Jane Wyman lends a hand to Olivia de Havilland in PRINCESS O'ROURKE (1943)

Princess O'Rourke is a breezy little comedy that stars Olivia de Havilland as Maria, a foreign princess visiting America who falls in love with a pilot named Eddie O'Rourke (played by Robert Cummings). The catch is Eddie doesn't know she is a princess and thinks she is just a regular girl. Albeit a girl with no skills to speak of. This is a wonderful comedy that I enjoyed quite a bit. It's a joy seeing Olivia in such a non-serious role for a change. All those The Dark Mirror, In This Our Life, and The Snake Pit can take a toll on an actress. Every now and then one needs to lighten up and have some fun. And that's what Olivia does. In her first major scene, she is taking a flight from New York to San Francisco and has to take a sleeping pill to relax. Well when she thinks it's not working, she takes another, and another, and another. Within a few minutes she is quite loopy and makes the funniest faces you have ever seen Olivia make. When the flight is turned back around due to bad weather, that's when the fun starts. Eddie has to take the now near comatose Maria back to his place to sleep it off. So once the two finally see each other they are immediately smitten. And the rest of the movie has them trying to get to know each other before Eddie and his best pal Dave (played by Jack Carson) are off to join the military to serve in the war. Dave's wife Jean is played by Jane Wyman, who has wonderful chemistry with Carson. They made a total of four films together and are one of the most underrated screen teams of all time. Carson gets in many of the film's funniest lines and Wyman is solid in several emotional scenes. She also works well with Olivia.

I enjoyed this movie from the very beginning as it features a nice comic rhythm and a great cast. It starts to sag a little towards the end but it's still a refreshing little comedy. Like I said earlier it's nice seeing Olivia in a rare comedy. I wished she had done more in a career, because she definitely has a flair for comedy. Also great support from veteran actor Charles Coburn as Maria's uncle, who is desperate for her to marry a prince or duke to put their family back on top. Princess O'Rourke is a winner all way around.
Film: B
Olivia's Performance:B

Jane Wyman teams with Jack Carson for the funny Make Your Own Bed (1944)

Successful businessman Walter Whirtle (Alan Hale, yes the dad of the Skipper from Gilligan's Island) and his wife Vivian (Irene Manning) have a hard time keeping servants in their employ. Enter private detective Jerry Curtis (played by Jack Carson) who has been fired for arresting the District Attorney. The only way that Walter can get Jerry to work for him is to tell Jerry that his life is in danger; the neighbor is trying to take his wife; and that Nazi spies are everywhere. Jerry needs a cook for his 'cover' so he gets his fiancée Susan (the game Jane Wyman) to work with him. The storyline may be exaggerated but it's so funny that you won't mind. Carson and Wyman make a delightful team. They would follow-up this movie with the equally hilarious The Doughgirls a few months later. Carson gets the majority of the best lines, but Wyman gets in a few good zingers as well. Make Your Own Bed is good, solid fun.
B

Jane Wyman leads THE DOUGHGIRLS (1944) to hilarity

Ready...aim..fire...The Doughgirls are in town!

Coming out at the tail end of the screwball comedy genre is this wonderful and entertaining film, The Doughgirls. Featuring an all-star cast of Ann Sheridan, Jane Wyman, Jack Carson, Eve Arden, Charlie Ruggles and Alexis Smith. The story centers on recently married couple Arthur and Vivian Halstead (played by Carson and Wyman) who arrive in Washington, DC to honeymoon in their reserved suite. But with the wartime housing shortage (this film is set during WW2) things do not go as planned. When they arrive, their room is already occupied by another recently married couple, Julian and Edna Cadman (played by John Ridgely and Ann Sheridan). There is a tense scene when the two women meet behind closed doors that you think is going to turn ugly, but ends up being not so bad, once they realize they are friends from their old chorus line days. Soon a third friend will drop by a Nan Curtis Dillion (Alexis Smith) who is there to marry a soldier fiancee, who is en route before he flies out on a mission. All this is well and good except that Arthur wants to spend time with his wife, but with so many people dropping by that becomes futile. Eve Arden shows up as Russian soldier, Sgt. Natalia  Moskoroff, on a goodwill tour of the United States. Her accent will have you cracking up every time she speaks. And she also carries her rifle everywhere she goes, occasionally letting off a few shots from the balcony, much to the chagrin of the hotel's manager. Also on hand is Charles Ruggles as Stanley Slade, Arthur's new boss, who decides to put the moves on Vivian. And Edna has to deal with the return of Julian's ex-wife, who wants him back in a big way, now that he is meeting with the high rollers of D.C. Almost all of the action takes place in this one room but a lot of things and situations happen that will keep you entertained throughout.

