Little Lulu

(Comic Book)

Created by Marge (Marjorie Henderson Buell)

Comic book written by John Stanley

As any boy growing up in the 60s, I loved comic book. And by that, I mean superhero comic books.*

So, when I was visiting my female cousins one afternoon and stumbled upon a stack of Little Lulu, I was less than impressed. Clearly, these were girl comics.

But I had an odd trait: show me something in the comic book form, and I'll read it. I can't help myself. So I started reading the back issues of Little Lulu.

They were terrific. I couldn't put my finger on why. There was no action. They were amusing, but not hilarious. But I enjoyed them immensely.

Nowadays, I have a better grasp of why: They were just well-written stories in comic book form.

Little Lulu was created by Marjorie Henderson Buell, who used the pen name of Marge for her work. Lulu started out as a recurring panel in the Saturday Evening Post, and graduated to comic strip and finally comic book. It was the latter where it reached its peak. Marge was a smart businesswoman and managed to syndicate the name all over the place, and even eventually as a TV cartoon.

And, similarly to Walt Disney, she couldn't write everything she had her name on. I get the impression she started hiring others early on, and the real find was John Stanley.

Lulu was originally a mischievous girl who love pulling pranks. But Stanley gave her a personality, a groups of friends to interact with, and rich backstory. Lulu was about grade school age, and her friend and foil was Tubby Tompkins. Lulu and Tubby had a rivalry/friendship that stood out among kid comics. There was also Lulu's best friend Annie; Tubby's friend Iggy; Annie's brother Alvin; and Gloria, Tubby's heartthrob.

Veering off, there were also Witch Hazel and Little Itch. They weren't part of Lulu's suburban world, but rather a real witch and her bratty niece, who tormented the Little Girl who picked Beebleberries. These were all stories within a story that Lulu would tell Alvin. The witches were nasty and always tormenting the girl (who was drawn to look like Lulu -- I'm sure the idea was that she was Lulu in a different continuum), but the girl managed to turn the tables at the end.

The stories were all clever and well plotted. When not concentrating on Witch Hazel, they dealt with kid's issues and never failed to end up a satisfying and fun read.

Stanley eventually quit the comic and it lost its way. Eventually, Marge sold the title to her distributor. Little Lulu limped along, never particularly impressive, and was finally killed in the mid-80s.

Dark Horse Comics is currently republishing the book. While not showing the genius of reprints like Krazy Kat, Pogo, and Peanuts, Little Lulu is a look at a pleasant and unassuming book that only serious comic book fans are aware of.

*To be precise, DC superhero comics. Despite the fact I lived less than 100 miles from Marvel's headquarters, you could not buy Marvel Comics where I was. The only reason I knew about them was because a friend of mine who had lived elsewhere before we met had a collection. You could stump a classroom full of people with the trivia questions "What is Spider-Man's secret identity," or "Name two of the Fantastic Four."

Action

(TV)(1999)

Created by Chris Thompson

Starring Jay Mohr, Illeana Douglas, Jack Plotnick, Jarrad Paul, Buddy Hackett

IMDB Entry

With some shows, the first time you watch them, you say to yourself, "This won't last the season." Often this is because the show is just plain terrible. But, occasionally, it's because the show is good, but probably unpalatable to the general public.

The key example: Action.

The show was actually developed for cable. So it was filled with bawdy jokes, bad language, and edgy characters. Creator Chris Thompson pitched the show to HBO, then decided to get HBO to raise their offer by also pitching it to Fox, thinking the subject matter was too iffy for broadcast.

And, as you probably guessed, HBO turned them down and Fox said, "Yes." Sometimes it doesn't pay to be too smart.

Action was a show about moviemaking (so, of course, I loved it). Peter Dragon (Jay Mohr) was a Jerry Bruckheimer-type movie producer, whose last film was an unmitigated disaster.

Desperate, he hooks up with the former child star Wendy Ward (Ileana Douglas) who is now working as a prostitute (he needed someone to show up with him at an opening). Ward picks out a script from unknown screenwriter Stewart Glazer (by Jared Paul) and Mohr has to use it to produce the make-or-break film for him: Beverly Hills Gun Club.

Peter Dragon is probably the sleaziest main character to ever appear as the star of a prime time TV show. He's an unthinking liar who doesn't give a crap about anyone else, the type of person who kicks people on his way up and on the way down. He videotapes his sex sessions with movie stars (Sandra Bullock, who shows up to beat the crap out of him for it). He will be sweet and seemingly sincere when he wants something, and insult you the moment he gets it. His only real redeeming quality is that he's funny. Jay Mohr does a great job in making such an unsympathetic character so much fun to watch.

What also helps is the fact that, in many cases, Dragon has reason to insult the people around him. His leading lady shows up 50 pounds overweight. His leading man is a druggie. Everything around him falls apart, all giving him reason to blow up.

Wendy Ward tries to get him to behave better, but is not above prostituting herself for the film. She keeps her hard edge throughout, but Ileana Douglas manages to make her likable.

I'm also fond of Jared Paul as the screenwriter Stewart. He is one of the few not caught up in the Hollywood scene -- not quite yet -- so his offhand comments about what he sees are always funny. Jack Plotnick plays Dragon's assistant and whipping boy (When he refers to Wendy as "your whore," Dragon replies, "No, she's my prostitute. You're my whore.") Lee Annenberg is also memorable as Bobby G, the money man behind the picture, who is gay, but will not only never admit it, but will sue you if you make the allegation. Finally, there's Buddy Hackett, who is Dragon's uncle and chauffeur.

The show had some interesting guest cameos: Bullock, Selma Hayak, David Leisure. They all kidded their image and showed how Peter is a terrible human being, which seems to be an asset in Hollywood.

The show never stood a chance in the ratings. Fox stuck with it for ten weeks, then pulled the plug, but not without a series finale. In the final episode*, Beverly Hills Gun Club starts shooting. It's a disaster. Things go wrong, of course. People don't like the dialog so it has to be fixed. A pigeon in the sound stage ruins a take. Lines are flubbed. And finally, when things go right, there is no film in the camera. Peter goes berserk and suffers a heart attack. And dies. At 9:30 p.m. on Thursday -- the time the show was aired. And to top it, the EMTs steal his watch; no one is honest in Hollywood.

It is a perfect ending to a great series.

*The DVD adds several unaired episodes that were never run and which take the story on from there.

Children of Heaven

(Bacheha-Ye aseman) (1997) Written and Directed by Majid Majidi
Starring Amir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahare Seddiqi
IMDB Page
Iran is not exactly a world cinema power, so saying that a movie is the best movie to come out of the country is pretty faint praise. Nevertheless, Children of Heaven ranks up with the output of any country's cinema. It's a fairly simple story. Ali (Amir Farrokh Hashemian), a young boy living in Tehran, takes his sister Zahra's (Bahare Seddiqi) shoes to be repaired, and on the way back, loses them. This is a disaster: their family is too poor to buy new shoes. In order to keep the loss a secret from their parents, the two children form a plan: the will share. Zahra will wear the shoes to school in the morning, then give them to Ali to wear to school in the afternoon.

Of course, there are complications in trading off the shoes and trying to keep the secret. Then Ali discovers there will be a footrace. Third prize is a pair of shoes, so Ali enters. This sets up a race result that unlike anything in American films that show competition, and a truly beautiful moment.

