Showing posts with label jeffrey lynn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label jeffrey lynn. Show all posts

Sunday, 1 July 2012

My Love Came Back (1940) - Star of the month... Olivia de Havilland



Amelia Cornell (played by de Havlland) is a scholarship student at a music academy, whose violin playing is acclaimed. Music academy patron Julius Malette (played by Winninger) becomes fond of Amelia, and secretly sponsors her with money from his company, disguised as an additional scholarship.  Complications arise when Malette's children Paul and Valerie (played by Orr and Gillis) find out, and accuse company president Tony Baldwin (played by Lynn) of embezzling money for a secret girlfriend.

A blonde Jane Wyman plays Cornell's roommate Joy O'Keefe, with Albert playing her boyfriend Dusty Rhodes. S.Z. Sakall gives great comic relief as conductor Geza Peyer, and as always steals the film.

Closing remarks

Not a bad movie, but still not a great movie. Tends to get slow at times, but still an entertaining romance, mainly due to it's first rate cast.

It's hard to explain this without a visual aid, but there is a very clever scene where Amelia and Tony appear dancing on large pieces of sheet music for the famous compositions they are dancing to.

Thursday, 28 June 2012

Home Town Story (1951)

Star of the month... Marilyn Monroe


"I always treat men with respect, and they treat me with respect"

Home Town Story is low-budget 1951 drama directed by Arthur Pierson, and starring Jeffrey Lynn, Donald Crisp, Alan Hale Jr., Marjorie Reynolds and Marilyn Monroe in a minor role.

The film was backed by general Motors to promote their perceived virtue of big business.

Blake Washburn (played by Lynn) is a defeated politician who blames big business for his election loss. Blake takes over as editor of a small town newspaper, and uses this as a vote soliciting tool to help him become reelected, by discrediting a manufacturing company.

Marilyn has a small role as Iris Martin, the newspaper office secretary.

Did you know...

  • MGM did not renew copywright for this and it is now in the public domain, being released in very low quality on VHS and DVD

Closing remarks

This film is rather slow and boring. Fortunately it only runs for ~60 minutes. Recommended only for fans of Marilyn Monroe.