Large window covering outside the Roosevelt Hotel, headquarters of the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival. Photo by Jill Blake

I returned from my trip to Los Angeles and the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival late on Monday, April 29th. First thing on Tuesday morning, I was back to toddler wrangling. Today is my first opportunity to write the first in a series of recaps of my experience.

It’s hard to believe that this time last week I was in the homestretch of the 4th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. It’s amazing how time seemed to slow down leading up to the Festival, yet once it started, it ended all too quickly. This year I managed to add on an extra night and day prior to the start of the Festival so that I could spend time with friends and relax.

I arrived in Los Angeles on Tuesday evening (4/23) and was welcomed by my friends Sean and Clay. The two of them, along with the lovely Carley of The Kitty Packard Pictorial, accompanied me to the legendary Hollywood institution Musso & Frank Grill for dinner and cocktails. The four of us sat in the cozy Chaplin booth, Charlie Chaplin’s favorite place to sit when he dined (and drank) at the restaurant. Although we sat in his favorite booth, we refrained from having his favorite meal: lamb kidneys. Later our party doubled when more friends arrived, and we all enjoyed very good wine and even better conversation. The evening was the perfect kick-off to a fun-filled week in Hollywood.

At 10 am Wednesday, TCM held an official Press Day event allowing bloggers and reporters access to hosts Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz as well as Senior Vice President of Programming Charles Tabesh and Managing Director Genevieve McGillicuddy for Q&A’s. When I arrived to the event, I recognized many of my fellow classic film bloggers. TCM has done an excellent job of including social media, blogs and classic film websites like The Fence, along with the more “traditional” media outlets. One might think that a network which focuses on preserving the past would be hesitant to embrace the latest technology and social media. The opposite is true. TCM prides itself on engaging its audience via Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, etc., and is always looking for new and exciting ways to reach viewers.

Robert Osborne during Q&A at Club TCM at The Roosevelt Hotel. Photo by Jill Blake.

Host Robert Osborne was the first to speak at the press event. Here are a few highlights from his Q&A:

• Over the years he has discovered that TCM has sustained people through so many terrible life events. He meets people all the time who tell him that the network and its programming has helped them get through an illness, job loss, etc…
• At the festival, Osborne attempts to introduce the films he is particularly fond of or knows so well he doesn’t necessarily need to revisit.
• When he is scheduled to interview someone, like Eva Marie Saint or Jane Fonda, he will spend time researching beforehand.
• Robert emphasized that Charlie Tabesh, VP of Programming, always tries to obtain the best possible prints of films to show on the network. One time, a horrendous print of Road to Bali (1952) starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby was shown during primetime. Charlie assured Robert that it would never be shown during primetime again. Some years later, Road to Bali was shown again during primetime….but it was a better print (as promised)!
• Osborne gave a teased about an upcoming special event on TCM featuring author and historian Molly Haskell. No date announced.
• Osborne was asked about the imminent conversion of the TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly and more famously known as Grauman’s Chinese). He stressed the importance of maintaining old neighborhood theatres. He is the co-owner of The Rose Theatre in Port Townsend, Washington, and explained the difficulties including cost of digital conversion.
• On working with Cher during the TCM Friday Night Spotlight- A Woman’s World: Osborne said  ”Cher is marvelous” and she was “no diva” and that it was “kind of disappointing”–all said with a good-hearted laugh.
• When asked what he was looking forward to seeing most: The Razor’s Edge, “Babs 3 stories tall”, Cluny Brown, and Desert Song. Osborne also noted he was excited to interview Mel Brooks and Ann Blyth.
• On Ann Blyth: Osborne always found it amazing “she didn’t play bitches the rest of her career” [after Mildred Pierce]. Osborne also noted that he would have rather seen The Great Caruso (1951) on the schedule than Kismet, but they were unable to obtain a decent print.

After Mr. Osborne’s Q&A, I managed to snag him for a quick chat and photo. I told him I had visited his set in Atlanta last summer, and he said he remembered me. Then he kissed my hand and said he was very glad I was at the festival. Unfortunately, I missed most of Charlie Tabesh and Genevieve McGillicuddy’s Q&A, but I think it was totally worth it.

Yours truly with the Silver Fox, TCM host Robert Osborne. Photo by Jill Blake

Following the Tabesh/McGillicuddy Q&A, Ben Mankiewicz arrived for the last segment of the press event. Here are some highlights:

TCM host Ben Mankiewicz during Press Event Q&A at Club TCM at Roosevelt Hotel. Photo by Jill Blake

• He joked about wearing a pocket square (yes, he was really wearing one) and how his brother Josh (correspondent for Dateline) would be proud. Fatherhood is definitely treating Ben well.
• Ben joked about some of the films chosen to fit in with the “Cinematic Journeys: Travel in the Movies” theme for the festival. He specifically called out the hilarious Airplane! (1980), saying “it was shot for $4.75.”
• The network’s demographics are not necessarily what one would think, given the content: 2/3 of the viewing audience is under 49 years old.
• Ben also noted that it’s the family connection that often keeps us interested in these classic films.
• Ben jokingly said that after 10 years with the network, he is allowed to call Robert Osborne “Robert.”
• When asked if he gets to pick what films he introduces at the Festival, Ben stated that he doesn’t always get the opportunity. For example, he really wanted to introduce Three Days of the Condor (1975), as it is one of his favorite films, and Max Von Sydow will be in attendance. Robert Osborne will be introducing instead.
• Ben noted the uniqueness and importance of fan involvement with the network. As an example, he said that he enjoys watching ESPN, but doesn’t necessarily care what happens to their shows/programming. The TCM fans, however, keep a close eye on the network to make sure the the films are handled properly, and their level of involvement keeps the network honest. The fan involvement is definitely appreciated by both Robert and Ben, as well as the rest of the TCM family.
• Funny story: when Ben first signed his contract, he had to maintain his goatee. He wanted to get rid of it, but couldn’t due to a technicality in his contract. Someone at the network actually floated the idea of a fake goatee so that Ben could shave! Eventually Ben was able to adjust his contract.

Following the press event, I met up with several bloggers, some I met last year and some I was meeting for the first time. Laura from Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, Raquel from Out of the Past, Aurora from Once Upon a Screen, Kristen Sales from Sales on Film, Lara from Backlots, and Marya of Cinema Fanatic to name a few.I joined Laura and Raquel for a nice lunch in one of the Roosevelt’s restaurants. It was a great opportunity for the three of us to sit down and have a chat face-to-face since the next 4 days would be spent in the dark, sitting in front of a big screen.

