Topic: Golden Boy 1939

[falsealarms]

With widely regarded classics like GONE WITH THE WIND, THE WIZARD OF OZ, and MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, 1939 is often called the best year in movie history. But GOLDEN BOY is an underrated gem. I like a lot of stuff from the 30s, but most of it is comedy, so GOLDEN BOY is an outlier among my tastes. But it was so good. The characters are so interesting and so well acted.

Here's part 1 -- the user who uploaded this has the entire movie scattered in 12 pts.

[youtube=425,350]5X78Kdbgo0E[/youtube]

[metaldams]

Rouben Mamoulian and with a good cast, looks like it has promise.  I admit I probably won't watch it in 12 parts on youtube, but I'll look for it on TCM.  How did you discover this movie?  Oh, and if you want to see a great Barbara Stanwyck comedy, check out THE LADY EVE.

Best movie of 1939?  It's SON OF FRANKENSTEIN!  OK, maybe not, but with that cast and atmosphere, it's a horror movie fan's dream.

[falsealarms]

Rouben Mamoulian and with a good cast, looks like it has promise.  I admit I probably won't watch it in 12 parts on youtube, but I'll look for it on TCM.  How did you discover this movie?  Oh, and if you want to see a great Barbara Stanwyck comedy, check out THE LADY EVE.

Best movie of 1939?  It's SON OF FRANKENSTEIN!  OK, maybe not, but with that cast and atmosphere, it's a horror movie fan's dream.

GOLDEN BOY is on DVD and avail as new for as little as 4 bucks on the Amazon marketplace. I got it last month mainly for one of the extras, the strong 1940 Shemp solo PLEASED TO MITT YOU. The DVD also has a rare 1938 Columbia color cartoon and some other extras. I haven't watched all the extras, but the quality of GOLDEN BOY, PLEASED TO MITT YOU and the cartoon are comparable to the recent Stooge remasterings.

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/31412/golden-boy/

[Seamus]

Best movie of 1939?  It's SON OF FRANKENSTEIN!  OK, maybe not, but with that cast and atmosphere, it's a horror movie fan's dream.

Hate to side-track the thread topic, but I second the big-up for Son of Frankenstein.  I enjoyed this entry in the series at least as much as Bride, which is almost universally acknowledged as being the best of the bunch.  Fans seem to lament Karloff's diminished role in Son, but I think the battle of wits between Lugosi, Rathbone, and Atwill was a lot of fun, and the atmospheric set design was fantastic.  Also probably the best performance Lugosi ever gave, let's face it.  He steals the show, even.  Love that scene where he's taunting the frustrated courtroom over their inability to have him re-executed.

[metaldams]

Hate to side-track the thread topic, but I second the big-up for Son of Frankenstein.  I enjoyed this entry in the series at least as much as Bride, which is almost universally acknowledged as being the best of the bunch.  Fans seem to lament Karloff's diminished role in Son, but I think the battle of wits between Lugosi, Rathbone, and Atwill was a lot of fun, and the atmospheric set design was fantastic.  Also probably the best performance Lugosi ever gave, let's face it.  He steals the show, even.  Love that scene where he's taunting the frustrated courtroom over their inability to have him re-executed.

Got a great SON OF FRANKENSTEIN story.  A few years ago, my grandmother passed away and we were all looking through some family albums she had.  There was an autographed picture in the album of some lady dressed like a little girl, and the autograph was personalized to my great-grandfather.  Her name was Josephine Hutchinson.  I looked her up on imdb and in addition to having a role in NORTH BY NORTHWEST, she also played Basil Rathbone's wife in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN!  I knew the name was familiar when I saw the autograph and was pleasantly suprised when I found out why it was familiar.

Doing some research on her, I found out in 1934 she played Alice in ALICE IN WONDERLAND on stage, which would explain why she was dressed as a little girl.  My grandmother would've been 12 and she lived in the Bronx, so my guess is my great-grandfather took my grandmother and great-uncle to see her in ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

By the way, Bela rules and is just as awesome in WHITE ZOMBIE and THE BLACK CAT.

[Seamus]

Great story!  Must have been a thrill finding a little piece of film treasure among your family belongings, especially being an old movie buff.

