March 2005 – Claudette Colbert
March 2005 – Claudette Colbert
Tuesday March 1 – Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award winners
8:00 AM Meet John Doe (1941)
8:00 PM Charade (1963) – an entertaining romp pairing Audrey Hepburn with Cary Grant in a comedy mystery that includes some other named actors in humorous roles: Walter Matthau James Coburn & George Kennedy. Directed by Stanley Donen.
10:00 PM Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)
2:30 AM The Pawnbroker (1965)
4:30 AM Our Town (1940)
Wednesday March 2 – Honorary Award winners
6:00 AM Ninotchka (1939)
10:00 AM A Day At The Races (1937) – Chico and Harpo Marx "enlist" Groucho a horse doctor to help a young woman (Maureen O’Sullivan) save a sanitarium from bankruptcy by winning a stakes race at the track. #59 on AFI’s 100 Funniest Movies list.
2:00 PM The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
4:00 PM The Band Wagon (1953) – A four star Vincente Minnelli directed film starring Fred Astaire & Cyd Charisse as well as Jack Buchanan in a wild role. It features the song "That’s Entertainment" also Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray.
6:00 PM No Way Out (1950) – I’ve not seen this Joseph Mankiewiez directed film either and it marks Sidney Poitier’s film debut. It also stars Richard Widmark and Linda Darnell.
8:00 PM Operation Petticoat (1959) – an above average comedy from director Blake Edwards starring Cary Grant as the Captain of a submarine Tony Curtis as his first officer that can get him anything he needs and Dina Merrill as the head nurse of a group which Grant & Co. must transport in close quarters;-) Also features four future television stars: Dick Sargent (Bewitched) Gavin MacLeod (The Love Boat) Marion Ross (Happy Days) and Arthur O’Connell (various).
10:15 PM To Catch a Thief (1955) – my latest Now Showing guide says this is a TCM premiere which I find hard to believe especially since it also says The Pawnbroker (1965) is a TCM premiere (which I know was on in January).
12:15 AM North By Northwest (1959)
2:45 AM Goodbye Mr. Chips (1969)
Thursday March 3 – Viewer’s Choice & The Osbos
11:30 AM Rebecca (1940)
2:00 PM Casablanca (1942)
4:00 PM The Philadelphia Story (1940)
6:00 PM Double Indemnity (1944)
8:00 PM The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
12:15 AM Alice Adams (1935) – new full review!
2:00 AM The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
4:15 AM Gaslight (1944)
Friday March 4
7:00 PM The John Garfield Story (2003) – a compelling original TCM documentary about the actor who died young (before he was forty)
8:00 PM Scarface (1932) – Paul Muni plays the title role a Capone-like gangster who takes Chicago by force with the help of his associate George Raft. It was directed by Howard Hawks produced by Howard Hughes and was a landmark film with regards to the implementation of the Hays ‘morality’ code and censorship in film.
2:00 AM Ivan the Terrible (Part 1) (1945) – a four star film from Russia
4:00 AM Anna Karenina (1935)
Saturday March 5
8:00 AM Key Largo (1948)
12:00 PM The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964)
3:15 PM The Dirty Dozen (1967)
8:00 PM The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944)
Sunday March 6 – Based on William Faulkner
12:00 PM Picnic (1955)
6:00 PM The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
8:00 PM The Tarnished Angels (1957) – A TCM premiere!
10:00 PM Intruder In The Dust (1949) – new capsule review!
12:00 AM Lorna Doone (1922)
1:30 AM Death Takes a Holiday (1934)
Monday March 7 – Claudette Colbert TCM’s Star of the Month!
9:30 AM The Oklahoma Kid (1939) – not great but a new capsule review;-)
7:00 PM Private Screenings: Patricia Neal (2004) – I include these in my Picks because I find that TCM’s host Robert Osborne always gets some fascinating tidbits out of his guests in these interviews with film clips.
8:00 PM The Sign of the Cross (1932) – new full review!
10:15 PM Cleopatra (1934) – not great but pretty good … and a new capsule review;-)
12:00 AM Imitation Of Life (1934)
2:00 AM It Happened One Night (1934)
4:00 AM They Live by Night (1949)
Tuesday March 8 – Computer Problems
3:30 PM Silk Stockings (1957) – not great but a new capsule review;-)
8:00 PM Desk Set (1957) – a TCM premiere!
