Another Thin Man

Hollywood Mysteries

William Powell 

Myrna Loy 

The romances of William Powell read like a Thin Man mystery. His first wife was Carole Lombard, but though they loved each other, they were different personalities. He loved her until she died. She went on to marry Clark Gable, and died in a plane crash that haunted both men.

His second wife was Jean Harlow, she died of blood poisoning, probably from the bleach used to keep her blonde hair shining for the camera. Her first husband was Paul Bern, a director who could make a star with one phone call, he died in a way that has never been certified. The official verdict is suicide, in those days, you phoned the studio before the police. Mr. Bern left a cryptic note for his wife of three months, and he also had a wife he'd put in an asylum. Some people think she killed him as a lady like got on a ferry, but didn't get off. Jean died only 5 months after her first husband.

This is another shirt from the Hollywood Mysteries Store.

My treat

 In the clear

Hollywood Mysteries

Buying helps the Channel

My next puchase for the Hollywood Mysteries Store was to be the Barbara Stanwyck shirt. Then I saw this, and had to put this at the top of my shopping list from the site.

I have bought several shirts from the store, they are excellent quality, and the money goes to helping the YouTube channel grow. 

As things stand, the only other shirt I would like other than Ms. Stanwyck, is the one with Peter Lorre

Love before Breakfast

 The Queen  of Comedy

It is time for some Comedy

My man Godfrey

I am pleased I gave this film a second chance, I would have missed another brilliant example of the screwball comedy, that Carole Lombard made her own.

I was put off at first by the over-zealous performance of Robert Preston, as the man who attempts to buy Ms. Lombard's love.

I have seen 10 comedies featuring Ms. Lombard, and enjoyed them all

!0 Comedies with Carole Lombard

 The Queen  of Comedy

Carole Lombard

What a choice!

I have now seen 10 films with Carole Lombard in, and there isn't one I didn't enjoy, even if one of them had an over the top performance from Preston Foster, as an over-zealous tycoon trying to buy Ms. Lombard's love.

Character is more impressive than beauty

 Hollywood Glamour

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

My Blonde Bombshell

It may appear I have a "thing" for blonde actresses, that is not true. Two of the ladies I consider most attractive in Hollywood, were not blondes, Jane Russell, and Ava Gardner. Then you have Myrna Loy, who was a bit like Kay Francis, beautiful to look at, and dress, but a lightweight actress, unlike Jean Harlow, Marlene Dietrich , or Mae West. Other non-blondes I enjoy watching include Gina Lollobigida, Paulette Goddard, Carolyn Jones, and Dame Diana Rigg to name a few.

I didn't mention Marilyn Munroe as I have no opinion either way. She was attractive, but I didn't like her films. I didn't mention Brigette Bardot as I didn't enjoy har films, other than Viva Maria with Jeanne Moreau,  I watched the film for Jeanne, more than than Brigette, For me, BB got more attractive as she aged, and the attention was on her, not her breasts. I didn't mention Sophia Loren, there are few men who don't consider her a beauty, even now.

Some people class Audrey Hepburn and Claudia Cardinale as attractive, as they say "beauty is in the eye of the beholder."  I class both as unattractive, and lightweight in acting. Claudia almost caused a film to be shut down - The red tent - there are othes ladies, my list is endless, and the debate over beauty is NEVER ended.

One blonde I can end on is Mamie van Doren, I can only say I heard her name in passing, without using Google, I cannot name a film she was in.

It is time for some Comedy

Lupe Velez

Hollywood Mysteries

Buying goods from YouTube channels

I have several Lupe Velez films I can relax with over the next week or two.

I have bought several t-shirts like this one from the store which helps one of my favourite YouTube channels, Hollywood Mysteries. I did plan to buy the Barbara Stanwyck shirt next, until the brought out a Carole Lombard shirt.

The other one I will buy is for Peter Lorre, the William Powell shirt is questionable, as I have the Thin Man shirt

The Devil is a Woman

Marlene Dietrich

Carole Lombard

Cesar Romero

Tonight's entry in the Iconic Movie collection will be the Marlene Dietrich film, The Devil is a Woman. I hope this is a better film than the other film I saw with Cesar Romeron in, Love before breakfast with Carole Lombard. He many be considered a great Latin lover, but to me, his acting is sickeningly cheesy

My man Godfrey

Carole Lombard 

The Thin man

Movie Nights

The premise of this Carole Lombard - William Powell comedy amuses my friend, Svitlana.

The story centres around a game played by rich people, who try to choose a down-and-out to change. Carole chooses William, without realisng he is playing his own game.

A vexing issue

 Blonde Bombshell

Jean Harlow

My Blonde Bombshell

This morning, I had a mystery to solve. I was trying to think of the name of the blonde actress I was watching on dvd last night, for an hour her name escaped me.

I thought it was either Carole Lombard, or Lana Turner. It could have been Carole as I have seen, and enjoyed several of her films, I wish to see Lana's films, though I haven't seen any yet. I knew it couldn't be Jayne Mansfield, as I haven't seen, nor wish to see her.

The lady in question is Jean Harlow.

All the ladies died tragically, Jean was poisoned, Jean promoted at the "Blonde Bombshell," was a natural redhead, the chemicals used to dye her hair resulted in kidney failure. Carole died in a plane crash on her way to her husband, Clark Gable, worried he was having an affair with Lana Turner, something both denied. Lana was involved in an infamous murder case, the resolution of which is debated to this day. Jayne died in a car crash being trapped under sheets of glass.

