James Stewart, more affectionately known as “Jimmy” to his fans, was an Oscar-winning performer who became famous for his polite, gentle screen persona, often playing the aww-shucks boy next door. Yet he also showed his range with a series of performances that found him playing against type. Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1908, Stewart earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for playing an idealistic young senator in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), which firmly established him as the patron saint of the common man. He clinched his one and only victory the very next year for “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), playing a tabloid reporter who stumbles into the marital strife of a high society couple (Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant).
After serving in WWII, Stewart returned home to play George Bailey, a businessman contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve,...
Born in 1908, Stewart earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for playing an idealistic young senator in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), which firmly established him as the patron saint of the common man. He clinched his one and only victory the very next year for “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), playing a tabloid reporter who stumbles into the marital strife of a high society couple (Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant).
After serving in WWII, Stewart returned home to play George Bailey, a businessman contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
An important thing to keep in mind when evaluating any work of art is that the audience and critical response can change a ton over the years. Such was the case with "Vertigo," the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock thriller that is now rightly recognized as one of the best films ever made, and a career-high for Hitchcock himself. It's a dark, provocative film, one with a lot of fascinating things to say about love and obsession. It's also a remarkably well-directed movie; every single cinematic choice (like filming the driving scenes so Scottie (James Stewart) is almost always driving downhill, never up) contributes to the sense that Scottie is descending towards his doom.
Still, at the time of its release, "Vertigo" received mixed reviews and had a disappointing run at the box office. Contemporary critics declared the film's big twist to be nonsensical, and Hitchcock himself seemed to agree with this, at...
Still, at the time of its release, "Vertigo" received mixed reviews and had a disappointing run at the box office. Contemporary critics declared the film's big twist to be nonsensical, and Hitchcock himself seemed to agree with this, at...
- 5/13/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Frank Capra was a three-time Oscar winner who dominated the box office throughout the 1930s with his populist fables, nicknamed “Capra-corn.” Yet how many of these titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 12 of Capra’s greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1897 in Siciliy, Italy, Capra came to the United States with his family in 1903. His work often reflected an idealized vision of the American dream, perhaps spurned by his own experiences as an immigrant. Depression-era audiences lapped up his sweetly sentimental screwball comedies, which often centered on the plight of the common man.
He earned his first Oscar nomination for directing “Lady for a Day” (1933), and his loss was infamously embarrassing: when presented Will Rogers opened the envelope, he said, “Come up and get it, Frank!” Capra bounded to the stage, only to learned that Frank Lloyd (“Cavalcade”) has won instead.
No matter, because...
Born in 1897 in Siciliy, Italy, Capra came to the United States with his family in 1903. His work often reflected an idealized vision of the American dream, perhaps spurned by his own experiences as an immigrant. Depression-era audiences lapped up his sweetly sentimental screwball comedies, which often centered on the plight of the common man.
He earned his first Oscar nomination for directing “Lady for a Day” (1933), and his loss was infamously embarrassing: when presented Will Rogers opened the envelope, he said, “Come up and get it, Frank!” Capra bounded to the stage, only to learned that Frank Lloyd (“Cavalcade”) has won instead.
No matter, because...
- 5/10/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Clockwise from top left: American Fiction (Amazon MGM Studios), Psycho (Universal Pictures), The Idea Of You (Amazon MGM Studios), Pearl (A24)Image: The A.V. Club
A new romantic comedy starring Anne Hathaway, the Oscar-winning American Fiction, Mia Goth in the horror prequel Pearl, and a number of Alfred Hitchcock classics...
A new romantic comedy starring Anne Hathaway, the Oscar-winning American Fiction, Mia Goth in the horror prequel Pearl, and a number of Alfred Hitchcock classics...
- 5/7/2024
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
Wes Anderson’s favorite on-set still photographer James Hamilton with 99 Records founder Ed Bahlman and Anne-Katrin Titze on his Village Works exhibition: “They have a display of eight of my photographs, good size prints, including Lou Reed and John Cale and Pattie Smith and Tom Verlaine and Prince and Debbie Harry.”
In the first instalment with photojournalist James Hamilton, Wes Anderson’s favourite on-set still photographer (James is also the voice of Mole in Fantastic Mr. Fox and makes an appearance in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou), we start out discussing Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Grace Kelly’s Mark Cross bag, the Albert Hotel, Harper’s Bazaar, and everything else that James Stewart’s Lb Jeffries eerily has in common with the subject of Dw Young’s surprisingly candid Uncropped (a highlight and centerpiece selection of the 14th edition of Doc NYC).
James Hamilton on Alfred Hitchcock at the St.
In the first instalment with photojournalist James Hamilton, Wes Anderson’s favourite on-set still photographer (James is also the voice of Mole in Fantastic Mr. Fox and makes an appearance in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou), we start out discussing Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Grace Kelly’s Mark Cross bag, the Albert Hotel, Harper’s Bazaar, and everything else that James Stewart’s Lb Jeffries eerily has in common with the subject of Dw Young’s surprisingly candid Uncropped (a highlight and centerpiece selection of the 14th edition of Doc NYC).
James Hamilton on Alfred Hitchcock at the St.
- 5/5/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Obviously it wasn’t by design, but the early-1950s renewal of the western genre, aided in large part by the success of Winchester ’73, which heralded a career second act for both its director, Anthony Mann, and its star, James Stewart, was answered in other quarters of the industry by multiple endeavors to take the once disreputable genre, previously dismissed as Roy Rogers/Saturday-matinee bunkum, all the way into the hallowed halls of state-sanctioned, capital-a art. And, as it happened, the two westerns that made a big runner-up showing at the 1952 and 1953 Oscars, High Noon and Shane, respectively, also served, by virtue of holding what wide swaths of the future cinephile demographic would come to view as Vichy letters of transit, as high-value targets for skeptics of the official cultural narrative.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
- 5/3/2024
- by Jaime N. Christley
- Slant Magazine
10. James Arness (1923–2011)
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
- 5/1/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
Clint Eastwood was already 30 years old when he landed his breakout role in the CBS Western "Rawhide." The actor had spent much of the 1950s getting by on bit parts in B movies (most notably the Jack Arnold monster duo of "Revenge of the Creature" and "Tarantula"), and guest roles on TV series like "Maverick" and "Death Valley Days," so you'd think he would've been thrilled. But Eastwood was displeased with his character Rowdy Yates, who, early on in the series' run, was a wet-behind-the-ears ramrod. At his age, he was eager to play a grown, capable man with enough years behind him to allow for a bit of mystery.
Eastwood's restlessness coincided with a shift in filmmakers' approach to the Western genre. Though maestros like John Ford, Howard Hawks, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher had allowed for moral ambiguity in their movies, the vast majority of Westerns were white...
