Ida Lupino would be dubbed the "English Jean Harlow" in the 1930's, but by the mid-1950's, she was "The Poor Man's Don Siegel".
THE LUPINO FAMILY
Some biographers state that Ida's talent goes back to the 17th Century, when Italian puppet maker Giorgio Luppino fled to England as a political refugee. In England, Giorgio married and began a family line of puppet makers, singers, dancers, scenic actors, that ended the actual Lupino line, with the death of Samuel George Lupino, in 1830.
However, the unrelated dancer, George Hook, who had been working with the Lupino family for several years, assumed the surname, and became George Hook Lupino. Hook's "Lupino Family", would claim that their scion arrived in England in 1620, and was Giorgio Luppino.
However, the unrelated dancer, George Hook, who had been working with the Lupino family for several years, assumed the surname, and became George Hook Lupino. Hook's "Lupino Family", would claim that their scion arrived in England in 1620, and was Giorgio Luppino.
George Hook would marry Rosina Sophia Proctor and the couple would have sixteen children, ten became professional dancers, and two married into the family of Sara Lane, the manager of the Britannia Theatre, in Hoxton, England.
George Hook Lupino's eldest son was George Lupino Junior, and he married Florence Annie Webster. One of this couple's four sons was Stanley Richard Lupino Hook, known professionally as Stanley Lupino.
George Hook Lupino's eldest son was George Lupino Junior, and he married Florence Annie Webster. One of this couple's four sons was Stanley Richard Lupino Hook, known professionally as Stanley Lupino.
Stanley was an English acrobat, actor, dancer, singer, librettist, director, short story writer, and music hall comedian. Stanley Lupino would marry Irish stage actress, Constance Gladys O'Shea (or O'Shay), known professionally as, Connie Emerald.
CHILDHOOD
According to the "Biographies of Paramount (Pictures) Players and Directors 1936-1937", the following is written about Ida's beginnings.
Stanley decided to encourage his daughters in the family business and built a backyard theater for them. (Other sources claim it was Ida and Rita's request for the stage). What is fact, is that at the age of seven, Ida wrote her first play, and was touring with a traveling acting company as a child actress. Three years later, Ida Lupino had memorized all the lines of the leading female characters in the entire works of William Shakespeare.
EARLY WORK
Ida wanted to be a writer, but her father wanted her to be an actress. Ida's Uncle, actor Lupino Lane, would assist the young woman in getting some small on-screen roles with "British International Pictures".
To please her father, 13-years-old, Ida enrolled in the "Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts", founded in 1904, and also appeared in her first feature film.
THE LOVE RACE released on December 26, 1931, in London, England
The comedy was about a wealthy race car driver whose suit case gets mixed up with another one. The second suitcase's contents causes him problems with his fiancée at a party. The motion picture was a family affair of sorts. It was produced by Stanley Lupino, based upon the stage play he wrote, and he also had the leading role. The feature was directed by Ida's uncle, Lupino Lane, and he had an uncredited role as a race spectator. While, Ida's role is just listed as uncredited!
Above, a publicity still of Ida Lupino for "The Love Race".
One year later, Ida Lupino, at age 14, starred in:
HER FIRST AFFAIRE released on December 7, 1932 in the United Kingdom
One year later, Ida Lupino, at age 14, starred in:
HER FIRST AFFAIRE released on December 7, 1932 in the United Kingdom
Ida portrayed "Anne". a headstrong young girl who falls for "Carey Merton", a writer of "trashy novels". She pushes herself into his household and "Anne's" fiancé, "Brian Cutler", played by Arnold Riches, and the authors wife, "Margot Merton", played by Diana Napier, come together with a plan to show "Anne" how foolish she is.
Above, Ida Lupino as "Anne", and below, his full name and title was Royal Navy Commander Chambre George William Penn Curzon, as "Carey Merton".
Although five more British film productions would follow, before Ida Lupino came to the United States. It was her very next British motion picture that brought Lupino to the attention of the "Paramount Pictures" executives.
MONEY FOR SPEED released in March 1933
This was considered a "Lost Motion Picture", but two prints were later discovered. The motion picture was directed by American Bernard Vorhaus, this was his second motion picture as a director. He also provided the original story for the picture and produced it.
The film editor was future British director David Lean and he had an uncredited role as a sports reporter.
The story put Ida Lupino's, "Jane", as the woman between two race car drivers, "Mitch", played by John Loder, and, "Big Bill Summers", played by Cyril McLaglen, who was the younger brother of director John Ford's actor, Victor McLaglen
Jealousy over "Jane", makes "Bill" cause a dirt racing track accident seriously injuring "Mitch". "Bill" is banned from racing, becomes a stunt driver and finally has the opportunity to redeem himself with "Jane" and "Mitch".
The film editor was future British director David Lean and he had an uncredited role as a sports reporter.
The story put Ida Lupino's, "Jane", as the woman between two race car drivers, "Mitch", played by John Loder, and, "Big Bill Summers", played by Cyril McLaglen, who was the younger brother of director John Ford's actor, Victor McLaglen
Jealousy over "Jane", makes "Bill" cause a dirt racing track accident seriously injuring "Mitch". "Bill" is banned from racing, becomes a stunt driver and finally has the opportunity to redeem himself with "Jane" and "Mitch".
Above, Cyril McLaglen, Ida Lupino, and John Loder.
HOLLYWOOD BOUND---"Alice in Wonderland"
HOLLYWOOD BOUND---"Alice in Wonderland"
"Alice in Wonderland" was planned by "Paramount Pictures" to be an accurate live action version of author Lewis Carroll's two books. The studio was going to use every major actor they had under contract as one of Lewis Carroll's characters. For example, Gary Cooper was "The White Knight", Cary Grant was "The Mock Turtle", W.C. Fields was "Humpty Dumpty", and actress Edna May Oliver was the "Red Queen".
However, the one role they didn't find on the lot, was "Alice", and a search for her was started.
According to authoress, Alley Acker, in her 1991 work, "Reel Women--Pioneers of the Cinema"
The "Paramount" executives seemed to only see the "Good Girl" side of Ida Lupino's "Jane", in "Money for Speed", and overlooked, somehow, that "Jane" was also a "Prostitute". The studio arranged a local screen-test for Lupino in the role of "Alice", and then paid for her to come to Hollywood to film the motion picture. However, when the sultry looking 15-years-old young woman arrived at the studio, the same "Paramount Studio" executives, now believed she wasn't the right young actress to play the role of "Innocent Alice", but Ida would get a five-year-contract instead of being in the "Alice in Wonderland".
Above, 15-years old Ida Lupino, when she arrived at "Paramount Pictures". The role of "Alice", actually went to 19-years-old Charlotte Henry. According to the "Alice in Wonderland Wiki", 6,800 young actresses auditioned for the role, but when a talent agent saw Henry in a stage version of the Lewis Carroll work. It was just one week later that Charlotte Henry had the role.
https://aliceinwonderland.fandom.com/wiki/Charlotte_Henry
https://aliceinwonderland.fandom.com/wiki/Charlotte_Henry
My article, "Charlotte Henry: 1933's, 'Alice in Wonderland' and 1934's, 'Babes in Toyland", can be read at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/06/charlotte-henry-1933s-alice-in.html
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2021/06/charlotte-henry-1933s-alice-in.html
WHAT TO DO WITH IDA LUPINO?
Now under contract, the production arm of "Paramount Pictures" couldn't figure what to do with a 15-year-old, classically trained British actress, who looked like she was in her twenties?
Their answer:
SEARCH FOR BEAUTY released on February 2, 1934
SEARCH FOR BEAUTY released on February 2, 1934
The motion picture was directed by one-time Mack Sennett "Keystone Cop", Erle C. Kenton. This musical dramedy wasn't what Kenton would be remembered for; it was horror! In 1932, Erle C. Kenton directed Charles Laughton in "Paramount's" version of H.G. Wells', "The Island of Dr. Moreau", as the "Island of Lost Souls". For "Universal Pictures", it was, 1942's, "The Ghost of Frankenstein", 1944's, "House of Frankenstein", and, 1945's, "House of Dracula".
Larry "Buster" Crabbe portrayed "Don Jackson". My article, "Tarzan, Flash Gordon, Buck Rodgers, Billy the Kid, and Larry 'Buster' Crabbe", is at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2020/06/tarzan-flash-gordon-buck-rodgers-billy.html
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2020/06/tarzan-flash-gordon-buck-rodgers-billy.html
Ida Lupino portrayed "Barbara Hilton".
Robert Armstrong portrayed "Larry Williams". The previous year, Armstrong starred as "Carl Denhm", in both 1933's, "King Kong", and, "Son of Kong", My article, "Robert Armstrong: It Wasn't All 'The Eighth Wonder of the World", His Brat, or Joe", can be found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2020/08/robert-armstrong-it-wasnt-all-eighth.html
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2020/08/robert-armstrong-it-wasnt-all-eighth.html
"Don Jackson" and "Barbara Hilton" are Olympic Champion swimmers, who fall in love after they become the faces of a "Health Magazine". "Larry Williams" is one of two ex-cons, the other is "Jean Strange", played by Gertrude Michael, who have schemes of their own involving the two swimmers and "Strange" wants "Jackson" for herself.
Above, Gertrude Michael is in the center. Below, is Toby Wing, coming through the doorway, as "Sally Palmer", while Ida Lupino blocks her.
Below the two stars in a publicity photo.
UNDER CONTRACT
Ida Lupino next found herself in the equally forgotten:
COME ON MARINES! released on March 23, 1934
The motion picture was directed by Henry Hathaway. Among his future films were, 1935's, "Lives of a Bengal Lancer", starring Gary Cooper, 1936's, "Trail of the Lonesome Pines", starring Henry Fonda, and with John Wayne, 1941's, "The Shepherd of the Hills", 1960's, "North to Alaska", 1964's, "Circus World", and, 1965's, "The Sons of Katie Elder",
The story was from author Philip Wylie, who wrote the classic 1930's science fiction novels, "When World's Collide", and, "After World's Collide".
Richard Arlen portrayed "Lucky Davis". Arlen co-starred with Clara Bow, in the first "Academy Award Winning Best Picture", 1927's, "Wings". He co-starred with Fay Wray, in 1929's, "The Four Feathers", he co-starred with Charles Laughton in 1932's, "Island of Lost Souls", and portrayed "The Cheshire Cat" in 1933's, "Alice in Wonderland".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Esther Smith-Hamilton", on some reviews, but others say her character's name is actually "Esther Cabot", and she's the daughter of "General Cabot". In the film I viewed, Ida, was "Smith-Hamilton".
Above, Ida Lupino and on the right, Richard Arlen.
A group of Marines are sent to the Philippines to rescue a group of shipwrecked school children.Who are being hunted by a bandit named "Celano". "Celano", is using the alias of, "Brooklyn", played by Roger Gray, and is the Marines guide misleading the rescuers. When the Marines locate the shipwrecked children, instead of children, they are 18 to 25-years-old young woman swimming in a pool at a Mission School. Things change, when "Celano's" men attack and during the action that follows, of course, Lupino and Arlen fall in love.
Of note is a young actress playing "Loretta", named Clara Lou Sheridan, who dropped the "Clara Lou" and became Ann Sheridan.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Esther Smith-Hamilton", on some reviews, but others say her character's name is actually "Esther Cabot", and she's the daughter of "General Cabot". In the film I viewed, Ida, was "Smith-Hamilton".
A group of Marines are sent to the Philippines to rescue a group of shipwrecked school children.Who are being hunted by a bandit named "Celano". "Celano", is using the alias of, "Brooklyn", played by Roger Gray, and is the Marines guide misleading the rescuers. When the Marines locate the shipwrecked children, instead of children, they are 18 to 25-years-old young woman swimming in a pool at a Mission School. Things change, when "Celano's" men attack and during the action that follows, of course, Lupino and Arlen fall in love.
Of note is a young actress playing "Loretta", named Clara Lou Sheridan, who dropped the "Clara Lou" and became Ann Sheridan.
Lupino and Arlen were immediately teamed up again in the 1934, comedy romance, "Ready for Love", released in London, England, on November 2, 1934. By this time, someone in "Paramount's" publicity department had come up with calling her "The English Jean Harlow" and the idea of releasing the picture, first, in the United Kingdom, because of her family's recognizable name.
The motion picture is remembered for two things:
1. This was the first appearance of "Terry, the Cairn Terrier", who went on to play "Toto" in 1939's, "The Wizard of Oz".
2. During production Ida Lupino came down with polio and the 16-years-old actress thought she would have to spend the rest of her life confined to a wheel chair. While recovering from polio, Ida Lupino composed "Aladdin's Suite", and her musical composition would be performed by the "Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra" in 1937.
1. This was the first appearance of "Terry, the Cairn Terrier", who went on to play "Toto" in 1939's, "The Wizard of Oz".
2. During production Ida Lupino came down with polio and the 16-years-old actress thought she would have to spend the rest of her life confined to a wheel chair. While recovering from polio, Ida Lupino composed "Aladdin's Suite", and her musical composition would be performed by the "Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra" in 1937.
Lupino recovered and was able to return to acting and had third billing in another of her forgotten motion pictures, "Paris in Spring", released on May 8, 1935.
Next, director Henry Hathaway cast Ida Lupino as "Agnes", with fourth billing behind, Gary Cooper, Ann Harding, and John Halliday, in his version of author George du Maurier's, "Peter Ibbestson", released on October 31, 1935.
Above, Gary Cooper in the title role and Ida Lupino.
Ida was bouncing around in movie genres, because "Paramount Pictures" hadn't yet decided on how to pigeonhole the actress into one type of recurring role, as was the practice at the time. They seemed blind to the fact that she was able to perform in anything the studio put her in, which wasn't the way the "Hollywood Star System" worked in the 1930's.
ANYTHING GOES released on January 24, 1936
Ida was bouncing around in movie genres, because "Paramount Pictures" hadn't yet decided on how to pigeonhole the actress into one type of recurring role, as was the practice at the time. They seemed blind to the fact that she was able to perform in anything the studio put her in, which wasn't the way the "Hollywood Star System" worked in the 1930's.
ANYTHING GOES released on January 24, 1936
This was a big budgeted musical from "Paramount", and as the above poster indicates, starring three of their biggest names at the time. Originally this was a Cole Porter composed Broadway musical, but most of Porter's songs had to be eliminated.
