On This Day...I Was a Male War Bride (1949)

On today's date back in 1949, Cary Grant's 54th full length feature film, I Was a Male War Bride, was released. 

Summary: 

Captain Henri Rochard (Cary Grant) of France is assigned to work with First Lieutenant Catherine Gates (Ann Sheridan) of the U.S. Army. Through a wacky series of misadventures, they fall in love and marry. When the war ends, Rochard tries to return to America, like female war brides could under the auspices of America's 1945 War Brides Act. Zany gender-confusing antics follow.

Cast:

Cary Grant...Captain Henri Rochard

Ann Sheridan...1st Lt. Catherine Gates

Marion Marshall...Lt. Kitty Lawrence

Randy Stuart...Lt. Eloise Billings

Bill Neff...Capt. Jack Ramsey (as William Neff)

Did You Know?

Howard Hawks's first film to be shot in Europe, it was beset with problems. The German winter was unbearably cold and most of the cast and crew fell ill. Ann Sheridan caught pleurisy (which developed into pneumonia), Cary Grant contracted hepatitis with jaundice, and Hawks broke out in hives. Production was shut down for three months while Grant convalesced and resumed only after he was able to regain around thirty pounds. Hawks best summed up the lapse in production: "Cary ran into a haystack on a motorcycle and came out weighing twenty pounds less."

Despite his illness, Cary Grant thoroughly enjoyed making the film, calling it "the best comedy I've ever done."

Calling upon his vaudevillian roots, Cary Grant insisted upon doing his own stunts, including one in which he was lifted up by a railroad-crossing gate. Ann Sheridan even got into the act, driving a 400-pound motorcycle with Grant in the sidecar for a sequence. She navigated the bike expertly, except for an unfortunate run-in with a goose; its death terribly upset the actress, but despite this, Sheridan had a positive experience making the film.

Cary Grant's character (French Captain Henri Rochard) is a pseudonym for Belgian Army Major Roger Henri Charlier on whom the movie is loosely based. Major Charlier served as a liaison officer for the Belgian Government at the Nuremberg and Dachau War Crimes trials. While as a representative at the trials, he was accidentally hit by a car, landing him in a U.S. Army hospital. It was there Maj. Charlier met his future wife, U.S. Army nurse Captain Marie Helen Glennon. Upon release from the hospital, he was discharged from the Belgian Army and returned to Nuremberg as a civilian employee of the U.S. War Department.

When screenwriter Charles Lederer was ill, his friend Orson Welles wrote part of a short chase scene as a favor to him.

Quotes:

Capt. Henri Rochard: My name is Rochard. You'll think I'm a bride but actually I'm a husband. There'll be a moment or two of confusion but, if we all keep our heads, everything will be fine.

Sergeant: Any female trouble?

Capt. Henri Rochard: Nothing but, Sergeant.

Soldier: You're not Mrs. Rochard!

Capt. Henri Rochard: I'm MISTER Rochard.

Soldier: Well, it's your WIFE who must report here for transportation to Bremerhaven.

Capt. Henri Rochard: According to the War Department, I AM my wife.

Soldier: You can't be your wife!

Capt. Henri Rochard: If the American army says that I CAN be my wife, who am I to dispute them?

Lt. Catherine Gates: [Rochard is holding a baby for a stranger. His wife and Kitty walk up, both laughing] Ah, Henri, you look so maternal!

Lt. Kitty Lawrence: What is that?

Capt. Henri Rochard: A human fire extinguisher. You wanna try it?

Lt. Kitty Lawrence: Oh, come on.

[takes baby andfrowns at its prodigious wetness]

Lt. Catherine Gates: Aww, he's cute. What's his name?

Capt. Henri Rochard: Niagara.

Lt. Kitty Lawrence: [shaking hand dry] Henri, what a thing to do.

Lt. Catherine Gates: Where's the mother?

Capt. Henri Rochard: She went to get *more* water.

Lt. Kitty Lawrence: She ought to get a plumber!

Lobby Cards:

Directed by Howard Hawks.

Distributed by 20th Century-Fox.

Running time: 105 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.

On This Day...People Will Talk (1951)

 Released today back in 1951, People Will Talk was Cary Grant's 56th full length feature film.

