Sean Connery, James Bond, 'Marnie' September 28, 2012

The name is . . .
“Connery, Sean Connery . . .”
James Bond, Plus 50 Years

At The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre
54 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ 07306
Tel. (201) 798-6055 Fax: (201) 798-4020 Web: www.loewsjersey.org

A Not-For-Profit Arts Center in a Landmark Movie Palace

All Titles Screened in 35mm on our BIG 50ft Wide Screen

At least seven actors have played him in two dozen or more films, so it may be hard for some people to believe that there actually was a time before James Bond was a perennial fixture in movie theatres around the world. And of course, which James Bond you know best probably depends on when you were born. But in the beginning, before the current Daniel Craig, before Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Dalton, Roger Moore, George Lazenby, and even before David Niven in the spoof Casino Royale – there was Sean Connery.

It was fifty years ago that “Dr. No”, the first film adaptation of Ian Flemming’s popular spy novels, hit the big screen. Such venerable stars as Carey Grant, James Mason and David Niven had either turned down the part or were unavailable, so the still-relatively unknown, 32 year old Scottish born Connery got the role. As one of the producers described it, he brought a “tough Scottish hide” covered in a debonair veneer, rugged good looks, and a wry sense of humor that made his incarnation of Bond irresistible.

Every version of Bond has its good points, to be sure, and plenty of adherents. But Connery’s films are a unique and extremely entertaining cocktail – shaken, not stirred of course – of Connery’s charm with an unmistakable 1960’s vibe, a charmingly anachronistic infatuation with pre-digital gadgetry, thrilling action, a splash of camp, and, of course, sex.

Connery quickly grew tired of Bond, left the role and managed to defy critics who predicted he was doomed to be typecast by becoming a superstar in a great variety of roles. Bond, of course, has survived Connery’s defection, the comings and goings of all the others, the end of the Cold War, and even blond hair.

Fans – old and new – will have the chance to celebrate James Bond’s 50th anniversary and also enjoy the timeless Sean Connery with screenings of both the first Bond film along with what’s arguably the best of them all, plus the movie Connery made with “The Master” in between Bond gigs.

Friday, September 28 8PM
“Marnie” Starring Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. 1964, 130mins, Color
When Marnie premiered, critics were not kind – but time has changed that verdict. Today, it is appreciated as a fascinating, if somewhat lesser known, continuation of Alfred Hitchcock’s signature exploration of the twists, turns and terrors that can lurk in the deep waters of psychological undercurrents. Tippi Hedren plays Marnie, an attractive woman whose catalogue of “issues” includes the fact that she’s a compulsive thief, can’t stand to be touched by any man, and goes bonkers over the sight of the color red. Her new boss, Sean Connery, has his own “issue”: he is so intrigued – and turned on -- by Marnie that he blackmails her into marriage when he stumbles onto her breaking into his safe. What could seem an unlikely story is instead absorbing thanks to great acting by the stars and supporting cast, a skillful screenplay, and “The Master’s” ability to toss in surprising angles and build suspense through simple but skillful juxtapositions and tight editing. Even one of the harshest criticisms leveled at the film when it was released – that it was shot entirely on a sound stage and therefore looked tacky and unreal -- now seems to be a clever device that adds to the strange and slightly queasy mood Hitchcock wanted the audience to feel. The film is also buoyed by Bernard Hermann’s driving musical score (his last for Hitchcock). Among the supporting actors are Mariette Hartley in her film debut, and Bruce Dern who would go on to build a career largely around playing characters with decided psychological “issues”.
$7 for Adults, $5 for Seniors (65+) and Children (12 & younger).

Saturday, September 29 6PM
“Dr. No” Starring Sean Connery, Ursula Andress, Joseph Wiseman. Directed by Terence Young. 1962, 111mins, Color
Sean Connery sets the standard by which all future takers must measure themselves as the insouciant and devil-may-care James Bond. The story concerns Bond being sent to Jamaica to investigate the murders of a British agent and his secretary. During his investigation, he comes into contact with the evil and unscrupulous scientist Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) who, living on an island called Crab Key, is scheming to divert rockets fired from Cape Canaveral and blackmail the United States. Helping Bond is Ursula Andress (setting another Bond standard by being mostly undressed in a bikini throughout most of the film), as well as bad gals like Zena Marshall, who almost leads Bond to his death in her bedroom, and Eunice Gayson, a Bond pickup in a London gambling house who proves herself a greater adversary than even James Bond can handle. Also, look for a pre-Hawaii Five O Jack Lord.

$7 for Adults, $5 for Seniors (65+) and Children (12 & younger).

Saturday, September 29 8:30PM
“Goldfinger” Starring Sean Connery, Gert Fröbe, Honor Blackman. 1964, 117mins, Color
“Goldfinger” is arguably the most famous, and perhaps best, of all of the Bond films. While the first two Bond films entrenched many of the series’ signature elements --including globe-trotting locations, salacious credits sequence, Q's exasperation, and 007's phenomenal abilities with women -- “Goldfinger” filled in the rest of the canon: the Aston-Martin and over-the-top gadgets, extravagant sets, “super villain”-style antagonists, and tongue-in-cheek humor that flirts with camp. It set the tone not only for the rest of the series but also for most of the action/adventure films of the late '60s and early '70s. Bond has to prevent a notorious gold smuggler, appropriately named Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe), from robbing Fort Knox. Goldfinger is surrounded by evil henchmen such as the sexy female pilot with the ultimate Bond-girl name: Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) and Oddjob (Harold Sakata), who kills with his steel-rimmed bowler hats. In order to stop Goldfinger, Bond has to survive several perilous situations, including a huge, deadly laser. And of course, Shirley Bassey's "Goldfinger" theme set the mold for the series to commission signature pop theme-songs, some of which like “Goldfinger” became chart toppers.

- - - Combo discounts available for multiple screenings in a weekend. - - -
**Film descriptions are compiled from various sources.

The Loew's Is Easy To Get To: The Loew's Jersey Theatre, at 54 Journal Square, Jersey City, NJ, is directly across JFK Boulevard from the JSQ PATH Center with trains to and from Lower and Midtown Manhattan and Newark's Penn Station, and is minutes from the NJ Turnpike, Rts. 3 and 1&9 and the Holland & Lincoln Tunnels. We're easy to reach by car or mass transit from throughout the Metro Region.

Discount off-street parking is available in Square Ramp Garageadjoining the Loew's at the foot of Magnolia Avenue off of Tonnelle Avenue, behind the Loew's. Patrons must validate their parking ticket before leaving the Theatre.

What’s Special About Seeing A Movie At The Loew’s? The Landmark Loew’s Jersey Theatre is one of America’s grandest surviving Movie Palaces. We show movies the way they were meant to be seen: in a grandly ornate setting – on our BIG 50 ft wide screen! The Loew’s runs reel-to-reel -- not platter -- projection, which often allows us to screen an archival or studio vault print that is the best available copy of a movie title.

PLUS – Live organ entrance music (from the Loew’s magnificently restored pipe organ) before most screenings.
The Loew’s Jersey is managed by Friends of the Loew’s, Inc. as a non-profit, multidiscipline performing arts enter.

Classic Film Weekends are presented by Friends of the Loew’s, Inc.

Official Website: http://www.loewsjersey.org