Olin Howland Movies
The younger brother of actress Jobyna Howland, Olin Howland established himself on Broadway in musical comedy. The actor made his film debut in 1918, but didn't really launch his Hollywood career until the talkie era. Generally cast as rustic characters, Howland could be sly or slow-witted, depending on the demands of the role. He showed up in scores of Warner Bros. films in the 1930s and 1940s, most amusingly as the remonstrative Dr. Croker (sic) in The Case of the Lucky Legs (1934). A favorite of producer David O. Selznick, Howland played the laconic baggage man in Nothing Sacred (1937), the grim, hickory-stick wielding schoolmaster in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) and an expansive Yankee businessman in Gone with the Wind (1939). During the 1940s, he could often as not be found at Republic, appearing in that studio's westerns and hillbilly musicals. One of his best screen assignments of the 1950s was the old derelict who kept shouting "Make me sergeant in charge of booze!" in the classic sci-fier Them (1954). Howland made several TV guest appearances in the 1950s, and played the recurring role of Swifty on the weekly Circus Boy (1956). In the latter stages of his career, Olin Howland billed himself as Olin Howlin; he made his final appearance in 1958, as the first victim of The Blob. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1924
If the Hearst newspapers seem to get a lot of attention in this comedy-drama, it only makes sense -- William Randolph Hearst's production company, Cosmopolitan, produced the picture, which blends a fictional story with real-life events. Press agent Jack Murray (T. Roy Barnes) is having trouble getting publicity for his client, stage star Mabel Vandergrift (Anita Stewart). When he starts working for prize fighter Joe Cain (Oscar Shaw) he gets a brainstorm. He links the two together romantically and eventually they do fall in love. The backer of Mabel's show is not thrilled with the match and arranges it so that the couple lose their money at the races. Cain and Mabel both make attempts to work outside of their normal professions by getting jobs at a department store. Although he has sworn to give up fighting, Cain goes back into the ring and uses the advance money to buy Mabel's show. She becomes mad when she discovers he is fighting again and turns down his proposal. The disheartened Cain is about to lose the fight, but Mabel returns to him and he emerges victorious. He also reconciles with his father (Stanley Forde), who offers to take the happy couple back West with him. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anita Stewart, T. Roy Barnes, (more)
- 1924
Newspaper magnate and movie producer William Randolph Hearst created this massive epic about the American Revolution to showcase the talents of his mistress Marion Davies. The results were far better than anyone could have imagined, given these circumstances; both film content and Marion were artistic successes. The story literally covers the whole Revolution and has Davies' character, Janice Meredith, playing a key part -- in Hearst's world, Marion/Janice is the one ultimately responsible for sending Paul Revere on his famous ride! However, America's fight for freedom (including the Boston tea party, Valley Forge, etc.) shares space with the picture's love story: Janice, who comes from a family of wealthy Tory sympathizers is in love with a servant named Charles Fownes (Harrison Ford). Fownes, of course, is a rebel and joins George Washington's (Joseph Kilgour) staff. Their love survives through many political and war intrigues until the day Fownes insists that Janice cut ties with all British associates, including her father (Maclyn Arbuckle). She refuses and goes home to marry Philemon Hennion (Olin Howland), but Fownes leads a rebel raid that thwarts the wedding. The Meredith lands are taken by the rebels and Hennion is arrested for his work with the British. Finally, as the Revolution nears its triumphant end, Janice and Fownes wind up together. W.C. Fields, as a British sergeant, provides a small bit of comic relief from all this drama. While Janice Meredith received honestly enthusiastic reviews (not just from the Hearst papers), its negative cost of nearly a million dollars -- a fortune in those days -- prohibited it from making a profit. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marion Davies, Harrison Ford, (more)
- 1925