Summary:

Successful and well-liked, Dr. Noah Praetorius (Cary Grant) becomes the victim of  harassment at the hands of Professor Elwell. Things start to get worse when Praetorius befriends young Deborah Higgins, who has become suicidal on finding herself pregnant by her ex boyfriend, a military reservist killed in action in the Korean War.

Cast:

Cary Grant..Dr. Noah Praetorius

Jeanne Crain...Deborah Higgins

Finlay Currie...Shunderson

Hume Cronyn...Prof. Rodney Elwell

Walter Slezak...Prof. Barker

Sidney Blackmer...Arthur Higgins

Basil Ruysdael...Dean Lyman Brockwell

Katherine Locke...Miss James

Did You Know?

In early pre-production, Jeanne Crain campaigned for the female lead, but the role went to Anne Baxter. After Baxter had to forfeit due to approaching motherhood, Crain's wishes were granted.

The working title for the film when it was announced, according to the In Hollywood column by Erskine Johnson, syndicated by NEA, was "Dr. Praetorius", the same as the German original, but acknowledged that the title was expected to be changed. (The San Bernardino Daily Sun, San Bernardino, California, Monday 9 April 1951, Volume LVII, Number 189, page 4.)

Cary Grant left his hand and footprints outside Grauman's Chinese Theater as part of the opening publicity for this film. The pictures of him taking part in the ceremony of making his prints in the cement clearly show the People Will Talk poster on the Theater's famous "next attraction" wall.

Quotes:

Shunderson: Professor Elwell, you're a little man. It's not that you're short. You're...little, in the mind and in the heart. Tonight, you tried to make a man little whose boots you couldn't touch if you stood on tiptoe on top of the highest mountain in the world. And as it turned out...you're even littler than you were before.

Doctor Noah Praetorius: How old were you when you learned to walk?

Arthur Higgins: I could get around alright at four.

Doctor Noah Praetorius: And how old were you when you left the farm?

Arthur Higgins: Sixteen.

Doctor Noah Praetorius: Surely it didn't take you twelve years to make up your mind!

Shunderson: The dog is frightened and unhappy.

Doctor Noah Praetorius: He has that in common with most of humanity.

Posters:

Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

Distributed by 20th Century-Fox.

Running time: 109 minutes.

Based on the play "Dr. Praetorius" by Curt Goetz.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.

On This Day...The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)

Cary Grant's 50th full length feature film, The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, was released today, back in 1947. 

Summary: 

Teenaged Susan Turner (Shirly Temple), with a severe crush on playboy artist Richard Nugent (Cary Grant), sneaks into his apartment to model for him and is found there by her sister, Judge Margaret Turner (Myrna Loy). Threatened with jail, Nugent agrees to date Susan until the crush abates. He counters Susan's comic false sophistication by even more comic put-on teenage mannerisms, with a slapstick climax.

Cast:

Cary Grant...Dick Nugent

Myrna Loy...Judge Margaret Turner

Shirley Temple...Susan Turner

Rudy Vallee...District Attorney Tommy Chamberlain

Ray Collins...Dr. Matthew Beemish

Harry Davenport...Judge Thaddeus Turner

Johnny Sands...Jerry White

Don Beddoe...Joey

Lillian Randolph...Bessie

Veda Ann Borg...Agnes Prescott

Dan Tobin...Chester Walters

Ransom M. Sherman...Judge Treadwell (as Ransom Sherman)

William Bakewell...Winters

Irving Bacon...Melvin - Police Turnkey

Ian Bernard...Perry

Carol Hughes...Florence

William Hall...Anthony Herman

Gregory Gaye...Maitre d'Hotel (as Gregory Gay)

Did You Know?

The "Man with the Power" routine was the inspiration for the song "Magic Dance" in the movie Labyrinth (1986) and was also  adapted into the song lyric of The Atomic Fireballs' song "Man With the Hex" during the Swing Revival of the 1990s.

Myrna Loy was almost 23 years older than her on-screen sister Shirley Temple.

In the final scene between Ray Collins and Cary Grant, wherein Collins tries to convince Grant to carry on in his pursuit of Myrna Loy, all of Collins' dialogue is looped.

