It is the latest series being brought to you by PBS Fort Wayne... and the result of our listening to one of the many programming requests we've received through the years:
"Why don't you run a classic movie series like public television used to do in the early days?"
You asked. We listened. And, now, the answer is Subterranean Cinema.
Subterranean Cinema is northeast Indiana's latest place to enjoy classic Hollywood movies. With genres spanning drama, comedy, westerns, film noir, musicals, sci-fi, horror, monster movies and more -shown in their original black-and-white or color formats - and brought back to life from the archives and cinematic basements from where they have been waiting all these years, this weekly film series is hand-picked to be shared among film fans of every generation -just like you - every weekend.
Best of all, we're offering multiple airings each weekend. Each week's film will be able to be seen:
They'll also be available for streaming each week, after they broadcast, through the PBS app on your smartphone, tablet or smart TV, and, at pbs.org, too. Just use "Subterranean Cinema" as your search term to stream and enjoy!
Check out the lineup of films we have scheduled so far…
subterranean cinema-weekend of April 26-27
When her fiancé’s car accident brings together a woman (Annabella) and a stranger (David Niven), sparks fly. When her wealthy father is murdered, the daughter looks for those who might have plotted against him in this mystery-romance.
subterranean cinema-weekend of May 4-5
When baby photographer Ronnie Jackson (Bob Hope) office-sits for traveling Private Investigator Sam McCloud, he finds his dreams of playing detective coming all too true all too soon when mysterious damsel-in-distress Carlotta Montay (Dorothy Lamour) sashays into his office. Soon our hero is up to his ski-nose in trouble as he and his comely client are chased by a gang of cutthroats with designs on Carlotta's uncle's uranium (that's right, uranium!)
subterranean cinema-weekend of May 11-12
Terrorizing the Hoosier state in 1866 , the Reno brothers gang (Forrest Tucker, J. Carrol Naish, Myron Healy, Denver Pyle) use the town of Seymour, Indiana as a safe haven, paying off three crooked town officials. Sent in to clean up the gang is Peterson Detective Agency operative James Barlow (Randolph Scott), who poses as an outlaw to gain the confidence of the officials and the thick-headed brothers. Events heat up and rage surfaces as Barlow sets up the gang in a dawn train robbery.
subterranean cinema-weekend of May 18-19
Nick Condon (James Cagney) is a newspaper reporter working in pre- WWII Tokyo who refuses to toe the Japanese line on the expansionist policies of the anti-democratic Imperialist government. When it becomes clear to the authorities that Condon isn't going to cooperate and that he has some valuable information and contacts, they decide to get him in their clutches to interrogate him, then dispose of him.
subterranean cinema-weekend of May 25-26
This stirring historical drama brought Laurence Olivier (Hamlet, Richard III) and Vivien Leigh (Gone With the Wind, That Hamilton Woman) together on screen for the first time. Set during the reign of Elizabeth I, Fire Over England features a then-unknown Olivier starring as a dashing naval officer whose daring leads the British to victory over the Spanish Armada. Proving himself a true swashbuckler, he charms many a maiden, infiltrates King Philip's court, and escapes by his sword and his wit. Leigh is exquisite as the lady-in-waiting who wins his heart forever. Other outstanding performances include Dame Flora Robson as the courageous yet vulnerable queen and Raymond Massey as the power-hungry Philip.
SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA-NOW STREAMING
In this classic movie from 1953, Mike and Tony Petrakis are a Greek father and son team who dive for sponges off the coast of Florida. After they are robbed by crooks, Arnold and the Rhys brothers, Mike decides to take his men to the dangerous 12-mile reef to dive for more sponges. Mike suffers a fatal accident when he falls from the reef leaving Tony to carry on the business. But now he has a companion, Gwyneth Rhys. Stars Robert Wagner, Gilbert Roland, Richard Boone and Terry Moore.
SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA-now streaming
From 1950, the comedy duo of Martin & Lewis stars as two guys having trouble adjusting to Army life. Dean Martin plays a self-assured Romeo forever bursting into song, while funnyman Jerry Lewis is a hopeless screw-up, unable to perform the simplest task without wreaking chaos.
Subterranean Cinema-Now Streaming
This dark thriller from 1953 takes you back to In 1888 London. A landlady (Francis Bavier, aka "Aunt Bea" from The Andy Griffith Show) rents a room to research pathologist (Jack Palance). She soon begins to suspect that her new lodger could be the one behind a string of murders, that the newspaper refers to as “Jack the Ripper”.
Subterranean Cinema-Now Streaming
In this screwball comedy from 1937, Fort Wayne’s own film legend, Carole Lombard, stars as a small-town girl who is accidentally misdiagnosed with a rare, deadly disease. A newspaper man (Frederic March) proceeds to turn her into a national heroine. After she realizes the mistake, she continues the ruse in order to enjoy the media spectacle and see the Big Apple.
Subterranean Cinema-Now Streaming
Adopted by the wealthy rancher Arch Strobie, orphan Owen Daybright (Burt Lancaster) grows to be a respectable foreman on Strobie's ranch. Strobie's natural son, Lee (Robert Walker), is jealous of Owen and finally finds a way to undermine his upstanding brother. When Lee conceives an illegitimate child with Lily Fasken (Sally Forrest), who refuses to name him as the father, he tells her revenge-minded brothers that Owen is to blame, hoping they'll take his half-brother out of the picture.
Subterranean Cinema-Now Streaming
A young actress (Janet Gaynor) comes to Hollywood with dreams of stardom, but achieves them only with the help of an alcoholic, aging leading man (Fredric March) in this Best Picture nominated drama directed by William A. Wellman. Featuring an Academy Award-winning screenplay co-written by Dorothy Parker, this film tells the story of hopeful, young would-be actress Esther Blodgett (Academy Award winner Janet Gaynor) whose career is launched by movie star Norman Maine (Academy Award winner Fredric March), who also wins the young actress' heart. Esther becomes leading lady Vicki Lester and Mrs. Norman Maine, but as Maine's career flounders, he sinks into an abyss of alcoholism. Esther chooses to sacrifice her stardom to care for her husband, but he will not allow Esther to abandon her dreams for him.
subterranean cinema-Now Streaming
The first and only "Road" movie in Technicolor has American song-and-dance men Harold Gridley (Bob Hope) and George Cochran (Bing Crosby) dodging a double-barreled shotgun wedding in Australia by signing on as deep sea divers on the exotic island of Bali, Indonesia. There the fun-lovin' pair falls in love with beautiful Princess Lalah (Dorothy Lamour) and meet a chimp that holds a strong resemblance to one well-known ski-nosed actor! With Murvyn Vye, Carolyn Jones; look for cameos by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and Jane Russell.
subterranean cinema-Now Streaming
Sulking in a Panama tavern after the events of "Treasure Island," Long John Silver (Robert Newton) learns that a rival pirate has kidnapped the governor's daughter and Jim Hawkins (Kit Taylor). After convincing the governor that only a pirate can catch a pirate, Silver sets out to rescue Jim, who has a medallion showing the location of hidden treasure. Silver tries to return to Treasure Island but is marooned with Jim on Socorro Island, where the foiled and angry kidnapper is hiding.