Jack Benny had a confounding career in the movies. After nearly two decades on the Vaudeville stage, the pride of Waukegan, Illinois made his film debut playing himself in MGM’s THE HOLLYWOOD REVUE OF 1929. A series of mostly forgettable movie roles followed, but the comic finally hit his celluloid stride with with BUCK BENNY RIDES AGAIN (1940), a Paramount-produced adaptation of his popular NBC radio show, co-starring boozy bandleader Phil Harris, portly announcer Don Wilson, conniving valet Rochester, dim-witted crooner Dennis Day, and, in voice only, Benny’s wife Mary Livingstone.

The comedian successfully transcended his acerbic on-air persona in his next three pictures: Archie Mayo’s CHARLEY’S AUNT  (1941), in which he appears in drag; Ernst Lubitsch’s TO BE OR NOT TO BE  (1942), with co-star Carole Lombard in her final role; and William Keighley’s GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE  (1942) opposite “Oomph Girl” Ann Sheridan. Of these, Lubitsch’s groundbreaking parody of Nazi occupation is generally considered to be Benny’s best picture, and the only one in which his natural strengths as a performer appear to have been taken into consideration.

And then came THE MEANEST MAN IN THE WORLD, which marked the beginning of the end of Jack Benny the Movie Star…

Continue reading at Cinema Sentries

One of my favorite things about the annual TCM Classic Film Festival is meeting and interacting with the talented people who bring the channel to life.

In addition to impromptu chats at screenings and during communal gatherings at the Roosevelt Hotel, two scheduled events gave passholders and credentialed media like me (don’t hate) an opportunity to question key members of the Turner Classic Movies staff. These sessions provided a rare opportunity to look “behind the curtain” at our favorite channel without a trip down the Yellowbrick Road to Atlanta.

The day before the 2013 edition of the Festival began, Robert Osborne, Ben Mankiewicz, vice president of programming Charlie Tabesh (a 16-year veteran of the channel), and festival managing director Genevieve MacGillicuddy addressed reporters and bloggers for a combined ninety minutes. The following day, TCM senior writer/producer Scott McGee moderated Meet TCM, a panel featuring six senior staffers: Tabesh, general manager Jeff Gregor; Pola Chagnon, vice president and creative director for TCM On-Air; V.P. of original production Tom Brown; Richard Steiner, vice president of digital activation; and Sean Cameron, vice president of studio production

If you’ve ever been to fan events of any sort you know that questions from attendees can often be an exercise in time-wasting awkwardness. But the queries posed at the TCMFF events were almost always on-point because, as Ben Mankiewicz said at the Wednesday press conference, “Our fans feel a sense of obligation – a welcome sense of obligation – to not only watch us and enjoy us but to watch us, and make sure we take seriously this obligation that we’ve taken on to protect and curate these films.”

Amen, brother.

Nothing gives me more pleasure than writing about the joy Turner Classic Movies brings to my life. At the same time, I have no problem ding-ding-ding’ing the bell if I feel the channel has made a misstep. And I’m not alone in this perspective. Bloggers who cover TCM are not un-paid publicists. We’re watchdogs, and TCM knows it.

“You are one of the most passionate, committed group of classic movie lovers I’ve ever come into contact with,” G.M. Jeff Gregor said, deftly currying favor with the capacity crowd as the Meet TCM panel commenced on Day 1 of the festival. “(M)y colleagues have the same passion.”

It’s a symbiotic relationship; we learn from TCM and they learn from us. And, as always at the TCMFF, I learned a number of things about the channel, how it operates, and future plans for extending the brand.

“Meet TCM” (L-R) Scott McGee, Sean Cameron, Tom Brown, Charlie Tabesh, Jeff Gregor, Pola Changnon, and Richard Steiner. (Photo courtesy TCM)

THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR AN EAST COAST TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL. 

“Half the staff just had a heart attack,” Gregor joked when asked about an East Coast version of the classic conclave, which has called Hollywood home for its entire four-year history. “There are a lot of people around the room who are here that, as soon as this is over, there’s a little bit of a debrief and some analysis, and then it’s working on next year.”

Gregor then jokingly turned to Tabesh and asked playfully, “If Charlie thought he could program two festivals…”

“No. I can’t,” Tabesh deadpanned, and the audience responed with laughter.

Gregor continued: “The cruise concept actually came to us as the counter-seasonal event, where we had a spring, on-land festival and a cruise, where you didn’t have all the land-based logistics,” he said, adding that plans for this year’s cruise would be announced at the end of the weekend.

They were. The third TCM Classic Cruise is scheduled for December 8-13, for the first time ever aboard the Disney Magic (previous editions have sailed on the Millenium and the Constellation, both part of the Celebrity line). This year’s voyage departs Miami for Nassau and Castaway Cay (Disney’s private island, which sounds a bit Dr. Moreau-ish) and prices range from a low of around $1,000 (if you bring along three friends to share your stateroom) to nearly $4,000 per person for a deluxe, two-bedroom verandah suite. (Of course, roundtrip airfare to Miami is not included.) To date, Osborne and Mankiewicz are the only announced guests, with more expected to be announced in the coming months.

“We do want to have more events around the country,” Gregor said.

“There is a way to bring the festival to other parts of the country,” added Richard Steiner. “Road to Hollywood.”

This year marked the third anniversary for the national, pre-TCMFF, Road to Hollywood screening series, with TCM personalities (Osborne, Mankiewicz, and film historian Leonard Maltin) introducing nine films in ten locations: the Kennedy Space Center in Florida; Pittsburgh’s Byham Theatre; the Ziegfeld in New York; the historic Texas Theater in Dallas; the A.F.I. Silver Theatre in Silver Spring, Maryland; Boston’s Brattle Theatre; the Music Box Theatre in Chicago; Ann Arbor’s Michigan Theatre; the Castro in San Francisco; and the Kimo Theatre in Albuquerqe. Guests included Eva Marie Saint (with ON THE WATERFRONT), Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey and Michael York (with CABARET), Tippi Hedren (MARNIE), Angie Dickinson (RIO BRAVO), Jane Powell (ROYAL WEDDING), Mitzi Gaynor (SOUTH PACIFIC), Robert Wagner (THE PINK PANTHER), and the Alloy Orchestra (accompanying METROPOLIS, as they did on the closing night of the first TCMFF in 2010).

“It’s a tremendous amount of work,” Steiner said. “The crew that does that deserves a lot of credit.”

I attended a Road to Hollywood screening of THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962) with Robert Osborne and Angela Lansbury at the SVA Theater in New York in April of 2011 and it was the closest to a TCMFF vibe I’ve felt outside of Hollywood. The TCM host conducted a lengthy, career-spanning interview with the then-85-year-old actress in front of a enthusiastic audience. Admission was free, the house was packed, and the quality of the print was excellent.

Although it was not offically confirmed, there’s every indication that TCM will travel the Road again in 2014.

THE MOST REQUESTED MOVIE BY TCM VIEWERS IS:

“LETTY LYNTON,” Tabesh said. “That’s one that, for legal reasons, hasn’t been available. Over time we try to clear those.”

The 1932 MGM film stars Joan Crawford, Robert Montgomery and Nils Asther, and has been unavailable due to a plagirism suit filed by playwrites Edward Sheldon and Margaret Ayer Bonds after the movie’s release. Dishonored Lady, the play upon which the court ruled LETTY LYNTON was too closely based, was made into a film of the same name by United Artists in 1947. That movie is in the public domain and can be viewed on Archive.org.

Update 5/12/13: AndyM108 on the TCM Message Boards points on that a better version of DISHONORED LADY is available on You Tube.

Richard Steiner reminded attendees that there were ways of getting their favorite films on TCM’s air, even if they have not previously aired on the channel.

“There is a section on the site called Suggest a Movie,” he said. “It gets incredible traffic. It’s amazing, the passion that people put in. My team looks at this a lot and, if there are (titles) that are routinely a regular suggestion, we’ll usually send those over to Programming.”

But don’t bother to suggest IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946), THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965), THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) or other titles aired by competing networks in high-profile, annual screenings. Thus inspires a discussion of the complex spiderwork of rights ownership…

SORRY. TCM CAN’T AIR EVERY CLASSIC MOVIE EVER MADE. 

Viewers often ask why TCM airs the films they air, and why they don’t air others. Robert Osborne attempted to clarify this during press day:

“Basically, what we have is the (pre-1986) MGM library, the pre-1950 Warner Bros. library (actually pre-1948), the entire RKO library and some of the United Artists films that we got, along with the MGM films, because they merged for a while,” he said.

A few clarifying points, to the extent that I understand them: Ted Turner’s $1.6 billion acquisition of MGM in 1986 brought the above-mentioned programming assets to Turner Broadcasting, and those libraries were used to program TBS, TNT and to launch TCM in 1994. However, when Turner sold his company to Time Warner in 1996, TCM effectively lost “ownership” of those assets, and was required to license them, along with every other film they broadcast.

TCM programming guru Charlie Tabesh (Photo courtesy TCM)

“We can’t license every classic movie ever made; financially, it’s impossible to do that,” Tabesh said during the Meet TCM Panel. “So we try to structure deals with all the studios where, in addition to the traditional way of licensing a film, say, for twelve months or two years, and getting a certain number of runs within that period of time, we say, ‘Let us also dip into your library for one run of a film maybe forty times per year.’ So we’ll go to Universal or Fox and we’ll say, ‘We’re not going to want to play this movie 12 times over the next two years. We’re just going to want to play it once when Bette Davis is our Star of the Month.’ And, by structuring our deals that way, that’s allowed us a lot more diversity and it’s allowed us to bring in films that we couldn’t.”

Beyond licensing, TCM also has certain content restrictions that may also affect programming decisions.

“We don’t edit the films, and that’s rare on basic cable,” Tabesh said. “But the price we pay for that is, if there are a lot of f-words or nudity we have to play it later at night. We take into account the West Coast. So we say, “After 10 p.m. West Coast time, which is 1 a.m. in New York, that’s really when we can get away with a lot more.”

This, of course, penalizes those of us in New York who have to wait until after midnight to watch movies that viewers in L.A. can enjoy during the latter hours of primetime. There is a potential solution to this, which leads to the next point….

TCM PLANS A WEST COAST FEED, POSSIBLE SECOND CHANNEL. 

Most national networks (cable and broadcast) offer separate East Coast and West Coast feeds, so viewers on both coasts can watch the primetime schedule beginning at 8  p.m. TCM does not, which means that hosted primetime programming with Robert Osborne kicks off at 5 p.m. on the left coast. Some cable and satellite providers offer both feeds of a given channel to viewers, effectively doubling their viewing options.

Jeff Gregor (Photo courtesy TCM)

Gregor suggested that TCM hopes to add a West coast feed, and that both channels could be available on certain cable systems simultaneously. So, in addition to primetime programming that actually airs in primetime on both coasts, some lucky viewers would have two TCM channels (are you listening, Time Warner?). And additional options may follow.

“If we get this (West Coast feed) out there perhaps that will start giving us a road map to another offering” he said. “I’m not saying there’s going to be another offering, but it’s going to give us the (opportunity) to think about it.”

Gregor offered no information on when the second feed will become available, or if carriage discussions had taken place with cable or satellite providers.

TCM DOESN’T CARE ABOUT RATINGS. 

Even since the channel formerly known as American Movie Classics stopped showing, well, American movie classics, and started airing commercials, some TCM viewers have feared the same fate. Conspiracy theorists bemoan broadcasts of more recent releases, suspecting a secret strategy to alter programming, even though a thorough review of the monthly schedule usually indicates a consistent breakdown by decade, month after month (with one obvious exception).

“There’s no specific agenda or intent to bring in newer movies,” Tabesh said. “It happens naturally some times, as we program thematically and we want to go in depth with whatever theme, whatever star we’re looking at. And sometimes that context leads us to newer movies.”

He went on to ackowledge that during one month of the year, he does intentionally program more recent fims.“(During) 31 Days of Oscar, which was a couple months ago, if the movie won an Academy Award, we’re not going to shy away from it if it’s more contemporary. And I think you’ll tend to see more contemporary movies in that month than you will in others,” he said. “There’s no cutoff date, no strict definition for classic, other than, ‘What’s the context in which we’re playing it?’”

Ben Mankiewicz backed up this perspective during the Wednesday afternoon event.

“We have a very open mind as to what makes a classic movie. It’s not really about years removed from a movie’s release that makes it okay,” the host said. “We always, always want to find something that will be relevant and emotional for our audience to see.”

“(O)ur programming won’t change,” Mankiewicz added. “Nothing is going to stop us from showing the movies we already show.”

On Wednesday, Tabesh was asked how much pressure he was under to generate high ratings.

“Zero. We don’t get ratings. We’re not even allowed to get ratings,” he said. “When AMC went commercial many years ago, the cable affiliates freaked out, because they were getting a lot of complaints from subscribers and they wanted to make sure that TCM never added commercials. And we’ve never have plans to add commercials. I think it’s actually written into some of our affiliate agreements.”

“It’s not only important from a business perspective that we remain commercial-free, but we know that is the core of the TCM brand,” festival managing director Genevieve MacGillicuddy added. “That’s extremely important for fans, for the network, for the vision of what the network is. And we’re very proud of having stayed true to what that vision was for the network when we launched in 1994.”

Tabesh added: “We’re not trying to reach a broad audience. We’re not trying to maximize the demo. We’re not trying to get the 18-34, whatever it is. There’s none of that that’s considered at all.”

So get off the ledge, people.

TCM’S AUDIENCE IS YOUNGER THAN YOU THINK.

“I think it came as a big shock to the bosses and the people at the channel that so many younger people were interested in these films,” Robert Osborne told the bloggers on Wednesday. “I think they thought it was only for people with gray hair.”

The next day, Jeff Gregor followed up on this, telling attendees that TCM had done “some demographic work” recently and discovered some things about audience composition.

“I don’t want to say it was a surprise,” he said. “But two-thirds of our audience is 18-54.”

Richard Steiner also offered some perspectives on the digital audience, which he said was larger and younger than some people might think.

Richard Steiner (Photo courtesy TCM)

“One of the perceptions about the digital presence is, it’s small and it’s old. That’s wrong. It’s a cross between very young teenagers – we have an index of teenagers that’s anywhere from ten to twenty percent some times, very high. It really crosses the entire spectrum,” he said. “The other thing is, we’re not small. Over two million people visit TCM.com or one of the digital products evey month – bigger than some of our sister networks sometimes.”

While the information content is rich on the website – Gregor called the TCMDb “one of the best movie databases that exists in the country, if not the world” and “on parallel to the Smithsonian and the Library of Congress” – multimedia is limited to trailers and short excerpts from films. The logical next step is figuring out how to monetize those 2 million visitors, likely by giving them an opportunity to watch complete movies on-line. Which leads us to our next point…

TCM IS LAUNCHING A STREAMING APP THIS SUMMER.

“One of the biggest, most consistent fan comments I read every month is, ‘When are you going to start streaming movies?’” Gregor said. “We’re working on that, in concert with our cable and satellite providers so that we’re within the contractual limits we have with them.”

Arguably, TCM is late to the party on this. Most national cable networks offer various options for streaming their programming on websites, through dedicated mobile apps (like HBO To Go), or on subscription-based services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, or Amazon Prime. The recently introduced, subscription-based Warner Archive Instant may have forced TCM’s hand a bit on this, considering that many of the titles available on WAC also air on corporate sibling TCM. In addition, a number of classic titles on Warner Archive Instant are available in true 1080p HD to owners of Roku streaming devices, which means they look and sound considerably better than they do when they air on Turner Classic. (TCM’s HD feed is largely upconverted standard definition content, which is a topic for another day.)

I’m a Warner Archive Instant subscriber and a Roku owner, and I recommend the service enthusiastically. It’s only $9.99 per month (with a two week free trial offer) and worth every penny. If TCM offered a similar service, I would be the first to sign up. But that would be a complicated endeavor. TCM doesn’t “own” any classic films, per se, so subscription-based, on-demand streaming delivery could require a separate set of negotiations with licensors.

The Warner Archive Collection, which has access to the vast Warner Bros. Entertainment library (including many titles acquired, or re-acquired, when Time Warner bought Turner in 1996) is better positioned for such a service, though the business model is still complex. A Warner Archive spokesperson shared some of those complexities with me via email:

“There is content to which we hold home video rights but not streaming, and there is content to which we have streaming rights but not home video. There are also circumstances where we own the content for all media, but music may not be clear for streaming. That being said, for the bulk of our library, we control all rights in all media…”

To be clear, Gregor did not definitively announce anything regarding streaming. But a Google search indicates that TCM intends to launch a free “TCM Network mobile app” that will allow existing cable subscribers to stream “all your favorite classic movies” to smartphones and tablets “after authenticating through your cable or satellite provider.”  HBO To Go uses this same authentication process, as do mobile/streaming apps offered by cable systems like Cablevision and Time Warner. (It’s actually not very complicated; all you ned to do is enter a subscriber number generated by your provider.)

The app is expected to launch “Summer 2013” (which is sort of here already) and appears to be branded TCM Now. There is no indication whether the app will simply stream the broadcast feed, or if it will offer titles on-demand. Everything I know about it is posted here on the TCM Mobile Apps page.

