Summer Movies at the Santa Barbara Courthouse Tonight

Melinda Palacio

Outdoor Movies at the Courthouse

This year, Arts and Lectures has chosen the theme of Those Fabulous Fifties to feature three movies for folks to view on the lawn of the Santa Barbara Courthouse. This is one of my favorite activities. In the afternoon, you can claim a spot by leaving your blanket and chair and then make your way to the spot once it gets dark and closer to the 8:30 pm showtime. Santa Barbara is the kind of town where such an arrangement is possible. 

Last week's feature was High Noon, a Western with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly. Gary Cooper plays a Marshall who marries a young quaker who inspires the Marshall to leave his badge behind and become a store owner with his bride. However, after the ceremony, while waiting for his replacement, the Marshall learns that the bad guys he previously put away are out of jail. His new bride wants him to flee as fast as possible, but he is set on facing them down. As far as Westerns go, this is one of the better ones. There are no stressed out horses or gratuitous  killings of Indians. And the real star of the movie, the actor that steals the show, is Mexican actress, Katy Jurado. 

Katy Jurado 

A star of Mexico's Golden Age and a decorated Hollywood actress, Golden Globe award winner and lifetime achievement award winner. She was discovered at age 16 and made her debut in 1943. She acted with all the greats Pedro Infante, Anthony Quinn, John Wayne, Elvis Presley, Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando. Her big breakthrough role was in last week's courthouse movie, High Noon, with Gary Cooper. She teaches the naive Grace Kelly about both standing by your man and being an independent woman. I was impressed with her acting and plan to watch some of her other films, Nosotros Los Pobres with Pedro Infante, Broken Lance with Spencer Tracy, and the Man from Del Rio with Anthony Quinn are on my watch list.

Tonight's movie is Sunset Boulevard with William Holden and Gloria Swanson. The film is about a struggling screenwriter and his relationship to a former film star who wants to make a comeback. In three short weeks summer movies on the courthouse lawn are here and gone. Next week marks Labor Day weekend and the end of summer, although for Santa Barbara, the warm weather is just beginning.