TCM Schedule for Saturday, March 19, 2016 -- What's On Tonight: World War II Escapes

Robert Osborne and Sally Field's version of The Essentials has been delayed, due to a "production delay". In the mean time, Ben Mankiewicz is filling in during the month of March, tonight with a trio of films about World War II Escapes. If you've never seen The Great Escape (1963), tonight's your night. Enjoy!



6:15 AM -- The Giant Behemoth (1959)
A radioactive dinosaur plots a deadly path to London.
Dir: Eugene Lourie
Cast: Gene Evans, Andre Morell, John Turner
BW-80 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Lots of Beatles connections in this movie. Jessie Robbins, who played Aunt Jessie in Magical Mystery Tour, is in a scene drinking tea while the radio reports are airing. Norm Rossington, who played Norm in A Hard Day's Night, is one of the men killed in the car when the Beast tosses it into the Thames. Last, in the scenes showing a deserted London, one of the streets is the block of flats the Beatles live in at the start of Help.


7:45 AM -- The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
Nuclear tests set a dormant prehistoric monster on a path of destruction.
Dir: Eugene Lourié
Cast: Paul Christian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway
BW-80 mins, CC,

This was said to have been one of the inspirations for Tomoyuki Tanaka to go ahead and film Godzilla (1954).


9:15 AM -- The Lone Wolf Spy Hunt (1939)
A spy forces a reformed jewel thief to crack the safe where plans for an anti-aircraft gun are stored.
Dir: Peter Godfrey
Cast: Warren William, Ida Lupino, Rita Hayworth
BW-71 mins, CC,

Although the literary source of the film was the unpublished script of Columbia's The Lone Wolf's Daughter (1929), the story was so completely changed it could hardly be considered a remake.


10:30 AM -- Angels In Disguise (1949)
The Bowery Boys go undercover to expose a gang.
Dir: Jean Yarbrough
Cast: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Gabriel Dell
BW-63 mins, CC,

The fifteenth of forty-eight Bowery Boys movies.


11:47 AM -- Martin Block's Musical Merry-Go-Round #3 (1948)
In this short, radio personality Martin Block interviews Ray Noble and Buddy Clark.
C-11 mins,


12:00 PM -- Fort Apache (1948)
An experienced cavalry officer tries to keep his new, by-the-books commander from triggering an Indian war.
Dir: John Ford
Cast: John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple
BW-128 mins, CC,

First entry to John Ford's famed "Cavalry Trilogy," followed by She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) and Rio Grande (1950), though it was not originally intended as a trilogy. This second project--Ford's independent venture teaming with Merian C. Cooper--was planned to give their company, Argosy Productions, financial stability after the commercial failure of The Fugitive (1947).


2:15 PM -- Escape From Fort Bravo (1953)
The Civil War complicates the Cavalry's battle against Indians.
Dir: John Sturges
Cast: William Holden, Eleanor Parker, John Forsythe
C-99 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

William Holden did not shave his chest for his shirtless scene in this movie (as he did for most of his other "beefcake" scenes of the 1950s), thus giving audiences one of their best looks at his normally lush growth of chest hair.


4:00 PM -- Back From Eternity (1956)
When an airliner crashes in the jungle repaired plane can only hold five of the survivors.
Dir: John Farrow
Cast: Robert Ryan, Anita Ekberg, Rod Steiger
BW-97 mins, CC,

Barbara Eden's movie debut.


5:47 PM -- See Holland Before It Gets Too Big (1969)
This scenic short film showcases the landscape and culture of Holland. Vitaphone Release 3430A.
Dir: Norman Weissman
C-11 mins,


6:00 PM -- Breaking Away (1979)
Working-class teens compete with a college cycling team.
Dir: Peter Yates
Cast: Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Barbara Barrie
C-101 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen -- Steve Tesich

Nominated for Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Barbara Barrie, Best Director -- Peter Yates, Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score -- Patrick Williams, and Best Picture

The term "Cutters" heard in the film is used to represent Bloomington, Indiana townies who work cutting rock in the local limestone quarries. The production team decided to call the Bloomington townies "cutters" because they felt the actual local nickname ("stoners" or "stonies&quot would draw a parallel to drug references for viewers who were not raised in the area.


7:53 PM -- Ryan's Daughter (Featurette) (1970)
This short film provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of "Ryan's Daughter" (1970).
C-6 mins,



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: WWII ESCAPES



8:00 PM -- The Great Escape (1963)
Thrown together by the Germans group of captive Allied troublemakers plot a daring escape.
Dir: John Sturges
Cast: Robert Graf, Nigel Stock, Angus Lennie
C-172 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Film Editing -- Ferris Webster

Several cast members were actual P.O.W.s during World War II. Donald Pleasence was held in a German camp, Hannes Messemer in a Russian camp and Til Kiwe and Hans Reiser were prisoners of the Americans.


11:00 PM -- A Man Escaped (1956)
An activist is imprisoned by the Nazis, and devotes his waking hours to planning an elaborate escape.
Dir: Robert Bresson
Cast: Francois Leterrier, Charles Le Clainche, Maurice Beerblock
BW-101 mins,

Bresson insisted on complete authenticity. Original author Andre Devigny served as adviser on the film, which was actually shot in the same Montluc prison where he was incarcerated. Devigny also loaned Bresson the ropes and hooks he had used in his escape.


12:50 AM -- Just Suppose (1948)
This short film runs through various scenarios of "just suppose," such as a man having a baby!
Dir: David Barclay
Cast: Dave O'Brien, Dorothy Short, Don Brodie
BW-9 mins,


1:00 AM -- Bon Voyage (1944)
A downed British flyer is used by Nazi agents in World War II France.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: John Blythe,
BW-26 mins,

Apart from John Blythe all the other actors in this film were French, and were simply credited as "The Molière Players" in order to protect their families from the Nazis.


1:32 AM -- Traffic With The Devil (1946)
This short film looks at the increase of traffic levels and accidents in the U.S.
Dir: Gunther V. Fritsch
Cast: Gil Perkins, Ralph Montgomery, Ben Hall
BW-19 mins,


2:00 AM -- The Decline of Western Civilization, Part III (1998)
Documentary cameras capture the rebellious lives of L.A.'s gutter punks.
Dir: Penelope Spheeris
Cast: Final Conflict, Litmus Green, Naked Aggression
C-86 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

The film was originally to be titled 'The Decline In Eastern Civilization' and was to cover the Japanese heavy metal music scene.


3:30 AM -- Over the Edge (1979)
Neglected suburban teens turn to crime as an outlet.
Dir: Jonathan Kaplan
Cast: Michael Eric Kramer, Pamela Ludwig, Matt Dillon
C-95 mins, CC,

Was one of the main inspirations for Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' music video.



5:15 AM -- Tear Gas In Law Enforcement (1962)
Vintage training short film used by police to show tear gas techniques.
C-27 mins,


5:15 AM -- The Trouble Maker (1959)
In this educational short film about coping with "unruly individuals," a student attempts to cause problems for others around him.
Dir: Herk Harvey
Cast: Bret Waller,
BW-12 mins,