Yours truly and Raquel from Out of the Past. Photo by Jill Blake

After lunch, I walked from the Roosevelt Hotel over to West Hollywood to meet my friend Sean. Walking in LA is interesting, mainly because hardly anyone does. Everyone drives a car, rides in a car, and complains about it. Public transit is laughable. It’s a lot like my beloved Atlanta, but hyped up on a dangerous cocktail of steroids, trashy designer handbags and excessive plastic surgery. Oh, wait. That’s exactly like Atlanta. So maybe the only difference is the amount of people. Woody Allen noted the ridiculous LA car culture in his masterpiece Annie Hall. Allen’s character Alvy Singer, after getting out of Annie’s car says “Don’t worry. We can walk to the curb from here.” Although Alvy has a tendency to exaggerate, he is right on point in this instance.

But I digress…

On my way to meet Sean, I saw things I would likely miss in a car, like an up-close look at the former Charlie Chaplin Studios, which is now The Jim Henson Company Lot. The Jim Henson Company has paid homage to Chaplin by placing a statue of Kermit the Frog dressed as Chaplin at the front gate. Seeing the studios intact and recognized as a Historic Cultural Monument by the City of Los Angeles is quite remarkable. One thing I have learned from my visits to Southern California and conversations with locals, like Carley (of Kitty Packard), is that nothing’s sacred. For example, a recent controversy in the LA classic film scene revolved around the destruction of Pickford-Fairbanks Studios (fondly referred to by fans as Pickfair). Knowing that it’s rare to see anything “historical” in LA, I made sure to slow down and take a peek.

Plaque declaring Jim Henson Company Lot the location of Historic Charlie Chaplin Studio. Photo by Jill Blake

Front gate of The Jim Henson Company Lot. Kermit the Frog is dressed as the famous Little Tramp character, in tribute to Chaplin.

Following a quick rest after my walk, Sean drove me to the Bronson Cave Trail in Griffith Park. The Bronson Cave is better known as the Batcave from the original Batman television series. The area has also been featured in several 1950s science fiction B-pictures, in addition to films like I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (1932) and The Searchers (1956).  I don’t know if it was fear of rattlesnakes (I’m terrified of snakes) or serial killers hiding out in the bushes (I have an overactive imagination!), but the cave and the surrounding area has a creepy vibe to it.

At Bronson Cave (aka The Batcave). And yes, I’m slightly terrified. Photo by Jill Blake

One nice thing about the short walk along the Bronson Cave Trail is the great view of the Hollywood sign. If you have all day and don’t mind dodging lady-killing mountain lions and rattlesnakes, you can hike all the way up to the Hollywood sign through Griffith Park. Needless to say, I’m not the outdoorsy or adventurous type, so I settled for a photo of the sign from afar.

The Hollywood Sign from my position on the Bronson Cave Trail. Photo by Jill Blake

After our journey to Griffith Park, we took a detour to Hancock Park to see a very (in)famous house:

“I didn’t bring your breakfast, because you didn’t eat your din-din!” Photo by Jill Blake

That night, Marya from Cinema Fanatic held a get-together at the legendary Formosa Cafe on Santa Monica Blvd. in West Hollywood. This place definitely oozes old Hollywood charm (read it smelled of boiled cabbage and vodka) as it’s filled with photos of celebrity patrons, many from classic Hollywood. The party ran past midnight and ended with a very long walk back to the Roosevelt Hotel on Hollywood Blvd.

And yes, that is Issac (Ted Lange) from The Love Boat. Photo by Jill Blake

Coming up: Recaps of Thursday pre-Fest events and Opening Night!

In 2012 I attended the 3rd Annual TCM Classic Film Festival (and my 1st). In 2010 I was unable to attend because I had a bun in the oven and in 2011 the little bun was too young for me to leave. It was hard for me to stay here, watching the commercials, seeing the live blogs and tweets, and of course the footage from the Festival itself. I honestly didn’t think it would ever be a possibility for me to go. When the opportunity arose for me to attend in 2012, everything fell into place. All of the things I worried about were non-issues and all of the things I didn’t think would be issues? Well…

The TCM Classic Film Festival’s headquarters is at the Roosevelt Hotel, located on Hollywood Blvd. The main venues for the event are the TCL Chinese Theatre (known to many of us as Grauman’s Chinese), The Chinese Multiplexes 1,4, & 6 , and The Egyptian Theatre. At the Avalon Hollywood, TCM will be taping an interview with Robert Obsborne and Eva Marie Saint. Two screenings on Sunday at the Cinerama Dome make for a very special experience (I overslept last year!). TCM has added a new venue, The El Capitan for three screenings. I don’t think I’ll make it down to The El Capitan this year, but since it looks like the Festival is only going to grow, I imagine the venue will be back next year.

There is a trend that if a film isn’t restored or a premiere or in a particular format, it isn’t worth seeing in a theatre. In other words, there has to be something “extra special” about it to make it worth while to see. Several years ago, my husband and I drove to the Dallas Theatre over in tiny Dallas, GA. It was a Sunday afternoon, and they were showing John Huston’s The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. They were obviously projecting a DVD, but it was a cute little art deco theatre, the town was adorable, and the audience was awesome. It obviously meant something to the folks there to see a classic on the big screen. Was the format perfect? No. But the experience was.

What I find exciting about the festival is the atmosphere. The audiences at these screenings are the absolute best you could ever hope for; they’re respectful by turning off their phones, not talking, tweeting, or texting. They laugh and cry, boo and hiss, clap, cheer, shout, all when it’s the right time. And it’s in Hollywood. It doesn’t get any better, right? So as far as I’m concerned,  it could be a projected DVD or a dusty VHS pulled out of the bargain bin. I’m looking for the communal experience. Of course, it’s not going to a projected DVD. TCM acquires the best possible prints they can, with this year having an abundance of 35mm film. And if there is a special guest or a World Premiere Restoration, or they put up a hologram of Cary Grant on the stage, it’s all gravy! But that should never be the only reason for selecting a screening. At least it will never be mine.

Last year when the Festival schedule was released, I was completely overwhelmed with all of the options. In a post about my schedule picks, I likened the entire process to the Kübler-Ross model of dealing with grief. I also compared it to a form of torture, similar to that endured by Tantalus. I admit these are not bad problems to have, so bear that in mind before you lick the stamp on the hate mail. This year’s schedule is even better than 2012′s with many genres and eras represented.

