Loretta in One Word---Devout

It's been a fun month celebrating the lovely Loretta Young.  I've enjoyed discovering some of her early 30's films and re-acquainting myself with some of her later films.  It's also been delightful reading through her authorized biography, Forever Young, The Life, Loves, and Enduring Faith of a Hollywood Legend, and as I close both the book and the month devoted to her, one word comes to mind...one word which summarizes Loretta's life and career...and that word is devout.

Miss Young wasn't a perfect woman by any means.  She had her faults, and she made her share of mistakes; however, she was a devout Catholic, whose commitment to God and His ways gave her a desire to live a righteous, upstanding, moral life.  She knew that, in the public eye as she was, she would have influence on others, and she wanted that influence to be positive.

With the exception of 1934's Born to Be Bad---a film in which her character encourages her young son to lie and cheat and, also, unashamedly seduces the married Cary Grant---I have never known Loretta to portray a less than honorable woman.  In every film of hers that I've seen, she has been decent, kind, and oftentimes, gentle...and now I know why.  Early in her career, her priest told her, "You have chosen a very public profession, Loretta....one through which you will be able to exert influence on others for better or worse....what does the Bible say?  Rather than give bad example, you should have a stone tied around your neck and be thrown into the sea.  Extreme, yes, but if you're not going to live according to your faith, you should at least get out of the movie business."  Through Father Ward's words Loretta began to realize that she needed to take seriously the influence she had on others.  "After that, she never wanted to play evil people in movies, or wear immodest costumes or do drape art (revealing photography shots)."

One rather comical way her commitment to decency and morality played out was during the filming of Come to the Stable, when she instituted the "swear box."  From the start of her career, Loretta had been bothered by profanity on the set---especially when the profanity was blasphemous towards God; however, early in her career, she hadn't the clout to do anything about it.  By the time Come to the Stable was filmed, Loretta was an Academy Award-winning star and was in a position to have a bit of pull; thus, the "swear box" was born.  With fines being charged for swearing and blasphemy and the money earned being donated to a Catholic maternity home, the box helped change the atmosphere on the set.  After that, Loretta chose to make the "swear box" a fixture on the films she made.

Over and over throughout her career, Loretta would have to fight the studio over her religious convictions.  From refusing to have an abortion (of her second son, with whom she discovered she was pregnant as arrangements were being made for a movie about Elizabeth Blackwell) to turning down scripts which glorified adultery, Loretta sought to live what she believed.  She didn't have just a "words only" faith; instead her actions bore her words out.  With very few stars (then or now) seeking to live by any kind of moral code, Loretta is a bright light in a world of darkness.  Her faith and integrity are beautiful to behold.  As a woman of faith seeking to live by godly principles myself, I appreciate her example.

All this to say, Forever Young is a totally lovely read.  If you enjoy positive, uplifting, inspiring life stories, rather than juicy, scandalous, gossipy ones, then you're sure to find this book completely delightful.

NOTE:  All information and direct quotations derived from Forever Young, the Life, Loves, and Enduring Faith of a Hollywood Legend, by Joan Wester Anderson, Thomas More Publishing, 2000.

The Life of Jimmy Dolan (3 stars)

The Life of Jimmy Dolan, from 1933, is a pre-code boxing drama starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Loretta Young, with Guy Kibbee, Lyle Talbot, and Aline MacMahon taking on supporting roles.  Also making appearances here are a very young Mickey Rooney, Anne Shirley before she was Anne Shirley (billed as Dawn O'Day here), and a young John Wayne.  This film, which is the last of six pairings between Mr. Fairbanks and Miss Young, is the original of the 1939 John Garfield film They Made Me a Criminal (reviewed HERE).

After getting drunk at a party, left-handed boxer Jimmy Dolan (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) throws a punch at the newspaper reporter intent on getting a story, sending him sprawling backwards into a fatal fall.  Without realizing his blow killed the man, Jimmy passes out, leaving his friend Doc (Lyle Talbot) to take matters into his own hands.  Sure he and Jimmy's girlfriend, Goldie, will be implicated in the death as well, Doc determines that the best thing the two of them can do is leave town, which, after slipping Jimmy's watch on his wrist and setting out in Jimmy's car, they do.  However, with the police on the lookout for Jimmy's car, a chase ensues, and a drunken Doc crashes.  The car explodes upon impact, killing both Doc and Goldie, and with Jimmy's watch being the identification, Jimmy---who, as expected, has been accused of killing the reporter---is presumed dead.

