Saturday Night at the Movies Video Trailers

The Lady Eve (1941)

Catherine Savard — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:40:34 +0000

The Lady Eve (1941) IMDb, directed by Preston Sturgess, is a madcap comedy that showcases the talents of Babara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. Two of Hollywood's favourite stars shine brightly in this lighthearted romp wherein the rich but hapless Mr. Charles Pike falls like a ton of bricks for the conniving Miss Jean Harrigton. And then he does it again, this time with Miss Harrignton's alter-ego, the Lady Eve Sidwich, phony English accent and all. Charles Pike doesn't seem to take note of such inconsequential details, so taken up is he with the Lady Eve's charms. A thoroughly enjoyable film for fans of Ms. Stanwyck and Mr. Fonda as well as for enthusiasts of the screwball genre or this era.

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Catch the TVO video preview of "The Lady Eve" (1941) here.

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To Catch a Thief (1955) Video Trailer

Catherine Savard — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:29:19 +0000

"To Catch a Thief" (1955)IMDb Hitchcock's romantic thriller packs in the glamour on the French Riviera. Always the gentleman, Cary Grant plays the super suave ex-cat burgler, Monsieur John Robie, opposite the exquisite and exciting Grace Kelly. Cary Grant, as Robie, is fingered for a series of robberies which he didn't commit and finds himself obliged to solve the mystery with the aid of the beatiful Ms. Kelly.

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Catch the TVOntario video preview for "To Catch a Thief" here.

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My Sister Eileen (1955) Video Trailer

Catherine Savard — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 15:42:54 +0000

"My Sister Eileen" 1955 INDb is chock full of a sunny optimism and great dance moves courtesy of Bob Fosse. Fosse as the underdog suitor of the highly attractive Eileen (Janet Leigh) is entirely unremarkable - until he puts on his dancing shoes, that is. Eileen's older sister, played by Betty Garrett, isn't a bad hoofer either as she tries every trick she knows to get published while in the Big Apple. My only regret is that we don't get to see Jack Lemmon graduate from charm school into a dance number. A song will have to do.

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Catch the video from the Interviews by TVO about "My Sister Eileen"

The Snake Pit (1948) Video Trailer

Catherine Savard — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:48:49 +0000

This week's pick from recent movies on TVOntario's Saturday Night at the Movies

“The Snake Pit” (1948) IMDb has Olivia de Havilland play the part of Virginia Cunningham, a young woman who finds herself locked up in a mental asylum. The film, taken from a novel by Mary Jane Ward and directed by Anotole Litvak, combines the point of view of the disoriented and harassed patient, Virginia, with external elements that keep the film firmly grounded in reality. In spite of the efforts of her loving husband (Mark Stevens) and Dr. Mark Kik (Leo Genn) to reach her, the harrowing experiences of the mental patient continue for a full two hours. “The Snake Pit” is an unusually honest film about mental illness for 1948 even if it does enter the realms of the melodramatic and over the top psycho-analysis at times.

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Catch the TVO video trailer for "The Snake Pit" (1948)

Kiss of Death (1947) Video Trailer

Catherine Savard — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:32:42 +0000

“Kiss of Death” (1947)INDb starring Victor Mature with Karl Malden is overshadowed by the Tommy Udo character played by Richard Widmark. Widmark is unforgettable as the sneering psychopath who inhabits this film. The movie is constructed so that we’re supposed to cheer for the ex-con, Nick Bianco (Mature) and his new love (Coleen Gray) as they try to make a new life for their family far away from the criminal past. Suspense builds as Tommy Udo swears revenge on Nick Bianco for turning him in to the police and then goes on the hunt for his family. It ends up that it’s Widmark who makes an indelible impression on people’s minds and on film history, and not the “good guy” who gets the girl and the happy ending.

See the SNAM blog authored by Thom Ernst on a dedication to the recently passed Richard Widmark.

