Mary Astor and Frank Morgan, two great actors, are pictured here in this origianl publicity photo from the delightful MGM comedy Paradise for Three ( 1938 ). Mary Astor as Irene attempts to woo the elderly Mr. Tobler ( Morgan ) on their holiday in the Alps.
June Allyson ( Jo ), Elizabeth Taylor ( Amy ), Mary Astor ( Marmee ) and Janet Leigh ( Meg ) gather around little Margaret O'Brien ( Beth ) who has just received a piano as a present from the kindly neighbor Mr. Lawrence in this still photo from MGM's Little Women ( 1949 ).
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
Scotland Yard detectives, Inspector Winship and Dr. Tart, are hired to investigate the death of Lord and Lady Morley at their English mansion. One by one all of their suspects die off, leaving Winship and Tart to face the real killer. Don Knotts, Tim Conway, Trisha Noble, Bernard Fox. The Private Eye Partners. Directed by Lang Elliott.
Don Knotts and Tim Conway were teamed up for the first time in Disney's 1975 comedy The Apple Dumpling Gang and really "clicked" together. Knotts, who always played the sidekick to Andy on The Andy Griffith Show, did a wonderful job of switching to the straight man and allowing Conway to take the laughs. ThePrivate Eyes is a bit on the wacky side but it has its moments of humor, especially in the running gags throughout the film.
A happily married couple who own a restaurant outside Reno finds their marriage on the rocks when a blonde bombshell who was hired as a waitress begins to split them apart. Mary Astor, Philip Dorn, Gloria Grahame, Marshall Thompson. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. Directed by Richard Whorf.
Gloria Grahame was making her film debut - along with Marshall Thompson - in this light-hearted comedy from MGM. With their performances, both of them steal the show from the pros Mary Astor and Philip Dorn. The story, which was based on a play, was tight and the film had its moments, but overall, it is quite forgettable and not up to MGM's usual standards when it comes to comedies. However, the great character actor Felix Bressart is in the movie, and his presence alone makes it worth watching!
Five Little Peppers and How They Grew ( 1939 ) 14k
The wealthy Mr. King wishes to buy out the poor Pepper family's 50% share in a copper mine he owns but once he gets to know the family better and comes to love them, he changes his mind and invites them to live with him in his mansion. Edith Fellows, Charles Peck, Tommy Bond, Clarence Kolb. Columbia Pictures. Directed by Charles Barton.
This first entry in what was to become a four-film series about Margaret Sidney's Pepper family, is very unassuming and quite entertaining. It packs in quite a bit of plot in its 58-minute runtime. There is some youthful romance between the rich Mr. King's grandson Jaspar and Polly Pepper, a good deal of drama during a family bout with measles, and innocent humor from the children's activities - especially from Dorothy Ann Seese who was quite a scene-stealer.
The young Harun enters Baghdad seeking information about the group of men who ransacked his tribe and murdered his father. In a quaint bazaar he purchases a magic sword and discovers that Fate has led him to aid the princess Khairuzan in order to discover the group he is after. Rock Hudson, Piper Laurie, Steven Geray, George MacReady. Universal Pictures. Directed by Nathan Juran.
"Out of Bagdad's mystic past thunders the adventure of all ages!" So proclaims the poster to The Golden Blade. The screenwriter was banking on audiences ignorance of "Bagdad's mystic past" and decided to mix medieval and Mongolian ( ?) elements into the screenplay, making the film a pastiche of styles. Nathan Juran, an art director who would later direct the Ray Harryhausen classics The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and First Men in the Moon was just learning the ropes at this time so the film is rather bland in spots but not bad for a Sunday afternoon's viewing.
A photographer and his model get stranded in the South American jungle when their pilot takes off without them. There, they meet an adventurer who talks them into buying a treasure map and hunting for diamonds with him. James Garner, Eva Renzi, George Kennedy, Nigel Green. Universal Pictures. Directed by Delbert Mann. The Pink Jungle is one of many fun adventure films that were released in the mid-late 1960s and it plays out like an American version of That Man from Rio with non-stop action and comedy. Oddly enough, it is little known today despite its great cast and witty script. James Garner was ideal for parts like this and should have made more similarly themed films. Eva Renzi, a real fashion model, and George Kennedy were also perfect.
For many years, Freddie Bartholomew was one of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's biggest box-office drawing child actors but, like most child stars, he found his popularity waning as he grew into adolescence. In 1938, he was no longer a wide-eyed little aristocratic tyke, but had matured into a handsome - if a tad bit scrawny - teenager, just ripe enough in age to play a second-fiddle beau to the child actor who would succeed him as star of the studio - Judy Garland - in the family melodrama Listen, Darling.
Judy Garland had been signed to a MGM contract in 1935 and had quickly become such a favorite with audiences across the country that within three short years the studio was already preparing an adaptation of Frank L.Baum's The Wizard of Oz to be a starring vehicle for their newfound talent. Her characters were often shy, giggly, awkward little girls, but they were strangely appealing. Judy had a way of brightening up the screen the moment she walked into a scene and, when she opened her mouth to sing, that powerful voice of hers would transfix audiences. Her singing was very mature and heart-felt for one so young. Judy had starred in only a handful of roles, her most recent being opposite Mickey Rooney in Love Finds Andy Hardy, when she was cast in Listen, Darling, a light-hearted melodrama aimed towards juvenile audiences. Today, it is remembered primarily for her performance of the song "Zing! Went the Strings of my Heart" (which Judy kept in her stage repertoire until her final show some thirty years later) but the film itself has many endearing qualities. It is quite touching and often humorous.
