Classic Movie Recall

OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS is a silent MGM classic from 1928 that stars Joan Crawford as Diana, a party girl with a heart of gold. Diana’s in love with Ben (Johnny Mack Brown), who also loves her until her frenemy Ann (Anita Paige) drops hints that Diana is not “pure” and steals him away. Which is only the first half of the film… OUR DANCING DAUGHTERS has been called “the screen expression of The Jazz Age, and is a snapshot of what the youth and flapper culture was like between the end of World War I and the stock market crash that led to the Depression. The exuberant dancing and parties depicted in the film scandalized a lot of moviegoers in 1928, but it launched Joan Crawford’s fifty-year career and made her a superstar. Fashion expert Kimberly Truhler of Glamamor joins us to talk Art Deco style in clothing and buildings, how Joan danced her way through Hollywood to land the role of a lifetime, and how shortened hemlines in dresses symbolized a new era for women. We also discuss the MGM megastar the costume des

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (1952) is the epitome of classic Hollywood MGM movie magic, and is a musical about the birth of the Hollywood musical. The film is set in the 1920s, when silent films were being pushed aside by “talkies.” Gene Kelly plays Don Lockwood, a popular silent film star who is famous for his on-screen romances with Lina Lamont, played by Jean Hagen. Behind the scenes, Lina is a total diva who happens to have a high-pitched, whiny voice that will never work for a film with sound. Enter Debbie Reynolds as Cathy, a young actress who falls for Don and has the perfect voice that can be dubbed in for Lina’s… SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN has a great plot, but the real appeal of this film, in our opinion, is the trio of Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor, plus the memorable songs. In this episode, we talk about how SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN was basically made as an excuse to recycle songs from the twenties and thirties, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen as co-directors, and the superstar singer, dancer, and ac

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS is film noir at its finest, weaving together some very dark themes, stunning black-and-white photography, and a sultry score featuring a 1950s jazz quintet. Tony Curtis gives an astonishing performance as power-hungry press agent Sidney Falco, who is doing whatever he can to get back into the good graces of columnist and television host JJ Hunsecker, played by Burt Lancaster. JJ has asked Sidney to break up the relationship between JJ’s sister Susie and a young musician whom JJ feels is beneath her. Sidney has been unsuccessful, and in retaliation, JJ—who appears to be the most powerful person in the press—has refused to run any of Sidney’s items in his column until he succeeds. In this episode of Classic Movie Recall, we discuss how Burt and Tony were known as romantic leading men before this film, and how it must have been a shock to see them portraying such ruthless media hounds. We talk about the tension during production of the film and how much of the script was written on the se

THE GENERAL (1926) is a silent film that is based on The Great Locomotive Chase, an actual event that happened in 1862 in Georgia during the Civil War. Buster Keaton plays train engineer Johnnie, who loves his fiancée, Annabelle, and his engine, The General. When the war breaks out, he goes to enlist, but is turned down because they need him to stay in his current job. They don't tell him this; they toss him out, and his fiancée is like, “I don't wanna see your face unless you're in uniform.” A year later, Annabelle gets word that her dad, who is in the army, is wounded and travels on The General to see him. When the train makes a stop everybody gets off for a meal and Union spies steal the train, making Annabelle a prisoner. Johnnie springs into action to rescue his two loves… James and Lara agree that THE GENERAL is a must-see for anyone for anyone who is interested in film. Buster was known as The Great Stone Face for his ability to never crack a smile, and it is a treat to see him in action; he was a wri

THE THIN MAN (1934) has been called the original comedy detective film, and is based on the book by Dashiell Hammett. William Powell and Myrna Loy star as husband and wife detective team Nick and Nora Charles. Nick has married Nora, an heiress from a wealthy Sam Francisco family, and retired from his days as a detective to enjoy the good life. When the two visit New York City, Nick is drawn back into service after an old friend of his, Clyde, disappears. After Clyde’s secretary/girlfriend Is murdered, all signs point to Clyde as the guy who did it. His daughter, played by Mia Farrow's mom, Maureen O'Sullivan, refuses to believe it and hires Nick to crack the case. Did you know that THE THIN MAN started out as a B picture, and then turned into a phenomenon? James and Lara talk about the popularity of the breakout star of the film, Nick and Nora's dog, Asta (played by canine actor Skippy), the Oscar nominations THE THIN MAN received, and who the title of the film refers to (NOT star William Powell...in this

THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962) is directed by John Ford, and stars John Wayne as a gunslingin’ cowboy good guy, who instead of being at odds with a typical Western outlaw, finds himself going up against do gooder Jimmy Stewart, not just in how to deal with evil thief Liberty Valance, but for the affections of the lovely Vera Miles. Since the title gives away that Valance DOES get shot, the mystery is who does it, and there is a cool twist surrounding that that you will have to watch the film to discover. Our Audience of One is writer, producer, and USC professor Trey Callaway, who helps us break down A FACE IN THE CROWD. In this episode, we discuss super bad bad guy Lee Marvin as Liberty Valance, and the joy of seeing John and Jimmy, two pillars of classic cinema, on screen together. We also acknowledge the undercurrent of pessimism running through the picture, as the man (John Ford) who created what we think of as the classic western movie is now tasked with tearing it down. You will also learn whe

EPISODE # 25 • 06-05-16: Lonesome Rhodes, played by Andy Griffith as you have most likely NEVER seen him before, is a drifter and a raconteur. When we—and Patricia Neal—meet him, he’s in jail, but his storytelling and singing land him on her radio show, which is called A Face in the Crowd. The local housewives go crazy over this guy, and we follow his meteoric rise to fame and fortune on the radio and television, and his equally quick descent into troubles with booze, women, and even political corruption. James and Lara are joined by writer, producer, and USC School of Cinematic Arts professor Trey Callaway to discuss A FACE IN THE CROWD (1957). Originally the picture had mixed reviews, but opinions have warmed to it over the years. The film was directed by Elia Kazan, who also did A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, ON THE WATERFRONT, AND EAST OF EDEN, and predicted that with the advent of television…media, celebrity, commerce and politics would forever be merged. None of us could get over Andy Griffith’s astonishi

NOW, VOYAGER (1942) is the movie that might dehydrate you and end the drought in California with your tears. Bette Davis is Charlotte, everyone's favorite spinster aunt in the Vale family. She was an unwanted child, and the cruel treatment her domineering mother has inflicted on her has left Charlotte on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Her sister-in-law introduces her to the kindly Dr. Jaquith, played by Claude Rains, who runs a "sanitorium"; Charlotte comes to stay, and away from her mother's harsh ways, blossoms into a lovely young woman. After an eyebrow wax, wardrobe makeover, and sassy new hairdo, Charlotte embarks on a "pleasure cruise," where she is introduced to handsome Jerry (Paul Henreid). They bond immediately, and he confides that he is unhappily married but cannot leave his wife, an ill woman who needs him, and his daughter, Tina, a sad and depressed girl who sounds much like Aunt Charlotte at the beginning of the film. And then, Charlotte and Jerry get stuck in the middle of nowhere overnight.

The film opens with a middle-aged couple drunkenly stumbling home from a neighbor’s party. We soon learn that they’re living at a New England university where the man (played by Richard Burton) is a history professor and his wife (played by Elizabeth Taylor) is the daughter of the university’s president. We also learn that these two really like to drink while they bicker. It’s 2am, but they help themselves to another splash or two of bourbon, when the wife suddenly remembers that she invited a handsome young biology professor and his “mousey wife” to stop by for a nightcap. Yes, at 2am. Once the young couple arrives, we stay up all night with the binge-drinking foursome as their conversations delve into deeply personal subjects to the point where emotions are raw, secrets are exposed, and they drunkenly descend into a rabbit hole of physiological mind games and emotional warfare. The film is based on a play by Edward Albee, and in fact the screenplay - credited to Ernest Lehman - remains very true to the p

