The Shining Hour (1938)

MGM films are easily distinguished by their production values, which were top in the industry. If you turn the TV on midway through an MGM movie, you are likely to know it is an MGM movie just by the quality of the set design, the music, the costumes, the cinematography, and of course the "big name" actors. 

The Shining Hour had all of the above - except for a quality script. Unfortunately, this brought the whole film down to a Columbia "B" movie status. As entertaining as the film was, the plot seemed so absurd mid-way through that it turned into a comedy - at least for the two of us watching it. We had a grand laugh! But I doubt this was the intention of Keith Winter's original stage play. 

The story around The Shining Hour is a simple love triangle turned into a rectangle. Henry Linden (Melyn Douglas) comes from a socially prominent Wisconsin farming family. On a trip to New York City, he falls in love with dancer Olivia Riley (Joan Crawford) and asks her to marry him. Henry's brother David (Robert Young) reads about their engagement in the newspaper and flies to New York City hoping to stop the "impossible" marriage. He hadn't met Olivia yet, but he already knew she didn't belong in the Linden family. Hrumph! David questions her integrity so she slaps him in the face and marries Henry. 

When the newlyweds arrive at the grand Linden estate, they are greeted by David and his wife Judy (Margaret Sullavan) but not by Hannah (Fay Bainter), Henry and David's sister, because she, too, was against the "impossible" marriage. These Lindens are making a bad impression as wealthy country snobs. 

Judy takes to Olivia instantly and the two become fast friends and Olivia tries her best to become one of the proud Lindens.... in fact, she fits like a glove. Hannah begins to tolerate her and all seems to be going well until David suddenly has a change of heart and falls in love with Olivia! She tries to resist his charm but he continues to pursue her, even during the party when Henry and Olivia are celebrating the completion of their big new beautiful house. Judy suspects as much but Henry is blissfully unaware of any complications until Olivia begs him to take her away on a long honeymoon - that very night.

This seems to be the crutch of the problem with the Lindens. They greet one another during the day like they never slept together the night before. All of their romantic entanglements seem like they are being played out at a college campus and not one of them is really married. Throughout the second half of the film, Olivia repeatedly says she is "no good" and does not deserve the love of Henry since she never really loved him when she married him, however, it is Olivia that is making the only effort to being a loving spouse. Henry continually leaves her alone as though he were a travelling salesman... as a gentleman farmer what could he possibly be doing on a farm so late at night? David is even more aloof towards Judy. He wears dinner whites in the evening and riding clothes during the day so, unlike Henry, I doubt he works on the farm and yet he barely talks to Judy. 

Sadly, Hannah is the worst of the lot. Towards the end of the film, she goes into a jealous rage and burns Henry's new house down. Director Frank Borzage captures this scene well and we see Fay Bainter dressed in black, her hair all tussled, and laughing like a mad woman. The next scene, Henry and David still have ash on their face from putting out the fire and Hannah is back to being primly dressed and calmly serving them a cup of coffee. It is these abrupt transitions that no doubt led critic Bosley Crowther to calling the film "a hackneyed story of a definitely inferior grade."

The hackneyed transitions could have been fixed if the runtime was just a bit longer. The Shining Hour is only 76 minutes long and that seems much too short for such a dramatic script - even the Andy Hardy films ran over 80 minutes! Audiences thought little of the film as well and MGM ended up swallowing a loss of over $137,000. Joan Crawford had suggested the play as a property worth buying so Louis B. Mayer was probably cross with her. 

After reading this review you may be thinking "Is this film even worth watching?" and the answer to that is, yes, definitely! Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas are wonderful in the movie, it's a top-notch production (except for the preposterous story), the Cedric Gibbons sets are gorgeous, the setting is scenic, you'll get to see Joan Crawford dance, and the ending is amusing, so why not watch it? 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dig into that bird, Howard! Back in the day, Hollywood stars were required to pose for holiday images such as this, but I don't doubt that Howard Keel had such a turkey on his table for Thanksgiving.... a big man gotta eat! 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our readers! We hope you have a blessed day and are grateful to God for all the wonderful things in your life. 

Check it Out! The Kessler Twins

Last week, I read in the news that the Kessler twins passed away. In Germany, assisted suicide has been legalized since 2019, and Alice and Ellen Kessler, 89, chose this way to die together. They were an internationally renowned pair of entertainers and gained the spotlight stateside through their numerous appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show in the 1960s. 

Their death has relit the debate over assisted suicide in Germany, but instead of focusing on their chosen method of leaving this world, I want to highlight the talent of this incredible sister act. It has been a few years since I have watched their performances on The Ed Sullivan Show, so yesterday - thanks to the magic of Youtube - I was able to sit back and enjoy their beautiful dancing and singing through the clips shared by The Ed Sullivan Show Channel. 

The Kessler twins were best known as dancers but they were also blessed with lovely singing voices and they sang in harmony in almost all of their performances - in English, German, and Italian. After their appearances on The Red Skelton Hour and The Ed Sullivan Show, the leggy duo were featured on the cover of Life magazine in 1963, performed with Frank Sinatra, Danny Kaye, Fred Astaire, and Harry Belafonte, and toured in nightclubs throughout America. 

