Just some thoughts on current happenings:

Classic film screenings from around the world this month include:

In Valencia, Spain, Culturarts Generalitat IVAC – La Filmoteca at the Edificio Rialto will be presenting The Trial (1962, as part of a tribute to the film’s director Orson Welles) Friday, June 3, The Third Man (1949, a 35mm print, as part of a tribute to one of the film’s stars Orson Welles) Wednesday, June 8 and Friday, June 10, and Blade Runner: The Director’s Cut (1982/1992) on Saturday, June 11 and Sunday, June 12.

Click on the respective film’s image for more information on each screening. To discover the entire month’s programming, click on the banner image above.

In New York City, New York, Film Forum is presenting MONTGOMERY CLIFT A 2-week, 16-film festival celebrating the iconic actor, a four-time Oscar nominee who forged an independent path in 1940s and ‘50s Hollywood, and redefined masculinity in post-war America. Just a few of the highlights include Red River (1948) Friday, June 3, Saturday, June 4 and Monday, June 6, The Heiress (1949, a 35mm print) Sunday, June 5 and Friday, June 10, I Confess (1953, a 35mm print) Tuesday, June 7 (2 showings 12:30 pm and 6 pm with an introduction by Cultural Historian Louise Hirschfeld at the later showing only), and Freud (1962, a 35mm print) on Thursday, June 9 and Thursday, June 16.

For information on these or the other films in this series, click on the corresponding image above. For information on all of the films playing this month, click on the Film Forum banner above.

In London, United Kingdom The Prince Charles Cinema will present The Night of the Hunter (1955) Saturday, June 4 and Thursday, June 9, Sullivan’s Travels (1941) Saturday, June 4, Tokyo Story (1953, a 35mm print) Sunday, June 5, Full Metal Jacket (1987, a 35mm print) Sunday, June 5, The Good, the Bad & the Ugly (1966, a 35mm print) Sunday, June 5 and Tuesday, June 28, Vertigo (1958, a 4k presentation) Monday, June 6, Psycho (1960, the original theatrical cut, 4k restoration with 13 seconds of additional footage previously removed by censors on release) Friday, June 10 and Tuesday, June 14, Dark City (1998, a 35mm print) Friday, June 10, Sanjuro (1962, a 35mm print, as part of this film’s 60th Anniversary) Sunday, June 12, Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974, a 35mm print) Tuesday, June 14, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962, a 35mm print, as part of this film’s 60th Anniversary) Saturday, June 18 and Tuesday, June 21, Enter the Void (2009, a 35mm print) Saturday, June 18, Touch of Evil (1958, a 35mm print) Sunday, June 19 and Tuesday, June 21, Goodfellas (1990, a 35mm print) Wednesday, June 22, The Long Goodbye (1973, a 35mm print) Thursday, June 23, 12 Angry Men (1957, a 35mm print) Sunday, June 26 and Wednesday, June 29, First Blood (1982, a 4k presentation, as part of this film’s 40th Anniversary) Sunday, June 26, Tuesday, June 28 and Wednesday, June 29, Red Beard (1965, a 35mm print) Tuesday, June 28, and The Godfather (1972, a 35mm print) on Wednesday, June 29.

Click on the film’s respective image for more information. To see June’s complete programming, click on The Prince Charles Cinema banner above.

In Auckland, New Zealand Academy Cinemas is presenting Dr. No (1962, as part of their “I Spy Film Festival”) Saturday, June 4, From Russia with Love (1963, as part of their “I Spy Film Festival”) Sunday, June 5, Goldfinger (1964, as part of their “I Spy Film Festival”) Monday, June 6, Criss Cross (1949, an Auckland Film Society screening for Auckland Film Society members) Tuesday, June 7, Army of Shadows (1969, as part of their “I Spy Film Festival”) Saturday, June 11, a Harry Palmer triple feature as part of their “I Spy Film Festival” beginning with The Ipcress File (1965) followed by Funeral in Berlin (1966) and finally Billion Dollar Brain (1967) Sunday, June 12, and Le Pedit Soldat (1963, as part of their “I Spy Film Festival” ) on Tuesday, June 14.

