News

1997 marked the establishment of Matt Damon as a household name. His greatest accomplishment of that year, of course, is the beloved Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with Ben Affleck and co-starred in with Affleck and Robin Williams, catapulting him to immediate success. However, less than a month prior, he got the chance to be the leading man in The Rainmaker, an adaptation of John Grisham's 1995 novel of the same name, written and directed by The Godfather mastermind Francis Ford Coppola. In the context of Damon's career, the legal drama largely exists in the shadow of the titanic roles that came after, from The Departed to Ocean's Eleven, The Martian, and beyond. Starting on July 1, though, viewers will have a chance to revisit the acclaimed film on Paramount+.

The Rainmaker pairs Damon up with Danny DeVito in one of the It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia star's rare dramatic roles.

In Sam Wood's Oscar darling "The Pride of the Yankees," Hollywood's golden retriever, Gary Cooper, plays Lou Gehrig, a famous first baseman for the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1939. Gehrig was considered one of the more powerful hitters of his generation, earning him the on-field nickname of The Iron Horse. Tragically, Gehrig's baseball career began to suffer in the late '30s because of a strange, undiagnosed illness. It would later be revealed to be amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Als ended up taking his life in 1941, and it is still known colloquially in the United States as Lou Gehrig's Disease. 

"The Pride of the Yankees" follows Gehrig's life from his days at Columbia University through his retirement from the Yankees in 1939. It traces his rise to baseball fame, taking a job for the New York Yankees, a job he keeps secret from his ailing mother; she would prefer he be an engineer.

There’s a reason Alfred Hitchcock is still talked about with awe decades after his heyday. The man didn’t just make thrillers—he practically invented the rulebook for them. Whether it was turning everyday things into pure nightmares or diving deep into the minds of his characters, Hitchcock had a knack for making the audience squirm, lean in, and sometimes hold their breath. His movies weren’t just scary; they were clever, stylish, and often way ahead of their time.

His works redefined the way people thought about storytelling in film. Trying to pick only a handful of “must-watch” Alfred Hitchcock films is a bit like choosing the best slice of cake at a French patisserie. Why? Because it’s almost impossible. Still, twelve of his movies stand tall. While the range of his work is massive, here are twelve unforgettable gems that show why he remains the king of suspense.

Gary Cooper is now the pride of the Southampton Playhouse. The iconic actor, whose career spanned roles in “The Pride of the Yankees,” “Ball of Fire,” and “High Noon,” will now posthumously receive the honor of having an annual film festival in his name.

IndieWire can announce that the recently reopened Southampton Playhouse will have its inaugural Gary Cooper Festival from May 9 to May 11. The first annual Gary Cooper Festival takes place on the actor’s birthday week, celebrating Cooper’s history in Southampton. The late two-time Academy Award-winning actor rests at Southampton Cemetery since his death in 1961.

“Cooper’s filmography provides a template not only for first-rate screen acting, but the enduring power of the movies themselves,” Southampton Playhouse Artistic Director (and former IndieWire editor) Eric Kohn said. “Cinema is a portal to learn more about the world around us, and Gary Cooper’s rich filmography will provide us...

Fans can enjoy a beloved Francis Ford Coppola legal drama movie on a major streaming platform. 1997's The Rainmaker, starring Matt Damon, has arrived on Paramount+ as of December 1.

Based on John Grisham's 1995 novel of the same name, The Rainmaker follows Damon's Rudy S. Baylor, a young and idealistic Memphis State University Law School grad who takes on a corrupt insurance company. The film has a stacked cast, which includes Mickey Rourke as J. Lyman "Bruiser" Stone, a determined and successful ambulance chaser who hires Rudy. Danny DeVito plays Deck Shifflet, a former insurance adjuster of questionable ethics who works with Bruiser and Rudy. The Rainmaker's ensemble also includes Claire Danes as Rudy's love interest Kelly Riker, Jon Voight as the opposing attorney Leo F. Drummond, Danny Glover as Judge Tyrone Kipler, Roy Scheider, and Mary Kay Place.

Related The Coen Brothers' $172 Million Neo-Western Masterpiece Lands a New...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

After a 14-year run as a feature filmmaker in England (which began during the silent era), Alfred Hitchcock was lured to Hollywood by the bold producer David O. Selznick to direct a big-screen adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's thriller novel "Rebecca." Though the two headstrong men clashed throughout the making of the movie, the finished 1940 film was a commercial and critical smash, topping the box office for the year and taking home the Academy Award for Best Picture. If there had been any doubts as to whether the British director's precise manner of visual storytelling, already perfected in triumphs like "The 39 Steps" and "The Lady Vanishes," would translate to Hollywood, they were instantly dispelled.

"Rebecca" would prove to be the least Hitchcockian movie the director would make in America, as the master of suspense wasted no time in reverting...

