Happy Birthday, Gary Cooper!

Regular readers of They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To know that Gary Cooper is one of my great loves.  As one of my "terrific ten," he's right up there at the top of my favorite actor list. So, of course, I simply must acknowledge his 113th birthday.  (May 7, 1901 - May 13, 1961)

To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite photos of ol' Coop.

What a profile!!

The guy could sure wear a suit!

An older Coop---still looking very handsome.  Is it any wonder so many people of that generation (including all 4 of my grandparents) smoked?

Yes, Shirley, you surely have reason to smile!

So deep in thought...wonder what he's thinking about?

A man is not fully dressed without his hat.

Bow ties work for me too!

From You're in the Navy Now---How do you improve on Coop's fabulous good looks?  Put him in Naval dress blues!

From Souls at Sea---a film I've been yearning to see but have not yet tracked down.  Like Abandon Ship, which I reviewed for the Tyrone Power 100th birthday blogathon, this film is loosely based on the 1841 account of the William Brown.

From The Plainsman---a film I haven't seen in quite a few years.  I just love this photo.

From Bluebeard's Eighth Wife---a little too slapstick/screwball for my taste, but I love this photo

From Meet John Doe---Coop and Barbara Stanwyck had terrific chemistry in their 3 pairings

Gary Cooper was an incredibly handsome, wonderfully photogenic man, and I have dozens more favorite photos of him.  In fact, I could fill an album with favorite photos of Coop---but these dozen are among the cream of the crop, and they are my way of celebrating him on his special day.  I'll also be watching A Farewell to Arms and Ten North Frederick in the coming couple of days.


NOTE:  All photos obtained from Doctor Macro (HERE) and Golden Age of Hollywood (HERE)

The Naked Edge (1961)

When Gary Cooper comes to mind, one doesn't generally think "thriller" or "suspense." Similarly, when we think of sitting down in front of an edge-of-your-seat mystery, Coop is not who automatically comes to mind as playing the lead.  Well, 1961's The Naked Edge changes our preconceived notions, as Coop is the star, and the film is definitely a thriller.  Also starring Deborah Kerr and featuring Eric Portman and Michael Wilding in minor roles, this Michael Anderson film is based on Max Ehrlich's novel First Train to Babylon.  Filmed on location in London, it's a title I had been trying to track down for quite some time, and I finally found it on YouTube last week...just in time for a celebration of Coop's May 7th birthday.  Truly, this is Gary Cooper as you've never seen him before!!

Having witnessed the murder of his boss, Jason Roote, sales manager George Radcliffe (Coop) is a key prosecution witness at the trial of fellow Roote Air Freight Corporation employee, Donald Heath.  It is revealed through Radcliffe's testimony that a large sum of money, from the collection of the COD payments, was expected the evening of the murder, and that in addition to himself and Mr. Roote being present, Heath had volunteered to work overtime and was in the building as well.  Shortly after Mr. Roote departed George's office for his own, he was stabbed to death, and alerted to the crime by the victim's cry, George reached the hallway in time to see a man running from the building.  Following the retreating figure, George ended up in the building's boiler room, where he discovered Donald Heath.  Although the satchel of money was never found, the case is fairly open-and-shut, and the jury soon renders a guilty verdict, causing Heath to lose his composure and shout that he is innocent, that Radcliffe is, in fact, the murderer.

Several years pass, during which George Radcliffe and his business associate, Morris Brooke (Michael Wilding), become prosperous through a successful venture.  It is then that the contents of a mailbag stolen five years earlier are forwarded to those for whom they had originally been intended.  One of the pieces of mail, which George's wife, Martha (Deborah Kerr), opens is a letter from a Jeremy Clay, claiming that he knows Radcliffe was the man who really killed Jason Roote.

Although Martha insists that she doesn't believe the words of the letter, she is, nevertheless, very troubled by them.  Recalling an angry altercation George (whom she calls Cliff) had with a man after the trial, and reflecting on the prosperity which he fell into around that time, Martha begins to get suspicious of her husband.  She's not at all sure that he didn't kill Mr. Roote, and it doesn't help that Cliff's behavior is becoming erratic.  As Cliff sees it, Martha is acting like a wife who has just begun to suspect a mistress, only her suspicions are worse.

Terrified that her husband is a murderer, Martha begins her own investigation, and the more she digs, the more she is convinced of his guilt.  She knows she'll have to turn him in, yet she is also aware that Cliff would never allow her to do that...that he would do whatever it takes to keep her silent.  She begins to fear for her own life.

Did George Radcliffe kill Jason Roote?  Did he frame an innocent man and then send him to prison with his testimony?  Will Martha discover what really happened?  Will she go to the police with her suspicions, even if it means turning in her own husband?  These are the questions which will play out in the balance of the film.  By the end of the film, you will know who killed Jason Roote...and, in the same spirit as in Witness for the Prosecution, you will be asked to not reveal the secret to those who have not yet seen it.  (I'm not one for spoilers anyhow, but with the movie's producers requesting discretion, I would certainly not reveal how everything turns out.)



