This week’s mystery movie has been the 1945 RKO picture “The Enchanted Cottage,” starring Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young, Herbert Marshall, Mildred Natwick, Spring Byington, Hillary Brooke, Richard Gaines, Alec Englander, Robert Clarke and Eden Nicholas. The screenplay was by DeWitt Bodeen and Herman J. Mankiewicz, adapted from a play by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. The film was photographed by Ted Tetzlaff, with special effects by Vernon Walker, with art direction by Albert S. D’Agostino and Carroll Clark. Music was by Roy Webb, orchestrated by Gil Grau and conducted by C. Bakaleinikoff. The producer was Harriet Parsons and the director was John Cromwell.
As Michael Ryerson noted, “The Enchanted Cottage” was also made as a silent in 1924 starring Richard Barthelmess and May McAvoy. The play was first produced in London in 1921, prompted by the British government to lift the morale of soldiers who were injured or traumatized by World War I. RKO bought the property in 1929 as a vehicle for Helen Twelvetrees and revived it in the late 1930s as a project for Ginger Rogers, but neither film was made.
David O. Selznick loaned McGuire to RKO for the film after she made “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” at Fox, according to the New York Times. Cromwell was also under contract to Selznick, as was Alan Marshal, who was previously cast as the male lead according to the New York Times.
The film opened in Los Angeles at the Pantages theater in Hollywood and the RKO Hillstreet in downtown Los Angeles.
In a May 28, 1945, review, Los Angeles Times critic Edwin Schallert faulted the updated version of the film, saying: “For those who know ‘The Enchanted Cottage’ the picture is jarring at the outset. This is partly due to setting it in America, and bringing it up to date. It becomes inevitably a slap at the plastic surgery of today, because there seems no sound reason why Young should appear as disfigured as he does, due to being a war casualty, in view of modern scientific progress.”
He concluded: “With its faults properly discounted one can proceed to appraise ‘The Enchanted Cottage’ as both a pleasing and a moving novelty in its basic attraction. It might have been made to better advantage in some other age than right now, but at least it has the merit of departing tellingly in its finest scenes, which are very excellent indeed, from the routines of entertainment.”
The film is available from Warner Archive for $16.59. It will air Feb. 22 on TCM.
For Monday, we have a young mystery guest.
This is Alec Englander.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery woman.
This is Mildred Natwick, whom you may remember from the 1970s NBC mystery show “The Snoop Sisters.”
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and mystery lad) and Jenny M (mystery movie and mystery lad).
And for Wednesday, we have a mystery gent. (Get a load of those lapels!)
This is Herbert Marshall.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Dewey Webb (mystery movie, mystery guests and as a bonus, the Carol Burnett satire), David Inman (mystery movie and mystery guests), Pat in Michigan (Tuesday’s mystery woman, mystery woman’s 1970s TV show), Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Jenny M (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Mike Hawks (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Benito (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman), Chrisbo (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery woman, wrong movie), Candy C (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Sarah (mystery movie and mystery guests), Richard Wegescheide (Tuesday’s mystery woman), La Peregrina (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and mystery guests), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie and Tuesday’s mystery woman), Bob Hansen (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Don Danard (Tuesday’s mystery woman), Valley Dave (Tuesday’s mystery woman), LC (mystery movie and mystery cast) and Barbara Klein (mystery movie and mystery guests).
For Thursday, we have a mystery woman.
This is Dorothy McGuire.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guest), Pat van Hartesveldt (half credit for first name of Tuesday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Jenny M (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Chrisbo (mystery movie, mystery lad and Wednesday’s mystery gent), Barbara Klein (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Roget-L.A. (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Megan Lee Ann and Thom (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Candy Cassell (Wednesday’s mystery guest), Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guest), Dewey Webb (actress who played Tuesday’s mystery woman in the Carol Burnett satire) and Bob Hansen (Wednesday’s mystery gent).
And for Friday, our mystery leading man and leading lady.
This is Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery woman), Chrisbo (Thursday’s mystery woman), Barbara Klein (Thursday’s mystery woman), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery woman), Don Danard (Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Candy Cassell (mystery movie and mystery guests), Benito (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman), Patrick (mystery movie and mystery guests), Michael Ryerson (mystery movie and guests), Diane Ely (mystery movie) — and yes, you get as many guesses as you want, Candy C (mystery movie and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (Thursday’s mystery woman) and Bob Hansen (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery woman).
ladailymirror.com 
Alec Englander in “The Enchanted Cottage.”
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Alec Englander in The Enchanted Cottage.
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Just a wild guess to get things going here…..is it Johnny Calkins? Maybe in “The Boy with Green Hair”?
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Interesting guess, but alas, no.
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Mildred Natwick.
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Tuesday the lady is Una O’Connor.
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A good guess. But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Mildred Natwick
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Mildred Natwick today, Alec Englander yesterday? Which makes this “The Enchanted Cottage.”
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My favorite Snoop Sister! Mildred Natwick.
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Mildred Gatwick today.
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Mildred Natwick
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Mildred Natwick in ?????