Although this isn't a top-notch Marion Davies film, she's still very charming in it. Mamie Smith (Davies in pigtails and behaving in a near-parody of Mary Pickford) is a lively orphan whose antics are not appreciated by the orphanage's cruel matron (Emily Fitzroy). Mr. Pepper, a kindly trustee (Richard Carle), places her with Mrs. Caldwell (Hedda Hopper), who needs someone to help her care for her little boy, Alexander (John Huff). Mamie immediately calls him Zander. Mrs. Caldwell has been deserted by her husband and when she dies, Mamie sets out with Zander in a dilapidated old car to find him. Their trek takes them to Arizona where she winds up naively living with a group of bootleggers headed by Dan Murchison (Harrison Ford), who claims to be Zander's father. When she finally discovers the trade of her new friends she threatens to tell the sheriff (Hobart Bosworth), so Murchison locks her up and sends Zander to his friend, Juan Fernandez (Holbrook Blinn). Mamie escapes and is kidnapped by Black Bart (George Siegmann) and his gang of outlaws. She escapes from them, too, and heads for Fernandez's place, followed by the outlaws. Murchison teams up with the sheriff to capture the desperadoes and discover that Fernandez has killed Black Bart. Murchison admits he is not Zander's father, but that he knows the man has died. Because he has fallen in love with Mamie, Murchison vows to go straight and make a home for her and the little boy. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marion Davies, Holbrook Blinn, (more)
- 1931
Inspired by Will Carleton's lachrymose 19th century poem about parental sacrifice, Over the Hill stars Mae Marsh as the mother of two children. Marsh gives her boys everything their little hearts desire, at great cost to herself. She is forced to work in one menial job after another so that her children will never go without. Marsh's efforts are "rewarded" by callous indifference; her grown-up son (Olin Howlin) connives to ship her "over the hill" to the poorhouse. The stooped, white-haired woman is finally rescued from her miserable existence by her kinder, more compassionate son, played by James Dunn. The third film version of this moth-eaten tale, Over the Hill is elevated by the artistry of 38-year-old star Mae Marsh, who'd been a film actress since 1912. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mae Marsh, James Kirkwood, (more)
- 1932
This second of three film versions of Edna Ferber's novel So Big stars Barbara Stanwyck as Ferber's resilient heroine Selena Dejong Peake. Widowed early in the proceedings, Chicago truck farmer Selena sacrifices everything for her son Dirk (Dickie Moore as a child, Hardie Albright as a grown-up), living for the day that the boy will become a successful architect. But the callow Dirk breaks his mom's heart by becoming a bond salesman. Selena vows that Rolf Pool (Dick Winslow as a boy, George Brent as an adult) will not prove a similar disappoint to his parents, taking it upon herself to encourage Rolf's dreams to become a sculptor. Bette Davis plays a supporting role as Dallas O'Mara, a young artist who hopes to convince Dirk to fulfill his mother's dreams. Previously filmed in 1925 with Colleen Moore, So Big was remade in 1953 with Jane Wyman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, (more)
- 1932
This crime drama chronicles the relationship between a jewel thief who has gone straight and his estranged son who is determined to be a criminal. The story is set aboard a ship. The ex-thief is hunting for $375,000 worth of stolen pearls. He also tries vainly to prevent his son from becoming a thief. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Thomas Meighan, Charlotte Greenwood, (more)
George Cukor directed this classic adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's sentimental novel with a shimmering lavishness that is a prime example of the classic Hollywood style at its best. The story concerns the lives of four New England sisters -- Jo (Katharine Hepburn), Amy (Joan Bennett), Meg (Frances Dee), and Beth (Jean Parker) -- during the time of the Civil War. Jo desires to leave home to become a writer, but decides to stay to help the family. But Meg announces her plans to get married, so Jo leaves for New York City. As she settles down to a writing career, she meets Professor Fritz Bhaer (Paul Lukas), who helps her with her work. While Jo is away, Amy falls in love and marries Jo's old flame Laurie Laurence (Douglass Montgomery). But Jo is forced to return to New England when she discovers Beth is dying. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, (more)
- 1933
Set during the Depression, this crime drama centers upon a basically honest girl who is forced into prostitution by circumstance. She then becomes a gangster's moll where she learns a bitter lesson about the criminal life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joan Blondell, Chester Morris, (more)
