almost a gentleman is a 1939 american drama film directed by leslie goodwins from a screenplay by david silverstein and jo pagano , based on the story by harold shumate .

the film stars james ellison , helen wood and robert kent , and was released by rko radio pictures on march 31 , 1939 .

almost a gentleman ( 1939 film )

southern gentleman : hatfield . he ' s more gambler than gentleman , though .
16mm almost a gentleman robert kent helen wood robert warwick june clayworth - $ 69 . 99 | picclick
16 mm almost a gentleman starring robert kent , helen wood , robert warwick 1939 film nice syndicated print no cue marks near mint condition print no vinegar smell mounted on two reels . winner pays postage costs .
hattie mcdaniel and clark gable in the 1939 film
gone with the wind .
let’s also not forget the film’s insistence that a gentleman may feel free to assert his conjugal rights .
democracy in action : mr . smith goes to washington ( 1939 ) – park ridge classic film
an old traditional family and a modern family battle over land in a small english village and almost destroy each other .
for almost seven decades prince philip has been at the queen’s side and a bedrock of the royal family .
in 1947 philip was given british citizenship , allowing buckingham palace to portray him as a thoroughly british gentleman .
it ' s remarkable that after spending almost eight hours of my existence in front of this film , i can remember only two points vividly .
over almost 70 years spent as the queen’s other half prince philip has enjoyed proving the doubters wrong .
then church’s girlfriend , smitty ( muriel hutchison ) , almost shoots nick , and his friend / servant dum - dum ( abner biberman ) , almost stabs him . but nick escapes unscathed . you can watch it here .
the first scenes of oscar micheaux ' s 1939 remake of his silent film birthright have been lost for years . courtesy of kino lorber inc . hide caption
historian piers brendon says : “they thought philip was not a gentleman . they thought he was rude , un - mannerly and arrogant .
13 minutes , the new film from the director of downfall , shows how close a lowly carpenter came to assassinating the führer in 1939 . who was georg elser , and why did he fail ?
a young gentleman goes to australia where he reunites with his now married childhood sweetheart , only to find out she has become an alcoholic and harbors dark secrets .
the fox film corporation became the first american distributor to become involved in australian exhibition when it took controlling interest in hoyts theatres ltd . resigning as hoyts’s managing director , fw thring sold almost all his shares in the company and formed the production company efftee film productions .
many race films exist today only as fragments of decomposing film strips . some of the few film negatives and prints that are still intact are in an underground vault in culpeper , va . , where the library of congress stores almost 140 , 000 cans of highly flammable nitrate film shot before 1951 — including the birth of a nation ' s original negative .
the story on which the movie was based was titled
the gentleman from montana
, but the state is not specified in the movie .
more than a dozen of those movies , though , are now part of a film restoration project — pioneers of african - american cinema — by independent film distributor kino lorber .
future learning and skills – giving everyone the opportunity to build a lifelong relationship with film .
it will not seem ungracious , one hopes , to take issue with gentleman’s agreement on two points where insufficient knowledge seems to have misled its makers .
the first film to earn two best supporting actor oscar nominations . claude rains and harry carey were both nominated . both of them lost to co - star thomas mitchell for his role in stagecoach ( 1939 ) .
cathryn caviness plays the spirit of a dead woman in a scene from a remastered version of spencer williams ' 1941 film the blood of jesus .
old - fashioned though it be , we confess a preference , when it comes to matters of public enlightenment , for the straightforward approach represented by gentleman’s agreement . this film is amazingly free of the latter - day propagandist’s bag - of - tricks .
in 1939 , the film was released to near - universal acclaim . adjusting the box office figures for inflation , “gone with the wind” remains the highest - grossing film of all time . even now , the movie plays remarkably well . in scope , direction and especially acting , the film compares favorably with most of the best hollywood products of recent years .
news items ,
the gentleman from montana
( an unpublished story by lewis r . foster , alternately called
the gentleman from wyoming
by both contemporary and modern sources ) was originally purchased by columbia as a vehicle for ralph bellamy , with harold wilson slated to produce . once frank capra became the director , the project , planned as a sequel to
stagecoach ( 1939 ) is a classic western from film auteur john ford . this film - his first sound western - was a return to his most - acclaimed film genre after a thirteen year absence following fox ' s three bad men ( 1926 ) ( and the iron horse ( 1924 ) ) . in the meantime , he had produced the superb , oscar - winning drama about irish republicanism , rko ' s the informer ( 1935 ) .
to those who have had great dreams for the “cinema , ” the unreeling of gentleman’s agreement holds a secondary drama . once more , against the scoffers both inside and outside hollywood , the film is attempting to show itself as something better than combination peep show and juke box . it has been a long drought since grapes of wrath —and it is exciting to see gentleman’s agreement demonstrate once again that the medium is there , and the talent , too .
( 1939 ) . by 1946 he was getting too old to continue working however and would be replaced in the sequels by another german shepherd named flame .
oscar micheaux staged a realistic lynching scene in his 1919 film within our gates , which some film scholars believe was made in response to d . w . griffith ' s the birth of a nation .
the ballad of narayama
is a japanese film of great beauty and elegant artifice , telling a story of startling cruelty . what a space it opens…
directed by james whale . with louis hayward , joan bennett , alan hale us 1939 , 35mm , b / w , 110 min . print from sony pictures
this movie picks up almost two years later just before the baby’s 1st birthday . we open with shots of new york city and the family’s labelled trunks : they’ve just arrived !
’s success guaranteed that universal would produce a sequel . wary of being seen exclusively as a director of horror films , whale balked at the idea . to secure his cooperation , the studio granted him almost complete freedom , and whale took advantage of the situation to create his most outlandishly perverse film . the resulting horror - comedy is widely considered his masterpiece and can be read as a darkly satiric assault on the institution of marriage . the film opens with a prologue featuring a
a gang of thieves gather at a safe house following a robbery , but a detective is on their trail .
clark gable unforgettably incarnates rhett , but this film would be nothing without scarlett .
the film was banned in nazi germany , fascist italy , soviet russia and falangist spain . according to frank capra , the film was also dubbed in certain european countries to alter the message of the film so it conformed with official ideology .
a change in the academy rules required that directors could be nominated for only one motion picture in a single year . frank capra , john ford , william wyler , and sam wood - all great directors for oscar - nominated films , couldn ' t overcome the almost - total sweep of gone with the wind . best director winner victor fleming also directed another best picture nominee in 1939 , the wizard of oz .
, and in 1952 columbia considered a remake of the original film starring jane wyman in stewart ' s role .
offers an unsettling cautionary tale of scientific hubris run amok . the film’s story of a mild - mannered scientist transformed by his fantastical invention into a raving megalomaniac is less an ethical debate about man playing god than an existential allegory about the seductive nature of power . although whale cast claude rains as griffin because of rains ' extraordinarily expressive voice , the actor was chagrined to learn that his face would remain unseen for almost the entirety of his first hollywood film . destined for a place in film history due to its special effects ,
the national historical film and speaking record library was founded as part of the then commonwealth national library . in 1984 , the national film and sound archive was created as a separate commonwealth collecting institution .
the first came on november 8 , 1939 , two months after the war began , and the story behind it has now been made into 13 minutes , a gripping and thought - provoking film by oliver hirschbiegel , best known as the award - winning director of downfall ( 2004 ) .
1939 is undoubtedly the most celebrated year in american film history - the year produced more outstanding films than any other 12 - month period . it was bound to be difficult for the academy to nominate or honor all the rich , outstanding films of the year .
the film finished shooting eight days over schedule and $ 288 , 660 over budget .
willy wolff was born in berlin in 1927 . following the rise of the nazis in 1933 , he fled with his family to amsterdam , and from there to london in 1939 .
but the studio couldn’t control everything , and the third sequel almost didn’t happen . first , powell’s fiancée jean harlow unexpectedly died from kidney failure in june of 1937 . he was devastated . then about six months later , he was diagnosed with cancer just as production on another thin man was slated to begin . he immediately had surgery in early 1938 , followed by treatment and a second operation in february 1939 .
yellow earth ( 1988 ) asin : 6302917050 . color , widescreen , english subtitles . director : kaige chen . story : poetic and highly cinema graphic story of a the inspiring encounter between a young farm girl in 1939 and a communist soldier in search of folk songs to turn into propaganda for his regiment . the film gives a good look at the hardships faced by women in rural china .
in 1942 , when a ban on american films was imposed in german - occupied france , the title theaters chose mr . smith goes to washington ( 1939 ) for their last movie before the ban went into effect . one paris theater reportedly screened the film nonstop for 30 days prior to the ban .
the battle of the next century , says gentleman’s agreement , will be fought out in the homes of america . that is more than a fourth of july orator’s flourish . extend it a bit to include churches and schools , and it is the plain truth .
the ever - popular film has also had its share of detractors , for its benign antebellum southern racial stereotypes ( of happy slaves living on the plantation ) - its overall portrayal of slavery and race . many forget that hattie mcdaniel and other black cast members were not allowed to attend the premiere of the film in racially - segregated atlanta in mid - december 1939 . there were protests and boycotts by african - americans when the film opened in major cities .
