• Films,  Strange Interlude

    Movie of the Week: Strange Interlude (1932)

    This week, everyone, including Clark Gable, is in love with Norma Shearer and sharing their thoughts about it in Strange Interlude (1932). Clark Gable is Dr. Ned Darrell, who has fallen in love with Nina Leeds (Shearer), a free-spirited young woman who is mourning the loss of her love in World War I. Also in love with her are family friend Charlie (Ralph Morgan) and Sam (Alexander Kirkland), a friend of her deceased boyfriend. Sam proposes to Nina and even though she is still heartbroken, she accepts and decides to move on with her life. Right after their marriage, Sam’s mother (May Robson) tells Nina that she and Sam must…

  • Spotlight

    Spotlight on: Norma Shearer

    It is quite common to read that Clark Gable slept with every one of his leading ladies. And while that statement has been buzzing around for so long that many people take it as fact, it’s not true at all. In fact, I think the number of leading ladies he starred opposite that he wasn’t romantically involved with far outnumbers the opposite. Perhaps that is why Norma Shearer doesn’t get much attention as one of his onscreen lovelies–in fact she is one of the few that I can think of that I haven’t even heard a rumor he had slept with her! Nonetheless, Ms. Shearer is an interesting footnote in…

  • Films,  Strange Interlude,  The White Sister

    Nutshell Reviews: Strange Interlude (1932) and The White Sister (1933)

    In a Nutshell: Strange Interlude (1932) Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard Co-stars: Norma Shearer, Alexander Kirkland, Ralph Morgan Synopsis: Gable is Dr. Ned Darrell, who has fallen in love with Nina Leeds (Shearer), a free-spirited young woman who is mourning the loss of her love in World War I. Also in love with her are family friend Charlie (Morgan) and Sam (Kirkland), a friend of her deceased boyfriend. Sam proposes to Nina and even though she is still heartbroken, she accepts and decides to move on with her life. Right after their marriage, Sam’s mother (May Robson) tells Nina that she and Sam must never have a child because insanity…

  • Photos

    Snowed in with Clark

    Clark Gable never made a Christmas movie. Not even a movie with a legitimate Christmas scene! Surprising but true. So, we’ll have to settle for some shots of Clark in the snow to make things festive around here…

  • Blogathons

    {Moustaches for Movember Blogathon} Clark Gable: Evolution of a Moustache

      This post is part of Bette Classic Movie Blog’s Moustaches for Movember Blogathon. Movember is a campaign in which men grow moustaches over the month of November to raise funds for prostate cancer.  You can learn more about the cause here. You think of Clark Gable and you think of that familiar moustache (well, that and maybe the ears…) It’s funny that the mustache has become so synonomous with the image of Clark Gable, considering he didn’t want one to begin with. Clark was a clean freak, the kind who took showers multiple times a day and who reportedly shaved his chest hair because he considered all that extra…

  • Articles

    {New Article} 1932: Will Clark Gable Last?

      It’s interesting to read what public opinion was when Clark Gable was just a newcomer. This article from raises the question if Clark has staying power as a star or not, based only on his weak resume at the time. Clark, like Garbo, introduced a new vogue in screen personality. He became the pattern from which screen idols who followed him were moulded. He is the epitome of the ruthless, handsome, knock-‘em-down, treat-‘em-rough he-man, the strong, virile, modern cave man. And not only women in Keokuk and Medicine Hat went crazy about Clark, but the actresses of Hollywood as well. Once he had become a sensation, Hollywood backed up the…

  • Films,  Gossip,  Strange Interlude

    Gossip Friday: Wandering into Grand Hotel

    Wallace Beery and Joan Crawford filming Grand Hotel From April 1932: In “Strange Interlude” Clark Gable will play a variety of roles that will carry him from youth to old age, and as a consequence he is devoting all of his time to praticing makeups at the Metro studio. He walked on the set of “Grand Hotel” (where he didn’t belong) the other day and “accidentally on purpose” got in everybody’s way without being recognized. Finally the assistant director ordered him out of the studio. Crestfallen Clark started away just as Jean Hersholt, a member of the “Grand Hotel” cast, happened along. “What’s the matter, old man?” Hersholt asked kindly.…