March 31 - Kundun

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on March 31. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight  

KUNDUN         

In 1937, a group of monks, headed by Reting Rinpoche, the Regent of Tibet,  disguised as traders discover that Lhamo Dondrub is the re-incarnation of the 13^th Dalai Lama and, thus the 14^th Dalai Lama because he recognizes the possessions of the deceased Dalai Lama.  Two years later he is taken to the capital, Lhasa. He receives a temporal and religious education. Later Reting Rinpoche who had been primarily in charge of the Dalai Lama’s education,  is overthrown and replaced. He later dies in prison. Soon thereafter the Dalai Lama’s father dies.  China, now ruled by the communists, begins making demands on Tibet that it accept that it is part of China and that China conduct Tibet’s defense, trade and foreign affairs.  When these demands are rejected, China invades. He is formally enthroned as the Dalai Lama. He takes control of the government and tries to get foreign aid and end the feudal system. He moves the government to a monastery near the border with India. Tibetan representatives to China sign an agreement agreeing to Chinese rule without any authority or knowledge on the part of the Dalai Lama. The Chinese want him to ratify the agreement. He decides to return to Lhasa. He later travels to China, where he meets with Mao Zedong. The Dalai Lama returns to Tibet. Tibetans start to resist Chinese oppression, and are brutally crushed. Then he is invited to attend a religious dance ceremony at a Chinese army base alone. After much soul-searching the Dalai Lama decides he must go into exile and sneaks out of Lhasa. On March 31, 1959 [2:04:20 to 2:06:38] the Dalai Lama crosses the border from Tibet into India.    

                     

An unusual biography. Beautiful cinematography. Another good one by Scorsese.   

The Dalai Lama by Louis G. Perez (Rourke Publications, Inc., Vero Beach, FL, 1993) at page 70 gives the date he crossed the border.

Awards – This movie was nominated for the Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design and Best Original Score Oscars at the 70^th Academy Awards.

Producer - Barbara De Fina                                                Director - Martin Scorsese

Screenplay -  Melissa Mathison                                          Runtime – 2 hours 14 minutes

Released – December 25, 1997

Starring –        Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong as Dalai Lama (Adult)

Gyurme Tethong as Dalai Lama (Age 12)

Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin as Dalai Lama (Age 5)

Tenzin Yeshi Paichang as Dalai Lama (Age 2)

Tencho Gyalpo as Dalai Lama's mother

Tenzin Topjar as Lobsang (age 5 to 10)

Tsewang Migyur Khangsar as Dalai Lama's father

Tenzin Lodoe as Thubten Jigme Norbu

Robert Lin as Chairman Mao Zedong

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 30 - Persepolis

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on March 30. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

PERSEPOLIS          

Marjane is a normal little girl in 1978 Iran who loves Adidas sneakers and Bruce Lee. As protests rise against the Shah, Marjane’s father explains that the Shah’s father had overthrown the Kajar dynasty, but instead of establishing a republic made himself absolute ruler. Marjane’s grandfather who was a Kajar prince (and a communist) was jailed.  After the Shah is overthrown, a friend of theirs Sermack is released from jail and says CIA trained agents tortured him. Marjane’s uncle Anoush is released from jail after nine years. He had been involved in the breakaway Communist Azerbaijan republic and then went into exile in the USSR. When he tried to return to Iran, he was arrested. The Islamist parties win the National Referendum of March 30, 1979[18:56 to 19:13]. Anoush is soon arrested and executed. Then Iraq attacks. Political repression is stepped up. At school Marjane and her classmates are made to wear the hajib. There are food shortages and missile attacks.  Marjane almost gets caught buying extremely illegal ‘Iron Maiden’ cassettes. Marjane and her family attend illegal underground alcohol parties. When her Uncle Tahir has his third heart attack and needs an operation abroad, but can’t get a passport, Marjane’s father tries to get a forged one, but fails and Tahir dies. After Marjane contradicts her teacher’s political propaganda her family sends her to school in Vienna. She becomes part of a group in Vienna’s nihilistic underground scene. After many emotional tribulations she meets Marcus. They begin a brief love affair.  He turns out to be a jerk. Marjane becomes a homeless person, wandering the streets of Vienna. She returns to Iran. When Marjane says an innocent man made lewd remarks to her so she won’t be arrested for wearing makeup, she offends her grandmother. Marjane redeems herself by pointing out the hypocrisy of the revolutionary guards. Marjane gets married, but her husband is soon revealed as an idiot. She goes to a party and when the Revolutionary Guards show up the boys have to escape across the rooftops and one is killed.  Marjane gets a divorce and moves to France. 

A refreshingly different movie. Has a very interesting black and white animation style. Maintains the right balance between political lecture and comedy. 

Iran: From Religious Dispute to Revolution by Michael M.J. Fisher (Harvard University

Press, Cambridge, MA, 1980) at page 220 gives the date of this referendum.

Producers - Xavier Rigault, Marc-Antoine Robert and Kathleen Kennedy

Directors - Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud

Awards – Nominated for Best Animated Film at the 80^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud

Runtime – 1 hour 35 minutes

Released –May 23, 2007

Voice Actors –

Chiara Mastroianni as teenage and adult Marjane

Amethyste Frezignac as child Marjane

Catherine Deneuve as Mother

Gena Rowlands as Grandmother

Sean Penn as Father

Iggy Pop as Uncle Anouche

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014 

March 29 - Danton

This movie is a biography with a scene that happens on March 29. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

DANTON                              

In the spring of 1794 Georges Danton returns to discontented Paris and a rapturous welcome from the common citizens. Maximilien Robespierre orders the secret police to shut down a newspaper run by Camille Desmoulins that had been supporting Danton since Robespierre thinks Danto is plotting a coup d’etat. However Robespierre opposes trying to get rid of Danton, as he fears this will cause the middle class to rise up against the government. Danton’s friends want him to actually launch a coup, as they are convinced the government is about to move against them, but Danton refuses. After the convention orders the arrest of the head of the secret police, on March 29, 1794 [34:50 to 48:28] Robespierre has dinner with Danton and asks him to join forces with him, but Danton refuses. Desmoulins also refuses Robespierre’s offer to join with him. Robespierre now orders the arrest of Danton and his supporters. Although Danton is warned, he does not flee, is arrested and jailed. He does not want a civil war. The Convention is outraged at this but Robespierre’s speech turns opinion around, especially after   François Louis Bourdon, a supporter of Danton deserts him and supports Robespierre to save his own neck. At his trial Danton’s oratory sways the crowd in his favor and he mocks the proceedings as being a show trial. When Robespierre fabricates a plot by Desmoulin’s wife and others to intimidate the court, Robespierre gets a decree that Danton may not speak ant his trial if he speaks out of turn. He does and along with the other defendants is removed from the courtroom. In their absence they are found guilty. All of them, including Danton die by the guillotine.

