TCM Schedule for Saturday, April 29, 2017 -- What's On Tonight - This is a Stick Up!

[Staph]

Tonight's last week of Not-The-Essentials is all about robbers in the wild, wild west. Enjoy!


6:30 AM -- FOUR DAUGHTERS (1938)
A small-town family's peaceful life is shattered when one daughter falls for a rebellious musician.
Dir: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Claude Rains, Jeffrey Lynn, John Garfield
BW- 90 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- John Garfield, Best Director -- Michael Curtiz, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Lenore J. Coffee and Julius J. Epstein, Best Sound, Recording -- Nathan Levinson (Warner Bros. SSD), and Best Picture

Designed as a vehicle for Priscilla Lane, which also happened to have roles for her sisters, Lola Lane and Rosemary Lane.


8:15 AM -- MRS. PARKINGTON (1944)
A lady's maid marries a man whose prospects push her into high society.
Dir: Tay Garnett
Cast: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Edward Arnold
BW- 124 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Greer Garson, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Agnes Moorehead

In a move unusual for a film even today, the movie was shot in chronological order.


10:30 AM -- MAISIE GOES TO RENO (1944)
On a trip to Reno, a Brooklyn showgirl tries to stop a soldier and his wife from divorcing.
Dir: Harry Beaumont
Cast: Ann Sothern, John Hodiak, Tom Drake
BW- 90 mins, CC,

The eighth of ten movies starring Ann Sothern as the heroine Maisie Ravier.


12:15 PM -- FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO (1943)
A British corporal goes undercover to infiltrate Field Marshall Rommel's command.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Franchot Tone, Anne Baxter, Akim Tamiroff
BW- 96 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- John F. Seitz, Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White -- Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegté and Bertram C. Granger, and Best Film Editing -- Doane Harrison

Erich von Stroheim playing Field Marshall Erwin Rommel dictatorially insisted on garnishing his own military uniform and he got permission from the Paramount studio to design this costume as well as his hair & makeup. He studied photographs of Rommel and then made requests for specific equipment, clothing and props. These included authentic German field glasses, a whisk, and a 35mm Leica camera with actual film. These items were all fully functional, in working order and of the correct provenance. Stroheim maintained that his performance could be affected as an actor would know if the items he were wearing or using were not authentic. Director Billy Wilder queried him about the real film in the camera which wouldn't be seen by viewers with von Stroheim replying, "An audience always senses whether a prop is genuine or false." Rommel dressed casually and wore loose-fitting uniforms yet von Stroheim demanded that he wear "a uniform as it is supposed to be worn." Von Stroheim believed that Rommel never took off his cap in the desert sun and so did not have sunburn face make-up above his eyes.


2:00 PM -- MISTER ROBERTS (1955)
A naval officer longing for active duty clashes with his vainglorious captain.
Dir: John Ford
Cast: Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell
C- 121 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Jack Lemmon

Nominated for Oscars for Best Sound, Recording -- William A. Mueller (Warner Bros.), and Best Picture

Final film of William Powell. Powell had marked difficulties retaining his lines, something that had not happened to him in earlier films, and this was one of the reasons why this was his final film appearance. Frail health, including bouts with cancer, plus a difficult Hawaii location shoot ultimately led to the actor's decision to retire.


4:15 PM -- EXODUS (1960)
A young Israeli activist fights to set up a homeland for his people.
Dir: Otto Preminger
Cast: Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Ralph Richardson
C- 208 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Ernest Gold

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Sal Mineo, and Best Cinematography, Color -- Sam Leavitt

Paul Newman later regretted starring in this film. Newman was a left-wing Democrat who frequently disagreed with successive Israeli governments. He was also very disappointed with the finished film.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: THIS IS A STICK UP!



8:00 PM -- COLORADO TERRITORY (1949)
An outlaw just released from prison is sucked back into a life of crime in this remake of High Sierra.
Dir: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, Dorothy Malone
BW- 94 mins, CC,

Colorado Territory is a remake of the same director's 1941 film High Sierra, starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart.


10:00 PM -- BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID (1969)
Two free-spirited bank robbers flee railroad detectives and head for Bolivia.
Dir: George Roy Hill
Cast: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Katharine Ross
C- 110 mins, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay Based on Material Not Previously Published or Produced -- William Goldman (William Goldman was not present at the awards ceremony. Katharine Ross accepted the award on his behalf.), Best Cinematography -- Conrad L. Hall, Best Music, Original Song -- Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (lyrics) for the song "Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head", and Best Music, Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical) -- Burt Bacharach

Nominated for Oscars for Best Director -- George Roy Hill, Best Sound -- Bill Edmondson and David Dockendorf, and Best Picture

Lula Parker Betenson, sister of the real Butch Cassidy, often visited the set, and her presence was welcome to the cast and crew. During lulls in shooting she would tell stories about her famous brother's escapades, and was amazed at how accurately the script and Paul Newman portrayed him. Before the film was released, the studio found out about her visits and tried to convince her to endorse the movie in a series of ads to be shown in theaters across the country. She said that she would, but only if she saw the film first and truly stood behind it. The studio refused, saying that allowing her to see the film before its release could harm its reputation. Finally, at Robert Redford's suggestion, she agreed to do the endorsements--for a small "fee."


12:15 AM -- WILD ROVERS (1971)
An aging cowboy joins up with a beginner to rob banks.
Dir: Blake Edwards
Cast: William Holden, Ryan O'Neal, Karl Malden
C- 137 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

The scene in which Russ and Frank break in a mustang was actually mostly real. Blake Edwards wanted the action to be as believable as possible so he had them train as horse wranglers in Iceland for five weeks before filming. At one point you can see a dark patch where William Holden later admitted to having wet himself 'just a little bit'.


2:45 AM -- LADY SNOWBLOOD (1973)
A young girl is raised to kill the criminals who destroyed her family.
Dir: Toshiya Fujita
Cast: Meiko Kaji, Toshio Kurosawa, Masaaki Daimon
C- 97 mins, Letterbox Format

Along with its sequel, Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance (immediately following tonight), this movie served as one of the main inspirations for Quentin Tarantino's movies Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2.


4:30 AM -- LADY SNOWBLOOD: LOVE SONG OF VENGEANCE (1974)
Japan's secret police enlist a female assassin to squelch a revolution.
Dir: Toshiya Fujita
Cast: Meiko Kaji, Juzo Itami, Kazuko Yoshiyuki
C- 89 mins, Letterbox Format

[longship]

1. Nevertheless, William Powell's role in "Mister Roberts" is damned good.

He is one of my favorite actors of his generation. Mister Roberts is a truly wonderful film.

Keep an eye out for Betsy Palmer as one of the visiting nurses. Cannot miss her; she's the tall one.

The liberty port scenes are simply wonderful humor.