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The Lego Movie is a 2014 animated adventure comedy film co-produced by Warner Animation Group, Village Roadshow Pictures, Lego System A/S, Vertigo Entertainment, and Lin Pictures, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. A collaboration between production houses from the United States, Australia, and Denmark. It was written and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller from a story they co-wrote with Dan and Kevin Hageman, based on the Lego line of construction toys. The film stars the voices of Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, and Morgan Freeman. Its story focuses on Emmet Brickowski (Pratt), an ordinary Lego minifigure who helps a resistance movement stop a tyrannical businessman (Ferrell) from gluing everything in the Lego world into his vision of perfection. Plans of a feature film based on Lego started in 2008 following a discussion between producers Dan Lin and Roy Lee, before Lin left Warner Bros. to form his own production company, Lin Pictures. By August 2009, it was announced that Dan and Kevin Hageman had begun writing the script. It was officially green-lit by Warner Bros. in November 2011 with a planned 2014 release date. Chris McKay was brought in to co-direct in 2011 with Lord and Miller, and later became the film's animation supervisor. The film was inspired by the visual aesthetic and stylistics of Brickfilms and qualities attributed to Lego Studios sets. While Lord and Miller wanted to make the film's animation replicate a stop motion film, everything was done through computer graphics, with the animation rigs following the same articulation limits actual Lego figures have. Much of the cast signed on to voice the characters in 2012, including Pratt, Ferrell, Banks, Arnett, Freeman, and Brie, while the animation was provided by Animal Logic, which was expected to comprise 80% of the film. The film was dedicated to Kathleen Fleming, the former director of entertainment development of the Lego company, who had died in Cancún, Mexico, in April 2013.[9][10] The Lego Movie premiered in Los Angeles on February 1, 2014, and was released theatrically in the United States on February 7. It became a critical and commercial success, grossing $470.7 million worldwide against its $60–65 million budget, and received acclaim for its animation, writing, story, humor, score, and voice acting. The National Board of Review named The Lego Movie one of the top-ten films of 2014. It received a nomination for Best Original Song at the 87th Academy Awards, among numerous other accolades. The Lego Movie is the first entry in what became the franchise of the same name, which includes three more films—The Lego Batman Movie, The Lego Ninjago Movie (both 2017), and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part (2019). Plot In the Lego universe, the wizard Vitruvius is blinded when he fails to protect a superweapon called the "Kragle" (a misreading of Krazy Glue) from the evil Lord Business, but prophesies that a person called "The Special" will find the "Piece of Resistance" capable of stopping the Kragle. Lord Business claims Vitruvius made up the prophecy and kicks him off a cliff. 8 and a half years later, in Bricksburg, an optimistic but unimaginative construction worker named Emmet Brickowski comes across a woman searching for something at his construction site. Emmet falls into a pit and finds the Piece of Resistance. Compelled to touch it, he experiences visions, including one of a giant called "the Man Upstairs", and passes out. He awakens in the custody of Bad Cop, Business's lieutenant, with the Piece of Resistance attached to his back. Emmet learns of Business's plans to freeze the world with the Kragle; the Piece of Resistance is the glue tube's cap. The woman, Wyldstyle, rescues Emmet, believing him to be the Special. They escape Bad Cop and travel to "The Old West" where they meet Vitruvius. He and Wyldstyle are Master Builders, capable of building anything without instruction manuals, who oppose Business's attempts to suppress their creativity. Though disappointed Emmet is not a Master Builder, they are convinced of his potential when he recalls visions of the Man Upstairs. Emmet, Wyldstyle, and Vitruvius evade Bad Cop's forces with the help of Wyldstyle's boyfriend, Batman, and escape to "Cloud Cuckoo Land," where all the Master Builders are in hiding. The Master Builders are unimpressed with Emmet and refuse to help him fight Business. Bad Cop's forces attack and capture everyone except Emmet, Wyldstyle, Vitruvius, Batman, and fellow Master Builders MetalBeard, Unikitty, and Benny. Emmet devises a plan to infiltrate Business's headquarters and disarm the Kragle. The heist almost succeeds until Emmet and his friends are captured and imprisoned. Business decapitates Vitruvius and throws the Piece of Resistance into an abyss before arming a self-destruct device to execute all the captured Master Builders. Vitruvius reveals he made up the prophecy before he dies, but his spirit returns to tell Emmet that it is his self-belief that makes him the Special. Strapped to the self-destruct mechanism's battery, Emmet flings himself off the edge of the tower and into the abyss, disarming the mechanism and saving his friends and the Master Builders. Inspired by Emmet's sacrifice, Wyldstyle, who reveals her real name to be Lucy, rallies the Lego people across the universe to use whatever creativity they have to build machines and weapons to fight Business's forces. The abyss transports Emmet to the human world, where the events of his life are being played out in a basement by a boy named Finn on his father's Lego set. Finn's father, revealed to be the Man Upstairs, chastises his son for creating hodgepodges of different playsets and begins to glue his perceived "perfect" creations together permanently. Realizing the danger, Emmet wills himself to move and gains Finn's attention. Finn returns Emmet and the Piece of Resistance to the set, where Emmet becomes a Master Builder and confronts Business. In the human world, Finn's father looks at his son's creations and realizes he is suppressing his son's creativity. Through a speech by Emmet, Finn tells his father that he is very special and has the power to change everything. Finn's father reconciles with his son, which plays out as Business reforming, capping the Kragle with the Piece of Resistance, and ungluing his victims with mineral spirits. After the world is restored, Lucy and Emmet enter a relationship with Batman's blessing. Finn's father grants Finn's younger sister permission to play with the Lego sets as well, causing Duplo aliens to arrive in the Lego universe and threaten destruction.[a] Cast Main article: List of The Lego Movie characters Chris Pratt as Emmet Brickowski, an everyman and construction worker from Bricksburg who is initially mistaken for the Special. Will Ferrell as Lord Business, an evil businessman who hates Master Builders, tyrant of Bricksburg and the Lego Universe who is the company president of the Octan Corporation under the name President Business.[11][12] Ferrell also plays "The Man Upstairs", a Lego collector and Finn's father in the live-action part of the film. Morgan Freeman as Vitruvius, a blind and elderly wizard-like Master Builder. Elizabeth Banks as Lucy / Wyldstyle, a "tough as nails" and tech-savvy Master Builder.[13] Will Arnett as Bruce Wayne / Batman, a DC Comics character who is one of the Master Builders, as well as Wyldstyle's boyfriend and an amateur musician. Nick Offerman as MetalBeard, a pirate-like Master Builder seeking revenge on Lord Business for taking his body parts following an earlier encounter and causing him to remake his body from bricks.[12] Alison Brie as Princess Unikitty, a unicorn/cat hybrid-like Master Builder who lives in Cloud Cuckoo Land.[12][14] Charlie Day as Benny, a "1980-something space guy"-like Master Builder who is obsessed with building spaceships.[11] Liam Neeson as Bad Cop / Good Cop / Scribble Cop, a police officer with a two-sided head and a split personality who serves Lord Business as the commander of the Super Secret Police. The character's name and personality are based on the good cop, bad cop interrogation method, which is briefly shown in the film. Neeson also voices Pa Cop, a police officer who is Bad Cop/Good Cop's father and Ma Cop's husband. Channing Tatum as Superman, a DC Comics character who is one of the Master Builders. Jonah Hill as Green Lantern, a DC Comics character who is one of the Master Builders. Cobie Smulders as Wonder Woman, a DC Comics character who is one of the Master Builders. Jadon Sand as Finn, an eight-and-a-half-year-old boy who is the son of "The Man Upstairs" in the live-action part of the film. Additionally, Anthony Daniels, Keith Ferguson, and Billy Dee Williams appear as protocol droid C-3PO, and smugglers Han Solo and Lando Calrissian from the Star Wars franchise.[b] Other appearances from licensed Lego iterations of franchises include Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit franchises; Dumbledore from the Wizarding World franchise; The Flash and Aquaman from DC Comics; Milhouse from The Simpsons; Michelangelo from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise and Speed Racer from the Lego tie-in sets released alongside the 2008 film adaptation of the eponymous animated television series. Shaquille O'Neal portrays a Lego version of himself who is a Master Builder alongside two generic members of the 2002 NBA All-Stars. Will Forte (credited as Orville Forte) portrays Abraham Lincoln (whom he had previously voiced on Clone High, another Lord/Miller production). Dave Franco, Jake Johnson and Keegan-Michael Key portray Emmet's co-workers Wally, Barry and Foreman Jim respectively. Director Christopher Miller voices a TV announcer for the Octan comedy show Where Are My Pants?; his son Graham Miller voices the Duplo alien. Production Creators of the film at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, writers and directors; Chris McKay, co-director; and Dan Lin, producer. Development The development of The Lego Movie began in 2008, when Dan Lin and Roy Lee discussed it before Lin left Warner Bros. Pictures to form his own production company, Lin Pictures. Warner Bros executive Kevin Tsujihara, who had recognized the value of the Lego franchise by engineering the studio's purchase of Lego video game licensee Traveller's Tales in 2007, thought the success of the Lego-based video games indicated a Lego-based film was a good idea, and reportedly "championed" the development of the film.[19][20] By August 2009, Dan and Kevin Hageman were writing the script described as "action adventure set in a Lego world".[21] In 2008, Lin visited The Lego Group's headquarters in Denmark to pitch his vision for the film, later remarking uncertainty among executives. "They weren't rude or anything […] but they didn't feel they needed a movie. They were already a very successful brand. Why take the risk?" Nevertheless, Lego's vice president of licensing and entertainment Jill Wilfert responded positively to the Hagemans' treatment that Lin pitched. "Once we heard the pitch, how Dan felt he could bring the values of the brand to life, we started to think, 'This could be interesting.'"[22] In June 2010, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller were in talks to write and direct the film.[23] Warner Bros. green-lit the film by November 2011, with a planned 2014 release date. Australian studio Animal Logic, who did the animation for previous Warner Bros. released animated films such as Happy Feet and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole, was contracted to provide the animation, which was expected to comprise 80% of the film. By this time Chris McKay, one of the directors and editors of Robot Chicken, had also joined Lord and Miller to co-direct.[24] McKay explained that his role was to supervise the production in Australia once Lord and Miller temporarily left production to work on 22 Jump Street (2014).[25] In March 2012, Lord and Miller revealed the film's working title, Lego: The Piece of Resistance, and a storyline.[26] "We wanted to make the film feel like the way you play, the way I remember playing. We wanted to make it feel as epic and ambitious and self-serious as a kid feels when they play with LEGO. We took something you could claim is the most cynical cash grab in cinematic history, basically a 90 minute LEGO commercial, and turned it into a celebration of creativity, fun and invention, in the spirit of just having a good time and how ridiculous it can look when you make things up. And we had fun doing it.'" —Animation supervisor Chris McKay[25] Casting By June 2012, Chris Pratt had been cast as the voice of Emmet, the lead Lego character, and Will Arnett voicing a Lego version of Batman; the role of Lego Superman was offered to Channing Tatum.[27] By August 2012, Elizabeth Banks was hired to voice Lucy (later getting the alias "Wyldstyle")[11] and Morgan Freeman to voice Vitruvius, an old mystic.[27][28] In November 2012, Alison Brie, Will Ferrell, Liam Neeson, and Nick Offerman signed on for roles. Brie voices Unikitty, a member of Emmet's team: Ferrell voices the antagonist President/Lord Business; Neeson voices Bad Cop/Good Cop: and Offerman voices MetalBeard,[29] a pirate seeking revenge on Business.[30] Warner Bros. already owns the film rights to intellectual properties from which key characters appear in the film (i.e. DC Comics; Wizarding World), but the filmmakers still ran their depictions by other creatives; this included Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder, who were directing The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and Man of Steel (2013) respectively at the time of the film's production, as well as Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling. Lord recalled that Superman was omitted for an extended period of time due to a lawsuit against Warner Bros. by the heirs of co-creator Jerry Siegel, before being reinserted at the last minute. The film also features Keith Ferguson, Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels reprising their roles as Lego iterations of Star Wars characters Han Solo, Lando Calrissian and C-3PO respectively. Lin recalled the closure of their deal to feature the characters as hectic, as The Walt Disney Company announced their purchase of Lucasfilm a few weeks after the filmmakers had traveled there and received permission to include them.[22] Animation process LEGO Design byME set designed with Lego Digital Designer, the same software used to create The Lego Movie The Lego Movie was strongly inspired by the visual aesthetic and stylistics of Brickfilms and qualities attributed to Lego Studios sets. The film received a great deal of praise in the respective online communities from filmmakers and fans, who saw the film as appraising nod to their work.[31] In the film's live-action segment, Finn returns Emmet to the Lego world via an arts-and-crafts-covered tube labeled "Magic Portal", which production designer Grant Freckleton confirmed was a direct reference to Australian filmmaker Lindsay Fleay's 1989 animated short film The Magic Portal, which similarly incorporated live-action segments. Fleay went on to work at Animal Logic, though he left before production on The Lego Movie began.[32] Animal Logic tried to make the film's animation replicate a stop motion film although everything was done through computer graphics, with the animation rigs following the same articulation limits actual Lego figures have. The camera systems also tried to replicate live action cinematography, including different lenses and a Steadicam simulator. The scenery was projected through The Lego Group's own Lego Digital Designer (formerly) (created as part of Lego Design byME, which people could design their own Lego models using LDD, then upload them to the Lego website, design their own box design, and order them for actual delivery), which as CG supervisor Aidan Sarsfield detailed, "uses the official LEGO Brick Library and effectively simulates the connectivity of each of the bricks."[33] The saved files were then converted to design and animate in Maya and XSI. At times the minifigures were even placed under microscopes to capture the seam lines, dirt and grime into the digital textures.[34] Benny the spaceman was based on the line of Lego space sets sold in the 1980s, and his design includes the broken helmet chin strap, a common defect of the space sets at that time.[35] Miller's childhood Space Village playset was used in the film.[33] Post-production The Lego Movie was the first theatrical feature film produced by the Warner Animation Group. The film's total cost, including production, prints, and advertising (P&A), was $100 million.[7] Half of the film's cost was financed by Village Roadshow Pictures, and was the only film in the franchise that Village Roadshow ever had involvement working on.[7] The rest was covered by Warner Bros., with RatPac-Dune Entertainment providing a smaller share as part of its multi-year financing agreement with Warner Bros.[36] Initially Warner Bros. turned down Village Roadshow Pictures when it asked to invest in the film.[7] However, Warner Bros. later changed its mind, reportedly due to lack of confidence in the film, initially offering Village Roadshow Pictures the opportunity to finance 25% of the film, and later, an additional 25%.[7] Music Main article: The Lego Movie (soundtrack) The film's original score was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, who had previously worked with Lord and Miller on Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (2009) and 21 Jump Street (2012). The Lego Movie soundtrack contains the score as the majority of its tracks. Also included is the song "Everything Is Awesome" written by Shawn Patterson, Joshua Bartholomew[37] and Lisa Harriton,[38] who also perform the song under the name Jo Li. The single, released on January 23, 2014, is performed by Tegan and Sara featuring The Lonely Island (Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone), who wrote the rap lyrics, and is played in the film's end credits. The soundtrack was released on February 4, 2014, by WaterTower Music.[39] Marketing and release Lego released a number of building toy sets based on scenes from The Lego Movie.[40][41] The Lego Movie premiered on February 1, 2014, at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles.[42] It was initially scheduled for release on February 28,[43] but was later moved up to February 7.[30] The film was released in Australia by Roadshow Films.[3] Warner Home Video released The Lego Movie for digital download, and on DVD and Blu-ray on June 17, 2014. At the same time, a special Blu-ray 3D "Everything is Awesome Edition" also includes an exclusive Vitruvius minifigure and a collectible 3D Emmet photo.[44] Overall, The Lego Movie was the fourth best-selling film of 2014, after Frozen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Guardians of the Galaxy, selling 4.9 million units and earning a revenue of $105.2 million.[45] The film was released on Ultra HD Blu-ray on March 1, 2016.[46][47] Reception Box office The Lego Movie grossed $258 million in the United States and Canada and $212.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $470.7 million.[8] Deadline Hollywood calculated the film's net profit as $229 million, accounting for production budgets, marketing, talent participations, and other costs; box office grosses and home media revenues placed it third on their list of 2014's "Most Valuable Blockbusters".[48] In the United States and Canada, The Lego Movie was released with The Monuments Men and Vampire Academy on February 7, 2014. It earned $17.2 million on its first day,[49] including $425,000 from Thursday night previews.[50] During its opening weekend, the film earned $69.1 million from 3,775 theaters.[49] Upon its debut, it achieved the second-highest February opening weekend, behind The Passion of the Christ.[51] The Lego Movie attracted a mostly diverse audience, with about 64 percent for Caucasians, Hispanic 16 percent, African-American 12 percent, and Asian 8 percent,[52] as well as 41 percent being under 18 years of age.[53] Its second weekend earnings dropped by 28 percent to $49.8 million,[54] and followed by another $31.3 million the third weekend.[55] The latter made it the second-highest third weekend for any animated film, trailing only behind Shrek 2.[56] The Lego Movie completed its theatrical run in the United States and Canada on September 4, 2014.[57] Worldwide, The Lego Movie earned $69.1 million in its opening weekend in 34 markets.[58] On its opening weekend elsewhere, the top countries were the United Kingdom ($13.4 million),[59] Australia ($5.7 million),[60] Russia ($3.9 million),[61] Mexico ($3.8 million),[58] and France ($3.1 million).[62] The film had the strongest start for a non-sequel animated film in the United Kingdom ahead of The Simpsons Movie and Up.[63] It would remain as the country's highest opening weekend for a 2014 film until it was surpassed by The Amazing Spider-Man 2 that spring.[64] As of March 2022, its top international markets were the United Kingdom ($57 million), Australia ($20 million), and Germany ($13.1 million).[65] Critical response The Lego Movie was met with universal acclaim.[66] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 96% of 259 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The critical consensus reads, "Boasting beautiful animation, a charming voice cast, laugh-a-minute gags, and a surprisingly thoughtful story, The Lego Movie is colorful fun for all ages."[67] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 83 out of 100, based on 43 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[68] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[49] The film's live-action set as publicly exhibited at Legoland California during 2014 Michael Rechtshaffen of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Arriving at a time when feature animation was looking and feeling mighty anemic...The LEGO Movie shows 'em how it's done",[69] with Peter Debruge of Variety adding that Lord and Miller "irreverently deconstruct the state of the modern blockbuster and deliver a smarter, more satisfying experience in its place, emerging with a fresh franchise for others to build upon".[70] Susan Wloszczyna of RogerEbert.com gave the film four stars out of four, writing, "It still might be a 100-minute commercial, but at least it's a highly entertaining and, most surprisingly, a thoughtful one with in-jokes that snap, crackle and zoom by at warp speed."[71] Tom Huddleston of Time Out said, "The script is witty, the satire surprisingly pointed, and the animation tactile and imaginative."[72] Drew Hunt of the Chicago Reader said the filmmakers "fill the script with delightfully absurd one-liners and sharp pop culture references",[73] with A. O. Scott of The New York Times noting that, "Pop-culture jokes ricochet off the heads of younger viewers to tickle the world-weary adults in the audience, with just enough sentimental goo applied at the end to unite the generations. Parents will dab their eyes while the kids roll theirs."[74] Claudia Puig of USA Today called the film "a spirited romp through a world that looks distinctively familiar, and yet freshly inventive".[75] Liam Lacey of The Globe and Mail asked, "Can a feature-length toy commercial also work as a decent kids' movie? The bombast of the G.I. Joe and Transformers franchises might suggest no, but after an uninspired year for animated movies, The Lego Movie is a 3-D animated film that connects."[76] Joel Arnold of NPR acknowledged that the film "may be one giant advertisement, but all the way to its plastic-mat foundation, it's an earnest piece of work—a cash grab with a heart".[77] Peter Travers of Rolling Stone called the film "sassy enough to shoot well-aimed darts at corporate branding".[78] Michael O'Sullivan of The Washington Post said that, "While clearly filled with affection for—and marketing tie-ins to—the titular product that's front and center, it's also something of a sharp plastic brick flung in the eye of its corporate sponsor."[79] Moira MacDonald of The Seattle Times, while generally positive, found "it falls apart a bit near the end".[80] Alonso Duralde of The Wrap said the film "will doubtless tickle young fans of the toys. It's just too bad that a movie that encourages you to think for yourself doesn't follow its own advice."[81] Sandie Angulo Chen of Common Sense Media give a rate four stars out of five, saying that "hilarious toy tale plugs product but is non-stop fun."[82] The Lego Movie was included on a number of best-of lists. It was listed on many critics' top ten lists in 2014, ranking fifteenth.[83] Several publications have listed the film as one of the best animated films, including: Insider, USA Today (2018),[84][85] Rolling Stone (2019),[86] Parade, Time Out New York, and Empire (all 2021).[87][88][89] The film was also named by filmmaker Edgar Wright and Time film critic Richard Corliss as one of their favorite films of 2014 and acclaimed actress Tilda Swinton named it her favorite film of 2014.[90][91] Other response Conservative political commentator Glenn Beck praised the film for avoiding "the double meanings and adult humor I just hate".[92] Oscar host Neil Patrick Harris referenced The Lego Movie not being nominated for Best Animated Feature, which many critics considered a snub, saying prior to the award's presentation, "If you're at the Oscar party with the guys who directed The Lego Movie, now would be a great time to distract them."[93] U.S. Senator Ron Johnson criticized the film's anti-corporate message, saying that it taught children that "government is good and business is bad", citing the villain's name of Lord Business. "That's done for a reason", Johnson told WisPolitics.com, "They're starting that propaganda, and it's insidious". The comments were criticized by many, and Russ Feingold brought up the comments on the campaign trail during his 2016 Senate bid against Johnson.[94] Accolades Main article: List of accolades received by The Lego Movie At the 87th Academy Awards, The Lego Movie received a nomination for Best Original Song.[95] Its other nominations include six Annie Awards (winning one),[96] a British Academy Film Award (which it won),[97] two Critics' Choice Movie Awards (winning one),[98] and a Golden Globe Award.[99] The National Board of Review named The Lego Movie one of the ten-best films of 2014; it also won Best Original Screenplay.[100] Other media In 2014, an adventure video game, The Lego Movie Videogame, was released for multiple platforms.[101] Lego Dimensions (2015) features characters from several media franchises, including The Lego Movie.[102][103] The Lego Movie: 4D – A New Adventure is a 4-D film at Legoland Florida, that has been in operation since 2016. Written and directed by Rob Schrab, the 12-minute attraction stars A.J. LoCascio as Emmet, with Banks, Brie, Day, and Offerman reprising their respective roles; while Patton Oswalt plays President Business's brother, Risky Business.[104][105] Follow-ups See also: The Lego Movie (franchise) Warner Bros. released two spin-offs in 2017: The Lego Batman Movie and The Lego Ninjago Movie.[106] Both films set in different universes apart from The Lego Movie one.[107][108] The Lego Batman Movie was considered a success,[109] while The Lego Ninjago Movie was a failure.[110] A television series Unikitty! (2017–2020) focuses on the eponymous character (Tara Strong) and her friends.[111] The Lego Movie was followed by The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part in 2019.[112] Following the financial failures of both The Lego Ninjago Movie and The Lego Movie 2,[113][114] Universal Pictures set a five-year film deal with The Lego Group.

