Rear Window (1954) at the Brattle

Can you believe that I have missed TWO opportunities to watch Rear Window (1954) on the big screen? Due to inclement weather and a too-busy schedule, chances to see my favorite Hitchcock film in a proper theatre passed me by. Like a hungry lion, I pounced on this opportunity like it was an injured Wildebeest. Rrrraawwwrr!

On a sunny Sunday afternoon, Carlos and I headed to Harvard Square to see Rear Window at the Brattle. Now I've talked about the Brattle, many many times before, but in case you are not familiar with the theatre, it's a non-profit repertory house which showcases classic films, independent cinema and cult favorites. It's impossible to look at their monthly calendar and not find a few films that you would want to watch on the big screen. The Brattle survives solely on the basis of their regular patrons, members and generous donors and they are always trying to drum up more support for their theatre. So if you are ever in the Boston area and you love classic films, please support this theatre!

Even though I own a copy of Rear Window (1954) on DVD, it's been quite a while since I have seen it. So watching it on the big screen after a considerable time has past since my last viewing was a great treat especially because it reminded me how many things I love about this movie. How, even though it's a thriller, I find it enjoyable than most murder mysteries because the focus is on the characters and plot development rather than on gore, action and jump scares. Besides, Rear Window has a lot of witty and funny moments. Thelma Ritter (Stella) has some great witticisms and shares no-nonsense romantic advice with Jimmy Stewart (Jeff) whether he wants to listen to it or not. Plus we can't help be amused by Jeff's observations on neighbors such as Miss Torso (the scantily clad dancer) and the pair of amorous Newlyweds (Harry?! Oh Harry...). And we get some sad moments as we see the isolation some of the neighbors face including Miss Lonelyhearts and Songwriter. Oh and then there is Lisa Freemont (Grace Kelly). We feel for her. All her wealth and beauty can't buy her the love she so desperately wants. In order to win Jeff's affections, she needs to showcase her adventurous side. How great it is that a woman has to woo a man with her adventurous spirit and taste for danger rather than her physical appearance?! One of the things I forgot about the film was how annoying Wendell Corey is as the detective who just doesn't believe Jeff's suspicions about the murdering husband (Raymond Burr). I just wanted to smack him for being such a schmuck!

The movie house was packed with folks when we got there at 2:30 (half an hour before the show started!). I was really worried that the audience reaction was going to be negative. You know the deal. Laughs at inappropriate moments. Whispers of judgement. However, this audience was absolutely quiet. We all got sucked into the story immediately and the only laughter came at the parts that were genuinely supposed to be funny. In fact, I think Carlos and I laughed the most because there were so many great witty lines, sexually suggestive scenes and novelty moments (such as the famous Hitchcock cameo). At the end of the film, the audience applauded. I am always so happy when that happens. 

This experience has encouraged both Carlos and I to do a few things this summer: 1) visit the Brattle more often and perhaps become members, 2) watch more Hitchcock films, including ones we haven't seen 3) spend more time in Harvard Square. Thank you Brattle for giving me this opportunity to watch my favorite Hitchcock film on the big screen!

The winners of the America America (1963) Giveaway...

... as chosen by Random.org are...


Entry # 5 
Thomas

Thomas' favorite Elia Kazan film is On The Waterfront (1954). His great grandfather brought the family over from Norway after having lots of luck playing poker in America!






Entry #12
Kate Gabrielle of Scathingly Brilliant

Kate's favorite Elia Kazan film is Splendor in the Grass (1961). Kate has an eclectic mix of Latvian, Romanian, Welsh, Irish and Hungarian coursing through her veins!





Entry #20
Becky of many blogs including Classic Film and TV Cafe

Becky's favorite Elia Kazan film is A Face in the Crowd (1957). Becky's face goes mysteriously green every St. Patrick's Day. Perhaps not so mysterious because her family came over to the US from Ireland in the mid-1800s. From Scotland too!

 

Congrats to the winners! Please e-mail me at Quellelove at gmail dot com with your information so I can send off your prize. Thanks to everyone who participated in this giveaway! I loved reading all the entries.

America, America (1963) Giveaway

It's giveaway time! Warner Bros. has provided me with the opportunity to give away 3 DVDs of America America (1963). You could be a lucky winner! 

You have the option of entering up to 3 times. The first entry is required and the second and third entries are optional. They just increase your chances of winning.

1. First Entry: In the comment section, tell me in a few sentences how your family came to America. And yes your family immigrated here. Even if you are 100% full blooded Native American because of the immigration over the Bering Land Bridge thousands of years ago. We all started somewhere else!

