Tuesday, March 26, 2024

James Cagney tries to sell Coke-a-Cola to the Soviets in “One, Two, Three”

One, Two, Three (1961) is an American political comedy film directed by Billy Wilder and starring James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Lilo Pulver, Pamela Tiffin, and Arlene Francis. The screenplay was written by Wilder and frequent partner I.A.L. Diamond. The music is by Andre Previn and the cinematography is by Daniel L. Fapp who won an Academy Award for West Side Story (1961).

C.R. “Mac” MacNamara (Cagney) is an executive with the Coca-a-Cola Company, based in West Berlin during the early days of the Cold War. He was sent there after a business failure in the Middle East. Still bitter over the demotion, Mac is determined to become head of the Western European operations in London. While attempting to introduce Coke to the Soviet Union, Mac’s boss asks him to look after his seventeen-year-old daughter Scarlett (Tiffin) when she arrives in Berlin.

Looking for a “marvy” time in Berlin her trip to Europe wasn’t any fun for her. Scarlett goes out every night, unbeknownst Mac and his wife Phyllis (Francis). Every night, Scarlett would sneak over to East Berlin where she met a Russian Communist named Otto (Buchholz). She falls in love with him and they get married. Then, she declares she’s pregnant!

What will Mac do when Scarlett’s parents come to Berlin to take her home to Georgia?

Billy Wilder (1906 - 2002) was an Austrian-born American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He won six Academy Awards for his writing and direction and was nominated twenty-one times over a career that spanned five decades. Wilder started his career as a writer, penning the screenplays for Ninotchka (1939), Ball of Fire (1942), Double Indemnity (1945), The Lost Weekend (1946), Sunset Boulevard (1951)  Boulevard (1951)Sabrina (1955), Some Like it Hot (1960), and The Apartment (1961). As a director, he won Academy Awards for directing The Lost Weekend (1946) and The Apartment (1961). Wilder directed fourteen different actors in Oscar-nominated roles. He is considered one of the most versatile directors from Hollywood’s Classical period.

Billy Wilder (far left), Pamela Tiffin, James Cagney, and Horst Buchholz


James Cagney (1899 – 1986) was an American actor of stage and film. During the early 1930s, Cagney emerged as one of the biggest stars in Hollywood in films like The Public Enemy (1931), Angels with Dirty Faces (1938), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), and White Heat (1949). Cagney was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor three times, winning for Yankee Doodle Dandy. His other Best Actor nominations was for Angels with Dirty Angels, and Love Me or Leave Me with Doris Day. Cagney retired from acting in 1961 but came out of retirement 20 years later for a role in the movie Ragtime (1981).

Horst Buchholz (1933 - 2003) was a German actor who was once called “the German James Dean” was an international movie star and voice artist. In America, he starred in The Magnificent Seven (1960), One, Two Three (1961). He starred opposite Leslie Caron in Fanny (1961) and Nine Hours to Rama (1963). He’s almost as famous for the roles that got away. He was offered the roles of Tony in West Side Story (1961) and Sherif Ali in Lawrence of Arabia (1962) but scheduling conflicts prevented him from starring in those films.



Pamela Tiffin (1942 – 2020) was an American film, stage, and television actress. She was discovered by producer Hal Wallace while she was on a tour of Paramount Studios. She was given a screen test and was cast in the film version of Summer and Smoke (1961). Her next film was Billy Wilder’s One, Two, Three (1961). Wilder caller her “the biggest find since Audrey Hepburn.” She was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her first two roles. Other roles followed in State Fair (1962), Come Fly with Me (1963), The Pleasure Seekers (1963). She made two films with James Darren geared for the teen audience: For Those Who Think Young (1964) and The Lively Set (1964). In 1965 she co-starred with Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, and Jim Hutton in The Hallelujah Trail. She also co-starred with Paul Newman in Harper (1966). In 1967, she won a Theatre World Award for her performance in Dinner at Eight on Broadway.

