Cindy and Marty do their first FTC episode on the Frank Capra classic (1944) "Arsenic and Old Lace"

• Year: 1944 (shot late 1941; broad release held until 1944)

• Runtime: 118 minutes; Studio: Warner Bros.

• Director: Frank Capra; Writers: Julius & PhilipEpstein (from Joseph Kesselring’s play)

• Music: Max Steiner; Cinematography: Sol Polito; Editing:Daniel Mandell

• Release: New York premiere Sept 1, 1944; U.S. release Sept23, 1944

• Setting: Halloween in Brooklyn (Brewster family home)

Key cast:

• Cary Grant — Mortimer Brewster

• Priscilla Lane — Elaine Harper

• Raymond Massey — Jonathan Brewster (a Karloff look‑alikegag)

• Peter Lorre — Dr. Herman Einstein

• Josephine Hull — Abby Brewster; Jean Adair — MarthaBrewster; John Alexander — “Teddy Roosevelt” Brewster

• Jack Carson — Officer O’Hara; Edward Everett Horton — Mr.Witherspoon; James Gleason — Lt. Rooney

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Cindy and Marty talk about another favorite comedy by director Billy Wilder, Some Like It Hot with Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, and its contemporary influence about gender roles and expectations. 

Some Like It Hot (1959)

·       Director: Billy Wilder; Writers: Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond (from Robert Thoeren & Michael Logan’s story)

·       Stars: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon; with Joe E. Brown, George Raft, Pat O’Brien

·       Studio/Distributor: The Mirisch Company / United Artists

·       Runtime: ~121 minutes; Format: B&W; Setting: Prohibition-era Chicago & 'Miami' (filmed at Hotel del Coronado)

Brief Synopsis

Two Chicago musicians witness a mob hit and escape by disguising themselves as women to join an all-female band headed to Florida, where romantic entanglements, mob reprisals, and comic mayhem ensue — culminating in one of cinema’s most famous closing lines: “Nobody’s perfect.”

Why This Film Matters

·       AFI ranks it #1 on the 100 Years…100 Laughs list. https://www.afi.com/afis-100-years-100-laughs/ 

·       A landmark of screen comedy that playfully subverts gender roles and skirted the Production Code’s strictures.

·       Iconic location work at the Hotel del Coronado standing in for Miami’s 'Seminole Ritz.'

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Marty and Cindy take on a classic that Cindy hadn’t seen before, Lawrence of Arabia

Title: Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

Director: David Lean

Writers: Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson

Stars: Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Jack Hawkins, José Ferrer, Claude Rains

Studio: Horizon Pictures / Columbia Pictures

Runtime: 222 minutes (original) | 216 minutes (restored)

Format: Super Panavision 70 | Technicolor

Filming Locations: Jordan, Morocco, Spain

Why This Film Matters

·       A cornerstone of epic filmmaking—winner of 7 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director.

·       Revolutionized widescreen cinematography; Freddie Young’s desert imagery remains unmatched.

·       Peter O’Toole’s debut transformed him into an international star and redefined screen charisma.

·       Maurice Jarre’s sweeping score became one of the most recognizable in movie history.

·       Critically reassessed as both a spectacle and an introspective psychological study.

·       The 1988 restoration pioneered modern film-preservation efforts and revived Lean’s full vision.

Signature Sequences

·       The Match Cut: From a tiny flame to the blazing desert sunrise—one of the most famous edits in film history.

·       The Mirage Scene: Omar Sharif’s arrival, emerging from heat shimmer, remains a visual tour de force in long-lens cinematography.

·       Aqaba Assault: Filmed with hundreds of extras and horses, it’s a ballet of movement and chaos captured in sweeping long shots.

·       “Nothing Is Written” Scene: Lawrence’s defiance against fate—one of O’Toole’s defining moments.

·       The Retreat from Deraa: Lawrence’s capture and implied assault by the Turkish Bey mark a disturbing psychological turning point.

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Cindy and Marty chat about the movie Gaslight, a psychological thriller that coined the term we use today.

Director: George CukorWriters: John Van Druten, Walter Reisch, and John L. Balderston (adapted from Patrick Hamilton’s 1938 play)Stars: Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotten, Angela Lansbury, Dame May WhittyStudio/Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)Runtime: 114 minutes; Format: B&WSetting: Victorian London

Cultural Legacy: Origin of the term “gaslighting” — now used to describe psychological manipulation and control.

Critical Acclaim: Ingrid Bergman won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her haunting performance; Angela Lansbury earned an Oscar nomination for her debut role at just 18.

Stylistic Brilliance: Exemplary of 1940s Gothic noir — shadow-filled cinematography, claustrophobic sets, and emotionally precise direction from George Cukor.

Social Relevance: A timeless exploration of emotional abuse, control, and the struggle to trust one’s own perception.

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Cindy and Marty converse about one of their favorite movies, North by Northwest, packed full of trivia.

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Cindy and Marty share stories about the iconic screwball comedy, Howard Hawks’ Bringing Up Baby.  

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Director: Howard Hawks

Writers: Dudley Nichols & Hagar Wilde

Stars: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Charles Ruggles, May Robson, Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Catlett

Animals: Nissa the Leopard (“Baby”), Skippy the Dog (“George”)

Studio: RKO Radio Pictures

Runtime: 102 minutes; Black & White

FUN TRIVIA

• Grant’s Glasses: Inspired by Harold Lloyd, the glasses emphasize Grant’s awkward academic persona while paying homage to silent-era comedy.

• Bone‑Burying Gag: Producers purchased the idea from a comic strip artist, revealing how the film embraced multiple comedic traditions.

• “I Just Went Gay All of a Sudden!”: A spontaneous ad‑lib by Grant, decades before the word’s meaning evolved—still one of the film’s most quoted moments.

• Animal Challenges: Even trained, the leopard behaved unpredictably, sometimes causing fear and improvisation on the set.

• Hepburn’s Risky Role: Her comedic turn helped shift her career trajectory during a period where she battled reputation challenges.

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Stephanie Marder joins Cindy and Marty to talk about the wackiness that is the Marx Brothers Duck Soup.

The Basics

·       Release Date: November 17, 1933 (Paramount Pictures)

·       Runtime: 68 minutes

·       Country/Language: United States / English

·       Director: Leo McCarey

·       Writers: Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby (with dialogue by Arthur Sheekman and Nat Perrin)

·       Principal Cast: Groucho Marx (Rufus T. Firefly), Harpo Marx (Pinky), Chico Marx (Chicolini), Zeppo Marx (Bob Roland — final film appearance), Margaret Dumont (Mrs. Gloria Teasdale), Louis Calhern (Ambassador Trentino), Raquel Torres (Vera Marcal)

Technical Notes

·       Cinematography: Henry Sharp

·       Editing: LeRoy Stone (uncredited)

·       Visual Style: Quick cuts and tight framing to preserve vaudeville pace within sound-era storytelling.

Signature Sequences

·       The Mirror Scene: Harpo mimics Groucho in a doorway frame as if they were reflections—a pantomime masterclass originating in vaudeville and silent film.

·       Lemonade Stand Feud: A running battle with Edgar Kennedy showcases precise timing and physical comedy.

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Cindy and Marty reflect on the holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street - 1947, with trivia and actor information you haven't heard yet.

