TCM Schedule for Friday, February 5, 2016 -- What's On Tonight: 31 Days of Oscar: Day 5

[Staph]

It's day five of 31 Days of Oscar. Enjoy!


7:45 AM -- Auntie Mame (1958)
An eccentric heiress raises her nephew to be a free spirit.
Dir: Morton DaCosta
Cast: Rosalind Russell, Forrest Tucker, Coral Browne
C-143 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Rosalind Russell, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Peggy Cass, Best Cinematography, Color -- Harry Stradling Sr., Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White or Color -- Malcolm C. Bert and George James Hopkins, Best Film Editing -- William H. Ziegler, and Best Picture

The line, "Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death," does not appear in the book. It is derived from the stage play, where it was originally, "Life is a banquet and most poor sons-of-bitches are starving to death." Though "damn" and "hell" are both heard in the film, "sons-of-bitches" was apparently thought too rough in 1958.

The link to the next film -- Fred Clark


10:15 AM -- White Heat (1949)
A government agent infiltrates a gang run by a mother-fixated psychotic.
Dir: Raoul Walsh
Cast: James Cagney, Virginia Mayo, Edmond O'Brien
BW-113 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story -- Virginia Kellogg

When Cody gets the news of his mother's death, James Cagney plays his first reaction merely looking down, building into the emotional explosion. Years later he explained to Los Angeles Times film critic Charles Champlin, "That first agony is private. If I'd looked up right away and started bellowing, it would have been stock company, 1912."

The link to the next film -- Margaret Wycherly


12:15 PM -- Sergeant York (1941)
True story of the farm boy who made the transition from religious pacifist to World War I hero.
Dir: Howard Hawks
Cast: Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan, Joan Leslie
BW-134 mins, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Gary Cooper, and Best Film Editing -- William Holmes

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Walter Brennan, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Margaret Wycherly, Best Director -- Howard Hawks, Best Writing, Original Screenplay -- Harry Chandlee, Abem Finkel, John Huston and Howard Koch, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Sol Polito, Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White -- John Hughes and Fred M. MacLean, Best Sound, Recording -- Nathan Levinson (Warner Bros. SSD), Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic Picture -- Max Steiner, and Best Picture

Alvin C. York had been approached by producer Jesse Lasky several times, beginning in 1919, to allow a movie to be made of his life, but had refused, believing that "This uniform ain't for sale." Lasky convinced York that, with war threatening in Europe, it was his patriotic duty to allow the film to proceed. York finally agreed - but only on three conditions. First, York's share of the profits would be contributed to a Bible School York wanted constructed. Second, no cigarette smoking actress could be chosen to play his wife. Third, that only Gary Cooper, could recreate his life on screen. Cooper at first turned down the role, but when York himself contacted the star with a personal plea, Cooper agreed to do the picture.




2:30 PM -- The Sea Wolf (1941)
Shipwrecked fugitives try to escape a brutal sea captain who's losing his mind.
Dir: Michael Curtiz
Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Ida Lupino, John Garfield
BW-87 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Effects, Special Effects -- Byron Haskin (photographic) and Nathan Levinson (sound)

The first movie to have its world premiere on a ship: the luxury liner "America" during a trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

The link to the next film -- Gene Lockhart


4:00 PM -- Leave Her to Heaven (1945)
A beautiful neurotic will stop at nothing to hold onto her husband's love.
Dir: John M. Stahl
Cast: Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain
C-110 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Color -- Leon Shamroy

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Gene Tierney, Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Color -- Lyle R. Wheeler, Maurice Ransford and Thomas Little, and Best Sound, Recording -- Thomas T. Moulton (20th Century-Fox SSD)

For the proposal scene, Cornel Wilde had trouble reacting convincingly to Gene Tierney's advances, but each time they did a take the crew was so impressed, they whistled at her. Finally, John M. Stahl said to Wilde, "They all seem to understand how the scene should be played. Why can't you?"

The link to the next film -- Gene Tierney


6:00 PM -- Heaven Can Wait (1943)
An old roué arrives in Hades to review his life with Satan, who will rule on his eligibility to enter the Underworld.
Dir: Ernst Lubitsch
Cast: Gene Tierney, Don Ameche, Charles Coburn
C-112 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Director -- Ernst Lubitsch, Best Cinematography, Color -- Edward Cronjager, and Best Picture

The lead was written with Fredric March or Rex Harrison in mind. Ernst Lubitsch was most disappointed when 20th Century Fox boss Darryl F. Zanuck insisted on casting Don Ameche for commercial reasons. Lubitsch later recanted his opposition to Ameche, won over by the actor's dedication and professionalism.

