March 7 - Mommie Dearest

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on March 7. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

MOMMIE DEAREST  

Hyperactive and obsessive-compulsive actress Joan Crawford buys a baby girl Christine on the black market after her request to adopt is denied, since she’s unmarried and has been divorced twice. Although at times she dotes on her daughter at other times Joan flies into rages and emotionally and physically abuses Christina. After Louis B. Mayer ends her contract with MGM, Joan reacts by destroying her prized rose garden.  However, Joan goes to work for another studio and on March 7, 1946 [56:16 to 59:00] Crawford wins the Best Actress Oscar for Mildred Pierce. When Joan discovers Christina has wire hangers in her closet, she throws all of Christina’s clothes out of the closet, beats Christina with the hanger, makes a mess in Christina’s bathroom and makes her clean it up. Joan sends Christina to boarding school, but Christina is expelled after being caught with a boy. When Christina confronts Joan about why she was adopted, this leads to Joan assaulting her. Christina is sent to a convent school and isolated from the world. After she graduates Christina moves to New York. Joan marries the CEO of Pepsi and when he dies, blackmails the board into keeping her on the board of directors by threatening to denounce the company. Christina gets into TV acting, but is embarrassed when her mother replaces her when she gets ill. After Joan dies she leaves Christina nothing in her will. 

Movie Awards by Tom O’Neil (Perigee, New York, 2001) at page 102 gives the date she won this award 

Director - Frank Perry

Producer - Frank Yablans

Screenplay - Robert Getchell, Tracy Hotchner, Frank Perry and Frank Yablans}}

Released – September 18, 1981

Runtime – 2 hours 9 minutes    

Starring –

Faye Dunaway as Joan Crawford

Diana Scarwid as Christina Crawford

Mara Hobel as young Christina

Steve Forrest as Greg Savitt

Howard Da Silva as Louis B. Mayer

Rutanya Alda as Carol Ann

Harry Goz as Alfred Steele

Michael Edwards as Ted Gelber

Jocelyn Brando as Barbara Bennett

Xander Berkeley as Christopher Crawford

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

March 6 - The Alamo(1960)

Today’s film is a war movie with a scene that happens on March 6. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

THE ALAMO       

General Sam Houston tells Col. William Travis he must hold the Alamo as long as possible in order to give Houston maximum time to gather and train a Texican army to oppose the Mexican invasion. At the Alamo, Travis and the legendary Jim Bowie don’t get along, which is unfortunate because Bowie’s volunteers outnumber Travis’s regular troops.  Davy Crockett and his Tennesseans arrive and start partying. Crockett meets Graciela Lopez y Vejar and saves her from having to marry Emil Sande, a supporter of Santa Ana. Bowie saves Crockett in a fight. Based on info supplied by Graciela, the two men confiscate gunpowder being held for Santa Ana and take it to the Alamo. Crockett persuades his followers to stay and defend the Alamo. Bowie still thinks they should leave the Alamo and conduct a fighting retreat to join Houston’s forces. The Mexican army arrives in San Antonio and the Alamo defenders reject a surrender demand. Travis plans to hold until forces under Fannin can reach the Alamo. Bowie and Crockett, without orders lead a squad out and destroy the largest Mexican cannon.  After being dressed down by Travis, Bowie plans to take his men and leave, but Crocket convinces him to stay. Bowie gets word that his wife has died. When the Alamo’s food supplies are found to be tainted, Crockett and Bowie lead a raid and drive the Mexican beef herd into the Alamo. All the women are evacuated from the Alamo except Mrs. Dickinson. The first Mexican assault fails. They then learn Fannin is not coming. Bowie and Crockett plan to lead their men out, but hearing Travis’s stirring speech changes their mind. Smitty reaches Houston with a plea for help and heads back. On March 6, 1836 [3:02:14 to 3:18:44] the Mexican Army launches the final assault on the Alamo. Travis is killed early. Crockett blows up himself and the powder stores. Bowie is killed in his sickbed. All the defenders are killed and only Mrs. Dickinson and her daughter are released by Santa Ana.

