Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the internet...

...My report on the Lone Pine Film Festival is now up at the ClassicFlix site.

...Saturday night Debbie Reynolds was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award by the Academy. Debbie had to miss the ceremony due to recovery from surgery. The award was accepted on her behalf by her granddaughter, Billie Lourd, with Reynolds' children Carrie and Todd Fisher also in attendance.

...DVD releases by TCM have been quite slow this year, so it was a nice surprise to learn today that the Alan Ladd 1940s Collection will be released on December 1st. The four-film set will include LUCKY JORDAN (1942), AND NOW TOMORROW (1944), TWO YEARS BEFORE THE MAST (1946), and O.S.S. (1946). These are all Paramount films which have been difficult to see in recent years, although LUCKY JORDAN has turned up on TCM, so this release is most welcome. (November 19th Update: Thanks to reader John for sharing the disappointing news that AND NOW TOMORROW has been removed from the set's listing on the TCM Shop site.)

...Coming December 10th through 13th: The Sinatra Centennial Blogathon, sponsored by Judy at Movie Classics and Emily at The Vintage Cameo. So far over two dozen bloggers are signed up to celebrate the career of one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th Century.

...A brand-new Sinatra book: SINATRA: THE CHAIRMAN by James Kaplan.

...There's a rumor that an Apple Store will be built inside the Tower Theatre building in Downtown Los Angeles. The Tower, which I photographed on the 2014 TCM Bus Tour, was built in 1927 and was the first movie theater in Los Angeles to feature air conditioning.

...Alicia Mayer has compiled a list of Golden Age actors who are still with us. The oldest actress on the list is Lupita Tovar, who is a remarkable 105 years old.

...Greenbriar Picture Shows takes a look at a favorite film noir, FALLEN ANGEL (1945), with some background information and great photos. The movie stars Dana Andrews, Alice Faye, and Linda Darnell, who is referred to by John McElwee as the "liveliest wire" in the film. True!

...I was intrigued to learn that a movie has been made about the Chilean mining disaster and rescue, titled THE 33 (2015). It stars Antonio Banderas, Lou Diamond Phillips, Juliette Binoche, James Brolin, and Cote de Pablo (NCIS). Reviews have been middling -- it sounds as though it would at least be worth checking out via Netflix.

...Here's Leonard Maltin on his experiences at fall film festivals.

...The TCM Shop has a line of merchandise inspired by the Chinese Theatre.

...Sony will cease production of Betamax tapes in March 2016. Although I still have a working Beta player (!), I confess I didn't know it was even possible to still get tapes at this point!

...My pal Jerry Entract has a terrific list of "Underrated Films of 1945" up at Rupert Pupkin Speaks. Check it out, I've seen most of the titles and it's a great list.

...Last Monday the late Maureen O'Hara was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. John Wayne's daughter, Melinda Wayne Munoz, represented the Wayne family at the burial service, saying the actress had been "like an aunt" to the Wayne children and that O'Hara "was a wonderful, wonderful woman."

...Notable Passing: Actress Betsy Drake has passed away at the age of 92. Drake costarred with her then-husband, Cary Grant, in EVERY GIRL SHOULD BE MARRIED (1948) and ROOM FOR ONE MORE (1952), which was shown on TV for years under the title THE EASY WAY. She retired from films after CLARENCE THE CROSS-EYED LION (1965) and lived in London for many years, where she passed away. Like actress Ruth Roman, Drake had the unusual distinction of being a survivor of the sinking of the Andrea Doria in 1956.

...For even more recent classic film links on books, DVDs, and much more, please check out last week's link roundup.

Have a great week!

30 in 30 Favorite Movies, Part 1

Raquel of Out of the Past started a project on Twitter this month, where anyone who wishes to join in shares a daily photo from a favorite movie, tagged with the hashtag #30in30FavoriteMovies.