The "Hayes Office", the motion picture censors, had banned the songs, because of the "Saucy Lyrics" to protect American morality, as if no one had ever heard them. So, the studio ordered that the four songs that remained from the original score, needed to have extensive rewrites of the lyrics. "Paramount" apparently, as did the censors, believed no one would notice the difference and of course, starting with the film critics, were wrong.
Bing Crosby portrayed "Billy Crocker". Prior to this feature, Bing Crosby, as himself, was in "The Big Broadcast of 1936", a musical designed to showcase a large cast of guest singers and actors. He would follow this picture with a musical Western, 1936's, "Rhythm of the Range", doing his best Gene Autry.
Ethel Merman portrayed "Reno Sweeney", in the role she created on Broadway. She had also been in "The Big Broadcast of 1936", and wouldn't return on-screen until 1938's, "Happy Landing".
Charlie Ruggles portrayed criminal "Moonface Martin". Comedian Ruggles had just been in, you guessed it, "The Big Broadcast of 1936". His next role was, without credit, in the 1936 mystery, "The Preview Murder Mystery".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Hope Harcourt".
The plot has "Billy Crocker" saying goodbye to his boss, singer "Reno Sweeney", as she boards a ship for England. As "Billy" is leaving, he sees a blonde young woman, "Hope Harcourt", he thinks is being abducted, taken on board the ship. "Billy" now becomes a passenger planning to save her, using the disguise of an American gangster, and befriends the "Reverend Dr. Moon", who is in reality the real gangster, "Moonface Martin". "Reno" finds him and becomes angry after learning "Billy", who she loves, isn't on board to be with her, but to save the blonde. Who is in reality a English heiress that ran away and is being returned to claim her estate! While a group of other gangsters are now after "Moonface" and "Billy", who they believe is really "Snake Eyes Johnson".
Bing Crosby portrayed "Billy Crocker". Prior to this feature, Bing Crosby, as himself, was in "The Big Broadcast of 1936", a musical designed to showcase a large cast of guest singers and actors. He would follow this picture with a musical Western, 1936's, "Rhythm of the Range", doing his best Gene Autry.
Ethel Merman portrayed "Reno Sweeney", in the role she created on Broadway. She had also been in "The Big Broadcast of 1936", and wouldn't return on-screen until 1938's, "Happy Landing".
Charlie Ruggles portrayed criminal "Moonface Martin". Comedian Ruggles had just been in, you guessed it, "The Big Broadcast of 1936". His next role was, without credit, in the 1936 mystery, "The Preview Murder Mystery".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Hope Harcourt".
The plot has "Billy Crocker" saying goodbye to his boss, singer "Reno Sweeney", as she boards a ship for England. As "Billy" is leaving, he sees a blonde young woman, "Hope Harcourt", he thinks is being abducted, taken on board the ship. "Billy" now becomes a passenger planning to save her, using the disguise of an American gangster, and befriends the "Reverend Dr. Moon", who is in reality the real gangster, "Moonface Martin". "Reno" finds him and becomes angry after learning "Billy", who she loves, isn't on board to be with her, but to save the blonde. Who is in reality a English heiress that ran away and is being returned to claim her estate! While a group of other gangsters are now after "Moonface" and "Billy", who they believe is really "Snake Eyes Johnson".
Above, Ida Lupino and Bing Crosby, below, Ida Lupino and British actor Arthur Treacher as "Sir Evelyn Oakleigh. The man "Billy" thought was abducting "Hope", but is really her guardian. "Oakleigh" and "Reno" will fall in love, leaving "Billy" and "Hope" to do the same.
"Anything Goes" was followed by three more forgotten motion pictures to end 1936.
In 1937, "Paramount Pictures" started advertising to other studios their new crop of stars.
Ida Lupino who had been with "Paramount" since 1933, is shown as if she were a new personality. Notice that among the others are Dorothy Lamour, Ray Milland, Anthony Quinn, and Lloyd Noland.
In 1937, Ida Lupino was seen in four feature films, but only two are worth mentioning.
ARTISTS AND MODELS released on August 4, 1937
In 1937, Ida Lupino was seen in four feature films, but only two are worth mentioning.
ARTISTS AND MODELS released on August 4, 1937
This was a vehicle for Jack Benny and he played the owner of an advertising firm, "Mac Brewster", which is failing and facing bankruptcy. He is approached by "Alan Townsend", played by Richard Arlen, the wealthy playboy owner of "Townsend Silver" who wants an amateur model from "High Society", rather than a professional model, to be used in his ad campaign. This mean that "Brewster's" top model, "Monterey", played by Ida Lupino, who was unseen by "Townsend", is passed over for the job. "Monterey" decides to follow "Townsend" to Miami, Florida, and pose as society debutante "Paula Sewell" and get the job, but of course love will follow.
FIGHT FOR YOU LADY released on November 5, 1937
The motion picture was made and released by "RKO Pictures", and this forgotten motion picture is only important, because "RKO" did what "Paramount Pictures" never did. In "Fight for You Lady", knowing Ida Lupino's background, her "Marietta", actually sings the song, "Blame it on the Danube".
Above, John Boles as "Robert Densmore" and Ida Lupino as Marietta".
On December 13, 1937, Ida Lupino and Robert Montgomery, were heard in a radio production based upon director Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 motion picture, "The Thirty-Nine Steps", on the "Lux Radio Theatre". This was her second appearance on the popular radio program. Her sixth appearance was on September 18, 1939, in a production of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights", based on the March 1939 motion picture version. In all, Ida Lupino would appear in radio dramas, 50 times, through 1959.
Ida Lupino didn't work in film during 1938, she was busy being "Mrs. Louis Hayward". Their marriage would last into 1945 and end in divorce.
Above, the dating couple of, Louis Hayward and Ida Lupino, September 11, 1937, at the Carthay Circle Theatre, for the premiere of the Deanna Durbin motion picture, "100 Men and a Girl".
THE CREATION OF A STAR
Ida Lupino's five-year contract with "Paramount Pictures" ended in 1938. Lupino started 1939 with "The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt", this was the first of nine motion pictures that starred actor Warren William as thief turned detective, "Michael Lanyard". The first film based upon Louis Joseph Vance's character was in 1917. In 1954, Ida's ex-husband, Louis Hayward, played "Lanyard" on the television series.
Ida Lupino co-starred as "Val Carson" and with third billing was Rita Hayworth as "Karen".
Ida Lupino co-starred as "Val Carson" and with third billing was Rita Hayworth as "Karen".
Above left to right, Ida Lupino, Rita Hayworth, Warren William.
A forgotten crime drama followed and then Ida Lupino met "Sherlock Holmes".
A forgotten crime drama followed and then Ida Lupino met "Sherlock Holmes".
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES released on September 1, 1939
On March 31, 1939, "20th Century Fox" teamed up Basil Rathbone as "Sherlock Holmes", and Nigel Bruce as "Dr. John H. Watson", in their version of British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic piece of horror, "The Hound of the Baskervilles". The picture is considered one of the best filmed versions of the novel, but like many, is not necessarily true to the novel. My article, "Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES on the Motion Picture and Television Screens 1914-2016", will be found at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/12/sir-arthur-conan-doyles-hound-of_13.html
The film was a financial success and the studio decided to reteam the two actors once more and make a sequel.
The feature was directed by Alfred L, Werker, Werker directed George Arliss, Boris Karloff, Loretta Young, and, no relation, Robert Young, in the excellent 1937, "The House of Rothchild", and he made the 1938 version of author Robert Lewis Stevenson's, "Kidnapped", starring Warner Baxter and Freddie Bartholomew.
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/12/sir-arthur-conan-doyles-hound-of_13.html
The film was a financial success and the studio decided to reteam the two actors once more and make a sequel.
The feature was directed by Alfred L, Werker, Werker directed George Arliss, Boris Karloff, Loretta Young, and, no relation, Robert Young, in the excellent 1937, "The House of Rothchild", and he made the 1938 version of author Robert Lewis Stevenson's, "Kidnapped", starring Warner Baxter and Freddie Bartholomew.
The screenplay was not based upon a Conan Doyle story, but supposedly the stage play "Sherlock Holmes", by American actor and playwright, William Gillette. Although, it only keeps a extremely small part of the plays plot. It was Gillette that created the iconic "Deer Stalker Cap" and "Curved Meerschaum Pipe", so associated with Holmes and not Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. After Gillette's success on stage, Sidney Paget, the illustrator for Conan Doyle's stories started to show "Holmes" with the two items.
The screenplay was written by two writers, Edwin Blum, 1938's, "Kidnapped", 1944's, "The Canterville Ghost", and, 1953's, "Stalag 17", and, William Absalom Drake, 1932's, "Grand Hotel", and, 1939's, "The Three Musketeers".
Basil Rathbone portrayed "Sherlock Holmes". He had just co-starred with Douglas Fairbanks Jr., in, 1939, "The Sun Never Sets", and would follow this feature with RKO's, 1939, "Tower of London", as "Richard III".
Nigel Bruce portrayed "Dr. John H. Watson". Bruce had just been seen in 1939's, "The Hound of the Baskervilles", and would follow this feature with, 1939's, "The Rains Came", starring Myrna Loy, Tyrone Power, and George Brent.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Ann Brandon".
The screenplay was written by two writers, Edwin Blum, 1938's, "Kidnapped", 1944's, "The Canterville Ghost", and, 1953's, "Stalag 17", and, William Absalom Drake, 1932's, "Grand Hotel", and, 1939's, "The Three Musketeers".
Basil Rathbone portrayed "Sherlock Holmes". He had just co-starred with Douglas Fairbanks Jr., in, 1939, "The Sun Never Sets", and would follow this feature with RKO's, 1939, "Tower of London", as "Richard III".
Nigel Bruce portrayed "Dr. John H. Watson". Bruce had just been seen in 1939's, "The Hound of the Baskervilles", and would follow this feature with, 1939's, "The Rains Came", starring Myrna Loy, Tyrone Power, and George Brent.
George Zucco portrayed "Professor James Moriarty". Zucco had just been seen in the 1939 version of author Victor Hugo's, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Hara. He would follow this picture with the Richard Greene and Ricard Dix drama, 1939's, "Here I Am a Stranger".
Above, Basil Rathbone, and, George Zucco.
The story is set in 1894, and opens with "Sherlock Holmes" and "Professor Moriarty" in a verbal sparring match, after the Professor has been acquitted in a trial. Basically, the only real reference to the Gillette play.
At 221-B Baker Street, "Sherlock Holmes" and "Dr. Watson" are visited by "Ann Brandon". She explains the reason for her visit is the strange note her brother, "Lloyd Brandon", played by Peter Willes, received. It contains a picture of a man with an albatross around his neck, exactly like the one their father received before he was murdered ten years ago.
The story is set in 1894, and opens with "Sherlock Holmes" and "Professor Moriarty" in a verbal sparring match, after the Professor has been acquitted in a trial. Basically, the only real reference to the Gillette play.
At 221-B Baker Street, "Sherlock Holmes" and "Dr. Watson" are visited by "Ann Brandon". She explains the reason for her visit is the strange note her brother, "Lloyd Brandon", played by Peter Willes, received. It contains a picture of a man with an albatross around his neck, exactly like the one their father received before he was murdered ten years ago.
"Holmes" deduces the note is a warning, rushes to "Lloyd Brandon's", only to find him dead from strangulation with his head crushed in.
He now believes "Ann" is the next victim and appears at a garden party that she is going to attend. "Holmes" is disguised as a music hall entertainer and hears screams from a nearby park. He rescues "Ann" from "Gabriel Mateo", played by George Regas, who is seeking revenge on the "Brandon family", because her father murdered "Gabriel's" father in a dispute over ownership of a South American mine.
Above, "Gabriel Mateo" tells his story and "Sherlock Holmes" realizes this is a distraction from a bigger crime to be performed by "Professor Moriarty". "Moriarty" plans to steal the "Crown Jewels" from the "Tower of London". Of course, "Holmes" prevents this and the Professor falls, seemingly to his death, off the tower.
Ida Lupino was fed up with how the studios were looking upon her as an actress and took matters into her own hands. There was a picture being cast at "Paramount Studios" that Lupino knew she was right for, but wasn't being even considered. The picture was to be directed by William "Wild Bill" Wellman, who happened to also be the producer. True story, Ida Lupino went to Wellman's office, walked past his secretary and into his office to demand a screen test.
Ida Lupino was fed up with how the studios were looking upon her as an actress and took matters into her own hands. There was a picture being cast at "Paramount Studios" that Lupino knew she was right for, but wasn't being even considered. The picture was to be directed by William "Wild Bill" Wellman, who happened to also be the producer. True story, Ida Lupino went to Wellman's office, walked past his secretary and into his office to demand a screen test.
THE LIGHT THAT FAILED released on December 24, 1939
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2017/07/william-wild-bill-wellman-3-with-john.html
Robert Carson, started his career by writing the story and screenplay for Wellman's, "A Star is Born". Later, he wrote the screenplay for Wellman's, "Beau Geste", and in 1941, Carson wrote the screenplay for director Fritz Lang's Western classic, "Western Union", starring Robert Young, Randolph Scott, and, Dean Jagger. For this feature film, he adapted the novel by Rudyard Kipling.
Ronald Coleman portrayed "Dick Heldar". Coleman had just been seen in 1938's, "If I Were King", and would follow this film with, 1940's, "Lucky Partners", co-starring Ginger Rodgers.
Walter Huston portrayed "Torpenhow". Huston has just been in 1938's, "Of Human Hearts", with a young James Stewart, and would follow this picture with an uncredited role in his son, director John Huston's, 1941, "The Maltese Falcon".
Muriel Angelus portrayed "Maisie". The forgotten London born stage actress, Angelus, appeared on screen between 1928 and 1940, for only nineteen times. In 1946, while appearing at the "Radio City Music Hall", she met conductor Paul Lavalle, married him and raised a family.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Bessie Broke".
The plot of Kipling's story, tells the life of a struggling artist, "Dick Heldar", and the accidental event that foreshadows his going blind caused by the women he loves, "Maisie". While, "Heldar" is serving as a British soldier in the war against the Mahdi in the Sudan, he receives a head wound. After the war, he meets prostitute "Bessie Broke" and begins to paint here. The movie follows "Dick Heldar's" battle to finish his masterpiece of her, before he is permanently blind as a delayed result of the head wound.
Ida Lupino's "Bessie Broke" was a shockingly realistic portrayal and became the most remembered role in the entire motion picture. It was the push that the actress needed to finally become recognized in her craft.
Ida Lupino's "Bessie Broke" was a shockingly realistic portrayal and became the most remembered role in the entire motion picture. It was the push that the actress needed to finally become recognized in her craft.
Ida Lupino next got herself a contract with Jack L. Warner and the "Warner Brothers Studio".
GEORGE RAFT, HUMPHREY BOGART, EDGAR G. ROBINSON AND JOHN GARFIELD
Being recognized in her craft, might have a down side, as Ida Lupino discovered, referring to herself:
THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT released on July 27, 1940
This Film-Noir was directed by Raoul Walsh, who had directed 1937's, "Artists and Models". In 1924, Walsh directed Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. in the silent classic, "The Thief of Bagdad", and in 1930, he gave the prop boy turned actor the name John Wayne, in the widescreen Western, "The Big Trail". In 1939, Raul Walsh directed James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart in "The Roaring Twenties", and, just prior to this picture, also in 1940, it was Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Walter Pigeon and a still unknown Roy Rodgers in the Western, "Dark Command".
The screenplay was by two writers, Jerry Wald, 1938's, "Brother Rat", with a sixth billed actor named Ronald Reagan, 1939's, "The Roaring Twenties", 1940's, "Torrid Zone", co-starring James Cagney, and the now, Ann Sheridan, the one time Clara Lou Sheridan, and Pat O'Brien.
Being recognized in her craft, might have a down side, as Ida Lupino discovered, referring to herself:
As the poor man's Bette DavisBecause Warner Brothers, the studio Bette Davis was under contract, started giving Ida Lupino the roles the other actress didn't want. This was reflected in Lupino's next three motion pictures.
THEY DRIVE BY NIGHT released on July 27, 1940
This Film-Noir was directed by Raoul Walsh, who had directed 1937's, "Artists and Models". In 1924, Walsh directed Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. in the silent classic, "The Thief of Bagdad", and in 1930, he gave the prop boy turned actor the name John Wayne, in the widescreen Western, "The Big Trail". In 1939, Raul Walsh directed James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart in "The Roaring Twenties", and, just prior to this picture, also in 1940, it was Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Walter Pigeon and a still unknown Roy Rodgers in the Western, "Dark Command".
The screenplay was by two writers, Jerry Wald, 1938's, "Brother Rat", with a sixth billed actor named Ronald Reagan, 1939's, "The Roaring Twenties", 1940's, "Torrid Zone", co-starring James Cagney, and the now, Ann Sheridan, the one time Clara Lou Sheridan, and Pat O'Brien.
The second writer was Richard Macaulay, known for the same screenplays I mentioned.
That screenplay was based upon the novel, "The Long Haul", by A.I. Bezzerides, but with sequences lifted from the Bette Davis motion picture, 1935's, "Bordertown".
George Raft portrayed "Joe Fabrini". Raft had just been in the crime drama, 1939's, "Invisible Stripes", co-starring with Jane Bryan and in his fourth motion picture, William Holden. Raft would follow this feature with, 1941's, "Manpower", a comedy drama co-starring with Edgar G. Robinson, and Marlene Dietrich.
Ann Sheridan portrayed "Cassie Hartley". As I wrote above, she had just been in 1940's, "Torrid Zone", and would follow this feature, also with James Cagney, in 1940's, "City for Conquest".
George Raft portrayed "Joe Fabrini". Raft had just been in the crime drama, 1939's, "Invisible Stripes", co-starring with Jane Bryan and in his fourth motion picture, William Holden. Raft would follow this feature with, 1941's, "Manpower", a comedy drama co-starring with Edgar G. Robinson, and Marlene Dietrich.
Ann Sheridan portrayed "Cassie Hartley". As I wrote above, she had just been in 1940's, "Torrid Zone", and would follow this feature, also with James Cagney, in 1940's, "City for Conquest".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Lana Carlsen".
Humphrey Bogart portrayed "Paul Fabrini". Bogart had just been in 1940's, "Brother Orchid", co-starring with Edgar G. Robinson and Ann Sheridan. He would follow this feature with the next Ida Lupino film I will mention. Humphrey Bogart had a tough guy image, but as a new contract player in 1939, he was: "HUMPHREY BOGART: Horror Movie Actor", discover this overlooked role from "Bogie" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/08/humphrey-bogart-horror-movie-actor.html
Humphrey Bogart portrayed "Paul Fabrini". Bogart had just been in 1940's, "Brother Orchid", co-starring with Edgar G. Robinson and Ann Sheridan. He would follow this feature with the next Ida Lupino film I will mention. Humphrey Bogart had a tough guy image, but as a new contract player in 1939, he was: "HUMPHREY BOGART: Horror Movie Actor", discover this overlooked role from "Bogie" at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/08/humphrey-bogart-horror-movie-actor.html
Independent truck drivers, brothers "Joe" and "Paul Fabrini", are one step ahead of the loan shark. The two stopped their truck at a diner and the unmarried "Joe" is attracted to waitress "Cassie Hartley". Later, on the road they pick-up a hitchhiker, and to "Joe's" liking it's "Cassie", who left her job. The three now stop at another diner and the brothers speak to a friend, the overly worked and tired trucker "McNamara", who leaves ahead of them. The three now see "McNamara's" truck erratically moving on the road, the driver asleep at the wheel, attempting to get his attention, the three watch in horror as the truck goes off the road and explodes.
Back in Los Angles, "Paul" is reunited with his wife, "Pearl", played by Gale Page, who is worried about their future. However, "Paul" will not leave his brother as long as he believes there's a chance their business will succeed. At the same time, "Joe" and "Cassie" are establishing a relationship.
The next morning, from his window, "Joe's" good friend, "Ed Carlsen", played by Alan Hale Sr., observes the other get into a brief fistfight, After the fight has ended, "Ed" calls "Joe" up to his office and offers him a job working for his truck company, but "Joe" wants to remain independent. "Ed's" wife, "Lana", has wanted "Joe" and has been put off by him several times.
Above, Alan Hale, Ida Lupino, and George Raft, below, Lupino and Raft.
"Ed" gives "Joe" a tip on a load that results in the brothers earning enough money to pay off the loan shark. However, on the return trip, "Paul" falls asleep at the wheel, causing a accident and loses his right arm. What can the brothers do now?
"Ed" hires "Joe" as a driver, but "Lana" convinces her husband to make him traffic manager instead. So "Joe" will be near her, but he still spurns her advances.
The next morning, from his window, "Joe's" good friend, "Ed Carlsen", played by Alan Hale Sr., observes the other get into a brief fistfight, After the fight has ended, "Ed" calls "Joe" up to his office and offers him a job working for his truck company, but "Joe" wants to remain independent. "Ed's" wife, "Lana", has wanted "Joe" and has been put off by him several times.
"Ed" hires "Joe" as a driver, but "Lana" convinces her husband to make him traffic manager instead. So "Joe" will be near her, but he still spurns her advances.
After a party, a drunk "Lana" on impulse murderers her passed out husband, by leaving him in the car with the motor running and the garage door closed.
"Paul" is given a job as a dispatcher by his brother at what is now "Lana's" business. However, she flips out after learning "Joe" plans to marry "Cassie".
"Paul" is given a job as a dispatcher by his brother at what is now "Lana's" business. However, she flips out after learning "Joe" plans to marry "Cassie".
"Lana" now goes to police, accusing "Joe" of her husband's murder. "Joe" is put on trial based solely upon "Lana's" statement, but on the stand, she cracks-up and hysterically admits to the murder, claiming the garage doors made her do it. "Lana" is declared insane and the case dismissed.
The two brothers return to the truck business, which they now own, as "Paul" announces that "Pearl" is going to have a baby.
HIGH SIERRA released on January 24, 1941
This was another Warner Brother's Film-Noir directed by Raoul Walsh.
The screenplay was partly from the novel's author W.R. Burnett. However, it was Bogart's drinking buddy, John Huston, who actually wrote it. As a writer, Huston, had worked on Bela Lugosi's, 1932, "Murder in the Rue Morgue", the Bette Davis and Henry Fonda, 1938, "Jezebel", and the Bette Davis, 1939, "Juarez. Immediately after this screenplay, John Huston wrote Gary Cooper's, 1941, "Sergeant York", and his own, 1941, "The Maltese Falcon".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Marie Garson".
The screenplay was partly from the novel's author W.R. Burnett. However, it was Bogart's drinking buddy, John Huston, who actually wrote it. As a writer, Huston, had worked on Bela Lugosi's, 1932, "Murder in the Rue Morgue", the Bette Davis and Henry Fonda, 1938, "Jezebel", and the Bette Davis, 1939, "Juarez. Immediately after this screenplay, John Huston wrote Gary Cooper's, 1941, "Sergeant York", and his own, 1941, "The Maltese Falcon".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Marie Garson".
Humphrey Bogart portrayed "Roy 'Mad Dog' Earle" aka: "Roy Collins". According to Raoul Walsh's, 1974, autobiography: "Each man in his time, the life story of a director", George Raft was signed to play the role, but Bogart talked him out of it and "Mad Dog Earle" finally became his break-out role.
Two pictures later, Humphrey Bogart was "Sam Spade", in director John Huston's, 1941, "The Maltese Falcon". My reader may not know that Huston's film was actually the second, perhaps even third, version of Raymond Chandler's novel. For those who may be interested on how the novel was written and the equally good, or perhaps better, 1931 version. My article, "The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of": The Maltese Falcon in Writing and on the Motion Picture Screen", can be read at:
ww.bewaretheblog.com/2018/03/the-stuff-that-dreams-are-made-of.html
ww.bewaretheblog.com/2018/03/the-stuff-that-dreams-are-made-of.html
Aging gangster, "Big Mac", played by Donald MacBride, is planning a robbery at a plush California resort hotel in the small town of "Tropico Springs". He has hired recently released from an Indiana State Prison, by a bribe to the Governor for a pardon, "Roy Earle", to head the operation. "Roy" has driven from Indiana to the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California to meet the three members of the robbery crew at an abandoned logging camp.
The three are, "Louis Mendoza", played by Cornel Wilde in his first credited role, the clerk for the hotel. Along with, "Red Hattery", played by Arthur Kennedy in his second motion picture, and, "Babe Kozak", played by "B" actor Alan Curtis, who had been acting since 1936 without role credit.
When "Roy" arrives at the logging camp, he finds that "Babe" has brought a dance hall girl from San Francisco, named "Marie". "Roy Earle" tells her to leave and go back to Los Angeles, they argue, and he agrees she can stay.
The three are, "Louis Mendoza", played by Cornel Wilde in his first credited role, the clerk for the hotel. Along with, "Red Hattery", played by Arthur Kennedy in his second motion picture, and, "Babe Kozak", played by "B" actor Alan Curtis, who had been acting since 1936 without role credit.
When "Roy" arrives at the logging camp, he finds that "Babe" has brought a dance hall girl from San Francisco, named "Marie". "Roy Earle" tells her to leave and go back to Los Angeles, they argue, and he agrees she can stay.
Above, Cornel Wilde, Arthur Kennedy, Humphrey Bogart, and Ida Lupino, with Alan Curtis standing near the doorway.
"Algernon", played by Willie Best, the handyman introduces "Roy" to a dog called "Pard", played by Bogart's own dog, Zero, that the gangster adopts.
"Algernon", played by Willie Best, the handyman introduces "Roy" to a dog called "Pard", played by Bogart's own dog, Zero, that the gangster adopts.
"Marie" starts to fall in love with "Roy", but he isn't with her. In "Tropico Springs", "Roy" witnesses a minor car accident involving a poor family. Among them is "Velma", played by Joan Leslie, who walks with a club foot.
Above, Elizabeth Risdon as "Ma", and Joan Leslie.
"Roy" falls for "Velma" on sight, and pays for the surgery to fix her foot, but ignores her grandfather warning that she is engaged and loves that man deeply. "Roy" asks "Velma" to marry him, but she responds that she is devoted to her fiancé, "Lon Presier", played by John Eldredge.
As the seemingly smooth heist is in progress and the four men get the jewels held in the hotels safe, a security guard appears, and everything starts to fall apart. "Roy" and "Marie" make their escape with the jewels, but "Babe" and "Red" die in a car crash and "Mendoza" is captured by the police.
Above, Elizabeth Risdon as "Ma", and Joan Leslie.
"Roy" falls for "Velma" on sight, and pays for the surgery to fix her foot, but ignores her grandfather warning that she is engaged and loves that man deeply. "Roy" asks "Velma" to marry him, but she responds that she is devoted to her fiancé, "Lon Presier", played by John Eldredge.
As the seemingly smooth heist is in progress and the four men get the jewels held in the hotels safe, a security guard appears, and everything starts to fall apart. "Roy" and "Marie" make their escape with the jewels, but "Babe" and "Red" die in a car crash and "Mendoza" is captured by the police.
Making it to Los Angeles, "Roy" discovers that "Big Mac" has died of a heart attack and ex-police officer, "Jake Krammer", played by Barton MacLane, has taken over. "Krammer" wants "Earle" to give him the jewels, but a defiant "Mad Dog Earle" shoots and kills him.
Back in "Tropico Springs", "Roy" visits "Velma" for one last time, having promised to see her walk.
Back in "Tropico Springs", "Roy" visits "Velma" for one last time, having promised to see her walk.
Next, "Roy" and "Marie" go to a fence to change the jewels into cash, but the fence is unable to at that time. So, the two hole up in a hotel, but seeing "Roy's" photo in a newspaper cause hem to panic.
Deciding it would be safer if he was on his own, "Roy" sends "Marie" and "Pard" to Las Vegas, and he heads for Los Angeles to exchange the jewels, but finds roadblocks set up and goes into the Sierra Nevada mountains to lay low.
The police interrogate "Marie", but she refuses to cooperate and is forced to accompany them into the mountains.
Setting "Pard" free, the police follow the dog to "Roy Earle" and a sharpshooter kills him. "Pard" runs up to his master and lays beside the dead "Earle" and as "Marie" and the dog are taken away. She takes comfort knowing that "Roy 'Mad Dog' Earle" will never have to be sent to prison again.