The two young actors in the film are just wonderful. Their performances are absolutely real, without any sign that they are acting at all. Director Majid Majidi makes everything about the movie look fresh. It may be a different culture, but the issues facing everyone are the same.

The film got an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film, but lost to Life is Beautiful.

Majidi has become the top Iranian director, both on the strength of this and of other films he's been making. It's a great look at childhood, poverty, and love.

The Good Guys

(TV) (1968-70)
Created by Jack Rose
Starring Bob Denver, Herb Edelman, Joyce Van Patten
Bert's Place on the Web, a Good Guys Fan site*

Bob Denver is a TV icon. His role of Maynard G. Krebs in The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis put him on the comedy map, but, of course, the character he is best known for is Gilligan. In 1968, after Gilligan's Island was cancelled, Denver got a starring role in a new and different series, The Good Guys. The name referred to two lifelong friends Rufus Butterworth (Denver) and Bert Gramis (Herb Edelman). Rufus ran a taxi service, while Bert owned a diner, which he operated with his wife, Claudia (Joyce Van Patten).

This was a different style of comedy for Denver. Bert was less slapstick than Gilligan, and the humor was much more character oriented. The predicaments were the type of thing that really happened to people. Rufus was a little bit dim, but his friendship for Bert was an endearing quality, and he would as often as not help to fix the problems he caused.

What made the comedy work was the cast. Denver was fine as Rufus, with only a slight hint of Gilligan in the role. Herb Edelman had a long career as a character actor, best known as Murray the Cop in the film version of The Odd Couple. He did a lot of TV, but rarely in a recurring role except for the part of Stan in The Golden Girls. Joyce Van Patten (yes, she's Dick's sister) had a long career as a character actor in TV.

The show premiered to critical acclaim and mediocre ratings. And, as is too often the case with a gem like this, the network got involved and ordered changes. Alan Hale, Jr., and Jim Backus from a well-known TV island showed up as guest stars, and the show veered more and more toward slapstick.

The show was renewed, but CBS required a revamping (has that ever improved ratings?). Bert's diner was moved from the city to the shore, Rufus ditched his taxi to be Bert's partner, and it was no longer filmed in front of a studio audience. The ratings languished, of course, and the show was cancelled after two seasons.

Denver's next role was the execrable Dusty's Trail -- Gilligan's Island in the west, right down to the mix of characters. He did some guest star work, but was probably too well identified with Gilligan to ever break free of the role. It too bad The Good Guys wasn't a bigger success to show that Denver could be more than just Gilligan.**

*No link to the IMDB. Their current policy of not listing the credits of series regulars unless someone comes in and spends hours highlighting every single episode is just plain nonsensical. Why not put the regulars in every episode when the show is created? Then users can remove them on the few occasions they aren't in the show. But for obscure TV, you have to search and scroll down to find any of the actors who starred in it.

**Krebs is a great role, too, but when was the last time you saw Dobie Gillis on TV?

Mr. 880

(1950) Directed by Edmund Golding

Screenplay by Robert Riskin

Starring Burt Lancaster, Dorothy McGuire, Edmund Gwenn.

Edmund Gwenn's place in film history is secure. He is famous for one role: Kris Kringle in the greatest of all Christmas films, Miracle on 34th Street. As a further highlight to his resume, he appeared in one of the greatest of all giant insects movies, Them!, as the wise old scientist. You know his strengths: a softspoken charm and playfulness.

Mr. 880 is another fine role for him. The movie is a gentle comedy about an unsual subject: counterfeiting.

Steve Buchanan (Burt Lancaster) is a Secret Service agent, on the trail of a counterfeiter. His target is an odd duck: he only counterfeits one-dollar bills (which was rare even back when the dollar bought a lot more) and he was very bad at his trade (he misspells "Washington" on the bill). But he has been passing these for over twenty years with no sign of getting caught.

Buchanan manages to find the neighborhood where the counterfeiter is operating and goes undercover. He becomes part of the neighborhood, and romances Ann Winslow (Dorothy Mcguire).

Gwenn plays Skipper Miller, a charming old man who is loved by everyone in the neighborhood. And, yes, it's not a spoiler to tell you that Skipper is the counterfeiter. Buchanan begins to catch on. But Skipper is only passing the bills from time to time in order to make ends meet. Buchanan has to decide how to deal with the issue.

Gwenn, of course, is delightful -- Kris Kringle without a beard. And Lancaster relaxes a bit (he was often too intense in his roles until he learned to relax in Atlantic City).

The script is by Robert Riskin, one of the 30's greatest screenwriters. You've probably never heard of him, but he worked with Frank Capra. Capra didn't like to share credit, but Riskin wrote the screenplays for It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Lost Horizon, You Can't Take is With You, and Meet John Doe. He also wrote the screenplay for the more obscure American Madness, which Capra borrowed freely from when he made It's a Wonderful Life (American Madness was about a kindly bank president who believes in making loans for the little guy. When he is on the verge of collapse due to a run on the bank, his friends come through to donate money to help him out. All it's missing is angels.). Working without Capra, Riskin wrote the gangster comedy The Whole Town's Talking. Mister 880 is in a long line of his fine scripts.

The film got Gwenn his second Oscar nomination (he had already won for you know what). It's a worthy addition to the other two films that made him famous.

Spirit

(Music)

Jay Ferguson (vocals), Randy California (guitar), Mark Andes (bass), John Locke (keyboards), Ed Cassidy (drums).

Spirit was an impressive melding of rock, blues, and jazz. It boasted three top-notch songwriters in Ferguson, California, and Andes. They put out four albums of superb musicianship before the original lineup broke up. They had one song that became a standby on FM radio, but no big hits, and suffered from some poor decisions.

One was signing with Lou Adler. Adler was a top record executive of the time, and he signed the group to his Ode records label, distributed by Epic (which was a division of Columbia Records*). Adler, though was dissatisfied with Epic, and took the first opportunity he could to jump his label to A&M, where, renamed as Ode 70, he hit real success with Carole King's Tapestry.

But in the shuffle, Spirit was lost.

The original lineup played in the Los Angeles area before forming. Cassady had the most experience -- because he was old enough to be the guitar player's father. He was a jazz drummer before joining the group, and played with Cannonball Adderly, Roland Kirk, and the legendary group the Rising Sons (with Taj Mahal and Ry Cooder). He was the "face" of the group, with his shaven head -- even more unusual in the late 60s than long hair. When he played, he made what Lillian Roxon called "amazing facial distortions."

Randy California (born Randy Wolf) was Cassady's stepson (I told you he was much older) and had played with (and was influenced by) Jimi Hendrix before Jimi hit it big. Mark Andes was briefly in an early version of Canned Heat, and Ferguson and Locke were up and coming musicians in the LA area.

