September 12 - Circle Of Friends

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that occurs on September 12. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

CIRCLE OF FRIENDS                 

Bernadette “Benny” Hogan and her two friends, orphan  Eve Mahon and the beautiful Nan Malone live in the village of Knockglen, Ireland. Nan moves to Dublin. After graduation Benny and Nan commute to college in Dublin. The Protestant Westward family finace Nan’s educaton, as her father worked for them for years. September 12, 1957 [5:01 to 12:10] is Benny and Nan’s first day of college, where they reconnect with Eve and Benny meets rugby playing medical student Jack Foley. Benny and Jack start a relationship and Eve dates Jack’s friend Aidan, while Nan carries on a secret affair with Simon Westward. Benny’s father suddenly dies and she has to take over running his tailor shop, putting her into frequent contact with the creepy assistant Sean Walsh, whom her father wanted her to marry. When Nan becomes pregnant and Simon dumps her, she seduces Jack and convinces him he’s the father of her child. Jack propose to Nan, devastating Benny  At a party Eve, who has figured out Nan’s deception has a physical confrontation with Nan, which ends with Nan bleeding.  Nan leaves for England and Jack ends their engagement. Benny finds the money Sean had been embezzling from her father and fires him. Benny and Jack eventually make up and he continues his medical studies. 

       

The date is given in the film at 7:28.

Producers – Frank Price, Arlene Sellers and Alex Winitsky

Director - Pat O'Connor

Screenwriter - Andrew Davies

Runtime – 1 hour 43 minutes

Released - March 17, 1995

Starring –

Chris O'Donnell as Jack Foley

Minnie Driver as Bernadette "Benny" Hogan

Saffron Burrows as Nan Mahon

Alan Cumming as Sean Walsh

Colin Firth as Simon Westward

Geraldine O'Rawe as Eve Malone

Aidan Gillen as Aidan Lynch

Mick Lally as Dan Hogan

Britta Smith as Mrs. Hogan

Ciarán Hinds as Professor Flynn

Tony Doyle as Dr. Foley

Jason Barry as Nasey Mahon

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 11 - United 93

Today’s movie is a drama that happens on September 11. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

UNITED 93   

On an ordinary Tuesday, September 11, 2001 the passengers, crew  and four terrorists board United flight 93 from Newark to San Francisco. Boston air traffic control hears a suspicious broadcast from American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston and they contact the National Air Traffic Control Center(NATCC)  about the broadcast. United 93 has to wait an extra thirty minutes on the ground, waiting to take off. The military’s Northeast Air Defense Control Center(NEADCC) is contacted about the hijacking and they treat it very casually.  NATCC learns that American flight 11 has been hijacked. When Boston air traffic control replays their tape recording of the original suspicious message they realize the hijacker said, “planes”. United 93 takes off. New York air traffic control(NYATC) hears a suspicious broadcast from United flight 175 and then American flight 11 disappears off the radar over Manhattan. The Newark control tower notices the World Trade Center(WTC) is smoking. NATCC, NEADCC and NYATC hear a ‘small’ plane has hit the north tower of the WTC and they all watch CNN. United 93 reaches cruising altitude. United 175 and another plane almost collide, since it does not respond to air traffic control. NYATC loses United 175 off of radar. The Newark tower watches it live and people at the NEADCC and NATCC on CNN watch United 175 hit the South tower. NATCC orders a halt to takeoffs from Boston, New York and Washington. The NEADCC sends fighter jets over New York without FCC clearance. The NEADCC is told (incorrectly) that American 11 is still airborne and headed for Washington. NATCC is notified that American flight 75 and Delta flight 1989 are not responding to air traffic control. NEADCC tries to find out what their “rules of engagement” with any hijacked planes are. On Flight 93 the terrorists stab a passenger, force a stewardess to open the cockpit and kill the pilots. They herd the passengers to the rear of the plane. The passengers call on their cell phones and in flight phones and learn about the other planes being crashed. The NATCC orders all planes grounded and US airspace closed. The hijackers fly United 93 to a lower altitude. The passengers gather weapons and make plans. They find a passenger who is a small plane pilot. They attack the hijackers who respond, by crashing the plane, killing everyone on board. [the entire film occurs on 9/11]           

                       
This is a very difficult film to watch. Maybe in twenty or thirty years someone can watch it and give an  objective evaluation. Has an almost documentary feel to it that makes the horror seem even worse than it

was.

