Video: 'Sounder' trailer

(Sunday, September 24, 1972) — Sounder, a drama film about the son of a family of black sharecroppers who comes of age in the Depression-era South after his father is imprisoned for stealing food, opened today at the Plaza and New Embassy theaters in New York City.

Directed by Martin Ritt, the film stars Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks, Carmen Mathews, Taj Mahal, Eric Hooks and Janet MacLachlan.

(Monday, April 10, 1972) — The French Connection, a hard-hitting, fast-paced tale of crime detection in New York City, was named Best Picture of 1971 tonight at the 44th Academy Awards at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The film’s director, William Friedkin, was named Best Director.

Jane Fonda, the stylist, wily call girl of Klute and Gene Hackman, the relentless narcotics cop of The French Connection won top actor honors.  The best original song award went to the “Theme From ‘Shaft.'”

Video: 'Cabaret' trailer

(Sunday February 13, 1972) — Cabaret, a musical film set in Berlin during the Weimar Republic in 1931, under the ominous presence of the growing National Socialist Party, opened today in the U.S. (including the Ziegfeld Theater in New York City).

Produced and directed by Bob Fosse and starring Liza Minnelli, Michael York and Joel Grey, the film is loosely based on the 1966 Broadway musical of the same name.

Video: 'Harold and Maude' trailer

(Monday, December 20, 1971) — Harold and Maude, a film about a young man intrigued with death (Bud Cort) who develops a relationship with an old woman named Maude (Ruth Gordon), opened today at the Coronet in New York City.

Directed by Hal Ashby, the dark comedy is ranked number 45 on the American Film Institute’s 100 Years…100 Laughs list.

Video: 'Play Misty for Me' trailer

(Wednesday, November 3, 1971) — Play Misty for Me, a psychological thriller film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood in his directorial debut, opened today at neighborhood theaters in New York. Jessica Walter and Donna Mills co-star.

Video: 'The French Connection' trailer

(Thursday, October 7, 1971) — The French Connection, a crime film directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider, opened tonight in New York City and Los Angeles.

The film tells the story of New York Police Department detectives named “Popeye” Doyle and Buddy “Cloudy” Russo.

Video: 'The Last Picture Show' trailer

(Sunday, October 3, 1971) — The Last Picture Show, a drama about the coming of age of Sonny Crawford and his friend Duane Jackson, opened tonight in New York.

Directed by Peter Bogdanovich, the film stars Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd Ben Johnson, Eileen Brennan, Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Leachman and Randy Quaid.