In their first incarnation, they recorded four albums:

• Spirit. Their first album was a bit tentative, more jazzy that rock, but still a first class job. The highlights are "Fresh Garbage," "Mechanical World," "Topanga Window," and "Gramophone Man." There's also "Taurus," which has gained some notoriety lately: it sounds suspiciously like the opening to "Stairway to Heaven," and since Spirit opened for Led Zeppelin, there have been charges that Jimmy Page stole it.
• The Family that Plays Together. This had the biggest hit, "I've Got a Line on You." It didn't go that high on the charts, but was an FM standby. Other highlights are the beautiful ballad "Darling If," "Jewish" (based on a Hebrew prayer), " and the rocking "All the Same." The group had reached its stride.
• Clear. Not quite as good as the previous album, but some fine songs like "Dark Eyed Woman," "So Little Time to Fly," "Give a Life, Take a Life," and "Apple Orchard." The record company picked the wrong song to promote as a single.
• The Twelve Dreams of Doctor Sardonicus. Quite simply, one of the twenty best rock albums ever. Twelve songs that are all classics. There is a wide range, with a great production job by David Briggs. Some rock hard; others rock softly, still others are achingly beautiful ballads. It ranks up with the best of the Beatles for tunefulness and eclectic sounds. I really can't pick a favorite. I love "Nature's Way," a ballad about death that never mentions the subject. "Animal Zoo" is a fine rocker, as is "Mr. Skin" (a reference to Cassady, though it seems rife with double meaning). "Why Can't I Be Free" is a beautiful moment, showing California's way with melody. "Morning Will Come" is a catchy single. If you haven't heard it, get it -- it will amaze you.

Alas, the group started falling apart during the Doctor Sardonicus sessions. There were the same forces that drew the Beatles apart: talented songwriters who were going in different directions, plus the fact that the group could never really break through. Ed Cassidy has been quoted as saying they knew they were breaking up, and thus were trying to go out with a bang.

They broke up as the album was in final production, which left it in enough limbo that Epic didn't promote it (why spend the money on a group that won't record any more albums?). It did poorly (though over the years, it has gone platinum).

The name went on. Locke and Cassady brought in a couple of outsiders to put out the album Feedback, but it was as if Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman hired a few unknowns and called themselves the Rolling Stones. The group's songwriters were gone, and most fans ignored it. The group's name continued with various original members along from time to time, though only Cassady and California were constant. I lost track after the break up, but what little I heard was good, but not up to the brilliance of Sardonicus. It was a pinnacle that few groups could reach, and tended to overshadow later efforts.

Andes formed Jo Jo Gunne, and Ferguson had a solo career with a hit single "Thunder Island." Randy California also tried a solo career, then returned to Spirit, which essentially became his band. The group in various incarnations continued on until California's death in 1997 (saving his son from a riptide**).

It was a shame that the group never got the success it deserved. But Doctor Sardonicus is an essential album to anyone looking for good music.

*I go into this because many of these relationships have been forgotten as divisions are sold and merged. The Allmusic Guide's biggest flaw is that they only list the current (or most recent) labels for CDs, not the label where the group originally appeared).

**I like the term. "Rip Current" has no poetry.

Howard the Duck

(comic book)(1976-79) Written by Steve Gerber
Pencils by Gene Conlan
Howard the Duck appreciation page
Toonopedia Page.

George Lucas has a lot of answer for. Sure, Star Wars was a great movie, but its success put an end to the age of films for grownups. Hollywood saw that the key to big bucks was to make films for teenage boys, and that's all too often what we're stuck with.

And then there's Howard the Duck.

All anyone remembers is Lucas's movie. The film was a critical and financial disaster (not quite as bad as some say -- so eventually people may start talking about it positively -- but still no great shakes). It is the target of jokes and gives everyone the impression that the comic was no great shakes, either.

That's a mistake.

Howard was really intended to be a one shot. Steve Gerber needed an interesting visual for a story he was writing for the comic book Man-Thing (we were so innocent back then . . . ), so he came up with Howard, a cigar smoking, pistol-packing duck from another dimension. Howard caught on quickly and was soon rewarded with his own title.

Gerber soon was able to let his penchant for weirdness to take over. Howard was often the only sane creature in the situation, as he was faced with madmen, super villains, and assorted strangeness, meanwhile trying to do the mundane tasks of earning a living trapped in a world he never made. He was aided at first by Beverly Switzler, a beautiful redhead, and came up against his nemesis, the Kidney Lady (who thought Howard was out to steal her kidneys).

The stories ranged all over the place. Howard ran for president (with the All-Night Party), suffered a nervous breakdown (where he was visited by the rock group KISS), and generally had crap thrown at him, as he tried to wisecrack his way out of it. There were nice plot twists, like when Beverly was forced to marry the villain Dr. Bong -- and decides she like him.

The strip was extremely popular. Issues of Howard the Duck #1 were selling for $60 or more. There was even a spinoff newspaper strip, probably the oddest newspaper strip this side of Zippy the Pinhead.

It didn't last, of course. Gerber (who was also editing the book, so he had free rein) began to miss deadlines, and the stories got stranger and stranger. He was fired; there were lawsuits, and book started losing its appeal. Eventually, it was switched to a black and white magazine, ostensibly to allow for stories without worrying about the Comics Code, but by that time, it had stopped being relevant.

Various other versions have been revived over the years, with limited success.

And then there was the movie. Now, if you mention Howard, that's all anyone will remember. That's a shame, because at its peak, the comic was among the best ever written, and something of a pioneer in pushing the envelope.

The Opposite of Sex

(1998)

Written and Directed by Don Roos

Starring: Christini Ricci, Martin Donovan, Lisa Kudrow, Lyle Lovett, Johnny Galecki

IMDB Entry

Don Roos is one of the more interesting directors working today. His first film, The Opposite of Sex, is a bawdy and hilarious look at sex and relationships.

The story involves Dede Truett (Christina Ricci), who, when pregnant, goes to live with her gay brother Bill (Martin Donovan) and wrecks havoc with his life. She sleeps with his boyfriend, Matt (leading to one of the best exchanges in years: "I'm bisexual." "Puh-lease! I went to a bar mitzvah once. That doesn't make me Jewish. ") There are mixups and confusion caused by Dede's scheming that leads to the ultimate ending.

But what really makes the film work is the dialog. And the actress who really shines -- and has all the best line (like the bar mitzvah one) is somewhat of a surprise if you're familiar with her image: Lisa Kudrow. Kudrow plays Lucia, Bill's best friend, as a cynical and bitter wisecracker. And it helps that her lines are so outrageously funny. It gets so that you keep wanting to hear her speak, knowing it'll be great -- and the script doesn't let you down,

Christini Ricci was also cast against type, playing the Machiavellian Dede as a sexual manipulator. She sleeps with Matt primarily so that she can fool him into believing he was the baby's father. She consistently stirs the pot to make things work our to her advantage, and Ricci does a magnificent job,

The rest of the cast is fine, too. I liked Lyle Lovett as a cop (Lovett is a favorite of mine as a singer, and is an intriguing presence).

But it's really a showcase for Roos, whose script is crackling with the best dialog since the 1930s(though much more sexually explicit). Roos went on to direct the underrated Bounce and even more obscure Happy Endings, both of which are worth watching.

A Boy and His Dog

(1975) Directed by L. Q. Jones Written by L.Q. Jones, based on a story by Harlan Ellison Starring Don Johnson, Susan Benton, Jason Robards, Tim McIntyre

IMDB Entry

Harlan Ellison is a legend of science fiction. Part is due to his writing; his work for years has been among the best the field has to offer, and he's won more science fiction awards than anyone other than Connie Willis. Part is due to his TV work: he's written scripts for The Outer Limits, Star Trek, Space: 1999, The New Twilight Zone, and Babylon 5. Much is due to his personality. Harlan is larger than life: witty, nasty, indignant, kind, vicious, and everything in between. SF fans make up legends of Harlan and if not all of them are true (one told to me was just an older joke with Harlan's name added), they are all entertaining.

A Boy and His Dog is one of the few adaptations of one of his story stories (as opposed to a script written for TV). The story was a Nebula Award winner, and packed quite a punch in its day, especially with the twist at the end.

