Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, and Barbara Bel Geddes have only “Fourteen Hours”

Fourteen Hours (1951) is a taut, suspenseful drama that chronicles the true-to-life events of a single day in New York City. The film begins with a simple act: a young man, Robert Cosick (Basehart), steps out onto the ledge of a 15th-floor hotel window. This action sets in motion a high-stakes, real-time crisis that captivates the entire city. Down on the street, a crowd of thousands gathers, turning the private tragedy into a public spectacle. The media, including newspapers and early television crews, descend upon the scene, while police and emergency services race to save the man's life.

At the heart of the story is Charlie Dunnigan (Douglas), a compassionate traffic cop who is the first to establish a rapport with the troubled man. As time ticks by, Dunnigan becomes the sole lifeline for Cosick, who refuses to talk to anyone else, including psychiatrists and family members. The film delves into the unfolding drama on the ledge, as well as the diverse reactions of the people below—from those genuinely concerned to those placing bets on the outcome. The narrative also explores subplots involving other people whose lives are affected by the standoff, including a young couple who meet in the crowd and a woman contemplating divorce.

As the standoff extends into the night, the film peels back the layers of Cosick’s troubled past, revealing the complex psychological and family dynamics that led him to the brink. The tension mounts as all efforts to talk him down seem to fail. The film’s strength lies in its documentary-like realism and its exploration of the collective human experience—the mix of empathy, curiosity, and ghoulish fascination that a public crisis can elicit. It remains a powerful and emotionally charged portrait of desperation and the lengths to which a stranger will go to help another.

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway began working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors such as Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932), starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935), which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox, where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968), which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Paul Douglas (1907 – 1959) was an American actor. Douglas starred on Broadway and in film. He is mostly known for his comedic performances in films like It Happens Every Spring (1949), Angels in the Outfield (1951), and Never Wave at a WAC (1953). Other Douglas films include A Letter to Three Wives (1949), The Big Lift (1950), Love That Brute (1951), and Clash by Night (1952). Douglas was set to play the role of Mr. Sheldrake in The Apartment (1960), but died of a heart attack right before production was to start. He was replaced by Fred MacMurray.

Barbara Bel Geddes (1922 – 2005) was an American stage and screen actress. She starred as Maggie in the original Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955). She played Irene Dunne’s daughter in I Remember Mama (1948), and was Midge, James Stewart’s on-again-off-again girlfriend in Vertigo (1958). Bel Geddes also worked on television during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1978, she starred as Miss Ellie Ewing Farlow on Dallas (1978 – 1990), the role for which she is most famous.

Richard Basehart (1914 - 1984) was an American actor who worked steadily in film and television. Basehart starred in several films noir of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He also had a lead role in director Federico Fellini’s La Strada (1954). Other film roles include Moby Dick (1956), Decision Before Dawn (1951), and The Brothers Karamazov (1958). Baby Boomers would remember Basehart as Admiral Harriman Nelson on Irwin Allen’s science fiction television series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964 -1968).

Fourteen Hours trivia

• Film debuts of Grace Kelly and John Cassavetes.
• Richard Basehart’s wife, costume designer Stephanie Klein, was diagnosed with a brain tumor during filming in May and June 1950, and died following brain surgery during production of the film in July.
• The film is based on a real-life event that happened in 1938 in New York City.
• Except for brief scoring under the main titles and at the film’s conclusion, the film has no music.

Click HERE to watch the film on YouTube.

