TCM Schedule for Thursday, October 1, 2020 - TCM Spotlight: Celebrating 30 Years of Film Foundation

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Last edited Tue Oct 6, 2020, 11:37 PM - Edit history (1)

In the daylight hours, TCM is featuring films starring David Janssen, the original Dr. Richard Kimble in the television series The Fugitive (1963-1967). It's not his birthday, but he's an accomplished actor worth watching. A Janssen quote on why he took so many acting jobs: "I have always considered myself basically unemployed. I'm from Nebraska and I feel guilty when I'm not working." Then in prime time, TCM is celebrating 30 years of the Film Foundation. Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- The Girl He Left Behind (1956)
A college dropout has no choice but to go into the Army.
Dir: David Butler
Cast: Tab Hunter, Natalie Wood, Jesse Royce Landis
BW-103 mins, CC,

Natalie Wood had originally intended to attend the 1956 Academy Awards with Raymond Burr as her date. Warner Brothers, however, felt that Wood's perceived involvement with a much older man appeared unseemly. The studio instead forced her to attend the ceremony with her co-star for this film, Tab Hunter.


8:00 AM -- Lafayette Escadrille (1958)
A hotshot young flyer falls for a French prostitute during World War I.
Dir: William A. Wellman
Cast: Tab Hunter, Etchika Choureau, Marcel Dalio
BW-93 mins, CC,

The scene where Thad Walker (Tab Hunter) escorts a U.S. General (Paul Fix) to a brothel is based on a real incident from William A. Wellman's wartime experience. During the war, Wellman supposedly encountered General John J. Pershing, a.k.a. "Black Jack", in a Paris brothel. Several years later, Pershing came to Hollywood to tour the Paramount Pictures lot, where Wellman was working as a cameraman. When Pershing saw Wellman, who was standing in a line of movie technicians, General Pershing said to him, "I'm sure I know you. Have we met before?" Wanting to protect General Pershing's reputation, Wellman replied, "Yes, but I'd rather not say where, sir." Pershing and Wellman later had a private meeting in a back office at the studio, where they talked about their wartime service. The meeting had a positive effect on Wellman's career, as the studio executives took notice of him. He was promoted to Assistant Director, and from there soon became a full director.


9:45 AM -- Dondi (1961)
World War II GIs adopt an Italian war orphan.
Dir: Albert Zugsmith
Cast: David Janssen, Patti Page, David Kory
BW-100 mins,

The casting of the leading role was narrowed down to two candidates: David Kory, who got the part, and Damon Lanza, the son of actor-singer Mario Lanza.


11:30 AM -- The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968)
International intrigue follows the election of the first Russian pope.
Dir: Michael Anderson
Cast: Anthony Quinn, Laurence Olivier, Oskar Werner
C-162 mins, Letterbox Format, CC,

Nominee for Oscars for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -- George W. Davis and Edward C. Carfagno, and Best Music, Original Score for a Motion Picture (not a Musical) -- Alex North

Two unlikely papal events (having not occurred for many centuries) are depicted, which would come to pass in reality within a generation. A new Pope is not only not Italian for the first time in over four hundred fifty years, but also from Eastern Europe. This came true in 1978 with the election of John Paul II from Poland. The Pope decides to be known by a completely new papal name, Kiril (or Cyril), which had not happened since Pope Lando in 913 A.D. In March 2013, Jorge Bergoglio ascended to the papacy and took the new name Francis.


2:15 PM -- Ring of Fire (1961)
A group of delinquents hold a sheriff hostage in the middle of a forest fire.
Dir: Andrew L. Stone
Cast: David Janssen, Joyce Taylor, Frank Gorshin
C-91 mins, CC,

The bridge that was destroyed in the film was built by the Simpson Timber company in 1939, but had been abandoned for nearly a decade. Rails had to be reinstalled on the bridge to allow the steam locomotive and train cars to roll onto it. Explosives were used to increase the dramatic effect of the bridge's collapse. After filming, it was discovered the gorge of the Wynoochee River was too deep to remove the train, so the cars were cut in half and they and the locomotive were left in place. The filming of the bridge fire and collapse took place on October 7, 1960.


4:00 PM -- Twenty Plus Two (1961)
When a Hollywood secretary is found murdered, a detective is hired to investigate the murder.
Dir: Joseph M. Newman
Cast: David Janssen, Jeanne Crain, Dina Merrill
BW-103 mins, Letterbox Format, CC,

The late Turner Classic Movie host Robert Osborne has a bit as the drunken sailor with dance tickets.


