HITS & MISSES: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow on TCM

[GregoryPeckfan]

At 2 am tomorrow I have my recorder set for 'The Organization' (1971).

 

This was the third in the long-forgotten Virgil Tibbs trilogy which began with 'In the Heat of the Night' in 1967.

 

Now all I'll have to do is get 'They Call Me Mister Tibbs' (1970) and I'll have 'em all.

I love "They Call Me Mr. Tibbs!"

[speedracer5]

5/11

 

HIT

 

Kim, This film stars Errol Flynn and Dean Stockwell.  Flynn is a British Intelligence agent who disguises himself as a horse trader in India.  He is known as "red beard."  Red hair and red beard is a different look for Flynn, but his usual panache and charm is intact.  Flynn turns in another excellent performance, but it is really Stockwell's film.  He portrays the 14-year old title character whom Flynn is hired to protect.  The color is gorgeous as well. I will probably be recording this again, as I've only seen it once and have not yet added it to my stable of Flynn films.

 

The Charge of the Light Brigade.  This is the infamous film where director Michael Curtiz said "bring on the empty horses!" David Niven found this so funny he used the quote as the title for his first volume of memoirs.  This film is also infamous for the treatment of the horses in the film.  The horses were supposed to fall in battle, but instead of the horses being trained to fall many of them were purposely tripped with wires strung across the ground.  Star Errol Flynn (and huge animal lover) was at first unaware of how the horses were being treated to film the major battle scene but quickly came to realize the gravity of the situation when filming started.  He was so outraged, he called the ASPCA to report the treatment of the animals on the set.  It is because of Flynn that we now have The Humane Society observing the treatment of all animals on the sets and have them provide their seal of approval.  The film on its own (without the Flynn/Animal backstory) is excellent and worth a look.

 

The evening features drug rings.  If there is one thing I like watching a film about, it's a drug ring.  I don't know why.  Perhaps it's the seedy side of society that interests me. 

 

I'm recording:

 

To the Ends of the Earth.  Features Dick Powell as treasury agent who becomes obsessed with an international drug ring.

 

The French Connection. A famous 1970s film that I haven't seen, though throughout the years I may have seen the famous car chase.

 

Not that Shirley is part of the drug ring, but I'm also recording...

 

The Little Princess.  I am not normally a fan of movies when children are the stars, however, I feel that since Shirley Temple is the ultimate child star, that I should give her movies a look.  This film I do not have recorded yet and have not seen.

 

---

 

How are Pickup Alley and Borderline? Both of these films have mediocre reviews but they sound interesting. 

 

 

[GregoryPeckfan]

5/11

 

HIT

 

Kim, This film stars Errol Flynn and Dean Stockwell.  Flynn is a British Intelligence agent who disguises himself as a horse trader in India.  He is known as "red beard."  Red hair and red beard is a different look for Flynn, but his usual panache and charm is intact.  Flynn turns in another excellent performance, but it is really Stockwell's film.  He portrays the 14-year old title character whom Flynn is hired to protect.  The color is gorgeous as well. I will probably be recording this again, as I've only seen it once and have not yet added it to my stable of Flynn films.

 

The Charge of the Light Brigade.  This is the infamous film where director Michael Curtiz said "bring on the empty horses!" David Niven found this so funny he used the quote as the title for his first volume of memoirs.  This film is also infamous for the treatment of the horses in the film.  The horses were supposed to fall in battle, but instead of the horses being trained to fall many of them were purposely tripped with wires strung across the ground.  Star Errol Flynn (and huge animal lover) was at first unaware of how the horses were being treated to film the major battle scene but quickly came to realize the gravity of the situation when filming started.  He was so outraged, he called the ASPCA to report the treatment of the animals on the set.  It is because of Flynn that we now have The Humane Society observing the treatment of all animals on the sets and have them provide their seal of approval.  The film on its own (without the Flynn/Animal backstory) is excellent and worth a look.

 

The evening features drug rings.  If there is one thing I like watching a film about, it's a drug ring.  I don't know why.  Perhaps it's the seedy side of society that interests me. 

 

I'm recording:

 

To the Ends of the Earth.  Features Dick Powell as treasury agent who becomes obsessed with an international drug ring.

 

The French Connection. A famous 1970s film that I haven't seen, though throughout the years I may have seen the famous car chase.

 

Not that Shirley is part of the drug ring, but I'm also recording...

 

The Little Princess.  I am not normally a fan of movies when children are the stars, however, I feel that since Shirley Temple is the ultimate child star, that I should give her movies a look.  This film I do not have recorded yet and have not seen.

 

---

 

How are Pickup Alley and Borderline? Both of these films have mediocre reviews but they sound interesting. 

I'm also recording To The Ends of the Earth. I've never seen it.

 

I love The French Connection.