Eastwood's restlessness coincided with a shift in filmmakers' approach to the Western genre. Though maestros like John Ford, Howard Hawks, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher had allowed for moral ambiguity in their movies, the vast majority of Westerns were white...
- 4/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
“I think it was Andy Warhol who said, “Make art and let others decide whether it is good or bad. But while they are deciding, make some more”.
That was the line with which Nicole Kidman ended her 15-minute acceptance speech after Meryl Streep had presented her with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.
That is something that seems entirely appropriate for Kidman, who doesn’t seem to stop “making art,” taking risks at every turn, telling stories through her power not just as an actor, but also a producer dedicated to bringing those stories to screens big and small. At 56, she is on the younger side of the previous 48 recipients of this very high honor, the first Australian to receive it. And someone very much in the middle of creating those life achievements that led to last night’s honor at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a large...
That was the line with which Nicole Kidman ended her 15-minute acceptance speech after Meryl Streep had presented her with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.
That is something that seems entirely appropriate for Kidman, who doesn’t seem to stop “making art,” taking risks at every turn, telling stories through her power not just as an actor, but also a producer dedicated to bringing those stories to screens big and small. At 56, she is on the younger side of the previous 48 recipients of this very high honor, the first Australian to receive it. And someone very much in the middle of creating those life achievements that led to last night’s honor at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a large...
- 4/28/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
With the back-to-back blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg had firmly established himself as a sui generis Hollywood visionary when, in 1978, he chose to make "1941." Most people consider this a near-disaster of a decision. The anarchic World War II comedy, set in panicked Southern California in the immediate wake of the assault on Pearl Harbor, was a 180-degree turn from the spirited adventure and childlike yearning of his previous two films. It was silly, vulgar and more than a little mean. And, most audaciously, it was making light of the country's understandably crazed reaction to an attack that killed thousands of U.S. military personnel.
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
- 4/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
There’s something about a doppelganger that feels uniquely cinematic. A person who looks like you, thinks like you, and maybe even lives like you has always been a subject of fascination and dread in literature and philosophy, a concept that raises questions about individuality and the collective. But on the screen, seeing the effect of one person mimicked and duplicated proves all the more uncanny and unnerving. Science fiction, horror, and a multitude of other genres have used duality as a means to terrify, unsettle, and provoke.
And then, of course, there’s the acting challenge. For an experienced actor or an up-and-comer alike, playing dual roles is the ultimate flex, a way to show your range in a single project. Whether playing twins or identical strangers, an actor who takes on a dual role has to manage the trick of being both an individual and a duo, of...
And then, of course, there’s the acting challenge. For an experienced actor or an up-and-comer alike, playing dual roles is the ultimate flex, a way to show your range in a single project. Whether playing twins or identical strangers, an actor who takes on a dual role has to manage the trick of being both an individual and a duo, of...
- 4/19/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Nicole Kidman’s friends and collaborators will be in the building when she is honored at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala.
AFI shared that Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are set as presenters for the gala, scheduled to take place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on April 27.
Fellow AFI Life Achievement Award winner Streep worked with Kidman on HBO’s Big Little Lies, as did Witherspoon. Both Kidman and Witherspoon served as executive producers of the Emmy Award-winning hit series. Watts is a longtime friend of Kidman, dating back to their early acting careers. They both starred in the 1991 feature Flirting. Freeman and Kidman collaborated on the Paramount series Lioness for Taylor Sheridan.
“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past — a true screen icon — but she is also a risk taker — and so each performance is something new and something profound,...
AFI shared that Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are set as presenters for the gala, scheduled to take place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on April 27.
Fellow AFI Life Achievement Award winner Streep worked with Kidman on HBO’s Big Little Lies, as did Witherspoon. Both Kidman and Witherspoon served as executive producers of the Emmy Award-winning hit series. Watts is a longtime friend of Kidman, dating back to their early acting careers. They both starred in the 1991 feature Flirting. Freeman and Kidman collaborated on the Paramount series Lioness for Taylor Sheridan.
“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past — a true screen icon — but she is also a risk taker — and so each performance is something new and something profound,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Ford, the iconic director known for such films as Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers and much more, will be the subject of the next edition of the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens, it was announced Wednesday.
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
- 4/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The award-winning Turner Classic Movies podcast “The Plot Thickens” is ready to take on the Manifest Destiny of filmmaker John Ford.
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
- 4/18/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The speculation on casting a female James Bond has been going around for quite some time now, and as expected, it has raised many eyebrows. It seems like a bizarre idea for the general public to have a female spy taking on the role of the famed British agent, but it’s not really that far-fetched, as history goes.
Daniel Craig as James Bond
In fact, the franchise almost had a female Bond about six decades ago when one of the producers suggested an actress take on the lead role. Of course, it did not get off the ground, but it was quite a fantastic idea given the era it happened.
James Bond Almost Had Susan Hayward As 007 Susan Hayward in I Want to Live!
Author Ian Fleming’s agent, Robert Fenn, revealed in the book written by Nicholas Shakespeare, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, the difficulty of finding an...
Daniel Craig as James Bond
In fact, the franchise almost had a female Bond about six decades ago when one of the producers suggested an actress take on the lead role. Of course, it did not get off the ground, but it was quite a fantastic idea given the era it happened.
James Bond Almost Had Susan Hayward As 007 Susan Hayward in I Want to Live!
Author Ian Fleming’s agent, Robert Fenn, revealed in the book written by Nicholas Shakespeare, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, the difficulty of finding an...
- 4/13/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
Alfred Hitchcock was so prolific a director that very few years go by without a handful of his 53 feature films celebrating a significant anniversary. 2024 is no exception: his first version of The Man Who Knew Too Much turns 90 this year, Lifeboat drifts into its 80s, Dial M For Murder rings up 70 years, and Marnie – the baby of the bunch – is now a sprightly 60 years old.
Released just months after Dial M, Hitchcock’s sweatiest masterpiece Rear Window also celebrates 70 years of voyeuristic thrills this year. To celebrate, here’s an exclusive extract from regular Empire contributor Neil Alcock’s new book, Hitchology: A Film-by-Film Guide to the Style and Themes of Alfred Hitchcock. An accessible introduction for newcomers to Hitchcock and an insightful companion for devoted fans, Hitchology has been described by Empire’s editor Nick De Semlyen as “incisive, fresh and thunderingly entertaining.”
Have a read below, and look...
Released just months after Dial M, Hitchcock’s sweatiest masterpiece Rear Window also celebrates 70 years of voyeuristic thrills this year. To celebrate, here’s an exclusive extract from regular Empire contributor Neil Alcock’s new book, Hitchology: A Film-by-Film Guide to the Style and Themes of Alfred Hitchcock. An accessible introduction for newcomers to Hitchcock and an insightful companion for devoted fans, Hitchology has been described by Empire’s editor Nick De Semlyen as “incisive, fresh and thunderingly entertaining.”
