TCM Schedule for Thursday, October 16 -- Bob's Picks

[Staph]

A wide variety today -- a trio of beach party movies, a trio of Angela Lansbury, a trio of Sabu, and a trio of James Fitzpatrick. James who?? The lovely and talented James Fitzpatrick, producer, writer and narrator of Traveltalks. And Robert Osborne picks one of my all time favorites -- The Scarlet Pimpernel (1935), with Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon, and Raymond Massey. Enjoy!


4:30am -- My Favorite Wife (1940)
A shipwrecked woman is rescued just in time for her husband's re-marriage.
Cast: Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott.
Dir: Garson Kanin.
BW-88 mins, TV-G

Nominated for Oscars for Best Art Direction, Black-and-White -- Van Nest Polglase and Mark-Lee Kirk, Best Music, Original Score -- Roy Webb, and Best Writing, Original Story -- Leo McCarey, Bella Spewack and Sam Spewack The movie was inspired by Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem, "Enoch Arden." Although it is not credited on-screen, the writers gave tribute to it by calling the main characters "Arden."


6:00am -- Pajama Party (1964)
A Martian teenager sent to prepare for an invasion falls in love with an Earth girl.
Cast: Tommy Kirk, Annette Funicello, Elsa Lanchester.
Dir: Don Weis.
C-85 mins, TV-PG

Credited as Teri Hope, look for a very young Teri Garr, prominently featured in most of the major scenes. She's often just to the right of Annette Funicello in the dance and fashion show scenes.


7:30am -- Muscle Beach Party (1964)
The beach gang goes head-to-head with the bodybuilders of a new gym that's interfering with their strip on the sand.
Cast: Frankie Avalon, Annette Funicello, Luciana Paluzzi.
Dir: William Asher.
C-95 mins, TV-PG

This is the only film in the series not to feature Eric Von Zipper and his gang the Rats.


9:15am -- Gidget (1959)
A young girl dreams of winning acceptance from a gang of surfers.
Cast: Sandra Dee, Cliff Robertson, James Darren.
Dir: Paul Wendkos.
C-95 mins, TV-G

James Darren was originally not selected to play Moondoggie because the role required two songs to sing and Darren was not well established as a singer. On his own, he cut a single with the studio's recording subsidiary Colpix Records which charted. Columbia changed their minds and gave him the role despite the fact that he couldn't surf and was a weak swimmer. He became a huge teen idol and subsequently repeated the Moondoggie role in Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) and Gidget Goes to Rome (1963)with two other Gidgets: Deborah Walley and Cindy Carol.


11:00am -- The Trouble With Angels (1966)
Two free spirits cause problems at a convent school.
Cast: Rosalind Russell, Hayley Mills, June Harding.
Dir: Ida Lupino.
C-111 mins, TV-G

Rosalind Russell appears in this movie alongside Gypsy Rose Lee, whose real-life mother Russell portrayed in her most previous movie role, that of Rose Hovick in Gypsy (1962).


1:00pm -- Private Screenings: Angela Lansbury (2006)
Angela Lansbury discusses her life and career with TCM host Robert Osborne.
BW-56 mins, TV-PG

Wearing just conventional makeup (i.e., not studio made-up to look "old"), Lansbury was most chilling and unforgettable (and convincing!) as the manipulating mother of Laurence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate (1962), while in real life being scarcely three years Harvey's senior.


2:00pm -- Bedknobs And Broomsticks (1971)
An apprentice witch and three war orphans try to prevent the Nazi invasion of England.
Cast: Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, Roddy McDowall.
Dir: Robert Stevenson.
C-117 mins, TV-G

Won an Oscar for Best Effects, Special Visual Effects -- Alan Maley, Eustace Lycett and Danny Lee

Nominated for Oscars for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -- John B. Mansbridge, Peter Ellenshaw, Emile Kuri and Hal Gausman, Best Costume Design -- Bill Thomas, Best Music, Original Song -- Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman for the song "The Age of Not Believing", Best Music, Scoring Adaptation and Original Song Score -- Richard M. Sherman, Robert B. Sherman and Irwin Kostal

This was the last film from the Disney studios to receive an Academy Award until The Little Mermaid (1989).


4:00pm -- The World Of Henry Orient (1964)
Two poor little rich girls dog the steps of a womanizing pianist.
Cast: Peter Sellers, Angela Lansbury, Paula Prentiss.
Dir: George Roy Hill.
C-107 mins, TV-PG

The phone Peter Sellers uses in his bedroom is called a Ericofon, made by L. M. Ericsson of Sweden. This is one of the very few foreign phones allowed in the US at the time of filming by the then telephone company, Bell Telephone, which held a monopoly on both telephone service and telephone equipment in the US. Bell Telephone felt so threatened by the unique European design (and possible mass intrusion into "their" telephone network) that they designed the "Trimline" phone as a countermeasure.


