WASHINGTON — Just months after a gyrocopter flew way too close to the Capitol Dome, a legendary crop-duster will chase Cary Grant on a giant screen on the National Mall.
That’s right, Screen on the Green is back, returning for its 17th year in what is arguably the best summer entertainment tradition in the nation’s capital.
The festival runs July 20 through Aug. 10 with screenings each Monday evening at sunset.
Each movie will show on a 20-foot by 40-foot screen on the National Mall between 4th and 7th streets, preceded by a retro Bugs Bunny cartoon and custom dance by the crowd.
The screenings are free and open to the public, so bring a picnic blanket, pillows, rolling coolers, water bottles and snacks. As of Friday, a whopping 6,600 people RSVP’d as “going” on the Facebook event page. The actual number will likely be less, but even so, get there early around 6:30 p.m.
Here is the full schedule, each with the Press Release and Fraley’s Take to help you plan your trip:
July 20 — ‘NORTH BY NORTHWEST’ (Warner Bros):
Press Release: Alfred Hitchcock, at the top of his game, takes us on a whirlwind tour across the U.S. from the United Nations in New York to South Dakota. Along the way, Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint tangle with murderous spies and somehow end up dangling from Mt. Rushmore. Dazzling set pieces (involving planes, trains and automobiles), unmatched suspense, sparkling wit and romance, too. 1959 (136 min) VistaVision
Fraley’s Take: “Psycho” is his most famous, “Vertigo” is his most artful, and “Rear Window” is his most voyeuristic. But “North By Northwest” is Hitchcock’s most purely entertaining flick, as Cary Grant’s suave character inspired the likes of James Bond and the opening credits inspired the likes of “Mad Men.” Get your camera ready to capture the famous crop-duster scene or Mt. Rushmore finale — set against the Capitol Dome backdrop of Screen on the Green.
July 27 — ‘THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE’ (Fox):
Press Release: We’ve all heard terrible cruise ship stories, but the tale of this hellish “adventure” is hard to top. While crossing the Atlantic, a luxury liner is capsized by a rogue wave. With the entire world turned upside down, the survivors must fight for their lives. The all-star disaster epic stars Gene Hackman, Leslie Nielsen and a rotund Shelley Winters, as a former championship swimmer (!). She received a Golden Globe for skills in and out of the water. Oscar for Best Song and a special award for Visual Effects. (1972) 117 Min. (PG)
Fraley’s Take: If you liked the sinking ship of “Titanic,” here’s your chance to see the pioneering visual effects that made it all possible. “Poseidon Adventure” is a landmark of Hollywood disaster flicks, with the added treat of witnessing a star-studded cast of Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Leslie Nielsen and Shelley Winters.
Aug. 3 — ‘DESK SET’ (Fox):
Press Release: Screen legends Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy do office politics and middle-aged romance better than just about anyone. He’s an efficiency expert who wants to update her TV research department by installing a room-sized computer. She vows to fight any attempt to replace her brain with a mechanical one. Based on a Broadway comedy, this was the eighth of nine screen pairings of the dynamic duo. Where else could you hear Hepburn sing Cole Porter’s “Night and Day,” as Tracy plays bongo drums? (1957) 103 Min. (NR)
Fraley’s Take: They fell in love while filming “Woman of the Year” (1942), delivered their best effort in “Adam’s Rib” (1949) and advanced civil rights in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” (1967). Now, Screen on the Green offers a chance to see one of the more rare entries in the Hepburn & Tracy canon, which revolutionized gender politics on the silver screen.
Aug. 10 — ‘BACK TO THE FUTURE’ (Universal):
Press Release: A 1985 teen (Michael J. Fox) time travels back to 1955 where he finds himself caught up in the courtship of his then teenaged parents-to-be. Christopher Lloyd has great fun as the mad scientist who makes the impossible possible. Fox, a very busy boy, filmed his hit TV show “Family Ties” during the day and “BTTF” at night. President Ronald Reagan was a fan, quoting the sci-fi comedy in his 1986 State of the Union Address. Huey Lewis was Oscar nominated for his song “The Power Of Love.” (1985) 116 Min. (PG)
Fraley’s Take: “Hello? McFly!” The final film is a fitting pick to close Screen on the Green, as “Back to the Future” celebrates its 30th anniversary this summer. Robert Zemeckis’ sci-fi masterpiece is just as funny — and profound — as it was back in 1985, with Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover delivering career performances. What better way to go back in time than watching a movie classic on the National Mall? You don’t need 1.21 gigawatts. Just a picnic blanket and some popcorn. When it’s done, be sure to “make like a tree … and get out of here.”
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