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

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

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...

Few 75-year-olds have aged as gracefully as All About Eve . With biting wit undiminished by time and a performance for the ages by Bette...

In Part One, I explained why I felt Dana Andrews should have been nominated for an Oscar in 1946 – and in this post, I share my...