May 2005 – Orson Welles
May 2005 – Orson Welles
Sunday May 1 – Based on Lillian Hellman
8:00 AM Dark Victory (1939) – newly updated capsule review!
10:00 AM Les Girls (1957) – all new capsule review!
12:00 PM Walk Don’t Run (1966) – Cary Grant’s last film a remake of The More The Merrier (1943)
2:00 PM Bell Book and Candle (1959) – the inspiration for TV’s Bewitched series? A publisher played by James Stewart is attracted to a witch (Kim Novak) whose brother (Jack Lemmon) and aunt (Elsa Lanchester) can also conjure up spells as can "rival" a witch (Hermione Gingold). Like Stewart’s character Ernie Kovacs plays a writer who is also a mere mortal but unlike him he believes in them (e.g. witches and warlocks).
4:00 PM Lover Come Back (1961) – all new capsule review!
6:00 PM Swing Time (1936) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
8:00 PM The Little Foxes (1941) – newly updated capsule review!
10:00 PM Watch On The Rhine (1943)
1:30 AM Scarface (1932) – all new capsule review!
4:30 AM The Story Of Louis Pasteur (1936) – newly updated capsule review!
Monday May 2
10:45 AM Road to Morocco (1942) – one of the better Bing Crosby-Bob Hope "Road" films Best Writing Oscar nomination with Dorothy Lamour & Anthony Quinn. Added to the National Film Registry in 1996.
12:15 PM Going My Way (1944)
4:15 AM The Young and the Brave (1963) – simply awful but I’ve written a full obscure review for it;-)
Tuesday May 3 – Starring Michael Caine
10:30 AM Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – newly updated capsule review!
12:30 PM The Band Wagon (1953)
8:00 PM The Ipcress File (1965) – pretty good spy movie with Michael Caine in a star making role as secret agent Harry Palmer from the Len Deighton novels. Begins rather slowly but moves quickly once the bodies start piling up. Also with Nigel Green Guy Doleman Sue Lloyd and Gordon Jackson.
10:00 PM Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
Wednesday May 4 – TCM’s Star of the Month – Orson Welles the Auteur
6:00 AM Politics (1931) – an all new full review!
11:00 AM The Great Man Votes (1939) – full review!
8:00 PM Citizen Kane (1941)
10:15 PM The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
12:00 AM The Lady From Shanghai (1948) – Peter Bogdanovich deems this film an Essential and it is noteworthy because it features one of the worst accents you’ll hear attempted by a great actor (Orson Welles in this film). IMO though one famous "hall of mirrors" scene & a beautiful blonde (!) Rita Hayworth does not a great movie make. Also with Everett Sloane.
1:30 AM Touch Of Evil (1958)
Thursday May 5 – Cine Mexicano
I have not seen ANY of these "Cinema Mexico" films which will be featured throughout this month on Thursdays. However my listing will include them because each is a TCM premiere. Many of them are highly rated so I’ll definitely be watching!
8:00 PM Los Olvidados (1950) – a TCM premiere!
9:45 PM Nazarin (1959) – a TCM premiere!
11:30 PM Viridiana (1961) – a TCM premiere!
1:15 AM The Exterminating Angel (1962) – a TCM premiere!
3:00 AM Simon of the Desert (1965) – a TCM premiere!
4:00 AM Viva Villa! (1934) – all new review!
Friday May 6
9:45 PM Ship of Fools (1965)
2:15 AM La Dolce Vita (1960) – this highly regarded film by director Federico Fellini stars Marcello Mastroianni as a society column newspaper writer who has many adventures into the lifestyles of the rich and famous; his photographer is named Paparazzo which is the source of the word "paparazzi". One particular evening includes his pursuit of a famous blonde actress played by Anita Ekberg. The film won an Oscar for Best B&W Costume Design and was nominated for three others including for Fellini’s direction and his (co-written) screenplay. Anouk Aimee (A Man and a Woman (1966)) among others also appears.
Saturday May 7 – Starring Walter Brennan
8:00 AM Murder My Sweet (1944) – From director Edward Dmytryk & John Paxton (Crossfire (1947)) who wrote the screenplay for this Raymond Chandler novel named "Farewell My Lovely" this above average murder mystery follows detective Philip Marlowe (Dick Powell) as he’s hired by two clients for different yet intertwined purposes. It also stars Claire Trevor (Key Largo (1948)) the lovely Anne Shirley (Stella Dallas (1937)) Otto Kruger and that "big lug" Mike Mazurki among others. Worth a look.