this immortal classic - the definition of hollywood period epic - remains even today a splendorous spectacle that stands above most modern blockbusters with its astonishing production values and holds our full attention for almost four hours as we follow its two unforgettable characters .
fox ' s long - reigning production chief from the 30s onward was darryl f . zanuck and its finest film director was john ford , whose films in the 30s included the lost patrol ( 1934 ) , drums along the mohawk ( 1939 ) , the travelers - in - peril tale stagecoach ( 1939 ) ( marked by ford ' s first filming in his favorite monument valley , and john wayne ' s break - out role as the ringo kid ) , and young mr . lincoln ( 1939 ) . the success of max steiner ' s composed musical score for ford ' s the informer ( 1935 ) encouraged the future development of musical soundtracks and accompaniment .
life being what it is , last year’s publicity out of hollywood to the effect that twentieth century - fox was “lavishing its all” on its super - production of gentleman’s agreement could not help but arouse a certain apprehensiveness . in mr . zanuck’s wizard hands was one of the great human issues of our time . almost inevitably , some felt , there would emerge from the hollywood belt line another huge purring stratoliner of a film , in whose chromium - bright hollow interior we would be sky - borne , passive as packages , to be redeposited two hours later quite untouched , and only a little airsick .
[ note : by 1939 , the western genre had fallen out of favor , but stagecoach helped reinvent the genre , providing for its rebirth . it must be remembered however , that 1939 also saw the release of other blockbuster westerns including union pacific , dodge city , the oklahoma kid , ford ' s own technicolor drums along the mohawk , destry rides again and jesse james . ]
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
oscar micheaux staged a realistic lynching scene in his 1919 film within our gates , which some film scholars believe was made in response to d . w . griffith ' s the birth of a nation . courtesy of kino lorber , inc . hide caption
the film ' s subtle racism is insidious , going to great lengths to enshrine the myth that the civil war wasn ' t fought over slavery - an institution the film unabashedly romanticizes .
the set for the senate chamber was constructed on two newly built adjoining stages at columbia , stage 8 and 9 . the set was built almost to scale , and was at that time , the largest set built on a columbia sound stage .
this is a film adaptation of the cornish opera
the wreckers
( 1906 ) by ethel smyth , minus the music .
is , if not the definitive hollywood film , then certainly near the top of the list .
included among the american film institute ' s 1998 list of the top 100 greatest american movies .
[ mitchell was the third performer to have three appearances in best picture - nominated films - in 1939 : gone with the wind ( 1939 ) , mr . smith goes to washington ( 1939 ) , and stagecoach ( 1939 ) . claudette colbert was the first to star in three best picture - nominated films in the same year , in 1934 : cleopatra ( 1934 ) , it happened one night ( 1934 ) , and imitation of life ( 1934 ) , and the second was charles laughton in 1935 : mutiny on the bounty ( 1935 ) , les miserables ( 1935 ) , and ruggles of red gap ( 1935 ) . the feat would be repeated by john c . reilly , in 2002 : chicago ( 2002 ) , the hours ( 2002 ) and gangs of new york ( 2002 ) . ]
the german historical drama
13 minutes
opens with the sound of strenuous human grunting , accompanied by the regular ticktock of a mechanical timer . it ' s nov . 8 , 1939 , several hours before an explosive device , planted by georg elser , is set to go off , almost killing adolf hitler , who , as history tells us , had left the building in which the bomb was planted mere minutes earlier ( hence the film ' s english title , which has been changed from the original , limply un - thrillerish
elser
) .
crossfire was the first , gentleman’s agreement is the second in hollywood’s film cycle against anti - semitism to reach the nation’s screens . elliot e . cohen wrote the “letter to the movie makers” published in the august commentary , in which he offered some reflections on the potential of crossfire , and of the film medium generally , for fighting prejudice . in this article mr . cohen appraises gentleman’s agreement , and speculates on the uses and limitations of present - day propaganda for democratic causes . mr . cohen is editor of this magazine . perhaps we should mention that he is here expressing his own views , which are in no sense official .
paul robeson and julia theresa russell star in this scene from a remastered version of oscar micheaux ' s 1925 film body and soul .
the restoration project added new sequences to micheaux ' s 1939 remake of his silent film birthright . the first two of the film ' s nine reels have been missing for years . to replace about 20 minutes of those missing first scenes , restorers have added new title cards to introduce the story of peter siner ( played by carman newsome ) — a young black man who graduates from harvard university and returns home to the south to build a school for african - american children .
scarlett : sir , you are no gentleman . rhett : and you , miss , are no lady . . . don ' t think that i hold that against you . ladies have never held any charm for me .
it is a pleasure to report that for once in a lifetime mr . zanuck is even better than his billing . the plain fact is that gentleman’s agreement is a moving , thought - provoking film , which dramatically brings home the question of anti - semitism to precisely those people whose insight is most needed—decent , average americans . in honesty and reality , it is immensely superior to a film like the best years of our lives , hollywood’s machine - made slicky on postwar gi problems . if there is any justice , it should win at least half as many oscars .
new scores have been commissioned for the silent movies , including micheaux ' s within our gates . the new soundtrack aside , restorers plan to restore the 1919 film closer to micheaux ' s original vision . one of the shots in a lynching scene was upside - down originally , according to charles musser , a co - curator for the collection who also teaches film at yale university . but he says previous film restorers who worked on the film turned it right - side up .
nominated for eleven academy awards , mr . smith goes to washington is one of the standout films from that magical year of 1939 . with frank capra directing and james stewart starring , how could there not be magic ? mr . smith may not have been popular with politicians at the time , but the public embraced it . it’s a film of universal truths that is as relevant today as it was when it was released seventy - five years ago . there is a fundamental decency at its heart , and it is a film with a heart and soul .
so that’s another thin man ! it was in production under the working title the thin man returns from mid - july to late august , 1939 , and quickly premiered in november . like the previous films in the series , it was a hit .
this race film material presents an extremely important chapter in the long history of african - american participation behind the camera ,
says jacqueline stewart , a film professor at the university of chicago who helped curate the films in the restoration project .
the hollywood version almost feels obsessed with race . with the notable exception of hattie mcdaniel’s academy award - winning portrayal of mammy , the black characters in the film are even more offensive than those of the novel , particularly prissy , portrayed in the film by butterfly mcqueen , whose panicked wail “i don’t know nothin’ ’bout birthin’ babies” has become a famous laugh line — although prissy seems , in the equivalent scene in the novel , less panicky than sly . the film’s slaves are , for the most part , stupid but loyal . in the postwar scenes , the freedmen are fat and arrogant .
it is an epic , almost operatic , saga set throughout the civil war and tells the tale of kittenish southern belle scarlett o’hara , a girl so pampered that even to put her face in the sun is considered too tiring . she is in love with the self - consciously chivalrous gentleman ashley wilkes and near destroys the lives of those around her for his love when really she is more in love with the idea of being in love with him . and even that is with the ideal version of him .
pike , a & cooper , r 1998 , australian film 1900–1977 , 1st edn , rev . oxford university press , melbourne , p 186 .
in november 1939 , georg elser’s attempt to assassinate adolf hitler fails , and he is arrested . during his confinement , he recalls the events leading up to his plot and his reasons for deciding to take such drastic action .
it was a star - making role for him . stewart knew he had been given a great opportunity . if playing second fiddle to joan crawford at mgm in the ice follies of 1939 seemed like an inauspicious start to 1939 for him , mr . smith certainly turned things around . he would appear in another hit that same year when destry rides again premiered in december . stewart was nominated for best actor in mr . smith . though he lost to robert donat , he would win the following year for the philadelphia story .
according to contemporary sources , capra and his crew went to washington , d . c . to film background material and to study the senate chamber , which was replicated , full scale , in precise detail on the columbia lot . james d . preston , who was capra ' s technical advisor for the senate set and political protocol , was a former superintendent of the senate press gallery . a july 1 , 1939
an interview with writer / director boots riley about his incendiary new film ,
sorry to bother you .
frank capra received many letters over the years from individuals who were inspired by the film to take up politics .
with the onset of the second world war , film stock shortages were experienced as resources were directed to newsreels and propaganda films . from june 1942 film distribution exchanges provided free film prints to troops in new guinea and remote parts of australia . from late 1940 , many australian commercial producers began making propaganda films for the commonwealth department of information .
i had no idea of the acting talent and great humour he was to bring to the film , not to mention his rabbinical knowledge . willy wolff was an absolute godsend for the film . although he was only a secondary figure , he achieved the impossible , and employed his unique blend of wit , charm and intelligence to speak about death , bereavement and the concept of the afterlife . as soon as the film premiered at the 2011 berlin film festival , the rabbi became an audience darling .
gone with the wind , margaret mitchell’s pulitzer prize - winning novel , is one of the bestselling books of all time , with at least 28 million copies having been published in nearly every language . its immortality was however secured by david o . selznick’s 1939 film adaptation - winner of 11 academy awards , including the first for a black actor , hattie mcdaniel… although her character isn’t exactly… progressive .
this revolutionary , influential film - a story of redemption - is considered a landmark quintessential film that elevated westerns from cheaply - made , low - grade , saturday matinee
b
films to a serious adult genre - one with greater sophistication , richer western archetypes and themes , in - depth and complex characterizations , and greater profitability and popularity as well .
