TCM Schedule for Friday, February 12, 2016 -- What's On Tonight: 31 Days of Oscar: Day 12

[Staph]

It's day twelve of 31 Days of Oscar. Enjoy!



The link to the next film -- Joseph Schildkraut


7:00 AM -- Viva Villa! (1934)
Rousing biography of the bandit chief who led the battle for Mexican independence.
Dir: Jack Conway
Cast: Wallace Beery, Leo Carrillo, Fay Wray
BW-110 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Assistant Director -- John Waters

Nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Adaptation -- Ben Hecht, Best Sound, Recording -- Douglas Shearer (sound director), and Best Picture

On 19 November 1933, during location filming in Mexico, Lee Tracy, originally cast as Johnny Sykes, got drunk and urinated from his hotel balcony onto a passing military parade. He was arrested, fired from the film and replaced by Stuart Erwin. Original director Howard Hawks was also fired for refusing to testify against Tracy, and replaced by Jack Conway. However, in his autobiography, Charles G. Clarke, the cinematographer on the picture, said that he was standing outside the hotel during the parade and the incident never happened. Tracy, he said, was standing on the balcony observing the parade when a Mexican in the street below made an obscene gesture at him. Tracy replied in kind, and the next day a local newspaper printed a story that said, in effect, Tracy had insulted Mexico, Mexicans in general and the Mexican flag in particular. The story caused an uproar in Mexico, and MGM decided to sacrifice Tracy in order to be allowed to continue filming there.

The link to the next film -- Fay Wray


9:00 AM -- The Richest Girl in the World (1934)
To put off fortune-hunters, an heiress trades places with her secretary.
Dir: William A. Seiter
Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Joel McCrea, Fay Wray
BW-76 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Story -- Norman Krasna

Remade in 1944 as Bride by Mistake.

The link to the next film -- Miriam Hopkins


10:30 AM -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932)
Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a scientist who unleashes the beast within.
Dir: Rouben Mamoulian
Cast: Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart
BW-96 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Fredric March (Tied with Wallace Beery for The Champ (1931).)

Nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Adaptation -- Percy Heath and Samuel Hoffenstein, and Best Cinematography -- Karl Struss

The remarkable Jekyll-to-Hyde transition scenes in this film were accomplished by manipulating a series of variously colored filters in front of the camera lens. Fredric March's Hyde makeup was in various colors, and the way his appearance registered on the film depended on which color filter was being shot through. During the first transformation scene, the accompanying noises on the soundtrack included portions of Bach, a gong being played backwards, and, reportedly, a recording of director Rouben Mamoulian's own heart. Only in the late 1960's did Mamoulian reveal how they were done.

The link to the next film -- Halliwell Hobbes


12:15 PM -- That Forsyte Woman (1949)
An unhappily married woman falls in love with her niece's fiance.
Dir: Compton Bennett
Cast: Errol Flynn, Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon
C-113 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Color -- Walter Plunkett and Valles

Originally Walter Pidgeon was cast as Soames and Errol Flynn as young Jolyon, but the actors felt they wanted to go against type and agreed to switch roles.

The link to the next film -- Errol Flynn


2:15 PM -- Adventures of Don Juan (1948)
The legendary lover saves his queen from treason.
Dir: Vincent Sherman
Cast: Errol Flynn, Viveca Lindfors, Robert Douglas
C-111 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Color -- Leah Rhodes, Travilla and Marjorie Best

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color -- Edward Carrere and Lyle B. Reifsnider

Errol Flynn did not wear a wig and let his naturally curly hair grow for the role. The producers were worried about it becoming unruly during the climactic fight scenes, so it was decided that he wear a bandanna.

The link to the next film -- Helen Westcott


4:15 PM -- The Gunfighter (1950)
The fastest gun in the West tries to escape his reputation.
Dir: Henry King
Cast: Gregory Peck, Helen Westcott, Millard Mitchell
BW-85 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story -- William Bowers and André De Toth

The studio hated Gregory Peck's authentic period mustache. In fact, the head of production at Fox, Spyros P. Skouras, was out of town when production began. By the time he got back, so much of the film had been shot that it was too late to order Peck to shave it off and re-shoot. After the film did not do well at the box office, Skouras ran into Peck and he reportedly said, "That mustache cost us millions".

