The Bridge on the the River Kwai Comes to Blu-ray

It’s not often that a jaunty military tune is whistled loudly by British prisoners of war on their way to their new camp in the jungles, which were the killing fields of the war in the Pacific. The Bridge on the River Kwai, however, essentially launched a military barroom ditty to new heights of popularity, whistled and hummed by children and adults around the world: Colonel Bogie’s March. The unlikely entrance of these potential Japanese slave laborers is an amazing introduction to a film that’s not really about bridge building. Oh yes, the bridge gets built and destroyed, but the clash of wills between different ideologies and the very complex nature of the characters themselves is at the core of this stunning Academy award-winning film.

The legendary producer Sam Spiegel was determined to film this story since he first read about it in a French newspaper review of the novel by Pierre Boulle.  He read it like an Evelyn Wood graduate and immediately bought the rights to the film from the author and the publisher. Over the next three years, in order to achieve perfection of detail and authenticity of locale and  events, Spiegel traveled the world looking for locations, finding the right actors, writers, director, cinematographer and the vast company of craftsmen who were essential to the look and feel of the film. 

By 1956, director David Lean had helmed several of the better British movies of the late 1940s, including Brief Encounter, Oliver Twist, and Great Expectations.  He had guided Katharine Hepburn, for her role in Summertime, filmed on location in Venice, in 1955.  Sam Spiegel was about to give him the job that would make him a world-famous and even more respected filmmaker.

To adapt Boulle’s book, Spiegel chose Michael Wilson and Carl Foreman; unfortunately, both had been hounded by the House Un-American Activities Committee in its witch hunt for Communists in Hollywood.  At its initial release, the writing credits were attributed to Pierre Boulle. Eventually, Wilson and Foreman were reinstated in the opening credits as the actual writers. 

The lead roles in the film were a British Colonel, a British commando, and an American who had escaped from the prisoner of war camp. Spiegel had no problems signing on Jack Hawkins and William Holden, but Alec Guinness was adamant about not wishing to appear in the film.  Spiegel made one last attempt to convince Guinness and invited him out to dinner, and by dessert Guinness was on board.  To round out the major casting, he chose Japanese silent film star Sessue Hayakawa for the pivotal role of the camp commandant given the task of getting the bridge completed. 

Hating the British, Hayakawa's Colonel Saito relishes the idea of breaking their spirit and humiliating their officers by requiring them to construct the bridge. Initially, Guinness's Colonel Nicholson refuses to cooperate and is punished severely. He changes course, though, with the horrible irony of the story being that he finds salvation for his troop’s morale by building a bridge that will last "600 years."  Nicholson doesn’t know that a group of commandos is on their way to destroy the bridge to cripple the Japanese supply line from Singapore to India.  A war film by genre, The Bridge on the River Kwai offers the audience more than it expects, a thought-provoking examination of bravery and heroism and the lessons to be learned.  

Columbia pictures is to be congratulated for putting this film in the collector’s edition which includes the original DVD and an new amazing Blu-ray disc. The DVD set is in the shape of a book, which contains the old DVD at the beginning and the Blu-ray at the end.  In between, there are photographs of posters, reproduced actual lobby cards, an excerpt from the original so

uvenir book in 1957, candid and publicity photographs from the set and very brief mini-profiles of the actors and director.  The older disc has interesting extras, including a short film on the making of the movie with comments from some of the associates who worked with David Lean.  There is also a chronological depiction of the actual building of the bridge; a student film about the real bridge narrated by William Holden, and comments by filmmaker John Milius.

This review was written by Cafe film critic Sazball.
Columbia Classics provided a review copy of this DVD to the Classic Film & TV Cafe.

"Possessed: The Life of Joan Crawford" by Donald Spoto

Faye Dunaway as Crawford.

If you know who Joan Crawford is, then surely the image you conjure up when you think of her is that of the grotesque Mommie Dearest as portrayed in the book by her adopted daughter, Christina Crawford, and in the subsequent horrific movie starring Faye Dunaway. In his latest biography Possessed: The Life of Joan Crawford (William Morrow, 352 pages), author Donald Spoto presents the many sides of Joan Crawford--the good the bad and the ugly. The result is a portrait of a woman plagued by inner demons that seemed to haunt her through her entire life, although she made a Herculean effort to banish them forever.

Spoto is not an apologist for Joan Crawford's tarnished image, nor does he try to revise history. He presents the facts as they happened and comments on their validity and impact upon Joan, her private life and on-screen persona. He made full use of the vast amount of information available electronically, filling the pages with direct quotes from many of the people who were instrumental in creating Joan Crawford, the star: her ex-husbands, lovers, writers, directors, and studio moguls. This was a complex woman, and if you want to look beyond "no more wire hangers," this is a good place to start.

The driving force in Joan Crawford's life--the fire in her belly, the impetus for everything she ever did--was her devastatingly unhappy childhood, and her efforts to erase all vestiges of the impoverished and love-deprived Lucille Le Sueur. Each chapter in the book represents a specific timeframe in Joan's life, chronicling her interactions with the people and events that contributed to her intensely personalized master plan for success. The seedlings are planted in her unstable childhood, never knowing her real father and going through a series of stepfathers, who eventually walked out of her life, reinforcing her sense of abandonment and initiating an ultimately frustrating search for someone to love her. She was forced to leave school in the fifth grade and join her mother providing for the family. She worked wherever her mother managed to find employment, mostly in laundries where the family lived on site in what could be described as little more than a hovel. The years spent working as a laundress, with its inherent drudgery and monotony, provided fodder for her ever increasing inferiority complex. Her bother, Hal, an early 20th century version of a slacker, was her mother's favorite, and was never asked to contribute to the family upkeep.

Crawford and Franchot Tone.

Joan's lack of education also preyed on her ego and contributed to the feelings of low esteem that she would eventually obsessively attempt to conquer. Uneducated and unrefined, she realized that she had to learn how to present herself physically and mentally in order to survive in the Darwinian social structure that existed in Hollywood. She readily acknowledges that her marriages to Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Franchot Tone provided her with a veritable masters degree in self-improvement. Both men introduced her to literature, the arts, politics, and she gleaned enough information to comfortably engage in conversations with the more sophisticated members of her husbands' circle of friends and the Hollywood elite.

Joan with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.

