Vitaphone View: Talkies For The Home

Posted on May 15, 2018 by Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project

Vitaphone View: Talkies For The Home

With the silent-to-sound revolution in full swing in 1928, it was only a matter of time before talkies for home consumption were developed. Many Americans were enjoying the fruits of a vibrant and growing economy. And with that came more disposable income and buying things on credit.

Home Talkie Disc in Sleeve and LabelHome Talkie disc, disc sleeve, and label.

In movie theatres nationwide, sound films were shown in two formats: Vitaphone (sound-on-disk) and Movietone (sound-on-film). The latter format for the home would not come along until 1932 when RCA Victor introduced their optical sound 16mm projector for non-theatrical use.

By late 1928, a number of companies began offering sound-on-disk talkie systems for the home. In all cases, the system utilized a 16mm silent projector (which used only the required safety film mandated for home use) synchronized mechanically to a 16-inch phonograph turntable. Adapters to connect existing 16mm projector to talkies were also sold.

Gary Lacher Home Talkie Projector 1929Collector Gary Lacher’s 1929 home talkie projector as found in a Portland, Oregon library.

Sound-on-disk talkie systems were sold primarily by QRS (also a piano roll company), DeVry, Bell and Howell, and Home Talkie. The last named was the only company that also made their own talkie shorts for use on these systems (see ad). Customers could either rent or buy sound films. As with movie theatres, they would receive both the mute 16mm print and its accompanying 16-inch soundtrack disk. Also as for theatres, the disks were exactly the same as were used theatrically.

Home Talkie Advertisement 1929 & 1930Advertisements for DeVry home talkie setup and Home Talkie Machine Corp.

These disks systems were operated in a similar way to 35mm Vitaphone disk type projectors used in theatres. The operator would place the marked starting frame of the 16mm print in the projector’s film gate. Then the needle would be positioned at the precise starting spot on the disk, as marked by a large arrow etched into the disk’s surface near the label. As in theatres, starting the unit meant the picture and sound would begin at the exact same time and in synchronization.

Home Talkie Films and DiscsAd for available Home Talkie  films and accompanying disks, made especially for the home market.

As to the films themselves, most were supplied by three Hollywood studios: Columbia, Pathe, and Universal. It’s important to note that the releases were concurrent with those in theatres, so a film playing at the local Loews or Publix movie palace could also be seen — and heard — in a customer’s home. The majority of films were one reel cartoons and shorts. If more than one reel, as in the case of many Pathe two-reel musical and comedy shorts, the projector and turntable would have to be stopped after the first reel, and the second reel and disk cued up before the show could resume. There were even a few feature-length sound films released to the home market, such as Paris Bound (Pathe ’29) starring Frederic March and Ann Harding. But these forays into home talkie features was limited, as, in this example, the projector would have to be stopped and started seven times.

Gary Lacher Home Talkie Complete CollectionShot of Gary Lacher’s acquisition of an entire home talkie collection, including 30 films and disks and the projector and turntable unit.

While most of the sound-on-disk home talkie systems were just projectors and turntables that would be set up on a dining room table, there were more attractive set-ups too. The Visionola encased the mechanics of the system into attractive cabinets that blended with a home’s furnishings. Its lid would be lifted and the film could either be viewed on it or, with a mirror, beam it onto a wall.

Visionola Deluxe Home Cabinet Talkie SetClose up of deluxe Visionola home talkie cabinet set and turntable.

There is at least one known case of a company allowing customers to go into their local studios to make their own home talkies. There were two approaches to this. One could lip synch to an existing commercial record, and use that disk as the sound portion of their film when they later showed it in their home; or they could make their own film with the sound recorded onto wax which was then made into a shellac disk.

Visionola Home TalkieFull view of a deluxe Visionola cabinet home talkie system.

Owning and operating a home talkie system entertained both family and neighbors, as happened two decades later with the emergence of television. But ownership was not cheap. Consider the costs to a just-before-the Crash customer:

1929 Cost to 2018 Equivalent Cost

100’ Home talkie film & disk: $12.00 = $175.00

200’ Home talkie film & disk: $20.00 = $292.00

DeVry 16mm Projector & turntable: $199.00 = $2904.00

Visionola Deluxe Cabinet Unit: $330.00 = $3648.00

DeVry Home Talkie AdvertisementDeVry Home Talkie Advertisement

1929 Home Talkie Advertisement

Home Talkie Advertisement 1929.
Pathe Home Talkie System Advertisement 19291929 advertisement for a Pathe home talkie system.

These home talkies systems enjoyed moderate success but it was very short-lived. Its heyday lasted less than a year, as the stock market crash destroyed the economy and with it, disposable income. Introduced in late 1928, sales barely lasted much into 1930. Of the surviving 16mm home talkie films and disks, none are releases later than that year.

Cineart Home TalkieFrame from a 1929 Cineart home talkie for which customer could go into their studio and lip synch to a current commercial 78rpm recording.

Home talkies have great significance today in the film restoration arena. In some cases, a film’s 35mm nitrate theatrical print is long lost, but since 16mm for the home was always safety film, it may survive. Such is the case with a large cache of home talkie films, disks and even the projector/disk equipment found at a Portland, Oregon library sale c. 1992 by collector Gary Lacher. While it is unknown how the library acquired this trove of 30+ films and disks, Gary snapped them up and contacted The Vitaphone Project. Among the films were many Aesop’s Fables cartoons, Pathe musical and comedy two-reelers, and Universal sports shorts. Most important among these was a 1930 two-reel Pathe short long-considered lost, Two Plus Fours. This was a major discovery as it stars Bing Crosby and the Rhythm Boys, only recently having finished working on Universal’s King of Jazz. Eventually, a restoration and bump up to 35 mm was made by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, with funding by Crosby fan, Hugh Hefner. More recently, UCLA acquired two Home Talkie brand films and the Project assisted in locating their accompanying soundtrack disks. In the collection of Magic Castle owner Milt Larson. These starred recording artist Isabella Patricola and vaudevillian Phil Baker, respectively. Both films are now being restored by the University of California Santa Barbara.

Home Talkie Phil Baker & AccodionFrame from 1929 Home Talkie short starring comedian Phil Baker. Now being restored.

Today, this first home sound film revolution is little remembered because of its brevity. Little did the manufacturers and studios involved realize that their efforts would be paying restoration dividends nine decades later.

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– Ron Hutchinson, Founder of The Vitaphone Project, for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Ron’s Vitaphone View articles here.

