Herbert Mundin Movies
Born into a Lancashire farming family, actor Herbert Mundin served in the first World War as a wireless operator. After the armistice, Mundin joined a traveling troupe of British music hall performers. His biggest professional boost came when he was signed for the popular Charlot's Revue in the early '20s. Though only in his early twenties, Mundin was always cast in older character parts on stage due to his bulbous nose and short, penguin-like frame. On Broadway from 1928, Mundin signed a contract with Hollywood's Fox studios in 1931. He was seen to excellent advantage in such Fox productions as Chandu the Magician (1932) and Cavalcade (1933). Mundin's popularity at this period was such that, when it was decided that the 1932 Fox production Sherlock Holmes needed some comedy relief, Mundin was hastily shoehorned in as a cockney pubkeeper -- and was billed ahead of that film's Doctor Watson(Reginald Owen). Two of Mundin's better film roles were in a classical vein: He was Barkis in 1934's David Copperfield, and was Much the Miller in 1938's Adventures of Robin Hood; in the latter film he was given a rugged fight sequence with one of Prince John's guards, and also a romantic interest in the form of Una O'Connor (his costar in Cavalcade). Shortly after completing his assignment in the MGM programmer Society Lawyer, Herbert Mundin was killed in a car accident in Van Nuys, California; he was 40 years old. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1939
This remake of Penthouse (33) stars Walter Pidgeon as a smooth attorney with a few embarrassing friends. One of these is a gangster (Leo Carrillo) whom Pidgeon has successfully defended. When Pidgeon must go after his "pal" for murder, he is forced to go into hiding. He is also compelled to set up house with a sexy nightclub entertainer (Virginia Bruce), whose encyclopedic knowledge of the gangster's illicit activities will come in handy in court. It doesn't have quite the same bite as Penthouse, thanks mainly to tighter censorial restrictions; the nightclub singer, for example, was a hooker in the original. Both films were based on the same story by Arthur Somers Roche. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Walter Pidgeon, Virginia Bruce, (more)
- 1938
Glenda Farrell plays still another fast-talking girl reporter in Universal's Exposed. Willing to sell her soul for a story, newspaper sob sister Click Stewart (Farrell) is presently on the trail of DA William Reardon (Otto Kruger), a "Judge Crater" type who disappeared without a trace several years earlier. Following a lead, she finds Reardon residing in a flophouse, where he's been drinking his life away ever since he sent an innocent man to the electric chair. Sensing a swell scoop, Click offers to locate the daughter of the wrongly executed man so that Reardon can apologize; in exchange, our heroine will get the ex-DA's exclusive story. As the story progresses, Reardon rehabilitates himself and Click regains her essential decency and humanity, whereupon they team up to smash the operation of racketeer Mike Romero (Bernard Nedell). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Glenda Farrell, Otto Kruger, (more)
- 1938
Secret agent Jeff Clavering (Alan Marshal) is in the employ of a group of businessmen dedicated to world peace. In order to get the goods on war profiteer Kamarov (C. Henry Gordon), Clavering is ordered to romance Kamarov's wife Stephanie (Mady Correll). Our hero and heroine experience any number of thrill-packed adventures while uncovering the villain's nefarious scheme to plunge the World into war. Gee? if Kamarov had only waited a few months, he could have saved himself the trouble. Some much-needed comedy relief is provided by Herbert Mundin as a bumbling British detective. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alan Marshal, Tala Birell, (more)
- 1938
Director Sam Wood always seemed most comfortable with cozy family-oriented films like Lord Jeff. Freddie Bartholomew plays Geoffrey Braemer, a basically good kid who falls in with bad company. The orphaned Geoffrey is being used as part of jewel-theft scheme masterminded by his so-called aunt Doris Clandon (Gale Sondergaard) and her confederate Hampstead (George Zucco). Left holding the bag when his cohorts skip town, Geoffrey is saved from reform school by kindly Captain Briggs (Charles Coburn), who enrolls the boy in the Russell-Cotes Merchant Marine Training School. At first antagonistic, Geoffrey eventually makes friends with his fellow students, especially Irish boyo Terry O'Mulvaney (Mickey Rooney). A series of misunderstandings brings disgrace upon Geoffrey, but he redeems himself by delivering Doris and Hampstead into the waiting hands of Law-with a little help from his new shipmates, of course. A teenaged Peter Lawford makes his American film debut as Geoffrey's school chum Benny Potter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Freddie Bartholomew, Mickey Rooney, (more)
