Hotchka Movies by the Decade feature #33 :: March 10•16

Warner Bros. Pictures

This was a huge week for new movie releases with several titles making their debuts each week in every decade over the last 100 years. The list includes classic, both popular and cult, hits and misses, big stars and notable directors. With a lot to get through this week, we’ll skip all the teases and let you get right to it. Are any of your favorites on the list?

1921

March 13 – The Call of Youth

Cast: Mary Glynne, Marjorie Hume, Jack Hobbs, Malcolm Cherry, Ben Webster, Gertrude Sterroll, Victor Humphrey, John Peachey, Ralph Foster
Director: Hugh Ford
Studio: Famous Players-Lasky British Producers
Trivia: Alfred Hitchcock is credited at the title designer. This was the second film produced by Famous Players-Lasky British Producers, aka Paramount British. The film is considered lost.

March 14 – A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court

Cast: Harry Myers, Pauline Starke, Rosemary Theby, Charles Clary, William V. Mong, George Siegmann, Charles Gordon, Karl Formes, Herbert Fortier, Adele Farrington, Wilfred McDonald
Director: Emmett J. Flynn
Studio: Fox Film
Trivia: The first film adaptation of Mark Twain’s 1889 novel, and the second film ever made about time travel after The Ghost of Slumber Mountain (1918). Douglas Fairbanks was offered the lead but turned it down. The film’s hanging scene is said to have inspired Katharine Hepburn’s brother Tom to commit suicide. An incomplete version of the film, just reels 2, 4 and 7, survive in the Library of Congress.

1931

March 10 – Kiki

Cast: Mary Pickford, Reginald Denny, Joseph Cawthorn, Margaret Livingston, Phil Tead, Fred Walton, Edwin Maxwell
Director: Sam Taylor
Studio: Art Cinema, distributed by United Artists
Trivia: Based upon the David Belasco play, and a remake of the 1926 version starring Norma Talmadge. The film received good reviews but audiences were turned off by Pickford’s loose adult role which was the opposite of her usual ingenuous roles and the film flopped, United Artists first film to lose money. A copy of the film exists at the UCLA Film and Television Archive and received a DVD release on March 1, 2016.

1941

March 10 – Flying Wild

Cast: The East Side Kids, Joan Barclay, Dave O’Brien, George Pembroke, Herbert Rawlinson, Dennis Moore, Forrest Taylor, Robert F. Hill, Mary Bovard, George Eldredge, Alden ‘Stephen’ Chase, Al Ferguson, Jack Kenny, Carey Loftin, Bud Osborne, Eddie Parker, Dick Scott
Director: William West
Studio: Banner Pictures Corp., distributed by Monogram Pictures Corporation
Trivia: Also known as The East Side Kids in Flying Wild and Air Devils. The third installment of the East Side Kids series, and is the team’s first spy movie. The scene where Leo Gorcey flips the car was an accident as he made a turn too fast, and the expressions on the gang’s faces are genuine. This was East Side Kid Eugene Francis’ last film as he was drafted for World War II service shortly after completing the film. The film was re-released in 1949 and 1952.

1951

March 14 – Air Cadet

Cast: Stephen McNally, Gail Russell, Alex Nicol, Richard Long, Charles Drake, Robert Arthur, Rock Hudson, Peggie Castle, James Best, Parley Baer
Director: Joseph Pevney
Studio: Universal-International, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: The film is known as Jet Men of the Air in the UK. USAF pilots appeared as extras during the training courses. Rock Hudson has a small role in the film, as does future astronaut Gus Grissom. Aerial scenes were shot from a B-52 bomber with a camera bracketed onto the tail assembly. Much of the flying was done with G-forces in effect, making everything including the camera, feel seven times heavier.
March 14 – The Groom Wore Spurs
Cast: Ginger Rogers, Jack Carson, Joan Davis, Stanley Ridges, John Litel, James Brown, Victor Sen Yung, Mira McKinney, Gordon Nelson, George Meader, Kemp Niver, Robert Williams
Director: Richard Whorf
Studio: Fidelity Pictures Corporation, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: This was the final film of Stanley Ridges.

