September 30 - Middlemarch

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 30. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

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 of 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 Rosie 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

September 29 - Pride of the Yankees

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 29. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

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 ream, 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 as Gehrig.

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

Producer - Samuel Goldwyn

Director - Sam Wood

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

Runtime – 2 hours 8 minutes

Released – July 14, 1942

Starring –

Gary Cooper as Henry Louis (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

Bob Meusel as Himself

September 28 - Looker

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 28. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

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.  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

Screenplay - 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

September 27 - Somebody Up There Likes Me

This is a movie that has a scene happens today – September 27. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

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 biopic, this film plays around with the actual facts of Grazian’s life, but not as much as some films. Overall a decent and watchable movie.

 

Somebody Up There Likes Me by Rocky Graziano and Rowland Barber (Simon and Shuster, New York, 1955) at pages 311-316 gives the date of the bout

Producer - Charles Schnee

Director - Robert Wise

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.

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

September 26 - The Express

This is a movie with a scene that happens today – September 26.  I hope you enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE EXPRESS

African-American Ernie Davis can outrun racist bullies while growing up. He goes to live with his mother and starts playing pee wee football. Jim Brown football superstar and player for the Cleveland Browns help recruit Ernie to play for the Syracuse University Orangemen. As a freshman Ernie is so impressive he is put on the varsity squad, even though under NCAA rules t that time he can’t play. He also starts a romance with Sarah, a co-ed from Colgate. On September 26, 1959 [43:47 to 47:33] Ernie plays in his first game against Kansas. Ernie refuses to get involved in civil rights activism and his grandfather dies, while the team wins every game. In an away game at West Virginia racist fans and officials upset him and Ernie refuses to leave the field and scores a touchdown. The now #1 ranked team votes to play #2 Texas in the Cotton Bowl, rather than #9 Georgia in the Orange Bowl. In Dallas the three African-Americans on the team have to stay in sub par accommodations at the segregated hotel. In the Cotton Bowl, the racist behavior of the Texas team almost causes an on field riot. Ernie makes an interception, then scores on a 87 yard catch and run to put the game way.  Back on defense he then disrupts Texas’s last second hail Mary attempt. The team boycotts the trophy presentation when they learn it is to be held at a segregated facility. Two years later Ernie wins the Heisman trophy and is then drafted by the Cleveland Browns. He learns he has leukemia and later dies, having never played in the pros.

An interesting, if Hollywoodized biopc. This film takes many liberties with the facts. It’s a good story, but whether it bears any relation to Ernie Davis’s real life is an open question. 

The USA Today College Football Encyclopedia ed by Bob Boyles and Paul Guido (Skyhorse Publishing, New York, 2008) at page 115 and the film at 44:21 give the date of the game

Producer - John Davis

Director - Gary Fleder

Screenplay - Charles Leavitt

Runtime – 2 hours 10 minutes

Released - October 10, 2008

Starring –

Rob Brown as Ernie Davis

Charles S. Dutton as Willie ‘Pops’ Davis

Dennis Quaid as Ben Schwartzwalder

Darrin Henson as Jim Brown

September 25 - Princess Caraboo

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 25. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

