Movies for the Day, Friday, June 1, 2018

Today's movies mark Superman's debut, the birthday of Marilyn Monroe, and the birthday of Andy Griffith.

Superman (1941) who debuted as
a comic strip character on June 1,
1938, is animated in this great 10-
minute cartoon.





Superman










Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
is an entertaining bauble starring the
incomparable Marilyn Monroe, born
June 1, 1926.  It was on Broadway first.
It features an American Film Institute
Song, Diamonds Are a Girl's Best
Friend.




Gentlemen Prefer Blondes








No Time for Sergeants (1958) is a
military comedy about a hayseed drafted
into the Army and a sergeant.  The
movie was on Broadway as a play first.
The movie stars Andy Griffith, born
June 1, 1926.  It also aired on TV's
United States Steel Hour as a live episode and
was nominated for an Emmy in 1956.




No Time for Sergeants

Movies for the Day, Thursday, May 31, 2018

Today's movies mark National Photography Month, college graduations, and Motorcycle Safety Month.

Peeping Tom (1960) is about a psychopathic
murderer who photographs victims at the
moment of death.  May is National
Photography Month (but surely for
more wholesome use of the medium).





Peeping Tom








The Graduate (1967) is a comedy romance
about young man just graduated from college.
This movie won an Oscar for Directing, to Mike
Nichols, and features an American Film
Institute Song, Mrs. Robinson.  This passionate
movie also features two AFI quotes:  "Plastics." and
"Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to seduce me. Aren't
you?"  This movie is on the National Film Registry.
May is a traditional month for college
graduations.


The Graduate







Wild Hogs (2007) is about four
middle aged men who take to the
road on their motorcycles.  May
is Motorcycle Safety Month.





Wild Hogs

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 30, 2018

Today's movies mark the Indy 500, Older Americans Month, and the Feast Day of St. Joan of Arc.










The Big Wheel (1949) is about race car
driving.  The Indy 500 was first run
May 30, 1911.





The Big Wheel










The Whales of August (1987) is about
two elderly woman sharing a
cottage in Maine.  May is Older
Americans Month.





The Whales of August













Joan of Arc (1999) is a three-episode
television miniseries about the French
heroine, martyr, and saint of the
1400s.  Her Feast Day is May 30.  This
series won an Emmy for Supporting
Actor, to Peter O'Toole, born August
2, 1932.  Joan of Arc lived from
January 6, 1412, to May 30, 1431.



Joan of Arc

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of Bob Hope, the anniversary of the formation of Great Britain, and the birthday of President Kennedy.









The Paleface (1948) is a comedy western starring
Bob Hope, born May 29, 1903.  Calamity Jane
is played by Jane Russell.  This movie won
an Oscar for the song Buttons and Bows.





The Paleface











The Shooting Party (1984) is about a
1913 weekend shooting party for aristocrats
on a British estate, on the eve of World War
I.  This movie examines class structure
and consciousness.  Great Britain formed
May 1, 1707, and this movie continues our
May movies about England.



The Shooting Party












JFK (1991) is a drama about the assassination
of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963.
The President was born May 29, 1917.  This
movie won Oscars for Cinematography and
Film Editing.





JFK

Movies for the Day, Monday, May 28, 2018

Today's movies mark Memorial Day, the birthday of Ian Fleming, and National Hamburger Month.








A Medal for Benny (1945) is about a small
town that hypocritically honors one of its
own, now a war hero.  Today is Memorial Day.






A Medal for Benny










From Russia With Love (1963) is the
second film in the iconic James Bond
series, starring Sean Connery.  This movie
has great fight scenes, featuring the
English special agent, 007.  The movies are
based on novels by Ian Fleming, born
May 28, 1908.


From Russia With Love













Bob's Burgers (2011- ) is an animated TV
sitcom about a family running a burger
restaurant.  May is National Hamburger
Month.






Bob's Burgers

Movies for the Day, Sunday, May 27, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of Dashiel Hammett, Older Americans Month, and Healthy Vision Month.






The Thin Man (1934) is the sophisticated
comedy mystery par excellence, based on a
Dashiel Hammett novel.  Hammett was born May
27, 1894.  This movie is on the National Film Registry.
Stars William Powell and Myrna Loy played detective
Nick Charles and wealthy wife Nora.  Sequels include
After the Thin Man (1936) and Song of the Thin Man
(1947) (the last).  Powell was born July 29, 1892, and
Loy was born August 2, 1905.



The Thin Man







As Young As You Feel (1951) is a
comedy about mandatory retirement.
May is Older Americans Month.  The
Social Security Act anniversary is
August 14, 1935.