Ron is widely recognized as one of the country’s foremost film historians, with special emphasis on the period covering the transition to sound (1925-30) and early attempts to add sound to film. As the founder of The Vitaphone Project, he has worked with Warner Brothers, UCLA, LOC and private collectors worldwide to find previously lost soundtrack discs and restore early sound shorts. Ron’s unique knowledge has  been sourced in over 25 books as well as documentaries for PBS and TCM, and commentary for “The Jazz Singer” DVD boxed set. He was awarded the National Society of Film Critics “Film Heritage Honor” for his work in film preservation and discoveries, and was the presenter of rare Vitaphone shorts at the 2016 TCM Film Festival. For more information you can visit the Vitaphone Project website or Facebook Group.

And, if you’re interested in exploring some of these newly discovered shorts and rarities, you can pick them up on DVD via amazon:

               

 

Posted in Posts by Ron Hutchinson, Vitaphone View | Tagged | 4 Comments

Noir Nook: The Ends of Noir

Posted on May 9, 2018 by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Noir Nook: The Ends of Noir

In my first several Noir Nook posts of this year, I focused on beginnings – how some of our favorite noir actors and actresses got their big breaks in Hollywood. This month, I’m looking at endings.

As you know, films noir are characterized by a tone of cynicism and hopelessness, of circumstances that spiral irrevocably out of control. And some of my favorites are those noirs that carry that downbeat tone straight to the end of the film – no cop-outs, no tacked-on happy endings, no rainbows at the end of the clouds. Here are a few of my favorite noirs with what I view as perfect endings (and I’m offering a fair warning if you haven’t seen these – there are major spoilers ahead!):

Double Indemnity (1944)

Double Indemnity Fred MacMurray and Barbara StanwyckBarbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity.

This feature – my favorite noir of all time, incidentally – tells the story of Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), an unhappily married housewife who uses her considerable wiles to convince her insurance salesman lover Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) to help her murder her husband. (Not that he needs all that much convincing.) After successfully knocking off Mr. Dietrichson, Phyllis and Walter don’t exactly live happily ever after. Instead, their relationship is torpedoed by their mutual mistrust and paranoia, not to mention Phyllis fooling around with her stepdaughter’s boyfriend. Ultimately, Phyllis shoots Walter, Walter shoots Phyllis, Phyllis dies on the spot, and Walter’s injury ultimately prevents his desperate attempt to take it on the lam.

Gun Crazy (1950)

Gun Crazy John Dall Peggy Cummins 1950Peggy Cummins and John Dall in Gun Crazy.

This first-rate feature centers on Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins) and Bart Tare (John Dall), two sharpshooters whose first encounter takes place at the traveling carnival where Annie works and Bart bests Annie in a shooting contest. (Talk about a meet-cute!) Before you can say “Bob’s your uncle,” the two kids get hitched, but when they lose their meager savings in Las Vegas, Annie talks her straitlaced hubby into teaming with her in a series of small-time robberies. They snag a big payday when they steal the payroll in a meat-packing plant, but they also leave two dead bodies in their wake, thanks to Laurie’s trigger-happy tendencies. On the run from a state-wide manhunt, the couple holes up at Bart’s boyhood home, but they’re tracked into the mountains and surrounded by cops. When Laurie announces her plans to shoot it out with the law, Bart shoots her, just seconds before he himself is gunned down.

The Killing (1956)

The Killing (1956) Sterling Hayden & Coleen GraySterling Hayden stars in The Killing.

In a classic case of best-laid plans going awry, The Killing depicts an intricately planned race track theft by a motley crew that includes Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden), a small-time hood and recently released ex-con; beat cop Randy Kennan (Ted de Corsia), who owes a gambling debt to some shady and none-too-patient characters; and George Peatty (Elisha Cook Jr.), a mild-mannered clerk who’s desperate to give his sexy but disdainful wife, Sherry (Marie Windsor), the lavish lifestyle he promised when they married. The heist comes off without a single hitch, but a massive monkey wrench is thrown into the plan when Sherry’s young lover (Vince Edwards) tries to rip off the cash, only to kick off a gun battle that results in the deaths of all concerned – except Johnny, who almost makes a clean getaway with the suitcase full of money, until he’s caught by police at the airport. Oh, and the suitcase falls off a baggage cart, scattering the bills to the four winds. Bummer.

What are some of your favorite noir endings?

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– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.

Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is the author of the Shadows and Satin blog, which focuses on movies and performers from the film noir and pre-Code eras, and the editor-in-chief of The Dark Pages, a bimonthly newsletter devoted to all things film noir. Karen is also the author of two books on film noir – Femme Noir: The Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. You can follow Karen on Twitter at @TheDarkPages.
If you’re interested in learning more about Karen’s books, you can read more about them on amazon here:

 

Posted in Noir Nook, Posts by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry | Tagged | 18 Comments

Classic Movie Travels: Robert Young

Posted on May 7, 2018 by Annette Bochenek

Classic Movie Travels: Robert Young – Chicago, Seattle, Pasadena, Los Angeles

Robert Young HeadshotRobert Young

The 1950s were an era in which television flourished as a competitor to film. Audiences could welcome actors into their living rooms by merely turning on the television and enjoying the latest shows. While many shows were in vogue, Father Knows Best was certainly among them, featuring actor Robert Young.

Robert George Young was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 22, 1907. His father was Irish immigrant Thomas E. Young, while his mother, Margaret Fyfe, was American. Though he was born in Chicago, by the time he turned three years old, he and his family had moved to Seattle. The family would relocate once again to Pasadena, where young attended Abraham Lincoln High School.

While attending Lincoln High School, he met his future wife Elizabeth “Betty” Henderson. She encouraged a shy Robert into trying acting at the Pasadena Community Playhouse after graduation. According to the 1926 yearbook for Lincoln High School, Robert was active in school in multiple extracurricular activities and leadership roles, including Head Yell Leader, Commissioner (Boys’ Sports), Playcrafters, carrying out one of the lead roles in Taming of the Shrew and Pals and Sherwood, as well as performing a leading role in the opera Briar Rose.

Upon his high school graduation, Robert performed at the Pasadena Playhouse. He also worked several odd jobs, including brief stints as a bank clerk and reporter. At the same time, he appeared in silent films, carrying out bit-part roles. While touring with a stock company, Robert was soon discovered by a Metro-Goldwyn Mayer talent scout and was signed to a contract. He made his film debut for MGM in the Charlie Chan film, Black Camel (1931).

Robert Young Black Camel Charlie ChanRobert Young’s film debut Black Camel

Robert soon signed a contract with MGM and appeared mostly in B movies, working on roughly six to eight films per year. Between 1931 and 1952, Robert worked on over 100 films. Moreover, he also worked with alongside several notable actresses, including Katharine Hepburn, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Luise Rainer, and Hedy Lamarr. While Robert took on whatever roles were offered to him to avoid being placed on suspension, one of his most notable roles was as Marvin Myles Ransome in H.M. Pulham, Esq. (1941).

