Book Review: Herbert Marshall, A Biography, by Scott O'Brien

Hooray! One of my favorites finally has a full-length biography: British actor Herbert Marshall (1890-1966).  Author Scott O'Brien has once again done a fabulous job with a lesser-known old Hollywood star, and those (like me!) who want to know about all there is to know about the talented, enigmatic Mr. 'Bart' Marshall should pick up a copy.  The biography was published in February of this year, and is available on Amazon, and also through the publisher's website Bear Manor Media.

[Check out my post on my favorite Marshall film performances here]

Mr. O'Brien certainly did his research. He unearthed many interviews published during Marshall's lifetime, but further, was able to talk to many of his friends and colleagues, other authors, and friends of friends, to get further insights into the real Mr. Marshall.  It should be noted that Marshall had a prolific stage career as well. O'Brien's book offers a complete list of his stage as well as screen credits. 

The book uses a chronological approach, and blends detail about his stage and film engagements with events from his personal life.  O'Brien adopts a matter-of-fact tone, and steers clear of drawing psychological inferences or embellishment.  The biography may have benefited from a bit more probing into the drive and ambition that Marshall would have mustered to overcome his disability, as well as the psychological toll over the years. The sources being ultimately limited most likely do not allow for that. 

  

When I first became a Marshall devotee a few years ago, I watched nearly all his films that could be found, and read as much as I could about him. Sadly, there wasn't much.  But I felt that I was pretty thorough in my own personal research, if frustrated with the lack of detail and contradictory reports.  So, I will admit with a modicum of pride that I was familiar with much of the detail of Marshall's life in the book.  Yet, there was much that I didn't know.  Here are just a few facts that were of particular interest to me:

War Injury:  Most classic film fans know Marshall lost a leg in World War I, and worked in Hollywood using an often painful prosthesis.  Many accounts state that he lost his *right* leg.  Thankfully, O'Brien confirms it was actually the LEFT, which is what I suspected all along after, as I mentioned, having watched nearly all of his available films. I can't explain why this is important to me, as Marshall, while not exactly hiding his injury, preferred not to talk much about it.  It's perhaps the laziness of other writers or researchers to be careless with facts that annoyed me whenever I came across this little error.  O'Brien even specifically cites author Mark Vieira as the source of this information.

1930s Hollywood glamor: Marshall with Trouble in Paradise co-star and friend Kay Francis 1930s Hollywood glamor: Marshall with Trouble in Paradise co-star and friend Kay Francis

Longevity:  Marshall worked his entire life, making his last film just a few months before he died at age 75.  According to O'Brien, Marshall never considered retirement.  This I find particularly interesting. It is not entirely clear if there were financial reasons, or Marshall just loved to work.  

Complicated personal life:  Having married five times and a carried on a significant relationship with Gloria Swanson during his adult life, it's natural that his personal life must have been complicated. But what I didn't know was that, according to comments by those that knew him, he was more of a ladies' man than even his documented relationships may have had you believe. His immense personal charm was a valuable asset in this regard.  That said, by all accounts, he was a generous, kind, and self-effacing person.

His connections with other stars:  Marshall was close to many in his profession. He was a lifelong friend of fellow British character actor Eric Blore. Marshall and Blore starred together in the comedy Breakfast For Two (1937), in which Blore played Marshall's valet. Barbara Stanwyck was the leading lady. It's a lesser known but still fun screwball comedy. Ronald Colman was also a close friend.  Both stars died before Marshall, and he grieved when he lost his old friends.

Eric Blore (left) and Marshall relax while making Breakfast for Two (Picture featured in O'Brien's biography of Herbert Marshall

Love of Trouble in Paradise:  What is one of my favorite films was apparently a favorite of Marshall's as well.  This gem from 1932 is a classic Ernst Lubitsch pre-code sophisticated European comedy. 

His middle-class upbringing: To those of us on this side of the Atlantic, a British accent often connotes education and/or breeding.  Marshall had a fabulous voice and terrific use of the 'Queen's English'. He was admired his entire life for that, and for his brand of 'Britishness' and gentlemanly manner. He sometimes bristled at being labeled a 'gentleman' because in the UK he was decidedly middle-class, having been born in a family of working actors.

Marshall's life and career arc have the advantage of extending through the full first half of cinema history, on two continents. For that reason alone, the biography is a fascinating read - how one person navigated serious setbacks, cultural barriers, etc., to find consistent work in the industry until the mid-1960s. 

Feb '17 Classic Film Screenings in Greater Boston

It's now truly the deep dark winter despite the fact that days are slowly and visibly getting longer.  To brighten those days, there are a number of tempting offerings of classic film on the big screen.

The Brattle Theatre
The Brattle gets the prize this month for arguably the greatest number and diversity of its classic film screenings.

