Steven Jay Rubin's Saturday Night at the Movies, Los Angeles, CA (2026)

04/18/2026

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – Everyone has their comfort movies – the ones that relax us during times of stress, taking us to different worlds and reminding us of why we love the movies. Westerns do that for me, and one of my favorites is 1954’s “River of No Return,” bringing together two emerging superstars – hunky Robert Mitchum and iconic Marilyn Monroe.
This being a 20th Century Fox film, you would think studio chief Darryl F. Zanuck would have assigned this film to action directors Henry Hathaway, Henry King, or Raoul Walsh. However, Zanuck gave the film to Otto Preminger to fulfill a contract obligation. It was an odd match, but I believe Preminger nailed it, never straying from his two leads. Working from a solid script by Frank Fenton (“His Kind of Woman”) based on a story by Louis Lantz, Preminger found gorgeous locations in the Canadian Rockies, matching the scenery provided by his two leads.
Mitchum plays ex-convict/turned farmer Matt Calder who arrives in a sleazy California gold camp to find his son, Mark (a terrific Tommy Rettig), who has been befriended by saloon singer, Kay (Monroe, singing in her own voice). Kay has hooked up with gambler Harry Weston (Rory Calhoun) who is headed to Council City to register a gold mine he “won” in a card game. Unable to buy a horse, Harry and Kay take a raft down a treacherous river, stopping at Calder’s farm, where Harry tries to convince Matt to lend him a horse and a rifle. When the latter refuses, Harry knocks him out with a gun butt and steals his horse and rifle. Kay stays behind to take care of the wobbly Matt and Mark, just as the Indians begin an attack. What to do? Matt, Mark and Kay get on the raft.
Preminger is ably supported here by composer Cyril J. Mockridge whose output ranges from action beats to a pleasing romantic theme as Matt and Kay begin to enjoy each other’s company. Apparently neither Preminger or Monroe enjoyed this movie making experience, but the film was a hit for Fox, and the actors bring their A game to the mix. Monroe’s Kay is a total charmer here, and her interaction with both Mitchum and Rettig is fun. A western for people who don’t necessarily like westerns. But still a favorite of mine.
Those of you who enjoy my Saturday reviews, please check out my podcasts Steven Jay Rubin’s Saturday Night at the Movies, and Tales from Hollywoodland. The former is also a You Tube Channel. Cheers!

04/13/2026

BREAKING PODCAST NEWS – He’s played horrifying monsters, duplicitous space villains and wizards, even a gay motorcycle gang leader. But back in 1974, Christopher Lee, a distant step cousin of Ian Fleming, played the suave title character, Scaramanga, in “The Man with the Golden Gun.”
Tapping into my 007 audio archives, I present this week my 1977 interview with Mr. Lee, in which we learn about his relationship to Mr. Fleming, his journey to become a Bond super villain, his experience working in Thailand and Hong Kong on the film, and some of his interesting thoughts about the Bond series, and his place in it. It’s a fun talk, and the audio – considering it was recorded on a small cassette player, is pretty darn good.
You can listen right now on You Tube, using this link: https://youtu.be/nqJQzA4XcSA
Or starting tomorrow night, you can pick it up on your favorite podcast platform. Here’s a link to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7oG8rdYWHp5bEO3pJiVRe7
Or you can listen on our FAST channel outlet, True TV Plus, using this link: https://play.truetvplus.com/search?query=Saturday

