December 31 - While You Were Sleeping

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

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING              

Lucy Moderatz is a young woman who works as a ticket taker for the Chicago Transit Authority, and gradually develops a crush on an attractive guy who passes through her ticket booth everyday.  The guy comes through her boothand while standing on the platform two punks try to mug him. He falls onto the tracks and is knocked out. Lucy keeps him from being run over by the train. At the hospital a nurse mistakenly thinks Lucy is the fiancée of the unconscious man.  When his family arrives, they like Lucy, so she decides not to tell them that she is not Peter’s fincee, as she thinks this might cause his grandmother to have a heart attack.  Lucy goes to the delayed Christmas celebrations with the family of Peter Callaghan. Peter’s brother Jack goes to Lucy’s apartment house. The obnoxious son of the owner lies and tells Jack that he is dating Lucy. Lucy, who learns Peter has a cat goes to his apartment to feed it and runs into Jack. Jack is suspicious of her relationship with Peter, but when Lucy tells them that Peter only has one testicle, a fact that she accidentally learned from a co-worker of Peter, they naturally believe her. Saul, Peter’s godfather who has learned the truth tells her not to tell the family yet. Lucy goes with Jack to deliver a sofa to Peter’s apartment and learns Jack no longer wants to work with his father in the estate furniture business, but wants to make furniture.  Lucy and Jack are attracted to each other, but don’t want to acknowledge it. Lucy has to fight off the unwanted attentions of the landlord’s son and Peter’s family gets the mistaken idea Lucy is pregnant. On December 31, 1994 [59:36 to 1:06:46] Jack follows Lucy to a New Year’s Eve party. Then Peter wakes up, but when he doesn’t know Lucy, they think he has amnesia. Jack finally tells his father how he fells about the business. Saul persuades Peter to propose to Lucy. Then Ashley shows up. Peter had proposed to her, but she said no and moved to Portugal. Peter rejects Ashley and proposes to Lucy who accepts. Jack visits Lucy, but when she asks if he can give her any reason why she should not marry Peter, he says he can’t. Just as the wedding is about to begin, Lucy stops it. She confesses all and says she loves Jack. Ashley arrives and objects to the wedding, while Lucy sneaks out. Later Jack slides an engagement ring into her token tray. He comes into her booth and with the entire Callaghan family watching he proposes. They get married and honeymoon in Florence, her favorite city.

A wonderful romantic comedy. Just quirky enough to get out of the usual track of such films. Jack Warden and Glynis Johns steal the show with their performances.    

Sign at 1:02:31 says “Happy New Year” 

Screenplay - Daniel G. Sullivan and Fredric LeBow              

Producers - Roger Birnbaum and Joe Roth               

Director - Jon Turteltaub      

                                   

Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes                                   

Released - April 21, 1995                                          

Starring -

                                                                                    

Glynis Johns as Elsie   

Peter Gallagher as Peter Callaghan                                                                                                            

Bill Pullman as Jack Callaghan

Micole Mercurio as Midge Callaghan

Peter Boyle as Ox Callaghan

Monica Keena as Mary Callaghan

Sandra Bullock as Lucy Moderatz

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

December 30 - The Deliberate Stranger

Today’s movie is a crime drama with a scene that happens on December 30. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE DELIBERATE STRANGER              

In 1974 Ted Bundy is a handsome law student living in Seattle with his girlfriend. Meanwhile the police are investigating a series of disappearances of young women. Witnesses come forward saying they had been approached by a young man who called himself ‘Ted’ who drove a VW bug. Ted leaves Seattle for law school in Utah. The police start to find the bodies of the missing girls  and Ted’s girlfriend starts to suspect him. Ted continues killing girls. Then a girl escapes from Ted. The Seattle police use a new innovation, a computer, to look for links in the cases and the Great Basin police forces start to work together on the case. Ted is arrested for evading arrest. The girl who he tried to kidnap identifies him. We learn that Ted was illegitimate.  Ted is convicted of kidnapping. He is indicted for murder in Colorado. Ted escapes from the courthouse, but is recaptured. On December 30, 1977 Ted escapes again from the county jail where he was being held pending trial. [2:40:33 to 2:44:39] He is arrested a month later in Florida after he had killed several more girls. Ted is convicted of murder and sentenced to death.

                   

A very scary movie. Mark Harmon did an excellent job of portraying Ted. He conveyed the surface ordinariness of Ted while hinting at the evil beneath. .

The Stranger Beside Me by Ann Rule (Signet, New York, 2001) at page 271 and the film at 2:41:13 give the date of his successful escape

Producer - Marvin J. Chomsky

Director - Marvin J. Chomsky

Screenplay - Hesper Anderson

Running Time - 3 hours 5 minutes

Released - May 4, 1986

Starring -         

Mark Harmon as Ted Bundy

M. Emmett Walsh as Sam Davies

Frederic Forrest as Robert Keppel

George Grizzard as Richard Larsen

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

December 29 - Marley and Me

MARLEY AND ME               DECEMBER 29                           Drama/Comedy

John Grogan had a dog while growing up. After his marriage to Jenny they move from Michigan to Miami and get jobs at competing newspapers. Jenny soon gets major stories, while he gets stuck with obituaries and such. When Jenny hints about wanting to have kids, John’s friend Sebastian suggests he get her a dog to take care of. They adopt a Labrador retriever and name him Marley. He soon turns out to be a disobedient dog. John is pressured into writing a twice-weekly column, even though he really wants to write hard news. Marley is so poorly behaved that he is expelled from a dog obedience school and also almost kills himself and the Grogans by leaping out of the car on the way to be neutered. Marley’s antics provide much of the material for John’s increasingly popular column. Jenny gets pregnant, but loses the baby early in her pregnancy. They go to Ireland on a second honeymoon, but Marley terrifies the dog sitter, who can’t control him during the thunderstorms that occur frequently in south Florida. Jenny gets pregnant again and has two boys in succession. After a neighbor is stabbed in a robbery they move to a more expensive and safer neighborhood. John reluctantly agrees to write a daily column to get his salary doubled. Jenny gets postpartum depression and feels overwhelmed. She insists they give Marley away, but later relents. Sebastian meanwhile lands a job with the New York Times, the apex of a newspaper reporter’s career as far as John is concerned. With Jenny’s blessing he takes a news reporter’s job in Philadelphia, but soon realizes he’s a better columnist than reporter. Marley, who is 14 by this time, has an attack of gastric dilation volvus and almost dies. When he has a second attack the vet says he would not survive surgery. John decides to have Marley euthanized on December 29, 2003 [1:40:08 to 1:48:24]. The family buries him in their front yard.

