Tweet PRESTON STURGES: Posters/Photos & Free Films/Radio Shows

LINKS TO A STURGES FILM YOU'VE NEVER SEEN,
STARRING EDDIE BRACKEN AND WALTER HUSTON.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safeguarding_Military_Information
http://archive.org/details/Safeguar1941
http://archive.org/download/Safeguar1941/Safeguar1941.mpeg

I've seen both Hotel Haywire and Never Say Die. They both have their moments, but Never Say Die impressed upon me that Bob Hope was not a Sturges hero.

Having Preston Sturges work on a film doesn't make it a Preston Sturges Film any more than F Scott Fitzgerald is responsible for Gone With The Wind.

Having Preston Sturges work on a film doesn't make it a Preston Sturges Film any more than F Scott Fitzgerald is responsible for Gone With The Wind.

It doesn't, but there are still situations and dialogue which fairly scream "Sturges" no matter who directed it. The dinner table scene in Hotel Haywire is a good example of that (for those who haven't seen the scene, Spring Byington serves her family [Lynne Overman, Mary Carlisle] a "French dish" known as museau de boeuf.

Having Preston Sturges work on a film doesn't make it a Preston Sturges Film.

Thought it would be fun to have posters and all/most of the poster images in one place, and thus, also, perhaps draw more eyes to Nitrateville. Oh, well....

In all likelihood Sullivan, with the concussion he received, would have had to retire from directing... and perhaps take up a crooning career.

I think DOWN WENT McGINTY was a great title!

Here's the frame of reference (but I'm sure you all already knew this...)

DOWN WENT McGINTY
Copyright, 1889, by Spaulding & Kornder.
As sung by Sheridan and Flynn.

Last Sunday morning at nine, Dan McGinty, dressed so fine.
Was looking at a very high stone wall;
When along came Pat McCann. says he: I'll bet you five dollars, Dan,
I can carry you to the top without a fall.
On his back he got poor Dan, to climb up the ladder be began,
Until he very nearly reached the top;
But before he'd lose his five, as sure as you're alive,
Let go his hold, not thinking of the drop.

Chorus.
Down went McGinty to the bottom of the wall.
Although he won his five, he was more dead than alive;
With kicks and bruises on his face from such a terrible fall.
Dressed in his best Sunday clothes.

To the hospital they took him. for dead the doctors booked him,
But McGinty gave the doctors a surprise;
Then he began to shout: Say, you blackguards let me out
Although his head was twice its natural size.
To see his wife and child, with joy he near went wild,
He walked along as proud as John, the great;
On the sidewalk was a hole, to receive a ton of coal,
McGinty never saw until too late.

Chorus.
Down went McGinty to the bottom of the hole.
The driver of the cart gave the ton of coal a start;
We were an hour and a half digging McGinty from under the coal,
Dressed in his best Sunday clothes.

When they dug McGinty out, for vengeance he did shout,
The driver of the cart then he spied;
He nicked up half a brick and hit him such a lick
That it raised a carbuncle on his eye.
He then raised such a fuss that the cops got in the muss,
They arrested McGinty for being very drunk;
Next morning the judge did say, no fine you'll have to pay,
Six months you'll sleep upon a prison bunk.

Chorus.
Down went McGinty to the bottom of the jail,
He stayed exactly six, his board it cost him nix;
Six long months, for nobody went his bail,
Dressed in his best Sunday clothes.

When the half year was up they let McGinty out,
He dressed himself as he did in days of yore;
But judging his surprise, he could scarcely believe his eyes,
When he heard his wife had skipped the day before.
To lose his wife and child, with grief he near went wild.
To drown himself he went down on the shore;
And foolishly jumped in, knowing--- well he could not swim,
For water Dan had never took before.

Chorus.
Down went McGinty to the bottom of the sea.
They haven't found him yet, for the water it was wet:
They say that McGinty's ghost haunts the docks at the break of day.
Dressed in his best Sunday clothes.

It doesn't get screened often, but the 1931 version of Sturges' Broadway hit Strictly Dishonorable is quite enjoyable. It's very much a filmed play, but a good one. Quite close to the original script, too; I believe they only trimmed a few lines, here and there, and made some minor changes.

When I saw the movie I was amused to find that one of the main characters, a judge who drinks heavily, was played by Lewis Stone! It's like seeing Judge Hardy on a bender. In the play he's still active on the bench, but in the film version they made a point of mentioning that he's retired. That's one of the few changes that were made -- I guess they didn't want to suggest that an active judge spends all his leisure time hanging out in a speakeasy, sozzled.

Teamed by Mr. Sturges in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek & Hail the Conquering Hero, co-starred by Paramount in Duffy's Tavern, Demarest and Bracken were later paired on Eddie's 1945 radio show, which was plainly patterned on Morgan's Creek. Also to be heard among the cast: Ann Rutherford and Janet Waldo

LISTEN TO SOME SHOWS BY CLICKING ON THE TINY LINKS BELOW
http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/E%20Series/Eddie%20Bracken%20Show/The%20Eddie%20Bracken%20Show%2045-01-28%20(01)%20Eddie%20Inherits%20a%20Baby.mp3

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/E%20Series/Eddie%20Bracken%20Show/The%20Eddie%20Bracken%20Show%2045-02-11%20(03)%20Whole%20Day%20With%20No%20Trouble.mp3

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/E%20Series/Eddie%20Bracken%20Show/The%20Eddie%20Bracken%20Show%2045-03-11%20(07)%20Connie's%20Shorty%20Costume.mp3

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/E%20Series/Eddie%20Bracken%20Show/The%20Eddie%20Bracken%20Show%2045-03-18%20(08)%20The%20Pretend%20Marriage%20and%20Baby%20Scales.mp3

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/E%20Series/Eddie%20Bracken%20Show/The%20Eddie%20Bracken%20Show%2045-04-01%20(10)%20Switching%20Beauty%20Contestant%20Pictures.mp3

http://otrrlibrary.org/OTRRLib/Library%20Files/E%20Series/Eddie%20Bracken%20Show/Eddie%20Bracken%20Story%2045-04-02%20Tacks.mp3

For those keeping score, some of the other players in SAFEGUARDING MILITARY INFORMATION: Brooks Benedict, Charles Wagenheim, Addison Richards, Nana Bryant, Tom Fadden, and Frank M. Thomas.