Hotchka Movies by the Decade feature #126 :: December 21•27

Universal Pictures

With the studios releasing their heaviest hitters ahead of the awards consideration deadline, and the week after Christmas a virtual dead zone, this week across the last nine decades — there were no releases in 1922 — is full of films that were popular, earned awards and nominations, and have become classics selected for preservation. One interesting bit to notice about 1932 and 1942 are the horror movies that were released, with two in ’32 and one in ’42. There were also several high seas swashbucklers this week, and a number of literary adaptations including one from Charles Dickens that isn’t A Christmas Carol. In fact you’d be hard-pressed to find more than one holiday-specific film released this week, and that one didn’t even make it to the US until February. Several big names were making their debuts this week or appearing in uncredited roles pre-stardom. And one film this week even caused one of its stars to quit acting for five years. Want to learn more? Read on and tell us in the comments section below if any of your favorites are celebrating this week.

1922

No new movies were released this week in 1922.

1932

December 22 – F.P.1 antwortet nicht (Germany)

German Cast: Hans Albers, Sybille Schmitz, Paul Hartmann, Peter Lorre, Hermann Speelmans, Erik Ode, Werner Schott, Gustav Püttjer, Georg John
French Cast: Charles Boyer, Danièle Parola, Jean Murat, Marcel Vallée, Pierre Piérade
English-Language Cast: Conrad Veidt, Jill Esmond, Leslie Fenton, Donald Calthrop, George Merritt, William Freshman, Nicholas Hannen
Director: Karl Hartl
Production Company: Gaumont British Picture Corporation, Les Productions Fox Europa, Universum Film (UFA), distributed by UFA (Germany), Gaumont British Distributors (UK), Fox Film Corporation (US)
Trivia: Released in the US on September 15, 1933 as F.P.1. French version is titled Î.F.1 ne répond plus. German title translates to F.P.1 Does Not Answer. Based on the 1931 novel of the same name by Kurt Siodmak. The UK version of the film ran 74 minutes, more than 30 minutes less than the original. The US version ran 90 minutes.

December 22 – The Mummy (USA)

Cast: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Arthur Byron, Edward Van Sloan, Bramwell Fletcher, Noble Johnson, Kathryn Byron, Leonard Mudie, James Crane, Henry Victor
Director: Karl Freund
Production Company: Universal Pictures
Trivia: Boris Karloff was billed simply as KARLOFF. It took eight hours to get Karloff into the mummy make-up for the film’s opening scene. Filming began at 7 PM and completed at 2AM. While publicity stills prominently feature Karloff in the mummy make-up, he appears in the rest of the film in less elaborate make-up. A longer flashback sequence was filmed but the footage is lost. The film has no direct sequels, with 1940’s The Mummy’s Hand a reimagining of the film, and it was followed by three sequels and the Abbott & Costello Universal Monsters crossover film.

December 24 – 20,000 Years in Sing Sing (USA)

Cast: Spencer Tracy, Bette Davis, Arthur Byron, Louis Calhern, Lyle Talbot, Warren Hymer, Grant Mitchell
Director: Michael Curtiz
Production Company: First National Pictures, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: Based upon the nonfiction book Twenty Thousand Years in Sing Sing, written by Lewis E. Lawes, the warden of Sing Sing from 1920 to 1941. The lead was intended for James Cagney but he was having one of his ‘misunderstandings’ with studio head Jack Warner at the time. The film was remade by First National Pictures as Castle on the Hudson in 1940.

December 24 – Island of Lost Souls (USA)

Cast: Charles Laughton, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Bela Lugosi, Kathleen Burke, Arthur Hohl, Stanley Fields, Paul Hurst, Hans Steinke, Tetsu Komai
Director: Erle C. Kenton
Production Company: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Based on H. G. Wells’ 1896 novel The Island of Doctor Moreau. A national contest was held to cast an unknown in the role of Lota, the Panther Woman. Kathleen Burke the winner. Three other finalists received Paramount contracts. Several different edited versions of the film have existed since the original release, until the restored film was released by the Criterion Collection in 2011.

