May 22 - The Late Shift

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on May 22. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE LATE SHIFT           

We see David Letterman’s press conference when he signs with CBS. We then flashback three years. CBS wants to emulate the success and profitability of the Tonight Show.  Letterman feels NBC gives him no respect, with Leno as Carson’s permanent guest host. Letterman really wants to host the Tonight Show. CBS meets with Leno’s agent, Helen Kushnick. There is a change at the top of NBC and the network makes a deal with Leno to become the host when Carson leaves. Carson announces his retirement. When NBC says Leno will replace Carson, Letterman says he wants out of his contract. Letterman hires Michael Ovitz as his agent. On May 22, 1992 Carson hosts the Tonight Show for the last time. [37:40 to 41:03] Other networks pitch to Letterman. Leno’s tenure gets off to a rocky start as Kushnick starts bullying guests and their agents as well as canceling the show when it appears it might start late due to coverage of the Republican National Convention. NBC tells Leno either she goes or he goes. After a bitter public fight, Leno dumps her.  CBS offers Letterman $12.5 million a year, with a $50 million penalty if they don’t give him a show at 11:30. NBC can match this offer, but since they’ve given the Tonight Show to Leno, if they match they’ll have to pay Letterman $50 million. The president of NBC tries to make a deal with Letterman.Letterman says he wants the Tonight Show or nothing.  Leno eavesdrops on an NBC executive meeting about the late night schedule.  NBC offers Letterman a deal to give him the Tonight Show in 18 months. Letterman calls Carson who says he would walk, so Letterman does. He signs with CBS.   

A good film about an entertainment controversy. This movie shows the seamy underside of television. Even though you know how it comes out this film still manages to make the story interesting enough so you want to keep watching.

Stay Tuned: Television’s Unforgettable Moments by Joe Garner (Andrew McNeal Publishing, Kansas City, 2002) at page 48 gives the date of the broadcast

Awards – The film was nominated for the Outstanding Individual Achievement in Casting for a Miniseries or a Special, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Miniseries or a Special, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Makeup for a Miniseries or a Special, Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Miniseries or a Special, Outstanding Made for Television Movie, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (Williams), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Special (Bates) Emmys, at the 48^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Screenplay - George Armitage and Bill Carter 

Producer - Ivan Reitman and Don Carmody                   

Director - Betty Thomas                                                 

Runtime – 1 hour 35 minutes                                          

Released - February 24, 1996  

Starring -  

Kathy Bates as Helen Kushnick

John Higgins as David Letterman

Daniel Roebuck as Jay Leno

Bob Balaban as Warren Littlefield

Ed Begley, Jr. as Rod Perth

Peter Jurasik as Howard Stringer

Reni Santoni as John Agoglia

Rich Little as Johnny Carson

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014

May 21 - Charles II: The Power and the Passion

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on May 21. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

CHARLES II: THE POWER AND THE PASSION      

Charles Stuart, living in exile has a nightmare about the execution of his father, King Charles I of England.   His friend, George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham wants him to compromise with Cromwell to regain the throne while his mother wants him to become a Catholic so France will put him back on the throne. He meets and begins an affair with the married Lady Barbara Villiers (Lady Castlemaine). News is received that Oliver Cromwell has died. General Monck takes power and offers the throne to Charles. He accepts and returns to England and is crowned king. He resists attempts by parliament to control him. Many of those who killed Charles I are executed.  There is a row when Lady Castlemaine bears the King a son and he does not instantly acknowledge him. Even though some of his advisors oppose the marriage, Charles weds Catherine of Braganza on May 21, 1662 [32:22 to 37:33], but spends most of the wedding night with Lady Castlemaine. His brother Henry dies. Some of his advisors promote a war with Holland in order to make the crown rich. The Queen is angry when Charles appoints Lady Castlemaine to her household and his brother James is upset when Charles refuses to let him divorce his wife. When Charles throws her over,  Lady Castlemaine seduces Charles’ illegitimate son James Scott. Parliament insists on a Test Act to exclude Catholics from government office. The queen miscarries and the plague strikes London.  Lady Castlemaine tries to find proof that Charles was married to James Scott’s mother, Lucy Walter. Charles’s brother James converts to Catholicism. Catherine offers to let Charles have an annulment, but he declines.   Lady Castlemaine’s efforts to promote Lady Francis Stewart end when Lady Stewart elopes with the Duke of Richmond. The English navy suffers a series of defeats by the Dutch. Even though Sir Edward Hyde opposed the Dutch war, he gets blamed for these reverses.  Charles again refuses to end his marriage to Catherine or to make James Scott his heir. The great fire of London breaks out, destroying much of the city. The King’ s mother dies in France. Charles acquires a new mistress in Nell Gwynn. Lady Castlemaine tries to get the King to acknowledge her youngest child, but he refuses. Charles discovers John Churchill in bed with Lady Castlemaine and the king finally ends it with her. Charles’s sister  Henrietta comes with an offer from King Louis XIV of France, her brother-in-law. He will pay Charles money to join a new war against Holland. Charles also proposes to become Catholic in return for further sums. Henrietta dies. Charles takes a new mistress, Louise de Kerouaille, one of his sister’s ladies in waiting. The King’s brother James marries Mary of Modena, a Catholic. In anger Parliament forces all Catholic ministers out of office. Titus Oates falsely suggested that there was a Catholic plot to kill the King, involving the Queen’s household, leading to rioting. Parliament proposes a bill to exclude Charles’s brother James from the throne. Charles has to arrest his treasurer, Lord Danby to save him from impeachment, when Charles’s secret treaty with France came to light. Charles allows Lord Stafford to be executed for treason. James Scott is exiled. Charles has a stroke and dies, just after converting to Catholicism.