I will be reporting here at The Fence and at CC2Konline.com after the Festival. You can also follow me on Twitter @biscuitkitten

Below you’ll find my picks for the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival:

Thursday, April 25th

Ninotchka (1939) photo courtesy of Doctor Macro

• 6:30 pm at the Chinese Multiplex 6: Ernst Lubitsch’s Ninotchka (1939) starring Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas. 35mm. Director Ernst Lubitsch’s daughter Nicola Lubitsch will be in attendance for a discussion prior to the screening. I am incredibly excited to kick off the festival with this film. Here’s a teensy Classic Film Confession: I’ve never seen Ninotchka all the way through. Hopefully I will manage to find a seat for this one.
• 9:30 pm at the Chinese Multiplex 4: William Wellman’s Safe in Hell (1931) starring Dorothy Mackaill and Donald Cook. 35mm. William Wellman Jr. and author/film historian Donald Bogle will be in attendance for pre-screening discussion. This film is essential pre-code goodness, directed by good ol’ Wild Bill Wellman.

After these screenings, I’ll likely head over to the Roosevelt Hotel for a cocktail and some chit-chat with fellow attendees.

Friday, April 26th

The difficult decisions start first thing Friday morning. I have a feeling I will have to make some compromises, but this year’s schedule is so good I know I will not be disappointed.

•  9:00 am at the Chinese Multiplex 1: Frank Perry’s The Swimmer (1968) starring Burt Lancaster. Digital. Followingthe screening, Indie filmmaker Allison Anders and the lovely, ageless Marge Champion, who also stars in the film, will be on hand for a discussion. My friend Sean is a fan of Burt Lancaster, so we will try very hard to get into this.

In the event I can’t say “I love it when a plan comes together”:

•  9:30 am at the Chinese Multiplex 6: Jack Conway’s Libeled Lady (1936) starring Powell, Loy, Harlow, and Tracy. 35mm. –or– 9:15 am at The Egyptian Theatre: Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter (1955) starring Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish. 35mm.

• 11:45 am at the Chinese Multiplex 4: Mitchell Leisen’s Suddenly It’s Spring (1947) starring Fred MacMurray and Paulette Goddard. 35mm.  Discussion with writer/historian Dennis Bartok and Kate MacMurray, daughter of Fred MacMurray and June Haver, prior to the film.

In the event I can’t say “I love it when a plan comes together”:

Notorious (1946) photo courtesy of Doctor Macro

• 12:00 pm at the Chinese Multiplex 6: Otto Preminger’s River of No Return (1954) starring Robert Mitchum and Marilyn Monroe. 35mm. Producer Stanley Rubin in attendance with a discussion prior to the screening.

• 2:30 pm at The Egyptian Theatre: Alfred Hitchcock’s Notorious (1946) starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains. 35mm. Actress and former TCM Essentials co-host Rose McGowan will be in attendance to introduce the film. I have seen Notorious before in 35mm at the Trustees Theatre in Savannah, but since it is my favorite film and The Egyptian is a gorgeous venue, it’s a must for me!

• 7:00 pm at The Egyptian Theatre: Clarence Badger’s It (1927) starring Clara Bow and Antonio Moreno. 35mm. Introduced by Clara Bow biographer David Stenn and featuring live orchestral accompaniment with composer Carl Davis’s score, directed by Robert Ziegler.

Although It is not a long movie, I might have to leave a little early to make it to my next screening, which is at the top of my list:

• 9:00 pm at the Chinese Multiplex 6: Gimme Shelter (1970) directed by brothers Albert and David Maysles and Charlotte Zwerin. 35mm. This documentary is about The Rolling Stones’ 1969 tour and the events surrounding concert at Altamont. I love the Stones and this is a great documentary. Director Albert Maysles, Cinematographer Haskell Wexler, and Joan Churchill will be in attendance for pre and post screening discussions.

• 12 Midnight at the Chinese Multiplex 6: Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) starring Vampira, Criswell, Bela Lugosi. 35mm. The best worst movie ever made? Yeah, probably. And it will be a blast seeing it with a group of appreciative, punch-drunk film-obsessives alongside the hilarious Dana Gould.

After the midnight show, there may be time for a very late nightcap. If not, off to bed!

Saturday, April 27th

• 9:15 am at the Chinese Multiplex 1: Bugs Bunny’s 75th Birthday Bash (Various Years). Digital. Featuring film historian/critic Leonard Maltin and animation expert Jerry Beck for a discussion prior to the screening 
  

  Mildred Pierce (1945) photo courtesy of Doctor Macro

• 12:00 pm at the Chinese Multiplex 4: Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes (1938). Starring Michael Redgrave and Margaret Lockwood. 35mm. Featuring actor Norman Lloyd for a pre-screening discussion.

• 3:00 pm at the Chinese Multiplex 1: King Vidor’s The Big Parade (1925) starring John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. World premiere restoration. Digital. Film historian Kevin Brownlow will be in attendance for this screening.

In the event I can’t say “I love it when a plan comes together”:

• 3:00 pm at the Chinese Multiplex 4: John Frankenheimer’s The Train (1964) starring Burt Lancaster. 35mm. Critic and historian Scott Feinberg will be in attendance for this screening.

• 6:15 pm at The Egyptian Theatre: Ingmar Bergman’s The Seventh Seal (1957) starring Max Von Sydow. 35mm. Discussion prior to the screening as part of the Tribute to Von Sydow.

• 9:15 pm at The Egyptian Theatre:  Michael Curtiz’s Mildred Pierce (1945) starring Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth, and Jack Carson. 35mm. This event will fill up very quickly, as Ms. Blyth will be in attendance and Mildred Pierce is a fan favorite.

• 12 Midnight at the Chinese Multiplex 6: Erle Kenton’s Island of Lost Souls (1932) starring Charles Laughton and Bela Lugosi. 35mm. Another fun midnight film to end an exhausting and fun day with friends.

Sunday, April 28th

 This is a relatively light screening day for me. Due to a 10:00 am appointment with Bonham’s to have a piece of memorabilia appraised, I will have to miss the first block of screenings. 