The Truman Show is a 1998 American psychological comedy drama film[4] written and co-produced by Andrew Niccol, and directed by Peter Weir. The film depicts the story of Truman Burbank (played by Jim Carrey), a man who is unaware that he is living his entire life on a colossal soundstage, and that it is being filmed and broadcast as a reality television show which has a huge international following. All of his friends and family and members of his community are paid actors whose job it is to sustain the illusion and keep Truman in the dark about the fiction he is living. The movie's supporting cast includes Laura Linney, Ed Harris, Noah Emmerich, Natascha McElhone, Holland Taylor, Paul Giamatti, and Brian Delate. Niccol's original spec script was more of a science-fiction thriller, with the story set in New York City. Producer Scott Rudin purchased the script and set up production at Paramount Pictures. Brian De Palma was to direct before Weir signed as director, making the film for $60 million—$20 million less than the original estimate. Niccol rewrote the script while the crew was waiting for Carrey to sign. The majority of filming took place at Seaside, Florida, a master-planned community located in the Florida Panhandle. The Truman Show held its world premiere in Los Angeles on June 1, 1998, and was released in North America on June 5. The film was a financial success, grossing $264 million worldwide, debuting to critical acclaim, and earned numerous nominations at the 71st Academy Awards, 56th Golden Globe Awards, 52nd British Academy Film Awards, and 25th Saturn Awards. The Truman Show has been analyzed as an exploration of simulated reality, existentialism, surveillance, metaphilosophy, privacy, and reality television, and described as a genre-blending work that features elements of dystopian fiction, meta fiction, psychological drama, romantic comedy, satire, and social science fiction. Plot Selected at birth and legally adopted by a television studio following an unwanted pregnancy, Truman Burbank is the unsuspecting star of The Truman Show, a reality television program filmed and broadcast worldwide, 24/7, through approximately five thousand hidden cameras. Truman's hometown, Seahaven Island, is set inside an enormous soundstage, which allows Christof, the show's creator and executive producer, to control most aspects of Truman's life, including the weather. Truman's world is populated by actors and crew members who serve as his community, while carefully keeping him from discovering the truth. They also earn revenue for the show by cleverly-disguised product placement. To prevent Truman from escaping this world, Christof orchestrated scenarios to instill thalassophobia, such as the "death" of Truman's father in a boating disaster. The rest of the cast reinforces Truman's anxieties by messages about the dangers of traveling and the virtues of staying home. Truman is intended by the producers to fall in love with and marry fellow student Meryl, but during his college years he develops feelings for Sylvia, an extra. Sylvia sympathizes with Truman's plight and tries to tell him his life is a fiction, but she is fired and forcibly removed from the set before she can convince him. Truman marries Meryl, but his marriage is stilted and passionless, and he secretly continues to imagine a life with Sylvia; he dreams of traveling to Fiji, where he was told she had moved. Meanwhile, in the real world, Sylvia joins "Free Truman", an activist group that calls for Truman's liberation from what they see as a prison. As the show approaches its 30th anniversary, Truman begins to notice unusual occurrences: a stage light which serves as the star Sirius in the night sky falls and nearly hits him; an isolated patch of rain falls only over him; he accidentally overhears the crew's radio transmissions describing his movements through town; and the reappearance of his supposedly drowned father, who is rushed away by crew members before Truman can confront him. Truman suspects that the city revolves around him, and begins questioning his life and asking who he sees as his closest confidants to help him solve the mystery. Truman's suspicions culminate in an attempt to escape the island as increasingly implausible occurrences attempt to block his path. Eventually, he is caught and returned home under a flimsy pretext. There he confronts Meryl and challenges the sincerity of their marriage. Panicking, Meryl tries to change the subject by performing a product placement, causing Truman to snap and hold her at knifepoint. In the ensuing confrontation, Meryl breaks character and is later removed from the show. Hoping to bring Truman back to a controllable state, Christof reintroduces his father to the show under the guise of him having developed amnesia after the boating accident. The show regains its ratings, and Truman seems to return to his routines. One night, however, Christof discovers that Truman has begun sleeping in his basement. Disturbed by this change in behavior, Christof sends Truman's best friend Marlon to visit, and discovers that Truman has disappeared through a makeshift tunnel in the basement. Christof suspends the broadcast for the first time in its history, leading to record viewing numbers. Christof orders a citywide search for Truman and is soon forced to break the production's day-night cycle to optimize the hunt. Truman is found sailing away from Seahaven, having apparently conquered his fear of water. Christof resumes the transmission and creates a violent storm in an attempt to capsize Truman's boat. Truman nearly drowns, but he continues to sail until his boat strikes the wall of the dome. Horrified, Truman looks around and finds a staircase leading to an exit door. As he contemplates leaving, Christof speaks to Truman directly in God-like fashion from the "sky," reveals the truth about the show, and encourages him to stay—claiming that there is no more truth in the real world than his artificial one. Truman utters his catchphrase: "In case I don't see you, good afternoon, good evening, and good night", bows to the audience, and exits. Viewers around the world celebrate Truman's escape, and Sylvia races to greet him. The executive producers end the program with a shot of the open exit door, leaving Christof devastated. After the broadcast ends, Truman’s viewers look for something else to watch. Cast A photograph of Jim Carrey A photograph of Laura Linney A photograph of Noah Emmerich A photograph of Natascha McElhone A photograph of Holland Taylor A photograph of Ed Harris (Top, left to right) Jim Carrey (pictured in 2008), Laura Linney (2017), and Noah Emmerich (2016); (Bottom) Natascha McElhone (2018), Holland Taylor (1994), and Ed Harris (2017) Jim Carrey as Truman Burbank. Though Robin Williams was considered for the role, Weir cast Carrey after seeing him in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, citing that Carrey's performance reminded him of Charlie Chaplin.[5] Gary Oldman did test footage for the role.[6] Carrey took the role so he would be known as a multifaceted actor, rather than being typecast in comedic roles.[7] Carrey, who was then normally paid $20 million per film, agreed to do The Truman Show for $12 million.[8] Carrey also said it was the fastest that he ever accepted a role.[9] The scene in which Truman declares "this planet Trumania of the Burbank galaxy" to the bathroom mirror was Carrey's idea.[10] Laura Linney as Hannah Gill, acting as Meryl Burbank, Truman's wife. Linney studied Sears catalogs from the 1950s to develop her character's poses.[11] Ed Harris as Christof. Dennis Hopper was originally cast in the role, but he left in April 1997 soon after filming began.[8] Hopper later stated that he was fired after two days because Weir and producer Scott Rudin had made a deal that if they did not both approve of Hopper's performance, they would replace him.[12] A number of other actors turned down the role after Hopper's departure, until Harris agreed to step in.[10] Harris considered making Christof a hunchback, but Weir did not like the idea.[5] Noah Emmerich as Louis Coltrane, playing Marlon, Truman's best friend. Emmerich has said, "My character is in a lot of pain. He feels really guilty about deceiving Truman. He's had a serious drug addiction for many years. Been in and out of rehab." Very little of this is shown in the finished film, but several deleted scenes depict Louis actively expressing guilt over Truman's situation, and in one sequence, he spots Truman during his escape and purposely says nothing. His name is an amalgamation of two jazz musicians, Louis Armstrong and John Coltrane. Natascha McElhone as Sylvia, playing Lauren Garland, Truman's college schoolmate who was originally just a background character, but who Truman fell for. This relationship was the only real moment of Truman's life in Seahaven. Holland Taylor as Alanis Montclair, playing Angela Montclair, Truman's mother. Brian Delate as Walter Moore, playing Truman's father Kirk Burbank. Paul Giamatti as Simeon, the control room director. Una Damon as Chloe, Christof's control room assistant. Peter Krause as an unnamed actor playing Laurence, Truman's boss. Harry Shearer as Mike Michaelson, a TV talk-show host. Philip Baker Hall as the network executive. Joel McKinnon Miller as a garage attendant. Production Development This house in Seaside, Florida, served as Truman's home. The house is owned by the Gaetz family, which includes U.S. politicians Don and Matt Gaetz. Andrew Niccol completed a one-page film treatment titled The Malcolm Show in May 1991.[13] The original draft was more in tone of a science fiction thriller, with the story set in New York City.[11][14] Niccol stated, "I think everyone questions the authenticity of their lives at certain points. It's like when kids ask if they're adopted."[15] In the fall of 1993,[16] producer Scott Rudin purchased the script for slightly over $1 million.[17] Paramount Pictures agreed to distribute. Part of the deal called for Niccol to make his directing debut, though Paramount executives felt the estimated $80 million budget would be too high for him.[18] In addition, Paramount wanted to go with an A-list director, paying Niccol extra money "to step aside". Brian De Palma was under negotiations to direct before he left United Talent Agency in March 1994.[16] Directors who were considered after De Palma's departure included Tim Burton, Sam Raimi, Terry Gilliam, David Cronenberg, Barry Sonnenfeld and Steven Spielberg before Peter Weir signed on in early 1995,[5][19] following a recommendation of Niccol.[15] Bryan Singer wanted to direct but Paramount decided to go with the more experienced Weir.[20] Weir wanted the film to be funnier, feeling that Niccol's script was too dark, and declaring, "where [Niccol] had it depressing, I could make it light. It could convince audiences they could watch a show in this scope 24/7." Niccol wrote sixteen drafts of the script before Weir considered the script ready for filming. Later in 1995, Jim Carrey signed to star,[11] but because of commitments with The Cable Guy and Liar Liar, he would not be ready to start filming for at least another year.[5] Weir felt Carrey was perfect for the role and opted to wait for another year rather than recast the role.[11] Niccol rewrote the script twelve times,[5] while Weir created a fictionalized book about the show's history. He envisioned backstories for the characters and encouraged actors to do the same.[11] Weir scouted locations in Eastern Florida but was dissatisfied with the landscapes. Sound stages at Universal Studios were reserved for the story's setting of Seahaven before Weir's wife Wendy Stites introduced him to Seaside, Florida, a "master-planned community" located in the Florida Panhandle. Pre-production offices were immediately opened in Seaside, where the majority of filming took place. The scenes of Truman's house were filmed at a residence owned by the Gaetz family, which included Florida State Senator Don Gaetz and U.S. representative Matt Gaetz.[21] The scene at the Seahaven Nuclear Power Station was filmed outside the front entrance of the Lansing Smith Generating Plant at Lynn Haven, operated then by Gulf Power. Other scenes were shot at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, California.[10] Norman Rockwell paintings and 1960s postcards were used as inspiration for the film's design.[22][23] Weir, Peter Biziou and Dennis Gassner researched surveillance techniques for certain shots.[22] Filming Filming took place from December 9, 1996, to April 21, 1997.[24][25] Its overall look was influenced by television images, particularly commercials: Many shots have characters leaning into the lens with their eyes wide open, and the interior scenes are heavily lit because Weir wanted to remind viewers that "in this world, everything was for sale".[22] Those involved in visual effects work found the film somewhat difficult to make because 1997 was the year many visual effects companies were trying to convert to computer-generated imagery (CGI).[23] CGI was used to create the upper halves of some of the larger buildings in the film's downtown set. Craig Barron, one of the effects supervisors, said that these digital models did not have to look as detailed and weathered as they normally would in a film because of the artificial look of the entire town, although they did imitate slight blemishes found in the physical buildings.[26] Soundtrack Main article: The Truman Show: Music from the Motion Picture The Truman Show: Music from the Motion Picture is a soundtrack to the 1998 film of the same name and was composed by Burkhard Dallwitz. Dallwitz was hired after Peter Weir received a tape of his work while in Australia for the post-production.[27] Some parts of the soundtrack were composed by Philip Glass.[28] Philip Glass also appears in the film as an uncredited cameo playing his composition "Truman Sleeps". Also featured are Frédéric Chopin's second movement (Romanze-Larghetto) from his First Piano Concerto, performed by the New Symphony Orchestra of London under the direction of Stanisław Skrowaczewski with pianist Artur Rubinstein; Wojciech Kilar's Father Kolbe's Preaching performed by the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra; as well as the song 20th Century Boy performed by rockabilly band The Big Six.[29][30] Although not included on the soundtrack CD, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Rondo alla turca from his Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major, performed by Wilhelm Kempff, and his Horn Concerto No. 1, performed by the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra; plus "Love Is Just Around the Corner" by Jackie Davis were also featured in the film. Themes Media "This was a dangerous film to make because it couldn't happen. How ironic." Director Peter Weir on The Truman Show predicting the rise of reality television[10] In 2008, Popular Mechanics named The Truman Show as one of the 10 most prophetic science fiction films. Journalist Erik Sofge argued that the story reflects the falseness of reality television. "Truman simply lives, and the show's popularity is its straightforward voyeurism. And, like Big Brother, Survivor, and every other reality show on the air, none of his environment is actually real." He deemed it an eerie coincidence that Big Brother made its debut a year after the film's release, and he also compared the film to the 2003 program The Joe Schmo Show: "Unlike Truman, Matt Gould could see the cameras, but all of the other contestants were paid actors, playing the part of various reality-show stereotypes. While Matt eventually got all of the prizes in the rigged contest, the show's central running joke was in the same existential ballpark as The Truman Show."[31] Weir declared, "There has always been this question: Is the audience getting dumber? Or are we filmmakers patronizing them? Is this what they want? Or is this what we're giving them? But the public went to my film in large numbers. And that has to be encouraging."[15] Ronald Bishop's paper in the Journal of Communication Enquiry suggested The Truman Show showcased the power of the media. Truman's life inspires audiences around the world, meaning their lives are controlled by his. Bishop commented, "In the end, the power of the media is affirmed rather than challenged. In the spirit of Antonio Gramsci's concept of hegemony, these films and television programs co-opt our enchantment (and disenchantment) with the media and sell it back to us."[32][33] In her essay "Reading The Truman Show inside out", Simone Knox argues that the film itself tries to blur the objective perspective and the show-within-the-film. Knox also draws a floor plan of the camera angles of the first scene.[34] Psychoanalytic interpretation An essay published in the International Journal of Psychoanalysis analyzed Truman as a prototypical adolescent at the beginning of the movie. He feels trapped into a familial and social world to which he tries to conform while being unable to entirely identify with it, believing that he has no other choice (other than through the fantasy of fleeing to a far-way island). Eventually, Truman gains sufficient awareness of his condition to "leave home"—developing a more mature and authentic identity as an adult, leaving his child-self behind and becoming a True-man.[35] For the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, its official poster pays homage to the film and its final scene with their website stating that "Peter Weir and Andrew Niccol's The Truman Show (1998) is a modern reflection of Plato's cave and the decisive scene urges viewers to not only experience the border between reality and its representation but to ponder the power of fiction, between manipulation and catharsis."[36] Similarity to Utopia Parallels can be drawn from Thomas More's 1516 book Utopia, in which More describes an island with only one entrance and only one exit. Only those who belonged to this island knew how to navigate their way through the treacherous openings safely and unharmed. This situation is similar to The Truman Show because there are limited entryways into the world that Truman knows. Truman does not belong to this utopia into which he has been implanted, and childhood trauma rendered him frightened of the prospect of ever leaving this small community. Utopian models of the past tended to be full of like-minded individuals who shared much in common, comparable to More's Utopia and real-life groups such as the Shakers and the Oneida Community.[37] It is clear that the people in Truman's world are like-minded in their common effort to keep him oblivious to reality. The suburban "picket fence" appearance of the show's set is reminiscent of the "American Dream" of the 1950s. The "American Dream" concept in Truman's world serves as an attempt to keep him happy and ignorant.[37] Release Originally set for August 8, 1997, the film's theatrical release was pushed back initially to November 14, 1997, and then to the summer of 1998.[38][39] NBC purchased broadcast rights in December 1997, roughly eight months before the film's release.[40] In March 2000, Turner Broadcasting System purchased the rights, and now airs the film on TBS.[41] Home media Paramount Home Entertainment released the film on VHS on January 12, 1999,[42] followed by DVD on January 26 that same year,[43] and a "Special Edition" re-release on August 23, 2005.[44] It was later released on Blu-ray on December 30, 2008.[45] An Ultra HD Blu-ray was released on July 4, 2023, in celebration of the film's 25th anniversary.[46][47][48][49][50] Reception Critical response On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, The Truman Show holds a 94% approval rating based on 162 reviews, with an average rating of 8.50/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A funny, tender, and thought-provoking film, The Truman Show is all the more noteworthy for its remarkably prescient vision of runaway celebrity culture and a nation with an insatiable thirst for the private details of ordinary lives."[51] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 90 out of 100 based on 30 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[52] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale.[53] Giving the film a perfect four star score, Roger Ebert compared it to Forrest Gump, claiming that the film had the right balance of comedy and drama. He was also impressed with Jim Carrey's dramatic performance.[54] Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "The Truman Show is emotionally involving without losing the ability to raise sharp satiric questions as well as get numerous laughs. The rare film that is disturbing despite working beautifully within standard industry norms."[55] He would name it the best movie of 1998.[56] In June 2010, Entertainment Weekly named Truman one of the 100 Greatest Characters of the Last 20 Years.[57] James Berardinelli liked the film's approach of "not being the casual summer blockbuster with special effects", and he likened Carrey's "[charismatic], understated and effective" performance to those of Tom Hanks and James Stewart.[58] Jonathan Rosenbaum of the Chicago Reader wrote, "Undeniably provocative and reasonably entertaining, The Truman Show is one of those high-concept movies whose concept is both clever and dumb."[59] Tom Meek of Film Threat said the film was not funny enough but still found "something rewarding in its quirky demeanor".[60] Accolades Award Category Nominee(s) Result Ref. Academy Awards Best Director Peter Weir Nominated [61] Best Supporting Actor Ed Harris Nominated Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen Andrew Niccol Nominated American Comedy Awards Funniest Actor in a Motion Picture (Leading Role) Jim Carrey Nominated ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards Top Box Office Films Burkhard Dallwitz and Philip Glass Won Australasian Performing Right Association Awards Best Film Score Burkhard Dallwitz Nominated Australian Film Institute Awards Best Foreign Film Peter Weir and Scott Rudin Won Blockbuster Entertainment Awards Best Actor – Drama Jim Carrey Nominated Best Supporting Actor – Drama Ed Harris Won Best Supporting Actress – Drama Laura Linney Nominated British Academy Film Awards Best Film Scott Rudin, Andrew Niccol, Edward S. Feldman, and Adam Schroeder Nominated [62] Best Direction Peter Weir Won Best Actor in a Supporting Role Ed Harris Nominated Best Original Screenplay Andrew Niccol Won Best Cinematography Peter Biziou Nominated Best Production Design Dennis Gassner Won Best Special Effects Michael J. McAlister, Brad Kuehn, Craig Barron, and Peter Chesney Nominated British Society of Cinematographers Awards Best Cinematography in a Theatrical Feature Film Peter Biziou Nominated [63] Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Film Nominated [64] Best Director Peter Weir Nominated Best Actor Jim Carrey Nominated Best Screenplay Andrew Niccol Nominated Best Original Score Burkhard Dallwitz Won Chlotrudis Awards Best Screenplay Andrew Niccol Nominated [65] Costume Designers Guild Awards Excellence in Costume Design for Film Marilyn Matthews Nominated [66] Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Picture Nominated [67] Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture Nominated Best Actor Jim Carrey Won Best Screenplay Andrew Niccol Won Directors Guild of America Awards Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures Peter Weir Nominated [68] Empire Awards Best Film Nominated [69] European Film Awards Best Non-European Film Peter Weir Won Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Best Foreign Film Won Florida Film Critics Circle Awards Best Director Peter Weir Won [70] Fotogramas de Plata Best Foreign Film Won Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated [71] Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama Jim Carrey Won Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Ed Harris Won Best Director Peter Weir Nominated Best Screenplay Andrew Niccol Nominated Best Original Score Burkhard Dallwitz and Philip Glass Won Golden Reel Awards Best Sound Editing – Foreign Feature Lee Smith, Karin Whittington, Rick Lisle, Peter Townend, Tim Jordan, Andrew Plain, Nicholas Breslin, and Maureen Rodbard-Bean Nominated Hugo Awards Best Dramatic Presentation Peter Weir and Andrew Niccol Won [72] Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Movie Actor Jim Carrey Nominated London Film Critics Circle Awards Film of the Year Won Director of the Year Peter Weir Won Screenwriter of the Year Andrew Niccol Won Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards Best Production Design Dennis Gassner Runner-up [73] Movieguide Awards Grace Award Jim Carrey Won MTV Movie Awards Best Movie Nominated Best Male Performance Jim Carrey Won Nastro d'Argento Best Foreign Director Peter Weir Nominated Best Male Dubbing Roberto Pedicini (for the dubbing of Jim Carrey) Won National Board of Review Awards Best Supporting Actor Ed Harris Won [74] Online Film & Television Association Awards Best Picture Scott Rudin, Andrew Niccol, Edward S. Feldman, and Adam Schroeder Nominated [75] Best Drama Picture Nominated Best Director Peter Weir Nominated Best Actor Jim Carrey Nominated Best Drama Actor Nominated Best Supporting Actor Ed Harris Nominated Best Original Screenplay Andrew Niccol Nominated Best Cinematography Peter Biziou Nominated Best Film Editing William M. Anderson and Lee Smith Nominated Best Production Design Dennis Gassner and Nancy Haigh Nominated Best Drama Score Burkhard Dallwitz and Philip Glass Won Best Sound Nominated Best Ensemble Nominated Best Drama Ensemble Nominated Best Titles Sequence Won Best Cinematic Moment "Truman Decides His Fate After Talking to Christof" Nominated Film Hall of Fame: Productions Inducted [76] Online Film Critics Society Awards Best Film Nominated [77] Best Director Peter Weir Nominated Best Supporting Actor Ed Harris Nominated Best Screenplay Andrew Niccol Won Best Editing William M. Anderson and Lee Smith Nominated Robert Awards Best American Film Peter Weir Won Satellite Awards Best Art Direction Dennis Gassner Won [78] Saturn Awards Best Fantasy Film Won [79] Best Actor Jim Carrey Nominated Best Supporting Actor Ed Harris Nominated Best Director Peter Weir Nominated Best Writing Andrew Niccol Won Southeastern Film Critics Association Awards Best Picture 3rd Place [80] Best Director Peter Weir Nominated Best Supporting Actor Ed Harris Won Turkish Film Critics Association Awards Best Foreign Film 3rd Place Valladolid International Film Festival Golden Spike Peter Weir Nominated Writers Guild of America Awards Best Screenplay – Written Directly for the Screen Andrew Niccol Nominated [81] Young Artist Awards Best Family Feature Film – Drama Nominated [82] Possible sequel show Screenwriter Andrew Niccol had pitched a sequel show to the Truman Show. This was his pitch:[83][84] There has been talk of doing a musical – believe it or not – or a series. When it's a different art form, I don't think it takes anything away from the original. In my version of a series, I thought it would be fun, if after Truman walked through the sky, the audience clamored for more (which you sense at the end of the film). I imagine there would be a network with multiple channels all starring a subject born on the show. If I set it in New York City, there would be girl living on the Upper East Side, a boy from Harlem, a kid from Chinatown, etc. Since they are all on their own channel and move in their own circles, they are never meant to meet. But at the end of the first season, the boy from Harlem and the rich girl find themselves drawn to each other. They both sense that the other is acting differently from anyone they've ever met...because for the first time, they've met someone who is not acting! (In the second season, the Network would desperately try to kill off their romance.) — Andrew Niccol The Truman Show delusion Main article: Truman Show delusion Joel Gold, a psychiatrist at the Bellevue Hospital Center, revealed that by 2008, he had met five patients with schizophrenia (and had heard of another twelve) who believed their lives were reality television shows. Gold named the syndrome "The Truman Show delusion" after the film and attributed the delusion to a world that had become hungry for publicity. Gold stated that some patients were rendered happy by their disease, while "others were tormented". One traveled to New York to check whether the World Trade Center had actually fallen—believing the 9/11 attacks to be an elaborate plot twist in his personal storyline. Another came to climb the Statue of Liberty, believing that he would be reunited with his high school girlfriend at the top and finally be released from the show.[85] In August 2008, the British Journal of Psychiatry reported similar cases in the United Kingdom.[86] The delusion has informally been referred to as "Truman syndrome", according to an Associated Press story from 2008.[87] After hearing about the condition, Andrew Niccol, writer of The Truman Show, said: "You know you've made it when you have a disease named after you.