Alice and Ellen Kessler represented West Germany in the 1959 Eurovision contest placing 8th with "Heute Abend wollen wir tanzen geh'n" and I was surprised to read that they had appeared in 12 different films in the 1950s and 1960s, usually in dancing roles. 

Like most identical twins, if you look at them long enough you can tell the slight difference between them, but once they got into a change of costume you had to begin the spot-the-difference game all over again. 

Below are videos from some of the appearances they have made on The Ed Sullivan Show. Check out their unique singing and dancing style - they were truly a one-of-a-kind (or should I say two-of-a-kind) duo! 

A November 24, 1968 performance of "I Say a Little Prayer". 

"Two by Two and Tea for Two" on April 24, 1966. Their skirts always tend to come off at the end of their programs... that's a carried over tradition from German nightclubs. 

"When in Rome"....do as the Romans do! Supposedly, they dance. This catchy number aired on October 16, 1966. 

"The Shadow of Your Smile" performed by the handsome Italian singer Sergio Franchi. We grew up with his LPs. This also aired on October 16, 1966. 

The always popular "Mas Que Nada" from April 19, 1970. 

Our New Website!

Over 12 years ago, my sister and I started Silverbanks Pictures, a hobby business of buying/selling original vintage movie photos that turned into a partnership and a storefront on eBay. For a long time we had hoped to have a website to go with this business and now we finally took the time to build one - and it uses our favorite platform Blogger!  

Our new site: https://www.silverbankspictures.com

eBay's storefront fees have been going up every year so our new website - Silverbanks Pictures (check it out!) - will feature lower prices since we no longer have to sneak those fees into the cost of the photos. We still accept offers on all images and hunt for special requests as well, so if you see something you like or don't see something you like, just send us an email. 

On the right column is a Subscribe button where you can get updates every time new photos are added to the site. 

As a special gift for Silver Scenes readers, type "SILVER-30" in the comment box on the order form and we will take an additional 30% off your order. 

With the holiday season approaching, consider giving the gift of a vintage movie still to the film lover in your life. They not only look great framed but they are investments that increase in value over time!

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

This month we have a really tricky screenshot to share... not because the scene is particularly hard but rather because the screenshot is so fuzzy! This woman appears in motion because she wouldn't stand still long enough to get a decent "shot" at. Anyway, we are sure some of our keen-eyed readers will guess this one quick enough regardless. 

Tale Spinners for Children

There is nothing as exciting for us as discovering something "new"..... and luckily, this thrill comes weekly. After finding that certain something special, the next best feeling is sharing it. So this week, we have something special to share with you: the Tale Spinners series. 

If you enjoy audio books, then you will enjoy these (even though they are aimed at children), especially since the production quality of these albums are so much better than an audiobook. 

Tale Spinners for Children began in England in 1959 as a series of 30 records from the Atlas Record Label each featuring a story for children. The stories were classics and the actors/actresses reading them were usually classically-trained actors with rich and melodic voices such as Denise Bryer, Robert Hardy, Maggie Smith, Donald Pleasence or William Devlin. As lovely as it is listening to these actors, they were always supported by a full orchestra playing background music (once again, classically based) and a cast of other actors each reading the different parts. 

Listening to a Tale Spinners album feels like listening to a radio show but one featuring classic novels... how wonderful is that! 

After the success of the series in England, United Artists brought the Tale Spinners to the American market and pressed 69 different titles (!) including Robinson Crusoe, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Snow White, Cinderella, The Snow Queen, Swiss Family Robinson, Peter Pan, Davy Crockett, and Don Quixote. 

The Tale Spinners series continued until the early 1970s. New titles were no longer released but the series was re-issued up until the mid-1980s. Today, many of these albums appear quite frequently on eBay and several are available on Youtube, a few of which we have linked to below. 

Enjoy! 

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (c 1963)

Robin Hood (c1964)

Knights of the Round Table (c 1963)

Treasure Island (c1962)

The Mikado (c1963)

William Tell (c1962)

Tom Thumb (c1969)

From the Archives: Song of Surrender (1949)

Wanda Hendrix and MacDonald Carey display a striking pose in this original Paramount Pictures publicity photo where they play two lovers caught in a "song of surrender."

From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures 

The Spiral Staircase (1946)

Few thrillers have ever wrapped terror in such beauty as Robert Siodmak's The Spiral Staircase (1946). Adapted from Ethel Lina White's novel "Some Must Watch", it is one of the crown jewels of the "old dark house" tradition. 

The story takes place in 1916 in a quiet New England village that is shaken by a killer who is stalking women he deems "imperfect." Inside the great Warren mansion, the latest potential target, Helen Capel (Dorothy McGuire), a young mute servant girl, tends to her bedridden employer Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore), unaware that danger lurks within the corridors of the house she calls home. 