A sweet and funny story. It functions both as the story of a marriage and a dog movie. Both Anniston and Wilson give very natural performances here.

Marley: A Dog Like No Other by John Grogan (Collins, New York, 2007) at page 178 gives his death date

Producers - Karen Rosenfelt and Gil Netter

Director - David Frankel                               

Screenplay - Scott Frank and Don Roos                        

Runtime – 2 hours 1 minute                                                                                                                                    

Released – December 25, 2008

Starring –

Owen Wilson as John Grogan

Jennifer Aniston as Jenny Grogan

Eric Dane as Sebastian Tunney

Alan Arkin as Arnie Klein

Haley Hudson as Debbie

Kathleen Turner as Ms. Kornblut

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

December 28 - Hugo

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

HUGO                               

11-year-old Hugo Cabret lives in Paris’s Gare Montparnasse railway station behind the scenes where he repairs and keeps the station’s clocks running and on time. One day “Papa Georges”, the owner of a mechanical toyshop in the station catches Hugo trying to steal parts and takes a notebook from Hugo, threatening to burn it. Hugo follows him home and persuades Isabella, George’s goddaughter to help him recover the notebook. Hugo recalls his father, a clockmaker who also worked at a museum where he found an old automaton that he and Hugo repaired. Later, when his father is killed in a fire at the museum, Hugo goes to live with his drunken Uncle at the railroad station and helps him with his job maintaining the station’s clocks. His Uncle later disappears. Papa Georges gives Hugo a chance to work for him and earn back the notebook. Hugo is terrified that if the station inspector learns Hugo has no adult supervision he will be sent to an orphanage. Hugo takes Isabella to the cinema, where he sees she has the heart shaped key needed to turn on the automaton. When they turn the key, the automaton draws a picture of a rocket crashing into the eye of the man in the moon, which is a shot from the first movie Hugo’s father ever saw, and signs the name Georges Melies. Isabella reveals this is her godfather’s real name. When the two children show the picture to Isabella’s grandmother, Mama Jeanne she says to forget it, but they investigate and find a box full of drawings, which greatly upsets Papa Georges. Hugo and Isabella go to the film academy library and learn Georges Melies was a film pioneer and meet Rene Tabard, the author of a book about Melies. Tabard had met Melies years earlier, but had believed him to be dead. The body of Hugo’s uncle is found in the river Seine. Hugo plots to bring Tabard to show Melies the one surviving film of his that is in Tabard’s possession. When he arrives, Hugo and Isabelle persuade Mama Jeanne to watch “From the Earth to the Moon” with them and are discovered by Melies. Melies recounts how he started as a magician until on December 28, 1895 [1:35:30 to 1:36:24], he attended the first Lumiere brothers’ movie showing. He started working in movies and made more than 500. Melies also developed many mechanical devices including an advanced automaton, which he later donated to a museum. Changing tastes during and after the First World War ended his movie-making career and he opened the toy store.  Hugo races to get the automaton to present to Melies as a present. Hugo is caught, escapes and is caught again by the Station Inspector. Melies arrives and asserts Hugo is now in his care, so the Inspector releases him. Tabard arranges a film festival showing 80 recovered films of Melies.  

A very good film. I like the plot where everything fits together in the end to create a unified coherent story.  A low key but effective story. One of Scorsese’s best films.

The Big Screen by David Thomson (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, New York, 2012) at page 126 gives the date of the first show by the Lumineres.

Producers - Graham King, Timothy Headington, Martin Scorsese and Johnny Depp

Director - Martin Scorsese

Awards – The film won the Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Visual Effects, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Sound Editing Oscars. The movie was also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design and Best Film Editing Oscars at the  84^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - John Logan

Runtime - 2 hours 8 minutes

Released – November 23, 2011

Starring –

Asa Butterfield as Hugo Cabret

Chloë Grace Moretz as Isabelle

Ben Kingsley as Georges Méliès / Papa Georges

Sacha Baron Cohen as Inspector Gustave

Helen McCrory as Jeanne d'Alcy / Mama Jeanne

Michael Stuhlbarg as René Tabard

Jude Law as Hugo's father

Ray Winstone as Claude Cabret

Christopher Lee as Monsieur Labisse

Emily Mortimer as Lisette

Frances de la Tour as Madame Emile

Richard Griffiths as Monsieur Frick

Marco Aponte as a train engineer assistant

Kevin Eldon as policeman

Gulliver McGrath as young Tabard

Angus Barnett as a cinema manager

Ben Addis as Salvador Dalí

Emil Lager as Django Reinhardt

Robert Gill as James Joyce

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

December 27 - The Kite Runner

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on December 27. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE KITE RUNNER                                 

In 2000 Amir Qadiri, an Afghan-American writer has just had his novel, A Season for Ashes published when he gets a phone call from Rahim Khan, an old friend of his father, who is living in Peshawar, Pakistan. Amir flashes back to 1979 Afghanistan. Amir was the son of a wealthy man called   Agha Sahib. Amir’s best friend is Hassan, the son of his father’s servant, Ali. Amir participates in kite fighting, with a Hassan acting as a retriever, who gets the crashed kites that Amir has won by cutting their strings. Amir often reads stories, his own and others to Hassan. Hassan vows absolute obedience to Amir. Three older boys bully and taunt Amir, but Hassan drives them off. However, on the day when Amir wins the citywide kite-fighting contest, tragedy strikes. Hassan goes to retrieve the last kite when he is cornered and raped by the leader of the bullies, Assef. Amir observes this but does nothing. Amir later hides his watch under Hassan’s pillow and tells his father that Hassan stole it. Agha Sahib doesn’t believe it, but Ali and Hassan leave anyway. On December 27, 1979 [46:08 to 47:26] the Soviets invade Afghanistan and Agha Shib and Amir flee to Pakistan. By 1988 Amir has graduated from college in America with a literature degree. His father gets cancer. Amir meets Soraya, the daughter of a former Afghan general and they get married shortly before Amir’a father dies. Back in 2000 Amir goes to meet Rahim Khan and learned what happened in Afghanistan after he and his father fled. Rahim Khan tried to take care of their house and got Hassan to return as caretaker. However Afghan soldiers killed Hassan and his wife because they were members of an ethnic minority. Their son Sohrab was taken to an orphanage. Rahim Khan wants Amir to go to Afghanistan and find Sohrab. Amir resists until Rahim Khan reveals the Agha Sahib was actually Hassan’s father. Amir meets a Taliban official who is using Sohrab for sexual purposes and is surprised to find it is Assef. Amir and Sohrab escape from Assef and they return to the USA, where Amir takes Sohrab into his home.  