German Language Film with NO SUBTITLES. Jud Süß (pronounced [juːt zyːs], 'Süss, the Jew')[1] is a 1940 Nazi German historical drama/propaganda film produced by Terra Film at the behest of Joseph Goebbels. Considered one of the most antisemitic films of all time,[2] the film was directed by Veit Harlan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Eberhard Wolfgang Möller and Ludwig Metzger. It stars Ferdinand Marian and Kristina Söderbaum with Werner Krauss and Heinrich George in key supporting roles.[3] The film has been characterized as "one of the most notorious and successful pieces of antisemitic film propaganda produced in Nazi Germany."[4] It was a great success in Germany, and was seen by 20 million people. Although its budget of 2 million Reichsmarks was considered high for films of that era, the box office receipts of 6.5 million Reichsmarks made it a financial success. Heinrich Himmler urged members of the SS and police to see it.[5] After the war, some of the leading cast members were brought to trial as part of the denazification process. They generally defended their participation in the film on the grounds that they had only done so under duress. Susan Tegel, author of Nazis and the Cinema,[6] characterizes their postwar attempts to distance themselves from the film as "crass and self-serving"; she argues that their motives for accepting the roles seem to have been more driven by opportunistic ambition than by antisemitism.[7] Harlan was the only major movie director of the Third Reich to stand trial for crimes against humanity. After three trials, he was given a light sentence because he convinced the courts that the antisemitic content of the film had been dictated by Goebbels and that Harlan had worked to moderate the antisemitism. Eventually, Harlan was reinstated as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany and made nine more films. He remained a controversial figure and the target of protests.[8] Together with Die Rothschilds and Der ewige Jude, both released in 1940, the film remains one of the most frequently discussed examples of the use of film to further the Nazi antisemitic agenda. In the 2000s, two documentary films and a drama were released that explore the history and impact of the film. Background Joseph Süß Oppenheimer Main article: Joseph Süß Oppenheimer Satirical depiction of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer with the iron gallows of Stuttgart as an emblem on the bottom. Engraving (1738) Joseph Süß Oppenheimer Joseph Süß Oppenheimer was an 18th-century court Jew in the employ of Duke Karl Alexander of Württemberg in Stuttgart. As a financial advisor for Duke Karl Alexander, he also gained a prominent position at the court and held the reins of the finances in his duchy. He established a duchy monopoly on the trade of salt, leather, tobacco, and liquor and founded a bank and porcelain factory.[9] In the process, he made multiple enemies who claimed, among other things, that he was involved with local gambling houses.[10] When Karl Alexander died suddenly, Oppenheimer was arrested and accused of fraud, embezzlement, treason, lecherous relations with the court ladies, accepting bribes, and trying to reestablish Catholicism. The Jewish community tried unsuccessfully to ransom him. After a heavily publicized trial during which no proofs of his guilt were produced, he was sentenced to death. When his jailers demanded that he convert to Christianity, he refused. He was taken to the gallows on 4 February 1738, and given a final chance to convert to Christianity, which he refused to do.[10] Feuchtwanger's novel Although the story of Duke Karl Alexander and Joseph Süß Oppenheimer constituted a relatively obscure episode in German history, it became the subject of a number of literary and dramatic treatments over the course of more than a century; the earliest of these having been Wilhelm Hauff's 1827 novella.[11] The most successful literary adaptation was Lion Feuchtwanger's novel titled Jud Süß (1925) based on a play that he had written in 1916 but subsequently withdrawn. As a Jew, Feuchtwanger did not intend his portrayal of Süß to be antisemitic but rather as a study of the tragedy caused by the human weaknesses of greed, pride, and ambition. With an interest in exploring the challenges confronting Jews in the Diaspora,[12] Feuchtwanger was particularly concerned with the issues of conversion and antisemitism.[13] He was particularly struck by the fact that Süß could have saved himself by converting to Christianity but had steadfastly refused to do so, opting instead to return to formal Jewish observance and piety.[14] Ashley Dukes and Paul Kornfeld wrote dramatic adaptations of the Feuchtwanger novel. A German-born American director, Lothar Mendes, directed a British film adaptation of the novel in 1934.[15] This film (entitled Power in the U.S.)[16] starred Conrad Veidt, and was an early effort to expose Nazi anti-semitism. It prompted the Nazi propaganda ministry to make their own version of the film,[citation needed] which starred the distinguished German star Werner Krauss, who had played the title role in The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari. Plot Karl Alexander, Duke of Württemberg (Heinrich George), a man much beloved by his Swabian people, is crowned Duke and swears an oath to obey the laws of the duchy "according to the traditional Württemberg loyalty and honesty." However, the Duke soon becomes frustrated because the Württemberg Diet (the provincial council) refuses him the funds needed to maintain a lifestyle comparable to his neighboring sovereigns; in particular, he wants a personal bodyguard, an opera company, and a ballet company.[17][18] Lacking funds even to purchase coronation gifts for the Duchess (Hilde von Stolz), the Duke sends a courtier to Frankfurt to borrow money from Joseph Süß Oppenheimer (Ferdinand Marian). Süß shows the emissary jewels and jewelry that are obviously beyond the Duke's means and then says that it would be his honor to provide the Duke with jewelry at a substantial discount. However, Süß insists on presenting the items to the Duke personally despite the Judensperre — a ban against Jews entering the city — that has been in force for over a century. Armed with a pass from the Duke, Süß cuts his hair, shaves his beard, and dons "Christian" clothes so that he can enter Württemberg disguised as a Christian.[17] As his carriage is involved in an accident, Süß gains a lift from Dorothea Sturm (Kristina Söderbaum) to the city. The Duke is delighted with the jewelry, and Süß willingly defers payment. Süß offers to provide financing for the Duke's bodyguard, opera, and ballet as well.[17] Eventually, the Duke discovers that he owes Süß 350,000 thalers, but Süß demurs, saying that all he wants in "payment" is the authority to maintain the roads and bridges of the duchy for 10 years—and the right to levy tolls for their use and upkeep. The Duke will receive a percentage of the proceeds, thereby freeing him from the financial limits imposed by the council.[17][18][19] The new tolls cause the price of food and other essentials to rise, enriching both Süß and the Duke. Süß gains the authority to levy taxes on salt, beer, wine, and wheat as well. He also assists in procuring local women for the Duke, thus engaging in the corruption of their morals. The increase in the price of basic necessities causes the people of Württemberg to suffer great privation.[17][18][19] The oppressive taxes and brutal collection methods incite sporadic rebellions that are suppressed harshly. Süß goes so far as to destroy half of a blacksmith's house to prove his power to punish those who refuse to pay their taxes. When the blacksmith attacks Süß's coach with a sledgehammer, Süß has the blacksmith hanged, on the grounds that an attack on the Duke's minister is tantamount to an attack on the Duke himself.[17][18][19] After some initial resistance, the Duke yields to Süß's request for the repeal of the law prohibiting Jews from living in Württemberg; a horde of dirty, disreputable Jews are then shown moving into the city. Süß enables them to enrich themselves at the expense of the populace.[18] The aged rabbi Loew (Werner Krauss) criticizes Süß for his excessively opulent lifestyle as the Duke's finance minister and warns that it could be his downfall, warning that, “The Lord punishes Jews who forget who they are!” but Süß pays him no heed.[18][19] Süß relentlessly pursues Dorothea Sturm and schemes to marry her but his plans are frustrated when her father, the council chairman (Eugen Klöpfer), intervenes. Dorothea and her fiancé, Faber (Malte Jaeger), marry in secret. Süß then has Dorothea's father imprisoned—on the grounds that he is a leader of the conspiracy against the Duke.[17][18][19] When the council objects to the Duke's increasing usurpation of power and abrogation of the constitution, Süß suggests to him that this challenge to his authority can be suppressed by dismissing the council and restructuring the government so that the Duke can reign as an absolute monarch. Süß tells the Duke that he can accomplish this by hiring mercenaries and that, as a sign of their gratitude, the Jews of Württemberg will provide all the requisite funds. Süß argues that he would be most effective if the Duke were to give him a letter granting him immunity from the laws of Württemberg. The Duke refuses at first, but ultimately grants Süß's request.[17][18][19] As part of an attempt to thwart the Duke's planned coup d'état, Faber is sent on a mission to get help from outside the city but is arrested as he tries to leave the city. Despite being tortured, he refuses to reveal the identities of his co-conspirators. Dorothea goes to Süß to beg for her husband's release but Süß demands that she have sex with him as the price for her husband's freedom. Süß rapes Dorothea, who then escapes and drowns herself. Süß keeps his promise to free Faber who subsequently discovers his wife's drowned corpse.[18][19] Süß suggests to the Duke that the two of them go to Ludwigsburg on the pretext of meeting the emperor's emissary and return to Württemberg only after the planned coup has established him as an absolute monarch. However, before the foreign mercenaries arrive to effect Süß's coup, the people of Württemberg rise up under the leadership of Obrist Röder. The Württemberg soldiers refuse to fire on their fellow citizens and several of the townspeople go to Ludwigsburg to confront the Duke and Süß. As they are presenting their grievances, the Duke suffers a fatal heart attack. Süß is taken into custody by the rebels and subjected to a lengthy trial on charges that include treason and financial improprieties.[17][18][19] However, he is ultimately convicted primarily on the charge that he had sex with a Christian woman. Süß is executed, pleading to the last that he was nothing more than a "faithful servant" of the late Duke. All the other Jews are then given three days to leave Württemberg.[17][18][19][20] As the film draws to a close, a citizen of Württemberg, observing the Jews leave, comments, "May the citizens of other states never forget this lesson."[21] Cast Cast of Characters Role Played by Joseph Süß Oppenheimer Ferdinand Marian Levy, Secretary to Süß Werner Krauss Rabbi Löw Isaak Duke Karl Alexander Heinrich George Duke Alexander's wife Hilde von Stolz Dorothea Sturm Kristina Söderbaum Councilman Sturm, Dorothea's father Eugen Klöpfer Franz Joseph Freiherr von Remchingen Theodor Loos Karl Faber Malte Jaeger Colonel Röder Albert Florath Hans Bogner, a blacksmith Emil Heß Mr. Fiebelkorn Walter Werner Mr. Von Neuffer Heinrich Schroth Luziana Else Elster The Duke's black valet Louis Brody Judge Ratner Paul Mederow Production Development Goebbels' propaganda campaign photograph of Joseph Goebbels from the German Federal Archive Joseph Goebbels Adolf Hitler and the Propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels believed that film was a very potent tool for molding public opinion. The Nazi Party first established a film department in 1930 and Goebbels had taken a personal interest in the use of film to promote the Nazi philosophy and agenda. Soon after the Nazi takeover, Goebbels was insisting in speeches that the role of the German cinema was to serve as the "vanguard of the Nazi military" as they set forth to conquer the world. He asked them to "produce films with ... sharp racial contours" that portrayed men and society "as they are in reality."[22] According to Richard Levy, "Of the 1,100 feature films produced under the Nazis, only a handful demonstrated explicit antisemitic content and even there, the antisemitism was often secondary to the film's plot. ... Two films, however, both produced in 1940, were designed to translate National Socialism's antisemitic ideology to a popular audience: Der ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew, 1940) and Jud Süß (Jew Süß, 1940)."[23] In November 1938, Goebbels made a series of attacks against the Jews in the German media that, after the murder of a German diplomat in Paris by a Jew, resulted in the anti-Jewish riots known as Kristallnacht. Kristallnacht was considered by Hitler to have been a political disaster both within Germany and internationally, and he became furious with Goebbels. Not only did the brutality instigated by Goebbels evoke harsh criticism internationally, the mixed reaction in the German media evidenced a lack of broad-based support among Germans for antisemitic violence.[24] Hitler expressed his frustration and anger at the mixed response from the German media and insisted that, instead of openly calling for violence against the Jews as Goebbels had in instigating the pogrom, Nazi propaganda should "elucidate events of foreign policy" in such a way that the German people themselves would call for violence against the Jews.[24][25] In response to Hitler's reprimand, Goebbels launched a campaign to promote the antisemitic views of the Nazis to the German populace. He ordered each film studio to make an antisemitic film. Hitler preferred films such as Der ewige Jude which presented the Nazi antisemitic agenda openly and directly; however Goebbels disliked the crudeness of such straight-forward approaches, preferring the much more subtle approach of couching antisemitic messages in an engaging story with popular appeal.[26] Although Goebbels did not usually have an active role in the production of particular films, he elected to do so in the case of major propaganda films such as Jud Süß. Saul Friedländer suggests that Goebbels' intent was to counter three films whose messages attacked the persecution of Jews throughout history by producing antisemitic versions of those films with identical titles.[27] After viewing Lothar Mendes' sensitive 1934 British film Jew Süss starring an exile from Nazism, Conrad Veidt, Goebbels was adamant that "a new film version had to be made."[28][29] The film's impetus came from Joseph Goebbels' desire to make an antisemitic response to Mendes' philo-semitic film adaptation of Lion Feuchtwanger's 1925 novel of the same name.[29] Because Mendes' film was sympathetic to the subject, the scriptwriters shifted their model to Wilhelm Hauff's 1827 novella. However, even after Harlan rewrote the original script, the result was not antisemitic enough to suit Goebbels' propaganda needs, so he personally intervened in the editing process to the point of dropping some scenes and rewriting others, including making a substantial change to the film's ending to show Süß as humbled rather than defiant. Thus, the message of the film was diametrically opposed to the intent of Feuchtwanger's novel. At the same time, however, the film evokes Feuchtwanger’s texts, twisting and reversing the core of the Jewish writer’s work.[30][31] Although inspired by the historical details of Süß's life, the novel, novella, and film only loosely correspond to the historical sources available at the Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg. Christiane Schönfeld, who examines the connections between Feuchtwanger's Jud Süß play and novel and Veit Harlan's propaganda film, writes: "Lion Feuchtwanger [...] considered Harlan’s film an adaptation of his novel Jud Süß that perverted and reversed the intentions of his text, as he writes in his open letter to seven Berlin actors after having read a review of the film in an NSDAP newspaper [...]. Even without having seen the film, Lion Feuchtwanger had no doubt that Veit Harlan and his collaborators had expropriated his novel and adapted it to the purposes of Nazi propaganda. The synopsis of the film narrative provided in the review highlighted a perversion of the plot of Feuchtwanger’s text that the author instantly recognised. He identifies the focal point of the distortion when he refers to the desperate young woman and the sexual abuse she endures. She is indeed a prime example of the Nazis’ ruthless misrepresentation, and her character, her rape, and tragic death prove the Nazis’ deliberate abuse of the Jewish writer’s work."[32] Susan Tegel ascribes the genesis of the project more to opportunism than to ideological antisemitism.[7] Tegel's assessment echoes Klaus Kreimeier's assertion that the "recognized stars of the (German) stage and screen" were less aligned with the Nazi philosophy and more motivated by professional ambition and the "illusion that Goebbels would fulfill them."[33] Metzger and Möller script Ludwig Metzger had been trying to promote his proposal for a film on the life of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer since as early as 1921 but without any success. The publication of Feuchtwanger's book and Mendes' film adaptation of it irritated Metzger because of his inability to move forward such a project.[34] In January or February 1939, Metzger, now a screenwriter for Terra Filmkunst, mentioned his idea to Wolfgang Ebbecke with whom he was working on the script for Central Rio. Ebbecke shot down the idea, raising a number of objections including the existence of Mendes' British film on the same topic and the concern that German audiences might confuse the proposed film with Feuchtwanger's novel which was not antisemitic.[35] Undaunted by Ebbecke's objections, Metzger took his idea to Teich, the story editor at Terra but was once again turned down. Finally, Metzger approached Goebbels directly where his proposal was received like a "bomb hitting its target." Teich was informed that Terra should proceed with Metzger's proposal and so he reluctantly presented the idea to the head of the studio. When the studio head refused to approve the project, Goebbels ensured he was fired and replaced by Peter Paul Brauer, a minor director with no experience in producing films. As head of the studio, Brauer assigned himself the task of directing the film. However, the project stalled out for a number of reasons including challenges in recruiting a suitable cast and difficulties in producing a script acceptable to Goebbels.[21][34][36] At Goebbels' direction, Metzger was given a contract by Terra to write a script for the proposed film. He decided to base his script on the 1827 Hauff novella rather than the more recent and better known 1925 Feuchtwanger novel.[37] However, when Goebbels read Metzger's draft of the script, he deemed it to be insufficiently antisemitic for his propaganda campaign. To remedy the script's deficiencies, Goebbels assigned playwright Eberhard Wolfgang Möller to assist Metzger, even though Möller had no experience as a screenwriter. Möller's role was to ensure that the script met Goebbel's ideological objectives. Möller decided to abandon Hauff's novella as the basis of the script, dismissing Hauff as too sentimental about the "emancipation of Jews and Poles."[37] In the meantime, Brauer was working on recruiting a cast to little success. Actors considered for the lead role of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer included Gustaf Gründgens, René Deltgen, Rudolf Fernau, Richard Häusler, Siegfried Bräuer, Paul Dahlke, and Ferdinand Marian. Gründgens declined, citing his responsibilities as director of the Prussian State Theatre. Marian also declined.[35] Veit Harlan When Nazi Germany occupied Poland in September 1939, it now had the country's Jewish population of three million under its direct authority. In view of the German populace's tepid response to the orchestrated violence of Kristallnacht, the Nazis perceived an urgent need for films that would move German popular sentiment in favor of the Nazi Final Solution to the 'Jewish question'. Frustrated with the delays on the Jud Süß project, Goebbels ordered Fritz Hippler, the head of his film department, to sack Brauer and bring in Veit Harlan to take over as director.[21][36][37] After the war, Harlan claimed that no other director would touch the project and that he himself had tried to decline the role of director.[21] Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, in her 1987 memoir, wrote that Harlan had told her of Goebbels' insistence that he direct the film and of his ardent desire to avoid involvement in the project. Harlan had written to Goebbels volunteering for military service to this end.[38] Goebbels' responded to this by informing Harlan that, if he enlisted, he would do his military service at the front. According to Harlan, Goebbels screamed at him, "I can crush you like a bug on the wall!"[39] When Harlan asked Riefenstahl to intercede for him with Goebbels, she demurred citing her own conflicts with the propaganda minister. Instead of intervening on his behalf, Riefenstahl wrote that she advised Harlan to move to Switzerland; however, Harlan expressed fear for his life and the impact it would have on his wife.[40] Script rewrite According to Harlan's postwar testimony, he told Goebbels that the Metzger/Möller script was nothing more than "dramatized Stürmer", referring to the Nazi weekly propaganda publication. He argued that such a piece of poor writing would lead not to the portrayal of a "despicable Jew" but rather to just a "despicable film." Goebbels wanted Harlan to include sequences depicting Jewish ritual slaughter but Harlan demurred, arguing that portraying such cruelty would "make audiences sick to their stomachs."[41] Harlan complained to Goebbels that all the characters were negative; to this, Goebbels retorted that Harlan would not turn down the role of Richard III just because he was a negative character. However, Goebbels acceded to Harlan's insistence on rewriting the script and Harlan spent from November 1939 to March 1940 revising the script although he kept much of what Metzger and Möller had written.[21] After the war, Harlan claimed that his script was less antisemitic than the Metzger/Möller script. He even claimed that the Mendes' script was more antisemitic than his.[42] However, in rebuttal, Haggith and Newman point out that Harlan added an important sequence in which Süß is responsible for the execution of a blacksmith, a sequence which served to increase the audience's hatred for Süß.[41] Pre-production Feeling that a project of this significance required top-caliber actors and frustrated at the delay in casting the film, Goebbels personally participated in the recruitment of the lead actors. For example, he insisted that Ferdinand Marian and Werner Krauss take on key roles in the film. However, Goebbels had to employ a combination of accommodation, generous compensation, pressure, intimidation and even threats of reprisal in order to fill the lead roles in the film with the top German cinema stars of the day. Harlan claimed that "virtually every actor was performing under duress."[21] Daniel Azuelos ascribes the cast's reluctance to an unwillingness to be typecast as Jews.[43] David Welch identifies Werner Krauss as having asked Goebbels to make a public pronouncement stating that Krauss was not Jewish but merely "playing a part as an actor in the service of the State."[44] In order to address their concerns, Goebbels issued a disclaimer stating that those actors playing the parts of Jews were in fact of pure 'Aryan' blood.[45] Similarly, Josef Škvorecký also notes that all the major cast members as well as Harlan himself tried in various ways to avoid participation in the project; however Škvorecký ascribes a rather different motivation to the cast than the one that Azuelos propounds. Škvorecký attributes the reluctance of actors to participate in what he characterizes as a "politically-most-correct film" as an indication of "how aware most German artists were of the fact that antisemitism under Hitler changed from prejudice to murder." While cast members could have declined the roles that were offered to them, Škvorecký asserts that such action would have required "extraordinary courage: the dire consequences of such an act of defiance were only too easy to imagine." According to Škvorecký, "Goebbels either outwitted [the actors he desired for the cast], or knew about compromising circumstances in their lives and used this knowledge for bludgeoning them into acceptance." Elaborating on the "compromising circumstances", Škvorecký writes, "One of the paradoxes of this sinister film is how many participants in the violently racist project had either Jewish spouses or relatives, were disciples of Jewish artists and known friends of Jews, or had been—before the Nazi takeover—left-leaning intellectuals, even communists." For example, Škvorecký points out that Veit Harlan's first wife was Dora Gerson, a German-Jewish actress and cabaret singer (who was later murdered in Auschwitz). Harlan himself had flirted with socialism. Although Werner Krauss was openly antisemitic and an ardent Nazi, his daughter-in-law was Jewish. Ferdinand Marian had a half-Jewish daughter from his first marriage and the former husband of his second wife was a Jew.[46] photograph of Heinrich George and his dog taken in 1930 Heinrich George photograph of Werner Krauss Werner Krauss Heinrich George was active in the Communist party before the Nazi takeover.[46] He had worked with fellow left-wingers, the theatre director Erwin Piscator and dramatist Bertolt Brecht and had starred in the lead role of the film Berlin-Alexanderplatz (1931). After the Nazi takeover, George was identified as a "non-desirable" actor because of his earlier political affiliations and was barred from working in cinematic productions; however, he was able to reach an accommodation with the Nazi regime and was eventually appointed director of the Schiller Theater, Berlin in 1938. From that point onwards, George actively collaborated with the Nazis and agreed to star in Nazi propaganda films such as Jud Süß and Kolberg (1945) as well as appearing in numerous newsreels. George had a stocky build and a Berlin accent which made him readily recognizable to German audiences. His prestige as a leading actor of the day made him an "extraordinarily valuable catch for the Nazis."[47] Cooke and Silberman describe him as "the actor most closely tied to fascist fantasies of the autocratic and the populist leader".[48] George's affiliation with the Nazis would have fatal consequences for him after the war when the Soviets arrested him as a Nazi collaborator. He died in 1946 while interned in NKVD special camp Nr. 7 located in Sachsenhausen.[49][50] According to Harlan, it was Goebbels who insisted that Harlan's wife, Kristina Söderbaum, play the leading female role.[37]: 78–80  According to Antje Ascheid, Soderbaum is "frequently identified as most singularly representative of the Nazi ideal, as the quintessential Nazi star."[51] As a beautiful Swedish blonde, Söderbaum had the baby-doll looks that epitomized the model Aryan woman. In fact, she had already played the role of the innocent Aryan in a number of feature films and was well-known to German audiences.[52] Her youth and beauty made her a symbol of health and purity, and thus an exemplary specimen of the Nazi ideal of womanhood.[53] In a number of her films, she had been imperiled by the threat of "rassenschande" ("racial pollution").[54] Because two of her films ended with her committing suicide by drowning, she was given the mock honorary title Reichswasserleiche ('Drowned Corpse of the Reich').[55][56] Harlan argued to Goebbels that Söderbaum, having just given birth, was too weak to take on the role. Goebbels countered that a special room could be set up as a nursery and that a wet-nurse could be hired to care for the infant. He further offered to halt shooting if Söderbaum became ill. Harlan later reported that Söderbaum was so upset by the entire affair that she considered fleeing back to her native Sweden to avoid having to play the part of Dorothea. In the end, however, she decided to stay and performed the role.[21] The story was different in the case of Ferdinand Marian who is often characterized as having established a reputation as a "matinee idol". Initially, Marian was repulsed by the proposal that he play the title role of Jud Süß and demurred for almost a year. As a result, he was not confirmed in the role until about a week before shooting was scheduled to begin. According to Kristina Söderbaum, Marian was afraid that playing such an unappealing character would damage his image with film audiences. She recalled that Marian had told Goebbels that his stage persona was one of a bon-vivant and a lover and that Süß, in contrast, was a "truly unpleasant character". Goebbels rebutted Marian's argument by pointing out that he had just seen Marian's portrayal of Iago, asking "Was he a nice bon-vivant?" When Marian responded "But that was Shakespeare, Herr Minister!", Goebbels screamed into his face saying, "And I am Joseph Goebbels!"[57] Marian finally agreed to play the part of Süß for fear of reprisal against members of his family. Marian had a daughter from his first marriage to the Jewish pianist, Irene Saager. The former husband of his second wife was also Jewish, making her son (and Marian's stepson) half-Jewish.[58] Goebbels, however, used not only intimidation but also cajoling and generosity to achieve his goals. Ferdinand Marian requested compensation of 50,000 marks for taking on the role of Süß, an amount double anything he had received for previous roles. When asked to approve this amount, Goebbels did so citing the importance of the film and the need for a high-caliber cast to ensure its success.[59] According to his biographer, Friedrich Knilli, Marian never forgave himself for having accepted the role of Süß. Knilli ascribes Marian's alcoholism and alleged suicide after the war to his feelings of guilt.[58][60] Of all the cast members, Werner Krauss was the one most clearly identified as an antisemite.[61] His consummate skills in characterization had earned him the title of "the man with a thousand faces".[62] There is some difference of opinion regarding the number of roles that Krauss played in the film. While it is generally recognized that, with the exception of Marian's title role, the other five speaking parts that depicted Jews were all played by Krauss,[3] Gottfried Reinhardt asserts that Krauss played "no less than thirteen Jews" in the movie.[63] The roles that Krauss played in the film are often characterized as portraying antisemitic stereotypes. In an interview, Harlan explained that the decision to have Krauss play all the roles was "meant to show how all these different temperaments and characters—the pious patriarch, the wily swindler, the penny-pinching merchant, and so on—were all ultimately derived from the same (Jewish) root". Katrin Sieg [de] describes Krauss' face as eerily appearing in different guises whenever the camera pans across a crowd of Jews, creating what Sieg calls a "paranoid effect of déjà vu".[64] Filming Shooting began in March 1940 and, with the exception of some scenes which were shot on location in Prague, most of the filming took place at the UFA studios in Berlin Babelsberg.[28] The scenes showing the entry of the Jews into Württemberg and worshipping in a synagogue were filmed in Prague where Jewish extras were coerced into performing.[45] 120 Jews were taken from Lublin Ghetto by Harlan for use in the film.[65] The total cost was 2.081 million ℛℳ (equivalent to $9,210,804 in 2021), a rather high figure for German feature films of that era.[7][66] It earned 6.2 million ℛℳ (equivalent to $27,442,087 in 2021) at the box office for a profit of 3.172 million ℛℳ (equivalent to $14,039,726 in 2021)[66] thus making it a blockbuster in contrast to the commercial failure of Der Ewige Jude.[67] David Culbert attributes the film's box-office success in large part to "its lavish sets, its effective crowd scenes, its skillful script, and the splendid acting by most of the principals."[7] Post-production According to Harlan's postwar testimony, Goebbels was infuriated when he saw Harlan's first version of the film because it was not antisemitic enough for his purposes. Harlan reported that Goebbels accused him of being "incapable of thinking in political terms". Goebbels told him that he "should produce political films and not [the kind of] films that he would make in peacetime."[68] Goebbels' dissatisfaction was centered on the relationship between Dorothea, the leading female character and Süß. He complained that Harlan had "transformed Süß, a monster, into a Romeo."[69] Harlan testified that Goebbels removed him from the editing process and insisted on many changes, mostly with the intent of making Süß more unambiguously evil. The film was extensively re-edited to remove ambiguities that portrayed Süß in too sympathetic a light to suit Goebbels' antisemitic agenda.[58] For example, Goebbels insisted on dropping a scene in which Dorothea responds to Süß's wooing with a smile. Scenes in which Süß was depicted as "too pleasant" were simply dropped. In some scenes, new lines were scripted for Marian to read in order to make his character less sympathetic.[69] Other scenes were added including a new ending to replace the original one written by Harlan. Harlan claimed that he had wanted to make the hanging of Süß appear to have been a "great injustice."[68] For the final execution scene, Harlan had written a defiant speech in which Süß condemned the German authorities. When Goebbels was shown a rough-cut copy, he was infuriated, insisting that Süß must not be portrayed in any way as a martyr. Demanding that Süß must be humbled and humiliated at the end, he had Harlan's speech replaced with one in which Süß cravenly begged for his life.[46][70] While Harlan's account of Goebbels' involvement in the film has been treated by a number of sources as factual, Haggith and Newman assert that "it is difficult to find any evidence of significant interference (by Goebbels) aside from casting and the appointment of Harlan." They point out that it was in Harlan's interest to shift the blame to Goebbels after the war.[17] Release and reception The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival on 8 September 1940 and received rave reviews, earning the top award.[71][note 1] Unlike most of the other major antisemitic films produced during the Third Reich, it was a great box-office success in Germany and abroad.[74] It ranked sixth out of the thirty most popular German films of the war years.[43] Within the Third Reich, it was the number one film of the 1939–1940 season, viewed by audiences totaling over twenty million at a time when the population of Germany was some seventy million.[75][76] In France, the film was released in February 1941, and was screened until 1944, gaining an estimated one million viewers.[77] Heinrich Himmler ordered that the film be shown to SS units about to be sent against Jews, to non-Jewish populations of areas where Jews were about to be deported, and to concentration camp guards.[78] Children under the age of fourteen were prohibited from seeing the film. There were reports of anti-Jewish violence after audiences viewed the film; in particular, teenagers seemed particularly prone to be instigated to violence by the film.[79] Stefan Baretzki, a guard at Auschwitz concentration camp, later said that after they were shown Jud Süß and similar films, guards would beat up Jewish prisoners the next day.[80] In early 1941, the company Nordisk Tonefilm sought permission to distribute the film in Sweden but it was banned by the Censor.[81] During the war the movie was never screened in public in Sweden, although the German embassy arranged screenings for special invitees.[82] Feuchtwanger was horrified and incensed at the way in which his work had been manipulated and distorted, calling Harlan's film a Schandwerk ("a shameful work"). In 1941, he wrote an open letter to seven actors. Based on the sentiments expressed in the letter, it appears that Feuchtwanger was shocked that these men, whom he considered colleagues and who he knew were familiar with his work, would agree to participate in Goebbels' antisemitic propaganda film.[28] Postwar legacy photograph of Veit Harland with the widow of Ferdinand Marian at Harlan's 1948 trial Harlan (right) with the widow of Ferdinand Marian at Harlan's 1948 trial In 1945, exhibition of the film in Germany was banned by decree of the Allied Military Occupation.[83] In fact, the film was banned throughout the western world and most of the extant copies were destroyed.[84] Harlan, who had later directed the propaganda movie Kolberg (1945), was the only film director of the Third Reich to be charged with crimes against humanity. Harlan defended himself asserting that he had been neither Nazi nor antisemitic. He claimed that Goebbels had controlled his work and that he should not be held personally responsible for its content.[5] He recounted the ways in which he had been forced to endure Goebbels' constant haranguing and meddling in the production of the film. In the end, the court condemned the film but exonerated the director. While Harlan had not acted nobly, the court recognized that he had operated under duress and should not be held responsible for the content of the film.[68] After the war, all the cast members also disclaimed responsibility, pleading that they had been coerced into participating in the film.[85] According to his biographer Friedrich Knilli, Marian never came to terms with his having accepted the role of Süß and became an alcoholic, dying shortly after the war in a 1946 car accident.[58] Some have attributed the accident to suicide.[60] Both Heinrich George and Werner Krauss were placed under arrest because of their past affiliation with the Nazi party.[86] Although Heinrich George had been a member of the German Communist Party before the Nazi takeover, he was nonetheless interned as a Nazi collaborator at the Soviet special camp in Sachsenhausen where he died in 1946.[87] Werner Krauss was banned from performing on stage and in films in Germany. He was required to undergo a de-Nazification process from 1947 to 1948. Ultimately, he was rehabilitated to the extent of being invited to German film festivals. In 1954, he was awarded the Order of the Federal Republic of Germany; in 1955, he received the High Decoration of the Republic of Austria.[88] In the first few years after the war, Kristina Söderbaum was often heckled off the stage and even suffered the indignity of having rotten vegetables thrown at her.[89] In subsequent years, she frequently expressed regret for her roles in antisemitic films. Although Söderbaum continued to play roles in film, she was never offered a leading role after the war. Eventually, she became a photographer of celebrities.[90] Distribution Harlan was required by court order to destroy what was then believed to be the only remaining negative of Jud Süß and he reportedly did this in April 1954. A few years later, however, copies of the film began to turn up to the embarrassment of the West German government. After a lengthy investigation, it was determined that another negative existed in East Germany and it was used it to make prints that were dubbed in Arabic and distributed in Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt and Lebanon. Though that negative has never been located, it has been widely suspected that this version was produced and distributed by the Stasi or the KGB in order to arouse anti-semitism among Egyptians and Palestinians against the US-backed Israel (and henceforth, support for the Soviet-backed Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser).[34][91] In 1983, the Los Angeles-based neo-Nazi National Socialist League under Russell Veh stirred controversy in the United States when it attempted mass distribution of Jud Süß. The NSL was actively involved in the distribution of Nazi propaganda films in America, including Triumph of the Will.[92][93] The film is currently held by the F. W. Murnau Foundation. The foundation only permits screenings of the film when accompanied by an introduction explaining the historical context and the intended impact.[5] Distribution, sale and screening of the film are forbidden in Germany and Austria.[94] In July 2008, the film was publicly screened in Budapest by Sándor and Tibor Gede, Hungarian right-wing extremists.[95][96] without the permission and consent of the Murnau Foundation.[97] The Murnau Foundation protested to the Hungarian government through diplomatic channels.[98] The film is available for sale on VHS from Facets.[99][100] Analysis Historical accuracy Although the film claimed to be "historically accurate", the plot presents only a few historically accurate details and significantly departs from the historical record on a number of key points. Some of these departures were based on the Feuchtwanger novel and the Mendes' film adaptation of it; others were introduced by Goebbels and Harlan. According to Wallace, it is generally recognized that the narratives of both films are only loosely related by being rooted in the same "chapter of Wurttemberg history".[101] Joseph Süß Oppenheimer did serve Duke Karl Alexander as a court Jew. When the duke died suddenly, Süß was, in fact, brought to trial and subsequently executed in an iron cage more or less as depicted in the film. Haggith and Newman assert that much of the rest of Harlan's film is "pure invention."[37] For example, the film presents the grounds for Süß's execution as being abuse of power and sexual relations with a Christian woman. According to Shay Hazkani, these accusations are not mentioned in any of the historical essays about the real Süß.[25] Relationship to previous works cover of Lion Feuchtwanger's 1925 novel,Jud Süß Cover of Lion Feuchtwanger's 1925 novel, Jud Süß Although Lion Feuchtwanger believed that Harlan's film relied heavily on his novel,[102] Bergfelder and Cargnelli characterize the film as "based primarily on Wilhelm Hauff's novella" and assert that it only uses a few characters from Feuchtwanger's novel.[103] Even these characters and their actions are distorted to support the film's antisemitic message.[104] Because Goebbels envisioned a film that would be a response to Mendes' film adaptation of Feuchtwanger's novel, Harlan's plot shares a similar structure to the plot of the Mendes film with a few crucial changes which Feuchtwanger characterized as shameful distortions. Feuchtwanger himself referred to Harlan's film as a "Schandwerk" ("a shameful work") and wrote an open letter to seven Berlin actors, two of them having played lead roles in the film. He asserted that Harlan's film had distorted his novel so much that it was a perversion of it. He further called into question their motives for making the film in light of their familiarity with him and his novel.[105] Haines and Parker characterize Feuchtwanger's works and the Mendes film adaptation as "diametrically opposed to Nazi anti-Semitism."[31] For Feuchtwanger, Süß was a forerunner that symbolized the evolution in European philosophy and cultural mentality, representing a shift towards Eastern philosophy, from Nietzsche to Buddha, from "the old to the new covenant."[73][106] In his novel, Feuchtwanger portrayed greed, pride and ambition as human weaknesses found in both Jews and Gentiles and which could be overcome by the denial of desire. In contrast to Feuchtwanger's philosophical meditation on the tension between Eastern and Western philosophy, Harlan's film casts these as uniquely Jewish traits and presents Jews as a "dangerous and recklessly underestimated threat."[107] Stereotypes of Jews The film employs a number of negative stereotypes of Jews as being materialistic, immoral, cunning, untrustworthy and physically unattractive. At one extreme, Jews are portrayed as cut-throat capitalists; at the other, they are depicted as poor, filthy immigrants.[37] Mike Davis writes that "A thousand years of European anti-semitism were condensed into the cowering rapist, Süß, with his dirty beard, hook nose and whining voice."[108] The character of Süß is based on the stereotype of the grasping Jewish moneylender.[109] There is an early scene in which Süß is shown to possess a fortune in jewels and jewelry. In another, he tells an innocent German girl that his home is "the world" (reflecting the Nazi stereotype of Jews as rootless wanderers in contrast to the Germans' love of their German homeland). Several conversations between Jewish characters perpetuate the Nazi line that Jews are inherently hostile to non-Jews. According to David Welch, the Nazis issued a guide to the press explaining how to interpret the film. The guide emphasized that a key point of the film was that once Jews like Süß got into positions of responsibility and power, "they exploited power, not for the good of the community, but for their own racial ends."[110] Racial pollution Main article: Rassenschande In both Feuchtwanger's novel and Harlan's film, the dramatic climax is rape. However, Feuchtwanger posits that Süß has a hidden daughter whom the duke discovers, rapes and who then dies by drowning. The novel then focuses on Süß's grappling with the desire for revenge and the tragedy resulting from his decision to exact vengeance for the loss of his daughter. Harlan replaced the rape of Süß's daughter by the duke with Süß's rape of an Aryan woman, thus completely inverting Feuchtwanger's plot device from a father's tragic quest for vengeance to the punishment of a Jew for having sexual relations with a Christian.[53] Christiane Schönfeld writes that, "[t]he Jew as sexual beast and vampire, sucking the life spirit from individual and community alike is an all too common motif in anti-Semitic propaganda and is put to effective use in Harlan's film."[111] Michael Töteberg writes: "[Jud Süß] openly mobilized fears and sexual aggression and exploited them for anti-Semitic incitement."[112] According to Michael Kater, the film was shown to "a large number of (German) girls" in order to warn them of the "sexual devastation that Jews had wrought in the past" and to remind them of the Nuremberg Race Laws of 1935. In an interview with Der Film given before the release of the film, Harlan pointed out that Süß was ultimately sentenced to death not for his financial machinations which were technically legal but for violating an ancient law which prohibited Jews from having sexual relations with Christian women. He then cites this as being "an interesting parallel to the Nuremberg Laws.[110] There is also Süß's role as a purveyor of women for the Duke, and his relentless pursuit of an "Aryan" woman for sexual purposes, even after she rebuffs his first attempt to seduce her. From the Nazi perspective, this was Rassenschande, a racial pollution, a crime against the German blood.[113] The heroine's suicide is a proper response of a German to such a tragedy.[54] "Jew in disguise" One antisemitic theme that is introduced at the beginning of the film is the portrayal of Süß as the typical "Jew in disguise", a concept which Welch describes as "the inherent rootlessness of the Jew and his ability to assimilate himself into whichever society he chooses."[114][115] Süß is presented to the audience first in traditional ghetto attire and then a quick cutaway to a shot of him in elegant clothes riding in a carriage on his way to Stuttgart. Thus, Süß is shown to be hiding his true identity as a marginalized Jew and posing as a respected member of German society.[116] However, despite Süß's attempts to fit into Württemberg high society, Harlan will not let the audience forget that he is ultimately depicted as a "dirty Jew" and underlines this point by juxtaposing him with the elderly Rabbi Löw. In an interview with Der Film, a German film magazine, Harlan explained: It is meant to show how all these different temperaments and characters – the pious Patriarch, the wily swindler, the penny-pinching merchant and so on – are ultimately derived from the same roots. Around the middle of the film we show the Purim festival, a victory festival which the Jews celebrate as a festival of revenge on the Goyim, the Christians. Here I am depicting authentic Jewry as it was then and as it now continues unchecked in Poland. In contrast to this original Jewry, we are presented with Süss, the elegant financial adviser to the Court, the clever politician, in short, the Jew in disguise.[117] Effectiveness of the film Stephen Lee writes that Hitler's vision of the kind of film that was likely to engage the German public proved to be less effective than the more subtle approach advocated by Goebbels. For example, the "documentary film" Der Ewige Jude (The Eternal Jew) that Hitler commissioned was so crude and strident that many audiences were repelled by the grotesque imagery and the film was a box-office flop. The failure of Der Ewige Jude convinced Goebbels that the most effective approach for disseminating propaganda was subtle and indirect.[118] Lee writes that Goebbels had learned to "introduce propaganda as a subliminal message within the context of a story with which the audience could identify." The Nazi antisemitic message was more subtly and artfully presented in the feature film format that Goebbels preferred.[119] Richard Levy attributes the effectiveness of the film in part to an "arguably engaging story" and the casting of some of the leading German stars of that period including Ferdinand Marian, Heinrich George, Kristina Söderbaum, and Werner Krauss. He characterizes the film's antisemitic message as being "integrated into the film's story and strategy rather than overwhelming it or seeming to stand apart from it."[85] Edgar Feuchtwanger attributes the success of the film to it being "a combination of virulent anti-Semitism with a compelling love story, full of sex and violence."[120] However, Stephen Brockman cautions against making "all-too-sweeping assumptions" about how effective Jud Süß was as a propaganda tool. To support his argument, he points to anecdotal evidence that, rather than being perceived as a despicable Jew, Marian's portrayal of Süß was considered to be quite sympathetic; so much so that he received fan mail from women who had become infatuated with his character.[121] David Culbert notes that "[t]hose who have condemned Jew Süss as a lifeless production are presuming—understandably—a morally abhorrent film cannot possibly have redeeming artistic merit." However, Culbert argues that, while one can understand such reasoning, it is actually a fallacy. He argues that those who dismiss Harlan as a "loud-mouthed opportunist who could direct crowd scenes" have failed to understand the structure of the script whose brilliance is due to Harlan rather than to his predecessors, Metzger and Möller. Culbert attributes much of the film's success to Marian's performance. He describes Marian as making use of "techniques and gestures perfected in his stage portrayal of Iago (in Shakespeare's Othello)". According to Culbert, "the construction of [Harlan's] plot owes much to Shakespeare."[122] Recent documentary and feature films From the early 21st century the film became the subject of a number of documentary films. In 2001 Horst Königstein [de] made a film titled Jud Süß—Ein Film als Verbrechen? (Jud Süß—A Film as a Crime?). The 2008 documentary Harlan – In the Shadow of Jew Süss by Felix Moeller explores Harlan's motivations and the post-war reaction of his large family to his notoriety.[123] In 2010, Oskar Roehler directed a film titled Jew Suss: Rise and Fall (German: Jud Süss: Film ohne Gewissen, Jud Süss—film without conscience) that premiered at the 2010 Berlinale, receiving mixed reviews.[124] It dramatizes the involvement of Austrian actor Ferdinand Marian who initially turns down the role, but then gives in to Goebbels' pressure and the promise of fame.