An interesting political biography. This film is able to explain the complicated politics of the French revolution. Shows the dangers of letting the ‘ends justify the means’ become a factor in government.     

Citizens: A Chronicle of the French Revolution by Simon Schama (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1989) at pages 816 gives the date of the dinner

Producer - Margaret Ménégoz

Director - Andrzej Wajda

Screenplay - Jean-Claude Carrière

Runtime - 2 hours 16 minutes

Released – January 12, 1983

Cast – Gérard Depardieu as Georges Danton

Wojciech Pszoniak as Maximilien Robespierre

Anne Alvaro as Éléonore Duplay

Patrice Chéreau as Camille Desmoulins

Bogusław Linda as Louis de Saint-Just

Angela Winkler as Lucile Lucile Desmoulins

Andrzej Seweryn as François Louis Bourdon

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 28 - Captain Phillips

Today’s Movie is a drama with a scene that happens on March 28. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.  

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS                  

On March 21, 2009 [00:38 to 4:05] Captain Richard Phillips leaves his home in the USA and boards a plane that will take him to his command, a cargo ship called the MV Maersk Alabama.  The Maersk Alabama is to sail from Oman to Tanzania. Meanwhile, a group of Somalis form their crews and set sail in order to hijack merchant ships in the Indian Ocean and hold them for ransom. As they near the Somali coast, Captain Phillips wants security on the ship increased, especially after he receives a warning that pirates may be in the area.  The pirates, lead by Abduwali Muse, notice that one ship, the Maersk Alabama is sailing alone. During an anti-pirate drill, Muse’s boats approach the ship. One is scared off by a fake message created by Phillips, suggesting US military forces are nearby and the other skiff has engine trouble.  The Alabama’s crew complains that they are unarmed and not paid enough to fight pirates. The pirates also fight among themselves about who’s in charge. The next day a skiff with Muse on board gets close enough so he and three others can climb aboard. Most of the crew has hidden themselves in the engine room.  Muse briefly threatens to shoot a crewman if the crew doesn’t come out in a minute, but eventually agrees to go with Phillips to search the ship. A crewman cuts the emergency power and the lights go out. The crew captures Muse and force a deal with the other pirates. The pirates will surrender Phillips, who they still hold as a hostage in exchange for Muse, the $30,000 that was in the ship’s safe and a lifeboat to return home. However, when the pirates leave the ship in the lifeboat, they take Phillips with them. The US Navy ship the USS Bainbridge arrives commanded by Commander Frank Castellano and begins negotiations. Costellano has orders to do whatever is necessary to ensure the lifeboat does not reach Somalia. The pirates argue amongst themselves as the run out of the drug khat, can’t contact their mothership and have no food or water. The Navy agrees to tow the lifeboat. Phillips briefly escapes, but is recaptured. Muse leaves the lifeboat when he is told his clan elders are on the Bainbridge waiting to join him in negotiating Phillip’s release.  Phillips is beaten by the other three agitated Somalis and about to be killed, when the Navy SEAL team that had been observing gets a clear shot and kills all three pirates. Phillips is rescued and Muse is arrested.

A very good action adventure. Manages to maintain a high level of plausibility and tension. The four Somalis who portray the pirates give very good performances for non-professional actors.

The date is given in the film at 00:45.

Producers - Michael De Luca, Dana Brunetti, Scott Rudin and Kevin Spacey

Director – Paul Greengrass

Awards – This film was nominated for the Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Abdi), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing and Best Sound Mixing Oscars at the 86^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - Billy Ray

Runtime – 2 hours 14 minutes

Released – October 11, 2013

Tom Hanks as Captain Richard Phillips

Barkhad Abdi as Abduwali Muse, pirate leader

Catherine Keener as Andrea Phillips

Faysal Ahmed as Najee

Michael Chernus as Shane Murphy, first officer

David Warshofsky as Mike Perry, chief engineer

Corey Johnson as Ken Quinn, helmsman

Chris Mulkey as John Cronan, senior crewmember

Yul Vazquez as Commander Frank Castellano

Max Martini as U.S. Navy SEAL commander

Omar Berdouni as Nemo, Somali-language translator

Mohamed Ali as Assad

Barkhad Abdirahman as Bilal

Mahat M. Ali as Elmi

Issak Farah Samatar as Hufan

Jibril Hassan as Abdi Ahmed

Sidan Dahir as Jibril Hassan

Abdulahi Yusuf Mohammed as Nur Elmi

Mohamoud Ibrahim as Mohammed

Abdikafi Ali as Hussein Khayre

Jamil Rahman as Gorkan Ali Sahin

Nisar Nangalay as Nuri Azman Tugral Yilmaz

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 27 - Heavens Fall

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

HEAVENS FALL            

Samuel Leibowitz, a prominent New York attorney is asked by several radical groups to represent the Scottsboro boys in their retrial that has been ordered by the United States Supreme Court. His wife fears for his personal safety if he takes the case. He takes the case anyway and travels to Alabama, as does William Lee, a reporter for a Black Chicago newspaper. On March 27, 1933 [30:58 to 36:27] Leibowitz makes a motion to quash the indictment on the grounds that African-Americans were excluded from the jury pool, but the motion is denied.  Victoria Price testifies that she was raped by nine African-Americans while traveling with Ruby Bates on freight train, but on cross exam, Liebowitz shows she was convicted of adultery. The other “victim”, Ruby Bates vanishes. The doctor called by the state says Victoria Price had sex at least 24 hours before the time of the alleged assault.  Lester Carter, a white man who has traveling on the train with Victoria and Ruby says he saw no assault. A lynch mob gathers, but Thomas E. Knight, Jr., the prosecuting attorney disperses them. Haywood Patterson testifies that he did not assault anyone. The defense calls Ruby Bates as a surprise witness. She testifies that there was a fight between the “Scottsboro” boys who were riding on the train and White riders. Ruby testifies the Victoria was afraid of being arrested as a vagrant, so she persuaded her to claim rape. She denies that they were attacked even after the prosecutor points out that she has testified that she had been attacked at the first trial. Patterson is convicted and sentenced to death. Judge Horton orders a new trial.

This is a good movie. It is a compelling story of racial prejudice and injustice. However it’s only a slice of the story and a middle slice at that. 

Stories of Scottsboro by James Goodman (Pantheon Books, NY, 1994) at page 120

Producers - Anna Marie Crovetti, Wade Danielson and Gloria Everett

Director - Terry Green

Screenplay - Terry Green

Released – July 20, 2006

Runtime – 1 hour 45 minutes

Starring –       

Timothy Hutton as Samuel Leibowitz

David Strathairn as Judge James E. Horton

Leelee Sobieski as Victoria Price

Anthony Mackie as William Lee

Bill Sage as Thomas E. Knight, Jr.

Azura Skye as Ruby Bates

James Tolkan as Thomas Knight, Sr.

