This week’s mystery movie was the 1932 MGM picture Strange Interlude, with Norma Shearer, Clark Gable, Alexander Kirkland, Ralph Morgan, Robert Young, May Robson, Maureen O’Sullivan, Henry B. Walthall, Mary Alden and Tad Alexander.
From the play by Eugene O’Neill.
Dialogue continuity by Bess Meredyth and C. Gardner Sullivan.
Sound by Douglas Shearer.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons.
Gowns by Adrian.
Photography by Lee Garmes.
Edited by Margaret Booth.
Further information on Strange Interlude is available from the AFI Catalog.
Strange Interlude is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Videos.
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Strange Interlude was a last-minute substitution for another mystery film that didn’t survive being previewed – the print was marginal, the audio was out of sync and some fan of the prospective mystery film uploaded a screen capture of every camera setup to IMDB, making it impossible to pick a shot that wouldn’t show up on a reverse image search.
So Strange Interlude it was and yes, it’s an oddity. A member of the Brain Trust recalled that it had been satirized in Mad Magazine in 1964 as a takeoff on the TV show Hazel, written by Stan Hart and illustrated by Mort Drucker:
It was also satirized in Me and My Gal as Strange Innertube.
I’m going to guess that Mordaunt Hall raved about the film because it was based on a Broadway play:
This time, I nailed it (Sept. 1, 1932):
From Eugene O’Neill’s melodrama, Strange Interlude, which on the stage was in nine acts and ran for five hours, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer have produced a shining example of a motion picture that runs for one hour and fifty minutes. It was presented last night at the Astor before an audience, which listened intently to every word uttered. The famous asides spoken by the characters are extremely effective, although at times they are delivered somewhat too hastily.
For Monday, we have a mystery lad and strangely enough, he does not approve of such goings-on!
Update: This is Tad Alexander.
For “Tricky Tuesday,” we have two tricky mystery guests!
Update: This is Alexander Kirkland and Maureen O’Sullivan.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (mystery movie and mystery lad) and Sarah (mystery movie and mystery lad).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have this mystery fellow.
Update: This is Alexander Kirkland.
We also have this mystery woman and Back of the Head Lady.
Update: This is May Robson with Norma Shearer as Back of the Head Lady.
Brain Trust roll call: Mary Mallory (Tuesday’s mystery guests), Howard Mandelbaum (mystery movie, all mystery guests, and parody on YouTube) and Earl Boebert (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery lad).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have this mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Ralph Morgan.
Also this mysterious person.
Update: This is Robert Young.
Brain Trust roll call: Howard Mandelbaum (Wednesday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Woman), Mary Malory (Wednesday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Woman), Suzanne Stone (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Anne Papineau (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s mystery guests, plus Back of the Head Woman), Jenny M. (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s mystery guests, plus Back of the Head Woman), Mike Hawks (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad, Tuesday’s mystery woman and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Wednesday’s mystery guests plus Back of the Head Woman), Sheila (mystery movie, Monday’s mystery lad and Wednesday’s mystery guests plus Back of the Head Woman), L.C. (mystery movie and mystery cast), Sarah (Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests) and Blackwing Jenny (Wednesday’s mystery woman).
And for Friday, our mysterious leads.
Update: This is Clark Gable and Norma Shearer in heavy age makeup.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery gents), Sylvia E. (mystery movie, all mystery guests and Back of the Head Woman), Mary Mallory (Thursday’s mystery guests), Floyd Thursby (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery woman and Thursday’s mysterious men), Blackwing Jenny (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery men), Howard Mandelbaum (Thursday’s mystery men), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery men), Roget-L.A. (mystery movie and Thursday’s mystery men), Benito (Thursday’s mystery man No. 2) and Bruce (Thursday’s mystery man No. 2).
ladailymirror.com 
Bobby Breen!
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An excellent guess! But alas, I’m afraid not.
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Okay…Tad Alexander as the kid, Alexander Kirkland as Wednesday’s guy, May Robson…so it has to be 1932’s “Strange Interlude.”
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Tad Alexander, STRANGE INTERLUDE.
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Tad Alexander. I’ll guess this is “Strange Interlude” (1932).
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Alexander Kirkland and Maureen O’Sullivan.
