February 28 - 44 Minutes: the North Hollywood Shootout

Today’s movie is a crime drama that mostly occurs on February 28. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

44 MINUTES: THE NORTH HOLLYWOOD SHOOTOUT   

On February 28, 1997  [1:18 to 1:39:08] while various LAPD officers prepare for their day, Larry Eugene Phillips Jr. and Emil Mătăsăreanu prepare to commit a bank robbery. Donnie Anderson messes up during a SWAT raid and he is told to take some time off.  Detective Frank McGregor has been tracking these exceptionally violent two robbers for the last six months. Officer Nicole Gomez and Officer Henry Jones respond to a domestic violence call.  The robbers enter the bank, but are spotted by a squad car. Other officers including Donnie Anderson rapidly arrive, while the robbers shoot up the ceiling of the bank. The bank is soon surrounded. The robbers empty the vault and lock all the employees and customers inside.  The two robbers come out and open up on the police with their AK-47 machine guns. Henry Jones is wounded. Frank McGregor risks his life and drives a car to picks up the injured Jones. The police have to resort to getting machine guns from a gun store. The robbers leave the bank, with one driving and one walking along side their car. Frank McGregor kills the robber who was on foot. The second robber tries to commander another vehicle just as SWAT arrives with their machine guns. With Donnie Anderson playing a major part, the police arrest the other robber. As a result morale soars on the force as the citizens, at least for a while appreciate the police.

A based on fact docudrama. Lots and lots of violence. Keeps the melodrama to a minimum and concentrates on the real story.

Los Angeles Times (Saturday, March 1, 1997) at pages 1, 19-20 and film at 1:20 give the date of the incident

Producer - Michael R. Goldstein

Director - Yves Simoneau

Screenplay - Tim Metcalfe

Runtime –  1 hour 43 minutes

Released – June 5, 2003

  

Starring –

Michael Madsen as Detective Frank McGregor

Ron Livingston as Officer Donnie Anderson

Ray Baker as Sergeant Jake Harris

Douglas Spain as Officer Bobby Martinez

Andrew Bryniarski as Larry Eugene Phillips Jr.

Oleg Taktarov as Emil Mătăsăreanu

Clare Carey as Frank's Wife

Alex Meneses as Officer Nicole Gomez

Dale Dye as SWAT Lieutenant

J. E. Freeman as Police Commander

Mario Van Peebles as Officer Henry Jones

Jay Underwood as Mr. Entertainment

Jullian Dulce Vida as Luis Rivera

Chris Jacobs as Rick

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014. 

February 27 - Why Do Fools Fall In Love?

Today’s movie is a biographical film with a scene on February 27. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE?            

When the jailed Elizabeth "Mickey" Waters Lyman hears Diana Ross singing, “Why do Fools Fall in Love” she calls a lawyer and gets him to sue for royalties, since her late husband, Frankie Lyman, wrote the song. However she gets a big surprise as two other women, Zola Taylor and Emira Eagle claim to be Frankie Lyman’s widow. Elizabeth’s marriage to Frankie Lyman may have been bigamous on her part. During a court hearing to determine which woman is the widow we learn Frankie’s story through testimony. Richard Barrett presented “The Teenagers” as a Latin group, but when the lead singer gets sick Frankie takes over.  Morris Levy signs them to a contract, and “Why do Fools Fall in Love” becomes a huge hit. Little Richard testifies that Frankie met Zola Taylor, a member of the Platters on tour.  Then when Frankie starts dancing with a white girl on a live TV dance show it causes a scandal in 1957. There is a huge fight when Frankie goes solo. Elizabeth "Mickey" Waters meets Frankie in 1961 when he saves her from a shoplifting arrest. They move in together, but she soon learns Frankie’s career is on the skids and he’s a heroin junkie. Two years later they get married in Virginia. Then he collapses on stage during a show. Even though she becomes a prostitute to pay for Frankie’s drug addiction treatment, the relationship ends after Frankie kills her dog. Frankie comes to Hollywood to stay with Zola Taylor and get back into the business and did one TV appearance. According to Zola she and Frankie got married in Mexico.  Frankie then got drafted and met Emira Eagle, the sister of an army buddy of his. They soon get married. Then Frankie gets arrested for going AWOL to marry her. Zola and Elizabeth cut a deal to split the estate if either of them wins. He heads to New York to get back into the music business. On February 27, 1968 Frankie is rejected by Morris Levy and after watching a show by Zola Taylor and Little Richard, he finds a junkie, shoots up with heroin and dies of an overdose. [1:35:34 to 1:42:07] All three ladies agree to divide the estate. The Judge rules in favor of Elizabeth, who forgets her deal with Zola and Emira.

An interesting biopic. However, I really don’t have sympathy for any of the wives. The music is very good in this film.

The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns and Ham Sandwiches by

Jeremy Simmonds (Chicago Review Press, Chicago, 2006) at page 20 gives death date

Producers - Paul Hall and Stephen Nemeth

Director - Gregory Nava

Screenplay - Tina Andrews

Runtime – 1 hour 56 minutes

Released – August 28, 1998

Starring -     

Halle Berry as Zola Taylor

Vivica A. Fox as Elizabeth "Mickey" Waters

Lela Rochon as Emira Eagle

Larenz Tate as Frankie Lymon

Paul Mazursky as Morris Levy

Pamela Reed as Judge Lambrey

Alexis Cruz as Herman Santiago

Jon Huertas as Joe Negroni

David Barry Gray as Peter Markowitz

Miguel A. Nunez, Jr. as Young Little Richard

Clifton Powell as Lawrence Roberts

Lane Smith as Ezra Grahme

Ben Vereen as Richard Barrett

Paula Jai Parker as Paula King

Marcello Thedford as Drug Dealer

Norris Young as Jimmy

Little Richard as Himself

Aries Spears as Redd Foxx

J. August Richards as Sherman

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

February 26 - Bright Star

Today’s movie is a historical romantic drama with a scene set of February 26. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

BRIGHT STAR                 

Fanny Brawne is introduced to poet John Keats and his friend Charles Brown. She buys Keats book of poems and visits his brother Tom, who later dies of tuberculosis. Keats spends Christmas with the Brawne family and he later starts to teach her poetry. They like each other, but Keats does nothing to advance the relationship, since he is poor. When Brown sends a Valentine’s card to Fanny, Keats confronts them. Brown says it was a joke, but warns Keats that Fanny is just a flirt. Fanny is angered at Keats lack of trust and ends their association. Then the Brawnes move into the other half of the house occupied by Keats and Brown and Fanny and Keats rapidly develop an intense affection for each other. When Keats and Brown take a summer holiday to the Isle of Wight, Fanny misses him terribly, at times even becoming suicidal. Only his letters sustain her and when he returns they become secretly engaged. Keats becomes ill after a trip to London and back in the rain and his friends plan to send him to the warmer climate of Italy to recover. Then Charles Brown impregnates the maid Abigail and cannot go with him. Keats lives in London, but returns to stay with the Brawnes when he has another attack of tuberculosis. Fanny’s mother agrees they can marry after Keats returns from Italy as his new book of poems has been a success. Keats goes to Italy, where he dies. On February 26, 1821 [1:48:29 to 1: 49:03] Keats’s funeral procession leaves the church in Rome carrying his body to the cemetery. Fanny goes into mourning. 