There are a couple of "in joke" references to Shirley Temple in the film. When Cary Grant is sitting with Shirley in the soda shop, the waitress serves him a "Shirley Temple" drink. Later, when Shirley is in her room, packing her suitcase, she takes a Shirley Temple doll off the mantle over her fireplace.

This film won the Best Writing, Original Screenplay Oscar for its only Academy Award nomination.

Quotes:

Richard Nugent: Hey, you remind me of a man.

Susan Turner: What man?

Richard Nugent: Man with the power.

Susan Turner: What power?

Richard Nugent: Power of hoodoo.

Susan Turner: Hoodoo?

Richard Nugent: You do.

Susan Turner: Do what?

Richard Nugent: Remind me of a man...

Matt Beemish: I'm the court psychiatrist.

Richard Nugent: Come back in an hour. I'll be crazy by then.

Matt Beemish: A girl her age is entitled to growing pains, isn't she?

Judge Margaret Turner: Yes, but Susan's growing pains are rapidly becoming a major disease.

Richard (Dick) Nugent: How'd you get in here?

Matt Beemish: Well, the door was closed, so I opened it and came right in.

Richard Nugent: [Jerry is sitting in his car in front of the Turner house] Jerry, what are you doing out here? Why don't you go inside?

Jerry White: I'm not welcome. I'm a square in Susan's social circle.

Richard Nugent: Nonsense, I'm sure Susan doesn't know you're out here.

Jerry White: She put me here.

Richard Nugent: Oh.

Waiter at Tick Tock Club: [to Nugent after he has been yelled at, insulted, slapped, had champagne tossed in his face and been stuck with the check] Can I get you anything else, sir?

Richard Nugent: For instance?

Judge Margaret Turner: Mr. Nugent, I have good news.

Richard (Dick) Nugent: You're going to hang me.

Judge Margaret Turner: I'm afraid I'm the one who ought to be hanged.

Richard (Dick) Nugent: Won't I sit down?

Judge Margaret Turner: Please do.

Judge Margaret Turner: It's nothing. I'm sure you didn't know she'd be here.

Richard (Dick) Nugent: Are you sure you're sure I didn't know she'd be here?

Chester Walters: You're charged with hitting the district attorney.

[sic]

Chester Walters: Did you or did you not hit him?

Richard (Dick) Nugent: I hit him. That's right. But at the time I hit him, I did not know he was the ASSISTANT district attorney. If I had known he was the ASSISTANT district attorney... I would have hit him.

Posters:

Directed by Irving Reis.

Distributed by RKO Radio.

Running time: 95 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.

On This Day...The Talk of the Town (1942)

 Cary Grant's 41st film was The Talk of the Town, released on today's date back in 1942. 

Summary: 

Cary Grant is Leopold Dilg, who was jailed for arson and murder after a man died when a mill burned down. He escapes custody and hides out in the home of Nora Shelley, his childhood sweetheart, played by Jean Arthur….but Nora has just rented her home out to unsuspecting law professor Michael Lightcap (Ronald Colman)…could he be of any help to Leopold’s case? 

Cast:

Cary Grant...Leopold Dilg

Jean Arthur...Nora Shelley

Ronald Colman...Professor Michael Lightcap

Edgar Buchanan...Sam Yates

Glenda Farrell....Regina Bush

Charles Dingle...Andrew Holmes

Emma Dunn...Mrs. Shelley

Rex Ingram...Tilney

Leonid Kinskey...Jan Pulaski

Tom Tyler...Clyde Bracken

Don Beddoe...Police Chief

Did You Know?

This was the first time since the silent era that Ronald Colman was billed below another male lead.

When the professor is unconscious on the floor, Tilney (Rex Ingram) asks Sam is he is a doctor. Ironically, Rex Ingram was himself a doctor in real life - a trained physician.

Cary Grant and Ronald Colman were both paid at least $100,000 for their work in the film. Jean Arthur, who was in Harry Cohn's dog house and just coming off suspension, was only paid $50,000.

Nora tells the professor that he is, "as whiskered as the Smith Brothers." This refers to a brand of cough drops with an illustration of the Smith Brothers on the front, both of whom have a beard. First introduced in 1852, they remained the most popular brand for a century.

