Arturo

Well Kim Novak has been chosen as SOTM for September, then that leaves TCM staff just this month to finalize the films that could be shown should Linda Darnell be chosen for the SOTM for October. A suggestion for programming, if its not too late....try to show real rarities like her 1939 debut HOTEL FOR WOMEN, which TCM had penciled in two years ago for Lindas SUTS, SUMMER STORM, and THE GREAT JOHN L. both made at UA and never seen on TCM. Or her rare Fox films like CENTENNIAL SUMMER, The WALLS OF JERICHO, THE THIRTEENTH LETTER, THE GUY WHO CAME BACK or NIGHT WITHOUT SLEEP, amd especially FOREVER AMBER. Then there are the rarely seen freelancing pictures she did in the 50s, THE LADY PAYS OFF, I SLAND OF DESIRE, THIS IS MY LOVE, or DAKOTA INCIDENT. Plus her two made in Italy, DONNE PROIBITE or GLI ULTIMI CINQUE.MINUTI. Heres hoping against hope, not only for Linda being chosen, but some of these true rarities being shown. But even if its mosty made up of her movies that are usually shown, itll still be an special month. PS...Linda made any number of TV dramas in the fifties. some of these can be added , not just to pad out the month, but to give a more complete overview of her career, in the later period where she made next to no feature film. Of course, rights issues would be the main stumbling block. but these would be the capper of a great month. Edited by: Arturo on Jun 29, 2013 12:11 PM

I don't think I can single just one movie, but in general I'd like to be in any movie from the 20s to the 50s which has a restaurant, nightclub or dinner party scene, and I can partake of the food and drink in take after take.

Here's another "What If?" regarding Linda Darnell's career, but of a different nature than earlier ones, as those all had beneficial results for her career and/or life. This supposition is one that was totally possible, but might have had a negative inpact on these. What if Linda Darnell had been dropped by Fox around the time her career had gotten its second wind, in 1944? After immediate success in 1939, Linda's career began to sag by mid-1941; the reasons are not totally certain, but she was soon relegated to roles in programmers and b-films, and loaned to other studios for the same. This was a pattern that other young girls at Fox had followed, with initial enthusiasm and strong lead roles, then sudden demotion to supporting roles or leads in B features. In the late 30s-early 40s, this happened to, among others: Nancy Kelly, Arleen Whelan, Marjorie Weaver and Brenda Joyce. After a couple or so years into their downfall, 20th would drop them, and more likely than not, they'd get employment in leads or second leads at other studios, in less than prestigious features. This too could have been Linda's fate. It seemed like she was headed that way, but two things happened nearly simultaneously that gave her career new impetus. One: she was one of four actresses selected by Look Magazine as the most beautiful in Hollywood. Two: a loanout for UA's SUMMER STORM brought a burst of publicity over her sexy new image, quite different from the girl-next-door she had been playing till then. This resurrected her career as her studio now looked for similar vehicles for her.

Swithin, thanks for the thanks. It will be on again on Fox Movie Channel this Monday, July 1 (and later in the month, on the 4th and 11th): 7:40 am eastern, 4:40 am pacific: MOONTIDE Dock worker Bobo (Gabin) awakens from a drunken binge and is afraid he may have killed a man. *Cast:* Jean Gabin, Ida Lupino, Thomas Mitchell, Claude Rains, Jerome Cowan, Fritz Lang, Nunnally Johnson *Director:* Archie Mayo 1942

I too love most movies from all genres during the classic stuido period. I love the films of the 30s, both pre code and after , and the films of the 40s, during the war and after, are equally vital to me. my only slight exception would some of the more heavy handedly jingoistic flagwavers during the war. but I under stand their rationale. and even the 50s, with their shifting styles and dimensions, born of crisis and necessity, is a crucioal period for me. eeven the 60s especially early on, have something to offer me. which is why TCM makes up the bulk of my TV viewing time, other than news programs. There is usally something enjoyable I can see, and be transported to another time, as some of u have so eloquently noted here. PS ....I go regularly to see current films, have seen all the summer blockbusters so far, and some sleepers and others, thoroughly enjoy most, but usually cant wait to get home to furn on TCM. Edited by: Arturo on Jun 23, 2013 1:55 PM

TCM showed ZENOBIA few weeks ago, and RENO just this morning. WINTER CARNIVAL starred Ann Sheridan, newly revealed to have "oomph", on loan from WB.