A psychological biopic/romance. Tries to explore the psychology of the poet as well as be a romance film. Overall, a fairly good movie.

John Keats by Robert Gittings (Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1968) at page 433

Producers - Jan Chapman and Caroline Hewitt

Director - Jane Campion

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

Screenplay - Jane Campion

Runtime – 1 hour 59 minutes

Released – May 15, 2009

Starring -        

Ben Whishaw as John Keats

Abbie Cornish as Fanny Brawne

Paul Schneider as Charles Armitage Brown

Kerry Fox as Frances Brawne

Thomas Sangster as Samuel Brawne

Antonia Campbell-Hughes as Abigail O'Donaghue Brown

Claudie Blakley as Mrs Dilke

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

February 25 - Courage Under Fire

Today’s movie is a combat drama with a scenes set on February 25. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

COURAGE UNDER FIRE           

Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling commands a tank battalion at the start of the Gulf War. During the confusion of a night battle his tank destroys a US tank that was firing at an Iraqi tank and not at them, like his crew thought. On February 25, 1991 [15:57 to 16:16; 16:30 to 16:42; 16:46 to 16:49; 17:00 to 17:04; 17:11 to 17:15; 25:40 to 28:24; 32:34 to 36:33; 37:07 to 38:10; 39:18 to 39:49; 1:27:07 to 1:27:16 and 1:27:30 to 1:31:16] a Blackhawk helicopter is shot down in Iraq. The Army refuses to censor Serling and covers up the friendly fire incident. Serling is assigned to investigate the circumstances surrounding the Blackhawk shootdown. Serling interviews the survivors of the Blackhawk’s crew, who tell them that after they were shot down and surrounded by Iraqis, an Army medical Huey helicopter appeared. The Huey strafed the Iraqis, destroyed an enemy tank and was then shot down itself. During the rescue the next day, someone at the Huey used an M-16 to give covering fire.  Serling then learns that the pilot of the Huey was a woman, Captain Karen Walden who is being considered for a posthumous Medal of Honor, a project that has a high level of political support. Serling begins his investigation while suffering from PTSD and guilt himself. The Huey’s co-pilot, Warrant Officer Rady says Walden ordered the crew to dump the choppers fuel bladder on the Iraqi tank and use a flare gun to ignite it. However, he was injured when they were shot down and knows nothing else. Specialist Ilario says that at night the Captain was injured during an Iraqi attack. The next day during the rescue the Captain was the last to leave and was killed. No one fired an M-16 during the rescue. Serling’s boss pushes him to finish the report, but he is troubled by inconsistencies in the stories. Staff Sergeant John Monfriez who was in the Huey to provide covering fire thinks M-16 ammo ran out first thing in the morning. He says Walden was a coward and that it was his idea to use the fuel bladder on the tank. He even says Walden shot at him during the evacuation. Serling asks Garner, a reporter who has been investigating the alleged friendly fire incident involving Serling, to help him find a missing Huey crewman, Sergeant Steven Altameyer. He is found in a hospital where he just mumbles about a fire before passing out. Serling is pulled off the Walden investigation, but nevertheless he goes back to question Monfriez, who gets so upset he pulls a gun on Serling and then commits suicide. Serling then locates Ilario, who had gone AWOL and finally gets the real story. During the night Monfriez, supported by Altameyer and Ilario wanted to sneak off, even though Walden ordered them to stay, as the Captain refused to leave the wounded Rady. Walden and Monfriez end up pointing guns at each other. An Iraqi appears behind Monfriez and is shot by Walden. He returns fire, thinking he was her target and shoots, wounding her. During the rescue Walden stays behind giving covering fire with the M-16. Monfriez tells the rescue chopper pilots Walden is dead. The wounded Altameyer is ignored and Ilario is silent as the rescue choppers napalm the wrecks of the two US helicopters. Gartner’s investigation reveals that while Serling’s tank did cause friendly fire deaths, his actions immediately thereafter prevented any more such incidents.  He gets a medal. Walden is awarded the Medal of Honor.  Serling visits the family of the man who was killed and leaves his medal on Waldens tombstone. Recovered fro m his PTSD Serling returns to his family.

A good movie. This is a story of the “fog of war’ and the search for truth. In searching for Walden’s truth, Serling is able to accept his own.

Date given in film at 15:09 in speech and on blackboard.

Producers - John Davis, Joseph M. Singer and David T. Friendly
Director - Edward Zwick
Screenplay - Patrick Sheane Duncan
Runtime – 1 hour 57 minutes
Released - July 12, 1996

Starring –

Denzel Washington as Lieutenant Colonel Nathaniel Serling

Meg Ryan as Captain Karen Emma Walden

Lou Diamond Phillips as Staff Sergeant John Monfriez

Matt Damon as Specialist Ilario

Bronson Pinchot as Bruno, a White House aide

Seth Gilliam as Sergeant Steven Altameyer

Regina Taylor as Meredith Serling

Michael Moriarty as Brigadier General Hershberg

Zeljko Ivanek as Captain Ben Banacek

Scott Glenn as Tony Gartner

Tim Guinee as Warrant Officer One A. Rady

Tim Ransom as Captain Boylar

Sean Astin            as Sergeant Patella

Ned Vaughn as First Lieutenant Chelli

Sean Patrick Thomas as Sergeant Thompson

Manny Perez as Jenkins

Ken Jenkins as Joel Walden

Kathleen Widdoes as Geraldine Walden

Christina Stojanovich as Anne Marie Walden

Tom Schanley as Questioner

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

February 24 - The Alamo (2004)

Today’s movie is a combat film with a scene on February 24.  I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE ALAMO (2004)               

