Around the Blogosphere This Week...

...is taking this weekend off while I'm on my summer vacation.

The column will return on Saturday, June 21st.

For recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my June 7th column.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...The Warner Archive Collection has a great group of titles coming out on Blu-ray in late July, including THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON (1941), TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE (1950), BRIGHT LEAF (1950), THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1952), KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE (1953), THE COBWEB (1955), and BRAINSTORM (1965).

...For a reminder of the Warner Archive Collection Blu-rays coming out at the end of June, the titles are listed at the top of this news roundup.

...Kino Lorber Studio Classics has firmed up the release date and extras for the Dark Side of Cinema XXVI collection. The set, which will include DR. BROADWAY (1942), SMOOTH AS SILK (1946), and THE GREAT GATSBY (1949), will be out on August 12th. THE GREAT GATSBY, starring Alan Ladd, was first announced last fall, and I'm very excited it will be available for U.S. home viewing at last. Set extras will include commentary tracks by Alan K. Rode, Jeremy Arnold, and Daniel Kremer.

...Colin has reviewed LAST OF THE COMANCHES (1953), starring Broderick Crawford and Barbara Hale, at Riding the High Country.

...Gary Wells of Vintage Leisure writes on "The Fleeting Glory of MOONLIGHTING." I've seen some episodes, such as "Atomic Shakespeare" and "The Dream Sequence Always Rings Twice," approaching half a dozen times over the years.

...The first teaser trailer for DOWNTON ABBEY: THE GRAND FINALE (2025) is now available. It will be released theatrically September 12th.

...I enjoyed Jessica's Comet Over Hollywood review of WHAT'S COOKIN' (1942) and hope to see it at some point! The fun cast includes the Andrews Sisters, Gloria Jean, Charles Butterworth, and Woody Herman. What a combination!

...The Hallmark Channel has announced the sequel to its popular Christmas comedies HAUL OUT THE HOLLY (2022) and HAUL OUT THE HOLLY: LIT UP (2023) will be HAUL OUT THE HALLOWEEN (2025), airing this fall. Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, and the rest of the cast return.

...Notable Passings: Actress Joanne Gilbert (seen here) has passed on at the age of 92. Her films included RED GARTERS (1954). Her father, Ray Gilbert, composed Disney's immortal "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah" for SONG OF THE SOUTH (1946)...Composer Arthur Hamilton has died at 98. His songs included the standard "Cry Me a River."

...Please note that Around the Blogosphere This Week will not appear next weekend, June 14th, when I will be on vacation. The column will resume on June 21st.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my May 31st column.

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TCM Star of the Month: Gary Cooper

The June Star of the Month on Turner Classic Movies is Gary Cooper.

Two dozen Cooper films plus a documentary will be shown on Wednesday evenings and into the early hours on Thursdays.

There are many wonderful movies on the schedule; my favorites include DESIRE (1936) and LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (1957).

Please check out my full-length reviews at the hyperlinked titles listed on the schedule below.

June 4th

MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN (1936)

THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1952)

THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO (1938)

SERGEANT YORK (1941)

THE FOUNTAINHEAD (1949)

GARY COOPER: AMERICAN LIFE, AMERICAN LEGEND (1991)

June 11th

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS (1943)

MOROCCO (1930)

DESIRE (1936) (also here)

A FAREWELL TO ARMS (1932)

LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (1957) (also here)

June 18th

HIGH NOON (1952)

THE HANGING TREE (1959)

FRIENDLY PERSUASION (1956)

TASK FORCE (1949)

DALLAS (1950)

SPRINGFIELD RIFLE (1952)

BRIGHT LEAF (1950)

June 25th

BLUEBEARD'S EIGHTH WIFE (1938) (also here)

BALL OF FIRE (1941)

MEET JOHN DOE (1941)

SARATOGA TRUNK (1945)

TODAY WE LIVE (1933)

THE WRECK OF THE MARY DEARE (1959)

IT'S A BIG COUNTRY (1951)

It's noteworthy that while DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933) isn't showing under the Star of the Month banner, it will air as one of this month's "Summer Romance" titles on Sunday, June 22nd. Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins costar with Cooper in this Lubitsch comedy.

There are a number of other excellent Cooper films which TCM won't be showing this month, and I'm linking the reviews below to encourage further exploration of Cooper's filmography. These titles encompass Westerns, adventure, suspense, and comedy, and all of them are available on DVD or Blu-ray.

