August 31 - Diana: Last Days of a Princess

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on August 31. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

DIANA: THE LAST DAYS OF A PRINCESS

Diana and Dodi leave the Hotel Ritz in Paris in a car driven by Henri Paul and chased by paparazzi early in the morning of August 31, 1997 [00:01 to 3:17]. We then flash back three months to when Diana, the divorced Princess of Wales meets wealthy Mohamed Al-Fayed, who invites her to spend some time on his yacht in the Mediterranean. Diana goes with  her sons William and Harry and meets Dodi Al-Fayed, who has been ordered on board by his father, Mohamed even though it means abandoning his girlfriend, Kelly. Diana travels with Dodi to Paris as their relationship deepens and becomes more intimate. They return to the yacht and their relationship becomes public. Problems arise as the Fayeds will not listen to their own security people. The couple suddenly return to Paris and Diana stays at the Ritz. They later leave for Dodi’s apartment.That evening they go to eat at the Ritz. Dodi gets upset with the paparazzi following them everywhere and hatches a plan, against the advice of his security people to avoid them. They will send a decoy car from the front of the hotel while Henri Paul drives him and Diana away in a car from the rear door. Paul has been drinking as he had no idea he might be driving. Early on August 31, 1997 they leave the Ritz, followed by the paparazzi and crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, killing Dodi and Diana.

An interesting account of Diana’s death. This story, if true, in my mind accounts for her death without the need to invoke a high level conspiracy theory. She died because Dodi refused to listen to the security experts he had hired.

Hardman, Robert. Her Majesty: Queen Elizabeth II and her Court. New York; Pegasus Books, 2012. This book at page 100 and the film at 11:17 give Diana’s death date

       

Producer – Rebecca Hedderly

Director -  Richard Dale

Screenplay – Jenny Lecoat

Runtime –  2 hours

Released – July 30, 2007

Starring –

Genevieve O'Reilly as Diana, Princess of Wales

Patrick Baladi as Dodi Al-Fayed

Carlo Ferrante as Henri Paul

Shaun Dooley as Trevor Rees-Jones

Nadim Sawalha as Mohamed Al-Fayed

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 30 - George Washington

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that occurs on August 30. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

GEORGE WASHINGTON     

       

After the death of his father when he is eleven, George and his mother go to live on the farm he was left in his father’s will. His half-brother Lawrence weds Ann Fairfax, who’s from a prominent family. George is selected to survey Lord Fairfax’s lands in Virginia. George is sent as an emissary to the French. He later leads an expedition against the French, but is attacked by a superior force and compelled to surrender at Fort Necessity. He is condemned for the surrender documents he signed as they contain an admission that his force was trespassing on French lands.  He marches with Braddock and saves they day when the force is ambushed by the French. He is made commander of the Virginia regiment, but the British refuse to make him an officer in the regulars. He meets Martha Custiss. He is ill for a long while, but proposes to Martha and is present when Fort Duquesne is captured from the French. He marries Martha and is involved in the opposition to the Stamp Act and later British acts. In the Second Continental Congress, he is appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He places guns on Dorchester heights and forces the British out of Boston. He moves his forces to New York. They are almost caught and destroyed on Long Island, but he is able to evacuate them, concluding in the early morning hours of August 30, 1776. [3:58:40 to 4:01:23] They retreat to Pennsylvania, but recross the Delaware River and defeat the Hessian mercenaries fighting for the British in a surprise attack. The British attack and capture Philadelphia, forcing Congress to flee. The army retreats to Valley Forge, while Gen. Gates plots to replace Washington. Martha comes to visit and Baron von Steuben arrives and whips the troops into shape.  The British evacuate Philadelphia and Charles Lee only agrees very reluctantly to attack at Monmouth and is upset when he is relieved after he retreats.  The army very nearly mutinies at Morristown in 1780 over non pay and poor food. Washington meets with French Admiral Rochambeau to try and coordinate efforts and on the way back stops at West Point just in time to stop a plot by Benedict Arnold to hand over the fort   to the enemy. The army marches south and catches Cornwallis at Yorktown, where he surrenders, ending the war. Washington ends a plot by his officers to seize control of the government and then returns home to Mount Vernon.

A good biopic of the Father of Our Country. Mostly historically accurate. Doesn’t deviate too often into melodrama or political polemics. 

The Encyclopedia of Military History from 3500 b.c. to the Present by R. Ernest Dupuy & Trevor N. Dupuy (Harper & Row, New York, 1977) at page 712 gives the date the crossing was complete

Director - Buzz Kulik                            

Screenplay - John Boothe, Richard Fielder

Runtime - 8 hours            

Released - April 8, 1984

Awards - the film was nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling (Part I); Outstanding Achievement in Makeup; Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special (Part II); Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special (Part III); Outstanding Limited Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Duke) at the 36^th Primetime Emmy Awards 

Starring -

Barry Bostwick as George Washington

Jaclyn Smith as Sally Fairfax

Lloyd Bridges as Caleb Quinn

Patty Duke as Martha Washington

David Dukes as Will Fairfax

Jose Ferrer as Robert Dinwiddie

Hal Holbrook as John Adams

Trevor Howard as Lord Fairfax

James Mason as Gen. Edward Braddock

Robert Stack as Gen John Stark

.

Copyright by Ivan Waltersin 2015.

August 29 - 42nd Street

Today’s movie is a musical drama with a scene that happens on August 29. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