Quick FactsRelease year: 1947 (U.S. release: June 1947)Runtime: 96 minutes • Black-and-whiteStudio / Distributor: 20th Century-FoxDirector / Screenplay: George Seaton • Story: Valentine DaviesSetting: New York City, between Thanksgiving andChristmas

Key Credits       Producer: William PerlbergCinematography: Charles G. Clarke and Lloyd AhernEditing: Robert L. SimpsonMusic: Cyril J. Mockridge

Principal Cast

Edmund Gwenn — Kris Kringle (the man who insistshe is Santa)

Maureen O’Hara — Doris Walker (Macy’s executiveand practical single mother)

John Payne — Fred Gailey (neighbor/attorney;advocate for Kris)

Natalie Wood — Susan Walker (skeptical childwhose worldview is at stake)

Gene Lockhart — Judge Henry X. Harper (the judgetasked with ruling on the “impossible”)

Awards and Legacy

Academy Awards: 3 wins (Supporting Actor for Edmund Gwenn; Original Story for Valentine Davies; Screenplay for George Seaton).National Film Registry selection (Library of Congress) as culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.A template for later holiday films that test faith through “real-world” systems (courts, media, bureaucracy).

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Cindy and Marty look at a swinging-’60s dark comedy mixing bachelor-fantasy satire, comic-strip meta-storytelling, and commentary on marriage expectation,  How to Murder Your Wife.  

Basic Film Facts

• Release Year: 1965

• Director: Richard Quine

• Screenwriter: George Axelrod

• Stars: Jack Lemmon, Virna Lisi, Terry-Thomas, Eddie Mayehoff

• Studio: United Artists

• Genre: Black comedy, farce, satirical romance

• Runtime: 118 minutes

Production Trivia

• George Axelrod, known for satirical works like The Seven Year Itch, wrote the screenplay.

• Jack Lemmon was one of Hollywood’s biggest comedy stars at the time.

• Virna Lisi’s breakout U.S. exposure occurred through this film.

• Terry-Thomas’s performance as Charles the butler is often considered iconic.

• The townhouse set emphasized bachelor luxury and precision.

Story & Character Trivia

• Stanley’s comic strip 'Bash Brannigan' mirrors his real-life frustrations.

• The murder-fantasy device becomes central to the courtroom climax.

• The cake-bride sequence is now seen as controversial in modern gender analysis.

• Lisi's character’s silence creates comedic miscommunication.

• Charles the butler champions bachelorhood with humorous zeal.

Cultural & Critical Context

• The film reflects 1960s male anxieties about domesticity.

• Modern critics debate whether it critiques or reinforces misogynistic norms.

• It appears in lists of both cult classics and problematic favorites.

• Its comedic style shows a transition between classic and modern romantic comedies.

Fun Trivia

• Jack Lemmon improvised several reactions and gestures.

• The courtroom monologue is widely cited in discussions of outdated gender humor.

• The tagline 'Honeymoon murder — in Technicolor!' highlighted its dark comedic tone.

• Virna Lisi later went on to win major film awards including a Golden Globe and Cannes Best Actress.

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Cindy and Marty speak about Billy Wilder’s The Apartment with lots of movie trivia and the portrayals done by Lemmon. MacLaine, and MacMurray

Quick Facts

Release Year: 1960Runtime: 125 minutesFormat: Black-and-whiteStudio / Distributor: United ArtistsDirector: Billy WilderScreenplay: Billy Wilder & I.A.L. DiamondMusic: Adolph DeutschSetting: New York City (corporate offices, Upper West Side apartment)

Principal Cast

Jack Lemmon — C.C. “Bud” Baxter, an ambitious insurance clerk trading his apartment for advancementShirley MacLaine — Fran Kubelik, an elevator operator navigating emotional vulnerability and power imbalanceFred MacMurray — Jeff D. Sheldrake, Baxter’s boss and the embodiment of corporate entitlementRay Walston — Joe Dobisch, a middle manager benefiting from Baxter’s arrangementEdie Adams — Miss Olsen, Sheldrake’s secretary and unseen stabilizer of his life

Production Notes & Context

The Apartment pushed the boundaries of mainstream romantic comedy by foregrounding infidelity, power imbalance, and emotional neglect. Fred MacMurray was deliberately cast against type, subverting his wholesome screen persona. The film’s visual design emphasizes repetition and anonymity—rows of desks, identical hats, crowded elevators—mirroring the dehumanizing logic of corporate life. Though framed around the holidays, the seasonal setting functions as a moral checkpoint rather than sentimental decoration.

Awards & Legacy

The film won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay. It remains a foundational influence on romantic comedies that balance humor with moral seriousness, and is frequently cited as one of Billy Wilder’s most accomplished works.

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Marty and Cindy review a favorite rom-com, The Awful Truth, with Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.

Title: The Awful Truth (1937)

Director: Leo McCarey

Screenplay: Viña Delmar, based on the play by Arthur Richman

Studio: Columbia PicturesRuntime: 91 minutes

Genre: Screwball Comedy / Romantic Comedy

Cary Grant — Jerry Warriner      

Irene Dunne — Lucy Warriner

Ralph Bellamy — Dan Leeson

Alexander D’Arcy — Armand Duvalle

Mr. Smith the Dog — Played by Skippy

Jerry and Lucy Warriner divorce after mutualsuspicions of infidelity.

Their divorce decree includes a 90‑dayremarriage restriction.

Both attempt to move on with new romanticpartners.

Jealousy, misunderstanding, and emotional attachment persist.

Their shared dog becomes a central emotional and legal battleground

Established the core conventions of screwballcomedy.      

Marked Cary Grant’s emergence as a comedic leading man.

Demonstrated the creative power of improvisation.

Shifted romantic comedy toward remarriage rather than courtship.

Influenced decades of romantic and marital comedies.

Won the Academy Award for Best Director.      

Selected for the National Film Registry in 1996.

Regularly ranked among the greatest comedies ever made.      

Part of the Criterion Collection.Led to two further Cary Grant–Irene Dunne collaborations.

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Cindy and Marty look at the classic film noir Double Indemnity and have a new appreciation for excessive smoking in movies.

Double Indemnity was released in 1944 by Paramount Pictures and directed by Billy Wilder. The screenplay was written by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, based on a novella by James M. Cain. The film stars Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, and Edward G. Robinson and is widely regarded as the defining work of film noir.

Production & Development

• Based on a real 1927 murder involving Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray, whose crime centered on an insurance policy with a double-indemnity clause.

• The story faced years of resistance from the Production Code due to adultery and murder themes.

• Billy Wilder filmed an alternate ending showing Walter Neff in a gas chamber, but cut it before release.

Awards, Legacy & Influence

• The film received seven Academy Award nominations but won none.

• It was selected for the U.S. National Film Registry in 1992.

• Frequently ranked among the greatest films ever made by AFI.

• Helped define the visual and narrative language of film noir.

• Inspired countless neo-noir films and crime dramas.

Casting & Performances

• Fred MacMurray was known for wholesome roles and initially resisted playing Walter Neff.

• Many stars including James Cagney, Alan Ladd, and Gregory Peck turned down the role.

• Barbara Stanwyck’s blonde wig was intended to look artificial and unsettling.

• Edward G. Robinson hesitated to accept third billing but was paid equally with the leads.

• Fred MacMurray accidentally wore his real wedding ring despite playing a bachelor.

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Cindy and Marty discuss facts and fun from the Doris Day / Rock Hudson pairing in Send Me No Flowers

Quick Facts

·       Release Year: 1964

·       Genre: Romantic Comedy / Farce

·       Director: Norman Jewison

·       Screenplay: Julius J. Epstein (Oscar winner for Casablanca)

·       Source Material: Broadway play by Norman Barasch and Carroll Moore

·       Studio: Universal Pictures

·       Running Time: 100 minutes

·       Color: DeLuxe Color

·       Music: Frank De Vol

·       Title Song: 'Send Me No Flowers' by Hal David and Burt Bacharach, sung by Doris Day

Principal Cast

·       Rock Hudson — George Kimball

·       Doris Day — Judy Kimball

·       Tony Randall — Arnold Nash

·       Edward Andrews — Dr. Ralph Morrissey

·       Paul Lynde — Mr. Akins

·       Patricia Barry — Linda Bullard

·       Hal March — Winston Burr

·       Clint Walker — Bert Power

Brief Synopsis

George Kimball is a devoted but chronically hypochondriac husband who mistakenly believes he is terminally ill after overhearing a doctor discussing another patient. Convinced he has little time left, George secretly begins making arrangements for his wife Judy’s future—including identifying a potential new husband. His secrecy triggers suspicion, emotional distance, and escalating misunderstandings that threaten the very marriage he is trying to protect.

