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.

"Lights, camera...action!" - The Directors - Part 4

So there were four directors who worked with Cary Grant on three films each.

They were, Marion Gering, George Cukor, Leo McCarey and George Stevens.

Marion Gering:

19th June 1901 - 19th April 1977

Devil and the Deep (1932)

With Charles Laughton and Tallulah Bankhead.

Madame Butterfly (1932)

With Sylvia Sidney

Thirty-Day Princess (1934)

Again with Sylvia Sidney

George Cukor:

7th July 1899 - 24th January 1983

On Grant -"One of the reasons he was so successful as an actor was that he truly just behaved like he was a normal guy and like he didn't look like that."

Sylvia Scarlett (1936)

With Katharine Hepburn.

Holiday (1938)

Again with Katharine Hepburn.

The Philadelphia Story (1941)

With George Cukor, John Howard and Katharine Hepburn.

George Cukor was awarded an Oscar for Best Director for The Philadelphia Story. He also directed many Oscar nominated performances.

Leo McCarey:

3rd October 1898 - 5th July 1969

The Awful Truth (1937)

Publicity shot with Irene Dunne and Leo McCarey.

Leo McCarey won the Oscar for Best Director.

Once Upon A Honeymoon (1942)

With Ginger Rogers.

An Affair to Remember (1957)

With Deborah Kerr.

George Stevens :

18th December 1904 - 8th March 1975

Gunga Din (1939)

On the set of Gunga Din (above) relaxing and (below) with George Stevens.

Penny Serenade (1941)

On set of the film that bought him his first Oscar nomination.

The Talk of the Town (1942)

With George Stevens, Jean Arthur and Ronald Colman.

Four directors completed two film projects each with Cary Grant...

..."Lights, camera...action!" - The Directors - Part 5

My Archi(v)es...An Update!

I've just had a new addition to my collection!

Cary Grant: A Life in Pictures:

Published in 2011 and edited by Yann-Brice Dherbier.

Includes a biography by Frederic Brun and contains some great pictures in a large format...some that I haven't seen before!

With Roger Moore (1986).

With Farrah Fawcett (1977)

On This Day...Gambling Ship (1933)

Gambling Ship was Cary Grant's 11th full length feature film.

Grant plays Ace Corbin a famous big-time gambler in this gangster/gambler, pre-code film.

Grant stars alongside Benita Hume, who plays a gangster's moll.

The Times (London) reviewed, in part - "In brief, it may be said that the film has all the makings of the familiar gangster story without actually making it. 

What acting the film allows is done competently by Mr. Grant, Miss Benita Hume, and Mr. Roscoe Karns."

With Benita Hume and Roscoe Karns.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Louis Gasnier and Max Marcin.

Produced and distributed by Paramount Publix.

Running time: 72 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.