Discuss Claudette Colbert

I've only seen six of her films but really value her strong presence on screen:

The Smiling Lieutenant 9/10 The Sign of the Cross 7/10 Cleopatra 7/10 (Colbert carries the film) It Happened One Night 8/10 Bluebeard's Eighth Wife 9/10 The Palm Beach Story 10/10 (brilliant film!)

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I don't feel that I can properly rate the Claudette Colbert performances I've seen, as all but one have been years since I last viewed the films in question, so not sure, now, exactly where I'd place each performance within the 1-10 scale. No doubt each would fall somewhere in the 7-10 range. What I can do is list Miss Colbert's film titles that are ones I'm sure I've watched:

It Happened One Night (1934), Imitation of Life (1934), Cleopatra (1934), Midnight (1939 - terrific!), Drums Along the Mohawk (1939), The Palm Beach Story (1942 - its madcap opening sequence is awesome!), Since You Went Away (1944), Three Came Home (1950 - excellent!).

I'm sure I've also seen multiple additional Colbert films, but am not exactly sure of which title is which for them, glancing over Miss Colbert's filmography. Wow: I've seen lots more of her films throughout the years than I realized I had!

Of the ones I mentioned above, besides currently owning a DVD of Midnight, I used to own the DVDs of The Palm Beach Story and of Three Came Home. (I'd be interested in at some point additionally owning a copy of Imitation of Life.)

Not very many, I'm afraid...

  • The Palm Beach Story - 9
  • It Happened One Night - 7
  • Midnight - 7
  • The Sign of the Cross - 6
  • Drums Along the Mohawk - 5

Rudely, I, too, found Drums Along the Mohawk to be a fail, though I can't remember if that's how I felt also about Miss Colbert's performance in it, or solely about the movie. I definitely didn't care for that movie, which did absolutely nothing for me.

Yes, it was a disappointment given the talent involved... I did love Edna May Oliver's performance, one of the 1930s great scene-stealers at her best. A shame she was gone from the film fairly quickly.

I enjoy Colbert, particularly in The Palm Beach Story, but she is not an actress I have - as of yet - gone out of my way to watch. Of those you mentioned above genplant29 I have had Cleopatra, Since You Went Away (I'm a sucker for 40s melodrama but have always been put off by the length) and Imitation of Life (I love the 1959 Sirk film) on my watchlist for a long time.

Ah, Edna May - what a distinctive absolute delight! And, as you said, gone much, much too soon. She's someone who deserves some dedicated posting on TMDb. Meanwhile, as for the Colbert movie Midnight, that features definitely one of my very favourite John Barrymore performance. He's hilarious in it!

I'm totally with you, that the Colbert movies I've seen, she's not someone I've ever felt drawn to or that I originally watched those movies for her. (That's why I'm surprised to now realize how many of her movies I've seen.) Instead, they were movies that turned up on my radar, I checked them out, and certain ones wound up clicking.

Claudette Colbert, for me, planets have to overall align right, in an appealing manner, including appeal of the film itself, or I find myself not drawn in or interested. I think that it may, perhaps, be a matter of lack of a "that extra something" factor, or natural charisma or whatever. I think various of her films managed to bring it out though.

Yes, Barrymore is a treat in Midnight. Such a theatrical actor who always played to the back of the house, but when the role fit, he was an immense talent.

Agree wholeheartedly on Oliver, always a welcome addition to any cast. I love her in David Copperfield and Pride & Prejudice.

It Happened One Night, is my all time favourite

Then Imitation of Life.

I love both the Colbert and the Lana Turner versions of Imitation of Life. Both are great and highly watchable.

Rudely, when Barrymore, in some of his later-career films, went the "hambone" comedic route, he was absolute hilarious perfection, for sure. He certainly did know how to milk every single line, intonation, and facial expression or body movement for all it was worth. 1934's Twentieth Century (co-starring Carole Lombard) - besides Midnight (with Miss Colbert) - is not to be missed!

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