May 27th 2015. Pick of the Day.
New York City's premiere resource for classic film screenings in the metropolitan area. Offering reviews, recommendations, venues and a host of links keeping classic film and the silver screens alive.
Continuing series today include The Apu Trilogy at Film Forum, Acteurism: Joel McCrea at MoMA, and Titanus Films: A Family Chronicle of Italian Cinema at the Film Society. The silver halide hijinks be thus;
Film Forum
APUR SANSAR (1959) Dir; Satyajit Ray
MoMA
ESPIONAGE AGENT (1939) Dir; Lloyd Bacon
Film Society of Lincoln Center
Titanus Films: A Family Chronicle of Italian Cinema
THE SWINDLE (1955) Dir; Federico Fellini
CRONACA NERA (1947) Dir; Giorgio Bianchi
Today's Pick? I'm taking this opportunity to bid farewell to a fave series, dedicated to a fave actor, one whose star shone mightily during the studio era yet whose rep has been, shall we say, less than burnished in the meanwhile. While he may never have reached the heights of fellow marquee names like Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda and Cary Grant, he was also a lead most prized by none other than the likes of Preston Sturges, George Stevens, Alfred Hitchcock, William Wyler, Raoul Walsh and, at the very end of his illustrious career and the dawn of an important director's, Sam Peckinpah. He resided somewhere in the zone between Gary Cooper and Melvyn Douglas, between rugged American good looks and build, and dry, urbane sophistication. He had that everyman quality, yet he was someone we knew personally, his unique traits and mannerisms and predilections. I've often fought the fight for his stature's elevation, and I'm glad adjunct curator Dave Kehr has taken up the same crusade, with far greater acumen and resource to be sure. Here's to the end of a fantastic series celebrating one of Hollywood's greats.
Joel McCrea stars in Lloyd Bacon's ESPIONAGE AGENT as part of MoMA's series Acteurism, dedicated to the notion that a film's signature status may come from before the cameras as well as behind it. Here's hoping this wonderful series is resurrected sometime soon. That 1:30pm slot from Wednesday through Friday is gonna get awful lonesome if MoMa's screening space is dark. Nudge, nudge, Dave Kehr.
For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in May '15 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. For reviews of contemporary cinema and my streaming habits (keep it clean!) check out my Letterboxd page. And be sure to follow me on both Facebook, where I provide further info and esoterica on the rep film circuit and star birthdays, and Twitter, where I provide a daily feed for the day's screenings and other blathery. Back soon with new Picks 'n perks, til then safe, sound, make sure the next knucklehead is too!
P. S. We seem to be entering, finally, the warm cuddle of the sun's friendlier disposition, but believe it or not some of our fellow NY'ers have still yet to be made whole in the wake of the 2012 storm. Should you be feeling charitable please visit the folks at OccupySandy.net, follow their hammer-in-hand efforts to restore people's lives, and donate/volunteer if you have the inclination and availability. Be a collective mensch, Stockahz!
