Mal Vincent's classic movie showdown

Drop by the Naro Expanded Cinema on Monday night, but only if you're in a party mood.

The audience will cheer and vote for their favorite performances from this year's summer festival of classic movies. In a brief ceremony following the final screening, the event will accomplish what it takes the Oscar people six months of planning and four to five hours of TV time to do: We will pick the best performances for lead and supporting actors/actresses.

The festival of classic films, hosted and programmed by yours truly, broke its own attendance records in its seventh season with more than 3,500 tickets sold. Every movie has sold out, with the exception of "The Good Earth," which had a few empty seats. The film with the highest number of turn-aways (almost 100) was the comedy "Adam's Rib" followed closely by "On the Waterfront." The highest-grossing movie (fewer discounted tickets than the other sold-out shows) was the Elvis Presley/Ann-Margret vehicle "Viva Las Vegas."

The closing night movie, which will be followed by a party at No Frill Bar and Grill around the corner from the theater, is "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," directed by John Huston. It marks Humphrey Bogart's long-awaited return to the festival. (His only previous festival appearance was in "The Barefoot Contessa," with Ava Gardner.) Bogey plays a grizzled gold prospector who, with Walter Huston and Tim Holt, seeks gold in the Sierra Madre mountains. They face Mexican bandits and their own greed. They are backed by a memorable music score, composed by Max Steiner. Both Hustons won Academy Awards for the effort.

Selected members of the closing night audience will be asked to accept the awards for winning performers.

This year, for the first time, a festival screening was out of competition. "Chicken Run" was screened as a farewell tribute to Hampton Roads' movie-reviewing Scottish terrier, Duncan, because it was his favorite movie.

Past winners for the classic summer film festival include:

2006
Best Actress  Jennifer Jones for “The Song of Bernadette”
Best Actor  William Holden for “Love is a Many-Splendored Thing”
Best Supporting Actor or Actress  Monty Woolley for “Since You Went Away”
 
2007
Best Actor and Actress  Audrey Hepburn and Peter Finch, both for “The Nun’s Story”
Best Supporting Actor  Clifton Webb for “Laura”
Best Supporting Actress  Ethel Barrymore for “Portrait of Jennie”

2008
Best Actress  Ava Gardner for “Mogambo”
Best Actor  Gary Cooper for “High Noon”
Best Supporting Actor and Actress  Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachman, both for “The Last Picture Show”

2009
Best Actor  James Cagney for “One, Two, Three”
Best Actress  Deborah Kerr for “From Here to Eternity”
Best Supporting Actress  Janis Paige for “Silk Stockings”
Best Supporting Actor  Frank Sinatra for “From Here To Eternity”

Mal Vincent, (757) 446-2347, mal.vincent@pilotonline.com