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Ethel Griffies
Ethel Griffies (born Ethel Woods; 26 April 1878 – 9 September 1975) was a British actress. She is remembered for portraying the ornithology, ornithologist Mrs. Bundy in Alfred Hitchcock's classic ''The Birds (film), The Birds'' (1963). She appeared in stage roles in the United Kingdom and the United States, and had featured roles in around 100 motion pictures. Griffies was one of the oldest working actors in the English-speaking theatre at the time of her death at 97 years old. She acted alongside such stars as May Whitty, Ellen Terry, and Anna Neagle. Biography Griffies was born in Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, the daughter of actor and manager Samuel Rupert Woods and actress Lillie Roberts. Taken onstage at the age of three, she continued to act for the next 86 years. Griffies married actor Walter Beaumont in 1900; he died in 1910. In 1917, she married actor Edward Cooper (actor), Edward Cooper, who predeceased her by almost two decades. On 9 September 1975, Griffies ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jane Eyre (1943 Film)
''Jane Eyre'' is a 1943 American film adaptation of Charlotte Brontë's 1847 Jane Eyre, novel of the same name, released by 20th Century Fox. It was directed by Robert Stevenson (director), Robert Stevenson and produced by the uncredited Kenneth Macgowan and Orson Welles; Welles also stars in the film as Edward Rochester, with Joan Fontaine playing Jane Eyre (character), the title character. The screenplay was written by John Houseman, Aldous Huxley, and director Robert Stevenson. The musical score was composed and conducted by Bernard Herrmann, and the cinematography was by George Barnes (cinematographer), George Barnes. Plot Orphaned, unloved, and unwanted ten-year-old Jane Eyre (character), Jane Eyre lives with her cruel, selfish, uncaring maternal aunt via marriage, Mrs. Reed of Gateshead Hall, and her spoiled, bullying son. Jane is ecstatic when Mrs. Reed, eager to be rid of her, arranges for Jane to be sent to Lowood Institution, a charity boarding school for young girls ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sweet Kitty Bellairs (1930 Film)
''Sweet Kitty Bellairs'' is a 1930 American historical musical comedy film directed by Alfred E. Green. The film is based on the 1903 play '' Sweet Kitty Bellairs'' by David Belasco. Belasco's play was in turn adapted from the novel ''The Bath Comedy'' (1900) by Agnes Castle and Egerton Castle. This novel also served as source material for the 1930 musical film. Shot entirely in Technicolor, the film stars Claudia Dell, Ernest Torrence and, Walter Pidgeon and is set in Bath, England in 1793. Belasco's 1903 play starred Henrietta Crosman. It was also the basis for a silent film adaptation starring Mae Murray followed in 1916. Plot Kitty Bellairs ( Claudia Dell), a famous flirt of her day, comes to Bath for the season. Early on in the film she declares that "in spite of her thirty or forty affairs, I've lost not a bit of my virtue." Her path is strewn with a number of conquests, including an enamored highwayman, a lord and some others who hang on her every word. A highw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Love Me Tonight
''Love Me Tonight'' is a 1932 American pre-Code musical comedy film produced and directed by Rouben Mamoulian, with music by Rodgers and Hart. It stars Maurice Chevalier as a tailor who poses as a nobleman and Jeanette MacDonald as a princess with whom he falls in love. It also stars Charles Ruggles as a penniless nobleman, along with Charles Butterworth and Myrna Loy as members of his family. The film is an adaptation by Samuel Hoffenstein, George Marion Jr. and Waldemar Young of the play ''Le Tailleur au château'' ("The tailor at the castle") by Paul Armont and Léopold Marchand. Plot The story describes an encounter between a Parisian tailor named Maurice Courtelin (Chevalier) and a family of local aristocrats. These include Vicomte Gilbert de Varèze (Ruggles), who owes Maurice a large amount of money for tailoring work; Gilbert's uncle the Duc d'Artelines ( C. Aubrey Smith), the family patriarch; d'Artelines' man-hungry niece Valentine (Loy); and his other 2 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Westward Passage
