A United Artists Retrospective Scrapbook: 1942

[CinemaInternational]

1942 started with another one of Hal Roach's comedy streamliners

Which in turn was followed by another. note that lead William Bendix would have a breakout year in 1942 thanks to The Glass Key and Wake Island at Paramount

Pimpernel Smith was the final leading part for Leslie Howard, who died in 1942.

To Be or Not To Be had bad timing. By the time it was released, America had been at war for three months and the film's leading lady had been gone for two. As such the reception wasn't warm. With time though, people have come to realize what a brilliant film it is. Remade at Fox (quite well, actually) in 1983.

Off to the dude ranch for the next streamliner, this one with Noah Beery Jr., long before becoming James Garner's father on The Rockford Files.

Sabu returned for a well-beloved adventure film, a version of The Jungle Book.

Another streamliner comedy. This one had Margaret Dumont in the supporting cast.

Brian Donlevy and Miriam Hopkins were former love interests turned bitter enemies in the crime film A Gentleman After Dark.

Twin Beds was a farce with George Brent, Joan Bennett, Mischa Auer, Glenda Farrell, Margaret Hamilton, and Una Merkel.

Flying with Music showed that the Stremliners had discovered the rumba.

Ships with Wings was a war film from England.

Miss Annie Rooney was most noted for being the film where Shirley Temple received her first kiss (from Dickie Moore). The advertising played up on that.

Friendly Enemies was another wartime morale-booster.

Powell and Pressburger returned with One of Our Aircraft is Missing!

The Devil with Hitler actually had the dictator as its main character in a  lampoon

Undercover Man was a Hopalong Cassidy adventure.

George Sanders turned to painting in The Moon and Sixpence, from the Somerset Maugham tale and co-starring Herbert Marshall.

Veronica Lake was a witch going for revenge. Instead she found love with Fredric March in I Married a Witch.

Silver Queen sent Priscilla Lane and George Brent to the West.

Back to the war themed comedy streamliners with Fall-In

Jacare was a documentary concerning the dangers of South America's jungles.

Richard Dix made up an empire with the help of an enemy in the West

Hopalong Cassidy returned

William Bendix returned for another programmer comedy.

And Noel Coward and David Lean served up one of the best regarded war films of the era, In Which We Serve.

[TopBilled]

The Hopkins-Donlevy film is enjoyable.

I MARRIED A WITCH was made at Paramount and intended as a Paramount release, but the studio allowed UA to distribute it because UA owed exhibitors a new film and they didn't have one ready.

William Boyd had recently left Paramount where all the early Hopalong Cassidy movies were made. At this point, he had bought the rights to the character and was independently producing the latest installments. UA would continue to release these popular B westerns.

[Thenryb]

I have seen but two of these-Silver Queen and The Moon and Sixpence and enjoyed both of them. I have always like Priscilla Lane and have liked almost all the movies based on work of W. Somerset Maugham.

[LawrenceA]

One of my top ten of the year, as well as a pair of the best wartime British films, along with a cute supernatural lark.

1. To Be or Not To Be
2. One of Our Aircraft is Missing
3. In Which We Serve
4. I Married a Witch

I've also seen American Empire.

[Det Jim McLeod]

On 7/14/2019 at 9:38 PM, CinemaInternational said:

Veronica Lake was a witch going for revenge. Instead she found love with Fredric March in I Married a Witch.

My favorite Veronica Lake performance, she has been criticized but I think she had talent. She was funny, sharp and totally adorable in this film.