On This Day...Sylvia Scarlett (1936)

 On this day Cary Grant's 21st film was released...Sylvia Scarlett. It was his first film with Katharine Hepburn.

Summary:

Escaping to England from a French embezzlement charge, widower Henry Scarlett (Edmund Gwenn) is accompanied by daughter Sylvia (Katharine Hepburn) who, to avoid detection, "disguises" herself as a boy, "Sylvester." They are joined by amiable con man Jimmy Monkley (Cary Grant), then, after a brief career in crime, meet Maudie Tilt (Dennie Moore), a giddy, sexy Cockney housemaid who joins them in the new venture of entertaining at resort towns from a caravan. Through all this, amazingly no one recognizes that Sylvia is not a boy...until she meets handsome artist Michael Fane (Brian Aherne), and drama intrudes on the comedy.

"Story construction and development are beclouded, with resultant hop-skipping in the action, labored dialogue, and over strained performances with the exception of that of Cary Grant. Mr. Grant is the most convincing performance..."

- Rovelstad, Motion Picture Herald.

With Katharine Hepburn and Edmund Gwenn.

"Cary Grant, doing a petty English crook with a Soho accent, practically steals the picture."

- Robert Landry, Variety.

Cast:

 Katharine Hepburn ... Sylvia Scarlett a.k.a. Sylvester
 Cary Grant ... Jimmy Monkley
 Brian Aherne ... Michael Fane
 Edmund Gwenn ... Henry Scarlett

With Katharine Hepburn and Edmund Gwenn.

Did You Know?

After a disastrous preview, director George Cukor and Katharine Hepburn went to RKO producer Pandro S. Berman's home and offered their services for free for another film. Berman, who was furious at the quality of the movie, replied tersely, "Don't bother please."

Howard Hughes visited the set one day, landing his amphibious plane near the beach where they were filming. Hughes said he stopped by to say hello to his good friend Cary Grant but in actuality he wanted to meet Katharine Hepburn, whom he was fascinated by. The film The Aviator (2004) recreates this first meeting of theirs.

This film is noted as being one of the biggest box office flops of the 1930's, resulting in a loss of $363,000 ($6.5M in 2017) for RKO according to studio records.

The first film of Hepburn's "box office poison" period that included two RKO pictures the following year: Mary of Scotland (1936) and A Woman Rebels (1936).

Quotes:

Jimmy Monkley: Little friend of all the world, nobody's enemy but me own.
Sylvia Scarlett: Yeah, I can tell that by the look of you.

Jimmy Monkley: Oh, what's 'appened to me ideas?
Sylvia Scarlett: They're all bad.
Jimmy Monkley: What's that?
Sylvia Scarlett: These eggs.

Lobby Cards:

Directed by George Cukor.
Produced and Distributed by RKO Radio.
Running time: 94 minutes.

On This Day (Yesterday!!)...Destination Tokyo(1944)

 Always a challenge to blog a film release on the first day of a new year...But yesterday saw the release of Cary Grant's 44th full length film...Destination Tokyo.

Summary:

During World War II, Captain Cassidy (Cary Grant) and his crew of submariners are ordered into Tokyo Bay on a secret mission. They are to gather information in advance of the planned bombing of Tokyo. Along the way, the crew learn about each other as they face the enemy and some of them lose their lives. After getting the information they need,they face the harrowing task of getting free once their presence is discovered.

"As the Copperfin's captain, Cary Grant gives one of the soundest performances of his career."

- Newsweek

"Certainly, in technical exposition and sheer, harrowing melodrama, the Warner Brother's newest tribute to the armed forces rates very near the top of the list" 

- Newsweek

Cast:

 Cary Grant ... Capt. Cassidy

 John Garfield ... Wolf
 Alan Hale ... 'Cookie' Wainwright
 John Ridgely ... Reserve Officer Raymond
 Dane Clark ... Tin Can
 Warner Anderson ... Andy
 William Prince ... Pills
 Robert Hutton ... Tommy Adams
 Tom Tully ... Mike Conners
 Faye Emerson ... Mrs. Cassidy
 Peter Whitney ... Dakota
 Warren Douglas ... Larry
 John Forsythe ... Sparks
 John Alvin ... Sound Man
 Bill Kennedy ... Torpedo Gunnery Officer

On the set.

Did You Know?

The operation of the submarine as shown in this movie was so accurate that the Navy used it as a training film during World War II.

The appendectomy done in this film actually happened. It was performed on the USS Silversides SS236. Pharmacist's mate Thomas Mooere removed George Platter's appendix 150 feet below the ocean's surface. Photographs of the surgery are on display where this submarine is docked, in Muskegon, Michigan, at the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum.

Posters incorrectly advertised the film as "Destination Tokio", despite "Tokyo" being used in the film's on-screen title. Upon the film's release on DVD, a variation of the poster using the latter spelling was used for the cover. ("Tokio" is not a misspelling, it is an older, less common form.)

Included among the American Film Institute's 2001 list of 400 movies nominated for the top 100 Most Heart-Pounding American Movies.

Quotes:

Reserve Officer Raymond: [Just having come aboard the 'Copperfin'] Uh... How do I get below, sir? I... I've never been aboard a submarine before.
Capt. Cassidy: [Slightly bemused, as he points to the only obvious entry into the submarine] There's the hatch. It goes 'down.'

