September 30 - Middlemarch

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on September 30.  Watch it tonight and enjoy this film .

MIDDLEMARCH             

Dr. Tertius Lydgate arrives in Middlemarch as its new doctor and he works with town leaders to build a new hospital. On September 30,1829 [10:40 to 16:05, Episode 1] Celia speaks with Dodo about dividing their deceased mother’s jewelry. Dodo cares nothing about this as she is more concerned about helping the poor. She rejects the neighboring landowner Sir James Chettam to marry the pedantic scholar  Rev. Edward Casaubon, who is working on a key to all mythologies. Dr. Lydgate ends up having to cast the deciding vote for the hospital Chaplin. The vote was between Farebrother, an amiable parson and Mr. Tyke, the candidate of Mr. Bulsrode, the banker. In Rome on their honeymoon, Dorothea realizes that her husband is both pompous and indolent and will probably never get around to actually writing his book. Fred Vincy has to borrow 160 pounds from Mr. Garth and his daughter Mary to pay a debt, even though they can’t afford it either.  The Casaubons return to England, where Dorothea learns her sister has become engaged to Sir James Chettam. While taking care of Fred Vincy after he becomes ill, his sister, Rosamond falls for Dr. Lydgate. Casaubon has a stroke. Dr. Lydgate tries to keep his distance from Rosamund, but finally succumbs and proposes to her. Fred Vincy’s uncle has made two wills one leaving everything to Fred, the other to Joshua Rigg. Dying he asks Mary Garth to destroy the one disinheriting Fred, but Mary, terrified of being accused of wrongdoing, refuses. Thus, Fred does not inherit and Rigg, Featherstone’s illegitimate son, does. Contrary to Dorothea’s request, her uncle invites Will Ladislaw, Casaubon’s nephew, whom she had met in Rome to visit. Dr. Lydgate and Rosamund marry. Ladislaw is installed as editor of a newspaper by Mr. Brooke.   Rosamond goes on a spending spree. Sir James Chettam appoints Mr. Garth as agent for his two estates.  Casaubon dies. In his will he disinherits Dorothea if she marries Ladislaw. Mr. Brooke’s run for parliament does not go very well and he sells the newspaper, dispossessing Mr. Ladislaw. Mr. Raffles shows up. He knows about Mr. Bulstrodes earlier unsavory beginnings. Rosamund’s stupid insistence on riding while pregnant leads to a miscarriage. Fred Vincy gets Mr. Farebrother, who also loves Mary to speak to her about him. She tells Mr. Farebrother she loves Fred. Ladislaw learns about the will and leaves. Fred starts working for Mr. Garth as his assistant. Tertius and Rosamund fight about their debts. Bulstrode says he is leaving town and can’t support the hospital any more. Raffles returns to Middlemarch and Garth resigns as Bulstrode’s agent. The Lydgate’s furniture is repossessed.  Bulstrode lends Lydgate enough money to get him out of debt. Bulstrode kills Raffles by giving him liquor. Rigg Featherstone accuses Bulstrode of killing Raffles and the Lydgates suffer social ostracization.  Ladislaus returns.  Dorothea finds Ladislaw and Rosamond in a clinch, but Rosamond tells her that Ladislaw told her he loves Dorothea.  Bulstrode leases his estate to Fred Vincy, who marries Mary Garth. Dorothea marries Ladislaw, who is eventually elected to parliament.  

                       

An interesting Victorian melodrama. Stays faithful to the source material, while bringing  out issues that will appeal to today’s audience. The costumes and scenery are excellent.

Middlemarch by George Elliott (Penguin Books, New York, 2003) at page 11 gives the date

Producer – Louis Marks

Director - Anthony Page

Screenplay - Andrew Davies

Runtime -  6 hours 15 minutes

Released  - January 12, 1994

Staring –

Juliet Aubrey as Dorothea Brooke

Patrick Malahide as Rev. Edward Casaubon

Rufus Sewell as Will Ladislaw

Douglas Hodge as Dr Tertius Lydgate

Robert Hardy as Arthur Brooke

Caroline Harker as Celia Brooke

Julian Wadham as Sir James Chettam

Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs Cadwallader

Jonathan Firth as Fred Vincy

Trevyn McDowell as Rosamund Vincy

Rachel Power as Mary Garth

Peter Jeffrey as Bulstrode

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

The Pride of the Yankees

Today’s movie is a sports biography with scenes that happen on September 29. Watch the movie tonight and
enjoy it.

PRIDE OF THE YANKEES           

Young Lou Gehrig plays baseball on the streets of New York, much to the annoyance of his mother who wants him to go to college and become an engineer. Gehrig does not fit in at Columbia, since he comes from a poor family and his mother works as a cook at the college. He does play baseball, which gets him noticed by pro scouts. When his mother becomes ill, Gehrig signs with the Yankee organization to provide her with the best care.  He is sent to play for the Hartford farm team, but when he is recalled to play for the Yankees, his mother finds out about his baseball career, which leads to a major blow-up, but Lou talks her into accepting his choice. In spite of early mishaps, Lou plays for the Yankees. At a game in Chicago, he meets Eleanor Twitchell and they start dating. In the 1932 World Series Babe Ruth promises a homer to hospitalized Billy, while Lou promises him two homers. Both men deliver during the game. Afterwards Lou takes the train to Chicago, visits Eleanor at 4 a.m. and proposes to her. On September 29, 1933 [1:17:00 to 1:25:48] after Lou tells him mom who’s the boss, Lou and Eleanor get married and then get a police escort to the game. Gehrig and the Yankees continue their success. On the day he plays in his 2,000^th consecutive game Lou notices a twinge of shoulder weakness. He goes into a slump and finally takes himself out of the starting lineup. He learns he has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a fatal disease. Gehrig is honored by the Yankees at Lou Gehrig day at Yankee Stadium.  

A very good biopic. It is somewhat sentimentalized, like all film bios of it’s time were, but it’s still interesting. Cooper does a very good job playing Gehrig.

Graham, Frank. Lou Gehrig: A Quiet Hero. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1942. Page 164 gives the date of his marriage.

