New Line Cinema
We’re coming up on the end of the year rush to get films into theaters to beat Academy Awards deadlines, so the studios are throwing out some of their biggest guns in the latter part of the past century. Not all the films are ‘Oscar bait’ but there are a few, some that went on to score nominations and wins, and some that did not live up to very high expectations (you can always tell an Oscar hopeful when someone known for comedy suddenly takes a dramatic turn). Some of this week’s movies are just meant to be pure crowd-pleasers and succeeded. Let’s take a stroll down the red carpet to see what movies Hollywood had on the marquees this week.
1921
December 18 – Lucky Carson
- Cast: Earle Williams, Earl Schenck, Betty Ross Clarke, Gertrude Astor, Collette Forbes, James Butler, Loyal Underwood
- Director: Wilfrid North
- Production Company: Vitagraph Company of America
1931
December 17 – Tonight or Never
- Cast: Gloria Swanson, Melvyn Douglas, Alison Skipworth, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Robert Greig, Warburton Gamble, Greta Meyer, Boris Karloff
- Director: Mervyn LeRoy
- Production Company: Samuel Goldwyn Productions, distributed by United Artists
1941
December 18 – H. M. Pulham, Esq.
- Cast: Hedy Lamarr, Robert Young, Ruth Hussey, Charles Coburn, Van Heflin, Fay Holden, Bonita Granville, Douglas Wood, Charles Halton, Leif Erickson, Phil Brown, David Clyde, Sara Haden
- Director: King Vidor
- Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn Mayer
- Trivia: The film premiered in Boston on December 3, 1941 and Providence on December 4.
December 19 – Among the Living
- Cast: Albert Dekker, Susan Hayward, Harry Carey, Frances Farmer, Gordon Jones, Jean Phillips, Ernest Whitman, Maude Eburne, Frank M. Thomas, Harlan Briggs, Archie Twitchell, Dorothy Sebastian, William Stack
- Director: Stuart Heisler
- Production Company: Paramount Pictures
- Trivia: The film opened in New York City on December 12, 1941 and entered wide release on December 19.
1951
December 20 – Anna
- Cast: Silvana Mangano, Vittorio Gassman, Raf Vallone, Gaby Morlay, Tina Lattanzi
- Director: Alberto Lattuada
- Production Company: Unknown
- Trivia: The film was released in Italy on December 20, 1951. It opened in the UK in October 1952, and in the US on February 18, 1953.
Columbia Pictures
December 20 – Death of a Salesman
- Cast: Fredric March, Mildred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, Cameron Mitchell, Howard Smith, Royal Beal, Don Keefer, Jesse White, Claire Carleton, David Alpert
- Director: László Benedek
- Production Company: Columbia Pictures
December 21 – Decision Before Dawn
- Cast: Oskar Werner, Richard Basehart, Hans Christian Blech, Gary Merrill, Hildegard Knef, Wilfried Seyferth, Dominique Blanchar, O.E. Hasse, Helene Thimig
- Director: Anatole Litvak
- Production Company: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
1961
December 16 – One, Two, Three
- Cast: James Cagney, Horst Buchholz, Pamela Tiffin, Arlene Francis, Liselotte Pulver, Hanns Lothar, Howard St. John, Leon Askin, Ralf Wolter, Peter Capell, Karl Lieffen, Hubert von Meyerinck, Sig Ruman, Loïs Bolton, Til Kiwe, Henning Schlüter, Karl Ludwig Lindt, Friedrich Hollaender
- Director: Billy Wilder
- Production Company: The Mirisch Company, Pyramid Productions, A. G., distributed by United Artists
- Trivia: The film’s Los Angeles premiere was held on December 15, 1961. The film opened in the UK on February 8, 1962.