10:00 PM 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Wednesday March 9 – An Evening with Lauren Bacall
8:00 PM Designing Woman (1957) – full review!
10:15 PM The Shootist (1976) – pretty good and the Duke’s last film!
12:00 AM Dark Passage (1947) – one of the four great Bogie & Bacall pairings. This film noir has Bogart as a man falsely accused of murdering his wife he escapes and searches for the real killer with help from Bacall and trouble from Agnes Moorehead.
2:00 AM To Have And Have Not (1944)
Thursday March 10 – The Right Ensemble
7:00 PM An Evening With Gene Kelly (1977)
8:00 PM American Graffiti (1973) – new capsule review!
10:00 PM Around The World In 80 Days (1956) – listed because it’s an Oscar winning Best Picture not because it’s good
1:15 AM Peyton Place (1957)
Friday March 11 – Product Placement
8:00 PM That Uncertain Feeling (1941)
9:30 PM Love Affair (1939)
11:00 PM Father Of The Bride (1950)
12:45 AM Elizabeth Taylor: An Intimate Portrait (1975)
2:00 AM Ivan the Terrible (Part 2) (1946) – a four star film from Russia I’ve not seen
Saturday March 12 – Femme Fatales
12:00 PM Knute Rockne All American (1940) – new capsule review!
2:00 PM 49th Parallel (1941) – new capsule review!
8:00 PM The Lady From Shanghai (1948) – I find it hard to believe that Peter Bogdanovich deems this film an Essential; this is like Sydney Pollack’s choice of The Red Badge of Courage (1951). It is noteworthy in that it features one of the worst accents you’ll hear attempted by a great actor in this case Orson Welles;-) One famous "hall of mirrors" scene & a beautiful blonde (!) Rita Hayworth does not a great movie make. Also with Everett Sloane. I’m going to have watch the opening and closing comments to see why Peter B chose it.
10:00 PM The Big Sleep (1946)
12:00 AM Double Indemnity (1944)
2:00 AM The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
4:00 AM Out of the Past (1947)
Sunday March 13
8:00 AM Camille (1937)
10:00 AM Gigi (1958)
1:30 PM The Lost Weekend (1945)
3:15 PM Peyton Place (1957)
6:00 PM The Lady From Shanghai (1948) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
10:00 PM Winning (1969) – a TCM premiere!
Monday March 14 – TCM’s Star of the Month Claudette Colbert
7:30 AM They Live by Night (1949)
8:00 PM Tovarich (1937)
10:00 PM It’s A Wonderful World (1939) – new capsule review!
11:30 PM Midnight (1939)
1:15 AM Boom Town (1940) – new capsule review!
Tuesday March 15
1:00 PM In This Our Life (1942) – new capsule review!
3:00 PM You Can’t Escape Forever (1942) – because I’ve written a full review for this obscure film
1:00 AM The Heiress (1949)
Wednesday March 16 – Directed by Fritz Lang
9:30 PM Western Union (1941) – a TCM premiere!
11:15 PM Fury (1936) – updated capsule review!
1:00 AM You Only Live Once (1937) – pretty good film by director Fritz Lang (one of his best?) featuring Henry Fonda as a criminal who Sylvia Sidney believes is basically good. Lots of familiar faces in this one including Barton MacLane William Gargan Jerome Cowan and Margaret Hamilton and Warren Hymer among others. Even more uncredited like Ward Bond and Al Bridge!
Thursday March 17 – Bank Shots
9:30 PM Charley Varrick (1973) – An entertaining film by director Don Siegel featuring Walter Matthau getting the best of the mob after his slimy partner in crime (Andy Robinson) skips. Joe Don Baker is the hit man who tracks him down; Norman Fell plays a police detective also on their trail. Sheree North plays a woman in the mix.
11:30 PM 3 Godfathers (1948) – A most unusual film and a remake of William Wyler’s Hell’s Heroes (1930) with Charles Bickford about three outlaws trying to get away from the law and find water that happen upon a dying about-to-be mother and then inspired make it their job to care for the newborn in the spirit of the Three Wise Men. John Wayne stars in this version by director John Ford. Harry Carey Jr. Ward Bond Jane Darwell Ben Johnson and Guy Kibbee also appear.