December 24 – Silver Dollar (USA)

Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Bebe Daniels, Aline MacMahon, DeWitt Jennings, Robert Warwick, Russell Simpson, Harry Holman, Charles Middleton, Emmett Corrigan, Christian Rub, Lee Kohlmar, Wade Boteler
Director: Alfred E. Green
Production Company: First National Pictures, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: Based on David Karsner’s biography of the same name, it tells the story of the rise and fall of Horace Tabor (renamed Yates Martin), a silver tycoon in 19th century Colorado. The film is preserved in the Library of Congress.

1942

December 23 – Quattro passi fra le nuvole (Italy)

Cast: Gino Cervi, Adriana Benetti, Giuditta Rissone, Carlo Romano, Guido Celano, Margherita Seglin, Aldo Silvani, Mario Siletti, Oreste Bilancia, Gildo Bocci
Director: Alessandro Blasetti
Production Company: Società Italiana Cines, distributed by Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche (Italy), Distinguished Films Inc. (USA)
Trivia: Released in the US on November 20, 1948 as Four Steps in the Clouds. BAFTA nominated for Best Film from Any Source. It was remade in 1956 as The Virtuous Bigamist, and in 1995 as A Walk in the Clouds.

December 25 – Arabian Nights (USA)

Cast: Sabu, Jon Hall, Maria Montez, Leif Erickson, Billy Gilbert, Edgar Barrier, Richard Lane, Turhan Bey, John Qualen, Shemp Howard
Director: John Rawlins
Production Company: Universal Pictures, Walter Wanger Productions, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: Derived from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. Unlike other films of the genre, it features no monsters or supernatural elements. Universal Pictures’ first film using three-strip Technicolor.

December 25 – Cat People (USA)

Cast: Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Tom Conway, Jane Randolph, Jack Holt
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Production Company: RKO Radio Pictures
Trivia: The film was developed from a title given to the production team by an RKO executive. The film reused sets from other RKO productions including The Magnificent Ambersons and The Devil and Miss Jones. Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1993. Kent Smith was allegedly cast after producer Val Lewton saw him bicycling across the studio lot.

December 25 – The Palm Beach Story (Canada)

Cast: Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea, Mary Astor, Rudy Vallée, Sig Arno, Robert Dudley, Esther Howard, Franklin Pangborn, Arthur Hoyt, Al Bridge
Director: Preston Sturges
Production Company: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Opened in wide release in the US on January 1, 1943. Working titles for the film were Is Marriage Necessary? and Is That Bad? The original title and script were rejected by the Hays Office for ‘sex suggestive situations … and dialogue’.

December 25 – Reunion in France (USA)

Cast: Joan Crawford, John Wayne, Philip Dorn, Reginald Owen, John Carradine, Moroni Olsen, Natalie Schafer, Albert Bassermann, Ann Ayars, J. Edward Bromberg, Howard Da Silva
Director: Jules Dassin
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Trivia: Ava Gardner appears uncredited as Marie, a shopgirl.

1952

December 22 – The Holly and the Ivy (UK)

London Film Production

Cast: Ralph Richardson, Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton, Denholm Elliott, John Gregson, Hugh Williams, Margaret Halstan, Maureen Delany, William Hartnell, Robert Flemyng, Roland Culver, Dandy Nichols
Director: George More O’Ferrall
Production Company: London Film Productions, De Grunwald Productions, distributed by British Lion Film Corporation (UK), 1952) (UK), Pacemaker Pictures (USA)
Trivia: Opened in the US on February 4, 1954. Adapted from the 1950 play of the same name by Wynyard Browne. Actresses Margaret Halstan and Maureen Delany reprised their roles from the stage.

December 23 – Moulin Rouge (USA)

Cast: José Ferrer, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Colette Marchand, Suzanne Flon, Claude Nollier, Katherine Kath, Muriel Smith, Theodore Bikel, Peter Cushing
Director: John Huston
Production Company: Romulus Films, Moulin Productions Inc., distributed by United Artists
Trivia: Based on the 1950 novel by Pierre La Mure. Winner of the Silver Lion awards at the 14 Venice International Film Festival. To play Toulouse-Lautrec, Ferrer designed a set of knee pads so he could walk on his knees, which were used in addition to specially created and photographed sets with pits for him to walk in. John Houston wanted the color palette of the film to look as if Toulouse-Lautrec painted it, and Technicolor was reluctant to produce a more muted color scheme which was opposed to the sometimes gaudy ‘glorious Technicolor’ the film process was known for. Nominated for seven Academy Awards including Best Picture, Director and Actor, winning two for Best Color Art Direction and Best Color Costume Design. Also nominated for three BAFTAs, and received a Golden Globe for Colette Marchand as Most Promising Newcomer – Female. Critics were surprised the film was not nominated for its cinematography.

