Coming Up Shorts! With… Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1

Disclaimer: On the disc case, it is noted that the set is intended for the adult collector, which is because these shorts were made at a time when a lot of racist and sexist stereotypes were prevalent. All I’m trying to say is, parents, be careful about just sticking these on for your kids.

Welcome back for another full post of Coming Up Shorts! Once again, I’m sticking with theatrical shorts featuring Popeye The Sailor, although this time I’m swinging back around to the shorts from 1943 through 1945 that have been released together on disc in Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1.

Here’s a list and quick plot description for each of the cartoons included in this set (for my comments on the individual cartoons, click on the title to go to my previous reviews):

Her Honor, The Mare (1943) (Length: 7 minutes, 15 seconds)
- Popeye’s nephews bring home a horse rejected by the glue factory, but he doesn’t want the horse in the house.
The Marry-Go-Round (1943) (Length: 7 minutes, 52 seconds)
- Popeye’s pal Shorty tries to help him propose to Olive.
We’re On Our Way To Rio (1943) (Length: 7 minutes, 50 seconds)
- Popeye and Bluto come to Rio, where they run into Olive Oyl as a nightclub singer.
The Anvil Chorus Girl (1944) (Length: 7 minutes, 5 seconds)
- Popeye and Bluto come across Olive, who is working as a blacksmith and try to help her out.
Spinach-Packin’ Popeye (1944) (Length: 7 minutes, 6 seconds)
- After giving blood, Popeye loses a fight to Bluto and tries to convince Olive not to reject him.
Puppet Love (1944) (Length: 7 minutes, 32 seconds)
- Bluto creates a life-size puppet that looks like Popeye, and uses it to make Popeye look bad with Olive.
Pitchin’ Woo At The Zoo (1944) (Length: 6 minutes, 51 seconds)
- Popeye and Olive are walking through the zoo, and zookeeper Bluto tries to impress Olive.
Moving Aweigh (1944) (Length: 6 minutes, 22 seconds)
- Popeye and his pal Shorty try to help Olive move.
She-Sick Sailors (1944) (Length: 6 minutes, 37 seconds)
- Bluto disguises himself as Superman to win Olive’s affections, but Popeye tries to prove he is still just as good.
Pop-Pie A La Mode (1945) (Length: 6 minutes, 53 seconds)
- After being shipwrecked, Popeye makes it to an island that, as he later discovers, is inhabited by cannibals.
Tops In The Big Top (1945) (Length: 6 minutes, 26 seconds)
- Circus ringmaster Bluto tries to sabotage star attraction Popeye to get the attentions of Popeye’s assistant Olive.
Shape Ahoy (1945) (Length: 6 minutes, 51 seconds)
- Popeye and Bluto have come to a deserted island to get away from the ladies, but when a shipwrecked Olive comes ashore, their friendship and ideals go out the window!
For Better Or Nurse (1945) (Length: 7 minutes, 6 seconds)
- Popeye and Bluto try to injure themselves to get into the hospital, where Olive works as a nurse.
Mess Production (1945) (Length: 7 minutes, 7 seconds)
- Factory workers Popeye and Bluto have to rescue Olive when she gets knocked for a loop by a swinging grappling hook.

In the early 1940s, the Fleischer Studios, who had been creating the Popeye cartoons, were taken over by Paramount. Having fired the Fleischer brothers, Paramount renamed the studio as Famous Studios. After producing about 14 black-and-white Popeye shorts at Famous Studios, they made the switch to Technicolor starting with the 1943 cartoon Her Honor, The Mare. During the 1943-1945 “seasons,” several other changes occurred. Jack Mercer, the voice of Popeye, left to serve in the war, resulting in Popeye being voiced by some others during that time (mostly Harry Welch, although Olive Oyl voice actress Mae Questel did the part once for the cartoon Shape Ahoy). Speaking of Olive Oyl, Margie Hines started out voicing her for one of the Technicolor shorts, but, with production of the shorts moving from Miami back to New York City, Mae Questel resumed her voice duties as Olive for the first time since 1938. Also, starting with The Anvil Chorus Girl, Jackson Beck would voice the character of Bluto, and would continue to do so until 1962.

Ok, so I’m doing things the roundabout way by commenting on the 1940s Volume 1 set after having already done so for both the second and third volumes, but I still enjoy these cartoons! A lot more of the cartoons from this set are familiar to me, as I have stronger memories of some of them from my childhood. As a whole, these shorts are definitely better than the later ones, with greater variety and more characters involved, such as Popeye’s buddy Shorty. The only less-than-stellar short in this set is Pop-Pie A La Mode, which is so blatantly racist in some of its portrayals that its not even funny (but at least you can skip past that one if you are so inclined). I will admit that a couple of the later ones in this set aren’t *quite* as fun, since Jack Mercer didn’t voice Popeye (and your level of enjoyment for that reason may vary), but I personally don’t think they’re too bad. These cartoons all had their original nitrate Technicolor negatives scanned in 4K, and the colors are just so fantastic and vivid here, just as they are in the later sets. Personally, I have no trouble whatsoever in recommending this set (especially if we still want more)!

Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Warner Archive Collection. The whole set has a runtime of one hour, thirty-nine minutes.

“Star Of The Month (February 2021)” Featuring Clark Gable in… Dancing Lady (1933)

I’m back again to continue celebrating Clark Gable as my Star Of The Month, and this time around, I’m doing his 1933 film Dancing Lady, also starring Joan Crawford! Of course, as usual, we’ve got a few theatrical shorts to get things started, and then it’s on with the show!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Mess Production (1945)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 7 seconds)

Factory workers Popeye and Bluto have to rescue Olive when she gets knocked for a loop by a swinging grappling hook. Apparently the first cartoon to sport a new design for Olive that would be continued, going forward. This one was fun, with all the gags of the boys trying to rescue her (and fight each other off at the same time). It was better than the previous two, with Jack Mercer again voicing Popeye. Admittedly, the whole gag of Olive sleepwalking after being hit in the head does kind of drag on, but it’s still fun enough to be worth seeing every now and then!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Plane Nuts (1933)

(available as an extra on the Dancing Lady DVD from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 19 minutes, 41 seconds)

Ted Healy and the Stooges perform onstage. From what I can tell, this short apparently filmed part of their stage act, including Bonnie Bonnell, and was interspersed with clips from some Busby Berkeley choreographed numbers from the film Flying High. Honestly, I don’t really care for Ted Healy as much here, but the Stooges themselves are at least somewhat fun. As far as the dance numbers, I’d really rather see the film they came from, as they just seem out of place with everything else going on here. Interesting but otherwise forgettable short.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Roast Beef And Movies (1934)

(available as an extra on the Dancing Lady DVD from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 16 minutes, 16 seconds)

Three men try to peddle their ideas to a movie producer, who offered up a lot of money to someone who could come up with a big idea. This color short (made in Two-Color Technicolor or something similar, if I am guessing correctly) is a rare short that features Curly Howard (here billed as “Jerry Howard”) apart from his fellow Stooges Moe and Larry. Given that he is not a prominent member of the trio, and the short is comprised of several sequences (two of which are borrowed from other films), it’s not particularly memorable. They do attempt to use some Stooges-type of humor, but it really doesn’t work without the actual Stooges team. At best, this one is only to be seen by fans of Curly, and otherwise should be avoided.