PRINCESS CARABOO

In Regency England an exotically dressed woman is found in the fields, speaking a language no one can understand. She ends up at the home of the Worrall family, the local gentry.  Their Greek butler,  Frixos thinks the woman is a fraud from the start. Mr. Worrall sends her to the magistrate to be tried for vagrancy, but Mrs. Worrall agrees to care for her.  Mr. Gutch a local printer and newspaper reporter takes an interest in the case especially after the woman claims via pantomime to be  Princess Caraboo. Gutch talks to the farm workers who found her and learns she had a book from the Magdalene Hospital in London on her. When the Worralls leave on a trip the servants inspect her for a tattoo, which they believe all natives of the South Seas have and are shocked to find Princess Caraboo has one on her thigh. On September 25, 1817 [32:49 to 34:20] Frixos tells Gutch he now thinks she’s a genuine princess. Mr. Worrall uses her presence to recruit investors for the spice trade which will be facilitated by Princess Caraboo when she returns to her native land. Gutch brings in  Professor Wilkinson, a linguist who is initially dismissive of Caraboo’s story, but has enough doubt to refuse to say she is a fraud. Local society finds Princess Caraboo fascinating and they flock to attend parties and soirees with her. Mr. Gutch begins investigating people connected with the Magdalene Hospital.  Lady Apthorpe takes Caraboo to a ball held for the Prince Regent, who is fascinated by Caraboo. Gutch learns Caraboo is actually Mary Baker, who worked as a servant for Mrs. Peake. Gutch sneaks into the ball to warn her she’s been found out but she refuses to acknowledge what he tells her. Mrs. Peake comes and confronts Caraboo and identifies her as Mary Baker. She is locked up. The local magistrate and Mr. Worrall want to hang her. Mrs. Worrall gives Mr. Gutch documents implicating her husband and the magistrate in a bank fraud. Mr. Gutch uses  these to work a trade. He will bury the story if Mary Baker can go to America. Gutch, who has fallen in love with Mary  leaves with her for the United States.

A very interesting story based on a true story. Cates does an outstanding job of portraying Caraboo and Mary. A light hearted comedy about the ability of people to believe what they want.

Date given in film at 32:50 on newspaper

Producers - Andrew Karsch, Simon Bosanquet, Armyan Bernstein, Tom Rosenberg and Marc Abraham

Director - Michael Austin

Screenplay - Michael Austin and John Wells

Runtime – 1 hour 37 minutes

Released -  September 16, 1994

Starring -

Phoebe Cates as Princess Caraboo/Mary Baker

Jim Broadbent as Mr. Worrall

Wendy Hughes as Mrs. Worrall

Kevin Kline as Frixos

John Lithgow as Professor Wilkinson

Stephen Rea as Gutch

Peter Eyre as Lord Apthorpe

Jacqueline Pearce as Lady Apthorpe

John Wells as Reverend Wells

John Lynch as Amon McCarthy

John Sessions as Prince Regent

Arkie Whiteley as Betty

Jerry Hall as Lady Motley

Anna Chancellor as Mrs. Peake

September 24 - Ghost

This film has a scene that happens today – September 24. I hope you will enjoy this movie while watching it tonight.

GHOST

Sam Wheat, an up-and-coming investment banker has just moved in with Mollie, an accomplished potter. Sam finds discrepancies in some accounts at work. Sam’s friend Carl Brunner offers to investigate this issue for him, but Sam says he will handle the matter. Later that night, returning from the theater with Millie, they are mugged and Sam is killed. Sam soon discovers he is now a ghost. Later when the mugger enters their apartment, Sam saves Mollie from harm. Sam follows the mugger, Willie Lopez, and learns he is looking for something at the orders of someone else. Sam visits a psychic named Oda Mae Brown and learns she can hear him. He blackmails her into calling Mollie, and then visiting her, in order to warn Mollie about the mugger. Sam follows Carl to Willie Lopez’s apartment and learns Carl was involved in laundering $4 million dollars for the mob and needed Sam’s security codes to move the money. Lopez was just supposed to steal Sam’s wallet to get the codes. The police don’t believe Oda Mae’s story because she has a police record. Carl gets the codes and tries to come onto Mollie. Sam forces a manic subway ghost to show him how to move solid objects. Willie tries to kill Oda Mae. On September 24, 1989 [1:22:11 to 1:38:47], Carl moves all the money into one account in the name of “Rita Miller”. Oda Mae, masquerades as  “Rita Miller”, and with Sam’s help, withdraws the money from the account. At Sam’s insistence she gives the $4 million to some nuns instead of keeping it for herself.  Mollie unwittingly reveals to Carl that Oda Mae was the person who took the money. Carl learns about Sam and threatens Mollie. Carl and Willie try to kill Oda Mae. Sam terrorizes Willie so much that he ends up being killed by a car. Willie’s soul is dragged off to Hell. Oda Mae and Sam finally convince Mollie that Sam is really there and that Carl was responsible for Sam’s death and is now trying to kill her. Carl comes after Oda Mae and Mollie, but they manage to fight him off. Carl is killed by Sam and his soul is dragged off to hell. With his task done, Sam says goodbye to Mollie and his soul goes to heaven.

