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Classic Films
Related: About this forumTCM Schedule for Friday, May 2, 2014 -- Friday Night Spotlight - Australian Cinema
During the day today, TCM is celebrating the birthday of Bing Crosby, born Harry Lillis Crosby on May 2, 1903, in Tacoma, Washington. And in prime time, we get to enjoy some of the best of Australian cinema. G'day, cobber, and enjoy!6:00 AM -- TCM Presents Elvis Mitchell Under the Influence: Joan Allen (2008)
Celebrities reveal the classic movies that influenced their lives in interviews with acclaimed film critic/interviewer Elvis Mitchell.
C-27 min, CC, Letterbox Format
7:45 AM -- Going Hollywood (1933)
A girl poses as a French maid to catch a singing star.
Dir: Raoul Walsh
Cast: Marion Davies, Bing Crosby, Fifi D'Orsay
BW-78 min, CC
Marion Davies requested Bing Crosby as her co-star, but William Randolph Hearst, the financial backer of Cosmopolitan Productions, refused because he did not like Crosby's singing style. Composer Arthur Freed, however, convinced Hearst that Crosby would be good for Davies' sagging career. Davies also requested Fifi D'Orsay be cast as "Lili", and Hearst agreed despite his wish to cast Lili Damita in that role.
9:15 AM -- Pennies From Heaven (1936)
A singer gets mixed up with a grieving family and a haunted house.
Dir: Norman Z. McLeod
Cast: Bing Crosby, Madge Evans, Edith Fellows
BW-81 min, CC
Nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song -- Arthur Johnston (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics) for the song "Pennies from Heaven (1936)"
Louis Armstrong was hired for this movie at Bing Crosby's insistence. Crosby also insisted that Armstrong receive prominent billing, the first time a black actor shared top billing with white actors in a major release film.
10:45 AM -- Road to Bali (1953)
Two song-and-dance men on the run dive for treasure while competing for a beautiful princess.
Dir: Hal Walker
Cast: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour
C-91 min
The sixth of the seven Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour "Road" films, this was the only "Road" picture of the seven to be photographed in Technicolor. Ten years later, the British-made "The Road to Hong Kong" would revert to black and white.
12:30 PM -- High Society (1956)
In this musical version of The Philadelphia Story, tabloid reporters invade a society wedding.
Dir: Charles Walters
Cast: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra
C-112 min, CC, Letterbox Format
Nominated for Oscars for Best Music, Original Song -- Cole Porter for the song "True Love", and Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture -- Johnny Green and Saul Chaplin
The song "Well, Did You Evah?" (from a previous Cole Porter musical) was added at the last minute when it was realized that there wasn't a song for Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra to sing together.
2:30 PM -- Man On Fire (1957)
A divorced man fights for custody of his son when his ex-wife remarries.
Dir: Ranald MacDougall
Cast: Bing Crosby, Inger Stevens, Mary Fickett
BW-95 min
A remake of The Alcoa Hour television show episode Man On Fire (1956), starring Tom Ewell, Patricia Barry, and Neva Patterson, and directed by Sidney Lumet.
4:15 PM -- The Vintage (1957)
Two fugitives hide out in a vineyard.
Dir: Jeffrey Hayden
Cast: Pier Angeli, Mel Ferrer, John Kerr
C-92 min, CC, Letterbox Format
Based on the novel of the same name by Ursula Keir.
6:00 PM -- The Angry Hills (1959)
A World War II correspondent fights to get strategic information out of occupied Greece.
Dir: Robert Aldrich
Cast: Robert Mitchum, Stanley Baker, Elisabeth Mueller
BW-105 min, CC, Letterbox Format
Stanley Baker challenged Robert Mitchum to a drinking contest. Mitchum won.
TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: FRIDAY NIGHT SPOTLIGHT: AUSTRALIAN CINEMA
8:00 PM -- Breaker Morant (1980)
When his commanding officers make a mistake, an Australian soldier faces court martial.
Dir: Bruce Beresford
Cast: Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown
C-107 min, Letterbox Format
Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Jonathan Hardy, David Stevens and Bruce Beresford
The meaning and relevance of this film's 'Breaker Morant' title is that it refers to a nickname of the central character. The word Breaker refers to the breaker of horses (as in breaking horses) whilst Morant refers to the character's surname. The actual complete full name of this film's protagonist was Henry Harbord Morant. Morant was also known by the nickname Harry as in Harry Morant or Harry Harbord Morant. Apparently, it has been alleged that Morant's actual name at birth was Edwin Murrant.
10:00 PM -- Gallipoli (1981)
Two Australian sprinters face the brutal realities of war when they are sent to fight in World War I.
Dir: Peter Weir
Cast: Mel Gibson, Bill Kerr, Diane Chamberlain
C-112 min, CC, Letterbox Format
The disastrous charge at The Nek that took place on August 7, 1915 was actually authorized by an Australian officer, not a British one, as depicted in the film. This is a decision that Peter Weir now regrets as he acknowledges that the British made just as valiant a contribution to the campaign as the Australians did. The movie was heavily criticized for ignoring the British contribution at Gallipoli.
12:00 AM -- Tim (1979)
A simple builder's laborer falls in love with a woman who offers him yard work.
Dir: Michael Pate
Cast: Piper Laurie, Mel Gibson, Alwyn Kurts
C-108 min, Letterbox Format
When Piper Laurie's character comes outside to read while Tim is working in the yard, the book she is reading is "The Thorn Birds", written by Colleen McCullough, the same author as "Tim". When Tim joins her for tea he asks if the book is any good, and she responds that it is very interesting. Several years later, Piper Laurie had a role in the TV miniseries that was made out of The Thorn Birds.
2:00 AM -- Mad Max (1979)
A post-apocalyptic cop seeks revenge when his family is murdered.
Dir: George Miller
Cast: Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Steve Bisley
C-93 min, CC, Letterbox Format
Before the film was released in the United States, distributor American International Pictures overdubbed the actors' speaking voices. The 2002 special edition DVD release was the first US DVD to feature the original Australian language track.
4:00 AM -- Road Games (1981)
A truck driver's attempt to find a vanished hitchhiker leads police to suspect him of her murder.
Dir: Richard Franklin
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Marion Edward, Grant Page
C-101 min
Jamie Lee Curtis said she felt a certain amount of hostility and prejudice while on set, being one of the two "token Americans". One of the crew members even approached her and asked, "What is it like putting Australians out of work?"
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TCM Schedule for Friday, May 2, 2014 -- Friday Night Spotlight - Australian Cinema (Original Post)
Staph
May 2014
OP
CBHagman
(17,100 posts)1. Do NOT miss "Breaker Morant" and "Gallipoli."
I don't know what kind of prints TCM has for screening, but they're both must-see movies.
Breaker Morant
Gallipoli