This film is fascinating, and it has some very Hitchcock-esque qualities to it, particularly the scenes on the London streets and the scene in which Martha is listening to a Philharmonic concert on TV, while a man prepares to silence her in the bathroom upstairs.  The musical score is terrific and adds greatly to the suspense.  Deborah Kerr is perfect as the "I don't want to believe it, but I just can't help it," terrified wife.  I thought she played the part with absolute believability.  Gary Cooper, on the other hand, seemed uncomfortable in his role.  Oh, he wasn't horrible, but he just seemed stiff and wooden.  Of course, his character was meant to be mysterious, so that could be it.  Or perhaps he was uncomfortable portraying a man who may have committed a murder and is about to commit another.  Even more likely, the early stages of his final battle with cancer were upon him here, and he was undoubtedly feeling the effects of them.  Whatever it was, my darling Coop just seemed a bit out of his element here in The Naked Edge.

Despite Coop being a bit off, though, I really loved this film and found every minute of it be exciting.  I was quite on the edge of my seat through the entire thing and, in fact, had considered it to be a 5-star film. I realize, however, that my effusiveness is somewhat because of my love for Coop, my excitement at discovering a "new to me" film of his, and the suspense of not knowing how it would turn out.  In truth, I don't think repeat viewings (when you know how everything will turn out) will have quite the same effect on me; thus, I think future viewings will see me going with 4 stars, so that is how I am rating it now.  Regardless---4 or 5 stars---it's an exciting, interesting, suspenseful, "Gary Cooper as you've never seen him before" film, well worth seeing and which I highly recommend.

There is a real bittersweetness to catching this film, though, because it is Coop's final film. The knowledge that my beloved guy's long and distinguished career had reached its end and that his beautiful, charismatic presence would never again grace the silver screen, is quite sorrowful. Adding to the sorrow is my awareness that it wasn't just Coop's career which was ending...it was his very life.  Not long after completion of this film, he would succumb to cancer and depart this world at the too-young age of 60.  In fact, The Naked Edge wasn't released in the U.S. until after his death.  (His hometown of Helena, Montana, was the first U.S. city to screen it---June 28, 1961---two days before its New York screening.)

The film is not out on DVD, nor is it on the TCM schedule in the near future.  However, it is available on VHS, plus it's available in its entirety on YouTube (HERE).  Do try to catch it if you can.

Happy viewing!!

Happy Birthday, Gary Cooper!!

Happy 112th birthday to one of my most beloved guys---the great Gary Cooper.  (May 7, 1901 - May 13, 1961)

I celebration of this beloved man's birthday, I'll be breaking today from the films of Stewart Granger and, instead, watching one of Coop's.  Not sure what one yet; I have a couple of "new to me" Coop films on my computer, so I'm pretty sure it will be one of those.  Or maybe it will be one of my all-time faves, like Ten North Frederick or Mr. Deeds Goes to Town.  Whatever film it is, I'm sure I'll be smiling all the way through it, as I remember this very beloved guy on his birthday.

"Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."  (George Elliot)

We have not forgotten you, dear Gary...and we never will!

The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

While football may be the new favorite sport of most people, my family remains firmly in the baseball camp.  Yes, we do love college football, but when it comes to professional sports, baseball---especially Boston Red Sox baseball---is where it's at in our house.  For that reason, we gravitate to baseball films, and my favorite, bar none, is 1942's The Pride of the Yankees.  Starring Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright, this 5-star film tells the story of baseball great Lou Gehrig, who as probably everyone knows, was struck down with ALS---the disease which now bears his name---in the prime of life.

The movie begins when Lou is about ten, and it chronicles his early baseball years, his hazing by the team, his courtship of Eleanor, his "Iron Horse" years, the beginning of his descent into the world of ALS, and ultimately, his "Luckiest Man" speech.  While the film has many comical moments, at its core, it remains the story of a man afflicted with a devastating illness. 

As my regular blog readers know, I am a mega-huge Coop fan. It's rare that I don't like one of his movies, rare that I don't like the character he is portraying. But this film is just about my absolute favorite. The Pride of the Yankees is my third favorite Cooper film, behind only Mr. Deeds Goes to Town and Ten North Frederick.

Coop and Teresa Wright, who would be paired together again two years later in Casanova Brown, have terrific chemistry in this movie.

Both Cooper and Wright were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances here. Neither won; however, Teresa was also nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category that same year, for her role in Mrs. Miniver, and she did win that Oscar.  In all, The Pride of the Yankees received 11 Academy Award nominations, coming away with the win in the Best Film Editing category.

In my mind, The Pride of the Yankees is not only the best baseball film of all-time, but it is a delightful breath of fresh air. In this day of scandalous baseball, with its obscene salaries and rampant steroid use, we need to be reminded of what a "true baseball hero" Lou Gehrig was. He was an honorable man both on and off the field. Instead of whining about the devastating hand he had been dealt, he exhibited strength and courage in the face of great adversity. Our world needs more men like him. I think this film ought to be required viewing for today's professional athletes (along with 1950's The Jackie Robinson Story).

Besides Cooper and Wright, the film also features Walter Brennan and Dan Duryea.  And the legendary Babe Ruth takes to the screen too, playing himself.  In my Red Sox-lovin' household, a watching of this film provides my one and only allowed opportunity to look positively on a man wearing the Yankee pinstripes.

