Warner Bros Breakdowns

In many DVDs and Blu-rays today, the special features include a blooper reel. It's a relatively modern practice considering these takes ruined by a laughter, someone flubbing their lines, or a crew member in the shot cost next to nothing to keep and store nowadays thanks to video. At a time when each kept take meant extra money for developing the film, the director was careful to keep only the takes he figured he would actually use in the editing.
So when something triggered the crew's hilarity, the fun was usually limited to that very moment.


Consequently, you probably never saw your favorite stars of yesterday goofing around on the set, messing up or tripping on the carpet.
Would you like to, though?
Okay, then I'll let you in on a little secret.

Warner Brothers studio and the Warner Club held an annual dinner dance each year in the thirties and forties where they gathered all their stars, presented their new productions and had fun. Some of the fun was provided by a short film, usually called "Breakdowns" or "Blow-Ups" made especially for the occasion.
These little films were basically a montage of all bloopers of the year on various Warner Brothers productions.
Since they were not supposed to be shown outside of the studio, these rare little films were not censored and although the common slur at the time seemed to be "nuts!", you can hear many a star shout "shit" or "f.....".
In that respect I must say Miss Bette Davis holds up to her reputation.
 


Have you ever sen a former president of the USA having trouble putting on his pants?
I love seeing Patricia Neal loose it in the middle of a torrid love scene from The Fountainhead because Gary Cooper forgot his line. I love seeing David Niven struggling through his scene with a crying baby in his hands. I love seeing Joan Crawford's impassive face when she passes by a stage hand who candidly goes "oh oh" when he realizes he is right in the middle of the shot.


When you don't let your co-star finish his line, this conversation happens:
"Oh I'm fine! Have you been getting any lately?"
"Overtime, you mean?"
Bette Davis apparently had trouble with costuming on Jezebel: she gets caught in someone else's button and almost looses her wig when she sits down.

I don't want to spoil this for you, but these films are a unique opportunity to see alternate footage of Robin Hood, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in To Have And Have Not, Edward G. Robinson, James Stewart, James Cagney, Olivia De Havilland, Errol Flynn, Cary Grant, Carole Lombard... The list goes on....
Now where can you see these films? Apparently, some of them are included on a DVD called Hollywood Bloopers. But there are also included in the special features section of some Warner DVDs and Blu-rays like The Adventures of Robin Hood, which contains "Breakdowns of 1938".
Here is "Blow-Ups of 1947". If you want to get an idea.

That's all for today folks!