From the black-and-white silent screen classics of the 1920′s to the glorious color productions of the 1950′s – these were Hollywood’s greatest decades.
Explore early Hollywood film history and the wonderful Hollywood Movie Memories that were created, as this was a time when both Hollywood and its stars were their most glamorous.
Continue reading for a brief primer of each of the featured film decades, with the films suggested for viewing those that I feel offer an accurate representation of each film genre for each year during this historic period in Hollywood.
Starring – Jack Palance (Lt. Joe Costa), Eddie Albert (Capt. Erskine Cooney), Lee Marvin (Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett), Robert Strauss (Pfc. Bernstein), Richard Jaeckel (Pvt. Snowden), Buddy Ebsen (Sfc. Tolliver).
Description – Not Every Gun is Pointed at the Enemy!
Fragile Fox Company is stationed in Belgium during the close of World War II. They are commanded by Capt. Erskine Cooney, an officer better suited to stateside duty than the front lines.
His men are suffering increasing casualties, due in large part to Capt. Cooney’s lack of leadership and fear of combat. His inability to make crucial decisions regarding the support of his own troops is proving fatal.
Battle weary Lt. Joe Costa knows Cooney was given command of the unit because of his “connections,” and owes his position to Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett. Costa’s patience is running thin. The men believe in and respect Costa, but are at the mercy of Cooney’s command. As Pfc. Bernstein once put it, regarding Cooney and Bartlett, “When you salute them two, you have to apologise to your arm.”
The Battle of the Bulge is beginning and the familiar and deadly circumstances faced in the past are shaping up all over again. Lt. Col. Clyde Bartlett orders Capt. Cooney to take the town of La Nelle and hold it.
Without knowing if the town is occupied by the German’s or not, Capt. Cooney balks at the suggestion of a full attack and orders Lt. Costa to undertake a reconnaissance mission. Lt. Costa has no choice but to accept the mission, and reminds Cooney that, if needed, he had better send in reinforcements and not leave them to die.
As Lt. Costa, and a handful of his men, approach the town they come under heavy fire by the Germans. Most are killed or wounded and the remaining men take cover in a farmhouse. Costa calls Cooney for help, but the help never comes as Capt. Cooney has snapped under the pressure and started drinking.
A smart and deceptive move allows Lt. Costa and his men to escape from the farmhouse and make their way back to the base. However, things are going from bad to worse as a squad of German Panzer Tanks are enabling the German’s to slowly overrun the base.
Capt. Cooney is under fire from his superiors regarding his gutless actions as the situation becomes worse with every passing minute. As the men of Fragile Fox Company fight for their lives, the man in the most danger of all is cowardly Capt. Cooney, as Lt. Costa has come back to kill him.
NOTABLE: The U. S. Defense Department refused to provide technical assistance, tanks, troops, or uniforms for the film due to the portrayal of U. S. Military officers as being cowardly or political manipulators.
Attack was produced without the benefit of a big budget. The entire film was shot on the RKO lot in only 35 days with a modest budget of $750,000 – 850,000.
In the film, Eddie Albert plays the role of cowardly Capt. Cooney. In real life, this could not be further from the truth. Albert served heroically in World War II and is credited with braving heavy enemy fire to rescue 70 wounded Marines. Jack Palance and Lee Marvin are also veterans of the war.
Starring – David Niven (Phileas Fogg), Cantinflas (Passepartout), Shirley MacLaine (Princess Aouda), Robert Newton (Inspector Fix).
Description – It’s a wonderful world, if you’ll only take the time to go around it!
Based on the 1873 novel by Jules Verne, this is the story of English gentleman Phileas Fogg and his belief that he can travel around the world in the unheard of time of 80 days.
Fogg is a member of the Reform Club and this claim draws nothing but skepticism from the other members of the prestigious club. Fogg agrees to accept both the challenge and the very large wager (20,000 Pounds) presented to him by the other club members.
The journey will start out with a train ride and Fogg will be accompanied by his valet Passepartout. First stop, Paris.
Back in England, Fogg comes under increasing suspicion regarding the theft of 55,000 Pounds from the Bank of England. Scotland Yard assigns Inspector Fix to arrest Fogg. Meanwhile in Paris, Fogg learns of an avalanche that is blocking his intended way of travel to their next stop in Spain.
The best available option now is a hot air baloon. What follows is a constant series of adventures for our world travelers. Passepartout will find himself fighting a bull in Spain while he and Fogg wait for the use of a fast boat for the next leg of their trip.
