Good morning my friends and welcome for a special Fourth of July edition of Saturday Morning Cartoons.
In 1997 animation legend Chuck Jones wrote a children's book starring Daffy Duck and Bugs Bunny titled Daffy Duck for President. When Warner Brothers decided to follow the feature film,Looney Tunes Back in Action (2003) with a series of new animated Looney Tunes shorts for movie theaters, one of these shorts was a cartoon based off this book. Daffy Duck for President (2004) never got the theatrical release it should have as Looney Tunes Back in Action proved a disappointment at the box office. However, this is a truly delightful cartoon. It was dedicated to Chuck who had passed away in 2002.
Now we join our sailor friend Popeye in Patriotic Popeye (1957). This Fourth of July cartoon features Popeye and two nephews. When Popeye's nephews were introduced, he had four of them. This then went down to three and then to two.
Next comes the silent cartoon short, Bobby Bumps Fourth (1917). The Bobby Bumps films were made by Earl Hurd. Earl Hurd has a very important place in the history of animation. He was in fact the inventor of animation cells. Him and John R. Bray owned a patent on animation cells and any studio that used them had to pay license fees. About the Bobby Bumps cartoons film historian and critic Leonard Maltin would state, "They are among the most mature, most well-conceived cartoons of the silent era - certainly the best work done in the mid- to late teens."
Now for a short film from Stephen Bosustow Productions, Freedom River (1971). This is an intelligent and lovely film that is helped by narration from no less than Orson Welles. The film was directed by Sam Weiss, who would go on to work as a layout artist on such animated TV shows as The Bullwinkle Show, The Dick Tracy Show, Underdog and Rugrats.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for our favorite pink friend in Yankee Doodle Pink (1978). This is essentially a reissue of the earlier Pinky Doodle (1976) with a few extra scenes.
In December of 1941 the Secretary of the Treasury, Henry Morganthau contacted Walt Disney about making a short film encouraging Americans to pay their taxes. The story goes that Walt was surprised by this request believing that all American citizens paid their taxes on time. Disney writers Joe Grant and Dick Huemer wrote a story involving Donald Duck as an average tax payer. When an aide was surprised that Disney didn't create a new character to represent the average tax payer, but Walt felt that Donald was a natural choice. He argued that this was the same as when a Hollywood studio would use one of their biggest live action stars to promote the war effort. Donald was the Disney studio's biggest star at the time (as well as a character everyone loved and saw themselves in) and to have him push the war effort was vital to the project. The cartoon was titled The New Spirit (1942) and was a major success. The Treasury Department stated that about sixty million Americans saw this cartoon and a poll showed that 37% of these Americans stated that this positively influenced them when it came to paying taxes. In 1943 the Treasury Department approached Walt about making another one of these shorts. This resulted in The Spirit of '43 (1943).
Let us end with another patriotic Disney short, Ben and Me (1953).
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin.
Donald Duck: The Ultimate History by J.B. Kaufman and David Gerstein
This movie is a compilation of three episodes of this anime's next season tied together to form a movie. This is the film's biggest flaw. As this is an anime with a large overarching story, we are seeing only part of a larger story here. Because of this, what we have here never feels enough like a real movie. It begins and ends at seemingly random points. Even a movie with a cliff-hanger ending would never end as abruptly as this one does.
This is not to say the movie isn't entertaining, however. It is a pure blast. The action scenes are fantastic. They are larger than life in the best way possible. The characters are great and we really enjoy spending time with them. The visuals are amazing with such incredible attention to detail.
This is a delight for anime fans, even if it doesn't feel like a movie.
My personal favorite place to see a movie is at Old Town Music Hall (140 Richmond St, El Segundo, CA 90245). Decorated as a mini-movie palace of the 1920's, this theater has been providing classic films nearly every weekend since 1968. The centerpiece of the theater is the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe organ, a 1925 instrument that was created to accompany silent movies. Though in recent years, the theater has expanded what decades are defined as a classic (some movies even are as late as the early 21st century), they still play silent movies here with the organ accompanying it live. For those newfangled talking pictures, the organ still plays beforehand. As well as movies, this place also hosts concerts, mostly of the jazz variety.
