Home

DFT

Michigan

Redford

Lobby

Detroit Movie Palaces

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

Your Guide to Classic Movie Theater Fun!

	Add a comment to a blog entry!
	Explore theater history!

Home

Upcoming Films

Detroit Film Theatre

Michigan Theater

Redford Theatre

Lobby

Looking Back

November 1932/1957/1982

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

* 1932 * 1957 * 1982 *

1932

When the votes were counted on Nov. 8 in the historic U.S. presidential election between incumbent Herbert Hoover and challenger Franklin Roosevelt, area moviegoers didn't have to sit at home by their radio to find out what was going on.

"The Michigan will run a special midnight show on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 8," read an ad in Nov. 7, 1932 The Ann Arbor Daily News. "At the conclusion of the show, and at times during its running, election returns that are available will be given." To mark the occasion, the Michigan re-ran its Monday Guest Night double bill of the main attraction Movie Crazy (Harold Lloyd) and second feature The Miracle Man.

In Detroit, "three downtown motion picture theaters, the Michigan, RKO Downtown and Fox, will cater to presidential election celebrants tonight by offering special shows," read an article in the Nov. 8, 1932 Detroit News. "Vote returns will be announced on national, state and county tickets at intervals during the entertainment."

Also at the Michigan in Ann Arbor, moviegoers on Nov. 19 got a free turkey, duck or chicken for their "Thanksgiving feast" after enjoying Loretta Young and George Brent in They Call It Sin. Opening on Thanksgiving at the Michigan was A Bill of Divorcement, starring John Barrymore and (in her first film) Katharine Hepburn. Other popular movies were Red Dust (Clark Gable, Jean Harlow), Rain (Joan Crawford, Walter Huston), and Too Busy to Work (Will Rogers, Marian Nixon).

At the Redford, the highlight of the month was Grand Hotel, which had been playing downtown since May. That film opened on Nov. 27, after it was named the "most outstanding picture" in the Academy Awards ceremony for the 1931/32 movie year (The Detroit News, Nov. 19, 1932).

Other top films at the Redford included Pack Up Your Troubles (Laurel and Hardy), Blonde Venus (Marlene Dietrich), Bird of Paradise (Dolores del Rio), Love Me Tonight (Maurice Chevalier), and Devil and the Deep (Gary Cooper). Nov. 19 visitors to the Redford enjoyed a double bill of This Sporting Age (Jack Holt) and Blonde Captive, along with a "Big Vaudeville Show" at 9 p.m.

Prominent openings in Detroit included Rain (Joan Crawford) and I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (Paul Muni) at the United Artists; A Bill of Divorcement and The Old Dark House at the RKO Downtown; and If I Had a Million at the Michigan.

Back to Top

1957

With news about the Soviet Sputnik filling the front pages, the Redford advertised the "Rocket Ships and Flying Saucers" of its Nov. 9, 1957 Saturday children's matinee showing of This Island Earth (1955). Other matinee treats this month included Danny Kaye in Knock on Wood (1954), Mickey Rooney in The Atomic Kid (1954), and It Came from Beneath the Sea (1955).

Popular films at the Redford included The Pride and the Passion (Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra), Jeanne Eagels (Kim Novak, Jeff Chandler), and an "Exclusive Area Showing" of The Sun Also Rises (Tyrone Power, Ava Gardner). For Thanksgiving weekend, Redford patrons enjoyed Jet Pilot (John Wayne, Janet Leigh). Second features this month included 3:10 to Yuma (Glenn Ford, Van Heflin).

"In His First Big Dramatic Singing Role," Elvis Presley appeared in Jailhouse Rock at the Michigan. Other big hits at the Michigan included Operation Mad Ball (Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs) and a remake of My Man Godfrey (June Allyson, David Niven).

A midnight show at the Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 9 included Dracula "In Person"; the "Materialization of James Dean," and a "Comedy Horror Feature Film". Opening on Thanksgiving was Bombers B-52 (Karl Malden, Natalie Wood). The State, a partner theater of the Michigan, hosted a "Thanksgiving Morning Cartoon and Comedy Festival".

"Dear Lord, we bow to thee today, our prayers of gratitude to say," began Edgar A. Guest's Thanksgiving poem in the Nov. 28, 1957 Detroit Free Press. Detroit moviegoers were grateful this month for the openings of Pal Joey (Rita Hayworth, Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak) at the Michigan; Les Girls (Gene Kelly, Mitzi Gaynor, Kay Kendall) at the Adams; and (for Thanksgiving) April Love (Pat Boone, Shirley Jones) at the Fox. The Krim screened the award-winning Lost Continent (1954) and The Red Balloon (which appears at the Detroit Film Theatre on Nov. 23-25, 2007).

Back to Top

1982

At the Detroit Film Theatre, The Girl with the Red Hair (Netherlands) was "a unique, deeply affecting, nonfiction drama about a young Dutch woman's response to the Nazi occupation." (Susan Stark, Detroit News, Nov. 4, 1982). Viewers also traveled along the Japanese Muddy River, "a marvelous, sad fairy tale, filled with rich and appealing characters." (Diane Haithman, Detroit Free Press, Nov. 19, 1982).

Other DFT films included Without Amnesia (1978), by Polish director Andrzej Wajda (Man of Marble), and the controversial German film Taxi zum Klo. The Alfred Hitchcock series moved into the 1960s with Psycho (1960), The Birds (1963), Marnie (1964), and Torn Curtain (1966). The Afternoon Film Theatre showed the science fiction movies The Mysterians (1957), Queen of Outer Space (1958), and On the Beach (1959).

In "one of the most exciting double features around," (Rich Quackenbush, Ann Arbor News, Nov. 21, 1982), Liza Minnelli starred at the Michigan in her Oscar-winning role in Cabaret (1972), and with Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's New York, New York (1977). Other twin bills put the spotlight on Spanish director Luis Buñuel (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) and Viridiana (1961) ) and award-winning foreign language films (Cousin, cousine (1975) and Bread and Chocolate (1973) ). Historical epics included Dr. Zhivago (1965), 1900 (1976) and Lawrence of Arabia (1962).

Live events at the Michigan included a Nov. 4 debate between Timothy Leary and G. Gordon Liddy. A panel of three area communications instructors said that Liddy won the debate. On Nov. 13, the 24-hour Jazzmatazz benefit included all-night jazz, and aerobic dancing at 6:30 a.m.

It was a very melodic month at the Redford. On Nov. 5-6, the 1936 version of Jerome Kern's musical Showboat featured Irene Dunne, Paul Robeson, and Helen Morgan. Organist Lou Behm also entertained the audience. On Nov. 19-20, organist Tony O'Brien warmed up the crowd for Brigadoon, the 1954 Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe musical that starred Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. On Nov. 27, "world famous" organist George Wright performed a Thanksgiving weekend concert.

Back to Top

Archive

Home

Site Map

Disclaimer