Tonight begins a fabulous month of Maureen O'Hara films, and her historic appearance at the TCMFF 2014 was the highlight of the festival for many passholders.
Excited and anxious fans, including Cinemaven, await celebrity arrivals at the end of the Red Carpet revelry...
O'Hara first entered the TCM Film Festival fan arena as she participated in the Red Carpet Ceremonies, and since she is such an esteemed guest, her position as the last celebrity to cross the threshold of the TCL Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard on Thursday, April 10, just prior to the 6:30 discussion of "Oklahoma" with Shirley Jones and the screening of the film, was appropriate.
Earlier in the day, TCM Vice President of Talent Darcy Hettrich revealed to the audience at the Meet the TCM Panel on Thursday how Maureen almost didn't arrive at the festival. It seems that a private plane had been sent to whisk O'Hara to the festival in LA, but there was a problem with the steps and the ramp leading up to the plane, and O'Hara couldn't quite navigate. Her grandson was upset and told her that she couldn't go, but O'Hara, in her trademark stubbornness, told him she would go in the VIP lounge and wait until another plane would arrive.
O'Hara visits with a journalist as her grandson, Conor Fitzsimons, helps her along the Red Carpet rumba...
Moments after I snap this photo, Miss O'Hara looks me right in the eyes, and that is a daunting moment to realize this woman kissed John Wayne and John Payne and is now looking right at me. Those gorgeous eyes still sparkle like a twinkle of moonlight, and she reaches for my hand to shake it and talk to me, and then she is whisked away as she needs to visit with TCM Red Carpet Wrangler Tom Brown right before the discussion with Shirley Jones begins. Close enough for me in my lifetime.
TCM's Tom Brown leans in for an Irish sound byte from the amazing Maureen O'Hara.
Maureen O'Hara looks at the audience as she answers pertinent questions from Robert Osborne in the El Capitan Theatre on Saturday, April 12, at 3 p.m.
O'Hara helped to introduce her film, "How Green Was My Valley," and Robert Osborne asked her how it was to work with director John Ford. True to her Irish form, she spoke frankly and said,"I thought I was here to talk about me."
Prior to the screening, TCM had screened a marvelous retrospective of O'Hara's career that received a another huge round of applause for Maureen O'Hara.
Maybe they will showcase O'Hara's interviews from the festival tonight.
It was obvious that the audience was mesmerized by her every word, and oohed and aahed at many of her statements as she remembered her co-workers. O'Hara also spoke about how she feels God is watching our every moment, but she didn't really want everyone to think she was "magical." To the audience, her spirit and enthusiasm were timeless. But we all thought she was magical. We just couldn't help it.
Help celebrate this month with woman who was nicknamed the "Queen of Technicolor" because of her beauty and because she appeared in more Technicolor productions than any other actress tonight:
7:00 PM
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, THE (1939)
A deformed bell ringer rescues a gypsy girl falsely accused of witchcraft and murder.
Dir: William Dieterle Cast: Charles Laughton , Sir Cedric Hardwicke , Thomas Mitchell .
BW-117 mins, CC
9:15 PM
HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941)
A Welsch mining family faces the struggles of life together.
Dir: John Ford Cast: Walter Pidgeon , Maureen O'Hara , Anna Lee .
BW-119 mins, CC
11:17 PM
WANDERING THROUGH WALES (1948)
This short film focuses on the history, culture, and people of Wales.
C-9 mins
11:30 PM
SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY (1946)
An actress becomes fatally ill and adopts an orphan so that her husband will not be alone once she has died. Dir: Walter Lang Cast: John Payne , Maureen O'Hara , William Bendix .
BW-94 mins
1:15 AM
FORBIDDEN STREET, THE (1949)
A wealthy British woman in Victorian London marries an impoverished artist from the slums and becomes victimized by a blackmail plot. Dir: Jean Negulesco Cast: Dana Andrews , Maureen O'Hara , Dame Sybil Thorndike .BW-91 mins, CC
3:00 AM
WOMAN'S SECRET, A (1949)
A retired singer takes on a protegee only to be betrayed by her.
Dir: Nicholas Ray Cast: Maureen O'Hara , Melvyn Douglas , Gloria Grahame .
BW-85 mins, CC
4:30 AM
FALLEN SPARROW, THE (1943)
Nazi spies pursue a Spanish Civil War veteran in search of a priceless keepsake.
Dir: Richard Wallace Cast: John Garfield , Maureen O'Hara , Walter Slezak .
BW-94 mins, CC