Libeled Lady – Jean Harlow and Myrna Loy on TCM, May 30

Two of the actresses featured here on TCM, are in this funny and entertaining film, "Libeled Lady" from 1936. Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow star along with Spencer Tracy and William Powell. Directed by Jack Conway, it's fun through and through. Jean Harlow got top billing in this film that starred four of the most famous stars of the era. How could it be anything else with such legendary stars. Is is a solid script, in my opinion, it is one of the best comedies of the 1930s. The four stars, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow all interact beautifully. Powell's scene where he tries to pass himself off as a champion angler is sublime. It still resonates as a great classic comedy today and is certainly worth a watch. 

Here's a clip from the film:

You can purchase this film by going to the link below:

source: TCM.com

My all time favorite Film: The Best Years Of Our Lives is on TCM May 27 at 5pm

The Best Years Of Our Lives, 1946 is my all time favorite film and it will be shown during this year's Memorial Day weekend on TCM at 5pm on Monday, May 27, 2103.

I think this is the "perfect" American film and it shows us at our best.

It's about three service men who return home at the end of Word War II and how they adapt to life back at home. The parts are played beautifully by the cast that includes, Frederic March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, and Harold Russell as the sailor who lost his hands in battle.

I can't say how much I love it and I must have seen it a 100 times.  It's so worth a watch because it is directed by one of my favorite directors, William Wyler who shot it to perfection.

Leonard Maltin gave it a movie review and here's what he said:

American classic of three veterans returning home after WW2, readjusting to civilian life. Robert Sherwood's script from MacKinlay Kantor's book perfectly captured mood of postwar U.S.; still powerful today. Seven Oscars include Best Picture, Wyler, March, Russell, Sherwood, Daniel Mandell's editing, Hugo Friedhofer's score. Russell, an actual veteran who lost his hands, also took home a second Oscar, a special award for bringing hope and courage to other veterans.

What I like the most about this film is the way Wyler captures the time. It's like you are there and know how life was after WWII.

Here are a few clips from the film:

This is my all time favorite movie scene. It shows Fredric March returning home. Beautifully shot by Wyler looking down the hallway at the couple as they embrace for the first time in several years.

You can purchase the DVD here, its so worth it:

 

New Biography of Silent Film star John Gilbert by Eve Golden

I am in the process of reading this biography of the great John Gilbert by Eve Golden and already I can say that it is fascinating.

Having moved to the Los Angeles area a few years ago, I was fascinated when I read about all the places here where the movies were made in the early era of film, it brings it that much closer to me. Gilbert's home was high up in the Hollywood Hills in Beverly Hills and it overlooked the city.

Gilbert is most known today for his love affair with Greta Garbo and their wonderful films together, such as Flesh and the Devil. Gilbert may have been a huge star in the silent era, but when sound came, his popularity fell flat and he just didn't make it into sound.  Some say he was sabotaged by Louis B. Mayer, and others blame Gilbert himself.  One thing for sure and what I believe is that it had nothing to do with his voice, although, at the time, that was the excuse given.

You can also read about it in Eve Golden's wonderful biography which is available on TCM.com and at Amazon.com at the following links.

Below are three videos excerpts from Kevin Brownlow's film, "Hollywood" where Gilbert's fall is documented.

This month is full of films being shown on TCM of my favorite actors, actresses, directors and my #1 favorite film is also being shown.

Here's a list of them, be sure to check the schedule to see all the stars featured on TCM this month that we have full sites for here at Classic Movie Favorites.

Goodbye Mr. Chips	1939	10-May	1:15pm	Robert Donat
Dead ringer	1964	11-May	2:00pm	Bette Davis
So Big	1932	12-May	11:00am	Barbara Stanwyck
lady by choice	1934	12-May	6:00am	Carole Lombard
Stella Dallas	1937	12-May	9:00am	Barbara Stanwyck
The Girl Downstairs	1938	13-May	5:15pm	Franchot Tone
Stage Door	1937	14-May	2:15pm	Katherine Hepburn
Lydia	1941	15-May	6:30am	Merle Oberon
Queen Bee	1955	16-May	12:30pm	Joan Crawford
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner	1967	16-May	6:00pm	Katherine Hepburn
The Virgin Queen	1955	18-May	4:15pm	Bette Davis
Private Life of Henry VIII	1933	18-May	9:30pm	Merle Oberon
Mary of Scotland	1936	19-May	7:45am	Katherine Hepburn
The Petrified Forest	1936	21-May	9:30pm	Bette Davis
My Life with Caroline	1941	22-May	8:30am	Ronald Colman
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney	1929	23-May	8:30am	Norma Shearer
Harriet Craig	1950	24-May	2:00pm	Joan Crawford
Sadie Mckee	1934	24-May	6:00am	Joan Crawford
Run Silent, Run Deep	1958	25-May	2:15pm	Clark Gable
Homecoming	1948	26-May	1:15am	Clark Gable
Command Decision	1948	27-May	10:15pm	Clark Gable
The Best years of our lives (CMF FAVORITE FILM)	1946	27-May	5:00pm	Myrna Loy
The Guns of Navarone	1961	27-May	9:00am	David Niven
In Old Chicago	1938	29-May	10:00pm	Tyrone Power
The Iron Petticoat	1956	29-May	7:45am	Katherine Hepburn
Libeled Lady	1936	30-May	12:30am	Jean Harlow
fonda on Fonda	1992	31-May	7:00pm	Katherine Hepburn

Kevin Brownlow TCM Film Fest Panel

One of the highlights of attending the TCM Film Festival for me was to attend Kevin Brownlow's panel at the which took place on April 25, 2013. Mr. Brownlow wrote the book, among many others, "The Parades Gone By" and also created the wonderful 13 episode documentary about the silent era, "Hollywood." He is also the person who has restored Abel Gance's 1927 French epic, "Napaleon."

Mr. Brownlow spoke for over an hour to those in the room that was packed with TCM festival goers. He had nothing but praise for his collaborator Carl Davis who wrote the title music for "Hollywood" and scored the Brownlow's restored version of  "Napoleon." He told us the story of how Mr. Davis wrote the title music in the back of a bus in five minutes, imagine that!

After the discussion was over, I among many others went up to speak to Mr. Brownlow and I took my copy of his book, and he was kind enough to autograph it. I told him that I had a John Gilbert web site and he stopped and got a photo out of his bag that showed a photo of Leatrice Gilbert as Rosie the Riveter  I thought that was so generous of him to stop and speak to me about Gilbert.

Kevin Brownlow on Lon Chaney - (A TCM Featurette)
"Film historian and director Kevin Brownlow discusses the genius of silent star Lon Chaney, Sr. in a TCM Original featurette."

Below is the trailer from "Napoleon" which was shown just before the TCM Film festival took place at the San Francisco Film Festival in Oakland, CA. This was  for the first time the film had been seen in the US in almost 30 years.

 Napoleon (1927) -- (Trailer) San Francisco Silent Film Festival The trailer promoting the exclusive screening of Abel Gance's Napoleon, 1927, at the 2012 San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

Below are some Kevin Brownlow books that you might like to purchase.