The Shining Hour (1938)

The Shining Hour - 1938

1938's "The Shining Hour" is the subject of our next post.  This story tells of a newlywed couple who return to the groom's home and meet his family.  The reception is somewhat less enthusiastic than expected, and unexpected feelings and events conspire against everyone.

The film's cast includes Joan Crawford, Margaret Sullavan, Robert Young, Melvyn Douglas, Fay Bainter, Allyn Joslyn, Hattie McDaniel, Frank Albertson, George Chandler, Tony De Marco, Bess Flowers, and Frank Puglia.

In New York City, the public is bursting with the news that favorite nightclub dancer Olivia Riley (seen here with her dance partner Van Stillman) is engaged.  The public is fascinated by this revelation, especially with regard to whom the groom is going to be.

Olivia's choice is successful Wisconsin farmer Henry Linden.  He is dazzled by her.  Olivia tries to discourage him from the marriage, but he is insistent and wears her down.  It's obvious that the two are smitten with each other.

Henry's brother David comes to town to meet Olivia on behalf of the family, who remain in Wisconsin.  David and Olivia take an instant dislike of one another.

Each insults the other and David earns himself a famous Joan Crawford slap.  He just smiles at her and says that she's only proving his point that she isn't the right sort of person to be marrying into their family.

The marriage goes ahead, and Henry brings Olivia home to his family farm in Wisconsin.  She meets Henry's older sister Hannah, who is less than welcoming.  "I make it a rule never to trust first impressions," she says to her brother.  "It's too bad I didn't teach you the same."

However, Olivia strikes up an instant friendship with David's wife Judy, who sees Olivia as a sort of ally.

Within the first few hours of being in the Linden family home, Olivia is made to feel horribly unwelcome by both Hannah and David.  The tension is palpable.

However, things take a dramatic turn when David and Olivia begin to spend more time together.  They develop feelings for one another, which intensify with each meeting.

At a neighborhood get-together to celebrate Henry and Olivia, Judy confides to Henry of her deep love for David.  Judy can feel David slipping away from her, but doesn't reveal any of this to Henry.

Hannah uses the party as an opportunity to trade barbs with Olivia, who is just as ready to combat her sister-in-law.  "I’ve endured your petty persecutions, but now I’m tired of them.  So, in the future, if you’re rude to me, I shall be infinitely ruder to you.  The general embarrassment will be considerable," Olivia proclaims as she walks away.

Things get out of control when David and Olivia slip away and kiss in a romantic setting.

Hannah goes to Henry and begs him to take Olivia away.  "Send her away, Henry, before she destroys us all!" Hannah pleads.

Later, Judy confronts Olivia about her relationship with David.  Judy wants her husband to be happy, so she tells Olivia to take him.

That night, Hannah sets fire to the house Henry is building for Olivia.  She is thrilled that Olivia's dream of a home of her own has quite literally gone up in smoke.

Judy makes a desperate decision and runs into the burning building, where she collapses.  Olivia runs in after her and saves her sister-in-law from certain death.  Judy is very badly burned.  Olivia escapes with minor injuries.

When it's all over, Olivia and David put an end to their ill-fated relationship.  Both wish happiness for the other.

David, repented, goes to Judy, who is heavily bandaged, and the two reconcile.

Henry and Olivia decide to chart a new course together, this time in South America.  Tagging along is Olivia's faithful maid Belvedere, who has to take control of the car as the two kiss to close out the film.

Cast rundown:

   Joan Crawford.............................Olivia Riley

   Margaret Sullavan........................Judy Linden

   Robert Young..............................David Linden

   Melvyn Douglas...........................Henry Linden

   Fay Bainter.................................Hannah Linden

   Allyn Joslyn................................Roger Q. Franklin

   Hattie McDaniel...........................Belvedere

   Frank Albertson...........................Benny Collins

   George Chandler..........................Press Agent

   Tony De Marco............................Van Stillman

   Bess Flowers...............................Nurse

   Frank Puglia................................Maurice

And that's it for The Shining Hour.  Originally, this was supposed to star Norma Shearer as Olivia.  However, the part went to Joan Crawford.  Joan improvised some of her lines, using bits and pieces from her own life to give her character some background.  Joan also suggested the studio use Margaret Sullavan in the role of Judy.  When the head of the studio told her that Sullavan could end up being a scene stealer, Joan replied, "I'd rather be a supporting player in a good picture than the star of a bad one."

