The Movies (2019): Season 1, Episode 6 - The Golden Age - full transcript

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LET’S GO TO THE MOVIES.

FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY,
THESE WORDS HAVE MEANT AN

INVITATION TO MAGIC.
THE MAGIC OF MOVING PICTURES.



THE SPINNING OF DREAMS IN A
DARKENED THEATER.

FOR THREE DECADES, THE DREAMS
WERE SILENT ONES.

THE MAGIC OF MOVEMENT ALONE.
THEN SUDDENLY, ON A NIGHT IN

OCTOBER 1927, A VOICE WAS HEARD
FROM THE SCREEN.

PROCLAIMING A FABULOUS ERA IN
HOLLYWOOD.

THE NIGHT THE MOVIES BECAME THE
TALKIES WITH THE PREMIERE OF A

JAZZ SINGER AND THE VOICE OF AL
JOLSON.

IT’S INTERESTING THE FIRST
SOUND MOTION PICTURE WAS A

MUSICAL IN WHICH AL JOLSON ONLY
SANG AND THE REASON FOR THAT IS

THEY SAID, WELL, WHO WANTS TO
HEAR ACTORS TALK.

MOST OF THE RUNNING TIME IT’S
A SILENT FILM USING TITLES WITH

AN ORCHESTRA SCORE.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE THE

ORCHESTRA STOPS AND JOLSON POPS
UP AND STARTS SINGING.

♪ WONDERFUL TALES ARE ALWAYS
HARD TO FIND ♪



♪ SOME FOLKS HAVE ONE
SOME FOLKS HAVE NONE ♪

JOLSON ALWAYS TALKED TO HIS
AUDIENCE.

HE WAS KNOWN FOR HIS PATTER.
AND SPECIFICALLY, HIS CATCH

PHRASE WHICH HE’D BEEN SAYING
SINCE 1906.

YOU AIN’T HEARD NOTHING YET.
WAIT A MINUTE.

YOU AIN’T HEARD NOTHING.
HE SAID THAT WHEN THEY WERE

RECORDING THE AUDIO SO THE FIRST
WORDS WE HEAR IN DIALOGUE IN A

FILM WERE, YOU AIN’T HEARD
NOTHING YET.

THE FIRST FULL TALKING
FEATURE, "LIGHTS OF NEW YORK,"

IS A VERY DULL PSEUDOGANGSTER
FILM WITH PEOPLE YOU’VE NEVER

HEARD OF SITTING AROUND A TABLE
AND A TELEPHONE IN THE MIDDLE

WHERE, OBVIOUSLY, THE MICROPHONE
EXISTS.

AND THEY’RE ALL LEANING TOWARD
IT.

TAKE HIM FOR A RIDE.
OH.

AND THE FILM CAME OUT, AND IT
JUST BLEW THE ROOF OFF.

AND NOBODY COULD FIGURE IT OUT
BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNEW IT WAS A

TERRIBLE MOVIE.
THE ONLY THING THAT COULD

POSSIBLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT
KIND OF PUBLIC RESPONSE WAS THE

FACT THAT IT WAS ALL TALKING.
SO THAT’S THE MOVIE THAT REALLY

CHANGED THE EQUATION.
ACTRESSES AND ACTORS IN THE

SILENT PERIOD HAD TO LOOK A
CERTAIN WAY.

YOU GET SOUND AND A LOT OF THOSE
PEOPLE ARE PUT OUT OF A JOB IF

THEY DON’T SOUND THE RIGHT WAY.
I DON’T MIND IF YOU CLOSE

THAT DOOR.
I LIKE THEM OPEN.

THEY’RE EASIER TO GET OUT
THROUGH.

JOHN GILL BERT WAS HAVING
TROUBLE IN SOUND AND HIS FILMS

WEREN’T MAKING MONEY.
A VERY BIG STAR.

I WAS WALKING UP AND DOWN.
MADE ONE OR TWO TALKIES.

QUIT THE BUSINESS.
THE VERY LAST SILENT FILM MGM

MADE CALLED "THE KISS" WAS A
GRETA GARBO FILM.

THEY WERE AFRAID THEIR BIGGEST
STAR WOULD LOSE THEIR AUDIENCE

WHEN THEY HEARD HER SPEAK WITH
HER SWEDISH ACCENT.

IT WAS CALLED ANNA CHRISTIE AND
GARBO TALKS WAS THE TAG LINE.

EVERYONE WAS EXCITED TO HEAR
WHAT SHE’D SOUND LIKE, AND SHE

DIDN’T DISAPPOINT.
IF YOU LOOK AT THAT FAMOUS SCENE

IN THE BARKS THERE’S A GOOD 20
SECONDS OF NO MUSIC, NO

DIALOGUE, NO NOTHING, AND IT
REALLY BUILDS THE SUSPENSE.

GIVE ME A WHISKEY.
GIVE ME A WHISKEY, BABY.

GRETA GARBO WAS FULL OF
MYSTERY AND BEAUTY AND TALENT.

SHE JUST DIDN’T TRY SO MUCH.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?

SHE WAS COOL.
♪

MGM WAS SORT OF LIKE THE
HARVARD OF HOLLYWOOD.

IT WAS THE PLACE THAT EVERY STAR
WANTED TO GRADUATE TO.

IT HAD GARBO.
IT HAD GABEL, SPENCER TRACY.

IT OFFERED TO THE PUBLIC A SENSE
OF ESCAPE INTO A WORLD OF CLASS

AND REFINEMENT.
ON THE OTHER HAND, UNIVERSAL

PICTURES WAS CONSTANTLY ON THE
FINANCIAL SHOALS THROUGHOUT THE

1930s.
THEY COULDN’T AFFORD MOVIE

STARS.
AND THE STRATEGY IS FINALLY

SETTLED ON WAS MAKING HORROR
MOVIES.

I AM DRACULA.
THE UNIVERSAL HORROR MOVIES

ARE PRIMAL.
THEY JUST DRIPING WITH

ATMOSPHERE.
LOOK AT DRACULA.

THE LOOK OF IT IS PART OF THE
ENERGY OF IT.

PART OF THE CHARACTER.
IT’S PART OF THE VIBE.

THE SPIDER IS SPINNING HIS
WEB FOR THE FLY.

THE BLOOD IS DELIGHT.
I LOVE DRACULA.

IT GETS BETTER EVERY TIME I
WATCH IT.

LEGOSI IS ACTING ON THIS OTHER
LEVEL.

THE WHOLE PACE OF THE SCENE
REVOLVES AROUND HIM.

HE SUCKS ALL THE AIR OUT OF THE
ROOM IN A GOOD WAY.

WHEN "DRACULA" BECAME SUCH A
BOX OFFICE HIT, THEY WENT, OH,

THAT WORKED.
WHAT ELSE IS OUT THERE?

IN THE NAME OF GOD - -
I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO

BE GOD.
IT WAS JAMES WELLS’

"FRANKENSTEIN" THAT MADE ME WANT
TO MAKE MOVIES.

I REMEMBER SEEING THE BURNING
WINDMILL SEQUENCE.

I WAS 6 YEARS OLD.
AND FROM THAT POINT OIN, I WANTE

TO MAKE FILMS.
THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN.

EVERYBODY MADE HORROR
PICTURES BUT WHAT WAS UNIQUE

ABOUT UNIVERSAL’S WAS THE CARE
WITH WHICH THEY WERE MADE, PLUS,

THEY MADE A LOT AND HAD BIG
SUCCESS.

A LITTLE BIT OF AN UNDERDOG
STUDIO.

AND THEN DAVID SELSNIK CAME IN
AND HAD A REAL SENSE OF WHAT

AUDIENCES WANTED AND GAVE THEM
"KING KONG."

"KING KONG" WAS ONE OF MY
EARLY TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES AT

THE MOVIES.
I REMEMBER CLOSING ALL OF MY

BLINDS IN OUR HOUSE BECAUSE OF
THE ONE SCENE WHERE KING KONG

LOOKS INTO THE WINDOW AND FINDS
FAYE RAY AND HIS HAND COMES IN

AND ABDUCTS HER.
WATCHING "KING KONG" WHEN I WAS

A KID WAS AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN AROUND A

STOP-MOTION PUPPET AND MOVED IT
ONE FRAME AT A TIME, THERE’S

SOMETHING QUITE MAGICAL ABOUT
THAT.

THAT’S WHY THAT FORM OF
ANIMATION HAS ALWAYS BEEN SO

INSPIRATIONAL TO ME.
DO YOU KNOW WHO SNUCK INTO MY

STATE ROOM AT 3:00?
NOBODY.

THAT’S THE PROBLEM.
THE MARX BROTHERS CHANGED

AMERICAN HUMOR.
THE JOKES WERE LIKE HITTING.

AND THEY STILL HIT.
YOU WATCH THEM OVER GENERATIONS.

THE STUFF IS REALLY STILL THAT
FUNNY.

GROUCHO IS LIKE THE SMART
COMEDY.

CHICO IS THE DUMB COMEDY.
IT’S LIKE SUCH A GREAT VARIETY

PACK.
THIS WAS ESCAPISM FOR

DEPRESSION-ERA AUDIENCES.
ALMOST ALL OF THEIR FILMS ARE

ABOUT THIS GROUP OF WORKING
CLASS COMEDIANS TAKING ON AN

INSTITUTION OF GREAT DIGNITY AND
RESPECT.

THE ART WORLD AND ANIMAL
CRACKERS, UNIVERSITY IN HORSE

FEATHERS.
AN OPERA HOUSE IN "A NIGHT AT

THE OPERA," THE ENTIRE SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT IN "DUCK SOUP."

♪ WE’RE IN THE MONEY
WE’RE IN THE MONEY ♪

WE’VE GOT A LOT OF WHAT IT TAKES
TO GET ALONG ♪

TOTALLY A FAN.
HIS WARNER BROTHERS MUSICALS

WERE THE BEST.
THEY WERE REAL.

THEY WERE ABOUT WOMEN WORKING
AND SHOW BUSINESS, TRYING TO GET

A JOB DURING THE DEPRESSION.
REMEMBER MY FORGOTTEN MAN?

ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE
NUMBERS IS "REMEMBER MY

FORGOTTEN MAN" WITH JOAN
BLONDELL.

IT’S JUST HEARTBREAKING WITH ALL
THE SOLDIERS ON THE BIG ARCHWAY,

AND IT’S JUST BRILLIANT.
BUSBY BIRKLEY JUST BLEW PEOPLE’S

MINDS.
HE TURNED MUSICAL FROM THIS

BLACK FACING DANCE NUMBER TO A
KALEIDOSCOPE.

HE ACTUALLY BUILT SPECIAL HOLES
IN THE SOUND STAGE TO REALLY

FILM DOWN.
BUS BERKELEY KNEW IT WAS A

MEDIUM.
THEY’D HAVE THE SETS MOVE WITH

THE CHOREOGRAPHY.
IT’S AMAZING.

♪ NOTHING’S IMPOSSIBLE I HAVE
FOUND ♪

WHEN MY CHIN IS ON THE GROUND
I PICK MYSELF UP

DUST MYSELF OFF AND START ALL
OVER AGAIN ♪

MY FATHER WAS UNDER CONTRACT
AT RKO, AND THEY ASKED HIM TO

MAKE A MUSICAL.
I THINK WHAT HE BROUGHT TO A

STAIR IN ROGERS WAS A
BELIEVABILITY.

♪ START ALL OVER AGAIN ♪
SEEING THAT FILM DURING THE

DEPRESSION WHERE PEOPLE ARE
SURROUNDED BY HOPELESSNESS WHEN

THEY SEE THIS BUOYANT AND
BRILLIANT AND COMIC NUMBER THAT

WOULD HAVE BEEN THE MOST
SATISFYING EXPERIENCE.

PICK YOURSELF UP.
THE HABTS OF MOVIE GOING IN

THE ’30s WERE DIFFERENT FROM
TODAY.

THEY DIDN’T JUST COME FOR ONE
PICTURE.

THERE WAS A B PICTURE, A NEWS
REEL, A SHORT AND A CARTOON.

WALT DISNEY WHO CREATED MICKEY
MOUSE, HE WAS A VISIONARY.

AND HE GOT THIS IDEA, MAYBE I’LL
MAKE A FEATURE LENGTH CARTOON.

NO ONE EVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS.
THEY THOUGHT HE WAS OUT OF HIS

MIND.
NO ONE HAD EVER ATTEMPTED

THIS BEFORE.
AND THE ATTEMPT IS DIFFICULT FOR

US TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE IT
ISN’T JUST MAKING FEATURE

ANIMATION.
IT IS TO SEE IF AN AUDIENCE

WOULD CARE ABOUT DRAWINGS.
"SNOW WHITE" IS BASED ON A

EUROPEAN FAIRYTALE, BUT IT’S NOT
A CHILDREN’S PICTURE.

IT WAS INTENDED FOR A MIXED
AUDIENCE OF ADULTS AND KIDS.

GOOD-BYE.
GOOD-BYE.

WALT WAS NOT AFRAID TO HAVE
DRAMATIC POWER.

I CAN’T DO IT.
HE WAS NOT AFRAID TO GO

THERE.
NOT AFRAID TO HAVE SCENES THAT

WOULD BE SCARY, TRAUMATIC EVEN.
PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED TO FIND

OUT THAT THEY WERE GENUINELY
AFRAID IN THE SCARY PARTS AND

GENUINELY MOVED WHEN SNOW WHITE
IS UNDER THE SLEEPING DEATH

BECAUSE OF THE TENDERNESS OF THE
ANIMATION.

