Quick Preview of TCM in April
The April Star of the Month is Jane Russell.
17 Russell films will be shown spread across Monday evenings in April.
I'm especially delighted with the choice of Russell; if my records are accurate, this will be Russell's first time to be honored as Star of the Month. The lineup includes the TCM premiere of FOXFIRE (1955), also starring Jeff Chandler.
The April Noir Alley titles will be ADDRESS UNKNOWN (1944), BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT (1956), WITNESS TO MURDER (1954), and WICKED WOMAN (1953). (Update: WITNESS TO MURDER has been pulled from the schedule in favor of the Special Home Edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival.)
It's also of note that TCM is showing one of my all-time favorite film noir titles, CRY OF THE CITY (1948), starring Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Debra Paget, and Shelley Winters; Conte and Paget are seen here. The film is a TCM premiere.April themes include maids, inventors, orphans, Scotland, radio, desert islands, angels, amnesia, and films with titles starting with the words YOU CAN'T. There are plenty of sci-fi films, pre-Codes, and MGM musicals on the April schedule, including the usual appearance of EASTER PARADE (1948) on Easter Sunday.
Several Japanese LONE WOLF AND CUB films will air on Sundays on TCM Imports. These films were one of several strong influences on the hit TV series THE MANDALORIAN (2019) on the Disney+ streaming service.
The Webb prime time tribute will include the TCM premiere of THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS (1956), costarring Gloria Grahame; I haven't seen that one yet but have heard great things about it from several people.
Patricia Neal is currently the January Star of the Month, with 31 Days of Oscar following in February. The March Star of the Month will be Joe E. Brown.
I'll have a more detailed look on the April schedule posted here around the end of March.
The TCM Classic Film Festival will also be taking place in Hollywood next April, from the 16th through 20th. Stay tuned for complete coverage! (March 12th Update: The festival, like so many other events, has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 epidemic.)
Update: For more on TCM in April 2020, including information on the special "Home Edition" of the TCM Classic Film Festival, please visit TCM in April: Highlights and TCM Star of the Month: Jane Russell.
posted by Laura @ 8:15 PM
5 Comments:
Hi Laura,
I strongly recommend that you catch "THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS" when it is screened. A British picture but starring Clifton Webb as Lt.Cdr. Ewan Roberts RN, written by Roberts and adapted by novelist Nigel Balchin. It tells a true story of WW2 in a low-key, almost documentary style. Webb is excellent in it.
I look forward to reading your thoughts upon seeing it.
I have always liked Clifton Web. I don't have cable so I don't have TCM but I did a library search and "The Man Who Never Was" is in the county system so I've placed a hold on it. Sounds intriguing and I'm looking forward to watching it.
Thank you so much for your recommendation, Jerry! I've actually had a DVD of this for a while, based on my mom's strong recommendation, but haven't seen it yet (story of my life...). Perhaps I'll pull it out and watch it ahead of April! When you say "documentary style" that gets my attention, I love that type of film.
Irene, I'm glad you found it available and would love to know what you think!
Best wishes,
Laura
Man Who Never Was is a movie I recorded back in the early '90s on tape. Haven't seen it since. Will be nice to finally get this on DVD.
As for Foxfire, wow, can't wait to see this one, heard of it but've never seen it. Jeff Chandler, I first became a fan of from his work on old time radio shows which I started listening to in the '70's. Jeff was Our Miss Brooks boyfriend on radio and was so excellent as the voice of God in a Christmas episode of Duffy's Tavern and again as the voice of God in a dramatic radio drama (which I can't remember the name of) where he talked with an ambulance driver who's wife had just been in an accident herself, was now in the hospital and God counsels the man to continue on with his "mission of mercy" driving the ambulance on this Christmas night when he may be needed most. I'd hear this show every Christmas eve, it never failed to bring on tears.
Also bought one of Jeff's albums years ago at a used record store, "Sincerely, Yours". Do you have this Chandler album? It's good too. I've transferred it onto my computer's Media Plaer, so it pops up now on "random play".
I love Cry of the City and although I don't want to rush the year, I can't wait until April!
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