-
Nutshell Review: Gone with the Wind (1939)
In a Nutshell: Gone with the Wind (1939) Directed by: Victor Fleming (and George Cukor and Sam Wood) Co-stars: Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Leslie Howard, Hattie McDaniel Synopsis: Still seventy five years later heralded “the greatest movie ever made”, Gone with the Wind singlehandedly guaranteed Gable’s immortality to movie goers for decades to come. He is the dashing and ruthless Rhett Butler, a blockade runner from Charleston, who falls in love with headstrong southern belle Scarlett O’Hara (Leigh) at first sight. Scarlett only has eyes for her childhood crush, Ashley Wilkes (Howard) despite that he is engaged to his cousin, Melanie Hamilton (De Havilland).Through the Civil War and Sherman’s march…
-
Nutshell Reviews: Saratoga (1937), Test Pilot (1938), Too Hot to Handle (1938) and Idiot’s Delight (1939)
In a Nutshell: Saratoga (1937) Directed by: Jack Conway Co-stars: Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, Frank Morgan, Walter Pidgeon, Una Merkel Synopsis: Gable is Duke Bradley, a bookie who acquires the deed to the Brookdale horse ranch because the owner, Mr. Clayton (Jonathan Hale) owes him a lot of money. When Clayton dies, his daughter Carol (Harlow), who dislikes Bradley, is determined to get the horse ranch back in the family by winning horse races to pay Bradley back. Meanwhile, Bradley tries to bait Carol’s rich fiancée (Pidgeon) to place bets with him. Best Gable Quote: “This is more work than I’ve done for a woman since my mother.” Not-So-Fun Fact:…
-
Gossip Friday: Lookin’ for a Fight
From August 1934: A fist fight almost marred Sam Goldwyn’s bridge party when Gilbert Roland misunderstood a remark made to his escort, charming Constance Bennett, by Clark Gable. Connie and Clark were playing at the same table when the latter uttered the words that so aroused Gilbert, seated nearby, and caused him to leap from his chair, remove his coat, and shout at Gable, “You quit picking on her and pick on me!” But all’s well that ends well!
-
Nutshell Reviews: Cain and Mabel (1936), Love on the Run (1936) and Parnell (1937)
In a Nutshell: Cain and Mabel (1936) Directed by: Lloyd Bacon Co-stars: Marion Davies Synopsis: Gable is Larry Cain, a small time boxer, whose publicity team cooks up a fake romance with Mabel O’Dare (Davies), an aspiring musical star, for publicity. The two loathe each other but begrudgingly agree to play along to help both of their careers. Of course along the way they actually do fall in love and decide to quit boxing and show business to be together. Their publicists won’t hear of it however and set to break them up. Best Gable Quote: “I’m supposed to be a fighter and what am I doing–playing post office all…
-
Gone with the Wednesday: Is This Scarlett?
Last month, we posted Photoplay magazine’s sketch of Clark Gable as Rhett, from 1937. The following month, Photoplay upped the ante by publishing a sketch of Clark as Rhett with a woman that represented what they thought Scarlett should look like. Think Vivien Leigh fit the bill? Is This Scarlett? Again Vincentini scores–with this picture of Scarlett, as Photoplay conceived her. The prime requisite was, we told him, that Scarlett must be in Gable’s arms, for you see we still insist on Clark as Rhett. For the rest, she must have the fire of Paulette Goddard; the acting ability of Shearer; the voice of Alicia Rhett, Southern girl candidate, whose name…
-
Nutshell Reviews: Wife vs. Secretary (1936) and San Francisco (1936)
In a Nutshell: Wife vs. Secretary (1936) Directed by: Clarence Brown Co-stars: Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow, James Stewart Synopsis: Gable is Van, “Jake”, or “V.S.” Stanhope, a publishing executive happily married to the elegant Linda (Loy). Tongues start wagging about Van and his beautiful secretary, Helen “Whitey” Wilson (Harlow), whom he considers a close friend and confidante, but nothing more. While trying to secretly buy rights to a magazine from a rival publisher, he sneaks around town with Whitey, finalizing the deal. As his stories become inconsistent, Linda begins to suspect him and Whitey are having an affair. So does Whitey’s patient fiancé, Dave (a youthful Stewart). Dave grows irritated…
-
Nutshell Reviews: China Seas (1935) and Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
In a Nutshell: China Seas (1935) Directed by: Tay Garnett Co-stars: Jean Harlow, Wallace Beery, Rosalind Russell, Lewis Stone Synopsis: Gable is Alan Gaskell, a roguish captain of a ship that sails between Hong Kong and Shanghai. It’s established pretty early on that he’s been having some adult fun ashore with a Shanghai harlot, Dolly, who goes by the name China Doll (Harlow). So imagine his surprise when setting his ship off to sea that she is on board as a passenger! She confesses she is madly in love with him; he is weary of her and rejects her advances. She is green with jealousy upon the arrival onboard of…
-
Nutshell Reviews: After Office Hours (1935) and Call of the Wild (1935)
In a Nutshell: After Office Hours (1935) Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard Co-stars: Constance Bennett, Billie Burke, Harvey Stephens Synopsis: Gable is fast-talking, take-no-prisoners-newspaper editor Jim Branch, who is determined to dig up a juicy story on a corrupt millionaire. He starts sucking up to the newspaper’s music reviewer, wealthy socialite Sharon Norwood (Bennett), when he discovers she is close to the impending story. After the millionaire’s wife turns up dead, Sharon and Jim disagree on the culprit. Jim becomes determined to crack the case and reunite with Sharon, whom he has now fallen in love with. Best Gable Quote: “You mean I’ve got to get out and walk home–like…
-
Nutshell Reviews: Chained (1934) and Forsaking All Others (1934)
In a Nutshell: Chained (1934) Directed by: Clarence Brown Co-stars: Joan Crawford, Otto Kruger Synopsis: Gable is Mike Bradley, a South American rancher who falls for the glamorous Diana (Crawford) on a cruise ship. Diana falls for Mike too, despite the fact that she is romantically involved with a married Manhattan businessman, Richard (Kruger). She decides to leave Richard for Mike but, upon her return home, Richard tells her he has finally left his wife for her. Diana feels obligated to marry Richard and Mike is heartbroken. Best Gable Quote: “I admit I was on the prowl until you dropped down from the sky.” Fun Fact: The Crawford-Gable affair had…
-
Gossip Friday: How Do You Find Miss Garbo?
From September 1931: Clark Gable is playing opposite Greta Garbo in her new picture. One day at lunch he was approached by an ambitious reporter. “How do you find Miss Garbo?” he was asked. “I don’t,” said Clark. “She is always on the set ahead of me.” And what’s more–they say Clark isn’t a bit “scared” of Greta like most of the other leading men who have played opposite her.