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Directed by John Cromwell, Since You Went Away (1944) is set in 1943 and tells the story of Anne Hilton (Claudette Colbert), an upper-middle-class housewife with two teenage daughters, Jane (Jennifer Jones) and Bridget «Brig» (Shirley Temple). After Anne's husband, Tim, enlists in the U.S. Army, the family must make sacrifices for the war effort, including food rationing, giving up the services of their maid, Fidelia (Hattie McDaniel), who is still willing to keep on working for free, and taking in a boarder, the retired Colonel William G. Smollett (Monty Woolley). In contrast, their cynical socialite neighbour, Emily Hawkins (Agnes Moorehead), complains about the inconveniences caused by the war and criticizes the Hiltons' efforts and patriotism. Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones and Shirley Temple in Since You Went Away .   In the meantime, an old friend of the Hiltons, U.S. Navy Lieutenant Tony Willett (Joseph Cotten), visits the family while awaiting his orders. Jane soon ...

After the success of It Happened One Night (1934), Claudette Colbert became the biggest actress under contract to Paramount Pictures. Although the film had been made at Columbia, its popularity did not escape the attention of Paramount's executives, who decided to capitalize on Colbert's newfound fame as a comedienne. The studio commissioned screenwriter Claude Binyon to create another romantic comedy for the actress, and the result was The Gilded Lily (1935), the story of a stenographer who becomes a member of café society and must choose between a dashing English aristocrat and a common newspaper reporter. Fred MacMurray and Claudette Colbert appeared in seven pictures together. Whereas the part of the Englishman was perfectly suited for Ray Milland, there was some difficulty in casting the role of the reporter. Paramount initially wanted Franchot Tone, but MGM refused to loan him out. Cary Grant was considered, but his light cockney accent made him «not American enough» ...

Throughout this month, I've decided to do a series of Oscar-related articles in anticipation to tonight's 89th Academy Awards ceremony, which I am going to see live on television. Yesterday, I presented you my top 15 favourite Best Actor-winning performances , so today I thought I would do the same, but for Best Actress winners instead. As I have said before, please bear in mind that this is my own personal opinion, which of course is limited to the films I have seen so far.     15. Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce (1945)   Mildred Pierce (Joan Crawford): I was always in the kitchen. I felt as though I'd been born in a kitchen and lived there all my life, except for the few hours it took to get married.     14. Joan Fontaine in Suspicion (1941) Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth (Joan Fontaine): I must go now or I'll be late to luncheon. Anyway, if my father saw me come in both late and beautiful, he might have a stroke.   13. Elizabeth Taylor in Who's Afraid of...

Douglas Fairbanks presents Janet Gaynor with the first ever Academy Award for Best Actress for her work in 7th Heaven (1927), Street Angel (1927) and Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927). Mary Pickford poses with her Oscar for Best Actress. She won for her work in Coquette (1929), her first talkie. Norma Shearer receives from Conrad Nagel the Oscar for Best Actress for The Divorcee (1930). Marie Dressler and Lionel Barrymore were the Best Actress and Best Actor winners at the 5th Academy Awards. She won for Min and Bill (1930) and he for A Free Soul (1931). MGM chief Louis B. Mayer presents producer Carl Laemmle with the award for Best Picture for All Quiet on the Western Front (1930). Helen Hayes proudly holds her Best Actress Oscar for The Sin of Madelon Claudet (1931). Shirley Temple gives Claudette Colbert the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in It Happened One Night (1934). It Happened One Night also earned Clark Gable th...