Hotchka Movies by the Decade feature #88 :: March 30 to April 5

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Several major and notable films were released in every decade this week over the last century except for 1972. The week gave us a final short from a classic silent star, the first of a series of films based on a popular literary character, Abbott & Costello stepping away from Universal, a controversial documentary, another film based on a literary character, a remake of a classic horror noir film, a horror spoof, a St. Bernard, and Julia Roberts playing wicked. And there were several Oscar and Golden Globe nominees and winners this week. Read on to learn more about the films celebrating anniversaries this week and tell us if any of your favorites are on the list!

1922

April – The Card

• Cast: Laddie Cliff, Hilda Cowley, Joan Barry, Mary Dibley, Sidney Paxton, Dora Gregory, Norman Page, Arthur Cleave, Jack Denton, Frank Goddard
• Director: A. V. Bramble
• Production Company: Ideal Film Company
• Trivia: An adaptation of the 1911 novel The Card by Arnold Bennett. The film was released in the UK in April 1922. Debut of actress Joan Barry.

April 2 – Pay Day

• Cast: Charlie Chaplin, Phyllis Allen, Mack Swain, Edna Purviance, Syd Chaplin, John Rand, Loyal Underwood, Henry Bergman, Al Ernest Garcia
• Director: Charles Chaplin
• Production Company: Charles Chaplin Productions, distributed by Associated First National
• Trivia: Chaplin’s final two-reel short film.

1932

March 30 – Santa

• Cast: Lupita Tovar, Carlos Orellana, Juan José Martínez Casado, Donald Reed, Antonio R. Frausto, Mimí Derba
• Director: Antonio Moreno
• Production Company: Compañía Nacional Productora de Películas
• Trivia: Based on the novel of the same name by Federico Gamboa. The film was released in Mexico on March 30, 1932. It made its US debut on May 14. The first Mexican narrative sound film. Lupita Tovar lived until the age of 106 in 2016, the last and longest living member of the cast.

April 2 – Tarzan the Ape Man

• Cast: Johnny Weissmuller, Maureen O’Sullivan, Neil Hamilton, C. Aubrey Smith, Doris Lloyd, Forrester Harvey, Ivory Williams, Ray Corrigan, Johnny Eck
• Director: W. S. Van Dyke
• Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, distributed by Loew’s Inc.
• Trivia: Loosely based on Burroughs’ 1912 novel Tarzan of the Apes. The film premiered in New York City on March 22, 1932. It opened in London on April 11, and Toronto on April 15. It received a wide UK release on October 10. Johnny Weissmuller’s first of 12 Tarzan films, and the first of six appearances by Maureen O’Hara as Jane. In order for Weissmuller to be released from his contract with BVD underwear to appear in the film, MGM had to agree to provide actresses like Greta Garbo and Marie Dressler appear in ads. Indian elephants were used in the film, outfitted with larger fake ears and tusks to make them appear as authentic African elephants. The African pygmies were actually white little people in blackface. Clark Gable was considered for the role of Tarzan but he was considered too much of an unknown at the time.

1942

March 31 – Gang Busters

• Cast: Kent Taylor, Irene Hervey, Ralph Morgan, Robert Armstrong
• Director: Noel M. Smith, Ray Taylor, Jacques Jaccard
• Production Company: Universal Pictures
• Trivia: Movie serial based on the radio series Gang Busters. The Main Title and Next Chapter announcer is Hugh Beaumont, better known as Ward Cleaver on Leave It to Beaver.

April – Rio Rita

• Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Kathryn Grayson, John Carroll, Patricia Dane, Tom Conway, Peter Whitney, Barry Nelson, Arthur Space, Dick Rich, Eva Puig, Joan Valerie, Mitchell Lewis, Eros Volusia, Norman Abbott, King Baggot
• Director: S. Sylvan Simon
• Production Company: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
• Trivia: Based upon the 1927 Flo Ziegfeld Broadway musical, which was previously made into a 1929 film also titled Rio Rita. Kathryn Grayson’s first starring role. The first of three MGM Abbott & Costello films made on loan while under their Universal Pictures contract. The dress Grayson wears in party scenes was previously worn by Judy Garland in Little Nellie Kelly.

