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I watched "The Ace of Hearts" (1921) the other night for the first time in a long time. I knew Lon Chaney died in 1930 and that Leatrice Joy had retired from the screen at the advent of sound and had lived to a very old age. But I had never seen any other film with John Bowers in it and wondered what happened to him. It turns out he had a very successful silent career and played the lead in most of his films in the 1920s, though not necessarily at major studios. Nitrateville.com actually had a thread about him and so I read through the information that they had. Most of the commenters seemed rather stumped at what exactly happened to him. He only had three sound roles, all minor ones. And the story is that he ran into director Henry Hathaway in 1936 when he was shooting exteriors for a film and asked for a part saying he must get work. Hathaway, though described as a friend of the guy, told him to call the studio. That seems like a rather crummy thing to say to a friend who is down on his luck. Bowers then told Hathaway that this was the last time he would ask for work from anybody and that this was the last time Hathaway would see him alive. The next day Bowers rented a boat, sailed out to sea, and apparently drowned himself. He was 50. Now Bowers' suicide apparently happened while A Star Is Born (1937) was in preproduction, and the theory is that the life and death of Norman Maine was somewhat modeled after Bowers. Also, the folks at nitrateville were wondering, if the advent of sound killed Bowers' career, why did he not go into some other line of work? There are lots of sad stories about silent actors, but many started working behind the camera or just went into a different line of business entirely and thrived. And the speculation was that he simply had no connections because there seemed to be nobody from the silent era who ever spoke of him or knew much about him. Or perhaps he was just a quiet guy or a loner. It does seem that he might have lived up every penny that he had when he was making good money. There is also the mystery of why he had no roles during the entirety of 1928, the last full year of silent film. If it was just his voice or acting style that was the problem in sound, he should have been able to find work through 1928 since only a few sound films were made that year. I looked up his filmography and he had several leading roles all through 1927. He was described as a serviceable leading man, but without much charisma. I guess the best comparison might be Robert Young, who might be largely unremembered if not for his roles on TV. Sorry to bore you with this post, but I just find it interesting that somebody could be a pretty well known star in the silent era and literally no details of their life and the turns in their career remain. It also seems like most of the silent films that he was in did not survive. How sad to be erased from film history save a possible link to a film that makes you the object lesson in how to destroy your own life and career. Not born on July 4 like John Sims of The Crowd, but born on Christmas day, which should be almost as lucky. https://www.nitrateville.com/viewtopic.php?t=14410

a good one too...

Barbara Stanwyck in Frank Capra's The Miracle Woman (1931), reputedly based on the life of Aimee Semple McPherson.

Way Back Home (1931): A preacher in a small New England community protects a vulnerable boy from his dysfunctional father, and shames the town out of its prejudice against the child of a previous generation's scandal. I really like how religion is shown as a force for forgiveness and community. Bonus: A young Bette Davis in a supporting role.

I think God put Burt Lancaster on earth for the sole purpose of playing Elmer Gantry.

From September 25-28, 1921, the Poli ran Too Much Speed, starring Wallace Reid as Dusty Rhoades, Agnes Ayres as Virginia MacMurran, and Theodore Roberts as Pat MacMurran. The film was released on July 10, 1921, at five reels, and is presumed lost. I could not find any stills, but some are available at the IMDb website. Plot: Dusty Rhoades is a professional race car driver. He wants to marry Virginia MacMurran, but her father, who manufactures trucks, objects. To win the man’s consent, Dusty retires from racing. On his wedding day, Dusty engages in a street race, and ends up wrecking his limousine, which, coincidentally, is carrying Mr. MacMurran. MacMurran crawls out feet first, and is now convinced that the wedding must not take place. Virginia acquires a racing car made by her father’s company, and enters Dusty in a race. MacMurran attends the race, wishing he had an entry so he could win the account of a rich prospective buyer. He is at once angry, then happy to see Dusty competing. Dusty gains the lead in the race, and then, in a surprise move, turns over the wheel to his mechanic, who had been unfairly beaten in a previous race. Dusty’s selfless act wins him MacMurran’s admiration, and MacMurran is rewarded by making a lucrative deal with the rich buyer. Dusty wins Virginia’s hand. This film was a follow-up to 1920’s What’s Your Hurry? with Reid reprising his character, and Ayres and Roberts replacing Lois Wilson and Charles Ogle. I reported on that earlier in this thread. Motion Picture News praised the film, writing “the picture is always interesting because there is something doing every minute. One anticipate a rich climax and it arrives bringing with it a fine flavor of suspense.” In addition, the magazine lauded Roberts, noting “the actor is an excellent foil. He knows just when to score his points and when to use repression. There is no better character player on screen and stage.” Photoplay called the film “an interesting yarn, and though familiar, is given enough new twists in this instance to keep it from becoming hopelessly set.” Wid’s Daily, while noting the plot’s similarity to previous Reid films, noted “there is, however, a good deal of business and amusing comedy in this feature that is built up to a satisfactory and thrilling climax.” The National Motion Picture League, headquartered in New York City, recommended cuts in the film, specifically “all scenes of figure representing Death” in reels 1 and 5, and “all scenes of grim death.” Albert Nathan, who ran the Rialto Theatre in New Haven, CT, had a “police summons” tied to the steering wheel of every car within the city limits. The notice read “You are summoned to appear at the Rialto theatre, New Haven, to see” – and the name of the film was on the back of the sheet. Nathan got permission from the police department to pull off the stunt.

