Hotchka Movies by the Decade feature #42 :: May 12•18

DreamWorks Pictures

Every decade saw new releases this week, some classics, some moneymakers, some award winners (or nominees), some justly forgotten. 1931 saw James Cagney in his first major starring role, 1951 produced a controversial biopic, 1971 gave Vincent Price an iconic role, 1981 had an Oscar winner and two slasher films, 1991 gave us a classic Bill Murray comedy, 2001 introduced us to our favorite ogre, and 2011 gave us a female-driven comedy classic. Let’s take a look and see if any of your favorites debuted this week!

1921

May 18 – The Goat

Cast: Buster Keaton, Virginia Fox, Joe Roberts, Malcolm St. Clair, Edward F. Cline, Jean C. Havez
Director: Buster Keaton, Malcolm St. Clair
Studio: Metro Pictures
Trivia: A film restoration in 2015 was partially funded through a Kickstarter campaign.

1931

May 15 – The Public Enemy

Cast: James Cagney, Jean Harlow, Edward Woods, Joan Blondell, Donald Cook, Leslie Fenton, Beryl Mercer, Robert Emmett O’Connor, Murray Kinnell
Director: William A. Wellman
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: The film’s premiere was held in New York City on April 23, 2913. Mae Clark appears in an uncredited role. Based on the unpublished novel Beer and Blood by John Bright and Kubec Glasmon. The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1998. Edward Woods was cast in the lead role with Cagney as his best friend, but the director thought Cagney would be better as Tom Powers and swapped the roles, but didn’t re-shoot the sequences with the characters as children which is why Powers looks like Woods and Matt Doyle looks like Cagney. Louise Brooks was the original choice for Gwen Allen but refused the role. For an authentic reaction, Wellman privately asked Donald Cook to really hit Cagney, and he struck with such force he broke one of Cagney’s teeth. Cagney, surprised, managed to stay in character and complete the scene. In another scene, live ammunition was used to shoot at Cagney’s character, hitting a wall where Cagney’s head had been just a moment earlier. Conflicting accounts say the infamous ‘grapefruit scene’ was either not rehearsed or not a surprise. Mae Clark stated Cagney told her in advance what he planned to do, and her only surprise was that the scene made it into the film, believing it was shot as a gag for the crew. When the film was re-released in 1942, three scenes had to be cut to adhere to the since established Production Code. The scenes were later restored for home video and broadcast on Turner Classic Movies. The shot of Paddy Ryan’s bar being bombed was shot simultaneously from different angles and used in other Warner Bros. films.

May 16 – Indiscreet

Cast: Gloria Swanson, Ben Lyon, Monroe Owsley, Barbara Kent, Arthur Lake, Maude Eburne, Henry Kolker, Nella Walker
Director: Leo McCarey
Studio: United Artists
Trivia: The film’s US premiere was held on April 25, 1931. Based on the story Obey That Impulse by Buddy G. DeSylva, Lew Brown, and Ray Henderson. The film was written as a full-fledged musical but only two songs remained in the final cut of the film.

1941

May 15 – I Wanted Wings

Cast: Ray Milland, William Holden, Wayne Morris, Brian Donlevy, Constance Moore, Veronica Lake, Harry Davenport, Phil Brown, Edward Fielding, Willard Robertson, Richard Lane, Addison Richards, Hobart Cavanaugh, Douglas Aylesworth, John Trent, Archie R. Twitchell, Richard Webb, John Hiestand
Director: Mitchell Leisen
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: The film premiered in New York City on March 26, 1942 before its May 15 general release. Based on a book by Lieutenant Beirne Lay Jr. This was Veronica Lake’s first major screen role, and the film for which she gained a reputation for being difficult. The film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. While flying in a plane that was being test flown for a shot, Ray Milland was about to jump to parachute for free, but the pilot informed him of engine trouble and they returned to the ground. Milland told the crew what he was about to do, and the horrified costumer told him the chute he was wearing was a non-functioning prop. Lux Radio Theater broadcast a 60-minute radio adaptation of the film on March 30, 1942 with Milland, Lake and William Holden reprising their roles. The producer’s first choice for the role played by Lake was Rita Hayworth.