In order to avoid the material copyrighted by Douglas Fairbanks Sr. for his 1922 Robin Hood, the scripters of this Flynn version relied on several legendary episodes that had never before been filmed, notably the battle between Robin and Little John (Alan Hale Sr., who played this part three times in his long career) and the "piggy-back" episode between Robin and Friar Tuck (Eugene Pallette). The film ties together the various ancient anecdotes with a storyline bounded by the capture in Austria of Richard the Lionheart (Ian Hunter) on one end and Richard's triumphant return to England on the other. Robin Hood is already an outlaw at the outset of the film, while Maid Marian (Olivia de Havilland) is initially part of the enemy camp, as one of Prince John's (Claude Rains) entourage. Marian warms up to Robin's fight against injustice (and to Robin himself), eventually becoming a trusted ally. James Cagney was originally announced for the role of Robin Hood, just before Cagney left Warner Bros. in a salary dispute. William Keighley was the original director, but he worked too slowly to suit the tight production schedule and was replaced by Michael Curtiz (both men receive screen credit). A lengthy opening jousting sequence was shot but removed from the final print; portions of this sequence show up as stock footage in the 1957 Warners film The Story of Mankind. The chestnut-colored Palomino horse ridden by de Havilland in the Sherwood Forest scenes later gained screen stardom as Roy Rogers' Trigger. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, (more)
- 1937
The title of this Errol Flynn vehicle sprang from an "inside" joke at Warner Bros. Whenever the studio depicted a marquee or poster of a fictional film in one of their productions, the film's title was inevitably Another Dawn. When time came to shoot this Flynn epic, the studio, stuck for a title, opted for Another Dawn -- and had to cast about for another phony film title whenever the necessity arose. An unabashed soap opera, the film casts Flynn as Captain Denny Roark, a British army officer stationed in a remote Sahara outpost. Against his better judgement, Roark falls in love with Julia (Kay Francis), the wife of his commanding officer Colonel Wister (Ian Hunter). Wister knows what's going on, but he is too much the gentleman to interfere, just as Roark is too much the gentleman to demand that the Colonel grant Julia a divorce. Wister finally does the honorable thing by volunteering for a suicide mission, allowing Roark and Julia to continue their romance unencumbered. About the only distinguishing aspect in this dreary exercise in restraint is the lush Erich Wolfgang Korngold musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kay Francis, Errol Flynn, (more)
- 1937
Generally considered one of director Ernst Lubitsch's lesser works, Angel stars Marlene Dietrich as Maria, the neglected wife of Sir Frederick Barker (Herbert Marshall), a British diplomat who travels often and seems little concerned with his spouse. Maria has nearly reached her breaking point when she travels to Paris to visit her old friend Anna Dmitrivena (Laura Hope Crews), a Grand Duchess who also operates an exclusive bordello. While in Paris, Maria meets Anthony Halton (Melvyn Douglas), a visitor from America who seems quite taken with her. While Maria enjoys Anthony's attentions, she backs off and retreats to England. Shortly after her return, Maria and Frederick attend the races and she spots Anthony in the crowd. Maria is tempted to continue her romance with Anthony (who now realizes that she's married), while Frederick begins to wonder if his wife might be growing restless. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, (more)
- 1937
Hotshot attorney Jimmy Hughes (Preston S. Foster) prides himself on never backing down from a dare. Thus, when he is goaded into running for mayor on the Reform ticket, Jimmy mounts an aggressive campaign. Only one problem: the incumbent mayor (Frank M. Thomas) is the father of Jimmy's sweetheart Trudy (Joan Fontaine). Before unentangling this problem, our hero manages to rescue Hizzoner from a contingent of graft-grabbing cronies. In one of her first major roles, Joan Fontaine is quite appealing, but her lack of experience stands out in marked contrast to the expertise of Preston Foster and the rest of the cast. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Preston S. Foster, Joan Fontaine, (more)
- 1936
Warner Baxter plays the ambitious producer of a burlesque show who rises to the big time on Broadway. Alice Faye is the loyal burleycue singer who helps make Baxter a success. His head turned by sudden fame, Baxter falls under the spell of a society woman (Mona Barrie) who has theatrical aspirations of her own. She marries Baxter, then convinces him to produce a string of "artistic" plays rather than his extravagant musical revues. The plays are flops, and the woman haughtily divorces Baxter. Faithful Alice Faye, who'd gone to London when her ex-beau was married, returns to the penniless Baxter. She and her burlesque buddies team up to pull Baxter out of his rut and put him on top again. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warner Baxter, Alice Faye, (more)
- 1936