Wise Blood (1979) is a favorite film of this type. I'm of the opinion that John Huston did his best work late in his career, reaching his apotheosis with his last film, The Dead. Huston has a supporting role in Wise Blood, as the fire-and-brimstone preacher grandfather of the main character, Hazel Motes, played by Brad Dourif, who wants to start "A Church of Truth Without Jesus Christ Crucified." There's also a sidewalk preacher, played by Harry Dean Stanton.

Not arguing with you here, Beth, but the exchange between you and Dargo about how you first saw E.T. as a child, while he first saw it as an adult, raises an interesting point. You still love E.T., even now that you're an adult. But you first saw it as a kid. I think movies we saw for the first time and loved when we were children make a deep impression on us, we carry that impression, the enjoyment and emotional impact we experienced when we were young, on into adulthood. I liked E.T. well enough -- I saw it as a young adult. However, movies I first saw as a kid and loved, I still love. I can't separate the feeling of wonder/ excitement/ amusement/ whatever the film engendered in my child self, from seeing it years later as an adult. And I think that's just part of being human, it's kind of nice. I bet most people first saw "The Wizard of Oz" as a child, and I'd be surprised if most who did so don't still hold a soft spot for this famous and well-beloved movie. ( just an example.)

The Night of the Hunter Winter Light Diary of a Country Priest More recently Calvary, Silence, and First Reformed.

Carl Laemmle Sr. and Jr.--Universal Roger Corman--American-International Pictures Arthur Freed--MGM Pandro S. Berman--RKO

Alexander Korda British Producer Dino De Laurentiis Italian Producer Mike Todd American Producer

Cecil B. DeMille, Jesse Lasky, and Adolph Zukor -- Paramount

Walt Disney Dore Schary -- MGM Merian C. Cooper -- Pioneer, RKO, MGM; King Kong (1933) Louis B. Mayer -- MGM

Sunday, September 26/27 2 a.m. The Human Condition II (1959). With Tatsuya Nakadai.

One of my favourites is the the 1966 film A Man Fpr All Seasons. Paul Scofield as Thomas More squaring off against Henry VII.

I watched Brazil one time on a VHS from Blockbuster when I was in college, and I have to say it's pretty visually brilliant, as are most Terry Gilliam movies. The gut-wrenching impact of the (sort of) shock ending had an effect on me. I think at the time I would have labeled it genius, although I note I haven't watched it in the intervening years. knowing that it's all heading for that sad ending makes it too much of a slog for me to want to watch again.

I'm an agnostic, but everyone else in my family is super hardcore Protestant Christian. I've often thought of assembling a list of movies for my brother and his wife to watch that feature ministers I admire or ministers/priests taking activist roles. I love Karl Malden in On the Waterfront. If you can stomach it, the priests in The Exorcist, one of them played by the great Max Von Sydow, go about their jobs very well. I love the scene in One Foot in Heaven where Frederic March watches a movie for the first time and finds some profound connection with the secular world known by his flock. There are lots of movies with more morally challenged preachers that I probably wouldn't recommend for my brother.

Burt Lancaster's Elmer Gantry is number three on my list of Best All Time Screen Performances by an Actor.