An interesting drama. Covers a society not usually mentioned in American films. Provides a window into the life of the Near East.

War in a Distant Country by David C. Isby (Arms and Armor Press, London, 1989) at page 23 gives the date of the invasion

Producers - Walter F. Parkes, Laurie McDonald, Sam Mendes and Sidney Kimmel

Awards – The film was nominated for Best Original Score at the 80^th Academy Awards

Director - Marc Forster                                  

Screenplay - David Benioff                      

Runtime – 2 hours 8 minutes                                                        

Released – December 14, 2007                                  

Starring –

Khalid Abdalla as Amir Qadiri

Zekeria Ebrahimi as Young Amir

Ahmad Khan Mahmidzada as Young Hassan

Homayoun Ershadi as the Agha Sahib (Baba)

Atossa Leoni as Soraya

Shaun Toub as Rahim Khan

Abdul Salaam Yusoufzai as Assef

Elham Ehsas as Young Assef

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

December 26 - Pictures of Hollis Woods

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

PICTURES OF HOLLIS WOODS              

She was an abandoned baby who was named after the intersection where she was found –Hollis and Woods. Her caseworker Edna Reilly takes her to live with a new foster parent Josie Cahill, who is a sculptor. Hollis is a painter and sketch artist. Hollis thinks back to the previous summer when she went to stay with the Regan family, John, Izzy and son Steven at their summer cabin in the Adirondacks. As Hollis stays with Josie it soon becomes obvious that Josie has Alzheimer’s and cannot remember many important things. Soon Hollis is taking care of Josie instead of the other way around, but Hollis finds she has become fiercely protective of Josie. Edna finally figures this out and tells Hollis she is going to remove her from Josie’s home. Instead at Hollis’s instigation they run away together to the Regan’s summer cabin, which is closed up since it is now December. Hollis remembers how over the summer with the Regans she came to love them and feel like a part of their family. She was reduced to tears of happiness when the Regans offered to adopt her. Then tragedy struck. The son, Steven Regan liked to drive his father’s truck, even though he was under age. One day Hollis asked him to come and get her in the truck. There was an accident and Steven was seriously injured. Hollis felt responsible, so she ran away and rebuffed attempts by the Regans to still adopt her. This led to her being placed with Josie. Hollis and Josie spend Christmas and Boxing Day, December 26, 2007 [1:27:34 to 1:34:13] at the cabin. Then when he hears she is missing, Steven Regan figuring she is at the cabin goes there and persuades Hollis to call the authorities. The Regans adopt her.

A good drama. Hollis is a girl who never felt loved until she found someone to love in the Regans and Josie. A feel-good film with a happy ending.

Producer - Dan Paulson

Director - Tony Bill

Screenplay - Ann Peacock, Daniel Petrie, Jr. and Camille Thomasson

Runtime – 1 hour 37 minutes

Released – December 2, 2007

Starring –

Jodelle Ferland as Hollis Woods

Sissy Spacek as Josie Cahill

Alfre Woodard as Edna Reilly

James Tupper as John Regan

Ridge Canipe as Steven Regan

Julie Ann Emery as Izzy Regan

Judith Ivey as Beatrice Gilcrest          

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

December 25 - A Christmas Carol (1984)

Today’s movie is a fantasy drama with scenes that happen on December 25.  Watch it Tonight and enjoy.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1984)        

Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserly moneylender who thinks Christmas is “humbug” and mistreats his employee, Bob Cratchit. He only very reluctantly agrees to give Cratchit Christmas day off. Scrooge refuses an invitation from his nephew Fred to dine with him the next day.  On his way home Scrooge meets Bob Cratchit’s crippled son, Tiny Tim, and refuses to make a contribution to aid the poor and needy.  In Scrooge’s large, empty house the ghost of his dead partner, Jacob Marley, visits him. Scrooge is reluctant to believe it is really a ghost, but when Marley tells Scrooge he is doomed to hell, Scrooge asks Marley what can be done.  Marley tells Scrooge that three spirits will visit him over the course of the night starting at 1 AM. At that hour on December 25, 1843 [26:35 to 1:35:13] the first spirit “The Ghost of Christmas Past” appears and takes Scrooge back to his childhood. Scrooge was ignored by his father, but loved by his sister. Scrooge went to work for Mr. Fezziwig and met, and eventually became engaged to Belle. Eventually his devotion to business drives Belle away. Scrooge is returned to his bedroom, where the “Ghost of Christmas Present” visits him. This spirit takes him to Bob Cratchit’s house, where Scrooge is criticized for being cheap and greedy, defended only by Bob. Scrooge is, in spite of himself, touched by their honest celebration of the holiday. He is upset when the spirit tells him that Tiny Tim is doomed to die soon. He also takes Scrooge to the house of his nephew Fred, where he is also castigated. Then Scrooge is visited by the spooky “Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come”. He takes Scrooge to the poor side of town, where Scrooge eventually figures out that he is dead and some of his things have been stolen. Scrooge sees the Cratchit family’s grief at the death of Tiny Tim. Scrooge then sees his own tombstone. Scrooge awakens in his own room on Christmas. He vows to keep the true spirit of Christmas. He sends a gift of food to the Cratchits. Scrooge next makes a very generous contribution to aid the poor. Scrooge visits Fred and makes up with him. The next day Scrooge surprises Bob Cratchit by doubling his salary. Scrooge is a changed man. 

The best version of this story. Reminds you of the real reason for the season. Very good costuming and sets.

