Summertime in Avalon is the ideal setting to take in a classic film at the Catalina Island Museum during Movies at the Museum. This annual summer program was designed to offer families and people of all ages an option to enjoy the museum after hours. Spanning numerous decades, this year’s films were chosen because they were either filmed on the island or specifically mention the island. The evening also offers late night access to the museum’s special exhibitions “Wrigley’s Catalina: A Centennial Celebration,” “Bird Park: An Aviary for Avalon’s Celebrity Birds” and “Elizabeth Turk: Tipping Point.”
The film screenings take place in the museum’s Ackerman Family Amphitheater situated directly behind its second level and surrounded by a sculpture garden. Its design was inspired by Avalon’s original amphitheater built in 1904 where afternoon and evening concerts were held regularly through the 1930s. Since that time, Avalon lacked a large outdoor venue with a proper seating area until the museum’s new space opened in 2016.
Upcoming Movies at the Museum include:
Wednesday, June 12: “Murder on a Honeymoon” (1935)
The first selection in the series is “Murder on a Honeymoon,” starring Edna May Oliver and James Gleason. It was filmed mostly on Catalina Island. Oliver plays Miss Withers, a schoolteacher and amateur sleuth traveling to Catalina Island on vacation. She suspects foul play when a fellow passenger on the seaplane gets sick and dies. When local authorities do not take her seriously, she calls upon her friend, New York Police Inspector Oscar Piper (Gleason) to help her solve the crime. Attendees will notice many island landmarks that remain today and others of days gone by, like the Hotel St. Catherine.
This film is unrated.
Wednesday, June 26: “Easy Come, Easy Go” (1967)
Partially filmed on Catalina Island, this musical comedy stars Elvis Presley who plays a former Navy frogman who is now a deep-sea diver by day and a lounge singer by night. While diving, he discovers what he thinks is sunken treasure and makes plans to recover it. But he is not the only one interested in it. As with all of his films, there is no shortage of pretty girls and serenades.
This film is unrated.
Wednesday, July 10: “Jupiter’s Darling” (1955)
“Jupiter’s Darling,” starring Esther Williams, Howard Keel and George Sanders was filmed partially on Catalina Island. It also directly relates to the museum’s upcoming special exhibition Esther Williams: The Swimming Queen of the Silver Screen opening in September. The film is a musical comedy set in the year 216 B.C. where nearly all of the known world has fallen to the mighty Hannibal of Carthage (Keel). In a bold and daring move, Hannibal has crossed the Alps with his army of men and elephants and prepared for his final assault on Rome. As the new Roman dictator Fabius Maximus (Sanders) frets about what to do, his fiancée, the spirited and willful Amytis (Williams), decides to visit the legendary barbarian general herself. Captured and accused of being a spy, she is brought before the formidable Hannibal who orders her executed. Amytis’ plea to “spare Rome” intrigues Hannibal and, inevitably, he falls under her spell. Now the mighty general must decide which he covets more: the conquest of Rome or the heart of the woman he loves.
This film is unrated.
Wednesday, July 24: “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988)
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit” is the story of a man, a woman and a rabbit in a triangle of trouble. The film combines the use of traditional animation and live action, with elements of film noir, and stars Bob Hoskins, Charles Fleischer, Christopher Lloyd, Kathleen Turner and Joanna Cassidy. It is a fantasy comedy set in 1947 Hollywood, where Toons commonly interact with the film studios. The story follows a private investigator Eddie Valiant (Hoskins) caught in a mystery that involves Roger Rabbit, an A-list Toon who is framed for the murder of a human nightclub owner. Jessica, Roger’s Toon wife, wishes they could escape it all and go to Catalina Island.
This film is rated PG.
Wednesday, Aug. 7: “Beyond the Poseidon” (1979)
Beyond the Poseidon Adventure is an action-adventure disaster film starring Michael Caine and Sally Field. The S.S. Poseidon is capsized by a tidal wave, the ship drifts bottom-up in the sea and its passengers are desperate to be rescued, however two rivaling salvage parties are looking for more valuable items on board making the experience more and more dangerous. The water scenes were filmed off of Catalina Island.
This film is rated PG.
Wednesday, Aug. 21: “Multiplicity” (1996)
Starring Michael Keaton and Andie MacDowell, “Multiplicity” is a science fiction comedy about a man able to duplicate himself by machine. Except each duplicate develops a different personality causing problems. Keaton’s character duplicates himself initially because he is too busy to get things done and spend time with his wife and family. He dreams of taking his wife to Catalina Island for a romantic getaway.
This film is rated PG13.
On these dates the museum will re-open at 7 p.m. and the film will begin at dusk (around 8 p.m.) in the outdoor amphitheater. Seating is limited to the first 100 people. Wine, beer, soda, water and a variety of movie snacks will be available for purchase. Attendees are also allowed to bring their own beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and/or snacks. Please do not bring glass bottles or glasses.
Tickets to Movies at the Museum are $5 for museum members, $17 for adults and $15 for seniors, military and students with a valid I.D. Children (age 15 and under) receive free admission with a paid adult. Admission may be purchased online at CatalinaMuseum.org, in person at the museum’s visitor services desk, or upon arrival at the door.
The Catalina Island Museum offers the best in art and history exhibitions, music and dance performances, lectures by guest speakers from all over the world, and the finest in silent, documentary and international film. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., except New Year’s Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
The new Ada Blanche Wrigley Schreiner Building is located in the heart of Avalon at 217 Metropole Avenue.
For more information, the museum may be reached by phone at 310-510-2414 or at its website: CatalinaMuseum.org.
