October 14 - Escape From Sobibor

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

ESCAPE FROM SOBIBOR         

                       

At Sobibor concentration camp a trainload of Jews arrives. After selecting a few skilled workers from the crowd, the Nazis gas the rest. One woman tries to hide her baby, but a guard finds it and kills both of them. An escape attempt by a work party results in the execution of all of them and an equal number of other prisoners. A group of prisoners start plotting the escape of all 600 prisoners as they know any left behind will be subject to reprisals. A group of Jewish Soviet POWs arrive in the camp. Together they plan to kill the 16 SS guards so the remaining Ukrainian guards will be leaderless. They get rid of a collaborationist Kapo and start making knives. The Commandant leaves on a trip. On October 14, 1943 the prisoners start killing the SS guards one by one and get some weapons. They assemble as usual, then storm the wire and the gate.  Over 300 people manage to escape the camp.  [1:40:26 to 2:20:13] 

                       

An exciting film. Shows the ‘survivor guilt” of those who weren’t gassed by the Nazis. Keeps the suspense up until the end.

The film at 2:20:15-17 and The Holocaust Chronicles, ed. by David J. Hogan (Legacy, Lincolnwood, Ill, 2007) at pages 488-489 give the date of the breakout

Producer - Dennis E. Doty

Director - Jack Gold

Screenplay - Thomas Blatt, Richard Rashke, Reginald Rose and Stanislaw Szmajzner

Awards - The film was nominated for the Outstanding Drama/Comedy Special; Outstanding Directing in a Miniseries or a Special; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Special (Arkin); Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or a Special and Outstanding Writing in a Miniseries or a Special Emmys at the 39^th Emmy Primetime Emmy Awards

Running Time -  2 hours 23 minutes

Released - April 12, 1987

Starring -         

Alan Arkin as Leon Feldhendler

Joanna Pacula as Luka

Rutger Hauer as Alexander 'Sasha' Pechersky

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014

October 13 - The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene set on October 13. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE CHANT OF JIMMIE BLACKSMITH           

Jimmie Blacksmith, a young half –aborigine boy is spanked by the Rev. Neville after he skips school to under go an Aboriginal initiation rite. Jimmie soon leaves the school and gets a job with Mr. Healey installing a fence. His brother Mort comes to help him. Jimmie sees the death of a white man, Mr. Fisher in a Aborigine squatter’s camp that he visits. Later Jimmie goes to work for Mr. Farrell in a police stable.  The police start looking for the killers of Mr. Fisher. Jimmie helps the police arrest the aborigine Harry Edwards, who killed Fisher. While drunk Farrell kills Edwards in his cell, but Farrell tries to make it look like a suicide.   Jimmie quits his job and goes to work at a sheep station belonging to Mr. Newby. After she gets pregnant Jimmie marries Gilda Marshall, a white girl. However, after the baby is born, it is clear Jimmie is not the father. Then his uncle  Tabidgi and brother Mort come to see him. Mr. Newby had been advancing groceries to the Blacksmiths, but he stops after Jimmie’s relatives move in with him. Petra Graf, who is getting married offers Gilda a job on her future husband’s station, so she can leave Jimmie.  When Jimmie tells Newby he’s upset about this, Newby fires Jimmie. Jimmie wants to scare the Newby women, but when Mrs. Newby takes real fright at Tabidgi and starts to shoot him, Jimmie attacks her with an axe.  He and Tabidgi then kill the other three women there. Jimmie and his family flee. Jimmie finally sends Gilda and the baby away, as massive police hunt is launched for them. Finally Jimmie and Mort travel on alone to the Healey station, where Jimmie kills Mrs. Healey and her baby, which upsets even Mort.  When Mr. Healy returns Jimmie kills him also. A schoolteacher, Mr. McCready talks them out of killing his family, but the brothers take him along as a hostage. Tabidgi has been arrested and is convicted of accessory to murder. The schoolteacher convinces them to head for a scared Aboriginal site, but they find graffiti written all over it. The teacher tries to restore it. Jimmie goes off on his own and Mort takes McCready back to civilization, but is killed. On October 13, 1900 [1:42:14 to  1:43:19], while trying to cross a river Jimmie is shot in the mouth. He sneaks into  a convent and is arrested.                           

An unusual real story. Jimmie was discriminated against, but he was not justified in what he did. An excellent introduction to the problems of the Aborigines.

