Luise Rainer is unlike any other actress of the era to me. An anamoly in Hollywood history. Her big and soulful eyes matched with emotionally charged acting and intense body language make her an absolute joy to watch. She's theatrical in the best way possible. I discovered her a few months ago through her two back to back Academy Awards for Best Actress. I hold the opinion that she deserved both, for sheer range alone. That isn't an easy thing to pull off. I first saw her playing Anna Held in The Great Ziegfeld, and while the film wasn't great, she had me hooked. Especially with the telephone scene, where she breaks down into tears while talking to her ex husband. It's entirely enthralling and you can feel every emotion. Just over a week later, I saw her portray O-Lan in The Good Earth. A stunning display of acting that has stuck with me since. She took this very simple character and poured so much of her heart into the performance, to the point where it's impossible to look away when she's on screen. I believe it to be her greatest achievement. Since then, I've seen both Dramatic School and Big City. My adoration for this woman grows stronger with each passing day and she's quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses. I can't wait to keep enjoying her films.
The Good Earth is one of my favourite movies. I remember seeing it when I was young. I have just recently purchased the book I love it so much. Beautiful actress.
I want to commend you on the summation as written about the career and life of Luise Rainer. It was quite a tightrope you walked with what I will call a "quirky" personality---how things turned out for her professionally, as contrasted with others, and the prisms in her personality which propelled the choices Ms. Rainer made. I think your writing and perceptions really captured the angles. Summations can feel obligatory, final steps toward closing the door. But yours here, with Miss Rainer, have a magic to them and encapsulate the ambiguities in a way which breathes. Very fine work. Thank you.
I know virtually nothing in this area, but am watching Fritz because he's seems to know his business and I'm getting an education. I appreciate your input as adding to my knowledge of Luise as a person and an actress.
I’d never known much about Luise Rainer, aside from her two Academy Awards and rather brief Hollywood career. Thanks for your excellent research and professional quality presentation-both are most appreciated!
I have nothing but admiration for your excellent work. Thank you. In London in the 1990s I was at an event hosted by Stephen Fry at which Luise was also present, and when he introduced her to the audience there was, l am sad to say, a total lack of interest. She truly was a forgotten star.
That lost opportunity was really a great pity for Anna May Wong … not just because it was a rich complex role, but because it was a “good” (virtuous/upright) role. She wasn’t fondly regarded by Chinese in the 1930s because she always played villainous roles, which were not how Chinese audience wanted themselves to be seen, but there just wasn’t “good” roles for them … I’d imagine it’s the same problem for Hayakawa Sessue.
The money Luise Rainer made at MGM under the tutelage of Irving Thalberg and Louis B. Mayer allowed her to have a luxurious and productive life for many, many years to come (including a late 1980's Stage performance in Los Angeles of Enoch Arden at UCLA and personal appearance at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills for a showing of "The Good Earth"). She was back in Hollywood for many occasions with her last visit being in 2010. Her leaving Hollywood allowed Luise to have a private life which was denied so many others. It is indeed sad she had difficulties with Fellini not being able to work with him. Luise Rainer will always be remembered for her unique career during the Golden Era of Hollywood and her subsequent work for the remainder of her very, very long life.
I watched the filmography of Lusie Rainer around 2019-2020 and I can say when people say she’s miscast in certain roles I feel a lot of it (besides the racism of the good earth casting obviously) had to do with the fact that lusie truly didn’t fully made a consistent translation from stage acting to screen acting which anyone who knows acting know that despite both being formed under similar training can be very different in terms of execution. In fact one actress who’s very similar to her in terms of biographically and career path particularly during the 1930s is Katharine Hepburn, both came from wealthy family, both started their careers as young coming of age women into theatre, both broke out into the Hollywood film industry with overnight success, both had major downfalls just instantly as their successful breakthrough, both hated the Hollywood celebrity culture, and both tried to make their first comeback to acting through a star vehicle Broadway productions but the difference between Katharine and lusie is (besides Katharine being more ambitious and determined to take control of her career) Katharine may have a longer time learning the medium of screen acting even in her failures she seemed to learn from her experiences into becoming more better with screen acting. I feel bc luisie was not only quicker with her rise to fame in Hollywood but also the expectations/potential for her were higher since she won 2 back to back oscars (ironically Katharine would be the only other woman to accomplish this) she didn’t get the consistent practice to really make that transition and develop her craft in a different medium, even doe I’m not 100% fan of lusie acting and I can argue about her 2 Oscar’s (especially for the good earth not just for the casting but winning over Greta Garbo and Barbara Stanwyck in both career/era defining masterclass performances) I still think her journey in Hollywood is one for the history book and I gain nothing but respect for her for fighting her dignity and own agency when she realized the Hollywood industry wasn’t for her
I can really get a sense of the love you have for her in this video. She really is a fascinating figure in Hollywood history. Out of curiosity, what do you think of all of the performances you have seen of her?
