TCM Schedule for Friday, November 6 -- TCM Primetime Feature -- End of the Line

[Staph]

It's a day full of adventure, with pirates and dinosaurs and cavemen, and a few memorable folks like Sinbad and Captain Kidd and Audrey Hepburn's Princess Ann in Rome and Johnny Weissmuller's Tarzan. Then this evening we see the end of the line for two dynasties, the Romanovs of Russia (in Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)) and the Ching dynasty of China (in The Last Emperor (1987)). Enjoy!


5:00am -- Roman Holiday (1953)
A runaway princess in Rome finds love with a reporter who knows her true identity.
Cast: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert, Hartley Power
Dir: William Wyler
BW-118 mins, TV-G

Won Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Audrey Hepburn, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Edith Head, and Best Writing, Motion Picture Story -- Dalton Trumbo (The screen credit and award were originally credited to Ian McLellan Hunter who fronted for Dalton Trumbo. In December 1992 the Academy decided to change the records and to credit Mr. Trumbo with the achievement. Ian McLellan Hunter was removed from the Motion Picture Story category and the Oscar was posthumously presented to Trumbo's widow on May 10th, 1993.)

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Eddie Albert, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Hal Pereira and Walter H. Tyler, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Franz Planer and Henri Alekan, Best Director -- William Wyler, Best Film Editing -- Robert Swink, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton, and Best Picture

Audrey Hepburn won the role of Ann thanks to a legendary screen test. In it, she performed one of the scenes from the film, but the cameraman was instructed to keep the cameras rolling after the director said, "Cut." Several minutes of unrehearsed, spontaneous Hepburn was thus captured on film and this, combined with some candid interview footage, won her the role.


7:00am -- Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952)
Two waiters stumble on a treasure map and land in hot water with pirates.
Cast: Abbott, Costello, Charles Laughton, Hillary Brooke
Dir: Charles Lamont
BW-70 mins, TV-PG

In the opening scene of It Started with Eve (1941), an assistant newspaper editor comments that if Jonathan Reynolds Sr. had lived two centuries earlier, he would have made a great pirate - "Captain Kidd himself." Three years later, Charles Laughton, who played Jonathan Reynolds Sr., played the title role in Captain Kidd (1945) and again in Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952).


8:30am -- The Boy and the Pirates (1960)
Magic transports a boy to the days of cutthroats and buccaneers.
Cast: Charles Herbert, Susan Gordon, Murvyn Vye, Paul Guilfoyle
Dir: Bert I. Gordon
C-84 mins, TV-PG

This was director Bert I. Gordon's first film in color.


10:00am -- Sinbad The Sailor (1947)
The Arabian Nights hero sets off to find the lost treasure of Alexander the Great.
Cast: Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Maureen O'Hara, Walter Slezak, Anthony Quinn
Dir: Richard Wallace
C-117 mins, TV-PG

RKO had to scuttle its plan to present this film as a 1946 Christmas-season attraction when a strike at the Technicolor processing plant delayed the making of prints. The wide-release date would be moved up to January 13, 1947, with the Manhattan opening at the Palace Theatre following on January 22, 1947. Needing a black-and-white movie for its 1946 yuletide schedule, RKO chose a film destined to become a holiday perennial: Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life (1946).


12:00pm -- Son Of Sinbad (1955)
The legendary pirate's son fights an evil caliph over a magical secret.
Cast: Dale Robertson, Sally Forrest, Lili St. Cyr, Vincent Price
Dir: Ted Tetzlaff
C-93 mins, TV-PG

Produced by Howard Hughes.


2:00pm -- The Land That Time Forgot (1975)
A World War I U-boat takes a wrong turn and discovers a lost world of dinosaurs and cavemen.
Cast: Doug McClure, John McEnery, Susan Penhaligon, Keith Barron
Dir: Kevin Connor
C-91 mins, TV-PG

Based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel. Michael Moorcock has said his original script was faithful to the book. But the last 20 minutes were changed by the producers to include the volcano and caveman attacks on the Tyler's men and destruction of the submarine.