Producer - Fred Schepisi                           

Director - Fred Schepisi                                             

Screenplay - Fred Schepisi                                        

Runtime 2 hours                                                         

Released – June 21, 1978       

                                    

Starring –

Tom E. Lewis as Jimmie Blacksmith

Freddy Reynolds as Mort Blacksmith

Ray Barrett as Farrell

Jack Thompson as Rev. Neville

Angela McGregor as Gilda Marshall

Steve Dodd as Tabidgi

Peter Carroll as McCready

Ruth Cracknell as Heather Newby

Don Crosby as Newby

Elizabeth Alexander as Petra Graf

Peter Sumner as Dowie Steed

Tim Robertson as Healey

Ray Meagher as Dud Edmonds

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

October 12 - Born On The Fourth Of July

Today’s movie is a biographical drama with a scene that happens on October 12. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY         

Ron Kovic has an all-american childhood. He is especially patriotic,  as he was born on July 4^th.  He decides to join the Marines. Kovic crashes the prom to dance with Donna, the girl he has a big crush on. On October 12, 1967 [27:35 to 37:08] Kovic accidentally kills PFC. Wilson during combat in Vietnam. A few months later Kovic is wounded and left a parapalegic. His recovery takes place in a run down VA hospital. He moves back home and almost has a breakdown while addressing the hometown crowd on July 4^th.. Kovic visits with Donna at Syracuse University, where she’s now a student and he is angered at the brutal break up of an anti-war demonstration. Kovic has a huge fight with his parents as they cannot accept his changed attitude about religion, the war and patriotism. He moves to Mexico, where he has his first sexual experience with a prostitute, and he briefly considers asking her to marry him. Traveling with another paraplegic veteran to another village they annoy their taxi driver and end up left stranded on the side of the road. Kovic leaves Mexico and travels to confess to Wilson’s widow and parents that he accidentally killed Wilson. Kovic travels on to picket with other anti-war demonstrators at the Republican National Convention. The protestors break into the hall and Kovic is on TV. He later speaks at the 1976 Democratic National Convention.

An unusual biopic. This film does a good job in depicting the change in America from 1967 to 1972 caused by the war in Vietnam through one man’s eyes. Kovic changes from being an unquestioning patriot to a questioning one. 

Date given in film at 1:57:45 on Wilson’s tombstone

Producer - A. Kitman Ho and Oliver Stone

Director - Oliver Stone

Awards – The film won the Best Director and Best Film Editing Oscars. The movie was also nominated for the Best Picture, Best Actor(Cruise), Best Cinematography, Best Sound, Best Original Score and Best Adapted Screenplay Oscars at the 62^nd Academy Awards.   

Screenplay - Oliver Stone and Ron Kovic

Runtime – 2 hours 25 minutes

Released -  December 20, 1989

Starring - 

Tom Cruise as Ron Kovic

Kyra Sedgwick as Donna

Stephen Baldwin as Billy Vorsovich

Tom Berenger as GySgt. Hayes

                       

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014

October 11 - All Quiet on the Western Front

Today’s film is a combat drama with a scene that happens on October 11. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT          

       

During World War I German army soldier Paul Baumer and his comrades endure a French attack on their trenches and then they launch their own assault on the French lines. Paul’s friend Franz Kemmerich is wounded and later dies in the hospital. Paul thinks back to how their high school teacher Kantorek indoctrinated his students in the superiority of German culture and devotion to duty. The entire class enlists in the army and is sent for training under the sadistic Corporal Himmelstoss. When they board their train for the front, another train arrives carrying wounded soldiers back from the fighting.  Stanislaus Katczinsky, an old hand is assigned to their squad and he teaches them what they really need to know to survive at the front. Paul and his friends endure a hell of rats, poison gas and endless mud in the trenches. Paul has to confront death face to face when he has to spend the night trapped in a shell hole with a dying French soldier.  Himmelstoss appears as the commander of some new recruits, but Paul’s squad no longer lets him intimidate them. Indeed Paul later pushes Himmelstoss to stay on the offensive during an attack.  The Kaiser inspects their unit, pinning medals on some of the troops. Paul and two of his pals visit a brothel. In a spate of urban fighting Paul is wounded and later sent home on leave. He learns his mother is dying of cancer. Paul cannot connect to the older men left in the town who have no idea of what he has been through. He lies to  Kemmerich’s mother telling her he was killed instantly. Back at the front  Katczinsky is wounded and even though Paul carries him miles to a field hospital, Katczinsky dies of his wounds. On October 11, 1918, [2:02:18 to 2:06:23] Baumer is killed by a sniper. The German Army’s official communiqué for the day simply reads “All quiet on the Western Front”. 

