The Projectionist Salutes : Ronald Colman
A sonorous speaker, a genial gentleman, golden voice of Hollywood yore, an actor refined, and inherently classy - today I speak of Ronald Colman. Born Ronald Charles Colman in London's Southwest in 1891, he would be a rarity in the industry. Many silent film actors did not successfully transcend from silents unto talkies in quite the way Colman would.For he had a most essential and coveted asset, he had unarguably one of the most delightfully dulcet and articulate voices of his day. And this would inevitably become his 'money-maker' as it were.
The year 1923 would prove most fateful for the dashing Mr. C, this would be the time he would catch the eye of one of the Academy's founders and esteemed directors Henry King. King insisted that Colman play lead and opposite to silent era lovely, Miss Lillian Gish.
One of Ronald's most memorable roles would come his way when he was a quinquagenarian, and still every bit as dapper, in Mervyn LeRoy's romantic rouser, Random Harvest, in which Colman executed one of his most inspired performances as amnesiac WWI Veteran Charles Rainier. And here he is in this seldom screened 1933 number - The Masquerader.
The man i call the 'Propaganda Poet,' Humphrey Jennings -who gave you nowt to harrumph about, his wartime documentaries were a thing of beauty, a rare feat , given the genre. For more information, I have wreitten an in-depth article on Jennings at thefilmographer.blogspot.com
And what's the special of the day in the Krimi Kafe? Its a German production courtesy of Franz Josef Gotttlieb but set in London's
Soho district, namely a haunt called Sansibar (no relation to the Billy Joel tune). Edgar Wallace's son Bryan penned the work even though its
often confused as daddy Edgar's novel. A little B-status ballyhoo and another
fun packed adventure as we are on the road to obscuroville together. Das Phantom von Soho (1964)
And yes it's that time of the year again time to tryptophan out on the upcoming day of the turkey. And one of the long traditions is from F.M's once finest - WNEW's anthem of Arlo Guthrie's legendary 1967 ditty, Alice's Restaurant Massacree, that long-winded masterpiece, it wouldn't be the same day without it. Now here is the film version, helmed by Arthur Penn, the proud(ish) papa of Sean,who also co-wrote the script, Guthrie had no part in that, though it is based on the biographical lyrics and that. Pass the cranberry please. And you can get anything you want....sing it everybody! Alice's Restaurant (1969)
And could not resist the segue to give my Bogardes to Broadway, this undoubtedly the least likely of his canon to go off with a bang, but why shouldn't it I say. I give you - Once A Jolly Swagman which is also an under-appreciated verse of Waltzing Matilda and all. And Thora Hird it through the grapevine that superbly supernal Sid James appears in this and its got motor bikes in 1949 and if you aren't sold yet, then you're a rotten egg I say.
And lo and behold, this film is titled The Tawny Pipit a jolly wartime jaunt that helped take the townsfolk's noggins away from thinking all about the atrocities. Tis a Miles and Saunders affair, and Mr Miles inches his way into this picture too as does Rosamund John who was one of James Mason's very goodest friends. From 1944.