Below, Ida Lupino, director Raoul "One-Eyed" Walsh, and Humphrey Bogart on a break during filming.
In 1904, author Jack London wrote a psychological novel and in 1941, Warner Brothers would make the fifth film version of that very popular work.
THE SEA WOLF released on March 21, 1941
The motion picture was directed by Michael Curtiz. Curtiz started directing in his native Hungary and also in Germany during 1912. Among his major American films prior to this one are, Al Jolson's, 1930, "Mammy", both the first two all Technicolor horror films starring Fay Wray, 1932's, "Dr. X", and, 1933's, "Mystery of the Wax Museum", the 1932, Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis, "20,000 Years in Sing Sing", the Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, 1935, "Captain Blood", their 1936, "The Charge of the Light Brigade", and their, 1939, "The Adventures of Robin Hood".
The screenplay was by Robert Rossen and he would go on to write the classic, 1945, World War 2 film, "A Walk in the Sun". Along with 1949's, "All the Kings Men", 1956's, "Alexander the Great", which he also produced and directed, 1959's, "They Came to Cordura", 1961's, "The Hustler", and the 1962 version of author Herman Melville's, "Billy Budd".
Edward G. Robinson portrayed "Wolf Larsen". Once again, the role was to have been played by George Raft, but he turned it down as too small. Robinson had just starred in the biographical film about the founder of the "Reuters" news organization, 1940's, "A Dispatch from Reuters", and would follow this picture with the previously mentioned "Manpower".
Ida Lupino portrayed Robert Rosen's created role of "Ruth Brewster".
John Garfield portrayed "George Leach", half of Jack London's original idealistic hero as re-written by Rosen. Among Garfield's films prior to this, are the classic, 1939, crime drama, "They Made Me a Criminal", the previously mentioned, 1939, "Juarez", and another classic crime drama, 1940's, "Castle on the Hudson". John Garfield would follow this picture with the Film-Noir, 1941's, "Out of the Fog", again co-starring with Ida Lupino.
Alexander Knox portrayed the intellectual half of Jack London's original hero, "Humphrey Van Weyden". In 1944, Knox portrayed President Woodrow Wilson in "Wilson", in 1951, Knox portrayed "Dr. Curtis Lanyon" in the Louis Hayward horror movie, "The Son of Dr. Jekyll", and in 1958, portrayed "Father Godwin", in the Kirk Douglas produced and starring motion picture, "The Vikings".
The motion picture was directed by Michael Curtiz. Curtiz started directing in his native Hungary and also in Germany during 1912. Among his major American films prior to this one are, Al Jolson's, 1930, "Mammy", both the first two all Technicolor horror films starring Fay Wray, 1932's, "Dr. X", and, 1933's, "Mystery of the Wax Museum", the 1932, Spencer Tracy and Bette Davis, "20,000 Years in Sing Sing", the Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, 1935, "Captain Blood", their 1936, "The Charge of the Light Brigade", and their, 1939, "The Adventures of Robin Hood".
The screenplay was by Robert Rossen and he would go on to write the classic, 1945, World War 2 film, "A Walk in the Sun". Along with 1949's, "All the Kings Men", 1956's, "Alexander the Great", which he also produced and directed, 1959's, "They Came to Cordura", 1961's, "The Hustler", and the 1962 version of author Herman Melville's, "Billy Budd".
Edward G. Robinson portrayed "Wolf Larsen". Once again, the role was to have been played by George Raft, but he turned it down as too small. Robinson had just starred in the biographical film about the founder of the "Reuters" news organization, 1940's, "A Dispatch from Reuters", and would follow this picture with the previously mentioned "Manpower".
John Garfield portrayed "George Leach", half of Jack London's original idealistic hero as re-written by Rosen. Among Garfield's films prior to this, are the classic, 1939, crime drama, "They Made Me a Criminal", the previously mentioned, 1939, "Juarez", and another classic crime drama, 1940's, "Castle on the Hudson". John Garfield would follow this picture with the Film-Noir, 1941's, "Out of the Fog", again co-starring with Ida Lupino.
Alexander Knox portrayed the intellectual half of Jack London's original hero, "Humphrey Van Weyden". In 1944, Knox portrayed President Woodrow Wilson in "Wilson", in 1951, Knox portrayed "Dr. Curtis Lanyon" in the Louis Hayward horror movie, "The Son of Dr. Jekyll", and in 1958, portrayed "Father Godwin", in the Kirk Douglas produced and starring motion picture, "The Vikings".
Above, Alexander Knox is to the right of Howard Da Silva as "Harrison".
I would point out that during the release year of this motion picture, Robert Rosen's changes to the Jack London novel reflected the political situation in the United States prior to Pearl Harbor. The writer changed "Wolf Larsen" into a representation of fascism, while still retaining the idea that the tyrannical "Sea Wolf", might also be the victim here. As I said, London's hero was split into two roles to have him argue with himself over the situation the crew faces. Additionally, Rosen added a love interest for the John Garfield half of the hero in Ida Lupino's "Ruth Webster".
Refined and literate, "Humphrey Van Weyden", and escaped convict "Ruth Webster", are passengers on a ferry that collides with another ship and the two find themselves together and adrift in a lifeboat.
I would point out that during the release year of this motion picture, Robert Rosen's changes to the Jack London novel reflected the political situation in the United States prior to Pearl Harbor. The writer changed "Wolf Larsen" into a representation of fascism, while still retaining the idea that the tyrannical "Sea Wolf", might also be the victim here. As I said, London's hero was split into two roles to have him argue with himself over the situation the crew faces. Additionally, Rosen added a love interest for the John Garfield half of the hero in Ida Lupino's "Ruth Webster".
Refined and literate, "Humphrey Van Weyden", and escaped convict "Ruth Webster", are passengers on a ferry that collides with another ship and the two find themselves together and adrift in a lifeboat.
What seems providence, a rescue comes from the seal-hunting ship, "The Ghost", but its skipper and owner, "Wolf Larsen", is a brutal and sadistic captain.
The audience discovers a hidden side to "Larsen", as he brings the dishwasher, "Van Weyden", to his cabin and the two have very deep intellectual discussions of literature, general philosophy and specifically the propositions of German philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. As "Larsen": predicts the civilized "Van Weyden" will change into one of the non-civilized members of his crew to survive.
When she is rescued, "Ruth Webster" is unconscious and in need of a blood transfusion. There is no way to determine blood type compatibility, but "Larsen" "volunteers" "George Leach", and "Dr. Louis J. Prescott", played by Gene Lockhart, who is in his normal drunken state, performs the transfusion.
The audience discovers a hidden side to "Larsen", as he brings the dishwasher, "Van Weyden", to his cabin and the two have very deep intellectual discussions of literature, general philosophy and specifically the propositions of German philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche. As "Larsen": predicts the civilized "Van Weyden" will change into one of the non-civilized members of his crew to survive.
When she is rescued, "Ruth Webster" is unconscious and in need of a blood transfusion. There is no way to determine blood type compatibility, but "Larsen" "volunteers" "George Leach", and "Dr. Louis J. Prescott", played by Gene Lockhart, who is in his normal drunken state, performs the transfusion.
What follows is "George" falling in love with "Ruth" and becoming her protector on-board "The Ghost".
The Film-Noir was directed by Charles Vidor, no relation to director King Vidor. His first American motion picture was 1932's, "The Mask of Fu Manchu", starring Boris Karloff and as his sadistic daughter, Myrna Loy. Among Vidor's later films are, 1946's, "Gilda", starring Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford, 1952's, "Hans Christian Anderson", a musical starring Danny Kaye, 1955's, "Love Me or Leave Me", starring Doris Day and James Cagney, and, 1957's, "The Joker is Wild", starring Frank Sinatra and Mitzi Gaynor.
As the above poster states, the screenplay was based upon a major Broadway play by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham. Denham co-wrote this screenplay with Garrett Fort.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Ellen Creed".
Louis Hayward portrayed "Albert Feather". "B" Swashbuckler star Hayward, had just portrayed "Edmund Dantes, Jr." in 1940's, "The Son of Monte Cristo". He would follow this picture with mystery authoress Agatha Christie's, 1945, "And Then There Was None".
Above, Louis Hayward and Ida Lupino in "Ladies in Retirement".
Evelyn Keyes portrayed "Lucy". Keyes' first motion picture was director Cecil B. DeMille's, 1938, "The Buccaneer", she had a uncredited role in 1938's, "Artists and Models", was in DeMile's, 1939, "Union Pacific", had a small role in 1939's, "Gone with the Wind", co-starred with Boris Karloff in 1940's, "Before I Hang", and just before this feature, co-starred with Robert Montgomery and Claude Rains in, 1941's, "Here Comes Mr. Jordan".
THE HARD WAY released on February 20, 1943
Jack Carson portrayed "Albert Runkel". Among Carson's work are, 1943's, "Arsenic and Old Lace", starring Cary Grant, he was second billed to Joan Crawford in. 1945's, "Mildred Pierce", and third billed in the Judy Garland and James Mason, 1954, musical version of "A Star Is Born".
Initially Bette Davis was offered the role of "Helen Chernen", and declined. Next, it was offered interestingly to Ginger Rodgers, but she also declined the role. Then, Warner Brothers cast "the poor man's Bette Davis", Ida Lupino.
With the discovery that "Wolf Larsen's" brother, the never seen, Seal-Hunting Captain, "Death Larsen", is in pursuit of him, having vowed to kill his brother over a dispute. The crew fears what will happen to them if "Death Larsen" captures "The Ghost". A mutiny is planned by "George Leach", "Dr. Prescott" commits suicide, and the mutiny takes place. "Wolf Larsen" and his mate are tossed overboard, but the captain manages to hang on to the side and hauls himself up and puts down the mutiny.
Eventually, "George Leach", "Ruth Webster", "Humphrey Van Weyden", and another crewman escape in a dory, but discover that "Wolf Larsen" replaced most of their water with vinegar. Later, the crewman sacrifices himself and jumps overboard to permit the other three to possibly survive on the little water they have.
"Larsen" has been going blind from severe headaches, but has kept this from his crew. "Death Larsen's" ship finally arrives and attacks "The Ghost" and the ship starts to sink. Entering a fog bank, "The Ghost" is able to escape the attacking vessel, but "Wolf Larsen" goes blind again and his condition is revealed to the crew, who take the boats and leave the captain to his fate.
"Leach", "Webster" and "Van Weyden" find themselves looking at "The Ghost" and make for it and discover the ship is apparently deserted. They decide to get provisions and "Leach" goes below decks, but is locked in a cabin by the now nearly blind "Larsen".
"Leach", "Webster" and "Van Weyden" find themselves looking at "The Ghost" and make for it and discover the ship is apparently deserted. They decide to get provisions and "Leach" goes below decks, but is locked in a cabin by the now nearly blind "Larsen".
"Wolf Larsen" is determined to go down with his ship and get revenge by taking the other three with him. "Van Weyden" attempts to get the key to the cabin that "Leach" is locked in from "Larsen", is shot, but able to trick the captain into giving "Webster" the key by promising to stay with him until the end. "Ruth" and "George" leave the ship with the newly provisioned lifeboat, as "Wolf Larsen" realizes "Humphrey Van Weyden" is dying and his own philosophy of life is wrong.
BREAKING UP WITH WARNER BROTHERS
"The Sea Wolf" was followed by "Out of the Fog", and a picture with Louis Heyward.
LADIES IN RETIREMENT released on September 18, 1941
"The Sea Wolf" was followed by "Out of the Fog", and a picture with Louis Heyward.
LADIES IN RETIREMENT released on September 18, 1941
As the above poster states, the screenplay was based upon a major Broadway play by Edward Percy and Reginald Denham. Denham co-wrote this screenplay with Garrett Fort.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Ellen Creed".
Louis Hayward portrayed "Albert Feather". "B" Swashbuckler star Hayward, had just portrayed "Edmund Dantes, Jr." in 1940's, "The Son of Monte Cristo". He would follow this picture with mystery authoress Agatha Christie's, 1945, "And Then There Was None".
Above, Louis Hayward and Ida Lupino in "Ladies in Retirement".
Evelyn Keyes portrayed "Lucy". Keyes' first motion picture was director Cecil B. DeMille's, 1938, "The Buccaneer", she had a uncredited role in 1938's, "Artists and Models", was in DeMile's, 1939, "Union Pacific", had a small role in 1939's, "Gone with the Wind", co-starred with Boris Karloff in 1940's, "Before I Hang", and just before this feature, co-starred with Robert Montgomery and Claude Rains in, 1941's, "Here Comes Mr. Jordan".
Above, Louis Hayward and Evelyn Keyes.
Elsa Lanchester portrayed "Emily Creed". Lanchester co-starred with her husband Charles Laughton and Robert Newton in 1938's, "The Beachcomber", prior to this picture and would follow it with, 1942's, "Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake", starring Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. Of course, the actress is best remembered for the title role of 1935's, "The Bride of Frankenstein".
Edith Barrett portrayed "Louisa Creed". Barrett's is remembered best for two 1943 motion pictures. She was "Mrs. Rand" in producer Val Lewton and director Jacques Tourneur's "I Walked with a Zombie", and portraying "Mrs. Fairfax" in the Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine version of "Jane Eyre".
Elsa Lanchester portrayed "Emily Creed". Lanchester co-starred with her husband Charles Laughton and Robert Newton in 1938's, "The Beachcomber", prior to this picture and would follow it with, 1942's, "Son of Fury: The Story of Benjamin Blake", starring Tyrone Power and Gene Tierney. Of course, the actress is best remembered for the title role of 1935's, "The Bride of Frankenstein".
Edith Barrett portrayed "Louisa Creed". Barrett's is remembered best for two 1943 motion pictures. She was "Mrs. Rand" in producer Val Lewton and director Jacques Tourneur's "I Walked with a Zombie", and portraying "Mrs. Fairfax" in the Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine version of "Jane Eyre".
Left to right, Edith Barrett, Ida Lupino, and Elsa Lanchester as the "Creed Sisters".
The plot revolves around spinster and housekeeper, "Ellen Creed", who with the help of the maid, "Lucy", has to deal with her two emotionally disturbed sisters. A strange man, "Albert", arrives at the home of "Ellen's" employer, "Miss Leona Fiske's", played by Isobel Elsom. He is asking for money and claiming to be "Ellen's" nephew.