Movie NIghts

 Shanghai Express

                                                Film Noir evenings

I'll end the day with the Film Noir, Murder my Sweet starring Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, and Anne Shirley. The film was later released as The Big Sleep

I didn't see a film last night (16th July), so I will see the fim tonight. The Glass Key featuring Alan Ladd, and Veronica Lake.

After the drama of last night, I think my film for tonight will be Man of the World, with Carole Lombard, and William Powell.

They were married not long after this film came otu, though thier marriage lasted only two years, they remained friends until Carol died in a plane crash, William atteded her funeral, in 1942.

I am ending this evening with the Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy, and James Stewart film, Wife versus Secretary.

There is a double link to the last film, at the time of their deaths, Caorle Lombard was married to Clark Gable, and Jean Harlow was married to William Powell. Jean was the original "blonde bombshell.

We're not dressing

I shall be honest, this film would have been almost impossible for me to enjoy. A Bing Crosby musical, is one of my least favourite movies, which is why I didn't enjoy the "Road" series, though I can watch Bob Hope films for hours.

I like the comedy of George Burns, and his wife Gracie Allan is a very good singer, all told, I am not a fan of musicals.

Hands across the table

I shall watch "Hands across the table" with Carole Lombard, Fred MacMurray, and silent icon Marie Provost tonight, this is more like a film I could enjoy. I saw Fred in the classic Film Noir, Double Indemnity, with Barbara Stanwyck a few months ago.

This gun for hire

After the glamour and romance of Myrna Loy, Carole Lombard, and Jean Harlow, tonight's addition is the Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake classic, This gun for hire.

China seas

I am ending the evening by watching the Clark Gable - Jean Harlow film, China seas. The lady in the centre is Rosalind Russell, this is the first film with her in I will  have seen

After the Thin Man

Libeled Lady

William Powell and Myrna Loy 

This evening's films will both feature William Powell and Myrna Loy, they lead cast for After the Thin Man, with a young James Stewart in a minor role. After that, I shall watch Libeled Lady where they appear with Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy.

What a choice!

 Jean Harlow

Myrna Loy

In the movie, Wife versus Secretary, the ravishing Myrna Loy plays a wife who is concerned her husband played by Clark Gable is having an affair with his secretary, played by Jean Harlow.

Myrna Loy is recalled as the wife in The Thin Man series with Jean Harlow's husband, William Powell.

Clark Gable's wife, Carol Lombard, died in a plane crash in 1942, one theory is she flew back, instead of catching the train as she thought Clark was having an affair with Lana Turner.

Miss Lombard, and Mr. Powell appeared together in the film My man Godfrey.                     

What a choice!

 Carole Lombard

On January 16th, 1942, Carole Lombard boarded the flight from Las Vegas to Burbank, California. The reason she didn't take the sleeper train with her mother was she was worried her husband, Clark Gable was meeting Lana Turner. That night, in heavy snow the plane crashed, killing everbody onboard. Clark Gable never recovered from his loss.

Lana Turner

Lana Tuner, and Clark Gable admitted they were freinds, but neither wished to take the friendship to the next stage. Lana's career was upstaged by the murder of her husband, gangster, Johnny Stompanato.

Donna Reed

On the topic of plane crashes, actress Donna Reed spent many years wondering why she was spared from dying in a crash. On January 9th, 1945, she was taken off a flight from El Paso to Los Angeles as her seat was needed for an Army Officer.

She was walking back to the terminal, thinking about making a hotel booking when she turned to see the plane she should have been on crash into the hills.

This escape plagued Donna for years, she couldn't stop wondering why was she spared?

I think the reason she lost her seat is she was the person nearest the door, so was the first to be asked, no matter, it is still eerie.

Iconic Films

The Hound of the Baskervilles

I doubt there is anyone who hasn't seen, or heard of the Hound of the Baskerville's. It is such an Iconic Film, it has been remixed at least twice in India over the years. I don't know about modern version with the elevated status of movie celebrities, the original was made on Dartmoor.

Dartmoor is also known for the prison which houses the worst criminals in the UK, and yet it is an open prison.

Why is a prison housing the most vicious criminals an "open prison?"

If you recall the film, you need to know the mire to be able to walk across safely; most men are not from the area. One wrong step, and nobody will find you.

The nearest village, Launceston, is 25 miles from the prison; so you could be on the run for hours, and still get nowhere. In all its 220 years, there has only been one successful escape, that was by Frank Mitchell, in the heyday of the Kray Twins. Mitchell known for being a man with a very sort fuse, and his tendency for using an axe was sprung; before he died, Reggie Kray said breaking Mitchell out was his big mistake.

While he was good at his job, his short fuse made Mitchell as much a menace to the gang, as their rivals.

The setting is similar to another iconic film March or Die with Terence Hill, Gene Hackman, and Catherine Deneuve about the French Foreign Legion at the time of the Rif War in Morocco.

Hill's character questions why there are no guards considering most of the men are criminals on the run from the law; to which Gene Hackman's character replies, "There is nothing to stop you. If the desert doesn't get you, the Legion will, if they don't succeed, I will hunt you down."

The Devil is a Woman

Marlene Dietrich

Tonight's movie is The Devil is a Woman starring Marlene Dietrich, also in the cast is the great Latin lover, Cesar Romero. I hope his is as good as he gave in Love before breakfast with Carole Lombard

The Lady Eve

Barbara Stanyck

To end tonight, I saw the Iconic Movie, The Lady Eve, featuring Barbara Stanyck, and Henry Fonda in a comedy romance. My father would turn in his grave if he knew I was watching this, he had a thing against ladies called Barbara.

Md, Stanwyck wasn not only an excellent actress, but a very attractive lady, even towards the end of ehr career