Gregory's Girl is a 1980 Scottish coming-of-age romantic comedy film[5] written and directed by Bill Forsyth and starring John Gordon Sinclair, Dee Hepburn and Clare Grogan. The film is set in and around a state secondary school in the Abronhill district of Cumbernauld. Gregory's Girl was ranked No. 30 in the British Film Institute's list of the top 100 British films of the 20th century, and No. 29 on Entertainment Weekly's 2015 list of the 50 best high school movies.[6] Plot Gregory Underwood is a young man who plays on his school football team. They are not doing very well, so the coach holds a trial to find new players. Dorothy shows up and despite the coach's misgivings, proves to be a very good player. She subsequently takes Gregory's place as centre forward and Gregory in turn replaces his friend Andy as goalkeeper. Gregory is all for her making the team, as he finds her very attractive. He has to compete for her attention with all the other boys who share the same opinion. Gregory initially confides in his best friend Steve, the most mature of Gregory's circle of friends and asks him for help in attracting Dorothy. Steve is unable to assist him. Acting on the advice of his precocious 10-year-old sister Madeleine, he awkwardly asks Dorothy out on a date. She accepts but Dorothy's friend, Carol, shows up at the rendezvous instead and informs Gregory that something had come up; Dorothy would not be able to make it. He is disappointed but Carol talks him into taking her to the chip shop. When they arrive, she hands him off to another friend, Margo and leaves. Gregory is rather confused but goes for a walk with the new girl. On their stroll, they encounter a waiting Susan, another of Dorothy's friends and Margo leaves. Susan confesses that it was all arranged by her friends, including Dorothy. She explains, "It's just the way girls work. They help each other". They go to the park and talk. At the date's end, Gregory is more than pleased with Susan and the two kiss numerous times on his doorstep before calling it a night and arranging a second date. Madeleine, who had been watching from the window, quizzes him on his date and calls him a liar when he claims he did not kiss Susan. Gregory's friends, Andy and Charlie, are even more inept with girls but see Gregory at various times with three apparent dates and are envious of his new success. They try to hitch-hike to Caracas, where Andy has heard the women greatly outnumber the men but fail at that as well. Cast John Gordon Sinclair as Gregory Dee Hepburn as Dorothy Clare Grogan as Susan Jake D'Arcy as Phil Menzies Chic Murray as Headmaster Alex Norton as Alec John Bett as Alistair David Anderson as Gregory’s Dad Robert Buchanan as Andy Allan Love as Eric Allison Forster as Madeline Carol Macartney as Margo William Greenlees as Steve Douglas Sannachan as Billy Caroline Guthrie as Carol Graham Thompson as Charlie Andrew MacRae as Youngster Production Produced on a budget of £200,000 the film generated worldwide box office revenue of £25.8 million.[7] Many of the young actors were members of the Glasgow Youth Theatre, and had appeared in Forsyth's earlier film That Sinking Feeling (1979), including Robert Buchanan, Billy Greenlees, and John Gordon Sinclair. After casting, Hepburn was given six weeks of intense football training at Partick Thistle F.C.[7][8] Filming of exterior scenes at Gregory's school took place at Abronhill High School.[9] As the film had a small budget, the actors supplied many of their own clothes; Hepburn's white shorts were borrowed from her sister. A person in a penguin costume is seen at various points in the film for no apparent reason. Inside the suit was Christopher Higson, son of production supervisor Paddy Higson. The film was re-dubbed with rather anglicised Scottish accents for the original American theatrical release.[10][11] Both versions are available on the American DVD release from MGM Home Entertainment. The film's cast reunited for the 30th anniversary of its release in 2010,[12] and a clip from the film featuring Hepburn was part of the opening ceremony at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.[13] Release The film was released on 23 April 1981.[14] There was a charity premiere in Glasgow on 3 May 1981.[15] It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on 5 May 2014.[16] Reception Critical response Film critic Roger Ebert liked the film's direction, and wrote "Bill Forsyth's Gregory's Girl is a charming, innocent, very funny little movie about the weird kid. ... The movie contains so much wisdom about being alive and teenage and vulnerable that maybe it would even be painful for a teenager to see it. ... Maybe only grown-ups should see this movie. You know, people who have gotten over the pains of unrequited love (hollow laugh)."[17] On Sneak Previews Ebert and Gene Siskel gave it two "yes" votes, with both critics praising the film's honest depiction of the awkwardness of adolescence.[18] The staff at Variety liked the work of the young cast and Forsyth's direction, and wrote, "Filmmaker Bill Forsyth, whose friendly, unmalicious approach recalls that of René Clair, is concerned with young students (in particular, a soccer team goalie, Gregory) seeking out the opposite sex. ... As Gregory, John Gordon Sinclair is adept at physical comedy. Hepburn is properly enigmatic as the object of his desire, with ensemble approach giving Greg's precocious 10-year-old sister played by Allison Forster a key femme role."[19] Critic Richard Skorman wrote, "Forsyth does a good job of making light of the tender part in [Gregory's] teenage psyche, and his friends and little sister in particular are quirky and lovable. Unlike the film's American counterparts, Gregory's Girl is refreshingly free of mean-spirited characters and horny young studs bemoaning their virginity."[20] The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 96% of critics gave the film a positive review, based on 23 reviews.[21] Reappraisal In a retrospective appraisal of the film forty years after its release, Dr Jonny Murray, Senior Lecturer in Film and Visual Culture at Edinburgh College of Art, was quoted in The Scotsman as saying: "Gregory’s Girl is one of cinema’s true portrayals of the state of adolescence – a totally universal theme which only a few other filmmakers have been able to capture so brilliantly. Bill managed to capture not just what that looks like – but what that feels like.