It's the story of Vic (Don Johnson) and his dog, Blood (voice of Tim McIntyre), who live in a post-apocalyptic world. Blood is genetically enhances; he can talk to Vic and can warn him of danger (as well as be a weapon). The two are inseparable, until Quilla June (Suzanne Benton) shows up. She comes from an underground society, people living in bomb shelters and trying to pretend life is normal. And soon, Vic has to decide who is more important.

The film was directed by L.Q. Jones. If the name's familiar, it's because of his work as an actor. He's appeared in over a hundred films and TV shows, usually westerns, and most often playing the grizzled old timer. Sam Peckinpah especially loved to use him. This was one of his few forays into directing (and writing) and he does an interesting job of translating Ellison to the screen.

Ellison, of course, hated it. While some of his criticism is valid (especially of the final scene), some of the the changes that Jones added to the story made it work that much better, especially the bizarre imagery of life underground. Ultimately, it is one of the few successful adaptations of an award winning SF story.

There's a very young Don Johnson in the lead. This was his first starring role, but it didn't seem turn him into a star; that took another ten years. Jason Robards has a small part, possibly as a favor to Jones. The movie is still unique in that it's the only Nebula Award winning movie to be made from a Nebula Award winning story.

The Space Explorers

(TV) (1958) (Animated) Produced by: William Cayton

Directed/Written by: Fred Ladd

Starring Cliff "Ray" Owens, Jimmy Perry, Francine "Sonya" Owens.Official Space Explorers Web Page

I have to admit, it's been awhile since I saw this one. Quite awhile. It's possible that it's not as good as I remembered (I was only six at the time). But that doesn't matter. The Space Explorers was probably the most influential TV show I ever watched.

It was originally created as a movie, but was broadcast as a series of cartoons, syndicated throughout the country. The show owes its life to totalitarianism: when Sputnik went up, American panicked and tried to find ways to get kids interested in science. William Cayton and Fred Ladd, who had been working on a feature version of the show, teamed up with the Hayden Planetarium in New York to create a cartoon series for syndicated TV.

The situation in the show was basic. Commander Perry (voice of Cliff "Ray" Owens) has taken off in a new spacecraft and . . . vanished. His young son Jimmy (voice of Kerry Mark Joels) joins Professor Nordheim (Owens again), his female assistant Smitty, and a neighbor, Nancy Williams (both women voiced by Francine "Sonya" Owens) to search for the missing ship.

In each episode, the explorers would travel through the solar system, looking for Commander Perry and, incidentally, stumbling upon some sort of astronomical phenomenon that Professor Nordheim would explain. The science predominated over the adventure, but the show was very exciting to kids of the time.

Oh, and remember my mention of totalitarianism? It wasn't just the Communists that supplied the impetus. In order to make the show work on a low budget, Cayton and Ladd used footage from earlier films. And the opening sequence of the spaceship lifting off was taken from Weltraumschiff 18, a film made in Nazi Germany in 1939.

The show was broadcast in 6-minute segments during children's programming, so broadcasting was spotty. I can't say where I saw it -- it was shown in the New York City area with Officer Joe Bolton, but we couldn't get New York stations in 1958, so it was more likely from WNHC in New Haven or WTIC in Hartford.

A second series, The New Adventures of the Space Explorers went on the air in a similar format in 1961, and it's possible that's about the time I first saw it (especially if they reran the first series). Ladd went on to be involved in the first invasion of anime in the US, producing Astroboy, Gigantor, Kimba, Eighth Man (a favorite of mine) and Speed Racer.

As for me, this was my first introduction to science fiction. It brought me a real love for the genre, which eventually manifested itself in a mildly successful attempt to become a science fiction writer. Without the Space Explorers, it's possible I'd be writing historical fiction, and what fun would that be? (As John Barth once pointed out, "Science fiction authors aren't like you or me. They have more fun.")

Cashback

(2006) Written and Directed by Sean Ellis Starring Sean Biggerstaff, Emilia Fox, Shaun Evans, Stewart Goodwin, Michael Dixon IMDB Entry I hadn't planned on writing this up so soon, but I happened to mention it on my favorite message board (The Straight Dope Message Board) and someone actually listened to me, rented the movie, and raved about it. So I figured I should write it up here. I was intrigued by the cover image (OK, I'm a male), and the description, and also went along with my daughter's "wheat rule" (if the cover of a DVD has "wheat" -- film festival awards -- it's worth renting) and picked it up.

The concept is a fascinating one. Ben Willis (Sean Biggerstaff), a student at art college, breaks up with his girlfriend and goes into a massive depression, which manifests itself as complete insomnia. Wanting to do something with his extra eight hours, Ben starts working the night shift at a 24-hour grocery. But time passes too slowly, so as a coping mechanism, he imagines he brings it to a stop.

He wanders through the aisles, where everything is stopped and begins to undress and sketch the women who are frozen there.

Now, this seems like the plot for a cheap sex film, but director Sean Ellis has something else in mind. Ben is in love with the female form and his sketches all bring out the beauty of those he freezes. The images are designed for their beauty (and the concept of beauty is an important theme of the film)

He also starts building a friendship with his coworkers, all of whom have different ways of coping with the long nights. They play jokes on each other, run shopping cart races, pretend they're kung fu masters, try to create esprit de corps, or just plain try to ignore the clock altogether.

Ben starts up a relationship with Sharon Pintey (Emilia Fox), who is intrigued by the fact he is an artist. There are some nice twists. For instance, a practical joke is played on Ben which, in most comedies, would have been played as an embarrassing case of mistaken identity. In the film, Ben realizes very quickly he's been the victim of a joke, and the situation plays out in a very realistic and more affecting manner. All the characters have quirks and depths that keep surprising you.

The film has an interesting history. It was originally a short subject of 18 minutes, showing Ben stopping time in the grocery. It was then expanded into a feature, with the original 18 minutes intact. The script was written in a week, but it was several months before he could get the cast back together to shoot the new scenes. As Ellis was finishing it, he found out the original short was nominated for an Oscar (it didn't win).

The film has a lot to say about beauty and relationships and time, and is a real gem.

Forces of Nature

(1999) Directed by: Bronwen Hughes Written by: Marc Lawrence Starring Ben Affleck, Sandra Bullock, Maura Tierney, Blythe Danner, Ronnie Cox IMDB Entry

I've never understood why so many people seem to hate Ben Affleck. Granted, he's made some stinkers, but he's also made some good films, things like Chasing Amy, Shakespeare in Love, Bounce, Good Will Hunting, Dogma, Jersey Girl, and Hollywoodland. He always comes across as a likeable guy, and is quite willing to kid his own image (as in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back).

He's a bit limited as an actor (though Hollywoodland shows he does have enough range to put out a fine performance), but there are many actors who are similarly limited. It may be the whole Bennifer thing -- his appearance as a tabloid superstar turned a lot of people off to him.

Forces of Nature is one very nice film, and a good role for Sandra Bullock, to boot. It's faint praise to say this is Bullock's best role since Speed; her career since them has been one dismal film after another. But this is something she can also stand out in.

The film is in many ways a remake of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, a movie that is somewhat overrated (good, but not classic). Ben Holmes (Affleck) is flying to Savanna, GA, to marry Bridget Cahill (Maura Tierney), but, after a series of mistakes, he is forced to travel with Sarah Lewis (Bullock).

