Dorothy Arzner Series Opens Friday at UCLA

UCLA will honor the career of pioneering woman director Dorothy Arzner beginning this Friday evening, July 31st.

The series Dorothy Arzner: A Retrospective runs through September 18th. All films will be screened at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater in Westwood.

The series, which for the next few weeks will run parallel to the ongoing Frank Borzage tribute, will feature 14 films directed by Arzner.

The series includes Rosalind Russell in CRAIG'S WIFE (1936), Fredric March in the pre-Codes HONOR AMONG LOVERS (1931) and MERRILY WE GO TO HELL (1932), and Arzner's final film, FIRST COMES COURAGE (1943) starring Merle Oberon and Brian Aherne.

The series also includes Maureen O'Hara and Lucille Ball in DANCE, GIRL, DANCE (1940), reviewed here in July 2010.

Although I have calendar conflicts with some of the films, I'm hoping to see at least a couple of the interesting titles in this series.

There are also still 16 films ahead in the Frank Borzage series! Those of us in driving distance of Los Angeles certainly have it made when it comes to great opportunities to see classic films on a big screen.

July 30th Update: Kenneth Turan has written about the Arzner series for the Los Angeles Times.