TCM Schedule for Friday, June 3, 2016 -- What's On Tonight: TCM Special Theme: Billy Wilder

[Staph]

In most of the daylight hours, TCM seems to be continuing this month's theme of Stage to Screen, with a potload more of musicals filmed in the 1930s and 1940s. And in prime time, TCM begins a month-long look at superb writer/director Billy Wilder. He was born 110 years ago this month (June 22, 1906) in what was then Austria-Hungary but is now Poland. If you are not already familiar with the Viennese Pixie (and his six Oscar wins and his 17 additional nominations), this is your chance. Enjoy!



7:15 AM -- On the Town (1949)
Three sailors wreak havoc as they search for love during a whirlwind 24-hour leave in New York City.
Dir: Gene Kelly
Cast: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett
C-98 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture -- Roger Edens and Lennie Hayton

A total of 5 days was spent filming in New York City. The 2 major problems faced by the crew was the weather (it rained for most of the shoot) and the popularity of Frank Sinatra. Gene Kelly explained that the movie was filmed at the height of Sinatra mania and Frank would be instantly recognized by people on the streets. To avoid crowds the cast insisted on taxis instead of limousines for transportation and that the camera be hidden inside a station wagon. During the finale of the "New York, New York" musical number, which takes place in the sunken plaza at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in front of the statue of Prometheus, you can see at the top of the frame of the last shot, the heads of hundreds of curious spectators staring at the three stars over the wall behind the statue.

The movie was based on the stage musical of the Jerome Robbins ballet entitled Fancy Free, which opened at the Ballet Theatre in New York in the spring of 1944. In addition to writing the book for the stage version of On the Town (1949) and writing the screenplay for the film, Betty Comden and Adolph Green appeared in the stage version in the roles of "Claire" and "Ozzie."


9:00 AM -- Naughty Marietta (1935)
A French princess in Colonial America gets involved with an Indian scout.
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke
Cast: Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan
BW-104 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Sound, Recording -- Douglas Shearer (sound director)

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture

Although Victor Herbert's music was used for this movie, the plot is not the same as that of the original musical, as was often the custom back then for adaptation of stage musicals. Many of the lyrics (by Rida Johnson Young) are also changed.


11:00 AM -- On Your Toes (1939)
A hoofer gets mixed up with a ballet dancer, triggering backstage jealousy.
Dir: Ray Enright
Cast: Zorina, Eddie Albert, Alan Hale
BW-94 mins,

"On Your Toes" was adapted from a Broadway musical that opened at the Imperial Theater in New York on April 11, 1936 and ran for 315 performances. Ray Bolger starred in the original stage production. The musical was revived on Broadway in 1954 and 1983.


12:45 PM -- Girl Crazy (1943)
A womanizing playboy finds true love when he's sent to a desert college.
Dir: Norman Taurog
Cast: Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, Gil Stratton
BW-99 mins, CC,

Judy Garland's character's name, Ginger Gray, is a tribute to Ginger Rogers, who played the part on Broadway when the character was named Molly Gray. Ginger Rogers wrote that one night onstage in the play, her costar Allen Kearns accidentally said: "Ginger, I love you" instead of "Molly". The mistake got such a huge laugh from the audience that they decided to continue to do that in subsequent performances, pretending it was a mistake.


2:30 PM -- Some Like It Hot (1959)
Two musicians on the run from gangsters masquerade as members of an all-girl band.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon
BW-122 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Orry-Kelly

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Jack Lemmon, Best Director -- Billy Wilder, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Charles Lang, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Ted Haworth and Edward G. Boyle

After shooting was completed, Billy Wilder threw a celebration dinner at his home for cast members and friends. Marilyn Monroe was not invited. The crushed star had to have it explained to her that she had cost the production roughly half a million dollars with her delays and unprofessional behaviour. Wilder had generally unkind things to say about her after this film. When asked if he would do another project with her, he replied, "My doctor and my psychiatrist ... tell me I am too old and too rich to go through this again." After reading some of the things Wilder said about her in print, Monroe called his home and told his wife to please give her husband the message - "to go f*** himself." Wilder changed his tune later, commenting, "It takes a real artist to come on the set and not know her lines and yet give the performance she did." A year later, at the premiere of The Apartment (1960), Monroe threw her arms around him, told him how much she loved the picture, and whispered that she would like to play the lead in Irma la Douce (1963), a role that eventually went to Shirley MacLaine.


