TrivaTime - Part 37

Well I'm back. Are you ready for this week's Trivia Time?  You feeling lucky? Well, do you?

Who Am I ? I've been making films since 1938. I've work with, among others, Gary Cooper, William Bendix, Steve McQueen, Ida Lupino, James Garner, Julie Andrews, and William Holden. Who am I ?

#1. Who Played Dr. Bolen in the film Mars Needs Women?

#2. Who was the male star?

#3. Brain Buster # 1. What group did the theme song for the film The Monkey's Uncle?

#4. What rock group appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show more than any other group?

#5. Who did Robert Preston say he based Centauri in The Last Starfighter on?

#6. Brain Buster # 2.What director was Warren's first choice to direct Bonnie & Clyde?

#7. What "Rock Star" played the bartender in the film Thunderheart?

#8. Has the "Rock Star" done any other films? If so, what are they?

#9. Who was the bar tender/owner in the film Junior Bonner? What was the name of the place?

#10.Who wrote the screenplay for the1942 RKO film Journey into Fear?

Trivia Time Part 36 - The Answers

Wow, I'm sorry it's taken so long to post these (I almost forgot the answers myself).

# 4 and #5. The "credited screenwritters" on Head were Bob Rafelson (who also directed )and Jack Nicholson. The bridge used is the Vincent Thomas in LA Harbor (San Pedro, CA). Check out the Head trailer.




#6. True. Both David and Steven did try out.

#8. The Great American Soup spot was first shown on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

#9. The talk show was The Merv Griffen Show.

#11. Elvira's production company was called Rank Amateur productions.

See you all later today.

Show Boat Has a Good Flowing Story

The 1951 remake of Show Boat is one of my favorite movie musicals. It was directed by George Sidney, who also helmed such famous musicals as Annie Get Your Gun (1950), Kiss Me Kate (1953), and Bye Bye Birdie (1963) in addition to The Three Musketeers (1948) and Scaramouche (1953). Howard Keel was the leading man in Show Boat, which co-starred the talented Kathryn Grayson. Keel was also in Annie Get Your Gun and starred with Kathryn Grayson again in two other musicals: Kiss Me Kate and Lovely to Look At (1952). The movie Show Boat is based on a book by Edna Ferber. Jerome Kern wrote the music and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote the script and song lyrics. It is one of MGM’s most popular musicals. There are quite a few differences between this remake and the 1936 original version. Many movie critics like the earlier one better, although the 1951 remake is more elaborate and the running time is shorter. I have never seen the 1936 version of Show Boat.

The story takes place at the end of the nineteenth century when river boats were still popular. The name of this show boat is the “Cotton Blossom.” It is not a passenger boat, but simply a boat that performs musical entertainment to towns along the Mississippi River. The “Cotton Blossom” is owned by Andy Hawks (Joe E. Brown) and his wife, Parthy (Agnes Moorehead). They have a grown daughter named Magnolia (I love that name), whom they call Nolie (played by Kathryn Grayson). Magnolia is good friends with the Julie LaVerne (Ava Gardner), who is the leading performer in the musical show along with her husband, Steve Baker (Robert Sterling). Magnolia looks up to Julie as a big sister. Along comes Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel), a riverboat gambler looking for a job as an actor on the show boat. He is instantly attracted to Magnolia. They sing “Make Believe” which becomes their love song. Julie sees quickly that Ravenal is smitten with Magnolia, who comes to Julie and asks her about being in love. Julie sings the song “Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man.” (Ava Gardner’s voice is dubbed by a singer named Annette Warren. However in the MGM soundtrack album, Ava Gardner actually sings the song.)

Trouble begins when a man named Pete (Leif Erickson), who works on the show boat, finds out that Julie has given a necklace he gave her to a black woman. Julie tries to get away from him and her husband, Steve, hits him. Joe is mad at Julie and knows a secret about her that will cause her to be fired from the show. He goes to the local sheriff and tells him that Julie’s father was white and her mother was black. He adds that Julie is married to a white man. The sheriff goes to the “Cotton Blossom” and confronts Julie, Steve, and Mr. Hawks since interracial marriages are against the law. Mr. Hawks does not want to, but has to let Julie go. Steve leaves with her. Before Julie leaves, Magnolia gives her an early Christmas gift that she made herself. As Julie and Steve depart the show boat,” Joe (William Warfield), who works on the boat, sings the famous “Ol’ Man River” song as the fog rolls in off the river.

Mr. Hawk comes up with the idea of his daughter, Magnolia, and Gaylord Ravenal taking over as the lead performers in his musical show. The two soon fall deeply in love. Parthy Hawks is not happy with her daughter getting involved with a river gambler. She tells Ravenal he is not to kiss her daughter during any play performances and watches the two “like a hawk”. Every chance they get Magnolia and Ravenal sneak in a kiss. When they tell Magnolia’s parents they want to marry, Mr. Hawks is delighted—but not Parthy. So, Magnolia and Ravenal leave the “Cotton Blossom.”

They move into an expensive hotel in Chicago. At first, they are happy singing “You Are in Love” and “Why Do I Love You.” Ravenal gambles and makes a lot of money. He buys Magnolia jewels and spends his money lavishly. However, his luck begins to run out and he owes debts. Magnolia offers him her jewels to sell, saying she loves him and not the money. Her husband sells them and loses all the money. He leaves Magnolia without telling her, not realizing that his wife is pregnant. Magnolia is forced to find a job to support herself and her baby. Julie finds out about Magnolia hardships. Julie’s story is heart retching and the saddest part of the story. She does two courageous and compassionate things that change Magnolia’s life. I cannot tell you the rest of the story without spoiling it.