Click HERE to join the online discussion on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Exploitation of Tragedy: The film depicts the crowd below the ledge with a mix of genuine concern and ghoulish fascination. How does the movie comment on the public's relationship with tragedy and spectacle, and how does this theme resonate with modern media and social media?
2. Moral Compass: Police Officer Charlie Dunnigan is presented as a compassionate, ordinary man. Why is he, rather than a trained professional like the psychiatrist, the only person who can connect with Robert Cosick? What does this suggest about the importance of human empathy over clinical expertise in moments of crisis?
3. Family Dynamics and Mental Health: The film offers a glimpse into Robert’s fraught relationship with his mother and father. How does the movie portray the impact of family dynamics on mental health? Do you think the film's psychological explanations for his distress hold up today?
4. Suspense in Stasis: For much of the film, the main character is physically stationary. How does director Henry Hathaway build and maintain suspense despite the lack of traditional action? Consider the use of camera angles, the subplots, and the real-time element of the story.

Lucille Ball and Mark Stevens find themselves in “The Dark Corner”

The Dark Corner (1946) is an American film noir directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Lucille Ball, Clifton Webb, William Bendix, and Mark Stevens. The screenplay was by Jay Dratler and Bernard Schoenfeld. The cinematography was by Joseph  (Joe) MacDonald (My Darling Clementine, Yellow Sky, How to Marry a Millionaire, and The Sand Pebbles). The music was by Cyril Mockridge.

Private investigator Bradford Galt (Stevens) has recently moved from San Francisco to New York City to leave a troubled past behind. Galt blames his former partner Tony Jardine (Kurt Kreuger) for all his troubles but is unaware of Jardine’s criminal involvement with Hardy Cathcart (Webb) an art gallery owner. And why is a man in a white suit following Galt?

With the help of secretary Kathleen Stewart (Ball), Galt sets out to discover the truth and clear his name.

Lucille Ball and Mark Stevens

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932) starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968) which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Lucille Ball (1911 – 1989) was an American actress. Ball started her career as a model and later appeared in films while under contract to RKO Radio Pictures during the 1930s and 1940s. At RKO, she starred in B-pictures and had supporting roles in A-pictures like Stage Door (1937) co-starring Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers. Ball left RKO for M-G-M in the mid-40s but major stardom eluded her. Ball had a hit radio show, My Favorite Husband. CBS wanted her to develop the show for television but Ball insisted on having her real-life husband Desi Arnaz co-star with her. The studio wanted her to star with her radio husband, Richard Denning, but Ball held out for Arnaz and I Love Lucy was born. During her television career, Ball was nominated for 13 Primetime Emmy Awards, winning five times. Ball’s reputation as one of the world’s great comedians has never been disputed.

Clifton Webb (1889 - 1966) was an American stage and film actor. Webb was a successful Broadway star and had made several silent films before he appeared in Laura (1944). As the acerbic Waldo Lydecker, Webb established himself as a character actor and eventually a leading actor in films like Cheaper by the Dozen (1950), Dreamboat (1952), and Titanic (1953). Working exclusively for Twentieth Century-Fox, Webb's last film was Satan Never Sleeps (1962) co-starring William Holden and directed by Leo McCarey.

William Bendix (1906 – 1964) an American film, radio, and television actor. Bendix usually played rough guys, gangsters, and blue-collar characters. In 1942, he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his performance in the World War II drama Wake Island. As a youngster, Bendix was a bat boy at Yankee Stadium. He was fired for buying Babe Ruth a hot dog and soda before the game. Bendix starred in several classic films noir, including The Glass Key (1942) and Blue Dahlia (1946). Perhaps his greatest role was as Chester A. Riley a role he played on radio and television to great success.

Mark Stevens (1916 – 1994) was an American actor and director. Stevens starred in films and was also a successful actor in the early days of television. In 1943, he was signed to a contract at Warner Bros. as Stephen Richards. At Warner’s, he had small parts, often uncredited in A-pictures like Destination Tokyo (1943), and Rhapsody in Blue (1945). When his contract was up at Warner Bros., he was signed by Fox where Darryl Zanuck changed his name to Mark Stevens. At Fox, he reached leading-man status starring opposite June Haver in I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now (1947) and with Haver once again in Oh, You Beautiful Doll (1949). Both films with Haver were big hits. He also starred in The Street With No Name (1948) where he was billed over Richard Widmark. He played Olivia de Havilland’s loyal husband in The Snake Pit (1948) and Dancing in the Dark (1949) with William Powell and Betsy Drake. Later in his career he directed himself in several movies and worked in television on shows like Magnum P.I. and Murder She Wrote.