Weds Feb 8: A 'special event' screening of Peter Bogdanovich's 1968 film Targets.  This stars Boris Karloff as a B-movie star dealing with an encounter with a mass-murderer in a drive in (!).  I've not seen this one, but being familiar with Karloff's early work as Frankenstein's monster and most recently, the night club owner in Night World, I would enjoy seeing him in his late career.  The film will be introduced live by musician and writer John Darnielle, whose novel Universal Harvester references the film.

Boris Karloff (left) and Peter Bogdanovich, who wrote, directed,
and acted in Targets from 1968

St. Valentine is appropriately celebrated the week of Feb 10-15 with the 'Great Romances' series. A few old favorites should be savored:

Sun, Feb 10:  Roman Holiday (1953) with two of the most gorgeous and equally talented people in 1950s Hollywood, Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck.  This film is paired in a double feature with The Philadelphia Story (1940), with more gorgeousness and talent in Katharine Hepburn (no relation), James Stewart and, ahem, Cary Grant.  I say this is about a 'perfect dose' of classic Hollywood confection in one day.  Both are romantic comedies bursting with joy, fun and wit.  Both films are 35mm prints.

Tues Feb 14 & Weds Feb 15, Casablanca (1942)  Here's looking at you; happy 75th birthday to this cinema icon.  I spoke too soon about Hollywood perfection -- many would argue this is it.  At least it has the most perfect ending in all film.  Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid star, along with an exceptional supporting cast, in this tale of romance and resistance in German occupied Morocco during WWII.

Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, and Ingrid Bergman
discuss politics and love in Casablanca

The Coolidge Corner Theatre
Mon Feb 13  The Lady Eve (1941).  Of course, it's another romantic film, this time starring Barbara Stanwyck as a con artist trying to make a play for naive Henry Fonda aboard a cruise ship, but then things go in all kinds of unexpected directions.  Charles Coburn is great as Stanwyck's partner in crime!

Barbara Stanwyck gets a little help from Henry Fonda

The Museum of Fine Arts (Boston)
This is the first time I've featured this venue in my blog, but they occasionally show classics amongst their film series.  This month is devoted to a retrospective of the great director Stanley Kubrick, who got his start in the 1950s but directed all the way to the late 1990s, his last feature being Eyes Wide Shut.  However, he only directed 16 films, and all of them are screening.  The Kubrick retrospective is apparently an annual event.  The series start tomorrow, Feb 1, and goes through Feb 25.  I noted:

Thurs Feb 2 and Fri Feb 10: Killer's Kiss (1955), a tidy noir (67 minutes) also written by Kubrick, about a washed up boxer.  I've not seen it, and it's a lesser known Kubrick, so worth checking out.

Thurs Feb 23 and Sat Feb 25: Barry Lyndon (1975).  It's not from the classic era, but I LOVE this film.  It's a sumptuously shot and terrifically acted period drama starring Ryan O'Neal as an opportunist who tries to work his way into the upper echelons of society at the expense of others.

A scene from Barry Lyndon

Those who missed out celebrating the 100th birthday of Kirk Douglas could make up for that by attending either Paths of Glory (1957) on Sun Feb 5th and Thurs Feb 9, or Spartacus (1960) on Weds Feb 15.

December Classic Film Screenings in Greater Boston

November turned out to be a much busier month than I had originally thought, and my blog output dropped off precipitously.  I fear December will be the same way, although my goal will be to pick up my game just a bit.  On to the main attraction, which features both holiday and non-holiday themed films to punctuate your cold days and evenings in the cinema this month.

Harvard Film Archive

The HFA is once again offering an intriguing blend of offerings.

Sunday Dec 4, 4:30 PM -- the theatre's 8th Annual 'Vintage Holiday Show' of short films 'from the HFA vault' celebrating all things holiday.  It's billed as 'family friendly' and is likely to be much better than your average walk down holiday nostalgia lane.  And, its total 96 minutes of running time is completely free! These films were originally part of the Boston Public Library's circulating collection.   If I didn't already have a commitment I would attend this -- something very different and sure to be a delight.  Included in the list of films, both animated and live action, are:

From 'A Figgy Duff Christmas' (HFA Website)

The Great Toy Robbery (Jeff Hale, 1963); Six Penguins (Asporoah Panov, 1973);  Max's Christmas (Michael Sporn, 1988); The Cop and the Anthem (Peter Mark Schifter, 1982); The Cherry Tree Carol (Gardner Compton, 1968); A Figgy Duff Christmas (William Gough, 1978); Animal's Best Friend (Hermina Tyrlova, 1973); A Charles Dickens Christmas: From the Pickwick Papers (John Barnes, 1958); The Night Before Christmas (John Wilson, 1968).