A melodramatic, but still watchable movie. This is really a ‘chick flick’, but it’s interesting enough that guys won’t fall asleep. Maintains a good mix of drama and comedy throughout. 

Date given in film at 1:29:12 on withdrawal slip

Producer - Steven-Charles Jaffe, Bruce Joel Rubin, Howard W. Koch, Lisa Weinstein and      

                   Lauren Ray

Director - Jerry Zucker

Screenplay - Bruce Joel Rubin

Awards – This movie won the Best Original Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress(Goldberg) Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Film Editing and Best Original Score at the 63^rd Academy Awards

Runtime -  2 hours 6 minutes

Released - July 13, 1990

Starring –

Patrick Swayze as Sam Wheat

Demi Moore as Molly Jensen

Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown

Tony Goldwyn as Carl Bruner

Rick Aviles as Willie Lopez

Stephen Root as Police Sgt.

Vincent Schiavelli as subway ghost

Phil Leeds as emergency room ghost

Bruce Jarchow as Lyle Ferguson

Armelia McQueen as Oda Mae's sister

September 23 - John Paul Jones

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 23. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

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

Producer - Samuel Bronston

Director - John Farrow

Screenplay - John Farrow and Jesse Lasky Jr.

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 Empress Catherine the Great

Jean-Pierre Aumont as King Louis XVI

David Farrar as John Wilkes

Peter Cushing as Captain Pearson

Susana Canales as Marie Antoinette

Georges Rivière as Russian Chamberlain

Tom Brannum as Peter Wooley

Bruce Cabot as Gunner Lowrie

Basil Sydney as Sir William Young

John Crawford as George Washington

Archie Duncan as Duncan MacBean

Thomas Gomez as Esek Hopkins

Bob Cunningham as Lt. Wallingford

John Charles Farrow as John Paul

Eric Pohlmann as King George III

September 22 - Brighton Beach Memoirs

This is a movie with a scene that happens today – September 22. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS

In Depression era New York, Eugene Morris Jerome lives with his parents, older brother Stanley, his mother’s sister Blanche and his two cousins, Nora and Laurie. His father works two jobs, cutting raincoats and selling party favors. Nora is a dancer who gets offered a part in a Broadway show.  Stanley gets fired at his hat factory job because when another worker accidentally damages three hats and is made to pay for them Stanley gets upset and sweeps dust on the bosses shoes. The boss says either write him an apology letter or don’t come back. The party favor company goes bankrupt. Mr. Murphy from across the street asks Aunt Blanche out to dinner. Blanche tells Nora no, that she cannot quit school to appear in the show. Stanley decides to write the letter. Then the father has a heart attack and can no longer work. On September 22, 1937, [1:03:56 to 1:35:33] Stanley gets snookered by some pool hall hustlers and loses his entire weekly salary. Mr. Murphy is in a drunk driving accident and is hospitalized so he can’t make his date with Blanche. Eugene’s mom and Blanche have a huge fight and Blanche says she and her children are moving out. Stanley leaves to join the army, but changes his mind and comes back home. The family gets word that 9 relatives from Poland are coming to America as refugees. Blanche and Kate reconcile.

A good film. This is a character driven plot, but fortunately the characters are interesting and the story holds your interest. Eugene often breaks the fourth wall and directly addresses the audience.

At 4:45 we’re told it’s 1937. At 1:04:45 the headline reads “Giants defeat Chicago Cubs 6-0”. This happened September 22. At 44:57 Mr. Murphy asks for a date ‘next Wednesday” and in 1937 September 22 was on a Wednesday.

