5 Reasons Jane Wyman was SO MUCH more than Mrs. Ronald Reagan

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“Ok, Future Boy. Who’s the president of the United States in 1985?”

“Ronald Reagan.”

“Ronald Reagan? The ACTOR? Then who’s Vice-President, Jerry Lewis? I suppose Jane Wyman is the First Lady!”

Audiences in 1985 rollicked with laughter at this irresistible jab at then-president Ronald Reagan in Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future. The Great Communicator himself was a huge fan of the film (in his 1986 State of the Union address, he stole the famous line “where we’re going we don’t need roads”) and by all accounts, laughed so hard at the Ronald Reagan joke during a White House screening that he asked the projectionist to back it up and play it again.

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Blessed Event (1932)

This post is in conjunction with the Journalism in Classic Film Blogathon hosted by two of my favorite people in the blogosphere: Jessica Pickens of Comet Over Hollywood and Lindsay Affleck of Lindsay’s Movie Musings. Head on over and check out the terrific entries from a great roster of contributors.

When people think of fast-talking, hard-boiled reporters they think of Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant in His Girl Friday; William Powell and Spencer Tracy in Libeled Lady; Barbara Stanwyck in Meet John Doe.

But my ultimate fast-talking reporter is Lee Tracy. Continue reading “Blessed Event (1932)”

The Director’s Cut: Past, Present & Future

So. Chances are you’re here, reading these words, because you have some sort of affinity for classic films. Black, white, color, VistaVision, CinemaScope, 35mm, 70mm, cinerama and even smell-o-vision. And as a fan of celluloid cinema (something facing extinction with the onslaught of the now commonplace DCP and the possibly soon-to-be commonplace 48 FPS) you … Continue reading The Director’s Cut: Past, Present & Future

My Man Van

It’s day 6 of the Summer Under the Stars Blogathon, hosted by Sittin’ on a Backyard Fence, a month-long celebration of Turner Classic Movies’ much-loved Summer Under the Stars festival. Each day, the network is featuring a movie star with a marathon of their films, and each day Sittin on a Backyard Fence is playing … Continue reading My Man Van