Tune in to watch Hell Below (1933) this Friday on TCM!

Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans in a publicity photo for Hell Below (1933).

Robert Montgomery on the set of Hell Below (1933).

Hell Below (1933) is an interesting pre-Code movie that explores the darker sides of of being in the Navy circa World War I in Italy. It's has a fantastic cast of Robert Montgomery, Madge Evans, Walter Huston, Robert Young, Eugene Palette, and Jimmy Durante. Mixed with more sad moments and some random moments of comedy make this one a fun one to watch! Robert Montgomery is wonderful and complex as the Lieutenant who defies his Captain on the job (Walter Huston) and has an affair with Huston's daughter, who is married (Madge Evans). I love the teaming of Montgomery and Evans, but this is definitely their most darkest film that they did together (they made 5 movies total).  It's on TCM at 7:00 AM Central this Friday (9/1) and I would highly recommend it! Below are some more publicity photos and photos from the movie!

Robert Montgomery in Hell Below (1933)

Robert Montgomery in a publicity photo for Hell Below (1933).

Robert Montgomery in a publicity photo for Hell Below (1933).

Robert Montgomery and Madge Evans in Hell Below (1933).

Happy Birthday Ann Blyth and Mae Clarke!

Ann Blyth photographed in the 1940's. 

I'm very lucky to have a autographed photo of the versatile and lovely Ann Blyth. She starred in two of my favorite films as Veda in Mildred Pierce (1945) and as "Killer" in Once More My Darling (1949). She was gifted in both Comedy and Drama. Ann is still with us today at the age of 89. Happy Birthday Ann!

Mae Clarke and Robert Montgomery on the MGM lot in 1933.

Mae Clarke was originally supposed to appear in Robert Montgomery's film Made on Broadway (1933). I assume that this is why the above photo exists! Mae had to pull out of the film last minute, due to what I believe was a car accident. Sally Eilers replaced her, but I would have love to of seen Robert Montgomery and Mae Clarke work together. She was a great actress who should be more remembered than just for her grapefruit scene in The Public Enemy (1931). Happy Birthday Mae!

Happy Birthday Norma Shearer!!

Happy Birthday to my favorite actress! Here are some beautiful photos of her!

Norma Shearer photographed by Ruth Harriet Louise in 1929.

Norma Shearer photographed by George Hurrell in 1932.

Norma Shearer photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.

Norma Shearer and Robert Montgomery in Their Own Desire (1929).

Norma Shearer photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.

Happy Birthday Dorothy Jordan!

Dorothy Jordan photographed by George Hurrell in 1931.

Dorothy Jordan was born on August 9th, 1910 in Clarksville, Tennessee. She was a lovely leading lady at the dawn of Talking Pictures and made her film debut in 1929's The Taming of the Shrew. She was in a plethora successful films from 1930 until 1933, when she retired from the screen and married filmmaker Merian C. Cooper (who directed, produced, and wrote King Kong (1933)). They had three children together. She did come out of retirement for a couple of brief roles in John Fords movies The Searchers (1956) and The Wings of Eagles (1957). She passed away on December 7th, 1988. She's an often forgotten about leading lady that should be more known. Happy Birthday Dorothy Jordan!

Dorothy Jordan and Robert Montgomery photographed by George Hurrell for Love in the Rough (1930).

Photo of the Day

Esther Williams photographed in the 1940's.

It's Esther Williams Birthday today! She was born on August 8th 1921. Happy Birthday Esther Williams!

Happy Birthday Ann Harding and Irene Purcell!

Ann Harding with Robert Montgomery in a publicity photo for Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935).

Irene Purcell with Robert Montgomery in The Man in Possession (1931).

Happy Birthday Anita Page!

Anita Page photographed by Ruth Harriet Louise in the late 1920's.

When I was 15/16 years old, I started writing letters to actresses who were still alive from the Golden Age of Hollywood.* One of the lovely ladies that I wrote to in 2008 was Anita Page. I never thought that I would get a response from her, but I received a beautiful autographed photo of her in the mail saying, "Greetings to Emily Evans, from Anita Page". I was ecstatic! I still am!

Anita Page passed away at the age of 98 in September of 2008, which was not long after I received my autographed photo from her. I'm very grateful, as it's one of my favorite autographed photos that I possess. Anita Page had a relatively short career as an actress, but she starred in many popular Silent movies, such as Our Dancing Daughters (1928), and early Talking movies, such as The Broadway Melody (1929), which won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year!

Anita Page photographed by George Hurrell in 1930.

Robert Montgomery and Anita Page photographed by Clarence Sinclair Bull in 1930.

This is one of my favorite photos of Anita Page, as she is photographed with my favorite actor, Robert Montgomery. Robert Montgomery and Anita Page co-starred in four movies together from 1930-1931. These were: Free and Easy (1930), Our Blushing Brides (1930), War Nurse (1930), and The Easiest Way (1931).  The above photo was of them at a screening of Anna Christie (1930), which was Greta Garbo's Talking movie debut. This was obviously for publicity, but nonetheless, the photos of them at this screening are adorable! **

Anita Page will always have a special place in my heart. Happy Birthday Anita Page!

*I would write a nice letter and ask them for an autographed photo, send that with a self-addressed envelope, and give them a little money (I think I would give $5.00, unless if I knew that they charged a specific amount).
**The photos are available in the May 1930 issue of Motion Picture Magazine, which can be viewed on the Internet Archive! Website: https://archive.org/index.php

Happy Birthday Ann Dvorak!

Ann Dvorak photographed in the 1930's.

Ann Dvorak was born on August 2nd, 1911 in New York City. She was a contract player at Warner Brother's Studio in the 1930's and made films until the early 1950's. I don't know much about Miss Dvorak, but there is a recent book written about her by Christina Rice, which I plan on reading!

 I have seen her very well-acted and complex performance in the movie Three on a Match (1932), which she plays one of three friends from childhood (they were not necessarily friends during childhood, but they do become friends when they are older), who goes down a path of self-destruction by using drugs and hanging out with the wrong people, like a young Humphrey Bogart! I won't say what exactly happens to Ann's character, but it's not a happy ending for her. I would love to see more of her movies and thanks to Warner Archive and Turner Classic Movies, I can!

Ann Dvorak photographed in the 1930's.

Ann Dvorak was a unique and talented beauty who is not as well remembered as she should be today (this is a common theme on this blog!). Happy Birthday Ann!

A random fact about her that I do know: Ann was an uncredited extra in four of Robert Montgomery's films in 1929 and 1930! They are So This is College (1929), Free and Easy (1930), Our Blushing Brides (1930), and Love in the Rough (1930). I have actually only seen Ann in Our Blushing Brides (1930), as one of a few girls surrounding Robert Montgomery at a fashion party, but I will have to look into the other three!