( 1945 ) and the success of that film gave him wider exposure . donaldson would be the only cast member from
the u . s . senate interior as shown in the film was an extremely accurate reproduction of the real thing .
after georg ( christian friedel ) has been arrested while trying to slip across the swiss border with a pocketful of bombmaking plans , the film flashes back to 1932 , when we are introduced to elser several years before he has become radicalized . the movie is , as it turns out , less a white - knuckle drama about the nuts and bolts of a failed political assassination than it is a psychological portrait of resistance , made all the more timely - and creepily , almost offensively , unsettling - given the current political climate in the united states .
in his autobiography , capra states that after the film ' s general release , he and harry cohn received a cablegram from joseph p . kennedy , the u . s . ambassador to great britain , saying that the film would damage
america ' s prestige in europe
and should therefore be withdrawn from european distribution . in response , they mailed favorable reviews of the film to kennedy , and , while in a letter to capra , kennedy stated that he maintained doubts about the film , he did not pursue the matter any further . according to
the washington press corps was highly indignant at the way it was portrayed in the film . consequently , a great deal of the initial reviews from the capitol were very negative . one of their chief objections was that the film made them all out to be drinking too much .
writer sidney buchman didn’t think the ending worked . he believed capra oversimplified things , citing the melodramatics of senator paine trying to commit suicide . but everything works within the context of the film . the 1939 audience wanted to see paine get what was coming to him . in real life , i don’t think any politicians would make an admission of guilt on the senate floor , but jefferson smith stirred paine’s conscience . the plot points might not be “realistic” but the film’s convictions are genuine .
in this film - actually a morality play , each of the characters are representative , archetypal character types , divided initially between respectable and disrespectable social outcasts . however by film ' s end , the disreputable members of society prove to be the most noble , virtuous , and selfless .
the internet movie database pike , a & cooper , r 1998 , australian film 1900–1977 , 1st edn , rev . oxford university press , melbourne , p 181 .
slut shaming : dallas is on the receiving end of this in both versions of the film , ringo disagrees with this .
micheaux and other race - film directors worked outside of hollywood , forging indie filmmaking at its earliest stages with low budgets .
it does appear that additional footage was shot for mr . smith goes to washington . i found this production still ( below ) from the film which depicts guy kibbee’s governor hopper visiting jefferson early in the film . when you watch the released version , the governor arrives and enters the home filled with kids . almost immediately beulah bondi ( playing jeff’s mother ) closes the door . the film then jumps to the “star - spangeled” reception where we see jefferson smith for the first time , appearing out of place at a banquet table . it never really felt like that was his first appearance . if capra had cut out the earlier scene due to time constraints , it most likely depicted smith at ease in his natural element as a boy ranger leader . this would’ve been a nice contrast to the following scene at the banquet hall . there was also an alternate ending to the film that was removed after its preview . originally , jefferson and saunders return to his hometown in an extended denouement . ( in the film’s trailer , you can see them riding in a parade . )
democrats could learn a lot from republicans these days . republicans know what it is like to sleepwalk into a government shutdown without an exit strategy while sacrificing core elements of their brand in the process . they know how frustrating it can be to have their rights as a minority party curtailed simply for exercising them . they know that having an enthusiastic base of true believers is a double - edged sword ; they’re great for winning elections but almost contemptuous of tactics .
restored ' race films ' find new audiences : code switch some of the earliest movies by african - american filmmakers from the 1910s through 1940s languished in film archives over the years on poor - quality film prints . now some have been digitally restored .
james stewart ( with his first nomination ) for one of his best , quintessential roles as innocent , crusading senator jefferson smith in mr . smith goes to washington . [ stewart won the best actor oscar the following year , often considered a consolation prize for his loss for this great performance in 1939 . ]
america , if i read the old documents aright , was not meant to be a country club for people “just like us . ” the “exclusiveness” of the gentleman’s agreement , collusive or legal , was no part of the picture ; nor was the genteel pattern , native or acquired , the prescribed ticket of admission . it was to be a free land for all kinds of people .
whale was a man of striking contrasts . although the war left him an abiding antipathy towards germany , his filmmaking was profoundly influenced by weimar cinema : the sly wit of lubitsch , murnau’s mobile camera , and the visual stylization of german expressionism . born into poverty , he projected the air of a proper british gentleman that barely concealed the wicked sense of humor so important to his films .
has edited images for documentaries , commercials and feature films since 1998 . since then the successful cinematographer now even shoots his own film material
four race films , including birthright and williams ' 1946 film dirty gertie from harlem , u . s . a . , are returning to the big screen at new york city ' s film forum for special screenings on sunday and monday . the entire collection of restored race films will be available for streaming online and as a five - disc set in july .
near the beginning of the film , when smith is appointed a senator , a joyful crowd sings
auld lang syne
for james stewart . the same song is sung for him by another joyful crowd at the end of
it ' s a wonderful life
( 1946 ) . [ note that neither film specifically references the other , and there is no appropriate category under
movie connections
. ]
if gentleman’s agreement effectively drives home the social dimensions of anti - semitism to a wide audience and points out a direction , this is perhaps contribution enough for one film . we trust that future films—and novels , the radio , and journalism—will not content themselves with covering the same ground . further exposes are not likely to be very useful ; anti - semitism hardly needs more publicity ; and there are even dangers in repetitive advertising of the phenomenon , unless we add to the public’s knowledge and insight into its mechanism and its role .
james ellison stars as a man who saves a german shepherd from the city pound , only to have the dog implicate him in a murder .
it ' s a shame that it ' s taken almost 100 years to get these films back out ,
says miller , who also composed new scores for within our gates , body and soul and other silent films .
they should be well - known , and they should be part of the basic premise of early american cinema , period .
john wayne had previously appeared in some 80
b
pictures ; most studio executives were vehemently opposed to giving him top billing in a major film , but ford ( whose first sound western this was to be ) insisted on casting wayne as the ringo kid . ( notably , the actor was paid far less than any of his co - stars except for john carradine . ) ford , well known for abusing his cast and crew , reportedly brutalized wayne to screw an effective performance out of him — and succeeded . this film also marked the first time that ford would shoot in monument valley , utah , the site that would become his favorite setting and almost a trademark of his films .
all reprints are free of charge for reporting purposes on rabbi wolff and must bear the copyright : ©
uli holz , britzka film
.
chips rafferty appeared uncredited as a man in the crowd in come up smiling , also known as ants in his pants , which premiered at the strand theatre in hobart on 3 november 1939 . born john goffage in 1909 , the lanky rafferty became a star in forty thousand horsemen ( 1940 ) and pursued a successful career in australia and hollywood . the epitome of the ' dinkum aussie bloke’ , rafferty crowned his career with a superb performance as the country police officer in wake in fright ( 1971 ) .
in his autobiography , frank capra states that after the film ' s general release , he and harry cohn received a cablegram from u . s . ambassador to great britain joseph p . kennedy saying that he felt the film would damage
america ' s prestige in europe
and should therefore be withdrawn from european distribution . in response , they mailed favorable reviews of the film to kennedy , which persuaded him not pursue the matter any further , even though he still maintained his doubts .
just as whale set the standard for horror with frankenstein , he created in the old dark house a classic of the horror subgenre named for this very film that announced whale’s distinctive blend of horror , satire , camp and farce . the typical “old dark house” film features innocents who stumble upon a sinister mansion ; here , in a typically perverse whale touch , the heroes are a flighty , cynical quintet who are hardly wholesome themselves . still , they are no match for the freakish femm family that inhabits the house . perversely , whale cast aging actress elspeth dudgeon as the femm patriarch – she is credited in the film as “john dudgeon , ” a secret joke that was not revealed until 1975 .
lives as a freelance cinematographer in berlin . he works with eric ferranti , arndt von rabenau , victor holand and david sieveking to name a few . following study at the german academy of film and television in berlin ( dffb ) , he began his cooperation with britta wauer for her documentary berlin – a square , a murder and a famous communist in 2005 . rabbi wolff is their sixth movie together .
the blue kite ( 1994 ) asin : 630342063x . color , widescreen , english subtitles . director : zhuangzhuang tian . story : banned in china for its scathing indictment of mao zedong ' s policies , this is a almost documentary look at the impact of the cultural revolution on chinese society as seen through the eyes of one child and through the hardships faced by his own family .
elser returned to the bürgerbräukeller in april 1939 and took exact measurements of the column where he intended to hide his device . he tested the prototype of his bomb that summer in a remote orchard , then returned to munich in the autumn and , having tried and failed to get a job at the beer hall , he broke in one night and began working on his hands and knees to hollow out a space in the column where he could install his device .
