Columbia Pictures
As we exit the post-Thanksgiving slump in the US, the studios are working at a full pace now, rushing to get to the end of the year and putting more of their bigger, ‘Awards Bait’ films out in the month of December. Of course, there were no awards ceremonies in 1922, and of the three films released that year two were from the UK and one from the US and unfortunately it’s the US film that is considered lost. This week in 1932 also didn’t produce any awards contenders, but one film that was a flop at the time is now considered a classic. 1942 had two films with Oscar nominations in the technical categories, and one of them even scored a win. That year also saw the screen debut of Esther Williams, who would go on to headline another film released this week in 1952. 1952 had no awards contenders, but it did have a film that took more than three years to complete, and has been released in three different versions. 1962 had one Oscar nominee for a film based on a Broadway musical, and 1962 had two foreign language films earning nominations and wins in international awards competitions. 1982 had two films with one-word titles, both of which were the names of their central characters, both were based on real people, both scored multiple awards nominations but only one of them took home the big prize, upsetting the most popular film of the year which was also nominated for Best Picture. 1992 had an Oscar winning Foreign Language Film, 2002 had none, but 2012 had another film based on a Broadway musical that also scored several nominations and wins. Are any of your favorite films mentioned here? Read on to learn more!
1922
December – A Debt of Honour (UK)
- Cast: Isobel Elsom, Clive Brook, Sydney Seaward, Lionelle Howard, Lewis Gilbert
- Director: Maurice Elvey
- Production Company: Stoll Pictures
- Trivia: Based on a short story by Ethel M. Dell.
December – The Grass Orphan (UK)
- Cast: Margaret Bannerman, Reginald Owen, Douglas Munro, Lawford Davidson
- Director: Frank Hall Crane
- Production Company: Ideal Film Company
- Trivia: Based on the 1913 novel The Paupers of Portman Square by I.A.R. Wylie.
December 3 – A Blind Bargain (USA)
- Cast: Lon Chaney, Raymond McKee, Jacqueline Logan, Virginia True Boardman, Aggie Herring, Virginia Madison, Fontaine La Rue
- Director: Wallace Worsley
- Production Company: Goldwyn Pictures
- Trivia: Based on Barry Pain’s 1897 novel The Octave of Claudius. Wallace Beery’s appearance in an uncredited cameo as a Beast Man has never been proven but the rumor persists. The film’s nearly year-long delay from end of production in November 1921 to the release in December 1922 was due to censors objecting to the film’s subject matter of man playing God and creating artificial life. The film was cut from six reels to five, and the title cards had to be rewritten four times. The film is now considered lost and is one of the most sought after of Chaney’s lost films.
1932
December 2 – If I Had a Million (USA)
- Cast: Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, George Raft, Jack Oakie, Richard Bennett, Charles Ruggles, Alison Skipworth, W. C. Fields, Mary Boland, Roscoe Karns, May Robson, Wynne Gibson, Gene Raymond, Frances Dee, Lucien Littlefield, Joyce Compton, Cecil Cunningham
- Director: Ernst Lubitsch, Norman Taurog, Stephen Roberts, Norman Z. McLeod, James Cruze, William A. Seiter, H. Bruce Humberstone
- Production Company: Paramount Pictures
- Trivia: Based on a novel by Robert Hardy Andrews.
December 4 – Me and My Gal (USA)
- Cast: Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Marion Burns, George Walsh, J. Farrell MacDonald, Noel Madison, Henry B. Walthall
- Director: Raoul Walsh
- Production Company: Fox Film Corporation
- Trivia: At the time, the film was a flop setting an all-time record low attendance at New York’s Roxy Theatre, while today it is considered a classic. A copy of the film is held in the U.S. Library of Congress collection.
December 5 – The Lost Special (USA, serial)
- Cast: Frank Albertson, Ernie Nevers, Cecilia Parker, Francis Ford, J. Frank Glendon, Frank Beal, Caryl Lincoln, Tom London, Al Ferguson
- Director: Henry MacRae
- Production Company: Universal Pictures
- Trivia: Based on the 1898 short story ‘The Lost Special’ by Arthur Conan Doyle. This adaptation deleted all references to Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes character, and moved events to the American Old West.