May 17 – Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It

Cast: Gordon Harker, Alastair Sim, Phyllis Calvert, Edward Chapman, Charles Oliver, Raymond Huntley, Percy Walsh, David Horne, Peter Gawthorne, Wally Patch, Betty Jardine, O. B. Clarence, John Salew, Cyril Cusack, Bill Shine, Sylvia Cecil, Edward Underdown, Marie Makine, Richard Cooper
Director: Walter Forde
Studio: Twentieth Century Fox
Trivia: The film opened in the UK on May 17, 1942, followed by a US release on July 1 under the title Mail Train. The third and final film in the Inspector Hornleigh series.

1951

May 12 – The House on Telegraph Hill

Cast: Richard Basehart, Valentina Cortese, William Lundigan, Fay Baker, Gordon Gebert, Steven Geray, Herb Butterfield, John Burton, Katherine Meskill, Mario Siletti, Charles Wagenheim, David Clarke, Tamara Schee, Natasha Lytess
Director: Robert Wise
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Trivia: Received an Academy Award nomination for Art Direction. James Mason, Hugh Marlowe, Richard Widmark, Dana Andrews, John Lund, and Richard Conte were all considered for the Richard Basehart role. Andrea King, Jayne Meadows, Audrey Totter, Nancy Reagan, Mercedes McCambridge, Marsha Hunt, Ann Savage, and Uta Hagen were considered for the Fay Baker role.

May 13 – The Great Caruso

Cast: Mario Lanza, Ann Blyth, Dorothy Kirsten, Jarmila Novotna, Ludwig Donath, Carl Benton Reid, Eduard Franz, Alan Napier, Pál Jávor, Carl Milletaire, Shepard Menken, Vincent Renno, Richard Hageman, Nestor Paiva, Yvette Duguay, Argentina Brunetti, Ian Wolfe, Peter Edward Price, Mario Siletti, Angela Clarke, Peter Brocco
Director: Richard Thorpe
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Trivia: The film premiered in New York City on May 10, 1951, then opened in the UK on May 13, followed by a US release on May 29. While the film follows the basic facts of Caruso’s life, it is highly fictional and Caruso’s family successfully sued MGM for damages. Radio actor Elliott Lewis was screen-tested for the role of Caruso twice and was considered the front runner. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards — Best Sound, Costume Design and Best Score — winning one for Best Sound.

May 16 – On the Riviera

Cast: Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney, Corinne Calvet, Marcel Dalio, Jean Murat, Henri Letondal, Clinton Sundberg, Sig Ruman, Joyce Mackenzie, Monique Chantal, Marina Koshetz, Ann Codee, Mari Blanchard
Director: Walter Lang
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Trivia: The film opened in Sweden on May 16, 1951, followed by a US release on May 23. It is the studio’s fourth film based on the 1934 play The Red Cat by Rudolph Lothar and Hans Adler. The play ran for just 13 performances. Nominated for two Acaedmy Awards: Scoring of a Musical Picture and Best Art Direction in Color. Gwen Verdon makes her first film appearance in a dance sequence billed as Gwyneth Verdon. The portrait of Lili Duran seen in the film is actually the portrait of Gene Tierney created for the film Laura. It’s the only time the portrait was seen in color.

May 18 – Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison

Cast: Steve Cochran, David Brian, Philip Carey, Ted de Corsia, Scott Forbes, Michael Tolan, Dick Wesson, Paul Picerni, William Campbell, Edward Norris
Director: Crane Wilbur
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: Johnny Cash used the movie as inspiration for his hit song ‘Folsom Prison Blues’.

May 18 – New Mexico

Cast: Lew Ayres, Marilyn Maxwell, Andy Devine, Robert Hutton, Donald Buka, Ted de Corsia, Lloyd Corrigan, John Hoyt, Jeff Corey, Raymond Burr, Verna Felton, Ian MacDonald, Peter Price, Bud Rae, Walter Greaza
Director: Irving Reis
Studio: Justman Productions, Irving Allen Productions, distributed by United Artists
Trivia: The film premiered May 3, 1951 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hans Conried cameos uncredited as Abraham Lincoln. Conried said of the role, ‘Every tall actor wants to play Lincoln.’

May 18 – Smuggler’s Island

Cast: Jeff Chandler, Evelyn Keyes, Philip Friend, Marvin Miller, Ducky Louie, David Bauer, Jay Novello, H. T. Tsiang
Director: Edward Ludwig
Studio: Universal Pictures
Trivia: Jeff Chandler, who often played characters of different nationalities, called this one of his favorite films because ‘I played myself’. It was a rare opportunity for him to play an American. The original announced cast was Märta Torén, Dick Powell and Robert Douglas. This was the first of a nine picture deal between Evelyn Keyes and Universal.

