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date & photographer unknown
Today is the birthday of film actor, Gwyllyn Samuel Newton Ford, aka Glenn Ford, a Canadian-American actor who often portrayed ordinary men in unusual circumstances. He was born in 1916, in Sainte-Christine-d'Auvergne, Quebec. His father was an engineer with the Canadian Pacific Railway and he was a great-nephew of Canada's first Prime Minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, and was also related to U.S. President Martin Van Buren, one of the founders of the Democratic Party.
Ford
made dozens of films some great, some good and some bad; typical of
most Hollywood careers. My favorite films of his may not have been
considered GREAT but I loved them.
In date order, as Johnny Farrell in Gilda (1946) with Rita Hayworth in her first film role, they sizzled. In a nightclub scene she sang one of my favorite songs, Amado Mio, which was actually sung by Anita Ellis. The song was covered by Dick Haymes in 1946, by Grace Jones on her album Bulletproof Heart in 1990 and by Pink Martini on their 1997 album Sympathique.
In 1949 he appeared with Ida Lupino in the film, Lust for Gold, about the legendary Lost Dutchman gold mine,
starring Ford as the "Dutchman" and Lupino as the woman he loves. It's a
tale of deceit and greed, murder and deception with both characters as swarmy as the other. George Duning wrote the score for the film.
He appeared with Hayworth again in 1952 in the film, Affair in Trinidad. Once again her singing was dubbed; this time by Jo Ann Greer, who later also sang for her in Miss Sadie Thompson and Pal Joey.
Affair in Trinidad - 1952
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In 1953 he starred in The Big Heat, an American film noir crime film directed by Fritz Lang starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Lee Marvin and Jocelyn Brando.
For me the most impact was the scene where Vince Stone (Lee Marvin) throws a boiling pot of coffee into the face of Debby Marsh (Gloria Grahame) irreparably disfiguring her. Not a pleasant scene to watch.
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Then there is my-top-of-the-list favorite of ALL of his films, the stunning 1955 social drama film, Blackboard Jungle, in which he portrays Richard Dadier, a school teacher in an interracial inner-city school, based on the 1954 novel The Blackboard Jungle by Evan Hunter. His wife is played by Anne Francis who would appear a couple of years later as Altaira "Alta" Morbius in the film Forbidden Planet. I have already written at length about the Blackboard Jungle which introduced me to Bill Haley and Rock and Roll (link below).
Blackboard Jungle - 1953
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In 1978 Ford was superb as the stepdad of Superman and Christopher Reeve was perfectly cast as the Man of Iron.
I've mentioned his serious films but he has proved he can handle comedy as well. In 1956 there was The Teahouse of the August Moon, in 1959 The Gazebo in which John McGiver pronounced it "The Gaze Bo", in 1961 Cry for Happy. Also in 1961, a film I REALLY liked him in, Pocketful of Miracles as Dave "the Dude" Conway, a gangster with a heart of gold inspired by Apple Annie, played by Bette Davis, and her "lucky" apples. It's a totally sweet and heart warming story.
Pocketful of Miracles - 1961
Viewfinder links:
Chuy Reyes ~ Rumba de Cuba @ 10"