42^nd STREET                       

On August 29, 193__[2:00 to 3:12] Dorothy Brock signs a contract to appear in Pretty Lady on Broadway, which is being financed by Abner Dillon, who has sexual designs on her. Julian Marsh, the renowned director is hired for the show because he needs the money, having lost everything in the Wall Street Crash. He accepts, even though his health is poor.  Greenhorn Peggy Sawyer arrives for tryouts and meets Billy Lawler, the show’s juvenile male lead, who has an instant attraction to her. An experienced chorus line girl, Lorraine, uses her relationship with Andy Lee, the dance director, to get herself and her friend “Anytime” Annie hired. Billy’s recommendation  gets Peggy hired for the last chorus girl slot.  Dorothy has been seeing her old vaudeville partner, Pat Deming. Marsh revamps the show to be more upbeat and Pat takes Peggy on a date.  Thugs hired by Marsh threaten and punch him, warning him to stay away from Dorothy. They had been hired by Marsh because he was afraid if Dillon learned of Deming’s relationship with Dorothy he would withdraw his support for the show. Deming leaves for Philadelphia. After five weeks of exhausting rehearsals, the show goes to Philadelphia for the opening. At a hotel the night before Dorothy becomes angry over Dillon’s  sexually suggestive behavior towards her and tosses him out.  Meanwhile Peggy was invited to a cast party where much the same thing happens to her and she leaves. Deming comes to Dorothy’s room, but is seen by Mac Elroy the stage manager, who plans to have Deming beaten up. Peggy overhears this and goes to warn Dorothy and Deming. Dorothy mistakes her appearance and mistakenly presumes a romance between Deming and Peggy. In a scuffle, Dorothy breaks her ankle.   Dillon suggests his new girlfriend “Anytime” Annie as Dorothy’s replacement, but she proposes Peggy instead. Marsh reluctantly agrees and Dorothy gives her a pep talk. Billy declares he loves Peggy and the show is a
hit with the audience.   

                     

One of the first ‘talkie’ musicals and one of the best. It seems fresher and more realistic than many that followed. Busby Berkeley’s great choreography shines in this movie. 

Date given in film at 2:05 on a contract

Awards – The film was nominated for Best Picture and Best Sound at the 6^th Academy Awards. 

Screenwriters – Rian James, James Seymour and Whitney Bolton

Producers – Darryl F. Zanuck and Hal B. Wallis

Director - Lloyd Bacon                          

Runtime – 1 hour 29 minutes                                   

Released – February 2, 1933                                   

 Starring –

Warner Baxter as Julian Marsh

Bebe Daniels as Dorothy Brock

Ruby Keeler as Peggy Sawyer

George Brent as Pat Denning

Guy Kibbee as Abner Dillon

Ginger Rogers as Ann Lowell

Dick Powell as Billy Lawler

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 28 - A Canterbury Tale

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

A CANTERBURY TALE   
 

       

British Army Sergeant Peter Gibbs, US Army Sergeant Bob Johnson and Land Army Girl Alison Smith meet when they disembark at town of Chillingbourne. A man in a Land Army uniform pours glue in Alison’s hair. They meet the local magistrate, Thomas Colpeper and learn about the “glue man”, who has assaulted 10 other women. Colpeper refuses to hire Alison. The next day, August 28, 1943 [22:49 to 58:49] Alison persuades Bob to help her find the glue man. Alison goes to work for Mrs. Foster. We learn Bob’s girl hasn’t written to him in several months and that Alison’s fiancée was shot down in action. Alison talks to the other victims. Alison meets Sgt. Gibbs again, who is on maneuvers with his unit and they agree to go to Mr. Colpeper’s lecture that evening, where he invites the audience to drop by his house for a chat. Bob uncovers some evidence that points to Colpeper as being the glue man. The next day Bob persuades a group of local boys to look for clues on his behalf. During his visit to Colpeper’s house, Peter learns that the dates Colpeper was fire watching coincide with the dates of the glue man’s attacks. The boys extract a receipt for glue purchases from Mr. Colpeper’s trash. The next morning Peter, Bob and Alison, along with Mr. Colpeper travel by train to Canterbury. In the train this quartet have an elliptical conversation in which Colpeper, while not admitting he is the glue man justifies the glue attacks as a means to keep the local girls from going out with soldiers while their boyfriends are off in the armed forces.  At the cathedral, Peter, who was a cinema organist in civilian life gets a chance to play the church’s organ. Alison goes to examine the old camping trailer that belonged to her and her fiancé and learns the stunning news that her fiancé, Geoffrey is alive. Bob learns that his girlfriend joined the WACs, got posted to Australia and that’s why her letters were delayed. Peter decides not to report Colpeper to the police and leaves with his unit for a combat mission.       

                       

36:15 “it’s Saturday”.  The date of the attack on Alison is given at 1:06:54.

Producers - Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Directors - Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Screenwriters - Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes

Released - August 21, 1944

Starring –

John Sweet as Bob Johnson

Dennis Price as Peter Gibbs

Sheila Sim as Alison Smith

Eric Portman as Thomas Colpeper

Charles Hawtrey as Thomas Duckett

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 27 - The Elizabeth Smart Story

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

THE ELIZABETH SMART STORY     

Fourteen year old Elizabeth Smart is part of a large and loving Morman family. Her father hired a handyman, self styled prophet Emmanuel to help him with a remodeling job. Months later, Emmanuel returns and takes Elizabeth at knifepoint. Her sister, who was in the bed with her was to terrified to immediately tell her parents. Once she does a massive police investigation begins. The Smarts are angered when the investigation questions whether any family members were involved in Elizabeth’s disappearance.  A massive search effort begins and the story causes a media frenzy. After a false news story that the police suspect a  family member, the father takes and passes a lie detector test.  Richard Ricci, who worked for the Smarts until he was fired when jewelry went missing is arrested for a parole violation and the police think he’s involved in Elizabeth’s disappearance. Then Emmanuel tries to kidnap one of Elizabeth’s cousins. On August 27, 2003 [51:44 to 53:06] the Smarts learn Ricci has had an aneurysm and is now brain dead. After this the Mom gives up hope, the story fades into the background and the police stop looking for Elizabeth. Then her sister Mary Catherine remembers that it was Emmanuel who took Elizabeth. The police won’t investigate this.  The father appears on John Walsh’s show and tells him in confidence about this new info. When Walsh reveals it on Larry King’s show, the Smarts publish a sketch of Emmanuel, who is later identified as Brian Mitchell. After having taken her to San Diego, Mitchell returns to Salt Lake with his wife and Elizabeth. When they are arrested, Elizabeth finally admits who she is. Elizabeth is reunited with her family.

                   

A good film. I only have one criticism. In a burst of over the top political correctness, it is never mentioned that either the Smarts or Brian Mitchell are Mormon.  