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Cindy and Marty review the Hitchcock mystery Dial M for Murder

Film: Dial M for Murder (1954)

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Based on: Frederick Knott’s stage play (and earlier television version)

Starring: Ray Milland (Tony Wendice), Grace Kelly (Margot Wendice), Robert Cummings (Mark Halliday), John Williams (Chief Inspector Hubbard), Anthony Dawson (Charles ‘Swann’ / Captain Lesgate)

Setting: Primarily one London apartment—by design

Cast Notes

The film’s tension depends on performance contrast: Ray Milland plays Tony as charming and measured—until the mask slips; Grace Kelly balances glamour with vulnerability; and John Williams gives us one of Hitchcock’s best ‘quiet logic’ detectives, a man who seems friendly and unassuming while he builds a case piece by piece.

John Williams recreated his stage role as Inspector Hubbard and had won a Tony for the part.

Anthony Dawson also returned from the stage production in a key supporting role.

Robert Cummings’ ‘outsider’ American energy pushes against the British restraint of the apartment and its social expectations.

Recommended Pairings (If You Want a Double Feature)

Rear Window (1954) – another ‘contained space’ Hitchcock suspense machine

Rope (1948) – controlled space + real-time tension experiment

To Catch a Thief (1955) – Grace Kelly in a very different Hitchcock register

A Perfect Murder (1998) – modern remake/variation that invites comparison

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Marty and Cindy lament over the Hitchcock 80 minute  apartment thriller, Rope. 

Rope (1948)

Production & Filming

• Hitchcock shot the film in 10 takes, each 4½ to 10 minutes long.
• At the end of each reel, the camera pushes into a dark object to disguise the cut.
• Props and even walls were mounted on casters so crew could silently move them.
• Hitchcock usually completed only one segment per day.
• The final segments were re-shot due to dissatisfaction with sunset lighting.
• During one take, a camera dolly reportedly ran over a cameraman’s foot. He was removed quietly to avoid stopping the shot.
• A stagehand once rushed into frame to catch a glass that an actress nearly dropped — the take was kept.
• Because of cables and moving lights, actors had to navigate the set carefully.

Historical Firsts

• Hitchcock’s first color film
• Average shot length: 435.7 seconds
• One of the earliest experiments in “continuous take” filmmaking
• Theatrically paired in the U.S. with the cartoon Hare Splitter (1948)

Literary & Stage Origins

• Based loosely on the real Leopold and Loeb murder case
• Adapted from Patrick Hamilton’s play, retitled Rope’s End on Broadway
• Major changes from stage to screen:
• Added characters (Janet, Mrs. Wilson, Kenneth)
• Changed Cadell’s age and role
• Relocated from England to New York

Casting & Performers

• Cary Grant was first considered for Rupert
• Montgomery Clift was originally considered for Brandon
• Stewart was paid $300,000 of the $1.5 million budget
• Final theatrical film for Dick Hogan (David)
• Final film of Joan Chandler
• Douglas Dick was the last surviving cast member (d. 2015)

Cultural Notes

• Banned in several cities due to implied homosexuality
• David’s name is spoken 73 times
• Each of the five men wears a different colored suit
• In Brazil, titled Festim Diabólico (“Devilish Feast”)
• Included in 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

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Marty and Cindy talk about the Cold War comedy Dr. Strangelove and all the trivia associated with the movie.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Source Material: Red Alert by Peter George

Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Slim Pickens, James Earl Jones

Genre: Political satire / Black comedy

Setting: The Pentagon War Room, a B-52 bomber, and Burpelson Air Force Base

Peter Sellers & Performance

·       Paid $1 million—55% of the film’s budget.

·       Originally cast in four roles but did not play Major Kong due to injury.

·       Improvised the famous ‘Mein Führer! I can walk!’ line.

Military Realism & Impact

·       The Pentagon refused cooperation with the production.

·       B-52 cockpit recreated from a single magazine photograph.

·       The film reportedly contributed to review of nuclear safeguards.

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Marty and Cindy chat about the home building comedy, Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House

Director: H.C. Potter

Starring: Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Melvyn Douglas

Genre: Domestic comedy / social satire

Setting: New York City and rural Connecticut

Based on the semi-autobiographical book by Eric Hodgins, the story draws directly from the author’s own disastrous attempt to build a house in Connecticut.

Hodgins was editor of Fortune magazine, bringing a professional-class perspective to postwar domestic anxiety.

The house built for the movie still exists in Malibu, California, at coordinates: 34 degrees 5' 41"N 118 degrees 42'43"W on the old 20th Century Fox Ranch.

Has had three remakes (in order of release): Hollywood's The Money Pit (1986) starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long, Sweden's The Dream House (1993) starring Björn Skifs and Suzanne Reuter, and Hollywood's Are We Done Yet? (2007) starring Ice Cube and Nia Long.

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Marty and Cindy review the Peter O’Toole and Audrey Hepburn caper comedy How to Steal a Million

Production Background

·       Directed by William Wyler, known for balancing sophistication, romance, and meticulous visual composition.

·       Produced during a transitional era in Hollywood when glossy romantic capers were giving way to grittier New Hollywood films.

·       Shot largely on location in Paris, giving the film an authentic European atmosphere rarely matched by studio backlots.

·       The film blends genres: romantic comedy, heist film, and art‑world satire.

Casting & Performances

·       Audrey Hepburn stars as Nicole Bonnet, playing against type as the daughter of a charming art forger.

·       Peter O’Toole brings effortless wit and romantic charm as Simon Dermott, the suave burglar-turned-ally.

·       Hugh Griffith provides broad comic relief as Charles Bonnet, whose fraudulent art collection drives the entire plot.

·       The chemistry between Hepburn and O’Toole was a major critical selling point of the film.

Reception & Legacy

·       The film was a commercial success and remains a staple of mid‑1960s romantic caper cinema.

·       It is often remembered as one of Audrey Hepburn’s most charming late‑career performances.

·       The movie influenced later romantic heist films that emphasize wit and elegance over realism.

·       Its tone anticipates later art‑theft comedies and light capers rather than serious crime dramas.

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Marty and Cindy talk about one of the rest trend setting rom-coms of the 30’s, It Happened One Night.

FILM OVERVIEW

·       Title: It Happened One Night

·       Release Year: 1934

·       Director: Frank Capra

·       Screenplay: Robert Riskin

·       Source Material: “Night Bus” (Samuel Hopkins Adams, 1933)

·       Studio: Columbia Pictures

·       Starring: Clark Gable (Peter Warne), Claudette Colbert (Ellie Andrews), Walter Connolly (Alexander Andrews), Roscoe Karns (Oscar Shapely)

·       Runtime: 105 minutes

·       IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025316/

ACADEMY AWARDS AND “GRAND SLAM” HISTORY

·       The first film to sweep the five major Academy Award categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Screenplay.

·       One of only three films to achieve that “grand slam” (the others are One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and The Silence of the Lambs).

RELUCTANT STARS AND ON-SET TENSION

·       Claudette Colbert complained frequently during production and reportedly told a friend she had just finished “the worst picture” she’d ever made—only for it to become her most celebrated role.