plan to cover 20th Century Fox in a few days. I will definitely mention HEAVEN WITH A BARBED WIRE FENCE. I believe this one is coming on FMC in the next several days. *Fox has a lot of forgotten B films. Arturo can probably explain why, since he is more familiar with the politics and the marketing campaigns of that studio. Fox Movie Channel used to play some of them, such as the many Jones Family pictures, but I have not seen those lately. FMC still airs a few of the Michael Shayne mysteries starring Lloyd Nolan.* Well, in general most B films from any studio are forgotten, except maybe by coinousseurs or fans of a given artist. Why this is so probably has to do with the fact that they were made as filler to the top of the bill title, which would get the promotional push, and maybe, some lasting recognition. Then again, outlets for them to be seen are very few, TCM being one of them. Even they relegate them usually to odd hours. There has been at least one Jones Family film shown on FMC a few times in the last year or so. Fox shows a few other of their late 30s-early 40s Bs, always in the early morning hours. Since Fox developed its split personality on New Year's Day last year, their showing of their classic era movies, seemingly never a priority for several years, got cut in half.

Edward G. Robinson starred in another movie, along with Susan Hayward, Richard Conte and Luther Adler, etc, the noirish HOUSE OF STRANGERS (1949), which Fox later remade as a western, BROKEN LANCE (1954), with Spencer Tracy, Richard Widmark, Jean Peters, Robert Wagner and Katy Jurado, among others. I believe it was remade yet again THE BIG SHOW (1961), with a circus setting, with Esther Williams, Clift Robertson, Robert Vaughn, etc.

Early Saturday, June 22, at 7:15 am eastern, 4:15 pacific, TCM will show the following movie featuring Linda Darnell: BLACKBEARD THE PIRATE (1952), which she did on loan to RKO just before the end of her long-term contract at 20th Century Fox. Howard Hughes decided to exploit her physique, showing off substantially more cleavage than Fox did at that time. Other than that, this colorful pirate epic has a hammy Robert Newton going way over board as the title character, and funny performances by William Bendix and Irene Ryan. Also with Keith Andes and Richard Egan. h4. 22 Saturday h1. 7:15 AM h2. [Blackbeard, the Pirate (1952)|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/981/Blackbeard-the-Pirate/] A kidnapped beauty gets caught between feuding pirates. *Dir*: [Raoul Walsh|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/201402%7C127526/Raoul-Walsh/] *Cast*: [Robert Newton|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/140658%7C132350/Robert-Newton/] , [Linda Darnell|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/44380%7C99349/Linda-Darnell/] , [William Bendix|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/13549%7C155169/William-Bendix/] . C-99 mins, TV-PG, CC, h4. 22 Saturday h1. 7:15 AM h2. [Blackbeard, the Pirate (1952)|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/981/Blackbeard-the-Pirate/] A kidnapped beauty gets caught between feuding pirates. *Dir*: [Raoul Walsh|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/201402%7C127526/Raoul-Walsh/] *Cast*: [Robert Newton|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/140658%7C132350/Robert-Newton/] , [Linda Darnell|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/44380%7C99349/Linda-Darnell/] , [William Bendix|http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/13549%7C155169/William-Bendix/] . C-99 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Anne Baxter in her first starring role, on Fox Movie Channel.... SATURDAY, JUNE 22: 4:28 am EST, 1:28 AM PST: SWAMP WATER Jean Renoir's first American film focuses on an innocent fugitive (Brennan) who lives alone in the marshland... until a hunter (Andrews) finds him and tries to clear his name. *Cast:* Anne Baxter, Walter Huston, Walter Brennan, Dana Andrews, Virginia Gilmore *Director:* Jean Renoir 1941

