Caesar is one of the more important roles of Warren William's career. But Cleopatra is also a film where he doesn't hang around for too long, so I knew from the start that when I eventually came around to covering this one that I'd also write a more general article about the movie for my Immortal Ephemera website. That can be found HERE.

Warren William had a very active 1934 appearing in nine titles that were released that year. Included among them are his first appearance as Philo Vance in The Dragon Murder Case as well as his originating of the Perry Mason character on screen in The Case of the Howling Dog. But those were cranked out at Warner's in between loan outs to Paramount for this film, Cleopatra, and to Universal for his subsequent release, Imitation of Life, also starring Claudette Colbert.

Each of those films were released to theaters after the Production Code began to be enforced. That might be hard to imagine in Cleopatra's case, but it was the earliest of the bunch and certainly had an easier time slipping by thanks to the historical content and DeMille's name. The Chicago Legion of Decency granted the film B status, marking it as offensive in spots and inappropriate for children, but not forbidden to adults.

So pre-code Warren William is dead by this time, but each of the four titles has merit to varying degrees and the two with Colbert are big pictures. Classics in fact, each recognized in their own time by being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. That award was claimed upon yet another Colbert picture that year, It Happened One Night, which swept the four major awards. Warren, of course, was not nominated for anything.

I bet Warren got a kick out of playing with these gadgets of destruction!

But while the David Dwight, Paul Kroll and Kurt Anderson types are behind Warren William by decree at this point in time, there can be no doubt he's brought quite a bit of that dying breed to the role of Julius Caesar.

We first see William's Caesar seated with paperwork on every side of him. He barely looks up to talk with Pothinos (Leonard Mudie), who's trying to convince him that Cleopatra has fled Egypt and ceded power. Pothinos had actually personally driven her into exile, a point made Apollodorus (Irving Pichel), after returning from the desert and delivering a gift to Caesar. It turns out to be rug with the Queen of Egypt rolled up inside.

William recalls his earlier business rogues when he responds coolly towards his gift, "Thanks. Give him something," not yet aware of the treasure tucked inside. When the barely covered Queen emerges smiling and laughing at her creative entry, William sizes her up and offers, "Very good. But, eh, I'm too busy." His head drops back into his paper work.

A most unusual design

After Pothinos is made to leave Cleopatra does all she can to take Caesar's attention off of his work, gaining his notice for but a moment when she observes, "Seems strange to see you working. I've always pictured you either fighting--or loving." Modestly Caesar replies, "Well, I have had some experience with ... fighting."

He keeps trying to drive her out so he can concentrate on more important tasks but she insists that Pothinus will have her killed if she departs without Caesar's protection. Finally figuring the way to Caesar's heart she mentions India and he bites. "It's the treasure house of the East. With enough gold to--oh, but you're much too busy. We'll talk about it tomorrow." Reaching the door she adds, "If I'm still alive."

Caesar is soon leaning into her at the door pressing for details about this treasure house of the East. "The man in you seems mightier than the General," she observes. "Egypt, sit down," he commands, finally giving her his total attention. He's told that India's gold would pay Caesar's legions for a century. "Are your plans for India or me?" Caesar asks to which Cleopatra replies, "Both." He eventually orders his own guards for her protection.

The authors of "Royal Portraits in Hollywood" assert that "DeMille takes this shortcut--Caesar as executive--to speed the story, exploiting the anticorporate prejudices of the time" (77). That might do for those who view the William characters as strict villains, but, no surprise, I liked Caesar's style. Still, point taken. The same source in commenting upon the later scene in Caesar's private room which ends in consummation of the Caesar and Cleopatra relationship aptly states that "He doesn't caress or kiss her, and it takes a major suspension of disbelief to imagine that their walk up Cleopatra's staircase, hands linked, ends in anything but a merger" (77).

There's quite a bit of pomp as Caesar returns to Rome with Cleopatra in tow. People are lining each side of the road, gossiping about the Egyptian Queen as much as they cheer Caesar. One old soothsayer (Harry Beresford), who somehow manages to gain eye level with Caesar, passes the classic warning: "Caesar. Beware the Ides of March." Caesar, initially looking at him seriously, spits back a threat in jest, "One date's as good as another for a funeral." He laughs off the warning.

Back home all isn't smooth as Mark Antony (Henry Wilcoxon) confronts Caesar about his ties to Cleopatra. He tells him "That woman is making an Egyptian out of you," and soon storms off mumbling that Caesar is making a fool of himself. Caesar turns to his General, Enobarbus (C. Aubrey Smith), and passes a bit of compliment towards Antony saying, "I don't know what the young man means, but he means it violently." Definitely a line I could see William issuing about a tenacious employee from a penthouse office!

