Jean Perry Movies
- 1938
This follow-up to MGM's 1932 John Barrymore vehicle Arsene Lupin stars the ineluctable Melvyn Douglas. Reported to be dead, suave gentleman jewel thief Arsene Lupin (Douglas) resurfaces under the assumed name of Rene Farrand. Intending to follow the straight and narrow path, Lupin/Farrand reverts to his old larcenous ways when the opportunity to pilfer $250,000 in gems presents itself. Slowing down our hero somewhat is the presence of hotshot American private eye Steve Emerson (Warren William) and glamorous adventuress Lorraine de Grissac (Virginia Bruce). Ironically, both Melvyn Douglas and Warren William also played thief-turned-sleuth Michael Lanyard, aka "The Lone Wolf", over at Columbia. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Melvyn Douglas, Virginia Bruce, (more)
- 1938
This is an epic Darryl F. Zanuck production that plays fast and loose with historical facts regarding early 19th century French politics and the building of the Suez Canal. Tyrone Power stars as Ferdinand de Lesseps, an engineer and son of a French nobleman (Harry Stephenson). At the start of the film, he is in love with Eugenie (Loretta Young), but so is the French President Louis Napoleon (Leon Ames). After his father is appointed French consul to Egypt, the younger de Lesseps travels there and conceives the idea of a canal connecting the Mediterranean and Red seas. Back in France, he is promised help by Eugenie, now Napoleon's mistress, in exchange for Count de Lesseps' agreement to dissolve the government temporarily. Napoleon then declares himself emperor, making Eugenie his empress. The elder de Lesseps dies of shock at the political betrayal, while the younger de Lesseps starts building the canal, overcoming attacks by tribal people and severe heat. France cuts off backing, and de Lesseps has to get help from England to finish the project. A sandstorm injures de Lesseps, and his French-Egyptian lover Toni (Annabella) straps him to a post to save him, sacrificing her own life for the canal. Power and Annabella married each other after the film. The descendants of de Lesseps sued 20th Century Fox for libel, but lost. ~ Michael Betzold, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tyrone Power, Loretta Young, (more)
- 1938
In this musical sequel to the highly successful Artists and Models, Jack Benny plays Buck Boswell, the leader of a troupe of performers who end up broke and stranded in gay Paris. To rustle up a little cash, he decides to produce a musical fashion show. Boswell hires an American father and daughter to perform because he thinks they too are impoverished. Things happen, and Boswell nearly loses his show until his two Yanks reveal that they are loaded. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jack Benny, Joan Bennett, (more)
- 1937
In this adaptation of the operetta by Rudolf Friml, secret agent Nina Maria Azara (Jeannette MacDonald) is working undercover for the King of Spain as a singer known as the "Mosca del Fuego" or "Firefly." Her mission is to uncover Napoleon's plot to invade Spain before it is too late. This film features a variety of songs including "Donkey Serenade," "Love Is Like a Firefly," " and "When a Maid Comes Knocking At Your Heart." ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeanette MacDonald, Allan Jones, (more)
In this lighthearted musical comedy from legendary director Busby Berkeley, Henry Bowers (Dick Powell) is a saxophonist in a jazz band who wins a talent contest. His prize is a ten-week contract with a movie studio, Miracle Pictures (whose slogan is "If it's a good picture, it's a Miracle"). One of his first "assignments" is to escort lovely starlet Virginia Stanton (Rosemary Lane) to a movie premiere, but while Henry is looking forward to his date with a movie star, he's disappointed to discover that Virginia has opted not to go at the last minute, instead sending her lookalike stand-in, Mona Marshall (Lola Lane). Henry is more than a bit miffed at this, but when he appears on Louella Parsons' radio show, he's a big hit and rockets to stardom. Ronald Reagan has a bit part as a radio announcer (which he did full time before acting and politics began paying the rent for him), and keep an eye peeled for Susan Hayward and Carole Landis in minor roles. By the way, Rosemary Lane and Lola Lane look a great deal alike for a good reason -- they're sisters. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dick Powell, Rosemary Lane, (more)
- 1937
The notorious Orient Express provides the setting for this romance involving two rival reporters in pursuit of a munitions baron. The two rivals eventually fall in love, but not before they are implicated and subsequently cleared of a plot to kill the arms maker. The munitions man also falls in love and decides to use his skills for making more peaceful products. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Edmund Lowe, Madge Evans, (more)