the musical score was by dimitri tiomkin , who had scored capra’s lost horizon . capra told him he wanted to hear america in the score and tiomkin delivered . throughout the film you hear many musical motifs right out of the american folk songbook– songs like “yankee doodle” and “my country ‘tis of thee . ” the film evokes that pioneer spirit . just listen to the scene where saunders finds a disillusioned smith at the lincoln memorial , ready to leave town after being tarred and feathered . that’s all americana in the background . the musicality of the film is often overlooked with all the standout performances , but it’s another aspect that makes the film work .
the structure of the film is very formal , divided neatly into eight episodes ( four scenes of action alternating with four scenes of character interaction ) .
director frank capra ' s film mr . smith goes to washington ( with eleven nominations and only one win - best original story ) of lewis foster ' s story about a naive and innocent junior senator
james ellison stars as a man who saves a german shepherd from the city pound , only to have the dog implicate him in a murder . ( less )
angarano’s film credits include kyle patrick alvarez’s the stanford prison experiment ; craig zisk ' s the english teacher ; dito montiel’s empire state ; steven soderbergh ' s haywire ; kevin smith’s red state ; gavin wiesen ' s the art of getting by ; and max winkler ' s ceremony . additional credits include music of the heart , almost famous , the brass teapot , gentleman broncos , snow angels , the forbidden kingdon , and lords of dogtown . angarano can be seen in steven soderbergh’s series the knick opposite clive owen and eve hewson . he appeared in a four - episode arc on fox ' s hit drama 24 opposite kiefer sutherland and guest starred on nbc ' s emmy® - winning comedy will and grace as elliot , the son of jack mcfarland ( sean hayes ) . additional television credits include e . r . , csi , less than perfect , summerland , and kevin hill .
britzka film - britta wauer rosa - luxemburg - straße 30 10178 berlin – germany finance office mitte - tiergarten von berlin ust - id de 240097612 t : + 49 . 30 . 247 245 24 e : film @ urltoken www . urltoken web creation and content according to § 6 mdstv : britta wauer
if the story had been cut short and tidied up at the point marked by the interval , and if the personal drama had been made subservient to a cinematic treatment of the central theme , then gone with the wind might have been a really great film .
copyright © britzka film , all rights reserved , text , pictures , graphics , sound , animations and videos are protected by copyright and other protective laws .
we also learn in the original that rhett dishonored a woman back in charleston and killed her brother in a duel . except for a brief early hint of scandal , this tale , too , does not make it into the hollywood version . we further learn in mitchell’s novel that the unmarried rhett may have a son in new orleans . the film leaves out this detail .
film is a physical artifact . it can fade . it can shrink . it can crumble to dust in less than a lifetime , and it ' s a race against time around here ,
explains mike mashon , who heads the moving image section of the library of congress .
it ' s genuinely a miracle that those [ race ] films survived .
gentleman’s agreement is advertised for what it is ; it respects itself and its audience’s intelligence ; and it has enough faith in what it has to say to risk saying it plainly and with some of its complications , rather than relying on shock , or trapping the unconscious , or sneaking up on its public from behind the ambush of soap opera dramas , fast - shooting detectives , noble hackdrivers , and the kid kourages of the comic books . it does not try to fight stereotypes with stereotypes ; or slogans with slogans . whatever its shortcomings , it chooses the open road of thought and art . in a word , it is not manipulative . gentleman’s agreement is a soberer picture than crossfire , and it may lack its thrills , but in the end it is both less preachy and more convincing .
view one of the movies on the film list below and write a response paper detailing how this work adds to our understanding of chinese culture . see your instructor ' s syllabus for further information and due dates .
crouching moron , hidden badass : doc boone is a rambling , semi - comic drunkard for most of the film , until he has to sober up to deliver mrs . mallory ' s baby . following this he takes a major role in defending the stage from apaches and even stares down a dangerous gunfighter while completely unarmed .
rhett ' s last words in the novel :
my dear , i don ' t give a damn .
in the film :
frankly my dear , i don ' t give a damn .
[ contrary to popular belief , it was not the film with the first use of the word ' damn ' ( the expletive had been said a year earlier in pygmalion ( 1938 ) and variations , such as ' damned ' , were heard in other earlier films ]
a scotland yard undercover detective is on the trail of a saboteur who is part of a plot to set off a bomb in london . but when the detective ' s cover is blown , the plot begins to unravel .
now it can be told that out of the pages of a magnificent book has leaped a magnificent motion picture .
the story of james whale’s rise and fall in thirties hollywood illustrates the high stakes risks and rewards of filmmaking in the studio era . whale’s early successes earned him only a brief freedom , and the subsequent decades have been unkind , with some of his best films remaining little - seen and the story of his life and career increasingly encrusted with myth , rumor and speculation . associated most vividly with universal’s horror films , whale in fact distinguished himself in almost every genre prominent in 1930s hollywood : the musical , the melodrama , the war film , costume drama and screwball comedy .
life on a string ( 1991 ) asin : 6302664829 . color , widescreen , english subtitles . story : this is truly an
art
film with beautiful landscapes of northwest china , haunting folksongs , long poetic silences , and vivid imagery . the main character is a blind singer who devotes his life to music , eventually becoming a saintly old man . while not for those who need action and adventure , this film does capture the essential chinese spirit of the interconnectedness of all things .
capra was making this film for penny - pinching harry cohn at columbia , who wanted less takes of scenes printed . to work around this dictum , capra would simply let the camera roll continuously in order to record the best of several takes shot together . he discovered that more times than not , the second take was almost always better than the first . his cameraman was joseph walker , who was a mainstay in capra’s productions . the stellar work of cinematographers like walker should make modern audiences appreciate the value and quality of black and white photography . the scenes at the lincoln memorial are exceptionally well - lit . one of the most striking scenes in the film is the one in which saunders finds jefferson in tears and in the shadows .
if you loved ace the wonder dog in the rookie cop ( 1939 ) , you ' ll probably like this low budget furball drama from rko that sees the clever pooch arrested and tried for . . . . . . . . . . . . . murder . go check out ace in the monster maker ( 1944 ) .
for over three years , director britta wauer and her team followed rabbi wolff through his professional and personal life . over 100 hours of conversations with willy wolff have produced not only a film but also a book full of reminiscences , reflections and insights . through anecdotes and conversations , willy looks back on his eventful life and talks about his childhood in berlin and amsterdam , about his career as a political journalist in the uk and about his lifelong desire to become a rabbi . the book includes many stories that didn ' t make it into the film .
meanwhile , church and his cronies take a late train back to new york . nick’s chat with church worked–crisis averted ! ( or is it ? ) but when the trio arrive at smitty’s apartment , another creep named diamond back vogel ( don costello ) shows up with a message from smitty’s husband . her hubby has been in prison for almost their whole marriage , so she has moved on to church . but add vogel to the list of criminals and creeps involved in the case .
20th century fox was known for its musicals ( especially in the 40s with betty grable ) , and prestige biographies ( such as young mr . lincoln ( 1939 ) ) . fox studios also capitalized on its association with shirley temple after the mid - 30s - singlehandedly , she made over $ 20 million for fox in the late 30s .
it ' s filmmaking that should not stay sitting in film archives , according to paul miller , also known as dj spooky , the project ' s executive producer .
gentleman’s agreement is neither streamlined nor glib . as a matter of fact , in its beginnings it is awkward and groping , like an earnest , unpracticed speaker struggling with a complex subject . but this is not altogether inappropriate : we are going to look at that curious , archaic aberration , anti - semitism—as it exists not in darkest naziland , nor among our own lunatic fringe , but among americans of good will—the nice lady in the next seat—yes , one suspects uneasily , even oneself .
man on the run from a murder charge enlists a beautiful stranger who must put herself at risk for his cause .
jack conway directed viva villa ! ( 1934 ) ( co - directed with howard hawks ) , tarzan and his mate ( 1934 ) , a tale of two cities ( 1935 ) , libeled lady ( 1936 ) , saratoga ( 1937 ) ( harlow ' s last film ) , and too hot to handle ( 1938 ) . before coming to hollywood , german director fritz lang ' s first ' talkie ' was the chilling m ( 1931 ) , with peter lorre ' s film debut as a deviant serial killer ( child murderer ) who whistled grieg ' s peer gynt while stalking his next victim . sam wood ' s best 30s films were goodbye , mr . chips ( 1939 ) and two marx brothers films , a night at the opera ( 1935 ) and a day at the races ( 1937 ) . king vidor directed the champ ( 1932 ) and stella dallas ( 1937 ) - among others .
michael angarano is making his mark on hollywood with diverse roles that have established him as a respected and sought - after actor . angarano marks his film directorial debut with avenues , in which he wrote and stars . the film also stars nicholas braun , ari graynor , and juno temple . angarano will star in sun dogs alongside melissa benoist , jennifer morrison , allison janney , and ed o’neill .
greer garson ( with her first nomination ) in her film - debut performance as katherine ellis - mr . chips ' sweet and vivacious wife in goodbye , mr . chips
nominated for 11 academy awards , and winning only one for best original story , it became the first film to lose at least 10 awards ( in nine categories ) .