Have a read below, and look...
- 4/12/2024
- by Neil Alcock
- Empire - Movies
Less bleak than Anthony Mann’s westerns with James Stewart, including Winchester ’73 and Bend of the River, The Tin Star still wastes little time sketching an unwelcoming vision of the Old West. It begins with bounty hunter Morgan Hickman (Henry Fonda) riding into a small town with his latest deceased prize in tow. The townspeople gather around him in the street like pigeons, though the open hostility and disapproval in their faces undermines the sense that they’re in any way titillated by the sight of a dead body or a grizzled gunslinger. Forced to wait for the paperwork to clear for his payout, Morgan settles in for a few days of frosty reception that the townsfolk extend to any outsider, including those within their community who violate the narrow-minded boundaries of accepted behavior.
Perhaps inevitably, Morgan becomes briefly attached to Nora (Betsy Palmer), a local woman ostracized to...
Perhaps inevitably, Morgan becomes briefly attached to Nora (Betsy Palmer), a local woman ostracized to...
- 4/12/2024
- by Jake Cole
- Slant Magazine
The name’s Fleming, Ian Fleming. And boy did he have some problems with how his James Bond character was being adapted for the big screen. As we all know, Sean Connery was cinema’s first 007, but Fleming himself hated the idea, concerned that he didn’t have the right voice.
As revealed in Nicholas Shakespeare’s new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man (via IndieWire), the process to find the perfect James Bond was an arduous one. Per Fleming’s agent Robert Fenn, “We tried twenty or thirty [potential prospects]. No major actor would play the part for more than one picture, and we couldn’t set up a deal with a distributor without commitment from a main actor.” Of course, Bond would go to Connery, who Fleming didn’t care for because “he couldn’t speak the Queen’s English…He’s not my idea of Bond at all,...
As revealed in Nicholas Shakespeare’s new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man (via IndieWire), the process to find the perfect James Bond was an arduous one. Per Fleming’s agent Robert Fenn, “We tried twenty or thirty [potential prospects]. No major actor would play the part for more than one picture, and we couldn’t set up a deal with a distributor without commitment from a main actor.” Of course, Bond would go to Connery, who Fleming didn’t care for because “he couldn’t speak the Queen’s English…He’s not my idea of Bond at all,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
With Daniel Craig bowing out after his James Bond was blasted into the afterlife at the end of 2023's "No Time to Die," the question of who will take on the iconic role next has been following the franchise for quite some time. In 2024, as our cultural norms shift and evolve, there's no reason why the super spy couldn't be played by anybody — maybe even, dare I suggest, a woman?
Prior to the release of "No Time to Die," the internet was abuzz with rumors that British actress Lashana Lynch would be the next 007. When the film arrived, it was revealed that Lynch's character, Nomi, did indeed inherit the codename from her predecessor. Later in the film, however, she requests that the title be given back to Bond, after which she takes on the codename 005. So, we didn't get a female Bond, but we sort of did for...
Prior to the release of "No Time to Die," the internet was abuzz with rumors that British actress Lashana Lynch would be the next 007. When the film arrived, it was revealed that Lynch's character, Nomi, did indeed inherit the codename from her predecessor. Later in the film, however, she requests that the title be given back to Bond, after which she takes on the codename 005. So, we didn't get a female Bond, but we sort of did for...
- 4/12/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Don Siegel’s 1976 western The Shootist stars John Wayne in his final film appearance, though it’s perhaps just as notable for the muted nature of its regard for the pathology of violence. After all, Siegel is the same filmmaker who half a decade prior made Dirty Harry, in which Clint Eastwood’s renegade cop relishes squeezing the trigger of his 44-magnum revolver whenever the opportunity presents itself.
There’s a propulsive mania to Siegel’s direction of Dirty Harry, tapping as it does into the curious overlap between Harry’s police tactics and a psycho sniper’s bloodlust. Wayne’s J.B. Books in The Shootist has no such compelling correlate. He’s a former sheriff turned gunslinger, now an old man easing the pain of his terminal cancer with swigs of laudanum, and he’s aiming to die in peace. It’s 1901, and the fact that he can’t...
There’s a propulsive mania to Siegel’s direction of Dirty Harry, tapping as it does into the curious overlap between Harry’s police tactics and a psycho sniper’s bloodlust. Wayne’s J.B. Books in The Shootist has no such compelling correlate. He’s a former sheriff turned gunslinger, now an old man easing the pain of his terminal cancer with swigs of laudanum, and he’s aiming to die in peace. It’s 1901, and the fact that he can’t...
- 4/11/2024
- by Clayton Dillard
- Slant Magazine
When it comes to the James Bond franchise, progressive is not the first word that comes to mind. Despite this, the 2021 film No Time To Die revolutionized the film series after it introduced the first female 007 in the form of Lashana Lynch. There have been conversations around the same topic for quite some time, with Angelina Jolie famously stating that she did not want to play a Bond girl but the spy herself.
Sean Connery as James Bond
It would seem, however, that the Maleficent actress was not the first to voice these wishes, as over 60 years before the Lynch film, there were conversations about a Bond film being led by a female James Bond.
SUGGESTEDYears After Losing 007 Role to Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill Plays a Character That Inspired James Bond
Although this clearly did not pan out, the story around it was quite interesting.
A Female James Bond...
Sean Connery as James Bond
It would seem, however, that the Maleficent actress was not the first to voice these wishes, as over 60 years before the Lynch film, there were conversations about a Bond film being led by a female James Bond.
SUGGESTEDYears After Losing 007 Role to Daniel Craig, Henry Cavill Plays a Character That Inspired James Bond
Although this clearly did not pan out, the story around it was quite interesting.
A Female James Bond...
- 4/11/2024
- by Ananya Godboley
- FandomWire
Hugh Laurie has seen it all. The British star might have never hoped of pursuing acting as a profession in the long run. But a freak injury (and a fortuitous turn of events) saw him foray into acting. And what a journey has it been for real.
The Stuart Little star has scaled the heights of the Industry , with his shows in particular marking the peak of his career. For him, it has all been about going from strength to strength ever since. Receiving his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was all but obvious. But even he couldn’t wrap his head around the same.
Hugh Laurie was not always looking to be an actor
Hugh Laurie was looking to pursue rowing in his initial years
Hugh Laurie was always hoping that he would go on to compete in the Olympics, following up in the footsteps of his father.
The Stuart Little star has scaled the heights of the Industry , with his shows in particular marking the peak of his career. For him, it has all been about going from strength to strength ever since. Receiving his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was all but obvious. But even he couldn’t wrap his head around the same.
Hugh Laurie was not always looking to be an actor
Hugh Laurie was looking to pursue rowing in his initial years
Hugh Laurie was always hoping that he would go on to compete in the Olympics, following up in the footsteps of his father.