''Westward Passage'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Robert Milton and starring Ann Harding, Laurence Olivier, ZaSu Pitts and Irving Pichel. The screenplay concerns a woman who falls in love and marries, but soon discovers how unpleasant her new husband is. The film marked Olivier's second major role in the United States. It was not a commercial or critical success, and Olivier did not make another film in America until 1939 when he starred in '' Wuthering Heights''. The film recorded a loss of $250,000.Richard Jewell & Vernon Harbin, ''The RKO Story.'' New Rochelle, New York: Arlington House, 1982. p49 Plot Newlyweds Olivia and Nick Allen struggle to keep their relationship afloat through personal disagreements. Nick lacks recognition for his works as an independent writer; hence, he is unable to support Olivia and their young daughter. These difficulties eventually lead to a divorce, the last they will see each other for many years. Six years after their ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Devil's Lottery
''Devil's Lottery'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Sam Taylor and written by Guy Bolton. The film stars Elissa Landi, Victor McLaglen, Alexander Kirkland, Ralph Morgan, Paul Cavanagh and Barbara Weeks. The film was released on March 27, 1932, by Fox Film Corporation. Plot In England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ... a group of sweepstakes winners are invited to a weekend party at a lavish country estate. Murder, heartbreak, and betrayal soon follow. Cast * Elissa Landi as Evelyn Beresford * Victor McLaglen as Jem Meech * Alexander Kirkland as Stephen Alden * Ralph Morgan as Captain Geoffrey Maitland * Paul Cavanagh as Major Hugo Beresford * Barbara Weeks as Joan Mather * Beryl Mercer as Mrs. Mary Ann Meech * Herbert Mundin as ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Are You Listening? (film)
''Are You Listening?'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Harry Beaumont and starring William Haines, Madge Evans and Anita Page. It was based on the novel of the same name by J. P. McEvoy, published the same year. Plot Radio writer Bill Grimes is in love with radio actress Laura O' Neill, and they enjoy harmless social activities together like roller-skating. But Bill is bitterly married to Alice, who dislikes him as much as he does her but they are unable to separate because, in the Depression, they can't afford separate domiciles. Alice demands that Bill stay home for their third wedding anniversary celebration so as not to humiliate her in front of another couple she's invited; at Laura's suggestion, Bill tries to soften her by a gift of stockings, but she criticizes them and the evening is wretched for him. He had to break a theater date with Laura to be there, and when he finally gets away to visit her she decides this can't work and breaks up with him ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Impatient Maiden
''The Impatient Maiden'' is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by James Whale, starring Lew Ayres and Mae Clarke, and released by Universal Pictures. The screenplay was written by Richard Schayer and Winifred Dunn, based on the novel ''The Impatient Virgin'', by Donald Henderson Clarke. Plot Cast *Lew Ayres as Dr. Myron Brown * Mae Clarke as Ruth Robbins * Una Merkel as Betty Merrick *Andy Devine as Clarence Howe * John Halliday as Albert Hartman * Oscar Apfel as Dr. Wilcox *Ethel Griffies as Nurse Lovett * Helen Jerome Eddy as Mrs. Gilman * Bert Roach as Mr. Gilman * Cecil Cunningham as Mrs. Rosy *Lorin Raker as Mr. Rosy * Blanche Payson as Mrs. Thomas *Arthur Hoyt Arthur Hoyt (March 19, 1874 – January 4, 1953) was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 275 films in his 34-year film career, about a third of them silent films. Career Born in Georgetown, Colorado, in 1874, Hoyt ma ... as Mr. Thomas * Monte Montague as ambul ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Union Depot (film)
''Union Depot'' is a 1932 American pre-Code melodrama film directed by Alfred E. Green for Warner Bros., starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Joan Blondell, and based on an unpublished play by Joe Laurie Jr., Gene Fowler, and Douglas Durkin. The film, an ensemble piece for the studio's contract players, also features performances by Guy Kibbee, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, David Landau, and George Rosener. In the United Kingdom it was released under the title ''Gentleman for a Day''."Union Depot (1932)" Internet Movie Database. Retrieved February 27, 2018. Plot Charles "Chic" Miller ( Douglas Fairbanks Jr.) is a hobo released from ja ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manhattan Parade
