Apr 28

Saturday night special

For some years now, Turner Classic Movies has had a Saturday-night showcase of all-time great movies called “The Essentials.” Originally, it was hosted by well-known film directors: Rob Reiner, then Sydney Pollack (who was terrific), then Peter Bogdanovich. Then, TCM decided to go to a two-host format, with Robert Osborne, who already hosts all of their other prime-time movies, plus a co-host. The first such co-host was film critic Molly Haskell, who was knowledgeable but who had all the on-air personality of a test pattern. After her came Carrie Fisher, a wonderful improvement who had terrific chemistry with Osborne. Then came Rose McGowan, who was so forgettable that I had her confused with a different actress until I looked it up just now. Then came Alec Baldwin, who was popular enough to be kept on for three seasons. He’s recently been replaced by Drew Barrymore. Tonight, watching “The Third Man,” is actually the first chance I’ve gotten to tune in since she started (I did catch part of the closing remarks for some movie a few weeks ago). Barrymore seems like a great choice – actress, director, producer and descendant of Hollywood royalty.

In her opening remarks about “The Third Man,” Osborne teased her about not being convinced as he about “The Third Man” being essential. She doesn’t like what she feels is the lack of chemistry between Joseph Cotten and Alida Valli. Osborne pointed out that there’s not supposed to be chemistry so much as unrequited love – Cotten adores Valli’s character but she is still grieving for another.  Anyway, the more Drew talked about other aspects of the movie, the more excited she sounded about it – as Osborne teasingly pointed out.

Meanwhile, Alec Baldwin recently interviewed Osborne for his excellent podcast. It’s a fun interview, in which Osborne talks about the role Lucille Ball played in his career – hiring him as a young actor, but later suggesting that he might have more of a career as a writer than an actor.

Nov 06

Robert and Drew

When Turner Classic Movies started its Saturday-night feature showcasing the all-time classic movies, “The Essentials,” it was hosted by directors – Sydney Pollack, Rob Reiner, Peter Bogdanovich. But then they decided on a two-host format including Robert Osborne, the face of TCM and the host of all of its other prime-time movies. Robert was first paired with film critic Molly Haskell – knowledgeable, and a great writer, but with the TV personality of corrugated cardboard (Bogdanovich was nearly as bad, it must be said). Then, he was paired with actress/writer Carrie Fisher and then actress Rose McGowan. I loved the rapport between Osborne and Carrie Fisher.

But for the past two or three years, Robert’s co-host has been Alec Baldwin, and it’s been a lot of fun, especially when they (politely) disagree on whether or why a certain movie is “an essential.”’

For the past couple of months the Saturday night episodes (which were taped well in advance, and some of which have been rerun) have been our only chance to see the vacationing Osborne.

Well, it was announced last week that the new season of “The Essentials,” premiering in March, will be hosted by Robert Osborne and Drew Barrymore. While I hate to see Alec Baldwin go, this could be fun. They’ll do “Dinner at Eight,” from 1933, with Drew’s grandfather John Barrymore and his brother Lionel Barrymore, and while they won’t be doing “E.T.”, they will do “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” which is sure to bring out some stories about working with Steven Spielberg. Barrymore has experience producing and directing as well as acting, and I imagine she’ll bring some terrific insight.

Jun 22

I recommend pleasant

Last summer (I think — it could have been two summers ago) Turner Classic Movies ran a Sunday-night series intended to showcase classic movies that could be enjoyed by the whole family. It was called “Funday Night at the Movies,” and it was hosted by Tom Kenny (the voice of Spongebob) with a group of kids in a sort of classic kiddie-TV-show mode.

This year, they have the same kind of family-film showcase, again on Sunday night, but with a very different presentation: “Essentials Jr.,” hosted by Chris O’Donnell and Abigail Breslin (apparently chosen to promote the “Kit Kittridge” movie, in which they both appear). They introduce the movie in much the same way that Robert Osborne and Rose McGowan introduce “The Essentials” on Saturday night. (If I had time, I’d figure out which couple has the greater age difference — Osborne & McGowan or O’Donnell & Breslin.) I haven’t seen any of the intros yet, but I have to say I hate the title — as if any child is going to have even heard of “The Essentials,” much less say “Gee! I wish there were a version of ‘The Essentials’ just for me!”

Well, regardless of the packaging, next Sunday night I will definitely have to tune in to TCM, and I suspect my West Coast brother will do likewise (or at least fire up his TiVo). The next “Essentials Jr.” movie is “Harvey,” with Jimmy Stewart.

Well, I’ve wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I’m happy to state I finally won out over it.

My brother once played the lead role of Elwood Dowd in a stage production in Texas.

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Jun 10

Lonesome Rhodes

One of my all-time favorite movies, “A Face In The Crowd,” will air Saturday night on TCM as part of “The Essentials,” hosted by Robert Osborne & Rose McGowan.

I’ve blogged about it countless times before, but if you haven’t seen it, you need to see it. It’s probably more relevant today than when it came out in 1957. It’s about the corrosive power of fame, especially as it relates to the immediacy of television, as an Arkansas vagrant is turned into a superstar and then begins to believe he can tell his fans what to buy — and, ultimately, whom to elect. Andy Griffith plays the vagrant, Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes, with Patricia Neal as Marcia Jeffries, the Doctor Frankenstein who discovers and promotes him, only to realize too late what a monster she has created. Walter Matthau plays Mel, the voice of conscience, who also carries a torch for Marcia in the same way she carries one for Lonesome Rhodes.

If you somehow haven’t seen it, set your VCR or TiVo now. It’s worthy of being called “Essential.”

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