TCM Schedule for Thursday, September 1, 2016 -- What's On Tonight - Preston Sturges

During the morning hours, TCM is showcasing the films of character actress Mary Treen. As IMDB says, "Mary began dancing in vaudeville shows and revues before seeking her fame in the movies. Tall (5'9&quot and stringy-framed, she formed a musical comedy duo with Marjorie Barnett, who was 5'3", billing themselves as "Treen and Barnett: Two Unsophisticated Vassar Co-eds." Much of their comedy was centered around their difference in height. Not a beauty by Hollywood standards, Mary relied on humor to get attention. In 1934, Warner Brothers signed her up after seeing her in a local play. After three years, she freelanced. Her scores of pudgy-cheeked nurses, waitresses, career girls, wallflowers and confidantes enhanced many a comedy or, at the very least, offered a brief respite in a heavier drama. In the long run, however she deserved better. A few of Mary's highlights would include the films Kentucky Moonshine (1938), I Love a Soldier (1944) (the role was written especially for her), Don Juan Quilligan (1945), and the Christmas classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946) (as James Stewart's cousin Tilly). In later years both Jerry Lewis and Elvis Presley utilized her talents in their movie vehicles."

In the afternoon, it's films directed by Sidney Salkow, American director of second features, the son of a tailor. Many of his films were competent, but routine westerns, war films and crime melodramas. He first worked for Republic, joining Universal between 1936 and 1938. At Columbia (1940-43, 1947, and 1952-53), he handled, among other assignments, four instalments of the popular Lone Wolf series. After 1953, Salkow was primarily active as director of episodic television.

Then in primetime, we've got a selection of the films of writer/director Preston Sturges. His are classic comedies that should be a part of everyone's film knowledge. Enjoy!

(And my apologies for posting late -- real life got in the way!)



6:00 AM -- HOLLYWOOD MY HOMETOWN (1965)
In this special, Ken Murray hosts his own behind-the-scenes home movies of some of Hollywood's greatest stars.
BW-53 mins, CC,


7:00 AM -- A NIGHT AT THE RITZ (1935)
A publicist doesn't know that his famous chef client can't cook.
Dir: William McGann
Cast: William Gargan, Patricia Ellis, Allen Jenkins
BW-62 mins,

Based on a story by Albert J. Cohen and Robert T. Shannon


8:15 AM -- TRAVELING SALESLADY (1935)
A toothpaste tycoon's daughter joins his rival to teach him a lesson.
Dir: Ray Enright
Cast: Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell, William Gargan
BW-63 mins, CC,

At about 38 and a half minutes into the movie, while Angela Twitchell and her mother are talking in the bedroom, her father's shadow can be seen standing outside the door for more than 15 seconds before he actually enters the room. This means that he should have heard their discussion, thus learning that his daughter is the saleswoman for the competition.


9:30 AM -- BRIDES ARE LIKE THAT (1936)
A young man uses flattery to beat out a romantic rival.
Dir: William McGann
Cast: Ross Alexander, Anita Louise, Joseph Cawthorn
BW-67 mins, CC,

The play "Applesauce" opened in New York on 28 September 1925.


10:45 AM -- LOVE BEGINS AT TWENTY (1936)
A henpecked husband tries to help his daughter marry the man she loves and his wife loathes.
Dir: Frank McDonald
Cast: Hugh Herbert, Warren Hull, Patricia Ellis
BW-58 mins,

The play originally opened in New York on 5 November 1929 and ran for 178 performances. Bette Davis (in her theatrical debut) and Donald Meek were in the cast.


11:45 AM -- MURDER BY AN ARISTOCRAT (1936)
A blackmailer's murder tears apart a well-off family.
Dir: Frank McDonald
Cast: Lyle Talbot, Marguerite Churchill, Claire Dodd
BW-60 mins, CC,

Filming began with Margaret Lindsay cast as Sally Keating. Lindsay left the project for personal reasons.


12:50 PM -- MODERN GUATEMALA CITY (1945)
This short film takes the viewer to Guatemala City, focusing on the sights, customs, and history.
C-8 mins,


1:00 PM -- SHE WOULDN'T SAY YES (1945)
A female psychiatrist who's sworn off love falls for a handsome veteran.
Dir: Alexander Hall
Cast: Rosalind Russell, Lee Bowman, Adele Jergens
BW-86 mins, CC,

Screen debut of Darren McGavin (age 23)


2:30 PM -- THE LONE WOLF STRIKES (1940)
A reformed jewel thief helps an heiress retrieve a stolen necklace.
Dir: Sidney Salkow
Cast: Warren William, Joan Perry, Eric Blore
BW-67 mins,

Although the credits specify the story was based on a "work" by Louis Joseph Vance, no such work has been found. Only some of the characters in his novels were used in this story.


3:45 PM -- FLIGHT LIEUTENANT (1942)
A disgraced pilot sets out to regain his son's respect.
Dir: Sidney Salkow
Cast: Pat O'Brien, Glenn Ford, Evelyn Keyes
BW-80 mins,

Based on a story by Richard Carroll and Betty Hopkins.