It's a road picture, as various problems make the trip both funny and complex. Ben finds himself becoming attracted to Sarah as they make the journey together. He's a conventional sort and he finds her more freeform approach to life very appealing. There's a nice chemistry between the two; you can see Ben's attraction grow.

The movie is smart enough to come up with an ending that is somewhat surprising given Hollywood conventions, but also perfectly reasonable and emotionally right.

Maura Tierney is also good as Bridget, who knows Ben better than he does himself. Tierney at this point was best known for her role on Newsradio, and seeing her as the dramatic center of the film was quite surprising at the time. This is a fine romantic comedy with a twist that really makes it stand out.

Fort Apache

(1948) Directed by John Ford Story by James Warner Bellah Screenplay by Frank S. Nugent Starring Henry Fonda, John Wayne, Shirley Temple, Ward Bond, Pedro Armendarez, Victor McLaughlin, John Agar, Guy Kibbee IMDB Entry

Picking out a great but forgotten film by John Ford is nearly as hard a choosing one by Alfred Hitchcock. Both are great directors whose work is viewed and written about decades after their deaths. But my choice was a film that seems to be overlooked despite it showing themes that Ford not only used later, but also was highly praised.

Fort Apache was the first of what later was called Ford's "Cavalry Trilogy," though he never conceived them as being interconnected. And it was a tossup for me to choose between this and the second of these films, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, which features what is probably John Wayne's best performance.

But I like Fort Apache for several reasons. Number one is Henry Fonda. He plays Owen Thursday, who has just been assigned to run the fort. Thursday is ambitious, interested in glory, and a stickler for military rules. Wayne plays Kirby York, his second in command. Thursday comes from the east (his daughter is name, tellingly, Philadelphia), and thinks he knows how to handle the problem with the Indians in the territory. York, who has been at the fort for ages, knows more, but since he's second in command, he has to defer.

This sets up a very interesting conflict. Thursday does not like York's more relaxed method of command. He also thinks he knows what's best when dealing with the Indians, despite York's protests.

Because there's a second element: the treatment of native Americans. They are definitely mistreated, especially by Thursday, who sees an Indian war as a way for him to get the glory he deserves, and the Apache tribes as savages to be tamed. York, on the other hand, knows the Apaches are willing to be honorable if treated honorably. One of the major conflicts is when York discovers that Thursday has forced him to lie to Cochise. York is furious, but is forced to swallow his anger because he is second in command.

The movie's climax is a parallel to Custer's Last Stand, with Thursday blundering into a trap after sending York back for insubordination. And despite his miscalculation, Thursday ends up becoming a hero (though a dead one). In one of my favorite scenes, a reporter asks York about the story and whether it is true. There is a pause, and then York confirms it. This tacitly parallels the famous line from Ford's later The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence: "When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."

Fonda is great in a very atypical role. He manages to bring a great deal of depth to a character who in other hands would be just a martinet. Wayne, too, is excellent as a man who is forced to do what is against his better judgment.

In addition to the main plot, there are some great scenes of life in the cavalry. There's a nice sequence showing a formal ball at the fort, and a sequence of the soldiers on patrol (paralleling what was shown on She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

Victor McLaughlin is fine comic relief as Sgt. Major O'Rourke, the man who keeps the men in line. Shirley Temple is also good in one of her better adult rules as Philadelphia.

For its sympathetic treatment of Indians, and the acting of Wayne and Fonda, Fort Apache is a movie to seek out.

La Belle et la bete

(Beauty and the Beast) (1946)
Directed by Jean Cocteau
Written by Cocteau and Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont
Starring Jean Marais, Josette Day
IMDB Entry

Myths are often retold. And Beauty and the Beast is no exception. The problem with retellings and remakes is that if there is a perfect version, they get forgotten by OK but inferior versions. That's why Jean Cocteau's La Belle et la bête deserves memorialization.

I don't have to tell you the story. You've probably seen the Disney version -- which is a pretty good movie in its own right. Gaston is one of my favorite Disney villains, because he doesn't see himself as a villain. He's going to save Belle, and do good. The movie also has some fine Howard Ashman/Alan Menken songs.

But it doesn't hold a candle to Cocteau's.

Jean Cocteau was a poet. This isn't hyperbole: Cocteau actually made his reputation as a poet (and playwright) before turning to films. He certainly had a poet's eye for beauty. La Belle et la bête is filled with beautiful, poetic imagery. For instance, when Beauty arrives at the Beast's castle, her way is lit by candelabra along the wall held by human hands. She glides down the hallway in a dreamlike movement, and the candles magically light as she passes.

Jean Marais is also memorable as the Beast. He appears like a lion, and his nobility makes him a perfect romantic hero. Legend has it that when the Beast was changed into a prince, Greta Garbo shouted out, "Give me back my beast!" Certainly the Beast is more romantic than any prince could be.

The film was made under difficult circumstances. World War II had just ended, and France was suffering from shortages of film and food. Cocteau made do with whatever film stock he could scrounge up, and the sumptuous banquets in the film were devoured by the crew and extras as soon as the scene was complete. Marais had to spend five hours a day for his make up, and Cocteau had to be hospitalized due to illness during shooting.

But none of the problems show up on the screen. The results are one of the most beautiful and romantic movies ever made.

The New Twilight Zone

(TV) (1985-1989)
Executive Producer: Philip De Guere
Episode Guide

In 1985, for no logical reason, the networks decided that anthology series were ready to make a comeback. At the time (and today) conventional wisdom was that people weren't interested in anthologies: they much preferred a series with recurring characters instead of being introduced to a new cast every week. An anthology was also dependent on good writing: if you like the characters, you might come back after a weak episode, but if the characters are new, then there's a good chance you won't. The last successful network anthology series was Love, American Style (it still is), and that had gone off the year a decade before.

There was a reason, of course, if not a logical one: Steven Spielberg. He had signed a contract to do Amazing Stories on NBC, and given an unprecedented order of two full seasons worth of shows. And network executives are nothing but bandwagon followers: if Steve is getting an anthology series, we should do our own. NBC added a revamped Alfred Hitchcock Presents, taking stories from the original series and coming up with new versions of them, with Alfred's original (colorized) introductions. CBS added George Burns Comedy World, which had George introducing short comedy episodes. And CBS also went to the well to bring up an old name: The New Twilight Zone.

Amazing Stories was really "Amazing story ideas." Too many of the stories were just an introduction of a concept, with flashy special effects (it had a great opening credit sequence, though). Alfred Hitchcock was probably a bad idea to begin with, since those who liked the originals weren't interested in updated versions, and those who didn't know the originals didn't care who Hitchcock was. Comedy World was funny, but completely ignored.

The New Twilight Zone, however, was a classic.

First of all, they did it right. Instead of commissioning all original stories (like Amazing Stories or George Burns) or doing remakes of classics (like Hitchcock), they had a mix: some new, some adaptations of originals, and some adaptations of science fiction short stories by major authors. These included Harlan Ellision, Robert Silverberg, Rockne S. O'Bannon, Joe Haldeman, George R. R. Martin, Greg Bear, Ray Bradbury, Theodore Sturgeon, and Arthur C. Clarke, among others. Wes Craven, Peter Medak, Martha Coolidge, and Robert Downey (Sr.) directed episodes. Actors appearing included Bruce Willis, Richard Mulligan, Elliot Gould, Danny Kaye, Robert Klein, Annie Potts, James Whitmore, Jr., Robert Morse, Fritz Weaver, Shelly Duval, Richard Libertini, George Wendt -- in other words, a long list of well known names.