Arlene Francis (1907 – 2001) was an American stage, television, and film actress. Her career spanned more than five decades. Francis also gained fame as a radio personality in New York City. She made her film debut in 1932 in Murders in the Rue Morgue. Sixteen years later, she appeared with Edward G. Robinson and Burt Lancaster in the film version of All My Sons (1948). Perhaps her greatest claim to fame was as a weekly panelist on the popular game show What My Line (1950 – 1967). Francis’s last film role was in Fedora (1978) directed by Billy Wilder. She earlier worked for the director in One, Two, Three playing James Cagney’s wife.

 

One, Two, Three trivia

  • The film lost money due to folks thinking the Cold War wasn’t a good subject for comedy at that time.
  • Joan Crawford (then on the board of Pepsi) didn’t like the Coke-Cola connection. At the end of the film, Cagney buys four Cokes but the last one out of the machine was a Pepsi.
  • The building of the Berlin Wall impacted filming with the crew moving to Munich, building the lower half of the Brandenburg Gate.
  • James Cagney hated working with Horst Buchholz. Cagney complained that he was uncooperative and was always trying to steal scenes. It was so unpleasant for Cagney that he retired from movies until he accepted a supporting role in Ragtime.
  • In 1985, the film was rereleased in France and Germany and was a big hit.
  • There are many homages to other Wilder and Cagney films. Can you name some?

 

Click HERE to join the discussion on Zoom, April 1, 2024, 6:30 p.m. Once you RSVP, you will receive and invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

 


Discussion questions

  1. Can you understand why the film wasn’t well received when first released? Why do you think the film is now considered a classic by many?
  2. This was Cagney’s last film before appearing Ragtime (1985). What did you think of his performance?
  3. Horst Buchholz was reportedly a thorn in Cagney and Wilder’s side. What did you think of his performance?
  4. Wilder was really high on Pamela Tiffin as Scarlett, comparing her to Audrey Hepburn. Some people might declare “blasphemy” with this comparison. What do you think?
  5. Is there anything that is still relevant between the Capitalist and Communist systems?
  6. The film is loaded with great dialogue; did you have a favorite line or scene?

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Janet Leigh star in Alfred Hitchock’s suspense classic “Psycho”

Psycho (1960) is an American suspense thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Janet Leigh. The supporting cast included Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Simon Oakland, Frank Albertson, and Pat Hitchcock. The music was by Bernard Herrmann and the cinematography was by John L. Russell. The film was edited by long-time Hitchcock collaborator George Tomasini.

What happens when Marion Crane (Leigh) an on-the-run thief meets Normal Bates (Perkins) an odd motel proprietor? That is the mystery of Psycho.

Marion Crane has left town with $40,000 in cash from her employer. She hopes that if her boyfriend Sam Loomis (Gavin) can pay off his debts, they can be married. When Marion goes missing her sister Lila  Crane (Miles) teams up with Sam to try and track her down.

Will Lila and Sam find Marion or discover more than they bargained for once they visit the Bates Motel?


Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) was an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century. Hitchcock directed over 50 feature films, many are classics that have been honored and studied for years. Some of Hitchcock’s classic films include The 39 Steps (1939), Rebecca (1940), Suspicion (1941), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Notorious (1946), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960).

Janet Leigh as Marion Crane

Anthony Perkins (1932 – 1992) was an American stage and film actor. Perkins got his start in summer stock but worked in movies before his Broadway debut. His first film was The Actress (1953), co-starring Spencer Tracy, Jean Simmons, and Teresa Wright. He made his Broadway debut in Tea and Sympathy (1953) replacing John Kerr in the role of Tom Lee. He then returned to Hollywood to star in Friendly Persuasion (1956) with Gary Cooper and Dorothy McGuire. Perkins was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance in that film. Other films followed including Fear Strikes Out (1957), This Angry Age (1958) Desire Under the Elms (1958), The Matchmaker (1958), and Tall Story (1960). It would be Perkins’s role as Norman Bates in Psycho (1960) that would define him for the rest of his life and career.

