“…when I first set eyes on Basil Rathbone, I told Irving he would have a great future in pictures. At that time he was playing Shakespeare on Broadway, and when I saw his photograph in the playbill I said to myself that he had the face for movies, and of course the wonderful voice of a stage actor. So I introduced myself to him, and like a fairytale the next thing seemed to be we were working on “The Last of Mrs Cheyney” together, and now he is set to become a great star. I like to think I played a part in that for him.” –
Published on November 17, 2012
The Baz 
Fantastic!! So glad to hear you are doing well. I sent you an email some time back but never heard from you…maybe it got lost in cyberspace. My appt. got moved back so we go Thursday.
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Very nice quotation
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I am a regular follower of your blog, love everything about it. Norma Shearer is a favourite actress of mine and The Last of Mrs Cheyney is a favourite film. That scene between them in the bedroom is so explicit!
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Aww, did she have a soft spot for him?
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Which girl wouldn’t? XD
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What a lovely quotation
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Awwww what a lovely quote!
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I heard Shearer was supposed to star with Rathbone in A Lady of Scandal but Thalberg overruled it and in fact Rathbone and Shearer never co-starred again despite the success of The Last of Mrs Cheyney
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Hello! I just would like to offer you a huge thank you for your Baz blog! I spent five hours reading back posts!
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Has it ever been suggested Rathbone and Shearer became romantically involved during the making of this film? Might that explain Thalberg’s alleged hostility to Rathbone?
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There’s no evidence Basil ever had an affair or was unfaithful to Ouida from the moment they met to the day he died, so far as I know
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Nope, he’s actually been caught out there. Some letters he wrote were found, and lot’s of women have said they slept with him…..
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Lovely quote
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I love that she says he’s on the edge of being a great star! She was so right!
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Those two have such chemitry even in the still photo
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Lovely quote, think I know where it’s from but can’t remember the name of the fan mag
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I love this film and rewatch it often. How about a capfest from it?:)
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I agree it’s a lovely film and Basil is gorgeous in it. Such a cad with women, but with a good heart
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what a lovely romantic pairing he and Norma made, I never understood why they didn’t get cast together again following the success of Last of Mrs Cheyney
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I think they look good together also.I know they were in Romeo and Juliet but,no love pairing with Tybalt.I also think Basil should have been cast as Romeo instead of Leslie Howard.
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Like Howard, Basil was also too old (as was Shearer), but at least he had sex appeal!
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Agreed – Romeo should NOT be forty-something, but if that’s where you’re goin’ pick Baz before Leslie every time.
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Romeo’s costume would have looked much finer on BR in R&J than the one he wore in their duel.LH was okay,but Rathbone was my choice
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Yes,that is supposedly a given.But,Basil and Kit were both too old on stage and pulled it off fairly acceptible.When Basil was 40 or so he did not look it .By rights Gielgud and Olivier were both too old when they played Romeo also.In 1935 Gielgud was about 31.As you know he was considered the conventional best with his verse.Olivier,if you luv him as i do ,changed the whole scheme of things.Yet he too was not 14 or 15 when he played Romeo..
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Unlike Leslie Howard who seems middle aged, Basil was really youthful and sexy and passionate seeming.
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You got it!
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Yes, what were they thinking?
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Great idea!
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Basil look so young and dashing in that pic!
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