My Life In A Month With Archie...November Review.

 Well, here we are, the penultimate month of 2020! Like most months since March it was a blur...but here's a reminder:

November 1st:

With James Stewart.

"Well I would swap you October for November, but frankly it doesn't look any better!" Here we go another month that doesn't look great!

November 2nd:

With Eva Marie Saint.

"Well if you had said that we were eating at KFC of course I'd have dressed differently!" - Picture taken on the main street in Rapid City, Dakota where CG was filming nearby in North By Northwest.

November 3rd:

From Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

The second national lockdown was about to start - "Panic buying again? Unbelievable!!"

November 4th:

From Kiss and Make-Up (1934)

Deliveries today seemed to be multiplying...Hmm!

November 5th:

From Suspicion (1941) with Joan Fontaine and Nigel Bruce.

You should always remember, remember...good jokes! The caption read; "That's right...Two boys...in a park...One was eating a firework...One drinking battery acid...The Police were called...They charged one...Let the other off!...Get it!?"

November 6th:

From The Pride and The Passion (1957).

Trying not to get too distracted by some amazing clouds today!  One of the great perks of a driving job.

November 7th:

From The Pride and The Passion (1957).

A picture connection here with yesterday's post - Today is about getting out and getting a little bit of wind in my hair!!

November 8th:

With Jennifer Grant and cuddly toy.

I loved Rupert the Bear! And today was his 100th anniversary. "Let me introduce you...Well...You know me...This is Jennifer...And the bear?...That's Rupert!...Everyone sings his name!"

November 9th:

With Joan Fontaine from Suspicion (1941).

"Hmm...You have a planner for your entire week? Would you mind if I take a look?...Because I'm fresh out of ideas!!!"

November 10th:

Yup...Not looking too good out there today, so I'm going to stay in and catch up on a few things...Laundry and Cleaning!!!"

November 11th:

Cary Grant pictures like this always get plenty of likes. Caption reads - Hard to tell what the weather is going to be like on dark mornings...But still going to wear a jumper...Hmm!

November 12th:

From Walk, Don't Run!(1966). Cary Grant final scene on film.

All good things...I said my final goodbye 19 years ago, to one of the most decent human beings I've known...My Dad!

November 13th:

The first film release of the month, The Bishop's Wife (1947) with Loretta Young and David Niven.

November 14th:

The second film release in as many days, Suspicion (1941) with Joan Fontaine.

November 15th:

Feeling the need for a biscuit - "Yes!...That's right!...Yes!...That's what I said!...Oreos...double cream!!"

November 16th:

With Sunny Harnett.

Just a great picture to start the week!

November 17th:

One of my ramblings - "Inspite of the ups and downs in life, I remind myself of the simple facts - I was loved, I am loved and I do love. What a marvelous life!"

November 18th:

That parcel you went to great lengths to be in for?...It's coming a day early!!!!...Hmmm!

November 19th:

The third film release of the month, Houseboat (1958) with Sophia Loren.

November 20th:

With second wife, Barbara Hutton.

The start of a weekend full of watching CG films - "You can see from the itinerary, my films are planned to show all weekend! So make yourself as comfortable as possible!"

First films today, The Pride and The Passion (1957), Houseboat (1958) and Penny Serenade (1941).

November 21st:

From In Name Only (1939) with Carole Lombard.

Day 2 of CG weekend - "Yes, I know!...The pages do look empty, but I can assure you that my schedule is full!!"

Films today, Gunga Din (1939) and The Talk Of The Town (1942).

November 22nd:

From Operation Petticoat (1959).

Day three of the CG Weekend - watching Operation Petticoat (1959) and None But The Lonely Heart (1944).

November 23rd:

With Audrey Hepburn in Charade (1963).

"I am going to try and start this new week off with quiet serenity and without fanfare!

November 24th:

Behind the scene on To Catch A Thief (1955) with Grace Kelly.

Apparently if you close your eyes now and count up to midnight on 31st December...2020 will disappear!!!

True!

November 25th: 

With Director Frank Capra on the set of Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

"What do you mean nothing!? What kind of treasure map is it? There must be something buried here!"

November 26th:

With Raymond Massey, from Arsenic and Old Lace (1944).

My older brother was born today 54 years ago - "My brother has one thing over me...He's taller!"

November 27th:

The fourth film release of the month, Once Upon A Honeymoon (1942) with Ginger Rogers.

