Tonight's Movie: The Black Pirate (1926) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Last year Kino Lorber released a wonderful two-film Blu-ray set of silent Douglas Fairbanks (Sr.) swashbucklers in their Cohen Film Collection line.

The one-disc set consists of ROBIN HOOD (1922) paired with THE BLACK PIRATE (1926).

The set arrived in October right around the time I was attending the Lone Pine Film Festival, and as occasionally happens, it kept moving further down the review stack as I reviewed in "last in, first out" fashion.

I wanted to be certain to finally start catching up with this disc before leaving town to cover my next film festival this week! I decided to start with the less familiar story, THE BLACK PIRATE (1926), and I'm happy to say I really enjoyed it.

The opening narrative card promises "A page from The History and Lives of the most Bloodthirsty PIRATES who ever infested THE SOUTHERN SEAS," and they certainly are that! I confess I was a bit taken aback by just how violent it was, as the pirates tie up prisoners, then blow them all up along with their ship.  

The Duke of Arnaldo (Fairbanks) manages to escape and carries his dying father to a small island; after his father passes, the duke -- now the lone survivor of the attack -- pledges to avenge his death.

Fate smiles on the Duke when the Pirate Captain (Anders Randolf) and crew members land on the island to bury some of their loot. The Duke decides to infiltrate the crew, posing as a pirate himself.

He succeeds, but matters grow dicey after he single-handedly captures a ship whose passengers include lovely Isobel (Billie Dove). The Duke has to think fast to find a way to save her virtue and prevent another mass killing, as well as eventually defeat the entire crew.  Will he succeed?

This was an exciting, well-paced 96 minutes. (Incidentally, IMDb incorrectly has the time as 88 minutes.) Fairbanks wrote the story, ensuring a perfect showcase for his abilities, and he's seen at his athletic best; the scene where he slides down a sail as he slices it with his knife is truly spectacular.

Incidentally, as has been noted elsewhere, Gene Kelly's costume in the Pirate Ballet in THE PIRATE (1948) seems to emulates Fairbanks' pirate outfit.

Fairbanks pairs well with Dove, who initially seems to be the fainting type but who proves her mettle helping to save the Duke near the movie's climax. Curiously, it's said to be Fairbanks' then-wife, Mary Pickford, standing in for Dove to kiss him at movie's end.

Fairbanks and Pickford are well supported by Donald Crisp as a sympathetic one-armed pirate, MacTavish, and Charles Belcher as a nobleman the Duke recruits to bring aid from the governor.

An essay written a few years ago by Jeffrey Vance for the San Francisco Silent Film Festival indicates that while some filming, including the climax, took place on Catalina Island, most of the exteriors were filmed at the Pickford-Fairbanks Studios.

The movie, which was directed by Albert Parker, was filmed by Henry Sharp in two-strip Technicolor, which is an added pleasure. For the Blu-ray a 35mm color negative was mastered in HD.

Vance also comments that the filmmakers' goal had been subdued colors, "to make a pirate picture that would seem to spectators as something that had been down in the cellars for 300 years." They certainly succeeded, as the film has a unique, distinctive two-strip look -- it's quite different in appearance, for example, from the bright oranges and greens of the two-strip FOLLOW THRU (1930) a few years later.

The film is presented with a recording conducted by Robert Israel of the film's original 1926 score by Mortimer Wilson.

The disc includes a vintage audio commentary by the late, revered historian Rudy Behlmer; 18 minutes of outtakes with commentary by Behlmer; and 29 minutes of additional outtakes. I'm looking forward to delving into those!

I also look forward to watching ROBIN HOOD soon, and in the meantime THE BLACK PIRATE is very much recommended.

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Tonight's Movie: 3 Godfathers (1948) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

3 GODFATHERS (1948), directed by John Ford, was released this spring on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

I first saw this film at the 2016 Lone Pine Film Festival, and while I liked it well enough, I wrote at the time that despite my love for Ford and the cast, I didn't anticipate rewatching it anytime soon, as the heart-tugging story was "rather exhausting."

I initially thought I might pass on reviewing the new Blu-ray disc and wait a while longer to see the film again...and then I read reviews, such as one by Toby Roan saying "...you need this Blu-ray. Buy a Blu-ray player and a new TV if you have to." He was echoed by Robert Harris of the Home Theater Forum who said "Everyone needs a copy."

