May 31 - I Could Never Be Your Woman

Today’s movie is a romantic comedy with a scene that happens on May 31. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

I COULD NEVER BE YOUR WOMAN    

          Rosie is a divorced 40 year old who works as a producer for a teen TV show called You Go Girl and has a 13 year old daughter, Izzie, who has a crush on Dylan, a boy at school. After the network forbids any more controversial shows, Rosie decides to add a nerd character to fall for the show’s lead character, played by the self-centered actress, Brianna. Adam Pearl gets the part and he and Rosie start dating. Izzie likes Adam, but Rosie has doubts, especially after she learns he’s only 29. Their relationship brings out the jealousy in Rosie’s secretary, Jeannie, who tries to sabotage the couple.  She steals Adam’s presents to Rosie and convinces him that Rosie wants him to flirt with Brianna. On May 31, 2006 [1:01:17 – 1:03:02] Rosie finds a photo on Adam’s phone of an undressed Brianna, but is convinced it is a plant, as Izzie suggests. Then the show is cancelled and Rosie finds a red-light ticket photo of Adam and Brianna together, so she dumps him. Adam tries to reconcile with her, including refusing to do a pilot for a new show starring him, unless Rosie is made the producer. Then Rosie discovers that Adam and Brianna were filming at the time the ticket photo was taken and deduces that Jeannie was the only person who could have arranged this. She confronts Jeannie. Rosie agrees to produce Adam’s show and they reconcile. At the school talent show, Dylan finally takes notice of Izzie and gives her a kiss. 

The date is given in the film at 1:02:00

Producers - Cerise Hallam Larkin, Philippe Martinez and Alan Latham

Director - Amy Heckerling

Screenwriter - Amy Heckerling

Runtime -  1 hour 37 minutes

Released – May 11, 2007

Starring –

Michelle Pfeiffer as Rosie Hanson

Paul Rudd as Adam Pearl

Saoirse Ronan as Izzie Mensforth

Tracey Ullman as Mother Nature

Jon Lovitz as Nathan Mensforth

Sarah Alexander as Jeannie

Fred Willard as Marty Watkin

Stacey Dash as Brianna Minx

Yasmin Paige as Melanie

O. T. Fagbenle as Sean

Henry Winkler as himself

Rory Copus as Dylan

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 30 - The President's Lady

Today’s movie is a biography with scenes that happen on May 30. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE PRESIDENT’S LADY     

In 1789 Andrew Jackson moves to Nashville and works as the state Attorney General. He moves in with the Widow Donelson and he and her daughter Rachel Robards take an instant liking to each other. Rachel is unhappily married to Lewis Robards. He suspects here, but he’s carrying on with a slave.  Jackson brings Rachel back to Nashville from her home.  On the way back they escape a band of Indians. Her husband is there to meet her, but she ends it with him. Robards refuses to let her go and makes threats. Rachel flees to Natchez on Col. Stark’s flatboat, on which Andrew Jackson is also a passenger.  They survive an Indian attack. In Natchez Jackson proposes an annulment of Rachel’s marriage, but she wants him to get Robards to divorce her. Then they hear that Robards has already divorced her on the ground of adultery with Jackson. The pair marry and they later move back to Tennessee. Then they learn that the divorce was not granted earlier, but it finally is and they get remarried. Jackson leads the militia against the Creek Indians, but after defeating them, he adopts an orphaned Indian boy, Lyncoya. The couple move into The Hermitage. Lyncoya dies.The women of Nashville continue to socially ostracize the Jacksons. Jackson rides his horse to victory in a horse race on the day he is appointed a general of militia. However, Col. Dickinson insults Rachel and Jackson challenges him to a duel. On May 30, 1806 [1:15:00 to 1:19:43] Jackson wins the duel with Dickinson, but ends up with a bullet lodged permanently near his heart.  He recovers enough to win the Creek War and defeat the British at the Battle of New Orleans. He is appointed US Senator, but later loses the 1824 presidential election. When he runs again in 1828 attacks on their marriage cause Rachel to have a heart attack and die.  Jackson is sworn in as President.

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House by Jon Meacham (Random House, New York, 2008) at page 26 gives the date of the duel.

Producer - Sol C. Siegel

Director - Henry Levin

Screenwriter - John Patrick

Awards –  The film was nominated for the Best Black and White Art Direction and Best Black and White Costume Design Oscars at the 26^th Academy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 36 minutes

Released – May 21, 1953

Starring –

Susan Hayward as Rachel Donelson

Charlton Heston as Andrew Jackson

John McIntire as John Overton

Fay Bainter as Mrs. Donaldson

Whitfield Connor as Lewis Robards

Carl Betz as Charles Dickinson

Gladys Hurlbut as Mrs. Phariss

Ruth Attaway as Moll

Charles Dingle as Capt. Irwin

Nina Varela as Mrs. 'Peachblossom' Stark

Margaret Wycherly as Mrs. Robards

Ralph Dumke as Col. Stark

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015. 

May 29 - Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

Today’s movie is a fantasy adventure film with scenes that happen on May 29. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS 

Dobby the house elf visits Harry Potter at the Dursleys to warn him not to return to Hogwarts as bad things are going to happen When Harry refuses Dobby causes trouble that gets Harry locked in his room. Ron Weasley and his twin brothers ‘borrow’ their Dad’s flying car and rescue Harry. On a trip to Diagon Alley, they meet Gilderoy Lockhart, the new defense against the dark arts teacher, and have a run-in with Draco Malfoy and his father, Lucius. When Harry and Ron can’t get onto Platform 9 ¾ to take the Hogwarts Express, they ‘borrow’ the flying car to take them to school. The car crashes, causing Ron to damage his wand and then disappears into the Dark Forest. Lockhart is revealed to be an incompetent teacher and egomaniac. Harry starts hearing things that no one else can and they find Filch’s cat petrified. A message left on the wall in blood says the Chamber of Secrets has been opened. The three friends learn this is a secret chamber supposedly built by Salazar Slytherin, one of Hogwart’s founders, containing a monster that only his heir can open. It had been opened 50 years ago.  A student is petrified and Harry learns he can talk to snakes. After another student is petrified and Harry visits Dumbledore’s office. Hermionie brews shape shifting polyjuice potion.  Harry and Ron use this to assume the appearance of two Slytherin students  and they pump Draco for information, but he doesn’t know anything. Moaning Myrtle, a ghost who lives in a girls bathroom at the school has a book thrown at her. Harry takes the book and learns it belonged to a student from 50 years ago named Tom Riddle. Riddle allows Harry to see what happened 50 years ago at the school. The Chamber of Secrets was opened, a student was killed and Hagrid was blamed. The diary is later stolen and Hermione is petrified. Hagrid is arrested and Dumbledore is removed as headmaster. Harry and Ron go into the Dark Forest, where they learn from Agragog, the leader of the giant spiders that live there that Hagrid is innocent and that the student who died 50 years ago was found in a bathroom. Harry deduces this is Moaning Myrtle and they learn Hermionie figured out that the monster is a basilisk, a giant snake that has been using the sewer pipes to travel around the school.  On May 29, 1993, a message is left saying that Ron’s sister Ginny has been taken into the Chamber of Secrets. Lockhart, deputized to deal with the monster tries to run away, but Harry and Ron force him into the chamber, the entrance of which is in Myrtle’s bathroom. Lockhart tries to use Ron’s damaged wand to erase their memories, but instead erases his own.   Harry enters the chamber and finds an unconscious Ginny and a revived Tom Riddle, who reveals he is Lord Voldemort, Harry’s mortal foe. Fawkes, Dumbledore’s phoenix  flies in and drops the Sorting Hat. Fawkes blinds the basilisk. Harry pulls the sword of Gryffindor out of the hat and uses it to kill the basilisk. He then uses a fang from the basilisk to destroy the diary, which destroys the manifestation of Tom Riddle.  Fawkes’s tears heal a fatal bite Harry had gotten from the basilisk. [1:50:59 to 2:17:57] Harry later tricks Lucius Malfoy into releasing Dobby from his service. Hermionie and the other students are revived and Hagrid and Dumbledore return. All is well at Hogwarts … until next year. 