As Young As You Feel












When Magoo Flew (1956) is about the
adventure that ensues when the vision-impaired
Mr. Magoo gets on an airplane by mistake.  This
cartoon won an Oscar for Short Films- Cartoons.
May is Healthy Vision Month.




When Magoo Flew

Movies for the Day, Saturday, May 26, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthdays of James Arness and John Wayne and Jewish American Heritage Month.







Gunsmoke (1955 to 1975) is a great
television western series which stars James
Arness, born May 26, 1923.  He played Marshall
Matt Dillion.  It ran for 20 years.





Gunsmoke










The Searchers (1956) is an essential western
about a man who searches for his niece
kidnapped by Indians.  This movie stars
John Wayne, born May 26, 1907.  It is on
the National Film Registry.





The Searchers








The Personals (1999) is a film about a
Jewish senior citizens theater group
in New York City.  It won an Academy
Award for Best Documentary, Short
Subjects.  May is Jewish American
Heritage Month.




The Personals

Movies for the Day, Friday, May 25, 2018

Today's movies mark Africa Freedom Day, the birthday of Robert Ludlum, and Jewish American Heritage Month.









Trader Horn (1931) is an early "talkie" classic
about the adventure of a trader in the African
jungles.  It was remade in 1973.  Today is
African Freedom Day, first observed in 1963.





Trader Horn










The Bourne Identity (1988) was first a novel
by Robert Ludlum, born May 25, 1927, then
a two-episode miniseries starring Richard
Chamberlain, then a movie series juggernaut
starring Matt Damon, born October 8, 1970.
The TV series won an Emmy for Dramatic
Music Underscore.  The action movies include
The Bourne Identity (2002), The Bourne
Supremacy (2004), and The Bourne Ultimatum
(2007) (Oscars for Sound, Editing, and
Sound Editing).  A spy thriller.

The Bourne Identity

School Ties (1992) is about anti-Semitism
at a 1950s prep school.  May is Jewish
American Heritage Month.






School Ties

Movies for the Day, Thursday, May 24, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of Queen Victoria, the first Morse telegraph, and Jewish American Heritage Month.








Sixty Glorious Years (1938) is a dramatic
portrayal of England's Queen Victoria,
born May 24, 1819.  This movie is also part
of our England series:  the United Kingdom
formed May 1, 1707.




Sixty Glorious Years














Western Union (1941) is western
based on a Zane Grey novel with
a theme of the struggle westward of
the Western Union telegraph service
in the 1800s.  The first telegraph by
Samuel F. B. Morse was on May 24, 1844.




Western Union










Number Our Days (1976) is about elderly Jewish
people in Venice, California.  It won an Oscar for Best
Documentary, Short Subjects.  May is Jewish
American Heritage Month.






Number Our Days

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of Douglas Fairbanks Sr., International World Turtle Day, and Jewish American Heritage Month.

The Mark of Zorro (1920) is a silent classic
swashbuckler featuring the masked avenger and
protector of the oppressed, played by Douglas
Fairbanks Sr., born May 23, 1883.  Zorro is on the
American Film Institute Heroes list.  This movie,
which is on the National Film Registry, was made under
the same title in 1940 and on TV in 1974, both
worthwhile.




The Mark of Zorro










The Tortoise and the Hare (1934)  won
an Oscar for Short Films, Cartoons.
This cartoon is based on the fable
of the race between a tortoise and a hare.
Today is International World Turtle Day.





The Tortoise and the Hare












Thank You and Goodnight! (1991) is the real
story of the decline and death of a Jewish
grandmother and family relationships.  May
is Jewish American Heritage Month.






Thank You and Good Night!

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Today's movies mark Jewish American Heritage Month and the birthdays of Arthur Conan Doyle and Laurence Olivier.

The House I Live In (1945) is a short
film about religious and racial tolerance
especially towards Jewish people.  May is
Jewish American Heritage Month.  This
film won an Honorary Academy Award and
is on the National Film Registry.




The House I Live In







The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
(1970) is a somewhat melancholy look
at the famous detective created by
Arthur Conan Doyle, born May 22,
1859.




The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes












Sleuth (1972) is a lighthearted mystery
based on the Broadway play of the same
name.  This movie stars Laurence
Olivier, born May 22, 1907.





Sleuth

Movies for the Day, Monday, May 21, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Robert Montgomery and John Hubley and Jewish American Heritage Month.







Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) is about a
boxer going to heaven early and returning as
someone else.  This movie won Oscars for Adapted
Screenplay and Original Screenplay.  It stars
Robert Montgomery, born May 21, 1904 (father of
Elizabeth Montgomery of TV's Bewitched).



Here Comes Mr. Jordan









Moonbird (1959) is about two boys
trying to catch a bird at night.  This animation
won an Oscar as Best Short Subject-
Cartoons.  Animator John Hubley, born
May 21, 1914, is also one of the
creators of the cartoon character Mr. Magoo.




Moonbird











Liberty Heights (1999) is about a Jewish
family in the Baltimore suburbs around
1954.  It followed previous movies Diner,
Tin Men, and Avalon.  May is Jewish
American Heritage Month.





Liberty Heights

Movies for the Day, Sunday, May 20, 2018

Today's movies mark Jewish American Heritage Month and the birthdays of James Stewart and Joe Cocker.

Uncle Moses (1932) is a story set in
the Jewish immigrant experience in
New York City's Lower East Side.  May
is Jewish American Heritage Month.





Uncle Moses









The Man Who Shot Liberty
Valance (1962) is a quintessential
western starring James Stewart,
born May 20, 1908.  This movie is
on the National Film Registry.




The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance









Joe Cocker:  Mad Dogs and Englishmen
(1971) is a documentary about famed
rocker Joe Cocker's 1970s American tour.
Cocker was born May 20, 1944.





Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs and Englishmen

Movies for the Day, Saturday, May 19, 2018

Today's movies mark the founding of Great Britain, Police Week, and the birthday of Nora Ephron.








The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
(1943) is a story about a British soldier
during the first half of the 20th century.
This movie continues our series of England
movies- the United Kingdom formed May
1, 1707.   May is also National Military
Appreciation Month.




The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp









Police Academy (1984) is a classic comedy
about a police academy.  It was followed by a number
of sequels, most not very good.  This
is Police Week.






Police Academy









Heartburn (1986) is about a pregnant wife
whose husband has an affair.  This movie
is from a story by acclaimed author Nora
Ephron, born May 19, 1941.





Heartburn

Movies for the Day, Friday, May 18, 2018

Today's movies mark Police Week, the birthday of Frank Capra, and the birthday of Tina Fey.










The Evidence of the Film (1913) is a short silent
crime story in which the evidence of the film
exonerates the accused.  This movie is on
the National Film Registry.  This is a Police Week
selection.



The Evidence of the Film








Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) is
a classic film about a man who inherits
a fortune and tries to give it away.  Fran Capra,
born May 18, 1897, won an Oscar as
Director for this comedic and inspiring
movie.




Mr. Deeds Goes to Town









30 Rock (October 11, 2006 to
January 31, 2013) is a television sitcom satire
loosely based on TV's Saturday Night Live.
It stars Tina Fey, born May 18, 1970.  It lasted
seven seasons and 138 episodes and won many
Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series
(2007, 2009), Lead Actor, to Alec Baldwin (2008, 2009), and Lead
Actress, to Tina Fey (2008).





30 Rock

Movies for the Day, Thursday, May 17, 2018

Today's movies mark the establishment of the New York Stock Exchange, a Norwegian national holiday, and Police Week.







Skyscraper Souls (1932) is a comedy drama
about a ruthless businessman/ empire
builder.  The New York Stock Exchange
was established this date, May 17, in 1792.






Skyscraper Souls








Pathfinder (1988) is an ancient
Lapp folktale about teenage boys
who led cutthroats away from the
village on a wild goose chase.  Norway's
National Holiday is May 17 because on this
day in 1814 Norway's Constitution was
signed and Norway separated from
Denmark.


Pathfinder









The Thin Blue Line (1988) is a
documentary based on a real case about
disproving a murder conviction.
This week is Police Week.





The Thin Blue Line

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of Henry Fonda, a World War II attack, and Police Week.









The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) is a famous
western that examines lynch mob psychology.
This movie stars Henry Fonda, born May 16,
1905.  This movie is on the National Film
Registry.  A version also aired on television's
20th Century-Fox Hour and was nominated for an
Emmy in 1956 for Best Television Adaptation.


The Ox-Bow Incident








The Dam Busters (1954) is a World War
II story about dam busting.  A famous
dam busting attack was Operation
Chastise on German dams from May 16
to 17, 1943.  This movie was nominated
for an Academy Award for Special
Effects.




The Dam Busters











The Hidden (1987) is a cult science
fiction classic about a cop chasing an
alien criminal switching bodies.  This
week is Police Week.





The Hidden