GROWN ADULTS WEPT AT THE
PREMIERE.

SO DISNEY DID EVERYTHING THAT
THEY SAID COULDN’T BE DONE.

IT WAS A GIANT HIT.
WAY SURPASSED EXPECTATIONS AND

ALLOWED WALT TO REALLY BUILD THE
STUDIO.

EVERY ANIMATED FEATURE WE
HAVE TODAY, IT ALL STEMS FROM

"SNOW WHITE." WITHOUT "SNOW
WHITE" NONE OF THIS WOULD EXIST.

RED, THIS CAN’T GO ON.
WHY?

I LOVE MY WIFE.
I’VE NEVER LOVED ANYBODY ELSE.

WE’VE BEEN SWEETHEARTS SINCE WE
WERE KIDS.

BUT SHE DOESN’T NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT US.

BETWEEN 1930 AND 193 4,
FILMMAKERS WERE FREE TO EXPLORE

SUBJECTS LIKE SEX AND VIOLENCE.
WHAT YOU GET IS SOME FASCINATING

FEMALE CHARACTERS WHO WERE
SEXUALLY LIBERATED.

IT’S QUITE SHOCKING TO SEE WHAT
THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH.

I ALWAYS DID LIKE A MAN IN
UNIFORM.

THAT ONE FITS YOU GRAND.
WHY DON’T YOU COME AND SEE ME

SOME TIME.
MAE WEST WAS NOT AFRAID TO

OWN HER STATUS AS A SEX SYMBOL.
SHE WAS INCREDIBLY INTELLIGENT

AND WROTE ALL HER OWN FILMS.
SHE STARRED WITH CARY GRANT.

SHE LOVED HIS VOICE.
THAT HELPED HIM TO BECOME A

LEADING MAN.
TONIGHT YOU WERE ESPECIALLY

GOOD.
WHEN I’M GOOD, I’M VERY GOOD.

BUT WHEN I’M BAD, I’M BETTER.
HER FILMS WERE INCREDIBLY

SUCCESSFUL, BUT THE CATHOLIC
LEGION OF DECENCY, THE MORAL

GROUPS WERE NOT HAPPY AT ALL.
THEY WERE PETITIONING THE

GOVERNMENT TO STEP IN AND START
ENFORCING CENSORSHIP IF THE

STUDIOS DIDN’T DO IT THEMSELVES.
HOLLYWOOD IS TRYING TO FIGURE

OUT HOW TO DEAL WITH THE
PRESSURE THEY’RE GETTING BECAUSE

OF MAE WEST.
BECAUSE OF ALL OF THESE EARLY

GANGSTER FILMS LIKE "LITTLE
SEGAR" AND "PUBLIC ENEMY" AND

"SCARFACE."
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN AS A

RESULT IS HOLLYWOOD WOULD CREATE
THE CODE ADMINISTRATION IN ’34

TO REIGN IT IN.
WHAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS MORE

THAN A GOOD FIVE-CENT CIGAR IS
CLEAN ROLLICKING COMEDY.

NEXT TIME YOU DROP IN, BRING
YOUR FOLKS.

THE 1934, THE BEGINNINGS OF
THE SCREWBALL COMEDY COME UP.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT.
PITS CLARK GABLE AGAINST CLAUDET

COLBERT.
A SPOILED HEIRESS WHO HAS RUN

AWAY FROM HER DAD.
WHEN YOU GET THE CODE WHICH

MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHOW
PEOPLE IN BED TOGETHER, YOU HAVE

TO INVENT.
YOU’LL NOT GIVE UP ON SEX BUT

YOU HAVE TO TALK AROUND IT.
YOU CREATE AN INTRIGUE.

IT CREATED BANTER.
THAT, I SUPPOSE, MAKES

EVERYTHING QUITE ALL RIGHT.
OH, THIS?

WELL, I LIKE PRIVACY WHEN I
RETIRE.

I’M VERY DELICATE IN THAT
RESPECT.

PRYING EYES ANNOY ME.
"IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT" IS

GENIUS.
THE WALLS OF JERICHO SCENE SAY

CLASSIC FOR ANYONE THAT WANTS TO
DIRECT ROMANTSIC COMEDIES.

THE WALLS OF JERICHO WILL
PROTECT YOU FROM THE BIG, BAD

WOLF.
IT PUSHED HIM TO CREATE AN

EVEN BETTER, IN MANY WAYS,
SEXIER SCENE.

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT WAS SO
SUCCESSFUL WINNING FIVE ACADEMY

AWARDS.
ALL THE MAJOR CALIFORNIAS AND IT

KICKED OFF THE WHOLE IDEA THAT
WE SHOULD ALL BE MAKING

SCREWBALL COMEDIES.
CAN’T BE SEEN TALKING TO THIS

MAN.
WHAT WILL THEY THINK?

GODFREY IS GOING TO BE OUR
BUTLER.

THEY WERE PARTICULARLY
POPULAR IN THE ’30s BECAUSE OF

THE DEPRESSION.
YOU SAW GENERALLY WEALTHY

PEOPLE, OR PEOPLE WELL OFF
MAKING FOOLS OF THEMSELVES.

JUST LEAVE EVERYTHING TO
GODFREY.

THE PHRASE SCREWBALL CAME
FROM A REVIEW IN "VARIETY" OF

CAROLE LOMBARD’S SCREWBALL
PERFORMANCE IN "MY MAN GODFREY."

FORGET THAT YOU HAVE ANY
SENSE.

GODFREY, DON’T GO AWAY.
OH, YOU - - NOW I KNOW YOU LOVE

ME.
I DO NOT LOVE YOU AND YOU’RE

GETTING ME ALL WET.
WHAT’S THE MEANING OF THIS?

GODFREY LOVES ME.
HE PUT ME IN THE SHOWER.

SHE WAS EXTRAORDINARY.
SHE PLAYED A LOT OF KUKINESS BUT

SHE HAD LOGIC TO HER HUMOR.
YOUR TIMING CAN’T BE LIKE THAT

UNLESS YOU’RE VERY, VERY CLEVER.
THE TRICK WAS THAT THE

LEADING CHARACTERS DID
SLAPSTICK.

ONE OF MY FAVORITES IS "THE
AWFUL TRUTH."

♪
IT WAS KIND OF THE FIRST REAL

CARY GRANT PERFORMANCE.
WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?

THE FOLLOWING YEAR HE DID
"BRINGING UP BABY."

THE EPITOME OF SCREWBALL COMEDY.
DISCOVERING THE ROMANTIC

COMEDIES OF THE ’30s AND ’40s,
THAT REALLY TOOK OVER MY LIFE

FOR A LONG TIME.
THE "PHILADELPHIA STORY" IS ONE

OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES.
HELLO.

FANCY SEEING YOU.
THREE OF THE MOST IMPECCABLE

ACTORS IN A MOVIE TOGETHER.
CINDERELLA’S SLIPPER.

IT’S CALLHAMPAGNE.
IT’S A GREAT LEVELLER.

JIMMY STEWART’S DRUNKEN SCENE
IS ONE OF THE ALL-TIME GREAT

DRUNKEN PERFORMANCES.
HE’S JUST SO CONVINCING.

AND IT’S JUST SO FUNNY AND
BEAUTIFUL AND YOU ROOT FOR THIS

ONE AND THEN YOU ROOT FOR THAT
ONE.

IT GIVES YOU EVERYTHING YOU
COULD EVER WANT FROM A MOVIE.

I KNOW YOU ANY TIME, ANY
PLACE.

ANYWHERE.
YOU’RE REPEATING YOURSELF.

THAT’S THE SPEECH YOU MADE THE
NIGHT ROWYOU PROPOSED.

OF COURSE I REMEMBER IT.
IF I DIDN’T REMEMBER YOU, I’D

HAVE DIVORCED YOU.
MORE WORDS PER SQUARE INCH IN

"HIS GIRL FRIDAY."
I IMAGINE THE SCRIPT IS PROBABLY

THAT THICK AND ROSLYN RUSSELL
CLEARLY WAS THE BEST AT IT.

LISTEN, WALTZER - -
I MADE A GREAT REPORTER OUFTS

YOU - -
YOU WON’T BE - -

♪
MANY OF THESE FILMS THAT YOU

GET IN HOLLYWOOD IN THE ’30s
SHOWCASE SOME OF THE TOP BLACK

PERFORMERS OF THAT ERA.
SO YOU GET THE NICHOLAS

BROTHERS, FOR INSTANCE, OR BILL
BOROBINSON.

MANY PEOPLE FOUND THEM
ENTERTAINING BUT THESE BLACK

CHARACTERS WERE OFTEN
STEREOTYPICAL AND PROBLEMATIC.

♪ HALLELUJAH ♪
HATTIE McDANIEL WAS KNOWN FOR

PLAYING MAMIE-TYPE ROLES.
YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN UNDER THE

IMPRESSION THAT YOU IS A ONE-MAN
WOMAN.

I AM.
ONE MAN AT A TIME.

FIGURES LIKE THE NANNY WERE
REALLY RACIAL CARICATURES.

WHAT A MAMIE ON THE PLANTATION
WOULD HAVE BEEN.

THEY DON’T HAVE MUCH AGENCY.
THEY EXIST AS THE BACKDROP FOR

THE NARRATIVE WORLD THAT THE
WHITE CHARACTERS LIVE IN.

TRY AND FIND OUT WHAT HE
WANTS.

THOSE IMAGES WERE DAMAGING
BUT SHE DIDN’T CREATE THEM.

THEY WERE CREATED BY THE WHITE
PEOPLE WHO CONTROL HOLLYWOOD.

I BELIEVE YOU’RE THE LAZYIEST
MAN THAT EVER LIVED ON THIS

RIVER.
THAT’S SAYING A WHOLE LOT.

PAUL ROBESON WAS ALWAYS
BIGGER THAN THE MATERIAL HE WAS

GIVEN.
♪ OLD MAN RIVER ♪

♪ THAT OLD MAN RIVER ♪
IN "SHOW BOAT" HE WAS ABLE TO

CHANGE "OLD MAN RIVER" INTO
SOMETHING MUCH MORE COMPLEX AND

ULTIMATELY MUCH MORE CRITICAL OF
THE RACISM THAT CHARACTER IS

EXPERIENCING.
♪

♪ AND YOU’LL LAND IN JAIL ♪
OSCAR MICHELLE WAS ONE OF THE

PIONEERS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN
CINEMA.

HE WAS PART OF A GENRE KNOWN AS
THE RACE FILM.

AND RACE FILMS WERE MADE SINCE
THE BEGINNING OF THE BIRTH FILM,

BY BLACK FILMMAKERS FOR BLACK
AUDIENCES.

IN THE VERY EARLY DAYS OF
CINEMA, IT’S EASIER, NOT ONLY

FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS, BUT ALSO
FOR WOMEN TO GET INTO THE

INDUSTRY.
IT WAS CONSIDERED THE NORM TO

HAVE WOMEN IN ALL LEVELS OF
HOLLYWOOD.

THEY WERE DRCTSIRECTORS.
HALF OF ALL FILMS WRITTEN

BETWEEN 1912 AND 1921 WERE
WRITTEN BY WOMEN.

WE AIN’T TELLING NOBODY UNTIL
WE GET READY TO MAKE THE BREAK

OUTSIDE OF YOU.
"THE BIG HOUSE" WAS ONE OF

TWO FILMS THAT FRANCIS MARION
WON HER OSCARS FOR.

THE OTHER FILM, OF COURSE, IS
"THE CHAMP."

I THINK THAT’S ENOUGH FOR
TODAY, DON’T YOU?

SHE WAS INCREDIBLY PROLIFIC.
SHE HAS A HUGE FILMOGRAPHY.

SHE MADE FILMS IN GENRES YOU
MIGHT THINK OF AS MASCULINE.

AS THE FILM INDUSTRY
CONSOLIDATED INTO STUDIOS, BOTH

WOMEN AND AFRICAN-AMERICANS ARE
BEING PUSHED OUT AS SHAPERS BILL

MAKERS.
AND A STUDIO SYSTEM THAT’S

ORGANIZED AROUND STARS AND WOMEN
BECOME THE OBJECTS OF THAT

COMODIFICATION.
WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEONE LIKE

MARLENA DIETRICH COME FROM
GERMANY, SHE HAS TO REPRESENT

THE EXOTIC, THE OTHER, THE
UNKNOWN.

♪
HER GREAT APPEAL IS HER FABULOUS

ANDROGENY.
EVERYBODY SEEMS TO LIKE THAT

ABOUT HER.
SHE’S PLAYING A CABARET

SINGER DRESSED IN A TOP HAT AND
TAILS WHICH HAD BECOME AN ICONIC

OUTFIT SHE WORE IN PERFORMANCES
FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE.

SHE TAKES THIS YOUNG WOMAN FROM
THE AUDIENCE AND GIVES THE WOMAN

A KISS RIGHT ON THE LIPS.
PARTICULARLY IN THE FILMS SHE

MADE, MOROCCO, BLOND VENUS, THE
DEVIL IS A WOMAN," ALMOST

NOTHING HAPPENED IN THESE
MOVIES.

THEY WERE NONNARRATIVE.
JUST STAGING THIS SPECTACLE OF

DESIRE AND BEAUTY.
IN THE 1930s, IT WAS

ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 70% OF A
MOVIE-GOING AUDIENCE WAS FEMALE.

AND THE MORE WOMEN IN THE
AUDIENCE YOU GET, THE MORE THEY

CRAVE STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS.
THESE FEMALE MOVIE STARS

REALLY RULED THE BOX OFFICE.
AND OFTEN WERE GETTING PAID MUCH

MORE THAN THEIR MALE
COUNTERPARTS.

