Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema

Celebrating the stars from Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema | Posts by Neil Macready

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

@Drusilla451 Thanks for sharing that Nicky. I love it when a film moves you in that way and touches the emotional heartstrings. I'm like that with The Sound of Music (1965) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Kind Regards, Neil.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Theatrical Release Poster.

► For the scene that required Donna Reed to throw a rock through the window of the Granville house, director Frank Capra hired a marksman to shoot it out on cue. To everyone's amazement, Reed broke the window by herself. She had played baseball in high school and had a strong throwing arm.

► As Uncle Billy drunkenly leaves the Bailey home, it sounds as if he stumbles into some trash cans on the sidewalk. In fact, a crew member dropped a large tray of props right after Thomas Mitchell went off-screen. James Stewart began laughing, and Mitchell quickly improvised, “I'm all right! I'm okay!”. Director Frank Capra decided to use this take in the final cut and gave the stagehand a $10 bonus for “improving the sound.”

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James Stewart and Donna Reed in a publicity portrait for It's a Wonderful Life (1946), directed and produced by Frank Capra. (Photo © Silver Screen Collection).

► While filming the scene in which George prays in the bar, James Stewart was so overcome that he began to sob. Frank Capra later re-framed and blew up the shot because he wanted to catch that expression on Stewart's face. This is why the shot looks so grainy compared with the rest of the film.

► James Stewart was nervous about the phone kiss scene because it was his first onscreen kiss since his return to Hollywood after the war. Under director Frank Capra's watchful eye, Stewart filmed the scene in only one unrehearsed take, and it worked so well that part of the embrace was cut because it was too passionate to pass the censors.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

In Remembrance of Henry Travers.

Born | March 5, 1874 in Prudhoe, Northumberland, England, UK.

Died | October 18, 1965 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Video | Henry Travers as Clarence in a clip from It's a Wonderful Life (1946), directed and produced by Frank Capra.

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Anatomy of a Murder (1959) Theatrical Release Poster.

► James Stewart's father was so offended by Anatomy of a Murder (1959), which he deemed “a dirty picture”, that he took out an ad in his local newspaper telling people not to see it.

► Part of the controversy surrounding Anatomy of a Murder (1959) was because it included use of the words “bitch”, “contraceptive”, “panties”, “penetration”, “rape”, “slut”, and “sperm”.

► Director and producer Otto Preminger sued “Columbia Pictures” and its TV subsidiary “Screen Gems” when it sold Anatomy of a Murder (1959) in a package of 60 films to television for $10 million. In New York, ABC interrupted the 160-minute film 13 times with 36 commercials. Preminger was furious that his film was being mutilated and took them to court in a highly publicised case which he lost.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

In Remembrance of George C. Scott on his birthday.

Born | October 18, 1927 in Wise, Virginia, USA.

Video | George C. Scott as Claude Dancer in a clip from Anatomy of a Murder (1959), directed by Otto Preminger.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

The Heiress (1949) Theatrical Release Poster.

► Olivia de Havilland wisely chose William Wyler as her director, considering that such a meticulous director would be able to coax a strong performance from her. As it turned out, Wyler became a staunch supporter of his leading actress, particularly in regard to the sneering attitude that Montgomery Clift displayed toward her (He didn't value her talents as an actress.) and Sir Ralph Richardson taking every opportunity to steal scenes from under her nose with his improvisations.

► Montgomery Clift was so unhappy with his performance, he walked out of the premiere.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

In Remembrance of Miriam Hopkins on her birthday.

Born | October 18, 1902 in Savannah, Georgia, USA.

Video | Miriam Hopkins as Lavinia Penniman in a clip from The Heiress (1949), directed by William Wyler.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

West Side Story directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins and starring Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris, premiered in New York City on this day, October 18, 1961.

West Side Story remained the highest-grossing musical film of all time until the release of The Sound of Music in 1965.

West Side Story won the following 10 Academy Awards, making it the musical film with the most Oscar wins.

Best Motion Picture — Robert Wise
Best Director — Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins
Best Supporting Actor — George Chakiris
Best Supporting Actress — Rita Moreno
Best Art Direction — Color
Art Direction: Boris Leven; Set Decoration: Victor A. Gangelin
Best Cinematography — Color — Daniel L. Fapp
Best Costume Design — Color — Irene Sharaff
Best Film Editing — Thomas Stanford
Best Scoring of a Musical Picture —
Saul Chaplin, Johnny Green, Irwin Kostal, and Sid Ramin
Best Sound — Fred Hynes and Gordon E. Sawyer
Plus Academy Honorary Award — Jerome Robbins

It was the first film to share the Academy Award for Best Director between two people, with Wise winning in the Best Picture and Best Director categories.

West Side Story influenced Michael Jackson's “Beat It” and “Bad” music videos. The first features Jackson as a peacemaker between two rival gangs in a homage to his favourite film.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

Grace Kelly photographed by her favourite photographer and close friend, Howell Conant, during her vacation in Montego Bay, Jamaica in 1955.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

Diana Rigg photographed by Jochen Harder, 1968.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

Natalie Wood portrait by LIFE photographer Bill Ray, 1963.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

@CharlieBronze I'm not sure sorry Anthony.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

Cyd Charisse's striptease to the title number in Silk Stockings (1957).

“This scene was met with a least a couple of raised eyebrows from the Hays film censors. For one two-second instant, she is seen at length in a silk camisole exposing her legendary legs. This was considered too risqué by the Hays office, and a high-back chair was integrated into the dance for her to run behind.

After she emerges from behind the chair, she has slipped on a swirling petticoat, but it is transparent and gives quick glimpses of her legs anyway, which were what most viewers wanted to see.” (Source: IMDb).

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

@saxbrack Great stuff Saxon. Can't wait to see it. I should make one of her as well. She's probably my favourite female dancer.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

@NomadGroningen All of these movie clips I post are from my own personal collection. Shane (1953) is in 4:3 format.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

In Remembrance of Jean Arthur on her birthday.

Born | October 17, 1900 in Plattsburgh, New York, USA.

Video | Jean Arthur as Marian Starrett in a scene from Shane (1953), directed by George Stevens.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

Gilda (1946) Theatrical Release Poster, “Style B”.

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Shane (1953) Theatrical Release Poster.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

Red River (1948) Theatrical Release Poster.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

You Can't Take It with You (1938) Theatrical Release Poster.

[Hollywood Golden Age of Cinema @HGACinema]

In Remembrance of Rita Hayworth on her birthday.

Born | October 17, 1918 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.

Video | Rita Hayworth in a scene from Gilda (1946), directed by Charles Vidor.