04/11/2026

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – Hollywood observers are always touting the hottest performers, the most handsome, the most gorgeous, the most bankable, but one thing they often forget are the character actors that make up the key fabric of the movies. The other day I caught “The Model and the Marriage Broker” (1951) for the first time and discovered a Thelma Ritter movie where she’s the lead.
If the name Thelma Ritter doesn’t ring a bell, it’s time to wake up. A native-New Yorker born on Valentine’s Day in 1902, Thelma Ritter was nominated for no less than six Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress. Like many of the top character actors of all time, she brought huge value to every screen appearance she made.
I first caught her as the frustrated Macy’s shopper who gets into an argument with Kris Kringle (the marvelous Edmund Gwenn) in 1947’s “Miracle on 34th St.” She can’t believe that Kris is sending her to another store to find a toy for her kid. It turns out that this was Thelma’s screen debut.
One of my favorite roles of hers is Stella the sassy physical therapist opposite Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly in Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” (1954). She steals every scene she’s in, thanks to some marvelous dialogue courtesy of screenwriter John Michael Hayes. In “The Model and the Marriage Broker,” she’s wonderful as Mae Swasey, the embattled marriage broker trying to put her New York clients together to various effect.
I also remember her vividly as Edward G. Robinson’s devoted wife and Frank Sinatra’s annoyed sister-in-law in Frank Capra’s underrated “A Hole in the Head” (1959). Three years later, she was part of a wagon train crossing the Great Plains, searching for a husband in the Wild West, with Debby Reynolds at her side in “How the West Was Won” (1962).
For the record, her Supporting Actress Oscar nominations came for “All About Eve” (1950), “The Mating Season” (1951), “With a Song in my Heart” (1952), “Pickup on South Street” (1953), “Pillow Talk” (1959), and “Birdman of Alcatraz” (1962).
Thelma Ritter was a truly wonderful presence on the silver screen, proving that you don’t have to be gorgeous to have an impact – a big impact.

04/05/2026

BREAKING PODCAST NEWS – A couple weeks ago, I posted a Saturday review of some cool Ricardo Montalban noir films – 1949’s “Border Incident” and 1950’s “Mystery Street”, which I had caught on the Movies channel. Curious about where these films sit in the panoply of Noir, I decided to contact the dean of Film Noir, Eddie Muller of TCM, who returns to my show this week.
Through Eddie’s vast knowledge of Noir and its players, we learn more about directors Anthony Mann and John Sturges, both of whom were working at MGM at the time; we also delve into Montalban’s career, much of which was a revelation for me. After all, I knew him primarily from his supporting role in “Battleground” and his seminal appearance as Khan in “Star Trek.” He’s really good in these crime dramas.
It’s always fun to hear Eddie talk about the backgrounds of many of the Noir ladies, and you should definitely check out the latest edition of his book, “Dark City Dames.” And if you’re in LA this week, he’s hosting his 27th Noir Film Festival at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood.
You can watch our interview right now on our You Tube channel, using this link: https://youtu.be/dmRtd7BVCKM
Or tomorrow, you can catch the audio on your favorite podcast platform. Here’s a link to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7oG8rdYWHp5bEO3pJiVRe7
Or, also starting tomorrow, you can find our video on True TV Plus, our FAST Channel outlet, using this link: https://play.truetvplus.com/search?query=Saturday

04/04/2026

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – As gritty 1960s-era New York City cop dramas go, “Madigan” (1968) rates very high. This is director Don Siegel (“Dirty Harry”) at the top of his game, working from an excellent script by Howard Rodman and Abraham Polonsky who adapted Richard Dougherty’s novel “The Commissioner.”
Richard Widmark and Harry Guardino play Detectives Dan Madigan and Rocco Bonaro – two experienced cops who start their day checking up on suspicious criminal Barney Benesch (a truly scary Steve Ihnat). Now Dan and Rocco are not above stretching the law, so they break down Barney’s apartment door and catch him in bed with a comely coed. That same naked woman distracts the detectives to the point where Barney pulls a gun and forces Dan and Rocco to surrender their weapons as he makes his escape.
Thus, “Madigan” is all about tracking down Benesch, who turns out to be a murder suspect. But there’s a lot more going on in this film besides tracking down Barney Benesch. Henry Fonda is Police Commissioner Anthony X. Russell, in the midst of an affair with lovely socialite Tricia Bentley (gorgeous Susan Clark) while discovering that his closest friend, Chief Inspector Charles Kane (James Whitmore, solid as always) may have broken the law.
Meanwhile, Dan’s restless wife Julia (a luminous Inger Stevens) wants more social time with her husband and doesn’t like sharing him with the NYPD. Siegel populates the investigation with a colorful group of suspects, snitches and fellow cops, including Midget Castiglione (a charismatic Michael Dunn – the nefarious Dr. Loveless in “The Wild Wild West”); Castiglione’s friend and caretaker Hughie (a stringy-haired Don Stroud), Dan’s former girlfriend Jonesy (sexy Sheree North), Chief of Detectives Hap Lynch (grim-faced Bert Freed) and Dr. Taylor (Raymond St. Jacques) whose son has been caught up in a crime.
But the movie never strays far from Dan and Rocco’s search for Benesch, and that resolution is terrifically dramatic. An additional nod to Don Costa’s dynamic score, very 60s and pretty cool.