 

I've not seen Pickup Alley, but I have seen Borderline.

 

If you are a fan of Fred McMurray (undercover) and Clair Trevor (undercover) - neither realize the other is undercover and are after each other - then you will enjoy this movie.

[Bogie56]

Thursday, May 12/13

 

2:30 a.m.  The Comedy of Terrors (1964).  Not bad at all.  With Price, Karloff, Lorre, Rathbone and Joe E. Brown.

[LornaHansonForbes]

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH was really damned interesting. I'm sorry to admit that I fell asleep watching it (I had a stressful day and took some medicine that conks me out.)

 

I don't know if it came out a little after THE NAKED CITY (both made in 1948) but they are both very similar in their "documentary-style" approach to filmmaking.

 

There is a scene early on involving a mass killing of Chinese slaves that made me sit up and cry out loud, it is SHOCKING (and well-done.)

[LornaHansonForbes]

THE FALLEN SPARROW, with Maureen O'Hara and John Garfield is coming on this TUESDAY at 10:15 pm.

 

I know this is a little early to put the alert out, but a lot of us were disappointed when they showed this on Maureen's Memorial tribute in the wee wee small hours of the morning- their scheduling it in prime time is one of those things that makes me wonder if just maybe the programmers read our posts.

 

If this is the case, it is much appreciated (and even if it isn't, it's still appreciated)

 

They also have a (wonderful and very touching) new promo featuring Maureen in an interview (from the 1990's it seems) wherein she mentions how much she adored Garfield and how she wishes he were "still with us." She also mentions that she was a little taller than him and he had to film all the scenes where they appear in the same shot on an "apple crate."

 

it's terrific.

[film lover 293]

All times E.S.T.--This is the night to watch or record everything you haven't seen--a New Wave short film, even:

 

8:00 p.m. "The Pit and the Pendulum" (1961)--One of AIPs' best E.A. Poe adaptations--Vincent Price stars.

 

9:30 p.m. "X--The Man With the X-Ray Eyes" (1963)--Ray Milland as a Mad Scientist. Film goes from amusing to scary in a snap--supposedly, AIP cut the last line as being too horrifying.

 

11:00 p.m. "Dementia--13 (1963)--One of Francis Ford Coppola's first films--horror film shot in Ireland is confusing at times, but has some first--rate scares in it.

 

12:30 a.m. "Black Sabbath" (1964)--A Mario Bava film I haven't seen.

 

4:02 a.m. "A Story of Water" (1961)--Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut co-directed this 12 minute short film.

[LornaHansonForbes]

All times E.S.T.--This is the night to watch or record everything you haven't seen--a New Wave short film, even:

 

8:00 p.m. "The Pit and the Pendulum" (1961)--One of AIPs' best E.A. Poe adaptations--Vincent Price stars.

 

I can never make it very far into this one, and it is entirely due to John Kerr, who is awful in this (and everything else I've seen him in.)

 

At the time he made this his career was (most rightfully) in serious decline, and you can tell he thinks he's so much better than this movie because he flat-out refuses to act (which, to be fair, is less bad than other performances where he is maybe putting in some (?) effort.)

[film lover 293]

LornaHansonForbes--Kerr is a deficit, agreed.  But Vincent Price and Barbara Steele More than make up for Kerr's non-performance, IMHO.

[LornaHansonForbes]

Vincent Price and Barbara Steele could probably read aloud from the Paramus, NJ phone book and make it something worth watching.

 

will try to make it all the way through tonite, but promise nothing...(the only thing is, the first 20-30 minutes feature Kerr heavily, if I recall.)

[GregoryPeckfan]

THE FALLEN SPARROW, with Maureen O'Hara and John Garfield is coming on this TUESDAY at 10:15 pm.

 

I know this is a little early to put the alert out, but a lot of us were disappointed when they showed this on Maureen's Memorial tribute in the wee wee small hours of the morning- their scheduling it in prime time is one of those things that makes me wonder if just maybe the programmers read our posts.

 

If this is the case, it is much appreciated (and even if it isn't, it's still appreciated)

 

They also have a (wonderful and very touching) new promo featuring Maureen in an interview (from the 1990's it seems) wherein she mentions how much she adored Garfield and how she wishes he were "still with us." She also mentions that she was a little taller than him and he had to film all the scenes where they appear in the same shot on an "apple crate."

 

it's terrific.

I saw THE FALLEN SPARROW  on the Canadian channel Silver Screen Classics and it is a great film.

 

I'm all for letting people know early so they can set their PVR or Tivos etc.

[LawrenceA]

Tomorrow we have more of the Robert Ryan festival, and I have several to record again this time:

 

The Iron Major

Gangway for Tomorrow

Tender Comrade

About Mrs. Leslie

God's Little Acre

Her Twelve Men

[Bogie56]

Friday, May 13

 

7:30 a.m.  Play Girl (1932).  Haven’t seen this Loretta Young film before.

