The Plot Thickens
TCM
Our sixth season is Cleopatra, a six-episode series about one of the most expensive and infamous movies ever made. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Cleopatra should have been a smash. Instead, it was a shoot plagued by medical emergencies, climate disasters, nervous breakdowns, and the most scandalous love affair to ever hit a movie set. Join host Ben Mankiewicz as he digs through his own family stories to understand how it turned out so badly for his Oscar-winning uncle. Cleopatra starts July 17.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 30, 2020 • 31min
Alfred Hitchcock
Peter Bogdanovich sits down with one of his filmmaking heroes, Alfred Hitchcock, for a wide-ranging conversation about Psycho, Vertigo, North by Northwest, Rear Window and more. Plus, Hitchcock shares stories about being arrested as a child, appearing in his own movies, and why he doesn’t like eggs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 16, 2020 • 30min
Howard Hawks
For our first bonus episode, Peter Bogdanovich interviews director Howard Hawks in the Palm Springs desert in April 1972. Hawks tells Peter how he got started in showbiz and provides insight into many of his best movies, including Rio Bravo, The Dawn Patrol, His Girl Friday, Hatari! and Scarface. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jun 2, 2020 • 47min
I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich
Grief-stricken for years, Peter finally goes back behind the camera and ends up shooting one of his most popular films. But he sues the studio before the movie is released, further endangering his career. While trying to recover, Peter once again becomes a target of the press after he marries Dorothy’s sister. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 26, 2020 • 49min
Dorothy
Alone for the first time, Peter finds love in an unexpected place: the Playboy Mansion. His passionate romance with Playmate Dorothy Stratten ignites his creativity, culminating in his best movie in years. But Peter’s life is forever changed by a devastating murder and a series of disastrous financial decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 19, 2020 • 41min
Bogdanovich, The Misunderstood
Feeling betrayed, Orson Welles humiliates Peter on national television. So Peter heads overseas to shoot a daring new movie, filming in secret to evade government censors. While his career starts to recover, he embarks on an affair with his new leading lady – causing his relationship with Cybill to crumble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 12, 2020 • 52min
Babe Ruth Just Bunted
Following The Last Picture Show, Peter directs two more major hits, What’s Up, Doc? and Paper Moon. But then his wife leaves him, and his next three movies are high-profile flops. As his relationship with Cybill is splashed across the tabloids, Peter finds himself despised by the public and ostracized in Hollywood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 5, 2020 • 39min
Cybill
Peter challenges himself to film an “unfilmmable” book and creates one of the seminal movies of the 1970s: The Last Picture Show. His actors win Academy Awards and the accolades pour in, including comparisons to Orson Welles himself. But Peter risks losing his family after an affair with his leading lady, Cybill Shepherd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 28, 2020 • 31min
Target: Hollywood
Peter meets Polly Platt, his closest creative collaborator – and soon, his young wife. The newlyweds drive across the country to break into the movie business, starting with a low-budget directing gig for Roger Corman. And Peter finally encounters Orson Welles, who becomes an important mentor to the eager young filmmaker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 28, 2020 • 35min
Bugs
A young film buff named Peter Bogdanovich grows up in New York, learning to obsess over the movies the way his father obsesses over art. With his sights set on acting, Peter lies his way into the most prestigious acting class in the world. That’s where he unexpectedly finds his calling as a director – by sparring with one of the biggest TV stars of all time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 14, 2020 • 7min
Bonus Trailer: I'm Still Peter Bogdanovich
Learn more about the first season of The Plot Thickens, the new podcast from Turner Classic Movies. The first two episodes premiere on April 28. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
