Podcasts TV There's Sometimes a Buggy The Hollywood Studios, Year-By-Year MGM, 1930 The Bishop Murder Case & Not So Dumb

The Hollywood Studios, Year-By-Year MGM, 1930 The Bishop Murder Case & Not So Dumb

Published: Sept. 27, 2019, 4:34 a.m.

In the first MGM episode of our Studios Year by Year series, the year is 1930, and Elise and Dave watch as the straggler studio struggles with the challenges of early sound in THE BISHOP MURDER CASE, starring Basil Rathbone as Philo Vance, with two credited directors (Elise posits a third, unknown genius). Then we switch over to a Marion Davies comedy, NOT SO DUMB, directed by King Vidor, Dave's favourite director for many reasons that he enumerates in the episode, none of them relevant to this movie. We conclude that Lynn Fontanne stage vehicles are not the forte of either Vidor or Davies; however, Donald Ogden Stewart is on hand to provide handsy amusement. \u201cGuess who!\u201d \u201cIt was you!\u201d Too bad that's not the movie's most problematic moment (trigger warning\u2014our first\u2014included in segment). Also: some reflections on the sadism of comedy and the role of the \u201cother man\u201d in film comedy.

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Time Codes:

0h 1m 00s:\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 The Bishop Murder Case (dirs. Nick Grind\xe9 & David Burton)

0h 52m 59s:\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0 Not So Dumb (dir. King Vidor)

1h 38m 28s:\xa0\xa0\xa0 \xa0Listener Mail\xa0with\xa0Todd Murry

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* Find Elise\u2019s latest published film piece \u2013 \u201cElaine May\u2019s Male Gaze\u201d \u2013 in the Elaine May issue of Bright Wall/Dark Room*

*And Read Elise\u2019s Writing at\xa0Bright Wall/Dark Room,\xa0Cl\xe9o, and\xa0Bright Lights.*

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Theme Music:

\u201cWhat\u2019s Yr Take on Cassavetes?\u201d \u2013 Le Tigre