1940's My Favorite Wife

What better for a lazy day after Christmas than to watch my favorite player Cary Grant in the adorable film My Favorite Wife. 

Grant plays Nick, a widow ready to remarry to Bianca, played by Gail Patrick. The two hit the courthouse to marry but Nick realizes he has to clear up some business. Wife number one was Ellen (Irene Dunne) who died seven years back in a shipwreck leaving Nick and twin babies to fend for themselves. Ready to move one, he needs to dissolved his first marriage by having her declared officially dead before he can get hitched again. 

Just as the new couple starts their honeymoon, Ellen returns. She tells her mother-in-law that she was stranded on a deserted island and was rescued. She is ready to see her family, but learns of her hubby's new marriage. They are even staying in the same hotel as they once did! Ellen goes to find Nick and they have a brief encounter. Nick finally sees his old bride - he thinks -  and before he can find out for sure, Ellen plays a prank by sending the newly weds champagne before he can get downstairs to understand what is happening. 

While Nick tries to rationalize what he just saw, Bianca is ready to get this vacation started. Nick is confused. He loves his wife but thought she was dead, like, really dead, but he also has a new bride. He gets Ellen her own hotel room so they can talk.

What the hell, Ellen?!

Nick is going to tell Bianca but he chickens out. He avoids her and calls her from the payphone in the lobby pretending to be on a plane. She obviously doesn't buy it.

Ellen goes to their home and tries to build a relationship with the children who don't know yet they she's their mother. When Nick returns home Ellen finds our he has not yet told Bianca the truth about who she is. Ellen is angry, but to be civilized, she pretends to be an old southern friend.

Nick hears during their conversation that Ellen was not alone on the island. His jealousy soars. He gets mad at Ellen as she says, "Well Nicky, it wasn't like it was arranged." Nick wants to spy on this mystery man for he is also staying at the same hotel.  To his dismay Nick discovers the man his wife spent the last seven years with in seclusion isn't a toad but a heartthrob. He watches in astonishment as his wife's island mate Stephen (played by Randolph Scott) does some fancy ring work as he dives in the hotel pool.  

Ellen knows Nick will be upset learning that she was alone with such an attractive man, so she gets an "unattractive" man to act as Stephen, played by character actor Chester Clute, so Nick will get off her back. She has no idea he knows the truth. 

Nick isn't buying it and takes Ellen back to the pool so she can run into Stephen.

Stephen learns that Nick has a new bride and tells Nick that he would like to marry Ellen. Some bickering occurs and Ellen takes a stand, all before falling into the pool, fur muff and all. Resting in her hotel room until her clothes are dry, Ellen asks Nick to get her more clothes. He isn't about to let her and Stephen be alone any longer and makes him tag along.

Back at the house, Nick's current wife is convinced her man has gone mad and hires a doctor. Nick tries to convince them what is going on but they think he is crazy, that is until he gets arrested for bigamy! The four of them end up in the courtroom.

Stephen wants Ellen, Bianca wants Nick, and the two actually married ones aren't sure what to do. 

Finally the children learn their mother's identity and they all head for the mountains to think things over. The rest of the film is funny and heartwarming as the family tries to move forward despite their current situations. 

Cary also dresses up as a playful Santa. 

Irene and Cary were a great match. My Favorite Wife started out as a sequel to their first film The Awful Truth from 1937. While The Awful Truth came together smoothly, My Favorite Wife had issues. The writers couldn't figure out an original story and they couldn't think of a third act. The Breen office found the idea of bigamy and newlyweds waiting to consummate their relationship while one person also wanting someone else a problem. The film did prove to be a success and with Grant now of such high fame, he also made two and a half percent of the film's gross earnings on top of his $50,000 salary. Irene and Cary would go on to play husband and wife one more time in 1941's Penny Serenade. 

Christmas in Hollywoodland

How does your Christmas tree look this year? Let's take a look at some of our favorite oldies taking part in a favorite Christmas tradition. Get out the tinsel!

Anne Rutherford (you might remember her as Carreen in Gone With the Wind, and the Andy Hardy movies) Nice faux festive lederhosen!

Deanna Durbin rock'in the popcorn balls and garland

The power couple admiring little Stephen and their perfectly trimmed tree. 

Josephine Baker and a few of her twelve kiddos making the tree sparkle.

Carole Lombard wondering if she made the right outfit choice. 

Lets not forget the many films displaying fabulous Christmas trees! 

Sophia and Bill toasting to their mini tree in The Key

Bette Davis and crew with their giant tree in The Man Who Came To Dinner

Barb and a heavily tinseled tree in Christmas in Connecticut

A modest but pretty tree in Holiday Inn

Cary working using his angel powers in The Bishop's Wife

A tabletop number in Roadblock

The Christmas tree of all Christmas trees in White Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from The Affair 

1940's Remember the Night

One of my favorite Christmas movies is not as well known as classics like White Christmas, or It's a Wonderful Life, but full of sentiment just the same. Starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in their first of four pairings, Remember the Night follows John Sargent (MacMurray) and Lee Leander (Stanwyck) on an unlikely journey considering their circumstances. 

