Hotchka Movies by the Decade feature #255 :: June 12•18

Quite a few of this week’s movie debuts are very notable, with several receiving awards recognition. Of note, a 1925 film was such a success it drew the attention of another director who hired its director away. A 1935 film became the first feature film to use a brand new color process, while another is regarded as one of the greatest baseball films ever. 1935 also saw debuts of two actresses who went on to great fame and acclaim. A 1945 film saw its lead actor play against type, and a British film saw early performances from two more stars would would go on to great fame. A 1955 sci-fi film has become a cult classic even though it was hampered by a tight budget resulting in a silly solution to a specific costume problem. 1965 had a comedy that received Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nomination, while a drama scored big for its lead actress. 1975 gave us a Western spoof with an unusual title, while 1985 produced two cult films, one sci-fi the other horror-ish, while a third ended up scoring an Oscar for the star most disliked by the crew. 1995 had a casting change for a superhero movie, and meddling from the studio turned the dark, dramatic film into a campy, kid-friendly romp, and 2015 saw the return of the dinosaurs to their island park. Scroll down to see the films released this week across the decades and tell us if any of your favorites are celebrating milestone anniversaries.

1925

• June 12 – The Adventurous Sex (USA, Howard Estabrook Productions)
• June 13 – Lying Wives (USA, Ivan Film Productions)
• June 14 – Ridin’ Thunder (USA, Blus Streak Western)
• June 14 – Smooth as Satin (USA, Robertson-Cole Pictures Corporation)
• June 14 – The Teaser (New York City, Universal Pictures)
• June 15 – Don Q, Son of Zorro (USA, Elton Corporation)
• June 15 – Siege (New York City, Universal Jewel)
• June 15 – Steele of the Royal Mounted (USA, Vitagraph Company of America)
• June 16 – After Business Hours (New York City, Columbia Pictures)
• June 18 – Drusilla with a Million (USA, Associated Arts Corporation)

The Teaser was released nationwide in the US on September 6, 1925. Siege was released nationwide in the US on September 27, 1925. After Business Hours received a nationwide release in the US on June 28, 1925.

Lost films: The Adventurous Sex, Smooth as Satin, The Teaser

Unknown status: Lying Wives, Ridin’ Thunder, Siege, Steele of the Royal Mounted

The Adventurous Sex was filmed on location around Niagra Falls, Three Sisters Island, and Ausable Chasm, and at Tec-Art Studios in Manhattan. The cast arrived in New York from California by train. Immediately after completing her work at Niagra, star Clara Bow boarded a train in Buffalo, New York for her return to California to work on another project, Capital Punishment.

Smooth as Satin was based on the stage play The Chatterbox, and was remade with sound in 1930 as Alias French Gertie. Don Q, Son of Zorro is a sequel to 1920’s The Mark of Zorro. Actor Donald Crisp, who played the film’s villain, also directed the film. The film does exist. Steele of the Royal Mounted was shot on location in the San Bernardino National Forest, standing in for Canada.

After Business Hours was first released in a 71-minute version, but was pulled and re-cut to 56 minutes, which became very profitable for Columbia Pictures, at the time a ‘Poverty Row’ studio. The film’s success drew the attention of Paramount which contracted director Malcolm St. Clair, who would create some of his best works at the studio. Four of the film’s five reels still exist in the Library and Archives of Canada.

A print of Drusilla with a Million resides in the Lobster Film archive, Paris.

1935

• June 13 – Becky Sharp (New York City, Pioneer Pictures Corporation)
• June 14 – Black Sheep (USA, Fox Film Corporation)
• June 14 – Hooray for Love (USA, RKO Radio Pictures)
• June 14 – No More Ladies (USA, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer)
• June 14 – Once a Thief (London, British & Dominions Film Corporation)
• June 15 – Alibi Ike (USA, Warner Bros. Pictures)
• June 15 – The Glass Key (USA, Paramount Pictures)
• June 15 – The Healer (USA, Monogram Pictures)
• June 15 – Village Tale (USA, RKO Radio Pictures)
• June 17 – R.A.F. (UK, documentary, Gaumont-British Picture Corp. Ltd.)
• June 17 – Widow’s Might (UK, Warner Brothers-First National Productions)

Becky Sharp opened in general release in the US on June 28, 1935. Once a Thief was released in the UK on December 30, 1935, and made its television premiere in New York City on August 5, 1949. R.A.F. has no known US theatrical release date. Widow’s Might first opened in London on January 9, 1935 and has no known US theatrical release date.