Judy stars as young Pinkie Wingate who, with her pal Buzz (Freddie), will stop at nothing - including kidnapping - to keep her mother (Mary Astor) from entering a loveless marriage with the town's pompous banker (Gene Lockhart). Together they stow mother and baby brother into the old family trailer and head onto the open road to look for a handsome man who could whisk her mother off her feet. They think it will be a bumpy road to love but their mother quickly catches the eye of two suitors (Walter Pidgeon and Alan Hale), who, in Pinky's eyes, are both preferable to the banker. Freddie Bartholomew and Judy Garland make a winning team of cupids but, since they were at opposite arcs in their careers, this would be their only screen pairing. Bartholomew confessed that he had a crush on Judy during the making of the movie but she only looked upon him as a younger brother, being a wholetwo years older than he.
Listen, Darling is a sweet film and features that unabashed sentimentality which only MGM could capture on film so well. I especially enjoy it because of the fond memories I associate with the movie. One beautiful Saturday morning, my father, sister, and I were returning home from a camping trip at the lakeside town of Geneva, Ohio, when we stopped at a small library and found a mother-load of classic movies on VHS tape in their collection.... one of which was Listen, Darling. On most Saturday nights we watch MGM musicals or Walt Disney films, so we saw Listen, Darling that very evening to cap off that wonderful day and zing! went the strings of my heart.... the film drew me in completely. Its fun camping theme and the spot-on performances from all the principal players made it a delight to watch and it has always remained a favorite. This post is our contribution to The Judy Garland Blogathon being hosted by In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood. Click here to read more posts about Judy, her films, and her career.
For this Mother's Day we felt a tribute to some of those wonderful on-screen movie mothers was in order. They are such a joy to watch and their warmth and tenderness seem to reach out to the audience, making you appreciate and, hopefully, aspire to be like these women. Below we have gathered together just a few of our favorite movie mothers, listed in no particular order......Enjoy!
Diana's Favorites :
Little Women ( 1949 ) - Mary Astor
I consider Mary Astor's role of Mrs. March one of my favorites. Mrs. March raised four lovely daughters, volunteered her time with the Red Cross during the Civil War, and she was a beacon of strength in their home while her husband was away at war. She was content with her life and she never asked more from her children than what they could give.
National Velvet ( 1944 ) - Anne Revere
Anne Revere exhibited many fine qualities as Mrs. Brown in this 1944 classic. She was hardworking, sensible, and supportive. She believed in her children's dreams and she would quietly make any sacrifice necessary to help them achieve those dreams.
The Andy Hardy Series - Fay Holden
I believe Emily Hardy was a wonderful wife and mother in the Hardy family film series. She was kind, caring, decent, and understanding. She was concerned about her children's welfare and her husband James could always turn to her for sound advice if he needed a second opinion with regards to one of his court cases.
How Green Was My Valley ( 1941 ) - Sara Allgood
Watching Sara Allgood in How Green Was My Valley reminds me so much of our late Oma, so that's a big reason why I love to see Sara as Mrs. Morgan in this beloved story. Mrs. Morgan raised six sons ( our Oma had three ); she kept a clean home; was a great cook who had to make enough food to feed her hungry family; and she supported her family no matter what choice they felt they had to make. She looks warm and cuddly and I would love to give her a great big bear hug!
Please Don't Eat the Daisies ( 1960 )
Spring Byington's cheery disposition and sensible nature made her an ideal mother to Doris Day in Please Don't Eat the Daisies. She kept herself busy as the owner of a cute little pet shop; offered to babysit her grandsons when her daughter Doris needed some free time from the kids; and she was able to give Doris and her son-in-law David Niven wise counsel when their marriage took a bumpy turn in the film. I love Spring and she was a breath of spring, herself, as Mrs. Robinson.
Constance's Favorites :
The Parent Trap ( 1961 ) - Maureen O'Hara
Maureen O'Hara made such a good on-screen mother. She was not only beautiful but very tender and compassionate. In The Parent Trap she was definitely a mother any girl would be proud to show off. The dressing room scenes between her and Hayley Mills were especially good. O'Hara also played a great mother in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation ( 1962 ).
The Pleasure of His Company ( 1961 ) - Lilli Palmer
In this film, Lilli deftly balanced an earthy down-home maternal nature with an elegant sophisticated air, creating a mother character that was lovely, warm, and approachable. She has had her share of worldly experience and you can imagine her daughter feels a comfort in knowing she can turn to her for advice in any situation.
Giant ( 1956 ) - Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor doesn't often come to mind as the ideal mother image, but I always thought she was very maternal. In Giant, her character - Leslie - spans the years from being a newlywed to an aging grandmother. She could be tough at times, but you would never doubt the love she has for her children.
Mrs. Mike ( 1949 ) - Angela Clarke
Angela Clarke played the ultimate pioneer mother in Mrs. Mike. She is grateful for the opportunity of giving life to her children and spending her days raising her young, even though she knows they have little chance of surviving to adolescence in the harsh and dangerous environment of Canada's Northwest territory. Note : this is a scene of Angela in Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima since I was unable to find any photos from Mrs. Mike.
Life with Father ( 1947 ) - Irene Dunne
Irene Dunne is one of those actresses who often portrayed mothers on screen even though in real-life she had no children of her own. Ironically, the actresses who demonstrated maternal love the best on camera did not have children ( e.g. Claudette Colbert, Mary Astor, and Anna Neagle ). I Remember Mama is probably Dunne's best performance, but she was such a delightful mother in Life with Father I couldn't help but put the spotlight on this role instead.
Happy Mother's Day to all!
We'll conclude with sharing a sweet clip from Youtube that we stumbled across :
What are some of your favorite classic movie mothers?