This is a classic film noir that begins with a murder confession. Fred MacMurray plays Walter Neff, and he’s come to his office to record what he’s done and how he’s done it. Even though we know up front what’s happened, we don’t know everything, and there are a lot of twists along the way. We learn in flashback and voiceover that Walter is an insurance salesman who helped Phyllis Dietrichson, brilliantly played by Barbara Stanwyck, knock off her wealthy husband, who had taken out—unbeknownst to him—a double indemnity insurance policy…meaning that an insurance company will pay double on some policies for certain accidents. Edward G. Robinson is Byron Keyes, an insurance claims manager that works with Walter and knows that something is not right with the "accident" the husband had, and begins an investigation. Will the lovers get away with the perfect crime? Will they live happily ever after? And will you ever look at the dad from MY THREE SONGS the same way ever again? Voiceover actor Susan Eisenberg is our A

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS is based on one of the Brothers Grimm collection-of-folk-tales, and follows a beautiful young princess, Snow White. Her stepmother is the evil queen, and she is jealous of Snow White’s beauty and irked by the blossoming attraction between Snow White and a handsome young prince. An attempt by the queen to have Snow White killed causes Snow White to flee into the forest where she befriends the animals --the squirrels and birds and deer -- and seven lovable dwarfs with silly names that match their personalities. Snow White and the seven dwarfs have a great time singing and dancing with the animals, until the evil queen hatches yet another devious plot... James and Lara are joined by Audience of One Susan Eisenberg, a voiceover superstar who is well-known for her role as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman on the animated series, THE JUSTICE LEAGUE. Is this animated film one for kids? Susan and Lara comment on how it was much darker than they remembered when they saw it as young girls. I

With Audrey Hepburn luminous in her American debut, 1953's ROMAN HOLIDAY is as funny as it is beautiful, and sets the standard for the modern romantic comedy. Audrey plays a princess who is on a tour of Europe; when her hectic schedule overwhelms her she flees her country's embassy and runs into Gregory Peck. He has no idea who she is, she doesn't know he's an American newspaperman, and she ends up back at his apartment since he can't quite get rid of her (why was he trying to?). Gregory sleeps through his scheduled interview with the princess the next morning and while trying to avoid getting into trouble with his boss he realizes who is back at his apartment and bets his boss that he can get an exclusive interview with the princess. What's not to love about two of the best-looking people on the planet riding a scooter and running around Rome during one magical day? James and Lara talk about the brilliance of William Wyler's direction and the stunning black-and-white photography, all the men that love this

Fun-loving sailors Gabey (Gene Kelly), Chip (Frank Sinatra) and Ozzie (Jules Munshin) have 24 hours of shore leave in New York City, and they want to make every second count. While Chip hooks up with loudmouth cab driver Brunhilde (Betty Garrett) and Ozzie swoons for prim anthropologist Claire (Ann Miller), Gabey falls in love with a model he sees in an advertisement, Ivy Smith (Vera-Ellen). Leonard Bernstein, with lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green, along with Roger Edens, provides the music. Gene Kelly got a directing credit on this film, but did he use his star power to force his way into that position? What happened to all of Leonard Bernstein's music from the play? Was the famous line "New York New York It's A Wonderful Town" almost something else? And who had padding in the buttocks of their sailor suit? James and Lara break it down in this episode about a musical that is light and sweet like a cupcake.

After moving to a new town, troublemaking teen Jim Stark (James Dean) is supposed to have a clean slate, although being the new kid in town brings its own problems. While searching for some stability, Stark forms a bond with a disturbed classmate, Plato (Sal Mineo), and falls for local girl Judy (Natalie Wood). However, Judy is the girlfriend of neighborhood tough, Buzz (Corey Allen). When Buzz violently confronts Jim and challenges him to a drag race, the new kid's real troubles begin. Is it possible that James Dean was miscast in one of the most iconic roles of all time? One of us thinks so. James and Lara discuss the lasting impact of a terrific actor who made only three films, the appeal of bad boys, and some very cool things about one of the settings in the film. Hint: It was used in another iconic movie that we have reviewed. Grab a red leather jacket, white t-shirt, and jeans, and join us!