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Catch the SNAM video preview for “Kiss of Death” (1947)

Compulsion (1959) Video Trailer

Catherine Savard — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:39:17 +0000

Compulsion (1959) - INDb is an interesting twist on the infamous thrill killing "Crime of the Century" by Leopold and Loeb. Dean Stockwell and Bradford Dillman play the rich young degenerates who engage in the most shocking of crimes while Orson Welles plays the Clarence Darrow figure who is responsible for helping them to avoid the hangman's noose. The award winning performances lead one through a thorough workout for the moral faculties on issues of captial punishment.

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Catch the video trailer from TVO for Compulsion

Cheyenne Autumn (1964) Video Trailer

Catherine Savard — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:04:08 +0000

Cheyenne Autumn (1964) IMDb , billed as John Ford’s final Western masterpiece, is a film that pricks the conscience of North Americans about “the Indian problem”. Richard Widmark plays the conflicted Captain Archer in charge of retrieving the “delinquent” Cheyenne band who has escaped their deathtrap Indian reservation in the desert. Carroll Baker plays his love interest, a Quaker woman caught between the native culture and the whites. While Sal Mineo, Ricardo Montalban and Dolores Del Rio might not be entirely convincing as Cheyenne tribes people, they get the job done in portraying the plight of the native Americans in a sympathetic light.

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Check out the video trailer for "Cheyenne Autumn" (1964)

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Laura Video Trailer (1944)

Catherine Savard — Mon, 05 May 2008 15:11:51 +0000

Gene Tierney’s breathtaking beauty in the title role adds to the performance of the ensemble cast accompanied by the memorable score composed by David Raksin. It all goes together to make this unforgettable classy film noir classic.

TVOntario’s Interviews, (Aug.18,’07) include contributions from the leading man, Dana Andrews and director, Otto Preminger. The Interviews contain revelations into the evolution of this wonderful film that are almost as enjoyable as the plot reversals contained in the film itself .

. . . In the opening scene of the film, we first meet Laura through taking a virtual walking tour of her home. In the days before “video visits” in online real estate listings, it must have been something of a novelty to inspect the interior of another person’s home in their absence through the camera lens – a kind of early video voyeurism . . .

<< Back to the entire archive for "Laura" (entitled "Picture Perfect") from the Main Midnight Oil journal.

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View the Video Trailer for "Laura" from TVO

Catch the video trailer here.

A League of Their Own

Catherine Savard — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:27:28 +0000

In “A League of Their Own” (1992) IMDb, Tom Hanks and Geena Davis get the chance to shine while the boys are away at World War II. This entertaining flick about women’s baseball during the war exposes some interesting moments examining feminism in a previous era as well as relational dynamics between men and women and amongst women. Penny Marshall directs a strong supporting cast that includes Rosie O’Donnell, Lori Petty, Madonna and Jon Lovitz to a winning finish in a movie that most anybody can appreciate (including non-sports types such as myself).

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View the video preview on TVO for “ A League of Their Own”.

Catch the video trailer of "A League of Their Own" (1992)

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Eden of Eden Video Trailer (1955)

Catherine Savard — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:01:42 +0000

James Dean gives an exceptional performance in this now classic film of John Steinbeck’s classic novel of the same name. A movie well worth seeing, “ East of Eden”, with a strong supporting performance from Julie Harris as Abra, shows off Jimmy Dean with sophistication and poise in his “rebel” character. Presented as one of a trilogy of films directed by Elia Kazan on TVO’s Saturday Night at the Movies.

They were at it again - my two munchkins brawling in the backseat: “She did it to me first!” – “But he said that I was a . . .” – “She has her stuff on my side!” – And on and on it goes. Often enough it comes to blows before the emotions of the moment blow over. Sibling rivalry, common enough phenomenon that it is, can be so draining for a parent. . . .

<archived entry for "East of Eden" on Midnight Oil

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Video preview from TVO here.

Catch the video trailer for "East of Eden" here.

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