1961

May 12 – Mad Dog Coll

Cast: John Davis Chandler, Kay Doubleday, Brooke Hayward, Neil Nephew, Jerry Orbach, Vincent Gardenia, Telly Savalas, Glenn Cannon
Director: Burt Balaban
Studio: Columbia Pictures
Trivia: Gene Hackman, in his film debut, appears as a police officer in an uncredited role. It also marks the film debuts of Telly Savalas, John Davis Chandler, Brooke Hayward and Kay Doubleday.

May 14 – Angel Baby

Cast: George Hamilton, Mercedes McCambridge, Salome Jens, Burt Reynolds, Joan Blondell, Henry Jones, Roger Clark
Director: Paul Wendkos
Studio: Madera Productions, distributed by Allied Artists Pictures Corporation
Trivia: Burt Reynolds’ film debut. Hubert Cornfield was the film’s original director, beginning production in April 1960, but soon fell ill with appendicitis and was replaced with Paul Wendkos, who got sole directing credit. According to Wendkos, only about two seconds of footage from Cornfield made it into the final film. Debra Paget was originally cast as Angel Baby, but was replaced by Salome Jens. The film was shelved for a year to avoid competing with United Artists’ 1960 release Elmer Gantry, which had a similar evangelistic theme.

May 14 – Goliath Against the Giants

Cast: Brad Harris, Gloria Milland, Fernando Rey, Barbara Carroll, Carmen de Lirio, Pepe Rubio, Fernando Sancho, Nello Pazzafini
Director: Guido Malatesta
Studio: Cinematografica Associati, Procusa, distributed by Filmar Compagnia Cinematografica (Italy), Medallion Pictures (USA)
Trivia: The film opened in Italy on May 14, 1961, but did not get a US release until April 14, 1963. Known in Italy as Goliath contro i giganti.

1971

May 12 – Plaza Suite

Cast: Walter Matthau, Maureen Stapleton, Barbara Harris, Lee Grant, Louise Sorel, Jenny Sullivan
Director: Arthur Hiller
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Based on Neil Simon’s 1968 play. Simon also wrote the screenplay. In the play, all three couples were played by George C. Scott and Maureen Stapleton. In the film, Walter Matthau played the three male leads, with Stapleton, Barbara Harris and Lee Grant in the three female lead roles. Simon was not happy with the results or Matthau’s casting. The original announced casting was Scott & Stapleton, Peter Sellers & Barbra Streisand, and Walter Matthau and Lucille Ball. The film received two Golden Globe nominations: Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, and Best Supporting Actress — Motion Picture. Stapleton had also received a Tony Award nomination (for all three roles) for Actress in a Drama. The play originally had four acts, but one was cut during pre-production. Simon reworked the cut act for the film The Out-of-Towners.

May 12 – Red Sky at Morning

Cast: Richard Thomas, Catherine Burns, Desi Arnaz Jr., Richard Crenna, Claire Bloom, John Colicos, Harry Guardino, Strother Martin, Nehemiah Persoff, Pepe Serna, Joaquin Garay
Director: James Goldstone
Studio: Hal Wallis Productions, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: Based on the 1968 Richard Bradford novel. Desi Arnaz Jr. received a Golden Globe nominations for New Star of the Year — Male.

American International Pictures

May 18 – The Abominable Dr. Phibes

Cast: Vincent Price, Joseph Cotten, Peter Jeffrey, Virginia North, Hugh Griffith, Terry-Thomas, Derek Godfrey, Norman Jones, John Cater, Aubrey Woods, John Laurie, Maurice Kaufmann, Sean Bury, Susan Travers, David Hutcheson, Edward Burnham, Alex Scott, Peter Gilmore
Director: Robert Fuest
Studio: American International Pictures
Trivia: Caroline Munro appears uncredited in photos as Phibes’ wife. The film spawned the sequel Dr. Phibes Rises Again in 1972. Other sequels were planned, including Phibes Resurrectus, The Bride of Dr. Phibes, and The Seven Fates of Dr. Phibes. Joseph Cotten complained about having to learn lines while all of Price’s lines were recorded and dubbed in post-production. Price quipped that he still knew his lines. Price also knew Cotten was uncomfortable on set so made faces during filming to crack him up. Price often cracked up himself, wrecking his makeup. Peter Cushing was originally cast as Vesalius, but declined because his wife was in poor health at the time. A young Joanna Lumley played a laboratory assistant but her scenes were cut.

