Cauliflower Cupids (rare movie with Jane Russell)

[SummerStars]

Last night while I was watching "His Kind of Woman" on ANOTHER movie channel (Movies!), I was thinking about the various movies I had seen so far starring Jane Russell, and one of them I had NEVER seen before is one called "Cauliflower Cupids", which I believe is from the late 60s/early 70s.  I first learned about it only by name in a book listing her filmography, as well as other stars', and I just don't know if TCM had ever shown this one before, at least once.  I think I had asked about this particular film in the past, but I'm still curious to know anything else about it.  I've never come across it in any movie catalogues (TCM Shop, Critics' Choice, Movies Unlimited, etc.) so I'm just not sure if this movie was ever released on home video at all.  I hope this movie is not one of those "lost" films that have been destroyed due to deterioration of the only existing (master) print or else burned in a vault fire, or something.  I know several silent "Laurel and Hardy" films are long lost.  It's a shame because some of those seemed funny, such as one where the two try to move a washing machine up a high flight of stairs (sound familiar?).  IF it does exists, I don't know if it would ever be shown on TCM if Jane were to become "Star of the Month", but I would be curious to see Jane Russell in a "contemporary" era film, wondering if by this time she's still playing a "sex symbol" like in many of her movies from the 1950s, or not. 

So I'm just wondering, does anyone have any information on the whereabouts of this rare movie?

[shutoo]

This page explains what happened to the film:  http://petersavagefilms.com/films.html

[SummerStars]

It says that restoration of this film as well as another will be restored as soon as funding can be provided.  Is there any evidence that those films have been restored, or are still in the process of being restored?

[shutoo]

From a common sense point of view, I'd guess the only way they'd get funding to restore the films is to guarantee a return on the investment, and they would have to release them in some form, dvd or streaming, to recoup the cost.  If you really want to know, you might use the contact on that page and ask them.

[SummerStars]

I would hope that even one print of "Cauliflower Cupids" is in existence.  I only wish that many movies/TV shows hadn't been lost over time due to either destruction of the original master copies, or else lost in a studio vault fire, or something.  There are a couple of episodes of TV shows that I'm hoping ARE in existence somewhere.  There's a TV series from the 1950s called "Producers' Showcase" that featured an adaptation of the "The Women" with none other than Paulette Goddard playing the role of Sylvia, the fast-talking, gum-chewing character that Rosalind Russell played in the 1939 movie.  There's also some lost episodes of "The Jack Benny Program" that have yet to be discovered, including one I'd REALLY love to see that I've only heard of with ventriloquist Shari Lewis and her puppets.  I do only hope that the UCLA Archives have this as well as other episodes that haven't yet been broadcast on TV, or released on home video.  I've also learned about some TV variety series from the 1960s called "The Hollywood Palace" that I believe was the first TV series broadcast on color videotape.  I guess it was sort of like "The Ed Sullivan Show", except this featured big names instead of up-and-coming unknowns trying to gain a rise to fame on TV.  I do know Fred Astaire appeared on this series regularly with Barrie Chase, and even Jim Henson with his Muppets back when they were just becoming a household name.

[shutoo]

On 10/31/2019 at 12:50 AM, SummerStars said:

I only wish that many movies/TV shows hadn't been lost over time due to either destruction of the original master copies, or else lost in a studio vault fire, or something. 

Me too.   I do like this site:   http://solie.org/alibrary/    because they gather a lot of older content in one place.  I've found episodes of some series here I've never found anywhere else.  They have a few of the Hollywood Palace you mentioned under 'musical and variety' category.  It's a fun site to wade through (I find myself spending hours watching programs I never heard of...a hint: after you hit the play button, you get a black box, just hit again for the program to play)

[Terrence1]

I just checked Jane Russell's autobiography and there is no mention of this movie.  Being one of her fans, I'd love to see it.  Maybe someday.

[SummerStars]

All I can say is, this movie, "Cauliflower Cupids", has got to be one of the most forgotten films that has yet to be found. As I stated before, IF Jane Russell were to become TCM's Star of the Month (and only if TCM could obtain the rights to some of her movies from Paramount and 20th Century Fox), I would only hope that this would be a perfect chance for this movie to FINALLY be seen.  I'm still wondering about these two other productions, one is a TV show, that I don't think were ever released on home video, or even seen since -

"THE WOMEN" (Producers' Showcase) - I REALLY want to see this production because Paulette Goddard stars in it as Sylvia, whom Rosalind Russell played in the original 1939 movie.  I don't think this and many other episodes of this forgotten TV series was ever released on home video at all, but I'm just hoping this particular show is only lost, meaning its not been destroyed and is yet to be discovered, like how many episodes of various TV programs of the 1950s have turned up.  Let's just hope there's some kinescope copy in existence somewhere.  This is Paulette from this show -

She must've been in her late 40s here, but she hasn't lost that sassy look.

"MAROC 7" - I've brought this up before several times.  It's a film from the late 1960s with Cyd Charisse.  I believe this is one of her final films before retiring from pictures, due to the decreasing popularity of movie musicals during this contemporary era of the cinema.  I doubt this was ever shown on TCM, or any other channel.  Here's a picture of Cyd from the movie -

Yes, I know! She looks very sexy. 

The point is, this is just a sample of this highly forgotten movie, that has rarely ever been seen, and, along with many other "lost" movies and TV shows, must be found.  I don't know if some film buff like Leonard Maltin would have any information on these three previously mentioned films, but I'm just hoping they will show up at some time ONCE they're discovered.

[SummerStars]

It's no surprise to me that this particular movie ("CAULIFLOWER CUPIDS") was not shown at all this past month saluting Jane Russell.  I wasn't counting on it though, but if the movie itself isn't lost, then I would've expected it to air.  Still, there is hope it will turn up someday.  Just think of all the films that were once lost, and then later discovered. 

