Quick Preview of TCM in May

The May schedule is now available for Turner Classic Movies!

Paul Newman is the May Star of the Month. 25 Newman films are scheduled to play over the course of five Wednesday evenings in May.

I'm particularly enthused about the Thursday evening Spotlight series, which will focus on World War II "Homefront" films set in the U.S. and Britain. Some very fine films will be shown, ranging from well-known titles like SINCE YOU WENT AWAY (1944) and MRS. MINIVER (1942) to somewhat lesser-known, yet excellent films such as MILLIONS LIKE US (1943), THE HUMAN COMEDY (1943), and THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU (1944).

Titles such as JOURNEY FOR MARGARET (1943), TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT (1945), and HOPE AND GLORY (1987) depict living through the London Blitz, while homefront comedies, including THE MORE THE MERRIER (1943) and THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN'S CREEK (1944), will receive attention as well. It's a series I find particularly interesting, and I'll have more details to share here as May approaches.

For good measure, Tuesday evenings in May feature a fantastic lineup of screwball and romantic comedies, and Robert Osborne's May 3rd birthday will be celebrated with "Robert Osborne's Picks." I'm particularly delighted by the inclusion of THE TIME, THE PLACE AND THE GIRL (1946) in the Osborne tribute, as it introduced me to the lilting tune "Oh, But I Do" by Arthur Schwartz and Leo Robin.

The May Noir Alley films are NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947), WHITE HEAT (1949), KEY LARGO (1948), and DEAD RECKONING (1947). Tyrone Power and Coleen Gray are seen at the left in NIGHTMARE ALLEY.

Saturday mornings will feature Westerns starring Tom Keene, Whip Wilson, and Tim Holt, along with films in the Falcon series.

Mother's Day, on May 12th, will feature several well-known films about mothers, and Memorial Day on May 27th features a lineup of war movies. Additional May themes include lady gangsters, detectives, Western musicals, truck drivers, and multi-story "omnibus" films.

There will be multifilm tributes in May honoring Gary Cooper, Robert Mitchum, Nelson Eddy, Orson Welles, Laurence Olivier, Joseph Cotten, and Maureen O'Sullivan (seen at right).

TCM will definitely be the channel to be watching 24/7 this May! I'll have more details on the schedule posted here in late April.

In the meantime, Fredric March will be the March Star of the Month, with Greta Garbo honored in April.

Update: For more on TCM in May 2019, please visit TCM in May: Highlights and TCM in May: WWII Homefront Films.