The cherished screen team of William Powell and Myrna Loy met “cute” on their first film together, the gritty 1934 “Manhattan Melodrama.” According to TCM.com, first scene in the film required her to run out a building, maneuver through a crowd of people and jump into a car. The film’s director W.S. “Woody” Van Dyke, who was nicknamed “One Take Woody” because of his efficiency, didn’t bother to introduce the actress to Powell. So, when Van Dyke called “action “Loy recalled jumping into the car and landing “smack on William Powell’s lap. He looked up nonchalantly: Miss Loy, I presume?” I said, Mr. Powell? That’s how I met the man who would be my partner in 14 films.”
It was their next film, the smart screwball comedy/mystery “The Thin Man,” which opened May 25, 1934, transformed the couple into top stars at MGM. Directed by Van Dyke...
It was their next film, the smart screwball comedy/mystery “The Thin Man,” which opened May 25, 1934, transformed the couple into top stars at MGM. Directed by Van Dyke...
- 5/20/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The preview opening of the new exhibit Meet the Stars: 100 Years of MGM Studios and the Golden Age of Hollywood on Thursday night was a crowded, buzzing affair. Held at the Hollywood Heritage Museum in the historic Lasky DeMille Barn across from the Hollywood Bowl, the event showcased the items of over 20 movie collectors. Memorabilia hunters, dressed in fedoras and flirty ’40s dresses, gabbed about their latest finds with others who have a similar passion.
The highlight of the night was when the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to former MGM child star Cora Sue Collins (who played a little Greta Garbo in 1933’s Queen Christina), the last surviving MGM contract player from the 1930s. Sitting at a tableau that recreated a party thrown for her by MGM in 1935, Collins elegantly thanked everyone for their well wishes. Actor George Chakiris was also in attendance, and he posed next to a costume...
The highlight of the night was when the crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to former MGM child star Cora Sue Collins (who played a little Greta Garbo in 1933’s Queen Christina), the last surviving MGM contract player from the 1930s. Sitting at a tableau that recreated a party thrown for her by MGM in 1935, Collins elegantly thanked everyone for their well wishes. Actor George Chakiris was also in attendance, and he posed next to a costume...
- 4/5/2024
- by Hadley Meares
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Throughout the 96-year history of the Academy Awards, the amount of acting lineups consisting only of first-time nominees has reached 37, or about 10% of the overall total. While that number may not seem high in a general sense, these cases actually outnumber those exclusively involving veteran contenders by a ratio of three to one. However, although this list expanded as recently as 2023, rookie-only acting lineups are gradually becoming less common than veteran-only ones, the amount of which has nearly doubled within the last dozen years.
Whereas 75% of veteran-only acting quintets have involved lead performers rather than supporting ones, almost the exact opposite is true of lineups full of newcomers. For instance, only one existing case of the former kind concerns supporting actresses, whereas the same category has produced 15 rookie-only rosters. The last such group consisted of 2000 winner Angelina Jolie and nominees Toni Collette (“The Sixth Sense”), Catherine Keener (“Being John Malkovich...
Whereas 75% of veteran-only acting quintets have involved lead performers rather than supporting ones, almost the exact opposite is true of lineups full of newcomers. For instance, only one existing case of the former kind concerns supporting actresses, whereas the same category has produced 15 rookie-only rosters. The last such group consisted of 2000 winner Angelina Jolie and nominees Toni Collette (“The Sixth Sense”), Catherine Keener (“Being John Malkovich...
- 2/7/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Dashiell Hammett didn't invent detective fiction, he just perfected it — partially because he knew good and goddamn well of what he wrote. The high school dropout landed a gig with the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and evidently saw the worst side of the profession when his employer got fat off industrial cash by assigning their operatives to muscle, if not kill labor organizers. Years later, he laced his first published novel, "Red Harvest," with the bitter conscience of a man who witnessed evil but out of self-preservation did nothing.
Much of Hammett's work stings like a day drunk's swallow of rotgut whiskey, a belt they absorb over and over again to escape the awfulness of a world they cannot change in any meaningful way. The Continental Op eradicating a cluster of cold-blooded thugs with the 20-steps-ahead cool of a chess grandmaster in "Red Harvest" is so satisfying it's provided the foundation for several brilliant films.
Much of Hammett's work stings like a day drunk's swallow of rotgut whiskey, a belt they absorb over and over again to escape the awfulness of a world they cannot change in any meaningful way. The Continental Op eradicating a cluster of cold-blooded thugs with the 20-steps-ahead cool of a chess grandmaster in "Red Harvest" is so satisfying it's provided the foundation for several brilliant films.
- 1/15/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
The 1935 Best Actor lineup at the Academy Awards featured three Oscar newcomers in the forms of Clark Gable, Frank Morgan (“The Affair of Cellini”), and William Powell (“The Thin Man”), with Gable winning. Then came an 88-year gap. It wasn’t until earlier this year that voters nominated another lineup in this category made entirely out of first-time nominees. That list consisted of winner Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”) plus Austin Butler (“Elvis”), Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”), Bill Nighy (“Living”), and Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”).
Could history repeat itself quick time, like two delayed London buses arriving at the same time for passengers waiting in the sodden rain of Blighty? According to our Oscars odds chart for Best Actor, Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”), and Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”) are set to be nominated. Of those names, only...
Could history repeat itself quick time, like two delayed London buses arriving at the same time for passengers waiting in the sodden rain of Blighty? According to our Oscars odds chart for Best Actor, Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon”), Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”), and Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”) are set to be nominated. Of those names, only...
- 12/26/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
There are films you watched every time they pop up on TCM or streaming services. It’s like visiting an old friend. These movies put a smile on your face and a song in your heart. And one such film is “Charade,” which celebrates its 60th anniversary on Dec. 5. Deftly directed by Stanley Donen from a fun and thrilling Peter Stone screenplay, “Charade” stars Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn who exude a William Powell/Myrna Loy style chemistry that leaps off the screen. And let’s not forget that gorgeous Henry Mancini score, the romantic Oscar-nominated title tune “Charade,” with lyrics by Johnny Mercer and the pulsating Saul Bass title sequence.
I saw “Charade” when it was released, and I’ve probably seen it at least 15 more times. And each time seems like the first. Not many films have that kind of power. A 2010 Criterion Collection article by film historian...
I saw “Charade” when it was released, and I’ve probably seen it at least 15 more times. And each time seems like the first. Not many films have that kind of power. A 2010 Criterion Collection article by film historian...
- 12/6/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment and Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment are in talks to co-produce a remake of classic 1934 comedy mystery The Thin Man.
Based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett, The Thin Man starred William Powell and Myrna Loy as a husband and wife who team up to solve a murder and host a dinner party attended by all the suspects. The film was a huge success upon release, even scoring several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Five sequels followed, including After the Thin Man, Another Thin Man, Shadow of the Thin Man, The Thin Man Goes Home, and Song of the Thin Man.
The third star of The Thin Man and its sequel was Asta, the couple’s Wire Fox Terrier. At the time, the breed wasn’t overly popular in the United States, but the films quickly...
Based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett, The Thin Man starred William Powell and Myrna Loy as a husband and wife who team up to solve a murder and host a dinner party attended by all the suspects. The film was a huge success upon release, even scoring several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor. Five sequels followed, including After the Thin Man, Another Thin Man, Shadow of the Thin Man, The Thin Man Goes Home, and Song of the Thin Man.