FYI, some noirs, and other crime dramas, on Fox Movie Channel in the next couple of days: FRIDAY, JUNE 21: 6:00 am EST, 3 AM PST: THE BOWERY Rival saloon owners (Beery and Raft) tangle in turn of the century New York. *Cast:* Fay Wray, George Raft, Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Pert Kelton *Director:* Raoul Walsh 1933 7:30 am EST, 4;30 AM PST: MOONTIDE Dock worker Bobo (Gabin) awakens from a drunken binge and is afraid he may have killed a man. *Cast:* Jean Gabin, Ida Lupino, Thomas Mitchell, Claude Rains, Jerome Cowan, Fritz Lang, Nunnally Johnson *Director:* Archie Mayo 1942 9:15 am EST, 6:15 AM PST: CRY OF THE CITY A New York police lieutenat (Victor Mature) walks a tightrope as he tracks his former best friend, who is now a cop-killer. *Cast:* Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Shelley Winters, Fred Clark, Tommy Cook *Director:* Robert Siodmak 1948 11:00 am EST, 8 AM PST: PANIC IN THE STREETS A medical officer (Richard Widmark) races against time after he discovers two gun-happy hoodlums (Zero Mostel and Jack Palance) are running around the streets of New Orleans carrying the virus to a deadly new plague. *Cast:* Richard Widmark, Paul Douglas, Jack Palance, Barbara Bel geddes, Zero Mostel *Director:* Elia Kazan 1950 1:00 pm EST, 10 AM PST: MURDER, INC. A true account of the infamous gangster organization of the 1930s and its number one hit man (Falk). *Cast:* May Britt, Peter Falk, Morey Amsterdam, Simon Oakland, Henry Morgan, Sylvia Miles, Sarah Vaughan, Stuart Whitman, Vincent Gardenia *Director:* Burt Balaban 1960 SATURDAY, JUNE 22: 8:30 am EST, 5;30 AM PST: A BLUEPRINT FOR MURDER A man (Joseph Cotten) who has fallen in love with his sister-in-law (Jean Peters) begins to suspect that she may have murdered one of her step-children. *Cast:* Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, Gary Merrill, Catherine Mcleod, Mae Marsh *Director:* Andrew Stone 1953 10:00 am EST, 7 AM PST: VICKI When a woman is murdered, her sister (Jeanne Crain) and the prime suspect (Elliot Reid) join forces to find the killer. Remake of "I Wake Up Screaming". *Cast:* Jean Peters, Jeanne Crain, Richard Boone, Casey Adams, Elliot Reid *Director:* Harry Horner 1953 11:30 am EST, 8:30 AM PST: MURDER, INC. A true account of the infamous gangster organization of the 1930s and its number one hit man (Falk). *Cast:* May Britt, Peter Falk, Morey Amsterdam, Simon Oakland, Henry Morgan, Sylvia Miles, Sarah Vaughan, Stuart Whitman, Vincent Gardenia *Director:* Burt Balaban 1960 1:25 pm EST, 10;25 AM PST: MAN IN THE MIDDLE A lawyer defends an American solider who has killed a British solider. *Cast:* Robert Mitchum, Trevor Howard, Keenan Wynn, France Nuyen, Sam Wanamaker, Barry Sulliva *Director:* Guy Hamilton 1964

Another "What If' supposition re: Linda Darnell's career. Last week TCM broadcast THE RAINS OF RANCHIPUR, which featured Lana Turner, borrowed from MGM just before the end of her contract there. This remake had been planned as a vehicle for Fox' Susan Hayward, but she got selected to do I'LL CRY TOMORROW over at Lana's home studio, and rightly jumped at the chance. Anyway, during the filming of TROR, Lana got hurt or sick (I don't remember which), and the shooting schedule was reworked to shoot around her while she got better. Well, 20th was at the point of replacing Lana, in late summer of 1955, but she recovered in time to complete the movie. Well, this was around the time Linda was returning to Fox, after nearly 3 years, to do a tv movie, DECEPTION. She would have been a logical choice to step into the role of the amoral Lady Edwina Esketh, and while she might not have worn Helen Rose designs (Lana brought her with her), she would likely have done a decent job. Had she done it, It may well have jump-started her movie career at a time when she had been out of the public eye in over a year, except for the release of THIS IS MY LOVE late in 1954.

Liz was then married to Michael Wilding, which means Burton waz still three husbands away. Richard maY have been in the midst of his affair with Claire Bloom, the one time pre~Liz he considered leaving his wife.

I have on DVD or VHS the following: GOING PLACES, YES, MY DARLING DAUGHTER; WINGS OF THE NAVY, HELL'S KITCHEN, KID NIGHTINGALE, and WE ARE NOT ALONE, which I believe was Paul Muni's last for the studio. Again, I think TCM has shown all of these in the last 2 or 3 years.

*I have heard of Fast and Loose, and I own a copy of The Ice Follies of 1939. I have also seen Lucky Night, Blackmail, and Sergant Madden.* I have also seen all of these, and on TCM too, if I remember correctly.....FAST AND LOOSE, ICE FOLLIES and BLACKMAIL have been on in the last year or so. PS - I also have these recorded on DVD, except for SM, which I have on VHS. I also have on VHS JOE AND ETHEL TURP.... Edited by: Arturo on Jun 13, 2013 2:41 PM

Tomorrow at 6pshow m eastern, 3 pm Pacific, TCM wlll show 1940`s THE MARK OF ZORRO ,which features a beautiful young Linda Darnell in this classic Tyrone Power swashbuckler. Great fun.

just a reminder that TCM will show the remake of THE RAINS CAME this evening, as part of the prime ttime block of Lana Turner movies tonight. THE RAINS OF RANCHIPUR will be on at 10:15 pm eastern, 7:15 pm Pacific.