A Christmas Carol in Prose, Being a Ghost Story of Christmas by Charles Dickens (Elvendon Press, Goring-on-Thames, UK, 1986) at page 56 Scrooge is told “its Christmas Day”, which is December 25^th, as per Holidays, Festivals and Celebrations of the World ed. by Helene Henderson (Omnigraphics, New York, 2005) at page 787

Producer - George F. Storke

Director - Clive Donner

Awards – The film was nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or 

                 a Special (Scott) at the 37^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Screenplay - Roger O. Hirson

Runtime – 1 hour 40 minutes

Released – December 17, 1984

Starring –

George C. Scott as Ebenezer Scrooge, a man who thinks Christmas is “humbug”

Frank Finlay as Jacob Marley's Ghost, Scrooge’s former partner

Angela Pleasence as Ghost of Christmas Past

Edward Woodward as Ghost of Christmas Present

Michael Carter as Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

David Warner as Bob Cratchit, Scrooge’s employee

Susannah York as Mrs. Cratchit, Bob’s wife

Anthony Walters as Tiny Tim Crachit, Bob’s handicapped son

Roger Rees as Fred Hollywell, Scrooge’s nephew

Caroline Langrishe as Janet Hollywell, Fred’s wife

Lucy Gutteridge – Belle, Scrooge's slighted fiancée

Nigel Davenport as Silas Scrooge, Ebenezer's and Fan's father

Mark Strickson as Young Ebenezer Scrooge

Joanne Whalley as Fan Scrooge, Ebenezer's beloved sister and Fred's mother

Timothy Bateson as Mr. Fezziwig, Scrooge and Marley’s one time boss

Michael Gough as Mr. Poole

John Quarmby as Mr. Harking

Peter Woodthorpe as Old Joe

Liz Smith as Mrs. Dilber

Dennis Morgan as A village gentleman

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

December 24 - Diehard

Today’s movie is an action adventure that happens on December 24. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

DIEHARD

On December 24^th NYPD officer John McClane arrives in Los Angeles to reconcile with his estranged wife, Holly. He is driven to her company Christmas party by driver Argyle, who waits in the basement garage of the high rise Nakatmoi Plaza. The party is broken up by the arrival of a group of terrorists who take over the building, holding the partygoers as hostages. McClane manages to hide out in the building.   The terrorist are actually thieves who are trying to steal $40 million in bearer bonds in the vault. They disable all but one of the security features. McLane manages to acquire a two way radio and weapons from the terrorists. He makes contact with Powell, a LAPD officer. The SWAT team is ambushed in spite of McClane’s warnings, but he takes out the terrorists who killed them. The FBI arrives and takes over. They shut down power to the building, shutting off the last electronic lock on the vault. McClane learns the terrorists are placing explosives on the building’s roof and herding the hostages there. The have asked for a helicopter to take them and the hostages to the airport. The terrorists plan to blow up the building when the helicopter lands so the police will think they are dead and stop looking for them, while they escape in a stolen ambulance from the basement with the bonds. McClane scares the hostages back downstairs after killing their guards. The explosives go off with McClane barely escaping. The terrorist leader has learned that Holly is McClane’s wife and uses her to try and force his surrender. After a struggle the leader falls out a window, almost dragging Holly with him.  When they leave the building the are almost shot by a surviving terrorist until Powell kills him. Argyle had stopped the ambulance from leaving. McClane and Holly are  reconciled.

Date given in film at 3:17

Producer - Lawence Gordon and Joel Silver

Director - John McTiernan

Screenplay - Steven E. de Souza and Jeb Stuart

Awards - The film was nominated for the Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing and Best Sound Oscars.

Running Time - 2 hours 11 minutes

Released - July 15, 1988

Starring -         

Bruce Willis as Detective John McClane

Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber

Alexander Godunov as Karl Vreski

Bonnie Bedelia as Holly Gennero McClane

Reginald VelJohnson as Sgt. Al Powell

Clarence Darnell Gilyard as Theo

Paul Gleason as Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson

William Atherton as Richard Thornburg

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014

December 23 - Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

Today’s movie is a fantasy drama with a scene that happens on December 23. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

MIRACLE ON 34^TH STREET (1947)       

At the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade when Santa Claus turns out to be a drunk, Doris Walker, who’s in charge of the parade hires a man who looks just like Santa Claus to play the part. Her daughter Susan watches the parade with Fred Gailey, an attorney who has just moved into their apartment building. Doris has raised her daughter on strictly scientific lines, with no fantasy or myths. She hires the parade Santa as the Macy’s department store Santa.  When he starts sending customers to other stores when Macy’s doesn’t have what they want, customers love the idea. When Susan starts to think the man really may be Santa, Doris asks him to tell Susan he’s not, but instead he says his name is Kris Kringle. Since customers love Kris, Mr. Macy insists he be retained. Mr. Sawyer, who gives personality tests at the store takes a dislike to Kris. Kris helps Susan begin to develop her imagination and she finally tells him she wants a little house in the suburbs for Christmas.  Then Kris learns that Sawyer has been telling Alfred, a young employee at the store that Alfred’s desire to dress up as Santa for the kids at the YMCA is a sign of a guilt complex.  Kris confronts Sawyer and pops him on the head with an umbrella. With Doris’s reluctant approval, her assistant and Sawyer take Kris to Belleview mental hospital where, saddened by Doris’s continued doubts about him, he deliberately flunks the psychiatric tests given to him. Mr. Gailey files a protest to Kris’s commitment. He announces he intends to prove Kris is Santa Claus. This causes a fight between Fred and Doris, who have started to become interested in each other romantically. On December 23, 1947  [1:14:05 to 1:25:17] the second day of Kris Kringle’s sanity hearing, the state concedes the existence of Santa Claus, but wants definitive proof that Kris is Santa Claus. Susan and Doris write a letter to Santa addressed to Kris at the courthouse, saying they believe in him. The next day all of the Post Office’s letters to Santa are delivered to Kris. Since the US government, through the Post Office recognizes Kris as Santa Claus, the judge says the state of New York will agree. The next day Kris sends Susan, Fred and Susan to a house that is exactly like the one she wanted and they find Kris’s cane by the fireplace.   

A wonderful classic film for the ages. You should never be too old to watch and enjoy this film. If you think you are, I feel sorry for you. 

Date given in the film when at 1:22:04 the judge adjourns until “tomorrow” and that day is described as “Christmas Eve” at 1:26:25

Producer - William Perlberg

Director - George Seaton

Awards – This movie won the Best Supporting Actor (Gwenn), Best Original Story and Best Original Screenplay Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Picture Oscar at the 20^th Academy Awards.  

