July 14 - Washington Square

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

WASHINGTON SQUARE                      

       

When Catherine Sloper is born her mother dies and her father Dr. Austin Sloper blames his daughter for causing his wife’s death. Catherine grows up into a plain and dull young woman, devoid of all social graces. Then, at the engagement party for her cousin Maria Almond she meets Morris Townsend, an attractive, but penniless young man. Since Catherine has a large income from her mother’s estate and the prospect of more when her father dies, Dr. Sloper immediately presumes he is a fortune hunter and tries everything, even bribing Townsend’s sister to keep him away from Catherine. Catherine’s companion and chaperone, her Aunt Lavinia, on the other hand does everything she can to encourage the match.  When Townsend proposes Dr. Sloper refuses his consent, telling Catherine he will disinherit her if she marries him. Catherine does not care, but cannot bring herself to disobey her father and elope. On July 14, 1880 [1:03:36 to 1:04:36] Catherine visits the Bastille Day celebrations to escape. Her father takes Catherine on a trip to Europe and while there speaks so contemptuously to her that Catherine finally realizes that her father despises her. Upon her return to America, Catherine tells Morris her father will never relent, but that she is now ready to marry him even if she is disinherited. Morris abandons her and leaves for New Orleans. Years pass. Catherine cares for her father during his final illness, but refuses to promise him that  she will not marry Townsend after his death. He cuts her out of his will. After more years have passed Morris returns, but she sends him away.   

                       

This is a tragedy. I think Dr. Sloper must win the ‘Worst Father in all of Cinema’ award. He is a real piece of work as we say. He holds his daughter in contempt and can’t believe anyone would want to marry her for any non-financial reason.

Bastille Day is on this date as per Encyclopedia of Holidays and Celebrations, Vol. I ed. by Matthew Dennis (FactsonFile Publishers, New York, 2000) at page 432

Producer – Roger Bimbaum and Julie Bergman Sender

Director - Agnieszka Holland

Screenplay – Carol Doyle

Runtime – 1 hour 55 minutes

       

Released - October 17, 1997

Starring –

Jennifer Jason Leigh as Catherine Sloper

Albert Finney as Dr. Austin Sloper

Ben Chaplin as Morris Townsend

Maggie Smith as Aunt Lavinia

Judith Ivey as Aunt Elizabeth Almond

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014

July 13 - O Brother, Where Art Thou?

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

O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU?           

Ulysses Everett McGill, Delmar O'Donnell and Pete Hogwallop escape from prison in order to retrieve the million dollar proceeds of an armored car robbery that Everett says he hid in an area that is soon to be flooded for hydroelectric development. The get a ride on a railroad handcart with a blind African-American who predicts that they will find a fortune, just not they one they’re looking for and will see “a cow on the roof of a cotton house”. Pete’s cousin Wash cuts off their chains, but secretly informs Sheriff Cooley because he needs the reward. The Sheriff tries to burn the barn they’re sleeping in, but Wash’s son helps them escape. Pete and Delmar are baptized during a revival service. They meet a young African-American guitar player, Tommy who says he sold his soul to the devil (who looks just like Sheriff Cooley) in return for the ability to play. The four go to a local radio station and as ‘The Soggy Bottom Boys’ record a song “I am a Man of Constant Sorrow”.  Tommy leaves and they meet “Baby Face” Nelson and help him rob a bank, before parting ways. On July 13, 1937 [37:37 to 40:47] a record producer is looking for the Soggy Bottom Boys so he can sign them to a recording contract, since their song has become a big hit. They encounter three women who drug them and when they awake Pete is gone. Everett and Delmar meet a one-eyed Bible salesman named ‘Big Dan’ Teague, but he mugs them and steals their car. Pete is tortured by the sheriff for info on Everett and Delmar’s current location. During the course of the film we see scenes involving the governor’s race between the incumbent  Menelaus "Pappy" O'Daniel and Homer Stokes, who paints himself as the reform candidate. At a Stokes campaign rally Everet sees his young daughters singing and meets his ex-wife, Penny who has told them he is dead. He meets her ‘bona fide’ new suitor who bests Everett in a fistfight. Everett and Delmar help bust Pete out of jail. He tells them he had to tell about the treasure. Everett says there is no treasure. He escaped to prevent his ex-wife’s wedding.  The trio chance upon a KKK rally, where Tommy is about to be strung up. The trio take the place of the color guard in order to free him, but ‘Big Dan’ Teague recognizes them and exposes them to the leader, who turns out to be Stokes. However, the trio escape with Tommy. Disguised as ‘The Soggy Bottom Boys’ the trio sneak into a Stokes campaign rally that Penny is attending. Stokes recognizes them as the ones who busted up the rally and denounces them, but the crowd runs him out of town. The Governor scores points with the crowd by pardoning the trio. Penny agrees to marry Everett again if he gets their original wedding band from their house. The trio travel to the house which is in the valley that is to be flooded. Sheriff Cooley arrests them and starts to hang them, but the floodwaters arrive and save them. While floating they see a “cow on the roof of a cotton house” and Everett finds a wedding band. However Penny says it is not the correct ring, and the movie ends with Everett protesting the  futility of trying to find the ring at the lake bottom.

