TCM Schedule for Thursday, June 4, 2015 -- What's On Tonight - Bulldog Drummond

[Staph]

Today's prime time theme is Bulldog Drummond, a British fictional character, created by H. C. McNeile and published under his pen name "Sapper". After an unsuccessful one-off appearance as a policeman in The Strand Magazine, the character was reworked by McNeile into a gentleman adventurer for his 1920 novel Bulldog Drummond. McNeile went on to write ten Drummond novels, four short stories, four stage plays and a screenplay before his death in 1937. The stories were continued by his friend Gerard Fairlie between 1938 and 1954; further books were published in the 1960s and one in 1983. Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- The Affairs of Annabel (1938)
A screen queen suffers through harebrained publicity stunts schemed up by her press agent.
Dir: Ben Stoloff
Cast: Jack Oakie, Lucille Ball, Ruth Donnelly
BW-67 mins, CC,

Based on a story by Charles Hoffman, and followed by Annabel Takes a Tour (1938).


7:15 AM -- A Face In The Crowd (1957)
A female television executive turns a folk-singing drifter into a powerful media star.
Dir: Elia Kazan
Cast: Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa
BW-126 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

The film debut of Andy Griffith and Lee Remick.


9:30 AM -- The Wonderful World Of The Brothers Grimm (1962)
Fanciful biography of the German fairy-tale collectors, with reenactments of three of their stories.
Dir: Henry Levin
Cast: Laurence Harvey, Karl Boehm, Claire Bloom
C-136 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Color -- Mary Wills

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography, Color -- Paul Vogel, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color -- George W. Davis, Edward C. Carfagno, Henry Grace and Richard Pefferle, and Best Music, Scoring of Music, Adaptation or Treatment -- Leigh Harline

Although Buddy Hackett sang in "The Music Man", he had what could be described as a "funny" singing voice which would have seemed out of place in the eerie "flute-playing" scenes of "The Singing Bone". So his singing was dubbed by Clinton Sundberg, the actor who played the Prime Minister in the film, and who rarely sang onscreen. Although Sundberg did not have a trained singing voice, it had the right gravitas for the somber fairy tale.


12:00 PM -- The Mating Game (1959)
A tax agent falls for a farm girl whose father he's investigating.
Dir: George Marshall
Cast: Debbie Reynolds, Tony Randall, Paul Douglas
C-97 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

This was Paul Douglas' last film. He died in 1959 of a heart attack, the same year it was made. He was born in 1907, making him 52 when he made this film. He had been offered a starring role in Billy Wilder's 1960 comedy, The Apartment, but the role was given to Fred McMurray after Paul Douglas passed away.


1:45 PM -- The Wind And The Lion (1975)
An Arab chief triggers an international incident when he kidnaps an American widow and her children.
Dir: John Milius
Cast: Sean Connery, Candice Bergen, Brian Keith
C-119 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Nominated for Oscars for Best Sound -- Harry W. Tetrick, Aaron Rochin, William L. McCaughey and Roy Charman, and Best Music, Original Dramatic Score -- Jerry Goldsmith

According to John Milius when the film was screened for President Gerald Ford, Ford remarked that he recognized the place they filmed in Yellowstone National Park well because he used to be a ranger there. Milius refrained from informing him that the entire movie was filmed in and around Spain.


3:50 PM -- Operation Dirty Dozen (1967)
This promotional short film provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of "The Dirty Dozen" (1987).
C-9 mins,


4:00 PM -- Boys' Night Out (1962)
A psychology student researches infidelity by becoming a platonic kept woman for four buddies.
Dir: Michael Gordon
Cast: Kim Novak, James Garner, Tony Randall
C-113 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Originally, the movie's title song was to be sung by Frank Sinatra. His version was recorded on March 6, 1962, almost three months before the film's premiere. At last wind, Patti Page recorded her version which was initially optioned for use while Sinatra's original languished in the Columbia vaults until 1995 when his Reprise box-set was issued.


6:00 PM -- Travels With My Aunt (1972)
A stodgy young man gets caught up in his free-living aunt's shady schemes.
Dir: George Cukor
Cast: Maggie Smith, Alec McCowen, Lou Gossett
C-109 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Costume Design -- Anthony Powell (Anthony Powell couldn't attend the awards ceremony, as he was working on Papillon (1973) in London, England. George Cukor, the film's director, accepted the award on his behalf.)

