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5:00 PM Fox Movie Channel
Raising Arizona (1987 USA): I'm not the world's biggest fan of this particular Coen Brothers film: its sneering attitude toward the uneducated white working class (otherwise known as crackers or rednecks) has always rubbed me the wrong way. But there is something undeniably sweet at the heart of the film, and the performances by Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter, while still grounded in stereotypes, nonetheless won me over the second and third time I watched the film. Featuring Coen regulars John Goodman and Frances McDormand and an especially good performance by Trey Wilson (who saved the otherwise hard-to-watch Great Balls of Fire with his performance as record producer Sam Phillips), Raising Arizona is also getting the letterboxed treatment this time out.

Thursday 4/29/10

9:15 PM Turner Classic Movies
Hitler (1962 USA): It’s no-one’s idea of a great film, but there’s something undeniably intriguing about this biopic. It all starts with the casting, of course: who would ever consider hiring the impeccably bland Richard Basehart to play the 20th Century’s number one evil-doer? Then again, the guy did appear in two Fellini films, and concluded his somewhat perfunctory big screen career in Hal Ashby’s Being There, so say what you will about Basehart—he got around, and (whisper it) isn’t entirely terrible as Der Fuhrer. The film attempts to plumb the depths of Hitler’s psychology (hey, it’s cheaper than staging a bunch of tank battles), and co-stars ubiquitous screen Nazi Martin Kosleck as Joseph Goebbels, as well as Sergeant Schultz himself, John Banner, and The Mary Tyler Moore Show’s Ted Knight! Perhaps Werner Klemperer and Gavin MacLeod were otherwise engaged during the Hitler casting call.

Friday 4/30/10

7:00 AM More Max
Tank (1983 USA): This completely (some would argue rightfully) forgotten action comedy from Lorimar features James Garner as Zack Carey, an Army Sergeant Major looking to shake up a corrupt small town in the American South. Carey crosses swords with local lawman Cyrus Buelton (G. D. Spradlin), who has his hands in all sorts of lucrative but illegal pots - including prostitution. Buelton is not about to give up his second job without a fight, however, and frames Zack’s teenage son Billy (C. Thomas Howell) for drug dealing. This doesn’t sit well with our hero, of course, who fires up his Sherman tank (we all have one, right?) and proceeds to lay waste to the local jail with it! Yes, it’s as absurd as it sounds, but is quite good fun, and co-stars James Cromwell as Euclid, Buelton’s henchman, and Shirley Jones as LaDonna, Carey’s feisty wife.

5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Background to Danger (1943 USA): Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre made nine films together, including Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon. This is one of the other seven, and you’d be forgiven if you haven’t heard of it before. That’s not to say it’s not worth watching, however: besides the two legendary character actors, the film headlines George Raft as Joe Barton, a Yank in Istanbul trying to keep Turkey neutral during World War II. His efforts are impeded by Nazi agent Robinson (Greenstreet), who’s working hard to duplicate the Reichstag Fire and get the Turks on side with the Reich. Also on hand: Brenda Marshall as Lorre’s wife (Peter himself portrays a Soviet spy, back when Soviet spies were the good guys) and the legendary Turhan Bey (still with is today, and 88 years young) as one of Joe’s Turkish chums.

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