I've been enjoying sharing my favorites and seeing the photos shared by others. I thought it would be fun to share my "30 Favorites" photos with my blog readers, which I'll be doing in a series of three posts between now and month's end.

These photos from favorite movies are in no particular order, other than the first three films below are the three I have long considered tied for first place as my favorite film.

If I've previously written about a film here, the title is hyperlinked to the review.

Here we go!

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954):

THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965):

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944):

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980):

THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938):

THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940):

SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949):

YOU WERE NEVER LOVELIER (1942):

WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954):

ANGEL AND THE BADMAN (1947):

As I drew up my list I was rather fascinated to realize that John Wayne appears on my list more times than any other actor -- a real testament to his body of work. If I don't change my list by the end of the month, Wayne's films will make up 1/6 of my 30 Favorites! There were more of his movies which easily could have made the list; for a classic film fan, choosing only 30 favorite films is surprisingly difficult!

John Ford is the director most often represented on my list, and there are multiple appearances by Joel McCrea, Dana Andrews, Rita Hayworth, Julie Andrews, and Maureen O'Hara.

I'll share my second set of 10 favorites in a few days!

November 20th Update: Here are photos from 10 more films in Part 2!

December 1st Update: Here is the final batch of photos for this month in Part 3.

Related post: 10 Favorite Films of the Last 25 Years.

Tonight's Movie: Night in New Orleans (1942)

NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS (1942) is a diverting little Paramount murder mystery starring Preston Foster and Patricia Morison.

Foster plays police detective Steve Abbott, who as the movie begins has slipped into a house in the dark of night to retrieve letters from a safe. Steve notices a body on the floor but completes his mission and heads for home, seemingly unperturbed.

The letters belonged to Steve's airheaded wife Edith (Morison), whom he calls "Skipper." Edith had sent the murder victim the letters before she married Steve, and he got them back for her at her request. Edith is almost disappointed Steve doesn't want to look at the letters, telling him proudly that he might think they're "hot stuff." Edith's thought processes might be hard to follow, but Steve clearly dotes on her, as evidenced by his getting the letters back for her.

Steve is accused of the murder by the police due to witnesses spotting him near the dead man's home, so naturally he sets out to find the real killer, alternately helped and hindered by Edith and their houseboy Shadrach (Dooley Wilson).

Steve's lack of concern for nearly tripping over a body at the outset, not to mention being accused of murder multiple times, would be disconcerting in a more serious movie, but this is a lighthearted film played for chuckles. It's helped in that regard by a good supporting cast, including the always-funny Charles Butterworth, who placidly describes his murdered brother as "a stinker."

I'm partial to Preston Foster and enjoy him in this kind of good-natured role. He has a particularly amusing sequence at the police station, playing some tricks on Lt. Richards (Albert Dekker) and Sgt. Riordan (Paul Hurst).

It was a surprise to discover Morison as a goofy blonde, with her trademark long, dark hair apparently hidden under a wig. She shows once more what a good actress she was, as this character bears no relationship at all to roles she played in serious films such as PERSONS IN HIDING (1939) or THE ROUNDUP (1941), in which she also played opposite Foster.

The good cast includes Ginger Rogers lookalike Jean Phillips (DR. BROADWAY) as a nightclub singer involved in the murder investigation. She sings Hoagy Carmichael's "Small Fry" at the nightclub; IMDb doesn't confirm whether or not it's her own voice.

Look for Dorothy Dandridge in a scene as Shadrach's girlfriend. The cast also includes Cecil Kellaway, William Wright, George Chandler, Henry Brandon, Herb Vigran, and Emory Parnell. That's Lon McCallister (HOME IN INDIANA) as the boy in the car who spots Foster early in the movie.

NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS runs 75 minutes. I was intrigued as soon as I saw that it was written by Jonathan Latimer, author of many film noir and suspense screenplays including THEY WON'T BELIEVE ME (1947) and NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES (1948), to name just a couple.

