock footage of the actual games stitched in to establish the setting. The Berlin Olympic games were televised on Fernsehsender "Paul Nipkow", Germany's first TV station, and German film director and producer Leni Riefenstahl was given an enormous budget to film the epic 4 hour documentary Olympia. There exists a lot of footage of these games some of which was used (source unknown) in Charlie Chan at the Olympics most notably the opening ceremony and Jesse Owens competing in the 4X100 sprint relay. Jesse Owens becomes a minor part of the story as we see some of the actresses playing American Olympic athletes cheer him on from the sidelines. For classic film fans who plan to watch Race (2016), a Jesse Owens biopic in theatres now, it’s a good idea to go back in time and dip into this curio of a film.

The film is very careful to exclude any elements Nazi culture. The Berlin police display their national pride but there is no mention of Hitler and they don't wear Swastikas on their uniforms. Footage of the Zeppelin Hindenburg was edited so that the Swastika on the tail is not visible.

Zeppelin Hindenburg (Source)

When Charlie Chan is abroad it’s usually because he’s on vacation and happens to be around to solve a mystery. In this case, Charlie Chan travels quite a distance to help solve a case. The film lays out his journey from Hawaii to German: 18 hours from Honolulu to San Francisco, then a 13 hour flight to New York, travel to Lakehurst NJ and take 61 hour flight on the Zeppelin Hindenburg to Hamburg. Charlie Chan at the Olympics was released on May 21, 1937 just a couple of weeks after the infamous Zeppelin Hindenburg disaster . Despite the catastrophe and the developments with Hitler and the Nazis, this film still made it to theaters against all odds. An IMDb trivia bit says this film was pulled shortly after its release but I found no concrete evidence of that.

Charlie Chan at the Olympics (1937) is a curiosity not to be missed by classic film enthusiasts and history buffs alike. It suffers from a convoluted plot and too many characters but is still a decent entry into the series. The film is available on DVD as part of Fox’s Charlie Chan Boxed Set Volume 2.

The Big Shot (1942)

“He was a big shot once.”

The 1930s saw Humphrey Bogart in countless crime dramas playing every different variation on the gangster character. It wasn’t until the early 1940s, thanks to some poor decisions made by fellow actor George Raft, that Bogart’s career would do an about face. Raft turned down High Sierra and The Maltese Falcon (1941) and these two films launched Bogart into mega stardom. George Raft also bailed out on another film, the lesser known Warner Bros. movie The Big Shot (1942) which would serve as Bogie’s goodbye to the gangster film genre. It would the last vestige of that former career.

“You can’t be a crook anymore because you used up your chances. And you can’t be honest because nobody’ll let you.” – Bogie as Duke Berne

Bogart stars as Duke Berne, a career criminal who just got out of prison for the third time. One more strike and he’ll be in the hoosegow for life. He’s determined to make an honest go at things but the police have a close eye on him and his old cronies are back to rope him into another heist. This time it’s an armored car they’re after and District Attorney Fleming (Stanley Ridges) is the brains behind the operation. Turns out Fleming is married to Duke’s old flame Lorna, played the dazzling singer turned actress Irene Manning. Lorna convinces Duke to bail on the heist and spend the night with her instead.

“This armored car is no can of corn.” – Bogie as Duke Berne

The heist goes terribly wrong and Duke is misidentified by a witness, thanks to police coercion, and sent to prison for life. Lorna is his only alibi but neither can reveal that they were together that night. Salesman George Anderson (Richard Travis), desperate for money so he can marry his girlfriend Ruth Carter (Susan Peters), is hired as a fake alibi but things go terribly wrong for everyone involved. We know from the onset that things won’t turn out well for Duke. The first scene of the film shows Duke in the hospital ward of a prison dying with George and Ruth by his side. The majority of film is a flashback revealing Duke’s tragic story.

