
This program reaffirms Cukor’s reputation as an actor’s director as the viewer is treated to memorable performances by W.C. Fields in “David Copperfield”, Greta Garbo in “Camille”, Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in “Adam’s Rib” and “Pat and Mike”, Hepburn and Cary Grant in “Holiday” and “The Philadelphia Story”, John Barrymore in “Dinner at Eight”, Ronald Colman in “A Double Life” and Judy Garland in a remake of “A Star Is Born”.
His career spans the entire history of film in America. Raoul Walsh began as a stunt rider in Pathen Brothers westerns and learned his craft as an assistant to D.W. Griffith. He then became a contract director for William Fox where he directed such distinguished silent films as “What Price Glory”, and “Thief of Baghdad”. Films excerpted include these as well as such action classics as “The Roarings 20s”, “High Sierra”, “White Heat”, and “They Died With Their Boots On”.
Capra, whose enormous success in the 1930s transformed a tiny studio — Columbia Pictures — into one of the giants of the industry, extols the virtues of common men in such films as “Mr. Deeds Comes To Town”, “Mr. Smith Goes To Washington”; “Meet John Doe” and “It’s a Wonderful Life”.