Director Robert Siodmak, fresh from his work at Universal, infused the picture with the eerie elegance of German Expressionism. His camera glides through the Warren house teasing us with glimpses of views through mirrors and banisters, as though we were the unseen watcher. The most iconic frame of the film is undoubtably his close-up of the killer's eye and its reflection of the titular staircase. 

Dorothy McGuire gives a remarkable delicate performance as Helen. One forgets her muteness entirely, instead we sense her vulnerability and every thought of fear through her expressions alone. The grand old dame Barrymore gives a barnstorming turn as the sharp-tongued ailing dowager, a role which earned her an Academy Award nomination. George Brent and Gordon Oliver are each cloaked in just enough mystery to keep the viewer guessing, while Kent Smith lends a touch of romance to the proceedings as the young Dr. Parry who is anxious for Helen to regain her speech. The always appealing Rhonda Fleming costars as Mr. Warren's secretary; Elsa Lanchester brings some tipsy humor to the household gloom, and Sara Allgood and Rhys Williams round out the cast of servants. 

Visually, the film is a feast. Nicholas Musuraca's cinematography - that deep-focus chiaroscuro he perfected in Cat People and The Seventh Victim - breathes life into Albert D'Agostino's rambling and gloomy Victorian sets. 

The mystery itself may not stump many modern viewers, but The Spiral Staircase was never about surprise...it is about suspense - that exquisite tightening of the nerves as Helen's silence grows unbearable. In its refinement and restraint, The Spiral Staircase anticipates the psychological thrillers of decades to come and remains a Gothic masterpiece preserved on celluloid.

G-G-Ghost!! 1960s British Pathe Ghost Clips

This month's featured British Pathe clip is actually three newsreels in one and all suitably spooky for Halloween. Titled "G-G-Ghost!", British Pathe assembled these spirited shorts dating from the 1950s and 1960s into one entertaining video. The first is from 1953's "Ghost Hunters" and features the Sussex ghost hunters examining an old country house and why three caretakers were frightened away it. If this sparks your interest, check out BBC's 1975 documentary "Ghost Hunters" to learn more about these Sussex fellows. 

The second newsreel is "Dig that Ghost" and features the haunted Chequers Inn in Amersham. This 18th-century inn once housed three men who were burned at the stake the following day for being Protestant. Finally, the last is 1957's "Pathe Probes that Ghost" where the ghost of half a man named George appears to the owner of the Pilgrim's Cottage in Wilbarston. He was supposedly disturbed by the digging up of tombstones in a nearby graveyard and is looking for a new resting place. 

Ready to watch "G-G-Ghost!"? Simply click on this link.  

Other similarly themed British Pathe shorts: 

English Witch Cave (1962) - 0:47 sec 

The Ghost Town of Lucknow (1967) - 1:08 sec 

A Halloween Crossword Puzzle

 Since Halloween is fast approaching, here is a special horror/mystery movie themed puzzle for any of you trivia-loving readers. Solve the clues going across and then the grayed squares will reveal the answer to the clue at the bottom of the page. Try not to look up any of these clues online... after all, the fun of a good puzzle is trying to puzzle it out yourself! 

Answers will be revealed on Halloween. 

You can right-click and save on the image here to print it as a jpeg, or click here to view and print the PDF. Enjoy! 

Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Perfect Crime (1957)

On October 20, 1957, television audiences were treated to a rare pairing of two masters of suspense: Alfred Hitchcock and Vincent Price in, what is hard to believe, their only work together. In The Perfect Crime, the third episode of Season 3 of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Price dons the role of Charles Courtney, a smug prosecutor with a penchant for collecting case mementos—each one neatly labeled and shelved like trophies in a macabre curio cabinet. But there’s one conspicuous gap on the shelf, reserved for what he calls “The Perfect Crime.” You can guess where this is going.

Enter James Gregory as John Gregory (yes, the names are confusing), a defense attorney with a bone to pick. He believes Courtney sent an innocent man to the gallows, and he’s got the evidence to prove it. What follows is a tense tête-à-tête that spirals into murder and a chilling twist that only Hitchcock could deliver with such dry wit.

Price is in his element here—oozing charm, arrogance, and just the right amount of menace. However, much of the episode unfolds through Gregory’s riveting narration, as he reconstructs the tragic events that lead to the innocent man's unjust prosecution. 

Hitchcock, ever the showman, introduces the episode wearing a deerstalker and puffing bubbles from a calabash pipe—a cheeky nod to Sherlock Holmes and a wink to the audience that this mystery is anything but elementary.

The episode is one of only seventeen directed by Hitchcock himself, and it shows. The pacing is taut, the dialogue crisp, and the conclusion deliciously absurd. It’s a compact gem that reminds us why Alfred Hitchcock Presents remains a gold standard in televised suspense.

So if you’re in the mood for a little murder, a lot of ego, and a kiln that doubles as a crime scene, The Perfect Crime is a must-watch. Just don’t ask what’s in the vase.

Tales of Witches, Ghosts and Goblins Told by Vincent Price

In the 1970s, Vincent Price was not only busy continuing his film work in Hollywood but he also returned to his old haunting ground - the radio studio. His best radio work was done on The Price of Fear, a BBC horror anthology serial, that aired late nights in 1973. 