The third star of The Thin Man and its sequel was Asta, the couple’s Wire Fox Terrier. At the time, the breed wasn’t overly popular in the United States, but the films quickly...
- 10/9/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Two celebrity-led production companies — Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap and Brad Pitt’s Plan B — are in talks to co-produce a remake of the classic 1934 comedy mystery “The Thin Man.”
LuckyChap and Plan B have not engaged in any discussions yet about casting due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. However, according to sources, both companies have been intent on securing exclusive rights to the significant film series since before the WGA strike, which started in May. The two companies would produce jointly.
The rights to “The Thin Man” series just recently became available. Previously, Rob Marshall and Johnny Depp were set to direct and star, respectively, in a remake. However, Warner Brothers said at the time that the project was never greenlit and was scrapped back in 2012.
Based on the Dashiell Hammett crime novel, “The Thin Man” is a murder mystery about a husband and wife who partner up to find a missing acquaintance,...
LuckyChap and Plan B have not engaged in any discussions yet about casting due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. However, according to sources, both companies have been intent on securing exclusive rights to the significant film series since before the WGA strike, which started in May. The two companies would produce jointly.
The rights to “The Thin Man” series just recently became available. Previously, Rob Marshall and Johnny Depp were set to direct and star, respectively, in a remake. However, Warner Brothers said at the time that the project was never greenlit and was scrapped back in 2012.
Based on the Dashiell Hammett crime novel, “The Thin Man” is a murder mystery about a husband and wife who partner up to find a missing acquaintance,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Valerie Wu
- Variety Film + TV
Margot Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment and Brad Pitt’s Plan B shingle are in talks to obtain the remake rights of the comedy-crime movie “The Thin Man,” TheWrap has learned.
According to insiders with knowledge of the project, the rights to “The Thin Man” only recently became available. LuckyChap and Plan B had been eyeing this for some time prior to the strikes. No discussions of who will star are happening in respect to the SAG-AFTRA strike; however both companies would produce together.
“The Thin Man” is a 1934 hardboiled detective novel by author Dashiell Hammett, featuring the characters of Nick and Nora Charles. It was adapted into a successful film series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy that ran from the 1930s to the 1940s.
The remake would be a modern-day retelling of the Hammett stories. Warner Brothers previously owned rights through the original movies. There had been several...
According to insiders with knowledge of the project, the rights to “The Thin Man” only recently became available. LuckyChap and Plan B had been eyeing this for some time prior to the strikes. No discussions of who will star are happening in respect to the SAG-AFTRA strike; however both companies would produce together.
“The Thin Man” is a 1934 hardboiled detective novel by author Dashiell Hammett, featuring the characters of Nick and Nora Charles. It was adapted into a successful film series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy that ran from the 1930s to the 1940s.
The remake would be a modern-day retelling of the Hammett stories. Warner Brothers previously owned rights through the original movies. There had been several...
- 10/9/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Following an extensive auction, LuckyChap and Plan B Entertainment are in exclusive talks to acquire rights to the classic Thin Man series. The rights recently became available and LuckyChap and Plan B had been eyeing this for some time pre-wga strike. No discussions of starring roles are happening out of respect to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Both companies would produce together.
The popular film series began with the 1934 film that starred William Powell and Myrna Loy as former detective Nick Charles and his wife Nora, who decide to solve a murder for the fun of it. Five sequels would follow and Hollywood has since being trying to reboot the series; Johnny Depp and Rob Marshall at one point eyed a remake at Warner Bros that never came to fruition.
Once a deal closes, the next step would be to attach a writer.
LuckyChap is coming off its smash hit Barbie,...
The popular film series began with the 1934 film that starred William Powell and Myrna Loy as former detective Nick Charles and his wife Nora, who decide to solve a murder for the fun of it. Five sequels would follow and Hollywood has since being trying to reboot the series; Johnny Depp and Rob Marshall at one point eyed a remake at Warner Bros that never came to fruition.
Once a deal closes, the next step would be to attach a writer.
LuckyChap is coming off its smash hit Barbie,...
- 10/9/2023
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
From left: Peter Sellers in The Pink Panther Strikes Again (Keystone/Getty Images), Angela Lansbury in The Mirror Crack’d (YouTube screenshot), Albert Finney in Murder On The Orient Express (Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty Images), Denzel Washington in Devil In A Blue Dress (D Stevens/Tri Star/Kobal/Shutterstock), Daniel Craig...
- 9/17/2023
- by Jorge Molina
- avclub.com
The last Academy Awards, which saw “Everything Everywhere All at Once” win Best Picture, featured a history-making lineup in the Best Actor category. All five of the nominees were newcomers: Brendan Fraser won for “The Whale” while Austin Butler (“Elvis”), Paul Mescal (“Aftersun”), Bill Nighy (“Living”), and Colin Farrell (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) all reaped their first bids.
That was the first time this happened since 1935 when there were only three Best Actor nominees: Clark Gable (“It Happened One Night”), Frank Morgan (“The Affairs of Cellini”), and William Powell (“The Thin Man”); Gable won. But after such a long gap between those two records, could we have a case of London buses and see another Best Actor lineup full of newcomers again at this year’s Oscars? Let’s take a look.
Currently, we are predicting that the following five fellows will be nominated for Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon...
That was the first time this happened since 1935 when there were only three Best Actor nominees: Clark Gable (“It Happened One Night”), Frank Morgan (“The Affairs of Cellini”), and William Powell (“The Thin Man”); Gable won. But after such a long gap between those two records, could we have a case of London buses and see another Best Actor lineup full of newcomers again at this year’s Oscars? Let’s take a look.
Currently, we are predicting that the following five fellows will be nominated for Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio (“Killers of the Flower Moon...
- 8/23/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
A good franchise is hard to kill. Bad ones, like the seven-film torture device Police Academy, can be even harder to exterminate. But sometimes doomed series are finally put out of their misery. Up on the shelf they go, doomed to a future of languishing on lists like this one.
The murder weapon is usually money. More specifically, the lack thereof. A big enough failure means a franchise won’t get another chance to pull their act together, and the most spectacular bombs get to live on as warnings to future film students. Even more interesting are the ones that aren’t total flops, the movies that maybe made a profit, but one so small or negligible that their studios decided to put that old franchise to bed, anyway. Here are 15 movies that killed their respective franchises for good.
Song of the Thin Man (1947)
Nick and Nora Charles are murder mystery elites,...
The murder weapon is usually money. More specifically, the lack thereof. A big enough failure means a franchise won’t get another chance to pull their act together, and the most spectacular bombs get to live on as warnings to future film students. Even more interesting are the ones that aren’t total flops, the movies that maybe made a profit, but one so small or negligible that their studios decided to put that old franchise to bed, anyway. Here are 15 movies that killed their respective franchises for good.
Song of the Thin Man (1947)
Nick and Nora Charles are murder mystery elites,...
- 6/19/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Experience the perfect blend of mystery and comedy in the world of “Thin Man” movies. In this blog post, we will guide you through the franchise chronologically and explain why these films achieved classic status during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Related: 10 Best Comedies of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
“The Thin Man” series follows the charming couple Nick Charles and Nora Charles, played by the incomparable William Powell and Myrna Loy, as they solve murders and crimes with a side of hilarity.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to these films, you’ll soon understand why they’ve remained so beloved. So sit back, grab a martini, and let’s dive into the world of the “Thin Man” franchise.