Saoirse Ronan is getting some of the best reviews of her career for “The Outrun,” an intense drama about a woman battling her addiction to alcohol. No surprise then that she ranks among the top 5 on our Best Actress chart. She also has a featured role in Steve McQueen‘s upcoming “Blitz” as a mother in search of her missing boy in war-torn London. Currently we have her on the cusp of reaping a bid in Best Supporting Actress as well. Expect Ronan to crack the top 5 after “Blitz” drops at the London Film Festival on Wednesday (Oct. 9).

This Irish actress, who has already racked up four Oscar nominations to date, would join these dozen performers who pulled off this double play (the seven winners are in gold.)

1. Fay Bainter (1939)

Best Actress, “White Banners”

Best Supporting Actress, “Jezebel”

2. Teresa Wright (1943)

Best Actress, “The Pride of the Yankees”

Best Supporting Actress,...

The American TV-movie has gained a bad rap over the years, but there was a time when folks looked forward to these flicks — and not in an ironic sense or a need to hate-watch.

That period of kinder and less cynical viewership was surely in the 1970s and ’80s when the made-for-television movie became more widespread. The “movie of the week” format took off in the former decade, with the major networks at the time devoting blocks in their schedules to these standalone, small-screen features. And one of the more revisited genres was horror. Duel, The Night Stalker and The Night Strangler, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Trilogy of Terror, Are You in the House Alone?, The Initiation of Sarah. These are just a few of the classic telefilms that scared a whole generation of viewers.

There have been great strides to archive and restore these past horror TV-movies,...

When it comes to getting into noir films, it's always worth asking, "Where should I start?" After all, the genre is so time-specific -- it existed in its purest form only in the 1940s and early '50s -- and so full of familiar signifiers -- dame with a secret, jaded investigator, corrupt systems -- that it can sometimes be tough to tell noir titles apart. Start digging into the best the genre has to offer, though, and you'll discover that film noir encompasses much more than the striking style choices and cynicism that have become its cultural shorthand over the years.

Take the two highest-rated noir films on Rotten Tomatoes, for example. According to the aggregate site, only two film noirs have a 100% score on the website, meaning that every single critic included in the site's tally reviewed the movie positively. The first, "Shadow of a Doubt," is an early,...

“The Rainmaker” series adaptation at USA Network has added Wade Briggs in a series regular role, Variety has learned exclusively.

Based on the John Grisham novel of the same name, the show was picked up at the basic cabler back in June. Briggs will appear alongside previously announced cast member Milo Callaghan, John Slattery, Madison Iseman, Lana Parrilla, P.J. Byrne, Robyn Cara, and Dan Fogler.

The official logline for the series states, “Fresh out of law school, Rudy Baylor (Callaghan) goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond (Slattery) as well as his law school girlfriend (Iseman). Rudy, along with his boss and her disheveled paralegal, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client’s son.”

Briggs will play Brad Noonan, described as “a high-powered attorney at the Tinley Britt Law Firm and enforcer to the firm’s managing partner, Leo Drummond.”

Briggs’ recent TV credits include “Foundation...

Saoirse Ronan is gearing up for a fierce Oscar season, with two performances poised to battle for the industry’s top honors.

Variety confirms Ronan will compete in both the lead actress race for the Sundance hit “The Outrun” and supporting actress for her upcoming work in the World War II epic “Blitz” — potentially setting her up as a double acting nominee this awards season. If double-nominated, which is currently projected on Variety Awards Circuit’s predictions, she would be the 13th person and youngest actor to receive two acting nominations in the same year. Seven of the 12 previous actors went on to win for one of their nominated works.

Read: You can see all Academy Award predictions in all 23 categories on one page on the Variety Awards Circuit: Oscars.

Blitz

In “Blitz,” which is set to debut as the opening film at the BFI London Film Festival, Ronan plays Rita,...

Gold Derby can now report that Saoirse Ronan is officially making an awards move long expected. The four-time Oscar nominee will campaign as Best Supporting Actress for “Blitz,” avoiding a possible vote split with her other big contender of “The Outrun,” which has her as Best Actress.

From Apple Original Films, “Blitz” has yet to me seen by major critics or festival crowds but is one of this year’s hottest contenders from past Oscar champ Steve McQueen. It will debut at the BFI London Film Festival on October 9. Its theatrical opening is a month later on November 1. And then it’ll be on Apple TV+ starting on November 22.

For this movie, Ronan plays the distraught mother of a young boy (Elliott Heffernan) who goes on a perilous adventure during World War II. It co-stars Harris Dickinson and is written, directed and produced by McQueen. View the trailer below:

Ronan...

Milo Callaghan has been cast as the series lead in “The Rainmaker” at USA Network.

The show was originally picked up at the cabler back in June and is based on the iconic John Grisham novel of the same name. He joins previously announced cast members John Slattery and Madison Iseman in the series.

The official logline for the series states, “Fresh out of law school, Rudy Baylor (Callaghan) goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond (Slattery) as well as his law school girlfriend (Iseman). Rudy, along with his boss and her disheveled paralegal, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client’s son.”

Callaghan’s past credits include “FBI: International,” “Doctor Who,” and “The Spanish Princess,” as well as the feature “The Strangers: Chapter 1.” He was recently cast in the BBC Three series “Video Nasty” and the Disney+ series “Rivals.”