1961

March 15 – The Terror of the Tongs

Cast: Christopher Lee, Geoffrey Toone, Yvonne Monlaur, Marne Maitland, Brian Worth, Ewen Solon, Roger Delgado, Richard Leech, Charles Lloyd-Pack, Marie Burke, Barbara Brown, Burt Kwouk
Director: Anthony Bushell
Studio: Hammer Films, distributed by Columbia Pictures
Trivia: The film is a loose remake of Hammer’s The Strangers of Bombay, with the setting changed to 1910 Hong Kong but the same basic plot. This was the first Hammer film in which Lee received top billing. Lee had just returned from vacation with a deep tan, complicating the makeup for his character who was supposed to be very pale. Lee said the makeup to make him appear Chinese was the most uncomfortable he’d had to endure so far in his career.

March 16 – The Absent-Minded Professor

Cast: Fred MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Tommy Kirk, Leon Ames, Elliott Reid, Edward Andrews, David Lewis, Jack Mullaney, Belle Montrose, Wally Brown, Wally Boag, Don Ross, Forrest Lewis, James Westerfield, Gage Clarke, Alan Hewitt, Raymond Bailey, Ed Wynn
Director: Robert Stevenson
Studio: Walt Disney Productions, distributed by Buena Vista Distribution
Trivia: Based on the short story ‘A Situation of Gravity’ by Samuel W. Taylor, originally published in the May 22, 1943 issue of Liberty magazine. The title character was based on Hubert Alyea, a professor of chemistry at Princeton who was known as ‘Doctor Boom’ for his explosive demonstrations. The film was a huge success, becoming the first Disney film to spawn a sequel, Son of Flubber, two years later. It was one of the few Disney films to be filmed in black and white after 1941, and one of the first to be colorized for video release. It was also remade as Flubber in 1997 with Robin Williams. The film received three Academy Award nominations: Art Direction, Cinematography and Special Effects. The ‘Medfield Fight Song’ was the first written by The Sherman Brothers for a Disney film. Medfield College became the setting for a series of Disney’s ‘Dexter Riley’ films starring Kurt Russell. Three generations of the Wynn family appear in the film: Ed, his son Keenan, and Keenan’s son Ned. Keenan reprised his Alonzo Hawk character in Disney’s Herbie Rides Again. It was the film debut of former vaudeville performer Bella Montrose, mother of Steve Allen. Mel Blanc has a cameo as a fireman.

1971

March 11 – A New Leaf

Cast: Walter Matthau, Elaine May, Jack Weston, George Rose, James Coco, Doris Roberts, Renée Taylor, David Doyle, William Redfield
Director: Elaine May
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Based on the short story ‘The Green Heart’ by Jack Ritchie. This was Elaine May’s solo writing/directing debut. May consulted with botany professor Dr. Dominick Basile, who inserted botanically accurate lines into the script and supplied the botanical equipment seen in the film. Despite positive reviews and awards nominations, the film fared poorly at the box office and is rarely seen today, now considered a cult classic. The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2019. Paramount offered $50,000 for the script and to direct, but would not greenlight the film without Matthau on board (May wanted Christopher Plummer). The studio also wanted Carol Channing for the Henrietta role, but May protested saying it was the man’s film and the female character needed to disappear. She asked to choose the actress, the studio declined and said May could play the role … for no additional money. As has become typical of a May production, the film ran 40 days over schedule and the budget shot up from $1.4 million to $4 million, with editing taking over 10 months to complete. Producer Howard W. Koch wanted to have May removed, but she had a $200,000 penalty clause in her contract so he was persuaded to keep her. Although she had final cut approval, Robert Evans took the film away from her and recut her 180 minute film, which included two murders, down to 102 minutes. May allegedly hid the original negative under her bed as a leverage tactic and sued Paramount to have her name removed from the film and to keep it from being released. It’s not known if the original cut still exists. A judge sided with Paramount saying their version was hilarious and would surely be a hit. The new cut eliminated the awkwardness of Matthau’s character getting away with murder, and transformed the ending into a sweet affirmation of love and personal redemption. May’s comedy partner Mike Nichols has a cameo in the original cut of the film. The film was nominated for two Golden Globes (Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, Best Actress – Musical or Comedy), and a WGA Award for Best Comedy Adaptation from Another Medium. The film inspired the 1997 Off-Broadway musical The Green Heart.