Producer – Ray Stark

Director – Gene Saks

Screenplay – Neil Simon

Runtime – 1 hour 48 minutes

Released – December 25, 1986

Starring –

Jonathan Silverman as Eugene Morris Jerome

Judith Ivey as Blanche Morton

Blythe Danner as Kate Jerome

Stacey Glick as Laurie Morton

Lisa Waltz as Nora Morton

Brian Drillinger as Stanley Jerome

Bob Dishy as Jack Jerome

September 21 - Sad Cypress

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 21. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

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. They 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 at his most brilliant in this case. 

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

Jack Galloway as Marsden

Geoffrey Beevers as Seddon

Alistair Findlay as Prosecuting Counsel

Linda Spurrier as Mrs. Bishop

Timothy Carlton as Judge

September 20 - Kingdom of Heaven

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 20. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

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.   Balian, a French village blacksmith is troubled because his wife committed suicide after the death of their child. 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.  Representatives 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 Arriving in Ibelin Balian orders wells dug and has an affair with the visiting Sibylla. Then 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 and Saladin agrees to retreat upon Baldwin’s promise that 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 of the city. 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

Screenplay - William Monahan

Runtime – 2 hours 24 minutes

Released – May 6, 2005

Starring –

Orlando Bloom as Balian of Ibelin

Eva Green as Sibylla of Jerusalem

Jeremy Irons as Raymond, Count of Tiberias

David Thewlis as Knight Hospitaller

Brendan Gleeson as Raynald of Châtillon

Marton Csokas as Guy of Lusignan

Liam Neeson as Godfrey of Ibelin

Edward Norton as Baldwin IV of Jerusalem

Ghassan Massoud as Saladin

Khaled El Nabawy as Mullah

Alexander Siddig as Imad ad-Din

Jon Finch as Patriarch Heraclius of Jerusalem

Iain Glen as King Richard of England

Velibor Topic as Almaric

Kevin McKidd as Godfrey's man-at-arms

Jouko Ahola as Odo

Michael Sheen as Priest

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Village Sheriff

September 19 - The Crucible(1996)

This is a film with a scene that happens today – September 19. I hope you will enjoy this movie and watch it tonight.

THE CRUCIBLE

Early one morning in Salem, Massachusetts some young girls gather in the woods with a West Indian slave Tituba to cast a love spell on the young men they desire. One girl, Abigail Williams drinks blood and calls for the death of John Proctor’s wife. They are found by Abigail’s uncle, Rev. Samuel Parris. Afterwards Betty Parris and Ruth Putnam will not wake up. Some people suspect witchcraft is involved and the Rev. Hale, an expert is sent for. We learn that John Proctor and Abigail Williams had an affair, but he ended it and she tells him no witchcraft was involved in what the girls did. When Hale arrives the girls blame Tituba and soon she and the girls are accusing others of witchcraft. Elizabeth Proctor knows John and Abigail had an affair. Judge Danforth arrives and the girls keep on accusing people, especially those they don’t like. Elizabeth Proctor is accused of witchcraft by Abigail and arrested. John convinces his servant Mary Warren to sign an affidavit that neither she nor any of the other girls had seen the devil. Giles Corey says that when Ruth Putnam accused Rebecca Nurse, Ruth’s father was heard to say she had got him a fine piece of land, as the Nurse’s property could be seized and sold if she was convicted of witchcraft. Corey refuses to tell who overheard this remark and is arrested for contempt of court. Abigail continues to say she sees the devil and Proctor finally admits his affair with her to show Abigail had an illicit motive to accuse his wife. His wife is brought in to testify. If she testifies she knew of the affair, the court will believe John. However, not knowing he confessed, she lies to save his reputation.  The girls the accuse Mary Warren of witchcraft. To save herself she accuses John Proctor. Some of the accused are hung. On September 19, 1692 [1:38:10 to 1:39:10] Giles Corey is pressed to death for refusing to name the man who accused Putnam. Abigail tries to help John escape. Hale, who by now is thoroughly disgusted with these events tries to persuade Elizabeth to persuade John to confess, so he will not be hung.  John signs a confession, but then tears it up and is hung.