2. Second Entry: Follow Out of the Past on Facebook or follow @ClassicFilmRead on Twitter. Tell me which one you did in the comments section. If you already a follower, let me know in the comments too. It counts!

3. Third Entry: In the comment section, tell me which Elia Kazan film is your personal favorite and why.

Contest ends March 30th. Winner will be announced shortly thereafter! U.S participants only (the irony of that is crazy right?)

America, America (1963)

When you give someone a glimmer of hope, they will do anything to make that hope a reality.

Inspired by the uncle who brought the Kazan family from Turkey to the United States, America, America (1963) is Elia Kazan's tribute not only to his family but to all of those other families who have left their beloved homeland with the hope of achieving prosperity in America. If you are first-generation or even second-generation American, you may be familiar with your own family's story of how they came to live in the U.S. The national identity of so many immigrants were ingrained in them that the only thing that could drive them away from their homeland was extreme desperation as a result of being in dire circumstances. Both of my parents are immigrants who became naturalized citizens of the United States. My dad is from Portugal and moved to America during the JFK administration. He grew up in a seaside town and at a very young age would sew fishing nets for local fisherman as a way to help his family make ends meet. My dad has seen war and poverty and he was once penniless and homeless on the streets of Amsterdam. He came to America knowing that here he could make something of himself. All he needed to do was work hard and have lots of determination and he could make his dreams come true. My mother is from the Dominican Republic and she was born into the dictatorship of Trujillo. That country had seen so much strife during the dictatorship and after Trujillo's assassination. My mother has seen people killed in the streets, knew how to make do with very little and had to forego school and hide in her home (oftentimes under her bed for days at a time) during US military occupation of the DR when she was 14 years old. She came to America when she married my father and both of them provided me with a life they weren't able to have in their respective countries. So watching America, America (1963) was very important for me. It reminded me of the struggle that my parents went through and made me appreciate the basic human need for happiness and prosperity.

America, America stars Stathis Giallelis as Stavros Topouzoglou, a young Greek man living in late 19th century Turkey during the Ottoman Empire. Turkey was going through a tumultuous time with Turkish soldiers oppressing Armenian and Greek citizens of the country. Stavros hears about the opportunities of America; a land in which he and his family can be safe and can make a new and happy life for themselves. Determined to make it to America and to bring his family with him, Stavros sets off to Constantinople in hopes of getting a job and earning the 130 Turkish Pounds he needs to pay for a working class ticket on a US bound vessel. Stavros tries to earn the money honestly but all the brutal obstacles he faces wear him down. What's a young man to do when his only hope seems unattainable, when his one dream is at stake and the future of his family rests on his success?

Elia Kazan took a lot of chances with this film. Here is what The Elia Kazan Collection boxed set book says about Kazan's casting of Giallelis: 

Kazan often employed inexperience locals as film extras, and some even had small speaking parts in his prior films. But Kazan took this strategy to a new extreme in America, America, casting a complete novice in the lead role of Stavros. Stathis Giallelis was discovered by Kazan in the Athens office of a Greek film producer/director - sweeping the floor. Giallelis not only lacked acting experience, he required tutoring in English. Despite this tremendous risk by Kazan, Giallelis delivered an acclaimed performance. After considering established actors in both Europe and the United States, Kzana entrusted his most personal and precious work to an absolute newcomer, because Kazan saw the story of his family and the hardship of the immigrant's journey in Giallelis.

This film isn't for everyone but I encourage you to watch it anyways. It was difficult for me to watch because of Stavros' struggle and how it lasted nearly 3 hours on screen yet I know that the real story lasted years. I don't think many film enthusiasts have given America, America enough credit for it's gripping portrayal of immigrant struggle as well as the genius behind the casting, direction and cinematography. Watch it. I hope you won't regret it.

God Speed Elizabeth Taylor

 

Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011)

We all knew this was coming and that it was coming soon. Unfortunately, Dame Elizabeth Taylor passed away this morning. She had been suffering from so many health problems in the past few years and they escalated recently. She's now at rest. It would have been mean for us to want her to stay with us longer so let us instead appreciate her long life and wonderfully varied film career.

Elizabeth Taylor was one of those few actresses whom we've seen at every stage of life. She started off as a child actress in well-known films as National Velvet (1944) and as a teenager in Father of the Bride (1950) (still a virginal dame just around the time of her first of many marriages). She blossomed into a stunning woman with a figure to die for, eyes that bore into your soul and with a charisma that kept audiences transfixed. I loved watching her in A Place in the Sun (1951), Giant (1956), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and BUtterfield 8 (1960).