Produced under the working title The Capture of Tarzan, Tarzan Escapes was completely refilmed before release, eviscerating several blood-curdling sequences involving killer pygmies, torture murders and vampire bats. Wearing considerably more clothing than in 1934's Tarzan and His Mate, Tarzan (Johnny Weissmuller) and Jane (Maureen O'Sullivan) have taken up residence in their gadget-laden treehouse, replete with animal-powered elevator. Two of Jane's British relatives (Benita Hume and Willam Henry) come calling, together with an underhanded hunter (Hugh Buckler) who plans to kidnap Tarzan and put him on display in London. The Lord of the Jungle is briefly subdued, but escapes just in time to rescue Jane and her family from hostile natives, who practice the jolly ritual of spread-eagling their victims between two bent trees, then splitting the unfortunates in two (a harrowing but tastefully filmed sequence, later excerpted in 1941's Tarzan's Secret Treasure). Other than this grisly finale, Tarzan Escapes was strictly family fare. The familial aspects of the film extended into the film's credits; among the screenwriters were John Farrow, husband of leading lady Maureen O'Sullivan, and Cyril Hume, brother of supporting actress Benita Hume. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O'Sullivan, (more)
- 1936
The real "message to Garcia" was delivered by an American lieutenant to Cuban rebel General Garcia, asking for the General's help in the Spanish-American war. The fact that the lieutenant made his way to Garcia in absolute safety was ignored in 20th Century-Fox's Message to Garcia--which is just as well, since otherwise the movie would have been eight minutes long. In the film version, lieutenant John Boles is guided through the treacherous Cuban jungle by Barbara Stanwyck, doing her best to convince us that she's an Hispanic senorita. Also along for the trip is renegade marine Wallace Beery, who may not be as friendly as he seems. Fighting off Spaniards and spies at every turn, Boles successfully completes his mission. As history, Message to Garcia is about as reliable as the Hearst newspaper dispatches which triggered the Spanish-American war in the first place. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Wallace Beery, Barbara Stanwyck, (more)
- 1936
"Champagne" Charlie Courtland (Paul Cavanaugh) is a smooth, sophisticated and highly unethical gambler, plying his trade among the rich and famous. Charlie's backers hope for a huge financial windfall when he begins to court beautiful young heiress Linda Craig (Helen Wood). At the last moment, however, Charlie scotches the wedding plans, whereupon he is killed by one of his cohorts. The murderer is himself murdered, and suspicion falls upon Charlie's faithful valet Fipps (Herbert Mundin), who presumably "done it" to protect the heroine from a blackmail scheme. So the butler did it, eh? Don't be too sure! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paul Cavanagh, Helen Wood, (more)
- 1936
Two silent film versions preceded this 1936 Hollywood adaptation of the 19th century novel by the writer Ouida Bergere. It is set in Saharan Africa but was filmed in the Arizona desert. Ronald Colman is Corporal Victor, a man who has taken the rap for a crime committed by his younger brother. Victor has joined the French Foreign Legion to escape his past, taking with him his valet Rake (Herbert Mundin). His commander is the ruthless Major Doyle (Victor McLaglen), who becomes jealous when Cigarette (Claudette Colbert), a nightclub singer with a yen for men in uniforms, sets her sights on Victor. Victor, however, lusts after a more refined Englishwoman named Lady Venetia (Rosalind Russell), and he eventually dumps Cigarette for Venetia. McLaglen sends Victor off on a difficult mission from which he hopes that he won't return. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ronald Colman, Claudette Colbert, (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)
- 1935
The Black Sheep is professional gambler John Dugan (Edmund Lowe), who gets his kicks out of fleecing wealthy suckers during a Transatlantic ocean voyage. But when Dugan sees innocent young Fred Curtis (Tom Brown) being made the fall guy for a jewel robbery, he decides to help the poor boy out. What Fred doesn't know is that Dugan is his own father, desperate to make amends for his past indiscretions. Never revealing his true identity, Dugan rescues Fred from the clutches of beautiful predator Millicent Bath (Adrienne Ames). The musical score is by Oscar Levant, whose legendary dislike for thick-eared Hollywood executives never prohibited him from picking up his paycheck. Black Sheep represented director Allan Dwan's first effort for the newly former 20th Century-Fox Corporation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edmund Lowe, Claire Trevor, (more)
- 1935
Hoping to finish his latest play in peace, writer Ricardo Souchet (Gilbert Roland) loses his train of thought when dizzy blonde reporter Rita (Mona Barrie) invades his apartment. Before long, Rita has gotten Ricardo involved in a series of murders amongst the theater folk. When the police prove ineffective, our hero is obliged to turn detective himself. Laughs are provided by Herbert Mundin as Ricardo's super-efficient butler, while menace is provided by practically everyone else in the cast. Ladies Love Danger was based on a story by 23-year-old stage actress Ilya Zorn, who may very well have intended the film as a vehicle for herself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mona Barrie, Gilbert Roland, (more)