And the show allowed for free-form episodes: it ran an hour, but the stories could run from five minutes to 45. This helped avoided padding out episodes to fill the time needed, or cutting parts from the story in order to make it fit. They even hired the Grateful Dead to do the theme music.

Some of the more memorable episodes included:

• Nightcrawlers. Directed by William (The French Connection) Friedkin, this was a tense tale about a Vietnam veteran with more then the usual type of nightmares. The format of the series served this well: it was originally shown without a commercial break within it, so the suspense kept building from start to finish.
• To See the Invisible Man. From Robert Silverberg, this is about a society where people are punished by being made "invisible": no one will acknowledge their presence. The ending is one of the most emotionally rich scenes ever to be on TV.
• Wordplay. The first script by Rockne S. O'Bannon (Farscape), this stars Robert Klein as a man who discovers that the people around him start using different meanings for words. "What do you want to eat for dinosaur?" for instance.
• I of Newton. Fun "deal with the devil story" written by Joe Haldeman.
• Gramma. Story by Stephen King, teleplay by Harlan Ellison
• Shatterday. A Harlan Ellison story about a man (Bruce Willis) who finds a double is taking over his life.
• Night of the Meek. A nice remake of the original TZ episode, with Richard Mulligan in the Art Carney role.
• Monsters. A nice twist on the vampire legend, where a vampire moves next door to a young boy, who learns what the real monsters are.
• A Matter of Minutes. An adaptation of Theodore Sturgeon's "Yesterday was Monday" with a script by O'Bannon, and starring Alan Arkin as a man who finds a bunch of mysterious blue workmen tearing down things in his neighborhood.

And that's just the first season alone. I could go on and list much more (it's hard not to); just check out the episode guide to see everything.

The show ran into a bit of controversy over a Harlan Ellison episode that the censors wouldn't allow (Ellison and controversy? How is that possible?). But the ratings were weak. The show was renewed, though they got away from the multiple story concept and began to fit them into TV-specific rates. The ratings continued to drop, but, for contractual reasons, CBS has promise a third season, there was one -- with a new writing team lead by J. Michael Straczynski. The show was on a lower budget, but still managed to put out some excellent episodes, including a dramatization of Tom Godwin's classic SF story, "The Cold Equations" and the delightful "Cat and Mouse" (there I go listing again).

Of course, once off the air, the show was quickly forgotten. The original overshadowed the remake (though I would argue the 1985 version was as good if not better), and the recent 2002 version is probably what people remember if the title "New Twilight Zone" is mentioned. But DVDs of the 1985 series do exist, and are a real treat for TV fans.

Larry Gore's Thing (comic strip)

(c 1968-1970)
Web Page

Who is Larry Gore? Well, he's described by Frank Jacobs as "two parts Groucho Marx, one part Machiavelli." William M. Gaines -- long time publisher of Mad Magazine, said Gore was "even madder than we are."

He made his living as a publicist and he did have some famous clients: Red Skelton, Mad Magazine, the Miss NYC Pageant, John Wayne. And his most famous publicity stunt became legend: Tiny Tim's marriage to Miss Vicky on The Tonight Show.

So what was Larry Gore's Thing? In theory, a newspaper comic strip, though it didn't look like one. There were no characters (other than Larry Gore). There often wasn't any art (other than maybe a stock photo). Often, it was printed sideways. It was filled with dumb jokes and pointless stories, fake ads, topical humor, celebrity quotes, and fake opinion columns that had no opinions. If anything, it was probably pitched as a comic strip version of Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in. Some items included:

• Enter the "I'll Do Anything for Publicity Contest." The lucky girl who wins will be sorry.
• Lifetime Guarantee on all of our pure mahogany coffins.
• Factory to you! We eliminate the middleman's profit! The factory is mailed directly to you.
• Boheck's* gives real food stamps. Yes . . . at last. Stamps that taste like food.
• Today's Horoscope: avoid any astrology readings.
• LESS Cigarettes: After countless laboratory tests, 99 out of 100 medical doctors suggest you smoke LESS.
• Today's Horoscope: Stay cool. Don't go to Pisces.

Gore's only collaborator in this was artist Bob Clarke (best known for his work with Mad), who would add his own work to the clip art and photos.

The strip only ran a few years and in only a few newspapers (Newsday on Long Island being one of the few). Avon Books published a collection in 1970, but I don't think the comic lasted much beyond that. If you can find the book somewhere, pick it up.

*A play on "Bohack's," a Long Island supermarket chain that went out of business in the 70s.

Human Nature (2001)

Directed by Michel Gondry
Written by Charlie Kauffman
Starring Patricia Arquette, Tim Robbins, Rhys Ifans, Miranda Otto, Mary Kay Place, Robert Forster
IMDB Entry

The obscurity of this film is quite surprising. It's recent, and it's another film by the gloriously strange mind of Charlie Kauffman.

Kaufmann (sometimes with his twin Donald) wrote some of the strangest comedies of the past few years, starting with Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. Those films are talked about all the time in one aspect or another, but Human Nature is forgotten.

That's odd. Human Nature was filmed right after Being John Malkovich (though the script was written earlier), and you would have thought it would have caught people's eye. It certainly has a lot of Kauffman's weird mixture of slapstick and deep philosophy. But the film seemed to vanish.

The plot is typical Kauffman (if anything about him can be said to be typical). Lila Jute (Patricia Arquette) is a young woman who suffers from hyperpilosity -- hair all over her body. She runs off in the woods to be with nature, but, eventually sick of it, returns and starts an affair with Dr. Nathan Bronfman (Tim Robbins), a scientist who's trying to teach table manners to mice. Meanwhile, Puff (Rhys Ifans) is raised as an ape by a father who left humanity to live like an Apeman. Puff is captured and becomes Bronfman's experiment, a way of seeing if he can be taught to be civilized. Gabrielle (Miranda Otto) is Dr. Bronfman's lab assistant who has an agenda of her own.

The movie is very funny. It starts with the murder of Dr. Bronfman by Lila, with Puff -- now seemingly cultured and refined -- testifying before Congress about the importance of the human and animal sides of life.

Kaufmann is fond of twists, and this is no different. I won't go into the details, but one of the major themes of the film is that humans are by nature duplicitous. All the characters lie to one another in different ways and betrayal is a fact of life. The surprises are fun to follow -- all the way to the end.

Tim Robbins seems incapable of giving a bad performance, and Patricia Arquette brings a lot of interest to Lila. I discovered that I had seen Rhys Ifans before -- in the Australian comedy Danny Deckchair -- and he stands out as he is taught to be refined, but with his animal nature taking over all too often. It's also fun to see Mary Kay Place and Robert Forster as Bronfman's parents.

If you like Kaufmann, give this a try.

It Could Happen to You (1994)

Directed by Andrew Bergman
Written by Jane Anderson
Starring Nicholas Cage, Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez, Isaac Hayes. IMDB Entry.

I've several times mentioned films with forgettable names. In these cases, the name could have been justified by saying there wasn't anything better. Not so for It Could Happen to You. The name is certainly forgettable, especially since it had been used at least four times before. The original title, though, would have been just perfect in a Snakes on a Plane way (though less silly): Cop Gives Waitress $2 Million Tip. A bit long, but which film would you more likely see?

Director Andrew Bergman made his mark as a writer, starting with Blazing Saddles and the original The In-Laws. He had also made a directing splash with The Freshman (in which Marlon Brando showed he had a sense of humor) and Honeymoon in Vegas (with the Flying Elvises).