god is my co-pilot is a 1945 american black-and-white biographical war film from warner bros . pictures , produced by robert buckner , directed by robert florey , that stars dennis morgan and co-stars dane clark and raymond massey .

the screenplay by abem finkel and peter milne is based on the 1943 autobiography of the same name by robert lee scott , jr. ( april 12 , 1908 – february 27 , 2006 ) and tells the story of scott 's involvement with the flying tigers and the united states army air forces in china and burma during world war ii .

god is my co - pilot ( film )

god is my co - pilot ( 1945 ) , based on the . . .
there are no featured reviews for god is my co - pilot at this time .
god is my co - pilot - - ( movie clip ) just the . . .
the original one - sheet poster for “god is my co - pilot , ” 1945 .
god is my co - pilot - - ( movie clip ) some faith or . . .
god is my co - pilot - - ( movie clip ) your mother was . . .
god is my co - pilot - - ( movie clip ) don ' t call . . .
andrea king and dennis morgan in “god is my co - pilot , ” warner bros . , 1945 .
god is my co - pilot ( 1945 ) full credits .
imdb . retrieved : may 12 , 2012 .
god is my co - pilot ( 1945 ) , based on the true story of world war ii fighter pilot col . robert lee scott , jr . >
farmer , james h .
god is my co - pilot ( wb , 1945 ) .
flight journal , august 2002 .
“god is my co - pilot” was a monumental success for warner bros . in fact , it became one of the studio’s highest grossing pictures for the year 1945 .
with the headline : the screen ; ' god is my co - pilot , ' warner film , opens at strand - - british production at world , adventure at rialto at the world at the rialto .
crowther , bosley .
god is my co - pilot ( 1945 , warner film , opens at strand .
the new york times , march 24 , 1945 . retrieved : december 31 , 2010 .
jason bailey is the film editor at flavorwire . he is the author of the ultimate woody allen film companion .
god is my co - pilot is a 1945 american propaganda film based on the autobiography of the same name by robert lee scott , jr . the film tells the story of scott ' s association with the flying tigers and the united states army air forces in china and burma during world war ii .
2010 ( 1984 )  ( movie clip ) my god , . . .
pilot tex ( john ridgely ) leads his squad against the japanese in china , chennault ( raymond massey ) and scott ( dennis morgan ) observing , american johnny ( dane clark ) making hay , in god is my co - pilot , 1945 . >
formerly the hawaii international film society or hiff ohana , now the hawaii film fans , brings together hawaii ' s film lovers before , during and after the annual hawaii international film festival .
pre - flight drawing by co - pilot robert lewis detailing the bombing of hiroshima . ( screen capture : youtube )
luke is another lorelei , making him a god in human form and arguably the only reason they succeed at saving auldrant . this makes this a rare case where the god isn ' t so much co - pilot as much as straight up pilot if unknowingly so .
baccano ! has its own strange take on this idea . maiza ' s co - pilot isn ' t god , but rather nyarlathotep ' s expy .
star dennis morgan in the voice of author and hero col . robert lee scott jr . narrates the opening of god is my co - pilot , 1945 , introducing big mike ( alan hale ) and general chennault ( raymond massey ) . >
premiered in macon , georgia , scott ' s hometown , god is my co - pilot went on to commercial success as one of the last of the patriotic productions to be screened during wartime . in a modern context , the film has received a revival in interest as it is now considered one of the
classic
aviation films primarily due to its aerial scenes , which , even at the time , were considered one of its assets . along with scott ' s role in telling the story of the flying tigers , god is my co - pilot is now considered more as a historical record .
priest big mike ( alan hale ) holding court in the cabin en route to china , joins col . scott ( dennis morgan ) in the cockpit , in the warner bros . bio - pic god is my co - pilot , 1945 . >
attention : requires ntsc region 0 compatible playergod is my co - pilot ( dvd new ) label : warner archivesformat : dvd modregion : 0release date : 07 sep 2010video format : ntscno . of discs : 1upc : 883316232101
dennis morgan ( as hero and author col . robert lee scott ) , now with the
flying tigers ,
takes on three japanese
zero
pilots , including chatty
tokyo joe ,
( richard loo ) , in god is my co - pilot , 1945 .
this is such a great film and i know it was one of my dad ' s favorites . he was a pilot in the army air force ( usaaf ) in wwii . i have the log of all his . . .
dennis morgan ( as hero and author col . robert lee scott ) , now with the
flying tigers ,
takes on three japanese
zero
pilots , including chatty
tokyo joe ,
( richard loo ) , in god is my co - pilot , 1945 . >
obviously warner brothers took the title of col . robert l . scott ' s war book ,
god is my co - pilot ,
much more literally than the author did . for their rip - roaring film based on that chronicle , which came to the strand yesterday , is heavily - - and often embarrassingly - - larded with piety . view full article in timesmachine »
“i have decided that now is the appropriate time to reveal my unique collection to the world for consideration . ”
fridge brilliance : god is played by george burns - a secular jewish man .
and in a short story , it is revealed to the reader that wencet of rum is a god in disguise .
overall , this is an enjoyable film to view . . . but there is a bit too much
god
in it to make it exciting . the extended references to religon . . .
regarding the complaints about references to god and religion , consider the title and the fact that it is a true story . my father flew long - range photo . . .
the silver maile documentary nominations are :
fury for the sound : the women at clayoquot
( canada ) ;
habitual sadness
( korea ) ;
journey to beijing
( china / usa ) ;
manuel ocampo : god is my co - pilot
( usa ) ; and
nadya ' s village
( japan ) .
robert eberwein is distinguished professor of english emeritus at oakland university in rochester , michigan , author of armed forces : masculinity and sexuality in the american war film , and editor of the war film .
god is my co - pilot was based on the best - selling autobiography by fighter pilot col . robert lee scott jr . ( dennis morgan ) , who fought in the pacific during world war ii . at 34 , scott was considered too old to fly in combat , but he volunteered for a secret bombing raid from the philippines against the japanese capital of tokyo . when the mission is cancelled after he arrives in india , scott flies transport aircraft over the hump into china .
it comes to a head in possibly the film ' s silliest single scene , which finds whip visiting his bible - thumping co - pilot and the man ' s wife at his hospital bedside . ( when whip says he ' s happy to be alive , mrs . co - pilot quickly corrects him :
blessed to be alive .
)
nothing happens by accident in the kingdom of the lord ,
the co - pilot thunders , as the wife actually kisses the cross around her neck behind him , a moment of both painful literalism and amateurish upstaging . she then starts proclaiming
praise jesus
during her husband ' s little sermon , a moment that is played for oddly incongruent laughs , since the movie is barely subtler than she is .
other gala presentation films are :
dance me to my song
( australia ) co - starring rena owen of
once were warriors
; the philippines ' film
in the navel of the sea
; and
the soong sisters
( hong kong ) .
this was a difficult movie to find . it was a welcomed birthday gift for my friend .
god is flawed : played mildly for laughs . god readily admits his mistakes , such as the goofy design of ostriches and the oversized avocado pits .
, is actually a proto - god , and already has a pretty good handle on omniscience .
god is my co - pilot
could have been great but as this film suffers from a disjointed and confusing narrative , apart from a lack of plot , i find the final results to be disappointing . the best things about this film , are the dogfight scenes and the performance of alan hale as the irish missionary . dennis morgan is o . k but rather wooden . i noticed that he seemed to change in appearance over a brief period of 3 years , morgan looks rather older in the film and i ' m sure he wasn ' t that old in 1945 . raymond massey is good as the superior officer and it made a change for him to play a more likeable character . dane clark is completely wasted , he hardly has any screentime and yet he is near the top of the cast ! some of the dialogue between the americans and the japanese in the dogfight scenes seemed rather silly and out of place somehow . i wasn ' t particularly impressed . robert florey ' s direction isn ' t bad but judging by his efforts with
god is my co - pilot ,
i ' m just glad that he didn ' t direct
frankenstein
back in 1931 .
publication date 1999 title variation god is my copilot production credits director , phillip rodriguez ; producer , tom patchett ; cinematographer , esteban de llaca . participant manual ocampo , dennis hopper . format vhs .
in midnight at the well of souls , the main character himself is revealed to be god . . . or something like god , at the end .
the golden maile feature film nominations are :
the sound of one hand clapping ( australia ) ;
my rice noodle shop ( china ) ;
via satellite
( new zealand ) ;
the terrorist
( india ) ; and
spring in my hometown
( korea ) .
noted that the
pious injection of the spiritual in an otherwise noisy action film is patently ostentatious and results in a maudlin effect .
festival officials tonight will announce this year ' s film and event schedule at the plaza club .