Reviews: THE WINNING OF BARBARA WORTH (1929), THE LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER (1935), THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN (1936), BEAU GESTE (1939), THE COWBOY AND THE LADY (1941), ALONG CAME JONES (1945), CLOAK AND DAGGER (1946), and YOU'RE IN THE NAVY NOW (1951).

YOU'RE IN THE NAVY NOW is an all-time favorite "movie comfort food" military comedy which I especially recommend.

I also found CLOAK AND DAGGER, which I recently saw for the first time, to be very underrated Fritz Lang.

For more on TCM in June 2025, please visit my posts TCM in June: Highlights and Quick Preview of TCM in June, along with TCM's online schedule.

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TCM in June: Highlights

It's time for a close look at the June schedule on Turner Classic Movies!

The June Star of the Month will be Gary Cooper. 24 films and a documentary will be shown on Wednesday evenings this month, beginning on June 4th.

I'll have a separate Star of the Month post available here in the near future.  (Update: Please visit my post TCM Star of the Month: Gary Cooper.)

The June Noir Alley films will be THE UNDERCOVER MAN (1949) on June 7th and 8th, CRACK-UP (1946) on June 14th-15th, PALE FLOWER (1964) on June 21st and 22nd, and SORRY, WRONG NUMBER (1948) on June 28th and 29th.

It's of note that THE UNDERCOVER MAN was written by Sydney Boehm, the screenwriter behind not one but two films I've reviewed this weekend, MYSTERY STREET (1950) and UNION STATION (1950).

On Friday evenings, the TCM Spotlight theme will be "The Art of the Con," featuring films such as THE LADY EVE (1941), MR. LUCKY (1943), and THE MUSIC MAN (1962).

Also look for Alicia Malone hosting "Summer Romance," showing a classic romantic comedy each Sunday in June.

Below are a few more highlights from this month's schedule. Please click any hyperlinked title for a full-length review.

...A centennial tribute to Tony Curtis on June 3rd will include SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957), which I very much recommend.

...There's a marvelous run of films directed by Vincente Minnelli on June 6th. All seven films are worthwhile, but I especially recommend the undervalued YOLANDA AND THE THIEF (1945), a film I've always loved. Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer perform one of my all-time favorite dance numbers, "Coffee Time," seen in this photo.

...One of my favorite silent movies, GIRL SHY (1934), will be shown on Silent Sunday Nights on June 8th. Harold Lloyd and Jobyna Ralston are a charming couple.

...Monday, June 9th, the schedule alternates films starring offscreen sisters Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland. I've seen all but one of the films and enjoyed them all; I particularly recommend Fontaine in THE CONSTANT NYMPH (1943), seen here, and de Havilland in HARD TO GET (1938). The latter film introduced the Warren-Mercer standard "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby," sung by Dick Powell.

...Another outstanding day of programming is Judy Garland's birthday on June 10th. Every film is a gem; my favorites are MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944) and THE HARVEY GIRLS (1946). But they're all deserving of attention!

...There's a wonderful day of suspense films on June 12th. I've seen every film in the lineup and they're all worthwhile, including THE NARROW MARGIN (1952), THE STRANGER (1946), and HIGH TIDE (1947), to name just a few.

...Father's Day on June 15th features Edward G. Robinson as Margaret O'Brien's father in OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES (1945). Be sure to also catch that day's "Summer Romance," the comedy MIDNIGHT (1939). MIDNIGHT is an all-time favorite.

...There's a full day of romances on June 16th, including the short "Streamliner" movie NIAGARA FALLS (1941), a film rarely seen on TCM, plus fun films like a pair of "summer resort" movies, HAVING WONDERFUL TIME (1938) and TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE (1950).

...Errol Flynn's June 20th birthday will be celebrated with a lineup including CRY WOLF (1947), which I just enjoyed seeing theatrically at this year's Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs.

...One of my all-time favorite films, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954), will be shown on June 22nd. Also showing is the cute SEVEN SWEETHEARTS (1942) with Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin, Marsha Hunt, and more.

...Another all-time favorite comedy, MERRILY WE LIVE (1938), is on June 23rd.

...One of my favorite days of the month is June 24th, with a lineup of extremely short movies. Titles include FOG OVER FRISCO (1934), which is 68 minutes; ARMORED CAR ROBBERY (1950), which runs 67 minutes; and THE AFFAIRS OF DOBIE GILLIS (1953), which is 72 minutes.