This is an exciting combat film. However, almost all of it is completely fictitious. As  entertainment and not history, it is pretty good.

A Line in the Sand: The Alamo in Blood and Memory by Randy Roberts and James S.

Olson (The Free Press, New York, 2001) at pages159-168 gives the date of the final assault

Producer - John Wayne

Director - John Wayne

Awards – The movie won the Best Sound Oscar. It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Wills), Best Color Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Song and Best Picture at the 33^rd Academy Awards. 

Screenplay - James Edward Grant

Runtime – 3 hours 22 minutes (roadshow version) or 2 hours 47 minutes (theatrical)

Released - October 24, 1960

Starring –

John Wayne as Col. Davy Crockett

Richard Widmark as Jim Bowie

Laurence Harvey as Col. William Travis

Frankie Avalon as Smitty

Patrick Wayne as Capt. James Butler Bonham

Linda Cristal as Graciela Carmela Maria 'Flaca' de Lopez y Vejar

Joan O'Brien as Mrs. Sue Dickinson

Chill Wills as Beekeeper

Joseph Calleia as Juan Seguin

Ken Curtis as Capt. Almaron Dickinson

Carlos Arruza as Lt. Reyes

Jester Hairston as Jethro

Veda Ann Borg as Blind Nell Robertson

John Dierkes as Jocko Robertson

Denver Pyle as Thimblerig

Aissa Wayne as Lisa Dickinson

Hank Worden as Parson

William Henry as Dr. Sutherland

Bill Daniel as Col. Neill

Wesley Lau as Emil Sande

Guinn 'Big Boy' Williams as Lt. 'Irish' Finn

Olive Carey as Mrs. Dennison

Ruben Padilla as Generalissimo Antonio Miguel Lopez de Santa Anna

Richard Boone as General Sam Houston

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

March 5 - Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

Today’s movie is a dramedy with a scene that happens on March 5. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD

A 70-mile wide asteroid nicknamed “Matilda” is headed for Earth and the Space Shuttle Deliverance has failed in its mission to divert the asteroid, meaning the Earth will be destroyed in 21 days. When Dodge Petersen makes an inane comment in reaction to this news his wife immediately leaves him, without another word. Dodge carries on with his life as usual, continuing to do his insurance job until a co-worker leaps to his death and crashes into Dodge’s car. Dodge goes to a party but does not use drugs or have sex. He goes home and finds his neighbor Penny crying on his fire escape. She left her boyfriend after he caused her to miss the last plane to England, so she won’t get to see her family. The next day she goes back to her apartment and gives Dodge his mail that had been accidentally put in her box over the last three years and unintentionally revels his wife had been having an affair. Dodge tries to kill himself, but wakes up in a park with a dog tied to his foot. Back at his apartment, looking through the mail he finds a three month old letter from his high school sweetheart, Olivia, saying he was the love of her life. That night when riots break out Dodge hustles Penny out of her apartment, but her boyfriend Owen gets left behind. Dodge tells her he might know someone who can fly her to England if she helps him reach Olivia. They hitch hike with a trucker who is later killed by the hitman he hired when he learned of a fatal cancer diagnosis. Dodge and Penny stop at a restaurant and later have sex, but are arrested by a hard nose cop. When released they are driven to the home of Penny’s ex-boyfriend Alan Speck. He has a satellite phone she uses to call her family. The next day March 5, 2012 [1:13:09 to  1:25:21] Dodge leaves at letter at Olivia’s house, but does not meet her. They stop at the beach and then travel on to the home of Dodge’s estranged father Frank. The two reconcile and after Penny falls asleep Dodge places her in Frank’s Cessna. He was the pilot Dodge knew. The plane takes off for England and Dodge returns to New York. Dodge learns that the asteroid will impact sooner than predicted. Penny returns and they spend their last moments together.