A List of All ‘Thin Man’ Movies In Order The Thin Man (1934) After the Thin Man (1936) Another Thin Man (1939) Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) The Thin Man Goes Home...
Related: 10 Best Comedies of All Time, Ranked by Viewers
“The Thin Man” series follows the charming couple Nick Charles and Nora Charles, played by the incomparable William Powell and Myrna Loy, as they solve murders and crimes with a side of hilarity.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to these films, you’ll soon understand why they’ve remained so beloved. So sit back, grab a martini, and let’s dive into the world of the “Thin Man” franchise.
A List of All ‘Thin Man’ Movies In Order The Thin Man (1934) After the Thin Man (1936) Another Thin Man (1939) Shadow of the Thin Man (1941) The Thin Man Goes Home...
- 6/4/2023
- by Israr Ahmed
- buddytv.com
It's been 22 years since Rob Cohen directed a shameless knockoff of Kathryn Bigelow's "Point Break," starring Paul Walker instead of Keanu Reeves, Vin Diesel instead of Patrick Swayze, and street racing instead of surfing and sky diving. And while at the time, the success of the film "The Fast and the Furious" seemed only vaguely remarkable, over the course of the last two decades it has ballooned into a multi-billion dollar franchise, full of epic car stunts, ludicrous storylines, and endless ruminations about the meaning of "family."
Yes, "Fast and Furious" has become a household name, perhaps permanently associated with the blockbuster vehicular nonsense films of Vin Diesel and company. But it was not always this way. The common expression "fast and furious" has been used many times in Hollywood, for films about race car driving, funny murder mysteries, beloved Looney Tunes adventures, and low-budget crime thrillers.
Some of...
Yes, "Fast and Furious" has become a household name, perhaps permanently associated with the blockbuster vehicular nonsense films of Vin Diesel and company. But it was not always this way. The common expression "fast and furious" has been used many times in Hollywood, for films about race car driving, funny murder mysteries, beloved Looney Tunes adventures, and low-budget crime thrillers.
Some of...
- 5/16/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
A young crew of protesters come together to destroy a Texas oil pipeline in Daniel Goldhaber’s fiercely watchable film
Here is a fiercely watchable thriller which had me biting my nails down to the wrists. It is inspired partly by Andreas Malm’s radical eco-activist manifesto of the same title, and partly – in fact, almost pedantically – by the heist classic Reservoir Dogs. A young crew of protesters, each individually getting a backstory flashback which sometimes jumps into the drama at a cliffhanger moment, come together for the big job, knowing each other as little as Tarantino’s colour-coded bad guys and having similar issues around gunshot wound injury and possible disloyalty.
Director and co-screenwriter Daniel Goldhaber applies a fictional imagination to the first two words in the title of Malm’s book, which argues for direct-action property destruction but is not actually a “how to” bomb-making guide like William Powell...
Here is a fiercely watchable thriller which had me biting my nails down to the wrists. It is inspired partly by Andreas Malm’s radical eco-activist manifesto of the same title, and partly – in fact, almost pedantically – by the heist classic Reservoir Dogs. A young crew of protesters, each individually getting a backstory flashback which sometimes jumps into the drama at a cliffhanger moment, come together for the big job, knowing each other as little as Tarantino’s colour-coded bad guys and having similar issues around gunshot wound injury and possible disloyalty.
Director and co-screenwriter Daniel Goldhaber applies a fictional imagination to the first two words in the title of Malm’s book, which argues for direct-action property destruction but is not actually a “how to” bomb-making guide like William Powell...
- 4/20/2023
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Warner Bros. has already celebrated its centennial with a segment during the Academy Awards, the publication of a studio-supported book (Warner Bros.: 100 Years of Storytelling) and, most recently, a barrage of festivities emanating from Turner Classic Movies. TCM’s programming for all of April is being devoted to Warners films, and at the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, running April 13-16, many studio masterpieces, some recently restored and remastered, will be shown on big screens around town. Here are 10 that this THR Hollywood history buff highly recommends.
Footlight Parade (1933)
Ninety years ago, during the depths of the Great Depression, Americans sought escape from their troubles with light movies like this backstage musical. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler and highlighted by some of choreographer Busby Berkeley’s most kaleidoscopic dance numbers, it was a giant hit at the box office.
Footlight Parade (1933)
Ninety years ago, during the depths of the Great Depression, Americans sought escape from their troubles with light movies like this backstage musical. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, starring James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler and highlighted by some of choreographer Busby Berkeley’s most kaleidoscopic dance numbers, it was a giant hit at the box office.
- 4/12/2023
- by Scott Feinberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Directed by David Lynch
On the occasion of the home video and streaming release of the newly remastered Inland Empire (for which we were lucky enough to chat with the man himself), Criterion has put together a fine tribute to David Lynch, also featuring Eraserhead (1977), Dune (1984), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Dr. (2001). Don’t sleep on the bonus features, including a new conversation between Laura Dern and Kyle Maclachlan. Also, set to arrive on April 1 is The Elephant Man (1980).
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
Eric Rohmer’s Tales of the Four Seasons
French New Wave master Eric Rohmer’s 1990s project was Tales of the Four Seasons, all of which have now received new restorations. Following...
Directed by David Lynch
On the occasion of the home video and streaming release of the newly remastered Inland Empire (for which we were lucky enough to chat with the man himself), Criterion has put together a fine tribute to David Lynch, also featuring Eraserhead (1977), Dune (1984), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), and Mulholland Dr. (2001). Don’t sleep on the bonus features, including a new conversation between Laura Dern and Kyle Maclachlan. Also, set to arrive on April 1 is The Elephant Man (1980).
Where to Stream: The Criterion Channel
Eric Rohmer’s Tales of the Four Seasons
French New Wave master Eric Rohmer’s 1990s project was Tales of the Four Seasons, all of which have now received new restorations. Following...
- 4/7/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
You would have a hard time defending the limp plotting, the bland action-adventure set pieces or the Agatha Christie-light whodunit twists of the first “Murder Mystery.” And, yet, it was kind of good.
“Murder Mystery,” one of Netflix’s most-streamed films, was chock full of exotic settings and mysterious murders. But the only thing that mattered, really, was the banter between Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. Though “Murder Mystery” could be said to epitomize that very modern kind of passive and painless viewing experience on streaming platforms, their married couple was a throwback to a long-ago movie era. Audrey and Nick Spitz, a pair of working-class New Yorkers turned semi-amateur detectives, might as well be Nick and Nora Charles, the 1930s cocktail-swilling crime solvers.
“Murder Mystery” and its new sequel don’t have anywhere near the sparkle of the “The Thin Man” movies, with William Powell, Myrna Loy and their wire fox terrier Asta.
“Murder Mystery,” one of Netflix’s most-streamed films, was chock full of exotic settings and mysterious murders. But the only thing that mattered, really, was the banter between Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler. Though “Murder Mystery” could be said to epitomize that very modern kind of passive and painless viewing experience on streaming platforms, their married couple was a throwback to a long-ago movie era. Audrey and Nick Spitz, a pair of working-class New Yorkers turned semi-amateur detectives, might as well be Nick and Nora Charles, the 1930s cocktail-swilling crime solvers.