And so I thus belatedly decided I really needed to see it for myself!

And indeed, I found the print truly spectacular. When I participated in a critics' Zoom session with the Warner Archive's George Feltenstein a few days ago, he commented that he couldn't imagine a 4K release of this film looking any better than the Blu-ray, and while I have limited exposure to the 4K format, I believe he's right. The beautiful print, in and of itself, made revisiting the film completely worthwhile.

3 GODFATHERS is a regular part of the Christmas movie rotation on Turner Classic Movies, and many viewers who've seen it there -- or seen one of the earlier film versions of the story -- will be familiar with the plot.

Three bank robbers (John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, and Harry Carey Jr.) on the run from a posse (including Ward Bond, Hank Worden, and Ben Johnson) flee into the desert.

The men stumble across a woman (Mildred Natwick) about to give birth, and after Pedro (Armendariz) delivers the baby, she names it after all three men, appointing them her son's godfathers.

The weak mother passes away, but the men promise to save her baby boy, and what ensues is how they live out their promise to do that, regardless of personal cost.

As I noted in 2016, some of the film's casting and editing choices are odd; Natwick was too old to play the mother, and the film's 106 minutes could have easily been compressed with more streamlined -- and less confusing -- storytelling.

Those criticisms aside, this is a wonderful visit with the Ford Stock Company, also including Jane Darwell, Mae Marsh, Jack Pennick, Guy Kibbee, and Francis Ford.

The Technicolor photography of Winton C. Hoch has never looked better than it does now, from the first moving shots paying tribute to Harry Carey Sr. to the close-ups of the baby near movie's end. I can only echo the review quotes above and urge readers that they need this Blu-ray!

As added inducement to acquire a copy, a very welcome extra on this disc is the 1936 version of THREE GODFATHERS (1936), which is from a 4K scan of the "best preservation elements." This movie was previously released by the Warner Archive Collection in a two-film DVD set with an older version of the story, William Wyler's HELL'S HEROES (1929).

Although I reviewed (and liked) HELL'S HEROES, I've never gotten around to seeing the '36 version, which incidentally Leonard Maltin introduced at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival! (He just published an article on the '36 version and quotes Jeanine Basinger as telling him "It's better than the Ford.") I expect to finally catch up with it and review it here at a future date.

The disc also includes trailers for both the 1936 and 1948 versions.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Tonight's Movie: You Never Can Tell (1951) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

The quirky, inventive, and very charming fantasy YOU NEVER CAN TELL (1951) has just been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.

This film was a delightful surprise when I first discovered it in 2011. At that time it wasn't available for home viewing in any format; a couple years later it had a DVD release, and now, over a decade since the DVD came out, it's happily out on a lovely Blu-ray. I hope this new release will lead to this relatively unsung little gem finding a wider audience.

King, a German shepherd, is left millions by his late owner, to be managed by the owner's former secretary Ellen (the always-luminous Peggy Dow). Ellen is due to inherit the estate after King's eventual passing.

Ellen is courted by Perry Collins (Charles Drake), who claims to have worked with King in the army during the war. Perry initially seems amiable enough but proves to have ulterior motives. He proposes to Ellen, then murders King so that Ellen will have the money. Ellen, unfortunately, is blamed for King's death.

King comes back to earth in human form as Rex Shepard (Dick Powell), private investigator, who's determined to clear Ellen's name and hang his murder on Perry. "Rex" is aided by his confidential secretary Goldie (Joyce Holden), who was formerly Golden Harvest, a thoroughbred racehorse.

The plot is completely nuts -- I'm not sure to this day I entirely "get" the concept of "humanimals" -- but it's also completely fun. This is a movie which bears watching closely for delightful little throwaway bits of humor with glances, reactions, and costuming, along with the more obvious creative bits, such as Rex and Goldie snacking on their preferred treats of kibble and grass.

Everyone in the cast is a delight, with Powell combining his '40s P.I. character type with the charm he demonstrated in an earlier comedic fantasy, Rene Clair's IT HAPPENED TOMORROW (1944). It's wonderful watching him with the warm and lovely Dow, who graced too few movies in her brief '50s career before retiring for a long, happy marriage and motherhood.