True Crime by Nick Yapp (Parragon Publishing, Bath, UK, 2006) at pages 144-146 and the film at 1:42:48 give the date

Awards - The film was nominated for the Best Director and Best Film Editing Oscars.

Director -  Paul Greengrass      

Screenplay - Paul Greengrass

Running Time -  1 hour 51 minutes    

Released - April 28, 2006

Starring - 

Polly Adams as Deborah Welsh

David Basche as Todd Beamer

Copyright by Ivan Walters  in 2015.

September 10 - Remember The Titans

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

REMEMBER THE TITANS       

In 1971 the high schools in Alexandria, Virginia are integrated. Herman Boone, an African-American coach who had been hired to coach at a black school is made the head coach at T.C. Williams High School, displacing the successful Bill Yoast. Boone offers Yoast a job as defensive coordinator. Yoast initially refuses but after the teams white players threaten to sit out, he takes the job so they will have chance to play and get college scholarships.  The team bonds during a tough summer camp at Gettysburg College and a quarterback, Ronnie Bass transfers in. On September 10, 1971 [46:35 – 54:45] the team wins its first game against Mayfield. Boone is a perfectionist, and so is not impressed when Yoast takes an unsuccessful running back, Petey Jones and makes him a good pass rusher. In game three Ronnie Bass has to go in as QB after Jerry Harris is hurt. The team goes on to be undefeated, after Boone is told he will be fired if he loses one game. Yoast is nominated for the Virginia High School football hall of Fame, but he is told he will only be elected if the Titans lose one game, so Boone will be fired. In a championship playoff game, after it becomes clear that the referees are biased against T.C. Williams, Yoast threatens to expose the threats, so with fair refereeing the Titans win the game, but he loses his chance at induction. Team captain Gerry Bertier is injured in an auto accident. This motivates his teammates to go on and win the state championship. 

The date is given in the film at 1:15:40

Producers - Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman

Director - Boaz Yakin

Screenwriter - Gregory Allen Howard

Runtime – 1 hour 53 minutes

Released – September 29, 2000

Starring –

Denzel Washington as Coach Herman Boone

Will Patton as Coach Bill Yoast

Wood Harris as DE Julius Campbell

Ryan Hurst as LB Gerry Bertier

Donald Faison as RB Petey Jones

Ethan Suplee as OL Louie Lastik

Kip Pardue as QB Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass

Craig Kirkwood as QB Jerry "Rev" Harris

Hayden Panettiere as Sheryl Yoast

Kate Bosworth as Emma Hoyt

Ryan Gosling as LB Alan Bosley

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

September 9 - Catch Me If You Can

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on September 9. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN         

Frank Abignale, Jr. lives a privileged existence until his father’s troubles with the IRS and his mother’s affair leads to the end of his parent’s marriage. Frank runs away and begins using confidence scams to get cash. On September 9, 1964 [32:46 to 37:30] Frank starts one of his longest lasting scams pretending to be a Pan-Am pilot. Carl Hanratty of the FBI starts tracking him, and almost catches Frank at a motel. Frank goes on to impersonate a doctor and a lawyer. Carl tracks Frank down at his engagement party and Frank has to escape to France. Carl arrests him there and returns him to the USA where Frank is sentenced to 12 years in jail. However, Carl starts using Frank’s knowledge to catch other check scam artists and he is released on parole. Eventually Frank and Carl become friends. 

The date is given in the film at 37:03

Producers - Steven Spielberg and Walter F. Parkes

Director - Steven Spielberg

Screenwriter - Jeff Nathanson

Runtime – 2 hours 21 minutes

Released – December 25, 2002

Starring -      

Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Abagnale, Jr.

Tom Hanks as Carl Hanratty

Christopher Walken as Frank Abagnale, Sr.

