Movies for the Day, Thursday, April 30, 2020

Today's movies mark anniversaries for Bugs Bunny, Saigon, and Louisiana.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Rabbit Seasoning (1952) is a great
Merrie Melodies cartoon featuring Bugs
Bunny, Daffy Duck, and Elmer Fudd.
Bugs Bunny first appeared April 30, 1938.
The Hunting trilogy included Rabbit Fire
(first) and Duck! Rabbit, Duck! (third).



Rabbit Seasoning











Boat People (1983) is a look at
post-war Vietnam.  Saigon fell
April 30, 1975.  A very good movie.








Boat People










The Big Easy (1987) is about a police detective,
a prosecutor, and romance and murder in New Orleans.
Louisiana was admitted to the Union April 30,
1812.





The Big Easy

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Rafael Sabatini and Celeste Holm and a riot anniversary.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Captain Blood (1935) is a swashbuckler
based on a Rafael Sabatini novel and starring
Errol Flynn.  Sabatini was born April 29,
1875.  A very good movie.





Captain Blood













Gentlemen's Agreement (1947) explores
anti-semitism.  It won Oscars for Best
Picture, Director (Elia Kazan), and Supporting
Actress, to Celeste Holm, born April 29,
1917.  May is Jewish American Heritage
Month.




Gentlemen's Agreement














LA 92 (2017) is a documentary about
the 1992 Los Angeles riots from April 29
to May 16.  The riots were a reaction to the
acquittal of policemen charged in the beating
of Rodney King and also the death of Latasha
Harlins- shot March 16, 1991, age 15.  This movie
won an Emmy for Exceptional Merit in Documentary
Filmmaking.



LA 92

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Today's movies mark a mutiny, a Maryland anniversary, and an airline accident.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Red River (1948) is a classic western
about a cattle drive and a mutiny.  It is on the
National Film Registry.  The mutiny on the
Bounty took place April 28, 1789.





Red River










Diner (1982) is about growing up
and features college age buddies in
circa 1959 Baltimore.  It features a number
of stars early in their careers.  It is a
dramatic comedy.  Maryland was
admitted to the Union April 28, 1788.





Diner










Miracle Landing (1990) is a TV film
based on an in-flight accident aboard
Aloha Airlines Flight 243 from Hilo
to Honolulu, Hawaii, on April 28, 1988.
It won an Emmy for Special Visual
Effects.




Miracle Landing

Movies for the Day, Monday, April 27, 2020

Today's movies mark birding day, the birthday of Jack Klugman, and a South Africa anniversary.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Wild Wings (1966) is an exploration of
Slimbridge Wild Fowl Trust in Gloucestershire,
England.  It won an Oscar for Best Live Action
Short Subject.  Go Birding Day is April
25, 2020.




Wild Wings












Quincy, M.E. (1976-1983) was
a popular TV series about a coroner
investigating suspicious deaths,
often murders.  It starred Jack
Klugman, born April 27, 1922.  There
are 148  episodes.





Quincy, M.E.







Tsotsi (2005) is about a young gang
leader in Johannesburg, South Africa.
April 27 is a public holiday in South Africa
celebrating the election of Nelson Mandela as
President on that date in 1994.  This movie
won an Oscar as Best Foreign Language Film.




Tsotsi

Movies for the Day, Sunday, April 26, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Bernard Malamud and Jet Li and Chernobyl.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







The Angel Levine (1970) is about an
angel and a Jewish family.  It is based on
a story by Bernard Malamud, born April 26,
1914.  A very good movie.






The Angel Levine













Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
is a martial arts film set in 1800s
China.  It stars Jet Li, born April
26, 1963.






Once Upon a Time in China














Chernobyl (2019) is a five-episode miniseries
about the catastrophic nuclear accident at
Chernobyl in the Soviet Union, April 26,
1986.  It won Emmys for Outstanding Limited
Series, Directing, Writing, Score, Production
Design, Editing (Picture, Sound, Sound Mixing),
and Special Visual Effects.



Chernobyl

Movies for the Day, Saturday, April 25, 2020

Today's movies mark an Italy anniversary and the birthdays of Al Pacino and Renee Zellwegger.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Umberto D (1952) is about a pensioner
in Italy forced into the Rome streets; also,
his relationship with an unmarried pregnant
woman.  An excellent movie.  Italy's
liberation day was April 25, 1945.





Umberto D











Scent of a Woman (1992) is about
a difficult blind colonel who chases
women aided by a prep school student.
This movie won an Oscar for Best Actor,
to Al Pacino, born April 25, 1940.





Al Pacino














Nurse Betty (2000) is a darkly comic
movie about a waitress and her obsession
for a soap opera actor.  Star Renee
Zellwegger was born April 25, 1969.
A very good movie.