Here is the list of what this wonderful theater is playing this July.
July 5th
The General (1926)
Silent starring Buster Keaton.
One of the most beloved silent comedies of all time, this film was a box office disappointment upon its original release. Yet over the years, movie lovers, the world over discovered what a masterpiece it is. Filled with great laughs, exciting action scenes (which hold up marvelously today) and a larger-than-life epic scale, this is comedian Buster Keaton at his absolute best.
With live accompaniment by organist David Marsh and an introduction by film historian Randy Haberkamp.
Directed by Randal Kleiser. Starring John Travolta and Oliva Newton-John.
Probably the most popular movie musical of the 1970's. The unpretentious lighthearted feel makes endears this movie to new generations as well as old. The songs especially are a lot of fun. Who cares if the actors are obviously older than high school age.
Directed by Otto Preminger. Starring Gene Tierney and Dana Andrews.
One of the all-time great film noirs. This spellbinding movie pulls you in from the opening scene. Style overflows from this classic with many images that stay in the minds of movie lovers long after they watch. A great cast, a well-written mystery and a great score by David Raksin makes this a true masterpiece of the genre.
Introduced by author and filmmaker Steven C. Smith.
Directed by Fred M. Wilcox. Starring Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis and Leslie Nielson.
One of the most beloved sci-fi movies of all time. Made at a time when science fiction was treated as a children's genre, this film is anything but kiddie fare. Inspired by Shakespeare's The Tempest, this film is an intelligent and thought-provoking masterpiece that explores deep and dark themes dealing with the dark side of human nature. Still remains just as powerful today as it was back in the 1950's.
Introduced by special effects artist Craig Barron.
Part concert and part cartoon show, these special shows are pure delights. Hosted by singer Janet Klein, animation historian Jerry Beck and organist Randy Woltz, this show is filled with live music (featuring songs from the 1920's and 30's) and some classic 1930's cartoon shorts. A must see.
Silent, directed by Allan Dawn and starring Douglas Fairbanks and Alan Hale
Before the immortal Errol Flynn version, the most popular action star of the 1920's, Douglas Fairbanks, played the famous character in this still exciting 1922 silent adaption. A pure treat for the whole family as well as the first movie to receive a Hollywood premiere (at the Egyptian Theatre in 1922).
Accompanied by organist Robert York. Introduced by stand-up comedian (and great-granddaughter of Alan Hale), Samatha Hale.
Directed by Sergio Leone. Starring Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach.
The most famous spaghetti western is also one of the definitive screen westerns. The final entry in The Dollars Trilogy (preceded by A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1965)), this features Clint Eastwood in his most famous role as The Man with No Name. With stylish direction by Sergio Leone and an iconic musical score by Ennio Morricone, this is a cinematic delight, even for those who think they may not actually like a western.
Directed by Leo McCarey. Starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.
One of the definitive 1930's screwball comedies. This film is directed by one of the greatest Hollywood comedy directors, Leo McCarey, who worked with Laurel and Hardy, The Marx Brothers and Charley Chase on some of their best films. He would win an Oscar for Best Director for The Awful Truth, and it is easy to see why. This is absolutely hilarious and can hold its own with more famous screwball comedies. Of course, this is helped by an incredible cast headed by Cary Grant (for whom this would help cement his screen image), Irene Dunne and Ralph Bellamy. The chemistry between Grant and Dunne makes them one of the greatest pairings in screwball comedy history.
Introduced by author and filmmaker Steven C. Smith
Animated Pixar classic directed by Andrew Stanton.
This is everything a Pixar movie should be. It is smart, funny, creative and very moving. Among the animated sci-fi fun is a surprisingly touching and lovely romance between the two main robots. Without saying anything but their names, these two characters feel so real to us and move straight into our hearts.
Directed by John Waters. Starring Sonny Bono and Ruth Brown.
John Waters' most mainstream film is also one of his most enduring. This musical comedy is so much fun that it would later become a very popular Broadway musical.
