On This Day...His Girl Friday (1940)

 Today, back in 1940, saw the release of Cary Grant's 35th film...His Girl Friday. This was the only film in which he starred with Rosalind Russell, but it his second film with Ralph Bellamy.

Summary:

When newspaper editor Walter Burns (Cary Grant) learns that his ex-wife and top reporter Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell) is quitting to marry Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy), he pulls out all of the stops to get her to stay. The newspaper has been championing the cause of a man on death row, Earl Williams, was convicted of killing a policeman and Walter convinces her to write a story on his case. Williams insists that the shooting was an accident and he's not crazy, as some believe.

While Hildy pursues the story, Burns has her fiancé arrested - multiple times. When Hildy gets the scoop of the year - Williams escapes from prison on the eve of his planned execution - she hides him in the police station and mayhem ensues. It also gives her a chance to decide just what she wants in the future.

"Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant play the piece for all that's in it, and get good support from Ralph Bellamy, John Qualen, Helen Mack, and Gene Lockhart."

- Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Walter Burns
 Rosalind Russell ... Hildy Johnson
 Ralph Bellamy ... Bruce Baldwin
 Gene Lockhart ... Sheriff Hartwell
 Porter Hall ... Murphy
 Ernest Truex ... Bensinger
 Cliff Edwards ... Endicott
 Clarence Kolb ... Mayor
 Roscoe Karns ... McCue
 Frank Jenks ... Wilson
Regis Toomey ... Sanders
Abner Biberman ... Louie
Frank Orth ... Duffy
John Qualen ... Earl Williams
Helen Mack ... Mollie Malloy

Publicity photo.

Did You Know?

It is estimated that the normal rate of verbal dialogue in most films is around 90 words a minute. In His Girl Friday (1940), the delivery has been clocked at 240 words a minute.

Rosalind Russell thought, while shooting, that she didn't have as many good lines as Cary Grant had, so she hired an advertisement writer through her brother-in-law and had him write more clever lines for the dialog. Since Howard Hawks allowed for spontaneity and ad-libbing, he, and many of the cast and crew didn't notice it, but Grant knew she was up to something, leading him to greet her every morning: "What have you got today?"

Right after Williams is found in the desk, the Mayor tells Walter that he's "Whistling in the dark. Well that isn't going to help you this time. You're through." Walter says "Listen the last man that said that to me was Archie Leach just a week before he cut his throat." 

The famous in-joke about Ralph Bellamy's character ("There's a guy in a taxi down at the court building looks just like that movie star, what's his name? Ralph Bellamy!") was almost left on the cutting room floor: Harry Cohn, the studio head, saw the dailies and responded in fury at the impertinence, but he let Howard Hawks leave it in, and it has always been one of the biggest laughs in the film.

(According to Ralph Bellamy, the line, "There's a guy in a taxi down at the court building looks just like that movie star, what's his name? Ralph Bellamy!"!" was ad-libbed by Cary Grant.)

The play that this movie was based on ("The Front Page") had a famous last line: "The son-of-a-bitch stole my watch!" While the line and the plot points leading up to it didn't fit into "His Girl Friday", they did pay homage to it by having the first crime that Burns framed Baldwin for be the theft of a watch.

Quotes:

Walter Burns: Sorta wish you hadn't done that, Hildy.
Hildy Johnson: Done what?
Walter Burns: Divorced me. Makes a fella lose all faith in himself. Gives him a... almost gives him a feeling he wasn't wanted.
Hildy Johnson: Oh, now look, junior... that's what divorces are FOR!

Hildy Johnson: I suppose I proposed to you?
Walter Burns: Well, you practically did, making goo-goo eyes at me for two years until I broke down.
[impersonates Hildy, flutters his eyelashes]
Walter Burns: "Oh, Walter." And I still claim I was tight the night I proposed to you. If you had been a gentleman, you would have forgotten all about it. But not you!
Hildy Johnson: [hurls her purse at him] Why, you! !...
Walter Burns: [ducks and her purse barely misses him] You're losing your eye. You used to be able to pitch better than that.

