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

Well if you thought September went fast, October seemed to go much quicker! Highs and lows this month as the global pandemic seemed to dig in!!

A quieter month for film releases with only five...So here goes...

October 1st:

So October...what have you got to say for yourself?

October 2nd:

Sometimes you have those times when there is more than one thing pulling at you, like a one-sided tug-of-war. Picture is from Father Goose (1964)

October 3rd:

"I may be down...But I'm not out!!" You might not win all the time but if you can get back up to fight again, then do it!

October 4th:

A day to reflect on anniversaries...Best wishes and happy thoughts! CG pictured with Grace Kelly.

October 5th:

"No really...I am your biggest fan!" Picture from on set of To Catch A Thief (1955).

October 6th:

First film release of the month...I'm No Angel (1933), with Mae West. This was Cary Grant's 12th full length film.

October 7th:

"My cup runneth over!...so how about a lid for extra safety?!" CG pictured at The Lux Radio Theatre.

October 8th:

"So is it a bird...a plane...Oh, I'm supposed to be looking at the hoop?!" Trip out to Bristol today. Finally got to see Cary Grant's old school, Fairfield Grammar. Great day!

October 9th:

Cary Grant 24th full length film released and the 2nd in the month...Wedding Present (1936).

October 10th:

"Sometimes our journey in life can be uncertain and stormy...often we need to temporarily change our course, and with courage set sail for a new horizon"...All my own thoughts!

October 11th:

Third film release of the month...The Last Outpost (1935), Cary Grant's 20th full length film.

October 12th:

"I know!...Mildly optimistic and it's only Monday!" CG pictured here with Randolph Scott.

October 13th:

Monday's optimism didn't last long.."Today is Tuesday!"

October 14th:

"I used to hide behind the facade that was Cary Grant...I didn't know if I were Archie Leach or Cary Grant, and I wasn't taking any chances..." - Cary Grant.

October 15th:

"If it helps...Sing Happy Birthday...But I guarantee...Clean!" Really, we still don't seem to get the basics!!

October 16th:

So today saw a big change due to the current pandemic..."Started a new job today... Home deliveries! Uniform and everything!". Picture from North By Northwest (1959)

October 17th:

"Hmm...The last time? On a roof?...To adjust my television aerial!" CG pictured with Grace Kelly.

October 18th:

Time to chill, relax and reflect! Just a great picture of CG on the set of Father Goose (1964).

October 19th:

"Monday! Really!" Maybe I should have used this picture for later in the month, but Mondays coming around so quick can be equally scary! A publicity shot for North By Northwest (1959)

October 20th:

Listen up!The day is here! Officially start my second job...proper! (I do use ! a lot!!)

October 21st:

Another film release, the fourth of the month...The Awful Truth (1937), Cary Grant's 29th full length feature film.

October 22nd:

Second day of training...on the road again!

October 23rd:

Day off today, and no matter how hard I am going to try, I think I might get wet!

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October 24th:

Today was harder work...Real rain and real sweat!...But real enjoyment too!

Picture from Destination Tokyo (1944).

October 25th:

"All I said was fall back, spring forward! I was merely pointing out that your watch is wrong!"

An extra how in bed sees the end of BST. Picture from North By Northwest (1959).

October 26th:

Standing and looking at a new week ahead...Keep positive, breathe and enjoy the view.

CG pictured with first wife Virginia Cherrill near Hearst Castle.

October 27th:

Well there goes my main job...So long and farewell...See you in March...Maybe!

Had the news today that my cinema is staying closed til March 2021. Picture form The Eagle and The Hawk (1933).

October 28th:

The 5th release of the month...Hot Saturday (1932), Cary Grant's 6th full length feature film.

October 29th:

"Breakfast...done! Packed Lunch...sorted! Hmm...What have I forgotten...That's it...Iron uniform!"

Getting into a new work routine.

Picture from Room For One More (1952)

October 30th:

Put your hand up if you are ready for the weekend!

CG pictured with Alfred Hitchcock on the set of North By Northwest (1959).

October 31st:

Sad news of the passing of Sean Connery, who became the first iconic James Bond after the role was turned down by CG. We born on the same date 38 years apart.

CG pictured with Audrey Hepburn in a publicity shot from Charade (1963). 

So...another month gone, ending with the loss of a legend in film. I daren't ask but what is November going to offer up? Sneak preview...National Lockdown No.2!!!!

On This Day...Hot Saturday (1932)

 Cary Grant's 6th full length feature was Hot Saturday, and was released on this day back in 1932.

Synopsis:

Bank employee Ruth Brock has a reputation around town for being fast-and-easy but none of the panting suitors has made her yet. She disillusions them one after the other, but the last lad is a bad sport and starts a gossip scandal, among the hens and roosters, about her and a millionaire playboy and Ruth loses her job. Figuring that as long as she has the name, she might as well play the game, she looks him up.

Cary Grant plays Romer Sheffield, seen here with Nancy Carroll.

"Edward Woods, as the malicious and resentful escort, gives the most satisfactory performance in support of Miss Carroll. Cary Grant is a nonchalant young libertine as Sheffield, and Randolph Scott is solidly virtuous as the boyfriend sweetheart." - Mordaunt Hall, The New York Times.

With Nancy Carroll and Edward Woods.

With Nancy Carroll and Randolph Scott.

Did You Know?

This was Cary Grant's first film as a leading man.

