Well, it’s that time again. It’s time for cinephiles from across the country to converge on Hollywood Boulevard in the stretch between our three mighty houses of cinema, respectively, the Chinese, the El Capitain, and the Egyptian Theatres, and bask in the rich movie programming offered in TCM Classic Film Festival. The Festival, in its sixteenth year, sports the romantic theme, “GRAND ILLUSIONS: FANTASTIC WORLDS ON FILM.” artsmeme writers Steve Farber and Debra Levine are providing coverage. Here is Debra’s plan for film viewing on Friday, her first full day of the Festival.
CINDERELLA (1950)
This princess manque needs to check in with her soul sister, Cinderella, in the Disney classic dating from 1950. One of Walt Disney’s most beloved animated features concerns Cinderella’s struggle to escape her evil stepmother and two stepsisters and attend a royal ball. In addition to winning awards at the Berlin and Venice Film Festivals, Cinderella and its reissues made enough to finance the next decade of studio operations, including Disney’s move into television and the creation of Disneyland.
SERVANTS’ ENTRANCE (1934)
This looks funny. Anytime Walter Connolly, he of the exasperated reaction shot) is doing comedy, that’s a good thing. Connolly plays an automotive tycoon fallen on hard times. His daughter, Janet Gaynor, needs to run a house without servants. She finds work as a housekeeper; after making a mess of retired brewer Sig Ruman’s kitchen, she dreams the utensils, a nutcracker, and a mustard pot invade her bedroom and musically put her on trial. Walt Disney produced the animated sequence for the Fox Film Corporation. Lew Ayres co-stars as the chauffeur who courts Gaynor.
THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (1945)
Even blind, Herbert Marshall has our attention. Robert Young stars as a scarred World War II veteran who retreats to a remote New England cottage. His only human contacts are a blind pianist (Marshall), his landlady (Mildred Natwick), and the homely young woman (Dorothy McGuire) who helps clean. Out of loneliness, Young and McGuire marry, and, as if by magic, they suddenly see each other as beautiful until the intrusion of outsiders threatens their romantic dreams. Sensitive directing by John Cromwell and the romantic sheen provided by cinematographer Ted Tetzlaff give the picture a new glow in this world premiere restoration.
d. John Cromwell, 92m, DCP
CARTOONS LOST AND FOUND: RESTORED ANIMATION TREASURES
The UCLA Film & Television Archive has been honored to preserve the cinematic legacies of early animation pioneers such as Max and Dave Fleischer, Ub Iwerks, George Pal, and Paul Terry, introduced by animation historian Jerry Beck and the UCLA Film & Television Archive Team for a special screening of animation rarities (featuring animated icons Betty Boop, Flip The Frog and Farmer Alfalfa.
THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940)
Eighty-five years ago, Tyrone Power made the transition from romantic leading man to swashbuckler with this remake of the 1920 silent. His Don Diego returns from Spain to 18th century Los Angeles and discovers that the city is being bled dry by a corrupt mayor (J. Edward Bromberg) and his enforcer (Basil Rathbone). To restore justice, he poses as a dandy by day, while attacking Rathbone’s troops by night in the guise of “El Zorro” (The Fox). Director Rouben Mamoulian, a brilliant stylist, kept the camera moving to increase the intensity of Power’s action scenes. Since Power and Rathbone were both skilled fencers, stunt coordinator Fred Cavens focused their climactic duel on authentic swordsmanship rather than contrived acrobatics.
d. Rouben Mamoulian, 94m, DCP
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT (1995)
Director Rob Reiner and writer Aaron Sorkin marry the political drama to the romantic comedy in this film. Michael Douglas stars as a widowed Democratic president who finds himself drawn to a lobbyist (Annette Bening) for an environmental organization. At the same time, there is plenty of wheeling and dealing over legislation between Douglas and his staff behind the scenes. Key cast members also include Martin Sheen, who plays Douglas’ chief of staff, and Michael J. Fox as his domestic policy assistant. This screening celebrates the 30th anniversary of the film’s release and features a special conversation with director Rob Reiner. I certainly hope Reiner does not pull any punches about the disaster zone that our current Executive Branch has become.
TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL 2025 | venues and cinemas around Hollywood, California, Apr 24-27
Excellent. Glad you’re there. These films are stories that resonate with each of us. The human experience- the thing that hopefully – still- unites us. Your insight on this menagerie at TCM will be enlightening!