       

A very funny and surreal kind of movie. It is said to be based on “The Odyssey” by Homer. The storyline of a wanderer trying to return to his wife with adventures along the way is similar. The dialogue is funny, the characters interesting and the music is good.

Date given in film at 40:34 on newspaper

Producer - Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

Director - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Screenplay - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen

Awards – The movie was nominated for the Best Cinematography and Best Adapted

                 Screenplay Oscars at the 73^rd Academy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 48 minutes

Released – December 12 , 2000

Starring –

George Clooney as Ulysses Everett McGill

Tim Blake Nelson as Delmar O'Donnell

John Turturro as Pete Hogwallop

Chris Thomas King as Tommy Johnson

John Goodman as Daniel "Big Dan" Teague

Holly Hunter as Penny McGill (''née'' Wharvey)

Charles Durning as Menelaus "Pappy" O'Daniel

Daniel von Bargen as Sheriff Cooley

Wayne Duvall as Homer Stokes

Ray McKinnon as Vernon T. Waldrip

Michael Badalucco as Baby Face Nelson

Stephen Root as Mr. Lund

Lee Weaver as the Blind Seer

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

July 12 - The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Part 6 - Catherine Parr

The movie with a scene that happens on July 12 is a period drama.  

THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII: PART 6 – CATHERINE PARR

Catherine Parr, Lady Latimer is summoned to court to meet the king. Her intelligence, honesty and placid nature attract him. She refuses his proposal at first, but is persuaded by Archbishop Cranmer, Thomas Seymour and Edward Seymour to accept, as they hope to use her to promote Protestant doctrines.  Thomas Seymour, even though he is personally attracted to Catherine persuades her to marry the king. On July 12, 1543  [22:18 to 26:48] Henry VIII marries Catherine Parr, the last of his six wives.  Catherine arranges to have Thomas Seymour sent overseas on an embassy. Henry’s three children become close to Catherine. Henry goes abroad to campaign and makes her regent. Bishop Gardiner starts an investigation of the Queen’s ladies-in-waiting. Cranmer is ordered brought before the council for examination, but the king prevents this from happening. Anne Askew, a protestant writer is tortured by Gardiner. Catherine expresses her doubt that Anne was guilty of anything and this angers the king. Gardiner persuades Henry to let Catherine be ‘examined’. Catherine learns of this and goes into depression. Cranmer comes to see her and she follows his advice and goes to the King and apologizes. When Wriothlesly comes to serve the warrant for her arrest, Henry tears it up. Henry goes into a final decline and dies, but Gardiner continues to try and convince Henry to move against the Queen up until the last minute. Nine year old Edward is proclaimed king. Thomas Seymour proposes to Catherine and she accepts.

              

Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII by David Starkey (HarperCollins Publishers, New York, 2007) at page 713 gives the date of the wedding

Producer – Ronald Travers and Mark Shivas

Director – Naomi Capon

Screenplay – John Prebble

Awards - The film won the Outstanding Single Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (Michell) Emmy award. It was also nominated for the Outstanding   Drama Series, Outstanding New Series, Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a leading role in a dramatic series (Michell) and the Outstanding Single Program, drama or comedy at the 24^th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 30 minutes    

Released – February, 5 1970                                 

Starring –

Keith Michell as Henry VIII of England

Rosalie Crutchley as Catherine Parr

Howard Goorney as Will Somers

John Ronane as Sir Thomas Seymour

Elizabeth Bell as Anne Askew

Daniel Moynihan as Edward Seymour

Bernard Hepton as Archbishop Cranmer

Basil Dignam as Bishop Gardiner

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014     

July 11 - El Cid

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on July 11. I hope you will watch this movie tonight and enjoy it.