- 1937
Cafe Metropole stars Tyrone Power as an international playboy with a habit of writing rubber checks. Heavily in debt to cafe owner Adolphe Menjou, Power agrees to pose as a Russian nobleman and woo heiress Loretta Young, so that Menjou can get his mitts on the girl's money. Avarice gives way to love, but not before Young walks out on Power when she catches on to his original selfish intentions. The script for Cafe Metropole was written by actor/director Gregory Ratoff, who also plays a supporting role. The film's first biggest laughs are reserved for the first scene, in which mild-mannered Christian Rub attempts to collect on one of Power's debts by clumsily wielding a loaded revolver. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Loretta Young, Tyrone Power, (more)
The sixth of RKO's Fred Astaire -Ginger Rogers pairings of the 1930s, Swing Time starts off with bandleader Astaire getting cold feet on his wedding day. Astaire's bride-to-be Betty Furness will give him a second chance, providing he proves himself responsible enough to earn $25,000. Astaire naturally tries to avoid earning that amount once he falls in love with dance instructor Ginger Rogers. Numerous complications ensue, leading to the "second time's the charm" climax, with Ginger escaping her own wedding to wealthy Georges Metaxa in order to be reunited with Astaire. The film's most indelible image is that of Fred Astaire, immaculately attired in top hat and tails, hopping a freight car--a perfect encapsulation of the film's Depression-era cheekiness. The Jerome Kern-Dorothy Fields score includes such standards-to-be as "Pick Yourself Up," "A Fine Romance," "The Way You Look Tonight," "Never Gonna Dance" and "Bojangles of Harlem." The peerless supporting cast of Swing Time includes Helen Broderick, Victor Moore, Eric Blore, and Landers Stevens, the actor-father of the film's director, George Stevens. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, (more)
- 1925
Stuntman/action star Maurice B. Flynn was better known to his fans as "Lefty" Flynn, and that's how he was billed in 1925's Heads Up. The Fairbanks-like story finds millionaire Breckenridge Gamble (Flynn) looking for excitement in a South American banana republic. He gets more than he bargained for when he's called upon to deliver an important message to the country's kidnapped president. In record time, Gamble foils a revolution and wins the heart of the president's pretty daughter Angela (Kathleen Myer). The excessive slapstick content of Heads Up may be due to the fact that the screenplay was cooked up by former Mack Sennett gag man Rob Wagner. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kathleen Myers, Kalla Pasha, (more)
- 1925
Ex-football star Maurice B. Flynn, better known as Lefty Flynn, stars as a cop in this comedy melodrama. Patrolman Joe Hanrahan (Flynn) loves Marie Le Doux (Kathleen Myers), a girl on his beat. He has competition, however, in pugilist Battling Kennedy (Tom Kennedy). Fight promoter Jim Burke (Jean Perry) owns an arena which is in a state of disrepair and Hanrahan warns him to restore the gallery. Burke never does comply, and Hanrahan is suspended from the force after publicly getting into an argument with Kennedy. Hanrahan isn't done with his rival yet -- the two of them don boxing gloves and enter the ring. Hanrahan easily whips Kennedy in Burke's arena. Predictably, that's when the gallery gives way, injuring dozens and dozens of people. Hanrahan puts Burke under arrest for criminal negligence. As a result, the captain reinstates him and he wins Marie's love. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maurice B. Flynn, Lydia Knott, (more)
- 1924
Estelle Taylor stars as a stenographer who marries her boss in this maudlin melodrama. When her husband is called away to Mexico on business, his lecherous assistant juggles the books to frame his unsuspecting boss on embezzlement charges. Jean Perry, Tully Marshall, and Ben Daly co-star with Snitz Edwards, Wilfred Lucas, and Fred De Silva in this sentimental sob story. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Estelle Taylor, Jean Perry, (more)
- 1922
The veteran serial team of J.P. McGowan and Helen Holmes (The Hazards of Helen, etc.) returned to the screen in this strange Below-the-Border Western concoction about the plans of a crazed revolutionary (Jean Perry) to take over Baja California. Masquerading as a notorious bandit, "The Dragon," United States Army Captain McGowan is able to infiltrate the megalomaniac's lair and signal the cavalry. As always, McGowan directed the proceedings himself with a great sense of speed and economy if not much finesse. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- J.P. McGowan, Jean Perry, (more)