When I wrote about Jane Russell's passing, I pointed how good a friend she was to Robert Mitchum. Elizabeth Taylor was a good friend to many especially troubled entertainers such as Montgomery Clift (she saved the man's life when they were in a car accident) and Michael Jackson. Yes she stole a couple of husbands along the way but for the most part she had a kind, humanitarian heart. Elizabeth Taylor had quite a life; one full of ups and downs. Now that she's passed on, let us be kind and remember her for all she contributed to film history and to entertainment culture. God Speed Elizabeth.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) at the Somerville Theatre

Carlos, Frank, Kevin and I saw The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, a historic building in the middle of Davis Square. Built in 1914, it first started off as a theater for plays, vaudeville and other shows but since the advent of motion pictures it added films to its repertoire. Today, the Somerville theatre showcases contemporary films, live musical performances and fun shows like the annual Slutcracker (oh yes, Carlos and I went to that. Two years in a row!). What the Somerville Theatre doesn't often show is classic films. So when they announced on their Facebook page that they would be showing an archival print of The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) in March, this Robert Mitchum loving gal was so excited. 

The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a quiet crime caper. And no that is not an oxymoron. It takes place in my beloved Boston and it centers around criminals and detectives connected with Eddie Coyle (Robert Mitchum). While there are some action scenes, it's a quiet movie that focuses more on interpersonal relationships between the other characters and Eddie Coyle and the plot escalates as Coyle gets himself into deeper and deeper trouble. Coyle is an ex-con who just got out of prison but faces more jail time in New Hampshire for helping a guy from Burlington, MA smuggle some booze over state lines. He's trying to earn a lot money to get his family out of Quincy, MA and to Florida so they can live new lives and leave Coyle's criminal past behind. He simultaneously tries to make a bargain with local police detective Dave Foley (Richard Jordan) to get himself out of the NH jail time while also buying guns from a gun runner to help out a gang of robbers pull off various bank heists. Coyle thinks he's got it all figured out but there are way too many hands in the pot and things become very complicated. The film was directed by Peter Yates and also co-stars Peter Boyle. It inspired much of The Town (2010). 

Filmed in the Boston area, one of the novelties for myself and for other Bostonians is seeing all the 70s era version of our favorite Boston locations. Or seeing some long gone sites. I don't want to go into this film in too much detail because I still have a dream of writing a more in depth homage. So instead, I wanted to share some pictures of our outing to see this film on the big screen. Special thank you to Carlos, Frank and Kevin for joining me in this adventure.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle on the Somerville Theatre Marquee. If you look closely, I'm on the far right looking up at the marquee.

Here is Frank in front of the Somerville Theatre sign in the lobby.

Somerville Theatre serves beer and wine. Here's my cup o' beer and my cloche hat.

This is the inside of the Somerville Theatre.

An action shot of Kevin with his beer getting ready to enjoy the movie.

Had to get a shot of the film name in the Title Sequence. Fo sho!

I almost missed this shot because some lady wanted to sit right in front of me. No one, and I mean NO ONE gets in the way of me and Robert Mitchum.

Some more shots in front of the sign. Me, Kevin and Frank.

Carlos and I.

God Speed Jane Russell

Jane Russell

1921-2011

Jane Russell was a full-figured woman with flare and attitude. She spoke her mind and wasn't afraid of what people thought of her. I think her impervious personality, her thoughtfulness as well as her down-to-earth nature was what Robert Mitchum, her best friend for many years, admired so much about her. In fact, she was the only non-family member who attended the spreading of Mitchum's ashes.

In the book Baby I Don't Care: Robert Mitchum, Lee Server says the following about Russell's early friendship with Mitchum.

Bob and Jane got along like old buddies... She would rave about his astounding command of the English language - even as he would tell her she was the most inarticulate girl he knew. He would tease her about her God-fearing ways, but he understood she was no Loretta Young, wallowing in piety. He loved to tell the one about the pestering report who couldn't believe a girl with her 'image' read the Bible and went to church each Sunday. 'Hey buddy,' she told him, 'Christians have big breasts, too.' She was good-natured, generous, strong-minded when she had to be, a stand-up guy. Mitchum nickname her 'Hard John.' They became fast friends. 

If you haven't seen the Private Screenings episode with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell being interviewed by Robert Osborne, I highly suggest you watch it. You learn a lot about both of the actors as well as their dealings with Howard Hughes and their days at RKO. I hope TCM will show it soon with Jane Russell's recent passing.

God Speed Jane Russell. Hope you'll continue to be fabulous wherever you are.

Here is the trailer to my favorite Jane Russell film, His Kind of Woman (1951).

The Uglification of Bette Davis & the Oscars

The Oscars are just around the corner and in thinking of these awards, I'm reminded how, in the past 10 years or so, the Academy has favored actresses who have transformed themselves physically for their movie role with nominations and/or Oscar statuettes. In an industry that is so focused on a specific type of beauty, the fact that these actresses were willing to sacrifice what they had in order to throw themselves into a role that they believed in is in many ways admirable. Let's look at a few examples:

Hilary Swank in Boys Don't Cry (1999) - won
Salma Hayek in Frida (2002) - nominated
Nicole Kidman in The Hours (2002) - won
Charlize Theron in Monster (2003) - won
Mo'Nique in Precious (2009) - won

While this seems like a recent trend, it has happened in the past. Certain classic film actresses chose to strip their makeup and expose themselves to the harsh unforgiving lens of the movie camera in order to honor their character's role in the film. One that comes to mind is Norma Shearer in Marie Antoinette (1938). Yes I know it's one of her "prestige" films and she donned wigs, makeup and fabulous period costumes throughout the film. But at the end of the movie, when Marie Antoinette is imprisoned and about to be beheaded, there is a poignant scene with Norma Shearer, sans makeup and with a worn and fearful expression on her countenance all of which makes you forget that she is the Queen of MGM.

The best example I can think of, of a classic film actress undergoing a dramatic physical transformation is Bette Davis in The Private Lives of Essex and Elizabeth (1939). Davis was determined, at all costs, to look the part of Queen Elizabeth I. And in a time when historical pictures were frivolous with facts and details, it's admirable to see how devoted Davis was to being as historically accurate as possible.

From the book, Fasten Your Seat Belts: The Passionate Life of Bette Davis by Lawrence J. Quirk

[Makeup artist] Perc Westmore... shaved Davis's hair back two inches, thus underlining the reality of baldness under the red wigs and hairpieces. He then applied white, pasty makeup and shaved off her eyebrows, replacing them with thin lines that, in Robert Lord's words, 'made her look like a baby in a Halloween mask and costume.'

Davis spent much time studying portrait reproductions provided by the research department, seeking to approximate Elizabeth's actual appearance as accurately as possible. Her own appearance meant nothing to her - only historical accuracy. 'Make me up horribly, and dress me outlandishly - I don't care, so long as you get the essence of the original,' she told Perc Westmore and [costume designer] Orry-Kelly. 

Yet Bette Davis didn't win the Oscar for this performance. She wasn't even nominated for it. Instead, the Academy favored her performance in Dark Victory (1939) more and she was nominated for that role. If Bette Davis had done the same two performances in today's day and age, would she have won for Private Lives of Essex and Elizabeth instead?

Fireball (1950) and thank you to @WarnerArchive

Fireball (1950) is pure novelty! From the campy plot, to Marilyn Monroe's supporting role, to Mickey Rooney on roller skates. It's a film I've been waiting years to see, ever since I had plotted to watch every Marilyn Monroe film known to man. And I've seen a lot. The good, the bad and the downright ugly. I watched a horrible late Marx Bros. movie for just a glimpse of Marilyn Monroe. I suffered through scenes with Ricardo Montalban macking on a not-so-sexy June Allyson in front of her then husband Dick Powell in Right Cross (1950) ::shudder::. But I've also discovered some really great films such as The Asphalt Jungle (1950), Clash By Night (1952) and All About Eve (1950). I've seen most of Monroe's catalog except for 4 and folks are not even sure if she's in 2 of those! What I really wanted to see was Fireball. Mickey Rooney, roller skating and Marilyn Monroe. That was enough to sell me on it. It helps that I had a career in roller skating too (a short career that ended with a broken hand).

Mickey Rooney plays Johnny Casar, a rebellious teen who is desperate to get out of the orphanage run by Father O'Hara (Edward O'Brien). Desperate for a meal, he steals some roller skates to pawn them for some cash. But when a cop stops him, he's forced to pretend the skates are his, puts them on and rolls on down the street in comedic fashion and lands himself right in front of a diner. This is when a series of opportunities present themselves to Johnny, and the eager young man seizes every single one of them and eventually rises to become a Roller Derby star. Marilyn Monroe is a sophisticated party gal who is in with the ritzy crowd but is titillated by the danger and excitement that comes with watching Roller Derby (it's like a fancy gal watching a boxing match in a pre-code!).