April 2 – Alias Boston Blackie

• Cast: Chester Morris, Adele Mara, Richard Lane, George E. Stone, Lloyd Corrigan, Walter Sande, Larry Parks, George McKay, Cy Kendall, Paul Fix, Ben Taggart
• Director: Lew Landers
• Production Company: Columbia Pictures
• Trivia: The third of fourteen Boston Blackie movies. The bus driver (to and from prison) is played by an uncredited Lloyd Bridges.

April 2 – My Favorite Blonde

• Cast: Bob Hope, Madeleine Carroll, Gale Sondergaard, George Zucco, Lionel Royce, Walter Kingsford, Victor Varconi, Otto Reichow, Esther Howard, Edward Gargan, James Burke, Charles Cane, Crane Whitley, Dooley Wilson, Milton Parsons, Carl Switzer
• Director: Sidney Lanfield
• Production Company: Paramount Pictures
• Trivia: Based on a story by Melvin Frank and Norman Panama. Bing Crosby makes an uncredited cameo appearance as Man Outside Union Hall.

April 3 – Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book

• Cast: Daniel and David Valdez, Sabu, Joseph Calleia, John Qualen, Frank Puglia, Rosemary DeCamp, Patricia O’Rourke, Ralph Byrd, Faith Brook, Noble Johnson, Mel Blanc, Martha Wentworth
• Director: Zoltan Korda
• Production Company: Alexander Korda Films, Inc., distributed by United Artists
• Trivia: Based on Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 novel of the same name. Nominated for four Academy Awards: Art Direction-Interior Decoration (Color), Visual Effects, Original Score and Cinematography. The film’s original soundtrack was the first US film score to be released as an album.

April 4 – Spy Smasher

• Cast: Kane Richmond, Marguerite Chapman, Sam Flint, Hans Schumm, Tristram Coffin
• Director: William Witney
• Production Company: Republic Pictures
• Trivia: 12-episode serial based on the Fawcett Comics character Spy Smasher which is now a part of DC Comics. The 25th of 66 Republic serials. The serial was re-edited into the 1966 TV movie Spy Smasher Returns.

April 4 – The Male Animal

• Cast: Henry Fonda, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Leslie, Jack Carson, Eugene Pallette, Herbert Anderson, Hattie McDaniel, Ivan Simpson, Don DeFore, Jean Ames, Minna Phillips, Regina Wallace, Frank Mayo, William B. Davidson, Bobby Barnes
• Director: Elliott Nugent
• Production Company: Warner Bros. Pictures
• Trivia: Based on a hit 1940 Broadway play of the same name written by James Thurber and Elliott Nugent. The film premiered in Columbus, Ohio on March 12, 1942 and New York City on March 27. Don DeFore reprised his role from the Broadway play. DeFore also appeared in the 1952 loose musical remake She’s Working Her Way Through College. Gig Young appears uncredited as a student.

1952

April – The Marrying Kind

• Cast: Judy Holliday, Aldo Ray, Madge Kennedy, Sheila Bond, John Alexander, Rex Williams, Phyllis Povah, Mickey Shaughnessy, Griff Barnett, Peggy Cass, Nancy Kulp
• Director: George Cukor
• Production Company: Columbia Pictures
• Trivia: The film premiered in New York City on March 13, 1952, and was released in Canada on April 11, followed by the UK on October 4. George Cukor recommended that star Aldo Ray go to ballet school because he walked too much like a football player. Film debut of Peggy Cass.

April – Wide Boy

• Cast: Sydney Tafler, Susan Shaw, Ronald Howard, Melissa Stribling, Colin Tapley, Laidman Browne, Gerald Case, Glyn Houston, Ian Wallace, Dorothy Bramhall, Martin Benson, Helen Christie, Peggy Banks
• Director: Ken Hughes
• Production Company: Merton Park Studios, distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated
• Trivia: The film was released in the UK in April 1952, and in the US in December but no exact dates are known. Ken Hughes’s feature film directorial debut.

April 1 – Meet Danny Wilson

• Cast: Frank Sinatra, Shelley Winters, Alex Nicol, Raymond Burr, Vaughn Taylor, Tommy Farrell, Donald MacBride, Barbara Knudson, Carl Sklover
• Director: Joseph Pevney
• Production Company: Universal Pictures
• Trivia: The film premiered in Los Angeles on February 7, 1952. The film features cameos from Tony Curtis and Jeff Chandler. Frank Sinatra and Shelley Winters hated each other so much that in a fit of anger Winters slugged Sinatra. Final film of Mary Brewer.

