James Stewart, Lee Remick, and Ben Gazzara head the cast in “Anatomy of a Murder”

Anatomy of a Murder (1959) is an American courtroom drama directed by Otto Preminger and starring James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell, Eve Arden, and Kathryn Grant. The supporting cast includes George C. Scott, Orson Bean, and Murray Hamilton. The musical score is by Duke Ellington.

Lawyer Paul Biegler (Stewart), a former district attorney, is contacted by Laura Manion (Remick) to defend her husband, US Army Lieutenant Frederick “Manny” Manion. Manny was arrested for murdering innkeeper Bernard “Barney” Quill. Manny doesn’t deny murdering Quill, but he said he did so because he raped his wife.

Biegler, a small-town lawyer in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, uses all his knowledge of the law to defend Manny. Will his folksy lawyer strategy get Manny acquitted, or will the sophisticated prosecuting attorney, Claude Dancer (Scott), get Manny convicted of murder?

Otto Preminger (1905 -1986) was an American film director who made more than 35 feature films during a five-decade career. Born in the Austro-Hungarian Empire into a Jewish family. Preminger was drawn to acting from an early age and became the apprentice of famed stage director Max Reinhardt. In 1935, he was recruited by Twentieth Century-Fox to apprentice as a director at the studio. After a rocky start, Preminger established himself as an A-list director after Rouben Mamoulian was fired from Laura (1944). The film noir classic made major stars of Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews and is considered one of the best film noirs of all time. While under contract to Fox, Preminger directed Fallen Angel (1945), Centennial Summer (1946), Forever Amber (1947), and Daisy Kenyon (1947). After he left Fox, Preminger became a maverick, constantly clashing with members of the Production Code. He released two films without the approval of the Production Code: The Moon is Blue (1953) and The Man with the Golden Arm (1955). Both films were financial successes and helped bring an end to the Code entirely. Later successes for Preminger include Anatomy of a Murder (1959) and Exodus (1960).

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 Washington (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.

Lee Remick (1935 – 1991) was an American actress and singer. She made her film debut in A Face in the Crowd (1957) directed by Elia Kazan. She quickly established herself as a Major leading actress in films like Wild River (1960), Days of Wine and Roses (1962), which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination, No Way to Treat a Lady (1968), The Detective (1968), The Omen (1976), and The Europeans (1979). Remick also received a Best Actress Tony nomination for her lead performance in Wait Until Dark (1966), a role that Audrey Hepburn would portray in the screen version in 1967.She received Golden Globe Awards for her television work. She won a BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for her performance in Jennie: Lady Churchill (1974).

Ben Gazzara (1930 – 2012) was an American actor, director, appearing on stage, film, and television. His big break came with his starring role as Brick in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1955 -1956). This led to a successful film career starting with Anatomy of a Murder (1959). He starred on television in Run for Your Life (1965 -1968). Gazzara was a frequent collaborator of John Cassavetes, working with him on the films Husbands (1970) and The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976). Some of his movies include The Bridge at Remagen (1969), Voyage of the Damned (1976), and Saint Jack (1979).

 

Anatomy of a Murder trivia

• The film pushed the boundaries of the Production Code by using words like “bitch,” “contraception,” and “rape,” words not heard in American films before.
• James Stewart’s father found the film offensive and took out an ad in his local paper advising people not to see it.
• Much of the movie was filmed on location in Marquette County, Michigan.
• Lana Turner turned down the role of Laura, leaving the door open for Remick, Preminger’s first choice.
• James Stewart received his last Oscar-nominated performance. It was George C. Scott’s first Academy Award nomination.
• The film was banned in Chicago upon its initial release.

 

Ben Gazzara and James Stewart

Click HERE to watch the movie on the Internet Movie Archive.

Click HERE to join the discussion on June 9, 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.

 

Lee Remick, Eve Arden, and James Stewart

Discussion questions

1. This film was shocking for its frankness when dealing with a subject like rape and murder. Did you find anything about the film shocking or surprising?
2. Three actors from the film were nominated for Academy Awards: James Stewart, Best Actor; Arthur O’Connell, Best Supporting Actor; and George C. Scott, also for Best Supporting Actor. Did you think their performances were worthy of the nominations?
3. What did you think of the jazz score by Duke Ellington? Do you think it worked with the movie?
4. What did you make of the Lee Remick character? Do you think she was telling the truth about her relationship with Barney?
5. Did the Michigan location add to the film’s authenticity?
6. Would you recommend this film to a friend?