There is a lot of Mickey Rooney hate out there but you won't find it here. I love Mickey Rooney. For pete's sake, I drove all the way to Atlantic City to see the legend perform on stage. Rooney was as far away from me that glorious night in NJ as our television screen is from my sofa. Rooney is a pint-size ball of energy and his forte was entertaining on screen and on stage with that endless enthusiasm. Rooney was perfect for the role of Johnny. He had a knack for physical comedy and his energy allowed him to keep up with all the skating (and yes he did skate in most of the film!). If anyone is going to play a tireless pint-size athlete with a stubborn will to succeed, it's gotta be Mickey Rooney. (May I suggest a double feature with Rooney's other got-himself-in-too-deep film Quicksand (1950)?)

What's so wonderful about the Warner Archive is that we get to see all of those wonderful films that have been collecting dust for years in the Warner Bros. vaults. They are wonderful for a few reasons. Some are so bad, they are just so much fun to see. Some are real jewels, ones we've lusted after for years but were always out of reach. Some are brand new discoveries, eye-opening adventures. So thank you Warner Archive for putting out Fireball (1950). I thank you from the bottom of my Mickey-Rooney-Marilyn-Monroe-Roller-Skating-loving heart.

Interview with John Stangeland, Warren William biographer

I had the pleasure of interviewing John Stangeland, author of the book Warren William: Magnificent Scoundrel of Pre-Code Hollywood (read my review of the book here). Apart from being a Warren William expert, an excellent writer and a swell guy all around, Stangeland is also a freelance comic book artist for Marvel, DC, Comico, Malibu and Now Comics. He owns a comic book store called Atlas Comics in Norridge, Illinois.

Please make sure you check out Stangeland's guest post on Cliff's website Warren-William.com as well as Cliff's interview of Stangeland.

Stangeland is also on Twitter (@magnificentcad) and writes a blog called: Magnificentscoundrel's Blog: Celebrating Warren William, Hollywood's Genius of Scurility.

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How did you first develop an interest in Warren William?

I've been watching classic Hollywood movies since I was a young kid in the early 70's, but it wasn't until 2004 that I encountered the essential Warren William. That summer, a friend gave me a tape of Skyscraper Souls, The Mouthpiece and Employees' Entrance, and I was both completely baffled and utterly fascinated. I couldn't believe I wasn't aware of him, especially since I was such a long time Warner Brothers fan. I subsequently realized that I had seen him multiple times before - in Imitation of Life and The Wolfman, among other pictures - but that those performances never made any kind of impression on me. His starring roles were clearly of a different stripe: forceful and charged with energy - unlike, for example Madame X, where he drifts in and out without much to do. I was hooked from that very day. From there, my curiousity got the better of me. With no solid information out there about him, I began some modest detective work and little by little I got hooked by the process.

Why did you decide to write this book? 

Besides my general interest, there were a few personal reasons for undertaking this project. First, the more I learned about Warren William the more I liked him, and the more I found him to share some similar characteristics with me. That made it very easy to devote my energy to uncovering his story. Also, my interest in history is very strong, and Warren's story - being famous and then forgotten - was extremely intriguing. I think the past is immensely important and not enough people pay attention to it, so the opportunity to document someone for modern audiences to rediscover was uppermost in my mind. Finally, it was my greatest opportunity to avoid beginning a creative project and not finishing it, something I've done a number of times. The energy, the interest and the desire were all there and stayed strong throughout, not the least because I respected and liked Warren William so much.  

What do you hope readers of your book will get out of the experience?

First, I hope they'll have a reasonably complete picture of Warren's life and the times in which he worked. More importantly, I hope readers take to heart the idea of sharing what they love with others around them. Anything someone hasn't read or seen before is new to them, and if anything - new or old - speaks to you, it should be passed on to those who can husband it for subsequent generations. That continuity is something like immortality. 

How long did it take you to write it and how much research did you do?

