A
Guide to the Interesting and Unusual on TCM
By
Ed Garea
April
seems to be a very strange month. John Wayne is TCM's Star of the
Month, yet we don’t see his films until the second half of the
month. That leaves us short one category, but we’ll try to make up
for it.
APRIL
FOOL’S DAY
TCM
marks April Fool’s Day with a day and night of comedies. Most of
the superstars of comedy are featured, from the Marx Brothers (At
the Circus,
7:30 am) to Abbott and Costello (Abbott
and Costello in Hollywood,
9:00 am) to Wheeler and Woosley (The
Nitwits,
10:30 am). The evening is devoted to slapstick comedy, with that
favorite of the French, Jerry Lewis, leading off at 8:00 pm with The
Disorderly Orderly,
directed by Frank Tashlin, who was much better when he was making
cartoons at Warners. At 9:30 is Woody Allen’s exquisite Sleeper.
But the night’s best bets are Laurel and Hardy’s Way
Out West,
at 11:00 pm and the one and only Buster Keaton in Steamboat
Bill Jr. at
12:30 am.
OTHER
NEWS
April
3: TCM
celebrates Doris Day’s 90th birthday
with an entire day of her movies, so if you love Doris, this is for
you. My picks are Love
Me or Leave Me (12:15
pm), with Doris as torch singer Ruth Etting, looking to get away from
gangster/boyfriend Martin “the Gimp” Snyder, menacingly portrayed
by Jimmy Cagney. At the God-awful time of 4:00 am we are treated to
one of her very best, Please
Don’t Eat the Daises,
from 1960, with Doris as drama critic David Niven’s wife as their
family tries to adjust to life in the country. The film, based on the
best-selling book of the same name by Jean Kerr, wife of New
York Herald-Tribune drama
critic Walter Kerr, was hugely popular at the box office and later
spawned a television series of the same name.
OUT
OF THE ORDINARY
April
4: Tune in at 7:00 am for the 1932 Pre-Code
comedy/mystery, Miss Pinkerton,
with Joan Blondell as a private duty nurse assigned to care for a
murder victim’s elderly aunt (Elizabeth Patterson). As she tends to
her duties she notices some strange things happening, and with the
prodding of detective George Brent, she manages to get to the bottom
of things, almost becoming a victim herself. It’s fun viewing,
especially for Blondell, who always manages to parade around in her
underwear no matter what the subject matter. Jean Harlow may have
been the unattainable Blonde Bombshell, but Blondell was the
Bombshell-next-door, complete with down-to-Earth attitude and salty
language.
April
6: A most interesting film from Japan, Twenty-Four
Eyes (1954), makes is debut at 2:00 am. Written
and directed by Keisuke Kinoshita, it’s the story of a young
Japanese schoolteacher, Hisako Oishi (Hideko Takamine), who is
assigned to a rural school district. The local are at first
suspicious because she rides a bike to school rather than walking,
and wears a dress rather than a traditional kimono. But the students
love her, and when the locals discover that she takes a bike to work
because the long distance and wears a dress because of the long ride,
they, too, warm to her. The time span of the film is from the late
‘20s to the early ‘50s, and we see the creeping jingoism and
totalitarianism that envelops Japan during the ‘30s and its effect
in the schoolroom. With the advent of World War II, Hisako retires
from teaching rather than see her beloved pupils brought back in body
bags, and waits to return to the school after the war, when her
services will really be needed. It’s a film that has had an effect
on me ever since I saw it right after college at a New York City
revival house. Watch it and you’ll remember it always. Also look
for popular actor Chishu Ryu as an older teacher.
April
7: In case you’ve been out of the country or in a coma the
last seven years or so, this is a chance to see one of the most
prescient films ever made: Elia Kazan’s 1957 underrated
masterpiece, A Face in the Crowd.
I first saw this around the age of 11 or so with my mother on what
was known as The Schaefer Gold Circle Theater. This took the place of
the Saturday night Late Show on WCBS once a month
and was devoted to quality films. I was blown away by it. The idea of
Andy Griffith – Sheriff Taylor – as a bad guy had me glued to the
tube. Wow. I didn’t see it again until 1980 when I watched it with
my wife. I remember talking it up all day at work, and when I saw it
again, I was once more entranced by the sheer power of the movie. My
wife was also blown away, especially as to how the film related to
today’s media-dominated society. Griffith is simply great as Larry
“Lonesome “ Rhodes, a hobo discovered by local radio producer
Patricia Neal in the Pickett, Arkansas, lockup, where he was jailed
for drunk and disorderly. She gives him a chance to do his stuff on
her radio show and he’s so good that he quickly builds up a local
audience, then conquers television in Memphis, and finally in New
York. Once in New York, advertisers and corporate heads build him up
into the Next Great Thing, a folklore philosopher. But there’s one
big flaw, Rhodes is a nasty piece of work, a megalomaniac obsessed
with power – and himself. Of course, he has to get his comeuppance
at the end and the way it’s done is one of the great scenes in
cinema history. This is one not only worth seeing, but worth
purchasing on DVD as well.
