Reel Reflection: Looking Back at 2021's Movie Anniversaries

 By Michael Lyons

 

Citizen Kane turned 80 this past year!

What. A. Year!

We used that phrase quite a bit as 2020 ended, never dreaming we would be applying it again to 2021.  However, this year also brought hope, in several ways, which tempered much of the sadness and anxiety that seemed to be copied and pasted from last year.

As movie fans, 2021 brought an ever-growing return to theaters and the upswing in business for the industry, as well.

Through it all, this past year, as always, also brought with it the opportunity, not to mention the positivity, to celebrate anniversaries of our favorite and forgotten films. As always, many were commemorated here, but many of them were missed.

Here are some more of 2021's movie anniversaries:

Super 8 (2011) - 10th Anniversary

A loving tribute to the Spielberg/Lucas "golden age "of summer blockbusters of the late '70s and '80s.  Writer/director J. J. Abrams's story of a group of adolescents in 1979, who are making a home movie, while an escaped alien makes its way through their small town, certainly brings that era to mind.

The story may not be perfect and, at times, uneven, but the nostalgia meter is off the charts.

 

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) - 20th Anniversary

A once-in-a-generation movie that changed movies afterward.  Peter Jackson's wondrous epic of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved book about the adventures of Hobbits, Elves, Orcs, and other magnificent creatures in middle earth brought dazzling visuals that were matched only by its emotional center and still relevant messages.

With sequels that would follow over the next two years and the entire trilogy igniting the box-office, thanks to The Lord of the Rings, every studio in Hollywood suddenly wanted more than a blockbuster film; they wanted a blockbuster franchise.

 

Jerry Maguire (1996) - 25th Anniversary

With shades of classic Frank Capra and Preston Sturges came writer-director Cameron Crowe's story of the title character, a hot-shot sports agent, (Tom Cruise, in one of his best performances), who has a crisis of consciousness and decides to change the course of his career, and his life.

With excellent support from Rene Zellweger and Cuba Gooding, Jr. (in his Oscar-winning role), this still ranks as a most relatable and human story about the balance we all search for, between the job we want and the life we have.

And, of course, thanks to this film, we have the phrase: "Show me the money!"

  Aliens (1986) - 35th Anniversary

Over three decades later, this film should come with a warning: "Please make sure the lap bar is securely fastened."

 James Cameron's sequel to 1979's Alien is a breakneck thrill ride that starts with a slow, ominous climb and then never lets up, with Sigourney Weaver gloriously riding in the front car of the attraction in a fantastic, Oscar-nominated performance as Ripley.

One of the best science fiction and action films ever. Aliens is still both exhausting and exhilarating.  

 

Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) - 50th Anniversary

Comedically dark and funnily sinister.  Wait, in the words of Willy Wonka himself, "Strike that!  Reverse it."

This classic adaptation of Roald Dahl's book Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is darkly comedic and sinisterly funny.  Gene Wilder is perfect as Willy Wonka, part magic, part madman, leading a group of contest-winning families on a tour of his candy factory.

The now beloved film captures the tone of Dahl's work perfectly, from the ominous, chanting Oompa-Loompa songs to the sense of wonder found within the walls of the Wonka factory.  Like the "Candy Man" himself, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is one of a kind. 

 The Fortune Cookie (1966) - 55th Anniversary

The legendary team of Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau collaborated for the first time in this sharp comedy about a TV cameraman, Harry Hinkle (Lemmon), who is run into by a football player while filming a game.  Although his injuries are minor, Harry's brother-in-law, a conniving attorney with the nickname "Whiplash Willie” (Matthau), sees this as an opportunity for a significant lawsuit.

Co-writer and director Billy Wilder's film, like much of his work, is a pointed, comedic look at our society, with a devious performance by Matthau that's so good he won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

 

Alice in Wonderland (1951) - 70th Anniversary

Some of the strangest and most surreal animation to come out of the Disney studio can be found in this film.

Walt Disney had wanted to adapt Lewis Carroll's books for years, and many feel that the result is a mixed bag. Still, there's no denying that scenes like the Mad Tea Party and the first appearance of the Cheshire Cat also rank among Disney's most iconic moments.