Back in London the quest to circle the globe in record breaking time has fueled a betting obsession. Now in Bombay and gain riding the rails, Fogg and his valet are stranded on railway tracks that lead to nowhere.
A premature end to the journey? Not at all, as Fogg purchases an elephant to carry them through the jungle. The pair find themselves in a situation that requires the rescue of the young widow Princess Aouda who is sentenced to burn to death.
The adventureous journey continues with stops in Calcutta, Siam, Hong Kong, Japan, San Francisco, and the area known as the Wild West where they are attacked by Indians. They board the wrong boat for their return to London and find themselves on the way to Argentina.
To make matters worse, Fogg is about to run out of money and it seems that all will be lost when they finally come up with a plan to get them back to London in time to win the wager… thanks to an extra day provided by the International Date Line.
And, just when you think things are looking up, Fogg and Passepartout find themselves caught and arrested by Inspector Fix.
NOTABLE: Around the World in 80 Days won 5 Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Writing, Best Screenplay – Adapted, Best Cinematography, Color, Best Film Editing, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture. The film was also nominated for Best Director (Michael Anderson), Best Costume Design, Color, and Best Art Direction – Set Decoration, Color.
This motion picture includes cameo appearances by over 40 celebrities and is generally considered the film that created the “cameo role.”. In all, the cast including extras totaled 68,894 people, and 7,959 animals.
The barge used for the scene in Bangkok actually belonged to the King of Thailand who loaned it to producer Michael Todd.
Around the World in 80 Days set a new record for the number of costumes required with 74,685.
This motion picture ran for over three consecutive years at the Rivoli Theatre in New York, from 1956 to 1959.
Mexican star Cantinflas was the wealthiest film star in the world during the mid-1950′s. His scene fighting a bull was completed without a stunt double. Cantinflas had bullfighting experience and wanted to do the scene himself.
Over a dozen airlines provided service to the cast and crew. Before filming was completed a total of over 4,000,000 miles were traveled.
September, 1956 – MGM has released the biographical drama Lust for Life about famed Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. The film stars Kirk Douglas who brilliantly portrays the tormented life of van Gogh from his time in the coal-mining region of Belgium until his tragic end in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.
The psysical characteristics embodied by Douglas bring the artist back to life. So much so, that during location filming, many of the older residents of the village where van Gogh lived thought that he had actually returned.
Douglas was so immersed in this role that his wife has stated, “When he was doing Lust for Life, he came home in that red beard of Van Gogh’s, wearing those big boots, stomping around the house—it was frightening.”
Directed by Vincente Minnelli, who insisted on the actual European locations, and supported magnificently by Anthony Quinn as Paul Gauguin, who was both friend and rival to van Gogh, and JamesDonald as Theo van Gogh, Vincent’s always supportive brother.
Lust for Life captures both the passionate intensity of the artist and the tortured genius who felt that he would never be able to portray what he sees on canvas.
Starring – Kirk Douglas (Vincent van Gogh), Anthony Quinn (Paul Gauguin), James Donald (Theo van Gogh), Pamela Brown (Christine), Everett Sloane (Dr. Gachet).
Description – THE MOST REVEALING LIFE-INSPIRED STORY EVER FILMED!
Based on Irving Stone’s 1934 novel, this is the life story of Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. Many believe that one must experience failure in order to one day realize true success and the life of Vincent van Gogh is a strong testament to that belief.
His obsession with painting and his long suffering problems with mental illness made for a painful and unhappy life.
After failing as both a preacher in a coal-mining town and a social activist, van Gogh would sink into a state of depression. Coming to his aid is his devoted brother Theo who provides for Vincent’s return to Holland and the home of his father.
A new interest in drawing restores some much needed enthusiasm to his life. Around the same time his recently widowed cousin Kay comes to live with the family for the summer. Vincent enjoys her company and soon finds himself falling in love with her.
Adding to Vincent’s personal turmoil is his new belief in God. Vincent believes that the best way to serve God is through love and art and not through any type of ritual reverence. This is in stark contract to the belief’s of his father, who is a Pastor, and the tension between the two dramatically increases.
No longer able to hide his feelings toward Kay, Vincent confesses his love for her only to be rejected. While in a local bar, Vincent meets a local prostitute named Christine who is also in need of comfort and relief from her everyday life. Initially, the two get along very well and they, along with her infant son, share an apartment.
Christine provides Vincent with color paints to experiment with, and the added ability to convey his feelings on canvas with color, along with his growing feelings for Christine, provide Vincent with a new world of artistic creativity.
This period of euphoria proves to be short-lived as Vincent’s temper and lack of money cause Christine to leave him. Add to this the fact that his father dies and Vincent’s emotional roller-coaster again spirals downward.
During these many agonizing years, only his brother Theo has constantly remained at his side providing both moral and financial support.
His meeting with friend and rival Paul Gauguin, along with the artistic community, provide van Gogh with a level of respect for his art. However, van Gogh never gets along with the other artists and Gauguin, always a critic, puts a strain on even their relationship.
It has been a long, unsatisfying life for van Gogh, but his darkest days are still ahead.
He begins to suffer hallucinations and seizures that he can not control and decides to voluntarily commit himself to a mental institution. After a while, he signs himself out and, with his brother Theo’s help, returns to the countryside to paint.
Van Gogh’s fear that he is still unable to put his vision on canvas once again begin to haunt him and ultimately lead to tragedy.
NOTABLE: Lust for Life won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Anthony Quinn), and received nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Kirk Douglas), Best Writing, Best Screenplay-Adapted, and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Color.
Many of the films locations were the actual spots visited by van Gogh in his life. On one location, Director Vincente Minelli had a portion of a field spray-painted yellow to more accurately replicate its appearance on a van Gogh painting.
Starring – Nancy Kelly (Christine Penmark), Patty McCormack (Rhoda Penmark), Henry Jones (Leroy Jessup), Eileen Heckart (Hortense Daigle), Evelyn Varden (Monica Breedlove), William Hopper (Col. Kenneth Penmark).
Description – What would you do if you were cursed with “The Bad Seed”?
On the surface, life seems almost too perfect for Christine Penmark. A loving husband, a beautiful home, and a lovely daughter who was adopted by her husband. But, today is a day for separation. Col. Kenneth Penmark has said his goodbyes and must leave for military duty.
Neighbor Monica Breedlove stops by and gives a gift to the Penmark’s daughter Rhoda. A beautiful locket for which Rhoda politely thanks Monica and dances away in tap shoes on the wood floor. Monica makes notice of the tap shoes and Rhoda explains that they were her idea.
They also discuss the disappointment Rhoda suffered having lost a school penmanship medal to classmate Claude Daigle. There will be other medals to be won and Rhoda should not be too troubled by not winning this one.
After Monica leaves, Christine and Rhoda leave for a school picnic a a nearby lake. Christine drops Rhoda off at the picnic and later meets Monica and other friends for lunch. A disturbing broadcast comes across the radio with a report of a child drowning at the lake where the picnic is taking place.
Fearful that the child may be Rhoda, Christine intently listens to a follow-up report that identifies the child as Rhoda’s schoolmate Claude Daigle. Relieved that the child was not Rhoda, Christine is concerned about how the death of a classmate may traumatize Rhoda.
There turns out to be nothing to worry about as the death has caused Rhoda no concern at all.
Shortly after the incident, Rhoda’s teacher stops by the house to speak with Christine. She tells Christine that Rhoda was the last child seen with Claude on the dock and that she had been trying to grab the penmanship medal from him. During the visit, Claude’s mother arrives and, seemingly drunk, accuses Rhoda of knowing more about her son’s death than she is saying.
Later that evening, Christine finds the medal in Rhoda’s room and demands an explanation. Rhoda tells her mother that she won the medal after making a bet with Claude. Christine also witnesses Rhoda trying to dispose of her tap shoes.
While wondering why, Christine remembers that Claude Daigle’s drowned body was found to have half-moon shaped bruises on his forehead. Just the kind that would have been made by the striking of a tap shoe.
Fear now turns to terror as Christine puts together the pieces of the puzzle. Rhoda was her husbands adopted daughter, but the natural daughter of a well-known serial killer. Could the bad seed have passed?
NOTABLE: The Bad Seed received Oscar nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Nancy Kelly), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Patty McCormack), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Eileen Heckart), and Best Cinematography, Black-and-White.
The Bad Seed is based on the 1954 novel and play of the same name. However, due to the Hays Code the ending was required to be changed so as not to give the impression that “crime pays.”
Actress Rosalind Russell was considered for the role of Christine Penmark, but the studio decided to go with Nancy Kelly who played the part on Broadway and won the Tony Award for her performance.
September, 1956 – MGM has released the biographical drama Lust for Life about famed Dutch artist Vincent van Gogh. The film stars Kirk Douglas who brilliantly portrays the tormented life of van Gogh from his time in the coal-mining region of Belgium until his tragic end in Auvers-sur-Oise, France.