The performances are all wonderful. Jane Wyman is awesome as Vivian. She gives a ditzy blonde performance (even though she is brunette) that would make Marilyn Monroe proud. You won't believe half the things that come out of her mouth but you will be laughing anyway. I never knew Wyman could be this funny. Ann Sheridan is pretty good too despite a few times she comes close to going over the top with her shrieking. But she gives the best double takes along with Jack Carson out of the whole cast. And speaking of Carson, he is in top form as usual. Alexis Smith actually is quite good in a comedy role instead of her usual dramatic ones. She even gets to do a thick Brooklyn accent that will bring a smile to your face. And let's not forget the great Charles Ruggles, who is perfect as Slade.

The Doughgirls is a very funny movie that I loved from the get go. It's setting will remind you of The More the Merrier and Government Girl, as those films also dealt with the wartime housing shortage too. And it is just as memorable as those films as well. I have no problem placing The Doughgirls on the list of great screwball classics.

Film: B+
Jane's Performance: A

Jane Wyman in Larceny, Inc (1942)

Jane looking a tad bothered in Larceny, Inc

A delightful comedy with my classic goddess of the month, Jane Wyman. It stars perennial tough guy Edward G. Robinson as 'Pressure Maxwell', an ex-con just released from prison with his pal Jug Martin (played by Broderick Crawford). Once out, Pressure is greeted by his niece Denny (the delightful Jane Wyman) who hopes he will stay out of trouble. But once Pressure and Jugs meet up with another pal named Weepy (Edward Brophy) they starting thinking of a new scam. While in prison, cell-mate Leo (Anthony Quinn) was planning a bank job, which they wanted no part in. Well once they find a store that sells luggage right next door to said bank, the trio decide to buy the current owner (Harry Davenport) out to use the store to break into the bank. But lo and behold when business starts zooming thanks to Denny and her new beau (Jack Carson) starting coming up with these crazy ideas for wild sales days. So now the boys think about staying legit. That is until Leo busts out and comes a calling.

Pressure trying to tell Denny he has turned over a new leaf

Denny is suspicious of Pressure's motives

Pressure can see it all clearly now

Denny and Jeff doing a little advertising for Pressure's store

Larceny Inc is a hilarious movie that lets Robinson spoof his tough guy image. And he is a joy to watch.  Letting lose with so many funny one liners with tommy gun efficiency. Who said Robinson couldn't be funny. He's get great support from Crawford and Brophy as his pals. They're almost like The Three Stooges with the puns and wisecracks. Jane Wyman and Jack Carson shine in their supporting roles. And Quinn is effective as the heavy. But it's the three guys of Robinson, Crawford and Brophy who make this movie as fun as it can be. One of the great lesser known films of yesteryear. It's a treat to watch. And check out Jackie Gleason in one of his early roles as a soda clerk.

Film: B+
Jane's performance: B+

JANE WYMAN - An underrated screwball comedy actress

For this post I wanted to focus on Jane Wyman's contributions to the screwball comedy genre. Most people know Jane for her serious films such as The Yearling, The Lost Weekend, Johnny Belinda (her only Oscar win), Stage Fright, and All That Heaven Allows. But Jane got her start in film early in her career with some great screwball comedies. During the mid 30's she had bit parts (both uncredited) in several comedies headlining Carole Lombard: My Man Godfrey and Fools For Scandals. She took over playing Torchy Blane, the wise-cracking reporter in 1939's Playing With Dynamite and she was off. Films during this period included Wide Open Faces (1938) with Joe E. Brown; the Brother Rat films with Ronald Reagan, Priscilla Lane and Eddie Albert; and Honeymoon For Three (1941) with Ann Sheridan. All these films provided Jane to work on her comedic skills and she would get better with each subsequent role.

with Ronald Reagan

Her break-out comedy film would be 1941's You're In The Army Now, co-starring Phil Silvers and Jimmy Durante. Jane was the girl caught between the two guys and I think she would learn a lot from working with these two comedians. She would pair up with frequent co-star Jack Carson for the first time in the gangster comedy Larceny, Inc. co-starring Edward G. Robinson.

with Jack Carson

From that point on Jane and Jack would team up for 3 more comedies: Princess O'Rourke (1943 with Olivia de Havilland); Make Your Own Bed (1944) and the classic screwball film The Doughgirls (1944) featuring an all-star cast of Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith, Eve Arden and Charlie Ruggles.

with Kay Kyser

Jane would also star in 1942's My Favorite Spy with Kay Kyser and Footlight Serenade with Betty Grable. So while she may be known more for her dramas and to be fair she did win an Oscar for Johnny Belinda, I think Jane was very underrated when it came to comedy and she was very good at it. Her chemistry with Jack Carson was a plus in those films and her willingness to be a team player in those other films only helped make her a better all around actress. Hats off to Jane Wyman, one of the best.