December 18 – Pocketful of Miracles
- Cast: Glenn Ford, Bette Davis, Hope Lange, Arthur O’Connell, Peter Falk, Thomas Mitchell, Edward Everett Horton, Ann-Margret, Mickey Shaughnessy, David Brian, Jerome Cowan, Sheldon Leonard, Peter Mann, Ellen Corby, Jack Elam, Mike Mazurki, Barton MacLane, Doodles Weaver, Frank Ferguson
- Director: Frank Capra
- Production Company: Franton Productions
December 19 – Judgment at Nuremberg
- Cast: Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, Maximilian Schell, Marlene Dietrich, Montgomery Clift, Judy Garland, William Shatner, Howard Caine, Werner Klemperer, John Wengraf, Karl Swenson, Ben Wright, Virginia Christine, Edward Binns, Torben Meyer, Martin Brandt, Kenneth MacKenna, Ray Teal, Alan Baxter, Joseph Bernard, Olga Fabian, Otto Waldis, Paul Busch, Bernard Kates
- Director: Stanley Kramer
- Production Company: Roxlom Films, Amber Entertainment, distributed by United Artists
December 19 – The Children’s Hour
- Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Miriam Hopkins, Fay Bainter, Karen Balkin, Veronica Cartwright, Mimi Gibson, William Mims, Sally Brophy, Hope Summers
- Director: William Wyler
- Production Company: United Artists
December 20 – Everything’s Ducky
- Cast: Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hackett, Jackie Cooper, Joanie Sommers, Roland Winters, Elizabeth MacRae, Gene Blakely, Gordon Jones, Richard Deacon, James Millhollin, Jimmy Cross, Robert Williams, King Calder, Ellie Kent, William Hellinger, Ann Morell, George Sawaya, Dick Winslow, Alvy Moore, Walker Edmiston
- Director: Don Taylor
- Production Company: Barbroo Productions, distributed by Columbia Pictures
December 20 – Mysterious Island
- Cast: Michael Craig, Joan Greenwood, Michael Callan, Gary Merrill, Herbert Lom, Beth Rogan, Percy Herbert, Dan Jackson
- Director: Cy Endfield
- Production Company: Ameran Films, distributed by Columbia Pictures
December 20 – Something Wild
- Cast: Carroll Baker, Ralph Meeker, Mildred Dunnock, Jean Stapleton, Doris Roberts, Martin Kosleck, Clifton James, George L. Smith
- Director: Jack Garfein
- Production Company: Prometheus Enterprises Inc., distributed by United Artists
December 21 – Cash on Demand
- Cast: Peter Cushing, André Morell, Richard Vernon, Norman Bird, Kevin Stoney, Barry Lowe, Edith Sharpe, Lois Daine, Alan Haywood
- Director: Quentin Lawrence
- Production Company: Hammer Film Productions, distributed by British Lion Films (UK), Columbia Pictures (US)
1971
December 16 – The Boy Friend
- Cast: Twiggy, Christopher Gable, Max Adrian, Bryan Pringle, Murray Melvin, Moyra Fraser, Georgina Hale, Sally Bryant, Vladek Sheybal, Tommy Tune, Brian Murphy, Graham Armitage, Antonia Ellis, Caryl Little, Anne Jameson, Catherine Willmer, Robert La Bassier, Barbara Windsor
- Director: Ken Russell
- Production Company: Russflix, distributed by MGM-EMI Film Distributors (UK), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (US)
- Trivia: Glenda Jackson appears in an uncredited role.
Paramount Pictures
December 20 – Harold and Maude
- Cast: Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort, Vivian Pickles, Cyril Cusack, Charles Tyner, Eric Christmas, George Wood, Ellen Geer, Judy Engles, Shari Summers, Tom Skerritt
- Director: Hal Ashby
- Production Company: Paramount Pictures
- Trivia: Tom Skerritt is credited as M. Borman. Director Hal Ashby makes an uncredited cameo.
December 21 – Such Good Friends
- Cast: Dyan Cannon, James Coco, Jennifer O’Neill, Ken Howard, Nina Foch, Laurence Luckinbill, Louise Lasser, Burgess Meredith, Sam Levene, William Redfield, James Beard, Rita Gam, Elaine Joyce, Doris Roberts, Virginia Vestoff, Oscar Grossman
- Director: Otto Preminger
- Production Company: Otto Preminger Films, distributed by Paramount Pictures
- Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on December 16, 1971.
