The Best of the Cafe for 2014

With 2015 just around the corner, the Cafe's staff looked back over 2014 and selected our favorite posts of the year (you know, just in case you missed them!). It was a great year and we thank everyone who has visited this blog and especially those that left a comment. By the way, the posts below are listed in no particular order.

1. Our interview with the delightful Elke Sommer. (January 15)

2. The Five Best Cult Films of the 1960s. (April 28)

3. A review of My Cousin Rachel, which was part of the CMBA's Fabulous Films of the 1950s Blogathon. (May 22)

4. Our interview with author, actor, and grand storyteller Jim Rosin (whom Rick met at the Western Film Fair). (August 14)

5. A review of Delmer Daves' noir classic Dark Passage, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. (October 2)

6. British Classic Television A to Z, one of the most popular installments in our series of "A to Z" posts.

7. A tribute to the Boris Karloff-hosted classic TV series Thriller, posted as part of the Summer of Me TV Classic TV Blogathon hosted by the Classic TV Blog Association. (June 2)

8. Our James Stewart Blogathon, which featured many wonderful reviews of Mr. Stewart's films. (April 17)

9. Our interview with Deanna Brandenberger, exeuctive director of the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina. (September 29)

10. Our interview with the fascinating Piper Laurie, which Rick conducted during the Western Film Fair. (August 25)

We wish you all a happy New Year! See you in 2015.

Arthur Hailey's "Hotel"

I always think of Hotel as a follow-up to Arthur Hailey's Airport--when, in reality, the former film came out first. Made in 1967, it was based on Hailey's novel of the same title. Of course, the movie's structure--different stories set in a grand hotel--harkens back to...well...Grand Hotel (1932). Still, it's a serviceable plot device; the key is to wrap the framing story around interesting ones involving the guests. In that aspect, one could call Hotel a reasonable success.

The central story revolves arond the future of the St. Gregory, a posh but aging and debt-ridden hotel in New Orleans. Its elderly owner, Warren Trent (Melvyn Douglas), has a standing offer from developers who want the real estate, but not the hotel. The other option is to sell to hotel magnate Curtis O'Keefe (Kevin McCarthy), who wants to transform the St. Gregory from an upscale hotel into a very commercial one. Neither choice appeals to Trent, so his general manager Peter McDermott (Rod Taylor) tries to put together his own deal.

Merle Oberon as the Duchess.

Meanwhile, a visiting British dignitary (Michael Rennie) and his wife (Merle Oberon) find themselves in a quandry when he accidentally kills a child while driving drunk and flees the scene. While he struggles with his conscience, his wife tries to strike a bargain with the blackmailing house detective (Richard Conte). Other hotel guests fall prey to a clever thief (Karl Malden), who steals room keys and then robs the occupants while they sleep. Finally, Peter can't help but notice O'Keefe's lovely companion (Catherine Spaak) and she apparently has eyes for him.

Screenwriter Wendell Mayes (Anatomy of a Murder, Von Ryan's Express) simplifies and downsizes Hailey's novel. In the book, Peter has a checkered past and is interested in Trent's secretary (who's missing from the movie). Mayes jettisons a major subplot involving an attempted rape, adds the romance between Peter and O'Keefe's girlfriend, and alters the climax. Undoubtedly, major alterations were required to keep the running time at two hours. Still, too much time is spent on Malden's key thief, whose every appearance is accompanied by a playful jazz theme that becomes unbearable.

Rod Taylor as the hotel's manager.

Just as the unflappable, efficient McDermott keeps the St. Gregory operating smoothy, Rod Taylor keeps Hotel moving along from subplot to subplot. A reliable leading man, Taylor got pigeon-holed as a likable hero, which sadly limited his big screen appearances after the 1960s. Lame pictures like Trader Horn didn't help either. Still, he shifted his focus to television in the 1970s, where he thrived for the next two decades in series such as Bearcats! and Falcon Crest.

French actress Catherine Spaak.

While it's entertaining to see classic-era stars such as Ms. Oberon, Conte, and Douglas, they have relatively little screen time. In contrast, too much time is devoted to Kevin McCarthy's one-note "villain" and Catherine Spaak's tedious love interest for Taylor. To the latter's defense, the French beauty is saddled with the film's worst dialogue. When Taylor discovers her wearing only her slip in his apartment, she tells him seductively: "Take off your jacket. You interest me."

Coincidentally, Spaak and Karl Malden appeared in another movie together six years later: Dario Argento's suspense film Cat O'Nine Tails. As pointed out in other sources, there's another bit of trivia involving Malden. After his thief discovers a stolen wallet only contains a few dollars, he blames his bad luck on the growing popularity of credit cards. Years later, Malden would make a famous series of commercials for American Express, advising consumers not to leave home without their credit card.

Eighteen years after the release of Hotel, Aaron Spelling--already flourishing with the similar series The Love Boat and Fantasy Island--produced a TV series based on Hailey's novel. James Brolin played the manager of the St. Gregory, which was now located in San Francisco. Other series regulars during the show's five-year run included Connie Selleca, Shari Belafonte, and Anne Baxter.

Seven Things to Know About Walter Matthau

1. Walter Matthau met his second wife, Carol Grace, when they both appeared in the 1955-56 Broadway hit Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? She was previously married--twice--to playwright and author William Saroyan (The Human Comedy). In her 1992 memoir, Among The Porcupines, she wrote: "I married Saroyan the second time because I couldn't believe how terrible it was the first time. I married Walter because I love to sleep with him."