The movie was directed by William Clemens. It was filmed in black and white by Merritt B. Gerstad and Leo Tover.

NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS won't qualify as a great movie or even a very good one, but I found it entertaining and had a good time watching it.

Today at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure: Christmastime Arrives!

It was an absolutely beautiful day today at the Disneyland Resort, the first official day of the parks' annual celebration of the holiday season.

The Christmas season starts early at Disneyland, but this is one place I really don't mind starting the season "early"!

It's my favorite time of the year at the parks, and there's so much to see, it usually takes our family several trips spread over November and December to enjoy everything, including parades and holiday rides.

Decorating the parks, including converting multiple rides to holiday versions, is an enormous annual undertaking for Disney. The early start to the season also allows as many park guests as possible to enjoy it.

It's a Small World Holiday:

Over at Disney California Adventure, the tree on Buena Vista Street:

I noticed that some of the colorful tree ornaments I love are a little worse for the wear this year, so I hope that Disney will be taking care of the nicked paint over the course of time.

I hope to be back at the parks soon to enjoy more of the season -- possibly as soon as next week.

For last year's Disneyland Christmas photos, start here and then scroll to the end for links to four earlier 2014 photo posts.

Have a great weekend!

Tonight's Movie: Them! (1954) at the Palm Springs Classic Science Fiction Film Festival

The final film at last month's Palm Springs Classic Science Fiction Film Festival was THEM! (1954), in which giant killer ants emerge from the New Mexico desert and head to Los Angeles.

This was one of my favorite movies of the festival, along with THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951) and THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953). The ants were plenty creepy, yet simultaneously fake enough so as not to be too scary; more importantly, the film had a very well-paced script, good direction by Gordon Douglas, and a terrific cast.

THEM! is yet another sci-fi film in which we learn that atomic testing has the power to unleash disturbing creatures on the world, and it's once again affirmed that in sci-fi films "Nothing good ever happens in the desert!"

Police Sgt. Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) finds a disturbed little girl (Sandy Descher) wandering in the desert. He quickly deduces that she was from a nearby travel trailer which is completely demolished, no parents in sight. What happened, and why?

A strange print from the site brings a team of experts from Washington, FBI man Bob Graham (James Arness) and Department of Agriculture scientists Dr. Harold Medford (Edmund Gwenn) and his daughter, Dr. Patricia Medford (Joan Weldon).

It's soon disclosed that atomic testing resulted in mutant killer ants...and some of them have flown off to Los Angeles, where they build a nest in the L.A. sewer system. If the nest and baby ants aren't destroyed, before long the ants will spread all over the country, leaving massive destruction in their wake.

The screenplay by Ted Sherdeman and Russell Hughes, from a story by George Worthing Yates, is most enjoyable, with the sincere performances of the cast selling an improbable story. Whitmore is completely invested in his role as the cop, who begins and ends the movie protecting a child. He's the policeman you want to show up at the scene when things go wrong.

Arness and Weldon carry on a subtle flirtation which helps to lighten the story, and Gwenn has some funny moments, particularly when he's got to learn how to say "Over" when using a public communications system. Alan Rode told the audience in his intro that Gwenn was suffering from arthritis but continued to act due to his medical expenses.

A side note with an interesting bit of trivia which I just recently learned: Edmund Gwenn was born Edmund Kellaway and was the cousin of Cecil Kellaway. Cecil Kellaway played a similar kind of role as the older scientist dealing with a creature unleashed by atomic testing in THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS.

When the film moves to L.A., there's some nice atmospheric shooting in Downtown L.A. and the L.A. riverbed, between the 1st and 4th Street bridges, according to IMDb.