The plot revolves around spinster and housekeeper, "Ellen Creed", who with the help of the maid, "Lucy", has to deal with her two emotionally disturbed sisters. A strange man, "Albert", arrives at the home of "Ellen's" employer, "Miss Leona Fiske's", played by Isobel Elsom. He is asking for money and claiming to be "Ellen's" nephew.
This all comes to a head one day, when the pressure gets to "Elllen", she snaps and strangles "Miss Fiske", telling her sisters and everyone else that "Miss Fiske" is traveling aboard and that she purchased the house from her.
"Albert" and "Lucy" start investigating the rather strange disappearance of "Miss Fiske" closing in upon "Ellen Creed".
A review of the film, upon its release, in the "New York Times" had the following description of the motion picture as:
an exercise in slowly accumulating terror with all the psychological trappings of a Victorian thriller. It has been painstakingly done, beautifully photographed and tautly played, especially in its central role, and for the most part it catches all the script's nuances of horror quite as effectively as did the original play version ... Despite all its excellence, however, it must be added that Ladies in Retirement is a film for a proper and patient mood. It doesn't race through its story; it builds its terror step by step.
The Film-Noir, "Moontide", co-starring French actor Jean Gabin, and Thomas Mitchell was released on April 29, 1942. A comedy romance, "Life Begins at Eight-Thirty", followed with co-stars Monty Wooley, and Cornel Wilde.
Then Jack L. Warner and producer Hal Wallis wanted Ida Lupino to appear in the studio's production of the popular and controversial Henry Bellamann novel, "Kings Row", as "Cassandra Tower". The film's director Sam Wood wanted Lupino, whom he considered the perfect actress for the part, but Lupino turned down the role. There had been tension between Warner and Lupino and to punish the actress for not taking his offered role, Jack L. Warner suspended Ida Lupino.
It should be mentioned that Olivia de Havilland was offered the role and turned it down. Then, the role was offered to Ginger Rodgers and she turned it down. Bette Davis wanted the role and was turned down, because the studio felt she would dominate the movie. "Cassandra" finally went to Betty Field!
While under suspension, Ida Lupino started to take notice of the technical parts of film making she had never considered before. Lupino spent a lot of time with film editors, watched how the cinematographers worked, and especially the directors.
Jack L. Warner was now faced with a role that fit either Bette Davis, or Ida Lupino. "The Queen of the Lot", Davis, as usual, turned it down and the suspension was off.
Then Jack L. Warner and producer Hal Wallis wanted Ida Lupino to appear in the studio's production of the popular and controversial Henry Bellamann novel, "Kings Row", as "Cassandra Tower". The film's director Sam Wood wanted Lupino, whom he considered the perfect actress for the part, but Lupino turned down the role. There had been tension between Warner and Lupino and to punish the actress for not taking his offered role, Jack L. Warner suspended Ida Lupino.
It should be mentioned that Olivia de Havilland was offered the role and turned it down. Then, the role was offered to Ginger Rodgers and she turned it down. Bette Davis wanted the role and was turned down, because the studio felt she would dominate the movie. "Cassandra" finally went to Betty Field!
While under suspension, Ida Lupino started to take notice of the technical parts of film making she had never considered before. Lupino spent a lot of time with film editors, watched how the cinematographers worked, and especially the directors.
Jack L. Warner was now faced with a role that fit either Bette Davis, or Ida Lupino. "The Queen of the Lot", Davis, as usual, turned it down and the suspension was off.
THE HARD WAY released on February 20, 1943
From the above posters tag lines:
The potential audience member would "never believe the film was also a musical with songs by Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, and Johnny Mercer, 20 in all.
Director Vincent Sherman started directing with the Humphrey Bogart horror movie, I linked to above, 1939's, "The Return of Dr. X". Sherman would direct, Humphrey Bogart in 1942's, "All Through the Night", Bette Davis and Claude Rains in, 1944, "Mr. Skeffington", and Errol Flynn in 1948's, "Adventures of Don Juan".
The screenplay was based upon a story by playwright and author Irwin Shaw, 1948's, "The Young Lions", and, 1970's, "Rich Man, Poor Man". Shaw's story was supposedly based upon Ginger Rodgers and her first husband, Jack Pepper, whom she married at 17-years of age. However, Shaw received no credit for the screenplay and Jerry Wald was credited for the story that was used.
You'd never believe they're Sisters!
Sister face to face...one burning with love...the other seething with hatred! A story of crushing power!
Director Vincent Sherman started directing with the Humphrey Bogart horror movie, I linked to above, 1939's, "The Return of Dr. X". Sherman would direct, Humphrey Bogart in 1942's, "All Through the Night", Bette Davis and Claude Rains in, 1944, "Mr. Skeffington", and Errol Flynn in 1948's, "Adventures of Don Juan".
The screenplay was based upon a story by playwright and author Irwin Shaw, 1948's, "The Young Lions", and, 1970's, "Rich Man, Poor Man". Shaw's story was supposedly based upon Ginger Rodgers and her first husband, Jack Pepper, whom she married at 17-years of age. However, Shaw received no credit for the screenplay and Jerry Wald was credited for the story that was used.
The actual screenplay was co-written by Daniel Fuchs. He wrote 1944's, "Between Two Worlds", starring John Garfield, and the Burt Lancaster and Yvonne DeCarlo, 1949, "Criss Cross". The other writer was Pegter Viertel, Alfred Hitchcock's, 1942, "Saboteur", and the outstanding, overlooked, and forgotten, 1951, World War 2 thriller, "Decision Before Dawn", starring Richard Basehardt, Gary Merrill, and introducing German actor, Oscar Werner.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Mrs. Helen Chernen".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Mrs. Helen Chernen".
Dennis Morgan portrayed "Paul Collins". Actor and singer Morgan was also in, 1939's, "The Return of Dr. X", and he co-starred with Ginger Rodgers, in 1940's, "Kitty Foyle". Morgan sang as the lead in, 1943's, "The Desert Song", based upon the Broadway musical by Oscar Hammerstein II, and portrayed Irish-American composer, "Chauncey Olcott, in 1947's, "My Wild Irish Rose".
Joan Leslie portrayed "Katharine 'Katie' Blaine". Two of Leslie's features prior to this movie are, 1941's, "Sergeant York", starring Gary Cooper, and the, 1942, musical, "Yankee Doodle Dandy", starring James Cagney as composer George M. Cohan.
Jack Carson portrayed "Albert Runkel". Among Carson's work are, 1943's, "Arsenic and Old Lace", starring Cary Grant, he was second billed to Joan Crawford in. 1945's, "Mildred Pierce", and third billed in the Judy Garland and James Mason, 1954, musical version of "A Star Is Born".
Initially Bette Davis was offered the role of "Helen Chernen", and declined. Next, it was offered interestingly to Ginger Rodgers, but she also declined the role. Then, Warner Brothers cast "the poor man's Bette Davis", Ida Lupino.
The "New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress of 1943", would go to Ida Lupino for portraying "Helen".
The story is about an ambitious "Helen Chernen" who wants to get out of the poverty of the dirty steel town she lives in at any cost. She pushes her talented young sister "Katie" into an unwanted marriage with song writer and entertainer, "Albert Runkel", but his partner, "Paul Collins" attempts to stop it to no avail.
Next, "Helen" is able to get "Katie" into the cast of a Broadway production and pushes her more to become a successful singer and actress. While, the act of "Runkel" and "Collins" is going downhill and "Albert" commits suicide.
"Paul" has fallen in love with "Katie", but "Helen" has written a play that she wants her sister to appear in. Now, "Katie" must make the choice between her sister, or the man she loves. "Helen's" influence wins out over the man who asked "Katie" to be his wife.
The night of the plays opening, "Paul" comes to wish her luck, but instead he is run off by "Helen". This leads to the two sisters fighting over the motivation of "Katie's" success and the idea that she is really "Helen's" surrogate!
On stage, "Katie" starts to forget her lines, collapses, and wakes to see "Helen" in her dressing room. "Katie" tells her older sister to leave and that she doesn't want to see her again. "Paul" enters and the two profess their love for each other.
On September 25, 1943, as a means of boasting the home front's morale and the men serving overseas during the Second World War. "Warner Brothers" released "Thank Your Lucky Stars", which like other studios were doing, was nothing but a thin plot to show off their stars as themselves. In the picture, Ida Lupino, as herself, appeared in a segment called "The Dreamer", and sang, "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair", by composer Stephen Collins Foster.
The story is about an ambitious "Helen Chernen" who wants to get out of the poverty of the dirty steel town she lives in at any cost. She pushes her talented young sister "Katie" into an unwanted marriage with song writer and entertainer, "Albert Runkel", but his partner, "Paul Collins" attempts to stop it to no avail.
Next, "Helen" is able to get "Katie" into the cast of a Broadway production and pushes her more to become a successful singer and actress. While, the act of "Runkel" and "Collins" is going downhill and "Albert" commits suicide.
"Paul" has fallen in love with "Katie", but "Helen" has written a play that she wants her sister to appear in. Now, "Katie" must make the choice between her sister, or the man she loves. "Helen's" influence wins out over the man who asked "Katie" to be his wife.
The night of the plays opening, "Paul" comes to wish her luck, but instead he is run off by "Helen". This leads to the two sisters fighting over the motivation of "Katie's" success and the idea that she is really "Helen's" surrogate!
On stage, "Katie" starts to forget her lines, collapses, and wakes to see "Helen" in her dressing room. "Katie" tells her older sister to leave and that she doesn't want to see her again. "Paul" enters and the two profess their love for each other.
On September 25, 1943, as a means of boasting the home front's morale and the men serving overseas during the Second World War. "Warner Brothers" released "Thank Your Lucky Stars", which like other studios were doing, was nothing but a thin plot to show off their stars as themselves. In the picture, Ida Lupino, as herself, appeared in a segment called "The Dreamer", and sang, "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair", by composer Stephen Collins Foster.
Above in another sequence as themselves, on the left actress and singer, Gloria Grahame, comedian and character actor George Tobias, and Ida Lupino.
In May 1944, Ida Lupino separated from her husband Louis Hayward, they would officially divorce one year to the month later. During this period her relationship with Warner Brothers was still very shaky. Then came her final contracted film for the studio:
DEEP VALLEY released on August 22, 1947
The motion picture was directed by Jean Negulesco. Just prior to this picture, Negulesco directed Joan Crawford and John Garfield in 1946's, "Humoresque", and he would follow this picture directing Jane Wyman and Lew Ayres in, 1947's, "Johnny Belinda".
The screenplay was based upon a novel by Dan Totheroh and written by three writers. Salka Viertel wrote the screenplays for the Greta Garbo and Frederick March, 1935 version of author Leo Tolstoy's, "Anna Karenina", and the Greta Garbo and Charles Boyer as "Napoleon", 1937, "Conquest". She didn't write again until 1941, and it was again for Greta Garbo as the, "Two-Faced Woman".
DEEP VALLEY released on August 22, 1947
The motion picture was directed by Jean Negulesco. Just prior to this picture, Negulesco directed Joan Crawford and John Garfield in 1946's, "Humoresque", and he would follow this picture directing Jane Wyman and Lew Ayres in, 1947's, "Johnny Belinda".
The screenplay was based upon a novel by Dan Totheroh and written by three writers. Salka Viertel wrote the screenplays for the Greta Garbo and Frederick March, 1935 version of author Leo Tolstoy's, "Anna Karenina", and the Greta Garbo and Charles Boyer as "Napoleon", 1937, "Conquest". She didn't write again until 1941, and it was again for Greta Garbo as the, "Two-Faced Woman".
Stephen Morehouse Avery only had three more screenplays to end his career started in 1934. Just prior to co-writing this screenplay was 1942's, "The Male Animal", starring Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland, and Joan Leslie.
The third writer was uncredited author William Faulkner. He had just worked on director Howard Hawks', 1946, "The Big Sleep", starring the now married Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Libby Saul". She had just starred in director Raoul Walsh's. 1946, Film-Noir, "The Man I Love", co-starring Robert Alda, and, Andrea King.
Dane Clark portrayed "Barry Burnette". Clark had just been seen in, 1947's, "That Way with Women", and would follow this picture with 1948's, "Embraceable You".
The third writer was uncredited author William Faulkner. He had just worked on director Howard Hawks', 1946, "The Big Sleep", starring the now married Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Libby Saul". She had just starred in director Raoul Walsh's. 1946, Film-Noir, "The Man I Love", co-starring Robert Alda, and, Andrea King.
Dane Clark portrayed "Barry Burnette". Clark had just been seen in, 1947's, "That Way with Women", and would follow this picture with 1948's, "Embraceable You".
Wayne Morris portrayed "Jeff Barker". Morris had been seen six years earlier in the comedy mystery, 1941's, "The Smiling Ghost", and would follow this feature with the Ronald Reagan and Eleanor Parker comedy romance, 1947's, "The Voice of the Turtle".
Above Ida Lupino, one-time 1930's leading man Wayne Morris, and Dane Clark.
The plot was very familiar for the period, "Libby", a uneducated farm girl, falls for San Quentin convict, "Barry", who is part of a chain-gang that is working near her farm building a road. She decides to help him escape, even though the engineer on the road project, "Jeff", is falling for her. "Libby" hides "Barry" on her farm as the authorities hunt for him.
Above Ida Lupino, one-time 1930's leading man Wayne Morris, and Dane Clark.
The plot was very familiar for the period, "Libby", a uneducated farm girl, falls for San Quentin convict, "Barry", who is part of a chain-gang that is working near her farm building a road. She decides to help him escape, even though the engineer on the road project, "Jeff", is falling for her. "Libby" hides "Barry" on her farm as the authorities hunt for him.
THE ROAD TO DIRECTING
On August 5, 1948, Ida Lupino married her second husband, producer and screenplay writer, Collier Young.
I admit this is my favorite Ida Lupino motion picture and is a story within a story told in flashbacks.
The motion picture was by "B" director S. Sylvan Simon. The screenplay, by Ted Sherdeman, who wrote the 1954 classic science fiction film, "THEM!", and by "B" writer, Richard English. The screenplay was based upon Barry Storm's, non-fiction, "Thunder God's Gold".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Julia Thomas". She was last seen in the Film-Noir, 1948's, "Road House", co-starring Cornel Wilde and Celeste Holm. Lupino would follow this picture with the Film-Noir, 1950's, "Woman in Hiding", co-starring Stephen McNally, and Howard Duff.
