Warner Archive Wednesday - The Swan (1956)

The Swan (1956) [1]

The Swan (1956) - Grace Kelly (Princess Alexandra), Alec Guinness (Prince Albert), Louis Jourdan (Dr. Nicholas Agi), Agnes Moorehead (Queen Maria Dominika), Jessie Royce Landis (Princess Beatrix), Brian Aherne (Father Carl Hyacinth), Leo G. Carroll (Caesar), Estelle Winwood (Symphorosa), Van Dyke Parks (George), Christopher Cook (Arsene).  Directed by Charles Vidor. Studio - MGM.


Fun Fact: This film was released the same day Grace Kelly became a real princess - April 18, 1956, the day she married Prince Ranier of Monoco [2].


Fun Fact: Many thought this would be Grace Kelly's "swan song".  She would star in only 1 film after this, High Society, released July 17, 1956 [3].

Greta Garbo, Spy

Mata Hari; 1931

Today, I thought I would be treated to some wonderful films on TCM because it was Lionel Barrymore day.  Anyone who has experienced TCM's Summer Under the Stars programming knows that it can be a real treat - or a real dud.

Lionel Barrymore and Greta Garbo

Since Lionel is one of my favorite stars, I was expecting some real gems.  As a whole I wasn't disappointed. Mata Hari (1931) by MGM was not one of the gems.  I've always wanted to see this picture because I've heard the film was fantastic, the costumes looked great, and I find the real Mata Hari's story intriguing.  I should have known not too keep my hopes up, since it was a Garbo film.  Barrymore and Novarro were fantastic, as were several of the minor characters as well.  But Garbo again proved why she is on my Least Favorite Actresses list.

The REAL Mata Hari

When I think Mata Hari, I think of someone who has to be charismatic enough to have everyone in the palm of their hands - someone who causes men to lose their loyalty and honor.  Garbo, as usual, was cold as a fish.  Everyone seemed drawn to that coldness, which frankly is incomprehensible to me.  Perhaps it is my peasant stock, but I saw no reason why anyone would want to know her, let alone poor out government secrets to her.

Greta Garbo in the Death Scene

Naturally, she was fantastic at being stoic on the way to the death scene.  This she did wonderfully well.  As a viewer, I cared more about how her death affected Alexis, Ramon Navarro's character.  So on the whole, everyone but Garbo was wonderful in this take on Mata Hari's life.  If someone can explain the appeal of Greta to me I would be grateful, because for the life of me, I find her cold and emotionless.  I just don't feel any kind of connection to her when I see her films.  It's like watching a beautiful statue walk around - beautiful, but distant.

Doris Takes Over for Lana and Ava

Doris Day
Will have sixteen numbers to sing in “Love Me or Leave Me” – enough to please the most ardent Day fans. This picture has a strange history. Both Lana Turner and Ava Gardner turned it down. Doris took it for a reported $200,000. Cameron Mitchell, who was borrowed by MGM for the film, says it has one of the best scripts he’s ever read.

(Source: Movieland; February 1955)

I've never seen this film about singer trying to get away from the gangster who made her a star. Lucky for me, it's appearing on TCM next Friday April 22, 2011 at 8:45 am est. Can't beat James Cagney and of course the wonderful Doris Day so I might have to check it out.

Anne Francis' First Day in Hollywood

Lovely Anne Francis was all of 16 years old when she left New York for Hollywood. She was signed by MGM in 1947. Anne (born Ann Marvak on September 16, 1930 - January 2, 2011) had been "in the business" since age 6 in New York modeling, on stage, and on radio.

Day 1 was spent settling into their hotel with her mother, Edith Albertson Francis.

Brown Derby 1947 Menu


Anne had a celebration breakfast at the famous Brown Derby Restaurant

Up next - Day 2. A power lunch and meeting a blond male Hollywood heartthrob actor. Can anyone guess who it was?

Is Horace McNally the next Big Thing?

"There's a newcomer at M-G-M who's said to look like a combination Clark Gable and Cary Grant, but not like Taylor. His name is Horace McNally. But what we'd like to know is, is he good" (Film Fun, 1941)

Stephen "Horace" McNally (July 29, 1913 - June 4, 1994) gave a a career as an attorney to become a B player. Horace is probably best known for his role as Locky, the man who rapes Jane Wyman's character in Johnny Belinda. Horace was active as an actor from 1942 until 1980. Some of his better known films include: Johnny Belinda, Winchester 73, Now Way Out, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, and The Harvey Girls.

On the personal side, he married Rita Winrich in 1941 and stayed married his entire life. They had a whopping (by today's standards) 8 children. As one of ten, this is normal to me :)

Virginia Weidler - Award Winner

Virginia Weidler was given the annual Parents' Magazine Award as the outstanding juvenile star of 1940 for her work in Young Tom Edison (above with Mickey Rooney),

All this and Heaven Too,

and The Philadelphia Story (with Katherine Hepburn). Mickey Rooney, 1939 winner, presented the award to Virginia on the MGM set where he was making Andy Hardy's Private Secretary.

I love Virginia Weidler! I think she was a fabulous, overlooked child star. She and Norma Shearer's scenes in The Women are so touching and as a child from a divorced home, she totally acted the part. Virginia was born March 21, 1926 in Los Angeles. She appeared in more than 40 films, but her most well known ones were with MGM who signed her in 1938. Virginia retired at the tender age of 17 and would refuse to be interviewed the rest of her life. She married Lionel Krissel on March 27, 1947 and had two sons, Gary and Ronnie. Virginia Weidler died July 1, 1968 from a heart condition at the age of 42. Her ashes are scattered at sea.