Executive Suite (1954).

Executive Suite(1954). Drama. Cast: William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Fredric March, and Walter Pidgeon. Directed by Robert Wise and produced by John Houseman from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman based on the novel of the same name by Cameron Hawley. The cinematography was by George J. Folsey and the costume design by Helen Rose. It is one of the few Hollywood films that does not have music.

The story begins when Avery Bullard, president of the Tredway Corporation, dies at a important time for the company. The board of directors must now vote for his replacement. First in line is, Loren Shaw, who is more concerned with the profits than the company. He has the backing of one of the shareholders, Julia Tredway, who was in love with Bullard before he died. Board member George Caswell, offers his support in return for certain favors.

The only real person qualified for the position is, Vice President of Design, Don Walling, who is not to sure he wants the job. He would rather spend his time developing new products. Walling is supported by Treasurer Frederick Alderson. Jesse Grimm, is opposed to Walling for reasons of his own, while Walt Dudley is being blackmailed by Shaw, who caught him having an affair.

Will Walling, win over the board of directors and become the new president of the Tredway Corporation?

A couple of the stand out performaces in the film for me are: Shelley Winters, who plays the part as Douglas' girlfriend who wishes he had more of a backbone. Barbara Stanwyck, also has a memorable scene with William Holden, when the sparks begin to fly. I thought the film looked very realistic with the wonderful shots of, Manhattan. What the film has to say about big business, I think may hold true even today.



Fun Facts:

Producer John Houseman wanted Henry Fonda for the role of McDonald Walling. Fonda turned him down to star in a Broadway musical that never reached the stage.

The entire story takes place during the 24 hour period from Friday afternoon, June 19 1953 to Saturday afternoon, June 20 1953.

Shelley Winters (August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006), her career spanned over fifty years until her death in 2006. Two-time Academy Award winner, Winters is probably most remembered for her roles in A Place in the Sun, The Big Knife, Lolita, The Night of the Hunter, Alfie, and The Poseidon Adventure.

Shelley was a cousin of actor Tony Curtis, she suggested that he try acting, and was helpful in getting him started in the theater when he got out of the Navy after WWII.

Winters originally broke into Hollywood as "the Blonde Bombshell", but quickly tired of the role's limitations. She washed off her makeup and played against type in the film, A Place in the Sun. It was her performance in A Place in the Sun (1951), that first brought a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Shelley soon became popular as a character actress. She studied in the Hollywood Studio Club and in the late 40s, she shared the same apartment with, Marilyn Monroe.

Her first movie was, What a Woman! (1943). Winters first achieved stardom with her breakout performance in the film, A Double Life(1948). After which she landed leading roles in the films, The Great Gatsby (1949) and Winchester 73 (1950).

Another one of her best known films was, Night of the Hunter(1955), with Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish. She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for, The Diary of Anne Frank (1960), and another award, in the same category, for A Patch of Blue in(1966).

Notable later roles include: Lolita,Alfie, Harper, The Poseidon Adventure, Belle Rosen (for which she received her final Oscar nomination) and in, Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976).

Winters suffered with her weight later in life, frequently stating that it was a marketing tool, since there were plenty of normal-weight older actresses but fewer overweight ones and her weight would help her to find work .

Great Dramas this month on Noir and Chick Flicks - The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)

I mentioned to Dawn that we would concentrate on dramas during this month here on Noir and Chick Flicks. She agreed and I figured we would focus on some of the classic great dramas of all time. Dramas that focused on family life, married life, dramas dealing with important issues such as race, women's rights, medical dramas, prison dramas, etc. We could go on and on. But since November is a time of being thankful, I wanted to showcase some dramas that are very emotional and tug at the heart and make you think. So I hope everyone will enjoy this month here on Noir & Chick Flicks. And I decided to kick things off with the 1946 classic film The Best Years of Our Lives, which I recently wrote about on my blog, All Good Things.

This is one of my favorite films of all time, sitting right there nestled in my top 10. The story in this film centers on three returning WW Two veterans after the war has ended. Frederic March is Al Stephenson, who returns to his loving wife Milly (a magnificent performance by Myrna Loy), his two children Peggy (a terrific Teresa Wright) and Rob (Michael Hall). Al returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities. He has several scenes where he copes by drinking heavily. Dana Andrews is Fred Derry, an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage with Virginia Mayo. He ends up falling for Peggy, and Peggy lets her mom know that she doesn't mind busting up the marriage to be with Fred. I was like, heck yeah, go for it Peggy. That's when I fell in love with Teresa Wright at that exact moment. And the last soldier is Homer Parrish (played by real life amputee Harold Russell) who unsure that his fiancée's (Cathy O'Donnell) feelings are still those of love and not those of pity. Each of these three men face a different crisis in their lives and try to cope and come through it emotionally sound. This movie is awesome. I can't find any faults with it. From the top notch cast to the expert direction by William Wyler to the epic music score by Hugo Friedhofer and the gorgeous cinematography by Gregg Toland. The Best Years of Our Lives is one of the best films ever made.