After Jimmy comes to and learns that not only is he dead, but that he had been implicated in the reporter's death, he is advised by his attorney to take on a new identity and leave town. After being warned not to use his fists, lest he give himself away, Jimmy---now known as Jack Dougherty---hops a freighter and makes his way west.

Near Salt Lake City, Jack/Jimmy leaves the freighter behind and takes to his feet.  After reaching a farm run by Auntie (Aline MacMahon) and Peggy (Loretta Young), his strength gives out, and he stays there for a time as they nurse him back to health.  Jack discovers that the farm is much more than a farm---it is a hospital of sorts for crippled children---and as he stays on to work there, Jack falls in love with Peggy and becomes fond of the children.   After learning that Auntie is in financial straits and that the children will be returned to the orphanage if she cannot make a payment, Jack is determined to do his part to help them out and, thus, despite his attorney's warning to not use his fists, he agrees to take part in an upcoming fight.

Back in New York, Detective Phlaxer (Guy Kibbee) spots news of the Salt Lake fight, along with a photo which looks suspiciously like Jimmy Dolan to him.  Though he had long thought that the body identified as Jimmy's was misidentified, because of a mistake earlier in his career, his superiors refused to believe him.  Now, with something to prove and a chance to salvage his reputation, Phlaxer sets out to Salt Lake City to meet up with Jack Dougherty and bring him back to New York as the accused killer Jimmy Dolan.

Doex Phlaxer find Jimmy/Jack?  Does he bring him back to New York for trial and prison?  Will Auntie get the funds she needs to save the farm?  Will Peggy and Jack's love survive?  How everything plays out is the balance of the film.



While not a spectacular film, The Life of Jimmy Dolan is, nonetheless, very solid and entertaining.  The storyline is interesting, and it is loads of fun seeing Loretta Young when she was just 20 years old and Mickey Rooney, Anne Shirley, and John Wayne in the early days of their careers.  Despite the large supporting cast, this really is Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.'s film, and he is quite good in his role.  Without question, though, I preferred the Garfield remake, in part, probably, because of my love affair with John Garfield.  In the remake, Guy Kibbee's role is played by Claude Rains, Loretta Young's by Gloria Dickson, and Aline MacMahon's by May Robson, and the farm for crippled children is a home for delinquent youth---played by none other than the Dead End Kids.  You might want to watch both films and compare them for yourself.  I give both of them 3 stars---though They Made Me a Criminal is more like 3.5.

The film is not out on DVD, so it might be difficult to track it down; however, TCM airs it fairly regularly, so you could probably catch it there within a few months.

Happy viewing!

The Doctor Takes a Wife (4 stars)

The Doctor Takes a Wife, from 1940, is a romantic comedy starring Ray Milland and Loretta Young, with Reginald Gardiner, Gail Patrick, and Edmund Gwenn taking on supporting roles.  Falling into the screwball genre, this film is totally predictable, and you can probably guess what the outcome will be even before popping the disc into the DVD player; getting to that outcome, though, is loads of fun...and that admission is coming from someone who loudly professes that she doesn't much care for comedic films (especially screwball).

Loretta Young is June Cameron, author of the new best-seller, Spinsters Aren't Spinach.  June is a feminist who believes that women don't need men for fulfillment; her book, which is currently all the rage, encourages women to throw off the shackles of marriage.  While on vacation, June meets Tim Sterling (Ray Milland), a teacher of neuro-psychiatry, who is the polar opposite of her in his beliefs.  Telling June that "women are not equipped to take their place in a man's world," he belittles the teachings of Spinsters Aren't Spinach.

Since she needs a ride back to New York, June is forced to travel with Tim, and they find themselves bickering almost the entire way.  However, while in Greenwich, Connecticut, June asks Tim to stop at the telegraph office so she can send a wire.  As it happens, the telegraph office is adjacent to the Justice of the Peace office, and while June and Tim are both absent from the car, a boy from the JP's office accidentally places a "Just Married" banner on the wrong car...instead of the car belonging to the couple just married, the banner is put on Tim's car.  Unbeknownst to Tim or June, they travel the remainder of the way to New York in a car announcing them as newlyweds.