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Arise, My Love (1940)

 

Arise, My Love - 1940

Coming up next is 1940's "Arise, My Love", a film about two people who find love amidst the onset of World War II in Europe.

The film's cast includes Claudette Colbert, Ray Milland, Dennis O'Keefe, Walter Abel, Dick Purcell, George Zucco, Frank Puglia, Esther Dale, and Bess Flowers.

In Spain, American pilot and prisoner of war Tom Martin is saved from execution at the last moment by his wife.  However, the lady is not his wife.  She is newspaperwoman Augusta "Gusto" Nash, and she's looking for a big story.  She figures this is her chance.  So, she poses as Tom's wife, gets the prison governor to grant a pardon, and springs him from jail.

By the time they make it to a nearby airfield, they've been discovered and are being pursued.  Tom commandeers an airplane and takes them up, where they are followed by two enemy planes.  They take refuge in the clouds.  "We hid in the clouds, a sanctuary of whipped cream," writes Gusto as Tom rolls his eyes.

They make it to Paris, where Gusto publishes her story.  She's suddenly a very famous and in demand writer.  Tom finds himself very attracted to her.  For her part, Gusto only wants to be involved with him so far as the story goes.  She's got no thoughts of love in her mind.

While Gusto wants to work on additional stories with Tom for syndication back in America, Tom only wants to enjoy his time in Paris.  So, he takes Gusto along with him to Maxim's, strictly for work purposes.  However, by the end of the night, she finds she's falling hard for him.

Gusto gets herself all worked up over the fact that she's falling for Tom.  In order to keep her head on straight, she packs up all of her shoes and locks them in the hotel safe, so she can't go out.

Soon afterwards, Gusto's boss comes to her with the news that she's been named Special Correspondent in Berlin and she's to leave for Germany as soon as possible.  Wanting to throw herself into work and not think about Tom, Gusto jumps at the chance.

Surprise, surprise, Tom finds his way onto Gusto's train.  He's bound for Warsaw, where he's enlisted in the Polish Air Force to fight Hitler.  Right in the middle of the train ride, Gusto succumbs to her feelings and lets herself fall head over heals for Tom.

Before continuing on their journey, they decide to spend some time in the Forest of Compiegne, which works its wonders on them.  "Look at it, like a kind grandmother dozing in her rocking chair.  Old trees practicing curtsies in the wind because they still think Louis XIV is king.  In the shade, well-behaved crickets and woodpeckers scarcely breaking the silence," says Tom poetically.

War breaks out before they can reach their final destinations.  Tom and Gusto decide to sail for America and be married once they arrive.  However, a German submarine torpedoes there ship and sinks it.

They are both rescued.  Instead of going home to America, they decide to stay in Europe and work for the war effort.

Gusto writes a riveting firsthand account of the ship's sinking and eventually starts to cover very important stories for the newspaper with regards to the war.  Tom joins the British Air Force.

On assignment for the newspaper, Gusto finds herself near the Forest of Compiegne, and she decides to take a walk there remembering her time with Tom, which now seems so long ago.

Unbeknownst to her, Tom has discovered where she is and is waiting for her.  They embrace.  He's been injured and can't fly anymore.  He and Gusto decide to return to America and stir the hearts of their countrymen into fighting the terrors of Hitler.

Cast rundown:

   Claudette Colbert..............................Augusta Nash

   Ray Milland......................................Tom Martin

   Dennis O'Keefe.................................Joe Sheppard

   Walter Abel.......................................Phillips

   Dick Purcell.......................................Pinky O'Connor

   George Zucco....................................Prison Governor

   Frank Puglia......................................Father Jacinto

   Esther Dale.......................................Susie

   Bess Flowers.....................................Dancer At Maxim's

And that's it for Arise, My Love.  The film won the Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story.  The title of the film comes from the Bible, Song of Solomon 2:10, "My beloved speaks and says to me: 'Arise, my love, my fair one..."  Claudette Colbert once said that this was her favorite of the films that she made.

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