TCM Schedule for Saturday, February 8, 2014 -- 31 Days of Oscar: 1949 Best Picture Nominees

It's a day full of Best Picture nominees, with an evening of the Best Picture nominees of 1949, including Battleground, The Heiress, A Letter To Three Wives, and Twelve O'clock High, and winner All The King's Men. Enjoy!



7:00 AM -- The Long Voyage Home (1940)
A merchant ship's crew tries to survive the loneliness of the sea and the coming of war.
Dir: John Ford
Cast: John Wayne, Thomas Mitchell, Ian Hunter
BW-106 mins, TV-G, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Screenplay -- Dudley Nichols, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Gregg Toland, Best Film Editing -- Sherman Todd, Best Effects, Special Effects -- R.T. Layton (photographic), Ray Binger (photographic) and Thomas T. Moulton (sound), Best Music, Original Score -- Richard Hageman, and Best Picture

John Wayne was asked by director John Ford to play the part of Ole Olson, who was Swedish. Wayne wasn't sure he could pull off the Swedish accent and was worried that the audience would laugh. Ford persuaded him to take the role. Wayne was instructed by Danish actress Osa Massen. John Ford later complimented Wayne on his handling of the accent.


8:46 AM -- You Can't Win (1948)
In this comedic short, a series of mishaps happen to a homeowner while he takes a day off from the office.
Dir: Dave O'Brien
Cast: Dave O'Brien,
BW-8 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-reel -- Pete Smith


9:00 AM -- Crossfire (1947)
A crusading district attorney investigates the murder of a Jewish man.
Dir: Edward Dmytryk
Cast: Robert Young, Robert Mitchum, Robert Ryan
BW-86 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Robert Ryan, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Gloria Grahame, Best Director -- Edward Dmytryk, Best Writing, Screenplay -- John Paxton, and Best Picture

Despite receiving an Academy Award nomination, Robert Ryan rarely talked about his breakthrough role, because he wasn't too happy about the negative aspects of his character, who was a murderous, anti-Semitic psychopath. In real life, Ryan was a committed liberal progressive who detested any forms of bigotry.


10:30 AM -- The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Hard-boiled detective Sam Spade gets caught up in the murderous search for a priceless statue.
Dir: John Huston
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Gladys George
BW-100 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Sydney Greenstreet, Best Writing, Screenplay -- John Huston, and Best Picture

George Raft was originally cast as Sam Spade. He allegedly turned it down because it was "not an important picture," taking advantage of a clause in his contract that said he did not have to work on remakes. However, according to the author John McCarty, author of The Films of John Huston, in an ICONS Radio interview (10-07-07) the real reason Raft bowed out was because a successful screenwriter, John Huston, was going to direct his first movie. Raft didn't want to trust his part to this neophyte director.


12:15 PM -- How the West Was Won (1962)
Three generations of pioneers take part in the forging of the American West.
Dir: John Ford
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Carroll Baker, Lee J. Cobb
C-165 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format

Won Oscars for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay - Written Directly for the Screen -- James R. Webb, Best Sound -- Franklin Milton (M-G-M SSD), and Best Film Editing -- Harold F. Kress

Nominated for Oscars for Best Cinematography, Color -- William H. Daniels, Milton R. Krasner, Charles Lang and Joseph LaShelle, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color -- George W. Davis, William Ferrari, Addison Hehr, Henry Grace, Don Greenwood Jr. and Jack Mills, Best Costume Design, Color -- Walter Plunkett, Best Music, Score - Substantially Original -- Alfred Newman and Ken Darby, and Best Picture

James Stewart offered to play his own dead body in the Civil War story but was refused by John Ford who instead used a double who bore no resemblance to Stewart. When George Peppard imitates Stewart's voice during the grizzly bear reminiscence story he was reprimanded by Ford but yelled back that he wanted the audience to remember that Stewart played his father.


3:15 PM -- Mister Roberts (1955)
A naval officer longing for active duty clashes with his vainglorious captain.
Dir: John Ford
Cast: Henry Fonda, James Cagney, William Powell
C-121 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Jack Lemmon

Nominated for Oscars Best Sound, Recording -- William A. Mueller (Warner Bros.), and Best Picture

Although he played the part of Lt. (j.g.) Doug Roberts on Broadway, Henry Fonda was not the first choice to recreate the role for the film version (the producers felt the 50-year-old Fonda too old to play the role). The producers first wanted Marlon Brando, but he was committed to another project at the time and could not get out of it. Then they turned to Tyrone Power. However, director John Ford insisted on Fonda; they had made several successful films together and Ford said that he would not direct the film without him. Since the producers needed the director with six Academy Awards to helm the film, they gave in. Ironically, once filming began, Ford and Fonda saw eye to eye on almost nothing. Fonda had played the character on Broadway for two years and felt he knew the character inside out. Ford had other ideas, and on his set you saw things his way or you saw the door. Things came to a head when, during a meeting which the producers called with Fonda and Ford to clear the air, Ford sucker-punched Fonda. Ford left the production soon after (Ford's war-related health reasons were given as the official explanation). Mervyn LeRoy, and later Joshua Logan--the director of the Broadway play--took over directing duties and finished the film. The decision was made to keep Ford's and LeRoy's name in the final credits.