To obtain more information specifically on each of these programmes, click on the corresponding image. To see the entire month of June’s programming, click on the Academy banner above.

In theatres across the U.S. Flashback Cinema is presenting The Goonies (1985) Sunday June 5 and Wednesday, June 8, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Sunday, June 19 (Father’s Day) and Wednesday, June 22, and Indiana Jones & the Temple of Doom (1984) on Sunday, June 26 and Wednesday, June 29.

Click on the respective poster image for more information. To see the entire month’s programming, click on The Flashback Cinema banner above.

In theatres across the U.S., Fathom Events is presenting The Wizard of Oz (1939, In celebration of what would have been Judy Garland’s 100th birthday, featuring a rarely seen extended musical number) Sunday, June 5 and Monday, June 6, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962, as part of this film’s 60th Anniversary, including exclusive insights from Turner Classic Movies) Sunday, June 12 and Wednesday, June 15, and The Thing (1982, as part of this film’s 40th Anniversary) on Sunday, June 19 and Wednesday, June 22.

Click on the film’s poster image for more information. To see this month’s entire schedule, click on The Fathom Events banner above.

In Los Angeles, California The Beverly Cinema will present a double bill of Morocco (1930, a 35mm print) and Blonde Venus (1932, a 35mm print) Tuesday, June 7 and Wednesday, June 8, a double bill of Gilda (1946, a 35mm print) and Laura (1944, a 35mm print) Tuesday, June 14 and Wednesday, June 15, and a double bill of Remember My Name (1978, a 35mm print) and Play It as It Lays (1972, a 35mm print) on Thursday, June 23.

Click on the film’s respective image for more information. To see the rest of June’s schedule, click on The Beverly Cinema banner above.

In Amsterdam, Netherlands CineConcerts and Cinema in Concert along with The Noordpool Orkest will present Gladiator (2000) with live musical accompaniment on Tuesday, June 7, Wednesday, June 8 and Friday, June 10.

Click on the above image for more information.

In Bergen, Norway The Cinemateket i Bergen will present Badlands (1973, a 35mm print) Wednesday, June 8 and Sunday, June 12, Harold and Maude (1971, a 35mm print) Thursday, June 16 and Tuesday, June 28, and Last Tango in Paris (1972) on Sunday, June 19 and Thursday, June 23.

For more information on each film’s showing, click on the movie’s image above. For more information on the other films showing at The Cinemateket, click on the banner image above.

In Melbourne, Australia The Astor Theatre is presenting Goodfellas (1990, a 35mm print, as a tribute to the late actor Ray Liotta) Thursday, June 9, Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1992/2007, a 4k presentation) Friday, June 17 through to and including Sunday, June 19, and Full Metal Jacket (1987, a 35mm print) on Monday, June 20.

Click on the film’s image for more information about each individual screening. To see the rest of June’s schedule, click on The Astor Theatre banner above.

Noir City will take place in Boston, Massachusetts from June 10 - 13. Highlights include Naked Alibi (1954, a 35mm print) Friday, June 10, The Great Gatsby (1949, a 35mm print) Saturday, June 11, and Too Late for Tears (1949) on Sunday, June 12.

For more information including the complete schedule, click on the image above.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance / The Last Hurrah

In Los Angeles, California Secret Movie Club is presenting at the Secret Movie Club Theater Battleship Potemkin (1925, a 35mm print) Thursday, June 16, Beauty and the Beast (1946, a 35mm print) Friday, June 17, and a double bill of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962, a 35mm print) and The Last Hurrah (1958, which reads: “we are working to get this on 35mm but audience should be ready for digital presentation if need be”) on Friday June 24.

For more information on each screening, click on the appropriate movie image. To discover other screenings organised by this group, click on the above theatre image.

In Winnipeg, Canada, The Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra will present The Gold Rush (1925) with live musical accompaniment on Friday, June 24.

Click on the above image for more information.

There are 23 recommended films to watch on Turner Classic Movies in the U.S. this month:

For anyone who missed last month’s showing, you’re in luck. First up is star Jimmy Cagney's foray into noir, White Heat. A criminal's mother-fixated pathology and the undercover cop trying to catch him are the topics of this previous recommendation here. TCM's screen will heat up Saturday, June 4 at 11 am PDT.

