Receiving a mysterious letter on the eve of his anniversary to wife Lucienne (Hedy Lamarr), French diplomat, David Talbot (William Powell) is confused. The letter is addressed to someone named "Jean," and asks for one million francs to satisfy an old debt. Thinking the letter must be a mistake, Talbot decides to get the police involved. When the "money" is delivered, Carlos Le Duc (Vladimir Sokoloff) is arrested. Thus begins a strange court case where Le Duc accuses Talbot of really being Jean Pelletier, a criminal and possible murderer. Le Duc states he was simply trying to retrieve money owed him by Jean. The case explodes when it's revealed by Talbot's friend, Dr. Andre Tessier (Felix Bressart), that Talbot had been in a train wreck in 1922 and suffers from amnesia. To further confuse the case and Talbot, a mystery witness, singer Michele Allaine (Claire Trevor), corroborates Le Duc's story and identifies Talbot as Pelletier, her former lover. However, Talbot is saved when wine salesman Henri Sarrou (Basil Rathebone) testifies to the court that he witnessed Pelletier dies years before after the train wreck.
With a new lease on life and an impending appointment as ambassador to Brazil, Talbot is visited by Sarrou who privately demands one million francs. Sarrou reveals that Talbot is Pelletier and that they had been cohorts in a two million franc robbery, in which Pelletier killed a man, then disapppeared with the money. He tells Talbot that Pelletier suffered a powder burn on his hand when he committed the murder. When Talbot sees a scar on his left hand, begins to suspect that he is Pelletier. The next day, Michele visits Talbot at his office begging for forgiveness about almost giving him away at the trial and warning him about Sarrou. Talbot now suspects a plot between Sarrou and Michele but when she leaves, she shows David a locket with a picture of the two of them together. Michele later visits Talbot and his wife at home with the intent of showing Lucienne the locket. However, David intervenes and later visits Michele still stating he does not believe the accusations she and Sarrou are making. Michele suggests that he go to a certain address and see Pelletier's impoverished mother. David goes to the old woman, who says he is not her son, but her affectionate and unselfish demeanour makes Talbot begins to doubt himself again.
So is Talbot the former Jean Pelletier, former criminal and murderer? Or is Talbot the pawn in a dangerous game? Watch and see! It's a truly great film and quite different from Powell and Lamarr's next collaboration, The Heavenly Body (1944) which is also quite good.
Watch the film here!
Tonight on TCM! Oooh! This sounds interesting!
Good Sam (1948) A family man helps out people in need and ends up broke in the process.
Dir: Leo McCarey Cast: Gary Cooper, Ann Sheridan, Ray Collins.
Showing posts with label Rathbone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rathbone. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Table Talk!
Charles Laughton and Judith Anderson
Basil Rathbone and Angela Lansbury
Robert Wagner and Natalie Wood
Joan Crawford and Caesar Romero
Ann Dvorak, Hedy Lamarr, and Ann Baxter
Marlene Dietrich and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.
Ben Gazzara and Fred Clark
Brian Aherne, Joan Fontaine and Olivia de Havilland
Tonight on TCM!
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) Young German soldiers try to adjust to the horrors of World War I.
Dir: Lewis Milestone Cast: Louis Wolheim, Lew Ayres, John Wray.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Babes In Arms
The Mitchum siblings. John (L) and Robert (R)
Bette Davis
Basil Rathbone (L) and siblings
Clifton Webb
Waldo and sister Elsa Lanchester
Sourpuss Franchot Tone
Hedy Lamarr
James Stewart
Gene Tierney
Rex Harrison
Loretta Young
Lauren Bacall
Vivien Leigh
A big thanks to Emily over at The Silver Screen Affair, I got a lot of photos from a wonderful blog she did a few weeks ago!
Tonight on TCM!
Get your horror on!
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Above Suspicion (1943)
In the Spring of 1939, immediately after Frances (Joan Crawford) and her husband Professor Richard Myles (Fred MacMurray) are married, they are approached by a former classmate of Richard’s, Peter Galt (Richard Ainley) who is aware they will be honeymooning in Southern Germany. Peter asks Richard to track down a scientist who has information about a magnetic mine the Germans have developed. He has disappeared and Peter thinks Richard has a better chance of finding him since he will be seen as an American tourist and therefore, “above suspicion”.
Unfortunately, not being professional spies, the Myles eventually arouse the suspicion of Count Sig von Aschenhausen (Basil Rathbone), another former Oxford schoolmate of Richard's with secret and sinister ties to the Nazi party. Once they find their quarry with the help of a surprisingly friendly Conrad Veidt, the Myles will risk life and limb, witness murder and subject themselves to Nazi kidnapping and torture, prompting one to wonder if Mrs. Myles will need get a better honeymoon next time around?
If one stretches the imagination, first to believe that Crawford is a fresh faced college kid who’s nabbed her favorite professor, and two, was excited about going to Southern Germany for a honeymoon in 1939, then it won’t seem to out of the realm of possibility for too extremely inexperienced tourist cum spies to foil several Nazi officers, completely change their identities as well as passports, and still manage to get back home safely with the needed information. Trust the studio to add a little light comedy to the film to detract from the almost impossible likelihood of anything like this coming off. Another stretch, as Crawford is not so handy in the light comedy department.
All this is not to say it’s a bad film. It’s still a Crawford vehicle and worth watching. MacMurray sprichst Deutch!
Tonight on TCM!
Another wonderful installment of Moguls & Movie Stars, A History of Hollywood: Warriors & Peace Makers (2010) followed up by some great movies:
Citizen Kane (1941)
Mildred Pierce (1945)
Pinky (1949)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Vintage Ads
Warren gets toothy.
Ava "points out" Acrila's assets.
Tuesday hocks 7-Up.
Joan shapes up!
Greer goes bananas- er...grapes over Lux!
Things aren't nifty if Basil has no Skippy.
Edmund protects his voice, leaving his lungs to fend for themselves.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Anna Karenina (1935)

Oh! Fredric March! How you do make my heart beat faster! Despite wanting to take a break from period films, March ceded to Garbo as she wanted him as her Vronksy (naturally). Accordingly, March played his part perfectly and Garbo was wonderful as well. Having read this 8000 page book, I was happy to see that the film concentrated only on Karenina and Vronsky and got the essence of their struggle even though it did not record everything that happened between them. Karenin, played stoicly by Basil Rathbone, elicits little sympathy and comes off more evil than forgiving.








Though Anna Karenina or more accurately Greta Garbo, puts Fredric March on the backburner so to speak, he does have a few shining moments in the film. The opening scene as he and his military peers get drunk is comical and his anguish and eventual impatience with Anna's behavior is poignant and enriched with realistic sadness. The real star of the film is Garbo but as usual, March holds his own well.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Stars and Cars
Labels:
Gable,
Grant,
Harlow,
Rathbone,
Shearer,
Stars and Cars,
Twelvetrees
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