Tag: Shirley Maclaine

AMERICAN DREAMER – Review

(L-R) Shirley MacLaine as Astrid and Peter Dinklage as Phil Loder, in AMERICAN DREAMER. Courtesy of Vertical

In the comedy AMERICAN DREAMER, Peter Dinklage plays a curmudgeonly college professor with a dream to buy a home far beyond his limited means, while Shirley MacLaine plays a wealthy retiree who has just such a fabulous home for sale for an unbelievable price – with one big catch. Loosely inspired – very loosely – by real events, the major delight of this sometimes crazy comedy is in the pairing of Dinklage and MacLaine, who make a perfect, and perfectly insane, comedy duo in this film.

Dinklage plays Dr. Phil Loder who teaches economics from a sociological view at a small college. Loder may teach economics but his own economics are pretty dismal for a professor of the dismal science. Underpaid and twice-divorced, he doesn’t have tenure, and he can’t even seem to get a parking spot for his vintage car. Meanwhile, he spends his time dreaming about coming home to a grand mansion, preferable to be greeted by a beautiful wife. In fact, he has neither, and the twice-divorced professor is living alone in a dinky apartment. He spends all his free time searching for that perfect home, with his real estate broker Dell (Matt Dillon) inviting him to open houses for homes that fit his criteria but not his budget.

No one milks surly and begrudging for comedy like Dinklage, and he is entirely in his element here. While the college that employs him shows him little respect, his economics course has suddenly become popular with student, who enjoy his lectures peppered with snark and sarcasm representing his doom and gloom worldview. He has even drawn the romantic attention of a graduate student, Clare (Michelle Mylett) which he rationalizes is OK since she is over 21.

On the outs with his real estate agent after an outburst of temper, Loder scans the ads for a dream home – and finds an intriguing possibility. The grand waterfront property lists for millions but it has a second, special offer – if the buyer agrees to live on the property while also letting the elderly owner, a childless widow, remain for the rest of her life, the buyer can have it for mere $250,000. That’s still out of the professor’s range but he might be able to raise that amount.

Loder dispatches the real estate agent to make the deal, and sets out to sell everything to meet the price. When he gleefully shows up to move in, he finds matters are not quite as he imagined – or was told by the agent.

For one thing, he finds he must live in a rundown apartment over a garage instead of the huge main house. And the former owner, who Loder never met, turns out not quite to be the invalid teetering on death that the agent described. In fact, Astrid Finnelli (Shirley MacLaine) is pretty lively, puttering around the water-side property on her scooter and having no compunction about banging on Phil’s door regardless of the time if she has a question. Every day he’s there, a new wrinkle crops up, but the rule-breaking Loder doesn’t make matters any better, often being his own worst enemy.

The situation presents endless problems that challenge Loder, forcing him to adapt and change in ways he never expected. Dinklage milks the physical comedy aspects of this farcical tale, with perhaps a bit more bare skin than we really need to see.

MacLaine plays her character, who clearly is not on the verge of death, with the kind of imperious, aristocratic snobbery she does so well, with a touch of her “Downton Abbey” character. Her clueless, demanding aristocrat and Dinklage’s grumbling pro-proletariat academic make for a wonderful comic pair, and there are laughs in most every scene they share.

At one point, Dinklage’s Loder calls in a private investigator, played by Danny Glover, to try to figure out this twisty situation he finds himself in, and Glover brings a dry humor side to the humor proceedings.

Dinklage and MacLaine have great comic chemistry and as so good together, they draw laughs just glaring at each other. The film offers up a series of every escalating comic situations in classic comedy style. The humor is a bit raucous but never going too far, with each humorous scene building on the next. The humor in AMERICAN DREAMER is classic slapstick low-comedy, not sophisticated satire, but Dinklage’s character does go through a re-evaluation of his approach to the world and people, coming out with a fresh, more humane perspective. Astrid turns out to have another side, a more charitable, kinder one, which has a profound effect on Dinklage’s Loder, and gives the film am unexpected charm by its end.

The magic in AMERICAN DREAMER is in the unlikely pairing of Peter Dinklage and Shirley MacLaine, who light up the screen every time they share it, an effect grows more charming as the film unfolds.

As these comedies always do, the two start as adversaries but eventually begin to understand one another and even become friends. But the film goes further, and as the characters grow, they reveal unsuspected sides, with warm, generous hearts that reach out to those who need help, something we never expect at the film’s start.