He is repped by Hamilton Hodell...

One of cinema’s greatest partnerships is getting its due with Stephen Soucy’s forthcoming documentary Merchant Ivory, set for a release on August 30. Ahead of the release from Cohen Media Group, it’s prime time to revisit the work of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, and now those in NYC will get a chance. “Merchant Ivory: An Extraordinary Partnership,” taking place August 23-29 at Quad Cinema, features restorations of seven masterpieces from the Cohen Film Collection and we’re pleased to debut the exclusive series trailer.

Titles include Merchant Ivory classics Howards End, Maurice, The Bostonians, Heat and Dust, and Quartet, plus brand-new restorations of James Ivory’s 1977 ballroom drama Roseland starring Teresa Wright, Geraldine Chaplin, and Christopher Walken and Ismail Merchant’s 1993 directorial debut In Custody starring frequent Merchant Ivory collaborator Shashi Kapoor. James Ivory will be in person for post-screening Q&As on August 27 & 28 for select screenings of In Custody,...

John Slattery has been cast in a lead role of “The Rainmaker” series at USA Network.

The show was originally picked up at the cabler back in June and is based on the iconic John Grisham novel of the same name. Slattery will portray Leo F. Drummond. The character is described as “a legendary lion of the courtroom and senior partner at Tinley Britt, the powerful firm that Rudy Baylor is up against.”

The official logline for the series states, “Fresh out of law school, Rudy Baylor goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond as well as his law school girlfriend. Rudy, along with his boss and her disheveled paralegal, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client’s son.”

The role of Rudy Baylor has yet to be cast.

Slattery is best known for his role in the AMC series “Mad Men,” for which he received...

Nineteen forty-seven was a crucial year for Robert Mitchum’s rising star. The enduring popular classic, of course, is Jacques Tourneur’s seminal Out of the Past, and he headlined Edward Dmytryk’s Oscar-nominated prestige thriller Crossfire. It’s in Raoul Walsh’s noirish, Freudian western Pursued, though, that we see Mitchum crossing the divide between what Hollywood expected of the young man and the godlike figure they got in return.

The performance is a total menu of Mitchum’s various modes: an uneven mix of the young, beefy neurotic with a few too many shirt buttons undone; the high-riding titan who would star in Charles Laughton’s The Night of the Hunter; and the varnished-oak elder statesman who still has a few moves left in him, in Dick Richards’s Farewell, My Lovely and Peter Yates’s The Friends of Eddie Coyle. But it’s an unevenness that’s...

USA Network is returning to the legal drama arena with The Rainmaker, based on the bestselling John Grisham novel and its film adaptation. The project, from writer Michael Seitzman (Code Black), Lionsgate Television and Blumhouse Television, has received a series order by the NBCUniversal cable network, capping a six-year journey by Seitzman to bring the book to television.

This marks USA Network’s first new scripted series in awhile as part of a planned relaunch as a destination for scripted originals. The network currently shares Chucky with Syfy, which is on the bubble for a Season 4 renewal. It also is in advanced negotiations to pick up Syfy’s Resident Alien, which, as Deadline reported exclusively, is poised to become a USA original.

The Rainmaker is believed to be part of the “Blue Sky” brand USA Network has been looking to revive with new shows. That programming initiative, revealed exclusively by Deadline last fall,...

A new series based on John Grisham’s 1995 novel “The Rainmaker” and the 1997 film adaptation has been greenlit at the USA Network. Grisham serves as executive producer on the series alongside Jason Blum, while Blumhouse Television and Lionsgate Television serve as the studios.

The official logline reads, “Fresh out of law school, Rudy Baylor goes head-to-head with courtroom lion Leo Drummond as well as his law school girlfriend. Rudy, along with his boss and her disheveled paralegal, uncover two connected conspiracies surrounding the mysterious death of their client’s son.”

Michael Seitzman will write “The Rainmaker,” having co-written the pilot with Jason Richman. Along with Grisham and Blum, executive producers include Seitzman, Richman and David Gernert.

“The Rainmaker” greenlight comes as concluded USA Network titles “Suits” and “White Collar” resurge in popularity following their additions to Netflix. The NBCUniversal-owned cabler currently only airs one scripted series, “Chucky,” which also airs on Syfy.

What more could the heart want than a sweeping romantic drama dealing with grief, loss, love, and music? The Greatest Hits is a fantasy romantic drama film written and directed by Ned Benson, the Hulu film follows the story of a young woman Lucy who had a picture-perfect romance but an accident took him away from her. But she gets a second chance when she discovers that she can travel back in time through the music they love, but her excursions in her past are interfering with a new love interest. The Greatest Hits stars Lucy Boynton, David Corenswet, and Justin H. Min in the lead roles with Nelly Furtado, Andie Ju, Austin Crute, Tom Yi, Bryan Ferry, and Retta starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the sweeping love story and the time-traveling drama in The Greatest Hits, here are some similar films you could check out next.