A good adaptation of the book. It retains most plot elements has a lot of scary and funny moments. If you’re a Potter fan you’ll love it, otherwise probably not.

In Harry Potter and the  Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling (Scholastic Press, New York, 1998) we are told that exams will start on June 1, 1993 at page 283 and that theentrance into Chamber of Secrets happens three days before their first exam at page 284. 

Director - Chris Columbus

Producer - David Heyman

Screenplay - Steve Kloves

Released – November 3, 2002

Runtime – 2 hours 41 minutes

Starring –

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter

Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger

Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart

John Cleese as Nearly Headless Nick

Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid

Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick

Richard Griffiths as Vernon Dursley

Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore

Jason Isaacs as Lucius Malfoy

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape

Fiona Shaw as Petunia Dursley

Maggie Smith as Minerva McGonagall

Julie Walters as Molly Weasley

Shirley Henderson as Moaning Myrtle

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 28 - Separate But Equal

Today’s movie is a courtroom drama with a scene that happens on May 28. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

SEPARATE BUT EQUAL      

In Clarendon County, South Carolina the principal of a Black school asks for a bus for his school and is refused.  Thurgood Marshall comes to South Carolina. A petition is started to ask for equal schools. At the court hearing the judge asks them to address the question is segregation itself legal. The petitioners bring in experts for a hearing on May 28, 1951 and present evidence that segregation does harm children. [48:52 to 1:07:20] The KKK tries to scare the judge and the organizer of the petition. There is discussion in the Black community as to whether they should ask for equal schools or an end to segregation. The case goes up to the US Supreme Court. The justices are divided. After Ike is elected president Justice Frankfurter asks for rearguement about what the drafters of the 14^th amendment thought about school segregation.  Earl Warren is appointed the new Chief justice, while the NAACP is having cash problems. After the rearguement Warren convinces his fellow judges to rule for the plaintiffs in a unanimous decision.

                     

A mostly fact based account of the background of part of one of the most important Supreme Court cases of the Twentieth Century. Good performances from everyone involved. 

Lift Every Voice: The NAACP and the Making of the Civil Rights Movement by Patricia Sullivan (The New Press, New York, 2009) at page 404 and the film at 49:40 give the hearing date

Director - George Stevens, Jr.

Screenplay - George Stevens, Jr.

Awards - The film won the Emmy for Outstanding Achievement in Casting for a Miniseries or a Special and Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Miniseries. It was also nominated for Outstanding Editing for a Miniseries or a Special - Single Camera Production; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (Poitier); Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries or a Special; Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Miniseries or a Special; Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (Kiley) and Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Special

Runtime - 3 hours 6 minutes

Released - April 7, 1991

Starring -

Sidney Poitier as Thurgood Marshall

Burt Lancaster as John W. Davis

Richard Kiley as Earl Warren

Cleavon Little as Robert Carter

John McMartin as James F. Byrnes

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 27 - Carrie (1976)

Today’s movie is a horror film with scenes that happen on May 27. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

CARRIE     

Carrie White is bullied at school and abused at home by her single Mom. When her delayed menarche happens at school, the naïve Carrie thinks she is bleeding to death and is taunted by other girls, including Sue Snell and Chris Hargensen. Although Chris remains unrepentant about her treatment of Carrie, even after being barred from attending the prom, Sue has a change of heart and convinces a classmate, Tommy Ross to invite Carrie to the prom. Carrie begins to suspect she might have psychic powers. Chris and her boyfriend Billy plant a bucket of pig’s blood above the stage in the gym where the prom is to be held. The prom is held on May 27, 1979 [49:39 to 1:33:33]. Carrie eventually starts to enjoy the prom, dancing with Tommy and getting a kiss from him. Then the pair is elected prom king and queen (as secretly arranged by Chris and Billy as part of their plan of revenge). Sue, who didn’t have a date, snuck into the prom to make sure things go well for Carrie. She discovers Chris and Billy’s plot, but is ejected before she can stop it. After being crowned on the stage, Chris dumps the bucket on the couple, knocking Tommy out and drenching Carrie in blood. This causes her to fly into a rage where Carrie uses her newly discovered telekinetic powers to seal the room and set the building on fire, killing many of the prom goers who had previously taunted her. Carrie kills Billy and Chris on her way back home from the burning high school gym. At home her mother tells Carrie she is the product of marital rape and then tries to kill her, but Carrie kills her Mom and collapses the house on both of them. Sue later has nightmares about what happened. 

Carrie by Stephen King (Doubleday, New York, 1974) at page 87 gives the date.

Producer - Paul Monash

Director - Brian De Palma

Screenwriter - Lawrence D. Cohen

Awards – Sissy Spacek was nominated for the Best Actress and Piper Laurie for the Best Supporting Actress Oscars at the 49^th Academy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 38 minutes

Released – November 3, 1976

Starring -

Sissy Spacek as Carrie White

Piper Laurie as Margaret White

Amy Irving as Sue Snell

William Katt as Tommy Ross

Betty Buckley as Miss Collins

Nancy Allen as Chris Hargensen

John Travolta as Billy Nolan

P. J. Soles as Norma Watson

Sydney Lassick as Mr. Fromm

Stefan Gierasch as Mr. Morton

Priscilla Pointer as Mrs. Snell

Harry Gold as George Dawson

Noelle North as Frieda Jason

Michael Talbott as Freddy DeLois

Edie McClurg as Helen Shyres

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015. 

