Classic Movie Picks: July

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.)

7/1: Farley Granger Mini-Marathon
1:30 PM - Behave Yourself! (1951)
3 PM - Strangers on a Train (1951)
4:45 PM - Side Street (1950)
6:15 PM - They Live by Night (1949)
Handsome leading man Farley Granger passed away earlier this year; however, today we get a mini-marathon of films in honor of his birthday. In these 4 films Granger plays a (somewhat) innocent man who gets tangled up in other people's crimes. The line-up includes what might be Granger's best film, the Hitchcock-directed Strangers on a Train; as well as two films co-starring Cathy O'Donnell, who is probably best known for her role as Wilma in The Best Years of Our Lives.

7/12: Rock N' Roll High School
6 AM - It's Trad, Dad! (1961)
7:30 AM - Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
9:30 AM - Juke Box Rhythm (1959)
11 AM - Senior Prom (1958)
12:30 PM - Rock Around the Clock (1956)
2 PM - Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)
4 PM - The Cool Ones (1967)
I love watching films from the 50s and 60s which tried to capitalize on the burgeoning teenage market and the new popularity of rock music. These were low-budget "B" movies made for teenagers, but usually saddled with corny storylines by "square" adults. However, the generally upbeat tone and lively musical performances make even the dumbest stories fun. Bye Bye Birdie is an exception here because it was based on a hit Broadway musical, so the budget was bigger, the story a bit more layered; however, the reactionary attitude toward rock n' roll remained - it makes kids crazy!

7/23, 9:30 AM - The Tall Target (1951)
Dick Powell stars as detective John Kennedy (no, not that one), the only man who can prevent the assassination of Abraham Lincoln aboard a train traveling to Washington, D.C for his inauguration. This film was directed by Anthony Mann and was inspired by an actual attempt on Lincoln's life. This minor historical footnote has been elaborated upon to create a modern conspiracy thriller, which builds tension even though we know the conclusion (Spoiler Alert: Lincoln lives). Nice period details, such as shots of the Capitol under construction, add an extra level of interest.

7/29, 2 AM - Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (1968)
In this installment of TCM Underground, director William Greaves has young actors audition in Central Park for a fictional project about a troubled couple. His cameras also capture what goes on "behind the scenes," such as crew member gossip, gathering onlookers, and other distractions. This avant-garde documentary had enough of a cult following (including actor Steve Buscemi) to merit a sequel, Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2 1/2, in 2005.

7/31: The Chaplin Family
2:15 AM - Peppermint Frappe (1967)
4 AM - A King in New York (1957)
Stay up late to catch this double-feature starring the talented Chaplins. Peppermint Frappe is a doppelganger story, similar to Vertigo and Obsession, set in Spain during the repressive Franco regime. It is a dark character study of a lonely doctor who becomes so obsessed with his friend's new wife, played by Geraldine Chaplin, that he tries to mold another woman into her image - which shouldn't be too difficult, since she is also played by Chaplin.
A King in New York stars Charlie Chaplin as the king of a small, broke country who comes to the USA to make money; however, after befriending the young son of a Communist couple (played by Chaplin's son Michael), the king finds himself on trial for Communism. At the time this film was made, Charlie Chaplin was living in Europe, barred from re-entering the US due to his outspoken political views. King was Chaplin's satrical take on American consumerism and political paranoia during the McCarthy era.

Next month, Summer Under the Stars!