TomJH Posted February 26, 2016 Share Posted February 26, 2016 If you've only seen Myrna Loy in the Thin Man series, The Best Years of Our Lives, etc., it may be a shock to see her as a scheming Eurasian villain in THIRTEEN WOMEN. This is how she was typecast in her early career. Sorority girls have been cruel to the Eurasian outsider, so she determines to have revenge on them, making use of her supposed psychic powers. ME AND MY GAL, directed by Raoul Walsh, is sort of a police vs. bad guys film, but as the title suggests, the best part is romantic comedy, with flatfoot Spencer Tracy and diner waitress Joan Bennett making a really cute couple. Joan was a peroxide blonde in those days. One scene parodies STRANGE INTERLUDE, referred to as "Strange Inner Tube." THE MATCH KING was based on the life of Ivar Kreuger, who had risen from nothing to become a wealthy industrialist. He originated the "three on a match" superstition, the better to sell more matches. Not only did Myrna Loy's screen image change once she started working at MGM, but Spencer Tracy's too. The gum chewing, hard nosed tough guys that he invariably played during the pre-code era (including Me and My Pal, albeit for laughs to a large degree here, noteworthy for its snappy banter) became replaced after a year or so at the new studio by softer, more contemplative screen characters. That would include having Tracy playing priests (okay, maybe priests who had been around the block a bit, but, still, priests). 2 Link to post Share on other sites
GregoryPeckfan Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I'll be quite honest here about my timing for the 1933 films. I know Bogie changes the year early Sunday morning and I don't have time to post a long post such as in this thread until afternoon because I have to leave early and then don't get back until after lunch. Problem: the closer it gets to the actual Oscar ceremony this year the more irritated I get with the hoopla this year and I don't think I will want to be online at all tomorrow. I *may* have to wait until Monday to post my choices and that will drive me crazy...................... I love movies made in 1933. Just don't want anyone to think I've forgotten if I decide not to post tomorrow. If I do it will be straight to this thread and only this thread. Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 I love movies made in 1933. Just don't want anyone to think I've forgotten if I decide not to post tomorrow. If I do it will be straight to this thread and only this thread. Don't worry about it, GPfan. You have all week and if you post later it will give us extra time to read what you have listed. I'm taking the entire week to post my picks. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 It’s time for 1933 Here are Oscar’s choices for 1932-1933. Winners in bold. Remember, the Oscars did not have supporting awards this year. We can correct that with all of your choices. I have put an ‘X’ beside the only non 1933 film. We will be on 1933 for one week so don't panic! 1932-1933 Oscars Best Actor Charles Laughton, The Private Life of Henry VIII* Leslie Howard, Berkeley Square Paul Muni, I am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang X (32) Best Actress Katherine Hepburn, Morning Glory* May Robson, Lady For a Day Diana Wynyard, Cavalcade 2 Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 1933 Best Actor Charles Laughton The Private Life of Henry VIII Fredric March Design for Living Paul Robeson The Emperor Jones ** Will Rogers Doctor Bull Spencer Tracy Man's Castle Best Actress Greta Garbo Queen Christina ** Katharine Hepburn Morning Glory Miriam Hopkins Design for Living Barbara Stanwyck Baby Face Best Supporting Actor Rudolph Klein-Rogge The Testament of Dr. Mabuse ** Best Supporting Actress Glenda Farrell Mystery of the Wax Museum Una O'Connor Cavalcade ** Best Ensemble Dinner at Eight ** 6 Link to post Share on other sites
kingrat Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Lawrence has us off to a great start for 1933. I forgot a noteworthy performance in 1932: Lee Tracy deserved a mention in the Best Actor category for THE HALF-NAKED TRUTH, a Gregory La Cava comedy which is as funny as its name. 1933: Best Actor: Groucho Marx, DUCK SOUP* Warren William, EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE John Barrymore, COUNSELLOR AT LAW Nils Asther, THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN Charles Laughton, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII Lee Tracy, BOMBSHELL Spencer Tracy, MAN'S CASTLE Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn, LITTLE WOMEN* (my favorite KH performance) Barbara Stanwyck, BABY FACE Barbara Stanwyck, THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN Greta Garbo, QUEEN CHRISTINA Miriam Hopkins, THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE Miriam Hopkins, DESIGN FOR LIVING Jean Harlow, BOMBSHELL Jean Harlow, DINNER AT EIGHT Marie Dressler, DINNER AT EIGHT Best Supporting Actress: Pert Kelton, BED OF ROSES* Joan Bennett, LITTLE WOMEN Margaret Dumont, DUCK SOUP Laura Hope Crews, THE SILVER CORD Elsa Lanchester, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII Special "This Year I Didn't Play a Nun, a Farmer's Daughter, or a Bishop's Wife" Award to Loretta Young, who 1) cheated on her boyfriend by sleeping with her boss (EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE), 2) got pregnant out of wedlock by a hobo (MAN'S CASTLE), and 3) ran a gang when her gangster boyfriend got sent to jail (MIDNIGHT MARY), and was quite good in all three movies. 5 Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 kingrat, You have a few I considered. I originally had Kate for Little Women as well, but went with Morning Glory instead. I should have just nominated her twice. I also considered Nils Asther for General Yen. The rest of your nominations that I didn't mention are for films I have missed, except for Duck Soup. Link to post Share on other sites
Bogie56 Posted February 28, 2016 Author Share Posted February 28, 2016 In 1934 Katharine Hepburn will win the Best Actress Award at the Venice Fiim Festival for Little Women (1933). I gather that the Venice film Festival which began in 1932 is the oldest international film festival in the world. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Swithin Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 1933 Favorites Best Actress Joan Blondell (Gold Diggers of 1933) Ruth Chatterton (Female) Katharine Hepburn (Little Women) Ethel Waters (Rufus Jones for President)Mae West (She Done Him Wrong) Best Actor Warner Baxter (42nd Street) James Cagney (Footlight Parade) Sammy Davis Jr. (Rufus Jones for President) Groucho Marx (Duck Soup) Claude Rains (The Invisible Man) Best Supporting Actress Spring Byington (Little Women) Maude Eberne (The Vampire Bat) Aline MacMahon (Gold Diggers of 1933) Edna May Oliver (Little Women) Rafaela Ottiano (She Done Him Wrong) Best Supporting Actor Ralf Harolde (I'm No Angel) Guy Kibbee (Gold Diggers of 1933) Paul Lukas (Secret of the Blue Room) Douglass Montgomery (Little Women) Herbert Mundin (Cavalcade) 4 Link to post Share on other sites
kingrat Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 A note about some of the less familiar films on my list, most of which have been shown on TCM: COUNSELLOR AT LAW is a William Wyler film based on an Elmer Rice play, and one of the best translations of play to film that I know. Wyler keeps the action in the law office and the corridor outside, and the directing is superb. John Barrymore plays a lawyer from humble origins who has been successful and has married a high society wife. We see a variety of his clients on the day that his personal and professional lives start to fall apart. Fun fact: two future directors are in this film. Vincent Sherman plays a Communist agitator and Richard Quine plays Barrymore's whiny, ungrateful stepson. EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE is classic pre-Code. Warren William plays a driven department store owner who has an eye for the women who work there, Loretta Young among them. A hit at the TCM festival a couple of years ago. BED OF ROSES is a Gregory La Cava romantic comedy. Constance Bennett sponges and steals from men, but finally falls for a good guy (Joel McCrea). Pert Kelton plays the best friend with the snappy repartee and steals every scene she's in. THE SILVER CORD is based on a Sidney Howard play about a mother who keeps her two sons tightly tied to her with that metaphoric silver cord. Pity the woman like Irene Dunne who falls for one of them. Laura Hope Crews has the juicy role of the mother from hell. I saw this years ago on TV; perhaps there are rights difficulties that have kept it off TCM. THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE is based on Faulkner's novel SANCTUARY. Even if the most shocking detail from the novel is left out of the movie, it's still strong stuff, and was one of the films that vanished once the Production Code started being enforced in July 1934. Miriam Hopkins is well cast as the strong and willful Southern belle who is no match for the gangster (Jack La Rue) she becomes involved with. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
