This week’s mystery movie was the 1940 MGM film Third Finger, Left Hand with Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas, Raymond Walburn, Lee Bowman, Bonita Granville, Felix Bressart, Donald Meek, Ann Morriss, Sidney Blackmer, Ernest Whitman and Halliwell Hobbes.
Screenplay by Lionel Houser.
Photographed by George Folsey.
Musical score by David Snell.
Recording by Douglas Shearer.
Art direction by Cedric Gibbons.
Associate Paul Groesse.
Set decorations by Edwin B. Willis.
Wardrobe by Dolly Tree.
Edited by Elmo Veron.
Produced by John W. Considine Jr.
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard.
Further information on Third Finger, Left Hand is available from the AFI Catalog.
Third Finger, Left Hand is available on DVD from Critics’ Choice Video.
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I picked Third Finger, Left Hand by going through the trades, basing my selection on Motion Picture Daily (I’ve decided to take a break from Harrison’s Reports). It’s a pleasant comedy with lots of familiar faces and a good role for Myrna Loy. And there are very few screen caps on IMDB, always an important consideration these days.
I’m going to say Bosley Crowther liked it, with a few quibbles —
And that’s pretty much what he did (The New York Times, December 12, 1940):
It’s a good thing that all young ladies are not inclined to be quite as casual and non-resilient to charming young men like Melvyn Douglas as beautiful Myrna Loy is, else the practice of courtship would become much too wearing for the average participant — and then there wouldn’t be much humorous point in a picture like Metro’s Third Finger, Left Hand, which arrived at the Capitol yesterday. As a matter of fact, there isn’t much point in it anyhow, and whatever humor there is hinges mainly on Miss Loy’s cool perversity. So the picture must be accepted as a trifling but sometimes amusing distortion of life — and little more. During the pre-holiday rush, that’s probably all one can expect.
For Monday, we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Ernest Whitman.
For Tuesday, we have a mysterious woman.
Update: This is Ann Morriss.
Brain Trust roll call: Stacia (Monday’s mysterious fellow) and Anne Papineau (mystery movie and Monday’s mystery fellow).
For “Hm Wednesday,” we have a mystery fellow and our leading man as Under the Towel Guy.
Update: This is Lee Bowman and Melvyn Douglas as Under the Towel Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Tuesday’s mystery woman and mysterious costume designer).
For “Aha Thursday,” we have a mysterious fellow.
Update: This is Felix Bressart.
We also have a mystery woman and Back of the Head Guy.
Update: This is Bonita Granville and Melvyn Douglas as Back of the Head Guy.
Brain Trust roll call: Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guest and Under the Towel Guy), Stacia (mystery movie and Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (Wednesday’s mystery guest), B.J. Merholz (mystery movie, Wednesday’s mystery guest and Under the Towel Guy), Mike Hawks (mystery movie and all mystery guests), Benito (Wednesday’s mystery guest) and Megan and Thom (Wednesday’s mystery guest).
Note to Sylvia: Right decade and genre.
For Friday, we have our mysterious leading man and mystery leading lady.
Update: This is Melvyn Douglas and Myrna Loy.
Brain Trust roll call: Megan and Thom (mystery movie, Monday’s, Tuesday’s and Thursday’s mystery guests), Mary Mallory (mystery movie and all mystery guests plus Under the Towel Guy and Back of the Head Guy), Sylvia (mystery movie and all mystery guests plus Under the Towel Guy), Funky PhD (Thursday’s mystery fellow), Mike Hawks (Thursday’s mystery guests and Back of the Head Guy) and Anne Papineau (Thursday’s mystery guests).
ladailymirror.com 
That’s Ernest Whitman! I don’t know which movie it is, but I’ll try again tomorrow with the next Mystery Guest
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Jess Lee Brooks
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An excellent guess! But alas, I’m afraid not!
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Sam McDaniel.
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An interesting guess, but alas….
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If this is Frederick O’Neal then it must be Anna Lucasta.
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An interesting guess! But alas….
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And alack.
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Ernest Whitman in “Third Finger Left Hand”
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Ann Morriss wearing a Dolly Tree suit
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Lee Bowman and I hope Under the Towel Guy is Melvyn Douglas
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Wednesday is Lee Bowman, I recognize him from COVER GIRL! That must mean this is THIRD FINGER, LEFT HAND (1940) and Tuesday’s mysterious woman is Ann Morriss. I think I’ve seen some or all of this movie but don’t remember much except that Myrna Loy looked fantastic, apparently Ann Morriss did as well!
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Lee Bowman today.
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Lee Bowman. And if that is Melvin Douglas getting vaporized then it’s Third Finger Left Hand.
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Ernest Whitman, Ann Morriss, Lee Bowman and Melvyn Douglas in THIRD FINGER, LEFT HAND.
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Looks like a 40’s comedy. And the guy looks like Zachary Scott, the “many times” rival to the leading man in 40’s comedies…
Oh my…where to start?
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Lee Bowman type person today
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Is today’s guest Lee Bowman?
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Our movie is Third Finger, Left Hand, with Bonita Granville, Felix Bressart, Ann Morriss, and Ernest Whitman.
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THIRD FINGER, LEFT HAND. Ernest Whitman Monday, Ann MOrriss Tuesday, Lee Bowman and Melywn Douglas under towel, Felix Bressart, Bonita Granville with MD both.
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Third Finger, Left Hand 1940
Mon – Ernest Whitman with his law book (nice to read the comments about his role in the picture)
Wed – Lee Bowman and UTTG Melvyn Douglas
Thur – Felix Bressart
I think the two young women are Bonita Granville and maybe Ann Morriss, but not sure
Tomorrow brings Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas
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Thursday’s mysterious fellow is Felix Bressart.
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Felix Bressart, Bonita Granville and Melvyn Douglas.
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Pretty sure that Bonita Granville is our Thursday gal and Melvyn Douglas is BOTHG.
Found a differently-angled photo of Tuesday’s woman on the phone, but not too much info. I’ll stick with my Ann Morriss guess but not sure.
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Felix Bressart and Bonita Granville Thursday
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Melvin and myrna.
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Melvyn and Myrna.
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