Theodora Goes Wild (1936)

Despite having seen Irene Dunne in starring roles before, I could not have named any of her titles without looking (ironic considering I Remember Mama). This was my remedy. The DVD also included her in Together Again (1944), but I felt like watching only the more popular option.

In the fictitious small town of Lynnfield, CT, Theodora (Dunne) seems innocent except for secretly writing hit romance novels that scandalize her stodgy aunts (Elisabeth Risdon and Margaret McWade) and most neighbors. When she visits her publisher (Thurston Hall) in New York, she catches the eye of illustrator Michael (Melvyn Douglas), who follows her without invitation even to her hometown. Under threat of blackmail, she hires him as a gardener. As obnoxious as his approach is, she allows him to draw her out of her tiny comfort zone, which rapidly leads her to fall for him. Alas, he wasn't that serious in his courtship. Well, now it's her turn to be aggressive, in a more public fashion....

A Woman's Face (1941)

Once again, George Cukor directs an MGM feature with a feminine focus in the title and a nasty role for Joan Crawford. This one has a tighter plot and is set in Sweden, thanks to the play on which it's based. (OK, I'm having trouble finding good info on the play, but there was a Swedish adaptation in 1938.)

Blackmail ringleader Anna (Crawford) has spent most of her life with burn scars on the right half of her face, aversions to fire and mirrors, and misanthropy, especially toward beautiful people, tho she makes an exception for seductive Torsten (Conrad Veidt). When she unexpectedly meets a great and charitable plastic surgeon, Gustaf (Melvyn Douglas)...well, see how Crawford usually looked on screen in those days. Anna's a lot less bitter once people admire her appearance, but wickedness doesn't dry up overnight, especially if you've been keeping wicked company. In particular, Torsten hopes she still has what it takes to serve as a governess to his four-year-old nephew, Lars-Erik (Richard Nichols), only to bump him off to secure Torsten a bigger inheritance from Uncle Magnus (Albert Bassermann).

Mr. Blandings Build His Dream House (1948)

I may have first known this title from a bookshelf, but what got me interested in the movie was its inclusion in AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs at #72. Of course, I always took that list with a grain of salt; some of its entries do little to nothing for me, but that's likely to be true of anyone's 100 favorite comedies. Regardless, Jim Blandings is played by Cary Grant, who, tho previously unmentioned on this blog, has starred in 20 films that I've seen and has a fine track record in my view.

Tired of having little space for four in their New York apartment, Jim and wife Muriel (Myrna Loy) jump at the chance to move to rural Connecticut. Despite Jim's experience as an advertiser, he doesn't see through a slick pitch, and they buy a house fit to be condemned. This could be a blessing in disguise, as they now have the excuse to rebuild entirely to their specs. But that, too, is not their strong suit....

The Old Dark House (1932)

This early talkie is best remembered for two things. First, it was the first post-Frankenstein James Whale movie featuring Boris Karloff, though the latter is made up so differently that an opening written paragraph tells us who he plays. Second, legal complications on distribution rights caused it to be lost for decades until Curtis Harrington, a director and friend of Whale, campaigned to find and restore it.

Karloff gets top billing but not the most screen time, let alone the most lines (he plays a mute again). Other notable actors include Melvyn Douglas, Raymond Massey, Gloria Stuart, and Charles Laughton, all of whom play relatively good and normal characters. The gist: Two parties with a total of five people get caught in a terrible storm on a mountain road and beg shelter at the titular house. Unlike in many such setups, there's nothing supernatural about the mansion; it just has unhinged residents. Some of whom have tendencies to unprovoked violence....

The Candidate (1972)

Hard to believe it's not an election year, what with all the attention to who's running. In light of that, I moved the most obviously political movie to the top of my queue. I hear it's popular with politicians -- at least Democrats, seeing as the protagonist is one. (James Stewart declined a role because he disapproved of the opponent's portrayal.)

As grown-up as the focus is, the plot remains easy to summarize, as the laconic Netflix jacket reveals. Improbably named Sen. Crocker Jarmon (R-Calif.) seems to have a reelection in the bag. Election specialist Marvin Lucas (Peter Boyle) thinks the best he can do for the Dems is make a good impression, not secure a win. He chooses Bill McCay (Robert Redford), because McCay is both much younger than Jarmon and the son of a former governor (Melvyn Douglas), thus possibly appealing to different generations. Lucas tells McCay up front to say pretty much whatever he wants. This works out better than anyone predicted, which ironically leads to some pressure for McCay to start doing things more by the book....