Doris Day and James Stewart as “The Man Who Knew Too Much”

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) is an American mystery thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart and Doris Day. Other members of the cast include Brenda de Banzie, Bernard Miles, Daniel Gelin, and Hillary Brooke. This was a remake of Hitchcock’s 1934 film of The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Americans Dr. Benjamin “Ben” McKenna (Stewart) and popular singer Josephine “Jo” Conway (Day), and their young son Henry “Hank” McKenna are vacation in French Morocco when they meet a Frenchman Louis Bernard (Gelin). Jo is suspicious of him because of his prying questions and evasive answers.

When Bernard cancels a dinner date with Jo and Ben, only to see him arrive at the restaurant where they are sharing a meal with a friendly British couple Lucy (de Banzie) and Edward Drayton (Miles).

Who is Louis Bernard and what does he have to do with Jo, Ben, and their son Hank?

 

The Man Who Knew Too Much trivia

• Doris Day thought Hitchcock wasn’t pleased with her performance because she didn’t think he was directing her. She confronted the director and he said if she wasn’t giving him what he wanted, he would direct her. Hitchcock was very pleased with Day’s performance.
• Day didn’t wasn’t to record “Que Sera Sera” saying it was a forgettable children’s song. Day’s recording of the song was a huge hit, won an Academy Award, and became Day’s signature song.
• The movie was 37 days behind schedule and over budget.
• This was Stewart’s third collaboration with director Alfred Hitchcock.
• June Allyson, Lana Turner, Grace Kelly, Kim Novak, Jane Russell, Gene Tierney, and Ava Gardner were all considered for the role of Jo. Hitchcock saw Day in the film Storm Warning (1951) and he was convinced she had the acting chops for Jo.

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on YouTube.

 

Click HERE to join the online discussion on July 22, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email invitation with a link to join the meeting on Zoom.

 

Doris Day and James Stewart

Discussion questions

1. If you saw the original 1934 version, which did you enjoy more?
2. Were Stewart and Day believable as a married couple?
3. Was Hitchcock right to trust his instincts in choosing Day for the role of Jo?
4. Did you have any sympathy for Lucy Drayton? Do you think she had any idea how far her husband would go regarding Henry?
5. Were the London locations a plus?
6. Did anything about the movie surprise you?

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope starring James Stewart, John Dall, and Farley Granger

Rope (1948) is an American crime thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, John Dall, and Farley Granger. Other members of the cast include Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Constance Collier, Douglas Dick, and Joan Chandler.

To young men, Brandon Shaw (Dall) and Philip Morgan (Granger) strangle a former classmate from prep school in what they think was the perfect murder. The Manhattan bachelors’ murder was inspired by conversations with their prep-school housemaster Rupert Cadell (Stewart) who taught them some concepts from Nietzsche’s writings about the superiority of certain individuals.

Brandon and Phillip are so brazen in their feelings of superiority that they have hidden the body of David Kentley (Dick Hogan) in a trunk in their dining room. Not only that, but the trunk is being used as a buffet during a party Brandon and Phillip are hosting.

Did Brandon and Phillip commit the “perfect crime?”

 

Farley Granger, James Stewart, and John Dall

Rope trivia

• This was Hitchcock’s first color movie.
• James Stewart was unhappy with the film and thought he was miscast.
• The movie was shot in ten takes, making it look like one continuous take.
• The film was loosely based on the Leopold and Loeb case, a real-life murder committed by University of Chicago students Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb.
• Cary Grant was Hitchcock’s first choice to play Rupert Cadell.
• James Stewart earned $300,000. The total budget for the film was $1.5 million dollars.

 

Click HERE to watch the movie on YouTube.

 

Click HERE to join the online discussion on July 15, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you will receive an email invitation with a link to join the meeting on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Some critics felt the “continuous take” filming was a distraction. Did it think it was a distraction? Did you even notice it?
2. James Stewart thought he was miscast; did you agree with him?
3. Did you have any sympathy for Brandon and Phillip?
4. What did you think of John Dall and Farley Granger as Brandon and Phillip? What did you think of their on-screen relationship.
5. Did anything about the film surprise you?