A definite must-see, The Pride of the Yankees is out on DVD, so it should be very easy to track down.  Do keep the tissues handy, as you're sure to need them.

Happy viewing!!

Friendly Persuasion (4 stars)

Friendly Persuasion, from 1956, is a Civil War-era drama starring Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire, with Anthony Perkins in a supporting role.  Produced and directed by William Wyler, this film, which is based on Jessamyn West's The Friendly Persuasion, is one I recently watched for the second time in celebration of my beloved Coop's May birthday.  Though the setting is during the Civil War, this is not a war film.  It's more the saga of a family and how they live out their moral convictions in the midst of the war.

As the Civil War rages in 1862, the Birdwell family of southern Indiana finds themselves having to re-examine many of their Quaker beliefs.  After a Union soldier makes a visit to their meeting house one Sunday,  Jess (Gary Cooper), patriarch of the family, begins to wrestle with whether it is right to maintain their non-violence policy.  While the Quakers are opposed to slavery, they don't believe it is right to kill one man to free another; however, when the soldier accuses the men of hiding behind their church to save their skin, son Josh (Anthony Perkins) isn't so sure staying out of the war is the right thing to do.

The matriarch of the family is Eliza (Dorothy McGuire), and as the town's preacher, she is bound and determined to live righteously.  Therefore, she is quite beside herself when a visit to the county fair exposes her children to the "evils" of dancing, wrestling, and gambling.  And when Jess, despite knowing that music is against the Quaker beliefs, purchases an organ, Eliza insists that he get rid of it...something he has no intention of doing.  Adding to the "sin" of the music, is Jess's habit of entering into a horse race with a neighbor as he drives the family to church each week.

How can the Birdwells live amidst all the unrighteousness and not be tainted by it themselves?  And what will they do when the Confederate Army approaches and they are forced to defend their home?  How it all plays out is the balance of the film.



Friendly Persuasion is a very enjoyable film.  It is a bit on the long side (2 hours, 15 minutes), but, honestly, it never dragged.  Although the film is a drama, there are a few very comical moments...such as when Jess and Josh go calling on Jess's customers.  Marjorie Main portrays a widow with 3 VERY marriage-minded daughters who see Josh as a prime husband candidate.  Their "hospitality" towards Josh is quite a hoot.  Another funny scene is the one in which the church elders come calling on the possibly-wayward Birdwells.  With the forbidden organ hidden away in the attic, Jess begins to pray very loudly in order to camouflage the sound of his daughter making music on the instrument.  The always-delightful Charles Halton is one of the church elders, and I just love his reaction to Coop's prayer.

This is a very well-acted film.  Gary Cooper is perfect in his role as head of the family, and he and Dorothy McGuire are great together.  However, Anthony Perkins (in only his second screen role) more than holds his own with those two much-bigger names.  I was completely impressed by his portrayal of the coming-of-age Josh.

The Dimitri Tiomkin score of Friendly Persuasion is quite lovely, and the theme song, with music by Mr. Tiomkin, lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, and vocals by Pat Boone, received the Best Music, Original Song Academy Award nomination.



In addition to its music nomination, the film received five others, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor (Anthony Perkins).  While it didn't come away with any wins, it is, nevertheless, a thoroughly entertaining film, which I highly recommend.

Out on DVD, this film should be easy to track down; however, it's also on the TCM schedule for Thursday, June 14th, at 9:00 a.m. (ET).  I hope you get a chance to see it.

Happy viewing!!

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (3 stars)

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife, from 1938, is a romantic comedy starring Claudette Colbert and Gary Cooper, with Edward Everett Horton and David Niven taking on supporting roles.  Falling into the "screwball" genre, this film's screenplay was written by director Billy Wilder, with its directing duties going to Ernst Lubitsch.

At a department store on the French Riviera, American millionaire Michael Brandon (Gary Cooper) is shopping for size 42 pajamas.  Although the salesman attempts to sell cologne, neckwear, and other items to him, the man is in the market for only pajamas...and not just any pajamas...rather, he wants only the top, because, as he tells the clerk, he doesn't use---or need---the pants.  Since the salesclerk will not sell him only the top, a woman customer, Nicole de Loiselle (Claudette Colbert) steps in and offers to buy the trousers, as she doesn't want---or need---the top.

Although Michael assumes the pajamas are for Nicole's husband, she assures him she isn't married, which makes him wonder who in the world she is purchasing pajama pants for.  Without an answer to his wondering, the two go their separate ways.

Unable to sleep, and quite sure it is because of his room, Michael insists that he be moved to the fanciest suite in the hotel.  However, when he moves in, he finds that the previous tenant, Marquis De Loiselle (Edward Everett Horton), has not yet moved out.  To his surprise, the man is dressed in striped pajama pants---pants which are much too long for him, which causes Michael to realize that the Marquis is wearing the other half of his recently-purchased pajamas.  He soon discovers that the Marquis' daughter bought them for him.  Thus, the beautiful lady from the department store makes a re-entry into Michael's life.

Though Michael and Nicole's "courtship" starts off on a less than satisfactory note, in due time, they have fallen in love and are planning to be married.  However, only hours before the ceremony, Nicole discovers that Michael has been married before---seven times!!---and she calls off the wedding.  However, with a pre-marriage agreement in place, the cash-strapped Marquis urges his daughter to go through with the marriage---just so she can get a divorce and obtain the $100,000 settlement.

