Time Machine world cinema

Looking back is a different experience and entertainment rejuvenates senses when reminiscing early life. Cinema always interests. And a travel into the time to explore old classics takes you into different perceptions and horizons. 50 years is quite an interesting time capsule taking curiosity to new high. Let's go back to 1961 and try to find out what we can unearth from the treasure.

World Cinema

The Hustler

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The Hustler is a 1961 American drama film directed by Robert Rossen from the 1959 novel of the same name he and Sidney Carroll adapted for the screen. It tells the story of small-time pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson and his desire to prove himself the best player in the country by beating legendary pool player "Minnesota Fats." After initially losing to Fats and getting involved with unscrupulous manager Bert Gordon, Eddie returns to beat Fats, but only after paying a terrible personal price.
The film was shot on location in New York City. It stars Paul Newman as Eddie Felson, Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats, Piper Laurie as Sarah, and George C. Scott as Bert.
The Hustler was a major critical and popular success, gaining a reputation as a modern classic. Its exploration of winning, losing, and character garnered a number of major awards; it is also credited with helping to spark a resurgence in the popularity of pool. A real pool hustler was inspired to adopt the name of Gleason's character, Minnesota Fats, and to use the association with the film in his search for celebrity.

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- more at wikipedia

Produced and Directed by: Robert Rossen
Screenplay: Robert Rossen and Sidney Carroll
Based on the novel The Hustler by Walter Tevis

Starring
Paul Newman as Eddie Felson
Jackie Gleason as Minnesota Fats
Piper Laurie as Sarah Packard
George C. Scott as Bert Gordon
Myron McCormick as Charlie
Murray Hamilton as Findley
Stefan Gierasch as Preacher

Music by Kenyon Hopkins
Cinematography Eugen Schüfftan (as Eugene Shuftan)
Editing by Dede Allen
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release date(s) September 25, 1961
Running time 134 minutes
Country United States
Language English

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaOzmvPaHog

Ah, the thread that goes straight to my heart. Though, I am more old Hollywood mainstream than World Cinema.

Muthal film-e kalakkal Raghavendra-sir. One of Newman's best, was years later spawned an inferior sequel (though directed by Scorcese), The Color Of Money, where the Academy Awards committee woke up from their snooze and awarded Newman for best actor category.

If you like Sidney Poitier here are some movies you might want to watch:

-To Sir, With Love
-Lilies of The Field
-In the Heat of the Night
-Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

The last two deal with race relations in the US. Things have changed a lot since those movies were released.

Thank you Rakesh for the welcome note. This idea was mooted on seeing the write-up in today's The Hindu, on Come September 50th anniversary. This film released in August 1961, is a classic and you feel fresh every time you listen to the theme music. We grew with it. And this write-up sparked in me, "why not we recollect films dating back to 50 years?". And born was this thread. Chronology may help you a lot in writing up the history. And hence 1961 came to my mind to start with. Though belated, why not we recollect Come September also?

To read the write up on Come September in The Hindu.

The Plot

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Robert L. Talbot (Rock Hudson), an American millionaire, arrives early for his annual vacation at his luxurious Italian villa. His long-time girlfriend Lisa (Gina Lollobrigida) has given up waiting for him to "pop the question," and has decided to marry another man. Meanwhile, his sneaky major domo Maurice (Walter Slezak) secretly misappropriates the villa as a hotel while Talbot is away. The current guests of the "hotel" are a group of young American girls trying to fend off a gang of oversexed boys, led by Tony (Bobby Darin).

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more at the wikipedia

an image of the ad for this film

http://www.bobbydarin.net/septposter1.jpg

another image

http://www.bobbydarin.net/csposterbig.jpg

An ad in Italian for this movie

http://www.musicman.com/00pic/565.jpg

An ad for the Records

http://www.bobbydarin.net/comeseptsmusic.jpg

...tbc...