- 1935
A serial-like pace and some stylish directorial choices by Gordon Wiles distinguish this "Charlie Chan" entry. The reading of a will is delayed until one of the principal heirs to the fortune, can be located. He shows up at the family mansion, only to be promptly murdered. It is now up to detective Charlie Chan (Warner Oland), an old friend of the family, to protect dowager Henrietta Lowell (Henrietta Crossman), from harm. Alas, Chan apparently fails, and Henrietta falls victim to the mysterious killer -- or does she? The suspect roster includes a pair of phony mystics, an ill-tempered caretaker and a stock swindler -- but it's the least-likely suspect who proves to be the guilty party, one of several of the many surprises packed into the final reel. The appealing heroine in Charlie Chan's Secret is played by Rosina Lawrence, who later gained lasting fame as the schoolteacher in Hal Roach's Our Gang one-reelers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Warner Oland, Rosina Lawrence, (more)
David Copperfield was MGM's major Christmas release for its 1934-1935 season and also the first of producer David O. Selznick's major "literary" films for that studio. While a great deal of editing and streamlining was necessary to distill Charles Dickens' massive novel into 133 minutes of screen time, the end result was so successful that only the nittiest of nitpickers complained about the excised characters and events. Freddie Bartholomew plays the young Copperfield, who, after the death of his mother (Elizabeth Allan), is cruelly mistreated by his stepfather, Mr. Murdstone (Basil Rathbone). David's life brightens when he meets the ever-in-debt Mr. Micawber (W.C. Fields), and he is sheltered by Micawber's large and loving family until Micawber is carted off to debtor's prison. Forced once more to seek a home, David makes his way to the Dover estate of his Aunt Betsey (Edna May Oliver), where he meets another colorful cast of characters, none more so than the childlike Mr. Dick (Lennox Pawle). When Murdstone arrives, insisting that David be returned to him, Aunt Betsey and Mr. Dick form a united front to protect the boy. Flash-forward several years: the grown David (now played by Frank Lawton) is attending school, where he meets the lovely Agnes Wickfield (Madge Evans). David discovers that Agnes' businessman father (Lewis Stone) is under the thumb of the "'umble" prevaricator Uriah Heep (Roland Young) and the equally disreputable Steerforth (Hugh Williams). With the help of Mr. Micawber-who in a weak moment has taken a job working side-by-side with Heep-David proves Heep's treachery and rescues the Wickfields. By rights, he should marry Agnes, but David impulsively weds the empty-headed Dora (Maureen O'Sullivan). Only after Dora's death does David come to his senses, realizing that Agnes is the true love of his life. Originally, Charles Laughton was slated to play Micawber, but he pulled out of the production, worried that he wouldn't be funny enough. The casting of W.C. Fields was an inspired choice: although he injects his own established screen personality at every opportunity, Fields was born to play Micawber. Likewise, second-billed Lionel Barrymore fits his portrayal of crusty old Dan Peggoty like a glove. In fact, there isn't a false bit of casting in the whole production, and this, as much as Selznick's sumptuous production values, is the key to David Copperfield's enormous success. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- W.C. Fields, Lionel Barrymore, (more)
The 1932 publication of Charles Nordhoff and James Norton Hall's Mutiny on the Bounty sparked a revival of interest in the titular 1789 ship mutiny, and this 1935 MGM movie version won the Oscar for Best Picture. Clark Gable stars as Fletcher Christian, first mate of the infamous HMS Bounty, skippered by Captain William Bligh (Charles Laughton), the cruelest taskmaster on the Seven Seas. Bligh's villainy knows no bounds: he is even willing to flog a dead man if it will strengthen his hold over the crew. Christian despises Bligh and is sailing on the Bounty under protest. During the journey back to England, Bligh's cruelties become more than Christian can bear; and after the captain indirectly causes the death of the ship's doctor, the crew stages a mutiny, with Christian in charge. Bligh and a handful of officers loyal to him are set adrift in an open boat. Through sheer force of will, he guides the tiny vessel on a 49-day, 4000-mile journey to the Dutch East Indies without losing a man. Historians differ on whether Captain Bligh was truly such a monster or Christian such a paragon of virtue (some believe that the mutiny was largely inspired by Christian's lust for the Tahitian girls). The movie struck gold at the box office, and, in addition to the Best Picture Oscar, Gable, Laughton, and Franchot Tone as one of the Bounty's crew were all nominated for Best Actor (they all lost to Victor McLaglan in The Informer). The film was remade in 1962 and adapted into the "revisionist" 1984 feature The Bounty with Mel Gibson as Fletcher Christian and Anthony Hopkins as Captain Bligh. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, (more)