Michael, though, adopting a stubborn, tenacious streak, has no intention of granting Nicole a divorce...no matter that they have separate bedrooms and separate lives or that she is trying to make him think she is involved with another man.  How it all plays out---in very screwball fashion---is the balance of the film.





This film, while enjoyable, is absolutely nothing spectacular.  Yes, Coop was his usual gorgeous self, and he looked fabulous in a tux; yes, Claudette was her usual classy, elegant self.  There's no denying that they were two beautiful stars and that the careers of both were on fire in 1938.  With Miss Colbert's Academy Award-winning performance in It Happened One Night only a few years prior and Coop's Oscar-nominated performance in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town two years earlier, it's obvious that they both had a flair for romantic comedy.  However, being totally honest, Bluebeard's Eighth Wife fell short for me.  I think both Coop and Colbert made far better films than this one.  For Coop, it may be that his character was a selfish millionaire...something light years away from his other roles of that time (or the bulk of his career, for that matter).  At any rate, he seemed completely miscast to me.  Oh, and by the way, there was a very brief scene when Coop was sporting a mustache...may I just say "NO WAY!"  Keep that gorgeous face clean-shaven!

So, though I did enjoy the film, it is certainly not a favorite; nor is it one I feel I ever need to watch again.  (However, a repeat viewing might cause the film to grow on me.)  I definitely think this is a must-see for Coop, Colbert, and screwball fans, though.  It is out on DVD as part of the Claudette Colbert Collection, so you ought to be able to track it down.

Happy viewing!!

Happy Birthday, Gary Cooper!!!

Happy 111th birthday to one of my absolute favorite actors---the sensational Gary Cooper.  (May 7, 1901-May 13, 1961)

Born Frank James Cooper, the tall, lanky, mild-mannered (not to mention extremely handsome!) 2-time Academy Award-winning Coop is one of my absolute most favorite actors...my #3 guy of all-time (and not too far behind the #1's).  From the moment I "discovered" him in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, I have been completely smitten  and have been on a quest to see all of his films.  So far, I'm over halfway there...I've seen 57 of the 96 films listed on his TCM filmography.  (Just less than half if you go by the IMDB, which lists 115 titles, many of which are silent films.)

Interestingly, in addition to being one of my favorite actors, when it comes to favorite film characters, three of my five favorite male characters are those played by Gary Cooper.  Far and away, he portrayed men of integrity, goodness, and honor, and since those are qualities I admire, it's natural that I am drawn to characters exhibiting those traits.  My tied-for-#1 favorite film character is Will Kane, Coop's role in High Noon.   After Kane, comes Thomas Thorn (They Came to Cordura) and Longfellow Deeds (Mr. Deeds Goes to Town).  I also love Lou Gehrig in The Pride of the Yankees and Alvin York in Sergeant York; however, since those were both real men---not characters---I am not counting them.  I readily admit that I have a hard time separating the man Gary Cooper from those honorable men he portrayed, so while I know Coop had his faults, I don't like to think about them; instead, I prefer to keep him on his pedestal.

My all-time favorite Gary Cooper film---by only the tiniest of margins over #2---is Ten North Frederick.  This gorgeous tearjerker (reviewed HERE) is a May-December romance, also starring Suzy Parker.  Coop displays a sensitivity and vulnerability I haven't seen him display in any other film.  This little-known gem is right up there with Madame X as the "tearjerker of all tearjerkers" for me; plus, with one viewing, it displaced Mr. Deeds Goes to Town as my favorite Coop film.  I hope you will read my review of this film, then watch it for yourself (it is on YouTube, at least as of today).  It deserves to be better known than it is.

Rounding out my list of five favorite Gary Cooper films are:

2.  Mr. Deeds Goes to Town  (with Jean Arthur, this is easily my favorite Frank Capra film---reviewed HERE)

3.  The Pride of the Yankees  (with Teresa Wright---reviewed HERE)

4.  They Came to Cordura  (with Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, and Richard Conte)

5.  Good Sam  (with Ann Sheridan---reviewed HERE)

It was nearly impossible to stop with just five films.  I had to think long and hard before finalizing this list.  In the end, Ball of Fire lost out to Good Sam...but only by the tiniest of margins.

So, here's to you, Gary Cooper, on your 111th birthday!   You will always, always, always be one of my beloved guys and one of my absolute favorite actors.  Even though you died the very year I was born, you live on through your wonderful films.  And, in the words of George Eliot, "Our dead are never dead to us, until we have forgotten them."  Since we have not forgotten you (nor will we ever!), you live on!  Thanks for beautifying my life with so many incredible, cherished films!

The Cowboy and the Lady (4 stars)

The Cowboy and the Lady, from 1938, is a sweet little romantic comedy starring my beloved Gary Cooper as the cowboy

and Merle Oberon as the lady.

Among others, Harry Davenport, Patsy Kelly, and Walter Brennan, who co-starred with Coop in at least half a dozen films, take on supporting roles here.  It's a very predictable movie...and somewhat corny...but it's totally cute.  Coop fans will definitely enjoy it.