The plot of Show Boat is not the usual happy, simple plot of most musicals. It is more like a drama with musical performances. The film’s background is quite interesting. Judy Garland was chosen to play Julie, but her contract with MGM has ended by the time the part was available. The next choices were Dinah Shore and Lena Horne, but they were dropped. Ava Gardner won the role and did an outstanding job. George Sidney was sick for several days and associate producer Roger Edens had to take over for him. He directed the scene with the fog when Julie and her husband left the show boat and William Warfield sang “Ol Man River.” Many critics say this was the best and most original scene in the movie. Roger Edens’ name is not listed in the credits. Edens searched for the singer to play Joe who sang “Ol Man River,” and he discovered the unknown William Warfield.

The most famous line in the movie is Joe E. Brown’s Andy Hawks. who is drunk on New Year’s Eve. saying “Hap---py New Year!” Notice how Agnes Moorehead as Parthy uses it in the ending. Leif Erickson’s name is misspelled in the credits as “Lief.” Ava Gardner’s Julie plays a big sister role to Kathryn Grayson’s Magnolia, but both actresses were born year in 1922. Both grew up in North Carolina towns too. Ava was born near Smithfield, NC and Kathryn Grayson in Winston-Salem, NC. When Kathryn Grayson died last March, the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield did a tribute to her. Howard Keel was known as a fine singer, but also played dramatic roles, such as Clayton Farlow on the Dallas television show from 1981-1991.

The water used as the Mississippi River was the lake built for the Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan movies made at MGM Studios. It was on a back lot and was called The Lagoon. An amusement park bought the boat in 1973 for one of its attractions and it was taken apart in 1995.

Show Boat boasts an engrossing story, a terrific cast, and marvelous music and songs. Try to see the new DVD, which features clear, beautiful color.

Dial H for Hitchcock: Hitch and Cary

By 1941 Alfred Hitchcock had achieved startling success in the U.S. with his first two American films, Rebecca and Foreign Correspondent. Both were box office hits and both were nominated for Best Picture/1940, with Rebecca taking the award.

In 1941, Cary Grant was a relatively newly minted top star. He had broken through in 1937 with The Awful Truth, but had much more recently starred in George Cukor's sensational The Philadelphia Story as well as the George Stevens hit Penny Serenade, a film that brought him his first Best Actor nomination.

The director and actor came together for the first time that year on Suspicion. It was the first film that Hitchcock produced as well as directed and, though flawed, it has some brilliant touches. One neat trick was the casting of Cary Grant in an ambiguous role, one of the first in which he portrayed a character with shadowy, menacing facets. The plot concerns a charming rogue who marries a plain-jane heiress. Throughout the film the storyline strongly insinuates that this dapper man is much worse than unreliable and, by the end, may be plotting to kill his wife.

In a 1963 interview, Hitchcock complained to Peter Bogdanovich about Suspicion, blaming the studio for making him change the ending, "...you see, Cary Grant couldn't be a murderer." Years later New York Times critic Elvis Mitchell observed that the ending destroyed the film "...by negating what has come up until that point." Regardless, the film was a success, garnering Oscar nominations and a Best Actress award for Joan Fontaine.

Five years and World War II came and went before the two men worked together again. In the intervening years Grant had made half a dozen pictures and gotten another Best Actor nod. During that period Hitchcock had also made a half-dozen films and earned two Best Director nominations.

Their second film was Notorious (1946), one of the most acclaimed of Hitchcock's films and one of Cary Grant's most complex performances. A true masterpiece, Notorious is another perfect showcase of the director's technical genius, includes a textbook example of the "MacGuffin" plot device and contains some of the best performances in any of his films; Grant and his co-stars Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Louis Calhern and Leopoldine Konstantin all stand out. Critic James Agee shrewdly perceived the "cultivated, clipped puzzled-idealist brutality" in Grant's characterization of agent Devlin. Notorious was a huge box office success, Rains earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination and Ben Hecht's screenplay was also nominated.

Nearly a decade would pass until Hitchcock and Grant collaborated again. The year was 1955, and Grant had been moving away from the sort of roles that were his trademark. Among the parts he'd been playing were the harried suburban husband in Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House (1948) and the quirky middle-aged chemist in Monkey Business (1952). Hitchcock's career had suffered a decline following Notorious but he rebounded forcefully with Strangers on a Train (1951) and most recently enjoyed the enormous box-office success of Rear Window (1954).

With Hitchcock's To Catch a Thief (1955), Cary Grant returned to type as 'John Robie the Cat' and remained there for most of the rest of his career.

Alfred Hitchcock often referred to To Catch a Thief as "champagne," and it was a bubbly, stimulating confection. The Riviera and Grace Kelly were never more beautiful than in this VistaVision/Technicolor fantasy, and Hitchcock's fine, frothy tale of suspense, romance and double-entendres became a smash hit that was nominated for three Oscars, with Robert Burks taking one home for Best Cinematography.

The final pairing of Hitchcock and Grant was North by Northwest (1959), a spectacular ultimate-Hitchcock thrill-ride leavened with clever comic moments and a tricky romance. Grant stars as a very sophisticated innocent man on the run. It is the most popular of the films Hitchcock and Grant made together and was the one, Grant said, that fans mentioned to him more than any other. Besides being a blockbuster, North by Northwest was Oscar-nominated for film editing, art direction and Ernest Lehman's screenplay.

