Wow. I am really running behind! I nearly let this day come to an end without paying tribute to the amazing Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn was born 91 years ago, on May 4th, 1921 in Belgium. She went on to become one of history’s best actresses, as well as a role model for us all. It’s not every actress who could say that she was also an active member of the anti-Nazi Dutch resistance during World War II. After she became famous and could have very easily gotten away with turning her back on the world, Hepburn continued to make a name for herself as a humanitarian, working as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF.
In honor of her birthday, here’s a wonderfully acted scene from 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Since today is Al Pacino’s birthday, it only seems right to share a classic scene from The Godfather.
In the scene below, which is perfectly directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Michael proves that he truly is a Corleone. Am I the only one who yelled, “Don’t forget to drop the gun!,” the first time that I saw this scene?
Amazingly enough, Coppola had to fight to cast Al Pacino as Michael. The studio wanted him to go with a big star and Pacino had only made two previous films. (Pacino was also felt to be too short and, oddly, too “Italian-looking” to play the role.) The studio wanted Coppola to cast Robert Redford, Ryan O’Neal, Jack Nicholson, James Caan, or maybe even Warren Beatty in the role. Fortunately, both Coppola and Marlon Brando fought for Pacino. As Brando explained it, any son of his was going to be a brooder and that description fit Pacino perfectly.
Happy birthday, Al Pacino! Here’s to many happy returns!
Given how much I love the 1953 film, Roman Holiday, I’ve probably shared this scene before but that’s okay. It’s an incredibly charming scene and hey, it’s Gregory Peck’s birthday!
96 years ago today, Marlon Brando was born in Omaha, Nebraska.
Unfortunately, Brando is one of those actors who, later in his life, became better known for his eccentricities than for his performances. Though Brando never stopped being a good actor, it’s undeniable that some of his later performances reveal an actor who often did seem to be a bit bored with the films that he was making. It’s sad to think that there’s people out there who might only know Brando because they stumbled across The Island of Dr. Moreau on Starz at like 3 in the morning.
Regardless of the reputation that he developed in his later years, Marlon Brando was one of the best actors of all time. His early performances are still exciting to watch and, even when his work was becoming progressively more eccentric in the 70s and 80s, he still continued to give performances that could grab your attention and leave you surprised by their power.
Of course, my favorite Brando film remains The Godfather so it only makes sense to share a scene from that film on Brando’s birthday. In this beautifully acted scene, Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) informs Don Vito (Brando) that Sonny has been killed. Of course, first, Tom has to have a drink. This scene might not be as iconic as some of the other scenes in The Godfather but it’s wonderfully performed by both actors and it reminds us that The Godfather is powerful not because it’s a crime film but because it’s a film about family.
I know I’ve probably shared this scene in the past but I’m going to share it again because today is Lon Chaney’s birthday! 137 years ago, today, one of the greatest actors of all time was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was the man of a thousand faces and he brought a lot of life to silent cinema.
This scene is from the 1925 version of Phantom of the Opera! That’s Lon as the phantom and Mary Philbin as Christine. In honor of the anniversary of Lon Chaney’s birth, we invited you to enjoy a scene that I love…..
This scene, incidentally, was originally planned to be shot in color. Unfortunately, the lights that were (back then) necessary to film in color were too hot and they caused Chaney’s makeup to melt. So, those plans were scrapped and then scene was shot in black-and-white but, personally, I find the black-and-white to be more effective. I’ve seen a colorized version of this film and it just wasn’t as effective.
Today is Christopher Walken’s 77th birthday so it seems appropriate to share a Walken scene that I love. Without further ado, here is the classic gold watch speech from the 1994 film, Pulp Fiction:
Today, the Shattered Lens wishes a happy 84th birthday to Ursula Andress!