Of her Hollywood movies: The Emperor's Candlesticks: does everything right but the part is not very great Big City: absolutely lovely and heartbreaking - perfect The Toy Wife: Badly miscast, pushes far too hard The Great Waltz: wonderful, the part is perfect for her Dramatic School: obviously doesn't care at all about the movie or her role Hostages: fine with what she has to do but it's a very small part without any highlights
Fritz !!! I’m preparing to watch this video but I just want to tell you how interesting all your content is. I wanted to hear first your take on the best actress 1948 race episode from the 300 passions podcast (which was a delightful take !! I recommend it to everyone) and I’m certainly excited to watch this video since I’m not familiar with miss rainer’s work. That’s the great thing about your channel. I get updated on all this great stories and I’m glad I get to do it through your narrative. Thanksss !!!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am so happy that you like the videos and also that you listen to the 300 passions podcast (which I highly recommend to everyone, too). Hope you enjoy the overview of Luise's career
Oh god I have so many things to say about this. I am so touched by Miss Reiner’s story thank you so much. Especially seeing everything that’s happening in the world right, now this is (letting aside Hollywood) a story of true human force. I’ll be watching for sure her films as soon as I can. She was one of a kind that’s for sure 🙏
@fritzandtheoscars, thank you for this it’s nice to see an extensive and detailed documentary on lesser known actors. Can you do one on MAE West a star who has never been forgotten lol
Very good video about her life and career. I wonder if she'd be a "household name" if she had been in theater before the days of film. Her talent was never in question, but she couldn't give herself over to the movie industry and the way talent was handled. Thank you!
Fantastic, intelligent, full-of-heart documentary, bravo! One question, though - the narrator mentions that Luise starred in the 1943 film "Hostages" to fulfill a contract; this was a Paramount Pictures film, so did I miss something, or, at what point was she contracted to Paramount?
Thanks for your comment. As far as I'm aware she was signed to Paramount for Hostages as MGM had no film for her themselves, so they "gave" her to Paramount instead
She was true to herself and refused to let Hollywood eat her alive. She had the opportunity to pursue other passions, she had a long and happy second marriage, and she lived until the age of 104. I would call that “success”.
Luise DID have the star power. Blame the bosses. Movie moguls ruined countless talents. DAMN Louis B.Mayer. DAMN David O. Selznick.... HONOUR Luise's morals.
I don’t see why people should have such consternation about a Caucasian having played a fictional Chinese woman in a film from way back in 1937, when we have things like a black actress playing an actual historical figure-Anne Boleyn, for whom we have enough information to know pretty well what she looked like-in 2021. Either it’s cultural appropriation both ways, or neither. I expect to see trans gender people playing historical figures of the opposite sex any day now. It may have already occurred, I don’t go out of my way to keep up with contemporary media anymore.
Luise Rainer adored Garbo and compared her beauty to that of Nefertiti on the Franklin Show. Garbo also left Hollywood at the age of 36 never to return. She also was at that point a very wealthy woman. Both women have very similar lifestyles aside from the fact that Garbo never involved herself in any other projects and never had any husband or children. It would be most interesting for you to do a video on Garbo and possibly compare her life and career to that of Luise Rainer. Neither Luise Rainer or Greta Garbo were fond of Louis B. Mayer, yet had it not been for Louis B. Mayer the World would probably have no knowledge of either woman. It is odd that Garbo will probably be remembered more than any other Actress from the Golden Era of Hollywood.