Awards – The movie won the Best Film Editing Oscar. The film was also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Actor(Cooper), Best Actress(Wright), Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White, Best Effects, Special Effects, Best Music Score, Best Sound Recording, Best Original Story and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 15^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - Jo Swerling and Herman J. Mankiewicz

Producer - Samuel Goldwyn           

Director – Sam Wood

Runtime – 2 hours 8 minutes

Released – July 14, 1942

Starring –

Gary Cooper as Lou Gehrig

Teresa Wright as Eleanor Twitchell Gehrig

Walter Brennan as Sam Blake

Babe Ruth as Himself

Dan Duryea as Hank Henneman

Ludwig Stossel as Pop Gehrig

Elsa Janssen as Mom Gehrig

Harry Harvey as Joe McCarthy

Ernie Adams as Miller Huggins

Bill Dickey as Himself

Mark Koenig as Himself

Copyright by Ivan Walters
in 2015

September 28 - Looker

Today’s movie is a science fiction thriller with a scene that happens on September 28. Watch this movie tonight and enjoy.

LOOKER                                          

A model, Lisa, hires Dr. Roberts to make minor changes to her appearance. Then one evening she answers the doorbell and later takes a dive off of her balcony to her death.  A stranger in the apartment leaves after dropping a pen and a button. On September 28, 1984 [7:54 to 27:30] Dr. Roberts has a post-operative consult with Cindy who has had surgery like Lisa. Lt. Masters talks to Dr. Roberts about two deaths, including Lisa’s.  He suggests their deaths might be murder, but leaves when their files can’t be found. Lt. Masters notes the pen is Dr. Roberts and his coat is missing a matching button to the one left in Lisa’s apartment. Tina, the fourth girl who had the surgery wants to be changed back, since she’s terrified she’s to be the next victim.  Dr. Roberts goes to Tina’s apartment, but is too late as she also takes a dive off her balcony. He takes Cindy to a party at millionaire John Reston’s house where he learns Digital Matrix, Inc., one of Reston’s companies was involved with the dead girls.  The next day after she tries unsuccessfully to match her movements to a computerized image in a commercial shoot, Dr. Roberts and Cindy go to Digital Matrix, Inc. where a 3D model is made of Cindy. The company tried to alter the models so they had perfect scores for visual impact. Dr. Roberts theft of an ID card is discovered. Dr. Roberts and Cindy return to the lab and sneak into the Looker lab. This is where DMI has developed a computerized hypnotic pulse that they can insert into commercials. The technology has also been used to develop a gun that hypnotizes its subjects. This is how the girls were killed. They are discovered and are lucky to escape with their lives. Reston’s hitmen follow the pair back to Dr. Roberts office where they manage to kidnap Cindy. The hitmen try to kill Dr. Roberts. He escapes but stupidly gets into a Reston Security car and is taken back to the lab. Dr. Roberts uses the Looker gun he has to escape. Disguised as a Reston guard he infiltrates a presentation about their 3D program. A gun battle ensues over the backdrops for the computer generated commercials during which Dr. Roberts kills the hitman. Lt. Masters, who had become suspicious of Reston arrives in time to stop him from killing Dr. Roberts. Dr. Roberts and Cindy begin a relationship.  

                       

An interesting sci-fi film. It does have some plot holes. Still it is interesting enough to keep you wanting to keep watching. 

Day of week and date given on wall calendar in film at 9:30

Producer - Howard Jeffrey                           

Director – Michael Crichton

Screenwriter – Michael Crichton

Runtime – 1 hour 34 minutes

Released - October 30, 1981

Starring –        

Albert Finney as Dr. Larry Roberts

James Coburn as John Reston

Susan Dey as Cindy Fairmont

Dorian Harwood as Lt. Masters

Tim Rossovich as moustache man

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 27 - Somebody Up There Likes Me

Today’s movie is a sports biography with a scene that happens on September 27. Watch this movie tonight and enjoy.

SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME    

Rocco Barbella is a juvenile delinquent who drifts into a life of crime. He is sent to prison and gets in trouble by refusing to accept any discipline. In prison he meets Frankie Peppo, who tells Rocco that if he ever needs money to look him up and he’ll get him into boxing. When he’s finally released, he’s drafted into the army. He refuses to accept military discipline and goes AWOL after punching an officer. He gets into boxing under the name “Rocky Graziano” and wins six fights by knockouts before he’s picked up by the Army. He’s sentenced to one year at Leavenworth and a dishonorable discharge. The boxing coach at Leavenworth tells Rocky that if he channeled his hate into boxing he could be a good fighter. When he gets out Rocky resumes his career. He meets Norma, a friend of his sister and they start dating. They have a big fight because she is initially repelled by boxing’s violence. Rocky makes up with her, but in the process misses a bout and almost loses his license. His manager, Irving Cohen,  tells him to either marry Norma or give her up, so Rocky  marries her. Then, on September 27, 1946 [ 1:08:26 to 1:11:55] Rocky gets knocked out by Zale in the middleweight title fight. Then Frankie Peppo reappears in Rocky’s life as a messenger from the mob, telling him that unless he throws the title fight  they will make his past difficulties with the law public, but if he does they’ll pay him $100 grand. Rocky fakes an injury to get the bout canceled, but when questioned by the District attorney he refuses to name names. His boxing license is suspended in New York, since he failed to report a bribery attempt. Irving Cohen gets the title fight moved to Chicago, since Illinois did not suspend Rocky’s license. Rocky almost considers taking the bribe until he sees the terrible things that happened to his friends who had been members of his youth gang. Rocky fights Zale for the title and wins.

                       

A somewhat sentimentalized story. As is usual with Hollywood biopics, this film plays around with the actual facts of Graziano’s life, but not as much as some films. Overall a decent and watchable movie.

                      

The Boxing Register by James B. Roberts and Alexander V. Skutt (McBooks Press, Ithaca, NY, 1997) p. 258

Awards – This movie won the Best Black and White Art Direction and Best Black and White  Cinematography Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Film Editing Oscar at the 29^th Academy  Awards.

Producer - Charles Schnee                  

Director - Robert Wise                                        

Screenplay - Ernest Lehman

Runtime – 1 hour 54 minutes                               

Released – July 3, 1956

Starring –

Paul Newman as Rocky Graziano

Pier Angeli as Norma Graziano

Everett Sloane as Irving Cohen

Eileen Heckart as Ma Barbella

Harold J. Stone as Nick Barbella

Sal Mineo as Romolo

Ray Stricklyn as Bryson

Robert Loggia as Frankie Peppo

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

September 26 - 61*

Today’s movie is a sports drama with a scene that happens on September 26. Watch it tonight and enjoy the show.