MGM celebrated its centennial on April 17th. Marcus Lowe established the studio by merging Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures and Louis B. Mayer Pictures. Boasting it had “more stars than there are in heaven,” MGM may have been the biggest studio during the Golden Age of Hollywood, it has gone through many owners and regimes over the years but seems to on terra firma since Amazon acquired MGM in 2021. In fact, Amazon MGM Studios won best screenplay Oscar for “American Fiction.” And speaking of Academy Awards, MGM has earned numerous statuettes over the years. Here’s a look at five Best Picture winners produced between 1929-1958.

“The Broadway Melody”

The 1929 musical made Oscar history by being the first talkie to win the top prize. Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed wrote the songs which include “The Broadway Melody,” “You Were Meant for Me” and “The Wedding of the Painted Doll” but...

Everyone remembers their first time. That is the first time they saw Marlon Brando.

For the late Mike Nichols, seeing Brando on Broadway in 1947 in his seminal turn as Stanley Kowalski in Tennessee Williams‘ “A Streetcar Named Desire,” was the catalyst that lead to his career in the arts which saw him become a rare Egot winner. The teenage Nichols and his then girlfriend’s mother were given tickets for the second night of the Elia Kazan-directed production. “There had never been anything like it, I know that by now,” Nichols recalled in a 2010 L.A. Times interview. It was, to this day, the only thing onstage that I had ever seen that was 100% real and 100% poetic. Lucy and I weren’t exactly theater buffs, but we couldn’t get up at the intermission. We were just so stunned. Your heart was pounding. It was a major experience.”

Susan L.

Just 30 minutes after final voting for the Screen Actors Guild Awards wrapped up, I made a last-minute switch in my best actress prediction — from Lily Gladstone in “Killers of the Flower Moon” to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.” Let this be a lesson: Second-guessing yourself is seldom a good idea.

Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American and Indigenous person to clinch an individual SAG Award for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman, in Martin Scorsese’s gripping crime saga. With a lead actress (drama) Golden Globe and a SAG Award now under her belt, Gladstone’s award-season momentum continues to be formidable. Historically, only seven performers have failed to win the Oscar after winning the unique combination of Globe and SAG:

1995: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost to Juliette Binoche 2001: Russell Crowe (“A Beautiful Mind”) lost to Denzel Washington (“Training Day...

The Academy Awards grew up at the 16th annual ceremony March 2, 1944. Since the first Oscar ceremony at the Hollywood Roosevelt’s Blossom Room in 1929, the Academy Awards were small banquet ceremonies for La La Land movers and shakers. But that all changed 80 years ago. World War II was in its third year and movies meant more than ever to war-weary audiences.

So, the Oscars moved to the then-Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood and bleachers were introduced giving fans a chance to see their favorites walk the red carpet. And instead of a select industry audience, attendees included members of all branches of the armed services many of whom sat in bleachers on the stage at the Chinese. The ceremony was heard locally on Kfwb; Jack Benny hosted the international broadcast for the troops on CBS Radio via shortwave. And for the first time, supporting performers finally received a full-size Academy Award.

Film noir dominated Hollywood during the 1940s. A film noir is a highly stylized drama that relies on black and white, low lighting and unbalanced compositions. They introduced hard-hitting crime stories to viewers and ushered in the rise of the femme fatale in movies. The distinct style of film noir makes these films one of the most intriguing film genres that is still emulated to this day.

Some of the best noir films are still remembered today and were extremely influential on the genre in the future. A number of Hollywood's best directors, writers and actors had worked on noir films in this time period and are often associated with the entire genre itself.

Related: The 30 Best Movies Of All Time, Ranked

Rebecca (1940)

Rebecca is based on the novel of the same name and was directed by Hollywood legend Alfred Hitchcock. The story follows a woman who becomes aristocrat Maxim...

Colman Domingo is having a moment. The veteran actor has been nominated for two Tonys in his career, but lately it’s his on-screen work that has brought him the most attention. He won his first Emmy in 2022 for guesting on “Euphoria.” He received numerous plaudits for his role in the independent film “Zola.” And he has had additional film credits including Oscar winners “If Beale Street Could Talk” and “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” Next he could become the 13th performer ever nominated for two Oscars in the same year.

As of this writing, based on the combined predictions of thousands of Gold Derby users, Domingo ranks fourth in our odds for Best Actor for playing the unsung civil rights hero Bayard Rustin in “Rustin.” And he places fifth in our odds for Best Supporting Actor for playing Mister in the upcoming musical adaptation of “The Color Purple.” But we...

Hollywood’s postwar shift to social consciousness addressed familiar issues like bigotry and discrimination. On his way to making his gargantuan, serious epics, famed director George Stevens paused for this almost entirely forgotten contemplation of American anxiety in the business rat race, with a side order of alcoholism and potential adultery. Ray Milland is the troubled ad man who tries to help the drink-impaired actress, Joan Fontaine. Wife Teresa Wright waits patiently back home, but for how long? Is Stevens just dabbling in neorealistic doldrums, or did he feel the wave of dull existential despair as well? It’s one of his least-known films.