1981
December 16 – Quest for Fire
- Cast: Everett McGill, Ron Perlman, Nameer El-Kadi, Rae Dawn Chong, Gary Schwartz, Naseer El-Kadi, Franck-Olivier Bonnet, Jean-Michel Kindt, Kurt Schiegl, Brian Gill, Terry Fitt, Bibi Caspari, Peter Elliott, Michelle Leduc, Robert Lavoie, Matt Birman, Joy Boushel, Christian Benard, Tarlok Sing Seva, Lolamal Kapisisi, George Buza, Antonio Barichievich
- Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud
- Production Company: Cinema International Corporation, Ciné Trail, Belstar Productions, Stéphan Films, Gruskoff Film, Famous Players Ltd., distributed by AMLF (France), Astral Films (Canada), 20th Century Fox (Canada & US)
- Trivia: The film opened in France on December 16, 1981, in Canada on February 10, 1982, and the US on February 12.
December 18 – Absence of Malice
- Cast: Paul Newman, Sally Field, Bob Balaban, Melinda Dillon, Luther Adler, Barry Primus, Josef Sommer, Don Hood, Wilford Brimley, John Harkins
- Director: Sydney Pollack
- Production Company: Mirage Enterprises, distributed by Columbia Pictures
- Trivia: The film premiered at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC on November 15, 1981, followed by a Los Angeles premiere on November 17, and a limited release for awards consideration on November 19.
December 18 – Ghost Story
- Cast: Fred Astaire, Tim Choate, Melvyn Douglas, Mark Chamberlin, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Kurt Johnson, John Houseman, Ken Olin, Craig Wasson, Patricia Neal, Alice Krige, Jacqueline Brookes, Miguel Fernandes, Lance Holcomb, Brad Sullivan, Michael O’Neill, Guy Boyd, Robin Curtis, James Greene
- Director: John Irvin
- Production Company: Universal Pictures
- Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on December 15, 1981. Based on the novel by Peter Straub.
December 18 – Heartbeeps
- Cast: Andy Kaufman, Bernadette Peters, Randy Quaid, Kenneth McMillan, Melanie Mayron, Christopher Guest, Richard B. Shull, Dick Miller, Kathleen Freeman, Mary Woronov, Paul Bartel, Wally Ann Wharton, Barry Diamond, Stephanie Faulkner, Jeffrey Kramer, David Gene LeBell, Jerry Garcia, Jack Carter, Ron Gans
- Director: Allan Arkush
- Production Company: Universal Pictures
December 18 – Neighbors
- Cast: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cathy Moriarty, Kathryn Walker, Igors Gavon, Dru-Ann Chuckran, Tim Kazurinsky, Tino Insana, P. L. Brown, Henry Judd Baker, Lauren-Marie Taylor, Sherman G. Lloyd, Bert Kittel, J. B. Friend, Bernie Friedman
- Director: John G. Avildsen
- Production Company: Columbia Pictures
December 18 – Race for the Yankee Zephyr
- Cast: Tony Sparks, Clark Walkington, Frank Taurua, Steve Nicolle, Dick Jones, Dennis Hunt
- Director: David Hemmings
- Production Company: Hemdale, Pact Productions, Fay, Richwhite, First City Films, Gupta Film Services, Pellinto Investments, Drake Films, Endeavour Productions, FGH, distributed by GUO Film Distributors (Australia), Endeavour Productions (New Zealand), Film Ventures International (US)
- Trivia: The film opened in Australia on December 18, 1981. It played in the UK from October 21, 1982, but did not reach the US until April 13, 1984. Also known as Treasure of the Yankee Zephyr.
December 18 – Sharky’s Machine
- Cast: Burt Reynolds, Charles Durning, Vittorio Gassman, Brian Keith, Bernie Casey, Rachel Ward, Darryl Hickman, Earl Holliman, Henry Silva, Richard Libertini, John Fiedler, Hari Rhodes, Joseph Mascolo, Carol Locatell, Tony King, James O’Connell, Suzee Pai, Dan Inosanto, Weaver Levy, Aarika Wells, May Keller, Sheryl Kilby, Val Avery, William Diehl
- Director: Burt Reynolds
- Production Company: Orion Pictures, Deliverance Productions, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
1991
December 18 – Raise the Red Lantern
- Cast: Gong Li, He Saifei, Cao Cuifen, Kong Lin, Zhou Qi, Jin Shuyuan, Ma Jingwu, Cui Zhihgang, Chu Xiao, Cao Zhengyin, Ding Weimin
- Director: Zhang Yimou
- Production Company: Era International, China Film Co-Production Corporation, distributed by Orion Classics
- Trivia: The film opened in Italy on December 18, 1991. It opened in the UK on February 21, 1992, and in the US on March 13.
