The following is a guest post by Jenny Paxson of the Packard Campus.
Thursday, December 19 (7:30 p.m.)
Pocketful of Miracles (United Artists, 1961)
Legendary director Frank Capra’s final feature, Pocketful of Miracles, was a remake of his 1933 film Lady for a Day, which itself was based on a Damon Runyon short story. No exception to the pervading sense of optimism and sentiment that were his signature, Pocketful of Miracles tells the heartwarming story of Apple Annie (Bette Davis), a New York bag lady, who is transformed into high society by gangster Dave the Dude (Glenn Ford) to impress her daughter Louise (Ann-Margret in her screen debut), about to come home for Christmas after many years at a European boarding school. The film garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Costume Design, Best Song, and Best Supporting Actor for Peter Falk as Dave the Dude’s sarcastic bodyguard Joy Boy. While it disappointed at the box office the year of its release, Miracles has since become a Christmastime favorite. 35mm archival film print. 136 min.
Friday, December 20 (7:30 p.m.)
Lethal Weapon (Warner Bros., 1987 – rated R*)
Widely considered one of the best buddy cop films ever made and a major influence on many of the genre to follow, Lethal Weapon paired Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as mismatched LAPD detectives – Martin Riggs (Gibson), a former Green Beret who has become suicidal following the death of his wife, and Roger Murtaugh (Glover), a 50-year-old veteran of the force and family man, who are assigned to work together as partners. At Christmastime, as Riggs gets to know Murtaugh and his family, he begins to mellow, though his insistence on using guerilla tactics to catch criminals is still (to put it mildly) above and beyond the call of duty. This action comedy directed by Richard Donner and written by Shane Black also features Gary Busey, Tom Atkins, Darlene Love, and Mitchell Ryan in the cast. Lethal Weapon was a big hit and spawned a franchise that includes three sequels and a television series. 35mm archival film print. 109 min. No one under the age of 17 will be admitted without a parent or guardian.
Saturday, December 21 (2 p.m.)
Frozen (Disney, 2013)
Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen, this animated musical adventure tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on a journey alongside a rugged iceman, his loyal reindeer, and a naive snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have inadvertently trapped their kingdom in eternal winter. Kristen Bell provides the voice of Anna, the 18-year-old Princess of Arendelle, with Idina Menzel as Elsa, the 21-year-old Queen of Arendelle who possesses magical ice powers and is Anna’s elder sister. Directed by Chris Buck and produced by John Lasseter and Peter Del Vecho. Frozen won two Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (Let It Go). A sequel, Frozen 2, is scheduled for release on November 22. Rated PG. 35mm archival film print. 102 min.
Saturday, December 21 (7:30 p.m.)
White Christmas (Paramount, 1954)
Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye star as a top song-and-dance act who accompanies Betty and Judy Haynes, a pair of sister entertainers (played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen) to the Columbia Inn in Vermont where the women are scheduled to perform during the Christmas holidays. They arrive to discover that the inn is run by the boys’ former WWII commanding officer who is about to go out of business due to a lack of snow. The foursome decides to put on a show to save the establishment. Michael Curtiz directed this Technicolor Christmas classic that features Irving Berlin songs Sisters, Snow, Love You Didn’t Do Right By Me, the Oscar-nominated Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep and of course White Christmas. 35mm archival film print. 120 min.
For more information on our programs, please visit the website at: //www.loc.gov/avconservation/theater/