And Now For The Main Feature…

Dancer Janie Barlow (Joan Crawford) is doing a striptease in a burlesque theatre along with her friend Rosette LaRue (Winnie Lightner) and a number of other ladies, when the police raid the place and arrest them all. Janie is sentenced to jail since she can’t pay her fine, but she is soon bailed out by rich socialite Tod Newton (Franchot Tone). While he is interested in her, she would prefer to consider the bail money just a loan (which she intends to pay back). With her newfound freedom, Janie opts not to go back to the burlesque theatre, and instead starts looking for work as a dancer on Broadway. She tries to get into the show directed by Patch Gallagher (Clark Gable), even following him everywhere to get his attention, but her methods don’t work. She runs back into Tod again, who offers to help her get her foot in the door with a letter of introduction to Patch’s producer, Jasper Bradley, Sr. (Grant Mitchell). Jasper is delighted and has his son, Junior (Maynard Holmes) bring Janie to Patch for an audition. Believing her to be a no-talent, Patch hands her off to his stage manager Steve (Ted Healy) to get rid of her. However, she manages to impress Steve (and then Patch), and is given a job in the show. Secretly, Tod offers to help finance the show in hopes of getting Janie to like him. He proposes to her, but she wants to have her chance at stardom before she’s ready to settle down. As the rehearsals go on, Patch decides to change things up, and promotes Janie to a starring role. However, Tod decides to pull his backing, and the two Bradleys close the show (without telling everyone the real reason). Tod almost immediately whisks Janie away on a trip to Cuba, while Patch decides to finance the show himself, with things going back to the way they were. But, can he pull the show off? And will Janie indeed give up on her dream of dancing? Only watching the movie will tell!

Oh, where to begin with this one? Joan Crawford, who had successfully transitioned from silent movies to talkies, was coming off a few flops and in need of a big hit. The film was given to producer David O. Selznick, who was inspired by Warner’s recent success with 42nd Street and put together his own team for this film. Joan Crawford had some choice in casting, and picked Clark Gable, for what would be the fourth of eight movies pairing the two. The critics weren’t overly enthusiastic for the movie, but audiences of the time were, making it a big hit for MGM.

This is one of those movies where it’s just as much fun to see cast members who made it big AFTER this movie. We have Eve Arden making a very quick cameo. We have Nelson Eddy singing the song “That’s The Rhythm Of The Day.” We’ve got the Three Stooges (although they were still stuck with Ted Healy at the time, and therefore are mostly in the background for the majority of the movie). We’ve got a quick appearance from Sterling Holloway. And, of course, we’ve got Fred Astaire making his film debut, playing himself (and getting introduced by Clark Gable)!

I can’t deny the fact that this is essentially MGM’s version of 42nd Street, from the very similar story to the Busby Berkeley-esque dance routines. I would definitely say that I prefer Dancing Lady, as I’ve seen it many more times. It does still have similar issues, with a lead female (Ruby Keeler in 42nd Street and Joan Crawford here) being featured as a big dance star (but whose skills don’t really look that good, especially in hindsight). If Joan Crawford has any advantage, it’s her two dance routines with Fred Astaire, where her dancing looks a bit more polished. Of course, those two songs (“Heigh Ho, The Gang’s All Here” and “Let’s Go Bavarian”) are some of the most fun tunes in the film (and are generally stuck in my head for a while afterwards)! It’s not quite as much fun to watch Fred here, as neither the choreography nor the camerawork is as good as most would expect after watching his later films. To be fair, I blame most of that on this being his first film, before he became big enough to have more control on how his dancing was filmed. Not to mention the fact that his stuff was filmed over a two week period (and it shows, with his appearances and disappearances within the movie feeling quite random).

But, I digress. I still need to talk about Clark Gable (after all, HE is the “Star Of The Month”). While he may not have been the reason I originally saw this movie, I can’t deny that I have enjoyed Clark Gable’s performance in this film. In him we have a very street smart director, one who knows what he wants and isn’t afraid to tell his producer that. Not to mention, he knows how to deal with the producer’s “demands” (such as when he is told to give Joan Crawford’s Janie Barlow an audition). Of course, he’s not a pure tough guy, either, as his own insecurities come to light when he is forced to produce his show with his own money (and, lucky for him, Janie comes around to help pull him out of the funk he slips into). All in all, this is a wonderful movie that I enjoy coming back to again and again, and therefore, I would definitely recommend it!

This movie is available on DVD from Warner Archive Collection.

Film Length: 1 hour, 32 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

No Man Of Her Own (1932) – Clark Gable – It Happened One Night (1934)

Franchot Tone – Mutiny On The Bounty (1935)

Fred Astaire – Top Hat (1935)

Robert Benchley – Nice Girl? (1941)

Nelson Eddy – Naughty Marietta (1935)

Professional Sweetheart (1933) – Sterling Holloway – Alice In Wonderland (1933)

Eve Arden – Having Wonderful Time (1938)

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“Star Of The Month (January 2021)” Featuring Doris Day in… Billy Rose’s Jumbo (1962)

January is quickly coming to a close, and with it my feature on Doris Day as the Star Of The Month! But, I’ve got one last film of hers to get through for the month, and that’s the 1962 musical Billy Rose’s Jumbo, also starring Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante and Martha Raye! But first, we’ve got a few theatrical shorts to get through!

Coming Up Shorts! with… For Better Or Nurse (1945)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 6 seconds)

Popeye and Bluto try to injure themselves to get into the hospital, where Olive works as a nurse. This one was also a lot of fun, with more variety than usual. Yes, Popeye and Bluto are still at it, but this time, they’re not trying as hard to fight each other. Instead, they’re trying to find ways to get themselves injured (and failing hilariously every time)! And a rare instance of somebody other than Popeye eating his spinach (with him forcing it down Bluto’s throat). The only real drawback is the rather obvious difference in Popeye’s voice, as he is voiced by Harry Welch here, who is not as good as Jack Mercer (or even Mae Questal from the previous short). Still, a lot of fun and worth seeing for a few good laughs!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Jerry And Jumbo (1953)

(available as an extra on the Billy Rose’s Jumbo Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 5 seconds)

A baby elephant rolls off a train, and ends up helping Jerry the mouse outwit the cat, Tom. It was fun seeing this Tom & Jerry cartoon again, with Jerry painting the baby elephant to look like a big mouse (and seeing Tom’s reaction is still priceless after all this time). Of course, throw in the elephant’s sucking power with his trunk (seriously, how powerful was that?), and Tom doesn’t stand a chance. A lot of fun, and a lot of laughs again with this one!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Yours Sincerely (1933)

(available as an extra on the Billy Rose’s Jumbo Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 19 minutes, 35 seconds)

The owner of a resort tries to get one of his daughters married off to a millionaire. This short was a part of the “Broadway Brevities” series, in which a Broadway show is presented in an abbreviated form (as opposed to a whole movie). This one was based on the show Spring Is Here, which had actually been given a full film treatment a few years before (but was apparently lacking most of the show’s score). It’s an interesting program, although, for me, the music isn’t that memorable, and, since that is most of the dialogue here, that makes the short itself harder to sit through. Probably better for those who are bigger fans of songwriters Rodgers and Hart than I am normally.