Adapted from a Zane Grey story, Wagon Wheels is a remake of the 1931 Gary Cooper starrer Fighting Caravans. Randolph Scott assumes Cooper's role, playing a trail guide named Clint Belmet. The plot follows the progress of a typical wagon train journey from Missouri to Oregon, with the usual quote of Indian attacks and outlaw treachery. Murdock (Monte Blue), the main villain, foments trouble between the whites and Indians on behalf of a carter of foreign fur traders, adding a bit of international intrigue to the proceeding. Gail Patrick, still in her "ingenue" period, portrays the heroine along more intelligent and self-reliant lines than usual. Generous amounts of stock footage from Fighting Caravans were liberally sprinkled throughout the 57-minute time span of Wagon Wheels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Randolph Scott, Gail Patrick, (more)
This fifth film version of Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island boasts an all-star MGM cast, headed by Wallace Beery as Long John Silver and Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins. The screenplay, by John Lee Mahin, John Howard Lawson and Leonard Praskins, remains faithful to the Stevenson original...up to a point. The story begins when drunken old sea dog Billy Bones (Lionel Barrymore) drags himself into the seaside pub managed by Jim and his mother (Dorothy Peterson). After Billy is killed by the scurrilous Blind Pew (William V. Mong) and his henchmen, Jim discovers that the deceased ex-pirate carries a treasure map on his person. Together with Dr. Livesey (Otto Kruger) and Squire Trelawny (Nigel Bruce), Jim books passage on a ship captained by Alexander Smollett (Lewis Stone); their destination is the "treasure island" depicted on the map. Smollett doesn't like the voyage nor the crew, and not without reason: ship's cook Long John Silver has rounded up the crew from the dregs of the earth, fully intending to mutiny and claim the treasure for himself. A further plot complications awaits both treasure-seekers and pirates in the person of half-mad island hermit Ben Gunn (Chic Sale) who's already found the treasure and has stashed it away for himself. Towards the end, the plot strays from the Stevenson version in detailing the ultimate fate of ruthless-but-lovable Long John Silver. While consummately produced, Treasure Island suffers from overlength and a mannered performance by Jackie Cooper. Disney's 1950 remake with Robert Newton and Bobby Driscoll is far more satisfying. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, (more)
- 1935
A wealthy young heir rebels when his snooty parents refuse to allow him to marry a lovely young secretary. Deciding to teach them a lesson, he goes West where he falls in love and marries the daughter of a Native American chief. He brings her home to meet his parents, who are naturally appalled, and vengeance is his. Unfortunately their marital bliss is disturbed when a woman shoots her married lover and the Indian girl is blamed for the crime. The husband then goes to the police and confesses the crime to protect her. Fortunately, the astute police put the couple together in a room bugged with a concealed microphone. They then learn that both are innocent. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylvia Sidney, Gene Raymond, (more)
- 1935
Paul Muni is a prominent physician who is kidnapped by gangsters and forced to tend the needs of head crook Barton MacLaine. MacLaine takes a liking to the intellectual doctor and allows him to go home after his job is done. Muni finds himself the reluctant "staff physician" for the gangster, thus is periodically spirited away from his practice to look after the criminal. He has given his word not to "rat" on the crooks, but he can't sit idly by while the gangsters loot the city. Muni foils the crooks by injecting them with a drug which induces temporary blindness. Dr. Socrates was remade in 1939 as King of the Underworld, with Humphrey Bogart as the gangster boss and actress Kay Francis in Paul Muni's role (with surprisingly few dialogue alterations to accommodate the gender switch!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, (more)
- 1935
This French-language version of the 1935 Hollywood musical Folies Bergere retains the original star (Maurice Chevalier) and director (Roy Del Ruth) and Busby Berkeley's big-scale production numbers. It also follows substantially the same plot: A nightclub entertainer (Chevalier), is hired to pose as his look-alike (also Chevalier), a prominent aviation tycoon. The masquerade causes consternation for the entertainer's girlfriend, who of course has no idea what's going on, and for the tycoon's wife, who can't understand why her cold-fish husband has suddenly become so warm and demonstrative. Beyond the obvious language change, the major differences between the two Folies Bergeres are found in their supporting casts: for example, Natalie Paley plays the tycoon's spouse role originally essayed by Merle Oberon, while Sim Viva, as the girlfriend, fills the dancing shoes of the English-language version's Ann Sothern. Folies Bergere served as the basis for two future 20th Century-Fox musicals, That Night in Rio and On the Riviera, neither of which were released in French versions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maurice Chevalier, Ann Sothern, (more)