During this time, Robert married in 1933, with whom he had four daughters: Carol, Barbara, Kathy, and Betty Lou. He and Betty would remain married for 61 years until her passing in 1994.

Once his contract with MGM came to an end, Robert appeared in a mixture of light comedies and dramas for various studios, including 20th Century Fox, United Artists, and RKO Radio Pictures. However, after 1943, Robert fulfilled roles that were more challenging, often portraying callous characters. As the 1940s continued on, however, Robert’s career began to decline. Because of the disappointing roles, he was receiving as a studio player, he decided to work independently of the studio. He was initially off to a strong start as a freelance actor and found roles as a leading man, but the films in which he appeared continued to be largely mediocre.

Robert Young 1930'sRobert Young in the 1930’s

While his career on the screen came to an end, Robert focused his efforts on the radio. However, he would find even more success on the small screen: television.
Young is best remembered for his portrayal of Jim Anderson, the family patriarch and insurance salesman in the Father Knows Best Series. The show was a sitcom that chronicled the lives of the fictitious Andersons, a middle-class family living in the Midwestern town of Springfield. The show started off as a radio series, which ran from 1949 to 1954. When the series transitioned to television, Robert continued on in the same role from 1954 to 1960. Robert’s co-star on the show was Jane Wyatt, while Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, and Lauren Chapin played their children. Both Robert and Jane earned several Emmy awards throughout the duration of the program. At the height of the show’s success, Robert grew tired of the character and left to take on new opportunities.

Robert Young Father Knows BestRobert Young as Jim Anderson in Father Knows Best.

After Father Knows Best, Robert starred in the comedy series Window on Main Street, which he also created and produced. Unfortunately, the series was short-lived and came to an end within six months. Next, Robert took on his final television series, which was Marcus Welby, M.D., for which he earned an Emmy as the best leading actor in a drama series. Afterward, he spent several years working in television commercials to advertise Sanka coffee.

While Robert portrayed happy and level-headed characters throughout his career, his personal life was quite different. Disappointed and bitter about his mediocre career in the studio system, Robert suffered greatly from depression and alcoholism. Robert was dealing with depression since 1946, and his wife was also depressed. By 1991, he attempted suicide by attaching a hose to the exhaust pipe of his car and intended to have the fumes released in the interior of the vehicle. However, Robert’s car broke down, leading him to call for a tow truck. The tow truck driver noticed the hose and called the police. Robert had been drinking and admitted that he planned to end his life. As a result, he was admitted voluntarily for a 24-hour observation period at Charter Hospital in Thousand Oaks. According to his wife, Robert had tried to form a suicide pact with her, but she did not think he was being serious.

Over the years, Robert spoke openly of his struggles with alcohol and depression. He attributes his negative feelings to the fact that he was portraying characters that were constantly content and positive, while Robert was deeply unhappy inside.
Robert passed away from respiratory failure on July 21, 1998, in his Westlake Village, California, home.

Because Robert and his family moved quite a bit during his early years, there are places of relevance to him both in his home state and beyond. According to the 1910 census, Robert and his family were living at 4730 19th Ave. NE in Seattle, Washington, when he was three years old. Here a picture of the property today:

Robert Young 4730 19th Ave. NE in Seattle, WashingtonYoung’s Residence at 4730 19th Ave. NE in Seattle, Washington.

By 1920, Robert and his family had moved to 26 S Michigan Ave. in Pasadena, California. This is what the property looks like currently:

Robert Young 26 S Michigan AveRobert Young’s Pasadena residence at 26 S Michigan Ave.

Robert’s alma mater, Abraham Lincoln High School, continues to operate as a high school. It is located at 3501 N Broadway in Los Angeles, California.

Robert Young Lincoln High SchoolRobert Young’s alma mater, Lincoln High School.

The Pasadena Playhouse, where Robert participated in live theater, continues to operate as a theater today, producing cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and also hosting community engagements. It is located at 39 S. El Molino Ave. in Pasadena, California.

Robert Young Pasadena ResidenceThe Pasadena Playhouse at 39 S. El Molino Ave. in Pasadena, California.

While many places of relevance to Robert are focused in California, his home state of Illinois does possess one building that recognizes his work towards the passage of the 708 Illinois Tax Referendum. The Referendum established a property tax in order to support mental health programs in the state of Illinois. The Robert Young Community Mental Health Center is named after Young in honor of his work. It was started in Rock Island, Illinois, but has since opened additional locations in Iowa and Illinois, as part of the Quad-City Metro Area. The original location is at 2200 3rd Ave. in Rock Island, Illinois.

The Robert Young Community Mental Health CenterThe Robert Young Community Mental Health Center at 2200 3rd Ave. in Rock Island, Illinois.

Though Robert’s life had its ups and downs, it is comforting to know that the staff at the Robert Young Community Mental Health Centers continue to assist individuals with similar struggles and provide them with the help they need.

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–Annette Bochenek for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Annette’s Classic Movie Travel articles here.

Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco SocietyMagazine.

Posted in Classic Movie Travels, Posts by Annette Bochenek | Tagged | 13 Comments

Douglas Fairbanks: The Half Breed / The Good Bad Man DVD/Blu-Ray Giveaway

Posted on May 6, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

Douglas Fairbanks Double Feature DVD/Blu-Ray Giveaway

Thanks to our fine friends at Kino Lorber, we have another cool giveaway this month…  This time, we’ll be giving away FIVE copies of a Douglas Fairbanks silent movie double feature: The Half Breed and The Good Bad Man…

In order to qualify to win one of these prizes via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, June 9 at 10PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on five different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • May 12: One Winner
  • May 19: One Winner
  • May 26: One Winner
  • June 2: One Winner
  • June 9: One Winner

We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub (or this blog, depending how you entered), the day after each winner is picked at 10PM EST  for example, we will announce our first week’s winners on Sunday May 13 at 10PM EST.

douglas fairbanks double feature the half breed and the good bad man

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, June 9 at 10PM EST— BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win “The Half-Breed / The Good Bad Man” Douglas Fairbanks double feature #Giveaway courtesy of @KinoLorber and @ClassicMovieHub contest link: http://ow.ly/Y4Jz30jRsiA

THE QUESTION:
What do you love best about Douglas Fairbanks (Sr)? And if you’re not familiar with his work, why do you want to win this double feature? 