61*                                      

Marc McGwire hits his 60^th home run of the season. Mrs. Maris travels to see him hit #61, but has to go to the hospital and watches him hit it from her bed. We flashback to the Yankees opening day in 1961 when some reporters say Mickey Mantle is washed up and other try to create a rivalry between him and Maris. The new manager wants Mantle to lead the team and Maris is presented with the 1960 MVP award.  The reporters think Maris is dull. The Yankees start in a slump, but the manager changes the lineup and they improve. Maris has to rescue Mantle after a drunk driving wreck and moves him into his apartment to keep an eye on Mantle. The home run race begins and Mantle and Maris incorporate to take advantage of memorabilia sales and endorsements. The commissioner says there will be distinct record if anyone hits more than 60 home runs due to more games in season. The fans turn on Maris. His son is born and he is upset that reporters are at his house. There is a kidnap threat. Maris is upset by the negative press and Mantle plays even though injured. Mantle and Maris have a fight, but make up. A chair is thrown at Maris in the outfield. Maris starts losing his hair due to stress and Mantle plays with a hip ulcer. Maris asks to be taken out of the lineup, but the manager talks him out of it. Some people hope Maris won’t break the record. The Orioles trade pitchers to stop Maris from tieing the record in same number of games it took Ruth. On September 26, 1961 Maris hits number 60 and ties the record. [1:47:53 to 1:49:46] On last day of season hits number 61 and gets ovation in Yankee stadium.  Back in the present McGwire hits number 62 and praises Maris.

                       

A great sports movie. It also is a dual biography of Mantle and Maris. Both men’s characters are well developed. Shows the seamy side of baseball with all those who secretly hope Maris can’t do it and change the rules to deprive him of the record.

Ruth, Maris, McGwire and Sosa by William F. McNeil (McFarland & Co., Publishers, London, 1999) at page 100 gives the date

Producer -Robert F. Colesberry

Director -Billy Crystal

Screenplay - Hank Steinberg

Awards - The film won the Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Movie; Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie(Pepper); Outstanding Made for Television Movie; Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Outstanding Single Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special; Outstanding Single Camera Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie; and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries or a Movie Emmys.   

Runtime - 2 hours 9 minutes

Released - April 28, 2001

Starring -

Barry Pepper as Roger Maris

Thomas Jane as Mickey Mantle

Anthony Michael Hall as Whitey Ford

Richard Masur as Milt Kahn

Bruce McGill as Ralph Houk

Chris Bauer as Bob Cerv

Jennifer Crystal Foley as Pat Maris (1961)

Christopher McDonald as Mel Allen

Bob Gunton as Dan Topping

Donald Moffat as Ford Frick

Joe Grifasi as Phil Rizzuto

Peter Jacobson as Artie Green

Seymour Cassel as Sam Simon

Robert Joy as Bob Fishel

Michael Nouri as Joe DiMaggio

Tom Candiotti as Hoyt Wilhelm

E.E. Bell as Fan impersonating Babe Ruth

Patricia Crowley as Pat Maris (1998)

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

September 25 - Damn Yankees!

Today’s film is a musical comedy with a scene that happens on September 25. Watch it tonight and enjoy the show.

DAMN YANKEES!      

Joe Boyd is a long-suffering fan of the perennial doormats of the American league, the Washington Senators baseball team. This is driving a wedge between him and his wife Meg. After he exclaims he would sell his soul is the Senators could win the pennant, the Devil(who calls himself Applegate) shows up and offers him just such a deal-Joe will become the younger Joe Hardy, baseball phenomenon and help the Senators win the World Series, in return Applegate gets his soul. However, Joe is smart enough to insist on an escape clause to which Applegate agrees. Joe can back out before midnight on September 24^th.  Joe becomes Joe Harper and the Senators start winning, while reporter Gloria Thorpe investigates Joe’s past.  Joe realizes he misses Meg and keeps visiting his old home to catch a glance of her. Applegate brings in Lola, who had sold her soul to him in return for an eternally youthful appearance to seduce Joe, but he resists her advances. Gloria Thorpe has learned that no one in Joe Hardy’s alleged hometown has ever heard of him and names him as really being Shifty McCoy a corrupt minor leaguer playing under a pseudonym. The commissioner calls in Joe for a hearing on the day he plans to exercise the escape clause and return to Meg. Meg and her friends lie and say they grew up with Joe Hardy, so he wins the case. However, in the excitement the deadline for Joe to exercise the escape clause passes. The next day, September 25, 1958 [1:31:50 – 1:50:14] Joe commiserates with Lola. She has fallen in love with Joe and drugs Applegate, so he  will miss the last game of the season and be unable to carry out his plan of having the Senators lose the last game of the season and the pennant to the hated Yankees. However, Applegate wakes up and makes it to the ballpark in the   final inning, having first returned Lola to her hag-like appearance. As Joe Hardy is going back to catch the final out, securing a Senators win, Applegate turns him back into Joe Boyd, but he makes the catch anyway. As the Senators celebrate Joe returns home to Meg, where he resists Applegate’s entreaties to become Joe Hardy again and lead the Senators to a World Series Championship, and decides to stay with Meg as Applegate angrily departs for good.

The date is given in the film at 11:48-49

                       

Producers and Directors - George Abbott and Stanley Donne

Screenwriters - George Abbott and Douglass Wallop

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Original Score for a Musical Picture at the 31^st Academy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 51 minutes                      Released – September 26, 1958

Starring - Tab Hunter as Joe Hardy, Gwen Verdon as Lola, Robert Shafer as Joe Boyd, Ray Walston as Applegate, Russ Brown as Benny Van Buren, Shannon Bolin as Meg Boyd, Jean Stapleton as Sister Miller, Rae Allen as Gloria Thorpe

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 24 - The Guns of Navarone

Today’s film is a war movie with scenes occurring on September 24. Watch it tonight and enjoy the show.