6:00pm -- Gaslight (1944)
A newlywed fears she's going mad when strange things start happening at the family mansion.
Cast: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Angela Lansbury.
Dir: George Cukor.
BW-114 mins, TV-PG

Won Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Ingrid Bergman, and Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White -- Cedric Gibbons, William Ferrari, Edwin B. Willis and Paul Huldschinsky

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Charles Boyer, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Angela Lansbury, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Joseph Ruttenberg, Best Writing, Screenplay -- John L. Balderston, Walter Reisch and John Van Druten, and Best Picture

When this film was produced, the studio attempted to have all prints of the previous version, Gaslight (1940) destroyed. These efforts were ultimately unsuccessful, though the film was rarely seen for the next few decades.


What's On Tonight: TCM PRIME TIME FEATURE: BOB'S PICKS


8:00pm -- The Scarlet Pimpernel (1935)
A British aristocrat's effete facade masks a swashbuckling hero rescuing victims of the French revolution.
Cast: Leslie Howard, Merle Oberon, Raymond Massey.
Dir: Harold Young.
BW-98 mins, TV-G

Say it with me, in your plummiest British accent --

They seek him here, they seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere!
Is he in heaven? Is he in hell?
That demmmed elusive Pimpernel!


9:42pm -- Short Film: One Reel Wonders: Oriental Paradise (1936)
In this "Traveltalk," we enjoy Japan's trees and flowers in bloom and learn of the significance of flower arrangements.
Cast: James A. Fitzpatrick.
C-8 mins

James Fitzpatrick's nickname -- The Voice of the Globe.


10:00pm -- The Thief of Bagdad (1940)
A young thief faces amazing monsters to return Bagdad's deposed king to the throne.
Cast: Conrad Veidt, Sabu, June Duprez.
Dir: Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell, Tim Whelan.
C-106 mins, TV-G

Won Oscars for Best Art Direction, Color -- Vincent Korda, Best Cinematography, Color -- Georges Périnal, and Best Effects, Special Effects -- Lawrence W. Butler (photographic) and Jack Whitney (sound)

Nominated for Oscars for Best Music, Original Score -- Miklós Rózsa

Producer Alexander Korda was so demanding that he went through six directors during the production of this film, including his brother Zoltan Korda and leading art director William Cameron Menzies.


12:00am -- The Jungle Book (1942)
A boy raised by wolves adjusts to life among humans.
Cast: Sabu, Joseph Calleia, Rosemary De Camp.
Dir: Zoltan Korda.
C-102 mins, TV-G

Nominated for Oscars for Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Color -- Vincent Korda and Julia Heron, Best Cinematography, Color -- W. Howard Greene, Best Effects, Special Effects -- Lawrence W. Butler (photographic) and William A. Wilmarth (sound), and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Miklós Rózsa

The 1942 "Jungle Book" was the first film for which original soundtrack recordings were issued. Previously, when record companies released music from a film, they had insisted on re-recording the music in their own studios with their own equipment. The "Jungle Book" records were taken from the same recordings used for the film's soundtrack, and their commercial success paved the way for more original-soundtrack albums.


1:50am -- Short Film: One Reel Wonders: India On Parade (1937)
In this "Traveltalk," we learn about the landmarks, people and customs of India.
Cast: James A. Fitzpatrick
C-9 mins

The song heard at the end of the film is Pale Hands Beside The Shalimar - once upon a time reputed to be the favorite of silent screen idol Rudolph Valentino. His recording of it (not heard here) is the only sample of his voice in existence.


2:00am -- Song of India (1949)
A jungle prince stands against a maharajah's plan to capture and sell wild animals.
Cast: Sabu, Gail Russell, Turhan Bey.
Dir: Albert S. Rogell.
BW-77 mins, TV-G

Marilyn Cooper was called in to replace Gail Russell, who was taken ill. This led to Cooper meeting her future husband, Sabu.


3:21am -- Short Film: One Reel Wonders: Ancient India (1952)
This travel short provides an insight into the ancient world of India, including its origins, customs, lifestyle and architecture.
Cast: James A. Fitzpatrick
C-9 mins

Specifically explored are the ancient cities of Bundi and Jaipur in the Northwest corner of the country. Visits to the palatial estates of the maharajas of these two cities are also included.


3:45am -- Son Of India (1931)
A rajah's son falls for an American girl touring India.
Cast: Ramon Novarro, Madge Evans, Conrad Nagel.
Dir: Jacques Feyder.
BW-73 mins, TV-PG

Although Ramon Novarro was born in Mexico, he was not a native Mexican. His parents were immigrants from Spain.


5:15am -- MGM Parade Show #11 (1955)
Judy Garland and Gene Kelly perform in a clip from "For Me and My Gal"; Susan Hayward introduces a clip from "I'll Cry Tomorrow." Hosted by George Murphy.
BW-26 mins, TV-G

Gene Kelly on Judy Garland: "The finest all-around performer we ever had in America was Judy Garland. There was no limit to her talent. She was the quickest, brightest person I ever worked with."

