Lionsgate
A few notable films were released this week across the decades, but unfortunately at least seven of the films released in 1924 no longer exist. 1934 featured two film adaptation of two popular novels, one of which was Oscar-nominated and selected for preservation. 1944 brought Shakespeare to vivid, colorful life on the big screen, earning its director and star a special accolade. 1974 produced a horror movie that was a little too much like another horror movie for the studio’s liking, and gave us a classic mystery film that also got some Oscar love. 1984 saw the US release of a superhero spin-off, and 1994 reunited Schwarzenegger and DeVito. 2004 gave us a historically accurate, and historically inaccurate, film based on the life of an ancient Macedonian general, and 2014 took movie-goers back to the nation of Panem. Scroll down to see all the movies that premiered this week, and tell us if any of your favorites are celebrating milestone anniversaries.
1924
- November 23 – Classmates (USA, Inspiration Pictures)
- November 23 – East of Broadway (USA, Encore Pictures)
- November 23 – Laughing at Danger (USA, Carlos Productions)
- November 23 – Roaring Lions at Home (USA, Fox Film Corporation)
- November 23 – The Chorus Lady (USA, Regal Pictures)
- November 23 – The Man Who Played Square (USA, Fox Film Corporation)
- November 23 – The Riddle Rider (USA, Universal Pictures)
- November 24 – So This Is Marriage? (USA, Metro-Goldwyn Pictures Corporation)
- November 24 – The Silent Accuser (USA, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- November 24 – Worldly Goods (USA, Paramount Pictures)
- November 26 – The Dark Swan (USA, Warner Bros. Pictures)
Lost films: Classmates, The Chorus Lady, The Man Who Played Square, The Riddle Rider, So This Is Marriage?, Worldly Goods, The Dark Swan.
Status Unknown: East of Broadway, Roaring Lions at Home.
Prints of Laughing at Danger are held in the collections of the Gosfilmofond in Moscow and UCLA Film and Television Archive. The last known copy of So This Is Marriage? was destroyed in the 1965 MGM vault fire.
A print of The Silent Accuser is reportedly held in the French archive Centre national du cinéma et de l’image animée in Fort de Bois-d’Arcy.
1934
Universal Pictures
- November 22 – Menace (USA, Paramount Pictures)
- November 22 – The Lawless Frontier (USA, Paul Malvern Productions)
- November 23 – Anne of Green Gables (USA, RKO Radio Pictures)
- November 23 – College Rhythm (USA, Paramount Pictures)
- November 23 – Jealousy (USA, Columbia Pictures)
- November 23 – The Painted Veil (USA, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- November 24 – I Am a Thief (USA, Warner Bros. Pictures)
- November 24 – The Great Defender (AUS, Associated British Picture Corporation)
- November 26 – Imitation of Life (USA, Universal Pictures)
- November 26 – No Escape (UK, Warner Brothers-First National Productions)
- November 27 – Lady in Danger (UK, Gaumont British Picture Corporation)
The Great Defender, No Escape, and Lady in Danger have no known US theatrical release dates.
Anne of Green Gables is based upon the 1908 novel of the same name by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery. The Painted Veil was based on the 1925 novel of the same name by W. Somerset Maugham.
Imitation of Life is based on Fannie Hurst’s 1933 novel of the same name. The novel’s original title was to be Sugar House, but was changed just before publication. The film was rereleased in 1936. It was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2005. It was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, Best Assistant Director and Best Sound Recording.
1944
- November 21 – Dark Waters (USA, Benedict Bogeaus Production)
- November 22 – And Now Tomorrow (USA, Paramount Pictures)
- November 22 – Henry V (UK, Two Cities Films)
- November 23 – Mouse Trouble (USA, short, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- November 23 – Three Is a Family (USA, Sol Lesser Productions)
- November 24 – Enter Arsène Lupin (USA, Universal Pictures)
- November 24 – No Dough Boys (USA, short, Columbia Pictures)
- November 24 – One Body Too Many (USA, Pine-Thomas Productions)
- November 25 – Bowery Champs (USA, Sam Katzman Productions)
- November 25 – Safety Sleuth (USA, short, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
- November 25 – The Doughgirls (USA, Warner Bros. Pictures)
Henry V, based on Shakespeare’s play, was released in the US on April 3, 1946. It’s on-screen title is The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with his battell fought at Agincourt in France. Star Laurence Olivier also directed, instructed by Winston Churchill to fashion the film as morale-boosting propaganda for British troops fighting World War II. He also agreed to not appear in another film for 18 months to prevent detraction from the promotion of the film. The film employed the only Technicolor camera in England. Hundreds of extras were hired for scenes filmed in neutral Ireland, with an additional pound paid to anyone who brought their own horse. The film was nominated for four Oscars, with Olivier winning an honorary Oscar for ‘his Outstanding achievement as actor, producer and director in bringing Henry V to the screen.’
1954
- November 21 – Cry Vengeance (USA, Lindsley Parsons Productions)
- November 22 – Aunt Clara (UK, Colin Lesslie Productions)
Aunt Clara, based on the 1952 novel of the same name by author Noel Streatfeild, has no known US theatrical release date.
