Any Ladle's Sweet That Dishes Out Some Gravy

In episode 24, we discuss the darling of the silent intertitle, mother of sass mouth dames in early talking pictures, raconteur, and all round solid gold good guy, Anita Loos. We discuss selections of her witty writing on her experience working in Hollywood during the golden era. Stories from Kiss Hollywood Goodbye (1974), Fate Keeps on Happening (1984), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1925) and A Girl Like I (1966). We also discuss two of her finest scriptwriting examples in Blondie of the Follies (1932) and The Girl From Missouri (1934). Sources: Beauchamp, C. and Loos, M.A., Eds. (2003) Anita Loos Rediscovered: Film Treatments and Fiction by Anita Loos. Berkeley: University of California Press. Beauchamp, C. (1997) Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood Berkeley: University of California Press. Blondie of the Follies (1932) Dir. Edmund Goulding [DVD] MGM. Carey, G. (1988) Anita Loos: A Biography London: Bloomsbury. Loos, A. (1925) Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1992) London: Penguin. Loos, A. (1966) A Girl Like I New York: Viking. Loos, A. (1974) Kiss Hollywood Goodbye London: W.H Allen. Loos, A. (1977) Cast of Thousands New York: Grosset & Dunlap. Loos, A. (1984) Fate Keeps on Happening: Adventures of Lorelei Lee and Other Writings. London: Harrap. Red-Headed Woman (1932) Dir. Jack Conway [DVD] MGM. The Girl from Missouri (1934) Dir. Jack Conway [DVD] MGM.

A taster of our upcoming episode on Anita Loos. We'll take a look at some examples of her excellent razor sharp wit through her writing and some of the films she worked on, including The Girl from Missouri (1934)and Blondie of the Follies (1932). Join us! The excerpt is taken from Anita's book 'Fate Keeps On Happening' (1984). The music excerpt is from the opening titles of the original broadway version of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Linda Darnell was hardcore. A Madonna face with an ice heart. She was also funny, generous, extremely giving of her time, loved Mexican food and palling around with her bestie Ann Miller. Instead of being labelled a 'tragedy', we here at Any Ladle's Sweet wish to celebrate Linda by discussing 3 of her finest roles: Forever Amber (1947), A Letter to Three Wives (1949) and No Way Out (1950). Come children... Resources: A Letter to Three Wives (1949) Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz [DVD] 20th Century Fox. Davis, R.L. (1991) Hollywood Beauty: Linda Darnell and the American Dream, Norman: University of Oklahoma Press. Forever Amber (1947) Dir. Otto Preminger [YouTube] 20th Century Fox. No Way Out (1950) Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz [YouTube] 20th Century Fox.

Orry-Kelly recalled a conversation with Roz during the filming of Auntie Mame “On one occasion I said to her ‘You know, you’re a pretty wonderful girl and you’ve been a wonderful wife. In fact, you’ve been a wonderful mother.’ A naughty Mame-ish gleam came into her eyes as she said, ‘Yes, and I’m a hell of a lover’". Episode 22 is devoted to this gargantuan superwoman of the silver screen. A unique comedic talent who always displayed class and good humour in whatever picture she worked on. In our opinion, Roz was 'top drawer'. We discuss three of her finest: The Women (1939), His Girl Friday (1940), and Auntie Mame (1958). Resources: Auntie Mame (1958) Dir. Morton DaCosta [DVD] Warner Bros. Dennis, P. (1955) Auntie Mame: An Irreverent Escapade New York: Penguin. Haskell, M. (1973) From Reverence to Rape: The Treatment of Women in the Movies Chicago: University of Chicago Press. His Girl Friday (1940) Dir. Howard Hawks [YouTube] Columbia Pictures. Life is a Banquet: The Rosalind Russell Story (2009) Narr. Kathleen Turner [DVD] Total Media Group. Russell, R. (1977) Life is a Banquet (with Chris Chase) New York: Ace Books. The Women (1939) Dir. George Cukor [DVD] MGM. http://seul-le-cinema.blogspot.ie/2008/12/women-1939.html https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4380-his-girl-friday-the-perfect-remarriage

