Pre- Code: Upper World (1934).

Upper World(1934).Cast: Warren William, Ginger Rogers and Mary Astor.

Rich railroad tycoon Alex Stream, is a wonderful family man. His wife Hettie's, first priority in life is her rich society friends. When Alex rescues drowning showgirl Lilly Linder, he finds her very charming and she thanks him by cooking dinner for him. When Hettie forgets their wedding anniversary and makes other plans, Alex invites Lilly to join him for dinner. Alex find himself spending a lot of time with Lilly. Lilly's boyfriend, tries to convince her to blackmail Alex, and when she refuses, Lou steals Alex's letters to her. When Lou confronts him, Alex believes that Lilly was also involved in the plan. While he tries to get the letters back from Lou, he shoots and accidentally kills Lilly. Alex shoots Lou in self-defense, then tries to make it look like a murder-suicide. Alex thinks that nobody has seen him, but a policeman  recognised his car parked outside the apartment and is convinced that he is the murderer. Will Alex be able to prove his innocence?

Both Mary Astor and Ginger Rogers are both highly entertaining, in this early movie in their film careers. William is his typical cool self. Dickie Moore is also good as William's son and Naish nearly steals the scenes as the ruthless wannabe gangster. Sidney Toler, the future Charlie Chan, plays the cop out to break William. It is also fun to see a younger Andy Devine.

Warren William (December 2, 1894 – September 24, 1948) was a Broadway and Hollywood actor, popular during the early 1930s, who was nicknamed the "king of Pre-Code". He attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After moving from Broadway to Hollywood in 1931, he reached his peak as a leading man in early 1930s pre-Production Code films. He was a contract player at the Warner Bros. studio and was known for portraying heartless businessmen and lawyers, including the Sam Spade character in the second filming of The Maltese Falcon, called Satan Met a Lady (1936) with Bette Davis.

He also played sympathetic roles, as in Imitation of Life, in which he portrayed Claudette Colbert's love interest. He appeared as her love interest again that year, when he played Julius Caesar to her Cleopatra in Cecil B. DeMille's version of Cleopatra. And he was the swashbuckling d'Artagnan in the 1939 version of The Man in the Iron Mask.

William was the first to portray Erle Stanley Gardner's fictional defense attorney Perry Mason on the big screen and starred in four Perry Mason mysteries. He also played Raffles-like reformed jewel thief The Lone Wolf  beginning with The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939) with Ida Lupino and Rita Hayworth, and he starred as detective Philo Vance in two films in that series, 1934's The Dragon Murder Case and 1939's The Gracie Allen Murder Case .

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Ginger Rogers.

Pawsome Pet Pictures - Ginger Rogers and friend

I hope you haven't selected this pic yet of Ginger and her dalmation Dawn. If you did, I'm sorry to be posting it before you. It's a great photo.

Lucky Partners(1940).

Lucky Partners(1940). Cast: Ronald Colman, Ginger Rogers, Jack Carson and Spring Byington.

Artist David Grant, wishes book store owner Jean Newton, good luck when she passes by. When, Jean is given a beautiful dress she decides that David has brought her good luck. She then asks him to buy a sweep stake ticket with her, and he agrees on the condition that if they win, she will take a trip with him, before she marries Freddie. When David promises that the trip will be kept on a strictly impersonal basis, Freddie agrees .

Their ticket is picked and with their winnings they decide to vacation in, Niagara Falls, with Freddie not far behind. Expecting to find the couple together, Freddie breaks down their door, only to find that David has checked out of the hotel and is driving back to Manhattan. While driving home David is stopped on the road and arrested for stealing Jean's car. In court, Jean and Freddie try to explain the situation, but their story fails to convince the judge.After David and Jean cross-examine each other, the judge fines Freddie for breaking down the door. Will Jean and David ever declare their love for each other.