December 20 – Bugsy
- Cast: Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley, Elliott Gould, Joe Mantegna, Bebe Neuwirth, Bill Graham, Lewis Van Bergen, Wendy Phillips, Richard C. Sarafian, Carmine Caridi, Andy Romano, Wendie Malick, Stefanie Mason, Kimberly McCullough, Don Calfa, Ray McKinnon, Joe Baker, Ksenia Prohaska, Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi, Joseph Roman, James Toback, Robert Glaudini, Eric Christmas, Robert Beltran, Don Carrara, Bryan Smith, Traci Lind, and Debrah Farentino, Wendie Malick
- Director: Barry Levinson
- Production Company: Mulholland Productions, Baltimore Pictures, distributed by TriStar Pictures
- Trivia: The film premiered in New York City on December 10, 1991 and in Los Angeles on December 12 before entering a limited release on December 13.
December 20 – Father of the Bride
- Cast: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams, Kieran Culkin, George Newbern, Peter Michael Goetz, Kate McGregor-Stewart, Martin Short, B. D. Wong, Richard Portnow, David Pasquesi, Chauncey Leopardi, Eugene Levy, Marissa Lefton, Sarah Rose Karr, Amy Young, Ira Heiden
- Director: Charles Shyer
- Production Company: Touchstone Pictures, Sandollar Productions, distributed by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
December 20 – JFK
- Cast: Kevin Costner, Kevin Bacon, Tommy Lee Jones, Laurie Metcalf, Gary Oldman, Michael Rooker, Jay O. Sanders, Sissy Spacek, Joe Pesci, Beata Poźniak, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Donald Sutherland, Ed Asner, Brian Doyle-Murray, John Candy, Sally Kirkland, Wayne Knight, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Tony Plana, Vincent D’Onofrio, Dale Dye, Lolita Davidovich, Ellen McElduff, John Larroquette, Willem Oltmans, Tomas Milian, Gary Grubbs, Ron Rifkin, Peter Maloney, John Finnegan, Wayne Tippit, Jo Anderson, Bob Gunton, Frank Whaley, Jim Garrison
- Director: Oliver Stone
- Production Company: Le Studio CanalPlus, Regency Enterprises, Alcor Films, Ixtlan Corporation, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
- Trivia: The film’s premiere was held in Dallas on December 19, 1991.
2001
December 15 – Godzilla, Mothra and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack
- Cast: Chiharu Niiyama, Ryūdō Uzaki, Masahiro Kobayashi, Shirō Sano, Kaho Minami, Shinya Owada, Kunio Murai, Hiroyuki Watanabe, Takashi Nishina, Shingo Katsurayama, Toshikazu Fukawa, Masahiko Tsugawa, Katsuo Nakamura, Hideyo Amamoto, Ryo Kase, Tomoe Shinohara, Kōichi Yamadera, Mizuho Yoshida, Akira Ohashi, Rie Ota
- Director: Shusuke Kaneko
- Production Company: Toho Pictures, Inc.
- Trivia: The film opened in Japan on December 15, 2001 but did not receive a US theatrical release.
December 19 – The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- Cast: Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Sean Bean, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, John Rhys-Davies, Orlando Bloom, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Sala Baker, Marton Csokas, Lawrence Makoare, Craig Parker, Mark Ferguson, Peter McKenzie, Harry Sinclair
- Director: Peter Jackson
- Production Company: New Line Cinema, WingNut Films, distributed by New Line Cinema
- Trivia: The film premiered in the UK on December 10, 2001 and in the US on December 13 (New York City) and December 16 (Los Angeles).
December 21 – How High
- Cast: Method Man, Redman, Obba Babatundé, Melissa Peterman, Mike Epps, Anna Maria Horsford, Fred Willard, Jeffrey Jones, Héctor Elizondo, Lark Voorhies, Al Shearer, Chuck Deezy, Essence Atkins, Chris Elwood, T. J. Thyne, Trieu Tran, Justin Urich, Spalding Gray, Cypress Hill, Amber Smith, Chuck Liddell, Pat Finn, Garrett Morris, Judah Friedlander, Dennison Samaroo, Tracey Walter, Patricia Fisher, Sacha Kemp, Scruncho
- Director: Jesse Dylan
- Production Company: Jersey Films, Native Pictures, distributed by Universal Pictures
- Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on December 17, 2001. Tracy Morgan appears in an uncredited role.