March 12 – Get Carter

Cast: Michael Caine, Ian Hendry, Britt Ekland, John Osborne, Tony Beckley, George Sewell, Geraldine Moffat
Director: Mike Hodges
Studio: MGM-British Studios, distributed by MGM-EMI Distributors
Trivia: The film’s UK opening was on March 12, followed by the US opening on March 18. Based on Ted Lewis’ 1970 novel Jack’s Return Home. This was Hodges’ feature directorial debut, as well as the screen debut of Alun Armstrong. MGM wanted more big name American actors in the cast but Hodges successfully resisted. Some names suggested included Telly Savalas, Joan Collins and Barbara Parkins. The production went from novel to finished film in eight months. The film lacked promotion in the UK due to MGM’s financial status at the time, and despite generally positive reviews in the US, United Artists relegated the film to the drive-in circuit and focused promotion on the blaxploitation film Hit Man. Sylvester Stallone starred in a poorly received 2000 remake, with Michael Caine in a supporting role. It did not receive a theatrical release in the UK. This was Carl Howard’s only feature film role. His character is only known as ‘J’, and his name was accidentally left off of the film’s credits. The film originally received an X-rating for violence and nudity but was later reclassified R as crime movies became more violent in general. The horse race scene was shot in one take. Hodges had originally wanted Ian Hendry for the lead, and according to Hodges, Hendry had never forgiven Caine for taking the role from him causing tension on set, resulting in the obvious friction seen on screen.

March 12 – Lawman

Cast: Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Lee J. Cobb, Robert Duvall, Sheree North, Albert Salmi, J. D. Cannon, Joseph Wiseman, Richard Jordan, John McGiver, Ralph Waite, John Beck, William C. Watson, Walter Brooke, Robert Emhardt, Richard Bull, John Hillerman, Hugh McDermott, Wilford Brimley
Director: Michael Winner
Studio: United Artists
Trivia: The film had its world premiere in London on March 11 before going into general release on March 12. It did not open in the US until August 4. While many Westerns at the time were filmed in Spain, director Winner wanted to remain in the US for an American influence. The film was ultimately shot in Chupaderos, Mexico. Winner hired the village for filming just before Howard Hawks had tried to secure it for Rio Lobo. This was Winner’s first Western. Lee J. Cobb usually wore a hairpiece in his films but agreed not to for this film at the request of the director. This was Richard Jordan’s film debut.

March 11 – THX 1138

Cast: Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence, Maggie McOmie, Don Pedro Colley, Ian Wolfe, Marshall Efron, Sid Haig, John Pearce, James Wheaton, David Ogden Stiers
Director: George Lucas
Studio: American Zoetrope, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: Developed from Lucas’s student film Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB, which he made in 1967 while attending the USC School of Cinematic Arts. A novelization by Ben Bova was published in 1971. Lucas released a director’s cut of the film in 2004. This was the first of a planned seven-picture deal between WB and Zoetrope. The film required most of the cast to have their heads shaved bald or with a buzz cut. Many of the extras were recruited from an addiction recovery program and the Syanon cult. After editing of the film was complete, producer Francis Ford Coppola took it to Warner Bros. Studio execs disliked the film, and ordered Coppola to turn over the negative to an in-house editor, who cut about four minutes prior to the film’s release. The film was originally rated GP upon its release, later changed to PG, with the director’s cut receiving an R-rating, the only film directed by Lucas to carry that rating. References to ‘1138’ or ‘THX 1138’ appear throughout the Star Wars films and other films by Lucas. THX 1138 is the license plate number of the hot rod in American Graffiti. A scene in the film features THX falling into a trash compactor and fending off a mutated rodent. Lucas didn’t think the rodent looked realistic and cut the scene, repurposing it later for the garbage compactor scene in Star Wars. Lucas wanted to shoot the film in Japan but Coppola did not have the budget. This was David Ogden Stiers’ film debut, although he’s credited as Steers.