May 26 - 13 Going on 30

Today’s movie is a comedy with a scene that happens on May 26. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

13 GOING ON 30                            

Jenna Rink is an “uncool” girl having her 13^th birthday on May 26, 1987. [1:46 to 12:49] who  wants to look like the models in Poise magazine. She gets the cool ‘six chick’ group to come to her party by agreeing to do a school assignment for them. Her nerdy, overweight friend Matt comes to the party and gives her a doll ‘dream house’ that he built for her and sprinkles ‘wishing dust’ on it. The six chicks  show up at the party with some boys, including the hunk Chris Grandy, who Jenna has a crush on. They play ‘seven minutes in heaven’, but everyone except Matt  leaves while Jenna is in the  closet. She is embarrassed by this and sits in the closet and knocks some of the ‘wishing dust’ off the doll house onto her as she wishes to be “thirty,  flirty and thriving’. The next thing she knows, she wakes up in a New York apartment and she is thirty. Her best friend Lucy (who’s later revealed to be Tom-Tom, leader of the chick six) drives her to their jobs as editors at Poise magazine. Jenna learns Poise has been scooped by their rival Sparkle for the last seven months.  She finds Matt and discovers they’ve been estranged since high school.  Poise’s promotional party is crashing until Jenna revives it with 80’s tunes that get everyone dancing.  Jenna has to learn how to do her job and finds out that Matt is  engaged, while she has a boyfriend she does not like. Jenna learns she had been having an affair with a married man and that Lucy is putting together her own idea  for a redesign of the magazine. Jenna realizes that she hates her life. She goes back home and reconnects with her parents. She hires Matt to  help her with her redesign project. The magazine’s senior editor, Richard likes her redesign idea. Then everything crashes. Poise is to be shut down because her photos from  the redesign plan ended up in Sparkle. Lucy learned that Jenna was the one who had been feeding stuff to Sparkle. Lucy used this knowledge to con Matt into signing the rights to the redesign photos over to her and she takes them to Sparkle as its new editor.  Jenna meets Chris Grandy, who’s now a cabbie and goes to Matt’s house on his wedding day. He admits he loves her, but can’t change the past. He gives her the dream doll  house. Some of the ‘wishing dust’ falls on her as she wishes to be 13 again.   Jenna is back in the closet.  She charges out and kisses Matt and tosses the six chicks out of her house We jump ahead to Jenna and Matt’s wedding.

                       

This is a funny female version of Big. Jennifer Garner does a fantastic job of portraying a 13 year old in a grown up world. Her out of touch behavior help make this a very funny  movie.    

                  

Date given in film at 5:10 on video

Producers - Susan Arnold, Donna Arkoff Roth and Gina Matthews

Screenplay - Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa and  Niels Mueller

Director - Gary Winick                            

Released – April 23, 2004                                         

Runtime – 1 hour 37 minutes   

                                 

Starring - 

Jennifer Garner as Jenna Rink        

Mark Ruffalo as Matt Flamhaff

Judy Greer as Lucy Wyman

Andy Serkis as Richard Kneeland

Christa B. Allen as Young Jenna

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015. 

May 25 - Thunderball

Today’s movie is an espionage thriller with a scene that takes place on May 25. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THUNDERBALL 

British MI6 agent James Bond attends the funeral of SPECTRE agent Col. Bouvar and becomes suspicious of a woman at the funeral. Bond follows her back to her chateau, where it’s revealed the woman is actually Bouvar. Bond kills Bouvar and escapes on a jetpak. We see a meeting of SPECTRE, where their NATO project is mentioned. Count Lippe, a SPECTRE agent and Bond happen to be staying at the same spa.  After he  searches Lippe’s room, an attempt is made to kill Bond. Major Derval meets his double and is killed. The double, a SPECTRE agent takes his place on a British nuclear bomber. He kills the crew and hijacks the plane. Back at the spa Bond sees the dead body of Major Derval  which was brought there by Lippe. Derval’s double lands the plane in the ocean and it is hidden underwater. The bombs are removed. There is a meeting of all 00 agents because SPECTRE has sent a ransom demand for $280 million or it will set off a bomb in a city. Bond is sent to Nassau as a photo of Derval was taken there. He meets Dervals’s sister, Domino and later her guardian and SPECTRE agent, Largo. On May 25, 1965 Q arrives in Nassau and equips Bond. [54:10 to 1:09:02] Bond searches both Largo’s yacht and compound looking for the bombs, but can’t find them. Later, with Domino’s help he sneaks on board Largo’s yacht, which is taking the bombs to Miami. After an epic underwater fight the bombs are secured and Largo and his henchmen killed.    

This installment of the Bond series is not the best. The plot is good, but the underwater ‘action’ sequences get dull after a while. When Bond and his foes are on dry land however, there’s plenty of action to go around.

In the film at 1:01:48 SPECTRE’s ransom tape says the diamonds are to be dropped at 8 p.m. GMT May 27. Leiter says while Q is there that it is 55 hours until that time, at 1:02:45 meaning its 3 p.m. on the 25^th in the Bahamas.

Producer - Kevin McClory                                          

Director - Terence Young                            

Screenplay - Richard Maibaum and John Hopkins     

Awards – The film won the Oscar for Best Special Visual Effects at the 38^th Academy Awards

Runtime – 2 hours  10 minutes                                    

.

Released – December 9, 1965                                     

Starring –

Sean Connery as James Bond (007)

Adolfo Celi as Emilio Largo

Claudine Auger as Domino Derval

Luciana Paluzzi as Fiona Volpe

Rik Van Nutter as Felix Leiter

Bernard Lee as M

Guy Doleman as Count Lippe

Martine Beswick as Paula Caplan

Molly Peters as Patricia Fearing

Earl Cameron as Pinder

Paul Stassino as François Derval

Desmond Llewelyn as Q

Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

May 24 - The Time Machine (2002)

Today’s movie is a science fiction film with a s scene that happens on May 24. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