After its capture, the Mexican Army cleans up the Alamo, while word of its fall reaches Sam Houston and the Texan Army. Houston flashes back to a year ago when he met Davy Crockett in Washington while recruiting settlers for Texas. A few months later, some in the Texas political leadership want to remove Houston from command of the army since he opposes an expedition to take Matamoras. Houston asks Jim Bowie to go to the Alamo, get the cannon there and bring them to him for the army. Bowie travels to San Antonio and reminisces about meeting his now deceased wife there. Travis and his troops arrive in San Antonio and he assumes command of all forces in the town. Santa Ana and his army are marching on Texas. Crockett arrives at the Alamo. Bowie and Travis argue about who is in command. Santa Ana reaches San Antonio, and the Texans hole up in the Alamo. Travis sends out couriers to ask for reinforcements.  Bowie seeks a truce, but Travis opposes this. The Mexicans raise the red flag and play the dueguello, meaning no quarter will be offered. They shell the Alamo. The next day, February 24, 1836, Travis and Bowie, who is now ill, reconcile. Davy Crockett takes a long shot at Santa Ana, who has come to view the Alamo, but just clips his uniform. [46:03 to 1:00:24] The Texans try to improve the fortifications of the Alamo, while Houston tries to raise a force to march to their relief. Travis tells the men that no reinforcements are coming and offers them a chance to leave, but no one does. Crockett plays a dirge on his fiddle, while Santa Ana orders that no prisoners be taken in the assault. Early one morning the attack begins with Crockett firing the first shot by the defenders. The Mexicans kill Travis as they enter the compound. Bowie is killed in his bed. Although they fight bravely and ferociously, the Texans are overwhelmed. Crockett is knocked out and captured. Santa Ana tells him to beg for his life, but Crockett tells him off and is executed. Houston and the Texan army retreat until at the battle of San Jacinto, they turn on and defeat the small advance force led by Santa Ana and overwhelm it, shouting, “Remember the Alamo!”  Santa Ana’s capture ensures the end of the war and Texas’s independence.

This version is somewhat more historically accurate than the 1960 version. Here at least they correctly show that the Mexican assault started in the middle of the night. The filmmakers show the controversial story that Crockett was captured and not killed outright in the fighting.

Roberts, Randy and Olson, James S. A Line in the Sand: The Alamo in Blood and Memory. New York; The Free Press, 2001. This book at page 130 gives the date Santa Ana rode close to the walls.

Director - John Lee Hancock               

                                                                            

Runtime - 2 hours 17 minutes                           

                                                                            

Released - April 9, 2004   

                               

Starring –

Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston

Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett

Jason Patric as James Bowie

Emilio Echevarría as Santa Anna

Patrick Wilson as William Barret Travis

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014. 

February 23 - Flags of Our Fathers

Today’s movie is a combat film with a scene on February 23. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS         

In late 1944, US marines train in Hawaii before sailing to Iwo Jima. After an easy landing, they take heavy casualties. They drive on Mount Surabachi. On February 23, 1945 they reach the top and raise a large flag, an act that is the basis for the iconic photo. [1:12:09 to 1:20:36] Many of those who participated in the photo are killed during the battle, leaving only John “Doc” Bradley, Ira Hayes and Rene Gagnon alive. After the battle Rene is asked who was in the photo and he names five men, including himself. He incorrectly identifies Harlon Block as Hank Hansen. Ira threatens to kill Rene if he identifies him as having been in the picture, but others identify Ira anyway. The three are sent off on a war bond drive. They decide not to correct the mistake about Harlon, as Hank’s mother was honored due to her son being in the photo. Ira has a hard time on the tour, often getting drunk. He hates being considered a hero, thinking those who were killed were the real heroes. After the war Ira can’t escape from the unwanted fame. He finally tells Harlon Block’s family he was actually in the photo, and later dies of exposure after a drunken night. Rene Gagnon becomes a high school janitor, while. ‘Doc’ Bradley runs a funeral home.

            An interesting film. The action part and after the war are both good in their own way. A companion film to Letters from Iwo Jima.

Bradley, James.  Flags of Our Fathers. New York; Bantam Books, 2000. This book at page 201 gives the date of the flag raising

Director - Clint Eastwood

Awards - Nominated for the Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing Oscars.

Running Time - 2 hours 7 minutes

Released - October 20, 2006

Starring -

Ryan Phillippe as John Bradley

Jesse Bradford as Rene Gagnon

Adam Beach as Ira Hayes

John Benjamin Hickey as Sergeant Keyes Beech

John Slattery as Bud Gerber

Barry Pepper as Sergeant Mike Strank

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

February 22 - Holiday Inn

Today’s movie is a musical comedy with a scene on February 22. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

HOLIDAY INN           

Jim Hardy, Ted Hanover and Lila Dixon are a popular dance team giving their Christmas Eve show.  Jim plans to marry Lila, and then retire to a farm in Connecticut. However, Lila tells him she has fallen in love with Ted and wants to continue as his dance partner. Jim still quits show business and retires to the farm, but after a year he’s had enough of farm life. Back in New York he tells Ted and his agent Danny Reed of his plan to turn the farm into an inn that will open only on holidays. Ted is supportive, Danny scoffing. Later Danny is accosted by Linda Mason, an aspiring dancer, who begs him to give her a start in show biz. He refers her to Holiday Inn and a pass to Ted’s club. At the club she meets Jim, pretending to be a big nightclub owner and she pretends to be a celebrity. The next day at Holiday Inn when they meet, each realizes the other was faking the night before, but they taking a liking to each other after that.  Jim sings her a new song he has written called “White Christmas”. The Inn opens on New Year’s Eve. Then Lila runs off to marry a Texas millionaire. Ted goes to Holiday Inn to be consoled by Jim, but dances with Linda. Danny arrives and seeing them together, thinks he’s found Ted’s new dance partner. However, Ted doesn’t really remember her as he was drunk and Jim spirits her away before Ted and Danny can discover her identity.  At the next open day, Lincoln’s birthday, Jim arranges for the show to be performed in blackface, so Ted and Danny won’t recognize Linda and Jim makes comments to her that she takes as a proposal. However, on Valentine’s Day Ted identifies Linda as the girl and persuades Jim to let them perform together at the next open date. On February 22, 1941, George Washington’s Birthday, Ted and Linda dance together, but Jim tries to sabotage their performance. Linda refuses to leave the Inn and tour as Ted’s new dance partner. [57:51 to 1:04:20] Jim learns that Danny has arranged for Hollywood agents to watch Ted and Linda perform on Independence Day. Jim arranges for Linda to be stopped from reaching the Inn by having the cabbie drive his taxi into the river. Linda leaves the scene and is picked up by Lila, who didn’t marry the millionaire and is returning to Ted. Lila, thinking Linda is a waitress at the Inn, tells her that she is to dance with Ted and about the agents. Linda assumes (correctly) that Jim engineered this scheme to replace her as Ted’s partner, Linda directs Lila to also drive into the river. Ted has been forced to dance alone, but so impresses the agents that their offer to go to Hollywood stands. Linda is angry with Jim for not letting her make her own decision and agrees to go with Ted to Hollywood.  Jim despondently allows Ted to make a movie about Holiday Inn. At Thanksgiving Jim’s maid convinces him to try to win Linda back. On Christmas Eve he arrives on the set where Ted is preparing to marry Linda. Jim foils this plan and is reunited with Linda. They get married and plan to run Holiday Inn together, while Ted and Lila resume their dance partnership.