Joan had many teachers who provided the lessons she needed in order to perfect her image. The gesturing and wide-eyed expressions of the silent films had to be replaced with more subtle and nuanced use of the face to convey a characters emotional reactions. Crewmembers shared important aspects of lighting and camera placement, which provided her with a working knowledge of behind the scenes filmmaking. Costume designers and makeup artists helped her during the various phases of her career, creating the right look for the flapper, shopgirl, independent woman, and sophisticate. The right look, in public, at the studio and at home, was fanatically maintained. From hair to shoes, Joan could never appear as the girl next door in jeans and a blouse. She was a star, and fans expected nothing less than the image they saw on the silver screen.

Joan wished very much to have children, and give them all the love and advantages of a good home. This quest proved disastrous and often legally questionable, as in desperation, she turned to so-called "baby brokers." Despite a resolve to prevent the children from experiencing the pain and loss of her own childhood, she could not overcome the demand for perfection nor could she provide the children with the stability of a father figure. As testament to her failed attempts to create a happy household, each child harbored totally disparate memories and images of Joan as a mother.

Alfred Steele.

Joan's own pursuit of love, resulted in numerous long and short-term affairs; even while married, she continued her quest for the seemingly unattainable, but still felt devastatingly lonely. When Alfred Steele, the charismatic president of Pepsi-Cola entered her life, she knew she would marry him and felt confident that he would bestow her with the love she so achingly craved and banish the spectre of loneliness from her life. After Steele's untimely death in 1959, age 58, Joan maintained that during her four years of marriage she felt fulfilled and truly alive for the first time in her life.

The ferocity of determination, which had transformed a little waif from Texas into one of the most glamorous denizens of Hollywood also applied to her career path, effecting the choices she made regarding roles she was offered and roles she wanted to play. She transitioned easily from silent films to talking pictures. She'd been one of MGM's brightest stars and continued to be so with the introduction of sound. However, she became frustrated with the roles she was assigned, the quality of the scripts and directors who did not share her ambitions regarding stardom. Her acting style and appearance were constantly evolving in an effort to achieve perfection of the image that she fervently believed was still a work in progress. Spoto presents an interesting timeline of films along with revealing insights into Joan's choices, and her feelings about the completed film. He devotes almost a chapter to a wrongheaded decision by Joan to star in a film called Torch Song, considered one of the worst movies ever made and one of the most unintentionally hilarious. Contrary to world opinion, Joan loved it, and even bemoaned the fact that they didn't make pictures like this anymore.

There is also a document presented in the book, originally published in Life Magazine in February 1964, detailing the require-ments Joan demanded at all hotels she stayed at during a publicity tour for the film Strait-Jacket. Its excesses are reflective of Joan Crawford's self-image, that of a great motion picture star representative of all the glamour and sophistication associated with Hollywood and therefore entitled to all the creature comforts available at whatever cost.

If you're a long-standing Joan Crawfor fan, you are probably familiar with much of the information presented in this book. Fledgling admirers, however, will find this a veritable treasure trove of the events and people who helped power Joan Crawford's juggernaut to her rightful place as a Hollywood legend.

HarperCollins Publishers provided a review copy of Possessed to the Classic Film & TV Cafe.

Hollywood's Tribute to the Angels of Bataan - Cry Havoc and So Proudly We Hail (1943)

In 1942 the US Armed Forces stationed in the Philippines on the islands of Corregidor and Bataan were subjected to one of the most brutal Japanese offensives of the war in their attempt to capture both American strongholds. Both islands were eventually lost as the beleaguered troops surrendered, many of whom endured the horror of the Bataan death march. Through newsreels and newspaper reports the American people learned of the military nurses who fought valiantly to offer aid and comfort to the endless stream of casualties on a 24/7 basis. Tending to the injured and dying under the hellish circumstances of constant bombardment and artillery fire was a monumental effort carried out by ordinary women performing their duties as they had been trained, in an environment unlike any other they had experienced. In their unyielding determination to leave no one behind many of them were captured by the Japanese, ending up on the infamous death march or in POW camps. Hollywood felt that the exploits of these courageous women needed to be documented on film. Two studios, Paramount and MGM, each produced their own version of the same events surrounding the fall of Bataan, both released in 1943, So Proudly We Hail and Cry Havoc. Each film boasted a strong female cast playing nurses and civilian volunteers; glamorous and popular stars appearing ragged and filthy in the mud and blood of the Pacific war zone. This was an attempt to attain the most realistic depiction of the actual conditions, but a reality tempered by the decisions of the Office of War Information, the government agency which had the power to accept or reject any proposed elements in all films about the war.



Mark Sandrich, director of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire musicals, saw an article in the newspaper regarding the survival of nurses who had escaped from Corregidor. He and screenwriter Allan Scott, arranged to visit these women and record their personal experiences. Sandrich and Scott originally conceived the film as a romance, but the Office of War Information dismissed this idea and wanted the film to represent a realistic account of their plight, at least one that could be tolerated by the American public without instilling them with fear. Three popular and powerhouse stars were chosen for the lead roles; Claudette Colbert , Paulette Goddard, and Veronica Lake. While conforming to the wishes of the Office of War Information to present the daily activities of the nurses in as realistic a fashion as possible, they still managed to include the romantic aspect they had originally conceived; Claudette Colbert loves and eventually marries doomed Lt. John Summers, played by George Reeves; Paulette Goddard, a love them and leave them type of gal, finds friendship and ultimately love with "Kansas" (Sonny Tufts); and Veronica Lake mourns the loss of her husband, who was killed at Pearl Harbor. The story is told in flashbacks as the women are heading home after their ordeal. Claudette Colbert's character remains in a state of shock following the news of her husband's death; the horrible irony and memories of her heroic attempts to get him safely off the island, only to have him killed while on a secret mission. A psychiatrist (Walter Abel) interviews the other nurses hoping to get some insight into the emotional demons affecting Colbert's character. While the film tended to emphasize the romantic entanglements of the three leads, there was attention paid to the savage battle going on around them. The film actually received an Academy Award

nomination for its special effects a well-deserved nod to the exceptional recreation of the devastating siege of Bataan. The response from both critics and public was positive; the esteemed critic for the New York Times, Bosley Crowther, declaring it "a shattering impression of the tragedy of Bataan." Taken in context the film was a superior example of Hollywood populist propaganda directed at convincing the American public that this was indeed their war; the audience felt they were getting an honest recreation of the hardships endured by the Red Cross nurses who had exhibited an untapped reserve of courage under fire. Later critics pointed out that the film's emphasis on the romantic plot lines detracted from the depiction of the nurses responses to the daily crises and threats that had defined their heroism. This film was one of Paramount's biggest releases of the year and received four Academy Award nominations, including one for Best Supporting Actress for Paulette Goddard.