Nathalie Baye as Paula Abagnale

Amy Adams as Brenda Strong

Martin Sheen as Roger Strong

James Brolin as Jack Barnes

Nancy Lenehan as Carol Strong

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.

September 8 - MacArthur

Today’s movie is a biography with scenes that occur on September 8. Watch it tonight and enjoy.  

MACARTHUR      

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur is giving a speech at West Point. He thinks back on his career.  After the Japanese attack on the Philippines he moves his headquarters to Corregidor. He  is later ordered to go to Australia and says “I shall return”. He refuses to countenance any further withdrawals and insists on carrying the war to New Guinea. MacArthur’s staff carries on a full scale press offensive promoting  him. He proposes a campaign of by-passing Japanese strong points and cutting them off from supplies.  At a meeting at Pearl Harbor, MacArthur forcefully presses for an early invasion of the  Philippines. He is given permission to invade the islands and orders a landing on Leyte. He has a highly publized landing and advances to the front lines, where he learns he’s gotten his fifth star. Truman becomes president and orders  the atomic bombing of Japan. MacArthur presides at the Japanese surrender. On September 8, 1945 [1:18:29 to 1:20:11] MacArthur arrives in Tokyo to take over as occupation leader. He pushes a progressive governmental, economic and social agenda. MacArthur prevents a Soviet move to occupy part of Japan. Then the North Koreans attack the South Koreans and MacArthur organizes the resistance. He proposes and carries out a landing at Inchon behind the lines and carries the war into the north. At Wake Island he tells Truman that the chances of a Chinese invasion is minimal. The Chinese do attack and after he makes public statements contrary to US policy, Truman relieves him of command. He receives a hero’s welcome on his return, but soon fades into obscurity.   

                       

A decent bio. However, it doesn’t cover any of Macarthur’s pre-World War II biography. It is balanced and avoids being either a coronation or a smear job.

The Years of MacArthur: Triumph and Disaster by D. Clayton James (Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 1985) at page 4 gives the date of his arrival

Producer - Frank McCarthy

Director - Joseph Sargent

Screenplay - Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins

Runtime – 2 hours 10 minutes

Released – July 15, 1977

Starring –

Gregory Peck as General of the Army Douglas MacArthur

Ed Flanders as President Harry S. Truman

Dan O'Herlihy as President Franklin D. Roosevelt

Ivan Bonar as Lieutenant General Richard K. Sutherland

Ward Costello as General of the Army George C. Marshall

Nicolas Coster as Colonel Sidney Huff

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.  

September 7 - The Lost Weekend

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

THE LOST WEEKEND                     

Don Birnam and his brother Wick are getting set to go to the country for the weekend. Don is a drunk who has been on the wagon for ten days. When his girlfriend Helen shows up he convinces Wick to take her to a concert to which someone has given her two tickets. Wick thinks he has found all of Don’s hidden liquor and left him with no money to buy any, so it’s okay to leave him alone. However, Don steals the money Wick left to pay the cleaning lady. He immediately goes out to a bar to buy liquor. Wick and Helen return and find Don gone. Wick says he’s fed up and leaves for the country. Don returns to his apartment and sneaks in, dodging Wick and Helen. The next morning, on September 7, 1945 [22:04 to 28:40, 36:50 – 38:00, 49:50 – 59:07] he finds a note pinned to his door from Helen asking him to call her. Instead Don returns to the bar. He tells the bartender how he met Helen three years before at the opera. He and Helen start dating and Don stops drinking for a while because he’s so in love with her. When her parents come to New York to meet him, he overhears them discussing him. The anxiety of this causes him to start drinking again, but he confesses his alcohol problem to her. He reveals he’s suffering from severe self-doubt and he tries to scare Helen off, but she won’t go.  Don leaves the bar and goes home to work on his novel. However, the need for alcohol gets to him. He can’t find the bottle he hid last night. He goes out to a bar and steals a woman’s purse to get money to pay the bar tab. She discovers the theft, but seeing he’s a drunk does not press charges.  Back at his apartment he accidentally finds the bottle he hid and drinks it all. The next morning he wakes to the phone ringing, but he ignores it and goes out to pawn his typewriter to get money for booze. He can’t, as all the pawn shops are closed since it’s Yom Kippur. He meets Gloria who was attracted to him yesterday and she gives him some money. He falls down stairs and is knocked out. He wakes up the next day in the hospital detox ward. He manages to escape. Helen, who spent the night in the hallway outside Don’s apartment, is awakened by the landlady and leaves. Don steals a bottle of whiskey from a store. Back at his apartment he drinks the whole bottle while ignoring the phone. He starts to hallucinate. The landlady hears his screams and calls Helen. She stays in the apartment overnight. In the morning he runs away with her coat and pawns it in exchange for a gun.  Helen tries to get the gun from him before he can kill himself. He wrestles it from her. The barkeep arrives and returns his typewriter that he left in the bar. She convinces Don to start writing a novel about his ‘Lost Weekend’.

