TCM Schedule for Saturday, February 8, 2020 -- 31 Days of Oscar: 360 Degrees of Oscar

[Staph]

Last edited Mon Mar 23, 2020, 07:43 PM - Edit history (2)

More of 31 Days of Oscar, with the actors or actresses that connect the films added after a break at the end, in case you want to guess. Enjoy!


7:15 AM -- JUAREZ (1939)
True story of Mexico's Abraham Lincoln and his fight against Napoleon's empire.
Dir: William Dieterle
Cast: Bette Davis, Paul Muni, Brian Aherne
BW-121 mins, CC,

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Brian Aherne, and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Tony Gaudio

Because the film shows many of Maximilian's generals to be Mexican, many viewers attribute it to typical Hollywood historical distortions. It is, however, indeed accurate. It's a little-known fact that, although Maximilian was eventually overthrown and executed by Mexican revolutionaries, there were actually more Mexicans fighting on Maximilian's side than against him. This was due in large part to the Catholic Church's strong support of the French occupation of Mexico and its "encouraging" Mexican Catholics to fight against the revolutionary forces by joining Maximilian's army, which they did in large numbers.


9:30 AM -- NOW, VOYAGER (1942)
A repressed spinster is transformed by psychiatry and her love for a married man.
Dir: Irving Rapper
Cast: Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains
BW-117 mins, CC,

Winner of an Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Max Steiner

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Bette Davis, and Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Gladys Cooper

Paul Henreid's act of lighting two cigarettes at once caught the public's imagination and he couldn't go anywhere without being accosted by women begging him to light cigarettes for them.


11:30 AM -- THE SPANISH MAIN (1945)
Dutch rebels in the Caribbean turn pirate and kidnap the corrupt Spanish governor's bride-to-be.
Dir: Frank Borzage
Cast: Maureen O'Hara, Paul Henreid, Walter Slezak
C-101 mins, CC,

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Color -- George Barnes

The inspiration for the " Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland.


1:15 PM -- PROPHET WITHOUT HONOR (1939)
This short film portrays the life of Matthew Fontaine Maury, who developed the first maps that charted the oceans' winds and currents.
Dir: Felix E. Feist
Cast: Tom Neal,
BW-11 mins,

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-reel


1:30 PM -- THIS LAND IS MINE (1943)
A soft-spoken school teacher tries to prove he's not a Nazi collaborator.
Dir: Jean Renoir
Cast: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, George Sanders
BW-103 mins, CC,

Winner of an Oscar for Best Sound, Recording -- Stephen Dunn (RKO Radio SSD)

The singing of "Die Lorelei" by the German soldiers was a subtle dig at the anti-semitic regime of the Nazis, since the words were written by banned Jewish poet Heinrich Heine. Many of his books, considered "un-German," were burned in the book-burning episode at Opernplatz, Berlin, Germany, on 10 May 1933. However, his works were so popular that they were still published, but "author unknown" was the listed writer. In his 1821 play "Almansor," Heine also prophetically wrote "Dort, wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man am Ende auch Menschen." ("Where they burned books, they will in the end in burn people.&quot


3:30 PM -- THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY (1945)
A man remains young and handsome while his portrait shows the ravages of age and sin.
Dir: Albert Lewin
Cast: George Sanders, Hurd Hatfield, Donna Reed
BW-110 mins, CC,

Winner of an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Harry Stradling Sr.

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Angela Lansbury, and Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White -- Cedric Gibbons, Hans Peters, Edwin B. Willis, John Bonar and Hugh Hunt

Gladys Hallward (Donna Reed) learns that Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield) does not love her, yet she feels compelled to continue the relationship. As this is taking place, she looks at an illustration in a book bearing the caption, "How Sir Tristam drank of the love drink." On the facing page is an illustration next to a selection of text referring to Tristam cutting off a woman's head. These are both references to his earlier relationship with Sybil Vane (Dame Angela Lansbury), who viewed Dorian as the romantic character Tristam. It is significant that the name Sybil is a reference to ancient Greek holy women who were the revealers of prophecy.


