On This Day...She Done Him Wrong (1933)

 Cary Grant's 8th full length film, She Done Him Wrong, was released on this day in 1933.

Summary:

Lady Lou (Mae West) - a successful saloon singer with many men interested in her - is interested in many men. She is warned by her jealous boyfriend and prison inmate, Chick Clark (Owen Moore), is in not to double cross him or he'll find a way out and kill her. Despite the warning, Lou takes an interest in head of the Salvation Army-type Mission located next door, Captain Cummings (Cary Grant). On hearing the mission can't pay their rent, Lou buys the building so they - and the Captain - can stay. Clark breaks out of prison and heads straight to Lou's saloon....

Cast:

Mae West...Lady Lou

Cary Grant...Captain Cummings

Owen Moore...Chick Clark

Gilbert Roland...Serge Stanieff

Noah Beery...Gus Jordan (as Noah Beery Sr.)

David Landau...Dan Flynn

Rafaela Ottiano...Russian Rita

Dewey Robinson...Spider Kane

Rochelle Hudson...Sally

Tammany Young...Chuck Connors

Fuzzy Knight...Rag Time Kelly

Grace La Rue...Frances

Robert Homans...Doheney (as Robert E. Homans)

Louise Beavers...Pearl

Did You Know?

The National Legion of Decency was formed in October of 1933, six months after the release of this film. Legion officials cited Mae West and the film as one of the major reasons for the "necessity" of the organization.

"Diamond Lil", the play on which this was based, originally opened Apr. 9, 1928 at the Royale Theatre and ran for 176 performances. It was revived 3 times between 1949 and 1951, each time starring Mae West.

Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania removed the song "A Guy What Takes His Time". Will H. Hays and Adolph Zukor went to New York to edit the song to an entrance by Mae West, one opening verse, and one closing verse to lessen the suggestiveness. Despite this, Ohio and Pennsylvania cut all of West's one liners.

Taglines:

"YOU CAN BE HAD!" she told him! (Print Ad- The Dispatch, ((Lexington, NC)) 6 February 1933)

The Darling of Broadway Gives a Hot Time to the Nation. (Print Ad-Newark Sunday Call, ((Newark, NJ)) 2 April 1933)

Quotes:

Captain Cummings: Well, surely you don't mind my holding your hand?

Lady Lou: It ain't heavy - I can hold it myself.

Captain Cummings: I'm anxious not to see you mixed up in it. But I guess I'm taking your time.

Lady Lou: What do you suppose my time's for?

Lady Lou: Why don't you come up sometime, huh?

Captain Cummings: Well, I...

Lady Lou: Don't be afraid. I won't tell.

Captain Cummings: But, eh...

Lady Lou: Come up. I'll tell your fortune.

Lady Lou: Yes, I wasn't always rich.

Pearl: No?

Lady Lou: No, there was a time I didn't know where my next husband was coming from.

Frances: You know, ever since I sang that song it's been haunting me.

Rag Time Kelly: It SHOULD haunt you: You murdered it.

Posters:

Directed by Lowell Sherman.

Produced and Distributed by Paramount Publix.

Running time: 66 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.

On This Day... Room For One More (1952)

Cary Grant's 57th full length feature film, Room For One More, was released today, back in 1952. 

Summary: 

The Rose family is anything but the average American family. With four children plus an assortment of stray animals, they still manage to find Room For One More. The parents of three children and two more adopted, George Rose (Cary Grant) and his enthusiastic wife, Anna (Betsy Drake), already lead busy lives. But when homeless children need love and understanding, this special couple open their hearts and their home. Inspired by a true story, this charming family comedy celebrates life and love.

Cast:

Cary Grant...George Rose

Betsy Drake...Anna Perrott Rose

Lurene Tuttle...Miss Kenyon

Randy Stuart...Gladys Foreman

John Ridgely...Harry Foreman

Irving Bacon...Mayor Michael J. Kane

Mary Treen...Grace Roberts (as Mary Lou Treen)

Iris Mann...Jane Miller

George Winslow...Teenie

Clifford Tatum Jr....Jimmy John Wilson

Gay Gordon...Trot

Malcolm Cassell...Tim

Larry Olsen...Benji Roberts

Did You Know?

The $25.00 for Jane's formal gown equated to nearly $250.00 in 2020.

When George opens the book of "collected poems" he gave his son as a birthday present, the visible pages are clearly prose, not poetry.

Instead of the traditional "The End", this film ends with the French word "Bonsoir", which means "Good Evening" and is repeatedly said by the Cary Grant's character during the movie.

