50'S FOCUS : RALLY ROUND THE FLAG BOYS ... 1958 ..

20TH CENTURY FOX
Preents

RALLY ROUND THE FLAG BOYS!
Starring

USA INSERT

PAUL NEWMAN as Harry Bannerman
JOANNE WOODWARD as Grace Bannerman
JOAN COLLINS as Angela Hoffa
JACK CARSON as CAPTAIN HOXIE
DWAYNE HICKMAN as GRADY METCALF
TUESDAY WELD as COMFORT GOODPASTURE
GALE GORDON as COLONEL THORWALD
TOM GILSON as OPIE
O.Z WHITEHEAD as ISAAC GOODPASTURE
DAVID HEDISON as Narrator

           Assistant Director - Jack Gertsman  Art Director - Lyle R Wheeler & Leland Fuller
              Director of Photography - Leon Shamroy A.S.C  Music by Cyril J Mockridge
          Screenplay by Claude Binyon & Leo McCarey   From the Novel by Max Shulman
                    Edited by Louis R Loeffler  Produced & Directed by Leo McCarey

Putnam's Landing, a quiet, suburban community, or is it? Harry Bannerman, a typical commuter, who faces new problems! What with his wife Grace, taking an eager interest in civic duties, the army announcing Putnam's Landing as the site of a "Top Secret" government project, not to mention the unwanted attention and amorous advances from the glamorous and man hungry Angela, who cuts a fine form in a pink peignoir! Can Harry put a halt to the governments plans? Will Angela get her claws into Harry, with the lure of "Pink Boudoir"? Maybe Grace will catch him with his pants down? When they all band together, they will Rally Round The Flag Boys!!

HARRY AND ANGELA  DRINK TO GOOD TIMES

(c)1958  20TH CENTURY FOX  106 MINS  REGION 1 DVD / FOX HOME ENTERTAINMENT .

Joan was delighted to get the oppurtunity to finally sink her teeth into a comedy role, with the help of her good friends and the film's co-stars Paul & Joanne Newman. But Fox wanted Jayne Mansfield to play the role of the vampish Angela. Thanks to lobbying by the Newman's, who thought Jayne too obvious and would not have the sophisticated level of humour that Joan could bring to the role. Fox had planned to loan Joan out to United Artists for a film called "The Devil's Disciple", but she was thrilled to get "Rally Round"..Another British starlet Jeanette Scott filled the role in the United Artists film.
 Joan threw herself into the role, commenting..

" Angela is a witchy vamp and I play a character as nearly myself as possible, except this is a caricature!"

When the film was released, although not a critical success, Joan did get some good reviews for her work...

The New York Times.

" The neighbour is played by Joan Collins, the other woman, with a dark and roving eye. Joan also has a shape that is enhanced by the sort of clothes that plainly are right for a predaceaous, suburban type!"

The role of Captain Hoxie was to be played by Paul Douglas, but he became ill before shooting began and was replaced by Jack Carson. Joan did appear at the 1958 Oscar Ceremony with the Newman's and she presented the Best Cinematography Award. The film itself was nominated for a 1959 Golden Laurel award, while Joanne Woodward came 4th for top comedy female performance. Director Leo McCarey recieved a nomination for a Directors Guild of America Award in 1960. After she completed the film, it was another year before Joan accepted another role. The studio wanted her for a role in the James Cagney IRA thriller "Shake Hands With The Devil", but the part went to Dana Wynter, who incidentally appeared in Joan's first film, "Lady Godiva Rides Again". At this time Fox had plans to remake one of of it's big hit silent films, "Cleopatra", which had starred Theda Bara. Joan was more than eager to play the role as she was fascinated by the Egyptian queen. Although she was in the running for the role, producers were keen to cast either Elizabeth Taylor or Joanne Woodward. It was the producer Buddy Adler who had Joan at the top of his list, besides Elizabeth had gone to Columbia to film "Suddenly Last Summer" and they had decided perhaps Joanne was not the vampsh type! The film was set to shoot on a modest budget by Hollywood standards and finally Joan was cast as Cleopatra! Joan was sent to the studio dance instructor to learn to walk like an Egyptian, literally! She also spent weeks doing endless makeup and wardrobe tests, but was devastated when they changed their mind and upped the budget and wanted to go with Elizabeth, who was now free to appear in the film. Fox decided that Elizabeth was a bigger box office draw and as they had upped the budget, they wanted to have a box office hit! After this big upset, Joan told herself that something better would come along..at least she had gotten the chance to play a comedy role, that she had loved doing. "Rally Round The Flag Boys" is amomg Joan's favourite films and it is still worth viewing today.Joan is a great comedienne and she looks stunning in the film..Well worth Rallying Round for!

JOAN WITH THE NEWMANS AT THE OSCARS..

(c)  2010   Mark McMorrow ...