TCM in October: Highlights

Time for a look at some of the interesting titles on the October schedule at Turner Classic Movies!

Rita Hayworth's centennial will be celebrated as she is honored as the October Star of the Month.

21 Rita Hayworth movies are on the October schedule, airing on Tuesdays. I'll have a separate Star of the Month post up on Monday. (October 1st Update: Please visit TCM Star of the Month: Rita Hayworth.)

The TCM Spotlight is focused on "Funny Ladies," with Carol Burnett and Illeana Douglas cohosting every Thursday. Can't wait!

This month's Noir Alley titles are ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW (1959) on October 6th/7th, THE DAMNED DON'T CRY (1950) on October 13th and 14th, THE HUNTED (1948) on October 20/21, and FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949) on October 27th and 28th. I really enjoyed the latter three films and particularly recommend THE HUNTED, a minor noir which is nonetheless one of my all-time favorites. Preston Foster and Belita star.

Treasures From the Disney Vault returns on October 15th with BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS (1971), a perfect choice for October! Also showing: THE CAT FROM OUTER SPACE (1978), FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (1986), THE BLACK HOLE (1979), and THE LAST FLIGHT OF NOAH'S ARK (1980). Leonard Maltin hosts.

Saturday morning programming in October will feature Jimmy Wakely Westerns, POPEYE cartoons, and the Saint series starring George Sanders.

This being October, look for Horror Stars featured on Wednesdays and Mummy films every Sunday.

Here's a look at just some of the interesting titles airing on TCM in October. Click any hyperlinked title to read the corresponding film review and learn more details.

...On October 2nd TCM is showing Myrna Loy and Warner Baxter in the highly enjoyable PENTHOUSE ( 1933), followed later in the day by the role PENTHOUSE is said to have won her, playing Nora Charles in THE THIN MAN (1934).

...For delightful MGM entertainment you can't do better than DANCING CO-ED (1939), starring Lana Turner, Richard Carlson, Ann Rutherford, and Artie Shaw. I have described it "a treasure trove of enjoyable personalities and good music." Shakespeare it's not, but it's great fun. Tune in October 3rd.

...HELL'S HEROES (1929) is one of the earliest versions of the classic story 3 GODFATHERS, starring Charles Bickford, Raymond Hatton, and Fred Kohler, directed by William Wyler. It's short and sweet -- and has fantastic location filming at what is now the ghost town of Bodie, California. It's on October 4th.

...Later on the 4th it's the first night of "Funny Ladies," hosted by Carol Burnett and Illeana Douglas. I particularly recommend Marion Davies in SHOW PEOPLE (1928), which I saw for the first time at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival.

...A prime time tribute to Margaret Lockwood on October 5th features a great lineup of NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940), seen at right; Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES (1938);  and the Gainsborough Pictures melodrama THE WICKED LADY (1945), costarring James Mason. A terrific evening of entertainment!

...I can't recommend THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD (1951) too many times; it's one of my favorite discoveries of the last few years. Kenneth Tobey and Margaret Sheridan may not be household names these days but they're absolutely terrific in this sci-fi tale set at a base at the North Pole. It's on October 6th. Although the credited director was Christian Nyby, it's an accepted fact that it was actually directed by Howard Hawks; indeed, Tobey told historian Alan K. Rode that Nyby only directed one scene. The terrific screenplay was by Charles Lederer, with uncredited work by the great Ben Hecht.

...One of my all-time favorite films, THE MARK OF ZORRO (1940, is on October 8th. What can I say other than it's a perfect movie?! Check out this beautiful photo gallery of stars Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell, along with supporting player Basil Rathbone.

...A day of documentaries on October 9th includes THE SECRET LAND (1948), a documentary about Admiral Richard Byrd and the Antarctic which is narrated by Robert Montgomery, Robert Taylor, and Van Heflin.

...The Korean War film BATTLE CIRCUS (1953), starring Humphrey Bogart and June Allyson, is one I need to see. Richard Brooks directed. It's on October 10th.

...Night two of "Funny Ladies" is on October 11th. The terrific five-film lineup includes THEODORA GOES WILD (1936) starring Irene Dunne and Melvyn Douglas, grandfather of Funny Ladies cohost Illeana Douglas. I enjoyed seeing her introduced this film at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival.

...TCM is showing two different versions of SHOW BOAT this month. The 1929 version, which I haven't seen, will be shown on October 7th, and the colorful and highly enjoyable 1951 MGM version is on October 12th. (Funny thing, the only version not being shown this month, released in 1936, starred Irene Dunne, star of the previously recommended film THEODORA GOES WILD.) 1951 stars Kathryn Grayson and Ava Gardner are seen at the right. Related viewing: TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (1946), listed below on October 14th.

...October 13th: Howard Hawks' RIO BRAVO (1959) with John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, and Ricky Nelson. Be there.

...It's been quite a while since I've watched MGM's TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY (1946), a biopic about composer Jerome Kern (Robert Walker) featuring many of his greatest songs...not to mention a mini version of SHOW BOAT with Tony Martin, Lena Horne, and Kathryn Grayson, five years before she played the same role in the full-length movie. TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY is on October 14th.

...You can't go wrong staying put for a seven-film tribute to Jean Arthur on October 17th. It includes three Frank Capra films, THE MORE THE MERRIER (1943), and THE EX-MRS. BRADFORD (1936) with William Powell.

...I've acquired a liking for Tom Keene and look forward to checking out his Western SON OF THE BORDER (1933), costarring Julie Haydon. It's on October 18th.

...The third night of "Funny Ladies" is October 18th, featuring BORN YESTERDAY (1950), SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952), and PILLOW TALK (1959). I'm glad Doris Day is being recognized for being a wonderful comedienne!

...NURSE ON WHEELS (1963), with Juliet Mills as a young nurse in a country village, sounds interesting. It's on October 19th.

...October 22nd is the 101st anniversary of the birth of the late Oscar-winning actress Joan Fontaine, who died in 2013. She'll receive an eight-film daytime tribute, which includes her starring turn in an atypical role in the delicious BORN TO BE BAD (1950).

...The comedy CALLAWAY WENT THATAWAY (1951) provides a good dual role for star Howard Keel. Fred MacMurray and Dorothy McGuire costar. It's on October 23rd.

...I love the cast of FLIGHT COMMAND (1940), on the schedule October 24th: Robert Taylor, Ruth Hussey, and Walter Pidgeon.

...The comedy-fantasy MAN ALIVE (1946) has a good cast: Pat O'Brien, Ellen Drew, and Adolphe Menjou. It's on October 25th. Looking forward to catching up with it as some point!

...Perfect (and not too scary!) late October viewing: THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947), the 20th Century-Fox classic starring Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison. It will be shown October 27th.

...There's a centennial tribute to Diana Serra Cary, aka Baby Peggy, on October 28th; she turns 100 on the 29th. The evening features the documentary BABY PEGGY: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (2010), the short PEG O' THE MOUNTED (2924) and the feature films HTE FAMILY SECRET (1924) and CAPTAIN JANUARY (1924). I really enjoyed her in HELEN'S BABIES (1924) at the Cinecon Festival and few weeks ago and look forward to trying these movies.

For more on TCM in October 2018, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in October as well as TCM's complete online schedule.