TCM Star of the Month: Claude Rains

The great Claude Rains will be the September Star of the Month at Turner Classic Movies.

TCM will be showing 32 Rains films, which include some of the greatest movies ever made: THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938), MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939), NOTORIOUS (1946), and of course CASABLANCA (1942).

The Rains movies will be spread across five Wednesday evenings. The first night, on September 2nd, will showcase four films for which Rains was Oscar nominated -- including one of my oldest daughter's favorite Rains films, MR. SKEFFINGTON (1944), along with MR. SMITH, CASABLANCA, and NOTORIOUS.

The same evening TCM will air the FOUR DAUGHTERS series, in which Rains played a music professor who was the widowed father of Priscilla, Rosemary, and Lola Lane, with Gale Page as the fourth daughter.

I'm particularly fond of this series, which was reviewed in these posts: FOUR DAUGHTERS (1938), FOUR WIVES (1939), and FOUR MOTHERS (1941). Additionally, TCM is showing the unofficial fourth film in the series, DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS (1939), which rounded up ten DAUGHTERS cast members for a film in which they play completely different characters. I think it might be my favorite film in the bunch.

September 9th is the night for "Heavenly Comedies," the wonderful HERE COMES MR. JORDAN (1941) plus ANGEL ON MY SHOULDER (1946); two Bette Davis films, including NOW, VOYAGER (1942); and KINGS ROW (1942).

The 16th features war movies, including PASSAGE TO MARSEILLE (1944); historical dramas such as JUAREZ (1939), in which he plays Napoleon; and a random selection including ANTHONY ADVERSE (1936).

On September 23rd the focus is adventure films, starting with THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938) and THE SEA HAWK (1940), plus two miscellaneous titles, the California historical drama GOLD IS WHERE YOU FIND IT (1938) and the British film THE PASSIONATE FRIENDS (1949), costarring Ann Todd and Trevor Howard.

The final night of the month, September 30th, features courtroom dramas and crime films. THEY WON'T FORGET (1937) is notable for drawing the public's attention to young Lana Turner. THE UNSUSPECTED (1947) is about the producer of a radio crime series carrying off the "perfect crime," with a cast which includes Audrey Totter and Constance Bennett. WHERE DANGER LIVES (1950) is a noir starring Robert Mitchum.

A great month ahead for fans of classic films and especially fans of Claude Rains...and who isn't?!