James Stewart, Grace Kelly, and Thelma Ritter debate “Rear Window” ethics

Rear Window (1954) is an American mystery thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, and Thelma Ritter. The script was by John Michael Hayes, the cinematography was by Robert Burks, and the music was by Franz Waxman.

A favorite with both the public and critics, Rear Window’s reputation only seems to grow with each passing year. 

L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies (James Stewart) is confined to a wheelchair after breaking his leg while photographing a racetrack accident. While recuperating in his Greenwich Village apartment, Jeff suspects that his neighbor across the courtyard, Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) murdered his invalid wife. At first, his girlfriend Lisa Freemont (Kelly) and home-care nurse Stella (Ritter) think he’s imagining things, but soon both begin suspecting there may be some truth to his suspicions.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is a master class in filmmaking; its technique and storytelling are timeless.

Grace Kelly

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) was an English film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is one of the most influential filmmakers of the 20th century. Hitchcock directed over 50 feature films, many of which are classics that have been honored and studied for years. Some of Hitchcock’s classic films include The 39 Steps (1939), Rebecca (1940), Suspicion (1941), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Notorious (1946), Rear Window (1954), Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), and Psycho (1960).

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 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 to 1945, Stewart returned to Hollywood where he continued as a popular leading man. During the 1950s, Steward made two films with director Alfred Hitchcock, 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.

Grace Kelly (1929 – 1982) was an American film actress who after a fairly brief Hollywood career became the Princess of Monaco by marrying Prince Rainier III in 1956. Kelly appeared in theater productions in New York City and on live television during the early 1950s. For her role in Mogambo (1953), Kelly was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. She lost the Oscar but became a major star with lead roles in five films released in 1954: Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, The Country Girl, Green Fire, and The Bridges of Toko-Ri. She would make only three more movies—To Catch a Thief, The Swan (1955), and High Society (1956)—before retiring from films.

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 various 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 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 to 1945, Stewart returned to Hollywood where he continued as a popular leading man. During the 1950s, Steward made two films with director Alfred Hitchcock, 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.

Wendell Corey (1914 – 1968) was an American film and stage actor. After appearing in the hit Broadway play Dream Girl (1945), Corey was spotted by producer Wallis who put him under contract at Paramount. He started out in supporting roles, but he was elevated to leading man with The File on Thelma Jordon. As film roles diminished, Corey turned to television where he made guest appearances on Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Untouchables, Perry Mason, and The Wild Wild West.

Thelma Ritter (1902 - 1969) was an American actress best known for her portrayal of working-class characters. She was nominated six times in the Best Supporting Actress category, more than any other actress in the category. Ritter won the Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award in 1958 for New Girl in Town. She made her unbilled screen debut in Miracle on 34th Street (1947) and a character actress was born. Ritter quickly became a favorite of studio chief Daryl F. Zanuck who cast her in A Letter to Three Wives (1949), All About Eve (1950), The Model and the Marriage Broker (1951), With a Song in My Heart (1952), and Titanic (1953). Perhaps her most famous role was as James Stewart's nurse in Rear Window (1954). Ritter was a good friend of director George Seaton, who cast her in her first film role in Miracle on 34th Street. It was only fitting that Ritter's last film What's So Bad About Feeling Good (1968), was also directed by Seaton.

Thelma Ritter and James Stewart

Rear Window trivia

• The entire movie was shot on one set. It was the largest set piece built on the Paramount lot up to that time.
• The actors in the apartments other than Jeff’s (Stewart’s) all wore earpieces so Hitchcock could direct them remotely.
• All of the apartments in Thorwald’s building had electricity and running water and could be lived in.
• Of the four films Steward made with Hitchcock, Rear Window was his personal favorite.

Click HERE to watch the movie on YouTube.

Rear Window trivia

• The entire movie was shot on one set. It was the largest set piece built on the Paramount lot up to that time.
• The actors in the apartments other than Jeff’s (Stewart’s) all wore earpieces so Hitchcock could direct them remotely.
• All of the apartments in Thorwald’s building had electricity and running water and could be lived in.
• Of the four films Stewart made with Hitchcock, Rear Window was his personal favorite.