WOULDN’T YOU LIKE SOMEONE TO
BE IN LOVE WITH YOU?

YES, GABRIELLE.
I WOULD LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE

WITH ME.
DO YOU THINK I’M ATTRACTIVE?

THERE ARE BETTER WORDS THAN
THAT FOR WHAT YOU ARE.

ALTHOUGH IT MAY SEEM ABSURD
TO US IN HER TIME, BETTE DAVIS

WAS CONSIDERED NOT PRETTY.
SHE HAD THIS SORT OF UNUSUAL

FACE WITH THE SLIGHTLY
PROTRUDING EYES BUT SO LITTLE

VANITY AS AN ACTRESS AND UTTER
OPENNESS TO PLAYING UNLIKABLE

CHARACTERS.
HERE SHE WAS A YOUNG ACTRESS

TRYING TO ESTABLISH HERSELF AS A
STAR.

AND SHE INSISTS ON DOING OF
HUMAN BONDAGE, WHERE SHE PLAYS

THE WORST PERSON WHO EVER LIVED.
I NEVER CARED FOR YOU NOT

ONCE.
I WAS ALWAYS MAKING A FOOL OF

YOU.
YOU BORED ME STIFF.

I HATED YA.
IT MADE ME SICK WHEN I HAD TO

LET YOU KISS ME.
I ONLY DID IT BECAUSE YOU BEGGED

ME.
YOU HOUNDED ME AND DROVE ME

CRAZY.
AND AFTER YOU KISSED ME, I

ALWAYS USED TO WIPE MY MOUTH.
WIPE MY MOUTH!

BETTE DAVIS GIVES THIS
INCREDIBLE PERFORMANCE IN "OF

HUMAN BONDAGE."
DOESN’T EVEN GET NOMINATED.

SO THE NEXT YEAR SHE WINS FOR
"DANGEROUS" AND THAT’S SORT OF

CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FIRST
CONSOLATION PRIZE OSCARS.

EVERYBODY REALIZES WE SHOULD
HAVE GIVEN IT TO YOU LAST YEAR.

SHE BECOMES THE FIRST ACTRESS TO
GET FIVE BEST ACTRESS

NOMINATIONS IN A ROW.
SHE IS MERYL STREEP OF THE

PRE-WORLD WAR II PERIOD,
BASICALLY.

THE WOMEN’S PICTURE WAS A
REALLY GREAT ALMOST GENRE OF

FILMS THAT LASTED FROM 1930
THROUGH THE 1950s.

IT ENCOMPASSED SO MANY DIFFERENT
GENRES WITHIN, BUT IT ALWAYS HAD

A WOMAN AT THE CENTER OF IT.
MAY I SUGGEST IF YOU ARE

DRESSING TO PLEASE STEVEN NOT
THAT ONE.

HE DOESN’T LIKE SUCH OBVIOUS
EFFECTS.

THANKS FOR THE TIP.
BUT WHEN ANYTHING I WEAR DOESN’T

PLEASE STEVEN, I TAKE IT OFF.
LOOK AT THE WOMEN AS SORT OF

THE APOTHIOSIS OF THE GENRE.
THERE WERE NO MEN IN THIS MOVIE.

NOT ONE SINGLE MAN IN THE FILM.
AND THEY MADE A HIT.

THERE’S A NAME FOR YOU
LADIES.

BUT IT IS NEWS IN HIGH SOCIETY,
OUTSIDE OF A KENNEL.

♪
MY MOTHER WAS TRULY A STAGE

MOTHER.
BUT A MEAN ONE.

I DIDN’T FEEL GOOD IF I WAS
SICK TO MY TUMMY.

GET OUT AND SING OR I’LL WRAP
YOU AROUND THE BED POST AND

BREAK YOU OFF SHORT.
SO I’D GO OUT AND SING ♪.

♪ SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW
WAY UP HIGH ♪

ONE OF THE PRECEPTS FOR A
STORY MUSICAL IS THAT THE SONG

HAS TO ADVANCE THE STORY.
A SONG LIKE "SOMEWHERE OVER THE

RAINBOW."
ALL THAT LONGING.

YOU KNOW THAT SHE’S GOT TO GO ON
A JOURNEY AFTER SHE SINGS A SONG

LIKE THAT.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, SHE

GETS TO GO SOME PLACE ELSE.
SHE’S TAKEN UP BY A TORNADO AND

LANDS IN THIS MAGICAL WORLD.
SHE DOESN’T KNOW THAT SHE’S IN

ANOTHER WORLD UNTIL SHE OPENS
THAT DOOR AND IT IS IN BEAUTIFUL

COLOR.
YOU CAN’T THINK ABOUT THE

WIZARD OF OZ WITHOUT THINKING
ABOUT THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.

THREE-STRIP TECHNICOLOR WHICH
HAD COLORS AMAZINGLY VIVID.

BECAUSE IT WAS A FANTASY, THE
COLORS DIDN’T HAVE TO BE

REALISTIC BUT VERY ALIVE AND
EXCITING.

THIS WAS ENTERTAINMENT THAT
PEOPLE HADN’T SEEN BEFORE.

♪ WE’RE OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD
THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ ♪

IT’S ASTONISHING WHAT THEY
WERE ABLE TO DO AND HOW POIGNANT

ALL OF THOSE PERFORMANCES ARE.
DON’T YOU THINK THE WIZARD

COULD HELP HIM, TOO?
I DON’T SEE WHY NOT.

JACK HALEY, RAY BOLGER AND
BRETT LAHR BROUGHT POIGNANCY TO

THESE CHARACTERS.
CLOSE YOUR EYES AND TAP YOUR

HEELS TOGETHER THREE TIMES.
IT WAS THE GREATEST

CHILDREN’S FILM OF ALL TIME THAT
PEOPLE CONSTANTLY RELATE TO.

THE IDEA OF LEAVING HOME AND
FINDING HOME AGAIN.

OH, AUNTIE EM, THERE’S NO
PLACE LIKE HOME.

"STAGE COACH" WAS ONE OF THE
DEFINING FILMS OF THE WESTERN

GENRE.
FORD BEGINS TO TURN AROUND THE

IDEA OF THE WESTERN AS A GOOD
HAT/BAD HAT INTO SOMETHING MORE

INTERESTING IN WHICH YOU’VE GOT
A REALLY UNIQUE AND DAMAGED SET

OF CHARACTERS.
YOU MUST WARN YOUR PASSENGERS

THEY TRAVEL AT THEIR OWN RISK.
THEIR OWN RISK?

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
GERONIMO.

GERONIMO?
WILL YOU SIT DOWN.

INSIDE THE STAGE COAST, EACH
PERSON IS ARCHETYPE.

THE SCARLET WOMAN WHO WAS ONCE A
GOOD PERSON BUT HAS CROSSED A

LINE.
THE GAMBLER, THE DRUNKEN DOCTOR.

THEY’RE ALL THROWN TOGETHER AND
HAVE TO STAY ALIVE, AND THEY

HAVE TO LEARN TO APPRECIATE THE
BEST IN EACH OTHER.

THE CAMERA RUSHES IN INTO
JOHN WAYNE’S FACE.

AND YOU CAN SEE A BEAD OF SWEAT
RUNNING DOWN HIS CHECK.

HELLO, CURLY.
YOU DON’T DO THAT SHOT IF

THAT ACTOR CAN’T DELIVER AS A
MOVIE STAR, AND HE DOES.

THEY USED TO SAY BEFORE THEY
MADE HIM A STAR BY NOT LETTING

HIM TALK.
BY JUST SHOWING HIS REACTIONS.

WHICH IS SOMEWHAT TRUE.
WAYNE SAID TO ME ONCE, I’M NOT

AN ACTION ACTOR.
I’M A REACTION ACTOR.

JOHN WAYNE HAS NEVER GOTTEN
ENOUGH CREDIT FOR BEING THE

GREAT ACTOR HE WAS.
THANKS.

THAT’S ALL I WANTED TO KNOW.
HE HAD A STYLE UNLIKE ANY

OTHER ACTOR BEFORE HIM OR AFTER
HIM.

♪
IN TERMS OF THE ACTION, THAT

WAS INCREDIBLE AT THAT TIME.
IT STILL IS PRETTY AMAZING.

THE APACHE THAT JUMPS ON THE
HORSE AND HE’S SHOT.

HE HAS TO RIDE UNDERNEATH IT.
THAT WAS ALL DONE IN REALTIME.

THIS HAD TO BE CAREFULLY
CHOREOGRAPHED.

VERY SOPHISTICATED.
"STAGECOACH" CAME OUT IN

1939, WHICH IS STILL CONSIDERED
THE GREATEST YEAR FOR FILM THAT

EVER WAS.
LOOK, LOOK, THERE IT IS.

BOOM.
WHAT?

CAPITOL DOME.
YES, SIR.

BIG AS LIFE.
BEEN THERE A LONG TIME NOW.

YES, SIR.
THIS WAY, SENATOR.

"MR. SMITH GOES TO
WASHINGTON" IS POLITICAL PARABLE

ABOUT AN IDEALISTIC YOUNG MAN
PLAYED BY JIMMY STEWART.

HE GETS TO WASHINGTON, AND HE
FINDS THIS KIND OF CORRUPT

MACHINE THAT WE FEAR IS GOING TO
EAT HIM UP.

THIS IS A MAN’S WORLD.
IT’S A BRUTAL WORLD, AND YOU

HAVE NO PLACE IN IT.
YOU’LL ONLY GET HURT.

"MR. SMITH GOES TO
WASHINGTON" IS PROBABLY MY FIRST

MOVIE.
HE WAS AN IMMIGRANT.

AND HE HATED THE IDEA OF BIG
GOVERNMENT STEAM-ROLLING THE

REGULAR CITIZEN.
I’M GOING TO STAY RIGHT HERE

AND FIGHT FOR THIS LOST CAUSE,
EVEN IF THIS ROOM GETS FILLED

WITH LIES LIKE THESE.
THIS FILM IS A PERFECT

EXAMPLE OF HOW IN AMERICA AN
INDIVIDUAL CAN MAKE A

DIFFERENCE.
IT’S THE TALLEST BUILDING IN

THE WORLD.
YOU CAN’T MISS THAT.

1939 IS ALSO THE YEAR THAT
NINOTHCHK WAS MADE.

’39 STANDS OUT BECAUSE IT HAS
SO MANY LANDMARK MOVIES THAT

HAVE WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF TIME
AND ARE TAUGHT AND REFERRED TO

OVER AND OVER.
MAYBE IT’S A CULMINATION.

MAYBE IT’S A FLUKE.
BUT THE SHEER NUMBER OF

MEMORABLE FILMS EVERYONE KNOWS
AND LOVES THAT CAME OUT OF THIS

YEAR IS REMARKABLE.
♪

THESE DAYS, EVERYTHING IS
CALL AN EPIC.

"GONE WITH THE WIND" WAS AN EPIC
BECAUSE IT SHOWS YOU THE

POSSIBILITY OF FILM.
IT IS A SPECTACLE.

HERE IS THE CIVIL WAR AND ALL OF
ITS HORROR AND ITS SIZE.

THIS HUGE PULLBACK SCENE OF
WOUNDED SOUTHERN VETERANS THAT’S

SO EMBLEMATIC.
IT’S VERY IMPRESSIVE FROM A

TECHNICAL LEVEL.
BUT THE STORIES AROUND THE FILM

ARE, TO ME, MORE INTERESTING
THAN THE FILM ITSELF.

DAVID SELZNICK, ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT PLAYERS IN HOLLYWOOD

IS AN INDEPENDENT-MINDED GUY.
WALKS AWAY FROM THE STUDIO

SYSTEM AT THE HEIGHT OF HIS
CAREER TO START SELZNICK

INTERNATIONAL PICTURES.
WITHIN A YEAR IT’S CLEAR THAT

THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THAT
COMPANY IS TO PRODUCE "GONE WITH

THE WIND."
IT WOULD TAKE HIM THREE YEARS TO

GET IT MADE.
WHO WAS TO PLAY RHETT BUTLER.

IT WAS CLARK GABLE.
HE WAS A MAN’S MAN AND HAD A

REAL KIND OF SENSE OF BRAVADO
ABOUT HIM.

BUT ONE THAT HE SEEMED TO EARN.
I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, ASHLEY.

I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, ASHLEY.
I LOVE YOU.

I LOVE YOU.
THE SEARCH FOR SCARLET WAS,

ON THE ONE HAND, DEFINITELY A
PUBLICITY STUNT.

ON THE OTHER HAND, IT WAS
SERIOUS.

SELZNICK WANTED TO FIND THE
RIGHT SCARLET O’HARA.

HE WAS ALREADY SHOOTING ON
THE BACK LOT BEFORE SCARLET WAS

CAST.
DAVID SELZNICK IS STANDING

WATCHING THE BURNING OF ATLANTA
AND THEY’VE GOT DOUBLES PLAYING

RHETT AND SCARLET IN THE WAGON.
HIS BROTHER WALKS UP WITH VIVIEN

LEIGH AND SAYS, I’D LIKE YOU TO
MEET SCARLET O’HARA.

I LOVE YOU.
I DO.

I THINK IT’S INCREDIBLY HARD
TO SEPARATE VIVIEN LEIGH FROM

SCARLET O’HARA.
SHE’S ABLE TO GENERATE EMPATHY

OUT OF A FAIRLY CHALLENGING, IF
NOT DESPICABLE CHARACTER FOR

MOST OF THE FILM.
AND SHE MAKES IT HER OWN.