However, one year prior to that he recorded an album of eerie tales for the Caedmon label (TC-1393) of literary LPs. "Tales of Witches, Ghosts and Goblins" gathers a compelling selection of short stories: Iroquois legends, Sioux folktales, Scottish witch-reels, and even an essay snippet on becoming a werewolf, all narrated by the inimitable silky voice of Price. There’s a delightful almost conversational intimacy in Price’s tone in this album, as though he’s leaning in close, whispering one more ghost story before turning off the light.

The album sold enough copies to justify a follow-up and, in 1973, Price returned to record "A Coven of Witches' Tales" (TC-1338) which featured stories even more intriguing than the first album....but the third recording (or should I say "thrice"?) was the best - "A Graveyard of Ghost Tales" (TC-1429) released in 1974. Werewolves are eerie, witches are scary, but ghosts are terrifying, so be warned that this is not a bedtime album to listen to! 

All of the albums featured fabulous and imaginative illustrations by book illustrators Leo and Diane Dillon. 

Enjoy these LPs online because they are popular among collectors and can fetch anywhere from $100-$400 each. 

Ready to be enchanted by old legends and eerie ghost stories? Click here to listen to "Tales of Witches, Ghosts and Goblins Told by Vincent Price" and here to listen to "A Coven of Witches Tales" and here to be spooked with a "A Graveyard of Ghost Tales".

Film Albums: Half a Sixpence (1967)

Every October, around Columbus Day, I get the urge to watch two films: Doctor Dolittle and Half a Sixpence, both of which were released in 1967. Some people consider the 1960s a musical revival decade and others consider it the worst decade in musical history.... personally, I think the 1960s had some good productions and this is definitely one of them. You can read our full review of the film here, for this post we will just be sharing what stands out with this score. 

For one thing, you cannot go wrong with any production conducted by Irwin Kostal. This brilliant arranger/conductor is most famous for his work on Mary Poppins (1964) but he also did a splendid job adapting the Sherman Brothers music in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and Charlotte's Web (1971). 

For Half a Sixpence, Kostal had some fantastic music by David Heneker to work with and Tommy Steele, with his unmistakable Cockney accent, performed all of the numbers with his usual lovable zeal. The tunes are all befitting an English turn-of-the-century setting and definitely lean towards the music hall sound. 

Highlights of this album include the titular "Half a Sixpence" with its beautiful instrumental interlude, "She's Too Far Above Me," the lilting "If the Rain's Gotta Fall" performed by Steele (as Artie) and the chorus, and "This is My World." Artie's gal Ann was played by Julia Foster but her singing voice was dubbed by Marti Webb who had played the role in the original 1963 London production. Marti's lovely soprano voice can be heard best in the reprise of "Half a Sixpence" at the end of the album. 

Click here to listen to the full album on Youtube. 

Track Listing


Side One:

"Overture"

"All in the Cause of Economy"

"Half a Sixpence"

"Money to Burn"

"I Don't Believe a Word"

"I'm Not Talking to You"

"A Proper Gentleman"

Side Two:

"If the Rain's Gotta Fall"

"Lady Botting's Boating Regatta Cup Racing Song (The Race)"

"Roses of Success"

"Entr'Acte, Flash, Bang Wallop"

"I Know What I Am"

"This is My World"

"Half a Sixpence - Reprise"

Top Music Picks: Half a Sixpence, She's Too Far Above Me, If the Rain's Gonna Fall, This is My World

Codename Icarus (1981)

Just when you think you have discovered all the miniseries there are to discover, you find a new one. That was the case with Codename Icarus. We thought we had exhausted the field of British children's television programs and then Paul, a wonderful film collector, shared this hard-to-find title. 

Codename Icarus (1981), a quietly unsettling conspiracy thriller, was the brainchild of screenwriter Richard Cooper. It poses the query, "what if an organization used gifted children to develop scientific breakthroughs for their own diabolical means?" If an organization could separate the children with advanced minds from their regular schools and then train them to work on problems for their own use, what could stop them? Well, in the series, one man could stop them. At least, he will try. 

Martin Smith (Barry Angel) is one of the eccentric gifted children who was most recently brought to Falconleigh, a private school in the country run by the shadowy Icarus Foundation. He was told that he could pursue his own studies and that teachers - who act more like servants - will be able to provide him with "challenges" which he can work on to engage his mind. These homework assignments are actually pieces of research projects that other scientists are having difficulty solving. 

At Falconleigh, pupils are addressed with strict formality, social bonds are discouraged, and “The Game” — conducted in a deserted squash court — subjects them to interrogation, hypnosis, and mental conditioning. Martin, who was at first delighted to be going to a school that recognized his talent, soon discovers the real "game" that Falconleigh is playing on the students. He wants to escape but is unable to. 

Parallel to the child-strand is an adult storyline, led by intelligence officer Andy Rutherford (Jack Galloway), investigating why British missiles keep failing in testing — and gradually tracing the threads of sabotage back to Falconleigh and Icarus. 