Left to right: Henry Wilcoxon, C. Aubrey Smith and Warren William

Warren William lasts about 38 minutes into Cleopatra. Despite warnings from both his wife, Calpurnia (Gertrude Michael), and his lover, Cleopatra, as well as one final word about the Ides of March from that same soothsayer on the Senate steps, Caesar strides into the Senate and is quickly confronted by a man who begs a pardon for his exiled brother. Not even looking up, Caesar replies, "Denied," at which point the man declares him a tyrant and drives a knife down upon him.

This is followed by Senators mobbing Caesar and slashing and cutting at him. William's Caesar has a horrified look on his face as he pulls a blade out of his body and tries blocking the cuts when his hands are free. All but done for the bearded face of Brutus (Arthur Hohl) closes in on us and Warren has his last lines of the film. "You?" he declares in horrified exclamation. "You too, Brutus?"

Watch out! It's Arthur Hohl as Brutus

Argh, too late!

Warren William's Caesar is granite. He's Kurt Anderson in a toga. He's no second banana to Colbert's Cleopatra when they're together either.

He's mostly dismissive of her and carries the upper hand in all of their dealings, business and personal. While Cleopatra has most definitely fallen for Caesar, she's snapped out of her stupor after hearing of his death when Apollodorus tells her the truth: "He didn't love you." She lashes out at her friend with a whip before collapsing in grief, perhaps accepting the truth when doing so.

William had just completed Dr. Monica prior to beginning work on Cleopatra and as mentioned earlier he'd complete both The Dragon Murder Case and The Case of the Howling Dog before beginning production on Imitation of Life with Colbert. With these pictures releasing on practically a monthly schedule in the Summer and Fall of 1934 theatergoers would be able to see a lot of Warren William!

Sources:

• Ford, Elizabeth A. and Deborah C. Mitchell. Royal Portraits in Hollywood: Filming the Lives of Queens. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2009.
• Stangeland, John. Warren William: Magnificent Scoundrel of Pre-Code Hollywood. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2011.

All content © WarrenWilliam.com

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A whole lot of "Jamey" in One Dangerous Night

You almost need a scorecard to keep all of the characters straight in One Dangerous Night. One scene near the end gathers practically every actor together in a single shot and there are so many that, while possibly the fault of my grainy copy, they practically blur into a sea of black and white. One Dangerous Night seems to be winding down towards its conclusion at this point with a gathering of the suspects reminiscent in ways to the first of The Thin Man movies, but Lanyard is foiled by the Inspector's interjections which cause all of the loose lips to clamp shut. The gathering is then broken up by the unlikely, though still hilarious, image of Blore's Jamison firing a Tommy Gun in the air and sending everyone scrambling before he and Lanyard make their escape.

Eric Blore happy, Warren William not so much

One Dangerous Night centers around the murder of a slimy fellow called Harry Cooper. Incidentally, Cooper is played by William's eventual successor as The Lone Wolf, Gerald Mohr. When we first see Cooper he is sending his manservant Arthur (Louis Jean Heydt) ahead to the airport with his luggage. Arthur is to call at 10 p.m. to let Cooper know if a certain party has left to meet him at the plane. We follow Arthur to a clandestine meeting with a couple of suspicious looking fellows he's in cahoots with. Back home, Cooper has invited the several women he's involved with to his home to return valuable pieces of jewelry to him and be put on notice that they're now subject to further blackmail at his whim.

First to arrive is Eve Andrews (Marguerite Chapman), though not without a detour. Eve's car breaks down on her drive to Cooper's but she has the good luck to be picked up by The Lone Wolf and Jamison, the latter clutching a large crate of fireworks which will play a part in a moment so contrived that you can see it coming from our first glimpse of him. But even with the distracting crate on his lap Jamison, always one to recall the splendor of the good old days, manages to steal Eve's purse before they send her on her way to Cooper's.

Marguerite Chapman tucked between Eric Blore and Warren William

The Lone Wolf is not amused: "You idiot. You petty birdbrain. Did you dare--"
"I did indeed, sir. The young lady never even missed it," Jamison replies.
Fed up and practically speechless, Lanyard manages to spit out, "Jamison, you're fired." He turns the car around to head back to Cooper's.

Cooper has excused himself from Eve for a moment to answer the call of his doorbell. Arriving next is Sonia (Tala Birell) with Jane (Mona Barrie) right behind her. Cooper leaves the two ladies with Eve so he can answer his phone and speak with that certain someone with whom he's planning the airport rendezvous.

