On This Day... Thirty-Day Princess (1934)

Today, Cary Grant's 14th full length film, Thirty-Day Princess, was released in 1934... which I first reviewed with the film Born to be Bad in my blog post on May 18, 2020 - see https://www.mylifeinayearwitharchie.com/2020/05/on-this-day1934-born-to-be-bad-and.html

Summary:

A European princess arrives in New York City to secure a much-needed loan for her country. She contracts the mumps, and an actress who looks exactly like her is hired to impersonate her.

Cast:

Sylvia Sidney... Nancy Lane / Princess Catterina
Cary Grant... Porter Madison III
Edward Arnold... Richard M. Gresham
Henry Stephenson... King Anatol XII
Vince Barnett... Count Nicholaus
Edgar Norton... Baron Passeria
Ray Walker... Dan Kirk
Lucien Littlefield... Parker
Robert McWade... Managing Editor
George Baxter... Donald Spottswood
Marguerite Namara... Lady in Waiting

Did You Know?

The streamlined train seen in montages in this film is the Union Pacific M-10000. It was the first of the "streamliner"-style trains in the U.S. It was in service from 1934 to 1941.

The $15,000 Nancy earns would have equated to about $274,000 in 2020.

Quotes:

Porter Madison III: How many reporters are working here?
City Editor: About a quarter of 'em.

Princess Catterina: In Taronia, what we mean, we say. What we say, we mean.

Richard M. Gresham: People come in twos in this world, like the animals in the ark. There's an old fellow at the club looks as much like me as I do. Good-looking man, too.

Lobby Cards and Press Stills:

Directed by Marion Gering.
Produced by B.P. Schulberg Productions
Running time: 73 minutes

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.

On This Day... Born to be Bad (1934)

Today in 1934 saw the release of Cary Grant's 15th full length film, Born to be Bad, his first of two films with Loretta Young...which I first reviewed in my blog post on May 18, 2020 - see https://www.mylifeinayearwitharchie.com/2020/05/on-this-day1934-born-to-be-bad-and.html

Summary:

An immoral mother blackmails a wealthy businessman after he accidentally hits her delinquent son with his truck.

Cast:

Loretta Young...Letty Strong
Cary Grant...Malcolm Trevor
Jackie Kelk...Mickey Strong
Marion Burns...Mrs. Alyce Trevor
Henry Travers...Fuzzy
Paul Harvey...Attorney Brian
Russell Hopton...Steve Karns
Harry Green...Adolph - Letty's Lawyer

Did You Know?

The film ran into censorship problems from the start, mainly from the character portrayed by Loretta Young and the skimpy clothes she wore. It was rejected twice by the Hays office before it was finally given an approval certificate, after several cuts and retakes (and all this before the Production Code was more rigorously enforced). Sidney Lanfield directed retakes on 10 November 1933 because director Lowell Sherman was on vacation; other retakes were made early in 1934. In 1935, the film was on a list at the Hays Office, of those films whose release should be halted, but it is not known if any action was ever taken.

Andrew Tombes is on an early cast list playing the part of "Max Lieber." A character called "Max" is mentioned in the film, but Tombes never appeared.

Loretta Young and Cary Grant starred together again thirteen years later in The Bishop's Wife (1947).

Quotes:

Tagline: Rules of the game meant nothing to her...she was "born to be bad" ..and she knew it!

Lobby Cards and Press Stills:

Directed by Lowell Sherman.
Produced by Twentieth Century.
Running time: 61 minutes

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.

On This Day... My Favorite Wife (1940)

Today in 1940 saw the release of My Favorite Wife: Cary Grant's 36th full length film and his second film with Irene Dunne... first reviewed in my blog post on May 17, 2020 -see https://www.mylifeinayearwitharchie.com/2020/05/on-this-daymy-favorite-wife-1940.html .

Summary:

Missing for seven years and presumed dead, a woman returns home on the day of her husband's second marriage.