December 24 – Against All Flags (USA)

Cast: Errol Flynn, Maureen O’Hara, Anthony Quinn, Alice Kelley, Mildred Natwick, Robert Warwick, Harry Cording, John Alderson, Phil Tully, Lester Matthews, Tudor Owen, Maurice Marsac, James Craven, James Fairfax, Bill Radovich
Director: George Sherman, Douglas Sirk
Production Company: Universal International Pictures, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: The film was originally written for Douglas Fairbanks Jr. but the project never materialized and the script was sold to Universal. Though Errol Flynn was under contract to Warner Bros., he was allowed to make one film a year outside of the studio. His contract for the film with Universal entitled him to a percentage of the profits. Filming was delayed so Flynn could finish Maru Maru at Warners. This was Flynn’s last Hollywood swashbuckler. Flynn’s contact specified the end of the filming day would be 4:00 PM by which time he would be inebriated. Maureen O’Hara said Flynn was a professional even though he did sneak booze onto the set, often injecting it into oranges. O’Hara often had to film her close-up while looking at a flag while someone read Flynn’s line off camera. Filming had to be suspended with only ten days left in production after Flynn broke his ankle. When filming resumed more than two months later, director George Sherman had moved on to Willie and Joe Back at the Front, and the film was completed by Douglas Sirk.

December 25 – Blackbeard the Pirate (USA)

Cast: Robert Newton, Linda Darnell, William Bendix, Keith Andes, Torin Thatcher, Irene Ryan, Alan Mowbray, Richard Egan, Skelton Knaggs, Dick Wessel
Director: Raoul Walsh
Production Company: RKO Radio Pictures
Trivia: Based on an original story by DeVallon Scott. The film was originally conceived as a vehicle for Faith Domergue and was to be titled Buccaneer Empire, directed by Robert Stevenson.

December 25 – My Cousin Rachel (USA)

Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Richard Burton, Audrey Dalton, Ronald Squire, George Dolenz, John Sutton, Tudor Owen, J. M. Kerrigan
Director: Henry Koster
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox
Trivia: Based on the 1951 novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier. Richard Burton’s first US film. George Cukor was the film’s original director but exited the project when he and du Maurier were unhappy with the screenplay’s adaptation. Burton had no interest in the story but took the role to work with Cukor. He never knew if the director had quit or was fired. Du Maurier’s agent tried to sell the rights to the story for $100,000 and 5% of the international box office and every studio rejected the offer. Fox paid $80,000. Burton was going to ask for no less than £7,000 (about $18,000 USD) and was surprised when the studio offered him $50,000. Olivia de Havilland allegedly insisted that she be addressed as ‘Miss de Havilland’ by cast and crew, a change from the more informal ‘Livvie’ that had been acceptable on other sets. Burton earned his first Oscar nomination, and the film received three others in technical categories. De Havilland was Golden Globe nominated, and Burton won the New Star of the Year – Actor Globe.

December 25 – Ruby Gentry (USA)

Cast: Jennifer Jones, Charlton Heston, Karl Malden, Tom Tully, Barney Phillips, James Anderson, Josephine Hutchinson
Director: King Vidor
Production Company: Bernhard-Vidor Productions Inc., distributed by Twentieth Century Fox
Trivia: The film’s title inspired Roberta Lee Streeter to sing under the name Bobbie Gentry.