HAS THE WAR STARTED?
IF YOU’RE GOING TO TELL THAT

STORY, YOU HAVE TO HAVE BLACK
PEOPLE AS SLAVES.

MS. SCARLET, WHAT WE ARE
GOING TO DO WITH NOTHING TO FEED

THOSE SICK FOLKS AND THAT CHILD?
I DON’T KNOW.

I DON’T KNOW.
THE BLACK CHARACTERS PLAYED

BY HADDIE McDONNELL AND
BUTTERFLY McQUEEN ARE REALLY THE

BEST CHARACTERS IN THE MOVIE.
THEY’RE THE ONLY, IN A WEIRD

WAY, MORAL CHARACTERS.
RHETT ESSENTIALLY RAPES HIS

WIFE.
SCARLET IS A DISASTER.

ASHLEY WILKES IS JUST THE
WEAKLING.

MELANIE IS A DOOR MAT AND THEN
MAMIE IN THE CENTER OF ALL OF

THIS.
IT’S MR. RHETT I’M WORRIED

ABOUT.
UNDERSTANDS HER PLACE IN THE

WORLD AND MAKES THE BEST OF IT.
HE LOST HIS MIND THESE LAST

COUPLE OF DAYS.
OH, NO, MAMIE, NO.

I’VE NEVER SEEN NO MAN, BLACK
OR WHITE, SHUTS HIS DOOR.

TOWARD THE END OF THE FILM
WHEN MAMIE IS TELLING MELANIE

ABOUT RETS AND HIS GRIEF AND YOU
FEEL IT.

IT’S SUCH A POWERFUL SCENE.
PLEASE, MS. MELLY.

I’LL DO WHAT I CAN.
I PRESENT THE ACADEMY AWARD

FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE OF AN
ACTRESS IN SUPPORTING ROLE

DURING 1939 TO HATTIE McDANIEL.
HATTIE McDANIEL WAS THE FIRST

AFRICAN-AMERICAN TO WIN AN
ACADEMY AWARD.

AND EVEN HOW THAT HAPPENED, SHE
COULDN’T SIT WITH THE REST OF

THE CAST.
SHE WAS SITTING IN THIS AREA

NEAR THE KITCHEN.
THIS IS ONE OF THE HAPPIEST

MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.
IT WASN’T LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO

GO INTO GREAT LEADING ROLES.
SHE CONTINUED TO PLAY MAIDS.

SHE ESSENTIALLY SAID, I’D RATHER
MAKE $10,000 PLAYING A MAID THAN

MAKE $10 BEING A MADE.
I SINCERELY HOPE, I SHALL

ALWAYS BE A CREDIT TO MY RACE
AND TO THE MOTION PICTURE

INDUSTRY.
MY HEART IS TOO FULL TO TELL YOU

JUST HOW I FEEL AND MAY I SAY
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.

♪
PRESTON STURGIS WAS ONE OF

THE GREATEST COMEDY FILMMAKERS
OF ALL TIME THAT MAYBE YOU NEVER

HEARD OF.
IF I WANT THIS TO BE A

PICTURE OF DIGNITY.
WITH A LITTLE SEX IN IT.

HOW ABOUT A NICE MUSICAL? SCR
AND DIRECTORS DIRECTED.

NOBODY DID BOTH.
STURGESS WANTED TO DIRECT.

HE WROTE A SCRIPT THAT THE
STUDIO REALLY LIKED FOR A FILM

CALLED "THE GREAT McGINTY" AND
HE AGREED TO SELL IT TO THE

STUDIO FOR A DOLLAR IF HE WOULD
LET HIM DIRECT AND THE STUDIO

AGREED.
THE REST IS THE HISTORY.

WHEN I ASKED BILLY WILDER WHO HE
THOUGHT THE KING OF WRITER

DIRECTORS WAS HE SAID PRESTON
STU "RGB" ES PERFORM PRESTON

STURGE JESS IS THE MAN THAT PUT
THESE CHARACTERS TOGETHER AND

OPENED THE DOOR FOR THE REST OF
US.

THE LADIES EVE ONE OF HIS
BEST FILMS WAS BRILLIANTLY SET

UP.
SO HENRY FONDA APPEARS IN THE

SHIP’S DINING ROOM AND EVERY
ELIGIBLE WANTS HIS ATTENTION

BECAUSE HE’S A RICH GUY.
EVERY JANE IN THE ROOM WAS

GIVING HIM THE THE THERMOMETER.
BAR BRA STANWYCK IN "LADY

EVE" WAS ONE OF THE BEST COME
MEED GIVING PERFORMANCES OF ALL

TIME WHEN SHE’S GOT THE MIRROR.
REALLY FUNNY.

NOT JUST THIS BRILLIANT
DIALOGUE, LEASE ALSO THE

INCREDIBLE PHYSICAL COMEDY.
IT’S A WONDERFUL BALANCE OF LOW

COMEDY AND HIGH COMEDY AND LIFE
IS BOTH, ISN’T IT?

STURGESS HAD A STRETCH DURING
THE 1940S WHERE HE TURNED OUT

HIT AFTER HIT AFTER HIT.
IT’S AN UNPRECEDENTED STREAK OF

REALLY QUALITY FILMS.
ALFRED HITCHCOCK.

HITCHCOCK BEGAN WORKING IN
THE INDUSTRY AS AN ART DIRECTOR

AT THE UFA STUDIOS IN BERLIN
WHERE HE GOT TO WATCH SOME OF

THE GREAT GERMAN DIRECTORS LIKE
FRITZ LANG.

HIS FIRST MAJOR FILM, "THE
LONGER" LOOKS LIKE GERMAN

EXPRESSIONISM IN A LOT OF WAYS.
THEY BE HE WENT ON TO MAKE THESE

GREAT BRITISH THRILLERS FOR
WHICH HE BECAME FAMOUS.

BEST AMONG ALL OF THEM, 939
STEPS.

BY THE END OF THE FIRTS HE’S THE
LEADING ARTIST OF THE BRITISH

CINEMA BUT HE UNDERSTANDS THAT
HE’S WORKING IN A VERY

FINANCIALLY LIMITED SYSTEM.
HE ALSO SEES THE WAR COMING, AND

HE’S VERY HAPPY TO COME TO
AMERICA AND WORK FOR ELSE IS

NICK UNDER IS THE SIX-FILM
CONTRACT STARTING WITH

"REBECCA."
THAT’S IT.

THAT’S MANDALAY.
IT WAS BASED ON A NOVEL BY

DAPHNE DUE MUIRYER ABOUT A YOUNG
INNOCENT WOMAN WHO MOVES INTO

THIS OLD GOTHIC HOUSE AND THEY
ARE LIFE BECOMES ENTANGLED IN

MYSTERY.
HOW DO YOU DO.

SHE FEELS LIKE SHE CAN’T
POSSIBLY COMPETE WITH REBECCA.

HER HUSBAND MAX’S DEAD WIFE.
DO YOU THINK THE DEAD COME

BACK AND WATCH THE LIVING?
I DON’T BELIEVE IT.

SOMETIMES.
I WONDER IF SHE DOESN’T COME

BACK HERE TO MANDERLY.
AND WATCH YOU AND MR. DUE WINTER

TOGETHER.
HITCHCOCK WAS BRIT AT PUTTING

THE AUDIENCE IN THE PLACE OF THE
CHARACTER THROUGH THE SUBJECTIVE

USE OF THE CAMERA, WHAT HE USED
TO CALL PURE CINEMA.

THE ASSEMBLY OF PIECES OF
FILM TO CREATE FRIGHT IS THE

ESSENTIAL PART OF MY JOB.
I BELIEVE IN PUTTING THE HORROR

IN THE MIND OF THE AUDIENCE AND
NOT NECESSARILY ON THE SCREEN.

HIS FILMS TOOK A GENRE AND
ESSENTIALLY MADE THE GENRE THE

DIRECTOR’S OWN.
HITCHCOCK REALLY WAS THE MASTER

OF SUSPENSE.
AND HE DESERVES THAT TITLE.

INCREDIBLE AS IT MAY SEEM
THOSE STRANGE BEAKS WHO LANDED

IN THE JERSEY FARMLAND TONIGHT
ARE THE VANGUARD OF AND I VADING

ARMY FROM THE PLANET MARS.
ORSON WELLES CAME INTO THE

FILM BUSINESS HAVING BEEN A
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN RADIO.

SCARED HALF THE COUNTRY WITH WAR
OF THE WORLDS IN ’38.

HE WAS ON THE COVER OF TIME
BECAUSE OF HIS THEATER

PERFORMANCES AT THE MERCURY
THEATER AND HE CAME TO HOLLYWOOD

WITH THE BEST CONTRACT ANYBODY
EVER HAD.

KNOW WHEN YOU DON’T REALLY
WANT TO GO OUT TO HOLLYWOOD, THE

DEALS GOT BETTER AND BETTER.
IN MY CASE I DIDN’T WANT MONEY,

I WANTED AUTHORITY.
I ASKED THE IMPOSITIVE AND AT

THE END OF A YEAR’S NEGOTIATION
IZ GOT IT.

HE HAD SUCH A MONSTROUS EGO
HE WAS GOING TO DO THE WAY HE

WANTED TO DO IT AND THE HELL
WITH WHAT WILL ANYBODY THOUGHT

ABOUT IT AND I ADMIRED THAT
BECAUSE HE HAD THE SKILL TO BACK

IT UP.
ROSEBUD.

CITIZEN KANE BEGINS WITH THE
DEATH OF CHARLES FOSTER CANE

SAYING ONE WORD.
ROSEBUD.

THE WHOLE REST OF THE MOVIE IS
ABOUT A REPORTER SEARCHING FOR

THE MEANING OF ROSEBUD.
HE SPEAKS TO PEOPLE FROM CANE’S

PAST AND READS THE MEMOIRS OF
HIS LAWYER AND THROUGH

THERECTIONS OF THOSE PEOPLE WE
LEARN ABOUT CHARLES FOSTER

KING’S LIFE.
MAYBE THE THING THAT WELLS

DID BEST WAS RECOGNIZE WHAT HE
DIDN’T KNOW.

EARLY ON AT 25 SO HE HIRES
HERMAN MANKOWITZ MY GRABBED

FATHER TO WRITE THE SCREENPLAY.
HE HIRES ROBERT WEISS TO EDIT

THE FILM NOT TO MENTION BERNARD
HERMAN’S BRILLIANT MUSIC AND THE

SINNING TOGRAPHY CHANGED THE WAY
WE MAKE MOVIES.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.
IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING NEW.

THE TRANSITIONS THE FLASH BACK
CONSTRUCTION, REPETITION OF

CERTAIN SCENES FROM DIFFERENT
POINTS OF VIEW AND NOT TO BE

IGNORED IS THE FACT THAT OR IS
GIVES AN EXTRAODINARILY

BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE.
I MADE NO CAMPAIGN PROMISES.

BECAUSE UNTIL A FEW WEEKS AGO, I
HAD NO HOPE OF BEING ELECTED.

THE TECHNIQUE THAT KAELS
STICKS OUT TO ME ON KRIDS CANE

IS BASICALLY DEPTH OF FOCUS.
YOU’RE FIRED.

THE CLOSE-UPS ARE AS SHARP AS
THE DEEP BACKGROUND.

YOU SEE NOT JUST THE STORY THAT
HE’S TELLING.

YOU SEE DEEPER INTO THE STORY.
HE JUST CREATED A HANDBOOK ON

CINEMA WITH CITIZEN KANE.
THERE’S NO QUESTION THAT

CHARLES FOSTER KANE IS BASED IN
ORANGE LART ON THE LIFE OF

WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARTS.
HE OWNED RADIO STATIONS AND

MAGAZINES AND QUITE ACCOUNT
POWER PLAYER IN AMERICAN

POLITICS AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
IN HOLLYWOOD POLITICS.

HEARTS BLACK LISTED THE
MOVIE.

ALL HIS PAPERS WOULDN’T RUN ADS
FOR THE PICTURE AND A LOT OF

THEATERS GOT AFRAID OF PLAYING
IT.

CAN’T MAKE MONEY WITH A PICTURE
IF YOU CAN’T GET A THEATER.

BY THE NONHEARST PAPERS IT
WAS INCREDIBLY WELL RECEIVED.

IT WAS NOMINATED FOR NINE
OSCARS.

IT ONLY WON ONE FOR THE
SCREENPLAY WHICH WENT TO MY

GRANDFATHER AND WELLS.
SHOULD HAVE WON BEST PICTURE AND

BEST DIRECTOR FOR WELLS, SHOULD
PROBABLY HAVE WON BEST ACTOR FOR

WELLS.
IT’S A SIGN THAT PRESSURE WAS

ALMOST CERTAINLY BROUGHT TO BEAR
ON THIS MOVIE.

THERE’S NO BETTER FIRST FILM
IN CINEMATIC HISTORY THAN

CITIZEN KANE.
I DON’T KNOW ANY OTHER FILM THAT

WAS A FIRST TIME DIRECTOR’S FILM
THAT CAN EVEN LIGHT A CANDLE LET

ALONE HOLD A
♪

ADOLPH HITLER’S ALL OUT
ATTACK ON POLAND MAKES THE LONG

DREADED WAR A CERTAINTY.
THROUGH NEWSPAPERS AND NEWS

REELS AMERICANS HAVE BEEN
WATCHING THE DEVELOPMENT OF

DICTATORSHIP IN GERMANY.
HITLER’S PROPAGANDA HAD FOCUSED

ON HOW TO DELIVER IMAGES THAT
MOVED PEOPLE’S MINDS.