Janet Leigh (1927 – 2004) was an American actress. Leigh was discovered by actress Norma Shearer who helped her secure a contract with M-G-M. Leigh made her movie debut in The Romance of Rosy Ridge (1947) co-starring Van Johnson. Other films followed including Act of Violence (1948), Little Women (1949), Angels in the Outfield (1951), and The Naked Spur (1953).  After she left M-G-M, Leigh signed contracts with Universal and Columbia. In 1958, Leigh co-starred with Charlton Heston in the film noir classic Touch of Evil directed by Orson Welles. Her most famous role was as Marion Crane in Psycho (1960) for which she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. Later films include The Manchurian Candidate (1962), Bye, Bye Birdie (1963), and Wives and Lovers (1963). Leigh took a three-year break from acting, turning down some major roles, to concentrate on raising her two young daughters. She returned to film acting in 1966 starring in Kid Rodelo, Harper, and Three on a Couch co-starring Jerry Lewis. Apart from her acting, Leigh wrote four books, two novels, and two nonfiction works.

Vera Miles (1929 - ) is an American actress (retired) who was a popular leading lady in film during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1957, Miles signed a five-year personal contract with Alfred Hitchcock. Earlier he cast her opposite Henry Fonda in The Wrong Man (1956) and was his original choice for the female lead in Vertigo (1958). Hitchcock was grooming Miles as his next “cool blonde” replacing the recently retired Grace Kelly. When Miles became pregnant, she lost the role to Kim Novak. Miles starred in two classic John Ford westerns: The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Other film roles include Lila Crane in Psycho (1960), Beau James (1957), The FBI Story (1959), and Hellfighters (1968).

John Gavin (1931 -2018) was an American actor and diplomat. He was president of the Screen Actors Guild (1971 – 1973) and was the United States Ambassador to Mexico (1981 – 1986). Gavin was a successful leading man in the late 1950s through the late 1960s. Some of Gavin’s films include Imitation of Life (1959), Spartacus (1960), Midnight Lace (1960), and Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967). He was the hero, playing Sam Loomis in Psycho (1960), probably his most famous role. He was set to take over the role of James Bond in Diamonds are Forever (1971) when George Lazenby left the role. Sean Connery ended up playing the role instead. Once again, Gavin was set to play 007 in Live and Let Die (1973), but the producer wanted a British actor to play Bond so the role went to Roger Moore. Gavin was married to actress and singer Constance Towers.


Psycho trivia

  • Hitchcock was so pleased with Bernard Herrmann’s score that he doubled his salary.
  • The director had the cast and crew pledge that they wouldn’t say anything about the movie’s storyline.
  • The rights to the novel by Robert Bloch were purchased by Hitchcock for only $9,000.
  • Both Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh said they didn’t mind being stereotyped because of their work in Psycho. Both obtained screen immortality by their roles in the classic film.
  • Hitchcock was so anxious to make Psycho that he took a percentage deal (60% of the gross) instead of his normal $250,000 fee.
  • The movie was filmed in black and white because Hitchcock thought it would be too gory in color.

Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Anthony Perkins


Click HERE to join the discussion on March 25, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Click HERE to watch the movie on YouTube.



Discussion questions

  1. How much did the music contribute to the overall success and feel of Psycho?
  2. Hitchcock made Psycho for under one million dollars. Did the movie look cheap to you?
  3. Anthony Perkins was forever typecast because of his performance as Norman Bates. What did you make of his performance?
  4. Janet Leigh was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, losing to Shirley Jones in Elmer Gantry. Do you think Leigh’s performance was Oscar-worthy?
  5. The acting attention is always on Leigh and Perkins, but what did you think of the performances of Vera Miles and John Gavin?
  6. Anthony Perkins wasn’t nominated for his performance. Do you think the Academy made a mistake in not recognizing him?

Monday, March 11, 2024

Sidney Poitier stars in “To Sir, With Love”

To Sir, With Love (1967) is a British drama directed by James Clavell who also wrote the screenplay based on the autobiographical novel (1959) by the same name by E. R. Braithwaite. Sidney Poitier stars as a teacher in an inner-city school. The all-British supporting cast includes Christian Roberts, Judy Geeson, Suzy Kendall, Patricia Routledge, and Lulu.

Mark Thackery (Poitier) has had no success obtaining an engineering position after a long 18-month job search. He accepts a teaching position for Class 12 at North Quay Secondary School in the East End of London. He took the position as a stop-gap, still hoping to get an engineering position, even though he has no previous teaching experience.