April 1 – Wings of Danger

• Cast: Zachary Scott, Robert Beatty, Naomi Chance, Kay Kendall, Colin Tapley, Arthur Lane, Harold Lang, Diane Cilento, Jack Allen, Douglas Muir, Ian Fleming, Larry Taylor, Darcy Conyers, Sheila Raynor, Nigel Neilson
• Director: Terence Fisher
• Production Company: Hammer Film Productions, distributed by Exclusive Films (UK), Lippert Pictures (US)
• Trivia: Based on the 1951 novel Dead on Course by Trevor Dudley Smith and Packham Webb. The film’s Los Angeles premiere was held on March 21, 1952. Released in the US as Dead on Course. The film opened in the UK on May 26.

20th Century Fox

April 4 – With a Song in My Heart

• Cast: Susan Hayward, Rory Calhoun, David Wayne, Thelma Ritter, Robert Wagner, Helen Westcott, Una Merkel, Richard Allan, Max Showalter, Ed Oliver
• Director: Walter Lang
• Production Company: 20th Century Fox
• Trivia: Singing groups the Four Girl Friends, the Modernaires, the Melody Men, the Sklyarks, and the Starlighters appeared in the movie. Biographical film telling the story of Jane Froman, who was crippled by an airplane crash on February 22, 1943. Froman herself provided the singing voice for Susan Hayward. Jean Peters had originally been announced as the star. The film was originally titled I’ll See You in My Dreams, and was changed to You, the Night and the Music, before being changed again to With a Song in My Heart. The film won the Oscar for Original Score, and was nominated for Best Actress, Supporting Actress (Thelma Ritter), Costume Design (Color) and Sound Recording. The film won the Golden Globes for Best Picture – Musical or Comedy and Best Actress – Musical or Comedy.

1962

March 30 – Mondo Cane

• Director: Gualtiero Jacopetti, Paolo Cavara, Franco Prosperi
• Production Company: Cineriz
• Trivia: The film opened in Italy on March 30, 1962. It screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1962, but did not open in the US until April 3, 1963. Also known as Tales of the Bizarre: Rites, Rituals and Superstitions.

April – Crooks Anonymous

• Cast: Leslie Phillips, Stanley Baxter, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Julie Christie, James Robertson Justice, Michael Medwin
• Director: Ken Annakin
• Production Company: Independent Artists, distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors
• Trivia: The film was released in the UK in April 1962, and in the USon February 20, 1963. Feature film debut of Julie Christie.

April – Go to Blazes

• Cast: Dave King, Robert Morley, Daniel Massey, Dennis Price, Coral Browne, Norman Rossington, Maggie Smith
• Director: Michael Truman
• Production Company: Associated British Picture Corporation, distributed by Warner-Pathé Distributors
• Trivia: Debut of actress Sue Lloyd, and actor Dudley Sutton.

April – She’ll Have to Go

• Cast: Bob Monkhouse, Alfred Marks, Hattie Jacques, Anna Karina, Dennis Lotis, Graham Stark, Clive Dunn, Hugh Lloyd, Peter Butterworth, Harry Locke, Pat Coombs, Larry Taylor
• Director: Robert Asher
• Production Company: Asher Brothers Productions, distributed by Anglo-Amalgamated Film Distributors
• Trivia: The film was released in the UK in April 1962, and in the US on March 30, 1965 under the title Maid for Murder.

April 2 – The Broken Land

• Cast: Kent Taylor, Diana Darrin, Jody McCrea, Robert Sampson, Jack Nicholson
• Director: John A. Bushelman
• Production Company: Associated Producers Inc., distributed by 20th Century Fox
• Trivia: Burt Reynolds was originally cast to play Will Brocious, who was played by Jack Nicholson.

April 5 – Moon Pilot

• Cast: Tom Tryon, Dany Saval, Brian Keith, Edmond O’Brien, Tommy Kirk, Bob Sweeney, Kent Smith, Simon Scott, Bert Remsen, Sarah Selby, Dick Whittinghill
• Director: James Neilson
• Production Company: Walt Disney Productions, distributed by Buena Vista Distribution
• Trivia: Based on Robert Buckner’s 1960 novel Starfire. The film’s premiere was held on February 9, 1962. Sally Field makes her film debut as one of the beatnik girls in the lineup. Jo Anne Worley (in her film debut) and Nancy Kulp appear in uncredited roles. Dany Saval’s American film debut.