March 11 – Up Pompeii

Cast: Frankie Howerd, Michael Hordern, Barbara Murray, Patrick Cargill, Lance Percival, Bill Fraser, Julie Ege, Adrienne Posta, Bernard Bresslaw, Madeline Smith, Roy Hudd, Hugh Paddick, Royce Mills, Rita Webb, Lally Bowers, Aubrey Woods, Billy Walker, Russell Hunter, Laraine Humphrys, Kenneth Cranham, George Woodbridge, Derek Griffiths, Robert Tayman, Carol Hawkins, Candace Glendenning, Ian Trigger
Director: Bob Kellett
Studio: Anglo-EMI, London Associated Films, distributed by MGM-EMI
Trivia: Based on characters that first appeared in the British television sitcom Up Pompeii! (1969–1975). A version of the film was prepared for US audiences with six minutes of additional footage including a prologue and epilogue. The bath set was originally created for Julius Caesar (1970), and features a bust of that film’s star John Gielgud.

Universal Pictures

March 12 – The Andromeda Strain

Cast: Arthur Hill, James Olson, David Wayne, Kate Reid, Paula Kelly, George Mitchell, Mark Jenkins, Peter Helm, Joe Di Reda, Ramon Bieri, Carl Reindel, Frances Reid, Peter Hobbs, Kermit Murdock, Richard O’Brien, Eric Christmas, Ken Swofford, John Carter, Richard Bull, James W. Gavin, Garry Walberg, Emory Parnell, Georgia Schmidt, Victoria Paige Meyerink, Don Messick
Director: Robert Wise
Studio: Universal Pictures
Trivia: Based on Michael Crichton’s 1969 novel. Crichton has a non-speaking cameo in the film, his only cameo in a film based on one of his works. The characters in the novel were modified for the film, including replacing Dr. Peter Leavitt with Dr. Ruth Leavitt. Robert Wise was not enthusiastic about the change, assuming the character would be more decorative like Raquel Welch in Fantastic Voyage. He asked the opinion of a number of scientists who were all enthused about the change. Wise became very happy about the change due to Kate Reid’s performance, saying she was the most interesting character in the film. The film was one of the first to use advanced computerized visual effects. The film received two Academy Award nominations: Art Direction and Film Editing. During production of the film, Crichton was invited to take the Universal Studios Tour. His guide was a young Steven Spielberg, who would go on to film Crichton’s Jurassic Park. Effects footage from the film was used for more than a decade in Universal television series including The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Knight Rider and Airwolf. The five, color-coded circular hallways were actually a single set that was repainted for each sequence. The ‘hot room’ set was reused in the seventh Season 1 episode of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Some sets were also reused on Columbo.

March 13 – Vanishing Point

Cast: Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, Dean Jagger, Victoria Medlin, Karl Swenson, Lee Weaver, John Amos, Tom Reese, Paul Koslo, Robert Donner, Owen Bush, Bill Drake, Severn Darden, Delaney Bramlett, Bonnie Bramlett, Bekka Bramlett, Rita Coolidge, Patrice Holloway, David Gates, Valerie Kairys Venet, Anthony James, Arthur Malet, Timothy Scott, Gilda Texter, Charlotte Rampling
Director: Richard C. Sarafian
Studio: Cupid Productions, distributed by 20th Century Fox
Trivia: The film had a limited run on January 15 before its general release on March 13. The screenplay was written by G. Cabrera Infante, under the pseudonym Guillermo Cain. The character Super Soul was modeled after The Big Bopper. Director Sarafian turned down an offer to direct Downhill Racer for this film. Sarafian wanted Gene Hackman for the lead but Fox head Richard Zanuck insisted on casting the relatively unknown Barry Newman. The film also marks the first major screen appearances of Cleavon Little and John Amos. A scene with Charlotte Rampling as a hitchhiker who offers Newman’s character marijuana and then is gone when he awakens was meant to be an allegorical representation of death with the line that she has been ‘waiting for him, everywhere and since forever’. The scene was removed for the US release because the studio didn’t think American audiences would understand it, cutting the running time to 98 minutes. The scene was restored for the UK release, extending the running time to 105 minutes. The home video release includes both versions.

