A Timeless Song 'As Time Goes By'-- Part 2: 'The Lousiest Tune'

Producer Hal Wallis gave him the go ahead, and Max Steiner got to work on a new one, but there was a problem.  The scenes featuring "As Time Goes By" would need to be reshot and Ingrid Bergman had already moved on to her next movie, an adaptation of the Ernest Hemingway novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls," and had cut her hair short for the role.

That meant that Steiner was stuck with "As Time Goes By, a song which he described to his wife, Louise, as "the lousiest tune."

But Steiner wasn't considered one of the best composers in the film business for nothing, and he worked with what he had.  He incorporated the song into his score, along with bits of the two songs played in the epic musical showdown between the German soldiers and the club patrons:  "Die Wacht am Rhein" and "La Marseillaise."

By using inpirtation for all three, Steiner earned his 11th Oscar nomination of the astonishing 24 he would get over the course of his long career.

(It would be hard to think of "Casablanca" without "As Time Goes By.")

--CootSeillaise

'Casablanca' Trivia-- Part 6: That Oscar and First Scene

MAGICAL TALISMAN

In 2006, David Copperfield paid $231,500 for director Michael Curtiz's Best Director Oscar for "Casablanca."

The Las Vegas showman, who kept it by his bed, said the statuette represented the excellence of old films that influenced his career:  "It keeps me hungry."

An unnamed seller later sold that statue at auction for more than $2 million.  Nice profit.

**********************************

THE FIRST SCENE

It wasn't the director's original plan to begin shooting the movie with a love scene, but when filming of "Now, Voyager" ran behind scedule and both Paul Heinreid and Claude Rains were unavailable, he had to change his mind.

The very first scene shot for "Casablanca" featured Rick and Ilsa standing over Sam's piano in Paris.

The Usual Suspects.  --Cooter

November 2022 Deaths: Clary, Cara and McVie

ROBERT CLARY, 96

**  A French-born survivor of Nazi concentration camps during World War II who played a feisty POW in the improbable 1960s sitcom "Hogan's Heroes.

Died November 16.

IRENE CARA, 63

**  Oscar, Golden Globes and two-time Grammy winning singer-actor who starred and sang the title cut from the 1980 hit movie "Fame" and then belted out the era-defining "Flashdance...What a Feeling" from 1983's "Flashdance."

Died November 25.

CHRISTINE McVIE, 79

**  British-born Fleetwood Mac vocalist, songwriter and keyboard player whose cool, soulful contralto helped define such classics as "You Make Loving Fun," "Everywhere" and "Don't Stop."

Died November 30.

Influential Figures Lost in 2022: Poitier, Saget, Hickman and Bellecourt

From the January 1, 2023, Chicago Tribune by Bernard McGhee, AP.

JANUARY

SIDNEY POITIER, 94

**  Transformed how black people were portrayed on screen.  First black actor to win an Oscar for best lead performance. Died January 6.

To Sir.

BOB SAGET, 65

Actor.comedian known for his role on the sitcom "Full House" and wisecracking host of "America's Funniest Home Movies."  Died January 9.

DWAYNE HICKMAN, 87

Actor remembered fondly by a generation of baby boomers for his role as Dobie Gillis.  Died January 9.

And that beatnik friend of his.

CLYDE BELLECOURT, 85

A leader of Native American struggle for civil rights.  Died January 11.

'The Godfather' Turns 50, Where Are They Now?-- Part 6: Robert Duvall and James Caan

ROBER DUVALL

Since his film debut as Boo Radley in "To Kill a Mockingbird" (1962), Duvall -- who played the Corleone's legal consultant Tom Hagen -- has racked up seven Oscar nominations, including "The Judge" in 2015.  (He won in 1984 for "Tender Mercies.")

The actor, now 91, is also a skilled tango dancer.

JAMES CAAN

He auditioned for the role of Michael Corleone before Coppola chose him for brash older brother Sonny.  Now 81, Caan has stayed busy during the later decades with more than 90 film and TV credits -- most notably in the 2003 holiday classic "Elf."

--Cooter

50 Things About 'The Godfather'-- Part 8: Joel Grey?

47.  Caan, Duvall and Pachino were all nominated in the supporting actor category, but the winner was Joel Grey for "Cabaret."

48.  All deep and abiding respect for Joel Grey, but the fact that Pacino didn't win for playing Michael Corleone is mind-boggling.

