This week’s mystery movie has been the 1950 MGM picture “Two Weeks – With Love,” with Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban, Louis Calhern, Ann Harding, Phyllis Kirk, Carleton Carpenter, Debbie Reynolds, Clinton Sundberg. The screenplay was by John Larkin and Dorothy Kingsley from a story by Larkin, musical direction was by Georgie Stoll, musical numbers staged by Busby Berkeley, orchestrations by Leo Arnaud and vocal arrangements by Saul Chaplin. Photography was by Alfred Gilks, art direction by Cedric Gibbons and Preston Ames, set decorations by Edwin B. Willis and Richard A. Pefferie, women’s costumes by Helen Rose, men’s costumes by Walter Plunkett, hairstyles by Sydney Guilaroff and makeup by William J. Tuttle. The producer was Jack Cummings and the director was Roy Rowland.
The movie is available from Amazon.com in several DVD sets.
An unsigned review (Nov. 24, 1950) in the New York Times said:
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, whose corporate heart undoubtedly is young and gay and has a large niche in it for Jane Powell, is treating its youthful singing star to a frivolous excursion complete with songs and none too witty sayings in “Two Weeks With Love.” Which is to say that the Thanks-giving newcomer now being served at the Capitol is no turkey but is hardly substantial fare being long on obvious misunderstandings and juvenile amour and short on imagination. Despite the quaint period costuming, pleasing Technicolor and pre-World War I score, it is still a trifling fable about the tribulations, romantic and otherwise, of a family vacationing in the Catskills, in which the enthusiasm of the cast is superior to its assignment.
The film opened in Los Angeles in December 1950 at the Egyptian and Loew’s State theaters. Writing (Dec. 18, 1950) in the Los Angeles Times, film critic Philip K. Scheuer said:
The fun is never too patronizing … an unexpectedly first-rate comedy with music which waltzed in for two weeks (anyway) with love from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer…. Rich Technicolor provides only one of the film’s several delights. It is sung, danced and orchestrated with a comparable shimmer and the spirit it radiates is warm, like its hues, and spontaneous.
For Monday, we have a mystery chap. His mystery companion at the right will appear later in the week.
Update: This is Carleton Carpenter.
For Tuesday, we have two mystery ladies.
Update: The woman on the right is Marjorie Wood. It’s much more difficult to confirm the identity of the woman on the left. Howard Mandelbaum identified her as Melba Meredith, for whom I could not find an image. Mary Mallory later identified her as Lucille Curtis, who is slightly easier to find in a Google image search. Unfortunately, the photo-stealing site Pinterest clogs up the search results, as does massive repostings of a photo by Edward S. Curtis of a Dakota Sioux woman named Lucille.
Brain Trust roll call: Norman Desmond (Monday’s mystery guest), David Inman (Monday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Gary Martin (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Suzanne Annette Stone (Monday’s mystery guest), Mary Mallory (Monday’s mystery guest), Timothy (Monday’s mystery guest), Robert Morrissey (Monday’s mystery guest), B.J. Merholz (Monday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Monday’s mystery guest), Anne Papineau (Monday’s mystery guest), Dan Nather (Monday’s mystery guest), Jenny M. (Monday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Monday’s mystery guest), Arye Michael Bender (Monday’s mystery guest), Sue Slutzky (Monday’s mystery guest), Roget-L.A. (Monday’s mystery guest), Howard Decker (Monday’s mystery guest), Bob Hansen (Monday’s mystery guest), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery guest and mystery cropped out of the frame woman), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast) and Sheila (Monday’s mystery guest).
And for Wednesday we have two (somewhat) mystery tots.
Update: Tommy Rettig, left, and Gary Gray.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery ladies).
Thursday’s mystery guest is apparently wondering what’s in the punch.
Update: This is Louis Calhern.
Brain Trust roll call: Don Danard (Wednesday’s mystery lad No. 2), Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery lads), Benito (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery lad No. 1 and perhaps the best Hans Conreid film ever made, aside from “The Twonky”), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery lads), Gary Martin (Wednesday’s mystery lads), Jenny M. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery lads), Howard Decker (Wednesday’s mystery lad No. 1) and Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery women, and Wednesday’s mystery lads).
And for Friday, we have this mystery duo.
Update: This is Jane Powell and Ricardo Montalban.
And by popular request, we have Monday’s mystery guest with a lovely non-mysterious companion.
Update: The late Debbie Reynolds sings “Aba Daba Honeymoon” with Carleton Carpenter.
Brain Trust roll call: B.J. Merholz (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guest), Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guest), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guest), Gary Martin (Thursday’s mystery guest and mystery guest’s filmography for 1950), Don Danard (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guest), Sue Slutzky (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery woman No. 2, Wednesday’s mystery lads and Thursday’s mystery guest), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guest), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery lad No. 1 and Thursday’s mystery guest) and Bob Hansen (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guest).