Angel and the Badman is a 1947 American Western film written and directed by James Edward Grant and starring John Wayne, Gail Russell, Harry Carey and Bruce Cabot.[2] The film is about an injured gunfighter who is nursed back to health by a young Quaker woman and her family whose way of life influences him and his violent ways. Angel and the Badman was the first film Wayne produced as well as starred in, and was a departure for this genre at the time it was released.[3] Writer-director James Edward Grant was Wayne's frequent screenwriting collaborator.[2] In 1975, the film entered the public domain in the United States because National Telefilm Associates did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.[4] Plot Wounded Quirt Evans horse collapses in front of Quaker Thomas Worth's homestead. Quirt says he must get to the telegraph station. Thomas and his daughter Penelope offer to drive him into town in their wagon, to which Quirt agrees. After wiring a claim to the land recorder's office, Quirt passes out. The telegraph operator, Bradley, tells Penny that Quirt is a famous gunman, and a ladies' man. At the Worths', the doctor treats a delirious Quirt and warns the family it is dangerous to offer him shelter. Once Quirt has recovered consciousness, Penny explains the family's belief in non-violence. Laredo Stevens and three associates ride into town looking for Quirt. Penny's younger brother Johnny warns Quirt, who prepares to leave. Penny, now smitten with Quirt, offers to run off with him. Quirt checks his gun and discovers that it has been emptied just as Steven's gang arrives. Training his weapon on the doorway, Quirt calmly greets Laredo and his gang. Thinking that Quirt has the upper hand, Laredo offers to buy his claim. When Quirt sets the price at $20,000, Laredo hands over $5,000 in gold and challenges him to come for the balance when he is able. Duration: 1 hour, 39 minutes and 35 seconds.1:39:35 Angel and the Badman (full movie, public domain) Afterward, Quirt prepares to leave, but when Penny begs him to stay, he changes his mind. When Quirt learns that rancher Frederick Carson dammed the stream running through the valley, draining the Worths' irrigation ditches, he intimidates Carson into opening the dam. Penny asks Quirt to accompany the family to a Quaker meeting. Before they leave, Marshal Wistful McClintock comes to question Quirt about a stagecoach robbery. The family swears that Quirt was with them at the time. McClintock asks Quirt why he resigned as Wyatt Earp's deputy and sold his ranch, soon after Laredo gunned down Walt Ennis in a saloon brawl. When Quirt refuses to answer, McClintock leaves. When Penny begs Quirt to steer clear of Laredo, he says he will. On the way to the meeting they meet Quirt's friend Randy McCall. At the meeting Randy tells Quirt that Laredo plans to rustle a herd of cattle and suggests that they then steal the herd from Laredo and let him take the blame. Thomas presents Quirt with a Bible in gratitude for his role in ending the water feud with Carson. Fearing that he will never be able to live up to Penny's expectations, Quirt abruptly leaves with Randy. Quirt recovering under the care of the two women (from left to right: Rich, Russell, and Wayne) Quirt and Randy steal the herd from the original rustlers. They then celebrate with showgirls Lila Neal and Christine Taylor. After a bar fight, Lila teases Quirt about his Bible, who gets angry and rides back to the Worth farm. Penny is pleased, but when McClintock arrives arrives to question Quirt about the rustling, Quirt says that Lila can provide him with an alibi. Penny is hurt because she heard Quirt talk about Lila in his delirium, and thinks that Quirt prefers Lila. Quirt kisses her to show who he really prefers. McClintock warns Quirt that he is the wrong man for Penny, but Quirt proposes to her anyway. Instead of replying, Penny takes Quirt to pick blackberries. When Penny ask where he got his name he says that Walt Ennis found and raised him, and that later Ennis was murdered in a saloon brawl. On their way home, they are ambushed and chased by Laredo and Hondo. Their wagon plunges over a cliff into the river. Penny develops a fever and when the doctor tells Quirt there is no hope for her, he straps on his pistol and rides into town. After Quirt leaves, Penny's fever suddenly breaks. In town, Quirt sends Bradley to tell Laredo and Hondo that he is waiting for them in the street. The Worths arrive and Penny convinces Quirt to surrender his gun to her. As Laredo and Hondo draw their guns, McClintock shoots them both. Quirt rides off in the wagon with Penny. McClintock picks up Quirt's discarded weapon and Bradley comments that Quirt may need it, but McClintock says, "Only a man who carries a gun ever needs one." Cast John Wayne and Gail Russell John Wayne as Quirt Evans Gail Russell as Penelope Worth Harry Carey as Marshal Wistful McClintock Bruce Cabot as Laredo Stevens Irene Rich as Mrs. Worth Lee Dixon as Randy McCall Stephen Grant as Johnny Worth Tom Powers as Dr. Mangram Paul Hurst as Frederick Carson Olin Howland as Telegraph Operator Bradley John Halloran as Thomas Worth Joan Barton as Lila Neal Craig Woods as Ward Withers Marshall Reed as Nelson Paul Fix as Mouse Marr (uncredited) Hank Worden as Townsman (uncredited) Louis Faust as Hondo Jeffries (uncredited) Symona Boniface as Dance Hall Madam (uncredited) Production Filming Principal photography took place from mid-April through late June 1946, in Flagstaff and Sedona, Arizona, and in Monument Valley in Utah.[1] Soundtrack "A Little Bit Different" (Kim Gannon and Walter Kent) by Joan Barton "Darling Nelly Gray" (Benjamin Russell Hamby) by Joan Barton and Lee Dixon[5] Production credits Director – James Edward Grant Producer – John Wayne Writer – James Edward Grant Music – Richard Hageman (musical score) Cinematography – Archie Stout (photography) Art direction – Ernst Fegté (production design), John McCarthy Jr. and Charles S. Thompson (set decorations) Second unit director – Yakima Canutt Editor – Harry Keller Musical director – Cy Feuer Sound – Vic Appel Costume design – Adele Palmer Special effects – Howard and Theodore Lydecker Makeup supervision – Bob Mark Hair stylist – Peggy Gray Song In 1993, Johnny Cash wrote and sang a song inspired by this film called "Angel and the Badman." Reception Upon the film's release, The New York Times reviewer wrote, "Mr. Wayne and company have sacrificed the usual roaring action to fashion a leisurely Western, which is different from and a notch or two superior to the normal sagebrush saga."[3] The reviewer continues: James Edward Grant, who wrote and directed the story, has included the gun fights, slugging melées and scenic pursuits necessary to fill out the yarn. But, mainly, he has portrayed the change in Quirt Evans, a feared triggerman of the frontier southwest, who, when wounded, is not only nursed to health but subtly won over by Penelope Worth and her Quaker philosophy.[3] The reviewer concludes, "John Wayne makes a grim and laconic, converted renegade, who is torn by love, a new faith and the desire for revenge on an arch enemy. Gail Russell, a stranger to Westerns, is convincing as the lady who makes him see the light."[3] Remake The film was remade in 2009 for the Hallmark Channel by Terry Ingram, with Lou Diamond Phillips playing Quirt Evans and Wayne's grandson Brendan in a cameo appearance.[6] The remake also stars Deborah Kara Unger as Temperance, Luke Perry as Laredo, and Terence Kelly as Thomas. Angel and the Badman also inspired two other successful "fish out of water" films: Witness (1985) starring Harrison Ford,[7] and The Outsider (2003), starring Tim Daly and Naomi Watts.