THE TIME MACHINE     

In 1895, a mugger kills Dr. Alexander Hartdegen’s fiancée, Emma. Hartdegan builds a time machine, travels back and saves Emma, only to see her killed in an accident. He travels forward in time to May 24, 2030 [27:19 to 32:58] at the NYC public library. where a holographic librarian, VOX 114 tells him time travel is impossible. Hartdegan witness the destruction of the Moon in 2037, which renders the Earth’s surface uninhabitable. He is knocked out and ends up in 802,871 A.D. A primitive Eloi named Mara nurses him back to health. After she is taken underground by the Morlocks, who eat the Eloi, Hartdegan uses info from the still functioning VOX 114 to find her. Hartdegan is captured by the telepathic Uber-Morlock who tells Hartdegan he can’t save Emma, as that is what motivated him to build the time machine – if he saved her, he wouldn’t build the machine enabling him to save her, thus creating a paradox. He tells Hartdegan that the Eloi and morlocks are both the descendants of humanity who took different paths after the destruction of the Moon. Hartdegan and the Uber-Morlock end up fighting in the time machine until Hartdegan kills him by pushing him out, resulting in rapid aging and death. Hartdegan stops at a wasteland Earth in 635,427, 810A.D. Since he can’t save Emma, Hartdegan returns and saves Mara, beginning a new life with her and the Eloi. Back in 1899 his friends Philby and his housekeeper Mrs. Watchit lament his disappearance.

The date is given in the film at 27:51

Producers - Walter F. Parkes and David Valdes

Director - Simon Wells

Screenwriter - John Logan

Runtime – 1 hour 36 minutes

Released – March 8, 2002

Starring –

Guy Pearce as Dr. Alexander Hartdegen

Samantha Mumba as Mara

Mark Addy as David Philby

Sienna Guillory as Emma

Phyllida Law as Mrs. Watchit

Alan Young as Flower store worker

Orlando Jones as Vox 114

Jeremy Irons as Über-Morlock

Omero Mumba as Kalen

Yancey Arias as Toren

Josh Stamberg as Motorist

Max Baker as Mugger who kills Emma

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015. 

May 23 - Captain Kidd

Today’s movie is an action/adventure film with a scene that happens on May 23. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

CAPTAIN KIDD  

William Kidd, a pirate who sank the ship The Twelve Apostles, convinces King William III that he is an honest trader and is allowed to recruit a crew from among other condemned pirates so man a ship that will escort the ship of Lord Fallsworth, the king’s ambassador to the Mughal Emperor, the ambassador’s daughter Lay Anne and the Emperor’s gift of a treasure chest back to England. Among those recruited is Adam Mercy as master gunner. Kidd kills the ambassador and blows up his ship, leaving Lady Anne and the treasure on Kidd’s ship. Kidd’s servant suggests she trust in Mercy, not Kidd. Kidd plots to eliminate his confederates to avoid sharing the loot. Mercy is revealed as the son of the captain of The Twelve  Apostles. Mercy tries to rescue Lady Anne, but they are apparently both killed. Kidd returns to London to claim his reward of a title and estates for bringing the treasure back. However Lady Anne and Mercy have survived and their testimony and the discovery of loot from The Twelve Apostles in Kidd’s cabin leads to Kidd’s arrest. Kidd is tried and convicted of piracy. On May 23, 1701[1:26:57 to 1:27:52] Kidd is executed.

Piracy: The Complete History by Angus Konstam (Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 2008) at page 265 gives the date of Kidd’s execution.

Producer - Benedict Bogeaus

Director - Rowland V. Lee

Screenwriter - Norman Reilly Raine

Awards – The film was nominated for Best Original Score Oscar at the 18^th Academy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 30 minutes

Released – November 22, 1945

Starring –

Charles Laughton as Capt. William Kidd

Randolph Scott as Adam Mercy

Barbara Britton as Lady Anne Dunstan

John Carradine as Orange Povey

Gilbert Roland as Jose Lorenzo

John Qualen as Bart Blivens

Sheldon Leonard as Cyprian Boyle

William Farnum as Capt. Rawson

Henry Daniell as King William III

Reginald Owen as Cary Shadwell

Abner Biberman as Theodore Blades

Lumsden Hare as Lord Fallsworth

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 22 - The Great Train Robbery

Today’s movie is a period crime drama with a scenes that happen on May 22. Watch I tonight and enjoy.  

THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY    

During the Crimean War, the British government sends £25,000 in gold every month to the war zone to pat the troops. The gold is sent from the Huddleston & Bradford Bank, where Mr. Edgar Trent is president and Mr. Henry Fowler work by train. The gold is carried in two safes, each with two keys. Trent has a key, Fowler has a key and two are left in the railroad station office. Edward Pierce decides to steal the gold from the train. He makes the acquaintance of Mr. Trent, who introduces him to his daughter Elizabeth Trent, who tells him her father goes to the wine cellar the day of each gold shipment. Pierce and his confederate Agar sneak into the Trent house and make a copy of the key. Pierce’s mistress, Miriam gets a copy of the other key from Fowler.  They break Clean Willy, a sneak thief out of Newgate prison and with an elaborate plan; secure copies of the other two keys. They make a test run, where Agar will ride in the luggage car, open the safes and toss out the gold. Clean Willy is recaptured and snitches on Pierce and tells about the robbery. The railroad changes the rules and now no longer lets anyone, except the guard ride in the luggage car and lock the car from the outside. On May 22, 1854 [1:19:21 to 1:45:09] Agar is smuggled onto the luggage car in a coffin and the opens the safes. Pierce rides the train and them climbs outside and opens the lock so the gold can be tossed off. However, Pierce is recognized by Trent and arrested. The others escape.Pierce is tried, but with the help of Miriam and Agar escapes. 

The Great Train Robbery by Michael Crichton (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1975) at page 191 gives the date of the robbery

Producer - John Foreman

Director - Michael Crichton

Screenwriter - Michael Crichton

Runtime – 1 hour 50 minutes

Released – February 2, 1979

Starring –

Sean Connery as Edward Pierce

Donald Sutherland as Agar

Lesley-Anne Down as Miriam

Alan Webb as Trent

Malcolm Terris as Henry Fowler

Robert Lang as Sharp

Michael Elphick as Burgess

Wayne Sleep as Clean Willy

Pamela Salem as Emily Trent

Gabrielle Lloyd as Elizabeth Trent

Copyright by Ivan Walters
in 2015.

May 21 - The Duchess

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on May 21. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE DUCHESS  

Lively Georgiana Spencer is wed to (apparently) cold fish and outrageously wealthy William Cavendish, Duke of Devonshire. She doesn’t like it when he ignores her and has mistresses. He even has her raise his bastard daughter. She gets pregnant but has a daughter. Six years later she befriends Elizabeth “Bess” Foster, who is beaten by her husband and denied access to her children. The Duke takes Bess as his mistress and gets her children back for her. The Duke refuses to get a divorce and Georgiana has to agree otherwise she won’t ever see her children again. Georgiana has an affair with Charles Grey and proposes a deal that both of them ignore the other’s indiscretions, but the Duke refuses and rapes Georgiana. Nine months later she has a son on May 21, 1790. [1:07:20 to 1:07:39] She resumes her affair with Charles Grey, even after threats from her husband. She gets pregnant with Charles Grey’s child and is sent away to have it. Bess volunteers to go with her.  The child is born and handed over to Grey’s family.

