Wonderland Burlesque's Let's All Go To The Movies: All These Years Edition, Part II

Wonderland Burlesque's

Let's All Go To The Movies:

All These Years Edition, Part II

What's a year? 365 days... and the key word for today's Let's All Go To The Movies post.

This is part two of a five part series. Yes... the years, they just go on and on.

Don't worry, I've mixed them up extemely well - variety being the spice of life. I've also included a slew of foreign films and documentaries, for whom among us couldn't use our horizons broadened?

So, now, without further ado... let's take another look at All These Years...

Part II

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Leap Year

(1921)

"Never released in the U.S.A."

(Heir to his misogynistic uncle's million dollar estate, a young man finds himself in hot water when he begins to give marriage advice to his girlfriends. He's in love with a nurse, but will she be able to help him find a cure for his woes?)

(This American silent comedy film directed by and starring Roscoe Arbuckle was produced in 1921. At the time he was deep in trouble, tied up with the Virginia Rappe death scandal, which brought an end to his career. The film was not released in the United States until 1981, though it was release in in Finland in 1924. Oddly, the film has no cast list. Instead, Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle is listed on the title page, with nine other actors being listed on intertitles just before they appear in the movie. This served as the final feature length acting role of Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle's career.)

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The Unforgettable Year 1919

(1951)

(This film depicts the clash between the Reds and the Whites during the Russian Civil War, as they grapple over possession of the former capital.)

(Based on a play by Vsevolod Vishnevskiy, written in 1949 in honor of  Stalin's 70th birthday. It  was nominated for the Stalin prize, an award director Mikheil Gelovani typically won, as Stalin was a big fan of his work. However... this time that wasn't the case. Seems Stalin was not pleased with the portrayal of himself and, if history serves me right, pissing off Stalin? Not a good idea.)

(In his secret speech of 1956 to Soviet Communist Party leaders, Nikita Khruschev cited this film as an example of what he called the Cult of Personality, due to the fact that Stalin is inaccurately portrayed as a Civil War hero and head of the party in 1919 - assertions historical fact do not support.)

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The Seven Year Itch

(1955)

(The overactive imagination of a faithful husband gets the best of him once his family goes away for the summer. Equal parts bewitched, bothered and terribly bewildered, he finds himself being led astray by a beautiful neighbor.)

(George Cukor was the original choice to direct the film, but he turned down the project and it eventually went to Billy Wilder. Wilder preferred shooting in black and white, however, Marilyn Monroe's contract with Fox stipulated that all her movies be shot in color, because Monroe felt she looked  more attractive and glamorous in color than black and white. Monroe was eager to work with  Wilder, but had agreed to star in There's No Business Like Show Business already and had to honor that commitment before Fox would allow her to make this film.)

(Gary Cooper, James Stewart and William Holden were all considered for the male lead, but Wilder wanted more of an 'everyman.' After seeing Walter Matthau's screen-test for the role, Wilder was certain he'd found his leading man, but 20th Century-Fox was unwilling to take a risk on a newcomer. That's when Tom Ewell, the actor who had originated the role on Broadway and won the 1953 Tony Award for Actor in a Drama ended up reprising the role. But film is quite different than the stage play and many lines and scenes were cut or re-written because they were deemed indecent by The Hays Office.)

(When it came to the role of the girl? No one but Marilyn Monroe was considered. It proved to be a tough shoot. Monroe's lifelong bouts with depression and self-destruction took their toll during filming; she frequently muffed scenes and forgot her lines, leading to sometimes as many as 40 takes of a scene before a satisfactory result was produced. Actress Carolyn Jones, who played Nurse Finch in the film, recalled, "We talked at great length. She was such a sad lady. She was just getting to the stage where she was frightened about losing her looks. It was an all-consuming fear." The star's constant tardiness and behavioral problems caused the budget of the film swell to $1.8 million, a high price for the time. Despite that, the film proved so popular, it still managed to make a tidy profit.)

(Husband Joe DiMaggio was on set during the filming of the dress scene, and was angry and disgusted by the attention and reaction of onlookers, reporters, and photographers, all of whom Wilder had invited in order to drum up interest in the film. The footage of Monroe's dress billowing over a subway grate was shot twice: the first take was shot on location outside the Trans-Lux 52nd Street Theater, then located at 586 Lexington Avenue in Manhattan, while the second take was on a sound stage. Both eventually made their way into the finished film. The iconic dress sold for a record $4.6 million when it was auctioned, quintupling the previous record for a movie costume which was just under a million for Audrey Hepburn's little black dress as worn in 1961's Breakfast at Tiffany's.)