A disquieting film. A metaphor for life, as we’re all going to die, but the characters in this film know exactly when. Practically the only film to have any scenes set in Delaware.     

At 1:27:17 the anchor reminds people to set their clocks ahead, meaning it’s March 10, 2012. At 1:26:24 Dodge’s maid says it’s Thursday and she comes weekly. At 21:13 we see the maid vacuuming while Penny sleeps, so that day is Thursday, March 1.  Counting the days that follow, March 5^th must be the day they visit his father. 

Producers - Steve Golin, Joy Gorman, Mark Roybal and Steven M. Rales

Director - Lorene Scafaria

Screenplay - Lorene Scafaria

Runtime – 1 hour 41 minutes

Released –June 22, 2012

Starring –

Steve Carell as Dodge Petersen

Keira Knightley as Penelope "Penny" Lockhart

William Petersen as Glenn

Melanie Lynskey as Karen Amalfi

Adam Brody as Owen

Tonita Castro as Elsa

Mark Moses as Anchorman

Derek Luke as Alan Speck

Connie Britton as Diane

Patton Oswalt as Roache

Rob Corddry as Warren

Rob Huebel as Jeremy

Gillian Jacobs as Katie

T.J. Miller as Darcy

Amy Schumer as Lacey

Jim O'Heir as Sheriff

Martin Sheen as Frank Petersen

Nancy Carell as Linda Petersen

Copyright by Ivan Walters 2015.

March 4 - The Other Boleyn Girl

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on March 4. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL      

Mary Boleyn marries William Carey. The queen, Catherine has another stillborn son. Her father and uncle conspire to push Anne in the direction of king Henry VIII with the idea that she will become his mistress. Her mother doesn’t like this idea. When the King visits they go on a hunt and he is injured due to actions of Anne. Mary nurses Henry back to health and the Careys are summoned to court. There is enmity between the sisters. The queen is not happy with Mary being there. Mary becomes the King’s mistress. Anne becomes betrothed to Henry Percy, but the families end it. Anne is sent to France. Mary becomes pregnant and Anne is recalled by her family with the idea that she can now replace Mary, who is confined to bed due to her pregnancy and cannot sleep with the king anymore. Anne and Mary’s brother, George is wed at the direction of his father to Jane Parker, who is well connected, but whom he does not like. Henry starts sending gifts to Anne, but she returns them. Mary’s son is born on March 4, 1526. [1:01:33 to 1:05:14] Anne tells Henry he can hope to eventually win her. Mary is sent to the country. Anne talks Henry into getting a divorce. Henry breaks with Rome, marries Anne and fathers Princess Elizabeth by Anne. Anne later miscarries and doesn’t tell the king, but he will not sleep with her as he thinks she is still pregnant. Anne tries to convince her brother to impregnate her, but they can’t go through with it. Jane Parker Boleyn goes to the king with this info. Anne is arrested, tried and convicted of treason. George is arrested, tried and executed for treason. Mary pleads with the King for Anne’s life, but Anne is executed.

A rich dramatic film. Exposes the sordid politics of Henry VIII. Beautiful sets, costumes and cinematography.

Mary Boleyn by Josephine Wilkerson (Amberley Publishing, Stroud, Eng., 2009) at page 79 gives the date of her son’s birth

Producer - Alison Owen

Director - Justin Chadwick

Screenplay -   Peter Morgan

Running Time - 1 hour 55 minutes

Released - February 29, 2008

Starring -  Natalie Portman as Anne Boleyn, Scarlett Johansson as Mary Boleyn, Eric Bana as Henry VIII Tudor, Jim Sturgess as George Boleyn, Kristin Scott Thomas as Elizabeth Boleyn, Mark Rylance as Thomas Boleyn. David Morrissey as Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Benedict Cumberbatch as William Carey, Oliver Coleman as Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, Ana Torrent as Catherine of Aragon, Eddie Redmayne as William Stafford, Juno Temple as Jane Parker, Iain Mitchell as Thomas Cromwell, Andrew Garfield as Francis Weston, Corinne Galloway as Jane Seymour

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

March 3 - Dark Blue

Today’s movie is a crime drama with a scene that happens on March 3. watch it tonight and enjoy.