Directed by Lewis Seiler, The Big Shot (1942) is part film noir, part gangster flick, part courtroom drama and part prison film. This is a rare Bogart film which is an odd thing to say considering how easy it is to access the majority of Bogart’s film work. It was unavailable for a long time, I always missed it when it was on TCM and I was very happy to see Warner Archive made it available on DVD. I was particularly interested in this film because of Susan Peters, a favorite actress of mine who was at the height of her career in 1942. That same year she would land a plum role in Random Harvest and she would be nominated for an Oscar for that performance. 1942 also saw Bogart in the mega classic Casablanca so needless to say it was a really good year for him too.

This film is very flawed but still enjoyable to watch. There is a lot of fantastic dialogue delivered expertly by Bogart and even though Bogart and Manning didn’t get along on set they do make an electric pair on screen. Some of the cinematography in the film is delightful. There is one scene in which Bogart reveals himself from behind a curtain and he is lit to perfection. Some of the editing is not that great and while I don’t have a fine tuned eye for this sort of thing it was quite noticeable in this film which is a bad sign. There are several plot lines which makes this film more a series of vignettes than one continuous story.

The biggest problem with the film is the black face. Isn’t that always a problem when it appears in old movies? Not to reveal too much about the plot but one of the pivotal scenes towards the end of the film involves a fellow prisoner of Duke’s donning black face for a prison talent show. The black face itself is not really a plot element, just something this character did, but it does date the movie for contemporary audiences. It may also be one of the many reasons this film remains relatively unknown.

Bogart completists need to watch The Big Shot (1942). And who isn’t a Bogart completist? I know I am! The Big Shot is an oddity and an entertaining one at that.

The Big Shot (1942) on DVD is available from Warner Archive.

 

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. I received The Big Shot (1942) from Warner Archive for review. 

Interview with Thelma Todd biographer Michelle Morgan

Michelle Morgan

I had the honor to interview Michelle Morgan, author of The Ice Cream Blonde: The Whirlwind Life and Mysterious Death of Screwball Comedienne Thelma Todd , which I reviewed on this blog last month. It's a fantastic biography that humanizes an otherwise tragic figure. If you haven't read it already I hope this interview will entice you to do so. Thank you to Michelle Morgan for taking the time to answer my questions!



Why write about Thelma Todd?

Morgan - I discovered Thelma while I was working on a biography about Marilyn Monroe. Her ex-husband’s name came up in a letter and I was intrigued about who he was. A quick search on the Internet led me to Thelma and her mysterious death. After that I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I realized that just like Marilyn, Thelma was a very under-estimated person and over the years more and more lies and rumors have been attributed to her. I wanted to show who Thelma really was. She wasn’t just “the body in the garage.” She was a real-life person and it was very important to me to treat her that way.

The Ice Cream Blonde

What kind of research did you do for this book?

Morgan - I did absolutely everything I could in order to find out information. I bought the huge Coroner’s report; I read literally thousands of newspaper and magazine articles and interviews; I spoke to anyone I could think of who might own something related to Thelma’s life; I accessed the FBI records; I watched movies; collected documents and photos… Literally everything I could do, I did. In fact even during the editing process, I was still researching in order to answer the editor’s questions. The research for this book was never ending but it was very much worth it and I enjoyed every minute of the process.

What was the most surprising thing you discovered when you were researching Thelma Todd? 

Morgan - Just how very approachable, warm and funny she was. Up until the time I started researching her life, I had heard so many stories about her having a drinking problem; being a gangster’s moll; and just generally having quite a questionable personality. Going back to interviews, stories and memories from the time showed that this was absolutely not true. Thelma was hard-working, very friendly with fans and friends, intelligent, a good negotiator, strong, independent and a genuinely warm person. I was so pleased to find such a lovely woman underneath all the rumors, and I became a huge fan. I will forever hold a good thought for her and will continue to collect about her.

Why do you think Thelma had such a strong connection to her home town Lawrence, Massachusetts? 

Morgan - I’m sure it had a lot to do with Lawrence being her hometown. She had a fairly secure childhood there, her family lived there for the whole of her life, and she had many memories there too. I think the Lawrence people helped to keep her going when she felt unsure about her abilities as an actress. Knowing they were spurring her on, made a big difference in her attitude. In fact Thelma said as much to a crowd of fans, during one of her trips back there.

