Alice in Wonderland 1933 N/R, 70 min. Genre: Family / Fantasy / Adventure
Director: Norman Z. McLeod Cast: Charlotte Henry, Richard Arlen, Roscoe Ates, Charles Ruggles, Roscoe Karns, Gary Cooper, W.C. Fields, Cary Grant, Sterling Holloway, Edward Everett Horton, Leon Errol, Ned Sparks, William Austin, Louise Fazenda, Alec B. Francis
In this first full-length film of the Lewis Carroll fantasy, the story takes place in 19th-century England where Alice (Charlotte Henry) enters the land behind a mirror in her library. Among the characters that Alice meets in Wonderland are the March Hare (Charlie Ruggles), the Mad Hatter (Edward Everett Horton), and the Cheshire Cat (Richard Arlen). In one of her adventures, Humpty Dumpty (W.C. Fields) recites the poem "Jabberwocky" to Alice and then falls off the wall. The White Knight (Gary Cooper) tries to put Humpty Dumpty together but fails and then joins Alice on her adventure. Alice does become a queen and then awakens in her library where she finds her kitten Dinah cuddled on her lap.
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The Batman 1943 N/R, 260 min. Genre: Action / Adventure / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Director: Lambert Hillyer Cast: Lewis Wilson, Douglas Croft, J. Carrol Naish, Shirley Patterson, William Austin, George Chesebro, Kenne Duncan, Tom London, Charles Middleton, Sam Flint, Karl Hackett, Earle Hodgins, I. Stanford Jolley, Sam Lufkin, Anthony Warde
This is the film debut of the dynamic duo Batman and Robin (Lewis Wilson and Douglas Croft), and they go about their business for 15 episodes. Being a wartime movie, it is not surprising that they are battling the dastardly Japanese mastermind, Dr. Tito Daka (J. Carrol Naish), who runs an espionage/sabotage group.
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The Gay Divorcee 1934 N/R, 107 min. Genre: Musical
Director: Mark Sandrich Cast: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Erik Rhodes, Eric Blore, William Austin, Betty Grable, E.E. Clive, Paul Porcasi, Lillian Miles, Charles Coleman, George Davis, Charlie Hall
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, as Guy and Mimi, run into each other at a resort where Mimi is awaiting her divorce. Mimi mistakes Guy for the man (Erik Rhodes) who her aunt (Alice Brady) has hired to have a tryst with Mimi and, thus, provide the grounds for her divorce. Complications ensue when Guy is attracted to Mimi, but she, because of the mix-up, does not treat him well. By story's end, all ends happily. The dances to "The Continental" and "Night and Day" are delightfully performed in this film. "The Continental" won the Academy Award for Best Song, the first year that the award was given for this category. Nominations were also received for four other awards, including Best Picture.
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The Private Life of Henry VIII 1933 N/R, 97 min. Genre: Drama
Director: Alexander Korda Cast: Charles Laughton, Merle Oberon, Wendy Barrie, Elsa Lanchester, Robert Donat, Miles Mander, Binnie Barnes, Everley Gregg, Franklin Dyall, Claud Allister, Laurence Hanray, William Austin, John Loder, Gibb McLaughlin, Sam Livesey
Charles Laughton won the Oscar for his portrayal of Henry VIII in this historical film. It is the story of Henry's relationships with five of his six wives and starts with the his marriage to his second wife, Anne Boleyn (Merle Oberon), which ends in her execution. Henry's third wife is his mistress Jane Seymour (Wendy Barrie) who dies in childbirth. Henry then agrees to an arranged marriage to Anne of Cleves (Elsa Lanchester) that ends when she pushes him into the arms of Lady Catherine Howard (Binnie Barnes). He marries Catherine, but her affair with Henry's friend Thomas Culpepper (Robert Donat) ends in her beheading. Finally, Henry marries widowed Catherine Parr (Everley Gregg) who is determined to take care of him. An Academy Award nomination was received for Best Picture.
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| 1. Alice in Wonderland (1933)
2. The Batman (1943)
3. The Gay Divorcee (1934)
4. It (1927)
5. The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)
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