Bill Smitrovich as George Chamlee

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 26 - The Scarlet Letter

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene on March 26. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.   

THE SCARLET LETTER          

Nathaniel Hawthorne tells how he found some documents at the Boston Custom House and used them as the basis for the story that follows. In 1642 Boston Hester Prynne is brought out of jail with her infant daughter, Pearl to be publicly berated for having committed adultery. She must also wear the red letter “A” on her dress. She spots her husband who she thought to be dead in the crowd watching her. Hester refuses to name Pearl’s father and her partner in adultery. Her husband calling himself, Roger Chillingworth says that Hester’s lover should also be punished and vows to himself to find the man. Chillingworth, claim to be an herb doctor visits Hester in prison and is angered when she refuses to name the man. He forces her to agree to never reveal he is her husband or else he will destroy her lover. After her release from jail, Hester lives alone with her child and works as a seamstress. Her daughter Pearl is fascinated by the “A” her mother wears and grows up to be a mischievous and wild child. Community leaders plan to take Pearl from her, but listen to a plea by Rev. Arthur Dimmesdale to leave Pearl with her mother.  Dimmesdale’s health begins to fail and Chillingworth moves in with him to treat him. However Chillingworth applies psychological pressure on Dimmesdale as he has begun to suspect he was Hester’s lover and one night learns the truth. On March 26, 1649 [40:20 to 51:48, Pt 2] the night Governor Winthrop dies, Dimmesdale goes to the scaffold where Hester was humiliated all those years ago. He confesses to Hester and Pearl that he is Hester’s lover and they see a meteor make a red “A” in the sky. Chillingworth comes along and Hester tries to persuade him to give up his planned vengeance. Later Hester tells Dimmesdale that Chillingworth is her husband and persuades Dimmesdale to sail to Europe in secret.  Then she learns Chillingworth is sail on the same ship. On Election Day, Dimmesdale gives his most inspired sermon and then climbs to the scaffold and publicly confesses he was Hester’s lover. He dies in her arms. When Chillingworth dies soon thereafter he leaves his money to Pearl, which Hester and she use to sail to Europe. Hester returns to Boston years later and ministers to afflicted women. Later she is buried beside Dimmesdale with a single marker that just has an “A”.
   

The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Houghton Mifflin Co., NY) at page 182 and the film at 46:36 Part 2 identify this scene as occurring on the day that Governor John Winthrop died, which was on this date. 

Producers - Rick Hauser and Herbert Hirschman

Director - Rick Hauser

Screenplay - Allan Knee and Alvin Sapinsley

Runtime - 4 hours

Released  - March 3, 1979

Starring –

Josef Sommer as Nathaniel Hawthorne

Meg Foster as Hester Prynne

Elisa Erali as Pearl Prynne

John Heard as Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale

Kevin Conway as Roger Chillingworth    

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 25 - Men of Honor

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on March 25. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

MEN OF HONOR                              

Carl Bashear grows up in an African-American sharecropper’s family in Kentucky who have hard times since he goes to school at the insistence of his father instead of working. He joins the navy and works as a cook. He is impressed by the bravery and dedication of  Master Diver ‘Billy’ Sunday and determines to become one himself. After two years he is accepted to the Navy’s Dive and Salvage school, where he finds Sunday is the chief instructor, who unbeknownst to Brashear is under orders to fail him because he is an African-American..  Brashear does well in the technical aspects of the course but nearly fails the academic portion until he meets his future wife, an aspiring doctor, who helps him. Brashaer experiences racism first hand. For example when he rescues a student after a training accident, a fellow student who fled the scene gets a medal instead of Bashear. During his final exam, to assemble a flange underwater, his tool bag is cut spilling his tools all over the bottom. However, he finds the tools and completes the assignment, earning the unvoiced but obvious admiration of Sunday and his heretofore hostile fellow students. Sunday is demoted for allowing Brashear to pass and with his hot temper gets demoted further when he fights with those who disrespect him. When an atomic bomb is lost off Palomares, Spain Brashear finds one of them but his leg is partially crushed as it is brought on board on March 25, 1966. [1:30:40 to 1:31:31:55] He has the leg amputated so he can wear a prosthesis and return to duty. The same officer who opposed Sunday now stands in his way, but a review hearing he establishes his fitness and returns to duty.   

A good biopic. Not too overly romanticized. Plenty of exciting moments.  The story of this American hero is well worth watching.

The Reminiscences of Master Chief Boatswain’s Mate Carl M. Brashear by Carl M. Brashear (U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, MD, 1998) at page 83 gives the date of his accident.

Director - George Tillman, Jr.

Producer - Bill Badalato, Robert Teitel

Screenplay - Scott Marshall Smith

Released - November 10, 2000

Runtime – 2 hours 9 minutes

Starring -

Robert De Niro as Chief Petty Officer Leslie William 'Billy' Sunday

Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Senior Chief Petty Officer Carl Brashear

Charlize Theron as  Gwen Sunday

Aunjanue Ellis as  Jo Brashear

Hal Holbrook as Captain  'Mr. Pappy'

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 24 - Romero

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on March 24. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

ROMERO                         

Conservative bishop  Óscar Romero is named Archbihop of San Salvador because he is seen as a bookworm who will not upset the existing poltical applecart. However, after the massacre of innocent civilians and the assassination of his best friend  Father Rutilio Grande, he moves into opposition. Then Rafeal Zelada, the minister of Agriculture  is kidnapped by rebels and eventually killed, in spite of efforts by Romero to get him released. After a priest is arrested and tortured, Romero refuses to attend the inauguration of  Gen. Carlos Humberto Romero as President of El Salvadsor. When the army turns a church in a suspected rebel village into a barracks, Romero goes there and leads the parishioners straight into the guns of the soldiers, forcing them to back down and celebrates mass in the church. When rioters seize a soldier as a hostage, Romero goes to try and broker a deal. When the army reneges on the deal Romero is arrested along with the rebels. He is released, but on March 24, 1980 [1:37:49 to 1:40:45] he is assassinated by the government.           

A good biopic. Romero was a brave man and a real Christian. Well worth watching.

A Brief History of Central America by Hector Perez-Brignoli (University of  California Press, Los Angeles, 1989) at page 191 and the film at 1:41:00 give the date of Romerp’s assassination.

Producer - Fr. Ellwood (Bud) Kieser

Director - John Duigan

Screenplay - John Sacret Young

Runtime – 1 hour 42 minutes

Released - August 25, 1989

Starring –       

Raúl Juliá as Archbishop Óscar Romero.

Richard Jordan as Fr. Rutilio Grande, SJ.

Alejandro Bracho as Fr. Alfonzo Osuña, SJ.

Tony Plana as Fr. Manuel Morantes, SJ.

Lucy Reina as Lucia

Ana Alicia as Arista Zelada

Omar Chagall as Rafael Zelada

Harold Gould as Francisco Galedo

Eddie Velez as Lt. Ricardo Columa

Robert Viharo as Col. Ernesto Dorio.

