TCM in March: Highlights

It's time to take a look at Turner Classic Movies in March!

The 31 Days of Oscar festival wraps up on March 3rd; suggestions for the first three days of the month were included in last month's post.

...The March schedule begins in earnest with a seven-film tribute to John Garfield on March 4th. It's a day filled with outstanding titles. Later that evening, THE RICHEST GIRL IN THE WORLD (1934) is a cute romantic comedy with Joel McCrea, Miriam Hopkins, Fay Wray, and Reginald Denny. It was remade a decade later as BRIDE BY MISTAKE (1944).

...If my Film Noir Blogathon post on D.O.A. (1950) intrigued you, you're in luck, as it's being shown on March 5th.

...March 7th is a day of swashbucklers, including the marvelous SCARAMOUCHE (1952), which is a family favorite. It stars Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, Janet Leigh, and Mel Ferrer. Later that night, it's time for the perennial "spooky house" favorite, THE UNINVITED (1944), starring Ray Milland and Gail Russell. I strongly encourage recording these titles if you haven't caught up with them yet.

...There's a seven-film tribute to the late Claire Trevor on March 8th. I had a good time watching THE DESPERADOES (1943), in which she costarred with Randolph Scott, Glenn Ford, and Evelyn Keyes. As I shared in this post, the Oscar-winning Trevor was also known for her philanthropic work here in Orange County, including funding the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine.

...On March 9th TCM invites viewers to spend a day in Rome with an eight-film lineup which includes ROME ADVENTURE (1962). The titles include ENCHANTED APRIL (1935) and SUMMERTIME (1955). If only TCM could have licensed THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN (1954) to show as well! (March 5th Update: Thanks to Ivan for the information that ENCHANTED APRIL has been pulled from the schedule.)

...I've read quite a bit about the pre-Code SYMPHONY OF SIX MILLION (1932), which stars Ricardo Cortez and Irene Dunne. I'm looking forward to recording it on March 10th. Later that date TCM is showing SHE MARRIED HER BOSS (1935), a fun film with Claudette Colbert and Melvyn Douglas.

...THE MATING OF MILLIE (1948) was a favorite of mine to catch on TV when I was growing up, and now one of my daughters loves it too. It's a very cute film with Evelyn Keyes and Glenn Ford, who worked regularly together throughout the '40s. It will be shown on March 11th.

...March 12th just might be the best day on the schedule. It starts in the wee hours with the Powell and Pressburger film A CANTERBURY TALE (1944)...continues later in the day with one of my favorite movies, John Ford's WAGON MASTER (1950)...that afternoon there's one of the greatest Westerns of them all, RIO BRAVO (1959)...and that evening is the classic musical LOVE ME TONIGHT (1932), with a dazzling Rodgers and Hart score, innovative filming (don't miss the opening "Isn't it Romantic?" sequence), and a delicious comedic performance by Myrna Loy.

...Those of us who appreciate the underrated George Brent can enjoy a nine-film Brent festival on his birthday, March 15th. I'm especially looking forward to THE RICH ARE ALWAYS WITH US (1932), costarring Bette Davis and his one-time wife, Ruth Chatterton. SOUTH OF SUEZ (1940) with Brenda Marshall is also on my "must see" list. The day's films also include SO BIG (1932) with Barbara Stanwyck and Bette Davis, WEEK-END MARRIAGE (1932) with Loretta Young, and one of my favorite pre-Codes, THEY CALL IT SIN (1932), also starring Loretta Young.

...St. Patrick's Day will be celebrated on TCM in fine style, with a line up which includes Anna Neagle and Ray Milland in the charming IRENE (1940), June Haver and Gordon MacRae in THE DAUGHTER OF ROSIE O'GRADY (1950), Dennis Morgan and Arlene Dahl in MY WILD IRISH ROSE (1947), Morgan and Priscilla Lane in THREE CHEERS FOR THE IRISH (1940), Rod Taylor in YOUNG CASSIDY (1965), and Fred Astaire in FINIAN'S RAINBOW (1968).

...On the evening of the 17th, don't miss FEMALE (1933), one of the very best pre-Codes, which stars Ruth Chatterton and George Brent. It's delicious fun, worth watching for the set design alone (wait till you see the organ!), and only an hour long.

...March 18th I'm very happy about BIOGRAPHY OF A BACHELOR GIRL (1935), a Robert Montgomery film I've never seen. It costars Ann Harding.

...On March 21st, don't miss Robert Ryan, James Mason, and Barbara Bel Geddes in the rarely shown Max Ophuls film CAUGHT (1949). It's available on Region 2 DVD and is part of Netflix's "Watch Instantly" lineup, but it's not out on DVD in the U.S.

...I really enjoyed RICH MAN, POOR GIRL (1938), a short and sweet romance starring Robert Young and Ruth Hussey, with Lana Turner and Lew Ayres as Hussey's relatives. It will be shown March 24th.

...On March 27th the excellent Margaret O'Brien version of THE SECRET GARDEN (1949) will be shown. It costars Dean Stockwell as bratty Colin. Later that day there's a chance to see the delightful TAMMY AND THE BACHELOR (1957) with Leslie Nielsen and Debbie Reynolds. I still have warm feelings remembering Reynolds singing "Tammy" sitting on the window seat, a really lovely movie moment.

...Only on TCM will film fans find a birthday tribute to Warner Baxter! March 29th the nine-film tribute includes the very good ADAM HAD FOUR SONS (1941), with memorable performances by Ingrid Bergman, Fay Wray, Susan Hayward, and young June Lockhart. There's also a bunch of Baxter's CRIME DOCTOR movies.

...On the 30th there's an opportunity to see MINISTRY OF FEAR (1944), a Fritz Lang thriller starring Ray Milland. Later that night, the Lubitsch gem TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932) will be shown.

...The month wraps up on the 31st with several great movies, including Cary Grant and Jean Arthur in ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS (1939), Deborah Kerr in Powell and Pressburger's BLACK NARCISSUS (1947), and ALL ABOUT EVE (1950), a movie that is just about perfect in every way.

What a list!!

The March Star of the Month is Jean Harlow, with her films being shown beginning on March 8th. I'll be taking a look at the Harlow movies airing in March in about a week.

The above is only the tip of the iceberg as far as all the good things being shown on TCM in March.

For additional ideas, visit Ivan's detailed post at Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, or consult the full schedule.