Andy Hardy Meets Debutante 1940  N/R, 89 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: George B. Seitz
Cast: Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden, Judy Garland, Ann Rutherford, Sara Haden, Diana Lewis, Tom Neal, George P. Breakston, Addison Richards, George Lessey
The Hardy family (Lewis Stone, Fay Holden, Cecilia Parker, and Mickey Rooney) visits New York City where Andy's friend, Betsy (Judy Garland), introduces him to a debutante (Diana Lewis). Andy falls in love with her–briefly–and then realizes his true love is back home.
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Blossoms in the Dust 1941 N/R, 100 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Mervyn LeRoy
Cast: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Felix Bressart, Marsha Hunt, Fay Holden, Samuel S. Hinds, Kathleen Howard, George Lessey, William Henry, Henry O'Neill, John Eldredge, Marc Lawrence
This is the true story of Edna Gladney (Greer Garson) who started the Texas Children's Home and Aid Society in Fort Worth. Edna's early life was hard until she met and married Samuel (Walter Pidgeon), the owner of a flour mill in Texas. After their baby died in infancy and she couldn't have more children, she decided to start the Children's Home, specializing in illegitimate children (a problem that had hurt her in the past). After her husband's death, Edna became a strong force in changing laws relevant to illegitimacy. The heavy melodrama won an Academy Award for Best Interior Set Decoration and was nominated for three others, including Best Picture and Actress.
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Charlie Chan in the Secret Service 1944  N/R, 65 min.
Genre: Mystery / Drama / Comedy / Thriller
Director: Phil Rosen
Cast: Sidney Toler, Mantan Moreland, Gwen Kenyon, Benson Fong, Arthur Loft, Sarah Edwards, George J. Lewis, Marianne Quon, Muni Seroff, Barry Bernard, Gene Roth, Eddy Chandler, Lelah Tyler, George Lessey, Davison Clark
Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) is appointed as an agent for the Secret Service when a government scientist is killed and his secret plans to fight off German U-boats are stolen. Charlie gets aid from Number Three Daughter Iris (Marianne Quon) and Number Two Son Tommie (Benson Fong), and, despite the killer targeting Charlie twice, Charlie continues in his quest to weed out the real killer from a list of suspects.
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 Go West 1940 N/R, 81 min.
Genre: Comedy
aka: Marx Brothers Go West
Director: Edward Buzzell
Cast: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, John Carroll, Diana Lewis, Walter Woolf King, Robert Barrat, Tully Marshall, June MacCloy, George Lessey
While this is not the Marx Brothers' best film, their closing scene is well worth the viewing.
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The Golden Fleecing 1940  N/R, 68 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Leslie Fenton
Cast: Lew Ayres, Rita Johnson, Lloyd Nolan, Virginia Grey, Nat Pendleton, Leon Errol, George Lessey, Richard Carle, Ralph Byrd, Marc Lawrence
Insurance agent Henry Twinkle (Lew Ayres) is not the brightest bulb in the house but is an honest man who loves his boss' daughter (Rita Johnson). He sells a big policy to the rich Gus (Lloyd Nolan) and then finds out that Gus is a gangster being sought by the law. Henry MUST find and protect Gus before the gangster is killed and the insurance policy must be paid. Lame comedy.
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 Moon Over Miami 1941  N/R, 91 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Walter Lang
Cast: Betty Grable, Don Ameche, Robert Cummings, Charlotte Greenwood, Jack Haley, Carole Landis, George Lessey, Minor Watson, Fortunio Bonanova, Robert Greig
In this entertaining film, three fortune-hunting sisters (Betty Grable, Charlotte Greenwood, and Carol Landis) find Miami to be the optimum place in their search for wealthy husbands.
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Rings on Her Fingers 1942 N/R, 85 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Rouben Mamoulian
Cast: Henry Fonda, Gene Tierney, Laird Cregar, Shepperd Strudwick, Spring Byington, Frank Orth, Henry Stephenson, Marjorie Gateson, George Lessey, Iris Adrian
John Wheeler (Henry Fonda) is conned by a trio of swindlers. However, one of the culprits, Susan Miller (Gene Tierney), falls in love with John and helps him regain his lost money.
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 Strike Up the Band 1940 N/R, 120 min.
Genre: Musical
Director: Busby Berkeley
Cast: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, June Preisser, Ann Shoemaker, William Tracy, George Lessey, Milton Kibbee, Helen Jerome Eddy, Virginia Brissac, Margaret Early
This is not one of Busby Berkeley's better films, but a good Gershwin score helps. The plot involves high-school bandleader Jimmy Connors (Mickey Rooney) and his band's vocalist Mary Holden (Judy Garland) who enter the competition in Paul Whiteman's nationwide band contest.
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| 1. Andy Hardy Meets Debutante (1940)
2. Blossoms in the Dust (1941)
3. Charlie Chan in the Secret Service (1944)
4. Go West (1940)
aka: Marx Brothers Go West
5. The Golden Fleecing (1940)
6. Moon Over Miami (1941)
7. Rings on Her Fingers (1942)
8. Strike Up the Band (1940)
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