Double Dose of Dvorak on TCM Including “We who Are About to Die”
Crooner is going to air on Turner Classic Movies on Thursday, January 21st at 8:15am PST
We Who are About to Die is going to air on Turner Classic Movies on Thursday, January 21st at 3:15pm PST.Â
All you Dvorak fans are in for a treat tomorrow – TWO movies featuring our divine Ann-D! It’s not exactly a double feature since they are being aired seven hours apart, but we’ll take it!
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First up is Crooner which has aired a couple of times over the last few years, but has yet to receive a Warner Archive release. If you have not caught this one before, it’s certainly worth the time. It is a light film that pokes fun at the popular crooners of the day. Ann’s role is minuscule and she is certainly wasted, but when she’s on screen, she is her delightful self and she does enjoy one great scene where she gets to rip David Manners a new one (he totally has it coming).
Next is We Who are About to Die, which Ann did at RKO in late 1936. Ann was loaned out to the studio by Warner Bros. following her long-term suspension and court case against her home studio.  As with many of Ann’s films in the latter half of the 1930s, she does not have a whole lot to do, but the film itself is an interesting commentary on capital punishment and well worth watching. Plus, I don’t have any record of this one having aired in the last nine years, so don’t miss it if you have any interest!
Special thanks to Dvorak devotee Dick, who is a regular over here at Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel, for the heads up.
Enjoy!
Just caught “We Who Are About To Die,” turned out to be really engaging & Ann did make the most of the moments she had – I liked it a lot!
Christina, I didn’t realize you were the author of a book on AnnDvorak when I replied to “submit your comments” about my relative who lived in the next beach house to Ms Dvorak at West Tobanga Beach Drive. During that same period of time, I worked a summer job for two years
while going to design school. This was at Neeny’s Weenies a beach restaurant next to the beach home of Norma Shearer. As a bartender I met many beach celebrities who lived in the area such as Ms Shearer who bought two of my watercolours, Peter Lawford, Jackie Cooper and a child star named Butch Jenkins. It was a fascinating time for me. And I owe it to my aunt for inviting me to stay and work part time for her at Pacific Auto.
I have a lot of anecdotalal memories that relate to the movie business. These memories continued even after I returned to Toronto to finish school. One day at a book signing event for Janet Leigh, I mentioned that I was aware of how she was discovered by Ms Shearer while on a ski vacation. Janet immediately brightened up and said she remembered Ms. Shearer’s beach house street number on Pacific Coast Highway.
It would be great to have a coffee and brief chat with you some time.
Ralph Smith
Hi Ralph, A good friend is a huge Norma Shearer fan and is working on a book. He’d love to hear your stories about her, as would I. Feel free to shoot me an email and hopefully we can meet up. Thanks!
When will TCM be again showing We Who are About to Die?
Hi Bill – This film is not scheduled on TCM anytime in the future. Since it’s RKO, TCM does not show it very often which is too bad. Fingers crossed they’ll show it again sometime.