- 1935
Errol Flynn makes his Hollywood screen debut as a corpse in this funny, fast-paced whodunit, the third of six Perry Mason vehicles produced by Warner Bros. from 1934 to 1937. Flynn's murder victim is one Gregory Moxley, the estranged and long-thought dead husband of Perry's client, Rhoda Montaine (Margaret Lindsey), who, in the meantime, has married a millionaire (Donald Woods) and is ripe for blackmail. Perry agrees to meet with Moxley, but finds him very much dead and this time for good. Rhoda naturally becomes the prime suspect, but, with the able assistance of his wisecracking secretary Della Street (Claire Dodd), Perry is able to reveal the identity of the real culprit, not in the courtroom this time, but at an elegant cocktail party. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warren William, Margaret Lindsay, (more)
- 1935
The legs in question in this the second of Warner Bros. Perry Mason whodunits belong to Margy Clune (Patricia Ellis), the first-prize winner in a Lucky Legs contest and the fiancée of Dr. Bob Doray (Lyle Talbot). But when Margy goes to collect her winnings, she finds that the contest's promoter, Frank Patton (Craig Reynolds), has skipped town with the money. When Margy goes after him, her boss, Bradbury (Porter Hall), convinces Perry Mason (Warren William) that she may be heading for trouble. And, sure enough, Patton is found very much murdered with Margy the prime suspect. But as Mason, his secretary Della Street (Genevieve Tobin), and intrepid private eye Spudsy Drake (Allen Jenkins) discover, there are other and more dangerous suspects around. The Case of the Lucky Legs was followed by The Case of the Curious Bride (1935) and The Case of the Velvet Claws (1936), also with Warren Williams as Mason, after which the role would be played in the remaining films by three different actors: Ricardo Cortez, Donald Woods, and William Lundigan. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warren William, Genevieve Tobin, (more)
- 1936
The Big Noise is retired textile manufacturer Julius Trent (Guy Kibbee). Seeking a new outlet for his entrepreneurial energies, Trent buys a half interest in a thriving dry-cleaning establishment. This gets him mixed up with a gang of protection racketeers, who promise dire consequences if Trent doesn't dance to their tune. But our hero is not so easily frightened, and with the help of his fellow merchants Trent forms a strong united front against the crooks, utilizing a clever strategy of "divide and conquer." This Warner Bros. programmer bears no relation to the later Laurel and Hardy vehicle The Big Noise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Guy Kibbee, Warren Hull, (more)
- 1936
Warner Bros' Road Gang is a retread of themes first explored (and stock footage first seen) in the studio's earlier I Am Fugitive From a Chain Gang. The story takes place in an unnamed Southern state, where prisoners are forced to work on chain gangs under appallingly brutal conditions. The local newspapermen try to expose this shameful situation to the world, but are prevented from doing so by fat-cat corrupt politicians who are benefitting financially from the enforced-labor policy. It takes the intervention of a crusading Chicago journalist (Henry O'Neill) to start the wheels of justice in motion. Most of the story is told through the eyes of hapless prison laborers Jim Larrabee (Donald Woods) and Bob Gordon (Carlyle Moore Jr.), only one of whom survives until the fade-out. Road Gang was scripted by future blacklistee Dalton Trumbo. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Donald Woods, Carlyle Moore, Jr., (more)
- 1936
In this romantic comedy, an aspiring socialite heads for a vacation in Monte Carlo where she befriends a wealthy widowed duchess and then begins blackmailing her after she steals a scandalous letter. This letter could destroy her upcoming nuptials to a stuffy Englishman. The duchess enlists the aide of an American thief to get the damning letter back. Meanwhile, her English lover continues to ardently pursue her; he is blissfully unaware that something is amiss. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warren William, Dolores Del Rio, (more)
- 1936