Hitchcock was approaching the twilight of his career at this point, though he still had one of his very best films, Psycho (1960), ahead of him. Grant was also winding down but his biggest box office hit, Operation Petticoat (1959), would be his next project, and the "most popular Hitchcock film Hitchcock never made," Stanley Donen's Charade (1963), was yet to come. Grant would retire in 1966 and, though Hitchcock reportedly wanted him for Torn Curtain (1965), the actor made Walk Don't Run (1966), his final film, instead.

By the time they worked on their last collaboration Cary Grant, not an especially trusting man, completely trusted Alfred Hitchcock and would follow whatever advice the director gave him because, as Grant put it, "he was always right."

For Hitchcock's part he, who was not so very fond of actors, would look back and call Cary Grant "...the only actor I ever loved..."

Though neither of these two film giants ever won a competitive Academy Award, Hitchcock was honored with the Irving Thalberg Award in 1968 and Grant received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1970.

When Superheroes were Nice and Terrific on TV

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then the U.S. broadcast TV networks have a proven track record of displaying sincerity toward each other. When Dallas became a blockbuster in the 1980s, every TV network jumped on the nighttime soap bandwagon. More recently, when CSI clicked with viewers, police procedurals began to dominate the network schedules (and still do). In 1967, the hottest thing on American TV was ABC’s Batman—and that brings us to the fateful 1967 clash between CBS’s Mr. Terrific and NBC’s Captain Nice.

Neither show really competed with Batman, since they didn’t benefit from a known character, lacked big name guest stars, and (wisely) avoided camp. Instead, they were sitcoms oriented toward a young audience and they competed exclusively with each other. In fact, both series were shown on Monday night (Terrific at 8:00 and Nice at 8:30); they even debuted on the same date of January 9, 1967.

Mr. Terrific starred Stephen Strimpnell as a milquetoast named Stanley Beamish who worked at a gas station. As explained at the start of each episode, government scientists—while trying to invent a cure for the common cold—accidentally created a pill that temporarily provides superhuman powers (e.g., ability to fly, amazing strength). The catch is that the scientists learn the pill only works on one human—Stanley. The Bureau of Secret Projects convinces Stanley to join it and he’s sent on missions under the guidance of Barton J. Reed (the reliable John McGiver). Once he swallows the pill, Stanley becomes Mr. Terrific, who wears goggles and dons a shiny silver costume. He has to flap his arms to fly. But his biggest challenge is that the pill lasts for only one hour (though booster pills can provide an additional 20 minutes). As you might imagine, Stanley loses his powers at the most inopportune times.

Over on NBC, William Daniels played Carter Nash, a police department chemist who accidentally discovered a superhero formula that could turn him into Captain Nice. Actually, Carter was a reluctant mild-mannered superhero (with a fear of heights), whose mother (Alice Ghostley) convinced him to become a crimefighter. Mrs. Nash even sewed her son’s costume (which kinda looked like patriotic pajamas with stars on the shirt and long red stripes on the white pants). Carter’s girlfriend was police detective Candy Kane (Ann Prentiss).

Created by Buck Henry, who struck gold two years earlier with Get Smart, Captain Nice was regularly thumped in the ratings by The Rat Patrol on ABC. Mr. Terrific didn’t fare much better and both shows were cancelled that May. Captain Nice has built a minor cult following over the years, primarily because of Henry and William Daniels (who would star in St. Elsewhere 15 years later and earn two Emmys as Dr. Mark Craig). Mr. Terrific’s Stephen Strimpnell never achieved such fame, but the Columbia Law School grad had a solid career on the stage.

The Benny Goodman Story (1956)

The Benny Goodman Story (1956). Biographical film. Cast: Steve Allen and Donna Reed, Director: Valentine Davies. This film is based on the life of clarinetist Benny Goodman, who recorded most of the clarinet solos used in the film. Lionel Hampton, Martha Tilton, Kid Ory, George Givot, Gene Krupa, and many other musicians have cameo appearances in this film. However, while Ziggy Elman performed on screen recreating his trumpet solo on "And the Angels Sing", he was unable to record his portion for the soundtrack; Manny Klein actually performed it, off-camera.

I just love biographical films. This story begins with Benny becoming an excellent clarinetist by the time he is fourteen. Benny grabs the first opportunity to play in a ragtime band, joins the musicians' union, and begins his career. He has the opportunity to listen to the "Kid", who tells him to play the way he feels and invites him to sit in. Benny joins the Ben Pollack band and plays at dances throughout the country. The Pollack band secures a job in the speakeasy of Benny's former neighbor, now gangster, Little Jake Primo. There he meets John Hammond, a music critic and his sister Alice, who prefers classical music.

Pollack's band flops in New York. Benny begins to worry that there is no audience for his kind of music and is forced to perform with more traditional dance bands. Still impressed with Benny's talent, Hammond invites him to perform a Mozart clarinet concerto before an audience in the Hammond mansion. Alice is surprised by "all this emotion comes pouring out" when he plays. Benny forms a band and begins to play on an NBC Saturday night radio program. Jazz musician Fletcher Henderson hears the program and is so impressed that he contributes arrangements for the band. After the show is canceled, Benny's orchestra goes on tour, but before he leaves, he and Alice declare their feelings for each other. The tour is a failure until the orchestra reaches Palomar, California, where the group is a huge success. Benny sees Alice in the audience and plays "Memories of You" for her. Benny forms a quartet that includes Lionel Hampton, Teddy Wilson and Gene Krupa, and by the time Benny, his orchestra, and his quartet return to Chicago, they are making headlines. Benny is booked into Carnegie Hall and worries that "a hall full of longhairs" will not like the orchestra's music, which features guest performers Harry James, Ziggy Elman and Martha Tilton.