Screenplay - George Seaton

Runtime – 1 hour 36 minutes

Released – May 2, 1947

Starring –

Maureen O'Hara as Doris Walker

John Payne as Frederick M. "Fred" Gailey

Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle

Natalie Wood as Susan Walker

Porter Hall as Granville Sawyer

William Frawley as Charlie Halloran

Jerome Cowan as District Attorney Thomas Mara

Philip Tonge as Julian Shellhammer

Alvin Greenman as Alfred

Gene Lockhart as The Hon. Henry X. Harper

Harry Antrim as R. H. Macy

Herbert Heyes as Mr. Gimbel

James Seay as Dr. Pierce, a geriatrics physician

Thelma Ritter as a harried shopper

Percy Helton as the drunken Santa Claus stand-in at the parade

Ann Staunton as Mrs. Mara

Bobby Hyatt as Thomas Mara, Jr.                   

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

December 22 - Mansfield Park (1983)

Today’s movie is period drama with a scene that happens on December 22. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

MANSFIELD PARK (1983)                 

Sir Thomas Bertram, the owner of Mansfield Park married Maria Ward and had four children Tom, Edmund, Maria and Julia. Maria had two sisters - Frances who married Lt. Price of the Marines and had eight children and another sister who married Rev. Norris, who is given the parish at Mansfield Park. When Frances’s oldest daughter, Fanny, is 10  Mrs. Norris brings Fanny to live at Mansfield Park. Fanny is not treated very well by Mrs. Norris and her cousins Tom, Maria and Julia, who treat her more like a servant than a relation. Only Edmund is nice to her and Fanny gradually falls in love with him. Her older brother William, who Fanny adores, comes to see her before he enters the Royal Navy. Things change when Rev. Norris dies. Sir Thomas had hoped that the parish would one day be Edmund’s, but because of debts run up by Tom, Sir Thomas is forced to sell it to Rev Grant. Sir Thomas and Tom go to Antigua to investigate conditions on his sugar plantations. While he is gone, Mrs. Norris succeeds in promoting an engagement between Maria and the extremely wealthy, but plain and dull, Mr. Rushworth of Sotherton Court. Edmund trades one of his horses for a mare for Fanny. Tom returns home. Then Henry Crawford and his sister Mary, who are half-siblings of Rev. Grant’s wife come to stay with the Grants.  Edmund and Mary soon develop a mutual attraction. Then Edmund, Fanny, Maria, Julia, Henry and Mary Crawford along with Mrs. Norris take a day trip to Sotherton Court. During this trip Mary Crawford is upset to learn that Edmund is to become a clergyman, while Maria and Henry Crawford develop an unhealthy attraction for each other. Tom invites a friend of his John Yates to the house. He makes a proposal, which is eagerly seized upon by Tom and Henry Crawford that they should put on a risqué play, ‘Lover’s Vows’ as an entertainment.   In spite of very serious misgivings, Edmund is eventually persuaded to take a role in the play. Fanny absolutely refuses to participate. Rehearsals are far along, with Henry and Maria becoming very intimate when Sir Thomas suddenly returns.  He is very upset about these proceedings. Mr. Rushworth and Maria get married. Edmund and Fanny dine with the Crawfords and Grants. After this Henry decides, as a jest, to make Fanny fall in love with him. Fanny’s brother William comes to Mansfield Park. Sir Thomas proposes to have a ball. Mary Crawford lends Fanny a chain on which she can wear the cross her brother gave her.  Then Edmund gives her a chain as a present. On December 22, 1808 [Ep. 4 29:29 to 42:00] the Christmas Ball is held at Mansfield Park. Henry Crawford tells his sister he is going to marry Fanny Price. To curry favor with Fanny, Henry arranges through his uncle, an admiral, for William Price, Fanny’s brother to be promoted to lieutenant. Henry proposes to Fanny, but she absolutely rejects him, in part because she has seen his improper conduct with Maria. Sir Thomas is upset at this, as he cannot see any reason why Fanny should reject Henry Crawford.   The Crawfords leave Mansfield Park. Sir Thomas sends Fanny back to stay with her family for a time. Henry Crawford goes to see Fanny in Portsmouth to tell her he has been paying more attention to his estate and announces his intention of going back there to continue its supervision. Tom becomes very ill. Instead of going to his estate, Henry stays in London and he and Maria have an adulterous affair that becomes public. Henry and Maria run away together. Julia elopes with Mr. Yates. Edmund goes to Portsmouth and takes Fanny and her sister Susan back to Mansfield Park. Edmund goes to see Mary Crawford and is stunned to learn that she is not upset at what Henry did, only that he got caught. Edmund realizes he loves Fanny and returns to Mansfield Park and proposes to her. Mr. Rushworth divorces Maria, who is sent away to live with Mrs. Norris. Julia is reconciled to her parents and Edmund and Fanny are married. Mr. Grant is transferred to Westminster, so Edmund becomes the pastor at Mansfield, where he lives happily ever after with Fanny.

A very good historical drama. Sylvestra Le Touzel does a very good job at portraying the retiring, but morally incorruptible Fanny Price. Very good scenery and costumes. 

       

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (Kőnemann, Cologne, Germany, 1997) at pages 234-239 gives the date of the ball

Producer – Betty Willingale

Director - David Giles

Screenplay - Kenneth Taylor

Runtime – 4 hours 30 minutes

Released - November 6, 1983

          

