TCM Schedule for Friday, June 24, 2016 -- What's On Tonight: TCM Special Theme: Billy Wilder

[Staph]

It's not her birthday, but during the daylight hours, TCM is showing films starring Shelley Winters. My first cinematic memories of her are as the nervous, overweight Belle Rosen from The Poseidon Adventure (1972). I was surprised, years later, to discover that she was quite the beauty (and a good actress as well -- winner of two Oscars). In prime time, TCM finishes its month-long look at superb writer/director Billy Wilder, with his best -- Witness For The Prosecution (1958), Some Like It Hot (1959), The Fortune Cookie (1966), and The Apartment (1960), and one of his best screenplays in Ninotchka (1939). Enjoy!



8:15 AM -- Hollywood Without Make-Up (1966)
In this special, Ken Murray hosts his own behind-the-scenes home movies of some of Hollywood's greatest stars.
BW-50 mins, CC,


9:15 AM -- Behave Yourself! (1951)
A young couple's dog gets them mixed up in a string of murders.
Dir: George Beck
Cast: Farley Granger, Shelley Winters, William Demarest
BW-81 mins, CC,

Classic pin-up artist, Alberto Vargas, painted the film's original poster.


10:45 AM -- My Man And I (1952)
A Mexican-American laborer fights for his dignity.
Dir: William A. Wellman
Cast: Shelley Winters, Ricardo Montalban, Wendell Corey
BW-99 mins, CC,

Working title -- Shameless.


12:30 PM -- Executive Suite (1954)
When a business magnate dies, his board of directors fights over who should run the company.
Dir: Robert Wise
Cast: William Holden, June Allyson, Barbara Stanwyck
BW-105 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Nina Foch, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- George J. Folsey, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Cedric Gibbons, Edward C. Carfagno, Edwin B. Willis and Emile Kuri, and Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Helen Rose

The entire story takes place during the 24 hour period from Friday afternoon, June 19 1953 to Saturday afternoon, June 20 1953.


2:30 PM -- Tennessee Champ (1954)
A boxer reforms his crooked manager.
Dir: Fred M. Wilcox
Cast: Shelley Winters, Keenan Wynn, Dewey Martin
C-73 mins, CC,

Based on The Lord In His Corner and other stories by Eustace Cockrell.


3:45 PM -- I Died A Thousand Times (1955)
An ex-con dreaming of one last heist faces dissension within his gang.
Dir: Stuart Heisler
Cast: Jack Palance, Shelley Winters, Lori Nelson
C-109 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Dennis Hopper makes an early acting appearance as the boy that Shelley Winters dances with at the house party in L.A.


5:45 PM -- The Treasure of Pancho Villa (1955)
An American adventurer competes with the famed Mexican bandit to recover a lost gold shipment.
Dir: George Sherman
Cast: Rory Calhoun, Shelley Winters, Gilbert Roland
C-96 mins, Letterbox Format

Filmes in Morelos, Mexico.


7:30 PM -- MGM Parade Show #22 (1955)
Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald perform in a clip from "Maytime"; Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz introduce a clip from "Forever Darling." Hosted by George Murphy.
BW-26 mins,



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: TCM SPECIAL THEME: BILLY WILDER



8:00 PM -- Witness for the Prosecution (1958)
A British lawyer gets caught up in a couple's tangled marital affairs when he defends the husband for murder.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton
BW-116 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Charles Laughton, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Elsa Lanchester, Best Director -- Billy Wilder, Best Sound, Recording -- Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD), Best Film Editing -- Daniel Mandell, and Best Picture

Charles Laughton, who could be moody and difficult, was apparently a dream to work with, throwing himself into the role with dedication and delight. Billy Wilder later recalled a day that was set aside just for shooting reaction shots of the jury and courtroom crowd (composed of extras hired only for the day). Normally, the assistant director would read the actors' lines and the extras would react. However, Laughton, who was fascinated with the whole process of filmmaking, begged to help. So he came in on his day off and read all of the off-camera speeches for the jury members. He read not only his part, but also the judge's, the prosecutor's and even Marlene Dietrich's. According to biographer Maurice Zolotow in his book "Billy Wilder in Hollywood", the author said, "it was an exhibition of craftsmanship such as Wilder had never seen. He believes that Charles Laughton had the greatest technical range and power of any actor, man or woman, whom he has known."


10:15 PM -- Some Like It Hot (1959)
Two musicians on the run from gangsters masquerade as members of an all-girl band.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon
BW-122 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Orry-Kelly

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Jack Lemmon, Best Director -- Billy Wilder, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Charles Lang, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Ted Haworth and Edward G. Boyle

Jack Lemmon wrote that the first sneak preview had a bad reaction with many audience walkouts. Many studio personnel and agents offered advice to Billy Wilder on what scenes to reshoot, add and cut. Lemmon asked Wilder what he was going to do. Wilder responded: "Why, nothing. This is a very funny movie and I believe in it just as it is. Maybe this is the wrong neighborhood in which to have shown it. At any rate, I don't panic over one preview. It's a hell of a movie." Wilder held the next preview in the Westwood section of Los Angeles, and the audience stood up and cheered.


12:30 AM -- The Fortune Cookie (1966)
A crooked lawyer trumps up an insurance case for a cameraman injured at a pro football game.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ron Rich
BW-126 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Walter Matthau

Nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen -- Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Joseph LaShelle, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Robert Luthardt and Edward G. Boyle

Production was halted for weeks after Walter Matthau had a heart attack. He had slimmed from 190 to 160 pounds by the time filming was completed, and had to wear a heavy black coat to conceal the weight loss.


2:45 AM -- The Apartment (1960)
An aspiring executive lets his bosses use his apartment for assignations, only to fall for the big chief's mistress.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray
BW-125 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won Oscars for Best Director -- Billy Wilder, Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen -- Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Alexandre Trauner and Edward G. Boyle, Best Film Editing -- Daniel Mandell, and Best Picture

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Jack Lemmon, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Shirley MacLaine, Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Jack Kruschen, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Joseph LaShelle, and Best Sound -- Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD)

To create the effect of a vast sea of faces labouring grimly and impersonally at their desks in the huge insurance company office, designers Alexandre Trauner and Edward G. Boyle devised an interesting technique. Full-sized actors sat at the desks in the front and dwarfs were used at tiny desks toward the rear, followed by even smaller desks with cut-out figures operated by wires. It gave the effect of a much larger space than could have been achieved in the limited studio space.


5:00 AM -- Ninotchka (1939)
A coldhearted Soviet agent is warmed up by a trip to Paris and a night of love.
Dir: Ernst Lubitsch
Cast: Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas, Ina Claire
BW-110 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Greta Garbo, Best Writing, Original Story -- Melchior Lengyel, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch and Billy Wilder, and Best Picture

Ernst Lubitsch disliked Gottfried Reinhardt and S.N. Behrman's original screenplay, so he commissioned a rewrite from Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett and Walter Reisch. Lubitsch himself made some significant uncredited contributions to the screenplay.