: george burns ' s character tells john denver ' s character that he ( burns ) is god , and he spends half the movie trying to convince him that he really did see god . the other half is spent in court , with god as a character witness .
the u . s . film
xiu xiu - the sent down girl
directed by joan chen is the festival ' s opening film . it will screen at 6 : 30 p . m . nov . 6 at hawaii theatre .
i got over my blind allegiance , and now stick by israel ' s side , through thick and thin .
kids praise / music : god appears in one christmas album and explicitly tells psalty that the apparently - magical music that accompanies his songs is actually god ' s own doing .
the tomatometer score — based on the opinions of hundreds of film and television critics — is a trusted measurement of critical recommendation for millions of fans . it represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show .
bruce almighty has a homeless guy appear repeatedly with somewhat - relevant cardboard signs , who it turns out is god . meeting god first as a janitor and electrician might also count .
at the climax of oh god ! you devil , when the devil lost his nerve in a poker showdown with god , god commented ,
i put the fear of me into you .
co - z multicolor aluminum crochet hooks set with storage case , 0 . 60 - 6 . 50mm colorful . . .
what happened to the mouse ? : in oh god ! , jerry is given a series of tests for god to perform . god notes they are in aramaic and the tests play no further part in the movie . in the original book , god revealed his presence by solving all the tests , not personally appearing .
“my god , what have we done ? how many did we kill ? ” lewis wrote later in the month . “i am certain the entire crew felt this experience was more than anyone human had ever thought possible… if i live a hundred years i’ll never quite get those few minutes out of my mind . ”
: when bobby sees god , he thinks it ' s tophet . when he realizes who it is , he apologizes .
in the first movie , god is sworn into court testimony by pledging
. . . so help me me .
a film flying on two wings and a prayer - the wings being swift and the prayer mighty . . .
one of my favorite movies of all time . i have an original hard copy of the book worth over $ 1500 and had my original copy of this poop out some years ago . for me , this is a have to have movie . very enjoyable and reasonable cinematography slightly better than
the flying tigers .
by casting the remarkable events of that day into a framework of miracles and
somebody up there looking out for them ,
we cheapened and minimized the split - second thinking and considerable talents of captain sullenberger .
i think , in many ways , as it turned out , my entire life had been a preparation to handle that particular moment ,
he told katie couric on 60 minutes a month later . indeed , sullenberger had 30 years on the job , had been an air force fighter pilot , and had trained flight crews in how to respond to emergencies in the air . the passengers and crew of flight 1548 survived that flight because sullenberger was their pilot , not because god was his co - pilot .
new
was the recipient of the critic ' s award at this year ' s venice international film festival .
hiff members receive freebies , discounts and deals at video stores , movie houses , and film magazine subscriptions . participating film - friendly partners include the honolulu academy of arts theatre , the movie museum , tower video , on the juice , gordon biersch and more . members also get priority ticket selection and flash pass privileges during the hawaii international film festival .
journal - the bestself co . self journal ( 8 . 25” x 5 . 5” ) - powerfully simple daily , w . . .
drawings , log books and letters by the co - pilot of the enola gay , the american plane that dropped the bomb on hiroshima on august 6 , 1945 , have been publicly displayed for the first time before going on auction , 70 years after the fateful mission .
god beats the devil in a hand of poker when the devil decides to fold . and what was god ' s downright amazing hand ? complete garbage .
with as many as 60 aircraft committed to the production , the film was the most ambitious of its kind in wartime .
the janitor is implied to be some sort of supernatural force , possibly even god itself towards the end of the game , he even knows mae ' s name . the god ( ? ) mae meets in her dream point out that the thing mae calls god doesn ' t exist , or at least is working in such a subtle manner that is impossible for them to see , which would be fitting of a janitor
some things we cannot do alone , but with god we can do anything .
one hitler parody video reveals günsche to be god , hitler was not pleased .
, god gives bobby this sort of rebuke when bobby begs for his help .
world war z has a downed pilot who gets guided to rescue by a voice on the radio calling herself
mets fan
or just
mets
for short .
mets
is a pun on metis , mother of the goddess athena . . . and the pilot may or may not have imagined her and her guidance .
thornton sayre , a respected college professor , is plagued when his old movies are shown on tv and sets out with his daughter to stop it . however , his former co - star is the hostess of the tv show playing his films and she has other plans .
“when my father retired in 1979 he decided to do something significant about his world war ii experiences , ” stephen lewis told the daily express .
this page may by only partially complete . for additional information about this film , view the original entry on our archived site .
the film ' s air operations were directed by hollywood
stunt pilots
frank
speed
nolta and major frank clarke .
ii - era spirit - lifter based on the bestseller by fighter pilot col . robert lee scott , jr . dennis morgan plays scott , an
evil cannot comprehend good : the devil believes there ' s no way god would put untold thousands of souls on the line just to save one man . he is proven wrong during the poker showdown in oh god ! you devil .
god : you made a deal with the devil . how dumb could you be ?
us army air force captain robert lewis , the co - captain of the enola gay aircraft responsible for the bombing of hiroshima . ( screen capture : youtube )
after andrea king received rave notices for her very first featured role at warner bros . in 1944’s “the very thought of you , ” things began to happen very quickly for the promising young actress . she was thrown into a string of back - to - back films , and the studio’s well - tuned , star - making process began . one of those projects was the wartime drama “god is my co - pilot” ( warner bros . , 1945 ) , in which she played opposite dennis morgan as his hometown sweetheart and wife . the film was based on the real - life heroic adventures of col . robert l . scott and his fighting tigers squadron that had recently claimed a huge victory overseas assisting china’s battle against the japanese . col . scott had penned his memoirs rather quickly in a best - seller with the same title , and warners purchased the film rights and began production immediately .
there is a theory that the unknown
friend
who sends you anonymous letters revealing the locations of word walls is really talos .
and talks about his visits with god , his home is mobbed by groupies and visitors who want his time , his blessing , and his divine seed .
god :
lose a job , save a world . not a bad deal .
the first act of the director robert zemeckis ' s new drama flight culminates with what is already being called the finest and most terrifying plane crash sequence ever committed to film . an engine failure on a full - capacity passenger flight has put the aircraft into an uncontrolled nosedive . the co - pilot ( brian gereghty ) is in a screaming panic , desperately trying to regain control of the plane , but the pilot , whip whitaker ( denzel washington ) , keeps it together . he calmly
inverts
the plane ( turns it upside down ) in order to level it off , then brings it in for a landing in an open field . as the giant jet approaches the grass , he utters three words over the pa :
brace for impact .
i last saw this film on a series called the vintage years of hollywood in 1963 . i have been trying to find it for fifty years
filmgoers also will able to view , in one screening only , the imax spectacular
everest ,
the most profitable imax feature film ever .
: it was kind of inevitable that the movie ' s interpretation of god would deviate a bit from the typical theological view . one of the most blatant instances is the page quote ; it appears that god has a really lousy memory , because he did a
robert zemeckis ' s film , seemingly inspired by chesley sullenberger ' s emergency hudson river landing in 2009 , gives the credit to the wrong guy .
almighty janitor : at one point , god appears as a litter - cleaner in a park .
divinely appearing demons : in oh , god ! you devil , george burns plays both god and the devil . they look the same , although the devil prefers to dress all in red .
the film is set during the final stages of the cultural revolution , when a pretty young woman ventures into the countryside as part of the
people ' s education
program . chen will attend the opening night festivities .
certain to be a popular discussion will be
on - screen violence : how much is too much ? a panel of experts moderated by roger ebert discusses the popularity of violence as depicted in film and television images worldwide .
inspired by churchill ' s dunkirk speech , brash , undisciplined bush pilot brian maclean and three friends enlist in the rcaf but are deemed too old to be fliers .
the bravo / independent film channel in cooperation with pacific new media presents
making ultra - low budget feature films : the art of affordable technology .
divine race lift : among god ' s other forms are a black woman and a hispanic busboy .
god :
absolutely , i can tell the future — the minute it becomes the past .
sinister minister : played mildly in oh , god ! , with money - grubbing televangelist willie williams .
everything ' s better with rainbows : in oh god ! you devil ! , god makes a rainbow appear in the night sky above las vegas to confirm that he has heard bobby shelton ' s prayer .
this is how they did it , the transition in which the . . .
in the town for which the movie is named , sheriff shaw . . .
finally , the story
manannan at play
is basically a patchwork of short stories about how wandering ireland as a scraggly clown is a hobby of his .
in a modern context , the film has received a revival in interest as it is now considered one of the
classic
aviation films primarily due to its aerial scenes , which were even at the time , considered one of its assets .
yet the hand of god ( well , his disciples , anyway ) is all over flight . when whip brings in his plane for its open - field landing , the wing crashes into the steeple of a nearby church , whose members are performing baptisms in a nearby pond , wouldn ' t you know it , at that very instant . ( it ' s a laughably unsubtle moment in a movie filled with them . ) shortly before the flight , the chief flight attendant is giving whip the business for not going to church ; as he lays in the hospital recovering , his pilot ' s union rep ( bruce greenwood ) tells him ,
the way you landed that plane was nothing short of a miracle .
while in the hospital , whip shares a secret smoke with a cancer patient , who delivers a faith - floating monologue , assigning the randomness of the universe—everything from his cancer to his impending death to his meeting the pilot at that moment—to the big guy upstairs . the co - pilot ' s wife , we ' re told , has informed the press ,
god landed that plane .
tom the dancing bug uses the inverted trope whenever god - man teams up with human - man , as in february 2 , 2008 . in other works , god disguises himself but helps someone . here , god - man reveals himself at the beginning , but has done nothing to help human - man by the end .
intentionally awkward title :
god
as an interjection was still considered a swear word by a lot of folks in 1977 . at least one newspaper ( the mormon - owned deseret news in salt lake city ) refused to print the title of the original . the movie ads would just label it as
a comedy starring george burns
or even just show his picture along with quotes from the film . probably because it was such a good - natured film ( with god portrayed positively ) , the sequels didn ' t have this problem at all .
parodied in the final season of 30 rock when jack stars in the new nbc series
god cop
. the show has a new york city detective team up with his new partner , god , to solve crimes , and creates confusion amongst characters and viewers alike as to why god doesn ' t just tell the police who the criminal is , or stop the crime from happening in the first place .