4:30 PM The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) – all new essential capsule review!
8:00 PM To Have And Have Not (1944) – this week’s TCM Essential
12:15 AM Red River (1948)
4:30 AM Kisses For Breakfast (1941) – awful but I’ve written a full obscure review for it;-)
Sunday May 8 – Mother’s Day Double Feature
6:00 AM None but the Lonely Heart (1944) – features one of Cary Grant’s two Best Actor nominated performances. Ethel Barrymore won an Oscar playing his dying mother. Barry Fitzgerald also appears.
8:00 AM I Remember Mama (1948)
12:15 PM Stella Dallas (1937)
2:15 PM Light In The Piazza (1962) – all new review!
4:00 PM Mildred Pierce (1945)
6:00 PM To Have And Have Not (1944) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
8:00 PM Imitation Of Life (1959) – though vastly inferior to the 1934 version with Claudette Colbert & Louise Beavers this film is still probably worth your time. This one stars Lana Turner and Juanita Moore’s Oscar nominated performance. Susan Kohner who plays Moore’s daughter was also nominated; syrupy Sandra Dee plays Turner’s. John Gavin Robert Alda and Troy Donahue also appear in this Douglas Sirk directed soap opera.
10:15 PM Madame X (1966) – all new review!
12:00 AM The Kid (1921) – one of Chaplin’s very best films features Jackie Coogan in the title role. The tramp (Chaplin) finds an abandoned baby cares for it and raises it. Now a youngster (Coogan) the boy helps the tramp survive in poverty in the creative ways of his "parent". One day however the kid is taken from his "adoptive" father to be returned to the now successful woman (Edna Purviance) who abandoned him. Some classic comic scenes with tear-jerking moments.
2:45 AM Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – Directed by Robert Aldrich this movie adapted from the Mickey Spillane novel features Ralph Meeker as Mike Hammer who picks up a trenchcoat clothed hysterical woman (Cloris Leachman in her film debut) on a lonely highway at night only to find out that she’s an escaped mental patient. After he’s almost killed when some unknown assailants do succeed in murdering her Hammer is questioned by the police. He then decides to unravel the mystery himself which leads to the discovery of a dangerous (e.g. Pandora’s) box and one of the most bizarre movie endings you’ll ever see. Also with Albert Dekker Paul Stewart Juano Hernandez and Maxine Cooper. Added to the National Film Registry in 1999.
Monday May 9 – Actor/Director
6:00 PM Executive Suite (1954)
8:00 PM Ride The Pink Horse (1947)
10:00 PM Pale Rider (1985) – Directed by and starring Clint Eastwood this above average Western features Clint as a mysterious preacher who comes to the aid a gold prospecting family (Michael Moriarty Carrie Snodgrass and the attractive teenager Sydney Penny) in their struggles against the corrupt town’s leader (Richard Dysart) his son (Chris Penn) and their hired guns (which includes seven-footer Richard Kiel). Beautifully photographed!
5:00 AM A Dog’s Life (1918) – a highly rated Charlie Chaplin (as the Little Tramp) short silent film with Edna Purviance.
Tuesday May 10 – Wedding Night
6:00 AM The Gay Divorcee (1934)
8:00 AM Top Hat (1935)
10:00 AM Swing Time (1936)
12:00 PM Follow The Fleet (1936) – one of the few highly rated Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers films which I’ve yet to see. This Mark Sandrich directed film with Irving Berlin’s Music also has Randolph Scott Betty Grable and Lucille Ball (among others).
6:00 PM Silk Stockings (1957)
8:00 PM Father Of The Bride (1950)
12:00 AM The Philadelphia Story (1940)
2:00 AM June Bride (1948) – all new capsule review!
4:00 AM The Catered Affair (1956)
Wednesday May 11 – TCM’s Star of the Month – Orson Welles with other directors
8:00 PM Tomorrow Is Forever (1946) – fairly new full review!
10:00 PM Man in the Shadow (1957) – a TCM premiere!
Thursday May 12 – Cine Mexicano (see my May 5 comments)
6:00 AM Little Women (1933)
10:00 AM Without Love (1945) – only fair but an all new capsule review!
