Robert Taylor Actor

The Gorgeous Hussy, 1936, Is Playing on TCM on November 1 (USA)

Posted on October 27, 2017 by giraffe44

The Gorgeous Hussy, 1936, is playing on Turner Classic Movies on Wednesday November 1 at 11:00 a.m. est. Closed Captioned. It’s a story about Washington D.C. It’s about dirty tricks, sleazy operatives, scurrilous personal attacks and lies. The 2016 election? No, The Gorgeous Hussy.

Robert Taylor & Joan in "The Gorgeous Hussy," (Photo colorized)

Robert Taylor & Joan Crawford in “The Gorgeous Hussy,” (Photo colorized)

The story centers around Peggy O’Neill, Joan Crawford, an innkeeper’s daughter called“Pothouse Peg,” for her politics and her men. The men are a list of Metro’s best—Robert Taylor, Jimmy Stewart, Franchot Tone, Melvyn Douglas and Lionel Barrymore. Robert Taylor dominates the first quarter of the picture with his enormous energy, his playfulness, his rapport with Crawford and his skin-tight costume. Taylor even sings and dances.

After Bow Timberlake’s (Taylor’s) heroic off screen death, things settle down. Andrew Jackson (Barrymore) dominates every scene he’s in. Beulah Bondi, as Rachel Jackson, is equally good. She won an Oscar nomination for her role. Joan Crawford is usually criticized for appearing in an historical picture because she was too “modern.” Here she handles her costumes beautifully, using her skirts to express a range of emotions. While her acting is fine, she is overwhelmed by the male contingent.

Franchot Tone, Crawford’s husband at the time, is quietly effective as Peg’s second husband John Eaton. Melvyn Douglas brings strength and intelligence to his role as Virginian John Randolph. Jimmy Stewart is wasted as Peg’s failed suitor. The Gorgeous Hussy is fun, sometimes moving and a reminder that political behavior wasn’t all that different in the 1820s. Review by me for the IMDB.

Some behind the scenes photos:

Left right: Joan Crawford serves ice cream to Robert Taylor; Mr. Taylor laughing; a close shave.

Left to right: Ms. Crawford and Mr. Taylor; Mr. Taylor and Ms. Crawford playing parchesi; Jimmy Stewart, Lionel Barrymore, Robert Taylor, Joan Crawford, Melvin Douglas and Franchot Tone.

Left to right: Joan Crawford and friend Barbara Stanwyck; Jimmy Stewart, Joan Crawford, Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda.

Posted in Films | Tagged Andrew Jackson, Beulah Bondi, Congress, Daniel Webster, elections, Franchot Tone, Gorgeous Hussy, hollywood, James Stewart, Jimmy Stewart, Joan Crawford, john eaton, lionel barrymore, matinee idol, Melvyn Douglas, Peggy O’Neill, Pothouse Peg, Robert Taylor, The Gorgeous Hussy, Turner Classic Movies, Washington D.C. | Leave a comment

Ivanhoe, 1952, Is Playing on TCM on October 25, (USA)

Posted on October 18, 2017 by giraffe44

Ivanhoe, 1952, is playing on Turner Classic Movies at 4 p.m. est on October 25. Closed captioned.

Ivanhoe was one of the most successful films of the year and brought in over $10 million at the box office, about $89,823,018.87 in 2015.

A Robert Taylor and Liz Taylor in Ivanhoe.

Wonderful movie! This film is an exciting adventure-romance which never once loses its pace or feel. Robert Taylor brings depth to a potentially dull lead character. Jean Fontaine is great as his love, the Lady Rowenna. Elizabeth Taylor, though, steals the show with her stunning portrayal of Rebecca of York! This film has aged very well and shows first-hand to a young generation just why Elizabeth Taylor was such a star.