2. In 1961, Matthau played an investigator for the Florida Sheriff's Bureau in the half-hour syndicated TV series Tallahassee 7000. It was produced by Herbert B. Leonard, who co-created Route 66 with Stirling Silliphant. Like Route 66, Tallahassee 7000 was shot on location. Matthau later claimed that he starred in the show only to pay off gambling debts.

Matthau as Oscar in the film version.

3. Walter Matthau made his Broadway debut in 1948, playing a servant in Anne of the Thousand Days. He was nominated for a Tony as Featured Actor in a Play for Once More With Feeling (1959) and then won that same award for A Shot in the Dark (1962). However, his career as a leading man took off after his Tony win for Male Comedy Performance in The Odd Couple in 1965. Matthau played slob Oscar to Art Carney's neat freak Felix. Years later, Matthau told Time Magazine: "Every actor looks all his life for a part that will combine his talents with his personality. The Odd Couple was mine. That was the plutonium I needed. It all started happening after that."

4. Walter Matthau directed himself and his wife, Carol, in 1959's Gangster Story. He played a criminal on the run who inadvertently infringes on mob territory (the plot bears a slight resemblance to one his best 1970s films, Charley Varrick). Matthau never directed again, although his son Charlie became a director. Charlie directed his father and Jack Lemmon in The Grass Harp.

5. Matthau and Lemmon appeared in ten movies together, starting with Billy Wilder's The Fortune Cookie (1966), which earned Matthau a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. He was nominated twice as Best Actor, for The Sunshine Boys (1975) and Kotch (1971). The latter film was directed by Jack Lemmon.

6. Lemmon and Matthau became great friends. Matthau told People Magazine in 1998: "The main thing I like about Jack is that he bathes every day, so I don't have to worry about being assaulted odoriferously."

7. He and Barbra Streisand clashed famously on the set of 1969's Hello, Dolly! I'll skip Walter's best-known insult about his co-star (just Google the film's title, Matthau, and butterfly) and close with this quip: "I would like to work with Barbra again on something more suitable to her talents--like Macbeth."

A Free Gift for Cafe Readers!

This holiday season, we want to show our appreciation to all the classic film and TV fans that have visited this blog over the last five years. As our gift to you, we are offering the free e-book Eat, Drink, and Watch Movies. This 446-page volume consists of 200 film reviews and essays written by the major contributors to the Classic Film & TV Cafe. Most of these reviews have appeared on our blog site, but there is also some never-before-published material.

Eat, Drink, and Watch Movies is available at absolutely no cost. You don't even have to register your e-mail to download it. Just click on the following secure link: https://copy.com/cwyWOtL97YuAhxlu

This link will take you to the Cafe's folder at Copy.com. Click on the book cover to browse the file. When you are ready to download it to your computer or mobile device, click the blue arrow download icon (shown on right). You can then save it to our PC or mobile device.

The e-book was published as an Adobe Acrobat file, so you should be able to view it on any device. The table of contents contains hyperlinks to each review so that you can go to them quickly.

If you have any trouble downloading the e-book, just send an e-mail to me (rick@classicfilmtvcafe.com). Like our blog, this was a nonprofit venture and no one at the Cafe will make any money off it, either directly or indirectly. In other words, we did it for the love of cinema!

We Describe the Movie...You Name It! (Holiday Edition)

Here are the rules to this quiz: Name each film below based on our vague description. All these movies either take place around Christmas or feature a key scene during the yuletide season. Be sure to include the question number with your response. Please don't answer more than three questions daily so others can play, too. There is one film that is the single best answer to each description. Most of these should be pretty easy. Happy holidays!

1. Man uses old injury to manipulate friend.

2. The U.S. Postal Service helps save the day.

3. Wanted: Cook, baby, husband.

4. A never-ending supply of sherry.

5. Hee haw.

6. That Girl meets Frank Capra.

7. John-Boy (looking for the movie!).

8. Singin' happy birthday to baby Jesus.

9. Nun plays tennis.

10. Woman kills husband on New Year's Eve.

11. Attorney and criminal fall in love.

12. An Egyptian mummy for a Christmas gift?

13. Drunken actor recounts A Christmas Carol to greedy family.

14. Almost the entire film takes place in a bank being robbed.

15. "Mommy's little piggy!"

Greatest Stars of the 1940s Poll

Who are the biggest classic film stars of the 1940s? You decide by taking our "Greatest Stars of the 1940s" poll!

Today through December 25th, you can cast your vote for up to ten of the 100+ classic film stars on our ballot. And if we omitted one of your choices, you can complete the "write-in" portion of the ballot and include them.

Remember this is a 1940s poll, so stars that dominated earlier (e.g., Charles Chaplin) and later decades (e.g., Marilyn Monroe) are not included.

As for the criteria for determining who is "the greatest," we leave that up to you.

Fell free to share this ballot link with any other classic film fans you think might be interested:

http://classicfilmtvcafe.polldaddy.com/s/greatest-stars-of-1940s

My Bodyguard: Facing Up to the School Bully and Forging Friendships

Today's video review takes a look at the appealing 1980 sleeper hit My Bodyguard, which stars Chris Makepeace, Adam Baldwin, and Matt Dillon. The supporting cast is an interesting mix of screen veterans and stars-to-be.

If you can't see the video review below in your browser, click here to view it directly from the Cafe's YouTube channel.

