February 27th 2014. Pick of the Day.

Today's continuing series include Film Forum's The Complete Hitchcock and two at MoMA; the ongoing Auteurist History of Film and Vienna Unveiled: A City in Cinema. The black humor in a nutshell;

Film Forum

NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock

SABOTEUR (1942) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock

THE SKIN GAME (1931) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock

TO CATCH A THIEF (1955) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock

MoMA

ECHOES OF SILENCE (1965) Dir; Peter Emmanuel Goldman

WALTZES FROM VIENNA (1934) Dir; Alfred Hitchcock

THE CITY WITHOUT JEWS (1924) Dir; Hans Karl Breslauer

BowTie Chelsea Cinemas

FOXY BROWN (1974) Dir; Jack Hill

Today's Pick? I could give you a multitude of reasons why I place Alfred Hitchcock's SABOTEUR in my all-time top 5 Hitch, over what many esteem far finer works that explored his trademark wrong man on the run handcuffed (literally and otherwise) to his preferred cool blonde subject matter (THE 39 STEPS, NORTH BY NORTHWEST); among these would number the merging of his Brit espionage phase with his Hollywood propaganda period, some razor sharp dialogue courtesy of scribe Dorothy Parker, and the granddaddy of all The Mahstah's set piece climaxes, which must be the second most iconic use of the Statue of Liberty in film history (DAMN them dirty apes). However, the tale of the everyman fighting all odds to clear his name while simultaneously trying to prevent a dastardly terror plot ultimately hinges on the effectiveness of its villain, and no offense to Sir Godfrey Tearle or the gloriously vainglorious James Mason, but they simply can't hold a candle to the insidious Frank Fry, the saboteur of the title, essayed by the legendary Norman Lloyd.

Among the many boasts the great Lloyd may lay claim to is his membership in the original iteration of Orson Welles' & John Houseman's Mercury Theater, appearing in the company's daring and controversial 1937 updating of Shakespeare's JULIUS CAESAR, still spoken of with hushed awe in the theater world. He found continued success in NYC on stage and radio until Hollywood finally beckoned, in the form of Big Al and the role of Frank Fry. Anyone who has seen his signature moment from this classic, where he begs his victim to save him from gravity's justice (or justice's gravity? Or the justice of gravity or oh screw it!) can tell you what the pure ingredients of nightmare look like on film. It is one of the reasons I grant this flick membership in my elite Hitchcock quintet.

Lloyd moved adroitly behind and before the camera in the years that followed, learning the ropes of production and direction as well as acting, until the mark of McCarthy's blacklist nearly scuttled his career. Hitchcock intervened in his unfolding fate once again, and Lloyd found himself complicit in another of the filmmaker's diabolical plots, this time a foray into the accursed new media of television; ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS. Lloyd served in several capacities with series producer Joan Harrison, and personally directed some of the show's more memorable episodes. His and Hitch's sensibilities simply met in a magnificent Venn diagram of the macabre.

He mostly earned his bacon in a behind-the-camera capacity for the remainder of his career. That is, until Joshua Brand and John Halsey contacted the actor about a role in a series they were pitching to NBC. Thus did Lloyd gain an entirely new audience in the 80's as Dr. Auschlander on ST. ELSEWHERE, during its 7-year run from October 1982 to May 1988. Among the then-new generation of actors he graciously advised and helped shepherd forth were Denzel Washington, David Morse, Alfre Woodard, Mark Harmon, Ed Begley Jr., Eric Lanuenville, and Bruce Greenwood. The brash and talented kid from Jersey City was still making his mark in the acting world some 50 years after he'd officially entered the game.

Now consider this; ST. ELSEWHERE is now 30 years in the rear view mirror, and the great Mr. Lloyd is still soldiering on at the ripe young age of 99, the subject of a critically acclaimed career-overview doc merely six years ago, and as recently as 2010 making a guest appearance on ABC's ratings champ MODERN FAMILY. Tonight he will grace the Cinematic Church of West Houston, otherwise known as Film Forum, with his prescence post the 8:15pm screening, via Skype. Not appearing via Skype will be TCM's very own Ben Mankiewicz, who will conduct a Q&A with the living legend. Rare are opportunites such as these to be had, with men who have trod side-by-side with some of the greatest creative minds that helped define a century of culture, while themselves laying claim to genius all their own. This screening is or will most likely be sold out, but if there's a chance you might be able to squeeze through the barricades for this one (I mean that metaphorically; try to get a tik, either online or in-person purchase) drop all other priorities this evening and give one of the last links we have to Hollywood's Golden Era your eyes and ears. You'll be in good company in so doing.

Alfred Hitchock's SABOTEUR, accompanied by the Lloyd and Mankewicz Q&A, screens at 8:15pm at Film Forum. Just in case I didn't make that clear...

For more info on these and all NYC's classic film screenings in February '14 click on the interactive calendar on the upper right hand side of the page. And be sure to follow me on both Facebook, where I provide further info and esoterica on the rep film circuit and star birthdays, and Twitter, where I provide a daily feed for the day's screenings and other blathery. Back tomorrow with a brand new Pick, til then the sleeve, THE SLEEVE!!!!

-Joe Walsh

JoeW@NitrateStock.net

P. S. Should you be feeling charitable during this harsh weather period please remember to check in with the good folks over at Occupy Sandy. Some of our NY neighbors are still feeling the effects of last year's hurricane. Be a mensch.