(From left) James Cagney, Edmond O'Brien

"And then I saw her - coming out of the sun. And I knew why Whit didn't care about that 40 grand."

Eddie's bringing out the big guns. Out of the Past, is one of film noir's finest and most highly recommended here. She will arrive at Eddie Muller’s Noir Alley Saturday, June 4 at 9 pm PDT and again Sunday, June 5 at 7 am PDT.

Last month, I recommended, and linked to a past review of, Casablanca, which I criticised for its emotionally underwhelming Parisian flashback. Prior to this film, however, Casablanca's producer Hal Wallis and one of its contributing writers, Casey Robinson, made Now, Voyager where the romance witnessed from start to finish comes alive with fervour, maturity and elegance. Previously reviewed here, Now, Voyager will set sail Tuesday, June 7 at (early morning) 3:45 am PDT and again Saturday, June 11 at 5 pm PDT.

This next hypnotic but terrifying entrancement is a highly expressionistic fable that appears as if conveyed from a child's point of view. "Fairytale noir" is what Film Noir expert Eddie Muller calls it, noted author Preston Neal Jones describes the film as “Mother Goose with goose bumps” and in my review the description reads: “… like a Grimm fairy tale only a whole lot grimmer.” Previously reviewed in Opening Up a Treasure: The Night of the Hunter, this extraordinary tale awaits your interpretation Tuesday, June 7 at 7:30 am PDT.

Woody Allen’s most personally heartfelt film Manhattan (1979) may still be his finest. Previously reviewed here, interested viewers can decide for themselves Tuesday, June 7 at 5 pm PDT.

Another recommendation taking place in NYC on Tuesday is Hidden Gem #61, Hal Ashby's very personal and special 1970 directorial debut The Landlord. He'll pay you a visit Tuesday, June 7 at 9 pm PDT.

One of Alfred Hitchcock’s more uncustomary, yet distinguished, offerings is I Confess, previously reviewed here, featuring an intense, introspective performance from Montgomery Clift. This highly engrossing confessional can be heard (and seen) Thursday, June 9 at (early morning) 1:45 am PDT.

One of the finest westerns ever made is Top Ten Western #4. Sam Peckinpah's elegiac Ride the High Country will ride into TCM territory Thursday, June 9 at 5 pm PDT.

Randolph Scott as Gil Westrum (on the left) and Joel McCrea as Steve Judd

Another of Sam Peckinpah’s Top Ten Westerns (#1 in fact) is the explosively confrontational The Wild Bunch. If by chance one hasn’t seen this landmark film, remedy that Thursday, June 9 at 9 pm PDT. For those who have, please see my review Opening Up a Treasure: The Wild Bunch as to why it was, and still is, one of America's finest contributions to the cinematic arts.

Despite its ridiculously hard to follow plot, this next recommendation's wildly entertaining detective yarn is worth waking up for.

Previously reviewed here, The Big Sleep will awaken Saturday, June 11 at 11:15 am PDT.

A most talented friend on Facebook, Leilani Roundtree, has graciously allowed me to post her own very special modernised trailer for The Big Sleep. This amazing work both spoofs contemporary coming attractions while paying homage to the early classic in a most delightful way! Enjoy!

My next recommended feature is The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, a romantic fantasy/drama that provides viewers with an incredibly moving emotional experience. It has been previously reviewed here. This timeless romance begins on Sunday, June 12 at 10:45 am PDT.

A pre-code charmer sure to delight fans is Blonde Crazy with Jimmy Cagney and Joan Blondell enchanting as a couple of cons. This recommendation was previously made here. The fun will begin Tuesday, June 14 at 12:30 pm PDT.

Another pre-code sensation sure to amaze the uninitiated is Baby Face (1933), a film which shows just how far a woman will go to right the wrongs perpetrated in her youth by the lecherous exploits of the opposite sex including, tragically, her own father.