Becky Sharp was based on the 1899 play of the same name, which was based on the 1848 novel Vanity Fair. The film was the first full-length feature film to be shot in the newly developed three-strip Technicolor process. The process required massive lighting which dramatically raised the temperature in the sound stages. Moving between the hot stages and the cool winter temperatures outdoors, original director Lowell Sherman contracted pneumonia and died in December 1934. Sherman’s already shot footage was retained, and Rouben Mamoulian immediately took over as director. Star Miriam Hopkins was Oscar-nominated for Best Actress. The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2019.

Screenwriter Rachel Crothers had her name removed from the credits of No More Ladies after the studio made changes to her screenplay without her participation. Director Edward H. Griffith became ill during production and was unable to complete the film, so Georeg Cukor took over although he declined to accept a screen credit. The film was produced during star Joan Crawford’s tenth year at MGM, and it marked Joan Fontaine’s feature film debut.

Alibi Ike is considered one of the best baseball films of all time. The film was the first feature released starring Olivia de Havilland, although she had made two previous films that were released later in the year. A copy of the film is held by the Library of Congress.

The Glass Key was the first film in which George Raft and Ann Sheridan (in a small role billed as ‘Nurse’) appeared together. The film was remade in 1942 with Alan Ladd in Raft’s role. Paramount originally planned to film an adaptation of the novel The Glass Key in 1931 under the title Graft, with Gary Cooper, but the film was never made. Elissa Landi was announced as the female lead but was replaced with Claire Dodd.

The Healer is also known as Little Pal. R.A.F. took 18 months to film, and while the aerial photography was praised, the rest of the film was described as ‘undiluted propaganda’ and ‘a crudely made recruiting film’.

1945

• June 13 – Nob Hill (USA, Twentieth Century Fox)
• June 22 – Bedside Manner (USA, Andrew L. Stone Productions)
• June 14 – Gangster’s Den (USA, Sigmund Neufeld Productions)
• June 14 – War Comes to America (USA, documentary, U.S. Army Pictorial Services)
• June 15 – Conflict (New York City, Warner Bros. Pictures)
• June 16 – Junior Miss (USA, Twentieth Century Fox)
• June 16 – The Way to the Stars (UK, Two Cities Films)

Conflict opened in wide release in the US on June 30, 1945. The Way to the Stars was released in the US on November 15, 1945 as Johnny in the Clouds, shortened by 22 minutes from the UK release.

Fred MacMurray was to star in Nob Hill, but had to drop out due to delays on Murder, He Says and was replaced by George Raft. Lynn Bari and Merle Oberon were to be the female leads, but Bari was put into Where Do We Go From Here?, which was the film MacMurray was placed in following Murder, He Said, and Oberon dropped out. Vivian Blaine and Joan Bennett became the new female leads.

Bedside Manner was re-released in 1950 as Her Favorite Patient. Gangster’s Den is the 25th film in the ‘Billy the Kid’ series with Buster Crabbe. War Comes to America is the seventh and final film in Frank Capra’s Why We Fight World War II propaganda film series.

Conflict is the only film of the five Humphrey Bogart and Sidney Greenstreet made together in which Bogart is the villain rather than Greenstreet. The Maltese Falcon statue also makes a cameo appearance. Bogart did not want to make the film, and only agreed after Warner Bros. threatened to block production of Passage to Marseille, or cast another actor in his lead role. Release of the film was delayed from 1943 due to rights issues over part of the story, so the studio made a similar film in the meantime, The Two Mrs. Carrolls, with Conflict stars Bogart and Alexis Smith, but it was not released until 1947.

The Way to the Stars features early performances from two future stars, Jean Simmons and Trevor Howard.

1955

• June 15 – Finger Man (USA, Lindsley Parsons Productions)
• June 15 – The Purple Mask (USA, Universal International Pictures)
• June 15 – The Road to Denver (USA, Republic Pictures)
• June 15 – This Island Earth (USA, Universal International Pictures)
• June 16 – The Shrike (USA, Universal International Pictures)
• June 18 – Tall Man Riding (USA, Warner Bros. Pictures)

Joseph Newman was the credited director on This Island Earth, but Universal was unhappy with the footage he shot for the Metaluna sequences, so Jack Arnold was brought in to re-shoot them uncredited. Most of the sound effects, the ship, the interocitor, etc. are simply recordings of radio teletype transmissions picked up on a short-wave radio played at various speeds. The special effects department admitted that the ‘mutant’ costume originally had legs that matched the upper body, but they had so much trouble making the legs look and work properly that they were forced by studio deadlines to simply have the mutant wear a pair of trousers. Universal-International’s film posters show the mutant as it was supposed to appear. The film was edited down and lampooned in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie.