1981

March 11 – Diva

Cast: Frédéric Andréi, Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez, Roland Bertin, Richard Bohringer, Gérard Darmon, Chantal Deruaz, Jacques Fabbri, Patrick Floersheim, Thuy An Luu, Jean-Luc Porraz, Laure Duthilleul, Dominique Pinon, Dominique Besnehard, Isabelle Mergault
Director: Jean-Jacques Beineix
Studio: Les Films Galaxie, Greenwich Film Productions, distributed by Compagnie Commerciale Française Cinématographique
Trivia: The film opened in France on March 11, but did not get a US theatrical release until April 23, 1982. Adapted from the novel Diva by Daniel Odier (under the pseudonym Delacorta). To find an actress that fit the description of the ‘Diva’ in the novel and to familiarize themselves with opera in general, the producers attended a performance of Carmen. Wilhelmenia Fernandez happened to be playing the title role that night. The ‘Diva’ was allegedly inspired by Jessye Norman. This is the first feature directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix. It was also the screen debut of Dominique Pinon.

March 13 – Back Roads

Cast: Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, David Keith, Michael V. Gazzo, Barbara Babcock, Miriam Colon, Alex Colon, M. Emmet Walsh, Dan Shor, Lee de Broux, Ralph Seymour, Royce D. Applegate, John Dennis Johnston, John M. Jackson
Director: Martin Ritt
Studio: CBS Theatrical Films, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: The first release for CBS Theatrical Films. Field and Jones disliked one another intensely during filming. Ritt blamed the film’s failure on the script and the stars’ inability to get along. Field told Ellen Degeneres that Jones apologized years later for being difficult. The two eventually went on to co-star in Lincoln, both earning Academy Award nominations for their supporting roles. Field had bowed out of Raggedy Man to make this film. Field and Ritt had previously collaborated on Norma Rae. They worked together one more time on Murphy’s Romance. It was the final film of Don ‘Red’ Barry.

March 13 – Loophole

Cast: Albert Finney, Martin Sheen, Susannah York, Colin Blakely, Jonathan Pryce, Robert Morley, Alfred Lynch, Tony Doyle, Christopher Guard, Gwyneth Powell, Jerry Harte, James Grout, Terrence Hardiman, Bridget Brice, Ian Howarth, Claude Perera
Director: John Quested
Studio: Brent Walker, distributed by Almi Pictures
Trivia: The film opened in the UK on March 13, but did not come to the US until August 24, 1986. At a time when the window between theatrical release and TV broadcast was 3-5 years, the film made its BBC debut on Christmas Day 1981. Based upon the 1973 novel by Robert Pollock. Jonathan Pryce turned down a role in Time Bandits for this film. Susannah York’s role was originally offered to Julie Christie. Albert Finney was the first actor cast, one of three films he made in 1981 after a four year absence. Robert Morley has a cameo as the bank manager. This was the final theatrical film directed by Quested.

March 13 – Modern Romance

Cast: Albert Brooks, Kathryn Harrold, Bruno Kirby, James L. Brooks, George Kennedy, Albert Henderson
Director: Albert Brooks
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Trivia: According to Brooks, Stanley Kubrick was a fan of the film and asked how he was able to make a movie about jealousy. Kubrick’s 1999 Eyes Wide Shut explored the same themes. Brooks had minimal editing to do on the film after a successful test screening and completed the final cut two weeks early. Because of this, Columbia was able to move the film’s release date up two months from May to March 1981.

March 13 – The Funhouse

Cast: Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper Huckabee, Largo Woodruff, Miles Chapin, Kevin Conway, Wayne Doba, Sylvia Miles, William Finley, Shawn Carson, Rebuka Hoye, Jack McDermott, Jeanne Austin
Director: Tobe Hooper
Studio: Mace Neufeld Productions, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: Also known as Carnival of Terror. The film was shot on location in Miami, Florida. A novelization of the screenplay was written by Dean Koontz as Owen West. Production on the film took longer than expected and the book was released ahead of the film, containing more backstory and character development than was included in the film. Steven Spielberg had approached Hooper to direct E.T. but he was tied up with The Funhouse. Makeup artist Rick Baker was to play the monster until Hooper caught a performance by mime Wayne Doba, who was hired for the role. Kevin Conway agreed to be in the movie as long as he could play all three carnival barkers. The title for the film’s French release is Massacres dans le train fantôme, meaning ‘Massacres on the Ghost Train’. The title for the film’s Brazilian release is Pague para Entrar, Reze para Sair, which translates to the movie’s tagline ‘Pay to get in, pray to get out’. Cooper Huckabee was 30 years old at the time of production, playing a teenager. The generally favorable critical reaction to the film led to Hooper directing Poltergeist.