Cry Havoc, MGM's version of the Bataan evacuation, also released in 1943, was based on the play Proof through the Night by Allan Kenward, which had a successful run in Los Angeles, but failed to attract audiences on Broadway. It told the story of a group of nurses and civilian volunteers trapped in a bunker waiting for the imminent Japanese attack. The all-female cast included well-known actresses Margaret Sullavan, Joan Blondell, Ann Sothern, and Fay Bainter; the remaining roles were played by up-and-coming talented performers Marsha Hunt, Ella Raines, Frances Gifford, Diana Lewis, and Heather Angel. There were men in the film but they appeared only briefly and had no dialogue; the emphasis remained on the women. Unlike the ethnic mix of soldiers present in most male-dominated war films, the characters here were a microcosm of America's social classes, from lowbrow to high society; a former burlesque queen, a Southern aristocrat, an aspiring writer, a switchboard operator, a factory worker. The film chronicles the relationships that develop among these diverse personalities, an often frustrating and demanding process. It is imperative that they eliminate the societal barriers which separate them in order to create an effective and cohesive unit. Eventually they do begin to reveal stories from their past which serve to dilute the suspicion and hostility which had hindered their training. Romantic entanglements are discussed, but there are no love scenes to undercut the realistic portrayal of the gritty and sometimes deadly nature of their situation. In the end they decide unanimously to stay on the island with the wounded and do not escape. The horror stories about Bataan were still fresh in the memories of Americans and they could relate to events depicted in the movie, thus making it a moneymaker for MGM.


Although both films received critical praise and were popular with audiences, present-day critics have attributed this positive reaction to the unique women's perspective of the battlefield and the public's belief that they were witnessing an authentic rendering of conditions surrounding the battle of the Philippines. At a time when the country was still reeling from the devastating loss of Corregidor and Bataan and winning the war was no longer a certainty, a film honoring the sacrifices of a brave band of Red Cross nurses provided some semblance of dignity amidst humiliation and offered Americans a chance to believe that the United States would prevail.

Clash by Night (1952) - Noir or Noir-ish

There is an ongoing debate regarding the status of Clash by Night as a true representative of the film noir genre. It does not have a crime at its core; however there is the lingering threat of an explosion of violence from one or more of the characters. It is effectively filmed in black and white by noir veteran cinematographer Nicholas Mucurasa, and directed by the legendary Fritz Lang, who took three superb actors and drew from them performances crackling with frustration, self-loathing, disappointment, desperation, the aching need for and the paralyzing fear of love. The film is based on a play by Clifford Odets, which appeared on Broadway in 1941.






This story centers around the character of Mae Doyle (Barbara Stanwyck), who has come home to the small fishing village of Monterey California after years on the East Coast where she was involved with a married politician until his death. He provided for her in his will, but it was successfully contested by his family and she returns reluctantly to what essentially is the only place she can go. She is not exactly welcomed with open arms by her fisherman brother (Keith Andes), but is warmly accepted by his girlfriend Peggy (Marilyn Monroe). Mae has escaped the asphyxiating and restrictive bonds of her hometown, seeking a more independent and perhaps unacceptable existence where she could follow her own instincts and desires. Happiness is not part of her vocabulary, but confidence is a major factor in her search for security. She needs a man who will give her confidence in herself and love does not necessarily play a part in this equation.

Still beautiful and alluring, Mae is courted by the simple, kind, goodhearted fisherman, Jerry who has fallen in love with her. He wants to marry her, although she warns him off, telling him that she will be no good for him and will ultimately hurt him. But Jerry is persistent and Mae starts to imagine that she could change, that domestic life would not be the locked cage that she imagines it to be. At the same time she's introduced to Jerry's best friend Earl, a drunken, woman hating, sexually charged and potentially violent man who works as a projectionist in the local theater. When they meet, the chemistry starts percolating immediately. Jerry is totally oblivious to this attraction between Mae and his best friend and he continues to have Earl in his life not knowing how combustible the situation is. Mae realizes she's made a mistake almost from the beginning and that Jerry's bearlike physical appearance of strength does not guarantee that he will be the one to keep her safe and inspire her with confidence. Mae has a child with Jerry, but this does not solidify the relationship and she is once again beset by a sense of imprisonment in the domestic life she has chosen with Jerry. It is almost painful to watch Mae conforming to the domestic duties of a housewife, hanging sheets. washing blouses, even her interaction with her child. Clearly she is not ready for this way of life.

Ultimately there is an eruption of violent passion between Mae and Earl. The intensity of their kisses seems almost brutal in their need to satisfy the raging sensual hunger that consumes them both, most particularly when Mae places her hand beneath Earl's undershirt, flesh against flesh, in an attempt to intensify the electric current coursing through them. Earl begs Mae to run off with him, declaring that he can't live without her and vowing to become whatever she wants him to be in order to please her; however, these entreaties have a sinister undertone of power and control not associated with the love that he professes. Jerry still pathetically unaware of the betrayal going on around him is finally enlightened by the innuendos of his uncle Vince, a man who bears a grudge against Mae. in a manner eerily reminiscent of Iago's deadly whispers to Othello about Desdemona. Jerry confronts the couple and Mae admits that she is going away with Earl. Jerry is profoundly disgusted by their actions, referring to them as animals who should be kept in cages away from human beings. Emotionally devastated, he storms out of the room. Vince continues his vitriolic rantings about Mae to a drunken and vulnerable Jerry, whose gentle demeanor is ruptured by an uncontrollable rage that leads him to nearly strangle Earl, in another reference to Othello.

When Mae returns to her home she finds her baby girl missing from her crib and realizes that Jerry has taken her. The shock of this situation forces Mae to acknowledge that the intensity of her relationship with Earl would burn out quickly and she opts for a safe life with Jerry. She seeks him out in an attempt to gain his forgiveness and redeem herself in his eyes. In spite of all the pain Mae has inflicted on him, Jerry is willing to take her back and thus offers her the redemption she seeks.