Reserve Officer Raymond: [during a depth charge attack] Captain, I'm no good.
Capt. Cassidy: Why's that?
Reserve Officer Raymond: I'm scared stiff.
Capt. Cassidy: How do you think the rest of us feel?
Reserve Officer Raymond: You're not scared. I've looked at your faces.
Capt. Cassidy: I've looked at yours, too. It's the same as the others.
Reserve Officer Raymond: You're scared?
Capt. Cassidy: I'll say I am. And so is everybody else.

On the set with Delmer Daves and John Garfield.

Lobby Cards:

Posters:

Italian.

Directed by Delmer Daves.

Produced and Distributed by Warner Brothers.

Running time: 135 minutes.

My Life In A Month With Archie...December Review.

 What a year! More about that in my upcoming 2020 Review...but to finish off, here is what happened in December.

December 1st:

With Thelma Todd in This Is The Night (1932)

The start of a new month is always a challenge, but this one was bringing to a close a challenging year...Ok! I'm ready! 

December 2nd:

Today saw the first of eight films released this month...Operation Petticoat (1959) was Cary Grant's 67th film and one of my favorites. Starring with Tony Curtis, who had impersonated CG in Some Like it Hot (1959).

December 3rd:

With Jean Adair and Josephine Hull in Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

I had overheard a shop assistant asking a customer for their surname, and then spelled it out...I immediately thought how funny it would be if their surname was Happy!!  Which then reminded me of this scene...so..."Yes...Yes!...That's correct...Happy...H..A..PP...Y! Yes...I know I am!...I'm sure I am!! H..A..PP..Y!!!"

December 4th:

Reflecting on my Instagram posts - Only 27 posts left in MyLifeInAYearWithArchie 2020...Better make them count!

December 5th:

Charade (1963)  was Cary Grant's 70th film and the 2nd to be released this month. Regarded as the Best Hitchcock Non-Hitchcock film!!

December 6th:

With Carlo Ponti and Sophia Loren.

The feeling you get when you want to get lost in a crowd but it just isn't happening!! Pictured here at the Dontello David Awards and picking up the Best Foreign Actor Award.

December 7th:

New day, new week...Hmm! I love this picture. CG was a very nervous person for someone who seemed so confident...You can catch a little bit of that vulnerability here.

December 8th:

With Grace Kelly, on set, To Catch A Thief (1955)

Getting wet is becoming an occupational hazard!!!Hmm!! - Another wet day on the job!

December 9th:

Dark and Foreboding...Oh and did I mention the wet!!! - Weather not great again!

December 10th:

Kiss Them For Me (1957) was CG's 63rd film and the third of the month to be released.

December 11th:

First professional hair cut since February..."When my hair starts to cover my ears, it's time for a cut!"

December 12th:

Pictured on a visit to Glasgow, Scotland - We should never think of ourselves as too big for even the smallest acts of kindness.

December 13th:

With Toby Wing, Mitchell Leisen and Caesar Romero.

I think I've found a away of having fun without getting up - Sunday comment!!

December 14th:

Start of another week - "Sounds like...Few Seek!..Hmm!"

December 15th:

With Marilyn Monroe in Monkey Business (1952).

"It's the same commute every morning...Yet I always have to think what's the best time to head out!"

Can't help myself!!!

December 16th:

Observations - Using a straw always brings the child out in me...Occasionally, I feel obliged to blow!!!

December 17th:

From Mr. Blandings Build His Dream House (1948).

"If a cluttered desk is the sign of a cluttered mind. Of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?" - Albert Einstein.

December 18th:

From Suspicion (1941).

I seem to have being acquiring a lot of good books lately - "I know...I should only read on book at a time...But when I see another one...Well..I'm tempted."

December 19th:

"I don't like how Teddy Roosevelt is looking at me...But I do like what they have done to the graphics!!" (Graphic by Rebekah Hawley at Studio36.)

My eldest daughter is a very talented graphic artist, and she did these two pieces for me. They are marvelous!! The main image is from North By Northwest (1959) and if you look closely the man reading the newspaper has been altered to be me!! Also each CG face on the monument represents each decade on film.

And I now have an official logo!!!!

December 20th:

"Tier 4!!!...there's a Tier 4!!!" - Pandemic goalposts move again!!

December 21st:

With Jim Hutton in Walk, Don't Run (1966).

It goes against my natural inclination...But sometimes you just have to run with the crowed...Hmm!!

December 22nd:

The fourth release of the month - Alice in Wonderland (1933) was Cary Grant's 13th film.

December 23rd:

The fifth release was The Grass is Greener (1961)...Cary Grant's 68th film.

December 24th:

Father Goose (1964) was Cary Grant's 71st film and the sixth release this month.

December 25th:

Every Girl Should Be Married (1948) was Cary Grant's 53rd film and the seventh release of the month.

December 26th:

I think I might have picked the wrong disguise to blend in with...for this time of the year!!!

December 27th:

Announcing today that my blog has now had over 3,000 views...It's now 4,000 +!!!

December 28th:

With Doris Nolan...Holiday (1938).

Massive snowfall today and out on deliveries - had to walk to work after abandoning the car!!

December 29th:

From Charade (1963).

Snow Day 2 brought its own new challenges!!

December 30th:

Madame Butterfly (1932) was Cary Grant's 7th film and the eighth release of the month.

December 31st:

From That Touch Of Mink (1962).

Well...After 2020...I think we all deserve a drink! Happy Thoughts!! - This was my most popular post of the year...what a way to end!!

So that wraps up an entire 12 months of posting and 10 months of blogging.

Initially it was a 12 month project but I've enjoyed it so much that I am going to carry on!!

Look out for My Life In A Year With Archie 2020 Review!!