Singin’ in the Rain (1952) Airing 12AM EST Well, there was little doubt about what I would recommend for your TCM viewing pleasure today. How can I NOT recommend the singularly best musical ever produced in Hollywood? Singin’ in the Rain revolves around the advent of sound in motion pictures, following a silent-movie icon, Don…
On the Town (1949) Airing 10:15AM EST Absolute effervescence. This is the feeling that comes to mind when I think of Gene Kelly’s musicals. Add in Frank Sinatra and the city of New York, and you have one of the greats: 1949’s On the Town, co-starring Jules Munshin, Ann Miller, Vera-Ellen, and Betty Garrett. Carrie…
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947) Airing 6:00PM EST Some of the first classic films I ever saw were the old Shirley Temple flicks from the 1930s, when the curly-headed moppet conquered Hollywood and the hearts of millions to become one of the first true cinematic superstars. I loved the innocent, precocious youngsters Temple excelled…
Now, Voyager (1942) Airing 7:15AM Now, Voyager, labeled by many critics as the apotheosis of the “woman’s picture,” is an unabashedly sentimental piece of Hollywood froth, but this does not detract from the ultimately enjoyable impact of the film. This Bette Davis vehicle is based on the novel of the same name by Olive Higgins…
Rebecca (1940) Airing at 1:45PM EST I am a sucker for an overwrought romance, and Rebecca definitely fits the bill (the book is even more breathlessly affected, so if you’re looking for a mindless read, check it out). The film marks Alfred Hitchcock’s first foray into Hollywood film-making, and it’s somewhat of an anomaly in…
Bonnie and Clyde (1967) Airing at 12AM EST Today’s recommendation is the fantastic Bonnie and Clyde, starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as the title lovers/criminals. Though the storyline is an undeniably romanticized pseudo-biographical account of the couple’s Depression-era crime spree, it is nonetheless a superior film. The movie is anchored solidly by the chemistry…
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Airing at 12:15PM EST As far as musicals go, Yankee Doodle Dandy is, without a doubt, one of the very best. In my mind, it’s one of the top five musicals of all time, right behind Singin’ in the Rain. Patriotic to the extreme and VERY loosely based on the life…
The Thin Man (1934) Airing at 8PM EST The first in a series of six films, The Thin Man is a charming, witty comedy about a not-so-retired detective, his glamorous, wealthy wife, and their adorable wire-haired terrier, Asta. Nick and Nora Charles spend their days drinking and carousing with their circle of dilettantes, but when…
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