Benny Goodman's band performed in many musicals: The Big Broadcast of 1937, Hollywood Hotel (1938), Syncopation (1942), The Powers Girl (1942), Stage Door Canteen (1943), The Gang's All Here (1943), Sweet and Lowdown (1944) and A Song Is Born (1948). Goodman's only starring feature was Sweet and Low Down (1944). Goodman's success story was told in the 1955 motion picture The Benny Goodman Story with Steve Allen and Donna Reed. It was a follow up to 1954's successful The Glenn Miller Story. The screenplay was heavily fictionalized, but the music was real. Many of Goodman's professional colleagues appear in the film, including Ben Pollack, Gene Krupa, Lionel Hampton and Harry James.

Trivia Time Postponed

Trivia Time Part 37 will be postponed until later this week due to a family emergency. I promise to finish posting answers for Trivia Time Part 36 by the end of the week.

This Week's Poll: What was the Best MGM Musical of the 1950s?

This week, the Cafe's poll dares to go where no classic movie poll has gone before! Yes, we have the nerve to ask you to vote for the one best MGM musical of the 1950s. Furthermore, to get the number of candidates down to a reasonable number, we're only providing seven nominees. Not fair, you say! True, it's not...but it should still be an entertaining poll.

MGM made over 60 musicals from 1950-59, featuring some of the greatest stars of the genre: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Esther Williams (to name but a few). The studio's musicals were set in contemporary times, the Old West, and the turn of the century. They featured ballets, underwater choreography, and people dancing with animated characters. But, out of the studio's very diverse catalog of musicals, the following seven nominees are vying for your vote:

Summer Stock. Gene Kelly's musical troupe invades Judy Garland's farm, resulting in the final pairing of these first-rate musical stars. Decked out in a tuxedo jacket, black fedora, and black nylons, Judy delivers one of her most fondly-remembered numbers with "Get Happy."

The Band Wagon. Fred Astaire rescues a promising stage musical from the hands of an artsy-fartsy director. In addition to the lovely "Dancing in the Dark" number with Cyd Charisse, Fred gets to sing the classic "That's Entertainment."

High Society. Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, and Celeste Holm team up for this musical remake of The Philadephia Story. Bing and Grace sing the big hit "True Love." Frank counters with a solo "You're Sensational." And Bing comes back with a duet with Louis Armstrong on "Now You Has Jazz."

An American in Paris. The tuneful score by the Gershwins features "I Got Rhythm," "'S Wonderful," and "Our Love is Here to Stay." But the film's set piece is an ambitious 16-minute ballet that cost a hefty-at-the-time $500,000.

Singin' in the Rain. Hollywood's transition from silent films to the talkies forms the backdrop for this musical starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor. Kelly's splashing "Singin' in the Rain" number is a truly iconic musical number, though O'Connor's "Make 'Em Laugh" has its fans, too.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Michael Kidd's innovative choreography takes center stage in this colorful Western musical starring Jane Powell, Howard Keel, and six more brothers in search of wives. Click here to read a Cafe review of it published earlier this month.

Show Boat. One of several Howard Keel-Kathryn Grayson pairings, this was the second version of the Jerome Kern-Oscar Hammerstein II stage musical. Most critics consider the highlight to be "Ol' Man River" which is sung by William Warfield.

The honorable mentions are pretty impressive lot. There's not room here to list them all, but they include Gigi, Silk Stockings, Les Girls, Brigadoon, Dangerous When Wet, and Annie Get Your Gun. If you feel there's been a serious omission from the MGM 1950s musical vault, then please leave a comment! To vote for one of the seven nominees above, go to the green sidebar on the right.

The Gold Diggers of 1933 Want You To Remember the Forgotten Men

In 1933 Warner Bros. made three very successful musicals; all of which were choreographed by Busby Berkeley.  I have already reviewed the two bookends, 42nd Street and Footlight Parade, so it only makes sense that I give the third (and middle one) its due: Gold Diggers of 1933. While the other two big Warner Bros. musicals of 1933 were directed by Lloyd Bacon, this one was headed by Mervyn LeRoy.

The film is based on the Avery Hopwood play, The Gold Diggers, which first appeared on Broadway in 1919. Screenwriters David Boehm and Erwin S. Gelsey adapted the story to fit the times, namely the Great Depression. If there ever was a musical about the Depression, this is it. As a matter of fact, if someone asked me who the protagonist of the film was I’d say the Depression.

It’s 1933 and times are tough everywhere, especially on Broadway. This is evidenced in the beginning of the film with the “We’re in the Money” number.  Here we find Ginger Rogers in one of the tackiest costumes ever, but also very apt for the rest of the film: the idea that chorus girls are synonymous with gold diggers. Things were great before the Depression in America and on Broadway—they were in the money! But now the Depression has set in and when you can’t pay your bills the creditors shut you down. And that’s exactly what happens to Ginger’s would-be Broadway hit. She and her four roommates are out of a job and wondering how they are going to pay the rent. Fortunately for them and their cash-starved producer (Ned Sparks) they live next door to a gifted singer and songwriter, Brad (Dick Powell), who just happens to be a millionaire.

The problem is Brad can’t be “visibly” involved with the show or his family will cut him off. When the male lead goes down with a bout of lumbago, Brad has to step in which brings publicity and the wrath of his family, who believe he is being fleeced by a gold-digging woman: namely his girlfriend Polly (Ruby Keeler). Yes, Powell and Keeler are once again romantically paired in a Warner Bros. film!!! The family sends Brad’s older brother Lawrence (Warren William) and their lawyer Fanny (Guy Kibee) to investigate and buy-off Polly. This move eventually leads to the two “rescuers” finding themselves enamored with Polly’s two other gold digging roommates, Carol (Joan Blondell) and Trixie (Aline MacMahon). In the end, the only “gold digger” who doesn’t find a rich man is Fay (Rogers).

