The Grass is Greener (1960)

   "...a handsome production in Technicolor with lovely shots of England... "

The Grass is Greener - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"The best thing about The Grass is Greener is its title, which fits so well an inexplicable set of circumstances.  The worst thing about the picture is that producer-director Stanley Donen forgot he was making a movie, and in spite of all its glitter and glamorous cast, this film is awfully static and talky - and no fresher and greener than those comedies that used to turn up on our stages regularly in the thirties.  

The script that Hugh and Margaret Williams wrote from their popular London stage comedy is only so-so funny, but Donen has given his picture a handsome production in Technicolor with lovely shots of England and the interior and exterior of Grant's elegant mansion.  Brighter than the dialogue is the musical score stemming from Noel Coward's songs.  It's too bad Coward couldn't have written the wisecracks too."

- Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 68 - The Grass is Greener (Lobby Card Style)

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An Affair to Remember (1957)

      "...an early exponent of cinematic charm, still looks good and talks good..."

With Deborah Kerr.

An Affair to Remember - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"Leo McCarey has had the good sense not to pretend that this romantic comedy is ever anything more than that, meanwhile exploiting a quality so long absent from the screen that it comes through with all the force of a brand new discovery - namely, charm.  Jerry Wald, the producer, observed that one reason there were so few real love stories being made any more was because there were so few actors who could play them convincingly.  "Today's actors," he said, "either look good and talk lousy or they look lousy and talk good."  Well, Cary Grant, an early exponent of cinematic charm, still looks good and talks good - and his graceful performance as a playboy is one good reason for seeing this film." 

- Arthur Knight, Saturday Review

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 62 - An Affair to Remember (Lobby Card Style)

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Dream Wife (1953)

      "...Cary Grant is on hand to get laughs where it isn't always possible to find them in the script."

With Deborah Kerr.

Dream Wife - Review is taken from 'The Films of Cary Grant' by Donald Deschner (1973):

"Dream Wife was made under the personal supervision of Dore Schary and Cary Grant is on hand to get laughs where it isn't always possible to find them in the script.  Nevertheless, this uneven mixture of sophisticated humor and downright slapstick amounts to little more than a fairly amusing comedy.

- Newsweek

New Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36 -
Number 59 - Dream Wife (Lobby Card Style)

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Quote From Today... The Grass is Greener (1960)

  

"Oh. You mean you prefer to be unhappy

 and abnormal."

With Robert Mitchum

The Grass is Greener was Cary Grant's 68th full-length feature film.

Trevor Sellers, the Butler: I wonder if I might have a word with you, Milord.

Victor Rhyall, Earl: So do I, so we're both probably right. Now what's the matter, Sellers?

Trevor Sellers, the Butler: As I told you, Milord, I haven't any work to do.

Victor Rhyall, Earl: What about your novel, why aren't you working at that?

Trevor Sellers, the Butler: I'm stuck badly. Nearly tore the whole thing up last night.

Victor Rhyall, Earl: Oh, now, now, you mustn't do that! What's the trouble?

Trevor Sellers, the Butler: Almost certainly the basic trouble is myself. I'm fundamentally happy and contented. That's bad enough, of course. But on top of that, I'm normal. And that's fatal.

Victor Rhyall, Earl: Oh. You mean you prefer to be unhappy and abnormal.

Trevor Sellers, the Butler: Of course! You see, I want to be a success, and to be a success, one must at least start off by being modern. And like yourself, Milord, I'm not. It means I have no feelings of insecurity or frustration. No despair.

Victor Rhyall, Earl: And that's essential?

Trevor Sellers, the Butler: The first essential! I feel perfectly content, really rather blameless, and hardly resent anything at all!

Victor Rhyall, Earl: Well, you are in a pickle, aren't you? Well now, you must have known all that when you gave up teaching to become a writer! You answered my advertisement for a butler, and when I asked you what your qualifications were you said you had a degree in science. Now in spite of such a ludicrous recommendation I engaged you, partly because you told me you wanted to write a novel. Luckily you turned out very well. Now, why don't you go back to your typewriter and take another crack at this, Sellers, might do you good. You might feel better now!

Quote From Today... An Affair to Remember (1957)

   "But you have such an honest face."

With Deborah Kerr.

An Affair to Remember was Cary Grant's 62nd full length feature film.

Nickie Ferrante: But you have such an honest face.

Terry McKay: I have?

Nickie Ferrante: I can trust you can't I?

Terry McKay:Yes, I suppose so .

Nickie Ferrante: Good, come with me.

Terry McKay: Yes, but the Captain has an honest face too! Why can't you tell him your troubles?

Quote From Today... Dream Wife (1953)

 "...Some of the sand was missing!"

With Deborah Kerr.

Dream Wife was Cary Grant's 59th full length feature film.

Clemson Reade: We haven't been able to make a definite plan since we met.

Effie: Well, we went to Vermont for two weeks.

Clemson Reade: Yes. Yes, that's right. To her grandfather's farm. For two wonderful relaxing weeks in glorious Vermont.

Walter McBride: Tim'll be there in September.