TomJH Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 1933 is another outstanding year for performances. The following is more or less in order of preference, with the winner, of course, in bold type. BEST ACTOR Charles Laughton, PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII John Barrymore, COUNCILLOR AT LAW Claude Rains, THE INVISIBLE MAN John Barrymore, TOPAZE Lee Tracy, BOMBSHELL Honourable Mention: Spencer Tracy in A Man's Castle, James Cagney in Footlight Parade, Lee Tracy in Advice to the Lovelorn, Fredric March in Eagle and the Hawk, Will Rogers in State Fair, Warner Baxter in 42nd Street, George Arliss in Voltaire. BEST ACTRESS Greta Garbo, QUEEN CHRISTINA Henrietta Crosman, PILGRIMAGE Katharine Hepburn, LITTLE WOMEN Jean Harlow, DINNER AT EIGHT Miriam Hopkins, STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE Honourable Mention: Barbara Stanwyck in Baby Face, Marie Dressler in Dinner at Eight, Jean Harlow in Bombshell, Barbara Stanwyck in Bitter Tea of General Yen, Joan Blondell in Footlight Parade, Marie Dressler in Tugboat Annie. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Guy Kibbee, GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 Adophe Menjou, MORNING GLORY Lee Tracy, DINNER AT EIGHT Walter Connolly, BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN Charley Chase, SONS OF THE DESERT Honourable Mention: Jack LaRue in Story of Temple Drake. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Aline MacMahon, GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 Una O'Connor, THE INVISIBLE MAN Lucille La Verne, PILGRIMAGE Bebe Daniels, COUNCILLOR AT LAW Louise Dresser, STATE FAIR Honourable Mention: Myrna Loy in Topaze. SPECIAL NON-STOP ACTOR OF THE YEAR BEFORE HIS CAREER WENT OVER THE BRINK AWARD: Lee Tracy, for Bombshell, Advice to the Lovelorn, The Nuisance, Clear All Wires, Turn Back the Clock and Dinner at Eight SPECIAL GOOD SPORT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Margaret Dumont for Duck Soup. SPECIAL IT SURE IS A LOT OF FUN TO WATCH AWARD: Mae West, I'm No Angel Lionel Atwill, Mystery of the Wax Museum Lionel Atwill, Murders at the Zoo Title Character, King Kong 7 Link to post Share on other sites
film lover 293 Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 1933: Best Actor: Winners shown by two asterisks, ties by four asterisks: Charles Laughton in The Private Life of Henry VIII Paul Robeson in The Emperor Jones**** Nils Asther in The Bitter Tea of General Yen Claude Rains in The Invisible Man John Gilbert in Queen Christina*** --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Best Actress: Barbara Stanwyck in The Bitter Tea of General Yen** Katharine Hepburn in Little Women Greta Garbo in Queen Christina Jean Harlow in Bombshell Marie Dressler in Tugboat Annie ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Best Ensemble(s): Dinner at Eight**** Duck Soup**** 6 Link to post Share on other sites
TomJH Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Best Ensemble(s) Dinner at Eight**** Duck Soup**** That great ensemble was even gathered for this Coke advertisement. One of the few cast members missing here is John Barrymore. (Guess he couldn't handle the soft stuff). 5 Link to post Share on other sites
GregoryPeckfan Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 1933 Best Actor Charles Laughton The Private Life of Henry VIII Fredric March Design for Living Paul Robeson The Emperor Jones ** Will Rogers Doctor Bull Spencer Tracy Man's Castle Best Actress Greta Garbo Queen Christina ** Katharine Hepburn Morning Glory Miriam Hopkins Design for Living Barbara Stanwyck Baby Face Best Supporting Actor Rudolph Klein-Rogge The Testament of Dr. Mabuse ** Best Supporting Actress Glenda Farrell Mystery of the Wax Museum Una O'Connor Cavalcade ** Best Ensemble Dinner at Eight ** I've never even heard of The Testament of dr. Mabuse. Wow. Link to post Share on other sites
GregoryPeckfan Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 That great ensemble was even gathered for this Coke advertisement. One of the few cast members missing here is John Barrymore. (Guess he couldn't handle the soft stuff). Where did you find this fabulous poster??????????????????????????????? I'd love to have in on my wall. Link to post Share on other sites
GregoryPeckfan Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Lawrence has us off to a great start for 1933. I forgot a noteworthy performance in 1932: Lee Tracy deserved a mention in the Best Actor category for THE HALF-NAKED TRUTH, a Gregory La Cava comedy which is as funny as its name. 1933: Best Actor: Groucho Marx, DUCK SOUP* Warren William, EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE John Barrymore, COUNSELLOR AT LAW Nils Asther, THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN Charles Laughton, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII Lee Tracy, BOMBSHELL Spencer Tracy, MAN'S CASTLE Best Actress: Katharine Hepburn, LITTLE WOMEN* (my favorite KH performance) Barbara Stanwyck, BABY