       

THE GUNS OF NAVARONE     

British troops are trapped on the Greek island of Keros during the Second World War. They can’t be evacuated because the approaches to the island are controlled by German heavy guns housed in a bomb-proof cliffside cave on the island of Navarone. Capt. Keith Mallory, former mountain climber, along with Maj. Roy Franklin, the Greek Andrea Stavron, explosives expert Cpl. Miller, Greek-American   Spyros Pappadimos and ‘Butcher’ Brown are formed into a commando team to destroy the guns. They travel there in a decrepit fishing boat. On the way they sink a German e-boat, but a storm wrecks the boat on the rocks at Navarone. The team led by Mallory climbs 400-foot cliffs, but Franklin is seriously injured. A German sentry is killed and the Germans learn of their presence. After the injured Franklin attempts suicide so he will no longer be a burden to the team, Mallory tells him that the new plan is for an amphibious attack on the island. They dodge German patrols and make contact with resistance members, Maria, Spyros’s sister and Anna. They go to the village to get a doctor for Franklin, but the team is captured. They overpower the Germans and escape but leave Franklin behind. The Germans torture Franklin and learn about the amphibious attack.  On September 24, 1943, [1:47:08 – 2:36:07] after discovering his explosives are ruined, Miller exposes Anna as a traitor and Maria executes her. Mallory and Miller enter the fortress as most Germans are leaving to deal with the “invasion.” Andrea and Spyros create diversions in the town. Maria and
“Butcher” steal a boat. Both Spyros and “Butcher” are killed. Mallory and Miller lock the Germans out of the cave and plant explosives on the guns.  After they break in, the Germans find the explosives on the guns. The Germans get off two shots at the British destroyers on their way to rescue the troops on Keros, before the explosives Miller also placed on the ammunition hoists are set off, destroying the guns. Andrea and Maria return to Navarone, while Mallory and Miller return to base.      

                       

The date is given in Force Ten From Navarone at 00:34 and 00:57

Producer – Carl Foreman  

Director - J. Lee Thompson     

Screenwriter - Carl Foreman

Awards – The film won the Best Special Effects Oscar. It was also nominated for the  Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars at the 34^th Acaademy Awards.

                       

Runtime – 2 hours 38 minutes  

Released – April 27, 1961

Starring – Gregory Peck as Capt. Keith Mallory, David Niven as Cpl. Miller, Anthony Quinn as Col. Andrea Stavrou, Stanley Baker as Pvt. 'Butcher' Brown, Anthony Quayle as Maj. Roy Franklin, James Darren as Pvt. Spyros Pappadimos, Peter Grant as British Commando, Irene Papas as Maria Pappadimos, Gia Scala as Anna, James Robertson Justice as Commodore Jensen, Richard Harris as Squadron Leader Barnsby, Bryan Forbes as Cohn, Allan Cuthbertson as Maj. Baker, Michael Trubshawe as Weaver,  Percy Herbert as Sgt. Grogan, George Mikell as Hauptsturmführer Sessler, Walter Gotell as Oberleutnant Muesel, Tutte Lemkow as Nikolai, the laundry boy

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

  

September 23 - John Paul Jones

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happen on September 23. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

JOHN PAUL JONES        

Young John Paul becomes a crewman on a merchant ship and rises to become master and part owner of his ship. After he accidentally kills a crewman in a dispute over wages, he flees to Virginia upon being told it could take two years for an Admiralty court to convene.   He finds his brother has died and hires Patrick Henry to clear up the estate. After a British officer insults the virtue of Virginia ladies at a ball, Jones decks him. Jones becomes attracted to Dorothea Dandars, Patrick Henry’s  inamorata. He buys a plantation, but when he asks to marry Dorothea, he father says no and she won’t defy him. Jones takes a commission in the Navy. Jones is instrumental in the success of the Navy’s first amphibian foreign attack on Nassau, Bahamas.  Jones gets an independent command, but learns his plantation has been destroyed. Jones sinks or captures 18 British ships, but he’s removed from command for political reasons.  He considers resigning, but when he  sees the terrible conditions at Valley Forge, he decides to stay. Jones sails the Ranger to France, delivering news of the victory at Saratoga to Benjamin Franklin, the American ambassador to France. Jones and the Ranger raid the English port of Whitehaven.  He is honored by Louis XVI, but gives up the Ranger.     Meanwhile Jones has been romancing a French lady, Aimee de Tellison, but their marriage is not allowed as Jones is a commoner. The French provide him with a ship, Bon Homme Richard, and he sets sail on a raiding cruise. On September 23, 1779 [1:35:10 to 1:47:16] Jones meets HMS Serapis  in battle. The battle is fierce and  when the American flag is knocked down,  Jones is asked if he is surrendering. Jones replied with that famous statement, “I have not yet begun to fight”. The Serapis is captured, but as Bon Homme Richard sinks Jones and his crew exchange ships.  Jones is again honored by Louis XVI. When the war ends, Jones pushes for a strong Navy, but Congress says they can’t afford it. Jones becomes  an Admiral in the Russian Navy.  He wins victories, but his health declines and he dies.

A very good if Hollywoodized biography. There’s plenty of action and  even romance. The film does stick fairly closely to the actual facts of Jones’ career. A movie worth watching.

John Paul Jones: Sailor, Hero, Father of the American Navy  by Evan Thomas (Simon &Schuster, New York, 2003) at pages 178-194 give the date of the battle

Screenplay - John Farrow and Jesse Lasky Jr.

Producer - Samuel Bronston                    

Director - John Farrow                                             

Runtime – 2 hours 6 minutes                                    

Released - June 16, 1959                                            

Starring –

Robert Stack as John Paul Jones

Marisa Pavan as Aimee de Tellison

Charles Coburn as Benjamin Franklin

Erin O'Brien  as Dorothea Danders

Macdonald Carey as Patrick Henry

Bette Davis as Catherine the Great

Jean-Pierre Aumont as Louis XVI

David Farrar as John Wilkes

Peter Cushing as Captain Pearson

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

September 22 - Dempsey

Today’s movie is a sports biography with a scene that happens on September 22. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

DEMPSEY      

        

Jack Dempsey starts out fighting in bars for half the take. He wins his first professional fight.  After a later bout, he and his manager are held up at gunpoint and robbed of the purse. He sees the thieves later and beats them up to recover the cash. Jack meets Maxine Cates, but goes to New York to box. After a bout with Jack Johnson is a draw, he breaks with his manager and goes back to Salt Lake City and marries Maxine. After money disputes with her Maxine leaves and Dempsey goes to San Francisco.  Kerns becomes his manager. He wins fights goes to New York and divorces Maxine. He beats jess Willard by a TKO and becomes heavyweight champ. He goes to Hollywood to make films and gets sued for non-support by Maxine. He fights Firpo and is knocked out of the ring, but still wins. He is sick (perhaps poisoned), but still fight Tunney and loses in a TKO. On September 22, 1927 he fights Tunney again. Dempsey knocks Tunney down, but the count doesn’t start until Dempsey goes to a neutral corner. This gives Tunney time to recover and get up when the count reaches 9. In this famous “long count” fight Tunney wins by decision. 