·       Colbert accepted the part after being offered double her usual salary and a short, tightly scheduled shoot.

·       Clark Gable was loaned to the production by MGM; multiple accounts frame the loan as punishment connected to studio politics and Gable’s personal life.

·       Gable’s first interactions with Capra were reportedly tense, but the two eventually developed mutual respect.

THE HITCHHIKING LEG AND THE BODY DOUBLE

·       When Capra wanted a leg-reveal for the hitchhiking scene, Colbert initially refused.

·       A body double was used, but after seeing the double’s leg, Colbert insisted on doing the shot herself—famously objecting that the double’s leg was not “her leg.”

·       The moment became one of the most referenced gags in romantic-comedy history, echoed across later films and cartoons.

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Cindy and Marty talk about the early family comedy about a arrogant but loving father, Life With Father.

From Broadway to the Screen The original play opened November 8, 1939, and ran 3,224 performances — the longest non-musical run in Broadway history, a record it still holds. Warner Bros. paid $500,000 plus 50% of profits for the film rights, a record sum for a stage property at the time. The playwright, his co-author, and Clarence Day's widow all had veto power over every aspect of the production — not a word of dialogue could be cut without their approval.

The Red Hair Problem Because all the Day men were redheads, the entire principal male cast had their hair dyed on a Sunday morning. Midway through the process, the water for the entire block was shut off for street repairs — leaving the actors at risk of losing their hair to the potent dyes of the era. A crew member saved the day by suggesting they dilute the dye with cold cream.

The Cast Irene Dunne hated the role of Vinnie, calling her too "rattle-brained." Director Curtiz had to plead repeatedly before she agreed. If she had refused, Mary Pickford — retired for 13 years — had already done screen tests and seen the part as her comeback vehicle. Both Shirley Temple and Ann E. Todd tested for the role that went to 15-year-old Elizabeth Taylor, on loan from MGM.

William Powell This was Powell's third and final Oscar nomination for Best Actor. He lost to Ronald Colman — his close friend in real life — for A Double Life, and by all accounts took the loss graciously.

Supporting Standouts Edmund Gwenn, playing the long-suffering Reverend Dr. Lloyd, had just won the Supporting Actor Oscar for Miracle on 34th Street — also released in 1947. Martin Milner, playing son John Day, was the only natural redhead in the cast; he later starred in Adam-12 and Route 66.

The Public Domain Misfortune Due to a clerical error, the film's copyright was never properly renewed, and it fell into the public domain in 1975. This led to decades of inferior releases from degraded prints — a poor fate for a beautifully photographed Technicolor film. Despite this, it holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

One Last Fact Clarence Day Jr., who died in 1935, never knew his family memoir would become the longest-running non-musical play in Broadway history, a major Hollywood film, and a network television series.

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Marty and Cindy review one of the 60’s best screen musicals about the farce of corporate advancement.

FROM BROADWAY TO HOLLYWOOD

The Broadway production opened October 14, 1961, ran 1,417 performances, and won seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Actor for Robert Morse. It also won the 1962 Pulitzer Prize in Drama—only the fourth musical to receive that honor.

Robert Morse, Rudy Vallee, Ruth Kobart, Sammy Smith, and Michele Lee all recreated their Broadway roles for the film. It was Michele Lee's feature film debut.

The Mirisch Company paid $1,000,000 for the film rights in 1964; total production costs reached approximately $2.5 million.

THE BOOK THAT STARTED IT ALL

Shepherd Mead's satirical self-help book was published by Simon and Schuster in 1952—a genuine career-advice parody that mocked the genre while participating in it. The jokeworks because the advice isn't entirely unlike what real business books of the era offered.

CASTING AND CHARACTERS

Tony Curtis expressed interest in playing Finch in 1964, though he was nearly 40. Dick Van Dyke was briefly considered but dismissed the idea himself. Tony Randall was considered for the book's narrator voice; the role went to Carl Princi.

Finch states he is 27 in the film. Robert Morse was 36 during production.

The character's name, J. Pierrepont Finch, nods to J. Pierpont Morgan. The VP of Advertising's name, Benjamin Burton Daniel Ovington, spells BBDO—a real advertising agencygiant. Biggley's desk is shaped like a question mark.

THE SONGS

All of Rosemary's solo songs were cut. To compensate, Michele Lee was given a full version of "I Believe in You" earlier in the film, making Finch's washroom performance the reprise.

"Coffee Break" was filmed but cut due to Radio City Music Hall's strict two-hour limit. The footage was subsequently lost—the song survives only on the soundtrack album.

"I Believe in You" was the score's only genuine hit, recorded by Peggy Lee, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Bobby Darin, and Dionne Warwick. It appeared on the AFI's 2004 nominees for Greatest Songs in American Film History.

BOB FOSSE AND CHOREOGRAPHY

Bob Fosse's Broadway choreography was retained rather than replaced—unusual for Hollywood adaptations. His style is visible throughout: turned-in knees, corporate precision, human bodies conforming to institutional geometry.

The "Brotherhood of Man" finale—a gospel revival erupting immediately after the board votes to destroy Finch—is the film's choreographic centerpiece.

Fosse's film directing debut came later with Sweet Charity (1969); by 1973 he won the Oscar, Tony, and Emmy in the same year—the only person ever to do so.

PRODUCTION DETAILS

The World Wide Wicket exterior was the Union Carbide Building at 270 Park Avenue, demolished in 2021.

The film was shot in widescreen (2.35:1) by cinematographer Burnett Guffey, with visual gags contributed by cartoonist Virgil Partch. The score was conducted by Nelson Riddle.

CULTURAL REFERENCES

The original book was serialized in Playboy—hence Gatch's line "I really have to stop reading Playboy."

Ponty's reference to "unrigged" game shows nods to the 1957–58 game show scandal.

George Fenneman, the TV host in the film, was the real-life announcer onGroucho Marx's You Bet Your Life.

In the stage tradition, Twimble and Wally Womper are played by the same actor. Sammy Smith, who originated both roles on Broadway, does so here as well.

LEGACY

The film failed to recoup its investment despite critical praise and holds a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Broadway revivals starred Matthew Broderick (1995) and Daniel Radcliffe (2011). The 1987 film The Secret of My Success and the 1988 Working Girl both revisit similar themes.

Tucker Smith (Ice in West Side Story) and Robert Osborne of Turner Classic Movies each appear in uncredited roles.

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Marty and Cindy break down one of Cindy’s favorite suspense film, The Bad Seed from 1956

THE BROADWAY CONNECTION

•       Five original Broadway cast members recreated their roles on screen, including Nancy Kelly (Tony winner for the role) and Patty McCormack—director LeRoy insisted on them over bigger Hollywood names.

THE PRODUCTION CODE FIGHT

•       Warner Bros. paid $300,000 for the rights despite PCA warnings. The Code forced a complete reversal of the original ending—Rhoda had to die and Christine had to survive. Three different endings were reportedly shot, and the last five pages of the script were withheld from cast and crew until filming.

CASTING WHAT-IFS

•       Bette Davis wanted the lead. Paul Henreid tried to buy the rights himself to direct with Davis. Alfred Hitchcock turned down the chance to direct.

PATTY McCORMACK

•       During the Broadway run, she performed on the live CBS sitcom Mama at 8:00 PM Fridays, then cabbed across Manhattan—changing costumes in the taxi—to make an 8:40 PM curtain. She never missed one.

•       Her Oscar nomination helped establish the precedent of nominating child actors in standard competitive categories rather than giving honorary juvenile awards. She later returned to the franchise in 2018 and 2022, playing a psychiatrist named Dr. March—a nod to the original novelist.

