A Double Dose of Ann Dvorak on TCM
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It’s August which means it’s that one glorious month of the year when Turner Classic Movies celebrates Summer Under the Stars, dedicating each day’s programming to one actor/actress. Tomorrow is Paul Muni day and both films he made with Ann Dvorak are on the roster.
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First up at 6:30 pm PST is Scarface, co-starring George Raft, Karen Morley, Osgood Perkins, and Boris Karloff. I have extolled the virtues of this Howard Hawks classic numerous times, not least of which is due to Ann’s amazing performance. If you’ve made it this long without seeing Scarface, what are you waiting for?
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Then at 10:00pm PST, Dvorak and Muni are teamed up again in Dr. Socrates. This second pairing is certainly not as strong as the first, but it’s watchable enough. Both of their characters are so far removed from Tony & Cesca Camonte that it’s an interesting comparison. Unlike Scarface, Dr. Socrates is not available on DVD which is another reason to check it out.
TCM is on a roll this summer with the Dvorak flicks, so enjoy ’em while you can!
Got around to watching Dr. Socrates last nite (and Black Fury, too, with Ann’s pal Karen Morley – it’s a better film than “DS”). Plays like a B+ movie, though it’s always a treat to watch Ann. The strong supporting Warner stock company helps. This was the year before Paul Muni became an “important” Oscar winning actor with that run of biographical pictures. His stagey acting style has never been appealed much to me.
I can see how Muni can be an acquired taste, though I personally adore him. As I recall, Ann gets a couple of really nice close-ups in Dr. Socrates which is unusual for her Warner flicks!