And Now For The Main Feature…

The Wonder Circus is beloved by audiences. However, the circus has many problems behind-the-scenes. Most of them are financial, caused by circus owner and ringmaster Pop Wonder’s (Jimmy Durante) penchant for taking all the money from the cash box and gambling it away in local crap games. As a result, he can’t pay the creditors, never mind most of his performers. So, a lot of his performers and crew tend not to stick around. Among those who do stay, however, are his daughter, Kitty (Doris Day), and his fiancee of fourteen years, Lulu (Martha Raye). They soon meet by Sam Rawlins (Stephen Boyd), who is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. He joins the Wonder circus when he fills in for another performer that left to join the John Noble circus. They all grow to like him (Kitty, in particular), but what they don’t know is that he is the son of rival circus owner John Noble (Dean Jagger), who is using him to pay their bills behind their backs, so that he can take over their circus (and get possession of star attraction Jumbo the elephant, whom Pop Wonder refuses to sell). Sam develops feelings for Kitty as well, but tries to ignore those feelings. That changes one night when a storm wrecks the tent during a show, and he has to help save Kitty and a few other performers. Now that he’s admitted to his feelings for Kitty, can he help save the circus, or will John Noble get everything he wants?

In 1935, showman Billy Rose put on the Broadway show Jumbo. He made use of a lot of talent, both behind-the-scenes and onstage for this show. While it proved somewhat popular with audiences, the costs were too high for it to be a success. However, MGM bought the film rights in the early 1940s, with plans to make a big musical, which would also include Jimmy Durante (who had starred in the Broadway show). However, the plans fell through at that time. They were willing to revisit the idea in the early fifties, but nothing came of that, either. Finally, in the early sixties, Doris Day and her husband Martin Melcher decided to try making a musical at MGM, and picked Jumbo for the idea. They tried to assemble a lot of big talent both on- and off-camera. In spite of all their efforts (and Doris Day’s box office appeal at the time), the film flopped, said by some to be the result of it being an old-fashioned type of musical when musicals like West Side Story were changing things up.

Now, I’m obviously quite far removed from that changing landscape, and, as such, I actually like this film. I enjoy some of the music by Rodgers and Hart, including “Over And Over Again,” “Circus On Parade” and particularly “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World” (which always gets stuck in my head every time I watch this movie). The scenery and color is a lot of fun to see, and I enjoy the performances of most of the cast. Jimmy Durante and Martha Raye are quite funny throughout the movie, both together and apart. Doris Day is in fine voice like always, and I enjoy watching her performance, too. Now, is the movie perfect? No. Actor Stephen Boyd is, quite frankly, the weak point in the cast, as he just seems completely out of place in this musical, both as a singer (he was dubbed), and as a dancer. Remove him, and a lot of things look better. Also, for the plot, the movie does seem to be a little too long, with the final song “Sawdust, Spangles And Dreams” really dragging things on too long. Still, I like this film, and enjoy seeing it every now and then. So, yes, I would recommend it, as I think it is better than its original reputation would indicate!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection.

And with that ends the month of January, and my celebration of Doris Day! Tune in tomorrow as we start the celebration of Clark Gable as the star for the month of February!

Film Length: 2 hours, 7 minutes

My Rating: 8/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

The Pajama Game (1957) – Doris Day – The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)

Ben-Hur (1959) – Stephen Boyd

The Man Who Came To Dinner (1942) – Jimmy Durante

Keep ‘Em Flying (1941) – Martha Raye

“Star Of The Month (January 2021)” Featuring Doris Day in… Love Me Or Leave Me (1955)

I’m back again for another entry in my Star Of The Month for January, and this time it’s Doris Day’s 1955 MGM musical Love Me Or Leave Me, also starring James Cagney! But first, we have a few theatrical shorts to get through!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Shape Ahoy (1945)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 6 minutes, 51 seconds)

Popeye and Bluto have come to a deserted island to get away from the ladies, but when a shipwrecked Olive comes ashore, their friendship and ideals go out the window! This one was bit more fun, even though it was still “Popeye Vs. Bluto.” Here, we have the two acting as friends throughout most of the short, although they obviously start competing for Olive’s affections increasingly (but are more or less stuck with each other to end the cartoon). Voice actress Mae Questel is pulling double-duty here, as she voices Olive Oyl (like usual), but also takes on the voice of Popeye! Up until this last viewing, I hadn’t really known that, but, upon learning that, I could definitely hear the difference. She’s not Jack Mercer, but she does well enough for me in a pinch!

Coming Up Shorts! with… A Modern Cinderella (1932)

(available as an extra on the Love Me Or Leave Me Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 17 minutes, 24 seconds)

Ruth Etting plays Anita Ragusa, the daughter of a costume tailor. Her father has her deliver a dress to the hostess of a costume party, who doesn’t care for it. When Anita puts on the dress to model it, she is asked to sing at the party. It’s a fun little musical short, with Ruth Etting singing a few songs (admittedly all forgettable). There is one dancing duo that was fun to watch (not sure who they were). While not a great short, this one was fun to see.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Roseland (1930)

(available as an extra on the Love Me Or Leave Me Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 12 minutes, 11 seconds)

Helen Leslie (Ruth Etting), a dance hall girl, hopes to enter a singing contest being held on the radio. It’s a simple short, with a simple love story thrown in, too. No doubt due to the length, we only get Ruth Etting singing two songs here, but she handles them quite well and I enjoyed hearing her sing the Irving Berlin song “Let Me Sing And I’m Happy”. While I much prefer the other Ruth Etting short included on the Love Me Or Leave Me Blu-ray, this one was fun to watch as well!

Coming Up Shorts! with… A Salute To The Theatres (1955)

(available as an extra on the Love Me Or Leave Me Blu-ray from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 17 minutes, 9 seconds)

This short, also known as 1955 Motion Picture Theatre Celebration, features George Murphy as host. It acts as a promo for some of the various MGM films that were being made and released in 1955. Stars such as Esther Williams, Jane Powell, Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse make appearances here to help promote some of their films. Included are quick trailers for films such as Jupiter’s Darling, Bedeviled, The Glass Slipper, Interrupted Melody, Hit The Deck, The King’s Thief, Love Me Or Leave Me, Moonfleet, The Prodigal and It’s Always Fair Weather. It’s interesting mainly from the perspective of seeing how some of these movies were promoted back at this time.

And Now For The Main Feature…

Our story starts in the city of Chicago during the Roaring Twenties. Laundry owner and mobster Martin “The Gimp” Snyder (James Cagney) comes to visit the owner of a dance club to convince him to pay his dues. While he is there, taxi dancer Ruth Etting (Doris Day) gets into a fight with a customer who got too fresh, and is quickly fired. Martin learns that she has show business aspirations, and offers to get her a job onstage. She is suspicious of his motives (and she has a right to be), but he leaves the offer open for her, just the same. She takes up the offer, only to become a chorus dancer when she really wants to be a singer. She quickly makes a friend in the form of piano player Johnny Alderman (Cameron Mitchell), who offers to help her out himself by putting together arrangements and such. Martin hopes to take her to Miami, but she refuses and manipulates him into helping her become a singer (and gets Martin to pay Johnny to help her out). Through this, Johnny hears her talent firsthand, and he lets her know that she is good. Martin isn’t there to listen, but Ruth starts pestering him about getting her a chance to actually sing as a star of the show. It takes a little convincing (and getting the show’s star to stay away one night), but she is given the chance. Martin tries to stack the deck with some of his friends, but they all realize that she has a talent as a singer, and she becomes a sensation. Martin still has designs on her, but she is able to sidestep them and make it seem like it is his decision. Soon, an agent, Bernard Loomis (Robert Keith) comes to see her, offering her a chance to perform in New York City. However, Martin turns down the offer (much to her initial dismay), and then works to get her her own radio show. Johnny is brought in to be the conductor for the orchestra on her show. He tries to warn her to end things with Martin, but she doesn’t listen. Working with Loomis, Martin manages to secure a spot for her in the Ziegfeld Follies. This time, however, Johnny is not willing to go along, having an offer elsewhere, and he has no trouble in telling Martin off. While in New York City, Martin is further frustrated by the fact that everybody working on the Ziegfeld Follies show has no respect for him, as he tries to bully his way through everything like before. After Ruth’s first performance, he gets into a fight backstage and is thrown out. He then threatens to pull Ruth out of the show, which makes her mad, as being in the Follies is what she had been working towards. During the argument, all of Martin’s pent-up frustrations at her previous manipulations and her refusal to stand by him comes to a head, and he rapes her. Out of a sense of obligation to him, Ruth marries him, and he continues to manage her career through many nightclub appearances. At this point, though, she is going through the motions, and resorting to drinking a bit more. Martin is thrilled when Hollywood comes a-calling, and he is able to make a deal, but she doesn’t really show much enthusiasm for the news. It is only when she hears from Johnny Alderman, who had gone to Hollywood and would now be working with her on her upcoming film, that she brightens up a little. Martin quickly discovers Johnny’s presence himself when he meets with the producer, and he later talks Johnny down in private. Ruth won’t hear of it, and questions what Martin himself has actually accomplished. While taken aback at first, Martin sells his laundry business in Chicago and buys a nightclub, with the intention of having it remodeled. Meanwhile, Martin also gets jealous, as he is suspicious of a possible relationship between Ruth and Johnny. His suspicions result in friction between himself and Ruth, which eventually lead her to ask for a divorce. With all this mess, can things be resolved between the two, or will Martin’s jealousies lead to tragedy?