(From left) Theresa Harris, Barbara Stanwyck

These early scenes taking place in Erie (might as well read “dreary”), Pennsylvania demonstrate Baby Face’s (Lily Powers) severe mistreatment. They provide the impetus needed to engage audiences once she decides, as a young adult, to move to New York and use that same sexual allure to power her way up the corporate ladder (a sort of gender reversal variation would arrive later in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying). Ostensibly, her goal is to be the one in control and impervious to any unwanted male advances. Lily is a well rounded individual: sweet, fiery and resilient, played impeccably by a 25 year old Barbara Stanwyck. Baby Face is not only a tough cookie, she’s “a cookie full of arsenic” even though every man she meets wants to take a bite out of her. One of those ravenous men is played by John Wayne. Baby Face is so desirably hot, she quickly manages to emotionally incinerate the big guy without really trying reducing him to a tiny pile of ashes. As Lily replaces each corporate figure for another with more authority she doesn’t act like some cartoon bitch, what might be expected from a similar character in today’s “oh so obvious” cinema. The suffering her male victims endure seems proportionate to their desire to possess Lily, i.e. of their own doing. Her goal is not one of emasculation or vengeance only a practical step guided by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche interestingly enough, to gain complete independence in this male dominated world.

Black actress Theresa Harris plays Lily’s maid and confidant in superb fashion. What a delight she is singing a cappella “St. Louis Blues”, one of several featured tunes in Baby Face. Her’s is a carefully composed character who helps us gain a better understanding of Lily’s temperament and aspirations as well as her own.

The proficient filmmaking includes Alfred E. Green’s solid direction from a bold screenplay by Gene Markey, Kathryn Scola and story by famed producer Darryl F. Zanuck. These storytellers are still able to surprise their title character, and therefore us, by making Baby Face’s feelings in the latter stages of her journey not as assured as she planned. This narrative unpredictability, as well as its compact running time efficiency, is a formidable trait that informs the best of pre-code cinema making Baby Face, in several ways, one of its most essential representatives. Luckily for us, a pre-cut version discovered in 2004 by The Library of Congress (reputedly the film that caused censors to sharpen their teeth back in the day) is the version TCM will show to all of their sweet-toothed but tough cookie lovers (updated) Monday, March 11 (2024) at 5 pm PDT.

TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on any of the above TCM related images. For those who live in parts of the U.S. other than the western region, the time zone can be adjusted in the upper right-hand corner of TCM's programme.

Baby Face is also June’s DVD recommendation, listed as the last entry in this column.

As mentioned in the review above, this next recommendation offers a sort of male version of the same goal: to climb the corporate ladder. Plus, it is sure to succeed as a fun and lively musical to watch. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying was previously reviewed here. Lessons will begin on TCM Tuesday, June 14 at 6:45 pm PDT.

Barbara Loden's critically acclaimed directorial debut Wanda is Hidden Gem #29, and a previous TCM recommendation here. Her tragic but compelling journey will take place Wednesday, June 15 at 9:15 pm PDT.

The Best Years of Our Lives is an incisive look into how each of three returning servicemen adapt to civilian life at home, after World War II. Previously, I highly praised The Best Years of Our Lives for its exceptional musical score composed by Hugo Friedhofer in the first part of a series entitled Top Ten: Motion Picture Music Treasures. This emotionally powerful tour de force will commence on TCM Thursday, June 16 at 1:45 pm PDT.

Dana Andrews, holding the Mayo... Virginia Mayo that is

In the mid-60s, independent filmmaker Monte Hellman directed a couple of extremely low-budget but highly distinctive westerns made back to back, The Shooting (which will follow the reviewed film below, Thursday, June 16 at 6:30 pm PDT) and my next TCM recommendation Ride in the Whirlwind, reviewed here. The whirlwind will pass through TCM Thursday, June 16 at 5 pm PDT.

When affairs of the heart are so well integrated with thoughts of murder as they are in the Humphrey Bogart starrer Conflict, we have the makings of an exceptional film noir. This is because the emotional cause behind the actions infuses motive into these types of films and thus absorbs the viewer on a deeper level. Conflict, previously reviewed here, and a former visitor to Eddie Muller's Noir Alley, will present itself (updated) Thursday, June 23 at 9:30 am PDT.

Those who are familiar with John Cassavetes’ unique brand of auteurism, may be surprised to find his directorial credit on 1963's A Child Is Waiting, written by Abbey Mann and produced by Stanley Kramer. I reviewed A Child Is Waiting when it last aired on TCM here. This sensitive and superbly acted film awaits your arrival Friday, June 24 at 8:15 pm PDT.