 

Click HERE to join the discussion on December 11, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time. Once you RSVP, you’ll receive an invitation and a link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Do you think that Lisa and Jeff’s relationship was believable?
2. Have you ever “observed” your neighbors the way Jeff’s character did?
3. Do you think Hitchcock was commenting on our voyeuristic society?
4. What do you think Hitchcock would have thought of today’s reality TV?
5. Hitchcock tells so much of the story with the camera; do you have a favorite scene or visual image?
6. What did you think of the performances?
7. Of all of Hitchcock’s films, Read Window’s reputation seems to get better with age. Why do you think that is?

 

 

 

 

 

James Stewart searches for “Winchester ‘73”

Winchester ’73 (1950) is an American Western film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, and Stephen McNally. Others in the cast include Millard Mitchell, Charles Drake, John McIntire, Will Geer, and Jay C. Flippen. The film also includes early screen appearances by Rock Hudson and Tony Curtis, credited as Anthony Curtis.

At the beginning of the film, Lin McAdam (Stewart) is searching for Dutch Henry Brown (McNally). The two have a score to settle.

In Dodge City, Kansas, Lin enters a shooting contest and wins a Winchester 1873 rifle. At the boarding house where Lin is packing, he is ambushed by Dutch who steals the rifle. Dutch rides away with two other men, making Lin’s anger toward Dutch burns even brighter. Lin’s quest to settle his score with Dutch becomes even more urgent than before.

James Stewart and Millard Mitchell

Anthony Mann (1906 – 1967) was an American director. Mann got his start in film working as a talent scout for David O. Selznick. He later became an assistant director, assisting Preston Sturges on Sullivan’s Travels (1941). Mann went on to direct a variety of low-budget, but successful films at Republic, RKO, and Eagle-Lion studios. The Furies was Mann’s first A picture. After The Furies, Mann went on to direct many successful westerns including Winchester ’73 (1950), Devil’s Doorway (1950), Bend of the River (1952), and The Naked Spur (1953).

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.

Shelley Winters (1920 - 2006) was an American actress whose career in film began in 1943 and continued into the 2000s. Some of Winters’s film roles include A Double Life (1947), The Great Gatsby (1948), Winchester 73 (1950), and A Place in the Sun (1951) for which she was nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. Winters was in demand throughout the 1950s having four films in release in 1955 including Night of the Hunter. She won a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for The Diary of Anne Frank (1959). She won her second Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in A Patch of Blue (1965). Besides her film work, Winters starred on Broadway and was a frequent guest star on popular television series and made-for-TV movies.

Dan Duryea (1907 – 1968) was an American film, stage, and television actor. He is best known for his character roles as villains, but he had a long career that included a variety of lead and second lead roles. Duryea graduated from Cornell University in 1928. In his senior year, he was the president of the college drama society. Duryea went to Hollywood in 1940 to Leo Hubbard in The Little Foxes, a role he created on Broadway. He established himself in films noir costarring in classics like Scarlet Street (1945), Criss Cross (1948), and Too Late for Tears (1949).

Stephen McNally (1911 - 1994) was an American film, stage,  and television actor. He is mostly remembered for his roles in westerns. McNally often played the bad guy like his portrayal of Locky McCormick in Johnny Belinda (1948). McNally earned a law degree from Fordham University Law School. During the 1950s, he started working in television starring in popular series like Wagon Train, Riverboat, Rawhide, 77 Sunset Strip, The Virginian, Fantasy Island, Starsky & Hutch, Charlie’s Angels, The Rockford File, and  Police Story.

Winchester ’73 trivia

• This film is credited with reigniting James Stewart’s career after a series of unsuccessful films after returning from World War II.
• James Steward received a percentage of the film’s profits instead of a set salary. He’s the first actor to have negotiated this kind of deal which is now quite common.
• This was the first pairing of director Anthony Mann and James Stewart. They went on to make seven more films together.
• James Stewart spent a lot of time practicing a lot with the rifle so he would look like an authentic westerner.
• As part of film’s promotion, Universal Studios conducted a contest to find rare Winchester 1873 rifles. The contest helped create an interest in antique gun collecting.

 

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

 

To join the discussion on June 19, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. Central Time, click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation and link to join the discussion on Zoom.

 

Discussion questions

1. Some people consider this film one of the best Westerns of all time. Would you agree with that assessment?
2. In 1950, this was a James Stewart the public had never seen before. Did his performance surprise you? What do you think audiences were thinking in 1950 when they saw this film?
3. When the relationship between Lin and Dutch was revealed were you surprised?
4. Shelly Winters felt her character could have been left out of the movie and nobody would have noticed (or cared). Do you agree?
5. Stewart and Mann really worked hard to capture the authenticity of the old West. Do you think they were successful?

