Artists and Models in 4K

“It isn’t fair! Here we are, three desperate criminals who will stop at nothing to escape from Devil’s Island, and we have to fall in with nice people!” So laments Jules (Peter Ustinov), one of a trio of convicts stuck on the French-controlled isle on Christmas Eve, 1895, where they fall in with the lovely proprietors of a local supply shop. Crime, romance, and dark comedy collide in an entertaining tale of unexpected guardian angels from director and star of Casablanca (1942) Michael Curtiz and Humphrey Bogart, with the actor in a rare comedic role. The material was rich enough for director Neil Jordan to revisit in 1989, this time with Oscar-winning stars Robert De Niro and Sean Penn.

Hitchcock plays with the concept of the wrong man, a frequent theme in his narratives, in one of the most admired and entertaining of his mid-career films. North by Northwest stars four-time collaborator Grant as Roger O. Thornhill, a suave ad executive whose identity is mistaken for a government agent. Ruthless spy Philip Vandamm (James Mason) is after Thornhill; on a separate mission is a group of secret agents who follows Thornhill across the country. On the run, Thornhill meets Eve Kendall, a mesmerizing, peculiar woman whose mysterious identity amplifies the level of danger he is in. The film’s ironically ecstatic tone parallels the enchanting aspect of Grant’s portrayal of Thornhill—elegantly sarcastic with a witty sense of humor. Processed in Technicolor, this spectacular thriller showcases now-iconic action sequences such as the crop duster plane chase and climax at Mount Rushmore.

The second film from Dena Enterprises, the production company founded by actor Danny Kaye (White Christmas, 1954) and his songwriter wife, Sylvia Fine, The Court Jester is a delightful vehicle for the comedic icon to showcase his unparalleled timing, physical humor, and witty wordplay. Kaye is Hubert Hawkins, a retired carnival performer who disguises himself as a jester to help overturn an evil plot against a rightful British king. This ridiculous romp, with undeniable star Kaye at its center, is buttressed by a sincere Glynis Johns (Mary Poppins, 1964) as Maid Jean and an arch Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes,1939–1946) as Lord Ravenhurst. The most expensive comedy ever made at the time, primarily for its lavish sets, The Court Jester earned Kaye a Golden Globe nomination, and in 2004, the National Film Registry added the film to its list of titles considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

This gritty biopic dives into the smoky, dangerous glamor of Prohibition-era Chicago for the true story of nightclub performer Joe E. Lewis, famous for being one of the few people who could make gangster Al Capone laugh. Crooner Frank Sinatra, lauded by the film's marketing as “the most electric personality of our time,” follows Lewis’s highs and lows with the same realism and range he brought to The Man with the Golden Arm (1955). Ol’ Blue Eyes also adds musical dimension to the character — the real Lewis was more comedian than singer—with director Charles Vidor (no relation to fellow director King) compounding his experience with musicals and comedies into a story with dramatic nuance.

Fast-talking Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday, 1940) is absolutely captivating as Kim Halliday, the daughter of a deceased career gambler who joins her father’s former business partner to run a Vegas casino. Russell's unflappable confidence is a fine match for the swagger of Fernando Lamas as Victor Monte, a rival club owner who vies for Kim’s affections—and her casino. There’s nothing quite like the neon lights of Sin City captured in high-definition VistaVision and vibrant Technicolor, which appear here in gorgeous documentary footage of the Strip; like most studio productions of the era, however, the bulk of this musical comedy was shot on producer Paramount’s lot.

In person: director Paul Thomas Anderson, cinematographer Michael Bauman, and producer Sara Murphy

In person: actor Peter Weller