2:15 PM Pat And Mike (1952)
4:00 PM Desk Set (1957)
6:00 PM Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967)
8:00 PM La Perla (1947) – a TCM premiere!
9:30 PM Maria Candelaria (1944) – a TCM premiere!
11:15 PM Enamorada (1946) – a TCM premiere!
1:00 AM Dona Barbara (1943) – a TCM premiere!
3:30 AM The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
Friday May 13 – Starring Arthur Kennedy
6:00 PM All Fall Down (1962) – not very good but an all new full review!
8:00 PM Bright Victory (1951) – pretty good plus a fairly new full review!
10:00 PM Rancho Notorious (1952)
2:00 AM Westfront 1918 (1930) – a TCM premiere!
4:00 AM Hell is for Heroes (1962) – fairly good war movie plus a full review!
Saturday May 14 – Aunts & Uncles
12:00 PM 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2:30 PM The Sting (1973)
5:00 PM My Fair Lady (1964)
8:00 PM Arsenic And Old Lace (1944) – this week’s TCM Essential
10:15 PM Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
12:15 AM Man Of The West (1958) – pretty good Anthony Mann Western starring Gary Cooper as a reformed outlaw who must seek assistance from his old gang now run by Lee J. Cobb. Julie London Arthur O’Connell Jack Lord and Royal Dano also appear as does Emory Parnell uncredited.
2:00 AM Night Must Fall (1937) – not as good as Hitchcock but still pretty good plus an all new review!
Sunday May 15
6:00 PM Arsenic And Old Lace (1944) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
12:00 AM Exit Smiling (1926) – a TCM premiere!
Monday May 16 – Henry Fonda’s 100th Birthday
10:45 AM Jezebel (1938)
12:30 PM The Male Animal (1942)
2:30 PM The Fugitive (1947) – this film by director John Ford stars Henry Fonda as a priest an outlawed profession in Mexico trying to survive and avoid capture while attempting to serve the Christians in the country. Dolores Del Rio plays a woman who helps him; Pedro Armendariz plays the law that pursues him. J. Carrol Naish plays a transient that helps then betrays him; Leo Carrillo plays the chief of police; Robert Armstrong plays another policeman; Ward Bond plays an escaped con he comes across & John Qualen plays a doctor who helps him. Mel Ferrer appears uncredited as another priest.
8:00 PM The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) – an all new capsule review!
9:30 PM My Name Is Nobody (1974) – unique Western comedy an acquired taste plus an all new capsule review!
11:30 PM 12 Angry Men (1957)
1:15 AM The Lady Eve (1941)
3:00 AM How the West Was Won (1962)
Tuesday May 17
7:30 AM Tarzan The Ape Man (1932) – the original the classic featuring Johnny Weissmuller in the title role Maureen O’Sullivan as Jane C. Aubrey Smith as her father & Neil Hamilton as her boyfriend. Directed by W.S. Van Dyke and based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs novel.
2:00 PM 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
6:00 PM Pride And Prejudice (1940)
10:15 PM Jaws (1975)
Wednesday May 18 – TCM’s Star of the Month – Orson Welles – overseas
9:00 AM Lady For A Day (1933)
11:00 AM You Can’t Take It With You (1938)
1:30 PM It Happened One Night (1934)
3:30 PM Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
5:30 PM Meet John Doe (1941)
8:00 PM Othello (1952) – a TCM premiere!
9:45 PM Mr. Arkadin (1955) – a TCM premiere!
11:30 PM The Immortal Story (1968) – a TCM premiere!
12:45 AM F for Fake (1976) – a TCM premiere!
4:30 AM Nosferatu (1922) – one of the scariest films ever made (even though it’s over 80 years old!). This silent features Max Schreck in the title role a vampire who prays on people (most notably a woman) for blood based on Bram Stoker’s "Dracula" novel.
Thursday May 19 – Cine Mexicano
6:00 AM The Jazz Singer (1927)
2:30 PM Oklahoma! (1955) – full review!
5:00 PM South Pacific (1958) – like January 3rd of this year (and October 20th last) these two films are being shown back to back on TCM. Worth watching if you haven’t seen it. The beach scenes with Mitzi Gaynor "washing that man right out of her hair" and the guys led by Ray Walston are hilarious. Some scenes are filtered with different colors which I personally find distracting. Lead Rossano Brazzi John Kerr and Juanita Hall as "Bloody Mary" are also noteworthy.
