Hollywood Studios Year-by-Year – 20th Century Fox – 1944: THE EVE OF ST. MARK & IN THE MEANTIME, DARLING

There's Sometimes a Buggy

Our Fox 1944 episode features a prestige production, The Eve of St. Mark, based on a Maxwell Anderson play and directed by John Stahl, and a modest marital drama, In the Meantime, Darling, directed by Otto Preminger just before he makes a name for himself in noir with Laura. Between the two, the problems facing the men at the front and the women who love them are covered, as well as the kinds of moral dilemmas each might face. We discuss Preminger's handling of Jeanne Craine's character, and Bosley Crowther (back to being Nemesis of the Pod) inadvertently describes John Stahl's distinctive style/outlook.

Time Codes:

0h 00m 45s: THE EVE OF ST. MARK [dir. John M. Stahl]

0h 33m 04s: IN THE MEANTIME, DARLING [dir. Otto Preminger]

Studio Film Capsules provided by The Films of 20th Century-Fox by Aubrey Solomon & Tony Thomas

Additional studio information from: The Hollywood Story by Joel W. Finler

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* Marvel at our meticulously ridiculous Complete Viewing Schedule for the 2020s

* Intro Song: “Sunday” by Jean Goldkette Orchestra with the Keller Sisters (courtesy of The Internet Archive)

* Read Elise’s latest film piece on Preston Sturges, Unfaithfully Yours, and the Narrative role of comedic scapegoating.

* Check out Dave’s new Robert Benchley blog – an attempt to annotate and reflect upon as many of the master humorist’s 2000+ pieces as he can locate – Benchley Data: A Wayward Annotation Project!

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