                  

A powerful anti-war film. Tries to show the true nature of warfare. The films shows there is no glory in combat, only death and destruction.

Date given in film at 2:06:15

Awards – The film won the Outstanding Film Editing for a Mimi-series or Special Emmy

                 at the 32^nd Primetime Emmy awards.

Runtime – 2 hours 30 minutes(directors cut)

                  2 hours 9 minutes (theatrical release)

  

Producer -  Norman Rosemont           

Director - Delbert Mann                                     

Screenplay - Paul Monash                                   

Released - November 14, 1979                           

Starring –

Richard Thomas as Paul Baumer

Ernest Borgnine as Stanislaus Katczinsky

Donald Pleasence as Kantorek

Ian Holm as Himmelstoss

Patricia Neal as Paul’s Mother

Paul-Mark Elliott as Josef Behm

Dai Bradley as Albert Kropp

Matthew Evans as Friedrich Muller

George Winter as Franz Kemmerich

Dominic Jephcott as Peter Leer

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

October 10 - Christy

Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on October 10. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

CHRISTY                                   

Sheltered and naïve Christy Huddleston leaves her comfortable home to teach at a mission school at Cutter’s Gap in the Great Smokey Mountains of Tennessee. She has to walk seven miles through the mountains to get there. Christy meets Dr. Neil MacNeil when he has to perform a dangerous operation on an injured man. She reaches the mission and meets Rev. David Grantland, his sister Ida and Miss Alice, a Quaker who runs the mission.  On October 10, 1912 [21:07 to 32:46] Christy begins teaching at the school and is appalled by the students poverty, ignorance and smell. Her heart is touched by Mountie O’Toole, a little girl who can’t or won’t speak, but after visiting Mountie’s family and realizing the depth of the problems faced by the community, Christy almost gives up and goes home. Traveling with David to another church, Christy ends up in a river. They stop up at Dr. MacNeils cabin, where he lets her wear a dress that belonged to his late wife. He was sponsored by some New York doctors who came to Cutter’s Gap to hunt and later sent him to medical school, but he returned to the area. When moonshine is found hidden under the school, David tells the US Marshalls, leading to an argument with Dr. MacNeil. David’s anti-liquor sermon does not go over too well, but Christy becomes friends with Fairlight Spencer. Lundy Taylor, an older and disruptive student finally leaves school when Christy tries to discipline him and her efforts to get him to return are unsuccessful. Lundy’s father, Birdseye Taylor tries to disrupt the harvest celebrations, but is stopped by a gun-wielding Miss Alice. He then threatens the students. Miss Alice confesses to Christy that she had a child out of wedlock, who later died. The students stay away from the school out of fear, but starting with Fairlight Spencer’s kids they start to return. Then the school is damaged in a fire set by Birdseye and his gang and Christy is injured. She is about to give up and leave in despair when Mountie O’Teele starts to talk and Christy decides to stay.

A fascinating film. It conveys a positive spiritual message, which is rare However, the film is only a pale reflection of the fantastic book that is its source material.     

Date given in film at 31:33 on the blackboard

Producer – Robert Gros            

Director -  Michael Ray Rhodes               

Screenplay – Patricia Green                     

Runtime – 1 hour 50 minutes

Released – April 3, 1994

Starring –

Kellie Martin as Christy Huddleston

Tyne Daly as Alice Henderson

Randall Batinkoff as Rev. David Grantland

Tess Harper as Fairlight Spencer

Stewart Finlay-McLennan as Dr. Neil MacNeill

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014. 

October 9 - The Other End of the Line

Today’s movie is a romantic comedy with a scene that happens on October 9. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

        

