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.

On This Day...Houseboat (1958).

 Houseboat was Cary Grant's 65th full length feature film and was released on today's date back in 1958.

It was also Cary Grant's second film with Sophia Loren; the first being The Pride and The Passion (1957).

Synopsis:

Upon the sudden death of his estranged and nearly divorced wife, absentee father Tom Winston (Cary Grant) claims ownership of his three children, seemingly more out of spite against his in-laws than out of consideration for his kids. When youngest son Robert (Charles Herbert) runs off in reaction, he's returned by spoiled brat socialite Cinzia Zaccardi (Sophia Loren), itching to escape her orchestral conductor father's dictates. 

Being much a willful child herself, she harmonizes immediately with the kids and, needing a hideout, agrees to be hired on as their nanny. Finding their new house destroyed by a lustful, careless and irresponsible Italian handyman, the five decide to live on the man's neglected and dilapidated houseboat rather than rightfully sue him and take rooms at a hotel. 

With Sophia Loren.

As Cinzia bridges the gap between Tom and his kids, (while starting to learn how to cook and clean), Tom's newly divorced sister-in-law Carolyn (Martha Hyer) makes a play for him. He accepts her proposal but then, as Cinzia draws men in like a dog in heat, realizes he's more interested in Cinzia. When Tom and Cynzia decide to marry, the kids hate her for it.

With Martha Hyer.

"Grant's performance is just about flawless." - Jack Moffitt, Hollywood Reporter.

"Grant is always perfectly at home in these roles in which, with an exasperated look, head tilt or dryly stated irony, he can put his point across." - Dick Williams, Mirror News (Los Angeles)

"Houseboat is the zaniest comedy, and at the same time, it is real romance. It also has in it, beautifully enunciated by Cary Grant, an essay on life and death. Mr. Grant as you know, is just about the screen's smoothest, most worldly comedian." - Ruth Waterbury, Los Angeles Examiner.

Did You Know?

Original screenplay was written by Betsy Drake, Cary Grant's wife. Grant originally wanted it to star her but his extra-marital affair with Sophia Loren complicated the project. The script was drastically re-written by two other writers to accommodate Loren and bears little resemblance to Drake's concept.

Cary Grant initially accepted his role because he was dating Sophia Loren, with whom he was madly in love. After she married Carlo Ponti, a heartbroken Grant wanted to back out. He couldn't, but the director made sure the production was a smooth one.

Cary Grant was 54 when he made this film. His romantic lead, Sophia Loren, was 24.

In the French-dubbed version of the film, a mischievous translator replaced Sophia Loren's character name, "Cinzia", with "Gina". At the time Loren and Gina Lollobrigida were rivals for the "crown" of Italian sex symbols in film.

With the children and Harry Guardino and Sophia Loren.

With Sophia Loren.

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Tom Winters
 Sophia Loren ... Cinzia Zaccardi
 Martha Hyer ... Carolyn Gibson
 Harry Guardino ... Angelo Donatello
 Eduardo Ciannelli ... Arturo Zaccardi
 Murray Hamilton ... Capt. Alan Wilson
 Mimi Gibson ... Elizabeth Winters
 Paul Petersen ... David Winters
 Charles Herbert ... Robert Winters
 Madge Kennedy ... Mrs. Farnsworth
 John Litel ... Mr. William Farnsworth
 Werner Klemperer ... Harold Messner

With Harry Guardino and Sophia Loren.

Lobby Cards:

Italian lobby card and poster - "A Husband for Cinzia."

Directed by Melville Shavelson.

Distributed by Paramount Pictures.

Running time: 112 minutes.

On This Day...Suspicion (1941)

Cary Grant's 40th full length feature film, Suspicion, was released today in 1941.

Synopsis:

After a chance meeting on a train, Johnnie Aysgarth (Cary Grant) and Lina McLaidlaw(Joan Fontaine) have a whirlwind romance and are married. Johnnie was well known in society circles while Lina is a shy sort. They return from a lengthy European honeymoon to a beautiful house Johnnie's arranged for them. She's a bit shocked to learn, however, that her new husband has no means of support, and seems to live off money he borrows from friends. 

She soon learns he has a darker side, however, and loves to gamble. Johnnie loves mystery novels, and Lina begins to suspect he would go to any lengths to keep his lifestyle secure. She's certain that a business deal he's dreamed up with his longtime friend Beaky (Nigel Bruce) is a scam on his part. When the police inform her that Beaky died in Paris, she's certain her husband is behind it all. Her main concern, however, is whether she will be the next victim.

"Miss Fontaine is beauteous, and Cary Grant finds a new field for himself - the field of crime, the smiling villain, without heart or conscience." - John Mosher, The New Yorker.

"The film is well cast all down the line. Cary Grant in particular is just right for that part..." - Otis Ferguson, The New Republic.

Did You Know?

Joan Fontaine liked the character of Lina in this movie so much, that she sent Alfred Hitchcock a note after she read the novel, "Before the Fact", by Francis Iles, offering to play the part for free, if necessary.

Cary Grant did not warm up to Joan Fontaine, finding her to be temperamental and unprofessional.

Cary Grant was paid $112,500 for his work in this film, while Joan Fontaine earned $69,750. At that time, Hitchcock was still being paid a weekly salary as director, and he was not happy about the amount his two stars were paid.

Cary Grant's first role in a Alfred Hitchcock movie. He also starred in three more: Notorious (1946), To Catch a Thief (1955), and North by Northwest (1959).

With Joan Fontaine and Nigel Bruce.

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Johnnie Aysgarth
 Joan Fontaine ... Lina McLaidlaw
 Sir Cedric Hardwicke ... General McLaidlaw 
 Nigel Bruce ... Gordon Cochran Thwaite aka Beaky
 Dame May Whitty ... Mrs. McLaidlaw 
 Isabel Jeans ... Mrs. Newsham
 Heather Angel ... Ethel
 Auriol Lee ... Isobel Sedbusk
 Reginald Sheffield ... Reggie Wetherby
 Leo G. Carroll ... Captain Melbeck

With Joan Fontaine.

Lobby Cards:

International Posters:

Spanish.

French.

English.

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Produced by RKO Radio.

Running time: 99 minutes.

With Joan Fontaine and Alfred Hitchcock on set.