Anna Karenina (1935)

 

Anna Karenina - 1935

Our next film is 1935's "Anna Karenina", the doomed love story of the title character and the dashing Count Alexei Vronsky.  Anna and Alexei take their romance from the heights of society to its bottom as they are gossiped about incessantly.  And when Alexei joins his regiment for war, Anna makes a daring decision.

The film's cast includes Greta Garbo, Fredric March, Freddie Bartholomew, Maureen O'Sullivan, May Robson, Basil Rathbone, Reginald Owen, Reginald Denny, and Ethel Griffies.

Madame Anna Karenina and Count Alexei Vronsky first lay eyes on each other at a train station in Moscow.  The two are instantly attracted to one another.  Anna is visiting her brother and his family, while Alexei is meeting his mother at the station.

They meet later at a society ball.  Alexei wants to dance every dance with Anna.  "When I leave you, I'm lost in a world of strangers.  When I touch your hand, we're alone," he tells her.

After the ball, Anna decides to return to her husband and child in St. Petersburg.  Unbeknownst to her, Alexei follows her and makes his presence known only after they've made a stop during the long journey.

When Anna's husband meets her at the St. Petersburg train station, Alexei addresses Anna, who in turn introduces him to her husband.

Anna arrives at her home and is reunited with her son, Sergei.  She showers him with presents, and the two are happy to be in each other's company again.

While in St. Petersburg, Anna and Alexei spend an increasing amount of time together.  They become the object of gossip among society, not helped by their imprudent rendezvous together.  They eventually confess their love for one another.

Anna is warned by her husband about her behavior.  Their marriage is one of convenience, but he refuses to give her a divorce.  He also says that if she insists on seeing Alexei that he will keep her from their son.

Alexei's mother also warns her son about the dangers of a relationship with Anna.  She's concerned for his career and for his place in society.  "I came here to give you some good advice, which I knew in advance would not be taken.  It’s so refreshing not to be disappointed," says Countess Vronsky as she leaves.

Alexei is asked by his regiment to choose between his army career and Anna.  Angrily, he resigns his commission.

He and Anna abandon everything in Russia and run away together to Venice to continue their love affair.  "We'll be punished," says Anna, "for being so happy."

The reality of their situation begins to rear its ugly head.  Anna's husband has refused her permission to see their son and has even told him that she is dead.

The cracks in their relationship eventually begin to show.  Anna is upset at the situation with her son and she even feels that Alexei resents her for giving up everything so they can be together.

Back in St. Petersburg, they attend an opera in full view of the gathered society, who whisper about how it is inappropriate for Anna to even be there.

To make matters worse for Anna, Countess Vronsky has a lovely young companion whom she introduces to Alexei.  Anna watches from her box jealously.

Anna's presence at the opera causes minor skirmishes to break out, drawing the attention of those in the nearby boxes, including Alexei who watches from afar.

However, during the next scene of the opera, Anna and Alexei patch up their differences and reaffirm their love.

When Alexei receives a letter requesting him to rejoin his regiment to take part in a war, Anna begs him not to go.  Alexei refuses to be dishonorable and not rejoin his regiment when he's asked.  He and Anna separate.

Anna goes to see him off at the station.  However, she does not make her presence known when she sees Alexei saying goodbye to his mother and her young companion.

Thinking Alexei has abandoned her, Anna becomes despondent.  She stays at the train station late into the night.  Finally, when she can stand it no longer, Anna throws herself under the wheels of the moving train and commits suicide.

Later, Alexei is filled with regret as he stares at his picture of Anna, wishing that they had parted on better terms.

Cast rundown:

   Greta Garbo................................Anna Karenina

   Fredric March..............................Count Alexei Vronsky

   Freddie Bartholomew....................Sergei

   Maureen O'Sullivan.......................Kitty

   May Robson.................................Countess Vronsky

   Basil Rathbone.............................Karenin

   Reginald Owen.............................Stiva

   Reginald Denny............................Yashvin

   Ethel Griffies................................Mme. Kartasov

And that's it for Anna Karenina.  Apparently, Fredric March had a reputation in Hollywood for seducing his leading ladies.  Aware of this and unwilling to participate in any of those antics, Greta Garbo wore garlic under her clothes and purposely had bad breath to hold his advances at bay.  Because Garbo refused to work at night, MGM built a stage over the railway station in the final scene so that it could simulate darkness.

