ANITA LOUISE.

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CineMaven
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ANITA LOUISE.

Post by CineMaven »

Put this under the banner of eeeerie. Check out this post from August 5th, 2009 in the old “The Forum for Questions for Charlie Tabesh” Thread:

http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... 0&start=45
[u]CARRIE LIZ[/u] wrote:Dear Mr. Tabesh,

Like Birdy, I want to thank you for TCM's frequent birthday salutes to lesser known actors and actresses. Is there any chance of seeing a salute to Anita Louise this coming January 9?...

Sincerely,
Carrie
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Photo Courtesy of Mongo II’s CANDIDS Thread
On 10/14/2011 - FEAITO wrote:Today I also saw the very interesting and finely acted "Our Betters" (1933), a British drawing room comedy-drama (based on a Somerset Maugham work) deftly directed by George Cukor. The film has lot of cynicism, immorality, witty dialogue and decadence. It deals with the relationships of a group of American expatriate heiresses married to impoverished European and British nobles; social climbers; gigolos, etc. Connie Bennett is married to a British Lord and she is willing to perform her obligations, but she discovers (on her wedding day) that he married her ("this creature") only for her money and that she's in love with another noblewoman, whom he could not marry because she's as penniless as him. Thus, dear Connie becomes a bitter, cynical woman and the leading lady of the British "scene"...her marriage is a fake (she and her husband lead separate lives)...he with his lover and she with her many successive lovers, phony friends, parties, etc. Enter Violet Kemble-Cooper (a widowed Duchess - her husband had a French title), luminous Phoebe Foster (a Princess by marriage -honest and true to life, for a change), Grant Mitchell (a gossipy phony American who copies the mores and ways of high class Britishers), Anita Louise (Connie's young sister, who's marveled at this ideal "world" in which her sister lives and at the prospect of being married to a British Marquis), Gilbert Roland (a shameless, arrogant, cynical gigolo who uses Kemble-Cooper), Charles Starrett (a cousin of Connie and Anita, just arrived from America, who wants to mingle in Connie's set, but who carries a torch for Anita) and Minor Watson (Connie's current rich lover). The exchanges between these people are a joy to listen to, especially Connie Bennett and Violet Kemble-Cooper, both of whom give terrific, first-rate performances. And at the end of the film, a very offbeat, cartoonish "pansy" character arrives to Connie's estate, to teach dance lessons to the ladies -most notably the Tango to Kemble-Cooper- Tyrrell Davis -the ultimate effeminate character allowed before the Code and discussed in some Pre-Code books.

Delightful film.
-
On 11/13/2012 MOIRA FINNIE wrote: OUR BETTERS (1933-George Cukor) at 9:45pm (ET): Based on a 1917 W. Somerset Maugham play, this is a somewhat creaky satirical critique of society made in the midst of The Great Depression. This film tries for a bittersweet brittleness but there are almost no likable characters among the jaded British aristocrats whose idleness and curdled lives center around card games, meals, and long weekends at each others stately homes while engaging in discreet liaisons. Constance Bennett plays a wealthy American woman married to an English aristocrat who only wed her for her money. Her revenge? Dissipation, general snarkiness, a lavish wardrobe, and a boy toy (Gilbert Roland, who barely speaks). This film is noteworthy for the atmosphere of general pre-code naughtiness, but it goes one step further with the specific presence of one of the most flamboyantly portrayed gay characters seen on the screen up to that time. The uncredited Tyrell Davis appears in the role of the mincing dance master Ernest, whose arrival near the last part of the movie shakes up the stale air a bit, but I have never fully understood if Maugham or Cukor meant this character to be the only person who pierces the hypocrisy around him with his outlandish truth-telling or if he is meant to be seen as a satirical by-product of this decadent atmosphere. In either case, Davis takes the kind of role owned by Edward Everett Horton and Franklin Pangborn to an extreme that would disappear as soon as the production code began to pinch in the following year. If only classic Hollywood had found the stereotypical portrayals of other nationalities and races as offensive as one lipstick-wearing guy--but then, that would probably have led to no Hattie McDaniel, no Benson Fong or even any Gilbert Roland.
Here are two great reviews for a movie that just aired on TCM recently. Now 'less you think "Oh no, they just showed this already! TCM is falling down on the job!" hold on. This time, the focus is not on that most sophisticated of pre-code blondes Constance Bennett ( if you can tear your heart away from Gilbert Roland ) but on a quieter actress, one a little more in the background; the gal with the two first names: ANITA LOUISE.