Many consider this to be the greatest film noir of all time. It is easy to see why. Featuring all the hallmarks of the genre, legendary director Billy Wilder creates a movie that is possibly a definition of film noir. This dark and thrilling ride is held together by brilliant cinematography, great writing and a top-notch cast. Included in this top-notch cast is Fred MacMurray in one of his best dramatic roles, Edward G. Robinson at the top of his game and Barbara Stanwyck who gives a powerhouse of a performance.
This movie is not only a delight for fans of the Minions but also for cinephiles.
Minions and Monsters can be split into two halves. The first half revolves around the Minions coming to Hollywood and getting jobs in the movies. The second is a more typical Minions adventure involving our yellow friends facing monsters and meeting spacemen.
If I was only grading the first half of this movie, I would give it an "A+." This first half is a truly hilarious send up of Hollywood and classic movies. There are many references to classic movies that help make this just as much of a delight for grown up film buffs as it is for kids. With the Minions first coming to Hollywood during the silent era, this film is full of references to silent cinema. I did not expect to see a modern animated family comedy that pays homage to Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd, Méliès, Lang and the Lumière brothers. There are even references to such beloved sound classics as The Maltese Falcon, Casablanca and Citizen Kane. This was a delightful surprise, and it helps that many of the homages are actually really funny (the Harold Lloyd gag cracked me up). These classic movie homages are brilliantly combined with Minion slapstick, much of which is also very funny. The chase scene when they first arrive in Hollywood is slapstick comedy filmmaking at its best. Even the bits before they arrive in Hollywood, such as the scenes with the cyclops are really funny. Besides just being funny, there is a wonderful sense of comic energy and true love of the movies that shines through this movie's first half. For what is the seventh feature length movie in this franchise, it is amazing how fresh and clever this first half manages to feel.
Unfortunately, the second half doesn't quite hold up to the wonderful first half. In this second half, the story becomes more generic and predictable. At the same time while there are still some strong gags in this second half, they are not as plentiful as they were in the first half. Yet there is still some charm to be found in this second half as the Minions are still such enduring characters.
This movie was directed by Pierre Coffin, who is not only the voice of the Minions but served as a co-director on the first three Despicable Me films as well as the first Minions spin-off movie. Coffin co-wrote this movie with Bryan Lynch, who had written Minions (2015) and co-written Minions: Rise of Gru (2022). He also served as a co-writer on both Secret Life of Pets films.
While the second half may not be as strong as the first, the first half is great enough to make this a must-see comedy.
Run Time: 82 minutes. Studio: Keystone. Director: Mack Sennett. Writer: Hampton Del Ruth. Based off of the stage play Tillie's Nightmare by Edgar Smith and A. Baldwin Sloane. Producer: Mack Sennett. Cast: Marie Dressler, Charlie Chaplin, Mabel Normand, Mack Swain, Charles Bennett, Douglas Banks, Chester Conklin, Edgar Kennedy, Charles Parrott, Glen Cavender, Harry McCoy, Phyllis Allen, Gordon Griffith, Rube Miller, Billie Bennett, Frank Opperman, Nick Cogley, Fritz Shade, Morgan Wallace, Charlie Murray, Minta Durfee, Hampton Del Ruth, Hugh Saxon, Fred Fishback, Ted Edwards, Hank Mann, George "Slim" Summervillie, Al St. John, Edwin Frazee, Bill Hauber, Dan Albert, Billy Gilbert, Robert Kerr, Alice Howell, Eva Nelson, Dixie Chene, Wallace McDonald, Alice Davenport, Eddie Nolan, Grover Ligon, Josef Swickward, Frankie Dolan, Dick Smith, Meiklejohn and Hazel Allen, Helen Carruthers.
Often referred to as the first feature length comedy, Tillie's Punctured Romance is far from an obscure film. Yet at the same time, I often feel that it gets too overlooked. Many tend to just view it as a footnote in film history. Even with Charlie Chaplin in it, dedicated Chaplin fans tend to not discuss this movie and instead prefer to look at Chaplin's later features that he directed and wrote. This may not be on the same level as such masterpieces as The Gold Rush (1925) or City Lights (1931). However, it is a comedy that is over a century old and is still quite entertaining. That definitely accounts for something.