1. Klaus Maria Brandauer 2. Kim Basinger 3. Bernie Casey 4. Barbara Carrerra 5. Max Von Sydow 6. Pamela Salem 7. Edward Fox

Sunday September 26, 2021 Western on TCM the man from laramie

Rigg, Diana

Dakota Incident (1956)

Irving Thalberg

Samuel Goldwyn Samuel Goldwyn Studio D.W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Sr formed United Artists

Dinsmore, Phoebe, played by the wonderful Kathleen Freeman in "Singing in the Rain"

Megan Ellison -- Annapurna Pictures Brian Grazer and Ron Howard -- Imagine Entertainment Jerry Bruckheimer -- Disney, Paramount, Warner Bros., CBS

Geraldine Page as Big Sister in The Day of the Locust (1975). The role is based on Aimee Semple McPherson. "Brothers and sisters of the silent congregation, out there by your radios, let us hear from you. Dial for Jesus. Let those phones start ringing right now. Praise God. Hallelujah! Let those joyous bells ring out like the harps of heaven. Glory! Hallelujah! I do not want to hear the tinkle of silver. The rustle of paper is music to the Lord.It takes cash to fill the bread wagon of the Lord. It takes money to send missionaries to save souls for Jesus. Glory! Glory be!"

NIGHT COURT was one of my favorite shows as a teen. Harry Stone (Anderson's character) was a most unconventional judge, but he was funny too. Bull (Richard Moll) was the dumb but lovable balliff. He was a blast as well. And of course John Larroquette stole the show as the sleazy D.A. Dan Fielding. Easy to see why he won so many Emmys, he was the funniest out of the cast. It would be interesting to see what Dan's been up to since the end of the original show. But I also would like to know whatever became of Bull, when the show ended he was whisked away (by his own choice) by aliens.....I wonder if he ended up regretting that decision.

I love the variety of examples you all came up with yesterday. two thousand two hundred fifth category Important studio producers David Selznick…RKO and MGM Hal Wallis...Warner Brothers and Paramount Darryl Zanuck…Warner Brothers and 20th Century Fox Joe Pasternak…Universal and MGM

If you can find it, Thy Kingdom Come ... Thy Will be Done (1988) by Antony Thomas is a terrific documentary about televangelists and born agains. Jim and Tammy, when they were at their height and built a magic kingdom theme park feature in a very creepy section of their own. If you recall they built a "dream home" for a paraplegic kid. It is incredibly creepy. The scene where he gives a tour with his motorized wheelchair gives The Shining a run for its money.

Sorry, not a movie car-but figured you guys would appreciate this...I recently passed the most exquisite fully restored 1950 Ford Country Squire tooling down the highway: It even had the white wall tires! Did they always have wood sides? This one was just plain bright yellow with custom lettering, "Mom's School Bus" across the side. I have never seen this bubble style station wagon, it kind of reminds me of an ambulance. Would these get better gas milage than a hearse? MrTiki wants a custom Jaguar Hearse like Harold's. We occasionally look for old Volvo wagons for sale as a less expensive alternative, thank you Dargo. The longer we're together, the more I realize we ARE Harold & Maude so the car would be quite fitting, but boy I sure love this Country Squire.

I think eventually all will be forgotten. Look at your own family, after three generations, no one knows who anyone is in those old photos. Images of Jimmy Dean, Marilyn & Audrey are trendy, but ask any teen wearing a t with their image on it, and they haven't a clue who they actually were. How many conversations about once big classic stars meet with a blank stare? Loretta Young, William Holden, Myrna Loy, William Powell....forgotten by most save us real classic film fans. I hate those "sad ending" videos of famous stars I see suggested on YT-only a grab for salacious attention and almost didn't open this thread. But not being a big fan of silents, was not aware of John Bowers truly sad story. I do like the idea A Star Is Born may have been inspired by his life/death.

Going with the idea of films you wouldn't show your brother about morally challenged preachers, one the best examples is Walter Huston in Rain (1932) as a missionary who initially tries to reform a prostitute, then falls for her, then forces himself on her, then kills himself. The total spiraling of a morally challenged man. Richard Burton played a couple of those roles. In Night of the Iguana (1964) he was a defrocked Episcopal minister (after assaulting a female parishioner) who'd had a breakdown and was in danger of breaking down even further when faced with temptation again. In The Sandpiper (1965) he was the married headmaster of an Episcopal boarding school who was captivated by and eventually pursued Elizabeth Taylor's "free-spirited" artist.