Although this film is an extremely enjoyable adventure, it also has the guts to tackle some complicated issues and resolve them in a very non-Hollywood fashion. As Ivanhoe feels his love for the beautiful Rebecca grow will he defy convention and pursue the lovely Jewish girl or remain with the safe charms of the blond, Anglo-Saxon Rowena The answer is intelligently handled and surprising. This film is one of the greatest examples of the classic adventure. Review by David Arbury for the IMDB

Here are a few behind the scenes photos:

Left to right: Mr. Taylor and Peter Ustinov; waiting; with unknown person.

Left to right: with Joan Fontaine who played Rowena; with Ms. Fontaine and director Richard Thorpe.

Left to right: with Elizabeth Taylor; with Liz and Emlyn Williams

Left to right: with George Sanders and Liz Taylor; with Liz Taylor.

Posted in Films | Tagged acting, actor, adventure, celebrities, drama, Elizabeth Taylor, entertainment, Felix Aylmer, gentleman, George Sanders, glamor, Golden Era, handsome, hollywood, Ivanhoe, Joan Fontaine, matinee idol, medieval, MGM, Middle Ages, movie stars, Robert Taylor, romance, TCM, Turner Classic Movies | 4 Comments

The Secret Land, 1948, Is Playing on TCM on October 19 (USA)

Posted on October 17, 2017 by giraffe44

The Secret Land, 1949, is Playing on Turner Classic Movies on Thursday October 19 at 6:45 a.m. est. Not closed captioned.

The Secret Land, 1948, is a documentary about Admiral Richard Bird and his explorations of the Antartic. It is narrated by Cmdr. Robert Montgomery USNR, Lt. Robert Taylor USNR and Lt. Van Heflin AAFR. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film in 1948.

Here are two synopses:

This documentary, filmed entirely by military photographers, recounts the U.S. Navy’s 1946-47 expedition to Antarctica, known as Operation High Jump. The expedition was under the overall command of Admiral Richard E. Byrd, no stranger to the Antarctic. This was a large undertaking involving 13 ships and over 4000 thousand men. The fleet departed from Norfolk, Virginia traveling through the Panama canal and then southward to their final destination. The trip through the ice pack was fraught with danger and forced the submarine that was part of the fleet to withdraw. The trip was a success meeting all of its scientific goals. The film is narrated by three Hollywood stars, all of whom served in the US Navy: Robert Taylor, Robert Montgomery and Van Heflin (I)’.– Written by garykmcd
This film documents the largest expedition ever undertaken to explore Antarctica. The expedition, code named “Operation High Jump,” was made by the U.S. Navy and involved 13 ships (including one submarine), 23 aircraft, and about 4700 men. The film was shot by photographers from all branches of the U.S. military. One purpose of the expedition was to explore and photograph several thousand square miles of inland and coastal areas that had not been previously mapped. Additionally, military planners wanted to evaluate whether military troops could successfully perform against an adversary in such an environment.– Written by David Glagovsky <dglagovsky@verizon.net>

Robert Taylor in the Navy, with Lucille Ball and Kathryn Grayson, ca. 1943.
and one Review:
Some Real Heroes

Back in the day when documentary film making was more than some obnoxious twit sticking a video camera in front of celebrities and then editing the content for a political agenda, MGM contributed this classic about Admiral Byrd’s post World War II expedition to Antarctica. The film was narrated by three WWII veterans with MGM, Robert Montgomery, Van Heflin, and Robert Taylor.

The men here are assigned some of the most hazardous peace time duty the United States Navy ever had to perform. The polar regions are some of the most forbidding area on our globe. The film captures some real dangers the Navy faced. We see a submarine caught in a frozen ice flow, a rescue of a man being transferred from ship to ship via breecher’s buoy when the line snaps and he’s tossed into the frozen sea, a crash of one of the planes. This film captures all the hazards of the expedition and the forbidding beauty of Antarctica.

From his transatlantic flights and his early polar expeditions Admiral Richard E. Byrd was a genuine American hero. We probably know more about the geography of the polar regions due to his work than any other individual. After this expedition, Byrd in fact did return to the South Pole as late as two years before he died in 1957. Review for the Imdb by bkoganbing (Buffalo, New York).