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Panic In The Year Zero

(1962)

"An orgy of looting and lust. A-Day... when civilization came to an end!"

(Out of town, on their way to a camping trip, a family is faced with dire circumstances when a nuclear bomb destroys the city in which they live. As chaos descends, they struggle to remain safely together.)

"Where science fiction ends and fact begins!"

(Directed by and starring Oscar winner Ray Milland - , along with Jean Hagen and singer Frankie Avalon. The music score was composed by exotica/swing aficionado Les Baxter.)

(Originally titled Survivor, producer Samuel Z. Arkoff of AIP said Avalon and Milland were teamed together because "they both have particular types of followers and the combination adds up to an attraction.")

(According to Avalon the film did incredibly well. "The film came out to real good reviews. We did a tour of theaters in Los Angeles, and it made its money back just in Los Angeles alone." American International Pictures had Avalon touring the country to promote the film. It proved so successful that it led to Avalon making a number of films for AIP.)

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Same Time, Next Year

(1978)

"The couldn't have celebrated happier anniversaries if the were married to each other."

(Through several decades, a man and women who are married to others, decide to meet at the same place every year on the anniversary of their first one night stand.  As society changes, so do they, sometimes much to the chagrin of the other.)

(Ellen Burstyn originated her role, performing it in the play on Broadway. In 1975, she'd walk away with a Best Actress Academy Award for 1974's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore  and a Tony Award for Best Actress for the play, Same Time, Next Year - receiving both awards at the same time in the same week - making her one of only two actresses to win both awards in the same year. The other? Audrey Hepburn, who won a Tony for her performance in Ondine in the same year she won an Oscar for 1953's Roman Holiday. For the film version, Burstyn was initially rejected by the studio due to her age, but, lucky for them, they changed their minds: for Burstyn would receive yet another Best Actress nomination from the Academy.)

(A number of actors were considered for the male lead. Charles Grodin, who originated the role on Broadway, was out; he wasn't considered a name actor. Al Pacino was up for the role, but playwright Bernard Slade kept pushing for Grodin. When Alan Alda threw his hat in the ring, Slade switched allegiances; he'd originally wanted Alda for the stage show, but the actor had not been available. With Burstyn and Alda on board, Slade had his original dream team.) 

(Nominated for four Academy Awards, the film failed to win any. One of those nominations was for Best Original Song.)

(At one point, Paul McCartney composed a title song for the film, which he recorded with his group, Wings, but the powers that be wanted to go in a different direction. Instead, The Last Time I Felt Like This, written by Marvin Hamlisch and Alan and Marilyn Bergman, as performed by Johnny Mathis and Jane Olivor, got the nod.)

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In A Year With 13 Moons

(1978)

AKA: In einem Jahr mit 13 Monden

(In the quest to find acceptance among former acquaintances and, ultimately, herself, a transgender woman tries to salvage something from the wreckage love has made of her life by confronting her anguished past.)

(This West German drama, directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder and starring Volker Spengler, was made in response to the suicide of Fassbinder's lover at the time, actor Armin Meier. Meier, who was best known for his performances in Rainer Werner Fassbinder's films including - my fave - Satan's Brew. Meier killed himself after not being invited to Fassbinder's 33rd birthday party. His body was later found in Fassbinder's apartment. In a Top 10 list of his own films, Fassbinder placed In a Year of 13 Moons second, after Beware Of A Holy Whore.)

(Spengler was another regular in the films of Fassbinder. With his trademark raspy voice, this was his most notable role. His longtime partner, Bob, died  of AIDS on  April 20, 1994. Spengler would die on  February 8, 2020, eight days shy of his 81st birthday.)

(The narration heard throughout the film  was unscripted. Spengler and Fassbinder, sat down with a tape recorder, with Fassbinder asking questions and Spengler responding in character. For the film,  Fassbinder's voice was simply edited out.)

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The Year Of The Plague

(1979)

AKA: El año de la peste

(As a Mexican town is ravaged by a deadly disease, a doctor tries to alert authorities of  its epidemic nature. However, no one will listen to him and the disease continues to spread. Wishing to avoid panic, the government tries to control the information, leading to disastrous consequences. Loosely based on Daniel Dafoe's A Journal of the Plague Year, which captured events and conditions during the Great Plague of London of 1665-1666.)