- 4/10/2024
- by Smriti Sneh
- FandomWire
Lashana Lynch became the first woman to own the 007 title in the 2021 James Bond tentpole “No Time to Die,” but it turns out a plan to make James Bond a woman was actually pitched over 60 years prior. In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s confirmed that producer Gregory Ratoff floated the idea of casting Susan Hayward in a film adaptation of Fleming’s first Bond novel “Casino Royale.”
Shakespeare writes in the biography (via IndieWire): “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached [to play Bond]. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities, from Richard Burton (‘I think that Richard Burton would be by far the best James Bond’), to James Stewart (‘I wouldn’t at all mind him as Bond if he can slightly...
Shakespeare writes in the biography (via IndieWire): “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached [to play Bond]. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities, from Richard Burton (‘I think that Richard Burton would be by far the best James Bond’), to James Stewart (‘I wouldn’t at all mind him as Bond if he can slightly...
- 4/8/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Yes, a female James Bond has been over a half-century in the making.
Before Lashana Lynch briefly donned the 007 title in “No Time to Die,” the film adaptation of “Dr. No,” a woman was in talks to lead the franchise 50 years prior.
In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s revealed that original “Casino Royale” producer Gregory Ratoff had imagined a woman in the titular lead role. In fact, Oscar-winning actress Susan Hayward was in Ratoff’s mind to take the part.
Prior to “Casino Royale,” the two Bond films had floundered with “Thunderball” and “Casino Royale” receiving poor reviews, hence the proposed gender-swap.
Shakespeare writes in the biography, “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities,...
Before Lashana Lynch briefly donned the 007 title in “No Time to Die,” the film adaptation of “Dr. No,” a woman was in talks to lead the franchise 50 years prior.
In Nicholas Shakespeare’s upcoming biography of Bond author Ian Fleming, titled “Ian Fleming: The Complete Man,” it’s revealed that original “Casino Royale” producer Gregory Ratoff had imagined a woman in the titular lead role. In fact, Oscar-winning actress Susan Hayward was in Ratoff’s mind to take the part.
Prior to “Casino Royale,” the two Bond films had floundered with “Thunderball” and “Casino Royale” receiving poor reviews, hence the proposed gender-swap.
Shakespeare writes in the biography, “Since the mid-1950s, many well-known actors had been approached. Gregory Ratoff had the arresting idea of having Bond played by a woman, Susan Hayward. Ian had entertained several possibilities,...
- 4/8/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Liam Neeson stars in In the Land of Saints and Sinners, a film directed by Robert Lorenz.
In the golden age of cinema, spanning the 1950s and 60s, a star actor’s presence was so dominant that their character, the one they consistently played, heavily influenced the movie. It used to be a movie tailored for James Stewart or Cary Grant, with minimal variations of their “hero” or “villain” roles.
The same case applies to Liam Neeson, who has embraced this traditional role, heavily influencing nearly every movie he stars in or as we suspect, the films seem to be specifically designed for him. Decades ago, someone decided that this man, Liam Neeson, embodied goodness, whether portraying the character of Oskar Schindler or, in this case, a killer with a heart.
In the Land of Saints and Sinners Plot:
Finbar Murphy is a killer living in an Irish village in...
In the golden age of cinema, spanning the 1950s and 60s, a star actor’s presence was so dominant that their character, the one they consistently played, heavily influenced the movie. It used to be a movie tailored for James Stewart or Cary Grant, with minimal variations of their “hero” or “villain” roles.
The same case applies to Liam Neeson, who has embraced this traditional role, heavily influencing nearly every movie he stars in or as we suspect, the films seem to be specifically designed for him. Decades ago, someone decided that this man, Liam Neeson, embodied goodness, whether portraying the character of Oskar Schindler or, in this case, a killer with a heart.
In the Land of Saints and Sinners Plot:
Finbar Murphy is a killer living in an Irish village in...
- 4/6/2024
- by Molly Se-kyung
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Sit down for this one: in shock news that stunned the nation, caused a window cleaner to fall off his ladder, and sent flocks of pigeons flying out of church towers, a Doctor Who writer is confirmed to have written an episode of Doctor Who.
Despite denying it at every turn for months, Steven Moffat has finally confirmed his much-rumoured return to Doctor Who. The former showrunner in the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor eras, whose previous episode was 2017’s “Twice Upon a Time” has indeed written an episode of the soon-to-air series 14.
While the title of Moffat’s new episode is still under wraps, it’s very likely to be episode three, aka The Episode Long-Rumoured to Have Been Written by Steven Moffat. If so, we can expect to see it on BBC iPlayer just after midnight on May 18 in the UK (7pm E.T May 17 in the US and...
Despite denying it at every turn for months, Steven Moffat has finally confirmed his much-rumoured return to Doctor Who. The former showrunner in the Eleventh and Twelfth Doctor eras, whose previous episode was 2017’s “Twice Upon a Time” has indeed written an episode of the soon-to-air series 14.
While the title of Moffat’s new episode is still under wraps, it’s very likely to be episode three, aka The Episode Long-Rumoured to Have Been Written by Steven Moffat. If so, we can expect to see it on BBC iPlayer just after midnight on May 18 in the UK (7pm E.T May 17 in the US and...
- 3/20/2024
- by Louisa Mellor
- Den of Geek
"This is James Stewart in Rear Window. This is the guy." Greenwich Ent. has debuted an official trailer for Uncropped, a documentary film about a photographer. From the same filmmaker behind The Booksellers doc, this one is also about a New Yorker. The film premiered at Doc NYC last year and will open in very limited theaters starting in April. Alfred Hitchcock. Muhammad Ali. Meryl Streep. LL Cool J. Photographer James Hamilton has captured them all. In Uncropped, a legendary Village Voice photojournalist recounts the stories behind iconic images taken over the course of a five-decade career. A visual chronicle of New York City and a window into the heyday of alternative print media. The film rediscovers the work of Village Voice photojournalist James Hamilton, one of the great chroniclers of America's cultural history. It's also executive produced by Wes Anderson (who makes an appearance in this trailer praising James' work). This looks fantastic!
- 3/11/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Giancarlo Esposito cries "every time" at a particular scene in 'It's A Wonderful Life' as it reminds him of when he we was bankrupt.The 65-year-old actor - who is best known for playing Gus Fring in the AMC crime drama series 'Breaking Bad' and its prequel series 'Better Call Saul' - lost all his money following the 2008 financial crisis, and when the same happens to George Bailey (James Stewart) in the 1946 classic Christmas supernatural drama, it sets him off.He told the April issue of Empire magazine: "It's A Wonderful Life. It's always the moment where [George Bailey] realises that the money's gone. It gets me in my heart. It hit me on a very personal note before I went bankrupt [in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis], and then it resounded more afterwards. I have a poster in my closet that my daughter made; the words of Gustavo Fring, to remind...