 

The Yearling (1946) - 75th Anniversary

A heartbreaking, emotional adaptation of author Majorie Kinnan Rawling's Pulizter Prize Winning novel of a family living in Florida, just after the Civil War, and their son who adopts a young deer.

Gregory Peck delivers his usual, brilliant performance as the wise and strong father, and young actor Claude Jarman, Jr is amazing (and received a special Oscar) as Jody, the central character in this compelling coming-of-age story.

 

Citizen Kane (1941) - 80th Anniversary

Throughout the years, Citizen Kane consistently ranked as the greatest film of all time in numerous polls.

To understand why, one only needs to watch co-writer, director, and star Orson Welles' masterpiece.  The story of fictional newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane looks and feels as if it was just made yesterday, not eighty years ago.  Staging, lighting, and camerawork that was well ahead of its time are all partnered with a dramatic, human screenplay that is still as involving today as it was in 1941.

Citizen Kane is a film about the frailty of life, our past, friends, and families, and how easy it is to be blinded by ambition.  There is something new here each time one watches it.

This year's anniversary is the perfect time to revisit Citizen Kane if you haven't watched it in a while and an even better time to discover it if you've never seen it.

 

And now, onto a New Year and when we declare "What. A. Year!" next December, may it only be for good reasons.

 

A Happy and Healthy New Year to all!

 

It Rings a Bell: The 75th Anniversary of "It's a Wonderful Life"

 By Michael Lyons

If you're looking for a reason why It's a Wonderful Life is such a beloved Christmas tradition and a respected film, watch a scene about thirty-eight minutes into director Frank Capra's masterpiece closely.

In the sequence, George Bailey, the film's main character, played by James Stewart, stands outside his home in his small town of Bedford Falls.  He takes out brochures of far-off places he has always wanted to visit and hears a train whistle in the distance.  His dream is to venture out of his small town and find adventure, and he suddenly realizes he may never be able to do that, as he throws the brochures to the ground.

How many of us have felt that way?  Life, and life's dreams, sometimes don't pan out as we had initially hoped.  It's a startling realization as we come to terms with the fact that we may need to seek out different, "smaller" dreams that can turn out to be more fulfilling.

That's why It's a Wonderful Life is still remembered, celebrated, and watched every Christmas season.  It's so relatable.  Not just the story of George Bailey's life, it's the story of all our lives.

In a 1996 interview, Jeanine Basinger, a noted film historian and author of The It's a Wonderful Life Book, said that this shared perspective is one of the reasons the film has endured. "This is a subject that we all know about," said Basinger.  "It's about having dreams and ideas and what you accomplish, as compared to what you wanted to accomplish, and what you have in life that is meaningful for you."

Basinger was discussing the film for its fiftieth anniversary, and this year, hard as it is to believe, It's a Wonderful Life turns seventy-five.

The film is based on a short story entitled The Greatest Gift by author Philip Van Doren Stern.  The project languished at RKO studios until it was given to a well-known director, Frank Capra, who was enthusiastic about the project.

"He had a great sense of humor," said Basinger of Capra.  "I think his sets were happy.  He gave actors a general sense of what he wanted and let them find things.  So, actors loved working with him, and he appreciated actors."

The film tells the now-familiar story of George Bailey, who lives in the small town of Bedford Falls, and wants nothing more in life than to leave it and see the world.  When tragedy finds its way into his life, George contemplates suicide but is "rescued" by a friendly angel named Clarence.  Clarence shows George what life would have been like without him, and Mr. Bailey learns that he did have a wonderful life and that "No man is a failure who has friends.”

Capra knew that Jimmy Stewart (who the director had worked with on Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) was perfect for the lead, George Bailey.  The rest of the cast was completed with actors who perfectly fit their roles, particularly Lionel Barrymore, as the sinister Mr. Potter.  

According to Basinger, the actor brought a sense of realism to the villain, "Here was a person, who everyone who went to this movie, who lived in a small town, could look at and say, 'I know this character.'"  

