Noir Nook: Quoteable Noir

Posted on January 9, 2019 by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Noir Nook: Quotable Noir

As we enter a new year, I thought I’d ring in 2019 at the Noir Nook with 10 of my favorite noir quotes. Enjoy! And Happy Noir Year!

The Woman in the Window (1944) Edward G. Robinson and Joan BennettEdward G. Robinson and Joan Bennett in The Woman in the Window (1944).

“There are only three ways to deal with a blackmailer. You can pay him and pay him and pay him until you’re penniless. Or you can call the police yourself and let your secret be known to the world. Or you can kill him.”
– Edward G. Robinson in The Woman in the Window (1944)

“What I like about you is you’re rock bottom. I wouldn’t expect you to understand this, but it’s a great comfort for a girl to know she could not possibly sink any lower.”
— Barrie Chase in Cape Fear (1962)

“In Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonard Da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did they produce? The cuckoo clock.”
– Orson Welles in The Third Man (1949)

“Don’t your nose get sore, sticking it all the time in other people’s business?”
– Myrna Dell in Nocturne (1946)

They Won't Believe Me (1947) Robert Young and Susan HaywardRobert Young and Susan Hayward in They Won’t Believe Me (1947).

“She looked like a very special kind of dynamite, neatly wrapped in nylon and silk. Only I wasn’t having any. I’d been too close to an explosion already. I was powder-shy.”
– Robert Young in They Won’t Believe Me (1947)

“I ain’t afraid of cops. I was brought up to spit whenever I saw one.”
– Bessie Clary in Laura (1944)

“If this were fiction, I would fall in love with Vera, marry her, and make a respectable woman out of her. Or else she’d make some supreme, Class A sacrifice for me – and die.”
– Tom Neal in Detour (1945)

“Kiss me, Mike. The liar’s kiss that says I love you and means something else.”
– Gaby Rodgers in Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

“I never confuse business with sentiment. Unless it’s extremely profitable, of course.”
– Clifton Webb in The Dark Corner (1946)

Out of the Past (1947) Jane GreerJane Greer in Out of the Past (1947).

“Sure, I shot him. I’m not sorry about that.”
– Jane Greer in Out of the Past (1947)

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– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.

Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is the author of the Shadows and Satin blog, which focuses on movies and performers from the film noir and pre-Code eras, and the editor-in-chief of The Dark Pages, a bimonthly newsletter devoted to all things film noir. Karen is also the author of two books on film noir – Femme Noir: The Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. You can follow Karen on Twitter at @TheDarkPages.
If you’re interested in learning more about Karen’s books, you can read more about them on amazon here:

 

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Win Tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: The Wizard of Oz 80th Anniversary” (Giveaway runs now through Jan 13)

Posted on January 8, 2019 by Annmarie Gatti

Win tickets to see “The Wizard of Oz” on the big screen!
In Select Cinemas Nationwide
Sun Jan 27, Tues Jan 29, Wed Jan 30

“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more.”

Yay! The contest is over and the winners are Craig B, Ashley #1, Destiny, Miss Bunny, Jill K, Noah, Cam and Jack. Congratulations! 

CMH continues into our 4th year of our partnership with Fathom Events – with the 1st of our 14 movie ticket giveaways for 2019, courtesy of Fathom Events! And we’re happy to say that we’re kicking off with a classic among classics!

That said, we’ll be giving away EIGHT PAIRS of tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: The Wizard of Oz (80th Anniversary)” – starring Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley and Margaret Hamilton — the way it was meant to be seen – on the Big Screen!

In order to qualify to win a pair of movie tickets via this contest, you must complete the below entry task by Sunday, January 13 at 12noon EST.

We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter on Sunday, January 14, between 6PM EST and 7PM EST. If a winner(s) does not have a Twitter account, we will announce that winner(s) via this blog in the comment section below.

the wizard of oz fathom events

The film will be playing in select cinemas nationwide for a special three-day-only event on Sunday, January 27, Tuesday, January 29, and Wednesday, January 30 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m local time (sometimes 5:oo p.m. depending on day and theater). Winners will be responsible for their own transportation to the Event. Only United States entries are eligible. Please click here before you enter to ensure that the Event is scheduled at a theater near you and that you are able to attend. (please note that there might be slightly different theater listings and/or screening times for each date)

ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Sunday, January 13 at 12noon EST…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:
What is it about “The Wizard of Oz” that makes it a classic — even today, 80 years after its release? And, if you haven’t seen it, why do you want to see it on the Big Screen?

2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message:
I just entered to win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: The Wizard of Oz (80th Anniversary)” on the Big Screen courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @FathomEvents #EnterToWin #CMHContest link here: http://ow.ly/vCvo30nf1qE

*If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

the wizard of oz

About the film: A special 80th anniversary event is coming to select theaters. In this classic musical fantasy, Judy Garland stars as Dorothy Gale, a young Kansas farm girl who dreams of a land “somewhere over the rainbow.” Dorothy’s dream comes true when she, her dog, Toto, and her family’s house are transported by a tornado to a bright and magical world unlike anything she has seen before. Unfortunately, she makes a mortal enemy of a wicked witch when the house falls on the hag’s sister. Now, befriended by a scarecrow without a brain, a tin man with no heart and a cowardly lion–and protected by a pair of enchanted ruby slippers–Dorothy sets off along a yellow brick road for the Emerald City to beseech the all-powerful Wizard of Oz for his help to return home. Fans young and old won’t want to miss this special showing! This beloved classic includes special insight from Turner Classic Movies.

Please note that only United States residents are eligible to enter this giveaway contest. (see contest rules for further information)

BlogHub members ARE also eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

You can follow Fathom Events on Twitter at @fathomevents

Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Fathom Events | Tagged , | 50 Comments

Announcing our 2019 Year-Long Partnership with Fathom Events: “TCM Big Screen Classics” Movie Tickets Giveaways!

Posted on January 7, 2019 by Annmarie Gatti

Classic Movie Hub and Fathom Events Partnership Continues!
Year-Long Movie Ticket Giveaways to TCM Big Screen Classics

For the fourth consecutive year, Fathom Events and TCM present TCM Big Screen Classics — a year-long series of 14 fabulous movie classics shown on the Big Screen, each accompanied by insightful, specially-produced commentary from favorite TCM hosts. But that’s not all — CMH is now thrilled to say that — also — for the fourth consecutive year — CMH will be partnering with Fathom Events for our monthly classic movie ticket giveaways.

That said, Classic Movie Hub will be giving away EIGHT PAIRS of tickets to each of the 14 TCM Big Screen Classics playing throughout 2019. And, just like last year, it will be simple to enter… All you have to do is check back on this Blog every month OR follow us on Twitter at @ClassicMovieHub or on Facebook for our monthly contest announcements. Then complete that month’s entry task, and you will be entered into a random drawing to win a pair of tickets to that month’s movie event! That’s it! And there is no limit to how many contests you enter (and win) during the year — so feel free to enter all 14 of them…

We will kick off our first contest via a blog announcement for “The Wizard of Oz 80th Anniversary” on Tuesday, January 8th…

And — if you can’t wait to win tickets, you can purchase them online by visiting FathomEvents.com, or at participating theater box offices.

So, now, as they say, let’s get the show on the road — with a list of the movie events. 