Love Me Or Leave Me was based on the real-life person Ruth Etting, her ex-husband Martin Snyder, and Myrl Alderman (whose name was changed to Johnny for the movie), and the film was in the planning stages at MGM as early as 1953. Casting proved difficult, as some of the people originally asked turned it down, and others were hopeful to get some of the big parts. But, when it came down to it, it was James Cagney who suggested casting Doris Day to the film’s producer, Joe Pasternak. She was just ending her contract with Warner Brothers after seven years, and was looking for a role that was far different than the lighter roles that she had been doing there. And, of course, she got it with this film (and it apparently shocked many of her fans at the time, too, that she did the role of a lewd woman who smoked, drank, and wore scanty costumes). In spite of her fans’ opposition, the film proved to be a hit, and both Doris Day and James Cagney considered it among their best films.

As I’ve been watching through Doris Day’s filmography in order this time (or, at least, the films I have on disc), I do see some of what the original audiences saw, as the movie is a shock after seeing her earlier stuff. That being said, I do find that this is one of her best performances! She does great playing a woman determined to make it to the top, and who is good at manipulating someone to get there. However, her manipulations can only get her so far before she truly gets into trouble, such as when she was raped and then married Cagney’s Martin Snyder. That was rough to see (although apparently tame compared to what they actually filmed before the censors stepped in). And Cagney’s Oscar-nominated performance is also one of his best (even if he is still playing a gangster)! The score is fun, although I can definitely say that I always enjoy her version of the Irving Berlin song “Shakin’ The Blues Away” (and considering how much I like the film Easter Parade, which also used that song, that’s saying something)! While this movie was most likely not completely accurate (although where it veers off, I would be hard-pressed to tell, since I don’t know much about Ruth Etting), it’s still a wonderful film from the 1950s, and it’s one I have no trouble recommending!

This movie is available on Blu-ray (certainly the best way to see it, in my opinion!) and DVD from Warner Archive Collection.

Film Length: 2 hours, 2 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Young At Heart (1954) – Doris Day – The Pajama Game (1957)

White Heat (1949) – James Cagney – Mister Roberts (1955)

“Star Of The Month (January 2021)” Featuring Doris Day in… Young At Heart (1954)

As I continue on in celebrating actress and singer Doris Day as my Star Of The Month, I will now be looking at her 1954 film Young At Heart, which also stars Frank Sinatra. But, before we get to the movie, we have a few theatrical shorts to get through!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Tops In The Big Top (1945)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 6 minutes, 26 seconds)

Circus ringmaster Bluto tries to sabotage star attraction Popeye to get the attentions of Popeye’s assistant Olive. At best, a decent Popeye cartoon, with the usual stuff going on. This one is a lot more fun to see the visuals, with a lot of nice color (especially with this short restored). An improvement over the previous cartoon, but still debatable about its actual worth in seeing more than once.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Pink Ice (1965)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964-1966) from Kino Lorber)

(Length: 6 minutes, 17 seconds)

The Panther is operating a diamond mine, but a pair of rival miners steal his diamonds. One of the rare few Pink Panther cartoons in which the character actually talks. Whether you like that or not, it’s still a fun cartoon, with the two rival miners trying to set traps to stop him from taking back his diamonds, and then the traps work against them. Every now and then, this one can be fun to watch!

And Now For The Main Feature…

Music professor Gregory Tuttle (Robert Keith) lives with his three musically inclined daughters and his sister, Jessie (Ethel Barrymore). His oldest daughter, Fran (Dorothy Malone), has just gotten engaged to Robert Neary (Alan Hale Jr.). The plumber Ernest Nichols (Lonny Chapman) is interested in middle daughter Amy (Elisabeth Fraser), but she is kind of indifferent about his affections. Youngest daughter Laurie (Doris Day) is single, and makes a pact with sister Amy that they will either have a double wedding, or stay spinsters together for the rest of their lives. Things change up when Laurie meets composer Alex Burke (Gig Young), the son of a friend of their father. He manages to charm his way into boarding at their house while he works on the score for a Broadway musical. He catches the eyes of all three daughters, but he finds himself falling for Laurie in particular. Eventually, things go well enough on his show that Alex recruits his friend Barney Sloan (Frank Sinatra), an arranger, to help him work on the music. When Laurie meets Barney, she finds him to be quite cynical, as he believes that the “fates” (or “they,” as he refers to them) have it out for him. Laurie is unwilling to let him get away with that attitude, and tries to help him past it by pushing him to finish writing a song he had been working on. Right around her father’s birthday celebration, Alex asks Laurie to marry him, which she accepts, much to the dismay of Barney and her sister Amy. When Barney points out to her how much her sister Amy liked Alex right before the wedding, she decides to elope with Barney to New York City. In all the commotion from the family learning about her eloping, Ernest takes charge in trying to let the wedding guests know, which changes Amy’s opinion about him (for the better). In New York City, Barney and Laurie struggle through together. In spite of all their troubles, Laurie has indeed come to fall in love with him, but the cynic in Barney refuses to believe that she prefers him over Alex. When they manage to return to the Tuttle home for Christmas, they also find a successful Alex there, and Barney’s doubts come to a head.

Young At Heart was based on the short story “Sister Act” by Fannie Hurst. Warner Brothers had already brought the story to the big screen in 1938 as the movie Four Daughters. In the mid-1950s, Frank Sinatra was in the midst of a big career comeback after winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for From Here To Eternity. The producers wanted him for the movie, but he would only do it on the condition that they change the original sad ending of the story and give his character a happy one (which they did). The movie itself remained without a title until Frank’s recording of the song Young At Heart became a big hit. So, they made that the title of the movie, and had him sing it over the opening and closing credits.