EL CID                      

Ben Yosef tells the Moorish Emirs of Spain his plans to bring an army to attack the Christian kingdoms of Castille and Aragon. Don Rodrigo defeats a Moorish army and captures Al-Mu'tamin, Emir of Zaragosa and Al-Kadir, Emir of Valencia. After Rodrigo releases them on condition they never attack Castille again. The two emirs proclaim Rodrigo, “El Cid” and swear loyalty to him. For releasing them García Ordóñez and  later Count Gormaz, father of El Cid’s inamorata Jimena and the King’s champion call El Cid a traitor. Don Diego, El Cid’s father supports him and is insulted by Count Gormaz. When he refuses to retract the insult, El Cid kills him in a duel. Jimena swears vengeance on El Cid and plots with García Ordóñez. El Cid is cleared of the treason charge by beating the champion of Aragon in single combat over the ownership of a disputed city. Sancho, the king’s son, El Cid and García Ordóñez are sent on a mission to collect tribute. García Ordóñez plots to have El Cid killed, but he is saved by Al-Mu'tamin. Upon his return the King orders his marriage to Jimena, but the marriage is unconsummated and she goes to live in a convent. King Ferdinand dies and when the younger son, Alfonso wants the kingdom divided, the elder Sancho sends him to the dungeons. He is rescued by El Cid and goes to the one city given to their sister, Urraca. Ben Yosef plots to cause civil war and sends Dolfos to Urraca. He promises her to kill Sancho and to Sancho he promises to lead him into the city by a secret way. Dolfos kills Sancho, but is killed by El Cid. El Cid forces Alfonso to swear he had nothing to do with Sancho’s death, but for his impudence, El Cid is banished. Jimena’s heart has changed and she goes into exile with El Cid. After some years El Cid is summoned by Alfonso to defend the realm, but refuses when Alfonso refuses to accept the Moorish Emirs El Cid has produced as allies. Al-Mu'tamin and El Cid lay siege to Valencia. Alfonso loses a battle to Ben Yosef and blames El Cid. Alfonso imprisons Jimena and their children, but  García Ordóñez frees them and takes them to El Cid. Valencia is captured, but when offered the crown El Cid sends it to Alfonso. Ben Yosef attacks Valencia and is defeated, but El Cid is wounded. Alfonso comes to ask for El Cid’s forgiveness before El Cid dies. The next day, On July 11, 1099 [2:59:28 to 3:05:33] the dead body of El Cid is strapped to a horse and escorted by King Alfonso and Al-Mu'tamin, Emir of Zaragosa leads an attack that breaks Ben Yosef’s siege of the city.

A truly spectacular historical epic. The scenery and costumes are magnificent. However, the acting seems kind of stiff. You really don’t feel any on screen chemistry between Heston and Loren. Having said that the film does have a script that keeps the plot moving so you really don’t notice that this film is three hours long.

The Quest for El Cid by Richard Fletcher (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1990) at page 185 gives his death date

Producer - Samuel Bronston

Director - Anthony Mann

Screenplay - Philip Yordan

Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Art Direction, Best Original Score and

                 Best Song Oscars at the 34^th Academy Awards.

Runtime – 3 hours 8 minutes

Released - October 24, 1961

Starring –

Charlton Heston as El Cid, Spain’s greatest hero

Sophia Loren as Doña Jimena Diaz, his wife

Herbert Lom as Ben Yusuf, leader of trhe Almoravides

Raf Vallone as García Ordóñez, a Castillian nobleman

Geneviève Page as Urraca of Zamora, sister of Alfonso VI

John Fraser as Alfonso VI of León and Castile

Douglas Wilmer as Al-Mu'tamin, Emir of Zaragosa

Frank Thring as Al-Kadir, Emir of Valencia

Michael Hordern as Don Diego, Rodrigo’s father

Andrew Cruickshank as Count Gormaz, Jimena’s father

Gary Raymond as Sancho II of León and Castile, the 1st born of King Ferdinand

Ralph Truman as Ferdinand I of León and Castile

Massimo Serato as Fañez, Rodrigo’s nephew

Fausto Tozzi as Dolfos, a hired killer

Hurd Hatfield, as Arias

Tullio Carminati as Al-Jarifi

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

July 10 - The Lake House

Today’s movie is a fantasy romance with a scene that happens on July 10. I hope you will watch this film tonight and enjoy it.  

