The Battle Between the Parks, Sunland and Central

Over 90 years ago, actors Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert arrived in Sunland to film scenes of their upcoming motion picture, “It Happened One Night.” Sunland Park was the backdrop in 1934 as these stars performed their movie magic. At one point, the old stone drinking fountain that still exists in the park today can clearly be seen.

On Feb. 27, 1935 at the Biltmore Hotel in Hollywood, the film did what few had done before. This was the first time a movie had won the big five Academy Awards: best picture, best director, best actor, best actress and best screenplay. This feat wasn’t repeated until 1975 with “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and then again with “Silence of the Lambs” in 1991. While this would be the one and only Oscar Clark Gable would ever win, he went on to become “The King of Hollywood.”

In 1949 another production was mounting in Sunland Park. This film, “All the Kings Men,” was intended to star John Wayne, but after reading the script he felt it was too anti-American and told his agent where they could shove it. The part went to Broderick Crawford, a risky move as he was not nearly as well-known and not considered a leading man.

Filming was done inside the park where the baseball fields are located. The scene was a large outdoor political rally where the main character Willie Stark (played by Crawford) makes a rousing speech. It’s the best he’s ever made, beginning his rise to power. The impetus for this successful oratory is that the night before he had gotten drunk … something he had not done before and he was still somewhat under the influence; he wowed the crowd.

This scene is widely known as being filmed in Sunland Park but I discovered something I find even more interesting. The scene just prior to the rally shows Willie Stark wandering through an amusement park. Being hungover, he makes gestures of feeling sick as he watches people on the rides. The amusement park shown in the film was Sunland Playland, opened in the early ’40s. Few photographs exist of this large fairground-like area that for over a decade was just north of the park. (If anyone has photos of Sunland Playland, later known as Kennedy’s Playland, please share them.)

On March 23, 1950 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, the film garnered the Academy Award for best picture while Broderick Crawford took the award for best actor.

At that point, Sunland Park held the record for the most appearances in Academy Award-winning best picture films. The count was two and when Central Park in New York City got wind of this, the battle was on. In 1960, “The Apartment” starring Jack Lemmon, won best picture. Then in 1977, Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall” took the top honor. Both films featured scenes in Central Park, thereby tying the record. Only two years later, in 1979, the final dagger came when the film, “Kramer vs. Kramer” was released that featured a scene filmed in Central Park and took the top award for best picture.

In closing, I’d like to put out a call to Hollywood directors: Mr. Spielberg or Scorsese, Mr. Coppola or Jackson: If you’re looking for a park to include in your next Academy Award-winning film, I’ve got just the place for you.