Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Can These All Be the Same Man?


Herbert Marshall

Kent Smith

Apologies to all you George Brent, Herbert Marshall and Kent Smith fans. Someone has been pulling the wool over your star-gazed eyes! Now the truth can be revealed after decades of sworn to secrecy silence: these three men were not separate individuals at all. How is this possible? More importantly, how come no one noticed?

I don't know, I just know they are all the same man! Yes, I'm sure of it. No, I'm not making this up. Watch them in their movies, watch how they played their parts, more importantly watch the parts they were given, for goodness' sake.

Nine times out of ten they were playing the same man, no matter what the movie. They always wore the same clothes and looked spiffy in black tie and tails or raincoat and fedora. I'll bet anything they all wore the same size. (Well, of course they would if they were, as I propose, the same man.)

If you needed a well-dressed second lead to play the cuckolded husband, the callow or smug or clueless fiancee, the jilted at the altar would-be groom, the blackmailer, the well meaning friend, the pompous lawyer, the doctor, the dentist, the bank manager, the judge, the gambler, the boss in love with the leading lady from afar, the guy in uniform who will die at the end in a fiery plane crash which the leading man will survive...

-or-

...the husband who will be allowed to die of a heart ailment while his wife stands malevolently by, the guy who marries a cat woman, or the guy who'll play an all purpose, continental playboy at the drop of a chapeau.

Yes, I know that all three (or is it ONE?) played leads too, but ladies and gentlemen they always had the look of a second lead. Always that same manicured and slightly pompous air.

It's not that these actors all looked so much alike, it's just that they were so much the same physical type!

I've given my theory much thought after watching film upon film, role upon role, and I've come to the conclusion that these were all the same man. It's the only explanation that makes any sense.


I've got my eye on Kenneth Tobey too. It's possible he is really the other three in disguise.

14 comments:

  1. You made my day with this. You are awesome and I love the way your mind works.

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  2. Yvette, I LOL over your playful theory that George Brent, Kent Smith, and Herbert Marshall were all the same fella! To be fair, I think Kenneth Tobey stood out more. He seemed more rugged, and unless I'm mistaken, I believe he was the only redhead in the bunch! :-) Thanks for giving me a big bunch of chuckles! :-)

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  3. Ryan: Thank you, m'dear. I did have fun with this. :)

    But I meant every word. Ha!

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  4. Oh Dorian, the hair is the easiest thing in the world to deal with. Don't be fooled! I am entirely suspicious.

    Ha!

    Glad you enjoyed my fanciful theory.

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  5. Hilarious, Yvette! You have a flair for funny! George Brent -- what a man! He stands out among those 4, I have to say! And Herbert Marshall, lovely man, great actor. The other two -- well, OK I guess. I'm sure Kent and Kenneth fans will come after me, but I never cared for those guys much. Your take on the parts these guys played was wonderful! I really enjoyed this...

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  6. Yes, you are hilarious, especially with these movie -- and actor -- reviews.

    I never thought of this before but now that you mention it, it could very well be true. Why have we never seen all three in the same movie? This could be why.

    I can hear Herbert Marshall's voice as the father or uncle of a young actress, giving her advice, holding a pipe.

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  7. I've only seen Kent Smith in one movie, but the thing I like about George Brent and Herbert Marshall are such dependable actors! You know what you're going to get when you watch these two.

    Both George Brent and Herbert Marshall (Brent as a rather slimy casanova and Marshall as the cuckolded husband) are in The Painted Veil with Greta Garbo.

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  8. Thanks, Becky. It was all in fun guys. Though the thought has occurred to me more than once over the years. Ha!

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  9. Kathy: As Hercule Poirot would say: "You give me furiously to think."

    Why haven't three been together in the same movie? Hmmmm....!

    But Lauren says two of them are in THE PAINTED VEIL.

    I say: trick mirrors!

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  10. Lauren: Dependable is right. Stodgy, stiff and dependable.

    I'M KIDDING!!

    I think.

    They were pros, no question.

    Of the three, Kent Smith was the least good actor. He never changed his facial expression no matter what. He doesn't treat his cat woman bride very nicely either...

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  11. I never heard anything more true, Yvette - Kent Smith was so miscast in Cat People. He was like some kind of weird androgynous creature, no testosterone at all! Plus, he was petty to his poor wife. I always wondered what his problem was, except for when I was too young to understand. Strangest wedding night, and his face never DID change expression - he only looked mildly annoyed! LOL!

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  12. You said it, Becky. I never could understand why his wife was so jealous of him. I mean, he was SUCH a dud.

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  13. Yvette,
    I love this!
    Does this mean that George Brent and Kent Smith were the same man in the same role in The Spiral Staircase?

    And Glenn Ford and Dana Andrews are interchangeable----oh, no....Dana is better.

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