The date is given in the film at 51:46

Producers – Peter Sadowski and Randy Sutter

Director - Bobby Roth           

Screenplay -  Nancey Silvers  

Runtime -  2 hours    

Released - November 9, 2003                 

                               

Starring - 

Dylan Baker as Ed Smart

Lindsay Frost as Lois Smart

Amber Marshall as Elizabeth Smart

Hannah Lochner as Mary Katherine Smart

Tyler Kyte as Charles Smart

Tom Everett as Brian Mitchell aka “Emmanuel”

Hollis McLaren as Wanda Barzee

Kenneth McGregor as Richard Ricci

Robert Wisdin as Jim Smart

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 26 - Shine

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

SHINE     

Australian David Helfgott wanders into a restaurant, talking in a non-stop nonsensical way. A waitress Sylvia takes him back to the hotel where he lives. In a flashback we see David is a child piano prodigy trained by his domineering father. After Mr. Rosen, a local pianist takes over David’s musical training, he wins the state piano competition and Isaac Stern invites him to study in the USA. His father while initially supportive finally says David cannot go. After being the runner up at the national instrumental & vocal competition, David wins a scholarship to the Royal Music School in London. This time David defies his father and goes. David selects Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3, an extremely difficult piece for a competition, which he wins. However, at the same time David has become manic and is hospitalized, receiving electric shock therapy. He returns to an institution in Australia. One of the volunteers recognizes him and he stays with her for a while, but his unpredictable and uncontrollable behavior lead her to put him in the hotel he is staying in at the start of the film. David returns to the restaurant and starts playing there. He meets Gillian, with whom he develops a romantic relationship and on August 26, 1984 [1:36:01 to 1:36:32] David marries her. She helps him stage a comeback concert.

                       

An interesting bio. Stands on it’s own merits as a film as I’d never heard of Helfgott before this movie. His Dad must rank as one of the worst cinema fathers of all time.

Love You to Bits and Pieces by Gilliam Helfgott (Penguin Books, New York, 1996) at page 146 gives the wedding date

Awards – The film won the Best Actor(Rush) Oscar. The movie was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actor (Mueller-Stahl), Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Dramtic Score, Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay Oscars at the 69^th Academy Awards.

Producer - Jane Scott                              

Director - Scott Hicks                                               

Screenplay - Jan Sardi                                            

Runtime – 1 hour 45 minutes

Released – January 21, 1996

Starring –

Geoffrey Rush as David Helfgott

Sonia Todd as Sylvia

Armin Mueller-Stahl as Peter Helfgott

Nicholas Bell as Ben Rosen

John Gielgud as Cecil Parkes

Lynn Redgrave as Gillian

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 25 - The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on August 25. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER              

On August 25, 1991 [1:50 – 2:44] Charlie Kelmeckis begins a journal the day before he starts high school. He is very shy but likes his English teacher, Mr. Anderson. At a football game he meets Sam and her stepbrother Patrick. Later, at a party after the homecoming dance, with drug-induced candor, Charlie reveals to Sam that his best friend committed suicide last year. He also sees Patrick and football jock Brad kissing. Charlie tutors Sam to help her improve her SAT scores. At Christmas Sam gives Charlie a typewriter and kisses him so his first will be from someone who cares about him. Charlie later replaces Sam’s boyfriend Craig at a performance of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Sam’s friend Mary Elizabeth asks Charlie to the Sadie Hawkins dance and they start dating. Charlie really doesn’t like her, but won’t dump her so as to not hurt her feelings. At a party however Charlie, when dared to kiss the prettiest girl in the room, kisses Sam, which upsets both her, and Mary Elizabeth. Patrick suggests Charlie distance himself fro their group for a while and he does. Charlie goes into depression and thinks back on the death of his Aunt Helen, who died in a car accident going to get Charlie a birthday present.   Then Charlie stops a beating that Patrick was getting from Brad’s friends, which restores him to Sam’s good graces. Sam is accepted into Penn State, but breaks up with Craig after learning he has been cheating on her. Sam and Charlie start to have sex, but Charlie can’t go through with it. After Sam leaves for college, Charlie gets depressed again and attempts suicide. In the hospital Charlie finally brings out the repressed memories of his Aunt Helen sexually molesting him. Charlie goes home and stays friends with Patrick and Sam. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky (Gallery Books, New York, 1999) at page 2

Producers - Lianne Halfon, Russell Smith and John Malkovich

Director - Stephen Chbosky

Screenwriter - Stephen Chbosky

Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes

Released – September 8, 2012

Starring – Logan Lerman as Charlie Kelmeckis, Emma Watson as Sam , Ezra Miller as Patrick, Mae Whitman as Mary Elizabeth, Paul Rudd as Mr. Anderson, Nina Dobrev as Candace Kelmeckis, Johnny Simmons as Brad, Erin Wilhelmi as Alice, Adam Hagenbuch as Bob, Kate Walsh as Mrs. Kelmeckis, Dylan McDermott as Mr. Kelmeckis, Melanie Lynskey as Aunt Helen, Joan Cusack as Dr. Burton, Zane Holtz as Chris Kelmeckis, Reece Thompson as Craig, Nicholas Braun as Ponytail Derek, Landon Pigg as Peter, Tom Savini as Mr. Callahan, Julia Garner as Susan

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 24 - A Man Escaped

Today’s movie is a prison drama with a scene that happens on August 24, Watch it tonight and enjoy.

A MAN ESCAPED              

Fontaine, a member of the French resistance is arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned in a solitary cell in Lyon. He makes contact with another prisoner Terry and through him gets a safety pin which he uses to pick the lock on his handcuffs. He notices that the joins between the oak boards in the door to his cell are made up of a softer wood. He sharpens a spoon into a chisel and pries the soft wood out enabling him to remove the boards and leave his cell. His pal Orsini tries to escape and is caught and shot. He uses metal from the light frame to make hooks and clothing he gets in a package into rope. He is told he is going to be shot. He gets a cellmate, Joust. After much agonizing and questioning he decides he can trust him and tells him of the escape plan. On August 24, 1943 the two of then leave the cell and go up through the skylight onto the roof. They climb down into the courtyard and kill a guard. They scale the outer wall and get away.

An interesting film. A suspenseful movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It is also a study of questions of loyalty, hope and despair.