1991

March 15 – Class Action

Cast: Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Colin Friels, Joanna Merlin, Larry Fishburne, Donald Moffat, Jan Rubeš, Matt Clark, Fred Dalton Thompson, Jonathan Silverman, Joan McMurtrey, Anne Elizabeth Ramsay, David Byron, Tim Hopper, Robert David Hall
Director: Michael Apted
Studio: Interscope Communications, distributed by 20th Century Fox
Trivia: Jodie Foster, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis and Madeleine Stowe were considered to play Maggie Ward. Julia Roberts was nearly cast but was edged out by Mastrantonio. Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Charles Bronson, Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino, Dustin Hoffman, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas, James Caan, Tommy Lee Jones, and Jon Voight were considered to play Jed Ward.

March 15 – Guilty by Suspicion

Cast: Robert De Niro, Annette Bening, George Wendt, Patricia Wettig, Sam Wanamaker, Luke Edwards, Chris Cooper, Ben Piazza, Martin Scorsese, Barry Primus, Gailard Sartain, Robin Gammell, Brad Sullivan, Tom Sizemore, Stuart Margolin, Roxann Biggs, Barry Tubb
Director: Irwin Winkler
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: Formerly blacklisted screenwriter Abraham Polonsky wrote the screenplay which was meant to be about the Communist witch hunt he endured. Polonsky was so offended when Irwin Winkler changed De Niro’s character to a more general liberal that he had his name removed from the credits. Scorsese’s character ‘Joe Lesser’ was based on director Joseph Losey, who left Hollywood in the 1950s rather than face HUAC examinations. Sam Wanamaker was once blacklisted during the witch hunts. This was the final film of Ben Piazza. Said to be the first theatrical film to deal with the blacklist in the film industry. An earlier film, The Front, dealt with the blacklist in television. This is the only theatrical film to include producer Darryl F. Zanuck as a character, although he was portrayed in several TV movies.

March 15 – If Looks Could Kill

Cast: Richard Grieco, Linda Hunt, Roger Rees, Robin Bartlett, Gabrielle Anwar, Geraldine James, Michael Siberry, Tom Rack, Carole Davis, Frederick Coffin, Roger Daltrey, Oliver Dear, Cynthia Preston, Michael Sinelnikoff, Travis Swords, Gerry Mendicino, Fiona Reid, Michael Vinokur, David McIlwraith, Gene Mack, Jacques Tourangeau
Director: William Dear
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: The film’s Los Angeles premiere was held on March 9. Released in the UK as Teen Agent, the original title of the script. The original intent was for the film to star Anthony Michael Hall and be a type of James Bond adventure. This was Richard Grieco’s film debut. Writer Fred Dekker named the character Mariska Blade after his friend Mariska Hargitay. Director William Dear has a cameo as a bomb tester.

March 15 – The Perfect Weapon

Cast: Jeff Speakman, John Dye, Mako, James Hong, Mariska Hargitay, Dante Basco, Professor Tanaka, Seth Sakai, Beau Starr, Clyde Kusatsu, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Director: Mark DiSalle
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Jeff Speakman was a student of, and closely advised by, martial arts expert Ed Parker. Speakman had a multi-picture deal with Paramount that included a sequel to this film and another about a cop fighting a terrorist. When the Paramount deal fell through, the cop and terrorist script moved to Fox and became Speed. Deleted scenes featuring Hargitay’s character were added back in for the TV broadcast.

March 15 – True Colors

Cast: John Cusack, James Spader, Imogen Stubbs, Richard Widmark, Mandy Patinkin, Dina Merrill, Paul Guilfoyle, Philip Bosco, Brad Sullivan
Director: Herbert Ross
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: This was Richard Widmark’s final film. John Cusack took over 600 hours of skiing lessons to prepare for the film.