8:00 PM El Compadre Mendoza (1934) – a TCM premiere!
9:30 PM Vamonos con Pancho Villa (1936) – a TCM premiere!
11:15 PM Aventurera (1949) – a TCM premiere!
1:15 AM Macario (1960) – a TCM premiere!
Friday May 20
6:00 AM It’s A Wonderful World (1939) – full review!
7:30 AM The Shop Around The Corner (1940) – updated capsule review
9:30 AM The Naked Spur (1953) – updated capsule review
1:30 PM The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
3:30 PM Vertigo (1958)
11:00 PM Funny Girl (1968) – before Babs became a polarizing political figure to rival Jane Fonda she made her film debut in this William Wyler directed Musical and shared the Best Actress Oscar that year (with Katharine Hepburn – The Lion in Winter (1968)) for her portrayal of comedienne Fanny Brice in this Oscar nominated Best Picture. The film received six other AA noms including for its titled Original Song Score and Supporting Actress Kay Medford. It also stars Omar Sharif Anne Francis and Walter Pidgeon as Florenz Ziegfeld.
2:00 AM The Seventh Seal (1957) – dour depressing dark drama by director Ingmar Bergman and starring Max von Sydow. A highly rated foreign film!
4:00 AM Death Takes a Holiday (1934)
Saturday May 21 – Into the Fog
8:00 AM The Naked City (1948) – half documentary (narrated by producer Mark Hellinger) half crime thriller starring Barry Fitzgerald and Don Taylor and other recognizable faces in small roles as New York detectives trying to solve the "bathtub" murder case. The story was Oscar nominated it won for B&W Cinematography and Editing. Directed by Jules Dassin.
6:00 PM 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.
8:00 PM Gaslight (1944) – this week’s TCM Essential updated capsule review
12:00 AM Out Of The Fog (1941) – fairly new full review!
Sunday May 22
8:00 AM The Bachelor And The Bobby-Soxer (1947) – Sydney Sheldon (I Dream of Jeannie’s creator) won a Best Original Screenplay Oscar on his only nomination for this love triangle comedy between a high schooler (Shirley Temple) her older sister (a judge played by Myrna Loy) and Cary Grant.
2:00 PM Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) – an all new capsule review!
4:00 PM Cape Fear (1962) – I haven’t seen the updated version of this one yet but I did really enjoy this original which stars Gregory Peck & Robert Mitchum (though it is hard to watch at times). Also with Polly Bergen Martin Balsam even Telly Savalas. #61 on AFI’s 100 Most Heart-Pounding Movies list. Mitchum’s Max Cady was voted #28 villain by AFI.
6:00 PM Gaslight (1944) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated
12:00 AM Scaramouche (1923) – though I haven’t seen this silent starring Ramon Novarro Lewis Stone and Alice Terry I love the 1952 remake with Stewart Granger Janet Leigh Mel Ferrer and Eleanor Parker.
2:15 AM 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.
3:45 AM The Uninvited (1944)
Monday May 23
10:15 AM Bombardier (1943) – only fair but read my full obscure review!
12:00 PM Adventures of a Rookie (1943) – really really bad … but I have written a full obscure review of it!
1:15 PM Rookies In Burma (1944) – even worse if that’s possible … but I’ve also written a full obscure review of this one!
4:15 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).
6:30 PM Cary Grant: A Class Apart (2004) – a terrific TCM documentary!
Tuesday May 24 – Guest Programmer: Michael McKean
1:00 PM The Night Of The Hunter (1955)
8:00 PM Paths Of Glory (1957) – updated capsule review
9:45 PM North By Northwest (1959)
12:15 AM The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944)
2:00 AM Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)
4:00 AM The Time Machine (1960) – a sci fi classic which won the Best Effects Special Effects Oscar I actually think the film suffers in the final third with Yvette Mimieux. Rod Taylor plays H.G. Wells in his often copied or adapted story about time travel.
Wednesday May 25 – TCM’s Star of the Month – Orson Welles
8:00 AM Midnight (1939)
10:00 AM Ninotchka (1939)
2:00 PM An American in Paris (1951)
4:00 PM Gigi (1958)
6:00 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.
