Movies for the Day, Sunday, July 1, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Charles Laughton and Leslie Caron and Bastille Day in France.

Ruggles of Red Gap (1935) is based on a Henry
Wilson story about a butler won in a poker game
by an uncouth but amiable Western couple.  He has a
romance with a spinster.  This western comedy stars
Charles Laughton, born July 1, 1899.  This movie is
on the National Film Registry.




Ruggles of Red Gap











Gigi (1958) is a great romantic musical based
on the French story of Colette and Pygmalion.
This passionate movie is on the National Film
Registry and the American Film Institute Songs list
for Thank Heavens for Little Girls.  It won Oscars for
Best Picture, Director (Vincente Minnelli), Screenplay,
Cinematography, Art/Set Decorating, Costume Design,
Film Editing, Original Song (Gigi), and Score.  It stars
Leslie Caron, born July 1, 1931.


Gigi









Children of Paradise (1945) is about a
19th century theatrical group and
mimes in France.  This is a highly
acclaimed romantic film.  July 14 is
Bastille Day in France and we will list
several French films in honor of the day this
month.  Bastille Day is France's National
Holiday.



Children of Paradise

Movies for the Day, Saturday, June 30, 2018

Today's movies mark June as marriage month, the birthday of Susan Hayward, and June as graduation month.

Little Man, What Now (1934) is about
newlyweds and the obstacles they face.
June is a traditional marriage month.








Little Man, What Now












They Won't Believe Me (1947) is a
melodrama about a philanderer on trial
for murder- it features tragedy and a twist
at the end.  Susan Hayward stars.  She was
born June 30, 1917.  A very good movie.




They Won't Believe Me











St. Elmo's Fire (1985) is about recent
college graduates facing "real life."
June is a traditional graduation month.







St. Elmo's Fire

Movies for the Day, Friday, June 29, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Ray Harryhausen and Antoine de St. Exupery and the Interstate Highway Act.

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958) is a classic
fantasy action movie featuring the special effects of
Ray Harryhausen, born June 29, 1920.  This movie
featuring Dynamation is on the National
Film Registry.





The 7th Voyage of Sinbad









The Little Prince (1974) is about a
stranded pilot and boy who is a prince on
a planet.  It is based on the childhood
classic book by Antoine de St. Exupery,
born June 29, 1900.





The Little Prince













L.I.E. (2001) is about a 15-year-old "lost
soul" near the Long Island Expressway
and a relationship with a middle-aged
man.  The Interstate Highway Act
was enacted June 29, 1956.




L.I.E.

Movies for the Day, Thursday, June 28, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of King Henry VIII, the Stonewall Riot, and the birthday of Mel Brooks.

The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) is
a dramatic and comedic look at the English
king's excesses, especially his divorce and many
wives.  King Henry VIII was born June 28,
1491.  This movie won an Oscar for Best
Actor, to Charles Laughton, born July 1, 1899.





The Private Life of Henry VIII








The Boys in the Band (1970) is about
homosexuality.  Today is the anniversary of the
Stonewall Riot in New York City in 1969, the
beginning of the gay liberation movement,
and June is Gay Pride Month.





The Boys in the Band










Blazing Saddles (1974) is a great
comedy western.  It is on the National
Film Registry.  Mel Brooks, born June
28, 1928, directs, writes, and acts.






Blazing Saddles

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Charles Stewart Parnell and Helen Keller and Gay Pride Month.

Parnell (1937) is a dramatic biography
of the famous Irish politician, Charles
Stewart Parnell, born June 27, 1846.






Parnell











Helen Keller in Her Story (1954) is
the story of the famous woman who
accomplished despite being blind and
deaf.  The movie is also known as
Unconquered.  Keller was born June 27,
1880. This movie won an Oscar as Best
Feature Documentary.



Helen Keller in Her Story











The Full Monty (1997) is a comedy about
male strippers.  This movie won an
Oscar  for Score.






The Full Monty

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Peter Lorre and Babe Didrikson Zaharias and UN International Day Against Drug Abuse/ Illicit Trafficking.

Think Fast, Mr. Moto (1937) is the first
of a detective series which stars Peter Lorre,
born June 26, 1904.  Mr. Moto is based on a
character by writer John P. Marquand, born
November 10, 1893.  This entry was followed by
Thank You, Mr. Moto (1938) and Mr. Moto's
Last Warning (1939).




Think Fast, Mr. Moto







Babe (1975) is a TV movie about the
great female athlete, "Babe" Didrickson
Zaharias, born June 26, 1911.  She was especially
known for track and field and the Olympic
Games and golf.  This movie won Emmys
for Lead Actress, to Susan Clark, and
Music Composition.