A Man Escaped by Andre Devigny (The Lyons Press, Guilford, Conn., 2002) at pages 152 et. seq. give the
date of the escape

Producer - Alain Poiré & Jean Thuillier

Director - Robert Bresson

Screenplay - Robert Bresson

Runtime - 1 hour 39 minutes

Released - August 26, 1957

Starring -

François Leterrier as Lieutenant Fontaine

Charles Le Clainche as François Jost

Roland Monod as Le Pasteur

Maurice Beerblock as Blanchet

Jacques Ertaud as Orsini

Roger Treherne as Terry

Jean Paul Delhumeau as Hebrard

Jean Philippe Delamarre as Prisoner No, 110

César Gattegno as Le Prisonnier X

Jacques Oerlemans as Chief Warder

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 23 - The Bourne Identity (1988)

Today’s movie is an espionage thriller with a scene that happens on August 23. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE BOURNE IDENTITY(1988)    

A man is shot and falls off a boat into the sea in the middle of a storm on August 23, 1988. [00:01 to 02:03] He washes ashore and is taken to the house of Geoffrey Washburn, who nurses him back to health. The man has a piece of microfilm implanted in his leg that has the account number from a bank in Zurich.  When he wakes the man has no idea of his name or who he is.  The man travels to Zurich. At the hotel he learns his name is “Jason Bourne” and that he works for Treadstone71. He goes to the bank and finds he has an account with $15 million dollars in it. On leaving the bank two men try to kill Bourne, but he escapes. At his hotel when he spots two  of the men who tried to kill him. Bourne kidnaps Marie St. Jacques, a Canadian economist, and uses her car to get away. He takes her to a restaurant, where the terrified owner tells him INTERPOL has been there looking for Bourne. He also tells Bourne that Chernak gave him an envelope  to give to Bourne that is connected to the assassination of US ambassador Leland.  Bourne takes Marie to Chernak’s apartment and he ends up killing Chernak. Bourne is wounded and Marie escapes, but she falls into the hand of the men looking for Bourne and tells them where he has gone.  At the boardinghouse Bourne escapes one killer, but is then captured and identified by Marie, who was led to believe the men tracking Bourne are the police. They order Marie killed. He overpowers his two guards and is successful in saving Marie. He tells Marie to go, but she refuses. She drives them to an isolated hotel in the country where they have an intimate encounter. They go to Paris to retrieve the $7 million he transferred there and start to think he might be Carlos the Jackal. Meanwhile the real Carlos is looking for Bourne. Marie goes in to get the cash, but two of the men from Zurich enter the bank just after her. However Bourne lures them away and browbeats a bank official into revealing Bergeron’s dress shop is a point of contact for the men tracking Bourne. Marie learns her boss in Canada was killed when he started asking questions about  Treadstone71. She is very upset by this and almost leaves Jason.   At an NSA meeting the members discuss what happened to Bourne, who was to pretend to be a contract killer who would take credit for hits performed by Carlos the Jackal to draw Carlos out into the open. Some think Bourne really has become a hitman for hire.  Bourne goes to the dress shop, whose owner tells him she thinks Bourne wants to replace Carlos. Marie runs from the Canadian Embassy when they say they’re looking for Bourne and later she is named as a suspect in the Zurich murders. Carlos’s men attack Treadstone’s New York office and frame Bourne for the murders there. The NSA decides toeliminate Bourne. A phone number Bourne found at the dress shop is that of Gen. Villiers. From his house they follow the dress shop owner to a meeting with Carlos. Bourne shoots at him, but he escapes. They confront the General and convinces him that his wife is Carlos’s lover. A guy from the dress shop tells him he is not Bourne, but has been surgically altered to look like him. Bourne arranges a midnight meeting with David Abbott, who Villiers said was the one man at Treadstone who could be trusted. The traitor Gillette kills Gen Conklin and fatally wounds Abbott. Bourne’s real name is David Webb and Abbott tells him he was altered so he could assume the identity of Jason Bourne, who was a vicious killer in order to flush out Carlos. He shames Gen. Villiers, who has killed his wife into helping him. He goes to Treadstone’s HQ in New York, where he confronts and kills Carlos.  He’s reunited with Marie.       

                    

An interesting old style spy thriller. This version is much darker than the Matt Damon vehicles. Here, for instance Bourne kidnaps Marie at gunpoint and forces her to help him.

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum (Richard Marek Publishers, NY, 1980) at page 154 gives the date he was found as August 24, so he went in water day before

Producer - Frederick Muller

Director – Robert Young

Screenplay - Carol Sobieski

Awards – The film won the Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Mini-Series or Special Emmy. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Editing for a Mini-Series or Special – Single Camera Production Emmy at the 40^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Runtime – 3 hours 5 minutes

Released -  May 8, 1988

Starring –

Richard Chamberlain as Jason Bourne

Jaclyn Smith as Marie St. Jacques

Anthony Quayle as Gen. Francois Villiers

Donald Moffat as David Abbott

Denholm Elliott as Geoffrey Washburn

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 22 - Richard III (1955)

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

RICHARD III               

Edward IV is King of England and his deformed younger brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester is jealous. Richard frames his older brother George, Duke of Clarence for conspiring to kill the King and Clarence is killed. Richard woos the Lady Ann, who though she hates Richard for killing her father and husband can’t resist him and eventually agrees to marry him. Richard works to fuel rivalries at the court and the exhausted King dies, after appointing Richard Lord protector of the new King Edward V. Richard has the new king declared illegitimate. The Duke of Buckingham is promised the title and income of Earl of Hereford and he helps Richard become popular and Richard is made King. But when Buckingham comes to claim his reward Richard refuses, causing Buckingham to fear for his life and joins the opposition to Richard.  His popularity dwindling Richard raises an army to combat the invasion by Henry, Duke of Richmond. Richard dreams of all those he had killed. The next day, August 22, 1485  at the Battle of Bosworth, Lord Stanly changes sides and defects to Henry. Richard loses his crown and his horse and utters his famous line, “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!”. Richard is killed and Henry becomes king. [2:17:40 to 2:34:25]   

Olivier gives one of his best performances as the creepy and cynical Richard. He often seems to break the fourth wall by apparently addressing the audience. I was sorry to see that the Battle of Bosworth looked
like it was filmed in southern California and not England.