AMERICAN DREAMER opens Friday, Mar. 8, in theaters and streaming on demand.

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

STEEL MAGNOLIAS Celebrates 30 Years of Friendship at Movie Theaters May 19th, 21st, & 22nd

“Pink is my signature color!”

Led by an incredible cast that includes Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts, Steel Magnolias was a box-office smash, charming audiences with its story of friendship, love and resilience.  Steel Magnolias also helped rocket Roberts into the stratosphere of Hollywood super-stardom in just her third major role, for which she won her first Oscar® nomination. Now, Steel Magnolias returns to more than 600 movie theaters nationwide for three days only, marking its 30th anniversary.

Roberts plays one of the residents of a fictional Louisiana town, which screenwriter Robert Harling based on his hometown of Natchitoches. In the adaptation of Harling’s play, directed by Herbert Ross and produced by Ray Stark, the cast generates laughter and tears in equal amounts in the story of unforgettable women who unite in the face of tragedy. For this anniversary presentation, TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz will provide special commentary before and after the film. Presented by Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Sony Pictures

Sunday, May 19, 2019 – 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (local time)

Tuesday, May 21, 2019 – 7:00 p.m. (local time)

Wednesday, May 22, 2019 – 7:00 p.m. (local time)

Tickets for Steel Magnolias can be purchased at www.FathomEvents.com or participating theater box offices. Fans throughout the U.S. will be able to enjoy the event in more than 600 movie theaters through Fathom’s Digital Broadcast Network (DBN). For a complete list of theater locations visit the Fathom Events website (participating theaters are subject to change).  

THE APARTMENT Special Limited Edition Blu-ray from Arrow Films Available December 26th


“When you’re in love with a married man, you shouldn’t wear mascara.”


THE APARTMENT (1960) starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine is available on Blu-ray from Arrow Films December 26th. It can be ordered HERE.


In 1960, following on from the success of their collaboration on Some Like it Hot, director Billy Wilder (Ace in the Hole, Sunset Boulevard) reteamed with actor Jack Lemmon (The Odd Couple) for what many consider the pinnacle of their respective careers: The Apartment.


C.C. ”Bud” Baxter (Lemmon) is a lowly Manhattan office drone with a lucrative sideline in renting out his apartment to adulterous company bosses and their mistresses. When Bud enters into a similar arrangement the firm’s personnel director, J.D. Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray, Double Indemnity), his career prospects begin to look up… and up. But when he discovers that Sheldrake’s mistress is Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), the girl of his dreams, he finds himself forced to choose between his career and the woman he loves…


Winner of five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, The Apartment features a wealth of Hollywood’s finest talent on both sides of the camera at the top of their game. By turns cynical, heart-warming and hilarious, Wilder’s masterpiece now shines like never before in this all-new, 4K-restored edition from Arrow Films.


LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

  • Limited Deluxe Edition Blu-ray [3000 copies]
  • Brand new 4K restoration of the film from the original camera negative produced by Arrow Films exclusively for this release
  • Original uncompressed PCM mono audio
  • Optional 5.1 remix in lossless DTS-HD Master Audio
  • Optional English SDH subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • Audio commentary with film producer and historian Bruce Block
  • New appreciation of the film and select scene commentary by film historian Philip Kemp
  • The Flawed Couple, a new video essay by filmmaker David Cairns on the collaborations between Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon
  • Billy Wilder ABC, an overview by David Cairns on the life and career of the filmmaker, covering his films, collaborators and more
  • New interview with actress Hope Holiday
  • Inside the Apartment, a half-hour making-of featurette from 2007 including interviews with Shirley MacLaine, executive producer Walter Mirisch, and others
  • Magic Time: The Art of Jack Lemmon, an archive profile of the actor from 2007
  • Original screenplay by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond (BD-ROM content)
  • Theatrical trailer
  • Special collector’s packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Ignatius Fitzpatrick
  • Collector s 150-page hardcover book featuring new writing by Neil Sinyard, Kat Ellinger, Travis Crawford and Heather Hyche, generously illustrated with rare stills and behind-the-scenes imagery

 

THE LAST WORD – Review

(l-r) Amanda Seyfried stars as Anne Sherman, Shirley MacLaine as Harriet Lauler, and Ann Jewel Lee as Brenda, in THE LAST WORD. Photo by Beth Dubber. Courtesy of Bleeker Street ©
(l-r) Amanda Seyfried stars as Anne Sherman, Shirley MacLaine as Harriet Lauler, and Ann Jewel Lee as Brenda, in THE LAST WORD. Photo by Beth Dubber. Courtesy of Bleeker Street ©

In THE LAST WORD, Shirley MacLaine stars as Harriet Lauler, a successful, wealthy but not beloved retired businesswoman, who decides to write her own obituary prior to her death. To craft the perfect obit, she hires a young writer at the local newspaper, played by Amanda Seyfried, mostly for her skill in making unpleasant people sound admirable.