It’s this structural balance — the youthful and the grown-up plots proceeding in tandem — that makes Icarus feel less like “children’s TV with spies” and more like a compact, morally serious drama. British screenwriters always seem to be pushing the boundaries of what defines children's television and normally a program such as Codename Icarus would have been a treat to watch. However, Richard Cooper's script pushed the boundaries a bit too far. Why would children be anxious to tune into next week's program to watch other children undergo drug treatment or be interrogated? Even this extreme possibility may have happened if Barry Angel made his Martin Smith character a likable chap. 

Codename Icarus could have been a series about two or three highly intelligent children banding together to escape the school and expose its founder to the British secret service. Adults would have enjoyed the trials of Andy Rutherford while children could have related to Martin and his compatriots. Instead, Martin is an uneasy, brittle centre: he’s prickly, defensive, and full of resentment at being misunderstood....in short, a thoroughly unentertaining character to watch. The adult cast, especially Galloway’s Rutherford, offers counterweight, but not enough to save the series from just being a dark and unsettling bit of sci-fi television. 

If you cherish the BBC’s tradition of intelligent children’s serials, then you are better off exploring Timeslip (1970), Escape into Night (1972), Children of the Stones (1977), The Bells of Astercote (1980), or The Witches and the Grinnygog (1983). Not only are these more entertaining, but they spark the imagination far more vividly.

The Onedin Line Re-Imagined

A few days ago, my sister and I were watching The Heiress (1949) and seeing the 1850s period costumes and setting reminded me of that excellent 1970s British series The Onedin Line which was also set during that time, except in England not in Washington Square. Then it occurred to me that The Onedin Line would have made a fantastic film in the 1940s and Olivia de Havilland would have been ideally cast as Captain James Onedin's first wife, Anne. Of course, that led to the question of who would have been cast in all of the other roles if this was indeed a Hollywood production from the 1940s.....

Before I get into my casting picks for this imaginary production, check out Wikipedia's summary of the long-running series if you are not familiar with it. Like Upstairs, Downstairs, it will probably be re-vamped into another popular PBS mini-series in the near future but, for now, let's have fun with doing a backdated casting of The Onedin Line. 

James Onedin, who was so perfectly played by Peter Gilmore, would have been the most difficult character to cast. The role called for a man who is headstrong and aggressive and yet very likeable.... such as James Cagney. He would have been a little old for the part in the late 1940s and Onedin is a tall man, so that led me to choose Burt Lancaster. Thanks to the magic of Midjourney, you can picture this choice in the beautiful rendering below. Olivia de Havilland is ideal as his wife Anne. James married her for her dowry but she proved to be such a good wife and business partner that he fell in love with her later. Her father - who liked to tipple - could have been played by Charles Coburn, and Joseph Cotten would have performed the part of James' brother Robert splendidly. 

Now Jame's sister Elizabeth, who was both beautiful and impetuous, could have been played by Lana Turner, and Zachary Scott could have tackled the role of the debonair Mr. Frazer. Lastly, there was Daniel Fogarty, the handsome seaman who loved Elizabeth.... ideally played by Alan Marshall. 

After doing these imaginary castings, I wondered what choices ChatGPT would have made. Every once in a while I like to throw it a question to test its capabilities, so this seemed like a fun question to pose.... and it responded with some surprisingly good picks! 

This is the answer to the question, "If The Onedin Line was a feature film made in 1948, who would you have cast in that film? It could be a British production or a Hollywood production."

That’s a marvelous what-if! The Onedin Line — with its blend of maritime adventure, class struggle, and passionate ambition — would have made a magnificent 1948 feature film, whether produced by Ealing Studios or a Hollywood studio like MGM or Warner Bros.

Let’s imagine two versions — one British (authentic, gritty, and character-driven), and one Hollywood (lavish, romantic, with a stronger focus on spectacle and glamour).

---

⚓ British Production (Ealing Studios or Rank Organisation, 1948)

Director: Charles Frend (Scott of the Antarctic) or David Lean (Great Expectations, Oliver Twist)

James Onedin – Trevor Howard
→ Rugged, determined, with that flinty intelligence and undercurrent of pride. Perfect as a man clawing his way up from poverty to respectability.

Anne Webster/Onedin – Jean Simmons
→ Fresh-faced, tender yet strong-willed. She’d bring the quiet emotional backbone that tempers James’s ambition.

Elizabeth Frazer – Valerie Hobson
→ Elegant and high-born, with that refined coolness that makes her both sympathetic and formidable.

Robert Onedin – Michael Redgrave
→ Polished and respectable, in contrast to James’s rougher edge; his moral conflicts would play beautifully in Redgrave’s hands.

Captain Webster (Anne’s father) – Cecil Parker
→ A kindly but stubborn sea captain with a moral compass and a soft spot for his daughter.

Daniel Fogarty – Stewart Granger
→ Handsome, brash, and charming — a perfect rival for James both in love and ambition.

