Week in Review

Films I've Viewed

• The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936) - William Powell (Dr. Lawrence Bradford), Jean Arthur (Paula Bradford), James Gleason (Inspector Corrigan), Stokes (Eric Blore), Robert Armstrong (Nick Martel), Lila Lee (Miss Prentiss).  Mr. and Mrs. Bradford are divorced because Paula, a mystery writer, kept involving them in mysteries and he couldn't concentrate on his medical practice.  But mystery follows them, when a jockey drops dead at the track and a huge bundle of bills end up in the doctor's hands.  

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.

Week in Review

Films I've Viewed

Louise Latimer and Owen Davis; The Plot Thickens (1936)

• Plot Thickens (1936) - James Gleason, Zazu Pitts, Louise Latimer, Owen Davis.  Zazu Pitts replaces Edna Mae Oliver in the role of Hildegarde Withers.  Murder and a jewel found, known as the Sultan's Emerald, have both Hildegarde and Inspector Piper on the case.  James Gleason plays Inspector Piper in a great, crusty way.  While Pitts does an admirable job as Withers, she just can't hold a torch to Oliver's portrayal.

Peeping Toms at Ronald Colman's

Madame Sylvia's next famous client in Hollywood Undressed, is Heartthrob Ronald Colman (February 9, 1891 - May 15, 1958).



He was recommended to her by director Herbert Brenon (picture above).


At the time, Ronald was living in Malibu. Because of the way things were in Malibu, stars were used to getting in each other's hair and business. During the time Sylvia had been seeing Colman, there had been a rash of peeping Thomas and Thomasina's. Fans were no different in the 1920s than they are today. Everyone wants to see their favorite star.



Ronald and Benita Colman

One Sunday morning, Madame Sylvia arrived at Ronald Colman's home. His Filipino servant wouldn't let her in because he thought she was a peeping Thomasina. He was planning on calling the police.

At the cries, William Powell (pictured about) and Philip Strange, two of Colman's cronies, jumped out of the guest bedrooms. Philip tried to get rid of Sylvia, but when Colman finally came out of his bedroom, he cleared up the whole mess saying that she was just here to give a massage. How embarrassing!

Next up - Ingenue Constance Cummings needs some major body adjustment.