Walter Burns: [on the phone] Well, Butch, where are you?... Well, what are you doing there? Haven't you even started?... Listen, it's a matter of life and death!... Well, you can't stop for a dame now! I don't care if you've been after her for six years. Butch - our whole lives are at stake! Are you going to let a woman come between us after all we've been through?... Butch, I'd put my arm in fire for you, up to here. Now you can't double-cross me... Put her on, I'll talk to her.
[talking to the woman]
Walter Burns: Oh, good evening, madam. Now listen, you ten-cent glamour girl. You can't keep Butch away from his duty!... What's that?... You say that again, I'll come over there and kick you in the teeth!... Say, what kind of language is that? Now look here you. -
[makes a noise like a horse, hangs up]
Walter Burns: She hung up! What did I say?

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Howard Hawks

Produced and Distributed by Columbia.

Running time: 92 minutes.

With Rosalind Russell and Howard Hawks.

On This Day...The Philadelphia Story (1941)

The Philadelphia Story was released on this day, in 1941, and was Cary Grant's 38th full length film.

It was the last film of four in which he starred with Katharine Hepburn, and the film that won James Stewart the Oscar for Best Actor.

Summary:

Just as Philadelphia socialite Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) is about to remarry, her first husband C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) arrives at her house. He has with him a tabloid reporter and a photographer, Macaulay 'Mike" Connor (James Stewart) and Elizabeth Imbrie (Ruth Hussey), and he's clearly intent on causing mischief. 

Tracy is surprised to learn that Mike is a serious writer who works for the tabloids only to earn a paycheck. They are clearly attracted to one another and the arrival of Tracy's ne'er-do-well father - and some rather stern comments on his part - leads to her to reevaluate her choices and what it is she wants for the future.

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... C. K. Dexter Haven
 Katharine Hepburn ... Tracy Lord
 James Stewart ... Macaulay Connor
 Ruth Hussey ... Elizabeth Imbrie
 John Howard ... George Kittredge
 Roland Young ... Uncle Willie
 John Halliday ... Seth Lord
 Mary Nash ... Margaret Lord
 Virginia Weidler ... Dinah Lord
 Henry Daniell ... Sidney Kidd
 Lionel Pape ... Edward
 Rex Evans ... Thomas

"Grant is perfectly gracious to a thankless part, winning sympathy and belief."

- Otis Ferguson, The New Republic.

"Perhaps the highest honors in the picture really go to James Stewart for his souse scene in Cary Grant's library (see picture below). Mr. Grant is good as always, and deserves credit for playing subdued."

- Don Herold, Scribner's Commentator.

Did You Know?

The film was shot in eight weeks, and required no retakes. During the scene where James Stewart hiccups when drunk, you can see Cary Grant looking down and grinning. Since the hiccup wasn't scripted, Grant was on the verge of breaking out laughing and had to compose himself quickly. Stewart (apparently spontaneously) thought of hiccuping in the drunk scene, without telling Grant. When he began hiccuping, Grant turned to Stewart, saying, "Excuse me." The scene required only one take.

Katharine Hepburn starred in the Broadway production of the play on which this film was based and owned the film rights to the material; they were purchased for her by billionaire Howard Hughes, then given to her as a gift.

Cary Grant only agreed to appear in the film as long as he got top billing. As Katharine Hepburn was dubbed "box office poison" at the time, this demand was readily agreed to.

Katharine Hepburn asked MGM to cast Clark Gable as Dexter and Spencer Tracy as Mike before she met either of them. Both Gable and Tracy were busy with other projects, so James Stewart was cast instead. MGM chief Louis B. Mayer allowed Hepburn a $150,000 salary towards casting the other male role. Cary Grant agreed to do the role for $137,000.

In order to avoid competition with the stage play, MGM agreed not to put the film into general release until January 1941, although it was screened at selected theaters in December 1940.

And you did know...

The film was remade as the Cole Porter musical High Society (1956), starring Grace Kelly in Katharine Hepburn's role, Frank Sinatra in James Stewart's and Bing Crosby playing Dexter (Cary Grant).

Quotes:

C. K. Dexter Haven: You'll never be a first-class human being or a first-class woman until you've learned to have some regard for human frailty.

-

C. K. Dexter Haven: Sometimes, for your own sake, Red, I think you should've stuck to me longer.
Tracy Lord: I thought it was for life, but the nice judge gave me a full pardon.
C. K. Dexter Haven: Aaah, that's the old redhead. No bitterness, no recrimination, just a good swift left to the jaw.

-

C. K. Dexter Haven: I'm sorry, but I thought I better hit you before he did. He's in better shape than I am.
Macaulay Connor: Well you'll do!

Lobby Cards:

(Japanese Poster)

Directed by George Cukor.

Produced and Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Running time: 112 minutes.

