Silver Screen Classic Movies
Celebrate the Golden Age of the Silver Screen!
MAY 5SHANGHAI EXPRESS Former lovers Marlene Dietrich and Clive Brook meet on this crowded Shanghai train. Even after five years apart, their passion still burns. When Chinese rebels stop the train, and the warlord demands Brook’s life or Dietrich’s body, she makes the only choice possible. “Irresistibly enjoyable… a triumphant fusion of sin, glamour, shamelessness, art.”—Pauline Kael. 1932 “It took more than one man to change my name to Shanghai Lily.”—Dietrich explaining her activities in the years since she and Brook parted
“It took more than one man to change my name to Shanghai Lily.”—Dietrich explaining her activities in the years since she and Brook parted
FYIAlthough this movie is set in China, the story’s not necessarily Chinese. Instead, the focus is on a variety of strangers traveling together in a strange place. And we observe what happens when mysterious, unscrupulous outside forces descend on them. Note that everyone, regardless of nationality, race, or heritage, has a secret, a sin, a past. Nobody’s innocent. Director Josef von Sternberg and his star made seven movies together. During that time he taught her all he knew about lighting and shading and camera angles. She taught him a little something too, and he was never the same after they parted ways. It’s clear from how von Sternberg photographs Dietrich and lights her that he was enamored with her – and he dares us not to feel the same way. And this being a pre-Code movie, the sensuality and physical relationships are made more obvious than they would be in 1934. “Shadow is mystery and light is clarity. Shadow conceals -- light reveals.”—von Sternberg
FYI
Although this movie is set in China, the story’s not necessarily Chinese. Instead, the focus is on a variety of strangers traveling together in a strange place. And we observe what happens when mysterious, unscrupulous outside forces descend on them.
Note that everyone, regardless of nationality, race, or heritage, has a secret, a sin, a past. Nobody’s innocent.
Director Josef von Sternberg and his star made seven movies together. During that time he taught her all he knew about lighting and shading and camera angles. She taught him a little something too, and he was never the same after they parted ways.
It’s clear from how von Sternberg photographs Dietrich and lights her that he was enamored with her – and he dares us not to feel the same way. And this being a pre-Code movie, the sensuality and physical relationships are made more obvious than they would be in 1934.
“Shadow is mystery and light is clarity. Shadow conceals -- light reveals.”—von Sternberg
JUNE 2IT'S A WONDERFUL WORLD James Stewart and Claudette Colbert stumble over themselves, cops, actors, bad guys, and Boy Scouts as they lurch after a murderer. He finds her ridiculous and wishes she’d just go away. She just wants to help, but every time she tries, she causes them both more trouble. Meanwhile, guess what happens! “Witty, smart, and funny… magically entertaining.”—crazy4cinema.com. 1939 “I swear by my eyes!”—Colbert insisting she’s telling the truth
“I swear by my eyes!”—Colbert insisting she’s telling the truth
Stewart and Colbert -- together whether they like it or not
FYI By the time 1939 arrived, Stewart had made 18 movies and had shared the screen with Ginger Rogers and William Powell, Spencer Tracy and Lionel Barrymore. He was working at MGM. Clearly, he was doing something right. But something happened in 1939: the same year he made this movie, he also appeared in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Destry Rides Again. With 1939, his career was assured. He has a dynamite costar in Claudette Colbert, a woman wonderful in comedies. She had proved her skills in It Happened One Night six years before when she won her Oscar for Best Actress. “She was sophisticated gaiety personified,” writes David Thomson in The New Biographical Dictionary of Film: “A tender yet spirited comedienne, most stimulated by the chance to be provocative.”
By the time 1939 arrived, Stewart had made 18 movies and had shared the screen with Ginger Rogers and William Powell, Spencer Tracy and Lionel Barrymore. He was working at MGM. Clearly, he was doing something right. But something happened in 1939: the same year he made this movie, he also appeared in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Destry Rides Again. With 1939, his career was assured.
