This week’s mystery movie was the 1932 picture No More Orchids, with Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly, Louise Closser Hale, Lyle Talbot, C. Aubrey Smith, Allen Vincent, Ruthelma Stevens, Arthur Houseman, William V. Mong and Jameson Thomas.
Screenplay by Gertrude Purcell. Story by Grace Perkins. Adaptation by Keene Thompson.
Photography by Joseph August.
Edited by Jack Dennis.
Directed by Walter Lang.
More information on the film is available from the AFI catalog.
No More Orchids is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Videos.
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I picked this week’s mystery movie by going through the trades and settled on No More Orchids because it hasn’t been shown on TCM since 2014. I’m trying to branch out from TCM because most of the Daily Mirror vault has been recorded from that channel, which has become increasingly repetitive.
As Harrison’s Reports says, without the leads (that is to say, Carole Lombard), No More Orchids would be a very ordinary and predictable film. She’s terrific. Lyle Talbot is passable. One particularly eerie element is the conclusion of the film, in which a character is killed in a plane crash – a bit unsettling given the way Lombard died.
I’m going to guess this was in Mordaunt Hall territory and that he liked it – sort of.
Nailed it! (Jan. 2, 1933):
Walter Connolly gives another excellent characterization in the Roxy screen contribution No More Orchids, an unimportant but frequently entertaining picture. Carole Lombard, whose attractive shadow is adorning the Paramount film No Man of Her Own, is also the principal feminine player in No More Orchids.
The versatile Mr. Connolly supplies to this present offering a very definite personality, that of an agreeable and self-sacrificing father, C. Aubrey Smith, who is seen invariably as a genial old man, here acts an irascible, hard grandfather, who is bent on his granddaughter, Anne Holt (Miss Lombard) becoming the bride of a Prince Carlos.
Well. It is amazing to me that a movie critic would generally ignore Carole Lombard to heap praise on Walter Connolly, who is in his adequate, but typical father mode. Especially since he got second billing after Lombard.
For Monday, we have a mystery guest. For a change, he approves of such goings-on.
Update: Many questions about this fellow. I had a hard time picking a Monday person and he was the best I could do. The actor gets solo screen time and some lines so by today’s standards ought to get a credit but he doesn’t. Howard suggested Chic Sale and Sheila guessed Tom Ricketts. Both good guesses, though I’m not sure either is correct. It is always my hope that someone will recognize these unidentified, very minor folks.
For Tuesday, we have a mystery fellow. The leading lady has been cropped out due to her complete lack of mysteriousness and will appear later in the week.
Update: For Friday, adding our mysterious leading lady. She’s great in this role.
Update: I love this photo of Lombard giving the stink eye to Harold Minjir.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila and Howard have interesting guesses. Our mysterious flagman has a tiny role and isn’t credited, so he truly is a mystery. Let’s see how the week develops once people figure out our mystery picture.
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have these mysterious women.
Update: This is Louise Closser Hale and Ruthelma Stevens.
We also have this mysterious fellow – he does NOT approve of such goings-on!
Update: This is Jameson Thomas.
Brain Trust roll call: Sheila (Tuesday’s mysterious fellow in a trance) and Anne Papineau (mystery movie and mysterious fellow in a trance).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mysterious fellow. His companion has been cropped out due to lack of mysteriousness and will appear Friday.
Update: For Friday, adding our mysterious leading man, who is quite interested in the model of a boat.
Update: This is Lyle Talbot, left, and Walter Connolly.
We also have this mysterious fellow. And the enigmatic Back of the Head Woman.
Update: This is C. Aubrey Smith in a change from his typical role as a genial elder of the film.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Sheila (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Mike Hawks (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests).
For Friday, our mystery leads.
Update: Carole Lombard and Lyle Talbot.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery guests), Benito (Wednesday’s mysterious prince and Thursday’s wastrel father), Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests, plus off-camera guy and Back of the Head Woman), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Sylvia E. (mystery movie and Tuesday’s-Thursday’s mystery guests), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Woman), Chrisbo (mystery movie, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Funky PhD (mystery movie and Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guests) and Dan Nather (mystery movie, Wednesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
Chic Sale.