Garbo was favored to win in 1937 for “Camille”. It is said that a gasp was heard throughout the auditorium when Rainer’s name was called for Best Actress. Garbo was not in attendance, as per usual. Apparently L.B. Mayer had begun to think that Garbo was getting too big for her britches, and groomed Rainer to be MGM’s next big female star.
@@jmj5388 Luise failed to be that star to replace Garbo (as I now think no one could have done), but I do think Greer Garson was a very good substitute for the 1940's MGM viewing audiences. The World and movies changed dramatically with the advent of World War II and not for the better.
I really enjoyed your LR profile. I wonder if she could have maintained a successful career in European films had she put her focus in them. I feel she was doomed to a very limited American career in film regardless of the circumstances with her strong accent. She would always be considered exotic and in some ways untouchable to American audiences with a very limited amount of suitable scripts.
Probably true, but had it not been for L. B. Mayer we would not have had Garbo or Luise Rainer. In fact we would not have had those Million Stars in the Heavens had it not been for Mr. Mayer. Many loved him and many disliked him immensely. Not an unusual situation for any business. But few could have denied the fact that had it not been for Mr. Mayer we would in no way have the Golden years of Hollywood now to look back upon and simply relish!
To be fair to Mayer he was responsible for studio finances and he was aware that he was making films for the American public not for critics, it was after all the public who paid to see the films. Thalberg was able to make prestige films like Romeo and Juliet starring his wife Norma Shearer but they didn’t always make money. Without making money it wasn’t possible to make prestigious films or any other kind. This fact is often overlooked.
Her story seems similar to that of fellow "new Garbo" and competitor for Clifford Odets, Frances Farmer. Each actress got grand ideas about herself, got temperamental, blew it.
Well done examination of Ms. Rainer's career and stardom. I have only viewed a handful of Rainer's films----Great Ziegfeld, Good Earth and Big City...Afraid I found Rainer a bit too much, very mannered, her larger - than - life coquettishness and melancholia can grow "tiresome". I'm positive her performances and sweeping gestures were more suited to Live Theatre. I also think Hollywood cinema simply had no place for her or fellow Mittel - Europeans like Anna Sten, Elizabeth Bergner and Lilian Harvey (yes, Im aware Harvey was British born).
I was surprised to see a response and a warm heart too, given that my comments on Rainer were not overwhelmingly praiseworthy. I respect Rainer's work and place in Hollywood history. Despite Rainer's claims that she acted from an "inner source", I think Rainer would be called a "Delsartian" actor rather than a "Method" one. The former is a much Older / 19th century system of acting that calls upon bodily movements and gesture to expression emotion. I recently discovered your interesting channel about Old Hollywood. Have you ever considered profiles on such European actresses as Michelle Morgan, Mirelle Balin, Arletty, Lil Dagover, Lilian Harvey, Brigitte Helm. Some very fascinating careers and personal life stories. Why have more French actresses faired poorly in the Hollywood system. Great work. Cheers from Canada.
@@j.w.2391 Acting is one of the most subjective arts so everyone has different opinions on performances and performers, I totally respect that and you are not trashing her but explain your reasons! There are many topics I would like to cover but I have to see what I can do with my limited time
You go on FAR TOO MUCH about Luise. ONE PERSON indeed made it happen - DAVID O. SELZNICK! Bad roles, bad use of her. I'm shocked how much you dump on her.😡😡
Luise was not Austrian. She was German. There is no "German" Volkstheater in Vienna. Just a "Volkstheater". Germany (120 years old) is not a part of Austria (more than 1100 years old!)
@@FritzandtheOscarsat some point on the video there's something Whitten right across saying I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THIS IS, while they were talking about Irving Thalberg and the good earth
@Renato Brito at this moment in the video, Luise is saying that she told Thalberg that there is another actress who would love to play the role in The Good Earth and would be much better than her - when I wrote "I don't know who she is talking about", I was referring to this actress
@12classics39 I actually doubt it because Anna was never truly considered for the role. It was always clear that it would be a white woman and many top tier actresses of the time were considered
Actors/Actresses definition is to portray as accurately as possible the character their playing! Miss Rainer was the BEST ACTRESS for the job, shame on anyone who thinks it's politically incorrect for a Caucasian to play other ethnic groups! I had no idea at the time that the actor/actresses weren't CHINESE!!! IF Blacks actors can wear WHITE FACE to portray Caucasians, then anything goes and is acceptable, so stop with the cultural appropriation BS!!!! The first book I ever read was THE GOOD EARTH and Luise deservedly earned the award for her great talent! I wonder IF she ever regretted getting RID OF HER BABY, which would have been the legacy of her first love the love of her life!! Anyone with a soul has regrets.