DARK BLUE             

On March 3, 1991 [00:40 to 2:01] Rodney King is beaten by the LAPD. We jump ahead to the start of the trial of the officers involved. Darryl Orchard and Gary Sidwell rob a Korean convenience store, but steal a safe in a back room, killing four customers who come in and wound another. Meanwhile Sergeant Eldon Perry and his partner, Detective Bobby Keough face a shooting board. They are cleared and Perry is told he is to be promoted to Lieutenant. We see that Orchard and Sidwell work for Commander Jack Van Meter, who is Perry’s mentor on the force, and they give him the $150 thousand taken from the safe. Van Meter asks Perry to investigate the 4 murders. Keough has sex with a woman who is a cop but neither reveals or knows the other’s name. We learn she is Sergeant Beth Williamson, who works for Assistant Chief Arthur Holland, who does not believe Perry or Keough’s testimony at the shooting board, thinks they’re dirty cops and is determined to get them. Perry’s investigation uncovers that the Korean storeowner also owned a strip club that made lots of cash. They learn the bagman is missing and find him dead. Beth learns that her new sex partner is Keough. The wounded witness says the guys were one white and one black. Perry suspects Orchard and Sidwell, but Van Meter tells him to pin it on two other guys. Perry blackmails a DA and a judge into signing a search warrant on two other ex-cons. Perry gives Keough photos of Beth and Holland having sex. After a confrontation where Beth tells him Holland is going to bring him down and that her affair with Holland was 5 years ago, Keough delivers the photos to Holland’s wife, who now wants a divorce. Perry raids the home of one of the ex-cons and pressures Keough into killing the man, even though he is no threat. Perry returns home and finds his wife is moving out. Keough is shaken by killing an innocent man and goes to Beth and confesses to her and later Holland. Van Meter orders Orchard and Sidwell to kill Perry. Van Meter gives Perry their address and tells them a witness who can prove Perry and Keough lied at the shooting board lives there. Perry learns this is Orchard and Sidwell’s address, but goes there anyway. Keough learns that physical evidence links Orchard and Sidwell to the Korean killings and goes there with Beth to take them into protective custody before Perry can kill them. On the way they hear that the officers in the Rodney King case have been acquitted. Orchard and Sidwell end up killing Keough. Perry tracks them.  The White Sidwell is killed by rioters and Perry arrests Orchard. Perry goes to the Police Academy where he was to receive his lieutenant’s badge. Instead he confesses his crimes and implicates Van Meter. He is arrested by Holland. The riots sweep over LA.    

                     

A very violent film. A good exploration of police corruption. Well worth watching.

 Race and Justice: Rodney King and O. J. Simpson in a House Divided by Jewelle Taylor

Gibbs (Jossey Boss Publishers, San Francisco, 1996) at page 29 and the movie at 1:02 give the date of Rodney King’s arrest.

Producers - David Blocker, Caldecot Chubb, Sean Daniel and James Jacks

Director - Ron Shelton

Screenplay - David Ayer and James Ellroy

Runtime – 1 hour 58 minutes

Released – December 21, 2002

Starring –

Kurt Russell as Sergeant Eldon Perry

Scott Speedman as Detective Bobby Keough

Michael Michele as Sergeant Beth Williamson

Brendan Gleeson as Commander Jack Van Meter

Ving Rhames as Assistant Chief Arthur Holland

Kurupt as Darryl Orchard

Dash Mihok as Gary Sidwell

Jonathan Banks as James Barcomb

Lolita Davidovich as Sally Perry

Khandi Alexander as Janelle Holland

Dana Lee as Henry Kim

Master P as Maniac

Kaila Yu as Asian Stripper

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

March 2 - Working Girl

Today’s movie is a romantic comedy with a scene that happens on March 2. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

