Started a new film-watching challenge in June. June will now be a deep dive into an actor working across the 40s, 50s etc. I’m starting with Jean Hagen who made 20 films, but I'd only seen 5 of them, and only remember her in one - Singin' in the Rain as Lina Lamont. I managed to track down 17 of the 20, but had had no luck finding Night into Morning (1950), Shadow in the Sky (1951), and Arena (1952).
The Films:
Adam's Rib (1949, George Cukor) From the pen of married screenwriters Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin comes this spirited gender comedy of competing married lawyers, played by Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn. Judy Holliday stars as the wife on trial. Jean Hagen is sixth-billed as her husband’s lover.
Ambush (1950, Sam Wood) Ward (Robert Taylor) is tasked with rescuing the General's daughter, who’s being held by Apaches. Arlene Dahl plays her sister. A visually striking black-and-white western, though with a negative Native American portrayal. Jean Hagen is fifth-billed in a love triangle plot back at the fort.
Side Street (1950, Anthony Mann) A poor postman (Farley Granger) impulsively steals money to shower his pregnant wife (Cathy O'Donnell) with gifts. He soon regrets it when he discovers it’s $30k and ‘hot’ money. Jean Hagen is fifth-billed as a gangster's gal. A taut film noir.
The Asphalt Jungle (1950, John Huston) A complex film noir about the fallout from a heist and murder. It benefits from strong character development of both criminals and cops, and is stylishly shot. Jean Hagen is third-billed, but plays one of many underdeveloped female roles, while Marilyn Monroe (11th-billed) outshines.
A Life of Her Own (1950, George Cukor) Lily (Lana Turner) leaves her small town for a New York modelling career. She gets what she wants, but there's a romantic hiccup with a wealthy mine owner (Ray Milland). Jean Hagen has brief appearances as a model in this mid-tier melodrama.
Night Into Morning (1951, Fletcher Markle) Starring Ray Milland, John Hodiak, and Nancy Davis. Hagen is fifth-billed as the ‘Girl Next Door,’ but it’s one of three films I was unable to find.
No Questions Asked (1951, Harold F. Kress) After Ellen (Arlene Dahl) leaves her struggling lawyer fiancé (Barry Sullivan) for a wealthier man, he starts a lucrative career brokering between thieves and insurers. Jean Hagen stars as his new girlfriend. A very enjoyable film noir!
Shadow in the Sky (1952, Fred M. Wilcox) The second of the three films I couldn’t find. Jean Hagen is fourth-billed. Hope to find it one day. Oddly, given her next film, it appears to be about a man terrified of the rain.
Singin' in the Rain (1952, Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen) This is the film most people know Jean Hagen from, where she delivers an Oscar-nominated, scene-stealing performance as Lina Lamont. The arrival of sound in Hollywood threatens the careers of Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). Don's friend (Donald O'Connor) devises a plan to rescue the film and their careers, and his gal (Debbie Reynolds) helps out. Singin' in the Rain is my favourite musical and my favourite film about film. It's also the film I've seen most over the past 40 years. Back in 1983, I broke my leg and it was one of only eight videos I had, so I watched it on a loop! You can hear me talk about it on the Perfect Night In podcast.
Carbine Williams (1952, Richard Thorpe) James Stewart, in dark, brooding mode, stars as Carbine Williams, whose real-life story is told in flashback by a prison warden (Wendell Corey) to Williams’ son. Through this, we see Williams’ marriage to Maggie (Jean Hagen), his crime, prison life, and what made him famous!
Arena (1953, Richard Fleischer) Promoted as "the first 3-D Western," this film stars Gig Young, Jean Hagen, and Polly Bergen. It’s the final film I haven’t been able to find.
Latin Lovers (1953, Mervyn LeRoy) Nora (Lana Turner) has a $37m fortune but isn't sure whether the men in her life love her for her or her money. One (John Lund) is as rich as she is, while the other (Ricardo Montalbán) is not. Jean Hagen is fifth-billed, playing the thankless role of her secretary. Dreadful, though the technicolor is nice!
Half a Hero (1953, Don Weis) Journalist Ben (Red Skelton) tries to encourage thrift, but his wife (Jean Hagen), with a growing family, is keen to buy a house in the suburbs. A social commentary gender comedy with pro-credit and pro-suburbs propaganda.
Climax! - The Lou Gehrig Story (1956) A one-hour TV drama exploring baseball player Gehrig’s (Wendell Corey) diagnosis of ALS and his emotional retirement speech. Jean Hagen plays his supportive wife.
