Catch 'Flicks on the Brick's at the Athenaeum in La Jolla

The Athenaeum’s popular film and wine series, “Flicks on the Bricks,” returns for an eighth year. Guests are invited to join us on the Athenaeum’s outdoor patio for balmy summer nights and screenings of classic cinemas al fresco. Series tickets for the open-air theater include four memorable films and delightful summer wine pairings selected by Barbara Baxter. Guests must be 21 years or older to attend.  

WHEN: Thursdays, August 7, 14, 21, and 28, 7:30 p.m. 

WHERE: Athenaeum Outdoor Patio, 1008 Wall St., La Jolla, CA  92037         

ADMISSION: Series (4 films + 4 wine tastings): $60 member/$80 nonmember. Individual screening: $17 member/$22 nonmember

TICKETS: Online:ljathenaeum.org/specialevents.html. Phone: 858-454-5872

SCREENINGS:

Thursday, August 7: North by Northwest  (1959, 136 min)

The apotheosis of Alfred Hitchcock's Hollywood career, North by Northwest is fast, funny, and exciting. The film contains far too many highlights to detail in this limited space; standout bits include the crop-duster dusting where there aren't any crops, the riotous auction scene, and, of course, that nail-biting Mount Rushmore finale. Author: Hal Erickson. With Cary Grant and Eve Marie Saint.

Thursday, August 14: To Kill a Mockingbird (1962, 129 min)

Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiographical novel was translated to film in 1962 by Horton Foote and the producer/director team of Robert Mulligan and Alan J. Pakula. Set a small Alabama town in the 1930s, the story focuses on scrupulously honest, highly respected lawyer Atticus Finch, magnificently embodied by Gregory Peck. Finch puts his career on the line when he agrees to represent Tom Robinson (Brock Peters), a black man accused of rape. The trial and the events surrounding it are seen through the eyes of Finch's six-year-old daughter Scout (Mary Badham).

Thursday, August 21: Singin’ in the Rain (1952, 103 min)

Hollywood, 1927: the silent-film romantic team of Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) is the toast of Tinseltown. While Lockwood and Lamont personify smoldering passions onscreen, in real life the down-to-earth Lockwood can't stand the egotistical, brainless Lina. He prefers the company of aspiring actress Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), whom he met while escaping his screaming fans.

Thursday, August 28: The Thomas Crown Affair (1999, 113 min)

When a priceless Monet painting is stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the police find themselves wondering which world-class art thief pulled the job. What they don't know is that the thief wasn't a professional, but an amateur. Thomas Crown (Pierce Brosnan) was born poor but made his way through Oxford on a boxing scholarship. With his sharp sense for business and ruthless ambition, Crown has become a self-made billionaire; but despite his wealth and power, he still seeks new challenges, and he steals art not for the profits but for the sheer excitement. However, as fun as art theft might be, it's still illegal, and investigator Catherine Banning (Rene Russo) is brought in to track down the culprit.