TCM Schedule for Thursday, January 3, 2019 -- What's On Tonight: TCM Spotlight - Sword and Sandal

[Staph]

Last edited Wed Jan 30, 2019, 09:15 PM - Edit history (1)

During the daylight hours, TCM is celebrating the comedic actress Marion Davies, born Marion Cecelia Douras on January 3, 1897, in Brooklyn, New York. She was a great actress, but these days is more remembered as the mistress of media mogul William Randolph Hearst. Today's films will give you the chance to decide if she is truly talented (I think yes!). In prime time, TCM is starting a month of films historical or fantasy films from the genre known as Sword and Sandals. From the TCM website:

"Sword and Sandal" was an affectionate term applied by the film industry to biblical, historical or mythological costume epics that generally had a handsome and well-built action hero doing battle with oppressive and/or evil adversaries. The genre was a Hollywood staple from the days of the original Quo Vadis? (1913) and the adaptation of Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925), and gained a new popularity during the 1950s and '60s, the period represented in this month's TCM Spotlight.

The 1960s saw the development of a subgenre, the peplum film, which was largely Italian-made and somewhat more modestly produced than the elaborate Hollywood productions. "Peplum" came from the tunic-style Greek and Roman garments worn by characters in the films. These movies often starred an American actor/athlete with a European supporting cast that was dubbed for American screenings. Peplum films were eventually replaced by "Eurospy" movies then "Spaghetti Westerns."

Hollywood's stake in the sword-and-sandal epic moved into a new level with MGM's remake of Quo Vadis (1951), which was priced at $7 million and became the most expensive film in history at the time. Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr and Peter Ustinov star in this story of ancient Rome during the reign of Nero, with Mervyn LeRoy directing.

Another MGM remake, Ben-Hur (1959), was even more elaborate and easily doubled the budget of the Quo Vadis redo (at more than $15 million). This version Ben Hur won a record 11 Oscars including Best Picture, Director (William Wyler) and Actor (Charlton Heston). Director Stanley Kubrick took the Hollywood historical epic into more thoughtful (if still spectacular) territory with Spartacus (1960), starring Kirk Douglas.

Among other Hollywood-produced epics in our tribute are Delmer Daves' Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954), starring Victor Mature and Susan Hayward; and Anthony Mann's The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964), starring Sophia Loren and Stephen Boyd. The U.S.A., Italy and France joined forces on Helen of Troy (1956), directed by Robert Wise with Rosanna Podesta in the title role. In a more minor league, American exploitation master Roger Corman produced and directed his own "epic," Atlas (1961), starring Michael Forest and filmed in Greece for a tidy $108,000.

Sergio Leone's The Colossus of Rhodes (1961) is an important early entry in the field of the Italian peplum films. The first movie for which Leone is credited as director, it is set during the Hellenistic era and stars American Rory Calhoun as the Greek hero Dario, who becomes involved in plots to overthrow a tyrannical king.

Damon and Pythias (1962) is an Italian/American production directed by Curtis Bernhardt and set in ancient Greece, with Guy Williams and Don Burnett in the title roles. Amazons of Rome (1961), an Italian/French film that credits three different directors, is set in ancient Rome and stars Louis Jourdan as a warrior chieftain and Sylvia Syms as the head of an army of Amazons.

Four of our Italian (or French/Italian) epics are TCM premieres, beginning with The Minotaur, the Wild Beast of Crete (1960). This one is based on the Greek myth and Athenian hero, king Theseus and his legendary battle with a Minotaur-- a being with the body of a man and the head and tail of a bull. The movie was directed by Silvio Amadio and stars Bob Mathias, an American decathlete and Olympic gold medalist, as Theseus/Prince Teseo.

The other premieres are inspired by the Roman god Hercules and also star an American actor/athlete. The Tyrant of Lydia Against the Son of Hercules (1963), directed by Mario Caiano, stars Gordon Scott as the strong man's son in a struggle against an evil king and his followers. Mark Forest takes on the role of Maciste, a Hercules-like character in the time of Genghis Khan, in Hercules Against the Mongols (1963) and Hercules Against the Barbarians (1964).

Forest also plays Maciste in the non-premiere The Terror of Rome Against the Son of Hercules (1964). Other Italian "peplums" in our tribute are The Revolt of the Slaves (1960), starring Rhonda Fleming; The Slave (1962), starring Steve Reeves; and Hercules, Sampson & Ulysses (1963), starring Kirk Morris as Hercules.

Enjoy!



