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Directed by Tay Garnett, The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) begins when drifter Frank Chambers (John Garfield) stops at the rural Twin Oaks diner for a meal and ends up accepting a job offer from its middle-aged, alcoholic owner, Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway). He is immediately intrigued by Nick's young wife, Cora (Lana Turner), with whom he soon becomes involved in a passionate love affair. They run away together when Nick is out of town, but only travel a short distance, as Cora cannot face a penniless future with Frank. Determined to continue her furtive romance and make a better life for herself, Cora convinces Frank to help her kill her husband, so she can cash in on his insurance money.   After a failed attempt to kill Nick in the bathtub, Frank and Cora stage a car accident, unaware that District Attorney Kyle Sackett (Leon Ames) has been following them. Although Sackett arrives on the scene too late to save Nick, he is certain that Cora and Frank are the culprits. Without...

In honour of Judy Garland's 94th birthday, which is today, this week on «Film Friday» I bring you one of her most iconic pictures, the one that should have given her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Groucho Marx was right; it was «the biggest robbery since Brinks.»  Directed by George Cukor, A Star Is Born (1954) tells the story of Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland), a band singer who saves screen legend Norman Maine (James Mason) from complete humiliation when he arrives drunk at a benefit show at the Shrine Auditorium. Once sober, Norman goes looking for Esther and finds her performing in an after-hours club. Impressed by her talent, he convinces her to leave her band and pursue a career in motion pictures, promising to introduce her to studio head Oliver Niles (Charles Bickford). Just as Esther arrives in Hollywood, Norman is called away to filming on location and is unable to reach her. Assuming that he was being insincere, Esther becomes determined to make it with or without ...

Directed by Sam Wood, The Stratton Story (1949) begins in the early 1930s when Barney Wile (Frank Morgan), a retired catcher who is now a baseball scout, spots young Texas farmer Monty Stratton (James Stewart) pitching for $3 a game with a team called the Wagner Wildcats. Impressed by Monty's raw skill, Barney trains the boy throughout the winter and then takes him to California for a try-out with the Chicago White Sox. Manager Jimmy Dykes (as himself) is convinced to take Monty on, with Barney retained as pitching coach. Meanwhile, Monty marries a sophisticated young woman named Ethel Milberger (June Allyson), whom he met on a blind date arranged by teammate Eddie Dibson (Bill Williams).   James Stewart, Frank Morgan and June Allyson in The Stratton Story . After sitting on the bench for most of his first season with the Chicago White Sox, Monty is finally asked to pitch against the New York Yankees and manages to score a win for his team. When the season ends, he brings Ethel, w...