The Doughgirls: Eve Arden, Jane Wyman, Alexis Smith and Ann Sheridan

Check out this clip from Torchy Blane starring the first Torchy (Glenda Farrell) asking a slightly confused but funny Jane Wyman some questions. It's cool that Jane would later go on to play Torchy in one of the sequels.

Personal Quotes by Jane Wyman

Here are some personal quotes by Jane over the years...supplied by IMDB:

The opportunity for brotherhood presents itself every time you meet a human being.

I guess I just don't have a talent for it, some women just aren't the marrying kind - or anyway, not the permanent marrying kind, and I'm one of them.

[on winning the 1949 Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role of Johnny Belinda (1948)]: I won this award for keeping my mouth shut, so I think I'll do it again now.

[Who said in 1964 about growing up in an unhappy, humorless household]: Shyness is not a small problem; it can cripple the whole personality. It crippled mine for many years. As a child, my only solution to the problem of shyness was to hide, to make myself as small and insignificant as possible. All through grade school I was a well-mannered little shadow who never spoke above a whisper.

[on The Lost Weekend (1945)]: It was my biggest chance yet, and I was determined to make the most of it. I was determined to act from the inside out, to disregard all surface effects, and delve into the character of a sturdy woman who endured hardship stoically and who concealed a deeply emotional nature under a frosty, pragmatic exterior. I meditated on the role at great length; I wanted to get to the bottom of this woman's psyche. And in doing so I dredged up all the early hardships and disappointments in my own life, looking constantly for some points of reference that would link our respective inner schemes.

[When asked if she loved television better than film]: The reason I enjoy TV more than pictures now is that I like the pace better. You've got so many hours to do so much, and you have to get it done. I was on The Yearling for eleven and a half months! Sometimes we only did two pages of dialogue in four days.

[In 1984]: Women are like tea bags. You never know how strong they are until you put them in hot water.

[on commenting her newspaper interview in 1981 about her almost 50 year career in films]: I've been through four different cycles in pictures: the brassy blonde, then came the musicals, the high dramas, then the inauguration of television.

[In 1981]: The movies were changing, and the kinds of things that they were offering me I wouldn't look at, much less do. They were sordid. I have spent too many years in my craft, in my own little niche, my own little way, and it didn't matter to me. I didn't want to work anyway.

Some facts about Jane Wyman

Here are some facts and trivia about Jane courtesy of IMDB:

Born: Sarah Jane Mayfield
January 5th, 1917 (St. Joseph, Missouri)
Died: September 10th, 2007 (age 90) in Palm Springs, CA (complications from arthritis and diabetes)

Her name changed to "Jane Faulks" when she was unofficially "adopted" by the Faulks family, middle-aged neighbors of her single mother. Moved to So. California with Mrs. Faulks when she was widowed in 1928

Several sources have given her date of birth as January 4, 1914, which would mean she was one of the first (and one of the very few) actresses to make herself older. She is a serious convert to Roman Catholicism, attending Mass with good friend Loretta Young.

Holds the record for the longest screen kiss, with Regis Toomey in You're In The Army Now (1941), at 3 minutes and 5 seconds.

Before she was a successful actress, she was once a switchboard operator.

Has 2 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

She attended Lafayette High School in St. Joseph, Missouri.

She dropped out of Lafayette High School, during her freshman year, and took on odd jobs such as a waitress and manicurist.

She had 10 hobbies: landscape painting, golfing, dancing, collecting CDs, listening to music, playing piano, singing, philanthropy, reading and politics.

The first actress ever to have lots of name changes. After she took the name of Sarah Jane Fulks, she dropped her first name and used Jane, as her middle name, hence, she legally changed her name to Jane Durrell, however, she was asked to change her last name to Wyman, the same last name as her adoptive siblings - her mother had first been married to a Dr. Weymann.

Was a chorus girl before being a successful actress.

Her father, Manning Jefferies Mayfield, died when she was only 5.

In 1991, she received the Golda Meir Award from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel.

Fred Karger	(11 March 1961 - 9 March 1965) (divorced)
Fred Karger	(1 November 1952 - 7 December 1954) (divorced)
Ronald Reagan	(26 January 1940 - 28 June 1948) (divorced) 3 children
Myron Futterman	(29 June 1937 - 5 December 1938) (divorced)
Ernest Eugene Wyman	(8 April 1933 - ?) (divorced)

My love of classic films is beyond measure

Monty

Presenting this month's classic movie goddess...JANE WYMAN

Say hello to Jane Wyman, November's classic movie goddess. Jane is one of my top 25 classic movie actresses of all time. And like so many other stars I first remember seeing her in the twilight of her career. On Friday nights on CBS back in the early 80's as family patriarch Angela Channing on the long running soaper Falcon Crest. I didn't realize until much later that Jane began her career back in the 30's. And I have been watching her older movies ever since then. She had a great flair for comedy as evident in The Doughgirls (1944), Princess O'Rourke (1943), You're In The Army Now (1941), Larceny, Inc (1942) among others. Of course most people know her from the highly regarded classics like The Lost Weekend (1945), The Yearling (1946) and her Oscar winning turn in Johnny Belinda (1948). So this month it will all be about Jane. Reviews, facts, pics, and all related stuff to this wonderful actress!. Hope everyone can stop by every now and then this month to spend a little time with me and Jane.