The unsung charmer of this film is Holden as Golden Harvest; she feels completely original as the former racehorse who takes time out from the investigation to root for her granddaughter at the racetrack. Holden is so good that it's surprising to me her screen career was relatively brief, with film and TV credits from 1950 to 1958.

As I wrote in my original 2011 review, the credited director was Lou Breslow, who wrote the very good screenplay with David Chandler, but Holden said in an interview that the real director was Powell, who conferred on every shot with Breslow and came up with "the ideas, the set-ups, the little innuendos." She said Powell was "brilliant," also noting his generosity in "letting" her steal some of their scenes.

The black and white photography was by Maury Gertsman. It looks very good on Kino Lorber's Blu-ray, which is from a new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35mm fine grain. The brief "heavenly" sequence still looks odd due to the way it was shot but it's now much easier to see than on the print I saw years ago.

Disc extras consist of a commentary track by Michael Schlesinger and Darlene Ramirez, plus a gallery of trailers for seven other films available from Kino Lorber.

YOU NEVER CAN TELL should please viewers of all ages. Recommended.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...Last week I shared the news that Kino Lorber Studio Classics announced a Dark Side of Cinema XX collection. Shortly after I posted that, Kino Lorber also announced Dark Side of Cinema XXI is coming soon! It will contain CLOAK AND DAGGER (1946) with Gary Cooper, SHACK OUT ON 101 (1955) with Frank Lovejoy, and SHORT CUT TO HELL (1957) with William Bishop, directed by James Cagney.

...Also coming soon from Kino Lorber: BODY AND SOUL (1947) starring John Garfield.

...Chris Yogerst has a new article at The Hollywood Reporter, on the founding of MGM, in honor of the studio's centennial.

...THE BOYS IN THE BOAT (2023), about the U.S. rowing team at the 1936 Olympics, will be out on Blu-ray and other formats on June 25th. I reviewed the film when I saw it theatrically earlier this year.

...Coming for fall cookbook season from Ina Garten, a memoir titled BE READY WHEN THE LUCK HAPPENS.

...Recent reviews I've enjoyed: At Riding the High Country Colin wrote on Audie Murphy and Barry Sullivan in SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN (1960)...Jacqueline wrote about the Hitchcockian non-Hitchcock film NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940) at Another Old Movie Blog...and Kristina has continued to watch the films of director Fred F. Sears, as she chronicles in Part 3 and Part 4 at Speakeasy. I need to check out FURY AT GUNSIGHT PASS (1956)! Incidentally I'm quite fond of THE MIAMI STORY (1954), which she writes about in Part 3; like SEVEN WAYS FROM SUNDOWN, it stars Barry Sullivan.

...This is a relatively short roundup this week! Please note there will not be an Around the Blogosphere This Week column next weekend, when I'm attending the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival. The column will return on May 18th.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my April 27th column.

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TCM in May: Highlights

April has flown past and May has arrived, whichmeans it's now time for a detailed look at the May schedule on Turner Classic Movies!

The May Star of the Month is Sessue Hayakawa, with his films shown on Monday evenings, beginning May 6th.

In conjunction with the celebration of Hayakawa's career, his films will be followed by late Monday night screenings of movies featuring other Asian actors and themes, with stars including Anna May Wong, Toshiro Mifune, and James Shigeta.

This month's Noir Alley films are DARK PASSAGE (1947) on May 4th and 5th, FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949) on the 11th and 12th, and the TCM premiere of TAKE AIM AT THE POLICE VAN (1960) on May 18th and 19th. The last weekend of the month will feature BAD FOR EACH OTHER (1953) on May 25th and 26th.

The TCM Spotlight is called "A Single Name" and features movies with one-name titles, including a relatively rare TCM airing of SHANE (1953) on May 8th. The Spotlight series will air on Wednesdays.

Additional "Special Themes" this month include "The Art of Artifice" on Tuesdays and "Directed By Frank Borzage" on the first three Thursdays of May.

Below are just a few more of the month's notable highlights. Please click any hyperlinked title to read my full-length review.

