On this day in movie history - The Gracie Allen Murder Case (1939)

The Gracie Allen Murder Case

directed by Alfred E. Green,

written by Nat Perrin, and based on the novel by S.S. Van Dine,

was released in the United States on June 2, 1939.

Music by Gerard Carbonara and Leo Shuken.

Cast:

Gracie Allen, Warren William, Ellen Drew, Kent Taylor, Judith Barrett, Donald MacBride, Jed Prouty, Jerome Cowan, H. B. Warner, William Demarest, Sam Lee, Al Shaw, Richard Denning, Irving Bacon, Lillian Yarbo.

On this day in movie history - Dead Poets Society (1989)

Dead Poets Society

directed by Peter Weir,

written by Tom Schulman,

was released in the United States on June 2, 1989.

Music by Maurice Jarre.

“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.

To quote from Whitman:

‘O me! O life! of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life? Answer: That you are here, that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.’

That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse.

What will your verse be?”

– Robin Williams, as John Keating.

I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately …

I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life!

To put to rout all that was not life …

And not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived …

– Hand-written quote in this still is modified from the book Walden by Henry David Thoreau.

Cast:

Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Gale Hansen, Norman Lloyd, Kurtwood Smith, Dylan Kussman, Allelon Ruggiero, James Waterston, Alexandra Powers, Leon Pownall, George Martin, Carla Belver, Jane Moore, Kevin Cooney, Colin Irving, Matt Carey, John Cunningham, Joe Aufiery, Melora Walters, Welker White, Steve Mathios, Alan Pottinger, Pamela Burrell, Allison Hedges, Christine D’Ercole, Debra Mooney, John Martin Bradley, Charles Lord, Kurt Leitner, Richard Stites, James J. Christy, Catherine Soles, Hoover Sutton, James Donnell Quinn, Simon Mein, Ashton W. Richards, Robert Gleason, Bill Rowe, Robert J. Zigler III, Keith Snyder, Nicholas K. Gilhool, Jonas Stiklorius, Craig Johnson, Chris Hull, Jason Woody, Sam Stegeman, Andrew Hill, Serena Ebhardt, Joel Fogel, Newton Gilchrist, Barry Godin, Kate Kearney-Patch, Jamie Kennedy, Nancy Kirk, Stephen Podolak, Jeffrey Santoro, James R. Stoddard.

On this day in movie history - World War Z (2013)

World War Z

directed by Marc Forster,

screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Drew Goddard and Damon Lindelof,

story by Matthew Michael Carnahan and J. Michael Straczynski,

based on the novel by Max Brooks,

was released in the United Kingdom on June 2, 2013.

Music by Marco Beltrami.

 

Cast:

Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz, James Badge Dale, Ludi Boeken, Matthew Fox, Fana Mokoena, David Morse, Elyes Gabel, Peter Capaldi, Pierfrancesco Favino, Ruth Negga, Moritz Bleibtreu, Sterling Jerins, Abigail Hargrove, Fabrizio Guido, David Andrews, John Gordon Sinclair, Grégory Fitoussi, Jane Perry, Lucy Russell, Mark Holden, Tim Berrington, Konstantin Khabenskiy, Michiel Huisman, Lee Nicholas Harris, Ann Ogbomo, Jonathan Howard, Mike Noble, Ernesto Cantu, Vicky Araico, Graham Hornsby, Nick Bartlett, Kevin Kiely Jnr, Ruari Cannon, Ryen Perkins-Gangnes, Khalid Laith, Noa Bodner, Assaf Ben-Shimon, Gil Cohen-Alloro, Yaniv Rokah, Shaul Ezer, Linoy Aynesaz, Efrat Avni, Maisam Masri, Renu Setna, Ori Pfeffer, Julia Levy-Boeken, Imran Mraish, Yousef Hayyan Jubeh, Josh Wingate, Troy Glasgow, Richard Thomson, Ewan Ross, Song Xuan Ke, Christian Wong, Denis Ischenko, Nikola Djuricko, Elen Rhys, Paula Videniece, Doron Davidson, Lee Colley, Michael Jenn, Sarah Amankwah, Anna Biczik, Gábor Czap, Kati Dombi, Eniko Fulop, Istvan Karikas, Andrea Meszaros, Gergely Mészáros, Peter Molnár, Lambert Tóth, Roland Tzafetás, Jeno Radi, Adam Zambryzcki, Aggy K. Adams, Andrew Agnew, Lucy Aharish, Tim Ahern, Emmanuel Akintunde, Bethany Apedaile, Lee Asquith-Coe, Féodor Atkine, James Ayling, Mark Badham, Audrey Marie Bartolo, Peter Basham, Péter Behan, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Katia Bokor, Leroy Bonsu, Jerome Boyle, Henrik Brandt, Amanda Brown, Michael Anthony Brown, Paul Burt, Ian James Cameron, Hélène Cardona, Martin Carroll, Raun Carswell, Joe Corrigall, James Cotter, Graham Curry, Kieran-Miguel Diego D'La Vega, Alan Del Castillo, Aren Devlin, Albert Dibben, Michael Dickins, Philipp Lawrence Durand, Katinka Egres, Adam Geddes, Rod Glenn, Hattie Gotobed, John Grady, Roman Green, Mark Hampton, Salem Hanna, John Harding, Daniel Harland, Mustafa Harris, Shane Hart, Ryan Hartwig, Oleg Hill, Pete Buzzsaw Holland, Vera Horton, Alex Humes, Lewis James, Maddox Jolie-Pitt, Michio Kaku, Iván Kamarás, Julia Kay, Darren Kendrick, Hrvoje Klecz, Greg Kolpakchi, Michael Lanchbury, Paul Mackie, John Macmillan, Jim Main, Katrina Marston, Colin Matthews, Vander McLeod, Eric Michels, Alastair Thomson Mills, Sandeep Mohan, Jeremiah Molina, Alex Moore, Kiera Morgan, David Morrison, Okezie Morro, Stuart Mower, Taylor Murphy, Eunice Olumide, Jake Pashkin, Freddie Lee Peterkin, Gino Picciano, Faruk Pruti, Evelyn Rei, Alma Rix, Geoffrey Robe, Barnabás Réti, Joe Sandz, Basher Savage, Jurgen Schwarz, Santi Scinelli, Sarah Sharman, Sharon Sheehan, Marcus Sinclair, Lew Smart, Frank Soldato, Lila Sara Tahri, Aaron Tavaler, Ella-Rose Temple, Hugh Terry, Sami Tesfay, Katrina Vasilieva, Alexander Ward, Paul Warren, Eric West, Daniel Westwood, Mark White, Trevor White, Gillean Young, Elena Zoubareva.

