It's a Wonderful Classic
Watching It’s a Wonderful Life is a holiday tradition, like hearing Bing sing “White Christmas” or glugging down Grandma’s egg nog. What may shock you is that the beloved drama tanked upon arrival in 1946, ranking 26th in the year-end box-office recap. Why is it now considered a classic? Because in 1974, the film went into the public domain , meaning TV stations could air it for free – and hundreds did. But Life’s loss (of royalties) is our gain, as its popularity has explo
27 minutes ago2 min read
Classic Films 411
Are you old enough to remember dialing “411” for directory assistance? In the pre-Google era, that was the only way to get out-of-town phone numbers. As a classic film historian and host, I’m often asked how I know so much about so many pictures. A lot of that info was gathered as a kid who watched way too much television (thanks, Mom and Dad!) I also spent every dime of my hard-earned babysitting money on movie books. Today, my go-to sources are online sites and reviewing ad
Nov 12 min read
An Accidental Masterpiece
Critic Roger Ebert called it “perfection.” I call it “The Gateway Drug to Film Noir.” Nobody knew Laura was destined for success when the cast reported for duty in the spring of 1944. The early signs weren’t promising. Two weeks into the shoot, producer Otto Preminger fired director Rouben Mamoulian, scrapped his footage, revised the screenplay, redesigned the sets and costumes, and hired a new director – himself. Against all odds, Laura went from hot mess to cool classic. G
Oct 153 min read
Stagecoach to Stardom
Maureen O’Hara once nailed the appeal of her favorite leading man: “To the world, John Wayne is not just an actor. John Wayne is the...
Oct 13 min read