The link to the next film -- Eugene Pallette



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: 31 DAYS OF OSCAR: DAY 5



8:00 PM -- The Love Parade (1929)
A count finds his marriage to a queen less than satisfying.
Dir: Ernst Lubitsch
Cast: Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Lupino Lane
BW-109 mins,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Maurice Chevalier, Best Director -- Ernst Lubitsch, Best Cinematography -- Victor Milner, Best Art Direction -- Hans Dreier, Best Sound, Recording -- Franklin Hansen (sound director), and Best Picture

This was director Ernst Lubitsch's first film with sound, and the film debut of Jeanette MacDonald.

The link to the next film -- Maurice Chevalier


10:00 PM -- The Smiling Lieutenant (1931)
A misfired flirtation lands a young lieutenant married to a princess instead of the one he loves.
Dir: Ernst Lubitsch
Cast: Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert, Miriam Hopkins
BW-89 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture

A French version with dialogue and lyrics by Henri Bataille was shown in New York on 15 October 1931 and was also a big hit in Paris. It had the same three leading actors, and was filmed at the same time as the English language version, as dubbing had not yet been invented.

The link to the next film -- Claudette Colbert


11:33 PM -- Menu (1933)
In this comedic short magical chef helps a housewife cook her husband's dinner.
Dir: Nick Grinde
Cast: Luis Alberni, Una Merkel, Franklin Pangborn
C-10 mins,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, Novelty -- Pete Smith


11:45 PM -- It Happened One Night (1934)
A newspaperman tracks a runaway heiress on a madcap cross-country tour.
Dir: Frank Capra
Cast: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly
BW-105 mins, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Clark Gable (In 1996, Steven Spielberg anonymously purchased Clark Gable's Oscar to protect it from further commercial exploitation, gave it back to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, commenting that he could think of "no better sanctuary for Gable's only Oscar than the Motion Picture Academy".), Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Claudette Colbert (Claudette Colbert was so convinced that she would lose the Oscar to write-in nominee Bette Davis that she didn't attended the ceremony originally. She was summoned from a train station to pick up her Academy Award.), Best Director -- Frank Capra, Best Writing, Adaptation -- Robert Riskin, and Best Picture

While shooting the scene where he undresses, Clark Gable had trouble removing his undershirt while keeping his humorous flow going and took too long. As a result, the undershirt was abandoned altogether. It then became cool to not wear an undershirt, which resulted in a large drop in undershirt sales around the country. Legend has it that in response, some underwear manufacturers tried to sue Columbia.

The link to the next film -- Clark Gable


1:45 AM -- A Free Soul (1931)
A hard-drinking lawyer's daughter falls for one of his underworld clients.
Dir: Clarence Brown
Cast: Norma Shearer, Leslie Howard, Lionel Barrymore
BW-94 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Lionel Barrymore

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Norma Shearer, and Best Director -- Clarence Brown

When the final version of the movie went before Hollywood censors, they demanded that MGM cut the scene where Norma Shearer lays on the bed and suggestively asks Clark Gable to put his arms around her. The studio ignored the demand and released the film uncut.

The link to the next film -- Leslie Howard


3:30 AM -- Berkeley Square (1933)
A young American man is transported back to London in the time of the American Revolution and meets his ancestors.
Dir: Frank Lloyd
Cast: Leslie Howard, Heather Angel, Valerie Taylor
BW-88 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Leslie Howard

The original play, "Berkeley Square," opened in London in 1928, starring Leslie Howard. The Broadway production opened at the Lyceum Theater on November 4, 1929, also starring Howard. It ran for 229 performances, and was followed by a national tour. Howard and Valerie Taylor recreated their stage roles for the film version.

The link to the next film -- Alan Mowbray


5:00 AM -- Merrily We Live (1938)
A society matron's habit of hiring ex-cons and hobos as servants leads to romance for her daughter.
Dir: Norman Z. McLeod
Cast: Constance Bennett, Brian Aherne, Alan Mowbray
BW-95 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Billie Burke, Best Cinematography -- Norbert Brodine, Best Art Direction -- Charles D. Hall, Best Sound, Recording -- Elmer Raguse (Hal Roach SSD), and Best Music, Original Song -- Phil Charig (music) and Arthur Quenzer (lyrics) for the song "Merrily We Live"

Alan Mowbray, Billie Burke, and Constance Bennett had worked on director Norman Z. McLeod's previous film, Topper (1937). The commercial and critical success of Topper played a large role in their inclusion in this film.

The link to the next film -- Billie Burke