Busby Berkeley

'Busby Berkeley Babylon'

Busby Berkeley was a giant in early film musical choreography; his visuals are still stunning today.  He turned big musical numbers into dazzling kaleidoscope-like frenzies of costumes, props, and bodies, especially those of the female variety.  The HFA is presenting an extensive retrospective of Berkeley's films 'Busby Berkeley Babylon' during December and January.  It's worth your time to read the HFA write-up of Berkeley's life and career (did you know he spent some of his earlier years Boston area doing stage direction for the Somerville Stock Company?!), and descriptions of all the films.  Here are the ones that are most exciting to me:  

From 'Gold Diggers of 1933' 

Sunday December 11, 7 PM.  King of Jazz (1930), a 'rediscovery' that I missed at Capitolfest in August, a 'lavish production' in 2-strip Technicolor, celebrating bandleader Paul Whiteman. 

Friday, December 16, 9 PM Dames (1934) starring pre-code superstars Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, and Ruby Keeler.  It's apparently a celebration of sexuality only slightly veiled, flaunting the restrictions of the upcoming Production Code that would prohibit overt references to sex, among other sinful (!) activities.

Saturday, December 17th 7:00 PM Roman Scandals (1933, D. Frank Tuttle), a wild farcical romp through ancient Rome via an extended dream, starring Eddie Cantor, Gloria Stuart, and Edward Arnold.  It's known also for the 'blink-and-you'll-miss-it' first film appearance of Lucille Ball as a 'Goldwyn Girl' with long blond locks.  I saw it at Capitolfest in 2014 and it was quite the experience.

Barbara Stanwyck giving Gary Cooper
More that he bargained for. 

Coolidge Corner Theatre
Monday, December 5, 7:00 PM: Barbara Stanwyck and a young, hot Gary Cooper in the classic screwball comedy Ball of Fire, directed by Howard Hawks and written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett. (I can't help but think of Jerry Lee Lewis whenever I hear the title of this movie!)  It's about a group of lexicographers and their collision with a high-spirited young woman mixed up with the mob.  I've not yet seen this film and unfortunately can't attend this screening, but otherwise I would most certainly be near the head of the queue for this one!  Adding to the fun is a special guest appearance -- Ben Zimmer, award-winning language columnist for the NY Times, will speak before the film about the science of studying slang, and how it's evolved over the decades.  A regular feature of the Coolidge's fun Science on Screen Series showcases expert speakers talking about an aspect of science related to the film in some way.  

Monday, December 12, 7:00 PM: Bogey & Bacall send sparks across the celluloid in one of their most heralded noirs -- The Big Sleep, screened in 35 mm as part of the Big Screen Classics Series.  The narrative of this film, also directed by Howard Hawks, is nearly impossible to follow, but heck, the plot's not the main pleasure of watching this one!

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall form an uneasy alliance in
The Big Sleep (photo from imdb.com)

Kirk Douglas in his prime

Brattle Theatre

Sunday, Dec 25 - Thurs Dec 29 (Christmas week) the Brattle is programming films of Kirk Douglas to celebrate his 100th birthday (actually on Dec 9).  Happy birthday, Kirk!
Check out the whole series, but if you are free on Dec 26th, check out a double feature of  'rarities' from 1951:  Detective Story, a noir directed by ace William Wyler; also starring William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell, Eleanor Parker.  That's followed by Ace in the Hole, directed by Billy Wilder, and also starring Jan Sterling and Robert Arthur.



Sunday, January 1, and Monday January 2:  While technically a new month, it deserves a mention here: ring in the New Year with the Marx Bros!  The Brattle's presenting a marathon of films from these pioneers of early film comedy, betting on once you see one, you can't stop until you've seen them all!  All are new restorations of the old favorites, all of which are the early, pre-code Paramount films, so if you attend the whole festival you'll see the style of the brothers evolve over a four year period, from The Cocoanuts (1929) to Duck Soup (1933).  My favorite of theirs is Horse Feathers, which I got to see at the 2016 Turner Classic Film Festival. 

Zeppo, Groucho, Chico, and Harpo Marx are up to no good in 'The Cocoanuts'

Van Heflin: A Life in Film, by Derek Sculthorpe--Book Review

Van Heflin: A Life in Film, by Derek Sculthorpe. c. 2016 by McFarland & Company, Inc.

"Don't look back baby. Don't ever look back."

With these words to Lizabeth Scott at the end of  THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS, Van Heflin may have oddly foreshadowed how little information about him exists today, 45 years after his death.  And that's a shame.  As I discovered him in this film noir, and then the classic western SHANE, I began to believe the man could play anything.  It turns out he was good-looking and charismatic enough to land leading man roles, and quirky enough to assay villains, sidekicks, or desperate men.  His talents put him arguably in the top echelon of the purest actors of Hollywood's golden age. So I was thrilled to learn that a biography was just being published.  U.K.-based biographer, Derek Sculthorpe, an archives assistant and researcher, and a writer of plays, short stories, and articles, has done a tremendous service for film historians and old Hollywood enthusiasts in tackling the life and career of Heflin.