4:45 PM -- Spartacus (1960)
An heroic slave leads a revolt against the corrupt Roman Empire.
Dir: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Jean Simmons
C-196 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Peter Ustinov, Best Cinematography, Color -- Russell Metty, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color -- Alexander Golitzen, Eric Orbom, Russell A. Gausman and Julia Heron, and Best Costume Design, Color -- Valles and Bill Thomas

Nominated for Oscars for Best Film Editing -- Robert Lawrence, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Alex North

The original version included a scene where Marcus Licinius Crassus (Laurence Olivier) attempts to seduce Antoninus (Tony Curtis). The Production Code Administration and the Legion of Decency both objected. At one point Geoffrey Shurlock, representing the censors, suggested it would help if the reference in the scene to a preference for oysters or snails was changed to truffles and artichokes. In the end the scene was cut, but it was put back in for the 1991 restoration. However, the soundtrack had been lost in the meantime and the dialogue had to be dubbed. Curtis was able to redo his lines, but Olivier had died. Joan Plowright, his widow, remembered that Anthony Hopkins had done a dead-on impression of Olivier and she mentioned this to the restoration team. They approached Hopkins and he agreed to voice Olivier's lines in that scene. Hopkins is thanked in the credits for the restored version.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: TCM SPECIAL THEME: BILLY WILDER



8:00 PM -- The Major and the Minor (1942)
A woman disguises herself as a little girl and ends up in a military academy.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Ginger Rogers, Ray Milland, Rita Johnson
BW-101 mins, CC,

Wilder's U.S. directorial debut. Principal photography was completed quickly and efficiently. Ginger Rogers later recalled, "We had a lot of fun making the picture. It was that kind of story. And even though it was his first film, from day one I saw that Billy knew what to do. He was very sure of himself. He had perfect confidence . . . I've never been sorry I made the film. The Major and the Minor really holds up. It's as good now as it was then."


9:50 PM -- Cairo "City Of Contrast" (1938)
This short film focuses on the landmarks, people and culture of Cairo, Egypt.
C-9 mins,


10:00 PM -- Five Graves to Cairo (1943)
A British corporal goes undercover to infiltrate Field Marshall Rommel's command.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Franchot Tone, Anne Baxter, Akim Tamiroff
BW-96 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- John F. Seitz, Best Art Direction-Interior Decoration, Black-and-White -- Hans Dreier, Ernst Fegté and Bertram C. Granger, and Best Film Editing -- Doane Harrison

Erich von Stroheim playing Field Marshall Erwin Rommel dictatorially insisted on garnishing his own military uniform and he got permission from the Paramount studio to design this costume as well as his hair & makeup. He studied photographs of Rommel and then made requests for specific equipment, clothing and props. These included authentic German field glasses, a whisk, and a 35mm Leica camera with actual film. These items were all fully functional, in working order and of the correct provenance. Stroheim maintained that his performance could be affected as an actor would know if the items he were wearing or using were not authentic. Director Billy Wilder queried him about the real film in the camera which wouldn't be seen by viewers with von Stroheim replying, "An audience always senses whether a prop is genuine or false." Rommel dressed casually and wore loose-fitting uniforms yet von Stroheim demanded that he wear "a uniform as it is supposed to be worn." Von Stroheim believed that Rommel never took off his cap in the desert sun and so did not have sunburn face make-up above his eyes.


11:41 PM -- Egypt Speaks (1951)
This short film takes the viewer to Alexandria, Egypt.
Dir: James A. FitzPatrick
C-8 mins,


12:00 AM -- Double Indemnity (1944)
An insurance salesman gets seduced into plotting a client's death.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson
BW-108 mins, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Barbara Stanwyck, Best Director -- Billy Wilder, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- John F. Seitz, Best Sound, Recording -- Loren L. Ryder (Paramount SSD), Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Miklós Rózsa, and Best Picture

Author James M. Cain later admitted that if he had come up with some of the solutions to the plot that screenwriters Billy Wilder and Raymond Chandler did, he would have employed them in his original novel.


2:00 AM -- The Lost Weekend (1945)
A writer fights to overcome his addiction to liquor.
Dir: Billy Wilder
Cast: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry
BW-101 mins, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Ray Milland, Best Director -- Billy Wilder, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, and Best Picture

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- John F. Seitz, Best Film Editing -- Doane Harrison, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Miklós Rózsa

In 1944 Billy Wilder was traveling from New York to Hollywood by train and stopped off at the Chicago train station to buy some reading matter for the journey. One of these books was "The Lost Weekend". By the time he'd reached Hollywood, Wilder knew this would make the ideal basis for his next film.


4:00 AM -- Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
A husband and wife fight to conquer alcoholism.
Dir: Blake Edwards
Cast: Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford
BW-117 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song -- Henry Mancini (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics) for the song "Days of Wine and Roses"

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Jack Lemmon, Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Lee Remick, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Joseph C. Wright and George James Hopkins, and Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Donfeld

Jack Lemmon disclosed in a TV interview interview that during his straitjacket scene, wherein his character rather violently suffers the DTs, he'd gotten so into it that the crew had to shake him out of his hysterics after the cameras had stopped rolling.