Tuesday Matinee

Hitchcock Marathon

Nothing makes me happier than a little Hitchcock Marathon! Luckily for all of us TCM lovers, we can catch one on Wednesday 12th, starting at 6:30 a.m. with the documentary Becoming Hitchcock: The Legacy of Blackmail. The doc examines the Hitchcock style through the silent film Blackmail. At 8:00 a.m. the British classic The Lady Vanishes starring Margaret Lockwood will be showing. Next up, the only screwball comedy Hitchcock made, Mr. and Mrs. Smith from 1941. Noon brings one of my top Hitchcock movies, I Confess starring Montgomery Clift and Anne Baxter from 1953. The Wrong Man will be showing at 2:00 p.m., followed by the Marlene Dietrich and Jane Wyman led film, Stage Fright at 4:00. To close out the marathon is another favorite Dial M for Murder, the great classic murder story starring the great Grace Kelly. Catch one or all, but the day is filled with great films I hope you'll enjoy!

The Gay Sisters and My Reputation

This month, the TCM Star of the Month is Barbara Stanwyck. And to say I am excited is an understatement! Nobody is more versatile, more real and authentic than Ms. Stanwyck. In The Gay Sisters (1942) Barbara plays Fiona Gaylord, one of 3 sisters who are orphaned and forced to defend their Fifth Avenue mansion when others have ideas about what to do with it. It's a film that I have loved so much and is rarely shown on TCM, so it's a must see at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday the 13th. The film also stars George Brent, and Gig Young. Another Stanwyck classic on this day to catch it at 5:00 p.m., the 1946 film My Reputation. Co-starring (again) George Brent, this romantic drama really shows her acting chops and shows a woman staying true to herself after the death of her beloved husband.

The Two Mrs. Carrolls

Okay, I get it. You're probably thinking "why this film"? And I get it. It's not her best known film, or her co-star Humphrey Bogart's best known film either. He plays an artist, and I'm sure that's difficult for most to believe. In fact, some people flat out don't like it I think. But I'll be honest...... I love it so much! It's like a little guilty pleasure of mine to watch this film a few times a year. There is something dark and slightly creepy about Bogart's character and the story that has always intrigued me. Bogart's Geoffrey kills his first wife in order to marry Stanwyck's Sally (she doesn't know this). Will he do it again? Will Sally figure out his plans? Watch and find out. The film also stars the wonderful little Ann Carter as Geoffrey's daughter from the first Mrs. Carroll. You can see this thriller on Thursday the 20th at 9:15 a.m. Be sure to check out some other films showing throughout March from Stanwyck's catalog. 46 will be shown in all on Wednesday evenings and Thursday during the day.

Classic Movies & Cookie Dough Bites

Posted on by meganchristman414

Hey there! Hope ya’ll have been well, enjoying spring break (if you got one).

I’ll be honest, I was really hoping to have my post about The Thing From Another World out by now. I expected to take a break…… but not this long. Life happens sometimes. Good and bad. I’m angry at myself for letting Tuesday Matinee go to the back burner for now, but, it is what it is. But I haven’t been just sitting around eating bon bons. (I’ve actually been eating cookie dough bites)

I reread the story that The Thing is based on. It was assigned reading in a Women’s Sci-fi Lit and Movies class in college, and I had already seen the movie at that point. I really wanted to read it again to have it fresh in my mind while I was watching the movie and writing about it. I’ll probably watch the movie another 15 times in the next week or so to help me finish the blog post. If you want to read the story, just know the film is loosely based on it. They’re very different, and stand on their own. But it’s worth your time if you want to take an afternoon and read it. I’ll link it here. amazon.com/Who-Goes-There-Novella-Formed/dp/098233220

I was lucky enough to receive an advanced copy of Eddie Muller’s new book Noir Bar and have been reading it. I do not drink, but this book is so fun! Film noir is such an interesting genre for me. It’s so gritty and dark, and has some of the most brilliant screenplays and cinematography of all time. Noir Bar has some fascinating films included. From my personal favorite, Out of the Past, to Shadow of a Doubt, and Mildred Pierce, there are so many great films for everyone. I’ve been watching some of the films I haven’t seen before, including Alias Nick Beal, The Big Clock, and The Blue Gardenia. Aside from Alias Nick Beal, I love the films I’ve been watching. Noir Bar would make a really great gift for any classic movie lover, and/or mixologist. I’ll have a complete review out next month, closer to the pub date.

Aside from film noir, I’ve been watching my fleet of comfort movies. We all have certain things we do when we’re stressed or overwhelmed. My thing is watching Vertigo. Over, and over, and over. I can only attribute this strange habit to a time I was going through a big life change, and was new to my obsession of Hitchcock. Cookie Dough bites go well with Vertigo by the way. Trust me, perfect snack. Little Women (49), and Love Affair have been some go to’s as well lately. I also watched a movie my mom has been begging me to watch, Adam Had Four Sons. It stars Warner Baxter, Ingrid Bergman, and Susan Hayward. You’ll find a description and more info at the top of the home page with the other movies of the month. I give it a solid 3 stars (out of 5).

I’m active on Instagram, and post reels daily. Click the link at the top of the page to find my page and follow for daily reels and stories. I enjoy using the TCM tagline of “Then meets Now” when making reels, and typically use modern music with classic movie images to create reels. They feel fresh, yet classic.

I hope to be back in the next week or two with a new post. Life is just in the way right now. Until next time friends.

Slow down and enjoy a Tuesday Matinee.