                       

A gritty biopc of an American icon. This story is no paen, but tells the real story. Dempsey was a tough guy who made it on his own terms.

Jack Dempsey: The Manassa Mauler by Randy Roberts (LSU Press, Baton Rouge, 1979) at pages 254-262 give the date of the bout

Producer - Jay Benson

Director - Gus Trikonis

Screenplay - Edward Di Lorenzo

Awards - The film was nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling and Outstanding Individual Achievement – Costumers Emmy awards.

Runtime - 1 hour 52 minutes

Released - Sept. 28, 1983

Starring -

Treat Williams as Jack Dempsey

Sam Waterston as Doc Kearns

Sally Kellerman as Maxine Cates

Victoria Tennant as Estelle Taylor

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

September 21 - Sad Cypress

Today's movie is a murder mystery with a scene that happens on September 21. Watch it  tonight and enjoy.

SAD CYPRESS   

During the final summation at her murder trial Elinor Carlisle thinks back on how she ended up on trial for her life in a long flashback. She shows a letter to her fiancée and cousin Roddy Winter that says someone is plotting to cut them out of their Aunt Laura Welman’s will.  They go to visit their aunt and find the housekeeper Mrs. Bishop, the nurse Miss Hopkins  and Mary Gerrod, the gardener’s daughter are living at Hunterbury. The couple consult with Dr. Lord about the letter and he takes it to Poirot.  Mrs. Welman has another stroke and asks to see her lawyer. The nurse claims a vial of morphine is missing from her bag. Even though Poirot asks them to save the letter, Elinor and Roddy burn it. Elinor then discovers Roddy kissing Mary Gerrod. Laura Welman has another stroke and dies. Laura Welman’s funeral is on September 21, 1937 [28:45 to 38:57] They learn that Laura Welman died without a will, so everything goes to Elinor, who ends her engagement to Roddy.  Elinor stupidly decides to give Mary £7,000 and learns Mary made a will at the suggestion of Nurse Hopkins, leaving everything to Mary’s Aunt in New Zealand.   Elinor buys sandwich paste and has lunch with Mary Gerrod and Nurse Hopkins, who makes tea for herself and Mary. Afterwards Elinor noticed Nurse Hopkins had a wound, which she said was caused by the rose-bush. Mary is found dead and Elinor is arrested. After Laura Welman’s body is exhumed and it is discovered she was murdered by morphine overdose, Elinor is charged with her murder also. After her trial Elinor is convicted of both murders and sentenced to be hung. After a nightmare, Poirot starts to investigate the case. He learns that Mary Gerrod was actually Laura Welman’s daughter. Poirot proves that the murderer could not have distinguished which of the sandwiches was the salmon paste that Mary ate. Poirot discovers that Nurse Hopkins is actually Mary Reilly, Mary Gerrod’s Aunt. Since Mary was Laura Welman’s daughter, she inherited the entire estate of £200,000, so Nurse Hopkins killed her by poisoning the tea, then injecting herself with an emtic, which caused her to throw up the poison. She tries to kill Poirot, but her confession is overheard by the police. Elinor is saved from the gallows and begins a relationship with Dr. Lord, who was instrumental in saving her life, by getting Poirot to investigate.      

                       

If Elinor had done what most people would have done and told Mary to clear off, she wouldn’t have been tried for murder and Mary would not have been murdered. Another good one from that master of mystery Dame Agatha Christie. Poirot is brilliant here. 

The date is given in the film at 28:36 in the newspaper.

Producer – Fiona McGuire              

Director – David Moore                   

Screenplay – David Pirie                                   

Runtime – 1 hour 33 minutes                             

Released – December 26, 2003                         

 Starring –

David Suchet as Hercule Poirot

Elisabeth Dermot-Walsh as Elinor Carlisle

Rupert Penry-Jones as Roddy Winter

Kelly Reilly as Mary Gerrard

Paul McGann as Dr. Peter Lord

Phyllis Logan as Nurse Hopkins

Marion O'Dwyer as Nurse O'Brien

Diana Quick as Mrs. Laura Welman

Stuart Laing as Ted Horlick

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 20 - Kingdom Of Heaven

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on September 20. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

       

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN       

Balian, a French village blacksmith is troubled since his wife committed suicide when  their child died. He is visited by Godfrey of Ibelin, a knight on the way to the Holy Land who tells Balian he is his father and asks him to come with him, but Balian refuses. When the village priest reveals that his wife’s body was beheaded before burial, since she was a suicide and that he had taken her cross necklace, Balian kills him and races to catch up with his father.  Agents of the priest’s bishop arrive to arrest Balian but are beaten off. Godfrey is wounded. In Messina before he dies Godfrey knights Balian. On the sea voyage to the Holy Land Balian’s ship is sunk in a storm and he and a horse are the only survivors. He meets a Muslim knight who wants the horse. Balian fights and kills him. He makes the knight’s servant take him to Jerusalem and then releases him. In Jerusalem the King, Baldwin IV and Tiberius, his Marshall support peace, while Guy of Lusignan, who is married to the King’s sister Sibylla, and Reynald de Chatillon want war with the Muslims. In Ibelin Balian orders wells dug and has an affair with the visiting Sibylla.  Raynald and Guy massacre a Muslim caravan, provoking an invasion by the Muslim leader, Saladin with a huge army. Balian and his knights charge the Muslim army to allow villagers to reach Raynald’s fortress. Balian is captured, but spared by the Muslim servant he spared, who is Saladin’s Chancellor. Baldwin arrives with his army. Saladin agrees to retreat after Baldwin promises Raynald will be punished. Raynald is jailed. Baldwin asks Balian to marry Sibylla, but he refuses as Guy would have to be killed for this to happen. Baldwin dies and Sibylla becomes queen, with Guy as king. Guy releases Raynald. Raynald kills Saladin’s sister and when Saladin wants her body and the bodies of those who killed her, Guy kills Saladin’s ambassador. Balain, having survived an assassination attempt opposes the war, but is outvoted. The Christian army under Guy and Raynald marches out into the desert and is annihilated by Saladin. Balian organizes the defense of Jerusalem. On September 20, 1187 [1:44:52 to 1:47:17] Saladin begins the siege of Jerusalem.  After a ferocious three day battle, Saladin offers to escort all the city’s inhabitants to Christian lands and Balian agrees to the surrender. Balian returns to France where he meets Richard the Lion-Hearted on the way to his Crusade. Balian and Sibylla leave together to start over.

