Booby Trap Podcast

Suddenly (1954)

Suddenly (1954)
Wine Pairing: Seyval Blanc
Overview: Directed by Lewis Allen and starring Frank Sinatra as John Baron, this film follows a ruthless assassin who takes a family hostage in a small California town with the intention of assassinating the President of the United States. Sterling Hayden plays Sheriff Tod Shaw, who tries to thwart the assassination plot. The film is known for its intense suspense and dramatic twists.
Why Seyval Blanc: The crisp acidity and citrus notes of Seyval Blanc complement the tense atmosphere and sharp dialogue of the film. 
Wine Pairing: 2020 Bogati Seyval Blanc
 
The film “Suddenly” (1954) is not in the public domain. Here is a trailer of the film.  You can view the film through various media platforms or here.  Check out the director and actors in the film through IMDb. The film is based on a short story "Active Duty" by Richard Sale, which was published in the Blue Book magazine [Vol. 77 No. 1, May 1943]. There is a remake: Suddenly (2013) with Ray Liotta.
The film depicts a ruthless assassin with the intention of assassinating the President of the United States. Presidential travel has often been a time of heightened risk for assassination attempts. Here are some notable examples:
Abraham Lincoln: Before his assassination in 1865, Lincoln survived an earlier attempt on his life in 1861 while traveling to his inauguration. A plot to kill him in Baltimore was foiled, and he had to travel secretly to Washington, D.C..
William Howard Taft: In 1909, while traveling to meet Mexican President Porfirio Diaz in El Paso, Texas, a gunman was apprehended just three feet away from Taft and Diaz.
Franklin D. Roosevelt: In 1933, while traveling in Miami, Florida, an assassination attempt was made on Roosevelt by Giuseppe Zangara. Although Roosevelt was unharmed, Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak was killed.
John F. Kennedy: The most infamous assassination occurred on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, while Kennedy was traveling in a motorcade. He was fatally shot by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Ronald Reagan: On March 30, 1981, Reagan was shot by John Hinckley Jr. outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. Reagan was traveling to give a speech at the hotel.
Donald Trump: In 2024, Trump survived two assassination attempts during his travels. The first attempt occurred at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the second at his Florida golf course.
These incidents highlight the dangers faced by U.S. Presidents during travel and the importance of stringent security measures to protect them.
Check out the articles and papers below for more information related to assassinations and attempts of toward U.S. presidents: 
Long List of Presidents Who Have Been Shot or Shot At 
Violence Against US Politicians and Diplomats Fast Facts
Assassination of American Presidents: An Analysis of the Literature (preview of this dissertation)
Conspiracy in Presidential Assassinations
Impeachment and Assassination
Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln
James Garfield Assassination
William McKinley Assassination Papers
JFK Assassination Reports and Records
 
If you are new to wine, here is a wine 101 Beginners Guide to start with. To be more wine savvy, check out this list of wine descriptions. Here is a list of wines from dry to sweet and description of each type of grape.  Here is a cool visual - the periodic table of wine. Check out this tip that shows the serving size to pour wine based on alcohol content. You can sharpen your palate through a Wine Tasting Challenge. 
 
Check out this very brief history of cinema. You can also explore this history of film timeline for more detail on the various eras of film history. Learn more about the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code), including reviewing the code restrictions. If you love classic films and want to see them on the big screen you need to visit the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, CA. They only play classics, including silent films, and have a Wurlitzer Organ that is raised and played for the audience between films.   In addition to watching stories unfold on the silver screen, there was a time (1935-55) where you could listen to a weekly broadcast where an hour-long adaptation of a popular film or even Broadway play, often starring the members of the original cast. This radio show was called the Lux Radio Theatre.
 
For each episode, we curate film clips and music for the film that is featured. For this episode, we posted the black and white, and the colorized version of the film in the Suddenly (1954) playlist on the Booby Trap Podcast YouTube channel. We also created a Suddenly (1954) music playlist, featuring Frank Sinatra, available through the Booby Trap Podcast Spotify profile.
 