Remembering Television's Original Peter Pan

Mary Martin as Peter Pan.

With NBC mounting a new live production of Peter Pan on December 4th, I wanted to pay homage to the network's earlier version starring Mary Martin. That classic television special premiered almost 60 years ago, originally as an episode of the anthology series Producer's Showcase. Its success was immediate—Peter Pan became the most watched program in the brief history of network TV. Even more surprisingly, it provided what turned out to be its star's signature role.

In Ronald L. Davis' book Mary Martin, Broadway Legend, the author includes this quote from Ms. Martin: "Peter Pan is perhaps the most important thing, to me, that I have ever done in theater." That's high praise from a legendary star who is also identified with two Rodgers and Hammerstein classic stage musicals: South Pacific and The Sound of Music.

Whole books have been devoted to the history of James M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, which was originally written as a play in 1904 and later transformed into a novel (also known as Peter and Wendy). Actually, Peter made his first appearance as a character in Barrie’s 1902 novel The Little White Bird (portions of which were later published as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens). Barrie bequeathed all profits from Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Hospital for children.

Martin was 41--but didn't look
her age!

In 1954, producer Edwin Lester and stage director Jerome Robbins came up with the idea to transform Barrie's Peter Pan into a Broadway musical. Ironically, just a year before, Walt Disney had adapted Barrie's play into an animated film with songs (though it's not really a musical). Lester hit the jackpot when Mary Martin agreed to play Peter Pan, a part typically portrayed by actresses. Martin was already a huge Broadway star, having won a Tony award for South Pacific.

From the beginning, the intent was to mount a stage musical and then "film" it for NBC television. Moose Charlap and Carolyn Leigh wrote the songs for the original version, which included now-favorites "I've Gotta Crow" and "I'm Flying." After a West Coast tryout, director Robbins decided to add more songs and turned to Jule Styne (already a popular songwriter) and Betty Comden and Adolph Green (who had teamed with Leonard Bernstein for On the Town). The most notable contributions from Styne, Comden and Green were the songs "Never Never Land" and "Wendy."

Cyril Ritchard made a delightful
Captain Hook.

The Peter Pan musical opened on Broadway in October 1954 and, despite a planned limited run that lasted just 152 performances, earned Tony awards for Mary Martin and her co-star Cyril Ritchard (who, as is tradition, played Mr. Darling and Captain Hook).

The stage musical was then recreated on NBC's sound stages for Producer's Showcase and broadcast in March 1955. It was both a popular and critical success, earning Mary Martin an Emmy. NBC showed another live telecast with the same cast the following year. Then, in 1960, NBC mounted a third production, which was recorded as a stand-alone television special. This version was subsequently rebroadcast on NBC in 1963, 1966, 1973, and 1989. It has since been shown on the Disney Channel and released on DVD.

Sandy Duncan as Peter.

Although the Mary Martin Peter Pan (as dubbed by its fans) is the most famous, there have other adaptations of the Broadway musical on stage and on television. Sandy Duncan received a Tony nomination for a 1980 revival, which co-starred George Rose as Captain Hook.  In 1991, gymnast Cathy Rigby starred in a “theater in the round” revival. She also received a Tony nomination and later reprised the role in 1992 and 1998. My wife and I saw Lulu (To Sir, With Love) as Peter Pan in a West End production in the mid-1980s (she was fabulous!).

Mia Farrow and Danny Kaye.

Despite the steady stage revivals, the only attempt to replace Mary Martin as Peter Pan on TV occurred in 1976. The Hallmark Hall of Fame broadcast an entirely new musical with songs by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse. Mia Farrow portrayed Peter with Danny Kaye as Captain Hook. Despite a game cast, it was a rather mundane affair that was quickly dismissed by critics and viewers.

That brings us back to NBC’s Peter Pan Live! starring Allison Williams as Peter and Christopher Walken as Captain Hook. I hope it captures the spirit of the original, which Mary Martin described aptly in the aforementioned biography: “Neverland is the way I would like real life to be...timeless, free, mischievous, filled with gaiety, tenderness, and magic."

Five of the Biggest Classic Hollywood Scandals

Celebrity scandals undoubtedly get exposed quicker these days thanks to tabloid TV and social media. However, they have always provided rich fodder for gossip columns and literary exposes such as Kenneth Anger's notorious Hollywood Babylon. Today, we take a look at five of the biggest classic Hollywood scandals. We focused our attention on the rich and famous, as opposed to sensationalized events featuring lesser-known people (e.g., actress Peg Entwistle, who committed suicide by jumping off the "H" in the Hollywood Sign).

 Johnny Stompanato and Lana Turner.

Lana Turner and the murder of Johnny Stompanato. Lana was still a major star in the late 1950s when she met Stompanato shortly after her divorce from Lex Barker. Alas, "Handsome Harry" (one of his nicknames) was a bodyguard for gangster Mickey Cohen and prone to violence. Lana's tumultuous relationship with Stompanato came to an end on August 4, 1958 when Turner returned home from the Academy Awards. She and Stompanato engaged in a heated argument and, fearing for her mother, Lana's fourteen-year-old daughter Cheryl stabbed Stompanato to death with a kitchen knife. The incident was eventually ruled a justifiable homicide. 

Arbuckle's mug shot.