5:30 PM -- Auntie Mame (1958)
An eccentric heiress raises her nephew to be a free spirit.
Dir: Morton DaCosta
Cast: Rosalind Russell, Forrest Tucker, Coral Browne
C-143 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Rosalind Russell, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Peggy Cass, Best Cinematography, Color -- Harry Stradling Sr., Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White or Color -- Malcolm C. Bert and George James Hopkins, Best Film Editing -- William H. Ziegler, and Best Picture

The stage play "Auntie Mame" opened at the Broadhurst Theater in New York on October 31, 1956 and ran for 639 performances. Rosalind Russell, Yuki Shimoda, Jan Handzlik, and Peggy Cass were in the original cast and reprise their roles in the film. Rosalind Russell was nominated for the 1957 Tony Award (New York City) for Actress in a Drama for "Auntie Mame" and Peggy Cass won the 1957 Tony Award (New York City) for Best Featured Actress in a Drama.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: 31 DAYS OF OSCAR: 1949 BEST PICTURE NOMINEES



8:00 PM -- The Heiress (1949)
A plain young woman's money makes her prey to fortune hunters.
Dir: William Wyler
Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson
BW-115 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Olivia de Havilland, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- John Meehan, Harry Horner and Emile Kuri, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Edith Head and Gile Steele, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Aaron Copland

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Ralph Richardson, Best Director -- William Wyler, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Leo Tover, and Best Picture

Olivia de Havilland wisely chose William Wyler as her director, considering that such a meticulous director would be able to coax a strong performance from her. As it turned out, Wyler became a staunch supporter of his leading actress, particularly in regard to the sneering attitude that Montgomery Clift displayed toward her (he didn't value her talents as an actress) and Ralph Richardson taking every opportunity to steal scenes from under her nose with his improvisations.


10:00 PM -- All the King's Men (1949)
A backwoods politician rises to the top only to become corrupted.
Dir: Robert Rossen
Cast: Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Joanne Dru
BW-110 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Broderick Crawford, Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Mercedes McCambridge, and Best Picture

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- John Ireland, Best Director -- Robert Rossen, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Robert Rossen, and Best Film Editing -- Robert Parrish and Al Clark

Mercedes McCambridge was cast after she got angry with the producers. She and other actresses were kept waiting in an office in New York City during open auditions. McCambridge told the producers off and stormed out of the office. They called her back and eventually cast her because she fit the part of Sadie.


12:00 AM -- Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
The head of a World War II bomber squadron cracks under the pressure.
Dir: Henry King
Cast: Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill
BW-132 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Dean Jagger, and Best Sound, Recording

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Leading Role -- Gregory Peck, and Best Picture

This film is used by the U.S. Navy as an example of leadership styles in its Leadership and Management Training School. The Air Force's College for Enlisted Professional Military Education also uses this film as a education aid in its Noncommissioned Officer Academies. The film has also been used for leadership training in civilian non-military seminars.


2:17 AM -- Water Trix (1948)
In this short film, photographer Charles T. Trego films water skiers perform various tricks.
Dir: Charles T. Trego
BW-9 mins,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-reel -- Pete Smith


2:30 AM -- A Letter to Three Wives (1948)
A small-town seductress notifies her three best friends that she has run off with one of their husbands.
Dir: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Cast: Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern
BW-103 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Director -- Joseph L. Mankiewicz, Best Writing, Screenplay -- Joseph L. Mankiewicz

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture

This film was based on John Klempner's novel, "A Letter to Five Wives." At one point the film was called "A Letter to Four Wives". Upon submitting the adapted screenplay to 20th Century-Fox chief Darryl F. Zanuck, Joseph L. Mankiewicz mentioned that he found it too long and asked how he felt the movie could be shortened. "Take out one of the wives," Zanuck replied. Originally, the movie would have featured Anne Baxter as the fourth wife. Zanuck didn't feel Baxter's segment was as strong as the other three, so that one was cut.


4:18 AM -- Now You See It (1947)
This short film demonstrates the use of micro- and macrophotography, providing several examples.
Dir: Richard L. Cassell
C-9 mins,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-reel -- Pete Smith


4:30 AM -- Battleground (1949)
American soldiers in France fight to survive a Nazi siege just before the Battle of the Bulge.
Dir: William Wellman
Cast: Van Johnson, John Hodiak, Ricardo Montalban
BW-119 mins, TV-PG, CC,

Won Oscars for Best Writing, Story and Screenplay -- Robert Pirosh, and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Paul Vogel

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- James Whitmore, Best Director -- William A. Wellman, Best Film Editing -- John D. Dunning, and Best Picture

James Whitmore took over the role of Sgt. Kinnie after James Mitchell was fired for moving too much like a dancer and not enough like a drill sergeant.