Dick Van Dyke and Kathleen Quinlan star in The Runner Stumbles, a 1975 drama about a priest, a nun, and a lot of controversy. The film also stars a very young Beau Bridges with Maureen Stapleton, Tammy Grimes, and Ray Bolger.

The setting is a depressed coalmining town populated by poor residents. Heading up the Catholic community is Father Rivard (Van Dyke), who has some progressive ideas but still wants to keep the laws of the church front and center. This small community respects Rivard, but when young nun Sister Rita (Quinlan) comes to the community, things get unsettled very quickly. The community is used to the two current nuns who are older and have strict ways of running the school. When Sister Rita comes along she changes everything and brightens up the lives of the children, to the dismay of the two old fashioned nuns. However, when they are confined to their beds with consumption, it is Sister Rita that takes on the responsibility of the children’s schooling.

The movie begins with the indictment of Father Rivard for the murder of Sister Rita, and with his lawyer (Bridges), the story of their lives come to light. Through flashbacks it is revealed that for the first time in a long time, Father Rivard had someone with which to discuss things. Sister Rita was bright, energetic, and full of life. And she was also full of love. The two found themselves falling in love with each other, and torn between their love for each other and their vows to the church.

Needless to say, the townsfolk see the attraction between these two and rumors spread. Everyone is used to the old-fashioned nuns and find it hard to think of the modern way Sister Rita teaches their children. They also find it strange that Father Rivard is spending so much time with Sister Rita.

The psychological struggles with Rita and Rivard are gripping for viewers. Is the vow of celibacy really that important? But rather, is the love between a man and a woman a sacred bond

It is not until the very end when the trial comes to a climax and the reality of the circumstances come to light. The acting in the film is excellent. It is perhaps unfamiliar for viewers to see Van Dyke in this role, but he plays it to perfection, and Quinlan is uplifting in her role. While it is a bit slow moving, the drama of the story is intoxicating.

The Runner Stumbles is rated PG and available on Blu-ray May 19 from Kino Lorber Classics.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.

Vincent Minnelli directed Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall, and Sandra Dee in the 1958 film The Reluctant Debutante. John Saxon and Angela Lansbury also star in this wacky comedy about love and social values in the 1950s.

Jane Broadbent (Dee) is half British and half American. She comes to spend the summer with her British father Lord Jimmy Broadbent (Harrison) and his wife Lady Sheila (Kendall) and gets more than she bargained for. All she wants to do is to sightsee and enjoy the time with her father and learn about London. But when Sheila decides Jane must “come out” to London society, things get out of hand.

Seventeen-year-old Jane arrived in London during “the season” when debutantes are presented to society. She is the perfect age to find a prospective husband, and if Sheila has anything to say about it, he will be from a good family and have a title.

Sheila’s cousin Mabel (Lansbury) and her daughter Clarissa (Diane Clare) are also on the hunt for a great catch for Clarissa. She has her eyes on David Fenner, a guard for the palace. And now Sheila thinks Fenner would be a good catch for Jane as well. But Fenner is an uptight, boring man and Jane wants nothing to do with him.

Then Jane meets David Parkson (Saxon), and America drummer. The two hit it off and are on the way to a wonderful relationship until Sheila and Jimmy discover he has a checkered past. Trying to keep Parkson away from Jane while pushing her toward Fenner is a full-time job, that comes off with some hilarity.

The repartee between Harrison and Kendall is amusing. They were married in real life at the time of this filming. This movie was made a year before Dee was thrust into the public’s eye as Gidget.

While this is not the best movie for any of the main actors, it does have its moments. And the ending is hysterical.

The Reluctant Debutante is part of the Warner Archive collection and can be ordered from their website or other online retailers.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.

The 1963 romantic comedy Sunday in New York takes place in one day, and it is one very funny and very eventful day. Jane Fonda teamed up with Rod Taylor and Cliff Robertson for this romp around New York City.

Eileen Tyler (Fonda) travels from the north part of New York State to NYC after a breakup with her fiancé Russ Wilson (Robert Culp). She intends on staying a few days with her older brother Adam (Robertson), a pilot who has a robust social life. But when she confides in her brother about how her engagement broke up, he tells her that any man who would break up with a woman because she would not have intimate relations is not worth her time. Little does she know that Adam is playing around when he’s not flying planes.

Eileen heads off to take the bus and experience a day in NYC. She gets hooked up, literally, with Mike Mitchell (Taylor) when her pin sticks to his jacket. Later they meet again and decide to spend the day together. He has all day to enjoy the city and why not spend it together?

After awhile they become friends. When they return to the apartment Eileen thinks this is the perfect time to lose her virginity. But Mike isn’t having any of that. He is a responsible man and doesn’t want to get involved with “a beginner.”