Harold Cannon as Gen. Carlos Humberto Romero.

Al Ruscio as Bishop Estrada.

Claudio Brook as Bishop Flores.

Martin LaSalle as Bishop Arturo Rivera y Damas

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014. 

March 23 - Dead Ahead: the Exxon Valdez Disaster

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

DEAD AHEAD: THE EXXON VALDEZ DISASTER             

On March 23, 1989 [2:36 to 6:.12] the oil tanker Exxon Valdez hits the rocks in Prine William Sound, Alaska and starts leaking oil. Captain Hazelwood was not on the bridge at the time of the collision.  Dan Lawn with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation springs into action to start the cleanup, while Frank Iarossi, President of Exxon gets the bad news. The Coast Guard notices that Captain Hazelwood smells of alcohol. The ship leaks 8 million gallons of oil. Due to various problems the Alyeska Pipeline Company’s response is very slow. Gov. Steve Cowper goes on board the Exxon Valdez and Dan Lawn tells him Alyeska is not handling the cleanup like it is supposed to do so. Frank Iarossi’s plane flies over the spill site and the ship. Exxon’s cleanup proceeds very slowly. The State of Alaska learns that it can’t take over cleanup unless Alyeska fails to do so, at which time it’s too late to do anything, but if the State tries to intervene before Alyeska has failed Alyeska could escape liability. Exxon starts spraying chemical dispersants, over the objections of environmentalists and fishermen.  Dan Lawn authorizes Exxon to do a test of burning off the oil. He also recruits local fishermen to deploy booms to protect bays. Exxon finally gets permission to use dispersants, but a storm comes up and the oil starts washing up  on shore.   Hazelwood gets fired for being drunk. The oil devastates the wildlife in Prince William Sound. The Exxon Valdez is finally hauled off the rocks and emptied. 

This is a very good docudrama. It tries to give an objective view of the incident. Keeps from becoming too political.  

Out of The Channel: The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in Prince William Sound by John

Keeble (HarperCollins, New York, 1991) at pages 36-39 and the film at 3:40 give the date of the disaster.

Director - Paul Seed

Producer - John Smithson and David M. Thompson

Screenplay -  Michael Baker

Runtime – 1 hour 26 minutes

Released – December 21, 1992

Starring –      

John Heard as Dan Lawn

Bob Gunton as Larry Dietrick

Mark Metcalf as Dennis Kelso

Christopher Lloyd as Frank Iarossi

Remak Ramsay as Craig Rassiner

Paul Guilfoyle as Cmdr. Steve McCall

Rip Torn as Adm. Paul Yost

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

March 22 - Scandal

Today’s movie is a political drama with a scene on March 22.  I hope you will like this film and watch it tonight.

SCANDAL                

In late 1950’s London, playboy Dr. Stephen meets showgirl Christine Keeler.  He takes her under his wing in a platonic relationship and introduces her to all sorts of people and sex parties. Christine becomes friends with a new girl in the show Mandy Rice-Davies and they both move into Ward’s apartment. Ward introduces them to Yevgeni Ivanov, who works at the Soviet Embassy. Christine and Mandy meet Errol Flynn, Jr. An MI5 agent asks Ward to keep an eye on Ivanov, who’s suspected of being a spy. Then Christine literally runs into John Profumo, Minister for War at the cottage Ward rents from Lord Astor. Christine soon begins affairs with both Ivanov and Profumo. When Profumo tries to set her up in a private hideaway, she refuses to move out of Stephen’s flat. A year later Christine leaves one of her boyfriends and he tries to shoot his way into Ward’s flat. Because of this Ward ends his relationship with Christine. A story about the shooting appears in the newspapers. Christine sells her story to the papers and Ivanov is recalled to the USSR. Ward sends Christine off on a holiday. John Profumo makes a statement in Parliament where he denied ever having an affair with Christine Keeler on March 22, 1963[1:16:16 to 1:18:43]. Scotland Yard begins an investigation.  Lord Astor tosses Ward out of the cottage. The police try to pressure Keeler into saying Ward was her pimp, but she denies it.  Profumo admits that he lied to parliament and resigns as Minister for War. Ward is arrested and brought to trial for pandering. Mandy testifies that she gave money to Ward. Christine testifies that Ward gave her money. Ward defends her when his own counsel is badgering her on the stand. Ward kills himself. He is found guilty of pandering.

An interesting film. Hunt gives a very good performance as Ward. Be aware this film is rated R in the USA.  

Our Times: The Age of Elizabeth II by A.N. Wilson (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New

York, 2008) at pages 131-133 and the film at 1:26:48 give the date of Profumo’s statement.

Producer - Stephen Woolley

Director - Michael Caton-Jones

Screenplay - Michael Thomas

Runtime – 1 hour 55 minutes

Released - March 3,  1989

Starring –

John Hurt as Stephen Ward

Joanne Whalley as Christine Keeler

Bridget Fonda as Mandy Rice-Davies

Ian McKellen as John Profumo

Leslie Phillips as Lord Astor

Britt Ekland as Mariella Novotny

Daniel Massey as Mervyn Griffith-Jones

Roland Gift as Johnnie Edgecombe

Jean Alexander as Mrs. Keeler

Alex Norton as Detective Inspector

Ronald Fraser as Justice Marshall

Paul Brooke as John, Detective Sgt.

Jeroen Krabbé as Yevgeni Ivanov

Keith Allen as Kevin, Reporter Sunday Pictorial

Ralph Brown as Paul Mann

Iain Cuthbertson as Lord Hailsham

Johnny Shannon as Peter Rachman

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

     

March 21 - THX 1138

Today’s movie is a science fiction classic with a scene that happens today, March 21. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THX 1138         

On March 21, 2_75 [2:57 to 16:44] in an underground city, the population is controlled by drugs and sex is outlawed. SEN 5241(a man) and LUH 3417 (a woman) work in the surveillance center. Luh 3417 has a male roommate THX 1138. He works in a factory making android robots. In a similar factory radioactive materials kill some workers. On the way home THX 1138 stops at a booth where computer OMM 0910 spouts platitudes. At home he takes his drugs and watches mindless entertainment. LUH switches her drugs for THX 1138’s drugs. This causes him to have emotional feelings and he and LUH 3417 have sex. She suggests they escape, but he declines. THX 1138 stops taking his drugs. SEN 5241 changes LUH 3417’s shift and tries to talk THX 1138 into becoming his roommate. THX 1138 files a complaint against SEN 5241. The control center mentally immobilizes THX 1138 prior to his arrest for non drug use. This occurs at a critical time and almost causes a nuclear accident.  THX 1138 and LUH 3417 are arrested. They have a brief reunion in an all-white limbo and she tells him she is pregnant. At the trial of THX 1138 he is spared the death penalty and returned to limbo. He meets SEN 5241 there. Aided by hologram SRT they escape. SRT and THX 1138 end up in the control center, where THX 1138 learns LUH 3417 is dead. SEN 5241 is rearrested. THX 1138 and SRT steal cars, but SRT crashes. THX 1138 reaches the edge of the city, climbs out an escape hatch and sees the sun for the first time.  