It Could Happen to You was roughly based on a true story. Nicholas Cage plays Charlie Lang, a real nice guy cop. One day, when eating he realize he doesn't have the money to tip his waitress Yvonne Biasi (Bridget Fonda). So he makes a promise. Charlie has just bout a lottery ticket, and he promises to share his winnings with Yvonne.

As you can guess, the ticket wins.

Charlie is a man of his word, and wants to split the money. This doesn't sit well with his wife Muriel (Rosie Perez), who starts spending the cash as fast as she gets it. Yvonne, on the other hand, is shocked that Charlie shows up and realizes that men like him don’t com along all that often. The are complications due to marriages and ex-husbands, and a sweet ending.

Cage and Fonda make a nice couple. Cage is in his full-blown romantic mode, but it works fine. He makes Charlie so likeable that you want to relationship to succeed.

On the flip side, Rosie Perez is amazing as the venial Muriel. It's Von Stroheim's Greed played for laughs, and Perez plays the role to perfectly. She is another actress who never got the fame she deserved.

Isaac Hayes is also a delight as Angel, who might just be one. He narrates the story and may intervene (though it isn't really a fantasy).

Bergman's career hit a pothole after this. The film didn't do particularly well and for his next project, he did Striptease. While not as horrendous as Showgirls (which came out at about the same time), it was savaged (one of these days, someone will figure out how to translate Carl Hiaassen to the screen) and he didn't direct for a long time.

But if you're in the mood for some romance and comedy, this is a good place to start. Even with the horrible name change.

The Hot L Baltimore (TV) (1975)

Produced by Norman Lear
Starring: James Cromwell, Richard Masur, Conchata Ferrel, Al Freeman, Jr., Jeannie Linero, Gloria Le Roy, Robin Wilson, Stan Gottleib, Lee Bergere, Henry Calvert, and Charlotte Rae.

In 1975, Norman Lear was king of TV. He had several smash hit shows: All in the Family, Maude, Sandford and Son, The Jeffersons, and Good Times, all gaining notoriety by Lear's way of pushing the envelope of what was acceptable on TV. All shows dealt with subjects that had been deliberately ignored by TV: bigotry, racial issues, abortion, etc. So, in January 1975, Lear went for broke and pushed the envelope as far as it could go. The show was The Hot L Baltimore.

It had a pretty good pedigree -- the title came from an off-Broadway play by Lanford Wilson (whose cast included Judd Hirsch) that ran for over 1500 performances and won a Drama Critics Circle Award for Best American Play. Lear, of course, made massive changes, since the play was a slice-of-life drama and he needed to fix it up so it worked as a TV series.

The show was set in the rundown Hotel Baltimore (the title came because the "e" on the neon sign was blown out). Clifford Ainsley (Richard Masur) managed the hotel and tried to keep rein on its inhabitants, which included Bill the desk clerk (James Cromwell), in love with the prostitute April Green (Conchata Ferrell). Suzy Marta Rocket (Jeannie Linero) was another hooker, George and Gordon (Lee Bergere and Henry Calvert) were an older gay couple, and Mrs. Belotti (Charlotte Rae) would come to visit her weird son, Moose, whose exploits were described but never seen.

The subject matter raised fits. Hookers? Homosexuals? The protests were loud. ABC stood by the show and continued to let it run.

The show was somewhat different from other of Lear's comedies in tone, far less strident and more based on characters. I especially liked Conchata Ferrell as April, the center of the show. It was not only usual to have a hooker as a main character in a show, but Ferrell was (and still is) a large woman. Hookers on TV and most movies (especially back in the 70s) were usually attractive women, more fantasy than reality. And Ferrell is a terrific actress. She's currently on TV as Bertha the housekeeper in Two and a Half Men, a role that seems to expand to give her more screen time for her amazing comic timing, and was great in a dramatic role in the pioneer western Heartland.

Masur was also good as the put-upon Ainsley and later developed a career as a character actor in TV. The most successful person in the cast was Charlotte Rae, who became a TV icon in The Facts of Life (I saw her on stage a few years ago at Ford's Theater -- yes, that Ford's theater).

But the protests did hurt ratings, and the show was eventually canceled due to low ratings. Sometimes when you push the envelope, the envelope pushes back.

Changes coming

I plan to start putting my comments here instead of on my web page starting soon. For now, see Great but Forgotten at http://www.sff.net/people/rothman

Saboteur

(1942)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay by: Peter Viertel, Joan Harrison, and Dorothy Parker
Starring Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lane, Otto Kruger, Norman Lloyd, Alma Kruger
IMDB Entry

Alfred Hitchcock is one of my favorite film directors. It's hard to say that any of his films are actuallyforgotten (other than Bon Voyage and Adventure Malgache, two short films that only recently became available), or even overlooked, but one particular gem that seems to take the back seat inSaboteur.

On reason for this is Hitchcock himself. He considered the final scene to be a mistake, which he rectified in North by Northwest. And, indeed, North by Northwest is very much the same movie.  Both have a similar plot:  a man on the run, involved with spies, who tries to clear his name.  Of course, Hitchcock like that sort of situation, so Saboteur gets lost in the shuffle, since North by Northwest is more accomplished.

But that doesn't mean the older film isn't a good one.  Barry Kane (Robert Cummings) is a worker in an aircraft factory.  When a fire breaks out, someone hands him an extinguisher full of accelerant. Kane is blamed, escapes the police and goes to find the man who can clear his name (Norman Lloyd).  On the way, he meets up with Pat Martin (Priscilla Lane), who he takes along, first to keep her from going to the police, and later because she believes him (and, of course, falls in love).  The trail leads Kane to Charles Tobin (Otto Kruger), who, as is typical of Hitchcock, is a respectable man in society who has a dark side.

The film has some great setpieces.  I especially liked the way Kane freed himself from handcuffs -- and the logical result of how he did it.  There was also a nice suspenseful scene at a party when Kane tries to tell the guests that Tobin is a spy.  There's Kane and Pat being picked up by a circus train. The saboteur's look when he passes the wreck of the Normanidie. And, of course, the final sequence at the Statue of Liberty (a dress rehearsal for the Mt. Rushmore scene in North by Northwest).

Robert Cummings is better known as a light comedian and early TV star.  He is pretty good in this more serious role.  And Otto Kruger is especially good as the suave villain. What's nice is that he gives some justification for his actions that isn't easy to refute.  And Norman Lloyd -- later to gain some fame as Daniel Auschlander in St. Elsewhere -- is very good as the title character.

If you like Hitchcock, or even if you don't, it's a small gem that's worth seeking out.

The Smallest Show on Earth*

(1957)
Directed by Basil Dearden
Screenplay by William Rose and John Eldridge
Starring Bill Travers, Virginia McKenna, Peter Sellers, Margaret Rutherford, Bernard Miles, Francis De Wolff
IMDB Entry

One of the Internet's great resources is archive.org.  If you're not familiar, they create shapshots of all web pages, so you can see what they looked like in the past.  But, for films, it's even better:  a bunch of public domain movies freely available for download. They include some pretty good films, too, since before TV, there was no reason to renew copyright, and studios sometimes forgot.

The Smallest Show on Earth is a charming little British comedy.  Matt Spencer (Bill Travers) and his wife Jean (Virginia McKenna) discover they have inherited a movie theater from an uncle that Matt can barely remember. When they go to claim their inheritance, they discover it's not an elaborate movie palace, but the Bijou, a "flea pit" neighborhood theater that is on its last legs.