Shirley MacLaine plays the kind of flinty character she has played so often and so well since TERMS OF ENDEARMENT. The film looks like a showcase for the iconic star and indeed MacLaine is the best thing in this unremarkable if well-meaning film. The film credits open with a montage of photos, apparently from childhood to present of the star, which suggests a bit of the star having a last word.

MacLaine’s Harriet Lauler is a control freak, who bedevils her staff in the home where she lives alone. As a fierce businesswoman who founded her own successful advertising agency, Harriet is used to having things her own way. A hyper-critical perfectionist, she takes over the hedge clipping when the gardener is not trimming them to her satisfaction, the sauce making from the cook, and even takes the scissors away from her hairdresser. Still, despite her lack of people skills and imperious manner, it is clear she is lonely and unhappy.

Not surprisingly, Harriet wants to have the last word about her own life and legacy, which is what prompts her to march into the newspaper editor’s (Tom Everett Scott) office and demand their obit writer, a young writer named Anne, to pen it for her. Harriet has done her research and admires Anne’s ability to create a glowing obit for even unsavory people. Although Anne declines, Harriet won’t take no for an answer, and wears her down.

Harriet has no illusions, or sensitive feelings, about her distasteful reputation. Still, she gives the young writer a list of people to contact who might say something positive, including her ex-husband, but cautions her not to bother reaching out to her estranged daughter Elizabeth (Anne Heche) She is aware she is not well-liked but is a bit surprised Anne can’t find anyone who will say something nice. But nothing stops Harriet, who sets out to create the material for the obit she wants.

That project sets up the rest of the film’s dramedy plot. Director Mark Pellington takes the film pretty much where you expect. There are some funny moments, often spinning off MacLaine’s sharp-tongued performance, and there are some sweet moments too, but the film follows predictable lines. There is a road trip, awkward encounters with old friends and family, and a rebellious act of destruction near the end.

What lifts the film out of its familiar doldrums is MacLaine herself. Her ability to play off the rest of the cast, which is sprinkled with a few familiar faces, is a great asset. There is one nice comic scene between MacLaine and an emergency room doctor, played by Todd Louiso, which both sums up Harriet’s outrageous personality and delivers a nice guffaw. Seyfried does well enough but her scenes are boosted when she shares the screen with MacLaine, who dominates the film.

MacLaine’s character is more obsessive-compulsive and perfectionist than some of the tough gals she has played in recent years. Harriet is so hard-boiled that it takes a while for a nicer side to emerge. Besides MacLaine’s performance, another of the film’s good points is its ’60s classic rock score, with a heavy nod to The Kinks. The women’s empowerment theme also is admirable, although one wishes the plot could have been fresher and more real. MacLaine’s character not only sparks change for Seyfried’s young writer, who is drifting in her career, but mentors a disadvantaged but sassy little African-American girl, played by the lively Ann Jewel Lee.

There are few surprises in THE LAST WORD, and little reason to see it if not for Shirley MacLaine, But it does offer another chance to see the legendary MacLaine as another bold, unstoppable woman. She certainly deserves the last word on her own legacy.

RATING: 3 out of 5 stars

WAMG Giveaway: Win WILD OATS On DVD – Stars Shirley MacLaine, Jessica Lange And Billy Connelly

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THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED

Acclaimed director Andy Tennant’s (Hitch, Sweet Home Alabama) refreshing and hilarious comedy Wild Oats arrives on DVD on October 4, 2016 from Anchor Bay Entertainment and on Digital HD and On Demand. The film is set in the golden years of life and features Academy Award® winner Shirley MacLaine (The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, In Her Shoes, Terms of Endearment), Academy Award winner Jessica Lange (“American Horror Story,” Grey Gardens, Tootsie), Billy Connelly (Brave, The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies, Gulliver’s Travels), and Demi Moore (Forsaken, Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle).