WORKING GIRL    

Tess McGill is a working class secretary at a brokerage firm who has earned her B.A. in business and wants to move up. When she insults her boss after he sets her up with a sleazy colleague, Tess is made the secretary to Katherine Parker. She seems supportive of Tess. When Tess suggests that a client, Trask Enterprises purchase a radio station as a way of moving into broadcasting and avoiding a Japanese takeover due to FCC rules forbidding foreign ownership of media outlets, Katherine says she’ll look into it. However, after Katherine breaks her leg skiing and asks Tess to take care of her townhouse, Tess discovers Katherine planned to claim Tess’s idea as her own. The same day Tess finds her boyfriend fooling around. On March 2, 1988, [32:48 to 43:07] Tess attends a party given by Dewey Stone to meet Jack Trainor but meets a man. Unfortunately Tess’s friend had given her a Valium to calm her down and after the party, Tess awakens the next morning in the man’s bed. Tess goes to a meeting that morning to pitch her idea to Jack Trainor and discovers he is the man from the party. He likes her idea and they crash the wedding of Mr. Trask’s daughter. They set up a meeting with Mr. Trask to discuss their plan. Tess rejects her boyfriend’s marriage proposal. Tess wants to tell Jack her story, but stays silent when she learns he is in a relationship with Katherine. Katherine returns the day of the meeting with Trask to discuss the purchase of a radio chain. Katherine learns what Tess has been up to and barges in; telling everyone Tess is just her secretary. Tess slinks out. Days later, while clearing out her desk Tess runs into Katherine, Jack and Mr. Trask on their way to the meeting to finalize the purchase. With support from Jack, she is able to tell Mr. Trask how she came up with the idea of him buying into radio. When Katherine can’t explain how she came up with this idea, Trask arranges to get Katherine fired and hires Tess. Tess and Jack become a couple. At her new job with Trask, Tess learns she now has a secretary instead of being one.   

Date given in film at 32:25 on the Dewey Stone

Director - Mike Nichols                                              Screenplay - Kevin Wade

Awards – The film won the Best Original Song Oscar. It was also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Griffith), Best Supporting Actress (Cusak) and (Weaver)  at the 63^rd Academy Awards.

Released – December 21, 1988                             Runtime – 1 hour 54 minutes

Starring – Harrison Ford as Jack Trainer, Melanie Griffith as Tess McGill, Sigourney Weaver as Katharine Parker, Alec Baldwin as Mick Dugan, Joan Cusack as Cynthia, Philip Bosco as Oren Trask, Nora Dunn as Ginny, Oliver Platt as David Lutz, Kevin Spacey as Bob Speck, Elizabeth Whitcraft as Doreen DiMucci, Jeffrey Nordling as Tim Rourke, Robert Easton as Armbrister, Olympia Dukakis as Personnel Director, Amy Aquino as Alice Baxter (Tess' Secretary), Timothy Carhart as Tim Draper, David Duchovny as Tess' Birthday Party Friend, Zach Grenier as Jim, Ricki Lake as Bridesmaid

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

March 1 - JFK

Today’s movie is a political courtroom drama with a scene that happens on March 1. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