The General (1927) photo courtesy of Doctor Macro

12:15 pm Cinerama Dome: Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) starring Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, and EVERYBODY. 70mm. In attendance for a pre-screening discussion: Barrie Chase, Marvin Kaplan, Carl Reiner, and Mickey Rooney.

7:15 pm TCL Chinese Theatre: The World Premiere restoration of Buster Keaton’s The General (1926) featuring live accompaniment from the famous Alloy Orchestra. This is the event I’m most excited to see. Another HUGE Classic Film Confession: I’ve never seen The General.

The festival ends with a party at The Roosevelt in Club TCM. It’s a great opportunity to spend time with friends, meet new ones, and pay $15 for a cocktail.

Disclaimer: This post discusses Japanese racial stereotypes common in World War II propaganda films including examples of dialogue used. 

Prior to the United States involvement in World War II, films produced in mainstream Hollywood glossed over or completely sidestepped discussion of the war in Europe. Once the United States declared war in December of 1941, all of the studios in Hollywood did an about-face and began cranking out feel good musicals, comedies, sentimental family films and high-tension war dramas. Most of the war films of this time period contained propaganda and encouraged audiences to beware of their surroundings, buy war bonds, etc. A perfect example of this type of film is Delmer Daves’s Destination Tokyo (1943). Starring Cary Grant and John Garfield, Destination Tokyo also features an excellent supporting cast including Warner Brothers staple Alan Hale along with John Ridgley, Dane Clark, William Prince, John Forsythe, and newcomer Robert Hutton.

The film opens with a voice-over narration discussing preparation of plans in Washington, DC, for a top secret, “far-reaching” Navy mission. It then cuts to San Francisco where the crew of the USS Copperfin has received orders to leave on Christmas Eve, cutting short a hard earned liberty. Under the command of Captain Cassidy (Cary Grant), the Copperfin heads out into the Pacific Ocean on their top secret mission. No one on the submarine, including CAPT Cassidy, has knowledge of the mission. After 24 hours at sea, Cassidy opens the sealed orders which reveal that they are to set their course for Tokyo Bay via the Aleutians. Once off the coast of Japan, Cassidy’s crew, along with the help of the Japanese speaking meteorologist Officer Raymond (John Ridgley), will collect weather data important for an upcoming raid on the bay.

Once the Copperfin arrives outside of Tokyo Bay, it must navigate through a underwater minefield and go unnoticed by the Japanese Imperial Fleet. Resting on the bottom of the Bay, the submarine will wait for each day’s duties until the dangerous mission is complete. If mines and Japanese destroyers aren’t enough,the Copperfin’s resident pharmacist’s mate “Pills” (William Prince) must perform an emergency appendectomy on Tommy Adams (Robert Hutton). Although this has always struck me as a rather far fetched idea, this exact scenario actually happened in 1942 aboard the submarine Seadragon (SS-194).

“An adventure in ‘Applied Americanism’”

Destination Tokyo is an perfect example of the WWII propaganda film. It is filled with patriotism, over-the-top sentimentality, and even briefly touches on belief in something versus Atheism; at the same time, it’s also filled with disgusting and horrendous racial stereotypes. Every time it airs on Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osborne warns viewers about the shocking dialogue. For example, Alan Hale utters this disgusting little gem as he is trying to catch salmon off the side of the submarine in the Aleutians:

“You know, I’d sure like to hook an Aleutian salmon. Cute if I opened him up, and there was a Jap in there. Fried Jap in tartar sauce. Mmm.“

A completely cringe-worthy quote that is meant as “comic relief.” Immediately following that line, the Copperfin is attacked before it can submerge, in a barrage of gunfire by incoming Japanese fighter pilots. This battle sequence introduces the audience to the enemy for the very first time. The initial close-up of the Japanese fighter pilot is not a flattering one. His face is made to look twisted and evil. When forced to eject as his plane is shot down by the Copperfin crew, John Garfield’s character Wolf says “If that Nip doesn’t get out of there, he’ll end up with a hot seat.” As the Japanese pilot ejects and floats down with his parachute, Wolf continues, “I could pop him off with a clear conscience.”

As terribly racist as those those lines are, the following exchange between Cassidy, Raymond, and Cassidy’s Executive Officer may be the worst of the film:

CAPT Cassidy: ”There was a democratic movement in Japan after the last war. What happened?”
Reserve Officer Raymond: ”The leaders were assassinated.”
Andy – Executive Officer: ”Well, what about the people?”
Cassidy: ”They have no voice now. Starvation is the big stick, isn’t it, Raymond?”
Raymond: ”That’s right, sir. The big wage is seven dollars a week. They have no unions, no free press… nothing.”
Cassidy: ”They do what they’re told.”
Raymond: ”I’m afraid most of them believe what they’re told – like that “hero” who knifed your torpedo man. They’ve been sold a swindle, and they accept it.”
Andy: ”But how can they support such big families on seven bucks a week?”
Raymond: ”They don’t. Daughters of the poor are often sold to factories, or… worse – when they’re about 12.”
Cassidy: ”Females are useful there only to work or to have children. The Japs don’t understand the love we have for our women. They don’t even have a word for it in their language.”

It breaks my heart that my beloved Cary Grant uttered that last line as FACT.  How demeaning is it to 1) not even mention their language by name, and 2) undermine their humanity by assuming they can’t comprehend the most basic of human emotions? It’s also interesting that the generalization is made that all Japanese families are big, or at least larger than American families. This is a familiar blanket statement that tends to get applied to anyone deemed as “Other.” Even with a high level of context, modern audiences have good reason to have a hard time being forgiving. However, even with these flaws, it is impossible to understand US history from that time period without an example of this genre.

In addition to the rampant use of racial slurs and negative stereotypes in Destination Tokyo, there is an interesting sub-theme on Atheism, which also plays into the entire pro-Capitalistic, U-S-A chanting theme of the film. Prior to reaching their rendezvous point in the Aleutians, a few the Copperfin crew are sitting around shooting the breeze. The conversation takes a serious turn, and Tommy, Pills, and seasoned torpedo man Mike Conners (Tom Tully) talk about their beliefs:

Tommy: ”Pills, if anything happened to us while we’re out on patrol… if we got conked off, you figure we’d see our folks in the hereafter?”
Pills: ”I wouldn’t bank on it. My old man wouldn’t be overjoyed to see me. He never thought I was much good.”
Tommy:  “I like to think we got souls…I don’t know.”
Pills: ”All those guys I cut up at school,never found a soul inside.”
Mike: “Well, what does that prove, Pills? Say you trust a guy. You can’t see the trust, but it’s there.”
Pills: “I’m from Missouri, Mike.”
Tommy: ”I’m not exactly religious. But don’t you think God…”
Pills: ”No, I don’t. My angle is, I only believe what I can see.”
Tommy: ”Are you an atheist?”
Pills: ”Call it what you like.”
Mike: ”The Japs turn the heat on us, I’ll watch you pray. I’ve seen it happen before.”