A musical melodrama. Notorious for the infamous blackface Abraham Lincoln musical number. However, the film also introduced “White Christmas” to the world.

The date is given in the film at 57:45

Producer - Mark Sandrich

Director - Mark Sandrich

Awards – The movie won the Best Original Song Oscar. It was also nominated for the Best Original Score and Best Story Oscars at the 15^th Academy Awards. 

Screenplay - Claude Binyon

Runtime – 1 hour 40 minutes

Released – August 4, 1942

       

Starring –

Bing Crosby as Jim Hardy

Fred Astaire as Ted Hanover

Marjorie Reynolds as Linda Mason

Virginia Dale as Lila Dixon

Walter Abel as Danny Reed

Louise Beavers as Mamie

Irving Bacon as Gus

Leon Belasco as the flower store manager

Marek Windheim as François

James Bell as Dunbar

John Gallaudet as Parker

Shelby Bacon as Vanderbilt

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

February 21 - The Cutting Edge

Today’s movie is a romance drama with a scene on February 21. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE CUTTING EDGE                       

On February 21, 1988 Doug Dorsey, a member of the US Olympic hockey team is late getting to the rink for a match and literally runs into Kate Moseley, stuck up and spoiled pairs skater. During the game Dorsey suffers a career ending eye injury, while Kate later falls during her program and doesn’t win the gold. [00:11 to 6:15] Two years later Kate has driven away eight skating partners with her arrogant attitude. Her coach  Anton Pamchenko convinces Doug to work with her. They rub each other the wrong way at first, but eventually start working together. Even though she has a fiancée, Kate and Doug kiss at a New Year’s Eve party. As her relationship with her fiancée crumbles, Kate and Doug manage to make the US Olympic team when one of their competitors falls during her routine. Kate and Doug engage in an off and on attraction to each other. Doug finally confesses he loves her just before they take to the ice for the medal round. They win the gold and Kate agrees she loves him too as they kiss.

A passable romantic drama. It almost veers over into sappiness at times. To me it seems predictable, but you might like it. 

Producers - Robert W. Cort, Ted Field and Karen Murphy 

Director - Paul Michael Glaser

Screenplay - Tony Gilroy

Runtime – 1 hour 37 minutes

Released – March 27, 1992

  

Starring –

D. B. Sweeney as Doug Dorsey

Moira Kelly as Kate Moseley

Roy Dotrice as Anton Pamchenko

Terry O'Quinn as Jack Moseley

Dwier Brown as Hale Forrest

Chris Benson as Walter Dorsey

Kevin Peeks as Brian Newman

Rachelle Ottley as Lorie Peckarovski

Barry Flatman as Rick Tuttle

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

February 20 - The Heroes of Telemark

Today’s movie is a war film with a scene happening on February 20. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE HEROES OF TELEMARK          

Nilssen, director of the Norsk Hydro plant in German occupied Norway is ordered to increase the facilities production of heavy water by 400%. Nilssen sends a photo through the Norwegian Resistance to Dr Rolf Pedersen, a physicist at the University of Oslo. As a result the Resistance hijacks a coastal steamer to take Pedersen to England through the mine-infested North Sea. The data that Pedersen brings convinces the Allies that Germany is trying to make an atomic bomb. Pedersen and Knut Straud, his Resistance minder parachute back into Norway to see if a commando raid on the factory is possible, as Allied HQ says the factory must be destroyed. The pair ends up coincidentally at the home of Pedersen’s ex-wife. Pedersen concludes a commando raid is out of the question, but Straud opposes bombing, as it would cause too many civilian casualties. London decides on a commando raid. When a hunter, Jensen stumbles across the advance team they keep him a prisoner.  The plane bringing in the 50 British commandoes crashes. Straud decides to proceed with the raid using the ten-man advance team.  They tie up Jensen and leave him behind. The team rappels down a cliff and enters the factory. They blow up the equipment for making heavy water and escape from the factory. Jensen, who turns out to be a traitor helps the Germans try to track down the escaping team. Pedersen ends up having to pose as a pro-German Norwegian to avoid arrest, but is accidentally exposed. He makes a death defying escape off of a bus. Pedersen learns the Nazis have restored full production, but a bomber raid to destroy the factory fails. The Nazis plan to ship the heavy water they have extracted to Germany. Pedersen and Straud plant a bomb on the ferry that will transport the water for part of its journey. On February 20, 1944 after Pedersen sees a woman he knows and her child get on the ferry he gets on board also. He gets all the children onboard into a lifeboat on a pretext, so when the bomb goes off they are saved. The ferry and its cargo of heavy water sink to the bottom of a very deep lake.  [1:59:25 to 2:09:21]

An exciting film. However it introduces unnecessary elements of melodrama. Would have been better as purely an action film.

2194 Days of War ed. by Cesare Salmaggi and Alfredo Pallavisini (Gallery Books, New

York, 1977) at page 492 gives the date the ferry was sunk.

