Released - April, 1942 

Directed By - Sam Wood

Starring – Ann Sheridan (Randy Monaghan), Robert Cummings (Parris Mitchell), Ronald Reagan (Drake McHugh), Betty Field (Cassandra Tower), Charles Coburn (Dr. Henry Gordon), Claude Rains (Dr. Alexander Tower), Judith Anderson (Mrs. Harriet Gordon).

Description – A powerful drama set in a midwestern town just before World War I that tells the intertwined story of  its citizens. The story concerns itself particularly with two young men Parris Mitchell, and Drake McHugh.

Revealed through the growing years of these two men will be the corruption and moral decay that lurks behind the peaceful facade of this serene community. There are many difficult facts that must be dealt with including challanges, tragedies, social pressures, and dark secrets.

It’s all there; just under the surface of small town America.

NOTABLE: This motion picture received Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, Best Director (Sam Wood), and Best Cinematography, Black and White.

This film was Ronald Reagan’s most notable role and was the inspiration for the title of his 1965 autobiography ‘Where’s the Rest of Me?’

There were problems with the Hays Code regarding this film, as they strongly objected to any reference to incest, homosexuality, nymphomania, and euthenasia.

The town depicted is based on Fulton, Missouri; the actual home of the novel’s author Henry Bellamann.

Kings Row

Ronald Reagan – The Signature Collection (Knute Rockne All American / Kings Row / The Hasty Heart / Storm Warning / The Winning Team)

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Released – April, 1940 

Directed By - Alfred Hitchcock

Starring – Laurence Olivier (Maxim de Winter), Joan Fontaine (The 2nd Mrs. de Winter), George Sanders (Jack Favell), Judith Anderson (Mrs. Danvers), Nigel Bruce (Major Giles Lacy).

Description – A psychological thriller directed by the master. A shy and naive young women (Joan Fontaine) meets and marries rich widower Maxim de Winter and moves into Manderlay his large country estate in Cornwall, England.

Once there she discovers that the lingering memories of her husbands first wife Rebecca, who was seemingly killed in a boating accident, seem to still have a hold of both her husband and his servants. It isn’t long before she begins to doubt her husbands account of what happened, and the continued ‘presence’ of Rebecca in the mansion begins to haunt her.

NOTABLE: This film won two Academy Awards and was nominated for another nine.  The two awards were for Best Picture, and Best Cinematography, Black and White; the other nominations were for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Art Direction, Black and White, Best Director, Best Effects, Special Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Music, Original Score, and Best Writing, Screenplay.

This was Director Alfred Hitchcock’s first American project.

Director Hitchcock loved to ‘walk through’ his pictures and can be seen walking past a phone booth used by George Sanders near the end of the film.

Just as in the original and popular Daphne du Maurier novel, The 2nd Mrs. dde Winter character had no first name.

Producer David O. Selznick, being unable to find what he considered the perfect location for the Manderlay estate, instead used a miniature model.

Personal Comment: This film is one of my favorite film noir movies, as well as one of my favorite Hitchcock films.

Enjoy Judith Anderson’s role as Mrs. Danvers; it is one of the most compelling in film history. In fact, the casting is this motion picture is flawless.

Rebecca

Alfred Hitchcock Premiere Collection (Lifeboat / Spellbound / Notorious / The Paradine Case / Sabotage / Young and Innocent / Rebecca / The Lodger)

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