Fatty Arbuckle and the Death of Virginia Rappe. Perhaps the most notorious of all Hollywood scandals, the 1921 death of model-actress Virginia Rappe has been the subject of entire books. Rappe died from a ruptured bladder and secondary peritonitis after attending a party in a hotel room with Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and others. There are various accounts of what happened at the party, although the one seized on by the tabloids was that Arbuckle raped Rappe and his weight caused her bladder to rupture. The police arrested Arbuckle and charged him with manslaughter. His first trial was declared a mistrial after the jury deliberated for over 40 hours and could not reach a verdict. A second trial with the same judge included new evidence, but also resulted in a deadlocked jury and no verdict. Arbuckle testified in the third trial and was found not guilty--the jury only deliberated for six minutes. The jury also issued a formal apology that began: "Acquittal is not enough for Roscoe Arbuckle. We feel that a great injustice has been done him. We feel also that it was only our plain duty to give him this exoneration, under the evidence, for there was not the slightest proof adduced to connect him in any way with the commission of a crime."

Cooper and Velez.

The Suicide of Lupe Vélez. Best known for the Mexican Spitfire "B" film series, the Mexican-born Vélez played leading roles earlier in her career. Still, she was probably best known for her public persona; she once said: "Even though the public thinks I'm a pretty wild girl, I'm really not. I'm just me, Lupe Vélez, a simple and natural Lupe." After a stormy affair with Gary Cooper, she married Johnny Weissmuller in 1933. It was her only marriage and ended after five years. There are varied accounts about how Vélez--who was four months pregnant and unmarried--died in 1944. Today, it's generally believed she took an intentional overdose of barbiturates and died on her bed or the floor. She left two suicide notes, the first being to Harald Ramond, whom she mentions as the father of her child (there are rumors identifying others as potential fathers--to include Gary Cooper). Lupe's second note was to Beulah Kinder, her secretary and companion. It ended with: "Take care of Chips and Chops." They were her two dogs.

Jerry Giesler and client Errol Flynn.

Errol Flynn's Statutory Rape Trial. In 1942, at the height of his silver screen fame, Flynn was charged with two counts of statutory rape. The most intriguing version of the scandal was offered by Kenneth Anger, who alleged that powerful Los Angeles politicians trumped up the charges in retaliation for studios not paying to keep their stars out of trouble. A more likely account is the one offered by Flynn, who spends a chapter describing the trial and its consequences in his autobiography My Wicked, Wicked Ways. In any event, Warner Bros. hired famed attorney Jerry Giesler to defend Flynn. Giesler discredited the alleged victims and their accounts of the incidents. Flynn was found not guilty; he also fell in love with the young woman who worked in the snack bar at the courthouse. He married Nora Eddington in 1943.

Newlyweds Oona and Charles.

The Child Brides of Charles Chaplin. Although recognized as a comedic legend, Chaplin spent much of his life dodging controversies surrounding his marriages. His first wife, Mildred Harris, was 17 when she married the 30-year-old Chaplin after telling him she was pregnant (it turned out to be a false alarm). His second wife, Lita Grey, was just 16 when they were wed in Mexico after learning she was pregnant. His third wife, actress Paulette Goddard, was 21 when they married (although there are discrepancies regarding when she was born). After he and Goddard separated, actress Joan Barry filed a successful paternity suit against Chaplin--despite blood tests that indicated he was not the father of her baby. His affair with Barry also led to a criminal charge that he violated the Mann Act; he was acquitted after a two-week trial. Around the same time as those legal troubles, Charles Chaplin married Oona O'Neill, the daughter of playwright Eugene O'Neill. She was 18 and Chaplin was 54. They remained married until Chaplin's death in 1977 and had eight children.

Honorable mentions:  Robert Mitchum's two months in jail for possession of marijuana; producer Thomas Ince's death aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht; and the mysterious suicide of actress Thelma Todd.

The Slipper and the Rose: A Different Musical Take on Cinderella

Richard Chamberlain as the Prince.

Pleasant, but only modestly successful, The Slipper and the Rose (1976) follows in the footsteps of two better-known musical versions of Cinderella: Walt Disney's 1950 animated classic and the Rodgers and Hammerstein television musical that starred, at various times, Julie Andrews, Lesley Ann Warren, and Brandy Norwood. There are numerous other musical adaptations as well, to include 1955's The Glass Slipper with Leslie Caron. Thus, it seems odd that if one was going to produce a lavish musical fairy tale that one would pick Cinderella.

That said, The Slipper and the Rose takes an unique approach by focusing much of the plot on the Prince and emphasizing class distinctions in the monarchy of Euphrania. Richard Chamberlain plays Edward, a dashing prince being pressured into marriage to ensure the sovereignty of his tiny country. Edward rejects several potential brides on the basis that he wants to marry for love. The royal chamberlain (Kenneth More) convinces the king to throw a ball to find an acceptable spouse for his son.

Gemma Craven as Cinderella.

Meanwhile, following her father's death, Cinderella (Gemma Craven) has learned that her stepmother (a delightful Margaret Lockwood) inherited the estate. The disagreeable lady gives Cinderella two choices: become a servant (indeed, the only one) in her own home or go live in an orphanage. Cinderella's outlook is bleak until her fairy godmother (Annette Crosbie) arrives and magically arranges for her to attend the ball. When she makes her grand entrance, it's loveat first sight for Cinderella and Prince Edward. However, in this version of the fairy tale, it takes awhile before they can live happily ever after.