Upon dropping June off at her apartment, Tim realizes that she has accidentally taken one of his pieces of luggage from the car and so, leaving the "just married" car in front of the apartment building, he races after her.  However, they were spotted, and, in short order, the newspaper has given first page coverage to the marriage of the famous author and the doctor.

Sure that the press coverage of June's "marriage" will be good for her career, June's agent (Reginald Gardiner) convinces her to keep up the charade.   Tim, who is engaged to be married (to Gail Patrick), has no intention of going along with the charade...until, simply because of his new marital status, he receives a long-hoped-for promotion.  Suddenly, Tim needs to keep up the masquerade, even though his doing so greatly upsets his fiancee.



The movie chronicles Tim and June's attempts to look married without actually being married.  It's quite funny and sweet.  And, of course, as noted, it's very predictable.  Then again, most movies---especially screwball comedy---are.  I own this movie, having recorded it from TCM a few years ago.  I watch it a couple times a year, and it never ceases to make me laugh.  No, it's not the best movie ever made and it's no thought-provoking message movie.  It's just good, clean, entertaining fun.

The film is out on DVD, as part of the Icons of Screwball Comedy collection, so it should be relatively easy to track down.

Happy viewing!!

Paula (3 stars)

From 1952, comes Paula, a mildly heart-tugging Rudolph Maté drama starring Loretta Young and Kent Smith, with Alexander Knox and Tommy Rettig taking on supporting roles.

Having previously suffered the heartbreak of a still birth, Paula Rogers (Loretta Young) is devastated to learn that she has just lost another baby.  Adding to the agony of the miscarriage, is the doctor's diagnosis that she will never conceive again.  With no hope for future pregnancies, and the longing for a child intense within her, Paula is in deep anguish, yet for her husband, John's (Kent Smith) sake, she puts on a plastic smile and pretends that she is fine.  (I call this "smiling through the tears"...something I did for years myself, during my own long battle with fertility issues.)  Although John suggests adoption, Paula isn't open to obtaining a child by those means.

Terribly upset by the news of her infertility and having had a small sip of drink, Paula jumps into her car and hightails it to a reception being given to celebrate her husband's promotion at his university job.  Running late and driving erratically, Paula hits a young boy (Tommy Rettig) who darts into the road.  Terrified that she killed the child, Paula rushes to his side; after briefly opening his eyes and making contact with her, the boy loses consciousness.  A passerby---whom Paula had recklessly passed on the highway---assumes control of the situation and drives the child to the hospital.  Though Paula had promised to follow him, after getting stopped by a train and knowing she is late for the reception, she makes the decision to not continue on to the hospital.

Paula tries to inform her husband of the accident, but the timing always seems to be off, and upon hearing that a scandal would hurt his career, she ends up not telling him at all.  Instead, she seeks to make amends by volunteering at the hospital where the boy (David) is recuperating.  Learning that David is an orphan from a nearby children's home and that the accident damaged the area of his brain responsible for speech, Paula takes it upon herself to bring him into her home and to re-teach him how to speak.

The police are still on the trail of the hit-and-run driver, though, and with the man who witnessed Paula's erratic driving able to identify her and claiming she was drunk, things won't go as smoothly as Paula hopes they will.  And what about David, who is beginning to remember the woman who was leaning over him when he opened his eyes at the scene of the accident?  Does he realize the woman who hit him is the very woman taking care of him now? How it all plays out is the balance of the film.



Having sought to adopt a child myself, movies concerning adoption are near and dear to my heart.  This one is touching and mildly heart-tugging and features fine performances by all. Tommy Rettig is adorable, and I quite fell in love with him.  Loretta Young is very solid as the heartbroken, guilt-ridden woman, and Kent Smith, who I am not overly familiar with, is adequate in his role as well.  I'm not exactly sure why I didn't enjoy this film more.  Really, it ought to have been a 4 or even 5-star film for me, given the theme and the sentimentality of it, but for some reason---the speech lessons, I believe---I just wasn't wild about it.  The lessons, I thought, were a bit tedious and drawn out.  Also, while unrealistic situations don't generally bother me too much, the whole idea of the police "looking the other way" so long as the perpetrator of a crime tried to make amends was just too outlandish.  Still, though, I do enjoy this film, and I think it's one all Loretta Young fans will want to see.  I do know from reading Miss Young's biography, that after her third child, she had a couple of miscarriages, and though she would have liked to have had more children, she never did. Perhaps that parallel to Paula made this a somewhat-personal role for her.

