Arturo

Linda Darnell made her second free-lance movie, back to back with her first. This was going by the name GOD'S LITTLE ISLAND, but would be released in Enland as SATURDAY ISLAND, which was the name of the book on which it was based, and would be released in the US as ISLAND OF DESIRE. It was a British production that would be distributed by UA in the States, and RKO elsewhere. The director was Stuart Heisler, who had also written the script. In the summer of 1951, Linda flew off to Jamaica to begin shooting on location. She was to play a Canadian nurse during WW2, who gets stranded with a young American marine on a deserted in the South Pacific. Before leaving for the location shoot, Linda had been instrumental in selecting her co-star. At a casting call, she had to administer a kiss with the prospective player, to gauge their chemistry I guess. She whispered into his ear something along the lines of, "Don't be nervous honey, I'm good for newcomers", and the actor who would be henceforth known as Tab Hunter would be strarting his movie career. More to come.......

TomJH wrote: I wonder about all your sources of information because I didn't know that there is that much information readily available about her (though, I must admit, I don't really try to search for much on the lady). Tom, I have an obsessive personality, and when I got interested in Linda Darnell (not quite a teen), I quickly realized that thre was not a lot of information on her that was readily available. I was happy with the book "The Fox Girls", as it spotlighted her as well as others, but as the template for the series by James Robert Parrish (with or without a partner), I soon realized that the later volumes had much more in-depth information on those stars and their movies. Many a B film had a larger write-up than the pefunctory entries in TFG. So I started to scour the bookstores and libraries in LA and Hollywood, looking for more info. The old Downtown Los Angeles library (befoe the fire) was a great source, as they carried many old trade magazines from Hollywood's golden age, even if only on micro-fiche. Later, in college, I foundmuch information on libraries on different campuses. Much information I retained, although I couldn't tell you the source all these years later if my life depended on it. Over the years, this interest and research would wax and wane, depending on the availability of new materials. What I have tried to piece together are some kind of chronological order for her photos, especially for those taken later in her career, when there isn't a whole lot on her, in order to get a broader picture of things. Anyway I don't know if I'm making sense anymore, so I'll stop here.

Wow Leo, this is getting embarrassing, but thank you again. I am glad you appreciate my efforts in spotlighting my favorite movie star ever. I've ordered the Dana Andrews book the other day through Amazon, but have not yet received it. Will let you if there are any major revelations. I have a biography on Monty, plus I've read on him while reading bios on friend and costar Elizabeth Taylor, so as time permits, I can share some info as well, although I think there are quite a few fans of his here that know much about him.

*I am re-watching CAUSE FOR ALARM! this afternoon. I really think Loretta should've been nominated for an Oscar. She gives a powerful performance in this tight, simple little story.* Topbilled: I agree. The reason she wasn't nominated is right in your statement above "*this tight, simple little story"* didn't have a chance when, even then, it was all about the money the studios used to wage campaigns in the form of ads in the trade papers, extolling their big budget blockbusters, prestige pictures, etc.

Linda Darnell had enjoyed making THE LADY PAYS OFF at Universal, her first experience freelancing under her revised contract for Fox. Her studio had planned to cast her with Tyrone Power in a technicolor adventure, LYDIA BAILEY, which would have reunited them for the first time in 10 years, but Power balked at being cast in another costume epic. This led to Fox shelving the film for a short while. When it went back into production, Linda was filming elsewhere, in her second freelancing movie, and was no longer available. It would have been a good role for Linda, playing an American landowner in revolution-wracked late 18th century Haiti. Instead, new contractee Anne Francis was assigned the part meant for Linda, along with new leading man Dale Robertson. Earlier, a reteaming with Dana Andrews was contemplated in SECRET OF CONVICT LAKE. But when it went before the cameras, the stars were Gene Tierney and Glenn Ford. Linda probably fought against another western, since she was allergic to horses. And as noted before, 20th was now giving its most prestigious roles to Susan Hayward, which could have each been strong movie parts for Linda. Another role that Linda would have excelled in IMHO, was WAIT TIL THE SUN SHINES NELLIE, Henry King's evocative turn of the century melodrama. But she woudl miss out in doing both this movie, and the back-on-track LYDIA BAILEY; both would begin filming when Linda was in Jamaica for a protracted amount of time doing a film for director Stuart Heisler, SATURDAY ISLAND (which would be released in the US as ISLAND OF DESIRE), her second freelancing role. More to come.......

the Italian spelling of Barbarossa stuck in all of the history books. I don't know if the pronunciation was different in the two languages. I wonder why the Italian spelling is used in history books, instead of the Spanish spelling? Fred, Well it's Barbarroja or Barba Roja in the Spanish language history books.