...TWO GIRLS AND A SAILOR (1944), starring June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven, Van Johnson, and Tom Drake, is a charmer, including some great big band music performers. It's on June 26th.

...You won't find a better adventure film than KING SOLOMON'S MINES (1950), showing on June 29th. Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr star.

...The month wraps up on June 30th with the great RED RIVER (1948), starring John Wayne and a top cast, directed by Howard Hawks.

For more on TCM in June 2025, please visit my posts Quick Preview of TCM in June and TCM Star of the Month: Gary Cooper, along with TCM's online schedule.

Happy summer!

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Tonight's Movie: Union Station (1950) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

This is my weekend for favorite 1950 police procedurals!

Earlier this weekend I revisited MYSTERY STREET (1950), with Ricardo Montalban as a police detective; it was cowritten by Sydney Boehm.

Boehm, inspired by a story by Thomas Walsh, was also the solo screenwriter behind another longtime favorite, UNION STATION (1950), which I watched today. UNION STATION was recently released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber as part of the Dark Side of Cinema XXIV collection.

William Holden plays Lt. William Calhoun, stationed at Chicago's Union Station along with Inspector Donnelly (Barry Fitzgerald) and several other officers.

Joyce Willecombe (Nancy Olson), a sharp-eyed secretary, is riding on a Chicago-bound train when she notices a pair of men acting strangely; the men race their car to the station to board the train but once aboard take seats at opposite ends of the compartment. Most concerning: One of the men (Lyle Bettger) is concealing a gun.

The conductor (Harry Hayden) is skeptical when Joyce quietly informs him of her observations, but he does connect her with Lt. Calhoun when the train pulls into Chicago, on the off chance something nefarious is going on.

After Calhoun opens a suitcase Beacom (Bettger) stows in a locker, it becomes clear that the two men have kidnapped Lorna (Allene Roberts), the blind daughter of Joyce's wealthy employer (Herbert Heyes), and they're holding her for ransom. The race is on to save Lorna's life.

I first saw this film in 2009, thanks to Turner Classic Movies, and I had the chance to revisit it theatrically at last year's 2024 Noir City Hollywood Festival. It's held up to multiple repeat viewings over the years, a dynamic, fast-paced 81 minutes with excellent leads and a great setting.

Holden and Olson, who worked in four films together, are charming leads in a good story. They're backed by a host of interesting supporting actors; in addition to those mentioned above, the cast includes Jan Sterling (who coincidentally was in MYSTERY STREET), James Seay, Parley Baer, Byron Foulger, Trevor Bardette, Robert Cornthwaite, Dick Elliott, Douglas Spencer, Queenie Smith, Kasey Rogers, and more.

UNION STATION was directed by Rudolph Mate and filmed in black and white by Daniel L. Fapp.

UNION STATION is one of several Paramount Pictures films recently released by Kino Lorber which was previously released on Blu-ray and/or DVD by the now-defunct Olive Films. It's boxed in this set with the previously reviewed JENNIFER (1953) plus THE CROOKED CIRCLE (1957), which will be reviewed at a future date.

The excellent Blu-ray print is from an HD master by Paramount Pictures from a 4K scan. Sound quality is also strong.

Disc extras for UNION STATION include the trailer; two additional trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber; and an engaging commentary track by Alan K. Rode.

Rode covers all aspects of the film and its production, including sharing stories from Nancy Olson, whom he's interviewed on multiple occasions. The movie was filmed at Union Station in Los Angeles, and Rode mentions the series of screenings he hosted in the station of movies which filmed there; I was in attendance at the 2016 screening he hosted of CRISS CROSS (1949)!

For some additional thoughts and background on this film, please click over to my 2009 review. The film, disc, and set are all recommended.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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A Birthday Tribute to Joan Caulfield

Actress Joan Caulfield was born in New Jersey on June 1, 1922.

A modeling career led to the cover of Life Magazine at age 19, followed by success on Broadway.

Caulfield had come to the attention of producer-director George Abbott, who cast her in his stage production of BEAT THE BAND (1942), followed by a leading role in the Broadway hit KISS AND TELL (1943).

