FILM 1990: HEARTBURN

FILM 1990: HEARTBURN 

TRIVIA: Meryl Streep's daughter Mamie Gummer was used as Annie the baby.

The film doesn't make this explicit, but in real-life, Writer Nora Ephron had been so upset by her husband's infidelity that she went into labor prematurely.

Meryl Streep was pregnant in real life during the making of the movie.

Tony Shalhoub's first feature film role. Shalhoub had a love scene with Meryl Streep, but nearly all of his scenes were cut. Shalhoub can still be seen, though, as a passenger on a plane sitting behind Jack Nicholson.

The movie is based on Nora Ephron's real-life marriage to, and divorce from, Carl Bernstein, and the birth of their two sons. The woman with whom Bernstein had an affair was Margaret Jay, who was the wife of the British Ambassador to the United States, and daughter of British Prime Minister James Callaghan. Jay became a Baroness in 1992, and rose to become the first female Leader of the House of Lords between 1998 and 2001.

Jack Nicholson replaced Mandy Patinkin as Mark Forman. Patinkin was originally cast as the male lead, but was suddenly replaced by Nicholson after two days of shooting when Director Mike Nichols realized there was no chemistry between Patinkin and Meryl Streep.

Jack Nicholson's performance of "Soliloquy" ("My Boy Bill"), from Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel", is a nod to Writer Nora Ephron's parents, Henry Ephron and Phoebe Ephron, who wrote the screenplay for the musical film Carousel (1956), which was also produced by Henry Ephron.

In Everything Is Copy (2015), Jacob Bernstein's documentary about his mother Nora Ephron's life and career, he reveals that contentious negotiations over the movie adaptation of her novel "Heartburn" extended his parents' divorce for several years longer than most divorces take. Eventually, their divorce agreement included a stipulation that the movie was not allowed to depict the "Mark Forman" (Carl Bernstein) character as anything but a good, loving, and conscientious father (whatever his failings as a faithful husband were), and Mike Nichols had to be named as a legal signatory to the divorce.

FILM 1947: 9 TO 5

FILM 1947: 9 TO 5 

TRIVIA: This was Dolly Parton's theatrical film debut. In preparation for her role as Doralee Rhodes, she not only committed to memory her own part, but the parts of every other role in the film. Apparently, the two experienced starring actresses, Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, burst out laughing when Parton let on that she believed that pictures were filmed in the chronological order of a film's script. 

Apparently, Dolly Parton was cast because Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin felt that she would "bring them the West". Parton was both a lead actress (along with the other two) and sang the title song, "9 to 5", which was Oscar nominated and won two Grammys. In an interview with Isaac Mizrahi, Parton states that when she wrote and performed the theme song to Tomlin and Fonda, she used her long acrylic nails to create the beat of the song.

The movie spurred a reasonably successful sitcom television series Nine to Five (1982) which went for eighty-five episodes, and aired between 1982 and 1988. The first three seasons were broadcast on ABC between spring 1982 and fall 1983, while the second and final season aired in syndication between 1986 and 1988. Dolly Parton's younger sister Rachel Dennison played Parton's role Doralee Rhodes on the show. 

Dolly Parton accepted the role with the condition that she would write and sing the theme song, which was nominated for an Academy Award and won two Grammys. Parton made the same deal for almost every other movie, in which she has starred. The exception was Steel Magnolias (1989), which declined to use the Parton-penned song "Eagle When She Flies".

To prepare for her role as Judy Bernly, a middle-aged divorcée entering the workforce, Jane Fonda interviewed numerous women who had entered the workforce late in life due to divorce or widowhood. It inspired Judy's first day outfit: a frilly, conservative wardrobe with over-sized glasses, elaborate hats, and an over-done hairstyle.

Dolly Parton's almost shy and reclusive husband, Carl Dean, never appears in public with her nor accompanies her to any musical concerts or other events. One of the few times he made an exception was during filming of this movie, Dolly's theatrical film debut. When he walked into the studio, Jane Fonda pointed him out across the room and said, "Look at that handsome man! I call him, he's mine!" to Lily Tomlin. Dolly then "spilled the beans" that he is her husband. After a few minutes conversing together, Dolly broke the news of being married to him and introduced him to the other actresses. When Jane heard Dolly's remark, she was extremely and deeply embarrassed, especially after she made a remark to Lily as if she was out "husband hunting".

As of 2018-2019, a re-make movie with the original stars is in production.

The first female dominated film to gross $100 million dollars.

FILM 1936: ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT

FILM 1936: ABDUCTED IN PLAIN SIGHT

The twisting, turning, stranger-than-fiction true story of the Brobergs, a naive, church-going Idaho family that fell under the spell of a sociopathic neighbor with designs on their twelve-year-old daughter.

FILM 1891: IT'S COMPLICATED

FILM 1891: IT'S COMPLICATED 

TRIVIA: Meryl Streep had asked her alma mater, Vassar College, if they could film the college graduation scenes on their campus. They refused even though Streep serves on their Board of Trustees and two of her children attend there.

Although they have never previously worked together in a film, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are tied for most times hosting Saturday Night Live (1975) with 14 times each. They also co-hosted the 2010 Academy Awards.