Something to Live For

All Region Blu-ray

Viavision [Imprint] #199

952 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 89 min. / Street Date February 22, 2023 / Available from [Imprint] / au 34.95

Starring: Joan Fontaine, Ray Milland, Teresa Wright, Richard Derr, Douglas Dick, Harry Bellaver, Paul Valentine, King Donovan, Kasey Rogers, Douglas Spencer, Mari Blanchard.

Cinematography: George Barnes

Production Designer: Hal Pereira,...

The 70th Academy Award ceremony on March 23, 1998, is the most-watched Oscar ceremony to date — most likely due to a “Titanic” film nominated for several awards. However, Gil Gates, who produced 14 Oscar ceremonies between 1990 and 2008, also wanted a special segment to recognize Oscar’s platinum anniversary, and arranged for 70 past acting winners to sit together on the stage, with Norman Rose announcing the films for which each performer won. It was a spectacular gathering of actors and actresses from Classic Hollywood, New Hollywood and the contemporary period.

Let’s flashback to the first Oscars family album featured in the ceremony 25 years ago.

SEEOscar flashback 25 years to 1998: Winners are Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Robin Williams and ‘Titanic’ ratings for ABC

Among those present was the first performer to win back-to-back acting Oscars, Best Actress champ Luise Rainer. At the age of 88, she was the oldest one on the stage; when she...

The United States had been at war a little over a year when the 15th Academy Awards were presented on March 4, 1943. It was the last year that the awards were celebrated at a lavish banquet; they would be moved to a theater setting in the ensuing years. The impact of World War II can be seen in the films honored, as well as the ceremony itself.

Popular musical star Jeannette MacDonald sang the National Anthem, and newly enlisted military privates Tyrone Power and Alan Ladd unfurled a flag that listed over 25,000 film industry members who had joined the armed forces. Bob Hope hosted the event, which saw one big winner, numerous patriotic choices and the first win for one of the industry’s biggest record-makers. Let’s flashback 80 years to the Oscars ceremony of 1943.

SEEOscar hosts: Performers who have hosted the Academy Awards

Ten movies made the cut for a Best Picture nomination.

This year’s documentary nominees explore diverse subject matter as saving birds (“All that Breathes”) and an exploration of the life and career of photographer and activist Nan Goldin (“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”). But the documentary nominees, which took place at the 15th annual Oscars on March 4, 1943 at the Cocoanut Grove, primarly revolved around World War II.

There were 25 nominees — shorts and features competed against each other — and four winners. The US Navy was the producer of winner “The Battle of Midway,” directed by John Ford. The 18-minute film featured footage from the Battle of Midway which was a crucial victory in the Pacific in 1942. The film featured narration by Ford favorites Henry Fonda, Donald Crisp and Jane Darwell.

The Australian News and Information Bureau produced the full-length documentary winner “Kokoda Front Line!,” which was also the first film from Down Under to win an Oscar. The film...

Cohen Film Collection is continuing its restorations of classic Merchant Ivory productions, among them 1963’s “The Householder,” the first film collaboration between Ismail Merchant and James Ivory.

The classics label of Cohen Media Group, Cohen Film Collection is lining up the restorations of four titles that also include the 1977 episodic romantic drama “Roseland,” with Teresa Wright and Christopher Walken, and two films directed by Merchant, “In Custody” (1994), featuring Shashi Kapoor, and “The Proprietor” (1996), starring Jeanne Moreau.

Tim Lanza, Cohen Film Collection vice president and archivist, says he chose “In Custody” – Merchant’s feature directorial debut — and “The Proprietor” in particular “because James Ivory was keen to have a rerelease of some of the films that were directed by Ismael Merchant himself.”

“The Householder” and “In Custody” are also among Merchant Ivory’s India-set films, which Lanza is likewise excited to reintroduce to audiences.

Cohen Film Collection acquired a number of...

The world was at war 80 years ago. The United States was grieving over the attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 by the Japanese military and the defeat of our forces that month at Wake Island. And then the beloved Carole Lombard, her mother, servicemen and the crew perished in a plane crash west of Las Vegas on January 16, 1942. She was returning to Hollywood after raising 2 million in a war bond drive in Indianapolis.

How would Hollywood and audiences respond to World War II? They certainly didn’t shy away from the war. If you look at the top 10 films of the year, there are some escapist films but also movies dealing with the global conflict.

In fact, the No. 1 film of the year William Wyler’s “Mrs. Miniver” broke records at Radio City Music Hall in New York playing 10 weeks. Production began on the stirring, sentimental drama about a British...

William Wyler was a three-time Oscar winner who crafted several classics during Hollywood’s Golden Age, adapting his style to a wide variety of genres. Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1902 in Germany, Wyler immigrated to the U.S. when his cousin, Universal Studios chief Carl Laemmle, hired him as an errand boy. He quickly moved up the ranks, directing shorts during the silent era before transitioning into features. It was with the advent of sound that he hit his stride, displaying an ear for dialogue that would serve him well in lofty literary adaptations produced by his longtime partner, independent mogul Samuel Goldwyn.