Merle Oberon plays Mary Smith, the daughter of Judge Horace Smith, who happens to have his political aspirations on the Supreme Court. In order to keep his political ambitions alive, Mr. Smith must keep scandal away at all costs, so his daughter barely leaves the house lest she do something which would embarrass him.  One evening, though, Mary goes out, and after a newspaper article about a ruckus at a club is linked with Mary's name, Judge Smith decides that he will send his daughter down to their Palm Beach home for a period of time.

While in Palm Beach, Mary convinces her two maids to allow her to tag along on a date with them.  She ends up meeting rodeo rider Stretch Willoughby (Coop) and very quickly falls for him.  Only problem, she doesn't tell him she is a wealthy socialite...she lets him believe she is a ladies' maid and that she works to support her drunken father and four younger sisters.  After learning that Stretch doesn't think highly of the "snobby" upper class, she is afraid that revealing her true identity will drive him away from her...so she keeps up the pretense.

When Stretch departs for the rodeo's next stop in Galveston, Mary goes to the ship to talk with him.  She ends up being on board when the ship departs, and in typical whirlwind romance fashion, the two decide to have the captain marry them.  Stretch tells Mary that after the Galveston event, he will quit the rodeo and they will go to his ranch in Montana where he expects they will live happily ever after.

Of course, things don't go quite as planned.  Mary's father phones that he is coming down to Palm Beach and bringing with him the man whose support he is seeking.  Therefore, he needs Mary to play hostess at a dinner party...but Mary is in Galveston and on her way to Montana, so how can she do that?

Will Stretch find out Mary's true identity?  Will his opinion of the upper class change?  Will Mary's father get the nomination he seeks?  Will Mary and Stretch live happily ever after?  These are the questions which will play out in the remainder of this film.



The Cowboy and the Lady is corny and totally predictable, but it's adorable...AND it's Gary Cooper!!!  As in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Meet John Doe, and Ball of Fire, Coop's character is a rather sensitive, unworldly man---a man who expects people to be sincere, to be exactly what they appear to be.  It always happens, though, that the gal he falls for is not what she appears to be, and his heart gets broken---for a time.  While I'm not super-familiar with Merle Oberon, I found her to be sweet and lovely in this role; I couldn't help rooting for her to find happiness with Coop.  No, this film isn't the greatest movie ever made, but it is sweet and loads of fun.  And for Coop fans, it will greatly satisfy...he's as handsome and adorable as ever.  The supporting cast is fantastic, with Harry Davenport being particularly delightful.   The acting of everyone involved is solid---they all quite bring their characters to life beautifully  The film is out on DVD, so it should be pretty easy to track down a copy.  It is also available through Net Flix instant viewing.

Happy viewing!!

May's Blogging Agenda

With the dawning of a new month, it's time for a new blog focus.  Much as I hate to leave my #1's and the beach behind, with April now just a memory, it's time for other things.  Though quite a few of my faves have May birthdays, I'll be focusing on only two of them, one of whom is one of my "beloveds"...the wonderful, talented, fabulously handsome Gary Cooper.

The other "birthday boy" I'll be focusing on this month is the tremendously under-rated and completely gorgeous Tyrone Power.

In honor of Mother's Day, I'll be focusing on what I call "mommy movies."  And, in celebration of Memorial Day, I'll be focusing on those films which serve to honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom.

In addition to these themes, I'll be throwing in a few "non-theme" films...just to keep things fresh and unpredictable.  I hope you'll discover a few "must see" movies through this month's reviews.

Happy viewing to all!!

Good Sam (5 stars)

Good Sam, from 1948, starring Gary Cooper and Ann Sheridan, is a touching Leo McCarey comedy very much in the same spirit as the beloved "It's a Wonderful Life."  Since Gary Cooper is one of my great loves, I had been doing a search of his filmography a few years ago, and this lovely film was one that really jumped out at me as a must-see.  So, through the fantastic inter-library loan program, I obtained a VHS copy (from a library in Missouri, as I recall), and I totally fell in love with this little-known gem.  I watched it in the middle of the summer, and because there is a holiday theme to it, I kept hoping TCM would put it on their Christmas movie schedule, and after three years of waiting, they have finally done so---this coming Tuesday!! I couldn't be more thrilled!!

Much like It's a Wonderful Life, Good Sam is the story of a man who continually touches the lives of others...and ends up broke and in hot water as a result.  Coop is Sam Clayton, a man who would---and usually does---give the shirt off his back to someone in need.  Sam's wife, Lu (Ann Sheridan), is mildly frustrated by Sam's generosity, for it has kept them from having the money to purchase a home of their own.  When they finally do have enough savings for a down payment, Sam loans some of it to a friend.   With the remaining "house money," Sam buys turkeys for a charity giveaway, with the intent to reimburse himself from donations given.  Only problem is, Sam gets robbed, so there is no money with which to pay himself back, which means he won't be able to close on the house...and with Lu already starting to move their things in, Sam is desperately in need of a little help himself.

This movie is totally delightful...I absolutely love it!  It's a warm and fuzzy story, the kind that leaves you feeling good all over. Coop is his usual handsome, loveable self, and Ann Sheridan is totally fantastic.   The two of them had amazing chemistry together and played fabulously off one another. There is one scene in which Ann gets into a major laughing fit...it's quite hysterical to see her going on that long.