                   

The Duchess by Amanda Foreman (Random House, New York, 1998) at page 118 gives the date of her son’s birth.

Producers - Gabrielle Tana and Michael Kuhn

Director - Saul Dibb

Screenplay - Jeffrey Hatcher, Anders Thomas Jensen and Saul Dibb

Awards - The film won the Oscar for Best Costume Design. It was also nominated for the Best Art Direction Oscar at the 81^st Academy Awards 

Runtime – 1 hour 50 minutes

Released -  September 5, 2008

Starring -

Keira Knightley as Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire

Ralph Fiennes as William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire

Hayley Atwell as Lady Elizabeth 'Bess' Foster

Charlotte Rampling as Countess Spencer

Dominic Cooper as Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey

Aidan McArdle as Richard Brinsley Sheridan

Simon McBurney as Charles James Fox

Sebastian Applewhite as Agustas

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 20 - The Odd Couple

Today’s movie is a comedy with a scene that happens on May 20. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE ODD COUPLE    

After he and his wife separate Felix Unger tries to kill himself, but then moves into the apartment of his best friend, Oscar Madison. This proves to be a mistake, since Felix is a neurotic, obsessive-compulsive neat freak, while Oscar, a sports writer, can charitably be described as not very neat. This causes problems, such as a telephone call from Felix about the dinner menu causing Oscar to miss seeing a triple play in a game where the Pittsburgh Pirates are visiting the New York Mets at Shea Stadium. [44:24 to 46:15] on May 20, 1968. Felix’s neatness compulsion eventually drives away the other members of the poker game that used to meet and play in Oscar’s apartment. Oscar sets up himself and Felix on a double date with Cecily and Gwendolyn, but he ends up drinking tea and telling the two girls all about Felix. Oscar and Felix engage in a war of nerves and Oscar eventually tells Felix to move out, but ends up with a major guilt trip over having forced the still emotionally fragile Felix out. Oscar and his poker buddies search for Felix, only to find he has moved in with Cecily and Gwendolyn. He promises to return for the next poker game, but tells the guys to clean up their mess. 

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/teamstats/schedule.php?y=1968&t=NYN gives the date of this game

Producer - Howard W. Koch


Director - Gene Saks


Screenwriter - Neil Simon


Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing Oscars at the 41^st Academy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 45  minutes

Released – May 22, 1968

Starring –

Jack Lemmon as Felix Ungar

Walter Matthau as Oscar Madison

Herb Edelman as Murray

John Fiedler as Vinnie

David Sheiner as Roy

Larry Haines as Speed

Monica Evans as Cecily Pigeon

Carole Shelley as Gwendolyn Pigeon

Billie Bird as Chambermaid

Iris Adrian as Waitress

Angelique Pettyjohn as Go-Go dancer

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

May 19 - Matewan

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on May 19. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

MATEWAN                               

In Mingo County, West Virginia in 1920 after the Stone Mountain Coal company reduces wages and raises prices in the company store in the same week, the miners vote to form a union and go on strike. The company brings in African-Americans and recent immigrants to work as scabs, relying on racism and xenophobia to divide the miners. Joe Kenehan, a union organizer arrives in Matewan and stays at the boarding house of widow Elma Radnor and her son Danny, a miner and preacher. Kenehan meets with the local union at the restaurant of C.E. Lively. The unofficial leader of the African–American miners, "Few Clothes" Johnson comes to the meeting and Kenehan says to succeed the union must accept African-Americans and immigrants as members so there will be no one left to work in the mines. Mrs. Radnor is forced to allow two hired thugs of the company from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency to stay in the boardinghouse.When they try to illegally evict a mining family from company housing, the town marshall, Sid Hatfield stops them after deputizing the miners.  Kenehan and the local union leader Sephus eventually persuade the African-Americans and immigrants join the strike. The miners are forced to live in tents, but when Baldwin-Felts men try to pressure them, some hill people drive them off. The company tries to ‘buy’ Sid Hatfield and the mayor,  Cabell Testerman, but fail. There is a nighttime shootout with the Baldwin-Felts men. Sephus is wounded and taken in by some hill people, but he sees that Lively is actually a company spy. Lively convinces a young widow, Bridey Mae Tolliver, that  Kenehan, instead of responding positively to a love letter she addressed to him, has been saying derogatory things about her. She tells a story that Kenehan raped her and Livley produces a fake letter from Baldwin-Felts to Kenehan that says Joe is the spy. The miners draw straws to decide who will kill Kenehan. Danny learns of the companies plot to get rid of Kenehan, but the Baldwin-Felts men threaten him into staying silent. However, at a prayer meeting that night Danny tells the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, but alters it sufficiently to alert the miners present (but not the Baldwin-Felts men) that Kenehan is innocent and his murder is called off. Sephus returns and after Lively’s restaurant is burned down, he flees town. While Danny and another miner, Hillard are stealing coal, Hillard is caught. After being threatened with death Hillard gives the names of five other union men (which turn out to be the names of men who died in a coal accident years ago), but is killed anyway, while Danny watches. On May 19, 1920 [2:01:00 to 2:07:36] more Baldwin-Felts  men arrive to complete the evictions but Sid Hatfield and the mayor stand in their way. Kenehan tries to stop it but a gun fight begins with the miners assisting Hatfield. The mayor and Kenehan are killed as well as seven of the Baldwin-Felts men.      

This is a very interesting little movie about a forgotten episode in American history. Shines a spotlight on two American heroes, Sid Hatfield and Cabell Testerman, who refused to be bought and stood up to the big money for the little man.