When scientist Andre Delambre (Al Hedison) tests his matter transporter on himself, an errant housefly makes its way into the transportation chamber, and things go horribly wrong. As a result, Delambre's head and arm are now that of the insect. Slowly losing himself to the fly, Delambre turns to his wife, Helene (Patricia Owens), for help. But when tragedy strikes, Delambre's brother (Vincent Price) and Inspector Charas (Herbert Marshall) are forced to pick up the investigation. In our review, we talk about why Lara watched this film through her fingers, alternately laughing and then being genuinely moved. James discusses how it was shot so well that a lot of it seems believable (except for the two money shots), and we both agree that when you are invited into someone's creepy basement laboratory, nothing good will come from it. Put away your fly swatter and keep an eye out for the fly with the white head; this is one to invite friends over to watch with you.

The incomparable Marx Brothers stow away on a ship and become involuntarily involved with a pair of feuding gangsters. This film includes one of the funniest Marx Brothers scenes ever, where they take turns impersonating Maurice Chevalier. MONKEY BUSINESS is the Marx Brothers at their very best. James talks about how this movie cheered him up on an awful day, Lara swoons over the musical talents of the brothers, and both of us agree that this is a fun film that showcases the timeless talents of these comic geniuses. But why was the movie banned in some countries? Are women treated as props? And is there a missing 5th Marx Bro? Listen and find out...

The film takes place in Alabama in the 1930s, and is told through the eyes of two kids, a young brother and sister whose father is a small town lawyer named Atticus Finch. The first part of the film is a charming immersion into the daily playful lives of the kids, with all the youthful imaginative antics that most of us can relate to from our own childhoods. Then, when their father agrees to serve as a defense lawyer for a black man accused of rape, the film shifts from being about the kids, to being an intense courtroom drama with Atticus Finch at the center. We’re immersed in a story that confronts us with profound questions fairness, dignity and humanity. This is not just a film that’s noteworthy for tackling the subject of racism, but it’s one of the most emotionally compelling films about respect for our fellow human beings, and about -- in short -- doing the right thing. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD is a stunning film that draws you in and unfolds slowly at first, which was why Lara avoided it for years. She

There were nine films starring Tracy and Hepburn, but ADAM'S RIB is arguably the best. Writers Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, friends of the famous couple, wrote the film specifically for them, and Hepburn insisted on her favorite director, George Cukor. The result is a comedy that remains the best "battle of the sexes" film ever made. In our review, James and Lara get into how watching this film feels like spying on a real-life married couple, as Spencer and Kate talk over each other and are very playful together. We talk about George Cukor's static camera, the Cole Porter-penned "Goodbye, Amanda" (one of the original earworms), and are joined by actress Jennifer Lynn O'Hara of "A Single Girl's Guide To..." to discuss the pervasive double standard that women in the entertainment industry experience.

In this Best Picture Oscar winner from 1932, a drunk doctor, an eccentric ballerina, a jewel thief, a businessman, his mistress and a dying bookkeeper all cross paths in the finest (fictional) hotel in Europe, the Grand Hotel. James and Lara are joined by Audience of One Lou Lazzara (celebrity makeup artist) to talk about Garbo's glamorous lighting, the collective star power of so many icons, Joan Crawford's famous mouth, and lots more in the first film to feature overlapping storylines. Tell everyone you want to be alone, fall back on some satin sheets in an all-white Art Deco bedroom, and check yourself in to GRAND HOTEL.

Gold Diggers of 1933 is one of the best movies to come out of 1930s Hollywood. It takes place in New York City at the height of the Great Depression. Four showgirls scheme for that next role in a Broadway musical -- using men, loving men, cheating men. This is a wonderful comedy with the musical magic of Busby Berkeley. James and Lara are joined by Audience of One Dennis Hensley, who agreed that it is impossible to get "Pettin' in the Park" out of your head after you have heard it. We also talk about how Ginger Rogers ended up speaking pig Latin in the film, Mervyn and Busby as co-directors, and how this film manages to find the humor in The Great Depression, along with the heartbreak.