10/21/08 - Gangster Marathon on TCM

[Film_Fatale]

*Turner Classic Movies Gets Tough with Marathon Of Classic Warner Bros. Gangster Films Five-Movie Marathon to Air Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Celebration of Oct. 7 DVD Release Of Warner Bros. Pictures Gangster Collection Vol. 4 from Warner Home Video*

 

TCM Marathon and Warner Home Video DVD Set to Include All-New Original Special Public Enemies: *The Golden Age of Gangster Film*

 

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will take viewers to the wrong side of the law with a special marathon of classic Warner Bros. gangster films designed to celebrate the Oct. 7 Warner Home Video release of the Warner Bros. Gangster Collection Vol. 4 DVD box set. The Tuesday, Oct. 21, marathon is set to begin with a presentation of Public Enemies: The Golden Age of Gangster Film, an all-new original documentary special narrated by Alec Baldwin and created especially for the Warner Home Video DVD set.

 

Like Universal with its atmospheric horror films and MGM with its big-budget musicals, Warner Bros. made a name for itself with its tough, gritty, sometimes amoral depictions of gangster life. They propelled such actors as Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson to the top of the box office charts while frequently pushing the boundaries of what was considered acceptable for movie audiences.

 

The following is the complete schedule for TCM?s look at the classic gangster films from Warner Bros.:

 

8 p.m. *Public Enemies: The Golden Age of Gangster Film* (2008) ?TCM?s celebration of the Warner Bros. gangster films begins with this original documentary, narrated by Alec Baldwin, that explores the advent of the studio?s crime dramas; the rise of its biggest stars; the development of such directors as Raoul Walsh, William Wellman and Michael Curtiz; and the influence they have had on contemporary filmmakers.

 

9:45 p.m. *The Public Enemy* (1931) ? This seminal Warner Bros. gangster film follows the rise and fall of a Prohibition-era thug. This is the film that put James Cagney on the map, thanks in part to a memorable scene in which he stuffs a grapefruit in the face of co-star Mae Clark. Jean Harlow also stars.

 

 

11:15 p.m. *The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse* (1938) ? Edward G. Robinson plays the total role of a doctor who is so fascinated with figuring out what makes lawbreakers tick, he joins a gang of jewel thieves for a closer look. Humphrey Bogart co-stars in what would be the first of his many opportunities to work with John Huston, who co-wrote the screenplay.

 

 

12:45 a.m. *Invisible Stripes* (1939) ? In this subdued and earnest story, gangster George Raft tries to go straight while also protecting brother William Holden from the influence of mobster Humphrey Bogart. This social-conscience crime saga was adapted from a book by prison warden Lewis E. Lawes.

 

 

2:15 a.m. *Larceny, Inc.* (1942) ? Even gangsters can be funny, as proven by this hilarious farce about a trio of ex-convicts, played by Edward G. Robinson, Broderick Crawford and Edward Brophy, using a luggage store as a front for their illegal activities. The script is based on a Broadway play by Laura Perelman and S.J. Perelman. Jane Wyman, Jack Carson and Anthony Quinn co-star, and Jackie Gleason is featured in a small role.

 

 

4 a.m. *White Heat* (1949) ? The Warner Bros. gangster genre reached its zenith with this searing portrait of a psychopathic hoodlum played forcefully by James Cagney. Virginia Mayo stars as his neglected wife, while Edmond O?Brien plays the cop determined to put him behind bars. The fiery finale ? with Cagney shouting, ?Made it, Ma?top of the world!? ? is one of the most memorable in movie history.

 

Warner Home Video?s Warner Bros. Gangster Collection Vol. 4 includes the films The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, Invisible Stripes and Larceny, Inc., as well as the Public Enemies documentary. In addition, it features The Little Giant (1933) and Michael Curtiz?s Kid Gallahad (1937), both with Edward G. Robinson. The latter film also stars Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis. DVD extras in the box set include feature commentaries on all five films, rarely seen Warner Bros. shorts, vintage newsreels, theatrical trailers and classic Warner Bros. cartoons.

 

 

Three previous Gangster Collections are currently available from Warner Home Video:

 

 

? Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection Volume 1 (formerly Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection): The Public Enemy, White Heat, Angels with Dirty Faces, Little Caesar, The Petrified Forest and The Roaring Twenties.

? Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection Volume 2 (formerly Warner Bros. Pictures Tough Guys Collection): Bullets or Ballots, Each Dawn I Die, ?G? Men, San Quentin, A Slight Case of Murder and City for Conquest.

? Warner Bros. Pictures Gangsters Collection Volume 3: Picture Snatcher, Lady Killer, Smart Money, Black Legion, Mayor of Hell and Brother Orchid.

 

Turner Classic Movies, currently seen in more than 75 million homes, is a 24-hour cable network from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company. TCM presents the greatest motion pictures of all time from the largest film library in the world, the combined Time Warner and Turner film libraries, from the 1920s through the 1990s, uncut and commercial-free. The network also offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, including the Martin Scorsese Presents: Val Lewton?The Man in the Shadows, the Emmy?-winning Stardust: The Bette Davis Story and the Emmy?-nominated Brando. More information is available at tcm.com.

 

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

[MrHoneywell]

Thank goodness for the internet!

[Film_Fatale]

Just wanted to update the thread to point out that although the TCM press release listed the DVD set as being released on Oct. 7, it appears it will actually be released on Oct. 21, the same date as the TCM Gangster Marathon.

 

[TripleHHH]

i pre-ordered Gangsters 4 a long time ago on Amazon..I might watch the Gangster series on 10-21 anyway

[Film_Fatale]

> {quote:title=TripleHHH wrote:}{quote}

> i pre-ordered Gangsters 4 a long time ago on Amazon..I might watch the Gangster series on 10-21 anyway

 

Well, it might be nice to listen to Robert Osborne introduce the movies and the new documentary. I'm still not sure whether I'll buy the set or rent the movies separately.

[Film_Fatale]

Just a little over a week to go! B-)

[TripleHHH]

Yes, anyway this is horror month for me so I doubt Ill watch any of them until November

Actually this month Im splitting my time watching horror and comedy as I got this Universal 21 disc box set of Laurel & Hardy Classics from overseas..

Frights and scary movies followed by a plethora of "LOL" & "****" via L&H

Between this L & H set and the Abbott & Costello Universal set, Ill be LOL my AO for at least 2 -4 months

Ok ill squeeze a gangsta movie too

[Film_Fatale]

I take it the L&H set is from the UK?

[TripleHHH]

Yes it is..I splurged. The Hal Roach L & H films are just super funny, I watched Brats last night ...

I really enjoy classic comedies and laughter is very necessary in daily life

[Film_Fatale]

I agree, laughter is the best medicine.

 

Just another reminder, folks, coming up next Tuesday, Oct. 21st at 8pm Eastern Time:

 

*The Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gansgter Film* (2008)

Documentary that explores the development of the crime film at Warner Bros. and the rise of iconic stars of the genre such as James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart

BW-106 mins

[Film_Fatale]

Just a few more hours until we start the marathon! B-)

[Film_Fatale]

That was a pretty good documentary, with a wide range of people being interviewed that really helped put the early gangster movies into context. It was especially nice to hear Martin Scorsese! And of course it's also nice that it only saves the last 2-3 minutes or so to briefly mention all of the most recent gangster movies, from *Mean Streets* to *Goodfellas* and *The Departed*.

[Robbo]

It was really great to see Raoul Walsh & William Wellman & hear their comments on Jack L. Warner. It was also illuminating as Raoul Walsh spoke candidly about why the "Gangster genre" of Warner Bros. was successful & they type of human beings Bogie, Cagney & Eddie G. were.

[Kim1607]

I may never get anything else done after hanging out here. I just added this documentary to my Netflix list. I check if it's playing on TCM any time soon and then add it.

 

I missed this due to a move last October so I'm glad I can see it.

[Fordy_Guns]

> {quote:title=Kim1607 wrote:}{quote}

> I may never get anything else done after hanging out here. I just added this documentary to my Netflix list. I check if it's playing on TCM any time soon and then add it.

>

> I missed this due to a move last October so I'm glad I can see it.

 

I did not realize this documentary was available thru Netflix. I have been considering buying the boxset, but might want to take a look at the documentary first.

 

Thanks, Kim!