A sneaky peek at our upcoming episode on Rosalind Russell. We'll take a look at three of her finest performances (and there were many to choose from); The Women (1939), His Girl Friday (1940), and Auntie Mame (1958). Join us! The excerpt is taken from Roz's autobiography 'Life is a Banquet' by Rosalind Russell and Chris Chase (1977). The music excerpt is from the opening titles of the motion picture The Women (1939).

This month we're righting some wrongs here at Any Ladle's Sweet. Gloria Grahame shone in support roles in many noir films, under many great directors but she references her mother as her only influence on her acting style. Negative stories surrounding her personal life overtook her talent and hard work and fact and fiction mixed into a tawdry Hollywood Babylon style mess. Gloria was a unique talent and we are here to celebrate her hard work and mesmerising onscreen presence. We discuss 3 of her finest, In a Lonely Place (1950), The Big Heat (1953), and Human Desire (1954). Sources: Callahan, D. (2008) ‘Fatal Instincts: The Dangerous Pout of Gloria Grahame’ Bright Lights 30 April [Available at: http://brightlightsfilm.com/fatal-instincts-the-dangerous-pout-of-gloria-grahame/#.WX9Yq4jyvIV]. Chase, D (1997) ‘Gloria Grahame: In Praise of the Dirty Mind’ Film Comment September/October [Available at: https://www.filmcomment.com/article/gloria-grahame/]. Curcio, V. (1989) Suicide Blonde: The Life of Gloria Grahame. New York: William Morrow and Company. Eisenschitz, B. (1996) Nicholas Ray: An American Journey translated by Tom Milne. New York: Faber & Faber. Gunning, T. (2000) The Films of Fritz Lang: Allegories of Vision and Modernity. London, BFI with Palgrave Macmillan. Hagen, R and Wagner, L. (2004) Killer Tomatoes: Fifteen Tough Noir Dames. Jefferson: McFarland. Human Desire (1954) Dir. Fritz Lang [YouTube] Columbia Pictures. In a Lonely Place (1950) Dir. Nicholas Ray. [DVR] Columbia Pictures. Ray, N. (1993) I Was Interrupted: Nicholas Ray on Making Movies Berkeley: University of California Press. Rickey, C. (2017) ‘In a Lonely Place: Film noir as an opera of male fury’ Library of America 28 June [Available at: https://www.loa.org/news-and-views/1301-_in-a-lonely-place_-film-noir-as-an-opera-of-male-fury]. The Big Heat (1953) Dir. Fritz Lang [DVD] Columbia Pictures. Turner, P. (1986) Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. London: Pan Books.

A smoky waft of our upcoming episode on the much underrated Gloria Grahame. We will discuss 3 of Gloria's finest performances in The Big Heat, In a Lonely Place and Human Desire. Excerpt taken from Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (Peter Turner, 1986). Music excerpt from Naked Alibi (1954).

Actress Dorothy Mackaill said of Louise “She was a peculiar girl, odd, different but she was damned attractive, and I’d say good-humoured, not difficult about it all. She used to laugh and shrug her shoulders and say ‘the hell with it’. But they got what they wanted. All they had to do with Brooksie was turn the camera on.” There really was no one like Louise and we're dedicating our twentieth episode to this enigmatic dancer turned actress turned writer. We discuss 3 of her finest films: Pandora's Box (1929), The Diary of a Lost Girl (1929) and Prix de beauté (1930). Viva Louise! Resources: Brooks, L. (1982) Lulu in Hollywood New York: Knopf. Eisner, Lotte. (1952) The Haunted Screen: Expressionism in the German Cinema and the Influence of Max Reinhardt: University of California Press http://sensesofcinema.com/2010/feature-articles/lulu-in-rochester-louise-brooks-and-the-cinema-screen-as-a-tabula-rasa-3/ Bright Lights Film Journal [Available at: http://brightlightsfilm.com/martyrdom-lulu-louise-brooks- 100/#.WWSi7YTyvIU]. Diary of a Lost Girl (1929) Dir. G.W. Pabst [DVD] Pabst-Film. Pandora’s Box (1929) Dir. G.W. Pabst [DVD] Süd-Film. Paris, B. (1989) Louise Brooks New York: Knopf. Prix de Beauté (1930). Dir. Augusto Genina [internet archive] Sofar-Film.