Eva (MacLaine), a widow and retired history teacher, enjoys a quiet life. Everything changes when she receives a life insurance check accidentally made out for $5,000,000 instead of the expected $50,000. At the not-so-gentle urging her best friend Maddie (Lange), Eva deposits the money and the two friends head to the Canary Islands with every intention of living it up. But their fantasy is short-lived when they discover that they have become media sensations overnight. Fugitives from justice, the two are forced to outwit a trio of conmen, led by the local Wine “warlord”, Carlos (Santiago Segura), outmaneuver a dogged life insurance agent Vespucci (Howard Hesseman) who has teamed up with Eva’s daughter, Crystal (Moore), and outrun the law. What they don’t expect is to be good at it.

Wild Oats will be available on DVD from Anchor Bay Entertainment on October 4, 2016 for the suggested retail price of $19.98.

Pre-order HERE.

Enter for a chance to win –

  • One GRAND PRIZE winner:  1 DVD plus the Shirley MacLaine paperback “Above the Line: My Wild Oats Adventure”
  • 1st RUNNER UP winner:  1 DVD 

ADD YOUR NAME AND E-MAIL IN OUR COMMENTS SECTION BELOW. WE WILL CONTACT YOU IF YOU ARE A WINNER.

OFFICIAL RULES:

1. YOU MUST BE A US RESIDENT. PRIZE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPED TO US ADDRESSES.  NO P.O. BOXES.  NO DUPLICATE ADDRESSES.

2. WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN FROM ALL QUALIFYING ENTRIES.

No purchase necessary.

WILD OATS DVD
Street Date: October 4, 2016
Catalog #: WC64597
UPC: 01313264597180
Run Time: 91 minutes
Rating: PG-13
SRP: $19.98
Format: DVD
Aspect Ratio: 2:40.1
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English, Spanish

To learn more about the film, please visit www.anchorbayentertainment.com

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Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Kevin Hart Added As Presenters At 87th Oscars

86th Oscars, Arrivals

Ben Affleck, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Kevin Hart, Shirley MacLaine, Chris Pine, Miles Teller and Naomi Watts will be presenters at this year’s Oscars, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. The Oscars, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, will air on Sunday, February 22, live on ABC.

Affleck, a two-time Academy Award winner, received an Original Screenplay Oscar for “Good Will Hunting” (1997) and a Best Picture Oscar for “Argo” (2012), on which he served as a producer, director and star. His most recent role was opposite Rosamund Pike in “Gone Girl” (2014). He will play Batman in the upcoming feature “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “The Accountant.”

Chastain has received two Oscar nominations, one for Actress in a Leading Role for “Zero Dark Thirty” (2012) and one for Actress in a Supporting Role for “The Help” (2011). Her most recent films include 2014’s “Interstellar,” “A Most Violent Year” and “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.” She will next be seen in “Crimson Peak” and “The Martian.”

Davis has been nominated for two Oscars, one for her supporting role in the 2008 film “Doubt” and one for her leading role in 2011’s “The Help.” She currently stars in the ABC primetime hit “How to Get Away with Murder.” Davis’s film credits include “Get on Up,” “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them,” “Ender’s Game” and “Prisoners.” She will next been seen in “Lila and Eve,” due out this year.

Hart, who currently stars in the feature comedy “The Wedding Ringer,” appeared in last year’s “Ride Along,” “About Last Night,” “Think Like a Man Too” and “Top Five.” His previous credits include “Think Like a Man” (2012) and “The Five-Year Engagement” (2012). He will star opposite Will Ferrell in “Get Hard” later this year.

MacLaine won an Oscar for Actress in a Leading Role for 1983’s “Terms of Endearment.” She also received nominations for her leading roles in “The Turning Point” (1983), “Irma La Douce” (1963) “The Apartment” (1960) and “Some Came Running” (1958), as well for the documentary feature “The Other Half of the Sky: A China Memoir” (1975), which she produced. Her next role is in “Wild Oats.”

Pine most recently appeared as Cinderella’s Prince in “Into the Woods” (2014). He also has starred in such features as “Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit” (2014), “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013), “People
Like Us” (2012), “Unstoppable” (2010), “Star Trek” (2009) and “Bottle Shock” (2008). His upcoming films include “Z for Zachariah” and “The Finest Hours.”

