TCM Schedule for Thursday, September 26, 2019 -- What's On Tonight: James Bond

[Staph]

In the daylight hours, TCM is celebrating the birthday of Edmund Gwenn, born Edmund John Kellaway on September 26, 1877, in London, England. He is one of the all-time great character actors, though we won't get a chance to see his Oscar-winning role today. Expect it in a couple of months - he won playing Kris Kringle in Miracle of 34th Street! Then in prime time, TCM wraps up this month's theme of the movies of Bond. James Bond. Enjoy!



7:15 AM -- ANTHONY ADVERSE (1936)
An orphan runs off to a life of adventure, then returns to France in search of the girl he left behind.
Dir: Mervyn LeRoy
Cast: Fredric March, Olivia De Havilland, Donald Woods
BW-141 mins, CC,

Winner of Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Gale Sondergaard, Best Cinematography -- Tony Gaudio, Best Film Editing -- Ralph Dawson, and Best Music, Score -- Leo F. Forbstein (head of department) with score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Nominee for Oscars for Best Art Direction -- Anton Grot, Best Assistant Director -- William H. Cannon, and Best Picture

The film required 131 sets, including a 12-acre African compound built on the studio backlot - the largest set which had ever been constructed.


9:45 AM -- PARNELL (1937)
True story of the Irish politician whose fight for freedom was compromised by his affair with a married woman.
Dir: John M. Stahl
Cast: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Edna May Oliver
BW-118 mins, CC,

To get Clark Gable and Myrna Loy in the mood for the sad ending of the movie, the director put on sad music over and over again. Gable complained to then-girlfriend Carole Lombard and the next day instead of the regular music a jazzy version of "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You" started playing.


12:00 PM -- THE EARL OF CHICAGO (1939)
A Chicago gangster inherits a British title.
Dir: Richard Thorpe
Cast: Robert Montgomery, Edward Arnold, Reginald Owen
BW-87 mins, CC,

The practice of trying members of the British gentry before their peers was put to a stop in 1946, six years after this movie was made.


1:29 PM -- CHICAGO, THE BEAUTIFUL (1948)
This short film focuses on the history, culture, and people of Chicago.
C-10 mins,


1:45 PM -- DANGEROUS PARTNERS (1945)
A young couple's accident could make them rich, if they can evade a Nazi spy ring.
Dir: Edward L. Cahn
Cast: James Craig, Signe Hasso, Edmund Gwenn
BW-79 mins, CC,

Based on the story Paper Chase by Eleanor Perry, writing as Oliver Weld Bayer.


3:15 PM -- BEWITCHED (1945)
A girl enlists a psychic to get rid of her murderous alternate personality.
Dir: Arch Oboler
Cast: Edmund Gwenn, Phyllis Thaxter, Harry H. Daniels Jr.
BW-65 mins, CC,

Also known as Alter Ego, the name of the story on which the film is based.


4:30 PM -- SHE WENT TO THE RACES (1945)
A pretty scientist with a system for horse-race betting falls in love with a trainer.
Dir: Willis Goldbeck
Cast: James Craig, Frances Gifford, Ava Gardner
BW-86 mins, CC,

Blink and you'll miss the uncredited cameo by the great Buster Keaton as a pratfalling bell boy.


5:58 PM -- GRANDAD OF RACES (1950)
This short film presents the annual horse race held in the Piazza del Campo in Siena. Vitaphone Release 1950A.
Dir: André De La Varre Jr.
C-10 mins,


6:15 PM -- IT'S A DOG'S LIFE (1955)
A bull terrier rises from rags to riches.
Dir: Herman Hoffman
Cast: Jeff Richards, Jarma Lewis, Edmund Gwenn
C-87 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

There were actually two dogs used to play the lead. Wildfire was used for close-ups and non-action shots, and a double was used to perform the tricks.



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: TCM SPECIAL THEME: JAMES BOND



8:00 PM -- THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS (1987)
James Bond is living on the edge to stop an evil arms dealer from starting another world war.
Dir: John Glen
Cast: Timothy Dalton, Maryam D'Abo, Joe Don Baker
BW-131 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Timothy Dalton was originally considered for the role of James Bond in the late 1960s, after Sir Sean Connery left the role, following You Only Live Twice (1967). Dalton was screentested by Albert R. Broccoli for On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969), but he turned down the part, as he thought he was too young. He was also considered for Diamonds Are Forever (1971), but turned it down again, still feeling he was too young. He was considered again for the role in For Your Eyes Only (1981), when for a while, it was unclear whether Sir Roger Moore would return. However, Dalton declined at that time, as there was no script (or even first draft). Dalton was offered the role again in 1983 for Octopussy (1983), and yet again in 1985 for A View to a Kill (1985), but had to decline the role both times, due to previous commitments.


10:30 PM -- LICENCE TO KILL (1989)
James Bond goes rogue and sets off to unleash vengeance on a drug lord who tortured his best friend.
Dir: Arthur Wooster
Cast: Timothy Dalton, Carey Lowell, Robert Davi
BW-133 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

In an interview during filming in September 1988, Timothy Dalton denied media claims that his Bond was not allowed to have as much sex, due to the A.I.D.S. epidemic at the time. However, in a 2007 interview, he admitted that this was true.


1:00 AM -- GOLDENEYE (1995)
James Bond teams up with the lone survivor of a destroyed Russian research center to stop the hijacking of a nuclear space weapon.
Dir: Martin Campbell
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, Famke Janssen
BW-130 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Licence to Kill (1989) used a contest advertising campaign to help generate interest for the film. The winner of the contest was promised a cameo role in the next James Bond picture. Unfortunately, due to many production issues, work on this movie did not begin for many years. Nevertheless, the contest winner was given a scene after the long delay. She does not have a speaking part, but you can see her in a lovely gold and black evening dress looking over Onatopp's shoulder as she plays Baccarat against Bond.


3:30 AM -- TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997)
James Bond heads to stop a media mogul's plan to induce war between China and the UK.
Dir: Roger Spottiswoode
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Teri Hatcher
BW-119 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

The estimated body count is one hundred ninety-seven, making this the highest death toll in any Bond film.


5:30 AM -- THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH (1999)
James Bond uncovers a nuclear plot when he protects an oil heiress from her former kidnapper.
Dir: Michael Apted
Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Sophie Marceau, Robert Carlyle
BW-128 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

When the real MI6 learned that this film would shoot a scene around their Headquarters, they moved to prohibit it, citing a security risk. However, Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, at the urging of Member of Parliament Janet Anderson, moved to overrule them and allow the shoot, stating, "After all Bond has done for Britain, it was the least we could do for Bond."