*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

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About The Films: In an attempt to brand himself as a serious actor, the smiling swashbuckler Douglas Fairbanks starred in The Half-Breed (1916), a Western melodrama written by Anita Loos and directed with flair by Allan Dwan. Fairbanks stars as Lo Dorman, who has been ostracized from society because of his mixed ethnicity – his Native American mother was abandoned by his white father. When Lo catches the eye of the rich white debutante Nellie (Jewel Carmen), he becomes a target for the racist Sheriff Dunn (Sam De Grasse), who wants to break them up and take Nellie for his own. This love triangle becomes a quadrangle with the arrival of Teresa (Alma Rubens), who is on the run from the law. Through fire and fury Lo must decide who and what he truly loves. The Good Bad Man (1916), starring Douglas Fairbanks was directed by Allan Dwan (50 minutes). Special Features include: Amazing Tales from the Archives: Restoring The Half-Breed (1916),  Audio commentaries for The Half-Breed and The Bad Good Man by Tracey Goessel and Robert Byrne and more.

You can visit Kino Lorber on their website, on Twitter at @KinoLorber or on Facebook.

Please note that only residents of the Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible to win.

For complete rules, click here.

And if you can’t wait to win, you can click on the image below to purchase on amazon:

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Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | 23 Comments

The Maze 3D Blu-Ray Giveaway (May-June9)

Posted on May 6, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

The Maze 3D Blu-Ray Giveaway

It’s time for our next giveaway, courtesy of Kino Lorber. This time, we’ll be giving away FIVE copies of the 1953 horror classic The Maze in 3D on Blu-Ray, directed  by William Cameron Menzies…

In order to qualify to win one of these Blu-Rays via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, June 9 at 10PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on five different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • May 12: One Winner
  • May 19: One Winner
  • May 26: One Winner
  • June 2: One Winner
  • June 9: One Winner

We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub (or this blog, depending how you entered), the day after each winner is picked at 10PM EST  for example, we will announce our first week’s winners on Sunday May 13 at 10PM EST.

the maze 3d kino blu ray

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, June 9 at 10PM EST— BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win “The Maze” 1953 horror classic 3D Blu-Ray #Giveaway courtesy of @KinoLorber and @ClassicMovieHub contest link: http://ow.ly/TNu730jRrLp

THE QUESTION:
Why do you want to win this Blu-ray? 

*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

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the maze 1953 horror film

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About The Film: Newly Restored in 3-D by 3-D Film Archive from 4K scans by Paramount Pictures Archives! The Maze is a 1953 atmospheric horror film in 3-D, directed by William Cameron Menzies (Invaders from Mars, Things to Come) and starring Richard Carlson (The Magnetic Monster) as Scotsman Gerald MacTeam (Carlson) who abruptly breaks off his engagement to pretty Kitty Murray (Veronica Hurst) after receiving word of his uncle’s death and inheriting a mysterious castle in the Scottish Highlands. Kitty refuses to accept the broken engagement and travels with her aunt (Katherine Emery) to the castle. When they arrive, they discover that Gerald has suddenly aged and his manner has changed significantly. After a series of mysterious events occur in both the castle and the hedge maze outside, they invite a group of friends, including a doctor, to the castle, hoping they can help Gerald with whatever ails him. Menzies was known for his very dimensional style, focusing many shots in layers – The Maze was his final film as production designer and director.

You can visit Kino Lorber on their website, on Twitter at @KinoLorber or on Facebook.

Please note that only residents of the Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible to win.

For complete rules, click here.

And if you can’t wait to win, you can click on the image below to purchase on amazon :)

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Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | 45 Comments

Ziegfeld and His Follies Book Giveaway (May)

Posted on May 6, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

“Ziegfeld and His Follies: A Biography of Broadway’s Greatest Producer”
Book Giveaway

It’s time for our next book giveaway! CMH is happy to say that we will be giving away FIVE COPIES of  “Ziegfeld and His Follies: A Biography of Broadway’s Greatest Producer” by Sara and Cynthia Brideson, courtesy of University Press of Kentucky on paperback, from now through June 9.

Ziegfeld and his Follies by Sara and Cynthia Brideson

In order to qualify to win one of these prizes via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, June 9 at 9PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on five different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • May 12: One Winner
  • May 19: One Winner
  • May 26: One Winner
  • June 2: One Winner
  • June 9: One Winner

We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub, the day after each winner is picked at 10PM EST — for example, we will announce our first week’s winner on Sunday May 13 at 9PM EST on Twitter. And, please note that you don’t have to have a Twitter account to enter; just see below for the details (in which case we will contact the winner by email)…

If you want to learn more about the book, you can read our Exclusive Interview with authors Sara and Cynthia here.

Florenz Ziegfeld in 1927
Ziegfeld in 1927

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, June 9 at 9PM EST — BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:
Florenz Ziegfeld was an American Broadway impresario, probably best known for the Ziegfeld Follies, Show Boat, and as being the “glorifier of the American girl”. What comes to mind when you think of the Great Florenz Ziegfeld? 

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message*:
Just entered to win “Ziegfeld and His Follies: A Biography of Broadway’s Greatest Producer” courtesy of @KentuckyPress @ClassicMovieHub & @saraandcynthia #CMHContest link: http: http://ow.ly/rGhw30jRrcp

*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

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About the Book: In this definitive biography, authors Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson offer a comprehensive look at both the life and legacy of the famous producer. Drawing on a wide range of sources―including Ziegfield’s previously unpublished letters to his second wife, Billie Burke (who later played Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz), and to his daughter Patricia―the Bridesons shed new light on this enigmatic man. They provide a lively and well-rounded account of Ziegfeld as a father, a husband, a son, a friend, a lover, and an alternately ruthless and benevolent employer. Lavishly illustrated with over seventy-five images, this meticulously researched book presents an intimate and in-depth portrait of a figure who profoundly changed American entertainment.

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Click here for the full contest rules. 

Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

Good Luck!

And if you can’t wait to win the book, you can purchase the on amazon via the below link (click on image):

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | 31 Comments

Pre-Code Corner: “I Didn’t Know You With All Your Clothes On” – The Best of Pre-Code Warren William

Posted on May 5, 2018 by Kim Luperi

“I Didn’t Know You With All Your Clothes On”: The Best of Pre-Code Warren William

Warren William is so entrenched with the pre-Code period in my mind that it’s not surprising to learn that, aside from two appearances credited as Warren Krech in 1922 and 1923, he soared to stardom during the era—in 1931, to be exact.

The lax morality flaunted by studios throughout this time suited William well. Dapper and debonair on the outside, he easily—and frequently—tapped into a naughty sense of mischief that bubbled just below the surface. At the same time, pre-Code William habitually assumed an unaffected, albeit rigid sense of authority that bolstered his facade of bravado. Whatever the part, William could play it light and casual, cold and fearsome, or any range from coquettish to repugnant.