The Dark Corner trivia

• The studio hoped that this film would be as successful as Laura, but although it was well received by the critics, it wasn’t a commercial success.
• Lucille Ball was borrowed from M-G-M for the role of Kathleen Stewart when Ida Lupino became unavailable.
• Ball clashed with director Henry Hathaway who was critical of her performance.
• The cast is a who’s who of 1950s television with Lucille Ball (I Love Lucy-1951), William Bendix (The Life of Riley­-1953), Reed Hadley (Racket Squad-1950 and Public Defender-1954), Mark Stevens (Big Town-1950).
• Alfred Newman’s theme music “Street Scene” was used once again. “Street Scene” was used in more Fox films than any other musical theme.

To watch the film on YouTube click here.

To join the discussion on November 6, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation along with a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. What did you think of Lucille Ball’s performance as a film noir dame?
2. The critics loved this movie but audiences didn’t. Why do you think this movie didn’t hit gold at the box office?
3. Were Ball and Mark Stevens believable as an on-screen couple?
4. What about Cliffton Webb? Was his character Waldo Liedecker 2.0?
5. Did you have a favorite scene or piece of dialogue?
6. Did anything about the film surprise you?

Tyrone Power is "Johnny Apollo"

Johnny Apollo (1940) is an American film noir crime drama directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Tyrone Power and Dorothy Lamour. The supporting cast includes Edward Arnold, Lloyd Nolan, Charlie Grapewin, and Lionel Atwill. The screenplay was written by Philip Dunne and Rowland Brown. The cinematography was by Arthur Miller.

When Bob Cain Jr.’s father is thrown in jail for embezzlement, he finds it impossible to get a job and keep it, once they realize “Pop” Cain (Arnold) is his father. Taking the name Johnny Apollo, Bob Jr. ends up working for gangsters and falling for Lucky (Lamour), a night club singer.

Johnny tries to get his father out of prison but things don’t go as planned. Will this be the end of Johnny and his father? Or will there be a way for both father and son to reconcile and get back to the straight and narrow path?

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932) starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968) which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Tyrone Power (1914 – 1958) was a major movie star as well as a star on stage and radio. He was one of the biggest box office draws of the 1930s and 1940s. Power was under exclusive contract to 20th Century-Fox where his image and film choices were carefully selected by studio head Zanuck. After the war, Power wanted to stretch his acting past romantic comedies and swashbuckler roles. Nightmare Alley was Power’s personal favorite of all his films. Some of Power's films include Marie Antoinette (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Jesse James (1939), The Mark of Zorro (1940), and  Blood and Sand (1941). Later in his career, he starred in Captain from Castile (1947), The Black Rose (1950), and Witness for the Prosecution (1957). Power’s favorite of all his films that he starred in was Nightmare Alley (1947) even though it was a commercial and a critical failure when first released. Its status as a classic film noir has been recently reevaluated.

Dorothy Lamour (1914 – 1996) was an American actress and singer. She is probably best known for her work in the Road movies co-starring Bing Crosby and Bob Hope. Lamour had major film successes on her own in films like The Hurricane (1937) directed by John Ford, Chad Hanna (1941) directed by Henry Kind and co-starring Henry Fonda and Linda Darnell. Her film career waned during the 1950s so Lamour embarked on a successful career in nightclubs and as a stage and television actress. 

Johnny Apollo trivia

• Linda Darnell was set to co-star with Power; Alice Faye was also considered. Dorothy Lamour was borrowed from Paramount in a swap with Don Ameche,
• The film had a preview for 34 college newspaper editors in Ossining, NY; some of the exterior prison scens were filmed at Sing Sing Penetentiary.