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Personal Property, 1937 Is Playing on TCM on October 15 (USA)

Posted on October 13, 2017 by giraffe44

Personal Property, 1937, is playing on Turner Classic Movies on October 15 at 7:15 a.m. est. Closed captioned.

Robert Taylor, Jean Harlow and Reginald Owen

I’m a sucker for this movie. I’ve watched it many times and never fail to enjoy the excellent visuals, the superior acting and just the general silliness of it all. Robert Taylor is wearing much too much makeup but looks great anyway, especially in the bathtub scene! Harlow’s cough is real and is a sad reminder of her fatal disease. The hat “business” with the bailiff is truly charming as is Raymond’s reaction to the news that the bailiff is expecting a baby that night. The centerpiece is, of course, the dinner party. The superb timing by all the actors pulls off a series of sight gags (pepper in the cocktail, the over-filled wine glass, the missing dinner, the dressing). I especially like the interaction between Raymond and his mother. It seems so natural. Highly recommended. Review I wrote for Amazon.com.

Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor

Some behind the scenes photos:

Left to right: Ms. Harlow photographs Mr. Taylor; Mr. Taylor, Mara Shelton, script girl; Ms. Harlow, script girl; Mr. Taylor. (The original caption says script girl. I don’t know her name.)

Left to right: Henrietta Crossman, Mr. Taylor, director W.S. Van Dyke; Barnett Parker, Mr. Taylor, Ms. Crossman, E.E. Clive, Ms. Harlow, Reginald Owen, Ms. Shelton; Mr. Taylor, Ms. Shelton, Mr. Van Dyke, Ms. Harlow.

Left to right: Mr. Clive and Mr. Taylor; Mr. Taylor and Mr. Van Dyke; unknown, Mr. Taylor, photographer.

Left to right: Ms. Crossman, Mr. Gardner, Ms. Harlow; Ms. Harlow; Ms. Harlow, Una O’Connor, Forrester Harvey, Mr. Taylor.

Left to right: Mr. Van Dyke; Ms. Harlow; Mr. Taylor; Mr. Van Dyke; Mr. Taylor; Mr. Van Dyke, Ms. Harlow, Mr. Taylor.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Camille, 1936, Is Playing on TCM on October 2 (USA)

Posted on September 26, 2017 by giraffe44

Camille, 1936, will be playing on Turner Classic Movies on October 2, 2017 at 3:00 est. This actually means the morning of October 3. Closed captioning. This is the love story of all love stories and shouldn’t be missed.

This film further proves that the assembly-line system of Hollywood studios back then should also be taken seriously in terms of artistry. Just because movies were produced run-of-the-mill doesn’t mean that they weren’t paid critical attention to by their makers. The usual impression on studio-era Hollywood is: take a formulaic narrative style, maybe adapt a stage play for the screen, blend in a handful of stars from the stable and the films rake in the profit at the box office. Not quite, that’s the easy perception. George Cukor, another of those versatile directors, made it apparent with Camille that filmmaking as an art may still flourish despite (and even within) certain parameters. Camille is beautiful, in so many respects. And it’s not just because of Greta Garbo.

Sure, the acting is amazing, the casting is perfect. Garbo is luminous, mysterious, cruel, and weak at the same time. Robert Taylor surrenders himself to be the heartbreakingly young and vulnerable Armand. Henry Daniell’s coldness and sadism is utterly human and familiar. The others are just plain wonderful. The writing contains so much wit and humor, devotion and pain – but it never overstates anything. The rapport and tensions between lovers, friends, and enemies are palpable and consistent. The actions flow so naturally, just like every scene, that checking for historical inconsistencies seem far beside the point.

There is so much that I love about Camille that it’s hard to enumerate them all, but with every little discovery comes the realization that this is “but” a studio production, so it makes the experience more exquisite. Camille is a gentle, poignant romantic movie that, like Garbo, takes its place delicately and self-effacingly in the history of American cinema, but makes itself indelible in the heart and mind of the lovelorn individual viewer. Review by tsarevna for the IMDb.

Some behind-the scenes photos from Camille.