Babe












Who'll Stop the Rain (1978) is about a Vietnam
veteran, California, and the drug trade.  Today
is United Nations Day Against Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking.





Who'll Stop the Rain

Movies for the Day, Monday, June 25, 2018

Today's movies mark the beginning of the Korean War, the birthday of George Orwell, and Gay Pride Month.

The Steel Helmet (1951) is about the
early days of the Korean War, which began
June 25, 1950.





The Steel Helmet











1984 (1956) is based on George Orwell's 1949
vision of a totalitarian state that
has resonated to the present.  Orwell
was born June 25, 1903.  Big Brother
is watching.  This is a movie version.
See also Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984).




1984










In a Year of Thirteen Moons (1978) is a
German transsexual tale.  June is Gay
Pride Month.





In a Year of Thirteen Moons

Movies for the Day, Sunday, June 24, 2018

Today's movies mark the Berlin blockade, a Scottish holiday, and June marriage month.








Passport to Pimlico (1949) is a salty British
farce set in London; some parts were
influenced by the airlift to counter the
Berlin Blockade during World War II.  The
Blockade was from June 24, 1948 to May 12,
1949.





Passport to Pimlico








Brigadoon (1954) is a musical about
a magical village in Scotland.  This
romantic movie is based on a Broadway
show.  June 24 is celebrated in Scotland
as Bannockburn Day, the anniversary of the
1314 Battle of Bannockburn when Robert
the Bruce won independence for Scotland.  A TV
version won Emmys in 1967 for Directing, Outstanding
Musical Program, and various production values.




Brigadoon






The Bridal Path (1959) is a light-hearted
look at a search for a wife by a man
in Scotland.  June is a traditional month for
marriage.  Also, as noted above, today is
Bannockburn Day in Scotland.




The Bridal Path

Movies for the Day, Saturday, June 23, 2018

Today's movies mark June weddings and the birthdays of Clarence Thomas and Alan Turing.

The Bride Wore Black (1968) is a well-
regarded movie about a bride who seeks
vengeance.  June is a traditional month for
marriage.






The Bride Wore Black









Strange Justice (1999) is a historical
drama about the controversial hearings
to confirm the nomination of Clarence
Thomas to the United States Supreme
Court, especially the allegations of sexual
harassment.  Thomas was born June 23,
1948.




Strange Justice










The Imitation Game (2014) is a dramatic
biography of Alan Turing, a genius who
decrypted German intelligence codes for the
British government in World War II.  Turing was
born June 23, 1912.  The movie won an Oscar for
Adapted Screenplay and was nominated as
Best Motion Picture.



The Imitation Game

Movies for the Day, Friday, June 22, 2018

Today's movies mark the release of Born Free and the birthdays of Meryl Streep and Billy Wilder.







The African Lion (1955) is a Disney true life
documentary about lions.  The iconic lion movie,
Born Free, was released June 22, 1966.






The African Lion








Sophie's Choice (1982) is about a
Holocaust survivor in America.  It is
based on a book by William Styron.
The movie won an Oscar for Best
Actress, to Meryl Streep, born
June 22, 1949.




Sophie's Choice










The American Film Institute Salute
to Billy Wilder (1986) is a tribute to
the legendary filmmaker- screenwriter,
producer, artist, and journalist.  Wilder
was born June 22, 1906.




The American Film Institute Salute to Billy Wilder

Movies for the Day, Thursday, June 21, 2018

Today's movies mark the beginning of summer, the birthday of Judy Holliday, and the Freedom Summer Murders.

Land Beyond the Sunset (1912) is a short
silent film about a boy who goes on an outing
in the country with a social welfare group
and dreams of a better life.  This film was made
in collaboration with the Fresh Air Fund and is on
The National Film Registry.  Today is the first
day of summer.





Land Beyond the Sunset








Born Yesterday (1950) is based on a Broadway
play about a rich man who hires a teacher of etiquette
for his girlfriend and about corruption in
Washington, D.C.  This comedy is on the National
Film Registry.  It won an Oscar for Best Actress, to
Judy Holliday, born June 21, 1921.



Born Yesterday











Mississippi Burning (1988) is about an
FBI investigation into missing civil
rights workers.  It is loosely based
on three civil rights workers abducted
and murdered June 21 to 22, 1964, the so-called
Freedom Summer Murders of James E. Chaney of Mississippi
and Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner of
of New York City.  This movie won an Oscar for
Cinematography.


Mississippi Burning

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of Lillian Hellman, the release of Jaws, and the birthday of Martin Landau.