THE OTHER END OF THE LINE  

When Granger Woodruff, an ad executive, tries to  use his credit card, it’s declined. The bank has frozen it as he is told by an account representative, due to potentially fraudulent charges. On October 9, 2007 [8:57 to 13:17] “Jennifer David” a Citi Bank account representative from San Francisco calls Granger Woodruff . “Jennifer David” is actually Priya R. Sethi who lives in India. Granger is desperately trying to devise an ad campaign for Hawksin Hotels. The two of them get to know each other while discussing the fraudulent charges. However, she is set to wed in an arranged marriage with the boring Mama’s boy Vikram.  Granger calls “Jennifer” to alert her that he is hiring exotic dancers for his partner Charlie’s bachelor party and arranges to meet her in San Francisco.  Priya tells her family she’s going to her Aunt’s birthday party in California. At the meeting time he does not recognize her and she is too nervous to approach him. When she is checking out, they literally bump into each other and he asks her out. She gives him her real name. Their date goes well. Her family flies to San Francisco to find her.  Granger invites her to a big reception at the hotel thrown by Mr. Hawksin. It takes a bad turn when his partner asks Granger if he invited Priya to impress Hawksin, who has a Japanese wife. He joking, says yes and she gets upset. He later apologizes and they make up. They go on a day-long date touring San Francisco. Her father ends up assaulting Mr. Hawksin due to a mis-understanding. Granger drives her to her Aunt’s party. She sees her parents just as Granger arrives to bring her the present she left in the car. He learns she’s actually “Jennifer David” and engaged. He’s upset and leaves. Back at the hotel he finds his girlfriend Emory has shown up and she proposes to him.  Priya shows up to apologize, but when she sees Emory, she  storms off.   Mr. Hawksin likes Granger’s new ad campaign. Granger ends it with Emory. Priya’s family takes her to apologize to Vikram’s family, but she ends their engagement instead.  However, when Vikram’s father calls Priya a tramp her father stands up for her. Priya gets promoted to training the call center workers in American culture. At Charlie’s reception, while giving the Best Man’s toast, Granger realizes he still loves Priya and heads to India.  In Mumbai he goes to the call center. Granger apologizes and they kiss to the cheers of her team. They go to see her family. Her father welcomes Granger, after he promises to love and respect Priya.

A decent romantic comedy. It successfully channels My Big Fat Greek Wedding as its inspiration. The on screen chemistry is good and the plot is inventive.   

Date given in film at 6:25 on a computer screen    

Producer - Ashok Amritraj and Patrick Aiello

Director - James Dodson                            

Screenplay - Tracey Jackson

Runtime – 1 hour 46 minutes                                     

Released - October 31, 2008                                      

Starring –

Jesse Metcalfe as Granger Woodruff 

Shriya Saran as Priya R. Sethi 

Anupam Kher as Rajeev Sethi

Larry Miller as Kit Hawksin 

Nouva Monika Wahlgren as Ula

Sara Foster as Emory Banks 

Tara Sharma as Zia 

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.

October 8 - A Waltz Through The Hills

Today’s movie is a drama with scenes that happen on October 8. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

A WALTZ THROUGH THE HILLS           

In Wyanilling, Western Australia in 1954, 11 year old Andy Dean and his 5 year old sister, Sammy live at a hotel run by Burt and Molly Thompson. The children are good friends with Tom, the caretaker at the hotel. One day word comes that their mother, who had gone to the hospital for an operation, has died leaving Andy and Sammy orphans. Molly Thompson wants to adopt them, but her husband does not. Andy overhears a conversation in which he learns if he and Sammy are sent to an orphanage, they’ll be split up. Andy decides they should run away to Perth and take a ship to their grandparents in England. Carrying out his plan the two children get a ride to the next town and walk even further. The police and Tom start looking for them. The children meet Frank Smith, an aborigine who takes them to his mother’s house. The Thompsons offer a 50 pound reward and Sargeant Rawlings takes over the search. Frank decides not to turn them in for the reward and instead to guide them to Perth. They steal some groceries for food. On October 8, 1954, the Premier of Western Ausralia starts putting pressure on the police to find the kids as there has been unfavorable press coverage. Sgt. Rawlings hires Danny Wandi, the best aboriginal tracker to find the kids. He finds them, but as he is Frank Smith’s cousin he leads the police on a wild goose chase that leads them to Tom’s campsite. [1:00:10 to 1:12:07]  The Thompsons double the reward and decide they want to adopt the kids.  Frank and the two kids get a ride in a truck, for while staying  ahead of Tom, who finally catches up with them. A brush fire breaks out and Tom is killed as they flee in front of it. The kids and Frank have lunch with the Premier. Andy and Sammy decide to go to England and stay with their grandparents.

   

A very good coming-of-age adventure story. Both Andy and Sammy are very believable, likeable characters. Frank and Danny Wandi are the rare Aborigonal characters in film. 

In the Premier’s office at 1:00:35 there is a calendar with the date

Producer - Paul D. Barron and Roz Berrystone

Director - Frank Arnold

Screenplay - John Goldsmith

Runtime – 1 hour 59 minutes

Released – 1988

Starring -

Dan O'Herlihy as "Uncle" Tom Caseley

Ernie Dingo as Frank Smith

Andre Jansen as Andy Dean

Tina Kemp as Sammy Dean

Maggie Wilde-West as Molly Thompson

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.