Glenn Ford portrayed "Jacob 'Dutch' Walz". Ford had just been in the Film-Noir, 1949's, "The Undercover Man", and would follow this picture with, 1949's, "Mr. Soft Touch".
William Prince portrayed "Barry Storm". At this time, Prince was appearing on different television anthologies.
Above, William Prince and Paul Ford as "Sheriff Lynn Early".
The story revolves around the fabled "Lost Dutchman Mine", located somewhere within Arizona's "Superstition Mountains". Writer and explorer "Floyd Buckley", played by Hayden Rorke, claims to have discovered the location of the mine". He is approached by "Barry Storm", who says he has a claim to the mine, because "Jacob Walz" was his grandfather. "Buckley" ignores "Storm" and heads for the mountain range, but is followed by the other man.
An unseen person shoots and kills "Buckley", making him the fourth recent death of someone searching for "The Lost Dutchman". "Storm" notifies "Sheriff Early" and "Deputy Covin", played by Will Geer, of "Buckley's" death, and the screenplay has "Covin" now relate, in a flashback, the history of "The Lost Dutchman Mine".
He starts with the story of "Pedro Peralta" hiding $20 million dollars in gold nuggets in an inaccessible mine shaft and then being murdered by Apaches. Moving forward to 1880, "Dutch Walz", and his friend, "Wiser", played by Edgar Buchanan, overhear a man named "Ludi", played by Arthur Hunnicutt, call his companion, "Ramon Peralta", played by Antonio Moreno. The two recognize the last name, and "Dutch" and "Wiser" decide to follow the other two. They are led to the "Peralta" mine, they shoot and kill the other two men, and then the "Dutchman" murders "Wiser".
On August 5, 1948, Ida Lupino married her second husband, producer and screenplay writer, Collier Young.
Also, in 1948, Ida Lupino became an American citizen and would be a stanch Democrat.
1949 was an interesting year for Ida Lupino, as she would become involved with three different motion picture crafts and two for the first time.
LUST FOR GOLD aka: BONANZA released on April 4, 1949
LUST FOR GOLD aka: BONANZA released on April 4, 1949
I admit this is my favorite Ida Lupino motion picture and is a story within a story told in flashbacks.
The motion picture was by "B" director S. Sylvan Simon. The screenplay, by Ted Sherdeman, who wrote the 1954 classic science fiction film, "THEM!", and by "B" writer, Richard English. The screenplay was based upon Barry Storm's, non-fiction, "Thunder God's Gold".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Julia Thomas". She was last seen in the Film-Noir, 1948's, "Road House", co-starring Cornel Wilde and Celeste Holm. Lupino would follow this picture with the Film-Noir, 1950's, "Woman in Hiding", co-starring Stephen McNally, and Howard Duff.
Glenn Ford portrayed "Jacob 'Dutch' Walz". Ford had just been in the Film-Noir, 1949's, "The Undercover Man", and would follow this picture with, 1949's, "Mr. Soft Touch".
Gig Young portrayed "Pete Thomas". Young co-starred in the John Wayne and Gail Russell, in 1948's, "Wake of the Red Witch", just prior to this movie. He followed this picture with, 1949's, "Tell It to the Judge".
William Prince portrayed "Barry Storm". At this time, Prince was appearing on different television anthologies.
Above, William Prince and Paul Ford as "Sheriff Lynn Early".
The story revolves around the fabled "Lost Dutchman Mine", located somewhere within Arizona's "Superstition Mountains". Writer and explorer "Floyd Buckley", played by Hayden Rorke, claims to have discovered the location of the mine". He is approached by "Barry Storm", who says he has a claim to the mine, because "Jacob Walz" was his grandfather. "Buckley" ignores "Storm" and heads for the mountain range, but is followed by the other man.
An unseen person shoots and kills "Buckley", making him the fourth recent death of someone searching for "The Lost Dutchman". "Storm" notifies "Sheriff Early" and "Deputy Covin", played by Will Geer, of "Buckley's" death, and the screenplay has "Covin" now relate, in a flashback, the history of "The Lost Dutchman Mine".
He starts with the story of "Pedro Peralta" hiding $20 million dollars in gold nuggets in an inaccessible mine shaft and then being murdered by Apaches. Moving forward to 1880, "Dutch Walz", and his friend, "Wiser", played by Edgar Buchanan, overhear a man named "Ludi", played by Arthur Hunnicutt, call his companion, "Ramon Peralta", played by Antonio Moreno. The two recognize the last name, and "Dutch" and "Wiser" decide to follow the other two. They are led to the "Peralta" mine, they shoot and kill the other two men, and then the "Dutchman" murders "Wiser".
Now, "Walz" returns to Phoenix with large gold nuggets from "his mine" and the word spreads.
Scheming "Julia Thomas" hears about the gold, meets "Jacob", but does not reveal that she is actually married to very controllable "Pete Thomas". "Julia" is able to win over the somewhat innocent "Dutchman", because she speaks fluent German and lies about her history.
At the mine site, "Jacob", from the rocks above, pins the two down with his rifle. Trapped by "Walz", who cruelly toys with "Julia" and "Pete", the two run out of bullets, and start to run out of water. This will result in the two fighting over what little they have left to drink.
Finally, "Julia" stabs "Pete" in the back and pleads with "Jacob" that she loves him and this was all her husband's idea.
Just then, an earthquake starts, the rocks fall onto "Julia" killing her, and burying the mine forever.
The story returns to the present, and "Storm" states he's recovered enough information to locate "The Lost Dutchman Mine". When he returns to the "Superstitions", somebody is following him, and he encounters "Covin", who pulls out a gun and reveals he has been searching for the mine for over 20-years. A fight breaks out between the two and "Covin" is about to push "Storm" off a cliff, when he's bitten by a snake, and falls to his own death.
In the end, "Sheriff Early" points out that "Barry Storm" doesn't have the exact location and would have to dig up the whole "Superstition Mountain Range" to try and locate "Jacob Walz's" gold mine.
The story returns to the present, and "Storm" states he's recovered enough information to locate "The Lost Dutchman Mine". When he returns to the "Superstitions", somebody is following him, and he encounters "Covin", who pulls out a gun and reveals he has been searching for the mine for over 20-years. A fight breaks out between the two and "Covin" is about to push "Storm" off a cliff, when he's bitten by a snake, and falls to his own death.
In the end, "Sheriff Early" points out that "Barry Storm" doesn't have the exact location and would have to dig up the whole "Superstition Mountain Range" to try and locate "Jacob Walz's" gold mine.
NOT WANTED released on June 24, 1949
I would point out that the above poster for picture reads:
Above, Keef e Brasselle and Sally Forrest. Below Leo Penn as piano player, "Steve Ryan" with Sally Forrest.
This was an Ida Lupino and Collier Young production, from a story by the husband-and-wife team. "Never Fear" was also the first motion picture completely directed by Ida Lupino.
Two of her three stars returned from "Not Wanted".
Sally Forrest portrayed "Carol Williams".
Keefe Brasselle portrayed "Guy Richards".
OUTRAGE released on September 27, 1950
The motion picture was produced by Collier Young, it was directed by Ida Lupino, and Young, Lupino, and Malvin Wald wrote the original screenplay.
Because of the strict morality section of the "Motion Picture Production Code" and the censorship enforcing it. "The Outrage", was only the second post-code motion picture to deal with rape, the first was 1948's, "Johnny Belinda", starring Jane Wyman.
Mala Powers portrayed "Ann Walton". This was her third film role, just before this picture, Powers had sixth billing in 1950's, "Edge of Doom", starring Dana Andrews and Farley Granger. Immediately after this feature, Mala Powers portrayed "Roxanne", to co-star Jose Ferrer, in 1950's, "Cyrano de Bergerac".
Todd Andrews portrayed "Revend Bruce Ferguson". Andrews had been on-screen acting since 1941, in 1951, he originated the character of "Zack James" in the long forgotten early television soap opera, "First Love". Todd Andrews is best remembered for starring in the Civil War television series, 1957's, "The Grey Ghost", and the same years very low budget cult horror film, "From Hell It Came".
Robert Clarke portrayed "Jim Owens". Clarke, who had uncredited roles in producer Val Lewton's, 1945, "The Body Snatcher", and, 1946's, "Bedlam", both starring Boris Karloff, is best remembered for his science fiction and horror cult films, 1951's, "The Man from Planet X", 1957's, "The Astonishing She-Monster", 1958's, "The Hidious Sun Demon", 1958's, "From the Earth to the Moon", 1959's, "The Incredible Petrified World", 1960's, "Beyond the Time Barrier", 1981's, "Frankenstein Island", and his final film, 2005's, "The Naked Monster".
IDA LUPINO presents "Not Wanted"
The picture was produced by Ida Lupino and Anson Bond and directed by Elmer Clifton. Clifton had started directing in 1915, and only directed two more forgotten features after this one. Not showing on the poster, or on-screen, was the fact that some of the scenes were directed by Ida Lupino. Additionally, she co-wrote the screenplay, which was the first of her social issue stories.
Sally Forrest portrayed "Sally Kelton". Forrest had five uncredited roles before this motion picture, and would follow it with three others.
Keefe Brasselle portrayed "Drew Baxter". Brasselle had been on-screen acting since 1942, and would portray "Earl Eastman" in director George Stevens', 1951, "A Place in the Sun", starring Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift, and comedian, "Eddie Cantor", in 1953's, "The Eddie Cantor Story".
Above, Keef e Brasselle and Sally Forrest. Below Leo Penn as piano player, "Steve Ryan" with Sally Forrest.
"Sally Kelton" is seduced and abandoned by a piano player. She finds herself pregnant, delivers her baby, but also gives it up for adoption. Next, the building guilt over what she did, causes her to the kidnap another mother's baby, and become a fugitive.
Richard Brody of the "New Yorker Magazine", looking back on Lupino's career, wrote on June 13, 2016, about " Not Wanted":
Lupino displays a documentary avidity for the details of work and play. She conveys Sally’s unworldly, impractical passion with tender, intimate closeups and an intense, effects-driven subjectivity—a hallucinatory sequence in a hospital is a masterpiece of low-budget Expressionism. An incongruous yet majestic chase scene, highlighting a photogenic array of Los Angeles locations, projects the intimate melodrama onto the world stage.
Ida Lupino and her husband, Collier Young formed their own production company, "The Filmmakers" and their first feature was distributed through "Eagle-Lion Films".
NEVER FEAR released on December 29, 1949
This was an Ida Lupino and Collier Young production, from a story by the husband-and-wife team. "Never Fear" was also the first motion picture completely directed by Ida Lupino.
Two of her three stars returned from "Not Wanted".
Sally Forrest portrayed "Carol Williams".
Keefe Brasselle portrayed "Guy Richards".
Hugh O'Brien portrayed "Len Randall". The future 1950's, television series, "The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp", star, had been acting on-screen since 1948. He would follow this picture with the 1950, cult science fiction anti-nuclear war classic, "Rocketship X-M", and portrayed "Lem Younger", in 1950's, "The Return of Jesse James", starring John Ireland.
Also in the cast was Ida Lupino's sister Rita as "Josie".
Above, Hugh O'Brien and Rita Lupino.
There was no question that the screenplay was based upon Ida Lupino's own story. "Carol Williams" is a young dancer with a promising career, who is stricken with polio, and the story covers her fight back to perform. This is also a plug for the work on the disease at Oakland, California's, "Kabat-Kaiser Institute" for rehabilitation, that today is "Kaiser Permanente".
In 1950, Ida Lupino followed Dorothy Azner as only the second woman to be accepted into the "Directors Guild of America".
The motion picture was produced by Collier Young, it was directed by Ida Lupino, and Young, Lupino, and Malvin Wald wrote the original screenplay.
Because of the strict morality section of the "Motion Picture Production Code" and the censorship enforcing it. "The Outrage", was only the second post-code motion picture to deal with rape, the first was 1948's, "Johnny Belinda", starring Jane Wyman.
Mala Powers portrayed "Ann Walton". This was her third film role, just before this picture, Powers had sixth billing in 1950's, "Edge of Doom", starring Dana Andrews and Farley Granger. Immediately after this feature, Mala Powers portrayed "Roxanne", to co-star Jose Ferrer, in 1950's, "Cyrano de Bergerac".
Todd Andrews portrayed "Revend Bruce Ferguson". Andrews had been on-screen acting since 1941, in 1951, he originated the character of "Zack James" in the long forgotten early television soap opera, "First Love". Todd Andrews is best remembered for starring in the Civil War television series, 1957's, "The Grey Ghost", and the same years very low budget cult horror film, "From Hell It Came".
Robert Clarke portrayed "Jim Owens". Clarke, who had uncredited roles in producer Val Lewton's, 1945, "The Body Snatcher", and, 1946's, "Bedlam", both starring Boris Karloff, is best remembered for his science fiction and horror cult films, 1951's, "The Man from Planet X", 1957's, "The Astonishing She-Monster", 1958's, "The Hidious Sun Demon", 1958's, "From the Earth to the Moon", 1959's, "The Incredible Petrified World", 1960's, "Beyond the Time Barrier", 1981's, "Frankenstein Island", and his final film, 2005's, "The Naked Monster".
Rita Lupino portrayed "Stella Carter". In all, Rita Lupino would have only eight more on-screen appearances and returned to the stage,
Once more, screenplay writer and director Ida Lupino looked at the Eisenhower Era taboo of "Rape" on American motion picture screens.
For "Ann Walton", this was the happiest day of her young life; she became engaged to "Jim Owens". Then, after working late into the night at the concession stand that employs her, as she walks home. A man she works with, who had made several passes at her without success, attacks and rapes "Ann", turning her life upside down.
For "Ann Walton", this was the happiest day of her young life; she became engaged to "Jim Owens". Then, after working late into the night at the concession stand that employs her, as she walks home. A man she works with, who had made several passes at her without success, attacks and rapes "Ann", turning her life upside down.
