A second look at pre-Code classic Three on a Match (1932) includes an appraisal of early Humphrey Bogart movies, contemporary reaction, and a checklist of stars. Plus Warren William.
Lightning Review: Sadie McKee (1934) Starring Joan Crawford
Brief look at MGM pre-Code Sadie McKee (1934) starring Joan Crawford and the three men in her life, played by Gene Raymond, Franchot Tone, and Edward Arnold. Strong Crawford pre-Code with good work from Arnold as alcoholic millionaire. Directed by Clarence Brown.
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.
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.
Johnny Apollo (1940) starring Tyrone Power and Dorothy Lamour
Tyrone Power stars as Johnny Apollo (1940) for Henry Hathaway at 20th Century Fox. The film fits nicely between the 1930’s gangster cycle and later film noir. With Dorothy Lamour and Lloyd Nolan.
Edward Arnold: Before Hollywood
A brief look at the life and career of Edward Arnold before he arrived in Hollywood and became the beloved character actor we remember him as today. Illustrated by period stills.
Diamond Jim (1935) starring Edward Arnold as Diamond Jim Brady
Based on the biography “Diamond Jim, The Life and Times of James Buchanan Brady” published a year earlier by Parker Morell this uneven though still enjoyable comedy was brought to the screen by Universal through a Preston Sturges script under the direction of Eddie Sutherland. Starring Edward Arnold as Diamond Jim Brady.
The Real Diamond Jim Brady
Did Diamond Jim Brady really eat that much? A brief biography of the Gilded Age personality James Buchanan Brady which is a companion post to the Examiner.com coverage of the 1935 movie Diamond Jim starring Edward Arnold.
Edward Arnold as Blind Detective Duncan Maclain in Eyes in the Night (1942)
Edward Arnold stars in the first of two Duncan Maclain films, Eyes in the Night (1942), as the blind detective who claims darkness as his kingdom. With Ann Harding, Donna Reed, Reginald Denny, Allen Jenkins, and Mantan Moreland.
Three on a Match (1932) starring Warren William and Ann Dvorak
A review of the Depression era pre-code classic Three on a Match starring Ann Dvorak and a host of familiar faces including young Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart. Illustrated with movie collectibles.