To watch the film on YouTube, click on the link below.

To Join the discussion on March 27, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, You'll receive an invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Does this film fit the film noir genre? If not, how would you categorize it?
2. Dorothy Lamour received good reviews for her performance as Lucky. What did you think of here performance?
3. What about Tyrone Power? Did you think he made a good Johnny Apollo? Was he believeable as a good kid gone wrong?
4. Did you think Power and Lamour had on-screen chemistry?
5. Was the end of the film satisfying?

Van Johnson and Vera Miles know there are only “23 Paces to Baker Street”

23 Paces to Baker Street (1956) is an American mystery directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Van Johnson and Vera Miles. The supporting cast features Cecil Parker, Isobel Elsom, and Estelle Winwood.

Philip Hanson (Johnson) is a blind playwright living in London. With the help of his butler Bob Matthews (Cecil Parker), Hanson writes in his flat overlooking the Thames river. One day, Hanson overhears a conversation at a local pub that sounds to him like a plan to commit a crime. He tries to get help from Inspector Grovening (Maurice Denham) without any success. So he turns to his butler and Jean Lennox (Miles), his ex-fiancée. Will the three of them crack the case or find themselves in more trouble than they bargained for?

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932) starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968) which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Van Johnson (1916 – 2008) was an American film, television, stage, and radio actor. He was a major star at M-G-M during and after World War II. During his heyday, Johnson was packaged as the boy next door which made him a popular leading man into the 1950s. Johnson starred opposite some of the biggest female stars in Hollywood including Esther Williams, June Allyson, Judy Garland, and Elizabeth Taylor. Some of Johnson’s many films include Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (1944), Thrill of a Romance (1945), Easy to Wed (1946), and In the Good Old Summertime (1949).

Van Johnson and Vera Miles

Vera Miles (1929 - ) is an American actress (retired) who was a popular leading lady in film during the 1950s and 1960s. In 1957, Miles signed a five-year personal contract with Alfred Hitchcock. Earlier he cast her opposite Henry Fonda in The Wrong Man (1956) and was his original choice for the female lead in Vertigo (1958). Hitchcock was grooming Miles as his next “cool blonde” replacing the recently retired Grace Kelly. When Miles became pregnant, she lost the role to Kim Novak. Miles starred in two classic John Ford westerns: The Searchers (1956) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). Other film roles include Lila Crane in Psycho (1960), Beau James (1957), The FBI Story (1959), and Hellfighters (1968).

23 Paces to Baker Street trivia

• A lot of the film's exteriors were shot in London as opposed to a Hollywood backlot.
• The balcony scenes overlooking the Thames were shot from the Savoy Hotel.
• The scars on Van Johnson's face are real. He was in a serious car accident—his head went through the windshield—in 1943 while filming A Guy Named Joe starring Spencer Tracy and Irene Dunne.

To watch the movie on YouTube, click the link below.

To join the discussion on January 9, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions

1. Did this film remind you of other films you've seen?
2. Was Van Johnson convincing as a blind man?
3. Did the on-location filming make a difference in the overall feel of the film?
4. Would the film have been better if it was filmed in black and white?
5. Were you surprised by anything?
6. Does the title have anything to do with the film?
7. Was the ending satisfying?

Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward star in "Rawhide"

Rawhide (1951) is an American western film directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward. The supporting cast members include Hugh Marlowe, Dean Jagger, Edgar Buchanan, Jack Elam, and George Tobias.

Tom Owens (Power) is the sophisticated heir to the J. C. Owens of the Overland Mail Company. His father sends him west to the remote relay station Rawhide Pass to learn about the business from Sam Todd (Buchanan). Tom can’t wait to get back to civilization in one week’s time.