December 25 – The Bad and the Beautiful (USA)

Cast: Lana Turner, Kirk Douglas, Walter Pidgeon, Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, Gloria Grahame, Gilbert Roland, Leo G. Carroll, Vanessa Brown, Paul Stewart, Sammy White, Elaine Stewart, Ivan Triesault
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Trivia: The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2002. Based on a 1949 magazine story ‘Of Good and Evil’ by George Bradshaw. The film won five Oscars out of six nominations, including Best Supporting Actress (Grahame), the most for any film not also nominated for Best Picture or Best Director. Kirk Douglas was the only nominee to not win. The film also scored two Golden Globe nominations in the Supporting categories for Grahame and Gilbert Roland. The same creative team also collaborated on the film Two Weeks in Another Town (1962), with the song ‘Don’t Blame Me’ featured in both films. In a very meta moment, the characters in that film are watching scenes from The Bad and the Beautiful. John Houseman had been offered the project to produce, under the title Memo to a Bad Man, and he accepted on the condition he could make it a Hollywood story instead of a Broadway story, feeling he could add nothing new to a Broadway story especially after All About Eve. Clark Gable was originally signed to star, then Spencer Tracy before Kirk Douglas took the lead role. The film’s title was changed to Tribute to a Bad Man but the studio feared people would mistake it for a Western, and the title was changed again. Houseman thought the new title was dreadful, loathsome, cheap and vulgar, but after the film’s success he said it was one of the greatest titles ever conceived.

December 25 – The Member of the Wedding (USA)

Cast: Ethel Waters, Julie Harris, Brandon De Wilde, Arthur Franz, Nancy Gates, William Hansen, James Edwards, Harry Bolden, Dickie Moore
Director: Fred Zinnemann
Production Company: Stanley Kramer Productions, distributed by Columbia Pictures
Trivia: Based on Carson McCullers’ 1946 novel of the same name. Dickie Moore’s last film appearance. Julie Harris received an Oscar nomination for her performance.

December 27 – Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (USA)

Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Charles Laughton, Hillary Brooke, Bill Shirley, Leif Erickson, Fran Warren
Director: Charles Lamont
Production Company: Woodley Productions Inc., distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: During a slump in his career, Charles Laughton reprised the role of Captain Kidd from the 1945 film of the same name for the small salary of $25,000. The second film shot in SuperCineColor, a three-color version of the standard two-color CineColor process. Universal, the comedy duo’s home, would not foot the bill for color so they did it themselves exercising their contract option to produce one independent film a year using Bud Abbott’s company Woodley Productions. Filming was completed in one month.

1962

December 21 – In Search of the Castaways (USA)

Cast: Maurice Chevalier, Hayley Mills, George Sanders, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Michael Anderson, Keith Hamshere, Antonio Cifariello, Wilfrid Brambell, Jack Gwillim, Inia Te Wiata
Director: Robert Stevenson
Production Company: Walt Disney Productions, distributed by Buena Vista Distribution Company
Trivia: Freely based upon Jules Verne’s 1868 adventure novel Captain Grant’s Children. The third of six films Hayley Mills made for Disney. The film was originally titled The Castaways, and was developed specifically for Mills. Walt Disney wanted her brother Jonathan to play her brother on screen but his school teachers turned down the offer. Charles Laughton was cast in the lead role but had to drop out after his cancer diagnosis and was replaced with Maurice Chevalier.

December 22 – Le procès (France)

Cast: Anthony Perkins, Jeanne Moreau, Romy Schneider, Elsa Martinelli, Suzanne Flon, Orson Welles, Akim Tamiroff, Madeleine Robinson, Paola Mori, Arnoldo Foà, Fernand Ledoux, Michael Lonsdale
Director: Orson Welles
Production Company: Paris-Europa Productions, Hisa-Film, Finanziaria Cinematografica Italiana, Globus-Dubrava, distributed by UFA-Cormacico (France), Astor Pictures Corporation (USA)
Trivia: The film opened in the US on February 20, 1963 as The Trial. Based on the 1925 posthumously published novel of the same name by Franz Kafka. Orson Welles also wrote the screenplay. The film’s reputation has grown over time with some critics now calling it a masterpiece. Producer Ilya Salkind wanted Welles to direct a story available in the public domain and offered him Taras Bulba, but then learned a film was already in production. Salkind offered Welles a list of 82 other titles to choose from and Welles felt The Trial was the most feasible to produce. It was only then that they learned the story had not yet entered the public domain and the rights had to be purchased. Welles wanted to cast Jackie Gleason in the role of Hastler, but when he rejected the offer Welles took the role himself. Welles also dubbed some dialogue for 11 actors including Anthony Perkins and defied Perkins to determine where the dubbing took place. Perkins was unable to identify where the dubbing occured.

