The pride of the Yankees 1942 - An entertaining and inspiring baseball biography of a legendary player

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IMDB rating: 7,8

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: Gary Cooper, Teeresa Wright, Babe Ruth, Walter Brennan, Dan Duryea

"Historically, only a few baseball movies have done well at the box office, mostly because audiences are lukewarm to portrayals of heroes of the diamond. Sam Wood's The Pride of the Yankees, however, is an exception, and an improbable one: neither producer Samuel Goldwyn nor star Gary Cooper knew anything about baseball, and it seemed unlikely that anyone was going to pay money to see a story in which everyone knew the outcome. Goldwyn may not have understood the sport (he thought players got promoted up through the bases, from first base to third, and couldn't understand why Gehrig was such a great player if he was 'only' a first baseman), but he understood the public better than almost any other producer. The poignancy of Lou Gehrig's story - he became a sports hero out of a modest upbringing only to see fate strike him down, and then accepted that fate with heroic stoicism - might've played well at any time, but the fact that America was heading into a war in which people with would be sacrificing themselves made the material even more topical. Cooper portrayed Gehrig with perhaps even more dignity than the real man possessed, and his romantic scenes with Teresa Wright as Gehrig's wife were warm and honest. Director Wood's understated, unpretentious telling of the tale captured the subject of baseball but also provided a snapshot of Americans in general." - www.allmovie.com

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Goodbye Mr. Chips 1939 - Donat gives one of the best performances in movie history

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IMDB rating: 7,7

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills, Paul Henreid

"Goodbye, Mr. Chips (based on James Hilton's novel) is another classic from 1939, featuring a performance by Robert Donat that is one of the most fondly remembered in 20th century filmmaking. A crisp and intelligent film in all aspects, it avoids the maudlin sentimentality that often hinders films of this sort. It has held a continuing influence on filmmakers - for example, both Dead Poets Society and Mr. Holland's Opus would seem to be direct spiritual descendants. The film is at its most powerful when evoking an appealing view of the past, when manners and honor were primary values, and when spending one's life in service to others was a noble art. Donat was the recipient of a Best Actor Oscar for his portrayal of the title character, and the film features the debut performance of a young Greer Garson.While its two remakes have substantial merit, the original version remains the best. It may, however, be too old-fashioned to appeal to some of today's moviegoers." - www.allmovie.com

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Hold your man 1933 - A truly sweet romance

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IMDB rating: 7,0

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Stuart Erwin

"The first two-thirds of Hold Your Man is a snappy romantic comedy with a bit of an edge, and it's a shame that the powers that be at MGM couldn't have left good enough alone. Unfortunately, though this was made before the Production Code really had power, MGM decided to police itself and so the final third of the film becomes moralistic. There's nothing necessarily wrong with telling a moral story, but the filmmakers have to believe in it, and that's clearly not the case here. As a result, Man comes across rather schizoid, and the final third not only lacks punch and power, it dilutes the effectiveness of what came before it. Script problems - and the by-the-numbers direction of Sam Wood - aside, Man is an entertaining way to spend the time, primarily because of the unbeatable chemistry between stars Jean Harlow and Clark Gable. The two were a marvelous team, creating that indefinable 'something' that is pure gold. Just watch the way her eyes will linger over him a fraction of a second too long, or his body language when the two are in the middle of sparring with each other. They're both good actors, but what they create is something that's beyond drama and technique." - www.allmovie.com

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The man in possession 1931 - One of Montgomery's delightful comedies

Publicity picture of Robert Montgomery, circa 1931

IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022117/?ref_=nv_sr_1
IMDB rating: 7,1

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: Robert Montgomery, Charlotte Greenwood, Irene Purcell, C. Aubrey Smith, Reginald Owen, Alan Mowbray

"Robert Montgomery plays an aimless young man who secures a job as a bailiff's deputy. Montgomery is assigned to guard a house under writ, but when he falls for the lady of the house (Irene Purcell), the boy decides to serve as her butler to keep up her family's appearances. Throughout the film, Montgomery assumes several more disguises to keep the family's legal reverses from becoming public. P. G. Wodehouse adapted H. M. Harwood's play The Man in Possession for this brisk film version. The story was Americanized in 1937 as Personal Property, with Robert Taylor and Jean Harlow in the leads." - http://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-man-in-possession-v101236

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The sins of the children 1930 - A long forgotten, but a very good early talkie

Leila Hyams & Robert Montgomery in The sins of the children (1930)

IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021382/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
IMDB rating: 6,4

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: Robert Montgomery, Leila Hyams, Elliott Nugent, Clara Blandick, Mary Doran, Louis Mann

"Despite its slightly lurid title, this film is all about love. Full of small moments beautifully played, it gives a portrait of an American family over a series of several years, held together through times of tribulation by a proud papa who adores his family unstintingly. This is a 'feel good film' in the best sense of the phrase and perfect to enjoy at the Christmas Holidays. It is a shame that this little gem has become so obscure.
As Adolf Wagenkampf, immigrant German barber, Louis Mann is nothing short of magnificent, giving one of the first great performances of the sound era. Showing enormous confidence in front of the camera, Mann steals the show with his mannerisms and accent, his pliable face registering every triumph or tragedy, every hope or defeat, which comes his way. Mann's beautiful soul is authentic, his talent undeniable. Unfortunately, this was to be virtually his only film. Louis Mann died in February of 1931, at the age of 65.
A very fine cast supports Mann throughout: Clara Blandick as his gentle wife; Francis X. Bushman Jr as the doctor son ashamed of his family name; Elliott Nugent as the inventor son, whose unwise impulse costs his father dearly; pretty Leila Hyams as the headstrong youngest daughter; and James Dolan as the obnoxious son-in-law.
(It was actor Nugent, playing the part of the youngest Wagenkampf son, who was largely responsible for both the original story and dialogue for the film. It's success is his, as well.)
In one of his earliest roles, Robert Montgomery scores as the local cad who compromises Hyams."