Heflin was born Emmett Evan Heflin Jr. in 1908 in Walters, Oklahoma.  After a turbulent childhood and a move to California, he enrolled in college in Oklahoma City but took time away to indulge his love for the sea and serve as a merchant sailor. After finishing his degree at Yale Drama School he embarked on a stage career.  By chance Katharine Hepburn saw him in a performance and encouraged him to try Hollywood, where in his first film, A WOMAN REBELS (1936), he played opposite Hepburn in an important secondary role.  He won his first and only Oscar for a supporting role in JOHNNY EAGER (1941), and his career began to gather steam.  He signed a contract with MGM that lasted through the 1940s, with a break for war service as a combat photographer. Returning to MGM, and unsatisfied with his opportunities he took to freelancing, landing multiple memorable roles in the 1950s and 1960s, including in SHANE, 3:10 TO YUMA, and his final film, AIRPORT (1970).  Heflin made over 2000 radio appearances as well.  He died in 1971 at just 62 years old. 

The first thing I did when my copy of the biography arrived was to open it to the very back to peruse the references.  I was not disappointed as I found a full 19 pages combining detailed notes for every chapter with an lengthy bibliography. [I perhaps should not have been surprised considering the publisher, McFarland & Company Inc., specializes in academic and non-fiction material.]  Sculthorpe uncovered every item that had been written about Heflin that could be found, from contemporary accounts and interviews, to more recent sources.  He tracked down some contemporaries, and watched every film.  Unfortunately, Sculthorpe was unable to make contact with Heflin's children or any other family members, and admitted this in the book's preface.  The result is a bio that is much heavier on the career than the personal life of Heflin.

Heflin with Katharine Hepburn in his
first film role in A WOMAN REBELS (1936)

At the outset though, we do get details of Heflin's early life. Sculthorpe highlights how his diverse experiences gave him an emotional honesty and an ability to assay a wide range of characters.  An early mentor, director Richard Boleslawski, apparently said Heflin was "a strange mixture of scholarly gentleman and two-fisted sailor."  Heflin's career choices are detailed along the way; one of Sculthorpe's conclusions is that Heflin was hampered by his contract with MGM -- the studio wasn't a good match, and when he finally exited there he had lost many good years.  Woven throughout each chapter are synopses of nearly every film Heflin made, with Sculthorpe's take on Heflin's contribution to each.  After a while, I found this a bit much and skimmed over some of these summaries.  However, if you didn't know that in 1943 Heflin played a romantic lead to Judy Garland, in a light comedic role in PRESENTING LILY MARS, this tidbit will come as a happy surprise.  From the few clips I've seen the film looks delightful.  I also started a list of many rather obscure films that I need to see:  B.F.s DAUGHTER, EAST SIDE, WEST SIDE, and the Italian-made 5 BRANDED WOMEN are just a few. 

In a smaller role as Bar Amand in
THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (1965)

Sculthorpe makes the choice to present his material in approximate chronological order with each chapter organized around a theme. At times, I found this confusing, as there were inevitable breaks in the logic of the chronology.  For example, in Chapter 8 "Freelancer (1950-1955) there was little discussion of SHANE, which Heflin made in 1951, but instead it was covered in Chapter 9 "Shane and After (1953-1959)."  Also, while understanding sources were limited, I was disappointed at the relative lack of information about Heflin's personal life.  Heflin was married (2nd time) for many years to Frances Neal, had three children, but sadly they divorced a few years before Heflin's death.  This experience seemed to have a negative effect on Heflin's physical and emotional health and there was a hint of a potential alcohol problem.  Reading, I wonder what was below the surface of the iceberg here.  And while we get a *sense* of his personality, it stops there.  There are conflicting reports that he was both beloved by his co-stars, and also considered 'difficult', or a scene-stealer.

Heflin with his wife Frances Neal and daughters Vana and Kate

We are left with a partial portrait of a very complex man and brilliant actor, who cared deeply about his craft, even intending to get a doctorate and lecture in drama in film studies in his later years. He may not have fulfilled the star potential that his talent warranted, but Sculthorpe presents the case that considering his entire filmography, one can not only appreciate his diverse skill, but also conclude he raised the quality of nearly every film he appeared in. Kudos to Mr. Sculthorpe for his invaluable work in preserving this important part of classic Hollywood history.

A few of Heflin's films are streaming on YouTube:

THE PROWLER (1951) also with Evelyn Keyes. He's fantastic in this, managing to be variably creepy, desperate, sympathetic, and manipulative.

COUNT THREE AND PRAY (1955) with Joanne Woodward and Raymond Burr:

THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS (1946), also with Barbara Stanwyck, Kirk Douglas, and Lizabeth Scott.  Watch this if only for the tremendous opening title music (!):