Barbara Stanwyck gives one of her finest performances as Mae, delivering lines in the natural and unadulterated fashion that made her one of the great screen actresses. Odets' dialogue becomes on-target, rapid machine-gun fire in the hands of this most talented actress. Robert Ryan, one of our great underrated film actors, perfectly embodies the brutal code of life by which Earl lives. As Jerry, Paul Douglas, an experienced stage actor, is a revelation capturing all aspects of Jerry's emotional roller coaster, from naive and trusting soul to a murderous husband scorned. Director Fritz Lang utilized the elements of film noir in his dazzling camerawork and lighting and guides his actors to believably natural performances, never removing them from the realities of the emotional anguish that permeates their everday lives.

Defining this film as genuine or faux noir does not diminish my reaction to its honest portrayal of complex characters trying to find a way to defeat the various demons that possess them and still manage to emerge from that battle with enough strength and hope to continue the search for that elusive defense tactic that will finally give them peace.

Forget the noir debate and see one of the finest films of the fifties, compelling, brilliantly directed and photographed, with superb unflinching performances which lay bare the self-inflicted wounds of failed attempts to live life according to one's own rules, no matter whose "throat is cut" during the process.

Ernest Borgnine Said What? - The TCM Classic Film Festival

My sister was lucky enough to attend the first ever TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. She said that it was the best time she's ever had in her life; the thrill of being able speak to anybody about movies, seeing classic films as they should be viewed on the big screen surrounded by people who are enjoying the experience as much as you are. She had several interesting encounters which I'd like to describe here. Her enthusiasm and pure joy were infectious, even over the phone.

She had planned to attend the gala opening ceremonies and walk the red carpet on the way to viewing the newly restored A Star is Born. In conjunction with the festival Frederick Fekkai hair salon in West Hollywood had a promotion where you could have your hair done for free in the style of any classic film actress you wished. She took advantage of this program, bringing with her photos of Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, and Barbara Stanwyck. She sent me photos and they did a fabulous job re-creating the look of the 40s. She also got a free makeup application and was assigned to a makeup artist who happen to work with Kim Novak for many years and provided interesting tidbits regarding this association with her.

The gala was exciting. A woman sitting in front of her looked familiar and my sister asked politely if she was the actress from Curse of the Cat People. The woman answered, "No, I'm not an actress, but my mother was." My sister naturally asked who her mother was and she replied "Lana Turner." To say the least my sister was taken aback; she was talking to Cheryl Crane the daughter of one of the most famous stars in Hollywood. Cheryl was very cordial and spoke with my now overwhelmed sister for a few moments. Much to her chagrin my sister was tongue-tied and too nervous to carry on a coherent conversation.

She also happened to be sitting in front of Ernest Borgnine. A fan approached her and asked if she could please take a picture of Mr. Borgnine. The woman gave my sister her camera and my sister asked Mr. Borgnine if she could take his picture. Unfortunately, my sister had a slight problem getting the flash mechanism to work and it took seemingly forever to finally take the picture. At that point Mr. Borgnine yelled "I thought you were shooting The Ten Commandments there!" Apparently Ernie is still robust and active at 94!

Following are a few of the up close and personal moments she had with various celebrities.

Leave Her to Heaven was one of the most anticipated screenings not only because of its unparalleled Technicolor beauty, but because Darryl Hickman, who played the part of the doomed Danny, was going to be there for discussion after the film. He talked about the difficulty of filming the drowning scene which took three weeks to complete. The director John Stahl was quite hard on the boy. The water was so cold that the stuntman refused to do the scenes. Darryl did everything himself and ended up with pneumonia for his troubles. Apparently, Stahl sent a copy of the scene to studio head Darryl Zanuck, who informed Stahl that this was one of the best scenes ever filmed and lauded Darryl Hickman's performance. John Stahl stopped giving Darryl Hickman such a hard time.

If I was envious of any aspect of the film festival it was Nancy Olson's appearance at the screening of Sunset Boulevard. She had worked with my favorite actor William Holden on a least four occasions and I would have loved to ply her with questions about this complex actor. One of the stories she related involves the first time that she and Holden kissed on the walkway outside of the office they worked in as part of the movie. For some unknown reason Billy Wilder invited about 30 people to watch the filming of this scene, including Holden's wife at the time, actress Brenda Marshall! In his direction to the two actors he told them to embrace and kiss, and to hold that kiss until he said "Cut!" The two of them found this rather disconcerting, but Wilder insisted, explaining he needed enough footage for the editing room. So they started to kiss and they held it for what seemed like an eternity. Olson commented that it was a “really good embrace and a really good kiss.” The kiss proceeded without interruption until a voice from the crowd screamed, “Cut, cut! Enough already!" It was Holden's wife, Brenda Marshall.

Meanwhile my sister kept running into Cheryl Crane and they shared hellos and smiles and my sister started calling her 'My new BFF'.

One of her best moments was meeting Robert Osborne. She was impressed by his ability to engage people in conversation, listening and interacting with those he spoke with. My sister relayed to him that she had lost her job last summer and that watching TCM helped console her and provided an escape from the unpleasant situation she was in. Mr. Osborne was genuinely touched by this story and admitted that he never realized how much of an impact TCM had on its viewers.

My sister had wanted to attend the discussion with Norman Lloyd, but had a conflicting schedule; however when she went to grab a bottle of water at Club TCM, she saw that the discussion was still going on and attended the remainder of the event. She later had her picture taken with Mr. Lloyd after the screening of Saboteur.

When I asked her which film was her favorite she replied that they were all so awesome being seen in the movie theater on a big screen that they were all equally wonderful. One of the unexpected developments was that her husband, who had just gone along for the ride, enjoyed the festival almost as much as my sister. He particularly enjoyed the screening of Jubal, the offbeat western starring Glenn Ford and a villainous Ernest Borgnine, who introduced the film.

Two weeks after coming home from Hollywood, they are still experiencing post-festival depression, wishing they were still at the Hollywood Roosevelt, mingling with fans and celebs, reveling in the milieu which fostered instant camaraderie among those who possess a deep and abiding love and respect for the classic films of a bygone era.

Love Stories: Where is My Beast? Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast (1946)

This 1946 version of the beloved fairytale Beauty and the Beast, directed by Jean Cocteau, noted artist, poet and filmmaker, is considered to be his masterpiece, which brilliantly blended his personal artistic vision and the elements of wondrous fantasy and enchantment. Cocteau felt that this motion picture would not only help revive the once thriving French cinema but also brighten the lives of his fellow Frenchman who endured six years of cultural darkness under the Nazi occupation. Along with his set decorator, costume designer, composer, and with a little help from famed director, Rene Clement, Cocteau managed to produce a magnificent and enduring evocation of the story''s magical world and the characters who inhabit it.