Hell-o Carlton Carpenter!
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Carleton Carpenter?
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Carleton Carpenter in TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE.
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This is my friend Carleton Carpenter (Hardly a mystery guest!) in Two Weeks with Love…starring the redhead…Jane Powell. Think Abba Dabba Honeymoon.
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Carleton Carpenter.
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Carleton Carpenter.
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Carlton Carpenter
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Isn’t that the multi-talented Carleton Carpenter, who is in his ninety-first year?
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Carleton Carpenter
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Carleton Carpenter at MGM.
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Carleton Carpenter?
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Okay, I gotta guess: Carleton Carpenter?
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Carleton Carpenter
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Carleton Carpenter today. Hope he doesn’t sing “Abba Dabba Honeymoon”!!!
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Looks like Carlton Carpenter from the time young actors had alliterated names.
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Carleton Carpenter is Monday’s guest, I think.
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Monday: Carleton Carpenter?
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It shore looks like Carleton Carpenter (aba daba Honeymoon”) to me.
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Monday’s guy is Carleton Carpenter. Don’t know which movie though.
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Is this actor Carleton Carpenter?
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Our back-of-the-head lady is Jane Powell in Two Weeks with Love.
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Two Weeks with Love (1950) w/Carleton Carpenter, Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Ricardo Montalban, Phyllis Kirk, Ann Harding, …
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Carleton Carpenter?
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Melba Meredith and Marjorie Wood.
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SUMMER STOCK.
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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The young lad on the right of the photo is Gary Gray.
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Tommy Rettig and Gary Gray.
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Tommy Rettig [of The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T] on the left, in Two Weeks With Love?
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TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE. Tommy Rettig and Gary Gray.
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Tommy Retig and Gary Gray.
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Tommy Rettig and Gary Gray in Two Weeks with Love.
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Tots, my good man? Tots? They look like young gentlemen to me and the one on the left looks like Tommy Rettig. I just have Three Little Words for you — Hurray For Hollywood.
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TWO WEEKS WITH LOVE. Marjorie Wood and Lucille Curtis Tuesday, and Tommy Rettig and Gary Gray today.
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Louis Calhern enjoying Two Weeks With Love.
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Louis Calhern today.
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Louis Calhern.
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In 1950 this actor appeared in 7 MGM films, among them, Nancy Goes to Rio, Annie Get you Gun, The Asphalt Jungle with Marilyn Monroe, Two weeks with Love and The Magnificent Yankee for which he was Oscar nominated as best actor. Of course we recognize Louis Calhern! Larry!
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It’s Louis Calhern wondering about the punch. And the film is “Two Weeks with Love”.
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Wednesday’s mystery guests: Tommy Rettig and Gary Gray. The movie is “Two Weeks With Love,” 1950
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Thursday’s mystery guest: Louis Calhern.
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Tuesday’s guests: I think the woman on the right is Marjorie Wood. Not sure about the other one.
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Louis Calhern.
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I’m seeing Louis Calhern and Tommy Rettig in “Two Weeks with Love”
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Louis Calhern on Thursday. Is the movie Two Weeks With Love, from 1950? Jane Powell would be the star.
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Ricardo Montalban making a surprise appearance, astonishing Debbie Reynolds and Carleton.
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Jane Powell, Ricardo Montalban and Debbie Reynolds.
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Ricardo Montalban, Jane Powell: Debbie Reynolds & Carleton Carpenter.
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Wed’s little boys are Tommy Rettig and Gary Gray – the movie is Two Weeks With Love
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Monday is Carleton Carpenter
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Friday is Ricardo Montalban with Jane Powell and the 2nd photo is Debbie Reynolds with Carleton Carpenter
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Thurs is Louis Calhern
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Jane Powell and Ricardo Montalban. (The plot of the film concerns her therapeutic corset purchased by mistake by her father, LC. As seen here she is locked into a back bend because of the corset.) Below are Carleton and Debbie doing Aba Dabba Honeymoon, the first sound track recording that listed on The Hit Parade.
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This film also featured Phyllis Kirk and many years ago …my, how time flies …she appeared here in her corset as a mystery guest.
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Friday’s guests: Ricardo Montalban and Jane Powell. Bonus photo: Debbie Reynolds with Carleton Carpenter.
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Friday pic 1 Fernando Lamas and Jane Powell, pic 2 Debbie Reynolds
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Two Weeks With Love
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Friday is really too easy. But I will say the Gal Friday is the actress who once whupped my buddy across the chest with her purse. She was really, really nice most of the time, though. Miss Burbank. Aba daba Honeymoon time, folks.
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