From Broadway it was soon on to Hollywood and Paramount Pictures, where she made her debut in a small part as herself in DUFFY'S TAVERN (1945), followed by MISS SUSIE SLAGLE'S (1946) with Veronica Lake and Sonny Tufts. She's seen here with Tufts:

I found her leading lady role opposite Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire in BLUE SKIES (1946) bland...

...but she was great fun in DEAR RUTH (1947) with William Holden.

I feel Caulfield comes off to best effect in movies which make use of her comedic talents; in addition to DEAR RUTH, she's very good in films such as MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE (1946) with Bob Hope or THE PETTY GIRL (1950) with Robert Cummings. Caufield and Cummings are seen here in the latter film:

I also enjoy her in more serious roles as the damsel in distress in the excellent crime films THE UNSUSPECTED (1947) and LARCENY (1948). She's seen here with Shelley Winters and John Payne in LARCENY:

Beginning in the early '50s most of Caufield's acting roles came on television, returning to films for the occasional Western, such as CATTLE KING (1963) opposite Robert Taylor:

Her last acting appearance came in a 1987 episode of MURDER, SHE WROTE called "Trouble in Eden."

Offscreen Joan Caulfield was married twice and had two sons, one from each marriage. She died in Los Angeles on June 18, 1991, at the age of 69. Her ashes are said to have been scattered in the Pacific Ocean.

Joan Caulfield films reviewed at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: BLUE SKIES (1946), MONSIEUR BEAUCAIRE (1946), VARIETY GIRL (1947), DEAR RUTH (1947), THE UNSUSPECTED (1947), WELCOME STRANGER (1947), LARCENY (1948) (also here), DEAR WIFE (1949), THE PETTY GIRL (1950), CATTLE KING (1963).

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Tonight's Movie: Mystery Street (1950) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The excellent film noir/police procedural MYSTERY STREET (1950) has just been released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

I first reviewed the movie here back in 2008, calling my first viewing "a wonderful surprise."

While the movie may no longer be a surprise after all these years, it's still quite wonderful, a compelling 93 minutes with all of the filmmakers at the top of their games.

A Boston "B" girl named Vivian (Jan Sterling), who's clearly "in trouble," disappears from a bar late one night...months later a bird watcher finds bones on Cape Cod which are eventually identified as the missing woman.

Ricardo Montalban plays police detective Peter Moralas, who works on the case with Detective Sharkey (Wally Maher). More significantly, Moralas collaborates with Dr. McAdoo (Bruce Bennett), a forensic specialist at Harvard's Department of Legal Medicine; together they reconstruct not only the victim's identity but that she was pregnant and the method of the killing.

Did hapless Henry Shanway (Marshall Thompson), drunkenly grieving his wife's (Sally Forrest) miscarriage the night Vivian disappeared, commit murder? Or was it someone else?

Vivian's former landlady (Elsa Lanchester) and friend (Betsy Blair) may hold clues...

This is one of a couple early police procedurals produced at MGM; MYSTERY STREET was preceded several years earlier by KID GLOVE KILLER (1942), the first feature film directed by Fred Zinnemann. Both are highly entertaining looks at the state of forensic medicine in the '40s. MYSTERY STREET had the bigger budget of the two films, allowing for extensive location shooting in the Boston area.

Montalban is wonderful, making the viewer wish he'd had similar roles or even a mystery series teamed with Bennett. (A side note: In my prior review I spelled his character's name the way it sounds, Morales, but the film actually has it as Moralas. Glenn Erickson noted issues with the spelling at the end of his own review.) Bennett is likewise pitch perfect as the scientist on the case.

Since first seeing the film I've come to appreciate many more cast members; for instance, in 2008 I knew little about actress-dancer Sally Forrest. Since then I've seen her in several movies, including a trio of good films directed by Ida Lupino. Incidentally, the centennial of Forrest's birth was a few days ago, on May 28th.

Forrest does well in an emotional role, especially in a scene where she's going over receipts from her pregnancy. It's an interesting note that a pair of pregnancies with very different tragic endings are a theme underpinning the film's mystery.

This is one of a couple key roles played by Lanchester in noir films of the era, another being THE BIG CLOCK (1948). In each film she plays two very different characters -- one good, one bad -- yet in each case she provides some amusing comic relief.

Betsy Blair (the offscreen Mrs. Gene Kelly in that era) registers well as a spunky waitress who, in a nice bit of background, has knowledge of guns thanks to having once dated an MP.