While I don't believe Paula is out on DVD, TCM does air it quite often, so you should probably be able to catch it there in the near future.

Happy viewing!!

Cause for Alarm (4 stars)

Cause for Alarm, from 1951, is a mildly suspenseful film noir starring Loretta Young, Barry Sullivan, and Bruce Cowling.  Directed by Tay Garnett, the film takes place during several hours of one July afternoon in the life of housewife Ellen Jones (Loretta Young).

George Jones (Barry Sullivan) is an ill man...a very ill man.   Because of some sort of heart condition, George has been confined to his bed for some time, and although his doctor and longtime friend, Ranny Graham (Bruce Cowling), makes house calls on a regular basis, his dutiful wife, Ellen, is his primary caregiver. 

Endless days in bed, coupled with his illness, have done wild things to George’s mental state, and he comes to believe that Ellen and Dr. Graham are conspiring to kill him.  Since Ellen and the doctor had been seeing each other prior to her marriage to George, George is convinced that they are still in love and that they have set a plan in motion to be rid of him.

Determined to make the two “lovers” pay for their crime, George pens a letter to the local district attorney---a letter in which he accuses his wife and doctor of aggravating his condition so as to make his death look natural.  After requesting that a complete investigation be made into his death, George seals the envelope and hands it to his wife.  Telling Ellen he had to sign some insurance papers, he asks her to put the envelope in the mail, which, being the helpful wife she is, she does when the mailman arrives at the house a short time later.

George isn’t as bed-bound as he would have Ellen believe, however, and upon her return to their bedroom, he pulls out a gun and spills forth his delusions of her love for Ran and their plan to murder him.  Sure it is nothing more than George’s illness talking, Ellen denies his accusations, but to no avail.  George is convinced his wife and doctor are out to do him in, and after informing her that the envelope she just put in the mail was a letter incriminating her and the doctor of trying to kill him, George collapses.

Though she and the doctor were never trying to kill George, Ellen panics about the letter now on its way to the district attorney.  She knows she must retrieve it before it ever reaches its destination, yet doing so is not as easy as she had hoped.  For the remainder of that “most terrifying day of her life,” Ellen must oppose bureaucratic regulations and race against time in order to save herself and the doctor from her husband’s delusional mind.  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.

Cause for Alarm is an interesting, well-acted, mildly suspenseful film.  Both Loretta Young and Barry Sullivan are very good in their roles.  I could really feel Loretta’s terror as the walls began to close in around her, and I found Mr. Sullivan quite believable as the neurotic husband.  Of course, this film is best on a first-time viewing---before you know how it all turns out---but even repeated viewings are enjoyable. 

Two other things stand out to me in this film.  First is the Jones’s little neighbor boy, whose nickname is Hoppy, after Hopalong Cassidy.  I found him delightful, especially when he grabbed a handful of cookies so he could feed his horse...er...tricycle.  After he had pocketed several cookies, he remembered that he had forgotten to ask if he might have some.  Of course, permission was granted.  Another fun thing in the film is the walking door-to-door mailman (though the Jones's mailman was certainly annoying).  I haven’t seen a walking door-to-door mailman in years!!  Most mail carriers for at least the last three decades drive to every house on their route, depositing the mail in the box at the end of the driveway (or to the community mailbox).  Gone are the days of conversing with your mail carrier as he arrives at your front door to fill your doorside mailbox with cards and letters (and bills).  Seeing that walking, bag-on-his-shoulder postman may well take you on a trip down memory lane as you remember the mailmen of your youth. 

At any rate, Cause for Alarm is definitely an enjoyable viewing experience.  The film is out on DVD, so it should be fairly easy to track down.  In addition, it is on the TCM schedule for Wednesday, January 30th at 4:30 a.m. (ET).   Hope you get a chance to see it...or at least set your DVR.

Happy viewing!!

God or Spencer?

With Loretta Young being my star of the month, I thought it was the perfect time to read her authorized biography, Forever Young, the Life, Loves, and Enduring Faith of a Hollywood Legend.  I am halfway finished with it, and all I can say is that it is a fascinating, delightful, and very interesting read.  Miss Young was a devout Catholic, and her commitment to God and His ways was the ruling factor in her life.  No, Loretta wasn't perfect, nor was her life without its share of mistakes, but the longing to live a life pleasing to God was at the very core of her being, and never was that more apparent than in her relationship with Spencer Tracy.