Cast:

Irene Dunne... Ellen Wagstaff Arden
Cary Grant... Nick Arden
Randolph Scott... Stephen Burkett
Gail Patrick... Bianca Bates
Ann Shoemaker... Ma - Nick's Mother
Scotty Beckett... Tim - The Ardens' Son
Mary Lou Harrington... Chinch - the Ardens' Daughter
Donald MacBride... Hotel Clerk
Hugh O'Connell... Johnson - Insurance Adjuster
Granville Bates... Judge Bryson
Pedro de Cordoba... Dr. Kohlmar

Did You Know?

Included among the American Film Institute's 2000 list of the 500 movies nominated for the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.

Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, "Enoch Arden," about a fisherman presumed lost at sea who returns to find his wife remarried, was the basis of five prior films: Enoch Arden (1914), Die Toten kehren wieder - Enoch Arden (1919), and D.W. Griffith's Enoch Arden: Part I (1911), Enoch Arden: Part II (1911), and Enoch Arden (1915). Those films adhered to Tennyson's poem. But in My Favorite Wife, Something's Got to Give (1962), and Move Over, Darling (1963), only the basic idea of a spouse who returns is kept, with the spouse presumed lost now being the wife. However, in all of these films, the surname of the couple in question remains "Arden."

Something's Got to Give was Marilyn Monroe's final, unfinished project and that version of this film featured Dean Martin in the Cary Grant role, and Cyd Charisse as the second wife. Some of the sets built for that version were "repurposed" for the Day/Garner film, Move Over Darling, after production on the Monroe/Martin movie was shut down due to Monroe's chronic tardiness and eventually abandoned when she died in August of 1962.

Leo McCarey was supposed to direct My Favorite Wife, but shortly before the filming began, he was injured in an automobile accident and had to hand over the direction to Garson Kanin. Actress Gail Patrick has stated that the severity of McCarey's injuries had an effect on the film's cast, and they found it very difficult to enter into the spirit of the comedy with the serious hospital bulletins they were hearing.

Quotes:

Judge Walter Bryson: Who are you?
Stephen Burkett: Well, your honor...
Nick Arden: Oh, he was on the island with her. He's not important to this case.
Judge Walter Bryson: I'll decide what's important to the case. What island?
Nick Arden: The island where my wife stayed for seven years, your honor.
Judge Walter Bryson: They were on an island together for seven years?
Nick Arden: Yes, your honor.
Judge Walter Bryson: Not alone?
Nick Arden: Yes.
Judge Walter Bryson: Hmm. Same island?
Nick Arden: Yes.
Judge Walter Bryson: Is that in the brief?
Nick Arden: No, your honor!
Judge Walter Bryson: Oh, that should be in the brief. That's the most interesting part of the case.

Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve: Oh, by the way, how was my funeral?
Ma: Lovely. Doctor Blake preached a wonderful service.
Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve: Oh, I wish I had been there.

Hotel clerk: [as Nick and Ellen approach the front desk of the hotel] Yes?
Nick Arden: I'd like to have another room.
Hotel clerk: [surprised, due to the fact that Mr. Arden just booked another room with another woman - his wife] Hmm?...
[looks around while contemplating the seemingly odd situation]
Hotel clerk: Why certainly sir.
Nick Arden: Ah, thank you very much. Uh, is uh, is Suite A available?
Hotel clerk: Suite A?
Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve: Yes, Suite A.
Hotel clerk: [dings the bell] Franz, Suite A. Uh, have you any luggage Miss uh...
Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve: Oh yes I have, a ticket right here - if you'll just sign for it. It's at the airport.
Nick Arden: Airport.
Ellen Wagstaff Arden aka Eve: Thank you.
Nick Arden: Very much.
Hotel clerk: [in slight disbelief to the other hotel clerk after the couple walks away] What a man.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Garson Kanin.
Produced by RKO Radio
Running time: 88 minutes

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.

On This Day...Without Reservations (1946)

Today saw the release of Without Reservations in 1946, featuring a cameo appearance by Cary Grant as himself.

Summary:

Kit Madden is traveling to Hollywood, where her best-selling novel is to be filmed. Aboard the train, she encounters Marines Rusty and Dink, who don't know she is the author of the famous book, and who don't think much of the ideas it proposes. She and Rusty are greatly attracted, but she doesn't know how to deal with his disdain for the book's author.