With George Cukor, John Howard and Katharine Hepburn.

On This Day...Enter Madame! (1935)

 Today in 1935 saw the release of Cary Grant's 18th film, Enter Madame!

Summary:

Gerald Fitzgerald (Cary Grant) is a rabid opera fan who loves watching the talented and beautiful Lisa Della Robbia (Elissa Landi). By accident the two end up meeting and falling in love. They're quickly married and Gerald thinks he's got the greatest job in the world as a husband to an opera star. Pretty soon he starts to realize being second place to her career isn't much fun.

Cast:

 Elissa Landi ... Lisa Della Robbia
 Cary Grant ... Gerald Fitzgerald
 Lynne Overman ... Mr. Farnum
 Sharon Lynn ... Flora Preston (as Sharon Lynne)
 Michelette Burani ... Bice
 Paul Porcasi ... Archimede
 Adrian Rosley ... Doctor
 Cecilia Parker ... Aline Chalmers
 Frank Albertson ... John Fitzgerald
 Wilfred Hari ... Tamamoto
 Torben Meyer ... Carlson
 Harold Berquist ... Bjorgenson
 Diana Lewis ... Operator
 Richard Bonelli ... Scorpia in 'La Tosca'
 Ann Sheridan ... Flora's Shipboard Friend (as Clara Lou Sheridan)

Did You Know?

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60-minute radio adaptation of the movie on January 10, 1938, with Sharon Lynn reprising her film role.

Quotes:

Lisa Della Robbia: I do not care about some stage door Jackie.
Mr. Farnum: Johnny.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Elliot Nugent.

Produced by Paramount Publix.

Running time: 83 minutes.

On This Day...Sylvia Scarlett (1936)

 On this day Cary Grant's 21st film was released...Sylvia Scarlett. It was his first film with Katharine Hepburn.

Summary:

Escaping to England from a French embezzlement charge, widower Henry Scarlett (Edmund Gwenn) is accompanied by daughter Sylvia (Katharine Hepburn) who, to avoid detection, "disguises" herself as a boy, "Sylvester." They are joined by amiable con man Jimmy Monkley (Cary Grant), then, after a brief career in crime, meet Maudie Tilt (Dennie Moore), a giddy, sexy Cockney housemaid who joins them in the new venture of entertaining at resort towns from a caravan. Through all this, amazingly no one recognizes that Sylvia is not a boy...until she meets handsome artist Michael Fane (Brian Aherne), and drama intrudes on the comedy.

"Story construction and development are beclouded, with resultant hop-skipping in the action, labored dialogue, and over strained performances with the exception of that of Cary Grant. Mr. Grant is the most convincing performance..."

- Rovelstad, Motion Picture Herald.

With Katharine Hepburn and Edmund Gwenn.

"Cary Grant, doing a petty English crook with a Soho accent, practically steals the picture."

- Robert Landry, Variety.

Cast:

 Katharine Hepburn ... Sylvia Scarlett a.k.a. Sylvester
 Cary Grant ... Jimmy Monkley
 Brian Aherne ... Michael Fane
 Edmund Gwenn ... Henry Scarlett

With Katharine Hepburn and Edmund Gwenn.

Did You Know?

After a disastrous preview, director George Cukor and Katharine Hepburn went to RKO producer Pandro S. Berman's home and offered their services for free for another film. Berman, who was furious at the quality of the movie, replied tersely, "Don't bother please."

Howard Hughes visited the set one day, landing his amphibious plane near the beach where they were filming. Hughes said he stopped by to say hello to his good friend Cary Grant but in actuality he wanted to meet Katharine Hepburn, whom he was fascinated by. The film The Aviator (2004) recreates this first meeting of theirs.

This film is noted as being one of the biggest box office flops of the 1930's, resulting in a loss of $363,000 ($6.5M in 2017) for RKO according to studio records.

The first film of Hepburn's "box office poison" period that included two RKO pictures the following year: Mary of Scotland (1936) and A Woman Rebels (1936).

Quotes:

Jimmy Monkley: Little friend of all the world, nobody's enemy but me own.
Sylvia Scarlett: Yeah, I can tell that by the look of you.

Jimmy Monkley: Oh, what's 'appened to me ideas?
Sylvia Scarlett: They're all bad.
Jimmy Monkley: What's that?
Sylvia Scarlett: These eggs.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by George Cukor.
Produced and Distributed by RKO Radio.
Running time: 94 minutes.