On This Day...The Howards of Virginia (1940)

The Howards of Virginia was Cary Grant's 37th full length feature film  and was released today, back in 1940.

Cary Grant plays Matt Howard, whose friendship with Thomas Jefferson (Richard Carlson) leads him into a life of aristocracy, politics and family.

"Obviously miscast, Cary Grant meets the exigencies of a difficult role with more gusto than persuasion."
- Newsweek

"The Howards of Virginia, based on Elizabeth Page's The Tree of Liberty, defies anyone not to believe in the struggles of the colonists before and during the revolution."

- Philip T. Hartung, The Commonweal.

The source material was The Tree of Liberty, a 985 page novel, by Elizabeth Page. On its release in Britain, the film title was changed to the book title. 

With Paul Kelly.

With Alan Marshal, Martha Scott and Cedric Hardwicke.

Cast:

Matt Howard                 Cary Grant

Jane Peyton-Howard     Martha Scott

Fleetwood Peyton         Cedric Hardwicke

Roger Peyton                Alan Marshal

Thomas Jefferson          Richard Carlson

Captain Jabez Allen      Paul Kelly

Tom Norton                  Irving Bacon

Aunt Clarissa                Elizabeth Risdon

Mrs. Norton                  Ann Revere

James Howard at 12     Richard Alden

Peyton Howard at 18    Phil Taylor

Mary Howard at 17       Rita Quigley

Dicey                             Libby Taylor

Patrick Henry                Richard Gaines

George Washington      George Huston

Peter Cushing made an appearance as Leslie Stephens.

Behind the Scenes:

Some scenes were filmed on location at Williamsburg, the historic city which was reconstructed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. as a $20,000,000 project to perpetuate America's past.

On location with some fans.

Lobby Cards:

A newspaper advertisement.

Directed by Frank Lloyd.

Produced and distributed by Columbia.

Running time: 117 minutes.

Leading Ladies...Part 3

So that brings us to those actresses who appeared only on screen once with Cary Grant.

Adrienne Ames
Sinners in the Sun (1932)

Tallulah Bankhead
Devil and the Deep (1932)

Ethel Barrymore
None But The Lonely Heart (1944)

Constance Bennett
Topper (1937)

Janet Blair
Once Upon a Time (1944)

Mary Brian
The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss (1937)

"He was the most fun and the most romantic man I've ever known."


Leslie Caron

Father Goose (1964)

"Cary liked women who had a distinction and a certain education about them."


Jeanne Crain
People Will Talk (1951)

Also appeared on the radio, Jan 25th, 1954, in People Will Talk.

Doris Day
That Touch of Mink (1962)

Laraine Day
Mr. Lucky (1943)

Also appeared on the radio, Oct 18th, 1943, in Mr. Lucky.

Marlene Dietrich
Blonde Venus (1932)

Lily Damita
This Is The Night (1932)

Frances Drake
Ladies Should Listen (1934)

Samantha Eggar
Walk, Don't Run (1966)

Faye Emerson
Destination Tokyo (1944) The only credited actress in the cast.

Frances Farmer
The Toast of New York (1937)

Jean Harlow
Suzy (1936)

Rita Hayworth
Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

Charlotte Henry
Alice in Wonderland (1933)

Audrey Hepburn

Charade (1963)

"Working with him was a joy. There was something special, which was quite undefinable, about Cary. He was a quiet man basically, for someone who dealt in comedy, and yet very much to the point."


Benita Hume
Gambling Ship (1933)

Grace Kelly

To Catch a Thief (1955)

"Everyone grows old, except Cary Grant."

"Grace was astonishing. When you played a scene with her, she really listened. She was right there with you. She was Buddha-like in her concentration. She was like Garbo in that respect." - Cary Grant


Elissa Landi
Enter Madame! (1935)

Priscilla Lane
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

Helen Mack
Kiss and Make Up (1934)

Jayne Mansfield
Kiss Them From Me (1957)

Gertrude Michael
The Last Outpost (1935)

Grace Moore
When You're in Love (1937)

Also appeared on the radio, March 8th, 1937, in Madame Butterfly.

Marilyn Monroe

Monkey Business (1952)

"She seemed very shy, and I remember that when the studio workers would whistle at her, it seemed to embarrass her." - Cary Grant


Joan O'Brien
Operation Petticoat (1959)

Suzy Parker
Kiss Them From Me (1955)

Paula Raymond
Crisis (1950)

Rosalind Russell
His Girl Friday (1940)

Eva Marie Saint

North By Northwest (1959)

"Other men wear suits. But with other men, there'sthe man and then there's the suit on him. That didn't happen to Cary Grant. For him, style was like a skin."


Martha Scott

The Howards of Virginia (1940)

"He was conscious of his body movement, like a dancer. It was wonderful to watch."


Jean Simmons
The Grass is Greener (1961)

Alexis Smith

Night and Day (1946)

"There was such an intense quality and focus about his work...He was mesmerizing and very exciting."


Shirley Temple
The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer (1947)

Also appeared on the radio, June 13th, 1949, in The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer.

Thelma Todd
This is the Night (1932)

Jane Wyman
Night and Day (1946)

Cary Grant Style No.2 - Debon..Hair and Clean Cut?

Cary Grant had a  clean cut look that said...sophisticated, refined, classy and debonair!

This look he carried off in almost all of his films...almost!

Wardrobe and costumes may have changed to fit the role or the era but very rarely did that classic Cary Grant look.
Here are the few exceptions...

The Last Outpost (1935):
As a British Officer, Michael Andrews, sporting a moustache.

With Gertrude Michael.

With Martha Scott.

The Howards of Virginia (1940):

As Matt Howard in an American Revolution role, complete with low ponytail.

I Was A Male War Bride (1949):

Captain Henri Rochard, found himself going to extraordinary lengths...horse hair wig!

With Ann Sheridan.

.

With Ginger Rogers.

Monkey Business (1952):

A short haired and youthful, Professor Barnaby Fulton

Father Goose (1964):

As a South Pacific island resident, Walter Ekland...some what disheveled.

With Leslie Carron.