EILEEN HECKART

•       Her two scenes fall exactly one hour apart and each lasts exactly five minutes. That’s ten minutes of screen time total—enough to earn her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

DETAILS WORTH KNOWING

•       Henry Jones (Leroy the janitor) also voices the radio announcer who reports the school tragedy—a subtle doubling most viewers miss.

•       The piano piece Rhoda plays is “Au Clair de la Lune,” a traditional French children’s song. The apartment sets feature wall art resembling Rorschach blots, including one depicting a woman holding a baby at arm’s length in a menacing way.

•       The backlot exterior used for the Tidewater Arms would later appear as Doose’s Market in Gilmore Girls.

BOX OFFICE & LEGACY

•       Earned $4.1 million against a $1 million budget—one of Warner Bros.’ biggest hits of 1956. The 1992 musical Ruthless! and the 1993 film The Good Son both drew direct inspiration from it.

•       The curtain-call epilogue—where the cast takes a bow and Kelly spanks McCormack—was meant to relieve audience tension. Viewers today find it either charming or deeply strange.

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Marty and Cindy review a little thought of Christmas comedy movie about escaped convicts and holiday redemption.

Origins & Production

• Based on Albert Husson’s French play “La cuisine des anges” (1952); Paramount bought rights weeks after the Paris premiere

• Broadway adaptation “My Three Angels” (Sam & Bella Spewack) ran 344 performances at the Morosco Theatre in 1953

• Working title: “Angels Cooking”; filmed mid-1954 but not released until July 7, 1955

• Spewacks sued Paramount in Nov. 1955, claiming their stage version was used scene-by-scene without credit

• A 1989 remake (De Niro, Sean Penn, Demi Moore; dir. Neil Jordan, written by David Mamet) shares little beyond the title

Bogart & Curtiz

• Fourth and final Bogart–Curtiz collaboration; prior films: Angels with Dirty Faces, Casablanca, Passage to Marseille

• Bogart embraced the lighter tone — and reportedly pranked the meticulous Curtiz with fake dog droppings on set

• Neither Bogart nor Curtiz was under contract; both came to this Paramount film as free agents

• Second Bogart film set on Devil’s Island — the first was Passage to Marseille (1944), also directed by Curtiz

The Cast

• Joseph (Bogart): the strategist and sole thief — Albert and Jules are technically murderers

• Jules (Ustinov): forger, cook, keeper of Adolphe the viper; many critics said he stole the film from Bogart

• Albert (Aldo Ray): physically imposing but warm-hearted — the gentle giant contrast is the running joke

• André Trochard (Basil Rathbone): imperious villain — his first film feature in nearly a decade

• Adolphe the viper bites both André Trochard and nephew Paul — both die; earns an animated halo at film’s end

Music

• Opening song borrows the melody of “Plaisir d’amour” — same tune Elvis used for “Can’t Help Falling in Love” (1961)

• “Sentimental Moments” (composer Frederick Hollander) was recorded by Eric Clapton for his 2018 Christmas album

• Hollander also wrote “Falling in Love Again” for Marlene Dietrich in The Blue Angel (1930)

Quick Facts

• Set Christmas Eve/Day 1895, Cayenne, French Guiana — shot entirely on Paramount studio sets

• Grossed $3 million in 1955 — 34th highest-grossing film in the U.S./Canada that year

• AFI nominated it for its Top 100 Funniest American Movies list (2000)

• NY Times panned it; Philly Inquirer said Bogart was miscast; Variety called it “breezy”; Hollywood Reporter was enthusiastic

• Audrey Hepburn, Van Heflin, and Irene Dunne were among those considered before final casting

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Marty and Cindy converse about the theatric nature of All About Eve

All About Eve1950 • 138 minutes • 20th Century-FoxWritten & Directed by Joseph L. MankiewiczProduced by Darryl F. Zanuck

Principal Cast

• Bette Davis as Margo Channing
• Anne Baxter as Eve Harrington (a.k.a. Gertrude Slescynski)
• George Sanders as Addison DeWitt
• Celeste Holm as Karen Richards
• Gary Merrill as Bill Simpson
• Hugh Marlowe as Lloyd Richards
• Thelma Ritter as Birdie Coonan
• Marilyn Monroe as Miss Claudia Casswell
• Gregory Ratoff as Max Fabian
• Barbara Bates as Phoebe

◆ THE SOURCE MATERIAL▸ The film is based on "The Wisdom of Eve," a roughly three-and-a-half-page short story by Mary Orr, published in Cosmopolitan magazine in May 1946. Orr received no screen credit on the finished film.▸ The working title Best Performance was changed to All About Eve by Darryl F. Zanuck after he read a line of Addison DeWitt's opening narration in the script.

◆ CASTING & PRE-PRODUCTION▸ Darryl F. Zanuck originally wanted Jeanne Crain for Eve Harrington. When Crain became pregnant, Mankiewicz's final choice was Anne Baxter, whom he believed possessed a "bitch virtuosity" that Crain could not provide.

◆ BETTE DAVIS▸ Davis completed all of her scenes in just 16 days.▸ Bette Davis had just turned 42 when she took on the role of Margo Channing.

◆ THE CAST▸ Celeste Holm: On her first day on set, Holm walked over and said "Good morning" to Davis. Davis replied: "Oh shit, good manners." Holm later said she never voluntarily spoke to Davis again for the rest of the production. Years later, Davis said the "only bitch in the cast" was Holm.▸ George Sanders: All About Eve was Sanders's personal favorite among his own films. He called it "witty, sophisticated, and brilliantly written and directed." The role of Addison DeWitt was his only Oscar nomination — and he won.

◆ ON SET & PRODUCTION▸ The theatre scenes were shot at San Francisco's Curran Theatre at 445 Geary Street, a few blocks from Union Square. The theater remains in business as of 2022.▸ The film's budget was $1.4 million. It grossed $8.4 million at the box office.

◆ SCORE, DIALOGUE & HIDDEN DETAILS▸ "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night" was voted the #9 greatest movie quote of all time by the American Film Institute.▸ As Margo drunkenly ascends the staircase after the cocktail party, the song "Stormy Weather" plays in the background — a pointed allusion to the turbulence ahead in her life.

◆ THE TALLULAH BANKHEAD MYTHOLOGY▸ Bankhead even considered suing 20th Century-Fox, but decided against it because Davis "did such a good job. I've just been witched out of $1,000,000 by Bette being as good as me."

◆ LIFE IMITATING ART▸ Bette Davis fell in love with Gary Merrill during production. They married in July 1950, weeks after filming wrapped, and adopted a daughter they named Margot — after Margo Channing.▸ In 1983, Anne Baxter stepped into Bette Davis's role on the television series Hotel after Davis fell ill. Davis never returned to the show.

◆ AWARDS & RECORDS▸ The film is the only picture in Oscar history to receive four female acting nominations in a single year: Davis and Baxter for Best Actress; Holm and Ritter for Best Supporting Actress.▸ George Sanders's Oscar for Best Supporting Actor was his only career nomination. He won on his first and only try.

◆ LEGACY & CULTURAL FOOTPRINT▸ All About Eve was selected for preservation in the U.S. National Film Registry in 1990, among the first 25 films chosen that year, deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."▸ The AFI ranked it #16 on its 1998 list of the 100 Greatest American Films.

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Marty and Cindy cover a hidden favorite with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, 1963 Charade

Charade - Production & Development

• Original script (The Unsuspecting Wife) was rejected by seven studios before Peter Stone serialized it in Redbook—then all wanted it.

• Cary Grant initially declined; Warren Beatty and Natalie Wood were considered before Grant returned.

