Tag Archives: 1939 films

Watching 1939: Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

nd hidden staircase1939 film:
Nancy Drew and the Hidden Staircase (1939)

Release date:
Sept. 9, 1939

Cast:
Bonita Granville, Frankie Thomas, John Litel, Frank Orth, Renie Riano, Vera Lewis, Louise Carter, William Gould, George Guhl, John Ridgley, William Hopper, Dick Elliott, Don Rowan

Studio:
Warner Bros.

Director:
William Clemens

Plot:
After their father dies, the Turnbell sisters (Lewis, Carter) are set to inherit their family home. However, the stipulation is that the ladies must stay in the house every night for 20 years or they lose the home. Over the years, the women have affidavits from witnesses to prove they have been in the home every night, which lawyer Carson Drew (Litel) is handling. On the eve of their inheritance, someone tries to steal the affidavits and disprove the women, and their one witness is murdered. Teen sleuth Nancy Drew (Granville) and her pal Ted (Thomas) try to figure out who is trying to take a home away from the women.

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Watching 1939: The Day the Bookies Wept (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

bookkies wept1939 film:
The Day the Bookies Wept (1939)

Release date:
Sept. 13, 1939

Cast:
Joe Penner, Betty Grable, Richard Lane, Tom Kennedy, Thurston Hall, Bernadene Hayes, Carol Hughes, Chill Wills (uncredited)

Studio:
RKO Pictures

Director:
Leslie Goodwins

Plot:
New York taxi drivers are tired of losing money at the race track, so they decide to buy and train their own race horse. They send dopey taxi driver Ernie (Penner) to Kentucky to buy the horse, and he is tricked into buying a horse that has a yen for alcohol.

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Watching 1939: The Fighting Gringo (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

fighting gringo1939 film:
The Fighting Gringo (1939)

Release date:
Aug. 8, 1939

Cast:
George O’Brien, Lupita Tovar, William Royal, Lucio Villegas, Glenn Strange, LeRoy Mason, Mary Field

Studio:
RKO Radio Pictures

Director:
David Howard

Plot:
When Don Aliso del Campo (Villegas) is wrongly accused of the murder of John Courtney (Mason), Wade Barton (O’Brien) and his men work to clear his name.

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Watching 1939: That’s Right — You’re Wrong (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

1939 film:
That’s Right — You’re Wrong (1939)

Release date:
Nov. 24, 1939

Cast:
Kay Kyser’s Band as themselves: Kay Kyser, Harry Babbitt, Ginny Sims, Ish Kibble
Adolph Menjou, May Robson, Lucille Ball, Dennis O’Keefe, Edward Everett Horton, Roscoe Karns, Moroni Olsen, Hobart Cavanaugh
Themselves: Sheilah Graham, Hedda Hopper, Erskine Johnson, Feg Murray, Fred Orthman

Studio:
RKO Radio Pictures

Director:
David Butler

Plot:
A film studio is on the rocks financially. When they hear Kay Kyser’s (himself) successful radio program, they want to make a film with Kyser. Once the band arrives in Hollywood, several of the bandmates let success go to his head, writers can’t fit a story to Kyser, and there’s a threat that Kyser’s female singer, Ginny Simms (herself), will be replaced by another actress (Ball).

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Watching 1939: Midnight (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

midnight 19391939 film:
Midnight (1939)

Release date:
March 17, 1939

Cast:
Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche, John Barrymore, Francis Lederer, Mary Astor, Elaine Barrie, Hedda Hopper, Rex O’Malley, Monty Woolley, William Hopper (uncredited), Eddie Conrad (uncredited)

Studio:
Paramount Pictures

Director:
Mitchell Leisen

Plot:
Eve Peabody (Colbert) is a penniless chorus girl, stranded in Paris with only the evening gown she’s wearing. Eve is helped by taxi driver Tibor Czerny (Ameche), but she leaves him and sneaks into a ritzy party. She meets Georges Flammarion (Barrymore) who suspects she’s an imposter, and hires Eve to break up the romance between his wife (Astor) and her lover (Lederer).