If you think politicians today have poor morals, just watch this film. Today’s leaders just continue a long line of greed and self-interest that has existed for centuries. This film does have excellent costumes and make-up.

The Life and Times of Charles II by Christopher Folkus (Abbeville Press, New York, 1992) at page 90 gives the date of the wedding

Producer - Kate Harwood

Director - Joe Wright

Screenplay - Adrian Hodges

Awards - Nominated for Outstanding Music Composition for a Miniseries, Movie or a
                  Special (Dramatic Underscore) Emmy at the 56^th Primetime Emmys.

Released -  March  21, 2004

Runtime - 3 hours 55 minutes

Starring -

Rufus Sewell as Charles II of England

Rupert Graves as George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham

Helen McCrory as Barbara Palmer, Countess of Castlemaine

Christian Coulson as James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth

Ian McDiarmid as Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon

Shirley Henderson as Catherine of Braganza

Martin Freeman as Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury

Charlie Creed-Miles as James, Duke of York

Anne-Marie Duff as Henrietta Anne of England

Shaun Dingwall as The Earl of Danby

Emma Pierson as Nell Gwynn

David Bradley as Sir Edmund Berry Godfrey

Diana Rigg as Queen Henrietta Maria

Alice Patten as Lady Frances Stewart

Garry Cooper as General Monck

Thierry Perkins-Lyautey as Louis XIV of France

Cyrille Thouvenin as Philippe I, Duke of Orléans

Martin Turner as Charles I of England

Sean Biggerstaff as Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester

Predrag Bjelac as Portuguese Courtier

Robert East  as The Earl of Arlington

Dorian Lough as Clifford

Eddie Marsan as Titus Oates

Ryan Nelson as Young Monmouth

Jochum ten Haaf as William of Orange

Mélanie Thierry as Louise de Kérouaille

Simon Treves as Member of Parliament

Peter Wight  as The Duke of Ormonde

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

May 20 - The House on Garibaldi Street

Today’s movie is a suspense drama with a scene that happens on May 20. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE HOUSE ON GARIBALDI STREET      

Israeli premier David Ben-Gurion approves a Mossad operation, led by Isser Harel to kidnap Adolf Eichmann, the Nazi mass murderer in Argentina. Harel and his team travel to Argentina to track down Ricardo Klement, who it has been suggested is Eichmann. Unfortunately, Klement had moved two months ago. Primo, one of the Mossad’s local contacts goes to Klement’s former residence and gets a lead to Dieter, one of Eichmann’s sons.  The team arranges for a hotel bellboy to deliver a parcel to Dieter, addressed to another son Nicholas. The Mossad trails Dieter, but he goes to the dentist and not his house. Michael, the agent in charge sends the bellboy back to the Klement’s old address and he learns their new address. Harel learns that Israel has been invited to send a delegation to Argentina’s 150^th  celebration of its independence. A special flight will be sent, on which Eichmann can be smuggled out of the country. The Mossad finally spots Eichmann. Harel flies to Argentina to take over the operation.  The Mossad rents three houses near Buenos Aires. The Mossad snatches Eichmann off the streets and take him to a safe house. Dieter Eichmann contacts other local Nazis for help in recovering his father. The Israeli agents watching Eichmann are conflicted as they want to kill him instead of taking him back for trial. The Israeli special plane arrives. Meanwhile Michael interrogates Eichmann about the Holocaust. Michael thinks they are on the verge of being caught by the police and that they should kill Eichmann while they can. They disguise Eichmann as an  Israeli mechanic injured in an accident.   A policeman in the pay of the Nazis tries to stop the takeoff, but they convince the airport officials to let the flight take off on May 20, 1960 [1:26:55 to 1:36:34] The plane returns to Israel, where Eichmann was tried , found guilty of crimes against humanity and executed.

