Series offers romance, adventure

“Going Places for Romance and Adventure” will be the theme for the February Film Series at the Waupaca Area Public Library.

All movies will be shown at 1:30 p.m. Thursdays in the library and will feature introductions by Dr. Jack Rhodes.

Rhodes said each movie will transport the audience to interesting locations while telling a compelling story of romance or adventure.

The two films shown before Valentine’s Day will both have romantic themes, while the two shown later in the month will feature fast-moving adventure stories. All four movies are from the classic era of American and British cinema. Dates for the movies are as follows.

Feb. 2: Released in 1956, “Bus Stop” is generally recognized by critics as the film that first demonstrated Marilyn Monroe’s acting abilities.

The star plays a nightclub singer aggressively courted by a rodeo cowboy, portrayed by Don Murray in an Oscar-nominated performance. Directed by Joshua Logan from a play by William Inge, “Bus Stop” also stars Arthur O’Connell, Hope Lange and Betty Field.

Feb. 9: Directed by Jean Negulesco, “Three Coins in a Fountain” earned Academy Awards for Best Color Cinematography and Best Original Song, as well as being nominated for Best Picture.

The light romantic plot follows the adventures of three couples in love as they explore Rome and Venice. Frank Sinatra performs the title song over the film’s credits.

The large cast includes Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire, Louis Jourdan and Jean Peters.

Feb. 16:  “The Narrow Margin” is often praised by film critics as the single best low-budget movie ever produced by Hollywood.

Directed by Richard Fleischer from a compact script by Earl Felton, the 1952 film tells the tale of a West Coast cop escorting a key witness aboard a Chicago-Los Angeles passenger train.

The cast of B-picture stars includes Charles McGraw, Marie Windsor, Jacqueline White and Gordon Gebert. The original story for this film received an Oscar nomination.

Feb. 23:  “Dr. No” (is the first-ever James Bond film and was adapted by Richard Maibaum from Ian Fleming’s 1958 spy novel.
Sean Connery stars as 007, deployed to Jamaica to solve the killing of a British agent and his assistant. Terence Young directs this groundbreaking espionage classic with a sure hand.
Offering strong support are Ursula Andress, Jack Lord, Anthony Dawson and Joseph Wiseman as the diabolical Dr. No.

No reservations or tickets are needed for this series, which is free and open to the public. Complimentary popcorn, sodas, coffee, and theater treats will be provided by Friends of the Library.

For more information, call the library at 715-256-1939.