September 6
Laughin’ at Clouds
Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, 1952 103 minutes)7:00 PM

"There is no movie musical more fun than Singin' in the Rain,' and few that remain as fresh over the years. Its originality is all the more startling if you reflect that only one of its songs was written new for the film, that the producers plundered MGM's storage vaults for sets and props, and that the movie was originally ranked below "An American in Paris,'' which won a best picture Oscar. The verdict of the years knows better than Oscar: Singin' in the Rain' is a transcendent experience, and no one who loves movies can afford to miss it. The film is above all lighthearted and happy. The three stars--Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and 19-year-old Debbie Reynolds--must have rehearsed endlessly for their dance numbers, which involve alarming acrobatics, but in performance they're giddy with joy. Kelly's soaking-wet "Singin' in the Rain'' dance number is "the single most memorable dance number on film,'' Peter Wollen wrote in a British Film Institute monograph."--Roger Ebert. Singin' in the Rain won the Writer's Guild award for Best Writing, was nominated for two Oscars and was named the number ten film of all time by the American Film Institute which also named the title song as the number three of all time.

September 13
Dust Bowl Dreams
Grapes of Wrath (John Ford, 1940 128 minutes)7:00 PM

"Like a grand Biblical epic, John Ford’s The Grapes of Wrath documents the massive Depression-era exodus of Oklahoma farmers as they led their families from the devastation of the dust bowl to the illusory promise of prosperity in a Californian Eden. As the film opens, everything seems aligned against the Joad family, and pretty much every Okie we meet. Elemental forces of nature combine with those of men driven by the profit motive to rob the Joads, and thousands of other families, of their homes, livelihoods and lives. Ford utilizes the iconography of the Western throughout – wide open vistas, the ragged determination of his put-upon characters – to infuse the film with a timeless sensibility, and accentuate the monumental task facing these feisty and resilient salts of the earth. Vital to the film’s sense of authenticity is the cinematography of Gregg Toland. Anticipating his own rightly-lauded deep focus photography for Citizen Kane, Toland capably captures the desolate Depression era imagery, mirroring the famous pictures of Horace Bristol and Dorothea Lange. Occasionally, Ford loosens Toland’s camera from its tripod, as in our first trip through a Californian Hooverville, and the effect of the long tracking shot, with its suddenly subjective point-of-view, is stunning in its departure from the film’s established mis-en-scene, drawing us into the squalor as effortlessly as a river’s current. What really solidifies the greatness of The Grapes of Wrath is Ford’s ability to blend the personal and political without causing damage to either characters or themes. This is particularly true of the central characters of Tom and Ma Joad. Undoubtedly the most famous speech in this fine film is delivered near its end. Facing a lifetime in prison for standing up to some crooked cops in order to protect a friend from their batons, Tom Joad, realizing he must leave his family to protect them, reassures his mother that he’ll never really be gone with his wrenching “I’ll be there” speech. Tom, in what is surely Henry Fonda’s greatest and defining role, recites these lines while staring off into some infinite point in the horizon. It marks his awakening, as he is finally able to see clearly how the troubles of others in the world reside with him. “A fellow ain't got a soul of his own, just a little piece of a big soul, the one big soul that belongs to everybody.” While there is a hint of the fanatic’s determination in his eyes’ gleam, it is not the fanaticism of desperation, but rather that of commitment to his fellow man "--Dan Jardine . Nominated for seven Oscars, winning for Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress. The 21st Best Film of all time on the American Film Institute List.

September 20
Land Yachts, Swimin’ Pools
Sullivan’s Travels (Preston Sturges, 1941, 90 minutes) 7:00 PM

"Sturges, a Hollywood satirical genius, at his peak had enough box-office clout, like Billy Wilder with Sunset Boulevard, to assail the system that fed him. Joel McCrea in his best role plays John L Sullivan, Hollywood's top director of lightweight hits. The studio expects a sequel to "Ants in Your Plants of 1939", but he wants to film a portentous breadline America novel, "O Brother, Where Art Thou?", as his serious social statement. The horrified execs, smelling disaster, tell him he knows nothing of poverty. He vows to study life at the bottom, setting out moneyless as a tramp, but the attempt fails because the studio sends a luxury motorhome and publicity entourage after him. Then a girl (Veronica Lake) who knows hunger helps him to achieve his purpose. Fate causes him to be imprisoned for attacking a railroad worker, while a hobo who has stolen his shoes is mangled by a train and the body identified as his. Locked up on a squalid prison farm he comes to realize that the world values laughter more than social realism. It's a great comedy, with a message that works in context, the flophouses of life's downside contrasting with Hollywood's absurd hedonism. Sturges's wonderful stock company of supporting players makes up the rest of the cast. The Coen Brothers were so influenced by Sullivan's Travels they named their film O Brother, Where Art Thou? from it"--George Perry. Sullivan's Travels was selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry in 1990 and was named the 39th funniest film by the American Film Institute.