In this film, a con man (Charlie Chaplin) from the city tricks a naïve country woman (Marie Dressler) to flee to the city with him. As soon as the con man gets her money, he leaves her flat. When he discovers that the woman is heir to a large fortune, he comes back to her having had "a change of heart."
The storyline for this film is pure melodramatic hokum. This is not by accident nor is this lazy writing. From its very start the Keystone studio made short films that were parodies of melodramas, using these familiar storylines that were often taken seriously and use them as an excuse for slapstick comedy. It is no wonder that the studio's first feature length movie would also parody melodramas. Adapting the stage play Tillie's Nightmare was a perfect idea for the studio's first feature length movie as the stage play didn't take these melodramatic conventions very serious either.
For fans of silent comedy, this movie is a delight. Of course, one of the treats is to see so many silent comedy greats in one film. Cinephiles can have a great time seeing just how many silent comedy stars, they can catch and name. Another delight is to see Charlie Chaplin play against type. He is wonderful as the villainous conman here. His performance is a bit more over the top than he often is as his famous Tramp character. However, this is just what the movie calls for, and he does a great job. He commands the screen every time he appears.
While most of the gags here may not be as laugh out loud funny as some later silent comedies, many of them do get some good chuckles and there is a great sense of comic momentum that lasts through the whole movie. Many of these gags may be simplistic and crude but they are delivered with such dedication, and zest that they actually work. There is such a lighthearted playful spirit here, that even when you don't laugh at a gag, you still enjoy it. The comedic highlight however is the whole climatic chase with the Keystone Kops getting involved. This chase is silent comedy making as its finest. There are so many slapstick gags in this finale and many of them are quite funny and creative. This climatic scene alone would make this movie essential watching for silent comedy fans.
Another creative and charming scene involves Charlie Chaplin and Mabel Normand's characters sitting in a movie theater watching a film that greatly resembles what has been happening in their lives. This scene is not especially funny, but it is still delightful. I have always been a sucker for a well-used film in a film, and this is an early example of just that. Not only is the film in a film quite entertaining in its own right but it is a delightfully fun and creative way to express what is going on the characters' minds. For cinephiles, it is also a delight to get a glimpse into what the movie going experience was like in the 1910's.
The play, Tillie's Nightmare, itself was very popular. At the Herald Square Theatre (1331 Broadway (29 W. 35th St.), New York, NY), it ran from May 05, 1910, to Jul 09, 1910. At the Manhattan Opera House (30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY) (now Manhattan Center), it ran from Dec 18, 1911, to Dec 23, 1911. Director, producer and studio head, Mack Sennett stated in his autobiography, King of Comedy, that scenario editor Craig Hutchinson had suggested to make an adaption of the play. The play was a musical, well-known at the time for the song Heaven Help the Working Girl, and naturally a lot had to be changed from stage to screen. Sennett recalled that Hampton Del Ruth and a team of other writers used only the play's story as a loose guideline.
The star of stage play was Marie Dressler. Dressler was a very popular stage actress, and Tillie's Nightmare had been her greatest stage success. Mack Sennett mostly planned to fill the movie's cast with Keystone regulars, but he did want Dressler to reprise her role on screen. This had not been Sennett's first interaction with Dressler. When Sennett was a young novice in the entertainment industry, Dressler had helped the young man. She wrote him a letter of introduction to David Belasco (a popular theatre producer and playwright). Later Sennett would claim that Dressler moved to California to make this movie. Dressler however denied such claims, stating that she moved to California because of her nerves after a recent failure in her stage career.
Sennett would meet Marie Dressler outside a movie theater. They agreed to meet a hotel to discuss the film project. During the hotel meeting Marie Dressler agreed to work for $2,500 a week (for comparison Charlie Chaplin was being paid $200 a week). During this meeting there seemed to be a verbal agreement that Dressler would own half the film and her husband, James Dalton, would distribute it. This is not how things worked out. Though Sennett was in charge of the studio's production, the Keystone company was actually created and owned by Adam Kessel and Charles Bauman from the New York Film Company. Kessel and Bauman would sell the distribution rights to the Alco Film Corporation. Because of this, Dressler took legal action against the Keystone Studio, but this was ultimately unsuccessful.
