This week’s mystery movie has been the 1933 RKO picture “Christopher Strong,” Katharine Hepburn’s second film and her first in a leading role. It starred Colin Clive and Billie Burke (also in Hepburn’s film debut, “Bill of Divorcement”), with a screenplay by Zoe Akins from a novel by Gilbert Frankau. The photography was by Bert Glennon, settings by Van Nest Polglase and Charles Kirk, music by Max Steiner and transitions by Slavko Vorkapich.
I picked “Christopher Strong” to feature the director, Dorothy Arzner, often described as the only woman director of Hollywood’s golden age.
Ann Harding was originally cast as Lady Cynthia Darrington (New York Times Nov. 20, 1932), the role that eventually went to Hepburn. According to the New York Times (Dec. 11, 1932), “Miss Harding felt that she was miscast in her part and the studio felt that a better part should be given its newest star than was possible in ‘Three Came Unarmed,” which, they believed would be merely ‘another motion picture.’ So Miss Hepburn was switched to Miss Harding’s story… and negotiations were started for ‘Virgie Winters’ (‘The Life of Vergie Winters’) for Miss Harding, Gregory La Cava to direct.”
Philip K. Scheuer of the Los Angeles Times wrote of Hepburn (May 15, 1933): “A slim, gaunt-featured nymph, this actress, with her sharp, pleasantly unpleasant voice and a penchant for the bizarre in outfits. True star material, she dominates each scene in which she figures.”
…. “Dorothy Arzner directed understandingly — a qualification which women will be quick to note and appreciate — from the script by Zoe Akins.”
Mordaunt Hall of the New York Times said (March 19, 1933): “Magnificently produced, with a splendid cast headed by the talented Katharine Hepburn and the efficient Colin Clive, the film transcription of Gilbert Frankau’s novel ‘Christopher Strong,’ which was at the Radio City Music Hall last week, is another gratifying example of the forward strides made in motion pictures since the linking of the microphone with the camera.”
Hall said: “It is a film that can be seen several times without becoming tedious, for Miss Hepburn and other performers are enormously interesting in their respective roles.”
“Christopher Strong” is available on DVD from Warner Archive for $12.50.
I had another image ready from this week’s mystery movie – when I discovered that it turned up on Google’s image search. Oh dear.
Update: This is Helen Chandler.
So instead, here is a mystery woman (minus mystery Back of the Head Guy, whom I cropped out).
And for Tuesday, we have this mystery woman with a natty mystery companion.
Update: This is Irene Browne
Brain Trust roll call: Mark Alan Vieira (mystery movie and mystery woman), Mike Hawks (mystery woman), Megan, Lee Ann, and Thom (mystery woman), Bob Hansen (mystery movie and mystery woman) and Amy Condit (mystery woman).
And for Wednesday, Monday’s mystery woman has a mystery companion.
Update: This is Helen Chandler and Ralph Forbes.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery guests), A.K. Witt (Monday’s mystery woman), Sheila (mystery movie and mystery women) and Anne Papineau (Monday’s mystery woman).
And for Thursday, we have a mystery woman with Monday’s mystery guest woman as Back of the Head Gal.
Update: This is Helen Chandler and Billie Burke.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery man), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and mystery guests), Patrick (Monday’s mystery woman), Jenny M. (Wednesday’s mystery gent), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and guests), Lee Ann, Thom and Megan (mystery movie and guests) and Floyd Thursby (Wednesday’s mystery gent).
And for Friday…..
Updated update: This is Miki Morita.
You were expecting, maybe…..
Isn’t this outfit amazing?
Update: Hepburn in the famous moth costume. The film has no credit for costume design, but IMDB lists Howard Greer and Walter Plunkett.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery woman), David Inman (mystery movie and mystery cast), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery woman), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sarah (Thursday’s mystery woman) and Gary Martin (Thursday’s mystery woman).
ladailymirror.com 
Peggy Shannon?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Helen Chandler in Christopher Strong (RKO 1933)
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Not sure who she is, but congratulations on your first post-buyout mystery star!!
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Helen Chandler.
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Helen Chandler
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Nan Grey?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Helen Vinson in “Jewel Robbery.” I hope to redeem myself for last week’s embarrassment.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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It’s Helen Chandler on Monday, and the movie might be “Christopher Strong” starring Kate Hepburn from 1933.
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Is it Helen Chandler
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It is a stretch, and a Monday, but…Tallulah Bankhead?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Sylvia Sidney?
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Alas, no.
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Cornelia Otis Skinner ..or in the style of.
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Monday: Helen Chandler in “Christopher Strong.”
Tuesday: Paul Ralli and Irene Browne.
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Is it possible that this is Helen MacKellar and Virginia Brissac in Two Against the World?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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I think Tuesday’s natty mystery man might be Peter Lind Hayes.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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helen chandler?
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Helen Chandler and Irene Browne in ‘Christopher Strong’.
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Monday’s gal is somewhat in the style of Helen Chandler.
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Ralph Forbes.
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On Wednesday, Monday’s mystery woman looks like Helen Chandler.
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Ralph Forbes
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Irene Browne for tuesday and Ralph Forbes for today make this CHRISTOPHER STRONG 1933.
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Christopher Strong, with Ralph Forbes fro Wednesday and Irene Browne for Tuesday (it was hard to pin her down when I was used to seeing her 30 years older).
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Ralph Forbes for Wednesday.
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Constance cummings
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Billie Burke in a dramatic role.
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Monday and part of Wednesday — Helen Chandler, and Billie Burke on Thursday, making this “Christopher Strong.”
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Enter Billie Burke.
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Am guessing Wednesday is Ralph Forbes and Thursday is Glinda I mean Billie Burke. Christopher Strong???
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Thursday’s mystery lady is Billie Burke. Merry Christmas and looking forward to another year of the Daily Mirror!
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I should hope I recognize Billie Burke when I see her.
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Kate Hepburn is dressed up and ready to party.
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Okay, I’m dumb. I recognized Billie Burke on Thursday, but that’s as far as I got till today when I saw Katharine Hepburn in her moth costume from CHRISTOPHER STRONG. Helen Chandler on Monday, possibly Irene Browne on Tuesday, Ralph Forbes on Thursday, but I’m all out of guesses after that . . .
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You gave even the more facial-recognition-challenged of us a definite Xmas gift with those indelible images of Katharine Hepburn running off at the moth in Christopher Strong.
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Happiest of holidays to all from the Bailey family!
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Friday’s gentleman is Miki Morita.
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