(L-R) Jeanne Cagney and James Cagney star in “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” a Warner Bros. First National Picture, about the legendary composer, dancer, performer and Broadway star George M. Cohan, at the Orinda Theatre, June 30 at 1 p.m.
“Yankee Doodle Dandy,” with James Cagney offering a life-defining performance, comes to the Orinda Theatre on June 25 at 1 p.m.
The beleaguered Orinda Theatre, a key icon of our community, has been beset by outrageously high PG&E bills and low attendance for first-run films, forcing operator Derek Zemrak to limit hours of operation to keep it going.
Though currently closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, on the last Tuesday of each month Zemrak opens the theatre for a special presentation, in partnership with me, a film historian.
These monthly Orinda shows offer true time travel to the golden age of moviegoing.
“Matías Bombal’s Hollywood Orinda Classic Movie Matinees” not only features a monthly classic feature film made before 1960, but each is accompanied by selected short subjects – a newsreel, cartoon and previews of coming attractions – just as theaters presented them when these films were new.
On my weekly syndicated radio movie review program titled, “Matías Bombal’s Hollywood,” I introduce each movie with anecdotes about the production.
“Yankee Doodle Dandy” stars, in addition to Cagney who plays the role of composer and Broadway star George M. Cohan, winsome Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Eddie Foy, Jr. and Frances Langford. Directed by Michael Curtiz and photographed by James Wong Howe, the 1942 movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won three.
Admission to these monthly Tuesday 1 p.m. features is $10. The next classic will be “The Bad and the Beautiful” with Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner on July 30.
Matías Bombal can be reached at mabhollywood@gmail.com.
