Acteurist Oeuvre-view - Diana Wynyard – Part 1: RASPUTIN AND THE EMPRESS (1932) & CAVALCADE (1933)

There's Sometimes a Buggy

Our first Diana Wynyard Acteurist Oeuvre-view presents us with a couple of politically reactionary pre-Codes: Wynyard's Hollywood debut, Rasputin and the Empress (1932), which is mostly Rasputin (a very freaky Lionel Barrymore), not much Empress (Ethel B), and almost no Wynyard; and her Hollywood triumph, Cavalcade (1933), Noël Coward's version of the Modernist recoil from the 20th century. We find much to discuss in these movies' tortured relationship with recent history.

Time Codes:

0h 00m 25s: RASPUTIN & THE EMPRESS (1932) [dir. Richard Boleslawski]

0h 29m 03s: CAVALCADE (1933) [dir. Frank Lloyd]

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* Listen to our guest episode on The Criterion Project – a discussion of Late Spring

* 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 piece on Gangs of New York – “Making America Strange Again”

* Check out Dave’s 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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