Patrick Lancaster and his Independent Journalism reports on the barbarity of the Ukrainian Soldiers.

A helicopter views of the World Trade Center before the collapse.

Song from Borat about the horned, fanged, Jew.

In the Name of the Father is a 1993 biographical crime drama film co-written and directed by Jim Sheridan. It is based on the true story of the Guildford Four, four people falsely convicted of the 1974 Guildford pub bombings that killed four off-duty British soldiers and a civilian.[2] The screenplay was adapted by Terry George and Jim Sheridan from the 1990 autobiography Proved Innocent: The Story of Gerry Conlon of the Guildford Four by Gerry Conlon.[3] The film grossed $65 million at the box office and received overwhelmingly positive reviews. It was nominated for seven Oscars at the 66th Academy Awards, including Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis), Best Supporting Actor (Pete Postlethwaite), Best Supporting Actress (Emma Thompson), Best Director, and Best Picture. Plot In Belfast, Gerry Conlon is mistaken as an IRA sniper by British security forces and pursued until a riot breaks out. Gerry is sent to London by his father Giuseppe to dissuade an IRA reprisal against him. One evening, Gerry burgles a prostitute's flat and steals £700. While he is taking drugs in a park with his friend Paul Hill, alongside homeless Irishman Charlie Burke, an explosion in Guildford occurs, killing four off-duty soldiers plus a civilian as well as injuring many others. Returning to Belfast sometime later, Gerry is captured by the British Army and Royal Ulster Constabulary and arrested on terrorism charges. Gerry is flown to England, where he and his friend Paul together with two others are dubbed the Guildford Four and are subjected to police torture as part of their interrogation. Gerry maintains his innocence, but signs a confession after the police threaten to kill his father, who is later arrested along with other members of the Conlon family, later dubbed the Maguire Seven. At his trial, although Gerry's defence points out numerous inconsistencies in the police investigation, he, along with the rest of the Guildford Four, is sentenced to life imprisonment. During their time in prison Gerry and Giuseppe are approached by new inmate Joe McAndrew, who informs them that he was the real perpetrator of the bombing and had confessed this to the police. The police, in order to save face, withheld this new information. Though Gerry warms to Joe, his opinion changes when Joe sets a hated prison guard on fire during a riot. Giuseppe later dies in custody, leaving Gerry to take over his father's campaign for justice. Giuseppe's lawyer Gareth Peirce, who had been investigating the case on Giuseppe's behalf, discovers vital evidence related to Gerry's original alibi with a note attached that reads: "Not to be shown to the defence." Through a statement made by Charlie Burke, at a court appeal, it totally exonerates Gerry and the rest. The film ends with the current activities of the wrongly accused being given, and also by stating that the police who investigated the case were never prosecuted for any wrongdoing. The real perpetrators of the Guildford Bombing have not been charged with the crime. Cast Daniel Day-Lewis as Gerard Patrick "Gerry" Conlon Pete Postlethwaite as Patrick "Giuseppe" Conlon Emma Thompson as Gareth Peirce John Lynch as Paul Hill Corin Redgrave as Inspector Robert Dixon Beatie Edney as Carole Richardson John Benfield as Chief PO Barker Paterson Joseph as Benbay Marie Jones as Sarah Conlon Gerard McSorley as Detective Pavis Frank Harper as Ronnie Smalls Mark Sheppard as Patrick Joseph "Paddy" Armstrong Don Baker as Joe McAndrew Tom Wilkinson as an Appeal Prosecutor Anthony Brophy as Danny Model, now actress, Saffron Burrows made her feature film debut in the film, as Gerry Conlon's free love-interest at a commune/squat in London at the time of the bombings. Production To prepare for the role of Gerry Conlon, Day-Lewis lost over 23 kilograms (50 lb) in weight. To gain an insight into Conlon's thoughts and feelings at the time, Day-Lewis also spent three days and nights in a jail cell. He was prevented from sleeping by a group of thugs, who would bang on the door every ten minutes with tin cups through the night, then he was interrogated by three different teams of real Special Branch officers for nine hours. He would also insist that crew members throw cold water at him and verbally abuse him. He also kept his Belfast accent on and off set. Day-Lewis has stated in an interview that he went through all this because otherwise "How could I understand how an innocent man could sign that confession and destroy his own life."[4][5] Reception The film received very positive reviews from most critics. The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a score of 94% based on 49 reviews, with an average rating of 7.80/10. The site's consensus states: "Impassioned and meticulously observed, In the Name of the Father mines rousing drama from a factual miscarriage of justice, aided by scorching performances and director Jim Sheridan's humanist focus."[6] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 84 out of 100 based on 16 reviews indicating "universal acclaim".[7] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale.[8] The film was the second highest-grossing ever in Ireland (behind Jurassic Park), and the highest-grossing Irish film, beating the record set by The Commitments in 1991, with a gross of IR£2.91 million ($4.5 million).[9][10] Year-end lists 2nd – James Berardinelli, ReelViews[11] Top 10 (not ranked) – Dennis King, Tulsa World[12] Honorable mention – Dan Craft, The Pantagraph[13] Accolades Award Category Subject Result Australian Film Institute Awards Best Foreign Film Jim Sheridan Nominated Academy Awards Best Picture Nominated Best Director Nominated Best Adapted Screenplay Nominated Terry George Nominated Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis Nominated Best Supporting Actor Pete Postlethwaite Nominated Best Supporting Actress Emma Thompson Nominated Best Film Editing Gerry Hambling Nominated ACE Eddie Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic Nominated British Academy Film Awards Best Adapted Screenplay Jim Sheridan Nominated Terry George Nominated Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis Nominated Berlin International Film Festival Golden Bear[14] Jim Sheridan Won BSFC Award Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis Won DFWFCA Award Best Film Nominated David di Donatello Awards Best Foreign Actor Daniel Day-Lewis Nominated Best Foreign Film Jim Sheridan Won European Film Award European Film of the Year Nominated Evening Standard British Film Award Best Film Jim Sheridan Won Golden Globe Awards Best Motion Picture – Drama Nominated Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama Daniel Day-Lewis Nominated Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Emma Thompson Nominated Best Original Song ("You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart") Bono Nominated Gavin Friday Nominated Maurice Seezer Nominated Humanitas Prize Feature Film Category Terry George Nominated Jim Sheridan Nominated Nastro d'Argento European Silver Ribbon Nominated Kansas City Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actress Emma Thompson Won LAFCA Award Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis 2nd place NBR Award Top Ten Films Won NSFC Award Best Actor Daniel Day-Lewis 2nd place NYFCC Award Best Actor 3rd place PGA Award Best Theatrical Motion Picture Jim Sheridan Nominated PFS Award Exposé Won Human Rights Nominated Peace Nominated WGA Award Best Adapted Screenplay Jim Sheridan Nominated Terry George Nominated Controversy Upon its release, the film proved controversial for some historical inaccuracies and for fictionalising parts of the story. Jim Sheridan was forced to defend his choices. In 2003, he stated: "I was accused of lying in In the Name of the Father, but the real lie was saying it was a film about the Guildford Four when really it was about a non-violent parent."[15] In the film Gerry and his father Giuseppe (in the closing credits, the name is misspelled "Guiseppe") share a cell, but this never took place; they were usually kept in separate prisons. The real perpetrators of the Guildford pub bombings were the IRA's Balcombe Street Gang, who admitted to the Guildford and Woolwich bombings during their trials, rather than the fictional character of Joe McAndrew. The courtroom scenes featuring Gareth Peirce were also heavily criticised as clearly straying from recorded events and established English legal practices since, as a solicitor and not a barrister, she would not have been able to appear in court at the time. Furthermore, Peirce did not represent Giuseppe Conlon. Investigative journalist David Pallister wrote: "The myriad absurdities in the court scenes, straight out of LA Law, are inexcusable."[16] In a 1994 radio interview, Anne Maguire, a member of The Maguire Seven who, along with her husband, brother and two young sons, went to prison because of the false confessions of her nephew Gerry Conlon and Paul Hill, revealed her lingering anger and bitterness at the pair for wrongly incriminating them, as well as her dismay at the film for, in her view, depicting Conlon as a hero. (She and her family were all officially exonerated by the British government in 1991.) She also criticised director Jim Sheridan for, as she claims, never reaching out to her or her family for their side of the story, and sharply castigated the film for alleged inaccuracies, including a scene showing Conlon and Hill visiting her prior to their arrests, as she adamantly maintains that Hill never once set foot in her home -- a key point in her defense at trial.[17] Soundtrack The soundtrack of the film includes the song "You Made Me the Thief of Your Heart", performed by Sinéad O'Connor and written by Bono, Gavin Friday, and Maurice Seezer. The soundtrack also includes "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)" performed by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. However, the Bob Dylan Song "Like a Rolling Stone" was not included on the album due to licensing restrictions.

Gregory's Two Girls is a 1999 Scottish film, set in Cumbernauld and also in various locations in Edinburgh. It is the sequel to Gregory's Girl (1981), which also starred John Gordon Sinclair and was written and directed by Bill Forsyth.[1] The film received mixed reviews.[2][3] Plot Eighteen years after the events of Gregory's Girl, Gregory Underwood (Sinclair), now a 35-year-old English teacher in his former secondary school, has fantasies about 16-year-old student Frances (McKinnon). His politically motivated lessons inspire Frances and Douglas, another student, to plot to overthrow a businessman they suspect of trading in torture equipment. Cast John Gordon Sinclair as Gregory Underwood Carly McKinnon as Frances Hugh McCue as Douglas Dougray Scott as Fraser Rowan Maria Doyle Kennedy as Bel Kevin Anderson as John Martin Schwab as Dimitri Fiona Bell as Maddy Underwood Dawn Steele as Jan Reception Reviewing the film for The Guardian, Peter Bradshaw said: "This quaint film is from the stable of Forsyth movies such as That Sinking Feeling and Local Hero, and disconcertingly out of its time... all Forsyth's films have charm, including this one. But, unfortunately, Gregory's Two Girls has the unhappy distinction of being an Accidental Period Piece."[2] However, Time Out London's reviewer said: "There's still comic mileage in Gordon-Sinclair's amiable fumbling Gregory... attention is directed towards wider, broadly political issues, but Forsyth's assured craftsmanship ensures that they are deftly woven into the storytelling. Gordon-Sinclair is a revelation, and although the film suffers from a lack of pace, its wealth of human insight and the premium it places on subtlety of expression make it a rare pleasure.

“I’m an American citizen and I was shot by the IDF. Biden, what will you do?” Amado Sison was on a volunteer mission in the West Bank, when the Israeli army opened fire. He tells BT his story from the town of Beita. Anti-occupation protests in Beita have been met with rubber-coated steel billets and live ammunition. 17 Palestinian protesters have been killed there since 2020.