Teller stars in the current Best Picture nominee “Whiplash.” Later this year, he will appear in the feature “Bleed for This,” as well as “The Fantastic Four.” Teller also appeared in the 2013 film “The Spectacular Now.”

Watts has twice been nominated for Actress in a Leading Role, for “The Impossible” (2012) and “21 Grams” (2003). Her feature credits also include “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)” (2014), “St. Vincent” (2014), “Eastern Promises” (2007), “King Kong” (2005) and “Mulholland Drive” (2001). She will next be seen in the “Divergent” sequel “Insurgent,” While We’re Young,” The Sea of Trees,” and “Demolition.”

The 87th Oscars will be held on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre® at Hollywood & Highland Center in Hollywood, and will be televised live on the ABC Television Network at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT. The Oscars, produced by Zadan and Meron, also will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Visit oscars.org

Follow the Academy on Twitter: https://twitter.com/theacademy

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Watch The Trailer for ELSA & FRED Starring Christopher Plummer and Shirley MacLaine

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Starring Christopher Plummer, Shirley MacLaine, Marcia Gay Harden, James Brolin, Scott Bakula, Chris Noth and George Segal, here’s a look at the new trailer for the delightful ELSA & FRED.

ELSA & FRED is the story of two people who, at the end of the road, discover that it’s never too late to love. After losing his wife, Fred (Christopher Plummer) feels disturbed, confused and alone, so his daughter (Marcia Gay Harden) helps move him into a small apartment where he meets Elsa (Shirley Maclaine).

From that moment on, everything changes. Elsa bursts into Fred’s life like a whirlwind, determined to teach him that the time he has left to live – be it more or less – is precious and that he should enjoy it as he pleases.

This film is filled with previous Oscar winners. In addition to Marcia Gay Harden’s Best Supporting Actress win for POLLOCK, Plummer became the oldest winner of a competitive Oscar, at 82, surpassing the achievement of Jessica Tandy when he took home the Supporting Actor Academy Award for BEGINNERS, while Maclaine went head-to-head with TERMS OF ENDEARMENT co-star Debra Winger and eventually won the Best Actress Oscar at the 56th Annual Academy Awards.

Directed by Michael Radford and written by Michael Radford and Anna Pavignano (Il Postino: The Postman), Millennium Entertainment will release ELSA & FRED in theaters and on demand November 7, 2014.

Stars Align As American Film Institute Honors Shirley MacLaine At 40th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala

Last night, stage and screen legend Shirley MacLaine was lauded with the 40th annual AFI Life Achievement Award – the highest honor for a career in film.  Some of Hollywood’s most revered luminaries turned out to pay tribute to one of America’s most beloved artists.  The gala, entitled “TV Land Presents: AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine,” was taped at historic Stage 15 at Sony Pictures Studios last evening and will air on TV Land on Sunday, June 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

The evening’s festivities kicked off with MacLaine entering the gala of over 1,000 attendees to “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” a song she made famous in the 1969 screen version of “Sweet Charity.”  Immediately following dinner, Warren Beatty, MacLaine’s brother,  Academy Award®-winning actor and fellow AFI Life Achievement Award recipient (2008), talked about how the AFI Life Achievement Award was established in 1973 to ensure that “the great masters of film may take their deserved place in history beside leaders in other arts” and introduced the award recipients in attendance to celebrate MacLaine and the award’s 40th anniversary – Sidney Poitier (1992), Jack Nicholson (1994), Steven Spielberg (1995), Meryl Streep (2004) and Morgan Freeman (2011).

Academy Award®-winning actress Julia Roberts took the stage to speak about MacLaine’s love for playing cards and “the boys” of her life – Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and even Chicago mob boss, Sam Giancana.  Fellow “Steel Magnolias” star Sally Field paid tribute to MacLaine by saying, “She is generous beyond a fault, a one of a kind original and an extraordinary actor.  She’s a renowned world traveler who collects people.  They are her most valued treasures.  And I’m very proud to be included in her lifelong collection.” Dakota Fanning (“I Am Sam”) and Katherine Heigl (“27 Dresses”) both spoke about how MacLaine had inspired them in their own journeys in Hollywood.  John Travolta introduced an inspiring video with footage from “Sweet Charity” and described MacLaine as “a woman who does it all – but always first – a dancer.”  He went on to say that she “fills the world with a presence never seen before.”