1965

• June 16 – Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (USA, Twentieth Century-Fox Productions)
• June 17 – Convict Stage (USA, Steve Productions)
• June 17 – The Collector (USA, Collector Company)
• June 17 – The Hill (London, Kenneth Hyman Productions)
• June 18 – I’ll Take Sweden (USA, Edward Small Productions)

Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines first opened in the UK on June 3, 1965. The Hill first opened in France on June 11, 1965, entered into wide release in the UK on June 27, and was released in the US on October 3. I’ll Take Sweden first opened in the UK on June 10, 1965.

The full title of Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines is Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines or How I Flew from London to Paris in 25 Hours 11 Minutes. The film is noted for its spectacular flying scenes, featuring dozens of period-accurate, life-sized working aeroplanes. The film marks the final feature performance of Red Skelton, who had transitioned from movies to a successful TV variety series that aired from 1951 to 1971. Actor Tony Hancock broke his leg two days before filming commenced, so his injury was written into the script with his cast-bound leg featuring in several scenes. Leads Stuart Whitman and Sarah Miles had a falling out early in the production to the point that Miles would not speak to him unless the interaction was required by the script. Director Ken Annakin managed to keep things running smoothly, and the two actors made peace with each other after filming ended, and they remained civil during re-shoots and voice-overs. Dick Van Dyke had been the first choice for the lead, but his agent never told him about the offer. The film marked the first English-language role for Jean-Pierre Cassel. Japanese actor Yūjirō Ishihara was dubbed by James Villiers due to his accent. Miniature versions of the aircrafts and the city of Paris were required when the company was unable to get permits to fly over the city. In the scene where the aircraft start near Dover to pursue the race, modern ferries were visible in one harbour. The film was shot in 65mm Todd-AO. The film was Oscar-nominated for Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, and it was the film with the longest title to be nominated for an Oscar until 2021’s Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. The film also received three BAFTA nominations, and won for Best British Costume Design – Colour, and was nominated for three Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. A pseudo-sequel with vintage cars, Monte Carlo or Bust!, was released in 1969.

William Wyler turned down The Sound of Music to direct The Collector. His original cut of the film ran three hours, but was trimmed to two hours at the insistence of the producers and studio. Stars Terence Stamp and Samantha Eggar won the Best Actor and Best Actress awards at the 1965 Cannes Film Festival. Eggar also won the Golden Globe, and was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar. It was also Wyler’s last of 12 record Oscar nominations for Best Director. The film was also nominated for Adapted Screenplay. Natalie Wood had been under consideration for the female lead, while Anthony Perkins and Dean Stockwell were considered for the male lead. Stamp and Eggar were cast because of their chemistry, having known each other while studying at Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art. Kenneth More was cast as George Paston, but all of his scenes were cut from the film. It was More’s only Hollywood film. To elicit a stronger performance from Eggar, Wyler instructed Stamp to remain in character and give her the cold shoulder during filming, while Wyler was also unfriendly to her to impose a sense of isolation. The process caused Eggar great stress, and Wyler fired her three weeks into rehearsals because he was displeased with her performance, causing the production to shut down. After she completed a full read-through of the screenplay, she was re-hired and was assigned an acting coach, actress Kathleen Freeman, who was the only person she was allowed to speak to off-camera. Serial killer Robert Berdella claimed the film had been an inspiration to him after seeing it as a teenager.

Sean Connery agreed to star in The Hill because it was a departure from his James Bond role, although he admitted the film was able to get financing because of his association with the Bond films. The film was nominated for six BAFTA awards including Best Film.

I’ll Take Sweden was advertised as Bob Hope’s 50th film, but even the star himself disputed that. The parts of the film that were set in Sweden were actually filmed in Big Bear Lake and Lake Arrowhead, California.

1975

• June 15 – Blazing Stewardesses (USA, Samuel M. Sherman Productions)

The title Blazing Stewardesses is derived from The Naughty Stewardesses and Blazing Saddles. The film was to be a throwback to ‘B’ Westerns of the 1940s, reuniting Yvonne De Carlo and Rod Cameron, who co-starred together at Universal in the 1940s but Cameron walked out due to a salary dispute. The Three Stooges had been hired for comedy scenes, but Larry Fine suffered a stroke that confined him to a wheelchair. Scenes were rewritten to accommodate Larry, but Moe then became too ill to perform and had to withdraw. Two of the three surviving Ritz Brothers were cast to replace the Stooges. It was their first film since 1943. Genuine background music from the 1940s was used to enhance the ‘B’-Western flavor. The film has been re-released with at least three different titles: Texas Layover, Cathouse Cowgirls, and The Great Truck Robbery.