Then, there was Henry Travers, who gave a very understated and yet standout performance as Clarence the Angel.  "It was an option for cuteness," Basinger said of the character of Clarence.  "That role was an option for 'cutie-pie.'  In the hands of many other actors, we would have been ready to kill that character.  He [Travers] plays it with great simplicity and dignity, actually, and that makes it more credible."

George's wife, Mary, is played by Donna Reed, a relatively unknown actress, at the time.  Basinger noted that the casting of Reed gave the film a new dynamic.  "Once they cast a young, beautiful, new star," she says, "what you have in her is an almost magical figure.  She is the perfect embodiment of a certain kind of young American woman.  It becomes more romantic."

When it first opened on December 20, 1946, It's a Wonderful Life was not the major success at the box office that many had hoped and critical reaction was mixed.

In 1974, the film's copyright lapsed, sending it into the public domain.  Now, it could be shown anytime, anywhere.  For It's a Wonderful Life, this turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  "When the film became a television staple," says Basinger, " in particular when it began playing at the holiday seasons, it suddenly became this phenomenon."   It's A Wonderful Life found itself subject to multiple and numerous broadcasts during the holiday season.  By the early '90s, it was not uncommon for the film to be shown two dozen times between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day alone.

 

In 1994, NBC bought the exclusive rights to It's a Wonderful Life.  This, however, has not stopped the seasonal hunger for the film. 

 

The enduring, positive impact that It's a Wonderful Life has had on film history and the Christmas season is unparalleled.  Audiences who love the film have turned into quite the fan base.  Each December, there's an annual "It's a Wonderful Life Celebration" in Seneca Falls, NY (the purported inspiration for the movie's Bedford Falls). The town even boasts a museum dedicated to the film.

 

Seventy-five years after its debut, It's a Wonderful Life is still a part of our Christmas season DNA.

 

"If there's one thing we know, it's that the holiday season never quite pans out the way anyone thinks it's going to," said Basinger, reflecting on the popularity of the film.  "It's the end of the year; it's a time for spending it with your family, it's a time when everybody's expectations are high, and frequently there's disappointment.  Everybody's dealing with emotions, everybody's dealing with the year that they just had, and then you sit down, and you watch this movie about a man who always wanted something more than he got; a man whose dreams did not come true, but nevertheless finds meaning in life and finds a reason to be glad he's alive.  To be watching that during the holiday season, it just connected with people."

 

  Merry Christmas "Screen Saver" Readers!

There’s Always Hope: “The Lemon Drop Kid”

By Michael Lyons

 

You won’t find it on many (or any) Holiday Movie Top 10 lists, but 1951’s The Lemon Drop Kid deserves to be part of the seasonal cinema conversation.

 

It is indeed a Christmas movie and may be one of the best Christmas movies you’ve never seen.

 

The Lemon Drop Kid stars comedy legend Bob Hope as the titular character (real name: Sidney Milburn, but always referred to as Lemon Drop Kid, due to his love of the sour candies).

 

The Kid is a small-time con man, and, in the weeks, before Christmas, he bets a gangster’s money on a horse and loses.  The gangster gives The Kid until Christmas Eve to pay the money back…or else!

 

When the conniving Lemon Drop Kid sees a sidewalk Santa ringing a bell and collecting money, he concocts a fake charitable organization.  He then convinces his tough, street-smart buddies to dress as Santas, ring bells, and collect money, which he hopes to use for his own “charity”- himself.

 

But The Kid has a change of heart, and his lie comes to light.  Does the true spirit of the season shine through?  Well, in a sly, humorous way, it does. 

 

The Lemon Drop Kid is based on a story by author Damon Runyon, and was actually adapted into a film before this, in 1934.  Runyon wrote stories about characters comprising a segment of New York City made up of gangsters and hustlers.  However, Runyon’s stories had humor and innocence (the famed musical Guys and Dolls is based on this work).

 

This, coupled with the comic style of Hope, gives The Lemon Drop Kid a unique edge.  The comedian always seems to have a smirk and a one-liner ready at any moment.  

