It's hard to believe that even in the contentious late 1960s, politics were probably more civil than they are today. If you want proof, check out this 1967 sit-down from TV in which uber-liberal Woody Allen chats with William F. Buckley Jr. , the father of the modern conservative movement in America. It's interesting to hear the names of prominent people who were grist for the mill of satire during this period: President Johnson, presidential aspirant Bobby Kennedy, President Charles De Gaulle all come in for some pointed barbs. Allen, who had not yet entered a period in his life in which he all but withdrew from public appearances, is extremely witty but Buckley holds his own against the comedy legend-in-the-making. The segment recalls a time in which people could disagree without being disagreeable. If only our politicians could make the same claim today.
Ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous and incomprehensible, the final words of legendary actors and actresses provide some fascinating and thought-provoking moments. Among those cited here: Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy, Laurence Olivier, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, Rock Hudson, Marilyn Monroe and Groucho Marx. Click here to read.
RETRO-ACTIVE: THE BEST FEATURES FROM THE CINEMA RETRO ARCHIVES
Don't you miss those wonderful old comic book tie-ins to major motion pictures? We unearthed this one in the seemingly bottomless vaults of the Cinema Retro archive. It was a tie in from Dell Comics for director John Sturges' 1965, big budget misfire The Hallelujah Trail that managed to squander the talents of Burt Lancaster, Lee Remick, Jim Hutton and many other popular actors. However, we still have a soft spot for the comic book, which is far more entertaining than the padded, seemingly endless film upon which it is based!