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Tom Ricketts?
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Anthony Jowitt in A WOMAN OF THE WORLD.
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Arthur Hoyt in CAMILLE, Nazimova off camera.
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Tuesday: Harold Minjir
Wednesday: Louise Closser Hale, Ruthelma Stevens
Jameson Thomas; Walter Connolly
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Tuesday looks like Harold Minjir. He wore that suit in so many movies … not sure of the title of this one … perhaps “Daughter of the Dragon.”
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Totally wild guess for today’s gent — Purnell Pratt?
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Harold Minjir for Tuesday?
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“No More Orchids” 1932
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Tuesday: Gale Gordon?
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On Wednesday, Louise Closser Hale, Ruthelma Stevens and Jameson Thomas
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NO MORE ORCHIDS. Harold Minjir Tuesday, Louise Closser Hale, Ruthelma Stevens, and Jameson Thomas today. Lyle Talbot off camera.
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Louise Closser Hale, Ruthelma Stevens, and my all-time boyfriend JAMESON THOMAS in ‘No More Orchids’!!!
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Harold Minjir, Louise Closser Hale, Ruthelma Stevens and Jameson Thomas in NO MORE ORCHIDS.
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NO MORE ORCHIDS (1932)
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Walter Connolly; C. Aubrey Smith.
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Jameson Thomas and Walter Connolly. They were in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT 1933
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Walter Connolly and Lyle talbot off camera and c. Aubrey Smith with lombard.
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For Wednesday we have Louise Closser Hale; for Thursday, Walter Connolly and C. Aubrey Smith. The movie is No More Orchids.”
Ś
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No More Orchids (1932)
No clue until Thursday’s gentlemen, Walter Connolly (once again playing the Dad who sets up his daughter with the wrong guy – the same wrong guy as in it happened one night – then sees the light and helps the daughter gain the right guy) and Mr. C. Aubrey Smith with BOTHW, Carole Lombard.
Mon – will await your update
Tues – I’m think he’s the character ‘Modiste’ (who sounds long-suffering) so I’ll guess Harold Minjir.
Weds – Louise Closser Hale and Ruthelma Stevens/ Jameson Thomas, as the previously mentioned ‘wrong guy’
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No More Orchids (1932) Carole Lombard, Lyle Talbot, C. Aubrey Smith, Walter Connelly, Ruthelma Stevens, Allen Vincent, Jameson Thomas, Louise Closser Hale…
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Walter Connolly, C. Aubrey Smith and Carole Lombard.
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My bad on ‘it happened one night’. Connolly’s character did not set up his daughter with ‘the wrong guy’, but he did help his daughter escape that guy and catch her true love by story’s end.
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Aha! Waler Connolly + C. Aubrey Smith = No More Orchids. Louise Closser Hale, Ruthelma Stevens and Jameson Thomas Wednesday
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Thursday: Walter Connolly and C. Aubrey Smith, which makes the film “No More Orchids.” Wednesday: Louise Closser Hale and Ruthelma Stevens, along with Jameson Thomas.
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Walter Connolly and Sir Charles Aubrey Smith.
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NO MORE ORCHIDS (1932), based on a Liberty magazine serial by Grace Perkins.
Monday — no idea
Tuesday — Arthur Housman(?)
Wednesday — Louise Closser Hale, Ruthelma Stevens, Jameson Thomas
Thursday — Walter Connolly, C. Aubrey Smith
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Carole Lombard and Lyle Talbot.
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Sheila and Howard were amazing on this week’s puzzle. Friday – Carole Lombard (facing forward) and Lyle Talbot.
Looking forward to Saturday’s breakdown and (possibly) the reveal of who our railroad flagman is. To me he resembles the ‘heroic carousel guy’ in “Strangers on a Train” but I think that guy would be younger in appearance in this picture – so I’m sure it’s not him. Hope someone figured it out.
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Anne and Mary too. I was in the dark until yesterday.
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Carole Lombard, Lyle Talbot.
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Carole Lombard and Lyle Talbot.
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Our stars, Carole Lombard and Lyle Talbot
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