The Shattered Lens wishes a happy birthday to director Whit Stillman!
Today’s scene that I love comes from Stillman’s first film, 1990’s Metropolitan. In this scene, Charlie (Taylor Nichols) explains why UHB is a much better term for their social class than preppy. As usual, Nick (Chris Eigeman) is there to provide support in his own unique way. Nichols and Eigeman were both perfectly cast in this film.
Ernest Borgnine, that great character actor, was born 104 years ago today. In tribute, today’s scene that I love comes from one of my favorite Borgnine films, 1972’s The Poseidon Adventure.
Borgnine was a great yeller and, in The Poseidon Adventure, he even manages to outyell the great Gene Hackman.
In memory of the late Norman Jewison, today scene that I love comes from my favorite film to have been directed by him.
In this scene from 1973’s Jesus Christ Superstar, Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman) attempts to comfort Jesus (Ted Neeley) while Judas (Carl Anderson) tries to pull Jesus away from her. This scene showcases both Elliman’s angelic voice and Anderson’s ferocious intensity as Mary and Judas present two very different sides of a spiritual journey.
The great Italian director, Federico Fellini, was born 104 years ago today.
Today’s scene that I love comes from Toby Dammit, Fellini’s contribution to the 1968 anthology film, Spirits of the Dead. In this scene, a narcissistic actor (Terence Stamp) goes for a very fast drive through a very haunted Rome.
The great Cary Grant was born 120 years ago today.
In honor of Cary Grant’s legendary career and screen charm, today’s scene that I love comes from one of my favorite Cary Grant movies. This is also one of my favorite Ingrid Bergman films and one of my favorite Alfred Hitchock films and even one of my favorite Claude Rains films. 1946’s Notorious is a favorite all-around!
Businessman and philanthropist Al Capone was born 125 years ago today. A beloved figure in Chicago and a noted family man, Capone was an early victim of the IRS and he spent what should have been the best years of his life locked away in a federal prison.
Many films have been inspired by Capone’s story and many notable actors have played him. In 1987’s The Untouchables, Robert De Niro brought Capone to life and, in a memorable scene, he showed how to deal with an employee who was not carrying his weight.
Continuing our celebration of John Carpenter’s birthday, today’s scene that I love comes from one of my favorite Carpenter movies, 1981’s Escape From New York.
In this scene, The Duke of New York makes quite an entrance. Not only does he have an entourage but his car comes with its own chandeliers and a disco ball! Along with writing and directing this film, Carpenter also composed the score.
Lloyd Bridges was born 111 years ago today.
Lloyd Bridges appeared in a lot of films and TV shows over the course of his long career. He was the untrustworthy deputy in High Noon, for instance. He was also the father of actors Jeff and Beau Bridges. And, of course, he was one of the many Golden Age actors to be recruited to appear in the 1980 film, Airplane! Airplane! was such a success that it launched a whole new career for Bridges, who went from being known for his serious roles to appearing in comedies, where he was often cast as well-meaning but clueless authority figures.
In today’s scene that I love, Lloyd Bridges plays the air traffic supervisor Steve McCroskey, who comes to realize that he picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.
Today is Faye Dunaway’s birthday and today’s scene that I love comes from the film that made Dunaway a star, 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde.
In this scene, Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) first meets Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty). Interestingly enough, Warren Beatty originally wanted Bob Dylan to play the role of Clyde and, at one point, he envisioned Bonnie being played by his sister, Shirley MacClaine. That would have been interesting, to say the least. Fortunately, in the end, Beatty decided to not only produce the film but to play the role of Clyde himself. Natalie Wood, Tuesday Weld, Leslie Caron, and Jane Fonda were among those who turned down the role of Bonnie before Faye Dunaway, who had done two films at that point, was eventually cast in the role. And the rest is film history!
Gregory Walcott, who was born 98 years today, appeared in a lot of good films over the course of his long career. He had supporting roles in major blockbusters. He was a friend and frequent collaborator of Clint Eastwood’s. In 1979, he played the sheriff in the Oscar-nominated Norma Rae.
That said, he will probably always be most remembered for playing Jeff, the patriotic pilot, in Ed Wood’s 1957 masterpiece, Plan Nine From Outer Space. Walcott gave probably as good a performance as anyone could in Plan 9, though that didn’t prevent the film from wrong being declared one of the worst ever made. Walcott, for most of his career, was not a fan of Plan 9 but, in the years before he passed away in 2015, Walcott’s attitude towards the film mellowed considerably. He even appeared in Tim Burton’s Ed Wood.
In this scene from Plan 9, Walcott shows how to deal with a smug alien.
Through the Shattered Lens 