1972

• No new films were released this week in 1972.

1982

Dino De Laurentiis Corporation

March 31 – Conan the Barbarian

• Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gerry Lopez, Sandahl Bergman, James Earl Jones, Max von Sydow, Mako Iwamatsu, William Smith, Sven-Ole Thorsen, Ben Davidson, Cassandra Gava, Valérie Quennessen, Jorge Sanz, Nadiuska
• Director: John Milius
• Production Company: Dino De Laurentiis Corporation, distributed by Universal Pictures (North America), 20th Century Fox (International)
• Trivia: Based on Robert E. Howard’s Conan. A Sneak Preview was held in the US on March 12, 1982. The film officially opened first in Italy on March 31. The film opened in Canada and the US on May 14, followed by the UK on August 26. The final screenplay took inspiration from the Howard stories, Seven Samurai (1954) and Kwaidan (1965). Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sandahl Bergman did their own stunts, as suitable body doubles couldn’t be found. Basil Poledouris made extensive use of Musync, a music and tempo editing hardware and software system which modified the tempo of his compositions and synchronized them with the action in the film. Conan was the first film to use the system. Bob Fosse recommended Bergman after working with her on All That Jazz. This was the last film released by a major studio with a mono soundtrack. Sean Connery was considered for the role of Thulsa Doom.

March 31 – L’Étoile du Nord

• Cast: Simone Signoret, Philippe Noiret, Fanny Cottençon, Julie Jézéquel, Gamil Ratib
• Director: Pierre Granier-Deferre
• Production Company: Sara Films, Films A2, distributed by Parafrance Films
• Trivia: Based on a novel by Georges Simenon. The film was released in France on March 31, 1982. It did not get a US release until June 12, 1983. Won César Awards for Best Adaptation and Best Supporting Actress.

April 2 – Cat People

• Cast: Nastassja Kinski, Malcolm McDowell, John Heard, Annette O’Toole, Ruby Dee, Ed Begley Jr., Scott Paulin, Frankie Faison, Lynn Lowry, John Larroquette, Tessa Richarde, Meshach Taylor, Berry Berenson, Pui Fan Lee, Ray Wise, Stocker Fontelieu
• Director: Paul Schrader
• Production Company: RKO Pictures, distributed by Universal Pictures
• Trivia: Remake of the 1942 RKO film of the same name. The film was released in the UK on September 23, 1982. Malcolm McDowell has stated the scene of him jumping on a bed like a cat was filmed with him jumping off the bed and projected in reverse. The film received Golden Globe nominations for Best Original Score and Best Original Song. The scene of Annette O’Toole being stalked at the swimming pool is the one direct reference to the original film. Final film of Berry Berenson, who retired from acting to focus on her family life. Sadly, she died on September 11, 2001, a passenger on Flight 11 that struck the World Trade Center.

April 2 – Pandemonium

• Cast: Tom Smothers, Carol Kane, Paul Reubens, Eve Arden, Candice Azzara, Eileen Brennan, Judge Reinhold, Kaye Ballard, Donald O’Connor, Tab Hunter, David L. Lander, Phil Hartman, Debralee Scott, Marc McClure
• Director: Alfred Sole
• Production Company: United Artists, Krost/Chapin Productions, TMC Venture, distributed by MGM/UA Entertainment Company
• Trivia: The film went into production under the title Thursday the 12th. It was changed after Saturday the 14th was rushed into production. Final film of Eve Arden. The last feature film Alfred Sole directed.

1992

April 3 – Beethoven

• Cast: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Dean Jones, Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah Rose Karr, Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, David Duchovny, Patricia Heaton, Laurel Cronin, Nancy Fish, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Richard Portnow
• Director: Brian Levant
• Production Company: Northern Lights Entertainment, distributed by Universal Pictures
• Trivia: The film also opened in Canada on April 3, followed by the UK on July 24. Screenwriter Edmond Dantès was a pseudonym for John Hughes. The dog that played Beethoven was named Chris and had 12 doubles. Steve Martin was the first choice to play George Newton. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s film debut. Nicholle Tom’s debut. Dean Jones, who played the evil vet in this movie, voiced George Newton in the short-lived Beethoven cartoon.

