Adventurous Blonde (1937)

According to a few articles I’ve read this was Natalie’s first movie as a brunette, what a perfect time to change for a movie called Adventurous Blonde. This was one of the fantastic Torchy Blane series that stared the great Glenda Farrell and Barton McLane. One of the best movie series ever made, Glenda Farrell is a sadly forgotten actress, she was one of the best, the series is about Torchy Blane the nosey reporter who keeps solving the crimes before the police, and Barton McLane plays her husband to be and police man. Although all the Torchy Blane movies are the same, there all fun, they are now available trough TCM and I advise everyone to by the set, you won’t be disappointed. Now as for Natalie, she had a bigger role as one of the suspect who murdered a famous actor. It’s always strange seeing her as a brunette, but I thought she looked amazing, and she got to wear some cool clothes, as always she looked like a million bucks. Unlike a lot of her movie, her acting didn’t shine this time, don’t get me wrong she was great as usual, but this being a major studio picture, everyone else was just as good. Her character was much like a lot of her other roles, the other woman, something she did very well, but I will say her break down and cry at the end wasn’t very good, heck even the best make mistake sometimes. Her facial expressions in this movie and most of her others is what sets her apart, they can say so much with out her speaking a word, a lot of 30’s actor/actresses could do this, some may over do it, but when it’s done well it really help the audience feel what the character is feeling. That’s one of the things that help make a mystery movie great is those little expressions, without saying to much it makes the character seem guilty, and makes it harder to figure out who did it, you can watch a person then the role their eyes or do something with there mouth and you say to yourself, ah ha she did it. I love a good fun mystery, there is nothing better than a 1930’s comedy/mystery, from Thin Man to Torchy Blane and many others, they are the best.

Another eBay find

I recently won this great photo of Natalie on eBay, the photographer is Elmer Fryer and it’s from First National Studios, but I can’t make out what it’s from or the year. It’s very hard to read the handwriting on the back and it looks as if the piece of paper that is usually on the back of these photos is gone, a small piece remains, and the only word on it is “Here”. So that means it could be from the movie “Spring is Here” from 1930, which was made by First National.

Sadly I haven’t been able to update more often, I just haven’t had the time, I’ve got a lot of reviews still to do, and still working on research, but it’s hard to come by, and I just don’t have the time right now, but I’m not giving up. If anyone has anything to add please feel free to contact me, any information would be great.