Until my reading of this book, I never knew that Miss Young and Mr. Tracy were ever "an item."  All I've heard for years is that Katharine Hepburn was the love of Spencer Tracy's life.  However, Forever Young reveals that Spencer also had another great love in his life---and that love was Loretta Young.

In 1933, Loretta and Spencer were paired together in Man's Castle, and during production of the film, they soon became involved with one another.  According to Miss Young's biography, "Tracy had a way of focusing all his attention on Loretta, and seemed to find absolute joy in her presence.  For Loretta, it was a time of romance unlike anything she had ever experienced."

Though they were in love with one another, it was, apparently, a chaste relationship...."Couples in love, practicing restraint, and not "going all the way" was fairly conventional behavior, fitting the mores of that time."  Even without anything physical between them, though, Loretta became ashamed of dating another woman's husband.  She knew there could never be anything permanent between them, as Spencer was married and was not allowed by the Church to divorce his wife and re-marry Loretta within it.  For Loretta's part, having married once outside the Church (to Grant Withers in 1930) and feeling estranged from God as a result, another marriage outside the church was out of the question.  The two of them went to Confession each week (Spencer was also a Catholic), but instead of the absolution she longed for, Loretta was told by her priest that she must break off the relationship, for unless the confessor was willing to end his or her sinful behavior, they would  not experience God's forgiveness. Loretta knew she faced the big question:  Did she love Spencer more?  Or did she love God more?

In the end, though she "loved everything about him," Loretta chose to break things off with Spencer, something she did through a letter.  Her commitment to God and His ways had trumped her love for Spencer.

Many years later, Loretta would have tea with Spencer's daughter, Susan, and be presented with the break-up letter she had given to Spencer all those years before.  Though Loretta had signed the letter simply "Me," Susan knew who its author was, for, as she told Loretta during their time together, " ...there were only two women in my father's life...my mother and you."   While Katharine Hepburn may have been a great love in Spencer Tracy's life, so, too, was Loretta Young.  That surely was news to me!


NOTE:  All information and direct quotations derived from Forever Young, the Life, Loves, and Enduring Faith of a Hollywood Legend, by Joan Wester Anderson, Thomas More Publishing, 2000.

Hosting My First-Ever Blogathon

It is with pleasure and excitement that I announce They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To will soon be hosting its first-ever blogathon.  As regular readers of this blog already know, John Garfield is one of my absolute favorite actors (one of my "beloveds"), and with March 4th being the 100th anniversary of his birth, I thought a blogathon in his honor would be the perfect way to celebrate.

The blogathon will be taking place that entire weekend---Friday to Monday, March 1st through March 4th.  I would like to see huge participation in the event---Mr. Garfield deserves that!  Besides being a brilliant actor, with the shameful treatment he received in Hollywood upon his refusal to "name names" in the HUAC hearings, I believe it is right and fitting that in some small way, we seek to make it up to him by singing his praises and giving him a portion of the honor and respect due him.

Any and all of you are welcome to participate in the blogathon. Whether you want to write about one of Mr. Garfield's films, his stage career, his "method" acting, his Hollywood blacklisting, or any other facet of the talented man's too-short life, you are invited to join in the 100th birthday celebration. (You may contribute more than one article if you are so inclined.)  The more participants, the merrier, so please grab one of these fantastic buttons (which my dear friend, Monty, of All Good Things graciously created for me) and spread the word about the bash They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To is throwing for John Garfield's 100th birthday.  (When you add the button to your blog, be sure it links to this page---not the main page of my blog---as this is where all future blogathon information will be posted.)  Since I don't have an extremely high-traffic blog, if, in addition to adding the button to your page, some of you would like to spread the word via a blog post, feel free to go ahead and do so.

More details will be forthcoming, as will directions for posting your article(s) to the blogathon.  For now, though, just let me know if you intend to be part of the fun and what aspect of Mr. Garfield's career or life you'd like to write about.  Then, put the dates on your calendar, spread the word, and get ready to honor the amazingly talented, tremendously under-appreciated John Garfield on his 100th birthday.

NOTE:  To access all the blogathon entries, go HERE.