03/30/2026

BREAKING PODCAST NEWS – During World War II, Hollywood film producer Frank McCarthy served on the general staff in Washington working directly for General George C. Marshall. After the war, McCarthy mustered out as a Brigadier General and returned to show business – his dream was to make a movie about General George S. Patton, Jr. That dream came to fruition in 1970, when 20th Century Fox released “Patton,” a magnificent film that took the Best Picture Oscar that year, as well as a Best Actor win for George C. Scott’s amazing performance as the title character – an award he refused to accept.
This week, my friends – U. S. Army veteran Rory Aylward, who serves as a military technical advisor to films and television shows; and film historian, writer and researcher Avie Hern – and I discuss the fascinating production history of this massive hit and its legacy.
You can watch the video of our show right now on our You Tube Channel, using this link: https://youtu.be/xYaWPUs-KoI
Or, starting tomorrow night, you can hear it on your favorite podcast platform. Here’s a link to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7oG8rdYWHp5bEO3pJiVRe7
Or, also starting tomorrow night, you can watch in on True TV Plus, our FAST channel outlet, using this link: https://play.truetvplus.com/search?query=Saturday%20

03/28/2026

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – One of the true joys of TCM’s 31 Days of the Oscars programming is discovering a title that has slipped past me over the years. For me, it was 1952’s “Come Back Little Sheba,” a tour-de-force for actress Shirley Booth who reprised her Tony-winning role with an Oscar-winning one. Written by Ketti Frings (“By Love Possessed”) who adapted William Inge’s celebrated play, and directed by Daniel Mann (“Our Man Flint”), this film completely charmed me – particularly Shirley’s performance.
She plays Lola Delaney, a married housewife who is devoted to her recovering alcoholic husband, Doc (a decidedly lowkey Burt Lancaster). Lola has gained weight over the years and she defines “frumpy,” but there is a spark in her that makes her a very compelling character. Since this is based on Inge’s play, it’s dialogue heavy, but never overwhelming, and the lonely Shirley’s insatiable curiosity about people is sometimes sad, and sometimes funny.
In need of extra cash because Doc isn’t working much these days as a chiropractor, the Delaneys take in a boarder that changes the dynamic of the household. The boarder is the delightfully perky Marie Buchholder (a winsome Terry Moore) whose presence has a definite effect on Doc who becomes very protective of Marie, especially when she starts dating sex-obsessed college javelin thrower Turk Fisher (Richard Jaeckel).
I’ve always been a huge Burt Lancaster fan, and it was fun seeing him in such a decidedly mannered role as Doc. During one of his drunken scenes, it reminded me of his inebriated state in the film that followed this one – the legendary “From Here to Eternity.” But this is Shirley Booth’s film, from start to finish, and she is a true revelation. Interestingly, despite her Oscar win, she did not flourish in the movie business – preferring a move to television for her comedy series role as the title character, a house maid in “Hazel.’
Regarding the film’s title, it refers to the Delaney’s dog, Sheba, who disappeared from the household and never returned. Lola is wistful when she speaks of her beloved pet, and hopeful that someday he might show up on the doorstep.

03/22/2026

BREAKING PODCAST NEWS – This week I’m going to change the direction a bit. As we’re all concerned these days about The War, security and the potential of sleeper cells activating, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to speak with a sleeper agent from another era: the Cold War. The pop cultural connection is the long-running television series “The Americans,” which introduced audiences to a Soviet couple who were planted in Washington DC.
Most of that show as inaccurate according to Jack Barsky, an East German, who was planted in New York City and spied for the Soviets for ten years. Jack’s journey is a fascinating one, in which he was recruited by the KGB right out of college. Being an East German, Jack was particularly attractive because Soviet citizens could easily be betrayed by their accent. I met Jack recently through my men’s group, METAL, which stands for Media, Entertainment, Technology, the Arts and Leaders. Every Saturday morning, we get together on Zoom – as many as 150 of us from around the world, and we usually have a minimum of two speakers – Jack was one of them, and now he’s a METAL member.
You can watch our interview right now on our You Tube Channel, using this link: https://youtu.be/H0Tla8wyWTw
Or, starting tomorrow night you can catch the audio on your favorite podcast platform. Here’s a link to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7oG8rdYWHp5bEO3pJiVRe7
Or, also tomorrow night, you can find the video on True TV Plus, our Fast Channel outlet, using this link: https://play.truetvplus.com/search?query=Saturday