Cast:

Claudette Colbert...Kit Madden
John Wayne...Captain 'Rusty' Thomas
Don DeFore...Lieutenant 'Dink' Watson
Anne Triola...Connie
Phil Brown...Soldier
Frank Puglia...Ortega
Thurston Hall...Baldwin
Dona Drake...Dolores Ortega
Fernando Alvarado...Mexican Boy
Charles Arnt...Salesman
Louella Parsons...Louella Parsons (as Miss Louella Parsons)

Cary Grant...Cary Grant (uncredited) 

Did You Know?

The opening shot shows "Arrowhead" Pictures motion picture studio. This is the actual RKO Pictures Studio Building at 780 Gower Street in Hollywood, retouched with "Arrowhead" replacing the RKO signs on the building. It remains a historic structure on the corner to this day.

Claudette Colbert's character travels to Hollywood to make a movie from her best-selling novel. Already cast is Lana Turner in the female lead. She meets John Wayne's character and decides to take him for a screen test, as the perfect type to play the male lead. Wayne would later star with Turner in The Sea Chase (1955).

Quotes

Rusty: Everything she's doing, she's doing to make me jealous.
Dink: To make you jealous?
Rusty: And you know what I'm gonna do about it?
Dink: Get jealous.
Rusty: I am. Take a letter.
Dink: Yes, captain.

Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

Produced by RKO Radio Pictures.

Running Time: 107 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.

On This Day...Sinners in the Sun (1932)

Today sees the release of Cary Grant's 2nd full length film, Sinners in the Sun, in 1932...first reviewed in my blog post on May 13, 2020 - see https://www.mylifeinayearwitharchie.com/2020/05/on-this-daysinners-in-sun-1932.html .

Summary:

A New York fashion model finds herself being pursued by a poor but honest garage mechanic and a rich philanderer.

Cast:

Carole Lombard...Doris Blake
Chester Morris...Jimmie Martin
Adrienne Ames...Claire Kincaid
Alison Skipworth...Mrs Blake
Cary Grant...Ridgeway
Walter Byron...Eric Nelson
Rita LaRoy...Lil

Did You Know?

William C. de Mille was originally assigned to direct.

Debut of actresses Lynn Browning, Dorothy Compton and Gale Ronn.

Quotes:

Tagline: Souls for Sables! Dreams for Diamonds! Faced with a choice between married poverty and unexcelled luxury!

Directed by Alexander Hall.
Produced by Paramount Publix
Running time: 70 minutes

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.

On This Day...Once Upon a Time (1944)

 Cary Grant's 45th film was Once Upon a Time and was released on this day in 1944.

Summary:

Small time crook and showman Jerry Flynn (Cary Grant) is desperately searching for a new act to promote in order to save him from ruin. He meets a boy on the street who claims to have a dancing caterpillar called Curly. Flynn seizes the opportunity for fame and fortune at Curly's expense.

"In spite of the good acting and characterizations by Cary Grant and Janet Blair, and especially by James Gleason as Flynn's assistant and Ted Donaldson as the beaming kid with great faith, there just isn't enough material here for a full length feature." - Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal.

Cast:

Cary Grant... Jerry Flynn
Janet Blair... Jeannie Thompson
James Gleason... McGillicuddy aka The Moke
Ted Donaldson... Arthur 'Pinky' Thompson
William Demarest... Brandt

Did You Know?

Rita Hayworth was originally assigned the role of Jeannie Thompson, and when she refused to do it, was placed on a nine week suspension without pay by the head of Columbia, Harry Cohn, and subsequently replaced by Janet Blair.

"The Screen Guild Theater" broadcast a 30 minute radio adaptation of the movie on February 4, 1945 with Ted Donaldson reprising his film role.

Final film of actress June Millarde.

When Cary Grant goes down the spiral staircase, he descends clockwise. When the scene shoots to the "downstairs room" the staircase is turning counter clockwise as they descend to the bottom.

Quotes:

Jerry Flynn: What does the public need in times like these? Escape!

Posters:

'The Eternal Suitor' (Spanish title)

Directed by Alexander Hall.

Produced by Columbia.

Running Time: 89 minutes 

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.