: a borderline case ; while god is not particularly malicious , he also doesn ' t seem to care about the difficulties that jerry ( or his family ) goes through in delivering his message .
premiered in macon , georgia , scott ' s hometown , the film went on to commercial success as one of the last of the patriotic productions to be screened during wartime .
the popular
stop , look and listen ii : a film , media and technology forum
continues this year with
roger ebert ' s democracy in the dark .
this is played with by fizban ' s apparent expy zifnab in the death gate cycle . he has the same mix of senile eccentricity with flashes of remarkable wisdom and power , and at one point even says that he ' s a god , but is really just a very crazy old man with a lot of plot - centric information locked up in that confused brain . the dragon that is his constant companion , however , is a semi - divine being .
, people run into a supposed stranger who is usually eventually identified either as god or
the angel of the lord
. ( the resurrected jesus also made a few appearances in this manner . )
at age 34 , army air force pilot major robert lee scott jr . ( dennis morgan ) is considered too old to fly in combat , but he is recruited and volunteers to fly in a secret bombing mission from the philippines against tokyo , the japanese capital . when the mission is cancelled after his arrival in india because of the fall of the philippines , scott is promoted to colonel and is then assigned to fly transport aircraft . he flies dangerous , unescorted missions over the hump from burma to china in order to supply aviation gasoline and other much - needed supplies to the three squadrons of the american volunteer group , the flying tigers .
grandpa god : granted , he ' s a lot less majestic than the usual use of this trope . . .
dean : . . . cas , are you god ? castiel : that ' s a nice compliment , but no .
the two - week film festival - - running nov . 6 through 19 is celebrating its 18th anniversary . this year ' s hiff gathering features 108 films - - 70 features - - from 24 countries , including for the first time , france , and a section on world comedies .
blinding plot speed as hildy ( pat o ' brien ) , who really is . . .
evil is petty : the devil delights himself by bringing the gypsy moth back to new england .
the gods must be lazy : invoked repeatedly by god ; whenever he is asked why he doesn ' t solve the world ' s problems with his omnipotence , he simply handwaves it as something people must do for themselves .
: god specifically tells his prophets that he could have appeared in any other form , but chose one that they could understand .
newscaster cameo : hugh downs and barbara walters appear in the second movie to discuss tracy ' s
think god
campaign .
recognizing that the appeal of the series was george burns himself , the third movie oh , god ! you devil ( 1984 ) has him play both god and satan . in a straightforward deal with the devil plot , a struggling musician named bobby shelton ( ted wass ) sells his soul to the devil in exchange for fame and fortune . trapped by satan , he seeks help from god ( who has been watching over him ) , and the two nemeses face off for god ' s list of protected souls .
in red dead redemption there ' s much , much more to the mysterious stranger from
i know you
than first meets the eye . what nature of supernatural being he is is debatable .
the mickey mouse 2013 short
mumbai madness
, has mickey help an elephant go to a shrine on top of a steep mountain . the ending of the short strongly implies that the elephant is actually the hindu god ganesh .
if the protagonists are upset by the fact that the god figure didn ' t use their powers to help them earlier , a hand wave of
you didn ' t ask
combined with having to maintain the balance between good and evil is often used . or possibly god just wanted to help the protagonist in some way without completely spoiling things for him . if god doesn ' t seem to do any miracles , but somehow nudged events anyways , he ' s working in mysterious ways . however , it ' s commonly kept ambiguous whether he did anything miraculous — or even whether he ' s god at all .
before that there is a seemingly mad eremite who talks to god and points althalus towards the edge of the world . when the events from the beginning of the book are re - run at the end of the book ( with alterations on althalus ' part ) , it turns out the eremite was talking to himself — he was actually deiwos , the creator god
in that 60 minutes interview , couric asked sullenberger if he took time , in the three and a half minutes between the bird strike and the landing on the hudson , to pray . sullenberger ' s answer is diplomatic , but pointed :
i would imagine somebody in back was taking care of that for me while i was flying the airplane . . . my focus at that point was so intensely on the landing , i thought of nothing else .
in other words : yeah , i let the other people do the praying—i was busy doing my job .
orriss , bruce . when hollywood ruled the skies : the aviation film classics of world war ii . hawthorne , california : aero associates inc . , 1984 . isbn 0 - 9613088 - 0 - x .
the sequel , oh , god ! book ii ( 1980 ) , essentially recycled the plot of the first , but with eleven - year - old tracy richards ( louanne sirota ) as his messenger . tracy is inspired to start a
think god
campaign at her school , but her divorced parents think she ' s crazy and plot to halt her mission .
' i ' ve got a horse right here , his name is paul revere . . . '
robert l . scott has dreamed his whole life of being a fighter pilot , but when war comes he finds himself flying transport planes over the hump into china . in china , he persuades general chennault to let him fly with the famed flying tigers , the heroic band of airmen who ' d been fighting the japanese long before pearl harbor . scott gets his chance to fight , ultimately engaging in combat with the deadly japanese pilot known as tokyo joe .
joshua turns out to be the composer , essentially making him the local god . also , mr hanekoma is revealed to be an angel who actually outranks the composer as angel live on a higher plane of existence ( and he is bottom rung of those guys as he is the only guy who the composer can even see much less talk to from a higher plane ) then even the composer and other participants of the reaper ' s game .
robert l . scott has dreamed his whole life of being a fighter pilot , but when war comes he finds himself flying transport planes over the hump into china . in china , he persuades general . . . see full summary »
in shining force 2 the good gods seem to abandon mortals at one point , your army end up going on and seemingly taking out a dark god on their own ( along with other borderline godlike beings ) . at the end it is revealed that the good gods were helping you all the time , and just pretended to rebel to avoid being countered by the other god .
driven to suicide : bobby shelton in the third movie , when he assumes god hasn ' t heard his prayer of escape from his rock star life , ends up seeking release through death by drug overdose . however , since this is during god having a card game with the devil and forcing the devil to release his hold on bobby ' s life , bobby escapes death by being restored to his original life and the rock star that he was playing as is found dead instead .
not quite a god , but in eric nylund ' s a game of universe , the ai setebos turns out to be an angel .
missing floor / strange secret entrance : jerry landers first talks to god on the 27th floor of a building that has only 17 floors .
stop trick : done in the final courtroom scene of the first movie , when god repeatedly makes a deck of cards appear and disappear .
nita ' s irish love interest in a wizard abroad is an incarnation of the one ' s champion .
ershin from the same game is revealed to be a suit of animated armor possessed by the goddess deis .
in father figures , two brothers who frequently reference
the universe ' s plan
pick up a friendly hitchhiker who cryptically tells them
you already know my name
. at the end , he turns out to be
the universe
.
rhetorical request blunder : in oh god ! you devil , bobby shelton , at the end of his rope following yet another boring , low - paying , dead - end gig , says aloud to himself ,
i ' d sell my soul to the devil to make it in this business . just for the chance .
unfortunately for him , those words didn ' t go unnoticed .
a rousing wartime drama , based on the autobiography of col . robert lee scott , jr . , a decorated flying tiger fighter pilot . colonel scott was operating cargo planes over the himalayan hump . he dreamed of serving his country more directly , but was originally told he was too old . scott eventually convinced a superior to allow him and his flying tigers to fly combat missions to assist the chinese against japan . dennis morgan stars as the unlikely hero , but the show is stolen by raymond massey as major general chennault . the supporting cast is filled with notable character actors including richard loo as scott ' s nemesis , tokyo joe . the film is filled with philosophical questions about fate and survival during war and what role faith plays . in its original release in 1943 , some gory sequences passed through the production code because the violence shown is all against the japanese , america ' s enemy .
the movie museum will present
hawaiian voices : bridging past to present ,
a 60 - minute documentary by eddie & myrna kamae . the film pays tribute to the role of elders as bearers of the cultural flame .
