ON THIS DAY in 1912, Naval officer and polar explorer Robert Scott and his men were found frozen to death on the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica. The story of the expedition was dramatized in the 1948 film, SCOTT OF THE ANTARCTIC, starring John Mills.
Film
ON THIS DAY in 1926, U.S. Route 66 was established, running from Chicago to Los Angeles. The highway was featured in the 1940 John Ford film, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, with Henry Fonda.
WITHOUT WARNING (1952; starring Adam Williams, Edward Binns; directed by Arnold Laven; 75 min.)
CAN A LOW BUDGET film noir with B-actors be as riveting as great noirs like DOUBLE INDEMNITY, WHITE HEAT or THE BIG SLEEP?
WITHOUT WARNING is in the mold of documentary-like crime dramas such as CALL NORTHSIDE 777 (1949; James Stewart) or a Dragnet TV episode but without Jack Webb’s monotonous narration.
Although we know early on that gardener Carl Martin (Adam Williams) commits despicable crimes (he dispatches his preferred prey–loose, thrill-seeking, busty blondes–using his garden shears as a weapon), the film doesn’t portray him in what you might call the stereotypically villainous manner. On first appearance, he’s an average, blue collar, lunch pail-type worker. Martin has uncontrollable compulsions, but he generates sympathy. Note, for instance, Martin’s desperately worried expression when he’s pursued on foot by police. There may be a reason to Carl’s madness, a result of a long-harbored, yet murkily explained, grudge he carries with regards to the wife he lost.
This being a 1950s movie, there is never any doubt Martin will be caught, dead or alive. It’s the process by which he is pursued, and Williams’ earnest performance that makes this film a notch above many other B-movie film noirs. (Note that the film’s violence and its ambiguous attitude towards the protagonist foreshadows Hitchcock’s PSYCHO (1960).
Besides Williams, acting kudos should go as well to Ed Binns, who co-stars as the clever detective hot on Carl’s trail, a guy who wants to keep the human pruning down to a minimum. There is also an amusingly droll lab technician, as well as the terrific, on-location photography in and around Los Angeles, including Chávez Ravine, before it became the home of the Dodgers. Binns and Williams appeared together again-in NORTH BY NORTHWEST-8 years later, in the same roles as policeman and gardener, respectively .
Although perhaps not quite on a par with DETOUR and other bargain basement film noir classics, WITHOUT WARNING nevertheless is one that noir fans shouldn’t do without. 
When beloved music legend Levon Helm passed away in April, the world mourned the loss of a man of unique talent and character. In Helm’s honor, Chicago brewmaster Jonathan Cutler created an award-winning pale ale.
The beer is “The Weight,” named after the Helm song of the same name. “It’s all American hops and malt. We were playing The Band the whole time we were brewing it,” said Cutler in a recent Chicago Tribune article. And the beer, one of the top three national prize winners of the Great American Beer Festival, is available through the end of the year at Piece Brewery in Chicago.
Get it while you can and gather a group to watch THE LAST WALTZ (1978).
beer glass full (Photo credit: Tim Pearce, Los Gatos)
Directed by Martin Scorcese, this concert video is a true classic (so classic that it’s even aired on Turner). The film documents in 35mm the The Band’s last concert, performed on Thanksgiving Day at the Winterland venue in San Francisco.
Not only does this beautiful film deliver etched-in-your-head-forever performances like “The Weight” with the Marva Staples (below) but also riveting guest performances by Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Muddy Waters, and Joni Mitchell. Even Neil Diamond. And Van Morrison being really crazy. Really. Crazy.
If you can’t get a jug of “The Weight” to drink while revisiting this tribute to the hard life on the rock ‘n roll road, I’m sure Levon wouldn’t mind if you raised another beer in his honor. RIP.
Gloria Bowman is a writer, storyteller, blogger, movie lover, freelance editor,
and author of the novel, Human Slices.
Access her blog at www.gloriabowman.com; on Twitter @GloriaBow
ON THIS DAY in 1971, Khmer Rouge forces attacked the city of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, killing 44. Subsequent events in the aftermath of this attack were depicted in the 1984 film, THE KILLING FIELDS, with Sam Waterston.