Blood and Roses by Helen Castor (HarperCollins, New York, 2006) p. 363

Producer -  Laurence Olivier

Director - Laurence Olivier

Screenplay - William Shakespere:

Awards – The movie was nominated for the Best Actor Oscar (Olivier) at the29th Academy Awards

Running Time – 2 hours 41 minutes

Released - April 16, 1955

Starring – Sir Cedric Hardwicke as King Edward IV of England, Sir John Gielgud as George, Duke of Clarence, Sir Laurence Olivier as Richard, Duke of Gloucester, Paul Huson as the Prince of Wales, Andy Shine as Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, Helen Haye as the Cecily Neville,Duchess of York, Pamela Brown  as Jane Shore, Sir Ralph Richardson as Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, Alec Clunes as William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, Laurence Naismith as Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby, Mary Kerridge as Elizabeth Woodville, Clive Morton as Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, Claire Bloom as Anne Neville, Stanley Baker as Henry, Earl of Richmond,       

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 21 - The ABC Murders

Today’s movie is a murder mystery with a scene that happens on August 21, Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

THE A.B.C. MURDERS            

On August 21, 1936 Capt. Hastingsreturns from the Orinoco. [1:04 to 6:46] Poirot has received an anonymous letter threatening something will happen in Andover that day. The next day they learn Alice Asher was murdered last night in Andover and an ABC Railway guide left near the body. Poirot and Hasting meet her niece.  Poirot gets another letter threatening a murder in Bexhill on the 25th   and he and Hastings travel there the day before. Very early on the 25th Betty Barnard is murdered and an ABC Railway guide left under the body. Poirot and Hastings meet with her sister Megan and boyfriend Donald Fraser. Poirot thinks they were killed just because their names start with the same letter in alphabetical order. Poirot gets a letter on the 29th that threatens a murder in Churston on the same day because it was incorrectly addressed. They learn that the very wealthy Sir Carmichael Clarke has indeed been murdered that day in Churston and an ABC Railway Guide left under the body. Poirot interviews Franklin Clarke, the brother and Miss Grey the secretary. The friends and relatives of the victims meet with Poirot to try and find a common link between the victims. Megan Barnard says her sister had just got some new stockings. Poirot goes to interview Lady Clarke the terminally ill widow who tells him she saw Miss Grey talking to a strange man the day of the murder. Donlad Fraser tells of a dream where he kills Betty. Poirot gets a letter threatening a murder in Doncaster on September 9th. Miss Grey now recalls talking to a man selling stockings and Poirot recalls seeing new stockings in Alice Asher’s rooms and believes he’s found the link. Augustus Bonaparte Cust, stocking salesman travels to Doncaster. The relatives and the police go to Doncaster to try and prevent the crime. Poirot now believes the murders were committed to obscure the solution to one of the murders in particular. Cust goes to a movie where a man is stabbed. Later he finds a bloody rag and knife in his pocket. His landlady sees him washing off blood and goes to the police, who find the knife. Cust goes and turns himself in. A witness comes forward and gives him an alibi for the Bexhill murder.  Poirot brings the suspects together and by lying forces Franklin Clarke to run, establishing his guilt in the murder of his brother. He was afraid that if Lady Clarke died, his brother would have married Miss Grey, ending his chance of inheriting the Clarke fortune. He killed the others to force the police to look for someone with a reason to kill all the victims, not just one. He arranged for Cust to visit the murder sites on the correct days. Cust is freed

Another triumph for Poirot. However, he took a big chance. If Franklin Clarke hadn’t run, there really was no evidence against him.

Date given in film at 5:47 and 6:10

Producer - Donald Toma

Director - Andrew Grieve

Screenplay - Clive Exton

Runtime - 1 hour 40 minutes

Release date - January 5, 1992

Starring -

David Suchet as Hercule Poirot

Hugh Fraser as Captain Hastings

Philip Jackson as Chief Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard

Donald Sumpter as Alexander Bonaparte Cust

Donald Douglas as Franklin Clarke

Nicholas Farrell as Donald Fraser

Pippa Guard as Megan Barnard

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.      

August 20 - The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Today’s film is a drama with a scene that happens on August 20.  Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING          

       

Tomas is a surgeon in communist Czechoslovakia who is having an affair with Sabina. He travels to a town to do an operation and meets Tereza, who follows him back to Prague. Tomas gets Sabina to help Tereza find work as a photographer. The Warsaw Pact invade the country on August 20, 1968 [50:40 to 58:13]. Tereza smuggles her film out. She is arrested by the security forces and questioned about her photos. Sabina, then Tomas and Tereza flee to Switzerland. There Sabina falls for a married man, but when he leaves his wife she dumps him. Tomas continues womanizing and when Tereza learns of this she returns to Prague. Tomas follows her. Tomas can’t get his old job back and has to work as a window washer. Terza, jealous over his continued cheating has a one night stand of her own, but becomes remorseful and contemplates suicide which Tomas thwarts. They move to the country. Later Sabina, who has moved to the US is shocked to learn they have been killed in an auto accident. 

               

An interesting film. Develops both the personal and political side of the characters.

Cold War: An Illustrated History 1945-1991 by Jeremy Isaacs and Taylor Downing (Little, Brown & Company, New York, 1998) p. 266

Producer - Bertil Ohlsson, Paul Zaentz and Saul Zaentz

Director -  Phillip Kaufman

Screenplay - John-Claude Carriere and Phillip Kaufman

Awards - The film was nominated for the Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars at the 61^st Academy Awards

Running Time – 2 hours 51 minutes

Released - February 5, 1988

Starring -

           

Daniel Day-Lewis as Tomas

Juliette Binoche as Tereza

Lena Olin as Sabina

Derek de Lint as Franz

Erland Josephson as Ambassador

Pavel Landovský as Pavel

Donald Moffat as Chief Surgeon

Tomasz Borkowy as Jiri

Daniel Olbrychski as Interior Ministry Official

Stellan Skarsgård as The Engineer

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 19 - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Today’s movie is an action drama with a scene that happens on August 19. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE  

Fred C. Dobbs is a hobo living in Tampico, Mexico on handouts. He and Bob Curtin, another drifter take jobs on an oil well, but get cheated out of their wages. They listen with interest when an older man, Howard talks about gold prospecting. Curtin and Dobbs beat up the man who cheated them and take their wages  This and Dobbs lottery win gives the three enough cash to go prospecting. They trek into the bush and start mining. The work is hard and Curtain saves Dobbs in a tunnel collapse, but they eventually do find gold. On August 19, 1925 [34:00 to 36:45] the three protagonists decide to divide up the gold they have found as the first faint stirrings of suspicion and greed start to take hold of them. Curtain is followed back from town where he went to get supplies by Cody.  The three decide to kill Cody to keep from having to share the gold with him, but just as they are about to do so they see bandits preparing to attack their camp. They with the help of some Federales, drive the bandits off, but Cody is killed. Howard cures a native boy, but when they are leaving the area, the men of the boy’s village forcefully insist he return to be honored. Curtain and Dobbs march on, with Dobbs becoming more and more paranoid. He finally shots Curtain and steals all the gold. Dobbs is later killed by bandits who steal their donkeys and equipment and scatter the bags of unrefined gold, believing it to be sand. Curtain, who was only wounded is found by Indians and taken to Howard who fixes him up. The bandits try to sell the donkeys and equipment, but it is recognized as stolen property, so they are arrested and shot. Curtain and Howard discover the wind has blown away all the gold. The two part company.   