1981

May 15 – Chariots of Fire

Cast: Ben Cross, Ian Charleson, Nicholas Farrell, Nigel Havers, Ian Holm, John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, Cheryl Campbell, Alice Krige, Struan Rodger, Nigel Davenport, Patrick Magee, David Yelland, Peter Egan, Daniel Gerroll, Dennis Christopher, Brad Davis, Richard Griffiths
Director: Hugh Hudson
Studio: Allied Stars Ltd, Goldcrest Films, Enigma Productions, The Ladd Company, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (USA & Canada), 20th Century Fox (International)
Trivia: The film opened in the UK on May 15, 1981, but did not get a US release until April 9, 1982. Nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning four including Best Picture, the first non-American film to do so since Oliver! in 1968. This was the only film for which Ian Holm was nominated for an Oscar. The film was also nominated for ten BAFTAs, winning three including Best Picture. All of the readings of letters in the film from Aubrey Montague are taken verbatim from Montague’s actual letters he sent home to his family while participating in the 1924 Olympics. Ian Charleson wrote his character’s speech to the crowd at the Scotland v. Ireland races, having studied the Bible for his role and feeling that the originally scripted speech was not authentic or inspiring. This was Hugh Hudson’s feature film directorial debut. Charleson was cast after Hudson and producer David Puttnam saw him in a performance of Piaf at the Royal Shakespeare Company. They were unaware that he’d already heard about the film and desperately wanted the role. Ben Cross was cast after they took in his performance as Billy Flynn in Chicago. 20th Century Fox insisted on a couple of notable American actors be cast, so small roles of American championship runners were filled with Brad Davis and Dennis Christopher, both of whom waived their fees as a favor to Puttnam. The actors portraying runners underwent a grueling three-month training camp with coach Tom McNab, which also helped them all bond. Cambridge refused to allow filming of any scenes set at the university for fear of depictions of anti-Semitism, so those scenes were filmed at Hudson’s alma mater Eton College. After the film’s success, the Cambridge administration regretted their decision. A scene depicting a cricket game was deleted from the American version of the film, but another scene was added featuring First World War veterans using an obscenity to avoid a G-rating, which is associated with children’s films. Eric Liddell’s widow loved the film and her husband’s depiction but felt they had not captured his graceful running style. Puttnam was surprised because they referenced films of Liddell running and felt that was the one thing they did get right about him. Lord David Burghley refused to allow his name to be used in the film, so the character was changed to Lord Lindsay. After seeing the film, Burghley regretted his refusal to cooperate with the production. The male military band seen in the film included several females with false mustaches. Kenneth Branagh was a ‘gofer’ on the shoot and appears in one scene as an extra. Stephen Fry and Ruby Wax also appear as extras. Residents of Goldenacre in Edinburgh had to remove their TV antennas each morning for historical realism then re-erected them in the evening after the shoot. Production overruns caused friction between the residents and the producers. Sean Connery was offered a cameo in the film but had to turn it down due to production overruns on Outland. The film required Edwardian costumes, but when the film Reds ran over time and over budget, it caused costumes pre-booked for the film to become unavailable. John Gielgud, Ian Charleson, and Richard Griffiths all appeared in the following year’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Gandhi.

