Screen on the Green Kicks off Tonight on the Mall

20110520110558dwight_AAM_jul12.jpg
Feedloader (Clickability)

Summertime is a great season to kick back, relax and take in a movie—and once again Screen on the Green is happening in the Smithsonian's back yard. This perennially popular DC event features a series of classic films presented on a big screen on the National Mall. And better yet, they're all free for anyone willing to set out a picnic blanket and hang out under the stars for some top-notch entertainment. This year the lineup includes:

Goldfinger: That James Bond classic featuring Sean Connery and an insanely singable title tune. Does this one really need more introduction? Rated PG.

The Goodbye Girl: Featuring a script by Neil Simon and an Oscar-winning performance by Richard Dreyfuss, this film is a romantic comedy about a struggling Broadway actor who sublets an apartment—only to find an aspiring dancer and her daughter are already living there, making for a slightly awkward roommate situation. Rated PG.

12 Angry Men: This tense courtroom drama pits Henry Fonda—known only as Juror #8—against his fellow jurors, demanding that they rethink issuing a guilty verdict for a man being tried for murder. Is the case as clear cut as they initially thought? This film is not rated.

Bonnie and Clyde: Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow belong in that great pantheon of star-crossed lovers—and boy did they go out with a bang. This fictionalized biopic of the romantically-involved gangsters was one of the most influential movies of the 1960s. Rated R.

Please note, movies will play except in extreme weather. Rain dates will not be scheduled. For updates, call 877-262-5866. The following items will not be tolerated on the Mall so absolutely do not pack them: weapons, drugs, alcohol and tall chairs. But feel free to bring a picnic dinner, sunscreen and bug spray to keep comfortable, and some of DC's best food trucks will be at the scene as well. Films will begin at sundown around 8:00, but be aware that this is a popular event and that some people start claiming spots as early as 5:00. So, if you're the patient type, why not spend an afternoon at one of the Smithsonian museums so you're primed and ready to snag a spot as evening rolls around? For more information, visit the Screen on the Green Web site.

Get the latest on what's happening At the Smithsonian in your inbox.