An interesting, if historically inaccurate drama. Has plenty of good action sequences. Fabulous cinematography, costumes and sets.

God’s War: A New History of  the Crusades by Christopher Tyerman (Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2006) at page 372 gives date of start of the siege

Producer - Ridley Scott                    

Director - Ridley Scott                                       

Runtime – 2 hours 24 minutes       
                     

Released – May 6, 2005                                     

Starring –

Orlando Bloom as Balian of Ibelin

Eva Green as Queen Sibylla

Jeremy Irons as Raymond of Tiberias

David Thewlis as Knight Hospitaller

Liam Neeson as Godfrey of Ibelin

Brendan Gleeson as Raynald of Châtillon

Marton Csokas as Guy of Lusignan

Copyright by Ivan Walters  in 2015.

September 19 - Brian's Song (1971)

Today’s movie is a sports drama with a scene that happens on September 19.

BRIAN’S SONG       

       

Extrovert Brian Piccolo and introvert Gale Sayers meet at the Chicago Bears summer camp. They become roommates, as Piccolo is Sayers backup. On September 19, 1965 [17:47 to 19:06] the pair play in their first game against the San Francisco 49ers. His play is so outstanding Sayers is selected Rookie of the Year. The next year after Sayers is injured, Piccolo takes his position, but helps with Sayers rehabilitation. At the start of the third year it is learned that Piccolo has cancer. His condition worsens and he eventually succumbs to the disease. 

Producer - Paul Junger Witt

Director - Buzz Kulik

Screenwriter - William Blinn

Awards – The film won the Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming - For a Special or Feature Length Program Made for Television, Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama (Warden), and Outstanding Single Program - Drama or Comedy, Outstanding Writing Achievement in Drama – Adaptation Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing, Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition - For a Special Program, Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Drama - A Single Program and Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (can) and (Williams) Emmys at the 24^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 14 minutes

Released – November 30, 1971

Starring –

James Caan as Brian Piccolo

Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers

Jack Warden as Coach George Halas

Shelley Fabares as Joy Piccolo

Judy Pace as Linda Sayers

Bernie Casey as J.C. Caroline

David Huddleston as Ed McCaskey

Ron Feinberg as Doug Atkins

Jack Concannon as Himself

Abe Gibron as Himself

Ed O'Bradovich as Himself

Dick Butkus as Himself

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015. 

September 18 - The Way We Were

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on September 18. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE WAY WE WERE     

In 1944 Katie Morosky, who works at a New York radio station goes with her boss to the El Morocco nightclub and meets a naval officer, Hubbell Gardiner, who she has not seen for seven years. In college she was the unconventional Jewish spokeswoman for the college Communist club, while he was an All-American athelete and writer. They have a few interesting encounters. She takes the intoxicated Hubbell home from El Morocco and they have sex. He leaves for his job in Washington, but later returns to New York and they begin a relationship. On September 18, 1944 [49:40 to 50:23] Katie gives Hubbell a typewriter as a Rosh Hashanah gift, so he can start work on a new novel. She has difficulty fitting in with his friends. They have a huge blow-up after her anger over his Republican friends jokes at FDR’s death, but make up and get married. They move to California where he becomes a mediocre screenwriter, instead of the serious writer she wants him to be. Katie becomes involved in the battle against the Hollywood blackist and the House Un-American Activities committee. Even though Katie is pregnant Hubbell has an affair with Carol Ann, his girlfriend in college and the ex-wife of his best friend J.J.   They two separate after she realizes he will always choose the easiest path, while he realizes he can’t  and doesn’t want to live up to her expectations.  Years later they meet in New York. He is a writer for a TV show and now married to Carol Ann, while she is agitating to ban the bomb. The two go their separate ways.  

A muddled tear-jerker romance. This film just skims the surface of this story. It never really gets to the meat, but as mere entertainment it is enough to hold your attention.

In 1944,  Rosh Hashanah was on this date.

Producer - Ray Stark

Director - Sydney Pollack

Screenplay - Arthur Laurents

Awards – The movie won the Best Original Score and Best Original Song Oscars. The film was also nominated for the Best Actress(Streisand), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design and Best Cinematography at the 46^th Academy Awards. 

Runtime - 118 minutes

Released - October 19, 1973

Starring –

Barbra Streisand as Katie Morosky

Robert Redford as Hubbell Gardiner

Patrick O'Neal as George Bissinger

Sally Kirkland as Pony Dunbar

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015. 

September 17 - Frida

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on September 17. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

FRIDA                                 

Frida Kahlo is an unconventional teen in 1920’s Mexico. On September 17, 1925 [8:03 to 10:45] she’s injured in a bus accident. During her lengthy and painful recovery she starts to draw and paint. She asks the prominent artist Diego Rivera if she should continue and he says yes. She gradually becomes a part of Rivera’s circle of radical leftists. They have an affair and are later married, with Frida telling the philandering Rivera she expects loyalty, if not fidelity. They go to New York City, so Rivera can work on a mural for the lobby of Rockefeller Center. Frida has a miscarriage and returns briefly to Mexico when her mother dies. Rivera paints in the face of Lenin, then refuses to remove it, Rivera is fired and the mural is painted over. Frida and Rivera return to Mexico. They live in two side-by-side houses. Then Frida learns Rivera is having an affair with her sister, leading to their separation and alcoholic depression. They reunite when Leon Trotsky comes to Mexico. Frida and Trotsky begin an affair, which he later ends. This leads to another separation between Frida and Rivera. She moves to Paris. When she returns she and Rivera divorce. Trostky is murdered and Rivera is considered a suspect. When he can’t be found Frida is jailed for a time.  She remarries Rivera and later dies, after having to have her leg amputated.      