The link to the next film -- Gregory Peck


5:45 PM -- Marooned (1969)
Three U.S. astronauts face a slow death when their rockets fail during a space voyage.
Dir: John Sturges
Cast: Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen
C-129 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Effects, Special Visual Effects -- Robie Robinson

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography -- Daniel L. Fapp, and Best Sound -- Les Fresholtz and Arthur Piantadosi

The Film Ventures International re-edit of this film (retitled "Space Travelers&quot was featured on an episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000 (1988). This was also the only film featured on the show to have won an Academy Award.

The link to the next film -- George Gaynes



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: 31 DAYS OF OSCAR: DAY 12



8:00 PM -- Tootsie (1982)
An unemployed actor masquerades as a woman to win a soap-opera role.
Dir: Sydney Pollack
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Dabney Coleman
C-116 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Jessica Lange

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Dustin Hoffman, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Teri Garr, Best Director -- Sydney Pollack, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen -- Larry Gelbart (screenplay/story), Murray Schisgal (screenplay) and Don McGuire (story), Best Cinematography -- Owen Roizman, Best Sound -- Arthur Piantadosi, Les Fresholtz, Rick Alexander (as Dick Alexander) and Les Lazarowitz, Best Film Editing -- Fredric Steinkamp and William Steinkamp, Best Music, Original Song -- Dave Grusin (music), Alan Bergman (lyrics) and Marilyn Bergman (lyrics) for the song "It Might Be You", and Best Picture

In an interview for the American Film Institute, Dustin Hoffman said that he was shocked that although he could be made-up to appear as a credible woman, he would never be a beautiful one. He said that he had an epiphany when he realized that although he found this woman interesting, he would not have spoken to her at a party because she was not beautiful and that as a result he had missed out on many conversations with interesting women. He concluded that he had never regarded the film as a comedy.

The link to the next film -- Dustin Hoffman


10:00 PM -- Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
When his wife leaves him, an ad exec gets a crash course in parenting.
Dir: Robert Benton
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Justin Henry
C-105 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Dustin Hoffman, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Meryl Streep, Best Director -- Robert Benton, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Robert Benton, and Best Picture

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Justin Henry (At age 8, Justin Henry became the youngest nominee for a competitive award in Academy history.), Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Jane Alexander, Best Cinematography -- Néstor Almendros, and Best Film Editing -- Gerald B. Greenberg

The famous ice-cream scene, where Billy challenges his father by skipping dinner and going straight for dessert, was completely improvised by both Dustin Hoffman and Justin Henry. Director Robert Benton liked the scene so much that he decided to keep it in the film.

The link to the next film -- Meryl Streep


12:00 AM -- The Deer Hunter (1978)
Three young men fight to survive the Vietnam War and its aftermath.
Dir: Michael Cimino
Cast: Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Christopher Walken
C-184 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Christopher Walken, Best Director -- Michael Cimino, Best Sound -- Richard Portman, William L. McCaughey, Aaron Rochin and C. Darin Knight, Best Film Editing -- Peter Zinner, and Best Picture

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Robert De Niro, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Meryl Streep, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen -- Michael Cimino (story), Deric Washburn (screenplay/story), Louis Garfinkle (story) and Quinn K. Redeker (story), and Best Cinematography -- Vilmos Zsigmond

Director Michael Cimino convinced Christopher Walken to spit in Michael's face. When Walken actually did it, Robert De Niro was completely shocked, as evidenced by his reaction. In fact, De Niro was so furious about it he nearly left the set. Cimino later said of Walken, "He's got courage!"

The link to the next film -- Robert De Niro


3:15 AM -- Goodfellas (1990)
A young man works his way up through the New York City mobs.
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco
C-145 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Joe Pesci

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Lorraine Bracco, Best Director -- Martin Scorsese, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Nicholas Pileggi and Martin Scorsese, Best Film Editing -- Thelma Schoonmaker, and Best Picture

According to the real Henry Hill, whose life was the basis for the book and film, Joe Pesci's portrayal of Tommy DeSimone was 90% to 99% accurate, with one notable exception; the real Tommy DeSimone was a massively built, strapping man.

The link to the next film -- Paul Sorvino


5:45 AM -- Bloodbrothers (1978)
A young man's drive to teach causes a rift with his family of construction workers.
Dir: Robert Mulligan
Cast: Richard Gere, Tony LoBianco, Paul Sorvino
C-116 mins,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Walter Newman

Although he is only 12 years older than Richard Gere, Tony Lo Bianco plays his father.

The link to the next film -- Richard Gere

[longship]

1. Joe Pesci is a guy who can get things done!

(thank you George Carlin)

Goodfellas! A wonderful flick.

Joe bless you all.