We announced on twitter that we were going to quit these history posts because of lack of return on investment -- people just dont seem that into them. And then some people complained because they love them. So, hmmm. Perhaps we'll rejigger the concept to make them much less time consuming or chalk it up to too niche even for TFE. Anyway, one last one?
4 random things that happened on this day, December 6th, in film history
1945 The Bells of St Marys premieres. Here's a trivia note you might not know about. This was the first sequel ever nominated for Best Picture...
It featured the return of Bing Crosby's priest character Father O'Malley from the previous year's Best Picture winner Going My Way. This time Ingrid Bergman joined the fun as a friendly-rival nun.
The Only Sequels Nominated for Best Picture
- The Bells of St Marys (1945)
- The Godfather Part II (1974)
- The Godfather Part III (1990)
Debatable (1991): Some people might count Silence of the Lambs as a sequel to 1986's Manhunter but we wouldn't as it was only really a sequel in book form (different studio, different filmmaking team) and the Academy had certainly not noted the existence of the Manhunter movie) - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
- Toy Story 3 (2010)
- Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Debatable (2018): Some people might count Black Panther as a sequel since it was part of the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe and we'd met the character before in Captain America: Civil War but we think it's a gray area as that would make virtually all origin story movies of superheroes 'sequels' as we'd usually met the characters before.
As you can see The Academy isn't all that into sequels but they've adjusted to franchise world since more than half of the titles that did achieve this rare distinction were in the past 20 years.
Sam Shepard and Kim Basinger in "Fool for Love"
1985 Robert Altman's adaptation of Sam Shepards play Fool For Love, Andrei Konchalovsky's sleeper hit Runaway Train (3 Oscar nominations), and the comedy Spies Like Us all open in US movie theaters. The fantasy Young Sherlock Holmes (1 Oscar nomination) had opened two days earlier to get a headstart on the weekend.
2002 Spike Jonze's Adaptation, written by Charlie Kaufman, opens in limited release. It wouldn't go wide until February to capitalize on its Oscar nominations, including Best Supporting Actress which we discussed this past quarantine summer!
2013 Inside Llewyn Davis opens in limited release. Remember how fab Oscar Isaac was in that? I'll never forget that "Death of Queen Jane" scene. Or the ginger cat.
Today's Birthday (Swim) Suit
Iconic four time Oscar-nominated Agnes Moorehead, born on this day 120 years ago, and ready for some fun in the sun in Captain Blackjack (1950)
Other showbiz people celebrating birthdays today (actors unless otherwise noted): Stefanie Scott (24), Ashley Madekwe (39), Sarah Rafferty (42), Director Craig Brewer (49), Director/Producer Judd Apatow (57), Ulrich Thomsen (57), Emmy nominee Janine Turner (58), Oscar winning animator Nick Park (62), Comedian Steven Wright (65), Oscar nominee Tom Hulce (67), Oscar nominee JoBeth Williams (72), Director Shekhar Kapur (75)
Gone but not forgotten: Jack Fincher, screenwriter of Mank (now streaming on Netflix) and father of acclaimed director David Fincher born on this day in 1930.