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JANUARY: The Wizard of Oz 80th Anniversary

the wizard of oz fathom events

The Wizard of Oz 80th Anniversary
Sunday, January 27, Tuesday, January 29, and Wednesday, January 30

A special 80th anniversary event is coming to select theaters. In this classic musical fantasy, Judy Garland stars as Dorothy Gale, a young Kansas farm girl who dreams of a land “somewhere over the rainbow.” Dorothy’s dream comes true when she, her dog, Toto, and her family’s house are transported by a tornado to a bright and magical world unlike anything she has seen before. Unfortunately, she makes a mortal enemy of a wicked witch when the house falls on the hag’s sister. Now, befriended by a scarecrow without a brain, a tin man with no heart and a cowardly lion–and protected by a pair of enchanted ruby slippers–Dorothy sets off along a yellow brick road for the Emerald City to beseech the all-powerful Wizard of Oz for his help to return home.

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FEBRUARY: My Fair Lady

my fair lady fathom events

My Fair Lady
Sunday, February 17, and Wednesday, February 20

My Fair Lady is now more “loverly” than ever as a result of its 50th Anniversary, this eight-time OSCAR winning musical (including Best Picture, Best Director & Best Actor) has been restored frame-by-frame from the original 65mm negative and scanned utilizing state-of-the-art technology under the supervision of famed film historian Robert Harris. Audrey Hepburn has never looked more radiant as Eliza Doolittle who finds herself at the center of a friendly wager between Professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) and his companion, Colonel Pickering (Wilfred Hyde-White). Can this disheveled, cockney flower girl find her voice and blossom into a proper lady presentable in high society Performance, style and sweet spirit… plus an unforgettable score… have made My Fair Lady one of the greatest musicals in film history and a beloved and timeless classic that begs to be experienced on the big screen!

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MARCH: To Kill a Mockingbird

to kill a mockingbird fathom events

To Kill a Mockingbird
Sunday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 27

Experience one of the most significant milestones in film history like never before with To Kill a Mockingbird. Screen legend Gregory Peck stars as courageous Southern lawyer Atticus Finch – the Academy Award®-winning performance hailed by the American Film Institute as the Greatest Movie Hero of All Time. Based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about innocence, strength and conviction and nominated for 8 Academy Awards.® watch it and remember why “it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

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APRIL: Ben Hur 60th Anniversary

ben hur 60th anniversary fathom events

Ben Hur 60th Anniversary
Sunday, April 14, and Wednesday, April 17

Experience the visual splendor, thundering action and towering drama of this record-setting winner of 11 Academy Awards® including Best Picture. Charlton Heston brings a muscular physical and moral presence to this Best Actor Oscar®-winning role of Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish nobleman in Palestine whose heroic odyssey includes enslavement by the Romans, vengeance against his tormentors during a furious arena chariot race and fateful encounters with Jesus Christ. Best Director Oscar® winner William Wyler masterfully grips the reins of an enduring and spellbinding spectacular.

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MAY (#1): True Grit 50th Anniversary

true grit 50th anniversary fathom events

True Grit 50th Anniversary
Sunday, May 5, and Wednesday, May 8

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the classic Western that won John Wayne his first and only Oscar®. The legendary movie star gives his most iconic performance as Rooster Cogburn, a drunken, uncouth and totally fearless one-eyed U.S. Marshall hired by a headstrong young girl (Kim Darby) to find the man who murdered her father. When Cogburn’s employer insists on accompanying the older gunfighter, sparks start to fly. The situation goes from troubled to disastrous when an inexperienced but enthusiastic Texas Ranger (Glen Campbell) joins the party. Laughter and tears punctuate the wild action in this extraordinary film featuring performances by Robert Duvall and strother Martin. A true western classic for fans and first-timers, True Grit is a must-see on the big screen.

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MAY (#2): Steel Magnolias

steel magnolias fathom events

Steel Magnolias
Sunday, May 19, Tuesday May 20, and Wednesday, May 22

Six icons of the silver screen – Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts – come together in this hilarious and heartwarming story of life, love and loss in a small Louisiana parish. At the center of the group is Shelby, newly married and joyfully pregnant, even though her diabetes could make childbirth life-threatening. Terrified at the possibility of losing her only daughter, M’Lynn looks to her four closest friends for strength and laughter as she battles her deepest fear of death to join Shelby in celebrating the miracle of new life. A classic story of family, strength in women, and big southern hair, the big screen is the perfect way to experience the Magnolia’s Louisiana charm and celebrate 30 years of Steel Magnolias.

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JUNE: Field of Dreams 30th Anniversary

field of dreams fathom events

Field of Dreams 30th Anniversary
Sunday, June 16, and Wednesday, June 18

“If you build it, he will come.” With these words, Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) is inspired by a voice he can’t ignore to pursue a dream he can hardly believe. Supported by his wife Annie (Amy Madigan), Ray begins the quest by turning his ordinary cornfield into a place where dreams can come true. Along the way he meets reclusive activist Terence Mann (James Earl Jones), the mysterious “Doc” Graham (Burt Lancaster) and even the legendary “Shoeless Joe” Jackson (Ray Liotta). A heartwarming experience that has moved critics and audiences like no other film of this generation, Field of Dreams is a glowing tribute to all who dare to dream.

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JULY: Glory

glory fathom events

Glory
Sunday, July 21, and Wednesday, July 24

The heart-stopping story of the first black regiment to fight for the North in the Civil War, GLORY stars Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes and Morgan Freeman. Broderick and Elwes are the idealistic young Bostonians who lead the regiment; Freeman is the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops; and Denzel Washington, in an Oscar®-winning performance (1989, Best Supporting Actor), is the runaway slave who embodies the indomitable spirit of the 54th Regiment of Massachusetts. This truly classic American Civil Warm film is sure to reach you to your core.

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AUGUST:  Hello Dolly 50th Anniversary

hello dolly 50th anniversary

Hello Dolly 50th Anniversary
Sunday, August 11, and Wednesday, August 14

Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Hello, Dolly! Dolly Levi uses her matchmaking skills in New York City to orchestrate the love lives of her friends, all while trying to get the man she likes to fall for her.

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SEPTEMBER (#1): Lawrence of Arabia

lawrence of arabia fathom events

Lawrence of Arabia
Sunday, September 1, and Wednesday, September 4

Winner of 7 Academy Awards® including Best Picture of 1962, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA stands as one of the most timeless and essential motion picture masterpieces. The greatest achievement of its legendary, Oscar®-winning director, David Lean (1962, Lawrence of Arabia: 1957 The Bridge on the River Kwai), the film stars Peter O’Toole – in his career-making performance – as T.E Lawrence, the audacious World War 1 British army officer who heroically united rival Arab desert tribes and led them to war against the mighty Turkish Empire. This predominant classic is not one to miss, don’t pass up your chance to see this revolutionary title on the big screen!

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SEPTEMBER (#2): The Shawshank Redemption 25th Anniversary

the shawshank redemption fathom events

The Shawshank Redemption 25th Anniversary
Sunday, September 22, Tuesday, September 24, and Wednesday, September 25

From a novella by best-selling author Stephen King comes a poignant tale of the human spirit. Red (Morgan Freeman), serving a life sentence, and Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a mild-mannered banker wrongly convicted of murder, forge an unlikely bond that will span more than twenty years. Together they discover hope as the ultimate means of survival.

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OCTOBER: Alien 40th Anniversary

alien 40th anniversary fathom events

Alien 40th Anniversary
Sunday, October 13, Tuesday, October 15, and Wednesday, October 16

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Alien! Directed by Ridley Scott, the original sci-fi classic follows Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) investigating a suspected SOS on a remote planet and makes a terrifying discovery.