Starring –

Katie Durham-Matthews as Young Fanny

Sylvestra Le Touzel as Fanny Price

Christopher Villiers as Tom Bertram

Giles Ashton as Young Tom

Nicholas Farrell as Edmund Bertram

Alex Lowe as Young Edmund

Samantha Bond as Maria Bertram

Alys Wallbank as Young Maria

Liz Crowther as Julia Bertram

Sharon Beare as Young Julia

Bernard Hepton as Sir Thomas Bertram

Angela Pleasence as Lady Bertram

Gillian Martell as Mrs Rushworth

Jonathan Stephens as Mr Rushworth

Anna Massey as Mrs Norris

Peter Finn as Mr Norris

Robert Burbage as Henry Crawford

Jackie Smith-Wood as Mary Crawford

Gorden Kaye as Dr Grant

Susan Edmonstone as Mrs Grant

Robin Langford as Mr Yates

Kenneth Hage as Fiddler

Allan Hendrick as William Price

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

December 21 - Coco Before Chanel

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

COCO BEFORE CHANEL          

When she is young their father takes his daughters Gabrielle Chanel and Adrienne Chanel to a convent school and abandons them there. Fifteen years later the sisters sing in nightclubs, where Gabrielle gets the nickname Coco from a song she sings. They also work as seamstresses. Coco meets the wealthy Etienne Balsan. She is later fired from the club and her sister becomes the mistress of a baron. After her plans to advance her singing career falter, Coco becomes Etienne’s mistress. He introduces her into society and she works to develop her fashion style. As her relationship with Etienne starts to unravel, Coco meets a friend of his “Boy” Capel. After a weekend holiday with him, she finally leaves Etienne to become Capel’s mistress, even though he gets married to someone else. He helps her open a dress and hat shop and they are happy for a time. Then on December 21, 1919, [1:33:25 to 1:36:20] “Boy” Capel leaves on a trip. He is killed the next day in an auto accident. Coco goes on to become a force in the world of fashion. 

An interesting period biopic. Tautou is of course very good as Coco. Meticulous attention to background detail is a hallmark of this film.

Chanel: A Woman of her Own by Axel Madsen (Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1996) at page 99 gives the date he died

Producers - Simon Arnal, Caroline Benjo, Philippe Carcassonne and Carole Scotta

Director - Anne Fontaine

Awards – This film was nominated for the Best Costume Design Oscar at the 82^nd Academy Awards

Screenplay - Anne Fontaine and Camille Fontaine

Runtime – 1 hour 45 minutes

Released – April 22, 2009

Starring -    

Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel

Benoît Poelvoorde as Étienne Balsan

Alessandro Nivola as Arthur “Boy” Capel

Marie Gillain as Adrienne Chanel

Emmanuelle Devos as Emilienne d'Alençon

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

December 20 - White Christmas

Today’s movie is a musical romance with a scene that happens on December 20. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

WHITE CHRISTMAS                   

On Christmas Eve 1944 in the Ardennes, Capt. Bob Wallace and Private Phil Davis are performing for troops of the 151^st Division. Their commander, Maj. Gen. Waverly is being replaced, even though he is popular with the men. Phil saves Bob’s life during shelling, but is injured. Davis uses his injury to guilt trip Bob into agreeing to an entertainment partnership after the war. Wallace and Davis become big hits in nightclubs, on radio and on Broadway in their own revue. Davis tries numerous times to set Wallace up with different  girls, but fails. While they are in Florida on tour with the review they get a letter from an old army buddy, Benny Haynes asking them to see his sisters singing act. They do and Phil notices Bob appears to be smitten with Betty Haynes. When the sisters are told the sheriff has arrived to arrest them, based on a trumped up claim by their landlord, Phil decides to help them, in part because he has become attracted to Judy Haynes. He gives them his and Bob’s train tickets to New York. To give them time to escape Phil convinces Bob to perform a parody version of the sisters’ act. Bob, Phil, Betty and Judy meet on the train and Phil convinces Bob to follow the sisters to their next gig at the Columbia Inn in Pine Tree, Vermont. They discover the Inn belongs to Gem Waverly, but is about to go broke due to lack of snow and therefore of guests. Bob decides to bring their entire review to the Inn to rehearse. Bob and Betty’s relationship develops, but the General’s request to be returned to active duty is refused. Bob calls Ed Harrison, who has a popular TV show in New York. Bob rejects Ed’s idea to put the revue on TV from the Inn and play up the pathos angle about the General, getting Wallace and Davis a lot of free publicity. The housekeeper, who just overhears the idea and not Bob’s rejection, tells Betty who is incensed that Bob would try to profit from the General’s situation. She turns cold towards Bob, convincing Judy that Betty won’t be open to a relationship with Bob until she is engaged,  persuades a reluctant Phil to agree to a fake engagement with her, which they announce. On December 20, 1953 [1:29:54 to 1:45:44] Betty leaves for a solo gig in New York. That same day, Bob learns the engagement was fake and goes to New York. He appears on the Ed Harrison Show asking former members of the division to go to the Inn on Christmas Eve. Betty sees his speech and realizes she was wrong. She returns to the Inn in time for the big Christmas Eve show. She and Bob are reconciled as a heavy snow begins falling.

A thoroughly good, but sentimental film. Crosby and Kaye work well together as do Clooney and Vera-Ellen. The songs are pretty good too.

The sign board at the Floridian [12:24] says Wallace & Davis’ last night is Dec. 12, they arrive in Vermont on the 13^th, the show arrives by the 16^th, thus the Sunday [1:16:37] Bob is on the show must be the 20^th, assuming the movie is set in 1953.

Producer - Robert Emmett Dolan

Director - Michael Curtiz

Award – The movie was nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar at the 27^th Academy

                Awards

Screenplay - Norman Krasna, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank

Runtime – 2 hours

Released – October 14, 1954

Starring –

Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace

Danny Kaye as Phil Davis

Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes

Rosemary Clooney as Betty Haynes

Dean Jagger as General Waverly

Mary Wickes as Emma Allen

John Brascia as Joe

Anne Whitfield as Susan Waverly

Percy Helton as Train conductor

I. Stanford Jolley as Railroad stationmaster

Barrie Chase as Doris Lenz

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

December 19 - Birdman of Alcatraz

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on December 19. Watch it to night and enjoy.

BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ             

Bob Stroud is to be moved from Alcatraz and Tom Gaddis, who wrote a book about Stroud waits for him at the pier and tells Stroud’s story. Convicted murderer Stroud is moved to Leavenworth prison. Stroud is a rebellious prisoner and arouses the ire of Harvey Shoemaker, the warden. When his mother can’t visit him since it’s Saturday this upsets Stroud and he grabs a guard’s collar. When the guard insists on reporting this meaning Stroud will not get to see his mother at a re-scheduled visit the next week, Stroud kills the guard.  He is tried three times. The first time is a mistrial; the second time he gets life, the third time he is sentenced to death. His mother meets the First Lady, Mrs. Wilson who uses her influence to get the sentence commuted to solitary confinement. One day a storm blows a branch with a bird nest into the exercise yard. Stroud saves the baby bird and nurses it back to health. When Leavenworth gets a new warden, other prisoners give Stroud their pet canaries. He starts breeding them, but they develop a fatal disease, septic fever. Stroud works for years by trial and error, and develops a cure. Stroud is allowed to publish articles in bird magazines about this. He meets Stella Johnson, a bird lover, who proposes selling his remedies for various bird diseases. With a new warden come new rules from the Federal Bureau of Prisons that no prisoners can have pets or run a business. Stroud marries Stella. Stella and his mother start a petition to change the rule.  When Shoemaker, who now heads the Bureau, proposes that he can keep his business if he donates the proceeds to the prison welfare fund, Stroud refuses. Eventually he gets everything he wanted, including a larger cell and lab equipment. However, the cost is that his mother becomes jealous of Stella and cuts off communication with him. Stroud writes a successful book about bird diseases. Then he is transferred to Alcatraz, arriving on December 19, 1942 [1:48:03 to 1:56:23] and finds Shoemaker is the warden. Stroud loses all his privileges and can’t have any birds. An attempt is made by other prisoners to escape with two guns they’ve captured, but they end up trapped in the cellblock. After the two instigators are killed, Stroud throws out the guns, ending the riot. 13 years later he is transferred off Alcatraz.   

An interesting movie. Stroud was a much rougher character than the way he is portrayed in the film. His role in ending the riot is greatly exaggerated.

Birdman by Jolene Babyak (Ariel Vamp Press, Berkeley, Ca., 1994) at page 301 gives the date he arrived

Producers - Harold Hecht, Stuart Millar and Guy Trosper

Director - John Frankenheimer

Awards – The movie was nominated for the Best Black-and-White Cinematography, Best Actor (Lancaster), Best Supporting Actor (Savalas) and Best Supporting Actress (Ritter) at the 35^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - Guy Trosper

Runtime – 2 hours 23 minutes

Released - July 3, 1962 

    

Starring -

Burt Lancaster as Robert Stroud

Karl Malden as Harvey Shoemaker

Thelma Ritter as Elizabeth Stroud

Betty Field as Stella Johnson

Telly Savalas as Feto Gomez

Neville Brand as Bull Ransom

Edmond O'Brien as Thomas E. Gaddis

Whit Bissell as Dr. Ellis

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014

December 18 - Family of Spies

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

FAMILY OF SPIES                        

John W. Walker, Jr. is a cryptologist with the US Navy on a sub. While he is away at sea his wife learns he has been unfaithful to her. He convinces her to stay with him and transfers to a shore post. On December 18, 1967 [19:48 to 26:02] Walker goes to the Soviet Embassy and agrees to become a spy for cash. He starts stealing secrets, but his wife becomes suspicious and learns what he’s doing.  The Navy also becomes suspicious because of the increased number of suspicious encounters between Soviet and American subs. Walker goes on a tour at sea and upon his return his wife threatens to shoot him. The Navy fakes a nuclear accident, which establishes that the Soviets are indeed getting inside info from inside the US Navy because of the way they react. When a Marine officer starts to get suspicious of him, Walker retires from the Navy. Walker recruits Jerry Wentworth, a navy radio operator into spying; telling him the info is going to Israel.  Walker and his wife separate. John Walker’s daughter joins the army and he tries to recruit her as a spy, but she gets married, becomes pregnant and leaves the service. Walker becomes a private detective. Walker’s son joins the Navy. Wentworth delivers a blurry role of film because he wants more money.  The Soviets think he has been turned and they try to kill Walker. Eventually Walker repairs his relationship with the Soviets.  Walker recruits his son in the Navy as a spy. His ex-wife blackmails him into paying more so she won’t tell. However, she finally calls the FBI and Walker’s daughter confirms he tried to recruit her. After a lengthy investigation Walker, his son and Wentworth are arrested and sentenced to lengthy jail terms.

Powers Boothe once again does a fantastic job of humanizing a despicable character. This film deviates somewhat from the actual historical facts. However, it is still an engaging and enjoyable movie.

.     

Date given in film at 20:19

Awards – This film won the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries or Special. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special (Warren) and the Outstanding Miniseries Emmy at the 42^nd Primetime Emmy Awards.

Producer – Jonathan Bernstein              

Director - Stephen Gyllnhaal                                 

Screenplay - Richard DeLong Adams                    

Runtime – 2 hours 55 minutes

Released – February 4, 1990

Starring –

Powers Boothe as John A. Walker, Jr.

Lesley Ann Warren as Barbara Walker

Lili Taylor as Laura Walker

Graham Beckel as Jerry A. Whitworth

John Wesley as Capt. Lennox

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

December 17 - The Gathering Storm

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

THE GATHERING STORM        

 In 1934 Winston Churchill is out of office. He’s trying to keep India a British possession, while his wife is trying to pay the bills. He works on his bio of his ancestor the Duke of Marlborough to make money. Churchill is also concerned that the government takes no notice of the threat from Nazi Germany. A civil servant Ralph Wigram starts illegally giving classified government documents about Germany’s military build-up to Churchill.  After his wife Clemmie tells Winston she’s going on a scientific expedition and he gets all huffy, she explodes, but they later make up. On December 17, 1935 [49:48 to 50:31] Clemmie leaves on the expedition. After further speeches pointing out the danger from the growing German air force, the Prime Minister moves to isolate Churchill politically. When Churchill’s son Randolph runs for parliament, he loses. One of his daughters wants to go on the stage and another plans to get a  divorce. Winston talks Wigram into continuing to supply him with documents.  The government, via Ivo Pettifer directly threatens the Wigrams. Winston is suspicious of Clemmie and Terrence Phillip, who is on the expedition with her. He thinks he has been a bad and non-romantic husband. Clemmie comes home. Germany occupies the Rhineland. Ralph Wigram kills himself. Germany invades Poland and Great Britain declares war on Germany. Churchill is asked to return to the cabinet. He becomes First Lord of the Admiralty with the signal “Winston is back”.

               

A very good biographical film. After watching this you should appreciate how much the world owes Winston Churchill. This film captures his personality perfectly.

                  

Clementine Churchill: The Biography of a Marriage by Mary Soames (Paragon House, New York, 1979) at page 343 gives the date she left on the expedition

Awards – The movie won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie(Finney),  Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special, Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Redgrave), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Broadbent) and Outstanding Single Camera Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie at the 54th Primetime Emmy Awards. 

