cult film freak: louis calhern

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Written by James M. Tate / 6/23/2024 / No comments / chico marx , comedy , groucho marx , harpo marx , louis calhern , margaret dumont , marx brothers , politial , thirties , zeppo marx

ZEPPO/MARX BROTHERS BATTLE LOUIS CALHERN IN 'DUCK SOUP'

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFXrH6j781t6TXf4Pnv7wVttNV2Cvl5U5rqELAw5KeFFlcIK5W7w1a3BZXleBCLc0ZlAGwMSCQcNCPUCH3DqsbowPXYpxHEHbskRobwUDlTDKUjjVE1tnlp8qspF9cScF61nKwcLzP1U0kFJnp01Bjwreu1Ihzj63n-088StffqoEFFNGRgsKAP_prd4y/s2278/0.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="894" data-original-width="2278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKFXrH6j781t6TXf4Pnv7wVttNV2Cvl5U5rqELAw5KeFFlcIK5W7w1a3BZXleBCLc0ZlAGwMSCQcNCPUCH3DqsbowPXYpxHEHbskRobwUDlTDKUjjVE1tnlp8qspF9cScF61nKwcLzP1U0kFJnp01Bjwreu1Ihzj63n-088StffqoEFFNGRgsKAP_prd4y/s16000/0.jpeg"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Title: DUCK SOUP Year: 1933 Rating: ****</td></tr></tbody></table>Heavily influencing comparably-modern classics from Mel Brooks' BLAZING SADDLES to Woody Allen's BANANAS (and even Charlie Chaplin's THE GREAT DICTATOR), The Marx Brothers' DUCK SOUP is by far their greatest movie... with a neatly constructed beginning, middle and end where their perfect straight-person Margaret Dumont forces the fictional country of Freedonia to hire Groucho Marx's Rufus T. Firefly to rule the land...And while quiet/handsome brother Zeppo is ultimately wasted, once again as Groucho's note-scribbling assistant, and Harpo's role seems rather forced, mostly just cutting things with scissors, Chico, who becomes Groucho's more hands-on sidekick, is of almost equal importance to the quip-spouting, mustached leader...

chico marx, comedy, groucho marx, harpo marx, louis calhern, margaret dumont, marx brothers, politial, thirties, zeppo marx

ZEPPO/MARX BROTHERS BATTLE LOUIS CALHERN IN 'DUCK SOUP'

Title: DUCK SOUP Year: 1933 Rating: **** Heavily influencing comparably-modern classics from Mel Brooks' BLAZING SADDLES to Woody Allen...

JAMES CAGNEY AND PARTNER JOAN BLONDELL IN 'BLONDE CRAZY'

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN5Bpb1dQXmDQPASd7wD4Qe_2UUlosNEf8pJuiOWTKciobBdvw7n4keimFu6dsf-2Fa8DvDbqUflUGkzkAFJG30wbRKhvco4vJqNRn3iq7ZJB0QrmVucIS_uWWuANIAD3Q4dmBMzz24BCA1tQLzTCrmQrsOyTfVugbE1iAXrsOQ6dAkremzoOKGB4qcg=s778" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="393" data-original-width="778" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhN5Bpb1dQXmDQPASd7wD4Qe_2UUlosNEf8pJuiOWTKciobBdvw7n4keimFu6dsf-2Fa8DvDbqUflUGkzkAFJG30wbRKhvco4vJqNRn3iq7ZJB0QrmVucIS_uWWuANIAD3Q4dmBMzz24BCA1tQLzTCrmQrsOyTfVugbE1iAXrsOQ6dAkremzoOKGB4qcg=s16000"></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Title: BLONDE CRAZY Cast: James Cagney, Joan Blondell Year: 1931 Rating: ****</td></tr></tbody></table>Something about James Cagney, especially in his youthful early-1930's energetic programmers, and how he brings out the best, and worst, from his 
leading ladies — as in the best performances and the worst attitudes... 
 
Enter Joan
 Blondell dealing with Cagney’s conniving Bert Harris, half the 
fun of this con-game comedy/drama centering on Harris, a suave hotel 
employee who sees the right girl is hired: and it’s the blonde cutie
 Joan, as Anne Roberts, who fits the bill since men simply melt at her feet...

comedy, con man, heist, james cagney, joan blondell, louis calhern, noel francis, ray milland, roy del ruth, thirties

JAMES CAGNEY AND PARTNER JOAN BLONDELL IN 'BLONDE CRAZY'

Title: BLONDE CRAZY Cast: James Cagney, Joan Blondell Year: 1931 Rating: **** Something about James Cagney, especially in his youthful early...

BLONDE CRAZY

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2zJ_KtuwoDG8eRkuVsQKzxJXPinqWp8Vb3ZxTkkcmHijumn7FHTtCDHTpQjR9qqDKiIunugiSFSRLdSd0K-nA-oermPt1S-ZFRmGyeBeOToO4gmV1LTeTScVHnjqxEr7dZ4UxMbJy_EW/s1600/blonde+crazy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA2zJ_KtuwoDG8eRkuVsQKzxJXPinqWp8Vb3ZxTkkcmHijumn7FHTtCDHTpQjR9qqDKiIunugiSFSRLdSd0K-nA-oermPt1S-ZFRmGyeBeOToO4gmV1LTeTScVHnjqxEr7dZ4UxMbJy_EW/s320/blonde+crazy.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>title: BLONDE CRAZY 
year: 1931 
cast: James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Louis Calhern 
rating: ***1/2 
 
What is it about James Cagney – he brings out the best, and worst, of his leading ladies: the best performances and the worst attitudes – and Joan Blondell’s dealing with Cagney’s conniving “Bert Harris” is half the fun of this 1930’s comedy/melodrama dealing with Harris, a suave hotel employee who sees the right girl is hired: and it’s the blonde bombshell Joan, as “Anne Roberts,” who fits the bill. She’s not only sought after by Harris, but seedy rich guys melt at her feet. Here’s where our climbing antihero sees his future planned out: and together this made-in-heaven match goes from one sucker till the next, swindling relativity small time cash till meeting Louis Calhern, a successful con artist with a big apple for the duo: and a bigger worm inside. One scene involving a horse race and revenge against Calhern is confusing, and not all the con games are too clever, but the chemistry between the Cagney and Blondell, and the hidden desire for his platonic partner that slowly comes to light, is what makes this really shine. A very young Ray Milland plays Joan’s sophisticated new gent – making Cagney realize what, or rather, whom his drive’s been centered. And while a tacked-on “crime will pay” ending is a letdown, the rest works just fine: Especially a pre-Code bathtub scene with Blondell that’s quite… revealing.

classic gangster, james cagney, joan blondell, louis calhern, ray milland, thirties

BLONDE CRAZY

title: BLONDE CRAZY year: 1931 cast: James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Louis Calhern rating: ***1/2 What is it about James Cagney – he br...

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