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The Thin Man (1934)

The Thin Man - 1934

Coming up next is 1934's "The Thin Man", a film which follows super sleuth Nick Charles and his wife, Nora, as they solve a murder on their honeymoon.  This film was insanely popular when it was released and spawned the production of five sequels.

The film's cast includes William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan, Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Porter Hall, Henry Wadsworth, William Henry, Harold Huber, Cesar Romero, Natalie Moorhead, Edward Ellis, Edward Brophy, and Asta.

Clyde Wynant (The Thin Man) is a man who is going on a business trip.  He promises to be back for his daughter's forthcoming marriage.  On his way out of town, he visits his secretary/girlfriend Julia to find out what happened to $50,000 in bonds that he wants to make as a wedding present to his daughter.  He is never heard from again.

Clyde's disappearance becomes all the more strange when Julia is found murdered in her apartment.

Enter Nick and Nora Charles (with their lovable dog Asta), who are honeymooning in New York.  Nick is a retired detective, and Nora is a wealthy heiress.  Clyde's daughter meets Nick by chance and asks him to take the case and find out what happened to her father.  Nora also wants a chance to see Nick in action.  "You know, it sounds like an interesting case.  Why don't you take it?" asks Nora.  Nick smiles and says, "I haven't time.  I'm much too busy seeing that you don't lose any of the money I married you for."  Nick ultimately gives in and takes the case.

And the suspect list is an interesting one.  We have Clyde's ex-wife, Mimi, and her new husband.  Mimi is desperate for money, and her husband is ready to walk out on her.

And gangster Joe Morelli is mixed up somehow too.  When Nick suggests that Morelli talk to the police, Morelli scoffs, "That’d be very smart.  That’s be about the smartest thing I ever did.  Me!  The police captain’s been in the hospital three weeks on account of we had an argument.  The boys would like for me to come in and ask questions."

There's an ex-con who knows a little too much about what really happened at the time that Julia was murdered.

And Clyde's attorney and representative claims to be in contact with Clyde.  Yet no one has seen or heard from him themselves.

Clyde's children even come under suspicion for a while, especially his son, who is obsessed with criminal psychology.

Eventually, Nick figures it all out.  In order to confront everyone, he decides to have Nora throw a big, fancy dinner with all the suspects as the honored guests.

The gathered guests listen anxiously as Nick tells them what he thinks happened to Clyde and who murdered Julia.

He must be on the right track, because suddenly a gun is produced and shots are fired, narrowly missing Nick.  The suspect is then arrested.

Nora rushes to Nick's side and tells him that he could've been killed.  She is so thankful that he isn't a detective.  Nick's mouth drops open in amazement as he remembers that it was Nora who insisted that he take the case in the first place.  After it's all over, Nick and Nora get on a train and head home to San Francisco.

Cast rundown:

   William Powell..................................Nick Charles

   Myrna Loy........................................Nora Charles

   Maureen O'Sullivan...........................Dorothy Wynant

   Nat Pendleton...................................Lt. John Guild

   Minna Gombell..................................Mimi Wynant Jorgensen

   Porter Hall........................................Herbert MacCauley

   Henry Wadsworth..............................Tommy

   William Henry...................................Gilbert Wynant

   Harold Huber.....................................Arthur Nunheim

   Cesar Romero...................................Chris Jorgensen

   Natalie Moorhead...............................Julia Wolf

   Edward Ellis......................................Clyde Wynant

   Edward Brophy...................................Joe Morelli

   Asta.................................................Asta

And that's all for The Thin Man.  It's the only one of the Thin Man films that is actually based on the novel of the same name.  I love the interactions between Nick and Nora, and the way that their dialogue is so naturally funny.  When Nora fears that Nick is doing something too dangerous, she tells him that he brought her to New York to make a widow out of her.  Nick says, "You wouldn't be a widow long."  Nora coyly smiles and says, "You bet I wouldn't."  Casually, Nick remarks, "Not with all your money."

Of course one of the best characters in the film is Asta.  In her memoirs, Myrna Loy said that the actors were not allowed to interact with the dog between takes.  Asta (or Skippy as he was then called) was a highly trained canine who was rewarded for his stunts with a squeaky mouse and a biscuit.

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