Quotes:

George 'Poppy' Rose: [to the dog after the kids give an anonymous vote] It was anonymous eh? Who did you vote for?

George 'Poppy' Rose: [Trying to get past a boy and Jane eating donuts on a crowded staircase] I hate to come between you and the donuts, but that's life.

George 'Poppy' Rose: [as raft self inflates under his desk and he's trying to hold it down] I'm holding down more than I can handle as it is.

Anna Perrott Rose: This child has been through a lot. She's a disturbed adolescent.

George 'Poppy' Rose: I'm a disturbed adult.

Posters and Lobby Cards:

Directed by Norman Taurog.

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Running time: 97 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.

On This Day... His Girl Friday (1940)

 Cary Grant's 35th full length film, His Girl Friday, was released on this day in 1940.

Summary:

Editor of The Morning Post, Walter Burns (Cary Grant), is about to lose his ex-wife and the newspaper's best reporter, Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), when she moves to Albany with her insurance agent fiancé, Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy).  Hildy wants to leave journalism behind to live a normal life with someone who will never take her for granted.  To win back both his top journalist and the love of his life, Walter has to persuade Hildy into accepting one last story she won't be able to resist--the impending execution of  convicted murderer, Earl Williams (John Qualen).  Can Hildy renounce her passion for journalism, and Walter, the exciting man who never stopped loving her?

Cast:

Cary Grant...Walter Burns

Rosalind Russell...Hildy Johnson

Ralph Bellamy...Bruce Baldwin

Gene Lockhart...Sheriff Hartwell

Porter Hall...Murphy

Ernest Truex...Bensinger

Cliff Edwards...Endicott

Clarence Kolb...Mayor

Roscoe Karns...McCue

Frank Jenks...Wilson

Regis Toomey ...Sanders

Abner Biberman...Louie

Frank Orth...Duffy

John Qualen...Earl Williams

Helen Mack...Mollie Malloy

Alma Kruger...Mrs Baldwin

Billy Gilbert...Joe Pettibone

Pat West...Warden Cooley

Edwin Maxwell...Dr. Egelhoffer

Did You Know?

One of the first films (preceded by "Stage Door" (1937)) to have characters talk over the lines of other characters, for a more realistic sound. Prior to this, movie characters completed their lines before the next lines were started.

The film finished shooting seven days behind schedule. The delays were caused by the complexity of shooting the rapid-fire dialogue, which had to be carefully timed with business and movement. The restaurant scene in which Burns takes Hildy and Bruce to lunch took four days to shoot. The original schedule had only allotted two days for the scene.

To maintain the fast pace, Howard Hawks encouraged his cast to add dialogue and funny bits of business and step on each others lines whenever possible.

This motion picture was released nationally on Cary Grant's 36th birthday.

Quotes:

Walter Burns: There's been a lamp burning in the window for ya, honey... here.
Hildy Johnson: Oh, I jumped out that window a long time ago.

Hildy Johnson: A big fat lummox like you hiring an airplane to write: "Hildy, don't be hasty. Remember my dimple. Walter." Delayed our divorce 20 minutes while the judge went out and watched it.

Hildy Johnson: He's kind and he's sweet and he's considerate. He wants a home and children.

Walter Burns: Sounds more like a guy I ought to marry.

Walter Burns: You've got the brain of a pancake. This isn't just a story you're covering - it's a revolution. This is the greatest yarn in journalism since Livingstone discovered Stanley.

Hildy Johnson: It's the other way around.

Walter Burns: Oh, well, don't get technical at a time like this.

Lobby Cards and Posters:

Directed by Howard Hawks

Produced and Distributed by Columbia.

Running time: 92 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.

On This Day... The Philadelphia Story (1941)

Released today back in 1941, The Philadelphia Story was Cary Grant's 38th full length feature film.

Summary:

After getting a divorce from C. K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), Philadelphia heiress, Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn), prepares to marry George Kittredge (John Howard). 

Days before her wedding, however, Haven and reporter, Macaulay Connor (James Stewart), show up at her doorstep. From there, Tracy is forced to choose among her past love, her present love, and her new love.

Cast:

Cary Grant...C. K. Dexter Haven

Katharine Hepburn...Tracy Lord

James Stewart...Macaulay Connor

Ruth Hussey...Elizabeth Imbrie

John Howard...George Kittredge

Roland Young...Uncle Willie

John Halliday...Seth Lord

Mary Nash...Margaret Lord

Virginia Weidler...Dinah Lord

Henry Daniell...Sidney Kidd

Lionel Pape...Edward

Rex Evans...Thomas

Did You Know?

