Movies for the Day, Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Nikolai Gogol, Gabe Kaplan,and Jack Johnson.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








The Bespoke Overcoat (1956) is about a
poor man's ambition for an overcoat.
It is adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's short
story, The Overcoat.  Gogol was born March 31,
1809.  This movie won an Oscar for Best Short
Subject.






The Bespoke Overcoat








Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979) was
a sitcom about a teacher in an inner city high
school.  This popular show was on for four seasons, 95
episodes, and starred Gabe Kaplan, born
March 31, 1943.





Welcome Back, Kotter










Unforgivable Blackness:  The Rise and
Fall of Jack Johnson (2005) is a documentary
about the first African American heavyweight
boxing champion. Johnson was born
March 31, 1878.  This Ken Burns film on
PBS won an Emmy for Writing.





Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

Movies for the Day, Monday, March 30, 2020

Today's movies mark Doctors Day and the birthdays of Sean O'Casey and Vincent Van Gogh.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








The Interns (1962) is a medical
drama set in a hospital.  Like Dr. Kildare.
March 30 is Doctors Day.






The Interns











Young Cassidy (1965) is a dramatic
telling of the adventuresome and notorious
life of Irish intellectual Sean O'Casey in about
1910 Dublin.  O'Casey was born March
30, 1880.






Young Cassidy

Vincent (1987) is a documentary
of the life of famous and troubled artist
Vincent Van Gogh, born March 30, 1857.





Vincent

Movies for the Day, Sunday, March 29, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Warner Baxter, a Greece anniversary, and a school music anniversary.


Which of today's movies would you watch?







Crime Doctor (1943) is the first of a series from
the 1940s featuring an amnesia victim who becomes
a criminal psychologist (and former gang leader).
Originally on radio.  These whodunits starred
Warner Baxter, born March 29, 1889, as Dr. Ordway.





Crime Doctor










Phaedra (1962) is about an affair with a stepson.
It is inspired by Euripides' Hippolytus.
Greek independence day is March 25 (1821).







Phaedra










Blast (2000) is a great marriage
of brass and percussion.  This TV movie
won an Emmy for Outstanding
Choreography.  March is Music in Our
Schools Month.





Blast

Movies for the Day, Saturday, March 28, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Quentin Tarantino and Marlin Perkins and a circus anniversary.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Django Unchained (2012) is a violent
western about a freed slave rescuing his
wife from a brutal plantation owner.  It
won Oscars for Supporting Actor, to
Christopher Waltz, and Original Screenplay, to
Quentin Tarantino, born March 27, 1963.
Tarantino also directed.



Django Unchained

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom
(1963-1988) is a nature program hosted
by the famous Marlin Perkins, born
March 28, 1905 (and Jim Fowler, born
April 9, 1932).  It won numerous Emmys
and awards.




Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom













Medicine Ball Caravan (1971) is about
a 150+ member troupe traveling the United
States in the summer of 1970 to spread peace,
love, and music.  The Greatest Show on Earth (circus)
was founded March 28, 1881.





Medicine Ball Caravan

Movies for the Day, Friday, March 27, 2020

Today's movies mark St. Patrick's Day, the Cold War, and Doctors Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








The Fighting Prince of Donegal (1966) is
a Disney adventure movie about an Irish
clan.  St. Patrick's Day is March 17.






The Fighting Prince of Donegal










Ladybug Ladybug (1963) is about
rural schoolchildren and staff reacting
to a civil defense warning about an
imminent nuclear attack, not knowing
whether real or not.  Churchill's Iron
Curtain speech was on March 5, 1946.




Ladybug Ladybug










The Body Human (1977-1984) is a series
about the human body with titles such as
The Miracle Months, The Magic Sense, The
Sexes, The Body Beautiful, The Bionic Breakthrough,
The Living Code, and The Journey Within.  March
30 is Doctors Day.




The Body Human

Movies for the Day, Thursday, March 26, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Tennessee Williams, Ed Begley, and Diana Ross.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







The Glass Menagerie (1950) is a dramatic
adaptation of the classic play by Tennessee
Williams, born March 26, 1911.  This
movie is about a Southern family.  See also TV movies
from 1973 and 1987.  The 1973 movie won
Emmys for Supporting Actor, to Michael
Moriarty, and Supporting Actress, to Joanna Miles.



The Glass Menagerie











Sweet Bird of Youth (1962) is an
adaptation of a Tennessee Williams play
about a Southern town, a movie star,
a young lover, and the town's boss. It won
an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, to
Ed Begley, born March 25, 1901.  See also
the 1989 TV version.  Williams was born
March 26, 1911.