Producer - Benjamin Fisz

Director - Anthony Mann

Screenplay - Ben Barzman and Ivan Moffat

Runtime – 2 hours 11 minutes

Released – November 23, 1965

Starring -

Kirk Douglas as Dr Rolf Pedersen

Richard Harris as Knut Straud

Ulla Jacobsson as Anna Pedersen

Michael Redgrave as Uncle

David Weston as Arne

Sebastian Breaks as Gunnar

John Golightly as Freddy

Alan Howard as Oli

Patrick Jordan as Henrik

William Marlowe as Claus

Brook Williams as Einar

Roy Dotrice as Jensen

Anton Diffring as Major Frick

Ralph Michael as Nilssen

Eric Porter as Terboven

Wolf Frees as Knippelberg

Karel Stepanek as Hartmuller

Gerard Heinz as Erhardt

Victor Beaumont as German Sergeant

George Murcell as Sturmfuhrer

Mervyn Johns as Colonel Wilkinson

Barry Jones as Professor Roderick Logan

Geoffrey Keen as General Bolt

Robert Ayres as General Courts

Jennifer Hilary as Sigrid

Maurice Denham as Doctor

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

February 19 - You've Got Mail

Today’s movie is a romantic comedy with a scene happening on February 19. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

YOU’VE GOT MAIL         

Kathleen Kelly, the owner of the kid’s books store, The Shop Around The Corner and Joe Fox, executive for a big chain store, Fox Books are both in relationships.  She’s dating Frank Navasky, a reporter for the New York Observer who always supports the little guy, while Joe is dating Patricia, an uptight and self-centered woman. In spite of this the two begin corresponding by e-mail, with her using the name Shopgirl and Joe as NY152. They agree to never talks specifics about their lives. Kathleen learns Fox Books is opening a superstore near her, but doesn’t think it will affect her.  Joe takes his 11-year-old aunt and 4-year-old half brother (Joe has a strange blended family) to Kathleen’s store and Joe and Kathleen like each other. The Fox Books store opens and immediately affects the sales at The Shop Around the Corner. At party Kathleen meets Joe again and is horrified to learn he is behind her business troubles. They try to avoid each other since they live in the same neighborhood, but Shopgirl asks NY152 for business advice. Joe advises war, so she organizes a boycott of Fox Books and gives interviews opposing them.  Shopgirl and NY152 agree to meet. When Joe goes to their rendezvous, he discovers Shopgirl is Kathleen. He goes in as Joe and they exchange acrimonious remarks.  The next day, February 19, 1998 [1:09:17 to 1:16:39] her staff tries to convince Kathleen that NY152 is actually the rooftop killer. Shopgirl and NY152 makeup after their non-date. Kathleen decides to close the store.  Kathleen and Frank and Joe and Patricia break up. The store closes. Joe drops by to see Kathleen while she is sick and they have a friendly meeting. They meet in person and continue to e-mail. Finally Shopgirl and NY152 meet. Kathleen confesses that she wanted NY152 to be Joe and they share a kiss.

A decent romantic comedy. Joe is a bit of a cad, toying with her after he learns her identity, but she doesn’t know his. Still all in all a very enjoyable film.

Date is given in the film at 1:10:34 on a newspaper.

Producers - Nora Ephron and Lauren Shuler Donner

Director - Nora Ephron

Screenplay - Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron

Runtime – 1 hour 59 minutes.

Released – December 18, 1998

Starring –

Tom Hanks as Joe "NY152" Fox

Meg Ryan as Kathleen "Shopgirl" Kelly

Parker Posey as Patricia Eden

Jean Stapleton as Birdie Conrad

Greg Kinnear as Frank Navasky

Steve Zahn as George Pappas

Heather Burns as Christina Plutzker

Dave Chappelle as Kevin Jackson

Dabney Coleman as Nelson Fox

John Randolph as Schuyler Fox

Deborah Rush as Veronica Grant

Hallee Hirsh as Annabel Fox

Jeffrey Scaperrotta as Matthew Fox

Cara Seymour as Gillian Quinn

Peter Mian as "The Capeman"

Sara Ramirez as Rose, Zabar's cashier

Michael Badalucco as Charlie

Veanne Cox as Miranda Margulies

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

February 18 - Hanna

Today’s movie is an action adventure film with a scene set on February 18. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

HANNA          

Hanna and her father live alone in the Finnish arctic. He has trained her as a proficient fighter and hunter, as well as given her a through, if “ivory tower” education. Hanna keeps telling her father “she’s ready”. One day he digs up an electronic device with a switch. Her father tells Hanna that once the switch is thrown, it will tell Marissa Weigler where the are located and that it will not end until either Hanna or Marissa are dead. Hanna throws the switch and her father leaves. Marissa, who is a CIA agent sends a team to kill Hanna’s father, whose name is Erik Heller, a former CIA agent, but instead, after Hanna kills two of the team, she allows herself to be captured. She wakes up in a secret base. Hanna says she wants to speak to Marissa, who sends a double to meet with Hanna. On February 18, 2010, Hanna kills the double and escapes from the base, emerging in the Moroccan desert. [19:58 to 30:38; 31:02 to 31:10; 32:41 to 35:15] Marissa thinks back to when she killed Hanna’s mother. Hanna meets Sophie, a girl her age and her brother Miles who are British tourists traveling with their parents. Erik sneaks into Germany. Hanna persuades a hotel owner to let her spend the night in a storeroom and again meets up with Sophie and her family. Marissa hires a former agent, Isaacs, now a free-lance contract killer to track Hanna. When Sophie’s family leave for Spain, Hanna stows away in their camper. In Spain, Hanna and Sophie spend some time together on a double date with two Spanish boys that ends abruptly due to Hanna’s lack of social skills. The two girls become friends. Marissa tracks down and kills Hanna’s maternal grandmother. In Berlin, Erik escapes Marissa’s agents, but can’t manage to kill her. Hanna is traveling with Sophie’s family when  Isaacs catches up with them. Hanna fights Isaacs’s men in a container park and manages to escape. Marissa tricks Miles into telling her where Hanna was going in Berlin.  In Berlin, Hanna meets with Knepfler, a strange magician who lives in a fairy tale themed house in an abandoned amusement park. Marissa and her killers arrive. Hanna hides but overhears comments suggesting Erik is not her father. Confused, she does a computer search on genetic research and learns about her maternal grandmother. Hanna took documents stating she is genetically abnormal from the secret base. Hanna meets with Erik at her Grandmothers apartment, where she learns he is not her biological father. He had recruited women from abortion clinics for secret genetic experiments to produce supersoldiers. When Marissa terminated the program and wanted all the evidence disposed off, he tried to escape with Hanna and her mother.  Hanna and Erik fight, but when Marissa and her henchmen show up, he acts as a distraction so Hanna can escape. Erik kills Isaac, but is then killed by Marissa. Marissa tracks Hanna. She wounds Hanna, while Hanna shoots Marissa with an arrow. Hanna then uses Marissa’s own gun to kill her.

A morally ambiguous, but action packed film. Many questions are left unanswered in this movie, but the action scenes, especially Hanna’s escape and the container park fight are so good you really don’t care. Also noted for its unusual, but effective electronic music score by the Chemical Brothers.