I’m planning on a trip to Lawrence to explore different locations that were important to Thelma Todd. Is there anything I should look for?

Morgan - With the passage of time, some of Thelma’s locations are now long gone. However, you can visit her resting place at Bellevue Cemetery (her ashes are there). The cemetery is also where family members are buried, including her brother, who died tragically at a very young age. Another good location is 22 Bowdoin Street, where many of the Todd family lived over the years. The funeral for her brother and father both left from there and Thelma stayed at the house on many occasions. In fact after her daughter’s death, Thelma’s mother moved back to Lawrence and into 22 Bowdoin Street. The street as a whole still looks remarkably like it did in Thelma’s day, so would be a great place to go if you want a real sense of Thelma’s early years.

Could you tell us a bit about the Paramount School, where Thelma Todd studied acting before heading to Hollywood? 

Morgan - The idea behind the Paramount School was to give students the tools and techniques they needed for acting in front of a camera. A lot of actors were heading to Hollywood with a thorough stage training, but their performances were exaggerated because of the way they’d worked in theatre. This did not go down well with studio heads, so they were actively seeking people who actually knew how to act in movies. The Paramount School gave students an opportunity to learn the trade and make a film at the same time. It was also hoped that a few stars would be discovered along the way, and this is what happened with Thelma and her classmate Charles ‘Buddy’ Rogers. However, while the school may have been a way to fill her time, Thelma was somewhat frustrated by it and always felt that she could have learned a lot more as an extra girl in the movies. The school was also looked down upon by some in Hollywood, who wondered why they should welcome these kids who they felt had no experience other than in a classroom.

Thelma Todd found more success in comedy shorts than in dramatic features. Why do you think that is?

Morgan - I think it was purely because she was extremely good at comedy. Her facial expressions, her body language, her eyes (especially her eyes!) were made for comedy. She was an extraordinary comedienne and audiences really warmed to her in funny roles.

Thelma and her mother were really close. Tell us a bit about their relationship over the years and what happened with Alice after Thelma died. 

Morgan - Yes they were very close, but at the same time Alice had known a lot of loss and heartbreak (she lost both her husband and son very tragically), so she could be a little overpowering in her love for Thelma. The two lived together for many years which I’m sure the actress felt fairly restricted, particularly when it came to her love life. However, she moved out when marrying Pat De Cicco, and while the relationship may have failed, it did give her the opportunity of gaining a little independence from her mother, once and for all. Instead of moving back in with her, she instead went to live first with a friend and then in her own house. However, while they may have lived apart, the two remained very close and actually went shopping together on the very last day Thelma was seen alive. They spent the entire day together and the actress’s driver dropped Alice home after taking Thelma to her final party. After Thelma’s death, Alice moved back to Lawrence and divided her time between the family home on Bowdoin Street and a lakeside cottage. She outlived her daughter by many years and died in December 1969.

What do you hope readers will get from reading The Ice Cream Blonde?

Morgan - I hope that they will see that Thelma was a real-life person, not just an image on the screen or a body in a garage. She worked hard, had many friends who loved her, and had sadness and happiness just as we all do. If people can get past the rumors and see that she was a human being, that is the most important thing to me. I also hope that the book starts a renewed interest in her career, which in turn will lead to some of her films being released on DVD.

What advice do you have for someone who might want to write a biography about a classic film star?

Morgan - Writing biography is extremely hard work, not only with the actual writing, but the constant researching, sources, photographs etc. You really need to think outside the box and explore every avenue to try and find new and exciting information. It is challenging but also very rewarding. I would say that if you are interested in writing biography, do some initial research first; just casually to see what you can find out. If you find yourself becoming more and more excited with the process, then absolutely go for it. If you find the research rather boring or your heart’s not really in it, then perhaps biography isn’t for you.

Thank you to Michelle Morgan and Chicago Review Press!