The Irish In Us (1935)

Pat O'Brien, Jimmy Cagney, and Olivia are
caught in a love triangle

Released in 1935 - 77 years ago - The Irish In Us is a hilarious romantic comedy starring James Cagney and Pat O'Brien who play brothers. Cagney is a slick-talking boxing promoter and O'Brien is a policeman.  They live at home with their hilariously feisty Irish mamma (scene-stealer Mary Gordon) who says things like "you'll eat your eggs and like it!". There is a funny sequence in the beginning where Danny brings home a gruff, drunken boxer (Allen Jenkins) who asks mamma to feel his biceps. She refuses, and says "Oh, I'll just take your word for it!" in her Scottish accent.

At the breakfast table one morning, Pat announces that he has a new girlfriend -  the strict Police Captain's daughter (Olivia de Havilland). Mamma wants to meet her, and wants her to come to dinner. Pat begs mamma to make sure the other brothers know their manners so they don't do anything embarrassing.

The funniest part of the movie is when Olivia comes over and meets  uncooth brother Frank McHugh. Danny also comes over with the gruff boxer, and hilarity ensues.

The movie ends with a boxing match and a funny gag that will leave you smiling.


TRIVIA TIDBIT: 
The police captain is played by J. Farrell MacDonald. He had a famous scene in Its A Wonderful Life where his grandfather's tree is smashed into by a car. There's a funny scene where her father gives her an allowance and says, "now run along so you can spend it all". "Thanks dad!" she replies.

TRIVIA TIDBIT: In a dance sequence, the background music played by the band is "Lullaby of Broadway", which was used in at least two other Warner Brothers movies that year: Special Agent and The Gold Diggers of 1935.  

Olivia de Haviiland  and Jimmy Cagney fall for each other in The Irish In Us

Four's A Crowd (1938)

Four's a Crowd (1938), is a romantic comedy directed by Michael Curtiz and released by Warner Brothers. Cast: Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell, Patric Knowles, Walter Connolly, Hugh Herbert, Melville Cooper, Franklin Pangborn, Herman Bing, Margaret Hamilton, Joseph Crehan, Joe Cunningham, Gloria Blondell, Carole Landis and Lana Turner. The fourth of nine movies made by Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn.

The story begins when the newspaper might be shut down when owner, Pat Buckley, gets into a argument with the Editor-in-chief, Robert Lansford. Meanwhile, Lansford hopes to add John Dillingwell's business to his PR firm, and uses his position at Buckley's paper to write a good review for Dillingwell. He soon finds out that Dillingwell's daughter Lorri, is Buckley's fiancee. Lansford decides to try to charm Lorri while Christy makes a play for Buckley. In the end, you don't know who Lansford will end up with?

Errol Flynn gives a wonderful comic performance. One of my favorite scenes where he is chased by dogs snapping at his heels chasing him off his girlfriends property. Olivia de Havilland looks gorgeous as the daughter of millionaire Connolly. A fluffy romance, but... worth watching if you enjoy watching these stars.

"The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938)

Every review I've read of the lackluster 2010 Russell Crowe version of "Robin Hood" made reference in one way or another to the classic 1938 Errol-Olivia version, a testament to it's endearing popularity.

For example, in his May 12, 2010 review, Roger Ebert wrote:

Little by little, title by title, innocence and joy is being drained out of the movies. What do you think of when you hear the name of Robin Hood? I think of Errol Flynn, Sean Connery and the Walt Disney character. I see Robin lurking in Sherwood Forest, in love with Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland or Audrey Hepburn), and roistering with Friar Tuck and the Merry Men. I see a dashing swashbuckler.

That Robin Hood is nowhere to be found in Ridley Scott's [2010] “Robin Hood”...

I recently purchased the 2-disc DVD of the blockbuster 1938 version, and it's loaded with incredible extras: great commentary by Rudy Behlmer (he talks about everything you ever wanted to know about the movie), several documentaries, outtakes, home movies, and the radio version. It's one of the most colorful films I've ever seen; every scene is a visual feast for the eyes.