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This won't be a well-visited thread because after all, who IS Anita Louise in the scheme of the Golden Age of Hollywood? She's no Garbo or Stanwyck or Dietrich. She doesn't blaze the screen like Bette Davis or have the blinding sex appeal of Harlow or Marilyn or Rita. She may not command the screen with the brilliance that warrants 1000-watt klieg lights on The Leading Lady. But TCM saw fit to shine a spotlight on some of her performances this Wednesday morning ( 1/9/13 ). And this again is why I love TCM. They think all actors and themes great and small, quiet and volcanic are worthy of our time. Anita Louise has a quiet patrician beauty. I first discovered her when I was a little girl in love with Johnny Washbrook and the beautiful horse of "My Friend Flicka." ( Oh Flicka! Flicka! Why can't you be Johnny Crawford. ) It was a little later that I recognized her in "Marie Antoinette." ( "Hey, there's Ken's mom!" ) She got her infrequent chance to shine alongside leading stars like Bette Davis or Errol Flynn or Fredric March and appear in "A" films like "Anthony Adverse" or "A Mid-Summer Night's Dream" or "The Story of Louis Pasteur." She's that ofttimes thankless role of The Supporting Actress; the beautiful girl who still doesn't quite get the boy ( "Love Letters" ) lacking some quality that makes him choose another. When I see her in something, she makes me smile. She's familiar. No she doesn't take center stage, but you see her off to the side. You notice her. I like those unsung actresses like Marsha Hunt or Aline MacMahon, Margaret Lindsay or Fay Bainter who give quietly good performances.
On 9/30/2011 FEAITO wrote:Today I re-watched Warner's lavish, censored, butchered and amusing "Madame Du Barry" (1934) with beautiful Dolores Del Río as the wanton Countess -just remembered that this was the title of the English (dubbed) version of Visconti's "Senso")....Anita Louise is pretty and sweetly "spoiled" as the young Marie Antoinette (this actress excelled in period stuff...she later acted in Warner's 1935 "A Midsummer's Night Dream", "Anthony Adverse" and "The Sisters" with Bette Davis, she "went again" to the XVIIIth Century France, this time to impersonate Marie Antoinette's doomed best friend, "La Princesse de Lamballe", in the sumptuous 1938 Shearer vehicle; and yet again, I remember her fondly in the highly enjoyable 1940's frolic "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest", opposite Cornel Wilde).
So here are the movies TCM will air. Now I'm not even going to sit here and tell you I'm gonna watch some 18th century drama. But "Our Betters" got rave reviews from you guys. And I also like B-movies with second or even third-rung movie stars. TCM, you're making this a very interesting start of the new year for film buffs.

I hope you're out there somewhere CarrieLiz, still watching classic films. TCM listened.

6:00 AM THE GREAT MEADOW (1931) - Early American frontiersmen brave the mountains to settle Kentucky. Dir: Charles Brabin Cast:  John Mack Brown, Eleanor Boardman, Lucille LaVerne. BW-79 mins.

7:30 AM OUR BETTERS (1933) - An American heiress marries into the British nobility. Dir: George Cukor Cast:  Constance Bennett, Violet Kemble-Cooper, Phoebe Foster. BW-83 mins.

9:00 AM PERSONAL MAID'S SECRET (1935) - A maid's ability to pick stock market winners keeps her employer in the money. Dir: Arthur Greville Collins Cast:  Margaret Lindsay, Warren Hull, Anita Louise. BW-58 mins.

10:15 AM CALL IT A DAY (1937) - An average day brings a variety of comic problems to members of a British family. Dir: Archie Mayo Cast:  Olivia de Havilland, Ian Hunter, Anita Louise. BW-90 mins.

12:00 PM DANGEROUS BLONDES (1943) - A mystery writer and his wife investigate the murder of a couturier's wife. Dir: Leigh Jason Cast:  Allyn Joslyn, Evelyn Keyes, Edmund Lowe. BW-81 mins.

1:30 PM THE DEVIL'S MASK (1946) - A detective tries to identify a shrunken head found in a crashed cargo plane. Dir: Henry Levin Cast:  Anita Louise, Jim Bannon, Michael Duane. BW-66 mins.
"You build my gallows high, baby."

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Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by MissGoddess »

Dangerous Blondes and The Devil's Mask sound entertaining, I wish I could be home to enjoy them!

Anita did get to be a leading lady (and a town pariah---an "illegitimate" daughter) in one John Ford film: Judge Priest. :)

With Errol and pal in Green Light (what lovely profiles, all three!)
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Here she is with one of your other favorites, Margaret Lindsay (and Warren Hull, from Personal Maid):
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Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by The Ingenue »

[u]CineMaven[/u] wrote:I hope you're out there somewhere CarrieLiz, still watching classic films. TCM listened.
Dreams DO come true!