The date is given in the film at 26:17 on a lab report

Producers - Leslie Holleran, Marty Adelstein and Scott Nemes

Director - Joe Wright

Screenplay - Seth Lochhead and David Farr

Runtime – 1 hour 51 minutes

Released – April 8, 2011

Starring –

Saoirse Ronan as Hanna Heller

Cate Blanchett as Marissa Wiegler

Eric Bana as Erik Heller

Jessica Barden as Sophie

Aldo Maland as Miles

Tom Hollander as Isaacs

Olivia Williams as Rachel

Jason Flemyng as Sebastian

Michelle Dockery as False Marissa

Vicky Krieps as Johanna Zadek

Martin Wuttke as Knepfler (Mr. Grimm)

Sebastian Hulk as Titch

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

February 17 - Fatal Vision

Today’s movie is a crime drama with a scene that happens on February 17. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

FATAL VISION          

On February 17, 1970[1:55 to 13:30]  Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald calls in that his wife and children have been murdered by ‘hippies’, while he only has a non-life threatening injury. Army investigators immediately begin examining the crime scene.  The police round up a group of hippies, but start to become suspicious of McDonald’s story. After the funerals, McDonald comes in and tells his story, which includes being beaten in the living room, although no traces of a fight were found there. MacDonald’s in-laws support him. The Army conducts a preliminary hearing. The commanding officer decides there is not enough evidence to prosecute MacxDonald. His father-in-law, Mr. Kassab becomes suspicious when MacDonald resists getting him a transcript of the hearing. The army begins a second, more through investigation.  Mr. Kassab finds inconsistencies in MacDonald’s story and he begins working with the authorities. The Kassabs begin pushing to have MacDonald charged with murder. They file a citizen’s complaint against MacDonald. The forensic lab proves that MacDonald lied about fighting off the hippies with his pajama top.  The grand jury indicts MacDonald for murder and he is arrested.   The indictment is dismissed, but this is reversed by the Supreme Court. MacDonald hires Joe McGuinniss to write a book about the case.  The jury is shown that MacDonald’s story about the pajama top is false. MacDonald calls a hippie as a witness, but she denies knowing anything. At the trial, MacDonald is found guilty and sentenced to life in prison. 

A gripping film. After watching, I have to conclude that MacDonald is guilty. However, evidence found since the movie was made raises the possibility he could be innocent.

Encyclopedia of World Crime ed by Jay Robert Nash (CrimeBooks, Inc. (Wilmete, IL, 1990) at 2032 and the film at 2:05 give the date the crime was called in

Producer -Richard O'Connor

Director - David Greene

Screenplay -  John Gay

Runtime – 3 hours 20 minutes

Released - November 18, 1984

Awards – This film won the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special(Malden), Outstanding Achievement in Makeup and Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special Emmys.   It was also nominated for the Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series or a Special at the 37^th Primetime Emmy Awards

Starring – Gary Cole as Capt. Jeffrey MacDonald, MD

                 Karl Malden as Freddy Kassab                      

                 Eva Marie Saint as Mildred Kassab         

    Andy Griffith as Victor Worheide

                Barry Newman as Bernie Segal

                Wendy Schaal as Colette MacDonald

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

February 16 - The Boys From Brazil

Today’s movie is a suspense mystery thriller with a scene set on February 16. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL            

Barry Kohler, an independent Nazi-hunter discovers Dr. Josef Mengele is having meetings with other former Nazis in Paraguay. Kohler telephones Ezra Lieberman, a well-known Nazi hunter living in Vienna, but Lieberman brushes him off. Kohler, however manages to bug the next meeting site. Mengele orders the murders of 94 aging civil servants in several different countries. Kohler calls Lieberman again. Kohler is killed, but Lieberman hears enough of the tape recording of the meeting to learn of Mengele’s murder orders.  He decides to investigate. Mengele’s men begin to carry out the killings, and Mengele refuses to delay the killings even when he learns Lieberman knows about the plot. Lieberman visits the families of the murdered civil servants who were 65. He notices that their wives are about aged 42 and their sons all resemble each other. Liberman learns that the dead fathers had abused their sons and the wives doted on the boys.  David Bennet, a friend of Kohler starts helping Lieberman. Lieberman learns the boys were adopted with the aid of a German woman later convicted of war crimes. Lieberman goes to see the woman, Frieda Maloney in jail. He gets the names of some couples she delivered babies to and when she did so. On February 16, 1979 [1:11:14 to 1:12:29] Lieberman figures out that one of the fathers, a Mr. Wheelock will be killed in four days. Dr. Mengele’s superiors in the neo-Nazi organization order the killings ended. They destroy Mengele’s Paraguayan estate, but he has gone to the USA to continue the killings. Lieberman learns that Mengele has cloned Adolf Hitler and is trying to re-create the environmental factors that helped form Hitler by killing the adoptive fathers of the clones at the same age as Hitler’s father died. Mengele travels to Pennsylvania and kills Mr. Wheelock, a Doberman breeder. He waits for Lieberman to show up. Lieberman attacks Mengele, but ends up being held at gunpoint while Mengele taunts him by telling him about his plan to return Hitler to the world. Liberman is shot, but manages to open a closet where Mengele confined Wheelock’s Doberman.  The dogs disarm Mengele. Bobby Wheelock, Hitler’s clone arrives and Mengele tells him he is Hitler’s clone. Bobby searches the house and finds his father’s body. He sets the dogs on Mengele and they kill him. Booby calls an ambulance for Lieberman after he promises not to tell the police Bobby killed Mengele. David Bennet tries, unsuccessfully to get Lieberman to expose Mengele’s plan. Lieberman refuses to give Bennet the list of names so he can kill all the clones.  

An exciting if somewhat dated film. The acting is good, the plot is interesting and the suspense high. However, Fourth Reich plots are old hat today. 

Date given at 1:12:00-05 in the film.