...The Frank Borzage series begins on Thursday evening, May 2nd, with a lineup that includes STRANDED (1935), starring Kay Francis and George Brent, and DESIRE (1936), starring Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper. I've seen both these films multiple times and enjoy them very much.

...A tribute to Steve Martin on May 3rd includes DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID (1982). It's rather a one-joke film, but it has some great classic film clips and Rachel Ward has a wonderful Edith Head wardrobe.

...The Musical Matinee on May 4th is one of my all-time favorite films and a movie I think is a really unsung musical: TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT (1945). It's set in WWII London during the Blitz. Rita Hayworth stars, along with Lee Bowman, Janet Blair, and Marc Platt.

...A Raoul Walsh double feature on May 5th consists of John Wayne in THE BIG TRAIL (1930), another relatively rare TCM showing, followed by the classic James Cagney crime film WHITE HEAT (1949). I just revisited WHITE HEAT in 35mm at the TCM Classic Film Festival. What a great movie, packed with terrific actors down to the smallest roles.

...The "Art of Artifice" series focuses on production design and special effects. The series kicks off on May 7th with Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959).

...I mentioned above that SHANE is having a fairly rare TCM airing as part of the "A Single Name" series. Another movie not shown on TCM often, Shirley Temple's HEIDI (1937), will follow SHANE on May 8th. SHANE is from Paramount Pictures and HEIDI from 20th Century-Fox, which cost more for TCM to license than some other studios, hence fewer of their films are shown on the network. (Seen at left: Temple with Marcia Mae Jones in HEIDI.)

...There's an eight-film tribute to Clark Gable on May 9th - FORSAKING ALL OTHERS (1934) costarring Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery is a particular favorite - followed by another fantastic evening of films directed by Frank Borzage. The Borzage films kick off with the superlative HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT (1937) starring Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer. It's part romantic comedy, part melodrama, part disaster movie, and all wonderful.

...A birthday tribute to producer David O. Selznick on May 10th includes A STAR IS BORN (1937), starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. This version is my favorite.

...Mother's Day on May 11th includes THREE DARING DAUGHTERS (1948), starring Jeanette MacDonald, and I REMEMBER MAMA (1948) with Irene Dunne.

...A tribute to director Clarence Brown on the 13th includes the very enjoyable WIFE VS. SECRETARY (1936) starring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow, and James Stewart.

...The Art of Artifice series on May 14th includes RANCHO NOTORIOUS (1952), which I wrote about last year for Classic Movie Hub. Marlene Dietrich and Arthur Kennedy star.

...The lineup of movies featuring one-name titles includes MGM's Leslie Caron musicals GIGI (1958), seen at right, and LILI (1952) on May 15th.

...There's a fantastic '40s film noir lineup on May 16th which includes PITFALL (1948), starring Dick Powell, and LADY IN THE LAKE (1947) with Robert Montgomery. Then stay tuned for more Frank Borzage films that evening!

...The "Two For One" series on May 18th will feature Steven Spielberg introducing JAILHOUSE ROCK (1957) and FORTY GUNS (1957). Those are interesting choices for a double feature!

...The Art of Artifice on May 21st will include favorite musicals THE RED SHOES (1948), THE GLASS SLIPPER (1955), and BRIGADOON (1954).

...TCM is honoring MGM musical fave Betty Garrett on her May 23rd birthday. Films include NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER (1949) and ON THE TOWN (1949).

...On Friday evening, May 24th, TCM's annual Memorial Day Weekend war film marathon begins. It continues through Monday evening, the 27th, when it merges with a pair of WWII films starring Star of the Month Sessue Hayakawa, THREE CAME HOME (1950) and THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957).

...The one-name movies on May 29th include Greta Garbo in NINOTCHKA (1939).

...A lineup of "international incident" movies on May 30th includes the delightful PRINCESS O'ROURKE (1943) starring Olivia de Havilland. I love to recommend this one, which is reminiscent of the later ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953).

For additional information on TCM in May 2024, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in May, along with TCM's online schedule.

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Tonight's Movies: Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

The Looney Tunes Collector's Choice Vol. 3 set was recently released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

The set, featuring 25 cartoons on one Blu-ray disc, is a sequel to Volumes 1 and 2; I reviewed Volume 2 in January. I also previously purchased Volume 1.