West Virginia by John A. Williams (W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 1976) at page 147 gives the date of the “battle”

Director - John Sayles

Producer - Peggy Rajski and Maggie Renzi

Screenplay - John Sayles

Released - August 28, 1987

Runtime – 1 hour 12 minutes

Starring –

Chris Cooper as Joe Kenehan

James Earl Jones as "Few Clothes" Johnson

Mary McDonnell as Elma Radnor

Will Oldham as Danny Radnor

David Strathairn as Police Chief Sid Hatfield

Ken Jenkins as Sephus Purcell

Gordon Clapp as Griggs

Kevin Tighe as Hickey

John Sayles as Hardshell Preacher

Bob Gunton as C.E. Lively

Josh Mostel as Mayor Cabell Testerman

Nancy Mette as Bridey Mae Tolliver

Jace Alexander as Hillard Elkins

Joe Grifasi as Fausto

Maggie Renzi as Rosaria

Jo Henderson as Mrs. Elkins

Gary McCleery as Ludi

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 18 - St. Helens

Today’s movie is a disaster film with scenes that happen on May 18. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

ST. HELENS

      

After 123 years, volcanic activity starts at Mount St. Helens, causing a disruption in the Earth’s magnetic field that causes a flock of quail to collide with a  helicopter, almost causing it to crash. David Jackson is sent by the USGS to investigate. Harry Truman is the crotchety owner of Spirit Lake lodge located near the mountain. Jackson meets and falls in love with Linda, a waitress at a local restaurant. Some locals are upset that Jackson is saying Mount St. Helens might be active as they are afraid it will cause economic loss.  Jackson sets up instruments to monitor the mountain. When a smoke plume goes up the head of the USGS comes to the mountain, but he downplays the seriousness of the situation.  Tourists come to see the volcano as it continues to vent, while the sheriff tries to get and keep people out of the danger zone. The townspeople talk the governor into allowing access to the town again. Jackson flies into the crater in a helicopter and gets what he thinks is positive proof that an eruption is on the way. An evacuation is ordered. On May 18, 1980, Jackson is on the mountain to monitor equipment when the mountain erupts killing him and many others, including Harry Truman,  who stupidly decided to stay in the area. [1:22:04 to 1:30:53]

A tolerable melodrama. The acting is good, although certainly not Oscar quality. It is good enough to keep you interested.

Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes by Alexander Gates and David Ritchie (Checkmark Books, New York, 2007) at page 223 and the movie at 1:22:12 give the date of the eruption.

Producer - Peter S. Davis and William N. Panzer

Director - Ernest Pintoff

Screenplay  - Peter Bellwood, Larry Ferguson, Michael Timothy Murphy and Larry

                       Sturholm

Released -  September, 1981

Runtime – 1 hour 30 min

Starring -

Art Carney as Harry Truman

David Huffman as David A. Johnston

Cassie Yates as Linda Steele

Albert Salmi as  Clyde Whittaker

Ron O'Neal as  Otis Kaylor

Tim Thomerson as  Sheriff Wayne Temple

Bill McKinney as  Kilpatrick

Nehemiah Persoff as  Mr. Ellison

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

May 17 - King Solomon's Mines (1950)

Today’s movie is an action/adventure film with a scene that happens on May 17. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

KING SOLOMON’S MINES            

White hunter Alan Quartermain has become disillusioned with his job. When John Goode asks him to help his sister Elizabeth, look for her lost husband Henry Curtis he initially refuses, until she offers Quartermain enough money to provide for his young son in England should he be killed. Henry Curtis was looking for the legendary lost mines of King Solomon and they have a copy of his map. The safari begins, even though Quartermain is still very skeptical about taking a woman along. They reach a native village where they learn Curtis passed through. They encounter the usual African dangers, including surviving a stampede caused by a wildfire. The group encounters a tall African named Umbopa who asks to accompany them on their expedition. All their bearers run away except for Khiva. They arrive at a village where they find a white man who calls himself Smith. He is really Van Brun, who is wanted for murder and fled to the jungle to avoid arrest. He remembers Curtis and his bearer passing through, but just the bearer returned, only to die a few hours later. The tribe are cannibals and they have to take Van Brun hostage to escape. Van Brun tries to escape, killing Khiva and is killed by Quartermain. The quartet reach the desert shown on Curtis’s map. They almost die of thirst, but on May 17, 1897 they reach the waterhole shown on the map. [1:17:26 to 1:18:23]  This enables them to press on into the mountains on the other side of the desert. Here they find a fertile valley and evidence that Curtis reached this far. They also learn that Umbopa is a prince of the Tutsi tribe that lives there and he is returning to claim his throne from  his cousin Twala who usurped the throne. The three whites have a tense meeting with Twala. Twala supporter Gagool speaks of Curtis and leads them to a diamond rich cave where they find Curtis’s skeleton. Gagool triggers a booby trap, sealing the three Europeans inside.  They escape to find Umbopa and Twala about to fight to the death for the throne. Umbopa wins and gives them enough bearers and supplies to return to civilization.

This is a passable adventure film, based on a classic novel of the genre. The film seems a little dated today with its misogynistic tinge and racist undertones. If you can put this to one side and just enjoy, it is a good film. The cinematography is fantastic, as it was one of the first films set in Africa to actually be filmed there, and not in a studio. 

In the book King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard (Magnum Books, New York, 1968) at page 83 they reach a waterhole and spend the rest of the day beside it and when they leave it “that night we covered nearly…” (May 17/18) [page 84], they rest the next day and “at the approach of evening…” set off again (May 18/19), [page 84] the next day they find melons and “That night …” (May19/20), set out again [page 86] they continue climbing and “that night we ate our last morsel… “(May20/21). [page 87] immediately after this the date 21^st May is given on page 87.  In the movie at 2:47 the year is given as 1897. 

Producer - Sam Zimbalist

Directors  - Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton

Screenwriter - Helen Deutsch

Awards – The film won the Best Color Cinematography and Best Film Editing Oscars. It was also nominated for Best Picture at the 23^rd Academy Awards.

Released – November 24, 1950

Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes

Starring –

Deborah Kerr as Elizabeth Curtis 

Stewart Granger as Allan Quatermain 

Richard Carlson as John Goode 

Hugo Haas as Van Brun a.k.a. Smith 

Lowell Gilmore as Eric Masters, District Commissioner 

Kimursi as Khiva  

Siriaque as Umbopa 

Sekaryongo as Chief Gagool

Baziga as King Twala

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 16 - The Dambusters .

Today’s film is a war movie with a scene that happens on May 16. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

THE DAM BUSTERS               

During World War II, Barnes Wallis comes up with an idea on how to destroy three dams in Germany that supply the water and power for the Ruhr, a major industrial area. His idea is to drop a spinning bomb so it will bounce over anti-torpedo netting and explode right next to the dam, causing a breach. Even though his prototype bomb works, he can’t get the project going until he gets the support of Arthur Harris, the head of bomber command. A special squadron is formed and they practice low level flying over water, as the bomb will have to be dropped from a very low altitude. The first full scale trial fails. Gibson gets an idea from the spotlights at a London show to use spotlights on the water to establish their altitude, as they are flying so low the normal altimeter won’t work. After the second trial also fails, Barnes realizes the bomb will have to be dropped from a mere 60 feet. The third trial works. A simple bombsight is developed and tested. The men of the squadron get into a fight with men from another squadron who had insulted them saying that all they do is train. On May 16, 1943 the planes take off for Germany.  The regimental mascot is run over by a car. At least two bombers are shot down en route to the dams. [1:04:22 to 1:33:48]   After several bomb explosions which do no significant damage they successfully breach the first dam. With only three planes they also successfully breach the second dam.  Almost 40% of the squadron doesn’t come back.