“Murder Mystery” and its new sequel don’t have anywhere near the sparkle of the “The Thin Man” movies, with William Powell, Myrna Loy and their wire fox terrier Asta.
- 3/31/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
The Best Picture win at the Oscars is the highest prize in the film industry. However, some films manage to take home the top award, yet they still don’t manage to stand the test of time. There are some Best Picture winners that no one talks about, even though they’ll always be a part of Academy Award history.
‘The Broadway Melody’ (1929) L-r: Charles King as Eddie Kearns, Bessie Love as Harriet ‘Hank’ Mahoney, Mary Doran as Flo, Anita Page as Queen Mahoney, and Nacio Herb Brown as Pianist | John Springer Collection/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Harriet ‘Hank’ Mahoney (Bessie Love) and Queenie Mahoney (Anita Page) are vaudeville sister performers looking to break into the Broadway scene. However, romantic melodrama quickly overshadows their attempt to pursue fame as a duo.
The Broadway Melody is the second film to win the Best Picture Oscar, with only Wings coming before it.
‘The Broadway Melody’ (1929) L-r: Charles King as Eddie Kearns, Bessie Love as Harriet ‘Hank’ Mahoney, Mary Doran as Flo, Anita Page as Queen Mahoney, and Nacio Herb Brown as Pianist | John Springer Collection/Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images
Harriet ‘Hank’ Mahoney (Bessie Love) and Queenie Mahoney (Anita Page) are vaudeville sister performers looking to break into the Broadway scene. However, romantic melodrama quickly overshadows their attempt to pursue fame as a duo.
The Broadway Melody is the second film to win the Best Picture Oscar, with only Wings coming before it.
- 2/28/2023
- by Jeff Nelson
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When the 2023 Oscar nominations were announced last Tuesday the 24th, an interesting thing happened. Sixteen of the 20 acting nomination slots were held down by first-time nominees, including all five for Best Actor: Austin Butler for “Elvis,” Colin Farrell for “The Banshees of Inisherin,” Brendan Fraser for “The Whale,” Paul Mescal for “Aftersun” and Bill Nighy for “Living.” It was a somewhat stunning development given that all five in the category last year were returnees: Will Smith (“King Richard”), Javier Bardem (“Being the Ricardos”), Benedict Cumberbatch (“The Power of the Dog”), Andrew Garfield and Denzel Washington (“The Tragedy of Macbeth”).
If you’re wondering when happened to be the last time that all of the nominees in the lead actor category were first-timers, try 1935, in the midst of The Great Depression. Franklin Roosevelt was President of the United States. Parker Brothers marketed the board game Monopoly for the first time. A...
If you’re wondering when happened to be the last time that all of the nominees in the lead actor category were first-timers, try 1935, in the midst of The Great Depression. Franklin Roosevelt was President of the United States. Parker Brothers marketed the board game Monopoly for the first time. A...
- 2/1/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Tuesday’s Oscar nominations brought the jaw-droppers many expected. Some met with joy, and others with heartbreak.
Social media and awards pundit circles have been touting Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” as an undisputed front-runner for most of the awards season. With a leading 11 nominations, it’s in an excellent position to win the best picture statuette for distributor A24, the same studio that pulled off the memorable “Moonlight” upset over “La La Land” at the 2017 show. A24 led the day for studios with a resounding 18 nominations, with Netflix in second with 16.
The multiverse flick landed expected noms for acting — Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu — but flexed in the artisan races like costume design, original score and original song. However, holding the title of the “one to beat” can bring the claws out of other studios and strategists...
Social media and awards pundit circles have been touting Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s “Everything Everywhere All at Once” as an undisputed front-runner for most of the awards season. With a leading 11 nominations, it’s in an excellent position to win the best picture statuette for distributor A24, the same studio that pulled off the memorable “Moonlight” upset over “La La Land” at the 2017 show. A24 led the day for studios with a resounding 18 nominations, with Netflix in second with 16.
The multiverse flick landed expected noms for acting — Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis and Stephanie Hsu — but flexed in the artisan races like costume design, original score and original song. However, holding the title of the “one to beat” can bring the claws out of other studios and strategists...
- 1/24/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Tollywood hitmaker S.S. Rajamouli has won the best director award from the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) for his epic adventure film ‘Rrr’, reports ‘Variety’. The awards are seen as the bellwether for the upcoming Hollywood awards season.
Although ‘Rrr’ wasn’t selected to represent India in the international feature category of the Academy Awards, Variance Films has mounted a substantial campaign to have the film recognised in the general categories, including best picture. And as ‘Variety’ puts it, it looks like it could be paying off. Rajamouli’s win has been described as ‘one of the jaw-droppers’ of the evening.
NYFCC’s winner for best film has typically had a strong correlation with the Academy Awards’ best picture category. Since the expansion to nominees in 2009, only ‘Carol’ (2015) and ‘First Cow’ (2020) have missed Oscar recognition. The latter was the first film that has won New York’s top prize...
Although ‘Rrr’ wasn’t selected to represent India in the international feature category of the Academy Awards, Variance Films has mounted a substantial campaign to have the film recognised in the general categories, including best picture. And as ‘Variety’ puts it, it looks like it could be paying off. Rajamouli’s win has been described as ‘one of the jaw-droppers’ of the evening.
NYFCC’s winner for best film has typically had a strong correlation with the Academy Awards’ best picture category. Since the expansion to nominees in 2009, only ‘Carol’ (2015) and ‘First Cow’ (2020) have missed Oscar recognition. The latter was the first film that has won New York’s top prize...
- 12/3/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Do you know when the first movie premiere in Hollywood history was held?
On Oct. 18. 1922 Sid Grauman opened his movie palace the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. with superstar Douglas Fairbank’s latest swashbuckler “Robin Hood.” The red carpet was rolled out for Fairbanks, his wife Mary Pickford and their good friend (and partner in United Artists) Charlie Chaplin. It cost 5 to attend the premiere. And the movie, which was the top box office draw, played there exclusively for several months. The Egyptian cost 800,000 to build and took 18 months to complete for Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman. It is currently being renovated by Netflix in cooperation with the American Cinematheque.
“Robin Hood,” directed by Allan Dwan, was one of the most expensive movies of the silent era, costing just under 1 million. The castle was the biggest set ever made for a silent movie. Some scenes feature over 1,200 extras.
On Oct. 18. 1922 Sid Grauman opened his movie palace the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. with superstar Douglas Fairbank’s latest swashbuckler “Robin Hood.” The red carpet was rolled out for Fairbanks, his wife Mary Pickford and their good friend (and partner in United Artists) Charlie Chaplin. It cost 5 to attend the premiere. And the movie, which was the top box office draw, played there exclusively for several months. The Egyptian cost 800,000 to build and took 18 months to complete for Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman. It is currently being renovated by Netflix in cooperation with the American Cinematheque.
“Robin Hood,” directed by Allan Dwan, was one of the most expensive movies of the silent era, costing just under 1 million. The castle was the biggest set ever made for a silent movie. Some scenes feature over 1,200 extras.
