Week in Review

Films I've Viewed

Rhoda Fleming, Sally Forrest, and Ida Lupino in While the City Sleeps (1956)

• While the City Sleeps (1956) - Dana Andrews (as Edward Mobley), Ida Lupino (as Mildred Donner), Rhonda Fleming (as Dorothy Kyne), Sally Forrest (as Nancy Liggett), Thomas Mitchell (as Jon Day Griffith), Vincent Price (as Walter Kyne), Howard Duff (as Lt. Burt Kaufman), George Sanders (as Mark Loving), John Barrymore Jr (as Robert Manners).  Great all-star cast picture.  Following the death of his father, Walter Kyne creates a contest in which the heads of his multiple press divisions go head to head to win the job of leader of the company.  What becomes the test is finding out who the "Lipstick Killer", ably played by Barrymore, is.  It was a fun look into how newsrooms used to be: the busy out-scooping dog-eat-dog world of news.  The only person I wasn't a fan of was Sally Forrest as Nancy Liggett.  Everyone around her completely out-acted her.  She stuck out as a sore thumb.  Not intriguing, but supposed to be the girl everyone wants.  Just blah.

Myrna Brightens her Doorstep

Myrna Loy at Home; 1946

My Favorite Actresses - Part 2

My Favorite Actresses - Part 2

Paulette Goddard

Myrna Loy

Agnes Moorehead

Jean Peters

Jane Powell

Ginger Rogers

Jane Russell

Norma Shearer

Ann Sheridan

Ann Sothern

Esther Williams

Guess This Film #1

Guess this Film - Here's Some Hints:

• If "Angry Fruit" is the film Grapes of Wrath, then "A digit on the port side" is this film

• It's from 1940

• Stars Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas

• It's on TCM October 7, 2010 6AM est
  

Basil Rathbone's Masquerade leads to Ina Claire's Elopement

I'm sure you all remember our sweet Ina Claire from my last post. Well, I have a few more random bits about her today.



Another reason Ina started seeing our masseuse Madame Sylvia, was because she wanted a more boyish figure for a costume. She planned on attending a masquerade ball given by Basil Rathbone and [illegible in Hollywood Undressed] Bergere. Ina planned on wearing form-fitting pink velvet pants and a boyish blouse. I wish there were pictures!

This party led to one of the juiciest ditches ever a mere 2 Weeks after the masquerade.

Another bit Madame Sylvia talks about is when Ina Claire eloped with Jack Gilbert, becoming his third wife. Yes it is THE John Gilbert, the silent film star famously left at the altar by Greta Garbo. Ina and Jack eloped in Las Vegas (even though Ina was engaged to writer Gene Markey). What a naughty girl!

Ina couldn't even live without Madame Sylvia's skills for even a day, so our Madame Sylvia was on the scene the very next morning. Like any celebrity, Ina wanted Sylvia to bring over the news and wanted to know is the elopement made the papers. It did of course, and Jack joked that his name should appear first in the press (him being a matinee idol and all). This joke did not go over well with Ina and they got into an argument.

But don't you worry about poor Gene Markey. From what I can tell he was one of the hottest commodities in Hollywood. Seen above marrying the lovely Joan Bennett. Gene married such beauties as: Joan Bennett, Hedy Lamarr, and Myrna Loy.

For more info check out:

John Gilbert's Bio: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0318105/bio

Joan Bennett and Gene Markey's Wedding: http://hollywoodheyday.blogspot.com/2009/02/march-16-1932.html

Vintage Inspiration August 2nd

It's the lovely Myrna Loy's birthday today. She is one of my favorite actresses, and even though she did not receive an Oscar for an individual performance (She should have by the way), she received an honorary Oscar for her body of work in 1991.

Myrna Loy quote: "Life, is not a having and a getting, but a being and a becoming"

She worked tirelessly for Human Rights


She was on Hitler's blacklist because she was so outspoken against him

And of course, she is one of my favorite actresses, especially for her appearances in the Thin Man movies with William Powell

Myrna on working with William Powell "I never enjoyed my work more than when I worked with William Powell. He was a brilliant actor, a delightful companion, a great friend and above all, a true gentleman." (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001485/bio)