Ursula Andress was one of the very first Bond girls, appearing opposite Sean Connery in Dr. No. Andress played the role of Honeychile Ryder, who was good with a knife and totally willing to trespass on Dr. No.’s beach. Andress set the standard by which almost all future Bond girls would be judged and the scene where Bond and Ryder first meet remains one of the most famous in the Bond franchise. It was such a culturally-defining moment in 1962 that it apparently led to rocketing sales of bikinis. Up until this film came out, bikinis were apparently considered to be too risque to be worn anywhere other than France.
(Personally, I’m thankful that Andress and Dr. No made bikinis popular. I look good in a bikini and, even if I don’t swim, I do like lying out by the pool and pretending like I’m capable of tanning as opposed to just burning.)
Of course, in the original novel, Honey Ryder is naked (except for a belt and a knife) when Bond first sees her. Personally, I think that’s a bit much. I prefer the scene as it plays out in the movie, where everyone is flirtatious and fashionable.
Though Dr. No is best known for turning Sean Connery into a star, it also did wonders for Ursula Andress’s career. Whereas she had previously been best-known for briefly dating Jams Dean and being married to John Derek, Andress was now an actress who was able to pick her roles and to become financially independent, a development she would later tell the Daily Independent that she owed to “that white bikini.” Andress also appeared in Playboy several times, even after becoming a star. When she was asked why, she replied, “Because I’m beautiful,” and I have to say that I absolutely love that answer.
93 years ago, on this date in 1917, Rudy Ray Moore was born in Fort Smith, Arkansas. From humble beginnings, Moore would grow up to become a comedian who inspires a cult-like following to this day. Imagine Redd Foxx with even bluer material but less personal animus against the world and you might have some idea of the type of material that made Rudy Ray Moore famous.
Moore was not just a comedian. He was also a self-proclaimed film star. Dolemite, which he produced and starred in, remains his best-known movie. Dolemite is a blaxploitation film but it’s a blaxploitation film unlike any other. Moore plays Dolemite, a pimp who has been released from prison after serving 20 years. Dolemite seeks revenge on the man who set him up, Willie Green (played by the film’s director, D’Urville Martin.) Along the way, he proves himself to be the greatest kung fu-fighting pimp around.
Or, at least, that’s the idea. As a movie, Dolemite is often considered to be an example of outsider art. It’s a movie unlike any other and it is almost impossible to describe what it’s like to watch it for the first time. In honor of Rudy Ray Moore’s birthday, here is one of the classic fight scenes from Dolemite:
Today would have been Hal Needham’s 89th birthday and that means that it’s time to celebrate with Smokey and the Bandit.
Before he made a name for himself as a director, Hal Needham was a legendary stuntman. In 1977, the same year that Smokey and the Bandit came out, Gabriel Toys even sold as a “Hal Needham Western Movie Stunt Set,” which came with a spring-launched Hal Needham action figure. When Needham went into directing, he made unpretentious movies for people who wanted to have a good time at the theater. The majority of his films featured fast cars, tough good old boys, and spectacular action. They also often featured Burt Reynolds doing what he did best. Needham made the type of movies that never won Academy Awards but which audiences loved. In fact, audiences still love them. When I watch Smokey and the Bandit, I always want to quit my job and just smuggle Coors east of the Mississippi for a living. I know that Coors is legal now so there’s no need to smuggle it but that’s the power of a good Hal Needham film.
In the scene below, the Bandit (Burt Reynolds) and Snowman (Jerry Reed) manage to avoid getting caught by the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Not only do we get to hear Eastbound and Down but this scene also features the moment that Hal Needham knew the film was going to be a hit. He later said that, as soon as Burt Reynolds broke the fourth wall and stared straight at the camera with “that shit-eating grin on his face,” he knew that audiences were going to love the Bandit.
And he was right.
Hal Needham died in 2013 and Burt Reynolds followed him five years later. However, their legacy lives on. The characters of Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood were based on Burt and Hal. If anyone could have taken on and beat the Manson family single-handed, it would have been the great Hal Needham.
Through the Shattered Lens 