1:30 AM The Bank Dick (1940) – A W.C. Fields classic! Fields plays a self unemployed family man whose family: wife – Cora Witherspoon Mother in Law – Jessie Ralph daughter – Una Merkel barely tolerate his presence. He literally falls into a job at a bank as a security guard where he quickly gets his prospective son-in-law (Grady Sutton) to embezzle some money to buy a seemingly worthless investment. Enter the bank examiner (Franklin Pangborn) who must be distracted before the money can be returned. Directed by Edward Cline.
Friday March 18 – Product Placement
8:00 PM The Seven Year Itch (1955) – Tom Ewell plays a married man whose wife (Evelyn Keyes) is away. His neighbor happens to be a blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe. You can guess what happens next. Also this Billy Wilder film features the famous "dress blown above her waist" scene.
12:00 AM Arsenic And Old Lace (1944)
2:00 AM The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse (1933) – supposed to be another excellent early film from director Fritz Lang
Saturday March 19 – Directed by George Cukor
2:00 PM In a Lonely Place (1950)
4:00 PM Coal Miner’s Daughter (1980) – one of those "Only in America" true stories about an ignorant girl from the sticks who makes it big as a country & western singer. A biography of Loretta Lynn featuring Sissy Spacek’s (only to date) Oscar winning Best Actress performance; she sings all the songs! Tommy Lee Jones plays ‘Doo’ her #1 fan & supporter husband who strays when her limelight and newfound independence overshadows his contributions to her success. Beverly D’Angelo plays fellow singer and Lynn friend Patsy Cline. Six other Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Screenplay.
8:00 PM Adam’s Rib (1949) – this week’s TCM Essential
10:00 PM Little Women (1933)
1:30 AM Men Who Made the Movies The: George Cukor (2002) – these Richard Schickel documentaries are very good and contain interviews and film clips.
Sunday March 20
12:00 PM Duck Soup (1933) – Perhaps the best of the Marx Brothers films and the last one with Zeppo. It was added to the National Film Registry in 1990. It was directed by Leo McCarey and also features Louis Calhern Margaret Dumont and Raquel Torres (who looks remarkably similar to Dolores del Rio). Many of the gags are classics which have survived and become part of our culture.
1:30 PM The Major and the Minor (1942)
3:15 PM Guys And Dolls (1955)
6:00 PM Adam’s Rib (1949) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
8:00 PM McLintock! (1963) – an entertaining comedy John Wayne Western another in which he’s paired with the beautiful Maureen O’Hara. Also stars his son Patrick Stefanie Powers the ever present Chill Wills Yvonne De Carlo Jerry Van Dyke Edgar Buchanan Bruce Cabot and Strother Martin. Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen.
12:00 AM Ben-Hur (1925) – an outstanding film featuring several 2-strip Technicolor scenes. This remake was later remade winning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1959. However this silent version starring Ramon Novarro is a must-see!
Monday March 21 – TCM’s Star of the Month Claudette Colbert
6:00 PM I Love You Again (1940) – new capsule review!
8:00 PM The Palm Beach Story (1942)
10:00 PM Since You Went Away (1944)
1:00 AM So Proudly We Hail (1943) – full review!
Tuesday March 22 – Guest Programmer: Stephen Sondheim
4:00 PM Take The High Ground (1953) – full obscure film review!
6:00 PM Baby Doll (1956)
9:15 PM The Clock (1945) – an above average film about a G.I. (Robert Walker) who’s got a two day leave in New York and falls in love with a young woman (Judy Garland). James Gleason plays a milkman who enables their romance by driving them around. Gleason’s real wife Lucile plays his wife in the film. Keenan Wynn also appears. Directed by Vincente Minnelli.
11:00 PM Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) – a 4 star comedy by director Ingmar Bergman involving extramarital sex the class system and several other ‘taboo’ subjects treated with humor. With subtitles.
Wednesday March 23 – Starring Cary Grant
7:30 AM Grand Hotel (1932)
11:15 AM The Women (1939)
1:30 PM Mildred Pierce (1945) – new capsule review!
3:30 PM Humoresque (1946)
8:00 PM The Philadelphia Story (1940)
10:00 PM Cary Grant: A Class Apart (2004) – a terrific documentary!