1985

• June 12 – White Elephant (USA, Worldoc)
• June 13 – Warriors of the Wind (USA, Topcraft)
• June 14 – D.A.R.Y.L. (USA/Canada, Paramount Pictures)
• June 14 – Prizzi’s Honor (USA, ABC Motion Pictures)
• June 14 – Secret Admirer (USA/Canada, Orion Pictures)
• June 14 – The Stuff (USA, Larco Productions)

Warriors of the Wind is the heavily edited US version of Hayao Miyazaki’s 1984 animated feature Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind. Though made before Studio Ghibli was founded, it is often considered a Ghibli work. The edited US version was derided by Miyazaki, and resulted in Ghibli’s ‘no cuts’ rule for future international releases. The edited version was eventually replaced in circulation with an uncut, re-dubbed version produced by Walt Disney Pictures in 2005.

In D.A.R.Y.L., filming for the fictional town of Berkenton took place in Orlando, Florida, with one scene filmed in Dillsboro. The film was not a success at the box office, but has undergone a critical reappraisal and developed a modest cult following. A comedy sequel series was announced in 2020 for TBS, with Tony Hale portraying Daryl as a 44-year-old android trying to live in the modern world.

Stanley Tucci makes his film debut in Prizzi’s Honor in a small role. It was the last of John Huston’s films to be released during his lifetime. Co-star Anjelica Houston overheard workers on the set criticizing her casting in the film saying she had no talent, as she was the director’s daughter and star Jack Nicholson’s girlfriend. She would go on to win the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance, the only win from the film’s eight nominations, which included Best Picture, Director, Actor and Supporting Actor. The film earned two BAFTA nomination and one win (Adapted Screenplay), and six Golden Globe nominations, winning for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor, Best Actress (Kathleen Turner) and Best Director.

Secret Admirer was the feature directorial debut of David Greenwalt, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

The Stuff was the last film of Alexander Scourby. The film features cameos from Brooke Adams, Laurene Landon, Tammy Grimes, Abe Vigoda, Clara Peller and Jason Evers who appear in commercials in the film for The Stuff. Mira Sorvino appeared in an uncredited cameo as a Factory guard after she had come to the set to visit her father, Paul Sorvino. Ice cream, yogurt and whipped cream were used on screen when The Stuff was eaten. Director Larry Cohen had wanted to cast Arsenio Hall as ‘Chocolate Chip Charlie’ W. Hobbs because he felt Hall was a good actor and a rising star. Studio executives wanted a more recognizable face and Garrett Morris was cast instead. Morris did not enjoy working with Cohen, and refused to speak about him years later in an interview. New World execs were unhappy with the finished film, expecting a full-on horror film while Cohen turned in a more satirical comedy with horror elements. Cohen felt the film was a failure at the box office because it was sold as a horror film. Cohen claimed the film received great reviews but no one in New York got to read them because a hurricane hit the same day as the film was released and the newspapers weren’t delivered.

1995

• June 16 – Batman Forever (USA/Canada, Warner Bros. Pictures)
• June 16 – The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (USA, Smash Pictures)