- 10/25/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Still Photography on the set of “Ticket To Paradise”
Hmmm, now this is something pretty rare. The two films I’m reviewing for this weekend have a few things in common, “subject-wise”. This too concerns an estranged couple reuniting for a non-holiday event. With Raymond & Ray, it’s about two stepbrothers having to travel to their dad’s funeral, while this new release is about an estranged (long-divorced) parents having to travel to their daughter’s wedding. And it’s not a two-hour car trip, but a rather long flight to an exotic island. Oh, and the former marrieds are played by Oscar-winning Hollywood royalty, or about as close as you can get to that. Plus it’s their fourth flick acting opposite each other (fifth if you count when he directed her). So lots of moviegoers are hoping that their chemistry is still potent as they go to their multiplex box office,...
Hmmm, now this is something pretty rare. The two films I’m reviewing for this weekend have a few things in common, “subject-wise”. This too concerns an estranged couple reuniting for a non-holiday event. With Raymond & Ray, it’s about two stepbrothers having to travel to their dad’s funeral, while this new release is about an estranged (long-divorced) parents having to travel to their daughter’s wedding. And it’s not a two-hour car trip, but a rather long flight to an exotic island. Oh, and the former marrieds are played by Oscar-winning Hollywood royalty, or about as close as you can get to that. Plus it’s their fourth flick acting opposite each other (fifth if you count when he directed her). So lots of moviegoers are hoping that their chemistry is still potent as they go to their multiplex box office,...
- 10/21/2022
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Warners Bros. Discovery continue developing a feature remake of the detective mystery "The Thin Man", by author Dashiell Hammett, previously adapted into a successful series of MGM features, starring actors William Powell, Myrna Loy and 'Asta', a wire fox terrier:
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
"...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
"...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
- 8/10/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Jean-Louis Trintignant, the thoughtful French actor who headlined such art house classics as A Man and a Woman, My Night at Maud’s, The Conformist, Three Colors: Red and Amour, has died. He was 91.
Trintignant died Friday at his home in the Gard region of southern France, his wife, Marianne, and agent told the Agence France-Presse.
Trintignant received a number of accolades throughout his 60-plus-year career, including the best actor prize from Cannes in 1969 for Costa-Gavras’ political thriller Z and a Cesar Award in 2013 for Michael Haneke’s Amour, which also won the Oscar for best foreign-language film.
With more than 130 screen and 50-plus stage credits to his name, Trintignant was a highly prolific and respected talent who could perform anything from Shakespeare to commercial French comedies, from art house favorites by Bertolucci, Kieślowski and Truffaut to popular romances and sci-fi flicks — as...
Trintignant died Friday at his home in the Gard region of southern France, his wife, Marianne, and agent told the Agence France-Presse.
Trintignant received a number of accolades throughout his 60-plus-year career, including the best actor prize from Cannes in 1969 for Costa-Gavras’ political thriller Z and a Cesar Award in 2013 for Michael Haneke’s Amour, which also won the Oscar for best foreign-language film.
With more than 130 screen and 50-plus stage credits to his name, Trintignant was a highly prolific and respected talent who could perform anything from Shakespeare to commercial French comedies, from art house favorites by Bertolucci, Kieślowski and Truffaut to popular romances and sci-fi flicks — as...
- 6/17/2022
- by Jordan Mintzer
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
To lose ourselves in a world of winks and wisecracks from quick-witted showgirls, ditzy heiresses and fast-talking career women may seem like a borderline irresponsible choice in These Troubled Times. But the blast of pure pleasure that is the Berlin Film Festival’s 27-movie tribute to Mae West, Rosalind Russell and Carole Lombard is an act of cinematic self-care with a precedent. The “No Angels” Retrospective, which co-ordinator Annika Haupts says was conceived as “mood-lightening” counter-programming during Germany’s first corona lockdown, comprises comedies that were themselves developed during America’s Great Depression. Spanning 1932 to 1943, there are ordained classics like “My Man Godfrey,” “His Girl Friday,” “Twentieth Century,” “To Be or Not to Be” and “The Women.” But there’s also a trove of less well-known treasures, united by irreverence and leading ladies whose charisma transforms the contrivances of Hayes Code-era Hollywood into escapism so effervescent it froths the blues away.
- 2/11/2022
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety Film + TV
In the two dozen years since Paul Thomas Anderson first became an Oscar nominee, he has received seven more bids across four categories, the two most recent of which came in 2018 for “Phantom Thread” (Best Picture; Best Director). He has also directed nine nominated performances that span three of the four acting categories; to date, no Anderson film has ever figured in a Best Actress lineup. But now, Alana Haim (“Licorice Pizza”) could make history as the first to do so.
Haim, whose performance in “Licorice Pizza” marks her film debut, ranks ninth in our Best Actress odds but that should change based on her surprise BAFTA bid. Those running ahead of her are four women snubbed by the BAFTAs — Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”), Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”), Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) and Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”) — plus Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”), Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers...
Haim, whose performance in “Licorice Pizza” marks her film debut, ranks ninth in our Best Actress odds but that should change based on her surprise BAFTA bid. Those running ahead of her are four women snubbed by the BAFTAs — Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”), Nicole Kidman (“Being the Ricardos”), Jessica Chastain (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) and Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”) — plus Lady Gaga (“House of Gucci”), Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers...
- 2/3/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
“Nick, we’re going home and I’m not tucking you into bed, I’m tying you in.”
William Powell and Myrna Loy in Song Of The Thin Man (1947) will be available on Blu-ray January 18th from Warner Archive
At a charity gambling benefit aboard the S.S. Fortune, the tables are hot, the jazz is hotter and before you know it, a bandleader’s body is growing cold. They’re playing your song, Nick and Nora Charles! William Powell and Myrna Loy return for the sixth and final time as the married sleuths, rousting suspects out of bed for 4 a.m. interrogations while trying to fathom the bebop argot of ‘40s jazz jive. Speaking of their renowned screen chemistry, Loy once said, “It wasn’t a conscious thing. If you heard us talking in a room, you’d hear the same thing. He’d tease me, and there was...
William Powell and Myrna Loy in Song Of The Thin Man (1947) will be available on Blu-ray January 18th from Warner Archive
At a charity gambling benefit aboard the S.S. Fortune, the tables are hot, the jazz is hotter and before you know it, a bandleader’s body is growing cold. They’re playing your song, Nick and Nora Charles! William Powell and Myrna Loy return for the sixth and final time as the married sleuths, rousting suspects out of bed for 4 a.m. interrogations while trying to fathom the bebop argot of ‘40s jazz jive. Speaking of their renowned screen chemistry, Loy once said, “It wasn’t a conscious thing. If you heard us talking in a room, you’d hear the same thing. He’d tease me, and there was...
- 1/6/2022
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Warners continues developing a remake of the detective mystery "The Thin Man", by author Dashiell Hammett, previously adapted into a successful series of MGM features, starring actors William Powell, Myrna Loy and 'Asta', a wire fox terrier:
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
"...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
"...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
- 1/5/2022
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
“Oh, Nicky, you’re driving me crazy. This case is serious and all you do is fuddle around and guzzle cider.”
William Powell and Myrna Loy in The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) will be available on Blu-ray November 23rd from Warner Archive
William Powell and Myrna Loy reunite as amateur sleuths Nick and Nora Charles in this penultimate 5th entry to the beloved, long-running series of mystery comedies that began a decade earlier. Outlaws come and go in Nick and Nora’s lives. Now it’s time to meet the in-laws. The debonair sleuths leave little Nicky Jr. at boarding school, grab Asta and head to Nick’s boyhood home of Sycamore Springs. Of course, wherever they go, murder has a way of showing up on the doorstep – a point proven in delightful classic. Nick can show off his gumshoe talents for his parents (Harry Davenport and Lucile Watson) when an artist is killed.