                      

A powerful story about the power of greed. Even though Howard tries to warn them the others refuse to accept the truth that ‘the love of money is the root of all evil”. Curtain ends up almost dead and Dobbs does lose his life in the pursuit of a dream. 

At 1:00 the year is given as1925. At 34:48 the calendar shows a month starting on Saturday. In 1925 that
could only be August. The 19th is crossed off and it’s evening, so it is almost certainly that day. 

Awards – The film won the Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Huston) Oscars. It was also nominated for Best Picture at the 21^st Academy Awards

Producer - Henry Blanke                       

Director - John Huston       

Screenplay - John Huston       

Runtime – 2 hours 6 minutes   

Released – January 6, 1948                                                                                                                                        

Starring –

Humphrey Bogart as Fred C. Dobbs

Walter Huston as Howard

Tim Holt as Bob Curtin

Bruce Bennett as James Cody

Barton MacLane as Pat McCormick

Alfonso Bedoya as Gold Hat

Arturo Soto Rangel as El Presidente

Manuel Dondé as El Jefe

José Torvay as Pablo

Margarito Luna as Pancho

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 18 - Nemesis

Today’s movie is a mystery film with a scene that happens on August 18. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

NEMESIS         

Multimillionaire Jason Rafiel, who once helped Jame Marple prevent a murder, dies. Jane Marple reads about it in the newspaper.  The next day August 18, 1955 [6:30 to 6:52] Mr. Rafiel’s lawyers discuss his death. Jane Marple gets a letter from Mr. Rafiel, sent to her by the lawyers. He asks her to undertake an investigation, but provides no hints as to what she is to investigate. Miss Marple is being observed by a young woman. Mr. Rafiel has paid for Miss Marple to go on a Historic Homes and Gardens tour. Miss Marple learns from Elizabeth Temple, a fellow tourist that she taught Verity Hunt, who was engaged to Michael Rafiel, Jason Rafiel’s son. Verity was murdered and Michael was a suspect, but was never tried for the crime. Michael and his father became estranged over this and he has lived as a hobo ever since. Miss Temple tells Miss Marple that Verity Hunt was loved very much. Miss Marple is invited to stay at the Old Manor house by Lavinia Glynn and her two sisters Clothilde and Anthea Bradbury-Scott. They were the guardians of Verity Hunt and Clothilde especially loved Verity very much.  Miss Marple learns that about the same time as Verity’s murder another girl, Nora Brent disappeared in the area. Miss Temple writes a letter to an unknown person. During the tour of Kingsminster Castle an attempt is made to kill Miss Temple.  Miss Marple discovers that Verity Hunt’s grave has a very plain marker.  Miss Temple asks to speak to Miss Marple in the hospital, but dies without revealing very much. When Miss Marple returns to the Bradbury-Scott’s house, she tells them she knows who really killed Verity. Miss Marple does not drink the poisoned milk Clothilde prepared for her. We learn Clothilde was so attached to Verity, she refuse to accept the possibility of her marrying Michael Rafiel and poisoned her to prevent this. Clothilde buried her body under the crumbling greenhouse. She killed and disfigured Nora Brent, then identified her body as Verity’s. When she starts to take  more direct steps to kill Miss Marple, the woman who had been watching Miss Marple and her companion, who are actually bodyguards hired by Mr. Rafiel, emerge and stop her. Miss Marple allows Clothilde to drink the poisoned milk and she dies. Michael Rafiel is found and cleared of all suspicion in Verity’s death.    

Another good Christie who-dun-it yarn. Interesting in that it is quite a while before we (and Miss Marple) find out what the mystery is in this film. A good psychological film. 

At 6:32 the newspaper date is “Thursday, August 18, 1955’.

Director - David Tucker                               

Screenplay – T. R.  Bowen                          

Runtime – 1 hour 42 minutes                       

Released – February 6, 1987                        

Producer – George Gallaccio      

Starring –

Joan Hickson as Miss Jane Marple

Peter Tilbury as Lionel Peel

John Horsley as Professor Wanstead

Margaret Tyzack as Clothilde Bradbury-Scott

Valerie Lush as Lavinia Glynne

Anna Cropper as Anthea Bradbury-Scott

Helen Cherry as Miss Temple

Bruce Payne as Michael Rafiel

Barbara Franceschi as Miss Kurnowitz

Frank Gatliff as Jason Rafiel

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 17 - My Boy Jack

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

MY BOY JACK  

Jack is the son of the uber-nationalist and famous author Rudyard Kipling. He has terrible myopia and is rejected by the army and the navy on the eve of World War I, but is delighted when his father uses his political connections to get him a commission in an Irish regiment when war begins. Kipling senior served on the propaganda committee that handled how war news was presented. Jack does very well in his training and does a good job with the men he is given to lead. His mother and sister are not very happy about Jack going to war and they say a tearful goodbye when Jack heads back after his last leave. The regiment is sent to the front. On August 17, 1915, his family toast Jack’s birthday at home, while he gets the word of their going ‘over the top’ tomorrow. [48:54 to 51:49] The next day Jack leads his platoon into no-man’s land. The Kiplings get a telegram that Jack is reported missing, presumed wounded. His mother starts a desperate quest to learn what has happened to him, talking to the Red Cross, the high command and other survivors
of the battle, while Kipling senior knows in his heart that Jack is dead. Eventually from a survivor of Jack’s platoon they learn Jack and some men reached the German trench, but was killed leading the survivors in an attack on a machine gun nest.  The Kiplings are devastated, but resolve to carry on. 

A sad and sweet story. Portrays the mixed emotions of those who fight and those left behind. A very good performance by Daniel Radcliff. 

Rudyard Kipling:A Life by Harry Ricketts (Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc., New York, 1999) at page 238 gives date of Jack’s birth.

