Get to know "Julie & Julia"

Whet your appetite for great entertainment by catching "Julie & Julia," the 2009 film starring Meryl Streep as chef Julia Child, to be shown Thursday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. and repeated at 6:30 p.m. at the Oak Lawn Library in the lower level meeting room. Admission is free (first come, first seated).

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The "Red Lantern" burns bright

If you enjoyed the martial arts magic and mystical Asian sensibilities of "Hero," "House of Flying Daggers" and "Curse of the Golden Flower", you won't want to miss "Raise the Red Lantern"--although it's decidedly a much different kind of movie than those aforementioned. "Lantern" is up next on our CineVerse calendar, slated for Dec. 16. 

For more details about this movie, visit here.

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What ELSE lies beneath?

Did "What Lies Beneath" send a chill up your spine? Want to learn more about this scare-fest? Click here to read a CineVerse Reflections handout on the movie and click here to listen to a recorded podcast of our post-screening discussion.

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No film is a failure that has friends

Why "It's a Wonderful Life" is a perennial classic

by Erik J. Martin

(Note: This is part 1 of a 4-part series to publish over 4 weeks; part 2 will post next Wednesday.)

The first time I saw "It's a Wonderful Life" was in 1979, when it was played uninterrupted on local public television. I was just a 12-year old kid sprawled out in front of the living room TV, mesmerized--Christmas tree glistening off to the right and powderflake snow wafting down outside the front window as George Bailey stood grinning like a gingerbread man while his friends and family sang a heartwarming “Auld Ang Syne.”


Over 30 years later, I can easily say I’ve seen the movie over 40 times. The film has so touched my life that I even proposed to my then girlfriend during a Christmastime viewing in 1993. (Needless to say, she accepted: After watching George and Mary fall in love in one of the silver screen’s classic romances, how could she say no, I reasoned.)

Today, more than 60 years after its original release, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is as rich and golden a viewer’s experience as it’s ever been. For all its would-be "sentimental hogwash,” the movie has captured a world audience unlike any other film to date. It's ever-increasing charisma is undeniable, its acting and production standards impeccable, and its reflection of wholesome, simple human values is timeless. 

Yet, amazingly, this unanimous cinematic classic experienced a rocky history, failing to enchant its audience upon its inception in 1946 and reaping miserable profits. Considering its dismal initial impact in the post-war 1940s, it is amazing to consider the incredible shared cultural phenomenon it has become today. “It’s a Wonderful Life” is truly the definitive film phoenix risen from the ashes.



Origins
What if Abraham Lincoln had never been born? Philip Van Doren Stern, an established author of the post WWI literary world, was shaving the morning of Lincoln's birthday, 1938, when that sudden thought struck him. He developed the concept, imagining what the world would be like for an ordinary man if we wished he'd never been born. Stern dismissed the idea for a while, but went back five years later, developing it into a story entitled, "The Greatest Gift", which he sent out to over 200 people as Christmas card substitutes in 1943.

The author's agent received a copy and was so impressed that he convinced Cary Grant's agent to purchase the story for $10,000. The property changed hands with over 10 different people (including Howard Hughes) until it finally came into the possession of Frank Capra--director extraordinaire of the '30s with already four academy awards to his name. Capra was so charmed by the story that he immediately decided to turn it into a full-length motion picture, under his production and direction. It would, in fact, be the first project attempted by his newly created company, Liberty Films, formed in collaboration with William Wyler, George Stevens and Samuel Briskin--three other celebrated directors of their time.

The ultra-perfectionist Capra, however, was not satisfied with the troublesome script for his movie, which was renamed "It's a Wonderful Life" (referred to as IAWL, henceforth), so he assigned famous husband and wife screenwriters Albert Hackett and Francis Goodrich the job of entirely reworking the script--even penning a bit of it himself.

A filmmaker's unique vision
Capra re-envisioned his story not as a Christmas yarn, but as a story intended for any time of year. He wasn't intimidated by the tale's dark implications of suicide and despair. He saw the potential for transcendence and inspiration, and the depiction of abundant human emotion. Capra was already well-skilled in this art by virtue of his previous sentimental works like “Meet John Doe,” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”

From the start, there was only one actor who could fill the "small town-everyman" shoes of George Bailey for Capra, and that was Jimmy Stewart. A proven winner for the director in the thirties, Stewart was more than eager to work with Capra on their first commercial post-war film for each of them. Tedious scrutiny went into the selection of the rest of the cast. Capra wanted, above all, colorful characters and recognizable personalities, so he picked a rich stock of excellent character actors. He wasn't afraid to cast actors against type, or to sign personable black actors, either.

Capra's work ethic was rigorous and gruelling. He engrossed himself entirely in IAWL only four months after returning from active duty in World War II as a filmmaker, compiling a top-notch crew and affixing a 90 day shooting schedule on a budget of over $2 million.

