ON THIS DAY in 1638, Louis XIV–King of France, and the longest-reigning king in European history–was born. Roberto Rossellini’s 1966 film, THE TAKING OF POWER BY LOUIS XIV, tells the story of the “Sun King’s” rise to power.
History
ON THIS DAY in 1949, following a concert for civil rights by Paul Robeson at Peekskill, New York, departing concertgoers were attacked by a mob of anti-communist agitators, resulting in over 140 injuries. The 1979 biographical film, PAUL ROBESON: TRIBUTE TO AN ARTIST, documented this event.
ON THIS DAY in 1189, Richard I was crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey in London. Anthony Hopkins, in his first film role, portrayed the King (also known as “Richard the Lionhearted”) in the 1968 film, THE LION IN WINTER.
ON THIS DAY in 1864, Confederate forces evacuated Atlanta, Georgia, burning the city’s supplies and structures behind them. The 1939 classic film, GONE WITH THE WIND, depicted scenes of this great conflagration.
PRESIDENT GROVER CLEVELAND made Labor Day a national holiday in 1894, with the intention of preventing further worker turmoil and deaths, such as occurred during the just-ended, nationwide Pullman strike. Now, it’s a great time to gather together and relax with friends & family for food, drinks, and… movies. Celebrate worker esprit de corps with some Labor Day spirit and one or two of these recommendations (in no particular order), all of which in some way highlight both the delights, and plights, of working men and women.
ON THE WATERFRONT (1954; directed by Elia Kazan) Ex-boxer and longshoreman Marlon Brando attempts to redeem himself by confronting union boss Lee J. Cobb. Leonard Bernstein’s first movie score. “One of the most powerful films of the 50s” (Pauline Kael).
SALT OF THE EARTH (1953) Latino mine workers on strike in New Mexico. The film’s writer and producer had been on the Hollywood blacklist.
BLUE COLLAR (1978; Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel) Auto workers are being cheated by both their management and their unions. “Strongly-written and provocative” (Danny Peary).
MODERN TIMES (1936) Charlie Chaplin vs. the Machines. An assembly line worker tries to express his humanity at work, with the help of Paulette Goddard.
MOONLIGHTING (1982) Jeremy Irons is a Warsaw construction worker ordered to London where he slowly begins to oppress the Polish laborers he’s supervising.
BLACK FURY (1935) Michael Curtiz’ film is based on a true story of a Pennsylvania coal miner (Paul Muni) who was beaten to death by company detectives. “Realistic, strikingly filmed” (Leonard Maltin).
GUNG HO (1985; directed by Ron Howard) Michael Keaton stars in this light comedy about a Japanese auto firm’s attempts to establish a factory in the U.S.
NORMA RAE (1979) Sally Field (Oscar winner) and Ron Liebman team up to unionize textile workers in this inspiring Martin Ritt film.
MOLLY MAGUIRES (1970; Sean Connery, Richard Harris) Connery leads a secret society of Irish mineworkers in late 1800s Pennsylvania. “Elegiac” (Pauline Kael).
WHICH WAY IS UP? (1977) Richard Pryor plays three roles in a story of a citrus grove worker transformed into a union hero. A remake of the Lena Wertmuller film, THE SEDUCTION OF MIMI.
F.I.S.T. (1979) A truck driver (Sylvester Stallone) becomes a Hoffa-like union organizer and subsequently tangles with gangsters. Directed by Norman Jewison.
HOFFA (1992) Jack Nicholson portrays the exploits of the infamous Teamster boss, in a script by David Mamet. “Almost affectionate biographical treatment” (Videohound).
HARLAN COUNTY, U.S.A. Oscar-winning Barbara Kopple film documents a bitter strike by United Mine Workers against a Kentucky power company. “One of the most incisive portraits of America and the ever struggling labor movement” (Danny Peary).
Little Dutch Boy detail (Photo credit: Aria Nadii)
From now through January 7, 2013, New York’s Museum of Modern Art is presenting a retrospective of the work of identical twins, Stephen and Timothy Quay, also known as the Quay Brothers.
The prolific duo’s claim to fame is their use of stop-motion puppet animation featuring foreboding dolls and machinery in surreal episodes, influenced by the likes of Joseph Cornell, Hieronymous Bosch, and Salvador Dali. Set up as a two-story maze, the MoMA installation includes hours upon hours of the brothers’ films, videos, commercials, and documentaries, along with displays featuring their original puppets and props.
Love them or not, it’s always good for Home Projectionists to have a storehouse of clips on hand to round out an evening’s experience.
Remember: Halloween is coming up….
ON THIS DAY in 1532, Lady Anne Boleyn was made England’s Marquess of Pembroke by her fiancé, King Henry VIII. In 1969, Genevieve Bujold portrayed Boleyn in the film, ANNE OF THE THOUSAND DAYS, with Richard Burton as King Henry.
ON THIS DAY in the year 12 A.D., Roman Emperor Gaius Caligula–nephew and adopted son of Tiberius–was born. The 1980 film, CALIGULA, written by Gore Vidal and starring Malcolm McDowell, told the story of the Emperor’s rise and fall.
ON THIS DAY in 1963, the Moscow-Washington “hotline” or “red telephone” between Russia’s Kremlin and the White House, went into operation. In 1964, the Sidney Lumet film FAIL-SAFE featured the hotline in scenes with Henry Fonda as the President.
ON THIS DAY in 1930, the last 36 remaining inhabitants of St. Kilda, Scotland, were evacuated to the mainland at their own request. Director Michael Powell’s 1937 film, THE EDGE OF THE WORLD, shot on the Shetland Island of Foula, was inspired by the the St. Kilda story.
ON THIS DAY in 1963, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom took place near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. The rally called for civil and economic rights for African Americans, and featured Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” speech. The 1963 short film, THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON, documented this historic event.
ON THIS DAY in 1172, Henry (“the Young King”), 17-year-old son of King Henry II, married Margaret of France and was crowned King of England. In 1964, he was portrayed by Riggs O’Hara in the film BECKET, directed by Peter Glenville, and starring Peter O’Toole and Richard Burton.
ON THIS DAY in 1429, Joan of Arc, patron saint of France, marched triumphantly into Paris during the Hundred Years War. In 1957, Otto Preminger’s film, SAINT JOAN, starring Jean Seberg and adapted from a George Bernard Shaw play, told the story of this and other events in her life.
Cyprus Film Archive (Photo credit: Cyprus Film Archive)
When I think of state-of-the-art vaults stacked with films, I think of the studios and a variety of university and film museum archives. It turns out that there’s a government bunker in Virginia that houses a whole lot of movie history.
The U.S. created the film copyright designation 100 years ago — on August 24, 1912. Just weeks after the film copyright system was created, films were being submitted for copyright protection, and they are still coming in. The Library of Congress’s Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation is a “Noah’s Ark effort” to save America’s treasure chest of film history.
See the full story at Boston.com.
ON THIS DAY in 1758, King Frederick the Great’s Prussian army defeated Russian troops at the Battle of Zorndorf during the Seven Years War. Segments of Stanley Kubrick’s 1975 film, BARRY LYNDON, with Ryan O’Neal, were set against this conflict.
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