- 3/10/2024
- by Lizzie Baker
- Bang Showbiz
In 1965, Martin Scorsese was 22 and surrounded by legends when he won the Jesse L. Laskey Intercollegiate Award at the Milestone Awards dinner hosted by the then-called Screen Producers Guild on March 8, 1965. Now, almost 60 years later, the filmmaker received the David O. Selznick Achievement Award at the 2024 PGA Awards in what he called a “full-circle” moment.
Guillermo del Toro introduced the Killers of the Flower Moon director and producer at Sunday’s award show, calling him an “indispensable titan.” When Scorsese, now 81, took the stage, he started to tell the story of the 1965 awards show and how he kissed German actress Elke Sommer on stage.
“On the stage, Alfred Hitchcock, James Stewart, Jack Benny, Samuel Goldwyn, Jack Warner and Norman Lear, Lew Wasserman, Julie Stein, Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, Janel Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Elke Sommer and David O. Selznick,” said Scorsese. “They were the people on the dais at...
Guillermo del Toro introduced the Killers of the Flower Moon director and producer at Sunday’s award show, calling him an “indispensable titan.” When Scorsese, now 81, took the stage, he started to tell the story of the 1965 awards show and how he kissed German actress Elke Sommer on stage.
“On the stage, Alfred Hitchcock, James Stewart, Jack Benny, Samuel Goldwyn, Jack Warner and Norman Lear, Lew Wasserman, Julie Stein, Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, Janel Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Elke Sommer and David O. Selznick,” said Scorsese. “They were the people on the dais at...
- 2/26/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Martin Scorsese accepted the Producers Guild’s David O. Selznick Achievement Award at the PGA Awards tonight and took the Hollywood & Highland Ovation Ballroom down memory lane — to about 60 years ago, when he accepted a PGA nod for his student film, It’s Not Just You, Murray! at the ripe age of 22.
Painting the scene, the Killers of the Flower Moon filmmaker said: “On the stage, Alfred Hitchcock, James Stewart, Jack Benny, Samuel Goldwyn, Jack Warner and Norman Lear, Lew Wasserman, Julie SteinCary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, Janel Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Elke Sommer and David O. Selznick. They were the people on the dais at the 13th edition of this event on March 8, 1965. That dinner was called the Milestone Awards Dinner and presented at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
“At the very end of the dais was me,” Scorsese continued. “I was all the way on the end. I was receiving the Jesse L.
Painting the scene, the Killers of the Flower Moon filmmaker said: “On the stage, Alfred Hitchcock, James Stewart, Jack Benny, Samuel Goldwyn, Jack Warner and Norman Lear, Lew Wasserman, Julie SteinCary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, Janel Leigh, Dick Van Dyke, Elke Sommer and David O. Selznick. They were the people on the dais at the 13th edition of this event on March 8, 1965. That dinner was called the Milestone Awards Dinner and presented at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
“At the very end of the dais was me,” Scorsese continued. “I was all the way on the end. I was receiving the Jesse L.
- 2/26/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Fred Topel
- Deadline Film + TV
The Screen Actors Guild has been presenting its annual life achievement award for many decades. The most recent recipient for 2024 was double Oscar winner Barbra Streisand.
For the 2023 event, Sally Field was the latest veteran performer to receive the Screen Actor’s Guild life achievement award. Starting in 1995, audiences around the world have been able to enjoy this celebration of a beloved thespian’s work, crammed right in the middle of a nail-biting awards telecast. In honor of De Niro’s accomplishment, let’s take a look back at every person to be given this prize since the event was first televised. Our gallery includes Helen Mirren, Robert De Niro, Alan Alda, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Betty White, Shirley Temple and more.
SAG began handing out a career achievement prize to actors who left their mark on both the big screen and small in 1962. It wasn’t until...
For the 2023 event, Sally Field was the latest veteran performer to receive the Screen Actor’s Guild life achievement award. Starting in 1995, audiences around the world have been able to enjoy this celebration of a beloved thespian’s work, crammed right in the middle of a nail-biting awards telecast. In honor of De Niro’s accomplishment, let’s take a look back at every person to be given this prize since the event was first televised. Our gallery includes Helen Mirren, Robert De Niro, Alan Alda, Morgan Freeman, Carol Burnett, Rita Moreno, Betty White, Shirley Temple and more.
SAG began handing out a career achievement prize to actors who left their mark on both the big screen and small in 1962. It wasn’t until...
- 2/14/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Seemingly freed from the Marvel machine, Ryan Coogler is set to reunite with Michael B. Jordan on a new project, recently picked up by Warner Bros. THR reports the period thriller will feature the undead, and potentially take place in Jim Crow-era South. While other details are under wraps, there are reports it will feature anime influences and has franchise potential. Production will kick off this April in New Orleans, so expect to learn much more soon.
After circling a few projects, we’ve been waiting to see what feature Derek Cianfrance would take on next in the nearly decade since The Light Between Oceans. He’s now settled on Roofman, which he scripted with Kirt Gunn, with Deadline reporting Channing Tatum will lead as the real-life Jeffrey Manchester, “an eccentric and charming serial robber who broke into more than 60 McDonald’s overnight via their roofs, then emptied the cash...
After circling a few projects, we’ve been waiting to see what feature Derek Cianfrance would take on next in the nearly decade since The Light Between Oceans. He’s now settled on Roofman, which he scripted with Kirt Gunn, with Deadline reporting Channing Tatum will lead as the real-life Jeffrey Manchester, “an eccentric and charming serial robber who broke into more than 60 McDonald’s overnight via their roofs, then emptied the cash...
- 2/9/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Kevin Williamson, the writer of teen horror classics Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, has been a staple in the world of film and television since the 1990s, and Deadline reports today that Williamson’s next venture partners him up with Universal Television.
Deadline reports, “Under an overall deal for Williamson and his production banner Outerbanks Entertainment, he already has four high-profile projects in development at the TV studio that run the gamut from thriller to murder mystery to a family crime drama.”
“They include Rear Window, a series reimagining of the Hitchcock classic, which has been set up at Peacock,” the site’s report from writer Nellie Andreeva continues. “The It Girl, based on Ruth Ware’s book, with Sarah L. Thompson co-writing alongside Williamson, and The Waterfront, based on an original concept, have been taken out to the marketplace, I hear. The fourth project, The Game,...
Deadline reports, “Under an overall deal for Williamson and his production banner Outerbanks Entertainment, he already has four high-profile projects in development at the TV studio that run the gamut from thriller to murder mystery to a family crime drama.”
