![]() Continuing her legacy as Ellie, she also sang the part on the 1989 Grammy-nominated recording of the musical with Jerry Hadley, Frederica von Stade, and Teresa Stratas, conducted by John McGlinn on the Angel EMI label. She repeated the role for the Houston Grand Opera's 1989 production and continued with them when the show was moved to the Cairo Opera House in Egypt. O'Hara made her first appearance on the Broadway stage as Ellie May Chipley in the revival of Showboat in 1983 starring Donald O'Connor. O'Hara cites American actress and singer Judy Garland as one of her idols. It was not until she was 12 years old that she developed an interest in singing and enrolled in a performing arts high school. O'Hara began acting at the age of four, attending acting classes in her home state of Florida. Following the critical and commercial success of Beauty and the Beast, O'Hara reprised her role as Belle in the film's two direct-to-video follow-ups, Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas (1997) and Belle's Magical World (1998), and for a cameo appearance in Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). In 1991, she made her motion picture debut in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, in which she voiced the film's heroine, Belle. O'Hara began her career as a Broadway actress in 1983 when she portrayed Ellie May Chipley in the musical Showboat. Universal has been a bit slower than most in this area but have been a bit more active of late, so there is hope.Paige O'Hara is an American actress, singer, and painter. One hopes that in the era of MOD releases The Mystery of Edwin Drood gets a release of some sort in the near future. One should not forget, however, that Rains could and did carry several films on his own and to great success. Most know him now from his strong supporting roles in films like The Adventures of Robin Hood or Casablanca. It is easy to see why exactly he got the glowing reviews at the time and also amaze oneself that he wasn’t typecast as a horror star. Then as now Claude Rains is the draw for this picture if you are lucky enough to see it. Watching Jasper devolve into madness is more than enough. He keeps the focus on Jasper (Rains) and the balance of the strong cast don’t see their characters develop overly much, but no matter. ![]() All this happens in a hair under 90 minutes of running time.ĭirector Walker shows some of his affinity for both the horror and Dickens’ genres and keeps the pace moving after an uncharacteristic slow first reel. The best part of the picture is the unraveling of how and when the deed was done- and how the villain is discovered. ![]() Actually it is predictable as you’ll see it coming. Ultimately Jasper’s fantasies drive him mad and the unthinkable happens. On a humorous note, the fiancés name is Rosa Budd, played by Heather Angel. A chronic opium addict, Jasper in his opiate induced dreams, fantasizes of and ultimately becomes obsessed with his nephew’s fiancé. Rains’ Jasper is brooding, intense, with intense pangs of jealousy and the random violent outburst. The center of the film is the character of John Jasper, played by an extremely young Claude Rains, who was taking advantage of his success in 1933’s Invisible Man. Not so as it come across as more of a whodunit- although granted one that takes only a half hour or so to figure out. Usually the film, which seems increasingly hard to find, is categorized among the more standard Universal horror fare. This brings up another point, though perhaps one on the periphery of importance. Worse still, the picture ultimately flopped with the public in spite of critical success. ![]() Sadly and unknowingly, Universal of all the major studios was at the time little able to afford the expense. Universal spent lavishly on the picture, which is definitely apparent on screen with the numerous luscious sets, some of which were reused in (and from) other Universal horror pictures. Perhaps the best, though least known of the many versions put to celluloid is Universal’s effort in 1935 titled- go figure- The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Was Drood to be murdered? Or just disappear for a bit? So in addition to a fine film you can second guess the ending just to see if you feel it works into whatever your particular perception of Dickens’ intentions really were. (Dickens’ died suddenly halfway through writing the work.) Hence, each telling only has the basic premise to go by, with the conclusion left to the screenwriter. Part of the allure of the story is that it is unfinished and though Dickens’ did leave a few clues as to how the story may have resolved itself, no one will ever know for sure. Even perhaps his least known work, the unfinished The Mystery of Edwin Drood, has hit the big screen and broadway several times. Charles Dickens’ is an author whose works have been well represented in the history of film from even the earliest days of the silent era. ![]()
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