Wyler quickly became an Oscar mainstay, earning a record-breaking 12 nominations for Best Director: “Dodsworth” (1936), “Wuthering Heights” (1939), “The Letter” (1940), “The Little Foxes” (1941), “Mrs. Miniver” (1942), “The Best Years of Our Lives” (1946), “The Heiress” (1949), “Detective Story” (1951), “Roman Holiday...

Every year the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences gets together to single out the best movies, performances and craftsmanship, and sometimes they actually get it right. Sure, sometimes it goes the other way, but throughout the history of the Oscars, there are many excellent examples of actors who gave astounding performances for the ages. The types of roles may change, and the acting styles may evolve, but these Oscar-winning actors of yesteryear absolutely deserved their gold statues and remain some of the gold standards for screen acting.

Norma Shearer, “The Divorcee” (1930)

Norma Shearer gives an astoundingly multifaceted performance in Robert Z. Leonard’s “The Divorcee,” as a woman whose husband is unfaithful and decides turnabout is fair play, only to see her role in polite society shift dramatically. What could have been a tawdry and finger-wagging cautionary tale lights up because Shearer explores all the emotional complexity of her...

Director Sidney J. Furie discusses his favorite films he’s watched and re-watched during quarantine with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Dr. Blood’s Coffin (1961)

The Ipcress File (1965) – Howard Rodman’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Appaloosa (1966)

The Naked Runner (1967)

Lady Sings The Blues (1972)

The Entity (1982) – Luca Gaudagnino’s trailer commentary

The Boys in Company C (1978)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

The Apartment (1960) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing

The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)

Twelve O’Clock High (1949)

A Place In The Sun (1951) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Out Of Africa (1985)

The Last Picture Show (1971) – Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing

Annie Hall (1977)

The Bad And The Beautiful (1952)

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)

The Tender Bar...

It’s a manhunt South of the Border — Niven Busch’s drama has violence and murder but is really a novelistic character study that goes against the typical rules of Hollywood. Lew Ayres tries to atone for mistakenly killing a man, by coming to the aid of the victim’s widow. But he doesn’t realize that Teresa Wright’s ranch wife has learned the truth about him. The independent production is a modern oil-field western set in Mexico, and unusual both in storytelling style and emphasis, with an atypical imperfect hero and a romance far removed from Hollywood clichés. John Sturges is the director of this interesting obscurity.

The Capture

Blu-ray

The Film Detective

1950 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 91 min. / Street Date January 18, 2022 / Available from The Film Detective / 24.95

Starring: Lew Ayres, Teresa Wright, Victor Jory, Jacqueline White, Jimmy Hunt, Barry Kelley, Duncan Renaldo, William Bakewell, Milton Parsons, Felipe Turich, Edwin Rand,...

In 1940, “Gone with the Wind” made Oscars history by conquering eight competitive categories, thereby smashing the record for most wins for a single film previously held by “It Happened One Night”. It was an achievement that stood for two decades until “Ben-Hur” raised the bar to its current height of 11 in 1960. By taking home an award for her work, featured cast member Hattie McDaniel established herself as the first Best Supporting Actress champ from a Best Picture-winning film. This particular dual triumph has since been repeated by 12 more films, from “Mrs. Miniver” to “12 Years a Slave”.

A whopping 511 films have vied for Best Picture since the supporting categories were introduced in 1937, and 172 (34%) of them have had at least one featured female performance recognized as well. A significant number of women in this group were viewed as surprise nominees who made it in on the coattails of their respective films,...

“Killing a Man is One Thing … Loving His Wife is Another!“

The Film Detective Presents the Intriguing, Golden Age-Sizzler The Capture, Coming to Special-Edition Blu-ray & DVD, Jan. 18th. Rare 1950 Western Noir Classic Returns With Striking New Restoration & Exclusive Special Features. Here’s a trailer for the restoration:

Cinedigm announced today that The Film Detective, the classic film restoration and streaming company, will release the western noir classic The Capture (1950) on special-edition Blu-ray and DVD, available Jan. 18.

From writer Niven Busch, author of Duel in the Sun, comes this equally torrid sizzler, loaded with the intrigue and passion that marked the Golden Age of Cinema.

Injured and on the run from police, Lin Vanner (Lew Ayres) confesses the sordid details of his life to a priest, which includes the death of a man he’d turned over to the police. Vanner also reveals that he fell in love with the dead...

In order to avoid splitting votes and allow for the possibility of netting two acting nominations this year, Searchlight Pictures will campaign Andrew Garfield’s performance as televangelist Jim Bakker in “The Eyes of Tammy Faye” for supporting actor consideration, based on an invite that was sent to BAFTA voters for an upcoming virtual screening of the film.

Following the biopic’s bow at the Toronto International Film Festival and modest box office receipts, its Oscar prospects have been seemingly on the fringe, but the film, directed by Michael Showalter, could make a roaring comeback during the season. Garfield’s co-star Jessica Chastain, who plays his wife Tammy Faye, will angle for lead actress, and could become a central piece of a competitive race that includes Olivia Colman (“The Lost Daughter”), Penelope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”) and Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”).