The students Thackery has to teach are a tough bunch. He does his best to reach them despite their negative attitudes toward him and the school in general. 

Will Thackery be able to connect to his students or will he leave teaching for the engineering job that finally comes?

  


James Clavell (1921 – 1994) was an Australian-born British writer (later an American citizen), screenwriter, and director. Clavell is best known for his novels, especially his Asian Saga novels. He wrote the screenplays for The Fly (1958), The Great Escape (1963), and The Satan Bug (1965). Clavell’s novel Shogun (1965) was made into a TV miniseries starring Richard Chamberlain. The series achieved huge ratings.

 

Sidney Poitier (1927 - 2022) was an American actor and director. He was the first black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field (1963). Poitier made his film debut in No Way Out which launched him on a path to movie stardom. Other early films include Cry, The Beloved Country  (1951), Blackboard Jungle (1955), and Edge of the City (1957). Another breakthrough came with The Defiant Ones (1958) where he co-starred with Tony Curtis. Both actors were nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award, with Poitier’s nomination the first for a black man. In 1959, he starred in the first production of A Raisin in the Sun on Broadway. He starred in the film version in 1961. That same year he starred with Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in Paris Blues. Other film roles include The Bedford Incident (1965) and A Patch of Blue (1965) co-starring Elizabeth Hartman and Shelley Winters. Poitier’s big year was 1967. He had three hits: To Sir, with LoveIn the Heat of the Night, and Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner. The popularity of these three films made him the top box office draw of the year. Later in his career, Poitier started directing films like Uptown Saturday Night (1974) and Stir Crazy (1980). Poitier was a recipient of an Honorary Academy Award for his contribution to the motion picture industry.

 

Sidney Poitier and Judy Geeson

 

To Sir, With Love trivia

  • The British Museum wouldn’t let the producers film inside. They did allow still photography which resulted in the montage that appears in the film.
  • Lulu performed the title song which was a number-one single in the U.S.
  • Sidney Poitier earned a flat fee of $30,000 plus 10% of the gross. Due to the film’s huge success, he earned the equivalent of $45M in today’s dollars.

 

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

 


 

Click HERE to join the discussion on March 18, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation via email with a link to the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

  1. The film was set in the late-1960s. Do you think this was a realistic portrayal of what it was really like?
  2. Sidney Poiter was surrounded by an all-British cast. How do you think his performance holds up?
  3. Did you have a favorite student in Thackery’s class?
  4. The movie was a huge and unexpected hit. Did this surprise you?
  5. Does the film remind you of any other films you’ve seen?
  6. Did you have a favorite scene or piece of dialogue?

 


Monday, March 4, 2024

Judy Holliday and Paul Douglas drive away in “The Solid Gold Cadillac”

The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956) is an American comedy directed by Richard Quine and starring Judy Holliday and Paul Douglas. The supporting cast includes Fred Clark, John Williams, Ray Collins, Neva Patterson, and Arthur O’Connell.

Laura Patridge (Holliday) attends the board meeting for International Projects, a billion-dollar corporation. John T. Blessington (Williams) announces that he is replacing Edward L. McKeever (Douglas) who founded the company and served as president and chairman of the board. McKeever is resigning to serve as Secretary of Defense in Washington, D.C. Laura is a stockholder with just ten shares who frustrates the arrogant and dishonest executives by asking them questions during the meeting which is her right as a stockholder.

To get Laura out of their hair, Blessington hires her for the position of director of shareholder relations. The job has no real duties, but to make sure Laura stays in check, Blessington assigns her a private secretary named Amelia (Patterson) to keep an eye on things. With nothing to do, Laura writes letter to the stockholders. She and Amelia become friends and Laura helps her in her romance with the office manager (O’Connell).

The board of International Projects is distraught because they’ve received no government contracts. McKeever is a straight-shooter and refuses to give preference to his former company. In a move to help them get business, Blessington sends Laura to Washington, outfitted in a new wardrobe to try and convince McKeever to throw some business their way. 

When Laura tells McKeever what’s been happening at International Projects, he decides to return to his old position, but there’s only one catch. He has no controlling stock in the company which leaves him powerless to act.  

Will Laura and McKeever come up with a plan to take the company back and run it honestly and honorably?

