'Friends of Eddie Coyle' Director Peter Yates Dies

Director Peter Yates, best known for the films 'Bullitt' and 'Breaking Away,' died Sunday. He was 82.

Yates was a graduate of London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art who relocated to New York. His first Hollywood production, 'Bullitt,' became the high point of Steve McQueen's career and its chase scenes set a new standard. The film won an Oscar for Best Editing.

Yates also directed ROBERT MITCHUM in the 1973 crime film 'The Friends of Eddie Coyle,' about a small-time Boston hood. The film was recently released on DVD, after several years of being unavailable.

He earned a Best Director nomination for the 1979 coming-of-age film 'Breaking Away' and for 1983's 'The Dresser,' which also scored Best Ator nominations for stars Albert Finney and Tom Courtenay.

Read more at the New York Daily News

Robert Mitchum in 'The Human Comedy'

Over the holidays, I caught one of Robert Mitchum's earliest films for the first time. 'The Human Comedy' is one of the many 1943 films Mitchum appeared in when he first hit Hollywood.

This film, based on the book by William Saroyan, concerns a small-town family during World War II. It stars Mickey Rooney as a telegraph company messenger, a very young Donna Reed as his older sister and Van Johnson as his older brother, who's serving in the war.

Mitchum makes his appearance about halfway through the film, as one of a trio of G.I.s who ask Donna Reed and her friend Mary (played by Dorothy Morris), out to the theater. G.I. Barry Nelson does most of the talking, but when the quintet swings by the telegraph office, we learn that the first name of Mitchum's character, Horse, is actually Quentin! Before the G.I.s part, they give the girls a kiss, with Mitchum kissing Morris (at left, in the photo above). This was, sadly, the only time Reed and Mitchum shared the screen.

The film itself I have to give a thumbs down: Great cast, but a schmaltzy and often preachy script, alas. Still, I'm glad to have seen one of Mitchum's first movies!