Update 5/15/13 –  According to TheWrap.com, Turner Broadcasting announced today at their upfront presentation for advertisers that TNT and TBS will begin nationwide streaming to smartphones and tablets this summer. In addition there is now a page on the TCM website for the TCM Now East Coast Live Stream (which does not appear to be live yet). Both of these developments further confirm that TCM’s live streaming app should be available shortly.

TCM IS CONSIDERING OFFERING TOURS OF CLASSIC MOVIE LOCATIONS. 

“We’ve been talking about doing a classic movie tour in different locations where movies have been made,” Gregor said.

No further details were offered, though the announcement was met with enthusiastic response. TCM recently introduced a very cool Hollywood Tour application for smartphones, which may give an indication of what locations are under consideration.  The app features a look at 100 points of interest including the motion picture studios, homes of the stars, celebrity hangouts, and shooting locations. The best part about it: it’s only $2.99 and you don’t have to ride around in some creepy guy’s van for two hours.

On the closing day of the festival, author and film historian John Bengtson presented a fascinating multimedia exploration of silent movie locations in southern California, including spots where Charle Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd filmed. I’d pay cash money for a tour like that, preferably led by John himself. I’d also love to take a TCM-branded trek to John Ford’s beloved Monument Valley (along the Arizona-Utah border) or a city like San Francisco, home to iconic films like VERTIGO, BULLITT, POINT BLANK and anything shot at Alcatraz.

Again, no further details have been provided at this time.

20 VIEWERS WILL BE GUEST PROGRAMMERS IN 2014, CELEBRATING TCM’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY.

Vice president of studio production Sean Cameron told attendees that TCM was “looking for ways to get the fans on to the channel” specifically by featuring viewers as on-air guest programmers.

Sean Cameron (Photo courtesy TCM)

“Our 15^th anniversary came up and we were inspired to put fifteen of our fans on the air during our anniversary week,” Cameron said. “The 20th anniversary is coming. For the 15th we had fifteen, for the 20th we’ll have…eighteen and a half. (laughter) No, twenty more next April.”

Cameron added that a number of the viewers chosen as guest programmers in the past had come from the message boards on the TCM website. Sounds like now would be a good time to sign up, if you’re not a member already. You can access the boards here.

“Charlie has found and stolen several ideas for programming from the message boards,” Cameron added. “We do pay attention.”

NOIR, TRUFFAUT, AND BILL HADER COMING TO FRIDAY NIGHT SPOTLIGHT. 

TCM’s recently introduced Friday Night Spotlight series is currently in its second month, with the delightful Illeana Douglas presenting a series of films that deserve a “second look.” The actress and granddaughter of actor Melvyn Douglas is also doing a great job of interacting with fans on Twitter, tweeting with the hashtag #TCMParty during broadcasts.

Illeana Douglas at TCMFF (Photo courtesy TCM)

Cameron said that Eddie Muller from the Film Noir Foundation will be the host for June, with a month-long focus on Noir Writers. Muller will present sixteen movies over four Fridays, each week focusing on different writers: Dashiell Hammett on June 7, David Goodis on June 14, Jonathan Latimer and James M. Cain on June 21, and Cornell Woolrich and Raymond Chandler on June 28.

In July, the Spotlight will shine on the films of François Truffaut with host David Edelstein, film critic for New York Magazine. That series begins on Friday, July 5 with THE 400 BLOWS (1959). Like Douglas, Edelstein was one of the guest hosts during Robert Osborne’s five-month hiatus in 2011.

In October, Saturday Night Live star Bill Hader will present a lineup of classic horror films. Hader is about to begin his third season as host of TCM Essentials Jr., the summer showcase series created and produced by Scott McGee. Cameron said that the month-long focus on fright films was Hader’s idea. (You can read my report on the upcoming season of Essentials Jr. here.)

“We’re getting some new faces, some new perspectives, all in an effort to draw more people in and just freshen up Friday nights,” Cameron said.

BONUS! BEN MANKIEWICZ’S FIRST TCM CONTRACT REQUIRED HIM TO WEAR A GOATEE. SERIOUSLY.  

“Item one…before money or length of service was, quoting directly, ‘Artist shall keep and maintain a goatee. Failure to keep and maintain a goatee shall be considered breach of contract by artist.’” Mankiewicz told us with a laugh on Wednesday.  “In the beginning, we had these debates about whether I could use a prosthetic goatee. I swear to God.”

Ben Mankiewicz in the contractually mandated “Goatee Era”

Mankiewicz explained that he didn’t wear the goatee when he was off-camera and eventually asked his superiors if he could shave it off.

“And they were like, ‘Yeah. Whatever. Sure.’ And I’m like, ‘You know it’s in the contract?’ And they claimed that it wasn’t. And I was like, ‘It’s in the contract (points to imaginary contract). You guys felt compelled to put it in!’”

He went on to say that, following “a change in management,” he was allowed a bit more freedom “to work in my own style.” TCM On-Air creative director Pola Changnon addresed that, referring specifically to the new set used for Mankiewicz’s intros, which are now recorded at the TCM studio in Atlanta (previously his weekend-only wrap-arounds were taped in Los Angeles):

“One of the things you have to do is think about the person ‘living there’ as if it is a real home,” she said. “I think it was identifying how he’s evolved with us over time here at the network, seeing how the space can reflect him as a more mature presence.”

She added: “Our vision at the network was that he moved from downtown L.A. to Santa Monica.”

And we couldn’t be happier about it.

“KID AUTO RACES? That’s Chaplin’s first short,” I said.

“Well, it’s the first one where he was in the tramp costume,” my fellow film fan corrected me. “His actual first one is MAKING A LIVING, where he played a swindler, not a tramp.”

“Oh, right,” I said, making a mental note to watch that DVD box set that’s been sitting on my shelf.

Did I mention that Shane Fleming, the Chaplin expert with whom I was speaking, is 9-years-old? Or that he was dressed up in costume as the Tramp? Or that Kiera Chaplin, the granddaughter of the legendary comedian, was standing six feet from us, chatting with 80-year-old filmmaker Melvin van Peebles, who was sporting a bowler hat and baggy pants?

No big whoop. It was just another installment of Film Forum Jr., the Sunday morning showcase of classic films for kids and families. Since January, Bruce Goldstein, the repertory  programmer at the best movie theater in New York City, has been minting the next generation of movie buffs with an artfully curated mix of comedies, silents (some with live accompaniment), science fiction (two so far in 3-D), musicals and even a few foreign classics (like Ozu’s I WAS BORN, BUT…). Many of the selections are far from obvious choices, but all are appropriate for children, and highly watchable for their grown-up escorts. And the folks at Film Forum very kindly allow childless old movie weirdos like me to join in the fun, as long as we don’t mind a bit of youthful ruckus.

And how could we mind, when the ruckus is as joyful and inspiring as it is at Film Forum Jr.? Like every screening I’ve attended during the series’ first four months, THE KID (1921) was sold out long before show time, with a healthy standby queue already forming at 10:30 in the morning. Adding to the fun was a Chaplin look-alike contest, wherein eight boys and three girls took to the stage with greasepaint mustaches, canes and a few pratfalls (intentional and otherwise). There was also a twelfth contestant, two-year-old Dashiell Frazier, dressed as Jackie Coogan’s titular “Kid,” complete with 1920s-era newsboy cap. (He cried when called up to stage, but didn’t seem to mind posing for pictures after the show.)

Goldstein frequently sweetens his selections with fun gimmicks that might make William Castle jealous: a Fay Wray Scream-alike contest after KING KONG, a crazy hat contest after EASTER PARADE, sing-alongs, costumed ushers, free popcorn, and fun shorts and cartoons. All movies are projected in 35 mm or DCP (no DVDs or Blu-rays masquerading as “digital projection”), and admission price for everyone is $7. Compare that to $21.50 for an IMAX 3-D screening of IRON MAN 3 at the AMC Loews Lincoln Square, and you’ll begin to understand why the only “autonomous non-profit cinema in New York City” has such a boffo hit on its hands.

Today’s program kicked off with an introduction from Goldstein, who wowed the audience at the TCM Classic Film Festival last weekend by producing (and acting in) a live recreation of the lost soundtrack to Frank Capra’s THE DONOVAN AFFAIR. (I called that event the “best thing I’ve seen in four years of attending the TCMFF.”)

“We’re going to have our Charlie Chaplin parade on stage, and we have some fabulous prizes, but don’t you dare go near that table during the movie!” he playfully admonished the crowd, which was a good mix of kids, caregivers, and the occasional middle-aged film blogger. “But first we have some other kids to show you, the Little Rascals!”

Goldstein knows, of course, that Hal Roach’s series of comedy shorts was actually known as Our Gang during its original theatrical run. But he’s also smart enough to acknowledge that most current DVD releases feature the name the series used during television broadcasts beginning in 1955. And now is not the time to get caught up in purism. They’ll be plenty of time for that after these kids are hooked. (I’m living proof of that.)

“None of this was shot digitally,” a mom in the front row whispered to her son as the lights went down. “See if you notice the difference!”

I don’t know if the kid noticed or cared how the film was shot. But what he did seem to care about is that PAY AS YOU EXIT, featuring Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Buckwheat and Porky, is a very funny film. In the 1936 one-reeler directed by Gordon Douglas, the gang (or, if you prefer, the “Rascals”) stage a production of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – they call it, Romyo and Jullet – with Alfalfa and Darla as the romantic leads. One problem: Alfalfa has been warming up his pipes by eating raw onions.

“I have to take care of my voice, don’t I?” he protests, as Spanky confiscates the stalk of leeks stashed in his shirt.

Onions don’t make for copasetic canoodling, so Darla storms off stage (to her trailer, I assume). She’s replaced by Buckwheat, who slaps on her blonde, pigtailed wig and calls Alfalfa “Homeo” is his (in)famously malaprop-laden speaking style. The ladder to Juliet’s balcony falls through the curtain and the show ends abruptly (and hilariously). But, as the Bard wrote “all’s well that ends well, because Spanky collected admission from every audience member as they exited (thus the title).

Like most native New Yorker classic film fans of a certain vintage, I watched The Little Rascals every day on WPIX Channel 11 when I was little. It was those shorts, along with the Three Stooges, that first introduced me to the magic of classic comedy, a genre that remains a favorite of mine today. Listening to a roomful of kids laugh at the same gags that cracked me up forty years ago was nearly tear inducing. But I controlled myself, because a crying, single, bald man in a room filled with little children might have been awkward for everybody involved.

“That’s Charlie Chaplin!” a little boy exclaimed as the Tramp made his first appearance in THE KID, fishing a baby out of a garbage heap.

Typically, there’s a fair amount of chatter during Film Forum Jr. screenings. Talking at the movies is a usually a deal breaker for me, but when you’re showing silent movies to kids who can’t read inter-titles yet, the rules of cinematic decorum go right out the (broken by Jackie Coogan) window. A dad behind me was doing color (or should I say black-and-white?) commentary for his young daughter, stage-whispering, “That’s the kid’s mom, but she doesn’t know it.” One boy yelled out “bully!” when little Jackie got into a street fight with a young tough, and everybody seemed to approve of The Kid’s propensity to fight back.

You’re probably familiar with the plot of THE KID, but just in case: a desperate young mother (frequent Chaplin co-star and real life love interest Edna Purviance) is forced to give up her baby, whom she leaves in the car of a rich family. But the car is stolen, and the bad guys dump the baby in an alley. There he is discovered by the Tramp, who raises The Kid (Coogan) to be his partner in (petty) crime, all the while nurturing him like a father. But the child takes ill, and the now-successful birth mom discovers that the moppet is her son. Things end sort of happily, as Charlie is welcomed into the home of The Kid’s wealthy new family, ostensibly to remain part of his life. (I probably should have said SPOILER ALERT, but if you don’t know THE KID why are you even reading this blog?)

Still, the conclusion is bittersweet, and my new friend Shane shared some thoughts about that with me after the screening.

“Some silent comedians have a string of gags, but (Chaplin) can really make you laugh so hard, but he can also make you cry just as hard,” he said. “Jokes get old. You laugh for ten seconds and then it’s over. But the heart really stays with you.”

Did I mention this kid was 9? Seriously, if anyone from TCM is reading this, you should book him as a guest programmer. I’ll be his agent.

After the film, Goldstein announced the contest judges: Van Peebles (the director of SWEET SWEETBACK’S BAADASSSSS SONG, which Bruce suggested would not be playing at Film Forum Jr.); the young (and extremely attractive) Miss Chaplin; Steve Sterner, Film Forum’s silent film accompanist (and a DONOVAN AFFAIR cast member); Chaplin expert John Martello; and Jane Scovell, author of Oona Living in the Shadows: a Biography of Oona O’Neill Chaplin. It was an absurdly august body for a 10-minute kids’ costume contest, but Film Forum rarely does anything halfway.

“I have a soft spot for the movie THE KID because, when I was four or five, I was convinced that Jackie Coogan was me. I thought that was me and my grandfather,” Kiera Chaplin told the audience. “(When) one of my cousins told me no, that was a boy, I was devastated.”

“I guarantee you’re not Jackie Coogan,” Goldstein shot back. “He grew up to be Uncle Fester on The Addams Family.”

The contestants took the stage – beneath a photo of a Chaplin Dress-Alike competition held in Bellingham, Washington in 1921 – and the winners were awarded Chaplin watches, dolls, Criterion DVDs and a book called Sir Charlie by Sid Fleischman.

“I read that book. It’s really good,” young Mr. Fleming announced

After the show, all the kids posed for pictures on stage, in the lobby, and outside the theater. A few of them chatted with Kiera Chaplin, who seemed pleasantly surprised by the whole affair.

Before he left I asked Shane Fleming what he wanted to be when he grows up.

“A film director,” the 9-year-old told me. “I’d like to make films like THE KID. Charlie Chaplin was a genius.”

The brother-and-sister comedy team of Matilda (age 5) and Shane (age 9)

Staying in character.

9-year-old silent comedy fan Shane Fleming talking to Kiera Chaplin and Oona O’Neill Chaplin biographer Jane Scovell

Filmmaker Melvin Van Peebles with two young Chaplin fans

2-year-old Jackie Coogan lookalike Dashiell Frazier with his proud papa (age unknown)

That’s not hyperbole. The beloved TCM host is the spiritual leader of classic movie fans, guiding an estimated 25,000 followers to the Promised Land every spring for four days of film and fellowship. The recently concluded fourth installment was my favorite yet, and the closest this lapsed Catholic has come to a religious experience since, well, the 2012 TCM Film Fest. And at the center of it all is the hardest working octogenarian in show biz.

Supposedly, Moses was 80-years-old when he led the Israelites out of Egypt. Osborne turns 81 today, but you’d never know it if you meet him in person. The affable emcee spoke with film bloggers the day before the festival commenced, rocking a sharp gray suit, powder blue shirt and paisley tie, his full head of silver hair stylishly slicked back off his forehead. In a word, he looked classic.

In recent years, the face of TCM has been absent from the channel’s air for lengthy stretches (five months off in 2011 and four weeks in 2012) leading to concerns about his health. Fellow host Ben Mankiewicz has increased his primetime presence, and is doing an excellent job after a decade with the network, but even he acknowledges that there’s only one Robert Osborne. Still, some viewers couldn’t help but wonder if a succession plan was already in effect.

I’m happy to report that, to my eyes, Osborne looked and sounded better in person than he has in years. I sat six feet from him at the press conference and he seemed rested, relaxed and ready to run a marathon. And that’s what the festival is for Osborne – a marathon. He spends four days greeting fans, posing for pictures, signing autographs, interviewing celebrities, introducing screenings, recording interstitials for broadcast, and generally carrying the kind of workload that might daunt a man half his age. And he does it with style, wit, and a command of classic film knowledge that is without equal. His respect and affection for the fans is evident in his every interaction and was on full display during his remarks at the press event.

“There are a lot of people who feel isolated, like they’re the only person who loves old movies,” Osborne said. “They think they’re the oddball, but then they come to the festival and find out there are all these other oddballs just like them!”

The assembled bloggerati  laughed in unison. After all, many of us had flown across the country at great expense to see movies our friends and family wouldn’t watch on TV for free. And not only that, we’d all be tweeting about it for four days and writing about it for weeks to come. And for most of us, those efforts would be entirely a labor of love.

“In Los Angles, New York, Chicago or San Francisco, it’s not that rare to see these movies on the big screen,” Osborne continued. “But there are so many people in this country who never get a chance to do that. The real way to see a movie is the way it was meant to be seen – on a big screen, in a theater with other people.”

The #TCMParty crew from Twitter at Grauman’s: (back row L-R) @willmckinley, @JoelRWilliams1, @AlanHait (front row L-R) @CitizenScreen, @Paula_Guthat

If you love the classics, it’s these “other people” who make the conclave such a memorable experience. In New York I’m spoiled by nearly a dozen venues in close proximity that regularly screen repertory titles. My girlfriend will accompany me now and then (if I beg, and promise her Milk Duds), but usually these are solitary experiences. The TCM Film Festival is designed to foster interaction, from the opening night party in the Blossom Room of the Roosevelt Hotel (site of the first Oscar ceremony in 1929), to trivia contests, to spontaneous conversations on queues outside the theaters (all of which are within walking distance). Over the years, many of these short-term interactions have grown into long-term friendships. And if you’re active in classic film circles on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr, the TCMFF can feel like a reunion, an annual opportunity to gush in person with fellow fans – without a 140-character limit.