I've noticed in reviews of the previous sets that some Looney Tunes experts have picked out minor errors with things like title cards, but as a non-expert who simply enjoys the cartoons, all the sets seem perfect to me!

Volume 3 contains cartoons featuring a wide variety of characters spanning three decades. Picture quality is outstanding; one of the pleasures for me is seeing the "wheel" of bright colors in the opening credits of many of the cartoons. I own several Looney Tunes DVD sets which I purchased for my children years ago, but I'm really enjoying revisiting the cartoons in these beautiful prints.

I particularly like the '30s cartoons, such as the bizarre CINDERELLA MEETS FELLA (1938) which features a very unorthodox-looking "Prince Charming." There are a number of funny jokes, some of which will sail right over children's heads, and I liked things like Cinderella heading off to see a Warner Bros. cartoon near the end.

The pre-Code Merrie Melodies cartoon HONEYMOON HOTEL (1934) features characters who are downright lascivious, trying to spy on a newlywed couple; the entire thing is reminiscent of the sequence by the same name in FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933). As I noted in the Volume 2 review, some of the humor in these cartoons is quite adult.

Of course, the cartoons are also violent, exemplified by A FEUD THERE WAS (1938).  This wasn't one of my favorites, but even a lesser cartoon such as this one is of interest; this cartoon was the first appearance of a character named Elmer Fudd, though he's not the Elmer known from later cartoons, and it also features the Sons of the Pioneers, including Roy Rogers, on the soundtrack.

As was the case with the previous set, I watched the cartoons using the "Play All" feature, which shows them alphabetically. They are listed in that order here: A FEUD THERE WAS (1938), CINDERELLA MEETS FELLA (1938), A HOP, SKIP AND A CHUMP (1942), CHINA JONES (1959), DUMB PATROL (1964), EGGHEAD RIDES AGAIN (1937), ELMER'S PET RABBIT (1941), HOBO BOBO (1947), HONEYMOON HOTEL (1934), I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU (1937), MEXICAN JOYRIDE (1947), THE MOUSE ON 57TH STREET (1961), MR. AND MRS. IS THE NAME (1935), OF RICE AND HEN (1953), PRE-HYSTERICAL HARE (1958), PUNCH TRUNK (1953), QUENTIN QUAIL (1946), RIFF RAFFY DAFFY (1948), SADDLE SILLY (1941), SHEEP AHOY (1954), THE SHEEPISH WOLF (1942), THERE AUTO BE A LAW (1953), TUGBOAT GRANNY (1956), WAR AND PIECES (1964), WET HARE (1962).

Recommended for animation fans.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray collection. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, the Amazon Warner Archive Collection Store, or from any online retailers were Blu-rays are sold.

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Tonight's Movie: The Looters (1955) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

THE LOOTERS (1955) is one of a number of interesting spring Blu-ray releases from Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

To my knowledge, this brand-new release is the first time is the first time this Universal Pictures film has been released for home viewing.

As THE LOOTERS begins, no-good Pete (Ray Danton) shows up at the remote Colorado cabin where his old army buddy Jesse (Rory Calhoun) lives.

Pete has lost everything gambling and Jesse, who owes Pete his life, agrees to let Pete stay while he figures out his next steps.

Shortly after Pete's arrival the men hear a plane crash and set out to find it, with experienced trail guide Jesse leading the way. It takes the men a couple days to reach the crash site in the rugged back country.

Along with the badly injured copilot (Rod Williams), there are three healthy survivors at the crash site: Model Sheryl (Julie Adams); Navy man Stan (Frank Faylen); and Parkinson (Thomas Gomez), who discovers an opportunity to steal money which was being transported on the plane.

Pete quickly throws in with Parkinson to grab the money, but what next? Pete and Parkinson are soon suspicious of each other, and they also debate killing the other survivors -- the problem being that they need Jesse's skills in order to make it off the mountain alive.

Meanwhile, shelling about to take place at a nearby army training camp may make things even more dangerous for everyone involved.

I found this an enjoyable 87 minutes. While not a great film, it's solid entertainment, bolstered by a good story and almost the entire movie being filmed in the great outdoors.