The idea for a film adaptation came from Cocteau's lover, the actor Jean Marais, and Cocteau believed that this would provide a showcase for Marais' talents, as he would be playing three roles; Avenant, Belle's roguish suitor, the beast, and the prince. For the role of Bellle Cocteau chose Josette Day, who possessed a wholesome and appealing loveliness and in addition had experience as a ballerina.

Filming began in the summer of 1945 not long after the end of World War II. Equipment and material needed for motion pictures was practically nonexistent; cameras, fabric for costumes, film stock and even electricity presented logistic challenges. Cocteau and his talented crew brilliantly utilized the resources available to them. The special effects, disembodied arms protrude from the wall holding candelabras, statues come to life, doors open and close, magic mirrors, and beautiful ball gowns created for Belle by invisible seamstresses, all contributed to the otherworldly aura that Cocteau envisioned for the beast's castle. His desire to have every scene in the film reflect the work of the Dutch Masters, especially Vermeer, were also beautifully realized. A major challenge was the creation of the beast's make up. The filmmakers were lucky enough to find an elderly craftsman who worked painstakingly to create a visage that both defined the contours of Marais' facial structure, but also clearly represented the beast's menacing nature. His brilliantly lit and expressive eyes remained the only visible features of his face.

Other than a few tweaks by Cocteau the scenario follows the basic storyline of the centuries-old tale. We meet Belle's family who are now living in reduced circumstances due to the father's series of financial losses. Belle has two greedy and self-serving sisters and a lazy but ambitious brother. The father has been informed that one of his ships safely reached port and he is summoned to collect his riches. Two of the daughters ask him to bring them valuable presents, while Belle simply asks for a rose. Unfortunately, when the merchant arrives at the docks he is told that his fortune has been handed over to his creditors to pay his outstanding debts and that there is nothing left for him. Forced to return home at night he loses his way and comes upon a mysterious castle in the deep woods. When he calls out he is answered by what sounds like a low roar, and though frightened, he enters the beasts domain, where he finds himself faced with the many magical elements that occupy the beasts living quarters. Although a lavish display of food has been prepared for him, he's too tired to eat and falls asleep. Upon awakening he hastily prepares to return home when he comes across a glorious garden with an unusual rose bush bearing stunning white roses and he picks one for his daughter Belle. Suddenly there is a loud roar and the beast appears, telling the father that plucking a rose is punishable by death. He offers the father a reprieve if he will send one of his daughters to replace him. The merchant is given the use of a horse named Magnificent, who will take him back to his family. Upon arriving home he is chastised by his two daughters and his son for not killing the beast and stealing his riches. Amidst the bickering and accusations the devoted Belle slips away on Magnificent and is transported to the beast's domain.

Belle's odyssey through the various rooms is presented in slow motion creating a dreamlike sequence as she encounters all the enchanted objects occupying every part of the castle. When the beast appears to her she is horrified at first, but he treats her with gentleness and kindness, which allays her fear. He declares that he will join her for supper every evening at seven o'clock and will ask her to marry him each night. As time passes Belle develops a fondness for this creature in whom she recognizes a passionate but impossible desire to be human. The beast has fallen in love with Belle and it becomes increasingly difficult for him to stay away from her, exemplified by one horrific incident when the beast, fresh from a kill, bloodied and feverish, appears at Belle's bedroom door. Shame overwhelms him and he cries out to Belle to close her door. Belle finds herself eagerly awaiting the presence of the beast at dinner even though she refuses his proposal every time he asks. Indeed Belle has quite unconsciously developed a fondness for her captor.

One day the magic mirror discloses to Belle that her father has been gravely ill since her departure and is now on the verge of death. She implores the beast to allow her to visit her father, promising to return. He grants her wish allowing her eight days away from him stating that if she does not return he will die of grief. He gives her the two most valuable objects in his life, the golden key that opens the door to the building which stores his vast wealth; and his glove, which will transport her back to the castle. Belle's return invigorates her father and he makes a recovery; while by his side she sheds tears that turn to diamonds. The rest of her family is not pleased by her return knowing what a great fortune is within their grasp. Avenant joins the plot to murder the beast and steal his riches. The sisters in an attempt to detain Belle so that she will miss her deadline to return, use onions to elicit phony tears as they plead with her to stay. Meanwhile, they have stolen the golden key and given it to Avenant and their brother.

A tormented Beast sends Magnificent to bring Belle back to him, but when the horse arrives, the two would-be thieves mount him and head for the treasure. Afraid to open the door with the key, Avenant suggests that they enter the building through the skylight. By this time Belle has discovered her family's treachery and has also seen an image of the dying beast in the magic mirror that the Beast sent along with Magnificent. In a panic, she uses the glove to return to the Beast in time to save him. She is too late and the Beast is dead. As she cradles him in her arms and is about to declare her love for him, Avenant is killed by an arrow shot by a statue of the goddess Diana, the protector of the Beast's wealth. Belle's brother looks on in horror as the dying Avenant changes into the beast, while the Beast is resurrected as a handsome prince who looks exactly like Avenant. The prince and Belle float gracefully up to his kingdom where Belle will be his Queen.

A happy ending? Yes, but with qualifications. Belle is not overjoyed that the prince looks like Avenant. The prince is aware of this and asks her if she loved Avenant and she replies "Yes". When he asks if she loved the Beast, she also answers "Yes", but with a totally different tone of voice. Her delivery of the second 'yes' makes us believe that she would rather have the beast at her side than the Prince Charming who takes his place. She loved the beast for the gentle soul he truly was, and his ugliness was of no consequence. It is said that at the film's premiere, Greta Garbo shouted from the audience, "Where is my Beast?", echoing Belle's exact thoughts.

A Shout Out to Robert Ryan

For many years I did not appreciate Robert Ryan's tremendous acting versatility, identifying him as someone who realistically portrayed dangerously disturbed sociopathic criminal types, which he did very well in Crossfire, Bad Day at Black Rock, House of Bamboo, The Racket, etc. The other day I channel-surfed into Bad Day at Black Rock; I watched it until the end, witnessing the epic battle between good and evil, Spencer Tracy vs Robert Ryan, in a harrowing fight which appropriately ends with Ryan in flames. I've seen this film several times, and Ryan's demonic performance still remains powerfully frightening. I felt a sudden urge to write a short thank-you note to this outstanding actor for giving us a legacy of memorable performances, highlighting one film which showcased his remarkable talents.