Image
Anita's 22nd birthday is celebrated in 1937. Gentlemen in the back row are (from left): Donald Woods, Ronald Reagan,
John Payne and Pat O'Brien. Standing at table with Anita are old friend and former fiance Tom Brown, June Travis (I think),
Anne Shirley, [help!--Ruth Robinson perhaps?] and Jane Bryan. Photo by Schuyler Crail.



She's been a favorite since childhood viewings of "The Little Princess" (1939), when she seemed to be the living, breathing angel come down from atop the Christmas tree. I loved reading your post about her, CineMaven.

Anita would have been 98 yesterday. She was born the same year as my Grandmama, whose home was the origin of those "Little Princess" screenings. But the 55 years of the life of Anita Louise Fremault were spent largely before the cameras--moving-picture cameras or still. She had been a photographer's model in toddler-hood, and "old, old friend" Tom Brown recalled modeling with her for Alcoa motorboats: "Anita was six and I was eight." Film appearances began when she was seven, with "Down to the Sea in Ships" (1922). Director Elmer Clifton reportedly noticed the young Anita in the oncamera crowd and asked her, “Are you Swedish?” She replied, “No, I'm Catholic!”

She was on stage; she was on film, and the full extent of her work has yet to be discovered. The lady herself put the total of film appearances above 70. Come the early 1950s she, like Loretta Young, turned to television and, in fact, appeared in a 1957 episode of Loretta's show, titled "Power Play". There were roles in "Mannix" in 1969 and "Mod Squad" in 1970. Anita was campaigning for a part in "The Love Machine" (1971), which would have been her return to films, when she passed away. Dyan Cannon played the role Anita had wanted.

It was a busy life, and she seemed to thrive on it. Perhaps, starting so young, that very public life seemed natural to Anita. Cast-mate Jim Bannon praised her as "completely charming and a dream to work with."
A couple of weeks ago we finished the second of the 'I Love A Mystery' films. I’m not too sure if the script for this one was better than the first or not. One thing is for certain, it was a lot wilder story and, as far as I’m concerned, had a lot more action than the first one. Anita Louise had the female lead and I have rarely encountered a more delightful or more beautiful girl.
-- Bannon, in a letter to his parents
The Louise-Bannon film was "The Devil's Mask" (1946), part of TCM's tribute yesterday, and an eerie thing as I recall from a 2009 viewing. But stylish, with cinematographer Henry Freulich presenting Anita as Nicholas Musuraca had Simone Simon in "Cat People" (1942).

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Wheeler Winston Dixon wrote a terrific article about the "I Love a Mystery" film series for Noir of the Week: http://www.noiroftheweek.com/2010/11/i- ... eries.html
[u]CineMaven[/u] wrote:This won't be a well-visited thread because after all, who IS Anita Louise in the scheme of the Golden Age of Hollywood?
Who is she? A sublime beauty, a leading lady, a featured player, a workhorse, a dazzler. An exquisite part of Hollywood's silvered dreams.
feaito

Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by feaito »

What a wonderful and well deserved thread Tess... and thanks for quoting me; I am honored. Anita is an actress with whom I became familiar as a kid watching -at least a couple of times- the very entertaining "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest" (1946) with Cornel Wilde.

She had a regal bearing and was ideally suited for period pictures like the mentioned above, portraying dignified, elegant and noble-born ladies. In fact, currently I'm reading a book focused on the life of Pedro I, Emperor of Brazil, in which his wife Archduchess Leopoldine of Habsburg-Lotharingen and Bourbon is a portrayed as the cultured, dignified, educated, refined and classy daughter of Austrian Emperor Francis II, and Anita Louise comes repeatedly to my mind as the ideal actress for that role :wink:

Some time ago I saw Anita as a youngster in the not altogether successful "The Marriage Playground" (1929) and she was good. I also recall watching her impersonate Helen Twelvetrees' beloved daughter in "Millie" (1931), which was released on DVD by the Roan Group in the late 1990s.

She was very good too as the young daughter of the family for whom the impoverished Royal Russians Charles Boyer and Claudette Colbert work for in "Tovarich" (1937); I recall she was infatuated with Boyer, and as one of the "The Sisters" (1938). I have to revisit one of my favorite films "Love Letters" (1945) to fully appreciate again her participation in it, since besides the two leads I can only recall Ann Richards' performance.

Carrie Liz, is so good to "see" you here. Everytime I see Frances Dee on film I think of you and your wonderful website dedicated to her. Is that Mary Brian with Dick Arlen on your avatar?
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Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by moira finnie »

It's great to see this thread devoted to the largely unsung Anita Louise, whose films have always appealed to me. CarrieLiz, thanks for posting your insights--it is great to know that you are around still.
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Re: ANITA LOUISE.

