Spring Byington Movies

The Great Impersonation is based on the E. Phillips Oppenheim espionage novel of the same name, previously filmed in 1921. During WW I, drunken, dissolute British nobleman Everard Dominey (Edmund Lowe) wanders into the African jungle, where he meets his exact double, German spy Von Ragenstein (also Edmund Lowe). The scene shifts back to England, where, apparently, Von Ragenstein has assumed Dominey's identity after the latter is reported killed. The actual identity of the protagonist is kept secret until the very end. Either way, it's a story of redemption: If he's really Von Ragenstein, he may very well be persuaded to cast his lot with the British; if he's really Dominey, he might just sober up and assume his proper place in society. The film is brightened by the presence of two former Bride of Frankenstein co-stars: Valerie Hobson, then only a teenager, delivers one of her best performances as Dominey's distraught wife, while Dwight Frye goes through his usual "Renfield" paces as a roving lunatic. Both the 1935 Great Impersonation and the 1945 remake with Ralph Bellamy and Evelyn Ankers were later included in Universal's "Shock Theater" TV package, even though both films are more suspenseful than shocking. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

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

This tragic melodrama is a remake of Griffith's 1920 film, Way Down East. The story centers upon a starving, impoverished gamin who lost everything after a wicked millionaire tricked her into a marriage and impregnated her. The baby doesn't survive the ordeal and the poor girl ends up sheltered by a puritanical farm family. While there, she falls in love with the son. Unfortunately, as soon as they learn of her checkered past, the woman is tossed out. The distraught young woman is trying to cross a frozen river when a sudden thaw strikes, stranding her upon the treacherous floes. As they drift inexorably towards a deadly waterfall, her lover tries to save her. Unfortunately he cannot, and as the film ends, she is seen tumbling over the falls to certain doom. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Grace Moore and Victor Schertzinger, the star-director combination responsible for the marvelous One Night of Love (1934), came up with another tune-filled winner in Love Me Forever. Once again voluntarily shedding her "diva" image, Moore plays Margaret Howard, a once-glamorous socialite who's hit the skids. She is rescued from obscurity by Steve Corelli (Leo Carrillo), an opera-loving gambler. Lavishing his entire fortune on Margaret's climb to the top, Steve naturally expects her to fall in love with him out of gratitude, but she has set her sights on another man. As originally scripted, Steve was to have thoughtfully removed himself from the picture by being bumped by gangsters, but as the film now stands, he manages to win Margaret away from her present amour, radio tenor Michael Bartlett (playing himself). Musical highlights include brief excerpts from La Boheme, Rigoletto and Funiculi Funicula. Enthusiastically received by the critics, Love Me Forever proved equally successful with movie fans -- even those who'd never be caught dead attending one of Grace Moore's live operatic performances. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title may be Orchids to You, but the plot is motivated by a camellia -- to be exact, Camelia Rand (Jean Muir). About to be ejected from her thriving flower shop when a developer plans to tear down the building, Camelia confronts Thomas Bentley (John Boles), the lawyer representing the developer. Despite her anger, Camelia can't help but take a liking to Bentley, though she refuses to entertain any romantic notions because the lawyer is already married to Evelyn (Ruthelma Stevens). Later on, a stranger enters Camelia's shop and orders a dozen orchids for Mrs. Bentley. Not wishing to hurt Mr. Bentley, Camelia refuses to mention Mrs. B's name in court when ordered to do so, and as a result spends 10 days in jail on a contempt charge. All-around comedy relief Teddy Stuyvesant (Charles Butterworth) shows up in time to solve everything, and the film ends with the philandering Mrs. Bentley out in the cold and Camelia in Mr. Bentley's arms. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gloria Stuart's trouble only begins when she inherits a newspaper in this routine, but at times, quite hilarious comedy from Universal. Overhearing a chauvinistic remark from senior editor Hank Gilman (Edmund Lowe), Joan Langford decides to begin her newspaper business career from the bottom and incognito. Gilman, however, quickly discovers the ruse and sends the girl out on the most arduous assignments he can find. After threatening to quit, the heroine unwittingly gets herself involved with a gang of blackmailers but Hank is watching over her and together they bring the gang to justice. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Stage Struck is one of the least known of Busby Berkeley's Warner Bros. musicals, chiefly because there are no major production numbers. The plot is that old saw about young, unknown hopefuls who put on a Big Show and become overnight stars. Alas, the magic didn't work for leading lady Jeanne Madden, who disappeared from films shortly after this brief bid for fame. The film's highlight is a satirical number by the Yacht Club Boys, a "nut" singing group best described as the Gentile Ritz Brothers. The songs for Stage Struck were written by E. Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen, whose talents would be displayed to better advantage in 1939's Wizard of Oz. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Just before his brief turn as a "singing cowboy," radio crooner Smith Ballew starred in Paramount's Palm Springs. Filmed on location at the famed California resort community, the story concerns the efforts by near-bankrupt gambler Capt Smyth (Sir Guy Standing) to marry off his daughter Joan (Frances Langford) to wealthy Englishman George Brittel (David Niven). Unfortunately for Smyth, Joan falls in love with Slim (Ballew), who hails from Wyoming and apparently hasn't got a dime. The film can't seem to make up its mind to be a straight comedy or a musical, nor does it seem that anyone concerned cared all that much about the plot. The songs are by Ralph Rainger and Leo Robin, who evidently saved their best stuff for Bing Crosby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Of the many film versions of Alfred Lord Tennyson's narrative poem, 1936's Charge of the Light Brigade has the least relationship to the facts concerning the famous 19th century British military blunder in the Crimea. Reflecting the popularity of 1935's Lives of A Bengal Lancer, the film uses the climactic charge as the culmination of events which begin in British India. Errol Flynn and Patric Knowles are cast as cavalry officers who are also brothers; both love Olivia De Havilland, but it is Knowles who wins out (this should tip us off that the rest of the film is pure fantasy). Indian potentate C. Henry Gordon, angered that the British government has cut off his subsidy, stages a revolt against the English settlements. Ordered on maneuvers, Flynn is unable to bring rescue troops to the besieged fort commanded by De Havilland's father. Gordon supervises the slaughter of every man, woman and child at the fort, then leaves India in the company of his Russian advisors. Flynn and his fellow Light Brigade lancers are then transferred to the Crimea--where, as luck would have it, Gordon is now ensconced with the Russians. Thirsting for revenge, Flynn falsifies an official order so that he and the Light Brigade can battle Gordon and his allies at Balaclava (thus are Britons Lord Cardigan and Lord Ragan, the actual instigators of the doomed charge, exonerated). As passages from the Tennyson poem are superimposed on the action, Flynn leads a suicidal charge against the Russians; he manages to kill the treacherous Gordon before being slain himself. Its dozens of historical inaccuracies aside, The Charge of the Light Brigade is rousing entertainment. Animal lovers be warned, however: several horses were killed during the climactic charge, a fact that compelled Hollywood (under the auspices of the ASPCA) to install safer and more stringent standards concerning the treatment of animals. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The saga of the Jones Family continues in 1937's Borrowing Trouble. When Pa Jones's drugstore is robbed, the evidence points to orphan kid Tommy Stevens (Marvin Stephens). This comes as quite a disappointment for Pa (Jed Prouty) and Ma (Spring Byington), who'd welcomed poor Tommy into their home, treating him as one of their own children. As it happens, however, Tommy is merely shielding the actual culprit -- his older brother Lester (Gregory Walcott). Thank heaven for Granny Jones (Florence Roberts), who never fails to cut through all the pathos and bathos with her cynical put-downs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this entry in the Jones family series, the father decides to run for mayor. Unfortunately, his own son gets his campaign off to a bad start when he prints a newspaper article quoting his father's nasty comments about the opponent word for word. This naturally causes political chaos on the home front and helps the rival candidate immensely. Eventually the mess is straightened out and the Jones family wins in the end. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Penrod and Sam was the third (and least faithful) screen version of the same-named Booth Tarkington novel. Billy Mauch, the more talented of the Mauch twins, stars as troublesome pre-teen Penrod, up to his usual mischief with his usual gang (including former "Our Gang" members George Billings and Jerry Tucker). Most of the original story is thrown out the window in favor of an up-to-date "gangster" angle, with Penrod vowing to round up a gang of bank robbers after his young pal Verman (Phillip Hurlic) is orphaned during a shoot-out. Having gleaned their expertise from "G-Man" movies and detective novels, Penrod's gang manages to capture the crooks, who have conveniently taken refuge in the kids' clubhouse. Penrod and Sam did well enough to engender two sequels, Penrod and His Twin Brother and Penrod's Double Trouble, both of which teamed Billy Mauch with his look-alike sibling Bobby. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide