THE MONTIES: 1937 (Stage Door and The Awful Truth win big)

We come to the year 1937 and basically two films dominate my award choices: The Awful Truth and Stage Door. Two of my all time favorite films. On with the show.

BEST FILM:

THE AWFUL TRUTH - WINNER
DEAD END
EASY LIVING
SHALL WE DANCE
THE PRISONER OF ZENDA
STAGE DOOR
STELLA DALLAS
NOTHING SACRED

It was a good year for screwball comedies as four of my eight nominated films were comedies. It came down to The Awful Truth and Stage Door. And The Awful Truth just edges it out. Irene Dunne and Cary Grant are just perfection in their first film together. And they would make two more together so they may still win some more Monties.

BEST DIRECTOR

LEO McCAREY - THE AWFUL TRUTH
GREGORY LACAVA - STAGE DOOR (WINNER)
WILLIAM WYLER - DEAD END
MITCHELL LEISEN - EASY LIVING
MARK SANDRICH - SHALL WE DANCE

Director Gregory LaCava who missed out last year for getting a Montie for My Man Godfrey picks up one now for his amazing direction of several high powered actresses in Stage Door. He managed to get this sensational cast of Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Gail Patrick, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Ann Miller, Andrea Leeds and others to gell perfectly. And he did it two years before George Cukor would helm his all female cast in The Women. Congratulations Gregory.

BEST ACTOR

CARY GRANT - THE AWFUL TRUTH (WINNER)
RONALD COLMAN - THE PRISONER OF ZENDA
JOEL MCCREA - DEAD END
ROBERT MONTGOMERY - NIGHT MUST FALL (WINNER)
FREDRIC MARCH - NOTHING SACRED

My favorite actor of all time Cary Grant receives his first Montie. This has been a very good period for Mr. Grant. Just recently winning my favorite classic movie actor tournament and a recent party and now winning his first Montie. And he shares it with Robert Montgomery for his wicked turn in Night Must Fall

BEST ACTRESS

IRENE DUNNE - THE AWFUL TRUTH (WINNER)
JEAN ARTHUR - EASY LIVING
CAROLE LOMBARD - NOTHING SACRED
BARBARA STANWYCK - STELLA DALLAS
GINGER ROGERS - STAGE DOOR

Irene Dunne was not to be denied a Montie for a second time after losing to Carole Lombard last year. Her performance in this year's The Awful Truth is one of the best performances I have ever seen. Her Lucy Warriner is so funny and so fly by the seat of your pants, you don't know what this woman will say or do next. I happily give Irene her first Montie.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

ALAN HALE - STELLA DALLAS
DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS, JR. - THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (WINNER)
HUMPHREY BOGART - DEAD END
RALPH BELLAMY - THE AWFUL TRUTH
RAYMOND MASSEY - THE PRISONER OF ZENDA

This was a tough one to call as one film yielded two great supporting performances. Fairbanks, Jr. and Massey in The Prisoner of Zenda. And while Massey had the better role of Duke Michael, Fairbanks had the flashier one in Count Rupert. And I loved him as this likeable rogue. So step up to the podium Mr. Fairbanks to receive your Montie.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

DAME MAY WHITTY - NIGHT MUST FALL
JANE WYATT - LOST HORIZON
LUCILLE BALL - STAGE DOOR (WINNER)
EVE ARDEN - STAGE DOOR (WINNER)
OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND - IT'S LOVE I'M AFTER

And with this category we come to our first tie. I thought Lucille Ball and Eve Arden each shined greatly in Stage Door, trading wisecracks all day long. In fact they were like the perfect comedic team, bouncing one liners off each other with brilliant timing. So they each receive a Montie.

So the final count: The Awful Truth takes home 3 Monties (Film, Actor, Actress) and Stage Door takes home 3 Monties (Director, Supporting Actress -two).

I'll be back soon with the year 1938.