“I’m out in the fresh air, I’m my own boss, and at least there’s a thick pane of glass between me and the drunks.” – Patty (Ann Rutherford) in Two O’Clock Courage (1945).
I’ve been an Ann Rutherford fan for as long as I’ve loved classic films. I credit most of the cast of Pride and Prejudice (1940) for hooking me on the Golden Age of Hollywood, and Rutherford, who plays the youngest Bennet daughter Lydia, made the most of her small role. It’s the persona she radiated in this movie – the dynamic, merry, headstrong young woman – that I’ve come to associate her with. Today, TCM celebrates the star’s birthday, and I perked up because at first, I thought 2020 was her centennial… until I remembered that MGM shaved three years off Rutherford’s age, as they did with many actresses. <br> <br>
When I moved to Los Angeles, I ended up spending a lot of time in two places closely associated with Rutherford: I landed a job five minutes from the home she resided in for almost 70 years until her passing in 2012, and I live mere blocks from where she went to high school. Though I’ve always felt some sort of connection through that physical proximity, I still knew little about the actress. That changed after reading Phillip Done’s book The Charms of Miss O’Hara: Tales of Gone With the Wind & the Golden Age of Hollywood from Scarlett’s Little Sister. Done shared stories the star regaled him with during their friendship, presenting me with reams of new knowledge and a new regard for Rutherford as a person.
One of my favorite tales came from Pride and Prejudice co-star Marsha Hunt. One day, Rutherford showed up on Hunt’s doorstep bearing a brand-new evening gown. Rutherford explained that she just bought the beautiful dress but didn’t find it “becoming” on her. “When I look at it, it makes me think of you,” Rutherford told Hunt, handing over the dress. That’s just one of many stories – in Rutherford’s own words and anecdotes from friends and family – in which she comes across as a generous, thoughtful woman with a positive attitude and warm, vibrant spirit.
She was a wonderful woman, but she sure lied a lot! “My motto was: Fake it till you make it,” she explained to Done. Well, that adage certainly worked throughout her career. Rutherford fibbed about her acting experience to secure her first radio gig at 15 and then pretended to be her sister Judith, a WAMPAS Baby Star of 1934, to land her first film role in Student Tour (1934). At 17, Rutherford’s mother allowed her to say she was one year older so she could legally sign a contract with Mascot Pictures/Republic, only to bring her to court to nullify it a year later when she thought her daughter was working too hard! (Ironically, when Rutherford signed with MGM the following year, 1937, they made her younger.) Rutherford left MGM in 1942, but she continued making movies throughout the 1940s until she transitioned to television in the 1950s.
Comedy, drama, Western, noir – Rutherford exemplified a willingness to try almost anything in more than 60 films. The iconic Gone With the Wind (1939), in which Rutherford was honored to play Scarlett’s sister Carreen, will forever be the picture she’s best known for. Her tenure as Andy Hardy (Mickey Rooney)’s All-American sweetheart Polly Benedict in 12 Andy Hardy films from 1937-1942 also remains memorable to fans.
While I enjoy the actress’ humor and pep in comedies like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and the Whistling series with Red Skelton, one of my favorite Rutherford pictures is Two O’Clock Courage. Rutherford enjoyed working in film noir, “where men wear hats and start drinking at ten o’clock in the morning,” she told Done. (This B-movie, the first film Anthony Mann directed for RKO, doesn’t even make it to 10am.) Co-star Tom Conway led the studio’s Falcon series, and tonally, Two O’Clock Courage reminds me of those pictures – it’s another light mystery led by a suave main character. In the movie, Rutherford plays Patty, a cab driver who encounters an injured amnesiac man (Conway) who may or may not be involved in a murder. Over the course of one night, they piece together his identity to exonerate him. With a runtime of 68 minutes and a lot of ground to cover (complete with a twist ending!), the story gets convoluted at times, but Rutherford’s snappy, spirited performance always brings a smile to my face. Independent, kindhearted and open to any adventure, Patty is someone I admire, and she seemingly shared those characteristics with Rutherford, too. That’s why I adore Two O’Clock Courage and recommend it as an excellent way to celebrate Rutherford on what would be her 103rd – or 100th, if MGM records had anything to do with it – birthday.