5:26 PM -- THE HOUSE I LIVE IN (1945)
Singer Frank Sinatra explains the importance of racial tolerance to a group of tough kids in this short film.
Dir: Mervyn LeRoy
Cast: Ronnie Ralph, Merrill Rodin,
BW-10 mins,

Winner of an Honorary Oscar Award for Frank Ross, Mervyn LeRoy, Albert Maltz, Earl Robinson, Lewis Allan and Frank Sinatra for tolerance short subject; produced by Frank Ross and Mervyn LeRoy; directed by Mervyn LeRoy; screenplay by Albert Maltz; song "The House I Live In" music by Earl Robinson, lyrics by Lewis Allan; starring Frank Sinatra; released by RKO Radio.

The lyrics to the song "The House I Live In" were written by Abel Meeropol, author of "Strange Fruit" made famous by Billie Holiday. He is credited as Lewis Allan because of the black list. When he saw the film for the first time he walked out because the line in his lyric "my neighbors white and black" was not included in the film.


5:45 PM -- FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)
Enlisted men in Hawaii fight for love and honor on the eve of World War II.
Dir: Fred Zinnemann
Cast: Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr
BW-118 mins, CC,

Winner of Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Frank Sinatra, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Donna Reed, Best Director -- Fred Zinnemann, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Daniel Taradash, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Burnett Guffey, Best Sound, Recording -- John P. Livadary (Columbia SSD), Best Film Editing -- William A. Lyon, and Best Picture

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Montgomery Clift, Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Burt Lancaster, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Deborah Kerr, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Jean Louis, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Morris Stoloff and George Duning

The now classic scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr in the rushing water on the beach was not written to take place there. The idea to film with the waves hitting them was a last minute inspiration from director Fred Zinnemann.


7:48 PM -- GRANDAD OF RACES (1950)
This short film presents the annual horse race held in the Piazza del Campo in Siena. Vitaphone Release 1950A.
Dir: André De La Varre Jr.
C-10 mins,

Winner of an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-reel -- Gordon Hollingshead



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: 31 DAYS OF OSCAR: 360 DEGREES OF OSCAR



8:00 PM -- SEPARATE TABLES (1958)
The boarders at an English resort struggle with emotional problems.
Dir: Delbert Mann
Cast: Deborah Kerr, Rita Hayworth, David Niven
BW-100 mins, CC,

Winner of Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- David Niven (Niven was a co-host of this year's Academy Awards ceremony. To date, he is the only actor to win an Oscar in the same year serving as a host.), and Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Wendy Hiller (Wendy Hiller was not present at the awards ceremony. Harold Hecht, the film's producer, accepted on her behalf.)

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Deborah Kerr, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Terence Rattigan and John Gay, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Charles Lang, Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- David Raksin, and Best Picture

Laurence Olivier, the original director, wanted Spencer Tracy to play the role of John Malcolm. After producer Burt Lancaster decided he wanted to play the role, Olivier told him that either Tracy would get the part or both he and Vivien Leigh were off the picture. Lancaster stood his ground and fired Olivier.


10:00 PM -- ATLANTIC CITY (1980)
An aging gangster's love for a gambling house waitress puts him in the middle of a heist gone bad.
Dir: Louis Malle
Cast: Vincent Glorioso, Louis Del Grande, Burt Lancaster
C-104 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Burt Lancaster, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Susan Sarandon, Best Director -- Louis Malle, Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen -- John Guare, and Best Picture

Henry Fonda, James Mason, Laurence Olivier, James Stewart and Robert Mitchum were all considered to play the lead role of Lou. Fonda was rejected due to ill-health and its associated insurance risk. Reportedly, when the producers saw that Mitchum had had a face-lift recently, they lost interest. Mitchum had said to them: "I just had my face lifted, and I only play under 45 now.". Director Louis Malle once commented on Burt Lancaster's reaction to the lead role: "Burt had read the screenplay and the first thing that he said was, 'A part like that, especially at my age, happens every ten years, if you're lucky.' He knew it was a great part and I really appreciated that he understood that right away.".