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Romer Sheffield

 Nancy Carroll ... Ruth Brock
 Randolph Scott ... Bill Fadden
 Edward Woods ... Conny Billop
 Lilian Bond ... Eva Randolph (as Lillian Bond)
 William Collier Sr. ... Mr. Brock
 Jane Darwell ... Mrs. Brock
 Stanley Smith ... Joe
 Rita La Roy ... Camille
 Rose Coghlan ... Annie Brock
 Oscar Apfel ... Mr. Randolph
Jessie Arnold ... Aunt Minnie
 Grady Sutton ... Archie

With Nancy Carroll

Lobby Cards:

Directed by William A. Seiter.

Produced and distributed by Paramount Publix.

Running time: 73 minutes.

Behind the scenes.

On This Day...The Awful Truth (1937)

 Today back in 1937 saw the release of Cary Grant's 29th full length feature film, The Awful Truth.

Synopsis:

Jerry (Cary Grant) and Lucy (Irene Dunne) are a married couple who doubt each other's fidelity: Jerry suspects Lucy and her music teacher (Alexander D'Arcy) of spending an evening together, and Lucy is convinced Jerry lied about a business trip. 

When the jealous pair file for divorce, both rush into new relationships, but quickly realize their love never died. The soon-to-be-divorced husband and wife then both scramble to spoil each other's chances for newfound romance.

With Ralph Bellamy and Irene Dunne.

"The season's smartest drawing-room comedy arrives unheralded, to run faster, funnier and finer than any of the all too many widely ballyhooed farces immediately proceeding. Every contributor to this film stands high in accomplishment, from the ideally executed performances of Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Ralph Bellamy and Alexander Darcy, to Leo McCarey's direction, second to none in the rare field of good comedy, and to the screen writing of Vina Delmar, whio brings Arthur Richman's play of fifteen years ago to the screen without loss of verve and with gain of freshness". - James P. Cunningham, The Commonweal

In court with Irene Dunne and Mr. Smith.

Did You Know:

Adapted from a Broadway play. The original stage production of "The Awful Truth" opened on Monday, September 18th, 1922, at Henry Miller's Theatre in New York and ran for 144 performances.

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on Tuesday, January 18th, 1955, with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne reprising their roles from the film.

The dog playing Mr. Smith was named Skippy, and was most popular for its role in The Thin Man (1934) movie & its sequel, as Asta. On those movies, he was notorious for trying to bite the actors. Even in this film, there's a scene where Cary Grant is trying to play with the dog, and the dog very obviously snaps and growls at him.

Cary Grant was so convinced this film was not working, he begged to be released during production. The film turned out to be a big hit.

While Cary Grant was initially working with Leo McCarey, he was unaware that McCarey was deliberately creating nervous tension in the actor, in order to enhance his performance. By keeping the cast slightly off balance, the director was building scenes from spontaneous moments between his actors. Giving the barest outlines of a scene, he would have his actors try something on their feet. For instance, in one rehearsal, he told Irene Dunne to simply open the door of her apartment and say, "Well, if it isn't my ex." He told Grant to answer with whatever came into his head. Grant replied, "The judge says this is my day to see the dog." McCarey then built the scene around that moment. The line, and the subsequent scene, stayed in the picture.

Cast:

Irene Dunne...LucyWarriner
Cary Grant...Jerry Warriner
Ralph Bellamy...Daniel Leeson
Alexander D'Arcy...Armand Duvalle
Cecil Cunningham...Aunt Patsy
Molly Lamont...Barbara Vance
Esther Dale...Mrs. Leeson
Joyce Compton...Dixie Belle Lee
Robert Allen...Frank Randall
Robert Warwick...Mr. Vance
Mary Forbes...Mrs. Vance

Lobby Cards:

International Posters:

Directed by Leo McCarey.

Distributed by Columbia Pictures.

Running time: 89 minutes.

On This Day...The Last Outpost (1935)

 The Last Outpost was Cary Grant's 20th full length feature film and was released today in 1935.

Synopsis:

In World War I, British-officer Michael Andrews (Cary Grant) is captured by a band of Kurdish raiders on the Eastern Front, and is rescued by a man calling himself John Stevenson (Claude Rains), although he refuses to tell his name to Andrews. 

The two men form a strange friendship, and help save an entire Kurdish village from a massacre and also avert a surprise attack on the British army-unit stationed there. Andrews suffers a wounded leg and is sent to the British military-hospital in Cairo. He falls in love with a nurse, Rosemary Haydon (Gertrude Michael), and she with him, but she is married although she has not seen nor heard from her husband in over three years. 

It is at this point that the man who saved Andrews' life turns up to claim his wife, who is Rosemary. The latter bids adieu to Andrews who does not know that the man he considers his best friend is also the husband of the woman he loves. But, by pure coincidence and chance, both Andrews and Rosemary's husband come face-to-face again in a remote garrison that is under an attack that appears to have the possibility of no survivors among the fort defenders.

"Mr. Claude Rains as the secret service agent in Turkish uniform and Mr. Cary Grant as the incurably light-minded and rather stupid British officer whom he rescues from the Kurds both act extremely well." - Graham Greene, The Spectator.

"To Cary Grant, Claude Rains and Gertrude Michael fall the assignment of giving life and conviction to the romantic segment of the plot. They all do well by their roles." - Ben Bodec, Variety

Did You Know ?:

Stock footage from Four Feathers (1929) is used to augment the battle scenes in the later half of the film.

Cast:

Cary Grant...Michael Andrews
Gertrude Michael...Rosemary
Claude Rains...John Stevenson
Margaret Swope...Nurse Rowland
Jameson Thomas...Cullen
Nick Shaid...Haidar
Kathleen Burke...Ilya
Colin Tapley...Lieutenant Prescott
Billy Bevan...Private Foster
Claude King...General

Lobby Cards:

International Posters:

Directed by Charles Barton and Lois Gasnier.
Distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Running time: 75 minutes.