9:15 PM The Stranger (1946) – all new capsule review!
3:30 AM Duel In The Sun (1946) – to see the ending of this film is to see something truly odd & unusual. Gregory Peck and AA Best Actress nominated Jennifer Jones headline an all-star cast including Joseph Cotten Lionel Barrymore Herbert Marshall Lillian Gish (also nominated) Walter Huston Charles Bickford Harry Carey Otto Kruger even Butterfly McQueen. Directed by King Vidor; produced by David O. Selznick.
Thursday May 26 – Cine Mexicano
12:00 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.
8:00 PM Ahi esta el detalle (1940) – a TCM premiere!
10:00 PM Calabacitas Tiernas (1949) – a TCM premiere!
11:45 PM Dos Tipos de Cuidado (1953) – a TCM premiere!
2:00 AM Ansiedad (1953) – a TCM premiere!
Friday May 27 – Memorial Day War Movie Marathon
5:15 PM The Body Snatcher (1945)
8:00 PM The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
11:00 PM The Dirty Dozen (1967)
2:00 AM Kapo (1959)
4:00 AM The Seventh Cross (1944) – all new full review!
Saturday May 28 – Memorial Day War Movie Marathon
6:00 AM Command Decision (1948) – updated capsule review!
8:00 AM Cornered (1945) – not very good but I’ve written a full review of it!
12:00 PM Shenandoah (1965) – only average but an all new capsule review!
3:30 PM To Hell And Back (1955) – incredible true story of the most decorated soldier in U.S. history starring the man himself Audie Murphy. Pretty good film too a faithful to his own autobiography (which I’ve read).
5:30 PM Sergeant York (1941)
8:00 PM They Were Expendable (1945) – it’s been a long time since I watched this terrific film about the surprising successes of the PT boats during World War II initially thought unworthy of any role in the conflict. Directed by John Ford and starring Robert Montgomery John Wayne Donna Reed Ward Bond Leon Ames and more it was nominated for two Oscars Special Effects & Sound. It’s this week’s TCM Essential!
10:30 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.
4:45 AM Flying Fortress (1942) – not very good but I’ve written a full obscure review for it!
Sunday May 29 – Memorial Day War Movie Marathon
4:15 PM Hell is for Heroes (1962)
6:00 PM They Were Expendable (1945) – this week’s TCM Essential is repeated; see my 5/28 comments
10:15 PM Run Silent Run Deep (1958) – recently rated the 3rd best submarine film by USAA members (behind Das Boot & The Hunt for Red October) this WW II film provides its two stars Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster a chance to argue. Jack Warden and Don Rickles also appear in this Robert Wise directed film.
12:00 AM Tell It To The Marines (1926) – full review!
4:15 AM Take The High Ground (1953) – full review!
Monday May 30 – Memorial Day War Movie Marathon
8:00 AM So Proudly We Hail (1943) – full review!
10:15 AM The Story of G.I. Joe (1945)
12:15 PM Battleground (1949)
2:30 PM Kelly’s Heroes (1970) – a different kind of World War II movie a comedy featuring an all star cast starting with Clint Eastwood then Telly Savalas Donald Sutherland Don Rickles Carroll O’Connor Gavin MacLeod Stuart Margolin and Henry Dean Stanton (among others).
8:00 PM Patton (1970)
11:00 PM A Bridge Too Far (1977) – Directed by Richard Attenborough (Gandhi (1982)) this LONG World War II movie written by two time Oscar winning screenplay writer William Goldman tells the story of a massive Allied airdrop behind enemy lines and features an all star cast including: Dirk Bogarde James Caan Michael Caine Sean Connery Edward Fox Elliot Gould Gene Hackman Anthony Hopkins Ryan O’Neal Laurence Olivier Robert Redford Maximilian Schell even John Ratzenberger among others.
Tuesday May 31 – Robert Osborne’s Picks
6:00 AM Flesh And The Devil (1926)
9:30 AM Anna Christie (1930)
11:00 AM Mata Hari (1931) – all new capsule review!
12:30 PM Queen Christina (1933) – all new essential capsule review!
2:15 PM Camille (1937)
9:30 PM Hold Back the Dawn (1941)
11:30 PM The Falcon In Hollywood (1944) – one of the lesser from the series but read my full review!
2:30 AM Invisible Stripes (1939) – all new capsule review!