William Powell and Myrna Loy in The Thin Man Goes Home (1944) will be available on Blu-ray November 23rd from Warner Archive
William Powell and Myrna Loy reunite as amateur sleuths Nick and Nora Charles in this penultimate 5th entry to the beloved, long-running series of mystery comedies that began a decade earlier. Outlaws come and go in Nick and Nora’s lives. Now it’s time to meet the in-laws. The debonair sleuths leave little Nicky Jr. at boarding school, grab Asta and head to Nick’s boyhood home of Sycamore Springs. Of course, wherever they go, murder has a way of showing up on the doorstep – a point proven in delightful classic. Nick can show off his gumshoe talents for his parents (Harry Davenport and Lucile Watson) when an artist is killed.
- 11/18/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
“You got all the luck. What’d you do? Swallow a horseshoe?”
William Powell and Myrna Loy in Shadow Of The Thin Man (1941) will be available on Blu-ray August 17th From Warner Archive.
A jockey who threw a race is murdered in the locker room. With that, she and hubby Nick are off to the races on another case of murder, mirth and perfect martinis. Red herrings abound.
Nick and Nora’s hopes for a pleasant afternoon at the local race track are dashed when a jockey is found shot dead in the locker room. Nick’s friend Lt. Abrams wants him to help out but Nick is enjoying the good life too much to get involved. However, he is subsequently approached by Major Scully to look into corruption and the role of organized crime in gambling. Others are killed but in the end, Nick gathers all of the suspects...
William Powell and Myrna Loy in Shadow Of The Thin Man (1941) will be available on Blu-ray August 17th From Warner Archive.
A jockey who threw a race is murdered in the locker room. With that, she and hubby Nick are off to the races on another case of murder, mirth and perfect martinis. Red herrings abound.
Nick and Nora’s hopes for a pleasant afternoon at the local race track are dashed when a jockey is found shot dead in the locker room. Nick’s friend Lt. Abrams wants him to help out but Nick is enjoying the good life too much to get involved. However, he is subsequently approached by Major Scully to look into corruption and the role of organized crime in gambling. Others are killed but in the end, Nick gathers all of the suspects...
- 8/15/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Years in the making! The glory of MGM on parade! Enough studio resources to film twenty pictures were expended on this paean to showman Florenz Ziegfeld. It’s really Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s Technicolor valentine to itself, showing off the studio’s enormous stable of musical talent, along with various of its comic performers. Arthur Freed and Louis B. Mayer’s notion of ‘something for everyone’ results in weird stack of grandiose musical numbers and mostly weak comedy. The biggest draw is the incredible color cinematography that peeks through in three or four jaw-droppingly elaborate musical spectacles. The picture is a workout to find the artistic limits of the Technicolor system.
Ziegfeld Follies
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1945 / Color / 1:37 Academy / 117 110 min. / Street Date June 15, 2021 / 21.99
Starring: (alphabetically): Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Lucille Bremer, Fanny Brice, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, Victor Moore, Red Skelton, Esther Williams. Also...
Ziegfeld Follies
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1945 / Color / 1:37 Academy / 117 110 min. / Street Date June 15, 2021 / 21.99
Starring: (alphabetically): Fred Astaire, Lucille Ball, Lucille Bremer, Fanny Brice, Judy Garland, Kathryn Grayson, Lena Horne, Gene Kelly, Victor Moore, Red Skelton, Esther Williams. Also...
- 7/20/2021
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Clark Gable did not intend to see action when World War II came to America. Which is not to say he ignored the war. Gable was there that day in 1940 when President Franklin Roosevelt gave his famous “Arsenal of Democracy” speech from the Oval Office. And, indeed, the first thing the movie star did when he heard about the Pearl Harbor attack was cable Fdr to offer his full support—and, tellingly, the besieged president promptly answered right back.
But then in the 1930s and early ‘40s, Gable was “the King of Hollywood;” the reigning movie star who could sell more tickets than anybody this side of Shirley Temple, and he didn’t have to sing or dance to do it either. He was a mustachioed and muscular alpha who appealed to everybody, even presidents, and was one of the few leading men who would tell Louis B. Mayer no...
But then in the 1930s and early ‘40s, Gable was “the King of Hollywood;” the reigning movie star who could sell more tickets than anybody this side of Shirley Temple, and he didn’t have to sing or dance to do it either. He was a mustachioed and muscular alpha who appealed to everybody, even presidents, and was one of the few leading men who would tell Louis B. Mayer no...
- 6/18/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Warners Bros is developing a remake of the detective mystery "The Thin Man", by author Dashiell Hammett, previously adapted into a successful series of MGM features, starring actors William Powell, Myrna Loy and 'Asta', a wire fox terrier:
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
"...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
"...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
- 3/29/2021
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
“More Sleuthing, More Drinking”
By Raymond Benson
The Thin Man, released in 1934, was such a success (and Oscar nominee) that Hollywood decided to make a sequel. After the Thin Man, released in 1936, reunited stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, the Wire Fox Terrier-actor Skippy as “Asta,” director W. S. Van Dyke, writer Dashiell Hammett (who wrote the original novel and supplied story ideas for the sequels), and screenwriters Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable follow-up, if not quite as brilliant as the original (sequels seldom are).
One of the more striking elements of After the Thin Man is the presence of a young James Stewart in a supporting role. It is one of his earliest screen appearances, and he displays the charisma that would suit him well for the next several decades.
The...
“More Sleuthing, More Drinking”
By Raymond Benson
The Thin Man, released in 1934, was such a success (and Oscar nominee) that Hollywood decided to make a sequel. After the Thin Man, released in 1936, reunited stars William Powell and Myrna Loy as Nick and Nora Charles, the Wire Fox Terrier-actor Skippy as “Asta,” director W. S. Van Dyke, writer Dashiell Hammett (who wrote the original novel and supplied story ideas for the sequels), and screenwriters Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich. The result is a thoroughly enjoyable follow-up, if not quite as brilliant as the original (sequels seldom are).
One of the more striking elements of After the Thin Man is the presence of a young James Stewart in a supporting role. It is one of his earliest screen appearances, and he displays the charisma that would suit him well for the next several decades.
The...
- 1/21/2021
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The Notebook Primer introduces readers to some of the most important figures, films, genres, and movements in film history.Speaking after her tragic death at the age of 33, President Franklin D. Roosevelt testified to the legacy of Carole Lombard. “She is and always will be a star,” he stated in 1942, “one that we shall never forget, nor cease to be grateful to.” Although the president’s words were at least in part influenced by Lombard’s recent patriotic zeal (she died in a plane crash after traveling to sell war bonds), his comments resonated throughout the country, especially Hollywood, where the actress’s impact had been progressively pronounced for years. Her films were like a breath of fresh air to Depression-era audiences, adding silver screen levity to individuals seeking a brief reprieve from day-to-day hardship. By contrast, Lombard’s cinematic sphere was often one of glamour, romance, and, above all,...