September 27
“I came to Casablanca for the waters.”
“The waters? What waters? We're in the desert.”
“I was misinformed.”
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942, 102 minutes) 7:00 PM
"Casablanca comes closer to perfection than any other film that I have seen, and is probably the best film ever made. Casablanca has everything: a great script, a great cast, and outstanding cinematography and direction. If you are reading this, you've probably seen the film several times. Casablanca stars Humphrey Bogart as Rick, who owns a popular nightclub in Casablanca, Morocco. The film takes place during World War II, and the Nazis have taken France. Morocco is a French territory. Casablanca is filled with refugees trying to escape Nazi influence, and there is a black market for exit visas. Deeply cynical Rick tries to suppress his anti-Nazi sentiments, as does corrupt official Claude Rains. Peter Lorre and Sydney Greenstreet are simply profiteers. Conrad Veidt plays a dislikable Nazi officer, who is chasing fugitive Paul Henreid. Henreid is married to lovely Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), who once had an affair with Rick. Rick, whose motto is "I don't stick my neck out for nobody", is asked to help Henreid escape. He is also tempted to resume his romance with Ilsa. What makes Casablanca possibly the best film ever made? The most important element is the script, which is the most quoted in film history. The script was based on an obscure unproduced play, "Everybody comes to Rick's", and according to legend was written hastily during filming. But more than in any other movie, the script brings out the depth of the characters, with Veidt's contemptible Nazi as the only stereotype. Even minor supporting actors, such as piano player Sam (Dooley Wilson) and desperate refugee Annina (Joy Page) are made real. The glorious black and white cinematography is the second most important element. The cinematographer was Arthur Edeson, who was also behind the camera for two of the best films from the 1930s, All Quiet on the Western Front and Mutiny on the Bounty. But of course the shots were under the Director's supervision. The director was Michael Curtiz [whose 150 films include...] The Adventures of Robin Hood, Angels with Dirty Faces, Yankee Doodle Dandy and Life with Father. These famous films are all very different, ranging from crime drama to comedy to adventure to musical, showing the range that Curtiz had. As great as the cast is, it is less important than the script and cinematography. Rains should have won Best Supporting Actor, while Bogart and Bergman are inseparable from their roles. Lorre is probably my all-time favorite character actor. Casablanca was key to Bogart's subsequent career as an anti-hero male lead, as he previously was noted for supporting roles portraying gangsters"--Brian Koller. Casablanca was nominated for seven Oscars, winning for Screenplay, Director, and Picture. The film was named the number one Best Romance, the number two Best Film, and the 37th Best Thriller of all time by the American Film Institute,

October 4
The Weather Started Getting Rough
Lifeboat (Alfred Hitchcock, 1944, 96 minutes)7:00 PM
"The 1944 film, Lifeboat, might easily be categorized as your generic war movie showing how Allied lives are at the mercy of Nazi Germany. However this tale, written by Jo Swerling [based on a story by John Steinbeck] and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, is more than just propaganda. Its a dissection of human spirit and fortitude as a group of survivors are thrown together in a claustrophobic hell that is, somewhat, of their own making. The entire film takes place in a lifeboat as passengers of a doomed ship find themselves adrift on the high seas. One of the lifeboat’s occupants is the very man who caused their predicament: a German U-boat captain whose submarine torpedoed their vessel. Captain Willy (Walter Slezak) appears, at first, to be the "black hat" of this war-era film but Hitchcock has other ideas for him. Instead of being portrayed as the distinct villain of all humanity, Willy proves to be the one person who may be the others only chance of survival.... With its confined quarters and drama created without flashback, Lifeboat reads more like a stage play than a motion picture. In the capable hands of Hitchcock though, it is hardly a tale of just words. The film is a superb character study on how individuals, despite their political beliefs, behave in a life and death situation. And if anyone might have fallen asleep during the long second act of dialogue, Hitch tosses in an explosive twist near the end." --Terrence Brady. Lifeboat was nominated for three Academy Awards for Director, Cinematography, and Writing ( John Steinbeck.)

October 11
“I enjoyed your drink as much as you did, sir.”
The Big Sleep (Howard Hawks, 1946, 114 minutes)7:00 PM
"Humphrey Bogart stars as Philip Marlowe, a world-weary private detective who isn’t picky about whom he works for, as long as he gets paid. This time his client is General Sternwood a wealthy old invalid who is concerned that one of his two high-living daughters is the target of a blackmail effort. Carmen Sternwood is a hard drinking party girl who shows her sauciness by coming on to Marlowe at their first meeting. Big sister Vivian (Lauren Bacall) is a bit more controlled, but she too likes to have a good time with gamblers and other ne’er do wells. As Marlowe sets out to discover who is doing the blackmailing, he soon finds that there’s a complex web of intrigue that’s got Carmen tangled up in some serious trouble. As he tries to protect his clients, Vivian becomes directly involved, and soon Marlowe finds himself falling for Vivian while he’s fighting to protect both women from a seemingly endless array of nasties who come visiting with their guns drawn.... The atmosphere, the snappy, sexy dialogue (the novelist William Faulkner was part of the writing team that brought Raymond Chandler’s novel to the screen) and the great cast make this a memorable film, even though the plot is overly complex to the point that director Howard Hawks claimed to not understand it....Despite the confusion this creates, the trade-off was worthwhile, as the additional scenes make the film memorable. Bacall is smart and sexy, and the other female characters are also great fun. Bogart is Bogart – cool, cynical, but ultimately passionate and loyal."--Brian Webster. The film was selected by the Library of Congress for the National Film Registry in 1997.