03/21/2026

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – It is axiomatic that many of the films we loved as children during those first trips to the movie house have lost their appeal over the years. But there are exceptions. Back in 1958, which easily seems like ancient times, I loved “The Vikings,” starring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis, Ernest Borgnine and Janet Leigh. And I still love it. Directed with zest by Richard Fleischer from a screenplay by Calder Willingham and Dale Wasserman who adapted Edison Marshall’s novel “The Viking,” this is a big physical action picture, featuring bearded, muscled warriors, fetching princesses in tight bodices, and stunning Norwegian photography courtesy of Jack Cardiff, who would later direct his own viking picture, “The Long Ships.” And the music! A truly wonderful score by Mario Nascimbene.
The voice of Orson Welles sets the table for this colorful film, explaining that the constantly raiding Vikings were greatly feared in England, which in the 9th Century was a series of petty kingdoms. One of those raiding forces is led by Ragnar (Borgnine) who kills the king of Northumbria, and rapes his wife, Queen Enid (Maxine Audley), who later loses the throne to her upstart cousin, Aella (a sinister Frank Thring). Meanwhile, back in the lovely fjord country, Ragnar’s son, Inar (Douglas), a physically imposing warrior, has a particular problem with a rebellious slave named Eric (Curtis). That rancor keeps building, especially when Eric escapes, taking a recently kidnapped Welsh princess, Morgana (Leigh, she of the tight bodice) back to England.
Two years before they reteamed on “Spartacus,” Douglas and Curtis are terrific, sneering at each other with equal zeal. Interestingly, Borgnine was playing Douglas’s father, even though he was actually younger than Douglas. Meanwhile, Curtis and Leigh have terrific chemistry, not surprisingly since they were married at the time.
Adding texture to the story are James Donald (“The Great Escape”) as Ragnar’s English ally, Lord Egbert), and Alexander Knox (as good Father Godwin). But I can’t say enough about Nascimbene’s score. It’s haunting, as well as rousing. If you haven’t seen “The Vikings”, check it out, it will be worth the visit.

03/15/2026

BREAKING PODCAST NEWS – Talk about leadership during wartime! If not for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the wheel of history might have turned quite differently back in 1940. Their friendship, which was unique in that both men were not known for making close friends, is our subject this week as we explore the many films, mini-series and TV movies that featured these political giants. My guest is author, historian and retired teacher Mark Isaacs who has produced a terrific 15-part webseries entitled ‘FDR and Churchill Together: The Inside Story of History’s Most Consequential Friendship.” (you can find it at: fdrandchurchilltogether.com) Through Mark, we learn about how pop culture has treated these men on small and big screens. Interestingly, Mark informs us that at a low point in Churchill’s financial well-being, he came to Hollywood and tried to sell, unsuccessfully, a screenplay on Napoleon, with Charlie Chaplin starring.
You can watch this show right now on our You Tube channel, using this link: https://youtu.be/Q0-v2F6Y7Jk
Or, starting tomorrow night, you can catch the audio on your favorite podcast platform. Here’s a link to Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4CtdlnIE1IvMB3zTE3wUHE
You can also watch the video tomorrow on True TV Plus, using this link: https://play.truetvplus.com/search?query=Saturday%20

