Movies for the Day, Thursday, June 1, 2017

Marilyn Monroe, Andy Griffith, and Superman- birthdays for all.




The Goddess (1958) is a Paddy Chayefsky
story loosely based on the life of Marilyn
Monroe, and seeking fame in Hollywood.
Monroe was born this date, June 1, in 1926.





The Goddess







The Andy Griffith Show (October 3,
1960 to April 1, 1968) is a beloved
television series about a widowed
sheriff in a small town, Mayberry.  The
series stars Andy Griffith, born this date,
June 1, in 1926.  Comedian Don
Knotts won multiple Emmys as Supporting
Actor  playing Barney Fife and Francis
Bavier won an Emmy as Supporting
Actress playing Aunt Bee.  Sheriff Andy Taylor's
son, Opie, was played by Ron Howard.  The sitcom
lasted eight seasons and 249 episodes.

The Andy Griffith Show












Superman (1978) was a blockbuster movie
about the Man of Steel, who debuted in Action
Comics on June 1, 1938.  The movie
starred Christopher Reeve as Superman, an action
hero on the American Film Institute's
Heroes list.  It was followed by several sequels.
The movie won an Oscar for Visual Effects.




Superman

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 31, 2017

A flood, a tough cop, and the fountain of youth- diverse topics for today's movies.

The Johnstown Flood (1926) is a silent
epic movie about the great Johnstown
flood, which occurred May 31 in 1889.







The Johnstown Flood








Dirty Harry (1972) stars Clint Eastwood,
born May 31, in 1930, as a tough cop
after a serial killer.  This thrilling action
movie features an American Film Institute
Hero, Harry Callahan, and an AFI Quote,
"You've got to ask yourself one question:  'Do
I feel lucky?'  Well, do ya, punk?"  The movie
is on the National Film Registry.



Dirty Harry







Cocoon (1985) is a science fiction movie
about senior citizens discovering a
fountain of youth.  The film won Oscars
for Best Supporting Actor, to Don Ameche,
and for Visual Effects.  Ameche was born May
31 in 1908.




Cocoon

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Today's movies are about Joan of Arc, cars, and reality television.


The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) is mostly
about the trial of the great French saint, who
died May 30, 1431.  May 30 is her feast day.
The movie is a silent classic.







The Passion of Joan of Arc







Cars (2006) is a favorite family
movie about race cars.  The first
Indianapolis 500 was on this date,
May 30, in 1911.  The last was
yesterday.




Cars









Cinema Verite (2011) is a fictionalized
account of An American Family (the
Loud family), a 1973 PBS documentary
television series which was an early
example of reality television.  The Loud
family was filmed May 30 to December 31,
1971.  Cinema Verite won an Emmy for
Picture Editing.



Cinema Verite

Movies for the Day, Monday, May 29, 2017

Today's movies feature comedian Bob Hope, the Kennedy Presidency, and Memorial Day.

Son of Paleface (1952) is a western comedy
starring Bob Hope, born May 29, in 1903,
Roy Rogers and Trigger the horse.







Son of Paleface







John F. Kennedy:  Years of Lightning,
Day Of Drums (1964) is a documentary
celebration of the Kennedy Presidency,
which ended with his tragic assassination
in November 1963.  Kennedy was born
May 29 in 1917.

John F. Kennedy: Years of Lightning, Day of Drums











Decoration Day (1990) is a television
movie about a reluctant Medal of Honor
awardee and others involved in his
life.  Decoration Day is also the former
name for Memorial Day, which is today.
The movie won an Emmy for Supporting
Actress, to Ruby Dee.





Decoration Day

Movies for the Day, Sunday, May 28, 2017

Two athletes and James Bond- check out these movies.


Jim Thorpe- All-American (1951) tells the
story of one of America's greatest athletes, a
Native American who was a great football
hero and a great Olympian.  He was born
this date, May 28, in 1887.