Her performance in the good earth was brilliant.
I totally agree! One of my favorites!
Luise Rainer is unlike any other actress of the era to me. An anamoly in Hollywood history. Her big and soulful eyes matched with emotionally charged acting and intense body language make her an absolute joy to watch. She's theatrical in the best way possible.
I discovered her a few months ago through her two back to back Academy Awards for Best Actress. I hold the opinion that she deserved both, for sheer range alone. That isn't an easy thing to pull off.
I first saw her playing Anna Held in The Great Ziegfeld, and while the film wasn't great, she had me hooked. Especially with the telephone scene, where she breaks down into tears while talking to her ex husband. It's entirely enthralling and you can feel every emotion.
Just over a week later, I saw her portray O-Lan in The Good Earth. A stunning display of acting that has stuck with me since. She took this very simple character and poured so much of her heart into the performance, to the point where it's impossible to look away when she's on screen. I believe it to be her greatest achievement.
Since then, I've seen both Dramatic School and Big City. My adoration for this woman grows stronger with each passing day and she's quickly becoming one of my favorite actresses.
I can't wait to keep enjoying her films.
Thanks so much for your reply! I'm happy that you enjoy her work so much!
I've always been fascinated by her career and personal life. Thank you for doing such a good job!
Thanks for watching!
The Good Earth is one of my favourite movies. I remember seeing it when I was young. I have just recently purchased the book I love it so much. Beautiful actress.
I want to commend you on the summation as written about the career and life of Luise Rainer. It was quite a tightrope you walked with what I will call a "quirky" personality---how things turned out for her professionally, as contrasted with others, and the prisms in her personality which propelled the choices Ms. Rainer made. I think your writing and perceptions really captured the angles. Summations can feel obligatory, final steps toward closing the door. But yours here, with Miss Rainer, have a magic to them and encapsulate the ambiguities in a way which breathes. Very fine work. Thank you.
Thank you so much! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
I know virtually nothing in this area, but am watching Fritz because he's seems to know his business and I'm getting an education. I appreciate your input as adding to my knowledge of Luise as a person and an actress.
I’d never known much about Luise Rainer, aside from her two Academy Awards and rather brief Hollywood career. Thanks for your excellent research and professional quality presentation-both are most appreciated!
Thanks so much for watching! Glad you liked it!
Fantastic video! Please do one on the great Glenda Jackson next!
I have nothing but admiration for your excellent work. Thank you. In London in the 1990s I was at an event hosted by Stephen Fry at which Luise was also present, and when he introduced her to the audience there was, l am sad to say, a total lack of interest. She truly was a forgotten star.
Sadly, practically every major Star from the Golden Age of Hollywood (not only Luise Rainer) is forgotten by the audiences of today.
That lost opportunity was really a great pity for Anna May Wong … not just because it was a rich complex role, but because it was a “good” (virtuous/upright) role. She wasn’t fondly regarded by Chinese in the 1930s because she always played villainous roles, which were not how Chinese audience wanted themselves to be seen, but there just wasn’t “good” roles for them … I’d imagine it’s the same problem for Hayakawa Sessue.
No hate towards Luise but her playing a whole Asian woman was just as ridiculous as Jeanne Crain playing a light-skinned black woman in Pinky.
@@knightfly28 I gotta agree with that! Jeannie Craine playing a black woman was idiotic. (& I’ve got a pretty good imagination!) ✌️
@@knightfly28 have you ever seen Pinky? it's a great performance
@@blossom1643 guessing you've never seen Pinky - no, I _know_ you've never seen it
@@blossom1643 Spelled Jeanne Craine, and the part of Pinky was supposed to be racially ambiguous. I don't comment on movies I've never seen.
The money Luise Rainer made at MGM under the tutelage of Irving Thalberg and Louis B. Mayer allowed her to have a luxurious and productive life for many, many years to come (including a late 1980's Stage performance in Los Angeles of Enoch Arden at UCLA and personal appearance at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Beverly Hills for a showing of "The Good Earth"). She was back in Hollywood for many occasions with her last visit being in 2010.