Of equal importance is the technical quality of the source material presented at the festival. If you’re flying thousands of miles to watch movies, you are officially a film buff. And most film buffs care passionately about how the movies they love look. In this regard, the TCM Film Festival consistently delivers, year after year.

“We are very adamant that the prints we show are the best possible,” Osborne told us. “There was a time when it didn’t matter how many scratches or splices a print had. You were just glad to see it. But we’ve been kind of spoiled since then. So to see (a movie) in anything but a beautiful print is really not acceptable to most people anymore.”

During the course of his 30-minute chat, Osborne revealed other nuggets that fans might not know. For example, the native of Colfax, Washington is the co-owner of the Rose Theater, a movie house in Port Townsend, near Seattle. The theater began life in 1907 as a Vaudeville house, added moving pictures in 1908, and closed in 1958. Fully restored, the Rose re-opened to the public in 1992, and added a second screen, the Rosebud, three years later. Both have recently added digital projection, so Osborne understands first-hand the challenges of the transition from 35 mm film.

“(W)e were told by Disney and, I think, Fox that they weren’t going to be making 35 mm prints anymore. So if you wanted a Fox or a Disney film, you had to have digital. For a small town theater, it costs about $32,000 for a digital machine. And we have two theatres,” he lamented. “We did raise the money, but it’s going to put a lot of the mom and pop’s out of business. Small town theaters are going to disappear more and more.”

He added, “It’s very sad because people love to go to the movies, and that’s going to be cut out for a lot of people.”

Osborne also addressed the planned renovation of the former Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd – the flagship venue of the festival. As of this writing, work has already begun to transform that historic venue into one of the largest IMAX houses in the country while maintaining “the integrity of the building” and preserving “character defining features.” The TCMFF closing night screening of THE GENERAL will forever be remembered as the penultimate presentation in the theater’s 1958 configuration (the last major renovation, following the May, 1927 opening).

“I’m for anything they do in any city of any size that’s going to restore theaters and make them more relevant,” he said. “I have no idea what it’s going to be like or how it’s going to work. I just hope it works well. If it doesn’t work well, we just have to adjust to it and figure some place else.”

Osborne also raved about his recent work with the Academy Award-winning actress Cher on TCM’s new Friday Night Spotlight series, adding that she was “no diva” which he jokingly described as “a little disappointing.”

“We told her when we needed her to be in the studio, when we needed her to be on set. She was there, on time,” he said. “We’ve had to deal with a couple people who shall go nameless who were always asking for the mirror. But none of that with her.”

He also explained the film libraries to which TCM has access (Pre-1948 Warner Bros, RKO, pre-1986 MGM, certain United Artists titles, and others) and said that TCM is making greater headway with leasing films from Columbia Pictures, 20^th Century Fox, and Universal.

“They’re letting us have their movies now where, at one time, they were very protective,” he said. “Because, if they show them on TCM, people will become acquainted with them and want to buy them. So they can make money off them. We don’t care what the motive is, we’d just like to have our hands on some of those movies.”

The longtime columnist for The Hollywood Reporter (1982-2009) and author of 80 Years of Oscar: The Official History of the Academy Awards also shared his thoughts on the censorship regulations of the Motion Picture Production Code (a favorite topic of mine) and the state of modern movies. (SPOILER ALERT: He thinks the classics are better. Duh.)

“I don’t think movies have been improved by the fact that you can do or say anything on screen you want to say. Because it’s now, a lot of times, in the hands of people who don’t have any taste and don’t know where the limit should be,” he said. “There were certainly bad things about the studio system, bad things about censorship, but there were some good things about it too. They made better movies then. I don’t think there’s anything like wit on film anymore.”

The final question posed to Osborne regarded the demographics of the classic film fans at the festival. It’s been reported that an estimated two-thirds of attendees are 49 or younger, a fact that the 81-year-old doesn’t find surprising.

“I think it came as a big shock to the bosses and the people at the channel that so many younger people were interested in these films. I think they thought it was only for people with gray hair,” he said with a smile. “And that’s great, because you know these movies are going to be looked after and looked at for a long time. And they’re going to teach their kids to enjoy these movies.”

And then, in closing, he added the following: “Hopefully it will go on forever. “

And hopefully, so will Robert Osborne. Remember, Moses lived to be 120.

Photos courtesy of Turner Classic Movies

Even more striking than the size of the audience was its demographic composition. This wasn’t a persnickety collection of sallow-complected, middle-aged, revival house rats (although I was there, so there was at least one). It was a diverse crowd of young, stylishly dressed urbanites (some might even call them “hipsters”) out for weekend fun with friends. And they were choosing to spend the evening with Barbara Stanwyck, an actress who was dead before many of them were even born.

I’ve seen BABY FACE many times, and perhaps some others in the audience had as well. But based upon the reactions during and after, it seemed as though many were getting an introduction to the First-wave feminism of the Pre-Code Era.

“That was good,” a tattooed twenty-something seated in front of me said to her companion as the house lights came up. “We should watch more of these.”

For four glorious weeks, Film Forum’s recently completed retrospective 1933: Hollywood’s Naughtiest, Bawdiest Year provided daily discoveries for both the energized newbie and the wizened veteran (I fall somewhere in between). Sixty-six features (most in 35 mm) and countless cartoons, newsreels and vintage trailers unspooled in single-admission double features, with one marathon triple feature on the closing day of the series. For members of “the only autonomous nonprofit cinema in New York City,” a discounted $7 ticket brought an evening of expertly curated programming that was both entertaining and educational. It was like the most interesting survey course I never took in film school – with the best popcorn in the city. (I‘ve spent the last few weeks at the gym working off the “popcorn weight” I gained during the series.)

Of the thirty features I saw – trust me, I would have been there every day if my job didn’t take me out of town for two weeks – nearly half were entirely new to me.  Some I had meant to see for years, others I had never heard of. And I watched longtime favorites like BABY FACE with fresh eyes, because of the rare opportunity to see them with “civilian” audiences.

As every evangelist knows, the choir must be replenished from time to time with new congregants (whatever age they may be). While I love seeing old movies on the big screen at fan-oriented events like the TCM Festival, those audiences are already believers. There’s no moment of salvation, no baptism in the Church of Classic Film. The real fun happens at the moment of conversion.

While there was a core constituency of Old Movie Weirdos present during the 1933 series, there were also plenty of unfamiliar faces. Sometimes the revelations those audiences provided were positive, like the reminder that Busby Berkeley’s choreography is always awe-inducing, or that James Cagney is still a charismatic crowd-pleaser, or that the original KING KONG can capture the imagination of a child raised on computer-generated hyper-realism. (After a Sunday morning “Film Forum Junior” screening of Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack’s giant monkey masterpiece, a group of little boys pounded their chests and growled on the sidewalk outside the theater, just like I used to when I watched KONG on TV every Thanksgiving.)

In other cases, the epiphanies were less pleasant. The persistent laughter during a late Friday night screening of THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE surprised me, considering that the eponymous heroine is raped and Miriam Hopkins’ portrayal of the aftermath is painfully realistic, even for a Pre-Code. I attributed the lighthearted reactions to the timeslot, but it was also an important reminder that the presentational acting style of Studio Era films (particularly early Talkies) can take some getting used to. For some, it will always be hilarious, regardless of the subject matter.

For the record, I try not to audit audiences’ responses and tsk-tsk based upon my own opinions of propriety. I grew up with these movies and live with them daily; I accept the fact that unfamiliar viewers may need time to acclimate. Every purist started out as a rookie, even if we were watching The Little Rascals at age five and had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.

Some of the juiciest revelations in the 1933 series came from the guests and special programs that were sprinkled throughout the series.

At a screening of WILD BOYS OF THE ROAD, John Gallagher, co-author (with Frank Thompson) of the upcoming Nothing Sacred: The Cinema of William Wellman revealed that the film’s 37-year-old director “pursued” the 18-year-old female lead Dorothy (Dottie) Coonan, who soon after became Mrs. William Wellman. Gallagher also told the audience that Wild Bill “hated” Jack Warner and producer Hal Wallis, and left Warner Bros. after outgoing production chief Darryl F. Zanuck departed to form Twentieth Century Pictures. (Wellman would not make another film for Warner’s for more than two decades after WILD BOYS.)

Before DANCING LADY, Joan Crawford’s grandson Casey LaLonde presented excerpts from his grandmother’s home movies of the late ‘30s and provided insight into the life of a woman many know only from her daughter Christina’s infamous tell-all Mommie Dearest. LaLonde appears to be on a mission to rehabilitate his grandmother’s image, and poked fun at his aunt Christina – whom he has never met – while showing footage from her third birthday party. The home movies featured the earliest extant footage of Crawford in color, with startlingly bright red hair and a freckle-filled face. They also include some shots of the still-sexy thirty-something sunbathing au naturel at the home of her married boyfriend, New York Daily Mirror publisher Charles McCabe.

“That’s Joan’s first nude scene,” Lalonde said with a laugh. “First and only.”

A hot ticket I was not present for was the live recreation of the notorious lost film CONVENTION CITY, featuring fifteen actors, period music, stock footage and stills. Film Forum’s longtime repertory programmer Bruce Goldstein produced a similar event at the recent TCM Film Festival, with a live performance of the missing soundtrack to Frank Capra’s 1929 murder mystery THE DONOVAN AFFAIR. That screening was, by far, my favorite of the weekend, so I can only imagine what I missed at CONVENTION CITY (and curse my day job for making me miss it).

Other special screenings included a program of recently restored Vitaphone short subjects with historian and film preservationist Ron Hutchinson, a compilation of Betty Boop shorts from the famed Fleischer Studios, and Cartoon Cut-ups of 1933, a collection of rare animation curated by Greg Ford. (You can read my coverage of that event here.)

“Pre-Code” has become shorthand for sexy, and there was plenty of that on display at Film Forum. But what I love about this era in American filmmaking goes way beyond the salacious. There’s a refreshing, almost disconcerting candor to these films that was largely lost after enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code began in July of 1934. The best titles in this series demonstrated that, and still resonate with audiences today.

The 30 features I saw in the 1933 series were produced and/or distributed by nine different studios. Warner Bros. and its First National subsidiary led the pack with a combined twelve entries; MGM followed with five; four came from Paramount Pictures; RKO and Fox each provided two; and single entries came from United Artists, Columbia and Twentieth Century (which merged with Fox two years later). There were also two independently produced and distributed films.

The following are notes on ten of the films I saw (from Warner and First National), and how you can watch them at home (popcorn not included):

BABY FACE (Alfred E. Green, Warner Bros.)

With their gritty style and socially conscious sensibility, Warner Bros. was the preeminent producer of what we now call Pre-Code. And this one has come to be known as the masterpiece of the art form. Barbara Stanwyck plays Lilly Powers, a self-described “tramp” who, as the trailer brags, “made IT pay.” For 76 sexy, sinful minutes, Lily uses her unassuming, girl-next-door good looks to seduce a parade of patsies on her way to the top, culminating in a climatic montage of all the men she bedded, just in case you lost count. Costume designer Orry-Kelly tracks her ascent in a menagerie of gowns that get fancier and fancier as she moves up the ladder.

Even though the Code wasn’t actively being enforced at the time of the film’s release in December of 1933, edits were required by the New York State Censorship Board. Thankfully, the original, unedited version remains, and is available on DVD. It’s fun to compare the two, particularly the scene in which Cragg the Cobbler gives Lily a pep talk before she goes to the big city. What you see there, in microcosm, is everything that was wrong with the Code.

Look for a young John Wayne as one of Lily’s early conquests, and the great Theresa Harris as Chico, Lily’s sidekick. The equality of their relationship was way ahead of its time.

DVD: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 1 - w/ WATERLOO BRIDGE (1931) and RED HEADED WOMAN (1932)
Streaming: Amazon – $2.99

42^ND STREET (Lloyd Bacon, Warner Bros.) + GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (Mervyn LeRoy, Warner Bros.)

“You’re going out a youngster,” director Julian Marsh (Warner Baxter) tells green chorine Peggy Sawyer (Ruby Keeler) when she’s forced to replace the injured lead (Bebe Daniels) in 42^nd STREET. “But you’ve got to come back a star!”

This line is sometimes misquoted as the more definitive (and optimistic) “But you’re coming back a star!” As delivered by Baxter, who portrays the director in need of a comeback, it’s as much of a plea as it is a threat. This speaks to the underlying sense of sheer desperation that covers 42^nd STREET like a coat of greasepaint, a darkness that’s almost entirely lacking in GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933, released just weeks later.

Both films feature inventive choreography by Busby Berkeley, catchy tunes by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics), Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler as young lovers, and comic relief from Guy Kibbee and Ned Sparks. Both also address the challenges of the Depression, but GOLD DIGGERS (based on a play by Avery Hopwood) is a farce. While the My Forgotten Man number is a rousing yet downbeat ending, it’s nothing like the shot of a forlorn Warner Baxter sitting on the steps of the theater as the audience streams out at the end of 42^Nd STREET.

Apparently, the character of the director was gay in the book upon which 42^nd STREET is based. This is not addressed in the movie, save for one line from Warner Baxter. “Come on home with me, will you?” Marsh says to his assistant Andy (George E. Stone). “I’m lonesome.” Even in Pre-Code days, certain things were still off limits.

DVD: The Busby Berkeley Collection Volume 1 w/ 42^ND STREET (1933), FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933), DAMES (1934), GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (1933), and GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935 (1935)
Streaming: 42^nd STREET: Amazon  GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933: Amazon

HARD TO HANDLE (Mervyn LeRoy, Warner Bros.)

“I always knew the public was dumb, and they panned out even dumber than I thought!” smalltime con artist Lefty Merrill (James Cagney) says. After promoting a phony dance marathon with his girlfriend Ruth (Mary Brian) set up to win the $1,000 prize, Lefty’s partner Mac (John Sheehan) steals the money, and Lefty is forced to hustle to prove himself to his girl and her gold-digging mother, Lil (Ruth Donnelly). Our hero wears out his welcome in Southern California, and follows Ruth and her mom to New York, where he finally hits the jackpot. But his big score is a set-up, and Lefty ends up holding the bag on a shady land deal. Locked up for fraud, Lefty runs into Mac, who gives him an idea: what better way to sell grapefruit farms to the suckers than by creating a grapefruit diet craze? For once, his scheme finally pans out, but is it too late to win back his girl?

Mary Brian gets second billing here as Cagney’s girlfriend, but his real co-star is Ruth Donnelly as his money-obsessed prospective mother-in-law. Donnelly, a Warner contractee and frequent bit player, is given the best lines in the film, all having to do with her desperate search for a rich son-in-law. “All bridegrooms are slightly used,” she tells her daughter when she finds her boyfriend in a clinch with another girl. “We’re sneezing away a fortune!”

There are a lot of in-jokes as well, with Cagney once again cast as a sharpie (as in BLONDE CRAZY, released a year earlier) and the plot turning on grapefruits, a reference to his famous fruit assault in THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931). Just about everyone in this movie is a hustler which, to me, is what Pre-Code is all about. For my money, Cagney was never more fun to watch than in these early ’30s pictures. He may have refined his craft in later years, but in the early 1930s he defined the art of talkie acting.

DVD: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 5 (from Warner Archive) w/ MISS PINKERTON (1932), LADIES THEY TALK ABOUT (1933), and THE MIND READER (1933)
Streaming: n/a

PICTURE SNATCHER (Lloyd Bacon, Warner Bros.)

Danny Kean (James Cagney) trades prison stripes for ink stains and flash bulbs, as he tries to go straight as a photojournalist. Danny signs on at the Graphic News, the least reputable paper in New York (and that’s saying a lot), and uses his hustle and chutzpah to get scoop after scoop. All the while he’s got to fight off the dames: Allison, the editor’s girl (Alice White); Pat (Patricia Ellis), the daughter of the cop who sent him up the river; and Olive (Barbara Rogers), the moll of gangster Jerry the Mug (Ralf Harolde). When Jerry bumps off a couple of cops, Danny uses his criminal connections to get the story of the century. But is it too late for a happy ending?

Honestly, after seeing the trio of Cagney films as a triple feature at Film Forum, I had to re-watch them at home to keep them straight. I think this is my favorite of the three, mostly because of the supporting cast: Ralph Bellamy as the boozy editor, Alice White as his aggressively horny girlfriend, Sterling Holloway as a bespectacled journalism student, and Robert Emmett O’Connor as the cop father of Cagney’s girl. It’s also the most believable of the three, perhaps because it’s based on real events. Like Cagney’s character, a real life crime reporter secretly snatched pictures of the execution of a female prisoner at Sing Sing in 1928. But he probably didn’t do it with Cagney’s panache.

DVD: Warner Bros. Gangsters Collection Volume 3 w/ SMART MONEY (1931), THE MAYOR OF HELL (1933), LADY KILLER (1933), BLACK LEGION (1937), and BROTHER ORCHID (1940)
Streaming: n/a

MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM (Michael Curtiz, Warner Bros.)