I give deserved props to Ryan's reputation as one of the best Hollywood villains, but in the film On Dangerous Ground, there are subtle and effective nuances of performance that not only demonstrate his skill at portraying tortured, bitter and emotionally unstable characters, but also reveal a tender and romantic element that brilliantly and believably evolves through the course of the movie.

Ryan plays Jim Wilson, a burnt-out city detective, disgusted by the trash heap of criminals he must deal with on a daily basis, frustrated to the point of using brutal force to extract information from suspects. He is at the brink of losing control with his interrogation methods drawing unfavorable attention to the police department. His superiors decide to give him a cooling off period and send him to investigate a murder in the rural countryside. In this cold, stark landscape dotted with snow, Wilson meets Mary Malden (Ida Lupino), sister of the alleged murderer he's tracking down. She is blind and alone, taking care of her simple-minded brother since their parents died. Wilson is moved by her open nature and courage, which begin to strip away the layers of cynicism and bitterness that have accumulated around his heart.

At the beginning of this film Wilson is a ruthless cop on the verge of a melt-down; by the end he has seamlessly become a human being who is now ready to accept the possibility of loving and being loved. In the course of 82 minutes, Ryan manages to capture all the elements of his tough guy screen persona, while instilling in the audience the belief that there is a real chance for him to experience the happiness that has eluded him for so long. Ida Lupino's gentle and low-key performance perfectly complements Ryan's and the ending, framed by the beautiful viola solo written for Lupino's character by Bernard Herrmann, is unusual for movies of the film noir genre; it is uplifting with the promise of redemption.

Fay Bainter - The Queen Mother of Hollywood

Fay Bainter is probably best known for being the first person to be nominated for both Best Actress (White Banners) and Best Supporting Actress (Jezebel) in the same year, 1938, eventually winning for her supporting role as Aunt Belle in Jezebel. But there was another element to her career that is worthy of attention; in over half of her 39 films she portrayed a mother or wife, imbuing these characters with a rarely seen depth of understanding and caring. She had been playing ingénues in the theater since the age of five and by the time she originated the role of Fran Dodsworth in the Broadway version of Sinclair Lewis's novel, she was 40 years old. When she headed for Hollywood in 1934 she realized that she was now more suited for strong character roles; ironically, however, the role of Fran in the film version of Dodsworth went to Ruth Chatterton.

Her first film was This Side of Heaven in 1934 opposite Lionel Barrymore. This was not an auspicious beginning to her career, as she did not like her performance in the film or working in Hollywood. But this would all change in 1937 when she appeared as Katharine Hepburn's spinster sister in the film adaptation of James M. Barrie's Quality Street. That same year she essayed another role as a mother and wife in Make Way for Tomorrow, Leo McCarey's bold attempt to honestly portray the plight of an older couple who are left with nothing after they lose their house and employment and must seek the help of their children. Bainter played the daughter-in-law of Beulah Bondi, and has to face the many challenges that arise when Bondi moves in with her family. She went on to play the role of Hannah Parmalee in White Banners the film that brought her the Best Actress nomination. It is a story of a woman who gave up her son at childbirth and now wishes to see what kind of life he leads with the family that adopted him. One of her best performances before she signed with MGM was in Daughters Courageous, a quasi-sequel to the Warner Bros. soap opera hit Four Daughters. In this film she plays a single mother of four young women who have been abandoned by their free-spirited father, Claude Raines, and must face the ramifications of his unexpected return to the family fold.

During her tenure at MGM she gave memorable performances as Mickey Rooney's mother in two films, Young Tom Edison and The Human Comedy. She was Van Heflin's mother in Presenting Lily Mars and William Holden's mother in Our Town. Her favorite role, however,was in the film Maryland where she portrayed the overprotective mother of John Payne, fearing that her son would die in a horse related accident as his father had, and doing everything in her power to keep him away from horses. In the rarely seen The War Against Mrs. Hadley, she plays a mother, but in this case she does not represent the loving and compassionate matriarch of her previous films. Instead, she is a Washington socialite who becomes annoyed when her birthday celebration is interrupted by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and initially is clueless as to the affects of the war on her family.

There were several other actresses who often played maternal type roles, including Mary Astor, Selena Royle, Beulah Bondi, and Agnes Moorehead. The difference between these actresses and Fay Bainter was the fact that she had spent much of her career on the stage. Her unique soothing speaking voice and benign, but attractive facial structure combined to create a mother figure who was also a safe haven, someone you could go to with your problems and be comforted and counseled and held close to the heart without fear of being hurt in the process. The elegance acquired from years in the theater was unique to her screen persona and enhanced her reputation as Hollywood's embodiment of motherhood

12 Days of Christmas: When Fred Met Barbara - "Remember the Night" (1940)

In my family Now Voyager has long been the movie that we could sit and watch for 24 hours a day; we all know the dialogue and we compete to see who does the best Bette Davis impression. However, another film is poised to take the place of the iconic Warner Bros. romance. Remember the Night stars Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, the future murderous lovers of Double Indemnity, in very different roles as improbable soul mates who find the gift of love at Christmas. Although written by Preston Sturges, this is not one of his screwball comedies, but rather a comedy drama laced with darker moments; the bittersweet ending is a still a subject of debate to this day. It is well documented that director Mitchell Leisen ( Midnight, Frenchman's Creek, Hold Back the Dawn, To Each His Own ) made many changes to Sturges' screenplay. He cut scenes out completely, pared down others, and switched the emphasis from Fred MacMurray to Barbara Stanwyck. Although understandably unhappy with Leisen's script tampering, Sturges showed up every day on the set during shooting. He spent a lot of time with Barbara Stanwyck and promised to write a screwball comedy for her, which he did one year later with The Lady Eve. But his negative experience on this film led him to finally fulfill his dream of directing his own scripts; his first film as writer-director was The Great McGinty. Even though Remember the Night opened to favorable reviews, Sturges dismissed it summarily as unadulterated schmaltz

You were wrong Mr. Sturges! The greatness of this film lies in the fact that every moment that could have turned into a melodramatic cliché was transformed into a quietly believable interaction between characters. The growing love between Stanwyck and MacMurray is presented as a series of revelatory exchanges and actions which surprise both of them by creating feelings of affection and attraction which neither had expected. Barbara Stanwyck is magnificent in her portrayal of a petty criminal, cynical and initially unsympathetic, whose view of the world is softened by a holiday visit with MacMurray's family.