Her leaving Hollywood allowed Luise to have a private life which was denied so many others. It is indeed sad she had difficulties with Fellini not being able to work with him. Luise Rainer will always be remembered for her unique career during the Golden Era of Hollywood and her subsequent work for the remainder of her very, very long life.
VERY interesting and I think the best overview of her life and career that I have ever seen. THANK YOU!
Thanks so much for watching!
I LOVE Luise Rainer, one of my favorites .. THX especially for the ESCAPADE clips, probably as much as I'll ever see from that one
Those aren't actually from Escapade - unfortunately I have not been able to get access to this movie yet
Thank You So Much For This Beautiful Tribute. She was a Force !!
I agree. Thanks so much for watching
Thank you for this marvellous video! I've been trying to find a biography of her for so long!
Bravo . Great as usual Fritz .
Thank you so much!
I watched the filmography of Lusie Rainer around 2019-2020 and I can say when people say she’s miscast in certain roles I feel a lot of it (besides the racism of the good earth casting obviously) had to do with the fact that lusie truly didn’t fully made a consistent translation from stage acting to screen acting which anyone who knows acting know that despite both being formed under similar training can be very different in terms of execution. In fact one actress who’s very similar to her in terms of biographically and career path particularly during the 1930s is Katharine Hepburn, both came from wealthy family, both started their careers as young coming of age women into theatre, both broke out into the Hollywood film industry with overnight success, both had major downfalls just instantly as their successful breakthrough, both hated the Hollywood celebrity culture, and both tried to make their first comeback to acting through a star vehicle Broadway productions but the difference between Katharine and lusie is (besides Katharine being more ambitious and determined to take control of her career) Katharine may have a longer time learning the medium of screen acting even in her failures she seemed to learn from her experiences into becoming more better with screen acting. I feel bc luisie was not only quicker with her rise to fame in Hollywood but also the expectations/potential for her were higher since she won 2 back to back oscars (ironically Katharine would be the only other woman to accomplish this) she didn’t get the consistent practice to really make that transition and develop her craft in a different medium, even doe I’m not 100% fan of lusie acting and I can argue about her 2 Oscar’s (especially for the good earth not just for the casting but winning over Greta Garbo and Barbara Stanwyck in both career/era defining masterclass performances) I still think her journey in Hollywood is one for the history book and I gain nothing but respect for her for fighting her dignity and own agency when she realized the Hollywood industry wasn’t for her
I can really get a sense of the love you have for her in this video. She really is a fascinating figure in Hollywood history.
Out of curiosity, what do you think of all of the performances you have seen of her?
Of her Hollywood movies:
The Emperor's Candlesticks: does everything right but the part is not very great
Big City: absolutely lovely and heartbreaking - perfect
The Toy Wife: Badly miscast, pushes far too hard
The Great Waltz: wonderful, the part is perfect for her
Dramatic School: obviously doesn't care at all about the movie or her role
Hostages: fine with what she has to do but it's a very small part without any highlights
Fritz !!! I’m preparing to watch this video but I just want to tell you how interesting all your content is. I wanted to hear first your take on the best actress 1948 race episode from the 300 passions podcast (which was a delightful take !! I recommend it to everyone) and I’m certainly excited to watch this video since I’m not familiar with miss rainer’s work. That’s the great thing about your channel. I get updated on all this great stories and I’m glad I get to do it through your narrative. Thanksss !!!
Thank you so much for your kind words! I am so happy that you like the videos and also that you listen to the 300 passions podcast (which I highly recommend to everyone, too). Hope you enjoy the overview of Luise's career
Oh god I have so many things to say about this. I am so touched by Miss Reiner’s story thank you so much. Especially seeing everything that’s happening in the world right, now this is (letting aside Hollywood) a story of true human force. I’ll be watching for sure her films as soon as I can. She was one of a kind that’s for sure 🙏
@@Alexandra-bk5pi Thanks so much for your reply! I am so happy that I made you interested in her work
Thank you for sharing such a wonderful light and talent with the world. Much appreciated. ❤✌🏼
@peacemomma7122 thanks so much for watching
@@FritzandtheOscars It is absolutely my pleasure.