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?

Carole Lombard and James Stewart are “Made for Each Other”

 Made for Each Other (1939) is an American romantic comedy directed by John Cromwell and starring Carole Lombard, James Stewart, and Charles Coburn. The film was produced by David O. Selznick and the film was photographed by Leon Shamroy.

The film concerns John Mason (Steward), a young attorney in New York City, and his new bride Jane (Lombard). Mason is mild-mannered and a bit timid for a lawyer. When he is overlooked for a promotion, Jane encourages him to demand a raise and a promotion. Due to the Depression, instead of a raise, Judge Doolittle (Coburn) the head of the firm, requires all employees to take a pay cut. To make things more complicated, John’s mother Harriet (Lucile Watson) comes to live with the young couple. When Jane has a baby and the bills pile up, John is discouraged and feels like he is a failure.

Will things turn around for John and Jane?

John Cromwell (1886 – 1979) was an American film and stage director. Cromwell started his career as an actor on the stage and in the early days of talking pictures. He was under contract to Paramount where he directed many pre-Code films. Some of the stars he directed during this time included Kay Francis, William Powell, and Jean Arthur. In 1933, he moved to RKO and directed Irene Dunne in Ann Vickers (1933), Spitfire (1934) with Katharine Hepburn, and Of Human Bondage (1934) with Leslie Howard and Bette Davis. Of Human Bondage was a tremendous box office success and made Cromwell a top director in Hollywood. Other films he directed include Little Lord Fauntleroy (1936) The Prisoner of Zenda (1937), Since You Went Away (1944), Anna and the Kind of Siam (1946), and Dead Reckoning. He is the father of actor James Cromwell.

James Steward and Carole Lombard

Carole Lombard (1908 – 1942) was an American actress, well regarded for her many screwball comedy film roles. During the late 1930s, she was the highest-paid star in Hollywood. Lombard got her start in silent films as a child and set her mind on making movie acting her career. She was one of Mack Sennett’s bathing beauties, appearing in 15 of his comedy shorts before moving on to feature films. Her breakout performance came in 1934’s Twentieth Century co-starring John Barrymore. After that film, Lombard’s career soared. She starred in many successful comedies including Hands Across the Table (1935), My Man Godfrey (1936), which brought her a Best Actress Academy Award nomination, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941), and To Be or Not to Be (1942), her final film.

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.

Charles Coburn (1877 – 1961) was an Academy-Award-winning character actor. Coburn was one of the most popular character actors in film during the 1940s. He was nominated for three Best Support Actor Academy Awards for The Devil and Miss Jones (1941), for The More the Merrier (1943)—won, and The Green Years (1946). Other classic films featuring Coburn include The Lady Eve (1941), Kings Row (1942), The Constant Nymph (1943), Monkey Business (1952), and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953).

Lombard and Stewart with the director and crew; ya gotta love Lombard’s movie star fur coat!

Made for Each Other trivia:

• The film was well-received by the critics but the film was a box office failure.
• The ocean liner pictured in the film is the SS Normandie.
• Some of the film’s dramatic moments were based on events in producer David O. Selznick’s life.
• A special effects technician died when he fell from a catwalk while he was releasing balloons for the New Year’s Eve party scenes.
• Lombard praised co-star Stewart’s performance in several media interviews at the time of the film’s release.

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

To join the discussion on Zoom, March 23, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. click here. Once you RSVP, you will receive an invitation to the discussion with a link to the Zoom meeting.

Questions for discussion:

1. What did you think of the pairing of Lombard and Stewart? Was it a good fit?
2. Do you think the film has any relevance to audiences today? Can we relate to the characters?
3. Did you have a favorite performance from any of the character actors?
4. Do you think the relationship between Watson and Lombard’s characters was realistic?
5. Why do you think the film wasn’t a bigger hit with audiences in 1939?

Field Trip: “The Philadelphia Story” at River East 21 February 18

The Philadelphia Story on the big screen
Date: February 18 at River East 21, 

322 East Illinois · Chicago, IL

 

Time: 2:00 p.m.


TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: The Philadelphia Story
Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and Jimmy Stewart star in the classic, multiple Academy Award-winning romantic comedy--The Philadelphia Story. This event includes exclusive insight from TCM host Ben Mankiewicz.

