unconquered

the year: 1947

the genre: action/adventure


the cast: Gary Cooper (Captain Christopher Holden); Paulette Goddard (Abby); Howard daSilva (Garth); Boris Karloff (Guyasuta - Chief of the Senecas); Cecil Kellaway (Jeremy Love); Mike Mazurki (Bone)


the plot: In 1763, felon Abby Hale is sentenced to slavery in America. In Virginia, heroic Capt. Holden buys her, intending to free her, but villain Garth foils this plan, and Abby toils at Dave Bone's tavern. Garth is orchestrating an Indian uprising to clear the wilderness of settlers, giving him a monopoly of the fur trade. Holden discovers Garth's treachery, but can't prove anything against him. Can Holden and Abby save Fort Pitt from the Senecas?


listen for: "I don't know what the Good Lord was about when he made a female out of a perfectly good rib."



don't miss: Boris Karloff as the Seneca chief - I had to go back and watch to see if it was really him.



did you know: production was nicknamed "The Perils of Paulette" on the Paramount lot.



disclaimer: this is typical classic Hollywood "settlers are good and Indians are bad" which gets a bit annoying, but you've got to give it to Cecil B. deMille - he sure knew how to make epic adventure movies.

love in the afternoon

the year: 1957

the genre: comedy


the cast: Gary Cooper (Frank Flannagan); Audrey Hepburn (Ariane Chavasse); Maurice Chevalier (Claude Chavasse); John McGiver (Monsieur X)


the plot: a middle-aged playboy is fascinated by the daughter of a private detective who has been hired to entrap him with the wife of a client.



listen for: "Working on a new case?" "A client from Brussels. His wife ran away to Paris with the chauffeur. I have to find them; the husband wants his car back."


don't miss: they gypsy quartet. They're my favorite.



did you know: To dispel any impression that there was any impropriety in their many afternoon meetings in his hotel room, a line was dubbed into the release print. When his back is turned to the camera in Claude's office, Frank is heard to say, "I can't get to first base with her."



extra bonus points: if you can name the character "Monsieur X" plays in Man's Favorite Sport.


also listen for: "What does he export and what does he import?" "Oh, he uh - he exports perfume and imports bananas. There's a fortune in it. Do you realize that for one bottle of perfume you get twelve bananas?"

pride of the yankees

the year: 1942

the genre: drama


the cast: Gary Cooper (Henry Louis “Lou” Gehrig); Teresa Wright (Eleanor Twitchell); Babe Ruth (himself); Walter Brennan (Sam Blake)


the plot: A biopic of Lou Gehrig from his childhood in New York until his famous “Luckiest Man” speech on farewell day in 1939.


count: the number of consecutive games played by Lou Gehrig.


check out: sportswriter "Sam Blake" (played by Walter Brennan). He's a great character that was loosely based on writer Fred Lieb, who was one of the Gehrigs' closest friends.


don’t miss: the bracelet worn by Teresa Wright - who played Gehrig's wife Eleanor Gehrig. It was the actual bracelet that Lou gave to Eleanor on their fourth anniversary. Eleanor brought the bracelet to the set to be used in the movie. The bracelet is made up of 17 metal medallions that celebrate the seven World Championships and six All-Star game appearances that Gehrig made. The bracelet is now displayed in the Baseball Hall of Fame.


listen for: “Lou Gehrig, I could learn to like you.”



did you know: Since star Gary Cooper was right-handed and Lou Gehrig was left-handed, and since Cooper's athletic skills were barely passable right-handed let alone left-handed, the close-up baseball scenes were shot with uniforms in reverse type. Cooper would hit the ball and run to third, and the prints would be reversed.

ball of fire

the year: 1941

the genre: comedy


the cast: Barbara Stanwyck (Sugarpuss O’Shea); Gary Cooper (Professor Bertram Potts); S. Z. Sakall (Professor Magenbruch); Dana Andrews (Joe Lilac)




the plot: Sexy, wisecracking nightclub singer Sugarpuss O'Shea is a hot tomato who needs to be kept on ice: mobster boyfriend Joe Lilac is suspected of murder and her testimony could put him away. Naive Professor Bertram Potts is working with his seven colleagues on the 9th year of a 12-year encyclopedia writing project. When Professor Potts discovers that his section on slang is outdated, he sets out to research the topic. He happens upon Miss O'Shea and in true romantic comedy fashion the two worlds collide. When Miss O'Shea hides out with Potts and his fellow professors, the professors learn how to conga and Potts learns the meaning of "yum-yum"! Just when things are humming along nicely, Joe resurfaces with other plans for Miss O’Shea.


count: the number of times Miss Bragg splits an infinitive.


don’t miss: how the professors get Pastrami to sing like a canary.


check out: the theater marquee in the background when Pottsy is taking notes of the newsboy’s slang. It advertises Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – referring to the inspiration for the Ball of Fire script.




listen for: “I love him because he's the kind of guy who gets drunk on a glass of buttermilk, and I love the way he blushes right up over his ears. I love him because he doesn't know how to kiss, the jerk!”




also listen for: “Well, I certainly am obliged to ya. I could use a bundle a scratch right now on account of I met me a mouse last week. What a pair o’gams! A little in, a little out, and a little more out. Well, with this dish on my hands and them given out twenty five smackaroos on that quizzola…we’ll be stubbin’, me and the smooch – I mean the dish – I mean the mouse. You know, hit the jiggles for a little Rhumboogie? Brother, we’re gonna have some hoy-toy-toy!”