May 15 – Happy Birthday to Me

Cast: Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Lawrence Dane, Sharon Acker, Frances Hyland, Tracey E. Bregman, Jack Blum, Matt Craven, Lenore Zann, David Eisner, Michel-René Labelle, Richard Rebiere, Lesleh Donaldson, Lisa Langlois
Director: J. Lee Thompson
Studio: Canadian Film Development Corporation, Famous Players, The Birthday Film Company, distributed by Columbia Pictures
Trivia: The film was seized and confiscated in the UK during the ‘video nasty’ panic. The film was produced by John Dunning and André Link, who also produced My Bloody Valentine which went into production within a week of Happy Birthday to Me wrapping, but Valentine was released first to meet a February 11 deadline for Valentine’s Day. Though appearing to have been influenced by films like Friday the 13th and Prom Night, Happy Birthday to Me had started pre-production before either of those films was released. 1978’s Halloween may have been a bigger influence. Most of the film was shot around Loyola College in Montreal, but the drawbridge scene was filmed in Phoenix, New York because it was difficult to find the right bridge closer to the production location. The drawbridge no longer exists. The film’s actual setting is the fictional town of Exeter, Massachusetts. During filming, while waiting between shots and stuck in their gore makeup, some cast members decided to walk around the neighborhood, scaring the residents. Glenn Ford was apparently difficult on set and was not happy to be in a slasher movie. When assistant director Charles Braive called for a lunch break in the middle of one of Ford’s scenes, Ford hit the AD and refused to return to the set until he received an apology. The AD said he would never apologize but was advised to or risk his career. He did, Ford also apologized, and there were no further incidents. Director J. Lee Thompson was famous for tossing buckets of blood around the set to increase the gore factor, so much so that he had to be asked to tone it down because there was fake blood getting on the camera lenses. This was the film debut of Tracey Bregman. It was reported that several endings were filmed to keep the climax a secret, but in actuality there was no ending as the script was being tinkered with during production. The film was submitted to the MPAA several times and kept receiving an X-rating, leading to several moments of gore being cut down to receive an R.

May 15 – The Fan

Cast: Lauren Bacall, James Garner, Maureen Stapleton, Michael Biehn, Héctor Elizondo, Anna Maria Horsford, Kurt Johnson, Feiga Martinez, Reed Jones, Kaiulani Lee, Dana Delany, Dwight Schultz, Griffin Dunne, Liz Smith
Director: Edward Bianchi
Studio: Paramount Pictures
Trivia: Based on a novel of the same name by Bob Randall. Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft were considered for the lead until Lauren Bacall agreed to take the part. James Garner called it one of the worst films he’d ever made, saying the only saving grace was working with Bacall. The film, which involved a fan stalking a Broadway star, drew a lot of media attention as it was released just a few months after the murder of John Lennon. Bacall said she was disappointed with the finished film’s graphic violence, which was much more prominent than what she first read in the script. The film was heavily re-written after the success of Dressed To Kill. The film’s song ‘Hearts, Not Diamonds’ received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination. The film was intended as a straightforward thriller with Elizabeth Taylor, but the project was delayed and she and director Jeff Lieberman exited the project. Waris Hussein was the next director on tap, but left due to ‘creative differences’. It was the directorial debut of Edward Bianchi, and his last film until 1991’s Off and Running. Filming was delayed at one point during production when Bacall contracted chicken pox. This was Michael Biehn’s first major theatrical film, having been established as a TV veteran by the time of the film’s release. Biehn found it difficult to hold his eyes open during the film’s lengthy final shot so a hypnotist was brought in to put Biehn into a trance so he’d be unable to blink, and it worked.

May 15 – Take This Job and Shove It

Cast: Robert Hays, Art Carney, Barbara Hershey, David Keith, Tim Thomerson, Martin Mull, Eddie Albert, Penelope Milford, David Allan Coe, Lacy J. Dalton, Royal Dano, Virgil Frye, James Karen, Len Lesser, Suzanne Kent, Joan Prather, George Lindsey, Johnny Paycheck, Charlie Rich, Fran Ryan, Stephan Meyers, Bob Chandler
Director: Gus Trikonis
Studio: Cinema Group Ventures, distributed by Avco Embassy Pictures
Trivia: The film premiered at the USA Film Festival on April 1, 1981. Inspired by the song of the same name, written by David Allan Coe and sung by Johnny Paycheck, both of whom appear in the film. It’s the first film to feature monster trucks. The Dubuque Star Brewery featured in the film has been renovated and is now a private bar and grill.

