"I coulda had class, I coulda been a contender." - Day 2 of the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival

Thanks for sticking with me, my dear readers.  I'm finally ready to continue with the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival updates.  Here's my post of day 1: Hello Gorgeous and we will now (swan) dive head first into Day 2 of the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival.

Day 2 started with the very thought provoking and emotional rollercoaster, The Swimmer.

It had been a recommendation from my Dad and my friend who I was festival-ing with was interested in seeing it as well.  The movie was introduced by Marge Champion being interviewed by Allison Anders.

 

Marge Champion has been to numerous Film Festival and other TCM events, I spotted her in attendance at the Jane Powell event at the Lincoln Center a few years ago.  She seems to really embrace these events and enjoys sharing her stories, which is very lucky for us.  She started off by telling use that Burt (Burt Lancaster that is) had really gotten injured during filming, so they incorporated that injury into the film.  She talked about her time "hanging out" with Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh and said that they used to call themselves the Mouse Pack, which sounds adorable.  

Official TCM photo

Marge and Allison also talked about Joan Rivers' role in the film, apparently she was told to play the role as though her character wanted to sleep with Burt Lancaster or that they were having an affair, then told to play it as though there wasn't any sexual tension and that confusion came across on the screen because she didn't know if she wanted to jump Burt Lancaster's bones or not.  Just to clarify most women, myself included, probably do want to jump Burt Lancaster's bones.

The movie was very interesting, definitely a soul searching trek as Burt Lancaster's character attempts to get back home by swimming through various pools.  It's definitely a metaphor for life and an opportunity to see Mr. Lancaster in a subtle, quiet role.

Next up was Voyage to Italy, aka Journey to Italy, aka Viaggio in Italia directed by Roberto Rossellini and starring Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders.

It's always a treat to see George Sanders and Ingrid Bergman on the big screen, the movie was enjoyable.  The movie was introduced by Matt Tyrnauer, who is a special correspondent with Vanity Fair.  He talked about the literary devices of traveling and the idea of adapting European ideals.  It was a good movie and a fun way to spend a Saturday morning.

After spending the morning in the Chinese Multiplex it was time to trek down to the Egyptian Theater and meet up with another one of my friends.  He was attending a grad program at UCLA at the time and was lucky enough to get a film fest pass through them.  We decided on seeing

Notorious, who can pass up a chance to see Hitchcock on the big screen.  

The movie was introduced by Rose McGowan and the only thing I wrote in my notes was: Blonde Hair, so that's helpful past Me, thanks for that.

Rose McGowan with her Blonde hair

As always, it was great to see the wonderful Ingrid Bergman and the devilishly handsome Cary Grant on the big screen.  The tension and intrigue play so well in a packed theater.

I decided to follow up Notorious with The Great Escape.  I walked back up Hollywood Blvd. with my friend to Grauman's Chinese theater.

The screening was introduced first by Sean Cameron and he then introduced Ben and then Ben interviewed Walter Mirsch.

Walter Mirsch talked about making the film on a budget and trying to save money.  He also talked a bit about Steve McQueen, he said that he just had a certain 'je ne sais quoi' and that he could say more with a baseball than with a monologue.

Sometimes you have to tie your shoe during an interview

The film looked glorious, it was great seeing Steve McQueen in his natural element and it certainly did not feel like a three hour movie at all.

Steve and his baseball

After The Great Escape, I decided to stay in Grauman's for my last movie of the day, the phenomenal On the Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan, starring Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden, and Rod Steiger, with very special guest Eva Marie Saint.

One of my most embarrassing moments happened while waiting in line for this movie.  I had decided to get a beverage before The Great Escape, but ended up not finishing it because I was so engaged with the movie.  While waiting outside of Grauman's the bottom of my cup fell out and an abundance of cherry ice-e covered the section of Hollywood Blvd that I was standing on.  I was mortified, and felt very bad for whoever's star I had now slushied.  I tried to clean up what I could, but it was a very lost cause.  Sorry Hollywood Blvd.

Now, back to the festivities.  Tom Brown introduced Ben Mank and Ben Mank intro'd the lovely and talented Eva Marie Saint.

And sometimes you take your jeans off in an interview

At the start of the interview Ms. Saint complimented Ben for being 1/2 dressed nicely and he ended up taking of his jeans to reveal dress pants underneath.  Eva was certainly shocked and asked Ben if he was trying to give her a heart attack.

The rest of the interview was sweet, they talked about her 60+ year marriage and her experience of working on this film, which was her film debut!  It's so wonderful that Eva attends all these wonderful events and makes the time to talk about the exceptional movies that she's made.  The movie looked impeccable, it was a new 4K restoration.  Marlon Brando was beyond larger than life in that theater.  One minor comment, I didn't love the prosthetics over his eyelids, I definitely understand that they were part of his character and who he was, but I just found them distracting, especially on the huge screen at Grauman's.

Well, that does it for Day 2 of the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival, hope you enjoyed this little time travel back in time.  Tune in next time for day 3.