Then Russ barges into the apartment and that is when the wackiness continues. To keep things on the up and up, Mike decides it is best if he introduces himself as Eileen’s brother Adam. After all, they are both in their bathrobes. So things get really zany when Adam return to the apartment and the three of them must convince Russ that Adam is Mike and Mike is Adam.

There are many laugh-out-loud scenes in this movie.

Sunday in New York is now on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and can be ordered through their website or online retailers.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.

Viewers are like a fly on the wall listening and watching four of Britain’s most legendary actresses discuss their lives, their careers, and their friendship. Tea with the Dames brings together Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Joan Plowright, and Dame Eileen Atkins as they reminisce in a British countryside cottage. While many of their stories are discussed, there are plenty of clips and photos from their past that play on screen.

In the beginning it might seem like 84 minutes of these four women discussing their lives is a bit boring, but after they start interacting with each other and viewers learn how their lives have progressed over the decades, this is an intriguing film.  They are not only British “Dames” but they are also each amazing actors and also great friends. Their dramatic talents are on display as well as their biting wit and humor.

Plowright was also Baroness Olivier, having been married to Laurence Olivier. The four women talk about working with Sir Laurence. Plowright discusses having two titles: Lady and Dame.

Smith was married once to an actor (Robert Stephens) and a playwright (Beverley Cross).  Atkins was married to actor Julian Glover and producer Bill Shepherd. And Dench was married to actor Michael Williams. The foursome has fun stories about their pasts and working on various projects.

Each of the four began their careers on the stage and theater was their main focus. Little by little they added films and television to their resumes. Dench was in several Bond films, and Smith was in Downton Abbey. She admits she has not seen all the episodes however has a box set of the series. Tidbits like this are priceless for fans of the renowned actors.

Some of them were awarded their titles by Queen Elizabeth and some by Prince Charles. Becoming a Dame is like men becoming a Sir. They are women who have achieved greatness in drama. This is the highest level of award for Brits.

Tea with the Dames is a fun way to experience the lives of these four extraordinary women. It is not rated but will have appeal to adults and older teens.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.

This is a sad press release from Twilight Time. For those of us who love movies, this is a great opportunity to pick up your favorites for a special price.

After nine years of successful operations in which 380 motion pictures from the 1930s to the 2010s have been released on DVD and Blu-ray disc, the home video label Twilight Time founded by veteran Hollywood studio executives and filmmakers Brian Jamieson and the late, dearly celebrated Nick Redman, will not release any further titles and we will be winding down operations this summer. A changing market, the rising costs of title acquisitions and the passing of longtime partner and company spokesman Nick Redman, are key reasons for the closure.

As part of our winding down process, there will be a one-time reduction in prices to $3.95,$6.95 and $11.95 as of Monday, May 11th at www.TwilightTimeMovies.com. Cinemagistics/TwilightTimeMovies.com will continue to sell titles while available through June 30th, at which time they and Twilight Time will cease operations.

Remaining inventory will be acquired and distributed exclusively by Screen Archives – effective July 1st 2020.

When launched in 2011, Twilight Time pioneered the concept of bringing rare and distinctive films of all genres to the marketplace in 3,000-unit Limited Editions, exclusively available at two website destinations: Screen Archives Entertainment and later Twilight Time Movies. This allowed devoted movie fans to obtain physical copies of highly desired titles which did not command shelf space at local brick and mortar stores. Nick aptly named the venture Twilight Time, because eventually the concept of film as physical goods would have a ‘sell-by date’ possibly sooner rather than later. Nick once said, “At the onset we never envisaged we would be around for nearly a decade before it was time for the sun to set on the company.”

During that time, the Twilight Time catalog has included fabled films from the libraries of Twentieth Century Fox, Sony Pictures, MGM/United Artists, Universal Studios, Film 4, Protagonist Pictures, Toei Company and other entities, and showcased many Academy Award®- and international prize-winning titles. Thanks to Nick Redman’s 30+ years as an award-winning film music historian and preservationist, most releases have included synchronized Isolated Music or Music-and-Effects Tracks that provided a rare platform for the lauded and unsung composers so vital to the filmmaking process. Many offerings also provided informative Audio Commentary tracks involving co-founder Redman and a host of internationally noted film historians that expertly contextualized and enhanced the viewing experience.

From the beginning, the core Twilight Time players – essayist and commentary contributor Julie Kirgo, packaging designer Louis Falzarano, soundtrack editor/music historian Mike Matessino, disc authoring supervisor Jeff Jewett, and our project coordinator Mike Finnegan – have played essential and “best in class” roles in this unique venture. We also want to recognize the extraordinary help of our Distribution and Marketing partners at Screen Archives and Twilight Time Movies. Most importantly, from the bottom of our hearts we thank you, the appreciative film collector. You have supported us throughout this marvelous journey and will hopefully continue to do so while these “one of a kind” limited-run titles are still accessible to you.