1991

May 15 – The Double Life of Veronique

Cast: Irène Jacob, Halina Gryglaszewska, Kalina Jędrusik, Aleksander Bardini, Władysław Kowalski, Guillaume De Tonquédec, Jerzy Gudejko, Philippe Volter, Sandrine Dumas, Janusz Sterninski, Louis Ducreux, Claude Duneton, Lorraine Evanoff, Gilles Gaston-Dreyfus, Chantal Neuwirth, Alain Frérot, Youssef Hamid, Thierry de Carbonnières, Nausicaa Rampony, Boguslawa Schubert, Jacques Potin
Director: Krzysztof Kieślowski
Studio: Sidéral Productions, Zespól Filmowy ‘X’, Norsk Film, CanalPlus, distributed by Sidéral Films (France), Miramax (United States)
Trivia: The film opened in France on May 15, 1991, but did not see a US release until November 22, after screenings at the New York Film Festival on September 20, and the Chicago International Film Festival in October 1991. The film was selected as the Polish entry as Best Foreign Language Film for the 64th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. It was, however, nominated in that category for the Golden Globes. The Criterion Collection DVD includes an alternate ending shot by Krzysztof Kieślowski at the request of Harvey Weinstein for the film’s American release. Kieślowski originally wanted Andie MacDowell to play Veronique. Julie Delpy auditioned for the role but lost it when Kieślowski asked her to act sexy and she put her finger in her ear. Kieślowski eventually cast Delpy in Three Colors: White (1994). The film’s original title was The Choirgirl.

May 16 – Toto the Hero

Cast: Michel Bouquet, Jo De Backer, Thomas Godet, Gisela Uhlen, Mireille Perrier, Sandrine Blancke, Michel Robin
Director: Jaco Van Dormael
Studio: Iblis Films, Metropolis Filmproduction, Philippe Dussart, CanalPlus, distributed by Pan Européenne Distribution (France), Triton Pictures (US)
Trivia: The film opened in Belgium on May 16, 1991, but did not get a US release until March 6, 1992 after a New York Film Festival screening on September 21, 1991. Winner of the Caméra d’Or award at the Cannes Film Festival. It was Belgium’s submission for the 64th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee. Many of the railway scenes in the movie were shot on a preserved railway line between Dendermonde and Puurs, Belgium.

May 17 – Mannequin Two: On the Move

Cast: Kristy Swanson, William Ragsdale, Meshach Taylor, Terry Kiser, Stuart Pankin, Cynthia Harris, Andrew Hill Newman
Director: Stewart Raffill
Studio: Gladden Entertainment, distributed by 20th Century Fox
Trivia: The film opened in South Korea on April 27, 1991 before its May 17 US release. Mesach Taylor and Andrew Hill Newman are the only actors to return from the original film, although it is unclear if Newman is playing the same character as in the first film. Taylor also plays a second character, the tyrannical doorman at the nightclub. The film’s actual on-screen title does not include the word ‘Two’, that is just on the film’s poster. The pink convertible is the same one driven by aliens in the film Mac and Me, also directed by Stewart Raffill. This was the last film released from Gladden Entertainment.

May 17 – Stone Cold

Cast: Brian Bosworth, Lance Henriksen, William Forsythe, Arabella Holzbog, Sam McMurray, Richard Gant, David Tress, Brenda James, Laura Albert, Nick Dimitri
Director: Craig R. Baxley
Studio: Stone Group Pictures. Vision International, distributed by Columbia Pictures
Trivia: This was the acting debut of Brian Bosworth. The film’s original cut received an NC-17 rating due to extreme violence, a surprise to many who knew screenwriter Walter Doniger as a man who spent the 1940s and 1950s writing light romantic comedies. The film was re-cut for an R, but an uncut version has never been released. Michael Douglas was a producer on the film but requested to receive no credit. Lance Henriksen is said to have written his own dialogue. Original director Bruce Malmuth was fired due to personal issues. William Forsythe was working on Out For Justice at the same time and alternated between films each week to avoid scheduling conflicts.

May 17 – What About Bob?

Cast: Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss, Julie Hagerty, Charlie Korsmo, Kathryn Erbe, Tom Aldredge, Susan Willis, Roger Bowen, Fran Brill, Doris Belack
Director: Frank Oz
Studio: Touchstone Pictures, Touchwood Pacific Partners, distributed by Buena Vista Pictures
Trivia: Garry Marshall was originally approached to direct, with Woody Allen under consideration to play Dr. Leo Marvin. Allen was also considered to direct and co-write the script, but since Allen generated his own projects, Frank Oz was hired. Allen declined the role of Dr. Marvin and Richard Dreyfuss was cast. Patrick Stewart was also considered for the role, along with James Caan, Chevy Chase and Kevin Kline. Robin Williams was also attached to the project during early development. Steve Martin was considered for both lead roles. Eddie Murphy was considered for the role of Bob. Oz admitted there was tension on the set between Murry and Dreyfuss, both of whom confirmed they did not get along, but Murray said it worked for the movie. Murray said he tried to annoy Dreyfuss on-screen but not while they weren’t filming. Dreyfuss, however, claimed Murray got drunk at dinner and threw an ashtray at him. Producer Laura Ziskin related that a disagreement with Murray ended with her being thrown into a lake. In another instance he threatened to throw her across a parking lot, but broke her sunglasses and threw them across the parking lot. She stated that kind of behavior was not uncommon in the industry. This was Roger Bowen’s final film role.