November 28th:

At the Municipal "Muny" Opera, 4th from the right.

The last time there was a queue this big outside Argos...Jason was recruiting!! - Sometimes I make myself laugh!

November 29th:

With fifth wife, Barbara Harris.

Today marks the 34th anniversary of Cary Grant's death. Picture used is one of the last ones of him.

(See blog for more).

November 30th:

With Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday (1940).

The end of the month - "Really? You think we can make it? I might just need one more day to prepare myself!"

So another month passes, with four films released, 3 anniversaries marked and numerous musing about the weather and the state of 2020...

...What will the final month have in store? I guess we'll soon find out!

On This Day...Cary Grant's Last Rehearsal (1986)

On the 29th November 1986, Cary Grant passed away at St. Luke's Hospital, Davenport, Iowa. He was 82 years old.

With his wife Barbara.

After feeling unwell in the afternoon whilst finalising the set up for his "A Conversation With Cary Grant" show, at the Adler Theatre, his health deteriorated and at 11.22pm he succumbed to what was noted on his death certificate as a "massive intracerebral hemorrhage".

Certificate of Death.

With Davenport's Adler Theatre Chief Stagehand, Jack Dexter.

How the news reported it:

"Cary Grant looks weary and pensive as wife Barbara whispers in his ear, in this tragic last picture taken on stage only moments before his fatal collapse on Saturday night. "I'm sorry I can't go on" Grant told her. Six hours later the beloved 82 year old actor, who had been rehearsing for a charity performance in the Mississippi River town of Davenport, Iowa was dead - a trouper to the very last" - New York Post

Many articles and books have been written that cover the final hours of Cary Grant's life. Today this post simply marks the occasion and puts some interesting and common articles together in one place.

My only comment is that is influence, style, charm and humour are still here today in the huge body of work that he left behind as his legacy.

Archie did good!

On This Day...Once Upon A Honeymoon (1942)

On this day in 1942, Cary Grant released his 42nd full length film, Once Upon a Honeymoon. His first of two films with Ginger Rogers.

Synopsis:

At the start of WWII, Katie O'Hara (Ginger Rogers), an American burlesque girl intent on social climbing, marries Austrian Baron Von Luber (Walter Slezak). Pat O'Toole (Cary Grant), an American radio reporter, sees this as a chance to investigate Von Luber, who is suspected of having Nazi ties. 

As country after country falls to the Nazis, O'Tool follows O'Hara across Europe. At first he is after a story, but he gradually falls in love with her. When she learns that her husband is indeed a Nazi, O'Hara fakes her death and runs off with O'Toole. In Paris, she is recruited to spy for the allies; he uses a radio broadcast to make Von Luber and the Nazis look like fools.

"Cary Grant is quite believable as the radio news analyst who turns on his French and German dialects and Irish charm with equal facility." - Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal.

With Ginger Rogers.

Did You Know?

Berlin-born Natasha Lytess, who appears in the small role as the Jewish hotel maid, was Marilyn Monroe's acting coach and friend for many years.

Cary Grant thought the screenplay was rubbish, but agreed to do the film because he had been condemned for allegedly dodging the draft in both the UK and the US.

The question of top billing was resolved by having half of the prints with Cary Grant listed first, and the other half with Ginger Rogers listed first. The TCM print lists Grant first, but the programs distributed for the world premiere at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City listed Rogers first.

O'Toole ends his coerced radio broadcast with the phrase, "Tell it to the Marines." In the English usage of that day, the retort "Tell it to the Marines" meant, "Everything you just said is total bull, and cannot be believed for one minute." So by ending the speech that way, he was telling his American listeners that everything he had just said in the broadcast was untrue. Presumably his Nazi captors did not get the nuance, but the moviegoing audience would have.

With Albert Bassermann.

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Patrick O'Toole
 Ginger Rogers ... Kathie O'Hara
 Walter Slezak ... Baron Franz Von Luber
 Albert Dekker ... Gaston Le Blanc
 Albert Bassermann ... Gen. Borelski
 Ferike Boros ... Elsa
 John Banner ... German Capt. Von Kleinoch
 Harry Shannon ... Ed Cumberland
 Natasha Lytess ... Anna

Lobby Cards:

Press Stills:

International Posters:

"There Was a Honeymoon" (Spanish)

Directed by Leo McCarey.

Produced by RKO Radio.

Running time: 116 minutes.