Operator 13(1934).

Operator 13(1934). Romantic spy film set in the American Civil War. Director: Richard Boleslawski. Cast: Marion Davies, Gary Cooper and Jean Parker.

Early in the Civil War, after performer Gail Loveless performs a really cute number involving hats, she is recruited as spy "Operator 13." by her friend, Pauline Cushman, known as spy "Operator 27." Gail and Pauline's, first assignment together is to go to the headquarters of Confederate General "Jeb" Stuart. Disguised as a black maid and a weird voice, Gail meets Captain Jack Gailliard, a Confederate officer, when he rides by and ruins her clean laundry. When Pauline asks too many questions about Jack, who is a spy for the south, he and Captain Cornelius Channing become suspicious and have her room searched.

When a traveling medicine show run by Doctor Hitchcock, who is secretly a captain in the Northern army, come looking for Operators 27 and 13. Gail, gives him information that he wanted about Confederate troop, as Pauline is being arrested. Gail, is also suspected of being a spy, but when she is brought to testify at Pauline's trial, she says that her mistress "turned Yankee." Pauline is sentenced to death, but Gail and Hitchcock help her to escape.

Back in Washington, Pinkerton knows that Pauline can no longer spy for him, so he gives Gail the mission to learn more about the activities of Jack, whom Pinkerton suspects is working with "Copperheads,". To make herself believable, Gail, openly jeers at marching Union soldiers. She and a man posing as her father are then arrested. When the incident is reported in Southern newspapers, Gail now known as "Anne" becomes the guest of Mrs. Shackleford and her daughter Eleanor. Gail, also runs into Jack, who suspects that he has seen her before.

While at the Shackleford's, Gail is able to pass on information that results in a victory, but causes the death of Eleanor's fiance. Feeling guilty over John's death, Gail goes into the garden and accidentally meets up with Jack, who tells her that he loves her. She moves him out of the aim of one of her operatives who is spying on them. She gets away from Jack, dressed in a Confederate soldier's uniform, heads North after the operative tells her that the Confederates now know she is a spy and are out looking for her. As Jack and Channing, hot on her heals, chase her into the woods, they split up and Jack finds Gail asleep in a little house. He calls her a a traitor and says he is going to take her back for a court-martial. He handcuffs Gail, but as they leave the house, they see Union soldiers kill Channing. Gail and Jack, escape together and Jack heads South, while Gail goes North. Will they ever be reunited?

Operator 13, has a couple of entertaining musical numbers such as: the traditional Civil War era melodies sung by Davies, a campfire chorus and the Mills Brothers songs. Also, the battle scenes are very well done..

Fun Fact:

Although Curly Howard of The Three Stooges played the part of a Confederate Soldier in this film, most of his part was cut prior to release. However, he can still be seen briefly in one sequence.

Marjorie Gateson (January 17, 1891 - April 17, 1977), made her film debut in 1931 character roles as women of wealth and breeding. She is perhaps best known for her roles as the society matron who attempts to stop Mae West's plans for social climbing in the 1935 film, Goin' to Town and for a kinder socialite who Harold Lloyd teaches to box in 1934's The Milky Way.

Her other films include: The King's Vacation (1933) (her largest role, the female lead opposite George Arliss), Bureau of Missing Persons (1933), Private Number (1936), You'll Never Get Rich (1941), and Meet The Stewarts (1942). Gateson's film career faded in the late 1940s and she moved onto Television roles.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939).

A British film based on the novel of the same name by James Hilton. It was directed by Sam Wood. Cast: Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills, and Paul Henreid.

The movie begins when 83 year-old Mr. Chipping, a retired schoolteacher stays home because he is feeling under the weather and he falls asleep and his life is shown in a flashback dream:

When young Charles Chipping, first arrives to teach Latin to the Brookfield students, he becomes a target to their practical jokes. He becomes a strict disciplinarian as a result, making him respected, but not very well liked and he worries about his future as a teacher. His friend German teacher, Max Staefel, invites him to vacation with him in Austria. While hiking on the mountain, Chipping "rescues" Kathy Ellis, while she is out riding her bike.



They meet again in Vienna and dance to the Blue Danube Waltz. Max shares with her that the Danube River appears blue, only to those who are in love. As Chipping looks at the river, he notices that it is blue. They marry and return to England, where Kathy becomes well liked by everyone. During their very short marriage, she dies in childbirth, along with their baby. As the years pass, Chips becomes a much loved teacher, with several generations of students. Chips, retires at age 65, but is asked to fill in as headmaster, because of the shortage of teachers during World War I. He remembers his wife Kathy's prediction, that he would become headmaster one day. During a bombing attack by a Germans, Chips and the boys keep on working on their studies.

Now.. on his deathbed he overhears the men talking about him not having any children. He tells them, " I have thousands of them ... thousands of them ... and all boys."

She received her first Oscar nomination for the role in this film, but lost to Vivien Leigh for Gone with the Wind.

Greer Garson is wonderful as always in her role as the intelligent, free spirit "Mrs. Chips". The film is charming and sentimental and you certainly will need a box of Kleenex while watching this amazing film.

Lyn Harding (12 October 1867 – 26 December 1952). Was a Welsh actor who spent 40 years on the stage before performing in British silent films, talkies and radio. He had an imposing and menacing stage presence and was cast as the villain in many films, notably Professor Moriarty in the Sherlock Holmes stories.

The Sisters(1938).