 



Richard Quine (1920 – 1989) was an American director, actor, and singer. As a child, he had roles in several films throughout the 1930s including Cavalcade (1933), Dames (1934), and Dog of Flanders (1935). Quine transitioned to adult roles but his career as an actor began to wane after World War II. He decided to switch to directing and producing and became a very successful director during the 1960s and 1970s. Some of his films as director include Bell, Book and Candle (1958), The World of Suzie Wong (1960), Paris When it Sizzles (1964), How to Murder Your Wife (1965), and The Prisoner of Zenda (1979).

Judy Holliday (1921 – 1965) was an American actress, comedian, and singer. She started out in show business playing nightclubs before making her way to Broadway. Her role as Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday in 1946 made her an “overnight” sensation. When she recreated the role for the film version, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress of the Year. Other films include The Marrying Kind  (1952), It Should Happen to You (1954), Phffft (1954), The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956), Full of Life (1956), and Bells Are Ringing (1960), recreating her Tony Award-winning performance. Holliday died of breast cancer in 1965 at the age of 43. 

Paul Douglas (1907 – 1959) was an American actor. Douglas starred on Broadways as in film. He is mostly known for his comedic performances in films like It Happens Every Spring (1949), Angels in the Outfield (1951), and Never Wave at a WAC (1953). Other Douglas films include A Letter to Three Wives (1949), The Big Lift (1950), Love That Brute (1951), and Clash by Night (1952). Douglas was set to play the role of Mr. Sheldrake in The Apartment (1960) but died of a heart attack right before production was to start. He was replaced by Fred MacMurray.

 

Paul Douglas and Judy Holliday

The Solid Gold Cadillac trivia

  • The final scene was filmed in color to show of the “solid gold” Cadillac.
  • Holliday and Douglas starred together in Born Yesterday on Broadway.
  • Producer Hal Wallis tried to purchase the film rights as a vehicle for Shirley Booth.
  • The $225 sheer black nightgown would cost about $2500 today.

 

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

 


 

Click HERE to join the discussion on March 11, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation via email with a link to the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

  1. Do you think the film had a serious message underneath the comedy?
  2. Was this role similar to Holliday’s role in Born Yesterday?
  3. Did Holliday and Douglas have good screen chemistry?
  4. Would you have liked to have been on the board of International Projects?
  5. Does the film remind you of any other films you’ve seen?
  6. Did you have a favorite scene or piece of dialogue?

 


Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame find themselves “In a Lonely Place”

In a Lonely Place (1950) is an American film noir directed by Nicholas Ray and starring Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Graham. The movie is based on the novel of the same name by Dorothy B. Hughes published in 1947. The cinematography was by Burnett Guffefy who won Academy Awards for From Here to Eternity (1953) and Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

Bogart stars as Dixon Steele a down-on-his-luck Hollywood screenwriter. He’s prone to violence and his troubled past behavior makes him a prime suspect in the murder of Mildred Atkinson, a young hat-check girl. Dix is considering adapting a novel into a screenplay but rather than read the novel, he let Mildred read it at his home and give him a plot summary. After that, Dix escorts Mildred out of his apartment and is witnessed by new neighbor Laurel Gray (Graham) and she gives this information to the police investigating the crime. Dix and Laurel are attracted to each other and begin a relationship. 

As the investigation into Mildred’s murder intensifies, Dix’s behavior becomes erratic, and Laurel begins to suspect that he might not be as innocent as he claims.  


Gloria Grahame and Humphrey Bogart

Nicholas Ray (1911 – 1979) was an American film director. Some of his best-known films include They Live By Night (1948), In A Lonely Place (1950), Johnny Guitar (1954), and Rebel Without a Cause (1955). His films influenced directors Joseph H. Lewis, Arthur Penn, Terrence Malick, and Robert Altman. Later in his career, he directed the big screen epics King of Kings (1961) and 55 Days at Peking (1963) starring Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, and David Niven.  

