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The Film Programs of the Detroit Film Theatre, Michigan Theater and Redford Theatre

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Looking Back

September 1932/1957/1982

Step back in time to see what our movie palaces were presenting in September 1932, 1957, and 1982. Also included is some interesting history about other area movie theaters. Film titles are linked to the Internet Movie Database.

* 1932 * 1957 * 1982 *

1932

"One to Watch" read the headline on a Sept. 6 Detroit News photo of a handsome movie star who made two appearances in area theaters this month. The caption read, "A chap with plenty of personality is Cary Grant, stage leading man, whose promising career was transplanted to Hollywood, where it is thriving nicely."

"PUBLIX New Season Hits are Here!" read an ad in the Sept. 2, 1932 Detroit News. The ad promoted Devil and the Deep (Tallulah Bankhead, Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, Cary Grant) at the Michigan, and Speak Easily (Buster Keaton and Jimmy "Schnozzle" Durante) at the Fisher. Also advertised was White Zombie (Bela Lugosi), which re-opened the United Artists on Sept. 1, along with The Old Bull, Mickey Mouse in Mickey's Nightmare, and "Globe Trotter News Events".

Also back from a summer break was the Paramount, which re-opened on Sept. 10 with Skyscraper Souls (Warren William). "This revival of activity opens all the big downtown houses with the exception of the State, which appears to be definitely out of the running, and the Madison, which is to be devoted to other than picture purposes," wrote Len G. Shaw in the Sept. 8, 1932 Detroit Free Press. Still closed was the Redford, until Oct. 7.

Other big premieres in Detroit were Back Street (Irene Dunne, John Boles) and The Most Dangerous Game (Joel McCrea, Fay Wray) at the RKO Downtown; Love Me Tonight (Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald) and Blonde Venus (Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, Cary Grant) at the Michigan, and Pack Up Your Troubles (Laurel and Hardy) at the Fisher. Also heavily advertised was the United Artists opening of Grand Hotel (which earlier played at the Wilson).

At the Michigan in Ann Arbor, the arrival on Sept. 22 of Devil and the Deep (Tallulah Bankhead, Gary Cooper, Charles Laughton, Cary Grant) also brought new ticket prices: Evening admission for 50 cents on the main floor, 40 cents in the balcony; and matinee prices of 30 cents for adults and 10 cents for "kiddies".

Monday night was always Guest Night at the Michigan, when a second feature followed the last showing of the main movie. Double bills included Guilty as Hell (Edmund Lowe, Victor McLaglen) and bonus feature Devotion (Ann Harding "in the picture that made her famous"); Two Against the World (Constance Bennett)/The Crowd Roars (James Cagney); Down to Earth (Will Rogers)/Cheaters at Play (Thomas Meighan); and Love Me Tonight (Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald)/This Reckless Age.

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1957

It's Monday, Sept. 9, 1957, and the newspaper ad for the Redford ("PARK FREE, COOLED COMFORT, ALL CINEMASCOPE") has drawn you to a double bill of Island in the Sun (James Mason, Joan Fontaine, Harry Belafonte, Joan Collins) and The Wayward Bus (Jayne Mansfield, Dan Dailey).

Also popular at the Redford was The Delicate Delinquent (Jerry Lewis, Martha Hyer), which topped twin bills with Dragoon Wells Massacre (Barry Sullivan, Dennis O'Keefe) and Beyond Mombasa (Cornel Wilde, Donna Reed). Also on screen were superstars of the 1950s like Elvis Presley (Loving You) and Marilyn Monroe (The Prince and the Showgirl). And the first 500 children to the Saturday afternoon show on Sept. 21 received a free cartoon fun book, and then enjoyed the adventure Tarzan's Hidden Jungle (1955).

Big hits at the Michigan in Ann Arbor included Band of Angels (Clark Gable, Yvonne De Carlo), Jeanne Eagels (Kim Novak, Jeff Chandler), and An Affair to Remember (Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr). A Hatful of Rain (Eva Marie Saint, Don Murray, Anthony Franciosa and Lloyd Nolan) was supported by The Big Show, a CinemaScope and color preview of "100 Stars in Scenes from 50 New Hits". The ads for Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? (Tony Randall) included comments from a recent Ann Arbor sneak preview, like this from Bob Ufer: "Haven't been so entertained since the Mich.-Iowa game last fall."

The Ten Commandments ended a 10-month run at the Madison on Sept. 17, and moved to Detroit neighborhood theaters and the Campus in Ann Arbor. Commandments was followed by Man of a Thousand Faces (James Cagney). Long runs continued at the Music Hall by the Cinerama Seven Wonders of the World ("MOST FABULOUS ADVENTURE OF ALL TIME!") and at the United Artists Theatre by Around the World in 80 Days ("THE WORLD'S MOST HONORED SHOW!").

Other big Detroit openings included The Pajama Game (Doris Day) at the Michigan; 3:10 to Yuma (Glenn Ford, Van Heflin, Felicia Farr) at the Palms; and Jet Pilot (John Wayne, Janet Leigh) at the Michigan. Art film houses showed John Ford's The Rising of the Moon (Studio/World); Gene Kelly in The Happy Road (Krim); and Gina Lollobrigida and Vittoria De Sica in Frisky (1954, Coronet/Surf). The French Film Festival at the Temple Art Cinema included a twin bill of Topaze (1951, Fernandel) and A Royal Affair (1949, Maurice Chevalier)

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1982

The Detroit Film Theatre has shown many films by French director Bertrand Tavernier (who appeared in person at the DFT in March 2003). His A Week's Vacation (1980) was described by Detroit News movie reviewer Susan Stark as "an unhurried, meditative and ultimately encouraging film" (Sept. 23, 1982). Another highlight of the DFT month was Smash Palace, "the first film from New Zealand to reach America." (Peter Ross, Detroit News, Sept. 9, 1982). Smash Palace later appeared at the Maple 1-2-3.

Other DFT attractions were the 16th International Tournee of Animation, Burden of Dreams, and The Trials of Oscar Wilde (1960). The sci-fi series at the Afternoon Film Theatre of the Detroit Institute of Arts continued, with Tarantula (1955), Forbidden Planet (1956), The Monolith Monsters (1957), Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) and The Fly (1958).

The month at the Michigan started with a free evening of entertainment that included an organ concert, Johnny Appleseed (1948), Jack and the Beanstalk (1952), The Greatest Show on Earth (1952), and The War of the Worlds (1953). Also showing were films by Stanley Kubrick (the subject of a Fall 2007 series at the Michigan), like A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), and Dr. Strangelove (1964).

Double features at the Michigan included The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe (1972)/Allegro non Troppo (1977); Great Expectations (1946)/Nicholas Nickleby (1947); and (for returning University of Michigan students) The Graduate (1967) and The Paper Chase (1973).

At the Redford on Sept. 10 and 11, moviegoers hopped on a Carousel (1956) with Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae, and enjoyed memorable tunes by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein (like "If I Loved You" and "You'll Never Walk Alone"). The artistry and genius of Orson Welles was showcased on Sept. 24 and 25, in the innovative and compelling Citizen Kane (1941). On Sept. 18, theatre organist and pianist Harry Koenig made the melodies of the Barton Theatre Pipe Organ come alive.

The summer movie season of 1982 brought in a record $1.5 billion between Memorial Day and Labor Day, reported Susan Stark of the Detroit News on Sept. 17. The top blockbusters were E.T., Rocky III, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn.

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