Today is the wonderful, charming, and completely lovable James Stewart’s 100th Birthday!
Sure, we’ve all seen the big James Stewart classics. It’s a Wonderful Life, Vertigo, Rear Window, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and so on. But Stewart also made a lot of really great movies that don’t get a lot of love nowadays. So, with this place being all about obscure classics, here are some of my favorite James Stewart movies that deserve more love.
The Mortal Storm (Frank Borzage, 1940)
One of the best films from the master Frank Borzage. The Mortal Storm is a really fantastic movie about pre-war Germany and the rise of Nazism. Sure, Stewart, Robert Young, and Margaret Sullavan might be a little hard to believe as Germans, but they all put in very strong performances (especially Young, in a role that really breaks type) in this heartbreaking film. Definitely a brave movie for 1940.
Come Live With Me (George Cukor, 1941)
Come Live With Me is a really simple, subtle love story. That subtlety really makes the film a beautiful romance. Stewart had great chemistry with Hedy Lamarr. I’m not entirely sure what it is about this movie that I adore so much, but it just feels genuine. It feels very real.
Vivacious Lady (George Stevens, 1938)
Ginger Rogers and James Stewart were a fantastic pairing. I wish they had made more films together. The story is very cute, but Rogers and Stewart together make is a truly great romance.
Made For Each Other (John Cromwell, 1939)
Stewart and Carole Lombard had an excellent chemistry, and I wish they had the chance to make a comedy together before Lombard’s death. Made for Each Other is a very strong romance about the struggles of marriage which comes across as very realistic and honest. One of the best films from the golden year of 1939.
Obscure Classics 
May 20, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Come Live with Me is an unusual romantic comedy with a “marriage of convenience” between the broke Stewart and illegal immigrant Hedy Lamarr as the setup. Lamarr proposes that she will pay Stewart’s rent and other living expenses in exchange for them getting married so she will not be thrown out of the country. Of course, they fall in love and there’s a happy ending. The film is charming with both Stewart and Lamarr giving nice performances. As you mention, they had chemistry.
I have never seen the other two films Made For Each Other and The Mortal Storm and really need too.
July 26, 2008 at 12:27 pm
“Come Live With Me” is not by George Cukor. The director is Clarence Brown. Neat post on Jimmy’s less known movies. 🙂
July 4, 2010 at 9:13 am
Have you ever seen ‘Seventh Heaven’ with James Stewart? It is another one of his little known films. Also ‘You Can’t Take It With You’.
My Blog only lists Seventh Heaven at the moment.