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  • The Old Corral: A Brief History of Native Americans in Cinema

    Cowboys and Indians; that was what I played with my friends when I was a boy (in the dark, distant 1950s). Indians were the eternal foe of the brave cowboy. They were fearsome and brandished tomahawks or shot arrows from their bows (usually plastic ones), but they fell beneath the might of our cap-gun Colts. Of course we knew there were some good Indians. After all, we all followed The Lone Ranger, and Tonto was good alright (poor Jay Silverheels, always getting the dirty work to do and sayin...

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  • Silent Cinema: A Not-So Quiet Trip to the Beach

    Beach movies may be intimately associated with bikinis and post-war nostalgia but the fact is motion pictures have been going on vacation to the ocean from the very beginning; surf, sand, swimsuits and an excuse for a bit of fun. Who can blame filmmakers for taking advantage of the setting?To get into the summer spirit, here are a selection of silent films that take full advantage of their beach setting, a combination of famous and obscure, comedies and dramas. Best of all, they a...

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  • 100 Years of Olivia de Havilland

    One of the great stars of American cinema, two-time Oscar winner Olivia de Havilland, celebrates her centennial birthday on July 1, 2016.Olivia de Havilland was born in Tokyo. Her sister, Oscar-winning actress Joan Fontaine, was born the following year, in October 1917.The girls relocated with their mother to Northern California when they were very young. Olivia was spotted in a college production by director Max Reinhardt, who cast her in his stage and film versions o...

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  • TV TIME: Guide for the Expectant Dad

    As Father's Day approaches, prospective fathers look to classic television for pointers on how to handle their upcoming blessed events. I admit that despite a misspent youth filled with reruns, when it was my turn to witness the miracle of life, I did not run around in a panicked frenzy, drive to the hospital without the mother, and hand out cigars to everyone in sight. But the rest of you might not want to take that chance, so let's dive into TV history to see how other new dads prepare for ...

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  • Dark Cinema: Introducing Phillips Holmes

    Phillips Holmes is a name seldom mentioned today in classic film circles, and if you're not a pre-Code fan, you may have never heard of him at all. He led a fascinatingly tragic life and during the pre-Code era of 1930 to 1934, he was seen in no fewer than 30 features on the big screen.An appealing performer with a slight build and handsome, classical features, Holmes was nothing if not versatile -- his pre-Code films offer up a wide variety of roles, from sweethearts to scoundrel...

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  • TV TIME: Movies from Classic TV Shows

    Hollywood loves taking television properties and turning them into feature film franchises. If the studios think audiences will go to a theater to pay for what they've already seen on the small screen, then they will make it happen. In the 1950s and 1960s, they took shows already on television, or were just recently taken off the air, and made movies with much of the same talent. It might look like a cash grab, but the films hold up quite well.McHale's Navy/McHale...

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  • A Trip to the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival

    After months of anticipation, it's hard to believe the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival is over! The festival ran this year from April 28th to May 1st and was a truly remarkable weekend filled with memorable experiences.There are so many things happening simultaneously at the festival; I wish I could do it all over again, choosing some of the marvelous things I had to regretfully leave off my schedule. Somehow each festival is better than those which came before, quite a feat for TC...

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  • Garbo: Portrait of an Icon

    Greta Garbo never appeared in a mystery, but she didn't need to because she herself was a mystery fans have tried to solve for the past 90 years. Early in her career, she shunned most of the rites of Hollywood stardom: premieres, press interviews, autographs, all were anathema to Garbo. On-screen, her sonorous voice and searching eyes hinted at an intense inner life. But of what did it consist? She was linked to her line from Grand Hotel: 'I want to be alone,' and after leaving Holly...

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  • Dark Cinema: The Lure of Luther Adler

    Film noir is practically overflowing with famous actors who made the era's anti-heroes come to life. Who can forget Dick Powell in Murder, My Sweet (1944)? Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep (1946)? Robert Mitchum in Out of the Past (1947)?But these big name performers are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the talent pool represented by the films of the noir era. Sadly, many of the lesser-known actors are seldom mentioned today -- even by classi...

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  • TV TIME: Mother's Day 'Mommy Awards'

    We thank our mothers for all they have done for us, but we should also thank the women who 'raised' us: those mothers we watched on TV all day. Join ClassicFlix as we honor these fine females with our premiere awards celebration for distinguished achievement in vintage television motherhood in the first annual Mommies.Outstanding Achievement in Overcoming Adversity: Alice Mitchell in 'Man of the House' (Dennis the Menace) - At the beginning, we get a star...

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