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.