Ivan Igor (Lionel Atwill) is a master sculptor who operates a wax museum in London in 1921. With the business failing, his partner Edwin Maxwell (Joe Worth) concocts a scheme to burn it down for the insurance money. Igor refuses but Maxwell sets the museum ablaze, with Igor inside. Disfigured but alive, the sculptor resurfaces in New York twelve years later, where he opens another wax museum. When a model commits suicide, a newspaper editor (Frank McHugh) sends girl reporter Florence Dempsey (Glenda Farrell) to investigate. Florence notices that the sculpture of Joan of Arc in the wax museum bears a striking resemblance to the dead model, whose body has gone missing. But Igor has plans for the reporter that involve a vat of boiling wax, and immortality as his beloved Marie Antoinette.

If this plot sounds familiar, it’s because MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM was remade twenty years later as the far more famous HOUSE OF WAX with Vincent Price in the Lionel Atwill role. Whereas HOUSE had 3-D as its gimmick, MYSTERY had the Technicolor two-color process, which was already out of date at the time of the film’s release. In fact, MYSTERY was the last feature film to use it.

DVD: Available as a special feature on the HOUSE OF WAX DVD from 2003
Streaming: n/a

EMPLOYEE’S ENTRANCE (Roy Del Ruth, First National Pictures)

“There’s no room for sympathy or softness!” bellows Kurt Anderson (Warren William), general manager at the Franklin Monroe Department Store. “My code is smash or be smashed!”

Anderson is universally despised by his 12,000 employees, but he’s keeping them all off the bread lines in the depths of the Great Depression. Desperate for a job, Madeline Walters (Loretta Young) meets Anderson in the store one evening after closing, and ends up spending the night at his palatial apartment. She’s rewarded with a modeling job, and catches the eye of Anderson’s protégé, Martin West (Wallace Ford). They secretly marry but, after a company party, a tipsy Madeline spends another night with the charismatic boss. The guilt overwhelms her and she tries to take her own life. Is this the end for the young lovers? And more importantly, why do girls always seem to go for assholes?

Pre-marital sex, infidelity, suicide, drunkenness, and Warren William – EMPLOYEE’S ENTRANCE has so many of the things I love about films of this era. But it’s far from my favorite Warren William vehicle, mostly because the “magnificent scoundrel” of Pre-Code is not particularly charming. At his best, William manages to be both caddish and sympathetic. But here, he’s cartoonishly villainous, spouting a collection of delightfully quotable lines that never coalesce into anything more than one dimension. I usually find myself on the side of William’s characters, despite (or sometimes because of) his ethical lapses. That’s not the case here, and I hate myself for it. How could I ever root for the bland young hero over the deliciously evil Warren William? But alas, I do. Maybe I’m supposed to feel that way, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it.

Although EMPLOYEE’S ENTRANCE is not my favorite Warren William film, there’s still plenty to like. Twenty-year-old Loretta Young is luminously sexy and deliciously complex as Madeleine. And Alice White is delightful (as always) as the pragmatic Polly, who “saved a couple” of scruples in the stock market crash and ends up cashing them in in in the salacious service of her boss. And the tight, 75-minute  potboiler has a wealth of quotable lines and a (mostly) happy ending for the bad guy – something you wouldn’t see much of after 1934.

DVD: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 7 w/ THE HATCHET MAN (1932), SKYSCRAPER SOULS (1932), and EX-LADY (1933)
Streaming: n/a

FEMALE (Michael Curtiz & William A. Wellman, First National Pictures)

To me, a woman in love is a pathetic spectacle,” says Alison Drake (Ruth Chatterton), CEO of the Drake Motor Car Company. Allison prefers her romantic dalliances to be businesslike affairs, after hours, with underlings. Everything changes when she meets handsome Jim Thorne (George Brent) at a carnival and he rebuffs her advances. Things get even more complicated when Allison’s new engineer shows up the next morning – and it’s Jim. She continues her pursuit but her new hire wants no part of it. “I was engaged as an engineer, not a gigolo,” he scolds. “I’m a man. I prefer to do my own hunting.” Will Allison give up her wanton ways for true love?

Although I enjoyed FEMALE, it’s unfortunately the worst kind of false feminism. Allison is portrayed as an unapologetically powerful female executive who turns into a gushy girl when she meets the right guy. “I’ve been expecting this for some time,” her first lieutenant Pettigrew (Ferdinand Gottschalk) says when she goes gaga for Jim. “You’re just a woman.” Come on. I know this is 1933, but don’t attract an audience with a suggestive premise and then deliver a sermon about “traditional values.” “Marriage and love and children – the things that women were born for,” Jim preaches to Allison. This character would never go for such a regressive male chauvinist, even in 1933.

DVD: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 2 w/ THE DIVORCEE (1930), A FREE SOUL (1931), NIGHT NURSE (1931) and THREE ON A MATCH (1932)

Streaming: n/a

HEROES FOR SALE (William Wellman, First National Pictures)

Tom Holmes (Richard Barthelmess) is a World War I hero who comes home with an addiction to morphine. He gets a job at a bank working for the father of the father of his old Army buddy (Gordon Wescott) – a coward who shirked his duties in battle and was rewarded with a medal that was rightfully Tom’s. His addiction gets the better of him and Tom is forced into rehab. Finally, he achieves success in Chicago, falls in love with Ruth (Loretta Young), and fathers a child (Ronnie Cosby). But business goes awry, his wife is killed and Tom is sent to jail. Will this “forgotten man” ever get the second chance he’s earned?

HEROES FOR SALE is a grim tale of the horrors of war, drug addiction, death, red panic and Depression-era despair. Barthelmess is excellent, and portrays the drug abuser as a sympathetic victim in a way that the movies would not do again until the 1950s. As with all the Warner/First National Pre-Codes, the supporting cast is uniformly strong. Charley Grapewin and Aline MacMahon as a father and daughter who manage a soup kitchen are standouts. This is one of my favorite William Wellman films, and a must see for fans of Pre-Code.

DVD: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 3 w/ OTHER MEN’S WOMEN (1931), THE PURCHASE PRICE (1932), FRISCO JENNY (1932), MIDNIGHT MARY (1933) and WILD BOYS OF THE ROAD (1933)

Streaming: n/a

WILD BOYS OF THE ROAD (William A. Wellman, First National Pictures)

Eddie (Frankie Darro) and Tommy (Edwin Phillips) are two small-town high school kids who take to the rails when the Depression strikes their parents. On the train they meet Sally (Dorothy Coonan, the future Mrs. Wellman) who dresses like a boy and talks tough. The kids get off in Chicago to stay with Sally’s Aunt Carrie, who just happens to be a hooker. But the kids don’t care, because she has some homebaked cake. When the brothel is raided by the cops, the kids head out once again, this time for Columbus, Ohio. There, tragedy strikes, Tommy is nearly killed by a train and another member of their growing community of wild boys (and girls) is raped. Finally, in New York, the kids end up unwitting accomplices in a crime. Will justice give them a second chance or turn them into criminals?

DVD: Forbidden Hollywood Volume 3 w/ OTHER MEN’S WOMEN (1931), THE PURCHASE PRICE (1932), FRISCO JENNY (1932), MIDNIGHT MARY (1933), and HEROES FOR SALE (1933)

Streaming: Warner Archive Instant  in 1080p high definition!

To be continued, with titles from MGM, Paramount, RKO, Fox, Twentieth Century, Columbia and United Artists…

The longtime Saturday Night Live cast member (perhaps best known for his club kid character Stefon) and star of films like SUPERBAD, NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2 and TROPIC THUNDER (none of which TCM will be airing anytime soon), will introduce 13 films on Sunday nights beginning June 2. The series airs at 8 p.m. (ET) and is produced by Scott McGee, who also created the franchise in 2006. Prior to Hader, hosts included John Lithgow (two seasons), Chris O’Donnell and Abigail Breslin (summer of 2008) and Tom Kenny (2007, when the program was known as Funday Night at the Movies.)

Here is the complete 2013 Essentials Jr. schedule:

June 2 – Melvin Frank and Norman Panama’s THE COURT JESTER (1956, Dena Enterprises, distributed by Paramount)
June 9 – Charles Crichton’s THE LAVENDER HILL MOB (1951, J. Arthur Rank/Ealing)
June 16 – Robert Mulligan’s TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962, Universal)
June 23 – Vincente Minnelli’s THE PIRATE (1948, MGM)
June 30 – Elia Kazan’s A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (1945, 20th Century-Fox)
July 7 – Jack Arnold’s THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN (1957, Universal)
July 14 – John Sturges’ THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960, United Artists)
July 21 – Jacques Tati’s MON ONCLE (1958, Gaumont)
July 28 – David Lean’s GREAT EXPECTATIONS (1946, Cineguild, GFD, Universal)
Aug. 4 – Leo McCarey’s RUGGLES OF RED GAP (1935, Paramount)
Aug. 11 – John Ford’s THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940, 20th Century-Fox)
Aug. 18 – Blake Edwards’ THE GREAT RACE (1965, Warner Bros.)
Aug. 25 – Frank Capra’s IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934, Columbia)

And for the obsessive-compulsive among you, here’s the breakdown in terms of decade, with comparisons to the lineups for the last two years:

1920s – 0 (Boo.They aired THE CIRCUS last year and THE GENERAL in 2011.)
1930s – 2 (3 in 2012 and 8 in 2011!)
1940s – 4 (4 in 2012 and 2 in 2011.)
1950s – 4 (4 in 2012 and 2 in 2011.)
1960s – 3 (1 in 2012 and 0 in 2011)

The biggest change during Hader’s tenure seems to be the decreasing emphasis on films of the 1930s. During his first season as host in 2011, the Essentials Jr. lineup contained 8 selections from the ’30s: ROBIN HOOD, STAGECOACH, KING KONG, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, HORSE FEATHERS, THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, GUNGA DIN, and MY MAN GODFREY. Last year there were three: THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE INVISIBLE MAN, and 42ND STREET. This year there will be only two: RUGGLES OF RED GAP and IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT. Considering that the 1930s is my favorite decade in film, I find this to be an unfortunate development, though not a surprising one.

The lack of horror movies and silent comedies – always popular with kids –  is also disappointing, but the big news is that three of the 13 selections this year are foreign: THE LAVENDER HILL MOB, MON ONCLE, and GREAT EXPECTATIONS. Tati’s MON ONCLE is largely dialogue free, but it’s still a French film. I don’t think I saw a foreign classic until I was in college, so kudos to TCM for helping parents expose their kids and grandkids to great old movies that were not produced in the United States. I can think of no better way to do that than with Monsieur Hulot.

It’s also good to see TCM licensing the rights to films that are not part of the network’s core library, like THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN. When I chatted with Hader for a podcast last year, he told me that John Sturges’ film was one his father had shown him as a child.

The 35-year-old funnyman continues to further his relationship with the network with live appearances scheduled for the upcoming TCM Classic Film Festival. He’ll be introducing Alexander Mackendrick’s THE LADYKILLERS (1955, Ealing) on Saturday, April 27 at 9:15 a.m. and George Stevens’ SHANE (1953, Paramount) later that day the historic TCL Chinese Theatre (which I still call Grauman’s and will until I die).

Here’s a poster gallery of the 2013 Essentials Jr. selections. Collect them all!

And finally, to whet your appetite, here’s the trailer for my favorite of this year’s selections, Tati’s MON ONCLE:

In the meantime, here are some pictures of stars Dana Wynter, Mel Ferrer, Theodore Bikel, Dolores Michaels, Maggie Hayes, James Edwards, and Luis Van Rooten to whet your appetite.

Mel Ferrer and Dana Wynter “meet cute.”

A Russian general (Theodore Bikel) serenades the woman he attempts to rape in the movie. Ah, publicity shots!

Blonde stunner Dolores Michaels gets third billing, though she doesn’t have much to do. I wonder if she was somebody’s girlfriend?

I watched the movie two times, and I have no idea who these guys are.

Maggie Hayes secretly wishes she had long hair.

American soldiers save Erika (Dana Wynter) from a creep who is trying to pimp her out.

Dolores Michels smokes in every scene she’s in. Seriously, was she dating Zanuck? I bet she was.

Mel Ferrer asks Dana Wynter for her autograph.

Her father dies, her cousin is murdered, she’s forced into prostitution, her fiance loses his arm and rejects her, and her country is defeated in war. And yet, everything ends happily for Erika! Such is Hollywood.

This is something I look forward to – and dread – all year long.

Now that the schedule for the upcoming TCM Classic Film Festival has finally been released, the impossible choices must begin. And, with more than 100 screenings and special events spread over just 82 hours, I have to come to terms with an unfortunate reality: I will miss most of them.

And that’s the way TCM wants it.

“You want people to have to make hard decisions,” host Ben Mankiewicz told me before the third annual conclave last spring. “You want people to suffer. It’s not out of cruelty; it’s just what works best for a festival. That’s how you keep events well attended and people feeling like, ‘Oh my God. I gotta come back next year!’”

From my perspective, nobody has to worry about classic film fans wanting to come back again, year after year. This marks my fourth annual pilgrimage to the Mecca of Old Movie Weirdos, and I’ll probably keep going until Kim Jong-un sinks Los Angeles into the Pacific. (At that point TCM will hopefully move the Festival to New York, which is far more convenient for me. I’m not saying I’m rooting for anything, but still. You gotta look on the bright side.)

Every year, thousands of film fans – TCM doesn’t reveal how many, though 25,000 is a number that’s been reported in the past – pay between $20 for individual walk-up tickets and $1599 (!) for the super-duper Spotlight pass, plus airfare, lodging, and food (mostly popcorn and protein bars), just so they can watch films normal people probably wouldn’t even sit through at home on TV. For free.

That’s what makes it special, of course. Whether you’re a new fan or a veteran film buff, we all have this sort-of-secret hobby few others share. Those of us who have obsessively loved old movies since childhood know that it can be a lonely avocation. But for one weekend, you can ask a random stranger which Marx Bros. film they like the best, and they won’t reply, “Who are the Marx Bros?” Instead they may ask, “Paramount or MGM? Four brothers or three? With or without Margaret Dumont? And do you count LOVE HAPPY?”

“Hell is other people,” Jean-Paul Sartre wrote, and I can’t say I disagree. But, for one weekend out of the year, interacting with other people can be like heaven.

What is hellish, however, is the process of selecting the movies and events you’ll be attending, particularly if you’re as obsessive-compulsive as I am. I’m sure it’s not as torturous as listening to your Facebook and Twitter buddies brag about all the great screenings they’re attending while you sit in your cubicle at work hating your life. (I apologize in advance for that.) But still, it’s tough.

And that’s where I come in. I’ve spent most of the last 48 hours scrutinizing the schedule, so you don’t have to. I’ve reviewed and researched all the events and planned a course of attack that maximizes available time and minimizes unnecessary time wasters like sleeping, eating, and waiting on line. Remember: you didn’t fly across the country to sleep late! You flew across the country to see some of the greatest movies of all time in some of the most historic venues in film history, with thousands of like-minded new friends.

That’s my way of saying, “Go to as many movies as your body can stand!” PROTIP: Caffeine is your friend, and eating will just make you sleepy.

Personal taste is the largest decided factor in movie viewing, and the TCM Fest is no different. And your taste will almost definitely differ from mine. However, the once-in-a-lifetime screening opportunities the Festival provides may make you a fan of a film, actor or genre you’ve never even considered watching before. Go out of your comfort zone, and you may find a whole new vein of cinematic gold to mine when you get home.

First, some overall facts: there are approximately 84 films and 16 special events scheduled over the four days of the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival. Of those, 41 will be screened on film (35mm and 70mm), 38 in “digital” and 5 still to be announced. (TCM leaves a handful of slots open on Sunday for repeat showings of popular titles that “sold out” and had to turn away substantial numbers of attendees.).

In the version of the schedule posted online, TCM has not indicated which, if any, of the “digital” screenings will be presented using consumer grade source material, like a Blu-ray or DVD. In my experience, the only digital content that does not come from professionally mastered, high-resolution DCP files is the opening night poolside screening at the Roosevelt Hotel. Sometimes rare clips or short subjects for special programs are projected from disc sources as well, but those are special cases.

Outside of the pool screenings, I’ve always found the quality of the projection at the TCM Film Festival to be flawless. We can argue about the inherent differences between 35mm and digital projection until we’re Blu-rayed in the face, but DCP is here to stay. Mindful of that, TCM should avoid catchall terms like “Digital” and use industry standard terminology like DCP at all times. By not doing so they miss an important opportunity to educate their viewers and pass holders, many of whom are trepidatious about the transition.

And the transition is most definitely happening. At the first TCM Fest in 2010, only 4 announced feature films were projected in DCP. In 2011, the number increased to roughly 12. Last year, it more than doubled, to approximately 30. This year it’s 38. Mindful of the purists’ preference for celluloid, TCM has announced at least four titles that will be screened in newly struck 35mm prints, courtesy of the Academy Film Archives: NARROW MARGIN, ON THE TOWN, THE DONOVAN AFAIR, and TARZAN FINDS A SON!

If 4 of the 5 TBAs this year end up being digital, this will be the first-ever TCM Classic Film Festival in which the majority of the films are not actually screened on film. I’ll take a moment here to allow some of you to punch the wall and/or cry a silent tear.

