Lester Cohen adapted his own novel Sweepings for RKO in 1933. It was remade as Three Sons in 1939. The story is about a retail king and his family, but the focus of this article turns to Helen Mack’s explosive Christmas Eve scene with additional details about her character filled in from Cohen’s novel.
Secret of the Blue Room (1933) With Lionel Atwill and Gloria Stuart
Secret of the Blue Room (1933) may not be Universal horror, but it’s a strong murder mystery that acquired the tinge as part of the late ’50s Shock Theater package on television. Here’s a bit about what it was and what it wasn’t.
Blondie Johnson (1933) Starring Joan Blondell and Chester Morris
Blondie Johnson (1933) stars Joan Blondell as Warner Brothers and First National’s “lady gangster” opposite Chester Morris. Directed by Ray Enright with a deep cast including Sterling Holloway, Allen Jenkins, Mae Busch, Toshia Mori, Arthur Vinton and Claire Dodd.
Clear All Wires! (1933) – Journalism in Classic Film Blogathon
MGM’s Clear All Wires! (1933) finds foreign correspondent Lee Tracy butting heads with the Soviet secret police in Russia, 1932. Una Merkel and Benita Hume co-star.
Best Picture Cavalcade (1933) Sets Stage for Upstairs, Downstairs and Beyond
Looking at the 1934 Academy Award winning Best Picture, Hollywood-made Cavalcade (1933) based on Noel Coward’s hit London play. Fans of Upstairs, Downstairs and Downton Abbey will find themselves in a familiar place. Piece also includes brief biographies of Cavalcade stars Diana Wynyard, Herbert Mundin and Ursula Jeans.
Brief Impressions: No Other Woman – Side Streets – Evelyn Prentice – Millionaires in Prison
A quick peek at four movies I’ve watched recently: No Other Woman (1933); Side Streets and Evelyn Prentice (both 1934); and Millionaires in Prison (1940).
First Impressions: Little Women (1933) Starring Katharine Hepburn
RKO’s classic Little Women (1933) starring Katharine Hepburn as Jo Marsh with Joan Bennett, Frances Dee and Jean Parker as her sisters. Some notes based on the first time I watched the movie.
Midnight Mary (1933) Starring Loretta Young, Ricardo Cortez, Franchot Tone
William Wellman directs and Loretta Young stars in MIDNIGHT MARY (1933) a fast-paced MGM pre-code movie that inherits a Warner Brothers feel from director, cinematographer and star.
Night Flight (1933) with John and Lionel Barrymore, Gable and More
An all-star cast may be advertised but Night Flight (1933) is mostly Barrymore, John with a dash of Lionel. Not much for Clark Gable and the rest with the exception of Robert Montgomery.
Penthouse (1933) Starring Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy
Warner Baxter stars as a mobster’s mouthpiece in Penthouse (1933) also featuring Myrna Loy. And, in one of his best, Nat Pendleton plays the mobster.
