Black & White and Chic All Over
Dial M for Murder/1954/Warner Bros. Pictures/105 min.
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Dial M for Murder” boasts a very civilized, very English, very cozy atmosphere, at least on the surface. But under the elegant façade, a spurned husband (Ray Milland) crafts an intricate plan to murder his rich wife (Grace Kelly) and use her lover (Robert Cummings) as his alibi. Based on a play by Frederick Knott, this gorgeous-looking film is an excellent example of a classic Hitchcockian trope – subversive casting.
I have notified the winner of the WHV/TCM Greatest Gangster Films: Humphrey Bogart set, featuring “High Sierra,” “The Petrified Forest,” “The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse” and “All Through the Night.”
The September giveaway is one of my fave Alfred Hitchcock films: “The 39 Steps,” recently put on DVD and Blu-ray by Criterion. First released in 1935, it’s a prototypical Hitchcockian story of a wrong man (falsely accused) on the run.
I think the reason I love this movie is that it has aged so nicely and works for a contemporary audience as well as it did 77 years ago. And its stars, Robert Donat and Madeleine Carroll are fresh, sexy and very funny. It’s a very charming love story as well as a murder mystery.
To enter this month’s giveaway, just leave a comment on any FNB post from Sept. 1-30. We welcome your participation, but please remember that, for the purposes of the giveaway, there is one entry per person, not per comment.
The September winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month and announced in early September. Include your email address in your comment so that I can notify you if you win. Your email will not be shared. Good luck!
By Michael Wilmington
A guide to classic film noir on cable TV. All the movies listed below are from the current schedule of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which broadcasts them uncut and uninterrupted. The times are Eastern Standard and (Pacific Standard).
Pick of the Week
James Stewart plays a journalist on hunt for the truth in "Call Northside 777."
“Call Northside 777” (1948, Henry Hathaway) Sunday, Sept. 9, 10 a.m. (7 a.m.)
The first major studio movie to be shot on location in Chicago, “Call Northside 777” is one of the best true-crime noirs of the ’40s, packed with postwar punch and atmosphere, made by the master of the form, Henry Hathaway (“Kiss of Death”). It’s based on the story of a persistent Chicago Times reporter (James Stewart) – initially skeptical, but finally convinced – who digs into an 11-year-old murder case to find out if a man (Richard Conte) convicted of murdering a policeman is really guilty of the crime, or is the victim of overzealous prosecutors and dishonest politicians.
Stewart is excellent in his role as fictitious journalist P. J. McNeal: a character reminiscent of Stewart’s great part as wily lawyer Paul Biegler in “Anatomy of a Murder.” He’s backed by Lee J. Cobb (as the Times’ editor), Helen Walker and, in his first movie role, John McIntire. Movie buffs sometimes argue about whether “Call Northside 777” should be considered a noir, since the main characters, including Conte’s crusading mother, are good people. But why try to put noir in a straitjacket? There are bad guys here too: namely, the prosecutors and the politicians who put the real-life Joseph Majczek in jail and tried to keep him there.
Friday, Sept. 7
8:15 a.m. (5:15 a.m.): “Boomerang!” (1947, Elia Kazan). See 8-29-12 Noir File
Sunday. Sept. 9
Spencer Tracy stars in “Bad Day at Black Rock.”
6:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m.): “Bad Day at Black Rock” (1955, John Sturges). In a barren-looking desert town, a lawman and WW2 vet with only one arm (Spencer Tracy) tries to investigate an act of violence that may be a racially motivated murder. The town tries to stop him.
A great melodrama with a memorable Tracy performance; he is harassed by three of the American cinema’s great villains: Robert Ryan, Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine (in the same year Borgnine won an Oscar as the gentle Marty). The rest of the superb cast includes Walter Brennan, Dean Jagger and Anne Francis.
Monday, Sept. 10
6:45 p.m. (3:45 p.m.): “Criminal Court” (1946, Robert Wise). A shrewd lawyer (Tom Conway) defends a woman (Martha O’Driscoll) for the murder he himself committed. One of the neat little RKO B-movies made by one of Jean-Pierre Melville’s favorite directors: Robert Wise.