Gerald Mohr and Tala Birell, Lone Wolf tales past, present and future

Each of the three women stand to lose a lot if they don't submit to Cooper's blackmailing: Eve Andrews is on her way that very evening to a party at which she expects to announce her engagement to Johnny Sheldon (Roger Clark). A scandal would likely torpedo the relationship. Sonia Budenny is the unhappily married wife to a very respectable Doctor (Gregory Gaye), who's guilty of a wandering eye himself. She wants to protect the meal ticket thought. And Jane Merrick is a rising performer whose growing success could grind to a halt with a spate of scandalous press.

Each of the women has reason to be weary of the press, especially when an aggressive gossip columnist by the name of Sidney Shannon (Warren Ashe) appears on the scene as yet another character on the One Dangerous Night scorecard.

Mona Barrie at left with Mohr, Chapman (seated), Birell (standing)

When Lanyard and Jamison arrive at Cooper's with intentions of returning Eve's purse, the girls are gone and Cooper's body is on the floor with it a bullet through it. Wouldn't you know a neighborhood police officer spots Lanyard's car parked on the wrong side of the road next to a fire hydrant and comes to the door. Lanyard sends Jamison out of site to act out the part of several people enjoying themselves at a party, but when Jamison drops a stack of phonographs the ruckus brings the policeman into the room and into sight of Cooper's body. Lanyard later tells Jamison he believe he dropped the records on purpose just to cause some excitement.

Guess who answers the call when the policeman reports the murder to headquarters?

Murder Dickens! Just an aside, at the very end of the movie a drunk happens along who refers to Dickens as "Joe Eyebrows," maybe the funniest line of any Lone Wolf!

Inspector Crane (Thurston Hall) and Dickens (Fred Kelsey) were just settling in at Crane's desk for lunch when the phone rings. Crane springs from his chair, but Dickens is reluctant to leave the food.

"It's murder, Dickens, murder!" Crane cries.
"It certainly is," replies dejected Dickens, enjoying just a single bite before being forced to leave lunch behind.

Arriving at Cooper's house Lanyard is implicated, Jamison's crate of fireworks come into play, and the Lone Wolf is on the run once more accused of a murder he did not commit. His only clue is Eve's handbag but even that doesn't give away her identity. They discover who she is when they find her name on a tag inside the hood of her car and from there Lanyard and Jamison are off to solve the murder and clear their names.

Special credit at the start this time for Warren.

Working a lead secured by Jamison, who listened in on a phone conversation of Eve's, Lanyard and Jamison, with gossip hound Sidney in tow by this point, head to a tourist nightspot where Sonia is spotted eating dinner with her husband, the Doctor. Lanyard sends Jamison off with Sidney with orders to ham up an illness, which Jamison does with hilarious effect, in order to get the Doctor's attention. With the entire club distracted by Jamison's piercing moans, Sonia sits back down to find Lanyard sidled up beside her questioning her about the murder.

Sonia's reaction is loud and is leading towards Lanyard's being ejected from the club, when along comes an old friend, Vivian (Ann Savage), to save Lanyard's skin. Apparently it's not the first time she's bailed him out of trouble, "Remember Monte Carlo?" she asks, but it's out of the fire and into the frying pan for Lanyard as Vivian leads him out to a car with Arthur's (Cooper's manservant) two henchman waiting. Lanyard calls Vivian a "Viper," to which she casually replies, "Sorry, Mike."

Lanyard looks a little leery of old pal, Vivian

Back inside the club the Doctor is well aware that Jamison is playing him and snaps him out of his illness by mentioning the long cut he's going to make to get started. Jamison with eyes bulging speaks of his recovery while the Doctor notes that "... I'm deeply concerned by the peculiar look in your eye. It is not normal," before suggesting he put Jamison in the hands of a "competent brain specialist." We've been waiting half a dozen movies for someone to figure that out!

The next time we see Warren William he's tied to a chair with Ann Savage tormenting him. Savage's biographer, Lisa Morton, notes William's experience in the industry and says "that for a young actress to fondle him quite the way Ann does shows a fearless performer of tremendous potential" (82). But it's more than the physical fondling, Savage lights up the room with Vivian's banter alternating between talk of the good old days, obviously romantic, and the fact that, "I'd just as soon plug you as not" if Lanyard tries to make a break. Morton adds, "Ann registered so strongly in the scene that it quickly became the buzz of the Columbia lot, drawing an audience at the dailies screening" (82).

His fears were not misplaced. Ann Savage and Warren William

While I wouldn't go so far as to say the scene steals the movie, I will say it is a very impressive debut and one of my favorite scenes in One Dangerous Night. Of course, most of my other favorites involve Eric Blore going completely over the top so take that for what it's worth. The next we see him he's practically drooling as he chats up the hostess at the nightclub: "My name's Jamison, but you can call me Jamey."