49.  Two years later, the Academy had the opportunity to get it right when Pacino was nominated for best actor for "The Godfather Part II" - but the Oscar went to Art Carney for "Harry and Tonto."

50.  "The Godfather" is the most memorable, most influential, most beloved, most discussed, most imitated, most entertaining American movie ever made (with the possible exception of "The Godfather II."

--Cooter

50 Things About "The Godfather"-- Part 7: Killing Sonny

42.  Some 400 squibs were affixed to Caan to produce one of the bloodiest scenes since "Bonnie & Clyde,"  Possibly a case of overkill.

43.  The killing of Sonny at the Long Beach Causeway took three days to film and cost about $650,000 in today's dollars.

44.  Brando famously refused to learn his lines, so cue cards were taped on lamps, desks, bushes and even other  actors.

45. "The Godfather" is still the 25th highest grossing film of all time, with an adjusted-for-inflation gross of $722 million.

46.  At the 45th Academy Awards, the film won best picture, best actor for Brando and best adapted screenplay for Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo.

--CootWhat'sMyLine?

Fifty Things About 'The Godfather'-- Part 4: Don't Want No Oscar, No Way, No How

24.  Brando skipped the Academy Awards and sent Sacheen Littlefeather in his stead to explain why he was declining the Oscar to protest Hollywood's treatment of Native Americans.

25.  Pachino was also a no-show at the Oscars because he felt he should have been in the best actor and not supporting actor category given that he had more screen time than Brando.

26.  Robert De Niro and Marlin Brando win Oscars for playing the same character at different points in his life.  (Heath Ledger and Joaquin Phoenix won Oscars for playing the Joker -- but two very different versions of the character in two standalone movies.

27.  That was a real horse's head.

28.  James Caan's Sonny favored the nonsensical phrase "bada bing."

29.  Caan had overheard the real-life mobster Carmine Persico using the phrase.

--RoadBing

'The Silence of the Lambs'-- Part 2: What was He Going to Do?

I loved that mask they had on him to keep him from biting others.  A real "Does not play well with others kind of a guy, that Hannibal."

What was Hannibal getting ready to do when he said this?  "I do wish we could chat longer, but... I'm having an old friend for dinner."

"I ate his liver with some fava beans."

"Well, Clarice -  have the lambs stopped screaming?"

"Whenever feasible, one should always try to eat the rude."

*********************************

24 Minutes, 54 Seconds

That's how long Anthony Hopkins' Hannibal Lecter is on the screen.  It's the second shortest performance to win an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role.  

The very shortest stint was David Niven's winning role as Major Angus Pollock in 1958's "Separate Tables" was 23 minutes, 39 seconds.

--DaCoot

'The Silence of the Lambs'-- Part 1

"The Silence of the Lambs"  (1991)

Raise a glass of nice Chianti to this spellbinding masterpiece.  A twisted buddy movie, this story of fresh-faced FBI trainee Clarice Sterling (Jodie Foster) using the help of the brilliantly warped inmate Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to catch a serial killer was a rare critical and commercial hit.  It won the top five Oscars, including Best Picture.

My thoughts on the movie:  "Man, that was some kind of weird.  And, that Hannibal was some kind of smooth."

That's unusual for any movie, let alone a macabre one.  "I remember gripping the armrests [at the first screening] because it was so intense!" says Brooke Smith, 53, who played feisty kidnapping victim Catherine Martin.  "I got sucked in like everyone else."  She says the psychological thriller made its mark because "the hero was a woman in a role that's usually played by a nab.  And, she saves another woman.

--Cooter

The Oscars By the Numbers-- Part 3: Of British Monarchs and Real People

19--  Number of acting nominations that have gone to performers playing British monarchs, including Olivia Colman, who is nominated for Best Actress this year for portraying Queen Anne in "The Favourite."

Five have won:  Colin Firth, Helen Mirren, Charles Laughton, Katherine Hepburn "The Lion In Winter" (1969) and Judi Dench "Shakespeare in Love" (1999).

72--  The number of actors/actresses who've won for playing real people, including Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman and Jaime Fox.

89--  Age of "Call Me By Your name" screenwriter James Ivory when he accepted his award in 2018, becoming the oldest winner ever.

--Cooter

The Oscars By the Numbers-- Part 2: Charlie Chaplin's Ovation

7--  Number of times "The Wife" Best Actress nominee GLENN CLOSE has contended for a trophy.  She has never won one.