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NOVEMBER: The Godfather Part II

the godfather part 11 fathom events

The Godfather Part II
Sunday, November 10, Tuesday, November 12, and Wednesday, November 13

In what is undeniably one of the best sequels ever made, Francis Ford Coppola continues his epic Godfather trilogy with this saga of two generations of power within the Corleone family. Coppola, working once again with the author Mario Puzo, crafts two interwoven stories that work as both prequel and sequel to the original. One shows the humble Sicilian beginnings and New York rise of a young Don Vito, played by Robert De Niro in an Oscar®-winning performance for Best Supporting Actor. The other shows the ascent of Michael (Al Pacino) as the new Don. Reassembling many of the cast members who helped make The Godfather®, Coppola has produced a movie of staggering magnitude and vision, the film received eleven Academy Awards® nominations, winning six including Best Picture of 1974.

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DECEMBER: When Harry Met Sally 30th Anniversary

when harry met sally 30th anniversary fathom events

When Harry Met Sally 30th Anniversary
Sunday, December 1, and Wednesday, December 3

A special 30th Anniversary showing is coming to select theaters nationwide. Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) and Sally ALbright (Meg Ryan) meet when they share a car on a trip from Chicago to New York right after both graduate from college. As the two build their lives and careers in Manhattan, they find love and heartache– with other people– but their paths continue to cross and their friendship continues to grow over the years… until they confront the decision whether to let their friendship develop into a romance.

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Please stay tuned for contest announcements throughout the year for your chance(s) to win!

Click here to see the contest rules and more info!

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–Annmarie for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Fathom Events, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 6 Comments

Classic Movie Travels: Mel Tormé – Chicago

Posted on January 3, 2019 by Annette Bochenek

Classic Movie Travels: Mel Tormé – Chicago

Mel Tormé HeadshotMel Tormé

Mel Tormé was one of the great jazz singers of his day. Nicknamed “The Velvet Fog,” he was responsible for entertaining many audiences with his singing, in addition to composing the holiday classic, “The Christmas Song”. An American musician, composer, arranger, drummer, actor, and author, Tormé proved to be a beloved entertainer in command of his many talents.

Melvin Howard Tormé was born on September 13, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, to immigrant Russian Jewish parents. His parents were avid film fans, naming their son after Melvyn Douglas and his sister, Myrna, after Myrna Loy. His father owned a dry goods store, selling butter and eggs from his Model A Ford, while his mother played piano at Woolworth’s to demonstrate sheet music. Music played a huge role in the Tormé family, with the family often sitting on the front stoop to sing for the neighbors.

Exhibiting talent at a young age, Tormé first performed professionally with the Coon-Sanders Orchestra at age four in Chicago’s Blackhawk restaurant. The Tormé family went to dinner at the Blackhawk to hear the Coon-Sanders Orchestra play and the bandleader noticed Tormé singing along at the table. The bandleader asked if he would like to sing a number with the band, sat Tormé on his knee, and Tormé sang “You’re Driving Me Crazy.” He soon became a regular performer with the band for six months, singing for $15 a night and dinner for his family. By age six, he worked as a vaudeville performer in local theaters. Two years later, he would win first place in the children’s radio contest at the Century of Progress World’s Fair. While attending Shakespeare Elementary School, he became actively involved in the drum-and-bugle corps, excelling in playing the drum, though relentlessly bullied by other students.

Between 1933 and 1941, Tormé acted in radio programs, including The Romance of Helen Trent and Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy. By age 13, he wrote his first song. Three years later, his first published song, “Lament to Love” would become a hit song for bandleader Harry James. Continuing his career in music, Tormé was a singer, drummer, and arranger from 1942 to 1943 for a band led by Chico Marx of the Marx Brothers. He was offered the position at age 17 and moved to California on his own to take the job. Leaving Chicago’s Hyde Park High School, he enrolled himself at Hollywood High and his parents joined him in California the following year.

Mel Tormé Playing Drums JazzMel Tormé Playing Drums

Following his band years with Marx, Tormé made his film debut in what was also Frank Sinatra’s debut—Higher and Higher (1944). Modeling Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers, Tormé formed a vocal quintet called Mel Tormé and His Mel-Tones. The group enjoyed several hits and were among the first jazz-influenced vocal groups. Though drafted into the Army, it was determined that he was so flat-footed that he was sent home the following year. Tormé quickly returned to his entertainment career, starting his own solo career as a singer. Tormé’s eventual appearance in Good News (1947) solidified him as a teen heartthrob.

To Tormé’s annoyance, he was dubbed “The Velvet Fog” by disc jockey Fred Robbins, due to his smooth vocal stylings. Tormé billed himself as the “Velvet Frog voice” instead, though he recorded many romantic hits. Over time, he accepted the nickname and had car license plates that read “El Fog?” and “La Phog.”

Mel Torme The Velvet Fog“The Velvet Fog”

His renditions of “Again” and “Blue Moon” became signature songs, while “Careless Hands” became his sole number-one hit. In addition to his recording work, Tormé also hosted his own radio program, Mel Tormé Time. Tormé is also credited for helping pioneer cool jazz.

At the same time, Tormé was no stranger to television. He appeared in guest roles on various television shows and also worked on songs and arrangements for The Judy Garland  Show. A resurgence in vocal jazz during the 1970s caused Tormé to enjoy continued popularity.

Out of the 250+ songs that Tormé wrote, many became standards. “The Christmas Song” was written with Bob Wells as he and Tormé tried to come up with as many wintery images to cool themselves down on a hot day in California. The song was first recorded by Nat King Cole. In total, Tormé claimed that he wrote the music in 45 minutes.

Mel Tormé The Christmas Song Bob Wells“The Christmas Song” Written by Bob Wells and Mel Tormé

Tormé’s singing career came to a halt in August of 1996, when he suffered a stroke. He passed away after another stroke on June 5, 1999, at age 73, survived by his fourth wife, Ali, and five children.

Tormé’s elementary school, Shakespeare Elementary, is now the Ariel Community Academy and North Kenwood Oakland Charter Elementary School. It is located at 1110 E. 46th St. in Chicago, Illinois.

Shakespeare Elementary 1110 E 46th Street Chicago, IL. Mel TorméTormé’s Elementary School, Shakespeare Elementary (now the Ariel Community Academy).

Hyde Park High School is now Hyde Park Academy High School. It is located at 6220 S. Stony Island Ave., in Chicago, Illinois.

Hyde_Park_High_School_6220_S_Stony_Island_Ave_Chicago_IL_Mel_TormeOther notable Hyde Park High School alumni include Amelia Earhart, The Chi-Lites and Steve Allen.

The Blackhawk Restaurant, where Tormé made his public debut as a singer, closed in 1984. While his son continued the business and opened up another location in Wheeling, Illinois, the new location closed in March of 2014. The newer building was razed. The initial Blackhawk property stood at 139 N. Wabash in Chicago, Illinois. This is the property today.

139 N Wabash Chicago, IL. Mel Tormé, The Blackhawk RestaurantMel’s origin, site of The Blackhawk Restaurant, today.

The Tormé home in the 1930s stood at 7724 Jeffery Ave in Chicago. Here is a shot of the property today.

Mel Tormé residence 7724 Jeffery Ave. Chicago, IL. 1930sSite of Mel Tormé’s 1930’s home at 7724 Jeffery Ave. Chicago, IL.

While not may physical tributes remain in relation to Tormé, he continues to be celebrated all over the world thanks to his many recordings and, in particular, with “The Christmas Song.”