"If I Can Dream" is a song made famous by Elvis Presley, written by Walter Earl Brown of The Skylarks[3] for the singer and notable for its similarities with Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "I Have a Dream" speech.[4] The song was published by Elvis Presley's music publishing company Gladys Music. It was recorded by Presley in June 1968, just two months after King's assassination, and also a short time after Robert Kennedy's assassination. The recording was first released to the public as the finale of Presley's '68 Comeback Special. History Composer Billy Goldenberg and lyricist Walter Earl Brown were asked to write a song to replace "I'll Be Home for Christmas" as the grand finale on NBC's Elvis, taped from June 20–23, 1968 (now also known as ‘68 Comeback Special).[5] Knowing about Presley’s fondness for Martin Luther King Jr., and about his devastation related to his then-recent assassination in Memphis, Brown wrote "If I Can Dream" with Presley in mind. After Presley heard the demo, he proclaimed: "I'm never going to sing another song I don't believe in. I'm never going to make another movie I don't believe in".[6] According to Steve Binder, who directed Elvis' 68 Comeback Special, the song was also motivated by the assassination of Robert Kennedy which occurred a few weeks prior to its recording.[7] Binder claimed in a 2005 interview that "One night when we were rehearsing, the television set was on the other room and all of a sudden there was this moment of silence. And I said, 'I think Bobby Kennedy's just been shot'. And we all rushed into the other office and that's exactly what happened. They had live at the Ambassador Hotel, Kennedy making his speech. We were in the piano room at the time, but there was just something weird that evening and I just sensed something had gone wrong. Then we spent the whole night basically talking about the Kennedy assassination, of both Bobby and John."[7] Goldenberg removed his name from the credits to avoid a publishing dispute.[5] The song was published by Presley's company Gladys Music, Inc. After Colonel Tom Parker heard the demo of the song sent by Earl Brown, he said: "This ain't Elvis' kind of song." Elvis was also there, and after countering Parker's argument, pleaded: "Let me give it a shot, man." Binder claimed that Parker in fact wanted Elvis to "come out in a tux and sing Christmas songs."[7] Earl Brown said while Elvis recorded the song, he saw tears rolling down the cheeks of the backing vocalists. One of them whispered to him: "Elvis never sung with so much emotion. Looks like he means every word."[8] Presley associate Jerry Schilling has said, "I consider Elvis to be a writer on this song. That song was him expressing how he truly felt."[9] Recording success After filming for the TV special was complete with its eventual editing, the song was released as a single with “Edge of Reality” as the flip side on 22 November 1968, with the TV special airing 11 days later. It charted on Billboard's Hot 100 for 3 months and a week, peaking at #12, with more than one million sales;[6] although the RIAA certified the song as only gold (500,000 units shipped) as of March 27, 1992.[10] In Canada, the song peaked at #6 on RPM's top singles chart, maintaining that position for two weeks.[11] Charts Weekly charts Chart (1968–69) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report) 2 Canada RPM Top Singles[12] 6 Ireland (IRMA)[13] 13 Italy 13 New Zealand (Listener)[14] 9 South Africa (Springbok)[15] 7 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 11 U.S. Billboard Hot 100[17] 12 U.S. Cash Box Top 100[18] 9 Chart (2007) Peak position Ireland (IRMA)[19] 27 UK Singles (OCC)[20] 17 Year-end charts Chart (1969) Rank Canada (RPM)[21] 57 U.S. (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[22] 106 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[23] Gold 400,000‡ United States (RIAA)[24] Gold 500,000^ ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. Compilations The song appeared in many Presley compilations, of which many are related to the '68 Comeback Special or Inspirational collections.[25] Sony BMG remastered the song in 2004. The song is referred to as stereo mix (as opposed to the 2004 remaster honorific) in '68 Comeback Special releases after 2004. Other compilations, such as Platinum: A Life In Music, include alternative takes on the song less polished than the official takes. For instance, the background vocalists are not present in most of these takes, specifically with "If I Can Dream". According to unsubstantiated rumors, Presley nailed the perfect take after the backing vocalists left the studio.[26] In 2015, an orchestrated version was released on the album of the same name. Commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special, is an Elvis Presley concert special that aired on NBC on December 3, 1968. It marked Presley's return to live performance after a seven-year period during which he focused on his film appearances. The concert was initially planned as a Christmas special by the network and Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Producer Bob Finkel hired director Steve Binder, who, rather than creating a Christmas special, created a concert that would reflect the musical trends of the time and appeal to a younger audience. Filming took place in June 1968 at NBC Studios in Burbank, California. The special included a sit-down session that showcased Presley in an informal setting, surrounded by fans and a small band. The special received positive reviews and topped the Nielsen television ratings for the week in which it aired. It became the most-watched show of the television season, earning 42% of the television audience. Later known as the Comeback Special, it relaunched Presley's singing career. Background After he returned from serving in the United States Army in March 1960, Presley enjoyed success with his album releases. G.I. Blues, the soundtrack album to his 1960 film G.I. Blues, topped both the Billboard pop albums chart and the UK Albums Chart in October 1960. On March 25, 1961, Presley played a concert in Hawaii to benefit the construction of the USS Arizona Memorial. It would be his last public performance for seven years. Presley's next number-one album on the Billboard pop albums chart was Something for Everybody, released in June 1961.[1] Presley (left) and Joan Blondell in October 1967, featured on a publicity portrait for Stay Away, Joe. After years of working for the film industry, Presley became unhappy with the quality of his roles. Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker shifted the focus of Presley's career to films and stopped him from touring. The films were low-budget, formulaic comedies that were successful at the box office, while the resulting albums sold well. Presley attempted to move into more dramatic roles, trying to reduce the prominence of musical numbers to center on his acting with Flaming Star (1960) and Wild in the Country (1961).[2] Both releases flopped, and by 1964 Parker decided to limit all recordings exclusively to film soundtracks. Parker then set the Presley formula: the films would promote album releases, while album releases would promote the films.[3] To reduce costs, producer Hal Wallis shortened filming schedules, almost abandoning rehearsals and retakes. He stopped shooting on location; all films were to be shot in the studio, and less-experienced crews were used to reduce labor costs. Scenes were limited to long shots, medium shots and close-ups to speed the process. Meanwhile, studio recordings also declined in quality; session musicians did most of the work as Presley simply didn't have time to focus on recording. He was paid $750,000 and received 50% of the film profits for his appearance in Tickle Me (1965), a sum that consumed most of the film's budget. Because Allied Artists was experiencing financial problems, Parker inserted unused songs from other studio sessions on the soundtrack and instructed the studio to work them into the film. The tight production worked, and Tickle Me was a box-office success.[4] Girl Happy (1965) marked the first failure of this approach. The soundtrack was Presley's least successful release, while the film barely grossed $2 million.[5] Despite the success of Parker's model, Presley grew increasingly discontented. With the passage of time, he felt that his connection to the music business was weakening, causing depression and alienation as the quality of his films deteriorated.[6] During a five-year span from 1964 through 1968, Presley had only one top-ten hit, "Crying in the Chapel" (1965), a gospel number recorded in 1960.[7] While the 1964 film Viva Las Vegas enjoyed success, the ensuing films saw a progressive decline. By 1967, the difficulty of negotiating with Parker and the poor performance of the films led Wallis to opt out of his contract with Presley.[8] NBC deal In October 1967, Parker approached Tom Sarnoff, NBC West Coast vice president, to propose a Christmas television special. The US$1,250,000 package (about $11.4 million in 2023 prices)[9] included the financing of a motion picture (for US$850,000), its soundtrack (for US$25,000), the television special (US$250,000) and US$125,000 reserved for the costs related to a rerun.[10] The special was to be included in the feature Singer Presents ..., sponsored by the Singer Corporation.[11] Presley's initial reaction to the special was negative. He felt that it was another scheme concocted by Parker and was angered by the idea of singing Christmas carols on national television.[12] However, his opinion changed after he began talks with the special's producer, Bob Finkel, who persuaded Singer, NBC and Parker to alter the show's original concept. Finkel obtained Parker's approval that the show was to be centered only on Presley, while enough material for a soundtrack album and a Christmas single was to be recorded. Presley's enthusiasm for the project grew, and he assured Finkel that he was ready to perform new material, different from anything he had previously done. He had no interest in Parker's opinion of the project.[13] To reflect the new intended direction of Presley's career, Finkel recruited director Steve Binder, who had directed the concert film T.A.M.I. Show and worked for NBC on Hullabaloo and a Petula Clark special. Finkel felt that hiring Binder would refresh Presley's image and that Binder would be able to introduce Presley to new audiences. Initially reluctant to direct the special, Binder was convinced by his associate Bones Howe, who had met Presley during the 1950s while he worked at Radio Recorders as an audio engineer. He insisted on working with Presley as he thought that Binder had similar production methods. A meeting was arranged during which Parker assured that the team would have full creative control but stressed that the publishing rights must be under Presley's name. Howe and Binder met with Presley later that week and informed him that they would prepare all of the details for the special by the time that Presley would return from his vacation in Hawaii.[14] Production Binder and Howe hired the production crew, repeating their collaboration with various people whom they had used for past specials. Billy Goldenberg was assigned as the musical director, while the Presley camp chose Billy Strange as the arranger. Chris Bearde and Allan Blye were hired as the writers, and Bill Belew for the costume design. Bearde and Blye proposed an idea based on Maurice Maeterlinck's The Blue Bird that was intended to portray Presley's career through his songs. Singer's representative Alfred Discipio approved the idea, as did Parker. The snippets of the story were connected by a number covering Jerry Reed's "Guitar Man."[15] An informal segment was planned featuring Presley talking to members of his entourage in a scripted conversation that was to show him as self-deprecating while discussing his film performances. A gospel number would be added, as well as a live standup performance. The Christmas song, requested by Parker, would then be played, and the special would close with a spoken statement by Presley. According to Binder, Parker wanted Elvis to "come out in a tux and sing Christmas songs."[16] Binder, however, wanted Presley to express his feelings about the current social climate, as Presley had been moved by the recent assassinations of Senator Robert F. Kennedy and Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. King's assassination deeply touched Presley, who felt that the murder, which occurred in Memphis, Tennessee, "only confirmed everyone's worst feelings about the south."[17] By June 3, Presley returned to Hollywood to start the rehearsals that would last for two weeks. Howe insisted on the possibility of a soundtrack album from which he would earn royalties as its producer. NBC saw Howe's attitude as a potential danger to the special and ordered Binder to remove him from the staff. The production was further complicated when Goldenberg complained to Binder that Strange had not completed any musical arrangements for the special with only two weeks before the end of preproduction. Strange left the project, alleging that he was too busy with other projects. A week before the end of rehearsals, the production team allowed Howe to return as producer and engineer.[18] Presley performing in the special On June 4, Senator Robert Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after giving a live television speech; he died two days later. Binder stated in a 2005 interview with Elvis Australia that "One night when we were rehearsing, the television set was on the other room and all of a sudden there was this moment of silence. And I said, 'I think Bobby Kennedys just been shot'. And we all rushed into the other office and that's exactly what happened. They had live at the Ambassador Hotel, Kennedy making his speech. We were in the piano room at the time, but there was just something weird that evening and I just sensed something had gone wrong. Then we spent the whole night basically talking about the Kennedy assassination, of both Bobby and John."[16] According to Binder, this event would further motivate Presley to record "If I Can Dream" as the special's closing number.[16] On June 17, the team moved to the NBC studios in Burbank, California. Goldenberg asked Finkel to remove Presley's large entourage from the production area, complaining that they interfered with the creative process. Presley worked with choreographer Lance LeGault on the planned numbers, and Belew worked with the costumes.[19] Binder and Howe developed the concept of the informal section of the show after seeing Presley interacting with his entourage while playing music during breaks. Binder planned to shoot the segment in the locker room to give the public a sense of how Presley's music was developed in an intimate setting, but Parker opposed this concept. Binder settled for a sit-down concert on a small stage that resembled a boxing ring. He called Presley's first backup musicians, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana, to accentuate the nature of Presley's musical origins (Presley's original bassist Bill Black had died in 1965). They were also joined by two members of Presley's entourage, Charlie Hodge and Alan Fortas. The scripted part was canceled but the writers gave Presley a list of topics to discuss between songs. The topics included mentions of his early career, his Hollywood years and the current music business.[15] On June 20, Presley started the recording process at United Western Recorders. Howe arranged for the rhythm section, session musicians from Los Angeles. The band was composed of drummer Hal Blaine and guitarists Mike Deasy and Tommy Tedesco. Members of the string and brass sections of the NBC orchestra were also enlisted.[20] All of the special's music, except for that of the live sections, was prerecorded by Presley. It was to be blended with live vocals during the production numbers, which were taped on June 27.[21] On the same day, Presley taped the first sit-down show. Parker had told the NBC team that he would handle ticket distribution. He assured them that he would recruit fans from across the country to fill the studio. However, by the day of the show, Parker had not distributed the tickets, and only a few people were in line to see the taping. Binder and Finkel invited people from a restaurant across the street and aired a radio announcement to gather an audience. Presley was nervous at the beginning of the first hour-long set. Binder had to convince him to take the stage, but once there, Presley was comfortable. He performed his songs and traded jokes with his companions as the session progressed. By the end of the first show, Belew had to carefully remove the sweat-soaked leather suit that was now stuck to Presley's skin. To prepare the suit for the next show, Belew had to wash it by hand. He was helped by the costume crew, who used hairdryers to hasten the process.[22] During the first show, the producers were concerned about the effects of the toe-tapping on the recordings, so for the 8 p.m. show, rubber mats were placed at the feet of Presley and the band members.[23] The second show found Presley relaxed and running through the set list with ease.[22] On June 29, Presley recorded both stand-up sessions. As with the first two shows, the cameras that shot Presley from different angles did not have individual taping machines. The director would choose the camera angle that he desired and the cameras would then feed either of the two available taping machines.[24] The arrangements of the songs for the stand-up shows were fast-paced, and Presley accompanied them with shakes, gyrations and facial expressions that he emphasized with fist gestures and knee-drops.[25] For the show's closer, Binder decided to replace the spoken statement with a song. He instructed Goldenberg and lyricist Walter Earl Brown to write a song that reflected Presley and his beliefs, and Brown wrote "If I Can Dream" that same night. Binder sent it to Parker, who still thought that the show closer was to be "I'll Be Home for Christmas." After Parker's negative response to the song, Binder bypassed him and played the song for Presley. After hearing it three times, Presley was convinced that he should record it. Seeing Presley's determination, Parker demanded 100 percent of the publishing rights. Goldenberg removed his name from the publishing sheet and told Parker that Brown had written the song.[26] For the "If I Can Dream" number, Presley wore a three-piece white suit designed by Belew. A large sign in red letters that read ELVIS was placed on a black background, and Presley performed the song with a hand-held microphone. After finishing the song, Presley closed the special by saying "Thank you, Good night."[27] Release and reception The special's final running time was fifty minutes, edited from four hours of taping; Presley was satisfied with the result.[28] Singer Presents...Elvis aired five months later on Tuesday, December 3, at 9 p.m. EST.[29][30][31] It placed first in the Nielsen television ratings for the week ending on December 8, displacing Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (also on NBC), which dropped to the second position.[32] Forty-two percent of the total television audience viewed it, making it the most-watched show of the season.[33] The special's soundtrack was released shortly afterward. It reached number eight on Billboard's Top LPs chart,[34] and by July 1969, it was certified gold.[35] The special was shown in the United Kingdom on 31 December 1969 on BBC2 under the title The Fabulous Elvis.[36] In his review for The New York Times, critic Robert Shelton wrote: "Parts of the hour program were unbelievably stagey, but other parts were believably effective and natural glimpses of one of the pop-culture phenomenons of the century at work where he works best, in music. ... What this special points out is that this charismatic performer was at his best 10 years ago, but he hasn't lost his grip on the best music he had to offer then. Today's rock generation will, more than likely, ask that the real, early Presley stand up."[37] Despite calling Presley's films "atrocities," a Chicago Tribune reviewer wrote that "it's great to have the old Elvis back" and characterized the performance as "dynamic, compelling, incredibly sensual."[38] The Los Angeles Times deemed Presley's performance "anticlimactic" in comparison to other rock-and-roll acts of the time. The review assured that Presley "managed to sustain the hour very well" but that "some of the magic was gone, diminished."[39] The Philadelphia Inquirer wrote: "What separates real from ersatz stars is the quality of excitement, and this Presley generated generously whether singing, swinging, chatting with sidemen and an ecstatic audience or pacing restlessly like a caged animal."[40] The Associated Press praised the set design as well as Presley's appearance that felt "sort of like old times."[41] A review by the Newspaper Enterprise Association published in the El Paso Herald-Post held that the special showcased a renewed and "more mature" Presley.[42] The Daily Tar Heel published a favorable review of the special, remarking on the change since Presley's heyday, declaring: "Elvis still has magic."[43] The Ottawa Journal praised Presley while noting that he delivered a calmer stage presence compared to that of his early days. The reviewer lamented the editing of the program and the selection of the "cage-like stage" in which Presley appeared to pace "not at ease."[44] The Guardian defined the performances by Presley as "marvellous stuff, performed with a faint hint of self-mockery" but lamented the inclusion of choreography and "ludicrous choral throbs."[45] Aftermath Presley during a stand-up session. The photo was featured on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1969. After the taping of the first sit-down session, Presley called Parker to his dressing room to inform him that he wanted to return to touring. During a press conference, Parker announced that Presley would soon embark on a "comeback tour." Parker's choice of words angered Presley, who felt that he was being labeled a "has-been." Presley was also interested in further collaboration with Binder, but Parker avoided it.[28] By January 1969, propelled by the success of the special and with his renewed enthusiasm, Presley began his return to recording non-soundtrack albums with producer Chips Moman. Recorded at American Sound Studio with the house band known as the Memphis Boys, the resulting single "In the Ghetto" reached #3 and was soon followed by a country-soul album titled From Elvis in Memphis.[46] "Suspicious Minds," a standalone single from the sessions released in late August, also topped the charts and became one of Presley's signature songs.[47] In July 1969, Rolling Stone featured Presley on the cover for the first time, featuring a photo from one of the television special's stand-up performances with the black leather outfit.[48] Parker arranged Presley's return to live performance. He arranged a deal with Kirk Kerkorian, owner of the Las Vegas International Hotel, for Presley to play the newly built, 2,000-seat showroom for four weeks (two shows per night) for $400,000.[49] For his return to Las Vegas, Presley assembled a core rhythm section later given the moniker the TCB Band: James Burton (lead guitar), John Wilkinson (rhythm guitar), Jerry Scheff (bass), Ron Tutt (drums), Larry Muhoberac (piano) and Charlie Hodge (rhythm guitar, stage assistant). Presley also hired two backing vocal groups, the Sweet Inspirations and the Imperials.[50] His initial Las Vegas booking, 57 shows in July–August 1969, attracted a total audience of 101,500, a Las Vegas attendance record.[49] In 1970, Presley toured the U.S. for the first time since October–November 1957, with every show a sellout.[51] Media releases Rereleases NBC rebroadcast the special in the summer of 1969. The song "Blue Christmas" was replaced by the number "Tiger Man" at Parker's request.[52] In 1977, the program was aired after Presley's death as a special titled Memories of Elvis, hosted by Ann-Margret. It included a bordello scene that was originally approved by the censors but had been removed at the request of the Singer Corporation to avoid controversy.[53] In 1985, HBO broadcast the first sit-down session of the show under the title Elvis: One Night with You. Elvis Presley Enterprises' business manager Joe Rascoff sold the channel the broadcasting rights for $1,000,000. A home-video version was later released.[54][55] In 2004, an Elvis: '68 Comeback Special Deluxe Edition DVD was released. The three-disc set contained all of the known available footage of the special, outtakes included. A single-disc edition was released in 2006 with the program expanded to 94 minutes by adding material from the outtakes to the original broadcast.[56] Chart (2004) Peak position Australian Top 40 Music DVDs[57] 1 Austrian Top 10 Music DVDs[58] 2 Belgium (Flanders) Top 10 Music DVDs[59] 4 Finnish Top 5 Music DVDs[60] 1 German Albums Chart[61] 72 Japanese DVDs Chart[62] 99 Netherlands Top 30 Music DVDs[63] 2 New Zealand Top 10 Music DVDs[64] 4 Norwegian Top 10 DVDs[65] 1 Swedish Top 20 DVDs[66] 1 Chart (2008) Peak position Belgium (Wallonia) Top 10 Music DVDs[67] 1 Region Certification Certified units/sales Australia (ARIA)[68] 6× Platinum 90,000^ Austria (IFPI Austria)[69] Gold 5,000* Canada (Music Canada)[70] 3× Platinum 30,000^ France (SNEP)[71] Platinum 20,000* New Zealand (RMNZ)[72] Gold 2,500^ United States (RIAA)[73] 2006 release 2× Platinum 200,000^ United States (RIAA)[74] 2004 release 4× Platinum 133,332^ * Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. Soundtrack Main article: Elvis (1968 album) The special's first single to be released was "If I Can Dream" by RCA Victor (47–9670) in October 1968. It reached number 12 on the Billboard Singles chart and sold 800,000 copies.[75] In November 1968, the live performance of "Tiger Man" appeared on the RCA Camden compilation album Elvis Sings Flaming Star (PRS-279), which was first released through Singer stores and given wide release in April 1969 (CAS 2304).[76] An official soundtrack album simply titled Elvis was released in December 1968 by RCA (LPM-4088). In March 1969, RCA released "Memories" as a single (47–9730), a song that would later be reused as the closing credits music for the 1972 concert film Elvis on Tour. Bootleg albums featuring unissued material began circulating as early as 1978.[77] Over the following decades, additional performances from the special were released in parts, particularly in RCA's A Legendary Performer compilation series,[78] as well as in the 1985 box set A Golden Celebration. In the 1990s and 2000s, RCA issued more complete soundtrack recordings, including Memories in 1998, a 30th-anniversary release that was an expansion of the original album. That same year, RCA released Tiger Man, which consisted of the complete sit-down performances. In 2006, RCA released Let Yourself Go: The Making of Elvis the Comeback Special, which consisted of outtakes and rehearsal recordings from the special.[79] Various recordings from the special were used as the soundtrack for the Elvis pinball machine, released by Stern in 2004. The version of "A Little Less Conversation" originally recorded for (but not used in) the special was later remixed by Junkie XL and became a worldwide hit in 2002.[80] In the United States, the song peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart, the first hit for Presley since 1981, and extended his list of charted singles into the 21st century. It also spent four consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart.[81] In popular culture The sit-down sections of the special were a forerunner of MTV Unplugged, showing for the first time an artist in a casual setting.[28] Falco's video for his 1986 single "Emotional" features him standing in front of a logo formed by red light bulbs that spell FALCO, an image also shown on the cover of his Emotional album.[82] In The Simpsons 1993 episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled," the set of Krusty the Clown's television special mimicks Presley's show.[83] In the video for the 2001 single "Inner Smile," Texas lead singer Sharleen Spiteri is dressed as Presley from the special.[84] Robbie Williams' 2002 special The Robbie Williams Show features "Trouble" as the opening song as well as similar set decorations and the letters RW in red.[85] In 2004, Morrissey toured with a stage backdrop that spelled MORRISSEY in large red marquee lights reminiscent of the special's ELVIS sign.[86] The special was portrayed in the 2005 biographical television miniseries Elvis starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers.[87] In 2008, country singer Martina McBride recorded a virtual duet of "Blue Christmas" for the album Christmas Duets. The video for the song features McBride singing with Presley during the sit-down session of the special.[88] Glenn Danzig loosely based his 2013 "Legacy" TV Special on the Presley special.[89] In 2019, Green Day paid tribute to the "Guitar Man" portion of the special's opening number in the video for "Father of All...."[90] Baz Luhrmann's 2022 film Elvis portrays the production of the special, with Billboard indicating "the scenes about the special are considered some of the film's most riveting".