Ronald Colman had first performed in films in England in 1917 and 1919 for Cecil in, The Snow of the Desert. While performing on stage in New York in, La Tendress, Director Henry King saw him, and hired him for the film, The White Sister(1923), opposite Lillian Gish. Colman left the the stage for film. He became a very popular silent film star in both romantic and adventure films: The Dark Angel (1925), Stella Dallas (1926), Beau Geste (1927), and The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926). His dark hair and eyes and his athletic and riding ability led reviewers to describe him as a "Valentino type". He was often cast in similar roles. Towards the end of the silents era, Colman was teamed with actress, Vilma Banky and the two became a popular movie team rivalling Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Ginger Rogers.

Ginger Rogers and her furry friend.

Newsreels of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.

Newsreels of Ginger making imprints at Grauman's Chinese Theater 1939,
receiving her Academy Award 1941,
Fred dancing and introducing his sister Adele at the Stage Door Canteen in London 1944,
Fred dancing on the streets of Paris 1944,
Fred and Ginger at the Oscar's 1967 (mute) and more.

Perfect Strangers(1950)

Perfect Strangers(1950). Comedy-drama. Director: Bretaigne Windust.Cast: Ginger Rogers, Dennis Morgan and Thelma Ritter. The screenplay for the Warner Bros. release by Edith Sommer was based on an adaptation of the 1939 Ben Hecht-Charles MacArthur play Ladies and Gentlemen by George Oppenheimer.

Jury members selected to sit for the Los Angeles murder trial of Ernest Craig are: Terry Scott, who is separated from her husband; David Campbell, married with two children; Lena Fassler, pregnant with her sixth child; Mrs. Isobel Bradford, a society woman; and womanizer Robert Fisher.

The sequestered jury discuss over dinner, how they believe Craig murdered his wife when she refused to give him a divorce so he could marry his secretary. Terry tells the others to keep an open mind until they hear the case.

After the first day in court, the jurors return to their hotel suite. During a heated discussion of the case, Terry and David walk out to the balcony, but are soon joined by Isobel and Fisher. David and Isobel agree that when Craig had the motive for the murder, Terry accuses them of being too opinionated.

Later David walks out to the balcony. He runs into Terry, who apologizes for her earlier outburst, they talk about what they would be doing if they were at home.
David talks about his family, Terry talks about her lonely life since separating from her husband. They end up in each other arms for a passionate kiss.

The following day in court, the district attorney reads a love letter from Craig to Eileen, which upsets Terry. During the next break, she tells David that they should stop seeing each other.

Things look bad for Craig when his sister-in-law takes the stand saying that she heard him quarrel with his wife before she fell to her death from a cliff. After the defense presents its case, the jury begins to deliberate the verdict, David is elected foreman.

Will Terry decide to she return to Cleveland and her husband?
Is Graig found Innocent or guilty?

I love all of Ginger's performances. Among the supporting roles, Thelma Ritter delivers as always.


Thelma Ritter did stock theater and radio shows early in her career. Ritter's first movie performance was in the film, Miracle on 34th Street (1947). Her second role, A Letter to Three Wives (1949).Ritter was also cast in the film, in All About Eve (1950), which earned her an Oscar nomination. A second nomination followed for her work in, The Mating Season (1951) starring Gene Tierney and John Lund. Ritter performed steady for the next dozen years. She also performed in many of the episodic drama TV series of the 1950s, such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, General Electric Theater, and The United States Steel Hour. Later film roles were as James Stewart's nurse in Rear Window (1954) and as Doris Day's housekeeper in Pillow Talk (1959). Although best-known for comedy roles, she performed in occasional dramatic roles, Pickup on South Street (1953) and The Misfits (1961).

Happy Birthday: Ginger Rogers!

Ginger Rogers, made a total of 73 films, and is best known for her role as Fred Astaire's romantic interest and dancing partner in a series of ten Hollywood musical films. She also achieved success in a variety of film roles, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kitty Foyle (1940). Kitty Foyle, a hard-working girl from a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, meets and falls in love with young socialite Wyn Strafford but his family is against her.