Coverage of the Universal horror classic The Wolf Man (1941) including the emergence of its star Lon Chaney Jr. This article also covers the second wave of Universal horror releases and the timing of this particular release, five days after the attack upon Pearl Harbor. Previously published in Classic Movie Monthly #2.
Man Made Monster (1941) Introduces Lon Chaney Jr to Universal Horror
Universal casts Lon Chaney Jr in his first horror role, the exciting 59-minute thriller Man Made Monster starring Lionel Atwill as the man, and Chaney Jr as the monster. Includes a look at Chaney Jr’s career to date, and Atwill’s career thereafter.
‘One Sunday Afternoon’ With Cagney & Co. in ‘The Strawberry Blonde’
One Sunday Afternoon made over in Old New York for The Strawberry Blonde. From director Raoul Walsh for Warner Bros. from a script by the Epstein brothers. Starring James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Rita Hayworth, and Jack Carson.
H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) – King Vidor Brings John P. Marquand Bestseller to Life
Comparing King Vidor’s adaptation of H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) to the novel by John P. Marquand, and why both tellings are wonderful. Excellent performances from Robert Young and Hedy Lamarr trickle down throughout the entire cast, most of who are perfect representations of the characters Marquand created on the page. It’s a quiet story that tells a lot in the end.
Brief Impressions: King for a Night (1933) – Big Hearted Herbert (1934) and Father Is a Prince (1941) – Confessions of Boston Blackie (1941)
Enjoying a key scene between Chester Morris and Grant Mitchell in King for a Night (1933) leads to more Morris in a Boston Blackie entry plus Mitchell’s own starring vehicle, Father Is a Prince (1941), itself a remake of Big Hearted Herbert (1934), which is also discussed.
The Penalty (1941) Starring Gene Reynolds and Edward Arnold
Roosty worships gangster dad “Stuff” Nelson in MGM’s The Penalty (1941). When the G-men send Roosty to the farm he has to adjust to life amongst the hicks. Starring Edward Arnold as Stuff, Lionel Barrymore and Gene Reynolds as Roosty.
Public Enemy’s Wife (1936) and Bullets for O’Hara (1941)
Continuing the G-man cycle with Warner Brother’s Public Enemy’s Wife (1936) and its 1941 remake, Bullets for O’Hara. Reuniting Robert Armstrong and Margaret Lindsay from G Men with Pat O’Brien, Public Enemy’s Wife is a worthwhile Warner’s crime film, while the low budget O’Hara is worth a try for fans of the original.
How Green Was My Valley (1941) and the Black Slag of Time
Like Roddy McDowall I find myself focused on Donald Crisp throughout the Academy Award winning How Green Was My Valley (1941). Labor unrest invades the valley and Crisp’s once stable world changes.
Adam Had Four Sons (1941) Starring Warner Baxter and Ingrid Bergman
A quiet little period piece until Susan Hayward arrives to fill it with sex, sin and hate, Adam Had Four Sons stars Warner Baxter with Ingrid Bergman in her second Hollywood role.
First Impressions: Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary (1941)
Brief first impressions of Andy Hardy’s Private Secretary (1941) written shortly after first viewing. Starring Mickey Rooney with the Hardy clan and Kathryn Grayson.
