TCM Star of the Month: Joan Blondell

Beloved actress Joan Blondell is the December Star of the Month on Turner Classic Movies.

Blondell's career will be celebrated every Thursday evening this month, continuing into Friday.

The first two weeks will focus on Joan's pre-Code years, followed by later movies and character roles. 29 films in all will be shown.

Below is the complete lineup; click any hyperlinked title for the related review.

Air times for varying time zones may be found on TCM's online schedule.

December 5th

SINNER'S HOLIDAY (1930)
MILLIE (1931)
BLONDE CRAZY (1931)
MAKE ME A STAR (1932)
BLONDIE JOHNSON (1933)
THE CROWD ROARS (1932)
THREE ON A MATCH (1932)
MISS PINKERTON (1932)
THE FAMOUS FERGUSON CASE (1932)


December 12th

SMARTY (1934)
GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933 (1933)
HAVANA WIDOWS (1933)
I'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER (1934)
LAWYER MAN (1932)
HE WAS HER MAN (1934)
KANSAS CITY PRINCESS (1934)
FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933)


December 19th

TOPPER RETURNS (1941)
CRY "HAVOC" (1944)
OFF THE RECORD (1939)
BULLETS OR BALLOTS (1936)
WE'RE IN THE MONEY (1935)
THREE MEN ON A HORSE (1936)
TWO GIRLS ON BROADWAY (1940)


December 26th

THE CINCINNATI KID (1965)
THE OPPOSITE SEX (1956)
THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT (1957)
ANGEL BABY (1961)
ADVANCE TO THE REAR (1964)

Among these films I particularly recommend BLONDIE JOHNSON, GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933, and FOOTLIGHT PARADE. THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT is also a favorite, although Joan's role is relatively small.

I was honestly surprised that a fairly significant number of Blondell's movies aren't on the schedule, from NIGHT NURSE (1931) and UNION DEPOT (1932) to THERE'S ALWAYS A WOMAN (1938) and GOOD GIRLS GO TO PARIS (1939) to A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (1945) and NIGHTMARE ALLEY (1947). I'm sure licensing issues must be at play in regards to Columbia and 20th Century-Fox titles I've mentioned here, but there are a number of early Blondell films -- including the aforementioned NIGHT NURSE and UNION DEPOT -- which TCM regularly shows and are not on this schedule. It would be interesting to know more.

Nonetheless, there are many very entertaining films being shown this month, and it's a great opportunity to enjoy the work of a wonderful actress thanks to Turner Classic Movies.

For more on TCM in December 2019, please visit my posts TCM in December: Highlights, TCM in December: Christmas Movies, and Quick Preview of TCM in December, along with TCM's online schedule.