An interesting film. However, for some reason as often happens in adaptations of books major plot points were altered, for no good reason that I can see. The book is a page turner and has a high suspense level. I see no reason a straight adaptation could not have been done.

Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World’s Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, New York, 2009) at page 288  and the film at 1:27:00 give the date of departure

Director - Peter Collinson      

Producer - Mort Abrahams                                            

Screenplay - Steve Shagan and Isser Harel   

Runtime- 1 hour 38 minutes  

Released   -  May 28, 1979                                                                                    

Starring –

Topol as  Michael

Nick Mancuso as Ari

Janet Suzman as Hedda

Martin Balsam as Isser Harel

John Bennett  as Aaron Lazar

Leo McKern as David Ben-Gurion

Charles Gray  as Gen. Lischke

Derren Nesbitt as Arthur Lubinsky

Alfred Burke as Adolf Eichmann

John Cater as Doctor

Edward Judd as Meged

Wolf Kahler as Real Estate Agent

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

May 19 - Matewan

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

MATEWAN         

In Mingo County, West Virginia in 1920 after the Stone Mountain Coal company reduces wages and raises prices in the company store in the same week, the miners vote to form a union and go on strike. The company brings in African-Americans and recent immigrants to work as scabs, relying on racism and xenophobia to divide the miners.  Joe Kenehan, a union organizer arrives in Matewan and stays at the boarding house of widow Elma Radnor and her son Danny, a miner and preacher. Kenehan meets with the local union at the restaurant of C.E. Lively. The unofficial leader of the African–American miners, "Few Clothes" Johnson comes to the meeting and Kenehan says to succeed the union must accept African-Americans and immigrants as members so there will be no one left to work in the mines. Mrs. Radnor is forced to allow two hired thugs of the company from the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency to stay in the boardinghouse. When they try to illegally evict a mining family from company housing, the town marshall, Sid Hatfield stops them after deputizing the miners.  Kenehan and the local union leader Sephus eventually persuade the African-Americans and immigrants join the strike. The miners are forced to live in tents, but when Baldwin-Felts men try to pressure them, some hill people drive them off. The company tries to ‘buy’ Sid Hatfield and the mayor,  Cabell Testerman, but fail. There is a nighttime shootout with the Baldwin-Felts men. Sephus is wounded and taken in by some hill people, but he sees that Lively is actually a company spy. Lively convinces a young widow, Bridey Mae Tolliver, that  Kenehan, instead of responding positively to a love letter she addressed to him, has been saying derogatory things about her. She tells a story that Kenehan raped her and Livley produces a fake letter from Baldwin-Felts to Kenehan that says Joe is the spy. The miners draw straws to decide who will kill Kenehan. Danny learns of the companies plot to get rid of Kenehan, but the Baldwin-Felts men threaten him into staying silent. However, at a prayer meeting that night Danny tells the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, but alters it sufficiently to alert the miners present (but not the Baldwin-Felts men) that Kenehan is innocent and his murder is called off. Sephus returns and after Lively’s restaurant is burned down, he flees town. While Danny and another miner, Hillard are stealing coal, Hillard is caught. After being threatened with death Hillard gives the names of five other union men (which turn out to be the names of men who died in a coal accident years ago), but is killed anyway, while Danny watches. On May 19, 1920 [2:01:00 to 2:07:36] more Baldwin-Felts  men arrive to complete the evictions but Sid Hatfield and the mayor stand in their way. Kenehan tries to stop it but a gun fight begins with the miners assisting Hatfield. The mayor and Kenehan are killed as well as seven of the Baldwin-Felts men.       

This is a very interesting little movie about a forgotten episode in American history. Shines a spotlight on two American heroes, Sid Hatfield and Cabell Testerman, who refused to be bought and stood up to the big money for the little man. Everybody who works should watch this movie. Corporate America has only changed its methods, not its goals since the time of Matewan.