I will readily admit that I have mixed feelings about this movie. I do like it overall, with Doris Day and Frank Sinatra in particular giving good performances in this movie (and the rest of the cast is right up there with them). The story itself is fun (I will have to admit that I have not seen the earlier Four Daughters or any of its sequels yet, so I can’t really compare it to them). Some of the music is fun and enjoyable to listen to. That being said, I do feel the movie has several problems. One of the most glaring, to my mind, is the film’s ending. It just feels too rushed, and makes me wish that Sinatra hadn’t forced them to change it from the original ending (which is what I thought the movie was leading up to). Had they had a better transition at the end, I might have been okay with it. Another problem (and this is purely my taste in music and singers) is that very little of the music is exactly memorable here. I know that Frank sings the song “One For My Baby (And One More For The Road),” which was one of his big hits, but I just don’t like his version of the song (I much prefer listening to Fed Astaire’s version of it from The Sky’s The Limit, as anybody else singing it, other than any of my close friends, just feels like nails on a chalkboard to me). Also, in spite of the promotional material making a big deal of Doris Day and Frank Sinatra working together here, they really don’t sing together outside of part of the film’s final song (and it makes you wish they had had more songs to sing together in this one, or at least more films together). Still, it’s not a completely terrible film, and one I do enjoy seeing every now and then. So I would recommend giving it a try, if given the opportunity to see it.

This movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Olive Films.

Film Length: 1 hour, 58 minutes

My Rating: 6/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Calamity Jane (1953) – Doris Day – Love Me Or Leave Me (1955)

On The Town (1949) – Frank Sinatra – Guys And Dolls (1955)

“Star Of The Month (January 2021)” Featuring Doris Day in… Calamity Jane (1953)

For my next contribution for January’s Star Of The Month, we have Doris Day’s classic 1953 musical Calamity Jane, also starring Howard Keel! As usual, we have our requisite theatrical shorts to get through, and then, we’ll be ready for the movie!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Pop-Pie A La Mode (1945)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 6 minutes, 53 seconds)

After being shipwrecked, Popeye makes it to an island that, as he later discovers, is inhabited by cannibals. This one is a bit harder to say much positive about. The cannibals are all rather blatantly racist stereotypes, with their blackface-type appearance, as well as their overall manner of behavior. That alone says it all about this cartoon. On the one hand, it should be preserved, as it has been, but at the same time, it certainly is a reminder of our past (and sadly, still present) issues, and should be avoided by parents with young and impressionable children. One of the weakest cartoons from this set for that reason.

Coming Up Shorts! with… So You Love Your Dog (1953)

(available as an extra on the Calamity Jane Blu-ray from Warner Home Video)

(Length: 10 minutes, 31 seconds)

Joe McDoake’s “faithful” dog Dusty continues to get him in trouble by turning on him, both during war and peace. The dog very strongly resembles Lassie, and their intelligence makes this one quite fun. Poor Joe. He thinks Dusty is quite trustworthy, while the dog is actually trying to do him harm. Overall, it’s a bit of fun, and one of the few of the Joe McDoakes series that I’ve seen so far that I enjoyed enough that I would watch it again.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Duck Dodgers In The 24 1/2 Century (1953)

(available as an extra on the Calamity Jane Blu-ray from Warner Home Video)

(Length: 7 minutes, 4 seconds)

Duck Dodgers (in the 24 1/2 Century!) tries to claim Planet X in the name of the earth, but Marvin the Martian has other plans. Yep, it’s that classic Daffy Duck (Dodgers in the 24 1/2 Century!) cartoon! What more needs to be said? It’s always fun to laugh at Daffy’s antics here, especially with Porky Pig as the more adept “Eager Young Space Cadet” working in Daffy’s shadow. Seriously, it’s hard not to enjoy this one whenever I get the chance to see it! It may not have been restored for the 2015 Calamity Jane Blu-ray release, but the fun still shines through just the same!

And Now For The Main Feature…

Ah, “Calamity” Jane Canary (Doris Day). Trouble and her just seem to go together. Upon her return from riding shotgun on “The Deadwood Stage,” she learns from a pair of prospectors that Second Lieutenant Danny Gilmartin (Philip Carey), a soldier that she has a crush on, was killed by a Sioux war party. Or captured. The two prospectors didn’t really have a chance to find out, as they only narrowly escaped from the Sioux themselves. So, off Calamity rides, in hopes of finding the truth. She is able to find the Sioux war party, and, to her joy, she finds Danny alive. She quickly chases off the small band of Sioux, and rescues Danny.

Back in Deadwood, more trouble is brewing, as Calamity’s friend and proprietor of the Golden Garter saloon (and theatre), Henry “Milly” Miller (Paul Harvey), has hired Francis Fryer to headline his show. The problem? Milly was expecting an actress, not an actor! So he has Francis Fryer (Dick Wesson) dress in drag and pretend to be a woman, an act that doesn’t last long. With all Milly’s patron’s complaining and threatening to leave, Calamity tries to do what she can by promising them Milly has already sent for a big actress. When questioned about who he sent for, she mentions the only actress she can think of: Adelaid Adams (who was big around town because of her picture, which comes with some packs of cigarettes). Francis knows Adelaid, and he privately tells Milly that she would never come to Deadwood. Undaunted, Calamity goes off to Chicago (or maybe I should say “Chicagee,” like her). She catches a show, but is unable to see Adelaid Adams (Gale Robbins) up close. Going backstage, she meets Adelaid’s maid, Katie Brown (Allyn McLerie), in Adelaid’s dressing room, and assumes her to be Adelaid. In between the real Adelaid leaving and her own desires to be onstage, Katie decides to go with Calamity to Deadwood. Once there, she tries to perform like Adelaid, but fails. It comes out that she’s not Adelaid, and, after arguing with the audience, Calamity suggests they give her a shot anyways, since they all have their own dreams that they came to Deadwood hoping to see fulfilled. In doing it her own way, Katie makes a big hit with the men in town.

Calamity offers to take Katie out to live together in her cabin, and after the initial disappointment about the messy state of the place, the two of them work together to make it a home. While they are at it, Katie also gives Calamity a makeover to help her look more like a woman. Further trouble comes about when Danny and Calamity’s friend “Wild Bill” Hickok (Howard Keel) both come a-calling for Katie, with both hoping to bring her to an upcoming dance. Katie knows about Calamity’s feelings towards Danny, and tries to suggest they all go together. After drawing straws, Bill is stuck taking Calamity. At the dance, they and everybody are all awestruck to see how beautiful Calamity looks in a dress. However, Danny still only has eyes for Katie, and Calamity storms off after seeing them kiss. The next day, Calamity tells Katie to get out of town, before Bill takes her aside to tell her off. The question remains, will Katie go, or will all the relationship troubles get sorted out?

Calamity Jane was very much Warner’s answer to the MGM musical Annie Get Your Gun. Originally, Jack Warner had tried to get the rights to the stage musical of Annie Get Your Gun, intending it for Doris Day. However, MGM outbid him. When Judy Garland, who had originally been cast in Annie Get Your Gun, pulled out, Doris once again had hopes of doing the movie, but Jack Warner refused to loan her out, with the part going to Betty Hutton. Instead, Doris Day was given the part of Calamity Jane, with the role becoming one of her best-known, and one of her favorites (admittedly, it’s been said that Calamity Jane was a project already in the works for her even before the possibility of being in Annie Get Your Gun).

