Friday, May 28 - Thursday June 3

Word Wars
Tiles and Tribulations on the Scrabble Circuit

J-o-c-u-n-d, a six-letter word for "fun," is an apt description of Word Wars, Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo's feisty documentary about the National Scrabble Tournament. Word Wars follows the lives of four of the top-rated Scrabble players in the country as they crisscross the United States in heated competitions culminating in their ultimate quest-- the twenty-five-thousand-dollar top prize awarded at the national tournament in San Diego. Warning: This is not your grandmother's game of Scrabble. With its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, Word Wars uncovers the fiercely competitive, highly idiosyncratic world of professional Scrabble. Defending champ Joe Edley, known as the Jack Nicklaus of Scrabble and a former homeless resident of Golden Gate Park, has memorized the dictionary many times over. Matt Graham, a stand-up comic, takes a lot of "natural drugs" to aid his concentration. Marlon Hill despises the English language for stripping him of his African identity. "G.I." Joel Sherman (the G.I. is for gastrointestinal) downs copious amounts of Maalox. With a keen eye for the whimsical, Word Wars pays homage to its troops, who are sacrificing their pocketbooks to defend the glory and the majesty of the mighty m-o-r-p-h-e-m-e, an eight-letter word for "word." — David Courier, Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo. In Color. Digital video. 76 mins. USA. 2003. For more more info, check out the Official Site Show times: Nightly at 6, 8, and 10pm with additional matinees Wed, Sat & Sun at 2 & 4pm.

"Charming, hilarious, and brisk" -- Melissa Levine , SF Weekly

"Thoroughly entertaining and hilarious" -- SF Chronicle

Friday, June 4 - Thursday June 10

Deco-Dent Cinema

In conjunction with the Palace of the Legion of Honor’s phenomenally fabulous 'Art Deco 1910-1939' exhibit (hurry it ends July 7), the Roxie is proud to present 6 great pre-code gems in San Francisco’s 1st Annual Deco-Dent Film Festival

Friday, June 4
42nd Street The definitive backstage musical still has plenty of sass. Ailing director Baxter puts everything into what may be his final show, then leading lady Daniels twists her ankle! Good thing Ruby Keeler’s on hand. songs include “Young and Healthy,” “You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me,” and “Shuffle off to Buffalo.” Busby Berkeley’s groundbreaking production numbers are still sensational. 1933 89 min. Dir. Lloyd Bacon. Starring WarnerBaxter, Ruby Keeler, George Brent. Bebe Daniels, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Una Merkel, Ginger Rogers. Friday at 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00.

Saturday, June 5
Twentieth Century Super screwball comedy in which egomaniacal Broadway producer Barrymore makes shop girl Lombard a star. When she leaves him, he does everything he can to woo her back on a lengthy train trip. Barrymore has never been funnier, and Connolly and Karns are aces as his long-sufferingcronies. Matchless script from Ben Hecht and Charles Macarthur, from their play, which was later a hit Broadway musical. 1934 91 min. Dir. Howard Hawks. Starring John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, Roscoe Karns, Walter Connolly. Saturday at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, 8:00, and 10:00.

Sunday, June 6
Our Dancing Daughters One of the best jazz age silents, with absurdly melodramatic story: flapper Joan loses Johnny to Anita Page, who’s been pushed into marriage against her will. Crystallization of the Roaring 20s. silent film with synchronized music track (and even an occasional bit of off-screen dialogue.)1928 97 min. Dir. Harry Beaumont. Starring Joan Crawford, Johnny Mack Brown, Dorothy Sebastian, Nils Asther. Sunday at 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, and 9:00.

Monday, June 7
Twentieth Century Super screwball comedy in which egomaniacal Broadway producer Barrymore makes shop girl Lombard a star. When she leaves him, he does everything he can to woo her back on a lengthy train trip. Barrymore has never been funnier, and Connolly and Karns are aces as his long-sufferingcronies. Matchless script from Ben Hecht and Charles Macarthur, from their play, which was later a hit Broadway musical. 1934 91 min. Dir. Howard Hawks. Starring John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, Roscoe Karns, Walter Connolly. Monday at 7:00.

and

42nd Street The definitive backstage musical still has plenty of sass. Ailing director Baxter puts everything into what may be his final show, then leading lady Daniels twists her ankle! Good thing Ruby Keeler’s on hand. songs include “Young and Healthy,” “You’re Getting to be a Habit with Me,” and “Shuffle off to Buffalo.” Busby Berkeley’s groundbreaking production numbers are still sensational. 1933 89 min. Dir. Lloyd Bacon. Starring WarnerBaxter, Ruby Keeler, George Brent. Bebe Daniels, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, Una Merkel, Ginger Rogers. Monday at 8:45.

Tuesday, June 8
Golddiggers of 1933 Another spectacular Busby Berkeley dance outing with familiar let’s- produce- a-Broadway-show plot. Highlights: Joan Blondell’s “Forgotten Man,” Rogers’ “We’re in the Money,” (with pig-Latin chorus) and chorus girls’ “Shadow Waltz.” 1933. 96 min. Dir. Mervyn Leroy. Starring Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers. Tuesday at 7:00 and 9:00.

Wednesday, June 9
Grand Hotel Vicki Baum’s novel and play of plush Berlin hotel where “nothing ever happens.” Star prove the contrary: Garbo as a lonely ballerina, John Barrymore her jewel-thief lover and a dying man, Crawford an ambitious stenographer, Beery a hardened businessman, Stone the observer. 1932 113 min. Oscar: Best Picture, 1932. Dir. Edmund Goulding. Starring Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone. Wednesday at 2:00, 4:30, 7:00, and 9:15.