[Staph]

1. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1935)

"Alex was Hungarian, imaginative, intelligent, extravagant. Although lacking business sense, he had an uncanny ability to find money, and he also had an uncommon feeling for quality." - Raymond Massey

The "auteur" theory of film authorship may apply most often to directors, but other artists can certainly acquire the label, be they writers, actors, cinematographers or composers. The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934), one of the great costume adventure films of its time, is the work of an auteur producer, Alexander Korda. His stamp is simply all over the movie, beginning with the script's overall wit and humor - two qualities which were in short supply in the original source material.

The Scarlet Pimpernel began life as a 1905 play by Hungarian Baroness Emmuska Orczy and Montagu Barstow. Three years later it was novelized by Orczy as the first of a series of novels. The story is set during France's Reign of Terror. Innocent French noblemen are being guillotined daily, but a mysterious man heroically rescues many of them, always leaving behind a small red flower - a pimpernel - as his trademark. The Scarlet Pimpernel, as he is called, is revealed to us to be Sir Percy Blakeney, a British aristocrat who pretends to be a foppish and ineffectual dandy in order to throw off suspicion. Even his disgusted French wife is unaware of his secret identity. The French, however, figure out that the Pimpernel is English and send an emissary, Chauvelin, to London to find him.

Korda originally had Charles Laughton in mind for Blakeney, but luckily he ended up with Leslie Howard, who became a huge star because of this picture. As Blakeney's wife he cast the beautiful Merle Oberon (who later became Mrs. Korda), and playing the villain Chauvelin was Canadian actor Raymond Massey.

Two more production members imported from America were cinematographer Harold Rosson and editor William Hornbeck, both among the finest in Hollywood at their professions. This was a sign of Korda's extravagance - bringing over such craftsmen was definitely not the norm for British movies at this time. Assembling the right crew, however, is one of the chief jobs of a producer, and Korda knew how to hire a winning combination of people to achieve what he wanted. In the case of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Korda wanted to fully and lavishly recreate the French revolution, and these were the people to pull it off in style. (Both Rosson and Hornbeck stayed to work on a few more Korda pictures as well.)

The Scarlet Pimpernel's original director, Rowland Brown, was famously fired on just the first day of production after butting heads with Korda. According to Raymond Massey's autobiography A Hundred Different Lives, Korda watched Brown direct a scene and then told him disapprovingly that he was shooting it as if it were a gangster film. Brown replied that he would direct it his way or walk out. Korda said, "Please walk," and Brown was gone. Korda directed the scene himself and by that afternoon had hired a replacement, Harold Young. Korda kept Young on a tight leash, however. As Massey wrote, "The next day Young ostensibly took over, but the direction throughout the months of shooting remained an unofficial but smooth collaboration."

While acting in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Massey was also starring in and directing the play The Shining Hour on London's West End, following a 125-performance run on Broadway. He managed to handle both the play and the movie even though it meant consistent 15-hour days. Korda accommodated him by providing a car and driver each day, thereby allowing Massey to catch up on sleep during the one-hour drive to and from Elstree Studios. It also helped that during each performance of The Shining Hour, Massey ate two full hot meals on stage as part of the play itself. (In theater circles, the play was known jokingly as "The Dining Hour.")

"I never had such fun working in a movie as I did on The Scarlet Pimpernel," Massey would later recall. "Of all the heavies I have played on the screen, the most wicked and the most fun to do was Chauvelin. There was a spirit in that company, a feeling of confidence, a sort of élan which I have often found in the theater but never sensed in any other movie."

The Scarlet Pimpernel has been a popular source for moviemakers over the years. It was made into several silent films and remade countless more times for film and TV. Korda himself oversaw two further versions - a sequel, Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel (1937), with a different cast, and a remake, The Elusive Pimpernel (1950), directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Leslie Howard directed an entertaining modern-day version of the story in 1941 called "Pimpernel" Smith (also known as Mister V), in which he plays an effete academic who rescues victims of Nazi Germany.

Producer: Alexander Korda, Grace Blake
Director: Harold Young
Screenplay: Emmuska Orczy, Lajos Biro, S.N. Behrman, Robert E. Sherwood, Arthur Wimperis
Cinematography: Harold Rosson
Film Editing: William Hornbeck
Music: Arthur Benjamin
Cast: Leslie Howard (Sir Percy Blakeney), Merle Oberon (Lady Marguerite Blakeney), Raymond Massey (Citizen Chauvelin), Nigel Bruce (Prince of Wales), Bramwell Fletcher (Priest), Joan Gardner (Suzanne de Tournay).
BW-90m.

by Jeremy Arnold