Wednesday, Sept. 12
Lauren Bacall
8 p.m. & 3:15 a.m. (5 p.m. & 12:15 a.m.). Private Screenings: Lauren Bacall (2005). Two chances to watch Bacall interviewed by Robert Osborne.
9 p.m. (6 p.m.): “Confidential Agent” (1945, Herman Shumlin). From a novel by Graham Greene (“The Third Man”): an anti-Fascist thriller set during the Spanish Civil War. With Charles Boyer, Lauren Bacall, Peter Lorre and Katina Paxinou.
4:15 a.m. (1:15 a.m.): “Passage to Marseille” (1944, Michael Curtiz). This post-Casablanca re-teaming of Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet and director Curtiz, has Bogie as a French patriot, Michele Morgan (“Port of Shadows”) as his love, and a complex flashbacks-within-flashbacks story structure that carries him to Devil’s Island and back.
Sophia Loren was born on Sept. 20, 1934.
Fate reigns supreme in film noir, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love us some zodiac fun. Hope your September is full of intriguing possibilities and sublime pleasures. And happy birthday, Virgo and Libra! A special shout-out and remembrances to alluring Virgos Yvonne De Carlo (Sept. 1), Salma Hayek (Sept. 2), Evan Rachel Wood (Sept. 7), Brian De Palma (Sept. 11), Tommy Lee Jones and Oliver Stone (both Sept. 15), Lauren Bacall (Sept. 16) and Sophia Loren (Sept. 20) and exquisitely talented Libras F. Scott Fitzgerald (Sept. 24), William Faulkner, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones (all Sept. 25), Gwyneth Paltrow (Sept. 27), Naomi Watts (Sept. 28) and Lizabeth Scott (Sept. 29).
Virgo (August 24-September 23): With a birthday nigh (or just celebrated) you may be planning a shopping trip or two. If Man Du Jour wants to come along, that’s not a bad idea. You don’t want your arms to get all red and sore from carrying bags or your feet to get tired from multiple trips to the car. When perusing the racks, remember what Virgo icon Sophia Loren (Sept. 20, 1934) said: “A woman’s dress should be like a barbed wire fence: serving its purpose without obstructing the view.” At work, your precision pays off. At play, romance comes to the fore. Enjoy!
Libra (September 24-October 23): Make the most of your birthday this year – so you don’t like the number, what’s the alternative?! In fact, milk the occasion for all its worth (the more celebrations the better) and let your fam and friends spoil you day after day. If anyone accuses you of egomania this month, deign to explain that everyone is entitled to be spoiled once in a while and that you are more than happy to return the favor. Then let your ever-present generosity take its course. Be prepared to act as a teacher or guide on the 9th.
Scorpio Viggo Mortensen was born Oct. 20, 1958.
Scorpio (October 24-November 22): A difficult situation resolves itself and you feel a sense of freedom. Remember that in the present moment, everything is perfect. Your positive energy has a healing effect on someone close to you. Midmonth, you will find clarity regarding a decision you’ve been struggling with. Trust that it’s meant to be – there’s no second-guessing Fate in Noirville, you know. Love is in the air, or should I say shadows, on the 14th and 23rd.
Sagittarius (November 23-December 22): Be grateful that you can charm people without even lifting a finger – not everyone has this unique ability. Charm will be mighty handy as you re-establish contact with a person from your past or, more challenging, commune with who you were in the past. Judge not, lest ye be judged. 😉 Think about where you were, the progress you’ve made and what’s next. Then, clear your palate and get back to the dark side by popping in a Fritz Lang film noir: Let the fatalism begin!
Capricorn (December 23-January 20): Pout if you feel like it. It’s entirely possible that you have grounds to be annoyed with a person or situation. Remember though that anger often gives us a false sense of power. That said, if you do need to clear the air, do it sooner rather than later. Then, put your feet up; that was bloody exhausting! Treat yourself to a few new clothes or a gorgeous lip color. You will be going out on the town. Well, duh.
Christian Bale turned 38 on Jan. 30, 2012.
Aquarius (January 21-February 19): It’s time to make a bold move. Life is short and the police might be tailing you. So, take a plunge, take the money and run, or take the ultimate dare and wear fire-engine red and fishnets at 8 a.m. Whatever the action, it’s likely something you’ve been wanting to do for a while. A long shot suddenly seems eminently viable. If your lover keeps you happy, be sure to let him know. Your contentment may inspire a friend to re-enter the dating world.