Follow and interact with us on:
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Facebook group: The Booby Trap Podcast 
Youtube videos: @BoobyTrapPodcast
Spotify playlists: Booby Trap Podcast
 
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Intro/Outro Music: Hitchcock by melodyayresgriffiths
Booby Trap quote from film “Suddenly” (1954)

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
Wine Pairing: Cabernet Sauvignon
Overview: Directed by Otto Preminger, this courtroom drama stars James Stewart as a lawyer defending a man accused of murder. The film is known for its realistic portrayal of the legal process and its compelling performances.
Why Cabernet Sauvignon: The Cabernet Sauvignon’s deep, layered flavors mirror the film’s intricate plot and complex characters. Just as the wine reveals new notes with each sip, the film unveils new twists and turns with each scene.
Wine Pairing: 2020 Francis Ford Coppola Director’s Cut Cabernet Sauvignon
 
The term “booby trap” comes from the seabird called a booby (the most well-known is the blue-footed booby). The name “booby” comes from the Spanish word bobo (which means "stupid", "foolish", or "clown") because the booby is, like other seabirds, clumsy on land. They are also regarded as foolish for their apparent fearlessness of humans. Boobies were easily caught by hungry sailors who would set a trap for the docile seabird, so a "booby trap" was literally a trap for a booby.
 
The film “Anatomy of a Murder” (1959) is not in the public domain. It was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2012, recognizing its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance. Here is a trailer of the film. You can view the film through various media platforms or here.  Check out the actors in the film through IMDb. You can check the book out through your local library, purchase a copy, or view here.  Learn more about the Motion Picture Production Code (Hays Code), including reviewing the code restrictions.
For more details about the real-life court case that Anatomy of Murder was based upon, you can check out this link. It provides case transcripts and testimony. Please note that the content might be sensitive to some readers due to the nature of the crime involved.  For more details about the history of the irresistible impulse test, you can check out this link. It provides a comprehensive account of the evolution of the insanity defense in criminal law.  Here is a link to learn the basic steps of a court trial.
 
If you are new to wine, here is a wine 101 Beginners Guide to start with. To be more wine savvy, check out this list of wine descriptions. Here is a list of wines from dry to sweet and description of each type of grape.  Here is a cool visual - the periodic table of wine. Check out this tip on, based on alcohol content, the serving size to pour wine (expect for a port we tend to serve a generous pour despite the alcohol content). You can sharpen your palate through a Wine Tasting Challenge. 
 
Check out this very brief history of cinema. You can also explore this history of film timeline for more detail on the various eras of film history. If you love classic films and want to see them on the big screen you need to visit the Stanford Theatre in Palo Alto, CA. They only play classics, including silent films, and have a Wurlitzer Organ that is raised and played for the audience between films.  In addition to watching stories unfold on the silver screen, there was a time (1935-55) where you could listen to a weekly broadcast where an hour-long adaptation of a popular film or even Broadway play, often starring the members of the original cast. This radio show was called the Lux Radio Theatre.
 
For each episode, we curate film clips and music for the film that is featured. For this episode, we posted featured scenes from the film in the Anatomy of a Murder (1959) playlist on the Booby Trap Podcast YouTube channel. We also created an Anatomy of a Murder (1959) music playlist, featuring Duke Ellington, available through the Booby Trap Podcast Spotify profile.
 
Follow and interact with us on:
Instagram: booby.trap.podcast
X (formerly Twitter): @BoobyTrapPodcst
Facebook group: The Booby Trap Podcast
Youtube videos: @BoobyTrapPodcast
Spotify playlists: Booby Trap Podcast
 
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Youtube
 
Intro/Outro Music: Hitchcock by melodyayresgriffiths
Booby Trap quote from film “Suddenly” (1954)