December 30th 2013. Pick of the Day.
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We're down once more to a duel betwen the two great rep series that have dominated December 2013; the Film Society's overview of ace studio-era director George Cukor, and Film Forum's month-long valentine to the incomparable Barbara Stanwyck. Pickin's be slim beyond those choices, as the bright beautiful candle that was the year that was goes quietly out to make room for the new & catchily-named beacon 2014! The meager megillah as follows;
IFC Center
MY NEIGHBOR TORTORO (1988) Dir; Hiyao Miyazaki
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) Dir; Stanley Kubrick
Film Forum
REMEMBER THE NIGHT (1940) Dir; Mitchell Leisen
Film Society of Lincoln Center
GRUMPY (1930) Dir; George Cukor
THE ROYAL FAMILY OF BROADWAY (1930) Dir; George Cukor
ROCKABYE (1932) Dir; George Cukor
Today's Pick? As the short stay of one of my biggest screen crushes makes its bittersweet adieu in the next 36 hours I am both saddened by its end and grateful to have had the chance to spend a little quality time with her to begin with. Mostly the latter. I'm a glass-is-half-full type.
So I make Babz Stanwyck, the former Ruby Stevens from Brooklyn, replete with all that borough's enticing chutzpah (and this from a Bronx boy!), the object of this site's affections one last time, and choose Mitchell Leisen's REMEMBER THE NIGHT, screening at Film Forum, as today's Pick. Although I've never seen it I'm positively intrigued by the earlier teaming of DOUBLE INDEMNITY co-stars Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, as well as the script by Preston Sturges, the handling of which reportedly so incensed the prolific screenwriter he chose to embark on his Auteur phase, which led to the incredible 7-film run as writer/director for which he is still justly lauded. For those of you keeping score at home that brings the Cukor/Stanwyck face-off at a quite genial 5-all! As perhaps the most famous "women's director" never worked with the one of the great actresses the studios ever produced, I'm glad they got to spend a little time together on NYC's rep screens this past month, dazzling familiar and neophyte alike with their seemingly effortless magic. I can think of few better ways to close out the year in classic film screenings. My undying thanks to both for their indelible work that continues to shine ever brighter as the years pass. And in Stanwyck's case, to quote Lieber and Stoller, "Ruby, baby, when will you be mine?"
For more info on these and NYC's last classic screenings in 2013 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right side of the page. And be sure to follow me on Facebook and Twitter! Back tomorrow with 2013's last Pick, til then make sure you're well stocked up on champagne glasses and nudge the other kids to do likewise.
-Joe Walsh