A tale of hysteria and deceit. John Proctor brought what happened on himself. If he had not had an affair with Abigail, his and his wife’s position would have been unassailable. His adultery led to his death.  

The Salem Witch Trials by Marilynne K. Roach (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2002) at pages 296-297 gives Giles Corey’s death date

Producer - Robert A. Miller and David V. Picker

Director -Nicholas Hytner

Screenplay - Arthur Miller

Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes

Released – November 27, 1996

Starring –

Daniel Day-Lewis as John Proctor

Winona Ryder as Abigail Williams

Paul Scofield as Judge Thomas Danforth

Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor

Bruce Davison as Reverend Samuel Parris

Rob Campbell as Reverend John Hale

Jeffrey Jones as Thomas Putnam

Peter Vaughan as Giles Corey

Karron Graves as Mary Warren

Charlayne Woodard as Tituba

Rachael Bella as Betty Parris

Frances Conroy as Ann Putnam

Ashley Peldon as Ruth Putnam

Elizabeth Lawrence as Rebecca Nurse

George Gaynes as Judge Samuel Sewall

Mary Pat Gleason as Martha Corey

Robert Breuler as Judge John Hathorne

Michael Gaston as Marshal George Herrick

Dorothy Brodesser as Mabel

September 18 - The Way We Were

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 18. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

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 in New York 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

James Woods as Frankie McVeigh

Susan Blakely as Judianne

Bradford Dillman as J.J.

Lois Chiles as Carol Ann

Viveca Lindfors as Paula Reisner

Allyn Ann McLerie as Rhea Edwards

Murray Hamilton as Brooks Carpenter

Herb Edelman as Bill Verso

September 17 - Frida

This film has a scene that happens today – September 17. I hope you will enjoy this movie while watching it tonight.

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 

Producer - 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

Antonio Banderas as David Alfaro Siqueiros

Edward Norton as Nelson Rockefeller

Amelia Zapata as Maid

Alejandro Usigli as Professor

Diego Luna as Alejandro Gonzalez Arias

Fermín Martínez as Painter on Bus

Loló Navarro as Nanny

Lucia Bravo as Auditorium Model

Margarita Sanz as Natalia Sedova

Patricia Reyes Spíndola as Matilde Kahlo

Roger Rees as Guillermo Kahlo

Valeria Golino as Lupe Marín

Omar Rodriguez as André Breton

Felipe Fulop as Jean Van Heijenoort

Saffron Burrows as Gracie

Chavela Vargas as La Pelona

Lila Downs as Tango Singer

Karine Plantadit as Paris chanteuse

September 16 - The Mayor of Casterbridge

This is a film with a scene that happens today – September 16. I hope you wil enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

