Here is a movie with a scene that happens today - June 16. I hope you enjoy the film and watch it tonight.
HOLLYWOODLAND
In the early morning hours of
June 16, 1959 [00:30 to 2:49] George Reeves is found dead and the police say it
was a suicide by gunshot. Down and out private eye Louis Simo is tracked down
by Mr. Sinclair a client of his who hired him to track his wife. He visits his
ex-wife and learns his son and other children are upset by Reeves apparent
suicide. A former colleague refers Louis is to
Helen Bessolo, Reeves mother. She
does not think the death was a suicide and hires Louis. We flashback to 1951 when Reeves meets Toni
and they have a one night stand. The next day he learns she’s the wife of
powerful Hollywood executive Eddie Mannix. Reeves wants to end any relationship
with Toni, as George is convinced Eddie’s hostility could destroy any hope of
reviving his sagging career. She convinces him Eddie won’t care and they begin
an affair. Toni showers George with gifts, then he gets the starring role on The
Adventures of Superman. George
wants to play more serious roles. Louis’s son burns the Superman costume Louis
had given him and almost his mom’s house down. Louis takes Mrs. Bessolo to
George’s house and points out some items that are inconsistent with suicide.
Louis learns that Reeves was not going to marry Leonore Lemmon, his supposed fiancée. Louis tries and fails to
meet with Toni Mannix and at Reeves’ funeral
he’s warned by Howard Strickling
to leave the case alone. Instead Louis becomes even more aggressive in pushing
a murder theory. Meanwhile, back in 1953, The Adventures of Superman
becomes super popular with children. At
an advance screening of From Here to Eternity, after the audience
identifies Reeves with Superman , his part is severely trimmed for the final
cut. Louis is assaulted and again warned off the case. He becomes depressed
when Mr. Sinclair kills his wife. Drunk, Louis goes to his son’s school where
his appearance scares the boy. Louis learns Mrs, Bessolo was hated by George
after she falsely told him his father had committed suicide by shooting himself.
Back in 1958 after Superman is cancelled Reeves goes to New York to find work
and meets Leonore
Lemmon. Reeves ends it with Toni. Louis has imagined three different
scenarios for Reeves death. In one Leonore shoots him, in another agents of
Eddie Mannix kill him and in the last he kills himself. Louis realizes Reeves
life in some ways parallels his own and the ending suggests he’s going to try
and reform himself.
A difficult film to summarize, due to it’s many
flashbacks. A very good character
development film. At the end you feel like you really know Reeves and Simo.
Never really comes done conclusively on the question of whether Reeves death
was suicide or murder.
Superman vs. Hollywood by Jake Rossen (Chicago Review
Press, Chicago, 2008) at page 37 and the film at 1:06 give his death date
Producer - Glenn Williamson
Director - Allen Coulter
Screenplay - Paul Bernbaum
Runtime – 1 hour 6 minutes
Released – September 8. 2006
Starring –
Adrien Brody as Louis Simo, down and out private eye
Diane Lane as Toni Mannix, wife of Eddie and George’s
paramour
Ben Affleck as George Reeves, famous as “the Man of Steel”
on TV
Bob Hoskins as Eddie Mannix, vice-president of MGM
Robin Tunney as Leonore Lemmon, George’s “fiancée”
Kathleen Robertson as Carol Van Ronkel, friend of Reeves
Lois Smith as Helen Bessolo, George Reeves’ estranged mother
Larry Cedar as Chester Sinclair, Louis’s client
Molly Parker as Laurie Simo, Louis’s ex-wife
Zach Mills as Evan Simo, Louis’s son
Dash Mihok as Det. Sgt. Jack Paterson, LAPD
Veronica Watt as Rita Hayworth, Hollywood leading lady
Joe Spano as Howard Strickling. MGM head of publicity
Jeffrey DeMunn as Art Weissman, Reeves’ manager
Caroline Dhavernas as Kit Holliday, Louis’s new girlfriend
and secretary
Kevin Hare as Robert Condon, author frind of Reeves
Neil Crone as Chuck
Gareth Williams as
Del
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