In this scene, we know very little about the sub’s only medic,  the one who later will become a hero after performing an emergency appendectomy, that will save Tommy’s life. Yet, right off we are supposed to boo and hiss, or perhaps just pity him, because he doesn’t believe in God. Or at the very least, wait for the moment when Mike gets to say “I told you so” when Pills “turns yellow” and falls to his knees to pray. That exact moment doesn’t happen, but because of Hays and his lovely Production Code, Pills must have a epiphany. And he does. Reminds me of Maureen O’Hara’s character in Miracle on 34th Street. She’s red-headed, a single mother, is an executive, and doesn’t believe in fairy tales, fantasies, Santa Claus (read relationships with men and religion)? She needs a man to set her straight!

If you take Destination Tokyo and extract all of the racial slurs, stereotypes, and intolerance toward non-believers, it is a rather enjoyable movie. And even with those moments included, it still doesn’t take away from it being a well-made film. One moment I particularly like is at the beginning of the film. Tommy asks Mike why CAPT Cassidy doesn’t wear his decorations. Mike replies with a smile “He doesn’t have to.” It’s clear that Cassidy and his crew have the utmost respect for each other, and that ribbons and medals don’t mean anything unless the man behind them is strong and wise. This would have been an important moment for American audiences to see, especially with their husbands, sons, and brothers gone to war.

Cary Grant was uncomfortable playing an American soldier in a film because he wasn’t an American citizen. He felt it disrespectful, so he made sure to put his efforts elsewhere. For example, he frequently volunteered at the Hollywood Canteen and also donated large sums of money toward British war relief. After attempting to enlist in the RAF, Grant was instructed to stay in Hollywood because he could do more for the troops and the home front. After much consideration, Grant decided to become an American citizen on June 16, 1942. Once a citizen, he decided he would make one military film as part of his contribution to the war effort, and that film was Destination Tokyo.

In the book Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and By Those Who Knew Him Best by Nancy Nelson, there are a few interesting anecdotes from the filming of Destination Tokyo. At the time, Grant was married to his second wife, Barbara Hutton. Her cousin, Robert Hutton, had a supporting role as Tommy Adams. Robert shares a story from the set of the film:

“The studio wouldn’t let newcomers see the daily rushes. They felt you wouldn’t like what you saw and you’d become inhibited. One day Delmer Daves invited me to the rushes of a scene I’d done with Cary. It was the biggest scene in the movie, the one where I remove the bomb and become the hero. I was so excited and walked over to the projection room. I was all alone, so I went to the first row and waited. Finally Cary came in with Delmer Daves, Jerry Wald, and a whole bunch of guys. I slid down in the seat, to make myself as little as possible. The lights went down, and the movie came on. There were various cuts–close-ups and long shots. Then came a long shot of me crawling through the submarine to the bomb. I was way up in the foreground. And way off in the background was a little tiny head of Cary Grant. And I though, ‘Look at that. I got the close-up, and there’s Cary way in the back.’

Then they showed a choker of me and cut to another little tiny shot of Cary Grant. He looked about an inch tall. That was it. One after another–all close-ups of Bob Hutton and tiny shots of Cary Grant. I was so embarrassed I slid way down in the seat. The lights came up, and there was deathly silence.

I heard Cary clear his throat. The first thing he said was ‘Why does that son of a bitch get all the close-ups and I get nothing?’ That’s when I died. I wanted to go home to Kingston, New York and forget the whole thing. In the back Daves and Wald argued with Cary. Cary insisted, ‘I’m the star. Why does that kid get all the close-ups?’ Jerry Wald said, ‘But the scene belongs to Bob Hutton.’ And Cary said, ‘Then I quit. I’m walking off the movie.’

I heard the door slam, then hushed tones between Jerry Wald and Delmer Daves. Then they left. I thought, ‘This is ridiculous. Because of me, Cary Grant has walked off the movie? What’s Jack Warner going to say? What is Louella Parsons going to print in her column?‘

I finally walked out. Delmer Daves, Jerry Wald, and Cary were waiting outside-dying laughing. Cary had put them up to it. Delmer Daves said, ‘Look, Cary wanted me to shoot the scene that way from the very beginning. It’s your scene.’”

 (Nelson 136-137)

Destination Tokyo is what you could call a “deep track,” and due to its many flaws, not one you would likely recommend to the casual classic film viewer. It is impossible to refer it to anyone without first giving a disclaimer since it is definitely a product of its time. While I’m most certainly not an apologist, I’m also anti-censorship. I feel it is important that movies such as this are seen and not hidden lest we forget our own history, no matter how distasteful at times it may be. Without doing so, the lessons that we have learned will be forgotten.

Resources:

• Word War II Submarine Appendectomy:  http://www.navalhistory.org/2010/09/02/world-war-ii-submarine-appendectomy
• Evenings With Cary Grant: Recollections in His Own Words and By Those Who Knew Him Best by Nancy Nelson

This post is part of the Classic Movie Blog Association’s Fabulous Films of the 1940s Blogathon.

Fans of Richard Burton have long argued his acting is often underrated and under-appreciated. This is most likely because of his famous, or shall we say infamous marriage(s) to Elizabeth Taylor. Their romantic and sometimes volatile relationship was followed by millions of loving fans all around the world. It was also subject to tabloid scrutiny which often overshadowed their performances.

This past Friday, February 15th, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that Richard Burton will receive a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The ceremony will take place on Friday, March 1st. The date also signifies St. David’s Day, which honors the patron saint of Wales, Burton’s home country. Burton’s star will be placed next to Taylor’s, in an effort to honor their great working relationship and lasting romance.

The ceremony coincides with the 50th anniversary release of the Joseph L. Mankiewicz epic Cleopatra starring Burton and Taylor. This special release will be on Blu-ray and DVD from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. A release date has yet to be announced. In addition to support from 20th Century Fox, Professor Dylan Jones-Evans from the Western Mail, the national newspaper of Wales, has been working hard to honor Burton’s career with a star on the Walk of Fame.

