SCAD Cinema Circle: 'Torch Singer' with Karina Longworth & 'You Must Remember This'
Director: Alexander Hall and George Somnes
Duration: 71 mins.
Year: 1933
Join renowned film historian and YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS creator Karina Longworth for a special screening of the rarely seen 1933 pre-Code melodrama TORCH SINGER, presented in conjunction with the release of her captivating new season, The Bisexuals.
Claudette Colbert stars as a single mother who reinvents herself as a glamorous, sexually liberated nightclub sensation—a film that provides the perfect jumping-off point for Longworth’s exploration of the extraordinary life of real-life torch singer Libby Holman. A Broadway sensation whose sexually fluid social circle included some of the most fascinating artists of the 20th century, Holman’s life became the stuff of tabloid legend after her wealthy husband died under mysterious circumstances and she was accused of his murder. Her remarkable story would later intertwine with that of Montgomery Clift, another bisexual star navigating fame, desire, addiction, and an American culture increasingly hostile to anyone who refused to fit neatly within its prescribed boundaries.
As part of the evening, Longworth will take audiences deeper into the intoxicating world of The Bisexuals—a story populated by Elizabeth Taylor, Josephine Baker, Tallulah Bankhead, Billie Holiday, Nicholas Ray, and more—and explore the queer histories, scandals, tragedies, and cultural forces Hollywood and popular mythology have spent decades obscuring. Part screening, part live podcast deep dive, and part journey into the secret history of American celebrity, this is a one-of-a-kind evening for anyone who loves classic Hollywood, queer history, true crime, and the stories behind the stories.
Tickets are free for SCAD Card holders; $5 for students, seniors, and military; and $8 for the general public.