6:00 AM -- THE PATSY (1928)
In this silent film, a romantic young woman falls for her sister's fiance, then discovers her sister is cheating on him.
Dir: King Vidor
Cast: Marion Davies, Orville Caldwell, Marie Dressler
BW-77 mins,

This was actually Marie Dressler's turnaround film. After having quite a slump in her career, Dressler was apparently having her last meal at a restaurant before killing herself when Allan Dwan, who was sitting at a nearby table, ended up offering her the role for King Vidor that night. The movie was a success, and Dressler's career skyrocketed again.


7:30 AM -- EVER SINCE EVE (1937)
A plain-jane secretary masquerades as a beauty to win her boss's heart.
Dir: Lloyd Bacon
Cast: Marion Davies, Robert Montgomery, Frank McHugh
BW-80 mins, CC,

Marion Davies's last movie.


9:00 AM -- HEARTS DIVIDED (1936)
Napoleon's younger brother falls for a girl from Baltimore.
Dir: Frank Borzage
Cast: Marion Davies, Dick Powell, Charles Ruggles
BW-76 mins, CC,

Dick Powell was cast at the request of Marion Davies.


10:30 AM -- THE BACHELOR FATHER (1931)
An aging Don Juan decides to get better acquainted with his grown children.
Dir: Robert Z. Leonard
Cast: Marion Davies, Ralph Forbes, C. Aubrey Smith
BW-90 mins, CC,

Because of the subject of illegitimate children, the movie was banned in Ireland and underwent dialogue deletions in many areas, including Milwaukee, Massachusetts and Virginia.


12:15 PM -- GOING HOLLYWOOD (1933)
A girl poses as a French maid to catch a singing star.
Dir: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Marion Davies, Bing Crosby, Fifi D'Orsay
BW-78 mins, CC,

When Marion Davies requested Bing Crosby as her leading man for this film, he was under contract to Paramount, where they had him starring in shorts and a series of B films with Jack Oakie. The success of this film moved Crosby into starring roles at Paramount with the likes of Carole Lombard, Miriam Hopkins, and Kitty Carlisle.


1:45 PM -- CAIN AND MABEL (1936)
The publicity romance between a prizefighter and a showgirl turns into the real thing.
Dir: Lloyd Bacon
Cast: Marion Davies, Clark Gable, Allen Jenkins
BW-90 mins, CC,

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Dance Direction -- Bobby Connolly for "1000 Love Songs"

About the massive "Thousand Love Songs" number, Marion Davies said, "I was up on the top with this Madame Pompadour number. They had t put ice on my wrists and chain me to the rail. I was just on a shelf, and I'd look down and think, Uh-oh. But I was used to the heat because I had been in the Follies in the summertime with fur costumes. So it didn't bother me much, but I didn't dare look down. I kept looking up, and all I saw was the top of the stage. I was up there about an hour and a half.... Then the music started, and I felt the lights going on me, and I hiccupped. I was roasting. I kept wondering, how long is this going to last? Finally, it took ladders to get me down. The costume alone weighed about fifty-six pounds."


3:30 PM -- NOT SO DUMB (1930)
A scatterbrained miss throws a big party to advance her boyfriend's career.
Dir: King Vidor
Cast: Marion Davies, Elliott Nugent, Raymond Hackett
BW-76 mins, CC,

According to the October 26, 1929, edition of Exhibitors Herald-World, the opening driving scenes were filmed near Pasadena, CA. An eight-cylinder car was required, since it was discovered using a six-cylinder one caused interference with the sound recording. The "engine explosions" were "out of time with the high sound-wave frequency of the microphone." A platform was built over the front bumper where cameras and microphones were mounted, then cables were run to a sound recording truck that drove ahead. Elliott Nugent had to maintain a speed of 20 mph in his car to keep the pace even with the sound truck.


5:00 PM -- THE FLORODORA GIRL (1930)
A turn-of-the-century chorus girl searches for romance.
Dir: Harry Beaumont
Cast: Marion Davies, Lawrence Gray, Walter Catlett
BW-79 mins, CC,

Marion Davies performs "Tell Me, Pretty Maiden" as a member of the Florodora Sextette. This was the show-stopping number from the hit musical of the 1890s and 1900s. The number was filmed in two-strip Technicolor, which survives.


