The Silver Screen Oasis

I hope you'll forgive me for putting this film in the silent category, it's because one of it's stars Marion Davies is primarily known for her silents and precodes. I wondered if anyone else had seen it and what they thought.

Cain and Mabel was made in 1936 as she came to the end of her tenure at MGM. A couple of things struck me then watching this film. Hearst must still have held considerable sway, his positive publicity must still have been valued because Marion got Gable as her co star, any other actress on the slide would not have got MGM's biggest prize. Also, not being unkind, Marion seems to be slightly past her prime, a bit bloated in the face. Marion is very good in it and has good chemistry with Gable.

Many thanks to Warners for releasing it.

Did you like the movie Alison? What was the storyline? It was one that I was considering getting from Warner's. As to Marion being a bit bloated, she did have a drinking problem that may have contributed to that. To his credit, Hearst did try to discourage her from it, whereas the only husband she ever had later on didn't care.

Brenda

I have this one recorded and think it's very cute. Just the quirky, silly kind of precode I like, although the tap dancing may give you a headache. Marion and Clark's characters have an antagonistic 'meet cute' then are thrown together as a couple as a publicity stunt. THis movie is full of fun character actors: Hobart Cavanaugh, EE CLive, Ruth Donnelly, Pert Karns, Allen Jenkins. I recommend it.

I always liked this film, and both Davies and Gable seem to be having fun. As noted the supporting cast is excellent. The music is solid as well, but it's the chemistry between Gable's prize fighter and Davies' musical star that makes this one fun. I love it when he calls her a cluck.

Plus the terrific supporting cast includes Ruth Donnelly, Pert Kelton, Allen Jenkins, William Collier, Sr., Sammy White, Roscoe Karns, Walter Catlett, Hobart Cavanaugh, Mary Treen, and Jane Wyman!

Oh, you have to see it Miss G and silentscreen. Marion and Clark just seem to having such fun with the material. There is a big revue in the middle of the film, Marion/Mabel is a waitress plucked out of nowhere to stardom and Clark/Cain has a publicity romance with her dreamed up by their respective managers, even though they themselves hate one another (yeah right!) Larry Cain goes every night to see Mabel in her revue called Words and Music and we get a couple of numbers that have a bit of a Busby Berkeley feel to them. Plus Clark stripped from waist up in some scenes make it all the more worth the while.

charliechaplinfan wrote:Oh, you have to see it Miss G and silentscreen. Marion and Clark just seem to having such fun with the material. There is a big revue in the middle of the film, Marion/Mabel is a waitress plucked out of nowhere to stardom and Clark/Cain has a publicity romance with her dreamed up by their respective managers, even though they themselves hate one another (yeah right!) Larry Cain goes every night to see Mabel in her revue called Words and Music and we get a couple of numbers that have a bit of a Busby Berkeley feel to them. Plus Clark stripped from waist up in some scenes make it all the more worth the while.

It sounds really cute Alison! Pure 30's hokem indeed. I really enjoy a little silliness now and again. It's such a serious world we live in; makes me want to go back in time. Audiences are so jaded now they wouldn't know what to think of pure escapism unless it has special effects. I get enough "re⋅al⋅i⋅ty" in day to day life!

Brenda