December 25 – Who’s Got the Action? (USA)

Cast: Dean Martin, Lana Turner, Eddie Albert, Walter Matthau, Paul Ford, Nita Talbot, John McGiver, Jack Albertson
Director: Daniel Mann
Production Company: Amro-Claude-Mea, distributed by Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Based on the novel Four Horse Players Are Missing by Alexander Rose. Rose also has a minor role in the film as Mr. Goody.

December 26 – David and Lisa (USA)

Cast: Keir Dullea, Janet Margolin, Howard Da Silva, Neva Patterson, Richard McMurray, Clifton James, Nancy Nutter, Matthew Anden, Jamie Sanchez, Coni Hudak, Karen Gorney
Director: Frank Perry
Production Company: Lisa and David Company, Vision Associates Productions I, distributed by Continental Distributing
Trivia: Based on the second story in the two-in-one novellas Jordi/Lisa and David by Theodore Isaac Rubin. Frank Perry has an uncredited cameo as Newsdealer. The film debut of both Janet Margolin and Karen Gorney, who would be later billed as Karen Lynn Gorney and was best known for her role in Saturday Night Fever. Earned two Oscar nominations for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Received four BAFTA nominations, and two Golden Globe nominations with Keir Dullea winning for Most Promising Newcomer – Male. The film was remade as a TV movie in 1998.

December 26 – Days of Wine and Roses (USA)

Cast: Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford, Jack Klugman, Alan Hewitt, Tom Palmer, Debbie Megowan, Maxine Stuart, Jack Albertson, Ken Lynch, Katherine Squire
Director: Blake Edwards
Production Company: Jalem Productions, distributed by Warner Bros.
Trivia: Adapted from the 1958 Playhouse 90 teleplay of the same name. Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2018. The film was shot in chronological order. The studio was unhappy with the ending so after filming was completed, Jack Lemmon flew to Europe and remained out of contact so the studio would be forced to release the film as intended. Nominated for five Oscars including Best Actor and Actress, winning for Henry Mancini’s Best Original Song, with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Also nominated for three BAFTAs and four Golden Globes.

1972

December 21 – Cries and Whispers (USA)

Cast: Harriet Andersson, Kari Sylwan, Ingrid Thulin, Liv Ullmann, Anders Ek, Inga Gill, Erland Josephson, Henning Moritzen, Georg Årlin, Linn Ullmann, Lena Bergman
Director: Ingmar Bergman
Production Company: Cinematograph AB, Svenska Filminstitutet, distributed by New World Pictures
Trivia: The Swedish title is Viskningar och rop, which translates to Whispers and Cries. In contrast to previous Bergman films, he uses saturated color here, with crimson being the primary. Harriet Anderson usually went to bed early but she was kept up late to enhance her ill, tired appearance. Nominated for five Academy Awards including the rare, for a foreign film, Best Picture Oscar. It won for Sven Nykvist’s cinematography. Also nominated for two BAFTAs and one Golden Globe.

December 21 – Jeremiah Johnson (USA)

Cast: Robert Redford, Will Geer, Stefan Gierasch, Delle Bolton, Josh Albee, Joaquín Martínez, Allyn Ann McLerie, Paul Benedict, Jack Colvin, Matt Clark, Richard Angarola, Charles Tyner
Director: Sydney Pollack
Production Company: Sanford Productions (III), Warner Bros., distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: The film had played internationally ahead of its US release in Sweden (September 10), Australia (September 14), France (September 15), the UK (October 6), Japan (November 3) and Italy (November 10). Based partly on the life of the legendary mountain man John Jeremiah Johnson, recounted in Raymond Thorp and Robert Bunker’s book Crow Killer: The Saga of Liver-Eating Johnson and Vardis Fisher’s novel Mountain Man. Tanya Tucker appears in the uncredited role of Qualen’s Daughter. After advancing Redford $200,000 to secure him for the film, the studio insisted the film be shot on the studio lot. Redford and Pollack insisted it be filmed on location, and Pollack mortgaged his house to supplement the tight budget. Bad weather hampered production in Utah making retakes a rarity. The film took almost eight months to edit in order to get the rhythm of the storytelling down.