…

–Annette Bochenek for Classic Movie Hub

Annette Bochenek pens our monthly Classic Movie Travels column. You can read all of Annette’s Classic Movie Travel articles here.

Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco SocietyMagazine.

Posted in Classic Movie Travels, Posts by Annette Bochenek | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story – Book Giveaway (January)

Posted on December 30, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story
We have Five Books to Give Away via Twitter or this Blog

“The legacy of stuntwomen in the film industry is finally getting a comprehensive telling“” — Los Angeles Magazine

And now for our first giveaway contest in 2019! And we’re very excited about this one! That said, CMH is happy to say that we will be giving away FIVE COPIES of Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story by Mollie Gregory, courtesy of University Press of Kentucky, from now through Feb 2. (plus ONE more copy via Facebook and this Blog — stay tuned for more info).

stuntwomen the untold hollywood storyFeaturing 65 interviews, Stuntwomen showcases the absorbing stories and uncommon courage of women who make their living planning and performing action-packed sequences that keep viewers’ hearts racing.

…..

In order to qualify to win one of these prizes via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, Feb 2 at 9PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on five different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • Jan 5: One Winner
  • Jan 12: One Winner
  • Jan 19: One Winner
  • Jan 26: One Winner
  • Feb 2: One Winner

We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub, the day after each winner is picked at 9PM EST — for example, we will announce our first week’s winner on Sunday Jan 6 at 9PM EST on Twitter. And, please note that you don’t have to have a Twitter account to enter; just see below for the details…

If you’re also on Facebook, please feel free to visit us at Classic Movie Hub on Facebook for additional giveaways (or check back on this Blog in a few days) — because we’ll be giving away ONE MORE cop via Facebook/Blog as well!

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And now on to the contest!

ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, Feb 2 at 9PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message*:
Just entered to win the “Stuntwomen: The Untold Hollywood Story” #BookGiveaway courtesy of @KentuckyPress & @ClassicMovieHub #CMHContest link: http://ow.ly/nF2u30n8MvO

THE QUESTION:
Why do you want to win this book?

*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

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About the Book:  They’ve traded punches in knockdown brawls, crashed biplanes through barns, and raced to the rescue in fast cars. They add suspense and drama to the story, portraying the swimmer stalked by the menacing shark, the heroine dangling twenty feet below a soaring hot air balloon, or the woman leaping nine feet over a wall to escape a dog attack. Only an expert can make such feats of daring look easy, and stuntwomen with the skills to perform―and survive―great moments of action in movies have been hitting their mark in Hollywood since the beginning of film. Here, Mollie Gregory presents the first history of stuntwomen in the film industry from the silent era to the twenty-first century. In the early years of motion pictures, women were highly involved in all aspects of film production, but they were marginalized as movies became popular, and more important, profitable. Capable stuntwomen were replaced by men in wigs, and very few worked between the 1930s and 1960s. As late as the 1990s, men wore wigs and women’s clothes to double as actresses, and were even “painted down” for some performances, while men and women of color were regularly denied stunt work. For decades, stuntwomen have faced institutional discrimination, unequal pay, and sexual harassment even as they jumped from speeding trains and raced horse-drawn carriages away from burning buildings. Featuring sixty-five interviews, Stuntwomen showcases the absorbing stories and uncommon courage of women who make their living planning and performing action-packed sequences that keep viewers’ hearts racing.

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Click here for the full contest rules. 

Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

Good Luck!

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase the on amazon by clicking here:

 …..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged , , , | 30 Comments

Musical Interlude: Musical Remakes

Posted on December 27, 2018 by Jessica Pickens

 

Musical Remakes

Remakes are nothing new. Since films began, they were remade. Stories are revised, plot lines are shifted and new actors are cast in roles someone else made their own years before. Other times, the story, scenes and lines are exactly the same as they were in the original.

Today, more than 20 years will pass before a movie is remade, but during the classic era, 10 years didn’t even have to pass before an old script was dusted off to make new again. Take for example, The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929) starring Norma Shearer which was remade in 1937 with Joan Crawford under the same title.

But there is a special kind of remake which is a whole different animal — the musical remake — where an old story is dusted off the shelf, but this time songs and dances are incorporated into the plotline. The idea is that the music will improve upon the original story — and sometimes it does but sometimes it doesn’t.

Here are a few musical remakes you may have missed:

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The Awful Truth (1937) remade as Let’s Do It Again (1953)

Lets Do It AgainJane Wyman and Ray Milland in Let’s Do It Again

The Awful Truth itself was a remake. It first was seen on the screen in 1925 and again in 1929 under the same title. But the classic and best known version was released in 1937 starring Irene Dunne, Cary Grant and Ralph Bellamy. The story revolves around a couple divorcing and trying to thwart each other’s new romance. In 1953, the story was remade as Let’s Do It Again, a musical starring Ray Milland, Jane Wyman and Aldo Ray. Milland plays a Broadway composer who becomes angry when his wife and former musical star, Jane Wyman, spends an evening with a rival composer.

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The Women (1939) remade as The Opposite Sex (1956)

The Opposite SexThe Opposite Sex starring June Allyson (r) and Joan Collins (next to Allyson)

The appeal of The Women (1939) was that the plot revolves around the trouble with men, but not one single man appears on screen. The remake, The Opposite Sex, however includes men in the cast, such as Jeff Richards, Harry James and Leslie Neilson. Esther Williams was initially cast as the lead, and in her autobiography she wrote that she declined the role because she thought it was a mistake to remake The Women. June Allyson was cast instead in the Norma Shearer role, the woman jilted by her husband for a more sultry dame (Joan Collins plays the role, originally played by Joan Crawford). The remake’s cast also includes Ann Miller, Joan Blondell, Agnes Moorehead, Ann Sheridan and Dolores Gray.

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Tom, Dick and Harry (1941) remade as The Girl Most Likely (1958)

The Girl Most LikelyThe Girl Most Likely starring Jane Powell

These two films are more similar to each other than other remakes. Both involve a dreamer of a girl — Ginger Rogers in the 1941 version and Jane Powell in the 1958 version — who have three suitors to pick from: a reliable guy with a job, a handsome loafer, and the rich man.

In the 1941 version it’s George Murphy as the ole reliable, Burgess Meredith as the loafer and Alan Marshal as the wealthy man.

In the 1958 version, Tommy Noonan has the steady job, Cliff Robertson is the slacker and Keith Andes as the rich guy.

In both films, Rogers and Powell have to determine if they want to marry the rich man they always wanted, or to marry for love. While many people today know Ginger Rogers from her musicals, Tom, Dick and Harry is not a musical. It’s The Girl Most Likely that is filled with songs and Gower Champion choreographed dances.

What’s sad about The Girl Most Likely, is that it marks the end – it was the last musical film that Jane Powell made.

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Kentucky (1938) remade as Down Argentine Way (1940)

Down Argentine WayDown Argentine Way starring Betty Grable and Don Ameche

Kentucky is a modern day Romeo and Juliet story starring Loretta Young and Richard Greene. Their families had been feuding since the Civil War and Young’s grandfather, played by Walter Brennan, is keeping the anger alive. Both families also raise racing horses.

Down Argentine Way, starring Don Ameche and Betty Grable, also deals with racing horses and a family feud, but the location is changed from Kentucky to Buenos Aries, Argentina where Betty Grable and her aunt, Charlotte Greenwood are vacationing. And Grable has no crotchety grandfather. Instead, Ameche has a grandfather played by Henry Stephenson, who doesn’t want him to sell any horses to Grable’s family. Down Argentine Way seems to be a little less about the feud and more about Grable and Ameche’s romance, racing horses and lots of great music.