Humphrey Bogart (1899 – 1957) was an American film and stage actor. He is one of the most famous and popular movie stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Nicknamed Bogie, the actor toiled in supporting roles in both A and B pictures for a decade before his breakout role as Roy Earle in High Sierra (1941). Many more film roles followed including The Maltese Falcon (1941), Casablanca (1942), Key Largo (1948), and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948). His career continued with good roles in films like In a Lonely Place (1950), The Caine Mutiny (1954), and Sabrina (1954) co-starring William Holden and Audrey Hepburn. Bogart died from cancer in 1957.  

Gloria Grahame (1923 – 1981) was an American actress. She began her career on the stage and then went to Hollywood in 1944 where she was under contract to M-G-M. At M-G-M, they didn’t seem to know what to do with Grahame. She was loaned out to play Violet Bick in It’s a Wonderful Life, earning good notices but M-G-M decided to sell her contract to RKO. She played minor and secondary roles in several film noirs, but her career didn’t gain any traction at that studio as well. She had good roles in Sudden Fear (1952) and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Bad and the Beautiful (1952). Grahame’s performance in that film lasted just over nine minutes. She was the Elephant Girl, performing her own stunts, in Cecil B. De Mille’s The Greatest Show on Earth (1952). Other films include Not as a Stranger (1955) and Oklahoma! where she played Ado Annie, a change of pace from her typical femme fatale roles. Grahame died of cancer at the age of 57.

 

In a Lonely Place trivia

  • Gloria Grahame and Nicholas Ray were going through a divorce during filming.
  • Lauren Bacall and Ginger Rogers were considered for the role of Laurel Gray. Warner Bros. wouldn’t load Bacall to Columbia. The producer wanted Rogers but Ray thought his then-wife would be ideal in the part.
  • Not a big commercial success at the time of its release, the film’s reputation has grown over the years.
  • Many consider this one of Bogart’s best performances.

 

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

 


 

Click HERE to join the discussion on March 4, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation via email with a link to the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

  1. The film is supposed to be a cynical take on Hollywood. What are some of the cynical or negative aspects of the film?
  2. How did the lighting and cinematography add to the film? Did it enhance the film’s narrative?
  3. Does In a Lonely Place qualify as a film noir? How?
  4. Both Bogart and Grahame were praised for their performances. Would you add your praise to the critics?
  5. Does the film remind you of any other films released in 1950?

 



Wednesday, February 21, 2024

The Egyptian Theatre back as a TCM Film Festival venue

The legendary Egyptian Theatre, which opened its doors in 1922, is back as a major venue for the TCM Film Festival. Recently renovated by Netflix, the theatre is able to show 35mm, 70mm, digital formats, and nitrate prints. The TCM website recently announced that they were screening Annie Get Your Gun (1950) in a 35mm nitrate print. The Egyptian is the only festival venue that can show nitrate films. Seeing this classic on the big screen at the Egyptian should be a festival highlight.


The Egyptian Theatre changed the way movies were shown in Hollywood (and around the world) presenting the first Hollywood premieres. The red carpet—a staple of all major movie premieres and award shows—made its debut at this fabled venue.

The theatre was built by Sid Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman, who went on to build two other legendary theatres, the El Capitan and the Chinese Theatre. The Egyptian cost $800,000 to build and took 18 months to complete.

Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood was the first-ever Hollywood premiere presented at the Egyptian on Wednesday, October 18, 1922. Premiere night tickets cost $5, an extraordinary amount in 1922. Regular admission to the theatre was between $.75 and  $1.50.

The TCM Film Festival will be held in Los Angeles, CA, April 18-21, 2024.



Monday, February 19, 2024

Broderick Crawford, Judy Holiday, and William Holden in “Born Yesterday”

Born Yesterday (1950) is an American comedy directed by George Cukor and starring Broderick Crawford, Judy Holiday, and William Holden. Holiday recreated her role as Billie Dawn which she played on Broadway. Crawford replaced Paul Douglas who played opposite Holiday as Harry Brock and Holden replaced Gary Merrill who played Paul Verrall, both of whom created their respective roles on Broadway.

The film concerns Billie Dawn (Holiday), an uneducated woman involved with an older business tycoon Harry Brock (Crawford) who is in Washington to try and “buy” a congressman. Because Billie is uneducated, Harry hires Paul Verrall (Holden), a journalist, to educate her. During her “education,” she realized that Harry was a corrupt businessman. Due to Paul opening her eyes to a whole new world, Billie falls in love with him.