In the scene where Jane answers a phone call from her daughter Lauren, she is clearly surprised by Jake who kisses her causing her to say "You're still on the phone" instead of "You're still on the plane." This was a genuine reaction from Meryl Streep who did not expect Alec Baldwin to kiss her. Nancy Meyers had directed Alec to kiss Meryl since it would be something Jake would do. Fortunately, Streep kept the scene going and incorporated her mistake therefore the scene could be kept in the movie.

PODCAST: THE TEACHER’S PET

PODCAST: THE TEACHER’S PET

Chris and Lyn appear to have the perfect marriage. But when Lyn goes missing, dark secrets are buried. This is no fairytale, but a sordid story of strangely close twin brothers, teenage student lovers, and probable murder. 

MY VERDICT: This story is amazing for so many reasons, but mostly for the fact that someone could go missing for so long without anyone seemingly doing anything at all. It amazed me that the police took everything Chris Dawson said at face value and didn’t check even the easiest of evidence, like phone records to prove his story. One failure and story of incompetence or indifference after another will find you in equal parts frustrated and shocked by this story.

If I have any criticism it’s maybe that it’s an episode or two too long, and repeats information a little too often but the story is fascinating and ongoing, so I’m hoping for more updates in the future.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/the-teachers-pet

(There is a lot of information on the official website…)

FILM 1837: THE ICE STORM

FILM 1837: THE ICE STORM

TRIVIA: In the novel The Ice Storm, Rick Moody writes "And sometimes Paul himself was Ben Grimm, and sometimes he was Peter Parker, a.k.a. the Spider-Man" Coincidentally, Tobey Maguire plays both Paul and Peter Parker in the film versions.

Rick Moody, the author of the novel was so pleased with the film he sobbed through the end credits.

The real ice storm portrayed in the film happened December 16-17 in 1973 and was named "Felix."

To prepare for the film, Ang Lee let the cast members study stacks of magazine cutouts from the early 1970s.

Natalie Portman turned down the role of Wendy Hood.

Film debut of Katie Holmes.

Joan Allen and Tobey Maguire appear together again two years later in Pleasantville (1999).

Director Brian De Palma is an admirer of this film.

Tobey Maguire and Katie Holmes appear together again in Wonder Boys (2000). Both movies have a classroom scene where they are discussing literature.

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

Tobey Maguire and Christina Ricci both had cameos in director Terry Gilliam's 1998 black comedy, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

DOCTOR FOSTER (2015-2017)

TRIVIA: BBC have announced that there will not be a Season 3.

Suranne Jones reveals that she had to be talked into returning for a second series after feeling the story had been told.

For her performance as Gemma, Suranne Jones won her first BAFTA award in May 2016.

Filmed mostly in Hitchin and Letchworth, Hertfordshire.

FILM 1670: BODY HEAT

TRIVIA: The picture was shot in freezing cold temperatures. The production had to simulate the heatwave of the film's story, the actors having to act hot in cold conditions. For example, the thesps had to suck ice cubes before speaking to eliminate foggy breath and had water sprayed on their skin and shirts to simulate body sweat.

The Matty Walker character was modeled on film noir legend Lauren Bacall. Kathleen Turner was cast in the role due to her similarities to Bacall, including a distinctive husky voice and distinguishable long, shapely legs.

Debut theatrical feature film of actress Kathleen Turner.

The picture is included in film critic Roger Ebert's "10 Best List" for 1981.

Directorial debut of Lawrence Kasdan. Prior to this film, Kasdan had written Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) for George Lucas, and was in the process of writing Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). Lucas returned the favor by serving as Kasdan's sponsor for the Ladd Company studio as well as acting as an uncredited executive producer on this film.

The movie features Mickey Rourke in a very early screen role as an arsonist.

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

BOOK 178: SENSE AND SENSIBILITY: JANE AUSTEN

Sense and Sensibility is a novel by Jane Austen, published in 1811. It was published anonymously; By A Lady appears on the cover page where the author's name might have been. It tells the story of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, both of age to marry.

The novel follows the young women to their new home with their widowed mother, a meagre cottage on the property of a distant relative, where they experience love, romance and heartbreak. The novel is set in southwest England, London and Sussex between 1792 and 1797.

The novel sold out its first print run of 750 copies in the middle of 1813, marking a success for its author, who then had a second print run later that year. The novel continued in publication throughout the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries.

Jane Austen wrote the first draft of the novel in the form of a novel-in-letters (epistolary form) sometime around 1795 when she was about 19 years old, and gave it the title Elinor and Marianne. She later changed the form to a narrative and the title to Sense and Sensibility.

Austen drew inspiration for Sense and Sensibility from other novels of the 1790s that treated similar themes, including Adam Stevenson's "Life and Love" (1785) which he had written about himself and a relationship that was not meant to be. Jane West's A Gossip's Story (1796), which features one sister full of rational sense and another sister of romantic, emotive sensibility, is considered to have been an inspiration as well. West’s romantic sister-heroine also shares her first name, Marianne, with Austen’s. There are further textual similarities, described in a modern edition of West's novel.

The book has been adapted for film and television a number of times, including a 1981 serial for TV directed by Rodney Bennett; a 1995 film adapted by Emma Thompson and directed by Ang Lee; a version in Tamil called Kandukondain Kandukondain, released in 2000, starring Ajith Kumar (Edward Ferrars), Tabu (Elinor), Aishwarya Rai; and a 2008 TV series on BBC adapted by Andrew Davies and directed by John Alexander.