While the story is cute, it is the musical numbers that make this a highly enjoyable film. Berkeley put together four stellar numbers: the opening “We’re in the Money,” the very racy “Pettin in the Park,” the sophisticated “Shadow Waltz,” and the topical “Remember My Forgotten Man.”

Adorned in next to nothing but a few gold coins, Ginger Rogers sings “We’re in the Money” while other chorus girls dance with giant coins. This was a memorable way to begin a film and it sets up the rest of the film well. I suppose you could say Berkley launched Rogers’ musical career with this number. Yes, she was in 42nd Street, but she wasn’t the focus of any musical numbers.

“Pettin in the Park” is one of the raciest numbers I can think of from this era. Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler sing the number—Keeler also performs a stellar tap dance—while a creepy baby played by Billy Barty escapes from his stroller and harasses chorus girls. In the number a rainstorm happens, and the women go behind a screen and remove their clothes in silhouette. When they emerge they are wearing metal garments, which make it difficult for the men who want to “pet.” Thus, creepy baby finds a can opener. The number is overtly sexual and would have never been allowed only a year later when the Hays Code was put into full effect.

Powell and Keeler also sing “The Shadow Waltz.” In this number Keeler and Rogers (with a whole bevy of girls) dance around with glow-in-the-dark violins. It is visually stunning to watch, but it is not one of my favorite Berkeley numbers. Which is kind of ironic since he (and a number of the girls) almost died while making it when an earthquake hit the studio. Still, the precision in which Berkeley timed these waltzing ladies is a sight to behold.

The final number of the film is the most memorable: “Remember My Forgotten Man.” Joan Blondell sings her little heart out in this number which criticizes America for forgetting the heroes of WWI during the economic turmoil of the Depression. The number opens by parading hundreds of forgotten men across the stage as Blondell, playing a hooker, sings about the dire circumstances facing the common man. The song talks about the emasculation of men and what it not only does to them but their women as well. In my opinion, this is THE musical number of the Great Depression. The lyrics say it all:

Remember my forgotten man,
You had him cultivate the land;
He walked behind the plow,
The sweat fell from his brow,
But look at him right now!

And once, he used to love me,
I was happy then;
He used to take care of me,
Won't you bring him back again?
'Cause ever since the world began,
A woman's got to have a man;
Forgetting him, you see,
Means you're forgetting me
Like my forgotten man.

The number was inspired by the Bonus Army’s disastrous march on Washington D.C. in 1932. Over 43,000 people marched to the capitol demanding payment for WWI benefits that were promised to them in 1924. Hoover ordered the army to forcefully remove the marchers and at least two people were killed. The song is awe-inspiring and Blondell’s performance is spectacularly raw and evokes strong emotions in me every time I watch it. This number is the main reason that I watch this film every time it is shown.

Underrated Performer of the Month: Dwight Frye

Isn't it a shame that so many of the actors we love never knew they would live on in our hearts?  Dwight Frye would have been pleased, I think, to know we remember him well.  Born in 1899, Dwight had a decade of popular success during the 20's on Broadway, mostly in comedies and light romances.  Then he went to Hollywood.  We know him best as Renfield to Bela Lugosi's Dracula.  Dwight's bulging eyes, great shark-like grin, and that famous laugh - "Uh heh heh heh heh heh!" -- who could forget it?

Dwight's Hollywood career was a great disappointment to him.  His parts, mainly Renfield, Fritz the hunchback assistant in Frankenstein, Karl the equally unpleasant assistant in Bride of Frankenstein, Herman the village half-wit in The Vampire Bat, various uncredited torch-bearing villagers in other horror films - these were his main stock in trade.  He did a few regular movies, but not roles in which he could shine. Much of his work ended up on cutting room floors.  He always wished for legitimate acting parts, mostly hoping for comedic roles, but the typecasting curse was too strong.  In 1943, Dwight joined in the war effort by working for Lockheed Aircraft Company.  His health failed because of a coronary condition, for which he did not seek medical attention because of his devout Christian Science beliefs.  He died in that same year of 1943, only 44 years old and leaving a wife and son.  Unhappily, he was being considered for a decent role as a political figure in a film to be directed by Henry King when he died.  I don't know if he ever knew about it.  Sadly, his occupation was registered on the death certificated as "tool designer."

But we know better.  Dwight Frye will always be an important actor to lovers of the original horror movies.  Dracula alone would never have been as entertaining without Dwight as the crazy "old fly eater", as the asylum keeper called him.  So just for Dwight, let's all together: "Uh heh heh heh heh heh!"

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.

Phantom of the Paradise: Singing, Music, and a Crazed, Disfigured Composer on the Loose

Following his Hitchcock-inspired 1973 thriller, Sisters, Brian De Palma may have predictably directed another movie in the same vein. Instead, the director surprised critics and audiences with a film that was evidently a retelling of both the legend of Faust and Gaston Leroux' Phantom of the Opera. Incorporating elements of the thriller genre with a fantastic storyline, De Palma presented to the world Phantom of the Paradise (1974), a rock musical in only the way that he could tell it.