Sweet Bird of Youth







Diana Ross:  Red Hot Rhythm and
Blues (1987) is based on the
legendary's singer's album.
It won Emmys for Lighting
Direction and Costume Design.







Diana Ross: Red Hot Rhythm and Blues

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Simone Signoret, Greek independence, and the birthday of Aretha Franklin.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Les Diaboliques (1955) aka Diabolique is about
a French boarding school master killed by wife
and mistress.  It is a classic chiller/murder thriller.
It stars Simone Signoret, born March 25, 1921.






Les Diaboliques













Alexander the Great (1956) is a dramatic
recounting of the life of the great ancient
Greek leader and conqueror.  Greece's independence
day is March 25 (1821).






Alexander the Great










Aretha:  A Grammy Celebration for the Queen
of Soul (2018) is a celebration of Aretha
Franklin's legendary career.  She was born
March 25, 1942.  This TV special won an Emmy
for Sound Mixing.





Aretha: A Grammy Celebration for the Queen of Soul

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Fatty Arbuckle, Steve McQueen, and Philomena Lee.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Fatty's Tintype Tangle (1915) is a comedy
short from the silent area about a man on a park
bench.  It is on the National Film Registry.
The star, Roscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle was
born March 24, 1887.





Fatty's Tintype Tangle











The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) is
about a "perfect bank robbery."  It features
an Oscar winning American Film Institute Song,
The Windmills of Your Mind.  It stars
Steve McQueen, born March 24, 1930.
See also The Thomas Crown Affair (1999).






The Thomas Crown Affair










Philomena (2013) is about a
woman's search for a son she put up
for adoption.  It is based on the
true story of Philomena Lee, born
March 24, 1933.





Philomena

Movies for the Day, Monday, March 23, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Joan Crawford, Greek independence, and a Pakistan anniversary.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Queen Bee (1955) is a drama
about a Southern socialite and family
in the 1950s.  It stars Joan Crawford,
born March 23, 1905.






Queen Bee













Atlantis:  The Lost Empire (2001) is
animation from Disney studios.  It is
an action adventure about seeking the
mythical lost continent of Atlantis.  Greek
independence day is March 25 (1821).





Atlantis: The Lost Empire










A Girl in the River:  The Price of 
Forgiveness (2015) is about honor
killings of women in Pakistan.  This movie
won an Oscar for Documentary Short
Subject.  March 23 (1940) is Republic Day in
Pakistan.





A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness

Movies for the Day, Sunday, March 22, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Werner Klemperer and  a sex abuse trial and the birthday of Matthew Modine.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Hogan's Heroes (1965-1971) is a popular
sitcom set in a Nazi POW camp.  It won Emmys
For Supporting Actor to Werner
Klemperer (1968, 1969).  It starred Bob
Crane, born July 13, 1928, and Klemperer,
born March 22, 1920.





Hogan's Heroes









Indictment:  The McMartin Trial (1995)
is based upon the true story of the McMartin
preschool trial- a daycare sexual abuse case
of the 1980s.  The charges were filed
March 22, 1984, and dropped 1990.  This
TV movie won Emmys for Supporting Actress,
to Shirley Knight, born July 5, 1936, Editing,
and Outstanding Made for TV Movie.




Indictment: The McMartin Trial










What the Deaf Man Heard (1998) is
about a man who pretends to be deaf
and mute.  It won an Emmy for Cinematography.
It stars Matthew Modine as Sammy Ayers.
Modine was born March 22, 1959.




What the Deaf Man Heard

Movies for the Day, Saturday, March 21, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Johann Sebastian Bach and Donald Campbell and the Salem witch trials.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







The Music of Johann Sebastian
Bach (1958) is an episode of the TV series
Omnibus (1952-1961).  It won an Emmy
for Best Musical Contribution for
TV, for Leonard Bernstein conducting and
analyzing Bach's music.  Bach was born
March 21, 1685.






The Music of Johann Sebastian Bach












Crashing the Water Barrier (1956) is
about Donald Campbell, born March
21, 1921, and driving a jet-powered boat
at record speeds on Lake Meade, Nevada.
This movie won an Oscar for Best Short
Subject.





Crashing the Water Barrier













Pufnstuf (1970) is a family movie
(mostly for kids) about witches and other
magic.  The Salem witch hysteria began
March 1, 1692.






Pufnstuf

Movies for the Day, Friday, March 20, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Ozzie Nelson and Henrik Ibsen and the Iraq War.

Which of today's movies would you watch?






The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet 
(1952-1966) was a very popular and long-running
sitcom epitomizing the nuclear family of the
1950s and 1960s.  It lasted 14 seasons and 434
episodes.  Ozzie Nelson, creator, director and star, was born March 20,
1906.  It was based on his real-life family,
including singing star Ricky Nelson, born May
8, 1940.