TURNED AN UGLY MOVEMENT INTO
SOMETHING CINEMATICALLY

BEAUTIFUL.
EVEN THE BABE IS THRILLS AND

SEEMS ALL SMILES.
CHARLIE CHAPLIN TOOK THAT AND

BROKE IT APART.
♪

CHAPLAIN MAKES THIS
INCREDIBLY INTENSE POLITICAL

SATIRE REALLY DECRYING THE STATE
OF THE WORLD AND THE POSSIBLE

STATE OF THE FUTURE.
EMPEROR OF THE WORLD.

HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH
MEGALOMANIA ON SCREEN WITHOUT

SOUNDING STREET DENT AND
PEDANTIC?

YOU TURN THE WORLD INTO A
BALLOON AND YOU HAVE THIS

FOOLISH DEMAGOGUE DANCE WITH IT.
THIS CLOWN CAN ACTUALLY DESTROY

THIS WORLD.
SO IT’S BOTH TRAGEDY AND COMEDY

WRAPPED INTO ONE.
IN ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL

POLITICAL SCENES IN FILM.
WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE

WAR.
I HAVEN’T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA.

RICK IS COMPLETELY NEUTRAL
ABOUT EVERYTHING AND THAT TAKES

IN THE FIELD OF WOMEN.
HUM GRI BOGART RUNS RICK’S IN

CAS DA BLANCA.
IT’S WORLD WAR II BEFORE THE

UNITED STATES ENTERS THE WAR.
HE’S GOT GAMBLING, HE’S GOT THE

ALCOHOL.
HE DOESN’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT

THE WAR AND IT TURNS OUT THE WAR
COMES TO HIM.

♪ NO MATTER WHAT THE FUTURE
BRINGS AS TIME GOES BY ♪

SAM, I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU
NEVER TO PLAY.

INTO RICK’S CAFE WALKS A
COUPLE, ILSA AND HER HUSBAND

VICTOR LAS LOW, HERO OF THE
RESISTANCE.

ABOUT VICTOR LAS LOS
EVERYWHERE.

UNBEKNOWNST TO ANYONE ELSE IN
THE MOVIE, ELLIS SA AND RICK

HAVE A PAST.
OF ALL THE GIN JOINTS IN ALL

THE TOWNS IN THE WORLD, SHE
WALKS INTO MINE.

HE IS THE EPITOME OF THAT
WOUNDED CYNIC.

WE GET TO SEE A MAN WHO USED TO
BE AN DALIST RECLAIM THAT PART

OF HIMSELF.
♪

THERE’S A GREAT SCENE WHERE
THE GERMANS ARE BY THE PIANO AND

THEY START SINGING.
AND EVERYBODY IN RICK’S CAFE WHO

IS NOT GERMAN IS SILENT AND IN
PAIN.

♪
VICTOR LAS LOW GOES TO THE BAD

AND SAYS LET’S PLAY THE FRENCH
NATIONAL ANTHEM.

PLAY IT.
THEY GIVE THAT LOOK TO BOGEY.

HE JUST GOES, AND THEN YOU’RE
LIKE OH, BOGEY’S JOINED THE WAR.

♪
THE MOVIE IS ABOUT REFUGEES

CAUGHT IN DESPERATE
LIFE-THREATENING SITUATIONS.

AND HALF THE CAST WAS REFUGEES
WHO HAD BEEN CAUGHT NOTICE

DESPERATE LIFE-THREATENING
SITUATIONS.

PETER LORI ESCAPED GERMANY WHEN
THE NAZIS TOOK OVER.

CONRAD VITE WHO PLAYED THE
NASTIEST NAZI OF THEM ALL WAS A

FERVENT ANTI-NAZI, HAD A JEWISH
WIFE.

HIS WIFE THEY ESCAPED FROM
FRANCE JUST AS THE GERMANS

ARRIVED IN PARIS.
ALL OF DALIO’S FAMILY LEFT

BEHIND DIED IN THE CAMPS.
♪

DEFEATING FASCISM THROUGH
PATRIOTISM AND THE PASSION OF

LOVING YOUR COUNTRY.
TO THIS DAY, I GET CHILLS AND

TEARS WHEN I WATCH THAT SCENE.
VIVA LA FRANCE.

CASABLANCA IS A PERFECT
SCRIPT FOR THE PERFECT TIME.

THE WAY THE STORY WINDS UP IS
THE ONLY WAY THAT STORY COULD

HAVE WOUND UP.
I’M NO GOOD AT BEING NOBLE

BUT IT DOESN’T TAKE MUCH TO SEE
THAT THE PROBLEMS OF THREE

LITTLE PEOPLE DON’T AMOUNT TO A
HILL OF BEANS IN THIS CRAZY

WORLD.
IT’S TELLING US ALL THAT OUR

PROBLEMS AS INDIVIDUALS DON’T
MEAN A LOT IN THE FACE OF THIS

BIGGER CHALLENGE TO COME.
HERE’S LOOKING AT YOU, KID.

THAN WE ALL HAD TO DEAL WITH
THAT IN THE VERY DARKEST DAYS OF

WORLD WAR II.
OPEN FIRE.

YA WHO.
MAN YOUR STATION.

FIRE.
THE TYPICAL STORY OF A COMBAT

FILM IS ABOUT A GROUP WITH AN
OBJECTIVE FACING DEATH, THEY SAY

THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
LET’S GET THIS DONE AND WIN IT.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE
BOMBER NOW?

THEY’RE DESIGNED TO REASSURE
PEOPLE AND TO INVOLVE PEOPLE IN

THE WAR.
WHEN YOU TRY TO UNDERSTAND THE

CHANGE THAT WORD WAR II WROUGHT
ON THE MOVIES, YOU HAVE TO

UNDERSTAND THAT FIVE OF THE
GREATEST DIRECTORS ACTUALLY WENT

AND TOOK PART IN THE WAR.
IT WAS CAPRA, IT WAS FORD, IT

WAS STEVENS, IT WAS HOUSTON,
THEN IT WAS WYLER.

THESE ARE CLEARLY FIVE OF THE
GREAT AMERICAN ICONS.

THEY SERVED THEIR COUNTRY AS
STORY TELLERS AND RISKED THEIR

LIVES.
IN MEN WHO BELIEVED IN THEIR

COUNTRY LIKE MY FATHER FELT THE
MORAL OBLIGATION TO DEFEND THEIR

COUNTRY AGAINST THE SCOURGE OF
NAZIISM.

IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN
CONTACT WITH THE ENEMY OUR

PATROLS IMMEDIATELY PUSHED
AHEAD.

HE WAS IN SOME VERY HAIRY
SITUATIONS.

HE TALKED ABOUT A COMMANDER
WHOSE TROOPS HAD REALLY BEEN

DECIMATED BY THE GERMANS
CROSSING A BINGE THAT HAD BEEN

BOMBED.
AND THIS MAN RAISED HIS ARM TO

SALUTE EXCEPT HE WAS MISSING A
HAND.

THE WAR DEFINITELY FOLLOWED HIM
THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE.

JOHN FORD FILMED THE BAT ALF
MIDWAY THAT WON HIM AN ACADEMY

AWARD FOR BEST DOCUMENTARY.
HE ALSO FILMED THE D-DAY

LANDINGS IN 1944.
HE WAS DEEPLY AFFECTED BY THE

WAR.
HE COMES BACK TO HOLLYWOOD

WANTING TO MAKE A MOVIE.
HE DOESN’T WANT TO MAKE YOUR

SORT OF WE’VE WON, IT’S ALL
WONDERFUL TYPE OF MOVIE.

TAKE COVER.
THEY WERE EXPENDABLES IS

ABOUT THE FALL OF THE
PHILIPPINES AND THE DEFEAT OF

THE UNITED STATES.
FORD MADE THIS VERY PATRIOTIC

PICTURE ABOUT THE NOBLE
SACRIFICE.

WHEN YOU SEE THE GENERAL,
TELL HIM THE END HERE IS NEAR.

MOST OF THEM WERE GOING TO
BECOME PRISONERS OF WAR AND MANY

OF THEM WOULD PROBABLY PERISH.
AS I CALL YOUR NAMES, KINDLY

STEP IN.
AT THE END OF THE MOVIE IS

VERY MUCH ABOUT THE FATE OF THE
SAILORS STAYING BACK.

IF THEY DIDN’T GET ON THAT PLANE
THAT, THEY KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.

SIR, HOW MANY MORE PLANES ARE
COMING

BACK TO THE AMERICAN HOME WITH
WELCOME AND WELL DONE

EVERYWHERE.
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE WAR,

EVERYBODY WAS SAYING HOW DO WE
PICK UP WHERE WE LEFT OFF?

AFTER EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE
SEEN AND LEARNED.

THE COST OF WAR IS WHAT IS
COMMUNICATED IN THE BEST YEARS

OF OUR LIVES BETTER THAN ANY WAR
MOVIE I’VE EVER SEEN.

.
THESE GUYS ARE JUST TRYING TO

GET HOME.
THIS IS MY STREET.

THEY NEVER KNEW EACH OTHER
BEFORE THE WAR BUT THEY ALL MEET

AND THEY BECOME FAST FRIENDS.
AND THEIR LIVES START TO REALLY

INTERCONNECT AS THEY START TO
WORK OUT.

THE HUGE DAMAGE THAT THE WAR
CAUSES ARE EMOTIONAL CORE.

THE FILM WAS MADE RIGHT AFTER
THE WAR AND AS THE CAMERA CRANES

UP, YOU SEE THIS VAST WORLD WAR
II GRAVEYARD OF OLD HULKS, NO

DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY OR MAT WORK.
THAT PHENOMENONAL SCENE WHEN

DANA AND DREWS IS SITTING IN THE
JUNKED PLANE RELIVING HIS

MISSION AS A BOMBARDIER, IT
COMMUNICATES THAT OPPRESSIVE

WEIGHT OF THE EXPERIENCE.
OF PUTTING YOUR LIFE ON HOLD AND

GOING OFF AND MAYBE COMING BACK,
MAYBE NOT COMING BACK AT ALL.

OR MAYBE COMING BACK WITH NO
HANDS.

I’VE LEARNED HOW TO TAKE THIS
HARNESS OFF.

THE FACT THAT THEY CAST
HAROLD RUSSELL, A GUY WHO LOST

HIS HANDS DURING THE WAR, THAT
WAS INCREDIBLY POWERFUL.

THIS IS A VERY PROUD AND A
VERY HAPPY MONTH.

THEY HAD MADE PLANS TO GIVE
HIM A SPECIAL OSCAR AND THEN IT

TURNED OUT THE PERFORMANCE WAS
SO GOOD THAT PEOPLE VOTE FORD

HIM FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
WHICH THEY COULDN’T HAVE

PREDICTED SO HE WON TWO OSCARS.
HELLO, DARLING.

HELLO, DADDY.
HELLO, DADDY.

HOW DO YOU LIKE IT.
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE" WASN’T

VERY SUCCESSFUL WHEN IT CAME OUT
WHICH I’M ALWAYS SHOCKED WHEN I

LEARN THAT A MOVIE THAT WE
REVERE ACTUALLY STRUGGLED IN ITS

INITIAL RELEASE BUT WHAT A
REMARKABLE BLEND OF NARRATIVE

VALUES AND THEMES.
DADDY, THE BROWNS NEXT DOOR

HAVE A NEW CAR.
YOU SHOULD SEE IT.

WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH OUR
CAR?

ISN’T IT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?
BECAUSE CAP BRA WAS ALWAYS

SUCH A MUMIST I THINK IT WAS
VERY IMPORTANT TO HIM TO

ACKNOWLEDGE FLAWS, ACKNOWLEDGE
WEAKNESS.

GEORGE, WHAT’S WRONG?
WRONGING?

EVERYTHING.
YOU CALL IT A HAPPY FAMILY WHY

DO WE HAVE TO HAVE ALL THESE
KIDS.

JIMMY STEWART CAME BACK FROM
THE WAR, AS WELL.

HE FLEW MISSIONS.
THESE ARE TWO VETERANS NOW AND I

DON’T THINK IT WOULD HAVE GONE
THAT DARK HAD FRANK CAPRA STAYED

HOME AND MADE LIGHT COMEDIES.
APPARENTLY FRANK CAPRA

APPEALED TO HIM BY SAYING IT’S A
CHRISTMAS MOVIE ABOUT SUICIDE.

JIMMY STEWART SAID CHRISTMAS
MOVIE ABOUT SUICIDE, COUNT ME

IN.
YOU COME BACK FROM THE WAR WITH

A GRAVEYARD KIND OF SENSE OF
HUMOR.

GEORGE BAILEY IS LIGHT YEARS
AWAY FROM THAT IDEALISTIC

MR. SMITHING IN "MR. SMITH GOES
TO WASHINGTON."

INTO IT WAS PROBABLY THE
STRONGEST PICTURE I’VE MADE.

I NEVER HAVE RUN ACROSS SUCH A
UNIQUE STORY, A MAN WHO THOUGHT

HE WAS A FAILURE BEING GIVEN THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND SEE

THE WORLD AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
HAD HE NOT BEEN BORN.

YOU’VE BEEN GRIFFIN A GREAT
GIFT, GEORGE.

A CHANCE TO SEE WHAT THE WORLD
WOULD BE LIKE WITHOUT.