William Baldwin and Ethan Hawke were considered as replacements for Michael Keaton in Batman Forever before Val Kilmer was cast. After the less successful second film, Batman Returns, which Warner Bros. attributed to Tim Burton’s dark tone that made it so inappropriate for children that McDonald’s recalled its Happy Meal tie-in, the studio sought a new director though Burton stayed on as a producer. John McTiernan turned down the offer. Joel Schumacher was selected, with Burton’s approval, while he was filming The Client. In the original script, the Riddler’s name was Lyle Heckendorf instead of Edward Nygma. Originally, Schumacher wanted to adapt Frank Miller’s Batman: Year One, and Keaton was on board to reprise his role as he had also approved of Schumacher as director. Warner Bros. insisted on a sequel, not a prequel. Akiva Goldsman was brought on to rewrite the script and wanted to include Scarecrow with Riddler as the villains, along with the return of Catwoman. Keaton didn’t like the lighter tone the studio wanted for the film and dropped out, turning down a $15 million payday. Hawke later regretted his decision to turn the film down. Ralph Fiennes and Daniel Day-Lewis were also considered, and Burton was pushing Johnny Depp, while Kurt Russell was also considered. Kilmer signed on without reading the script or knowing who the director was. Renee Russo had already signed on as Chase Meridian, but the studio felt she was too old for the role once Kilmer signed. Jeanne Tripplehorn and Linda Hamilton were considered before Nicole Kidman was cast. Kidman later said she took the role ‘to kiss Batman’. Billy Dee Williams had taken the role of Harvey Dent in Batman in the hopes of playing the role in a sequel, but Schumacher cast Tommy Lee Jones instead. Al Pacino, Clint Eastwood, Martin Sheen and Robert De Niro were also considered for the role. Jones was reluctant to take it but did so at his son’s insistence. Robin Williams was reportedly in competition with John Malkovich for the Riddler, but the role went to Jim Carrey after Williams turned it down. Michael Jackson had reportedly lobbied hard for the role before Carrey was cast. Other actors under consideration include Brad Dourif, Kelsey Grammer, Mickey Dolenz, Matthew Broderick, Phil Hartman and Steve Martin. Marlon Wayans had signed to play Robin in Batman Returns and a sequel, but the character was dropped because the cast was already over-crowded. Schumacher decided to open the casting with Leonardo DiCaprio considered but he did not pursue the role after meeting with Schumacher. Matt Damon, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Worth, Toby Stephens, Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Alan Cumming and Scott Speedman were also considered. Chris O’Donnell was cast, and Olympic gymnast Mitch Gaylord served as his stunt double, and also played Dick Grayson’s older brother in a role created for the film. Schumacher wanted a production design that had no connection to the previous films, instead using the Batman comics as inspiration. Schumacher clashed with both Kilmer and Jones during production, while he stated Carrey was a gentleman. Jones also told Carrey to his face that he hated him and his buffoonery. Seal’s ‘Kiss from a Rose’ music video was also directed by Schumacher. The song earned an MTV Movie Awards nomination, along with U2’s ‘Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me’. The film earned three Oscar nominations for Cinematography, Sound and Sound Effects Editing. U2’s song also received a Golden Globe nomination, as well as a Razzie nomination for Worst Song. Composer Elliot Goldenthal received a Grammy nomination. The film was heavily edited before its release, and following Schumacher’s death in 2020, rumors began to circulate that a darker and less campy director’s cut existed with about 50 minutes of additional footage. In 2023, Goldsman and Kevin Smith confirmed the director’s cut does exist, and Goldman confirmed it again in 2024, stating that efforts to restore it had been put on hold due to the Warner Bros. Discovery merger. A screening of the director’s cut was announced in May 2025 in Los Angeles, but the screening was cancelled following a cease and desist order from Warner Bros.

2005

• June 15 – Les poupées russes (France, Lunar Films)
• June 17 – The Perfect Man (USA, Marc Platt Productions)

Les poupées russes received a limited US theatrical release beginning on May 10, 2006 as Russian Dolls. This film is a sequel to 2002’s L’Auberge Espagnole, and is the second film of the ‘Spanish Apartment’ trilogy which concluded with Casse-tête chinois (Chinese Puzzle).

Carson Kressley had a role in The Perfect Man, which caused a conflict with his schedule on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Kressley missed two days of filming for an episode, and his absence was explained away by saying the fashion expert was busy shopping.

2015

• June 12 – Jurassic World (USA/Canada, Amblin Entertainment)
• June 12 – London Road (UK, BBC Film)
• June 12 – Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (USA/Canada, limited, Indian Paintbrush)

Jurassic World first opened in several international markets on June 10 including France and China, followed by more territories including the UK on June 11. London Road received a limited US theatrical release from September 9, 2016. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl entered into wide release in the US on July 1, 2015.

Universal Pictures hoped to make a new Jurassic Park film in 2004 for a 2005 release but the project lingered in development hell while the script was revised several times. Steven Spielberg suggested the idea of a functional dinosaur park, and that was carried over when Colin Trevorrow came on board to direct. Spielberg also suggested including a human who has a relationship with the trained raptors, and a human-eating dinosaur that escapes and has to be stopped. At the time of the film’s release, it set a record for the largest opening weekend both domestically and internationally. Jurassic World is a direct sequel to Jurassic Park, ignoring the events of the original two sequels as their events took place on a different island, although they remain canon in the series. Trevorrow did not want to bring back original characters from the first movie unless there was a good reason for them to be there, so he settled on Dr. Henry Wu (BD Wong), the scientist responsible for creating the dinosaurs. The Main Street and boardwalk area of the fictional Jurassic World theme park was constructed in the parking lot of the abandoned Six Flags New Orleans park. The death of Zara, played by Katie McGrath, was the first female death of the series, with Trevorrow wanting to surprise audiences by having someone die who just didn’t deserve to die at all.

London Road is a musical mystery crime drama based on a National Theatre production of the same name, which was based on interviews about serial killer Steve Wright. Many of the original cast members reprised their roles for the film. The Criterion Collection lent its library of classic films for use in the book-and-DVD store setting in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.