Lee is in trouble for stealing some jewels. She tries to make a run for it, but gets caught in the chase. She winds up in court with a wacky defender and John as the prosecutor. After a feeble attempt to acquit her, the judge orders the court to resume after Christmas leaving Lee stuck in the slammer. John has a soft spot and makes her bail so she won't be locked up over the holidays. 

Before John knows it, Lee is out on bail and in his apartment!  This puts a stick in John's spokes as he plans to take a road trip to visit his mother for Christmas. Lee doesn't have anywhere to go, and even after suggesting she go back to jail, John decides to buy her dinner and think of a solution.  He takes her to a swanky place with draped walls and chandeliers courtesy of interior decorator, A.E. Freudeman. Lee explains why she steals, they realize they are from the same place, and John decides to give her lift to her mother's house along the way. 

As their journey begins they end up in cow pasture, and get taken in for trespassing and stealing milk. After some quick thinking by Lee they are back on the road - but as fugitives! They reluctantly stop by Lee's mother's house. John learns that Lee's mother is still upset about her actions and shows no love by their impromptu visit. Feeling pity for Lee yet again, he decides to take her to his family's house for Christmas.

Lee is falling for John but knows that with her reputation she would not be a good fit for him. She is proud of his accomplishments as a lawyer and doesn't want to jeopardize his career. Once they arrive at the family home, she is welcomed and adored, even after hearing about her legal situation. The family celebrates the holiday together and John starts to have affections for Lee. They leave for New York by route of Canada as to avoid the cops from the farm fiasco. They spend a night at Niagara Falls and it's clear the two are "falling" for each other.  John suggests they skip town and run away together. Lee wants to go back to NYC and set things straight. 

Once back to the city Lee's trial resumes. John tries to do a lousy job so Lee will get off. Lee, knowing John is too good and decent for her, decides to plead guilty. You'll have to watch to see what transpires in the end, but this film does not have your your typical happy ending, especially for a Christmas film. I happen to love the ending as it is both romantic and realistic. 

This film was written by Preston Sturges who would continue to succeed at his craft with screenplays for The Palm Beach Story, Sullivan's Travels, and one of my favorites, The Lady Eve, of which also stars Stanwyck. It's important to note the film has a racial stereotyped character named Rufus played by Fred Toones. Toones's career included 225 credits, and most of his acting consisted of roles playing janitors, cooks, servants, and bellhops, which was typical for the times. Toones acted in six Oscar nominated films including Imitation of Life, 1937's A Star is Born, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. When he wasn't on set, Fred ran the shoe shining stand on the lot when he was contracted with Republic Pictures.  

Sturges became pals with Stanwyck during production and told her he would write a film just for her, which turned out to be The Lady Eve. He was so unhappy with the decisions made by director Mitchell Leisen on this film that he decided to direct his screenplays going forward. He started a brief production company with one of my favorite players, Howard Hughes, called California Pictures. This ended shortly after it started due to production disagreements and Howard being, well, Howard. Soon after, Hughes would buy RKO Pictures. 

A Closer Look At Edwin B. Willis

If you read the credits to any MGM film, you are bound to see the regulars; Cedric Gibbons, Arthur Freed, Adrian. Keep looking, and one of these titles belongs to Edwin B. Willis. With over 600 films under his belt and one of the busiest set designers for M-G-M during it's heyday, Willis decorated the sets of some of Hollywood's top films. 

The Women 1939

Set designers work with production designers, art directors, and prop masters to select anything that goes onto the set such as curtains, paint colors, decor, and lighting. You can get a good sense of Edwin's vision just by watching a few of his films. He is definitely my favorite set decorator.  

Laddies Who Meet 1941

Thrill of a Romance 1945

There isn't loads of information about the (mainly) men who did this line of work back in the day. It's a shame since the outcome of a set decorator can make or break a scene. Imagine Wizard of Oz's Munchkinland without that swirly golden yellow path and raffia topped houses. This master of a film was one of 46 films Edwin worked on just that year! The Shop Around the Corner wouldn't have its ruffled curtain windows and Christmas decor, nor would Donald O'Connor be able to make us laugh in Singin' In the Rain without that infamous bottom fringed green couch.

The Long, Long Trailer 1953

Edwin Booth Willis was born on January 28, 1893 in Illinois. He worked mainly for M-G-M throughout his career. He was married and divorced and had one child. He was nominated for 32 Academy Awards, and won eight, most notably for art direction on films like Gaslight, The Yearling, Little Women, and The Bad and the Beautiful. His older sister Verna was a film editor during the silent era. He died of cancer in

Hollywood in 1963.

Designing Women 1957

While Cedric Gibbons lead the team for M-G-M that made these images on screen a reality, Edwin contributed color, texture, and style that kept the studio on top for decades. His use of muted colors, stone work, and drapery could either give a set opulence, such as the glass bathtub with back lit perfume shelves in The Women,  or a down to earth homey feel like a grey and pastel yellow living room for two in the Long, Long Trailer. The best way to enjoy his work is to see it for yourself. You are sure to want more!