5:15 PM -- GUN BROTHERS (1956)
Two brothers end up on opposite sides of the law in the old West.
Dir: Sidney Salkow
Cast: Buster Crabbe, Ann Robinson, Neville Brand
BW-79 mins,

Most of the characters are fictional, but Luther Yellowstone Kelly (1849-1928) was a real well-known trapper and Indian scout in Wyoming.


6:45 PM -- GUN DUEL IN DURANGO (1957)
A reformed outlaw takes on his old gang.
Dir: Sidney Salkow
Cast: George Montgomery, Ann Robinson, Steve Brodie
BW-74 mins,

In 1957, United Artists released this as a double feature with Chicago Confidential (1957).



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: PRESTON STURGES



8:00 PM -- THE LADY EVE (1941)
A lady cardsharp tries to con an eccentric scientist only to fall for him.
Dir: Preston Sturges
Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn
BW-94 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Story -- Monckton Hoffe

In 1939, Preston Sturges consulted with producer Albert Lewin about his early script and, among several criticisms, Lewin responded that he felt that "the first two-thirds of the script, in spite of the high quality of your jokes, will require an almost one hundred percent rewrite." Lewin reasoned that the sequences showing "Charles" as being "inordinately fond of snakes" served no purpose and "should be ruthlessly excised." Sturges responded with a letter in which he agreed that the sequences as yet had no connection to the rest of the film, but he adamantly stood by them. In his follow-up letter, Lewin "surrender(ed) unconditionally" to Sturges's judgment, and added the following: "Follow your witty nose, my boy; it will lead you and me and Paramount to the Elysian pastures of popular entertainment."


9:45 PM -- SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS (1942)
A filmmaker masquerades as a hobo to get in touch with the little people.
Dir: Preston Sturges
Cast: Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Robert Warwick
BW-91 mins, CC,

Cinematographer John Seitz admired Preston Sturges unconventional approach to his work. The opening scene comprised ten pages of dialogue to cover about four and a half minutes of screen time. It was scheduled for two complete days of shooting. On the morning of the first day, Seitz found Sturges inspecting the set with a viewfinder, looking for where he could cut the scene and change camera set-ups. Seitz dared him to do it all in one take. Never one to refuse a dare, Sturges took him up on it, although the nervous Seitz had never attempted to complete a two-day work schedule in one day. With the endorsement of McCrea and the rest of the actors, Sturges pressed on, determined to set a record. The first take was fine, but the camera wobbled a little in the tracking shot following the men from screening room to office, so they tried again. They did two or three takes at the most and that was it - two full days work by 11 a.m. on the first day, a feat that had the entire studio buzzing.


11:20 PM -- GLIMPSES OF FLORIDA (1941)
This short film takes the viewer to several cities in the state of Florida.
Dir: James A. FitzPatrick
C-9 mins,


11:30 PM -- THE PALM BEACH STORY (1942)
To finance her husband's career, a married woman courts an eccentric millionaire.
Dir: Preston Sturges
Cast: Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor
BW-88 mins, CC,

Preston Sturges came up with the character of J.D. Hackensacker III by accident. He wanted to see My Life with Caroline (1941), but arrived at the theatre an hour early. With nothing better to do, he caught the tail end of the second feature, the low-budget musical Time Out for Rhythm (1941). Radio crooner Rudy Vallee was the male lead and though he was primarily straight man for all the film's jokes, every time he opened his mouth the audience roared. Sturges immediately created the role with Vallee in mind. Studio management fought casting the radio star, since his early pictures had been flops, but Sturges persisted. Even with the failed films in his past, Vallee still commanded a high fee because of his success on the radio.


1:05 AM -- OVER THE ANDES (1943)
This short film takes the viewer to the Andes mountains.
C-9 mins,


1:15 AM -- HAIL THE CONQUERING HERO (1944)
A group of veterans help a small-town fraud convince his family he was a war hero.
Dir: Preston Sturges
Cast: Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines, Raymond Walburn
BW-101 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay -- Preston Sturges

As the marines are leaving the Oakridge station, a billboard behind them is advertising The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944), another film by Preston Sturges.


3:07 AM -- THE TREE IN A TEST TUBE (1943)
Laurel and Hardy demonstrate the various uses of wood in this short film.
Dir: Charles McDonald
C-6 mins,


3:15 AM -- THE GREAT MCGINTY (1940)
A hobo rises to town mayor when he hooks up with a crooked political boss.
Dir: Preston Sturges
Cast: Brian Donlevy, Muriel Angelus, Akim Tamiroff
BW-82 mins, CC,

Won an Oscar for Best Writing, Original Screenplay -- Preston Sturges

On August 19, 1939, Paramount issued a check to contract writer Preston Sturges to buy the story and screenplay of this movie, in the amount of $10. Sturges promised to sell the script for that amount if he could direct. The studio took him up on it and the film was a hit and won an Academy Award for the screenplay, probably making it the cheapest Oscar-winning script in history.


4:45 AM -- SIN OF HAROLD DIDDLEBOCK (1947)
When he loses his job, a middle-aged bookkeeper goes out on the town.
Dir: Preston Sturges
Cast: Harold Lloyd, Jimmy Conlin, Raymond Walburn
BW-90 mins, CC,

Preston Sturges wrote this screenplay in order to entice Harold Lloyd out of retirement. This became the last appearance of Harold Lloyd in film.