I will say that Calamity Jane was, if I’m remembering correctly, my introduction to Doris Day. At the time, I was more familiar with Howard Keel (mostly from Seven Brides For Seven Brothers). In all the time since, though, I’ve enjoyed watching this movie, as well as seeking out some of her other film musicals. I enjoy the overall film, from the cast, to the music, and the story as well. I know the movie version of Calamity Jane was far different from the real-life person, but I do enjoy this cleaned-up film (far more than the more recent HBO TV series Deadwood, which I barely could last through an entire episode of). The music in this movie, written by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster, is quite memorable. I enjoy the “Deadwood Stage,” get a kick out of “I Can Do Without You” (which seems strangely reminiscent of “Anything You Can Do” from Annie Get Your Gun), and enjoy her signature tune “Secret Love,” but the song that’s always stuck in my head after watching this movie is her duet with Howard Keel for “The Black Hills Of Dakota.” That one I always enjoy. Honestly, this movie is a lot of fun, and I would have no trouble whatsoever recommending this one!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Warner Home Video, either individually or as part of a four film Musicals collection.

Film Length: 1 hour, 41 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

On Moonlight Bay (1951) – Doris Day – Young At Heart (1954)

Lovely To Look At (1952) – Howard Keel – Kiss Me Kate (1953)

“Star Of The Month (January 2021)” Featuring Doris Day in… Tea For Two (1950)

Now that we’re here in the month of January 2021, with Doris Day as my featured Star Of The Month, I need to get one of my own entries in, and I can’t think of a more fun film to start off with than her 1950 musical Tea For Two, which also stars Gordon MacRae! But first, we have a few shorts to get through, and then we’ll dig into our movie!

Coming Up Shorts! with… She-Sick Sailors (1944)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 6 minutes, 37 seconds)

Bluto disguises himself as Superman to win Olive’s affections, but Popeye tries to prove he is still just as good. While it’s another “Popeye Vs. Bluto” cartoon, this one throws in the fun of Bluto trying to appear as Superman, before Popeye becomes a Superman upon eating his spinach. Admittedly, it does feel weird seeing Bluto without his trademark beard (as evidenced by the different coloring for that area of his face). Still, it’s a fun cartoon, and I enjoy seeing it every now and then!

Coming Up Shorts! with… So You Want To Hold Your Husband (1950)

(available as an extra on the Tea For Two DVD from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 10 minutes, 51 seconds)

After ten years of marriage and being ignored by her husband Joe, Alice McDoakes seeks out the advice of a marriage counselor to regain his affections. A bit of fun with this marriage comedy. The attempts to liven up the marriage using the marriage counselor’s advice are at least somewhat amusing, if not maybe a little old-fashioned at this point. I do admit, the closing gag was one of the better moments. It’s an interesting short, although it’s debatable whether I would come back to this one.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Tee For Two (1945)

(available as an extra on the Tea For Two DVD from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 3 seconds)

Tom the cat is playing a round of golf, while Jerry the mouse messes things up for him. This short was a fun revisit, as I’ve seen it a number of times over the years. Obviously, we have Tom and Jerry going against each other, with Tom winning sometimes, and Jerry also winning. The gags may not be original, but they’re worth a few good laughs, and I certainly enjoyed seeing this one yet again!

And Now For The Main Feature…

(Host): Tea For Two was Doris Day’s fifth film, but it was her first time being given top billing in any of her movies. In some respects, the movie was a return to her roots. She had started out idolizing Ginger Rogers, and wanted to be a dancer. Before she made it to Hollywood, she was in a car crash that resulted in her right leg being shattered, thus ending her hopes of a dancing career. As she recovered, she took up singing, which, as we well know, became her big talent. But, for Tea For Two, which was loosely based on the 1924 Broadway show No, No, Nanette, she worked with Gene Nelson and his wife to get back in shape and look good on screen as a dancer. It was hard work, but it paid off, according to reviews at the time (and I definitely agree!) But, let’s get into the movie itself, so here’s our regular narrator! Take it away!

(Narrator): We start our story in modern times (well, “modern” for the time this movie was made, anyway). We find a group of kids all having a fun dance party. Then the kids hosting the party, Lynne (Mary Eleanor Donahue) and Richard (Johnny McGovern), come in wearing some of their parents’ clothes from the twenties, causing everyone to break into laughter. Then J. Maxwell Bloomhaus, or “Uncle Max” (S. Z. “Cuddles” Sakall), comes in and tells them off for making fun of something they don’t have personal experience with. He proceeds to pull out something he has been hanging onto for a long time: a ticker tape, which is a reminder to him of how bad things once looked, and yet things did get better.

(Host): Flashback!

(Activates time machine, which starts up, but then sputters out)

(Narrator): Give it a kick, see if that works.

(Host kicks the time machine, and it starts back up)

(Host): Okay, here we go, back to 1929!

(Supply your own time travel effects)

(Narrator): As we arrive, the stock market has crashed, and Max is reading the ticker tape as it comes in. His lawyer friend William Early (Bill Goodwin) is looking on as Max gets flustered reading it, and William reminds him that he had told him to invest in government bonds. Now, Max has lost all of the money he had invested for his niece, Nanette Carter (Doris Day), and finds himself with the unenviable position of telling her the news. Meanwhile, Nanette has got a singing and dancing lesson going on with singer and songwriter Jimmy Smith (Gordon MacRae) and his dancer buddy Tommy Trainor (Gene Nelson). They are interrupted by Nanette’s ex, Larry Blair (Billy De Wolfe), who has come in the hopes that she will help back a show he is trying to put on. Of course, she’s no fool, and turns him down. However, he persists, and drags in a reluctant Jimmy and Tommy to help convince her, by telling her a sob story about Jimmy’s troubles with his family. Hearing one of Jimmy’s songs, “Tea For Two” (which Larry hates, by the way), Nanette decides to invest in the show.

(Host): Hmm. In a movie called Tea For Two, the titular song is enough to make somebody decide to invest in a show? I’d say it sounds fishy, but with a catchy tune like that, I can’t say as I blame them, as it’s a song that gets stuck in my head every time I watch this wonderful film! (Muttering to self) Now where are my tap shoes? That song is stuck in there again, and I’ve got some dancing to do! (Heads off-stage)

(Narrator): Well, while he’s seeking out his tap shoes, we’ll get back to the story. As I was saying, she decided to invest in the show, providing she be given the female lead role. Of course, Larry has already given that role to his current girlfriend, Beatrice Darcy (Patrice Wymore), but he is willing to go along with the idea (at least, until he gets the check). In order to invest in the show, Nanette needs to get the money from her uncle Max. When he comes home that night, she tries to butter him up, but he is still thinking hard about what William Early had told him earlier. In doing so, he accidentally makes a bet with Nanette that, if she doesn’t say yes to anything for two days. she would win the $25,000 needed to back the show. Caught with his foot in his mouth, Max is stuck with the bet, and enlists the help of Nanette’s friend and secretary Pauline Hastings (Eve Arden) to help keep her honest. When the two of them go to the theatre to talk with Larry, some of his creditors are there, waiting for word of her check. When they ask her questions about her backing the show, she is forced to say no, and the creditors refuse to allow Larry and his company to use the theatre, Instead, Nanette offers her home as a place they can rehearse for a few days. When Uncle Max comes home with William to make the bet more official (even though they both know he doesn’t have the money to cover the ridiculous bet), they find the house completely occupied by all the actors and actresses (and wow, was that a HUGE crew). Max tries (and fails) to get her to say “yes” through various means, but she continues to say “no” to everything (even when it hurts to do so). Of course, there is some trouble brewing when Beatrice comes storming into the place (since Larry “forgot” to tell her about the change in casting or where they were going to be rehearsing for the weekend).

(Sound of taps slowly getting louder from offstage)

(Narrator): Uh-oh. He’s coming back! Guess I better finish up quickly (we’re close enough, anyway)! The question at this point remains, will Uncle Max’s meddling mess things up, not only for Nanette, but for everybody in the show, too? Or will they find that “the fundamental business of the country is on a sound and prosperous basis” as President Herbert Hoover once said?

