Loretta Young

Discussion of the actors, directors and film-makers who 'made it all happen'
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moira finnie
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Post by moira finnie »

I really like RAMONA with co - star Don Ameche, as an American Indian couple who meet many travails along the way. Set in 1800's California.
Ramona (1936) is a well done film of the Helen Hunt Jackson book, and since I believe that is the first time that Loretta Young's exceptional beauty was seen in color on film, its occasional appearance on the Fox Movie Channel is a treat for those of us lucky enough to have access to that cable outlet. It's also one of the earlier sympathetic portrayals of Native Americans to come out of Hollywood, similar, in a way, to The Squaw Man.

My only problem with the movie is that Don Ameche, who loosened up considerably in later roles, seems to be one of the few Indians in movies who could more easily have also been chairman of the local Jaycees or Rotary Club. But then, the touching, technicolor love story of Ramona, Alessandro and their baby as they struggled to survive is the thing here, not the limitations of Ameche's then fledging acting abilities.
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Post by Vecchiolarry »

Hi,

Two tales out of school about Loretta:

1) "Ramona" was supposed to be made with Dolores Del Rio but somehow she got it into her head that to appear as an Indian would be bad for her career.
Then, Merle Oberon was supposed to do it, but Samuel Goldwyn put the nix on that.
Then, Loretta Young campaigned for the role and got it and a big new Fox contract and Queen of the Studio, when it merged with 20th Century.
I knew all three ladies later in life and always noticed that Dolores and Merle (who were very friendly) were never fond of Loretta.
In 1954/55, when Loretta became ill and was absent from her TV show, many stars pitched in to substitute as hostess but I can't remember whether Dolores or Merle ever did. I don't think so!!
Does anybody have tapes of "The Loretta Young Show" where her friends substituted for her?

2) In the Cecil B. De Mille movie, "The Crusades", Loretta is shown 'married by proxy' to a sword (Richard the Lionheart) substitute. Loretta's favourite line ever delivered (by a soldier to her) in one of her movies is: "Dis is sure gonna be tough on you, baby!"
She used to laugh about that with me often and chortle, "I'm sure that was contemporary 12th century slang!!"........

Larry
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Post by pktrekgirl »

Loretta Young is not my favorite actress...but I like her just fine.

Back during William Holden month, my biggest pleasant surprise of the entire month was the film RACHEL AND THE STRANGER...which I ended up liking WAY more than I thought I would. She was great in that one and it is probably one of my favorite western-esque sorts of pictures that does not feature Gary Cooper. :P

And I do like DEVIL TO PAY. Although that is likely at least in part because I'm so awestruck by Ronald Colman.

I'm not really particular to her in ALONG CAME JONES though. She is not believable in the slightest. Even with Gary Cooper's help in the sort of 'Aww shucks' cowboy role he normally excelled at.

And I'm not thrilled about her in KEY TO THE CITY either. It's a cute film and she is not bad or anything...but I can't help but wonder if it would have been even better with someone else in her role...because Clark Gable is certainly in his element in that one.

I'm looking forward to EMPLOYEE'S ENTRANCE and THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER. I've not seen either of those and can't wait!
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Sue Sue Applegate
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Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

I thoroughly enjoyed The Farmer's Daughter because Loretta seemed so sincere and honest, but yet not a pushover.

And I feel, too, that although she gave a a fine performance in Key To The City , that she and Gable just didn't seem to have the click to make the chemistry something special.
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moira finnie
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Post by moira finnie »

Larry,
Thanks so much for your insight into the playful side of Loretta Young's personality, as her humorous comment about "dose woids" from Da Crusades indicates the existence of a fine sense of the absurdity of much of Hollywood.

Hope those ladies formerly in competition for roles made up their career spat by the fifties, but who knows...
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Post by MissGoddess »

Great story Larry, I don't often hear about Loretta's sense of humor and wondered if she had much of one. Nice to know she did. :wink:
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Post by Vecchiolarry »

Hi Moira and Miss G,

Oh yes, Loretta wasn't all straight-laced religion, although that was important to her.
The Young sisters and mother were grass roots people who worked and earned their money and had lots of fun too.
I knew Gladys Beltzer better than the others, as she was a friend of my grandmother. She was the real religious tyrant of the group but she was also a very loving mother earth type. You could sit on her lap and hug her; not something I ever did with Nell.
Also, Loretta was a very good mother and you could visit her on set, something not every star allowed.
All in all, Loretta was a 'good egg'!!!

Larry
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Post by pktrekgirl »

Sue Sue Applegate wrote: And I feel, too, that although she gave a a fine performance in Key To The City , that she and Gable just didn't seem to have the click to make the chemistry something special.
Yeah...this is really want I was trying to say...but you said it better. She wasn't bad in the role. But I do tend to 'blame' her for the picture not really working because Gable was essentially the same character he was in a billion other films....and he turned in the same level of performance in this one as he did in so many others.

I don't know...maybe it's unfair to attribute the lack of spark in this picture to her. But I can't help but think I'd have rather seen Myrna Loy. :lol:
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Sue Sue Applegate
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Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

I certainly understand,pktrekgirl. Whenever I watch a film with a romantic angle, I'm always looking for the spark, and not every romantic pair can sparkle or click. It's just some sort of electricity or chemistry that makes the partnership work. I don't like to think of it as someone else's fault, but just that the dialogue doesn't crackle like it should, or that the facial expressions don't seem to match the words that are said.

I enjoyed Loretta Young and Clark Gable, and they certainly made The Call of the Wild an entertaining romance, but Myrna would have been an interesting choice for the lead of Key To The City, too.
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Post by MissGoddess »

Vecchiolarry wrote:Hi Moira and Miss G,

Oh yes, Loretta wasn't all straight-laced religion, although that was important to her.
The Young sisters and mother were grass roots people who worked and earned their money and had lots of fun too.
I knew Gladys Beltzer better than the others, as she was a friend of my grandmother. She was the real religious tyrant of the group but she was also a very loving mother earth type. You could sit on her lap and hug her; not something I ever did with Nell.
Also, Loretta was a very good mother and you could visit her on set, something not every star allowed.
All in all, Loretta was a 'good egg'!!!

Larry
Thanks for sharing that, Larry. Gladys sounds like a couple of women I've known myself and frankly they are among the few females I've ever been able to be close to so I bet I would have liked her. I always try to remember that no matter what someone seems to be, if you don't know them well personally you can be entirely mistaken in your opinion. So I've never completely "bought" that Loretta was as rigid as her reputation.

I'm sure you've also heard Marlene's slightly catty remark about Loretta and all the Catholic churches in L.A. ;)
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Post by pktrekgirl »

Sue Sue Applegate wrote: I enjoyed Loretta Young and Clark Gable, and they certainly made The Call of the Wild an entertaining romance, but Myrna would have been an interesting choice for the lead of Key To The City, too.
Well, I've not seen CALL OF THE WILD yet. Maybe I'll feel better about their screen teaming after watching that one. :)
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Post by ken123 »

JohnM wrote:Isn't Call of the Wild the film where Loretta got pregnant by Clark?

Yep ! :wink:
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Post by pktrekgirl »

^ Not at all incidentally, the chief reason why I suspect the chemistry might be better.

Kinda like TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT. :P
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Post by movieman1957 »

"Call Of The Wild" was on one of the Cinemax channels this morning so it may be repeated more through the week.
Chris

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