JFK         

Retiring President Eisenhower warns of the dangers of the military-industrial complex. President Kennedy thought he was lied to by the CIA about the Bay of Pigs. Right-wingers thought Kennedy was a coward for not starting a full-scale nuclear war at the time of the Cuban missile crisis. Kennedy planned to withdraw all US forces from Vietnam. Then Kennedy is assassinated. Lee Harvey Oswald is arrested for the crime, and then is shot by Jack Ruby. Jim Garrison, district attorney brings in David Ferrie, who sources say knew Oswald but the FBI lets him go, saying he never knew Oswald. Three years later Garrison starts to wonder if the official story about the assai nation as put forth in the Warren Commission Report is true. Oswald’s address in New Orleans was in the same building as that of Guy Bannister, an ex-FBI and Naval intelligence officer. Bannister’s former partner Jack Martin says Bannister knew Ferrie and Oswald. Martin says Oswald knew a Clay Bertrand.  Garrison meets an imprisoned Willie O'Keefe who says Bertrand knew Oswald and Ferrie and they threatened the president. Garrison brings to light many suspicious aspects about Oswald’s defection to and return from the USSR. George de Mohrenschildt, a suspected CIA agent steered Oswald to his job at the Texas Schoolbook depository.  Garrison finds many witnesses who saw shots fired from the grassy knoll and that Oswald did know Jack Ruby before the assassination. Garrison proves it was impossible for Oswald to have made the shots that killed the president. Garrison interviews Clay Shaw who has been identified as Clay Bertrand. Shaw denies everything. The time spent on the investigation is causing Garrison family conflict. Ferrie talks to Garrison and is then found dead in suspicious circumstances. Garrison finds his office has been bugged.  He meets with L. Fletcher Prouty, a former military security officer, who reveals that the plot to kill Kennedy was hatched because Kennedy’s foreign policy would have reduced the power and influence of the military-industrial complex. The mob is also angry with Kennedy because after helping him win in 1960 they didn’t get back their Cuban interests and Robert Kennedy kept investigating them. Prouty says presidential security was deliberately slackened on the trip to Dallas.  Clay Shaw is arrested. Pressure and media attacks are directed at Garrison. Garrison avoids an assassination attempt. He is shocked by Robert Kennedy’s murder. Garrison had predicted it and this leads to reconciliation with his wife who now realizes the importance of the case. At the trial the Judge makes an unprecedented ruling that Clay Shaw’s admission while being booked that he had been known as Clay Bertrand could not be admitted into evidence, allowing Shaw to testify on the stand that he was never known as Bertrand. Garrison effectively demolishes the ‘magic bullet theory’ at trial and that there had to be more than one shooter, thus mandating a conspiracy. However on March 1, 1969 [3:16:24 to 3:18:45] Clay Shaw is acquitted. Garrison vows to continue his investigation.

An interesting political docudrama. Stone and Garrison may not have gotten the whole story, but there is definitely something fishy about the Kennedy assassination. This movie veers more into being more propaganda than entertaining, but you should see this movie at least once.

.

Date given in film at 3:16:56 and in The Assassination Chronicles by Edmund J. Epstein (Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc., New York, 1992) at page 290

Producers - Oliver Stone, Arnon Milchan and A. Kitman Ho

Director - Oliver Stone

Awards – This movie won the Best  Cinematography and Best Sound Editing Oscars. It was also nominated for  the Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Jones), Best Director, Best Original Score,  Best Sound and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 64^th Academy Awards.

Screenplay - Oliver Stone and Zachary Sklar

Runtime - 3 hours 8 minutes

Released – December 20, 1991

Starring -     

Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison

Kevin Bacon as Willie O'Keefe

Tommy Lee Jones as Clay Shaw / Clay Bertrand

Joe Pesci as David Ferrie

Laurie Metcalf as New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Susie Cox

Gary Oldman as Lee Harvey Oswald

Michael Rooker as New Orleans Assistant District Attorney Bill Broussard

Jay O. Sanders as Lou Ivon

Sissy Spacek as Liz Garrison, Jim Garrison's wife.

Beata Poźniak as Marina Oswald

Jack Lemmon as Jack Martin

Walter Matthau as Senator Russell B. Long

Donald Sutherland as L. Fletcher Prouty

Edward Asner as Guy Banister.

Brian Doyle-Murray as Jack Ruby

John Candy as Dean Andrews Jr.

Sally Kirkland as Rose Cheramie, a Dallas prostitute

Wayne Knight as Numa Bertel

Vincent D'Onofrio as Bill Newman, an eyewitness

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015