Another of the film's pleasures is that there are so many terrific faces scattered throughout the movie, such as Fess Parker (photo below) as a man held in a mental ward because no one believes he saw giant flying ants; Sean McClory (seen above) as a pilot; Ann Doran as the little girl's doctor; John Beradino (GENERAL HOSPITAL) as an L.A. cop, seen at the right; William Schallert as an ambulance attendant; Dub Taylor as a railroad yard employee; Leonard Nimoy as an army sergeant; and Richard Deacon as a reporter. Earlier in the weekend Deacon had turned up as a doctor in INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956).

THEM! was filmed in black and white by Sid Hickox. (The title of the film is notably in color, a startling contrast to the rest of the movie.) The film runs 94 minutes.

THEM! is available in multiple DVD editions including a TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection. It was just released on Blu-ray and is also part of a new four-film Blu-ray collection. (March 2020 Update: THEM! will be reissued on DVD by the Warner Archive in April 2020.)

THEM! is a classic of the genre, and the sci-fi festival ended on a great note with this most enjoyable film.

Update: I paid a visit to one of the movie's locations in 2021.

Tonight's Movie: Man-Proof (1938) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

An engaging quartet of actors star in MAN-PROOF (1938), just released by the Warner Archive.

Myrna Loy plays Mimi, whose hopes of marrying Alan (Walter Pidgeon) go down in flames when she gets a telegram that he's engaged to wealthy Elizabeth (Rosalind Russell).

Mimi bravely serves as bridesmaid at the wedding, then tries to move on with her life, working as an artist at the same paper where old family friend Jimmy (Franchot Tone) is a cartoonist. Mimi and Jimmy can't seem to help squabbling, yet it's always Jimmy that Mimi turns to when the chips are down.

Mimi toys with the idea of trying to get Alan back...will she or won't she?

I first saw this film back in 2009, and this was one of those times where I found the movie was actually better than I'd remembered. My chief memory of the film was of Loy's Mimi being an immature pill, and while that's true, the character development is really handled quite well. It helps that while the story is the stuff of melodrama, the movie as a whole has a light touch.

There's a gradual reveal that Alan isn't really all that noble a character, which Elizabeth has known all along, yet loved him anyway. The viewer is willing to forgive Alan and Mimi quite a bit because of good will toward Pidgeon and Loy; meanwhile Russell and Tone come off quite well, especially the genial Tone.

While I could have wished for a bit more development of the relationship between Mimi and Jimmy, all is resolved satisfactorily and sensibly within a brisk 75-minute running time. It's a pleasant viewing experience getting to that point, and those who love glossy MGM films of the '30s, as I do, should find this quite enjoyable.

Nana Bryant adds a great deal to the film as Mimi's wise, wisecracking romance novelist mother Meg, who enjoys friendly banter with Jimmy and does her best to counsel her daughter against making a fool of herself.

The film also offers many visual pleasures, whether it's the set design and art decoration -- I want to move into Meg's country home! -- or the costume design by Dolly Tree. Loy wears a white party gown which is simply stunning. The one exception to the great costume designs is Russell's medieval-inspired wedding gown, which includes a headdress which probably prompts every viewer to wonder "What on earth were they thinking?!"

It should be noted that while Rita Johnson and Ruth Hussey are both billed fairly prominently, it seems that most of their parts were left on the cutting-room floor, as they are little more than extras or bit players. They can be glimpsed as bridesmaids at Alan and Elizabeth's wedding and again greeting Mimi at a party.

John Miljan has a nice part as Alan's best man, who bolsters Mimi at the wedding. George Chandler makes a brief appearance as a newspaper employee, one of many such roles in his long career. Familiar faces such as Joyce Compton, Aileen Pringle, and Harry Davenport also pop in briefly.

MAN-PROOF was directed by Richard Thorpe and filmed in black and white by Karl Freund.

The print is for the most part quite fine, with good sound quality. The trailer is included on the DVD.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from Amazon and other online retailers.

Tonight's Movie: Consolation Marriage (1931) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

A fine cast elevates CONSOLATION MARRIAGE (1931), a somewhat predictable yet enjoyable marital melodrama recently released by the Warner Archive.

CONSOLATION MARRIAGE was one of several Irene Dunne films recently released by the Archive. I previously reviewed NEVER A DULL MOMENT (1950), in which the marvelous Dunne was just as charming a leading lady as she'd been in CONSOLATION MARRIAGE nearly two decades previously.

In CONSOLATION MARRIAGE Dunne plays Mary Brown, who loves a pianist (Lester Vail). He marries a rich patron, and around the same time newspaperman Steve Porter (Pat O'Brien) is jilted by Elaine (Myrna Loy, 26 and gorgeous).

Steve and Mary meet and hit it off to the extent they decide they'll get married despite the fact they don't love one another; they enjoy each other's company and decide being together beats being alone. They agree there are no questions asked if one of them decides to look for love elsewhere.

Time passes, and Steve and Mary develop a happy married life which includes a pretty house, a large dog, and a cute little baby girl. And then, as only happens in the movies, both of their old loves come back to town on the very same day, hoping to pick up where they'd left off a few years previously. The audience knows that Mary and Steve love each other and are perfect together, but will each of them realize it in time?

CONSOLATION is a gentle, leisurely story, punctuated with occasional laughs shared with O'Brien and Dunne, whose joint sense of humor is one of the things which draws them together in the first place. A pillow fight scene is particularly amusing, as the actors seem to be having genuine fun while the feathers fly.

The viewer can see every move coming from a mile away, yet there's enough different in the telling of this story to make it worthwhile. It's particularly striking that Steve and Mary always act charitably toward one another, even when sad, worried, or jealous. It's just one more reason we know they belong together.

It's interesting that Steve and Mary don't seem to realize for most of the movie that not only have they fallen in love, they actually had narrow escapes from self-centered people who would probably have made them miserable.

Dunne and O'Brien are an appealing team, and they're supported by John Halliday, excellent as Steve's occasional employer, Jeff, who clearly carries a torch for Mary yet does everything he can to bolster her marriage to Steve. As Kim noted in a review at I See a Dark Theater, Halliday has a Roland Young type role -- but Halliday puts his own unique stamp on it, droll but with deeper notes under the surface.

Myrna Loy plays a self-centered miss who does what makes her happy in the moment, yet she too doesn't always act as the viewer expects, particularly when she meets her rival, Dunne.

The film may stick to its expected storyline, but there are interesting little twists along the way. It's those moments, as played by a sharp cast, which make the movie worth checking out.

The score by Max Steiner has a couple of notable moments, including the use of "Brahms' Lullaby" over the opening and closing credits, and some more exotic scoring behind the scene where Elaine reads Steve's name in the paper when she's in Algiers

CONSOLATION MARRIAGE runs 81 minutes. It was directed by Paul Sloane and filmed by J. Roy Hunt. Matt Moore plays Steve and Jeff's friend, "the Colonel." Gertrude Howard plays the maid.

The Warner Archive DVD is a good print. There are no extras.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from Amazon and other online retailers.

Quick Preview of TCM in January

The January schedule for Turner Classic Movies is now available online!

The schedule actually came out a while ago, but there were technical glitches with all of the cast listings so I held off until that issue was fixed. The schedule contains some excellent news, first and foremost that the January Star of the Month is Fred MacMurray.

Even better news: the month includes the TCM premiere of the Paramount film SUDDENLY IT'S SPRING (1947) on January 6th. SUDDENLY IT'S SPRING was directed by Mitchell Leisen, and it costars Paulette Goddard and Macdonald Carey along with MacMurray. It got very positive notices when it was screened at the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival and 2013 Cinecon.

Over 30 MacMurray films will be screened in January, ranging from romantic comedies to Westerns, Disney to DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944). It should be a great opportunity to take a good look at the breadth and depth of his career while enjoying a lot of terrific films.