Speaking of *pirates* and the main character in the movie, Osborne stated that: "In case you don't know, 'x' means redbeard in Spanish." What is in question here is the *spelling* of the word x (in quotes). It so happens that barbarosa does indeed mean redbeard in Spanish. However, the word redbeard, *as it relates to pirates*, is barbarossa, *NOT* barbarosa; barbarossa means redbeard in *Italian.* There is a great amount of detail on the internet about this subject, which is Barbary pirates. Every single bit of it concerns Barbarossa; none of it concerns barbarosa, which (to repeat) means redbeard IN SPANISH. Musikone: I too heard Osborne's comment, and noticed it because, he was wrong, as you all here are wrong. Barbarossa indeed means "Red-Beard" in Italian, but Barba Rosa in Spanish (if a compound word it's spelled Barbarrosa, but pronounced nearly the same as the Italian word), means PINK-Beard. Spanish for Red Beard is Barba Roja (with the J pronounced somewhat as a more guttural, less aspirated English H. Edited by: Arturo to correct my spelling.

Linda Darnell did her first freelance role, under her revised contract at 20th Century Fox, in the Spring of 1951. This was a comedy by director Douglas Sirk, THE LADY PAYS OFF. It also starred Stephen McNally, Gigi Perreau, and Virginia Field. Linda plays a schoolteacher ("Teacher of the Year"), who inadvertently racks up $7,000.00 in gambling debts at McNally's casino in Reno, Nevada. In order to pay this amount, he has Linda tutor his 9 year old daughter. Linda does so reluctantly, and takes out her anger on the girl. Of course, as in all romantic comedies, the love-hate relationship with Linda and Stephen runs its predictable course. Linda enjoyed making this movie, parts of which were filmed on location in the Carmel area of the Central California coast. She ahd been requested for this role by Douglas Sirk, who had steered her in her breakthrough performance in 1944's SUMMER STORM. Some publicity ensued from some of Linda's promotional shots, which claimed that it was the first time since the mid-40s that she had posed in a bathing suit, a claim that is patently false. The movie also called attention of the Production Code, which claimed that Linda's cleavage was way too exposed. There is no evidence of this in the movie, so the offending sections might have been cut out or refilmed. Linda does wear an unusual wardrobe (don't know who the designer was, but was probably under contract to Universal), but looks beautiful and glamorous nonetheless. The movie got decent reviews, and Linda's were very good, and it did reasonably well when released late in 1951. Linda realized she enjoyed the freelancing she now was free to do, feeling that she would have a betteropportunity to call the shots over which movies to do. Edited by: Arturo since I had to leave work and didn't finish.

Topbilled wrote: What if we said DARK VICTORY and NOW, VOYAGER-- A Great Chick Flick Double Bill. How come we do not get all excited about the women's pictures as much as we do about the male-dominated action flicks? TB: This is such an anachronistic term. I can never see a Bette Davis movie as a "chick flick". Nor would the people they were made for ever have been considered 'chicks", nevermind their actual gender. You said it correctly in your next paragraph, these are "women's pictures', specifically melodramas.

...I meant to post that at the time, it was called *El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles* *....Except you forgot the last part....Del Rio de Porciuncula.*

TomJH wrote: I particularly like the tension of that exchange between Power and Rathbone at the dinner table in which Don Diego makes reference to Rathbone's having presumably had a dalliance with someone's wife. Rathbone Closeup: "Just how did you mean that, senior?" Power: "I hoped to be amusing. Have I failed?" Another great Rathbone closeup: "Somewhat. With me." With Rathbone's steely gaze you could cut the tension with a knife. Or should I say sword? Tom, I too love this scene; great dialogue.... isn't this when Rathbone is jabbing and "dueling" with his grapefruit? Great directorial touch inho.