Last year’s AFI Life Achievement Award recipient, Morgan Freeman, recounted MacLaine’s impressive journey that led her to where she is today, and Elizabeth McGovern, who stars on “Downton Abbey,” shared a never-before-seen clip from the hit PBS series (returning in 2013) that featured MacLaine and Dame Maggie Smith.

Comedian Don Rickles had the ballroom in stitches as only he can, while also sincerely noting that MacLaine has “charm, warmth, class and is a person who makes you feel at home and loved on and off the screen.” In addition, Senator George McGovern and U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich spoke eloquently about MacLaine’s activism and passion to make a difference in the world through her support of the political process.

The evening was peppered with video tributes from the likes of Mikhail Baryshnikov, Jack Black, James L. Brooks, Stephen Hawking, Goldie Hawn, Nicole Kidman, 2010 AFI Life Achievement recipient Mike Nichols and Charlize Theron.

The evening culminated with 2004 AFI Life Achievement Award honoree and Academy Award®-winner Meryl Streep presenting the prestigious award to her friend, Shirley MacLaine.  Streep said, “There are some performers who are indelible.  You fall for them early.  You fall hard.  And you follow them the rest of your life.  That’s our Shirl.”

Upon receiving the award, MacLaine took the stage and spoke about the women at her table – Jennifer Aniston, Sally Field, Melanie Griffith, Julia Roberts and Meryl Streep.  She said they were “my other half of the sky and my sustained belief that you women will make the world a better place.”  She went on to say, “Thank you to the fabulous leading men I’ve had the pleasure of making love to, on and off the screen,”  and adding, “When you’re in my life, you never get away – even if you die.”  MacLaine closed by saying, “My one piece of assurance to all of us who are overachievers:  don’t worry, what we don’t get done now, we will the next time around – if we keep our feet firmly planted on the ground and our heads in the stars, and always listen to the mothers and the women in our lives.”

Among the many other guests present to honor MacLaine were Toni Collette, Carrie Fisher, Peter Fonda, Marcia Gay Harden, Dennis Haysbert, Deborah Secco, Tom Skerritt, Cecilia Suarez and Mena Suvari.

Proceeds from the AFI Life Achievement Award gala directly support the Institute’s national education programs and the preservation of American film history.  HP is the Presenting Sponsor of the gala tribute.  Official Sponsors include Audi of America, Deloitte, Verizon Digital Media Services and American Airlines – the official airline of AFI, with additional support provided by Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills and Stella Artois.

“TV Land Presents: The AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Shirley MacLaine” was produced by Bob Gazzale and Chris Merrill for the American Film Institute and was directed by Louis J. Horvitz.

Meryl Streep Will Present Shirley MacLaine With American Film Institute’s 40th Life Achievement Award

AFI Life Achievement Award honoree Meryl Streep will present Shirley MacLaine with the American Film Institute’s 40th Life Achievement Award – America’s highest honor for a career in film. The private black tie gala will be held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City on June 7 and will air on TV Land on Sunday, June 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Streep, who was honored with the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2004, played MacLaine’s daughter in POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE (1990). Both actresses are multiple Academy Award recipients. Streep, nominated a record 17 times, including for POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE, won for THE IRON LADY (2011), SOPHIE’S CHOICE (1982) and KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979) while MacLaine, nominated six times, won for her portrayal of Aurora Greenway in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT (1983).

Luminaries from across the film community will join Streep to celebrate the career of Shirley MacLaine, one of America’s treasured motion picture artists. MacLaine will be recognized for her breadth of talents as an actress, songstress, author, director and producer. “The world loves Shirley MacLaine,” said Bob Gazzale, President and CEO of AFI. “AFI’s challenge will be how to fit it all into one evening because hers is a life that spans from movies to television to Broadway, books and beyond. Perhaps more than any other recipient, with Shirley I would underline the word life in Life Achievement Award,” he said. “Hers is a story more than just movies. It’s an epic journey, and she has invited all of us to come along for the ride.”

“It is sure to be a magical evening celebrating Shirley’s career, especially with Meryl Streep and many other stars who will be on hand,” remarked Larry W. Jones, President, TV Land. “Shirley’s storied film and television career is so rich and colorful, it will be an unforgettable tribute.”