A group of travelers fighting both internal and external forces for survival is an old favorite movie theme, most often seen in Westerns such as DRAGOON WELLS MASSACRE (1957) and ESCORT WEST (1958), to name just two titles among many.

The added threat of the Army, who depending on circumstances could be the group's salvation or death, reminded me a bit of the crime film SPLIT SECOND (1953). Greed influencing the dynamics of a small group of people is another easily recognizable story theme.

Richard Alan Simmons' screenplay, based on a story by Paul Schneider, thus weaves many familiar elements into a story which also has some unique aspects, as the two villains decide what to do with the others in the group. Pete and Parkinson are outnumbered, but they have the guns.

Calhoun and Adams are longtime favorites, and Danton is extremely effective as a man who is both a sleaze and maybe not quite right in the head. Gomez was also an experienced movie villain; he doesn't bring anything to this role we haven't seen from him before, but he's fine in the part.

I particularly liked Faylen as the genial Navy man on the verge of retirement who can't believe he's suddenly in a more dangerous situation than he ever was while serving his country.

Russ Conway plays an army major, and Bess Flowers fans will briefly spot her as one of the plane passengers early in the movie.

The film was briskly directed by Abner Biberman. There's nothing particularly noteworthy about the widescreen black and white cinematography of Lloyd Ahern, but it gets the job done; I did appreciate a couple nicely atmospheric foggy scenes.

The excellent print is from a new HD master from a 2K scan of the 35mm fine grain. Sound quality is very good.

Extras consist of a gallery of half a dozen trailers for other films available from Kino Lorber, along with a commentary track by Toby Roan. Toby's tracks are always well researched, and I'm looking forward to learning more background on the film, including the location shooting.

For more on this movie, my friend Kristina also wrote about it a few years ago at her site Speakeasy.

Fans of the cast and well-done adventure films should enjoy this one, now easily available at long last thanks to Kino Lorber.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...There's lots of interesting information on new releases this week, starting with the Warner Archive Collection's upcoming Blu-ray of THE MAN I LOVE (1947), starring Ida Lupino. I last saw it in 2007 and am excited to see it again in a beautiful print-- especially as the film has had six minutes restored which have been unseen by the public since 1956! It will be out on June 14th.

...Also coming in June from the Warner Archive Collection: THE SHINING HOUR (1938), ACT OF VIOLENCE (1948), and the TV series THE ALASKANS (1959-60) starring Roger Moore.

...Over at 50 Westerns From the 50s, Toby has reviewed the brand-new Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray release of the TV series COLT .45 (1957-60), saying "I've never seen a black & white TV show look this good - ever...The contrast is perfectly dialed in and the grain is just right." This half-hour show has many of the same guest stars who appeared in other WB series of the era such as MAVERICK, CHEYENNE, and THE LAWMAN.

...Glenn Erickson also reviewed COLT .45 at Trailers from Hell, saying the Blu-ray set is "quite an achievement." I anticipate reviewing this set here in a few weeks!

...There's also good news from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. The Dark Side of Cinema XIX Collection has been announced for a June 18th release date. DARK CITY (1950) will have a commentary track by Alan K. Rode; NO MAN OF HER OWN (1950) will have two separate tracks, one by Imogen Sara Smith and the other by Julie Kirgo and Peter Hankoff; and BEWARE, MY LOVELY (1952) will have a track by Jason A. Ney.

...And coming in July is the Dark Side of Cinema XX Collection! It includes the Alan Ladd films CAPTAIN CAREY, USA (1950) and APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER (1951) plus the Stephen McNally-Dorothy McGuire film MAKE HASTE TO LIVE (1954).

...Also coming from Kino Lorber in July: COLUMBO: THE RETURN, with movies released from 1989 to 2003. And in June look for a Kino Lorber set with THE NORTH STAR (1943) and ARMORED ATTACK! (1957), a re-edited, shortened version of THE NORTH STAR.

...In addition to the COLT .45 review mentioned above, Glenn Erickson's latest reviews include the Arrow release of THE TIN STAR (1957) and the Film Masters DVD release of BOMBS OVER BURMA (1942), which I also reviewed earlier this month.

...Coming in September: DIRECTING AT DISNEY: THE ORIGINAL DIRECTOR'S OF WALT DISNEY'S ANIMATED FILMS by Pete Docter and and Don Peri.