Winslow Leach (William Finley) is an aspiring musician/singer/composer, having nearly completed his masterpiece: a cantata based on the story of Faust. Things seem to be looking up when Swan (Paul Williams), a lucrative record producer who is never photographed, expresses interest in Winslow's work. Unfortunately, Swan wants the man's music, not the man himself. When Winslow realizes that Swan is stealing his music, he attempts to infiltrate the "Swanage" (Swan's monumental estate) and is consequently framed for pushing heroin and tossed in prison (quite appropriately in Sing Sing). The defamed composer escapes and, while sabotaging one of Swan's buildings for his label, Death Records, is disfigured when his face is caught in a record press.

Meanwhile, Swan is planning on opening his new concert hall, the Paradise, utilizing Winslow's cantata. Winslow slips into the Paradise, dons a costume and mask and becomes a menacing presence, terrifying the performers. Despite Winslow's deformity and the loss of his voice, Swan recognizes him and convinces him to rewrite his composition, to be sung by Phoenix (Jessica Harper), a woman whom Winslow met at an audition and with whom he has become enamored. The Phantom is doubtful but agrees to the terms and signs a contract (and is given his voice back electronically by Swan). However, upon completion of the cantata, Swan has Winslow locked away, and the Phantom swears vengeance.

Phantom of the Paradise is first and foremost a musical, with words and music handled by Williams, who also provided the Phantom's singing voice. Williams' music is terrific, a skillful intermingling of rock and pop music, with upbeat numbers as impressive as the ballads. Williams gives a strong showing as Swan, making the character believable with his aggressive mannerisms and his persuasive techniques, an antithesis to Williams' bright smile and short stature. Finley, having played the eerie and quaint Emil in De Palma's Sisters, ups the ante in Phantom with a performance that is gleefully theatrical. Although partially hidden behind makeup and mask, it is still Finley as the Phantom, and one of his best scenes is when he practices speaking with his new electronic box, methodically repeating Phoenix' name (and exposing his metal teeth -- a result of his "volunteering" at Sing Sing).

The highlight of Phantom of the Paradise is Jessica Harper, in her feature film debut. She is an exceptional actress, but she also has a sublime singing voice, deep and alluringly smoky, not unlike Karen Carpenter (and, as it happens, two of The Carpenters' hits, "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "We've Only Just Begun", were co-written by Williams). It's not surprising that, when Phoenix sings two solo numbers, "Special to Me" and "Old Souls", De Palma showcases Harper's performances. In fact, during the latter song, the inordinately rowdy audience at the Paradise is quiet and attentive (the only time in the course of the film). Actress Harper has appeared in a number of notable films, including Dario Argento's classic Suspiria (1977), Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980), and the pseudo-sequel to the cult 1975 musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Shock Treatment (1981). More recently, Harper has written books and released albums aimed at children. She has two daughters of her own who are featured in her books and music. Harper's husband and father to her children is Tom Rothman, co-chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment and founder of one of its subsidiaries, Fox Searchlight Pictures.

Gerrit Graham is delightfully droll as Beef, the goth rocker hired by Swan to perform Winslow's cantata. Beef is obnoxious and boisterous onstage, but flamboyant and a tad wispy when not performing. When he is explicitly threatened by the Phantom, he has his bags packed and is out the door while a line of people are waiting to see the show! (His suitcases, of course, are adorned with glitter.) George Memmoli, as Philbin, Swan's crony, is likewise humorous.

De Palma employs an abundance of style and ingenuity to Phantom of the Paradise. While there is no Hitchcockian plot, he does include a parody of the shower scene from Hitchcock's Psycho (1960). While Beef is singing in the shower, the Phantom slowly approaches and uses a toilet plunger to silence the rocker, telling him that only Phoenix will be singing his songs. De Palma's trademark split screen is used during a sequence in which the Phantom plants a ticking time bomb in a prop car, which is then rolled onto the stage in the midst of an ongoing performance. One small but very clever method that the director used was the way in which he censored a curse from Philbin (likely to retain a PG rating). The character is speaking to Swan as a stage is being cleared of instruments in the background. But when Philbin reaches an apparent expletive, feedback from an amp prevents it from being heard.

When released in the U.S. in October 1974, Phantom of the Paradise performed poorly. However, two months later, it was released in Winnipeg, Canada, where it was hugely successful and played in theatres for four months. Likewise, the film's soundtrack sold very well, and the stores had trouble keeping it in stock. In June 1975, Paul Williams held a concert in Winnipeg, performing two sold-out shows, with ads referencing the film and Phantom of the Paradise playing in theatres again. Phantom would occasionally play theatrically through the '90s and was even shown in IMAX. In 2005, the movie was celebrated at the Phantompalooza, with a concert and a cast reunion. A Phantompalooza 2 was held the following year.

Originally, Swan's label, Death Records, was a subsidiary of parent company, Swan Song Enterprises. Unfortunately, prior to the film's release, Led Zeppelin created its own label with the very same moniker. While De Palma was able to cut or hide most signs of "Swan Song," there are instances of the original name. In one case, during an impromptu press conference (as Swan introduces Beef to reporters and photographers), a podium has clearly been matted with the Death Records logo (which is simply a bird turned upside down, apparently dead). Throughout the movie, there are occasional glimpses of the Swan Song name, usually on buildings or equipment.

Actress Sissy Spacek was credited as Set Dresser on Phantom of the Paradise, and Jack Fisk, whom she married in 1974, was Production Designer. Spacek would star in her breakout role two years later, in another De Palma film, Carrie.