Brother Richard and Robert Sherman, who composed the songs, were Disney veterans known for Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Their score for The Slipper and the Rose is agreeable without being especially memorable. The clever lyrics (as evidenced by the song title "Protocoligorically Correct") outshine the music. The exception is the lovely Oscar-nominated "The Slipper and the Rose Waltz (He Danced with Me/She Danced with Me)," which lost the gold statuette to "You Light Up My Life." (If your browser prevents you from viewing the embedded clip below, click here to view it on YouTube.)

Gemma Craven is a sweet Cinderella, but she doesn't get much screen time until the film's second half. She does have a strong scene near the climax in which she shows her character's inner strength singing the dramatic "Tell Him Anything (But Not That I Love Him)." Chamberlain does well as the prince and proves that he can carry a tune (he had a trio of Top 20 Billboard hits during in the 1960s while his Dr. Kildare TV series was popular). However, it's the veteran supporting cast that carries the film: Crosbie, More, Michael Hordern as the King, and Dame Edith Evans as the Dowager Queen. As mentioned above, Margaret Lockwood is a perfect wicked stepmother and deserved more screen time.

Margaret Lockwood's evil stepmother.

When I watch a film like The Slipper and the Rose, I sometimes wonder who was the intended audience. At a length of 143 minutes and with 13 songs, I can't imagine many kids sitting through it from start to finish. So, I can only assume it was intended as a fairy tale for adults. However, even they might get restless when it continues for a half-hour after Edward discovers the left-behind glass slipper fits Cinderella. It's an interesting idea to split up the lovebirds because of their class distinctions, but, in the end, the resolution is much too tidy with everyone getting what they want.

I suppose that's all right in this case, though, because The Slipper and the Rose is a fairy tale.

Double Dog Daring with MGM's Lassie

Given the public's embrace of 1943's Lassie Come Home, it was inevitable that MGM would launch a film series featuring the lovable, clever canine. Most of the pictures were connected only in that the lead character was a collie named Lassie. However, Son of Lassie (1945) was a direct sequel starring Peter Lawford as Joe Carraclough, who was played by Roddy McDowall as a lad in Lassie Come Home.

Joe still lives on the Duke of Rudling's (Nigel Bruce) estate, where his father (Donald Crisp) tends to the kennels. The Duke's granddaughter Priscilla (June Lockhart) is obviously smitten with Joe, but by the time he gets around to confirming his affection for her, he's off to fly planes for the RAF.

June Lockhart, an unknown actor as Laddie, and Peter Lawford.

Meanwhile, Joe's dog Laddie, one of Lassie's pups, joins the military too when Joe's father agrees to train a canine corps. Missing his owner, Laddie runs away and eventually stows away on an airplane piloted by Joe. When their plane is shot down over Nazi-infested Norway, Joe and Laddie must find each other and then find their way back home.

The bulk of Son of Lassie is a solid World War II adventure that reminded me of Powell and Pressberger's more impressive One of Our Aircraft Is Missing. Both films highlight the resilience of the inhabitants of occupied territories, who take great personal risks to aid the escape of Allied troops.

Peter Lawford and Pal as Laddie.

Lawford, in his first lead role, is a likable hero and assisted by a first-rate supporting cast. Unfortunately, there aren't enough scenes of him with June Lockhart and therefore their climatic reunion generates little emotion. On the other hand, the bond between man and dog is captured nicely and Pal, the canine star, is convincing as both the adult Laddie and his mother Lassie. (Lockhart, of course, would later forge her own relationship with her collie co-star, playing Timmy's mother on the Lassie TV series).

It's not Norway!

For what is essentially a "B" film, Son of Lassie reflects the typical high MGM production values. The breathtaking, colorful landscapes of  British Columbia and Wyoming substitute effectively for Norway.

After another war-themed series entry, the fine Courage of Lassie, MGM cast its canine star in Hills of Home (1948). This heartfelt story of a rural Scottish doctor reunited Pal and Edmund Gwenn from Lassie Come Home. The pair would appear together again the following year in Challenge to Lassie.

Gwenn's character was inspired by Ian
Maclaren's Doctor of the Old School.

In Hills of Home, the aging Dr. MacLure worries about what will happen in Glen Urtach when age forces him to eventually retire. His plan is to send bright young Tammas Milton (Tom Drake) to medical school in Edinburgh, but Tammas's family and sweetheart (Janet Leigh) aren't sold on the idea.

A lonely bachelor, MacLure accepts a collie in trade for medical services. What he doesn't know is that the dog is afraid to cross running water. Over time, MacLure's frustrations with his bonnie collie give way to love--and when it comes time for Lass to prove her worth, she comes through admirably.

Janet Leigh and Tom Drake.

Still, this is an intimate portrait of a country doctor told through a series of sketches and performed admirably by Gwenn, Donald Crisp as his best friend, and Tom Drake in one of his best performances. Many of the cast and crew appeared in previous and future Lassie films, to include: Gwenn; Crisp (Lassie Come Home, Son of Lassie, Challenge to Lassie); Drake (Courage of Lassie); Reginald Owen (Challenge to Lassie); and director Fred M. Wilcox (Lassie Come Home, Courage of Lassie).

MGM went on to make three more Lassie films. The Sun Comes Up (1948) starred Jeanette MacDonald in her last movie role. The aforementioned Challenge to Lassie (1949) was based on the true story of Greyfriars Bobby (a Skye Terrier). The film series ended with The Painted Hills (1951)--although the long-running Lassie TV series would debut in 1954 and rack up 352 half-hour episodes over the next 19 years. One of its stars, Jon Provost, recently shared his Lassie memories with us.

