Jean Parker Movies

It's hard to separate fact and fancy from the many accounts of what happened on the set when all three of the fabulous Barrymores -- Ethel, John and Lionel -- appeared together for the only time in Rasputin and the Empress. As for the end result, John offers the subtlest (!) performance as Russian Prince Paul Chegodieff; Lionel throws all caution to the four winds in the role of "Mad Monk" Rasputin; and Ethel comes off as rather artificial as Empress Alexandra (Ethel was more appealing in her character roles of the 1940s and 1950s). The plot covers the years 1913 through 1918, during the tumultuous final years of the Romanov regime in Russia. When young Prince Alexis (Tad Alexander), a hemophiliac, hovers near death after an accident, the royal physicians regretfully predict an imminent demise. At the advice of Prince Paul's impressionable sweetheart Natasha (Diana Wynyard), Alexandra and her husband, Czar Nikolai (Ralph Morgan), call in the mysterious Rasputin to look after Alexis. Using hypnosis, Rasputin is able to "cure" the boy-and to slowly gain control over the royal family. Prince Paul, concerned that Rasputin's despotic misuse of his new-found authority will cause the people to revolt, does his best to discredit the oily holy man, but to no avail. When Natasha is raped by Rasputin, Paul attempts to shoot the miscreant down. But Rasputin, who has taken the precaution of wearing a bullet proof vest, is not so easily killed off. In a last, desperate measure, Paul and his cohorts try to poison Rasputin to death-and even this doesn't work. Only a climactic fight to the death puts an end to Rasputin's reign. Alas, the damage has already been done, and the royal family is doomed to be toppled from power...and, ultimately, to be shot down like dogs by the Bolsheviks. Perhaps it's true that the three Barrymores spent more time trying to upstage one another than concentrating on the script at hand, but we wouldn't have it any other way. When seen today, Rasputin and the Empress seems rather choppy in spots, with isolated lines of dialogue and sometimes whole scenes completely missing. This is due to a million-dollar lawsuit brought against MGM by Prince Yusupov, the man who really engineered Rasputin's assassination. The Prince wasn't offended by being depicted as a murderer, but he was distressed when MGM suggested that his wife had been raped by Rasputin. As a result, Rasputin and the Empress was withdrawn from distribution, and all prints were later bowdlerized when released to television. Also as a result, all future Hollywood films were obliged to carry the "Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental" disclaimer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In 1933, at the height of the bleakness and desperation of the Depression, MGM released this genuine curiosity piece -- directed by comedy (!) director Gregory La Cava -- concerning a Warren G. Harding-like partisan hand-shaker President of the United States who, after seeing a vision, revokes the Constitution, becomes a reigning dictator, and solves all of the nation's problems. Walter Huston plays Judson Hammond, recently elected President of the United States, who treats his elected office as a joke and acts as a dispenser of Party favors. But after an automobile accident, he sees the Archangel Gabriel, who inspires him to declare himself dictator. His first line of business after his conversion is to fire his Cabinet. This leads to impeachment proceedings, but Hammond enters the Senate chamber and takes over the Congress. He then tackles unemployment by meeting with John Bronson (David Landau), the leader of masses of marching unemployed men. When gangster Nick Diamond (Henry C. Gordon) and his goons assassinate Bronson, Hammond uses his brown-shirted storm troopers to blast their way into Diamond's headquarters and blow him away. The President then intimidates the leaders of countries that owe money to the United States to pay their debts then forces them to disarm and pledge world peace. Hammond rapidly becomes the most popular fascist President in United States history. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