6:30 PM -- PEG O' MY HEART (1933)
A spunky Irish girl inherits a place in a British estate.
Dir: Robert Z. Leonard
Cast: Marion Davies, Onslow Stevens, J. Farrell MacDonald
BW-87 mins, CC,

Although it was never apparent in her films, Marion Davies sometimes had a stuttering problem. They make fun of this fact when Peg simply cannot pronounce the name Chichester and usually says something like Cheesechester.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: TCM SPOTLIGHT: SWORD AND SANDAL



8:00 PM -- BEN-HUR (1959)
While seeking revenge, a rebellious Israelite prince crosses paths with Jesus Christ.
Dir: William Wyler
Cast: Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Haya Harareet
C-222 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Winner of Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Charlton Heston, Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Hugh Griffith (Hugh Griffith was not present at the awards ceremony. Director William Wyler accepted the award on his behalf.), Best Director -- William Wyler, Best Cinematography, Color -- Robert Surtees, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color -- William A. Horning, Edward C. Carfagno and Hugh Hunt (In case of Horning the Oscar win was posthumously.), Best Costume Design, Color -- Elizabeth Haffenden, Best Sound -- Franklin Milton (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer SSD), Best Film Editing -- Ralph E. Winters and John D. Dunning, Best Effects, Special Effects
A. Arnold Gillespie (visual), R.A. MacDonald (visual) and Milo B. Lory (audible), Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Miklós Rózsa, and Best Picture

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Karl Tunberg

According to Gore Vidal's interview in The Celluloid Closet (1995), Ben-Hur and Messala were former lovers and Messala betrayed Ben-Hur because their relationship ended. According to Vidal, he discussed this with Stephen Boyd (Messala) ahead of shooting, but this information was hidden from Charlton Heston because it was felt that he could not handle it. After Vidal's interview, Heston vehemently denied that Ben-Hur had any homosexual subtext or that Vidal had any real involvement with writing the script. Vidal responded by quoting extracts from Heston's 1978 autobiography "An Actor's Life", in which Heston admitted that Vidal had written much of the finished screenplay. Wherein Vidal added a gay subtext between Ben-Hur and Messala, all of the other "Ben-Hur" screenwriters - Karl Tunberg, Maxwell Anderson, S.N. Behrman, and Christopher Fry - added two conflicts between the two characters, which revolved around (1) one's devotion to his country and one's devotion to God; and (2) how one person can be redeemed after replacing his/her humanity with hatred and vengeance. Upon receiving the Academy Award for Best Actor of 1959, Heston had only one "Ben-Hur" screenwriter to thank in his acceptance speech: Christopher Fry.


12:00 AM -- DEMETRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS (1954)
A Greek slave who keeps Christ's robe after the crucifixion is sentenced to be one Caligula's gladiators.
Dir: Delmer Daves
Cast: Victor Mature, Susan Hayward, Michael Rennie
C-101 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Twice jailed for drug use, Jay Robinson (who played Caligula in this film) once had the dubious honor of being recognized by his fellow inmates when this film was played for the convicts.


1:50 AM -- VISITING ITALY (1951)
This short film takes the viewer on a tour of Italy, showcasing Rome, Assisi, Pisa and Florence.
C-7 mins,


2:00 AM -- SPARTACUS (1960)
A slave leads a rebellion against the Roman Empire.
Dir: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons
C-196 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Winner of Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Peter Ustinov, Best Cinematography, Color -- Russell Metty, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color -- Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom, Russell A. Gausman and Julia Heron, and Best Costume Design, Color -- Valles and Bill Thomas

Nominee for Oscars for Best Film Editing -- Robert Lawrence, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Alex North

The original version included a scene where Marcus Licinius Crassus (Sir Laurence Olivier) attempts to seduce Antoninus (Tony Curtis). The Production Code Administration and the Legion of Decency both objected. At one point Geoffrey Shurlock, representing the censors, suggested it would help if the reference in the scene to a preference for oysters or snails was changed to truffles and artichokes. In the end the scene was cut, but it was put back in for the 1991 restoration. However, the soundtrack had been lost in the meantime and the dialogue had to be dubbed. Curtis was able to redo his lines, but Olivier had died. Dame Joan Plowright, his widow, remembered that Sir Anthony Hopkins had done a dead-on impression of Olivier and she mentioned this to the restoration team. They approached Hopkins and he agreed to voice Olivier's lines in that scene. Hopkins is thanked in the credits for the restored version.


5:30 AM -- SLAVE (1962)
The decurion Randus blah, blah, blah, lots of fight scenes and bare-chested dudes.
Dir: Sergio Corbucci
Cast: Steve Reeves, Jacques Sernas, Gianna Maria Canale
BW-102 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Unlike most of the Italian sword-and-sandal films of the 1960s which were shot at Cinecitta Studios in Rome, this film was shot mostly on location in Egypt.