Producers - Frank Doelger and David M. Thompson

Director - Richard Loncraine          

Screenplay - Hugh Whitemore                         

Runtime – 1 hour 36 minutes                           

Released – April 27, 2002                                

Starring –

Albert Finney as Winston Churchill

Vanessa Redgrave as "Clemmie" Churchill

Jim Broadbent as Desmond Morton

Linus Roache as Ralph Wigram

Lena Headey as Ava Wigram

Derek Jacobi as Stanley Baldwin

Tom Wilkinson as Sir Robert Vansittart

Hugh Bonneville as Ivo Pettifer

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

December 16 - Johnny Tremain

Today’s movie is a historical drama with a scene that appens on December 16. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

JOHNNY TREMAIN          

In pre-Revolutionary War Boston, Johnny Tremain is the apprentice to silversmith Mr. Lapham. The wealthy, pro-British Mr. Lyte brings in a silver tea pitcher for a repair. Johnny tells Priscilla Lapham that his mother told him he was related to Mr. Lyte and shows her his mother’s silver christening cup with the Lyte crest as proof.  The Sons of Liberty are agitating against the import of tea by the East India Company, on which a tax will have to be paid. After consulting with Paul Revere, Johnny tries to repair the pitcher, but burns his hand and as a result must give up his apprenticeship. He goes to see Lyte, who has him arrested, claiming Johnny stole the christening cup. The Sons of Liberty rally to Johnny’s defense and get Josiah Quincy to defend him. Johnny is acquitted after Priscilla testifies that the day Johnny showed her the cup was before Lyte reported the cup stolen. Johnny goes to work at the Boston Observer newspaper and becomes a messenger for the Sons of Liberty. On December 16, 1773 [29:47 to 41:31] Johnny participates in the Boston tea party. This provokes the Intolerable Acts where the port of Boston was closed. Lyte returns to England and offers to take Johnny with him, now believing Johnny is a relative, but Johnny refuses. When the British prepare to seize arms at Concord, Johnny carries the message of “two” to the Old North Church and then rides to Lexington. He is on the green when the ‘shot heard round the world’ is fired and later fights at Concord and during the British retreat to Boston.

                     

A decent Disney live-action film. Has good, realistic characters and mainly sticks to the actual historical facts about what happened. It seems somewhat dated now and Disney should probably re-make this film to update it.  

The Long Fuse: How England Lost the American Colonies 1760-1785 by Don Cook

(The Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 1995) at page 177 gives the date

Producer - Walt Disney

Director - Robert Stevenson 

Screenplay - Thomas W. Blackburn

Runtime – 1 hour 20 minutes

Released – June 19, 1957

Starring -

Hal Stalmaster as Johnny Tremain

Luana Patten as Priscilla Lapham

Jeff York as James Otis

Sebastian Cabot as Jonathan Lyte

Richard Beymer as Rab Silsbee

Walter Sande as Paul Revere

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

December 15 - Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Today’s movie is a historical dram with a scene that happens on December 15. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE      

Ohiyesa, a young Lakota Sioux boy survives the Battle of Little Big Horn. Afterwards, Rep. Charles Dawes presses Pres. Grant to continue Indian assimilation policies, as opposed to the military solution favored by Gen. Phil Sheridan. His Sioux father sends Ohiyesa, who is one-quarter Caucasian, east to school. In 1877 a treaty is signed with the Sioux led by Red Cloud that adjusted the boundaries of the Great Sioux reservation. Sitting Bull declines signing the treaty and after a loss at Cedar Creek to the US army removes his band to Canada. Ohiyesa studies to become a doctor and meets Ellen Goodale, telling her how he selected the name of Charles Eastman. The Dawes Act is passed which divides up the reservation into individual tracts, with any remainder to be sold to Whites at 50¢ an acre, but Red Cloud opposes this. Both Charles Eastman and Ellen Goodale come to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, he as a doctor, she as a teacher. Sitting Bull returns from Canada and surrenders at Standing Rock Reservation. The Ghost Dancer movement, which promises the return of the ancestors and the buffalo and the disappearance of the Whites, starts among the Sioux. Dawes returns with a new offer for the excess lands of $1.25 an acre, but now Sitting Bull opposes this, in part because the vote to approve the land deal is to be by a non-secret ballot. When Sitting Bull begins to support the Ghost Dance movement, his arrest is ordered. On December 15, 1890 [1:45:46 to 1:54:29] Sitting Bull is killed while being arrested. Charles Eastman and Ellen treat the victims after the army massacres the Sioux Ghost Dancers.  Charles Eastman fails as a doctor and eventually becomes involved in a project to give each Sioux a name, so a parcel of land can be assigned to them, fulfilling Dawes’s dream of assimilation.

Sitting Bull by Bill Yenne (Westholme Publishing, Yardly, Pa., 2008) at page 270 gives his death date

Producers - Tom Thayer and Dick Wolf

Awards - The movie won the Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special, Outstanding Makeup for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Non-prosthetic), Outstanding Sound Editing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special and the Outstanding Single Camera Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or Movie Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Casting for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special, Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special, Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special, Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special, Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special (Original Dramatic Score), Outstanding Special Visual Effects for a Miniseries, Movie, or Special, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, (Aidan Quinn), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Movie, (Schellenberg),Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie, (Paquin), and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special Emmys at the 59th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Director - Yves Simoneau

Screenplay - Daniel Giat

Runtime – 2 hours 12 minutes

Released – May 27, 2007

Starring -

Adam Beach as Charles Eastman

Anna Paquin as Elaine Goodale

Chevez Ezaneh as Ohiyesa / young Charles Eastman

August Schellenberg as Sitting Bull

Aidan Quinn as Senator Henry L. Dawes

Colm Feore as General William Tecumseh Sherman

Fred Thompson as President Ulysses S. Grant

Nathan Lee Chasing His Horse as One Bull

Brian Stollery as Bishop Whipple

Shaun Johnston as Col. Nelson A. Miles

Gordon Tootoosis as Red Cloud

Billy Merasty as Young Man Afraid Of His Horses

Morris Birdyellowhead as American Horse

Eddie Spears as Chasing Crane

Sean Wei Mah as Bull Head

Eric Schweig as Gall

Jimmy Herman as Yellow Bird

Patrick St. Esprit as Major James Walsh

J.K. Simmons as James McLaughlin

Wes Studi as Wovoka/Jack Wilson

Marty Atonini as Col. James W. Forsyth

Lee Tergesen as Daniel F. Royer

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.