As an added bonus to promote the Cafe's new YouTube Channel, here's the opening scene from Son of Lassie (if your mobile device blocks embedded YouTube videos, click here to view it):

Witness for the Prosecution: It's Billy Wilder--Not Hitch!

A dear friend of mine has referred to Witness for the Prosecution as an Alfred Hitchcock movie on more than one occasion. That's understandable--it looks, smells, and feels like a Hitch pic. The fact that it was directed by Billy Wilder is a testament to Mr. Wilder's versatility as a filmmaker. The Austrian-born writer-director was adept at making screwball comedies (One, Two, Three), film noir (Double Indemnity), satire (The Apartment), sophisticated comedy (Sabrina), drama (The Lost Weekend), and romance (Avanti!). In Witness for the Prosecution, he expertly blends courtroom drama and humor--in the best Hitchcockian tradition.

Tyrone Power as the defendant.

Charles Laughton stars as Sir Wilfred Robarts, a grumpy but shrewd London barrister who was recently released from the hospital after suffering a heart attack. Against the advice of his physicians, Sir Wilfred takes on a murder case (his specialty). His client is an affable chap named Leonard Vole (Tyrone Power) accused of killing an elderly lady. Vole's alleged motive is that the murder victim left him a substantial amount of money in her will. His alibi rests on the testimony of his German wife Christine (Marlene Dietrich), who leaves a decidedly cold impression with Sir Wilfred.

Based on a short story and stage play by Agatha Christie, Witness for the Prosecution is justly famous for its twist ending--which is flawlessly executed. It was probably one of the first films that marketed its climatic twist. Indeed, a voiceover prior to the closing credits asked moviegoers not to reveal the ending to their friends. However, like Hitchcock's Psycho, Witness is a strong film that's enhanced by its famous plot device. It certainly doesn't rely on a clever trick to be entertaining.

The film's success can be attributed to those old basics of good acting and good script writing. Laughton, who had a tendency to ham up some of his later roles, finds the perfect blend of seriousness and humor. He is matched by Dietrich and his wife Elsa Lanchester as Miss Plimsoll, a nurse charged with the unenviable task of caring for Sir Wilfred. Lanchester and Laughton make a delightful comic team, one savvy enough to generate laughs out of the contents of a thermos. Dietrich has a more difficult role, especially since her character is a conundrum for much of the film. However, when it comes to her big scenes, she exceeds all expectations.

Nurse Plimsoll and Sir Wilfred.

There was a time when I considered Tyrone Power to be the film's weak link. I still don't believe his performance ranks with the ones delivered by his co-stars. However, I have gradually come to the realization that Power is portraying a character playing a character. That's got to be a challenge, so, on that level, he does a solid job as the smarmy Vole.

Marlene Dietrich in the witness box.

In adapting Christie's play, Wilder and co-writers Larry Marcus and Harry Kurnitz made two significant additions. First, they added scenes showing how Leonard met Christine and later befriended the murder victim. The latter doesn't add much to the plot, but the scenes of Christine soften her character and help justify actions taken later in the film. Dietrich's nightclub number was reportedly based on a scene cut from Wilder's A Foreign Affair (1948), which starred Dietrich, Jean Arthur, and John Lund. The cabaret set cost over $75,000 to build.

Still, Wilder's most significant contribution to the script was the creation of the delightful Nurse Plimsoll. Many of the film's best lines are delivered by her or directed at her by the gruff barrister (Miss Plimsoll: "Sir Wilfred, we mustn't forget that we've had a teeny weeny heart attack."). Plus, Wilder gets a lot of mileage out of Sir Wilfred's amusing attempts to hide his vices (e.g., cigars and brandy) from Miss Plimsoll's watchful eyes.

Witness for the Prosecution earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Director for Wilder, Best Actor for Laughton, and Best Supporting Actress for Lanchester. It was remade for television in 1982 with another impressive cast: Ralph Richardson as Sir Wilfred, Deborah Kerr as Miss Plimsoll, and Diana Rigg as Christine. I haven't seen that version since it's original broadcast, but recall it being very well done.

My Break-up With Manhattan

For most of my adult life, I've listed Manhattan as possibly my favorite Woody Allen film. It made that much of an impression when I saw it in 1980. Hence, I was enthused about a recent opportunity to view it again. But now having seen it after 34 years, I am stunned that I ever thought so highly of it. It is not a dreadful film, but neither is it a very good one.

Allen as the often befuddled Isaac.

Allen plays Isaac, a 42-year-old New York City television writer who aspires to write the Great American Novel. Like most Allen characters, he is flush with insecurities about his talent (he abruptly quits his job) and the opposite sex (an ex-wife leaves him for a woman). His girlfriend, Tracy (Mariel Hemingway), is a 17-year-old high school student. His best friend Yale (Michael Murphy) is a pseudo-intellectual snob who is cheating on his wife. Yale's mistress Mary (Diane Keaton) initially irritates Isaac, but--as both characters search for something missing in their lives--he finds himself falling for her. 

Diane Keaton as Mary.