2001

May 15 – Full Disclosure

Cast: Fred Ward, Rachel Ticotin, Christopher Plummer, Penelope Ann Miller, Virginia Madsen, Kim Coates, Roberta Maxwell, Nicholas Campbell, Patrick Gallagher
Director: John Bradshaw
Studio: First Look Pictures, Buena Vista
Trivia: The film was shot in 1999 but delayed due to distribution problems. The Canadian working title was All the Fine Lines.

May 18 – Angel Eyes

Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Jim Caviezel, Terrence Howard, Jeremy Sisto, Sonia Braga, Victor Argo, Monet Mazur, Shirley Knight, Daniel Magder, Guylaine St-Onge, Connor McAuley, Jeremy Ratchford, Peter MacNeill, Eldridge Hyndman, Kari Matchett, Michael Cameron
Director: Luis Mandoki
Studio: Morgan Creek Productions, Franchise Pictures, The Canton Company, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on May 15, 2001. Dan Petronijevic, known later for the series Letterkenny, plays the fighting kid who grabs Officer Sharon inappropriately. Although set in Chicago, many shots clearly show the Toronto skyline including the recognizable CN Tower. Jennifer Lopez insisted the role of Catch be played by Jim Caviezel, even though she didn’t know his name. She was impressed with his performance in The Thin Red Line. Ben Affleck had been considered for the role of Catch. Aaron Eckhart had originally been cast in the role but backed out. James Marsden turned down the role to do X-Men. Lopez originally turned down the role when production refused her $8 million salary request. David Gray’s ‘Sail Away’ plays over the end credits in the theatrical release, but the song was removed for home video.

May 18 – Shrek

Voice Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel, Conrad Vernon, Chris Miller, Cody Cameron, Simon J. Smith, Christopher Knights, Aron Warner, Jim Cummings, Kathleen Freeman, Andrew Adamson, Bobby Block, Michael Galasso
Director: Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson
Studio: DreamWorks Animation, PDI/DreamWorks, distributed by DreamWorks Pictures
Trivia: A premiere for the film was held on April 22, 2001, then it debuted at Cannes on May 12, followed by Los Angeles and New York City premieres on May 16 before its general US release on May 18. Loosely based on the 1990 fairy tale picture book of the same name by William Steig. Chris Farley was originally cast as Shrek, recording nearly all of the required dialogue but died before the work was completed. The film competed for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the first animated film to do so since Disney’s 1953 Peter Pan. The film won the very first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film also scored six BAFTA nominations, winning for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2020, the first non-Disney animated film to receive the honor. Early sketches showed Shrek living in a garbage dump near a human village. Donkey was modeled after Pericles, a real miniature donkey born in 1994 in Palo Alto, California. Planned characters not used in the film include Goldilocks and Sleeping Beauty. Nicolas Cage was offered the role of Shrek but turned it down because he didn’t want to look like an ogre. After recording his dialogue, Myers requested to record it all again with a Scottish accent. He also tried a Canadian and Southern accent. Myers said Steven Spielberg sent him a letter saying the Scottish accent had improved the movie. Janeane Garofalo was cast as Princess Fiona opposite Farley but was fired for unknown reasons. Alan Rickman was offered the role of Lord Farquaad but turned it down for the role of Profefssor Snape in the first Harry Potter film. Robin Williams was intended to have a role, but he’d had a bitter falling out with Jeffrey Katzenberg while he was still at Disney and Williams refused to work with him. The film was originally intended to be a combination of live action and animation but no one was happy with the test results and the film was fully computer animated. New technology had to be created and mastered to render Donkey’s fur realistic. None of the principal actors ever worked with each other. Eddie Murphy received a first-of-its-kind BAFTA nomination for his voice performance as Donkey. Animation began on the project in 1996 and took four years to complete. Donkey and Fiona are the only characters who refer to Shrek by name. A fairy godmother was originally included in the film but was cut at the beginning of production. She would be introduced in Shrek 2. Rumors suggest Lord Farquaad is based on Katzenberg’s former partner at Disney, Michael Eisner. Game show host Jim Lange and Jimmy Fallon recorded the voice of Magic Mirror, but Mirror’s storyboard artist Chris Miller eventually supplied the voice. This was Kathleen Freeman’s final film role.

