Mogambo 1953 Directed by John Ford. Adapted from the play Red Dust by Wilson Collison which is a remake of the 1932 version in which Gable played the same role. Ah, Hollywood! Two formidable, polar opposite (evil & good?) women vie for big game hunter Victor Marswell (Clark Gable) at a remote African outpost. Eloise “Honey Bear” Kelly (Ava Gardner) has arrived at the invitation of a maharaja she met under more civilized circumstances. He stands her up. While waiting for the next river boat, she and Victor become lovers.
When the boat returns, it brings Donald Nordley (Donald Sinden) and his wife, Linda (Grace Kelly), who have booked a safari to study gorillas. In contrast to bawdy, been-around-the-block Honey Bear, Linda is delicate and refined. Victor is drawn to her, she to him. He agrees to taking Eloise part of the way on the Nordley’s trip to connect her with someone who can then take her out of the bush. Attraction battles morality, the women fight for Victor, the jungle is not peaceful.
The film was shot on location in Equatorial Africa during tribal rebellion. Gardner fell ill with dysentery requiring her to be flown to England (she recovered and flew back). There was a rumor Clark Gable was going to be assassinated by the Mau Mau, so armed guards were present. The unit was plagued by rain and the poor quality of the roads – three of the crew were killed in road accidents. Rent on Amazon Prime.
To Catch a Thief 1955 Based on the novel by David Dodge. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Retired jewel thief John “The Cat” Robie (Cary Grant) lives beautifully and quietly on The French Riviera until a series of copy-cat robberies cause the police to assume his guilt. Robie’s old gang are, in fact, all under suspicion. The only way to clear everyone is to catch the Cat. Slipping through police hands, he secures a list of expensive jewelry owners and installs himself at the best hotel.
Wealthy American widow, Jessie Stevens (Jessie Royce Landis), and her daughter, Frances (Grace Kelly), top the owners list. Robie charms the ladies under an assumed name, but Frances divines who he is. Bored and looking for adventure, she offers herself as accomplice. He demurs. When Jesse’s jewels are stolen, however, Robie must again disappear. A stranger with whom he grapples in the dark turns out to be…Full of attractive people and places, though less suspenseful than much Hitchcock. Free with Amazon Prime.
High Society 1956 Directed by Charles Walter. A musical remake of The Philadelphia Story based on the Philip Barry play. Genial entertainment, though one misses Cary Grant. The wedding of Newport Socialite Tracy Samantha Lord (Grace Kelly) is crashed by Spy Magazine reporter Macaulay “Mike” Connor (Frank Sinatra) and his photographer Elizabeth “Liz” Imbrie (Celeste Holm). Spy’s editor has threatened the family with an article on Tracy’s father, Seth Lord (Sidney Blackmer), who’s been having an outside dalliance.
Everyone puts the bride on a pedestal except her father who, having been invited by his wife, has a word or two to say about Tracy’s holier than thou judgment. The event is also crashed by neighbor, ex-husband C.K. Dexter Haven (Bing Crosby), who still loves her. Liz is sweet on Mike who’s falling for Tracy while Uncle Willie (Louis Calhern) pursues Liz.
The pedestal teeters and crashes. Also with John Lund as Tracy’s social climbing fiancé, Margalo Gillmore as Mrs. Lord, and Louis Armstrong and his band as themselves. Kelly’s final role before becoming Princess of Monaco, the film was released three months after her wedding. Rent on Amazon Prime.
The Swan 1956 Directed by Charles Vidor. The remake of a 1925 film. In order to regain a family throne, Princess Alexandra (Grace Kelly) is pushed towards marrying her cousin, the crown prince, Albert (Alex Guinness). Her mother (Jessie Royce Landis) suggests making him jealous with her brothers’ tutor, Dr. Nicholas Agi (Louis Jordan), who unbeknownst to the family cares for Alexandra. Nothing works out either as it’s plotted or Hollywood happy. Albert tells Alexandra she is like a swan: on the water she looks serene, but on land she is more like a goose.
Rex Harrison was slotted to play the crown prince, but couldn’t come to terms with the studio. Instead, it became Alec Guinness’ first Hollywood movie. Director Charles Vidor said the filmmakers paid close attention to the Princess Margaret-Peter Townsend romance. “If they had wed we would have thought very seriously about changing our ending,” he remarked. Kelly visited the Cannes Festival later that month. It was there she met Prince Ranier. Rent on Amazon Prime.
Rear Window 1954 can be found in Stream Selected Films of Jimmy Stewart
The Country Girl 1955 can be found under Stream Selected Films of William Holden
Top photo: L. to R. : Donald Sinden, Grace Kelly, Clark Gable, Denis O’Dea, Ava Gardner and Eric Pohlmann on the set of Mogambo.
Credit: unknown (MGM), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