 

The movie also features a strong, supporting cast including Marilyn Maxwell as love interest “Brainy” Baxter, Lloyd Nolan as one of the film’s “heavies,” Oxford Charlie, and William Frawley (later Fred Mertz on I Love Lucy) as one of The Kid’s cronies, Gloomy Willie.

 

The Lemon Drop Kid is also a musical of sorts.  There are only several songs, but one of them, written for the film, has become a classic Christmas carol.

 

That song is “Silver Bells,” sung by Hope and Maxwell, in the film, as they walk the city's streets.  Introduced here for the first time, “Silver Bells” has become one of the season’s musical standards.  It also would become Hope’s signature Christmas song (to him, what “White Christmas” became for his comedy partner, Bing Crosby).  Hope would traditionally perform “Silver Bells” as part of his annual Christmas TV special years later.

 

The Lemon Drop Kid may not be perfect (it has other musical moments that lag) and could be seen as dated (and, at times, politically incorrect).  But it also has charm and is easy to take, particularly if viewed this time of year.

 

This year marks the 70th anniversary of The Lemon Drop Kid, so if it’s never been part of your Christmas movie rotation before, this could be the year to give Hope a chance.

For more "Screen Saver" articles, head over to my web site, Words From Lyons:

https://www.wordsfromlyons.com

Small Screen Scrooges: TV Sitcoms and Cartoons perform "A Christmas Carol"

 By Michael Lyons

Sure, it's always nice to see those prestigious, award-winning actors portraying Ebenezer Scrooge, but try performing Charles Dickens' beloved A Christmas Carol for laughs, with a laugh track, no less, or even better, as a cartoon, in the Stone Age!

While Alistair Sim, George C. Scott, and Patrick Stewart bring depth and gravitas to this classic tale, it's also fun to see Carols of another kind: those performed as part of classic TV sitcoms and animated series.  Several popular television series have used A Christmas Carol as inspiration for their holiday episode through the years.

What follows are just some of the shows that add some hilarity to the Humbug:

 The Odd Couple, "Scrooge Gets An Oscar," originally aired December 17, 1970

"Would I tamper with a classic?" asks one of the Ghosts in this parody of A Christmas Carol.  And, the answer is, "Yes, they would...a lot!'

This is a truly classic episode of a truly classic sitcom.  "Scrooge Gets an Oscar" is filled with the sharp humor that was a hallmark of Gary Marshall's take on Neil Simon's tale of two mismatched, divorced roommates.

In this episode, it's Christmas Eve, and slovenly Oscar (Jack Klugman) is far from filled with the spirit of the season.  Embittered, he refuses to participate in a benefit stage play version of A Christmas Carol, even as his neat-freak roommate Felix (Tony Randall) implores him.

That night, Oscar falls asleep, and his ulcer provides a bad dream that he is "Ebenezer Madison," who is visited by one Ghost (Randall), who says, "They couldn't get Marley. It's his busy season."

What follows is a trip through past, present, and “yet to come” that both pays homage and pokes fun at A Christmas Carol (in the future, even Oscar's gravesite is messy).

"Scrooge Gets an Oscar" is a favorite among fans of the show and classic TV devotees who watch it as part of regular, seasonal viewing.  One can see why; there's plenty of sitcom fun to go around here...and Murray the cop (actor Al Molinaro) as Tiny Tim is a sight to behold.

 The Honeymooners Special, originally aired November 28, 1977

After relocating both himself and his show to Miami, Florida in the '60s, Jackie Gleason produced a series of one-shot specials for ABC in the '70s that revived his legendary sitcom The Honeymooners.

One of them centered on Ralph Kramden (Gleason) attempting to get a promotion at the Gotham Bus Company by agreeing to direct a stage production of A Christmas Carol for a charity that his boss (Gale Gordon) supports.

Of course, Ralph convinces his best friend, Ed Norton (Art Carney), his wife Alice (Audrey Meadows), and Norton's wife, Trixie (Jane Kean), to take part.  No spoiler that the results are somewhat disastrous, with Norton forced to play two roles.

The play itself bears no resemblance to the story of A Christmas Carol, but that almost doesn't matter, as fans of the show, will, without a doubt, get a kick out of seeing classic Honeymooners’ tropes ("Hammina Hammina Hammina!") back on screen.

