Leland Hayward, Sr. Movies
Leland Hayward produced a trio of Hollywood features in the late 1950s, but he was best known for producing numerous Broadway hits. Before becoming a producer, he had been a talent agent, and an airline executive. His second wife was Margaret Sullavan. Their daughter is actress/author Brooke Hayward. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Ernest Hemingway's short novel The Old Man and the Sea was probably unfilmable to begin with, but this didn't stop John Sturges from trying to cinematize Hemingway's tight little character study. Spencer Tracy is the Old Man, a Cuban fisherman who tries to haul in a huge fish that he catches far from shore. Tracy's tiny boat is besieged by sharks and by natural elements, but the Old Man stubbornly sticks to his job. In the end, the fish is nothing more than a skeleton, and the Old Man returns to his tiny hovel to "dream about the lions." Spencer Tracy may have been dreaming about the Oscar when he agreed to make this film, but Old Man and the Sea is defeated by pretentiousness and by several unconvincing "sea" scenes shot in a studio tank (even though both Tracy and director Sturges underwent incredible hardships filming in a real boat on the real ocean). Old Man and the Sea was remade as a 1990 made-for-TV movie starring Anthony Quinn, which compounded the mistakes made in the Tracy version by grafting on a pointless love story. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Tracy, Felipe Pazos, (more)
A misfire for all concerned, The Spirit of St. Louis can be chalked up as a courageous failure. At age 48, James Stewart was far too old to be convincing as 27-year-old "Lone Eagle" Charles Lindbergh. Director Billy Wilder, a past master of cynical pessimism, was clearly the wrong choice to helm this paean to ingenuous optimism. And the CinemaScope process was totally inappropriate for the claustrophobic nature of the film's storyline. Even so, this retelling of Lindbergh's historic flight across the Atlantic has its moments, especially during the main character's flashbacks to the events leading up to his history-making achievement. Reportedly, James Stewart was uncharacteristically sullen and uncomfotable throughout the filming, which as it turned out was wholly appropriate for his portrayal of the equally taciturn Charles Lindbergh. An excellent musical score by Franz Waxman helps smooth over the lumpier portions of the narrative. Though Spirit of St. Louis was a box-office failure, both James Stewart and Billy Wilder rapidly recovered with, respectively, Night Passage and Love in the Afternoon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Stewart, Murray Hamilton, (more)
Henry Fonda returned to films after an eight-year absence in this masterful adaptation of the actor's Broadway hit Mister Roberts. Written and partially directed by Joshua Logan, the film stars Fonda as Lt. Doug Roberts, chief cargo officer of the supply ship "Reluctant." WW2 is in its last few months, and Roberts is itching for combat duty. But the Reluctant's surly, despotic captain (James Cagney), anxious to use Roberts to expedite his own promotion, refuses to sign any of Roberts' transfer requests. Helping to brighten Mister Roberts' humdrum existence are his best friends, Ensign Frank Pulver (Jack Lemmon, in an Oscar-winning performance) and the ship's philosophical doctor (William Powell, in his final film appearance). Most of the laughs are provided by Pulver, officer "in charge of laundry and morale." When he isn't wheeling and dealing to bring a bevy of beautiful nurses on board the Reluctant, Pulver is concocting elaborate schemes to avenge himself against the Captain -- even though he's spent 14 months on the Reluctant without ever meeting his nemesis. The film's highlights include the efforts by Roberts, Pulver, and Doc to mix a bottle of Scotch from Coca-Cola, Iodine, and other vital ingredients; and Mister Roberts' (and later Ensign Pulver's) assertion of manhood by tossing the Captain's precious palm tree overboard. Halfway through shooting, legendary director John Ford was replaced, ostensibly because of illness, by Mervyn LeRoy. One of the finest service comedies ever made, Mister Roberts spawned a less amusing sequel, Ensign Pulver (1964), as well as a 1965 TV sitcom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry Fonda, James Cagney, (more)
- 1928
In his later interviews, director Allan Dwan seldom had anything to say about his 1928 opus Whip Woman -- and who could blame him? Estelle Taylor, whose tabloid fame as the litigious wife of boxer Jack Dempsey tended to overshadow her acting skills, stars as Sari, a whip-wielding Hungarian peasant girl. After saving Count Michael Ferrenzi from killing himself, Sari becomes the bride of the grateful aristocrat. Ferrenzi's snooty mother (Hedda Hopper) does everything she can to break up the union, but Sari is not a girl to be trifled with. Fifteen-year-old Loretta Young showed up in a small role in Whip Woman, which led to much bigger things when she was spotted by director Herbert Brenon and cast in the Lon Chaney Sr. vehicle Laugh, Clown, Laugh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Estelle Taylor, Antonio Moreno, (more)
- 1927
Busy character actor Sam Hardy was afforded a rare starring role when he played the title character in High Hat. Despite his ritzy nickname, High Hat is a mere movie dress extra at First National Pictures (where the film was shot). Even so, he regards himself as the studio pundit, dispensing romantic and financial advice to such stars as John Barrymore and Pola Negri. The plot proper has something to do with a studio seamstress named Millie (Mary Brian), who after losing a string of pearls entrusted in her care vows to work overtime until she can make up their cost. High Hat comes to the girl's rescue, recovers the diamonds, and returns to his full-time "job" as First National's resident sage. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sam Hardy, Mary Brian, (more)
- 1927
Dance Magic was one of the earliest directorial efforts of Victor Halperin, of White Zombie fame. Hoping to make it big as a dancer, small-town girl Pauline Starke storms into the office of a Manhattan theatrical agent, demanding an interview. Impressed by her spunk, the producer arranges for Starke to work in the chorus of a major musical production. One night, the star gets sick, and our heroine goes on in her place. By rights, she should be able to return to her hometown in triumph, but this is not to be. Back home, dancing is considered sinful, and Starke is regarded as a Jezebel. Only by renouncing her "sins" in the pulpit is our heroine absolved and allowed to marry the hero (Ben Lyon). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ben Lyon, Pauline Starke, (more)
- 1927
Amateur thespians Fannie (Lois Wilson) and Johnny (Sam Hardy) team up to form a vaudeville act. Along the way, they decide to get married, if only to save on expenses. Things don't go well on "the road" for Fannie and Johnny, and before long Johnny is spending more time shooting craps than trodding the boards. Weary of her husband's improvidence, Fannie strikes out on her own, and in record time becomes a top Broadway star. Though she is ardently pursued by producer Baron (Louis John Bartels), Fannie can't seem to get over Johnnie. Inevitably, Fannie is reunited with her husband, who has given up gambling to become a successful composer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lois Wilson, Sam Hardy, (more)