I highly recommend adding this movie to your Christmas movie list.  It is on the TCM evening schedule for Tuesday, December 20th.  Check for the time in your area, then set your DVR.  I think this is one you will want to record, as it's not out on DVD and is pretty difficult to track down.  I know I will be recording it to a disc and adding it to my own classic movie library (and, thus, my annual Christmas viewing schedule).

Happy viewing!!

Will Kane and Michael Logan...My # 1's

Regular readers of my blog already know that while I enjoy alot of different actors, my real loves are William Holden, Robert Ryan, and Gary Cooper.  Those three guys are my #1's, which is quite evident to all, I'm sure, since I am so often reviewing one of their films or just plain gushing about them.  Gal-wise, Bette Davis is my #1, with Susan Hayward and Barbara Stanwyck following in her footsteps. 

Movie-wise, I've already shared that Now, Voyager has #1 status, with Casablanca, A Place in the Sun, Sunset Boulevard, and Madame X rounding out the top 5.

So far, though, I've never shared with my blog readers which movie characters are my favorites, and I felt it was high-time I did so.  As with my actors, though, I can't decide on just one---I have two favorite movie characters.

First there's Marshal Will Kane...my beloved Gary Cooper's role in High Noon.  Though High Noon is nowhere near being my favorite Coop film, Will Kane is, without question, my favorite Coop role.  While I totally love his characters in Ten North Frederick and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (my 2 favorite Coop movies),  I love Marshal Kane even more.  Though I'm not a huge fan of Westerns, I have watched several of Coop's, and High Noon is definitely a movie I enjoy.  I'll be generous and call it a 4-star film, though if I'm really not in a Western mood, it can become a 3-star.  Beyond a shadow of a doubt, though, Will Kane is a 5-star character. His willngness to do the right thing---even if he is the only one doing it---showed him to be a man of honor and integrity.  To me, Marshal Kane is THE quintessential Gary Cooper!!

My other favorite movie character, similarly, is a man who is bound and determined to do the right thing, no matter what the cost to himself.  That man is Father Michael Logan, Montgomery Clift's character in Alfred Hitchcock's I Confess (my favorite Hitch film).  As a priest, he had taken a vow to keep in confidence those things told to him in the confessional, and even if it meant his own arrest, Father Logan wasn't going to break that vow.  Again, a man of integrity and commitment.

Though I Confess is my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film, it is not my favorite Montgomery Clift film...that would be A Place in the Sun.  However, Father Logan IS my favorite Clift character.

Anyhow, although I love many characters in many different movies, when pushed to choose an absolute favorite, these two men are the ones that stand out.  What about y'all?  Who are some of your favorite classic movie characters?  And what is it about them that makes them your favorite?

Thanks for sharing!!

Ten North Frederick (5 stars)

Always on the lookout for a deeply moving, 5-star film I've never seen before, I recently hit the jackpot with my viewing of Ten North Frederick.  A little-heard-of Gary Cooper romantic drama from 1958, this movie also stars Suzy Parker, Diane Varsi, and Geraldine Fitzgerald.  Much like the beautiful Fredric March/Kim Novak film, Middle of the Night (reviewed HERE), Ten North Frederick explores the romantic relationship between a 50-ish man and a woman half his age.

With this one movie, two films have been toppled from their positions on my lists. For quite some time, Madame X has been the tearjerker of all tearjerkers for me. I totally love that movie and generally sob to the point of being unable to breathe. While that is still the case, Ten North Frederick brings an equal amount of sobs.  Additionally, when it comes to my beloved Gary Cooper, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town has long been my favorite of his films. While I still totally love that movie, I love this one even more.  After only one viewing, Ten North Frederick is on my 20 favorite films list.

The fabulous Coop is Joseph B. Chapin...successful lawyer, faithful husband, loving father.  The story, which is told in flashback, begins at number Ten North Frederick Street, immediately following Joe's funeral.  Through the eyes of Joe's 20-something daughter Ann, we see that while the Chapin family looks good on the outside, inside there is scandal and unhappiness.  Although Joe has always been faithful to his wife, Edith (Geraldine Fitzgerald), there is no love or warmth between them; in fact, while Joe's children have a bond with him, it is clear that they, too, have no love for their cold, ambitious, social-climbing mother.

Edith manipulates her husband and children in order to satisfy her own drive for power and status.  Since Edith wants a political future for Joe, he throws his hat in the ring for lieutenant governor, despite not having political aspirations himself.  Son Joby's desire to be a musician and to attend Juilliard is put down, and he is sent off to Yale instead.  And when daughter Ann marries someone deemed "unacceptable" to her father's candidacy prospects, the man is bought off and the marriage annulled.

When Joe can no longer live with the ugliness of the political campaign, he withdraws from the race...something which infuriates Edith.  Telling him that he is a failure and that she has wasted her life on him, she proceeds to inform him that she had been unfaithful to him fifteen years earlier.  Edith's words have an affect on Joe...he tells her that his real failure was in not being a better father, in allowing Edith's ambitions to cause him to hurt the ones he loved most.  Feeling that he needs to apologize to Ann for buying off her husband, Joe heads to New York City, where Ann is now living.