UPDATE 4/24/13 - Chris Robinson, Print Manager for the TCM Classic Film Festival, tells me that “all of the TBAs will be 35mm so the majority of films will still be on film.” So the purists can breathe a sigh of relief. Chris also adds that “(t)he TCM pocket program guide will actually go into a bit more detail on the ‘digital’ screenings and will outline what is showing on DCP or HDCAM.” Kudos to TCM on that.

Next, the breakdown of this year’s TCMFF titles by decade:

1950s – 24
1940s – 15
1960s – 13
1930s – 11
1970s – 7
1920s – 4
1980s – 3
2010s – 1

Final numbers will vary when you factor in the TBAs and the Bugs Bunny shorts, but these percentages match pretty closely the on-air breakdown in an average month. Compared to last year, the big loser is my favorite cinematic decade, the 1930s. At TCMFF 2012, 19 announced screenings (17 plus two repeats) were from the ‘30s. This year it’s down to 11. The beneficiary is the 1950s, which jumps from 15 films to 24. Why? Probably because many of this year’s guests appeared in films made during that decade.

Interesting fact: unless I’m missing something, no movie from the 1990s has ever been presented at the Festival. That’s the only ten-year period since the advent of film that holds that distinction. I vote that TCM corrects the omission next year with a twentieth anniversary screening of Tim Burton’s ED WOOD, one of the best movies about making movies ever made. It’s also set in the 1950s and filmed in black & white, which may make it more palatable for some of the more strident attendees.

This year, films will be screened in eight venues: the historic TCL Chinese Theatre (which I will always call “Grauman’s Chinese,” regardless of who has paid for naming rights), the completely un-historic Chinese Multiplex next door (which has three auditoriums dedicated to TCMFF), the Egyptian Theatre, the Cinerama Dome, and the Roosevelt Hotel (for the opening night poolside screening only). This year, the El Capitan Theater (built by Sid Grauman in 1926) has been added to the mix, and will be home to three high profile unspoolings. On Friday at 9:15 AM the beautifully restored movie palace will host George Cukor’s MY FAIR LADY (1964). On Saturday, Disney’s LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) rolls at 1:15 PM, followed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s GUYS AND DOLLS at 3:30 PM.  (I’ll bet you $5 Ben Mankiewicz intros that last one.) All of these screenings are “digital,” as is every screening at Grauman’s Chinese. If that is a consideration for you – and it still is for many classic film fans – plan accordingly.

And now, my picks. I’ve split the entire schedule into 18 separate programming blocks, and indicated the competing choices available at those times. I’ve also included the venue, screening format and any guests who may be in attendance.

Obviously, celebrities will play a big role when you make your viewing choices. Not to be pessimistic, but when you’re talking about people in their 80s, 90s, or older – last year Carla Laemmle from DRACULA was 102 – there’s no guarantee of seeing them “next time.” At the first TCMFF in 2010 I made a habit of leaving screenings early or arriving late to catch certain guests. I must not have been the only one to do that because, as of year 2, staff members began closing the auditorium doors and denying entrance ten or fifteen minutes after a screening’s start time. And that’s for the best, really.

Go see a movie and watch it all the way through. Otherwise Robert Osborne may need to take you aside for a little “chat.”

Block 0: Thursday 1:00 PM – 7:00 PM (3 events)
1:00 PM Meet TCM Staff Panel
3:00 PM So You Think You Know The Movies w/ Bruce Goldstein (historian)
5:00 PM Opening Night Party

Before activities at Club TCM at the Roosevelt kick off at 1 PM, I strongly advise that you eat lunch. Because, if you’re like me, this may be your last sit-down meal until Monday. There are two restaurants within the hotel that are convenient and not absurdly over-priced. 25 Degrees, a burger joint, is right in the lobby of the hotel on Hollywood Blvd. You can sit at the counter and be in and out in less than 30 minutes. There’s a fancier restaurant in the back of the lobby called Public Kitchen and Bar, but I’ve never been there.There are also fast dining options in the mall across the street (next to Grauman’s Chinese), like Johnny Rockets, California Pizza Kitchen, etc.

UPDATE 4/17/13 - TCMFF attendees will get a 10% discount at the Roosevelt hotel restaurants, and when ordering room service. Alcohol is excluded, so if you were planning to go on a Ray Milland-style bender, you’ll be doing it at full price.

In addition to the afternoon events, the TCMFF has, in past years, offered buses to the Warner Bros. Lot in Burbank for a studio tour (for an additional fee). There are also plenty of historic venues you can visit on your own, if you prefer.

Official Fest events kick off with the Meet TCM panel at 1. I missed this last year, but in 2011, senior writer/producer (and TCM podcast host) Scott McGee moderated, and five TCM staffers participated. If you’re interested in how the network makes programming decisions, this is a must-see event. Plus, every fan who attends gets to be guest programmer for a night in 2014. (I made that last part up, but it’s a really, really good idea.)

Also, between 1 and 3 PM, TCM will be recording interviews with celebrities and pass holders at the Roosevelt stage (in the hotel lobby, with Robert Osborne) and poolside with Ben Mank. (Interview taping also takes place at the Roosevelt stage on Friday from 12-2 PM and on Saturday between 1-4 PM.)

So You Think You Know The Movies at 3 PM is a live, classic film-related game show moderated by Bruce Goldstein, longtime repertory programmer at New York’s Film Forum (my home away from home). Because the game is played in teams of as many as 8 members, this a great way to break the ice and make movie buddies for the weekend. And single people remember: there are plenty of eligible bachelors and bachelorettes of all ages and orientations at TCMFF.  They’re as weird as you are, and everybody’s wearing “euphoria goggles.” Don’t let opportunity pass you by!  It wouldn’t kill you to skip one screening for a dinner date at Musso and Frank’s.

UPDATE 4/24/13 - I got a press release today announcing that there will be a “(s)pecial announcement and unveiling by TCM host Robert Osborne” at 4:45 PM at Club TCM. More details on this to come!

The Opening Night Party (which starts at 5 PM at Club TCM) is another must, if only to check out everyone in their finery. There’s no dress code, but folks (particularly those attending the gala screening of FUNNY GIRL) will likely wear something fancy. Drinks are not free, nor are they cheap. So if you like to get a Nick Charles-style buzz on to get in the classic film spirit, plan accordingly.

BLOCK 1 – Thursday 6:30 PM – 10:30PM (5 screenings)
6:30 PM FUNNY GIRL(1968) World Premiere Restoration at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital.
6:30 PM THE KILLING (1956) w/ Colleen Gray (actress) at Multiplex 1. Digital.
6:30 PM NINOTCHKA (1939) w/ Nicola Lubitsch (family member) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
7:00 PM ROAD TO UTOPIA (1946) w/ Greg Proops (comedian) at Multiplex 4. 35mm.
7:30 PM SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) w/ Mitzi Gaynor (actress), France Nuyen (actress) at Roosevelt Hotel Pool. Digital.

One big factor prevents me from making a definitive judgment about this first programming block: the lack of announced guests for the screening of the 45^th anniversary restoration of William Wyler’s FUNNY GIRL (1968). Last year, stars Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, and Michel York all were in attendance for the opening night premiere of the restored CABARET (1972). I don’t believe TCM would have selected this film if they didn’t have at least some indication from Barbra Streisand and/or Omar Sharif that they would attend. Maybe they’ve held off making an announcement because they think they’ll get a bigger bang for the promotional buck by having it be a “surprise” appearance. Regardless, it doesn’t make much sense to reveal it now, since every pass that will get you into that screening is already sold out. If neither of them attends, however, this is an easy skip. A Blu-ray is coming April 30.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – Lou Lumenick reported that Sony confirmed Streisand’s non-appearance at TCMFF “because of her Lincoln Center tribute three days earlier.” So that pretty much settles that.

Stanley Kubrick’s THE KILLING (1956) is an engaging noir about a racetrack heist gone wrong. I’ve seen it recently in DCP, and it looks great. But the biggest reason to attend this screening is Colleen Gray (age 90), who plays the wife of the small time hood (Sterling Hayden) who tries to pull off one last job. Gray also appeared in another excellent noir, Henry Hathaway’s KISS OF DEATH (1947) opposite Victor Mature. I would love to hear her talk about both films.

Ernst Lubitsch’s NINOTCHKA (1939) w/ Greta Garbo and Melvyn Douglas is one of the  greatest comedies of all time, and a personal favorite. Lubitsch’s daughter Nicola will introduce this screening, which definitely piques my interest. According to Wikipedia, Nicola Lubitsch was a passenger on the S.S. Athenia, the first British to be sunk by the Germans in WW II. She probably doesn’t remember much about it though, considering she was ten months old at the time.

Hal Walker’s ROAD TO UTOPIA (1946) is the fourth film in the Hope/Crosby/Lamour “Road” series. It’s a very meta comedy, with some hilarious bits from humorist Robert Benchley and an inventive flashback structure. But I don’t know how much classic film fans care about comedian Greg Proops, and I suspect this will draw the smallest crowd of the five options. TCM appears to agree, since they’ve booked it in the smallest auditorium at the Chinese Multiplex, with only 177 seats. Skip this and get the first four “Road” movies in a DVD box from Amazon for under $15.

Joshua Logan’s SOUTH PACIFIC (1958) screens poolside at dusk, with stars Mitzi Gaynor (age 81) and France Nuyen (age 73) participating in a pre-movie chat (usually emceed by Ben Mank). This adaptation of the 1949 Broadway musical, with songs by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, is an essential classic, though I find the pool screenings to be less than optimal from a technical, environmental, and seating standpoint. If you want to skip this but you feel bad about missing Mitzi Gaynor, she’ll also be appearing on Friday at 5:30 PM at Club TCM, presenting some of her home movies. There is no other scheduled appearance for France Nuyen, as far as I can tell.

My Pick: THE KILLING - 2nd Choice (rev’d): NINOTCHKA

BLOCK 2 – Thursday 9:00 PM – 11:15 PM (3 screenings)
9:00 PM FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) w/ Bruce Feirstein (screenwriter) at Multiplex 1. Digital.
9:15 PM SUMMERTIME (1955) w/ Matt Tyrnauer (historian) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
9:30 PM SAFE IN HELL (1931) w/ Donald Bogle (historian), William Wellman Jr. (actor/family) at Multiplex 4. 35mm.

This is the least-populated block of the weekend, for two reasons: Grauman’s only shows one film on opening night, and the Egyptian doesn’t become a TCMFF venue until Friday morning. Plus I think TCM likes the start things off slowly, to give attendees a chance to acclimate and maybe even (gasp!) eat.

Terence Young’s FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963), the second 007 film, looks great in DCP, and Bond films are always fun to watch with big crowds. Plus, Bruce Feirstein, screenwriter of GOLDENEYE, TOMORROW NEVER DIES, and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH will be in attendance. According to IMDB, he also wrote the video game version of FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE, if you care about such things.

Based on Arthur Laurents’ play The Time of the Cuckoo, David Lean’s SUMMERTIME (1955) stars Katharine Hepburn as an American spinster (unmarried at age 48!) who has an affair with a handsome Italian (Rossano Brazzi) while on vacation in Venice. This is an important film in terms of its impact on the Production Code (Hepburn sleeps with a married man and doesn’t have to atone for it), but it’s not a favorite of mine. The screening will be introduced by journalist and documentarian Matt Tyrnauer.

William Wellman’s SAFE IN HELL (1931) is a favorite, and it’s one of the most stunning Pre-Code movies I’ve ever seen. (I wrote about it here.) Dorothy Mackaill stars as a prostitute on the lam who holes up in a squalid hotel on a tropical island, where every man is a creepy predator. Writer and actor William Wellman Jr. (the director’s son) is always an interesting guest, as is African American film historian Donald Bogle, who will likely focus on the delightful and unusually nuanced (for the era) performances by black actors Nina Mae McKinney and Clarence Muse.

My Pick: SAFE IN HELL – 2nd Choice: FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

BLOCK 3– Friday 9:00 AM – 1:30PM (6 Screenings)
9:00 AM THE SWIMMER (1968) w/ Marge Champion (actor), Allison Anders (director) at Multiplex 1. Digital.
9:15 AM THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) at Egyptian. 35mm.
9:15 AM I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING (1945) at Multiplex 4. 35mm.
9:15 AM MY FAIR LADY (1964) w/ Theodore Bikel (actor) at El Capitan. Digital.
9:30 AM LIBELED LADY (1936) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
9:30AM BEN-HUR (1959) w/ David Wyler (family) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital.

The first morning of TCMFF is always the hardest. If you’re like me, you were buzzing with excitement the night before and went to bed late. Or maybe you went out drinking with your newly minted Old Movie Weirdo friends, and you’re hungover. Either way, grab a coffee and head to the movies.

Frank Perry’s THE SWIMMER (1968) stars Burt Lancaster as a Connecticut ad executive who swims home via his wealthy neighbors’ pools. I’ve never seen this film, but it sounds quirky and amazing.  Cast member Marge Champion (still spry at age 93) will appear, along with indie director Alison Anders (GAS FOOD LODGING).

Charles Laughton’s THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955) is based on a novel of the same name about a malevolent preacher in the early years of the Great Depression. It’s also one of the best films every made. (I know people say that all the time, but this time it’s true.) Robert Mitchum stars as Rev. Harry Powell, with L-O-V-E and H-A-T-E tattooed on the knuckles of his hands. In case you haven’t guessed, I L-O-V-E this movie. If you haven’t seen if, this is a M-U-S-T.

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING! (1945) is a romance set in Scotland with Wendy Hiller and Roger Livesey (from THE LIFE AND DEATH OF COLONEL BLIMP). I’ve loved all the P&P films I’ve seen, and I’ve never seen this one. But there’s no guest, and it’s in a small auditorium, so I think I will pass.

George Cukor’s MY FAIR LADY (1964) with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison is a film most TCM viewers have seen frequently. I just saw it myself, in 70mm, at The Film Society of Lincoln Center. But if you only have time to see one film at the El Capitan, this should probably be it. I won’t be there, though.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – Theodore Bikel (Zoltan Katpathy) has been added to this screening. The 88-year-old actor and singer was originally scheduled to appear only at the closing night screening of THE AFRICAN QUEEN.

Jack Conway’s LIBELED LADY (1936) with William Powell, Jean Harlow, Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy is great fun, but easily available on DVD and TCM. The next airing is May 30 at 12:30PM (ET), so I will curb my 1930s bias and skip this.

William Wyler’s BEN-HUR (1959) is perhaps the most famous Biblical epic ever produced, and Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd have some super hot chemistry. The DCP was mastered from an 8K scan of the original negative and looks stunning. I saw it at the New York Film Festival last year, with members of the Wyler family in attendance, so I will skip this. But there’s no better way to see a great Hollywood epic than with 1,100 people at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.

My Pick:  THE SWIMMER - 2nd Choice: THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER

BLOCK 4 – Friday 11:30 AM – 1:30PM (4 screenings + 1 event)
11:45 AM VOYAGE TO ITALY (1954) U.S. Premiere of English Language Restoration w/ Matt Tyrnauer (historian) at Multiplex 1. Digital.
11:45 AM SUDDENLY, IT’S SPRING (1947) World Premiere Restoration w/ Kate MacMurray (family) at Multiplex 4. 35 mm.
12:30 PM Carl Davis & Kevin Brownlow at Club TCM
12:00 PM THE NARROW MARGIN (1952) w/ Jacqueline White (actress) at Egyptian. 35mm.
12:00 PM RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954) w/ Stanley Rubin (producer) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.

Roberto Rossellini’s VOYAGE TO ITALY (1954) is a little-seen Italian film with Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders as an estranged English couple trying to sell an inherited villa. It apparently didn’t do well at the box office, but it’s much loved by Scorsese, and this is the premiere of a restoration of the English language version by the Cineteca di Bologna. Tempting, but I think I’ll save this one for the inevitable Blu-ray.

UPDATE 4/17/13 - VOYAGE TO ITALY will begin a nine-day run at Film Forum in New York on Wednesday, May 1. Isabella Rossellini, daughter of the director and star, will introduce the 7:30 PM show on opening night. This suggests that the restored film may have theatrical life at revival houses around the country in the days and weeks after TCMFF, so check your local listings before you make your decision about this block.

SUDDENLY, IT’S SPRING (1947) is a Paramount romantic comedy from director Mitchell Leisen with Fred MacMurray, Paulette Goddard, and MacDonald Carey (later an original cast member of Days of Our Lives). Three reasons this should be your choice: it’s apparently unavailable on DVD, it’s recently been restored, and Fred MacMurray’s daughter Kate will be at the screening. She now lives on the ranch her father bought in 1941 (in a cabin he built) and helps to run the MacMurray Ranch Vineyard.

One note: I wish TCM would not schedule two restoration premieres against each other.

If you’re a silent film fan, the choice for this block is obvious: Carl Davis and Kevin Brownlow at Club TCM.  Brownlow is the patron saint of silent film, and Davis is one of the most respected composers and conductors of music for the art form. Much as I would enjoy hearing them talk, I have a hard time choosing a panel discussion over a screening. In the past three TCMFFs I’ve attended, I’ve never done it. Although maybe this is the one to break my streak.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – TCM issued the following announcement today on the Festival website: “Due to unforeseen circumstances, we regret to announce that Carl Davis will be unable to join us in person at this event.” The Club TCM Q&A is now listed as A Conversation with Kevin Brownlow, and the interview will be conducted by Cari Beachamp.

