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Post by timshelboy on Apr 20, 2018 8:32:34 GMT
Like many of us I am a big fan of the delightful William Powell, who enjoyed a wonderful run in classic films from 1922 to 1955, elegant and charming, and equally adept at comedy and drama.
My Bryant book on him tells me that only 11 of the films I have not seen are not "lost" - so I'd be interested in hearing non spoilerish comments on them and sources for the 9 silent ones
THE OUTCAST 1922
UNDER THE RED ROBE 1923
THE BRIGHT SHAWL - especially interested in this one - Richard Barthelmess is star of Cuban set adventure epic - plus Dorothy Gish, Mary Astor ad the debut of Edward G Robinson
TOO MANYKISSES 1925
MY LADIES LIPS with Clara Bow
SENORITA with Bebe Daniels
TIME TO LOVE
PARTNERS IN CRIME 1928 Wallace Beery & Mary Brian
FORGOTTEN FACES - 1928 starring Clive Brook
ESCAPADE - 1935 first of 3 with Luise Rainer (who he was big fan of I gather)
DANCING IN THE DARK 1949
and let's dream about a few of the "lost" ones we'll never see 
ALOMA OF THE SOUTH SEAS
THE GREAT GATSBY (he played Wilson)
SHE'S A SHEIK with Bebe Daniels
BEAU SABREUR
THE DRAG NET
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Post by Richard Kimble on Apr 20, 2018 9:44:13 GMT
The trailer -- note that it uses the eyes motif of the original book cover: In which he co-stars w/a promising young thespian named Adolph Marx   Adolph speaks on screen!  |
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Post by Salzmank on Apr 20, 2018 16:28:06 GMT
Hmm… (At least, according to that fellow on my left, while he gingerly sips a martini.)
Funnily enough (and “funnily” is a funny enough word), Powell’s filmography has several areas that I don’t think are discussed as much as, perhaps, they should be. It’s particularly interesting seeing his performances before he developed the Powell “character” (or image), in the same way that seeing Stan Laurel as a skirt-chasing Scotsman in Putting Pants on Philip is intriguing and amusing ipso facto.
His film début (real early juvenilia) was an interesting ’22 Sherlock Holmes flick, with John Barrymore in the lead. I think Everson liked it (or am I thinking of Clive Brook version? Everson always liked director William K. Howard). Both are loosely based on the William Gillette play. I’ve seen the Barrymore version (I think I might have mentioned it somewhere around here) and wasn’t really blown away by it, but there are some good parts, including Powell as a bruiser!
Other than that, I don’t think I’ve seen much of Powell’s juvenilia until The Canary Murder Case, which I didn’t really like. (Greene was better, Benson better than that, and Kennel of course the best of them all.) There are some later Powell pictures that, as noted, I wish would receive more attention: the superb Jewel Robbery (best Lubitsch film Lubitsch didn’t direct), Private Detective 62, Manhattan Melodrama, Star of Midnight. So much of quality in Powell’s filmography, so much I have yet to see…
Now I’m annoyed we don’t have that Gatsby adaptation… Powell as George Wilson? Now that’s unusual casting…
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Post by Richard Kimble on Apr 20, 2018 17:38:45 GMT
best Lubitsch film Lubitsch didn’t direct  He did produce it though |
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Post by Salzmank on Apr 20, 2018 17:40:43 GMT
Haven’t seen it, Richard Kimble, but I’ll take a look. I’ll warn ya that I have a great deal of sentimental fondness for Jewel Robbery, though…  |
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Post by teleadm on Apr 20, 2018 20:30:43 GMT
 Always enjoyed this actor |
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Post by mikef6 on Apr 20, 2018 21:11:07 GMT
Hmm… (At least, according to that fellow on my left, while he gingerly sips a martini.) His film début ( real early juvenilia) was an interesting ’22 Sherlock Holmes flick, with John Barrymore in the lead. I think Everson liked it (or am I thinking of Clive Brook version? Everson always liked director William K. Howard). Both are loosely based on the William Gillette play. I’ve seen the Barrymore version (I think I might have mentioned it somewhere around here) and wasn’t really blown away by it, but there are some good parts, including Powell as a bruiser! In addition to Powell in the 1922 “Sherlock Holmes,” we get to see early performances from Roland Young, Hedda Hooper, and Reginald Denny. This film was a re-do of a 1916 adaptation of the 1899 play by Connecticut-born actor William Gillette (1853-1937). In 1916, Gillette himself played Holmes, his only movie appearance. Both of these films of the Gillette play were once considered “lost,” but were subsequently found and restored. I dislike Gillette’s play (I have also seen a stage production with Kurt Kasznar as Moriarty) in so many ways. The movies only please in small ways such as being able to see the likes of John Barrymore and William Powell in early days. |
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Post by timshelboy on Apr 23, 2018 10:57:40 GMT
Hmm… (At least, according to that fellow on my left, while he gingerly sips a martini.) Funnily enough (and “funnily” is a funny enough word), Powell’s filmography has several areas that I don’t think are discussed as much as, perhaps, they should be. It’s particularly interesting seeing his performances before he developed the Powell “character” (or image), in the same way that seeing Stan Laurel as a skirt-chasing Scotsman in Putting Pants on Philip is intriguing and amusing ipso facto. His film début ( real early juvenilia) was an interesting ’22 Sherlock Holmes flick, with John Barrymore in the lead. I think Everson liked it (or am I thinking of Clive Brook version? Everson always liked director William K. Howard). Both are loosely based on the William Gillette play. I’ve seen the Barrymore version (I think I might have mentioned it somewhere around here) and wasn’t really blown away by it, but there are some good parts, including Powell as a bruiser! Other than that, I don’t think I’ve seen much of Powell’s juvenilia until The Canary Murder Case, which I didn’t really like. ( Greene was better, Benson better than that, and Kennel of course the best of them all.) There are some later Powell pictures that, as noted, I wish would receive more attention: the superb Jewel Robbery (best Lubitsch film Lubitsch didn’t direct), Private Detective 62, Manhattan Melodrama, Star of Midnight. So much of quality in Powell’s filmography, so much I have yet to see… Now I’m annoyed we don’t have that Gatsby adaptation… Powell as George Wilson? Now that’s unusual casting…
Cheers - Yes I was very impressed by PRIVATE DETECTIVE 62 - which certainly deserves more acclaim and I love JEWEL ROBBERY too. The early one that blew me away was BEHIND THE MAKE UP - with Powell as an Italian immigrant who becomes a vaudeville star - stealing his mates routines - and girl - on the way With Hal Skelly, Fay Wray and Kay Francis (their first together) as a gambling mad vamp.. I think it is free on the internet archive but under a different title. I have seen the SHERLOCK movie
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Post by timshelboy on Apr 23, 2018 12:41:06 GMT
The trailer -- note that it uses the eyes motif of the original book cover: In which he co-stars w/a promising young thespian named Adolph Marx Adolph speaks on screen!
Oh thanks for the GATSBY trailer - yes the eyes of Dr Eckleburg ( I think?) loom large here - larger than Bill Powell anyway!  Never knew it was a play too
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Never knew it was a play too