Katherine Hepburn, Cry Grant, James Stewart, and John Howard

The Academy Award winning story of Philadelphia socialite Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) and the men in her life: First husband C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), fiancé and self-made business man George Kittredge, (John Howard), and Spy magazine photographer reporter Macaulay “Mike” Connor (James Stewart).

To purchase tickets in advance, click here.

We’ll meet on the top floor by the concessions; I’ll be holding a meetup sign.

Great Films of 1939: “Destry Rides Again” February 13 at Daystar Center

Great films of 1939: Destry Rides Again
Where: The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street, Chicago, IL
When: February 13, 2016
Time: 6:45 p.m.
Hosted by Stephen Reginald

Movie Destiny
Destry Rides Again is one of the great motion pictures from 1939. The George Marshall-directed classic features screen legends Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart as a dance hall queen and sheriff’s deputy respectively. The movie was an important one for both Dietrich and Stewart. Dietrich was labeled box office poison a year earlier, along with Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Greta Garbo, and Kay Francis and had been off the screen for two years. Stewart on loan from MGM, was finally getting lead roles, which had alluded him at his home studio.

Casting Call
Dietrich was reluctant to star in a western and really had no interest in the script. The producer, Joe Pasternak, wanted Gary Cooper for the role of Destry, but Coop wanted more money than Universal Studios was willing to pay. James Stewart was available and MGM agreed to loan him out for a lot less than what Cooper would have cost. Dietrich had to be talked into taking the role of Frenchy; she also accepted a lower-than-normal fee for her participation. The role of Destry was one of Stewart’s best and it revived Dietrich’s film career after starring in back-to-back big-budget box office disasters, The Garden of Allah (1936) and Knight Without Armor (1937).

James Stewart and Marlene Dietrich

Star on the rise
Stewart was coming into his own as a popular leading man in 1939. On loan from MGM that same year, Stewart starred alongside Jean Arthur in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Carole Lombard in Made for Each Other. Meanwhile, at his home studio, he starred in It’s a Wonderful World with Claudette Colbert and The Ice Follies of 1939 with Joan Crawford. Yes, The Ice Follies of 1939. Stewart, Crawford, and Lew Ayres were figure skaters! Crawford said in a memoir that “We were all out of our collective minds,” when referring to that turkey.

 

Stewart, Joan Crawford, and Lew Ayres in The Ice Follies of 1939.

Legendary director
Marshall got his start in silent films performing first as an extra in Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle’s The Waiter’s Ball (1916). From there he moved on to writing and directing, learning all aspects of the movie business. Marshall was under contract to Fox, Universal, and Paramount. At Paramount he directed most of that studio’s biggest stars, including Bob Hope, Fred MacMurray, Paulette Goddard, Alan Ladd,  and Betty Hutton. He directed the very first film to feature Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, My Friend Irma. Along with Henry Hathaway and John Ford, he co-directed the western epic How the West Was Won (1962). Marshall directed Glenn Ford in several successful comedies, including The Sheepman (1958) and Advance to the Rear (1964).

Director, George Marshall, Dietrich, and producer Joe Pasternak.

Hit of the year
Destry Rides Again was Universal’s biggest hit of the year and it help establish Stewart as an A-list leading man, as well as reviving the movie career of Dietrich. Marshall’s movie-directing career would continue until the late-1960s.

Backstory: Universal released an earlier version of Destry Rides Again (1932) starring Tom Mix. Marlene Dietrich sang “See What the Boys in the Back Room Will Have” which was written for her for the movie. She recorded it for Decca records and it became a hit and a song that was identified with her for the rest of her career. George Marshall remade the film in 1954, Destry starred Audie Murphy, Marie Blanchard, and Thomas Mitchell. A Broadway musical of Destry Rides Again opened on April 23, 1959. It starred Andy Griffith as Destry and Dolores Gray as Frenchy. In 1964 a television series based on the movies starred John Gavin in the title role.

Have some Joe and Enjoy the Show!

Before the movie, grab a cup of coffee from Overflow Coffee Bar, located within the Daystar Center. You can bring food and beverages into the auditorium; we even have small tables set up next to some of the seats. General Admission: $5 Students and Senior Citizens: $3.