December 21 – Un homme est mort (Italy)

Cast: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Ann-Margret, Angie Dickinson, Roy Scheider, Georgia Engel, Felice Orlandi, Carlo De Mejo, Michel Constantin, Umberto Orsini, Ted de Corsia, Jackie Earle Haley, John Hillerman, Jon Korkes, Connie Kreski, Ben Piazza, Alex Rocco, Talia Shire
Director: Jacques Deray
Production Company: Cité Films, General Production Company, Les Productions Artistes Associés, Mondial Televisione Film, distributed by United Artists
Trivia: Released in the US in January 1973 as The Outside Man.

December 22 – The Heartbreak Kid (USA)

Cast: Charles Grodin, Cybill Shepherd, Jeannie Berlin, Audra Lindley, Eddie Albert, Mitchell Jason, William Prince, Augusta Dabney, Doris Roberts
Director: Elaine May
Production Company: Palomar Pictures International, distributed by Twentieth Century Fox
Trivia: Based on the short story ‘A Change of Plan’, written by Bruce Jay Friedman and first published in Esquire magazine in 1966. The film received Oscar nominations for Jeannie Berlin’s and Eddie Albert’s supporting performances. Also nominated for three Golden Globes including Best Actor (Grodin) and Supporting Actor.

December 22 – Trick Baby (USA)

Cast: Kiel Martin, Mel Stewart, Vernee Watson-Johnson, Beverly Ballard, Clebert Ford, David Thomas, Jim King, Ted Lange, Jan Leighton
Director: Larry Yust
Production Company: Universal Pictures, Cinema Entertainment, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: Based on the novel by Iceberg Slim written in 1967, the first of Slim’s novels to be turned into a film. The film had a $600,000 budget, Universal bought it for $1 million, and it grossed $11 million.

1982

December 22 – Kiss Me Goodbye (USA)

Cast: Sally Field, James Caan, Jeff Bridges, Claire Trevor, Paul Dooley, Stephen Elliott, Michael Ensign, Mildred Natwick, William Prince, Dorothy Fielding, Maryedith Burrell
Director: Robert Mulligan
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox, Boardwalk Productions, distributed by Twentieth Century Fox
Trivia: A remake of the 1976 Brazilian film Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands. Claire Trevor’s final film. James Caan said making the film was one of the most unpleasant experiences of his life, and he did not make another film for five years. Sally Field received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance.

1992

December 23 – Scent of a Woman (Canada)

Universal Pictures

Cast: Al Pacino, Chris O’Donnell, James Rebhorn, Gabrielle Anwar, Richard Venture, Bradley Whitford, Ron Eldard, Philip S. Hoffman, Frances Conroy
Director: Martin Brest
Production Company: Universal Pictures, City Light Films, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: The film did open in limited release in the US on December 23 to qualify for the Oscars, but did not get a wide release until January 8, 1993. Remake of Dino Risi’s 1974 Italian film Profumo di donna, adapted by Bo Goldman from the novel Il buio e il miele (Darkness and Honey) by Giovanni Arpino. The film earned four Oscar nominations, winning Best Actor for Al Pacino. Also nominated for four Golden Globes, winning Best Picture – Drama, Best Actor and Best Screenplay.

December 25 – Hoffa (USA)

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante, J.T. Walsh, John C. Reilly, Kevin Anderson, John P. Ryan, Frank Whaley, Natalia Nogulich, Nicholas Pryor, Robert Prosky, Paul Guilfoyle, Karen Young, Cliff Gorman
Director: Danny DeVito
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox, Jersey Films, distributed by Twentieth Century Fox
Trivia: Bruno Kirby appears uncredited as a nightclub comedian. The film earned Oscar nominations for Cinematography and Makeup. Jack Nicholson earned both a Golden Globe and a Razzie nomination for his performance. DeVito also earned a Worst Director Razzie nomination. Also nominated for the Golden Bear at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival.

December 25 – Trespass (USA)

Cast: Bill Paxton, Ice-T, William Sadler, Ice Cube, Art Evans, De’voreaux White, Bruce A. Young, Tommy Lister Jr., Stoney Jackson, James Pickens Jr.
Director: Walter Hill
Production Company: Universal Pictures
Trivia: The script was originally called The Looters and Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale wrote it in the 1970s. The film was meant to be released on July 3 but this date was delayed due to the 1992 Los Angeles riots; the film was retitled and a new marketing campaign devised. John Zorn composed the film’s score but director Walter Hill was unhappy with it and replaced Zorn with his friend Ry Cooder.

