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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Libeled Lady (1936)

 

Libeled Lady - 1936

Coming up next is 1936's "Libeled Lady", the story of a newspaper story gone horribly wrong and the efforts to make a libeled lady drop her suit against the periodical.

The film's cast includes Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, Walter Connolly, Charley Grapewin, Cora Witherspoon, Hattie McDaniel, and George Chandler.

Newspaperman Warren Haggerty has been called into the office after a story printed in the paper has major repercussions.  Unfortunately for Warren, this takes place as he is preparing to leave for his wedding!

Warren tells his fiancée, Gladys (who has stormed into the newspaper office full of fury), that he has to take care of this first.  If he doesn't fix this, he'll be out of a job and they won't be able to get married at all.  Gladys is furious!

The story involves high society girl Connie Allenbury.  It was alleged that she broke up a marriage and stole a husband while at a party in London.  Naturally, the story is false, and she is now suing the newspaper for $5 million (Today that is roughly $100 million).  So, Warren gets the only man he knows who can get them out of the suit: Bill Chandler.

The scheme involves Bill marrying Gladys (which she very much objects to), sailing to London, and then sailing back to the USA with the Allenburys.  While on the way home, he plans to frame Connie Allenbury with the exact circumstances that were printed in the paper: husband stealer.

Naturally, the marriage officiant is surprised when Gladys reserves her best kiss for Warren instead of her new husband, Bill.  Bill explains that Warren is a very old friend of the family.

Of course, things have to look legitimate.  So, Warren has a telegram sent to Bill calling him to London right away.  This is all done in front of witnesses.  Gladys is quite the actress, portraying a wife whose husband is being taken from her on their wedding night.

So, Bill travels to London and then sails home to the USA with the Allenburys.  Connie seems to think he's got an angle and doesn't really want to give him the time of day.

Back at home, Bill incurs the wrath of Gladys, who thought she'd be headed to Reno for a divorce by now.  Bill explains that while he may have struck out on the boat, he's got another chance now.  Mr. Allenbury, a fishing enthusiast, has invited him for a weekend fishing trip.  On the boat, Bill learned all he could about the sport of fishing to fool Allenbury.

Connie remains skeptical.  "I know a first-class angler when I see one.  Yes, and a first-class man, too," says Mr. Allenbury.  Connie replies, "If he's first-class, I'll travel steerage."

The whole fishing scene is quite hilarious.  Bill reads from a "how to" book as he goes and ends up getting completely soaked.

It happens again when he hooks a big one.  Allenbury knows he's a good fisherman when he finds out that the fish Bill caught is a "walleye", which Allenbury had been trying to get for two years.

Bill and Connie spend a lot of time together and fall in love.  This makes Bill dig in his heels about the real reason he came up on the fishing trip.

Warren goes over to the Allenbury place to appeal to Connie to drop the suit.  He is surprised to see Bill there with no intention of holding up his end of the bargain.

Nobody seems to have a thought for poor Gladys, who is furious when she finds out that her husband is seeing Connie seriously.  She's fallen for him herself.

While Gladys is busy having a beauty treatment, Warren confronts her about the Bill/Connie romance.  She's ready for a showdown.

Connie asks Bill to marry her right away.  He doesn't hesitate.  The two are married that very night.

Gladys arrives and confronts them.  However, Bill has told Connie the whole story.  He also consulted the Hall of Records.  Gladys was previously married to a Mr. Joe Simpson, and then filed for a Mexican divorce.  Mexican divorces were declared illegal, so she is still married to Mr. Simpson.  Therefore, there marriage is null and void, leaving him free to be with Connie.

Gladys has the final word when she tells them all she knew her Mexican divorce from Joe Simpson was no good.  She went to Reno and got a second divorce.  She also tells Bill that he can look that up in the Reno Hall of Records.  It seems that Bill is a bigamist.

Eventually, Gladys realizes that she is in love with Warren and not Bill.  The situation is resolved to everybody's satisfaction.

Except for one thing: someone's got to explain the whole situation to Connie's father!

Cast rundown:

   Jean Harlow....................................Gladys Benton

   William Powell.................................Bill Chandler

   Myrna Loy.......................................Connie Allenbury

   Spencer Tracy..................................Warren Haggerty

   Walter Connolly................................J.B. Allenbury

   Charley Grapewin.............................Hollis Bane

   Cora Witherspoon.............................Mrs. Burns-Norvell

   Hattie McDaniel................................Maid

   George Chandler...............................Bellhop

And that's it for Libeled Lady.  Jean Harlow and William Powell were romantically involved at the time of production.  Harlow wanted to play Connie Allenbury so that she and Powell could end up together.  However, studio executives knew that that William Powell/Myrna Loy combo was such a hit that audiences wanted to see THEM end up together.  Harlow was already attached and could not back out.  However, she eventually said that she liked the film and found she was more suited to the role of Gladys.  Originally, Rosalind Russell was to play Connie Allenbury and Lionel Barrymore was to play J.B. Allenbury.

Jean Harlow died in June 1937, less than a year after this film was released.  At her interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, Harlow was buried wearing the gown she had worn in this film.

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