Producer - Michael Casey

Director - Brian Kirk

Screenplay - David Haig

Runtime - 1 hour 33 minutes

Released - November 11, 2007

Starring -

Daniel Radcliffe as John Kipling

Kim Cattrall as Caroline Kipling

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 16 - Quantum Of Solace

Today’s movie is an espionage thriller with a scene that happens on August 16. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

QUANTUM OF SOLACE                                   

On August 16, 2008 [00:35 –4:11, 7:26 – 15:15] Bond delivers the captured Mr. White to M during the second Palio. However, her bodyguard Mitchell turns out to be a mole for the super secret organization quantum and enables White to escape. MI6 discovers Mitchell had a cohort in Haiti, Mr. Slate who was to kill Camille Montes at the behest of Dominic Greene, but Bond saves her. Greene is helping Gen. Medrano return to power in Bolivia. Bond pursues Greene to Austria and uncovers the identities of the Quantum executive board, and is blamed for killing the bodyguard of Haines, Quantum member and advisor to the British PM. Bond is cut off by MI6 and gets his old pal Mathis to help him. In Bolivia, Bond saves Camille again, but Mathis is killed. Camille and Bond learn Quantum wants to monopolize all of Bolivia’s water supply. Bond is framed for the murder of MI6 agent Strawberry Fields, but escapes.  Camille and Bond penetrate Quantum’s desert base and Camille kills Medrano, who had killed her mother and sister, while Bond destroys the base and leaves Greene stranded in the desert. Bond finds, but arrests Vsper Lynd’s lover an agent of Quantum, who had betrayed her. Bond is reinstated as an agent. 

Producers - Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli

                       

Director - Marc Forster

Screenwriter - Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade

Runtime – 1 hour 46 minutes

Released – October 29, 2008

Starring –

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Olga Kurylenko as Camille Montes

Mathieu Amalric as Dominic Greene

Gemma Arterton as MI6 Agent Strawberry Fields

Giancarlo Giannini as René Mathis

Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter

Judi Dench as M

Anatole Taubman as Elvis

David Harbour as Gregg Beam

Joaquín Cosío as General Medrano

Fernando Guillen Cuervo as Carlos

Jesper Christensen as Mr. White

Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner

Paul Ritter as Guy Haines

Tim Pigott-Smith as the Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs

Oona Chaplin as Perla de las Dunas' receptionist

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 15 - True Grit (2010)

Today’s movie is western with a scene that happens on August 15. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

TRUE GRIT

       

Frank Ross is murdered by his hired man, Tom Cheney on a trip to Fort Smith, Arkansas when Ross tries to stop Cheney from shooting the other players in a poker game after Cheney believed he was cheated. Cheney stole two gold pieces off of Ross’s body and stole his horse. Frank’s daughter 14 year old Mattie Ross comes to Fort Smith to get her father’s body and find Cheney. When the sheriff says Cheney has fled with Lucky Ned Pepper to the Indian Territory, where he has no jurisdiction, he names three US Marshals who might find Cheney for a reward. She approaches Marshall Rueben “Rooster” Cogburn, described as the’ meanest” marshal, but he rebuffs her, because Mattie is a child and he does not believe she actually has the reward money. In spite of her youth Mattie out-trades Col. Stonehill, who had done business with her father and gets $320.00. Mattie meets a Texas Ranger named Le Boeuf, who has  been tracking Cheney and wants to take him back to Texas to answer for a murder committed there, but Mattie opposes this and will not partner with him. Mattie buys a horse from Stonehill and hires Cogburn for $100.00. Cogburn heads out after Cheney without her, but she swims the river and catches up to Cogburn, who has partnered with LeBoeuf. LeBoeuf later goes off on his own, but Cogburn and Mattie get directed to a dugout where they capture two members of Ned Pepper’s gang. One kills the other, but not before they learn Pepper is coming to the dugout. They set an ambush, but LeBoeuf shows up at the dugout just before Pepper’s gang arrives. In a shoot-out some outlaws are killed, but Pepper escapes. After an argument, LeBoeuf leaves again. One morning Mattie is going to get water and finds Cheney. After he taunts her she (much to his surprise) shoots him with her father’s pistol. Only wounded Cheney carries Mattie back to Pepper’s camp. By threatening Mattie, Pepper forces Cogburn to ride off. The gang leaves, but Cheney is forced to stay behind with Mattie, as he lost his horse in the earlier fracas. Cheney tries to kill Mattie, but is knocked out by LeBoeuf. Cogburn and Pepper’s gang charge each other, with Cogburn killing all but Pepper himself, who is killed by an amazing rifle shot by LeBoeuf. Cheney knocks out LeBoeuf. Mattie uses his rifle to kill Cheney, but the recoil knocks her into a pit filled with rattlesnakes. She is bit and Cogburn has to ride with her until the horse dies and then carries her to get help. Mattie had to have most of her left arm amputated. Years later, she travels to Memphis to see Cogburn at the Cole Younger Wild West Show on August 15, 1903 [1:41:00 to 1:43:12] but learns he died three days ago, 
                      

This film is a good western and if we didn’t have to compare it to the 1969 version, might be considered a great film. While this film is good, the performances in the 1969 version are great. However, this version was at least filmed using the correct topography as background.

At 1:42:28 Cole Younger says Cogburn died three days ago. At 1:43:31 his tombstone shows he died August 12, 1903, so three days later is the 15^th.

Producers - Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Scott Rudin and Megan Ellison

Director - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Screenplay - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Narrator - Elizabeth Marvel

Awards – This movie was nominated for the Best Actor(Bridges), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Director, Best Picture, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing and Best Supporting Actres(Steinfeld) at the 83^rd Academy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 51 minutes

Released – December 22, 2010

Starring -

Jeff Bridges as Reuben J. "Rooster" Cogburn

Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross

Matt Damon as LeBoeuf

Josh Brolin as Tom Chaney

Barry Pepper as "Lucky" Ned Pepper

Domhnall Gleeson as Moon

Ed Corbin as Bear Man (Dr. Forrester)

Roy Lee Jones as Yarnell Poindexter

Paul Rae as Emmett Quincy

Nicholas Sadler as Sullivan

Dakin Matthews as Colonel Stonehill

Elizabeth Marvel as 40-year-old Mattie

Leon Russom as Sheriff

Jake Walker as Judge Isaac Parker

Don Pirl as Cole Younger

Jarlath Conroy as The Undertaker

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

August 14 - New York, New York

Today’s movie is a musical drama with a scene that happens on August 14. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

NEW YORK, NEW YORK      

       

On August 14, 1945 [2:15 to 21:40] smooth sax player Jimmy Doyle meets singer Francine Evans at a VJ day celebration. The next day Francine unwillingly accompanies Jimmy to an audition, where both are surprised when they are offered a job as a boy-girl act. Their relationship deepens and Francine has Jimmy’s son, but Jimmy abandons both of them. Jimmy becomes a successful nightclub owner and jazz musician, while Francine finds success as a singer and actress.  Jimmy writes a song “New York, New York” that becomes a jazz hit. Francine writes lyrics for the song and has a hit with it also. Jimmy suggests they get meet for dinner, but Francine changes her mind at the last minute and stands Jimmy up. 