Unaware that her father was coming for a visit, Ann is not at home when Joe arrives; however, her roommate, Kate (Suzy Parker) is there, and she and Joe spend the evening talking.   Before long, despite the tremendous disparity in their ages, Joe and Kate are deeply in love.  Can there possibly be a future for them?

This film moved me deeply. Although it took close to 50 minutes to really come together, once it did, there was no stopping it. More than just a tearjerker, this was a sobber (for me). As with Madame X, I was sobbing (not merely weeping) for nearly a half hour in this film. Coop was totally magnificent in his role...emotional and vulnerable in a way I've rarely seen him before. I can't help but wonder if his own years-earlier romance with the half-his-age Patricia Neal made this role deeply personal for him and if that personalness translated into what I think is one of his very best performances. My heart was completely touched by his character. Adding to the movie's emotional tug was my awareness that this was one of Coop's final films. Three years---and a half dozen films---after this, Coop would succumb to cancer, and his wonderful, charismatic presence would grace the silver screen no more.

Suzy Parker, who I have never seen before, was really lovely in her role as Kate, and Geraldine Fitzgerald was spot-on as Joe's overbearing, shrewish wife.  Although at times it didn't seem like the scenes flowed right, I still positively loved this movie.

So, there you have it, with this one film, Madame X must now share its title of "tearjerker of all tearjerkers," and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, though still very beloved, is  now my second favorite Gary Cooper film. 

I don't believe Ten North Frederick is out on DVD, and TCM rarely airs it.  However, it is available on YouTube (in 11 parts), and I highly recommend seeing it.  It's really a beautiful film, and, I think, it features Coop at his absolute finest.

Happy viewing!!

Man of the West (3 stars)

Man of the West, starring my #2 guy Gary Cooper, is a Western drama from 1958.  While I am not a huge fan of Westerns, I DO occasionally watch them.  After all, many of my favorite stars, including my #2 guy, made plenty of them, and since I want to watch their works, I must occasionally view a Western.    Starring along with Coop in this one are Julie London and Lee J. Cobb.  Arthur O'Connell and Jack Lord, of Hawaii Five-O fame, have supporting roles.

Coop plays Link Jones, a former outlaw who has been walking the straight and narrow for many years.  Link has successfully left his thieving, murderous ways behind and has carved out a new and respectable life for himself in a little town called Good Hope.  As the movie begins, Link boards a train to Fort Worth, where he intends to hire a schoolteacher for his town.

While in a very remote area, the train makes a stop to add wood, and all able-bodied passengers are required to help.  At that point, a gang of outlaws jumps the train, and gunfire ensues.  The outlaws are not successful in their takeover, though, and the train pulls away...leaving three passengers behind...Link, Billie Ellis (Julie London), and Sam Beasley (Arthur O'Connell).

Knowing that  there won't be another train for a week and that it is 100 miles to the nearest town, Link suggests that the trio begin walking to shelter, and eventually they reach a secluded homestead...where Link comes face to face with his past.  The home is the hideout of Dock Tobin's (Lee J. Cobb) gang, with whom Link used to run, and with Link back with him, Dock intends to pull off a huge robbery in a nearby town.

Has Link really left his outlaw ways behind him?  Will he return to his thieving ways and join Dock in the robbery?  And when Billie is forced to undress for the lusting men, will Link intervene to protect her?  These are the questions that will play out in this movie.

While I actually enjoy other Coop Westerns more than this one (and even give them 4 stars), this one is very good, very solid.  I like the character of Link Jones...to me, he's the quintessential Gary Cooper.  I think Coop's portrayal of the outlaw-turned-good citizen was very believable.  It was a perfect role for him.  Lee J. Cobb was fabulous in his role.  He played outlaw Tobin to perfection.  And Jack Lord, Hawaii Five-O's good guy Steve McGarrett, portrayed a member of the gang.  As one who regularly watches (and enjoys) Hawaii Five-O, it seemed quite strange to see Jack Lord in such an evil role, but he did it very well. He and Coop face off in one brutal fighting scene.  (An interesting note---my son read on Wikipedia [which means it may or may not be true] that Jack Lord always credited Gary Cooper as being his on-screen role model.)

Man of the West is out on DVD and should be quite easy to track down.  Those that enjoy Westerns will definitely like this one.  Happy viewing!!

Casanova Brown (4 stars)

Casanova Brown, from 1944, is the second pairing of Gary Cooper and Teresa Wright.  Their first pairing was in The Pride of the Yankees (5 stars from me) in 1942, and they had great chemistry together there. Here in Casanova Brown, which is a rather slapstick comedy, they also work great together.

On the eve of his wedding to Madge, Casanova (Cass) Brown (Coop) receives a letter from a maternity hospital in Chicago.  After first dismissing the letter as nothing more than an advertisement or perhaps a mistake, Cass begins to question whether there is more to the situation than he's aware of.  He relates to his future father-in-law (fabulously played by Frank Morgan) of how the previous fall, on a trip to New York, he had met lovely Isabel Drury (Teresa Wright), had a whirlwind romance with her and gotten married.  However, her parents didn't approve of Cass due to the fact that the "stars weren't in the right alignment on the day of his birth"...thus, they annulled the marriage, and Cass left New York, once again a single man.  (The scene where Isabel's parents disapprove of the marriage is very slapstick...and quite entertaining.)