Richard Fleischer’s THE NARROW MARGIN (1952) is a tight, 71-minute noir set mostly on a train with the raspy voiced Charles McGraw and the delightfully badass Marie Windsor as a gangster’s Mrs. (or IS she???) I love this movie and cast member Jacqueline White (age 90) is in attendance. Plus it’s a brand new 35mm print from Academy Film Archive and it’s playing at The Egyptian, which is my favorite TCMFF venue.

Otto Preminger’s RIVER OF NO RETURN (1954) is a gorgeous Technicolor film in CinemaScope with Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum. Producer Stanley Rubin will be on hand and will likely have lots of juicy stories about the battles between Preminger and Monroe during the making of the film. Preminger biographer Foster Hirsch will also likely be in attendance, though he’s not yet been announced. This is a film that was made to see in a theater.

My Pick: THE NARROW MARGIN - 2nd Choice: Kevin Brownlow at Club TCM

BLOCK 5 – Friday 2:00PM – 4:30PM (6 screenings + 2 events)
2:00 PM Eva Marie Saint: Live From the TCM Classic Film Festival at Avalon Hollywood (TV taping.)
2:15 PM A ROOM WITH A VIEW (1985) w/ Julian Sands (actor), Matt Tyrnauer (historian) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
2:15 PM LA TRAVERSEE DE PARIS (1956) at Multiplex 4. 35mm.
2:30 PM BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967) w/ Robert Benton (screenwriter) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
2:30 PM NOTORIOUS (1946) w/ Rose McGowan (actress, former TCM Essentials co-host) at Egyptian. 35mm.
2:30 PM RUGGLES OF RED GAP (1935) w/ Norman Lloyd (actor), Todd McCarthy (journalist) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
3:00 PM Taking the Fall Panel at Club TCM w/ Loren Janes (stuntman), Conrad E. Palmisano (stuntman) + Scott McGee (TCM)
4:30 PM I AM SUZANNE (1933) World Premiere Restoration w/ Katie Trainor (historian) at Multiplex 4. 35mm.

Eva Marie Saint: Live From the TCM Classic Film Festival will air on TCM next year, and you’ll likely have to get there super early to get a seat (the venue only seats 300), and it’s a bit of a walk down Hollywood Blvd., so this is a “no” for me. Plus, if you really want to see the star in person you can go to ON THE WATERFRONT later in the evening. In addition, tapings for broadcast tend to take forever, although you may get to see yourself on the tee-vee. If that’s significant to you, then go.

James Ivory’s A ROOM WITH A VIEW (1985) is a Merchant Ivory film, with Maggie Smith, Judi Dench, Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Day-Lewis and Julian Sands (who will be appearing in person). Most TCM fans snore at ‘80s films. But maybe they’ll perk up if DDL and HBC make surprise appearances.

Claude Autant-Lara’s LA TRAVERSEE DE PARIS (1956, aka FOUR BAGS FULL) is a French comedy/drama starring the always-excellent Jean Gabin. This is tempting because it’s short, and will be super easy to get into (considering the competition).

Arthur Penn’s BONNIE AND CLYDE (1967) at Grauman’s will be a hard one to pass up, particularly with screenwriter Robert Benton in attendance. But considering that Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Gene Hackman, Estelle Parsons, and Michael J. Pollard are still alive, it would be nice if at least one of them showed up. I’ve seen this film on the big screen, so, unless they add some guests, I will probably go with the $10.99 Blu-ray.

Alfred Hitchcock’s NOTORIOUS (1946) with Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, and Claude Rains is one of my favorite Hitchcock films. And it’s at the Egyptian. But no guests, no restoration, and easy access on TV/DVD make this a skip for me.

UPDATE 4/17/13 : Former TCM Essentials co-host Rose McGowan will introduce NOTORIOUS, if that’s a factor for you.

Leo McCarey’s RUGGLES OF RED GAP (1935) stars Charles Laughton as an English butler who is acquired in a poker game by a rancher (Charlie Ruggles). Norman Lloyd (age 98) will be in attendance, which is always a huge draw. I love McCarey, Laughton and co-star Zasu Pitts, so this is a strong contender.

Taking the Fall at Club TCM is a panel discussion moderated by Scott McGee and features veteran stunt performers Loren Janes and Conrad E. Palmisano. Janes was in IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD, so he may also appear at that screening on Sunday. And Palmisano performed in AIRPLANE, so he may be at that one on Saturday. Must as I enjoy Mr. McGee’s interviews, this is a skip.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – Veteran stunt performer Jeannie Epper has been added to this event.

Rowland V. Lee’s I AM SUZANNE (1933) is an obscure musical from Fox (before the merger with Twentieth Century) starring Gene Raymond and Lillian Harvey. This is the world premiere of a new restoration and will be presented by Katie Trainor from the Museum of Modern Art. I’m sort of obsessed with Pre-Code films, so I think this seals it for me.

My Pick(s) Double Feature! RUGGLES OF RED GAP + I AM SUZANNE
2nd Choice: BONNIE AND CLYDE

BLOCK 6 – Friday 5:30 PM – 8:45 PM (5 screenings + 1 event)
5:30 PM Hollywood Home Movies w/ Mitzi Gaynor (actress), Randy Haberkamp (historian) at Club TCM.
5:30 PM THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) 50^th Anniversary World Premiere Restoration w/ Walter Mirisch (producer) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
5:30 PM THE RAZOR’S EDGE (1946) at Multiplex 6. 35mm. 
6:15 PM THE TWELVE CHAIRS (1970) w/ Mel Brooks (actor) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
7:00 PM IT (1927) w/ Carl Davis Robert Ziegler (conductor), David Stenn (historian) at Egyptian. 35mm.
7:00 PM IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY (1947) at Multiplex 4. 35mm. 

Hollywood Home Movies at Club TCM is something to consider if you really want to get up close and personal with Mitzi Gaynor for a picture or maybe even an autograph. The Club TCM venue is relatively small and, if you get there early enough, you can be right up front. Otherwise, this is a skip.

UPDATE 4/24/13 - Actress Fay McKenzie (age 95) has been added to this event.

John Sturges’ THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) would be a must if James Garner or David McCallum (who is still working) were coming. Still, producer Walter Mirisch (age 91) is a remarkable storyteller, and Grauman’s is a great place to see a widescreen epic. Plus it’s a world premiere restoration. Tempting.

Edmund Goulding’s THE RAZOR’S EDGE (1946) based on the Somerset Maugham novel stars Tyrone Power as a returning WW I vet on a quest for meaning, with Gene Tierney as his fiancée and Anne Baxter and Clifton Webb in Oscar winning roles. No guests, no restoration, no me.

Mel Brooks’ THE TWELVE CHAIRS (1970) is a movie I’ve never even heard of, let alone seen. And Mel Brooks will be in person. I saw Mel in person with YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN at TCMFF 2011. It doesn’t get better than that. Skip.

UPDATE 4/24/13 – Based upon some clues, I think this screening may be Blu-ray.

Clarence G. Badger’s IT (1927) starring Clara Bow, with an original score composed and conducted by Carl Davis is one of the signature events of the Festival. Get on line early and save me a seat, because this is the clear winner for me.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – Robert Ziegler has replaced Carl Davis at this event.

Robert Hamer’s IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY (1947) is a British drama from Ealing Studios. If you like “Kitchen Sink” realism and Ealing (which I do), this is a good choice. But the round is already decided.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – Eddie Muller from the Film Noir Foundation will introduce this screening.

My Pick: IT - 2nd Choice: IT ALWAYS RAINS ON SUNDAY

BLOCK 7 – Friday 9:15 PM – 11:30 PM (5 screenings)
9:00 PM GIMME SHELTER (1970) w/ Albert Maysles (director), Haskell Wexler (cinematographer), Joan Churchill (cinematographer) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
9:15 PM HONDO (1953) in Digital 3-D at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
9:30 PM ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) w/ Eva Marie Saint (actress) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
9:30 PM ON THE TOWN (1949) at Egyptian. 35mm.
9:30 PM A FOREIGN AFFAIR (1948) at Multiplex 4. 35mm.

GIMME SHELTER (1970) is a defining rock documentary about the Rolling Stones notorious concert at the Altamont Speedway, which resulted in the death of an 18-year-old audience member. Co-director Albert Maysles will be in attendance for this screening. I’ve seen him in person a number of times in New York, and he is a delight to listen to. Legendary cinematographer Haskell Wexler will also be there. This will be a hot ticket for both movie and music nerds.

John Farrow’s HONDO (1953) is John Wayne Western based on a Louis L’Amour story. And it’s restored and in digital 3-D.  When the film (which was produced by Wayne’s Batjac company) went beyond its initially scheduled completion date, Farrow had to  leave to start production on another film. His replacement? John Ford, who was uncredited. Seriously, when will you get another chance to see Pappy and Duke in 3-D?

Elia Kazan’s ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) stars Marlon Brando as a boxer who coulda been…you know the rest. Eva Marie Saint will be there, which mitigates the fact that I’ve seen this film literally dozens of times.

Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s ON THE TOWN (1949) stars Frank Sinatra, Kelly and Jules Munshin as sailors on leave in the Big Apple (a “wonderful town,” thanks to the Code), with Betty Garrett, Ann Miller and Vera-Ellen as the young ladies they pursue. I was about to say, “I’ve seen this a million times” and then I remembered that the Egyptian is screening this in a new 35 mm print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive. That could change some opinions, but likely not mine.

UPDATE 4/19/13 - CHICAGO director Rob Marshall will introduce this screening.

Billy Wilder’s A FOREIGN AFFAIR (1948) is a dark, not very funny comedy set in post-War Berlin with Marlene Dietrich as an ex-Nazi sympathizer nightclub singer, John Lund as the American soldier who falls for her, and Jean Arthur as an American Congresswoman. If you really want to see this, it just came out in a new two-DVD set from TCM along with Wilder’s FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO. Skip.

UPDATE 4/17/13 - Author, professor and fashion expert Kimberly Truhler will introduce A FOREIGN AFFAIR.

My Pick: HONDO - 2nd Choice: ON THE WATERFRONT

BLOCK 8 – Saturday 12:00 AM – 1:30 AM (1 screening)
12:00 AM PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1959) w/ Dana Gould (comedian) at Multiplex 6. 35mm. 

“Can your heart stand the shocking facts about grave robbers from Outer Space?” More importantly, can you stay up until 1:30 when you’ve been watching movies since 9AM? That remains to be seen. But still, an Ed Wood screening at midnight in Hollywood? I would have killed for this when I was 12. And, as Sammy Davis (maybe) said, “I can sleep when I’m dead, baby!” One question: why is 82-year-old cast member Conrad Brooks not attending? He still acts (in Grade Z sci fi movies), does autograph shows, and is delightfully weird in person. Book him, TCM!

My Pick: PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE - 2nd Choice: Bed

BLOCK 9 – Saturday 9:00 AM – 11:30AM (4 screenings + 1 event)
9:00 AM CAPE FEAR (1962) w/ Polly Bergen Barrie Chase (actress) at Egyptian. 35mm. 
9:15 AM Bugs Bunny’s 75^th Birthday Bash w/ Leonard Maltin (historian), Jerry Beck (historian) at Multiplex 1. Digital.
9:15 AM CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS (1937) w/ Illeana Douglas (actress/family) at Multiplex 4. 35mm. 
9:15 AM THE LADYKILLERS (1955) w/ Bill Hader (actor, Essentials Jr. host) at Multiplex 6. 35mm. 
10:00 AM Jane Fonda Handprint Ceremony w/ Jane Fonda (actress) at TCL Chinese Theatre

Your second full day should start with a quick breakfast, since you (or should I say I) didn’t eat very much the day before. Carb it up with a muffin from the Starbucks across the street from the Roosevelt, but make sure you dodge the beggars in dirty superhero costumes on the way.

This is a time slot I slept through in 2012, but there are too many must-see options to miss this year, beginning with J. Lee Thompson’s CAPE FEAR (1962) w/ Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum and Polly Bergen (age 82) who will be in attendance. Barrie Chase, who also appears in the film, will be in person on Sunday for IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD. I can’t imagine why she wouldn’t appear at this screening as well, though she hasn’t ben announced.  This would be a slam-dunk, if not for the animated competition below.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – TCM posted this statement on the TCMFF website today: ”Due to unforeseen circumstances, we regret to announce that Polly Bergen will be unable to attend.”

UPDATE 4/24/13 – Cast member Barrie Chase has been added to the CAPE FEAR screening.

Bugs Bunny’s 75^th Birthday Bash promises to be a sell-out, despite the early hour. But what better time to watch Bugs Bunny cartoons than Saturday morning? And who better to watch them with than Leonard Maltin and Jerry Beck, two of the best-known animation historians. I can’t think of any reason not to see this, except for CAPE FEAR. If you go, go early. Chinese Multiplex auditorium 1 seats only 477 people, and I guarantee it will be filled to capacity.

Based upon the Kipling novel, Victor Fleming’s CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS (1937) stars Freddie Bartholomew as a spoiled rich kid and Spencer Tracy as the fisherman who rescues him and becomes his father figure. The cast also includes Lionel Barrymore, Mickey Rooney, and Melvyn Douglas, whose granddaughter Illeana Douglas will introduce the screening. Rooney will be at the MAD MAD WORLD screening on Sunday, so perhaps he’ll be there as well. Regardless, I won’t be.

THE LADYKILLERS (1955) directed by Alexander Mackendrick (THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS) is a very funny British comedy from Ealing Studios. Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers and Herbert Lom star as crooks who plan a bank robbery while trying to knock off their landlady. Saturday Night Live star and Essentials Jr. host Bill Hader introduces the film, which I will, sadly, miss. I predict this will be the fall back choice for latecomers who don’t get into the Bugs Bunny screening

At 10:00 AM, Jane Fonda will add her hand and footprints to the forecourt in front of Grauman’s. Based on what I saw last year with Kim Novak, this will likely be crowded and hard to see, so I won’t be there. I’m sure somebody will take pictures.

My (rev’d) Pick: Bugs Bunny’s 75^th Birthday Bash - 2nd Choice: THE LADYKILLERS

BLOCK 10 – Saturday 11:45AM – 2:45 PM (5 screenings + 1 event)
11:45 AM DELIVERANCE (1972) w/ Burt Reynolds (actor), Jon Voight (actor), John Boorman (director) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
12:00 PM THE LADY VANISHES (1938) w/ Norman Lloyd (actor) at Multiplex 4. 35mm. 
12:00 PM TO SIR, WITH LOVE (1967) w/ Lulu (actress/singer). 35mm. 
12:15 PM THE DONOVAN AFFAIR (1929) w/ Bruce Goldstein (historian) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
12:30 PM Conversation with Tippi Hedren (actor) at Club TCM.
1:15 PM LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) at El Capitan. Digital.

John Boorman’s DELIVERANCE (1972) is one of the great films of the 1970s, and may have done for backwoods hunting trips what JAWS did for beach going. Jon Voight will be in person. Let me know if he brings his daughter and I may reconsider not going. I also secretly hope that Jane Fonda stops by after her handprint ceremony. Jane and Jon discussing politics might be as interesting as the film, and just as violent.

UPDATE 4/17/13 - This could be a game changer. TCM announced today that Burt Reynolds and director John Boorman will be in attendance at the screening of DELIVERANCE.

THE LADY VANISHES (1938) is probably my favorite of the early Hitchcock films I’ve seen. Dame Mae Whitty plays the titular lady, who is not quite what she seems. Margaret Lockwood is a young socialite and Michael Redgrave is a musicologist. There’s a very good Criterion Blu-ray of this, which I have, so why would I go? Norman Lloyd. He worked with Hitchcock in film and on TV (as a producer of Alfred Hitchcock Presents) and always has great stories to tell.

James Clavell’s TO SIR, WITH LOVE (1967) features one of the great theme songs in movie history, and the woman who sang it will be present at the screening. Lulu also acted in the film, which tells the story of a bunch of hardscrabble London kids who are whipped into shape by an African American teacher (Sidney Poitier). Lulu would be fun to see, but why isn’t Poitier attending?

UPDATE 4/24/13 – For those arriving at TCMFF early, Sidney Poitier will be attending the AFI Night at the Movies screening of IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT on Wednesday 4/24 at the Arclight in Hollywood. For more info on that screening, and the the only twelve (!) that are happening simultaneously, click here.

Frank Capra’s THE DONOVAN AFFAIR (1929) is the screening to beat in this slot, if you’re interested (like I am) in early Talkies. The soundtrack is lost, so historian Bruce Goldstein  reconstructed the script from a variety of sources (including the New York State Board of Film Censors) and will recreate he film’s audio on stage with live actors and sound effects. Goldstein did something similar at Film Forum recently, with the notorious lost film CONVENTION CITY (1933). I missed that because of work. I will not miss this.

Conversation with Tippi Hedren at Club TCM will, again, be an opportunity to get very close to a legendary classic film star. If you go to the TCMFF primarily to see the stars, this is probably a must for you.

LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) is the only Disney film playing at Disney’s El Capitan, so that may be a selling point for some. It’s also the only Disney Film playing at the Festival, unless I’m missing something. But with no live guests, I’ll choose to watch the 2012 Blu-ray.

My Pick: THE DONOVAN AFFAIR - 2nd Choice: DELIVERANCE (this decision may go down to the wire) 

BLOCK 11 – Saturday 2:00 PM – 6:30 PM (6 screenings + 2 events)
2:00 PM GIANT (1955) World Premiere Restoration w/ Jane Withers (actress) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
3:00 PM Conversation with Max Von Sydow (actor) at Club TCM
3:00 PM ON GOLDEN POND (1981) w/ Jane Fonda (actress) at Egyptian. Digital. 
3:00 PM THE BIG PARADE (1925) World Premiere Restoration w/ Kevin Brownlow (historian) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
3:00 PM THE TRAIN (1964) at Multiplex 4 w/ Scott Feinberg (journalist). 35mm. 
3:15 PM THEY LIVE BY NIGHT (1949) w/ Susan Ray (family) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
3:30 PM GUYS AND DOLLS  (1955) at El Capitan. Digital. 
5:30 PM What’s the Score? w/ Alex Trebek (host) at Club TCM

This is a confounding block because, as Lou Lumenick pointed out recently on Twitter, TCM has (again) scheduled two high profile world premiere restorations at the same time. Why would they do that, other then to give people like me agita?

George Stevens’ GIANT (1956) comes from one of my least favorite periods in movie history (other than now) – the bloated, overly long, let’s-compete-with-TV 1950s.  But it’s a restoration, and cast member Jane Withers (age 86) will be present, and James Dean is an icon. So this will likely be a popular screening.

Your level of interest in Conversation with Max Von Sydow probably has a lot to do with how important the celebrity guests are to you. If I had to pick, I’d rather see the Oscar-nominated actor at a film screening, like THE SEVENTH SEAL later in the day or THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR on Sunday. Occasionally these career-spanning chats can meander, depending upon who is conducting the interview. I prefer a focused conversation about a specific film I love or am interesting in learning more about.

I find Mark Rydell’s ON GOLDEN POND (1981) to be an exceedingly depressing film. That’s not a knock against it, but it may function as a sort of buzz kill to the otherwise euphoric mood that permeates the weekend. The relationship between Jane Fonda’s and Henry Fonda’s characters in the film apparently replicated their off-screen dynamic, and it would be fascinating to hear about that from the woman herself. Sadly, I will not be there.

The TCMFF website calls THE BIG PARADE (1925) the highest-grossing film of the silent era. It’s also one of the most realistic and touching. King Vidor’s WW I story stars John Gilbert as a rich young man who goes to war and Renee Adoree as the French girl he falls for. The film has been restored by Warner Bros., and features a pre-recorded orchestral score by Carl Davis, and an introduction by the great Kevin Brownlow. If you’re interested in silent film, this is a must. Even if you’re not, it’s still kind of a must.

John Frankenheimer’s THE TRAIN (1964) is a WWII action film set in Paris on the eve of the city’s liberation. Burt Lancaster stars. Scott Feinberg from The Hollywood Reporter will introduce this United Artists release, which is being screened in 35 mm. I’ve never seen it and, much as it pains me, I will probably keep that streak going.

THEY LIVE BY NIGHT (1949) is a great, quirky noir and the feature film debut of director Nicholas Ray. Farley Granger and Cathy O’Donnell star as the young lovers, with excellent supporting turns from Howard Da Silva (as a one-eyed gangster) and Jay C. Flippen. Ray’s widow Susan will be present at the screening. I’ve seen her in person and she always has excellent insights to offer about her exceedingly complex late husband. I will be sad to miss this.

Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s GUYS AND DOLLS (1955) is a CinemaScope musical from the Samuel Goldwyn Company starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, and Jean Simmons. Based on the long-running Broadway show (with music from Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows), which itself was based on the stories of Damon Runyon, this film has recently been spiffed up for a Blu-ray release. Even though the 2.55:1 widescreen compositions will likely look amazing on the big screen at the El Capitan, I will wait to watch it on Blu-Ray.

Longtime Jeopardy emcee Alex Trebek hosts What’s the Score? at Club TCM, a game show focusing on movie music. This sounds exceedingly cool, but there’s too much else going on in this busy block.

 My Pick: THE BIG PARADE - 2nd Choice: THE TRAIN

BLOCK 12 – Saturday 6:15 PM – 8:45PM (5 screenings + 1 event)
6:15 PM THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957) w/ Max Von Sydow (actor) at Egyptian. 35mm. 
6:15 PM THE DESERT SONG (1943) at Multiplex 6. 35mm. 
6:30 PM SHANE (1953) w/ Bill Hader (actor, Essentials Jr. host) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
6:30 PM THE LADY EVE (1941) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
6:30 PM THE TALL TARGET (1951) w/ Donald Bogle (historian) at Multiplex 4. 35mm. 
7:00 PM LE MANS: Behind the Scenes w/ Chad McQueen (family), Derek Bell (racecar driver), Vic Elford (racecar driver) at Club TCM

The opportunity to see Ingmar Bergman’s THE SEVENTH SEAL (1957) on the big screen with its star Max Von Sydow in person may be one of those experiences you tell your movie-loving grandchildren about. Seriously, even if you don’t love Bergman, or foreign classics, or reading subtitles, or chess, or even Von Sydow, this is a choice you need to think long and hard about.

Robert Florey’s THE DESERT SONG (1943) is a Warner Bros. film set in a North African nightclub during WW II. Hmm. That sounds familiar. Unlike CASABLANCA, though, this is a musical starring Dennis Morgan as a soldier of fortune and Irene Manning as the woman he loves. According to the TCMFF site, the film has largely ben out of circulation, because it was remade a decade later. The Technicolor film will be screened in a 35mm print from Warner Bros. Classics, which will likely be pristine. This is very tempting.

The 60^th anniversary screening of George Stevens’ SHANE (1953) will likely be a big draw, due to the iconic status of the film. This Technicolor Western from Paramount is coming to Blu-ray in June, which means it’s gone through a digital clean up. The DCP will likely look gorgeous, though it will be interesting to see how they project it at Grauman’s: in the native 1.37 in which it was shot or the cropped 1.66 version that will be on the Blu-ray. Apparently the initial theatrical release was cropped to compete with other widescreen releases of the day, but in the years since all TV broadcasts and home video releases have reverted to the native Academy aspect ratio. You can read more about the controversy here (thanks to Lou Lumenick for that link).

UPDATE 4/12/13 - Lou Lumenick reports that TCM will screen the cropped, 1.66 transfer of SHANE. And Hollywood Elsewhere columnist Jeffrey Wells told me on Twitter he feels “honor-bound to picket” the screening. Stay tuned!

UPDATE 4/17/13 - The SHANE Aspect Ratio Debate has a happy ending (at least as far as some people are concerned). Lumenick reported today that TCM will screen the film in 1.37 and that Warner Bros. will release that version on Blu-ray. Perhaps related to these developments, George Stevens Jr. – who personally supervised the 1.66 transfer and lobbied for its acceptance – will not be in attendance at this screening.

Preston Surges THE LADY EVE (1941) stars Barbara Stanwyck as a sexy grafter and Henry Fonda as her wealthy mark, with delightful support from Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, William Demarest, and Eric Blore. This is one of the funniest films ever made, but why is Jane Fonda not introducing it? It’s probably my favorite comedic performance her father ever gave, and I doubt I’m alone in that feeling.

THE TALL TARGET (1951) has something for everyone: history buffs (it’s about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln); noir fans (it’s directed by Anthony Mann, who also helmed RAW DEAL); Dick Powell as a hardnosed cop named “John Kennedy (umm); and Ruby Dee as a slave. Historian Donald Bogle will introduce the film, which I have never seen, and will be sad to miss.

LE MANS: Behind the Scenes at Club TCM is probably a must if you plan on seeing the film at the Chinese Multiplex 1 later in the evening. Although wouldn’t it have made more sense to talk about it after people have seen it?

My Pick: THE SEVENTH SEAL – 2^nd Choice: SHANE (Note: I may change my mind about this.)

BLOCK 13 – Saturday 9:00 PM – 11:30PM (5 screenings)
9:00 PM TRY AND GET ME (1950) w/ Beau Bridges (actor/family), Eddie Muller (historian) at Multiplex 4. 35mm.
9:15 PM MILDRED PIERCE (1945) w/ Ann Blyth (actress) at Egyptian. 35mm.
9:15 PM LE MANS (1971) w/ Chad McQueen (family), Derek Bell (racecar driver), Vic Elford (racecar driver) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
9:15 PM FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933) w/ Cybil Shepherd (actor), Kimberly Truhler (author/professor) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
9:30 PM AIRPLANE! (1980) w/ Robert Hays (actor), Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker (director/screenwriter) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 

Cy Endfield’s TRY AND GET ME (1950) is a noir that was denounced by the House Un-American Activities Committee because of its social commentary and anti-McCarthy sentiment. If that’s not a good reason to go, I don’t know what is. Endfield was also blacklisted and had to move to England. The film (which I have never seen) will be introduced by Eddie Muller from the Film Noir Foundation. Noir screenings at TCMFF are always well-attended so, if you plan on seeing this one in the tiny 177-seat Auditorium 1 at the Chinese Multiplex, get on line early.

UPDATE 4/19/13 – Actor Beau Bridges (son of star Lloyd Bridges) has been added to this screening.

Michael Curtiz’s MILDRED PIERCE (1945) won an Oscar for star Joan Crawford. But Ann Blyth, who played her serpent-toothed daughter Veda, will be the star of the evening. The 84-year-old actress will be in attendance at the Egyptian, one of only two appearances she will make over the weekend. (The other is KISMET on Sunday at 12:15 PM). For many Festival attendees, this screening will be a must.

LE MANS (1971) was star Steve McQueen’s passion project, a hyper-realistic, near-documentary about drivers in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Chad McQueen will introduce the screening, along with racecar drivers Derek Bell and Vic Elford. This will be a great one to see in a theater with a good sound system and may be the best action film to be screened over the weekend. As with most of the films that are being presented in DCP, there’s also a Blu-ray…

FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1933), directed by Thornton Freeland, is noted as the first screen pairing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Gene Raymond and Dolores Del Rio are the ostensible stars, but you’ll be scanning the frame hoping to get glimpses of Fred and Ginger. I saw this recently at Film Forum and loved how, freed from the narrative shackles of being the leads, Fred and Ginger could just dance and show off their chemistry – no convoluted plots about misunderstandings or hurt feelings were necessary to keep them bickering. The screening will be introduced by actress and singer Cybil Shepherd. I’m not sure why.

UPDATE 4/17/13 –  Author, professor and fashion expert Kimberly Truhler will introduce FLYING DOWN TO RIO along with Cybil Shepherd.

AIRPLANE! (1980) with star Robert Hays, and co-directors/screenwriters Jim Abrahams and David Zucker and Jerry Zucker will likely be one of the best-attended screenings of the Festival. Even though its’ 1980 release date falls way beyond the definition that many TCM viewers use for “classic film,” it’s still one of the best-loved comedies ever made. And there’s nothing better than watching a funny movie with a big crowd – Grauman’s seats 1,110 – and the people who made it.

My Pick: MILDRED PIERCE - 2^nd Choice: AIRPLANE!

BLOCK 14 – Sunday 12:00 AM – 1:15 AM (1 screening)
12:00 AM ISLAND OF LOST SOULS (1932) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.

Let’s hear it for Bela Lugosi, who appears in both midnight films this year at TCM! Director Erle C. Kenton’s controversial film, bases upon the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Doctor Moreau, has recently been released on Blu-ray by Criterion. I suspect that much of the potential attendee base for this film has watched it recently and will instead choose to go to bed or the bar.

My Pick: ISLAND OF LOST SOULS - 2^nd Choice: Bed

BLOCK 15 – Sunday 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (6 screenings + 1 event)
9:00 AM CINERAMA HOLIDAY (1955) w/ Beatrice Troller (actor), Betty York (actor) at Cinerama Dome. Digital. 
9:00 AM TBA at Multiplex 4
9:15 AM COME SEPTEMBER (1961) w/ Matt Tyrnauer (historian) at Multiplex 6. 35mm.
9:30 AM BADLANDS (1973) World Premiere Restoration w/ Ed Pressman (producer), Billy Weber (editor) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
9:30 AM GILDA (1946) w/ Debra Winger (actress) at Egyptian. Digital. 
9:30 AM YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) w/ Malcolm McDowell (actor) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
10:00 AM Bonhams Movie Memorabilia Appraisals at Club TCM/Roosevelt Lobby

You may be surprised to hear this but CINERAMA HOLIDAY (1955) may be the film I am most looking forward to at the TCM Classic Film Festival. It’s got no stars and no real plot to speak of, but it’s real, three-screen Cinerama in one of only three places in the entire world where you can still see it in its native form. Plus, the film (or films, because three different images make up the final product) has been restored, and the screening will feature live appearances from the two female “leads,” Beatrice Troller and Betty York. The Cinerama Dome is about a twenty-minute walk from the Roosevelt, so allow time when planning your morning. Keep in mind also that the best seats are in the center of the house. Save one for me, please. (Note: the venue map is here.)

I’ve not seen Robert Mulligan’s COME SEPTEMBER (1961), a romantic comedy that stars Rock Hudson as an American millionaire and Gina Lolobrigida as his American mistress. The film also features Sandra Dee and Bobby Darrin, who married during production. I’m not sure what the draw here is, other than the opportunity to see gorgeous CinemaScope on the big screen in Technicolor.

BADLANDS (1973) was director Terence Malick’s first feature film and one of the best loved films of the 1970s. TCM will present the world premiere of a new restoration in DCP, with producer Ed Pressman in attendance. This would be a must see if stars Martin Sheen or Sissy Spacek were going to be there, but they’re not. So I probably won’t be either.

UPDATE 4/24/13 – The restoration of BADLANDS begins a week-long run at Film Forum on May 10, which means the DCP is likely headed to your local revival house (if you have one).

Charles Vidor’s GILDA (1946) is one of the great noirs, and Rita Hayworth is iconic in it. But you’re gonna need a lot more than an introduction by Debra Winger to get me away from the Cinerama Dome.

Michael Curtiz’s YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) is one of my favorite films, and I love James Cagney as actor/singer/dancer/producer George M. Cohan. But you’ll have to Give My Regards to Broadway, because I’ll be at the Cinerama Dome. I am curious to hear how the film looks in DCP. If you go, please let me know.

UPDATE 4/17/13 - Actor Malcolm McDowell will introduce this screening.

Bonham’s Movie Memorabilia Appraisals at the Roosevelt is not really an event, but it’s on the schedule, so I included it. Last year I woke up late on Sunday and had time to kill until the second programming block, so I did eavesdropped on some of the appraisals. It’s fascinating stuff. If you have something valuable, movie-related, and easily transportable, bring it (or send it to me as a gift because I’m so nice).

My Pick: CINERAMA HOLIDAY (1955) Obviously. 2^nd Choice: BADLANDS

BLOCK 16 – Sunday 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM (6 screenings + 1 event)
11:30 AM TBA at Multiplex 4
12:15 PM IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD (1963) w/ Jonathan Winters (actor), Barrie Chase (actress), Marvin Kaplan (actor), Carl Reiner (actor), Mickey Rooney (actor) at Cinerama Dome. 70mm.
12:15 AM KISMET (1955) w/ Ann Blyth (actress) at Multiplex 6. 35mm. 
12:30 PM Women of Early Hollywood w/ Cari Beauchamp (historian) at Club TCM
12:45 PM THE BIRDS (1963) w/ Tippi Hedren (actress) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
12:45 PM SCARECROW (1973) w/ Jerry Schatzberg at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
1:00 PM TARZAN FINDS A SON (1939) at Egyptian w/ Ben Burtt (sound designer), Craig Barron (Visual-Effects Artist). 35mm. 
2:00 PM TBA at Multiplex 4
3:00 PM Hollywood’s Silent Echoes w/ John Bengtson (historian) at Club TCM

Stanley Kramer’s IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD (1963) in 70mm at the Cinerama Dome with Jonathan Winters (age 87), Carl Reiner (91), Mickey Rooney (92), Marvin Kaplan (86) and Barrie Chase (79) in attendance. What more do you need to hear than that? Seriously, even if you find this film over-long (which I do) and not always hilarious (yup), this is still a must-see for film fans. I actually saw it in 70mm recently at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and I’m planning to watch it again. The only drawback is, the film’s epic length (192 minutes) will kill this block and the next one for you. But, as the end of the Festival nears, you will have already seen a ton of movies. It’s okay, on the last day, to let your numbers slip a bit. (I’m saying that to convince myself as much as to convince you.)

UPDATE 4/12/13 - The great Jonathan Winters, who had been scheduled to attend this screening, died on April 11, 2013 at 6:45 PM (EDT). TCM posted the following statement on the Festival website: “TCM is saddened by the passing of actor and comedian Jonathan Winters, who had been scheduled to appear at this presentation. We share his loss with classic movie fans everywhere and celebrate the joy his work has brought and will continue to bring for generations to come.”