Thursdayday, June 10
The Kiss Married Garbo gives young Ayres, who is smitten with her, an innocent goodnight kiss—which leads to misunderstanding and tragedy. Sleek, fluidly filmed Garbo vehicle was her last silent. Farfetched but very enjoyable. 1929. 89 min. Dir. Jacques Feyder. Starring Greta Garbo, Conrad Nagel, Andres Randolf, Holmes Herbert, Lew Ayres. Thursday at 7:00 and 9:00.

ALSO SHOWING
Friday, June 4 - Thursday June 10

Word Wars
Tiles and Tribulations on the Scrabble Circuit

J-o-c-u-n-d, a six-letter word for "fun," is an apt description of Word Wars, Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo's feisty documentary about the National Scrabble Tournament. Word Wars follows the lives of four of the top-rated Scrabble players in the country as they crisscross the United States in heated competitions culminating in their ultimate quest-- the twenty-five-thousand-dollar top prize awarded at the national tournament in San Diego. Warning: This is not your grandmother's game of Scrabble. With its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, Word Wars uncovers the fiercely competitive, highly idiosyncratic world of professional Scrabble. Defending champ Joe Edley, known as the Jack Nicklaus of Scrabble and a former homeless resident of Golden Gate Park, has memorized the dictionary many times over. Matt Graham, a stand-up comic, takes a lot of "natural drugs" to aid his concentration. Marlon Hill despises the English language for stripping him of his African identity. "G.I." Joel Sherman (the G.I. is for gastrointestinal) downs copious amounts of Maalox. With a keen eye for the whimsical, Word Wars pays homage to its troops, who are sacrificing their pocketbooks to defend the glory and the majesty of the mighty m-o-r-p-h-e-m-e, an eight-letter word for "word." — David Courier, Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo. In Color. Digital video. 76 mins. USA. 2003. For more more info, check out the Official Site Show times: Nightly at 6:15, 8, and 9:45pm with additional matinees Sat & Sun at 2:30 & 4:15 pm.

"Charming, hilarious, and brisk" -- Melissa Levine , SF Weekly

"Thoroughly entertaining and hilarious" -- SF Chronicle

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Friday, June 11 through Thursday, June 17

People I Know

Caught up in the endless Manhattan nights, the man who’s made it his business to know everything suddenly realizes he knows too much. Smart, resourceful and uncommonly devoted seasoned publicist Eli Wurman (AL PACINO) has smoothly managed the public lives of the rich, the famous and the incredibly powerful throughout his long career. There has never been a crisis he couldn’t handle…until now. Cary Launer (RYAN O’NEAL) is a famous actor-he’s as good at manipulating and controlling those around him as he is at giving award-winning performances. Yet Launer is in trouble over a young starlet, Jilli (TÉA LEONI) and enlists Eli to discreetly escort her out of his life. It seems like just one more celebrity baby-sitting job, until they arrive at an after-hours party, where Eli experiences a shock that will change his life forever. The crime he’s witnessed involves the most powerful and influential people in the country. In the end, Eli discovers one undeniable truth: it’s who you know. Directed by Daniel Algrant. (adapted from Rich cline, Shadows on the Wall) Starring Al Pacino, Kim Basinger, Ryan O' Neal, Tea Leoni, Richard Schiff, and Bill Nunn. 100 min. 2002 Show times: 7:00 and 9:15pm, with additional matinees at 2:15 and 4:45pm Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday.

"Pacino is the dynamo that drives it, giving a relentlessly imaginative performance that draws on all the professional expertise and personal experience he's gathered in a lifetime of screen and stage work."
-- David Sterritt, CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR

"Ranks with Sweet Smell of Success in its ruthless portrayal of the publicity business." -- Kirk Honeycutt, HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

"So fiendishly insightful it keeps us hooked! -- FILM THREAT

ALSO SHOWING
Friday, June 11 - Thursday June 17

Word Wars
Tiles and Tribulations on the Scrabble Circuit

J-o-c-u-n-d, a six-letter word for "fun," is an apt description of Word Wars, Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo's feisty documentary about the National Scrabble Tournament. Word Wars follows the lives of four of the top-rated Scrabble players in the country as they crisscross the United States in heated competitions culminating in their ultimate quest-- the twenty-five-thousand-dollar top prize awarded at the national tournament in San Diego. Warning: This is not your grandmother's game of Scrabble. With its tongue firmly planted in its cheek, Word Wars uncovers the fiercely competitive, highly idiosyncratic world of professional Scrabble. Defending champ Joe Edley, known as the Jack Nicklaus of Scrabble and a former homeless resident of Golden Gate Park, has memorized the dictionary many times over. Matt Graham, a stand-up comic, takes a lot of "natural drugs" to aid his concentration. Marlon Hill despises the English language for stripping him of his African identity. "G.I." Joel Sherman (the G.I. is for gastrointestinal) downs copious amounts of Maalox. With a keen eye for the whimsical, Word Wars pays homage to its troops, who are sacrificing their pocketbooks to defend the glory and the majesty of the mighty m-o-r-p-h-e-m-e, an eight-letter word for "word." — David Courier, Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Eric Chaikin and Julian Petrillo. In Color. Digital video. 76 mins. USA. 2003. For more more info, check out the Official Site Show times: Nightly at 6:15, 8, and 9:45pm with additional matinees Sat & Sun at 2:30 & 4:15 pm.

"Charming, hilarious, and brisk" -- Melissa Levine , SF Weekly

"Thoroughly entertaining and hilarious" -- SF Chronicle

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