Producers - Martin Richards, Stanley O'Toole and Robert Fryer

Director - Franklin J. Schaffner

Screenplay - Heywood Gould

Runtime – 2 hours 5 minutes

Released – October 5, 1978  

Starring -  

Gregory Peck as Dr. Josef Mengele

Laurence Olivier as Ezra Lieberman

James Mason as Eduard Seibert

Lilli Palmer as Esther Lieberman

Uta Hagen as Frieda Maloney

Steve Guttenberg as Barry Kohler

Denholm Elliott as Sidney Beynon

Rosemary Harris as Frau Doring

John Dehner as Henry Wheelock

John Rubinstein as David Bennett

Anne Meara as Mrs. Curry

Jeremy Black as Jack Curry / Simon Harrington / Erich Doring / Bobby Wheelock

Bruno Ganz as Dr. Bruckner

Walter Gotell as Mundt

David Hurst as Strasser

Wolfgang Preiss as Lofquist

Michael Gough as Mr. Harrington

Joachim Hansen as Fassler

Sky du Mont as Hessen

Carl Duering as Trausteiner

Linda Hayden as Nancy

Richard Marner as Doring

Georg Marischka as Gunther

Günter Meisner as Farnbach

Prunella Scales as Mrs. Harrington

Wolf Kahler as Schwimmer

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

February 15 - 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story

Today's movie is a biography with a scene that happens on February 15. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

3:THE DALE EARNHARDT STORY                     

During the 2001 Daytona 500 stockcar auto race, Dale Earnhardt thinks back over his life. 40 years before his father drove in dirt track races in the evening after working in a cotton mill. Eight years after that an 18 year old Earnhardt is driving in dirt track races himself. He had already gotten married at age 17 and had a child, but they soon separated because she did not support his dream of becoming a NASCAR driver. In spite of their disagreements Dale is stunned by his father’s death by heart attack. He gets married again, but his money woes continue. He starts driving with a relentless style of doing anything to win. His second place finish at the 1978 World 600 gets him a spot on the Rod Osterlund racing team. Earnhardt wins the “Rookie of the Year” award. He later joins the Childress Racing team. He goes through a rough patch but comes back to win the Winston Cup in 1986 and 1987. He meets his oldest son who he has not seen in 15 years. In 1987 he earns his nickname “The Intimidator” after an incident in the Sprint All-Star Race. He goes on to win seven Winston Cups tying the all time record. On February 15, 1998  [1:16:51 to 1:21:20] Earnhardt finally wins the Daytona 500, a race win that had eluded him in 19 previous attempts. In the 2001 Daytona 500 Earnhardt is killed in a wreck on the final lap.

A good movie. However I think a lot of his story got glossed over. I believe a longer film or a miniseries might have been a better choice for telling this story.

3: The Dale Earnhart Story (Hyperion Books, New York, 2004) at page 134 gives the date of his only Daytona 500 win

           

Producers - Orly Adelson and Lynn Raynor

Director - Russell Mulcahy

Awards – This film was nominated for the Outstanding Sound Editing for a Minseries, Movie or a Special at the 57^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Screenplay - Robert Eisele

Runtime – 1 hour 32 minutes 

Released - December 11, 2004

Starring -

Barry Pepper as Dale Earnhardt

Elizabeth Mitchell as Teresa Earnhardt

Sean Briggers as Neil Bonnett

J. K. Simmons as Ralph Earnhardt        

David Sherrill as “Humpy” Wheeler

Greg Thompson as Darrell Waltrip

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

February 14 - Life of Pi

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on February 14. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

LIFE OF PI         

Yann Martel, a Canadian novelist interviews Pi Patel about his life. Pi tells his story. He was born in Pondicherry, India where his parents ran the zoo. Pi was named for a French swimming pool. His mother Gita introduces him to Hinduism, but Pi later is exposed to both Christianity and Islam, while his father Santosh is a rationalist. The zoo buys a tiger that is named ‘Richard Parker’ due to a bureaucratic error. Pi meets a girl Anandi, but due to business reverses, the family has to move to Canada, taking the zoo animals with them. The ship sinks in a storm and Pi ends up in a lifeboat with an injured zebra and a hyena. An orangutan climbs aboard. The hyena kills the zebra and the orangutan. Then Richard Parker emerges from under the tarp and kills the hyena and tries to kill Pi. Pi makes a raft out of the life vest and ring, as well as two paddles and lets Richard Parker have the raft.  When Richard Parker jumps off to hunt fish, Pi briefly retakes the raft, but ultimately lets the tiger have it back. Pi fishes to feed Richard Parker, but after a humpback whale upsets his raft and Pi loses most of his supplies, Pi has to eat fish also. Pi finally trains Richard Parker to tolerate is presence in the raft. They reach an island that has edible plants, where both Pi and Richard Parker regain their strength. However the island turns out to be carnivorous and they have to sail on. On February 14, 1978 [1:43:36 to 1:46:05] the lifeboat washes ashore on the coast of Mexico and Richard Parker leaves.  When Pi tells his story to shipping company investigators they do not believe him. Pi tells them another story where a sailor, the cook, Pi’s mother and himself end up in the lifeboat. The cook kills the injured sailor to use him as fishing bait. The cook kills Pi’s mother before Pi kills him. Martel notes that the investigators used the version of the story with Richard Parker, which is also the version he prefers. Martel then meets Pi’s wife and children.

A very different kind of film. Beautiful cinematography with a mystical storyline. This is a film I predict either you will love it or despise it. I don’t think there’s a lot of middle ground on this one.

The date is given in the film at 1:48:25 in a report.

Producers - Gil Netter, Ang Lee and David Womark

Director - Ang Lee

Awards – This movie won the Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects and Best Original Score Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Production Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Original Song Oscars at the 85^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - David Magee

Runtime – 2 hours 7 minutes

Released – September 28, 2012

Starring –

Gautam Belur as Pi Patel, age 5

Ayush Tandon as Pi Patel, age 11/12

Suraj Sharma as Pi Patel, age 16

Irrfan Khan as Pi Patel, adult

Rafe Spall as Yann Martel

Tabu  as Gita Patel

Adil Hussain as Santosh Patel

Ayan Khan as Ravi Patel, age 7

Mohamed Abbas Khaleeli as Ravi Patel, age 13/14

Vibish Sivakumar as Ravi Patel, age 18/19

Gérard Depardieu as the Cook

Po-Chieh Wang as the Sailor

Shravanthi Sainath as Anandi

Andrea Di Stefano as the Priest

Elie Alouf as Francis "Mamaji" Patel

Copyright 2014 by Ivan Walters

February 13 - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Today’s movie is a romantic comedy with a scene occurring on February 13. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND                    

[Although this movie definitely does not take place in linear time, as it uses a lot of flashbacks, I’m going to tell it that way because otherwise I don’t think either you or I could understand the summary].