That said, below are some of his most damning quotes from six pre-Code pictures, accompanied by a little ethical scale, just for fun.

Employee’s Entrance (1933)

Kurt: “With your looks you shouldn’t have any trouble finding a job.”

Madeleine (Loretta Young): “Thank you, but I’d rather be employed for my brain.”

Sexual harassment: ✓✓

In Employee’s Entrance, William plays the type of predatory boss whose reputation would topple over like a ton of bricks today. But during the 1930s, harassment of this level was widespread, tolerated, and even worse, basically accepted in the workplace. Regardless, William’s audacity and the casualness of his delivery stuns and lands with particular resonance today.

Employee’s Entrance ruling:

Warren William Employee's EntranceWarren William almost distrubing in Employee’s Entrace.

The Match King (1932)

Paul: “Never worry about anything ’til it happens. Then I’ll take care of it.”

This rather off-the-cuff, self-assured attitude is boilerplate William. And as occasionally occurs in pre-Codes, The Match King, based upon the career of a scheming businessman named Ivar Kreuger, meanders into some bleak territory. This is especially true regarding William’s eponymous Match King, who manipulates those around him to acquire a match empire and cultivate it under false pretenses. Of course, after his dubious practices catch up to him and he gets his heart broken, William’s Paul spirals and self-destructs in a particularly striking fashion. I don’t believe the line quoted above qualifies as prime pre-Code real estate in the broad sense, but I think it encapsulates the essence of the type of smug, brash persona William captured rather well.

 The Match King ruling:

Warren William The Match King

Warren William close to conceited in The Match King.

Under Eighteen (1931)

Raymond to Margie (Marian Marsh): “Well, why not take off your clothes and stay a while?”

A+ on the title and casting, Warner Brothers. I say casting, because the film’s star, Marian Marsh, was most likely also under the age of 18 during filming. In the movie, Marsh plays a young seamstress who yearns for something more from life while working to support her family. When she catches the eye of wealthy Raymond (William, naturally), she places her fiancé on the back burner as she contemplates trading love for money to help her sister out of a disastrous marriage. William is in the quintessential pre-Code form here—suave, bold, and frisky—but in the case of this particular line, it’s really the age factor, both onscreen and off, that tips it over the edge into a disconcerting territory.

Under Eighteen ruling:

Warren William Under Eighteen

 

 

Warren William is closer to creepy than flirty in Under Eighteen.

Beauty and the Boss (1932)

Baron Josef: “Go to the cashier’s office. Tell him to give you six months salary. And leave your telephone number with Ludwig. I’ll call you when I’m in a proper –or, rather, an improper mood.”

Ollie (Mary Doran): “You’re a darling. I’m so happy!”

There are so many issues with those two quotes that I don’t even know where to begin. Turning the tables, Beauty and the Boss finds William actively attempting to shun his female employees’ charms—at least in the office. (He’s totally cool mixing his professional and personal lives, just not during working hours.) Not only that, but William constantly admonishes these ladies’ looks and clothes as being way too seductive and distracting for him and the rest of the male species. Ugh. Of course, in an effort to dodge temptation, he endeavors to find the plainest Jane he can to be his secretary, but wouldn’t you know, she challenges his expectations and he falls for her! There’s no way around the fact that Beauty and the Boss is maddeningly demeaning, sexist, and unnervingly relevant, but I will admit that it’s just a tad amusing watching William struggle to quell his impulses and keep the ladies at bay during office hours.

Beauty and the Boss ruling:

Warren William Beauty and The Boss

William’s near shameful performance in Beauty and the Boss.

Skyscraper Souls (1932)

Dave: “They laughed at me when I said I wanted a hundred-story building. They said it wouldn’t hold together. But I had the courage and the vision and it’s mine and I own it! It goes halfway to hell and right up to heaven and it’s beautiful!”

Ruthless is a term I also associate with pre-Code William, a characteristic he perfected as a dominating entrepreneur obsessed with possessing a 100-story office building in Skyscraper Souls. William bulldozes his way to the top with his merciless, insatiable quest for money and power, but by the time he gets there, the cracks start to expose and there’s nowhere to go but down. Rapid, astonishing rises and equally swift, devastating falls were all too familiar in pre-Code dramas set in the business world, but of course, Williams’ coldblooded characterization adds an extra degenerate kick to the proceedings.

Skyscraper Souls ruling:

Warren William Skyscraper SoulsWarren William close to ferocious in Skyscraper Souls.

 Smarty (1934)

Tony: “Aren’t you afraid that I’ll start kicking you around, with my reputation?”

Bonnie (Joan Wheeler): “Well, I wish you’d start something.”

Tony: “Well, don’t embarrass me. I’ll get around to—something.”

And perhaps the worst line ever:

Vicki (Joan Blondell): “If he really loved me, he’d have hit me long ago.”

I researched Smarty‘s Production Code Administration (PCA) file before seeing the movie, and boy, what an introduction that was. Censor edits citing episodes of spousal abuse, blatantly insinuated and actual, peppered page after page, but that wasn’t the half of it: the flippant manner in which these incidents were executed (on paper, mind you) left me stunned and sickened, even for the 1930s. Dare I admit the picture’s lighter ambiance served to tone down these occurrences… but still. (In a way, that makes it even worse.) I guess once you get over, or at least cautiously accept the occasional offhand cruelty and sexism, you can be thankful for our society’s advancement when it comes to a theme like this; undoubtedly, it would be rare to see abuse bandied about so flippantly in a film today.

Smarty ruling:

Warren William Smarty

 

WTF?!…

As exhibited above, William’s pre-Code rascals run the gamut. I mean, this list starts with sexual harassment and ends with spousal abuse, for goodness sake. Regardless of the intonation his roles called for, the actor certainly committed, and for that, I bestow this final rating for pre-Code Warren William:

Warren William

 

Altogether, Warren William delivered on the pre-Code creep scale.

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–Kim Luperi for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Kim’s Pre-Code Corner articles here.

Kim Luperi is a New Jersey transplant living in sunny Los Angeles. She counts her weekly research in the Academy’s Production Code Administration files as a hobby and has written for TCM, AFI Fest, the Pre-Code Companion, MovieMaker Magazine and the American Cinematheque. You can read more of Kim’s articles at I See A Dark Theater or by following her on twitter at @Kimbo3200.