Sunday, September 26 at 1 pm I Married a Witch with Veronica Lake Fredric March It played earlier this month it is a great comedy by René Clair, great tempo no wasted time.March was too old for the part (McCrea passed on it) Lake is so good in it with good direction & good casting she was proving she could be a great actress The chemistry was great between the 2 stars their hate of each other was not apparent at all!

Yes, we learn her name is Jane in The Moneypenny Diaries, books and stories written by Samantha Weinberg under the pseudonym Kate Westbrook. The series is an official spin-off of the James Bond franchise. Neither Fleming nor any of the succeeding novelists have ever given Moneypenny a first name. Where the films are concerned, it is not until Skyfall (2012) that she is given a first name, and in that movie her name is Eve. Your turn, Cinemaman.

Neeson, Liam

Judging from the trailers, the new film is an excuse for ironically vicious "cute" actress portrayals of Tammy Faye, but the original Eyes of Tammy Faye documentary is must viewing. (Like all documentaries that Hollywood feels a dismissive need to remake as narrative films, like "The Walk" or "Little Dieter Needs to Fly"...Who do those arthouse upstarts think they are, real movies??) Rather than spend time on vindictive karma's-a-B portrayals of the scandal, the documentary focused on the dog-eat-dog world of 80's televangelism, and how Jim & Tammy, who started out as kids' puppet-show evangelists, and wanted to be the happy Donny & Marie of televangelism, wandered into an industry where more established folk would backstab and claim-jump, just for a more valuable share of minion followers. Most notably Jerry Falwell, who went the full Judas on the couple after promising to protect them from the IRS during the scandal and bankruptcy, just because they had a FCC-free satellite hookup and he didn't. It would be nice if studios actually watched the documentaries they feel a jealous need to remake. And since most of the cleric in movies are Catholic priests (because the Catholics are in the cities and the Protestants are in the suburbs), Jack Lemmon did well as a weary priest who's descended into comparing his masses to Broadway shows--even to the point of reading his "reviews" from the offering cards--in Mass Appeal (1984).

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1971) E. T. the Extraterrestrial (1982) The Killing Fields (1984) Edward Scissorhands (1990) Schindler's List (1993) Monsters Inc. (2001) Brokeback Mountain (2005) Twelve Years a Slave (2013) Inside Out (2015) Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Ireland, Jill

doan forget about William Shatner in Roger Corman's The Intruder.

The Light in the Piazza

and Shirley Jones ain't too shabby either.

When you compare Lancaster's Gantry to today's best actor ROLES (not the actors, but the actual roles) you would be hard pressed to find a performance that even comes close in terms of: 1. screen time 2. dialog 3. emotional extremes Today, it seems a best actor winner is subdued, "nuanced", complicated, understated, tortured by inner demons and "controlled". Lancaster's Oscar winning role was passionate, right there in front of you, warts and all...every emotion...everything exposed. Much more vulnerable and extreme. An actor had to leave it all out there. There may be other actors who can play ELMER GANTRY...but they just don't make roles like ELMER GANTRY anymore. I'm trying to think of recent Best Actor Oscar winners that could fall into the ELMER GANTRY category. Rami Malek? DiCaprio? Hopkins? Phoenix? Oldman? Affleck? Redmayne? McConaughey? All fine actors....but were any of their roles and performances even close to Lancasters? Could you see any of them playing ELMER GANTRY? Hollywood ain't what it used to be.

Hot from the Antiques Roadshow front, a 1970 Triumph Spitfire: Like it's namesake, a British treasure.

He has a store?

God's Little Acre. Shoes of the Fisherman. Keys of the Kingdom. Lilies of the Field, and Dreamland for me.

The High and The Mighty

I collect Classic Hollywood autographs and especially tragic figures. I currently have the signatures of: Clara Bow (Bell), William Haines, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Marion Davies, Karl Dane, James Murray (The Crowd), Lillian Gish, Mary Pickford, Warren William, John Gilbert (my favorite), Catherine Deneuve, Chester Morris, Gloria Swanson, probably some more I can’t think of right now.