• Filming began Oct 1962 in Paris; ski scenes shot Jan 1963 in Megève, French Alps.

• Grant (59) objected to the age gap; script revised so Hepburn’s character pursues him.

• Peter Joshua was named after director Stanley Donen’s sons.

• Shot alongside Paris When It Sizzles (1964) using many of the same locations.

Cast Connections & Trivia

• Grant hoped to work with Audrey Hepburn again, but never did.

• Hepburn and Grant were both heavy smokers; Grant quit in 1957.

• Cast includes four Oscar winners: Hepburn, Matthau, Kennedy, Coburn; Grant never won.

• Matthau, Kennedy, and Stone later collaborated on Mirage (1965).

• Screenwriter Peter Stone cameoed (embassy elevator voice by Donen).

• Grant and Matthau both played Walter Burns in separate The Front Page films.

• Grant (Archie Leach) once toured with the Marx Brothers; his film reference is layered.

• Ice-cream scene came from a real Hepburn mishap with Grant’s suit.

• Child actor Thomas Chelimsky later became a physician.

Hitchcock Echoes

• Often called “the best Hitchcock film Hitchcock never made.”

Opening spiral credits echo Vertigo (1958).

• Shower, rooftop, and chase scenes mirror North by Northwest (1959).

• Boat-kiss-to-darkness recalls Hitchcock’s tunnel ending symbolism.

• “Thief” line nods to To Catch a Thief (1955).

• Several actors overlap with Hitchcock films.

Paris Locations

• Showcases 1963 Paris: Champs-Élysées, Les Halles, Palais-Royal, Comédie-Française.

• American Express office (Rue Scribe) and Les Halles no longer exist as filmed.

• Puppet theater: Théâtre Vrai Guignolet (since 1818).

• Metro scenes shot on Line 1 (later extended to La Défense).

• Château de Chillon painting foreshadows Hepburn’s Swiss home purchase.

Stamps, Score & Style

• The $250,000 MacGuffin is rare stamps hidden on an envelope.

• Includes Monaco Princess Grace stamps (Grace Kelly co-starred with Grant).

• Henry Mancini’s score later influenced/plagiarized internationally.

• Funeral cue previews Two for the Road (1967).

• Hepburn’s wardrobe (Givenchy) exceeds what her luggage suggests.

• Credits by Maurice Binder (later James Bond fame).

Release, Legacy & Public Domain

• Film entered public domain due to missing copyright notice.

• Result: many poor-quality prints; best versions come from restored releases.

• Included in the Criterion Collection.

• Selected for the National Film Registry (2022).

• John F. Kennedy screened and praised it in 1963.

• Dialogue was altered post-assassination; later restored.

• Grant referenced the theme in his final film (Walk, Don’t Run, 1966).

• Appeared across multiple AFI nominee lists (comedy, thrills, romance, score).

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Marty and Cindy speak about their impressions of the Depression-era comedy My Man Godfrey

TRIVIA & PRODUCTION NOTES

Source Material

Based on Eric Hatch's 1935 serial "1101 Park Avenue," first published in Town & Country. Co-screenwriter Morrie Ryskind had already co-written Animal Crackers and A Night at the Opera for the Marx Brothers and shared the 1932 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Casting

Universal's original choice for Irene was Constance Bennett. Director La Cava would only accept her if Powell came from MGM — and Powell would only sign if Carole Lombard played Irene. Universal borrowed Lombard from Paramount in exchange for loaning Margaret Sullavan. Powell was paid $87,500; Lombard received $45,645.

Powell & Lombard

The two had married in 1931 and divorced in 1933 but remained warm friends. Lombard's nicknames for Powell on set: "Junior" and "Philo." La Cava called Lombard "Charlie." Everyone called Mischa Auer "Chimp" — for his gorilla impression as Carlo.

On Set

Production ran April 15 to May 27, 1936. Total budget: $575,375. Much of the dialogue emerged from improvised rehearsals. When Powell and La Cava disagreed over how Godfrey should be played, they resolved it over Scotch — La Cava arrived the next morning with a headache; Powell sent a telegram: "WE MAY HAVE FOUND GODFREY LAST NIGHT BUT WE LOST POWELL. SEE YOU TOMORROW."

Censorship

Censor Joseph Breen required that Carlo never be called a "gigolo" — the word was replaced throughout with "protégé." An earlier ending in which Alexander Bullock abandons his family for a harem and a bank in the South Seas was scrapped entirely.

Hidden Details

When Angelica hears Godfrey supposedly has five children, she exclaims, "If a woman in Canada can have five children, why can't Godfrey?" — a reference to the Dionne Quintuplets, an international sensation since 1934. Jane Wyman has an uncredited bit part as a socialite during Godfrey's speech.

Awards

Nominated at the 9th Academy Awards in six categories: Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Director, and Adapted Screenplay — winning none. It remains the only film ever nominated in all four acting categories, and the first film nominated in all four acting categories simultaneously (1936 was the inaugural year of the supporting awards).

Legacy

Selected for the National Film Registry in 1999. Part of the Criterion Collection (spine #114). Holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The 1957 remake starred David Niven and June Allyson.

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Marty and Cindy look at the most famous movie about an imaginary 6' 3.5" rabbit

◆ THE SOURCE MATERIAL

Play by Mary Chase; premiered November 1, 1944 at the 48th Street Theatre — Frank Fay as Elwood, Josephine Hull as Veta

Ran 1,775 performances through January 1949 — fifth longest Broadway run to that point

Won Chase the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Drama — the fourth woman to receive it

In the original draft, Harvey was an invisible canary written for Tallulah Bankhead; the rabbit and púca concept came in rewrites

A púca is a shape-shifting spirit from Celtic mythology, associated with mischief and social outcasts

Universal paid a record $1 million for the film rights in 1947; Chase retained final approval over any actor cast as Elwood

Chase co-wrote the screenplay with Oscar Brodney

◆ CASTING & PRE-PRODUCTION

Bing Crosby was the studio's first choice; he passed, fearing fans would read the role's drinking as reflecting on him

Others considered: Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Jack Benny, James Cagney, and Harold Lloyd

Stewart played Elwood on Broadway in summer 1947, then returned in 1948 specifically to lobby for the film role

Josephine Hull, Victoria Horne, and Jesse White all reprised their Broadway roles — White's was also his film debut

◆ JAMES STEWART

Instead of a flat fee, Stewart took a percentage of profits from Harvey and Winchester '73 (both 1950), paid over time to minimize taxes

He suggested Koster widen shots to leave room in the frame for Harvey's implied presence; Koster accepted

Stewart named Elwood P. Dowd his favorite role and returned to it four more times through 1975

Stewart said Hull had the hardest job: she had to believe and not believe in Harvey simultaneously, within single scenes

◆ THE CAST

Josephine Hull won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress — her only nomination; also won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama

Peggy Dow retired from acting in 1951 to marry, making Harvey one of her final screen appearances

Cecil Kellaway: two-time Oscar nominee; brought warmth to Dr. Chumley as he gradually falls under Harvey's influence

Jesse White reprised his Broadway role as Wilson the orderly — later became the original Maytag repairman beginning in 1967

◆ ON SET & PRODUCTION

Koster gave Harvey his own chair on set and a place at the lunch table — the entire cast maintained the fiction throughout production

Harvey receives an on-screen credit: "Harvey as Himself" — during which a door slowly swings open by an unseen force

Cinematographer William Daniels had shot Greed and Ninotchka and won an Oscar for The Naked City (1948)

◆ DIALOGUE & HIDDEN DETAILS

"Well, I've wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it."