An interesting biopic. Frida was certainly unusual. This film uses interesting special effects,  moving from pictures into live action.

Frida Kahlo by Elizabeth Carpenter (D.A.P., New York, 2007) at page 94 gives the date of her accident 

Producers - Sarah Green, Salma Hayek and Jay Polstein

Director - Julie Taymor

Screenplay - Clancy Sigal, Diane Lake, Gregory Nava and Anna Thomas

Awards – The movie won the Best Makeup and Best Original Score Oscars. It was also Nominated for the Best Actress(Hayek), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design and Best Original Song at the 75^th Academy Awards.   

Runtime – 2 hours 3 minutes

Released – August 29, 2002

Starring -

Salma Hayek as Frida Kahlo

Alfred Molina as Diego Rivera

Geoffrey Rush as Leon Trotsky

Mía Maestro as Cristina Kahlo

Ashley Judd as Tina Modotti

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 16 - The Day After

Today’s movie is a drama with scenes that occur on September 16. Watch it tonight.

THE DAY AFTER         

Amid growing East-West tensions, Marilyn Oakes, daughter of Dr. Russell Oakes of Kansas City, Mo. announces she’s moving to Boston, Denise Dahlberg prepares to get married and Airman Billy McCoy goes on alert with the rest of the force. A ground war breaks out in Germany, on September 16, 1989 [26:32 to 1:11:57]. Dr. Oakes happens to be in Lawrence, Kansas at the time of the attack. Stephen Klein, a University of Kansas student starts to hitchhike home. Mrs. Dahlberg continues with her wedding preparations in spite of the looming crisis.  A full nuclear exchange happens. The Dahlberg’s son, Danny is blinded looking at a nuclear blast. Dr. Oakes makes it back to the hospital at the University of Kansas. Steven Klein makes it to the Dahlberg’s house. Stupid Denise runs outside and gets contaminated with  radiation. Billy  McCoy starts out on foot on a cross country odyssey to find his family, but eventually dies of radiation sickness. Stephen eventually takes Eve and Danny Dahlberg to Lawrence. Jim Dahlberg is killed by looters,  and Eve and Steven develop terminal radiation sickness. Dr. Oakes develops radiation sickness and returns to the remains of his home and dies there.  

 

The date is given in the film at 27:03-04

A very bleak film, but we can all be glad it’s just fiction and not real history.    

Awards -   This film won the Outstanding Film Sound Editing for a Limited Series or a Special and Outstanding Achievement In Special Visual Effects Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling, Outstanding Achievement in Makeup, Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special, Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special, Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special, Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special, Outstanding Film Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or a Special, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Lithgow) and  Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special awards at the 36^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Producer - Robert Papazian       Director - Nicholas Meyer      Screenriter - Edward Hume

                       

Runtime – 2 hours 6 minutes                    Released - November 20,
1983

Starring –  Jason Robards as Dr. Russell Oakes, Georgann Johnson as Helen Oakes, Kyle Aletter as Marilyn Oakes, John Cullum as Jim Dahlberg, Bibi Besch as Eve Dahlberg, Lori Lethin as Denise Dahlberg, Doug Scott as Danny Dahlberg, Ellen Anthony as Joleen Dahlberg, JoBeth Williams as Nurse Nancy Bauer, Steve Guttenberg as Stephen Klein, John Lithgow as Joe Huxley, Amy Madigan as Alison Ransom, Calvin Jung as Dr. Sam Hachiya, William Allen Young as Airman First Class Billy McCoy, Lin McCarthy as Dr. Austin,Rosanna Huffman as Dr. Wallenberg, George Petrie as Dr. Landowska, Jonathan Estrin as Julian French, Jeff East as Bruce Gallatin, Dennis Lipscomb as Rev.Walker, Clayton Day as Dennis Hendry, Antonie Becker as Ellen Hendry, Stephen Furst as Aldo, Arliss Howard as Tom Cooper, Stan Wilson as Vinnie Conrad, Janet Reutter as survivor

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 15 - Sabrina (1954)

Today’s movie is a romantic comedy with a scene that happens on September 15. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

SABRINA     

On the north shore of Long Island live the very wealthy Larrabee family consisting of the father, mother and two sons, Linus and David. Linus, the elder, is a confirmed workaholic, while David is an irresponsible womanizer. The family’s chauffer has a daughter named Sabrina, who has an unrequited crush on David. After a party where she sees David seducing yet another woman, Sabrina tries to commit suicide by closing the garage doors and turning on all the cars. She is saved by Linus and goes off to Paris to attend a cordon bleu cooking school. When she returns several years later as a stylish and elegant young woman, she is not recognized by David. In the interim, Linus is forcing David to marry Elizabeth Tyson in order to secure her families sugarcane plantations in Puerto Rico as raw material for Larrabee industries new product, an indestructible plastic. David invites Sabrina to a society party at the house, intending to seduce her. However, after David accidentally injures himself, Linus steps in and agrees to look out for Sabrina on David’s behalf David has said he wants to marry Sabrina, so Linus decides to woo her himself to bust them up and preserve David’s engagement to Elizabeth. After several dates Linus tells Sabrina that he is running away to Paris. Later she finds two tickets and initially she thinks he’s taking her along, but he tells her the truth. Linus says he is sending her alone and providing compensation. After Linus tells her this, she tells David goodbye and decides to go to Paris. On September 15, 1955 [1:41:45 to 1:53:14] Linus tells David the deal with the Tysons and his engagement are over and directs him to go to Paris with Sabrina. At the meeting held to announce this David bursts in and insults Sabrina, calling her a gold-digger. Linus decks David, forcing him to confront the fact that he loves Sabrina.  Linus gets on board the ship carrying Sabrina to Europe and they are reconciled. 