West Virginia by John A. Williams (W.W. Norton & Co., New York, 1976) at page 147 gives the date of the “battle”

Director - John Sayles

Producer - Peggy Rajski and Maggie Renzi

Screenplay - John Sayles

Released - August 28, 1987

Runtime – 1 hour 12 minutes

Starring –

Chris Cooper as Joe Kenehan

James Earl Jones as "Few Clothes" Johnson

Mary McDonnell as Elma Radnor

Will Oldham as Danny Radnor

David Strathairn as Police Chief Sid Hatfield

Ken Jenkins as Sephus Purcell

Gordon Clapp as Griggs

Kevin Tighe as Hickey

John Sayles as Hardshell Preacher

Bob Gunton as C.E. Lively

Josh Mostel as Mayor Cabell Testerman

Nancy Mette as Bridey Mae Tolliver

Jace Alexander as Hillard Elkins

Joe Grifasi as Fausto

Maggie Renzi as Rosaria

Jo Henderson as Mrs. Elkins

Gary McCleery as Ludi

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

May 18 - St. Helens

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

ST. HELENS            

      

After 123 years, volcanic activity starts at Mount St. Helens, causing a disruption in the Earth’s magnetic field that causes a flock of quail to collide with a  helicopter, almost causing it to crash. David Jackson is sent by the USGS to investigate. Harry Truman is the crotchety owner of Spirit Lake lodge located near the mountain. Jackson meets and falls in love with Linda, a waitress at a local restaurant. Some locals are upset that Jackson is saying Mount St. Helens might be active as they are afraid it will cause economic loss.  Jackson sets up instruments to monitor the mountain. When a smoke plume goes up the head of the USGS comes to the mountain, but he downplays the seriousness of the situation.  Tourists come to see the volcano as it continues to vent, while the sheriff tries to get and keep people out of the danger zone. The townspeople talk the governor into allowing access to the town again. Jackson flies into the crater in a helicopter and gets what he thinks is positive proof that an eruption is on the way. An evacuation is ordered. On May 18, 1980, Jackson is on the mountain to monitor equipment when the mountain erupts killing him and many others, including Harry Truman,  who stupidly decided to stay in the area. [1:22:04 to 1:30:53]

A tolerable melodrama. The acting is good, although certainly not Oscar quality. It is good enough to keep you interested.

Encyclopedia of Earthquakes and Volcanoes by Alexander Gates and David Ritchie (Checkmark Books, New York, 2007) p. 223

Producer - Peter S. Davis and William N. Panzer

Director - Ernest Pintoff

Screenplay  - Peter Bellwood, Larry Ferguson, Michael Timothy Murphy and Larry

                       Sturholm

Released -  September, 1981

Runtime – 1 hour 30 min

Starring -

Art Carney as Harry Truman

David Huffman as David A. Johnston

Cassie Yates as Linda Steele

Albert Salmi as  Clyde Whittaker

Ron O'Neal as  Otis Kaylor

Tim Thomerson as  Sheriff Wayne Temple

Bill McKinney as  Kilpatrick

Nehemiah Persoff as  Mr. Ellison

Brendan Burns as  David Crockett

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014. 

May 17 - King Solomon's Mines (1950)

Today’s movie is an action –adventure film with a scene on May 17.

KING SOLOMON’S MINES                 

White hunter Alan Quartermain has become disillusioned with his job. When John Goode asks him to help his sister Elizabeth, look for her lost husband Henry Curtis he initially refuses, until she offers Quartermain enough money to provide for his young son in England should he be killed. Henry Curtis was looking for the legendary lost mines of King Solomon and they have a copy of his map. The safari begins, even though Quartermain is still very skeptical about taking a woman along. They reach a native village where they learn Curtis passed through. They encounter the usual African dangers, including surviving a stampede caused by a wildfire. The group encounters a tall African named Umbopa who asks to accompany them on their expedition. All their bearers run away except for Khiva. They arrive at a village where they find a white man who calls himself Smith. He is really Van Brun, who is wanted for murder and fled to the jungle to avoid arrest. He remembers Curtis and his bearer passing through, but just the bearer returned, only to die a few hours later. The tribe are cannibals and they have to take Van Brun hostage to escape. Van Brun tries to escape, killing Khiva and is killed by Quartermain. The quartet reach the desert shown on Curtis’s map. They almost die of thirst, but on May 17, 1897 they reach the waterhole shown on the map. [1:17:26 to 1:18:23]  This enables them to press on into the mountains on the other side of the desert. Here they find a fertile valley and evidence that Curtis reached this far. They also learn that Umbopa is a prince of the Tutsi tribe that lives there and he is returning to claim his throne from  his cousin Twala who usurped the throne. The three whites have a tense meeting with Twala. Twala supporter Gagool speaks of Curtis and leads them to a diamond rich cave where they find Curtis’s skeleton. Gagool triggers a booby trap, sealing the three Europeans inside.  They escape to find Umbopa and Twala about to fight to the death for the throne. Umbopa wins and gives them enough bearers and supplies to return to civilization.