A young woman named Vinnie Holt (Hayward) arrives at the station with her young niece Callie. Callie is the daughter of Vinnie’s deceased sister. Vinnie was traveling east to take Callie to her paternal grandparents. Before Vinnie can catch the next train, The U.S. Calvary arrives to inform the stagecoach passing through Rawhide that four convicts escaped from Huntsville prison. With this news, the Calvary refuses to let Vinnie and Callie ride the stagecoach—it’s against the law to allow children to travel in a dangerous situation.

Tyrone Power and Hugh Marlowe

Now Vinnie and Callie are stuck at the Rawhide Pass with the escaped outlaws heading their way. When Rafe Zimmerman (Marlowe) arrives at the pass with his three fellow outlaws, no one is safe.

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932) starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968) which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Tyrone Power (1914 – 1958) was a major movie star as well as a star on stage and radio. He was one of the biggest box office draws of the 1930s and 1940s. Power was under exclusive contract to 20th Century-Fox where his image and film choices were carefully selected by studio head Zanuck. After the war, Power wanted to stretch his acting past romantic comedies and swashbuckler roles. Nightmare Alley was Power’s personal favorite of all his films. Some of Power's films include Marie Antoinette (1938), The Rains Came (1939), Jesse James (1939), The Mark of Zorro (1940), and  Blood and Sand (1941). Later in his career, he starred in Captain from Castile (1947), The Black Rose (1950), and Witness for the Prosecution (1957). Power’s favorite of all his films that he starred in was Nightmare Alley (1947) even though it was a commercial and a critical failure when first released. Its status as a classic film noir has been recently reevaluated.

Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward

Susan Hayward (1917 – 1975) was an Academy Award-winning actress for her role as Barbara Graham in I Want to Live! (1958). Hayward worked as a fashion model but traveled to Hollywood in 1937 to try out for the role of Scarlett O’Hara. She didn’t win that coveted role, but she secured a film contract. Hayward’s career took off in the late 1940s when she was nominated for Best Actress for Smash-Up, the Story of a Woman (1947). She received four more Best Actress nominations for My Foolish Heart (1949), With a Song in My Heart (1952), I’ll Cry Tomorrow (1955), and I Want to Live. Later in her career, Hayward replaced Judy Garland as Helen Lawson in Valley of the Dolls (1967).

Rawhide trivia

• This was Susan Hayward's first film for Fox after Walter Wanger sold her contract to the studio.
• Tyrone Power was 20 years older than his character.
• The film score was originally written for Brigham Young (1940) starring Power and Dean Jagger. It was also used for Yellow Sky (1948).
• Quentin Tarantino said this film was the inspiration for The Hateful Eight (2015).

To watch the film on YouTube, click on the link below.

To join the discussion on January 2, 2023, at 6:30 p.m.Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to the discussion on Zoom. 

Discussion questions

1. Does this film remind you of any other westerns you've seen?
2. Did you think Tyrone Power was too old for the role of Tom Owens?
3. Were Power and Hayward a good "team?"
4. What about the supporting cast? Did anyone stand out to you?
5. Did anything about this film surprise you?

James Stewart decides to “Call Northside 777”

Call Northside 777 (1948) is a docudrama directed by Henry Hathaway and starring James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb, and Helen Walker. The film is based on articles in the Chicago Daily Times.

P.J. McNeal (Stewart), a reporter the Chicago Times reluctantly takes the case of a man convicted of murdering a policeman in 1932 Chicago. Frank Wiecek (Conte) was sentenced to 99 years in prison. 

Wiecek’s mother (Kasia Orzazewski) puts an ad in the newspaper offering a $5,000 reward for anyone who finds the true killers of the police officer since she is convinced her son is innocent. McNeal’s reluctance begins to shift when he thinks Wiecek may be innocent.

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932) starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968) which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

James Stewart (1908 - 1997) was an American actor whose career spanned almost five decades and 80 films. Stewart often portrayed the ideal of the average American who was decent and honest. Stewart signed a seven-year contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer where he appeared in a variety of supporting roles in B and A pictures. It wasn’t until he was loaned out to Columbia Pictures to costar in Frank Capra’s You Can’t Take It With You (1938) that his home studio began to take notice. Still, his best roles were on loan to other studios including Mr. Smith Goes to Washinton (1939) at Columbia again and Destry Rides Again (1939) at Universal. M-G-M eventually cast him in The Philadelphia Story (1940) where he won the Academy Award for Best Actor which cemented his reputation as a leading man and star. From there he went on to make The Shop Around the Corner (1940) and The Mortal Storm (1940). After serving in the United States Army from 1941 - 1945, Stewart returned to Hollywood where he continued as a popular leading man. During the 1950s, Steward made two films with director Alfred Hitchcock which are considered two of the director’s best films: Rear Window (1954) and Vertigo (1958). Vertigo was voted the greatest film ever made by Sight & Sound in 2012.

Richard Conte (1910 – 1975) was an American actor who came to prominence in the late 1940s under contract to 20th Century-Fox. He co-starred with James Stewart in Call Northside 777 (1948) and had the lead role in Thieve’s Highway (1949) directed by Jules Dassin (Night and the City 1950), and played Gene Tierney’s husband in Otto Preminger’s Whirlpool (1949). Conte worked constantly and had major roles in Ocean’s 11 (1960) and The Godfather (1972).

Call Northside 777 trivia:

• Leonarde Keeler, the man who administers the polygraph test was the inventor of the lie detector machine, played himself.
• This was the first movie to be filmed entirely on location in Chicago.
• Several Chicago landmarks including the Merchandise Mart, Holy Trinity Polish Mission, and the Wrigley Building are seen throughout the movie.
• The Chicago Daily Times merged with the Chicago Sun and became known as the Chicago Sun-Times.
• The beer that Stewart’s character drinks, Nectar Premium Beer of Chicago is no longer in business.
• Henry Fonda was initially announced as the lead.

 

To watch the film on YouTube, click the link below.

Why watch this movie?

• It’s an early example of the docudrama film style that became popular in the late-1940s.
• It’s a time capsule of the Chicago of 1948.
• James Stewart was rebuilding his career after his service in World War II and this was his first box office success. 
• To hear, but not see the voice of Thelma Ritter who had her on-screen performance cut from the film.
• The film features one of the best early roles for Richard Conte who had been under contract to 20the Century-Fox since 1943.

To join the discussion on Monday, September 27, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation with a link to the discussion on Zoom.

Discussion questions:

1. Did you enjoy the documentary film style?
2. What did you think of the performances of the leads?
3. Did any of the supporting characters stand out to you?
4. Were you impressed by the early technology utilized to crack the case?
5. Did the fact that this film was based on a true story impact you in any way?

Kiss of Death starring Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, Coleen Gray, and Richard Widmark in his screen debut

Kiss of Death (1947) is a film noir directed by Henry Hathaway and starring Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, and Coleen Gray. It marked the screen debut of Richard Widmark; he earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination and a seven-year contract at 20th Century-Fox.

Brian Donlevy, Richard Widmark, and Victor Mature

Mature stars as Nick Bianco, a small-time criminal who robs a jewelry store on Christmas Eve with three other crooks. The robbery seems to go off without a hitch until the injured proprietor manages to set off the alarm. In an attempt to escape, Nick assaults a cop and is sent to Sing Sing Prison for 20 years.

Louis D’Angelo (Donlevy), the Assistant District Attorney tries to persuade Nick to name his partners in crime in exchange for a lighter sentence. At first, Nick refuses, but when his wife commits suicide and his two young daughters are sent to an orphanage, he has a change of heart. But “ratting” on other criminals brings complications of their own that put Nick and his family, which now includes new wife Nettie (Gray), in peril.