The Little Foxes (1941) is about a crumbling
Southern family.  It is based on a Broadway play
by Lillian Hellman, born June 20, 1905.  It features
an American Film Institute Villain, Regina Giddens.




The Little Foxes

Piranha (1978) is a spoof of Jaws, the movie
released June 20, 1975, and of 1950s
science fiction movies.  Instead of man-eating
sharks, the movie has man-eating piranha.






Piranha











Ed Wood (1994) is about Ed Wood, a "bad" Hollywood
movie maker.  Martin Landau, born June 20,
1931, won an Oscar as Supporting Actor.  The
movie also won an Oscar for Makeup.






Ed Wood

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, June 19, 2018

Today's movies mark Juneteenth Day and the birthdays of Kathleen Turner and Tobias Wolff.







Lost Boundaries (1949) is about a light-skinned
African American doctor in a small New
Hampshire town.  Today is Juneteenth Day,
which celebrates Emancipation.





Lost Boundaries









Body Heat (1981) is about murder, a Florida
heat wave, and passion.  This thrilling and
sexy movie stars Kathleen Turner, born
June 19, 1954.





Body Heat









This Boy's Life (1993) is set in Washington
State in the 1950s and is about a loutish
abusive man who abuses a boy.  It is based
on a memoir by Tobias Wolff, born
June 19, 1945.






This Boy's Life

Movies for the Day, Monday, June 18, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthdays of George Mallory and E.G. Marshall and Gay Pride Month.






Mallory's Tragedy on Mt. Everest (1954) is
an episode of TV's You Are There series.  It is about
the ill-fated attempt by George Leigh
Mallory, born June 18, 1886, to climb Mt.
Everest.  This episode won an Emmy for
Art Direction.





Mallory's Tragedy on Mt. Everest










The Defenders (1961-1965) is a TV series
about a father and son legal team taking on
cases involving important issues.  It stars E.G.
Marshall, born June 18, 1914.  It won Emmys
for Lead Actor, to Marshall (1962, 1963), Directing
(1962, 1963, 1965), Writing (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965),
and Outstanding Drama (1962, 1963, 1964).



The Defenders








Love and Death on Long Island (1997)
is about homoerotic fantasy obsession.  June
is Gay Pride Month.






Love and Death on Long Island

Movies for the Day, Sunday, June 17, 2018

Today's movies mark Father's Day and World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought.







Vice Versa (1948) is a comedy in which
a father and son magically change places.
It was remade in 1988.  Today is
Father's Day.




Vice Versa













The Rainmaker (1956) is about a
con man who promises rain to a
Southwest town suffering a drought.
Today is World Day to Combat
Desertification and Drought.





The Rainmaker










The Moon and the Son:  An Imagined
Conversation (2005) is an animated film
that explores father/son relationships.  It won
an Academy Award for Short Animated
Films.  Today is Father's Day.




The Moon and the Son: An Imagined Conversation

Movies for the Day, Saturday, June 16, 2018

Today's movies mark June marriages and the birthdays of Jack Albertson and Tupac Shakur.









The Wedding March (1928) is about a
Viennese prince planning to marry for money
and position but falls in love with a poor and
beautiful girl.  This silent movie is on the
National Film Registry.  June is a traditional
month for weddings.




The Wedding March









The Subject Was Roses (1968) is about
a young veteran dealing with his parents'
difficulties.  It is based on a Pulitzer Prize
winning play by Frank Gilroy, born October
13, 1925.  Jack Albertson won an Oscar as
Supporting Actor, as the father.  Albertson
was born June 16, 1907.




The Subject Was Roses








Tupac:  Resurrection (2003) is about
the life and death of rapper Tupac Shakur,
born June 16, 1971.  This movie won
an Oscar as Best Feature Documentary.





Tupac: Resurrection

Movies for the Day, Friday, June 15, 2018

Today's movies mark the birthday of Harry Langdon, Nature Photography Day, and the birthday of Neil Patrick Harris.







The Strong Man (1926) is a classic
silent comedy starring Harry Langdon, born
June 15, 1884, as a WW I vet seeking
love in America.  This movie is often
considered Langdon's best.  It is on the
National Film Registry.




The Strong Man








The Hellstrom Chronicle (1971) is
a combination documentary and drama
about the potential for insects to take
over the world.  It won an Oscar for Best
Documentary Feature.  Today is Nature
Photography Day.





The Hellstrom Chronicle









Doogie Howser, M.D. (1989-1993) is a
comedy series that stars Neil Patrick
Harris, born June 15, 1973, as very young
Doctor Howser.  It ran for 97 episodes and
was quite popular.






Doogie Howser, M.D.