At least one of the movie posters for Phantom of the Paradise defined the film as such: "The most highly acclaimed horror phantasy of our time." The same poster had the Phantom pictured as a monster, seeming to pull along a reluctant, scantily clad woman. To market the film, the horror and fantasy (or, perhaps, otherworldly) aspects were being used to draw an audience. But more than anything else, De Palma's 1974 film is a musical. It is music that drives the narrative, motivates the characters, and entertains the viewers. And it is the music that has helped Phantom of the Paradise, over 35 years after its release, remain a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable experience.

Trivia Time Part 36 - The Answer to # 7.

OK, here is the answer to #7, along with more of the work of the one of my heroes: the great Stan Freberg.
BTW, the second spot is his reaction to a Lark (show us your Lark Pack) spot.

Stake Your Claim in Paint Your Wagon (1969)

Paint Your Wagon (1969). Adapted from the 1951 stage musical by Lerner and Loewe. Cast: Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg.

This one of those movies I'm embarrassed to admit I love. I really enjoy the friendship that develops between the two lead characters and their lack of singing talents, which is so bad that it becomes interesting. The story begins as a wagon crashes into a ravine. Prospector Ben Rumson finds two brothers, one is dead and the other is injured with a broken arm and leg. As the one brother is about to be buried, gold is found at the graveside. As dirt is flying, Ben stakes a claim on the land and declares the other brother as his "Pardner". Later, Pardner, a hopeless romantic sings a love song about a girl named Elisa (can you believe Clint Eastwood is really singing)? Pardner hopes to find enough gold to buy some farmland. Ben claims that while he is willing to fight, steal, and cheat at cards, he promises not to betray a partner, and that he will share what ever gold he finds with Pardner on the condition that Pardner takes care of him in his moments of melancholy.

Soon, a tent city by the name of "No Name City" is built with the miners living a wild life and singing songs ("Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans") sung by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. My favorite song in the movie a beautiful balled called "They Call the Wind Maria.". By this time, the men are missing female companionship and the arrival of a Mormon, Jacob Woodling, with two wives, is the last straw. They talk him into selling one of his wives to the highest bidder. Elizabeth agrees to be sold, believing that whatever she gets, "it can't be as bad as what she has." A drunken Ben has the highest bid. Ben is readied for the wedding by the other miners ("Whoop-Ti-Yay")and Elizabeth is married to Ben under "mining law". She wants him to treat her with respect and to build her a wooden cabin. Ben promises to build her a cabin and with the help of the town's men, Elizabeth has a roof over her head.. Elizabeth's presence soon becomes a problem for Ben.

Just in time to save to Ben's sanity, they hear the news of the arrival of "six French tarts" coming to a neighboring town and quickly come up with a plan to kidnap the women and bring them to "No Name City" ("There's a Coach Comin' In"), providing the town with income as other miners from all over will travel to "No Name City" for... what should I call it... the night life.. Ben leaves Elizabeth in the care of Pardner. While Ben is gone, the two fall in love ("I Talk to the Trees"). Elizabeth says that she also still loves Ben, and convinces them that if a Mormon man can have two wives, a woman can have two husbands. Everything seems to be going, what I will call.. reasonably well.. until a group of religious settlers is rescued from the snow. They are invited to spend the winter with Elizabeth and Pardner, who they believe to be her only husband. Ben has to stay in town. What will happen to this love triangle ?

This is a clip from behind the scenes of Paint Your Wagon.


Fun Facts:

Eastwood and Marvin did their own singing while Seberg's songs were dubbed. The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band has a cameo in the song "Hand Me Down That Can o' Beans".

This film was made near Baker City, Oregon, Big Bear Lake, California and San Bernardino National Forest. Eastwood said that the experience made him want to become a director. According to Robert Osborne, "Marvin drank heavily during the filming of the movie, which may have enhanced his screen appearance, but led to delays and many retakes." My gosh..can you imagine..

This Week's Poll is a Critics' Choice...or a Choice of Critics!

The movie industry has shown little interest in exploring the lives those who criticize its product for a living. Thus, there just aren’t a lot of movies about film or theatre critics. That said, a pretty impressive group of actors starred as critics in the films below. Which of the following is your favorite movie featuring a film or theatre critic?

Critic’s Choice (1963). Bob Hope plays a theater critic stuck in the unenviable position of reviewing a new play written by his wife (Lucille Ball).

Theatre of Blood (1973). Vincent Price stars as a Shakespearean actor skewered by drama critics, who gains his revenge by murdering them in stylish methods inspired by the Bard.

All About Eve (1950).  George Sanders won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his delightful turn as acid-tongued theater critic Addison DeWitt.

Please Don’t Eat the Daisies (1960). In this light comedy, Doris Day suspects her theatre critic husband David Niven of having an affair with a younger woman (Janis Paige).

Citizen Kane. As the drama critic for the New York Enquirer, Joseph Cotten’s writer loses his job after writing a scathing (but honest) review of a dreadful operatic performance by Charles Foster Kane’s wife.

If you can think of any additional films about critics, please leave a comment. To vote in this poll, click on your choice in the green sidebar on the right.

Trivia Time - Part 36

Happy Mothers Day.

I have to warn all of you that this week's Trivia Time is being written under the influence of a El Torito Mothers Day Brunch (those of you from So Cal know what I mean) so you have been warned.

Who Am I? From 1939 (the dates are very important) through 1948, I made four films with Howard Hawks. (In one of the films, Hawks did not have a director credit). I have done lots of TV from the the 1950's on. Who Am I ?

#1 What are the four films? Which one did Hawks not get "credit" for?

#2.Who played "Uncle Joey" on the TV series Circus Boy?

#3. Who played Circus Boy?

#4. Who where the credited screenwriters of the movie HEAD?

#5. What bridge was used in the opening of HEAD?