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Exterminators Of The Year 3000

(1983)

"Into the battlefield of nuclear mutants and vicious bikers come... exterminators."

(In the year 3000, the Earth has been rendered a wasteland due to nuclear war. A group of survivors goes in search of rare and valuable water, but first they must escape the evil Exterminators, who live only to make life a living hell.)  

(For the lead role, the producers were interested in model Robert Iannucci chiefly due to his popular Calvin Klein ads. The Spanish actor who played the film's main villain 'Crazy Bull' didn't speak a speck of English and consequently didn't have much interaction with Robert Iannucci off camera.)

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Saigon: Year Of The Cat

(1983)

"Can love survive the fall of a nation?"

(Two Westerners, a bank employee and a C.I.A. analyst for the U.S. Embassy, meet and fall in love a short time before the fall of Saigon.)

(Lots of firsts and lasts with this one. This served as the debut as a producer for  writer and director David Hare, of Plenty and Wetherby fame and was director Stephen Frears final made-for-television production before he started making theatrical movies, such as Dangerous Liaisons and The Queen. It was also the first of two collaborations for Dame Judi Dench and Hare, the other being Wetherby.) 

(In 1984, this made-for-television movie was nominated for five BAFTA Awards, but failed to bring home a single one.)

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A Year Of The Quiet Sun

(1984)

"No matter what you've lived through or what you've lost... love is possible."

(In the aftermath of World War II, an American soldier in love with a Polish woman offers to help help her leave the country, but circumstances foil their plans leading to unexpected events.)

"It's never too late for a second chance."

(Nominated in 1986 for a Golden Globe Award as Best Foreign Language Film, this film would win the coveted Golden Lion and Pasinetti Awards at that year's Venice Film Festival. It was a favorite of film critic Robert Ebert.)

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Happy Old Year

(1987)

(Diving into a shallow lake, a college student injures his spine, rendering him a tetraplegic. Sitting in his wheel chair, he recalls and shares the events that took place during his adolescence which shaped and molded him.)

(Loosely based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva's book of the same name. Published in 1982, it became an instant best-seller in Brazil and is considered an age-defining work.) 

(Director Roberto Gervitz first read the book in early 80's, becoming immediately interested in adapting it for the big screen. Having built his career making documentaries in the 70's and having little experience in the fictional world, he found writing the script to be quite the challenge. Produced by Tatu Filmes, via producer Cláudio Kahns, the film became an immediate success with both the public and the critics)

(Marcos Breda, who portrayed Marcelo Rubens Paiva, had little acting experience when he got the role. This served as his big screen debut. On the other hand, actress Malu Mader was a well-known television performer. For her, the film proved to be a career milestone.)

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The Ten-Year Lunch: 

The Wit and Legend of the Algonquin Round Table

(1987)

(Capturing the sparkle and wit of 1920's New York, this documentary is about a group of writers, artists and performers who lunched daily at New York City's Algonquin Hotel from 1919-1929. Collectively known as The Algonquin Round Table, the clique forged lasting friendships and creative collaborations fueled by their scathing satire of the cultural and social trends of the Jazz Age. The film sheds light on their alliances, conflicts, and romances, as well as the catalysts which led to the groups' dissolution. Counted among them: Dorothy Parker, Alexander Woollcott, Robert Benchley, George S. Kaufman, Edna Ferber, Harold Ross, Harpo Marx and Marc Connelly.)

(As the Roaring 20's drew to a close, literary ambitions, including calls to Hollywood, began to divide them. as did the infamous Sacco and Vanzetti scandal - a court case where two Italian immigrant anarchists were wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death for a crime they did not commit - with some taking up the causes célèbres much to the disdain of the others.)

(Produced and directed by Aviva Slesin and narrated by Heywood Hale Broun, the film took ten years to complete. The bulk of the interviews were conducted during 1980. Sadly, most of the interview subjects died before the film was released.)

(One of the few films to be nominated for both an Oscar and an Emmy. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, winning one - for Best Documentary Feature.)

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And that's all for now.

Tune in next week.

Same time, same channel!

Last Time I Felt Like This - Johnny Mathis and Jane Oliver

Theme from Same Time, Next Year

Same Time, Next Year - Paul McCartney & Wings