A very interesting film about a very unusual bombing mission. Fascinating in that it shows how the bomb was developed and tested. The sequences showing the raid are very suspenseful and influenced the destruction of the death star sequence in Star Wars.

The Strategic Bombing of Germany by Alan J. Levine (Praeger, London, 1992) at page 56 gives the date of the raid

Director  - Michael Anderson

Screenplay - R. C. Sherriff

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Special Effects Oscar at the 28^th Academy Awards.

Released - May 24, 1955

Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes

Starring –

Richard Todd as Wing Commander Guy Gibson

Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallis

Ursula Jeans as Mrs Molly Wallis

Basil Sydney as Sir Arthur Harris

Patrick Barr as Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers

Ernest Clark as Air Vice-Marshal The Honourable Ralph Cochrane

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

May 15 - Cast A Giant Shadow

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on May 15. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

CAST A GIANT SHADOW      

At Christmastime 1947 the Haganah underground group, approaches the Jewish Mickey Marcus, former American military lawyer to assist the future Israeli army. He finally agrees and tells his wife, who is upset, as she thinks the Israelis can’t win. She thinks back to when he served during World War II. Marcus finagles his way across the Channel into France after D-Day, without orders and is arrested by his commanding general. Back in 1947, the Pentagon says he can only go to Palestine if he goes incognito. When he arrives in Palestine, the bus he travels on is ambushed by the Arabs.  He is greeted with  suspicion by the Haganah, but after he assists in helping some illegal refugees land, he earns some respect. Marcus goes on a tour of Haganah positions and reflects back on when he helped in the liberation of Dachau concentration camp. Marcus leads a raid to destroy an illegal Arab arms dump. Marcus keeps pushing to unify the different Jewish forces into a united army. He continues observing, writes manuals for the Israeli army and runs the Arab gauntlet into Jerusalem.  His wife miscarries their child.   In Jerusalem, Mickey resists temptation from his female Haganah handler, Magdha. Marcus returns to New York for a time and thinks back to when he was awarded the OBE. He returns to Palestine with a planeload of arms. The Haganah and Palmach agree to serve under a unified command. Israel declares its independence and Marcus succumbs to a night with Maghda. The next day, May 15, 1948, Marcus, Gen. Asher and David Ben-Gurion meet  and discuss the overwhelming Arab advantage.[1:27:14 to 1:28:56] Israel is attacked on all fronts, but they fight back with everything they’ve got. Marcus leads an attack with improvised weapons that stops an Egyptian armored attack. He is recalled to help save Jerusalem and is put in charge of all forces in the area.  He helps organize an attack on Latrun, where the Arab Legion has cut off the supply line to the city.  The attack is repulsed due to overwhelming Arab strength and lack of Israeli training. Marcus proposes building a new supply road through a narrow valley. Working 24 hours a day the new road is built and the supplies start flowing again to feed Jerusalem. Marcus decides to end the affair with Maghda.  On the night before the cease fire takes effect, Marcus is killed by an Israeli sentry because he didn’t know how to respond to a challenge in Hebrew.
. 

A good, if somewhat sentimentalized biopic. Marcus is presented as the American “saviour’ of Israel, which is certainly an exaggeration. The film also tacks on domestic quarrels and a love affair to what is essentially a war movie.

This scene is after the proclamation of the state of Israel, which was on May14, 1948 as per Historic  Palestine, Israel and the Emerging Palestinian Autonomous Areas ed. by Laura S. Etheredge (Britanica Publishing, New York, 2011) at page 69. The next scene after this at 1:29:00 says May 16

Director - Melville Shavelson

Producer - Melville Shavelson

Screenplay - Melville Shavelson                              

Released - March 30,  1966

Runtime - 2 hours 26 minutes.

Starring -

Kirk Douglas as “Mickey” Marcus

Angie Dickinson as Emma Marcus

Senta Berger as Magda

Yul Brynner as Asher

Stathis Giallelis as Ram Oren

John Wayne as The General

Frank Sinatra as Vince

Gordon Jackson as McAffee

James Donald as Saphir

Copyright by Ivan Walters  in 2015. 

May 14 - I Will Fight No More Forever

Today’s movie is a western with a scene that happens on May 14. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

I WILL FIGHT NO MORE FOREVER  

Violent incidents occur between white settlers and the Nez Perce in the Wallowa Valley. On May 14, 1877 [7:40 to 23:02] at a council between Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce and Gen. Oliver Howard, the Nez Perce are given an ultimatum: leave the valley and move to a reservation or the army will move you. Chief Joseph advises moving to the reservation, but young warriors kill some settlers. At a second meeting between n Joseph and the army, settlers open fire at a flag of truce and the war begins. The Nez Perce flee, trying to reach Canada. The Nez Perce stay one step ahead of the army for three months, but they are finally surrounded and forced to surrender.    

The Nez Perce Indians and the  Opening of the Northwest by Alvin Josephy, Jr. (Yale University Press, London, 1965) at pages 507-508 and the film at 7:45 give the date of this meeting

Producers - Stan Margulies and David L. Wolper

Director - Richard T. Heffron

Screenwriters - Jeb Rosebrook and Theodore Strauss

Awards – The film was nominated for the Outstanfing Writing for a Special Program and the Outstanding Film Editing for a Special Program Emmys at the 28^th Primetime Emmy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 40 minutes

Released –  April 14, 1975

Starring - .