1964
- November 26 – Apache Rifles (USA, Admiral Pictures)
1974
G.W. Films Limited
- November 21 – Chi sei? (Italy, A Erre Cinematograficae)
- November 21 – Moments (UK, Pemini Organisation)
- November 22 – Murder on the Orient Express (UK, G.W. Films Limited)
- November 26 – Hanuman pob Jed Yodmanud (Thailand, Tsuburaya Productions)
Chi sei? was released in the US on July 31, 1975 as Beyond the Door. Moments has no known US theatrical release date. Murder on the Orient Express was released in the US and Canada on November 24, 1974. Hanuman pob Jed Yodmanud, also known as Hanuman vs. 7 Ultraman and The 6 Ultra Brothers vs. the Monster Army, has no known US theatrical release date.
Chi sei? was released with an extended cut in the UK under the title Devil Within Her. When the film opened in the US as Beyond the Door, Warner Bros. filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against the production company due to its similarities to The Exorcist. A settlement in Warner Bros’ favor was reached in 1979.
Murder on the Orient Express is based on the 1934 Agatha Christie novel of the same name. Christie was unhappy with previous adaptations of her works and was unwilling to sell any more film rights. She ultimately gave approval because she liked the previous films of the producers, Romeo and Juliet and Tales of Beatrix Potter. Christie ultimately felt the film was well-made but was unhappy with Albert Finney’s mustache for Hercule Poirot. Actors eagerly accepted roles in the film when first approached. Ingrid Bergman was offered the role of Princess Dragomiroff, but insisted on playing the smaller role of Greta Ohlsson. Since the role was so small, director Sidney Lumet filmed her one big scene, where she talks for almost five minutes, in one long take. That scene helped her win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The film earned five additional nominations, including Best Actor for Finney. It received ten BAFTA nominations, winning three for Bergman (Supporting Actress), John Gielgud (Supporting Actor) and the Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music. The film’s score by Richard Rodney Bennett was also nominated for a Grammy Award.
1984
- November 21 – Falling in Love (USA, Paramount Pictures)
- November 21 – Supergirl (USA, Artistry Limited)
- November 22 – The Coolangatta Gold (AUS/USA, Michael Edgley International)
The Coolangatta Gold is also known as The Gold and the Glory.
See <a style=”color: #cc0000;”a href=”https://hotchka.com/movies-by-the-decade-205″ target=”_blank”>Movies By the Decade Feature #205: June 27 to July 3</a> for information about Supergirl, which had its first release in Japan.
1994
- November 23 – A Low Down Dirty Shame (USA, Hollywood Pictures)
- November 23 – Junior (USA, Northern Lights Entertainment)
- November 23 – Love and a .45 (USA, Trimark Pictures)
- November 23 – The Pagemaster (USA, Turner Pictures)
Junior reunited Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito, who starred in 1988’s Twins. Both films were directed by Ivan Reitman. The film was developed under the title Oh Baby. Mel Gibson nearly signed on for the lead role, a pregnant man, but withdrew after learning of his church’s stance on the matter. Woody Harrelson was interested but the studio didn’t think he was a big enough name at the time. The film’s song, ‘Look What Love Has Done’, was nominated for an Oscar. The song was also Golden Globe-nominated, as were the film’s stars, Schwarzenegger and Emma Thompson.
The Pagemaster was one of the first films to combine live-action, traditional animation and CGI animation. Director Joe Johnston has erased the film from his resumé, saying it was re-edited without his consent. The film was the last from 20th Century Fox to use the traditional hand-painted cel method of animation. Macaulay Culkin was Razzie-nominated for Worst Actor (for this film, Getting Even with Dad and Richie Rich), but lost to Kevin Costner in Wyatt Earp.
2004
Warner Bros. Pictures
- November 24 – Alexander (USA, Warner Bros. Pictures)
- November 24 – Christmas with the Kranks (USA, 1492 Pictures)
- November 25 – School for Seduction (Singapore, Ipso Facto Films)
- November 26 – Straight-Jacket (USA, limited, SRO Pictures)
- November 27 – George Michael: A Different Story (UK, documentary, Aegean Films)
School for Seduction and George Michael: A Different Story have no known US theatrical release dates.
The screenplay for Alexander was derived in part from the book Alexander the Great, published in 1973 by the University of Oxford historian Robin Lane Fox. Four versions of the film exist: the initial theatrical cut and three home video director’s cuts: the ‘Director’s Cut’ in 2005, the ‘Final Cut’ in 2007, and the ‘Ultimate Cut’ in 2014. The film earned six Golden Raspberry Awards nominations: Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Colin Farrell), Worst Actress (Angelina Jolie), Worst Director (Oliver Stone), Worst Supporting Actor (Val Kilmer) and Worst Screenplay.
Christmas with the Kranks is based on the 2001 novel Skipping Christmas by John Grisham. The film features Tom Poston in his final role.
2014
- November 21 – The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (USA, Lionsgate)
- November 21 – The Mule (USA)
- November 26 – Horrible Bosses 2 (USA, RatPac Entertainment)
- November 26 – Penguins of Madagasgar (USA, DreamWorks Animation)
- November 27 – Fat Pizza vs. Housos (AUS, Transmission Films)
The Mule was released digitally in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on November 21, 2014. Fat Pizza vs. Housos has no known US theatrical release date.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 was filmed back-to-back with Part 2, which was released one year later. Philip Seymour Hoffman died during production but most of his work had been completed. The film’s song, ‘Yellow Flicker Beat’ by Lorde, was nominated for a Golden Globe.
Penguins of Madagasgar is a spin-off of the Madagascar animated film franchise, the fourth in the overall series, taking place directly after the events of Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted. The film was originally conceived as a direct-to-video release. The film is unrelated to The Penguins of Madagasgar series on Nickelodeon.
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