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The Male Animal (1942) remade as She’s Working Her Way Through College (1952)

Shes Working Her Way Through CollegeShe’s Working Her Way Through College starring Ronald Reagan and Virginia Mayo

In The Male Animal, Henry Fonda plays an English professor working at a Midwestern university. Everyone at the school, including his wife played by Olivia De Havilland, only cares about football, which frustrates Fonda. In the midst of the big football weekend, Fonda finds himself in trouble for many reasons: He gets in a free-speech fight with his trustees when he wants to read Bartolomeo Vanzetti’s sentencing statement to his class, and when his old pal Jack Carson comes to visit, his wife swoons for the old football star.

When Warner Bros. remade the film in 1952 as She’s Working Her Way Through College, the focus of the professor — played here by Ronald Reagan — takes a backseat to the character of Angela, or Hot Garters Gertie, played by Virginia Mayo. Angela is a showgirl who wants to go to college and is a character added to the story that isn’t in The Male Animal. Reagan’s character is still the frustrated English professor and an old friend and football star, now played by Don DeFore comes to visit. Instead of a speech, Reagan has to defend wanting to put on a musical rather than a Shakespeare play, and also has to defend Mayo’s opportunity to get an education.

Other honorable mention remakes:

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– Jessica Pickens for Classic Movie Hub

Jessica can be found at cometoverhollywood.com and on twitter at @HollywoodComet. In addition to her overall love of classic movies, she has ongoing series on her site including “Watching 1939″ and “Musical Monday.”

Posted in Musical Interlude, Posts by Jessica Pickens | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Jarmila Novotna: My Life in Song Book Giveaway (Facebook/Blog Nov/Dec)

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

Jarmila Novotna: My Life in Song
Book Giveaway via Facebook and this Blog

Yay! The contest is over and the winner is Carl. Congratulations!

Okay, now it’s time for the Facebook/Blog version of our Jarmila Novotna: My Life in Song Giveaway Contest! This time we’ll be giving away one copy of the book via Facebook and this blog, courtesy of University Press of Kentucky. And, remember, we’re also giving away FIVE MORE copies via Twitter this month as well, so please feel free to enter that contest too…

In order to qualify to win this prize via this Facebook/Blog contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, Jan 12 at 9PM EST. We will pick one winner via a random drawing and announce him/her on Facebook and here on this Blog the day after the contest ends (Sunday Jan 13).

If you’re also on Twitter, please feel free to visit us at  @ClassicMovieHub for additional giveaways — because we’ll be giving away FIVE MORE books there as well! PS: you don’t even need a twitter account to enter! (Click here for twitter contest details as well as more information about the book.)

jarmila novotna- my life in song
This is Novotná’s own English-language version of her best-selling memoir

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ENTRY TASK to be completed by Saturday, Jan 12 at 9PM EST —

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:
Why would you like to win a copy of this book?

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

About the Book: A legendary beauty, hailed as one of the greatest singing actors of her time, Jarmila Novotná (1907–1994) was an internationally known opera soprano from the former Czechoslovakia. Best known for her performances in Der Rosenkavalier, The Marriage of Figaro, and La Traviata, she was a celebrated performer at the Metropolitan Opera and other theaters across Europe and the United States. A “natural screen actress,” Novotná also appeared in Hollywood hits such as The Search (1948) with Montgomery Clift (with whom she shared an enduring friendship) and The Great Caruso (1951) with Mario Lanza. She was also considered a pioneering “crossover” star who performed on Broadway, and worked in radio and television with Bing Crosby and Abbott and Costello. Throughout this memoir, lavishly illustrated with photos from her personal collection, Novotná shares entertaining stories about her time in Hollywood, an “unending stream of parties”― including those hosted by Louis B. Mayer, co-founder of MGM Studios―alongside such stars as Jimmy Stewart and Elizabeth Taylor. Novotná also offers revealing profiles of many notable artistic figures of the time, including director Max Reinhardt, composer Cole Porter, and conductor Arturo Toscanini, and dignitaries such as Dwight Eisenhower and Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk, the first president of Czechoslovakia. This fascinating self-portrait offers a window on history and the reflections of a captivating and supremely talented figure who left an indelible mark on the performing arts.

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Click here for the full contest rules. 

Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

Good Luck!

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase the on amazon by clicking here:

…..

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Books, Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged | 5 Comments

Vitaphone View: The Talkies – How Could They Be So Wrong?

Posted on December 26, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: The Talkies
How Could They Be So Wrong?

They all laughed at Christopher Columbus
When he said, the world was round
They all laughed when Edison recorded sound
They all laughed at Wilbur and his brother
When they said that man could fly
They told Marconi
Wireless was a phony
It’s the same old cry
– Lyrics by Ira Gershwin

Paying for water in bottles. Cell phones that take pictures. Computers in every home… You can kind of understand how some new ideas and predicted innovations can bring out the skeptics and naysayers. It was no different for talking pictures.

Some of that skepticism is understandable, given the troubled and failure-ridden path the new medium had to negotiate. Between 1893 and 1926, literally hundreds of talking picture systems were tried, and crashed and burned. Often laughed out of theatres due to poor synchronization and other technical deficiencies, “talking pictures” became a term synonymous with bankruptcy.

So, by the time “perfected” talkies arrived with Vitaphone in 1926, most in the industry chose to either ignore it or deride its chances for success. The arguments against it were predictable. “A fad.” “The public doesn’t want talking pictures.” “Silent pictures are fine as they are.”

During Vitaphone’s first year, it was still unclear if the public wanted these improved, well-synchronized and recorded sound films. During that trial year, Warner Bros released about a dozen features with music but no dialogue, except for The Jazz Singer ( ’27). Also released were about 80 one-reel Vitaphone short subjects with singing and talk. With the release of the Jolson feature and the expansion of wired theatres, Vitaphone and talkies became harder to ignore. Concurrently, William Fox’s Movietone sound on film system also boosted audience interest and comfort with the new medium.

By 1928 – at least retrospectively – it should have been obvious that the silent picture was doomed and that talkies were here to stay. But that year the naysayers found their voice and did all they could to reject the idea of the inevitable transition. Since the sound films from Warner Bros and Fox were doing well at the box office, we must look for reasons why some of the most prestigious and influential industry leaders were so opposed to talkies as a permanent new business norm.

Unquestionably, the other studio heads considered the cost of rewiring their studios and theatres (many owned by them). But that argument was never spoken publicly. Instead, arguments focused on the beauty of the silent picture, and the unsubstantiated claim that the public would have no lasting interest in sound films.

Here are a few contemporary quotes from individuals who should have known better, and likely did:

“ No, I don’t think the talking motion picture will ever be successful in the United States. Americans prefer silent drama. They are accustomed to the moving picture as it is and they will never get enthusiastic over any voices being mingled in. The American people do not want it [talkies] and will not welcome it. We are wasting our time in going on with this project.”
– Thomas Edison, March 4, 1927

“ Talking pictures will never displace the silent drama from its supremacy, or affect the appeal of motion pictures with synchronization and sound effects.”
– Joseph Schenck, United Artists July 6, 1928

“ A good voice in a talking picture will be a canned voice nevertheless.”
– Fred Niblo, MGM director Sept. 16, 1928

“ I consider the so-called ‘all talkie’, the film with conversation from beginning to end, nothing but rotten trash.”
–Sergei Eisenstein, director Feb. 23, 1930

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Each year, Film Daily put out a nearly 1000-page compendium of the industry, listing every film, studio and professional details and ads, and predictions from filmland leaders for the coming year. It is fascinating to read those predictions from the 1928 edition, and then those for the very next year. The contrast is both chilling and telling. In 1928, out of nearly three dozen predictions from studio heads and producers, only TWO mention sound films at all — Jack Warner and William Fox — who were then the only producers of talkies The others chose to not even mention them, much less predict their impact on the industry in the coming year. Considering how far along the transition already was in early 1928, this studied cluelessness is bizarre.