Facts about the film:

In 1946 this became the most successful film at the box office since Gone with the Wind (1939) which was released 7 years earlier.


For his performance as Homer Parrish, Harold Russell became the only actor to win two Academy Awards for the same role.


Myrna Loy receives top billing as she was the most successful female star at the time.

William Wyler, who served as a major in the Army Air Force during World War II, incorporated his own wartime experiences into The Best Years of Our Lives. Just as Fred Derry did in the movie, Wyler flew in B-17s in combat over Germany, although rather than being a bombardier, as Derry was, he filmed footage for documentary films. Additionally, Wyler modeled the reunion of Al and Milly, in which they first see each other at opposite ends of a long hallway, on his own homecoming to his wife, Talli.


This is the first film role for which Cathy O'Donnell, in the role of Wilma Cameron, receives screen credit. Her film debut was in Wonder Man (1945) as an uncredited extra in a nightclub scene.


In 1946 this became the most successful film at the box office since Gone with the Wind (1939) which was released 7 years earlier.


In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #37 Greatest Movie of All Time.

Star of the Month: Fredric March, There Goes My Heart (1938).

There Goes My Heart (1938). Cast:Virginia Bruce and Fredric March. The film is based on a story byEd Sullivan, better known for his TV show.Click to view , There Goes My Heart, movie trailer.

Heiress Joan Butterfield wanting to get out from under the control her grandfather, sneaks away from their yacht and goes off on her own in, New York City. Reporter Bill Spencer shows up at the yacht, hoping to get a picture of her for his paper, but .. he is only able to get a glimpse of her. Bill convinces his editor to let him continue with the story. While other papers are looking for the missing heiress, Bill decides to do a story comparing her life with a ordinary salesgirl in her grandfather's department store. Joan meets Peggy O'Brien at the auto mat and is able to get a free lunch when Peggy's is stolen and the manager refuses to replace it until Joan says that hers was also stolen. The girls become fast friends and Peggy promises to help her get a job in Butterfield's department store. Joan wanting to keep her identity hidden takes the name of Joan Baker. She enjoys her new life, even though everyday situations are very challenging for her. While Bill, is at store to work on his story, he recognizes Joan and follows her.  As he gets to know Joan better, Bill begins to fall in love with her. Unfortunately, Joan accidentally leaves her watch in the women's restroom at Butterfield's, Dorothy a co-worker, sees the inscription, "To Joan Butterfield--from Gramps" and realizes Joan's true identity. Dorothy goes to Gramps with the information about Joan's whereabouts. Peggy agrees to help Joan, even though she can't understand why Joan prefers the life of an ordinary salesgirl. Not knowing, that Bill has been working on a story about Joan. Will Joan soon realize that Bill is doing a story on her and will Bill get his story in the paper?

I watched this film because I really wanted to see Fredric March, in a lighthearted comedy. I have to say that this film in no way showcased his amazing acting skill, but it was still a fun story.

Fun Facts:

This film marked the last of Nancy Carroll's 39 feature appearances in an 11-year career.

Bill Clark's movie debut.

Virginia Bruce, performed first as an extra in Why Bring That Up?. She was also in the Ziegfeld Follies. In 1930 she performed on Broadway in the musical Smiles, followed by America's Sweetheart(1931).

Bruce returned to Hollywood in 1932, where she married John Gilbert, her co-star in the film, Downstairs. She retired briefly after the birth of their daughter. After the couple divorced in 1934, and Virginia returned to acting. In 1936, Bruce performed, "I've Got You Under My Skin" in the film, Born to Dance and costarred in the musical, The Great Ziegfeld. One of her final film performance was in the film, Strangers When We Meet(1960).

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).

Samuel Goldwyn was inspired to produce a film about veterans after reading an August 7, 1944 article in Time magazine about the difficulties experienced by men returning home to civilian life. Goldwyn hired war correspondent MacKinlay Kantor to write the screenplay.

The film was directed by William Wyler, with cinematography by Gregg Toland. The film won seven Academy Awards, including those for best picture, director, actor, supporting actor, editing, screenplay, and original score. Cast:Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, and Hoagy Carmichael. It also features Harold Russell, a U.S. paratrooper who had lost both hands in a training accident.

At the end of World War II, three servicemen meet on a flight to Boone City, their hometown. The men, Air Force Captain Fred Derry, sailor Homer Parrish, and Army Sergeant Al Stephenson, quickly become friends, even though they come from different backgrounds. Al is a banker with a wife and two children. Fred is a former soda jerk from the wrong side of the tracks, and Homer, who has lost both hands in the war. As they share a taxi from the airport, they talk about many favorite places they used to hang out at, including a tavern run by Homer's uncle, Butch Engle. Each share their concerns about the future and how they will adapt to civilian life. Just as they expected, each of the veterans faces a crisis on their first day home. I thought this was a very powerful movie, one you will not soon forget..

I posted one of my favorite scenes from the movie.

Fun facts:

Director William Wyler was furious when he learned that Samuel Goldwyn had sent Harold Russell for acting lessons; he preferred Russell's untrained, natural acting.

