Movies ‘48 #7

Movie Quiz #1

From November 1939. This actress, starring alongside Melvyn Douglas, was noted for her aloof demeanour. However, in this movie she laughed. Can you name her?

Answer at the foot of this post.

Movie News – February 12, 1948

Comedians Bud Abbott and Lou Costello (pictured) announced that they are leaving Hollywood in July for England, to make a picture and appear in vaudeville shows. They will donate half the proceeds to aid English orphans and half to aid Italian orphans.

Movie News – February 13, 1948

Young Widow. “The most publicised woman in Hollywood, Jane Russell, appears in this delightful romantic drama. In one year, the beautiful dark-eyed, dark-haired young actress received more publicity than any other woman in the world.”

With The Outlaw still being suppressed by the censors, Young Widow was Jane Russell’s debut.

Movie News – February 14, 1948

Deadwood Dick film found in a dustbin. Unfortunately, matinée goers did not see the film because it was so badly damaged. Furthermore, the copy found was the only one in Britain.

Movie News – February 15, 1948

Britain is to make a ten reel technicolour film of the Olympic Games, which will be released to the world within ten days of the completion of the event. Hitler’s film unit took six months to complete their 1936 film. The use of colour will enable foreign film goers to identify their compatriots.

Movie News – February 16, 1948

Hollywood studios, which used to spend between £300,000 and £630,000 on feature films are fixing this year’s budgets between £375,000 and £500,000 and hope to reduce costs to between £250,000 and #375,000 by 1949. 

This is a result of restrictions placed on US films by foreign countries, notably Britain.

Movie News – February 17, 1948

“Miss Jean Simmons, the eighteen-year-old film star, and ex-Bevin Boy (selected by ballot to work in the coal mines during the Second World War) Donald Houston from Tonypandy, Wales, Britain’s newest leading screen actor, escaped injury when their car skidded and overturned while on location filming in the Suva-Fiji islands.”

Movie News – February 18, 1948

A representative of J Arthur Rank said that German film exhibitors were queuing up for prints of British films, the most popular being Madonna of the Seven Moons, The Magic Bow, The Overlanders and The Wicked Lady.

In The Wicked Lady, the cast had to endure nine days of retakes to satisfy the American censor. According to the censor, the women’s bodices were cut too low. In terms of historical accuracy, in the original print the bodices were cut just right.

Quiz answer: Greta Garbo

As ever, thank you for your interest and support.

Hannah xxx

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