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Watching 1939: The Little Princess (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult. 

little princess1939 film: 
The Little Princess (1939)

Release date: 
March 10, 1939

Cast: 
Shirley Temple, Richard Greene, Anita Louise, Ian Hunter, Cesar Romero, Arthur Treacher, Mary Nash, Sybil Jason, Marcia Mae Jones, Beryl Mercer, E.E. Clive, Deidre Gale, Ira Stevens, Eily Malyon

Studio: 
20th Century Fox

Director: 
Walter Lang

Plot:
When her father (Hunter) has to fight in the Boer War, Sarah (Temple) has to stay at an exclusive girl’s school in England run by Mrs. Minchin (Nash). When her father is presumed dead, Sarah is forced to work as a servant at the school.

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Watching 1939: The Great Commandment (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

1939 film:
The Great Commandment (1939)

Release date:
Oct. 2, 1939

Cast:
John Beal, Maurice Moscovitch, Albert Dekker, Marjorie Cooley, Lloyd Corrigan

Studio:
Cathedral Films, Inc.

Director:
Irving Pichel

Plot:
Joel (Beal) is studying the holy text to follow in his father’s (Moscovitch) footsteps and become a rabbi and scribe. Joel is also in love with Tamar (Cooley), who ends up betrothed to his brother (McCollum). When Joel’s village is also terrorized by Roman soldiers, Joel believes they need assistance from the man rumored to be the Messiah.

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Watching 1939: Invitation to Happiness (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult. 

invitation to ahppiness1939 film: 
Invitation to Happiness (1939)

Release date: 
June 7, 1939

Cast: 
Irene Dunne, Fred MacMurray, Charles Ruggles, Billy Cook, William Collier Sr., Marion Martin, Oscar O’Shea, Burr Caruth, Eddie Hogan

Studio: 
Paramount Pictures

Director: 
Wesley Ruggles

Plot:
Mr. Wayne (Collier Sr.) decides to buy a half interest in backing boxer Albert “King” Cole (MacMurray). His daughter, Eleanor Wayne (Dunne), is concerned about how her retired father is spending his money and tags along to a fight to see what Cole is all about. Eleanor and Cole instantly clash, Eleanor calling Cole brash and egotistical while Cole finds Eleanor snobby and too high class. But they also fall in love. Shortly after the two marry, Cole has to continue training and fighting in order to become the champ, which is his goal. This means Cole is largely away from home and doesn’t get to know his son, Albert (Cook).

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Watching 1939: Coast Guard (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult.

coast guard21939 film:
Coast Guard (1939)

Release date:
Aug. 4, 1939

Cast:
Randolph Scott, Frances Dee, Ralph Bellamy, Walter Connolly, Warren Hymer, Robert Middlemass, Stanley Andrews, Edmund MacDonald, Ann Doran (uncredited), Craig Stevens (uncredited), Mala (uncredited), Dorothy Comingore (uncredited), Billy Lee (uncredited), J. Farrell MacDonald (uncredited), Marla Shelton (uncredited)

Studio:
Columbia Pictures

Director:
Edward Ludwig

Plot:
Lt. Ray Dower (Bellamy) and Lieutenant Thomas “Speed” Bradshaw (Scott) are pals in the Coast Guard. Ray commands a cutter and Speed is an ace pilot. After rescuing Tobias Bliss (Connolly), Ray meets his granddaughter Nancy (Dee) and is smitten. However, their early courtship is cut short while Ray has to go on a mission. Speed looks after Nany while he’s away, and also falls in love though announcing that he is not the marrying kind.

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Watching 1939: Thunder Afloat (1939)

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In 2011, I announced I was trying to see every film released in 1939. This new series chronicles films released in 1939 as I watch them. As we start out this blog feature, this section may become more concrete as I search for a common thread that runs throughout each film of the year. Right now, that’s difficult. 

1939 film: 
Thunder Afloat (1939)

Release date: 
Sept. 15, 1939

Cast: 
Wallace Beery, Chester Morris, Virginia Grey, Douglass Dumbrille, Carl Esmond, Clem Bevans, John Qualen, Regis Toomey, Henry Victor, Addison Richards, Jonathan Hale, Lean Ames (uncredited), Frank Faylen (uncredited), Milton Kibbee (uncredited)

Studio: 
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Director: 
George B. Seitz

Plot:
Set during World War I, tugboat owner John Thorson (Beery) has his tug sunk by a German U-boat off the New England coast. Furious about the incident, John enlists in the Navy. Rocky Blake (Morris), who was John’s tugboat rival, is an officer in the Navy and clashes with John, who resists military discipline.

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