MovieChat Forums > The Rains Came (1939) Discussion > Myrna Loy character/performance

Myrna Loy character/performance


Did anyone else get kind of surprised to see her as a "bad girl"? Aside from her supporting role in "Fu Manchu" (1932), I don't think I've seen her play these kinds of roles before. She was truly wonderful in "The Rains Came".

Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

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She played several bad girls, early on. I've seen only a few of those roles - as a calculating half-Asian who seeks deadly revenge in 1932's "Thirteen Women", as a seductive gypsy, driving men to peril in 1929's "The Squall", and as Boris Karloff's sadistic and kinky niece (or daughter, I can't remember, but another Asian role), reveling in having a man whipped in 1932's "Mask of Fu Manchu". Thank goodness, "The Animal Kingdom" came after "..Fu Manchu", and ended those silly exotic roles.

I loved "The Rains Came". (I got the DVD for Christmas!) Great seeing Myrna looking so beautiful, and having such a meaty role as the free-living Lady. And that death scene, with gorgeous Tyrone whispering his love while Myrna slips away. Myrna told a few stories about that production in her autobiography, "Being And Becoming". Have you read it? One of the best celebrity bios I have ever read. It really captured her voice; reading it, it's like Myrna is chatting with you.

I always enjoy seeing your posts, Fran. Regards!

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First of all, thank you very much for your kind words! Likewise 

Unfortunately, I haven't read her autobiography, since books on classic movies/stars are very hard to find on this corner of the world, and if I have to choose between ordering online books or DVDs, I always go for the latter. But I'm sure it must be great fun, since she seemed to be such a nice, classy, honest lady (let alone her incredible beauty).

It's a true shame she didn't choose (or were not chosen) to play more of these "colorful" roles in the '40s, and was kind of typecast to basically play wives. Fortunately, she did it again in the '60s in that movie with Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman (From the Terrace?), as well as in the '70s, in Airport 1975, in which she proved once more how versatile an actress she was. However, I believe they never exploted her full potential as an actress, which is truly sad.

Animal crackers in my soup
Monkeys and rabbits loop the loop

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I thought she was miscast...she did not strike me in her performance the type of woman that throw themselves at men, merely cause they are handsome alone. I believe she was borrowed from MGM for this role, while 20th C. Fox was short of dramatic actress's at that time...1939. I can't recall them having such a bevy of dramatic actress's..ie MGM, at that time. Gene Tierney or Hedy Lamarr come to mind that would have been more interesting...but Gene came later and Hedy, again was at MGM. Its interesting when this was remade, Lana Turner had the role, though she was not a very good actress to begin with, but definitely the type. There were flaws in this one that were obvious...when the earthquake came, did she even wonder what happen to her husband? George Brent, somehow managed to pick up and ride people back and forth, after he lost his boat. The biggest asset of this movie was the special effects for that time period...no CGI. Very impressive, which also brought to mind the wonderful movie "The Hurricane" with Dorothy Lamour in 1937. Wondered how and where it was done..perhaps in the backlot of Fox.

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I'd known about her earlier 'fiesty' roles, but hadn't really put this on her timeline. Yes, for the time, it was surprising; but I thought she did it quite well. I love Ms. Loy in her Nora roles, but it was good to see her in something else.

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