Proceeds from the AFI Life Achievement Award gala directly support the Institute’s national education programs and the preservation of American film history. The invitation-only event will take place on historic Stage 15 at Sony Pictures Studios, where THE WIZARD OF OZ, GRAND HOTEL, SPIDERMAN and other classic movies were filmed. The stage will be transformed into an elegant ballroom to honor the expansive career of Shirley MacLaine.

Shirley MacLaine’s career comprises more than 50 feature films highlighted by an Academy Award® win and six nominations, six Emmy® Awards nominations, seven Golden Globe® Awards – including the Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award – and the title of international bestselling author.

MacLaine made her professional debut dancing in a Broadway revival of OKLAHOMA! in the 1950s. Her first film appearance was in Alfred Hitchcock’s THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY, earning her a Golden Globe Award for “New Star of the Year – Actress” in 1955. At the same time, she starred in SOME COME RUNNING, which led to her first Academy Award® nomination and an additional Golden Globe® nomination. She also starred alongside Audrey Hepburn in THE CHILDREN’S HOUR, based on a play by Lillian Hellman. MacLaine received a second Oscar® nomination for her work in the award winning film, THE APARTMENT, co-starring Jack Lemmon and directed by Billy Wilder. She reunited with Lemmon and Wilder for IRMA LA DOUCE in 1963, earning yet another Academy Award® nomination.

In 1975, MacLaine received her fourth Oscar® nomination, this time for best documentary as a producer and star of THE OTHER HALF OF THE SKY: A CHINA MEMOIR. Two years later, she was once again nominated for her starring role in THE TURNING POINT. In 1983, MacLaine won the Oscar for her work in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT. Later, she also received a Golden Globe® Award for her 1989 performance in MADAME SOUSATZKA. MacLaine was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Golden Globe Award for Lifetime Achievement in 1998. MacLaine’s additional credits include notable films such as STEEL MAGNOLIAS with Julia Roberts and POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE with Meryl Streep.

A longtime outspoken advocate for civil rights and liberties, women’s rights, and spiritual understanding, MacLaine is known for her faith in reincarnation, angels, the power of crystals and other New Age beliefs. She addresses these topics at length, as well as her Hollywood career, in her books, OUT ON A LIMB and DANCING IN THE NIGHT. MacLaine went on to author numerous other books including THE CAMINO and OUT ON A LEASH, all of which are international bestsellers.

Her latest film projects include BERNIE, starring Jack Black and Matthew McConaughey, and Ben Stiller’s THE SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY. Her upcoming television appearances include the Primetime Emmy® Award winning series from Julian Fellowes, DOWNTON ABBEY, starring Maggie Smith and Elizabeth McGovern. MacLaine can also be seen on stage during her one-woman show tour as it hits cities across the globe, combining a montage of memorable film moments with private revelations about her extraordinary life, career, and spiritual journey.

WAMG At The BERNIE Press Conference

Jack Black is back in the all new dark comedy BERNIE, a story so unbelievable it must be true… and WAMG attended the press conference featuring Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Director Richard Linklater. You can find the wildly entertaining audio from the day below.

In the dark comedy BERNIE, director Richard Linklater captures all the hilarity, friendliness, eccentricity and absolute strangeness of small-town Texas life. Jack Black plays Bernie Tiede, Shirley MacLaine plays Mrs. Nugent, and Matthew McConaughey plays the town’s blustery real-life District Attorney, Danny Buck Davidson, who was determined to get to the bottom of the crime. Co-written by Linklater and Skip Hollandsworth, BERNIE is a Mandalay Vision and Wind Dancer Films production.

BERNIE Press Conference W/ Jack Black, Shirley MacLaine, and Director Richard Linklater 

In the tiny, rural town of  Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town’s most beloved residents. He taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir and was always willing to lend a helping hand. Everyone loved and appreciated Bernie, so it came as no surprise when he befriended Marjorie Nugent, an affluent widow who was as well known for her sour attitude as her fortune. Bernie frequently traveled with Marjorie and even managed her banking affairs. Marjorie quickly became fully dependant on Bernie and his generosity and Bernie struggled to meet her increasing demands. Bernie continued to handle her affairs, and the townspeople went months without seeing Marjorie. The people of Carthage were shocked when it was reported that Marjorie Nugent had been dead for some time, and Bernie Tiede was being charged with the murder.

Follow BERNIE on Twitter: @BERNIEmovie
Friend BERNIE on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BernieMovie

Millennium Entertainment will release BERNIE on April 27th, 2012