"KISS ME c/KATE": 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films

Guess what happens when two life-long film lovers get together over breakfast, discuss favorite flicks and their desire for more film discussion groups here in Central Ohio?

They decide to create one on their own.

That’s the origin of the OSU Theatre and Friends Film-Discussion Group, a newly-formed University and community-based film group that sponsors film series that invite audiences to participate in post-film discussions in person and online.

Thanks to that early morning breakfast brainstorm a few months ago, Central Ohio film lovers are now enjoying the “Kiss Me c/Kate: 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films” film discussion series that kicked off at the Gateway Film Center on The Ohio State University campus on Sunday, May 23rd.

The six-week series features a selection of seven films by three of the silver screen’s most talented actresses, all of whom just happen to be named Kate/Cate:

KATE HEPBURN

KATE WINSLET

and CATE BLANCHETT.

I must disclose that it was yours truly, the Flick Chick, who was dishin’ about movies at that breakfast meetup a few months ago, along with my good friend Clay Lowe.

No ordinary film lover, among his many accomplishments Clay just happens to be an Associate Professor Emeritus in the Department of Theatre at OSU. He also spent eight years discussing film as co-host of “It’s Movie Time” on WCBE-FM and spent many years as the co-host and programmer for the Columbus Museum of Art Film Series.

Let’s just say, “When Kelly met Clay”, this Flick Chick knew she had found a friend and a film series was born.

As series hosts and programmers, Clay and I will briefly introduce the films, and each weekly screening and post-film discussion will include special invited guests from the worlds of film, theatre, art, music, dance, education and the media.

All screenings will be held at 2 pm on Sunday afternoons at the Gateway Film Center located on the OSU campus, with the discussion immediately following. The price is $5 per show and tickets may be purchased online at the Gateway website or at the box office.

In addition to the six Sunday afternoon selections, a special one-time only Tuesday evening screening of a newly-restored The African Queen, starring Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart, will be held at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, June 1.

If you truly love classic movies and enjoy thoughtful and engaging film discussion, make plans to see these three great Kates/Cates in action and attend the “Kiss Me c/Kate: 3 Great Actresses, 7 Classic Films” series.

Details and dates for the entire series are below:

(Click on film titles for more information)

KATHARINE HEPBURN

May 23 – Sunday at 2 pm

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (NR 112 minutes 1940)
Director: George Cukor
Writer: Daniel Ogden Stewart (Philip Barry – Play)
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Stewart
Guests: Carolyna Bradford (Actress/Producer), Melissa Starker (Gateway Film Center)

May 30 – Sunday at 2 pm

PAT AND MIKE (NR 95 minutes 1952)
Director: George Cukor
Writers: Ruth Gordon, Garson Kanin
Starring: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Charles Bronson, Jim Backus
Guests: Alan Woods (Faculty, OSU Department of Theatre), Jocelyn Nevel (Photographer/Educator)

June 1 – Tuesday evening at 7:30 pm

THE AFRICAN QUEEN
Director: John Huston (NR 106 minutes 1951)
Writer: James Agee, John Huston (C.S. Forester novel)
Starring: Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart
Guests: Alan Woods (Faculty, OSU Department of Theatre), Jocelyn Nevel (Photographer/Educator)

KATE WINSLET

June 6 – Sunday at 2 pm

HEAVENLY CREATURES (Rated R 99 minutes 1994)
Director: Peter Jackson
Writer: Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Starring: Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey
Guests: Hope Madden (Film Critic, The Other Paper) , George Wolf (Film Critic, The Other Paper)

June 13 – Sunday at 2 pm

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
(Rated R 108 min 2004)
Director: Michel Gondry
Writer: Charlie Kaufman
Starring: Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst
Guests: Jennifer Ntiri (Actress/Dancer), Brad Keefe (Critic/Web Producer Columbus Alive)

CATE BLANCHETT

June 20 – Sunday at 2 pm

ELIZABETH: THE VIRGIN QUEEN (Rated R 124 minutes 1998)
Director: Shekhar Kapur
Writer: Michael Hirst
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes
Guests: Wayne Miller (Board of Trustees, Film Council of Greater Columbus; Chair, Columbus International Film & Video Festival), Audrey Harkonen (Board Member/Juror, Columbus International Film & Video Festival)

June 27 – Sunday at 2 pm

I’M NOT THERE (Rated R 135 minutes 2007)
Director: Todd Haynes
Writer: Todd Haynes, Oren Moverman
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Ben Whishaw, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Richard Gere, Marcus Carl Franklin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Julianne Moore
Guests: Melissa Starker (Gateway Film Center), Bob Ray Starker (Musician – Whoa Nellie!)

Note: Convenient $1 parking (up to 4 hours) is available year round in the Gateway Film Center garage located right next door to the cinema on both 9th and 11th avenues.