The AMC television showing of this film omits the actual moment, shown in the complete version, in which 'Ronald Colman' is actually informed of his Supreme Court appointment.

Quotes:

Leopold Dilg: With these indoor habits of yours, you've got the complexion of a gravel pit.

Michael Lightcap: You know, Joseph, you're no oil painting yourself.

Leopold Dilg: Stop saying "Leopold" like that, tenderly. It sounds funny. You can't do it with a name like Leopold.

Sam Yates: He's the only honest man I've come across in this town in 20 years. Naturally, they want to hang him.

Leopold Dilg: What is the law? It's a gun pointed at somebody's head. All depends upon which end of the gun you stand, whether the law is just or not.

Nora Shelley: Listen, I can't hang around here even if I wanted to. Lightcap's ordered me out 50 times since last night. I'm here now only by the grace of being in his pajamas. One minute I'm out of these and I'm out on my ear!

Michael Lightcap: Miss Shelly, judging from the past 12 hours, how quiet do you think it could be in this house, with you in it?

Lobby Cards:

Directed by George Stevens.

Produced and distributed by Columbia.

Running time: 118 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.

On This Day...In Name Only (1939)

 On today's date back in 1939, Cary Grant's 34th full length feature film, In Name Only, was released. 

Summary: 

Life starts to get complicated wealthy Alec Walker (Cary Grant), who falls for widow, Julie Eden (Carole Lombard)….but doesn’t tell her he is already trapped in a loveless marriage to gold digger, Maida (Kay Francis). The two women meet by coincidence but their reactions to each other are very different.

Cast:

Carole Lombard...Julie Eden

Cary Grant...Alec Walker

Kay Francis...Maida Walker

Charles Coburn...Mr. Walker

Helen Vinson...Suzanne Duross

Katharine Alexander...Laura

Jonathan Hale...Dr. Gateson

Nella Walker...Mrs. Walker

Alan Baxter...Charley

Maurice Moscovitch....Dr. Muller (as Maurice Moscovich)

Peggy Ann Garner...Ellen

Spencer Charters...Gardener

Did You Know?

This movie was intended to be a reunion for Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn, but following the failure of Bringing Up Baby (1938) at the box office from the previous year, Hepburn left RKO being after deemed "Box Office Poison". Carole Lombard was subsequently brought in as her replacement.  This film was a success at the box office, earning RKO a profit of $155,000 ($2.78M in 2019) according to studio records.

The front of the Walkers' home, used in the scene where Lombard's character arrives at the wife's garden party, is actually the front portico of the old Selznick Studio in Culver City, where Gone With the Wind was being filmed at the same time this was made.

According to contemporary articles in The Hollywood Reporter, Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was to play the role of Alex Walker.

"Lux Radio Theater" broadcast a 60 minute radio adaptation of the movie on December 11, 1939 with Carole Lombard, Cary Grant and Kay Francis reprising their film roles.

Quotes:

Suzanne: I told you I had to see you.

Alec Walker: Now that you've found me, what about it?

Suzanne: Honestly, Alec, you're so direct!

Alec Walker: You're not exactly oblique yourself.

Suzanne: Merely because I happen to think you're attractive, you want me to throw my whole life away. What kind of a person do you think I am anyway?

Alec Walker: An Easter bunny.

Alec Walker: You call that love, huh?

Suzanne: Who are you to be so high and mighty about love? You and that thing you've got with Maida! Of all the shams I've ever seen, that's the worst. You didn't think you could make a fool out of me, did you?

Alec Walker: I tried.

Manager - Tony's Cafe: Glad to see you come in so regular, Mr. Walker. You know, I like to have your kind of folks. You might drop the word to your friends.

Alec Walker: Tony, when my friends start coming here, I stop.

Maida Walker: Go on back. There's no reason for a goodbye scene, is there?

Alec Walker: Oh, I just want to thank you again. I do thank you, you know.

Maida Walker: It's all so sporting. The way it is in books.

Alec Walker: Or prizefights.

Julie Eden: Darling, I'm so hungry, I could eat a horse.

Alec Walker: Well, I doubt if they serve them; however, we'll try.

Posters and Lobby Cards:

Directed by John Cromwell

Produced and distributed by RKO Radio.

Running time: 94 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.