December 21 – Joe Somebody
- Cast: Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, Kelly Lynch, Greg Germann, Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, Jim Belushi, Ken Marino, Wolfgang Bodison, Cristi Conaway, Robert Joy, Tina Lifford, Jesse Ventura
- Director: John Pasquin
- Production Company: Fox 2000 Pictures, Regency Enterprises, Kopelson Entertainment, Epsilon Motion Pictures, Atchity Entertainment International, distributed by 20th Century Fox
- Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on December 19, 2001.
December 21 – The Business of Strangers
- Cast: Stockard Channing, Julia Stiles, Fred Weller
- Director: Patrick Stettner
- Production Company: IFC Films
- Trivia: The film screened at Sundance on January 19, 2001.
December 21 – The Majestic
- Cast: Jim Carrey, Bob Balaban, Brent Briscoe, Jeffrey DeMunn, Amanda Detmer, Allen Garfield, Hal Holbrook, Laurie Holden, Martin Landau, Ron Rifkin, David Ogden Stiers, James Whitmore, Gerry Black, Susan Willis, Catherine Dent, Karl Bury, Brian Howe, Chelcie Ross, Matt G. Wiens, Daniel von Bargen, Shawn Doyle, Mario Roccuzzo, Bill Gratton, Scotty Leavenworth, Earl Boen, Bruce Campbell, Cliff Curtis
- Director: Frank Darabont
- Production Company: Castle Rock Entertainment, Village Roadshow Pictures, NPV Entertainment, Darkwoods Productions, distributed byWarner Bros. Pictures
- Trivia: The film’s premiere was held on December 11, 2001. Matt Damon is the voice of soldier Luke Trimble. Directors Garry Marshall, Paul Mazursky, Sydney Pollack, Carl Reiner and Rob Reiner provide the voices of the unseen studio executives.
2011
December 16 – Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
- Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Jenny Slate, Justin Long, Ross Bagdasarian Jr., Matthew Gray Gubler, Steve Vining, Alan Tudyk, Jesse McCartney, Janice Karman, Christina Applegate, Anna Faris, Amy Poehler, Andy Buckley, Tucker Albrizzi, Phyllis Smith
- Director: Mike Mitchell
- Production Company: Fox 2000 Pictures, Regency Enterprises, Bagdasarian Company, Dune Entertainment, distributed by 20th Century Fox
Warner Brothers Pictures
December 16 – Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
- Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Jared Harris, Noomi Rapace, Stephen Fry, Kelly Reilly, Rachel McAdams, Eddie Marsan, Paul Anderson, Geraldine James, Thierry Neuvic, Fatima Adoum, Wolf Kahler, Affif Ben Badra
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures, Silver Pictures, Wigram Productions
December 16 – Young Adult
- Cast: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt, Patrick Wilson, Elizabeth Reaser, Collette Wolfe, Jill Eikenberry, Louisa Krause, Mary Beth Hurt, Hettienne Park, J. K. Simmons
- Director: Jason Reitman
- Production Company: Mandate Pictures, Mr. Mudd, Right of Way Films, Denver and Delilah Films, distributed by Paramount Pictures
- Trivia: The film opened in limited release in the US on December 9, 2011.
December 20 – The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Steven Berkoff, Robin Wright, Yorick van Wageningen, Joely Richardson, Goran Višnjić, Donald Sumpter, Ulf Friberg, Geraldine James, Embeth Davidtz, Josefin Asplund, Per Myrberg, Tony Way, Fredrik Dolk, Alan Dale, Leo Bill, Élodie Yung, Joel Kinnaman
- Director: David Fincher
- Production Company: Columbia Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Scott Rudin Productions, Yellow Bird, distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing
- Trivia: The film premiered in London on December 12, 2011, and New York City on December 14. It opened in Canada on December 20, and in the US, UK and Sweden on December 21.
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