03/14/2026

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES – Thanks to the syndicated Movies! Channel (KCOP in LA), I got a double dose of Ricardo Montalban film noir movies this week. Now I have to admit that my knowledge of Mr. Montalban’s film career consists entirely of seeing him portray Private Rodriguez in “Battleground” (1949) and marveling at his energy in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” (1982). But Montalban was a B-movie force at MGM in the late 1940s and 1950s, and these two films were amazingly cool.
The first was 1949’s “Border Incident,” in which Montalban plays Pablo Rodriguez, a Mexican undercover cop tasked with taking down a murderous human smuggling operation that has targeted the workers who come across the border to pick fruit (the fabled Braceros). While Rodriguez reps the Mexican side, future U.S. senator George Murphy is Jack Bearnes, a U.S. immigration agent who also goes undercover to thwart the border criminals.
Written by John C. Higgins, working from a story by George Zuckerman, this is the movie that brought director Anthony Mann to MGM, along with his cinematographer John Alton, and they produce a really compelling noir thriller, with tons of atmosphere and tension. Montalban is solid and charismatic (prior to this he had been pidgeon-holed as a Latin lover). And Murphy, a former song and dance man, proves quite capable in a serious dramatic situation, including a gut-wrenching encounter with Charles McGraw (“Spartacus”) and Arthur Hunnicutt (“The Last Command”) in a rare villainous role.
The other film I sampled was Montalban’s terrific 1950 entry, “Mystery Street,” in which he plays Peter Moralas, a Massachusetts detective investigating the mysterious murder of a gorgeous blonde. It’s a procedural drama at a time when procedurals were new to cinema. Helping Peter piece together the case is Dr. McAdoo (Bruce Bennett), a Harvard professor of forensics, who does a deep dive on a box of the murder victim’s bones. Marshall Thompson (Montalban’s fellow castmate from “Battleground”) joins the cast as a suspect, and Sally Forrest plays his traumatized wife. Written by Sydney Boehm and Richard Brooks, working from Leonard Spigelgass’s story, this film was directed by John Sturges (“The Magnificent Seven, “The Great Escape”), showing off one of the director’s signature skills: casting. Montalban is once again terrific as a stalwart detective determined to solve a seemingly impossible case.
Boy, do I have more respect for the man I used to associate with “Corinthian Leather.”

03/09/2026

Friends and Colleagues, As many of you know, my wife Elisa has been battling pancreatic cancer for the past three years - and, for the most part, winning the battle on a daily basis. But the challenge continues, and it's that time of year when Elisa devotes considerable time to the organization that supports patients like Elisa - PanCAN. Please take a look at her request, and, if you can, considering donating to this excellent organization. THANK YOU!

Over three years ago, on February 10, 2023, my life changed forever. What we thought were insignificant symptoms – likely a gallstone – turned out to be Stage IV pancreatic cancer. I was determined to slay what I named “Voldemort” (I couldn’t say pancreatic cancer aloud and I knew it had to be destroyed.) By the end of 2023, after 12 rounds of chemo, high precision intensive radiation, and the Whipple surgery I’d basically done that. However, in April, 2024, I developed a few very small and slow growing nodules in my lung.

Fortunately, I was able to join a Phase Three clinical trial for a miracle KRAS inhibitor drug, Daraxonrasib (try pronouncing that out loud!), which is extremely promising. I’ve had no recurrence in the liver or pancreas and the nodules have remained stable for the most part. I was considered in the 1-5% of responders with the most minimal of side effects for nearly a year until recently, when I became resistant to the drug. I feel terrific, haven’t slowed down and am now exploring other treatment options. Still traveling and working out whenever I get a chance!.

None of this would have been possible without PanCAN, which has been instrumental in fighting pancreatic cancer through research, patient support, and advocacy. PanCAN funds its own research grants, and it also brings to life revolutionary clinical projects, among which is the current trial I’m on, which could be a game changer in the fight against PC. Therefore, I am a direct beneficiary of PanCAN. Last year the federal government threatened to slash 57% of the funding to pancreatic cancer research, which could have been catastrophic to people like me! Luckily, through PanCAN’s advocacy efforts, the funding was reinstated and research on pancreatic cancer treatments is ongoing. Hopefully a cure is right around the corner!

I cannot express how grateful I am for your support the past two years. It’s gratifying to know there are friends like you who will come to my aid in this challenging time.

I hope you will again consider supporting my team by making a tax-deductible donation and/or walking with us, Team Lavender Haze, on April 25 in Santa Monica. Here's the link to my fundraising page: http://support.pancan.org/goto/ElisaRubin. Click on Register at the top of the page.

Register for free. If you donate at least $50 you’ll receive an official PanCAN PurpleStride 2026 T-shirt. Woohoo!

A gift of any amount will help patients and families facing a pancreatic cancer diagnosis and months of chemo, radiation, and surgery. Let’s help them survive and thrive!

Thank you again for your love and support!
Love,
Elisa

Steven Jay Rubin's Saturday Night at the Movies

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