Each character's reaction to Elwood's introductions serves as a quick character test — those who humor him warmly tend to be decent

Elwood mentions Harvey can stop time; audiences tend to remember the film as longer and fuller than its 104 minutes

◆ AWARDS & RECORDS

Academy Awards: Stewart nominated for Best Actor (lost to José Ferrer, Cyrano de Bergerac); Hull won Best Supporting Actress

Golden Globes: Hull won Best Actress in a Drama; Stewart nominated for Best Actor

AFI ranked Harvey #35 on its 100 Greatest American Comedy Films list

◆ LEGACY & CULTURAL FOOTPRINT

1999: Miramax acquired rights; Universal wanted Jim Carrey, New Line wanted Adam Sandler — neither version produced

2012: Broadway revival at Studio 54 — Jim Parsons as Elwood, Jessica Hecht as Veta

1951: Dooley Wilson (Casablanca's Sam) starred as Elwood in the Negro Drama Guild production, with Butterfly McQueen as Myrtle Mae

The play has been in near-continuous performance somewhere in the world since 1944

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Cindy and Marty chat about a gothic-style thriller The Spiral Staircase.

◆ THE SOURCE MATERIAL

- Based on Ethel Lina White’s 1933 novel Some Must Watch; major changes include mute heroine, new setting, and added spiral staircase (inspired by Mary Roberts Rinehart).

- Originated with David O. Selznick (planned Ingrid Bergman); sold to RKO to finance Duel in the Sun (1946); retained profit share and gifted Dorothy McGuire a convertible.

- Screenplay by Mel Dinelli (first produced work); early title: The Silence of Helen McCord.

◆ SIODMAK, MUSURACA, AND THE CAMERA

- Director Robert Siodmak, German émigré, followed with The Killers (1946); key noir figure.

- Cinematographer Nicholas Musuraca used shadows/low angles for a chiaroscuro look.

- Killer shown only via eye close-ups—actually Siodmak’s own eyes, uncredited.

- Dorothy McGuire was accidentally locked in a basement set during filming (~20 minutes).

◆ CASTING NOTES

- Joan Crawford sought the lead but was blocked by MGM’s Louis B. Mayer.

- George Brent appears only 21 minutes into the 84-minute film (intentional misdirection).

- Cast included Ethel Barrymore (Oscar winner) and nominees McGuire, Lanchester, Allgood; Ellen Corby uncredited.

- Rhonda Fleming wrongly claimed an Oscar nomination; actual nomination went to Barrymore.

◆ THE SILENT FILM WITHIN THE FILM

- Opening clip: D.W. Griffith’s The Sands of Dee (1912), reinforcing silence themes.

- Scholars view the film as an allegory for the transition from silent to sound cinema.

◆ CONTEXT, LEGACY, AND ADAPTATIONS

- Villain’s ideology echoes Nazi eugenics; powerful in 1946 postwar context.

- Considered a precursor to the slasher genre (female focus, POV stalking, Gothic isolation).

- Nominated for AFI’s 2001 “most heart-pounding” films list.

- Radio adaptations aired in 1947 and 1949 with original cast members.

- Remade in 1961, 1975, and 2000; none matched the original’s reputation.

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Marty and Cindy review the great film noir classic.

Film Overview

Title: The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Director: John Huston | Screenplay: John Huston (based on Dashiell Hammett's 1930 novel)

Stars: Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade | Mary Astor as Brigid O'Shaughnessy | Peter Lorre as Joel Cairo | Sydney Greenstreet as Kasper Gutman

Supporting Cast: Gladys George, Barton MacLane, Lee Patrick, Ward Bond, Jerome Cowan, Elisha Cook Jr., Walter Huston (uncredited cameo)

Cinematography: Arthur Edeson | Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

Budget: $375,000 | Box Office: $1.8 million | Running Time: 101 minutes

Release: October 3, 1941 (NYC); October 18, 1941 (wide)

Production & Behind the Scenes

The third film adaptation of Hammett's novel; the first was in 1931, the second a loose version titled Satan Met a Lady (1936) starring Bette Davis.

Huston storyboarded every scene with shot-by-shot instructions. Not one line of dialogue was changed in the final edit.

Given six weeks and $375,000, Huston finished two days early and $54,000 under budget.

The climactic confrontation runs nearly 20 minutes — one-fifth of the film — and took over a week to shoot.

Producer Henry Blanke's advice to Huston: "Shoot each scene as if it was the most important scene in the film."

The Cast

Sydney Greenstreet's film debut at age 60. His wardrobe and a chair for the hotel room scene had to be custom-built.

George Raft turned down Sam Spade, reportedly unwilling to stake his career on a first-time director. Bogart was cast after Warner Bros. lifted his suspension.

The role of Brigid was first offered to Geraldine Fitzgerald; others considered included Ingrid Bergman, Rita Hayworth, and Olivia de Havilland. Mary Astor's real-life scandal — a public diary from a custody hearing — made her perfect for the part.

Peter Lorre was always Huston's first choice for Cairo and later called the film his personal favorite of his own work.

Walter Huston — John's father — plays Captain Jacobi in an uncredited cameo, reportedly fumbling his walk-on as a joke and forcing multiple takes.

This marks the first pairing of Greenstreet and Lorre, who would appear in nine more films together.

The Falcon Props

Eight statuettes were made — two lead, six plaster — for under $700 total.

Three originals survive, each valued at over $1 million. One, owned by Leonardo DiCaprio, appears in Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood (2019).

Screenplay & Literary Notes

Hammett's Sam Spade bears no resemblance to Bogart — in the novel he's tall, blond, and described as looking like "a blond Satan."

Spade's use of "gunsel" sailed past censors who thought it meant gunman; it's Yiddish-derived slang for a fall guy.

Effie's single word "Gardenia" upon handing Spade Cairo's card is a celebrated example of Hays Code-era queer coding.

Legacy & Recognition

Among the first films selected for the National Film Registry in its inaugural year, 1989.

Ranked #23 on AFI's 1998 list of the 100 Greatest American Movies; #31 on the 2007 update. Ranked #6 on AFI's Greatest Mystery films (2008).

Sydney Greenstreet received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor — his only Oscar nomination.

After being cast in Casablanca, Ingrid Bergman watched The Maltese Falcon repeatedly to study Bogart's technique.

A plaque at Bush and Stockton Streets in San Francisco marks where Miles Archer was shot — described by tourism officials as the only city marker commemorating a fictional event.

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Cindy and Marty talk about High Society, a musical pairing of Sinatra and Crosby with Grace Kelly .

Title: High Society (1956)

Director: Charles Walters

Screenplay: John Patrick (based on The Philadelphia Story, 1939 play by Philip Barry)

Stars: Bing Crosby as C.K. Dexter Haven | Grace Kelly as Tracy Samantha Lord | Frank Sinatra as Macaulay “Mike” Connor

Supporting Cast: Celeste Holm, John Lund, Louis Calhern, Louis Armstrong and His Band

Cinematography: Paul C. Vogel

Music: Cole Porter (original score) | Orchestrations: Conrad Salinger & Nelson Riddle | Conducted by Johnny Green

Production & Behind the Scenes

• High Society is a musical remake of The Philadelphia Story, based on Philip Barry’s 1939 play.

• The setting shifted to Newport, Rhode Island, to showcase the early Newport Jazz Festival.

• Filmed in VistaVision and Technicolor for MGM; budgeted at $2.8 million and earned $8.2 million.

• Producer Sol C. Siegel paid Cole Porter $250,000 for his first original film score in eight years.

• Arrangements were handled by Conrad Salinger and Nelson Riddle under conductor Johnny Green.

• Elizabeth Taylor was first considered for Tracy Lord before the role went to Grace Kelly.

• The mansion exterior later became infamous as the Claus von Bülow estate tied to the events dramatized in Reversal of Fortune.

