TCM Schedule for Thursday, September 18, 2014 -- What's On Tonight - Gordon Parks Sr. and Jr.

[Staph]

TCM is starting the day with the more of Star of the Month Melvyn Douglas, and then celebrating the birth of the Swedish Sphinx, Greta Garbo, born Greta Lovisa Gustafsson on September 18, 1905, in Stockholm, Sweden, by showing a selection of her silent films and a series of documentaries about her life. In prime time, TCM is comparing the directorial styles of father and son Gordon Parks, Senior and Junior. Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- Prestige (1932)
A woman joins her fiance at a Malaysian prison camp only to discover he's become an alcoholic.
Dir: Tay Garnett
Cast: Ann Harding, Adolphe Menjou, Melvyn Douglas
BW-71 mins,

Melvyn Douglas was borrowed from Samuel Goldwyn to replace the originally cast Robert Williams, who had died of a ruptured appendix. It was Douglas' second film.


7:15 AM -- Tell No Tales (1939)
In search of a big scoop for his failing paper, an editor tries to solve a kidnapping case that's turned into murder.
Dir: Leslie Fenton
Cast: Melvyn Douglas, Louise Platt, Gene Lockhart
BW-69 mins,

Based on a story by Pauline London and Alfred Taylor.


8:30 AM -- The Shining Hour (1938)
A nightclub dancer marries into society and has to contend with her jealous sister-in-law.
Dir: Frank Borzage
Cast: Joan Crawford, Margaret Sullavan, Melvyn Douglas
BW-77 mins, CC,

Joan Crawford specifically asked for Margaret Sullavan to play the role of Judy, despite Louis B. Mayer's warning that the accomplished stage actress could steal the picture from her. Joan replied "I'd rather be a supporting player in a good picture than the star of a bad one."


9:48 AM -- That Mothers Might Live (1938)
This short film focuses on the story of Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis, a physician that realized the death of new mothers could be reduced through the washing of hands.
Dir: Fred Zinnemann
Cast: Edward Van Sloan, Beatrice Roberts, Leonard Penn
BW-10 mins,

Won an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-reel


10:00 AM -- TCM Presents Elvis Mitchell Under the Influence: Sydney Pollack (2008)
Celebrities reveal the classic movies that influenced their lives in interviews with acclaimed film critic/interviewer Elvis Mitchell.
C-28 mins, CC, Letterbox Format


10:30 AM -- Love (1927)
In this updated, silent adaptation of Anna Karenina, a married woman sacrifices everything for the love of a military officer.
Dir: Edmund Goulding
Cast: Greta Garbo, John Gilbert, George Fawcett
BW-83 mins,

The title was changed, from "Anna Karenina", so that advertisements could read "Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in LOVE".


12:00 PM -- The Single Standard (1929)
In this silent film, a free-spirited debutante tries to prove that women can love as carelessly as men.
Dir: John S. Robertson
Cast: Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, John Mack Brown
BW-71 mins,

Based on the novel by Adela Rogers St. Johns.


1:15 PM -- Wild Orchids (1929)
A married woman falls for another man during a trip to Indonesia.
Dir: Sidney Franklin
Cast: Greta Garbo, Lewis Stone, Nils Asther
BW-100 mins,

During production Greta Garbo's friend and mentor, Mauritz Stiller, died in Sweden. Devastated by his death, Garbo traveled to Sweden incognito to mourn his death. Her secretive travel plans were quickly foiled when she was recognized on the voyage.


3:00 PM -- Greta Garbo Part 1: The Temptress (1986)
In the first part of this rarely-seen Swedish documentary tracks Garbo's rise to ultra-stardom, from her early film career in Sweden to her introduction to the studio system
BW-60 mins, CC,


4:04 PM -- The Divine Woman (Lost Garbo Footage) (1928)
In the surviving footage of this lost film, a Parisian soldier has a last meal with his lover before he ships for Algiers.
BW-9 mins,

The Swedish Film Institute holds two, newly restored, fragments of this film in their archives. They publicly screened these fragments on the 27th of February 2011. I don't know if these fragments are included in the footage that TCM will show today.


4:15 PM -- Greta Garbo Part 2: The Clown (1986)
In the second part of this series, Garbo's career in talking pictures and her life off the screen is discussed. Featuring interviews and film clips of some of her best work.
BW-59 mins, CC,


5:30 PM -- MGM Parade Show #30 (1955)
Walter Pidgeon discusses Greta Garbo's early career; Irene Papas introduces behind-the-scenes footage from "Tribute to a Badman."
BW-25 mins,


6:00 PM -- MGM Parade Show #31 (1956)
Walter Pidgeon discusses Greta Garbo's later career with director George Cukor.
BW-26 mins,


6:30 PM -- The Big Parade of Comedy (1964)
Film clips highlight the funniest scenes and brightest comic stars in MGM's history.
Cast: Les Tremayne,
BW-90 mins, CC,



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: GORDON PARKS SR. AND JR.



8:00 PM -- The Learning Tree (1969)
A black boy growing up in Kansas dreams of a better life in this film version of director Gordon Parks's autobiography.
Dir: Gordon Parks
Cast: Kyle Johnson, Alex Clarke, Estelle Evans
C-107 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

The first major studio feature film directed by an African-American (Gordon Parks).


10:00 PM -- Thomasine and Bushrod (1974)
A pair of thieves steals from the rich to give to poor people of color.
Dir: Gordon Parks Jr.
Cast: Max Julien, Vonetta McGee, George Murdock
C-95 mins, Letterbox Format

Filmed on location in New Mexico.


11:40 PM -- Soul In Cinema Filming Shaft On Location (1971)
A short behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of "Shaft" (1971), focusing on Gordon Parks' directing and Isaac Hayes' score.
Dir: Hugh A Robertson
C-11 mins,


12:00 AM -- Shaft (1971)
A slick black detective enlists gangsters and African nationals to fight the mob.
Dir: Gordon Parks
Cast: Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi
C-100 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song -- Isaac Hayes for the song "Theme from Shaft"

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Dramatic Score -- Isaac Hayes

Isaac Hayes originally auditioned to play the title role. Producers cast Richard Roundtree, but were so impressed with Hayes that they asked him to write the now legendary score to the film.


2:00 AM -- Aaron Loves Angela (1975)
In New York City, a boy and girl of different races fall in love despite objections from each other's families.
Dir: Gordon Parks Jr.
Cast: Kevin Hooks, Irene Cara, Moses Gunn
C-98 mins,

Film debut of Irene Cara.


3:50 AM -- The Amazing Miss Cummings An Actress At Work And Play (1975)
This short film provides a behind-the-scenes look at child actress Quinn Cummings on the set of the movie "The Goodbye Girl" (1977).
Dir: William Riead
C-9 mins,


4:00 AM -- Shaft in Africa (1973)
Shaft is recruited to go undercover to break up a modern slavery ring where young Africans are lured to Paris to do chain-gang work.
Dir: John Guillermin
Cast: Richard Roundtree, Frank Finlay, Vonetta McGee
C-112 mins, Letterbox Format

Filmed on location in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Massawa, Eritrea; New York City; Paris; and Spain.