YOU THAT’S A DARK, DARK PLACE
TO BEGIN A MOVIE THAT’S

ULTIMATELY GOING TO WIND UP
BEING ONE OF THE GREAT HOLIDAY

MOVIES AND ONE OF THE MOST
AFFIRMING MOVIES EVER MADE.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.
IT’S POWERFUL BECAUSE IT’S

BEEN A JOURNEY FROM PLACE OF
TRUE DESPAIR AND TAKES GUTS TO

TELL THE STORY WITH THAT KIND OF
STRENGTH AND COMMITMENT.

AND YEAH, SWEETHEART.
THERE’S A GIRL WANTS TO SEE

YOU.
HER NAME’S WANDER LAY.

CUSTOMER?
I GUESS SO.

YOU’LL WANT TO SEE HER ANYWAY.
SHE’S A KNOCKOUT.

SHOW HER IN, DARLING.
SHOW HER IN.

FROM THE WAR IS A STYLE OF
FILM MAKING THAT’S VERY POPULAR

IN THE ’40s AND FICHTS.
THE FILMS ARE MOODY, PES PES

MICK TICK, KIND OF ABOUT THE
UNDERBELLY OF MANOR SOCIETY.

BECAUSE OF WORLD WAR II THERE
WAS AN APPETITE AMONG AUDIENCES

FOR THESE KIND OF FILMS.
ANYBODY HEAR THE SHOT.

SOMEBODY MUST HAVE.
WE JUST GOT HERE.

THE MALTESE FALCON IS
OSTENSIBLY A DETECTIVE STORY BUT

THE PLOT REVOLVES AROUND ALL
THESE CRAZY CHARACTERS LOOKING

FOR THE BLACK BIRD AND HOW SAM
SPADE PLAYS THESE CHARACTERS OFF

EACH OTHER.
YOU’RE GOOD.

YOU’RE VERY GOOD.
WHAT DID HE SAY?

ABOUT WHAT?
ABOUT ME.

NOTHING.
WHAT DID YOU TALK ABOUT THEN?

HE OFFERED ME $5,000 FOR THE
BLACK BIRD.

MY FATHER WAS NOT THAT BIG A
FAN OF ACTORS.

IF YOU WATCH HIS MOVIES, HE’S
MORE INTERESTED IN CHARACTER.

I THINK THIS WAS WHY HE LOVED
HUMPHREY BOGART SO MUCH.

THANKS, DARLING.
THERE’S A KIND OF DIRECTNESS AND

HONESTY ABOUT HIM THAT WE’RE NOT
USED TO.

WHEN YOU’RE SLACK, YOU’LL
TAKE IT AND LIKE IT.

BOGART IS NOT THE GOOD GUY.
AND THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO THIS

WHOLE TREND.
THE ATTITUDE IS VERY AMERICAN.

BUT IT DIDN’T REALLY BECOME FILM
NOIR UNTIL THESE FILMMAKERS THAT

CAME OVER FROM EUROPE BROUGHT A
PARTICULAR VISUAL SENSIBILITY

AND THAT IS WHERE INTERIOR WAS
BORN.

I KILLED DIEDRICH SON.
ME, WALTER NEF.

INSURANCE SALESMAN.
BILLY WILDER ADAPTED THIS

AMAZING STORY WITH RAYMOND
CHANDLER.

THE WAY IT STARTS TOLD BY A GUY
BLEEDING TO DEATH, IT WOULD

BECOME SO IMPORTANT TO HARD
BOILED DETECTIVE STORIES.

I WASN’T LONG, WAS HE?
NOT AT ALL.

I HOPE I’VE GOT MY FACE ON
STREIT.

PERFECT TORE R FOR MY MONEY.
THERE WAS A VERY INTENSE

MURDER SCENE THAT HAD TO BE
FLINLED AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO

DO IT IN THIS AGE OF CENSORSHIP?
THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT STREET.

WHY DID YOU TURN HERE?
WHAT ARE YOU DOING THAT FOR?

WHAT ARE YOU HONGKING THE HORN
FOR?

BILLY WILDER LEAVES THE
CAMERA ON BARBARA STANWYCK AND

SHE EXPERIENCES THE PAIN OF HER
HUSBAND AND THEN THE

SATISFACTION OF IT.
SHE GIVES YOU ALL OF THAT.

AND THAT’S AS GOOD AS IT GETS.
OKAY, BABY, THAT’S IT.

THE MURDER YOU DON’T SEE IN
DOUBLE INDEMNITY IS BETTER THAN

ANY GRIZZLY MURDER YOU COULD
SHOW ME.

STRAIGHT DOWN THE LINE.
BARBARA STANWYCK’S PERFORM,

AS PHYLLIS IS THE ARCHETYPE OF
THE DANGEROUS FEMME FATALE.

BACK IN THE MORNING.
MEET ME AT THE HOTEL.

WHEN YOU GET TO JANE GREER IN
"OUT OF THE PAST," SHE TAKES IT

A STEP FURTHER.
CAN WE GET AWAY WITH IT.

SHE’S MUCH MORE OF A COLD
PSYCHOPATH.

THERE’S A SCENE WHERE HE’S
WATCHING ROBERT MITCH CHUM AND

HIS PARTNER BEAT THE HELL OUT OF
EACH OTHER AND SHE’S SORT OF IN

ECSTASY.
I’LL NEVER FORGET THE IMAGES

IN THAT FIGHT HER FACE SHOOTING
A GUY IT STAYED WITH ME FOR THE

REST OF MY LIFE.
THAT WILL DRY YOUR HAIR.

SHE TAKES INTO THE BUNGALOW
AND THEY KISS.

SOMETHING IN THE CAMERA MOVES TO
THE DOOR AND THE DOOR OPENS.

IT’S RAINING.
CAMERA JUST TRACKS.

IT’S JUST VISUAL POETRY AND
MOOD.

EVERY STUDIO AT A CERTAIN
POINT WAS MAKING SIM OR EIGHT OF

THESE MOVIES A YEAR.
TAKE THIS THICK OUT OF MY

MOUTH, WILL YOU?
ARTISTS WERE EAGER TO MAKE

MOVIES THAT WERE MORE ADULT.
HARRY.

THIS KIND OF NOTION OF
DARKNESS IN FILMS HAD KIND OF

THE OPPOSITE OF THE HOLLYWOOD
ENDING WHERE THINGS DON’T WORK

OUT WELL, THINGS DON’T WORK OUT
FOR THE HERO.

THIS IS FILM NOIR’S LEGACY.

YES, THIS IS SUNSET BOULEVARD,
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

IT’S ABOUT 5:00 IN THE MORNING.
THAT’S THE HOMICIDE SQUAD.

THE 50s PRODUCED A LOT OF
REALLY DARK CYNICAL MOVIES AND

IT STARTS PRETTY EARLY ON WITH
SUNSET BOULEVARD.

IT OPENS UP WITH A BODY IN A
POOL.

THEN IT’S ALL TOLD IN FLASHBACK
BY THE MAN IN THE POOL.

YOU’RE NORMA DESMOND.
USED TO BE IN SILENT PICTURES,

USED TO BE BIG.
I AM BIG.

IT’S THE PICTURES THAT GOT
SMALL.

HER PERFORMANCE EVERYONE
TALKS ABOUT IS GLORIA SWANSON AS

NORMA DESMOND GLORIA SWANSON HAD
BEEN A HUGE STAR IN SILENT FILMS

SO SHE VERY MUCH KNEW THE
CHARACTER SHE PLAYED.

WE DIDN’T NEED THAT.
WE HAD FAYS.

NOW IN HER EARLY ’50S, SHE IS
PLAYING THIS DEPOSED QUEEN WHO

BECOMES INCREASINGLY DELUSIONAL
AND GOES MAD.

THERE’S NOTHING ELSE, JUST
US.

AND THE CAMERAS.
AND THOSE WONDERFUL PEOPLE OUT

THERE IN THE DARK.
IT’S A FILM ABOUT HOLLYWOOD’S

TENDENCY TOES THROW PEOPLE AWAY
TO, BUILD PEOPLE UP AND THEN

TEAR THEM DOWN AND FORGET THEM.
LORD, I’M NOT 20ISH.

I’M NOT 30ISH.
THREE MONTHS AGO, I WAS 40 YEARS

OLD.
40.

4- 0.
UPSET BOULEVARD AND ALL ABOUT

EVE BOTH CAME OUT IN THE 1950.
BETTE DAVIS HAD A KIND OF LULL

IN HER CAREER AND MADE A COUPLE
MOVIES THAT HADN’T MADE MONEY SO

THIS WAS A REAL COMEBACK.
HERE SHE WAS PLAYING THIS GREAT

STAGE ACRES MARGARET CHANNING
WORRIED ABOUT LOSING HER CAREER,

LOSING HERMAN AND ALONG COMES
EVE HARRINGTON.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MY
ELEGANT NEW SUIT.

VERY BECOMING.
IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER THAN YOU

THAN IT DID ON ME.
THIS UP AND COME IRSTARTS AS

A FAN BUT YOU QUICKLY REALIZE
SHE’S SOMETHING ELSE ENTIRELY.

SHE WANTS TO GET THE ROLES THAT
MARGOT ONCE WAS GETTING.

MARGOT IS FIGHTING THIS TOOTH
AND NAIL AS ONLY BETTE DAVIS

CAN.
FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS.

IT’S GOING TO BE A BUMPY NIGHT.
BETTE DAVIS ATTENTION YOU

FROM THE HEIGHT OF VANITY TO THE
DEPTHS OF DESPAIR.

AND I JUST LOVE THAT ART.
I THINK THAT’S THE GREATEST

PERFORMANCE OF HER CAREER.
A WOMAN’S CAREER, THE THINGS

YOU DROP ON YOUR LADDER SO YOU
CAN MOVE FASTER, YOU FORGET

YOU’LL NEED THEM AGAIN WHEN YOU
GET BACK TO BEING A WOMAN.

SUNSET BOULEVARD AND ALL
ABOUT EVE ARE ALL ABOUT ACTORS

COMPETING EACH OTHER AND BEING
USURPED BY A YOUNGER AGENDA

RIGGS.
THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED IN THE BEST

ACTRESS RACE WHERE HAD YOU GLOR
WA SWANSON COMPETING AGAINST

BETTE DAVIS.
HOWEVER THE WINNER WAS JUDY

HOLLIDAY WHO HAD JUST RISEN TO
OVERNIGHT FAME IN "BORN

YESTERDAY."
WHAT DID YOU SAY IT FOR?

I DON’T KNOW.
HOW OLD ARE YOU?

29.
IT’S ENTERTAINMENT IN YOUR

OWN LIVING ROOM AND ALL OVER THE
COUNTRY MOVIE AUDIENCES OF ALL

AGES SIT GLUED TO THEIR
TELEVISION SETS.

THE PICTURE MAY BE SMALL BUT
IT’S FREE.

PROBABLY THE MOST SERIOUS
THREAT TO MOVIES CAME IN THE

1950s WHEN PEOPLE WERE OOH
BUYING TELEVISIONS.

BIBLICAL EXSPANSIVE EPICS IN THE
’50S WERE ONE OF HOLLYWOOD’S

FIRST SUCCESSFUL ANSWERS TO THE
THREAT OF TELEVISION.

THAT BROUGHT PEOPLE BACK TO THE
THEATERS AND THAT JUST CAUSED

HOLLYWOOD TO MAKE MORE AND MORE
OF THEM.

WHO SHALL WITHSTAND THE POWER
OF GOD?

WATCHING YOUR BLACK AND WHITE
BOX TV ON THE FLOOR OF YOUR

LIVING ROOM WAS NOTHING COMPARED
TO GOING TO A MOVIE LIKE BEN

HUR.
IT WAS JUST NOT THE KIND OF

THING THAT ANYBODY HAD SEEN AT
THAT TIME.

MOVIES HAD TO GET OFF THEIR
LAWYERS NOT LAYS AROUND AND

LET’S MAKE GOING TO THE CINEMA
AN EVEN MORE EXTRAORDINARY

EXPERIENCE.
THEN AFTER TELEVISION COMES

ALONG, SOME OF THE GREAT
MUSICALS OF ALL TIME COME ALONG

AS A RESULT OF THAT.
♪ GOOD MORNING, GOOD MORNING

IT’S GREAT TO STAY UP LATE GOOD
MORNING GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

♪.
SINGING IN THE RAIN IS THE

PERFECT MOVIE.
IT’S FUN AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL AND

IT’S COLORFUL AND THE SONGS ARE
BRILLIANT.

I DIDN’T REALIZE AT THE TIME
THAT THEY WERE FROM DIFFERENT

MUSICALS.
SINGING IN THE RAIN.

SINGING IN THE RAIN WAS IN
ANOTHER MOVIE.

IT WAS NOT THAT POPULAR.
BUT I THINK A SONG IS JUST A

SONG UNTIL THE RIGHT SINGER
SINGS IT.

>>.
♪ SINGING IN THE RAIN JUST

SINGING IN THE RAIN ♪
♪ WHAT A GLORIOUS FEELING I’M

HAPPY AGAIN ♪
SAID WHAT DO YOU DO WITH

SINGING IN THE RAIN?
I SAID IT WILL BE RAINING AND

I’LL BE SINGING.
THAT WAS IT.

IT WASN’T HARD TO COMPOSE IT.
THE MOMENT OF SLASHING THE

WATER.
THAT PART WAS FUN.

♪
CLANG, CLANG CLANG WENT THE

TROLLEY.
DING DING DING WENT THE BELL.