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Fernando and Moira: Oh, it's lovely to be able to talk with you again! Thank you both for your welcome.
[u]feaito[/u] wrote:Is that Mary Brian with Dick Arlen on your avatar?
Indeed it is. You've a good eye, Fernando. Isn't it a wonderful still? One of my very favorites. It's a promotional shot from "The Light of Western Stars" (1930), and I believe the photographer may have been Otto Dyar. ( Care to see it larger? )

Dick Arlen... Are you a fan of his, then?
[u]feaito[/u] wrote:She had a regal bearing and was ideally suited for period pictures...portraying dignified, elegant and noble-born ladies.
And yet the regality and the Dresden-china beauty, though assets that were prized ( and often solely praised ), weren't the be-all, end-all with her. That's what I love about her. She seemed aware of what she had going for her ( you bet she was aware: these were tools of her trade ), but never taken in. And there's a smile in the eyes. And warmth. ( The scene in "The Little Princess" where Shirley sees the Mafeking postmark on her father's letter and starts to cry, and is comforted by Anita, has always stuck with me. ) There's a loveliness about her that has less to do with her appearance than with something projected from within. She had grace... and, given the chance, she could equal it with spunk.

Didn't she do that well in "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest"! Her character there seems to me, to borrow a quote from Errol Flynn about Greer Garson, "finely bred, the epitome of...cultured womanhood. She is all this, but at the same time a mischievous imp."

There was always a sense of fun about her ( providing the script allowed her to show it ). It was there from the start, in the films she made as a child actress: a dancing sense of delight, as belongs to a happy child relishing hours spent in a world of make-believe. I hope it was truly so for her. According to an article Anita penned for newspaper publication in 1938, it might have been:
People often ask me how it [felt] to be a child star, and they are always surprised when I answer 'fine'....I took acting as a game and enjoyed it immensely....The funny part of it is that in 'growing up' I have never lost the enjoyment I get out of making pictures.
-- "'Child Actress' Now 21 Writes Her 'Memoirs'", The St. Petersburg Times, July 22, 1938, p. 13. ( Found in the Google News archives. )
Look at her in "A Midsummer Night's (glorious) Dream":

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Shimmeringly beautiful. A fairy queen dancing for the camera...with a look on her face that says, "Isn't this silly? Oh... but it's fun!"

Lately, I'm taken with Anita's Columbia films. As part of their stock company, she made thirteen pictures between 1940 and 1947, all of them (I think) Bs--the realm of film where mettle is tested, and gold really shines.

I received the Sony "Columbia Classics on Demand" DVD-R of "Harmon of Michigan" (1941) for Christmas. ( Oh, the wonderful, wonderful people who knew just what I wanted! ) Watching it, I was struck by... now, how do I describe it? A sense of her background, her professionalism. The child actress grown up, and still making it, and sharing her skill with the ( quite fine ) amateur Tom Harmon. That can be seen, too, in "The Little Princess", as the former child actress shares scenes with members of a more recent crop--themselves growing up and into new territory, as she had years before.

Have you seen Anita in "The Phantom Submarine" (1940)? The second of her Columbia Bs. She plays a lady reporter ( yep--you've gotta see it ) on a secret mission for Uncle Sam. She pops up, uninvited and definitely unwelcome, on Bruce Bennett's submarine.

BENNETT: "...there's one thing I told you, and that was to stay off this ship."
ANITA: "Oh yes, I remember. And there's one thing I want to know: What are you going to do about it?"
BENNETT: "What am I going to do about it? I'd throw you into the drink, only it's ten-to-one you know how to swim."

That's the Anita I love: the beautiful girl plunging into the action--in the man's-world of "The Phantom Submarine", in Hollywood's world of shining surfaces and short memories--using her looks and her poise as tools to her advantage. And showing the gold underneath.
feaito

Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by feaito »

Thanks for that very insightful post on Anita CarrieLiz. You are absolutely right. I'll have to look for those Anita Louise Columbias of the '40s. I'm not familiar with the ones you mention.

BTW, "A midsummer Night's Dream" (1935) has become a special favorite of mine and Anita gives Titania the right dosis of ladylike qualities, sexiness, playfulness (and even mischievousness), femininity et al. She's a joy to behold!

The Arlen-Brian still is indeed wonderful. I've become familiar with Dick Arlen and I have become fond of his performances in both Silents and Talkies. He has a down-to-earth, honest, unassuming quality that I find appealing; besides his appearance resembles how a 9 year old nephew of whom I am very fond of, should look like when he grows up. I showed my brother a photo of Richard Arlen and he was impressed by the resemblance of their facial features.