Posted in Posts by Kim Luperi, Pre-Code Corner | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Looking at the Stars: Audie Murphy

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Aurora Bugallo

“Nobody likes for his life to be disrupted. But when the country calls, they need you.” – Audie Murphy

By the age of 19, Audie Murphy had won two Silver Stars and the Distinguished Service Cross. He won the Medal of Honor at that age by operating a machine gun on a burning tank destroyer waging a solo attack against German forces. Murphy, a native Texan, exhibited that kind of valor throughout his military career, a valor that garnered him every decoration that this country had to offer in addition to five commendations presented to him by France and Belgium. (History) Audie Murphy was the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II when he began his movie career. For these reasons, we look at Audie Murphy (June 20, 1925 – May 28, 1971) in May, which is National Military Appreciation Month.

Audie Murphy, America's Most Decorated Soldier, on Life Magazine in 1945

When Murphy returned home from the war in June 1945, he was greeted with parades, banquets and the cover of Life. Acting legend James Cagney was so taken by the image of the hero soldier that he called Murphy and invited him to Hollywood to begin an acting career.

Audie Murphy appeared in over 40 motion pictures. He made his film debut with a small part in John Farrow’s Beyond Glory (1948), a drama starring Alan Ladd and Donna Reed. Murphy’s first starring role came in Kurt Neumann’s Bad Boy in which he delivers a convincing portrayal of a guilt-ridden juvenile delinquent. Audie Murphy may be best remembered for the numerous Westerns he appeared in, but his most famous turn came in Jesse Hibbs To Hell and Back (1955) based on Murphy’s 1949 best-selling autobiography of the same name. He plays himself in this picture.

Audie Murphy in To Hell and Back (1955)

“Sure the exhibitors love me; I’m a two bag man! By the time I’m through shooting up all the villains, the audience has gone through two bags of popcorn each.” – Audie Murphy in 1955 after being selected the most popular western star by movie exhibitors.

As the above quote illustrates, Audie Murphy never took his acting talent seriously. He also did not like to be called a hero or to be referred to as “the most decorated soldier.” However, today we all remember him for all he excelled at and for the sacrifices he made to make the world a better place.

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Other military observances in May…

Loyalty Day – May 1

VE Day (commemorating the end of WWII in Europe) – May 8

Military Spouses Day – May 11

Armed Forces Day – May 19

Memorial Day – May 28

National Military Awareness Month was officially declared by Congress in 1999.

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Similarly themed pages…

Movies about the Civil War

Movies about the Korean War

Movies featuring the Air Force

The Navy in Movies

Movies featuring Sailors

Movies about World War I

Movies about World War II

Military Academy was a Film directed by D. Ross Lederman

Safeguarding Military Information (1942) short film directed by Preston Sturges

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Until next month,

–Aurora Bugallo for Classic Movie Hub

Aurora Bugallo is a classic film-obsessed blogger, and co-founder and co-host of the Classic Movies and More Youtube show. You can read more of Aurora’s articles at Once Upon a Screen, or you can follow her on Twitter at @CitizenScreen.

Posted in Looking at the Stars | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Kino Lorber Springtime Blu-Ray/DVD Giveaway Promotion (May via Twitter)

Posted on May 2, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

Celebrating Springtime with Kino Lorber!
DVD/Blu-Ray Giveaway, Winner’s Choice of 4 Classic Titles

This month we’re celebrating Springtime courtesy of Kino Lorber! We are happy to say that we have TEN classic DVD or Blu-Rays to giveaway on Twitter this month, winners’ choice of four titles. But please stay tuned because we’ll also be giving away TWO more DVDs/Blu-Rays via a separate Facebook/Blog giveaway this month too. That said, here we go…

since you went away, Jennifer Jones and Claudette ColbertJennifer Jones and Claudette Colbert in Since You Went Away

In order to qualify to win one of these prizes via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, June 2 at 10PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick two winners on five different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • May 5: Two Winners
  • May 12: Two Winners
  • May 19: Two Winners
  • May 26: Two Winners
  • June 2: Two Winners

We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub (or this blog, depending how you entered), the day after each winner is picked at 10PM EST — for example, we will announce our first week’s winners on Sunday June 3 at 10PM EST.

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Here are the titles up for grabs:

   

   

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Since You Went Away: Blu-Ray or DVD available. Restored Roadshow Edition! This heartwarming and soul-stirring portrait of life on the homefront during World War II is a magnificent picture that is rich in humor and poignant with heartbreak. Claudette Colbert (Midnight) heads an all-star cast, including Jennifer Jones (Portrait of Jennie), Joseph Cotten (The Farmer’s Daughter), Shirley Temple (I’ll Be Seeing You), Monty Woolley (The Bishop’s Wife), Lionel Barrymore (Duel in the Sun), Robert Walker (Strangers on a Train), Agnes Moorehead (Citizen Kane) and Hattie McDaniel (Gone with the Wind), in this beautifully produced David O. Selznick (The Paradine Case) picture that tugs at your heart. With her husband Tim off to war, Anne Hilton (Colbert) struggles to be a pillar of strength for her daughters Jane (Jones) and Bridget (Temple). During America’s darkest hours, she bravely steers her girls through heartbreak and hardships as she eagerly awaits news from overseas and wonders if life will ever be the same. Wonderfully directed by John Cromwell (Made for Each Other) and beautifully shot by Stanley Cortez (The Night of the Hunter) and Lee Garmes (Shanghai Express). This masterpiece was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Actress (Colbert), Supporting Actress (Jones), Supporting Actor (Woolley), Best Cinematography (Cortez and Garmes) and winner of Best Score by Max Steiner (Casablanca).

I’ll Be Seeing You:  Blu-Ray or DVD available. Hollywood greats Ginger Rogers (Swing Time), Joseph Cotten (The Third Man) and Shirley Temple (Since You Went Away) top a stellar cast in this tender wartime love story about two troubled strangers who long for a normal life, meet by chance and try to crowd a lifetime of love and laughter into eight days. Studded with brilliant performances, I’ll Be Seeing You manages to ambush your emotions and hasten your heartbeats. After serving half of a prison sentence for accidental manslaughter, Mary Marshall (Rogers) is allowed a holiday furlough to visit her family. Keeping her history a secret, she falls in love with a kindhearted G.I. (Cotten) who’s struggling to overcome post-traumatic stress disorder. This David O. Selznick (Duel in the Sun) holiday classic features stunning cinematography by Tony Gaudio (The Adventures of Robin Hood) in glorious black-and-white and wonderful direction by William Dieterle (Portrait of Jennie).

