The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

[Rita Hayworth]

Gallant Journey is a not altogether successful film, but it's worth seeing because William Wellman invests the film with his love of flying. Glenn Ford gives a really nice performance. It's may be his sweetest film, kind of dreamy rather than the usual Wellman grit. Quite interesting. I'll watch it again.

That's the beauty of this film Wendy, because of William Wellman puts a lot of energy into this film and his enduring love of flying ... and I haven't seen this film in years and I'm looking forward seeing it tomorrow night. I know it is very interesting film and I just wanted to see the cinematic elements and the photography of this film of that it was by far one of Wellman's grand work in this enduring film of aviation lore.

[Jezebel38]

Gallant Journey is a not altogether successful film, but it's worth seeing because William Wellman invests the film with his love of flying. Glenn Ford gives a really nice performance. It's may be his sweetest film, kind of dreamy rather than the usual Wellman grit. Quite interesting. I'll watch it again.

That's the beauty of this film Wendy, because of William Wellman puts a lot of energy into this film and his enduring love of flying ... and I haven't seen this film in years and I'm looking forward seeing it tomorrow night. I know it is very interesting film and I just wanted to see the cinematic elements and the photography of this film of that it was by far one of Wellman's grand work in this enduring film of aviation lore.

I only saw this film for the first time a few years back on TCM, and watched it because I'm a Glenn Ford fan. It's a pretty good film, but personally I found it fascinating because for the past 20 years I have lived just a few blocks away from Santa Clara University, and had no idea who John Montgomery was and all this aviation history that took place here where I live! Since then I have visited the museum on campus and have seen the exhibits they have on Montgomery, and a good friend of mine has been to one of the test flight sites and has told me there is a plaque commemorating the site.

I love learning history by watching old movies!

[Rita Hayworth]

Jezebel38,

Thanks so much for your humble contribution here.

[norfious]

norfious, I'm glad to see you back. Ethel Merman did only a few movies in the thirties, I'm thinking maybe 6 at the most. I know she was in Kid Millions too, with Eddie, and then also Anything Goes later on... plus she had a nice part in Alexander's Ragtime Band as Alice Faye's rival or replacement singer, I believe (don't take my word, I haven't seen it for AGES). She was good looking, and sang like a dream, of course.

Thank you for the info on Ethel Merman, Jack! I will have to seek out those films.
One thing that surprised me was that her voice did not change a bit over the years!

[movieman1957]

You can start with the completely weird "We're Not Dressing." It also stars Bing Crosby, Carole Lombard,George Burns and Gracie Allen.

[JackFavell]

Her voice didn't change one iota, did it?

Jezebel, that is so interesting about your historical discovery! I agree, sometimes our classic films can walk hand in hand with a love of history. It's nice to know that now, because of that film, someone remembers who this man was.

[Rita Hayworth]

Susan and God Movie is on today - I will be recording it to watch it later ... it's on 11:15 AM EST and 8:15 AM PST ... along the two Airplanes Movies on Prime Time too.

[ChiO]

Saturday night has the little-seen Skidoo

From my weekly newsletter regarding the next week's TCM offerings -

It’s an early Sunday morning of hallucinogenic movies. And there is one that I highly (get it?) recommend because it’s…well, it’s…well, it just has to be seen to be believed (take that however you wish).

1:00am – Skidoo (Otto Preminger 1968) – The great Preminger can also be the infuriating Preminger. I adore many of his films (Fallen Angel, Saint Joan, The Man with the Golden Arm, Anatomy of a Murder, Porgy and Bess, Bunny Lake Is Missing to name a few), but he also holds the distinction of directing the only movie that caused me to explode in anger after viewing it in a film class (Rosebud). Preminger took LSD once under the supervision of Timothy Leary. Whether it was a good trip or a bad trip is for you to judge. Which brings us to the comedy Skidoo. A retired hit man is brought out of retirement to knock-off a former pal of the head mobster, “God”. Prison and hippies are involved. After taking a supervised acid trip, he finds that he cannot kill. It bombed with critics and at the box office. It is now a cult favorite. Music by Harry Nilsson. With (are you sitting down?) Jackie Gleason, Carol Channing, Frankie Avalon, Burgess Meredith, George Raft, Mickey Rooney, Groucho Marx (as “God” – perfect or what?), Arnold Stang & more. Oh, come on…you know it’s A must-see (at least watch the trailer – it’s a gas).

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[JackFavell]

Harry Nilsson is good.

What made you explode in anger? The movie or people's reactions to it?

[ChiO]

The movie and Otto. Perhaps the worst movie I've ever seen or, at least, the worst by a director I highly respect. That, undoubtedly, fed my ire. Almost everyone in the class disliked it, but I went nuts (and I find virtues in all movies, even those directed by Stanley Kramer).

The instructor (who is a friend) had told me that he usually tried to screen one movie per class that he thought the class would hate (in one class that was THE WORLD'S GREATEST SINNER - and, yes, I was the guy trying to convince everyone that it was a work of genius). As I was ranting, getting redder by the moment, about ROSEBUD, he could hardly control his laughter.

ROSEBUD?!?!?!? Desecration of the holiest of all words in all of cinema.

[JackFavell]

Well then we MUST tune in to this one!

[ChiO]

Funny you should mention that, KR. The class that I saw ROSEBUD in was called something like The Studio Director in the '70s. The theme was to look at directors who grew up in the studio system, suddenly found their dream of freedom fulfilled in the early-'70s, and then had to deal with it.

Other films we saw (as I remember) were:

EMPEROR OF THE NORTH (Robert Aldrich 1973) - Very good, but need to watch again.
CHARLEY VARRICK (Don Siegel 1973) - One of my favorites of Siegel's.
THE NEW CENTURIONS (Richard Fleischer 1972) - Meh.
FAT CITY (John Huston 1972) - Seeing this made up for ROSEBUD. My favorite Huston movie.
BRING ME THE HEAD OF ALFREDO GARCIA (Sam Peckinpah 1974) - Ditto.

So it was Otto who really messed up, in this class anyway. Chris Fujiwara wrote that it "is without doubt the hardest of Preminger's films to defend." Then he tries to make the case that the qualities that make it "bad" and "boring" give rise to why it is potentially fascinating. Nice try.

I don't know of any studies or books on the topic, but I bet there are. If you find one, let me know - would love to read it.

P.S. I bought the one-sheet of ROSEBUD a year or so later and gave it to the instructor with a note: So you can live with the shame everyday.

[Rita Hayworth]

SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS - JIMMY STEWART FILM

It was a joy to watch this film and its one of the most exciting film that doesn't has to be bold, flashy, and brilliant to succeed but a man determined to do what it's best thing to achieve a goal to making the first transoceanic flight across the Atlantic Ocean to Paris France. I just loved the way Jimmy Stewart adjusted, readjusted his flight to make it very real on film showcasing exactly what it's needed to get the job done. This is a very superb film about the early days of aviation and I truly enjoyed it immensely. I just loved the triumphal ending and the parade in his honor for making a such historic flight back in those days. I just loved this film.


GALLANT JOURNEY - GLENN FORD FILM

John J. Montgomery who played by Glenn Ford was a celebration of flight ... its one of those grand films of aviation that man's dreams of flying and his quest for perfection. I know it's somewhat a lovelorn/lovesick movie about romance, drama, a man loves of flying, and his desires to achieve his goals. Janet Blair was a perfect as Regina 'Ginny' Cleary who shared his dreams too and together they managed to overcome many obstacles to prove them right.


Two grand films of aviation shown tonight on TCM and I'm glad that I had a chance to watch them!