The Devil Doll (1936). Directed by Tod Browning. Cast: A cross-dressing Lionel Barrymore and Maureen O'Sullivan. The movie was adapted from the novel Burn Witch Burn! (1936) by Abraham Merritt.
Paul Lavond, wrongly convicted of robbing his own bank more than seventeen years ago, escapes from Devil's Island with Marcel, an old scientist who is near death. Marcel wants to live with his wife Malita and a continue his work, while Paul wants revenge against the three partners who framed him for their crime. When Paul and Marcel reach Malita's home, Marcel and Malita conduct an experiment on Lachna, a young girl who works for Malita. The girl is hypnotized and shrunk to the size of a little doll. After Marcel dies, Malita still wants to continue with their work. Paul sees the doll as a way to get his revenge and they travel back to Paris. Paul disguises himself as Mme. Mandelip, an old woman who owns a toy shop and, captures others who are turned in to dolls. When he visits his mother, she tells him that, after his wife's death, his daughter Lorraine grew up poor and now works in a laundry. He goes on with his plan against his former partners. Will Lavond clear his name and win back his estranged daughter love?
I thought the film The Devil Doll, had a very interesting plot with a wonderful casting, of Maureen O'Sullivan and Frank Lawton. Lionel Barrymore is the star, and gives a wonderful performance,jumping between sympathetic and diabolical. The special effects are amazing.
Maureen O'Sullivan, best known as the jungle wife of Tarzan and mother of Mia Farrow was a classmate of Vivien Leigh. Her big movie break came when she met director Frank Borzage who was filming for Fox. In 1932 she signed with MGM and performed in nine movies at four studios. Irving Thalberg picked her to play Tarzan's Jane. She married Australian writer John Farrow, with whom she had seven children: Michael, Patrick, Maria (Mia Farrow), John, Prudence, Theresa (Tisa Farrow), and Stephanie Farrow. After her last Tarzan she asked for release from her contract to care for her husband who had just left the Navy with typhoid. She continued making occasional movies, television and stage appearances and operating a bridal consulting service.
The Big Clock(1948). Film noir thriller. Directed by John Farrow. The black-and-white film is set in New York City. cast: Ray Milland and Maureen O'Sullivan. Real-life married couple Elsa Lanchester and Charles Laughton perform in the film, along with Harry Morgan, in an early film role, as a hired thug.
The film begins with, George Stroud, editor-in-chief of Crimeways magazine, hiding from security guards, in the clock tower of the Janoth Publications building, in New York City. Just thirty-six hours before, was about to leave on his honeymoon after seven years of marriage, is ordered by his over baring boss, Earl Janoth, to go on assignment or be fired. Tired of jeopardizing his family life, George decides to quit his job at the magazine. Janoth's mistress Pauline York, follows him to the bar where he stopped in for a drink. Pauline, wants to help George humiliate Janoth by writing the truth about him in a biography. George tells Pauline that Janoth fired a man earlier in the day for using red ink instead of green. They go on a search for a green clock as a "present" for Janoth, who is obsessed with time. While in an antique shop, George and Pauline out-bid a woman for a Patterson painting, unaware that she is,Louise Patterson.
Later, they visit Burt's Sports Bar, where George introduces Pauline to McKinley, a radio actor friend. After finding the green clock, Burt gives George and Pauline a sundial. After which George takes Pauline home and falls asleep on her couch. Around one-thirty in the morning, Pauline sees Janoth arriving and pushes George out the door with his painting. Unfortunately, Janoth catches a glimpse of him waiting for the elevator and he and Pauline get into a fight about their infidelities. Pauline tells Janoth she spent the evening with a man named Jefferson Randolph. When Janoth insults her, Pauline says that women only go out with him for his power and position. Before he knows what he is doing, he snaps and hits her with the sundial, instantly killing her. He then calls one of his editors, Steve Hagen, for help. They quickly come up with a plan to shift the blame on, George Stroud.
I just saw The film, The Big Clock, for the first time. I thought it was a wonderful film noir, that turns out to be a exciting duel, of one man trying to out think the other.
Fun Facts:
Co-stars Elsa Lanchester and Charles Laughton were married, as were star Maureen O'Sullivan and director John Farrow.
A 'fin' is $5 in American slang.
This video has a couple of wonderful, Elsa Lanchester, scenes.
Maureen O'Sullivan's film career began when she met director Frank Borzage, who was doing location filming on. Song o' My Heart. He suggested she take a screen test. After she won the part in the movie, she moved to the United States.
O'Sullivan performed in six movies at Fox, then made three more at other movie studios. In 1932, she signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. After several roles there and at other movie studios, she was chosen to perform as, Jane Parker in Tarzan the Ape Man with Johnny Weissmuller.
In all, O'Sullivan played Jane in six features between (1932) and (1942). She did not mind doing the first two jungle movies, but was worried she would become typecast and quickly became bored with the role.
She also performed with William Powell and Myrna Loy in The Thin Man (1934) and played Kitty in Anna Karenina (1935) with Greta Garbo and Basil Rathbone. She performed as Molly Beaumont in A Yank at Oxford (1938). She played another Jane in Pride and Prejudice (1940) with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson, and supported Ann Sothern in Maisie Was a Lady (1941).
After performing in Tarzan's New York Adventure (1942), O'Sullivan asked MGM to release her from her contract so she could care for her husband who had just left the Navy with typhoid. She then retired from show business, devoting her time to being a wife and mother.
