Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)
9/2, 1 AM: The Count of Monte Cristo (1934)
Alexandre Dumas's popular revenge tale, The Count of Monte Cristo, has been filmed many times and even inspired a sandwich (unconfirmed). I can remember watching a commercial for the lackluster 2002 fim adaptation, after which my father said, "I have the feeling that no one is excited about this movie." I cannot say the same of the 1934 version airing tonight and featuring Robert Donat as the title character. I'm looking forward to it because I recently read the book and was pleasantly surprised by its quick pace and intricate plotting, and leading man Donat has my undying affection due to Goodbye, Mr. Chips. The film is part of a month-long spotlight on revenge films. Tune in Thursdays for more films in the series.
9/6, 8 PM: Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
After Leo McCarey won the best director Oscar for 1937's classic screwball comedy The Awful Truth, he claimed that the Academy had rewarded him for the wrong film. The "correct" film, according to McCarey, was Make Way for Tomorrow, a drama dealing with the struggles of an older couple during the Depression. If you've seen previous classic pick Tokyo Story, you may recognize similarities between the two films. Due to the current economic climate, Make Way for Tomorrow is newly relevant...and newly out on DVD from Criterion. Make a prudent financial decision tonight by staying in and watching this film on TCM (if you like it, maybe then you can start saving up for the DVD).
9/8, 2 AM: Force of Evil (1949)
Fans of film noir should check out this gem about a mob lawyer, played by John Garfield, who tries to protect his numbers-running brother from a racketeering scheme. It's got all the classic noir characteristics - moral compromise, femme fatale vs. good girl, gritty underworld setting, and a not-so-happy ending.
9/29: Greer Garson Day
When Walter Pidgeon was highlighted during August's "Summer Under the Stars," several of the day's films co-starred his frequent leading lady, Greer Garson. Well, today Garson gets her own mini-marathon of seven of her films, in chronological order, featuring a variety of dashing leading men including Ronald Colman, Errol Flynn, Robert Mitchum, Clark Gable, and, of course, Walter Pidgeon. I usually enjoy Greer Garson's performances; she brings a stately, dignified presence to her roles, but always with a twinkle in her eye. (And she also has my undying affection for her role in Goodbye, Mr. Chips. I've come full circle!)
6:30 AM - Blossoms in the Dust (1941)
8:15 AM - Random Harvest (1942)
10:30 AM - The Youngest Profession (1943)
12 PM - Adventure (1945)
2:15 PM - Desire Me (1947)
4 PM - That Forsyte Woman (1949)
6 PM - The Singing Nun (1966)
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