2 weeks Ago
The screening will honor the 85th anniversary of the world premiere the film starring Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert, which also took place at The Glove in 1939. The event is sponsored by the Johnstown Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution (DAR). "Celebrating the anniversary of this screening means a lot to the theatre.
We are a part of the rich American film history and this brings things back full circle," Glove Theatre General Manager Mike Maricondi said. "We have proudly displayed the premiere poster of Drums ..
. in our museum for many years, and are excited to celebrate the anniversary of a film that not only had its debut at The Glove, but that also celebrates and highlights local history that many other Americans might not be privy to." The film, based upon a 1936 novel of the same name by Walter D.
Edmonds, portrays a couple who settle on the New York frontier during the American Revolution and defend their farm from loyalist and Native American attacks before the conflict ends and peace is restored. The film highlights settlers of the Mohawk Valley such as German-speaking Palatines, Nicholas Herkimer, and Peter Gansevoort. It received one Academy Award nomination as Edna May Oliver was up for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Sarah McKlennar, a wealthy widow who works on the Martin's (Fonda and Colbert) farm.
"I think that the Gloversville/Johnstown communities are not keenly aware of the incredible part they played in the history of the reclaiming of freedom our country underwent in the late 18th century and continuing through to today," Maricondi said. "We hope that the community finds a further sense of pride in knowing that not only does this film highlight the historic battles, beautiful countryside, and resilient communities of our fair region, but that this Hollywood blockbuster and American film staple had its world premiere right here in Gloversville." Before the screening, there will be a brief historical introduction by the DAR and Samantha Hall-Saladino, Glove Theatre historian, executive director of the Fulton County Historical Society, and Fulton County historian.
There also will be informational tables from the DAR, Fort Plain Historical Society, Fulton County Historical Society, and the Fulton County Visitor Bureau. Additionally, a display of an original costume from the movie and some other historical items from the film from The Glove museum, Fort Plain Museum, and Fulton County Historical Society will be on display in the lobby. "It means coming full circle; celebrating the successes and milestones of the past and bringing them to a modern audience so that they might continue through our present-day efforts and creativity," Maricondi said.
"The story told within the film is a story that happens every day in the lives of Gloversvillians and Johnstownians, though not necessarily on so epic of a scale as portrayed in Drums. ..
. The resilience of each community member, their desire for freedom, for love, and for autonomy still burn brightly within the heart of our county. Celebrating this film's anniversary is also celebrating the tenacity of our region which continues to today.
" Maricondi said that plans for the celebration of the anniversary of the film's premiere at The Glove have been in the works for some time. "The theatre has been aware of the anniversary for quite some time. Our museum founder and co-curator, Richard Samrov, has talked about the cultural significance of this film to the Gloversville/Johnstown communities for quite some time," he said.
"Further, our board historian, Samantha Hall-Saladino, and board member, Aaron Enfield, have been planning this event for around a year and a half." Enfield said The Glove hosted a 75th anniversary screening of "Drums Along the Mohawk" on Nov. 1, 2014.
"For this anniversary screening, Samantha and I thought connecting with a regional group who are connected to the American Revolution, and the Johnstown Chapter of the[Daughters of the] American Revolution made perfect sense," he said. "They were delighted to sponsor this event, and we hope to build a stronger relationship with them as we go into America250 [anniversary celebration]. Given the strong connection The Glove has had with community engagement stemming back to its founding, The Glove hosted a DAR night 100 [years] prior in 1924.
" Enfield added that hosting events like this with community partners helps meet several goals highlighted within The Glove Theatre 5-year strategic plan, while at the same time paying homage to the venue. "On a personal note, growing up in Gloversville, older family members and neighbors made me aware of the significance that Glove Theatre had with private screenings or premieres prior to wide-spread distribution," he said. "'Drums Along the Mohawk' is just one of those films.
" The Glove Theatre was one of five locations that were granted the location premiere for the screening, a popular trend in Hollywood at the time, wherein communities could apply to be given a world-premiere status based on geographic location in films. In total, 40 municipalities applied and five were awarded, given their geographic location within the Mohawk Valley. "We are paying homage to not only a piece of film history, not only to a piece of military history, but also to an incredible feather in our county's cap that The Glove Theatre once was home to premieres of movies that have gone to live on in our cultural consciousness," Maricondi said.
"Our hope is that this free anniversary screening will help relight the torch for The Glove Theatre — and Gloversville as a whole — to become a place where new, relevant, cutting-edge works are premiered, celebrated, and begin their lives as cultural landmarks." The first award went to the Gloversville, home of the Glove Theatre, as a flagship venue and headquarters for Schine Enterprise, citing its geographic location cited in the novel of Fort Johnson and the Sacandaga Valley, which had been flooded not even a decade earlier for the Sacandaga Reservoir. Actors from the film and executives from 20th Century Fox were in attendance as well as many local municipal officials within Fulton County.
Other venues did have events and notables from within the region attend, including the Rialto Theatre in Amsterdam, the Plaza Theatre in Schenectady, the Palace Theatre in Albany and the Olympic Theatre in Utica. The Amsterdam event included a street parade featuring several historical groups including descendants of Douw Fonda, namesake of the village, and distant relative of star of the film Henry Fonda. However, most attention was given to Gloversville, giving it the world-premiere location title.
A month earlier, The Glove Theatre reopened after being closed for several weeks for modernization, which resulted in Art Deco style renovations throughout which included a new marquee, by noted designer John Eberson. "Our collective hope is to make this event special for the community, and to inspire them to further look into our region's history on their own to help pinpoint and celebrate other milestones: past, present, and future," Maricondi said. "The Glove Theatre's timeline contains many such milestones — including speeches by [women's suffrage activist] Carrie Chapman Catt, visits by the Harlem Globetrotters, the introduction of surround sound by Altec Lansing, the WWII scrap drive, and more.
We at The Glove try to remain acutely aware of these milestones and plan to celebrate them in their due time." -.