4:00pm -- Tarzan, The Ape Man (1932)
A British lord raised by apes kidnaps a beautiful noblewoman exploring Africa with her father.
Cast: Johnny Weissmuller, Neil Hamilton, C. Aubrey Smith, Maureen O'Sullivan
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke
BW-100 mins, TV-G

At no point in this movie is the line "Me Tarzan, you Jane" spoken. When Jane and Tarzan meet, it is she who initiates the verbal exchange, repeatedly indicating herself and giving her name until he repeats it. She then points to him, indicating that she wants to know if there's a word for who he is as "Jane" is the word for who she is, until eventually he understands and says, "Tarzan."


6:00pm -- Never Cry Wolf (1983)
A government researcher fights to survive when he's marooned in the Canadian wilderness.
Cast: Charles Martin Smith, Brian Dennehy, Samson Jorah, Zachary Ittimangnaq
Dir: Carroll Ballard
C-105 mins, TV-PG

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Sound -- Alan Splet (as Alan R. Splet), Todd Boekelheide, Randy Thom and David Parker

Although all the wolves used in the movie were tamed, at times the cameraman had to hold a chicken above their head to draw their attention to him. When needed, he gave the poultry a good jolt, which had the effect of having the chicken violently shaking it wings and getting the wolves to stare in perplexity at this behavior.


What's On Tonight: TCM PRIME TIME FEATURE: END OF THE LINE


8:00pm -- Nicholas and Alexandra (1971)
Story of Russia's last czar, Nicolas II, and his ill-fated family.
Cast: Michael Jayston, Janet Suzman, Roderic Noble, Ania Marson
Dir: Franklin J. Schaffner
C-188 mins, TV-14

Won Oscars for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -- John Box, Ernest Archer, Jack Maxsted, Gil Parrondo and Vernon Dixon, and Best Costume Design -- Yvonne Blake and Antonio Castillo

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Janet Suzman, Best Cinematography -- Freddie Young, Best Music, Original Dramatic Score -- Richard Rodney Bennett, and Best Picture

There are many historical inaccuracies in this film, but neither the film makers nor Robert K. Massie, whose book this title is based upon, can be held responsible for the inaccuracies in regard to characters and events. When Robert K. Massie initially researched materials for his book, the Soviet Government was still in power in Russia and would only authorize viewing of those "facts" that had been assumed by people and "approved" by the then ruling government to be examined by researchers of the Romanov family. It was not until the Soviet Government fell in 1991 that documents that had been secreted away and which were hidden from the public could be fully examined and researched.


11:15pm -- The Last Emperor (1987)
China's final emperor, Pu Yi, becomes a pawn of imperial forces, the invading Japanese and the Communist government.
Cast: John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter O'Toole, Ying Ruocheng
Dir: Bernardo Bertolucci
C-163 mins, TV-MA

Won Oscars for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -- Ferdinando Scarfiotti, Bruno Cesari and Osvaldo Desideri, Best Cinematography -- Vittorio Storaro, Best Costume Design -- James Acheson, Best Director -- Bernardo Bertolucci, Best Film Editing -- Gabriella Cristiani, Best Music, Original Score -- Ryûichi Sakamoto, David Byrne and Cong Su (Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su were not present at the awards ceremony.), Best Sound -- Bill Rowe and Ivan Sharrock, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Mark Peploe and Bernardo Bertolucci, and Best Picture

During filming of the immense coronation scene in the Forbidden City, Queen Elizabeth II was in Beijing on a state visit. The production was given priority over her by the Chinese authorities and she was therefore unable to visit the Forbidden City.


2:00am -- Putney Swope (1969)
An unexpected member of the executive board of an advertising firm is accidentally put in charge.
Cast: Arnold Johnson, Stan Gottlieb, Allen Garfield, Archie Russell
Dir: Robert Downey
BW-85 mins, TV-MA

In the scene where Putney and his wife are watching TV in the living room, they are watching one of Downey's previous films, Chafed Elbows (1966). (And, yes, this Robert Downey is the father of the actor Robert Downey Jr.)