TB, which is why I stated that SATAN MET A LADY was "one of the last straws", as Bette Davis became increasingly appalled and furious at the assignnments the studio was giving her, especially in light of her recent Oscar win, and shortly led her to try to get out of her contract.

Here's another "What If?" re: Linda Darnell's career. What if she had been able to do the movies she had hoped for her production company? During her last two marriages, this option had arisen as a way of allowing her movie projects, at the point where viable outside offers were becoming scarce. In mid-late 1955, towards the end of her short-lived second marriage to Phillip Leibmann, he tried to hold on to her with the promise of producing film projects, with Linda having control over costars, technicians, etc. He had bought a script for her, "Constantia" a love story which would have had Linda being disabled. however, at this point, it was no longer enough to keep her married to him, and Linda went ahead with her plans to leave him. She didn't want anything from him, giving back jewelry and even the ranch he had purchased for her. She could've asked for the rights to their proposed movie, and maybe made it later; it never was. In fact, had she made it in the period while still married to Liebmann, his wealth and contacts might've enabled him to get further funding and the green light on this project. The marriage might have lasted a little longer, since one of Linda's main gripes was that she was bored, as he didn't want her filmmaking, and she had nothing to do be a wealthy Park Avenue matron, something NOT in her short-term goals. But immersed and involved in all aspects of production, she would not have been bored, probably finding it a rewarding experience. This could have led to the couple doing more movies, prolonging Linda's feature film career as well as keeping her in the public eye and the nation's big screens. In the early 60s, as Linda was recuperating from her alcohol rehab, and temporarily not doing her stage act, she and her third husband and manager of her career, Robby Robertson, formed a production company. Among other things, they bought a script entitled "The Virgin Heart", hoping to have this be their inital film feature. However, they were in the midst of their financial crisis, with bills mounting and Linda's lucrative, if short-lived stage career was on hold. They had hoped to get backing for their venture, but at that point in mid-1961, Linda was a risky proposition, not having made a movie in over three years. Perhaps it might have been better if Robby used the large amounts of her money he used for the stage act to try to get this (or another) movie project jump-started. And even a modestly successful movie would probably have opened the flood-gates to outside movie offers.

*I have a feeling Bette agreed to do the remake because it gave her a chance to play a bad girl. She was warming up for JEZEBEL.* I believe it was forced on her by the studio, she hated it, and was one of the last straws that caused her to try to break her contract from Warner Brothers shortly therefter.

*If so it blows me away that this city is so big and beautiful only 25 years past the earthquake of 1906.* Plus the Fire. Actually, the City worked at rebuilding to show itself as having risen from the ashes in time for the Pan-Pacific Exposition of 1915 (?).

*How old was Lauren Bacall when She starred opposite Bogard ? I believe she was quite young too, certainly a big age difference and as well, Obviously they had the 'chemistry', we know that.* *So, who is to say that Lana would have been too young ?* *Twink* Good point about age. Lana was about the same in 1941 as Lauren was in 1944.

*In 1941 I don't think Lana or Rita were good enough actresses and they wouldn't of been able to carry that part.* In 1941, Rita played a mighty convincing temptress in BLOOD AND SAND and even THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE. I think she would have held her own with her presence alone. *Also, this was a 'B' picture, with a first time director, so Jack Warner wouldn't of paid to use an actor from another studio.* And now to another pet peeve....This was NOT a B picture...Bogart had finally achieved stardom with HIGH SIERRA, and while the studio might not have had high expectations, it was a decently budgeted A film. Edited by: Arturo on Jun 10, 2013 8:23 PM

*No, 'Not' Joan Bennett, not sexy enough, Lan AND, re Joan Bennett...sounds to me as if you're thinking of her as the more "matronly" type in her later years, such as Spencer Tracy's wife the *Father of the Bride *films. However, IF you've ever watched her in either*The Woman in the Window *1944, or *Scarlet Street *1945, I think you'd see what an effective femme fatale she could make. In fact, early on in her career, Ms. Bennett would almost primarily become known for these kinds of roles.,+ Joan Bennett WAS very sexy in the 1940s, but "early on in her career" would have been her 1930s blonde beauty roles....it wasn't till later, in the 40s, where she 'would almost primarily become known for these kinds of roles".

*True noir will be ambiguous and show that corruption overcomes good, before/during/after a Hollywood production code.* True noir did not exist before the production code, or after, but otherwise this is a good point.