For more information about the ceremonies and for the complete press release with the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, click here.

Source: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment Press Release

I had a post planned for today about the most toxic romances in film.  My little one, who is almost 2 1/2, thought it was a rotten idea. So she stayed up way past her bedtime to tell me as much. As of late, Ellie has decided that bedtime is optional. What used to be a most pleasant and efficient routine has become an epic battle of wills.

So no toxic romance post. That will come another day. Hopefully soon. In the coming weeks, The Fence will be quite busy with a few blogathon entries and reviews. So stay tuned!

Although I couldn’t write my essay, I did manage to make a toxic romance Valentine for all of my wonderful readers and Twitter followers.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Y’all.

Credit: Plaza Theatre

This Friday, January 18, 2013, at Atlanta’s Historic Plaza Theatre, is the world premiere restoration of White Zombie (1932), starring Bela Lugosi. After Lugosi’s successful performance in Tod Browning’s Dracula, brothers Victor and Edward Halperin cast him in the lead role as the evil voodoo master, Murder Legendre. The film was made independently and distributed by United Artists. Large portions of the movie were filmed at Universal Studios. The Halperin brothers borrowed sets from other popular Universal horror films, such as Frankenstein and Dracula.

For years the only available copies of White Zombie were of very poor quality and all original 35mm negatives were thought to be lost. Holland Releasing in Los Angeles discovered an original 35mm print and invested in a 5-year digital restoration of the film.  The restoration was completed by Algosoft Technology, located outside of Atlanta, GA. Friday’s premiere at the Plaza will mark the first time White Zombie has been seen in its intended format on the big screen in 80 years. The film will be released in select theatres across the United States and Canada following the Atlanta premiere.

In addition to the film, members from the restoration team will be on-hand for a Q&A session following. There will be a rare screening of the  Betty Boop cartoon “Is My Palm Read“, by famed animator Max Fleischer. Also shown, a short interview with Bela Lugosi, filmed at his home during the production of White Zombie.

On January 29th, Kino Classics is releasing this remastered version on DVD and Blu-ray! You can pre-order on Amazon.

Stay tuned for more details!

World Premiere Restoration of White Zombie (1932) starring Bela Lugosi
Friday, January 18, 2013 at 8:00 pm
Tickets: $15
Plaza Theatre
1049 Ponce De Leon Avenue
Atlanta, GA

Twentieth Century Fox has announced a brand new interactive campaign “Voice Your Choice” which allows fans to select films for digital restoration and Blu-ray release. In addition to this program, Fox Home Entertainment will be releasing at least one classic film title on Blu-ray each month categorized as “20th Century Fox Studio Classics.”

The “Voice Your Choice” campaign starts today. You can vote at www.hometheaterforum.com and at www.foxconnect.com

Voice Your Choice Titles

Jesse James
Call of the Wild
The Little Princess
Steamboat Round the Bend
Swanee River 
The Return of Frank James
That Night in Rio
Pin Up Girl
The Black Swan
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
My Gal Sal
Kiss of Death
To the Shores of Tripoli
Captain From Castile
My Friend Flicka
The Blue Bird
Crash Drive
A Letter to Three Wives
Hello, Frisco, Hello
Mother Wore Tights
Don’t Bother to Knock
Cheaper by the Dozen
Carmen Jones
On the Riviera
Anastasia
Black Widow
Broken Lance
The True Story of Jesse James
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
The Tall Men
Desk Set
The Best of Everything
The River’s Edge
The Bravados
The Inn of the Sixth Happiness 
From the Terrace
Morituri
Two for the Road
North to Alaska
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Bandolero!
Let’s Make Love
Do Not Disturb
The Agony and the Ecstasy
Back Door to Hell
How to Steal a Million
Bedazzled (1968)
The Undefeated
The 300 Spartans
Can-Can

20th Century Fox Studio Classics scheduled releases on Blu-ray:

1/15
Titanic (1953)
How Green Was My Valley
Wild River
Gentlemen’s Agreement

2/5
Laura

3/26
Panic in the Streets

4/2
Hello, Dolly!

5/7
Viva Zapata!

What titles would you like to see released on Blu-ray through this new program?

Information Transit got the wrong man. I got the right man. The wrong one was delivered to me as the right man, I accepted him on good faith as the right man. Was I wrong?

-Jack Lint

Credit: Courtesy of the Criterion Collection

A few years back I had the good fortune of attending two separate panel discussions with Terry Gilliam here in Atlanta. The first panel focused on his directorial career and included an exclusive sneak peek of The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009). The second panel cold-opened with 20 minutes of rare footage from the never-aired Orson Welles Show before highlighting Gilliam’s work with Monty Python. His only explanation to the confused audience was that the footage we had just seen was an example of the kind of thing that inspired Python. During the Q&A portion of the first panel, someone asked him about the elaborate and ubiquitous system of ducts in Brazil. Gilliam explained that he has always been fascinated by the contents behind something. For the film, he decided to expose the inner-workings of the world’s far from perfect technology.

Terry Gilliam’s Brazil (1985) is set in a 20th century dystopian society brought on by a horribly inept bureaucracy in a totalitarian government. The residents of this unidentified country live and die by numbered forms, arbitrary fees, and sub-standard living conditions. Public spaces are plastered with propaganda posters akin to those from WWII. The government, with its Central Services division, delivers all utilities through an endless network of poorly maintained, obtrusive ducts. And instead of fixing what must have been a purchasing error, the three inch computer screens that are populated throughout the government offices have magnifying screens installed in front of them to get the displays to the correct size.

The protagonist of Gilliam’s surreal, eerily familiar world is Sam Lowry, played by Jonathan Pryce. Sam is a low-level clerk in the Department of Records, a division of the Ministry of Information. He has no lofty career goals, much to the chagrin of his vain, socialite mother Ida (Katherine Helmond). She insists Sam use her connections to obtain a more respectable position in the Ministry, but he continually declines. He would much rather go unnoticed. A typical day for Sam consists of monotonous data entry interspersed with phenomenal daydreams. These fantasies keep him relatively sane in a world dictated by ridiculous and meaningless constraints. In this alternate reality, Sam is a winged protector, soaring through the clouds in search of a damsel in distress.

