My agent had told me that he was going to make me the Janet Gaynor of England - I was going to play all the sweet roles. Whereupon, at the tender age of thirteen, I set upon the path of playing nothing but hookers.

Today is Ida Lupino's birthday. She would have been either 97 or 93, depending on which birthdate you prefer (2/4/1914 or 2/4/1918). Both dates are out there, but Wikipedia and IMDb say 1918, and I'm sticking with them. But we can be pretty sure that today is the day.

A beautiful, intelligent, versatile talent, she was a rare presence in front of and behind the camera. I encourage all Lupino fans to visit the official Ida Lupino website to see movie trailers, review her accomplishments as an actress, writer, and director. You can also watch full episodes of her many television appearances — which is exactly why god made the Internet.

Ida Lupino is also featured as the Turner Classic Movies Star of the Month, but it's a little hard to tell whether it's this month they're talking about. No matter. TCM provides some good synopses of her films and of course, dishy photos.

Happy 90-ish birthday, Ida Lupino!

I've always liked and respected Ida Lupino, but watching her in Beware My Lovely propelled her to new heights in my estimation. The movie — produced by her production company — had me right at the very spooky opening sequence, when Robert Ryan discovers the body of his employer in a broom closet and flees across a rail yard. Soon he comes to the home of a war widow (Lupino) and begins doing odd jobs around the house. When his character, Howard, asks to hang his coat in a cleaner closet, it hit me: this was the same story as "To Find Help," another Agnes Moorehead tour de force from Suspense I had heard years ago on The Big Broadcast (WAMU 88.5)  while driving home from Brooklyn one dark and stormy night. It was so good that I sat in the car outside the house (after a 5 hour drive, mind you) just to find out who played the creepy young man. It was Frank Sinatra.

On screen last night, all things started to play out just as I remembered in the radio play with one or two modifications  to great effect (I kept a wary eye on the dog, for instance). It's a terrific, terrifying, and extremely well-acted film and I recommend it highly.

Coincidentally, seeing this movie only confirmed my feelings about "Sorry, Wrong Number" the radio play versus Sorry, Wrong Number the film, which I watched on YouTube yesterday just to make sure. I can see why people who haven't heard the Suspense broadcast would give the movie high marks — it's scary, gorgeously shot, and well acted; however, as an adaption it comes across (to me) overwrought with unecessary exposition and introducing sympathies that distort the dramatic effect of the original. It is a good movie — just not a good adaptation.

Beware My Lovely is both. Please see it.

I'm going to go ahead and say it...the movie's no good!

Really, don't bother.