The basic story of Remember the Night involves a shoplifter, Lee Leander (Barbara Stanwyck) arrested on Christmas Eve trying to steal a diamond bracelet, facing prosecution by an assistant district attorney, John Sargent (Fred MacMurray) who knows he won't get a conviction from a jury on Christmas Eve and motions to postpone the trial until after the holiday. He feels bad about Lee's spending Christmas in jail and bails her out. She is brought to his apartment believing that he wants her to spend the night as repayment for posting bail. But that is not the case, and John tells her to go home but not before he takes her out to dinner. They are seen together at the restaurant by the judge in the case and leave quickly. Sargent is on his way home to Indiana to spend the holidays with his family and finds out that Lee also is a Hoosier, and offers to drop her off on the way home and pick her up on the return trip. Lee's attempt to reconcile with her estranged mother proves disastrous when the callous and unforgiving woman turns her own daughter out of her childhood home. John takes pity on her, inviting her to spend the holidays with his family. It is during this time that Lee's proximity to a loving family and the joy they share with each other breaks down the barriers she has set up for protection against the harsh world she inhabits. The affection that develops between her and John is depicted in small increments with unexpected outcomes. It is in this nurturing setting that Stanwyck begins to glow, exuding a brilliance, almost an inner light, perhaps reflecting a new found hope for the future. There are scenes in which Lee Leander is no longer a character played by Barbara Stanwyck, but a young woman with a troubled past accepting the kindness she is offered, and taking a new interest in changing the direction of her life. In one scene, while vigorously brushing her hair, Stanwyck seems to acknowledge the possibility that she could establish a better life for herself; with every stroke one more strand of her past falls away. She continues to engage in family-oriented activities; playing the piano and singing on Christmas Eve; and going to the annual barn dance, dressed in an old-fashioned party gown, with corset and layers of undergarments. With a bow in her hair and looking as lovely as a photograph from another era, she weakens John's resistance to his growing affection for her and he professes his love. They embrace and share their first meaningful kiss and John seems to be willing to forsake his burgeoning career in order to be with Lee. This change is not lost on John's mother; she approaches Lee and wistfully explains the hardships that her son endured in order to become a lawyer, intimating that a relationship with her would be detrimental to his future. John however is aware of his mother's objections and will not end his relationship with Lee. On the return trip for the court date John offers Lee a chance for freedom in Canada; with Niagara Falls as the backdrop Lee chooses to continue on to her trial.
















Still determined to prevent Lee from going to prison, John badgers and bullies Lee on the witness stand, until Lee realizes he is trying to throw the case. She interrupts his questioning and declares to the judge that she wants to plead guilty much to John's dismay. He follows her as she is led out of the courtroom and agonizingly questions her decision. For Lee the only way to redeem herself and make herself worthy of John's love is to pay for the crime that she committed. She refuses John's proposal of marriage but tells him that if he feels the same way when she's released she will marry him.


The most poignant moment in this scene however occurs when Lee asks John to hold her hand during her sentencing, indicating that she is frightened by the prospect of prison, but still determined to do the right thing. The ending of this film is written and performed in a way that leaves the audience without a definite idea of what will happen in the future. There is no guarantee that John's love will survive introspection or that Lee's rehabilitation will be successful. The darkness attributed to this ending is another way of saying that the outcome is uncertain as it is in real life.

Remember the Night is essentially a movie for all seasons. It doesn't hammer you over the head with lessons in morality, but rather gently and effectively depicts how love can heal a wounded spirit and change the course of one's life.

Feel Good Movies: A Delightful Italian Neorealism Variation of Cinderella - "More than a Miracle" (1967)

I fell head over heels in love with this movie in 1967. I saw it 6 or 7 times, immersing myself into its charming and delightfully different reworking of the basic Cinderella tale. In Italy it was titled Cinderella Italian Style; however, a prince seeking a bride and a peasant girl longing for a better life are the only similarities to the original. The eclectic mix of fairy tale elements, including flying monks and an ancient sorceress, royal romantic intrigue, unexpected moments of comedy and drama, the charisma and lusty chemistry between Sophia Loren and Omar Sharif, a lovely musical score and sweeping vistas of the starkly beautiful Naples countryside proved to be a thoroughly soul-satisfying movie-going experience that did not diminish with multiple viewings.

More than a Miracle was the brainchild of Sophia Loren's husband, producer Carlo Ponti, who envisioned a film which would appeal to an international audience. Omar Sharif, whose star power had increased following his performance in Doctor Zhivago, was chosen to play the devastatingly handsome, but arrogant, Prince Rodrigo. Ponti's choice of director Francesco Rosi. however, was startling. His previous films, Salvatore Guiliano (1961) and Hands Over the City (1963) incorporated the Italian neorealism themes of social and political injustice created by the ever-increasing disparity between the classes, exemplified in the classics The Bicycle Thief and Umberto D. Amazingly, amidst the fantasy and magic, Rosi effectively applied the socioeconomic tenets of neorealism to the relationship between Sharif's prince and Loren's peasant girl, and the painfully obvious difference in their social status, which almost derails the requisite happily ever after ending.