A classic dystopian film. This movie is a cereberal film that you have to watch. This is not just mindless entertainment, but an important film everyone should watch.

This date is given in the film at 13:50.

Producers - Edward Folger,  Lawrence Sturhahn and Francis Ford Coppola

Director - George Lucas

Screenplay - George Lucas and Walter Murch

Runtime – 1 hour 28 minutes

Released – March 11, 1971

Cast –

Robert Duvall as THX 1138

Donald Pleasence as SEN 5241

Don Pedro Colley as the hologram SRT

Maggie McOmie as LUH 3417

Ian Wolfe as the old prisoner PTO

Marshall Efron as prisoner TWA

Sid Haig as prisoner NCH

James Wheaton as the voice of OMM 0910

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 20 - Wuthering Heights(1998)

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene on March 20. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS 

Mr. Lockwood, new tenant at the grange comes to pay his respects to his very surley landlord, Heathcliffe. When he has to stay the night, Mr. Lockwood has a ghostly encounter. We then flashback to 30 years earlier. Mr. Earnshaw adopts the gypsy boy Heathcliffe. His son Hindley hates Heathcliffe, but eventually Heathcliffe and Cathy Earnshaw become close. When Mr. Earnshaw dies Hindley and his wife return to live at Wuthering Heights. He allows Heathcliffe to stay as a servant. One night when Cathy and Heathcliffe spy on the Lintons at Thrushcross Grange, Cathy is injured when the Lintons set the dogs on them. Cathy stays at the Grange while she recuperates.  When she returns home, Cathy has assumed a more genteel air. When the Lintons come to dine, Heathcliffe tries to improve his appearance, but after being taunted by both Hindley and Edgar Linton, there is a fight and he is beaten. Hindley’s wife has a son, but she dies and Hindley sinks into alcoholoic depression. Linton asks Cathy to marry him and she accepts, even though she loves Heathcliffe, but cannot marry him because of his low social status. She thinks she can use her new status to help Heathcliffe. He overhears this and runs away. Five years later Heathcliffe returns, having made his fortune. Cathy married Edgar Linton and they live at Thrushcross Grange. Heathcliffe soon courts Edgar’s sister Isabella as a means of getting revenge. The pair eventually elope. Cathy gives birth to a daughter, also named Cathy and dies. Isabella has a son Linton. Heathcliffe murders Hindley and takes charge of Hindley’s son, Hareton. On March 20, 1800 [1:18:42 to 1:19:27] it is Cathy’s sixteenth birthday. When Isabella dies, Edgar brings her son Linton to stay with him, but Heathclife takes the boy. When Cathy goes to visit Linton, Heathcliffe holds her capitive and forces her to marry Linton. Edgar Linton dies, followed shortly thereafter by Linton.  We have now returned to the time of Mr. Lockwood’s visit. Heathcliffe later dies, while Cathy and Hareton plan to get married as they became close, living together at Wuthering Heights after Linton’s death.

A good adaptation of one of the classics of English literature. Heathcliffe is a real … well really shouldn’t say. Beautiful innovative cinematography.

Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. New York: Harper Collins, 2011. This book at page 257 gives Cathy’s birthday as this date which is given as the date at 1:18:49.

Director:  David Skynner

Screenplay: Neil McKay

Release date : October 18, 1998

Run Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

Cast: Robert Cavanah (Heathcliff ), Peter Davison (Joseph Lockwood), Orla Brady (Cathy Earnshaw), Tom Georgeson (Joseph), Matthew Macfadyen (Hareton Earnshaw), Sarah Smart (Catherine Linton), Kadie Savage (young Cathy Earnshaw), Ken Kitson (Mr. Earnshaw), Flora Montgomery (Isabella Linton), Ian Shaw (Hindley Earnshaw), Crispin Bonham-Carter (Edgar Linton), David Maybrick (Gaddick). Catherine Chesire (Frances Earnshaw), Polly Hemingway (Nelly Dean)

Copyright Ivan Walters 2014.

March 19 - Fair Game

Today’s movie is a political drama with a scene that happens today, March 19. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

FAIR GAME                   

Valerie Plame is an energy analyst who also works undercover as a CIA agent working on nuclear non-proliferation. It so happens that her husband Joe Wilson is a former US diplomat who has personal knowledge of and contacts in the African county of Niger. When the CIA gets a report that Iraq is trying to purchase 500 tons of yellowcake uranium for use in developing atomic weapons he is asked to go there and investigate. There is also a report about aluminum tubes being purchase by Iraq, but Plame knows these are not the type that can be used in uranium centrifuges. Wilson travels to Niger and determines that a 500 ton order would require a 40% increase in production, as well as increased levels of transport from the mine and since there is no evidence of either, the report is not true.  Plame travels to Cairo, meet the former head of the Oskirsk reactor in Iraq and gets him to name his colleagues in Iraq’s nuclear program. Back in the USA Plame meets with a female Iraqi medical doctor, Hafiz,  whose brother, Hamed was named as a member of the Iraqi nuclear program and persuades her to return to Iraq to get information about the program from him. Both the National Seurity advisor and the Vice-President lie on TV about the yellowcake and the tubes, saying the exact opposite of what the CIA reported. Hafiz visits Iraq where her brother tells her there is no nuclear program. Plame complains that the Bush White House is cherry picking data to support its foreign policy agenda. The President lies in the State of the Union speech. On March 19, 2003[49:05 to 49:28] the Third Gulf War begins with “shock and awe”.  Plame makes plans to get Iraqi nuclear scientists to the USA, so they won’t go to work somewhere else. After Joe Wilson writes an op-ed for the New York Times exposing Bush’s lies, Scooter Libby, Vice-President Cheney’s Chief of Staff violates the law and leaks Valerie Plame’s name to the media.  She’s immediately suspended from the CIA, as her cover is blown.  Joe is outraged at this and vows to fight even though Plame asks him not to. This causes marital strife between them and Joe’s  international business development and management firm starts losing business when he’s called a traitor. However, after Scooter Libby is indicted and a talk with her US Air Force Colonel father Plame decides to fight back also and reconciles with Joe. She testifies before Congress.

                

A very good film. Both Watts and Penn bring a rare intensity to their roles. A movie you must and should see. 