From the beginning, Capra conceived IAWL as his masterwork. "I thought it was the greatest film I ever made. Better yet, I thought it was the greatest film anybody ever made," Capra states in his autobiography. "It wasn't made for the oh-so bored critics or the oh-so jaded literati. It was my kind of film for my kind of people.”

As an immigrant child, Capra was impressed by common, everyday people whose lives he so grew to appreciate that his ambition was to someday project them onto the screen. His greatest talent rested in his power to represent the ordinary man's strength to face apparently insurmountable evil, thereby benefitting his fellow man. Capra realized this power early in his career, when he decided to create films that would exhilarate the depressed spirits of the American public, inspired personally by his dramatic recovery from a serious illness.

"Improving the individual and bringing a more hopeful outlook on life to him is the only way you can improve the nation and ultimately the world,” thought Capra. It was 1946, and both he and his fellow Americans were numb to the events of the war. IAWL seemed like the perfect cinematic salve.

Next week: Sizzle turns to fizzle at the box office

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Do you dare uncover "What Lies Beneath"?

Halloween may be long gone, but a good suspense thriller knows no season.


Make plans to join CineVerse on Dec. 9 for "What Lies Beneath," starring Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, directed by Robert ("Forrest Gump") Zemeckis. For more info on this flick, click here.

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Miracle of a movie

For many, the quintessential Christmas film is Miracle on 34th Street

by Erik J. Martin

“Faith is believing when common sense tells you not to. Don't you see? It's not just Kris that's on trial, it's everything he stands for. It's kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles.”—Fred Gailey (played by John Payne).

Like Santa Claus himself, the film “Miracle on 34th Street” seems to defy age as a Christmastime classic. Since 1947, it has been delighting audiences of all ages and winning over new generations of viewers, many of whom consider it every bit the equal to “It’s a Wonderful Life” as the ultimate yuletide flick.

Directed by George Seaton for 20th Century Fox, “Miracle” was a box-office winner thanks to a heartwarming script, seasonally sweet music scored by Cyril J. Mockridge, and an impeccable cast that includes Edmund Gwenn as the quintessential yet-to-be-topped Kris Kringle, Maureen O’Hara as Doris Walker, a very young Natalie Wood as her idealistic daughter Susan Walker, and John Payne as lawyer Fred Gailey.

Originally titled “The Big Heart,” “Miracle,” written by Valentine Davies, tells the story of a Macy’s store Santa Claus who converts the customers into believers of St. Nick and the altruistic Christmas spirit. Convincing the skeptical Doris and her daughter Susan, however, isn’t so easy, especially when he is put on trial to settle once and for all whether or not he is the real Kris Kringle.

In the end, the film’s moral shines through in Doris’ self-learned advice she imparts to Susan: “If things don’t turn out just the way you want the first time, you still have to believe.”

Interestingly, Maureen O’Hara was ultimately forced into her role as Doris against her will, as the Irish actress had just returned to the Emerald Isle before being recalled back to America for the film. After reading the script for “Miracle,” however, her resentment changed to excitement.

Even though the picture is set during the Christmas season, 20th Century Fox studio head Darryl F. Zanuck insisted that it be released in May. His argument? Summertime brought in bigger movie crowds. Consequently, the studio raced against the clock to promote “Miracle,” all the while trying to keep secret the fact that it was a Yuletide film.

“Miracle” won Oscars for best supporting actor (Gwenn), best writing: original story and screenplay (Davies/Seaton), and the film was nominated for best picture. Its lasting appeal was demonstrated by two remakes, a 1973 made-for-TV movie, and a 1994 feature film starring Richard Attenborough as Santa.

The original, meanwhile, like “It’s a Wonderful Life”, continues to be re-run ad nauseam on TV and cable every holiday season, including a colorized version.

Here’s a bit of “Miracle” trivia: Amazingly, Oscar-nominated actor Cecil Kellaway was first offered the role of Kris Kringle, but declined, saying “Americans don’t go for whimsey.” Fifty-eight later, “Miracle on 34th Street” continues to prove him wrong.

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More on "Marty"

If "Marty" made your day, you can read up more on this Academy Award-winning film from 1955 in our Reflections handout by clicking here. 

To listen to a podcast recording of our CineVerse group discussion of this movie, click here. 

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Tis the season for a new poll

A new month brings a new CineVerse poll. In keeping with the spirit of the season, our new poll asks the colossal question, "What is the greatest Christmas movie of all time?" Be sure to vote (the poll can be found on our home page in the left sidebar).

By the way, here are the results to November CineVerse poll, which asked, "What is the greatest war movie of all time?": Bridge on the River Kwai garnered the most votes (42%), followed by Apocalypse Now (28%) and Schindler's List and Full Metal Jacket bringing up the rear (with 14% apiece).

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"Shop Around the Corner" is right around the corner...

Get in the holiday spirit with a great classic film set at Christmastime starring James Stewart, in "Shop Around the Corner," to be shown on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. at the Oak Lawn library in the lower level meeting room. Admission is free (first come, first seated).

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