February 16

Happy Birthday to Vera-Allen, Chester Morris, Sonny Bono and Edgar Bergen.

My Chester Morris obsession started with Robert Osborne. Several years ago Robert Montgomery was star of the month. The first film showing was the Big House. I don't remember the exact introduction that Robert said, but this is what I remember “starring with Robert Montgomery is Wallace Berry and the great Chester Morris.” I thought the great Chester Morris? I had never heard of him. As I watched the film I tried to figure out which man was Chester. The first scene he is in, he is stretched out in a bunk in a jail cell. You don't see him as he speaks, but I figured it was him. Shortly thereafter he is shown, a very handsome and talented man. Those eyes, that voice, he was the whole package. The next film that night was The Divorcee. That was the same month that I also discovered Kay Francis. A year or two ago TCM played all the Boston Blackie films. Thank you TCM for showing these wonderful films and keeping the films and the people involved alive.

For Chester Morris' birthday I watched The Divorcee. Norma Shearer was considered the star of the film. At the start of the film Norma and Chester become engaged. Conrad Nagel is also in love with Norma. He is upset about her engagement, drinks and drives and has an accident injuring a female friend. Conrad marries the injured woman. The next scene is 3rd anniversary. Norma throws a party and a mysterious woman shows up. It turns out she had an affair with Chester. Norma finds out and is upset. Chester states that it meant nothing it was no big deal. Chester goes out of town for a business meeting. Norma upset goes out drinking with Robert and they go to his apartment and spend the night together. When he comes back Norma confesses “that I’ve balanced our account”. This is probably my favorite scene Chester goes from joy to concern to anger to disbelief to humiliation. He followed the the same path as Norma and gets drunk. He decides to leave and they divorce. They both go on with their lives but are very unhappy. Conrad and Norma get together and he is going out of the country, but not divorcing his wife and asks Norma to go with him. Conrad's wife asks Norma not to go with him. She decides she only wants Chester. She finds him on New Years Eve in Paris at midnight they kiss as the lights dim.

In the Boston Blackie series Chester Morris plays Blackie, a safe-cracking excon who has gone straight along with his sidekick Runt. He has friends who come to him for help and he gets in terrible situations. Blackie is the usual suspect to the police. Blackie is smarter than the police and often solves the crime. I don't know which one is my favorite, they are all basically the same, but they are all enjoyable. Chester plays the character of Blackie with humor, intelligence and wit. Chester was a magician and he would occasionally use one of his tricks in a film.

If you are interested there is a great website http://www.chester-morris.com/ The site even has public domain movies you can watch.