Savage would have a busy year appearing in several additional titles including an entry in each the Boston Blackie series with Chester Morris and one of the Penny Singleton-Arthur Lake Blondie movies. And, of course, later that year our next Lone Wolf entry, Passport to Suez, where she plays an entirely different character and not Vivian of One Dangerous Night.

Left to right: Marguerite Chapman, Mona Barrie, Tala Birell

While Savage and Gerald Mohr had connections to the Lone Wolf's future, another cast member had a link to the past. And I don't mean Lloyd Bridges, who I didn't spot myself but according to the IMDb plays the Airline Gate Attendant. Tala Birell, who had worked under Max Reinhardt in Vienna and came to the U.S. as a Garbo-type for Universal had appeared in 1935's The Lone Wolf Returns. That entry starred Melvyn Douglas as Lanyard and also included Thurston Hall in the cast playing Inspector Crane for the first time.

Warren William and Thurston Hall

"You have the most amazing knack of doing the right thing at the wrong time," Lanyard says to Jamison at the time of the gun play I mentioned earlier. William seems to give One Dangerous Night over to Blore, playing it straight throughout with most of his own dialog either outrage at Jamison's actions or scolding him after the fact. Maybe this one was a bit of a present for Blore after being mostly invisible in Counter-Espionage. In his scenes with the other actors William seems calmer and cooler than ever before, pressing each of the women with the question, Who killed Harry Cooper?, and barely breaking a sweat even when tied up at Ann Savage's mercy.

Take away Jamison's crate of fireworks and One Dangerous Night is all around solid. If you think I'm harping on the fireworks please realize that the crate takes up almost as much screen as Blore himself and is ever present until it's put to use. It's obvious from the first time we see them that they're going to explode in order to get Lanyard out of a tight spot and the only blessing is that it comes at his first tight spot. Surely something more creative could have been done.

It's a pretty big box of fireworks, no?

We'll give the final word, appropriately, to Jamison this time around. He's having more fun than ever before in One Dangerous Night and seems to be getting a special kick out of putting his boss' reformation to the test at every turn. After another Lanyard scolding, or perhaps firing, I don't recall which, Jamison turns to the Lone Wolf and says, "Come now, sir, we always win out in the end, don't we, sir?" Of course.

Sources

Morton, Lisa and Kent Adamson. Savage Detours: The Life and Work of Ann Savage. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2010

One more of Ann Savage before we go, she'd just as soon plug ya!

All content © WarrenWilliam.com

Want to talk about this? Visit the original article to leave a comment: Jamison Steals the Show in One Dangerous Night (1943)

You're not dealing with jewels this time but with human lives, including your own." - Inspector Crane to Lanyard.

There's no hint of the civilities from the previous Secrets of the Lone Wolf (1941) in Counter-Espionage.

The Inspector (Thurston Hall) and Dickens (Fred Kelsey) are visiting Inspector Stephens (Matthew Boulton) at Scotland Yard after having completed their duties as personal bodyguards to the President's production consultants. While they are there word comes through to Stephens that the secretive beam detector plans have been stolen from Sir Stafford Hart's (Stanley Logan) safe.

Upon discovering a cufflink emblazoned with the letter L, Dickens mentions that the last he'd heard of Lanyard he had been vacationing in Scotland. But Inspector Stephens informs Crane and Dickens that Lanyard, formerly the Lone Wolf, had recently checked in at his Scotland Yard office to notify him that he'd be staying in London. "Completely disarming and as fascinating as ever," says Stephens.

The Lone Wolf and Wesley Dickens

Dickens is convinced Lanyard has taken the plans and what's more so too is the Inspector.

But here's the early twist. So are we!

Sir Stafford concludes his affairs for the day and sends his secretary, Harvey Leeds (Leslie Denison), off to meet with his daughter, Pamela (Hillary Brooke), at a nearby shelter. Once Harvey departs, not without difficulties, Sir Stafford's assistant, Kent Wells (Morton Lowry), hears a curious noise from the library. There we find the Lone Wolf up to his very old tricks. He cracks Sir Stafford's safe and makes off unseen by the two men with the coveted beam detector plans.

Lanyard then meets up with Jamison (Eric Blore) and, after saving the life of one George Barrow (Billy Bevan) during a German blitz, they take refuge in the very shelter where Pamela Hart works. Not knowing her relation to Sir Stafford, Lanyard and Jamison each let out a little moan as they watch her prepare food for those seeking cover.