2002

December 25 – Evelyn (USA)

Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Julianna Margulies, Frank Kelly, Stephen Rea, Aidan Quinn, Alan Bates, Sophie Vavasseur, Bosco Hogan, Mark Lambert, John Lynch
Director: Bruce Beresford
Production Company: First Look International, Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG, Irish DreamTime, CineEvelyn, distributed by United Artists
Trivia: The film opened in limited release on December 13 for awards consideration. Loosely based on the true story of Desmond Doyle and his fight in the Irish courts (December 1955) to be reunited with his children.

December 27 – Nicholas Nickleby (USA, limited)

Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Nathan Lane, Jim Broadbent, Christopher Plummer, Jamie Bell, Anne Hathaway, Alan Cumming, Timothy Spall, Tom Courtenay, Juliet Stevenson, Romola Garai, Stella Gonet, Heather Goldenhersh, Barry Humphries, Gerard Horan, William Ash, Edward Fox, David Bradley, Phil Davis, Kevin McKidd, Nicholas Rowe, Sophie Thompson, Andrew Havill, Angus Wright
Director: Douglas McGrath
Production Company: United Artists Film Corporation, Hart Sharp Entertainment, Potboiler Productions, distributed by United Artists
Trivia: Based on The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens. The story’s time frame was changed from the 1830s to the 1850s so elements of the Industrial Revolution could be added into the production design plans. Jamie Bell was cast on the spot after his audition left producers in tears. British actor Charlie Hunnam had to work with a dialect coach to reacquire his accent after living in the US for several years. Nominated for the Best Picture – Musical,or Comedy Golden Globe.

2012

December 21 – Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away (USA)

Cast: Justin Fletcher, John Sparkes, Amalia Vitale, Kate Harbour
Director: Andrew Adamson
Production Company: Paramount Pictures, Cirque du Soleil Burlesco, Reel FX Creative Studios, Strange Weather Films, Cameron l Pace Group, distributed by Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Originally opened in Japan on November 9, 2012, and Canada on December 7. The film incorporates acts from O, Mystère, Kà, Love, Zumanity, Criss Angel Believe, and Viva Elvis, some of the Cirque du Soleil shows that were running in Las Vegas in 2011.

December 21 – Jack Reacher (USA/Canada)

Cast: Tom Cruise, Rosamund Pike, Richard Jenkins, Werner Herzog, David Oyelowo, Jai Courtney, Joseph Sikora, Robert Duvall
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Production Company: Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, Mutual Film Company, H2L Media Group, TC Productions, distributed by Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Based on Lee Child’s 2005 novel One Shot, which was the film’s original title. Cruise performed all of his own driving stunts during the film’s car chase sequence. Fans of the novels were critical of the casting of 5’7” Cruise to portray the 6’5” Reacher, but producers insisted it would have been impossible to find the best actor of that height while Cruise embodied the character’s traits. Dwayne Johnson revealed in 2017 that he was under consideration for the role. In 2018 Child agreed with the fans saying Reacher’s height was an important trait, representing Reacher as an unstoppable force.

December 21 – Not Fade Away (USA, limited)

Cast: James Gandolfini, John Magaro, Bella Heathcote, Jack Huston, Meg Guzulescu, Dominic Sherwood, Alfie Stewart, Lisa Lampanelli, Will Brill, Gerard Canonico, Molly Price, Dominique McElligott, Brad Garrett, Justine Lupe, Christopher McDonald
Director: David Chase
Production Company: Chase Films, Gran Via Productions, Indian Paintbrush, Paramount Vantage, The Weinstein Company, distributed by Paramount Vantage
Trivia: The first film directed by The Sopranos creator, David Chase.

December 21 – This Is 40 (USA/Canada)

Cast: Paul Rudd, Leslie Mann, Maude Apatow, Iris Apatow, Jason Segel, Charlyne Yi, Tim Bagley, John Lithgow, Albert Brooks, Megan Fox, Chris O’Dowd, Melissa McCarthy, Ryan Lee, Lena Dunham, Robert Smigel, Annie Mumolo, Joanne Baron, Ava Sambora, Michael Ian Black
Director: Judd Apatow
Production Company: Apatow Productions, Forty Productions, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: A ‘sort-of sequel’ to Apatow’s 2007 film Knocked Up, in which Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann also appeared. Bill Hader appears in an uncredited role. Apatow announced in March 2022 that he plans on a third film set ten years later titled This Is 50.