The Iraq War: Strategy, Tactics and Military Lessons by Anthony H. Corderman (Praeger Publishers, Westport, CT, 2003) at page 61 gives this date as the war’s start

Producers - Jez Butterworth, Akiva Goldsman, Doug Liman, Bill Pohlad, Jerry Zucker and Janet Zucker

Director - Doug Liman

Screenplay - Jez Butterworth and John Butterworth

Runtime – 1 hour 48 minutes

Released – May 20, 2010

Starring –

Naomi Watts as Valerie Plame

Sean Penn as Joseph Wilson

Noah Emmerich as Bill

Ty Burrell as Fred

Sam Shepard as Sam Plame

Bruce McGill as James Pavitt

Brooke Smith as Diana

Michael Kelly as Jack

Khaled El Nabawy as Hamed

Anand Tiwari as Hafiz

David Denman as Dave

David Andrews as Scooter Libby

Geoffrey Cantor as  Ari Fleischer

Adam LeFevre as Karl Rove

Nassar as Mr. Tabir

Satya Bhabha as Jason Neal

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 18 - Tess of the d'Urbervilles

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene on March 18. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

TESS OF THE D’URBERVILLES                    

John Durbeyfield learns he is of noble descent and his daughter Tess meets Angel Clare at the May Day dance. After a disaster where the family’s horse is killed, Tess agrees to go ‘claim kin’ with the wealthy Mrs. d’Urberville, but instead meets Alec, her son. Alec writes a letter in his mother’s name inviting Tess to manage their poultry farm. Alec immediately sets out to try and seduce Tess. His family name is really Stoke and d’Urberville was assumed by his father. On the way back from a raucous country party Tess gets in a fight with the other servants. Alec arrives and puts her on his horse. Instead of taking her home, Alec carries her to a secluded grove, where he rapes Tess. She returns home, rejecting Alec’s offer to become his mistress. She gives birth to Alec’s child, but it dies after a few months, unbaptized, so Tess buries it herself outside the churchyard. Tess finds work far away as a milkmaid with Mr. and Mrs. Cricket. She meets Angel Clare again as he has come there to study dairy management. Although all the milkmaids, including Izzy, Retty and Marian love him, Angel soon falls in love with Tess and she returns his affection.  Angel goes to visit his family, but resists the efforts of his clergyman father and mother to steer him towards Mercy Chant, a schoolteacher, but agree to his marrying Tess as long as she is pure.  Angel returns and proposes to Tess, but she refuses him. She finally changes her mind and agrees. Then she bumps into someone from the d’Urberville estate. Tess writes a letter to Angel, making a full confession of her past. She slides it under his door and when Angel makes no mention of it later, Tess thinks he has forgiven her. However, the letter went under the carpet and he never read it. On the day Angel and Tess get married Izzy tries to kill herself. On their wedding night, Alec confesses a brief affair with an older woman. Tess tells him about being raped by Alec, thinking he will understand and forgive her. Instead he is appalled. They soon separate. Angel moves to Brazil. He meets Izzy and asks her to accompany him, but soon changes his mind. Tess returns home, but later goes to work at a farm with Marian and Izzy doing hard physical labor. Tess goes to visit Angel’s family, but when she overhears his brothers and Mercy Chant talking about his unwise marriage Tess does not approach them. On the way back she finds Alec has become a traveling minister. He goes to the farm and asks her to marry him, but she says she is already married. When Tess learns her father is ill, she returns home. On March 18, 1871 [Ep. 4 10:17 to 10:46] her father dies. The family is evicted since he only had a life-tenancy. They travel to Kingsbere for rented rooms, but find they’ve been rented to someone else and they end up staying in the churchyard. Alec tries several times to get Tess to go away with him and she finally yields after Alec tells her Angel is never coming back. Angel finally does returns from Brazil, but is very ill.  When he recovers Angel goes to look for Tess. He finally finds her living with Alec as his mistress. Alec apologizes to Tess, but she tells him ‘too late’, and Angel leaves. Tess blames Alec for losing Angel a second time and when Alec tells her he is not really a d'Urberville, she stabs him to death. She chases after Angel and they run away to the deserted ancestral estate of the d’Urbervilles. They later camp at Stonehenge, where Tess is arrested for murder. She is later hung.

A well-done version that compares favorably to Polanski’s Tess. It has beautiful and innovative cinematography. Commendable for sticking closely to the plot of the book.

His date of death is given at Episode 4 at 25:56 on his tombstone.

Producer – David Snodin

Director - David Blair

Screenplay - David Nicholls

Runtime – 4 hours

Released – September 14, 2008

Starring –

Gemma Arterton as Tess Durbeyfield

Hans Matheson as Alec d'Urberville

Eddie Redmayne as Angel Clare

Ruth Jones as Joan Durbeyfield

Ian Puleston-Davies as John Durbeyfield

Jodie Whittaker as Izz Huett

Donald Sumpter as Parson Tringham

Anna Massey as Mrs d'Urberville

Christopher Fairbank as Groby

Jo Woodcock as Liza-Lu Durbeyfield

Joel Rowbottom as Abrham Durbeyfield

Steven Robertson as Cuthbert Clare

Hugh Skinner as Felix Clare

Laura Elphinstone as Car Darch

Sara Lloyd Gregory as Nancy Darch

Christine Bottomley as Kate

Emma Stansfield as Mary

Merelina Kendall as Miss Evans

Sarah Counsell as Drunken woman

Ellie Darcey-Alden as Modesty

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

March 17 - Flight of the Phoenix (1965)

Today’s movie in action-adventure film with a scene that happens on March 17. I hope you will enjoy this movie and watch it tonight.

FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX            

On March 17, 1965 [00:23 to 19:26] a C-82 cargo plane carrying passengers and cargo from Jaghbub to Benghazi in Libya runs into a sandstorm and is forced to crash land in the Sahara desert.  The pilot is Frank Townes, who flies by the seat of his pants while his co-pilot Lew Moran is an alcoholic. Two men are killed in the crash and passenger Gabriel’s leg is severely injured. They have no working radio and only enough water for about 15 days. After five days with no rescue Captain Harris, a British Army officer propose that he and Sergeant Watson try to walk out to get help. Townes and Moran try to dissuade him and Watson fakes an injury to avoid going. Carlos, another passenger volunteers to accompany Harris.  When Heinrich Dorfmann says they can build a new plane out of the wreckage and fly it out, Townes tells him he is crazy. Trucker Cobb, a foreman who is being sent back with Dr. Renaud because he is suffering from complete mental exhaustion wants to accompany Harris and Carlos, and has to be restrained. Later Cobb sneaks off. Townes tracks Cobb and finds him dead in the desert. Townes reluctantly agrees to Dorfmann ‘s plan to cannibalize the plane and use the parts to build a new one when Dr. Renaud says it will keep up morale and he learns Dorfmann is an aircraft designer. They move a section of wing over the top of the plane and connect it to the boom on the other side. Capain Harris returns, barely alive. Sgt. Watson sees Harris, but ignores him. Fortunately someone else notices him and he is placed in a cot in the hull of the plane. Gabriel who was injured manages to commit suicide. There is an argument when it is discovered that Dorfmann had been taking extra water, since according to him he had been working harder than the rest, but promises not to do so again. When a group of Arab raiders camp near the wreckage, Captain Harris wants to approach them, but Sgt. Watson refuses a direct order to accompany him. Since he speaks Arabic Dr. Renaud accompanies him, but the raiders kill both before they depart. Sergeant Watson hallucinates about an Arab dancing girl he once knew. Townes and Dorfmann argue about whether to test start the engine. Dorfmann fears this would create unnecessary strain, while Townes wants to be sure the engine will start. Townes eventually gives way and agrees Dorfmann is “in authority”. Townes and Moran are disturbed when they learn Dorfmann only designs model planes and don’t tell the others. Just as they run our of water the plane, which they have named “The Phoenix”, after the mythical bird, is completed. There a few tense moments in starting the engine before they pull the plane to a level sand field. Townes is able to get the plane in the air and fly it to the nearest oasis where they make a successful landing and reconnect with civilization. .  