THE LAKE HOUSE          

       

In 2006 Dr. Kate Forester moves out of the house she lived in on the lake, leaving a letter for the next the next tenant in the mailbox, asking them to forward her mail. She says the dog’s paw prints on the walkway where there when she moved in and so was the box in the attic. In 2004 Alex Wyler, an architect moves in the lake house, finds Kate’s letter, but is puzzled as there are no paw prints and it looks like no one has lived in the house for years. In Chicago at Daly Plaza on Valentine’s Day Kate sees a man killed in an accident, even though she tries to save him. While restoring the house a dog shows up and makes the paw prints exactly where Kate said they would be and is adopted by Alex. Alex meets his brother, but is ignored by his father who is upset with him for not working as an architect, but a house builder instead. Alex goes to the address Kate left in her letter, but there’s just an apartment building under construction there.  She leaves him a letter telling him when an unexpected spring snowstorm will occur.  The two become convinced that they are living two years apart and can communicate through the mailbox. Alex directs Kate on a walking tour of Chicago’s architectural highlights. Alex takes a tree from the lake house and plants it in front of the unfinished apartment house. Directed by Kate, Alex goes to a train station where two years before (but the present for him) she had left a copy of Jane Austen’s novel Persuasion.  He promises to return it to her someday. On July 10, 2006 [39:02 to 42:07] Kate writes a letter asking Alex to call her, but her former boyfriend Morgan does instead. Alex’s dog runs off and he meets Morgan, who invites him to Kate’s birthday party. Alex and Kate dance and even kiss, but he does not tell her about their (for her) future correspondence. Alex’s father has a heart attack and dies during surgery, but before the operation he and Alex are reconciled. Kate gives Alex a copy of a book printed about his father. Alex makes reservations at a restaurant two years in the future for him, but the next day for Kate. She goes, but Alex does not show up. Kate breaks it off with Alex and reconnects with Morgan and they get engaged. Alex puts a box in the attic and rents the lake house to Kate. Alex and his brother Henry open an architecture firm. Kate finds her copy of Persuasion which Alex had hidden in the uncompleted apartment house. On Valentine’s day 2008, Kate and Morgan go to  Henry Wyler’s Architecture firm. There she sees a drawing of the lake house and learns that Henry’s brother Alex was killed two years ago that day in a traffic accident in Daly Plaza. Realizing the man she saw killed was Alex she races back to the lake house and leaves him a letter begging him not to try and meet her that day. As she waits at the mailbox Alex shows up and they kiss.    

                       

An interesting, if confusing romantic film. If you just go with the story you’ll be all right. If you try to think about the chronology of the plot, you’ll just get a headache. So just relax and enjoy it.

                       

Date given in film at 39:19-22

Producer - Doug Davison and Roy Lee

Director - Alejandro Agresti

Screenplay - David Auburn

Released – June 16, 2006

Runtime – 1 hour 45 minutes

Starring –

Keanu Reeves as Alex Wyler

Sandra Bullock as Kate Forster

Christopher Plummer as Simon J. Wyler

Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Henry Wyler

Shohreh Aghdashloo as Dr. Anna Klyczynski

Dylan Walsh as Morgan Price

Willeke van Ammelrooy as Mrs. Forster

Lynn Collins as Mona

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

July 9 - Casino Royale (2006)

Today’s movie is an espionage thriller with a scene that happens on July 9. I hope you will watch this film tonight and enjoy it.

CASINO ROYALE                                          

After Bond kills a traitorous station chief who had been selling classified info, he gets his 00 status. Le Chiffre, a banker for international terrorists, goes to Uganda and gets millions from Obanno, a leader of the Lord's Resistance Army. Bond goes to Madagascar where after a chase he kills a bomb maker named Mollaka, in an embassy, which causes an international uproar. Bond visits M who says she’s thinking of revoking his status and to lay low for a while. Bond goes to Nassau where by surreptitiously accessing the Ocean Club’s security tapes, he is able to identify a person who called Mollaka. Bond beats the man, named Dimitrios at cards and seduces Dimitrios’s wife. On July 9, 2006 [42:56 to 53:38] Bond follows Dimitrios to Miami. Bond kills Dimitrios after Dimitrios has passed a package to Carlos. Carlos goes to the airport and plants a bomb on a tanker truck that he drives towards the prototype Skyfleet airliner. After a vicious fight Bond saves the plane and kills Carlos. The non-destruction of the plane causes a $100 million loss to Le Chiffre, who had sold the stock short, but the stock does not go down, due to the non-destruction of the prototype. Le Chiffre had been gambling with his clients’ money. Le Chiffre sets up a high stakes card game in Montenegro.  M enters Bond so he can beat Le Chiffre and force him to turn to MI6 for protection in return for turning state’s evidence. Bond meets Verper Lynd, a British treasury agent who has control of the $10 million entry fee. Bond loses the $10 million and Lynd refuses to stake him any more cash. Agents of the Lord’s Resistance Army attack Le Chiffre, but Bond kills them. Bond sets out to kill Le Chiffre, but Felix Leiter of the CIA offers to stake Bond if they can get custody of Le Chiffre. Le Chiffre’s girlfriend poisons Bond but Lynd helps save Bond. In one hand Bond wins the tournament and Le Chiffre is wiped out. Le Chiffre kidnaps Lynd and uses her as bait to get Bond. Le Chiffre tortures Bond in an attempt to get the access code for Bond’s winnings, which were deposited into a Swiss bank account. Mr. White kills Le Chiffre. Bond resigns from MI6 and goes to Venice with Lynd. Bond learns that the funds were never returned to the treasury and that Lynd is stealing them. He pursues her to a building under renovation where she allows herself to drown, as the building collapses Mr. White leaves with the money. Bond learns that Mr. White’s organization had kidnapped Lynd’s boyfriend and had forced her to steal the money. Bond finds a message from Lynd with Mr. White’s phone number, which Bond uses to track him down, introducing himself with the classic line, “The name’s Bond, James Bond”.  