Unsure if his and Isabel's one night together resulted in pregnancy, Cass decides that he must respond to the letter from the maternity hospital, so he heads off to Chicago before ever marrying Madge.  After consulting with the doctor, he discovers that Isabel did, in fact, have a child and that she intends to put the child up for adoption.  Cass, however, refuses to allow his baby to be "given to strangers," so he kidnaps the baby from the hospital nursery and hides out with her in a nearby hotel.

Although Cass has zero knowledge about how to take care of a baby, he is determined to try.  And he is just as determined to not be discovered by Isabel or the doctor.  It's a series of comical moments---and alot of fun---watching the new daddy in action.

As I said, this movie is often slapstick, but this crazy-about-Coop gal finds it completely and totally delightful.  It's really Coop's show; although Teresa Wright gets second billing, you don't see all that much of her.  Frank Morgan actually gets more screen time than Teresa does...and he's quite hilarious.

Anyhow, this cute but silly movie is out on DVD and should be readily available.  Also, it's on Net Flix in their "instant viewing" inventory.  Hope y'all get a chance to see it.

Happy viewing!!

Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (5 stars)

Right behind William Holden on my all-time fave list is Gary Cooper, and, easily, my favorite Coop movie is the sweet romantic dramedy, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, from way back in 1936.  This film, which also stars the under-rated Jean Arthur, was directed by Frank Capra, who won an Academy Award for his work here.  Mr. Deeds Goes to Town was nominated for four other Oscars, including Best Picture and a Lead Actor nod for Mr. Cooper.

The story begins when Longfellow Deeds (Coop), an unworldly, down-to-earth man who writes poems for greeting cards, inherits $20 million from an uncle he barely knew. When his uncle's lawyers track him down at his New England home, he is totally unimpressed by the news of his inheritance. After all, he's comfortable and happy as he is, so he has no need of all those millions.

When the lawyers whisk Longfellow off to their New York offices, they see him as a total pushover, one whom they will be able to manipulate to do exactly what they want him to with all his money. Alas, though, Mr. Deeds is NOT as easy to push around as they think he is!! And his plan for the money is MUCH different than the lawyers' plans, for he intends to use it to help out the less fortunate, since he himself is already adequately provided for and quite comfortable. (This movie was released in the middle of the Great Depression and takes place during that time period.)

The local newspaper sees Mr. Deeds' inheritance of his uncle's fortune as a sensational story from which they can benefit.  Therefore, one of the ace reporters, Louise "Babe" Bennett (Jean Arthur), determined to get "the scoop," hatches a scheme of deception. Pretending to be an unemployed woman looking for work, Babe, strolls in front of Longfellows' New York residence, fainting dead away just as Mr. Deeds exits the house. Thinking he has rescued a hungry, down-on-her-luck woman, Mr. Deeds takes her (now calling herself Mary) out to dinner and then spends a sweet evening with her. Feeling that Mary is sincere and kind-hearted, Longfellow talks openly and honestly with her.

The next morning, when the lead story in the newspaper refers to Mr. Deeds as "The Cinderella Man" and recounts stories about him which make him appear to be a simpleton, he is confused as to how they got such information. He has no idea that "Mary" is not what she appears to be, and he continues to see her, eventually falling in love.

Meanwhile, Mr. Deeds has determined that he will use his $20 million to give a helping hand to hundreds of farmers who have lost their farms in The Depression. However, this idea infuriates the lawyers, who see their grip on the money loosening, and they attempt to have Mr. Deeds declared insane, thus allowing his inheritance to fall back into their hands.

Eventually, Longfellow discovers that Mary is really the reporter who has been writing all the negative stories about him, and since he has fallen in love with her, he is quite devastated by her deception, so devastated, in fact, that at his sanity hearing, he refuses to open his mouth in his own defense.

Will Mr. Deeds be declared insane by the court?  Will his inheritance be awarded to another?  Will he ever forgive Mary for deceiving him and making him appear "simple" in her news articles?  Those are the questions which play out in the balance of this charming film.



Mr. Deeds Goes to Town really is a sweet movie, directed by none other than Frank Capra, of It's a Wonderful Life fame. This is my favorite Capra film (even more than It's a Wonderful Life) and my favorite Gary Cooper film. It's just a tender and touching story...a little sappy and sentimental, yes, but sweet nonetheless.

FYI...this movie was remade in the early 2000's, under the name of Mr. Deeds, and starring Adam Sandler in the title role. I have not seen the remake, nor do I ever intend to. For me, Adam Sandler cannot hold a candle to Gary Cooper, and I have no desire to see him try. Additionally, the remake is rated PG-13 for "Language including sexual references and some rear nudity." Well, I've seen the original---and loved it---and such things were not necessary for it to be a good movie. I'm not sure why the makers of the newer version felt compelled to add unnecessary junk.

 Out on DVD, this film should be readily available and quite easy to track down.  Hope you get a chance to watch it...and that you enjoy it.

Happy viewing!!