• Another 1955 film titled High Society was mistakenly Oscar-nominated before the error was corrected.

• The opening mansion is the Kirkeby Mansion in Los Angeles, later famous as the Clampett home on The Beverly Hillbillies.

The Cast

• This was Grace Kelly’s final film, released shortly after her marriage to Prince Rainier III.

• Kelly wore her real Cartier engagement ring from Rainier during filming.

• Kelly was 26 during production; Frank Sinatra was 40 and Bing Crosby was 53.

• The principal cast included four Oscar winners: Kelly, Sinatra, Crosby, and Celeste Holm.

• Louis Calhern died shortly after filming, making this his final screen appearance.

• Kelly and Crosby had previously starred together in The Country Girl.

• As of 2026, Lydia Reed is the film’s only surviving credited cast member.

Music & Cole Porter

• Sinatra joined the project largely because Crosby had been his childhood idol.

• “Well, Did You Evah?” was added late and reused from Porter’s 1939 musical DuBarry Was a Lady.

• “True Love,” sung by Crosby and Kelly, became a million-selling platinum hit — likely the only platinum record credited to a reigning princess.

• Kelly sang her own vocals despite early dubbing plans.

• “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” later inspired the title of the global TV franchise launched in 1999.

• “Now You Has Jazz” features Crosby introducing each member of Louis Armstrong’s band individually.

Legacy & Connections

• In 2025, High Society was added to the Library of Congress National Film Registry.

• The film appears in 1,001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.

• The sailboat “True Love” still operates as a tour boat on Seneca Lake, New York.

• The Newport Jazz Festival was only two years old when the film was made and was still defining its identity amid class and cultural tensions.

• During “Well, Did You Evah?” Crosby’s character reads Touring Topics, predecessor to Westways magazine.

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Marty and Cindy converse about the male urge for infidelity after seven years of marriage as depicted in The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Title: The Seven Year Itch (1955)

Director: Billy Wilder

Screenplay: George Axelrod & Billy Wilder (based on Axelrod's 1952 Broadway play)

Stars: Marilyn Monroe as The Girl | Tom Ewell as Richard Sherman

Supporting Cast: Evelyn Keyes, Sonny Tufts, Oscar Homolka, Robert Strauss, Carolyn Jones

Cinematography: Milton R. Krasner

Music: Alfred Newman (with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 featured prominently)

Studio: 20th Century-Fox (the only Fox film Wilder ever made)

Budget: $1.8 million | Box Office: approximately $12 million

Running Time: 105 minutes

Release: June 3, 1955 (New York City); June 17, 1955 (Los Angeles)

Production & Behind the Scenes

Monroe's Fox contract required all her films in color. She believed she looked more glamorous on color film.

Ewell won the 1953 Tony Award for Actor in a Drama. He played Richard Sherman 730 times on Broadway before reprising the role on film.

Gary Cooper, James Stewart, and William Holden were all considered. Wilder screen-tested Walter Matthau but Fox wouldn't risk an unknown.

Marilyn Monroe. No one else was ever considered for The Girl.

Monroe agreed to appear in There's No Business Like Show Business (1954) before Fox would release her for this film.

George Cukor was the original choice to direct. When he passed, Wilder took it — his only Fox film.

Saul Bass created the animated title sequence — his only work for a Wilder film.

The dress sold for $4.6 million ($5.5 million with fees), topping the previous record of $923,000 set by Audrey Hepburn's dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's.

The New York premiere was June 1, 1955 — Monroe's 29th birthday.

Joe DiMaggio was on set and reportedly furious at the attention Monroe received. Wilder had deliberately invited the press for publicity.

The Film Itself: Plot, Censorship & Details

The original Pennsylvania Station (demolished 1963) and the IRT Third Avenue elevated line both appear — the elevated line closed just three weeks before the film premiered.

Brief Encounter (1945, David Lean) also used Rachmaninoff's Concerto No. 2. Wilder often called it his favorite film of all time.

In the play, Sherman and The Girl actually have sex. The Hays Code reduced this to suggestion — three kisses only. Axelrod complained it gutted the third act.

Bell Brand Potato Chips — slogan: 'If It's Bell, It's Swell!' The film made them nationally famous; they operated until 1995.

In the Broadway production, Ewell's character sarcastically says '...and I've got Marilyn Monroe in the kitchen.' The film kept the line — where he actually does.

Carolyn Jones (Nurse Finch) later played Morticia Addams in the original Addams Family TV series (1964).

The visible theater marquee showed Creature from the Black Lagoon, but the front still listed Lili (1953). The contradicting marquee photo was kept in Fox's photo department for decades.

Captain Video and His Video Rangers (1949). Despite huge popularity, tapes were wiped around 1970 — only eight complete episodes survive.

Ranked #51 on the AFI's 2000 list of the Top 100 Funniest American Movies.

Victor Moore (the Plumber) and Donald MacBride (Mr. Brady) both made their final film appearances here.

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Cindy and Marty talk about a favorite childhood movie and Marty remembers Black and White scotch

THE FILM - Father Goose (1964)

Director: Ralph Nelson  | Screenplay: Peter Stone & Frank Tarloff

Based on the short story “A Place of Dragons” by S.H. Barnett

Stars: Cary Grant as Walter Eckland  |  Leslie Caron as Catherine Freneau  |  Trevor Howard as Commander Houghton

Cinematography: Charles Lang  | Music: Cy Coleman  |  Runtime: 118 min

Box Office: $12.5 million  | Released: December 1964

February 1942. Commander Houghton of the Royal Australian Navy coerces Walter Eckland — a whisky-soaked American beachcomber who wants nothing to do with the war — into manning a remote Pacific coast-watching post, using his beloved boat and strategically hidden Scotch as leverage. Eckland’s plan for solitary, unkempt peace unravels when a rescue mission strands prim French schoolteacher Catherine Freneau and her seven young charges on his island. Two people who couldn’t be more unlike, trapped with nowhere to go.

Grant Against Type

Cary Grant was Hollywood’s most reliably polished star — here he plays an unshaven, hard-drinking recluse who resents being disturbed. He later said Eckland was the role closest to his real personality. Does it show on screen? Is there something in Walter that reads as more relaxed, more genuine than his formal-suit roles?

The Comedy of Incompatibility

The central engine is two people who couldn’t tolerate each other falling in love anyway. Does the film earn that arc? Commander Houghton’s incredulous radio call — “Goody Two-Shoes and the Filthy Beast?” — may be the most efficient summary of the whole film.

The Seven Girls

Director Ralph Nelson deliberately avoided casting professional child actors. Only one of the seven had any prior experience.

Trevor Howard by Radio

Howard’s character communicates almost entirely by radio — heard more than seen, playing straight man to Grant’s chaos from a distance. He credited the environment Grant created on set with producing some of his best comedy work.

The Late Grant

Father Goose was Grant’s penultimate film. He made one more (Walk Don’t Run, 1966) and retired.  

The schoolgirls don’t exist in Barnett’s original story — they were invented by screenwriter Frank Tarloff, who initially dismissed the project as “a poor man’s African Queen.”

Grant turned down the role of Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady to make this. He tried to cast his Charade co-star Audrey Hepburn as Catherine — she was already committed to My Fair Lady.

When Peter Stone accepted the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, he said: “Thank you to Cary Grant, who keeps winning these things for other people.”

The theme song “Pass Me By” (music: Cy Coleman / lyrics: Carolyn Leigh) became a hit after release and was later recorded by Peggy Lee and Frank Sinatra.

Awards: Won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay (37th Academy Awards, 1965). Also nominated forBest Film Editing and Best Sound. Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy.

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SYNOPSISDISCUSSIONTRIVIA