Pisces (February 20-March 20): Take a little risk and you will reap benefits. More than likely, you may need some time to yourself this month to decompress. Make sure you have your getaway route all mapped out. And guilt? Oh honey, that’s something we femmes fatales just don’t give in to. Toward the end of the month, you find a way to deal with a tyrant. As you add a few pieces to your fall wardrobe, be prepared for a flurry of compliments and extra attention.
Aries (March 21-April 20): Think small this month – remember that little words, gestures and acts have great power. On the 12th, you may feel the urge to rant or raise your voice at a lazy accomplice or errant admirer but that will likely lead to a stalemate. See if there’s a way to make your point without getting riled and keep this person squarely on your little finger. At work, stand your ground, even as your professionalism is lauded and your ability praised.
Johnny Depp = Gemini cool. His b'day: June 9, 1963.
Taurus (April 21-May 21): Your steadfast determination always gets rave results. If you hit a wall on a project this month, try to pause and reassess without stressing. Create a place of calm and you will replace frustration with inspiration. You will experience a breakthrough in communication with Man Du Jour. Be sure to keep your lips soft and kissable, you’ll be busy on that front. Let your intuition guide you, especially on the 6th and 16th.
Gemini (May 22-June 21): According to Vogue’s Book of Etiquette, 1948, the word “valise” should not be used instead of “bag” or “luggage” or “suitcase” because it is an unnecessary Gallicism. An unnecessary Gallicism? Heavens above, how perfectly frightful! Well, hair-splitting aside, you have need for a stylish tote as travel beckons. Whether for work or pleasure, it will likely bring a fresh new perspective. And don’t rule out the possibility of meeting a mysterious stranger along the way. Midmonth, you will claim an unlikely triumph.
A classic Leo, Sir Michael is happy to be in the spotlight. See how he finagled his way onto this page? Mick Jagger was born July 26, 1943.
Cancer (June 22-July 23): They say all that glitters is not gold, but silver and platinum will do fine too. This is a great time to focus on your prosperity – find a way to cut expenses, generate more revenue, ask for a raise or look into being a kept woman. 😉 Your passion and intensity make others look to you for leadership. Be fair to all parties as you juggle various interests. Your favorite man may surprise you before month’s end.
Leo (July 24-August 23): You will feel especially powerful this month as you easily connect and hit it off with nearly everyone you encounter. Celebrate your magnetism and relish your independence. A rivalry finally subsides and a friendship follows. At work, remember to provide a pat on the back to a colleague; it will be appreciated. Men are like putty in your hands. Well, what else is new?
Betty and Bogie were one of Hollywood’s great couples.
“Key Largo” was the last film B & B made together.
Robert Walker and Farley Granger share a tense moment in “Strangers on a Train.”
Lately I’ve been getting up a little earlier than usual so I that I can read a few pages of a good book as I drink my morning coffee. It’s a lovely way to start a morning, assuming you’re into murder and the dark mysteries of the human heart. In the past few weeks, I’ve been lucky – there’s a feast of new books to choose from. I’m making progress on many of these titles and plan to run full reviews in upcoming posts.
“People Who Eat Darkness” by Richard Lloyd Parry (FSG, $16) A British journalist’s unforgettable account of a true crime that took place in Tokyo in 2000: the disappearance and murder of bar hostess Lucie Blackman, just 21 when she died.
“A Killing in the Hills” by Julia Keller (Minotaur, $24.99) Keller, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist (Chicago Tribune), crafts a spellbinding murder mystery set in her home state of West Virginia.
“The Three-Day Affair” by Michael Kardos (The Mysterious Press, $24) A debut thriller about three longtime friends who make one mistake, forcing a chain of decisions that will haunt them forever.
“Misfit” by Adam Braver (Tin House Books, $15.95) Braver gives a literary, imaginative rendering of the final days of Marilyn Monroe, who died Aug. 5, 1962 in her Brentwood home.
“The Empty Glass” by J.I. Baker (Blue Rider Press, $25.95) The LA County deputy coroner discovers Marilyn Monroe’s secret diary and starts to probe the sad and sinister details of the star’s death in this first-time novel by a veteran magazine journalist.