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Maggie Smith, Best Cinematography -- Douglas Slocombe, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -- John Box, Gil Parrondo and Robert W. Laing

Katharine Hepburn was initially approached by her friend George Cukor to star in the movie. She read the book by Graham Greene, but since it was a series of short stories, she didn't think it could be adapted into a film. However, she agreed to star in it after reading the book a few times. Jay Presson Allen wrote the screenplay, but when Hepburn was unhappy with the result, Allen suggested that she re-write it herself. Hepburn worked on the script for three months, but when she submitted it, MGM studio head James T. Aubrey felt that her script was missing the charm of the book. Also, Aubrey felt that Hepburn was too old to play Aunt Augusta in flashback scenes. Aubrey called Hepburn to tell her that the project had been postponed, but the next day, Hepburn's agent called to report that she had been released by MGM for "failing to report to work." Hepburn considered suing MGM for payment for her script work, but decided against it. According to Jay Presson Allen, one speech from Hepburn's script was included in the film, but Hepburn was not given screen credit because she wasn't a member of the Screen Writer's Guild.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: BULLDOG DRUMMOND



8:00 PM -- Bulldog Drummond Escapes (1937)
Captain Drummond becomes a prisoner when he intents to protect a beautiful heiress of an espionage organization.
Dir: James Hogan
Cast: Ray Milland, Sir Guy Standing, Heather Angel
BW-67 mins,

Ray Milland's only outing as Drummond.


9:15 PM -- Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1937)
A rock thrown through his window sets a gentleman adventurer on a search for enemy agents.
Dir: Norman Lee
Cast: John Lodge, Dorothy Mackaill, Victor Jory
BW-74 mins,

Final film of Dorothy Mackaill. She had a couple of television appearances much later, and passed away in 1990.


10:35 PM -- Hong Kong "The Hub Of The Orient" (1937)
This short film focuses on the history, people and customs of Hong Kong.
C-8 mins,


10:45 PM -- Bulldog Drummond Comes Back (1937)
An old enemy kidnaps Bulldog Drummond's fiancée.
Dir: Louis King
Cast: John Barrymore, John Howard, Louise Campbell
BW-59 mins,

It is clear that 'moving car scenes' haven't improved since 1937. In fact the 'night scenes' in this film are far more realistic that modern offerings where the recording takes place in daylight with reduced camera sensitivity.


12:00 AM -- Bulldog Drummond's Revenge (1937)
Captain Drummond travels to Switzerland in order to marry his girlfriend but the disappearance of a dangerous cargo of explosives makes him delay his plans.
Dir: Louis King
Cast: John Barrymore, John Howard, Louise Campbell
BW-55 mins,

John Howard holds the record for performances as Bulldog Drummond. He appeared seven times in the role; no one else played Drummond more than twice.


1:04 AM -- Penny Wisdom (1937)
A newspaper columnist saves an important family dinner in this comedic short.
Dir: David Miller
Cast: Harold Minjir, Prudence Penny, Gertrude Short
C-10 mins,


1:15 AM -- Bulldog Drummond's Peril (1938)
Bulldog Drummond hunts down an assassin after a priceless diamond.
Dir: James Hogan
Cast: John Barrymore, John Howard, Louise Campbell
BW-66 mins,

Although it is John Howard who is playing Bulldog Drummond, it is John Barrymore who gets top billing for playing the supporting character of Colonel Neilson.


2:30 AM -- Bulldog Drummond in Africa (1938)
Drummond, his girlfriend and his butler try to free an high post of Scotland Yard who has been kidnapped.
Dir: Louis King
Cast: John Howard, Heather Angel, H. B. Warner
BW-58 mins,

H.B. Warner takes over the role of Col. Nielson, played by John Barrymore in the previous film, so John Howard resumes top billing.


3:35 AM -- Mexican Police On Parade (1943)
This short film focuses on the Mexico City police department's yearly festival.
C-9 mins,


3:45 AM -- Bulldog Drummond's Secret Police (1939)
Bulldog Drummond discovers the house he¿s rented for his wedding hides a secret treasure.
Dir: James Hogan
Cast: John Howard, Heather Angel, H. B. Warner
BW-54 mins,

The last of John Howard's outings as Drummond.


4:50 AM -- A Wife's Life (1950)
A comedic short in which a housewife let's her husband know what she has "done with her day."
Dir: Dave O'Brien
Cast: Dave O'Brien, Dorothy Short,
BW-8 mins,

5:00 AM -- Bulldog Drummond's Bride (1939)
Bulldog Drummond postpones his wedding to track down a band of bank robbers.
Dir: James Hogan
Cast: John Howard, Heather Angel, H. B. Warner
BW-56 mins,

Don't believe the bride part of the title. Bulldog and his fiancee Phyllis have an engagement longer than Dick Tracy and Tess Trueheart.