Jim Thorpe- All-American







Dr. No (1962) is the first of the
James Bond adventure spy films, a great
movie franchise.  The Bond series
was created by Ian Fleming, born May
28 in 1908.  Dr. No stars Sean Connery
as James Bond.  Bond is on the American
Film Institute Heroes list.  The movie also
features an AFI Quote, "Bond.  James Bond."



Dr. No










The Blind Side (2009) is the story of
pro footballer Michael Oher, born
May 28, in 1986.  Sandra Bullock won
an Oscar as Best Actress.






The Blind Side

Movies for the Day, Saturday, May 27, 2017

A western series, a horror movie, and a World War II miniseries- today's movie selections.



The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok (1951 to 1958)
is a television series about legendary western folk
hero and lawman "Wild Bill" Hickok, born this date,
May 27, in 1837.  The series starred Guy Madison and
Andy Devine as Hickok's sidekick.  The show ran
eight seasons, 173 half-hour episodes.  In 1955, it
was nominated for an Emmy as Best Western or
Adventure Series.




The Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok






House of Wax (1953) is a classic
horror film starring Vincent Price in one
of his early horror roles.  Price was born
May 27 in 1911.  The movie is a remake
of the 1933 version, Mystery of the Wax
Museum.  The film is listed on the National
Film Registry.





House of Wax






Winds of War (1983) is a television miniseries
about the early years of World War II and the
lives of two families.  It is based on the bestselling
book by Herman Wouk, born May 27 in 1915.  The
seven episodes aired in February 1983.  It won
Emmys for Cinematography, Costumes, and Visual
Effects.  It was followed by a sequel in 1988 to 1989,
War and Remembrance.


Winds of War

Movies for the Day, Friday, May 26, 2017

World War II, a western, and assisted suicide constitute today's movies. 

Dunkirk (1958) tells the story of the
British Army retreat during World War
II from May 26 (this date) to June 2, in
1940.






Dunkirk








True Grit (1969) is a classic western
starring John Wayne, born this date, May
26, in 1907, as American Film
Institute Hero Rooster Cogburn.  Wayne
won an Oscar as Best Actor.




True Grit









You Don't Know Jack (2010) is an
HBO television movie about Jack
Kevorkian, who advocated assisted
suicide.  Kevorkian was born May 26,
1928.  Al Pacino won an Emmy as
Lead Actor.  The Writing also
won an Emmy.



You Don't Know Jack

Movies for the Day, Thursday, May 25, 2017

Today's movies are about an Artic disaster, tap dancing, and a dictator.



The Red Tent (1971) is about an expedition
to the Artic North Pole by a General Nobile
aboard the Airship Italia which crashed this date,
May 25, in 1928, and the mission to rescue him
and other survivors.






The Red Tent





Tap (1989) is a movie about
a tap dancer.  Today is National
Tap Dance Day and the birthday
of famous tap dancer Bill
"Bojangles" Robinson, born May
25, 1878.





Tap






Tito and Me (1992) is about hero
worship of the great Yugoslavian
leader by a 10-year-old boy in
the 1950s.  Tito was born this date,
May 25, in 1892.




Tito and Me

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Today's movies concern Queen Victoria, Bob Dylan, and Tourette's Syndrome.

Victoria Regina (1961) is a television movie
of the life of Queen Victoria of England, born
this date, May 24, in 1819.  The movie won
Emmys for Leading Actress, to Julie Harris,
Actress in a Supporting Role, to Pamela Brown,
and Program of the Year.





Victoria Regina





Don't Look Back (1967) is a
documentary of Bob Dylan's
1965 concert tour of England.
Dylan was born this date, May 24,
in 1941.  The documentary is
on the National Film Registry.





Don't Look Back














I Have Tourette's But Tourette's Doesn't
Have Me (2005) is a documentary about
children with Tourette's Syndrome.  May
2017 is Tourette's Syndrome Awareness
Month.  The documentary won an Emmy
as Outstanding Children's Program.





I Have Tourette's But Tourette's Doesn't Have Me

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Bonnie and Clyde, turtles, and ALS inform today's movies.




