TCM Schedule for Thursday, March 16, 2017 -- What's On Tonight - Treasures from the Disney Vault

[Staph]

During the daylight hours, TCM is showing musicals about musicals (trust me, it does make sense!). And in prime time, there are more treasures from the Disney vault, including a selection of cartoons with Chip and Dale besting Donald Duck. Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- THE BARKLEYS OF BROADWAY (1949)
A married musical team splits up so the wife can become a serious actress.
Dir: Charles Walters
Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Oscar Levant
C-109 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Color -- Harry Stradling Sr.

This was the last film to co-star Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers; their first in ten years, since The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939); their only film together in color; and the only one they made for a studio (MGM) other than RKO.


8:00 AM -- CHASING RAINBOWS (1929)
Musical performers fall in love while rehearsing for the big show.
Dir: Charles F. Reisner
Cast: Bessie Love, Charles King, Jack Benny
BW-84 mins, CC,

In its original format, the film contained 1249 feet of 2-strip Technicolor footage which, unfortunately, is either lost or unavailable at the present time; this unhappily includes the "Everybody Tap" number with Bessie Love and Charlie King at the beginning of Reel #5, "Love Ain't Nothin' But the Blues" with Charles King in blackface, a reprise of "My Dynamic Personality" by Marie Dressler and the "Happy Days Are Here Again" finale in Reel #11. As shown on TCM, the film ends abruptly with no warning that it's over when Carlie pushes Terry out of the dressing room door. This is the result of the loss of the 2-strip Technicolor finale which ended the film.


9:30 AM -- WORDS AND MUSIC (1948)
Songwriters Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart search for love while rising to the top.
Dir: Norman Taurog
Cast: Perry Como, Mickey Rooney, Ann Sothern
C-121 mins, CC,

In supplementary material included on the DVD it is noted that Lena Horne's performances in most of the movies of the day, as in this one, are included in a way that permitted them to be cut from the films without damaging the story. This was so that the films could be shown in the American South.


11:45 AM -- APRIL SHOWERS (1948)
A family vaudeville act is torn apart by the father's drinking problem.
Dir: James V. Kern
Cast: Jack Carson, Ann Sothern, Robert Alda
BW-94 mins, CC,

Loosely based on the vaudeville career of Buster Keaton, who both saved and outshone his mediocre performing parents. As The Three Keatons, they headlined (and slayed them) all over the U.S., including The Palace in New York. Joe Keaton was nowhere NEAR as loveable as Jack Carson. Warner Bros. paid Buster and his mom (during lean times for Buster) $3500 for the rights.


1:30 PM -- THE BAND WAGON (1953)
A Broadway artiste turns a faded film star's comeback vehicle into an artsy flop.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli
Cast: Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant
C-112 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay -- Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Best Costume Design, Color -- Mary Ann Nyberg, and Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture -- Adolph Deutsch

The full-skirted white dress worn by Cyd Charisse in "Dancing In The Dark" was actually copied from a dress worn by the film's costume designer Mary Ann Nyberg. Director Vincente Minnelli tried to buy it off the rack (it originally cost about $25), but no store carried exactly that type of frock. It was finally created from scratch for about $1,000.


3:30 PM -- ZIEGFELD GIRL (1941)
Three showgirls in the Ziegfeld Follies face romantic trials on their way to the top.
Dir: Robert Z. Leonard
Cast: James Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr
BW-133 mins, CC,

This was James Stewart's last performance before serving military service in World War II. He would only come back 5 years later in the classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946).


5:45 PM -- TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (1946)
True story of composer Jerome Kern's rise to the top on Broadway and in Hollywood.
Dir: Richard Whorf
Cast: June Allyson, Lucille Bremer, Judy Garland
C-135 mins, CC,

When MGM originally began planning this film, it asked Jerome Kern what he thought about Robert Walker being cast. He said it sounded all right, but he wanted to hear his wife's opinion. He phoned her from the office and she told him to stay and play himself and send Walker home to her.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: TREASURES FROM THE DISNEY VAULT



8:00 PM -- GOOD SCOUTS (1938)
Donald Duck attempts to lead his nephews' scout troop.
Dir: Jack King
Cast: Clarence Nash
C-8 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, Cartoons -- Walt Disney

The title is a parody of the international movement of Boy Scouts started by Lord Robert Baden-Powell in 1908, a few months after the first scout encampment at Brownsea Island Scout camp in 1907.


8:15 PM -- FOLLOW ME, BOYS! (1966)
A small-town man dedicates his life to leading a Boy Scout troop.
Dir: Norman Tokar
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles, Lillian Gish
C-132 mins, CC,

Film debut of John Larroquette, and the final film of both Charles Ruggles and Madge Blake.


10:30 PM -- THE HOUND THAT THOUGHT HE WAS A RACCOON (1960)
A lost puppy is taken in by a mother raccoon.
Dir: Tom McGowan
Cast: Rex Allen, Oscar Busch
C-47 mins, CC,

Based on a story by Rutherford Montgomery.


11:30 PM -- ALL IN A NUTSHELL (1949)
Donald Duck goes to war with Chip and Dale over the nuts he needs for his business.
Dir: Jack Hannah
Cast: Dessie Flynn, James MacDonald, Clarence Nash
C-7 mins, CC,

GOOFY HOLLER: When Donald gets blasted away by a log "cannon".


11:30 PM -- WINTER STORAGE (1949)
Chip and Dale fight park ranger Donald Duck over a bag of acorns.
Dir: Jack Hannah
Cast: Dessie Flynn, James MacDonald, Clarence Nash
C-7 mins, CC,

Based on a story by Bill Berg and Nick George.


11:30 PM -- OUT OF SCALE (1951)
Chip and Dale take over Donald Duck's backyard train set.
Dir: Jack Hannah
Cast: Dessie Flynn, James MacDonald, Clarence Nash
BW-7 mins, CC,

This short was most likely inspired by the model train layouts that several of the animators had. Walt Disney himself had a miniature train that he could ride on, and even laid track around the studio lot for his miniature engine.


12:00 AM -- THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY (1963)
Lost on vacation, two dogs and a cat try to find their way home.
Dir: Fletcher Markle
Cast: Muffey, Syn Cat, Rink
C-80 mins, CC,

Based on the book of the same name by Sheila Burnford.


1:30 AM -- JUNGLE CAT (1960)
Documentary cameras capture the life of a spotted jaguar living in the South American jungle.
Dir: James Algar
Cast: Winston Hibler,
C-70 mins, CC,

One of the many documentaries released by Disney under the name Walt Disney's True-Life Adventures.


2:45 AM -- CHARLIE, THE LONESOME COUGAR (1967)
A logger takes in a motherless cougar cub, who grows up to become a troublemaker.
Dir: Winston Hibler
Cast: Ron Brown, Bryan Russell, Linda Wallace
C-75 mins, CC,

Originally released as part of a double feature bill with Disney's The Jungle Book (1967).


4:15 AM -- NAPOLEON AND SAMANTHA (1972)
Two children run off with a pet lion.
Dir: Bernard McEveety Jr.
Cast: Michael Douglas, Jodie Foster, Johnny Whitacker
C-91 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score -- Buddy Baker

Jodie Foster's first movie role - she was attacked by one of the lions during the filming of this movie, and still has the scars from the attack.