Judy Holiday, Broderick Crawford, and William Holden

George Cukor (1899 – 1983) was an American director. He was famous for directing comedies and literary adaptations of classics like Little Women (1933) and David Copperfield (1935). He was famously fired from directing Gone with the Wind (1939), but that incident didn’t mar an impressive directorial career that included The Philadelphia Story (1940), Gaslight (1944), and Born Yesterday (1950). Cukor won an Academy Award as Best Director for My Fair Lady (1964).

Broderick Crawford (1911 – 1986) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actor. Born in Philadelphia to a show business family, Crawford acted with his parents on stage and then established himself as a talent on his own by winning acclaim as Lenny in the original Broadway production of Of Mice and Men in 1937. He later moved to Hollywood and began acting in small roles and bit parts throughout the 1940s. He finally got his chance at stardom in All the King’s Men (1949), the film version of Robert Penn Warren’s award-winning novel. The film was a big hit and Crawford won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Willie Stark. Now a star, Crawford starred in more prestigious productions including Born Yesterday (1950) receiving top-billing over co-stars Judy Holiday and William Holden. Crawford became a television icon as Dan Matthews in the police dram Highway Patrol (1955 – 1959.) 

Judy Holiday (1921 – 1965) was an American actress, comedian, and singer. She started out in show business playing nightclubs before making her way to Broadway. Her role as Billie Dawn in Born Yesterday in 1946 made her an “overnight” sensation. When she recreated the role for the film version, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress of the Year. Other films include The Marrying Kind  (1952), It Should Happen to You (1954), Phffft (1954), The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956), Full of Life (1956), and Bells Are Ringing (1960), recreating her Tony Award-winning performance. Holiday died of breast cancer in 1965 at the age of 43.

William Holden (1918 - 1981) was an American actor and major movie star. He was one of the most bankable stars of the 1950s. Holden starred in some of the most popular and beloved films of all time including Sunset BoulevardSabrina, Picnic (1955), The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957), and Stalag 17 for which he won the Academy Award for Best Actor. Holden became a star with his very first role in Golden Boy (1939). He had lead roles in other popular films like Our Town (1940), and  I Wanted Wings (1941). World War II interrupted his career. Holden was a first lieutenant in the United States Army Air Force. After the war, he made some popular but forgettable films. It wasn’t after he collaborated with director Wilder on Sunset Boulevard that Holden’s popularity and stature in Hollywood grew to superstar status.

 

Crawford who got top billing on the screen is listed last on this lobby card.

Born Yesterday trivia

  • Judy Holiday’s role in Adam’s Rib (1948) was an audition to convince Columbia Pictures studio chief Harry Cohn that Holiday was up to the task of playing Billie Dawn on the screen.
  • Judy Holiday and Broderick Crawford played gin-rummy on the train to Washington, D.C. for location shooting. Holiday won $600 from Crawford. This cemented their friendship and they remained lifelong friends.
  • Marilyn Monroe screen-tested for the role but Harry Cohn never watched it.
  • Holiday’s wardrobe became more sophisticated as her character grew.
  • William Holden originally turned down the role fearing that he would be overshadowed by Crawford and Holiday. Because of this, Holden’s role was built up for the screen.
  • Director George Cukor had Crawford, Holiday, and Holden perform their roles in front of a live audience so that he could time the laughs between the dialogue.

 

Click HERE to watch the room on YouTube.

 


Click HERE to join the discussion on February 26, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

  1. Born Yesterday was released in the mid-20th century. Do you think it holds up today?
  2. Judy Holiday is so identified with the role of Billie Dawn. Can you see anyone else as successful in the role?
  3. Was Broderick Crawford believable in the role of Harry Brock?
  4. Holiday beat out Gloria Swanson (Sunset Blvd), Bette Davis and Anne Baxter (All About Eve), and Eleanor Parker (Cage). Do you think she deserved to win?
  5. Holden was afraid that he would be overshadowed by Crawford and Holiday. Do you think this was the case or did he hold his own in the less showy role as Paul Verrall?



Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...