If that's not enough, there's also Art Carney playing the roles of both Scrooge and Tiny Tim!

 WKRP in Cincinnati, "Bah, Humbug," originally aired December 20, 1980

Mr. Carlson (Gordon Jump), general manager of the radio station WKRP, is not planning on giving out Christmas bonuses, but he is visited by four ghosts and has a revelation.  In one particularly funny scene, during Christmas past, we get a glimpse at the "early days" of WKRP and see how a young reporter named Les Nessman (Richard Sanders) got his first trademark bow tie.

The cast here looks to be having a blast re-enacting Dickens' classic tale, and in a very '80s touch, Mr. Carlson has his Christmas dream thanks to one of the "special brownies" provided by DJ Dr. Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman). 

 Family Ties, "A Keaton Christmas Carol," originally aired December 14, 1983

Staunch, young conservative Alex. P. Keaton (Michael J. Fox) is not revelling in the Christmas spirit, to the dismay of his ex-hippie parents (Meredith Baxter and Michael Gross).  So, of course, he has A Christmas Carol-like dream, where he is visited by ghosts who look suspiciously like his sisters Mallory and Jennifer (Justine Bateman and Tina Yothers).

He has a realization (and sees his younger self discussing President Nixon). He also finds the season's spirit in a humorous and touching finale, where he brings his family last-minute gifts, he picked up at 7-11, and they all take their traditional family photo around the Christmas tree.

 The Real Ghostbusters, "Xmas Marks the Spot," originally aired December 13, 1986

One of the most inspired and creative takes on A Christmas Carol comes from this unexpected source: the animated series based on 1984's blockbuster film, Ghostbusters.

In the episode, the Ghostbusters go back in time and "bust" the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.  When they capture them in their containment unit, Ebenezer Scrooge never changes, and they return to a future where no one has the Christmas spirit.

The Ghostbusters realize that they need to go back in time again to "undo" the alternate reality of Christmas they have created.

Funny and immensely original, "Xmas Marks the Spot" also makes its powerful statement of how fragile the spirit of the season can be.  

 A Flintstones Christmas Carol, originally aired December 14, 1994

Technically, this was a special that aired over thirty years after the debut of The Flintstones primetime series, but it feels like an hour-long episode of the show.

When the "Bedrock Community Players" mount a production of A Christmas Carol, Fred lands the lead as Scrooge and lets it go to his head, alienating his friends with his newfound stardom.

Will he learn a lesson in humility?  As sure as Scrooge found the Christmas Spirit!

The Flintstones have had several Christmas episodes and specials through the years.  And, while it makes absolutely no sense for them to be celebrating the holiday during a time known as B.C., there's no denying how fun it is to see Bedrock during the Christmas season.

Also, fans of A Christmas Carol will appreciate the Flintstone "touches" given to the story.  How can you not smile when you hear names like "Jacob Marbley" and "Charles Brickens."  

 

Beavis and Butt-Head Do Christmas, "Huh Huh Humbug," originally aired December 19, 1995

In this hour-long special of the immensely popular '90s animated TV Show, the two titular slackers spoof two Christmas classics, It's a Wonderful Life ("It's a Miserable Life") and A Christmas Carol  ("Huh Huh Humbug").

In the Carol section, Beavis, acting like Scrooge in his new job as the manager of Burger World, is visited by three ghosts during his attempts to watch TV.  

Knowing the lens that the Dickens story is being filtered through going in to watch this version, as with all Beavis and Butt-Head humor, you will hate yourself for laughing.

After all, it's the only variation on the tale, in which the Scrooge-like character tells the Ghosts: "I'm trying to watch a porno, and you fartknockers keep interrupting me!"

 

These are just some of the many TV Show variations on a story that has enchanted our Christmas seasons since Mr. Dickens first introduced it in 1843.  And, while none of them are traditional takes on A Christmas Carol, they do, in their ways, attempt to speak to the messages of kindness and caring found in the original work.

 

Each will also add another layer of fun and laughter to your Christmas viewing.  So, for that, you've got to say about these specials: "Bless them, everyone."