Sam Lowry is a winged knight in his dream world

Sam’s boss, Mr. Kurtzmann (Ian Holm), discovers that a typo on a warrant intended for rogue HVAC repairman Archibald Tuttle (Robert DeNiro), has led to the wrongful arrest and “questioning” of Archibald Buttle. During his session with Information Retrieval (read Torture Department), Buttle suffers a heart attack and dies at the hands of his interrogator Jack Lint (Michael Palin). Once it is discovered that Information Transit made an error in arresting Buttle, a refund check for the interrogation (yes, citizens must pay for their torture) is issued to his widow. Mr. Kurtzmann, a weasel of a man who is particularly inept at his job, assigns Sam with the task of personally delivering the check to Mrs. Buttle. Kurtzmann is keen to avoid any guilt by association which possession of the refund check in his department may cause. During his visit to the Buttle residence, Sam sees the woman from his dreams. He tries to approach her, but she runs away before he can catch her. Jill Layton (Kim Greist), is the Buttle’s upstairs neighbor at the sketchy Shangri-La Towers. She  is the only other witness to Mr. Buttle’s wrongful arrest and has taken it upon herself to report the grievance to the Ministry. Since they would prefer to keep their mistakes under wraps, the Ministry has marked Jill as a potential terrorist. Sam begrudgingly uses his mother’s connections to accept a promotion in Information Retrieval so he can gain access to Jill’s confidential file in an attempt to save her from the Ministry.

Courtesy of Moving Image Source

Last month, the Criterion Collection released a two-disc Blu-ray version of Brazil approved by director Terry Gilliam.  If you’re familiar with Terry Gilliam you know he has fought his entire career to place art before business, and not without some controversy. According to David Sterritt’s essay included in the Blu-ray set’s booklet, American audiences almost didn’t see Brazil as Gilliam had intended. When it was set to be released in America, Universal determined the film’s ending to be too bleak and hacked his masterpiece from 142 minutes down to 94. In this cut, known as the “Love Conquers All” version, the studio created a happy ending to the film, which not only undermined Gilliam, but completely altered the film’s message. Gilliam had released his original cut in Europe, and it was popular with critics and audiences alike. In an attempt to gain support and to ensure his complete version would be released in the States, Gilliam held a series of private screenings for press and critics–all unbeknownst to Universal. The LA Film Critics Association awarded the film Best Director, Best Picture, and Best Screenplay, although it had not been released publicly. With the awards, and a full page ad in Variety calling out Universal’s Sid Sheinberg, Gilliam was able to reach a compromise for the film’s release. He agreed to a slightly shortened 132-minute version, but fans of the film wanted to see the full cut that had been previously released in Europe. Included in the Criterion Blu-ray set is the 142-minute European cut, also known as “Terry’s Final Cut.”

Brazil is signature Gilliam and is at once beautifully shot, darkly funny, and completely heartbreaking. Films released on DVD/Blu-ray through The Criterion Collection are always given their due respect, and Brazil is no exception. In addition to a brand new, high-definition digital transfer and remastered Dolby 2.0 surround, the two-disc special edition contains hours of extras, including the bastardized  ”Love Conquers All” version. Of course all of these special extras and flawless presentation mean nothing without the excellent performances under Gilliam’s direction. Jonathan Pryce is superb as the romantic, yet atypical leading man. My personal favorite of the Monty Python troupe, Michael Palin, brings dark humor to his role as the lead interrogator Jack Lint. He is absolutely frightening due to his unwavering obedience of all Ministry protocol, even when the truth proves contradictory. The marvelous Katherine Helmond, an enigmatic Robert DeNiro, Kim Greist’s rough and tumble Jill Layton: their characters all are perfectly at home in Gilliam’s creation.

DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL FEATURES  (credit: Criterion):

• Restored high-definition digital transfer of Terry Gilliam’s 142-minute director’s cut, approved by Gilliam, with DTS-HD Master Audio surround soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
• Audio commentary by Gilliam
• What Is “Brazil”?, Rob Hedden’s on-set documentary
• The Production Notebook, a collection of interviews and video essays, featuring a trove of Brazil-iana from Gilliam’s personal collection
• The Battle of “Brazil,” a documentary about the film’s contentious release, hosted by Jack Mathews and based on his book of the same name
• “Love Conquers All” version, the studio’s 94-minute, happy-ending cut of Brazil, with commentary by Brazil expert David Morgan
• Trailer
• PLUS: An essay by Jack Matthews on the DVD edition and a booklet featuring an essay by film critic David Sterritt on the Blu-ray edition

Disclaimer: Sittin’ on a Backyard Fence received a copy of Brazil from The Criterion Collection.

Happy Holidays from The Fence!

It’s never been a better time to be a classic film fan. With numerous theatre screenings across the country, the TCM Film Festival, never before released and remastered films on DVD/Blu-ray– there’s an abundance of goodies for every fan. With only two weeks until Christmas, I have put together a gift guide for the classic film fans on your list. Already done with your shopping or don’t celebrate Christmas? Then pick something out for yourself! Make sure to scroll through the entire post for some fantastic deals and enter the giveaway.

Books

I love reviewing books here at The Fence. It’s been a while since I’ve posted a review, but I’ve been keeping an eye on new releases. There are a few must-haves for classic film fans:

Harlow in Hollywood: The Blonde Bombshell in the Glamour Capitol, 1928-1937

by Darrell Rooney and Mark A. Viera
Angel City Press
MSRP $50.00

Released in March 2011, Harlow in Hollywood is quite possibly the best classic film related book in my collection. With a well-researched biography and stunning photos of Harlow all throughout her career, this is an absolute must for Jean Harlow fans. You can find my detailed review of the book here.

You can order Harlow in Hollywood directly through Angel City Press or for bit cheaper on Amazon.com

Silhouettes From Popular Culture
by Olly Moss
Titan Books
MSRP $16.95

Titan Books has released a collection of Olly Moss silhouettes from the hugely popular Paper Cuts exhibition. This is a fun book for not just film fans, but pop culture buffs too! Look for a review coming soon.

You can order Silhouettes From Popular Culture from Amazon.

Marilyn in Fashion
by Christopher Nickens and George Zeno
Running Press
MSRP $30.00

There are countless books on Marilyn Monroe. Let’s face it: most of them are complete garbage. There are gems scattered throughout the trash, and Marilyn in Fashion is one of those beautiful gems. The photos alone are worth the price, but the book is so much more. With anecdotes of Monroe’s working relationship with designers and her fashion transformation throughout her career, Marilyn in Fashion is a lovely book to add to your collection. Order on Amazon.com

Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies
by Christel Schmidt
University Press of Kentucky
MSRP $45.00

I can’t begin to tell you how excited I am about this book. I just won a copy from TCM’s monthly Book Corner giveaway. I haven’t had a chance to sit down and read it yet, but have thumbed through it a bit. It is absolutely stunning.