ALL GOOD THINGS in NOVEMBER

Fall is here, my favorite time of the year. I will be continuing my fall photo series of classic stars in fall like clothing and settings. My goddess for the month will be Jane Wyman. Expect the usual postings about the goddess of the month. My guest will be fellow blogger Stacia of She Blogged All Night. She is already at work on the questions I sent her. And the big event of course will be my tourney, The Lombard Cup. Details coming tomorrow! Hope everyone has had a wonderful fall season so far!

Summer Loving' - JANE WYMAN and RONALD REAGAN

Former husband and wife Ron and Jane coming out of the pool

THE MONTIES: A slight delay, but they are coming back soon....

Hi everyone. I know it's been about a month since I did my last Monties. And it's going to be another week or two before I have completed watching films from the year of 1945. One of the main things going on that year was the unbelievable amount of great work by women. Right now I have nine performances in the Best Actress category that are all excellent work. This will be the toughest year yet for me to decide on. That's why I'm re-watching several films to look at those amazing performances again. So if you guys can just bear with me a little while longer, I should have a new edition of the Monties before the month is out. But I will at least list the nine nominees for Best Actress so you guys will have an idea what's going on.

DONNA REED (THEY WERE EXPENDABLE)

MARGARET LOCKWOOD (THE WICKED LADY)

                                    

 

BARBARA STANWYCK (CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT)

                          


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JOAN BENNETT (SCARLET STREET)

                                               

 

GENE TIERNEY (LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN)

                                       
                                        

 

JOAN CRAWFORD (MILDRED PIERCE)

                                            



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
JANE WYMAN (THE LOST WEEKEND)

                                               

   ANN SAVAGE (DETOUR)                                      

VIRGINIA MAYO (WONDER MAN)

What an impressive list of nominees. It will make for a most difficult decision when it comes time to decides who will get a Montie for Best Actress of 1945. I will have the answer to that and to all the other categories in a few short weeks.

Happy Birthday Jane Wyman (1917 - 2007)

Happy Birthday to Jane Wyman, currently one of my top 20 favorite classic actresses of all time. Best known for such films as The Lost Weekend, Johnny Belinda (Best Actress Oscar), The Yearling, Miracle in the Rain and lots more. And let's not forget her memorable turn as family matriach Angela Channing on the long running nighttime soap Falcon Crest during the 80's. Below are some pics of the wonderful Jane!

Edward G. Robinson tries to go legit in LARCENY, INC (1942)

Just watched this wonderful film on TCM called Larceny, Inc. It starts perennial tough guy Edward G. Robinson as 'Pressure Maxwell', an ex-con just released from prison with his pal Jug Martin (played by Broderick Crawford). Once out, Pressure is greeted by his niece Denny (the delightful Jane Wyman) who hopes he will stay out of trouble. But once Pressure and Jugs meet up with another pal named Weepy (Edward Brophy) they starting thinking of a new scam. While in prison, cell-mate Leo (Anthony Quinn) was planning a bank job, which they wanted no part in. Well once they find a store that sells luggage right next door to said bank, the trio decide to buy the current owner (Harry Davenport) out to use the store to break into the bank. But lo and behold when business starts zooming thanks to Denny and her new beau (Jack Carson) starting coming up with these crazy ideas for wild sales days. So now the boys think about staying legit. That is until Leo busts out and comes a calling.

Pressure trying to tell Denny he has turned over a new leaf

Denny is suspicious of Pressure's motives

Pressure can see it all clearly now

Denny and Jeff doing a little advertising for Pressure's store

Larceny Inc is a hilarious movie that lets Robinson spoof his tough guy image. And he is a joy to watch.  Letting lose with so many funny one liners with tommy gun efficiency. Who said Robinson couldn't be funny. He's get great support from Crawford and Brophy as his pals. They're almost like The Three Stooges with the puns and wisecracks. Jane Wyman and Jack Carson shine in their supporting roles. And Quinn is effective as the heavy. But it's the three guys of Robinson, Crawford and Brophy who make this movie as fun as it can be. One of the great lesser known films of yesteryear. It's a treat to watch. And check out Jackie Gleason in one of his early roles as a soda clerk.


B+