We are now at the letter W.....Head on over to the A to Z Challenge and find out what everyone else is talking about. My Thursday Movie Picks follows right after:) I had to still combine the 2 even though I can't quite fit them in all together.
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION-1957
DIRECTOR: Billy Wilder
STARS: Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power, Elsa Lancester
OSCAR NOMS: Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Sound, Best Editing
OSCAR WINS: Nil
PLOT: A young man, arrested for the murder of an elderly, rich lady, asks a brilliant, but unhealthy barrister, to defend him. This lawyer must deal with the defendant's wife and he must deal with his nurse who knows all the hiding places for his cigars.
LOVE: The banter between Laughton and Lanchester (married in real life)
TRIVIA: Laughton and Lanchester were nominated even though they did not actively pursue the award nomination. In fact, Laughton openly rallied for Alec Guiness(For Bridge on the River Kwai). On the other hand, Marlene (who is excellent in this by the way), thought she would be nominated for sure. She was playing in Vegas at the time and had her introduction changed to, "nominated for best actress...". She was not nominated which really upset her....the introduction had to be change obviously.
BILLY WILDER- June 22, 1906-March 27, 2002
OCCUPATION: Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Editor
OSCAR NOMS: Fortune Cookie, Some Like It Hot, Witness For the Prosecution, Sabrina, Stalag 17, Ace In The Hole, A Foreign Affair, Double Indemnity, Ball of Fire, Hold Back The Dawn, Ninotchka
OSCAR WINS: The Apartment, Sunset Blvd, Lost Weekend, Honourary Awards
ANECDOTE: He fled Nazi Germany in 1933since he was Jewish, but his mom and other members of his family still lived there. They all died in concentration camps and he rarely talked about this. He was known for his brilliance, sarcastic wit and hard hitting look at Hollywood (L.B. Mayor wanted him thrown out of town) but he could also be nasty.
Thursday Movie Picks...
I decided to just make a longer post and combined the 2:) At least the one character was arrested by the police so it connects a little:) This week it is all about TV and Police shows so let's get on with it. Check out Wandering Through The Shelves to see what the others have chosen...
1.
COLUMBO-1971-2003
Peter Falk was great as the title character because the killer always thought he was dumb and so, underestimated him. Columbo also got on everyone's nerves which was just so much fun to watch because we all like doing that to someone at least once in our life time:) This show first started as part of the Mystery Movie (the other 2 were McLeod which I love, and McMillan & Wife). Finally, this show had special episodes which would air off and on until 2003. You always knew, from the beginning, who the killer was but you enjoyed how Columbo figured everything out. Columbo never cared if the person was rich or not (usually they were) because he would come in his beat up car, wearing his beat up coat and smoking a cigar. The coat was actually Peter Falk's coat..I guess to cut down on costumes..Haha.
2.
BARNEY MILLER- 1974-1982
These cast of characters were just so funny from Fish to the classy Ron Harris. You would always see the comings and goings of the detectives working in that shabby office dealing with a whole bunch of characters. I still love Det Yemana, made famous by that wonderful actor, Jack Soo who died during the run of this show. I think my favourite episode is the brownie episode (Mush, Mush, Mush).
3.
CASTLE-2009-2016
This is a recent TV Show that I really enjoyed. It is the very implausible story of a rich, successful mystery/crime writer who starts working with the police force to help solve crimes. The head detective is played by a quite stunning, kick ass gal with some major hang ups. Of course they are attracted to each other and play the back and forth but when they do finally get together, the show does not run dry. There are shows that are much heavier and others more fun but always entertaining especially with the other characters from the 2 police detectives who aid the main gal to the writer's mom and his daughter. It's fun and that's what I like.
One extra....
T.J. HOOKER-1982-1986
Yes....I watched this show...and yes, it is campy especially William Shatner's hair. He plays a veteran cop who decides to stop being a detective and go back to being a beat cop with a rookie partner played by the world renown star, Adrian Zmed (crickets please). The cop who knows all helps the rookie cop, with hair Shatner wishes he had, learn the ropes. Later Heather Locklear is brought in for that special touch of acting...ughh who am I kidding..T & A. It was a show that had some humour in it and, Leonard Nimoy was in an episode! Adrian Zmed left the show to pursue his acting career.....hahahaaaaaa.