Henry Hathaway (1898 – 1985) was an American film director and producer. Hathaway started working in silent films in 1925 as an assistant to established directors like Victor Fleming and Josef von Sternberg. His first solo directorial effort was Heritage of the Desert (1932) starring Randolph Scott. Hathaway, along with Scott, would be known for western movies. Besides Scott, Hathaway directed Gary Cooper in several films, including The Lives of a Bengal Lancer (1935) which earned him his only Best Director Academy Award nomination. In 1940, Hathaway began working at Fox where he directed Tyrone Power in Johnny Apollo and Brigham Young (both 1940), Gene Tierney in China Girl (1942), Don Ameche and Dana Andrews in Wing and a Prayer (1944), and Call Northside 777 (1948) starring James Stewart and Richard Conte. After leaving Fox, he was one of three directors who worked on the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). He directed Steve McQueen in Nevada Smith (1966), directed John Wayne in True Grit (1968) which won Wayne his one and only Best Actor Academy Award.

Victor Mature (1913 – 1999) was an American stage, film, and television actor who became a major movie star during the 1940s under contract to 20th Century-Fox. Before his film career took off, Mature starred in Lady in the Dark (1941) on Broadway opposite Gertrude Lawrence. Some of Mature’s notable films include I Wake Up Screaming (1941) with Betty Grable, The Shanghai Gesture (1941) with Gene Tierney. In 1942, he starred opposite Rita Hayworth in the musical My Gal Sal. Other notable films include Samson and Delilah (1949), and The Robe (1952), the first film released in the Cinemascope widescreen process. Mature was self-deprecating when it came to his acting. He said, “I’m no actor, and I’ve got 64 pictures to prove it.”

Brian Donlvey (1901 – 1972) was an American actor noted for playing tough guys in the movies. He mostly worked as a supporting actor, but sometimes played the lead as in the Preston Sturges classic The Great McGinty (1940). Donlevy worked in the theater but soon found regular work in silent films. He transitioned to sound pictures and starred in “A” and “B” pictures at most of the major studios. He supported the biggest stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age including Robert Taylor, Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, and Bing Crosby.

Victor Mature and Coleen Gray

Coleen Gray (1922 – 2015) was an American actress who was under contract to 20th Century-Fox in the 1940s. She co-starred in the noir classic Nightmare Alley (1947) with Tyrone Power. She also had a role in Red River (1948) with John Wayne. In the 1950s she started working in television, guest-starring in many popular shows of that period.

Kiss of Death trivia
Kiss of Death was written expressly for Mature due to his excellent performance in My Darling Clementine (1946). The actress Patricia Morison played Mature’s wife who is attacked and raped by a gangster who was supposed to be watching her while Nick was in prison. All her scenes were cut from the film and her rape is only hinted at by Nettie’s (Gray) character. Because of this, Widmark’s role was expanded. The famous wheelchair scene had to be filmed twice because the cameraman forgot to load the film. The trade papers of the day announced that Richard Conte was set to play Udo, the role that made Widmark a star. Widmark received his first and only Academy Award nomination for Kiss of Death. Since the film was shot on location, a toilet is visible in Mature’s jail cell. You wouldn’t see another toilet in an American film until Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960).

To watch the film, click on the YouTube link below. Be sure to use this link because there are several prints of this film on the channel of inferior quality.




To join us on July 28 at 6:30 p.m. Central Time for discussion on Zoom, click the link below.

Stephen Reginald is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Topic: Discussion of "Kiss of Death"
Time: Jul 28, 2020, 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78526823065?pwd=bzFaZ01LaUVjMVpoQ2lhdnZNSDczZz09

Meeting ID: 785 2682 3065
Passcode: F8m5H4


Discussion questions
1. Noir or not? Does this fit in with your understanding of film noir?
2. What did you think of Victor Mature’s performance? Was he believable as a small-time criminal? Did the studio make the right choice in casting him?
3. Richard Widmark made an amazing debut in Kiss of Death. Can you see anyone else in this role? In just three years, he would star in Night and the City.
4. Did the movie end the way you thought it would? Was it satisfying to you?