Yeah, have to give Bela props for White Zombie, too.  I had the pleasure of seeing that one for the first time this past Halloween.  I think he delivers a better performance in WZ than he did in Dracula, which was made around the same time.  Hell, WZ was a more enjoyable movie all around, really.  Shows that even back then the independent studios could deliver pictures that rivaled the big boys' output in terms of quality, if not ticket sales. 

Been meaning to check out Black Cat.  Maybe this Halloween...

[Rich Finegan]

Got a great SON OF FRANKENSTEIN story.  A few years ago, my grandmother passed away and we were all looking through some family albums she had.  There was an autographed picture in the album of some lady dressed like a little girl, and the autograph was personalized to my great-grandfather.  Her name was Josephine Hutchinson.  I looked her up on imdb and in addition to having a role in NORTH BY NORTHWEST, she also played Basil Rathbone's wife in SON OF FRANKENSTEIN!  I knew the name was familiar when I saw the autograph and was pleasantly suprised when I found out why it was familiar.

Doing some research on her, I found out in 1934 she played Alice in ALICE IN WONDERLAND on stage, which would explain why she was dressed as a little girl.  My grandmother would've been 12 and she lived in the Bronx, so my guess is my great-grandfather took my grandmother and great-uncle to see her in ALICE IN WONDERLAND.

That's a cool story about finding that autographed picture of Josephine Hutchinson. I hope it's being kept safe and preserved. It would be great if you could post it here some time!
I have seen a few other photos of Miss H. from that production of "Alice In Wonderland". A few years ago I was helping a friend trying to identify some unknown stills he had, and some were of a lady, as you said, dressed like a little girl, posing by some large furniture with a black cat. Even though I certainly knew who Josephine Hutchinson was from her many film and TV roles, I didn't recognize her right away in those stills, and was surprised when I finally figured out that's who the lady was, and that they were from a stage production of "Alice In Wonderland". They didn't look like typical movie stills.
Miss H. was actually almost 30 years old when she played Alice in that production. The show apparently ran for about one year, from December 12, 1932 to December of 1933 (Coincidentally, or not (?), ending exactly when the Paramount feature version was released).

Here's a link with some info on the production:

http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=11693

And here's a link that should show one of the posed photos from the production:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.robertschanke.com/eva/evaimages/alice1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.robertschanke.com/eva/photos.htm&usg=__de4wuvB_AIKeHMaAwF3p-fE41Iw=&h=798&w=628&sz=91&hl=en&start=3&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=RYjYK6h_LogaVM:&tbnh=143&tbnw=113&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djosephine%2Bhutchinson%2Balice%2Bin%2Bwonderland%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox%26rlz%3D1I7GGLL_en%26tbs%3Disch:1

[metaldams]

I don't own a digital camera (I'm hopelessly out of the loop as far as technology goes), so I unfortunately have no way of getting the picture online.  If I can find the actual picture online (obviously not the autographed version), I'll post the link.

Yeah, it was definitely pretty cool finding that in the family archives.  Me, being the old movie buff, requested to have that amongst the family "just in case."  Turned out to be worth it, as I was not expecting a Universal Horror/Hitchcock connection!

[Rich Finegan]

I don't own a digital camera (I'm hopelessly out of the loop as far as technology goes), so I unfortunately have no way of getting the picture online. 

Me too, neither, or else I'd post the other stills I mentioned, of Josephine Hutchinson as Alice.

[Rich Finegan]

Yeah, have to give Bela props for White Zombie, too. I think he delivers a better performance in WZ than he did in Dracula, which was made around the same time.  Hell, WZ was a more enjoyable movie all around, really.  Shows that even back then the independent studios could deliver pictures that rivaled the big boys' output in terms of quality, if not ticket sales. 

I totally agree about "White Zombie". And another great thing about it is the cool & eerie music score (another thing that sets it apart from "Dracula").

Interesting how the topic has gone from a golden boy to a white zombie! But I enjoy the latter movie 100% more than the former.

But in keeping things semi-Stooges-related, one connection "Golden Boy" has to The Three Stooges is that it contains the largest and most important non-Stooges film role for frequent Stooges supporting actress Beatrice Blinn. She even gets billed in the onscreen cast listing.

[metaldams]

WHITE ZOMBIE is one of the most atmospheric horror movies ever made.  Those sugar mill scenes are especially eerie.  The only flaw in WHITE ZOMBIE is a flaw of so many other horror movies of the era, and that would be the juvenille romantic leads.  Besides that, a perfect horror film.

Seamus, DEFINITELY see THE BLACK CAT this Halloween (and make sure you're watching the 1934 version with Lugosi and Karloff and not the inferior 1941 horror comedy of the same name).  It may be my favorite horror movie of the 30's.

[FineBari3]

WHITE ZOMBIE is one of the most atmospheric horror movies ever made.  Those sugar mill scenes are especially eerie.  The only flaw in WHITE ZOMBIE is a flaw of so many other horror movies of the era, and that would be the juvenille romantic leads.  Besides that, a perfect horror film.

Hmmm. I have never seen WHITE ZOMBIE. I'm not a fan of horror films, but I can stand the old ones, pre-1970.

[Rich Finegan]

Seamus, DEFINITELY see THE BLACK CAT this Halloween (and make sure you're watching the 1934 version with Lugosi and Karloff and not the inferior 1941 horror comedy of the same name). 

I certainly wouldn't say the 1941 Black Cat is "inferior"...it's just a different approach to a movie about a black cat!
It's a fun mystery / comedy that should not really be compared to the 1934 movie as it's in no way supposed to be a remake.
If you can spot all the ad-libs by Broderick Crawford and Hugh Herbert you will have a great time with it. And with the beautiful Anne Gwynne present you can't go wrong!

[metaldams]

I certainly wouldn't say the 1941 Black Cat is "inferior"...it's just a different approach to a movie about a black cat!
It's a fun mystery / comedy that should not really be compared to the 1934 movie as it's in no way supposed to be a remake.
If you can spot all the ad-libs by Broderick Crawford and Hugh Herbert you will have a great time with it. And with the beautiful Anne Gwynne present you can't go wrong!

Compared to the 1934 version, it's inferior.

On its own merit, it's a fun film.

[metaldams]

Hmmm. I have never seen WHITE ZOMBIE. I'm not a fan of horror films, but I can stand the old ones, pre-1970.

While there are some post 1970 horror films I like, I would say in general I agree with this statement.  I'm not a big fan of the slasher/torture porn genres that pass as horror these days.  I prefer either gothic atmosphere and on the more low budget end, high camp.  I love the old Universal Horrors, some of the German silent stuff, Val Lewton, Hammer, AIP/Corman, etc.

I also love Ed Wood type schlock.  I just saw THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE for the first time recently and it was bad movie heaven.  The GIANT CLAW is also great for laughs.

[Rich Finegan]

I also love Ed Wood type schlock.  I just saw THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE for the first time recently and it was bad movie heaven.  The GIANT CLAW is also great for laughs.

Love both of them, too!
Did you know that our Fan Club Meeting guest Marilyn Hanold is in THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE?

[Seamus]

While there are some post 1970 horror films I like, I would say in general I agree with this statement.  I'm not a big fan of the slasher/torture porn genres that pass as horror these days.  I prefer either gothic atmosphere and on the more low budget end, high camp.  I love the old Universal Horrors, some of the German silent stuff, Val Lewton, Hammer, AIP/Corman, etc.

This is me too.  The horror movies that all these guys put out had atmosphere in spades.  Lots of Hammer and Universal in my DVD collection, and I had me a Lewton-fest this past Halloween (I went heavy on the Karloff).

I also love Ed Wood type schlock.  I just saw THE BRAIN THAT WOULDN'T DIE for the first time recently and it was bad movie heaven.  The GIANT CLAW is also great for laughs.

This kind of stuff I only watch through the glorious filter of MST3K.  They riffed The Brain That Wouldn't Die in one of their episodes, as a matter of fact.  Kind of a distinguished episode for MST3K fans, in that it was the first one featuring Mike Nelson as the new host, after Joel Hodgson left the show.  The whole thing's on YouTube (like a lot of MST3K eps).  Here's the gruesome finale.