3:30am -- Greaser's Palace (1972)
A parable based on the life of Christ that takes place in a Western setting.
Cast: Albert Henderson, Michael Sullivan, Luana Anders, Woody Chambliss
Dir: Robert Downey
C-90 mins, TV-MA

This ain't your father's Bible story, full of references about the destruction of the world through massive constipation and a New Mexican setting.


5:30am -- Short Film: Now Playing November (2009)
Features highlights of the month's programming on TCM, including festivals and stars.
BW-16 mins, TV-PG

[Staph]

1. The Last Emperor

Inspired by the 1964 autobiography of Aisin-Gioro "Henry" Pu Yi (1903-1967), entitled From Emperor to Citizen, The Last Emperor (1987) follows the extraordinary trajectory of the last emperor of the Ching dynasty (1644-1912): his ascension to the throne as a three-year-old boy, his "abdication" in 1911, his installation as a puppet ruler in Japanese-controlled Manchuria, his capture at the end of World War II and subsequent imprisonment and re-education in Communist China, ending with his new life as a worker at the Botanical Gardens in Beijing during the Cultural Revolution. The historical events depicted -- often only obliquely -- serve as a framework for the story of Pu Yi's individual struggle: to come to terms with the destiny that is thrust upon him, to accept responsibility for his actions, and to find his true worth as an ordinary human being.

The shooting of The Last Emperor was an epic event in itself. Perhaps the ultimate international coproduction, it was characterized by Variety as "a film about China produced by an Englishman and directed by an Italian in English with many American actors." The $25,000,000 production, by far the most extensive usage of Chinese locations by Western filmmakers up to that time, required 16 weeks of shooting at places such as the Liaodong peninsula, Manchuria, Beijing and, of course, The Forbidden City. Some 19,000 extras (many of them from the Chinese army) and 9,000 costumes were used for the film, figures unthinkable in a Western production with a similar budget. Interiors and the reeducation camp scenes were shot at sound stages at Cinecitta in Italy.

All shooting in China required the prior permission of the state, though the screenplay was ultimately approved without requiring significant changes aside from some factual details. Pu Yi's brother Pu Che, who was in his 80s at the time, served as a consultant to the film as did Li Wenda, a ghostwriter for Pu Yi's autobiography. The production was financed entirely in the West and the crew had to supply its own equipment - including the Steadicam which Bertolucci uses to such great effect in the film. Nonetheless, the production team had to go through the China Film Coproduction Corp. for matters such as currency exchange and import permits. Although Jeremy Thomas has characterized the Chinese government as "very cooperative," in an article written by Tony Rayns for Film Comment Thomas described numerous bureaucratic hurdles that had to be overcome to shoot the film: "Everything had to be brought in, and it's hard to even bring a videotape into China. It was hard to get permission to use non-native Chinese for the main roles, but it was finally accepted because the film had to be in English. The major hurdle was getting permission to use the locations. I was particularly nervous about the Forbidden City; I knew it was the heart of the movie from the production standpoint. We finally cleared it, and we're the first foreigners who have been allowed to shoot there." Rayns adds that Bertolucci's international reputation as a leftist filmmaker helped: "For instance, every time that Bertolucci's name comes up in the coproduction contract for The Last Emperor, it reads: 'Bernardo Bertolucci, member of the Italian Communist Party...." Even the Chinese think it's funny, but it helps to have it there in black and white."