Cary Grant only agreed to appear in the film as long as he got top billing. As Katharine Hepburn was dubbed "box office poison" at the time, this demand was readily agreed to.  His salary, $137,000, a huge amount at the time, he donated in its entirety to the British War Relief Fund.

Cary Grant was given the choice of which of the two male lead roles he wanted to play.

During the conversation between Mike and Dexter at Dexter's mansion, Mike hiccuped and Dexter said, "Excuse me." This was ad-libbed by Cary Grant, and caused James Stewart to reply, "Huh?" and smile. Grant then turned his head to stifle his laughter and said, "Nothing."

Quotes:

George Kittredge: But a man expects his wife to...

Tracy Lord: Behave herself. Naturally.

C. K. Dexter Haven: To behave herself naturally.

[George gives him a look]

C. K. Dexter Haven: Sorry.

Tracy Lord: Dexter, say something.

C. K. Dexter Haven: Well, I...

Tracy Lord: Oh, Dexter, I'm such an unholy mess of a girl.

C. K. Dexter Haven: Well, that's no good. That's not even conversation.

Tracy Lord: You seem quite contemptuous of me all of a sudden.

C. K. Dexter Haven: No Red, not of you, never of you.

Elizabeth Imbrie: We've come for the body of Macaulay Connor.

C. K. Dexter Haven: I'm so glad you came. Can you use a typewriter?

Elizabeth Imbrie: No, thanks, I've got one at home.

C. K. Dexter Haven: Of course, Mr. Connor, she's a girl who is generous to a fault.

Tracy Lord: To a fault.

C. K. Dexter Haven: Except to other people's faults.

Margaret Lord: The course of true love...

Macaulay Connor: ...gathers no moss.

Lobby Cards and Posters:

Directed by George Cukor.

Produced and Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Running time: 112 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.

On This Day...Enter Madame (1935)

 Cary Grant's 18th full length film, Enter Madame, was released on this day in 1935.

Summary:

Gerald Fitzgerald (Cary Grant) is an avid fan of opera.  He loves watching talented and beautiful Lisa Della Robbia (Elissa Landi). When they accidentally meet, the two end up falling in love. Having married quickly, Gerald soon starts to realize he is second place to his wife's career and it isn't much fun.

Cast:

Elissa Landi...Lisa Della Robbia

Cary Grant...Gerald Fitzgerald

Lynne Overman...Mr. Farnum

Sharon Lynn...Flora Preston (as Sharon Lynne)

Michelette Burani...Bice

Paul Porcasi...Archimede

Adrian Rosley ...Doctor

Cecilia Parker...Aline Chalmers

Frank Albertson...John Fitzgerald

Wilfred Hari...Tamamoto

Torben Meyer...Carlson

Harold Berquist...Bjorgenson

Diana Lewis...Operator

Richard Bonelli...Scorpia in 'La Tosca'

Ann Sheridan...Flora's Shipboard Friend (as Clara Lou Sheridan)

Did You Know?

Enter Madame was based on a play written by Gilda Varesi Archibald, Charles Brackett and Dorothea Donn-Byrne.  Charles Brackett also contributed to the writing of such films as Sunset Boulevard (1950) and Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959).

Featured Clara Lou Sheridan in an early role.  Clara Lou Sheridan would later change her name to Ann Sheridan, eventually starring along side Cary Grant in 'I Was a Male War Bride'.

Quotes:

Mr. Farnum: Think you can take it?

Gerald Fitzgerald: What do you mean?

Mr. Farnum: I mean, have you any idea what it's like being married to an opera singer?

Gerald Fitzgerald: Sure. I think I'm the luckiest man in the world.

Mr. Farnum: You'll have to be.

Lisa Della Robbia: Farnum, what a horrible thing to say.

Mr. Farnum: I'm not talking against you, madame. It's your job.

Archimede: Those truffles have come from my farm in Tuscany. Rigoletto and I hunted for them last June. He with his nose and I with my stick - to hit him on the nose when he find the truffle. He loves truffles, Rigoletto

Flora Preston: Mercy! Who is Rigoletto? Your son?

Archimede: No. My pig, Madame

[laughs]

Archimede: A great hunter of truffles, my Rigoletto

Flora Preston: What a strange name for a pig

Archimede: Why not, Madame? He enjoys it, poor fellow. It gives him some style before the other pigs. My cow, I name her Aida; my ox: Don Giovanni. Oh, they're all very pleased.

Posters and Lobby Card:

Directed by Elliot Nugent.

Produced by Paramount Publix.

Running time: 83 minutes.

Artwork by Rebekah Hawley of Studio 36.