''Manhattan Parade '' is a 1931 American pre-Code musical comedy film photographed entirely in Technicolor. It was originally intended to be released, in the United States, early in 1931, but was shelved due to public apathy towards musicals. Despite waiting a number of months, the public proved obstinate and the Warner Bros. reluctantly released the film in December 1931 after removing all the music. Since there was no such reaction to musicals outside the United States, the film was released there as a full musical comedy in 1931. The film pokes fun at Al Jolson, who had suffered a downturn in his career due to the public aversion to musical pictures. He had been released from his contract to Warner Bros. late in 1930. Plot Cast * Winnie Lightner as Doris Roberts * Charles Butterworth as Herbert T. Herbert * Joe Smith as Lou Delman of the Avon Comedy Four (as Smith) * Charles Dale as Jake Delman of the Avon Comedy Four (as Dale) * Dickie Moore as Junior Roberts * Bobby Wa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Once A Lady
''Once a Lady'' is a 1931 American Pre-Code drama film directed by Guthrie McClintic and starring Ruth Chatterton, Ivor Novello and Jill Esmond. The film, produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures, is a remake of the Pola Negri silent film '' Three Sinners'' (1928). The film was the final attempt by British matinée idol Novello to establish himself in Hollywood.Williams, Michael. ''Ivor Novello: Screen Idol''. British Film Institute, 2003, p. 7 Plot A young Russian woman marries a wealthy Englishman, and has a daughter with him. After she has an affair with one of his friends, she is forced to leave Britain and moves to Paris. Many years later, her daughter approaches her, needing her help. Cast * Ruth Chatterton as Anna Keremazoff *Ivor Novello as Bennett Cloud * Jill Esmond as Faith Penwick the Girl * Geoffrey Kerr as Jimmy Fenwick * Doris Lloyd as Lady Ellen Somerville * Herbert Bunston as Roger Fenwick *Gwendolyn Logan as Mrs. Fenwick *Stella Moore as Alice Fenwic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Road To Singapore
''The Road to Singapore'' is a 1931 American pre-Code romantic drama film directed by Alfred E. Green and starring William Powell and Doris Kenyon, who play two thirds of a romantic triangle, along with Louis Calhern. It was produced and distributed by Warner Bros. The film's sets were designed by the art director Anton Grot. This film is preserved by the Library of Congress.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress'', (-book title) p.153 c.1978 by The American Film Institute Plot On an ocean liner from Colombo to Singapore, black sheep Hugh Dawltry tries, but fails to become better acquainted with fellow passenger Philippa Crosby. He is pleasantly surprised to find that they are both getting off at Khota. Ashore, she rebuffs his advances again, informing him that she has come to marry Dr. George March, Dawltry's neighbor. Philippa is sorely disappointed by her marriage, however. George is u ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Waterloo Bridge (1931 Film)
''Waterloo Bridge'' is a 1931 American pre-Code drama romance war film directed by James Whale and starring Mae Clarke and Kent Douglass. The screenplay by Benn Levy and Tom Reed is based on the 1930 play ''Waterloo Bridge'' by Robert E. Sherwood. The film was remade in 1940 as ''Waterloo Bridge'' and as '' Gaby'' in 1956. Both remakes were made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, which bought the 1931 version from Universal. Today, the rights to all three films are held by Warner Bros. and their subsidiary Turner Entertainment. This film was one of Bette Davis' early movies. Plot Unable to find work in London at the height of World War I, American chorus girl Myra Deauville resorts to prostitution to support herself. She sometimes meets her clients on Waterloo Bridge, the primary entry point into the city for soldiers on military leave. During an air raid, she meets fellow American Roy Cronin, a soldier serving with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Distracted from her original pl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