An exciting film. Good character development makes us care about these people. Has an all male cast, except for an hallucination.

Date given in film at 18:41 by Townes and at 19:20 in log book

Producer - Robert Aldrich

Director - Robert Aldrich

Awards – This movie was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor(Bannen) and Best Film Editing at the 38^th Academy Awards. 

Screenplay - Lukas Heller

Runtime – 2 hours 22 minutes

Released – December 15, 1965     

Starring -

James Stewart as Capt. Frank Towns

Hardy Krüger as Heinrich Dorfmann

Richard Attenborough as Lew Moran

Peter Finch as Capt. Harris

Ernest Borgnine as Trucker Cobb

Ian Bannen as "Ratbags" Crow

Ronald Fraser as Sgt. Watson

Christian Marquand as Dr. Renaud

Dan Duryea as Standish

George Kennedy as Mike Bellamy

Gabriele Tinti as Gabriel

Alex Montoya as Carlos

Peter Bravos as Tasso

William Aldrich as Bill

Barrie Chase as Farida

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014. 

March 16 - Capricorn One

Today’s movie is a political thriller with a scene on March 16. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

CAPRICORN ONE                  

Capricorn One, the first American manned mission to Mars is on the launch pad. Three minutes before liftoff the three astronauts on board, Colonel Charles Brubaker, Lieutenant Colonel Peter Willis and Commander John Walker are taken off the spacecraft by a mysterious civilian and flown to an air fore base, where they meet Dr. James Kelloway, the head of NASA. He tells them that the life support system, which was supplied by a corrupt contractor, would have killed them during the mission and the only choice is to fake the mission, since the agency could not stand the embarrassment of a cancellation. The three astronauts very reluctantly agree to participate in the deception after Kelloway threatens their families. The empty spaceccraft is launched towards Mars. On March 16, 19__ [27:26 to 29:21] Elliott Whitter, a NASA technician notices something odd. His instruments tell him that the TV signal from Capricorn One is reaching Houston before the telemetry signal, but he is told to ignore this. The crew fakes the Mars landing foe television. On the return voyage the crew talks to their families. This transmission is cut off for fear Brubaker will reveal the lie, but not before he mentions a past vacation to his wife. Elliott Whitter tells Robert Caulfield, a reporter he knows about the signal anomaly, then disappears. Caulfield survives an attempt to sabotage his car. During the re-entry the three astronauts are supposedly killed when their heat shield fails. However. the three astronauts escape from the base, steal a jet, but then have to make a crash landing in the desert. Caulfield investigates Whitter’s disappearance. Government helicopters that are tracking the three men kill Walker. Caulfield meets with Mrs. Brubaker and realizes Brubaker’s vacation reference was about a movie he had watched being filmed while on that trip. Caulfield realizes the mission was faked, that is what Whitter uncovered and what led to Whitter’s disappearance. Willis is also found and killed. The FBI arrests Caulfield on trumped up drug charges, but while out on bail he finds the base where the Mars landing was filmed and finds a necklace that belonged to Brubaker, confirming his hypothesis. Caulfield hires Albain, a crop-duster and they locate and rescue Brubaker in the desert, causing the government helicopters to crash. Brubaker surprises everyone by showing up at his memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery.

A passable mystery suspense film. I think it shows conspiracy theorists how difficult it would actually be to really try and fake a space mission. If you don’t expect an Oscar winner, it s an interesting film.

The date is given in the film at 27:26

Producer - Paul N. Lazarus III

Director - Peter Hyams

Screenplay - Peter Hyams

Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes

Released – June 2, 1978

Cast –

Elliott Gould as Robert Caulfield

James Brolin as Colonel Charles Brubaker

Sam Waterston as Lieutenant Colonel Peter Willis

O.J. Simpson as Commander John Walker

Hal Holbrook as Dr. James Kelloway

Brenda Vaccaro as Kay Brubaker

Karen Black as Judy Drinkwater

David Doyle as Walter Loughlin

Robert Walden as Elliot Whitter

Telly Savalas as Albain

David Huddleston as Congressman Hollis Peaker

Lee Bryant as Sharon Willis

Denise Nicholas as Betty Walker

James Sikking as Control Room Man

Alan Fudge as Capsule Communicator

James Karen as Vice President Price

Nancy Malone as Emily Peaker

Darrell Zwerling as Dr. Bergen

Milton Selzer as Dr. Burroughs

Paul Picerni as Jerry

Barbara Bosson as Alva Leacock

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

March 15 - Victims for Victims: the Theresa Saldana Story

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on March 15. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch t tonight.  

VICTIM FOR VICTIMS: THE THERESA SALDANA STORY               

In 1982 Theresa Saldana is an American actress living in Los Angeles. When her mother calls and tells Theresa that she got a call from director Martin Scorsese's assistant about a part, her husband is concerned that this will again require her to go on location, requiring a separation. It turns the call actually came from a stalker, trying to get her address. Theresa takes precautions, but on March 15, 1982 [13:25 to 31:10] when leaving her apartment, she is attacked and stabbed multiple times by Arthur Jackson, a deranged fan. Many people witness the attack but just stand around doing nothing until a deliveryman subdues Jackson. She survives the attack after emergency surgery. Afterwards she and her husband, Fred Feliciano suffer from depression and post traumatic stress disorder even though he works as a counselor himself. Theresa is worried about scarring. Since she can't work, she and her husband start to have financial problems. She meets with another crime victim and is distraught when she dies. Theresa get to meet and thank her rescuer, Jeff Fenn which causes her husband to have doubts about himself and his relationship with Theresa. Theresa testifies at her attacker's preliminary hearing in a wheelchair amid a media frenzy. Theresa is traumatized when her injuries are photographed to be used as evidence.  Theresa is finally able to move out of the hospital and her husband quits his job because he's not effective as a counselor because he spends so much time with Theresa.  Theresa and her husband decide to separate. Theresa learns that Jane Bladow a nurse at the nursing home she is staying at and whom she disliked for enforcing the home's restrictive rules had once been the victim of an assault, but had no one to talk to about it. When Theresa later meets a former school teacher, Miriam Schneider who had also been attacked, Theresa decides to start a network of former victims to help each other psychologically recover by being able to talk and support each other. Arthur Jackson is found guilty. Her support group "Victims for Victims" attracts a lot of attention and many people who were victims of crime join.        