The Sisters(1938). Directed by Anatole Litvak. The screenplay by Milton Krims is based on the best-selling 1937 novel of the same title by Myron Brinig. Cast: Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Anita Louise and Ian Hunter.

The story begins during the 1904 presidential election, sisters Louise, Helen and Grace, all plan on attending A ball held on the same evening. Tom Knivel, is about to propose to Louise when Frank Medlin,from San Francisco, asks her to dance.Later Frank at Sunday dinner in the Elliott home announces he and Louise plan to marry and the couple leave for San Francisco. Grace marries the jilted Tom and Helen marries Sam Johnson.

Louise and Frank are having a hard time making a living, when she becomes pregnant and she decides to keep her condition a secret. But.. the truth comes out when Louise suffers a miscarriage and her heartbroken husband begins to drink heavily. Frank's writing suffers as a result of his drinking and he loses his job. Louise finds a job at a department store.

Frank leaves San Francisco, to work on a ship bound for Singapore. When Louise arrives home, she finds a note from Frank and rushes to the docks, where a policeman mistaking her for a prostitute arrests her. By the time she is released, Frank's ship has left.

A few hours later, Louise's apartment building, is destroyed by the 1906 earthquake. When her father has not heard from her, he travels to San Francisco to look for her and finds her staying with her friend Flora Gibbon in a bordello.

Two year shave passed and things have gotten back to normal will Frank ever find his way back home?



This is a charming movie featuring Errol Flynn and Bette Davis. Davis gives a wonderful performance as the less fortunate of three sisters who is determined to stand by her man.

Fun Fact:

Several people are in studio records/casting call lists as cast members, but they did not appear or were not identifiable in the movie. These were (with their character names, if any): Edwin Brian (Newsboy), Rosella Towne, Susan Hayward, Paulette Evans and Frances Morris (Telephone Operators), John Harron, Lew Harvey, Richard Bond and Mira McKinney. The 4 telephone operators were possibly among a group seen only from the rear and are not recognizable.




Anita Louise (January 9, 1915 – April 25, 1970), made her acting debut on Broadway at the age of six, and within a year was performing in Hollywood films. By her late teens she was being cast in leading and supporting roles in major productions.

Among her film successes were: Madame Du Barry (1934), A Midsummer Night's Dream (1935), The Story of Louis Pasteur (1935), Anthony Adverse (1936), Marie Antoinette (1938), The Sisters (1938), and The Little Princess (1939).

By the 1940s, she was reduced to minor roles and acted very infrequently until television in the 1950s, which provided her with further opportunities. In middle age she played one of her most widely seen roles as the gentle mother, Nell McLaughlin, in the CBS television series My Friend Flicka from 1956–1957, with co-stars Johnny Washbrook, Gene Evans, and Frank Ferguson.

Jezebel (1938).

Jezebel (1938). Drama film directed by William Wyler.Cast: Bette Davis and Henry Fonda, supported by George Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp, Richard Cromwell, and Fay Bainter. The film was adapted by Clements Ripley, Abem Finkel, John Huston and Robert Buckner, from the play by Owen Davis, Sr.

The story is about a headstrong, controlling, young woman named Julie Marsden, who is engaged to a sucessful banker, Preston Dillard. Wanting to get even with Preston, for not dropping his work to help her shop for a dress, she orders a beautiful red dress to wear to ball. It was the custom for all the proper unmarried women to wear white dresses and no one could say anything to change her mind.

Preston and Julie's, entrance is met with disapproval by everyone at the ball. She is embarrassed and begs Preston to take her home, angry he forces her to dance with him. All the other dancers leave the floor, leaving them alone. When, the orchestra stops playing, Preston orders them to continue and they finish the dance.

Preston breaks off their engagement, not before Julie slaps him in the face. Aunt Belle Massey, tells her to go after Preston and beg his forgiveness, but she refuses, believing that he will come back to her. He leaves town and heartbroken Julie, closes herself off from the world.

A year later, Preston returns, to help Dr. Livingstone, try to prevent an outbreak of yellow fever. Julie goes to him and begs for his forgiveness. That is when Preston, introduces her to his wife Amy, who he married while away. Heartbroken, Julie has a skilled duellist Buck Cantrell, challenge Preston, but the plan backfires. Preston's brother Ted, is the one who accepts the challenge.In a twist of fate, Ted wins.

A epidemic of yellow fever hits the city and Preston becomes ill and is quarantined on an island. While Amy, is making plans to go to care for him, Julie stops her and begs to go in her place.

This is a wonderful period film.. This maybe one of Bette Davis' best and most memorable performances. Fay Bainter, gives a wonderful performance as Aunt Belle. Henry Fonda, performance shows a hint of his future as a Hollywood star.

Fun Facts:

Has been called a black-and-white version of Gone with the Wind (1939), which was in its pre-production stages at the time.

Some scenes were filmed around Henry Fonda, to allow him to be with his wife as she gave birth to their daughter Jane Fonda, including scenes with the sometimes-prickly star, Bette Davis. As the star of the film Davis was within her rights to insist that Fonda remain until their scenes were finished, but she allowed him to complete his shots and leave.

Margaret Lindsay (September 19, 1910 - May 9, 1981). She was best known for her supporting work in films of the 1930s and 1940s such as: Jezebel (1938) and Scarlet Street (1945) and her leading roles in "B movies" such as the, Ellery Queen series in the early 1940s.She is best known for her performance in the film, The House of the Seven Gables(1940) .