Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift and Debbie Reynolds to be feted
The spotlight shines this week on legendary film stars Debbie Reynolds, Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift.
Reynolds, who turned 81 on Monday and has a new book coming out, “Unsinkable,” came to fame in the 1950s and is still going strong.
American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theatre is celebrating the musical-comedy star with “A Hollywood Life: The Unsinkable Debbie Reynolds” retrospective. It starts Thursday evening with the 1955 romantic comedy “The Tender Trap” with Frank Sinatra and the 1963 comedy “Mary, Mary” with Barry Nelson.
Reynolds is set to appear in person Tuesday for a double bill of 1952’s musical “Singin’ in the Rain” and the 1964 musical “The Unsinkable Molly Brown,” for which she received an Oscar nomination for lead actress. https://www.americancinematheque.com
UCLA Film & Television Archive begins its two-month “Burt Lancaster: A Centennial Celebration” on Friday evening at the Billy Wilder Theater with the brilliant 1957 drama “Sweet Smell of Success” with Tony Curtis. Joanna Lancaster, Burt’s daughter, and author James Naremore will be there. On tap for Saturday are 1952’s “The Crimson Pirate” and 1956’s “Trapeze,” which also stars Curtis. Monday’s offerings are 1963’s “A Child Is Waiting” with Judy Garland and 1952’s “Come Back, Little Sheba,” for which Shirley Booth won a lead actress Academy Award. “Sheba” costar Terry Moore will be in attendance. https://www.cinema.ucla.edu
Lancaster’s Oscar-nominated performance in the 1953 Academy Award-winning best film, “From Here to Eternity,” is the opening night presentation Friday evening of the “Bruised but Unbeaten: Montgomery Clift in Focus” retrospective at the Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre.
Clift, who died at age 45 in 1966, also earned a lead actor nomination for his performance in the Fred Zinnemann classic. Clift earned his first lead actor Oscar nomination for the evening’s second feature, Zinnemann’s haunting 1948 post-World War II drama, “The Search.”
On tap for Saturday are 1961’s “The Misfits” and 1960’s “Wild River,” with 1961’s “Judgment at Nuremberg,” in which he earned a supporting actor nomination, scheduled for Sunday. Two films he made with his friend Elizabeth Taylor screen Monday -- 1959’s “Suddenly, Last Summer” and 1951’s “A Place in the Sun,” which also garnered him an Oscar nomination. The festival concludes Wednesday with the 1953 Alfred Hitchcock chiller “I Confess.” https://www.americancinematheque.com
“Parks and Recreation” funny man Nick Offerman is stopping by Film Independent at LACMA on Thursday evening at the Leo S. Bing Theater to wax poetic over Tom Laughlin’s 1971 cult classic “Billy Jack.” https://www.lacma.org
Legendary sex symbol Mamie Van Doren will appear in person Thursday evening at the Aero to discuss her career in between presentations of 1958’s “High School Confidential” and 1957’s “Untamed Youth.” https://www.americancinematheque.com
The L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival, the largest comedy film festival in the U.S., brings the funny to the Downtown Independent beginning Thursday and continuing through April 7. The festival features screenings, industry panels and awards. https://www.lacomedyshorts.com/lacs2013/home.html
The American Cinematheque’s RetroFormat Films on 8mm presents “April Fools Night” Saturday evening at the intimate Spielberg Theatre at the Egyptian. The programming includes classic comedy shorts featuring Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd. https://americancinematheque.com
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