1942
November 28 – George Washington Slept Here (USA)
Warner Bros. Pictures
- Cast: Jack Benny, Ann Sheridan, Charles Coburn, Percy Kilbride, Hattie McDaniel, William Tracy, Joyce Reynolds, Lee Patrick, Charles Dingle, John Emery, Douglas Croft
- Director: William Keighley
- Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures
- Trivia: Based on the 1940 play of the same name by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman. Olivia de Havilland was originally to be cast as the female lead. The country home in the film was the house used for Arsenic and Old Lace, with banisters, rafters and floors knocked out to make it appear dilapidated. Nominated for the Oscar for Best Art Direction.
December – Andy Hardy’s Double Life (USA)
- Cast: Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden, Ann Rutherford, Sara Haden, Esther Williams, William Lundigan
- Director: George B. Seitz
- Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, distributed by Loew’s Inc.
- Trivia: The thirteenth of the Andy Hardy films. Feature film debut of Esther Williams. The last Hardy film to include the character Polly Benedict, and the last to feature Ann Rutherford.
December – Tennessee Johnson (USA)
- Cast: Van Heflin, Lionel Barrymore, Ruth Hussey, Marjorie Main, Regis Toomey, J. Edward Bromberg, Grant Withers, Alec Craig, Charles Dingle, Carl Benton Reid, Russell Hicks, Noah Beery, Robert Warwick, Montagu Love, Lloyd Corrigan, William Farnum, Charles Trowbridge, Russell Simpson, Morris Ankrum
- Director: William Dieterle
- Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Trivia: The film depicts the events surrounding the impeachment of Andrew Johnson.
December 1 – Northwest Rangers (USA)
- Cast: James Craig, William Lundigan, Patricia Dane, John Carradine, Jack Holt, Keenan Wynn, Grant Withers, Darryl Hickman
- Director: Joseph M. Newman
- Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Trivia: Also known as Gambler’s Choice, and was a remake of Manhattan Melodrama. Joseph M. Newman’s feature directorial debut after having made several shorts for MGM.
December 4 – The Black Swan (USA)
- Cast: Tyrone Power, Maureen O’Hara, Laird Cregar, Thomas Mitchell, George Sanders, Anthony Quinn, George Zucco
- Director: Henry King
- Production Company: Twentieth Century-Fox
- Trivia: Based on the 1932 novel of the same title by Rafael Sabatini. Winner of the Academy Award for Best Cinematography. The film was also nominated for Best Visual Effects and Best Original Score. Final film of silent film star Helene Costello.
December 5 – Les visiteurs du soir (France)
- Cast: Arletty, Alain Cuny, Jules Berry, Marie Déa, Fernand Ledoux, Marcel Herrand, Pierre Labry, Jean d’Yd, Roger Blin, Gabriel Gabrio, Simone Signoret
- Director: Marcel Carné
- Production Company: Productions André Paulvé, distributed by DisCina (France), Superfilm Distributing Corporation (USA)
- Trivia: Released in the US on August 29, 1947 as The Devil’s Envoys. The film was released during the Nazi occupation of France, and due to increased censorship the director sought to make a historical and fantastical film that would have little issue with the censors.
1952
November 30 – Othello (Italy)
- Cast: Micheál Mac Liammóir, Suzanne Cloutier, Orson Welles, Robert Coote, Hilton Edwards, Michael Laurence, Fay Compton, Nicholas Bruce, Jean Davis, Doris Dowling
- Director: Orson Welles
- Production Company: Scalera Film, Mercury Productions, distributed by Scalera Film (Italy), United Artists (USA)
- Trivia: Released in the US on September 12, 1955. Also known as The Tragedy of Othello: The Moor of Venice. Recipient of the Grand Prix du Festival International du Film at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival. Filmed on location over a three-year period in Morocco, Venice, Tuscany and Rome. Three different versions of the film have been released, two supervised by Welles, and a 1992 restoration supervised by his daughter Beatrice. Production shut down after one day when the original Italian producer announced he was bankrupt. Welles paid for production to continue and had to shut down again when he ran out of money. He raised funds by appearing in other films like The Third Man. Due to the lengthy and erratic shoot, some actors were unavailable when production restarted and roles had to be recast and completely re-filmed. While acting in The Black Rose, Welles insisted that a coat his character wore be lined with mink even though it would not be visible on screen. Producers agreed despite the expense, and when filming ended the coat disappeared but was spotted in Othello with the fur lining exposed. Welles included clips from the film in his ‘making of’ movie Filming Othello, but these were completely re-edited scenes that do not appear in the film. Welles used a voice over on the clips so that no part of the original soundtrack was heard, presumably so the clips could not be used in a re-edit of the film.