An unusual docudrama. Sort of strange in that Theresa Saldana portrays herself in this movie. However, this film is interesting enough to hold your attention for an hour and a half.

The date is given in the film at 00:05

Producer - Harry R. Sherman

Director - Karen Arthur

Awards- The Film was nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Emmy at the 37^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Screenplay - Arthur Heinemann

Runtime – 1 hour 40 minutes

Released - November 12, 1984

Starring –

Theresa Saldana as Herself

Adrian Zmed as Fred Feliciano

Lelia Goldoni as Mrs. Saldana

Lawrence Pressman as Dr. Stein

Mariclare Costello as Jane Bladow

Linda Carlson  as Miriam Schneider

Stanley Kamel as D.A. Mike Knight

Philip English as Arthur Jackson

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 14 - Julius Caesar (1953)

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

JULIUS CAESAR                    

The citizens of Rome are celebrating Caesar’s triumph over Pompey. Some are not happy with this and Caesar is told “beware the Ides of March”. Cassius thinks Caesar has been elevated too high and tries to goad Brutus into action against Caesar. The crown is offered to Caesar three times by Antony, but he refuses it. Casca, Cinna & Cassius conspire to kill Caesar and propose recruiting Brutus into the conspiracy. Brutus joins the conspiracy on March 14, 44 b.c. but says don’t kill Antony also.[21:45 to 41:12]  Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife dreams of his death. She and bad omens convince Caesar to stay at home. Cassius arrives and talks him into going. Caesar confronts the soothsayer and a note warning him of the conspiracy is slipped to him. The conspirators stab Caesar and he dies saying, “Et tu, Brute?”. Antony asks the conspirators if he can speak at Caesar’s funeral and they agree. Brutus tells the crowd why they did it. Antony reads Caesar’s will where he left funds to the citizens and turns the crowd against the conspirators. Octavius, heir of Caesar, Marc Antony and Lepidus take over. Octavius takes an army to pursue the conspirators. Cassius and Brutus argue. Brutus wants to  attack at once, while Cassius wants restraint. At the First  Battle of Phillipi  Octavian wins and Cassius gets his slave to kill him. Brutus finds Cassuis’ body. After losing at Second Phillipi, Brutus gets a friend to kill him. Marc Antony praises Brutus.

Based on the classic play by Shakespeare. Explores the lust for power, envy and loyalty. 

Caesar by Adrian Goldsworthy (Yale University Press, New Haven, 2006) at page 507 and in the film at 49:59 give the date of Caesar’s death and this is the day before

Producer - John Houseman

Director -  Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Screenplay - Joseph Mankiewicz

Awards - The film won the Best Art Direction Oscar. It was also  nominated for the Best Actor (Brando), Best Black-and-White Cinematography, Best Original Score and Best Picture Oscars at the 26^th Academy Awards.

Running Time - 121 minutes

Released - June 4, 1953

Starring –

Marlon Brando as  Marc Antony

James Mason as Brutus

John Gielgud as Cassius

Louis Calhern as Caesar

Edmond O'Brien as Casca

Greer Garson as Calpurnia

Deborah Kerr as Portia

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

March 13 - Gotti

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on March 13. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

GOTTI                                 

In 1973 John Gotti, a Mafia crew boss is asked by Carlo Gambino, the head of the Gambino crime family to eliminate the man who killed his nephew. After the hit man given to him kills the target in public, potentially causing trouble for Gotti, he kills the hit man without permission. Paul Castellano talks Gambino out of killing Gotti, but his boss Aniello Dellacroce tells Gotti to never break the rules again.   Gotti is sent to jail for three years. When he gets out Gambino dies and names Paul Catellano as new boss. Gotti and others don’t like Castellano since he never worked on the street. Gotti’s youngest son is accidentally killed by a neighbor in a car accident. Even though he apologizes, he is eventually killed. Then Gotti gets arrested for assault. Some afterwards Gotti’s associate   Angelo Ruggiero is arrested for drug trafficking, which Castellano had banned as a mob business. Castellano is worried that the FBI tapes that recorded Angie Gotti might contain damaging info about him and wants to eliminate Gotti. After Castellano does not visit the dying Aniello Dellacroce Gotti reaches the end of his rope and arranges a hit on Catellano. Gotti watches as his men kill Castellano. Gotti is made the new boss of the Gambino crime family. The victim in the assault case refuses to identify him in court. The Feds indict Gotti for RICO violations and on March 13, 1987 [1:14:24 to 1:16:50] Gotti is acquitted because he bought a juror. Frank DeCicco is blown up as revenge for the murder of Castellano.  Robert DiBernardo is suspected of involvement in DeCicco’s murder and trying to undercut Gotti and is killed by. The FBI bugs an apartment that Gotti often uses for meetings. Gotti is arrested and again charged with violating RICO.   Sammy Gravano after hearing the taped conversations where Gotti said Gravano was too greedy and suspected him of creating false suspicion about DiBernardo, turns state’s evidence. Gotti is convicted and sentenced to life without parole. 

An interesting biopic. Unlike some films this one does not try to glamorize the mafia. A very tough and gritty movie.

A story by Leonard Buder in The New York Times of March 14, 1987 gives the date of his acquittal.

Producers - Gary Lucchesi and David Coatsworth

Director - Robert Harmon

Awards – This film won the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (Assante), Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or a Special, Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries or a Special and Outstanding Editing for  a Miniseries or a Special (single camera) Emmys. It was also nominated for the Oustandinng Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Sound Mixing for a  Drama Miniseries or a Special and the Outstanding Writing for a a Miniseries or a Special Emmys at the 49^th Primetime Emmy Awards.  

Screenplay - Steve Shagan

Runtime – 1 hour 56 minutes

Released - August 17, 1996

Starring –

Armand Assante as John Gotti

William Forsythe as Sammy Gravano

Anthony Quinn as Aniello Dellacroce

Vincent Pastore as Angelo Ruggiero

Frank Vincent as Robert DiBernardo

Richard C. Sarafian as Paul Castellano

Dominic Chianese as Joe Armone

Raymond Serra as Frank Locascio

Tony Sirico as Leonard DiMaria

Al Waxman as Bruce Cutler

Scott Cohen as Gene Gotti

Robert Miranda as Frank DeCicco

Marc Lawrence as Carlo Gambino

Alberta Watson as Victoria Gotti

Tony De Santis as John Favara

Gil Filar as Frank Gotti

Gerry Mendicino as Peter Gotti

Yank Azman as Judge Nickerson

Frank Crudele as Nicholas Scibetta

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.