Mrs. Sarah Onedin (James and Robert’s mother) – Flora Robson
→ Warm, weary, and wise — the moral heart of the family.

Music by: Alan Rawsthorne or Ralph Vaughan Williams
→ For sweeping maritime grandeur and emotional resonance.

Cinematography: Guy Green (beautiful North Sea light and dramatic shipboard scenes)

---

🌊 Hollywood Production (Warner Bros or MGM, 1948)

Director: Michael Curtiz (Captain Blood, The Sea Hawk) or Victor Saville (Green Dolphin Street)

James Onedin – Gregory Peck
→ Strong, stoic, with moral gravity and a romantic streak. Perfectly suited to a man rising from sailor to shipowner.

Anne Webster/Onedin – Deborah Kerr
→ Graceful, compassionate, with quiet strength — the ideal moral and emotional counterweight to Peck’s intensity.

Elizabeth Frazer – Greer Garson
→ Elegant and poised, but with hidden vulnerability — she’d elevate Elizabeth’s role into one of quiet tragedy and dignity.

Robert Onedin – David Niven
→ Urbane and slightly superior, but ultimately loyal; a perfect foil to Peck’s intensity.

Captain Webster – Charles Laughton
→ Gruff but warmhearted, with a deep love for the sea. His scenes would be unforgettable.

Daniel Fogarty – Tyrone Power
→ Dashing, ambitious, and romantic — an ideal rival for both Anne’s heart and James’s business.

Mrs. Onedin – Gladys Cooper
→ Regal and reserved, representing the family’s dignity amidst turmoil.

Music by: Erich Wolfgang Korngold
→ Lush, heroic, and sweeping — full of salt air and stormy romance.

Technicolor cinematography by Sol Polito or Jack Cardiff
→ Tall ships in the Mersey glinting under golden sunlight, with lavish seascapes and tempestuous skies.

---

Optional Alternate Visions

• Powell & Pressburger version (1948) – beautifully surreal, with Roger Livesey as James, Wendy Hiller as Anne, and Anton Walbrook as Robert — a more allegorical, poetic take on ambition and love.

• British Lion Studios version (grittier) – Richard Burton as a younger, more volatile James; perhaps made in black and white with a social realist tone, emphasizing class conflict.

---

I like the casting for the Powell and Pressburger and British Lion productions, too. Spot on! Look at the director choices, too. How did it know I was thinking about Green Dolphin Street? Eerie. I then ran this same question in Microsoft's CoPilot to see what it generated and it has some excellent choices, too. Again, it placed the British production first and its Hollywood version second. 

🎬 Hypothetical 1948 Casting for The Onedin Line

🧭 James Onedin – The ambitious, brooding shipping magnate

• Trevor Howard – Known for his intensity and gravitas (Brief Encounter, The Third Man), he'd bring a steely resolve to James.

• Michael Redgrave – A commanding presence with emotional depth, perfect for portraying James’s inner conflicts.

• Stewart Granger – Handsome and charismatic, with a flair for adventure (Scaramouche, King Solomon’s Mines), ideal for the romantic and ruthless aspects of James.

💼 Robert Onedin – The pragmatic, business-minded brother

• Nigel Patrick – Slick and sharp, often cast as urbane professionals, he’d suit Robert’s calculating nature.

• Cecil Parker – For a slightly older take, his dry wit and businesslike demeanor would fit Robert’s role well.

• Jack Hawkins – Solid and dependable, with a commanding voice and presence, he could portray Robert’s more grounded side.

💃 Elizabeth Onedin – The strong-willed sister navigating a patriarchal world

• Deborah Kerr – Elegant and intelligent, with a quiet strength (Black Narcissus, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp).

• Jean Simmons – Youthful but fiery, she could capture Elizabeth’s ambition and emotional complexity.

• Margaret Lockwood – Known for her spirited roles and dramatic flair (The Wicked Lady, The Man in Grey), she’d bring edge and charisma.

🎬 Hypothetical 1948 Hollywood Casting for The Onedin Line

🧭 James Onedin – The ambitious, brooding shipping magnate

• Gregory Peck – Tall, commanding, and morally complex (Captain Horatio Hornblower, Gentleman's Agreement), perfect for a man torn between love and ambition.

• Tyrone Power – Dashing and intense, with a flair for adventure (The Black Swan, Nightmare Alley), ideal for James’s romantic and ruthless sides.

• Humphrey Bogart – For a grittier take, Bogart’s edge and charisma (The Treasure of the Sierra Madre) could make James a darker antihero.

💼 Robert Onedin – The pragmatic, business-minded brother

• Fred MacMurray – Often cast as the affable businessman (Double Indemnity, The Apartment), he’d bring a smooth, calculating charm.

• Edward G. Robinson – Sharp, shrewd, and intense (Key Largo, The Woman in the Window), perfect for a more hard-nosed Robert.

• Joseph Cotten – Thoughtful and understated (Shadow of a Doubt, The Third Man), ideal for a quieter but strategic sibling.