December 1 – My Pal Gus (USA)
- Cast: Richard Widmark, Joanne Dru, Audrey Totter, George Winslow, Joan Banks, Regis Toomey, Ludwig Donath, Ann Morrison, Lisa Golm, Christopher Olsen, Robert Foulk
- Director: Robert Parrish
- Production Company: 20th Century Fox
- Trivia: Working titles included How High Is Up?, The Problem Is Love, Big Man, and Top Man.
December 4 – Because of You (USA)
- Cast: Loretta Young, Jeff Chandler, Alex Nicol, Frances Dee, Alexander Scourby, Lynne Roberts, Gayle Reed, Mae Clarke
- Director: Joseph Pevney
- Production Company: Universal-International, distributed by Universal Pictures
- Trivia: Universal bought a story written originally for the screen: Magic Lady by Thelma Robinson and George Haight, and announced that Loretta Young would star in the film. The title was changed in July 1952.
December 4 – Europa ’51 (Italy)
- Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Alexander Knox, Ettore Giannini, Giulietta Masina, Teresa Pellati, Marcella Rovena
- Director: Roberto Rossellini
- Production Company: Ponti-De Laurentiis Cinematografica, distributed by Lux Film (Italy), I.F.E. Releasing Corporation (USA)
- Trivia: Opened in general release in the US on November 3, 1954 as Europe ’51. Federico Fellini wrote the first draft of the script.
December 4 – Million Dollar Mermaid (USA)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Cast: Esther Williams, Victor Mature, Walter Pidgeon, David Brian, Donna Corcoran, Jesse White, Maria Tallchief, Howard Freeman
- Director: Mervyn LeRoy
- Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, distributed by Loew’s Inc.
- Trivia: Known as The One Piece Bathing Suit in the UK. The film’s original title was The One Piece Suit. The film was Oscar-nominated for Best Cinematography – Color. Annette Kellerman did not want to sell the rights to her life story to MGM after the drastic changes they had made to her film Neptune’s Daughter, but changed her mind after she met Esther Williams, whom she thought was too pretty to play her. Williams broke her neck filming a high dive, knowing the headdress she wore was too heavy to make the dive successfully.
December 5 – Le carrosse d’or (Italy)
- Cast: Anna Magnani, Odoardo Spadaro, Nada Fiorelli, Dante (Harry August Jensen), Duncan Lamont, George Higgins, Ralph Truman, Gisella Mathews, Raf De La Torre, Elena Altieri, Paul Campbell, Riccardo Rioli, William Tubbs, Jean Debucourt
- Director: Jean Renoir
- Production Company: Delphinus, Hoche Productions, Panaria Film, distributed by Distribuzione Cinematografica Nazionale (Italy), I.F.E. Releasing Corporation (USA)
- Trivia: Released in the US on January 5, 1954 as The Golden Coach. Based on the 1829 play Le Carrosse du Saint-Sacrement (The Coach of the Blessed Sacrament), by Prosper Mérimée. The film was shot in English and Italian. A French version was planned but scrapped due to financial problems. Assistant director Marc Maurette supervised the French dubbing. Director Jean Renoir preferred the English version and it was the only one restored in 2012.
December 5 – Road to Bali (UK)
- Cast: Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Murvyn Vye, Peter Coe, Ralph Moody, Leon Askin, Carolyn Jones, Michael Ansara, Harry Cording, Steve Calvert
- Director: Hal Walker
- Production Company: Bing Crosby Productions, Hope Enterprises, distributed by Paramount Pictures
- Trivia: Opened in the US on December 25, 1952. Sixth of the ‘Road to…’ films, the only one to be filmed in Technicolor, the last to feature Dorothy Lamour as the female lead, and the first to feature surprise cameos from popular stars of the day, including Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis who appeared in exchange for Hope and Crosby making an appearance in their Scared Stiff the following year. The film’s original title was The Road to Hollywood. The giant squid in the film had previously been seen in Paramount’s Reap the Wild Wind. The erupting volcano climax was taken directly from Aloma of the South Seas.
1962
December 2 – Pressure Point (USA)
- Cast: Sidney Poitier, Bobby Darin, Peter Falk, Carl Benton Reid, Mary Munday, Barry Gordon, Howard Caine, Yvette Vickers
- Director: Hubert Cornfield
- Production Company: Larcas Productions, distributed by United Artists
- Trivia: The film’s working title was Point Blank. Based on the 1955 casebook ‘The Fifty-Minute Hour’ by Robert Lindner.