Joel and Clementine meet at a beach party at Montauk, New York and they soon become lovers, living together for two years. However after a huge fight Clem goes to Lacuna, Inc.  and has all memory of Joel ‘erased’. Joel finds out about this when he goes to give her an early Valentine’s present and she appears not to know him.  He learns about the company and decides to have Clem ‘erased’ from his memory. This is done on February 13, 2004. [17:37 to 1:31:37] After the procedure begins he starts reliving memories of his relationship in reverse order and realizes he doesn’t want to forget her. He and the memory of Clem try to hide her in other memories of Joel’s where she can’t be found and erased. The tech has to bring in the head of the company Dr. Mierzwiak, to assist in finally ‘erasing’ her. We learn that Patrick, one of the Techs who ‘erased’ Clem’s memory has used info he learned about Clem to seduce her. Mary, the receptionist at Lacuna, learns she had an affair with Dr. Mierzwiak, the memory of which she agreed to have erased when his wife discovered it. In anger she steals the company’s records and mails them to the clients. Meanwhile, on Valentine’s Day Joel wakes up with no memory of Clem, but takes the day off and goes to Montauk where he meets Clem and they start a relationship again. When they get the material from Lacuna, they are shocked to learn they were in a relationship before. Clem wants to end it now, as she thinks it will end the same way, but Joel convinces her to stay. 

A very different film. Explores the relationship of love and memory. Very interesting cinematography.

Date given in film at 20:08 where Frank says Valentine’s is one day away

Director - Michel Gondry

Awards - The film won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and Kate Winslet was nominated for Best Actress.

Runtime - 1 hour 43 minutes

Released - March 19, 2004

Starring -

Jim Carrey as Joel Barish

Kate Winslet as Clementine Kruczynski

Kirsten Dunst as Mary Svevo

Copyright 2014 by Ivan Walters 

February 12 - Racing With the Moon

Today’s movie is a romantic drama that has a scene happening today – February 12. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

RACING WITH THE MOON          

Henry 'Hopper' Nash is a seventeen year old who lives in Point Muir, California in 1942. He and his best friend, Nicky have received their draft notices for the US Marine Corps.  One day Henry sees a new girl practicing ballet by the seaside and falls instantly in love with her.   Henry and Nicky work at the local bowling ally, re-setting the pins and Henry pretends to go on double dates with him so Nicky can spend time alone with his girlfriend, Sally. Henry follows the girl to a mansion, causing Nicky to tell Henry she is out of reach for him. After a disastrous encounter at the library, the girl, Caddie Winger sets Henry up on a date with one of her friends to go roller-skating. Again this doesn’t go well since Henry does not know how to skate, but he is able to talk with Caddie and she starts to like him. However, Caddie lives in the big house because her mother is a maid there. Henry takes Caddie to his secret spot, a hidden lake where he and Caddie have sex. Then real disaster strikes. Alice learns she is pregnant and needs $150.00 [$1,990.00 in 2012] from Nicky to pay for an abortion, which he does not have. There is a Red Cross drill and Henry annoys Caddie by his irreverent attitude so she takes him to a military hospital to meet real injured troops. Nicky and Henry try to hustle some sailors out of $150.00 at a pool hall, but end up getting hustled and almost killed themselves. Henry, thinking she is rich asks Caddie for the $150.00. Not wanting to disappoint him she tries to steal a pearl necklace belonging to the daughter of her mother’s employer. She is caught, but the daughter, Alice lends Caddie the money. Sally gets the abortion, but this event causes a rift between Henry and Nicky because Henry is upset at the boorish behavior of Nicky towards Alice during the evening. Henry and Caddie also argue and she tells him the truth about her situation. Henry eventually reconciles with both Nicky and Caddie. On February 12, 1943 [1:43:04 to 1:45:33] the boys travel by train to be inducted.

A decent teenage romance film. Has a little more depth than the usual teen romance. The three main leads all give very natural, real performances.

The date they go to be inducted is given at 1:02:06-07

Producers - Alain Bernheim and John Kohn

Director - Richard Benjamin

Screenplay - Steven Kloves

Runtime – 1 hour 48 minutes

Released – March 23, 1984

Starring –        Sean Penn as Henry 'Hopper' Nash

Elizabeth McGovern as Caddie Winger

                        Nicolas Cage as Nicky

                        Suzanne Adkinson as Sally Kaiser

             

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

February 11 - End Game

Today’s movie is a political drama with a scene that happens today – February 11. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

END GAME          

Michael Young, who works for Consolidated Goldfields, with the behind the scenes support of its president, Rudolf Agnew, tries to arrange meetings between prominent Afrikaners and the African National Congress, with an eye to ending the political stalemate in South Africa in order to avoid a civil war that would lead to economic collapse. After initially refusing, Professor Willie Esterhuyse agrees to be an Afrikaner representative. The South African President begins talks with the imprisoned leader of the ANC, Nelson Mandela. They hope to get Mandela to denounce the ANC’s violence in return for his freedom. Dr Niel Barnard, head of the South African security service meets with Esterhuyse and tells him he is to be a government spy at the talks. At the first meeting between Willie Esterhuyse and Thabo Mbeki, an ANC leader, Mbeki says that power sharing is not an option and only majority rule is acceptable. Esterhuyse tells Mbeki that Botha knows about the talks. After ANC agents plant a bomb in South Africa that kills civilians, Esterhuyse walks out. Mbeki gets him to return by promising to stop civilian deaths.  Dr Barnard continues to try and pressure and entice Mandela to split with the ANC leadership in exile. Blacks that don’t like the talks threaten Mbeki. Mandela is moved to better conditions and Afrikaners threaten Esterhuyse. De Klerk is elected President of South Africa. He sends his brother to the talks, but he seems not to be very interested in them. Then suddenly he asks when real talks can start and what preconditions the ANC would have. A breakthrough is achieved when Mbeki says they have no preconditions and can meet any time. On February 11, 1990 [1:33:39 to 1:36:40] Nelson Mandela is released from jail after 27 years.

An interesting drama. Well-written script functions as a low-key political thriller. Very good performances by Hurt and Ejiofor.

Mandela: The Authorized Biography by Anthony Sampson (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1999) at page 401 and the film at 1:33:42 give the date of his release.

Producer - Hal Vogel

Director - Pete Travis

Screenplay - Paula Milne

Runtime – 1 hour 41 minutes

Released – January 18, 2009

Starring -       

William Hurt as Willie Esterhuyse         

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Thabo Mbeki            

Jonny Lee Miller as Michael Young

Mark Strong as Dr Niel Barnard

Derek Jacobi as Rudolf Agnew

Timothy West as P.W. Botha

Clarke Peters as Nelson Mandela

John Kani as Oliver Tambo

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014