WHEN YOU COME ALONG WITH
VINCENT MINNELLI MAKING "MEET ME

IN ST. LOUIS" AND "AMERICAN IN
PARIS" AND "THE BAND WAGON," YOU

HAVE SUCH ORIGINALITY, SUCH JOY
AND SUCH, WOULD THAT STAND THE

TEST OF TIME.
♪ WANT TO HAVE BELLS THAT WILL

RING YOU WANT TO HAVE SONGS THAT
WILL SING ♪ IN 195, GEORGE KOOK

COREY MAKES A STAR IS BORN AND
TURNS IT INTO A MUSICAL.

IF I DON’T GET MY WAY, I
BEGIN TO BREAK UP PEOPLE.

YOU UNDERSTAND, DON’T YOU?
YES, I UNDERSTAND.

JUDY GARLAND AT THAT POINT
HAS HAD HER SHARE OF PROBLEMS

WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, BEEN
FIRED.

SO "A STAR IS BORN" IS REALLY A
HUGE COMEBACK FOR JUDY GARLAND.

♪ THE NIGHT BITTER ♪
SHE’S PLAYING THE UPUP AND

COMING SINGER WHO IS DISCOVERED
BY AN ALCOHOLIC ACTOR.

YOU GET THESE GREAT MUSICAL
NUMBERS, ESPECIALLY THE MAN WHO

GOT AWAY.
Reporter: ALL BECAUSE OF THE

MAN THAT GOT AWAY ♪
SHE MAKES YOU FEEL EVERY

SINGLE EMOTION IN THAT SHE’S
HEBBING HER BODY TOWARD THE

CAMERA.
IT IS A CRY OF ANGST AND PAIN.

IT IS AN OPERA MOMENT THAT SHE
IS TURNING INTO JUST ONE OF THE

GREAT MOVIE MOMENTS OF ALL TIME.
ONE UNINTERRUPTED TAKE OF HER

SINGING THIS SONG.
♪ LEASE JUST TO LETUP ♪

YOU SEE THE MOST INTIMATE
REVELATION OF THIS PERFORMER WHO

HAS SOMETHING ON THE INSIDE THAT
SOMEHOW IS NOT GETTING OUT

BECAUSE THEY’RE BEING BOTTOMED
IN ANOTHER WAY.

EVERYTHING CAN RELATE TO THAT
WHETHER YOU’RE 0 AN ARTIST OR

NOT OR A MUSICIAN OR NOT.
♪ THE MAN ♪

SELF-REVELATION.
♪ THAT GOT AWAY ♪

WE’RE GOING TO GET THE ANSWER
TO THAT QUESTION IF WE HAVE TO

STAY HERE FOR A WEEK.
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF THE

COMMUNIST MEMBER OR HAVE YOU
EVER BEEN A MEMBER OF THE

COMMUNIST PARTY?
AFTER WORLD WAR II IS ENDED,

THE HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES
COMMITTEE SETS OUT LOOKING FOR

SO-CALLED COMMUNIST INFILTRATION
OF THE AMERICAN MOTION PICTURE

INDUSTRY.
THE CHARGE HAS BEEN MADE THAT

THE THE SCREENWRITER GUILD HAD A
NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN IT WHO

ARE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNIST
PARTY.

THERE WAS THE SENSE THAT IF
THE SOVIETS WANTED TO INFILTRATE

AMERICA, THE WAY TO DO IT WAS TO
INFECT HOLLYWOOD.

YOUR PURPOSE IS TO USE THIS
TO DISRUPT THE MOTION PICTURE

INDUSTRY TO INVADE THE RIGHTS
NOT ONLY OF ME BUT OF THE

PRODUCERS TO THEIR THOUGHTS, TO
THEIR OPINIONS.

TEN SCREENWRITERS AND
PRODUCERS WHO REFUSED TO

COOPERATE WITH THEIR
INVESTIGATION EVENTUALLY ARE

FOUND GUILTY OF CONTEMPT OF
CONGRESS AND SENTENCED AND SERVE

UP TO A YEAR IN PRISON.
WE WILL NOT REEMPLOY ANY OF

THE TEN UNTIL SUCH TIME AS HE IS
ACQUITTED.

THE COMMITTEE IDENTIFIED
PEOPLE WHO WERE SUSPECTED OF

BEING COMMUNISTS AND THEN THE
STUDIOS THEMSELVES PROCEEDED TO

FIRE AND BLACK LIST ANYONE WHO
REFUSED TO COOPERATE.

BEN MILLER NOW WITH JIM
PIERCE AND JACK COLBY.

THEY ASKED ABOUT THE NOON TRAIN.
THE NOON TRAIN?

AND CARL FOREMAN IS WRITING
THE SCREENPLAY OF "HIGH NOON" IN

THOR?
OF 1951 WHEN HE GETS A SUBPOENA

TO TESTIFY BEFORE ACCOUNT HOUSE
UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE

AND HE’S BEGINNING TO WRITE MORE
INTO THE SCREENPLAY OF A PARABLE

AL GOER EVEN ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD
BLACK LIST.

FOREMAN BEGINS TO SEE THE
COMMITTEE AS THE YOUNG THUGS WHO

WERE COMING TO TOWN TO KILL HIM
AND HE AN BEGINS TO IDENTIFY

WITH THE MARSHALL HIMSELF.
THIS IS MY TOWN.

I’VE GOT FRIENDS HERE.
I’LL SWEAR IN A BUNCH OF SPECIAL

DEPUTIES AND WITH A POS IS HE
BEHIND ME, MAYBE THERE WOULD BE

ANY TROUBLE.
YOU KNOW THEY’LL BE TROUBLE.

THEN IT’S BETTER TO HAVE IT
HERE.

COOPER IS GIVING THIS
INCREDIBLE NATURAL PERFORMANCE.

THIS ONGOING DILEMMA THAT’S
GOING ON IN HIS MIND ENDS UP

BEING THE HEART BEAT OF THE
MOVIE.

SOME OF YOU WERE SPECIAL
DEPUTIES WHEN WE BROKE THIS

BUNCH.
I NEED YOU AGAIN NOW.

THE SCRIPT HAS THIS GREAT
1950s THEME OF YOUR NEIGHBOR’S

ABANDONING YOU BECAUSE MIGHT BE
A COMMUNIST OR BECAUSE THEY

DON’T WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT
THEIR BOMB SHELTER MOVIE.

ILLUMINATED WHAT WAS GOING ON.
CARL FOREMAN WAS A MAN OF

SUCH PRINCIPLE THAT WHEN HE
TESTIFIED, HE WOULD NOT NAME

NAMES.
IS HE PAID AN ENORMOUS PRICE.

HE WAS FORCED TO UPROOT AND MOVE
TO ENGLAND.

THE GREAT TRAGEDY OF THE BLACK
LIST IS THAT IT DESTROYED

CAREERS AND IT BRUISED OTHERS
AND IT TURNED CREATIVE PEOPLE

AGAINST ONE ANOTHER.
IT WAS A TERRIBLY CHALLENGING

TIME AND YOU HAD PEOPLE FEARING
ANOTHER WAR.

YOU’RE A TRAITOR.
YOU’RE A TRAITOR AND A SPY.

THOSE ARE JUST UNPLEASANT
WORDS.

I’M A LOYAL SUPPORTER OF THE
GREATEST SOCIAL EXPERIMENT IN

THE WORLD.
AMERICA WAS GOING THROUGH

COMMUNIST PARANOIA.
WE WILL COMMUNIST INFILTRATION

IN OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR
GOVERNMENT.

FROM THAT YOU GET ALIEN INVASION
MOVIES.

MOVIES.
IT WAS AN ERA THAT WAS STIPED

IN FEAR.
NOT JUST FROM THE COMMUNIST

WITCH HUNTS THAT WERE GOING ON
BUT OF COURSE, FROM THE ATOM

BOMB.
THE CREATION OF NUCLEAR

WEAPONS MAKES THE POSSIBILITIES
FOR TERROR AND HORROR SEEM

ENDLESS.
THE GIANT INSECT GENRE

STARTED WITH THIS THEM" IN 1954.
A FANTASTIC MUTATION PROBABLY

CAUSED BY LINGERING RADIATION
FROM THE FIRST ATOMIC BOMB.

THAT KICKED OFF A TREND OF
CREATURE FEATURES.

A MONSTER LEADING A TRAIL OF
CARNAGE.

THE IMAGINATION RAN WILD.
WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO US IN

THIS NUCLEAR AGE.
I DIDN’T THINK I HAD THAT

MUCH TO DRINK.
I LOVED ALL THE ’50S SCI-FI

FILMS, THE WORSE OF THEM TO THE
BEST OF THEM FROM "I MARRIED A

MONSTER FROM OUTER SPACE" TO - -
YOU CAN’T GET FURTHER APART IN

TERMS OF TWO FILMS THAT ONLY
SHARE ONE THING, GENRE, THAT’S

IT.
WHAT ABOUT THIS MONSTER STORY

OF YOURS?
WELL, IT’S BIG AND TERRIBLE.

ORIGINALLY GODZILLA WAS A
JAPANESE FILM IN JAPANESE.

THE WAY HOLLYWOOD TRIED TO TURN
IT INTO SOMETHING WE COULD

DIGEST THEY RECUT IT WITH AN
AMERICAN REPORTER IN TOKYO.

I PREFER THE PURE JAPANESE
VERSION BECAUSE IT’S SO VISUAL.

IT’S MUCH MORE PRIMAL.
AND GODZILLA IS MUCH MORE

PIERCE.
WHAT ARE THE PEOPLE DOING?

TRYING TO SAVE THEMSELVES AND
TRYING TO CONCOCT SOME KIND OF A

TECHNOLOGY TO DESTROY THE
MONSTER.

THAT’S ALL YOU REALLY HAVE TO
KNOW.

IT IS LIST RALLY THE REACTION
OF A POPULACE THAT HAS HAD AS

ATOMIC BOMB DROPPED ON THEM.
WHAT DID THAT FEEL LIKE

CULTURALLY?
LIKE A MONSTER CAPE OUT OF THE

OCEAN AND STOMPED YOUR
CIVILIZATION FLAT.

THEY COME FROM ANOTHER WORLD
SPAWNED IN THE LIGHT YEARS OF

SPACE UNLEASHED TO TAKE OVER THE
BODIES AND SOULS OF THE PEOPLE

OF OUR PLANET.
ONE OF THE MOVIES THAT

DEFINES THE ANXIETY OF THE 1950s
IS "INVASION OF THE BODY

SNATCHERS" WHERE THE ENEMY IS
GOING TO COME AND LOOK LIKE YOUR

NUMBER.
WE’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.

IT’S GOING TO TAKE YOU OVER
AND BEFORE YOU REALIZE IT,

EVERYTHING YOU KNOW AND LOVE IS
GONE.

WE’VE GOT TO GO.
THEY’LL NEVER BELIEVE ME.

HELP.
INVASION OF THE BODY

SNATCHERS IS A GRADE GENRE MOVIE
THAT, WOULD ON TWO LEVELS.

IT CAN BE SEEN AS A METAPHOR FOR
THREAT OF COMMUNISTS.

ON THE FLIPSIDE IT’S ABOUT THE
THREAT OF THE McCARTHY WITCH

HUNT AND YET IT CERTAINLY, WOULD
ON ITS OWN TERMS AS A HORROR

MOVIE.
THROUGH ALL OF THIS,

CHILDREN, EVERYONE.
THEY’RE HERE ALREADY.

"AND THE WATERFRONT IS A
REMARKABLE FILM SET ON THE DOCKS

OF NEW JERSEY AT A TIME WHEN
THERE WERE CROOKED LABOR UNIONS

THAT CONTROLLED THE DOCKS AND
YOU HAD TO BE IN GOOD WITH THE

UNION BOUSS TO GET ANY KIND OF
WORK.

THIS IS ABOUT HOW THAT SYSTEM
WAS BROKEN.

WATCH IT.
GET A DOCTOR!

ON THE WATER FRONT IS THE
FIRST TIME I SAW PEOPLE THAT I

KNEW THAT THAT I WAS GROWING UP
WITH, THE PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY

THE PEOPLE IN THE STREETS UP
THERE ON THE SCREEN.

THE DEPICTION OF THE LIFESTYLE
WAS VERY REALISTIC.

THE TENEMENTS WERE THE SAME.
YOU COULD PUT A GAME ON EVERY

IMAGE AND IT’S BEAUTIFUL ART.
BE CAREFUL DON’T SPILL NO

WATER ON THE FLOOR.
THE BEHAVIOR OF BRANDO WAS

THE BREAK THROUGH OF THE
CENTURY.

I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME I
SAW BRANDO ON THE SCREEN AND IT

WAS A REVOLUTION.
REVOLUTIONIZED THE ART OF

ACTING.
> I DON’T KNOW NOTHING.

BY BRINGING A LEVEL OF
REALITY THAT NOBODY EVER THOUGHT

WAS ACCEPTABLE.
I COULD HAVE BEEN A

CONTENDER.
I COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEBODY.

INSTEAD OF A BUM.
EVERYBODY LOOKED UP TO

BRANDO.
HE WAS GREAT.

WASN’T ABOUT TECHNIQUE IN A WAY,
IT WAS TECHNIQUE OF A SORT BUT

IT WAS ABOUT JUST FEELING.
YOU FELT SO MUCH FROM HIM.

I WAS YOU, CHARLIE.
MARLON BRANDO IS OFTEN

ASSOCIATED WITH THE METHOD AS A
STYLE OF ACTING.