Manhattan is often described as a bookend to Annie Hall, with the general perception that both films were inspired by the real-life romance between Allen and Keaton. By the time the two stars made Manhattan, they had broken up. Their friendship remained intact, though, and perhaps their natural byplay is what attracted me to Manhattan. Keaton remains the perfect Ying to Allen's Yang. Their scenes seem real, but it's when they're apart that the film falls apart. 

Individually, it's hard to root for these people. Isaac is sometimes amusing, but he's also incredibly selfish. He dumps Tracy when he thinks he loves Mary. When that doesn't work out, he wants Tracy to forget her dreams and take him back. Mary rejects Yale because he doesn't have time for her. Later, she dumps Isaac because she thinks she still loves Yale. Enough already! Those characters come across as confused, self-centered intellectuals with few redeeming qualities (well, we do see Isaac in one scene with his son). 

Mariel Hemingway and Allen.

The most appealing character is Tracy, who, despite her youth, displays more maturity than any of the principals. Yet, it's sad to watch her waste her life with Isaac--even if he does educate her on classic cinema. She seems to have lost her zest for life at an early age.

Frankly, I also find their relationship disturbing, for Isaac is clearly having sex with a teenager. Of course, there are now obvious parallels to Woody's real life marriage to Soon-Yi Previn, who was supposedly a slightly older 19, when she and the 56-year-old Allen began their relationship. (For the record, Allen also allegedly had a fling in the late 1970s with 17-year-old actress Stacey Nelkin, who served as the basis for Tracy). 

The cast standouts are Mariel Hemingway as Tracy and Meryl Streep as one of Allen's ex-wives. Hemingway received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress, but lost the award to Streep, who won for Kramer vs. Kramer. 

In retrospect, Manhattan works best as an ode to the city. Lovingly captured in black and white by cinematographer Gordon Willis, the city comes to life--the skyscraper landscapes, the neon signs, the historic landmarks. Willis captures all of these breathtaking imagines with a gray pallette that somehow transforms Manhattan into a magical place. Amazingly, Willis did not even receive an Oscar nomination for his work. In fact, Willis never won an Academy Award, though he was given an honorary one in 2010 for "unsurpassed mastery of light, shadow, color, and motion." Three of those four elements are wonderfully on display in Manhattan. 

Keaton and Allen as silhouettes in a planetarium.

I realize that my revised assessment of Manhattan contradicts the one held by most critics and film buffs. I don't mind being in the minority and, if you disagree adamantly, please leave a comment below. What I found most interesting, as I reflected on this film again, is that I rarely change my mind about a movie I've seen. And when I do, it's almost always a case of increasing admiration. That makes Manhattan a rarity--and, for me, not in a good way.

The Movie-TV Connection Quiz (November 2014 Edition)

What's the connection between Alan
Ladd and David Carradine?

Greetings, film and TV trivia gurus! In this game, you will once again be given be a pair of films, TV series, performers, or any combination thereof. Your task is to find the common connection between the pair. It could be anything--two stars who acted in the same movie, two movies that share a common theme, a film that inspired a TV series, etc. As always, don't answer all the questions so others can play, too. There is a single best answer for each question.

1. The James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever and John Ford's The Searchers.

2. The Absent-Minded Professor and Hoosiers.

3. The Man With the Golden Gun (another 007 pic!) and the TV series Fantasy Island.

4. The TV series Get Smart and The Love Boat.

5. The TV series Mission: Impossible and The Rat Patrol.

6. The films Francis in the Haunted House and Breakfast at Tiffany's.

7. The TV series Maverick and the movie Live and Let Die.

8. Dorothy Malone and Lana Turner.

9. The films Stalag 17 and The Thing from Another World (1951).

10. Alan Ladd and David Carradine.

11. Steve McQueen and Alan Ladd.

12. Chuck Connors and Oliver Reed.

13. David Niven and Harrison Ford.

14. The original TV series Dallas and the film The Day of the Triffids (1963).

15. The Three Stooges and The Seven Dwarfs.

Alias Smith and Jones: A Look at the Show's Origin and Untimely Fate

Alias Smith and Jones stars Pete Duel
and Roger Davis.

Tragedy and irony surround the evolution, success, and cancellation of Alias Smith and Jones, the breezy Western-comedy that ran on ABC from 1971 to 1973.

Producer Roy Huggins initially came up with the idea for a TV series loosely inspired by 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. That’s no surprise since Huggins pretty much invented television’s Western-comedy genre when he introduced Maverick in 1958. For his new series, Huggins envisioned a lighthearted show about two young men—one straight and narrow and the other a hustler—who travel the Old West together.

Roger Davis in The Young Country.

That concept came to fruition as The Young Country, a 1970 made-for-TV movie that doubled as the pilot for a new series. It starred Roger Davis as Stephen Foster Moody, an honest young man, and Pete Duel as Honest John Smith…who was the dishonest one. The female lead was played by Joan Hackett, who co-starred in the previous year’s Support Your Local Sheriff. That theatrical film headlined James Garner in a role very similar to Bret Maverick. If you think that’s a coincidence, well, we’re just getting started.

In The Young Country, Stephen Foster Moody comes into possession of a large stash of money when he comes to the aid of a meek businessman (Wally Cox), who is killed. He subsequently tries to find the dead man’s family so he can give them the money. In reality, the loot was embezzled as part of a con masterminded by Clementine Hale (Hackett) and Honest John. The Young Country is a pleasant but slight movie and--not surprisingly--ABC passed on the weekly TV series.