Henry Ward Beecher, on books:

Books are not made for furniture,

but there is nothing else that so beautifully furnishes a house.
- Henry Ward Beecher

Recommended reading - The Shout and Other Stories

The Shout and Other Stories

by Robert Graves.

Short story anthology.
Paperback.
Published 1979.
Published by Penguin Books.

ISBN 13: 9780140048322
ISBN 10: 0140048324
ASIN: 0140048324
 
Description:

The shout can wound. The shout can kill. The shout can drive you mad. Unless the man who says he learned the magic shout eighteen years ago is only a lunatic. But is he? … ‘The Shout’ is the first of thirty intriguing stories collected here. They range from a tenement in ancient Rome to the trenches of World War I. Robert Graves assures us that most of them – even the most improbable ones – are true.

“Graves’s stories strike one … as the playfulness of an extremely lively, observant, and humorous spirit. … All of these tales must be read to be appreciated, let alone believed.” – Newsweek.

Originally published in hardcover under the title Collected Short Stories.

The film The Shout is distributed by Films incorporated and stars Alan Bates, Susannah York and John Hurt, with Robert Stephens and Tim Curry; produced by Jeremy Thomas; directed by Jerzy Skolimowski; screenplay by Michael Austin from the story by Robert Graves.

Recommended reading - Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (novel & book of the movie):

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

by Vonda N. McIntyre & Harve Bennett.

Published by Pocket Books.
Published 1984.

ISBN-10: 0671495003
ISBN-13: 9780671495008

Description:

No one on the Enterprise can believe that Mr. Spock is gone! As the crew grieves for Mr. Spock, the awesome Genesis Device, now controlled by the Federation, has transformed an inert nebula into a new planet teeming with life. But Genisis can also destroy existing worlds. The creators of the Device want it given freely to the Galaxy. But Starfleet Command fears that it will become a force for evil. And the enemies of the Federation will not rest until they seize it – as their most powerful weapon in the battle to conquer the Galaxy!

 

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock The Making of the Classic Film

by John Tenuto & Maria Jose Tenuto.

Published by Titan Books.
Published 2025.

ISBN-10: 1835412890
ISBN-13: 9781835412893
 
Description:

An in-depth look at the making of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, featuring rare and previously unseen production art and new and exclusive interviews.

Over 40 years ago, in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Admiral Kirk and his crew embarked on a perilous mission to retrieve Spock's body and reunite his soul with his physical form, defying Starfleet orders and facing off against Klingon enemies to save their friend.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock – The Making of the Classic Film delves into the untold stories behind the making of one of the most pivotal films in the Star Trek saga. From the pressures of continuing the iconic story after The Wrath of Khan to Leonard Nimoy stepping into the director's chair, this book explores the creative challenges, technical innovations, and behind-the-scenes drama that shaped the film. Featuring interviews with cast, crew, and production staff, it uncovers the intricate world-building, the special effects that brought Klingon battles and Genesis Planet to life, and the emotional weight of Spock’s resurrection.

Featuring a foreword from Robin Curtis, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock – The Making of the Classic Film is a must-read for Trek fans and film enthusiasts alike, celebrating the legacy of a film that solidified the franchise's place in pop culture history.