December 5 – Il Sorpasso (Italy)
- Cast: Vittorio Gassman, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Catherine Spaak, Claudio Gora, Luigi Zerbinati, Franca Polesello, Luciana Angiolillo, Linda Sini, Nando Angelini
- Director: Dino Risi
- Production Company: Incei Film, L.C.J Editions & Productions, Sancro Film, Fair Film, distributed by Incei Film (Italy), Embassy Pictures (USA)
- Trivia: Opened in the US on December 22, 1963. Also known as The Easy Life. The movie is considered one of the best examples of commedia all’italiana.
December 6 – Billy Rose’s Jumbo (USA)
- Cast: Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, Jimmy Durante, Martha Raye, Dean Jagger, Robert Burton, Wilson Wood, Norman Leavitt, Grady Sutton, Janos Prohaska
- Director: Charles Walters
- Production Company: Euterpe, Arwin Productions, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
- Trivia: Adaptation of the stage musical Jumbo produced by Billy Rose. John Astin appears in an uncredited role as a pilot. The film was Oscar nominated for the adaptation of the Rodgers and Hart score. Doris Day’s last movie musical. Stephen Boyd’s singing voice was dubbed by Jimmy Joyce. Stanley Donen was originally set to direct after completing Singin’ in the Rain (1952), but MGM felt the script was not ready and production did not begin until 1962 with a different director and stars. Jimmy Durante appeared in both the Broadway show and the film.
1972
November 30 – The Amazing Mr. Blunden (UK)
- Cast: Laurence Naismith, Lynne Frederick, Garry Miller, Rosalyn Landor, Marc Granger, Diana Dors, Dorothy Alison, James Villiers, Madeline Smith, David Lodge
- Director: Lionel Jeffries
- Production Company: Hemisphere Productions, distributed by Hemdale
- Trivia: Based on the 1969 novel The Ghosts by Antonia Barber. Sally Thomsett was originally cast as the female lead but had to withdraw due to personal issues, and was replaced with Lynne Frederick.
December 2 – Brother Sun, Sister Moon (USA)
- Cast: Graham Faulkner, Judi Bowker, Leigh Lawson, Kenneth Cranham, Lee Montague, Valentina Cortese, Alec Guinness, Michael Feast, Adolfo Celi
- Director: Franco Zeffirelli
- Production Company: Euro International Films, Vic Films Productions, distributed by Paramount Pictures
- Trivia: Originally opened in Italy as Fratello Sole, Sorella Luna on March 3, 1972. Al Pacino screen-tested for the role of Francesco di Bernardon (St. Francis of Assisi) but Zefirelli objected to his theatrical style. Robin Askwith, who appeared as an Assisilite gatekeeper, revealed he’d been cast in the role but was later fired. The film was Oscar nominated for Best Art Direction.
December 6 – Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire (France)
- Cast: Pierre Richard, Bernard Blier, Jean Rochefort, Mireille Darc, Tania Balachova, Jean Carmet
- Director: Yves Robert
- Production Company: Gaumont International, La Guéville, Madeleine Films, distributed by Gaumont Distribution
- Trivia: Opened in the US on August 30, 1973 as The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe. Winner of the Silver Bear at the 23rd Berlin International Film Festival, and nominated for Best Foreign Language Film by the National Board of Review.
1982
November 30 – Gandhi (India)
- Cast: Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, Roshan Seth, Pradeep Kumar, Saeed Jaffrey, Virendra Razdan, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, Habib Tanvir, John Gielgud, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Shane Rimmer, Martin Sheen, Ian Charleson, Ian Bannen, Richard Griffiths, Nigel Hawthorne, Daniel Day-Lewis,John Ratzenberger
- Director: Richard Attenborough
- Production Company: Goldcrest Films, International Film Investors, National Film Development Corporation of India, Indo-British Films, distributed by Columbia Pictures (USA), Columbia-EMI-Warner Distributors (UK)
- Trivia: Opened in the US in limited release on December 8, 1982 for Academy Awards consideration, going into general release on February 25, 1983. Nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning 8 including Best Picture (beating E.T the Extra-Terrestrial), Best Director and Best Actor. It was also nominated for 16 BAFTAs, winning 4 (including the same three as the Oscars), and scored five Golden Globe nominations and wins thought it was submitted in the Best Foreign Film category. An earlier Gandhi film had been planned after David Lean completed The Bridge on the River Kwai to star Alec Guinness as Gandhi but the project was scrapped for Lawrence of Arabia. Over 300,000 extras were used in the funeral scene, the most for any film ever.