: to prove his divinity , jerry asks god to make it rain . he does so . . . inside jerry ' s moving car .
second face smoke : in oh god ! you devil , the devil does this to bobby , before vanishing in the cloud of cigar smoke .
the rest of the screening schedule includes premieres , including the world debut of
restless ,
the first u . s . - china co - production , and the u . s . premiere of
new rose hotel
starring christopher walken and william dafoe .
the warner brothers ' ranch near los angeles also became the airfield set for the film ' s opening sequence at the american volunteer group ( avg ) base kunming . there a trio of full - scale p - 40 mock - ups built several years earlier for the 1942 republic film , flying tigers , were evident in the background , along with two p - 40es reclaimed from the aaf reclamation depot in san diego . the film ' s air operations were directed by hollywood
stunt pilots
frank
speed
nolta and major frank clarke . col . scott served as a technical adviser and flew in a number of sequences , reprising his role as a flying tiger .
in the final scenes of battlestar galactica 2003 , it ' s heavily implied that starbuck is actually a being like head six or head baltar ( who have claimed to be angels in service of a god - like being who doesn ' t like to be called
god
) . she was born to human parents and was largely unaware of her own nature / destiny for her whole life .
to be fair , flight acknowledges that whip is a talented pilot , and that his act may have just been his talent working through—perhaps even being focused by—the substances in his body .
it was more like instinct ,
he says . but
instinct
also implies that he turned himself over to something : maybe his reflexes , or maybe even a higher power . and if that ' s not the case , why is all this religious stuff in the picture ?
i had the original vhs and longed for dvd . i was so glad when i found it . when it came , i played it right away but was disappointed that in parts it would catch and not move forward so had to take it out and reinsert it and it would go further without catching but i finally got it to play all the way through ! ! i know it is not my player because it was new ! ! however i did read on the site that it was formatted for dvd players only and mine is vhs / cd , dvd combo so not sure that made a difference or not but am still thrilled to own this piece of history ! but i will keep my original vhs also . dennis morgan who stars in it is supposed to be related to our family . thank you ! l . morgan in topeka , ks
saori in saint seiya in about the mid of the first season is revealed to be the earthly incarnation athena .
connected to the hime from the original series , which is hinted to be the distant past of this universe .
flemeth is actually ( or at least absorbed the essence of ) mythal , another member of the elven pantheon .
doubled up : corwin , at least , never suspected his grandfather was still around , let alone that he ' s known him ( in disguise ) for his entire life . grandpa is an even better candidate for the god was my copilot trope , since he ' s the one who created the pattern , more or less bringing the universe into existence out of the primal chaos . there ' s also a semi - legendary creature that turns out to a ) really exist and b ) be oberon ' s mother .
in tales from the barman , xander has ( among others ) god and death stop in for a drink at his bar . xander also learns that some of the women who watched him strip in oxnard include god , death , glorificus , washu hakubi , sailor pluto , and the muse of history .
jurors for the golden maile and silver maile awards , feature films and documentaries , respectively , are : jonathan dennis , an authority on new zealand cinema and founding member of the new zealand film archive nga kaitiaki o nga taonga whitiahua ; philippines director marilou diaz - abaya ; john powers , film critic for the national public radio program
fresh air
; actress ming - na wen , who appeared in
the joy luck club
and is the voice of disney ' s
mulan
; and filmmaker yim - ho , director of
homecoming
and
red dust .
confirmed panelists are : syndicated , pulitzer - prize winning film critic roger ebert ( moderator ) ; first amendment and media attorney jeff portnoy ; university of hawaii , west oahu english professor henry chapin ; and former canadian government censor bruce fletcher .
in breath of fire iii , peco is really an incarnation of yggdrasil , an implied rival of the big bad .
leno device : jerry doesn ' t get a lot of attention for his claims of talking to god until after he appears on the dinah shore show .
regarded as typical hollywood fare by most moviegoers , the script nonetheless attempted to be mainly faithful to col . robert lee scott jr . ' s original story of his exploits over china , and bringing in enough of his backstory to let the audience feel they knew him . by basing the film on exploits of actual historical figures ( only occasionally resorting to fictional characters such as
tokyo joe
) , the film gained considerable credibility . however , by 1945 the american film - going public were wary of what was essentially seen as another in a series of patriotic ,
flag - waving
films . critics relegated it to an
also - ran
position regarding the sub - plot of scott ' s inspirational message as forced . the
in dogma , a homeless man on life support due to an attack by hockey players from hell in the opening sequence turns out to be god . and since killing him just sends him back to heaven , putting him in a coma while he was in human form is the only way to stop him from stopping the end of the world as we know it . not to mention she turned out to be alanis morissette . though this is just one of many forms - what are we mortals to say if god wants to look like a canadian musician ?
in orca , vlad ' s old friend kiera the theif is revealed to be an alter - ego of sethra lavode .
perhaps he ' s just being snarky about it ? after all . . . he is being played by george burns .
prayer is a last resort : bobby shelton is reduced to praying to god to be delivered from his situation of living a rock star life in the third movie so that he could be restored to his original life of an obscure musician with a pregnant wife . god answers the prayer with a rainbow over vegas in the middle of the night and by pressuring the devil in a card game to take his hand off bobby shelton ' s life , though in the process bobby ends up killing the rock star he had been playing the life of so he could escape .
topics covered will include the breakthrough in affordable digital video cameras , the latest editing software options for desktop computer systems , improvements in video to film transferring , progress in digital video and video projection , as well as some ultra - low budget case studies .
. when he finally seems to have stopped and departed , one sighs ,
thank god !
and his voice responds ,
you ' re welcome .
manannan mac lir , irish god of the ocean , is rather fond of this trope . in
his three calls to cormac
he appears to king cormac mac airt as a soldier bearing a silver branch , and tricks the king into giving him his family in exchange for the branch .
points out to harry that while lucifer broke the rules by giving his side a major boost , god might have chosen a smaller response but could have greater impact in the long run . he ends his conversation with harry saying , maybe god
already gave you a hand
. when harry ' s hand tingles again , he turns to find the janitor gone , but his cart is still there , towels swinging on it as though it just stopped moving .
colonel robert l . scott rose to poster - boy fame for his exploits as a member of claire chennault ' s 14th air force ( a . k . a . the flying tigers ) . warner bros . snatched up the rights to scott ' s memoirs and put the flag - waving gears in motion . hal wallis even considered asking scott to play himself in the film , but the production crew ultimately settled for employing him as a resident technical advisor . the fmpu briefly came along for the ride as well , proving limited technical assistance during production . the film details the spiritual awakening of a rugged individualist who , while serving as the daring pilot of a p - 40 warhawk in the pacific theater , finds that he needs to attribute his success and his against - all - odds survival to a force greater than himself .
this is a classic wwii aviation film which was popular on tv when old movies were cheap to show . excellent aviation scenes , with richard loo getting shot down again with american scrap metal . texans represent zeros , as often the case , but the p 40s and b 25s are great . . . . and in what other movie can you see a republic p 43 lancer . . . . ok , you can see one in john garfield - s classic air force , but at least this time it is in olive drab .
slightly more jarringly , kit ' s doofus dog ponch is revealed to be roughly the equivalent of the one in wizards at war .
the kamae film focuses on the legacies of three respected hawaiian elders . they are auntie ruth kaholoa ' a , 93 , from the big island ; lilia
mama
hale , 85 , from oahu and molokai ; and kahu david ka ' alakea , 78 , of maui .
sometimes in the tortall universe : the great mother goddess blesses alanna in the second song of the lioness and gifts her with a purple - eyed , magical cat . we find out in the immortals that he ' s some kind of physical god , and in the provosts dog his nature as a constellation is made clear .
tad williams ' cat - fantasy tailchaser ' s song uses this trope when tailchaser is in his darkest hour , trapped by evil demon - cats underground . . . and then the insane , filthy old tom that has been clinging to his traveling group for most of the novel reveals himself as the cat - god tangaloor firefoot .
implied in the season five finale . after the apocalypse is averted , one of the last shots we ' re treated to is
the prophet chuck
, who had unwittingly used his powers to write a series of books about the winchesters , ending his last book with a soliloquy about how hard it is to write a satisfying ending . he decides that sometimes it ' s better if things don ' t really end per se , then smiles and disappears into thin air . near halfway through the same episode , he is seen calling a
mistress magda ,
a reference to mary magdalene who is believed by some to be a ) an adulteress / prostitute and b ) the wife / consort of jesus .
golden spider , who helped asura get out of naraka ( twice ) and recover his memories is actually chakravartim , the creator of the universe .
this entry is from wikipedia , the leading user - contributed encyclopedia . it may not have been reviewed by professional editors ( see full disclaimer )
peter broderick , president of next wave films , provides a practical and comprehensive insight into the art of making ultra - low budget films . next wave films was formed by independent film channel to provide finishing funds to exceptional ultra - low budget , english - language feature films from around the world .
invisible to normals : god cannot be seen , heard , or recorded by humans unless he allows it . this even extends to transcripts , such as a stenotype paper record of his testimony .
: played with ; when asked , god admits that jesus was his son  but then also counts moses , mohammed , buddha , and various other spiritual leaders as his children as well .