 

[GregoryPeckfan]

Robert Ryan movies new to me which I will be recording:

 

The Iron Major

Gangway For Tomorrow

About Mrs. Leslie

Her 12 Men

 

 

 

I've seen all the other movies airing at least once.

 

I am just loving Robert Ryan Star of the Month

[kingrat]

A number of people have been looking forward to the TCM premiere of ABOUT MRS. LESLIE, with the unlikely but satisfying combination of Shirley Booth and Robert Ryan.

 

TENDER COMRADE is another good one. Ginger Rogers and Robert Ryan work well together.

 

Robert Ryan has good chemistry with just about all his leading ladies. Claudette Colbert in THE SECRET FURY is the only exception that comes to mind.

[Fedya]

 

Yamekraw, at 7:19 AM. A visually interesting early sound short.

[mr6666]

LornaHansonForbes--Kerr is a deficit, agreed.  But Vincent Price and Barbara Steele More than make up for Kerr's non-performance, IMHO.

 

but Kerr ain't HALF as rotten as Luana....Sheeesh!

 

[GregoryPeckfan]

I can never make it very far into this one, and it is entirely due to John Kerr, who is awful in this (and everything else I've seen him in.)

 

At the time he made this his career was (most rightfully) in serious decline, and you can tell he thinks he's so much better than this movie because he flat-out refuses to act (which, to be fair, is less bad than other performances where he is maybe putting in some (?) effort.)

RE:

 

John Kerr:

 

Have you seen South Pacific?

 

I love him in that movie.

 

He also played a murder victim in an episode  of Columbo in which Eddie Albert was the killer and Suzanne Pleshette saw the murderer but thought Eddie was so charming....

[speedracer5]

5/13

 

I'm recording:

 

The Great Sinner.  A Gregory Peck (and Ava Gardner) movie that I haven't seen.

 

Tender Comrade.  I'm trying to see more of Ginger Rogers' films.  I was rather indifferent to her, but recently, I have seen more of her films and I've enjoyed them very much.  I may have made a rather snap judgement about Rogers.

 

About Mrs. Leslie.  I do love melodramas. Especially 1950s melodramas.

[GregoryPeckfan]

5/13

 

I'm recording:

 

The Great Sinner.  A Gregory Peck (and Ava Gardner) movie that I haven't seen.

 

Tender Comrade.  I'm trying to see more of Ginger Rogers' films.  I was rather indifferent to her, but recently, I have seen more of her films and I've enjoyed them very much.  I may have made a rather snap judgement about Rogers.

 

About Mrs. Leslie.  I do love melodramas. Especially 1950s melodramas.

The Great Sinner is a wonderful film about gambling and the addiction to gambling that few people who aren't fans of Peck and Gardner know.

 

Gregory Peck is a writer who  is seriously ill  when the movie begins. He has written a novel about being a great sinner of gambling and his love for Gardner. Gardner finds him and starts to read the novel and it goes into flashbacks . 

 

Gardner's father is played by Walter Huston.

 

Her grandmother is played by Ethel Barrymore.

 

A gambler whom Gregory Peck befriends and who is an important example to Gregory Peck about what he could become  - and is danger of becoming  -is played by Frank Morgan.

 

Of the three big screen movies Gregory Peck and Ava Gardner made together, The Great Sinner is my favourite.

 

It's one of my top 5 Ava Gardner movies of her entire career.

[Tikisoo]

Speedy- Ginger Rogers warrents her own box set in my house. She stars in so many really good movies. I think she's pretty and has a great range, although I like her best as a snappy skirt.

I found TENDER COMRADE an unusual morality type tale.

 

I'm recording ABOUT MRS LESIE (54) today, as I like Shirley Booth

and 

HER TWELVE MEN (54) tomorrow as I like Greer Garson

 

Two movies I've never seen!

[LornaHansonForbes]

RE:

 

John Kerr:

 

Have you seen South Pacific?

 

I love him in that movie.

 

i have to admit, i am not really "in" to movie musicals of the 1950's, so no: I have not seen it (although I think it bears mentioning that more than one poster here has admitted to not being a fan of the movie and most everyone seems to really hate those colored filters Joshua Logan uses.)

 

you never know, maybe i'll sit down and watch it one day and be blown away (I do love Mitzi Gaynor though... although: who doesn't?)

 

I have seen him in THE COBWEB (1955) (alternate title: The Drapes of Wrath) which is a horrid movie beyond his presence, but his non-performance does not help. He plays a mental patient and his doctor is Richard Widmark- who as we all know was a great actor (and allegedly a really nice guy in real life) and Kerr has this "diatribe" scene during their first analysis, and all he does is recite it in the most lifeless, deadpan manner imaginable, like he's just doing a dry run of the lines for rote memorization- and I SWEAR- for a second you can actually see Widmark thinking "oh my God, does he know we're rolling? Surely he can't be playing it like this.")