April
9: Here’s one definitely worth catching. It’s from
England and the odds are you haven’t seen it. Heck, I’ve never
seen it, although I looked for it all over. It airs at 12:00 am and
is titled Went the Day
Well? Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti for Ealing
Studios in 1942, it’s the story of a small English village that is
taken over by German paratroopers sent ahead of a large-scale
invasion force. How the villagers deal with the enemy in their midst
is said to be compelling, and note that the film was made before the
outcome of the war was still in doubt. As such it served as an
effective morale tool. Starring Leslie Banks, Basil Sydney, and
Elizabeth Allan, it’s based on a 1940 magazine story by Graham
Greene called “The Lieutenant Died Last.” This, to me, is why I
love TCM – movies such as this popping up and providing me with
hours of viewing pleasure. I’ll be watching.
April
11: It’s Joan Blondell, again. This time she’s the title
character in Warner Brothers’ 1933 crime drama, Blondie
Johnson, airing at 12:45 pm. Joan is a victim of the
Depression who, when the relief agency turns a deaf ear to her pleas
for help for her ailing mother, vows to make money anyway she can.
And she does, taking on the big boys in the Mob as well as the
authorities. Backed by such stalwarts as Chester Morris, Allen
Jenkins, and Mae Busch in this lively 68-minute drama, Joan manages
to have us root for her, even though at the end we learn that crime
does not pay. But it’s a great ride, nevertheless.
And
then at 12:00 am, it a repeat showing of Federico Fellini’s
wonderful film, Nights
of Cabiria,
with Giulietta Masina perfect as the hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold who
has bad taste in men in real life. Masina simply dominates the screen
and her character is sure to wring a tear out of even the most
hard-hearted viewer. It’s a film I can always make time to see.
PSYCHOTRONICA
& THE B-HIVE
There
are some choice bits of psychotronica available this period, with an
unknown gem from Japan.
April
5: A
unique entry in Blaxploitation cinema is being shown at the late hour
of 2:00 am. Sweet
Jesus, Preacherman (1973)
was produced by independent company Entertainment Pyramid and
released though MGM. The producers were known for their slate of
cheap horror and exploitation films; their most famous release
probably being 1972’s Grave of the
Vampire,
with William Smith and Michael Pataki. Sweet
Jesus stars
Roger E. Mosely (best known to fans as T.C. on Tom Selleck’s
long-running private eye series, Magnum
P.I.)
In this film he plays a contract killer who assumes the role of a
Baptist preacher at the local church, from which he takes over the
local crime action in the ‘hood. Yeah, it doesn’t make
sense at times, but it’s still a fun diversion.
April
7: A great psychotronic tripleheader begins with the sci-fi
classic Them! airing
at 1:30 am (When else?) It’s one of my all-time favorites, a cut
above the usual ‘50s science fiction fare: a deft combination of a
noir murder mystery and science fiction. The performances are all
excellent, with James Whitmore as the state cop who discovers the
murder, James Arness as the FBI agent assigned to the case, as the
murder victim was an FBI agent and his family, and Edmund Gwenn as
the entomologist sent by Washington to investigate. Entomologist?
Yes, in case there are those who somehow haven’t seen this classic
before, we are now up against gigantic ants. But there’s
more: Them! is actually, believe it or not, a
Red Scare flick; the ants are the Commies. Watch and you’ll see.
Proper support is given to the stars by Onslow Stevens as an Air
Force General assigned to mop up the pesky critters, Sean McClory as
Stevens’ adjunct, Major Kibbee (with an Irish accent, yet), and
Joan Weldon as Gwenn’s scientist daughter, who manages to be
effective without being annoying. Also look for such familiar faces
as Fess Parker, Olin Howard, Dub Taylor, Dick Wessel, Chris Drake,
William Schallert, and Leonard Nimoy (!) in an early role as an Air
Force Sergeant.
Following
at 3:15 am is The Cosmic Monsters,
a British film from 1958, where it was originally released as The
Strange World of Planet X. As with other English Bs of the
period, an American actor was added to make it somehow attractive to
American audiences. And the American in this case is Forrest Tucker.
He is Canadian scientist Gil Graham, assistant to the eccentric Dr.
Laird (Alec Mango), who is working on experiments to manipulate the
magnetic fields. During one such experiment Laird punches a hole in
the ionosphere that allows cosmic rays to seep in. They, in turn,
drive people mad and enlarge insects. Enter Smith (Martin Benson) a
visitor from Planet X who has seen what was going on and comes to
help us dig ourselves out of the mess. Gaby Andre is also on hand as
the requisite eye candy, a French scientist assigned to assist the
mad doc in his experiments. The problem with this film, however, is
its low budget, which undermines the interesting premise. Still, for
those who haven’t yet seen it, or for those who saw it a long time
ago, it is worth catching.