Filming began in late April 1914 and wrapped up late July of the same year. There would be some delays in filming. Of these delays Glenn Mitchell writes in The Chaplin Encyclopedia, "The main difficulty lay in Miss Dressler's memory of him [Sennett] as an unknown, rather than as the boss of a studio, and consequent unwillingness to take direction until baffled by the techniques of filmmaking."
Much of this movie was filmed on location in Hollywood. Anyone has been to Hollywood recently will find it unrecognizable watching this film. At the time, Hollywood was not the major city that it is today. However certain buildings can still be seen today.
One of these is The C.E. Toberman Building (6410-6146, Hollywood Boulevard), which can be seen when two cops meet Tillie in the middle of the street after Tillie gets drunk as well as when Charlie falls in the middle of the street and Tillie picks him up. The same building can be seen in the classic Harold Lloyd feature, Why Worry (1923), when Harold announces to his giant friend that he is going to be a father. A shot of the back of this building can be seen in Buster Keaton's classic comedy short, The Goat (1921).
When Tillie waves to a cop flirtatiously, she is standing on the porch of the Hollywood Hotel. This hotel was located on the northwest corner of Hollywood and Highland. At one time this hotel was a center for the social life in Hollywood. However, it would be demolished in 1956. There today is the Hollywood & Highland Retail and Entertainment Center.
When two cops are escorting a drunk Tillie into the police station, they are actually taking her to the entrance door for the Keystone Studio. This was also used as an entrance to a police station in the Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle short, Fatty's Plucky Pup (1915). It even appeared as the entrance to a dentist's office in the Charlie Chaplin short, Laughing Gas (1914).
When Tillie flirts with a cop after being released from jail, she is on Duane Street by the back corner of the wall for the Selig studio (the first permeant movie studio in Los Angeles). You can also see two homes in these shots. The homes were 2212 and 2216 Duane Street, both of which are now apartment buildings.
The entrance to Tillie's wealthy uncle's place is Castle Sans Souci, which had formerly been located at 1901 Argyle. It was torn down in 1928 and the Castle Argyle Apartments, which are still standing today.
During the climax, you can see in the background the original Los Angeles Fire Engine Co. No. 20, which was located at 2144 Sunset. You can also see this in the background of the Charlie Chaplin short, Cruel, Cruel Love (1914).
Comedian Milton Berle often times claimed to be a newsboy in a brief scene. This has been greatly disputed with many historians crediting the role to child actor Gordon Griffith. Later Griffith approached Charlie Chaplin and described the scene he claimed they made together, while Chaplin was filming A Countess from Hong Kong (1968). Chaplin just unenthusiastically stated, "oh I see ... exposition" and then went back to work.
Moving Picture World, 1915
Moving Picture World, 1915
This film was reissued to theaters in 1920. The following is an article about this reissue from an issue of The Moving Picture World (dated January 17, 1920).
"From W.H. Productions comes information that 'Tillie's Punctured Romance' is being revived by Tower Film Corporation. This Mack Sennett favorite, featuring Charlie Chaplin, Marie Dressler, Mabel Normand, Mack Swain and Chester Conklin, has a great reputation to be revived with the showings.
"It early accomplished what the 'glooms' argued couldn't be done - that the screen could make people laugh. Yet thousands laughed at 'Tillie's Punctured Romance.' This production mad history for screen comedy and records for exhibitors and exchange men.
"A special exploitation campaign, unique in character and destined to put the picture over in an even bigger way than heretofore is being planned. This will include new advertising material of every description, new posters, lobby photos and displays.
"'Tillie's Punctured Romance' is one of the pictures which serves as sort of a high watermark in box office receipts by which others are measured. 'As big a winner as 'Tillie'' or 'as good as 'Tillie,'' are expressions of motion picture exchange men and exhibitors. Seldom does the independent market get unusual money makers, and when they do, they are not soon forgotten.
