This week’s mystery movie has been the 1947 Warner Bros. picture “Escape Me Never,” with Errol Flynn, Ida Lupino, Eleanor Parker, Gig Young, Reginald Denny, Isobel Elsom, Albert Bassermann and Ludwig Stossel. The screenplay was by Thames Williamson, from the novel and play by Margaret Kennedy. The ballet sequences were staged and directed by LeRoy Prinz, with Milada Mladova and George Zoritch and the corps de ballet. The photography was by Sol Polito, art direction by Carl Weyl, set decorations by Fred M. MacLean, special effects by Harry Barndollar and Willard Van Enger, wardrobe by Bernard Newman, ballet costumes by Travilla, makeup by Perc Westmore, orchestration by Hugo Friedhofer and musical direction by Leo F. Forbstein. Music by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. The producer was Henry Blanke and the director was Peter Godfrey.
“Escape Me Never” is available from Warner Archive for $21.99.
Kennedy’s “Escape Me Never” ran on Broadway for 96 performances in early 1935, starring Elisabeth Bergner.
Reviewing the play in the New York Times (Feb. 10, 1935), Brooks Atkinson said:
… “Escape Me never” is a mediocre charade, and no fair match for “The Constant Nymph,” which preceded it several years ago. How mediocre it is I did not realize until I attempted to read the text, for one of the qualities of Miss Bergner’s acting is to make it seem beguiling on stage. As the bedraggled little waif and mother who skips through its gaucheries and sentimentalities, Miss Bergner plays with virtuosity that is pure enchantment. She is the gamine whose legs and head itch; she is the mocking coquette; she is the bold hussy, the unselfish slave, the frantic mother and the cool queen of tragedy. As the author of the drama Miss Kennedy has never made these several pictures look like anything finer than nimble tricks of the nimble trade of hack writing.
The play was turned into a British film with Bergner, Hugh Sinclair, Griffith Jones and Penelope Dudley-Ward. A low-quality print has been uploaded to YouTube.
Writing in the New York Times (Nov. 8, 1947), Bosley Crowther ripped the Warner Bros. film:
Agreed that “Escape Me Never” was no great shakes the first time around, being a trifling bit of flimflam about a small lady’s loyalty to a cad. As now performed by Miss Lupino as the lady and by Errol Flynn as the cad, it becomes something harsh and unbelievable, like a terrible faux-pas in a grade-school play.
Miss Lupino is downright embarrassing, the way she bounces and kitty-cats around, alternately clutching an infant and Mr. Flynn to her heaving breast. And Mr. Flynn, as a chap named Sebastian who writes music, plays a concertina and loves to flirt, throws himself into his performance with the enthusiasm of a singing-waiter in a Hoboken café.
They’re not to blame entirely. The script is a frightful thing, starting out in a musical-comedy humor and ending up in a bath of tragic tears. And Peter Godfrey’s so-called direction is cause for a damage suit against the whole retinue of Warner Brothers by the exploited members of the cast—among whom, incidentally, Eleanor Parker has our deepest sympathy.
But Mr. Flynn and Miss Lupino—or the other way around, if you please—could have countered with passive resistance and saved us all from a pitiable ordeal.
For our first mystery photo of 2018, we have a mystery gent.
Update: This is Anthony Caruso.
For Tuesday, we have Mystery Ballerina No. 1, Mystery Dancer No. 1….
Update: This is George Zoritch, whom I recognized from my Tucson days because he taught dance at the University of Arizona from 1973 to 1987. Howard Mandelbaum has identified Ballerina No. 1 as Helen Pender, and I have no better answer to offer.
… and Mystery Ballerina No. 2.
Update: This is Milada Mladova.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest), Michael Ryerson (Monday’s mystery guest), Tucson Barbara (Monday’s mystery guest), Timothy (Monday’s mystery guest), B.J. Merholz (Monday’s mystery guest), Robert Morrissey (Monday’s mystery guest), Jenny M. (Monday’s mystery guest), Don Danard (Monday’s mystery guest), Sarah (Monday’s mystery guest), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (Monday’s mystery guest) and Sylvia E. (Monday’s mystery guest).
For Wednesday, we have a trio of mystery guests.
Update: This is Albert Bassermann, Isobel Elsom and Reginald Denny.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (Monday’s mystery gent), Howard Mandelbaum (Tuesday’s mystery dancers), Jenny M. (mystery movie), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (mystery movie, Tuesday’s mystery dancer and Mystery Ballerina No. 2), Mike Hawks (Monday’s mystery gent) and McDee (Monday’s mystery gent).
For Thursday, our mystery photographer puts the camera on the ground in this setup for our two mystery guests.
Update: This is Gig Young and Eleanor Parker.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie, Tuesday’s Mystery Dancer and Mystery Ballerina No. 2, and Wednesday’s mystery guests No. 2 and No. 3), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Don Danard (Wednesday’s mystery guest No. 2 ), Lee Ann, Megan and Thom (Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Sylvia E. (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery guest, Dance No. 2 and Mystery Ballerina No. 2 and Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, we have two non-mysterious guests.