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Mildred Natwick today
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Tuesday – Mildred Natwick
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Mildred Natwick in “The Enchanted Cottage”
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Mildred Natwick on Tuesday?
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Mildred Natwick, “A Woman’s Vengeance”???
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Monday: One of the Watson boys?
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Interesting guess, but alas, I’m afraid not.
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Tuesday – Mildred Natwick
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Tuesday is Mildred Natwick. Monday is Alec Englander. The film is the Enchanted Cottage (1945).
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Looks like Mildred Natwick on Tuesday.
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Mystery woman is the late, great, Mildred Natwick.
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Monday: Alec Englander? Tuesday: definitely Mildred Natwick. Mystery Movie: The Enchanted Cottage (1945)?
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Tuesday is the very talented Mildred Natwick.
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The Enchanted Cottage
just saw 1975 Carol Burnett Show spoof The Enchanted Hovel, very funny
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I believe Tuesday’s lady is Mildred Natwick.
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Tuesday is Mildred Natwick.
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Is it the Enchanted Cottage?
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A little late with this …the lady is Mildred Natwick.
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Sorry about posting the same guess. I didn’t know Mom had sent in a guess already.
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Tuesday’s mystery lady looks like Mildred Natwick.
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This is The Enchanted Cottage (1945) w/Robert Young, Dorothy McGuire, Herbert Marshall, Mildred Natwick and Alec Englander.
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I think the movie is “The Enchanted Cottage” and Monday’s mystery boy is Alec Englander; Tuesday is still Mildred Natwick.
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Mildred Natwick and Herbert Marshall.
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Herbert Marshall and THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE.
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Tuesday: Mildred Dunnock
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Herbert Marshall.
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Herbert Marshall
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The Enchanted Cottage?
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Herbert Marshall
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Wednesday: Herbert Marshall?
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Herbert Marshall for today.
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I’m guessing that Monday’s lad is Alec Englander, and today’s gent is a fuzzy Herbert Marshall, making a face.
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Wednesday´s gent is the fabulously debonair Herbert Marshall.
As for Tuesday´s lady, I know her face, I can hear her stern scolding voice … it is killing me that I cannot conjure up her name. I will keep thinking!
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Herbert Marshall, “The Enchanted Cottage”
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big shout out to Vicki Lawrence in hilarious portrayal of Mildred Natwick!
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Looks like Herbert Marshall in Wednesday’s photo. Don’t know the movie though!
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Dorothy McGuire today. Making up for last week’s more difficult contest, huh?
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Dorothy McGuire Thursday.
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Dorothy McGuire
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Dorothy McGuire.
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Dorothy McGuire today and it looks like Herbert Marshall yesterday.
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Oh! Oh! Oh! This is The Enchanted Cottage with Dorothy McGuire (today´s mystery lady). And tomorrow we will see Robert Young, as a wounded veteran. This was one of my favorite movies as a romantic young girl. And Tuesday´s lady is Mildred Natwick, who had such a terrific career. Thank you for reminding me of a wonderful movie. Is it available on DVD?
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Dorothy McGuire looks uggied up so the movie is probably THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE
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Alec Englander, Mildred Natwick, Herbert Marshall and Dorothy McGuire in The Enchanted Cottage from 1945.
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Late to the party, sorry. Just back from a business trip and imagine my surprise at finding this enchanting mystery. Young Alec Englander is a bit of a mystery on Monday but then we have Mildred Natwick, Herbert Marshall and Dorothy McGuire making this the weepy Enchanted Cottage from 1945 about the romance between a homely (not very) maid (McGuire) and a disfigured (just barely) war veteran (Robert Young). McGuire plays homely without help from the make-up man but with hunched shoulders and extra neediness. Young carries some bad plastic hanging on one cheek which passes for averting-one’s-eyes disfigurement but as the romance leads to matrimony and then to bliss the enchanted cottage takes over and they begin to appear as whole and beautiful to each other (and to us). Dorothy stands up straight, clears her throat and makes eye contact and Bob shakes off the remora. Voila, happily ever after, as they say. Strictly a product of it’s times. Hasn’t aged well, I wouldn’t think. Was a remake of an earlier, better rated, silent telling.
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Am I allowed two guesses in one week? Is this “The Enchanted Cottage”?
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Wednesday – Herbert Marshall, Thursday – Dorothy McGuire – movie – The Enchanted Cottage
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Thursday: Dorothy McGuire
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Thursday’s actress is Dorothy McGuire, and I believe the movie is The Enchanted Cottage.
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Robert Young with McGuire today.
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The movie is The Enchanted Cottage. Tuesday’s lady is Mildred Natwick. On Thursday it is Dorothy McGuire. Friday McGuire features with Robert Young.
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Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire in ‘The Enchanted Cottage’. I wasn’t ready to guess that on Tuesday.
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Tuesday: Oops. Mildred Natwick
Thursday: Dorothy McGuire?
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Now, here’s a movie I haven’t seen in many a year.
“The Enchanted Cottage” with Dorothy Maquire and Herbert Marshall.
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Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire
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Friday: Robert Young and Dorothy McGuire in silhouette
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