(MGM, 1927) Lillian Gish stars in this adaptation of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s 1850 novel as Hester Prynne, who engages in an adulterous relationship with the Reverend Dimmesdale (Lars Hanson) in Puritan New England. Gish, one of the most respected and popular actresses of her time, managed to get the film made by winning over a number of women’s and church groups around the country who considered the subject matter of the book unacceptable for the movies. Her pristine reputation, combined with a tasteful script by the great Hollywood screenwriter Frances Marion, caused them to change their minds and give the project their blessing. Directed by Swedish actor and filmmaker Victor Seastrom (Sjöström), the film also stars Henry B. Walthall, Karl Dane, William H. Tooker and Marcelle Corday. London based musician Stephen Horne will provide live accompaniment for the film. Free, at the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater located at 19053 Mt. Pony Rd. in Culpeper, VA.
No reservations taken.

Empowering Culpeper will be distributing USDA food commodities at the Culpeper United Methodist Church from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. This is located at 1233 Oaklawn Drive. The Culpeper Connector provides drop transportation to/ from the church.

(Warner Bros., 1942) One of the most beloved of American films, this captivating romantic adventure directed by Michael Curtiz is the story of world-weary ex-freedom fighter Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) who runs a nightclub in Casablanca during the early part of WWII. Despite pressure from the local authorities, led by the wily Capt. Renault (Claude Rains), Rick’s cafe has become a haven for refugees. One of those refugees is Rick’s true love who deserted him when the Nazis invaded Paris (Ingrid Bergman) and her Resistance leader husband (Paul Henreid). How the triangle would resolve itself wasn’t known even to cast members until the last days of filming. The film’s dialog and the timeliness of world events swirling around Casablanca, Morocco made the eventual Best Picture winner a favorite with wartime audiences. “Casablanca” was among the first movies added
to the National Film Registry in its inaugural year, 1989. This month marks the 75th anniversary of the film’s premiere. 7:30 p.m. Free, at the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater located at 19053 Mt. Pony Rd. in Culpeper, VA. No reservations taken.

Double Feature: Great Directors – King Vidor and William Wellman “Street Scene” (United Artists, 1931) When Hollywood’s major independent producer Samuel Goldwyn set out to make a motion picture of Elmer Rice’s Pulitzer Prizewinning play “Street
Scene,” he chose noted director King Vidor to helm the production. Vidor was known for his skill at handling social issues in such films as “The Big Parade” (1925), “The Crowd” (1928) and “Hallelujah” (1929). He had been one of the first directors to move the camera after the arrival of talking pictures, which was excellent preparation for adapting the one-set play. Depicting the events of two days in a New York tenement, this Pre-code drama stars Sylvia Sidney in a role that established her as a notable leading lady. Goldwyn hired eight actors from the original stage cast including Beulah Bondi and John Qualen, who would go on to notable careers as character actors. The film had great box office success and brought Goldwyn some of the best reviews of his career. Free, at the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater located at 19053 Mt. Pony Rd. in Culpeper, VA. No reservations taken.

“Stingaree” (RKO Radio, 1934) Oscar winning screenwriter-director William A. Wellman, considered one of the premier directors of Hollywood’s Golden Age, had a career spanning four decades and multiple genres. “Stingaree” is one of six RKO films of the 1930s previously thought “lost” but rediscovered and restored by Turner Classic Movies. The films were sold out of the RKO library to producer Merian C. Cooper in 1946. Extensive legal negotiations and a search of the world’s film archives allowed TCM to claim the films and create new 35mm prints in association with the Library of Congress and the BYU Motion Picture Archive. Free, at the Library of Congress Packard Campus Theater located at 19053 Mt. Pony Rd. in Culpeper, VA. No reservations taken.