“They include Rear Window, a series reimagining of the Hitchcock classic, which has been set up at Peacock,” the site’s report from writer Nellie Andreeva continues. “The It Girl, based on Ruth Ware’s book, with Sarah L. Thompson co-writing alongside Williamson, and The Waterfront, based on an original concept, have been taken out to the marketplace, I hear. The fourth project, The Game,...
- 2/8/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Exclusive: Prolific TV and film writer-creator Kevin Williamson has set up shop at Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group. Under an overall deal for Williamson and his production banner Outerbanks Entertainment, which was finalized in December, he already has four high-profile projects in development at the TV studio that run the gamut from thriller to murder mystery to a family crime drama.
They include Rear Window, a series reimagining of the Hitchcock classic, which has been set up at Peacock. The It Girl, based on Ruth Ware’s book, with Sarah L. Thompson co-writing alongside Williamson, and The Waterfront, based on an original concept, have been taken out to the marketplace, I hear. The fourth project, The Game, based on the David Fincher film with the movie’s original writers John Brancato & Michael Ferris executive producing, is in internal development.
“Kevin is a prolific and brilliant creator with...
They include Rear Window, a series reimagining of the Hitchcock classic, which has been set up at Peacock. The It Girl, based on Ruth Ware’s book, with Sarah L. Thompson co-writing alongside Williamson, and The Waterfront, based on an original concept, have been taken out to the marketplace, I hear. The fourth project, The Game, based on the David Fincher film with the movie’s original writers John Brancato & Michael Ferris executive producing, is in internal development.
“Kevin is a prolific and brilliant creator with...
- 2/8/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
A biopic of James Stewart is being developed for the screen, with the late star’s family involved too: more details here.
One of the most endearingly popular film stars of all time, James Stewart, is now to be the subject of a movie himself.
His life is going to be the subject of a biopic going by the title of A Truly Wonderful Life, although the impression given is that’s a holding name for the minute. An obvious tip of the hat to It’s A Wonderful Life, of course, that’s up there with Jimmy Stewart’s most popular movies (even though all concerned feared it was a misstep).
It’s a good job we’re here to point stuff like this out.
Aaron Burns is part of the team developing the movie, which is going to be a theatrical release. It’s been developed in conjunction with James Stewart’s daughter,...
One of the most endearingly popular film stars of all time, James Stewart, is now to be the subject of a movie himself.
His life is going to be the subject of a biopic going by the title of A Truly Wonderful Life, although the impression given is that’s a holding name for the minute. An obvious tip of the hat to It’s A Wonderful Life, of course, that’s up there with Jimmy Stewart’s most popular movies (even though all concerned feared it was a misstep).
It’s a good job we’re here to point stuff like this out.
Aaron Burns is part of the team developing the movie, which is going to be a theatrical release. It’s been developed in conjunction with James Stewart’s daughter,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Exclusive: Burns & Co. Prods. has acquired the exclusive rights to bring James Stewart’s story to the big screen. The theatrical movie, tentatively titled A Truly Wonderful Life, will share Stewart’s inspiring tale of valor, purpose, and faith.
Aaron Burns, who is a director/producer at Burns & Co., and his team have been developing the story with Stewart’s daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, who is serving as executive producer for the film.
Shortly after winning an Oscar in 1941, Stewart enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and won his wings as a combat pilot. He earned his way to the rank of squadron commander and used his everyman charm to lead fellow Americans through combat missions over Germany.
When he returned from war, Frank Capra asked him to star in It’s A Wonderful Life. When talking about the success of It’s A Wonderful Life, Stewart once said, “It’s...
Aaron Burns, who is a director/producer at Burns & Co., and his team have been developing the story with Stewart’s daughter, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, who is serving as executive producer for the film.
Shortly after winning an Oscar in 1941, Stewart enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and won his wings as a combat pilot. He earned his way to the rank of squadron commander and used his everyman charm to lead fellow Americans through combat missions over Germany.
When he returned from war, Frank Capra asked him to star in It’s A Wonderful Life. When talking about the success of It’s A Wonderful Life, Stewart once said, “It’s...
- 2/6/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Born 125 years ago, Alfred Hitchcock’s unparalleled body of work is a towering influence on virtually every corner of filmmaking. But what new insights can we gain into his process? Alfred Hitchcock’s Storyboards, a new book arriving next week by novelist and Hitchcock scholar Tony Lee Moral, contains a wealth of knowledge as it pertains to the Master of Suspense’s thought process. Ahead of its release from Titan Books, we’re delighted to share exclusive storyboards and more from the book, as well as a chat with the author.
Focusing on the storyboards for nine of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movies––Vertigo, The Birds, Psycho, North by Northwest, The 39 Steps, Torn Curtain, Marnie, Shadow of a Doubt, and Spellbound––the coffee-table book includes never-before-published images and incisive text putting the material in context and examining the role the pieces played in some of the most unforgettable scenes in cinema.
Focusing on the storyboards for nine of Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movies––Vertigo, The Birds, Psycho, North by Northwest, The 39 Steps, Torn Curtain, Marnie, Shadow of a Doubt, and Spellbound––the coffee-table book includes never-before-published images and incisive text putting the material in context and examining the role the pieces played in some of the most unforgettable scenes in cinema.
- 2/1/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
In the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, 88 films have each received nominations for both Best Actor and Best Actress. Although there have been 19 cases of two or more movies doing so in a single year, there hasn’t been such an occurrence since 1996, when both lead lineups included performers from “Dead Man Walking” and “Leaving Las Vegas.” However, according to Gold Derby’s late-stage 2024 Oscar nominations predictions, that nearly three-decade gap is set to soon be closed by costar pairs from “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Maestro.”
The vast majority of the Oscars prognosticators who’ve been shaping our odds all season agree that Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) will all clinch academy mentions for their lead performances. The last such quartet consisted of eventual winners Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and their respective costars,...
The vast majority of the Oscars prognosticators who’ve been shaping our odds all season agree that Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone (“Killers of the Flower Moon”) and Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan (“Maestro”) will all clinch academy mentions for their lead performances. The last such quartet consisted of eventual winners Nicolas Cage (“Leaving Las Vegas”) and Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking”) and their respective costars,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Dashiell Hammett didn't invent detective fiction, he just perfected it — partially because he knew good and goddamn well of what he wrote. The high school dropout landed a gig with the Pinkerton National Detective Agency and evidently saw the worst side of the profession when his employer got fat off industrial cash by assigning their operatives to muscle, if not kill labor organizers. Years later, he laced his first published novel, "Red Harvest," with the bitter conscience of a man who witnessed evil but out of self-preservation did nothing.
Much of Hammett's work stings like a day drunk's swallow of rotgut whiskey, a belt they absorb over and over again to escape the awfulness of a world they cannot change in any meaningful way. The Continental Op eradicating a cluster of cold-blooded thugs with the 20-steps-ahead cool of a chess grandmaster in "Red Harvest" is so satisfying it's provided the foundation for several brilliant films.