Update: This is Errol Flynn and Ida Lupino.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests), Jenny M. (Thursday’s mystery guests), Michael Ryerson (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery guests), Don Danard (Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery guest, Tuesday’s mystery dancer and Ballerina No. 2, Wednesday’s mystery guests and Thursday’s mystery guests) and Tucson Barbara (Tuesday’s mystery dancer and Mystery Ballerina No. 2, Wednesday’s mystery guests and Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Anthony Caruso.
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Anthony Caruso
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Anthony Caruso in ESCAPE ME NEVER.
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Anthony Caruso
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Anthony Caruso?
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Sir Lawrence Olivier, after a date with Danny Kaye
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That is not Lord Laurence Olivier.
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Tony Caruso
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That’s Anthony Caruso, no? SO many films, including the wonderful Asphalt Jungle.
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Anthony Caruso
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I’d say today’s Mystery Guest is Anthony Caruso.
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It’s Anthony Caruso!
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Our guess for Monday’s guest is Anthony Caruso.
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Monday – Anthony Caruso
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Another fun puzzle.
The movie is Escape Me Never (and what a plot)
Monday – Anthony Caruso
Tuesday – the male dancer is George Zoritch
not sure of ballerina #1
ballerina #2 is Milada Mladova
Wednesday – from left to right:
I think – (seated) Albert Basserman, (seated) Isobel Elsom, (standing) Reginald Denny
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The movie is Escape Me Never and to continue…
Monday – Anthony Caruso
Tuesday – the male dancer is George Zoritch
not sure of ballerina #1
ballerina #2 is Milada Mladova
Wednesday – from left to right:
I think – (seated) Albert Basserman, (seated) Isobel Elsom, (standing) Reginald Denny
Thursday – Gig Young and Eleanor Parker
I’m guessing that Friday will include Ida Lupino and Errol Flynn.
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The man kind of looks like Ronald Colman.
But I don’t think it is.
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Anthony Caruso for Monday.
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I will make it easy for you with a multiple choice: this is Vera Ralston in either Lake Placid Serenade or Ice Capades 1941; or Dorothy Lewis in Ice Capades 1941. Your choice.
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Alas, I’m afraid the answer is “Other.”
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Milada Mladova
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Movie – Escape Me Never
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We weren’t absolutely sure yesterday. Our choice is Escape Me Never with George Zoritch as the mystery dancer and Milada Mladova for mystery ballerina #2. (It was a little hard to tell from the angle of her face.)
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Dancing couple: Helen Pender & George Zoritch.
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Anthony Caruso.
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Monday’s mystery guest looks like Anthony Caruso.
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Albert Bassermann, Isabel Elsom and Reginald Denny.
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ESCAPE ME NEVER. Eleanor Parker, George Zoritch, and Milada Mladova Tuesday, and Reginald Denny and Isobel Elsom today.
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ESCAPE ME NEVER with Albert Basserman, Isobel Elsom and Reginald Denny.
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Is the Lady in the Wednesday photo Isobel Elsom?
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Today’s guests are Albert Bassermann. Isobel Elsom, and Reginald Denny.
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Mario Soletti Monday, Ludwig Stossel yesterday, and Gig Young and Eleanor Parker today.
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Gig Young and Eleanor Parker.
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Gig Young and Eleanor Parker.
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Gig Young and Eleanor Parker
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Thursday looks suspiciously like Gig Young and Eleanor Parker. Which then makes this likely Escape Me Never (1947) with Errol Flynn and Ida Lupino.
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Gig Young and Eleanor Parker today I’d say.
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John Boles on Thursday?
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Alas, I’m afraid not.
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Escape Me Never
Tuesday – George Zoritch, Milada Mladova
Wednesday – Albert Bassermann, Isobel Elsom, Reginald Denny
Thursday – Gig Young, Eleanor Parker
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Errol F. and Ida L. today.
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Errol Flynn and Ida Lupino in Escape Me Never. Remember when Errol’s autobiography, My Wicked Wicked Ways, was a best seller? There was a time people in Hollywood were expected to behave that way …for our further off-screen pleasures. Now? My how times have changed!
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Thurs is Eleanor Parker and Gig Young in Escape Me Never.
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Fri we have Errol and Ida.
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Mystery ballerina #2 is Milada Mladova
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Wen’s trio include Isobel Elsom, Reginald Denny and Albert Bassermann
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Tues. mystery dancer is George Zoritch
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Monday is character actor Anthony Caruso
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Errol and Ida get musical.
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Errol Flynn and Ida Lupino
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Friday – Errol Flynn and Ida Lupino (though I was hoping it would the shot from the movie of Flynn holding the baby and leaning on a walking stick) Can’t wait to hear who Tuesday’s Mystery Ballerina #1 is.
This was fun.
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