Clemson Reade: We spent one day there. She had to leave to take care of the crisis in Sahara; some of the sand was missing.

Effie: Well, you stayed on.

Clemson Reade: With grandfather. It wasn't the same thing.

On This Day...The Grass is Greener (1960)

 On this date in 1960, The Grass is Greener, Cary Grant's 68th full length film, was released.

Synopsis:

Victor (Cary Grant) and Hillary (Deborah Kerr) are down on their luck to the point that they allow tourists to take guided tours of their castle. 

But Charles Delacro (Robert Mitchum), a millionaire oil tycoon, visits and takes a liking to more than the house. Soon, Hattie Durant (Jean Simmons) gets involved and they have a good old fashioned love triangle.

With Deborah Kerr.

"It's one of the year's most disappointing films." - James Powers, Hollywood Reporter.

With Jean Simmons, Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum.

"...In spite of all its glitter and glamorous cast, this film is awfully static and talky..."

 - Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal.

Did You Know?

It was originally intended by director Stanley Donen that Cary Grant would play the part of "Delacro", the American tourist, whilst Rex Harrison and his real-life wife Kay Kendall were respectively cast as "Victor Rhyall" and "Hattie". But Kendall died soon after completing an earlier Stanley Donen film, "Once More With Feeling", and Rex Harrison dropped out of the film because of this. Cary Grant agreed to play Victor instead of Delacro, and both Rock Hudson and Charlton Heston were approached about playing the American character. Both refused, and Robert Mitchum was cast quite late in the proceedings, making no fuss at all about taking third-billing. Cary Grant often claimed this had "saved the film" and praised his performance highly.


Cary Grant's third collaboration with Deborah Kerr. They had previously worked together on Dream Wife (1953) and An Affair to Remember (1957).


The second and final film produced by Grandon Productions, a company started and owned by star Cary Grant and director Stanley Donen.

With Jean Simmons.

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Victor Rhyall, Earl
 Deborah Kerr ... Lady Hilary Rhyall
 Robert Mitchum ... Charles Delacro
 Jean Simmons ... Hattie Durant
 Moray Watson ... Trevor Sellers, the Butler

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Stanley Donen

Distributed by Universal- International.

Running time: 104 minutes.

"Do Not Disturb!"  "Disturb Me!" "Disturb Me Please!" "Disturb!"

On This Day...Night and Day(1946) and An Affair to Remember(1957)

Two of Cary Grant's films were released on this date...11 years apart.

Night and Day was Cary Grant's 48th full length feature film and, An Affair to Remember was his 62nd.

Night and Day (1946)

Grant plays Cole Porter in this bio-pic, celebrating not only Porter's music but also the 20th anniversary of "Talking Pictures".

Grant appeared alongside Alexis Smith as Linda Lee Porter.

For Warner Brothers big anniversary film, most reviews seemed to agree that it was the music that was the main attraction.

The Commonweal wrote - "Cary Grant so underplaying the role that he's always Cary Grant."

Monty Wolley, pictured above with Grant, played himself as he was a very close friend of Cole Porter and went to Yale together. He later became his advisor.

Songs included, "What Is This Thing Called Love?," "I've Got You Under My Skin," "Begin the Beguine," and "I Get a Kick Out of You."

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Michael Curtiz.

Produced and distributed by Warner Bros., Inc.

Running time: 132 minutes

An Affair to Remember (1957)

Cary Grant stars alongside Deborah Kerr, in their 2nd film together, in a remake of  Love Affair (1939), which starred Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer.

Grant plays bachelor, Nickie Ferrante. Whilst returning to New York via Naples, to marry a wealthy heiress, he meets Terry McKay (Kerr) who is also returning to her partner.

Time commented - "Only sensitive acting by Deborah Kerr and Cary Grant saves this saccharine trifle from suffocating in its sentimental wrapping." - Bit harsh!!

With Deborah Kerr and Cathleen Nesbitt.

"To bring back to the screen within twenty years an enormously appealing picture subject, and cause it to appear as effective, if not even better than the original, is a true achievement in film-making.

Leo McCarey...has accomplished this both movingly and impressively...". - Los Angeles Times.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Leo McCarey.

Distributed by 20th Century Fox.

Running time: 114 minutes.

On This Day...Dream Wife (1953)

Dream Wife was Cary Grant's 59th full length feature film and his first of three films with Deborah Kerr.

Grant plays Clemson Reade who after breaking off an engagement with, far too busy, Effie (Kerr), seeks matrimonial bliss with a Princess from Bukistan, who from birth is trained in the art of pleasing men.

The Los Angeles Times wrote - "Cary Grant gives the typical light comedy portrayal for which he is noted. Miss Kerr, beautifully gowned throughout, comes through with a solid performance as the conniving American girl who has lost her man. Miss St. John makes a fine impression in her initial featured film role."

Publicity picture with Betta St. John and Deborah Kerr.

Deborah Kerr and Betta St. John and a little light reading.

This was Betta St.John's first full length feature film.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Sidney Sheldon

Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Running time:98 minutes.