TCM’s screen will turn as dark as the inside of a gun barrel with Taxi Driver. This is Martin Scorsese’s exploration of a cab driver’s descent into hell and was previously reviewed as a Blu-ray here. One can catch this nightmarish ride Saturday, June 25 at 7 pm PDT.

This will be a really bad day for anyone who encounters Them! (the giant mutant ants that is). The motion picture, however, is an exhilarating creature feature, previously reviewed here. Them! will march on TCM Wednesday, June 29 at 6:30 am PDT.

Then it's back to westerns, another Top Ten (#3) and Hidden Gem #19, Devil's Doorway. Anthony Mann's staunch indictment of the U.S. Government's harsh and unfair treatment of native Americans is one of the most uncompromising films on the subject. It has been "inspected" (reviewed) here and will make its stand Thursday, June 30 at 8 am PDT.

(From the left) Bruce Cowling, Robert Taylor, Paula Raymond

Some cinephiles take aim at those films identified as film noir if their stories’ setting occur during an earlier time than the classic period (1940 - 1959) in which they were made. They insist that this alone would disqualify a film from being categorised as such, even though the dark criminal surroundings and emphasis on character motive are present and accounted for. The Tall Target is such an example and for myself, joins other so called “period noirs” that are rightfully embraced in the film noir canon. Anthony Mann's 1951 effort, a prior recommendation here, is well worth checking out. Viewers should set their sights on The Tall Target Thursday, June 30 at 11:15 am PDT.

(From left) Ruby Dee, Marshall Thompson, Dick Powell, Paula Raymond

TCM's current monthly schedule can be confirmed by clicking on any of the above TCM related images. For those who live in parts of the U.S. other than the western region, the time zone can be adjusted in the upper right-hand corner of TCM's programme.

This month's Happy Birthday shout-out goes to Polish born cinematographer Janusz (pronounced "Ya-nush") Kamiński who turns 63 on June 27th.

He is best known for being director Steven Spielberg’s cinematographer since 1993 winning an Academy Award for Best Cinematography for his work on Schindler's List (1993) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Other films that have benefitted from Kaminski’s extraordinary visual aesthetics include Jerry Maguire (1996, directed by Cameron Crowe), Amistad (1997), A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), Minority Report (2002), Catch Me If You Can (2002), War of the Worlds (2005), Munich (2005), The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007, directed by Julian Schnabel), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008), War Horse (2011), Lincoln (2012), Bridge of Spies (2015), The BFG (2016), The Post (2017), Ready Player One (2018), The Call of the Wild (2020, directed by Chris Sanders), and West Side Story (2021).

The Soundtrack recommendation for the month is Giorgio Moroder's rhythmic and thematically infectious score to 1983's Scarface.

Director Brian De Palma working from a practically original script by Oliver Stone (however loosely based on the 1932 film of the same name) charts Tony Montana’s (played with zeal by Al Pacino) rise to power in the film’s first half with assuredness and finesse. A stand-out scene involving a chainsaw used in a drug deal gone wrong is cinematic storytelling perfectionism, uncommon for this director. Unfortunately, in the film’s second half, especially after the depiction of two important characters being killed, the momentum slackens, repetitive excess stalls character development and overtakes insight, a degeneracy which considerably weakens this film’s overall favourable impression. It seems as though the excessive indulgence Tony falls victim to, runs parallel with the filmmakers.

La-La Land Records and Universal Pictures have released this, seems like forever awaited, 2-CD expanded edition of Giorgio Moroder’s ambient defining underscore together with the composer’s time and setting appropriate disco-era songs. This is a limited release (only 5,000 units made) and is sure to be popular so act fast. More information, including ordering direct from La-La Land Records, can be obtained by clicking on the accompanying image.

June’s DVD recommendation is the above reviewed Baby Face (1933) issued in this Warner Bros./TCM Archives set, “Forbidden Hollywood Volume 1” along with the 1931 version of Waterloo Bridge and Red-Headed Woman (1932) all of which are worth owning. For more information and ordering from Amazon.com, click on the image below.

A.G.

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