In the years since my first viewing I've also come to appreciate familiar character faces such as John Maxwell and Robert Foulk, who play detectives. It was great to recognize them here; their roles are small, yet they add a marvelous touch of "realness" to the background at Moralas's office, as well as the handball court where he works out.

MYSTERY STREET came fairly early in the career of director John Sturges, though he'd directed a few feature films previously, including THE SIGN OF THE RAM (1948) and THE WALKING HILLS (1949). The film's mood and pacing are just right. The film was written by Sydney Boehm and future director Richard Brooks, based on a story by Leonard Spigelgass.

One of the film's key elements is the beautiful cinematography of the great John Alton, much of it done on location in Boston. As is always the case with Alton's films, the movie provides remarkable visuals.

The gleaming black and white Blu-ray print is from a new 1080p HD master from 4K scans of the "best surviving preservation elements."  It's an outstanding print.

Extras consist of the trailer; a commentary track, originally recorded for a 2007 DVD release, by Alain Silver and Elizabeth Ward; a brief featurette on the film, MURDER AT HARVARD (2007); and a pair of MGM's Tom and Jerry cartoons, LITTLE QUACKER (1950) and TOM AND JERRY IN THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL (1950).

In 2008 I wrote "This is one of those fine little movies you might never have heard of which is out there just waiting to be discovered." I hope more viewers will discover -- or rediscover -- it thanks to this Blu-ray release, which is highly recommended.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...Thanks to my friend Constance for making me aware of the book GIANT LOVE: EDNA FERBER, HER BEST-SELLING NOVEL OF TEXAS, AND THE MAKING OF A CLASSIC AMERICAN FILM. It was written by Julie Gilbert and published last December by Pantheon Books (Penguin Random House). I'd add that I read a number of Ferber books at one point in my life, and GIANT was by far by favorite.

...Another new book I just learned about is ANATOLE LITVAK: THE LIFE AND FILMS, published by McFarland Books in February. It was written by Michelangelo Capua, whose other books include JEAN PETERS: HOLLYWOOD'S MYSTERY GIRL.

...At Classic Movie Hub, Annette Bochenek has written about the background and former homes of one of my favorite child actresses, Marcia Mae Jones.

...This week Glenn Erickson has reviewed the new Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray releases of MGM's MYSTERY STREET (1950) and LILI (1953).

...An upcoming book of interest: This September Taschen will publish WALT DISNEY'S CHILDREN'S CLASSICS, an anthology of stories based on Little Golden Books. It's edited by Charles Solomon, who wrote the 2014 book THE ART OF THE DISNEY GOLDEN BOOKS, published by Disney Editions. (Via Keith Buczak.)

...Attention Southern Californians: On August 2nd UCLA will screen DARK WATERS (1944) in 35mm. It's a relative rarity starring Merle Oberon and Franchot Tone, directed by Andre DeToth. There will also be an interview with Mayukh Sen, author of the recently published LOVE, QUEENIE: MERLE OBERON, HOLLYWOOD'S FIRST SOUTH ASIAN STAR.

...A few days ago I wrote a tribute to actress Kathleen Hughes, who has just passed away. Her friend Alan K. Rode has now written a tribute which was published by Variety.

...Notable Passing: Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H (1972-83) has died at 87. I met her briefly and received her autograph on a memorable occasion: An Academy screening of BLACKBOARD JUNGLE (1955) at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater. Her TV costar Jamie Farr, who was in the film, was a special guest that night along with another actor from the movie, director Paul Mazursky. It was the last week M*A*S*H was filming, and she and Alan Alda came to be with Farr that evening. The TV show itself admittedly hasn't worn particularly well with me, but I will always remember how gracious she was, particularly as it was clearly an emotional week for Swit and her TV colleagues.

...More Notable Passings: Actress Valerie Mahaffey has passed away at 71. I particularly remember her for her Emmy-winning guest role as Eve on NORTHERN EXPOSURE (1991-95)...James McEachin, a busy working actor for decades, has died at 94. Besides voluminous TV credits, he appeared in four Clint Eastwood movies...Taina Elg, the last surviving cast member of the four main leads from MGM's LES GIRLS (1957), has passed on at 95. Her passing comes less than a year after her costar Mitzi Gaynor's death in October 2024. She's seen here with costar Gene Kelly...Actress Ena Hartman has died at 93. She appeared on TV's DAN AUGUST (1970-71) and was a stewardess in AIRPORT (1970).

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my May 24th column.

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