William Wyler wanted a completely unglamorous look, requiring all costumes to be bought off the rack and worn by the cast before filming, and making sure all sets were built smaller than life-size. In order to give the film a documentary-style realism, the director drew each member of the crew - props, grips, mixers, etc. - from the ranks of WWII veterans.

This was the first time Myrna Loy had worked with William Wyler and she was wary of his reputation as "90-Take Willy". As it turned out, the two got along very well.

In 1946 this became the most successful film at the box office since Gone with the Wind (1939) which was released 7 years earlier.

Myrna Loy receives top billing as she was the most successful female star at the time.

During the wedding scene at the end, Harold Russell fluffed his lines during his vows. Rather that calling cut and ordering a re-take, William Wyler liked how natural it sounded and this was the take used.

Virgina Mayo, worked as a dancer, then signed a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and performed in several movies with Danny Kaye. She played the dream-girl heroine in: Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947). In her Hollywood heyday, Mayo was known as the voluptuous beauty in the film, The Girl from Jones Beach.

In 1949's White Heat she played the unsympathetic role of "Verna Jarrett", opposite James Cagney. She was also cast against type as a gold digger in, The Best Years of Our Lives. Her film career continued through the 1950s and 1960s, frequently in B-movie westerns and adventure films. While she also appeared in musicals, Mayo's singing voice was always dubbed.

Virginia and her husband, actor Michael O'Shea (of Jack London film fame) co-starred in: Tunnel of Love, Fiorello, and George Washington Slept Here. She has also starred in Cactus Flower, How the Other Half Loves, and the musical comedy, Good News.

Star of the Month: Fredrick March.

Fredrick March was one of the few leading actors of his era not to sign long-term contracts with the studios, and was able pick and choose his roles, which helped him avoid being typecast.

My Fredrick March Halloween movie pick:

Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1932). Cast: Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart. Dir: Rouben Mamoulian. The film begins in London in the late eighteenth century. Physician Dr. Henry Jekyll shares with a group of scientists that he believes man lives with an eternal struggle between good and evil. Jekyll has developed a potion to separate the two sides.

Jekyll decides to ask Brigadier General Carew for permission to marry his daughter Muriel earlier than they had first planned, but Carew refuses. Disappointed, Jekyll returns to his laboratory and takes the potion, and now has turned into the evil personality. Jekyll visits Ivy Pierson, a music hall singer who he had rescued earlier from the advances of a man. As "Mr. Hyde," Jekyll tries to seduce Ivy. She wants nothing to do with him, but when he promises her wealth, she quickly changes her mind. Jealous of the feelings Ivy has for Dr. Jekyll, Hyde becomes violent. Later, when Jekyll realizes he has terrorized Ivy, he anonymously sends her money. She visits Jekyll, and begs him to save her from Hyde, and he promises her that she will never see him again. Unfortunately, on his way to the Carews, Jekyll turns into Hyde again without drinking any of the potion and strangles Ivy. Desperately, Jekyll trying to recover to his normal self, sends word to Dr. Lanyon, ordering him to get more of the potion to him. At midnight, Lanyon watches Hyde turn back into Jekyll, who swears him to secrecy. Jekyll then promises never to drink the potion again. Jekyll goes to Muriel to break off their engagement. While there he turns into Hyde and attacks Muriel, who is saved by Carew. The police chase Hyde back to Jekyll's lab. Will Dr. Jekyll ever be able to get control of the violent Mr. Hyde.

This film is worth watching for its amazing camera work alone. There's wonderful use of light and shadow, and the scenes showing the transformation of Jekyll to Hyde are filmed in what look to be uninterrupted shots. That reminds me a little of the evil twin of, Jerry Lewis. ;)

Fun Facts:

The first horror movie ever to win an Academy Award.

When discussing who to cast as Jekyll/Hyde, studio head Adolph Zukor first suggested Irving Pichel for the part. Director Rouben Mamoulian turned it down because he wanted an actor who could play both parts convincingly and felt Pichel could only play Hyde. 'Phillips Holmes' was considered and turned down for the opposite reason: he would have been a good Jekyll but a poor Hyde. Mamoulian then suggested Fredric March. Zukor felt that this was a bad choice because, up till then, March had been featured in lightweight roles. In addition to winning March the first of his two Oscars, Jekyll/Hyde was the part that finally led to Hollywood taking him seriously in more demanding roles.

Rose Hobart's father performed as a cellist in the New York Symphony. She began her career on stage. One of her best-known roles was as Grazia, in the American stage production of , Death Takes a Holiday(1929).

Her first film role was the part of Julie in the first talking picture version of Ferenc Molnar's, Liliom(1930), made by Fox Film, starring Charles Farrell in the title role, and directed by Frank Borzage. She co-starred with Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins in Rouben Mamoulian's original film version of, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931). She played the role of Muriel, Jekyll's fiancee.

Hobart often played the "other woman" like in her last major film performance, Bride of Vengeance(1949).

In the 1960s she performed on the television show, Peyton Place.