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The girl said no 1930 - One-scene Dressler saves the early talkie comedy

IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020919/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
IMDB rating: 7,9

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: William Haines, Leila Hyams, Polly Moran, Marie Dressler

"1930. Silents were dead, talkies were king & it was William Haines' golden Hollywood year. His pictures - he starred in 3 - made enough money at the box-office to make him the top male movie star of that year. The girl said no is one of those films.
It is very much a typical Haines comedy, with lots of silliness based on his boyish character (although he was 30, he plays a college kid). His wealthy father dies, leaving his family penniless and Haines in need of finding money. The plot revolves around his attempts to make good in a new job, where he tries to impress Leila Hyams, the pretty secretary he meets there.
Also in the cast are Francis X. Bushman, Jr. as Haines' rival; Clara Blandick (Auntie Em in The Wizard of Oz 9 years later); and the ubiquitous Polly Moran. The inimitable & irrepressible Marie Dressler appears in only one scene, but it's a dandy. She plays a very rich potential client who mistakes Haines for her new doctor, which generates a hilarious slapstick sequence. With this one 10-minute segment, talkie comedy was off to a very good start."

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Paid 1930 - Crawford seeking revenge but finds love

IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021228/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
IMDB rating: 5,7

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: Joan Crawford, Robert Armstrong, Marie Prevost, Douglass Montgomery

"Joan Crawford dominates the screen in tandem with Robert Armstrong in this surprisingly edgy crime-based melodrama, scripted by Charles MacArthur (and based on Bayard Veiller's stage play). There's surprising chemistry between the two in this fast-paced early talkie, which also benefits from an unusually realistic, down-scale slant on the world of criminals. Armstrong's Joe Garson is the real article when it comes to the latter, whereas Crawford's Mary Turner is a vengeful victim of the legal system - in the end they each displays a touching nobility and loyalty to each other, which helps drive the final section of the film to a powerful conclusion. Directors Sam Wood and Tod Browning end up turning in one of the more enduring dramas of the early sound era;  MGM remade this reliable property (again!) under its old title Within the Law (1939), with Ruth Hussey in the lead." - http://www.allmovie.com/movie/paid-v105382/

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A day at the races 1937 - The last of the great Marx Brothers classics

IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028772/?ref_=nv_sr_1
IMDB rating: 7,7

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: The Marx Brothers, Allan Jones, Maureen O'Sullivan, Margaret Dumont

"The follow-up to A Night at the Opera (arguably the Marx Brothers's best film), A Day at the Races falls a little short of the mark in comparison with Opera, but is still lunatic fun of a high order. The boys are in fine form here, performing difficult routines with such skill that they come across as effortless (and are all the more enjoyable therefore). Several classic routines - including 'tutsi-fruitis', in which Chico keeps conning Groucho into buying racing tip books, a riotous medical exam, and a wallpapering sequence - make the film memorable, as does the extended race finale, which manages to be both terribly funny and moderately tense. Aside from the routines, the strength of the script lies in its cohesiveness and coherence, qualities often lacking in other Marx efforts. As indicated, the brothers are their usual hilarious selves. What's surprising is how animated Margaret Dumont gets to be in this film. Although the score's big ballad is no great shakes, its two production numbers - one of which features an outrageous art deco set incorporating lily pad tables and fountains and an impressive Vivian Fay dance routine - are memorable. The other is simpler, but packs an even greater wallop: Ivie Anderson and the Crinoline Choir performing 'All God's Children Got Rhythm', a number which occasionally veers close to racial insensitivity, but which is saved by Anderson's radiant vocalizing and the gospel wails of the choir, as well as some snappy jitterbugging. Races would be the last of the Marx Brothers' classic films; while follow-ups like Room Service have some wonderful moments, they lack the sparkle found in the boys' best work. - http://www.allmovie.com/movie/a-day-at-the-races-v12602

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A night at the opera 1935 - A smash-hit gigglefest

IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026778/
IMDB rating: 8,1

Director: Sam Wood
Main Cast: The Marx Brothers, Kitty Carlisle, Allan Jones

"Although some purists hold out for Duck soup (1933), many Marx Brothers fans consider A night at the opera is the team's best film.
It was the first Marx Brothers movie without Zeppo Marx and also the first under the supervision of MGM's legendary producer Irving Thalberg. A relatively sane plot line and conventional romantic subplot place this film in the more conventional camp of Marx Brothers movies. Due to the critical and commercial failure of Duck soup (1933), the Brothers' previous movie, the studio decided to pre-test many of the skits on live audiences; while Duck soup's anarchic revelry left many in the audience less amused than baffled, A night at the opera's script by George S. Kaufman and Morris Ryskind and direction by Sam Wood were more controlled and focused than in previous Marx efforts. But as was often the case in their movies, the Brothers' comedy takes aim at the pompous and pious hypocrisy of the upper crust, and this movie features many of their most famous routines, including the stateroom scene, the contract scene, the bed-switching sequence, and the operatic finale. The film's openly subversive and derisive tone was a perfect match for a Depression-era crowd looking for some wealthy authority figures to laugh at." - http://www.allmovie.com/movie/a-night-at-the-opera-v35272

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