                       

This is the surprisingly good first of the Bond “reboot” movies.  This Bond has a harder edge than some of his incarnations. This film doesn’t disappoint action-wise, but keeps the gadgetry to a minimum.

Cell phone at 47:44 shows date and time

Producer - Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli

                      

Director - Martin Campbell

Screenplay - Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Paul Haggis

Runtime – 2 hours 24 minutes

Released – November 14, 2006

Starring –  

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Eva Green as Vesper Lynd

Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre

Judi Dench as M

Jeffrey Wright as Felix Leiter

Giancarlo Giannini as René Mathis

Simon Abkarian as Alex Dimitrios

Caterina Murino as Solange Dimitrios

Ivana Miličević as Valenka

Isaac de Bankolé as Steven Obanno

Jesper Christensen as Mr. White

Sébastien Foucan as Mollaka

Tobias Menzies as Villiers.

Ludger Pistor as Mendel

Claudio Santamaria as Carlos.

Richard Sammel as Gettler

Clemens Schick as Kratt

Joseph Millson as Carter

Ben Cooke as Williams

Darwin Shawh as Fisher

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

July 8 - Elvis

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on July 8. I hope you will watch this film tonight and enjoy it.

ELVIS                        

        

Elvis arrives in Las Vegas to play at the International Hotel in his first live stage performance in 10 years. He thinks back to when he got his first guitar. He obsesses over his twin brother Jesse, who died at birth. Elvis is very attached to his mother. After the family moves to Memphis Elvis, with his pompadour hairstyle  does not fit in with the crew-cut students. He gets talked into performing at a school talent show. Elvis hangs out on Beale Street listening to blues singers. He goes to Sun records to make his own record as a present for his mom. They’re so impressed the owner, Sam Philips calls Elvis to come back and they record him with some back-up musicians.  On July 8, 1954 [41:32 to 43:32] Elvis first hears one of his songs played on the radio. He starts performing and goes to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville,  but they don’t like him at all. Col. Tom Parker agrees to become Elvis’s manager. Elvis starts making serious money and he’s glad he can help his family and buy expensive presents for his mom. Sun records sells his contract to RCA. He records his first big hit “Heartbreak Hotel” and goes to Hollywood. He later appears in an iconic performance on the Ed Sullivan show. Elvis buys Graceland and moves his family in. Then Elvis gets drafted. His parents come to live near his base. When she has a stroke, Elvis gets emergency leave, but she dies a few days later. Elvis is transferred to Germany,  where he meets 14 year old Priscilla Beaulieu. When he gets out of the army, he brings Priscilla to Graceland. After four years they get married and a daughter is born nine months later. His movie and music career slowly decline in the sixties. He starts to turn on his entourage and distance himself from Priscilla. In spite of her wanting to spend more time together, Elvis arranges his comeback special and a concert tour. Elvis goes out and gives his concert at the International. 

                 

A decent bio of the King. However I get the feelling some of the first part is fictionalized and some of the second part is glossed over. It does cover the last few years of his life.

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick (Little, Brown and Company, New York, 1994) at pages 100-101 gives this date

Producers - Dick Clark and Anthony Lawrence

Director - John Carpenter                             

Screenplay - Anthony Lawrence   

Runtime – 2 hours 30 minutes                                       

Released – February 2, 1979                                          

Starring –

Kurt Russell as Elvis Presley

Shelley Winters as Gladys Presley

Season Hubley as Priscilla Presley

Bing Russell as Vernon Presley

Pat Hingle as Colonel Tom Parker

Charles Cyphers as Sam Phillips

Ellen Travolta as Marion Keisker

Charlie Hodge as Himself

James Canning as Scotty Moore

Elliott Street as Bill Black

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2014.