THE MAYOR OF CASTERBRIDGE

While drunk Michael Henchard sells his wife, Susan  and child, Elizabeth Jane  for 5 guineas at a fair to a sailor named Newsom. When he realizes what he’s done, on September 16, 18__ [7:22 to 8:33] Henchard takes an oath not to drink liquor for 21 years. Many years later, after the sailor has died,  Susan returns with Elizabeth Jane to the fair and hears Michael is now in Casterbridge, where they learn he is now the mayor and a prosperous grain merchant. Henchard hires Donald Farfrae, a Scot as his grain manager after he initially refuses.  Susan and Michael meet and he proposes that he will pay for her and Elizabeth Jane to move into the town and that they ‘accidentally’ meet and get married, and she agrees. Henchard tells Farfrae that last year he had met on Jersey a woman named Lucetta. Henchard proposed to Lucetta.  Henchard now ends it with Lucetta and re-marries Susan.  Henchard asks Elizabeth Jane to take his surname. Henchard and Farfrae start to clash over how to run the business and who is more popular in the town. Farfrae and Elizabeh Jane start to fall in love with each other. Farfrae goes into business as a grain merchant. Henchard makes Elizabeth Jane promise not to see Farfrae again. Susan dies. Henchard tells Elizabeth Jane that he is her father and she is upset at this news. Then Henchard learns from a deathbed letter that Susan wrote that Elizabeth Jane is not his daughter. His Elizabeth Jane had died and Susan’s child with Newson was given the same name. Henchard does not correct Elizabeth Janes’ misapprehension of the true state of her parentage. Henchard withdraws his objection to the courtship of Elizabeth Jane and Farfrae.   Lucetta Templeman, who Henchard had proposed to before Susan showed up and then dumped, moves to Highplace Hall in Casterbridge. Her affair with Henchard caused the loss of her reputation. Lucetta hires Elizabeth Jane as her companion.   Farfrae goes to see Elizabeth Jane but meets Lucetta. Henchard sees this meeting and gets upset, as does Elizabeth Jane, who notices the attraction between Farfrae and Lucetta. Henchard bets on a bad harvest and buys up grain. The bankers force him to sell at a loss, but only days later the weather goes bad. Henchard is wiped out. He then tries to blackmail Lucetta into marrying him, with the letters she wrote him, that if revealed would destroy her reputation. Then a female vagrant who used to be a merchant recounts the story of Henchard selling his wife. Henchard then learns Lucetta has eloped with Farfrae. This news causes Elizabeth-Jane to leave Highplace Hall. Henchard is forced into bankruptcy and bought out by Farfrae. Elizabeth-Jane feels sorry for Henchard and takes care of him. Henchard goes to work for Fafrae. Lucretta wants to go away, but Farfrae is nominated to replace Henchard as mayor. Henchard starts drinking again. He almost kills himself, then almost kills Farfrae. Henchard gives Jopp, who bears a grudge against Henchard and Lucetta, the letters to deliver to her. Instead he makes them public. A mob publicly shames them in effigy. Lucetta, who is pregnant has a fit. She confesses all to Farfrae and dies. Then Newsom shows up, but Henchard tells him Elizabeth-Jane is dead. Elizabeth-Jane and Farfrae renew their relationship and get engaged. Newsome meets Elizabeth-Jane. Henchard, who has been living in the countryside and working as a farm laborer, returns for their wedding. Elizabeth-Jane confronts Henchard about his lies. However, she later decides to forgive him and looks for him, but finds Henchard has died.

A sad and melancholy tale. Thoughtless decisions have wide-spread consequences for many people. A rich and vibrant portrait of Nineteenth century English life.                 

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy (Bantam Books, New York, 1981) at page 15 and the film at 8:11 give the date of the oath

Producer – Georgina Lowe

Director – David Thacker

Screenplay -  Ted Whitehead

Runtime – 3 hours 16 minutes

Released – August 17, 2003

Starring –

Ciaran Hinds as Michael Henchard

Juliet Aubrey as Susan Henchard

Jodhi May as Elizabeth Jane

James Purefoy as Donald Farfrae

Polly Walker as Lucetta Templeman

September 15 - Sabrina (1954)

This is a movie with a scene that happens today – September 15. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

SABRINA (1954)

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 confirmed workaholic, while Davis 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 way 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

Producer - Billy Wilder

Director - Billy Wilder

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

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.

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

Marcel Dalio as Baron St. Fontanel

Marcel Hillaire as The Professor

Ellen Corby as Miss McCardle

Francis X. Bushman as Mr. Tyson

Joan Vohs as Gretchen Van Horn

September 14 - Missing

This film has a scene that happened today – September 14. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

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 they have to pay to have Charlie’s body returned to the USA.  

A must see film.

Date given in film at 1:20:04

Producer - Edward Lewis and Mildred Lewis

Director - Costa-Gavras

Screenplay - Donald E. Stewart and Costa-Gavras

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.