- 1/6/2021
- MUBI
Normal 0 false false false En-us X-none X-none
“Male Egos On A Boat”
By Raymond Benson
The extremely popular 1955 movie Mister Roberts began as a 1946 novel by Thomas Heggen. It was then a Broadway play written by Heggen and Joshua Logan, directed by Logan, and produced by Leland Hayward. Henry Fonda played the title role of Lieutenant Doug Roberts on Broadway and won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance. It then made sense for Fonda to reprise the role in the motion picture, which was also produced by Hayward and co-scripted by Logan and Frank S. Nugent. Sounds like a Hollywood no-brainer in the making, right?
The direction of the film is where things got dicey. John Ford was hired to direct, but according to Hollywood scuttlebutt accounts, Ford and James Cagney did not get along. Then, during filming Ford and his old friend Henry Fonda got into a fight.
“Male Egos On A Boat”
By Raymond Benson
The extremely popular 1955 movie Mister Roberts began as a 1946 novel by Thomas Heggen. It was then a Broadway play written by Heggen and Joshua Logan, directed by Logan, and produced by Leland Hayward. Henry Fonda played the title role of Lieutenant Doug Roberts on Broadway and won a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his performance. It then made sense for Fonda to reprise the role in the motion picture, which was also produced by Hayward and co-scripted by Logan and Frank S. Nugent. Sounds like a Hollywood no-brainer in the making, right?
The direction of the film is where things got dicey. John Ford was hired to direct, but according to Hollywood scuttlebutt accounts, Ford and James Cagney did not get along. Then, during filming Ford and his old friend Henry Fonda got into a fight.
- 12/21/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
This adapted Broadway play may be considered minor John Ford moviemaking, and some sources say he had to drop out before he could film very much of it. But what’s on the screen pleased audiences primed for the first wave of WW2 nostalgia. The story of cargo officer Henry Fonda’s one-man war against his Bligh-like Captain James Cagney had all of us ’50s kids asking dad if the war really was like that. James Cagney steals the show while stars William Powell, Betsy Palmer and Ward Bond make their marks. Young Jack Lemmon came out swinging with his bright personality and won an Oscar for his trouble.
Mister Roberts
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1955 / Color / 2:55 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date December 8, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, Jack Lemmon, Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Philip Carey, Nick Adams, Perry Lopez, Ken Curtis, Robert Roark, Harry Carey Jr.,...
Mister Roberts
Blu-ray
Warner Archive Collection
1955 / Color / 2:55 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date December 8, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99
Starring: Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell, Jack Lemmon, Betsy Palmer, Ward Bond, Philip Carey, Nick Adams, Perry Lopez, Ken Curtis, Robert Roark, Harry Carey Jr.,...
- 12/12/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
The Notebook Primer introduces readers to some of the most important figures, films, genres, and movements in film history.Above: 42nd StreetWhile other genres undoubtedly advanced with the dawning of sound technology, the musical is likely the most indebted to the reverberations of this complementary process. More than that, though, the movie musical was fundamentally born with the surge of sound—it simply could not have existed otherwise. And since that time, the musical has indeed been a uniquely cinematic venture, less beholden to conventional narratives and often disposed to experimentations in color, location, camera mobility, production design, and special effects. Especially in its heyday, the so-called “Golden Age” lasting between the mid-1930s and late-‘50s, Hollywood musicals were an enrapturing experience, delighting audiences with spectacle, romance, athleticism, fine performances, and, of course, song and dance. Some of America’s brightest stars sparkled in the musical, while many of...
- 10/7/2020
- MUBI
We told you. Remember the rules. You didn’t listen. Now we’re Back with an all new batch of guest recommendations featuring Blake Masters, Julien Nitzberg, Floyd Norman, Tuppence Middleton and Blaire Bercy.
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wild Angels (1966)
Spirits of the Dead (1966)
The Trip (1967)
Mooch Goes To Hollywood (1971)
Stalker (1979)
The Candidate (1972)
The Parallax View (1974)
Network (1976)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Ace In The Hole (1951)
Margin Call (2011)
Death Wish (1974)
Death Wish (2018)
Seconds (1966)
Soylent Green (1973)
Rage (1972)
Assault on Wall Street (2013)
Repo Man (1984)
Elmer Gantry (1960)
The Train (1965)
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
Strange Brew (1983)
To Have And Have Not (1944)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Easter Parade (1948)
The Band Wagon (1953)
Guys And Dolls (1955)
On The Town (1949)
Casablanca (1942)
The Dirt Gang (1972)
Back To The Future (1985)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949)
My Man Godfrey...
Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wild Angels (1966)
Spirits of the Dead (1966)
The Trip (1967)
Mooch Goes To Hollywood (1971)
Stalker (1979)
The Candidate (1972)
The Parallax View (1974)
Network (1976)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Ace In The Hole (1951)
Margin Call (2011)
Death Wish (1974)
Death Wish (2018)
Seconds (1966)
Soylent Green (1973)
Rage (1972)
Assault on Wall Street (2013)
Repo Man (1984)
Elmer Gantry (1960)
The Train (1965)
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014)
Strange Brew (1983)
To Have And Have Not (1944)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Easter Parade (1948)
The Band Wagon (1953)
Guys And Dolls (1955)
On The Town (1949)
Casablanca (1942)
The Dirt Gang (1972)
Back To The Future (1985)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
The Big Sleep (1946)
Bomba, the Jungle Boy (1949)
My Man Godfrey...
- 8/14/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Carole Lombard came to Hollywood from the Midwest at the age of 7 and was making Westerns at Fox by age 9.
The legendary star of such classics as “My Man Godfrey” and “Twentieth Century” would rise to become a high-paid performer in the middle of the Depression. Lombard was known for her tomboy style, for throwing great parties, for her marriages to megastars William Powell and Clark Gable. She was also destined to be Hollywood’s first casualty of World War II. She was only 33 and at the peak of her career.
“Carole Lombard gave her life in the service of America,” Will Hays, president of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, told Variety in January 1942 as the shock of Lombard’s death in a plane crash outside Las Vegas spread through the industry.
Daily Variety editor Arthur Ungar penned a page-one tribute to Lombard that led the Jan. 19, 1942, edition.
The legendary star of such classics as “My Man Godfrey” and “Twentieth Century” would rise to become a high-paid performer in the middle of the Depression. Lombard was known for her tomboy style, for throwing great parties, for her marriages to megastars William Powell and Clark Gable. She was also destined to be Hollywood’s first casualty of World War II. She was only 33 and at the peak of her career.
“Carole Lombard gave her life in the service of America,” Will Hays, president of Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America, told Variety in January 1942 as the shock of Lombard’s death in a plane crash outside Las Vegas spread through the industry.
Daily Variety editor Arthur Ungar penned a page-one tribute to Lombard that led the Jan. 19, 1942, edition.
- 5/25/2020
- by Cynthia Littleton
- Variety Film + TV
(Welcome to The Quarantine Stream, a new series where the /Film team shares what they’ve been watching while social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic.) The Movie: My Man Godfrey Where You Can Stream It: Amazon Prime The Pitch: William Powell plays the titular Godfrey, a “forgotten man” living in a dump on the East River who is recruited […]
The post The Quarantine Stream: ‘My Man Godfrey’ is a Winning Screwball Comedy With a Conscience appeared first on /Film.
The post The Quarantine Stream: ‘My Man Godfrey’ is a Winning Screwball Comedy With a Conscience appeared first on /Film.