"A special exploitation and press sheet is now being prepared for 'Tillie,' containing copies of newspaper cuts, special advertisements, press stories, catch phrases, exploitation ideas, suggestions and special 'stunts.' Every aid that can be given to the exhibitor to put this picture over as provided."
Moving Picture World, 1920
The movie was so popular that it spawned three sequels Tillie's Tomato Surprise (1915), Tillie Wakes Up (1917), and The Scrub Lady (1917), all of which featured Dressler reprising her role. The film would also be remade in 1928 with the same title. That remake would star Louise Fazenda, W.C. Feilds and Chester Conklin. Unfortunately, that remake is considered lost.
You can watch this movie on YouTube below.
Resources Used
The Chaplin Encyclopedia by Glenn Mitchell.
A-Z of Silent Film Comedy by Glenn Mitchell
Chase! A Tribute to the Keystone Cops edited by Lon and Debra Davis
This film tells the true story of a man who found himself alone behind German lines after all his me die.
There may have been many movies about a solider behind enemy lines, but this movie manages to stand out due to very strong filmmaking. The film pulls you into the emotion of the story in surprisingly subtle ways at times. One of the most effective ways this is shown is shown through the film being in three different color pallets. The opening prologue is in black and white to reflect how gloomy and foggy the setting is. The scenes with our main character behind enemy lines are in muted colors to emphasis the horror he is going through. Meanwhile the non-war scenes in the U.S. are in bright colors as a contrast. Even if you don't notice this while watching the film, it is something you will feel. Another clever bit of filmmaking is that after the prologue, we see everything from our main character's point of view. This allows us to experience the tension of what he is going through. This is even shown through the lack of subtitles. Subtitles are under characters speaking in German in the prologue. However, once we start following our main character, we no longer see any subtitles when characters speak German or French. This works perfectly as we do not have any information that our main character (who doesn't speak German or French) has. Since we on the same level of understanding as him, it becomes easier to see things from his eyes. One of the film's greatest assets is Scott Eastwood who is wonderful in the lead role.
This movie does have moments of corny dialogue and moments that stretch believability too far for a movie based off a true story (this is especially true of the playing dead scene). Still these flaws can't ruin this very well-made movie.
In this film, a young couple in conversation talks about who their celebrity sex passes (a celebrity they would be allowed to have sex with without it being considered cheating) would be, just for fun. The guy decides that he would have sex with Jennifer Aniston and our heroine, Gail Daughtry, decides she would have sex with John Hamm. When the guy actually ends up having sex with Jennifer Aniston, Gail decides she needs to find a way to have sex with John Hamm.
This movie is full of proudly juvenile humor. The dumb and silly comedy comes fast and furious. As soon as one gag end, another one follows it immediately. With these constant gags throughout, naturally not all of them hit. In fact, as this film starts, it seems like it is going to be painfully unfunny. It is always hardest for a comedy to be funny, while it is setting up its story. Yet there are still constant gags in the story's set up and nearly all these jokes really fall flat. However, as the story gets going the movie gets funnier. This starts happening gradually with more and more gags working as the film went on. When it got to the last act, I was laughing out loud regularly. As much as the humor can really fall flat at times, when the movie is funny it is completely hilarious. That the humor gets better as the film goes on is heavily due to the cast of eccentric characters (especially John Slatery playing himself). As the movie's story becomes a sex joke filled retelling of Wizard of OZ, our main character meets more friends who join her for her journey. Zoey Deutch as the main character is very purposely over the top with her wide-eyed wonder and naive optimism. This type of character is frankly funnier, when given someone strong to play off of. When a strong supporting cast is given to this character, it is no wonder that she gets funnier. This main group of characters plays off each other so well and this is where the best humor often times comes from. When the humor drifts away from this group and on to other characters (the mail man as the narrator is painfully unfunny) and celebrity cameos, that is when it falls flat.
While a lot of the humor doesn't work, this is still a comedy that made me laugh out loud multiple times.