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Tad Alexander in Strange Interlude (1932)
Alexander Kirkland, Maureen O’Sullivan.
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Is binocular guy John Boles?
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I’m guessing Tad Alexander on Monday, which could make the movie Strange Interlude (1932) and Robert Young and Norma Shearer on Tuesday. I could be wrong.
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Alexander Kirkland; Norma Shearer, May Robson.
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Alexander Kirkland, Norma Shearer BOHD, May Robson.
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“Strange Interlude,” 1932, featuring, on Monday, Tad Alexander; Tuesday with binoculars, Maureen O’Sullivan and I’m Not Sure; on Wednesday, Alexander Kirkland, May Robson and Norma Shearer as BOTHG.
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Movie – Strange Interlude
Mon – Tad Alexander
Tue – Maureen O’Sullivan & ?
Wed – Alexander Kirkland, May Robson & the back of Norma Shearer’s head
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Tad Alexander, Ralph Morgan, Maureen O’Sullivan, Alexander Kirkland and May Robson in STRANGE INTERLUDE.
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Alexander Kirkland and May Robson (with Norma Shearer) in Strange Interlude (1932)
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Tad Alexander, Alexander Kirkland, May Robson and BOH Norma Shearer, ‘Strange Interlude’?
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Strange Interlude (1932) w/Norma Shearer, Clark Gable, Alexander Kirkland, May Robson, Robert Young, Maureen O’Sullivan, Ralph Morgan, Tad Alexander, Henry Walthall
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Wednesday’s mystery folks are Alexander Kirkland and Mary Robson. Tuesday’s mystery folks are Alexander Kirkland and Maureen O’Sullivan.
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Is the older dame May Robson?
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Ralph Morgan and Robert Young
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Strange Interlude 1932
Mon – Tad Alexander
Tues – Maureen O’Sullivan – not sure about her companion – I think it’s Ralph Morgan, but it could be Gable (sporting what would become his permanent ‘moustached’ look.)
Weds – Alexander Kirkland, May Robson and BOTHW Norma Shearer
Remaining cast Robert Young, Ralph Morgan, Norma Shearer and Clark Gable.
Kept thinking about a recent mystery movie you chose because the story summaries of this film made me think of Tchaikovsky’s music and your comments about Spike Jones’ version of “None but the Lonely Heart”. Sure enough both films used that score, but this one also has voiceovers of everyone’s thoughts. Saw some good 👍 reviews of it though. Think I’ll track it down.
“…We must think of the child. After all, we do have a child. And HE has a child and the child has another wife and she has another husband and HE has a child. And that child, John, is our child. I must go away and figure this thing out.” Spike Jones’ “None but the Lonelyheart “
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Ralph Morgan and Robert Young.
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For Thursday we have May Robson, Ralph Morgan, and Robert Young. The movie is “Strange Interlude .”
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Ralph Morgan, Robert Young…Strange Interlude!
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Ralph Morgan; Robert Young.
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Ralph Morgan and Robert Young.
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Revision on “Tricky Tuesday” and the guy with Maureen O’Sullivan. Alexander Kirkland (older man)
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Ralph Morgan and Robert Young in Strange Interlude (1932)
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The prolific and somewhat unstable Robert Young. 111 actor credits on imdb
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Thursday looks like a very pre-Welby Robert Young to me.
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Finally Clark Gable and Norma Shearer.
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Mr Gable and Ms Shearer
“… and our own child, through marriage, is now my uncle, and your sister’s father on your grandmother’s side… but can’t we try again?
There’s still time!”.
Spike Jones – None but the Lonelyheart
Looking forward to the Saturday breakdown.
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Clark Gable, Norma Shearer.
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Gable and Shearer.
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Boy, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen this one! STRANGE INTERLUDE (1932).
I think I still have it on tape!
Monday — Tad Alexander
Tuesday — (drawing a blank here)
Wednesday — Alexander Kirkland, May Robson
Thursday — Ralph Morgan, Robert Young
Finishing up with Clark Gable and Norma Shearer today.
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Groucho refers to the play STRANGE INTERLUDE in ANIMAL CRACKERS 1930, addressing the camera directly
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Love the Mad magazine splash panel. There’s also a “Strange Interlude” reference in the Marx Brothers’ “Animal Crackers.” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020640/quotes/qt0306560
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