December 21 – West of Memphis (UK, documentary)

Director: Amy J. Berg
Production Company: Disarming Films, WingNut Films, distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing (UK), Sony Pictures Classics (USA)
Trivia: Opened in the US on December 25, 2012. Peter Jackson was one of the film’s producers.

December 25 – Django Unchained (USA/Canada)

Weinstein Company

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, David Steen, Dana Gourrier, Don Johnson
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Production Company: The Weinstein Company, Columbia Pictures, distributed by Alliance (Canada), The Weinstein Company (USA)
Trivia: Franco Nero, star of the 1966 Italian Western Django, has a cameo. Michael K. Williams and Will Smith were considered for the role of the title character. Django’s wardrobe was inspired by the costumes of Western TV series Bonanza, with the same hatmaker who made Michael Landon’s hat hired to make Django’s hat. Django’s sunglasses were inspired by Charles Bronson’s character in The White Buffalo. His valet outfit was inspired by the painting The Blue Boy. Calvin Candie’s costume came partly from Rhett Butler, and Don Johnson’s signature Miami Vice look inspired Big Daddy’s cream-colored linen suit in the film. King Schultz’s faux chinchilla coat was inspired by Telly Savalas in Kojak. Leonardo DiCaprio actually cut his hand after smashing a glass but continued with his performance despite the profuse bleeding, much to the astonishment of his fellow actors. They all applauded him at the end of the take and Tarantino kept the scene in the film. The film earned several nominations from various awards organizations, with Christophe Waltz winning the Oscar, Golden Globe and BAFTA for Supporting Actor. Tarantino also won the same three for his screenplay.

December 25 – Parental Guidance (USA/Canada)

Cast: Billy Crystal, Bette Midler, Marisa Tomei, Tom Everett Scott, Bailee Madison, Joshua Rush, Kyle Breitkopf, Gedde Watanabe, Rhoda Griffis, Jennifer Crystal Foley
Director: Andy Fickman
Production Company: Twentieth Century Fox, Walden Media, Chernin Entertainment, Face Productions, Dune Entertainment, Dune Entertainment III, distributed by Twentieth Century Fox
Trivia: The final 20th Century Fox film financed by Dune Entertainment before the company merged with RatPac Entertainment, forging a new deal with Warner Bros.

December 26 – Quartet (Australia)

Cast: Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Gwyneth Jones, Michael Gambon, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, Sheridan Smith, Andrew Sachs, Trevor Peacock, David Ryall, Luke Newberry, Michael Byrne
Director: Dustin Hoffman
Production Company: Headline Pictures, BBC Films, DCM Productions, Finola Dwyer Productions, Wildgaze Films, distributed by Momentum Pictures (UK), The Weinstein Company (USA)
Trivia: Opened in the UK on January 1, 2013, and in limited release in the US on January 11. Dustin Hoffman’s directorial debut.

December 26 – Tabu (USA)

Cast: Teresa Madruga, Laura Soveral, Ana Moreira, Henrique Espírito Santo, Carloto Cotta, Isabel Muñoz Cardoso, Ivo Müller, Manuel Mesquita, Miguel Gomes
Director: Miguel Gomes
Production Company: O Som e a Fúria, Komplizen Film, Gullane, Shellac Sud, ZDF/Arte, Rádio e Televisão de Portugal, Programa Ibermedia, distributed by Adopt Film (USA), New Wave Films (UK)
Trivia: Opened in the UK on September 7, 2012. The title references F. W. Murnau’s silent film of the same name.

December 26 – Zaytoun (UK)

Cast: Stephen Dorff, Abdallah El Akal, Loai Noufi, Ashraf Barhom, Alice Taglioni, Ali Suliman, Tarik Kopty, Mira Awad
Director: Eran Riklis
Production Company: Bedlam Productions, Far Films, H.W. Buffalo & Co, distributed by Pathé (UK), Strand Releasing (USA)
Trivia: Opened in the US on September 20, 2013.

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