You can order Mary Pickford: Queen of the Movies from the TCM Shop or on Amazon

DVD/Blu-ray

Here is a collection of some of my favorite DVD/Blu-ray releases along with some can’t miss deals:

Criterion Collection

Terry Gilliam’s Brazil (1985) on DVD and Blu-ray
MSRP: $49.95

Powell and Pressburger’s Black Narcissus (1947) on DVD/Blu
MSRP: $39.95

Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times (1936) on DVD/Blu
MSRP: $39.95

Ernst Lubitsch’s Design for Living (1933) on DVD/Blu
MSRP: $39.95

* All of these Criterion titles and others are on sale at Amazon.com.

Kino Classics

The Ultimate Buster Keaton Collection on Blu-ray
MSRP: $299.95

William A. Wellman’s A Star is Born (1937) on DVD and Blu
MSRP: $29.95

Josef von Sternberg’s The Blue Angel (1930): Remastered Standard Edition on DVD and Blu
MSRP: $29.95

Warner Archive

W.S. Van Dyke’s Rage in Heaven (1941)
MSRP: $19.95

Jean Harlow Collection
MSRP: $64.99

Conflict (1945)
MSRP: $26.99

Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Volume 4
MSRP $49.99

Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Volume 5
MSRP $49.99

Fox Home Entertainment

Bond 50: The Complete 22 Film Collection DVD/Blu-ray
MSRP $299.99

Princess Bride: 25th Anniversary Edition DVD/Blu-ray
MSRP: $19.99

Patton (1970) Blu-ray

MSRP: $24.99

Can’t miss bargains

The Complete Thin Man Collection
This retails for $60.00. Right now on Amazon it is only $17.99! If you don’t have this set, it’s a must!

Myrna Loy and William Powell Collection
Another great deal for Powell/Loy fans (and really, who isn’t a fan of theirs?) at only $18.49. This is a great set. My personal favorites are Manhattan Melodrama and I Love You Again.

Tracy & Hepburn: The Definitive Collection
This set includes every single film Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn made together. It’s under $25.00. Need I say more?

Christmas in Connecticut
One of the greatest Christmas films ever is only $4.00! You can find it at Amazon and at your local Target.

For those of you with a Costco membership, you might want to take a trip to check out their movie section. Recent finds include The Joan Crawford Collection, Warner Gangsters Collections, The Premiere Frank Capra Collection, Busby Berkeley, The Marx Bros Collection– all for under $15.00. Also in stores are numerous “Signature Collection” sets including: Bogie/Bacall, Tracy/Hepburn, James Stewart, Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Errol Flynn, Humphrey Bogart, and Clark Gable. Of course there are no guarantees on what is in stock, but I always find lots of goodies! I’m still kicking myself for passing on the Preston Sturges set…

Other classic film goodies

• Love Charlie Chaplin? Then you definitely need to check out this lovely canvas print of The Little Tramp over at Ikea. There’s an Audrey Hepburn version, too.
• Fans of TCM are all too familiar with Robert Osborne’s signature TCM bistro mug. I own two and drink my coffee out of them every single day. A must have!
• If you’re a big spender, you can always go for a pass to the TCM Classic Film Festival. I can guarantee you will not be disappointed. Money well spent!

Last, but certainly not least…

• My pal Cliff over at Immortal Ephemera has an amazing deal right now: Free shipping on all orders over $25.00 with additional discounts depending on your total. Cliff sells classic film related photos, postcards, tobacco cards, and other ephemera. Great selection and fantastic customer service.

It’s giveaway time!

The lovely folks over at Fox Home Entertainment are providing a copy of Patton (1970) on Blu-ray.

To enter the giveaway there are two requirements:

1) In an effort to curb spam entries, I’m requiring all entrants to subscribe to this website via email. You can do so at the very bottom of the page. Don’t worry– your email will remain private.

2) You must send an email to Contests (at) sittinonabackyardfence (dot) com. Please include “PATTON GIVEAWAY” in the subject line.

You have until Monday, December 17th at Midnight EST to enter. The winner will be chosen via random drawing and contacted during the day on the 18th.

This contest is only available to U.S. residents.

Full disclosure: Some of the links to Amazon are linked to this site’s affiliates page.

True Classics is three years old! (!!!!!!!!) In the blogging racket, three years is an ETERNITY. I raise my bottle of Boone’s Farm to the entire True Classics crew: Brandie, Nikki, Carrie, and Sarah. Thanks for being amazing classic film ambassadors and all-around awesome-y!  To celebrate the occasion, the ladies are hosting a limerick contest! Below are my entries for the event.

With vision that’s doubled and blurry
She visits Doc Brent in a hurry
Her prognosis was bleak
She’d die in 12 weeks
He withheld though, to not make her worry

Inspired by Dark Victory (1939)

Why’d Ms. Timberlake stop to think?
She should’ve been in the pink!
Before they retired
Philip desired
To give her That Touch of Mink 

Inspired by That Touch of Mink (1962)

Sheriff Bart took the job no one wanted
The townspeople, their hatred was flaunted
With a tip of his hat
“Where the white women at?”
With his cunning and wit, he taunted

Inspired by Blazing Saddles (1974)

Macaulay was quite a swell guy
He stuttered  uh…uh well… I…
He’s the voice of doom
The drunk in the room
Sipping champagne and rye

Inspired by The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Alicia was loose and unfit
Uncle Sam, for she’d commit
With a tinge of hate
“Alex is my playmate”
Jealous, said Dev, “just skip it.”

Inspired by Notorious (1946)

Two “friends” named Randy and Cary
Many women they courted to marry
On the beach in their socks
Shorts tight on their cocks
Of women, claimed Hedda, they’re wary

Inspired by Hollywood tabloid trash and salacious “biographies”
(For the record: I love Hollywood tabloid trash and salacious “biographies”)

The man Kelly was known for his class
for women he bowed when he’d pass
When he yelled “Gotta Dance!”
All fell in a trance
Admiring his luscious firm ass

Inspired by Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
(and every other Gene Kelly performance)