Vincente Minnelli’s KISMET (1955) stars Ann Blyth and Howard Keel in an Arthur Freed production from MGM, filmed in CinemaScope. The movie is based on the 1953 Broadway play adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin, by Robert Wright and George Forest, with book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis. It’s perhaps best known today for introducing the pop hit “Stranger in Paradise,” sung by Vic Damone and Ann Blyth (who will be in attendance). If you missed Blyth in MILDRED PIERCE on Saturday, this is your last chance to see her (at least this year – see? I’m thinking positively.)

Women of Early Hollywood panel at Club TCM is hosted by Caro Beauchamp, author of Without Lying Down: Francis Marion and the Powerful Women of Early Hollywood. The presentation focuses on the large number of women in positions of authority in the Hollywood of the 1920s. If you’re a fan of silent era Hollywood, I’d advise that you attend this presentation and John Bengtson’s at 3 PM, as warm-ups to THE GENERAL at 7:15 PM.

Alfred Hitchcock’s THE BIRDS (1963) in DCP at Grauman’s with Tippi Hedren in attendance may be the hottest ticket for those who don’t want to make the trek to the Cinerama Dome, or sit through a 3 hour and 12 minute movie.

Jerry Schatzberg’s SCARECROW (1973) is the U.S. premiere of the “remastered edition.” I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a screening promoted like that. “Remastered” is the poor man’s version of “restored,” but I guess something is better than nothing. I’ve never seen this film, which stars Al Pacino and Gene Hackman as two buddies hitching across country. The TCMFF site says this is a “personal favorite” of Hackman. Maybe he’ll show up in person and tell us why.

TARZAN FINDS A SON! (1939) but he won’t find much of an audience. I kid. This is a newly struck 35 mm print from the Academy Film Archives and features the iconic Tarzan cast: Olympian Johnny Weissmuller as the King of the Apes, Maureen O’Sullivan as Jane, and Johnny Sheffield as the titular son, who mom and dad name “Boy.” Oscar winners Craig Baron (visual effects artist) and Ben Burtt (sound designer) will be in attendance. This is Tarzan at his MGM heights, before the series moved to RKO and they slashed the budgets and hired a new Jane for every picture. And how was her hair always so nicely coiffed? But I digress.

Hollywood’s Silent Echoes at Club TCM is the one panel I would really like to attend, if not for MAD MAD WORLD. Author John Bengtson presents a multi-media tour through the shooting locations for Buster Keaton’s THE GENERAL, as well as other iconic silent era films. Again, if you’re a silent fan, this is a must. I wrote about John when he did a similar presentation at Film Forum. It was awesome.

My Pick: IT’S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD – 2nd Choice: Hollywood’s Silent Echoes

BLOCK 17 – Sunday 3:45 PM – 6:30 PM (5 screenings)
3:45 PM SALESMAN (1968) w/ Albert Maysles (director) at Multiplex 6. 35mm. 
4:00 PM THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975) w/ Max Von Sydow (actor) at Grauman’s Chinese. Digital. 
4:00 PM IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
4:15 PM DON’T SAY NO UNTIL I FINISH TALKING (2013) World Premiere w/ Lili Zanuck (family), Laurent Bouzereau (director/writer/producer). Digital. 
4:30 PM TBA at Multiplex 4

SALESMAN (1968) is the second of two screenings honoring legendary documentarian Albert Maysles. If you missed GIMME SHELTER on Friday night, try your best to make it to this one. A pioneer of the “Direct Cinema” style – with no narration, commentary or spin – Albert and brother David (along with Charlotte Zwerin) told the story of Boston Bible salesmen in 1967, focusing on one who was nicknamed “The Badger.” It’s a fascinating trip back in time to the Anti-Reality-TV Era. Just an aside here: one time I met Albert Maysles at an event and tried to convince him to watch Survivor. I wish I could go back in my time machine and un-have that conversation.

Sydney Pollacks’ THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975) is one of the great thrillers of the paranoid 1970s, with Robert Redford as a C.I.A. researcher on the run, Faye Dunaway as the woman who harbors him (against her wishes, at least initially), and Max Von Sydow as the bespectacled assassin. Von Sydow will be present. If you missed him on Saturday, make it your business to catch him here.

Frank Capra’s IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) won five Academy Awards and put Columbia Pictures on the map. It also showed off Claudette Colbert’s legs and introduced the term “walls of Jericho” to the vernacular.  If you go, I promise you’ll get the words “Young people in love are seldom hungry” stuck in your head for at least a week.

DON’T SAY NO UNTIL I FINISH TALKING (2013) is a TCM Original Documentary on producer Richard Zanuck (son of Darryl F.), who died last year after a six-decade career in film. The doc was directed by Laurent Bouzereau, who also produced the A Night at the Movies documentary series on TCM, as well as more than 150 “making of” featurettes for home video. Bouzereau will appear in person, as will Zanuck’s widow Lili.

My Pick: DON’T SAY NO UNTIL I FINISH TALKING (If I make it in time.) – 2nd Choice: SALESMAN

Note: There’s a chance I’ll see nothing in this timeslot, if the MAD MAD WORLD screening runs even a few minutes late. If so, I’ll have lunch for the first time since Thursday. 

BLOCK 18 – Sunday 6:30 PM – 9:15 PM (5 screenings)
6:30 PM CLUNY BROWN (1946) at Multiplex 6. 35mm. 
6:45 PM DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954) in Digital 3-D w/ Norman Lloyd (actor) at Multiplex 1. Digital. 
7:00 PM THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951) w/ Theodore Bikel (actor) at Egyptian. Digital. 
7:00 TBA at Multiplex 4
7:15 PM THE GENERAL (1926) w/ Alloy Orchestra at Chinese Theatre. Digital. 

This is it. You’re at the finish line. I know you’re exhausted, but you’ve got just one more screening! And you should make it count. This will be your last memory of the Festival, and it’s important to leave on a high note. In each of the last three years, my final screening has also been the most memorable of the weekend: METROPOLIS (1927) with a live accompaniment by the Alloy Orchestra in 2010, WEST SIDE STORY (1961)with guests Walter Mirisch, George Chakaris and Marni Nixon in 2011, and THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (1924) with the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra last year at the Egyptian. This year the options are diverse, but my choice is obvious.

CLUNY BROWN (1946) was Ernst Lubitch’s final completed film, a comedy featuring Jennifer Jones as the eponymous chambermaid. Although she was in attendance on Thursday night at NINOTCHKA, Nicola Lubitsch has not been announced as a guest at this screening. Much as I love Lubitsch, I’ve never seen this film, it’s unavailable on DVD, and TCM doesn’t own the broadcast rights to the 20^th Century Fox library. Those are definitely strong selling points.

DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954) is not my favorite Hitchcock, but it’s in newly restored digital 3-D. And Norman Lloyd will be there. Those are two big motivators.

John Huston’s THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951) w/ Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, and Robert Morley unspools in DCP at the Egyptian, with special guest Theodore Bikel (age 88). Bikel had a minor role in the film, but I’d go listen to the craft service guy talk about this movie. It’s about as iconic as they come.

Clyde Bruckman and Buster Keaton’s THE GENERAL (1926) is newly restored and will feature live accompaniment by the Alloy Orchestra. This is pretty much a no-brainer if you love silent movies, or comedy, or film in general (no pun intended). And, if you’re like I was in 2010 at METROPOLIS, this screening may just turn you into a silent film fanatic.

Winner: THE GENERAL - 2nd Choice: THE AFRICAN QUEEN

BLOCK 00 – Sunday 9:00 PM–12:00 AM (1 event)
9:00 PM Closing Night Party at Club TCM

The Festival closes out with a party at the Roosevelt in the Club TCM space, where single fans get a chance to seal the deal with other singles they’ve been hanging out with all weekend. Anyway, I have a girlfriend. So step off!

And that’s it. If you’re going and you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. If you’re not going, why are you torturing yourself by reading this? But seriously, you should come next year. You will have the best time of your life, and you’ll probably lose some weight from four days of not eating.

“I loved the old Boris Karloff films,” the actress said on Friday night before a midnight screening of SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM (1973) at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Francesca Beale Theater, part of an eleven-film retrospective of her work.

“Those films back in the day – black and white films – those scared the shit out of me,” she laughed.

Coincidentally, Grier carved her place in pop culture history in a film genre that scared many moviegoers in the early 1970s, but for entirely different reasons: the so-called “Blaxploitation” action films. With a tone and sensibility unimaginable during the Studio Era, these envelope-pushing, post-Civil Rights Act parables of African American empowerment capitalized on the new creative freedoms enabled by the collapse of the Motion Picture Production Code in 1968. Opportunistic producers quickly cashed in, and the result was a torrent of low budget, independent productions that shocked older audiences with sex, profanity, and “anti-establishment” violence and were irresistible (at least for a while) to young viewers.

“SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM was, I think, $500,000 and it made something like $8 million. COFFY was $650,000 and it made $20-some million. And FOXY BROWN was $800,000 and it made another $30 or $40 million,” Grier told the Film Society’s Josh Strauss, programmer of the series. “I didn’t understand an ‘A’ movie or a ‘B’ movie, I just did the work. And that’s what, I think, has allowed me to work for 45 years. My approach was to be authentic and original.”

Still sexy and sassy at 63, Grier is one of the most memorably original actresses of the modern era. And, with her outsized Afro, aggressively liberated sexuality, and unapologetic propensity for ass kicking, Grier’s characters from her best-known films remain iconic a generation (or more) later. Hip hop artist Foxy Brown borrowed her nom de rap from Grier’s most successful movie of the ‘70s, Quentin Tarantino paid homage to her in 1997’s JACKIE BROWN (which also screened on Friday), and director Larry Cohen placed her on equal footing with the male heroes of the black action genre in his 1996 “reunion” film ORIGINAL GANGSTAS (which, sadly, was not part of this series.)

Grier shows no sign of slowing down as her career approaches the half-century mark. She recently wrapped a six-season run on the Showtime original series The L Word, spent four years writing a memoir (Foxy: My Life in Three Acts, which she signed for fans over the weekend), and continues to work in features (her last major studio release was Tom Hanks’ LARRY CROWNE in 2011). She’s also developing a biopic based on her book.

But for many longtime Pam Grier fans (like me), her rough-hewn early films will always hold the greatest charm. In that regard, the Film Society of Lincoln Center did not disappoint, with presentations of many rarely screened titles – most in 35 mm. And a few of the prints were delightfully battered, providing the closest thing to a grindhouse experience I’m likely to see in the Disneyfied New York City of 2013.

The festival kicked off on Friday afternoon with the women-in-prison epic THE BIG BIRD CAGE (1972), Grier’s first real starring role. Set in an unnamed banana republic (but filmed in the Philippines), BIRD CAGE was produced by Roger Corman’s New World Pictures (always a good sign) and written and directed by Jack Hill, who provided the print (the Film Society said it was the only extant 35 mm copy). Pam plays Blossom, a gun-toting revolutionary who infiltrates an island work camp where the inmates’ only crime appears to be their penchant for toplessness. Charismatic exploitation film mainstay Sid Haig is Blossom’s boyfriend Django (no relation to the recent iteration). And Vic Cheng, a character actor known as “the Peter Lorre of the Philippines,” is a flamboyantly gay prison guard who ends up humorously (?) ravaged by the sex-starved inmates.

Next up was Jack Hill’s FOXY BROWN (1974), the second film in Grier’s career-making three-picture deal with American International Pictures. Originally conceived as a sequel to COFFY (1973), FOXY BROWN again finds Grier battling drug dealers who peddle the “new slavery of hard dope.” When Foxy’s D.E.A. agent boyfriend is rubbed out by thugs, she goes undercover as a hooker and vows revenge.

“Vigilante justice? It’s as American as apple pie,” she says.

The occasionally campy tone of the film is offset by some relatively shocking violence, including the apparent off-camera rape of Grier’s character, the immolation of her rapist and the castration of the blow-dried, medallion-wearing male villain (Peter Brown).

“It looks like a pickle jar,” remains one of the great climatic lines in film history.

Eddie Romero’s BLACK MAMA, WHITE MAMA (1973) followed, with Grier once again frequently disrobed in an island prison, this time with a gay female matron who likes to peek in on the proceedings in the shower room. Like THE BIG BIRD CAGE, BLACK MAMA was shot in the Philippines, and features many returning cast members, including Haig and Cheng. The film is perhaps best remembered for an extended sequence in which Grier and co-star Margaret Markov evade capture while shackled together, like Sidney Poitier and Tony Curtis in THE DEFIANT ONES (1958). Unlike Potier and Curtis, however, Grier and Markov are in panties.

Friday’s program also included a sold-out screening of JACKIE BROWN (1997), and the late show of SCREAM BLACULA SCREAM (1973). In this sequel to A.I.P.’s BLACULA (1972), Grier plays a Voodoo practitioner who falls under the thrall of the revived African prince Mamulwalde, and seeks to cure him of his centuries old vampire curse. William Marshall is memorably creepy in the title role, and the film is far more serious than the jokey title implies. It’s also the rare sequel that’s better than the original – much better, in fact.

Grier demonstrated genuine affection for the film and her co-star during her introductory remarks on Friday night.

“It was an honor to work with Professor William Marshall, a Shakespearean actor,” she said, playfully mimicking his deep voice. “I loved him. And the cape looked good on him, too.”

Marshall had struggled to maintain the dignity of the character during production of the first film, and both he and Grier pursued their work in the sequel with with the same level of dedication.

“I did do research on Voodoo and Ju-ju. And shit started to happen. It scared me,” Grier confessed. “With William Marshall, we both loved the fact that we prepared, we studied. But we didn’t want to mess with it. We wanted to respect it, just in case it worked.”

On Saturday, the festival moved across the street to the larger Walter Reade Theater for Andrew Davis’ ABOVE THE LAW (1988), in which Grier plays good cop to Steven Seagal’s bad in his (unintentionally hilarious) feature film debut. Next was Michael Schultz’s GREASED LIGHTNING (1977), featuring Richard Pryor as Wendell Scott, the first African American NASCAR driver. Pryor is charming in the film, and he and Grier have genuine chemistry – not surprising, considering that they were a couple for more than a year.

“Richard Pryor said I was crazier than he was,” Grier reminisced after the rarely seen film unspooled.

According to Grier, Melvin Van Peebles was originally slated to direct GREASED LIGHTNING, but was replaced by COOLEY HIGH (1975) helmer Michael Schultz, who had directed Pryor in CAR WASH (1976). She didn’t offer details of Van Peebles’ exit from the project, other than to say she was “brokenhearted when he left.”

Saturday’s keynote presentation was Jack Hill’s COFFY (1973), preceded by an on-stage chat with producer/director Warrington Hudlin (whom Grier said she also had dated).

Similarities abound between COFFY and FOXY BROWN. Both films were written and directed by Hill, both feature Grier as a vigilante posing as a hooker in pursuit of drug pushers, and both conclude with a male character being “relieved” of his masculinity (this time by a shotgun). But unlike in FOXY BROWN, Grier’s heroine in COFFY is more based in reality (relatively speaking). Early in the film we see her toiling at her nursing job, and her scenes with her strung out younger sister are grim. “Coffy” Coffin also spends the first few minutes of the film trying to talk herself (and the audience?) into the justness of her actions. In FOXY BROWN, she doesn’t waste time with such nuances. She just takes care of business.

Sunday kicked of with Arthur Marks’ BUCKTOWN (1975), a Fred “The Hammer” Williamson vehicle that completely wastes Grier in a supporting role (and also features Thalmus Rasulala and Carl “Apollo Creed” Weathers). The Hammer has his charms, and the “good guys turn bad” plot is inventive, but it’s difficult to watch Pam sit on the sidelines while the men fight it out, particularly when she was at the height of her badass renown. BUCKTOWN is also extremely sloppily directed by Marks, who ironically went on to direct Grier’s most polished action film of this period, 1975’s FRIDAY FOSTER (which was not included in the series, but is available via Amazon Instant).

Next was William Girdler’s SHEBA, BABY (1975), which features Grier as an ex-cop turned private eye out to once again avenge the death of a loved one (this time it’s her father). The decision to make Sheba Shayne a professional law enforcer removes the “average citizen forced into heroism” angle, and the film suffers for it. Grier also mostly keeps her increasingly stylish clothes on which, for better or worse, removes a key component from the, um, visuals. Plus, the water-based climax (Sheba’s on a jet ski! Now she’s shooting the bad guy with a spear gun!) comes off like a low-rent Bond knockoff.

John Carpenter’s ESCAPE FROM L.A. (1996) followed, with Kurt Russell returning as Snake Plissken from ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981) and Pam in a supporting role as a transsexual. The festival concluded with A Conversation with Pam Grier, an hour-long, on-stage interview with clips from her most famous films.

It was a great weekend, a unique opportunity to witness the trajectory of a career with the artist present to share intimate, behind-the-scenes details. All of it was done with style and the curatorial excellence New York City movie buffs have come to expect from the Film Society. But Grier herself summed it up best:

“They brought some funk to Lincoln Center.”

Foxy: the Complete Pam Grier, an 11-film retrospective, continues through Sunday. The schedule is here.