THE METHOD ESSENTIALLY IS
TERRIBLY HUMAN PROFOUNDLY HUMAN

THING.
IT’S NOT - - IT WAS AFFECTED BY

PSYCHOANALYSIS, THE
UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOLE.

HE’S BUILT IN ON THE
WATERFRONT BUT WHO ISN’T.

THEY’RE ALL METHOD ACTORS FROM
THE ACTORS STUDIO.

MUCH AS I ADMIRED BRANDO,
CARL MALDEN, EVE VA MARIE SAINT

WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITE
ACTRESSES.

CA ZAN WORKED SO WELL WITH HER.
YES, I AM.

THERE WERE SO MANY OF US FROM
THE STUDIO.

WE ALL WERE RATHER THE SAME WAY
AND WE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH ONE

ANOTHER.
I GUESS THEY DON’T LET YOU

WALK WITH FELLOWS WHERE YOU’VE
BEEN, HUH.

YOU KNOW HOW THE SISTERS ARE.
ARE YOU TRYING TO BE A NUN.

EADIE MY CHARACTER HAD GLOVES
AND I DROPPED A GLOVE BY

ACCIDENT I DROPPED IT.
HE PICKED UP THE GLOVE.

HE PUT IT ON HIS HAND.
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A

THANKSGIVING PARTY.
IT WAS VERY SENSUOUS WHAT HE

WAS DOING WITH THAT GLOVE AND
EADIE HAD TO GET THE GLOVE.

AND SHE DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO GET
IT.

SHE HAD TO GO TO HIM TO BE
CLOSER TO HIM.

I COULD GET HOME ALL RIGHT
NOW, THANKS.

IT SHOWS THE SENSITIVITY AND
THE GENIUS OF MARLON BRANDO.

ON THE WATERFRONT WAS
NOMINATED FOR 12 ACADEMY AWARDS.

IT WINS EIGHT INCLUDING BEST
SUPPORTING ACTRESS EVA MARIE

SAINT WHO IS PREGNANT WHILE SHE
ACCEPTS IT.

I MAY HAVE THE BABY RIGHT
HERE.

I HAD THE BABY THE NEXT DAY.
AND NO, WE DID NOT CALL HIM

OSCAR.
WHEN I THINK OF SOME OF THE

GREAT ACTORS OF THE 1950s LIKE
MONTGOMERY CLIFT, AUDREY

HEPBURN, SIDNEY PHOTOYER, ANDY
GRIFFITH AND, OF COURSE, JAMES

DEAN THEY’RE A YOUNG GENERATION
WHO ARE WILLING TO SHARE MORE OF

THAT YOUR SOUL IN THEIR
PERFORMANCE.

WHEN I SAW EAST OF EDEN, I
WAS LIKE OH, MY GOD.

OH, MY GOD.
IT WAS METHOD ACTING AT ITS

FINEST.
I DO THINK THAT HE’S ABSOLUTELY

ONE OF THE GREATEST ACTORSES WHO
EVER LIMBED AND THAT’S BASED ON

EAST OF EDEN ALONE FOR ME.
REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE WAS THE

FILM THAT MADE JAMES DEAN A
MASSIVE STAR.

HE ONLY WAS IN THREE FILMS.
BUT ALL OF THEM ARE

UNFORGETTABLE.
I REALLY WAS MOVED BY REBEL

WITHOUT A CAUSE.
WHEN HE PULLS UP THE BOTTLE TO

HIS FOREHEAD, I HAD NEVER SEEN
THAT.

I DON’T KNOW WHERE THAT CAME
FROM.

IT WAS SO INTERNAL AND SO
CONFLICTED.

MY, YOU SURE DO LOOK PRETTY.
JUST WENT FARTHER THAN ANYONE

I’D EVER SEEN BEFORE THAT
IMMERSING HIMSELF IN THESE

CHARACTERS.
JAMES DEAN BECOMES AN ICONIC

FIGURE WHO SPEAKS TO A
GENERATION AND WHEN YOU ADD TO

THAT THE UNFULFILLED LIFE
BECAUSE OF DYING IN HIS YOUTH,

YOU HAVE A KIND OF PERFECT
COMBINATION OF A MYTHIC FIGURE

OF WHICH THERE HOME RUN VERY FEW
IN HOLLYWOOD.

♪ A KISS ON HAND MAY BE QUITE
CONTINENTAL ♪

♪ BUT DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL’S BEST
FRIEND ♪

ONE OF THE GREATEST IMAGES IN
THE HISTORY OF FILM IS MARILYN

MONROE IN THAT PINK DRESS
SINGING DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL’S

BEST FRIEND.
♪ DIAMONDS ARE A GIRL’S BEST

FRIEND ♪
WHAT MOST PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT

MARILYN MONROE IS SHE BECOMES
THIS BIG SEX SYMBOL STARTING IN

THE 50s BUT WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
DON’T KNOW IS HOW FUNNY SHE IS.

OH, DO YOU FEEL THE BREEZE IN
THE SUBWAY?

ISN’T IT DELICIOUS.
SHE EVENTUALLY GOT TIRED OF

BEING TYPE CAST AS A SEX POT
BOMBSHELL AND WANTED TO EXPAND

HER RANGE.
SO SHE FAMOUSLY FORSAKES HER

CONTRACT WITH 20th COUNTRY FOX
TO MOVE TO NEW YORK TO STUDY

WITH THE MOST RESPECTED ACTING
COACH IN THE UNITED STATES AT

THE MOMENT LEE STRASBOURG AT THE
ACTOR’S STUDIO.

WE DON’T GIVE HER ENOUGH
CREDIT AS AN ACTRESS.

SHE COULD DO IT ALL AND BILLY
WILDER KNEW IT.

SOME LIKE IT HOT IS HER MOST
MEMORABLE FILM BECAUSE SHE PUTS

EVERYTHING TOGETHER FOR HERSELF.
YOU START TO SEE HER AS A PERSON

THAT YOU CARE ABOUT EMOTIONALLY.
ALL THE GIRLS DRINK.

IT’S JUST THE THAT I’M THE ONE
THAT GETS CAUGHT.

I ALWAYS GET THE FUZZY END OF
THE LOLLIPOP.

WHEN YOU’RE IN THE HANDS OF A
BILLY WILDER, IT’S THE RIGHT

PERSON SAYING THE LINE IN THE
RATE WAY.

THEY HEAR THE COMEDY OF IT.
THERE’S A MUSIC TO A PUNCH LINE.

THIS MAY EVEN TURN OUT TO BE
A SURPRISE PARTY.

WHAT SURPRISE?
NOT YET.

WHEN?
HAVE A DRINK FIRST.

IT’S A RIDICULOUS MOVIE.
IN A LOT OF WAYS.

TONY CURTIS AND JACK LEMMON PLAY
THESE TWO MUSICIANS IN 1920s

CHICAGO AND THEY ACCIDENTALLY
WITNESS THE ST. VALENTINE’S DAY

MASSACRE AND THEY HAVE TO
WITHOUT TRYING TO, HE ATTRACTS A

MILLIONAIRE WHO FALLS IN LOVE
WITH HIM.

I’M ENGAGED.
CONGRATULATIONS.

WHO’S THE LUCKY GIRL?
I AM.

"SOME LIKE IT HOT" IS THE
GREATEST COMEDY OF ALL TIME WITH

THE GREATEST LAST LINE.
YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND, OZGOOD.

I’M A MAN.
WELL, NOBODY’S PERFECT.

♪
I’VE NOTICED YOUR VIEW OF THE

WEST HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY SAD
AND MELANCHOLY OVER THE YEARS.

HAVE YOU BEEN AWARE OF THAT
CHANGE IN MOOD?

NO.
JOHN FORD IS AMAZING.

HE PUTS HIS GREAT EMOTION AND
SENSITIVITY INTO THESE

REMARKABLE FILMS, ONE AFTER THE
OTHER AFTER THE OTHER AFTER THE

OTHER.
I THINK HE SAW THE WORLD A

LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN
OTHER PEOPLE DID.

♪
HE HAD THIS INCREDIBLE

INTUITIVE SENSE OF COMPOSITION.
HE UNDENIABLY UNDERSTOOD THE

POWER OF THE FRAME.
THE WESTERN GAVE FORD THE

FREEDOM TO EXAMINE THEMES OF
MASCULINITY, LOYALTY, REVENGE,

AND JUSTICE.
"THE SEARCHERS" IS A CULMINATION

OF THIS JOURNEY WITH THESE SAME
TWO KEY COLLABORATORS.

THE DIRECTOR NOW IN THE LATE
PART OF HIS CAREER AND THE STAR

IN THE LATE PART OF HIS CAREER.
MURDER!

"THE SEARCHERS" IS PROBABLY
AS DARK AND ME LEF LENTCHARACTER

WAYNE EVER PLAYED.
HIS NIECE GETS KIDNAPPED.

ONCE HE FINDS HER, IT’S NOT WHAT
HE EXPECTS.

THESE ARE MY PEOPLE.
GO.

GO, MARTIN, PLEASE.
STAND ASIDE MARTIN.

"THE SEARCHERS" IS A FILM
ABOUT RACISM.

JOHN WAYNE’S HATRED FOR THE
FIRST NATION’S PEOPLE IS

PROFOUND.
THE FACT THAT YOU CUT TO THE END

OF THE STORY AND HE WINDS UP
RESCUING NATALIE WOOD.

AND IT ALWAYS BRINGS TEARS TO MY
EYES WHEN HE EMBRACES DEBBIE AND

THEN TAKES HER HOME.
LET’S GO HOME, DEBBIE.

IT’S A FILM THAT OFFERS A
GREAT DEAL OF HOPE THAT THE

WORST DIED IN THE WOOL, HATER OF
THE DIFFERENCES IN OTHERS CAN

CHANGE.
♪

THE STUDIO SYSTEM WAS
COLLAPSING AT THE END OF THE

1950s.
ALMOST EVERYBODY WAS A FREE

AGENT TO GO SORT OF CRAFT THEIR
OWN DEAL.

SO, DIRECTORS HAD THE FREEDOM TO
PUT THEIR STAMP ON MOVIES.

THIS WAS A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN
HOW HOLLYWOOD DID BUSINESS.

MID-’50s TO EARLY ’60s
HITCHCOCK IS WHEN HE CHURNED OUT

MOST OF HIS PIECES.
HE STARTED TO MAKE FILMS IN

COLOR AND HAVE AMERICAN CAST AND
HAVE BIGGER SPLASHIER KIND OF

FILMS.
I COULD SEE "VERTIGO" OVER AND

OVER AGAIN AND STILL NOT
COMPLETELY GET IT.

AND I LOVE THAT ABOUT IT.
IT’S SUCH A SUBCONSCIOUS MOVIE,

KIND OF A RIDDLE.
YOU FEEL LIKE HITCHCOCK IS

ENGAGED IN A SYMBOLIC
CONVERSATION WITH THE AUDIENCE.

YOU WANT ME TO BE DRESSED
LIKE HER?

JUDY, I JUST WANT YOU TO LOOK
NICE.

I KNOW IT LOOKS WELL ON YOU.
NO, NO I WON’T DO IT.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
JIMMY STEWART AND KIM NOVAK IS

LIKE A DIRECTOR’S RELATIONSHIP
WITH AN ACTRESS.

IT’S FIXATED ON HOW YOU
LOOKED.

YOUR HAIR, YOUR JEWELRY, THE
LITTLE STONE HERE HE PICKED OUT.

MR. HITCHCOCK, CAN I ASK YOU
THIS?

MR. DIRECTOR ALLOW THEM A LIFE
OF THEIR OWN?

IF THE DIRECTOR IS WORKING IN
THE PURELY CINEMATIC MEDIUM,

THEN THE ACTOR MUST COME UNDER
HIS CONTROL.

WORKING WITH HIM WAS JUST THE
OPPOSITE FROM THE ACTOR’S

STUDIO.
HE DOESN’T TALK ABOUT ANY

FEELINGS.
HE TOLD ME DON’T USE YOUR HANDS.

LOWER YOUR VOICE.
AND LOOK DIRECTLY INTO CARY

GRANT’S EYES.
JACK PHILLIPS, WESTERN SALES

MANAGER FOR KINGBY ELECTRONICS.
NO YOU’RE NOT.

YOUR ROGER THORN HILL OF MADISON
AVENUE AND YOU’RE WANTED FOR

MURDER.
DON’T BE SO MODEST.

HITCH DOCK WASCOCK WAS ONE FI
THE DIRECTORS TO BECOME A BRAND

NAME, WHERE YOU MIGHT SHOW UP
BECAUSE HE DIRECTED IT.

THAT FEELING OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP
BECAUSE HE DIRECTED IT WAS ABOUT

TO BECOME STANDARD.
THIS IS THE HEART OF AMERICAN

CINEMA.
EVERYONE WHO’S WORKING TODAY HAS

SEEN AND WAS INFLUENCED BY THAT
CLASSIC.

STELLA!
THOSE WERE THE BUILDING

BLOCKS, THOSE WERE THE TEMPLATES
OF EVERYTHING THAT CAME AFTER

IT.
YOU CAN GO THROUGH THOSE FILMS

AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN AND
THEY WOULD LIVE ETERNALLY IF YOU

JUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE.
I DON’T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO

WITHOUT YOU.
OUR STORY OF HOLLYWOOD’S

FABULOUS ERA HAS COME TO AN END.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE

MISSED YOUR FAVORITE PERFORMER
OR FILM, OUR SINCEREST REGRETS.

IN OUR BRIEF TIME, WE’VE ONLY
BEEN ABLE TO SHOW SOME OF THEM.