To increase the value to get top dollar for it, they try to set it up as a going concern, keeping the trio of ancient staff (Margaret Rutherford, Peter Sellers, and Bernard Miles) on the job. 

The story is well plotted.  Matt and Jean's reasons for keeping the theater going -- something they are reluctant to do at first -- grow logically from the situation, and the way they turn drawbacks into benefits is smart and funny.

Peter Sellers is the best-known member of the cast.  Here he plays Mr. Quill, the old projectionist and the only one who know how to keep the antiquated Rube Goldberg projector running.  No mugging, but a performance that is both funny and charming. The movie is sometimes marketed as though Sellers is the star, but I doubt anyone would be disappointed.

Virginia McKenna is also very charming as Jean, and Margaret Rutherford -- a great British character actor and later Oscar winner -- is also good as Mrs. Fazackalee, the ticket seller and former lover of Matt's uncle.

The film is also a nice look into how old-fashioned neighborhood movie houses were run.  It will leave you smiling.

________________________________________
*Alternate title: Big Time Operators

War With the Newts (book)

(1936)
By Karel Capek

Karel Capek's career boils down to one word:  Robot.  He popularized the term (evidently, he credited his brother for actually coining it) in his play R.U.R. in 1920.  It caught on.  (Oddly, the robots in R.U.R. were not mechanical; they were organic, more like the traditional science fiction android than robot.)

I read R.U.R. back in college in a science fiction course, so you don't have to. It has dated extremely badly and boils down to exploited workers revolting -- with an ending that is now one of SF's greatest clichés (and was probably a bit clichéd back in 1920).  So when, later on in the course, we were required to read Capek's War with the Newts, I was less than enthusiastic.

Then I read it.

War with the Newts is the work for which Capek should be remembered.  It's a deft satire, leaving the preachiness of R.U.R. behind but still making some fascinating points.

The book tells about the discovery of an intelligent type of salamander in the South Seas. At first, the salamanders are trained for menial labor, but as time goes by, they prove to be too intelligent for that. 

The story is divided into three sections. The first describes how the salamanders are discovered, and how they are soon put to use on underwater projects.

It's the second section that really stands out.  Entitled "On the Road to Civilization" it is a total parody of all human history, filled with strange footnotes and digressions.  I read it with a sense of incredible wonder at Capek's ingenuity.

In the final section, the Newts -- whose reproductive capacity far outstrips humans -- start modifying the world to meet their needs.  Capek is drawing a parallel between the Newts and the Nazis (who were rising to power in Europe at the time), but also makes some points about all dictators in general.

It's a book that's fun, but with an important point (still valid today). It's still in print, so go out an get a copy.  You'll be glad you did.

Magic

(1978)
Directed by Richard Attenborogh
Screenplay by William Goldman
Starring Anthony Hopkins, Ann-Margaret, Burgess Meredeth
IMDB Entry

Like many movies I write about, Magic is badly named.  It's not about magic; it's about ventriloquism.  But that's a minor quibble about a neat little bit of psychological horror.

The plot is an old one, dating in films back at least to the 1920s:  the ventriloquist whose dummy takes on a life of its own.  Corky Withers (Anthony Hopkins), a failed magician, becomes a success on stage once he switches to ventriloquism.  His dummy, Fats, is nasty and cruel, but a big success.

But the success scares Corky.  You see, Fats seems to have a life of his own.  Is the dummy coming to life, or is it just Corky cracking up?  He goes off to try to figure it out, disappointing his agent (Burgess Meredith), but while there, ends up rekindling his relationship with his old high school sweetheart, Peggy Ann Snow (Ann-Margaret).  But it all leads to murder and retribution.

The talent involved makes this work.  This was one of Anthony Hopkins's first leading roles and he was quite a revelation at the time (of course, we all now know what he's capable of).  His Corky (and his doing the voice of Fats) is complex and surprising.

One of the nice things is that it's never completely clear whether Fats is really alive, or just a projection of Corky's split personality. The film cleverly avoids any clear-cut answer (though it does lean toward a non-supernatural explanation); when Corky is convinced that Fats is alive, you wonder whether he just might be right.

The script (and original novel) were by William Goldman, better known as the writer of Marathon Man and The Princess Bride and an Oscar winner for his screenplays of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and All the President's Men. This one is often overlooked, but works very well.

NBC Experiment in Television

(1968-1971)

IMDB Entry

You really can't get more forgotten than this.  It's a TV show that’s barely listed in the IMDB* and without an entry in Wikipedia (as of this writing), and it's only mentioned in passing on the web.  It took me two days of searching before I could find an episode list online (Since taken down).   But it was one of the high points of TV, even if few people saw it.  "Off the beaten path" indeed.

Back in the late 60s, NBC was faced with a problem.  They wanted to provide late Sunday afternoon programming, but, after the football season ended, there were no sports to run (they didn't have the right to the NBA, the NHL was too much of a niche market, and junk sports hadn't been invented).  So the network took a bold step:  a limited series (as we'd call it today) of one hour, with drama, comedy, and documentaries -- presented without commercials. It was the unusual case of a network putting prestige ahead of profit.

The show was filled with recognizable names, both established or on their way to becoming well known. Some of the actors involved were Yaphet Kotto, Jo Van Fleet, Frank Langella, Nanette Fabray, Fritz Weaver, Bernadette Peters, Verna Bloom, Frank McHugh (a favorite of mine from the 30s), Jack Gilford, Nancy Walker, David Steinberg, Mildred Dunnock, Donald Pleasance, Richard Briers, John Gielgud, George Plimpton, Christopher Plummer, and Diana Rigg.  Some of the plays were written by such people as Jim Henson, Tom Stoppard, Harold Pinter, John Guare, and novelist John Hawkes.  Documentaries featured people like Marshall McLuhan (they had him right there, though he evidently didn't like the result), Frederico Fellini, Arthur Penn (shown directing deaf actors), L'il Abner's Al Capp, and the Beatles.

Pretty impressive.

The show ran at various times on Sunday afternoons, as early as 3:00 pm and as late as 5:00. Twice it preempted Star Trek to run on Friday nights.  (I guess it was a sure sign that StarTrek was on the way out that they replaced it with a commercial-free show.)

Not everything was commissioned by NBC; several episodes were the first American showing of BBC programmes.  The Beatles were shown rehearsing "Hey, Jude" as a part of a show on music in Britain, hosted by Alistair Cooke (before he became connected with PBS).  The Pinter show -- short animations scripted by him, with a look at to how they were made -- starred several big British stars, and the Stoppard play, The Engagement, was made in the UK, probably for the BBC (and got theatrical release), but was shown in the US first.

One of the more memorable efforts was The Cube, a surrealistic comedy-drama written and directed by Jim Henson. No Muppets, but a strange story of a man trapped in a white cube, with people dropping by. Henson also directed Youth '68 for the series, a documentary about the youth culture of the time.

Of course, things had to come to an end.  Though the show was well regarded (it won a Peabody Award in 1969), by definition, any show on a network that ran without commercials is losing money.  The final season consisted on reruns, plus a documentary on Buckminster Fuller.  In addition, PBS was growing, and was a more natural fit for the type of programming the show offered.  Once NBC figured out how to put sponsored programming on Sunday, it was the end.  Prestige only goes so far.

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*It was not when I first wrote this entry.