Here are 1928 predictions …

1928 Film Daily Predictions1928 Film Daily Predictions

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Then, just a year later, everything had changed. By then, MGM, Paramount, Universal and the other studios had acquiesced to the public’s insistence for talking pictures, and even the most vocal naysayer could no longer ignore that fact. Film Daily’s 1929 Yearbook predictions section revealed that 100% of the leaders commented on talkies, in almost all cases as a boon to the box office. Here are a few examples….

1929 Film Daily Predictions1929 Film Daily Predictions

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Two “hedgers” was Paramount producer Jesse Lasky and Universal studio head Carl Laemmle…

1929 Film daily Lasky quote 1929 Film daily Laemmle quote

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The real test of whether or not talkies were just a fad ultimately was determined by comparing production numbers of 1928-29 to those of 1929-30. As Donald Crafton discusses in his book The Talkies:

“ In the final quarter of the 1928-29 season (that is, the period ending in April 1929), of the 200 films actually released, more than half (114) were silent-only… The scorecard of proposed films for the 1929-30 season announced 504 films. Less than 10 percent (43) were to be pure silents.”

1928/ 1929 Film Daily Year Book Covers1928/ 1929 Film Daily Year Book Covers

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Carl Laemmle, head of Universal, was probably the most entrenched of the studio heads in committing to continuing to produce silent features and dual versions. His company, after all, served many rural theatres, which were struggling to deal with the costs of converting to sound. Incredibly Universal and other studios created purely silent versions of allegedly music-based features as Showboat, My Man, The Jazz Singer, and The Singing Fool. For Showboat’s re-release in 1929, Universal added a synchronized score to the 1927 film and appended a series of sound vignettes with Aunt Jemima and other cast members to serve as a prologue. It did well at the box office.

Showboat 1929 Lobby CardTheatre Lobby Card for Showboat (1929).

Regardless of the soothsayers and deniers, by the end of 1930, the silent film was dead. Only Chaplin resisted, producing the silent City Lights (’31) and Modern Times (’36) before acquiescing to talking with his The Great Dictator in 1940.

But I still can’t figure out selling tap water in bottles!

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– Ron Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project, for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Ron’s Vitaphone View articles here.

Ron is widely recognized as one of the country’s foremost film historians, with special emphasis on the period covering the transition to sound (1925-30) and early attempts to add sound to film. As the founder of The Vitaphone Project, he has worked with Warner Brothers, UCLA, LOC and private collectors worldwide to find previously lost soundtrack discs and restore early sound shorts. Ron’s unique knowledge has  been sourced in over 25 books as well as documentaries for PBS and TCM, and commentary for “The Jazz Singer” DVD boxed set. He was awarded the National Society of Film Critics “Film Heritage Honor” for his work in film preservation and discoveries, and was the presenter of rare Vitaphone shorts at the 2016 TCM Film Festival. For more information you can visit the Vitaphone Project website or Facebook Group.

And, if you’re interested in exploring some of these newly discovered shorts and rarities, you can pick them up on DVD via amazon:

               

Posted in Posts by Ron Hutchinson, Vitaphone View | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Western RoundUp: A Trio of Wyatt Earp Westerns

Posted on December 22, 2018 by Laura Grieve

Western RoundUp: A Trio of Wyatt Earp Westerns

Real-life Western lawman Wyatt Earp (1848-1929) has been portrayed in countless films over the years. The stories always take a fair amount of dramatic license, but Earp’s legend was such that his name and incidents from his life were a seemingly bottomless well of inspiration for Western filmmakers.

The best-known Earp film of all may be John Ford‘s My Darling Clementine (1946), which is truly an American masterwork. Henry Fonda plays Earp, with Victor Mature a moving Doc Holliday; much of the film centers on their confrontation with the Clantons (headed by Walter Brennan) at the O.K. Corral.

Over the years Earp has been featured in many more films, which again often focus on the famous incident at the O.K. Corral. These titles include Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957), with Burt Lancaster as Wyatt Earp and Kirk Douglas as Doc Holliday, and a decade later, Hour of the Gun (1967), with James Garner as Earp and Jason Robards as Holliday.

In more recent years Kurt Russell played Earp in Tombstone (1993), co-starring Val Kilmer as Holliday. The year after that, Kevin Costner played the title role in Wyatt Earp (1994), with Dennis Quaid as Doc Holliday.

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This month we’ll take a look at a trio of very good Wyatt Earp films which aren’t nearly as well known as the titles mentioned above yet are worthy, well-done movies.

Frontier Marshal (Allan Dwan, 1939) – Fans of My Darling Clementine (1946) who see Frontier Marshal will feel a curious sense of deja vu, as the movies share a number of similar scenes and characters. Both 20th Century-Fox films were based on Stuart N. Lake’s book Wyatt Earp: Frontier Marshal, with Sam Hellman’s Frontier Marshal screenplay receiving story credit for Samuel G. Engel and Winston Miller’s later Clementine screenplay. Lake’s book had actually also provided the inspiration for an earlier Fox film also called Frontier Marshal (1934), with George O’Brien playing a character modeled on Earp, though his character had a different name.

Frontier Marshal (1939) Randolph Scott and Nancy KellyRandolph Scott and Nancy Kelly in Frontier Marshal (1939)

Randolph Scott stars as Wyatt Earp in the ’39 Frontier Marshal, with Cesar Romero acquitting himself extremely well as Doc Halliday. (Online sources say the studio changed the name slightly due to fears of a lawsuit from the Holliday family.) Earp initially plans to start a business in Tombstone but soon finds himself employed as a lawman. Earp’s chief nemesis in this version is played by John Carradine, with Lon Chaney Jr. and Joe Sawyer also on hand as bad guys. Scott plays Earp as calm and confident, traits which are also integral to the Wyatt Earp character in the films discussed below.

Frontier Marshal (1939) Randolph Scott and Nancy Kelly Movie PosterMovie poster for 1939’s Frontier Marshal

Frontier Marshal and My Darling Clementine are different in a number of respects, including the fact that the earlier film is significantly shorter at just 71 minutes; it almost seems an abridged telling of the familiar story. Despite the variations between the two films, those who have seen the better-known Clementine will easily recognize various moments in Frontier Marshal, including a girl (Nancy Kelly) from Doc’s past looking at a photo in his hotel room; Doc performing emergency surgery; an actor (Eddie Foy Jr.) performing in a saloon; and even a woman (Binnie Barnes) thrown into a horse trough!

While Frontier Marshal has solid direction by Allan Dwan and is quite entertaining in its own right, the similarity of many scenes with My Darling Clementine certainly brings home to the viewer the added depth which a director like John Ford brought to the table. Frontier Marshal is a good movie, while My Darling Clementine is a masterpiece, with note-perfect performances, emotional resonance, and remarkable visual poetry.