The commentary on the DVD reminds us that for many years, the only way people were able to see this movie was in black-and-white on television.


The film (directed by Michael Curtiz and a number of other 2nd unit directors) won a well deserved Oscar for Best Art Direction for its impressive sets. The DVD commentary points out the particular shots that were combined with beautiful matte paintings (example below).


And if Best Costume Design was a category back then, I'm sure designer Milo Anderson would have won by a landslide. And needless to say, Olivia looks lovely in every scene. :)



The below review is from the May 23, 1938 of LIFE; in those days the mag always had a "Movie of the Week" feature, and Robin Hood was that week's feature. I like this piece because it makes reference to the 1922 Douglas Fairbanks version. Below is the write-up, with my notes in blue

From LIFE, May 23, 1938

The saga of Robin Hood is the kind of movie material that screenwriters dream of. It is almost pure action. Blackest villainy opposes purest virtue. And there are so many fables, so little fact, that each teller of the tale can shape it anew.

Somewhere far back in British history there must have been a Robin Hood, but who he was, when he lived, whether he was one man or many, no one knows. Some say he was a leader of the Saxons, who protected his people against the Norman conquerors. Some say he was a Norman knight. Certain it is that as early as the 14th Century Robin Hood figured in folk tales as the gay, fearless outlaw of Sherwood Forest who robbed the rich and gave to the poor, the nemesis of fat bishops and cruel nobles, the popular hero of yeomanry as King Arthur was the hero of knighthood.

Warner Bros.' lavish Robin Hood, made in Technicolor at a cost of $2,000,000, follows in famous footsteps, for millions of moviegoers remember the Robin Hood of Douglas Fairbanks in 1922. The Warner version has no Fairbanks but it has in Errol Flynn the only actor in Hollywood today who could fill Fairbanks' shoes or Robin Hood's. (James Cagney was originally slated to star)

The picture places Robin in the reign of Richard the Lion-Hearted (1189-1199) (played by Ian Hunter) . When Richard goes to the Crusades and Prince John (Claude Raines) imposes his cruel rule on England, Sir Robert of Locksley, a Saxon knight, takes to the forest with a band of followers and calls himself Robin Hood. In the end Richard returns to set things straight, make Robin an earl and bless his marriages to the fair Maid Marian (Olivia - this was her third movie with Errol).

Trivia:

Anita Louise was originally considered for the role of Marian.

The 1938 version was ranked among 100 films on AFI's 100 Years-100 Thrills list in 2001.

Spoiler alert: The shots you see below were cut from the ending of the movie; it was meant to be the final scene - Robin and Marian riding off into the sunset.





Oh I wish they could have kept this in the final cut!

If you are lucky enough to live near Austin, you can see the movie on the big screen (!) at the Paramount Theater on June 26 (2 PM) and 27 (7:10 PM). Apparently there will also be an indoor archery contest. Huzzah! More information can be found here.

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1935) with Olivia

Shakespeare's classic comes to the screen, in a big-budget all star spectacular from MGM. Other film versions are good, this is a tried-and-true classic gem - great stars, fantastic scenery. If you can get past the fact that the movie is in black-and-white (this was 1935 after all) then you will love this movie if you happen to be a fan of Shakespeare. Also notable: it's one of the first films of both Olivia de Havilland (Hermia) and young Mickey Rooney, who was only 15 when he played Puck. The young whippersnapper is quite entertaining in the part, he really hams it up for the camera. Shows alot of potential! Ms deHavilland is wonderful, as is James Cagney, who plays Nick Bottom.
Also in the cast: Joe E. Brown: "Francis Flute". Dick Powell: "Lysander"
Two Academy Awards: "Best Cinematography", "Best Film Editing"

For more, read Kevin's review at his blog, Kevin's Movie Corner.