This is a passable adventure film, based on a classic novel of the genre. The film seems a little dated today with its misogynistic tinge and racist undertones. If you can put this to one side and just enjoy, it is a good film. The cinematography is fantastic, as it was one of the first films set in Africa to actually be filmed there, and not in a studio. 

In the book King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard (Magnum Books, New York, 1968) at page 83 they reach a waterhole and spend the rest of the day beside it and when they leave it “that night we covered nearly…” (May 17/18) [page 84], they rest the next day and “at the approach of evening…” set off again (May 18/19), [page 84] the next day they find melons and “That night …” (May19/20), set out again [page 86] they continue climbing and “that night we ate our last morsel… “(May20/21). [page 87] immediately after this the date 21^st May is given on page 87.  In the movie at 2:47 the year is given as 1897. 

Producer - Sam Zimbalist

Director  - Compton Bennett and Andrew Marton

Screenplay - Helen Deutsch

Awards – The film won the Best Color Cinematography and Best Film Editing Oscars. It

                 was also nominated for Best Picture at the 23^rd Academy Awards. 

Released – November 24, 1950

Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes

Starring –

Deborah Kerr as Elizabeth Curtis 

Stewart Granger as Allan Quatermain 

Richard Carlson as John Goode 

Hugo Haas as Van Brun a.k.a. Smith 

Lowell Gilmore as Eric Masters, District Commissioner 

Kimursi as Khiva  

Siriaque as Umbopa 

Sekaryongo as Chief Gagool 

Baziga as King Twala              

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.

May 16 - The Dam Busters

This war movie has a scene that happens on May 16. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

THE DAM BUSTERS                      

During World War II, Barnes Wallis comes up with an idea on how to destroy three dams in Germany that supply the water and power for the Ruhr, a major industrial area. His idea is to drop a spinning bomb so it will bounce over anti-torpedo netting and explode right next to the dam, causing a breach. Even though his prototype bomb works, he can’t get the project going until he gets the support of Arthur Harris, the head of bomber command. A special squadron is formed and they practice low level flying over water, as the bomb will have to be dropped from a very low altitude. The first full scale trial fails. Gibson gets an idea from the spotlights at a London show to use spotlights on the water to establish their altitude, as they are flying so low the normal altimeter won’t work. After the second trial also fails, Barnes realizes the bomb will have to be dropped from a mere 60 feet. The third trial works. A simple bombsight is developed and tested. The men of the squadron get into a fight with men from another squadron who had insulted them saying that all they do is train. On May 16, 1943 the planes take off for Germany.  The regimental mascot is run over by a car. At least two bombers are shot down en route to the dams. [1:04:22 to 1:33:48]  After several bomb explosions which do no significant damage they successfully breach the first dam. With only three planes they also successfully breach the second dam.   Almost 40% of the squadron doesn’t come back.

A very interesting film about a very unusual bombing mission. Fascinating in that it shows how the bomb was developed and tested. The sequences showing the raid are very suspenseful and influenced the destruction of the death star sequence in Star Wars. 

The Strategic Bombing of Germany by Alan J. Levine (Praeger, London, 1992) at page 56 gives the date of the raid

Director  - Michael Anderson

Screenplay - R. C. Sherriff

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Special Effects Oscar at the 28^th Academy Awards.

Released - May 24, 1955

Runtime – 2 hours 4 minutes 

Starring –

Richard Todd as Wing Commander Guy Gibson

Michael Redgrave as Barnes Wallis

Ursula Jeans as Mrs Molly Wallis

Basil Sydney as Sir Arthur Harris

Patrick Barr as Captain Joseph "Mutt" Summers

Ernest Clark as Air Vice-Marshal The Honourable Ralph Cochrane

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.