Blog Archives
From The Warner Archive: Rhapsody In Blue, 1945 (dir. Irving Rapper)
Although fictionalized (including adding two romances), Irving Rapper’s sweeping biopic of George Gershwin – whose contribution to the Great American Songbook is perhaps rivaled only by Irving Berlin and Cole Porter – is highly entertaining and this newly remastered edition, available at the Warner Archive, is a must for classic film and music lovers alike.
From The Warner Archive: You Can’t Get Away with Murder, 1939 (dir. Lewis Seiler)
Available for the first time on DVD from the Warner Archive, this crime film from Lewis Seiler features post-Duke Mantee, but pre-mega star Humphrey Bogart in one of his most dastardly villainous roles.
From The Warner Archive: Thirteen Women, 1932 (dir. George Archainbaud)
Coming from The Warner Archive on Tuesday is George Archainbaud’s deliciously pre-Code thriller Thirteen Women, adapted from the novel by Tiffany Thayer. This film is also notorious because it features the first and only film appearance of Peg Entwistle, whose body was found at the Hollywood sign, having committed suicide a few weeks before the film’s release.
From The Warner Archive: Tall Story, 1960 (dir. Joshua Logan)
I am a big fan of Joshua Logan’s Picnic, Bus Stop, Sayonara and Paint Your Wagon (and Mister Roberts, which he took over when John Ford became ill; though I must say I did not really like Fanny), so when I heard the Warner Archive was releasing a remastered copy of 1960’s Tall Story (a film I’d been trying to see or ages) I was overjoyed. While the title sequence is still a little grainy, the rest of the remaster is wonderful and crisp. Nothing makes me happier than crisp black and white cinematography and this remaster does justice to Ellsworth Fredericks‘ excellent work.
From The Warner Archive: The Andy Hardy Collection: Volume 1
New from the Warner Archive: The Andy Collection: Volume 1. The first 400 people to order will receive autographed copies singed by Mickey Rooney himself (limit 1 per order). I’ve always meant to catch up on these films because they seem like a lot of fun. If you’re a fan of Mickey Rooney, or know someone who is, this could be a perfect Christmas gift.
The Warner Archive also has an exclusive interview with Rooney streaming on iTunes or available for free download here.
From The Warner Archive: Hollywood Party
The Warner Archive recently released a bizarre little pre-code gem called Hollywood Party. The film was a Jimmy Durante vehicle that supposedly had eight directors (including Alan Dwan and Sam Wood, though none were credited) and is basically a fantastic mishmash of MGM’s comedy stars. The film was released in on June 1st, 1934 – making it one of the last films before Hollywood its began strict enforcement of the Hays Code. On June 13th, 1934 an amendment to the Hays Code was adopted, establishing the Production Code Administration and requiring all films released on or after July 1, 1934, to obtain a certificate of approval before being released.
Discovering Jean Harlow
In March TCM celebrated Jean Harlow’s 100th birthday by showing Harlow’s films throughout the month. Prior to then I had only seen Platinum Blonde and Libeled Lady. During the month I watched all the films TCM showed: Red-Headed Woman, Three Wise Girls, Riffraff, Suzy, The Public Enemy, Bombshell, Reckless, Personal Property, Wife Vs. Secretary, Red Dust, Hold Your Man, China Seas, The Secret Six, Saratoga, Dinner At Eight, The Girl From Missouri and The Beast of the City.
It was quite a crash-course in Harlow. It was great to watch them all in such a confined amount of time because I could watch her progression as an actress. I firmly believe she would have been one of the great comediennes of the classic era had she lived. Since then I’ve also seen Hell’s Angels, which features her first performance (and what a stunning debut it was) and Iron Man, in which she plays opposite Lew Ayres. I’ve also seen Libeled Lady and Dinner at Eight on the big screen at the Castro Theatre. I think actually the only Harlow film I haven’t seen is 1931’s Goldie. If any of you dear readers can locate that one for me, I’d be ever so grateful.
Up until recently only a handful of her films were on DVD (visit our Jean Harlow store here), which is a real shame. It’s only by seeing someone’s work that you can ever truly begin to appreciate them. While I still wish someone would release Red Dust on DVD, I must say the new Jean Harlow 100th Anniversary collection that the Warner Archive released on October 25th is beyond amazing. Not only does it contain seven films that had previously not been released on DVD (including three remastered versions), but it also comes with gorgeous 5″ X 7″ portraits and a ton of special features. My favorite of the special features is the newly discovered trailer for Personal Property; I love that film oh so much.
What I like the most about the set is that it’s a nice cross-section of her career, starting with 1933’s Bombshell and ending with Harlow’s final film, 1937’s Saratoga (also her sixth pairing with Clark Gable). The other films included in the set are The Girl From Missouri (1934), Reckless (1935) – in which she co-stars with her real-life love at the time William Powell, Riffraff (1934) – featuring a wonderful performance from Spencer Tracy, Suzy (1935) – a strange wartime melodrama featuring Cary Grant and Franchot Tone and Personal Property – with Robert Taylor (this is my favorite Harlow film and one of my favorite films period). This set is definitely a must for anyone who loves Harlow, or really anyone who’s interested in this time period in film history.
I’m grateful that I’ve be able to become so familiar with Harlow’s work in the last year because I think she is utterly fantastic. She may well be my favorite actress and it’s funny to think I only really discovered her in the last year.
Disclaimer: This review is based on review discs given to me by the Warner Archive, though the opinions are all my own.
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