Join us for episode 20 where we will discuss the beautiful and uniquely talented Louise Brooks. We will discuss three of Louise's best work - Pandora's Box, Prix de beaute, and Diary of a Lost Girl. Music excerpt: Francisco Lomuto y su Orquesta - Adios Muchachos (Instrumental)(1927)

Irene Dunne was the queen of melodrama, comedy and musicals, a leading lady adored by all and seen by female audiences as an 'every woman'. Many critics over the years have labelled Irene as either the 'female Cary Grant' or the refined lady who excelled in maternal roles. We at Any Ladle's Sweet beg to differ and offer a more nuanced view of this deeply funny lady who always longed to be called 'baby'. We discuss 3 of her finest roles: Ann Vickers (1933, Theodora Goes Wild (1936), and Unfinished Business (1941). Sources: Ann Vickers (1933). Dir. John Cromwell [DVD] RKO Pictures. Basinger, J. (2007) The Star Machine. New York: Vintage. Bawden, J. and Miller, R. (2016) Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood’s Golden Era. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. Bogdonovich, P. (1997) Who the Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film Directors. New York: Ballantine. Carman, E. (2016) Independent Stardom: Freelance Women in the Hollywood Studio System. Austin: University of Texas Press. Douglas, M. (1986) See You at the Movies: The Autobiography of Melvyn Douglas. (with Tom Arthur) Lanham: University Press of America. Gehring, W.D. (2006) Irene Dunne: First Lady of Hollywood. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. McCourt: J. (1980) ‘Irene Dunne: The Awful Truth’ Film Comment 16.1 pp. 26-32. Theodora Goes Wild (1936) Dir. Richard Boleslawski [YouTube] Columbia Pictures. Unfinished Business (1941) Dir. Gregory La Cava [YouTube] Universal Studios.

Irene Dunne was the queen of melodrama, comedy and musicals, a leading lady adored by all and seen by female audiences as an 'every woman'. Many critics over the years have labelled Irene as either the 'female Cary Grant' or the refined lady who excelled in maternal roles. We at Any Ladle's Sweet beg to differ and offer a more nuanced view of this deeply funny lady who always longed to be called 'baby'. We discuss 3 of her finest roles: Ann Vickers (1933, Theodora Goes Wild (1936), and Unfinished Business (1941). Sources: Ann Vickers (1933). Dir. John Cromwell [DVD] RKO Pictures. Basinger, J. (2007) The Star Machine. New York: Vintage. Bawden, J. and Miller, R. (2016) Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood’s Golden Era. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky. Bogdonovich, P. (1997) Who the Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film Directors. New York: Ballantine. Carman, E. (2016) Independent Stardom: Freelance Women in the Hollywood Studio System. Austin: University of Texas Press. Douglas, M. (1986) See You at the Movies: The Autobiography of Melvyn Douglas. (with Tom Arthur) Lanham: University Press of America. Gehring, W.D. (2006) Irene Dunne: First Lady of Hollywood. Lanham: Scarecrow Press. McCourt: J. (1980) ‘Irene Dunne: The Awful Truth’ Film Comment 16.1 pp. 26-32. Theodora Goes Wild (1936) Dir. Richard Boleslawski [YouTube] Columbia Pictures. Unfinished Business (1941) Dir. Gregory La Cava [YouTube] Universal Studios.

