The Stranger's Return 1933

Today's post has been written especially for In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood's Second Annual Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon.

The Stranger's Return is a film that is overwhelmingly hard to track down, because MGM did not renew the rights to Phil Stong's original story. Back in 2014, Warner Brothers did clear the rights to show it at TCM's Film Festival and TCM aired it on their television station at that time. I was fortunate to catch the television showing of it that year and hoped that increased showings and a Warner Archive DVD release were in the works. Sadly, I've not seen or read anything else about the movie since then.

It's always disappointing when a film is lost to the public due to rights issues, but it is devastating when said film is as exceptional as this one. Directed by King Vidor, The Stranger's Return is a masterful pre-code with commanding performances by its leads Lionel Barrymore, Miriam Hopkins, and Franchot Tone. Top-notch secondary actors Stuart Erwin, Beulah Bondi, Grant Mitchell, and Irene Hervey round out the cast.

Divorcee Louise Storr (Miriam Hopkins) arrives on the Storr family farm in need of fresh air and a new life. The farm is maintained by the crotchety Grandpa Storr (Lionel Barrymore), who has a manipulative and gossipy bunch of family members living with him. Stuart Erwin plays Simon, a drunken, but big-hearted farmhand. Grandpa Storr warms to his granddaughter Louise immediately. Louise is fearless and quickly identifies with the land as equally as her grandfather does. With Lionel turning in an outstanding performance as the curmudgeonly patriarch, Grandpa Storr lovingly softens when he interacts with Louise.

Masked in rivalry, Grandpa Storr also maintains a soft spot for neighboring farmer Guy Crane (Franchot Tone). An educated man, Guy is torn between his love of the family farm and his ties to tradition and the forceful pull of great adventure in other lands of which he's read. Guy and Louise recognize this common duality in their characters and are attracted to one another. Bound by integrity, Guy and Louise must decide whether or not to abandon the stable goodness of their families (Guy is a husband and father) and the land in order to pursue the passion they feel.

Barrymore's performance is incredible throughout the film, but viewers will really be impressed when his character pulls a great ruse on everyone that reasserts his control. It's a fantastic scene that is perfectly tailored to Barrymore's strengths as an actor. The Stranger's Return features superior performances by all its actors. Guy Crane is a stand-out performance of Franchot's. It's one of those films I'd recommend to those who know Franchot only as the wealthy love interest to Joan and Jean. Just as Grandpa Storr is perfectly tailored to Barrymore's strengths, the sensitive, complicated Guy Crane is an ideal character for Franchot to inhabit. Likewise, Miriam Hopkins is flawless as the torn, but courageous Louise Storr. It's a shame that this film has been tossed aside due to licensing rights. It deserves to be recognized as the exemplary pre-code film it is. I sense that a DVD release is in the future. I just hope it's not as far off in the future as I fear.

The New York Times reviewed:

Mr. Barrymore, in a part that was made in heaven for him, plays with lusty vigor and humor, and his performance is entirely delightful. Miriam Hopkins, as his granddaughter, has never been more effective. Franchot Tone is intelligent, honest and sensitive as the educated farmer from next door.

If you'd like to read more about The Stranger's Return, check out the great write-ups at TCM, Leonard Maltin's site, and at pre-code.com—although I obviously wasn't too crazy about Pre-Code Danny's "Franchot Tone is no Clark Gable" quip. (He's not supposed to be Clark Gable. There already is a Clark Gable. Clark and Franchot have two completely different acting styles and that's OK. Hollywood is big enough for a Clark Gable and a Franchot Tone!...end of rant.)

To read all about the wonderful Barrymore family, check out all the entries over at In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood.

Sources:
All images are from movie magazines digitized at Media History Digital Library

Missed Opportunity with Old Acquaintance, Bette Davis

Source: www.amazon.com

In 1942, Franchot Tone was all set to star in the upcoming Bette Davis drama Old Acquaintance until the Stabilization Act of 1942 changed his plans. In his executive order, President Roosevelt listed regulations to prevent inflation and protect the U.S. economy during wartime, including the following:

• no increases in wage rates (unless necessary to correct inequalities, maladjustments, or to aid in war)
• no decreases in wage rates "below the highest wages paid therefore between January 1, 1942 and September 15, 1942, unless to correct gross inequities and to aid in the effective prosecution of the war"
• no salary increases over $5,000 per year (with exceptions)
• no salary decreases for any work under the highest salary "paid between January 1, 1942 and September 15, 1942 unless to correct gross inequities and to aid in the effective prosecution of the war"

In early November 1942, Variety magazine featured several informational articles about how the Stabilization Act was affecting the film industry. At the start, FDR wished to place a $25,000 income limit (after taxes) and studio executives began to sweat about how they would hold onto their major talent and keep the film industry, already changed by the war, still prospering both creatively and financially.

Source: Variety. November 11, 1942. Page 78.

Just a few columns away from the article above, Variety posted a small piece on how these new regulations affected Franchot.

Source: Variety. November 11, 1942. Page 79.

Franchot was Bette's first choice for the role of Preston in Old Acquaintance. Franchot and Bette had worked well together in Dangerous (1935) and Bette was eager to work alongside Franchot again. In Modern Screen magazine (December 1942. Vol. 26), it was noted that Bette:

"is convinced that Franchot Tone is one of the most sensitive of actors on the screen today and she wanted him for her opposite part in 'Old Acquaintance'.  All arrangements were made and Franchot was set for the part when the government announced the $25,000 ceiling. Tone was still willing to make the picture if his total salary-which he couldn't draw-would be turned over, intact, to charity. There seemed to be some red tape attached to this, so Mr. Tone simple withdrew from the cast. Later, when the ceiling was announced for 1943, instead of 1942, it was too late for Franchot to return to the part."

So, by trying to play it safe, Franchot actually took a huge gamble and lost out on an interesting role in a memorable picture. It is evident that Franchot truly wanted the acting opportunity, because he was eager to donate his entire salary to charity. It's too bad that his charitable act wasn't approved and that he dropped out of the cast shortly before the income regulations were adjusted.

I would have loved to see Franchot and Bette together again 8 years after the release of their romantic drama Dangerous and I think that Old Acquaintance would've given Franchot a career boost. Then again, had it worked out, we may have not had the pleasure of seeing him in two war dramas Five Graves to Cairo and Pilot No. 5 and two comedies His Butler's Sister and True to Life the following year.

John Loder and Bette Davis in Old Acquaintance. Source: www.allposters.com

British actor John Loder (How Green Was My Valley, Now, Voyager) took over the role of Preston Drake from Franchot. The character is the put-upon husband of housewife-turned-romance novelist Millie Drake (Miriam Hopkins). Preston falls for his wife's childhood friend, the more humble and talented novelist Kit Marlowe (Bette Davis), but Kit remains loyal to Millie. As an actor, John Loder possesses the dignity and sensitivity of Franchot, but he lacks the same level of sex appeal. (I'm sure John Loder enthusiasts will completely disagree with me). When Kit (Bette) is on the phone and Preston (John) is uttering his devotion to her and kissing her on the hand, I can't help but think that Franchot would've made that scene a bit steamier and more playful! In the early scenes of the film where Kit and Preston meet in the Drake house, I can see Franchot, with his deep voice, mischievous grin,  and knack for sensitivity, being perfect in the role. However, John Loder turns in a great performance, one that the New York Times deemed the most convincing in the film.

Old Acquaintance is remembered now as being a powerful "woman's picture" and perhaps more than that, for the shaking scene between rivals Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins. For Franchot, I wonder if he remembered it as the film that got away.