Watchingwell 

                                                                              

                                                             Curated classic films

Love and 

Marriage

and Hollywood

    All right, folks, now that the shouting has died down…. Something frivolous, perhaps?  Heart stuff.  

But on the subject of hearts, allow me to get something off my chest.  A bunch of people have no idea of what a pictogram is. 

When you write, "I you", it does not mean, I heart you. That’s all I’m saying on the matter.

 

    Now -- it may surprise you to learn that in Hollywood, there are some love stories that last.  Most of us know Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman were one of these couples. But here are some you may not know about. So, in honor of St. Valentine, watch a romantic film or two with some of the following stars.

Jeannette MacDonald was married to Gene Raymond for 28 years until her death.  My favorite Jeannette MacDonald film was one of her several with Nelson Eddy, New Moon (1940), directed by Robert Z. Leonard, because I love the music.  But she was the lead opposite Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy in W.S. Van Dyke's San Francisco (1936)and survives the quake!

Gene was the star of Flying Down to Rio (1933), directed by Thornton Freeland, wooing Delores Del Rio, even though Astaire and Rogers stole the show.

 

Fred MacMurray was married for 37 years to June Haver.  I loved him in Hands Across the Table (1935) with Carol Lombard. He was at his most romantic in this one, as they both try not to fall in love. Directed by Mitchell Leisen.

Catch June as one of three sisters with a plan to catch a rich husband in Three Little Girls in Blue (1946). Directed by H. Bruce Humberstone.

Irene Dunne was married to Dr. Frank Griffin for 38 years.  My favorite romance of her many terrific romantic comedies is not a comedy. It is Leo McCarey's beautiful romance, Love Affair from 1939 with terrifically romantic Charles Boyer. But for something lighter, see Theodora Goes Wild (1936) with Melvyn Douglas, directed by Richard Boleslawski.

 

Speaking of Charles Boyer, he was married to English actress, Pat Paterson, for 44 years. Before the above favorite from 1939, he made History is Made at Night in 1937 with Jean Arthur at her most stunning.  Directed by Frank Borzage.

Retiring in 1939 after her film roles were mostly in B pictures, former child actress, Pat Paterson can be seen in Charlie Chan in Egypt (1935) directed by Louis King.

James Stewart was married for 45 years to Gloria. I recommend Come Live with Me (1941) with Hedy Lamarr, directed by Clarence Brown.  Hedy is very sophisticated as a refugee and Jimmy is not in this story and it makes for a good romance. 

 

 

Melvyn Douglas and Helen Gahagen were married for 49 years. His most famous romance is probably the Ernst Lubitsch comedy, Ninotchka (1939) with Garbo. Third Finger, Left Hand (1940) is less known, but it is a nice comedy with Melvyn acting as a pretend husband for independent Myrna Loy. Directed by Robert Z. Leonard.

 

Alexis Smith and Craig Stevens (of Peter Gunn fame), were also married for 49 years, starred together and possibly  fell in love on Doughgirls, a wacky comedy from 1944. The film about the wartime marriage of Jack Carson and Jane Wyman and how the shortage of hotel space in Washington leads to sharing the honeymoon suite with pal, Ann Sheridan, Alexis and Craig, and Eve Arden as a Russian soldier. Lots of laughs and doors slamming. Directed by James V. Kern.

 

Dana Andrews and Mary Todd -- 53 years of marriage.  I couldn’t decide between the mystery-romance, Laura with Gene Tierney from 1944, directed by Otto Preminger, or a very tender sub-plot with Teresa Wright in The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), directed by William Wyler. You decide what moves you.

Joel McCrea was married for 57 years to Frances Dee.  My favorite Joel McCrea role is Claudette Colbert’s husband in Palm Beach Story (1942), a typically-hilarious script and direction from Preston Sturges with Rudy Vallee and Mary Astor. But I also loved him in The More the Merrier (1943) with Jean Arthur, also about the wartime housing shortage in Washington. Directed by George Stevens.

Frances stars in Wells Fargo (1937) with husband, Joel, in this story of the company's founding.  Directed by Frank Lloyd.

 

Jeanne Crain and Paul Brooks were married for 58 years.  Watch Leave Her to Heaven (1945), directed by John M. Stahl. Although it’s really about her sister, Gene Tierney, Jeanne does end up with her love, and it’s a good movie.

 

Cyd Charisse was married for 60 years to Tony Martin.  Cyd was always worth watching, but take a look at her dancing with Fred Astaire in Silk Stockings (1957), directed by Rouben Mamoulian, the musical remake of Ninotchka.

Also with Astaire in The Bandwagon (1953), directed by Vincente Minnelli, – you can choose. 

Tony’s singing was on display in Ziegfeld Girl (1941), directed by Robert Z. Leonard and Busby Berkeley and in Music in my Heart (1940) with Rita Hayworth. Directed by Joseph Santley.

Can’t not mention Dennis Morgan who was married to Lillian Mae Vedder for 61 years.  Catch him in the holiday favorite, Christmas in Connecticut, with Barbara Stanwyck. From 1945, directed by Peter Godfrey.

 

 

Also can’t not mention the all-time winner here, Louis Jordan and childhood sweetheart, Berthe Takar, married for 68 years! Of his American films, the best bet is Gigi, the lovely musical directed by Vincente Minnelli from 1958 with Leslie Caron.

Other enduring marriages:

Claudette Colbert and Dr. Joel James Pressman - 33 years

Norma Shearer and Martin Arrouge - 41 years

James Cagney and Frances Cagney - 44 years

Jim Backus and Henny Backus - 46 years

Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy - 52 years

Angela Lansbury and Peter Shaw - 54 years

Ann Blyth and Dr. James McNulty 54 years

Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee - 57 years

Lloyd Bridges and Dorothy Dean - 60 years

Robert Young and Elizabeth Henderson - 61 years

Ricardo Montalban and Georgianna Young - 63 years

Happy Valentine's Day, All.