Bonnie and Clyde (1967) is a thrilling and
passionate movie about real-life bank robbers Bonnie
Parker and Clyde Barrow, who met their demise
this date, May 23, in 1934.  They are listed on the
American Film Institute Villains list.  The movie features
an AFI Quote, "We rob banks."  The movie is on
the National Film Registry.  The film won Oscars
for Best Supporting Actress, Estelle Parsons, born
November 20, 1927, and Cinematography.



Bonnie and Clyde




Today, May 23, 2017, is World Turtle
Day.  Turtle Diary (1985) is about captive
giant turtles at a zoo and a fable of the
relationship of two people interested in the
turtles' fate.




Turtle Diary








Tuesdays With Morrie (1999) is a television
movie about a former student who revisits a
dying professor weekly and learns about life.
The movie won Emmys for Lead Actor, Jack
Lemmon, Supporting Actor, Hank Azaria,
Editing, and as Outstanding Made for Television
Movie.  The film is based on a memoir by Mitch
Albom, born this date May 23, in 1958.  The professor
is dying of ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
May 2017 is ALS Month.  Also, today is Tuesday.


Tuesdays With Morrie

Movies for the Day, Monday, May 22, 2017

Today's movies feature detective Sherlock Holmes and two assassinated politicians.





The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes (1939)
is a classic movie featuring the famous
detective created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
born this date, May 22, in 1859.  It
features an American Film Institute Quote,
"Elementary, my dear Watson."



The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes









Z (1969) is based on a true life
incident, the political assassination
of Greek politician Grigoris
Lambrakis, on this date, May 22, 1963.
Lambrakis died May 27.  The film
is also about the investigation that
followed.  The movie won Oscars for
Best Foreign Language Film and Film
Editing.


Z







The Times of Harvey Milk (1984) is
a documentary about Harvey Milk, the
first openly gay person elected to public
office in California.  He won a seat on the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors in
1977.  He was assassinated in November 1978.
He was born this date, May 22, in 1930.
The film won an Oscar as Best Feature
Documentary.  Dan White, also a Supervisor,
assassinated Milk and Mayor Moscone.  The
film is listed on the National Film Registry.

The Times of Harvey Milk

Movies for the Day, Sunday, May 21, 2017

Today's movies feature baseball, a famous murder case, and a Roman emperor.

The Stratton Story (1949) tells the story of
Monty Stratton, a baseball player who loses
a leg in a hunting accident.  Stratton was born
this date, May 21, in 1912.  The movie won
an Oscar for Original Screenplay.







The Stratton Story






Constantine and the Cross (1962) is
a biopic of the 4th Century Roman
emperor who converted to Catholicism.
He is known as St. Constantine the
Great and his feast day is May 21.



Constantine and the Cross











Swoon (1992) is a dramatic look
at Chicago's 1924 Leopold-Loeb
thrill killing.  Two wealthy Chicago
college students kidnapped and
murdered a 14-year-old boy, Robert
Franks, on this date, May 21.  Another
movie version is Compulsion (1959).



Swoon

Movies for the Day, Saturday, May 20, 2017

Rock n Roll, murder, and romance- find them all in today's movies.



Rock Around the Clock (1956) is a time capsule
of the emergence of rock n roll.   Rock Around the
Clock was by Bill Haley and His Comets and
released this date, May 20, in 1954.





Rock Around the Clock









Anatomy of a Murder (1959) is a
great courtroom crime drama film,
starring James Stewart, born this
date, May 20, 1908.  The movie is
listed on the National Film Registry.
May 1, as we have seen, was Law Day.



Anatomy of a Murder







Moonstruck (1987) is a romance within
an Italian-American milieu.  This romantic
comedy won Oscars for Best Actress, Cher, born
this date, May 20, in 1946, and Supporting Actress,
Olympia Dukakis, and Writing.  It features an
American Film Institute Quote, "Snap out of it!"





Moonstruck

Movies for the Day, Friday, May 19, 2017

A police drama, coal mining country, and Malcom X are the themes for today's movies.

It is still Police Week.  Naked City (September
30, 1958 to May 29, 1963) is a television
police drama set in New York City that ran for four
seasons and 138 episodes.  The semi-anthology
won Emmys for Cinematography (twice) and Editing.






Naked City






Matewan (1987) is the story of
labor troubles in West Virginia
coal mining country in the 1920s.
The Battle of Matewan took place
May 19, 1920.





Matewan





Malcolm X (1992) is a biography
of a controversial African American
leader.  It is based on The Autobiography
of Malcom X as told to Alex Haley, who also
wrote Roots.  See also Malcolm X (1972), a
documentary.


Malcolm X

Movies for the Day, Thursday, May 18, 2017

Today's movies feature Perry Como, the TVA, and a museum.




The Perry Como Show (1948-1967) featured beloved
singer and entertainer Perry Como, born this date,
May 18, 1912.  This musical, comedy, and variety
series won an Emmy in 1959 for Best Performance by
an Actor (Continuing Character) in a Musical or Variety
Series (to Perry Como) in 1959.





The Perry Como Show






In Wild River (1960), a Tennessee Valley
Authority (TVA) official tries to convince
an elderly woman to sell her property before
flooded.  Also a romantic film, this movie
was set in 1930s Tennessee and is listed on
the National Film Registry.  The TVA was
founded May 18,1933.



Wild River













Closed Mondays (1974) is about a man visiting
a museum who sees works of art come to
life.  Clay figures are used.  This film won an
Oscar as Best Short Animated Film.  Today is
International Museum Day.

Closed Mondays

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Today's movies feature terrorism, Montreal, and race relations.


Juggernaut (1974) is about a bomb on an
ocean liner and a demand for ransom.  It
is inspired by real events on the Queen
Elizabeth II, a bomb hoax on this date,
May 17, in 1972.







Juggernaut






Crac (1980) won an Oscar as Best Short
Animated Film.  It is about the
industrialization of Montreal as seen from the
point of view of a rocking chair.
Montreal, Canada, was founded on May
17, 1642.


Crac












Separate But Equal (1991) tells the story
of the landmark United States Supreme
Court case that found segregated schools
unconstitutional.  The case was handed down
this date, May 17, in 1954.  The case was
Brown v Board of Education.  It won an Emmy
for Casting.





Separate But Equal

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Today's movies are about an aging couple, the 1960s Freedom Riders, and Liberace.


On Golden Pond (1981) is about an aging
couple, their Maine lakefront home, and
family.  The movie won Oscars for Best Actor,
Henry Fonda, and Best Actress, Katharine
Hepburn, and for Writing.  Fonda was born
this date, May 16, in 1905.  Hepburn was also born
in May, on the 12th, in 1907.  I featured her on
May 12, 2017, in The Lion in Winter.  May is also
Older Americans Month which I noted on May 4,
2017 with The Golden Girls.  This passionate and
inspiring comedy/drama features an American Film
Institute Score and an AFI Quote, "Listen to me,
mister.  You're my knight in shining armor.  Don't you
forget it.  You're going to get back on that horse, and
I'm going to be right behind you, holding on tight,
and away we're gonna go, go, go!"

On Golden Pond



The Freedom Riders (2011) was aired this
date, May 16, in honor of the 50th anniversary
of the first freedom ride in May 1961.  This
episode of the PBS series, The American
Experience, won Emmys for Writing,
Picture Editing, and Exceptional Merit in
Nonfiction Film Making.  The Freedom
Riders sought racial justice in the South.



The Freedom Riders





Behind the Candelabra (2013) is an
HBO television movie about famed
entertainer Liberace and his tempestuous
romance with a younger man.  It won
Emmys for Lead Actor, Michael Douglas,
Directing, Art Direction, Costumes,
Sound Mixing, Picture Editing, Makeup,
Casting, Hairstyling, and as Outstanding
Miniseries or Movie. Liberace was born
this date, May 16, in 1919.

Behind the Candelabra