Cecil B. DeMille Series Opens Friday at UCLA

UCLA will be showcasing the films of Cecil B. DeMille in its brand-new series, The Greatest Showman: Cecil B. DeMille.

The series opens at the Billy Wilder Theater in Westwood on Friday evening, January 9th, and runs for a dozen evenings over the course of January and February. The series will close on February 28, 2014.

This Friday night's screening pairs CLEOPATRA (1934) with THE SIGN OF THE CROSS (1932). Mark Vieira will be present that evening to sign his new book, CECIL B. DEMILLE: THE ART OF THE HOLLYWOOD EPIC.

I've been fortunate to see past theatrical screenings of CLEOPATRA (1934), THE CRUSADES (1935), and THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) at UCLA or the Egyptian Theatre, and they were extremely memorable viewing experiences. I highly recommend taking advantage of the opportunity to see these films at UCLA, as they were meant to be seen -- on a huge screen. Some films just aren't quite the same at home, and these are great examples.

I'm hoping to be at THE BUCCANEER (1938) and REAP THE WILD WIND (1942) on January 18th and hopefully another evening or two later in the series.

Other films to be shown in the series include THE KING OF KINGS (1927), MADAM SATAN (1930), THE PLAINSMAN (1937), and a pair of films with Joel McCrea, DYNAMITE (1929) and UNION PACIFIC (1939). In his youth McCrea was DeMille's paperboy, and DeMille was an early mentor when McCrea began his acting career.

Virtually all of the films in the DeMille series, with the exception of DYNAMITE, will be shown in 35mm. DYNAMITE will have a 16mm showing.

For the complete list of titles, as well as dates and times, please visit the UCLA website.

Along with the opening of the DeMille series, this weekend UCLA will also play tribute to screenwriter Charles Brackett. Celebrating Charles Brackett on Sunday, January 11th, is part of the ongoing Archive Treasures series; it will feature a double bill of THE LOST WEEKEND (1945) with Ray Milland and FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO (1943) with Franchot Tone.

Anthony Slide will be signing the new book he has edited of diary entries by Brackett, IT'S THE PICTURES THAT GOT SMALL: CHARLES BRACKETT ON BILLY WILDER AND HOLLYWOOD'S GOLDEN AGE. Leonard Maltin wrote about the book in December.

Coming this spring to UCLA: The 2015 UCLA Festival of Preservation!

Update: Here are reviews of THE BUCCANEER (1938), MADAM SATAN (1930), DYNAMITE (1929), FOUR FRIGHTENED PEOPLE (1934), and UNION PACIFIC (1939).