Addison, first off, thanks fo your vote of support. Just a couple of comments. At the time this movie supposedly took place, Los Angeles was just a sleepy Mexican pueblo of 1,000 at most. It cosisted of one story adobe dwellings, so there is nowhere room for sets to lend themselves to "grandness", except maybe in the opening scene in the Spanish court. I agree it screamed for Technicolor, and was envisioned as such; imagine what the director Rouben Mamoulian did on the following movie BLOOD AND SAND with color. I don't know what happened, other than there was a retrenchment among the studios in 1940, due to curtailed European markets, and the subsequent loss of earnings.

For Linda Darnell, 1951 would be a year that would have long-term repercussions for her, both in her personal life and in her career. After nearly 8 years, of marriage, Linda finally obtained her divorce from her husband Pev Marley early in the year (her arrival at the hearing for her testimony had the press spotlight on how chic she looked). She kept the custom designed home she was building in Brentwood, while he kept another more modest house. However, she had struggled to come up with the $125,000 hush money she had paid him; she used most of her savings, as well as sell some items. He left her the legacy of heavy drinking-straight, which he had taught her soon after being married. She also kept Lola, the two year old daughter they adopted soon after her birth (reputedly Pev was her biological father). Since the divorce had cleared her out financially (and around this time she was a victim of a former manager who embezzled several thousand dollars, plus a hotel suite she had in NYC was broken into and she lost thousands in furs and jewelry), she went to Zanuck to try to get better terms under her contract, plus allowing her to freelance. He agreed, and revised the contract in March 1951, but as he now had Susan Hayward handling the types of roles that Linda got, he had her film committments to Fox be limited to one per year, with Linda free to take as many outside roles as she wished. Linda felt that this would work in her interests, both financially and careerwise. And almost immediately, she got an outside film offer, THE LADY PAYS OFF, to be filmed at Universal Studios. Her salary would be $7,500 a week, with a ten week guarantee. Linda was happy, feeling that this new venture would give many motion picture opportunities. More to come..... Edited by: Arturo on Jan 28, 2013 10:40 PM

*I think BLACK WIDOW (1954) is probably the most extreme crossover noir example I've seen, since it has so many old-time noir actors in it, and an old-time plot, while having the most brightly-lit Technicolor in the widest format Cinemascope, and with the actors obviously spread out across the screen in an artificial way and so much that there is no feeling of intimacy. The film pretty much lacks shadows and dark nighttime scenes.* Fred, I have never subscribed to BLACK WIDOW being a noir, just a run of the mill murder mystery set among Broadway sorts. That being said, this movie was one of many made by Fox in the first year that the studio brought out Cinemascope. So everything you describe about is correct, as Hollywood came up with different widescreen processes (and Cinerama and 3-D) in attempts to try to lure back the patrons that were deserting them for their TV sets. Give the people what they (maybe) want that they can't get on the small screen, seems to have been the credo. Yes they had to line them up across the screen, which is why many of the early Cinemscope flicks had many stars in the cast, including this one. And yes, the size of one's role is not necessarily reflected by how highly billed a given star is; this is indeed mostly about Van Heflin's dilemma, and how it affects those around him. In answer to another post of yours, there are some technicolor films that have shadows and night scenes; many of Fox' 40s color films have some amazing scenes like this, if not always lifelike, quite breathtakingly beautiful.

*Of course, other films in different genres use flashbacks, too.* Yes, please let's make this clear before someone starts in that ALL ABOUT EVE is noir.

