TCM in October: Highlights

It's hard to believe it's already time to look at the Turner Classic Movies schedule for October -- especially with this coming weekend's Southern California forecast in the triple digits!

Janet Leigh is the October Star of the Month beginning on Wednesday evening, September 1st. Over 30 Janet Leigh films will be shown this month. I'll have more to share regarding those titles in a post in the near future. (Update: Please visit TCM Star of the Month: Janet Leigh.)

TCM will be celebrating Halloween with a series of ghost movies on Thursday evenings. Details on some of those films and more:

...The first evening of ghost films on Thursday, October 2nd, is titled "Unfinished Business" and leads off with the classic TOPPER (1937) with Cary Grant and Constance Bennett. The schedule also includes THE CANTERVILLE GHOST (1944), a terrific family film with Margaret O'Brien, Charles Laughton, and Robert Young, as well as BEYOND TOMORROW (1940) with Richard Carlson and Jean Parker. I'm especially interested in checking out A PLACE OF ONE'S OWN (1945) with two great British stars, Margaret Lockwood and James Mason.

...OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES (1945) is classic MGM Americana airing on Friday, October 3rd. Edward G. Robinson and Agnes Moorehead play Norwegian-American farmers raising Margaret O'Brien. The wonderful supporting cast includes James Craig, Frances Gifford, Dorothy Morris, and Jackie "Butch" Jenkins, plus marvelous character actors like Arthur Space and Louis Jean Heydt.

...The Friday Night Spotlight series for October focuses on Africa. The series kicks off on the evening of the 3rd with a slate including THE AFRICAN QUEEN (1951), CASABLANCA (1942), and THE WIND AND THE LION (1975).

...I love train movies, and there's a whole evening of them on October 4th, starting with Carole Lombard and John Barrymore in TWENTIETH CENTURY (1935). That's followed by Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES (1938) and WITHOUT RESERVATIONS (1946).

...October 5th starts off with one of my all-time favorite British films, GREEN FOR DANGER (1946), an engaging wartime mystery which has stood up to repeat viewings. Alastair Sim is the inspector on the case at a British hospital in the country.

...I recently reviewed the great "B" movie FIVE CAME BACK (1939), which finds Chester Morris, Lucille Ball, Kent Taylor, and Wendy Barrie, among others, stranded in the jungle with very nasty natives. Don't miss it on October 5th.

...I saw Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray in SWING HIGH, SWING LOW (1937) at UCLA a couple of years ago. This interesting comedy-drama, directed by Mitchell Leisen, will air as part of a tribute to Carole Lombard on October 6th.

...A lineup of movies directed by Jack Webb on October 8th includes a film I've never seen, THE LAST TIME I SAW ARCHIE (1961) with Robert Mitchum and Martha Hyer.

...October 9th an evening of "Supernatural Romance" starts with the lovely fantasy PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948) with Joseph Cotten and Jennifer Jones, followed by another wonderful film, THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947) with Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison.

....October 10th TCM shows ONE NIGHT AT SUSIE'S (1930) with Billie Dove and Douglas Fairbanks Jr., which was just released by the Warner Archive.

...October 10th also includes a lineup of films starring Sally Blane, who was born Elizabeth Jane Young and was the older sister of Loretta Young. Only on TCM! Titles include TANNED LEGS ((1929) and THE SILVER STREAK (1935). This is a day my DVR will be running all day scooping up obscure titles for later exploration!

...An October 13th birthday tribute to Laraine Day includes one of her Westerns with George O'Brien, PAINTED DESERT (1938), and the very fine WWII drama JOURNEY FOR MARGARET (1942) with Robert Young and Margaret O'Brien.

...There's a tribute to Richard Dix on October 14th. I'll be recording several Dix films including THE ARIZONIAN (1935) with Margot Grahame and Preston Foster.

...I'm also looking forward to SILVER SKATES (1943) on the 14th, starring the skater Belita (THE HUNTED) and Patricia Morison, who turns 100 in March!

...A great day on October 14th concludes with a prime time tribute to Franchot Tone, including THE UNGUARDED HOUR (1936) with Loretta Young and his Oscar-nominated role in MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935).

...MAN WANTED (1932) is a really fun pre-Code starring Kay Francis, airing on October 15th. Kay plays a married workaholic magazine editor who falls for her secretary (David Manners).

..."Ghost Comedies" on October 16th include Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in the classic spooky old house film THE GHOST BREAKERS (1940).

...THE MACOMBER AFFAIR (1947) is still not out on DVD, but it's on TCM October 17th. It stars Gregory Peck, Joan Bennett, and Robert Preston in a tale of a possible murder on a safari.

...My friend Blake Lucas recently recommended Fritz Lang's MOONFLEET (1955), starring Stewart Granger and George Sanders, at the blog Rupert Pupkin Speaks. MOONFLEET airs on October 18th.

...There's a morning of pre-Codes on October 20th. I'm interested in seeing FRAMED (1930) with Regis Toomey and Evelyn Brent. It's fun seeing Toomey, who became such a great character actor, in his early leading man roles.

...October 21st will feature a tribute to director Edgar G. Ulmer, leading off with HER SISTER'S SECRET (1946), a most enjoyable film starring Nancy Coleman and Margaret Lindsay which was screened at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival. It will also be screened at the 2015 UCLA Festival of Preservation.

..."Gothic Ghosts" on October 23rd include what many think is the best ghost movie of them all, THE UNINVITED (1944), starring Ray Milland and Gail Russell. The evening also features Eleanor Parker and Alexis Smith in THE WOMAN IN WHITE (1948), based on the novel by Wilkie Collins.

...The delightful musical comedy IRENE (1940) airs on October 26th, starring Ray Milland, Anna Neagle, Roland Young, Billie Burke, and Marsha Hunt.

...I really enjoyed the "B" film CRASHING HOLLYWOOD (1938), with Lee Tracy as an aspiring screenwriter. Rib-tickling fun directed by Lew Landers. It's on October 27th.

...I'm looking forward to recording Tom Conway and Audrey Long, who just passed away, in A NIGHT OF ADVENTURE (1944) on October 30th.

...The month of ghost movies wraps up on the night of October 30th with a "Haunted Houses" theme, including the William Castle film 13 GHOSTS (1960).

...There's an entire day of spooky movies on Halloween, including the Val Lewton classic I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE (1943), starring Tom Conway and Frances Dee, directed by Jacques Tourneur.

For more on TCM in October, check out the complete schedule. Happy Autumn and Happy Halloween!