           

The date is given in the film at 2:20

Producers - Robert Chartoff and Irwin Winkler

Director - Martin Scorsese

Screenwriters - Earl Mac Rauch and Mardik Martin

Runtime – 2 hours 43 minutes

Released – June 21, 1977

Starring –

Liza Minnelli as Francine Evans

Robert De Niro as Jimmy Doyle

Lionel Stander as Tony Harwell

Barry Primus as Paul Wilson

Mary Kay Place as Bernice Bennett

Frank Sivero as Eddie DiMuzio

Georgie Auld as Frankie Harte

George Memmoli as Nicky

Harry Northup as Alabama

Dick Miller as Palm Club Owner

Clarence Clemons as Cecil Powell

Casey Kasem as DJ aka Midnight Bird

Adam Winkler as Jimmy Doyle, Jr.

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

August 13 - Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

Today’s movie is an action/adventure film with a scene that happens on August 13. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA        

       

The advanced nuclear submarine USOS Seaview learns that as a result of a meteor penetrating the Van Allen Belt, the Belts have caught fire and are causing the Earth to burn up. The subs commander, Admiral Harriman Nelson and retired Commodore Lucius Emery calculate that an atomic  missile fired into the belt at a precise time and from an exact place will destroy them. On August 13, 19__, Nelson and Emery present the plan to the United Nations, but it is rejected [31:24 – 42:24] Nelson says he will do what the President of the US orders and leaves in the Seaview. When he can’t contact the President, he decides to carry on with his plan. After a harrowing trip that includes sabotage, a near mutiny, a hostile sub and mines, the sub reaches the launch point in time and fires its missile, saving the world.

The first of many rather cheesy sci-fi films from Irwin Allen. As entertainment and not science it is pretty good.

At the UN meeting at 34:55 Nelson says the rocket launch must be 16 days from now on August 29 (35:08)

Director - Irwin Allen

Producer - Irwin Allen

Screenwriter - Irwin Allen and Charles Bennett

Released – July 12, 1961

Runtime – 1 hour 45 minutes.

Starring –

Walter Pidgeon as Admiral Harriman Nelson

Joan Fontaine as Dr. Susan Hiller

Barbara Eden as Lieutenant (JG) Cathy Connors

Peter Lorre as Commodore Lucius Emery

Robert Sterling as Captain Lee Crane

Michael Ansara as Miguel Alvarez

Frankie Avalon as Lieutenant (JG) Danny Romano

Regis Toomey as Dr. Jamieson

John Litel as Vice-Admiral B.J. Crawford

Howard McNear as Congressman Llewellyn Parker

Henry Daniell as Dr. Emilio Zucco

Skip Ward as Crew Member

Mark Slade as Seaman Jimmy 'Red' Smith

Charles Tannen as Chief Gleason

Del Monroe as Kowalski

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.    

August 12 - The Scarlet Pimpernel

Today’s movie is an action/adventure film with a scene that happens on August 12. Watch it tonight and enjoy

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL  

James Danby is arrested by the French revolutionary government for aiding the Scarlet Pimpernel; a shadowy figure who smuggles condemned aristocrats out of the country. His associate Armand St. Just goes into hiding. In a bold rescue carried out under the very nose of Robespierre, the revolutionary leader, the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel rescues Danby from prison.  Chauvelin, head of French counter-espionage arrests Armand St. Just. Chauvelin travels to England to uncover the Scarlet Pimpernel, as one of the few facts known about the elusive figure is that he is an English nobleman. On August 12, 1792 [15:07 – 25:48] at a party held to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Wales, Chauvelin meets an old acquaintance Marguerite Blakeney, formerly a French actress ad her foppish husband Sir Percy Blakeney, who is really the Scarlet Pimpernel. Sir Percy invites Chauvelin to stay with them. During the visit, Chauvelin tells Marguerite that her brother Armand St. Just will be executed unless she helps him find the Scarlet Pimpernel. Marguerite, who does not know the secret identity of her husband, asks him to help free her brother but he refuses. However, he later goes to France to try and free Armand. Meanwhile Lady Blakeley discovers her husband is the Scarlet Pimpernel after she has given information to Chauvelin that enables him to discover the same fact. Marguerite travels to France to warn her husband but is arrested. Sir Percy is almost cornered twice, but escapes in spite of the fact that Minette Roland, Armand’s friend is a double agent. The league frees Armand, but Percy is captured. Percy and Marguerite have a jailhouse reunion and are reconciled. Percy later escapes. Marguerite is tried and condemned to death. On the way to her execution an ambush by the League of the Scarlet Pimpernel frees her and she and Percy return to England.  

                      

A classic swashbucklingadventure. You have to pay attention as the twists and turns of the plot are somewhat complicated. All in all and enjoyable adventure film that concentrates  on developing the characters as much as the action.    

At 29:53-55 Chauvelin says he’s there “to celebrate the birthday of the Prince of Wales” which was on this date as per Prince of Pleasure: The Prince of Wales and the Making of the Regency by Saul David (Atlantic Monthly Press, New York, 1998) at page 5

Director – Patrick Lau

Screenplay – Richard Carpenter

Runtime – 1 hour 34 minutes

Released – January 24, 1999

Starring – Richard E. Grant as Sir Percy Blakeney/ the Scarlet Pimpernel, Elizabeth McGovern as Marguerite Blakeney, Martin Shaw as Paul Chauvelin, Pascal Langdale as Armand St. Just, Emilia Fox as Minette Roland, Ronan Vibert as Robespierre, Anthony Green as Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, Jamie Bamber as Lord Antony Dewhurst, Jonathan Coy as the Prince of Wales, Dominic Mafhan as James Danby

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.