Good evening. Have you performed in Shakespeare’s King Lear recently? Or are you more of what they call a drama queen? Hitchcock’s films often contained movies-within-movies or plays-within-plays. Often these shows were the cause for stage–as well as audience–fright. In fact, you might say that these stage performances sometimes killed, literally.
Good luck, Mr. Thornhill, wherever you are…
Take the Quiz!(*The quiz title was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s North By Northwest: “Something wrong with your eyes?” “Yes”, says the sunglass-clad Roger O. Thornhill (Cary Grant), “They’re sensitive to questions”. When Roger turns up unexpectedly at an auction, Vandamm asks, sarcastically, “What little drama are we here for today?”)
ON THIS DAY in 1888, serial murderer Jack the Ripper killed his final victim, Mary Jane Kelly. In 2001, this event was depicted in the film, FROM HELL, with Johnny Depp, Heather Graham and Ian Holm.
ON THIS DAY in 1900, author and journalist Margaret Mitchell was born in Atlanta. The 1939 screen adaptation of Mitchell’s novel, GONE WITH THE WIND, starred Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh.
ON THIS DAY in 2000, the controversial U.S. Presidential election took place that later resulted in the Bush v. Gore Supreme Court decision. These events were depicted in the 2008 HBO film, RECOUNT, starring Kevin Spacey, John Hurt and Laura Dern.
- Born: November 6, 1931 in Berlin, Germany
- Real name: Michael Igor Peschkowsky
- Third cousin, twice removed, to: Albert Einstein
- Oscar nominations for directorial debut: 13 for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
- Was once called: “The new Orson Welles.”
- Met his wife, Elaine May, at: Chicago’s Compass Players (forerunner to Second City)
- His first choices to play Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate: Doris Day and Jeanne Moreau
- Grammy Award co-winner: Best Comedy Album (with Elaine May), 1962
- Fun fact: Skipped classes at University of Chicago to attend theatrical activities
- Lifelong pursuit: Raising Arabian horses
Elaine May spoke in 2003 at the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Awards tribute to Mike Nichols:
ON THIS DAY in 1854, composer and conductor John Philip Sousa was born. In 1952, Sousa was portrayed by Clifton Webb in STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER.
ON THIS DAY in 1862, President Lincoln removed Major General George B. McClellan for the second time as commander of the Union Army. This incident is depicted in the 2012 Steven Spielberg film, LINCOLN, starring Daniel Day-Lewis.
ON THIS DAY in 1960, Dr. Jane Goodall discovered chimpanzees creating tools, the first-ever such observation made about non-human animals. Her discovery was featured in the 2006 HBO film, CHIMPS, SO LIKE US.
Turner Classic Movies has announced four films for their next Film Festival, April 25-28, 2013, in Hollywood. Passes are going on sale November 15th, and I expect we’ll hear more about film titles and special guests following the theme of “Cinematic Journeys: Travel in the Movies” at that time. More information about the Festival here.
From TCM’s press release:
- FUNNY GIRL (1968) Official Opening Night Gala world premiere restoration of director William Wyler’s musical comedy starring Barbra Streisand, Omar Sharif, Kay Medford, and Walter Pidgeon. Streisand made one of the great big screen debuts—and won an Academy Award—reprising her Broadway role as comedienne Fanny Brice.
- THE GENERAL (1926) World premiere restoration of actor/director Buster Keaton’s death-defying and hilarious action-comedy about a southern train engineer trying to save the loves of his life—his train and his girlfriend—from the hands of Union troops. This presentation will feature a live musical score written and performed by the world-renowned Alloy Orchestra.
- GIANT (1956) World premiere restoration of George Stevens’ epic tale of the oil boom in Texas and how it changes the lives, and fortunes, of all involved. Starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean and Mercedes McCambridge.
- THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963) 50th anniversary North American premiere restoration of John Sturges’ thrilling WWII tale of Allied prisoners struggling to escape a German POW camp, which was based on a true story. The all-star cast includes Steve McQueen, James Garner and Richard Attenborough.
Are you on Facebook? Thinking of going to the 2013 TCM Festival? Then you might want to look into joining the 100-plus member Going to the TCM Festival Facebook group.
ON THIS DAY in 1969, on national television, President Nixon asked the so-called “silent majority” to support his stance on the Vietnam War and other policies. This event was depicted in the 1995 Oliver Stone film, NIXON, starring Anthony Hopkins.
Home Projectionist 