#6. True or False. David Crosby and Steve Stills both tried out for the Monkees?

#7. Brain Buster #1.The most expensive TV commerical of the early 70's (1970) cost over a millions dollars. Who was in the spot? What was the product? And who directed it? (After someone answers the question, I'll post the spot.)

#8. Where was it first shown? Be specific.

#9. The "star" of the commerical was almost a regular on what talk show of the 1970s ?

#10 For A Free Pass for Next Week .Who replaced Larry Seymore Vincent on the old KHJ Channel 9 in Southern California Horror/Monster movie show on Saturday nights?

#11. For a Free Pass for the rest of May, named the replacement's production company.

James Cagney Leads a Footlight Parade

Busby Berkeley was a field artillery lieutenant in WWI. Thus, he watched as soldiers marched in unison as they obeyed a strict cadence. No doubt this experience laid the groundwork for what would would become some of the most innovatively choreographed musical numbers in film history. Last week I wrote about Berkeley's breakout work in 42nd Street, so it is only fitting that I do a follow-up this week about his greatest musical number ever, “By a Waterfall” from Footlight Parade.

Following up his directorial success of 42nd Street, Lloyd Bacon helmed yet another backstage musical with this film. James Cagney plays Chester Kent, a down on his luck Broadway director who becomes a prologue director after talking pictures prove hugely profitable. And just what is a prologue director, you ask? Someone who puts together live stage shows to be shown in movie theaters before the main film. This is a step down for Chester. The musical comedies that he directed for Broadway were very successful, but once the “talkie” emerged his ticket sales dwindled. If this wasn’t bad enough, his wife (Renee Whitney) leaves him after she learns that his Broadway career is over. She should have stayed, because Chester and his partners, Sy Gould (Guy Kibee) and Frazer (Arthur Hohl), make their prologue enterprise a huge success. Due to this success, Chester’s main competitor decides to plant a mole in the company in order to steal Chester’s lavish production ideas. In addition to this problem, he has to worry about his underhanded partners who are shortchanging him from his hard-earned profits. What is a frazzled, creative genius to do?

Like most distracted, overworked men Chester has a woman on the spot who keeps his chaotic world in order: Nan Prescott (Joan Blondell). Dependable, loyal, and desperately in love with her boss, Nan keeps the ship afloat as Chester puts his attention everywhere but on her. One place that he sets his attention is on gold-digging actress Vivian Rich (Claire Dodd), who Nan sees right through. To say that Vivian is a piece of work would be an understatement.

When a big deal emerges with the Appolinaris’ theater company for a 40-theater contract, Chester must come up with three new shows in three days. Not willing to take a chance on his brilliant ideas leaking out to his competitor, Chester locks everyone in the studio and forbids any phone calls or outside visitors. One of the brilliant ideas Chester has is that mousy, bespectacled secretary Bea (Ruby Keeler) take off her glasses and become the star of the show. He also thinks that Scotty Blair (Dick Powell) has a nice singing voice; even if he had been forced upon him by Mrs. Gould (the outrageously funny Ruth Donnelly). Coincidentally, just like in 42nd Street, Powell and Keeler are romantically paired in this film. If working under such tight time constraints and fearing that someone will leak his ideas to his competitor aren’t enough, Chester must also try to meet Mrs. Gould’s “decency” requirements, which are monitored by her brother Charlie (Hugh Herbert).

In the end, what emerges from Chester’s creative mind are three very memorable musical numbers. The first, “Honeymoon Hotel” is performed by Powell and Keeler, who play a newly married couple who just want to enjoy their honeymoon without interruption but keep being interrupted by relatives and a creepy baby played by Billy Barty. The lyrics are very suggestive and overall the number was deemed too racy by many and was heavily cut in some local theaters.

The second act is the most spectacular (and the one that is most associated with Berkeley): “By a Waterfall.” Over 15 minutes long, this was the first on-screen aquacade. It featured 100 “bathing beauties”, costumed in swimming suits that made them appear naked, performing various aquatic acts in an 80-by-40-foot swimming pool. The pool was designed with a glass floor and glass walls, which allowed Berkeley to shoot the swimmers from every imaginable angle. The swimmers dance and form intricate, geometric patterns (which were captured by overhead kaleidoscopic shots). At the end, the swimmers form a revolving 70 ft. high wedding cake/fountain. It is the most spectacular musical number ever captured on film. Berkeley had the pool lined with glass walls and a glass floor so he could shoot the swimmers from every possible angle. No musical number has ever topped this.

The final number is one of my favorite James Cagney performances: “Shanghai Lil”—which was a nod to the 1932 film Shanghai Express (which I reviewed back in February). Told in an operatic fashion, the audience watches as a camera takes them through the waterfront bars of Shanghai. Cagney plays a tap dancing sailor looking for his lost lover Lil, a Chinese prostitute, in an opium-laced brothel. Watched today, most people don’t get the political messages that were being conveyed about American imperialism in Asia and FDR’s New Deal—especially with the image of the NRA’s Blue Eagle, which was a boost to fair wages and business competition (this Act was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1935). If you can get over seeing Keeler in a black wig and Chinese makeup, you’ll enjoy watching her dance number with Cagney—it is phenomenal. All told, more than 150 people performed in this number. Then unknowns John Garfield, Ann Sothern, and Dorothy Lamour appear in this sequence.

Overall, a highly entertaining musical. Cagney is at his best as the overworked Chester and Joan Blondell is her usual charming self. The supporting cast is stellar, especially Ruby Keeler and Ruth Donnelly. All of the musical numbers are great and two of them are considered among the greatest ever made.