2001

March 14 – Enemy at the Gates

Cast: Jude Law, Alexander Schwan, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, Ed Harris, Ron Perlman, Eva Mattes, Gabriel Marshall-Thomson, Matthias Habich, Sophie Rois, Ivan Shvedoff, Mario Bandi, Gennadi Vengerov, Mikhail Matveyev, Clemens Schick, Hans Martin Stier, Gennadi Vengerov, Robert Stadlober, Holger Handtke, Werner Daehn, Birol Ünel, Valentin Platareanu, Tom Wlaschiha
Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
Studio: Mandalay Pictures, Repérage Films, distributed by Paramount Pictures (United States), Pathé Distribution (France), Constantin Film (Germany)
Trivia: The film opened in Belgium and France on March 14, followed by Switzerland and Germany on March 15, and then US, UK, Canada and other markets on March 16. Based on William Craig’s 1973 nonfiction book Enemy at the Gates: The Battle for Stalingrad. The Red Square set was built at a former riding school near Potsdam that became a Soviet barracks during the Cold War. It took nearly five months to build. Jude Law and Ed Harris were cast for the expressiveness of their eyes, needing to often convey emotions without saying a word. The film was originally to be released in December 2000 but was moved to March 2001.

March 16 – Elling

Cast: Per Christian Ellefsen, Sven Nordin, Marit Pia Jacobsen, Jørgen Langhelle, Per Christensen, Hilde Olausson, Ola Otnes, Eli Anne Linnestad, Cecilie A. Mosli, Joachim Rafaelsen, Per Gørvell, Knud Dahl, Knut Haugmark
Director: Petter Næss
Studio: Maipo Film, distributed by United International Pictures (Norway)
Trivia: The film opened in Norway on March 16, but didn’t get a limited US run until July 2002. Based on Ingvar Ambjørnsen’s novel Brødre i blodet (‘Blood brothers’, 1996). The film did receive an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Sven Nordin gained 25 pounds for his role.

March 16 – Exit Wounds

Cast: Steven Seagal, DMX, Isaiah Washington, Jill Hennessy, Anthony Anderson, Michael Jai White, David Vadim, Matthew G. Taylor, Paolo Mastropietro, Shane Daly, Bill Duke, Tom Arnold, Bruce McGill, Eva Mendes, Drag-On, Jennifer Irwin
Director: Andrzej Bartkowiak
Studio: Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Silver Pictures, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on March 13. Based on the book of the same name by John Westermann, but bears little resemblance. The book’s setting is Long Island, but the movie takes place in Detroit although it was shot in Ontario and Alberta, Canada. Eva Mendes’ voice was re-dubbed by an unknown actress, without her knowledge, because producers felt she didn’t sound ‘intelligent enough’. Steven Seagal had a pay-or-pay deal for the film. Stuntman Chris Lamon died after sustaining head injuries during a stunt that went wrong. This was Seagal’s last film in which he had a starring role to receive wide theatrical release.

2011

Sony Pictures

March 11 – Battle: Los Angeles

Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Bridget Moynahan, Michael Peña, Ne-Yo, Cory Hardrict, Lucas Till, Noel Fisher, Ramon Rodriguez, Adetokumboh M’Cormack, Jim Parrack, Will Rothhaar, Neil Brown Jr., Taylor Handley, James Hiroyuki Liao, Gino Anthony Pesi, Joey King, Bryce Cass, Jadin Gould
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Studio: Columbia Pictures, Relativity Media, Original Film, distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
Trivia: The film’s premiere was held in Los Angeles on March 8. Known internationally as World Invasion: Battle Los Angeles. Liebesman was inspired by films Black Hawk Down, Saving Private Ryan, and United 93 to depict a realistic alien invasion. The film was based on the 1942 Battle of Los Angeles, a rumored enemy attack of the city following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. The same event also inspired Steven Spielberg’s comedy 1941. The day after the film’s release, the Syfy channel aired The Asylum’s knock-off film Battle of Los Angeles. While set in Los Angeles, the film was shot in Shreveport and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Actors went through three weeks of boot camp to learn how to operate as a platoon. Aaron Eckhart also attended weapons training and drills. Eckhart broke his upper arm falling off a ledge during an action sequence, but continued to work without having it put in a cast. The character played by Michelle Rodriguez was added to the script a month before filming began. Shane Black did uncredited work on the final script.