...Variety has named Leonard Maltin Educator of the Year. An article on Maltin and his class at USC was published last week. Our daughter was one of many who has attended Maltin's class.

...Speaking of Leonard Maltin, he recently wrote a lovely tribute to the late Ned Comstock, Cari Beauchamp, and his longtime agent Richard Leibner. I recommend reading it...My husband and I are hoping to attend Ned Comstock's memorial service at USC next month. As I've written here previously, Ned was very helpful to both our daughter and my husband over the years, and we also appreciate the important role he played helping so many authors; it's been said by more than one person that Ned might be thanked in more film books than any other person.

...Hallmark Channel has announced a sequel to the popular Christmas film THREE WISE MEN AND A BABY (2022), starring Andrew Walker, Paul Campbell, and Tyler Hines. THREE WISER MEN AND A BOY (2024) will debut on the Hallmark Channel for Christmas 2024. The new film was written by Campbell, his frequent writing partner, actress Kimberley Sustad, and Russell Hainline.

...The Criterion Channel's May streaming lineup includes Columbia's Golden Era, featuring nine highly regarded films of the '50s, and a 16-film tribute to Shirley MacLaine.

...Book reviews: James L. Neibaur reviews: JOAN CRAWFORD IN FILM NOIR: THE ACTRESS AS AUTEUR by David Meuel and Stephen of Classic Movie Man reviews FROM THE MOMENT THEY MET IT WAS MURDER: DOUBLE INDEMNITY AND THE RISE OF FILM NOIR by Alain Silver and James Ursini.

...Turner Classic Movies has a new streaming partnership with Fandango at Home (formerly known as Vudu).

...Attention Southern Californians: Upcoming local events include an Art Deco Society of Los Angeles tour of Grand Central Air Terminal in Glendale, which I have a ticket to see next week, and the Los Angeles Conservancy's annual Last Remaining Seats summer program screening movies in classic Downtown Los Angeles theaters. There's also a current exhibit on Mary Blair and Disney's ALICE IN WONDERLAND (1951) at the Hilbert Museum in Orange.

...The American Cinematheque scheduled three screenings of the new 70mm restoration of THE SEARCHERS (1956) which I saw last weekend at the TCM Classic Film Festival. All screenings sold out, and another has been added. One screening takes place on April 28th at the Egyptian and the others are at the Aero in Santa Monica.

...And keep in mind the 25th Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival is coming next month in Palm Springs! Details in my post here.

...Notable Passings: Terry Carter, best remembered by me as Colonel Tigh on the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA (1978-79), has passed on at 95. My husband used to see him at San Diego Comic Con and said he seemed to be in great shape for his age and very nice...Emmy-winning soap opera actress Marla Adams of THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS has died at 85. Her first screen role was in SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS (1961)...Soap star and writer Meg Bennett, an Emmy winner for writing GENERAL HOSPITAL, has died at 75. She played Julia Newman on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS for many years. Survivors include her husband, Emmy-winning soap writer Robert Guza Jr.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my April 13th column.

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New Western RoundUp Column at Classic Movie Hub

My new Western RoundUp column has just been posted at Classic Movie Hub.

This month I return to the topic of books on the Western film genre, sharing information on titles old and new.

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub for the column, and thanks, as always, for reading!

Previous Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp Column Links: June 2018; July 2018; August 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; April 5, 2019; April 30, 2019; May 2019; June 2019; July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; November 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; April 2020; May 2020; June 2020; July 2020; August 2020; September 2020; October 2020; November 2020; December 2020; January 2021; February 2021; March 2021; May 2021; June 2021; June 2021 (No. 2); July 2021; August 2021; September 2021; November 2021; December 2021; December 2021 (No. 2); January 2022; February 2022; March 2022; April 2022; May 2022; June 2022; July 2022; August 2022; September 2022; November 2022; November 2022 (No. 2); January 2023 (No. 1); January 2023 (No. 2); March 2023; April 2023; May 2023 (No. 1); May 2023 (No. 2); June 2023; July 2023; September 2023; September 2023 (No. 2); October 2023; November 2023; December 2023; January 2024; February 2024; March 2024.