A bit of cast trivia: Charles Stevens plays the role of Indian Charlie in both the ’39 and ’46 films. Ward Bond, who would go on to play Morgan Earp in My Darling Clementine, appears in a small role in this film and for good measure also appeared in the 1934 version! Chris-Pin Martin, who plays Pete, would also appear in the next Earp film discussed, Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942).

Tombstone (1942) Movie PosterMovie Poster for Tombstone (1942)

Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (William C. McGann, 1942) – This movie is rarely seen these days; like many films released by Paramount Pictures, it’s now owned by Universal and is not available on DVD or even VHS. It stars Richard Dix as Wyatt Earp, with Kent Taylor as Doc Holliday and Rex Bell and Harvey Stephens as Virgil and Morgan Earp.

Tombstone Movie Poster (1942)Tombstone: The Town Too Tough to Die (1942)

The film traces some familiar Earp territory, as Wyatt agrees to serve as sheriff of Tombstone after seeing a child shot and killed, a theme that would be repeated in the next film discussed, Wichita (1955). Part of the story is unique to this film, focusing on Wyatt working to reform wayward Johnny Duane (Don Castle), including reuniting Johnny with his hometown love (Frances Gifford). More significantly, Wyatt, his brothers, and Doc battle the Clanton gang (Victor Jory, Donald Curtis, and James Ferrara) and outlaw Curly Bill Brocious (Edgar Buchanan), who was played by Joe Sawyer in Frontier Marshal.

Wichita (1955) Movie PosterWichita (1955) Movie Poster

I’m not an Earp expert by any means but my reading indicates that some aspects of this film are somewhat more authentic than other Earp movies, particularly the close-range gunfight at the O.K. Corral, which is over and done within a relatively short time. The scene is wonderfully staged, with Earp, his brothers, and Doc checking their gun belts as they walk oh-so-deliberately toward the corral, with the sound of their boots advancing ever closer striking fear in the hearts of the Clantons.

The movie also depicts the murder of Morgan Earp as he played billiards, which in real life took place a few months after the O.K. Corral incident. That’s followed by a massive, nicely staged shootout filmed in the Alabama Hills outside Lone Pine, California — a location also utilized in Frontier Marshal. Director William McGann handles the action well and keeps up a tight pace in this 79-minute film, which was shot by Russell Harlan.

The cast is excellent, headed by Dix as the genial, confident Wyatt Earp. I particularly enjoyed Taylor as Doc Holliday and just wish his part had been a little bigger. There are a handful of moments, such as a bit of “comic relief” with an anonymous couple in a saloon, that could have been pared out in favor of more screen time for the main characters. That said, overall this is a well-done film I like quite well and have enjoyed on multiple occasions.

Wichita (Jacques Tourneur, 1955) – The last film on this list is my favorite. Wichita is a beautiful collaboration between director Jacques Tourneur and leading man Joel McCrea, playing Wyatt Earp. Tourneur and McCrea had previously worked together on another wonderful film, Stars in My Crown (1950), in which McCrea played a small-town pastor in the post Civil War era who faces down a lynch mob and copes with a typhoid epidemic.

Wichita (1955) Movie Poster Jacques TournerurMovie Poster Jacques Tournerur’s Wichita (1955)

In Wichita Tourneur impressively uses the entire CinemaScope frame, with one of the most memorable shots coming near the beginning, when Earp is just a speck riding on the horizon. The movie’s beautiful look, filmed by Harold Lipstein, is paired up with a strong script by Daniel B. Ullman.

In this version of Earp’s life we see his first meeting with a young newsman, Bat Masterson (Keith Larsen); he also courts his wife (Vera Miles), spends time with his brothers (Peter Graves and John Smith), and cleans up Wichita, where the villains include Lloyd Bridges and Robert J. Wilke. As the movie ends, Wyatt Earp is headed for a job in Dodge City.

McCrea’s Earp is a noble man who would prefer to be a businessman, but as he stares at the lifeless body of a child he reaches for a gun and a badge, ready to do the job others won’t do. Earp seems to constantly be confronted with violent situations, noting “I guess I was born under a troublesome star,” yet he’s never less than calm as he deliberately does what must be done. His quiet certitude belies his amazing speed with a gun, which time and again enables him to successfully deal with violent men.

This Allied Artists film is a pitch-perfect, satisfying 81 minutes. Perhaps my only complaint is it needs more of handsome Peter Graves as Morgan Earp, but his sequence is so wonderful I’m willing to forgive him being short-changed on screen time. This is up there with my favorite McCrea performances. It’s a terrific film from start to finish.

Wyatt Earp is a supporting character in several other Westerns, notably Winchester ’73 (1950), played by Will Geer, along with a trio of lesser-known but likeable George Montgomery Westerns: Gun Belt (1953, played by James Millican), Masterson of Kansas (1954, Bruce Cowling), and Badman’s Country (1958, Buster Crabbe). Millican also played an Earp-inspired character in the wonderful Rory Calhoun  Western Dawn at Socorro (1954). All of these films are likely to find their way into future Western Roundup columns!

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– Laura Grieve for Classic Movie Hub

Laura can be found at her blog, Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, where she’s been writing about movies since 2005, and on Twitter at @LaurasMiscMovie. A lifelong film fan, Laura loves the classics including Disney, Film Noir, Musicals, and Westerns.  She regularly covers Southern California classic film festivals.  Laura will scribe on all things western at the ‘Western RoundUp’ for CMH.

Posted in Posts by Laura Grieve, Western RoundUp | Tagged , , | 16 Comments

Film Noir Review: 10 (More) Classic Films Noir for the Holidays

Posted on December 18, 2018 by Danilo Castro

10 More Classic Film Noirs for the Holidays

Novelist Douglas Coupland once said that “Christmas makes everything twice as sad.” His quote may have stemmed from a place of tender melancholy, but here at CMH’s Film Noir section, we’d like to apply it to the lushes and low-lifes that inhabit the holiday’s bleakest cinema.

We released our original ranking of noir films to watch during the holidays last year, but as often the case with lists, we weren’t able to cover everything. As such, we’ve decided to return to the snow-covered streets and dig up whatever titles were overlooked. Here are 10 more classic films noir to watch during the holiday season.

1. Lady on a Train (1945)

Deanna Durbin (right) in Lady On a Train

Deanna Durbin (right) in ‘Lady On a Train’

Lady on a Train remains one of most bizarre entries in the classic film noir canon. It stars Deanna Durbin as Nikki, a woman heading home for Christmas who witnesses the murder and impersonates a nightclub singer in an attempt to uncover the killer. Along the way, she’s forced to sing a few tunes and trade verbal barbs with the victim’s squabbling clan of heirs (including a smooth Ralph Bellamy and a slithery Dan Duryea).

All this is set against a lively holiday backdrop that plays up the inherent charm of Durbin’s predicament. Nothing is taken too seriously here, to the point where many of the scenes resemble a satire on the noir genre rather than the genuine article. Combine that with the crisp, winter cinematography by Woody Bredell, and Lady on a Train is a ride worth taking.

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2. The Man I Love (1947)

Robert Alda and Ida Lupino in The Man I Love

Robert Alda and Ida Lupino in ‘The Man I Love’

The Man I Love stars Ida Lupino as a New York nightclub singer who travels to California to visit her siblings for Christmas. She chooses to stay and and lands a gig in a nightclub, but tensions mount once she turns down the advances of her corrupt boss (Robert Alda) to marry a lovesick piano player named San (Bruce Bennett). She’s ultimately faced with the challenge of sticking with San despite his self-destructive lifestyle.