 

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

Hansford Rowe as Senator

Tina Romero as Maria

Richard Whiting as Statesman

September 13 - On Her Majesty's Secret Service

The movie has a scene that happens today – September 13. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE

British Secret Service agent James Bond, Agent 007 saves a woman from committing suicide, in spite of being attacked by four men. He later learns she is Tracy di Vicenzo and saves her from being embarrassed at a casino. Afterwards they have an amorous interlude. On September 13, 1969 [18:41 to 26:43] Bond is kidnapped and taken to see Draco, the head of the Union Corse and Tracy’s father. He offers to pay Bond £1,000,000 to marry her. Bond refuses, but offers to do it if Draco will tell him where Blofeld, Bond’s arch-enemy is hiding. In London Bond is removed from the Blofeld investigation, so Bond goes and courts Tracy. Bond breaks into the safe of a Swiss lawyer and learns Blofeld is seeking the help of Sir Hilary Bray of the College of Arms to establish his right to the title “Comte de Bleuchamp”. Bond, impersonating Bray goes to Blofeld’s hideout, an allergy clinic he is running, located atop Piz Gloria in the Swiss Alps. Bond is eventually caught, but learns that ten female patients at the clinic are being brainwashed into distributing bacteriological warfare agents around the world to destroy domestic plants and animals. Bond makes a breathtaking ski escape from the mountain. He reaches the village of Lauterbrunnen, where he is rescued by Tracy who had been looking for him. They take refuge in a barn where Bond proposes to her. Later trying to get out of the area they are caught in an avalanche caused by Blofeld. Bond escapes, but Tracy is captured. When the UN decides to pay Blofeld off, Bond is forbidden to do anything. He teams up with Draco and launches an attack on Piz Gloria, destroying the facility and rescuing Tracy. Blofeld escapes. Tracy and Bond are married, but on the way to their honeymoon, she is killed by Blofeld and his henchwoman, Irma Blunt.        

Although Lazenby’s performance was widely derided at the time, I think this is one of my favorite Bond films. Lazenby plays Bond as a real person, not a secret agent caricature. Diana Rigg of course is the ultimate Bond girl. After all, she was the only one who ever got Bond to the altar.

In the film at 22:05 Draco says “today is the 13^th”. At 26:34 the calendar shows September.

Producer - Harry Saltzman and Albert R. Broccoli

Director - Peter R. Hunt

Screenplay - Richard Maibaum

Runtime – 2 hours 20 minutes

Released – December 18, 1969

Starring -

George Lazenby as James Bond– MI6 agent, codename 007.

Diana Rigg as Countess Tracy di Vicenzo – a vulnerable countess

Telly Savalas as Ernst Stavro Blofeld – Bond's arch nemesis, leader of SPECTRE

Gabriele Ferzetti as Marc-Ange Draco – Head of the Union Corse

Ilse Steppat as Irma Bunt – Blofeld's henchwoman

Bernard Lee as M – Head of the British Secret Service.

Lois Maxwell as Miss Moneypenny – M's secretary.

George Baker as Sir Hilary Bray – Professor in the London College of Arms

Yuri Borienko as Grunther – Blofeld's brutish chief of security at Piz Gloria.

Bernard Horsfall as Shaun Campbell – 007's colleague who tries to aid Bond

Desmond Llewelyn as Q – MI6 gadgets expert

Virginia North as Olympe – Draco's female assistant

Catherine Schell as Nancy, a Hungarian girl at the clinic whom Bond seduces.

Angela Scoular as Ruby Bartlett – an English girl with an allergy to chickens

September 12 - The Chronicles Of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 12. I hope you will enjoy this film as you watch it tonight.

THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER

Edmund Pevensie fails in his attempt to join the British armed forces as he’s underage. He and his sister Lucy are staying with their obnoxious cousin, Eustace Scrubb, since their parents and older siblings have gone to America. A picture at Eustace’s house releases a torrent of water and the three kids end up in the seas off Narnia, fortunately near the flagship of the Narnian navy, The Dawn Treader. They are rescued by Caspian X who has undertaken an expedition to find seven Lords, loyal to his father who were banished by Miraz. They go ashore in the Lone islands and are captured by slavers. In jail Caspian and Edmund meet Lord Bern, one of the seven. They see slaves being sacrificed to a mysterious mist. Reepicheep leads a rescue mission and frees them. Lord Bern gives Caspian his sword. They sail on and reach another island where Lucy is kidnapped by the Duffelpuds and forced to enter the wizard’s house and read the spell that “makes unseen things seen”. She takes a spell to make her as beautiful as the one you wish to be. The duffelpuds become visible, enabling Caspian and the Narnians to defeat them. The wizard, Coriakin tells them that the evil dark mist is spreading, but can be defeated by placing the seven swords of the lords, gifts of Aslan at Aslan’s table on Ramandu’s island to which a blue star will guide them. He also warns them that they will be tested. Lucy casts the spell and becomes her sister Susan, whom she envied. Lucy no longer exists. Horrified, she is glad when Aslan restores what was. On September 12, 2306 A.N. [52:56 to 1:08:15] they land on Dragon Island. There they find a pool that turns anything placed in it  to gold, which prompts a fight between Caspian and Edmund, until they realize this is the test. They also find the second sword in the pool. Eustace finds a valley full of treasure, puts on a bracelet and becomes a dragon. In the valley Caspian and Edmund find the third sword. The dragon  convinces them that he is Eustace. They  see the blue star and reach Ramandu’s island towed part of the way by the dragon, Eustace. There they find three of the lords in a trance at Aslan’s table on which they put the six swords they have.  Ramandu's Daughter, Lilliandil appears, points out the Dark Island  and tells them the last sword is there. They sail there, being tempted by the mist and meet Lord Rhoop, who has the last sword. A sea serpent attacks the ship and Eustace attacks it. Lord Rhoop spears Eustace with the sword. Eustace flies back to Ramandu’s island with the sword. Aslan returns him to human form. Eustace places the sword on the table, which gives Wolfsbane, the sword Aslan had give to Peter Pevensie and is now being used by Edmund the power to kill the sea serpent. This causes the mist and darkness to disperse, revealing all the slaves sacrificed to the mist are alive and well. Reepicheep, Caspian, Edmund, Lucy and Eustace sail to the utter east, where they meet Aslan. Reepicheep is allowed to go to Aslan’s country, while Caspian returns to Narnia. The Pevensies and Eustace are returned to England, moments after they left it.  

A fairly good adaptation of the book. The plot is altered somewhat, but not enough to offend purists like me. The special effects are fantastic!

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C.S. Lewis (HarperCollins, New York, 2000) at page 75 gives the date

Producer - Mark Johnson, Andrew Adamson and Philip Steuer

Director - Michael Apted

Screenplay - Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely and Michael Petroni

Runtime – 1 hour 55 minutes

Released – November 30, 2010

Starring –

Georgie Henley as Lucy Pevensie

Skandar Keynes as Edmund Pevensie

Will Poulter as Eustace Scrubb

Ben Barnes as Caspian X

Simon Pegg as the voice of Reepicheep

Gary Sweet as Lord Drinian

Shane Rangi as Tavros the Minotaur

Morgan Evans as Randy the Faun

Steven Rooke as Nausus the Faun

Tony Nixon as 1st Mate Rynelf

Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan

Laura Brent as Ramandu's Daughter, Lilliandil

Bille Brown as Coriakin

Terry Norris as Lord Bern

Bruce Spence as Lord Rhoop

Arabella Morton as Gael

Arthur Angel as Rhince

Nathaniel Parker as Caspian IX

David Vallon as Governor Gumpas

Michael Foster as Gumpas's money collector

Roy Billing as Chief Dufflepud

William Moseley as Peter Pevensie

Anna Popplewell as Susan Pevensie

Tilda Swinton as Jadis, the White Witch