Nurse Betty

Movies for the Day, Friday, April 24, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Shirley MacLaine and Barbra Streisand.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Irma La Douce (1963) is a love
story in Paris between a policeman and
a prostitute.  It is was a musical on Braodway
first.  It stars Shirley MacLaine, born April
24, 1934.  It won an Oscar for Score.






Irma La Douce













My Name is Barbra (1965) is Barbra
Streisand's first TV special.  She was
born April 24, 1942.  It won Emmys for
Performance, to Streisand, Music, and Outstanding
Program Achievements in Entertainment.






My Name is Barbra










What's Up Doc (1972) is a screwball comedy
starring Barbra Streisand, born April 24, 1942.
She makes life difficult for musicologist and
fiancee.  This farce has great comic chase scenes.
Also a passionate movie.





What's Up Doc

Movies for the Day, Thursday, April 23, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Shirley Temple, Sandra Dee, and Lee Majors.

Which of today's movies would you watch?





The Little Colonel (1935) is a classic
comedy featuring child star Shirley
Temple, born April 23, 1928.  It is set
in the Reconstruction South.





The Little Colonel













Gidget (1959) is about teenagers,
surfing, California and love.  It stars
Sandra Dee, born April 23, 1942.






Gidget














The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-1978)
is a TV series about an injured test pilot
rebuilt with bionic limbs making him
superhuman.  It was on for five seasons and 106
episodes with TV movies.  It stars Lee Majors,
born April 23, 1939.





The Six Million Dollar Man

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Today's movies mark the 1964 World's Fair, and the birthday of Jack Nicholson.

Which of today's movies would you watch?




To Be Alive! (1964) celebrates children
of different cultures.  It was filmed for the
Johnson Wax Pavilion at the 1964-65 NY
World's Fair, which opened April 22, 1964.
It won an Oscar for Best Documentary Short
Subject.





To Be Alive!










The Shining (1980) is a classic horror
thriller starring Jack Nicholson as American
Film Institute great villain, Jack Torrance.
It features an AFI Quote, "Here's Johnny!"
It is on the National Film Registry.  Nicholson
was born April 22, 1937.  It is based on a
Stephen King book and was directed by Stanley
Kubrick.



The Shining












As Good As It Gets (1997) is a romantic
comedy which won Oscars for Best Actor,
to Jack Nicholson, Born April 22, 1936, and
Best Actress, to Helen Hunt, born June 15,
1963.



As Good As It Gets

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, April 21, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthday of Tony Danza, Prayer Day, and the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Who's the Boss? (1984-1992) is a sitcom
about a retired baseball player who becomes a
housekeeper for a single executive and her family.
There are 196 episodes, 8 seasons.  It stars Tony
Danza, born April 21, 1951.




Who's the Boss












Agnes of God (1985) is about
nuns and infanticide.  May 3, 2020, is
Catholic World Day of Prayers for
Vocations (usually the 4th Sunday
of Easter and often in April).  A very
good movie.



Agnes of God









The Crown (2016-) is about Queen
Elizabeth II and the second half of the
20th century.  Queen Elizabeth was born
April 21, 1926, has reigned from February 16,
1952, and was crowned June 2, 1953.
This TV series won Emmys for Supporting
Actor, to John Lithgow (2017), Costumes
(2017, 2018), and Production Design (2017),
Lead Actress, to Claire Foy (2018), Directing
(2018), Casting (2018), and Cinematography
(2018).

The Crown

Movies for the Day, Monday, April 20, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Harold Lloyd, Hitler, and Jessica Lange.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

For Heaven's Sake (1926) is a classic
silent romantic comedy starring Harold Lloyd,
born April 20, 1893.  It features a great chase
scene.







For Heaven's Sake










Triumph of the Will (1935) is Leni
Riefenstahl's infamous propaganda
documentary of the Nazi Party's 1934
Nuremberg rally.  Hitler was born
April 20, 1889.






Triumph of the Will












Everybody's All-American (1988) is
about a college football hero's life
after college.  Jessica Lange co-stars-
she was born April 20, 1949.




Everybody's All-American

Movies for the Day, Sunday, April 19, 2020

Today's movies mark a Bronx anniversary, the birthday of Don Adams, and a Central Park crime.

Which of today's movies would you watch?






The Wanderers (1979) is a drama about
Italian American high school/gang life in
the Bronx in about 1963.  The Bronx was
formed April 19, 1912.  A very good movie.





The Wanderers

The Nude Bomb (1980) features Maxwell
Smart from Get Smart in a spoof of a villain
with a bomb that destroys clothing.  Don Adams,
born April 19, 1927, stars in this espionage
comedy.