💃 Elizabeth Onedin – The strong-willed sister navigating a patriarchal world

• Olivia de Havilland – Graceful and resilient (The Heiress, To Each His Own), she’d bring depth and dignity to Elizabeth.

• Barbara Stanwyck – Fierce, independent, and emotionally complex (Sorry, Wrong Number, Double Indemnity), perfect for a woman fighting for agency.

• Gene Tierney – Elegant and enigmatic (Laura, Leave Her to Heaven), she’d add mystery and allure to Elizabeth’s arc.

Interestingly, both selected Trevor Howard in the lead, which as you can see in the rendering at the top of the post, does indeed seem to be a good choice. Now we just have to wait five years and by that time I can probably prompt these AI chats to create the whole film. Exciting! 

If you are familiar with The Onedin Line, share your top casting picks in the comment box below. Who would you have cast?

From the Archives: Somewhere in the Night (1946)

Looking to watch a good thriller? Then check out Somewhere in the Night (1946) featuring John Agar and Nancy Guild, who looks remarkably like Gene Tierney in this Fox publicity photo. 

From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures 

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

If this game was called Guess the Occupation, it would take no stretch of the imagination to guess what this fellow does for a living, but our game is a little trickier - you have to guess the film this screenshot came from. We'll give you a hint: it is from a black-and-white movie. 

As always, if you are not familiar with the rules to the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!

Check it Out! How TV Series

Have you ever heard of "How"? I'm sure you haven't....at least, most Americans have not. This was a British series geared towards children but enjoyable for all ages. A panel of four presenters shared various "how-to"s within a half-hour span. The series was so entertaining that it lasted for 17 seasons between 1966 and 1981. 

Next month we are going to give a more thorough look into this fascinating show but, for now, check out a clip from a 1980 episode and see just how interesting this series was! 

Make A Wish (1937)

In 1936, Bobby Breen hit the big screen in his first starring role in the film Let's Sing Again. The curly-mopped youngster was a male edition of Shirley Temple with a similar twinkle in his eyes and a decidedly better singing voice. 

Little Bobby Breen (no relation to the film censor Joseph Breen) was indeed a talented youngster and, while he remained young, RKO Studios milked his image for all its worth featuring him in eight films within three years. 

Unfortunately, little boys do not remain little boys forever and as Bobby's bones grew, his audience diminished. The studio didn't quite know what to do with a teenage singing sensation, especially when his soprano voice was beginning to take on tenor tones. The moment his voice broke, Bobby broke with Hollywood and decided to concentrate on his school education before entering the US Army during World War II.

While he was on top, he made some entertaining films, the best of which was Make a Wish co-starring Basil Rathbone and opera star Marion Claire. 

In this film, Rathbone played Johnny Selden, a composer of operettas, who likes to vacation in a cottage across the lake from a boy's summer camp. One day while fishing, he meets "Chip" Winters (Bobby Breen), a friendly lad with a beautiful singing voice who is staying at the camp. Chip's mother is a musical stage star. Chip shares with Mr. Selden one of the letters his mother wrote to him, and this triggers Mr. Selden's creative juices to bubble over, so much so that he bases his new operetta around Chip's mother who inspired it. When Mrs. Winters (Marion Claire) arrives at camp, Mr. Selden finds her ideal and asks her to star in his latest production in New York. She likes the idea but her fiancé, the stuffy Mr. Mays (Ralph Forbes), is set against it. This provides the drama of the film. Donald Meek provides the comedy in the form of a butler who wants to compose music himself. He teams up Henry Armetta and Leon Errol to unintentionally destroy Mr. Selden's final act. 

Make a Wish is a light-hearted musical aimed at children but entertaining enough for adults to enjoy as well. It leaves you with a feel-good feeling which makes it timeless. Like the Shirley Temple films, the script has some implausibilities in it, like Mr. Selden's theatrical producer deciding to go ahead with staging an opera while the third act remains incomplete (!) It also seems unthinkable that Mr. Selden would not be aware that his show was being made until opening night - Where was he, on an African safari with no phone or newspaper access?

The music in Make a Wish is delightful. Oscar Strauss (The Chocolate Soldier) wrote the score while Paul Francis Webster and Louis Alter penned the lyrics. Three songs stand out: the titular "Make a Wish", "Music in My Heart", and "Campfire Dreams" which oddly enough was not written by Strauss. It was composed by Louis Alter. 

Bobby Breen's movies have not yet been given a proper DVD release but they can all be found on Youtube in varying conditions. This one is a worth see if only to enjoy Bobby's fine singing voice. 

Film Albums: Big Hits from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang by the New Christy Minstrels

 

The MGM Classics channel aired Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) this afternoon and that was so enjoyable to watch that I followed up the pleasure by listening to the album "Big Hits from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" released by Columbia records. There were many Chitty albums released after the film became popular, but this one is unique because the songs are performed by the New Christy Minstrels folk group along with Arthur Treacher. Yes, you read that correctly, Arthur Treacher, the toe-tapping butler of the Shirley Temple films (or if you prefer, the founder of the fish and chicken fast-food chain).