A snifter of our upcoming episode on Irene Dunne! In episode 19 we will discuss Irene's comic and dramatic genius turn in Ann Vickers, Theodora Goes Wild and Unfinished Business. The excerpt is taken from James Bawden's and Ron Miller's fantastic book 'Conversations with Classic Film Stars; Interviews from Hollywood's Golden Era'.

A snifter of our upcoming episode on Irene Dunne! In episode 19 we will discuss Irene's comic and dramatic genius turn in Ann Vickers, Theodora Goes Wild and Unfinished Business. The excerpt is taken from James Bawden's and Ron Miller's fantastic book 'Conversations with Classic Film Stars; Interviews from Hollywood's Golden Era'.

Mary Astor was in the words of David Niven a woman who "looked like a beautiful and highly shockable nun with the vocabulary of a long shoreman." Dominated by a brutish money grabbing father, hated by her mother, pushed into film acting and some disasterous marriages and affairs, it was a long time before the real Mary Astor came into her own. A woman consumed by her many passions and demons, she brought a vitality, intelligence and wit to her roles that was ahead of its time. Join us as we explore her best work in three films: The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Great Lie (1941) and The Palm Beach Story (1942). Sources: Astor, M. (1959) My Story: An Autobiography New York: Doubleday. Astor, M. (1967) Mary Astor: A Life on Film 1 st British edition 1973. London: W.H. Allen. Huston, J. (1980) An Open Book New York: Knopf. Sorel, E. (2016) Mary Astor’s Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936 New York: Liveright Publishing Company. Sturges, P. (1990) Preston Sturges on Preston Sturges Adapted and edited by Sandy Sturges. New York: Simon and Schuster. The Great Lie (1941) Dir. Edmund Goulding (DVD) Warner Brothers. The Maltese Falcon (1941) Dir. John Huston (DVR) Warner Brothers. The Palm Beach Story (1942) Dir. Preston Sturges (DVD) Paramount Pictures.

Mary Astor was in the words of David Niven a woman who "looked like a beautiful and highly shockable nun with the vocabulary of a long shoreman." Dominated by a brutish money grabbing father, hated by her mother, pushed into film acting and some disasterous marriages and affairs, it was a long time before the real Mary Astor came into her own. A woman consumed by her many passions and demons, she brought a vitality, intelligence and wit to her roles that was ahead of its time. Join us as we explore her best work in three films: The Maltese Falcon (1941), The Great Lie (1941) and The Palm Beach Story (1942). Sources: Astor, M. (1959) My Story: An Autobiography New York: Doubleday. Astor, M. (1967) Mary Astor: A Life on Film 1 st British edition 1973. London: W.H. Allen. Huston, J. (1980) An Open Book New York: Knopf. Sorel, E. (2016) Mary Astor’s Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936 New York: Liveright Publishing Company. Sturges, P. (1990) Preston Sturges on Preston Sturges Adapted and edited by Sandy Sturges. New York: Simon and Schuster. The Great Lie (1941) Dir. Edmund Goulding (DVD) Warner Brothers. The Maltese Falcon (1941) Dir. John Huston (DVR) Warner Brothers. The Palm Beach Story (1942) Dir. Preston Sturges (DVD) Paramount Pictures.

A taste of our upcoming episode on Mary Astor! In episode 18 we will discuss Mary's turn in Dodsworth, The Great Lie and The Maltese Falcon. The excerpt is taken from Edward Sorel's fantastic book 'Mary Astor's Purple Diary'. Music excerpt: King Oliver 'West End Blues' 1928.

A taste of our upcoming episode on Mary Astor! In episode 18 we will discuss Mary's turn in Dodsworth, The Great Lie and The Maltese Falcon. The excerpt is taken from Edward Sorel's fantastic book 'Mary Astor's Purple Diary'. Music excerpt: King Oliver 'West End Blues' 1928.