“The Twenty-Year Death” by Ariel S. Winter (Hard Case Crime, $25.99) A mystery divided into three sections. Part one, set in 1931, is an homage to the marvelously prolific French author Georges Simenon. Part two takes place in 1941 and honors noir great Raymond Chandler. And last the darkly compelling Jim Thompson gets his due in a 1951 setting.
“Vengeance” by Benjamin Black (Henry Holt, $26) A Dublin-based pathologist finds himself in the middle of a battle between two families. Noir with a 1950s Irish twist by this Booker prize-winning author (aka John Banville).
“The Thief” by Fuminori Nakamura (Soho Press, $23) The first novel by the celebrated Japanese author to be translated into English, “The Thief” is a minimalist sliver of Tokyo noir told in the first person by an anonymous pickpocket, says Laura Wilson of the Guardian newspaper. As she puts it: “This isn’t for those who prefer the conventional crime novel. It is, however, an intelligent, compelling and surprisingly moving tale, and highly recommended.”
“Live by Night” by Dennis Lehane (Morrow, $27.99) According to Publishers Weekly, Warner Bros. and Leonardo DiCaprio have optioned the film rights to this police saga set in Prohibition-era Boston. (Releases Oct. 2)
“Polynie” by Melanie Vincelette (McArthur & Co., $18.95) This novel about a lawyer whose body is discovered in the hotel room of a stripper was shortlisted for a Governor General’s literary award when it appeared in French, according to Quill & Quire. An English-language version will appear in November.
By Michael Wilmington
A noir-lover’s guide to classic film noir on cable TV. All the movies listed below are from the current schedule of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which broadcasts them uncut and uninterrupted. The times are Eastern Standard and (Pacific Standard).
PICK OF THE WEEK
“Casablanca” (1942, Michael Curtiz) Wednesday, Aug. 29, 10 p.m. (7 p.m.) On the Warner Brothers back lot, in an exotic city that hums with intrigue, we watch one of the movies’ immortal affairs and grandest pictures: “Casablanca” is, in some respects, the perfect Hollywood Golden Age studio movie.
Stuck in the middle: Ilse (Ingrid Bergman) is torn between duty (Paul Henreid) and love (Humphrey Bogart) in “Casablanca,” one of the best Hollywood Golden Age studio movies.
We see the frustrated and tormented but finally sublime passion of gloomy hard-case cabaret owner Rick (Humphrey Bogart, in his most popular role) for scared, on-the-run Ilse (Ingrid Bergman, in hers). Ilse is the emotionally torn woman of mystery whom Rick loved and lost, the angel who won his heart and left him in Paris. She now belongs body and soul, it seems, to the idealistic underground anti-Fascist leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid). Around them swirl the ideological storms of Nazi-ravaged Europe, at least as Warners saw them.
Humphrey Bogart and Dooley Wilson
And backing them up is one of the all-time great Hollywood supporting casts: Claude Rains as the suave and lecherous Vichy police head Renault; Conrad Veidt as the elegant, murderous Nazi commander Strasser; Sydney Greenstreet as the vaguely sinister rival cabaret owner; Peter Lorre as Ugati, the rat with the papers; S. Z. “Cuddles” Sakall as the lovable fat busybody; Marcel Dalio as the nimble croupier; Curt Bois as the ferret-like pickpocket (“Vultures everywhere!”); and of course that indefatigable piano man Sam (Dooley Wilson) – the fellow who plays (or doesn’t) “As Time Goes By.”
“Casablanca,” which expertly melds several key ’40s Hollywood genres (drama, comedy, noir, spy thriller, love story) was adapted from a truly lousy play “Everybody Goes to Rick’s,” reworked by the Epstein brothers (Julius and Philip) and Howard Koch, and directed by that sometimes underrated master, Michael Curtiz. A big hit in its day and also a multiple Oscar winner, this picture has never stopped pleasing and rousing audiences. It probably never will. (Also available in Warners’ three-disc 70th anniversary edition DVD and Blu-ray.)