He has a dynamite costar in Claudette Colbert, a woman wonderful in comedies. She had proved her skills in It Happened One Night six years before when she won her Oscar for Best Actress.
“She was sophisticated gaiety personified,” writes David Thomson in The New Biographical Dictionary of Film: “A tender yet spirited comedienne, most stimulated by the chance to be provocative.”
JULY 7THE PRISONER OF ZENDAWhen villains kidnap Prince Rudolph, his lookalike, Ronald Colman, is the patriots’ only hope. He agrees to pose as royalty until the prince reappears. This scheme prevents chaos while it enrages the bad guys – and mystifies the woman who loves Rudolph. “One of the great swashbucklers… lots of pomp and splendor [and] the swordplay is ripping.”—Time Out. 1937 “Stand still and fight, you coward!... Why don't you let me kill you quietly?” “Oh, a little noise adds a touch of cheer.”—Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Ronald Colman spar verbally as they spar with their swords
JULY 7
THE PRISONER OF ZENDA
When villains kidnap Prince Rudolph, his lookalike, Ronald Colman, is the patriots’ only hope. He agrees to pose as royalty until the prince reappears. This scheme prevents chaos while it enrages the bad guys – and mystifies the woman who loves Rudolph. “One of the great swashbucklers… lots of pomp and splendor [and] the swordplay is ripping.”—Time Out. 1937 “Stand still and fight, you coward!... Why don't you let me kill you quietly?” “Oh, a little noise adds a touch of cheer.”—Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Ronald Colman spar verbally as they spar with their swords
“Stand still and fight, you coward!... Why don't you let me kill you quietly?” “Oh, a little noise adds a touch of cheer.”—Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., and Ronald Colman spar verbally as they spar with their swords
FYIAnthony Hope’s 1894 adventure yarn has appeared three times on Broadway and was the focus of seven movies, one miniseries and a TV series. This first sound version is nevertheless the fourth movie – three appeared in the silent era: 1913, 1915, and 1922. But none before (or after, of course) 1937 could lay claim to Ronald Colman as its star and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., as the charismatic bad guy who lies as easily as he breathes. But we also get Raymond Massey, who apparently sneers as easily as he breathes. This is, however, Ronald Colman’s movie. It’s his story, our focus is on him, and we cheer for him. “Colman developed into one of Hollywood’s most popular romantic stars,” says Ephraim Katz in The Film Encyclopedia. “Suave, dignified, and gentle, he personified the aristocratic, gentlemanly, romantic hero.” Fortunately for us, we get to watch him play the romantic hero with Madeleine Carroll, whom we have seen before in Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps.
But none before (or after, of course) 1937 could lay claim to Ronald Colman as its star and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., as the charismatic bad guy who lies as easily as he breathes. But we also get Raymond Massey, who apparently sneers as easily as he breathes.
This is, however, Ronald Colman’s movie. It’s his story, our focus is on him, and we cheer for him. “Colman developed into one of Hollywood’s most popular romantic stars,” says Ephraim Katz in The Film Encyclopedia. “Suave, dignified, and gentle, he personified the aristocratic, gentlemanly, romantic hero.”
Fortunately for us, we get to watch him play the romantic hero with Madeleine Carroll, whom we have seen before in Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps.
The third of nine movies Tracy and Hepburn made together. It has an elegant pedigree – the playwright (Philip Barry) and the screenwriter (Donald Ogden Stewart) worked on The Philadelphia Story and Holiday, both starring Hepburn and Cary Grant.
Those who have observed Lucille Ball’s career and know where she was headed after 1945 (and this is all of us, isn’t it?) will be delighted to see her here. She and Keenan Wynn play second leads, and beautifully. James Agee, who is quoted opposite, goes on to say this about the two of them: “It is good to see Lucille Ball doing so well with a kind of role new to her [comedy]; and I have a hard time breaking myself against the idea that Keenan Wynn is the best actor in Hollywood.”
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