The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet










An Enemy of the People (1978)
is an adaptation of the Henrik Ibsen play
by Arthur Miller.  It is about a scientist who stands
against a town because of pollution.  Ibsen
was born March 20, 1828.  See also
An Enemy of the People in Bengal (1989).





An Enemy of the People

Generation Kill (2008) is a miniseries
about the experience of an embedded reporter
with a Marine battalion during the early days
of the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003,
March 20 to May 1.  It is based on a book by
Evan Wright.  It has seven parts.  It won Emmys
for Sound Mixing, Sound Editing and Special
Visual Effects.



Generation Kill

Movies for the Day, Thursday, March 19, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Richard Burton, Glenn Close, and Wyatt Earp.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Kismet (1944) is an Arabian Nights type
story.  Sir Richard Burton, born March 19,
1821, popularized the Arabian Nights stories for the
Western world.  See also Kismet (1955) based
on a Broadway musical.  A TV version won an Emmy
in 1968 for Art Direction and Scenic Design.


Kismet
















Fatal Attraction (1987) is about a
fling that leads to stalking.  This thrilling
movie gave us an American Film Institute
Villain, Alex Forrest.  Star Glenn Close
was born March 19, 1947.





Fatal Attraction









Wyatt Earp (1994) is an epic and
dramatic bio of the famous Wild West
lawman, who was born March 19,
1848.  The OK Corral, Doc
Holliday, etc.



Wyatt Earp

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Today's movies mark St. Patrick's Day, Greece Independence Day, and the Cold War.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







The Playboy of the Western World (1962)
is about a roguish man who charms an Irish
village with a tale of how he did in his Dad.
It is based on the classic satire by J. M.
Synge.  March 17 is St. Patrick's Day.






The Playboy of the Western World










The Odyssey (1997) is a miniseries
based on the classic story by Homer
of ancient Greece.  It won Emmys for
Directing and Special Visual Effects.
Greece's national holiday is March 25.







The Odyssey









Spy Kids (2001) is a fantasy adventure
about kids who discover their parents are
spies and are in danger.  Churchill's famous
Cold War speech was March 5, 1946.






Spy Kids

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Today's movies mark St. Patrick's Day, National Horse Protection Day, and the Hell's Angels.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Regeneration (1915) is a silent-era film
about Irish gangsters and the effect of poverty on
the human spirit.  It is on the National Film
Registry.  March 17 is St. Patrick's Day.






Regeneration












Wild Horse Hank (1979) is about a female
college student who tries to save a herd of
wild horses from being butchered for dog
food.  A family adventure and drama that older
children may especially enjoy.  March 1 is
National Horse Protection Day.



Wild Horse Hank














My Mother Dreams the Satan's Disciples
in New York (1998) is about an older
woman's obsession with a Hell's Angels like
bikers club.  The Hell's Angels was founded March 17,
1948, in Fontana, California.  This movie won an
Oscar for Best Short Film, Live Action.



My Mother Dreams the Satan's Disciples in New York

Movies for the Day, Monday, March 16, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Jerry Lewis and Lauren Graham and St. Patrick's Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Hollywood or Bust (1956) is a satirical comedy
about Hollywood and a road movie.  It is the last
film starring the famous comedy duo Dean
Martin, born June 7, 1917, and Jerry Lewis, born
March 16, 1926.






Hollywood or Bust










Gilmore Girls (2000-2007) is about the relationship
between a thirty-something mother and her teen daughter.
It is set in a small Connecticut town.  A comedy/drama
series, it lasted seven seasons and 153 episodes.
Quite popular.  It starred Lauren Graham, born
March 16, 1967.




Gilmore Girls












The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Title Fight
(1897) records the famous heavyweight
bout.  It is on the National Film Registry.
St. Patrick's Day is March 17.






The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Title Fight

Movies for the Day, Sunday, March 15, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Jimmy Baio, Maine's admission date, and the birthday of RBG.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Soap (1977-1981) is classic TV sitcom
which is a parody of daytime soaps.  It was
on for four seasons.  It starred Jimmy Baio,
born March 15, 1962.  It won Emmys for
Art Direction (1978), Supporting Actor, to
Robert Guillaume (1979), Lead Actor, to Richard
Mulligan (1980), and Lead Actress, to
Cathryn Damon (1980).


Soap











The Beans of Egypt, Maine (1994)
is a drama about an extended family and
members on the margins and
dysfunction.  Maine was admitted to the
Union March 15, 1820.




The Beans of Egypt, Maine















RBG (2018) is about Supreme Court Justice
Ruth Bader Ginsburg and her legacy in the law
and as pop culture icon.  Ginsburg was born
March 15, 1933.






RBG