Gulliver's Travels is a 1939 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Max Fleischer and directed by Dave Fleischer for Fleischer Studios.[3] Released to cinemas in the United States on December 22, 1939,[4] by Paramount Pictures, the story is a very loose adaptation of Jonathan Swift's 1726 novel of the same name, specifically only the first part of four, which tells the story of Lilliput and Blefuscu, and centers around an explorer who helps a small kingdom who declared war after an argument over a wedding song. The film was Fleischer Studios' first feature-length animated film, as well as the second animated feature film produced by an American studio after Walt Disney Productions' Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, as Paramount had commissioned the feature in response to the success of that film.[5] The sequences for the film were directed by Seymour Kneitel, Willard Bowsky, Tom Palmer, Grim Natwick, William Henning, Roland Crandall, Thomas Johnson, Robert Leffingwell, Frank Kelling, Winfield Hoskins, and Orestes Calpini. Plot On November 5, 1699, Lemuel Gulliver washes onto the beach of Lilliput after his ship is wrecked in a storm. Town crier Gabby stumbles across an unconscious Gulliver during his rounds ("All's Well") and rushes back to Lilliput to warn everyone about the "giant on the beach". Meanwhile, King Little of Lilliput and King Bombo of Blefuscu are signing a wedding contract between their children, Princess Glory of Lilliput and Prince David of Blefuscu, respectively. An argument erupts over which national anthem is to be played at the wedding; the anthem of Lilliput ("Faithful") or the anthem of Blefuscu ("Forever"). In fury, King Bombo cancels the wedding and declares war against Liliput. He seems to consider changing his mind, but then Gabby rushes in, and a guard pursuing Gabby accidentally grabs Bombo, who takes it as an insult and storms off. Gabby tells King Little of the "giant", and leads a mob to the beach to capture him. There, the Lilliputians tie Gulliver to a wagon and convey him to the town. The next morning, Gulliver awakens and breaks himself free, terrifying the Lilliputians. The Blefuscuian fleet arrives at Lilliput and starts firing upon the castle. Seeing Gulliver laughing at him, Bombo panics and orders a hasty retreat. Realizing that they can use Gulliver as a weapon, the Lilliputians start to treat him with hospitality and even make him a new set of clothes ("It's A Hap-Hap Happy Day"). Back in Blefuscu, King Bombo is embarrassed by the defeat, and orders his three spies in Lilliput - Sneak, Snoop and Snitch - to "get rid of that giant or else." Meanwhile, in celebration of the defeat, the Lilliputians treat Gulliver to dinner and a show ("Bluebirds in the Moonlight"). When the Lilliputians fall asleep after the show, Gulliver walks to the shore, unaware that the spies have taken his pistol, and reminisces about sailing ("I Hear A Dream (Come Home)"). The next day, after some horseplay with Gabby, Gulliver notices a building on fire and uses a nearby stream to put it out, not realizing he just saved the spies who wish to kill him. Later that night, Prince David sneaks back into Lilliput to visit Princess Glory. Gabby overhears the Prince singing a reprise of "Forever" and, mistaking him for a spy, orders the guards to attack the prince. Noticing this, Gulliver picks up David and Glory in his hands, and they tell him of the war's cause. Gulliver suggests that they combine "Faithful" and "Forever" into one song. In Blefuscu, Bombo receives a message from his spies assuring him that Gulliver will be a "dead duck" whenever he gives the word, and he announces by carrier pigeon that he will attack at dawn. Gabby intercepts this message and warns the Lilliputians. Because of this, the spies aren't aware of the order until they capture Gabby just as the Lilliputians are marching to the beach ("We're All Together Now"). They hastily prepare Gulliver's pistol. As the Blefuscuian fleet approaches Lilliput, Gulliver demands they lay down their arms and settle matters peaceably. When they continue shooting arrows, he ties the Blefuscuian ships together using their anchors and draws them to shore, saving any men who fall overboard in the process to show he means no ill will. The spies aim and fire at Gulliver from a cliff, but Prince David diverts the shot, falling to his apparent death in the process. Using David's still body to illustrate his point, Gulliver scolds both Lilliput and Blefuscu for their senseless fighting. While they solemnize a truce, Gulliver reveals that David is unharmed, whereupon David and Glory sing their combined song for everyone to hear ("Faithful Forever"). Both sides thereafter build a new ship for Gulliver, and he sails off into the sunset ("Come Home Reprise"). Cast Sam Parker as Gulliver Max Smith as Gulliver (singing voice) Pinto Colvig as Gabby, Snitch, Gulliver (water gurgling sounds)[6] Jack Mercer as Prince David,[7] King Little, Twinkletoes, Snoop, Horses, Royal Chef Lanny Ross as the singing voice of Prince David Tedd Pierce as King Bombo, Sneak, Villagers Lovey Warren as Princess Glory Jessica Dragonette as the singing voice of Princess Glory Joe Oriolo as Italian Barber Margie Hines as Lilliputian Woman, Princess Glory (some crying and sobs) Carl Meyer as Lilliputians[8] Music No. Title Length 1. "All's Well" 2. "Faithful/Forever" 3. "It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day" 4. "Bluebirds in the Moonlight (Silly Idea)" 5. "I Hear a Dream (Come Home Again)" 6. "We're All Together Now" All of the songs were written by Leo Robin and composed by Ralph Rainger with the exception of "It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day", which was written by Sammy Timberg, Al Neiburg and Winston Sharples. The Gulliver's Travels score by Victor Young was nominated for a Best Original Score Academy Award while the song "Faithful/Forever" was nominated for Best Original Song, but both of them lost out to The Wizard of Oz with the film winning the latter category for the song "Over the Rainbow". "It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day" and "All's Well" later became standard themes used for Fleischer and Famous Studios cartoon scores, while "I Hear a Dream" was quite popular as well.[9] Selections from the music score was released by Marco Polo Records in 1997 as part of "The Classic Film Music of Victor Young" album (alongside selected cues for the 1952 Oscar-winning film The Greatest Show on Earth, The Uninvited and Bright Leaf).[10] Covers "Faithful Forever": Glenn Miller & His Orchestra, Judy Garland "Faithful Forever": Michael Poss "It's a Hap-Hap-Happy Day": Bob Zurke & His Delta Rhythm Band, Arthur Askey, Guy Lombardo and His Royal Canadians, Judy Garland "Bluebirds in the Moonlight": Glenn Miller[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] Production Gulliver's Travels, 1939 Max Fleischer had envisioned a feature as early as 1934, but Paramount vetoed the idea based largely on their interests in maintaining financial solvency following their series of bankruptcy reorganizations. However, after the success of Walt Disney Productions' Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Paramount wanted to duplicate the Disney success and ordered a feature for a 1939 Christmas release, which would be Paramount's very first animated feature. When the story was first written in New York, Popeye the Sailor had originally been cast as Gulliver. This was scrapped, however, and the story was restructured once the West Coast team of Cal Howard, Tedd Pierce, and Edmond Seward came aboard (although Popeye would later be cast as a Gulliver-like character in an abridged version of the story called "Popeye's Travels", made for the 1960s Popeye the Sailor television show on NBC). One of the major challenges for Fleischer Studios was the 18-month delivery envelope, coming at a time when Fleischer Studios was relocating to Miami, Florida. While Snow White was in production for 18 months, it had been in development for just as long, allowing for a total of three years to reach the screen. To meet this deadline, the Fleischer staff was greatly expanded to some 800 employees. Animation training classes were set up with Miami art schools as a conduit for additional workers. Experienced lead animators were lured from Hollywood studios, including Nelson Demorest, Joe D'Igalo, and former Fleischer Animators Grim Natwick, Al Eugster, and Shamus Culhane, who returned after working for the Walt Disney Studios. Several West Coast techniques were introduced in order to provide better animation and greater personality in the characters. Some animators adapted while others did not. Pencil tests were unheard of in New York but were soon embraced as a tool for improving production methods. While the majority of the characters were animated through conventional animation techniques, rotoscoping was used to animate Gulliver, Glory, and David. Sam Parker, the voice of Gulliver, also modeled for the live-action reference. The rushed schedule seemed to take precedence over quality, and overtime was the order of the day. Even with the rush, deadlines were compromised with Paramount considering canceling the film. Relations with the Technicolor lab were strained due to these constant delays largely associated with the remote location of Miami. Fleischer Studios delivered Gulliver for Paramount's planned Christmas release schedule, opening in New York on December 20, 1939, going into general release two days later. Considering the potential demonstrated in the two Popeye specials, Gulliver's Travels lacked the built-in brand recognition of those shorts. This much-anticipated feature produced by Max Fleischer was still met with by an eager public and started out well, breaking box-office records in spite of the inevitable comparisons to Snow White. Based on the overwhelming business success of Gulliver's Travels in its opening run, Barney Balaban immediately ordered another feature for a 1941 Christmas release. In spite of running over the original budget, Paramount made a profit of at least $1,000,000 domestically.[18] Vocal talent The voice cast consisted of a variety of performers. The voice of Gabby was provided by Pinto Colvig, who had previously worked at Disney. Colvig had previously been the voice of Goofy, provided vocal effects for Pluto, was the stern Practical Pig in The Three Little Pigs, and voiced Grumpy and Sleepy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Jack Mercer, who portrayed King Little of Lilliput, was a story man for Fleischer's who lent his voice to the gruff Popeye the Sailor. In addition to voicing King Little, Mercer was also the voice behind Bombo's spies, Sneak, Snoop, and Snitch. Mercer was a regular voice heard in Fleischer and Famous Studios cartoons, and worked for Paramount until Famous Studios was dissolved. Jessica Dragonette and Lanny Ross were both popular singers of the day, and were hired to sing for Princess Glory and Prince David, respectively. Sam Parker was a radio announcer in the 1930s who won the role of Gulliver in a radio contest. When the Fleischers met Parker, they felt that his appearance was suitable for him to also perform in the live action footage that would be rotoscoped to create Gulliver's movement.[19] Tedd Pierce was a story man hired away from Leon Schlesinger Productions to join Fleischer in their trip to Miami. Pierce, who would occasionally do voices for some of the characters in the cartoons, played King Bombo. Release Like Snow White before it, Gulliver was a success at the box-office, earning $3.27 million in the United States during its original run, even as it was limited to fifty theaters during the 1939 Christmas season.[20] This box-office success prompted a second feature to be ordered for a Christmas 1941 release, Mr. Bug Goes to Town. Following its domestic run, Gulliver's Travels went into foreign release starting in February 1940. In spite of the profits earned domestically and internationally, Paramount held Fleischer Studios to a $350,000 penalty for going over budget. This was the beginning of the financial difficulties Fleischer Studios encountered as it entered the 1940s. When the Fleischer film library was sold to television in 1955, Gulliver's Travels was included and became a local television station holiday film shown during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It was also re-released theatrically in Technicolor prints for Saturday matinee children's programs well into the mid-1960s. Turner Classic Movies channel debuted the film on October 21, 2012, transferred from an original 35mm Technicolor release print owned by the Museum of Modern Art Department of Film, for the first time on television in a special hosted by Robert Osborne and Jerry Beck dedicated to rare animated films, including Mr. Bug Goes to Town, Lotte Reiniger's The Adventures of Prince Achmed, the UPA cartoons and the silent cartoons of 1907 to 1932 of the New York Studios. Home media The film is in the public domain, as the copyright of works published before 1964 had to be renewed 28 years later, which wasn't done for Gulliver's Travels. Due to the film's public domain status, it has been released by many distributors in various home video formats. E1 Entertainment released the film on Blu-ray Disc on March 10, 2009, but received strong criticism for presenting the film in a stretched and cropped 1.75:1 format, as well as applying heavy noise reduction.[21][22][23][24] In March 2014, Thunderbean Animation released a superior restored version of the film with several Fleischer Studios shorts in a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack titled Fleischer Classics Featuring Gulliver's Travels.

Prophet and Leader of the FLDS gives a sermon preceading the year 2000. Y2K 12-31-99

Prophet and FLDS Leader tells us about Wilford Woodruff and his First Manifesto

Prophet and FLDS Leader tells us about whittling and whistling.

A Journey From Mainstream to Fundamentalism

Ziklag, a secret charity funded by wealthy conservative donors, whose members include the families behind Hobby Lobby and Jockey apparel, is spending millions to mobilize Republican-leaning voters and purge more than a million people from the voter rolls in key swing states, aiming to tilt the 2024 election in favor of former President Donald Trump. The group also has a long-term plan to steer the U.S. toward Christian nationalism — but lawyers and tax experts say it may be violating the law. To read the full investigation, go to: https://propub.li/4eZQKXq

Ziklag (Hebrew: צִקְלַג, romanized: Ṣiqlaḡ) is the biblical name of a town in the Negev region in the southwest of what was the Kingdom of Judah. It was a provincial town in the Philistine kingdom of Gath when Achish was king.[1] Its exact location has not been identified with any certainty. Identification At least 14 sites have been proposed as the location of Ziklag.[2] At the end of the 19th century, both Haluza (by Wadi Asluj, south of Beersheba)[3] and Khirbet Zuheiliqah (northwest of Beersheba and south-southeast of Gaza city) had been suggested as possible locations.[4][5] Conder and Kitchener identified Khirbet Zuheiliqah as the location on the basis of Ziklag being a corruption of Zahaliku, whence also Zuheiliqah.[3] The more recently proposed identifications for Ziklag are: Albrecht Alt (1883–1956) proposed Tel Halif/Tell el-Khuweilifeh, just beside kibbutz Lahav, some 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Beersheba.[6][7] Due to this identification, for some time Lahav was officially named Tzekleg.[8] Tell esh-Sharia (Arabic) or Tel Sera (Hebrew).[6][7] In June 2020, Moshe Garsiel and Bath-Sheva Garsiel suggested that since the name of the Tell as well as the Wadi both mean "law" in Arabic, it commemorates David's law of sharing the spoils of war between the warriors and those left behind, which occurred in the vicinity (1 Sam 30: 22–26).[9] Tel Zayit[10] Khirbet a-Ra‘i in the Shephelah, close to modern-day Kiryat Gat, proposed in 2019[11][12] by excavating archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel and contested mainly on grounds of biblical geography and lacking name continuity by Aren Maeir and Israel Finkelstein.[13] Kyle Kelmer supported this identification in 2023.[2] In the Bible Philistines' original base The Book of Genesis (in Genesis 10:14) refers to Casluhim as the origin of the Philistines. Biblical scholars regard this as an eponym rather than a person, and it is thought possible that the name is a corruption of Halusah; with the identification of Ziklag as Haluza, this suggests that Ziklag was the original base from which the Philistines captured the remainder of their territory.[3] It has also been proposed that Ziklag subsequently became the capital of the Cherethites.[3] Tribal allotment In the Book of Joshua's lists of cities of the Israelites by tribe, Ziklag appears both as a town belonging to the Tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:31) and as a town belonging to the Tribe of Simeon (Joshua 19:5). Textual scholars believe these lists were originally independent administrative documents, not necessarily dating from the same time, and hence reflecting changing tribal boundaries.[4] David receives Philistine Ziklag 1 Samuel 30 claims that by the time of David, the town was under the control of Philistines, but subsequently was given by their king – Achish – to David, who at that time was seemingly acting as a vassal of the Philistines. David requested "a place in one of the country towns" and was awarded Ziklag, which he used as a base for raids against the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites,[14] which he conducted away from Achish's oversight.[15] David's reports to Achish say that he had been conducting raids on Saul's lands in southern Judah and on the Jerahmeelites. Biblical scholars argue that the town was probably on the eastern fringe of the Philistines' territory, and that it was natural for it to be annexed to Judah when David became king.[16] Since textual scholars regard the compilation of the Book of Joshua as late, probably due to the deuteronomist, it is possible that the tribal allocations in it date from after this annexation, rather than before.[16] David and the Amalekites According to 1 Samuel 30, while David was encamped with the Philistine army for an attack on the Kingdom of Israel, Amalekites raided Ziklag, burning the town and capturing its population without killing them (scholars[who?] think this capture refers to enslavement). But none of the archaeological sites that have been proposed to be Ziklag show any evidence of destruction during the era of David.[17] In the narrative, when David's men discover that their families have been captured, they become angry with David. David seeks the face of his God to determine whether to pursue the Amalekites. The Lord answers and says to pursue them for he would recover all. Initially, 600 men go in pursuit, but a third of them are too exhausted to go further than the HaBesor Stream. They find an abandoned and starving slave, formerly belonging to one of the Amalekites who had raided Ziklag, and after giving him fig cake, raisin cake, and water, persuade him to lead them to the Amalekite raiders. The slave leads them to the captors' camp and finds them feasting and celebrating, due to the size of their spoil; David's forces engage in battle with them for a night and a day, and are victorious. Textual scholars ascribe this narrative to the monarchial source of the Books of Samuel; the rival source, known as the republican source (named this due to its negative presentation of David, Saul, and other kings), does not at first glance appear to contain a similar narrative. The same narrative position is occupied in the republican source by the story of Nabal,[18] who lived in the region south of Hebron (which includes the Negev).[16] There are some similarities between the narratives, including David leading an army in revenge (for Nabal's unwillingness to give provisions to David), with 400 of the army going ahead and 200 staying behind,[16] as well as David gaining Abigail as a wife (though in the Ziklag narrative he regains her), as well as several provisions, and a jovial feast in the enemy camp (i.e., Nabal's property). There are also several differences, such as the victory and provisions being obtained by Abigail's peaceful actions rather than a heroic victory by David, the 200 that stayed behind doing so to protect the baggage rather than due to exhaustion, the main secondary character being the wife of the enemy (Nabal) rather than their former slave, David's forces being joined by damsels rather than rejoining their wives, and Nabal rather than the Amalekites being the enemy.[citation needed] The Books of Samuel go on to mention that as a result, the people the Amalekites took were released, and the spoil that the Amalekites had taken, including livestock, and spoil from attacks elsewhere, were divided among David's men, including the third that had remained at the Besor. This ruling, that even those left behind would get a share, is a response by David to those who believed only the two-thirds of David's men who had battled with the Amalekites should get a reward. A similar ruling is given in the Priestly Code (Numbers 31:27) and in Joshua 22:8. Scholars[who?] believe that these rulings derive from the decision in regard to the Amalekite spoil, rather than vice versa.[16] According to the text, once back at Ziklag, David sends portions of the spoil to the various community leaders within Judah; the text gives a list of the locations of the recipients, but they are all just within the Negev.

For the 1988 book, see Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. "Rally 'Round the Flag" redirects here. For other uses, see Rally 'Round the Flag (disambiguation). "Battle Cry of Freedom" Cover of the 1862 sheet music for "Battle Cry of Freedom" Song Published 1862 Songwriter(s) George Frederick Root The "Battle Cry of Freedom", also known as "Rally 'Round the Flag", is a song written in 1862 by American composer George Frederick Root (1820–1895) during the American Civil War. A patriotic song advocating the causes of Unionism and abolitionism, it became so popular that composer H. L. Schreiner and lyricist W. H. Barnes adapted it for the Confederacy.[1] A modified Union version was used as the campaign song for the Lincoln-Johnson ticket in the 1864 presidential election, as well as in elections after the war, such as for Garfield in the 1880 U.S. presidential election.[2] The song was so popular that the music publisher had 14 printing presses going at one time and still could not keep up with demand. It is estimated that over 700,000 copies of this song were put in circulation. Louis Moreau Gottschalk thought so highly of the song that in his diary he confided that he thought "it should be our national anthem" and used it as the basis for his 1863 concert paraphrase for solo piano "Le Cri de délivrance," opus 55, and dedicated it to Root, who was a personal friend. Charles Ives quoted the song in several compositions, including his own patriotic song, "They Are There".[3] % Source: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/21566/21566-h/images/battlecry.pdf \new Score { \new Staff { << \new Voice = "one" \relative c'' { \clef treble \key bes \major \time 4/4 \partial 8*2 bes8 c | d8 d d8. c16 bes4 g8. a16 | bes8 bes bes8. a16 g2 | f4 f8. ees16 d8 f bes8. c16 | d2 c4 } \new Lyrics \lyricsto "one" { Yes we'll ral -- ly round the flag, boys, we'll ral -- ly once a -- gain, Shout -- ing the bat -- tle -- cry of Free -- dom } >> } } History "Battle Cry of Freedom" proved popular among Union soldiers during the American Civil War. According to Henry Stone, a Union war veteran recalling in the late 1880s, the song helped the morale of Union soldiers: A glee club came down from Chicago, bringing with them the new song, "We'll rally 'round the flag, boys", and it ran through the camp like wildfire. The effect was little short of miraculous. It put as much spirit and cheer into the army as a victory. Day and night one could hear it by every camp fire and in every tent. I never shall forget how the men rolled out the line, "And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave." I do not know whether Mr. Root knows what good work his song did for us there, but I hope so. — Henry Stone, The Century Illustrated, "Memoranda on the Civil War: A Song in Camp" (1887), emphasis added[4] According to historian Christian L. McWhirter, the song's success and popularity among the Union was due to its even-handed references to both abolitionism and unionism. Thus, both groups of Unionists, those opposed to slavery and secession, could utilize the song without reservation: The ability of "The Battle Cry of Freedom" to bridge divisions over emancipation is not surprising. The song's definition of the Northern cause is purposely open-ended. Those looking for anti-slavery sentiments could find them, but these elements were not so pronounced as to offend those who were solely unionists. The chorus was the key, for it was there that Root described why Northerners rallied around the flag. The first line boldly endorsed a perpetual Union – "The Union forever" – followed by a strong dismissal of secession: "Down with the traitor, up with the star." However, the battle cry Root shouted was one of "freedom." Freedom had many meanings in the Civil War – for instance, freedom from Confederate political tyranny or the oft-perceived "slaveholders' conspiracy" – but, in the context of Root’s political beliefs and other activities, he clearly meant to suggest some degree of abolitionism. — Christian L. McWhirter, The New York Times, "Birth of the 'Battle Cry'" (July 27, 2012)[5] Lyrics (Union version) "The Battle Cry of Freedom" Oh we'll rally round the flag, boys, we'll rally once again,[6] Shouting the battle cry of freedom, And we'll rally from the hillside, we'll gather from the plain, Shouting the battle cry of freedom. (Chorus) The Union forever, hurrah! boys, hurrah! Down with the traitors, up with the stars; While we rally round the flag, boys, we rally once again, Shouting the battle cry of freedom! Oh we're springing to the call for three hundred thousand more,[a] Shouting the battle cry of freedom! And we'll fill the vacant ranks with a million freemen more,[7][8][b] Shouting the battle cry of freedom. (Chorus) We will welcome to our numbers the loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle cry of freedom! And although he may be poor, he shall never be a slave,[c] Shouting the battle cry of freedom! (Chorus) So we're springing to the call from the East and from the West, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom; And we'll hurl the rebel crew from the land we love the best, Shouting the battle cry of Freedom. (Chorus) Extended lyrics (Union version) As published in Hoge, The Boys in Blue (1867) pp. 477–479.[9] Oh we'll rally round the flag, boys, We'll rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; We will rally from the hill-side, We will gather from the plain, Shouting the battle-cry of freedom. (Chorus) The Union forever! Hurrah, boys, hurrah! Down with the Traitors, up with the Stars; While we rally round the flag, boys, Rally once again, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom! We are springing to the call Of our brothers gone before, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll fill the vacant ranks With a million freemen more, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) We will welcome to our number The loyal, true and brave, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. And although he may be poor, He shall never be a slave, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom! (Chorus) So we're springing to the call From the East and from the West, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll hurl the Rebel crew From the land we love the best, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) We are marching to the field, boys, Going to the fight, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll bear the glorious Stars Of the Union and the Right, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) We'll meet the Rebel host, boys, With fearless hearts and true, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And we'll show what Uncle Sam Has for loyal men to do, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) If we fail amid the fray, boys, We will face them to the last, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And our comrades brave shall hear us, As we are rushing past, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) Yes, for Liberty and Union, We are springing to the fight, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom ; And the victory shall be ours, Forever rising in our might, Shouting the battle-cry of Freedom. (Chorus) Lyrics (Confederate version) Our flag is proudly floating on the land and on the main, Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Beneath it oft we've conquered, and we'll conquer oft again! Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! (Chorus) Our Dixie forever! She's never at a loss! Down with the eagle and up with the cross While we rally 'round the Bonnie flag, we'll rally once again, Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Our gallant boys have marched to the rolling of the drums. Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! And the leaders in charge cry out, "Come, boys, come!" Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! (Chorus) They have laid down their lives on the bloody battle field. Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! Their motto is resistance – "To the tyrants never yield!" Shout, shout the battle cry of Freedom! (Chorus) While our boys have responded and to the fields have gone! Shout, shout the battle cry of freedom! Our noble women also have aided them at home! Shout, shout the battle cry of freedom! (Chorus) Chorus (1864 election campaign) For Lincoln and Johnson, hurrah, boys, hurrah! Down with the rebellion and on with the war, While we rally round the cause, boys, we'll rally in our might, Singing the holy cause of freemen.

Prophet and FLDS Leader teaches us about the spouses of Jesus Christ

The US taxpayer should have more say in how our money is spent. Our government is complicit in genocide. Please do yourself a favour and educate yourself not only on this current conflict but the history of the area so you will have a broader understanding and you wont blindingly support what many people of the world are now calling "The Real Terrorist". If you support Israel you either havnt done this or you are just as bad as the IDF Soldiers who raped a man with a stick.

In the early hours of July 31st this year, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran. It's presumed Israel was behind the killing, with reports detailing a complex operation by its spy agency Mossad. So, if it was Israel that did this, why did they do it in such an extraordinary manner, and in Iran of all places? The answer tells us a lot about the complex political situation Israel finds itself in, where it feels the need for revenge, but only in a way that doesn’t alienate its allies. Matt Bevan takes a look.