April 3 – Straight Talk

• Cast: Dolly Parton, James Woods, Griffin Dunne, Michael Madsen, Philip Bosco, Jerry Orbach, Deirdre O’Connell, John Sayles, Teri Hatcher, Spalding Gray, Amy Morton, Charles Fleischer, Keith MacKechnie, Jay Thomas, Paula Newsome, Tracy Letts, John Gegenhuber
• Director: Barnet Kellman
• Production Company: Hollywood Pictures, distributed by Buena Vista Pictures
• Trivia: The film was released in the UK on June 12, 1992. The vast majority of the film was shot in historic downtown Lemont, Illinois. Dolly Parton composed ten original songs for the film’s soundtrack. Ron Livingston’s feature film debut. First credited feature film appearance of Jeff Garlin.

April 3 – Thunderheart

• Cast: Val Kilmer, Sam Shepard, Graham Greene, Fred Ward, Fred Thompson, Sheila Tousey, Ted Thin Elk, John Trudell, Julius Drum, Sarah Brave, Allan R.J. Joseph, Sylvan Pumpkin Seed, Patrick Massett, Rex Linn, Brian A. O’Meara
• Director: Michael Apted
• Production Company: Tribeca Productions, Waterhorse Productions, distributed by TriStar Pictures
• Trivia: The film was released in the UK on October 16, 1992. Loosely based fictional portrayal of events relating to the Wounded Knee incident in 1973.

2002

April 5 – 24 Hour Party People

• Cast: Steve Coogan, Paddy Considine, Danny Cunningham, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, Andy Serkis, John Simm
• Director: Michael Winterbottom
• Production Company: United Artists, FilmFour, Revolution Films, Baby Cow Productions, UK Film Council, The Film Consortium, distributed by Pathé Distribution
• Trivia: The film’s UK premiere was held on February 13, 2002. The film was screened at Cannes on May 18, and at the Seattle International Film Festival on May 31 before opening in limited US release on August 9. The film was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival. Morrissey refused to allow The Smiths’ music to be used in the film, due to a dispute with Factory Records and Tony Wilson. Over 200 hours of footage were shot. Christopher Eccleston has an unbilled cameo.

2012

Relativity Media

March 30 – Mirror Mirror

• Cast: Lily Collins, Julia Roberts, Armie Hammer, Nathan Lane, Mare Winningham, Michael Lerner, Sean Bean, Danny Woodburn, Martin Klebba, Sebastian Saraceno, Jordan Prentice, Mark Povinelli, Frank Welker
• Director: Tarsem Singh
• Production Company: Relativity Media, Yucaipa Films, Goldmann Pictures, Rat Entertainment, Misha Films, Mel’s Cité du Cinéma, Misher Films, distributed by Relativity Media
• Trivia: Based on the fairy tale Snow White collected by the Brothers Grimm. The film opened in several European and Middle Eastern markets between March 16 and March 29, 2012, ahead of the US and Canada release on March 30, and the April 2 UK release. The film was Oscar nominated for Costume Design. Saoirse Ronan was considered for the role of Snow White but the age difference between her and Armie Hammer was too great. The was the last film for costume designer Eiko Ishioka.

March 30 – Wrath of the Titans

• Cast: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Rosamund Pike, Toby Kebbell, Bill Nighy, Édgar Ramírez, Danny Huston, Lily James
• Director: Jonathan Liebesman
• Production Company: Legendary Pictures, Thunder Road Pictures, Cott Productions, Furia de Titanes II A.I.E., distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures
• Trivia: The film premiered in Buenos Aires on March 28, 2012, and opened in several international markets on March 29 ahead of the US, Canada and UK release on March 30. Sequel to the 2010 film Clash of the Titans, and set ten years after that film. Rosamund Pike replaced Alexa Davalos from Clash of the Titans as Andromeda. Shipped to theaters under the code name Torn Between. A third film, Revenge of the Titans, was planned but scrapped due to the poor critical and box office reception of this film.

March 30 – Heleno

• Cast: Rodrigo Santoro, Angie Cepeda, Alinne Moraes, Erom Cordeiro, Othon Bastos
• Director: José Henrique Fonseca
• Production Company: Downtown Filmes, Goritzia Filmes, distributed by Screen Media Films
• Trivia: The film screened at TIFF on September 12, 2011. It was released in Brazil on March 30, 2012, and opened in New York City on December 7. The film was produced in black and white.