@fritzandtheoscars, thank you for this it’s nice to see an extensive and detailed documentary on lesser known actors. Can you do one on MAE West a star who has never been forgotten lol
Thanks a lot for watching. I haven't planned anything on Mae West...I might think about it
Great work! Thank you for this gift!!!👏👏
Thanks a lot for watching!
Thank you for this ❤️
Very good video about her life and career. I wonder if she'd be a "household name" if she had been in theater before the days of film. Her talent was never in question, but she couldn't give herself over to the movie industry and the way talent was handled. Thank you!
Thanks a lot for watching! She did a little theater in Germany and Austria, maybe she could have become a name on Broadway instead...
Getting your priorities right, protecting your mental health is a successful life.
Fantastic, intelligent, full-of-heart documentary, bravo! One question, though - the narrator mentions that Luise starred in the 1943 film "Hostages" to fulfill a contract; this was a Paramount Pictures film, so did I miss something, or, at what point was she contracted to Paramount?
Thanks for your comment. As far as I'm aware she was signed to Paramount for Hostages as MGM had no film for her themselves, so they "gave" her to Paramount instead
Now I’m too excited for the next one…why am I like this 😭
She was true to herself and refused to let Hollywood eat her alive. She had the opportunity to pursue other passions, she had a long and happy second marriage, and she lived until the age of 104. I would call that “success”.
She lived in Eaton Square in London in the building that had previously been the home of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh.
Luise DID have the star power. Blame the bosses. Movie moguls ruined countless talents. DAMN Louis B.Mayer. DAMN David O. Selznick.... HONOUR Luise's morals.
I don’t see why people should have such consternation about a Caucasian having played a fictional Chinese woman in a film from way back in 1937, when we have things like a black actress playing an actual historical figure-Anne Boleyn, for whom we have enough information to know pretty well what she looked like-in 2021.
Either it’s cultural appropriation both ways, or neither.
I expect to see trans gender people playing historical figures of the opposite sex any day now. It may have already occurred, I don’t go out of my way to keep up with contemporary media anymore.
strange not movie was made about her life
Luise Rainer adored Garbo and compared her beauty to that of Nefertiti on the Franklin Show. Garbo also left Hollywood at the age of 36 never to return. She also was at that point a very wealthy woman. Both women have very similar lifestyles aside from the fact that Garbo never involved herself in any other projects and never had any husband or children. It would be most interesting for you to do a video on Garbo and possibly compare her life and career to that of Luise Rainer.
Neither Luise Rainer or Greta Garbo were fond of Louis B. Mayer, yet had it not been for Louis B. Mayer the World would probably have no knowledge of either woman.
It is odd that Garbo will probably be remembered more than any other Actress from the Golden Era of Hollywood.
Garbo was favored to win in 1937 for “Camille”. It is said that a gasp was heard throughout the auditorium when Rainer’s name was called for Best Actress. Garbo was not in attendance, as per usual. Apparently L.B. Mayer had begun to think that Garbo was getting too big for her britches, and groomed Rainer to be MGM’s next big female star.
@@jmj5388 Luise failed to be that star to replace Garbo (as I now think no one could have done), but I do think Greer Garson was a very good substitute for the 1940's MGM viewing audiences. The World and movies changed dramatically with the advent of World War II and not for the better.
I really enjoyed your LR profile. I wonder if she could have maintained a successful career in European films had she put her focus in them. I feel she was doomed to a very limited American career in film regardless of the circumstances with her strong accent. She would always be considered exotic and in some ways untouchable to American audiences with a very limited amount of suitable scripts.
Yes, it feels incredibly hard to cast her, as one can see in her post-Oscar movies. I suppose the stage would have been her best home
Probably true, but had it not been for L. B. Mayer we would not have had Garbo or Luise Rainer. In fact we would not have had those Million Stars in the Heavens had it not been for Mr. Mayer. Many loved him and many disliked him immensely. Not an unusual situation for any business.
But few could have denied the fact that had it not been for Mr. Mayer we would in no way have the Golden years of Hollywood now to look back upon and simply relish!