A year later, Glen A. Larson, who had worked closely with Huggins in the television industry, made Alias Smith and Jones. Like The High Country, it was a lighthearted Western and again starred Pete Duel. This time, he was paired with newcomer Ben Murphy as a couple of outlaws trying to earn their amnesty. There were numerous similarities to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:  the playful banter between the friends; the tongue-in-cheek tone; Ben Murphy’s resemblance to Paul Newman; and even the names of their gangs (Hole in the Wall Gang and Devil’s Hole Gang). According to producer Jo Swerling, Jr., quoted in Paul Green’s book Roy Huggins, 20th Century-Fox unsuccessfully sued Universal over those similarities.

Paul Newman and Ben Murphy: Do you think they look alike?

The Alias Smith and Jones telefilm starts with Hannibal Heyes (Duel) and Kid Currie (Murphy) having a bad day. After successfully robbing the passengers on a train, they can’t get the safe—their primary target—opened. After observing their frustration, an elderly lady (Jeanette Nolan) politely suggests they get out of the outlaw business. She gives them a handbill about how lawbreakers, under certain circumstances, can gain amnesty from the governor.

Eventually, Heyes and Currie decide to pursue that amnesty. However, the governor decides not to grant it outright to two such notorious outlaws. His deal is that they must stay out of trouble and not break the law until they “earned” amnesty. That turns out to be a tough challenge when Heyes winds up working as a bank teller…in the very bank that his former gang plans to rob.

Duel (and Murphy) were popular with
female viewers.

With a running time of 74 minutes, the Alias Smith and Jones pilot movie loses steam before its conclusion. Still, the two leads are engaging, especially Duel who lights up the screen as a good guy with a twinkle of larceny. ABC gave the TV series the greenlight and it debuted in January 1971.

While never a big hit in the ratings, the regular series attracted a faithful following. Many of the best episodes featured recurring guest stars Sally Field and J.D. Cannon. Field played Clementine Hale (yes, that character is from The Young Country), a childhood friend of Heyes and Currie, in two first-rate episodes. J. D. Cannon was even better as a bumbling Pinkerton detective named Harry Briscoe in five episodes.

Roger Davis and Ben Murphy.

As Alias Smith and Jones celebrated its first year on the air, tragedy struck on New Year’s Eve 1971. Pete Duel fatally shot himself in his Hollywood home. With the show in mid-production, the role of Hannibal Heyes had to be recast quickly. The part went to Roger Davis, who—in addition to his Young Country connection—had narrated the show’s opening each week.

I can’t imagine a better replacement than Davis, who slipped into the role effortlessly. Yet, while he and Murphy still had chemistry as Heyes and Currie, the shadow of Duel’s death hung over the series. Still, it was attracting a respectable viewing audience when ABC canceled it after the third season. By then, Roger Davis had appeared in 17 episodes as Heyes (compared to 33 by Duel).

Of course, the Western genre was also fading on television. Occasional Westerns would continue to pop up on TV, but the days of dominance were long gone. Even long-running stalwarts Gunsmoke and Bonanza had headed to Boot Hill by 1975.

Seven Things to Know About Ross Martin

Martin and Robert Conrad.

1. Ross Martin is best remembered, of course, for playing Secret Service agent Artemus Gordon in the Western TV series The Wild Wild West (1965-69). During the show's fourth season, he broke his leg on the set while filming the episode "The Night of the Avaricious Actuary." While he recovered, Charles Aidman and William Schallert portrayed partners to Robert Conrad's James T. West.

2. Later during the show's fourth and final season, Ross Martin suffered a heart attack. Despite his limited appearances that season, he was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Continued Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Dramatic Series.

Martin as Artemus in disguise.

3. Since Artemus Gordon was a master of disguises, Ross Martin donned make-up to portray dozens of different "characters" in the series. In the book, A Sci-Fi Swarm and Horror Horde: Interviews with 62 Filmmakers, make-up artist Kenneth Chase recalls that Martin frequently spent two hours in the make-up chair for one disguise (and hated waiting for his scenes to be filmed).

Martin in Experiment in Terror.

4. The Wild, Wild West wasn't the first time that Ross Martin played a character who employed disguises. He portrayed a killer who impersonates a woman in Blake Edwards' Experiment in Terror (1962).

5. In Edwards' TV series Mr. Lucky (1959-60), he starred as Andamo, the charismatic "business associate" to the title gambler played by John Vivyan. Indeed, Ross was a Blake Edwards' favorite; he also appeared in The Great Race as Baron Rolfe Von Stuppe. One of Martin's fellow actors in that film was Peter Falk; they later played adversaries in "Suitable for Framing," the best episode in the the first season of Columbo.

Martin as Charlie Chan.

6. Interestingly, Martin starred as the title character in the made-for-TV movie The Return of Charlie Chan (aka Happiness Is a Warm Clue). The pilot for a TV series, it was an ill-fated project from the start. Made in 1973, it was shelved due to complaints about a Caucasian actor playing Earl Derr Biggers' detective. (For the record, Charlie Chan was a Hawaiian detective and was played most famously by Swedish actor Warner Oland). Martin's Chan movie was eventually broadcast in 1978.

7. Ross Martin suffered a fatal heart attack after a game of tennis in 1981. He was 61. He and Robert Conrad had recently starred in two Wild Wild West "reunion movies": The Wild Wild West Revisited (1979) and More Wild Wild West (1980). According to some sources, there was discussion about reviving the TV series, but that ended with Martin's untimely death.