The hoped-for happy conclusion of this fractured fairy-tale is attained after a series of unusual events triggered by Prince Rodrigo's failure to obey an order from the King of Spain to find a wife. He escapes from the meddling of his marriage minded mother, riding his magnificent white horse at breakneck speed, resulting in a tumble out of the saddle. He walks to a monastery where he gets advice from one of the friars about finding a wife and is offered a method of choosing the right one. While looking for his horse, he encounters the strong-willed peasant girl Isabella. He finds himself attracted to this earthy beauty and decides to subject her to the friar's test. It looks like she will fulfill the requirements when she makes a disqualifying mistake. Rodrigo is furious with her for not completing the task, and decides to punish her. His plan is to pretend he is dead and then disappear. The horrified Isabella acquires a spell to bring him back to life, but misreads the formula, resulting in an immobilized Rodrigo, his entire body frozen like a statue. Various bizarre concoctions are used in an attempt to counter the spell, including an ammonia-scented, warm yellow liquid. However, it takes a kiss from Isabella to release him from the curse. A revived Rodrigo wreaks his revenge on Isabella by locking her in a large wooden barrel and rolling it down a hill towards the sea; however, she is rescued by a a rag-tag gang of beach urchins. A repentant Isabella abandons the black arts and obtains a position in Rodrigo's household as a laundress, hoping to win his love on her own merits. She doesn't realize how close she is to attaining her goal as Rodrigo already harbors a deep affection for her, which soon evolves into the love of Isabella's dreams. Of course the issues of her lower class status and his mother's staunch opposition to such a union must be resolved. Rodrigo concocts what seems to be a perfect solution: He organizes a dish-washing contest among the 7 prospective brides and declares that he will marry the woman who breaks the least amount of dishes, knowing that their lily white hands have never come in contact with dish water. He disguises Isabella as a princess certain that she will be the winner and his bride. As predicted, Isabella is far ahead of the others, when inexplicably her dishes start to break in half. Her momentum is disrupted and she becomes increasingly frantic as the breakage continues to diminish her lead. She is ultimately defeated by a pampered aristocrat who had never worked a day in her life! Rodrigo is stunned and infuriated by this unexpected turn of events and publicly denounces Isabella, his rage blinding him to the possibility of sabotage. A despondent Isabella flees from Rodrigo's anger and contemplates drowning herself, but is convinced by the gentle friar from the monastery, now a saintly presence, to return to Rodrigo and reveal the conniving contest winner who used her diamond ring to weaken the stability of Isabella's stack of plates. The lovers are reconciled and their engagement is announced with much fanfare as they walk arm in arm through the crowd, aware of nothing except the love in each other's eyes.

In his TCM article on More than a Miracle, Jeffrey Stafford wrote:

“When More Than a Miracle opened theatrically, it was well received by most Italian film critics but failed to find an audience outside its own country. Maybe the mixture of flying monks and jousting tournaments and cackling witches and dishwashing contests (a major set piece towards the film’s climax) was just too eclectic for American moviegoers. Either that or sixties audiences felt they were too hip for an old-fashioned fairy tale. The Time magazine reviewer probably said it best: ‘That anybody would bother these days to make so slender and fanciful a film is a miracle in itself; to do it with such a profusion of visual beauty is More than a Miracle’ "(Stafford,TCM, Par. 4)

The fact that I had never considered myself even remotely hip may have been the reason I found comfort and joy in this "lost" (not available on VHS or DVD) component of Sophia Loren's filmography. Those who ignored this film robbed themselves of the opportunity to see Sophia's radiant and lighthearted performance and a chance to marvel at her incredibly vibrant beauty. I may have been an audience of one, but I was more than willing to suspend disbelief and bask in the whimsical glow of this enchanting film.

Bv Popular Demand - Forever Knight - 90s Cult TV Vampire Series

With all the current fervor over vampire tales on TV and in films, even the prestigious Paley Media Center in New York City has not only scheduled a vampire festival weekend in November, it is also conducting an online poll to select the top TV vampire of all-time! The original selection of nominees included such icons as Angel, Spike, Barnabas Collins, and Count Chocula, as well as current favorites from television's increasing roster of vampire oriented drama, Moonlight and True Blood. Voters were encouraged to write in their favorites if they had been excluded from the list. Apparently there were so many comments regarding the omission of Forever Knight, a series ranked by TV Guide as one of the 25 best cult TV shows of all time, that Nick Knight, the 800-year-old vampire turned Toronto cop, was added by popular demand. Having been an avid fan of the series I was alternately appalled by his absence and pleased by his eventual inclusion. I'm not sure if he will eventually win the poll, but he certainly should be a contender.


The character of Nick Knight first appeared in a 1989 CBS pilot starring Rick Springfield in the title role; however due to lukewarm audience reaction plans were abandoned for a series. Then in 1992 CBS dusted off the shelved pilot and transformed it into a two-part episode called Dark Knight 1 and Dark Knight 2 which evolved into the series Forever Knight airing in CBS's late night lineup Crimetime After Primetime. The series broadcast history is rather convoluted and involves several fan letter writing campaigns to save it, but episodes were shown from 1992 to 1996 although in a somewhat erratic manner.

Nick Knight, an 800-year-old vampire, seeks redemption for all the evil he has done over the centuries by becoming a night shift Toronto cop, where he can use his considerable powers to track down and punish Toronto's criminal population. At the same time he seeks a medical treatment that will make him human once again. Although the cast changed over the course of its run, several characters remained constant, each having a significant role in Nick's efforts to become mortal. LaCroix the powerful vampire who brought Nick over to the dark side, now a nighttime radio show host catering to a vampire audience, unwilling to allow Nick to abandon immortality and doing everything in his power to stop him. Dr. Natalie Lambert the medical examiner, who first meets Nick in a body bag and eventually joins him in his efforts to find a way back. Nick's partner Detective Schanke, always questioning Nick's unorthodox tactics and confounded by his apparent supernatural powers; still becoming a loyal and dependable friend. And Janette, a sultry vampire always willing to give Nick what he needed in his moments of despair.







Forever Knight became an instant cult favorite when it debuted in May 1992, adding new dimensions to previous depictions of vampires in film and television. Nick was portrayed as a tragic romantic who fought courageously against his bloodlust; but the audience was continually reminded of his bloody and murderous past. Through the use of extremely effective flashbacks, most often taking place in earlier centuries, viewers became familiar with the horror of Nick's existence and came to understand his tortured path back to humanity. Those who accompanied him on this journey were there at the end, a thoroughly unsatisfactory cliffhanger which left many issues unresolved and thousands of fans disappointed and angry.

Forever Knight enthusiasts have found their niche on the internet, websites filled with photos, bios, episode guides, reviews, articles, merchandise, and opinions. Many believe without Forever Knight, there would be no Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, True Blood or Vampire Diaries. More than a decade after its last episode was broadcast, stalwart fans still cry foul at the unceremonious cancellation and denigrate CBS's lame attempt to remake the series as the short-lived Moonlight. More than likely, we will not see a resurrection of the original, but the collective voice of its fans was strong enough to convince the Paley Center to add Nick Knight to its list of nominees for best television vampire. The established fan-base is satisfied, and the uninitiated may take the opportunity to learn more about this guy, Nick Knight, who was included by popular demand.