Casting the film presented a formidable logistical challenge to Thomas and Bertolucci, since it required a largely Chinese cast yet the dialogue had to be in English. Most of the major roles are thus filled by Asian actors who worked in the West. The only non-Asian actor in a prominent role is Peter O'Toole who plays Reginal Flemming Johnston, Pu Yi's English tutor. Hong Kong-born John Lone, who plays Pu Yi as an adult, studied acting at Hong Kong and at the Peking Opera before moving to the U.S. His most notable roles before The Last Emperor were in Iceman (1984) - as the title character - and Year of the Dragon (1985). Joan Chen, who was born in Shanghai, previously played in films in Mainland China and the U.S., including Wayne Wang's Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart (1984); she has also acted in major Hong Kong productions such as Clara Law's Temptation of a Monk (1993) and in David Lynch's cult TV series, Twin Peaks. In 1998 Chen made her directing debut with the acclaimed Xiu Xiu: The Sent-Down Girl. Lisa Lu plays the Empress Dowager. Acting in the U.S. since the 1960s, Lu has appeared in television shows such as Have Gun Will Travel, Bonanza and Mission: Impossible. More recently, she played An-Mei in The Joy Luck Club (1993). Fourth generation Chinese-American Victor Wong (1927-2001) was part of the Beat scene, helped found Chicago's Second City comedy troupe and played on television and in local theater companies before moving to feature films such as Wayne Wang's Dim Sum and John Carpenter's cult favorite Big Trouble in Little China (1986). Respected Mainland Chinese actor Ruocheng Ying, who plays the Governor in charge of Pu Yi's reeducation, was serving as Deputy Minister of Culture at the time of production. Kaige Chen, one of China's leading contemporary film directors, known for films such as Yellow Earth (1984), Life on a String (1991) and Farewell My Concubine (1993), plays the Captain of the Imperial Guard at the beginning of the film. Also look for Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto in the role of the sinister Amakasu. Sakamoto recently provided the haunting soundtrack music for Nagisa Oshima's Taboo (1999) as well as past Bertolucci scores like The Sheltering Sky (1990) and Little Buddha (1993).

The real star of the film, however, is arguably Vittorio Storaro's cinematography. The rich subject matter provided Storaro with an ideal opportunity to explore his ideas regarding the psychology of color. In an essay included in the book, Bertolucci's The Last Emperor: Multiple Takes (1998), Storaro explains how his lighting scheme for the film arose when he first read Pu Yi's autobiography: "It was possible, I thought, to register in images the road backward in time, that psychoanalytic road through the various colors of different wavelengths that make up the entire chromatic spectrum of visible energy. Just as white light could represent the end of his life journey, so Pu Yi's various ages could be represented by the various 'ages of the colors.'" Thus the episodes from his childhood are dominated by warm colors such as red, orange and yellow, the section set in Manchuria makes frequent use of indigo, the scenes of his imprisonment and re-education are almost devoid of color, while the scenes of Pu Yi in his old age have a more balanced color spectrum. Clearly the crowning achievement of Storaro's career and one of the great uses of color in film to date, The Last Emperor earned him a much-deserved Academy Award for cinematography.

Bertolucci's film swept the 1987 Academy Awards, taking home statuettes for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Score, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design and Best Sound. The version broadcast on TCM is an extended cut designed for television, featuring over 50 minutes of footage not seen in the 166-minute theatrical release version.

Producer: Jeremy Thomas
Director: Bernardo Bertolucci
Screenplay: Mark Peploe, Bernardo Bertolucci and Enzu Ungari, based on the book From Emperor to Citizen
Cinematographer: Vittorio Storaro
Editor: Gabriella Cristiani
Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne and Cong Su
Production Design: Ferdinando Scarfiotti (Art Direction) and Bruno Cesari (Set Decoration)
Costume Design: James Acheson
Sound: Bill Rowe and Ivan Sharrock
Principal Cast: John Lone (Pu Yi as an adult), Richard Vuu (Pu Yi, age 3), Tsou Tijger (Pu Yi, age 8), Tao Wu (Pu Yi, age 15), Joan Chen (Wan Jung, "Elizabeth"), Peter O'Toole (Reginal Johnson), Ruocheng Ying (the Governor), Guang Fan (Pu Chieh as an adult), Victor Wong (Chen Pao Shen), Dennis Dun (Big Li), Ryuichi Sakamoto (Masahiko Amakasu), Maggie Han (Eastern Jewel), Ric Young (Interrogator), Lisa Lu (Tzu Hsui, The Empress Dowager).
C-163m. Closed captioning. Letterboxed.

by James Steffen