On This Day...Kiss and Make Up (1934)

Today was the release date in 1934, of Cary Grant's 16th full length feature film, Kiss and Make Up.

Grant plays Dr. Maurice Lamar, who runs a modernistic beauty salon, which is a haven for ladies, old and young, who want to be beautiful.

Helen Mack plays his plain secretary Anne, who loves him, while Genevieve Tobin plays Eve Caron, who becomes the a beautiful Frankenstein in the story.

With Helen Mack

With Genevieve Tobin and Edward Everett Horton

The film still has a relevant commentary to make about beauty, etc, even today! And don't forget, this was a Pre-Code film!

"There is a theme in the new film which, in more skillful hands, might form the basis of a good comedy. Carrying the principles of the beauty culture to their logical conclusion, Dr. Lamar finally produces a masterpiece of liveliness, who is, unfortunately, so bound to the harrowing ritual of lotion, massage,diet and rest that she becomes entirely useless." - The New York Times

With Genevieve Tobin.

"Either a gag comedy with a romantic thread or a light romance with gag comedy, but more gags than romance. 

Cary Grant does well as the doctor but both he and E.E. Horton play too strongly for laughs. Genevieve Tobin fills the specifications as the beauty, but acting honors go to Helen Mack as the secretary. A delightful sincere performance. Plenty of sight stuff and plenty of laughs in spots." - Variety 

With Helen Mack, E.E. Horton and Genevieve Tobin

Cast:

Dr. Maurice Lamar                    Cary Grant

Anne                                         Helen Mack

Eve Caron                                 Genevieve Tobin

Marcel Caron                            Edward Everett Horton

Max Pascal                                Lucien Littlefield

Countess Rita                            Mona Maris

Vilma                                         Katherine Williams

Magda                                        Lucille Lund

Rolando                                     Rafael Storm

Mme. Severac                            Mme. Bonita

Mme. Durand                             Doris Lloyd

Maharajah of Baroona                Milton Wallace

Plumber                                     Sam Ashe

Landlady                                    Helena Phillips

Consuelo of Claghorne               Toby Wing

Chairman of banquet                  Henry Armetta

Jean (Valet)                                George Andre Beranger

Beauty clinic nurses                   Judith Arlen, Jean Gale, Hazel Hayes, Lee Ann

                                                  Meredith

Radio announcer                        Helene Cohan

Maharajah's wife                        Jean Carmen

Radio listener                             GiGi Parrish

Lady Rummond-Dray                  Ann Hovey

Beauty clinic patients                 Betty Bryson and Jacqueline Wells 

                                                  and the Wampas Baby Stars of 1934

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Harlan Thompson

Distributed by Paramount Publix.

Running time: 80 minutes.

There's no place like home!

Everytime I visit Bristol, I have a compelling urge to check out locations that have a link to Cary Grant.

My recent trip was no exception. 

So where to go first? Well, I went to where it all started... No. 15 Hughenden Road, Horfield.

I was able to order a copy of the birth certificate entry for Archibald Alec Leach.

The certificate gives details of full name, parents name and father's occupation as a tailor's presser. 

A view of Hughenden Road from the top.

No. 15

The British Heritage plaque that carries the correct information from the birth certificate.

Whilst in Horfield, I continued just a little further along the main Gloucester Road. 

At No. 212 the shop fronting has a stencilled image of Cary Grant by artist Stewy.

Gloucester Road

Travelling into Bristol, I looked up a few more locations that have links to Cary Grant.

The Hippodrome in the city centre was where young Archie was introduced to the world of show business.

And just around the corner is College Green on Park Street.

Now...the trees are all grown!

Now and then!

Just around another corner is the bronzed statue of Cary Grant in Millennium Square, that was unveiled in 2001 by his 5th wife Barbara.

The next port of call was Clifton, just a little further on.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge, seen from the terrace of the Avon Gorge Hotel 

(formerly The Grand Spa Hotel)

On the bridge...if you're driving, the toll is £1.

Much more can be and has been written about Cary Grant's connection to Bristol. But this has been a brief snap shot of my weekend. Good Stuff!

On This Day...The Pride and The Passion (1957)

The Pride and The Passion was Cary Grant's 61st full length feature film and was released in 1957, on this date.