October 18
“Angle up through the water from the bottom of the pool, as the body floats face downward. It is a well-dressed young man”
Sunset Blvd. (Billy Wilder, 1950, 110 minutes)7:00 PM
"Of all Billy Wilder's cinematic creations, the most inspired is arguably the device of having Sunset Boulevard (1950) narrated by a dead man. The movie opens with the unforgettable image of screenwriter Joe Gillis floating upside down in a pool, while he speaks to us on the soundtrack. He has the ultimate gift of hindsight as he tells his bizarre story that could only have happened in Hollywood. Gillis is something of a hack and is unable to pay his bills. Escaping from creditors, he pulls into the driveway of a dilapidated old Hollywood mansion, which, to his surprise, is still occupied by a formerly great silent film star, Norma Desmond. She hires him to re-write her voluminous script of "Salome", which is to be her big comeback. Gillis agrees for the money and for the hiding place. Sunset Boulevard is arguably Wilder's best film, although it's got stiff competition from such works as Double Indemnity (1944), Ace in the Hole (1951), Some Like It Hot (1959), and The Apartment (1960). It's often called "cynical" but I think the word is just "clever". It's astonishing that a man who taught himself English through comic strips was able to master such a wit and a searingly intelligent outlook on American life. Wilder and co-writer Charles Brackett were the first to notice the horrible fate of the old-time silent stars, many of whom were still alive in 1950. How much more terrible it must be to be on top of the world, and then forgotten; to have known a taste of heaven before being dumped into hell. Indeed, Sunset Boulevard was perhaps the first film of the second generation of Hollywood, and like Jean-Luc Godard's self-referential works, it closed the door on the first generation. The movie takes place mostly in Desmond's old mansion and the studio lot. It's constantly fading back and forth between the old and the new, the fake and the real. The few scenes that take place in the real world, i.e. Desmond buying new clothes for Gillis, feel somehow dreamlike, as if they're tinted with a ghostliness. Inside Desmond's mansion, we're treated to all kinds of sights that don't seem real; the funeral for the monkey, the wheezing organ, and the New Year's party for two. These are the things that are happening in the present day. Yet the events having to do with past years are more vivid; Desmond showing Gillis her old movies, and the "waxworks" (including the great Buster Keaton) playing cards. When Gillis begins meeting a lovely young screenwriter on the studio lot at night, they take walks around the cardboard western sets. Again, it feels both real and fake....Sunset Boulevard is a high-style movie, not meant to unleash any emotional revelations. It's meant to give us a kick with its sights, sounds, shadows, and light. It's all image--from Gillis floating in the pool to Desmond leering at the camera, coming in for her closeup. It's a perfectly controlled masterpiece that captured a peculiar moment in movie history" --Jeffrey Anderson. Sunset Blvd. was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning for Art Direction, Writing, and Music. The American Film Institute named Sunset Blvd. as the 12th Best Film.

October 25
“On the beach---indeed!”
From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinneman, 1953, 118 minutes)7:00 PM
"This quintessential service drama, set on an Oahu army base in late 1941, is an example of something that ended with The Godfather. The movie, directed by Fred Zinnemann from James Jones's once sensational novel, is the transformation of a sprawling Dreiser-tradition bestseller, into all-star, character-rich Oscar-bait. Contemporary audiences may not see why, even in its toned-down simplification of the novel, From Here to Eternity was the most daring movie of 1953, but it remains an acting bonanza—including Frank Sinatra's notably focused comeback turn as the volatile Private Maggio and the cast-against-type performances by Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed. Burt Lancaster anchors the movie with his tough first sergeant; Montgomery Clift soars as the tragic company misfit Private Prewitt. The moment in which Prewitt blows a few bebop riffs on the bugle is a fanfare for himself. Nearly everyone gets a drunk scene and the adulterous Kerr-Lancaster clinch in the surf was the Eisenhower-era high-water mark of Hollywood sexual passion. (It's fascinating that had Columbia boss Harry Cohn gotten his way and Zinnemann some of his druthers, the movie would have had completely other principals; this Bizarro World Eternity substitutes Aldo Ray for Clift, Edmond O'Brien for Lancaster, Joan Crawford for Kerr, Julie Harris for Reed, and most world-historically, Eli Wallach for Sinatra.) Almost a disaster film, From Here to Eternity juggles a large cast, multiple romances, and a sense of impending doom all the way to the big Pearl Harbor blowout. It's a bit anticlimactic after the catharsis of Prewitt's impromptu prizefight, but it does ensure that the movie will provide nearly every emotion."--The Village Voice. The film was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards, winning for Best Supporting Actor and Actress; Best Writing, Cinematography, Editing, and Sound; Best Director and Picture. The American Film Institute named this film the number 20 Best Romance and number 52 Best Film of all time.