The New Christy Minstrels had big hits with "Green, Green" and "Today" in the early 1960s, during the Hootenanny craze. You would think that these beautiful Sherman Brothers songs wouldn't sound very well converted to folk songs complete with banjo and tambourine, but it is actually an entertaining blend and Arthur Treacher's voice is well-suited for "Posh" and "You Two." The only unusual song added to the album is "Fun Fair" which may have been a music-only track on the original album that had lyrics added to it because it certainly wasn't in the original film.

Click here to listen to the full album on Youtube. 

Track Listing


Side One:

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang"

"Posh!"

"Hushabye Mountain"

"Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scrumptious"

"Chu-Chi Face"

"Fun Fair"

Side Two:

"Me Ol' Bamboo"

"You Two"

"Roses of Success"

"Lovely Lonely Man"

"Toot Sweets"

"Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Reprise"

Top Music Picks: Hushabye Mountain, Doll on a Music Box/Truly Scumptious, You Two, Lovely Lonely Man

The Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie Game

This dapper gentleman is smiling at something...or someone. Doesn't he look familiar? We know what film this screenshot is from and even then we can't place where we saw him before! 

As always, if you are not familiar with the rules to the Impossibly Difficult Name that Movie game or the prize, click here!

GAME OVER. 

Congratulations to the Tactful Typist for correctly identifying this scene from "Charlie Chan in Panama" (1940). In this scene, Godley (Addison Richards) is keeping an eye on the passengers coming off the clipper ship and heading to Panama City (note the Panama Airways clue!).

From the Archives: Jane Powell and Boxer Lauro Salas

 

Jane Powell and Ricardo Montalban get to meet boxer Lauro Salas in this candid MGM publicity photo from 1952. Powell and Montalban had teamed up in the delightful musical "Two Weeks with Love" in 1950. 

From the Archives is our latest series of posts where we share photos from the Silverbanks Pictures collection. Some of these may have been sold in the past, and others may still be available for purchase at our eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Silverbanks-Pictures 

McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force (1965)

Tim Conway cracks me up. I always enjoyed his antics when he was paired with Don Knotts, but now I find he is even funnier with Joe Flynn. Having not seen the television series McHale's Navy, nor the feature film, I plunged into this sequel regardless and loved it! You don't have to be familiar with the show or its characters to enjoy this one. I didn't even miss Ernest Borgnine who wasn't present in this McHale outing sans "McHale".

Why he isn't in this sequel is a mystery... even Borgnine later confessed that he never knew the reason why he wasn't asked to be in it. Perhaps Universal wanted to test the waters with Joe Flynn and Tim Conway as a new Laurel & Hardy-like comedy duo...or they may have been simply saving money by axing the main star. Whatever the reason, with or without him it is a hoot. 

The comedy all starts with a case of mistaken identity—Ensign Parker (Tim Conway) gets confused as a defecting Russian naval officer after having one gin too many, so Quartermaster Christy dresses him in the uniform of Air Force Lt. Wilbur Harkness (Ted Bessell), General Harkness' son, who has a reputation as a ladies' man. Before long, our clueless hero is suddenly irresistible to the likes of Susan Silo, Jean Hale, and other young women who are convinced he’s a legendary Romeo. Things spiral further when Parker is forced to pose as a bomber navigator, dragging a very unwilling Binghamton (Joe Flynn) along for the ride. The two manage to turn a routine flight into a catastrophe, eventually plummeting out of the plane in a jeep dangling from a rope!

Throughout the 1960s, Universal Pictures were outputting the best comedies of all the studios. McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force was a typical product of this studio, much in the vein of the Don Knotts comedies from that same era. Sure, the sets are basic (they look like they were made for the TV series), but the acting is a riot, and it is packed with familiar character actors like Tom Tully, Jacques Aubuchon, Cliff Norton, Henry Beckman, and Willis Bouchey. And let’s not forget Bob Hastings as Carpenter, Binghamton’s ever-loyal lackey.

Best of all, it has plenty of Tim Conway and Joe Flynn. I grew up with Joe Flynn from his Disney work so the character of Captain Binghamton is new to me but it's Flynn all over. He always played men of authority who were frustrated by the idiots around him - yet, he was often the biggest boob of the bunch! McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force has a number of great scenes with Binghamton getting frustrated with Parker...the best of which is when the two of them squeeze inside a link trainer and Parker keeps making remarks that imply that they are flying ("We must be hitting turbulence"..."I think we hit water!"). Binghamton's exasperation keeps growing as he blurts out, "Link trainers can't fly!".... yet they end up in the Pacific Ocean! Another fun scene is where Parker and Binghamton come across a shipment of brassieres without the faintest idea of what they are. It’s all silly, harmless fun—but crazy enough to get you laughing. 

Thankfully, McHale's Navy ran for four seasons on television so now that this film whetted my appetite for navy comedy, I'll be plunging into the series. If you want to check out McHale's Navy Joins the Air Force for yourself, it is paired with McHale's Navy (1964) on a double-feature DVD from Shout! Factory.