March 11 – Jane Eyre

Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Judi Dench, Sally Hawkins, Holliday Grainger, Tamzin Merchant, Simon McBurney, Imogen Poots, Sophie Ward, Su Elliot, Jayne Wisener, Amelia Clarkson, Romy Settbon Moore, Freya Parks, Harry Lloyd, Valentina Cervi, Craig Roberts
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Studio: BBC Films, Ruby Films, distributed by Universal Pictures (UK)
Focus Features (US)
Trivia: The film held its premiere in New York City on March 9, then opened in the US in limited release on March 11 before expanding nationwide on April 22. Based on Charlotte Brontë’s 1847 novel. To create the film’s Gothic atmosphere, many shots were lit by candles or firelight. The post-wedding scene between Jane and Rochester had to be stopped repeatedly as Michael Fassbender’s suspenders kept breaking and had to be re-sewn.

March 11 – Mars Needs Moms

Voice Cast: Seth Green, Seth Dusky, Dan Fogler, Elisabeth Harnois, Mindy Sterling, Joan Cusack, Kevin Cahoon, Dee Bradley Baker, Tom Everett Scott
Director: Simon Wells
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures, ImageMovers Digital, distributed by Walt Disney Studios
Motion Pictures
Trivia: Based on the Berkeley Breathed book of the same title. The film’s title is a twist on the 1966 film Mars Needs Women. Seth Green performed the motion capture and voiced Milo, but it was decided his voice sounded to mature and Seth Dusky re-dubbed Milo’s dialogue. Brie Larson auditioned for the character eventually played by Elisabeth Harnois. The film was a box office bomb, grossing $39 million worldwide against a $150 million budget and three years in production.

March 11 – Red Riding Hood

Cast: Amanda Seyfried, Megan Charpentier, Virginia Madsen, Billy Burke, Julie Christie, Shiloh Fernandez, DJ Greenburg, Max Irons, Gary Oldman, Michael Shanks, Christine Willes, Adrian Holmes, Michael Hogan, Lukas Haas, Alexandria Maillot, Shauna Kain, Kacey Rohl, Carmen Lavigne, Jennifer Halley, Archie Rice
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Studio: Appian Way Productions, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: The film’s world premiere was held in Los Angeles on March 7. The film’s early working title was The Girl with the Red Riding Hood. Seyfried had previously had a bad experience with Fernandez at a dinner party and director Hardwicke had to persuade her to give him a chance. The film’s trailer indicates it is set in the 1300s, but no date is given in the film. The novelization of the film is based on the shooting script and diverges noticeably from the finished film. Sam Claflin auditioned for the role of Henry before Max Irons was cast. Taylor Lautner was considered for the role of Peter. Christina Ricci was considered for the role of Valerie before Seyfried was cast. The film was shipped to theaters under the title Fangs of Affection. All of the actors playing characters from Daggerhorn, with the exception of Seyfried, either had brown eyes or wore brown contacts, including Julie Christie, to heighten the suspense of who was the werewolf, which also had brown eyes.

March 16 – A Separation

Cast: Leila Hatami, Peyman Moaadi, Sarina Farhadi, Sareh Bayat, Shahab Hosseini, Kimia Hosseini, Merila Zarei, Babak Karimi, Shirin Yazdanbakhsh, Ali-Asghar Shahbazi
Director: Asghar Farhadi
Studio: Filmiran (Iran), Sony Pictures Classics (US)
Trivia: The film opened in Iran on March 16, then played several film festivals internationally and domestically before beginning a limited run in the UK on July 1, followed by a limited US run on December 31. Oscar and Golden Globe winner for Best Foreign Language Film, the first Iranian film to do so. It was also nominated for the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, the first non-English film to do so in five years. The film has no music except for during the end credits.

March 16 – Dylan Dog: Dead of Night

Cast: Brandon Routh, Anita Briem, Sam Huntington, Taye Diggs, Kurt Angle, Peter Stormare, Kent Jude Bernard, Mitchell Whitfield, Michael Cotter, Laura Spencer, James Landry Hébert, Dan Braverman, Marco St. John, Kyle Russell Clements, Douglas M. Griffin
Director: Kevin Munroe
Studio: Hyde Park Entertainment, Long Distance Films, Platinum Studios, Prana Studios, distributed by Freestyle Releasing
Trivia: The film opened on March 16 in Italy. but did not make its US debut until April 29. Based on Tiziano Sclavi’s Italian comic book Dylan Dog. The film earned just $5 million against a $20 million budget.

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