While in prison Lawrence Tierney as Dillinger (1945) masterfully carves a gun out of wood and successfully engineers his escape-However in the mock crime documentary Take the Money and Run (1969) imprisoned Virgil Starkwell (Woody Allen) fails when he carves his gun out of soap and it is raining outside!
The Philip Yordan (Oscar nominated here) screenplay for Dillinger (1945) effectively cast with Lawrence Tierney in the title role and Anne Jeffreys as his gal captures Noir claustrophobia when Dillinger spends months hiding in a small Chicago room decorated only with his own wanted poster.
Van Gogh look alike Kirk Douglas celebrating his 100th birthday today gave a brilliant performance (even for him) in the Vincent Minnelli directed Lust for Life (1956)…As Bud Collyer used to say on “To Tell the Truth” -Will the real Vincent Van Gogh stand up?
Born on 12-8-versatile screen icon Lee J. Cobb who was the bitter jurist #3 in the Sidney Lumet masterpiece 12 Angry Men (1957) who tried to bully the wise kindly senior jurist # 9 (first to back Henry Fonda in his “Not Guilty” vote) played to perfection by Joseph Sweeney…. However, talk about great actors reversing roles in The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit (1956) Sweeney shows off his diverse acting range when he plays the bitter old man Edward M. Schultz who tries to cheat Gregory Peck/Jennifer Jones out of a family inheritance and Lee J. Cobb plays Bernstein the wise kindly Connecticut judge who exposes Sweeney as a fraud.
Born 12/7- Eli Wallach-Loved his performance in John Huston’s The Misfits (1961) as Guido the cowboy pilot who so touchingly misses his late wife!
Always admired the much underrated actor James Edwards- When I was a kid watching Home of The Brave (1949) again and again on TV’s Million Dollar Movie on NY television I knew he was very special. Now I yearn to view again the touching scenes Edwards as Pvt. Peter Moss had with screen greats Lloyd Bridges and Jeff Corey.
A TCM perennial I always look forward to seeing again : Mrs.Miniver (1942)-Oscar winning here director William Wyler’s camera (always in the right position) further enhanced the great performances of: Henry Travers as the rose growing station master Mr. Ballard; Teresa Wright as the lovely bride; Dame May Whitty as the proud but heart of gold Lady Beldon; Walter Pidgeon as Clem Miniver; and most of all Greer Garson in the title role personalizing the dangers faced by the WW II British Home front.
Tough guy to catch up with-Screen great Robert Mitchum runs a rural family moonshine business in Thunder Road (1958) where he can speed away from any competition or treasury agents like Gene Barry.
Lawrence of Cinema 