Born on this day – Freeman Wills Crofts:

Freeman Wills Crofts

Writer

June 1, 1879 – April 11, 1957

Credits:

A Losing Game (1941); A Scream in Soho (1940); A Surprise for Christmas and Other Seasonal Mysteries (2020); Antidote to Venom (1938); Antidote to Venom (1938); Anything to Declare? (1957); Bats in the Belfry (1937); Blood on the Tracks (2018); Blood on the Tracks (2018); Bodies from the Library (1953); Calamity in Kent (1950); Capital Crimes: London Mysteries (2015); Castle Skull (1931); Checkmate to Murder (1944); Continental Crimes (2017); Crime at Guildford (1935); Crimson Snow (2016); Crossed Skis (1952); Dark Journey / French Strikes Oil (1951); Death Has Deep Roots (1951); Death in Fancy Dress (1933); Death in the Tunnel / Dark in the Tunnel (1936); Death Makes a Prophet (1947); Death of a Busybody (1942); Death of a Train (1946); Death of an Airman (1934); Death on the Cherwell (1935); Death on the Riviera (1952); Death on the Way (1932); Deep Waters: Murder on the Waves (2019); Double Death (1985); Due to a Death (1963); Enemy Unseen (1945); Excellent Intentions (1938); Family Matters (1933); Fatal Venture (1939); Fear Comes to Chalfont (1942); Fell Murder (1944); Fifty Famous Detectives of Fiction (1948); Fire in the Thatch (1946); Foreign Bodies (2017); Found Floating (1937); Golden Age of Detection Puzzle Book (2018); Golden Ashes (1940); Great Short Stories of Detection, Mystery and Horror (1931); Guilty Creatures: A Menagerie of Mysteries (2021); Inspector French and Sir John Magill’s Last Journey (1930); Inspector French and the Cheyne Mystery (1926); Inspector French and the Sea Mystery (1928); Inspector French and the Starvel Hollow Tragedy (1927); Inspector French’s Greatest Case (1924); It Walks by Night (1930); James Tarrant, Adventurer (1941); Man Overboard (1936); Many a Slip (1955); Miraculous Mysteries (2017); Murder at the Manor (2016); Murder by Matchlight (1945); Murder in the Mill-Race (1952); Murder in the Museum (1938); Murder of a Lady (1931); Murder On The Railways (2003); Murder Underground (1934); Murderers Make Mistakes (1947); Murder's a Swine: A Second World War Mystery (1943); Mystery in the Channel (1931); Mystery in the Channel (1931); Mystery in White (1937); Mystery of the Sleeping Car Express (1956); Mystery on Southampton Water (1934); Nine Detective Stories (1964); Portrait of a Murderer (1933); Resorting to Murder (2015); Scarweather (1934); Serpents in Eden (2016); Settling Scores: Sporting Mysteries (2020); Seven Dead (1939); Silence for the Murderer (1949); Silent Nights (2015); Six Against the Yard (1937); Smallbone Deceased (1950); Somebody at the Door (1943); Sudden Death (1932); Surfeit of Suspects (1964); The 12.30 from Croydon (1934); The 12.30 from Croydon (1934); The Affair at Little Wokeham (1943); The Arsenal Stadium Mystery (1939); The Belting Inheritance (1965); The Body in the Dumb River (1961); The Box Office Murders (1929); The Cask (1920); The Cheltenham Square Murder (1937); The Chianti Flask (1934); The Christmas Card Crime and Other Stories (2018); The Christmas Egg (1958); The Colour Of Murder (1957); The Cornish Coast Murder (1935); The Corpse in the Waxworks / The Waxworks Murder (1932); The Danger Within / Death in Captivity (1952); The Dead Shall be Raised & Murder of a Quack (1942); The Division Bell Mystery (1932); The End of Andrew Harrison (1938); The End of the Web (1976); The Female Detective (1864); The Groote Park Murder (1923); The Hog's Back Mystery (1933); The Hog's Back Mystery (1933); The Incredible Crime (1931); The Lake District Murder (1935); The Last Best Friend (1967); The Long Arm of the Law (2017); The Longman Anthology of Detective Fiction (2004); The Loss of the Jane Vosper (1936); The Lost Gallows (1931); The Measure of Malice (2019); The Notting Hill Mystery (1862); The Pit-Prop Syndicate (1922); The Pocket Detective 2: 100+ More Puzzles, Brainteasers and Conundrums (2019); The Poisoned Chocolates Case (1929); The Ponson Case (1921); The Port of London Murders (1938); The Progress of a Crime (1960); The Realm of the Impossible (2017); The Santa Klaus Murder (1936); The Scoop and Behind the Screen (1983); The Secret of High Eldersham / The Mystery of High Eldersham (1930); The Spoilt Kill (1961); The Spy Paramount (1934); The Sussex Downs Murder (1936); The Traitor (1936); The Z Murders (1931); Thirteen Guests (1938); Trouble on the Thames (1945); Two-Way Murder (2021); Verdict of Twelve (1940).