While far from the grittiest of films noir, The Man I Love cultivates the spirit of the genre through doomed characters living in a chilly, unwelcoming city. Enhanced by the trio of lead performances and the committed direction of Raoul Walsh, the film strikes a tragic tone that perfectly suits the more downtrodden holiday viewer.

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3. The Reckless Moment (1949)

Joan Bennett and James Mason in 'The Reckless Moment'

Joan Bennett and James Mason in ‘The Reckless Moment’

A forgotten gem from director Max Ophuls, The Reckless Moment deals with regret and the paranoia of covering up a crime. It follows bored housewife Lucia (Joan Bennett) as she attempts to hide the accidental death of a hoodlum who was seeing her teenage daughter. Things become even more problematic when the hoodlum’s partner (James Mason) comes into town looking for answers.

The film is the worst holiday break you could envision for a mother, with children and dangerous criminals coming into contact on a regular basis. Bennett offers a masterful performance, while Ophuls flips the domestic charm of most Christmas fare to comment on the hollow state of the nuclear family. ”We’re getting a blue Christmas tree this year,” Lucia tells her husband via telephone, ignoring the destruction she wrought. “Everything is fine, except we miss you terribly.”

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4. Mr. Soft Touch (1949)

Glenn Ford and Evelyn Keyes in 'Mr. Soft Touch'

Glenn Ford and Evelyn Keyes in ‘Mr. Soft Touch’

Where most films noir use the holidays as a tonal counterpoint, Mr. Soft Touch uses it as a ticking clock. Joe Miracle (Glenn Ford) returns from the war to discover that his club has been taken over by the mob. He robs the place in a moment of weakness, but he has to wait a day before he can escape to Yokohama on Christmas Eve. Miracle opts to hide out from the mob and the police at a settlement house, where he meets a kindly social worker (Evelyn Keyes).

Instead of playing things straight up, Mr. Soft Touch wisely combines elements of film noir; namely the heist and the grim mob consequences, with the brighter trappings of the romance genre. Ford and Keyes have marvelous chemistry together, and the snappy direction from both Gordon Douglas and Henry Levin ensures that the film doesn’t overstay its welcome.

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5. Cover Up (1949)

William Bendix and Dennis O'Keefe in 'Cover Up'

William Bendix and Dennis O’Keefe in ‘Cover Up’

While some of the aforementioned titles combine film noir with other genres, 1949’s Cover Up is an old fashioned noir mystery. It stars Dennis O’Keefe as an insurance investigator who’s called upon to look into a suicide, only to determine that it may have been a murder. While pressed to find a suspect, he finds that the dead man was a local pariah and that nobody, not even the sheriff (William Bendix), is eager to help.

Cover Up benefits from the combustible pairing of O’Keefe and Bendix; two veterans who know their way around a noir script. The holiday setting is inconsequential, but it adds a great deal of personality to the film as it deals in hallmark noir themes like murder and greed. Nothing groundbreaking, but a cozy viewing nonetheless.

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6. They Live by Night (1949)

Cathy O'Donnell and Farley Granger in 'They Live by Night'

Cathy O’Donnell and Farley Granger in ‘They Live by Night’

As the fourth and final entry to be released in 1949, They Live by Night is also the most profound. It follows a pair of star-crossed lovers, Bowie (Farley Granger) and Keechie (Cathy O’Donnell) as they attempt to leave their criminal past behind and start a new life together. The film spans roughly a year, but director Nicholas Ray saves the most heartbreaking moment for Christmas, when the young couple plan to exchange presents.

Bowie’s old partner (Howard Da Silva) shows up and asks him to do one last job, and while a reluctant Bowie agrees, things go south and he and Keechie are forced to go back into hiding. As such, they’re forced to leave their presents behind, including the watch that Keechie was so eager for Bowie to open. It’s as sad a moment as any in a film noir, and its tied inherently to the safety that Christmas is meant to represent.

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7. Backfire (1950)

Virginia Mayo and Dane Clark in 'Backfire'

Virginia Mayo and Dane Clark in ‘Backfire’

Backfire was written by the same duo who wrote White Heat, and was even shot before, but it was delayed until after the release of that seminal gangster film. Seen today, and Backfire is very much a thematic precursor. Both deal with theft, betrayal, and the inclusion of Virginia Mayo and Edmond O’Brien as characters with questionable alliances. Not as good as White Heat perhaps, but very much a solid noir with standout performances by the aforementioned stars.

The holidays loom large over the film, with Christmas and New Year’s Eve serving as time markers for naive main character Bud (Gordon MacRae). As he slowly uncovers the fate of his disappeared friend Steve (O’Brien), he realizes that the line between right and wrong is not as clear as it was when they both served in the military. Vincent Sherman directs.

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8. Storm Warning (1951)

Steve Cochrane, Doris Day and Ginger Rogers in 'Storm Warning'

Steve Cochrane, Doris Day and Ginger Rogers in ‘Storm Warning’

Storm Warning is easily one of the most racially-charged films noir to be released during the 1950s. The film deals with a dress model (Ginger Rogers) who stops by a small town and accidentally witnesses the Ku Klux Klan commit a murder. She agrees to help the district attorney (Ronald Reagan) prosecute the men involved, but she quickly faces pushback and threats of violence from the rest of the Klan.

While unabashedly a “message film”, like so many noirs of the period, Storm Warning still carries a potent social edge that contrasts nicely with the Christmastime setting. While Rogers may be miscast (Lauren Bacall was the studio’s original choice), the impressive supporting roster of Doris Day, Steve Cochrane, and Reagan gets the film across the finish line with style.

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9. Batman Returns (1992)

Michelle Pfieffer and Michael Keaton in 'Batman Returns'

Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Keaton in ‘Batman Returns’

Technically, Batman Returns is a superhero film. We have characters dressed in tights, sinister schemes involving bombs, and cats that can seemingly resurrect the dead. But more than any other superhero flick (besides The Dark Knight), Batman Returns is a modern film noir. Here, the moral clarity established in Tim Burton’s 1989 original is blurred to reflect a world where Batman (Michael Keaton) is just as problematic as the criminals he chases. And of course, its set during Christmas.

Batman’s inability to handle the likes of the Penguin (Danny DeVito), combined with the screen time that Burton dedicates to making the character tragic, causes us to reexamine what we know about trauma. That’s to say nothing about Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer), Batman’s ultimate femme fatale and the one who nearly changes his outlook on heroism. Replace the tights with trench coats and you’ve got a quintessential noir viewing.

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10. In Bruges (2008)

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in 'In Bruges'

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in ‘In Bruges’

Darkly comedic and morally chilly, 2008’s In Bruges is a brilliant twist on the film noir hitman. Where classic titles like The Lineup and Blast of Silence focus on the steely efficiency of their main characters, director Martin McDonagh decides to show us the hilarity of being incompetent at such a bleak profession. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson star as two mid-level gunmen who are forced to hide out in Bruges following a botched gig.

The infantile Farrell and fatherly Gleeson make for a delightful comedy duo, while their trek through Bruges during the holidays lead to a series of unforgettable and unforgettably violent encounters. By the time Ralph Fiennes shows up as their profanity-spewing boss, one can’t help but be won over.

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–Danilo Castro for Classic Movie Hub Danilo Castro is a film noir specialist and Contributing Writer for Classic Movie Hub. You can read more of Danilo’s articles and reviews at the Film Noir Archive, or you can follow Danilo on Twitter @DaniloSCastro.

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