Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with another Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny cartoon, the 1956 Rabbitson Crusoe (featuring Yosemite Sam), directed by Friz Freleng.
Bugs also sings Trade Winds while lost at sea in Gorilla My Dreams.
We've picked another entry from the excellent reference book, 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die by Steven Jay Schneider for today's feature. Today's choice is the 1953 Otto Preminger film noir classic, Angel Face, starring Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons, and Herbert Marshall. The film has an odd history. It was meant as a punishment for Jean Simmons, who wanted to break her film contract with Howard Hughes, who obtained it without her knowledge. Otto Preminger was known as a perfectionist who had little to no regard for most actors. Hollywood lore has it, when Robert Mitchum got fed up with repeated re-takes in which Preminger ordered him to slap Jean Simmons across the face, he turned around and slapped Preminger, asking whether it was this way he wanted it. Preminger immediately demanded of producer Howard Hughes that Mitchum be replaced. Hughes refused (besides Ida Lupino, apparently no body fucks with Robert Mitchem.) The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour would like you to join us in watching Angel Face. So sit back, get comfortable and enjoy the film.
At first Otto Preminger refused to direct this movie, because he hated the script. The normally reclusive Howard Hughes personally picked up Preminger in his car and persuaded him to make the movie. "I'm going to get even with that little bitch," Hughes told Preminger, referring to Jean Simmons, "and you're going to help me." He gave Preminger permission to rewrite the script, and promised him a bonus if he could finish the picture in 18 days. By that time Simmons' contract with Hughes would have expired.
Demand Euphoria!
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