Ice-blonde with blue piercing eyes and great gams, Carole surprised many with her salty tongue, endless pranks and keen head for business and publicity. A screwball comedy queen, she also had a big heart when it came to looking after everyone she came into contact with, on and off the set. A proto feminist, she strived for better contracts and demanded her way when it came to choosing writers, directors and cinematographers for her projects. Her life was tragically brief so we want to pay homage to this great lady who was really just getting started. In episode 17 we discuss Virtue (1932), No Man of Her Own (1932) and My Man, Godfrey (1936). Sources: Bogdanovich, P. (1997) Who the Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film Directors New York: Ballantine Books. Carman, E. (2016) Independent Stardom: Freelance Women in the Hollywood Studio System. Austin: University of Texas Press. My Man Godfrey (1936) Dir. Gregory La Cava [YouTube] Universal Pictures. No Man of Her Own (1932) Dir. Wesley Ruggles [DVD] Paramount Pictures. Swindell, L. (1975) Screwball: The Life of Carole Lombard Brattleboro: Echo Point Books and Media. Virtue (1932) Dir. Edward Buzzell [DVD] Columbia Pictures. Ott W. Frederick. (1972) The Films of Carole Lombard: The Citadel Press http://sensesofcinema.com/2011/cteq/my-man-godfrey/

Ice-blonde with blue piercing eyes and great gams, Carole surprised many with her salty tongue, endless pranks and keen head for business and publicity. A screwball comedy queen, she also had a big heart when it came to looking after everyone she came into contact with, on and off the set. A proto feminist, she strived for better contracts and demanded her way when it came to choosing writers, directors and cinematographers for her projects. Her life was tragically brief so we want to pay homage to this great lady who was really just getting started. In episode 17 we discuss Virtue (1932), No Man of Her Own (1932) and My Man, Godfrey (1936). Sources: Bogdanovich, P. (1997) Who the Devil Made It: Conversations with Legendary Film Directors New York: Ballantine Books. Carman, E. (2016) Independent Stardom: Freelance Women in the Hollywood Studio System. Austin: University of Texas Press. My Man Godfrey (1936) Dir. Gregory La Cava [YouTube] Universal Pictures. No Man of Her Own (1932) Dir. Wesley Ruggles [DVD] Paramount Pictures. Swindell, L. (1975) Screwball: The Life of Carole Lombard Brattleboro: Echo Point Books and Media. Virtue (1932) Dir. Edward Buzzell [DVD] Columbia Pictures. Ott W. Frederick. (1972) The Films of Carole Lombard: The Citadel Press http://sensesofcinema.com/2011/cteq/my-man-godfrey/

In episode 16 we focus on the 'quiet Bennett' compared to her volatile film star sister Constance. Joan was fiery in a more subtle way, she didn't think much of her film career and felt more at home on the stage like her father, the legendary Richard Bennett. She quoted him often in her autobiography 'The Bennett Playbill', one of her favourite lines being "We are vagabonds to the heart and we are not ashamed of it". She said "Well, I'm still a "vagabond" and I'm shamelessly proud of it." Her film career was not a long one and she made a little over 70 films but she made a lasting impression, especially in her noir work with Frtiz Lang. We've chosen for this episode Private Worlds (1935), Scarlet Street (1945) and The Reckless Moment (1949). Sources: Bennett, J. (1970) The Bennett Playbill: Five Generations of the Famous Theater Family (with Lois Kibbee). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston. Kellow, B. (2004) The Bennetts: An Acting Family Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky. Private Worlds (1935) Dir. Gregory La Cava [DVD] Paramount Pictures. Scarlett Street (1945) Dir. Fritz Lang [YouTube] Universal Pictures. The Reckless Moment (1949) Dir. Max Ophüls [DVR} Columbia Pictures. https://www.fandor.com/keyframe/stretched-legs-and-mean-sex-fritz-lang%E2%80%99s-scarlet-street