Saturday, Aug. 25: Tyrone Power Day
2:30 a.m. (11:30 p.m.): “Witness for the Prosecution” (1957, Billy Wilder) From the famous Agatha Christie short story, Billy Wilder expertly fashions one of the screen’s trickiest trial-drama/murder mysteries – with Charles Laughton as the wily, wheelchair-bound barrister, his real-life wife Elsa Lanchester as his long-suffering nurse, and Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich as the incendiary couple caught up in a legendary triple-reverse surprise ending.
Ava Gardner co-stars with Robert Taylor in “The Bribe.”
Tuesday, Aug. 28: Ava Gardner Day
10:45 p.m. (7:45 p.m.): “The Bribe” (1949, Robert Z. Leonard) Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton and Vincent Price in the smoky noir tale of a federal guy and a femme fatale. A lot of it wound up in the 1982 Steve Martin–Carl Reiner film noir parody “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid.”
Wednesday, Aug. 29: Ingrid Bergman Day
6 p.m. (3 p.m.): “Gaslight” (1944, George Cukor) Set in foggy Victorian gas-lit London, this is the best of all the melodramas and noirs where a bad husband tries to drive his wife insane (or vice versa). Here, Charles Boyer gives the treatment to Oscar-winner Ingrid Bergman. Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty and teenage Angela Lansbury are among the bystanders. Based on the Patrick Hamilton stage play (and film) “Angel Street.”
Sam Fuller
The Aero Theatre in Santa Monica has some terrific noir offerings, starting this weekend. First up, an homage to a master: Underworld U.S.A.: The Pulpy Heart of Sam Fuller Cinema. Highlights of the series include: “Shock Corridor,” “Pickup on South Street,” “Underworld U.S.A.” and “The Naked Kiss.”
As part of Monday Night Mysteries, on Aug. 27, there’s a Fritz Lang double feature, starting with a new 35mm print of “The Big Heat,” starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame and Lee Marvin, followed by “The Woman in the Window,” in which Edward G. Robinson risks his cozy life as a college professor to have an affair with Joan Bennett.
If you missed Alan Ladd’s noir-tinged take on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel “The Great Gatsby” at this year’s Film Noir Festival, you have a second chance to see the film on Wednesday, Aug. 29. “Gatsby,” which, in addition to Ladd, stars Barry Sullivan as Tom Buchanan, is paired with another Sullivan vehicle, “The Gangster,” to mark the centennial of the actor’s birth. Special guests scheduled to attend on Wednesday are the actor’s daughter Jenny Sullivan and the Film Noir Foundation’s Alan K. Rode.
I recently experienced a little setback: I fractured my toe (one in from the pinkie on the right foot). I didn’t teeter as I tried on Loubou’s or tumble on a treacherous chunk of pavement. Nor was I hang-gliding or training for a 5k run. Please. Have we met? No, in typical femme fatale fashion, à la Mae West, I tripped over a pile of men.
Sporting hideous footwear.
Of course I don’t mind being ordered by doctors to rest and relax. In fact, I relish the opportunity. And if ever there were a time to be waited on hand and foot, bark out orders and be completely catered to, honey this is it! I’m also grateful that the toe (underrated little body part that it is) wasn’t broken or more severely damaged – it should heal nicely as long as I’m patient.
But the thing I really miss is going to yoga. Feeling a little blue and kicking myself (pun intended) for not being more careful, I called my friend Anne who pointed out that what’s bad in life is good on the page. She suggested that as I recuperate I commiserate with noir characters – like nostril-impaired Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) in “Chinatown” – who sustain and recover from injuries. (You can always trust a Gemini to come up with a creative approach.)
As I lounge on my sofa, I also find myself pondering existential questions, such as: Can I now fulfill my long-held fantasy of going to yoga and resting in child’s pose for the entire class? Will wine and ice cream provide the same benefits as shavasana? What about cupcakes? Does Susie Cakes deliver? Is it possible to dance while using crutches? How long can a girl go without shaving her legs?
Aah, more than my peabrain can process right now. So, with many thanks to Anne, here are my favorite mending moments of film noir.
Dick Powell as Philip Marlowe is temporarily blinded in “Murder, My Sweet.”
Phony, schmony. The dude still hobbled around on crutches: Fred MacMurray in “Double Indemnity.”