The original title music
Theme song sung by Bobby Darin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKq-2kldJIY

The famous Ventures version (1963)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aBUD_udqFA

Cast:

Rock Hudson as Robert L. Talbot
Gina Lollobrigida as Lisa Helena Fellini
Sandra Dee as Sandy Stevens
Bobby Darin as Tony
Walter Slezak as Maurice Clavell
Brenda De Banzie as Margaret Allison
Rosanna Rory as Anna
Ronald Howard as Spencer
Joel Grey as Beagle
Ronnie Haran as Sparrow
Chris Seitz as Larry
Cindy Conroy as Julia
Joan Freeman as Linda
Nancy Anderson as Patricia
Michael Eden as Ron
Claudia Brack as Carol

Directed by Robert Mulligan
Produced by Robert Arthur
Henry Willson
Raoul Walsh
Written by Stanley Shapiro
Maurice Richlin
Stanley Roberts
Robert Russell

Music by Hans J. Salter
Cinematography William H. Daniels
Editing by Russell F. Schoengarth
Distributed by Universal Pictures
Release date(s) August 9, 1961
Running time 112 min
Language English
Italian

Dear Rajraj,
Who will not love Sidney Poitier? To Sir, With Love, we fondly remember you Poitier.
We shall definitely cover him here.
Thank you
Raghavendran

If you want to go back another ten years, try

ROMAN HOLIDAY !

Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn

Wow! excellent thread Raghavendra sir! Very interesting to read about these classics. Yes Roman holiday, in my frequent watch list. All these classics are to be preserved and relished.

Dear Rajraj, V_S & friends,
As desired by you, let's take a ROMAN HOLIDAY

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WkKZJVG5wT...liday_ver3.jpg

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Roman Holiday is a 1953 romantic comedy directed and produced by William Wyler and starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn. It was written by John Dighton and Dalton Trumbo, though with Trumbo on the Hollywood blacklist, he did not receive a credit; instead, Ian McLellan Hunter fronted for him. Trumbo's credit was reinstated when the film was released on DVD in 2003.
Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance; the screenplay and costume design also won.
In the 1970s, both Peck and Hepburn were approached with the idea of a sequel, but the project never came to fruition. The film was remade for television in 1987 with Tom Conti and Catherine Oxenberg, who herself came from a European royal family.

Plot:
nn (Hepburn) is the crown princess of an unspecified country. She is on a widely publicized tour of several European capitals, including Rome. One night, she is overwhelmed by the strenuous demands of her official duties, for which her day is tightly scheduled. Her doctor gives her a sedative to calm her down and help her sleep, but she secretly leaves her country's embassy to experience Rome by herself.
The sedative eventually takes effect and she falls asleep on a bench, where Joe Bradley (Peck), an expatriate American reporter working for the Rome Daily American, finds her. Not recognizing her, he offers her money so that she can take a taxi home, but a very woozy "Anya Smith" (as she calls herself) refuses to cooperate. Joe finally decides, for safety's sake, to let her spend the night in his apartment. He is amused by her regal manner, but less so when she appropriates his bed. He transfers her to a couch without awakening her. The next morning, Joe hurries off to work, leaving the princess still asleep.
When his editor, Mr. Hennessy (Hartley Power), asks why he is late, Joe lies to him; he claims to have attended a press conference for the princess. Joe makes up details of the alleged interview until Hennessy informs him that the press conference had been canceled because the princess had suddenly "fallen ill". Joe sees a picture of her and recognizes that it is the same young woman who is in his apartment. Joe immediately sees the opportunity before him and proposes an exclusive interview for $5000, Hennessy agrees but bets Joe $500 that he will not succeed.
Joe hurries home and, hiding the fact that he is a reporter, he offers to spend the day with Anya, showing her Rome. He also surreptitiously calls his photographer friend, Irving Radovich (Eddie Albert), to tag along to secretly take pictures. However, Anya declines Joe's offer and leaves.....

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.................... more at wiki

Released on : August 27, 1953
Directed by William Wyler
Produced by William Wyler
Screenplay by Ian McLellan Hunter
John Dighton
Story by Dalton Trumbo
Starring Gregory Peck
Audrey Hepburn
Eddie Albert
Music by Georges Auric
Victor Young
Cinematography Henri Alekan
Franz Planer, ASC
Editing by Robert Swink

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WkKZJVG5wT...an_holiday.jpg

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/DVDRe...liday%20se.jpg

Awards

Academy Award for Best Actress (Audrey Hepburn)[3]
Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White (Edith Head)
Academy Award for Writing (Motion Picture Story) (Dalton Trumbo)
BAFTA Award for Best British Actress (Audrey Hepburn)
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture Actress — Drama (Audrey Hepburn)
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress (Audrey Hepburn)
Writers Guild of America Award for Best Written American Comedy (Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton)

Accolades
In 1999, Roman Holiday was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

..........information source: wiki.

..... tbc....

Trailer of Roman Holiday, courtesy: Youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIFo0txAvuE

The impact of this film is such that even today many enterprises/ establishments in the West, are named after this movie's title, including Restaurants.