TCM Schedule for Friday, January 15, 2021 -- What's On Tonight: International Intrigue

[Staph]

In the daylight hours, TCM is showing films that feature Ann Miller and Polly Bergen. I can't figure this one out. It's not a birthday for either one, and they have never appeared together in anything. Then in prime time, we're wandering the world in search of spies and such. Enjoy!


6:00 AM -- Too Many Girls (1940)
1h 25m | Musical | TV-G
Four college football stars are hired to chaperon a reckless heiress to a Wild West college.
Director: George Abbott
Cast: Lucille Ball, Richard Carlson, Ann Miller

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz first met on the set of this movie.


7:45 AM -- Two Tickets to Broadway (1951)
1h 46m | Musical | TV-G
A small-town girl finds love on the road to Broadway stardom.
Director: James V. Kern
Cast: Tony Martin, Janet Leigh, Gloria Dehaven, Ann Miller

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Sound, Recording -- John Aalberg (RKO Radio)

The roles played by Charles Dale and Joe Smith were orginally intended for Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, who had to drop out of the film due to an illness contracted by Laurel while filming Utopia (1950).


9:45 AM -- Easter Parade (1948)
1h 43m | Musical | TV-G
A musical about a Broadway dancer who tries to forget his ex-partner while rising to stardom.
Director: Charles Walters
Cast: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Peter Lawford, Ann Miller

Winner of an Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture -- Johnny Green and Roger Edens

Gene Kelly was originally scheduled to play Don, but he broke his ankle when he stamped his foot in anger after losing a volleyball game. It was at his suggestion that he be replaced by Fred Astaire. Cyd Charisse was up for the role of Nadine, but a torn ligament in either one or both of her knees forced her to drop out. She was replaced by Ann Miller. Although she had been a star for years, Judy Garland had never met Astaire before, and was afraid to speak to him until they were properly introduced.


11:45 AM -- Kiss Me Kate (1953)
1h 51m | Musical | TV-G
An ex-husband and wife team star in a musical version of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew".
Director: George Sidney
Cast: Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel, Ann Miller

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture -- André Previn and Saul Chaplin

This was Ann Miller's favorite role. It was expanded for the film: on stage, Lois does not sing "Too Darn Hot" which is sung by Paul, Fred's dresser, who is an African-American.


1:45 PM -- Escape from Fort Bravo (1953)
1h 38m | Western | TV-PG
The Civil War complicates the Cavalry's battle against Indians.
Director: John Sturges
Cast: William Holden, Eleanor Parker, John Forsythe, Polly Bergen

William Holden did not shave his chest for his shirtless scene in this movie (as he did for most of his other "beefcake" scenes of the 1950s), thus giving audiences one of their best looks at his normally lush growth of chest hair.


3:45 PM -- Kisses for My President (1964)
1h 53m | Comedy | TV-PG
The first female president has to deal with her husband's bruised ego.
Director: Curtis Bernhardt
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Polly Bergen, Arlene Dahl

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Howard Shoup

According to early publicity announced prior to JFK assassination, Polly Bergen's wardrobe for the role as first female president of the US was to have been designed by Oleg Cassini, favorite couturier of then-First Lady Jackie Kennedy. For whatever reason, costumes were ultimately designed by Howard Shoup, who received an Oscar nomination for his work.


6:00 PM -- Cry of the Hunted (1953)
1h 20m | Drama | TV-PG
A prison convict escapes through the Louisiana swamps.
Director: Joseph H. Lewis
Cast: Vittorio Gassman, Barry Sullivan, Polly Bergen

Based on a story by Jack Leonard and Marion Wolfe.


7:30 PM -- MGM Parade Show #8 (1955)
25m | Documentary | TV-G
Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant perform in a clip from The Philadelphia Story.



WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: PRIMETIME THEME -- INTERNATIONAL INTRIGUE



8:00 PM -- Charade (1963)
1h 54m | Suspense/Mystery | TV-PG
A young woman returns home from vacation to find her elegant apartment stripped and her husband dead.
Director: Stanley Donen
Cast: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau

Nominee for an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song -- Henry Mancini (music) and Johnny Mercer (lyrics) for the song "Charade"

Due to the suspense, the presence of Cary Grant, the structure of the screenplay, and the frequent plot twists, many people believe this was a Sir Alfred Hitchcock film. Hitchcock was not involved in the making of the film at all. This confusion has prompted fans of the film to call it "the best Hitchcock film Hitchcock never made."


10:00 PM -- The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
1h 59m | Suspense/Mystery | TV-PG
International spies kidnap a doctor's son when he stumbles on their assassination plot.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: James Stewart, Doris Day, Brenda De Banzie

Winner of an Oscar for Best Music, Original Song -- Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for the song "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)"

It was during the making of this movie, when she saw how camels, goats and other "animal extras" in a marketplace scene were being treated, that Doris Day began her lifelong commitment to preventing animal abuse. She was so appalled at the conditions the animals were in that she refused to work unless they were properly fed and cared for. The production company actually had to set up "feeding stations" for the various goats, sheep, camels, et cetera, and feed them every day before Day would agree to go back to work.


12:15 AM -- The Third Man (1949)
1h 33m | Suspense/Mystery | TV-14
A man's investigation of a friend's death uncovers corruption in post-World War II Vienna.
Director: Carol Reed
Cast: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles

Winner of an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Robert Krasker

Nominee for Oscars for Best Director -- Carol Reed, and Best Film Editing -- Oswald Hafenrichter

When the film was initially distributed in America, David O. Selznick replaced the narration at the beginning (a necessity to explain the very unusual status of Vienna in the aftermath of World War II, when the film was set), originally done by Carol Reed himself, with a narration read by Joseph Cotten, in character as Holly Martins. Nearly eleven minutes of film was cut out in Selznick's version, including all references in the original cut to Cotten's Holly Martins being an implied alcoholic and anything else that portrayed him as a less than heroic figure.


2:15 AM -- Remember My Name (1978)
1h 34m | Suspense/Mystery | TV-MA
A young woman released from prison begins stalking a married construction worker.
Director: Alan Rudolph
Cast: Anthony Perkins, Geraldine Chaplin, Moses Gunn

Film debut of Berry Berenson. Berenson was married to Anthony Perkins in real life.


4:00 AM -- Pipe Dreams (1976)
1h 27m | Drama
A woman goes to Alaska to try to win back her estranged husband who is working there.
Director: Stephen F Verona
Cast: Gladys Knight, Mike Tippit, Barry Hankerson


5:30 AM -- The Relaxed Wife (1957)
13m | Short, Documentary | TV-G
The modern miracle of tranquilizers helps working men and their wives deal with life's little problems.
Cast: Tracy Ward, Dick Brophy, Joseph Cole

At the beginning and end of the film, it is mentioned that it is "presented by" the Roerig division of Pfizer, a pharmaceutical company. Later in the film, the definition of the Greek word "ataraxia" is given. It is no coincidence that Pfizer sold a prescription drug with the brand name Atarax (hydroxyzine). So, this "public service" film is actually a long commercial for their sedative (amoung other uses) Atarax.


5:45 AM -- Dating: Do's and Don'ts (1949)
13m | TV-G
A young man is given advice on what to do and what not to do on a date.
Director: Ted Peshak
Cast: John Lindsay, Jackie Gleason, Dick Creyke