1:15 AM Bringing Up Baby (1938)
3:00 AM Walk Don’t Run (1966) – Cary Grant’s last film a remake of The More The Merrier (1943)
Thursday March 24 – Political Thrillers
10:15 PM The Ipcress File (1965) – supposed to be a pretty good film starring Michael Caine; I can’t remember if I’ve seen it or not so I’ll be taping it
12:15 AM The Day Of The Jackal (1973)
2:45 AM Suddenly (1954) – all new capsule review!
4:15 AM Notorious (1946)
Friday March 25 – Product Placement
6:00 AM My Man Godfrey (1936)
8:00 AM Nothing Sacred (1937) – all new capsule review!
9:15 AM Meet John Doe (1941)
11:30 AM Kings Row (1942)
1:45 PM Fury (1936)
3:30 PM Lust For Life (1956)
8:00 PM Superman II (1980) – A TCM premiere!
10:30 PM Urban Cowboy (1980) – A TCM premiere!
1:00 AM Private Screenings: Anthony Quinn (1999) – it’s always worthwhile to watch these Robert Osborne interviews
2:00 AM La Strada (1954) – all new capsule review!
Saturday March 26 – Musicals
6:00 AM The Search (1948)
12:00 PM Captain Newman M.D. (1964) – full review!
2:15 PM The Ladykillers (1955)
4:00 PM The Birds (1963)
6:15 PM Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – this is a sci-fi film which holds up today who can forget the ending with Kevin McCarthy! Directed by Don Siegel it was added to the National Film Registry in 1994.
8:00 PM The Band Wagon (1953) – this week’s TCM Essential (all new capsule review!)
10:00 PM Easter Parade (1948) – all new capsule review!
Sunday March 27 – Easter Feature
8:00 AM Boys Town (1938)
10:00 AM Easter Parade (1948) – repeated
3:00 PM West Side Story (1961)
6:00 PM The Band Wagon (1953) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
12:00 AM The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – one of the best silent films ever made featuring the only performance of Maria Falconetti in the title role. Directed and co-written by Carl Theodor Dreyer. Don’t miss it!
5:00 AM Lana Turner: A Daughter’s Memoir (2001) – a worthwhile documentary about the film star
Monday March 28 – TCM’s Star of the Month: Claudette Colbert
An unusual line-up in that I haven’t seen any of these films which have been recommended to me:
6:30 AM Madame X (1966) – with Lana Turner John Forsythe & Ricardo Montalban
And these four Claudette Colbert films:
8:00 PM The Secret Heart (1946) – also with June Allyson & Walter Pidgeon
10:00 PM Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) – also with Orson Welles & George Brent
12:00 AM The Secret Fury (1950) – also with Robert Ryan and directed by Mel Ferrer
1:30 AM Without Reservations (1946) – also with John Wayne and directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Tuesday March 29 – Written by Maxwell Anderson
6:00 AM You Can’t Take It With You (1938)
8:30 AM My Favorite Wife (1940) – all new capsule review!
12:00 PM The Lady Eve (1941)
2:00 PM Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
4:00 PM Woman Of The Year (1942)
6:00 PM The Farmer’s Daughter (1947)
8:00 PM Death Takes a Holiday (1934) – all new capsule review; premiered earlier this month on TCM!
2:15 AM Key Largo (1948)
Wednesday March 30
8:30 AM One Foot In Heaven (1941)
2:00 PM A Farewell To Arms (1932) – all new capsule review!
3:00 AM Splendor In The Grass (1961)
Thursday March 31 – Peak Performances
9:45 AM Anthony Adverse (1936) – an all new capsule review!
2:15 PM Escape (1940) – an all new capsule review!
8:00 PM Where Eagles Dare (1969) – An entertaining WW II movie starring Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood as co-conspirators who infiltrate an impenetrable German fortress without really trusting one another and/or the other members of their group. Based on the Alistair MacLean story.
11:00 PM Jeremiah Johnson (1972) – A pretty good film from director Sydney Pollack starring Robert Redford in the title role as an ex-soldier who becomes a mountainman in the Colorado wilderness to escape civilization. Will Geer also appears.
1:00 AM High Sierra (1941)
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