On January 22, 2018, in a look back at this motion picture again written by Richard Brody of the "New Yorker Magazine" are his comments that:
Lupino turns prudish Hollywood conventions into a crucial part of the story: just as the word “rape” is never spoken in the movie, Ann is prevented from talking about her experience, and, spurred by the torment of her enforced silence and the trauma that shatters her sense of identity, she runs away from home. Lupino’s drama blends Ann’s story with an incisive view of the many societal failures that contribute to the crime—including the unwillingness of the legal system to face the prevalence of rape. Above all, Lupino depicts a culture of leers and wolf whistles and domineering boyfriends, and reveals the widespread and unquestioned aggression that women face in ostensibly consensual courtship and that’s ultimately inseparable from the violence that Ann endures
"1951"
HARD, FAST AND BEATIFUL! released May 23, 1951
The motion picture was directed by Ida Lupino, from a screenplay by Martha Wilkerson, based upon the John R. Tunis novel, "American Girl".
Claire Trevor portrayed "Millie Farley". Trevor had been a major leading lady of the 1930's, and, 1940's, and would become a supporting actress in the 1950's and into 1960's television. She had fifth billing in director William Wyler's, 1937, "Dead End", with a starting out Humphrey Bogart, in 1938, she shared top billing with Bogart and Edward G. Robinson, in the crime drama, "The Amazing Dr. Clitterhlouse", and in 1939, portrayed "Dallas", in John Ford's "Stagecoach", starring John Wayne. While, in 1944, Claire Trevor co-starred with Dick Powell, in author Raymond Chandler's, "Murder My Sweet", and in, 1948, re-teamed with Edgar G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart and co-starred with Lauren Bacall in director John Huston's, "Key Largo".
Sally Forrest portrayed "Florence Farley". She had just been in the Burt Lancaster and Joanne Dru Western, 1951's, "Vengeance Valley", and would follow this picture co-starring with Red Skelton, in the 1951 comedy "Excuse My Dust".
Carleton G. Young portrayed "Fletcher Locke", "B" actor Young started acting in 1944, and appeared in films until 1952, when he switched to television.
Sally Forrest portrayed "Florence Farley". She had just been in the Burt Lancaster and Joanne Dru Western, 1951's, "Vengeance Valley", and would follow this picture co-starring with Red Skelton, in the 1951 comedy "Excuse My Dust".
Carleton G. Young portrayed "Fletcher Locke", "B" actor Young started acting in 1944, and appeared in films until 1952, when he switched to television.
Left to right, Sally Forrest, Claire Trevor and Carleton G. Young.
Robert Clarke portrayed "Gordon McKay". Clarke had just portrayed "Robin Hood", in the low budgeted, 1951, "Tales of Robin Hood". The actor would follow this picture with the forgotten musical romance, 1951's, "Casa Manana".
Robert Clarke portrayed "Gordon McKay". Clarke had just portrayed "Robin Hood", in the low budgeted, 1951, "Tales of Robin Hood". The actor would follow this picture with the forgotten musical romance, 1951's, "Casa Manana".
Above, Robert Clarke, sits between Trevor and Forrest.
The story is about a domineering, social claiming, mother who controls the tennis career of her daughter, "Florence". Who falls in love with "Gordon", but her mother has other plans and, at the climax, "Florence" wins the "Wimbledon Singles Woman's Tennis" title. Next, telling her mother she's quitting the sport for her own happiness, and leaves with "Gordon".
Look closely at the audience at the "Seabright Tennis Match" sequence, and you'll see Ida Lupino and actor Robert Ryan in the stands. The two would co-star in the August 29, 1952, crime drama, "Beware, My Lovely".
During 1951, Ida Lupino was having an affair with actor Howard Duff, she divorced Collier Young, and on October 21, 1951, married Duff. Six months later, on April 23, 1952, Ida Lupino gave birth to Collier Young's daughter, that her and her third husband named, Bridget Duff.
DIRECTOR AND ACTRESS
From taking time off to be a mother, Ida Lupino returned to motion picture directing and writing, with a motion picture that actually caused people to have a fear of picking-up hitch-hikers, a common practice at the time:
THE HITCH-HIKER released on March 20, 1953
Above, one of the American posters for the motion picture and below, the United Kingdom poster indicating an "X Cert", no one under 16-years-of-age permitted without a parent, or legal guardian.
The screenplay is basically a three-character story, but there are additional characters that come in and out of the screenplay. It was based upon the murder spree of Billy Cook, who in 1950, murdered a family of five and a traveling salesman, then kidnapped Deputy Sheriff Homer Waldrip of Blythe, California.
The story is about a domineering, social claiming, mother who controls the tennis career of her daughter, "Florence". Who falls in love with "Gordon", but her mother has other plans and, at the climax, "Florence" wins the "Wimbledon Singles Woman's Tennis" title. Next, telling her mother she's quitting the sport for her own happiness, and leaves with "Gordon".
Look closely at the audience at the "Seabright Tennis Match" sequence, and you'll see Ida Lupino and actor Robert Ryan in the stands. The two would co-star in the August 29, 1952, crime drama, "Beware, My Lovely".
During 1951, Ida Lupino was having an affair with actor Howard Duff, she divorced Collier Young, and on October 21, 1951, married Duff. Six months later, on April 23, 1952, Ida Lupino gave birth to Collier Young's daughter, that her and her third husband named, Bridget Duff.
DIRECTOR AND ACTRESS
From taking time off to be a mother, Ida Lupino returned to motion picture directing and writing, with a motion picture that actually caused people to have a fear of picking-up hitch-hikers, a common practice at the time:
THE HITCH-HIKER released on March 20, 1953
Above, one of the American posters for the motion picture and below, the United Kingdom poster indicating an "X Cert", no one under 16-years-of-age permitted without a parent, or legal guardian.
The motion picture was directed by Ida Lupino, and who co-wrote the screenplay with ex-husband Collier Young.
The screenplay is basically a three-character story, but there are additional characters that come in and out of the screenplay. It was based upon the murder spree of Billy Cook, who in 1950, murdered a family of five and a traveling salesman, then kidnapped Deputy Sheriff Homer Waldrip of Blythe, California.
Edmond O'Brien portrayed "Roy Collins". O'Brien had just been seen on American television in the January 12, 1953, episode, "Ricochet", on "Robert Montgomery Presents". He would follow this picture with the 1953, 3-D Film-Noir, "Man in the Dark".
Frank Lovejoy portrayed "Gilbert Bowen". Lovejoy was just in the comedy musical, 1953's, "She's Back on Broadway". co-starring with Virginia Mayo and Gene Nelson. He would follow this feature with the 1953, 3-D remake of the 1933, "Mystery of the Wax Museum", that had starred Fay Wray, entitled "House of Wax", and starring Vincent Price in actor Lionel Atwill's original role.
Frank Lovejoy portrayed "Gilbert Bowen". Lovejoy was just in the comedy musical, 1953's, "She's Back on Broadway". co-starring with Virginia Mayo and Gene Nelson. He would follow this feature with the 1953, 3-D remake of the 1933, "Mystery of the Wax Museum", that had starred Fay Wray, entitled "House of Wax", and starring Vincent Price in actor Lionel Atwill's original role.
Above, Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy.
William Talman portrayed "Emmett Myers". Character actor Talman started on-screen acting in 1949, and in 1955, portrayed "Machine Gun Mason", in the crime drama, "Big House U.S.A.". That role and the one in this motion picture seem very opposite to the role William Talman will be remembered for playing, "District Attorney Hamilton Burger", who just couldn't win against actor Raymond Burr's, "Perry Mason", for 225 television episodes.
Ida Lupino's movie, only the second Film-Noir directed by a woman, opens with "Emmett Meyers" hitch-hiking and killing a succession of different people who innocently pick him up.
Cut to two friends, ""Roy Collins" and "Gilbert Bowen" leaving for their fishing trip to Mexico. Along their route, they make the mistake of picking up hitch-hiker, "Meyers".
Above, Ida Lupino explains a scene to Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy, and below, she checks a camera shot.
William Talman portrayed "Emmett Myers". Character actor Talman started on-screen acting in 1949, and in 1955, portrayed "Machine Gun Mason", in the crime drama, "Big House U.S.A.". That role and the one in this motion picture seem very opposite to the role William Talman will be remembered for playing, "District Attorney Hamilton Burger", who just couldn't win against actor Raymond Burr's, "Perry Mason", for 225 television episodes.
Ida Lupino's movie, only the second Film-Noir directed by a woman, opens with "Emmett Meyers" hitch-hiking and killing a succession of different people who innocently pick him up.
Cut to two friends, ""Roy Collins" and "Gilbert Bowen" leaving for their fishing trip to Mexico. Along their route, they make the mistake of picking up hitch-hiker, "Meyers".
Above, Ida Lupino explains a scene to Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy, and below, she checks a camera shot.
Mildred Martin, the film critic for "The Philadelphia Inquirer", on May 4, 1953, wrote:
with nothing more than three able actors, a lot of rugged scenery and their own impressive talents as producers, authors and director, Collier Young and Ida Lupino have brewed a grim little chiller...directed with masculine strength by the amazing Miss Lupino.
John Krewson, for the on-line film newspaper the "AV Club", on March 29, 2002, wrote:
As a screenwriter and director, Lupino had an eye for the emotional truth hidden within the taboo or mundane, making a series of B-styled pictures which featured sympathetic, honest portrayals of such controversial subjects as unmarried mothers, bigamy, and rape ... in The Hitch-Hiker, arguably Lupino's best film and the only true noir directed by a woman, two utterly average middle-class American men are held at gunpoint and slowly psychologically broken by a serial killer. In addition to her critical but compassionate sensibility, Lupino had a great filmmaker's eye, using the starkly beautiful street scenes in Not Wanted and the gorgeous, ever-present loneliness of empty highways in The Hitch-Hiker to set her characters apart
THE BIGAMIST released December 3, 1953
This was the first American feature film in which one of the female stars was also the film's director, Ida Lupino.
The motion picture was produced and the screenplay written by Collier Young, who was Joan Fontaine's husband at the time.
Joan Fontaine portrayed "Eve Graham". She was seen in 1953's, "Flight to Tangier", a 3-D adventure film, co-starring Jack Palance. Fontaine would follow this feature, co-starring with Bob Hope, in the 1954, comedy, "Casanova's Big Night".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Phyllis Martin". She had just appeared with her husband Howard Duff in the, 1953 mystery, "Jennifer", and followed this feature with her first television appearance on the anthology series, "The Ford Television Theatre", February 25, 1954, in the episode, "Marriageable Male".
Edmund Gwenn portrayed "Mr. Jordan". Gwenn was recognized for portraying "Kris Kringle", in 1947's, "Miracle on 34th Street". While, 1954, science fiction fans know the actor as "Professor Medford" in "THEM!".
Edmond O'Brien portrayed "Harry Graham aka: Harrison Graham". O'Brien had just been "Casca", in the motion picture version of William Shakespeare's, 1953, "Julius Caesar", starring Marlon Brando and James Mason. He followed this picture with 1954's, "Shield for Murder", co-starring with John Agar and Marla English.
What develops is that "Phyillis" is now pregnant, but doesn't want to trap "Harrison" into marrying her. However, "Harry/Harrison" won't avoid his responsibility and wants to maintain his double life and support "Phyillis". All of which comes to a head in the courtroom, as both women first meet and "The Bigamist" must face the law.
A problem arose for Ida Lupino and Collier Young midway into production, "RKO Pictures" backed out of the deal. The business partners were faced with funding the remaining picture and finding a way to distribute the finished film. As a result, the picture didn't do well at the box office.
Yet, film critics like Leonard Maltin, consider "The Bigamist" one of Ida Lupino's best directing efforts. While, the general comments at the time of release, and from film historians, point to her courtroom sequence as both powerful through her imagery, but understated in the way the dialogue is downplayed to achieve her desired effect.
According to Marsha Orgeon in her 2008, "Hollywood Ambitions", Wesleyan University Press, Middleton, Connecticut, Ida Lupino joked after making "The Bigamist", that if she was:
The Poor Man's Bette Davis
as an actress, then as a director, she was:
The Poor Man's Don Siegel
Speaking of director Don Siegel, 1956's, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", and 1971's, "Dirty Harry", with Clint Eastwood, was:
PRIVATE HELL 36 released on September 3, 1954
The story and screenplay came from Collier Young and Ida Lupino. As I mentioned, Don Siegel directed the picture. His, 1954, "Riot in Cell Block 11", had just been released and Siegel would follow this feature with, 1955's, "An Annapolis Story".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Lilli Marlowe". As an actress, Lupino had just appeared, for the second time, on the television anthology series, "The Ford Television Theatre", in "A Season to Love", on May 4, 1954. Ida Lupino had, by now, appeared three times on the anthology series, "Four Star Playhouse", and would make a total of nineteen appearances ending with "The Stand-In", on July 19, 1956.
Ida Lupino portrayed "Lilli Marlowe". As an actress, Lupino had just appeared, for the second time, on the television anthology series, "The Ford Television Theatre", in "A Season to Love", on May 4, 1954. Ida Lupino had, by now, appeared three times on the anthology series, "Four Star Playhouse", and would make a total of nineteen appearances ending with "The Stand-In", on July 19, 1956.
Steve Cochran portrayed "Police Sergeant Cal Bruner". Cochran had just appeared in 1954's, "Carnival Story", and would follow this picture with, a 1954 episode of the anthology series, "Robert Montgomery Presents", "Foreign Affair".
Howard Duff portrayed "Police Sergeant Jack Farnham". He had just been seen in 1954's, "Tanganyika", and followed this film with an episode of the television anthology series, "The Whistler", "Letters from Aaron Burr", on November 4, 1954.
Dean Jagger portrayed "Police Captain Michaels". Jagger had just been on the television anthology series, the "Lux Video Theatre", in "Blind Fury", May 20, 1954, and would follow this picture with the Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney, 1954, Irving Berlin musical, "White Christmas".
Above, Duff, Jagger and Cochran.
Dorothy Malone portrayed "Francey Farnham". The still unknown Malone had just been in the forgotten, 1954, "Security Risk", co-starring with John Ireland, and would follow this motion picture with another forgotten movie, co-starring Ireland, 1954's, "The Fast and the Furious".
There were three more films for Ida Lupino, before switching to television acting and directing.
The first was "Women's Prison", released in February, 1955, with Ida Lupino as a vicious, sadistic warden named "Amelia van Zandt" and having a fun-time going over the top.
