The Hoodlum Saint (1947) - Star of the month... Angela Lansbury

'The Hoodlum Saint' is a 1946 romantic drama directed by Norman Taurog and starring William Powell, Esther Williams and Angela Lansbury with Rags Ragland, Lewis Stone, Frank McHugh, James Gleason and Slim Summerville.

Set in Baltimore in 1919, immediately after World War I. Major Terry O'Neill (played by Powell) returns home from the war, and finds the job he left as a newspaper editor is no longer waiting for him. Jobless and broke, Terry decides to crash a society wedding in order to try and make some connections and secure himself a job. At the wedding he meets and finds himself randomly kissing Kay Lorrison (played by Williams). After taking a job in New York, Terry finds himself torn between Kay and nightclub singer Dusty Millard (played by Lansbury).

Did you know...

• Although Angela Lansbury could sing, her singing in the film was dubbed by Doreen Tryden

Musical program

Angela Lansbury (dubbed by Doreen Tryden) performs 2 songs in the film:

• "If I Had You"
• "How Am I To Know?" 

Closing remarks

A below average romance from the 1940s has a few funny moments, but overall is nothing special. It is disappointing to see Angela Lansbury's singing dubbed once again - despite the fact Lansbury could sing quite well.  The other disappointment is the absence of Esther Williams' trademark swimming pool.

The Irish In Us (1935)

Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland 

The Irish In Us is a 1935 b-comedy directed by Lloyd Bacon and starring James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, Olivia de Havilland and Frank McHugh. 

After Pat O'Hara (played by O'Brien) introduces his fiance Lucille Jackson (played by de Havilland) to his family, Lucille begins to fall in love with his boxing promoter brother Danny (Cagney).

Closing remarks

Low budget film not great, a little dull and bland, but still worth watching for an early performance of Olivia de Havilland, who is beautiful as always.