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The 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review

The 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival has now come to an end, and it's possible that this was the best festival yet!

This was the 15th edition of the festival, which was held from Thursday evening, April 18th, through Sunday night, April 21st.

Turner Classic Movies is also celebrating its 30th anniversary this month, and it was wonderful to gather in Hollywood and celebrate! Reuniting with friends from across the country, Canada, and beyond is always the very best part of the festival.

Screenings were spread across five main theater venues this year, plus the Hollywood Roosevelt pool and a special "one-off" screening of ONE HUNDRED AND ONE DALMATIANS (1961) at Disney's El Capitan Theatre.

As is always the case, there are many difficult viewing decisions to make at the festival, and I made more changes to my tentative schedule than is typical for me, including completely changing my opening night plans!

On opening night friends persuaded me that seeing WHITE HEAT (1949) in 35mm was the way to go, which ended up being a great choice, and then I stayed at the Egyptian Theatre to watch the new-to-me GAMBIT (1966), which I found amusing.

Friday there wasn't time to get to the Egyptian for THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! (1974) so I went with my backup plan and saw IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU (1954), which I hadn't seen since I watched it on TV as a child in the '70s.

I followed that with John Ford's THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND (1936) in 35mm, which particularly intrigued me as I recently reviewed a new biography of Warner Baxter. It was incredibly special to have costar John Carradine's son Keith there to discuss his father's work.

I was shut out of a sold-out screening of THE BIG HEAT (1953) on Saturday, but I managed to see it when it was one of the films chosen to replay on Sunday!

On Sunday I finally made my choice between CHINATOWN (1974) and THE SEARCHERS (1956), choosing the world premiere of the restoration of THE SEARCHERS, shown in 70mm; it was one of the best festival decisions I've ever made. That sold-out screening was a majestic, profound experience which left me awed and deeply moved.

Another wonderful experience for me this year was the presentation of the Robert Osborne Award to film historian Jeanine Basinger, who has been one of my favorite writers on film for the majority of my life. That emotional moment, combined with her chosen screening of WESTWARD THE WOMEN (1951), was very special.

I enjoyed everything I saw, with additional highlights being the Ben Burtt and Craig Barron special presentation of THEM! (1954), featuring a surprise appearance by former child actress Sandy Descher; DIRTY HARRY (1971), with Eddie Muller hosting a terrific interview with Andy Robinson; and a partial cast reunion at a 30th anniversary screening of LITTLE WOMEN (1994), which I continue to feel is one of the finer films of the last few decades.

I saw 15 films again this year, the same number as I've seen at the last few festivals. Five films were in 35mm, one in 70mm, and the other nine films were in DCP format. Five of the films were new to me, and four of the repeat films were first-time big screen watches. The short THE GOAT (1921), which preceded a screening of SHERLOCK JR. (1924), was also new to me.

I'll add as an aside that I've gathered a small stack of a few movies I didn't get to see at the festival, including THE SMALL BACK ROOM (1949) along with the previously mentioned THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! and CHINATOWN. I'm hoping to catch up with those in the near future.

As always, I'll be sharing daily recaps in the coming days, offering more thoughts on the movies seen, along with additional photos. I also hope to write at least a couple of full-length film reviews, as time permits. There's lots more about the festival coming soon!

Previously reviewed films seen at the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival, listed in the order viewed at the fest: WHITE HEAT (1949), THE GOOD FAIRY (1935), THEM! (1954), IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934), THE MAD MISS MANTON (1938), WESTWARD THE WOMEN (1951), LITTLE WOMEN (1994), and THE BIG HEAT (1953).

As usual, I'll add future 2024 coverage links to this paragraph, so that all of this year's festival reports may be easily found in one place: [Coming soon!]

Previously: TCM Announces 2024 Festival Dates and Theme; 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements; Latest TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements; TCM Classic Film Festival Update; Latest TCM Classic Film Festival News; TCM Classic Film Festival Returning to the Egyptian Theatre; New Titles Announced for the TCM Classic Film Festival; The 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival Schedule.

Roundups containing all links to coverage of past TCM festivals: The 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, The 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, The 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, The 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, The 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, The 2019 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, The 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review, and The 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review.

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