The Nude Bomb











When They See Us (2019) is a TV miniseries
(4 episodes) about the teenage Central Park Five,
falsely accused of assault and rape of a jogger
in Central Park April 19, 1989.  It won an Emmy
for Casting.




When They See Us

Movies for the Day, Saturday, April 18, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Barbara Hale, Hayley Mills, and Haile Gebrselassie.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Perry Mason (1957-1966) was a very
popular series about a defense attorney,
played by Raymond Burr, born May 21, 1917.
It won Emmys for Best Actor, to Burr (1958, 1961)
and Best Supporting Actress, to Barbara Hale,
born April 18, 1921 (1959).  There are 271
episodes.




Perry Mason










Pollyanna (1960) is an adaptation
of Eleanor Porter's story of a happy
orphan.  This Disney film won an Oscar
for Most Outstanding Juvenile Performance,
to Hayley Mills, born April 18, 1946.
A very good movie about a girl spreading
cheer.  See also the silent version from
1920.




Pollyanna











Endurance (1999) is about Ethiopian
long distance runner Haile Gebrselassie,
born April 18, 1973, and his achievement
at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, opened
July 19, 1996.




Endurance

Movies for the Day, Friday, April 17, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Daffy Duck, Thornton Wilder, and Isek Dinesen.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century (1953)
is a great cartoon starring Daffy Duck as space
hero Duck Dodgers.  Daffy Duck made his first
appearance in Porky's Duck Hunt, released April 17,
1937.





Duck Dodgers in the 24 1/2th Century








Hello, Dolly! (1969) is a musical
comedy based on The Matchmaker by
Thornton Wilder, born April 17, 1897.
It was on Broadway as a musical first.
It won Oscars for Art Direction/Set Decoration,
Sound, and Score.  It stars Barbra Streisand,
born April 24, 1942.




Hello, Dolly!











Out of Africa (1985) is a romantic
drama based on the book by Isek
Dinesen, born April 17, 1885.  This
very good passionate movie won Oscars for
Best Picture, Director (Sydney Pollack), Writing,
Cinematography, Art Direction/Set Decoration,
Sound, and Original Score (John Barry).



Out of Africa

Movies for the Day, Thursday, April 16, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Charlie Chaplin and Peter Ustinov and baseball.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








The Kid (1921) features Charlie Chaplin as
The Little Tramp in a comedy infused with
pathos.  It is on the National Film Registry.
Chaplin was born April 16, 1889.




The Kid











Quo Vadis (1951) is about Rome
in the time of Nero.  It is also a romance.
It is based on the novel by Henryk
Sienkiewicz.  Peter Ustinov won a
Golden Globe as Supporting Actor.
Ustinov was born April 16, 1921.




Quo Vadis












Bull Durham (1988) is about the minor
professional baseball leagues.  It is also
romantic.  April is a traditional month for the
beginning of Major League Baseball.





Bull Durham

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Henry James, Elizabeth Montgomery, and Sergei Prokofiev.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Turn of the Screw (1992) is a horror
ghost story based on the classic tale by Henry
James, born April 15, 1843.  See also the TV
version which won an Emmy in 1960 for
Outstanding Single Performance by an
Actress, to Ingrid Bergman.





The Turn of the Screw










Bewitched (1964-1972) was a popular
sitcom about a witch married to an ordinary
man.  It was on for 8 seasons and 254
episodes.  It starred Elizabeth Montgomery,
born April 15, 1933.  It won Emmys for
Supporting Actress, to Alice Pearce (1966),
Directing (1966), and Supporting Actress, to
Marion Lorne (1968).




Bewitched








Peter and the Wolf (2006) is an animated
retelling of the classic Peter and the Wolf
story and is set to music Sergei Prokofiev (born
April 15 or 27, 1891) wrote for the story in 1969.
This movie won an Oscar for Animated Short
Film.





Peter and the Wolf

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, April 14, 2020

Today's movies mark a World War I anniversary, the birthday of Erich von Daniken, and Pest Management Month.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









The Dawn Patrol (1938) is about flying
aces in World War I.  A very good movie and
a remake of the 1930 movie which won an
Oscar for Original Story by John Monk
Saunders.  America had its first air ace on April 14,
1918, when Douglas Campbell became the
first American air ace.




The Dawn Patrol










Chariots of the Gods (1970) is
a documentary based on the book that is the
basis for much of the ancient aliens craze.
Author Erich von Daniken was born
April 14, 1935.





Chariots of the Gods










Mouse Hunt (1997) is a comedy about
two men trying to rid an old house of a
mouse.  April is National Pest Management
Month.





Mouse Hunt