There were several silent films that were long-sought to be lost, and they were eventually discovered in some foreign countries.  The only way to restore them into English was just by translating the dialogue titles from that foreign language into English.  Just as easy as that!  It would however be very tricky if it was a talkie picture only in existence of another language.  Let's not forget how several scenes and dialogue titles from Fritz Lang's "METROPOLOUS" were long lost, and then found, and edited into place making the entire film complete, at last.  There are still some silent films out there with missing scenes though. 

I remember once on "Noir Alley" this one movie was shown (for the first time on TCM, and quite possibly on television, so to speak) with Joan Leslie that was once sought to be lost forever.  I don't remember the title, but it was from about 1946 or 1947, it was produced by Eagle Lion Productions, a British film studio, and the plot involved Joan Leslie playing a young woman who murdered her boyfriend right before the New Year began, and ended up reliving the entire year again from the beginning.  Eddie Muller, who referred to this film as the noir version of "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE", said that this film was discovered through a private film collector who obtained a 35mm print of the film.  From that print, the movie was restored through the courtesy of the Noir Preservation Film Society and the fine folks at UCLA TV and Film Archives.  So maybe, just maybe, a rare print of "CAULIFLOWER CUPIDS" is out there in the form of either a 35 or 16mm print, and has yet to be found!

[Mr. Gorman]

Here are some nuggets of information in regards to MAROC 7 and 'CAULIFLOWER CUPIDS'. 

MAROC 7 has been available for years on VHS.  It's on Paramount; they released in the early 1990s.  Think it was 1992, to be exact.  I can check for the specific year of video release if you'd like; my tape is upstairs.  (I bought my copy from Amazon on May 2, 2007.  AMAZON still has a record of when I bought the tape, the price and and from whom I bought it.  It was  $7.98 New + $2.59 shipping for total of $10.57).  If you still have a VCR, Summer Stars, and want a copy of MAROC 7 it'll cost about $13.50.  That price does including the shipping charge.  

 → There are 2 VHS releases for sale right now on Amazon at a reasonable price.  One listing has it 'Like New' at $8.81 + $4.49 shipping and another seller has it listed as 'Very Good' for $9.50 + $3.99 shipping.  If you decide to go to Amazon and check the listings out just narrow your search to 'Movies & Tv' and then type this in the Search Bar:  vhs MAROC 7.  There are also ^higher priced^ tapes for sale as well in case you fancy a 'New' one.  [Personally, I'd buy the 'Like New' tape for $8.81 + the ship charge].  

→ There is also a Region 2 DVD of "Maroc 7" that's available for purchase on Amazon if you can play Region 2 discs on your DVD unit. 

Happy Hunting! 

In regards to the movie title CAULIFLOWER CUPIDS -- I reckon the title is a pun on the ears of well-worn boxers whose ears start to look like flowers of cauliflower.   

Anyway, this movie is no longer 'Lost' and hasn't been since 2011.  The SOMETHING WEIRD VIDEO Catalog Supplement #26 from 2011 offers buyers the opportunity to pick up THE GODFATHER AND THE LADY for $10 on a DVD-R.  Or you could buy a Download of the film for $7.99.  Besides THE GODFATHER AND THE LADY title there is another one, too.  

Quote from the SWV Catalog:  "In fact, the main title card also bears the additional moniker 6 Champions Go Wild."

If you want to, Summer Stars, you could go to Something Weird Video's website (somethingweird.com) and 'Search' by title "GODFATHER AND THE LADY" and read Something Weird's description of the movie. 

I reckon if TCM wanted to show it they could just buy a $10 disc from SWV and ask permission to air it . . .

The last line of the description for THE GODFATHER AND THE LADY from SWV goes like this:  "Beautifully transferred from the original 35mm punch-drunk negative".     

[SummerStars]

WOW! Thanks for all that useful information!  I didn't know "CAULIFLOWER CUPIDS" had not one, but two alternate titles!  Would it at all be possible to request that movie as well as "MAROC 7" for TCM to play someday?  I wish I had known of this ahead of time prior to April, because then it would be possible for this movie to be shown on TCM in April for the network's "Star of the Month" salute to Jane Russell.  At least I can keep my fingers crossed that "MAROC 7" would be shown if there's a possible chance Cyd Charisse can be named "Star of the Month", or else be featured for "Summer Under the Stars".

Incidentally, is "MAROC 7" any good?  I'm just curious to see what Cyd Charisse is like in a contemporary 1960s movie, since this is probably her only one.

[Mr. Gorman]

Cyd was also in the contemporary-set 1965 Italian movie ASSASSINATION IN ROME with Hugh O'Brian.   

 

[txfilmfan]

Re: Producer's Showcase, that series was broadcast live in color on NBC from their New York studios, and since it predated videotape technology,  the only way to preserve it was via kinescopes (or what is known as telerecordings in the UK).  Essentially, it's a film camera pointed at a calibrated monitor.    Kinescopes were almost always in B&W.  There is a rare color kinescope of an episode of the Perry Como show from the 1950s available on YouTube.   Kinescopes were primarily used for time-shifting programming across timezones, and weren't much valued by many for historical preservation of live performances.  

The Hollywood Palace was an ABC variety show.   It was not the first series to be recorded on color videotape.   In fact, it's first season was in B&W.   NBC was the pioneer for color, and their variety show stars (Perry Como, Dinah Shore) had color shows on videotape in the late 1950s.   The thing that separatesthe Palace from all the other variety shows of the era (and there were a lot of them) was that it didn't revolve around a single host or star.  The host was different each week.