Join the Chicago Film club; join the discussion

Twice a month we screen classic films and have a brief discussion afterward. For more information, including how to join (it’s free), click here. The Venue 1550 is easily accessible by the CTA. Please visit Transit Chicago for more information on transportation options.

Stephen Reginald is a freelance writer and editor. He has worked at various positions within the publishing industry for over 25 years. Most recently he was executive editor for McGraw-Hill’s The Learning Group Division. A long-time amateur student of film, Reginald hosts “Chicago Film Club,” a monthly movie event held in the South Loop, for the past two years. Reginald has also taught several adult education film classes at Facets Film School, Chicago.

Daystar Center located at 1550 S. State St. works through a grassroots network of collaborations and partnerships with individuals and other nonprofit organizations. Through this web, they’re able to provide educational, cultural, and civic activities that enrich and empower their clients, guests, and community members. To learn more about classes and events offered at the Daystar Center, please visit their Web site.

Screening of Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much" November 10, 2015

Hitchcock in the 50s: The Man Who Knew Too Much
Where: The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street, Chicago, IL
When: November 10, 2015
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Hosted by Stephen Reginald

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) James Stewart and Doris Day star as Ben and Jo McKenna, an American couple on vacation in Morocco with their young son, Hank. When their son is kidnapped, the McKenna’s are caught up in a web of international intrigue that tests their courage and resolve. Will they be able to save their son? This remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s 1934 film, is a lush production featuring a thrilling climax at London’s famed Royal Albert Hall.

Have some Joe and Enjoy the Show!
Before the movie, grab a cup of coffee from Overflow Coffee Bar, located within the Daystar Center. You can bring food and beverages into the auditorium; we even have small tables set up next to some of the seats. General Admission: $5 Students and Senior Citizens: $3.

Join the Chicago Film club; join the discussion
Once a month we screen a classic film and have a brief discussion afterward. For more information, including how to join (it’s free), click here. The Venue 1550 is easily accessible by the CTA. Please visit Transit Chicago for more information on transportation options.

Alfred Hitchcock directing Doris Day on location in London

Stephen Reginald is a freelance writer and editor. He has worked at various positions within the publishing industry for over 25 years. Most recently he was executive editor for McGraw-Hill’s The Learning Group Division. A long-time amateur student of film, Reginald hosts “Chicago Film Club,” a monthly movie event held in the South Loop, for the past two years. Reginald has also taught several adult education film classes at Facets Film School, Chicago.


Daystar Center located at 1550 S. State St. works through a grassroots network of collaborations and partnerships with individuals and other nonprofit organizations. Through this web, they’re able to provide educational, cultural, and civic activities that enrich and empower their clients, guests, and community members. To learn more about classes and events offered at the Daystar Center, please visit their Web site.

Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" screens at Daystar Center July 14, 2015

When: Tuesday, July 14, 2015 6:30 p.m.
Where: The Venue 1550 at the Daystar Center, 1550 S. State Street

A favorite with both the public and critics, Rear Window’s reputation only seems to grow with each passing year. 

L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies (James Stewart) is confined to a wheelchair after breaking his leg while photographing a racetrack accident. While recuperating in his Greenwich Village apartment, Jeff suspects that his neighbor across the courtyard, Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) murdered his invalid wife. At first his girlfriend Lisa Freemont (Grace Kelly) and home-care nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) think he’s imagining things, but soon both begin suspecting there may be some truth to his suspicions.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is a master class in filmmaking; its technique and storytelling are timeless.

Have some Joe and Enjoy the Show!
Before the movie, grab a cup of coffee from Overflow Coffee Bar, located within the Daystar Center. You can bring food and beverages into the auditorium; we even have small tables set up next to some of the seats. General Admission: $5 Students and Senior Citizens: $3.

This amazing courtyard was built on the Paramount studio sound stage for Rear Window.

Join the Chicago Film club; join the discussion
Once a month we screen a classic film and have a brief discussion afterward. For more information, including how to join (it’s free), click here. To purchase your ticket in advance, click here. The Venue 1550 is easily accessible by the CTA. Please visit Transit Chicago for more information on transportation options.


Daystar Center located at 1550 S. State St. works through a grassroots network of collaborations and partnerships with individuals and other nonprofit organizations. Through this web, they’re able to provide educational, cultural, and civic activities that enrich and empower their clients, guests, and community members. To learn more about classes and events offered at the Daystar Center, please visit their Web site.