If I had been aware of how long this would all take I might have thought better of it right at the beginning! I did some online snooping for a number of months before I took my first research trip out to the West Coast in the summer of 2006. I really consider that the start of the actual process of writing the book. During the course of the next three years I went to Los Angeles twice more, and also traveled to New York, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Minnesota to dredge up leads. A lot of people helped along the way: archivists, historians, librarians, and of course Warren's surviving family members, who were nothing but gracious and generous with their time, memories and artifacts. In the end, I believe that there was about three solid years of research, and perhaps eighteen months of writing and pulling it together. Most of this was done in my spare time - nights and weekends - stretching the whole process to just over three and a half years from serious start to finished manuscript. 

Did you visit Aitkin, Minnesota, Warren William's home town, during your research?

I did indeed. It's about seven hours from where I live in Chicago, and I took a weekend trip there in 2008. The people couldn't have been nicer; I had a local writer (and resident Warren William fan) to show me around, and I was able to peruse the archives of the Aitkin Independent Age newspaper, which Warren's father owned. I even received a tour of the house young Warren William grew up in (built the summer he was five years old), which was a genuine treat. In addition to the opportunity to pick up facts that I couldn't find anywhere else, it was very helpful to get a sense of the place. Aitkin hasn't changed much in the intervening years, still being a small, close knit community. Seeing where Warren grew and played was indispensible for flavor and color. 

What was the most frustrating part of doing your research? Most joyful?

There was surprizingly little frustration in the research. A lot of things seemed to come together in pieces that fit very well with what I already knew. The joy of this project was most certainly encountering the extremely generous and good hearted people who helped me along the way. My Aitkin contact, Connie Pettersen, went above and beyond. Archivists at Warner Brothers, the Shubert organization, the American Academy and many other places were simply marvelous. The moment that I found Warren's neices (with the help of the lovely Valerie Yaroz at SAG) was very satisfying. Both Barbara and Patricia are particularly sweet, and meeting them was probably the high point of the process - they really love their famous uncle. 

Is there anything about Warren William you wanted to find out about but couldn't?

I really wish I had been able to discover more about Warren's health troubles during his final years. I did piece together a solid framework of the story, but I wanted to have access to more details. Unfortunately, those records are either long gone, or simply lost to the ages. Oh, and I'd certainly like to know more about Bette Davis' accusation of Warren's wolfish behavior towards her. It seems utterly out of place, but as a historian and researcher I can't dismiss it or confirm it without some further information.

Is there anything about Warren William that surprised you?

The fact that he and his wife Helen were so far apart in age - she was 17 years his senior - was quite a surprize. They stayed together the rest of their lives in spite of his parents objections, and the presumed siren calls of his being a film star during the Golden Age of Hollywood. THAT is an accomplishment.

Which film do you consider Warren William's best? Worst?

This is a VERY tough question. I've had the unenviable task of introducing Warren William to many people over the last five or six years, and I'm always aware of the difficulty of deciding just which persona that I want to reveal based on the temperament of the person who is seeing him for the first time. Not everyone appreciates him as the magnificent bastard of Skyscraper Souls or Employees' Entrance - he did his job so well in those pictures that some people simply dislike him as a result. If I were going to pick the film that seems the most satisfying to modern audiences AND features one of his best performances, it would be The Mouthpiece (1932). It has a great character arc, and some genuinely riveting scenes. And, although it has some modest deficiencies, I think Lady For a Day is quite satisfying. Although the focus of the picture is on May Robson, Warren has a fantastic role and gives a great performance in it.

As to his worst film, I'm going to have to pick Satan Met a Lady (1936). I know it is starting to garner a minor rep as an underrated screwball farce, but I'm not on that bandwagon. It's a cheap, unruly attempt to forge a mystery / comedy hybrid and it fails miserably, as least partly because Warren overplays his role to grotesque proportions. And my runner up is Smarty (1934) - as reprehensible and disagreeable a film as I've ever seen. 

What was the most fun piece of information/trivia you found out about Warren William?

The love he showed for dogs was simply amazing. Warren and his wife had no kids, and it was clear that their dogs were surrogate children for the couple. During his life he did a LOT of charity work for animal rights, and even donated some of his estate to help those creatures that had given him so much pleasure. The thing that almost everyone else comments on is his amateur inventing career, and the creation of his "rolling apartment" - the panel truck that he personally built and outfitted as one of the earliest recreational vehicles. If there were one other thing I'd like to have that I couldn't find, it would be some photographs of his motorized brain child.

The last thing I'd like to say, Raquelle - after thanking you for your interest - is that if people love Warren William, I hope they'll continue to spread the word of his career. My greatest wish is that 50 or 100 years from now, there are still fans talking about him and rediscovering his work. And if they want to learn more, I'm proud to have done the work for them to find out what they'd like to know.