               

One of the most realistic accounts of addiction ever filmed. Don will lie, cheat and steal to get alcohol. Fortunately for him he has at least one person who cares for him. Hopefully, he will be able to make a recovery.   

At 1:04:29 he’s told it’s Saturday and on the same day at 1:06:07 that it’s Yom Kippur. This happened in 1945, when the date of Yom Kippur was Saturday, September 8. So the day before is the seventh.

Producer - Charles Brackett

Director - Billy Wilder

Screenplay - Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder

Awards – The film won the Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor(Milland) and Best Screenplay Oscars. It was also nominated for the Best Black and White Cinematography, Best Music Score and Best Film Editing at the 18^th Academy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 39 minutes

Released – November 16, 1945

Starring –

Ray Milland as Don Birnam

Jane Wyman as Helen St. James

Phillip Terry as Wick Birnam

Howard Da Silva as Nat

Doris Dowling as Gloria

Frank Faylen as 'Bim' Nolan

Mary Young as Mrs. Deveridge

Anita Bolster as Mrs. Foley

Lillian Fontaine as Mrs. St. James

Frank Orth as Opera cloak room attendant

Lewis L. Russell as Mr. St. James

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015

September 6 - The Producers (1968)

Today’s movie is a comedy with a scene that happens on September 6. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE PRODUCERS     

Max Bialystock is a Broadway producer who has fallen on hard times, being reduced to seducing little old ladies so they will invest in his productions. Nerdish accountant Leo Bloom arrives to do his books and discovers that Max raised two thousand more on his last play than he needed, which is fraud. Max persuades Leo to cover this up. Leo has an idea that if someone raised much more than he needed for a play that flopped, the producer could keep all the extra cash. Max immediately decides to put this plan into action with Leo as his partner. After reading many, many terrible scripts, the two settle on Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden.  They persuade the insane ex-Nazi author Franz Liebkind to sell them the  rights to the script. Max sells 25, 000% of the play to his little old ladies and hires an attractive  Swedish receptionist who can’t speak English. They hire the cross-dressing Roger DeBris as the director. On September 6, 1967 [49:53 to 57:14] auditions are held for Springtime for Hitler. Lorenzo St. DuBois, a hippie who wandered in by accident is signed on to play Hitler. The show seems doomed to fail, but the audience takes the play as a satire and it is a big hit. Liedkind tries to kill Max and Leo because he is angry at how they presented his story. Eventually he helps them try to blow up the theater in order to stop the show. The are caught, tried, convicted and sent to prison where they oversell the musical they produce with the inmates called Prisoners of Love.  

A hilarious old time comedy. That is the film is funny because of the dialogue, not because of overuse of sexual innuendo or gross out sight gags. Still a very funny movie.

Date given in Variety at 49:47 -50

Producer - Sidney Glazier

Director - Mel Brooks

Screenplay - Mel Brooks

Awards – The film won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar. The movie was also nominated for the Best Supporting Actor(Wilder) at the 41^st Academy Awards.

Runtime – 1 hour 28 minutes

Released - March 18, 1968

Starring –

Zero Mostel as Max Bialystock

Gene Wilder as Leo Bloom

Dick Shawn as Lorenzo St. DuBois (L.S.D.)

Kenneth Mars as Franz Liebkind

Lee Meredith as Ulla

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015.