Much of Hammett's work stings like a day drunk's swallow of rotgut whiskey, a belt they absorb over and over again to escape the awfulness of a world they cannot change in any meaningful way. The Continental Op eradicating a cluster of cold-blooded thugs with the 20-steps-ahead cool of a chess grandmaster in "Red Harvest" is so satisfying it's provided the foundation for several brilliant films.
- 1/15/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Few actors can claim to be the biggest star of American popular culture in the twentieth century. James Stewart is one of them. He enjoyed a long-standing career where he reached stardom status in two different periods of Hollywood history, worked with some of the best directors of his time, and even served the US Army during World War II. His everyman American Hero persona made him an endearing icon in people’s hearts, and many of his films are considered classics. His most famous roles include Macaulay “Mike” Connor in The Philadelphia Story, Lb Jeffries in Rear Window, and George...
- 1/11/2024
- by jcmadrigali
- TVovermind.com
J.J. Abrams touts Warren Beatty’s Bonnie and Clyde and Shampoo for must-see viewing as part of the January 2024 Turner Classic Movies lineup in his own TCM Picks video that dropped on Tuesday.
“They could not be more different,” Abrams says of Arthur Penn’s 1967 crime spree drama Bonnie and Clyde, which also starred Faye Dunaway, and Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning dramedy Shampoo. Bonnie and Clyde “portrayed violence in a way that had not typically been seen in American cinema and really ushered in a new age of bold graphic storytelling in a way that you really hadn’t seen before,” Abrams says in the video.
Having made a name for himself in Hollywood with television and popular series like Felicity, Alias and Lost, you can see the grounds for Abrams’ eventual success making action tentpole movies, given his love for classic Hollywood pics.
Shampoo becomes a time capsule movie for Abrams,...
“They could not be more different,” Abrams says of Arthur Penn’s 1967 crime spree drama Bonnie and Clyde, which also starred Faye Dunaway, and Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning dramedy Shampoo. Bonnie and Clyde “portrayed violence in a way that had not typically been seen in American cinema and really ushered in a new age of bold graphic storytelling in a way that you really hadn’t seen before,” Abrams says in the video.
Having made a name for himself in Hollywood with television and popular series like Felicity, Alias and Lost, you can see the grounds for Abrams’ eventual success making action tentpole movies, given his love for classic Hollywood pics.
Shampoo becomes a time capsule movie for Abrams,...
- 1/2/2024
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Some people might prefer to watch Peanuts or Love Actually at this time of year. All I want is this underrated and bizarre action film
There’s always a lot of conversation at this time of year surrounding what does and does not constitute a Christmas movie. For some folks, only James Stewart appreciating the joy of existence in It’s a Wonderful Life will do. Others want to watch the Peanuts gang in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Personally, I want to watch Dolph Lundgren fight an alien drug dealer and kick people in the face in Dark Angel.
This 1990 action film is an underrated piece of festive lunacy with an extremely fun if slightly overcomplicated plot, but there are a lot of stunts and explosions to smooth things over. If you doubt its festive credentials, the opening scene involves a guy crashing his car into a Christmas tree lot.
There’s always a lot of conversation at this time of year surrounding what does and does not constitute a Christmas movie. For some folks, only James Stewart appreciating the joy of existence in It’s a Wonderful Life will do. Others want to watch the Peanuts gang in A Charlie Brown Christmas. Personally, I want to watch Dolph Lundgren fight an alien drug dealer and kick people in the face in Dark Angel.
This 1990 action film is an underrated piece of festive lunacy with an extremely fun if slightly overcomplicated plot, but there are a lot of stunts and explosions to smooth things over. If you doubt its festive credentials, the opening scene involves a guy crashing his car into a Christmas tree lot.
- 12/26/2023
- by Adam Fleet
- The Guardian - Film News
Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" is about as quintessentially American as a classic book can get. The 1960 novel, which is still commonly read in schools today, follows young Alabaman girl Scout Finch as she endures the trials and tribulations of her pre-teen years -- and witnesses the grim realities of the Jim Crow-era South. Some aspects of "To Kill A Mockingbird" haven't aged perfectly, but the book remains beloved for good reason. It's funny, sharp, and emotional, full of wisdom and harsh truth, and builds a world that's vividly alive.
That world made the leap from the page to the big screen in 1962, when director Robert Mulligan and playwright Horton Foote adapted "To Kill A Mockingbird" as a film. The movie version is indelible in its own right. It's anchored by a precise performance from Gregory Peck, who plays compassionate defense attorney Atticus Finch. In the 60 years since...
That world made the leap from the page to the big screen in 1962, when director Robert Mulligan and playwright Horton Foote adapted "To Kill A Mockingbird" as a film. The movie version is indelible in its own right. It's anchored by a precise performance from Gregory Peck, who plays compassionate defense attorney Atticus Finch. In the 60 years since...
- 12/26/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
A great Christmas movie will not only make the grade for the test of time, but it can become a beloved part of a person’s life. Ask 15 people which is their favorite holiday film, and you may get 15 different titles. Our photo gallery focuses on the 15 titles we believe are the best of all time. Scroll through the gallery, read our descriptions, and debate with us the order, ranked best to worst, and which ones you think are missing.
Our list is led off by the classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” starring James Stewart, a film that was deemed a box office bomb when it was first released. It was the relentless airings on television over the past few decades that made it a favorite for many families. Stewart is also featured in the lesser-known but still wonderful “The Shop Around the Corner.” While that movie is uplifting, other...
Our list is led off by the classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” starring James Stewart, a film that was deemed a box office bomb when it was first released. It was the relentless airings on television over the past few decades that made it a favorite for many families. Stewart is also featured in the lesser-known but still wonderful “The Shop Around the Corner.” While that movie is uplifting, other...
- 12/18/2023
- by Tom O'Brien and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
As 2023 began, Covid was waning, Top Gun: Maverick was a billion-dollar Oscar Best Picture nominee, and Shari Redstone’s place in the media firmament felt secure after a years-long quest to reunite CBS and Viacom.
At year’s end, the narrative has dramatically changed.
Paramount Global, which Redstone leads as chair and CEO of its controlling shareholder, National Amusements, has hit a prolonged rough patch, and speculation is rampant about its future as a stand-alone company. Film and TV production has been hampered by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the company’s streaming operation is bleeding cash, and an advertising slowdown is squeezing cable networks already jeopardized by cord-cutting. What’s more, old questions are resurfacing about whether the company has enough scale to compete, with those doubts reflected in the company’s lagging stock price. As of Friday’s close, the share price of $16.27 gave Paramount a market value of about $10.2 billion.
At year’s end, the narrative has dramatically changed.