Grant plays British naval officer, Capt. Anthony Trumball, who is landed in Spain during the Napoleonic Wars. His mission is to join up with Spanish forces to prevent a Spanish cannon, the biggest in the world, from falling into French hands.

However, the leader of the guerrilla forces, Miguel (played by Frank Sinatra) has other ideas. The struggle between the two men, also surrounds the story's love interest, Juana (Sophia Loren).

With Frank Sinatra and Sophia Loren.

"One great advantage that The Pride and The Passion has over most epic films is its unity of theme: all action revolves around the gun...The English captain is skillfully played by Cary Grant...The guerrilla leader is colorfully played by Frank Sinatra." - The Commonweal

"While the gun deserves a special academy award, Mr. Sinatra must be commended for his restrained and appealing guerrilla leader, Mr. Grant for his stalwart, understated British captain, and Miss Loren for her good looks." - Saturday Review.

Frank Sinatra, apparently took the role so that he could be near his estranged wife, Ava Gardner, who was filming in Europe. His filming schedule was reduced to accommodate his personal situation.

Cary Grant on the other hand was happy to spend as long as it took, due to his estranged marriage to Betsy Drake and his pursuit of a serious romance with Sophia Loren: who by the end of filming was to marry Carlo Ponti.

It was one of the top twenty highest grossing films of 1957, but due to high production costs the film lost $2.5 million.

On 14 March 2011, BBC Radio 4's Afternoon Play broadcast The Gun Goes to Hollywood by Mike Walker, imagining the behind-the-scenes of the Kramer production, from the viewpoint of script doctor Earl Felton, who had been drafted to save the day. 

The play was directed by Kate McCall and the cast included Steven Webber as Earl Felton, Greg Itzen as Cary Grant, Kate Steele as Sophia Loren, Jonathan Silverman as Frank Sinatra, and Jonathan Getz as Stanley Kramer.

Cast:

Capt. Anthony Turmbull            Cary Grant

Miguel                                       Frank Sinatra

Juana                                         Sophia Loren

General Jouvet                          Theodore Bikel

Sermaine                                   John Wengraf

Ballinger                                   Jay Novello

Carlos                                       Jose Nieto

Jose                                           Carlos Larranaga

Vidal                                         Philip VanZandt

Manolo                                      Paco El Laberinto

Enrique                                      Julian Ugarte

Bishop                                       Felix De Pomes

Leonardo                                   Carlos Casaravilla

Ramon                                       Juan Olaguivel

Maria                                         Nana De Herrera

Francisco                                   Carlos De Mendoza

French Soldier                           Luis Guedes

And the Spanish People in the tens of thousands who made the motion picture possible.

Lobby Cards:

Directed and Produced by Stanley Kramer

Distributed by United Artists

Based on the novel 'The Gun' by C.S. Forrester

Running time: 130 minutes.

On This Day...Crisis (1950)

Crisis was Cary Grant's 55th full length feature film.

Grant plays a famous brain surgeon who, along with his wife, is kidnapped.

He is told to operate on a sick dictator, Raoul Farrago, played by Jose Ferrer.

The good doctor is then told he must kill Farrago, whilst on the operating table!

With Paula Raymond.

With Paula Raymond and Jose Ferrer.

"Crisis is a bold piece of movie adventuring...Grant is more brittle and more diamond-brilliant than before as the enlightened doctor. His sincerity in the story's guts is its premise for being believed." 

- The Mirror (Los Angeles)

With Jose Ferrer (Lying on the floor).

With Ramon Novarro, Paula Raymond and Leon Ames.

Cast:

Dr. Eugene Ferguson                Cary Grant

Raoul Farrago                          Jose Ferrer

Helen Ferguson                        Paula Raymond

Senora Isabel Farrago              Signe Hasso

Col. Adragon                            Ramon Novarro

Gonzales                                  Gilbert Roland

Sam Proctor                             Leon Ames

Dr. Emilio Nierra                     Antonio Moreno

Rosa Aldana                            Teresa Celli

General Valdini                       Mario Siletti

Cariago                                   Vincente Gomez

Senor Magano                          Martin Garralaga

Father Del Puento                    Pedro de Cordoba

Senora Farrago                        Soledad Jimenez

Rubio                                       Jose Dominguez

Marco Aldana                          Robert Tafur

Luis                                          Maurice Jara

Lobby Cards:

Lobby Cards (Full Set)

Directed by Richard Brooks.

Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Running time: 95 minutes