The 38-year-old actor, who graced the cover of Variety‘s TIFF issue last month,...

Oscars voters have always loved seeing actors whose startling physical transformations come after countless hours in the makeup chair.

After Renée Zellweger (“Judy”), Marion Cotillard (“La Vie en Rose”) and Charlize Theron (“Monster”) won Oscars for their impressively-altered looks, Jessica Chastain could be on a similar path for her role as the media-loving televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker in Michael Showalter’s “The Eyes of Tammy Faye.” Following a world bow at the Toronto International Film Festival, the Searchlight Pictures dramedy, echoing previous Oscar embraces such as “I, Tonya,” could make Chastain a contender for her third nomination, and could bring in a few other notices if campaigned correctly.

Chastain’s previous Oscar noms came in supporting actress for “The Help” (2011) and actress for “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012). She also serves as one of the producers for the film, along with Kelly Carmichael, Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane. While “Tammy Faye” could...

All products and services featured by IndieWire are independently selected by IndieWire editors. However, IndieWire may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

What makes film noir so fascinating? There are a lot of components that come into play with noir films, but cynicism, suspenseful music, a mysterious plot, figures lurking in the shadows, femme fatales, and fedora-wearing detectives are some of the staples of the classics.

Film noir, or “dark cinema,” was first coined by a French film critic in 1946 to describe the downtrodden themes in American movies. Although the term wasn’t widely adopted by American directors until years later, the ’40s and ’50s are regarded as a classic era that produced pioneering noirs such as “The Maltese Falcon” and “Double Indemnity.”

With that in mind, we have curated a list of films that...

Lois de Banzie, the Scottish-born actress whose Broadway performance in 1980’s Morning’s At Seven scored a Tony Award nomination, died April 3 in Greenbrae, California. She was 90.

Her death was announced by her family yesterday. A cause was not specified.

By the time of her Tony nomination, de Banzie, born in Glasgow, Scotland, had already established herself on Broadway with her performance as Mrs. Prynne in 1978’s Da starring Barnard Hughes.

Her performance as Myrtle Brown in Paul Osborn’s Morning’s at Seven, opposite Maureen O’Sullivan, Teresa Wright, Nancy Marchand and Elizabeth Wilson, brought both the Tony nomination and a Drama Desk Award. She returned to Broadway in 1985’s short-lived The Octette Bridge Club.

On screen, de Bansie appeared as Eleanor Roosevelt in Annie (1982) and as the mother of a seminarian in 1984’s Mass Appeal starring Jack Lemmon. Other film credits include Tootsie (1982), Sudden Impact (1983), Arachnophobia (1990), Sister Act (1992), Addams Family Values...

When the 2020 Oscar nominations were announced, Scarlett Johansson attracted attention by earning two for acting. With inclusions in both the Best Actress (“Marriage Story”) and Best Supporting Actress (“Jojo Rabbit”) categories, she was the first actor in 12 years who had a chance at winning two acting Academy Awards on the same night. She ultimately lost both bids, but the feat placed her in the rare company of only 11 others who have achieved it since the supporting categories were introduced at the Oscars in 1937.

Here is a screen-time based analysis of all of them, from earliest to most recent. We note the names and screen time of key rival nominees and the winners in each race as well.

Fay Bainter (1939)

Best Actress nominee for “White Banners”

Best Supporting Actress winner for “Jezebel”

Combined: 1 hour, 15 minutes, 57 seconds

Just four years after beginning her film acting career, Bainter earned her first two Oscar nominations in the same year,...

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to leave Hollywood studios in flux, there are still key decisions being discussed internally about the Oscars, such as actors’ placements in the acting categories. With six months until the Academy Awards, there are several factors needed in order to set a film up for awards season success. Without events to campaign and (metaphorically) kiss babies, the performances and films will be speaking for themselves.

Like the industry, Oscar predictions are in flux, but the biggest unknown is in the male acting categories, which are showing a real fluidity and will continue to do so throughout the season. One of the major questions regards the late Chadwick Boseman and where Netflix will campaign him for his upcoming work in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” While many pundits and prognosticators assume he will ultimately fall within the supporting actor category, there are rumblings that he could be campaigned as a lead actor.

Good evening. Master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock was born on August, Friday the 13th back in 1899, and while the great filmmaker’s movies and his TV shows have always been widely available for aspiring film students and classic movie lovers, Peacock has lumped many of his classics in one place. 14 of the director’s films are now available to stream through NBCUniversal’s ad-supported service.

The trick with Hitchcock is, even writing a top 10 list of the director’s best movies would be leaving off some great ones. So below is a list of his essential titles that best define his style and penchant for thrills, and check out a video teaser of his classic films

Universal Pictures

“Shadow of a Doubt” (1943)

Peacock doesn’t have any of Hitchcock’s early films before he left Britain and his movies started getting Oscar buzz, but “Shadow of a Doubt” was one...

Last month, Scarlett Johansson became just the 12th performer to garner two acting Oscar nominations in one year — Best Actress for “Marriage Story” and Best Supporting Actress for “Jojo Rabbit” — but her double losses on Sunday now make her the fifth double nominee to go home empty-handed.