- 5/13/2020
- by Hoai-Tran Bui
- Slash Film
After nearly two months in quarantine, you are probably running out of movies to watch and TV shows to binge.
If options on your Netflix queue are wearing thin, Hollywood stars are here to help. From directors and actors to newscasters and comics, Variety has surveyed tastemakers from the big and small screen to assemble a list of acclaimed films and venerable sitcoms — and everything in between — that are worth catching up on in the social distancing era.
From buzzy shows like “Tiger King” and “Unorthodox” to staples such as “Golden Girls” or “Mad Men,” here’s what Hollywood has been watching while staying at home.
Sandra Oh
“‘Tiger King.’ From a psychological perspective, and honestly an acting perspective, they’re brilliant character studies. It’s like when the ego hijacks everything, and reactivity hijacks everything. Also, the narcissistic need and desire to be at the forefront — it’s an...
If options on your Netflix queue are wearing thin, Hollywood stars are here to help. From directors and actors to newscasters and comics, Variety has surveyed tastemakers from the big and small screen to assemble a list of acclaimed films and venerable sitcoms — and everything in between — that are worth catching up on in the social distancing era.
From buzzy shows like “Tiger King” and “Unorthodox” to staples such as “Golden Girls” or “Mad Men,” here’s what Hollywood has been watching while staying at home.
Sandra Oh
“‘Tiger King.’ From a psychological perspective, and honestly an acting perspective, they’re brilliant character studies. It’s like when the ego hijacks everything, and reactivity hijacks everything. Also, the narcissistic need and desire to be at the forefront — it’s an...
- 5/4/2020
- by Rebecca Rubin and Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Warners Bros is developing a remake of the detective mystery "The Thin Man", by author Dashiell Hammett, previously adapted into a successful series of MGM features, starring actors William Powell, Myrna Loy and 'Asta', a wire fox terrier:
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
"...set in Prohibition-era New York City, former 2-fisted private detective 'Nick Charles' and his elegant wife 'Nora', a wealthy socialite, spend most of their time cheerfully getting drunk in hotel rooms and speakeasies. Nick and Nora have no children, but own a clever dog named 'Asta'.
"Enjoying his carefree life...
...Nick is drawn, mostly against his will, into investigating a crime...
"...bringing him into contact with grotesque 'Clyde Wynant', the 'Thin Man' of the title..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Thin Man"...
- 1/24/2020
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Every filmmaker hopes to make a good movie, but sometimes the impact is bigger than expected.
Neon’s “Parasite” is one example of a 2019 film hitting a nerve. Writer-director Bong Joon Ho’s film has been praised for its originality and daring shifts in tone. It also has resonance due to its subject matter: the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
“Parasite” is only one of the year’s films that address this zeitgeist subject, also including “Hustlers,” “Joker,” “Knives Out” and the French “Les Miserables,” to name a few. It’s not a new theme: In prehistoric times, some people were no doubt troubled that other cave dwellers had more than they did.
But the subject found new expression in 19th century novels from writers including Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. In 1902, Maxim Gorky’s play “The Lower Depths” was a sensation with its depiction of people at a homeless shelter.
Neon’s “Parasite” is one example of a 2019 film hitting a nerve. Writer-director Bong Joon Ho’s film has been praised for its originality and daring shifts in tone. It also has resonance due to its subject matter: the gap between the haves and the have-nots.
“Parasite” is only one of the year’s films that address this zeitgeist subject, also including “Hustlers,” “Joker,” “Knives Out” and the French “Les Miserables,” to name a few. It’s not a new theme: In prehistoric times, some people were no doubt troubled that other cave dwellers had more than they did.
But the subject found new expression in 19th century novels from writers including Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. In 1902, Maxim Gorky’s play “The Lower Depths” was a sensation with its depiction of people at a homeless shelter.
- 1/22/2020
- by Tim Gray
- Variety Film + TV
By now we all know that the film the Academy selects as the “Best Picture” of any given year is rarely the actual Best Picture, but some years it’s hard to explain why they picked what they picked. Never mind “Shakespeare in Love” beating “Saving Private Ryan,” because at least “Shakespeare in Love” is a handsome production with a witty script. Never mind “Dances with Wolves” beating “Goodfellas,” because at least “Dances with Wolves” is a respectable western. We’re taking a look at the films that we can’t watch, even in a vacuum, without cringing nowadays. And when you compare them with the nominees that didn’t earn the Oscar, it’s just plain hard to justify why the Academy voted the way it did.
“The Broadway Melody” (1929)
The second Best Picture winner, and the first synch sound movie to win the top prize, was innovative for the time.
“The Broadway Melody” (1929)
The second Best Picture winner, and the first synch sound movie to win the top prize, was innovative for the time.
- 1/7/2020
- by William Bibbiani
- The Wrap
“Marriage Story” looks like the only Oscar contender this season with a plausible shot at earning nominations in all four acting races, in large part because it’s one of the few films in the conversation with male and female co-leads. Only 15 other movies have accomplished that feat, which would make “Marriage” the 16th. But it’s even more impressive when you consider that it has only happened twice in the last 37 years.
According to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, “Marriage Story” is a reasonably safe bet for Best Actress (Scarlett Johansson as an actress filing for divorce), Best Actor (Adam Driver as her husband fighting to retain custody of their son) and Best Supporting Actress (Laura Dern as Johansson’s lawyer). That leaves Best Supporting Actor, where Alan Alda is a contender for playing Driver’s kindly but out-of-his-depth attorney, but he’s an underdog according to...
According to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, “Marriage Story” is a reasonably safe bet for Best Actress (Scarlett Johansson as an actress filing for divorce), Best Actor (Adam Driver as her husband fighting to retain custody of their son) and Best Supporting Actress (Laura Dern as Johansson’s lawyer). That leaves Best Supporting Actor, where Alan Alda is a contender for playing Driver’s kindly but out-of-his-depth attorney, but he’s an underdog according to...
- 12/18/2019
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
The experts were right when they said that silent filmmaking was developing something unique and beautiful, before talkies came along and spoiled the party with all that noise. This ‘handy three-pack’ of once-obscure Josef von Sternberg classics proves the theory 100% — his intense dramas excite audiences with something that’s gone missing from the movies, or the cinema or whatever you want to call it: the magic of visual stylization in the service of basic human emotions. Before Marlene there was Evelyn Brent and Betty Compson: Sternberg presents them as shimmering visions.
3 Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 529, 530, 531
1927-28 / B&w / 1:33 Silent Ap / 81, 88, 75 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 8, 2019 / 79.96
Starring: George Bancroft, Evelyn Brent, Clive Brook; Emil Jannings, Evelyn Brent, William Powell; George Bancroft, Betty Compson, Olga Baclanova.
Cinematography: Bert Glennon; Bert Glennon; Harold Rosson
Original Music: multiple scores by Robert Israel,...
3 Silent Classics by Josef von Sternberg
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 529, 530, 531
1927-28 / B&w / 1:33 Silent Ap / 81, 88, 75 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date October 8, 2019 / 79.96
Starring: George Bancroft, Evelyn Brent, Clive Brook; Emil Jannings, Evelyn Brent, William Powell; George Bancroft, Betty Compson, Olga Baclanova.
Cinematography: Bert Glennon; Bert Glennon; Harold Rosson
Original Music: multiple scores by Robert Israel,...
- 10/22/2019
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
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