(Host): (bursting out onstage wearing tap shoes) I’m back! Let’s get this party starte – oh. You already finished telling the story. You could have waited for me to provide musical accompaniment, you know. Oh, well. Moving on. In all seriousness, this is a movie I have been enjoying for quite some time. Doris Day, as has so far been the case for me with all her musicals, is absolutely wonderful here. It’s fun watching her do a fair amount of dancing, and quite capably. Gene Nelson gets to show off his more acrobatic abilities here in a number of dance routines (just like in The Daughter Of Rosie O’Grady), which makes it equally entertaining. And while the music may vary, with different composers represented (which I assume did not all write music for the original No, No, Nanette play), it all still works well together. I will grant you that the songs really don’t advance the plot or give us character development, but I’m used to that (and sometimes prefer it), so it’s fun getting the music stuck in my head (like the aforementioned “Tea For Two)! And the comedy is well-represented here, in between S. Z. Sakall, who practically steals the film, or Billy De Wolfe as one of his more annoying characters (you know, the type you like to see get their comeuppance, like he does), or Eve Arden, whose quips are also amusing. It’s an all-round fun movie, and one I enjoy seeing every now and then! So I can definitely tell you that I would recommend this wonderful movie!

This movie is available on DVD from Warner Archive Collection.

(Host): (starts tap dancing and singing offkey) Picture you upon my knee, just tea for two and two for tea (trapdoor opens up underneath, host falls through) Not agaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnn!

(Narrator): (Steps away from trapdoor lever) Sorry folks, I had to do it. If he had only stuck to dancing, that would have been alright. But nobody wants to listen to that offkey singing!

Film Length: 1 hour, 38 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Young Man With A Horn (1950) – Doris Day – Lullaby Of Broadway (1951)

The Daughter Of Rosie O’Grady (1950) – Gordon MacRae – On Moonlight Bay (1951)

The Daughter Of Rosie O’Grady (1950) – Gene Nelson – Lullaby Of Broadway (1951)

My Dream Is Yours (1949) – Eve Arden

Blue Skies (1946) – Billy De Wolfe

The Daughter Of Rosie O’Grady (1950) – S. Z. “Cuddles” Sakall – Lullaby Of Broadway (1951)

An Old-Fashioned Christmas Movie On The Farm (2020) with… Pocketful Of Miracles (1961)

Continuing on with our Christmas holiday run of movies, we have the 1961 movie Pocketful Of Miracles, starring Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange and Arthur O’Connell!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Pitchin’ Woo At The Zoo (1944)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 6 minutes, 51 seconds)

Popeye and Olive are walking through the zoo, and zookeeper Bluto tries to impress Olive. Yes, it’s a lot of the old “Bluto and Popeye trying to one-up each other to impress Olive” routine, but it’s still a bit of fun. The animals add to the fun, as Popeye has to square off with a tiger, a crocodile, leopards, an elephant, and many more! Especially having been restored, this cartoon now looks great, making the colors more vivid, and allowing you to enjoy the details! Certainly worth seeing every now and again!

And Now For The Main Feature…

It’s the end of Prohibition. Gangster leader and bootlegger Dave the Dude (Glenn Ford) has become a big man in New York City, at least partly due to the success of the nightclub he’s been helping his girlfriend Elizabeth “Queenie” Martin (Hope Lange) run. He also has had some good luck because of his “lucky apples” that he routinely buys from beggar woman Apple Annie (Bette Davis). Now, he faces the prospect of being part of a bigger mob syndicate being led by its “king,” Steve Darcey (Sheldon Leonard), but he wants in on his own terms, not Darcey’s. Trouble arises, however, as Apple Annie finds herself in a pickle. For years, she’s been sending money that she’s gotten from Dave buying her apples and from the other panhandlers on Broadway to her daughter, who lives in a Spanish convent. Their only contact has been the letters they’ve been writing each other, with Annie embellishing her own life by making herself out to be a big society lady under the name of Mrs. E. Worthington Manville. Now, her most recent letter from her daughter Louise (Ann-Margret) indicates that she will be marrying the son of a Spanish count, and the three of them would be coming to America by boat to visit her mother. Apple Annie is distraught and unsure of what to do. At first, Dave is unconcerned about her problems and only wants his “lucky apple,” but Queenie convinces him to help Annie out. He sets her up with a room in the Hotel Marberry, with Queenie helping to give her a makeover. They also enlist the help of judge Henry G. Blake (Thomas Mitchell) to act as Louise’s stepfather. When the boat comes in, Annie, the judge, Dave and Queenie are there to meet them (along with the rest of Dave’s mob to help keep away any nosy reporters). Over the next few days, Annie enjoys her reunion with Louise, while Dave has his own worries. Among them, some reporters show up to find out about “Mrs. Manville,” so Dave has them tied up and stashed in the pantry. Count Alphonso Romero (Arthur O’Connell) decides to announce the engagement of Louise and his son Carlos (Peter Mann) at a reception for Annie’s “society friends,” and, after some discussion, they decide to try using Dave’s gang and Queenie’s showgirls to pose as the guests. The newspapers start to make things miserable for the police and the Mayor (Jerome Cowan) due to the disappearance of the reporters, and the police start to suspect Dave of being involved. In the midst of all this, Dave’s friend and second-in-command, Joy Boy (Peter Falk), is sweating it out as he constantly nags Dave about the potential deal with Darcey. Can everything come together, or will Annie’s lies be found out?

Pocketful Of Miracles was based on the Damon Runyan short story “Madame La Gimp.” Director Frank Capra had previously filmed the story for Columbia Pictures in 1933 as Lady For A Day, but had wanted to do a remake for a while. He had some trouble with Columbia’s executives, who owned the screen rights and were reluctant to do a remake. In 1960, he was able to buy the rights himself, but continued to have troubles with casting it. Actor Glenn Ford offered to help finance the movie if he could be cast as Dave the Dude, and while Frank Capra didn’t think he was right for the part, he agreed to his terms, just so he could make the movie. The troubles didn’t end there, though. Throughput filming, Frank Capra had health issues, with many headaches caused by the stress, resulting in this being the last feature film that he directed.

For some, it might be a bit of a stretch to call this one a Christmas movie, but not me! They admit at one point that the movie does take place during December, and we do get to see a few decorated Christmas trees in the background of some scenes. The score also includes some Christmas music, including music from the Nutcracker Suite at key points of the story. But, ultimately, the story itself maintains some Christmas spirit. We see Dave the Dude go from caring only about himself and what he wants, to doing things for others and encouraging some of his gang to do things without reward (and we also see the effects radiate out to others that he deals with). As the judge himself says at one point, pointing to his heart, “In here, it’s Christmas.” And that is enough for me to call this one a Christmas film.

I really enjoy this film, with its score, its story, and all the performances of the various actors involved. In particular, though, I think the movie is worth it just to see Peter Falk in his Best Supporting Actor Oscar-nominated role as Joy Boy, and Edward Everett Horton as Hutchins, the butler. Both of them are generally hilarious throughout the movie, and even funnier during the few moments that they interact with each other. The only real sour note this movie has, in my opinion, is a scene of domestic violence between Glenn Ford’s Dave the Dude and Hope Lange’s Queenie Martin when he finds out she’s walking out on him, with the whole thing playing out like foreplay, until Peter Falk’s Joy Boy interrupts them (and it feels worse considering Glenn Ford and Hope Lange were an actual couple at the time this movie was made). Apart from that minor complaint, this is a movie I always look forward to watching around Christmastime, and I certainly would give it my highest recommendations!

This movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber.

And if you are interested in joining in on my month-long “Star Of The Month” blogathons for 2021, whether for next month (Doris Day), February (Clark Gable) or beyond, please be sure to check out my Coming Soon In 2021: “Star/Genre Of The Month” Blogathons post to sign up!

Film Length: 2 hours, 17 minutes

My Rating: 10/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

It Started With A Kiss (1959) – Glenn Ford

Another Man’s Poison (1952) – Bette Davis

Down To Earth (1947) – Edward Everett Horton

TFTMM 2020 & WOIANRA 2018 on… Down Three Dark Streets (1954)

As we continue to celebrate the month of “Noir-vember,” we now come to the 1954 film Down Three Dark Streets, starring Broderick Crawford and Ruth Roman.

FBI agent Zack Stewart (Kenneth Tobey) finds himself trying to work on three different cases: 1) the hunt for a killer, Joe Walpo (Joe Bassett); 2) interstate car thefts, with Vince Angelino (Gene Reynolds) involved and unwilling to tell what he knows; and 3) somebody trying to extort money from Kate Martell (Ruth Roman) by threatening her daughter. Zack does what he can with those three cases before he is called by another woman, Brenda Ralles (Suzanne Alexander), who claims she needs to see him that night about one of his cases. However, when he goes to her home, he is shot by somebody else. Fellow agent John “Rip” Ripley (Broderick Crawford), who had gone along with him on that call, is assigned Zack’s three cases, in the hope that, by solving them, the FBI can find his murderer. To go after Joe Walpo, Rip tries to get a rise out of Walpo’s girlfriend, Connie Anderson (Martha Hyer). As for the car thieves, Rip believes Vince to be innocent, and tries to ask Vince’s wife, Julie (Marisa Pavan), to help out. As for Kate Martell, he tries to learn from her who could possibly try to extort money from her, and tries to help protect her and her daughter. Of course, none of them know anything about Brenda Ralles (who is soon murdered herself), and so all Rip can do is try to help everybody out.

Down Three Dark Streets was based on the novel Case Files: FBI, written by the husband and wife team of Gordon and Mildred Gordon. Gordon Gordon was himself a former FBI agent, which certainly lends a bit of authenticity to the story. They actually ended up being the screenwriters for the movie, with the original plan being to retain the novel’s title. However, at the time, most screenplays that dealt with the FBI were submitted to the FBI itself to be approved, and J. Edgar Hoover himself objected, claiming that the movie could help criminals, not only by showing what extortionists could do, but also what the FBI would do to combat them. I’m not sure what else was changed, but the film’s title switched from Case Files: FBI to the film’s current title.

I’ll admit, this one is more police procedural than noir, but I still like it. It’s interesting watching them trying to solve three cases at once. Admittedly, this is also part of the movie’s failing, as it FEELS like the three cases don’t get equal screen time, and the one that seems to get more, well, you can guess it’s importance to the overall story. Not to mention, in some respects the billing gives it away. Still, I enjoyed it, with a familiar face or two, plus characters that you want to cheer for, characters that creep you out, and everything in between. It’s not the best police procedural I’ve seen, as I easily think He Walked By Night surpasses it (and maybe T-Men as well), but it’s worth trying. If you get a chance to see it, give it a shot!

This movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Classicflix. It’s a typical transfer from them (which means it looks pretty good)! There are some specks and dust here and there, but they’re almost not worth mentioning. If you want to see this movie, then the Classicflix release is the way to go!

Film Length: 1 hour, 26 minutes

My Rating: 8/10

Audience Rating:

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Ruth Roman – Great Day In The Morning (1956)

Coming Up Shorts! with… Puppet Love (1944)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

Welcome to my new feature on various theatrical shorts! Sometimes my comments will be on shorts included as extras on a disc set I am reviewing, and other times, they will be completely unrelated to the movie being reviewed (and I will try to indicate which). Hope you enjoy!

(Length: 7 minutes, 32 seconds)

Bluto creates a life-size puppet that looks like Popeye, and uses it to make Popeye look bad with Olive. A fun little cartoon with the Popeye puppet and Popeye using Bluto as a puppet. Yes, it’s still Popeye vs. Bluto, but it still feels a lot more fresh than later cartoons. This is one I’ve seen a number of times over the years, and I still enjoy the various gags. Of course, I also enjoy seeing this short restored and looking better than it has in a long time!

And stay tuned for more of Coming Up Shorts! featuring more of Popeye (and the eventual post on the entire 1940s Volume 1 set), along with other shorts!

TFTMM 2020 & WOIANRA 2019 on… The World Of Abbott And Costello (1965)

And to finish off today’s triple feature (not to mention, our run through of the Abbott and Costello filmography), we have the 1965 film The World Of Abbott And Costello.

Well, this one should be fairly quick and easy. The World Of Abbott And Costello is a compilation film, making use of clips from various movies that the comedy team of Abbott and Costello made for Universal Studios. Movies represented by film clips include The Wistful Widow Of Wagon Gap, In The Navy, Hit The Ice, Who Done It?, Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein, Mexican Hayride, Hold That Ghost, Abbott And Costello In The Foreign Legion, Little Giant, In Society, Ride ‘Em Cowboy, The Naughty Nineties, Buck Privates Come Home, Buck Privates, Abbott And Costello Meet The Keystone Kops, Lost In Alaska, Comin’ Round The Mountain, Abbott And Costello Go To Mars and Abbott And Costello Meet The Mummy. The film is narrated by comedian Jack E. Leonard.

Ok,now that we are past all that, I can tell you what I think of it. As a whole, this is a very weak film. By way of the narration, it “attempts” to tell the story of Abbott and Costello (although anybody expecting this to be a documentary is looking at the wrong film, as it doesn’t come anywhere near what I’ve heard). Outside of the opening and closing credits, the entirety of the film utilizes clips from their films. The problem with that is that they use clips from the lesser films along with their better stuff. When it actually uses footage of their comedy routines, it’s good and funny (but those moments are a little too few and far between). The narration by Jack E. Leonard isn’t that great either, as he throws in his own quips, almost all of which land with a thud. And sometimes his narration rather annoyingly covers some of the (far, far better) comedy routines, most noticeably during the “Who’s On First?” routine at the end of the movie. Personally, I think there are better ways to be introduced to the Abbott and Costello films (mostly by giving their earlier films a try), so I really wouldn’t recommend this movie at all.

This movie is available as part of the 28-film The Complete Abbott And Costello Universal Pictures Collection from Shout Factory.

Film Length: 1 hour, 15 minutes

My Rating: 3/10

Audience Rating:

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Abbott And Costello Meet The Mummy (1955) – The Complete Abbott And Costello Universal Pictures Collection

Coming Up Shorts! with… Spinach-Packin’ Popeye (1944)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Popeye The Sailor: The 1940s Volume 1 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 6 seconds)

After giving blood, Popeye loses a fight to Bluto and tries to convince Olive not to reject him. A bit of a clip show, making use of some footage from “Popeye The Sailor Meets Sindbad The Sailor” and “Popeye The Sailor Meets Ali Baba’s Forty Thieves.” Obviously, the animation styles between the old and the new differ, but it still works quite well here. One of the better clip shows amongst the Popeye cartoons, and one I do enjoy seeing every now and then!

And stay tuned for more of Coming Up Shorts! featuring more of Popeye (and the eventual post on the entire 1940s Volume 1 set), along with other shorts!