10--  Age of TATUM O'NEAL when she won Best Supporting Actress in 1974 for "Paper Moon."

12--  Minutes of CHARLIE CHAPLIN's  standing ovation in 1972 when he received his lifetime achievement award.

14--  Most nominations ever for a film in a single year.  Three-way tie:  "La La Land". (2017), "All About Eve" (1951), and "Titanic" (1998).

--Cooter

The Oscars By the Numbers-- Part 1:"Thank You"

From the February 24, 2019, Parade Magazine by Mara Reinstein.

Here are some of the smallest and biggest numbers related to Hollywood's biggest night.

0--  Number of nominations Richard Gere has received.

1--  Weekends it took Best Picture Nominee "Black Panther" to outgross the entire run of 2018 Best Picture Winner "The Shape of Water" at the Box Office.

2--  Number of words in the shortest acceptance speech ever.    In case you're wondering, Patty Duke in accepting her Best Supporting Actress award in 1963 for "The Miracle Worker."  No playoff the stage music for her.

5--  Number of actors/actresses who've pulled off consecutive wins, including Tom Hanks' Best Actor trophies for "Philadelphia" (1994) and "Forrest Gump" )1995).

--CootOscar

2019 Oscars-- Part 4: Best Supporting Actor and Actress

*  I saw it.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR


Mahershala Ali--  Green Book*

Adam Driver--  BlacKKKlansman

Sam Elliott--  A Star Is Born*

Richard E. Grant--  Can You Forgive Me?*

Sam Rockwell--  Vice*

I picked Mahershala Ali and he won.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Amy Adams--  Vice*

Marina de Tavira--  Roma

Regina King--  If Beale Street Could Talk

Emma Stone--  The Favourite

Rachel Weisz--  The Favourite

I picked Rachel Weisz, Regina King won.

So, I picked 4 of the 7 categories correctly.  Unbelievably good for me.

--Cooter

2019 Oscars-- Part 3: Best Actor, Best Actress

**  Movies I saw.

BEST ACTOR

Christian Bale--  Vice*

Bradley Cooper--  A Star Is Born*

William Dafoe--  At Eternity's Gate

Rami Malek--  Bohemian Rhapsody*

Viggo Mortenson--  Green Book*

Personally, I think Mahershala Ali of  "Green Book" should have been nominated in this category.

I picked Christian Bale.  Rami Malek won.


BEST ACTRESS

Yalitza Aparicio--  Roma

Glenn Close--  The Wife

Olivia Colman--  The Favourite*

Lady Gaga--  A Star Is Born*

Melissa McCarthy--  Can You Forgive Me?*

I was torn on this one between Olivia Colman and Melissa McCarthy.  I picked Olivia McCarthy and she won.

Oh, the Stars.  --Cooter

2019 Oscars-- Part 2: Best Director and Best Animated Feature

BEST DIRECTOR

I missed this one.

Nominees:  *  Movies I saw

Spike Lee   BlacKKKlansman
Pawel Pawlikowski    Cold War
Yorgos  Lanthimos   The Favourite*
Alfonso Cuaron  Roma
Adam McKay   Vice*

I picked Yorgos Lanthimos.  Alfonso Cuaron won.


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

Incredibles 2*
Isle of Dogs
Miral
Ralph Breaks the Internet
Spider-Man:  Into the Spider-Verse*

I picked Spider-Man and it won.

Always Helps to Pick When I See the Movies.  --DaCoot

2019 Oscars-- Part 1: Best Picture

I did pretty well (for me) picking Oscar winners in the local Classic Cinemas Theatres prediction contest after seeing a majority of the movies in each of the major categories.

I saw 6 of the 8 nominees in Best Picture:

Black Panther
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Favourite
Green Book
A Star Is Born
Vice.

I did not see BlackKKlansman or Roma (I don't get Netflix).

I was amazed that I had seen three of them before nominees were announced.  Usually most of the nominees are movies most people did not see.  If the Oscars want to raise its ratings they should have two categories for Best Picture:   Movies People Have Seen and Movies People Haven't Seen.

Though I must admit, whenever I get to see one of the movies people haven't seen, I must admit that it is an excellent movie.  I do appreciate Regal Cinemas and Classic Cinemas showing all those movies people haven't seen after they are nominated.

They were all great movies and I picked "Green Book" to win, and it did.

Must be a Film Critic  Now.  --CootPicker