- 1935
Celebrated British musical comedy star Cicely Courtneige was given a chance at American movie stardom in Perfect Gentleman. Courtneige plays an actress whose career has faltered. Frank Morgan portrays a retired military officer and longtime fan of Courtneige, who engineers her comeback. Despite being given the red carpet treatment by MGM, Cicely Courtneige was unhappy with her film, as indicated by the numerous script changes and haphazard shooting schedule. While Perfect Gentleman did small business in the US, it was popular in Great Britain, where in deference to Ms. Courtneige the film was retitled The Imperfect Lady. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Frank Morgan, Dame Cicely Courtneidge, (more)
- 1934
George O'Brien trades his cowboy garb for a dinner jacket in Fox's Ever Since Eve. Raised by a couple of misogynistic old fogies, young heir Neil Rogers (O'Brien) reaches adulthood totally unschooled in the ways of women. He heads to New York, where he instantly falls in love with gorgeous gold-digger Elizabeth Vandergrift (Mary Brian). When he learns that Elizabeth is primarily interested in his money, Neil walks out on their marriage. Only later does his discover that she's borne his child, and that she's sincerely in love with him after all. Despite a few risque lines and situations, Ever Since Eve was designated "clean" entertainment by the trade paper Variety. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1934
The 1934 Fox melodrama Orient Express was based on a Graham Greene novel. In true "Grand Hotel" fashion, an awful lot happens during the Constantinople-to-Ostend run of the titular express. The dramatis personae includes covetous dancer Coral Musker (Heather Angel), naïve date merchant Carlton Myatt (Norman Foster), erudite anarchist Dr. Czinner (Ralph Morgan), a homicidal sneak thief (Roy D'Arcy), and an abrasive blue-collar couple (Herbert Mundin and Una O'Connor, who previously co-starred in Cavalcade and were later reteamed in The Adventures of Robin Hood). When the intrigues become too thick for comprehension, the solution is provided by girl reporter Mabel Warren (Dorothy Burgess), justifying her heretofore unexplained presence in the picture. The plot goes off on too many directions at once, suggesting a plethora of rewrites. Despite its confusing storyline, critics admired the "continental" look of Orient Express, remarking that one would never imagine that it was a mere Hollywood programmer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Heather Angel, Norman Foster, (more)
- 1934
In his only musical-comedy appearance, Spencer Tracy stars as fast-buck promoter Smoothie King. Our hero's latest scam is to pass off Hollywood extra Wanda Gale (Pat Patterson) and forger Limey Brook (Herbert Mundin) as British nobility, getting both of them prestigious jobs at a movie studio. Eventually Wanda becomes a big star, falling out of love with Smoothie along the way in favor of her leading man Hal Reed (John Boles). But Smoothie takes it all in stride; after all, there's still a world full of chumps and suckers, ripe for fleecing. Future film producer Harold Hecht handled the choreography, while the songs were provided by such noteworthies as Harold Adamson, Burton Lane, Richard Whiting and Gus Kahn. The slaphappy screenplay for Bottoms Up was a joint effort by producer B. G. DeSylva, director David Butler and Tracy's comedy-relief co-star Sid Silvers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Spencer Tracy, John Boles, (more)
- 1934
Love Time is the story of the unhappy life of composer Franz Schubert, here played by Swedish actor Nils Asther. Too poor even for romance, Schubert feels compelled to give up his sweetheart Valerie (Pat Paterson) never realizing that she's the daughter of the fabulously wealthy Duke von Hatzfeld (Henry B. Walthall). Not wishing to humiliate the proud Schubert by revealing her identity, she leaves her posh surroundings and joins a band of travelling musicians, finally coming back into Schubert's life long enough to nurse him through a serious illness. The film ends triumphantly as Schubert makes his debut in the court of Emperor Franz 1st (Henry Kolker), thanks to the behind-the-scenes manipulations of the faithful Valerie. Touted as an "original," Love Time was obviously inspired by the Sigmund Romberg operetta Blossom Time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pat Paterson, Nils Asther, (more)
- 1934
In this romantic comedy, a rakish fellow involves himself with a married woman. Later his secretary endeavors to win him away with the promise of a more stable relationship. The rake is tempted, but then decides he prefers the married woman, which is fine with her husband who has an eye for the secretary. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Otto Kruger, Nancy Carroll, (more)