So far, I've enjoyed his performances in "Beggars of Life", "Wings", "Island of Lost Souls", "Dangerous Curves", "The Virginian", "Three-Cornered Moon" and "Tiger Shark". I'm very interested in seeing more of his films.
feaito

Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by feaito »

I'm currently reading Rudy Behlmer's "Inside Warner Bros. (1935-1951)", which is comprised of the transcriptions of letters and memos regarding some of the most important WB films that were made during those years and I learned that Anita Louise was considered for the leading feminine roles of "The Charge of the Light Brigade" (1936) and "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938).

She wasn't cast as Elsa Campbell in the former mainly because screenwriter Rowland Leigh felt that British Audiences would never had accepted her as a British Colonel's daughter brought up in England, due to Ms. Louise's intonation which -in his opinion- would be perceived as 100% American, whereas Olivia De Havilland would be believable both in looks and voice as the Miss Campbell. Besides, studio exuctives wanted to handle the film's publicity as a follow-up to "Captain Blood" (1935)

Anita was the the first choice for the role of Maid Marian in the latter film, but since Warners wanted to cash in the continuing success of the Flynn-De Havilland teaming in Brigade, they notified her that the role would be played by De Havilland.

It must have been quite frustrating for Anita Louise to lose these coveted roles in such sure box-office hits; if Warner executives hadn't changed their mind, we would have been able to see her as Maid Marian and in Technicolor quite early in her career...Well, at least she played a similar role in the Technicolor production "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest" (1946) at Columbia, almost a decade after...
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Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by CineMaven »

Fans of the delicately beautiful ANITA LOUISE will be in luck. Just like last year, TCM will have a Capricorn tribute to her this Thursday ( January 9th ) morning. I think her career parallels that other gorgeous gal, Loretta Young's. Starting in films at a young age Anita Louise never really broke through to be a star in her own right. But I always found her to be a wonderful presence in films:

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6:15 AM - THE FLORODORA GIRL (1930)
 
A turn-of-the-century chorus girl searches for romance. BW-79 mins.

___

7:45 AM - EVERYTHING'S ROSIE (1931)

A carnival con artist tries to mend his ways when his adopted daughter gets engaged. Dir: Clyde Bruckman. Cast: Robert Woolsey, Anita Louise, John Darrow. BW-67 mins.

___

9:00 AM - MILLIE (1931)
 
A prostitute turns to murder to protect her teenage daughters honor. Dir: John Francis Dillon. Cast: Helen Twelvetrees, Lilyan Tashman, Robert Ames. BW-85 mins.

___

10:30 AM - THE FIREBIRD (1934)
 
A young girl's secret romance is exposed when her lover is murdered. Dir: William Dieterle. Cast: Verree Teasdale, Ricardo Cortez, Lionel Atwill. BW-74 mins.

___

11:45 AM - THAT CERTAIN WOMAN (1937)
 
A gangster's widow fights for love despite society's disapproval. Dir: Edmund Goulding. Cast: Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, Anita Louise. BW-94 mins.

___

1:30 PM - GREEN LIGHT (1937)
 
An idealistic doctor sacrifices his career to protect an elderly surgeon. Dir: Frank Borzage. Cast: Errol Flynn, Anita Louise, Margaret Lindsay. BW-85 mins.

___

3:00 PM - THE SISTERS (1938)
 
Three western girls make unhappy marriages at the turn of the century. Dir: Anatole Litvak. Cast: Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Anita Louise. BW-99 mins.

___

4:45 PM - THE GORILLA (1939)
 
Three screwball detectives try to protect a lawyer from a murderous gorilla. Dir: Allan Dwan. Cast: Jimmy Ritz, Harry Ritz, Al Ritz. BW-66 mins.

___

6:00 PM - THESE GLAMOUR GIRLS (1939)
 
A drunken college boy invites a taxi dancer to spend the weekend at his snobbish school. Dir: S. Sylvan Simon. Cast: Lew Ayres, Lana Turner, Tom Brown. BW-79 mins.
"You build my gallows high, baby."

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Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by mongoII »

It so happens I'll be featuring Anita Louise tomorrow in the birthday section of my CANDIDS thread.
She certainly was a stunning actress.
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Re: ANITA LOUISE.

Post by rerun »

mongoII wrote:It so happens I'll be featuring Anita Louise tomorrow in the birthday section of my CANDIDS thread.
She certainly was a stunning actress.
I doubled her on the Flicka series. She certainly was a lovely lovely lady.
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