5:45 PM -- Marooned (1969)
Three U.S. astronauts face a slow death when their rockets fail during a space voyage.
Dir: John Sturges
Cast: Gregory Peck, Richard Crenna, David Janssen
C-129 mins, Letterbox Format, CC,

Winner of an Oscar for Best Effects, Special Visual Effects -- Robie Robinson

Nominee for Oscars for Best Cinematography -- Daniel L. Fapp, and Best Sound -- Les Fresholtz and Arthur Piantadosi

Based on a novel by Martin Caidin, who would later write "Cyborg", the basis for the TV series The Six Million Dollar Man (1974).



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: TCM SPOTLIGHT: CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF THE FILM FOUNDATION



8:00 PM -- La Strada (1954)
A traveling strongman buys a peasant girl to be his wife and co-star.
Dir: Federico Fellini
Cast: Giulietta Masina, Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart
BW-108 mins,

Winner of an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film -- Dino De Laurentiis and Carlo Ponti -- Italy

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Writing, Best Screenplay - Original -- Federico Fellini and Tullio Pinelli

Anthony Quinn was working on a film with Giulietta Masina when she introduced him to her husband, Federico Fellini. Fellini was immediately convinced that the Mexican-born actor would make the perfect Zampanò the strongman in his new film, which was to become La Strada (1954), and implored him to accept the role. The nonplussed actor, who had no idea who Fellini was, initially turned him down, but Fellini was persistent, pestering him for days about the project. Shortly thereafter, Quinn spent the evening with Ingrid Bergman and her husband, director Roberto Rossellini. After dinner, the three watched Fellini's most recent film, the comedy-drama I Vitelloni (1953), and Quinn realized with astonishment that the crazy Italian filmmaker who had been hounding him for days was a genius.


10:00 PM -- Two for the Road (1967)
A married couple's relationship rises and falls during a series of European trips.
Dir: Stanley Donen
Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Albert Finney, Eleanor Bron
C-113 mins, CC,

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen -- Frederic Raphael

Audrey Hepburn does not wear her trademark designer clothes by Givenchy in this film. Director Stanley Donen insisted that it was essential for her character that she wear clothes that could be bought in a store.


12:00 AM -- Dodsworth (1936)
A husband whose wife left him looks for new love in Europe.
Dir: William Wyler
Cast: Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas
BW-101 mins,

Winner of an Oscar for Best Art Direction -- Richard Day

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Walter Huston, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Maria Ouspenskaya, Best Director -- William Wyler, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Sidney Howard, Best Sound, Recording -- Oscar Lagerstrom (United Artists SSD), and Best Picture

At the time of filming, Mary Astor was going through a very public and very scandalous divorce from her husband, who used Astor's diary to prove that she had been having an affair with playwright George S. Kaufman. With the press constantly stalking her, she sometimes slept on the set to avoid confrontation. Many people involved in the production sided with Astor throughout the ordeal, including William Wyler, Samuel Goldwyn and Ruth Chatterton, who appeared as a character witness on Astor's behalf. Ironically, Astor's character in this film is a divorcee.


2:00 AM -- Destry Rides Again (1939)
A deputy who's sworn not to shoot again takes on a corrupt town boss and a sultry saloon singer.
Dir: George Marshall
Cast: Marlene Dietrich, James Stewart, Mischa Auer
BW-95 mins, CC,

Una Merkel recalled filming the fight sequence: "Neither of us knew what we were doing. We just plunged in and punched and slapped and kicked for all we were worth. They never did call in the stunt girls. Marlene stepped on my feet with her French heels. The toenails never grew back. She was stronger than me. She was very powerful and I was very thin. Luckily, I have a remarkable constitution. I was bruised from head to foot when it was over. I looked like an old peach, green with brown spots. And I felt like one too. At the end of the scene Jimmy Stewart came in and dumped a whole bucket of water over us. He did it in long shot. Then he had to do it over for close-ups. Then Life Magazine wanted pictures so they did it over again. He dumped water on us for hours."


3:45 AM -- Black Girl (1966)
A girl from Senegal becomes disillusioned with her life as a servant in France.
Dir: Ousmane Sembene
Cast: Mbissine Thérèse Diop, Anne-Marie Jelinck, Momar Nar Sene
BW-60 mins,

This is believed to be the first feature film made by a black African in sub-Saharan Africa.


5:00 AM -- Robert Osborne's 20th Anniversary Tribute (2015)
A look back at Robert Osborne's life and career as host of Turner Classic Movies.
C-47 mins, CC,

Robert Osborne was the host on Turner Classic Movies from its inception in 1994, in large part due to his deep and abiding love and knowledge of film. Osborne got his start working for Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. The ever-perspicacious Ball suggested that Osborne combine his interest in classic film and training in journalism, and write instead of act. Osborne took this advice and produced "Academy Awards Illustrated" a book which then begat his years at The Hollywood Reporter. He also became the official historian of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. An elegant and unassuming man, Osborne combined a startling facility with movie names, dates, and facts with the gift to tell a good story and ability to be a gracious host.