The film was followed by:
THE BIG KNIFE released on November 25, 1955
Director Robert Aldrich had just released the excellent film version of detective novelist Mickey Spillane's character, "Mike Hammer", low-keyed played by veteran actor, Ralph Meeker, in 1955's, "Kiss Me Deadly".
Jack Palance portrayed "Charlie Castle". He had just portrayed "Attila the Hun", in 1954's, "Sign of the Pagan", and would follow this picture with the adventure, 1955's, "Kiss of Fire".
Ida Lupino portrayed "Castle's wife", "Marion Castle".
"The Big Knife" was another of many motion pictures attacking the Hollywood motion picture industry and their lack of morality. The cast were leading "B" list actors and actresses, at the time, as the above poster indicates. The ending is interesting, as the audience sees "Marion Castle" grieving over the suicide of her husband, and as the camera pulls back, the audience realizes the sequence is on a motion picture screen. Did they watch reality, or another movie within a movie?
Film critic Jeff Stafford, for "Turner Classic Movies" in 2008, stated:
[Of the previous Hollywood-exposé dramas] none...can match the negative depiction of the movie business and its power brokers offered in The Big Knife...The use of long takes by cinematographer Ernest Laszlo adds greatly to the film's claustrophobic tension and the mingling of fictitious names with real ones (Billy Wilder, Elia Kazan, William Wyler and others) throughout the dialogue gives The Big Knife a candid, almost documentary-like quality at times
WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS released on May 16, 1956
The motion picture was directed by Fritz Lang, 1922's, "Dr. Mabuse the Gambler", 1927's, "Metropolis", 1929, "Women in the Moon", 1931's, "M", 1941's, "Western Union", and, 1952's, "Rancho Notorious". My article on the great German-American director is part of, "Fritz Lang and Leni Riefensthal: Their Films", may be read at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2015/03/fritz-lang-and-leni-riefensthal-their.html
The screenplay was by Casey Robinson, 1935's, "Captain Blood", 1942's, "Now Voyager" and, 1954's, "The Egyptian", based upon a novel by Charles Einstein.
Dana Andrews portrayed "Edward Mobley". He was just in 1955's, "Comanche", and followed this feature with another Fritz Lang film ,1956's, "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt".
George Sanders portrayed "Mark Loving". Sanders had just appeared in the episode, "Autumn Fever", April 5, 1956, on "The Ford Television Theatre", and followed this picture with, 1956's, "That Certain Feeling".
Howard Duff portrayed "Police Lieutenant Burt Kaufman". He had just been in the 1956 Western, "Blackjack Ketchum, Desperado", and followed with another Western, 1956's, "The Broken Star".
Thomas Mitchell portrayed "Jon Day Griffith". Mitchell had just been in "It Started with Eve", a March 29, 1956, episode of the "Lux Video Theatre". He followed this movie with "Remembrance Day", June 21, 1956, on "The Ford Television Theatre".
Vincent Price portrayed "Walter Kyne". Price had just been in 1956's, "Serenade", and would follow this feature with, "Sting in the Tail", July 12, 1956, on the "Lux Video Theatre".
Sally Forrest portrayed "Nancy Liggett". Forrest hadn't been seen since "They Flee by Night", on February 14, 1956, on the television anthology series, "Celebrity Playhouse". She followed this movie with an episode of televisions "The Red Skeleton Hour", in "The Magic Shoes", October 30, 1956.
John Drew Barrymore billed as John Barrymore Jr. portrayed "Robert Manners". He had been in the made-for-television movie, 1955, "The Adventures of Lt. Contee", and followed the movie with, "End of a Gun", January 9, 1957, on the television anthology series, "The 20th-Century-Fox Hour". My article, "A Fan Remembers the Films of JOHN DREW BARRYMORE" will be read at:
http://www.bewaretheblog.com/2019/03/a-fan-remembers-films-of-john-drew.html
Ida Lupino portrayed "Mildred Donner".
Fritz Lang used the same techniques he first applied to his classic child-murderer film, "M", and creates tension and characterization over action sequences.
The main plot opens the film with a vicious serial killer murdering a woman in her apartment.
Switch to the subplot, news media mogul "Amos Kyne", played by Robert Warwick, is on his death bed and concerned about who will take over his media empire. Present are his division chiefs, "Mark Loving", "Jon Day Griffith", "Honest Harry Kritzer", and "Edward Mobley". "Kyne" dismisses all but "Mobley", who he wants to take the empire over, but refuses the top job.
After, "Amos" dies, his son, "Walter" inherits the media empire.
The serial killer has been dubbed, "The Lipstick Killer", and due to his lack of knowledge of how media works. "Walter Kyne" will create a new position, "Executive Director", and now challenges, "Loving", "Griffith" and "Kritzer" to catch the serial killer and they will get the new position.
"Griffith" wants the job, but knows that "Mobley" doesn't and asks him to help. "Mobley" agrees to help his friend track down "The Lipstick Killer". "Loving" gets star writer "Mildred Donner" to "Cozy-up" to "Mobley" and any information the other finds out. While, "Kritzer" may have another approach, because he's having an affair with "Walter's" wife "Dorothy". Whose, love nest is located across the hall from "Loving's" secretary "Nancy Liggett", who has become engaged to "Edward Mobley".
All of these maneuvers are taking place, while "Robert Manners" is continuing his serial killings, "While the City Sleeps"!
On March 2, 2005, film critic Dennis Schwartz, on his website, "Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews", wrote:
Fritz Lang (M) directs his most under-appreciated great film, more a social commentary than a straight crime drama.
TELEVISION
1956 marked Ida Lupino's last big-screen motion picture and her complete move into the medium of television. That final motion picture was "Strange Intruder", released on September 2, 1956. It is about dying POW "Adrian Carmichael", played by Donald Murphy, who learned his wife, "Alice Carmichael", played by Ida Lupino, has been unfaithful to him. He gets another POW, "Paul Quentin", played by Edmund Purdom, to promise that should he make it back to the United States, he will see to it that "Adrian's" children are not raised by any other man, no matter what it takes.
Returning to the United States, "Paul" is being treated for trauma at a VA hospital, but is consumed with "Adrian's" request. He befriends "Alice" and the two become romantically close to each other. The problem for "Paul" are her children, because of "Adrian's" request. "Paul" starts having visions of murdering the children to be free to marry their mother and still honor his promise to "Adrian".
Of the nineteen episodes of the television anthology series, "Four Star Playhouse", I mentioned earlier, Ida Lupino's final six were all in 1956.
Ida Lupino may not have known it, but for the rest of her career she would be directly connected with television. On January 18, 1956, her first directing assignment was televised on the anthology series, "Screen Directors Playhouse". The following is from the "TCM" blog, "Another Old Movie Blog: Teresa Wright on TV", at:
https://anotheroldmovieblog.blogspot.com/2015/08/teresa-wright-on-tv.html
“No. 5 Checked Out” on Screen Directors Playhouse was directed by Ida Lupino, and co-stars Peter Lorre and William Talman. Teresa Wright is a deaf woman, who is capable of reading lips and speaking without impediment. We are told that an operation may help her, but the story is not about curing her; it’s about her acceptance of herself. She is a teacher in a school for the deaf, but is currently helping her father run a tourist cottage camp. He must leave to care for a sick relative, and she is left alone to prepare the cottages for the opening of the season.
Two more directing assignments and one of acting followed:
On July 19, 1956, with the episode, "Fury at Dawn", on the anthology series, "Climax". Lupino directed Mary Anderson, her husband, Howard Duff, and Marilyn Erskine, in a story about an atomic bomb that fails to explode at a nuclear test site and the man who must go to the tower with bomb to find out why?
Ida Lupino returned to acting, appearing in "Fearful Courage", October 12, 1956, co-starring with James Whitmore and Michael Pate, on the anthology series the, "Zane Grey Theatre".
On July 19, 1956, with the episode, "Fury at Dawn", on the anthology series, "Climax". Lupino directed Mary Anderson, her husband, Howard Duff, and Marilyn Erskine, in a story about an atomic bomb that fails to explode at a nuclear test site and the man who must go to the tower with bomb to find out why?
Ida Lupino returned to acting, appearing in "Fearful Courage", October 12, 1956, co-starring with James Whitmore and Michael Pate, on the anthology series the, "Zane Grey Theatre".
Finishing 1956, by directing on another anthology series, but with a specific concept for each episode, "The Joseph Cotten Show: On Trial". Her episode was "The Trial of Mary Surratt", November 23, 1956, starring Ray Collins, Joseph Cotton, and Virginia Gregg.
MR. ADAMS AND EVE airing on CBS from January 4, 1957 through July 8, 1958
The comedy sitcom was about two Hollywood movie stars that are married. The series was created by Collier Young and starred real-life married couple, Ida Lupino as "Eve Adams aka actress Eve Drake", and Howard Duff, as "Howard Adams".
The 66 episodes of the show, joined the Duff's on television with two other real-life married couples, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.
The comedy sitcom was about two Hollywood movie stars that are married. The series was created by Collier Young and starred real-life married couple, Ida Lupino as "Eve Adams aka actress Eve Drake", and Howard Duff, as "Howard Adams".
The 66 episodes of the show, joined the Duff's on television with two other real-life married couples, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and, Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.
The following was a newspaper ad for the show on local Los Angeles television station CBS, which also ran "I Love Lucy".
In July 1958, a pilot for a proposed television series directed by Ida Lupino, "Teenage Idol", was shown and starred Darrell Howe, Patrick Wayne, and Ida Lupino.
1959 saw Ida Lupino as both an actress on an episode each of the, "Lux Playhouse", "Bonanza" and "The Twilight Zone", and a director, for one episode of "The Donna Reed Show", two episodes of "77 Sunset Strip", and, a episode of the Western, "Hotel de Paree".
I want to break chronology to discuss:
THE TWILIGHT ZONE
Rod Sterling wrote Episode Four, of Season One, of "The Twilight Zone", entitled, "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine". On October 23, 1959, Ida Lupino portrayed movie actress, "Barbara Jean Trenton".
THE TWILIGHT ZONE
Rod Sterling wrote Episode Four, of Season One, of "The Twilight Zone", entitled, "The Sixteen-Millimeter Shrine". On October 23, 1959, Ida Lupino portrayed movie actress, "Barbara Jean Trenton".
Episode Four opens with Rod Sterling telling the viewing audiences that they are looking at a:
"Barbara Jean Trenton" has secluded herself in her home's projection room. All day, all night, she re-watches her movies from the 1930's and wishes she could still be there. Her agent, "Danny Weiss", played by Martin Balsam, attempts to bring her back to reality and arranges a part for her in a new motion picture. There is an argument between "Barbara" and the petty studio head, "Marty Sall", played by Ted de Corsia, and she leaves and gets into another argument with "Danny". "Barbara" tells him she plans to have a party for all her friends, but they have either moved away or are dead.
Picture of a woman looking at a picture. Movie great of another time, once-brilliant star in a firmament no longer a part of the sky, eclipsed by the movement of earth and time. Barbara Jean Trenton, whose world is a projection room, whose dreams are made out of celluloid. Barbara Jean Trenton, struck down by hit-and-run years and lying on the unhappy pavement, trying desperately to get the license number of fleeting fame.
The maid comes into the projection room to bring "Barbara Jean Trenton" her meal, finds her missing, turns to the movie screen, and in shock she calls "Danny". When "Danny" arrives, the maid tells him that to her mind, "Barbara" has vanished from the house and the projection room.
He enters the projection room to find it empty, goes over to the projector, turns it on, and looks at "Barbara's" full sized movie screen. "Danny" is seeing her living room filled with the movie stars she knew in the 1930's, when "Barbara" comes down the staircase....
...tells everyone that dinner will be beside the pool. As he continues to watch, "Barbara" starts off with her love actor "Jerry Herdon", played by Jerome Cowan. "Danny' attempts to call her back to the present, she stops, looks at "Danny" and blows him a kiss. Next, she takes off her scarf and throws it at the camera, turns and walks away. The movie on the screen ends and "Danny" now finds "Barbara's" scarf in the room with him. He looks at the scarf and remarks:
Moving ahead to March 20, 1964, was "The Twilight Zone", episode entitled, "The Masks". This screenplay was again by Rod Sterling, but the episode was directed by Ida Lupino.
Wealthy "Jason Foster", played by Robert Keith, is dying and invites his greedy heirs to a Mardi Gras party they will never forget.
The Ida Lupino directed episode was pure horror and started with Rod Sterling voicing:
"Foster" requires each of his heirs to wear a mask and the party begins. At the end, when they remove their masks, their faces reflect their greed.
The Ida Lupino directed episode was pure horror and started with Rod Sterling voicing:
Mr. Jason Foster, a tired ancient who on this particular Mardi Gras evening will leave the Earth. But before departing, he has some things to do, some services to perform, some debts to pay—and some justice to mete out. This is New Orleans, Mardi Gras time. It is also the Twilight Zone.
"Foster" requires each of his heirs to wear a mask and the party begins. At the end, when they remove their masks, their faces reflect their greed.
Ida Lupino became both the only woman to direct an episode of "The Twilight Zone", and the only actor who appeared in the series to also direct another episode of the series.
CLOSING
CLOSING
Saying Ida Lupino had 42 directing credits is misleading, because that total only included the titles of the 33 television series she was a director on. Richard Bone, whom she directed 8 times, on his Western series, "Have Gun Will Travel", is quoted on IMDb as saying:
Among Lupino's other multiple work included 6 episodes of the anthology series the, "General Electric Theatre", 9 episodes of the Boris Karloff series, "Thriller", and 3 episodes of "The Untouchables".
Ida stimulates me as an actor because she knows acting. In a weekly show, you get into acting patterns. Ida gets you out of them.
On December 14, 1968, Ida Lupino directed her last production, an episode of the television series, "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir", entitled, "Madeira, My Dear?". On August 29, 1979, Ida Lupino appeared in her last motion picture, "My Boys Are Good Boys". The low budget movie co-starred two other actors from the past, Lloyd Nolan and Ralph Meeker. Buried in the cast of this story of teenagers planning to rob an armored car was, 1940's "B" leading man actor, the uncredited John Howard, as a grocery store checker.
In 1984, Ida Lupino and Howard Duff divorced,
Ida Lupino passed away on August 3, 1995, at the age of 77, from a stroke, while being treated for colon cancer.
Ida Lupino passed away on August 3, 1995, at the age of 77, from a stroke, while being treated for colon cancer.
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