Don McKeon has sent us another Scranton reference from a classic film:
"I had another great surprise hearing the name of Scranton mentioned in an old film. I watched a film called Remember the Night starring Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray. It was broadcast on TCM and it was the first time they every showed this film. By the way this was the very first teaming up of Stanwyck and MacMurray - they made 4 films altogether (their most famous teaming, of course, being the 1944 film noir classic Double Indemnity).
The film is a romantic comedy and features Stanwyck as Lee Leander, a con artist who steals an expensive bracelet (her third shoplifting offense). She faces trial (the setting is New York City) and is prosecuted by assistant D.A. John Sargent (MacMurray). It is Christmas time and the trial is delayed until after the holidays.
Sargent gets the trial postponed because it is hard to get a conviction at Christmastime, but he feels sorry for Lee nonetheless and arranges to pay her bail. Sargent learns that Lee hails from his home state of Indiana and decides to take her with him to visit her mother for Christmas. Lee hadn't seen her mother in years, but the reunion is anything but loving. Feeling sorry for her, Sargent takes her to his mother's home.
To make a long story short, when Sargent and Lee are leaving Indiana, his mom asks them if they are going back to New York by way of Scranton or Pittsburgh. By now, they are in love and even though Sargent has now changed sides and wants to get her acquitted, Lee decides to own up to her guilt so she can start her life anew.
It's a nice film, I hope you will be able to see it sometime."
Remember The Night had a rare holiday broadcast this past December 17th on TCM. Hopefully, it will air again.
Remember The Night was a very difficult film to get on video. Though never released on DVD, it was released in the early 1990s on VHS as part of the Barbara Stanwyck Collection, but the video is now out-of-print and a used copy typically sells for $40+.
Remember the Night was FINALLY released on DVD during the 2009 holiday season, which you can order directly from TCM by clicking here.
In addition, Albright Memorial Library now has the DVD of Remember the Night in its collection. To place a hold, click here.
Thanks again to Don McKeon for another great reference. Keep 'em coming!
2 comments:
I was just watching Home Alone the other day and there's that now classic airport scene set in Scranton.
I completely forgot about Home Alone being a Christmas movie that mentioned Scranton. Thanks.
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