Immediately after finishing THE THIRTEENTH LETTER in the fall of 1950, Linda Darnell was assigned to costar again with Paul Douglas, in THE GUY WHO CAME BACK (then known by the title of THE MAN WHO SANK THE NAVY). Linda flat out refused to do it, and Fox suspended her. Besides stating she needed a vacation, she didn't care for the role. She didn't want to again play the other woman, tempting Douglas away from his wife (slated to be played by Joan Bennett). 20th felt that the popular team could have another success with this comedy-drama, in which Douglas is an ex-football player, hoping to give it one more try in the big-leagues. The studio tested other actresses for the role of the model, including a young Marilyn Monroe, then hoping to get another contract with Fox (she would shortly). In the end, Linda relented and agreed to participate in the movie. The main reason she did so was that she needed money, since she had agreed to pay husband Peverell Marley, whom she was divorcing, $125,000 so he wouldn't contest the divorce, or more importantly, expose Linda's affair with Joe Mankiewicz. THE GUY WHO CAME BACK started filming late in 1950. Upon acepting the assignment, Linda refused to have her hair dyed platinum blonde (explaining MM being tested), and was able to prevail on this point. It was her first role in awhile where she was glamorous again. Her last three movies, NO WAY OUT, TWO FLAGS WEST and THE 13TH LETTER, had Linda in decidely non-glamorous parts, which she relished. But playing a fashion model, she had to have the requisite accoutrements. Of course she looked beautiful. Upon release in mid-1951, the movie had a mild reception, from critics and audiences, as the erosion of movie audiences TV continued, leaving many movies without the grosses they might've commanded a couple of years earlier. Edited by: Arturo on Jan 27, 2013 3:29 PM

Heads Up THE MARK OF ZORRO will be on TCM Monday, January 28 at 8 pm Eastern, 5 pm Pacific. See TomTH's teriffic write-up on the thread "Zorro and Don Juan...." Edited by: Arturo on Jan 26, 2013 1:56 PM

In the Summer of 1950, Linda Darnell was given her next film assignment. It would be a remake of the classic French film LE CORBEAU, retitled THE THIRTEENTH LETTER, to be filmed on location in the Canadian province of Quebec. Linda was upset that the director was her nemesis, Otto Preminger, having recently re-signed with Fox. Trying to make the best of the situation, she liked the role she got, as it offered an acting challenge, playing a crippled girl, Denise. Although she was top-billed, Linda's role is not a dominating one. This story of a rash of poison pen letters sowing discord in a small town had several storylines. Befitting this, a fairly large cast had sizable parts, with none being much larger than the rest. New studio contract star Michael Rennie is cast as the new doctor in town; Charles Boyer the older doctor; another new contractee, Constance Smith, ended up here after a game of casting musical chairs. Orignally her role of Cora, the young wife of Boyer's, had been assigned to Maureen O'Hara. Cora was to be in the remake of BERKELEY SQUARE, opposite Tyrone Power, when Jeanne Crain became pregnant. Then Smith was switched to 13TH LETTER, and Ann Blyth borrowed for the Power movie, renamed I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU. The movie turned out to be fairly engrossing, if not up to the original. The locations add to the flavor of the movie,a fair amount of suspense is engendered, and the cast is uniformly strong. It did well when released in early 1951. Linda would never be in another of Preminger's movies, although the four they did were strong films IMHO.

Topbilled wrote: I agree that Loretta's Columbia output would make a great boxed set. She deserves as much preferential treatment by Sony as they have given to Jean Arthur and Rita Hayworth. TB: Well, I don't know that she deserves AS MUCH preferential treatment as Arthur and Hayworth, who had long-term contracts at Columbia, and each in turn was their top star. Jean Arthur was there some ten years, and Rita, give or take a break for a marriage or two, was there some twenty years. Loretta maybe should get the same consideration as Stanwyck, Roz Russell, Colbert, etc. those free-lancers that would make the occasional movie at this studio.

Interestingly, she did not think too highly of her Columbia comedies. She rather disliked A NIGHT TO REMEMBER with Brian Aherne, but Maltin gives it 3.5 stars (out of 4). I think she excelled at screwball comedy, although she preferred dramatic roles. Another one of her comedies, LOVE IS NEWS, with Ty Power and Don Ameche is scheduled soon on the Fox Movie Channel. It's too bad TCM is not airing this comic gem tonight. But I agree that BEDTIME STORY is probably her most funny film. I love the part where Freddie March calls the hotel suite and tells the guy on the other end of the line that he's a big baboon! It cracks me up every time. Topbilled: I don't care very much for A NIGHT TO REMEMBER either....don't know if it's the silly slapstick or what. I didn't see it a couple of nights ago, but I recorded it, since I only have it on VHS. Loretta's Columbia pictures would make a nice DVD boxset. LOVE IS NEWS is one I also really enjoy, but of the three she comedies she did with Power in 1937, I prefer to other two better, CAFE METROPOLE and SECOND HOMEYMOON, where her comedy playing seems more natural. Ty also is better in these; he seems a bit callow in LIN, although he was turning 23 at the time. And then there's the last screwball she did for Fox, hich TCM aired, WIFE HUSBAND AND FRIEND. Quite funny, with an excellent cast, although I think the remake outdoes it with Charles Coburn and Lucile Watson as the parents....seems they were given more leeway in their characters' expressing themselves. I love BEDTIME STORY, with a great cast doing very well by the funny script. Loretta looks especially beautiful (and that's saying A LOT). I also like very much THE DOCTOR TAKES A WIFE, and I can visualize Cary Grant pertnering with her in this screwball. But where is THE MEN IN HIS LIFE? I don't know why TCM doesn't show it (I also need to upgrade my VHS recording of this to DVD).

*What I found ludicrous was that any person' (black or not) unexposed body parts (except those that are naturally darker by nature) are going to be lighter than the rest of them because of receiving no sunlight...i.e., the face and arms will be darker than the chest or back, so asking someone to show unexposed skin to prove they were black made no sense at all!!!* Well I've never seen ANN CARVER'S PROFESSION...but it seems to me that the girl might've been powdering her face or someting similar, to lighten her exposed areas...so it would make sense to be darker in areas you have not deliberately lightened because they'd normally be covered up.

FYI: For those of you that have the Fox Movie Channel, they will broadcast Linda Darnell's TWO FLAGS WEST tomorrow morning, at 7:35 AM Eastern, 4:35 AM Pacific.

In the Spring of 1950, Linda Darnell commenced filming of her next movie, TWO FLAGS WEST, on location in New Mexico. She did so with reservations: she was unhappy with her role, which she felt was colorless; she didn't care to do westerns, since she was allergic to horses; and she would be far away from the man she loved, director Joseph Mankiewicz. On the plus side, she was fond of the New Mexico vistas; she had friends there, expressed her desire to live there, and would later purchase a ranch. The set was a congenial affair, and she made the best of the situation, having the studio send out a record player as well as her record collection. In the end, her misgivings about the movie were misplaced; it turned to be an interesting, exciting western. With wide vistas, the story of Confederate POWs given amnesty to fight Indians on the western frontier had layers of distrust among the various factions, of which Linda's beautiful Mexican widow compounded some of the feelings among the men. With Jeff Chandler as the commander of the fort, as well as Linda's brother-in-law (and in love with her), Joseph Cotton as the leader of the platoon of rebels, and Cornel Wilde as a Yankee scout. Edited by: Arturo on Jan 23, 2013 7:33 PM

*And Lamarr and Ball and Hepburn and O'Brien and Allyson and...there were quite a few of them.* O'Brien and Allyson yes....Lamarr was more akin to Darnell in that she was usually slotted into whatever called for a beautiful glamorous personality, at least after early attempts at vehicles like I TAKE THIS WOMAN didn't do well. Hepburn was more an adjunct to Spencer Tracy (the money name in that duo), and movies without him were not crafted specifically for her. Ball had her contract bought from RKO in order to do the Broadway hit DUBARRY WAS A LADY. Her next movie assignment, also from a Broadway hit, BEST FOOT FORWARD, was a Lana Turner vehicle, but Lana became pregnant, so Lucy was substituted at the last minute (kinda explains why the dialogue had the military cadets going ga-ga over her, because beautiful as Lucy was, she wasn't quite the sexy screen siren the part called for). After this came the one and only vehicle MGM fashioned for her, MEET THE PEOPLE, another Broadway success, turned out to be an indifferent programmer, and MGM seemingly gave up on her (no fault of hers), keeping her off screen for over a year, then assigning her second leads.

jamesjazzguitar wrote: For MGM films were built around Crawford and Garbo and than Garson. jjg: And Shearer and Harlow and MacDonald, and then Powell and Turner and Garland and Williams, and much later, Taylor