Paramount Global, which Redstone leads as chair and CEO of its controlling shareholder, National Amusements, has hit a prolonged rough patch, and speculation is rampant about its future as a stand-alone company. Film and TV production has been hampered by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the company’s streaming operation is bleeding cash, and an advertising slowdown is squeezing cable networks already jeopardized by cord-cutting. What’s more, old questions are resurfacing about whether the company has enough scale to compete, with those doubts reflected in the company’s lagging stock price. As of Friday’s close, the share price of $16.27 gave Paramount a market value of about $10.2 billion.
- 12/15/2023
- by Dade Hayes and Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
If the day ever arrives when a smart director decides to make “Born to Run: The Bruce Springsteen Story,” he should seriously consider casting Callum Turner, the dreamy raw-boned star of George Clooney’s period rowing drama “The Boys in the Boat.” Turner, who is British (he’s best known for his role in the last two “Fantastic Beasts” films), has the dark-eyed, purse-lipped, lock-jawed scowl of Springsteen the working-class prince — even though Bruce, as he admitted in his one-man Broadway show, totally trumped up his proletarian roots. He was a middle-class kid from Jersey palming himself off as a kind of roughneck factory worker of the soul. In “The Boys in the Boat,” Turner, playing the pivotal member of the 1936 University of Washington crew team, exudes the same duality.
His character, Joe Rantz, has been on his own since he was 14, living in a tin-roof encampment in Seattle during...
His character, Joe Rantz, has been on his own since he was 14, living in a tin-roof encampment in Seattle during...
- 12/15/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Christmas movies are one of the most beloved genres in cinema history with every film fan having their own select favorite that they watch and rewatch every year. However, while the genre is treasured, the Oscars haven’t rewarded it as much as you might think or hope. There are several movies, however, that have found their way into Oscars lineups. We’ve detailed just five of those Christmas movies that have managed Oscar nominations or wins.
By the way, “The Apartment” is not included on this list (but might be in a future article). The Billy Wilder movie won five Academy Awards including Best Picture (1961) but there seems to be debate around whether it actually qualifies as a Christmas movie or not. It’s set during the holiday period, but some feel that isn’t enough for it to be an out-and-out Christmas movie. Perhaps that’s one for our forums.
By the way, “The Apartment” is not included on this list (but might be in a future article). The Billy Wilder movie won five Academy Awards including Best Picture (1961) but there seems to be debate around whether it actually qualifies as a Christmas movie or not. It’s set during the holiday period, but some feel that isn’t enough for it to be an out-and-out Christmas movie. Perhaps that’s one for our forums.
- 12/14/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens and Christopher Plummer as Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ (Photo by Kerry Brown / Bleecker Street)
Once again, the holidays – or is it holidaze? – are upon us, bringing with it a flurry of Christmas movies.
You have your endless parade of cartoons, specials, Christmas-themed episodes of your favorite TV shows, bad holiday comedies (1996’s Jingle All the Way and 2007’s Fred Claus come to mind), and Christmas-set horror movies (1984’s Gremlins). Then there’s the cheesy yet feel-good Lifetime and Hallmark films. And how can we forget the 24-hour marathon of 1983’s A Christmas Story (celebrating its 40th anniversary this year), beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Christmas Day?
If those don’t do it for you, maybe these lists of Christmas movies will.
Classic Christmas Movies
You can’t go wrong with these classics, which can lighten the hearts of even the most ardent cynics.
Once again, the holidays – or is it holidaze? – are upon us, bringing with it a flurry of Christmas movies.
You have your endless parade of cartoons, specials, Christmas-themed episodes of your favorite TV shows, bad holiday comedies (1996’s Jingle All the Way and 2007’s Fred Claus come to mind), and Christmas-set horror movies (1984’s Gremlins). Then there’s the cheesy yet feel-good Lifetime and Hallmark films. And how can we forget the 24-hour marathon of 1983’s A Christmas Story (celebrating its 40th anniversary this year), beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Christmas Day?
If those don’t do it for you, maybe these lists of Christmas movies will.
Classic Christmas Movies
You can’t go wrong with these classics, which can lighten the hearts of even the most ardent cynics.
- 12/9/2023
- by Kurt Anthony Krug
- Showbiz Junkies
If you want to understand anything about cinema throughout the late '30s to the mid-'60s, first you have to know about the Hays Code. It was a self-imposed censorship for Hollywood studios, essentially forbidding movies from doing anything particularly "lewd" or controversial. Although there was already a list of "Don'ts" and "Be Carefuls" proposed in 1927, it wasn't until 1934 that the studios were truly forced to take it all seriously.
The result was that, for decades, Hollywood was heavily restricted in its ability to deal with real-world social issues or portray its characters in an honest, non-sanitized way. Not only were a generation of movies creatively hindered, but there's been a subsequent widespread misremembering of the time period as being uniquely innocent and chaste. It's common for reactionary political figures to point back to the '50s as this time where everyone was straight, white, polite, and never had sex outside of marriage,...
The result was that, for decades, Hollywood was heavily restricted in its ability to deal with real-world social issues or portray its characters in an honest, non-sanitized way. Not only were a generation of movies creatively hindered, but there's been a subsequent widespread misremembering of the time period as being uniquely innocent and chaste. It's common for reactionary political figures to point back to the '50s as this time where everyone was straight, white, polite, and never had sex outside of marriage,...
- 12/9/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
If you’re looking for new ways to unwind before a good night’s rest (or nightmare), Jimmy Stewart’s AI-generated voice has you covered. As reported by Variety, the legendary Hollywood actor’s essence has been newly captured on the Calm sleep and meditation app as he narrates a bedtime story.
“It’s a Wonderful Sleep Story” recounts a “heartwarming new holiday tale” in the style of Stewart’s Christmas classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” It’s available to premium subscribers of the app, which costs $69.99 per year.
Though Stewart died in 1997, Calm researchers were able to resurrect his voice using AI voice-cloning technology in collaboration with Respeecher, a Ukraine-based startup that produces synthetic speech and voice clones with machine-learning technology. The company, which worked to recreate Mark Hamill’s voice of Luke Skywalker for The Mandolorian and James Earl Jones’ voice of Darth Vader for Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+,...
“It’s a Wonderful Sleep Story” recounts a “heartwarming new holiday tale” in the style of Stewart’s Christmas classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life.” It’s available to premium subscribers of the app, which costs $69.99 per year.
Though Stewart died in 1997, Calm researchers were able to resurrect his voice using AI voice-cloning technology in collaboration with Respeecher, a Ukraine-based startup that produces synthetic speech and voice clones with machine-learning technology. The company, which worked to recreate Mark Hamill’s voice of Luke Skywalker for The Mandolorian and James Earl Jones’ voice of Darth Vader for Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney+,...
- 12/6/2023
- by Kayla Higgins
- Consequence - Film News
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