James Whitmore as General Oliver O. Howard

Ned Romero as Chief Joseph

Sam Elliott as Captain Wood

John Kauffman as Wahlitits

Emilio Delgado as Ollokot

Nick Ramus as Rainbow

Linda Redfearn as Toma

Frank Salsedo as White Bird

Vince St. Cyr as Chief Looking Glass

Delroy White as Colonel Gibbon

Lance Hool as Sergeant Giles

Charles Ynfante as Yellow Wolf

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

May 13 - Little Gloria... Happy at Last

Today’s movie is a biography, with a scene that happens on May 13. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

LITTLE GLORIA, HAPPY AT LAST                   

In 1921 Reggie Vanderbilt woos and weds Gloria Morgan, even though he is twenty-four years older than her. Their only child, daughter Gloria Vanderbilt is born in 1924. Emma Kieslich is hired as Gloria’s nanny by her maternal grandmother. Gloria’s father dies when she was eighteen months old and Gloria inherits $2.5 million (worth $458 million today].  Her mother has to petition the court for an allowance from her daughter’s trust fund, as Reggie died insolvent and a lawyer is made little Gloria’s guardian, as her mother is not yet 21.  Gloria moves to Europe to be near her sister Thelma, who has become Lady Furness. Little Gloria’s nanny, Emma Kieslich works to turn her charge against her own mother. After their return to America, little Gloria and her mother are concerned about kidnappers. Little Gloria’s grandmother, Mrs. Morgan on May 13, 1932 reads her news of the body of the Lindbergh baby being found.[1:11:57 to 1:13:04] Gloria goes to stay with her grandmother, Grace Whitney, where Gloria has a series of psychosomatic illnesses. When Gloria moves to be appointed guardian for her daughter Gloria, Gloria’s own mother, Mrs. Morgan contests the appointment, as the stooge for Grace Whitney. When Gloria buys a house in the country and plans to move there with her daughter without the nurse, the evil nurse Kieslich calls Grace Whitney.  The nurse takes little Gloria to Mrs. Whitney’s house.  Little Gloria has a fit when her mother comes to retrieve her, so her mother flies a writ of habeus corpus to get her daughter back. At the custody hearing, Nurse Kieslich gives blistering, partisan testimony against Gloria Vanderbilt. A former servant testifies that Gloria was in a lesbian relationship with Lady Milford Haven.  Mrs. Morgan testifies against her daughter. Gloria has another fit when her mother tries to visit her, but eventually they are able to meet in a friendly manner. Mrs. Whitney testifies against Gloria. The judge interviews little Gloria in private and she seems unable to identify any specific incident of wrong doing or neglect by her mother. Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt testifies on her own behalf. During the trial the judge seems biased against Gloria, while the public supports her. Mrs. Whitney keeps custody, but Gloria has visitation. Mrs. Kieslich is fired.

Date given in film at 1:12: 23  

Director - Waris Hussein     

Screenplay - William Hanley

Awards - It was nominated for six Emmy Awards, including nominations for Davis for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie and Lansbury for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. It was also nominated for Outstanding Art Direction for a Period Series, Miniseries or a Movie (Single-Camera), Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special.  Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special and Outstanding Miniseries.

Released - October 24, 1982                                        Runtime – 3 hours

Starring – Angela Lansbury as Gertrude V. Whitney, Christopher Plummer as Reginald  Vanderbilt, Maureen Stapleton as Emma Kieslich, Martin Balsam as Nathan Burkan, Barnard Hughes as Judge John Francis Carew, Glynis Johns as Laura Fitzpatrick Morgan, John Hillerman as Maury Paul, Michael Gross as Gilcrist,
Joseph Maher as Smythe, Lucy Gutteridge as Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt, Betty Davis as Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

May 12 - J. Edgar

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on May 12. Watch it tonight and enjoy. 

J. EDGAR                

There are two different storylines in this film. The first one starts in the 1960’s when J. Edgar Hoover brings in agent Smith to write his autobiography. The second track is Hoover telling Smith in flashback the story of his career. It starts in 1919 when radicals start planting bombs, including trying to kill Attorney General Mitchell Palmer, Hoover lives with his mother. He meets Helen Gandy, and while she rejects his marriage proposal agreed to become his secretary. Hoover organizes an anti-radical task force and gets Emma Goldman deported. Hoover led raids against suspected radical groups and a new Attorney General, Harlan Stone names him head of the FBI.   Hoover meets Clyde Tolson and hires him. Hoover starts his secret files that contain damaging material about prominent people. In the early sixties Hoover uses the secret files to blackmail the Kennedy brothers to avoid having to deal with the Mafia and to approve his methods of dealing with the Civil Rights movement.  Hoover tells how at the start of the depression a wave of bank robberies created work for the FBI. When the Lindbergh kidnapping occurred, Hoover tries to take over the case. Lindbergh and John Condon deliver the ransom money to the supposed kidnappers, but the child is not returned. Hoover uses the lack of oversight by the Kennedys to use wiretaps and bugs to try and get damaging info on Martin Luther King, Jr. At Hoover’s insistence the serial numbers of the bills used to pay the Lindbergh ransom are noted. On May 12, 1932, the body of the Lindbergh baby is found. [1:02:53 to 1:03:58]  Hoover personally arrests several people on the most wanted list. Tracking the serial numbers of the Lindbergh ransom money eventually leads to Bruno Richard Hauptman, who is arrested charged, convicted and executed for the crime. Hoover uses this case to get kidnapping made a federal offense and establishes the FBI crime lab.Tolson and Hoover, who have been having a homosexual affair have a huge fight when Hoover says he’s going to marry a woman, but nixes the idea when Tolson says he will leave if Hoover marries her. Hoover’s mother dies shortly after this. In the 1960’s Tolson has a stroke, which upsets Hoover.  Hoover used the secret files to blackmail FDR, to keep him from interfering with the FBI. Hoover runs a vendetta against Martin Luther King, Jr., convinced he’s a communist revolutionary and tries to use damaging information about King to force him to decline the Nobel Peace Prize. When Hoover dies suddenly, Helen Gandy destroys the secret files.

Di Caprio gives a fantastic performance. However, this film has a muddled plot that is hard to follow at times. Overall it is a good biographical movie about a very controversial figure.

The Ghosts of Hopewell: Setting the Record Straight About the Lindbergh Kidnapping Case by Jim Fisher (Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale, Ill., 1999) at page 21 gives the date the body was discovered

Director - Clint Eastwood    

Producer - Clint Eastwood, Brian Grazer and Robert Lorenz

Screenplay - Dustin Lance Black

Released – November 9, 2011

Runtime – 2 hours 17 minutes

Starring –

Leonardo DiCaprio as J. Edgar Hoover

Armie Hammer as Clyde Tolson

Naomi Watts as Helen Gandy

Josh Lucas as Charles Lindbergh

Judi Dench as Anna Marie Hoover

Damon Herriman as Bruno Richard Hauptmann

Jeffrey Donovan as Robert F. Kennedy

Ed Westwick as Agent Smith

Zach Grenier as John Condon

Ken Howard as Harlan F. Stone

Stephen Root as Arthur Koehler

Denis O'Hare as Albert S. Osborn

Geoff Pierson as Alexander Mitchell Palmer

Lea Thompson as Lela Rogers

Gunner Wright as Dwight D. Eisenhower

Christopher Shyer as Richard Nixon

Miles Fisher as Agent Garrison

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015