Starring – Cary Grant (Dr. Barnaby Fulton), Ginger Rogers (Mrs. Edwina Fulton), Charles Coburn (Mr. Oliver Oxley), Marilyn Monroe (Miss Lois Laurel), Hugh Marlowe (Hank Entwhistle).
Description – Dr. Barnaby Fulton is a research scientist working on a fountain of youth pill. One day, a lab chimp happens to get loose and pours some chemicals into the water cooler without anyone noticing.
Dr. Fulton, anxious to try his new fountain of youth formula, decides to test it on himself washing it down with water from the cooler. It doesn’t take long for the formula to kick in causing the Dr. to act as if he were a twenty-year old.
Mrs. Fulton hears of the effects and also decides to try it out turning herself into a prank-pulling schoolgirl. Soon, more and more people from the laboratory drink from the cooler causing a second childhood complex with hilarious results.
Starring – Michael Rennie (Mr. Carpenter/Klaatu), Patricia Neal (Helen Benson), Hugh Marlowe (Tom Stevens), Sam Jaffe (Prof. Jacob Barnhardt).
Description – Science Fiction with a message. A poignant script backed by fine acting make up for the lower level special effects. This classic 1050′s sci-fi tells the story of a visiting alien (Klaatu) in human form who has landed in Washington, D.C. in a flying saucer.
His intentions are to warn earth regarding the potential of any nuclear war and the consequences it would have on other planets in our solar system. His an anti-nuclear warning is misunderstood and he is wounded by a nervous soldier who mistakes the gift he is carrying for a weapon.
This mistake leads to a large robot exiting the flying saucer and disintegrating all the present weapons without harming the soldiers. Klaatu stops the robot from any further harm, and is treated in a hospital until his recovery.
Remaining on earth for a while in order to observe the people, Klaatu finds that while most of the earth’s inhabitents share the peaceful wishes of the interplanatery visitor – some other’s do not. Unable to bring his message of peace to all in the world, Klaatu now must consider the use of robot’s to insure the prevention of nuclear war on earth.
NOTABLE: In 1995 this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
This year, 2008, this motion picture was selected by the American Film Institute as the 5th best Science Fiction movie ever made.
Director Robert Wise was attracted to this film due to his personal anti-military beliefs as well as his belief in UFO’s.
October, 1950 – All About Eve, written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, opened to a thundering chorus of positive reviews. With a stunning cast led by Bette Davis and including Anne Baxter, scene stealing George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, and Hugh Marlowe, All About Eve is destined to be considered one of the greatest films of Hollywood's Golden Era.
The film is a fascinating recreation of ruthless ambition in the movie industry; selfishness, backstabbing and blackmailing at their very best. All About Eve was adapted from an original story 'The Wisdom of Eve' by Mary Orr who's writing was inspired by an anecdote related to her regarding the true-life experience of actress Elisabeth Bergner.
A thoroughly engrossing and entertaining melodrama All About Eve is best described by a quote from Bette Davis' character Margo Channing, "Fasten your seatbelts; it's going to be a bumby night".
Starring – Bette Davis (Margo Channing), Anne Baxter (Eve Harrington), George Sanders (Addison Dewitt), Celeste Holm (Karen Richards), Gary Merrill (Bill Simpson), Hugh Marlowe (Lloyd Richards), Thelma Ritter (Birdie).
Description – A classic behind-the-scenes look into the world of New York theater. Ambition and betrayal are the order of the day as aspiring actress Eve Harrington worms her way into the life of aging star Margo Channing.
Hired by Margo as her personnal assistant, Eve soon begins to work her underhanded scheming to take advantage of Margo, her husband, and her friends in an effort to make herself a top Broadway star. There are no limits to what Eve is capable of, including blackmail.
NOTABLE: Universally praised, All About Eve received fourteen Academy Award nominations winnning six. Oscars won include Best Picture, Best Director (Mankiewicz), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (George Sanders), Best Writing, Screenplay, Best Costume Design, Black and White, Best Sound, Recording. The other nominations were Best Actress in a Leading Role (Davis and Baxter), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Holm and Ritter), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Music.
In 1990 this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
In 2007 the movie was ranked #28 on the American Film Institutes list of the 100 Best American Movies of All Time.
In 2003 the character of Eve Harrington was ranked #23 on AFI’s list of 50 Best Villains of American Cinema.
Contrary to popular belief, the role of Margo Channing was not based on Tallulah Bankhead.
Bette Davis credited this role with saving her career. When speaking of Director Mankiewicz in a later interview she stated, “He resurrected me from the dead.”
Previously considered only suited for comedy, Marilyn Monroe had one of her first dramatic roles in this film.
Personal Comment: Easily one of the greatest Hollywood film classics of any era. A great screenplay, great directing, great dialogue, and a great cast. This film should be mandatory viewing for all film makers.
Description – Two-bit fight promoter and hustler Harry Fabian believes he has the chance of a lifetime that will provide him with the good life. His plan is to take over professional wrestling from promoter and underworld kingpin Kristo by minipulating him through his father Gregorius, the most famous, and now retired, Greco-Roman wrestler in the world.
Harry starts his scheme by attempting to con everyone around him. With his plan in motion the unthinkable happens. Gregorius is accidently killed and the scheme quickly begins to unravel. Harry now becomes a victim of his own blind ambition and self-deception where redemption comes at a very high price.
