Three and a half years ago, I started a series of posts on Twitter going through each of the films that Ida Lupino made as an actress and director. My idea was to use this project as a distraction from the stress of the early days of the Covid pandemic, when so little was known about what would happen. Now that Twitter/X is in its death throes and I may not have an account there much longer, I feel like this I should archive on my own site what I wrote in this undertaking.
Project #LupinoFilms started with this post on April 4, 2020, illustrated with the covers of Mary Ann Anderson's book, "Ida Lupino: Beyond the Camera", and William Donati's, "Ida Lupino: A Biography".
I’m thinking of starting a mini-project to post about Ida Lupino’s films in roughly chronological order — one film a day (or so). Both as actor and director, so roughly 70 of them. Meanwhile, here are the covers of the best biographies about her. #LupinoFilms
Receiving some encouraging comments, I posted the first actual #LupinoFilms entry that same day. (Note that the videos included in the original posts are linked at the bottom of this post when available.)
Ida Lupino started her film career in her native England at the age of 13. She was an extra in a musical scene of "The Love Race" (1931), starring father Stanley Lupino, directed by cousin Lupino Lane. See if you can spot her (it's not easy!) #LupinoFilms
Next came the British phase of Lupino's career, where she had leads or top supporting roles in 6 films from late 1932 to mid 1933. The posts from future phases of her career will be in later entries on this blog, so stay tuned for more.
(5-Apr-2020) Ida Lupino’s first credited role was in the British film “Her First Affaire“ (1932) — “discovered” and cast in the lead role by American director Alan Dwan. She was 14 playing an 18-year-old interested in “modern” (i.e. open) marriage. #LupinoFilms
(6-Apr-2020) “Money for Speed” (1933) was the next film Ida Lupino did in England. Her performance helped bring her to the attention of Paramount. “I was a very bad little girl,” Ida said.
Lost for years, it was eventually found—but I have no clue how it can be seen. #LupinoFilms
(7-Apr-2020) “High Finance” (1933), another of the 6 films Ida Lupino made as a leading actress in England, is classified as a lost film. No stills appear to easily available either. Fortunately this is Ida’s only lost film.
Here’s a mention in The Guardian, Jan 27, 1934
#LupinoFilms (4)
(8-Apr-2020) “The Ghost Camera” (1933) is perhaps the best known of Ida Lupino’s British films. Co-starring with Ida is Henry Kendall; John Mills plays her brother; future legendary director David Lean is editor. It’s an entertaining mystery.
#LupinoFilms (5)
(9-Apr-2020) In Ivor Novello’s comedy, “I Lived With You” (1933), Ida Lupino played a supporting role. Novello was writer and star, plus Ida’s godfather. He reportedly said: “I can't stand this…it's ridiculous, what with my godchild lying on top of me trying to rape me.”
#LupinoFilms (6)
(10-Apr-2020) Another of Ida Lupino’s British films, “Prince of Arcadia” (1933), was a musical comedy starring Carl Brisson—father of the future husband of Rosalind Russell. It’s hard to find any details on this film. It’s not listed as lost as far as I know, but where is it?
#LupinoFilms
Here are videos of the four movie clips posted with the original tweets: