Event

1943 / 83 mins.
Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray and June Havoc

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the film begins at 7:30 p.m.

This is one of the best sophisticated comedies ever, featuring stars at the top of their talent!, Colbert, MacMurray and Havoc made several films together. In this, Colbert is a photographer for a high-class magazine, while MacMurray is a rough construction worker. When she has to hire him as her assistant, all hell breaks loose, including a hilarious “Superman” dream and of course — love.

The theme of Movie Time’s summer schedule is Leading Men.

Last summer, we paid tribute to the leading ladies of film. This summer, it’s the leading men’s turn! The roster of leading men in films were never as large as the women’s roster. The 1930’s were termed “Women’s Pictures” and leading ladies reigned supreme during this time. During the War Years, many of Hollywood’s leading men were in the military service. There were, however, a small group of very popular leading men. Many times, these men were the stars of the film — Gable, Cagney, Power — or even musical stars like Crosby and Eddy.  Many times they were the leads to actresses, sometimes even receiving top billing.

Several genres of films (Westerns, Gangster, Swashbucklers) were dominated by these popular actors. Every major film studio had their major leading men. Most often, they would purchase properties suited to the talent of their leading men. After World War II, many male stars became popular in a series of post-war films. Many new male stars became very popular, and soon were dominating the film industry. In the late 1960’s, “buddy” films became “hot” at the box office, and the ladies seemed to be left behind. So, sit back and enjoy when actors were in the lead!

All screenings are on Wednesday nights.

What is Movie Time?

This film series is presented in partnership with leading Milwaukee film historian, Dale E. Kuntz. Special choices from his extensive collection of 16mm classic films from the 1930s and ’40s are shown in their original reel-to-reel format. Most of his films are not on DVD, so the audience has a rare opportunity to see these films that are otherwise unavailable. 

Prior to each screening, Dale fascinates the audience with his vast knowledge of film history and gives the inside scoop on each movie. Learn the bizarre details about the stars and the clues to help the audience spot little oddities that end up in the film instead of on the cutting room floor.

As a bonus, on any Wednesday when a film is scheduled, general admission to the museum doubles as a movie ticket. Guests may choose to arrive early for a short museum visit and then stay for the film.