The Big Knife (1955, Robert Aldrich) As the Hollywood studio system loses its glamour, a film star (Jack Palance), frustrated by poor-quality films, refuses to sign a new contract, with his wife (Ida Lupino) supporting him. Jean Hagen plays his lover in this cruel, stylish melodrama.
Spring Reunion (1956, Robert Pirosh) A 15-year school reunion where the girl and guy most likely to succeed (Betty Hutton, Dana Andrews) have fine careers but no one special in their lives. Jean Hagen plays a friend, married with lots of kids, but having the night off!
The Shaggy Dog (1959, Charles Barton) Jean Hagen may have second billing but in terms of screentime as the wife to dog-hating mailman (Fred MacMurray) she's less than her kids, one of whom magically turns into a dog and uncovers a spy ring. The dog, Sam, steals the show!
Sunrise at Campobello (1960, Vincent J. Donehue) A change of pace for Jean Hagen, this biopic of future US President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Ralph Bellamy) and his family focuses on his paralysis at age 39. Jean Hagen plays his secretary, but with only about five minutes of screentime in a 149 minute movie, this was a chore.
Panic in Year Zero! (1962, Ray Milland) The Baldwin family (Jean Hagen, Ray Milland, and their kids) are packing for a camping trip when they see a nuclear explosion. Fearing the worst, they head to a remote location as society descends into chaos. Surprisingly good!
Dead Ringer (1964, Paul Henreid) Bette Davis stars as twins who reunite after 20 years, with Jean Hagen appearing as one of the rich twin's friends. Hagen shines in her three scenes in the latter half of this psychological thriller.
Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn (1977, John Erman)
A sequel to Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976), focusing on her boyfriend Alexander. In a sad yet fitting final screen role, Jean Hagen plays his embittered landlady. Her poor health is visible, but she still has that special spark.
Why the gaps in Jean Hagen's filmography? She starred in 117 episodes of Make Room for Daddy (1953-1956), along with many appearances in other hit TV shows of the 60s and 70s. I've tracked some of these down, so Jean Hagen June isn’t quite over yet! I won’t be watching all 117 episodes, though!
Make Room for Daddy stars Danny Thomas as nightclub entertainer Danny Williams and Jean Hagen as his wife, Margaret. The episode I watched focused on their home life with two kids and a maid (Louise Beavers), where Margaret gets the upper hand. From Desilu, makers of I Love Lucy.
Some other notable TV finds:
Alfred Hitchcock Presents: Enough Rope for Two (1957, Paul Henreid)
Joe (Steve Hill) is released from prison for stealing money with Maxie (Steve Brodie). With girlfriend Madge (Jean Hagen) accompanying, the three go to retrieve the hidden money. But then there's double crosses!
The DuPont Show with June Allyson: Once Upon a Knight (1960)
An English history professor (James Mason) is stuck in a suit of armor he wore to present a lecture. He's rescued by Elizabeth (Jean Hagen), whose brutish boyfriend was poking fun. Top physical comedy and really rather sweet!
The Andy Griffith Show: Andy and the Woman Speeder (1961)
Elizabeth (Jean Hagen), a Washington journalist, gets caught for speeding by Andy. She tries to charm her way out of it, but this fails to impress him. Yet, it works on the (male) witnesses! Hagen in top flirtatious mode!
Jean Hagen appeared in two episodes of Wagon Train:
Marie Brandt in The Marie Brandt Story (1960)
Sarah Proctor in The Sarah Proctor Story (1963). I could only find an incomplete episode of the Sarah Proctor one, which didn't make much sense, especially as I've never seen an episode!
Starsky & Hutch: The Hostages (1976)
An armoured-car driver (John Ritter) is forced to help in a robbery as his wife (Linda Kelsey) is being held hostage by Belle (Jean Hagen). Starsky and Hutch are on the case as its MO is similar to another case. Pretty good edge-of-the-seat stuff!
The Streets of San Francisco: Judgment Day (1976)
A judge is murdered, and Stone (Karl Malden) and Keller (Michael Douglas) soon link it to the deaths of other judges/attorneys, leading them to a disbarred lawyer (James McCallion). Jean Hagen plays his landlady. High-quality stuff.
And that brings an end to my Jean Hagen viewing project. I watched 17 of her 20 feature and TV films. My top 4 performances:
Singin' in the Rain
Side Street
Dead Ringer
Spring Reunion
But the real find of this project was Jean Hagen’s appearance opposite James Mason in The DuPont Show with June Allyson: Once Upon a Knight (1960). It’s only 30 minutes, so do make a date and check it out.
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