Happy 100th Birthday, Loretta Young!!!

Happy 100th birthday to the lovely, gentle-eyed Academy Award-winning Loretta Young.  (January 6, 1913 - August 12, 2000)

The third child of Gladys Royal and Earl Young, Loretta Young---whose birth name was Gretchen ---would never have been born at all, were it not for her mother's devout Catholicism.  In an unhappy marriage to a philandering husband, Gladys was dismayed to discover that the flu-like symptoms she had been experiencing were not the flu at all, but evidence of the fact that she was expecting another baby.  Noticing his patient's distress at the news of her pregnancy, and telling her there "were ways," Gladys's doctor suggested that she "might like to skip this one and wait for a better time..."  For a brief instant, Gladys considered the doctor's advice, but "when she thought of the Catholic faith she had pledged to uphold...", she knew aborting the child within her was not an option.  Instead, she followed the advice of her parish priest and "consecrated the life within her to Mary, who had carried her Lord."   This dedication to God would follow Loretta all the days of her life.  **

So, on this day that we celebrate the 100th birthday of one of  the classic film era's most beautiful spirits, I want to also celebrate her mother, Gladys.  Had she not chosen to give life to the child within her, Loretta Young would never have been---and we, who love her and her films would have missed out on something special indeed!

**  All quoted material is from Loretta Young's authorized biography, Forever Young, by Joan Wester Anderson  (Thomas Moore Publishing, 2000)

2012's Most-Visited Post and Other Highlights

Many of the classic film blogs I read are beginning the new year by taking a look back at their most popular posts of 2012.  That seemed like a worthwhile thing to do, so I am jumping on board and doing my own looking back.

One of the highlights of this blog's 2012 calendar was the recognition of "birthday stars of the month."  Beginning in February and continuing through August, I chose to focus on two or three different stars in their birthday month.  (That goal was a bit too lofty, so this year, each month will see only one star being the focus.)  2012 looked like this:

February---Clark Gable, Lana Turner, and Ida Lupino
March---John Garfield, Joan Crawford, and George Brent
April---William Holden and Bette Davis
May---Gary Cooper and Tyrone Power
June---Susan Hayward, Eleanor Parker, and Judy Holliday
July---Barbara Stanwyck and James Cagney
August---Robert Taylor and Fredric March

After August, life conspired to keep me from writing as much as I wanted, so I abandoned the "stars of the month" idea and, instead, revealed my 10 favorite films from each of four classic-era decades (30's - 60's).  Gone with the Wind, Now, Voyager, A Place in the Sun, and Madame X were the #1 films in their respective decades, with A Place in the Sun being crowned my current all-time favorite movie.

November saw a tribute to one of my beloveds---the very under-rated Robert Ryan (HERE); December saw the revelation of my 5-star film discoveries of the year (HERE).

Another highlight of the year was taking part in Classic Movie Man's Dana Andrews blogathon and Comet over Hollywood's "Gone Too Soon" blogathon.  With nearly 3,000 views, the heart-felt Montgomery Clift tribute I wrote for the "Gone Too Soon" event is far and away They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To's most-read post.  Its closest competitor has slightly less than 1,000 page views, so I think it is safe to say that this piece (HERE) will probably always be my most-read article.

Not only is this post my most-viewed, it is also the one of which I am most proud.  Written as a labor of love to pay homage to one of my beloveds, this article is filled with photos, information about several of Mr. Clift's films, and tidbits about his tragic life. I feel that if Monty was able to read my humble tribute, he would feel honored and loved.

In short, it was a fun blogging year; I trust everyone enjoyed the reading as much as I enjoyed the writing.  I am looking forward to this coming year and to showing, once again, that "they just don't make 'em like they used to!"

Showcasing Loretta Young This Month

January is "Loretta Young Month" here at They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To.  This beautiful lady, whose 100th birthday is January 6th, is TCM's star of the month, so I am looking forward to having the opportunity to catch some of her early works that I've never seen before. I'll be reviewing several of Miss Young's films, as well as celebrating her in other ways.

Of course, I'll also be watching and reviewing non-Loretta films, but she is the star who will be seeing most of the action here this month.  I hope you'll join me; maybe you'll discover a new "must-see" Loretta film, or maybe you'll learn something new about her, but no matter what, I hope you will celebrate her 100th birthday with me.