2011

May 13 – Attack the Block

Cast: John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Alex Esmail, Franz Drameh, Leeon Jones, Simon Howard, Nick Frost, Luke Treadaway, Jumayn Hunter, Danielle Vitalis, Paige Meade, Chris Wilson, Sammy Williams, Michael Ajao
Director: Joe Cornish
Studio: StudioCanal Features, Film4, UK Film Council, Big Talk Pictures, distributed by Optimum Releasing
Trivia: The film premiered at the SXSW Film Festival on Marsh 12, 2011, then opened in the UK on May 13. It did not get a proper release in the US until July 29 in a limited run. It was the film debut of John Boyega, the directorial debut of Joe Cornish, and the film debut of composer Steven Price. The fictional Wyndham Estates is a reference to English science fiction writer John Wyndham. Writer J.G. Ballard is also reference in a street name. Cornish said he was inspired by the film Signs, imagining that scenario if it took place in south London. Cornish based the character of Brewis on himself in his 20s. Cornish had to remove 15 pages of the script prior to production due to budget constraints. The film was shot mostly in chronological order.

Universal Pictures

May 13 – Bridesmaids

Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Chris O’Dowd, Jill Clayburgh, Matt Lucas, Rebel Wilson, Michael Hitchcock, Tim Heidecker, Ben Falcone, Dana Powell, Mitch Silpa, Terry Crews, Jillian Bell, Franklyn Ajaye
Director: Paul Feig
Studio: Apatow Productions, Relativity Media, distributed by Universal Pictures
Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on April 28, 2011. This was Jill Clayburgh’s final film. The film received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress (Melissa McCarthy) and Best Original Screenplay. Jon Hamm and Pat Carroll appear in uncredited cameos. Paul Rudd was to appear as Annie’s blind date, but the scene was cut from the final film. The script was originally titled Maid of Honor. Rebel Wilson and Busy Philipps auditioned for the role of Megan. Wilson was cast in a smaller role, Brynn, her first appearance in an American film. Mindy Kaling read for the role of Lillian but lost to Maya Rudolph. Rose Byrne also auditioned for Lillian, but then later read for Helen. Byrne was given the role of the nemesis because she’s not a comedian. Greta Gerwig and Judy Greer also read for unspecified roles. Though set in Milwaukee and Chicago, the film was shot completely in Los Angeles. The cast spent two weeks improvising with each other, a lot of which made it into the screenplay. Chris O’Dowd’s cop was supposed to be American but everyone liked his native Irish accent so much it was decided that he keep it. McCarthy has stated she based the look and characterization of her part on Guy Fieri. Rudolph was pregnant during filming and most of her costumes had a belt to distract from her stomach. The bridal shower house exterior is the same house in Scary Movie 2. The film’s bachelorette party was to take place in Las Vegas in the original script, but after The Hangover was released, director Paul Feig said anything they did would pale in comparison.

May 13 – Midnight in Paris

Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hiddleston, Alison Pill, Corey Stoll, Adrien Brody, Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Nina Arianda, Carla Bruni, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Léa Seydoux
Director: Woody Allen
Studio: Gravier Productions, Mediapro, Televisió de Catalunya (TV3), Versátil Cinema, distributed by Sony Pictures Classics (United States), Alta Films (Spain)
Trivia: The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 11, 2011, then opened in Spain on May 13 before a limited US opening on May 20, followed by a general release in the US on June 10. Winner of the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Original Screenplay. It was also Oscar nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Art Direction. Since Allen only gives actors the pages of the script featuring their characters, Tom Hiddleston didn’t know about the story’s time travel elements until he met Owen Wilson on set and asked why he wasn’t wearing period clothing like everyone else. Carla Bruni, who plays the museum tour guide, was at the time France’s First Lady, married to then-president Nicolas Sarkozy.

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