The Whales of August:  Blu-Ray or DVD available. Screen legends Bette Davis (All About Eve), Lillian Gish (Duel in the Sun) and Vincent Price (Tales of Terror) unite their iconic talents in this beautifully photographed, intensely emotional drama that offers unexpected and quite marvelous rewards. Libby (Davis) and Sarah (Gish) are widowed siblings who have vacationed for half a century at a seaside cottage in Maine. Now in their eighties, the sisters have unexpectedly arrived at an impasse: While Sarah embraces change and the possibility of romance with a courtly Russian suitor (Price), the stubbornly bitter Libby rages at the inevitability of death. As the summer months wane, can Libby and Sarah rediscover the powerful bonds of memory, family and love? The stellar cast includes Ann Sothern (A Letter to Three Wives) in her Oscar-nominated performance, Harry Carey Jr. (3 Godfathers), Mary Steenburgen (Melvin and Howard), Margaret Ladd (TV’s Falcon Crest) and Tisha Sterling (Coogan’s Bluff). The Whales of August features a wonderful screenplay by playwright David Berry (G.R. Point) based on his play and top-notch direction by the great Lindsay Anderson (O Lucky Man!, If….).

Driftwood:  Blu-Ray or DVD available. Brand New HD Master from a 4K Scan. The Magic of eight-year-old Jenny (Natalie Wood, Marjorie Morningstar) comes alive in this spirited, funny and immensely charming story of a lost orphan girl’s effects on the townspeople who find her. After witnessing a small plane crash, a frightened Jenny seeks comfort in the home of a small-town doctor (Dean Jagger, Rawhide). Like a whirlwind of truth, Jenny speaks her mind, questions everything and changes the lives and loves of everyone she meets until she’s stricken with a plague that threatens the whole town. Now, the Doc must discover a cure or lose her. Driftwood was produced and directed by Hollywood veteran Allan Dwan (Manhandled), who directed over 400 features and shorts from 1911 to 1961. The classic drama features stunning black-and-white cinematography by the legendary cameraman John Alton (The Crooked Way) with a wonderful cast featuring Ruth Warrick (Citizen Kane), Walter Brennan (Rio Bravo), Charlotte Greenwood (Oklahoma!), Jerome Cowan (Miracle on 34th Street), Margaret Hamilton (The Wizard of Oz) and Alan Napier (Alfred from TV’s Batman).

The Whales of August bette davis lillian gishLillian Gish and Bette Davis in The Whales of August

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, June 2 at 10PM EST— BUT remember, the sooner you enter, the more chances you have to win…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

2) Then TWEET (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win the Springtime Celebration #DVDGiveaway courtesy of @KinoLorber and @ClassicMovieHub #CMHContest link: http://ow.ly/Afux30jMNGM

THE QUESTION:
Which of the above films would you like to win and why? 

*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

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You can visit Kino Lorber on their website, on Twitter at @KinoLorber or on Facebook.

Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) entrants are eligible.

And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

For complete rules, click here.

And if you can’t wait to win any of these titles, you can click on the images below to purchase on amazon :)

 

   

   

Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged , , , , | 48 Comments

The Funny Papers: Make Love, Not War – The Sex Comedies of the Sixties

Posted on April 30, 2018 by Kellee Pratt

Make Love, Not War: The Sex Comedies of the Sixties
Doris DayDoris Day

Wedged between the cookie-cutter conformities of the fifties and the Women’s Lib movement of the funky seventies, the swinging sixties exploded into history. The film world has a way of reflecting the styles, trends and changes in our society. Romantic Comedies from the late ‘50s into the late ‘60s tapped into the changes that women and men faced in everyday life. But usually in a light-hearted, exaggerated, and often parodied way.

Women were struggling to find new identities, sometimes as single, career women or as mothers ready for progress. The younger generation embraced protests, free love, flower power, the beatnick movement, and fought for civil rights and against war. Men adapted to these changes in their own way, sometimes clinging to the traditional roles of past, sometimes embracing rapid changes, but on their own terms. Whether the challenges existed between men and women, or between parents and their teenagers, times were a changing everywhere. Movies released the tension via humor.

Some of my favorite films as a kid were those romantic comedies during this era that poked fun at the sexual revolution along with its freedoms and infidelities that challenged marriages, office workplaces, and parenting. The generation gap battles rocked families. These sex comedies tackled heavy topics and troubling times by lightening the mood and bringing a few laughs. Here is a sampling of some of my personal favorites of this specific sub-genre of Rom-Coms…

Pillow Talk (1959)

Pillow Talk (1959)Doris Day and Rock Hudson in Pillow Talk

In this romantic comedy headlined by the supremely talented Doris Day and Rock Hudson, and co-starring the fabulous Thelma Ritter  and Tony Randal, the performances excelled in classic comedy with just the right touches of slapstick. The sexual revolution was still in its infancy in the late fifties, as Hudson’s playboy image as the cad-on-the-make ushered us into the gender battlefront. Notably, Day was a gorgeous example of the single, career gal with unquestionable femininity, high fashion, and sex appeal… all in an on-screen image that was widely appealing to all audiences with just the right amount of sexual innuendo for the grown-ups. In addition to other rom-com treasures for these actors, this film marked the beginning of many more films to come over the next decade that would take a soft swing at the radical changes happening on the American home front.

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Lover Come Back (1961)

Doris Day and Rock Hudson team up again (and again with wingman, Tony Randall) to deliver a sex comedy that asserts Day firmly in the role of the single, career gal. This time, instead of creating a contentious romance via a party line and the charms of a Texan accented twin, Doris, and Rock battle as equals in business. With all the style and sexism of Mad Men, Day’s character is assumed to be a competent competitor on Madison Avenue in the man’s world of advertising. But as one might imagine, she still runs into sexist roadblocks as Hudson’s character takes creative and low-brow tactics to win over a client. In the process, he scrambles to nab an account by creating a mystery product, “VIP” and she follows the trail to reveal his unprofessional tactics. Undoubtedly the creators of the Mad Men tv series loved this film in particular, in addition to this era. As much as I enjoy Mad Men’s Peggy and Joan, they couldn’t possibly rival Doris Day as Carol Templeton. As a nice nod to women supporting other women in careers, Ann B. Davis (better known as “Alice” on Brady Bunch) portrays a much less feminine but apparently competent career woman as Day’s assistant, Millie.

Touches of slapstick are sprinkled throughout and sexist stereotypes are parodied in full force. As in Pillow Talk, we again see Rock attempt to fool Doris by means of false identity with sexist motivations only to ultimately find true love. In other words, it’s a ridiculously unrealistic and silly premise, but the formula works well and it is as charming as the best romantic comedies should be.

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Boys’ Night Out (1962)

Boys Night Out

James Garner, Howard Morris, Tony Randall and Howard Duff in Boys’ Night Out

James Garner and Kim Novak lead this silly sex comedy that centers on a bachelor pad for married men. The premise is as far-fetched as it is sexist but does so in farce fashion. Garner takes his daily train commute with his pals who all groan about their boring, repressive lives and blame their marriages. They coerce bachelor Garner to take on a cool apartment in the city, where they plan to all share for future indiscretions to counter their unhappy marriages. Surprisingly, when Garner takes on an apartment lease, it comes complete with a beautiful woman (Kim Novak) who appears to comply with this bizarre arrangement.