In this romantic crime drama a young Detroit criminal flees into the West after killing his boss. It was accidental, but he fears retaliation. He finds work in Colorado building the great dam, proves to be a hard-working honest young man and is promoted to foreman. When not working, he woos a beautiful singer. Eventually he can no longer hide from his past. Fortunately, his good work has won him friends in high places. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ross Alexander, Patricia Ellis, (more)
- 1936
In this drama, the big city wife of a small town doctor learns a valuable lesson as she struggles to adapt to rural life. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pat O'Brien, Josephine Hutchinson, (more)
- 1936
In this comedy, a blocked writer decides he needs a little peace and quiet to spark his creativity so that he can write the final act of his play. Unfortunately, he no sooner settles down in his remote cabin when his first wife comes to call. She is followed by his second wife. A real ruckus ensues when his current girl friend also comes to see him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Brent, Genevieve Tobin, (more)
- 1936
Perry Mason (Warren William) actually marries his secretary, the redoubtable Della Street (Claire Dodd) in this, the fourth installment of Warner Bros.' popular series based on the novels by Erle Stanley Garner. The honeymoon, alas, is rudely interrupted when Perry is kidnapped by Eve Belter (Winifred Shaw), who demands that he help her fight a scandal sheet, Spicy Bits, which has threatened to expose an affair involving the lady herself and politician Peter Milnor (Kenneth Harlan). Visiting the newspaper office, the intrepid defense attorney learns that the publisher is none other than Mrs. Belter's millionaire husband (Joseph King), who wished to punish his wife for her infidelity. But when Belter is found murdered, Eve becomes the natural suspect and Mason agrees to defend her much to Della's irritation. Eve's innocence is of course a given -- what with being Mason's client and all -- but Perry must not only catch the real culprit, but also Della before she has their marriage annulled. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warren William, Claire Dodd, (more)
The zany vaudeville comedy team of Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson was still one year away from their smash Broadway hit Hellzapoppin' when they starred in Republic's Country Gentlemen. The daffy duo plays a couple of gold-stock swindlers who try to fleece the citizenry of a small town. They end up purchasing a vacant lot for $4000, which they try to pass off as an oil field. A group of local WWI veterans invest heavily in Olsen and Johnson's latest venture, meaning that the boys will be in for quite a lot of lumps if the expected "gusher" doesn't come in. Thanks to good influence of heroine Lila Lee, our heroes change their crooked ways -- but not quite in the nick of time! Critics weren't keen on the notion of middle-aged Ole Olsen being cast as a romantic lead, but everyone was satisfied with the supporting performance of perennial "dumb blonde" Joyce Compton as the team's Girl Friday. Originally released at 66 minutes, Country Gentlemen is presently available in its 53-minute TV reissue form. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, (more)
- 1936
The Longest Night is a curious title choice for this fast-paced mystery; at 50 minutes, it was the shortest feature film ever produced by MGM. Robert Young plays the manager of a department store targeted by gangsters. Young's romance with store clerk Florence Rice is threatened when the bad guys start muscling in. Accused of stealing merchandise, Young has to cogitate--and utilize his fists--to clear himself. Screenwriter Robert Andrews adapted The Longest Night from a short story (evidently a very short story) by Cortland Fitzsimmons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Robert Young, Florence Rice, (more)
Joe E. Brown was an ideal choice for the character of Alexander Botts, the brash, arrogant "natural born salesman" created for The Saturday Evening Post by William Hazlett Upton. As a representative for the Earthworm Tractor company, Botts tries to convince old-fashioned lumberman Guy Kibbee to buy his newfangled products. Several disastrous slapstick sequences later (including an hilarious setpiece in which Botts unwittingly tows away Kibbee's entire house!), Botts closes the deal, winning the hand of Kibbee's daughter June Travis in the process. Despite the character's unremitting cockiness, Joe E. Brown manages to make Alexander Botts immensely likeable. Earthworm Tractors was the next-to-last film on Joe E. Brown's Warner Bros. contract, and (with rare exceptions like 1938's The Gladiator) his last truly worthwhile vehicle of the thirties. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Joe E. Brown, June Travis, (more)