December 3 – Frances (USA, limited)
- Cast: Jessica Lange, Kim Stanley, Sam Shepard, Bart Burns, Christopher Pennock, Jonathan Banks, Jeffrey DeMunn, Zelda Rubinstein, Anjelica Huston, Pamela Gordon, Rick May
- Director: Graeme Clifford
- Production Company: EMI Films, Brooksfilms, distributed by Universal Pictures, Associated Film Distribution
- Trivia: Kevin Costner appears in the uncredited role of Luther. Oscar nominated for Best Actress (Lange) and Supporting Actress (Stanley). Both were also nominated for Golden Globes. Faye Dunaway turned down the role of Frances Farmer. Producer Mel Brooks (who received no screen credit) wanted David Lynch to direct after their success with The Elephant Man, but Lynch already had a contract with Universal. The script was based upon William Arnold’s Shadowland, a fictional biography of Frances Farmer. The original cut of the film ran for three hours, so much of the screen time of Frances and her parents, and Frances and her love interest was removed.
1992
December – Killer Image (USA)
- Cast: Michael Ironside, John Pyper-Ferguson, Krista Errickson, M. Emmet Walsh, Paul Austin, Chantelle Jenkins
- Director: David Winning
- Production Company: Alberta Motion Picture Development Corporation, Flash Frame, Groundstar Entertainment, Malofilm Group, Storia Films, Téléfilm Canada, distributed by Image Organization (USA), Malofilm Distribution (Canada)
- Trivia: The film went straight-to-video in Greece, Japan, Germany, the US and the UK before getting a theatrical release in Los Angeles in December 1992. Shot in 20 days.
December 4 – Belle Époque (Spain)
- Cast: Jorge Sanz, Fernando Fernán-Gómez, Maribel Verdú, Ariadna Gil, Penélope Cruz, Miriam Díaz Aroca, Gabino Diego, Agustín González, Chus Lampreave, Mary Carmen Ramírez
- Director: Fernando Trueba
- Production Company: Fernando Trueba PC, Lola Films, Animatógrafo, French Production, distributed by Universal Pictures
- Trivia: Opened in the US on February 25, 1994. Winner of eight Goya Awards including Best Film, and winner of the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
December 4 – The Distinguished Gentleman (USA)
- Cast: Eddie Murphy, Lane Smith, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Joe Don Baker, James Garner, Victoria Rowell, Grant Shaud, Kevin McCarthy, Charles S. Dutton, Chi McBride, Noble Willingham, Gary Frank
- Director: Jonathan Lynn
- Production Company: Hollywood Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners, distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
- Trivia: The first Eddie Murphy film not distributed by Paramount Pictures.
2002
December 6 – Deathwatch (UK)
- Cast: Jamie Bell, Ruaidhri Conroy, Laurence Fox, Dean Lennox Kelly, Torben Liebrecht, Kris Marshall, Hans Matheson, Hugh O’Conor, Matthew Rhys, Andy Serkis, Hugo Speer, Mike Downey
- Director: M. J. Bassett
- Production Company: ApolloMedia Distribution, Bavaria Film, F.A.M.E. Film & Music Entertainment AG, Film and Music Entertainment, Odyssey Entertainment, Portobello Pictures, Q&Q Medien GmbH, distributed by Ekaterinburg Art (Russia), Pathé Distribution (UK), Lions Gate Films (USA)
- Trivia: On the DVD audio commentary, Andy Serkis admits he has no idea what’s going on in the film’s third act. Many of the most horrific images in the film were inspired by a book called The Covenant of War.
December 6 – Equilibrium (USA)
- Cast: Christian Bale, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs, Angus Macfadyen, Sean Bean, Matthew Harbour, William Fichtner, Sean Pertwee, David Hemmings, Dominic Purcell
- Director: Kurt Wimmer
- Production Company: Dimension Films, Blue Tulip Productions, distributed by Miramax Films
- Trivia: Initially announced in 1999 under the title of Librium. Most of the film was shot in Berlin due to its mix of fascist and modern architecture. The fascist architecture was chosen to make the individual feel small and insignificant so the government seems more powerful. Writer-Director Kurt Wimmer intentionally avoided the use of ‘futuristic technology’ in this science fiction film to avoid dating the film. The tech used already exists, with Wimmer suggesting the film is set in a parallel universe.