As you can imagine, Novak’s character brings more than they bargained for and without any actual adultery. The sex in this sex comedy, as commonly portrayed with these films, is more implied and flirty than ever actualized. The fellas get to brag about fulfilling their sexual fantasies, but it’s only bravado. This time, the formula is flipped and it’s Novak’s character that uses false identity via the guise of sexual motivations to trick Garner and his pals, only to find actual love. Don’t worry – it’s all in the name of science. Novak is the well-educated, sexy, career gal. A scientist studying sex… of the bored married man. It doesn’t have the same snappy chemistry and style as some, but this film has fun by flipping the gender roles on the same ole formula. The supporting cast is terrific and a nice array of character talent from this decade, including Tony Randall, Howard Morris, Jessie Royce Landis, Jim Backus, Fred Clark, Zsa Zsa Gabor and more.

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The Thrill Of It All (1963)

Dorris Day in The Thrill Of It AllDoris Day and James Garner in The Thrill of It All

Doris Day, as this decade’s biggest box-office attraction takes on a traditional role as a doctor’s wife and stay-at-home mom. Hunky and charming James Garner is the hubby obstetrician doctor. It’s a happy, upper-middle-class suburbanite life until Day’s character agrees to be the spokesperson for a soap company, eager for her homespun and trustworthy ad spots. That’s when the chaos and slapstick kick into high gear. Garner’s performance in this film demonstrates one of the best examples of his incredible talent in comedy. Again, Doris Day successfully embodies this emergence and transition of a housewife with the ambitions of a career woman. While some critics of the time criticized her for being too innocent and virginal for a portrayal during this era, I vehemently disagree. Day was the sexy, beautiful woman who didn’t rely on it as her only asset, mainly because her other talents – of acting, singing, and brilliance in physical comedy – were so strong, they almost overshadow her natural beauty and sexuality. Who better to serve as the American ideal during this era where housewives and moms could now be career women and sexy, too?

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Take Her, She’s Mine (1963)

Jimmy Stewart and Audrey Meadows play the parents of college-aged daughter Sandra Dee. Stewart’s character is the over-protective, worrisome dad who faces scandals and a tarnished reputation in his career as he follows his daughter around as she blossoms into an attractive young woman and explores campus life in the era of sexual revolution and flower power. A running gag is that Stewart’s character looks just like the actor Jimmy Stewart. Obviously, many clues abound that signal this film doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s a joyous romp to see the generational gaps with contrasting methods played out from old school to new school. As with many of these 60s Rom-Coms, look for familiar faces in the supporting cast. From Bob Denver to Jim Nabors to James Brolin’s first movie debut, you’ll recognize plenty of character actor gems.

Interesting trivia – this film is based on a Broadway play of the same name, written by married couple/playwrights Phoebe and Henry Ephron who based this story on their own experiences of watching their real-life daughter go off to college, who later became a famous novelist and director in her own right, Nora Ephron.

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How Sweet It Is! (1968)

In this sex comedy, James Garner and Debbie Reynolds show that mom and dad can experience a healthy love life and marriage while dealing with the woes of their teenager kid transitioning into adulthood in the era of free love. Garner is a frequently traveling photographer who wants a last chance to spend more time with his son before he’s a fully-grown man who’s left the nest for good, so both mom (Reynolds) and dad chaperone a school trip to Europe. Complications and jealousies arise when mom accidentally books her stay at a European villa that isn’t exactly part of the program. It may be dated and innocent in comparison to modern standards, but this comedy pushes boundaries in scenes that hint and suggest sex more so than a decade prior while still keeping it relatively squeaky-clean compared to the gritty realism of the real 1960’s.

Plenty of peace symbols, flower power, protest and feeling groovy montages can be found here. And Debbie Reynolds shows off her midriff several times in bikini-clad scenes that make the rest of us middle-aged moms rather green with envy.

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The Impossible Years  (1968)

The Impossible Years (1968)David Niven and Lola Albright in The Impossible Years

Probably not David Niven’s best film by a long shot, but to me, every David Niven on-screen appearance is pure gold. (And by gold, I mean that high-class, charming stuff that makes you feel wealthy just by being near it.) Here, he plays another protective dad, as his entire world is thrown into chaos when his daughter reaches a blooming age where all the boys (and men, in this case) take notice. Ironically Niven’s character is a famed University professor/psychiatrist who is supposed to be an expert in raising teenaged daughters but finds he struggles in real-life practice.

This film gets a tad edgier than the others on my list, regarding the issue of parenting free-spirited kids. His daughter is portrayed by a young Cristina Ferrare, who is pursued by several suitors, from surfers to bikers, including a sharp-looking Chad Everett. Dad Niven plays it flustered, but it’s a clear nod to the cultural shift of teens having greater control and freedoms than generations prior.

Michael Gordon directed The Impossible Years. Upon further inspection, he also directed Pillow Talk, Boy’s Night Out, Move Over, Darling, His story is an interesting one. He started out directing more gritty dramas. He was blacklisted by the HUAC in the ‘50s due to his left-leaning politics. When he found his second chance in Hollywood, he stuck to light comedies. He is also known as the grandfather of Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

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I was trying to think about what drew me to these films so much in my youth when I doubt I fully comprehended their parodies on the changing views on sex, marriage, war, and generational disparities. Because these films poked fun at the serious and very adult topics of the day but presented them in a rather G-rated fashion, I suppose I reviled in the silliness. Ultimately, this sub-genre of film during this decade was not unlike the old Looney Tunes cartoons. You can enjoy them immensely, both as a kid and as an adult, only the perspective changes when you finally get the adult jokes and references.

In addition to the films listed above, you could count on the “Gidget,” surfer, and beach films during this same era to both reflect and satirize current (and counter) culture via their own take on the sex comedy. Do you have a favorite ‘60s sex comedy?

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–Kellee Pratt for Classic Movie Hub

When not performing marketing and social media as her day gig, Kellee Pratt writes for her own classic film blog, Outspoken & Freckled (kelleepratt.com). Kellee teaches classic film courses in her college town in Kansas (Screwball Comedy this Fall). Unapologetic social butterfly, she’s an active tweetaholic/original alum for #TCMParty, member of the CMBA, Social Producer for TCM (2015, 2016), and busy mom of four kids and 3 fur babies. You can follow Kellee on twitter at @IrishJayHawk66.

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