Ronald Colman

[intothenitrate]

Momentum. That's a good criteria. I've felt it in films that wowed me and missed it in films that didn't. And your example of Now Voyager--which I revisited recently--is very well-placed. Thanks AH.

I'll have to think of a good example of a favorite actor or actress making the most of an icky production.

[JackFavell]

AnnHarding - the fact that you spent time translating the novelization in order to save a little bit of the feeling of the film is really inspiring. I am constantly amazed at the work being done on this website, by all the members. Thank you!

Though I understand your viewpoint on Random Harvest and it's supposed clunkiness, I still love it and fall in love every time... I see a lot of art put into the picture, especially by the two lead actors. Chacun a son gout! And as for Now Voyager, I love it too... but Bette Davis was completely horrified by Steiner's score.

[Ann Harding]

I know that Bette Davis complained about Max Steiner's prominence in films. But, she was very friendly with Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Nevertheless, both Steiner and Korngold are responsible -for a great part- for the success of many Warner pictures. They enhance films in a way that cannot be overlooked. I guess it's the classical music lover that speaks in me.
At MGM, Herbert Stothart provided some really boring, repetitive compilations on many films. He was not up to their standards. To improve Random Harvest, the first thing I would do is to strip it of its gooey score, apart from Greer Garson's musical number at the beginning.

[charliechaplinfan]

I got a reply back from the Arromanches museum, it was Ronald Colman. How bizarre for it not to be listed anywhere.

[Ann Harding]

I got a reply back from the Arromanches museum, it was Ronald Colman. How bizarre for it not to be listed anywhere.

Thanks for letting us know. Very strange indeed...

[Rita Hayworth]

I got a reply back from the Arromanches museum, it was Ronald Colman. How bizarre for it not to be listed anywhere.

I got a reply back from the Arromanches museum, it was Ronald Colman. How bizarre for it not to be listed anywhere.

Thanks for letting us know. Very strange indeed...

I'm speechless ... I'm loss of words here ... just like Ann Harding said "very strange indeed" and just like "How bizarre for it not to be listed anywhere" by CCF. I spent a good hour or two searching the Internet trying to confirm it myself without any luck whatsoever - and waited 17 years to finally know the "truth" is something beyond comprehension. I have seen Prisoner of Zenda over 3 times in my lifetime and I know Ronald Colman's voice (its unmistakable) and none of the ladies at the museum couldn't confirm it - until now.. charliechaplinfan - this put a big on my face and now I can update my travel diary to confirm this for good :!:

A big thank you for CCF for shedding the light of this mystery ... thanks!

[charliechaplinfan]

I can't shed any other light on it apart from it being a film about the mulberry harbours that were brought to Arromanches to supply the Allies via the sea. It's quite an amazing story, the Germans had completely fortified every port and expected an attack at one of them knowing that an attack could not be sustained without a port and lo and behold Winston comes up with a plan that takes fruition and these mulberry harbours get built and towed across the Channel. Two weeks after the attack the weather turned and the worst Summer storm battered Normandy but thankfully the harbours at Arromanches stayed strong, unfortunately the ones on Utah beach didn't hold. I wonder if the film would be available on youtube? I apologise for not having time at the moment to look.

[moira finnie]

Is it possible that this is what is used at the Arromanches Museum? It was broadcast live on the radio June 6, 1944. Colman reads Edna St Vincent Millay's Poem & Prayer For An Invading Army, which she wrote for the occasion.
[youtube][/youtube]

[JackFavell]

Another thought I had was that Colman lent his voice without credit, to support the cause.

[moira finnie]

Another thought I had was that Colman lent his voice without credit, to support the cause.

That's what I'm wondering too. Since he was a WWI vet invalided out of the war after being wounded at the Battle of Messines, he never seemed eager to discuss this period of his life and was not militaristic, but did everything he could to support the war effort during WWII. Perhaps he might have donated his voice to the film anonymously as a tribute to the men who gave their lives there.

[Rita Hayworth]

It's been an interesting discussion about Ronald Colman in the past few days - ever since CCF came back from Europe. I really enjoyed reading these posts with pondering thoughts about him. I admire Ronald Colman work as an actor, I know he was a WWI vet, as Moria pointed out earlier; he is a man of many talents and I have enjoyed his role as an actor immensely. I have seen over a dozen of his movies in his career and I enjoyed them all.

[moira finnie]

Do you have a favorite Ronald Colman film, Kingme? I am always torn between A Tale of Two Cities and Random Harvest.

[Rita Hayworth]

Do you have a favorite Ronald Colman film, Kingme? I am always torn between A Tale of Two Cities and Random Harvest.

I'm just like you. Both of these and Prisoner of Zenda (an add on) are my three most favorite Colman movies ... I seen both of these movies (not the Prisoner one) at Harvard Exit - located on 807 E Roy St, Seattle as a double bill back in the late 1980's on a Saturday Afternoon ... and had a ball watching them together.

Harvard Exit Theater is a Seattle Institution and it's showcase all the best independent film and foreign language cinema for the past 50-60 years and I often visit the theater about 3-5 times a year. Klondike (is from Seattle) can vouch for me that this theater is a National Historical Landmark (it was built in 1925) and I always enjoyed the cozy atmosphere there. Many foreign films shown there and sometimes they hold discussions afterwards - so its gives you a chance to share your feelings about the movie - and that alone is worth going there. I love to hear other people has to say about them ... just like we do here.

[charliechaplinfan]

Unfortunately that isn't the clip, I've looked on youtube through lots of holiday videos of Arromanches but can't find it. I'll have to continue investigations, if anyone has a brainwave, let me know.

[moira finnie]

Kingme,
That revival theater sounds wonderful. Fortunately I live near the George Eastman House and go there for films that they often restore or feature. I should have mentioned Prisoner of Zenda too. I like the byplay among Colman, David Niven, C. Aubrey Smith and--best of all--Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. as that bad Rupert of Henztau! It doesn't hurt to have both Madeleine Carroll and Mary Astor in one picture either.

I hope you can unearth more info about Colman's narration, Alison. It sounds fascinating.