 

I have seen him in TEA AND SYMPATHY (1955)- another Minelli-directed mess of a film, he can't be entirely blamed for the failure again, but again- his aggressive underacting (whether dictated by the director or not) makes his character totally unlikeable and kills any investment the audience would have in "rooting for" or even liking him.

 

I have seen him in (the first part) of THE PIT AND THE PENDuLUM (1960), and have discussed my feelings on it...one really notable thing is that SOUTH PACIFIC was the #1 film of 1958: a HUGE smash, and he did not do a follow up for a year, and when he did- it was in this, a low-budget horror movie by Corman, so I think it shows that people in Hollywood were unimpressed.

 

I have also seen him in THE CROWDED SKY (1961?) which was maybe five years ago and i'm not sure TCM has re-run it, but oh God, I wish they would because it it so delightfully bad. ZERO HOUR! gets all the credit for being the story basis for AIRPLANE!, but the whole ridiculous, ludicrous, wholly outlandish, deadpan sensibility of the Zucker Bros film is borrowed from this movie. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT BECAUSE IT'S GOOD....and it may actually be Kerr's worst work. (His best worst though.)

[GregoryPeckfan]

i have to admit, i am not really "in" to movie musicals of the 1950's, so no: I have not seen it (although I think it bears mentioning that more than one poster here has admitted to not being a fan of the movie and most everyone seems to really hate those colored filters Joshua Logan uses.)

 

you never know, maybe i'll sit down and watch it one day and be blown away (I do love Mitzi Gaynor though... although: who doesn't?)

 

I have seen him in THE COBWEB (1955) (alternate title: The Drapes of Wrath) which is a horrid movie beyond his presence, but his non-performance does not help. He plays a mental patient and his doctor is Richard Widmark- who as we all know was a great actor (and allegedly a really nice guy in real life) and Kerr has this "diatribe" scene during their first analysis, and all he does is recite it in the most lifeless, deadpan manner imaginable, like he's just doing a dry run of the lines for rote memorization- and I SWEAR- for a second you can actually see Widmark thinking "oh my God, does he know we're rolling? Surely he can't be playing it like this.")

 

I have seen him in TEA AND SYMPATHY (1955)- another Minelli-directed mess of a film, he can't be entirely blamed for the failure again, but again- his aggressive underacting (whether dictated by the director or not) makes his character totally unlikeable and kills any investment the audience would have in "rooting for" or even liking him.

 

I have seen him in (the first part) of THE PIT AND THE PENDuLUM (1960), and have discussed my feelings on it...one really notable thing is that SOUTH PACIFIC was the #1 film of 1958: a HUGE smash, and he did not do a follow up for a year, and when he did- it was in this, a low-budget horror movie by Corman, so I think it shows that people in Hollywood were unimpressed.

 

I have also seen him in THE CROWDED SKY (1961?) which was maybe five years ago and i'm not sure TCM has re-run it, but oh God, I wish they would because it it so delightfully bad. ZERO HOUR! gets all the credit for being the story basis for AIRPLANE!, but the whole ridiculous, ludicrous, wholly outlandish, deadpan sensibility of the Zucker Bros film is borrowed from this movie. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, BUT NOT BECAUSE IT'S GOOD....and it may actually be Kerr's worst work. (His best worst though.)

RE:

 

The Cobweb;

 

My advice to you and anyone who has seen this movie to please recognized that it is an INFERIOR version of Spellbound, and that I LOVE Widwark, Bacall, and Gloria Grahame and they could not save this movie for me.

 

I watch this movie when it comes on TV because I love the actors I mention. But it would never occur to me to buy a DVD of this movie....

[LornaHansonForbes]

RE:

 

The Cobweb;

 

My advice to you and anyone who has seen this movie to please recognized that it is an INFERIOR version of Spellbound, and that I LOVE Widwark, Bacall, and Gloria Grahame and they could not save this movie for me.

 

I watch this movie when it comes on TV because I love the actors I mention. But it would never occur to me to buy a DVD of this movie....

I don't think there's ever been a worse movie with a better cast than "the cobweb."

 

Isn't Lillian Gish in it too?

[HoldenIsHere]

 

I'm recording ABOUT MRS LESIE (54) today, as I like Shirley Booth

and 

HER TWELVE MEN (54) tomorrow as I like Greer Garson

 

 

I think HER TWELVE MEN is a better movie than it's given credit for.

(Of course, Maltin doesn't like it.)

 

Anyway  . . . look for Spin & Marty in this movie.

 

I really miss Vault Disney on Disney Channel.