Heroine Mona (Sally Eilers) is "made" in more ways than one in this free-wheeling spoof of the press-agent business. A would-be suicide, Mona is rescued by public-relations whiz Jeff (Robert Montgomery), who decides to turn the girl into a celebrity -- and line his own pockets in the process. But if she's been used by Jeff, Mona knows how to be a user as well, and soon she's manipulating Jeff, relying on his expertise to save her from a nasty murder rap. Eventually, Jeff gets wise to Mona's game and returns to his sweetheart Claire (Madge Evans), virtually the only 100% honest character in the picture. The film's unsubtle double-edged title was made even more so in England, where it was changed to The Girl I Made. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, a woman goes mad with grief after her lover dumps her. Many years pass and the woman remains embittered and vengeful against the cad. When she learns that he has become an officer at her local bank, she withdraws her fortune from it. She really goes over the edge when her son falls in love with her ex-lover's daughter. Fortunately, in the end, the woman changes her mind and mends her ways. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The career of dance instructor Sally (Jean Parker) comes to an abrupt end when she is crippled in an accident on the eve of her wedding. Sally's far-from-supportive fiancé (Paul Page) walks out on her, but good old Jimmie (James Dunn), who has loved her all along, offers to marry her and help shoulder the burden of her handicap. This in itself would make a good story, but MGM got nervous an added a gangster subplot. Interspersing their usual never-fail comedy relief are Una Merkel and Stu Erwin, who might have starred in this picture had it been made by any other studio. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this drama, an impoverished orphan girl finds herself acting as a slave to a cruel old farmer. She is soon joined by a reform-school runaway whom the farmer also captures and enslaves. The two youngsters soon fall in love. In the end they are saved by the orphan's long lost father who facilitates their marriage. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In an early pro-ecology effort, Jean Parker stars as a girl dwelling in the High Sierras. Awkward with humans, her best friends are the surrounding animals, especially her pet deer and puma. When hunters invade the territory, she struggles to protect the local wildlife. The outdoor photography is this film's principal asset; things grind to a halt whenever anyone opens his or her mouth to speak. Sequoia was based on a novel by Anne Cunningham called Malibu, and was later reissued under that title. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Charles Boyer played his first major Hollywood role (and gets to sing in the bargain!) in the oddball musical romance Caravan. A miscast Loretta Young stars as young Countess Wilms, who is forced to wed by midnight or lose her inheritance. She impulsively chooses gypsy vagabond Latzi (Boyer), offering him a huge sum of money if he'll consent. Swallowing his pride, Latzi agrees to the marriage, but soon the coy Countess falls in love with young Lieutenant Von Tokay (Philips Holmes) -- who is himself in love with Latzi's gypsy sweetheart Tinka (Jean Parker). Director Erik Charrell, famed for his European musical productions (notably Congress Dances), seems uncomfortable adapting to the Hollywood movie-making process. Though evidently intended to be taken seriously, there are times that Caravan comes off like a parody of operettas: one half expects the stars to join in a duet of Cole Porter's spoofish "Wunderbar." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having gained considerable audience attention for his appearance in the 1935 "Crime Does Not Pay" 2-reeler Buried Loot, new MGM contractee Robert Taylor was awarded with his first starring feature, the modestly budgeted Murder in the Fleet. Taylor is cast as Lt. Tom Randolph, one of several naval officers confined to his ship when a murder occurs. The victim was in the process of delivering the components for a new electrical flight-control device, thus everyone concerned is suspected of being a killer, or a foreign agent, or both. Several more murders occur before Lt. Randolph takes matters in his own hands and tracks down the culprit. The supporting cast is a film-buff's dream, including such favorites as Mischa Auer, Tom Dugan and Ward Bond in minor roles. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this homespun comedy, a farm family in Iowa lead a pastoral existence until old Ma decides that they must pull up stakes and head for Hollywood so their daughter can become a movie star. As it turns out, it is Pa who becomes the movie star, while the domineering stage Ma almost destroys her daughter's love life with her obsession. To protect his kin, Pa takes the family back to their peaceful farm. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

A pageant-like Rex Beach story was the source of the 1937 western The Barrier. Leo Carrillo is top-billed, but the main character is half-breed girl Jean Parker. Actually, Parker is a full-blooded white woman; she has been raised to believe that she is of mixed blood by Robert H. Barrat, who has spent the better part of his life seeking revenge against Parker's mother. When the girl falls for army officer James Ellison, she despairs, believing that the laws against miscegenation will never permit her to marry the man she loves. The Barrier was produced by Harry Sherman, of Hopalong Cassidy fame, and directed by frequent "Hoppy" contributor Lesley Selander. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide