Today at Disney California Adventure: Halloween Time 2022

A week ago we spent our Friday evening enjoying Halloween Time at Disneyland. Today we returned to the resort to enjoy the seasonal decorations at Disney California Adventure!

It's so great to see the Red Car Trolleys running again. They recently returned to service for the first time since the parks reopened last year.

The bats have returned to Carthay Circle (above) for the season.

One of the most enjoyable traditions at Disney California Adventure is the neon lights coming on in Cars Land at dusk. Large crowds gather to see the lights gradually turn on each evening, creating a colorful neon wonderland.

During the Halloween season decorations and additional lights add to the fun.

I love the seasonal purple tree lights next to the fountain in front of the Carthay Circle.

The return of the Headless Horseman to Buena Vista Street!

A look at the Carthay Circle after dark:

I love the seasonal decorating at Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street! Below are a few shots of the store window displays.

The park entrance as we left this evening:

Plus the lights at the Disneyland entrance across the way:

Happy Autumn!  

Previous Halloween Time Posts and Photos: September 29, 2006, September 30, 2006, October 21, 2006, September 28, 2007, October 12, 2007, October 17, 2008, October 9, 2009, October 15, 2010, the 2011 Annual Passholder Private Party (October 17, 2011); October 21, 2012, September 13, 2013, October 18, 2013, September 12, 2014, September 18, 2015, September 20, 2016, September 23, 2016, Mickey's Halloween Party, posted on October 18, 2016, September 29, 2017, October 14, 2017, October 13, 2018 (Disneyland), October 15, 2018 (Disney California Adventure), September 13, 2019, October 22, 2021, September 16, 2022.

Related photos: Mostly Ghostly at Disney Studios (2019), Oogie Boogie Bash (2019), Oogie Boogie Bash (2021), Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit (2021).

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Happy Autumn 2022

Happy Autumn!

To celebrate, here's a sequel to last year's fall post, featuring a few autumnal movie magazine covers of the 1940s.

Ginger Rogers, September 1946:

Gene Tierney, October 1946:

Olivia de Havilland, October 1947:

Claudette Colbert, October 1940:

Lana Turner, October 1944:

Irene Dunne, October 1941:

Shirley Temple, November 1943:

And on the September 1943 edition of Movie Show, Rita Hayworth seems to be getting ready for Thanksgiving early!

Happy Fall!

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Tonight's Movie: The Half-Naked Truth (1932) - A Warner Archive DVD Review

Lee Tracy stars as a carnival barker who becomes a top New York publicity man in THE HALF-NAKED TRUTH (1932), available on DVD from the Warner Archive.

I have a soft spot for Tracy -- in limited doses -- and have been gradually working my way through watching his films. I rather enjoyed THE HALF-NAKED TRUTH; it's quite nutty, but in a good way. It has a good cast, some amusing moments, and doesn't take too long to wrap things up.

Carnival barker Jimmy Bates (Tracy) and hoochy-coochy dancer Teresita (Lupe Velez) have an...animated...romantic relationship; they fight a lot but don't seem able to live without one another.

After a run-in with the law, Bates, Teresita, and their friend Achilles (Eugene Pallette) high-tail it away from the carnival, ending up broke in New York. Bates passes Teresita off as "Princess Exotica of Turkey" which lands them a hotel room thanks to a clerk (the brilliant Franklin Pangborn) who doesn't want to offend a potential royal client.

Bates gets Teresita a show with a theatrical impresario (Frank Morgan). After an initially rough start, "the Princess" is a hit...but Jimmy may lose his girl to the producer.

I had fun watching this film, with its parade of fun faces and rowdy sense of humor. You know you're watching a pre-Code when the two lead characters have a fight and Jimmy starts pulling his pajamas out of the dresser in Teresita's hotel room, decamping to another room. It's all done without explanation while they're fighting, but I definitely did a mental double-take. The storyline also involves a nudist colony (!) at one point.

According to Jeremy Arnold, Tracy's character was loosely inspired by a real-life press agent. Teresita's "pet lion" was based on that press agent's real-life publicity prank.

While I'm at it, I have to mention I love Jeremy's description of Lee Tracy: "His bones seem to be connected by springs." Another good description comes from Cliff Aliperti at Immortal Ephemera: "Paragraphs run into single sentences out of Tracy's motormouth."

Tracy is lots of fun in this, whether he's attracting the attention of the press by ordering "30 pounds of raw meat" be delivered to Teresita's hotel room or bantering loudly with the woman he calls "the tamale," Teresita.

There are some fun cast sightings in the movie. Besides Pangborn's hilarious hotel clerk, I especially enjoyed seeing film composer Max Steiner onscreen for several minutes as the conductor at Teresita's big New York premiere.

Lovely Theresa Harris has a small role as Teresita's maid, Emily -- every time I see her I wish circumstances had allowed a bigger career -- and the famous "dress extra" Bess Flowers, who plays Bates' secretary, may have more lines of dialogue than I've ever heard her utter in a single film. Shirley Chambers is amusing as a "dumb blonde" who wants to be an actress.

THE HALF-NAKED TRUTH was directed by Gregory La Cava (MY MAN GODFREY) from a script by La Cava and Corey Ford. It was filmed by Bert Glennon.

The Warner Archive print is on the soft side, definitely looking like it was released in 1932, but it's quite watchable, without any distracting skips or jumps. There are no extras.

THE HALF-NAKED TRUTH is by no means a perfect film, but there are enough memorably zany pre-Code moments to make it a worthwhile 77 minutes.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this DVD. Warner Archive DVDs may be ordered from the Warner Archive Collection Amazon Store or from any online retailers where DVDs are sold.

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Tonight's Movie: Francis Covers the Big Town (1953) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

FRANCIS COVERS THE BIG TOWN (1953) is the fourth of seven films in the Francis the Talking Mule Blu-ray collection available via Kino Lorber.

I've previously reviewed FRANCIS (1950), FRANCIS GOES TO THE RACES (1951), and FRANCIS GOES TO WEST POINT (1952).

This time around Peter Stirling (Donald O'Connor) and his pal Francis the Mule (real name Molly, voiced by Chill Wills) have left West Point, no explanation given.

Peter gets a job at a New York newspaper, but though he wants to be a reporter, he must start as a lowly copy boy.

Francis, however, is soon feeding Peter scoops he learns from police horses in the neighborhood. Peter gives tips to other reporters (Nancy Guild and Larry Gates) and has opportunity for promotion, but he always seems to get into trouble when he's asked about his sources...

Meanwhile back in Peter's neighborhood, the grocer's sweet daughter Maria (Yvette Duguay) pines for Peter, who's initially taken with sophisticated reporter Alberta (Guild), not realizing she's a phony who doesn't take him seriously.

This is a pretty good entry in the series; they're all a bit of a one-joke format, with Peter getting in trouble for saying he talks to a mule and Francis eventually proving Peter's telling the truth, but the familiar framework is built around a reasonably interesting crime/newspaper story and the 86 minutes move along briskly.

By this point it strikes me as kind of funny that sweet Peter, who's incredibly loyal to Francis, seems to be a love 'em and leave 'em type -- given that his leading lady changes in every single movie! Maria is clearly thinking marriage, but given that Duguay isn't listed among the many women in the cast of the next film in the series, FRANCIS JOINS THE WACS (1954), she's clearly another woman doomed to be abandoned offscreen by Peter.

I enjoyed seeing Duguay in this; she's an actress I first knew from a guest role on TV's MAVERICK, and more recently I saw her playing Maria Montez as a child in ALI BABA AND THE FORTY THIEVES (1944). Having started out as a child actress in 1941, Duguay retired from films and television as of 1960. She was only 54 when she died in 1986. Not a great deal more information seems to be available on her.

Nancy Guild is a familiar face from SOMEWHERE IN THE NIGHT (1946) and THE BRASHER DOUBLOON (1947). This would be her last feature film until a small role in SUCH GOOD FRIENDS (1971) 18 years later. She did work briefly in television in the mid '50s. Guild had married Broadway producer Ernest H. Martin (GUYS AND DOLLS, THE SOUND OF MUSIC) in 1951, a union which would last until 1975. Guild died in 1999 at the age of 73.

The supporting cast of FRANCIS COVERS THE BIG TOWN includes Gene Lockhart, Silvio Minciotti, Lowell Gilmore, and Gale Gordon.

The movie was directed by Arthur Lubin and filmed in black and white by Carl E. Guthrie. The script was written by Oscar Brodney with additional dialogue from FRANCIS creator David Stern.

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray print is from a new 2K master. Like the other films in the set, there's nothing distinguished about the cinematography, but the prints all look and sound just fine. The film includes a commentary track by Stephen Vagg.

The FRANCIS films won't set the world on fire, but I enjoy seeing who turns up in each film and find them relaxing, undemanding viewing. I'm particularly looking forward to FRANCIS JOINS THE WACS, with a cast which includes Julie Adams, Mamie Van Doren, and Lynn Bari, plus the return of Zasu Pitts as the funny nurse she played in the first movie in the series.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Lots of news to share after a weekend off! We'll start off with some updates from Kino Lorber on future releases. THE DIAMOND WIZARD (1954) starring Dennis O'Keefe and restored by the 3D Film Archive, will be out November 15th. It includes 2D and 3D versions (with glasses!) and a commentary by Mike Ballew.

...Announced by Kino Lorber for November 29th: The Dark Side of Cinema XI with A WOMAN'S VENGEANCE (1948), I WAS A SHOPLIFTER (1950), and BEHIND THE HIGH WALL (1956). A WOMAN'S VENGEANCE will have a commentary by Jason A. Ney.

...The Warner Archive Collection's October Blu-ray releases are DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE (1931) and MARK OF THE VAMPIRE (1935).

...ClassicFlix has just combined its previous releases of Season 1 and Season 2 of PUBLIC DEFENDER (1954-55) into a Complete Series collection.

...The upcoming Lifetime movie A CHRISTMAS SPARK (2022) will reunite Jane Seymour and Joe Lando, stars of DR. QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN (1993-98). Lifetime has some other interesting holiday films coming, including Rita Moreno appearing in SANTA BOOTCAMP (2022) and Jodie Sweetin (MERRY & BRIGHT) in MERRY SWISSMAS (2022).

...It's hard to believe, but the TV series THE WALTONS (1972-81) is now 50 years old. I vividly remember watching the very first episode, about a little deaf girl. I was hooked and I don't believe I ever missed an episode in its decade-long run -- not an easy feat in pre-VCR days. (When I got a VCR, A DECADE OF THE WALTONS was the first thing I recorded.)...Last year the CW network remade THE HOMECOMING (1971) as THE WALTONS' HOMECOMING (2021). This year a new special is on the way, A WALTONS THANKSGIVING (2022), airing November 20th. I recorded the film last year but haven't gotten around to watching it yet...maybe I will someday.

...Here's an interesting just-published Hitchcock book: THE ARCHITECTURE OF SUSPENSE: THE BUILT WORLD IN THE FILMS OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK by Christine Madrid French, from the University of Virginia Press. The foreword is by Alan Hess who wrote two great books in my collection, GOOGIE REDUX: ULTRAMODERN ROADSIDE ARCHITECTURE and RANCH HOUSE. For a sample from THE ARCHITECTURE OF SUSPENSE, Vanity Fair recently adapted the chapter on NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959).

...I just recently became aware of the book MAKING THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES by Alison Macor, published by University of Texas Press.

...THE FARROWS OF HOLLYWOOD by Marilyn Ann Moss, published by Skyhorse and distributed by Simon & Schuster, has had its publication date pushed back from next month to January 2023.  (October 2022 Update: The book is now scheduled for a February 7th publication date.) (December 2022 Update: The book is now scheduled for March 7th.) (February 2023 Update: The release date has changed yet again, to April 11, 2023.)

...Coming from TCM and Running Press in April 2023: EDDIE MULLER'S NOIR BAR: COCKTAILS INSPIRED BY THE WORLD OF FILM NOIR. 

...John Stamos, who starred on GENERAL HOSPITAL in the years I watched it and later was part of the cast of FULL HOUSE (1987-95), has a memoir due out in 2023, IF YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD ME. Stamos grew up not far from where I live in North Orange County and is a huge Disneyland fan with impressive park memorabilia in his backyard.

...I ordered Alicia Malone's BACKWARDS AND IN HEELS: THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF WOMEN WORKING IN FILM thanks to this review by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry at Shadows and Satin. I liked Malone's GIRLS ON FILM: LESSONS FROM A LIFE OF WATCHING WOMEN IN MOVIES earlier this year.

...Just out from Wayne State University Press: GENE TIERNEY: STAR OF HOLLYWOOD'S HOME FRONT by Will Scheibel.

...From Leonard Maltin: "Where Film Buffs Get Their Thrill."  I enjoyed saying hello to Mr. Maltin at last weekend's D23 Expo. I also had the pleasure of briefly chatting with film and Disney historian J.B. Kaufman at the Expo.

...Cineworld Group, the parent company of the Regal and Edwards theater chains, recently declared bankruptcy...In other theater news, look for Hollywood's Cinerama Dome to reopen in 2023.

...I'm intrigued by this trailer for SEE HOW THEY RUN (2022), an Agatha Christie style mystery starring Saoirse Ronan and Sam Rockwell. The film, which opens this weekend, is set against the backdrop of West End theater in 1950s London.

...Another interesting upcoming film is Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical THE FABELMANS (2022); here's a trailer.  Justin Chang, an L.A. Times critic I enjoy, gave a thumbs up to THE FABELMANS at the Toronto Film Festival. In the same review Chang enthuses about GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY (2022), which is a sequel to KNIVES OUT (2019); here's the trailer for that film. John Defore of The Hollywood Reporter said GLASS ONION is "wildly enjoyable." THE FABELMANS is due out November 23rd; GLASS ONION will appear in theaters this fall at a date to be announced, then debut on Netflix December 23rd.

...Disney has officially removed the planned STAR WARS film ROGUE SQUADRON from its release schedule. It was originally to be directed by Patty Jenkins (WONDER WOMAN) for release at Christmas 2023. Jenkins is said to have "scheduling conflicts." Films added to the release calendar include SNOW WHITE (2024), with WONDER WOMAN's Gal Gado as the Evil Queen opposite Rachel Zegler (WEST SIDE STORY) in the title role; INSIDE OUT 2 (2024), a sequel to INSIDE OUT (2015); and MUFASA (2024), a spinoff from THE LION KING (1994).

...Here's a great-looking CD due out in a few weeks, with music from WHITE CHRISTMAS (1954) and HOLIDAY INN (1942). It's "a release of complete film scores...from pre-recordings made during the filmmaking process." This sounds especially interesting as a WHITE CHRISTMAS soundtrack album was never available due to Rosemary Clooney's recording contract obligations; instead an album was released with Peggy Lee singing Clooney's songs alongside Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Trudy Stevens, who dubbed Vera-Ellen in the film.  The new CD set is a "Day One" purchase for me.

...Next month Annette Bochenek is hosting the "Take Two! Blogathon" on movie remakes. Participation details are at her blog Hometowns to Hollywood.

...From earlier this year at Cinema Scholars: "The Los Angeles Homes of Barbara Stanwyck" by Benjamin McVey. I always enjoy his photo-filled articles on celebrity homes.

...Interesting recent classic film reviews include KC of Watching Classic Movies on the new Flicker Alley release THE SILENT ENEMY (1930)...Jessica wrote about Joan Leslie and Robert Alda in CINDERELLA JONES (1946) for her blog Comet Over Hollywood...At 50 Westerns From the 50s Toby has reviewed CONQUEST OF COCHISE (1953), which reunited Robert Stack and Joy Page from BULLFIGHTER AND THE LADY (1951); John Hodiak costars...CineSavant Glenn Erickson wrote about Kino Lorber's brand-new Blu-ray release of SO PROUDLY WE HAIL! (1943) for Trailers From Hell. Look for a review of that disc here in the future...Erickson also reviewed a new region-free Blu-ray film noir set from Australia's Viavision/Imprint. Two of the films in the set, THE STRANGE LOVE OF MARTHA IVERS (1946) and THE TURNING POINT (1952), are also out on Blu-ray in the U.S. next week from Kino Lorber...At Riding the High Country Colin reviews Audie Murphy's DRUMS ACROSS THE RIVER (1954). Be sure to catch the Robert Fuller interview with Cheryl Rogers Barnett which Walter links to in the comments. That led me to a whole list of interesting interviews Barnett has available on YouTube. I'll add that I've had the pleasure of meeting Barnett at the Lone Pine Film Festival and she's an extremely nice and friendly lady.

...Notable Passing: Henry Silva has passed away at the age of 95. His half-century film career included the classic Budd Boetticher-Randolph Scott Western THE TALL T (1957), seen here, where he was absolutely chilling as one of Richard Boone's trigger-happy (but not too smart) henchmen. Silva was in several other Westerns including THE LAW AND JAKE WADE (1958), THE BRAVADOS (1958), RIDE A CROOKED TRAIL (1958), and THE JAYHAWKERS! (1959). Other notable credits were OCEAN'S 11 (1960) and THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962). His last credit was a cameo in the OCEAN'S 11 (2001) remake.

...More Notable Passings: Artist Lorinda Roland, the daughter of Gilbert Roland and Constance Bennett, has died. She was 84. She is survived by a sister, Gyl Roland.  Both girls are pictured here with their mother, with their half-brother Peter seen with their mother in the portrait on the wall...Actor-Screenwriter Mark Miller has died at 97. He starred with Pat Crowley on TV's PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES (1965-67) and was in countless other TV shows. His writing credits including cowriting A WALK IN THE CLOUDS (1995) with Keanu Reeves and Anthony Quinn. Miller was the father of actress Penelope Ann Miller...Greek actress Irene Papas has died in Greece; I've seen her age listed as both 93 and 96. Her films included TRIBUTE TO A BAD MAN (1956) with James Cagney; THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961) with Gregory Peck heading a large cast; Disney's THE MOON-SPINNERS (1964) with Hayley Mills; and ZORBA THE GREEK (1964) with Anthony Quinn, who was also in NAVARONE.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please check out my September 3rd roundup.

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Farewell to Marsha Hunt

News broke of the passing of Marsha Hunt while I was at the D23 Expo last week.

Hunt, who was born October 17, 1917, passed away at her home in Sherman Oaks on September 7, 2022.

Though not really a surprise, given she was a few weeks away from turning 105, her passing saddened me greatly.

I was extremely fortunate to meet Marsha on several occasions over the years, including when I took this blurry but beloved photograph of Marsha with Eddie Muller and Alan K. Rode at the Noir City Film Festival in 2011. (Cell phone cameras have come a long way in the last decade!)

My account of that magical evening at Noir City may be read here. Alan Rode paid tribute to Marsha for Variety after her passing.

I had the honor of being invited to Coleen Gray's memorial service in 2015, and it was quite surreal to find myself sitting at a reception table with Marsha and Julie Adams -- who incidentally shared an October 17th birthday. I treasure that memory all the more since both of those wonderful ladies have now left us as well.

Here are links to obituaries from The Hollywood Reporter, Variety, the Los Angeles Times, and ABC, as well as a tribute at Vienna's Classic Hollywood. TCM's lovely video tribute may be watched on YouTube.

Also of note: The 2015 documentary MARSHA HUNT'S SWEET ADVERSITY may be streamed via Amazon.

Seen above: Marsha with John Wayne in BORN TO THE WEST (1937), also shown under the title HELL TOWN.

Below: With Greer Garson in THE VALLEY OF DECISION (1945). Hunt and Garson also worked together in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1940) and BLOSSOMS IN THE DUST (1941).

With Margaret O'Brien in MUSIC FOR MILLIONS (1942):

With Richard Carlson and Barry Nelson in THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA (1942), a film that was a favorite of mine -- and a favorite of Marsha's too!

In another all-time MGM favorite, THE HUMAN COMEDY (1945), seen here with Katharine Alexander and James Craig:

With Claire Trevor and Dennis O'Keefe in the classic film noir RAW DEAL (1948):

I've paid tribute to Marsha several times over the years, including birthday tributes in 2012, 2016, and her centennial in 2017. She was also featured in my annual Halloween post in 2014.

In 2019 I wrote about Marsha and THUNDER TRAIL (1937) for my Western RoundUp column at Classic Movie Hub.

It's very sad that Marsha Hunt's bright light has now flickered out, but I'm so grateful she was here and that she left behind so many wonderful performances and films, which will continue to be enjoyed for as long as movies exist.

Marsha Hunt films reviewed at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: THE VIRGINIA JUDGE (1935), THE ACCUSING FINGER (1936), DESERT GOLD (1936), EASY LIVING (1937) (bit part; also reviewed here), ANNAPOLIS SALUTE (1937) (also here), THESE GLAMOUR GIRLS (1939), WINTER CARNIVAL (1939), IRENE (1940) (also here), FLIGHT COMMAND (1940), I'LL WAIT FOR YOU (1941), UNHOLY PARTNERS (1941), KID GLOVE KILLER (1942) (also here), THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA (1942), SEVEN SWEETHEARTS (1942), PILOT #5 (1943), LOST ANGEL (1943), MUSIC FOR MILLIONS (1944), BRIDE BY MISTAKE (1944), THE VALLEY OF DECISION (1945), A LETTER FOR EVIE (1946), THE INSIDE STORY (1947), RAW DEAL (1948), MARY RYAN, DETECTIVE (1949), TAKE ONE FALSE STEP (1949), THE HAPPY TIME (1952), and BOMBERS B-52 (1957).

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