“Decoy”’s Frank Armstrong recovers from the ultimate “accident.” Cold-hearted Jean Gillie sees a way to get her hands on a wad of cash by bringing her criminal boyfriend back to life following his visit to the gas chamber. Absurd? Absolutely. Still, it’s all in a day’s work for film noir’s toughest femme fatale.
“Dark Passage”: Unjustly sentenced prison escapee Humphrey Bogart undergoes plastic surgery to alter his looks. He co-stars with real-life wife Lauren Bacall.
Burt Lancaster sustains major injuries after a heist gets fouled up in “Criss Cross.” (In “The Killers” Lancaster plays a boxer whose career folded after hurting his hand.)
“The Big Heat” contains one of film noir’s most famous violent scenes. Lee Marvin throws a pot of boiling coffee at Gloria Grahame and disfigures her face. She gets even in the end.
Jimmy Stewart is a photojournalist who watches his neighbors to pass the time (with gorgeous Grace Kelly for company) while his leg heals in “Rear Window.”
Jack Nicholson wears his bandage for most of “Chinatown.” Director Roman Polanski plays the menacing punk who cuts Nicholson’s nose.
“Misery”’s Kathy Bates is the nurse-from-hell to wounded writer James Caan.
Viggo Mortensen gets stabbed in his foot after fending off two thugs in “A History of Violence.”
By Michael Wilmington
A noir-lover’s guide to classic film noir on cable TV. All the movies listed below are from the current schedule of Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which broadcasts them uncut and uninterrupted. The times are Eastern Standard and (Pacific Standard).
PICK OF THE WEEK
James Cagney in 1939
“White Heat” (1949, Raoul Walsh): Tuesday, Aug. 14, 10 p.m. (7 p.m.) “Top of the world, Ma!” James Cagney screams, in one of the all-time great noir performances and last scenes. Cagney’s character (one of his signature roles) is Cody Jarrett, a psycho gun-crazy gangster with a mother complex, perched at the top of an oil refinery tower about to blow.
Edmond O’Brien is the undercover cop in Cody’s gang, Virginia Mayo is Cody’s faithless wife, and Margaret Wycherly is Ma. One of the true noir masterpieces, “White Heat” boasts another classic, hair-raising scene: Cagney’s crack-up in prison when he hears of Ma’s death. Script by Ivan Goff and Ben Roberts; music by Max Steiner. At 7 p.m. (4 p.m.), preceding “White Heat” and “City for Conquest” is the documentary “James Cagney: Top of the World,” hosted by Michael J. Fox.
Friday, Aug. 10
12 a.m. (9 p.m.): “Key Largo” (1948, John Huston) Humphrey Bogart and Edward G. Robinson are pitted against each other in this tense adaptation of the Maxwell Anderson play. Bogie is a WW2 vet held hostage (along with Lauren Bacall and Lionel Barrymore) during a tropical storm by brutal mobster Robinson and his gang. Claire Trevor, as a fading chanteuse, won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
Bogie is a vet held hostage (along with Lauren Bacall and Lionel Barrymore) by Robinson.
Saturday, Aug. 11
8 p.m. (5 p.m.): “Lolita” (1962, Stanley Kubrick, U.S.-Britain) Kubrick’s superb film of Vladimir Nabokov’s classic comic-erotic novel – about the dangerous affair of college professor Humbert Humbert (James Mason) with nymphet Lolita (Sue Lyon), while they are nightmarishly pursued by writer/sybarite Clare Quilty (Peter Sellers). It has strong noir touches, themes and style. With Shelley Winters; script by Nabokov (and Kubrick).
Tuesday, Aug. 14
7:30 a.m. (4:30 a.m.) “The Public Enemy” (1931, William Wellman) Quintessential pre-noir gang movie, with Cagney, Jean Harlow, Mae Clarke, booze, guns and a grapefruit.
12 p.m. (9 a.m.): “Each Dawn I Die” (1939, William Keighley) Cagney and George Raft in prison. Reportedly one of Joseph Stalin’s favorite movies.
Wednesday, Aug. 15
1 a.m. (10 p.m.): “The Night of the Hunter” (1955, Charles Laughton) The great noir with Robert Mitchum as evil Preacher Harry, Lillian Gish and Shelley Winters.
From my readers