Tuesday Matinee

Val Lewton Marathon

TCM has a wonderful little marathon of Val Lewton classics April 8th. Starting with one of my favorite creepy classics, The Seventh Victim at 8:30 am. From 1943, the film follows a sister's quest to unlock the secrets of where her sister is, and finds a satanic cult is involved. Don't miss this one! The essential classic Cat People follows at 9:45 am, Isle of the Dead at 11:00 am, The Curse of the Cat People at 12:15 pm, then I Walk with a Zombie at 3:00 pm. All of these films from the 40's will give you a day of Halloween in April, and a lot of fun!

Some Came Running

There is no other film on Earth that is closer to my heart than Some Came Running. Made just 10 minutes from where I live, the film stars Frank Sinatra, Shirley Maclaine, and Dean Martin. Made in Madison, Indiana in 1958, the film follows a war vet who comes back to his hometown to figure out his life. This drama was nominated for 5 Oscars, and was Shirley Maclaine's first nomination of her career. Some Came Running will be on TCM April 24th at 1:00 pm.

All This and Heaven Too

The first Bette Davis classic I ever saw on TCM will be showing on April 27th at 11:45 am. This classic film follows a governess as she navigates the irrational behavior of the duchess she works for, while also growing closer to the duke and his children. Released in 1940, this film was nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, but sadly Bette Davis was not nominated for her fantastic performance. If you haven't seen this piece of movie magic, please catch it this month!

Summer Under the Stars

Posted on by meganchristman414

How can it be August already? My daughter is going back to school in two weeks, the heat will hopefully start wrapping up soon, and Summer Under the Stars is here! Oh that sweet time of year that every TCM fan waits patiently for. I’m always anxious to see which of my favorite actors or actresses were chosen for a coveted day of programming. I love seeing what films made the cut for each star’s day, and planning which one’s I’ll watch or DVR.

TCM’s Summer Under the Stars got it’s start in August of 2003. Reading the Now Playing guide from that month, Robert Osborne shared how they’d never done anything quite like it before. Monthly they would salute a star, but never had they devoted a whole 24 hours to just one. The following August, Robert said that because of the overwhelming response to Summer Under the Stars, it looked like they were launching a new TCM tradition. And here we are all these years later still loving it! Jimmy Stewart graced the very first day of Summer Under the Stars. June Allyson made her debut in 2007, Joan Fontaine in 2013, and Bette Davis has made an appearance 8 times since 2003. In the words of Robert Osborne on Summer Under the Stars, “In a nutshell, it’ll be great stars and great films mixed with great surprises all month long”. I couldn’t agree more.

This August there are 13 stars that are new to the festival. Grace Kelly makes her debut this year. I had to do a triple check to make sure I was seeing that correct. How on Earth is she just now making her debut? The madness! Be sure to check her out in the 3 films she did for Hitchcock. They’ll be back to back starting at 6:00 p.m. on the 24th. Other legends making their debuts this year are Julie Andrews, Meryl Streep, Gordon MacRae, and Eleanor Powell.

The number of classics that you’re able to catch in August each year is always phenomenal! There is something for everyone daily. I still remember the fun I had last year on Vincent Price day. It was on all day and I vegged out like it was my job. With stars this year like Bette Davis, Cary Grant and Joseph Cotten, it’s hard not to find something great daily. Below, are my top 10 films, or days, to catch during this year’s Summer Under the Stars. I hope you enjoy my picks!

  1. August 1st, 9:45 pm: My Man Godfrey – While I think most fans of William Powell love his Thin Man films most, my go-to is always My Man Godfrey. It’s tied with The Philadelphia story as my favorite comedy. His performance, along with Carol Lombard’s are fantastic!
  2. August 4th, 3:00 pm: Torn Curtain – This lesser know Hitchcock classic is always a good choice, I don’t care what critics say. Catch Julie Andrew’s paired up with Paul Newman (their chemistry isn’t the best, but who cares), on a day devoted to Julie’s wonderul films.
  3. August 9th, Montgomery Clift – I tried so hard to pick just 1 or even 2 films to highlight from this day, but I couldn’t. The films chosen for his day are so rich with outstanding performances and stories, I think the whole day is worth watching.
  4. August 11th, 6:00 pm & 8:00 pm: Notorious and Father Goose – At 6:00 you can catch my favorite Cary Grant performance and film, Notorious. Stick around after for Father Goose at 8:00. It’s one of the few Cary Grant movies I’ve never seen, and am looking forward to it.
  5. August 15th, 11:30, 1:00, 2:30 pm: Triple Feature – This line-up includes The Steel Trap, Walk, Softly Stranger, and Journey Into Fear. These are films on my TBW list and I’m excited to see them lined up together for a fabulous day of Joseph Cotten films.
  6. August 18th, 11:30 am: The Philadelphia Story – While the entire day is worth watching (it’s Katharine Hepburn day), it’s hard for me not to single out The Philadelphia Story. It’s always been a top 10 favorite of mine. If you’ve never seen this comedy, watch it when it airs, or record it. It’s fantastic!
  7. August 20th, 4:00 pm: A Letter to Three Wives – This is a truly timeless classic that holds up so well today. It’s creative and has an ensemble cast that all give 5 star performances! Check out other films that day all starring the beautiful Jeanne Crain.
  8. August 22nd, 10:00 pm: The Letter – If you want to go on a bit of a wild ride, watch The Letter. Starring Bette Davis, the star for the day, and Herbert Marshall in an unforgettable film noir classic!
  9. August 26th, 8:00 pm: From Here to Eternity – I’ll never not recommend, or watch this film when it’s on TCM. It’s unforgettable from beginning to end. Donna Reed, the star of the day, won her only Oscar for her wonderful performance in the film.
  10. August 30th, 4:00 pm: The Gay Divorcee – The Gay Divorcee has gorgeous fashion and an Oscar winning song, The Continental. It’s a screw ball musical from 1934 that you won’t forget. This was the second pairing of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire, and happens to be my favorite!

I hope you’ll find this list of films diverse in genre. From the comedies, to drama, to Hitchcock classics, there are endless options. This August’s Summer Under the Stars is loaded with amazing stars and films galore! Grab your popcorn and favorite blanket. Slow down and forget the world outside of TCM for just a bit and relax with some classics. You deserve it.