To be fair to Mayer he was responsible for studio finances and he was aware that he was making films for the American public not for critics, it was after all the public who paid to see the films. Thalberg was able to make prestige films like Romeo and Juliet starring his wife Norma Shearer but they didn’t always make money. Without making money it wasn’t possible to make prestigious films or any other kind. This fact is often overlooked.
Please give us time to read the captions. One at a time. Not a whole page in 10 seconds.
I have changed that in my newer videos. It's also a learning process for me
Her story seems similar to that of fellow "new Garbo" and competitor for Clifford Odets, Frances Farmer. Each actress got grand ideas about herself, got temperamental, blew it.
Well done examination of Ms. Rainer's career and stardom. I have only viewed a handful of Rainer's films----Great Ziegfeld, Good Earth and Big City...Afraid I found Rainer a bit too much, very mannered, her larger - than - life coquettishness and melancholia can grow "tiresome". I'm positive her performances and sweeping gestures were more suited to Live Theatre. I also think Hollywood cinema simply had no place for her or fellow Mittel - Europeans like Anna Sten, Elizabeth Bergner and Lilian Harvey (yes, Im aware Harvey was British born).
thanks a lot!
I was surprised to see a response and a warm heart too, given that my comments on Rainer were not overwhelmingly praiseworthy. I respect Rainer's work and place in Hollywood history. Despite Rainer's claims that she acted from an "inner source", I think Rainer would be called a "Delsartian" actor rather than a "Method" one. The former is a much Older / 19th century system of acting that calls upon bodily movements and gesture to expression emotion. I recently discovered your interesting channel about Old Hollywood. Have you ever considered profiles on such European actresses as Michelle Morgan, Mirelle Balin, Arletty, Lil Dagover, Lilian Harvey, Brigitte Helm. Some very fascinating careers and personal life stories. Why have more French actresses faired poorly in the Hollywood system. Great work. Cheers from Canada.
@@j.w.2391 Acting is one of the most subjective arts so everyone has different opinions on performances and performers, I totally respect that and you are not trashing her but explain your reasons! There are many topics I would like to cover but I have to see what I can do with my limited time
Sie hatte keine Lust den Pakt mit dem Teufel einzugehen. Es wurde ihr klar, dass sie mit ihrer Seele zu zahlen hätte. Respekt!
You go on FAR TOO MUCH about Luise. ONE PERSON indeed made it happen - DAVID O. SELZNICK! Bad roles, bad use of her. I'm shocked how much you dump on her.😡😡
Luise was not Austrian. She was German. There is no "German" Volkstheater in Vienna. Just a "Volkstheater". Germany (120 years old) is not a part of Austria (more than 1100 years old!)
I think I make it clear that she was German. The theater was called "Deutsches Volkstheater" until 1945
you don't know who Irving Thalberg was? Seriously?
No idea what you mean
@@FritzandtheOscarsat some point on the video there's something Whitten right across saying I HAVE NO IDEA WHO THIS IS, while they were talking about Irving Thalberg and the good earth
@Renato Brito at this moment in the video, Luise is saying that she told Thalberg that there is another actress who would love to play the role in The Good Earth and would be much better than her - when I wrote "I don't know who she is talking about", I was referring to this actress
@@FritzandtheOscarsI think the actress who Luise was referring to at that moment was Anna May Wong.
@12classics39 I actually doubt it because Anna was never truly considered for the role. It was always clear that it would be a white woman and many top tier actresses of the time were considered
Louise brooks acted, in the same manner, a couple of decades before --
I never did like her on screen.
Actors/Actresses definition is to portray as accurately as possible the character their playing! Miss Rainer was the BEST ACTRESS for the job, shame on anyone who thinks it's politically incorrect for a Caucasian to play other ethnic groups! I had no idea at the time that the actor/actresses weren't CHINESE!!!
IF Blacks actors can wear WHITE FACE to portray Caucasians, then anything goes and is acceptable, so stop with the cultural appropriation BS!!!!
The first book I ever read was THE GOOD EARTH and Luise deservedly earned the award for her great talent! I wonder IF she ever regretted getting RID OF HER BABY, which would have been the legacy of her first love the love of her life!! Anyone with a soul has regrets.
so tired of woke cry bullies. Crying wraycism about things that happened decades ago. Get over it.
She wasn't that great she was forgettable