"I wonder if we're both ahhing at the same thing, sir."
"If you're half a man, Jamison, we should be."
"I do find it pretty tasty, sir," says Jamison with typical twisted face.
"Jamison! I'm surprised at you."
"They tell me the food in these air raid shelters is very good, sir."
"The food?" Lanyard asks.
"The food."
"Jamison, I am surprised at you," says disgusted Lanyard before going off to be rebuffed by Pamela.

Hillary Brooke, with Warren William in foreground at left

In an entry whose only real weaknesses seem to be the coincidental very small world of London the Inspectors and Dickens soon arrive at the same shelter and spot Lanyard.

Pam is revealed as Sir Stafford's daughter as she inquires about her boyfriend, Harvey, who was supposed to meet her. She doesn't believe it when she's told that Harvey is under suspicion for being involved with the Lone Wolf. Crane himself is surprised and points out that Lanyard, the Lone Wolf after all, typically works on his own.

Lanyard replies, "Very well put, Inspector, thank you." And then Dickens nearly causes a riot when he says a little too loud, "He used to be the slickest international jewel thief the police ever knew. Now he's a spy."

Hello foolish!

After a daring escape from Scotland Yard, Lanyard bolts outside and is met by Anton Schugg (Forrest Tucker), whom we've previously seen taking a wrench to Harvey's skull. After some entertaining back and forth chatter Schugg blindfolds Lanyard and escorts him to the hidden offices of his boss, Gustav Soessel (Kurt Katch). Unlike the husky All-American Tucker, Katch actually resembles Eric Blore crossed with a good portion of Erich von Stroheim. There's no guesswork involved, this Soessel fellow is one hundred percent Nazi villain right down to his Heil Hitlers.

Forrest Tucker and Kurt Katch

Unlike the previous Secrets of the Lone Wolf, where the entire story centered upon our four main characters to the detriment of all others, Counter-Espionage puts every one of those numerous characters I've named to good use. The main characters, barring Warren William as the Lone Wolf, are each scaled back some to make room for all of the others.

Inspector Stephens is as important to the story as Crane and Dickens, however Crane and Dickens are de-emphasized as much as they have been in several episodes now. Even Jamison has a somewhat smaller role with Lanyard at one point sending him off to the movies to keep him out of his way.

The London setting of Counter-Espionage not only puts Nazis on the ground but gives it an excuse to have the British blitzed from above on a few occasions. In fact, air raid sirens blare over the opening scene and images of German destruction are somewhat instrumental in the putting over the climax of the movie as well.

Fred Kelsey and Thurston Hall

Fans just getting into the series will be made more comfortable by early screen appearances of three later favorites including Forrest Tucker as Nazi Schugg; Hillary Brooke, later Lou Costello tease on The Abbott and Costello Show, in one of her earliest credited roles as the very British daughter of Sir Stafford; and the return of Lloyd Bridges, who'd previously appeared as the inventor in The Lone Wolf Takes a Chance (1941), going unbilled this time in a brief bit as a Nazi waiter with a mustache.

Service from Lloyd Bridges, not all that great for Warren William and Hillary Brooke

Counter-Espionage was filmed in the Spring of 1942 and released later that year, so not only is the humor toned down but Lanyard's old foils are repulsed by the possibility that he may actually be a spy. Inspector Stephens practically spits at Lanyard late in the picture when he tells him, "I hope you realize what a cursed memory you'll always be to English people"

Even Jamison has his doubts about his master at one point. He asks his boss what he expects to do with the stolen plans and Lanyard tells him that he's going to hand them over to the Nazi Stoessel. Jamison is momentarily appalled and in one of the oddest bits of dialog in the series actually scolds his boss, saying, "Mr. Lanyard, this is no time for persiflage."

Eric Blore and Warren William

Warren William does get to have a little fun in a brief scene with the old silent clown Clyde Cook, who's selling chestnuts on the streets of London in Counter-Espionage. Likewise he has a pretty good time when Jamison leads him through the streets blindfolded attempting to recreate the path Schugg had taken him along earlier.

Counter-Espionage packs more action than any of the Warren William Lone Wolf entries to date. While there is some mystery and intrigue, most of that is cleared up rather quick and the film instead stands as more of an Action-Adventure thriller than anything else. A pretty good one at that.

Warren William, Fred Kelsey and Billy Bevan

There's a thrill in this, Jamison. The chance to strike a blow for Democracy." - Michael Lanyard aka The Lone Wolf

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Want to talk about this? Visit the original article to leave a comment: Counter-Espionage (1942) The Lone Wolf and Co. in London — With Nazis