Lenore Ulric Movies
During the silent era, actress Lenore Ulric played femme fatales in a number of early features for Essanay's Chicago studios. Born Lenore Ulrich in New Ulm, MN, she got her start on-stage when she was still a teen. She began working for Essanay in 1911 and was initially billed under her birth name. In 1915, theater producer David Belasco became her mentor and turned her into a major Broadway star. As she did in films, Ulric was cast as passionate and temperamental women. Though she primarily became a stage actress, she also continued making the occasional film appearance. During the '30s and '40s, she played supporting roles. At one time she was married to actor Sidney Blackmer. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1947
Backed by the "American GI Chorus", Nelson Eddy made his final screen appearance in the unusually elaborate Republic musical Northwest Outpost. The story is set in the 1830s, when a good portion of California was owned by Russia. US cavalry officer James Laurence (Nelson Eddy) arrives at one of the Russian colonies to pave the way for the eventual American takeover of the territory. He faces resistance in the form of Prince Nikolai Balinin (Hugo Haas), who has no intention of weakening his despotic hold over the local peasants. The plot thickens when Laurence falls in love with Natalie Alanova (Ilona Massey), the wife of disgraced nobleman Count Igor Savin (Joseph Schildkraut). The script draws several unsubtle parallels between Russian California of 1830 and Communist Russia of 1947, but this can be chalked up to the political tenor of the times. Rudolf Friml's soaring musical score evokes fond memories of Friml's earlier Rose Marie, which of course also starred Nelson Eddy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nelson Eddy, Ilona Massey, (more)
- 1946
One of two con-artists ends up arrested and given five days of freedom before he must go to jail. This comedy chronicles those five days. The man loves to eat; knowing that prison food is lousy, he decides to spend his days stuffing himself with the finest foods available. He is accompanied to numerous 4-star restaurants by his partner and the arresting officer. Each of these two are interested in learning where he stashed a half-million dollars in loot. Eventually the man begins looking at his lovely partner and thinking of things other than his stomach. This leads to marriage. After serving his time, he and his bride go on to lead honest lives. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lucille Ball, John Hodiak, (more)
- 1946
Temptation is an appropriately moody romantic melodrama, providing a golden opportunity for some memorable histrionics by star Merle Oberon. Set in Egypt (courtesy of the Universal backlot), the film casts Oberon as Ruby, the new wife of wealthy archaeologist Nigel (George Brent). Unbeknownst to her husband, Ruby has had quite a checkered past, involving several divorces and gosh only knows how many extramarital affairs. While Nigel is out digging up an ancient mummy, Ruby takes up with Baroudi (Charles Korvin), a slick but impoverished Egyptian opportunist. When Baroudi threatens to leave Ruby unless she puts her husband out of the way, she methodically begins to poison the unwitting Nigel. Only in the last few minutes does Ruby realize that she's throwing her life away -- not to mention her husband's -- for a no-good heel, setting the stage for a spectacular revenge-and-retribution finale. Temptation was International Pictures' final production before its merger with Universal. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Merle Oberon, George Brent, (more)
Greta Garbo enjoyed one of her greatest triumphs in this glossy adaptation of Alexandre Dumas' oft-filmed romantic tragedy. Here, Garbo stars as Marguerite Gauthier, who is born into humble circumstances but in time becomes Dame aux Camille, one of the most glamorous courtesans in Paris. Camille is kept by the wealthy and powerful Baron de Varville (Henry Daniell), but after many years of earning a good living from her beauty without finding true love, Camille's heart is stolen by Armand (Robert Taylor), a handsome but slightly naive young man who doesn't know how she came by her fortune. Armand is just as attracted to Camille as she is to him, and she's prepared to give up the Baron and his stipend to be with Armand. However, Armand's father (Lionel Barrymore) begs Camille to turn away from his son, knowing her scandalous past could ruin his future. Realizing the painful wisdom of this, Camille rejects Armand, who continues to pursue her even as Camille contracts a potentially fatal case of tuberculosis. Remarkably, even though this was one of Garbo's greatest commercial and critical successes, she would make only three more films before her retirement in 1941; Camille, however, would be filmed several more times following this version (most memorably by elegant sexploitation auteur Radley Metzger in 1969's Camille 2000). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, (more)
- 1929
In this comedy drama, a very early talkie, set in the splendiferous South Seas, a French lassie charms a sea captain who takes her for his wife and sets sail for his conservative New England home. There the staid locals are shocked by the captain's free-spirited bride. More trouble ensues when the bride becomes disenchanted with her new husband because she believes that he loves his ship more than he does her. In the end the sea captain sails to France. There he discovers that his bride has inherited a fortune. Songs include: "Raymond," "Bric-a-Brac," "Sidewalks of New York," "An Idyll of the South Seas," "If You Believed in Me," and the title song. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lenore Ulric, Charles Bickford, (more)
- 1929
In this melodrama, set in the Far North, a half-Eskimo woman leaves her tribe and her husband to find adventure with a visiting sea captain. Unfortunately, she finds that the big world isn't what she expected. She ends up having to support the lazy sea-captain by singing. She then decides to go back home, but that seems easier said than done. On the way back, she and her captain slip into an icy crevasse. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lenore Ulric, Robert W. Frazer, (more)
- 1923
This tale of the Canadian Northwest was originally a stage play by Willard Mack and David Belasco. Belasco worked with Warner Brothers on this production -- it was the second of a series of plays which he brought to the studio. Lenore Ulric performed the role of Rose Bocion on Broadway, and she starred in the motion picture version, too. When her father dies, Rose is left alone in the world. She rides a raft which drifts towards the rapids and is saved from sure death by Canadian Mountie Michael Devlin (Forrest Stanley). She is adopted by Hector McCollins (Claude Gillingwater), who runs a nearby trading post. Although Devlin loves Rose, she falls for engineer Bruce Norton (Theodore Von Eltz), who is surveying on behalf of a railroad. Norton kills the man who ruined his sister and becomes a fugitive from the law. With the help of Rose and Dr. Cusick (Sam De Grasse) he hides from Devlin. Norton manages to escape but he comes back and turns himself in to keep Rose from going to jail for protecting him. After serving his time he and Rose are reunited. This story was filmed as a talkie in 1930, with the fiery Lupe Velez in the lead role. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lenore Ulric, Forrest Stanley, (more)
- 1916
When mining engineer Stephen Pachmann (Jack Livingstone) is sent to Mexico to investigate a mine, his wife Paula (Velma Lefler) is so miserable that her brother, Bruce McLean (Forrest Stanley) offers to go in his place. While south of the border, Bruce gets involved with an aristocratic Spanish girl, Paula Figueroa (Leonore Ulrich). He is captured by a group of guerrillas, but Paula offers herself to their chief, Emiliano Pacheco (Howard Davies), if he is set free. Pacheco agree, at which point two endings were shot. In one, Paula goes to fulfill her half of the bargain, but is saved by McLean, who kills Pacheco. In the other version, Paula kills herself in lieu of giving herself to Pacheco. Both endings were shown to a group of critics, who were asked to vote on their favorite. It ended in a tie. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