Johansson, who was defeated in lead by Renee Zellweger (“Judy”) and in supporting by her “Marriage Story” lawyer Laura Dern, joins Sigourney Weaver (1988’s “Gorillas in the Mist” and “Working Girl”), Emma Thompson (1993’s “The Remains of the Day” and “In the Name of the Father”), Julianne Moore (2002’s “Far From Heaven” and “The Hours”) and Cate Blanchett (2007’s “Elizabeth: The Golden Age” and “I’m Not There”) as double losers.

Don’t worry, ScarJo fans, it’s not all bad news. All but one of the previous 11 double nominees have won an Oscar at some point in their careers, so that bodes well...

Scarlett Johansson has double to celebrate: The actress received her first and second Oscar nominations on Monday, making the Best Actress lineup for “Marriage Story” and Best Supporting Actress cut for “Jojo Rabbit.” She’s now one of 12 actors to earn double bids in one year.

Johansson is the first double nominee in 12 years. She joins:

1. Fay Bainter (1938)

Best Actress, “White Banners”

Best Supporting Actress, “Jezebel” (win)

2. Teresa Wright (1942)

Best Actress, “The Pride of the Yankees”

Best Supporting Actress, “Mrs. Miniver” (win)

3. Barry Fitzgerald (1944)

Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, “Going My Way” (win for the latter)

4. Jessica Lange (1982)

Best Actress, “Frances”

Best Supporting Actress, “Tootsie” (win)

5. Sigourney Weaver (1988)

Best Actress, “Gorillas in the Mist”

Best Supporting Actress, “Working Girl”

6. Al Pacino (1992)

Best Actor, “Scent of a Woman” (win)

Best Supporting Actor, “Dick Tracy”

7. Holly Hunter (1993)

Best Actress, “The Piano” (win)

Best Supporting Actress, “The Firm”

8. Emma Thompson (1993)

Best Actress,...

Before Monday morning, Scarlett Johansson had somehow never been nominated for an Oscar. And now, with her nominations for best actress (for “Marriage Story”) and best supporting actress (for “Jojo Rabbit”), the 35-year-old joins one of the most elite clubs in Hollywood: Actors who have been Oscar-nominated twice in the same year.

While actors are prevented from earning two nominations within the same category, they can be nominated in the same year for lead and supporting performances. But it’s exceedingly rare. Prior to Johansson, only 11 other actors have earned double nominations in the same year in Oscar history.

Fay Bainter was first to pull off the feat. She earned a best actress nomination for the 1938 drama “White Banners,” but lost to Bette Davis for “Jezebel” — which was fine, since Bainter won best supporting actress for her performance opposite Davis in that film.

Four years later, Teresa Wright went through...

Scarlett Johansson is still awaiting her first Oscar nomination, and good things come to those who wait because she looks solid to become one of the select few to get two acting bids in one year on Monday.

While Johansson has long been expected to reap a Best Actress nomination for “Marriage Story,” her fate in Best Supporting Actress for “Jojo Rabbit” had been up in the air, thanks to a far more fluid category, which ultimately may actually help her. Though she was snubbed by the Golden Globes for “Jojo,” she’s hit the other televised precursors, Critics’ Choice, Screen Actors Guild and BAFTA Awards, solidifying her position. Helping her cause is the fact that “Jojo” is a Best Picture contender; the Nazi satire had a great Tuesday with six BAFTA nominations, a Producers Guild of America Award nomination and a surprising Directors Guild of America Award bid for Taika Waititi.

“Marriage Story” looks like the only Oscar contender this season with a plausible shot at earning nominations in all four acting races, in large part because it’s one of the few films in the conversation with male and female co-leads. Only 15 other movies have accomplished that feat, which would make “Marriage” the 16th. But it’s even more impressive when you consider that it has only happened twice in the last 37 years.

According to the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, “Marriage Story” is a reasonably safe bet for Best Actress (Scarlett Johansson as an actress filing for divorce), Best Actor (Adam Driver as her husband fighting to retain custody of their son) and Best Supporting Actress (Laura Dern as Johansson’s lawyer). That leaves Best Supporting Actor, where Alan Alda is a contender for playing Driver’s kindly but out-of-his-depth attorney, but he’s an underdog according to...

William Wyler would’ve celebrated his 117th birthday on July 1, 2019. The three-time Oscar winner crafted several classics during Hollywood’s Golden Age, adapting his style to a wide variety of genres. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1902 in Germany, Wyler immigrated to the U.S. when his cousin, Universal Studios chief Carl Laemmle, hired him as an errand boy. He quickly moved up the ranks, directing shorts during the silent era before transitioning into features. It was with the advent of sound that he hit his stride, displaying an ear for dialogue that would serve him well in lofty literary adaptations produced by his longtime partner, independent mogul Samuel Goldwyn.

SEEBette Davis movies: 15 greatest films ranked from worst to best

Wyler quickly became an Oscar mainstay, earning a record-breaking 12 nominations for Best Director: “Dodsworth...