12:00 AM -- BULL DURHAM (1988)
A fan who has an affair with one minor-league baseball player each season meets an up-and-coming pitcher and the experienced catcher assigned to him.
Dir: Ron Shelton
Cast: Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins
BW-108 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen -- Ron Shelton

In 2003, a 15th anniversary celebration of the film at the National Baseball Hall of Fame was cancelled by Hall of Fame president Dale Petroskey. Petroskey, who was on the White House staff during the Reagan administration, told Tim Robbins that the actor's public opposition to the US-led war in Iraq helped to "undermine the U.S. position, which could put our troops in even more danger." Kevin Costner, a self-described libertarian, defended Robbins and Susan Sarandon, saying, "I think Tim and Susan's courage is the type of courage that makes our democracy work. Pulling back this invite is against the whole principle about what we fight for and profess to be about."


2:00 AM -- THE PLAYER (1992)
A rising producer tries to cover up the accidental killing of a screenwriter who was stalking him.
Dir: Robert Altman
Cast: Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Fred Ward
C-124 mins, Letterbox Format

Nominee for Oscars for Best Director -- Robert Altman, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published -- Michael Tolkin, and Best Film Editing -- Geraldine Peroni

The film has more Oscar winning actors and actresses in the cast than any other movie in history. There are twelve: Cher, James Coburn, Louise Fletcher, Whoopi Goldberg, Joel Grey, Anjelica Huston, Jack Lemmon, Marlee Matlin, Tim Robbins, Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, and Rod Steiger. Thirteen, when you count Oscar winning Producer and Director Sydney Pollack, who also makes a cameo appearance. Also includes fifteen other actors and actresses who received Oscar nominations: Karen Black, Dean Stockwell, Michael Tolkin, Gary Busey, Peter Falk, Teri Garr, Jeff Goldblum, Elliott Gould, Sally Kirkland, Buck Henry, Sally Kellerman, Burt Reynolds, Nick Nolte, Richard E. Grant and Lily Tomlin.


4:07 AM -- SO YOU WANT TO BE IN PICTURES (1947)
Joe McDoakes learns what a bumpy road it can be to become an Hollywood star in this comedic short. Vitaphone Release 1537A.
Dir: Richard Bare
Cast: George O'Hanlon, Jane Harker, Clyde Cook
BW-11 mins,

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-reel -- Gordon Hollingshead

Actor and future President Ronald Reagan is referred to by the narrator as "Ronnie" Reagan as he walks through the studio streets.


4:30 AM -- THE VALLEY OF DECISION (1945)
An Irish housemaid's romance with the boss's son is complicated by labor disputes in the Pittsburgh mills.
Dir: Tay Garnett
Cast: Greer Garson, Gregory Peck, Donald Crisp
BW-118 mins, CC,

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Greer Garson, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture --
Herbert Stothart

Feature film debut of Dean Stockwell.



















Don't scroll any farther if you don't want to know who the connecting actors and actresses are!



















The Red Danube (1949)
Louis Calhern
Juarez (1939)
Claude Rains
Now, Voyager (1942)
Paul Henreid
The Spanish Main (1945)
Maureen O'Hara
This Land Is Mine (1943)
George Sanders
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
Donna Reed
From Here to Eternity (1953)
Deborah Kerr
Separate Tables (1958)
Burt Lancaster
Atlantic City (1980)
Susan Sarandon
Bull Durham (1988)
TIm Robbins
The Player (1992)
Dean Stockwell
The Valley of Decision (1945)
Marshall Thompson
Mystery Street (1950)