2012
November 30 – Killing Them Softly (USA/Canada)
- Cast: Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, James Gandolfini, Richard Jenkins, Vincent Curatola, Ray Liotta, Trevor Long, Max Casella, Sam Shepard, Slaine
- Director: Andrew Dominik
- Production Company: Inferno Entertainment, Annapurna Pictures, 1984 Private Defense Contractors, Plan B Entertainment, Chockstone Pictures, Metropolitan Films, Cogans Film Holdings, LLC, distributed by The Weinstein Company
- Trivia: Based on George V. Higgins’ 1974 novel Cogan’s Trade. While set in Boston, the film was shot in New Orleans. Brad Pitt basically committed to the film via a text message from the director asking if he was interested. Garret Dillahunt, who co-starred with Pitt in Andrew Dominik’s The Assassination of Jesse James by the Cowerd Robert Ford, filmed a cameo but was cut from the finished film.
November 30 – Sightseers (UK)
- Cast: Steve Oram, Alice Lowe, Eileen Davies
- Director: Ben Wheatley
- Production Company: StudioCanal, Big Talk Pictures, Film4 Productions, BFI Film Fund, Rook Films, distributed by StudioCanal
- Trivia: Opened in the US on May 10, 2013. The characters were developed seven years before production of the film as a stage experience, then a short film which was sent to production companies. While the companies found the film to be funny, they all felt it was too dark and rejected it. The short was put online and a link was sent to Edgar Wright, who saw potential in the film and put the creators in touch with a production company, Big Talk, and with Wright on board as an executive producer the film was greenlit. Writers and stars Oram and Lowe went on a caravanning holiday in character with a cameraman to the locations in the script so that the film was fair to the places visited and they weren’t the butt of the jokes. The pair was also inspired by Withnail and I.
November 30 – Talaash: The Answer Lies Within (UK/Ireland/India)
- Cast: Aamir Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Rajkummar Rao, Shernaz Patel, Sheeba Chaddha
- Director: Reema Kagti
- Production Company: Excel Entertainment, Aamir Khan Productions, distributed by Reliance Entertainment
- Trivia: Also received a limited US release on November 30, 2012. Aamir Khan did not know how to swim before appearing in the film and undertook three months of extensive training for the underwater sequence.
November 30 – The Collection (USA)
- Cast: Josh Stewart, Emma Fitzpatrick, Christopher McDonald, Lee Tergesen, Andre Royo, Tim Griffin, Shannon Kane, Brandon Molale, Erin Way, Johanna Braddy, Michael Nardelli
- Director: Marcus Dunstan
- Production Company: Fortress Features, LD Entertainment, distributed by LD Entertainment (USA), Cinema Management Group (International)
- Trivia: Sequel to 2009’s The Collector.
December 25 – Les Misérables (USA/Canada)
Universal Pictures
- Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, Daniel Huttlestone
- Director: Tom Hooper
- Production Company: Working Title Films, Relativity Media, Camack International, distributed by Universal Pictures
- Trivia: Based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo. A film version was announced as far back as 1992, but it was abandoned. The project was revived again in 2005. A confirmation of the film was included on the home video release of Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary. Original Broadway stars Colm Wilkinson and Frances Ruffelle have cameos in the film. Samantha Barks had previously played Éponine in both the West End production and the 25th anniversary concert production. She had auditioned for the film for 15 weeks. Several other cast members from the 25th anniversary concert and the West End production also have cameos, including Ted Lasso‘s Hannah Waddingham. All of the original songs from the stage musical are featured in the film except two, ‘I Saw Him Once’ and ‘Dog Eat Dog’, with many of the songs being partially or extensively shortened. The song ‘Stars’ was moved to occur before ‘Look Down’, echoing the original 1985 London stage production. A new song, ‘Suddenly’, was added and new music was composed for the battle scenes. Paul Bettany was originally considered for the role of Javert (Russell Crowe). Hugh Jackman lost a severe amount of weight for the film’s opening scene, running for 45 minutes in the morning on an empty stomach and going on a 36-hour liquid fast which allowed him to rapidly lose ten pounds. Jackman helped Anne Hathaway with her weight loss for the film as well. The cast sang live on set to a live piano track they heard through earpieces with the 70-piece orchestra added in post-production. Nominated for eight Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor, winning three: best Supporting Actress (Hathaway), Best Makeup and Hair Styling, and Best Sound Mixing.
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