One of the all time classic film romances. Three great stars carry this film and make it fantastic.  Beautiful cinematography and classic costumes combine to make this one of best of Hollywood’s golden age.

Date given in film on ticket at 1:31:09

Awards – The movie won the Best Costume Design Oscar. The film was also nominated for the Best Director, Best Actress(Hepburn), Best Black and White Art Direction,  Best Black and White Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 27^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - Billy Wilder, Ernest Lehman and Samuel A. Taylor

Producer - Billy Wilder                             

Director - Billy Wilder

Runtime – 1 hour 53 minutes                                     

Released – September 9, 1954                                     

Starring –

Humphrey Bogart as Linus Larrabee

Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina Fairchild

William Holden as David Larrabee

John Williams as Thomas Fairchild

Walter Hampden as Oliver Larrabee

Nella Walker as Maude Larrabee

Martha Hyer as Elizabeth Tyson

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

September 14 - Missing

Today’s movie is a
drama with a scene that occurs on September 14. Watch it tonight and enjoy. 

MISSING     

After the 1973 Chilean military coup, Capt. Ray Tower drives Charlie Horman and Terry Simon back to Santiago. Charlie meets his wife, Beth but they later become separated. When Beth returns to her house she finds it has been looted and Charlie is gone. Charlie’s father Ed gets the run around in Washington and later flies to Chile where he gets the same treatment from the embassy there. He and his daughter-in-law don’t get along well at first because she thinks he’s naïve about what has happened, while he thinks she’s anti-American.  Charlie and Terry were caught out of town on the day of the coup and couldn’t get back to the capital. The neighbors give differing accounts of what happened when Charlie was taken from the house. One witness says he was taken to the National Stadium, which is being used as a holding facility by the military.  David Holloway tells them how he and Frank Teruggi were arrested and Frank vanished. Ed and Beth tour the hospitals and the Stadium, looking for Charlie, without success. A man tells them that someone told him that the head of the local CIA decided Charlie needed to disappear. Terry tells them that on the day of the coup they met Capt. Ed Tower and Andrew Babcock who say they helped organize the coup. On September 14, 1973 [1:18: 20 to 1:19:50] on their drive back to Santiago, Charlie uses the radio to send a message to his father in America. A guy at the Ford Foundation office tells Ed he’s heard Charlie was executed. Some of the embassy officials tell Ed basically that Charlie deserved what happened to him for poking around where he shouldn’t have been.  Later the embassy confirms Charlie is dead and to add insult to injury Ed has to pay to have Charlie’s body returned to the USA.  

                       

A must see film.

Date given in film at 1:20:04

Awards – The movie won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar. The film was also nominated for the Best Actor (Lemon), Best Actress(Spacek) and Best Picture Oscars at the 55^th Academy Awards.

Producers - Edward Lewis and Mildred Lewis  

Director - Costa-Gavras                                            

Screenplay - Donald E. Stewart & Costa-Gavras

Runtime – 2 hours 2 minutes

Released – February 12, 1982

Starring –

Jack Lemmon as Ed Horman

Sissy Spacek as Beth Horman

Melanie Mayron as Terry Simon

John Shea as 'Charlie' Horman

Charles Cioffi as Capt. Ray Tower, USN

David Clennon as Consul Phil Putnam

Richard Venture as U.S. Ambassador

Jerry Hardin as Colonel Sean Patrick

Richard Bradford as Andrew Babcock

Joe Regalbuto as Frank Teruggi

Keith Szarabajka as David Holloway

John Doolittle as David McGeary

Janice Rule as Kate Newman

Ward Costello as Congressman

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 13 - Tobruk

Today’s film is a war movie with scenes that happen on September 13. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

TOBRUK       

Capt. Kurt Bergman and his band of expatriate German Jews who are in the British Army rescue American Major Donald Craig from internment by the Vichy French and take him to a desert base. Colonel Harker’s plan is for a British force to act as POWs, guarded by Bergman’s men and guided by Craig to attack Tobruk in conjunction with a naval raid to destroy Rommel’s supply base. They set out. When an Italian force camps near them, they start a fight between the Italians and an approaching German column and slip away. Craig and Bergman drive a half-track that clears the way through a minefield. They are strafed by a British Tomahawk fighter and are forced to shoot it down. . Arabs (who think they are Germans) hand over to them two British traitors, the Portmans, father and daughter who are to deliver a message from Field Marshall Kesselring to pro-Nazis in the Egyptian Army assuring them of Nazi support for an anti-British revolt. One of Bergman’s men turn out to actually be a Nazi and he send the Portmans to tap into a phone cable and call Tobruk for help from the Germans. However the Portmans are shot by an Italian patrol that kills the father and wounds the daughter. The traitor kills the daughter, but is apparently killed himself. The entire force now puts on German uniforms. They reach Tobruk on September 13,1942. [1:10:16 to 1:47:46] They learn there are strong tank forces there and that the naval raid should be called off. The RAF bombs the town and the squad sent to take over the radio station and warn off the raid is killed. From above they attack the coastal battery and destroy it. They signal the raiders with a flasher and warn them off. The German task tanks counterattack. Bergman and a squad attack the tanks from the rear until they are wiped out. Craig and three men hijack a tank and destroy the fuel depot. The rest of the British force (back in British uniform) holds off the Germans until they are forced to.surrender. Col. Harker destroys the Kesselring document and kills the traitor before being killed himself. Craig and his three men make it to the alternate pickup site.  

A somewhat clichéd war film. It’s definitely not Saving Private Ryan or Band of Brothers, but it is watchable. It’s entertaining enough as long as you just expect a war movie and not a great movie. 

The Path to Victory by Douglas Porch (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, New York, 2004) pps. 309-310

Awards - The film was nominated for the Best Visual Effects Oscar at the 40^th Academy Awards

Director -  Arthur Hiller                                     

Screenplay - Leo V. Gordon

Running Time - 107 minutes              

Released - February 7, 1967

Starring -  Rock Hudson as Major Donald Craig, George Peppard as Captain Kurt Bergman, Nigel Green as Colonel John Harker, Guy Stockwell as Lieutenant Max Mohnfeld, Jack Watson as Sergeant Major Jack Tyne, Heidy Hunt as Cheryl Portman, Leo Gordon as Sergeant Krug, Robert Wolders as Corporal Bruckner

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.