Finally,
at 4:45 am is the Roger Corman opus from 1959, The
Wasp Woman, starring Susan Cabot as the head of a
cosmetics firm that has discovered a serum made from wasp royal jelly
that can wipe away aging. Cabot tries some and is hooked, despite
warnings. Soon she turns into a wasp-like creature that kills. It’s
the usual Corman nonsense with a paltry budget to back it up. Of
course, in later interviews, after he was “discovered” and
lionized by critics, Corman said the film is a social satire on the
search for eternal beauty. Yeah, sure it is; and I’m the Wizard of
Oz. All in all, this is just another cheapo Corman film; watch at
your own risk.
April
12: It’s back to Blaxploitation with a good double-header.
Leading off at 2:00 am is the incredible Rudy Ray Moore vehicle from
1979, Disco Godfather.
Any film starring Mr. Moore must be seen to be truly appreciated (and
believed). Moore is Tucker Williams, a former LAPD detective who is
now running a disco (and doubling as a DJ there). Things are cool
until his NBA-bound nephew ends up in the psych ward thanks to
smoking angel dust. This makes Mr. Moore very angry, and when he gets
very angry he takes it out on everyone responsible. And no one takes
it to the streets like Rudy Ray Moore.
Following
is the film that started the Blaxploitation genre, Shaft (1971).
It made its star, Richard Roundtree, into a major figure on the
action circuit and spawned two sequels in the process. Directed by
Gordon Parks, it’s actually a very good film about a Black
detective recruited by a Harlem mob boss to rescue his kidnapped
daughter. Though not too different from other films in the genre, it
was the attitude and actors that made this one stand out. First, it
was about a Black detective, who not only has to fight the kidnappers
but the white NYPD as well. And John Shaft takes no crap from no one.
Also check it out for a panorama of New York City in 1971. It was a
whole different city back then, and the photography both emphasizes
and highlights those points. For those who have seen it, you know
what I mean, and for those who haven’t, all I can say is that this
is a Must See.
April
13: We begin at 12:00 am with The
Mysterious Island, a 1929 film from MGM starring
Lionel Barrymore as Count Dakkar, scientist and ruler on a small
volcanic island. He is a benevolent ruler, having eliminated class
distinctions among the populace. As he’s a scientist, he, his
daughter Sonia (Jacqueline Gadsden) and future son-in-law Nikolai
Roget (Lloyd Hughes) have built a submarine, which they use to escape
the island just as it’s being overrun by the evil despotic Baron
Falon of neighboring Hetvia. When the Baron learns that Dakkar and
his relatives have escaped he follows them in his own submarine. The
two craft, diving to the ocean’s floor, discover a strange land
containing dragons, giant squid and an undiscovered humanoid race.
The effects are prehistoric and the acting par for the time, but it
is in 2-strip Technicolor.
Afterwards,
at 2:00 am is a most unusual film from director Kazui Nihonmatsu and
Shochiku, Genocide (1968),
aka War of the Insects. Think of Hitchcock’s The
Birds and you’ll have some idea of the plot. But the
second act goes off the rails with a subplot about a missing H-bomb,
the callous reaction by the American military, and a gorgeous, but
deranged Holocaust survivor working in cahoots with spies from the
Eastern Bloc. And we have the insects, who share one single purpose:
to destroy mankind before mankind can destroy Earth. All this makes
for a much harder-edged, but nonetheless compelling entry in a genre
that was of late composed of comical monsters.
And
following at 3:30 am is an earlier film from the same director and
studio, The X From Outer
Space (1967). A spaceship dispatched from Japan
to Mars to investigate UFO reports finds itself covered in slimy goo,
containing unusual spores. When the ship returns to Earth with one of
the specimens, it grows into a ridiculous chicken-lizard monster
that, as usual threatens Japan. Lots of unintentional humor and
dialogue seemingly aimed at a pre-10-year-old audience. It’s
interesting to compare this with the earlier film as they were both
from the same director and studio. However, it’s not as bad as the
Gammera films and others such as A.P.E. It’s worth
a peek if you haven’t seen it before. If you have, then you know
whet we’re dealing with in this one. Still, if you have a yen for a
Japanese monster movie, there are worse.
April
15: TCM is showing a batch of teen rock ‘n’ roll movies
beginning at 8:00 pm. Some are just plain awful, but there some gems.
Aside from the Elvis movies (Jailhouse
Rock at 10 pm and the 1970 documentary, Elvis:
That’s the Way It Is at 5 am), there is a nice
little film from 1959 called Go,
Johnny, Go! There’s not much of a plot here –
Alan Freed searching for a talent contest’s mysterious winner –
but there are some great acts on the bill, including Chuck Berry,
Jackie Wilson, Richie Valens, Eddie Cochran, The Cadillacs, and The
Flamingos. For those who like classic rock ‘n’ roll, this is one
to see.