Also exciting is that Joseph Losey's M (1951) will screen on New Year's Day. It may not be the most cheery way to start the year, but it's a terrific film, as the police (Howard Da Silva and Steve Brodie) and a bunch of crooks (Martin Gabel, Raymond Burr, Norman Lloyd) work toward a common goal, capturing a child killer (David Wayne). The movie has superb location filming in L.A.'s Bradbury Building, which in and of itself is reason for anyone interested in "film noir era Los Angeles" to tune in. I first saw this film at the 2014 Noir City Film Festival and watched it again last spring at the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival; it's not available on DVD. My review written last year is here.

Also notable in January, a Sunday evening with three films directed by Yasujiro Ozu: A STORY OF FLOATING WEEDS (1934), EQUINOX FLOWER (1958), and END OF SUMMER (1961).

January will bring tributes to Kay Francis, Myrna Loy, Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres, Tod Browning, Paul Newman, Jean Muir, and Ernst Lubitsch.

A trend toward sometimes showcasing newer films in primetime is reflected by a tribute to Emma Thompson, which includes one of my favorite movies, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995). While I admit to being a bit uneasy when TCM shows relatively recent movies which are easily available elsewhere, on the other hand what other channel would have a great day showcasing the work of Jean Muir?! I'm sure many TCM fans such as myself just want to make sure that days like the Jean Muir tribute remain the rule and not the exception.

January themes include medical biographies, letters, reporters, and early films with black casts. There are also lots of pre-Codes airing in January!

I'll be posting more detailed information on the January schedule as the year draws to a close.

In the meantime, Norma Shearer continues as the November Star of the Month, with the Frank Sinatra Centennial being celebrated in December.

Update: For more detailed information on the January schedule, please visit TCM in January: Highlights and TCM Star of the Month: Fred MacMurray.

Tonight's Movie: Kansas Territory (1952) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

KANSAS TERRITORY (1952) is a strong entry in the eight-film Wild Bill Elliott Western Collection, available from the Warner Archive.

Elliott plays Joe Daniels, who's simultaneously confronted with the news that his brother is dead and that the brother was a bad man. Joe refuses to believe his brother could have been a crook and will brawl with anyone who says so.

Joe's brother was killed in Kansas, where Joe is wanted on a wrongful charge stemming from his having fought for the Confederacy. He returns to Kansas anyway to solve his brother's death. Thanks to the advocacy of a marshal (John Hart) Joe receives a pardon, but while that aspect of his life is cleared up, Joe also comes to the sad realization that his brother deserved killing.

It's a good part for Elliott; he doesn't have much acting range so playing a character who is grimly stoic and determined works well for him. The lively Peggy Stewart makes a good foil for Elliott, as an energetic young lady who doesn't hesitate to pick up a rifle and chase off a passel of bad guys when needed.

Fans will be glad to hear I was told just today that Stewart, who is in her 90s, enjoys good health and is still a vivacious and enthusiastic lady!

KANSAS TERRITORY has a good cast; it's deep enough that Lyle Talbot, who has several scenes as Stewart's wheelchair-bound father, didn't even make the top 14 names in the credits! There are lots of familiar Western faces including Lane Bradford, House Peters Jr., I. Stanford Jolley, Marshall Reed, Fuzzy Knight, William Fawcett, and Stanley Andrews.

Daniel B. Ullman, whose name turns up time and again in my recent viewing, wrote the script of this 65-minute film. The movie was directed by Lewis D. Collins and filmed by Ernest Miller.

Monogram Pictures originally distributed KANSAS TERRITORY in sepia tone, but the DVD is a nice crisp black and white print. There are no extras.

I previously reviewed another film in the set, THE FORTY-NINERS (1954); watch for more Elliott Western reviews in the future. Based on watching two of the films to date, I'd say this set is a must for Elliott fans, who will really enjoy watching nice prints.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD collection. Warner Archive releases are MOD (manufactured on demand) and may be ordered from Amazon and other online retailers.