FACE Barbara Stanwyck, THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN Greta Garbo, QUEEN CHRISTINA Miriam Hopkins, THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE Miriam Hopkins, DESIGN FOR LIVING Jean Harlow, BOMBSHELL Jean Harlow, DINNER AT EIGHT Marie Dressler, DINNER AT EIGHT Best Supporting Actress: Pert Kelton, BED OF ROSES* Joan Bennett, LITTLE WOMEN Margaret Dumont, DUCK SOUP Laura Hope Crews, THE SILVER CORD Elsa Lanchester, THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII Special "This Year I Didn't Play a Nun, a Farmer's Daughter, or a Bishop's Wife" Award to Loretta Young, who 1) cheated on her boyfriend by sleeping with her boss (EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE), 2) got pregnant out of wedlock by a hobo (MAN'S CASTLE), and 3) ran a gang when her gangster boyfriend got sent to jail (MIDNIGHT MARY), and was quite good in all three movies. Hey, don't get me started on what kind of a hypocrite I think Loretta Young was. Link to post Share on other sites
GregoryPeckfan Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 There are already about ten movies people have listed that I have not seen. I will wait until another day to offer my choices in major categories as Bogie suggested, but I just had to read these comments and your choices. I will offer my two choices for unique categories that I really have only one choice for each: Best Animal Performance: King Kong Best Synergy: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in going Down to Rio. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
kingrat Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Tom, I'm not familiar with Henrietta Crosman or PILGRIMAGE. I couldn't agree more about the excellent performances this year, with Hepburn, Stanwyck, and Garbo (to name only a few) all doing some of their best work. Link to post Share on other sites
TomJH Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 Tom, I'm not familiar with Henrietta Crosman or PILGRIMAGE. I couldn't agree more about the excellent performances this year, with Hepburn, Stanwyck, and Garbo (to name only a few) all doing some of their best work. Kingrat, Pilgrimage is an unusual, unjustly little remembered John Ford film with a largely bucolic setting, deeply sensitive and touching, in my opinion. Henrietta Crosman was a distinguished stage actress who appeared in a few films. She was about 72 when she played proud, stubborn Hannah Jessop in this film, her second talkie. Her character objects to her son marrying a particular local girl, even instrumental in her stubborness in sending him into a war to avoid the girl, in fact. I don't wish to reveal any more of the story but I found Crosman's portrayal of a proud woman who comes to deeply regret her actions extraordinarily moving. The film becomes quite heart breaking at times, but is levelled with some unexpected (and most welcomed) humour in the form of character actress Lucille La Verne (later the voice of the wicked Witch in Snow White) as a corncob pipe smoking hill woman who dispenses a lot of wise, common sense wisdom. Pilgrimage is a lovely little Ford film, not one of his major achievements, by any means, but more than worthy of several viewings, in my opinion. Thus my high ranking of the two actresses's performances in it. It has been on TCM at least once in the past, but it's a Fox film so I'm not holding my breath that it will be on again soon. It is available in DVD, though, with Born Reckless, an Edmund Lowe film, with Lee Tracy (one of my favourites) in a supporting role. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Kay Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 1933 - Not much on my list that hasn't already been noted. In the assumption that everyone has already seen Duck Soup I've omitted most of the roles in that for convenience- and fairness. Otherwise they would walk away with the year. ActorJames Cagney - Footlight Parade Walter Huston - Gabriel Over the White House Charles Laughton - The Private Lif e of Henry VIII*** Fredric March - The Eagle and the Hawk Actress Joan Blondell - Gold Diggers of 1933 Glenda Farrell - Mystery of the Wax Museum Miriam Hopkins - The Story of Temple Drake*** Supporting Actor Robert Barrat - Lilly Turner Louis Calhern - Duck Soup Dwight Frye - The Vampire Bat Harry Langdon - Hallelujah, I'm a Bum! Frank McHugh - Lilly Turner*** Supporting Actress Maude Eburne - The Vampire Bat Elsa Lanchester - The Private Life of Henry VIII*** Aline MacMahon - Gold Diggers of 1933 Best Synergy James Cagney and Alice White - The Picture Snatcher Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester - The Private Life of Henry VIII ...Oh, and who was that guy in The Testament of Dr. Mabuse that lost his mind? I remember him well, if not the rest of the film. I'd have nominated him if I knew the actor's name. 6 Link to post Share on other sites
speedracer5 Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I haven't participated in this conversation yet, because I haven't seen that many early 1930s films. I saw All Quiet on the Western Front in the 9th grade and thought it was really boring. I haven't seen it since. That was the only 1930 film I think I've seen! I do have some 1930 films on my DVR, but I haven't watched them yet. 1933 I think is where I've seen a fair number of films that I could actually have some sort of an informed opinion. Bold indicates the "winner." BEST ACTRESS Barbara Stanwyck, Baby Face Jean Harlow, Dinner at Eight Barbara Stanwyck, Ladies They Talk About Katharine Hepburn, Little Women Joan Crawford, Dancing Lady BEST ACTOR Lee Tracy, Bombshell King Kong, King Kong The Marx Brothers, Duck Soup James Cagney, Footlight Parade Lionel Barrymore, Dinner at Eight BEST PICTURE Baby Face Bombshell Duck Soup Footlight Parade King Kong Dancing Lady Dinner at Eight --- Honorary Awards: MOST BIZARRE MUSICAL NUMBER: "Pettin' in the Park," Gold Diggers of 1933 BEST ACCOMPANIST: Larry Fine accompanying Joan Crawford's dance number in Dancing Lady BEST SCREAM: Fay Wray, King Kong BEST ENSEMBLE: The Grouchos in Duck Soup MOST IMPORTANT FILM DEBUT: Fred Astaire, Dancing Lady ; Lucille Ball, Roman Scandals 5 Link to post Share on other sites
GregoryPeckfan Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 RE: Speedy not liking All Quiet on the Western Front - a movie I love: Would you all hate me if I said that I'm not nor ever have been a fan of The Marx Brothers and that the only movie of theirs I've watched more than once is A Night at the Opera because it is full of music? Would you the me? In regards to the thread about Criteria For Association, would you have to put me on ignore? Link to post Share on other sites
LawrenceA Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 RE: Speedy not liking All Quiet on the Western Front - a movie I love: Would you all hate me if I said that I'm not nor ever have been a fan of The Marx Brothers and that the only movie of theirs I've watched more than once is A Night at the Opera because it is full of music? Would you the me? In regards to the thread about Criteria For Association, would you have to put me on ignore? LOL...I hope not. Comedy is very subjective. I've never cared for the Three Stooges (sorry, Bogie!) for example, but I know they're beloved by many. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Kay Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 I considered foregoing the whole list thing this year in lieu of singling out Frank McHugh in Lilly Turner. This is the first film I ever saw McHugh in, I think, and one of the first films I remember grabbing my attention when I was first getting addicted to TCM. Ever since I've had a special affection for McHugh in any role I've seen him in. Mind you, this is not an enormous departure from the roles he usually plays- the lovable booze hound. In this film he plays a variation on that theme, a bit more sympathetically, as a carny who marries a young woman, Lilly, in order to take care of her after she is abandoned by her husband. Nevermind that he can barely take care of himself- he gives her what little support he can provide, getting her a carnival job. He has an easy-going, semi-conscious affection for her, but is ultimately pretty useless as a husband. He at least does not get in her way, seeming to not even notice when she gets sweet with another one of the employees. This is kind of a soap opera, but an exceedingly strange and pre-code-y one. Another notable performance is given by Robert Barrat, who plays an unstable sideshow strong man who becomes interested in Lilly. It seems like Ruth Chatterton was good as Lilly, but I honestly don't remember too well. I'd like to see it again. 4 Link to post Share on other sites
Swithin Posted February 28, 2016 Share Posted February 28, 2016 RE: Speedy not liking All Quiet on the Western Front - a movie I love: Would you all hate me if I said that I'm not nor ever have been a fan of The Marx Brothers and that the only movie of theirs I've watched more than once is A Night at the Opera because it is full of music? Would you the me? In regards to the thread about Criteria For Association, would you have to put me on ignore? You can dislike any actor or group of actors around here, and it's fine. The only exception is if it's a certain actress whose initials are BS. Then the wrath comes down upon you, as if you were a protester at a Donald Trump rally! 3 Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now