TCM in February: 31 Days of Oscar Highlights

It's time to look at the February schedule for Turner Classic Movies!

As is always the case in February, TCM will be celebrating 31 Days of Oscar this month. Thanks to Leap Day, 31 Days of Oscar runs through March 2nd this year, rather than March 3rd.

This year's schedule is titled "360 Degrees of Oscar." Each film on the schedule is connected to the film which follows by one of the cast members.

Here are a few of the highlights from among the many great films airing this month. Please click any hyperlinked title for my full review.

...William Wyler's classic WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939) is one of the first couple of films on the February 1st schedule. It stars Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon (seen at right), along with Geraldine Fitzgerald and David Niven.

...February 2nd is a particularly good day on the schedule. Among the many pleasures is HOLD BACK THE DAWN (1941) starring Olivia de Havilland and Charles Boyer, directed by Mitchell Leisen. This movie was hard to see for many years -- indeed, I first reviewed in nearly a decade ago after watching it on YouTube! -- so it's a great pleasure to have this film so readily available now. For anyone who can't catch it on TCM, last year Arrow Academy released a beautiful Blu-ray.

...NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER (1949) is a real "feel good" movie for me. Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban, Betty Garrett, and Red Skelton star on February 3rd. The song "Baby, It's Cold Outside" debuted in this movie.

...Along with WUTHERING HEIGHTS, I have fond memories of watching Bob Hope and Virginia Mayo in THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE (1944) on KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles when I was growing up. (Ch. 5 had the rights to show the Goldwyn library!) It's being shown on the 4th.

...I loved seeing A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (1935) at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival. It's the only film to have a winner who was a write-in candidate! (That would be Hal Mohr for Best Cinematography.) The movie features an all-star Warner Bros. cast which includes Dick Powell, Olivia de Havilland, James Cagney, and Anita Louise, to name just a few. It's on February 5th.

...Robert Taylor and Eleanor Parker star in ABOVE AND BEYOND (1952) on February 6th. It's an excellent film about the Enola Gay and the atomic bomb which should be better known.

...The classic musical SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) airs on February 7th. Looking back, it's hard to believe Jean Hagen didn't win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. (It went to Gloria Grahame for THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL.) Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O'Connor top a perfect cast.

...A top cast stars in William Wellman's BATTLEGROUND (1949) on February 9th. This film about the siege of Bastogne also features superb Oscar-winning cinematography. The cast includes Van Johnson, Ricardo Montalban, John Hodiak, George Murphy, Marshall Thompson, and James Whitmore.

...The classic Western STAGECOACH (1939) airs on February 10th, with John Wayne and Claire Trevor leading a marvelous cast, directed by John Ford.

...The aforementioned THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952) will be shown February 11th. I just saw this tale of Hollywood filmmakers for the first time in several years and thoroughly enjoyed revisiting it. Vincente Minnelli directs a terrific cast including Kirk Douglas, Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Walter Pidgeon, Barry Sullivan, and Gilbert Roland.

...Pier Angeli stars as an Italian war bride in TERESA (1951), airing February 12th. It's not a perfect film, but Angeli is marvelous, and there are some very beautiful moments which have stuck in my mind since seeing it; for those reasons I recommend giving it a look. Fred Zinnemann directed.

...On February 13th TCM shows WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE (1951), a tremendously fun sci-fi fantasy. I had the chance to see it at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival with star Barbara Rush in attendance!

...WRITTEN ON THE WIND (1956) is one of my favorite films directed by Douglas Sirk. It's a highly colorful (in more ways than one!) melodrama starring Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Dorothy Malone, and Robert Stack. It will be shown February 15th.

...Deanna Durbin became a huge star in THREE SMART GIRLS (1936), a delightful film showing on February 16th.

...February 17th is an amazing day of musicals, the kind of day where it would be easy to watch the entire schedule! The many gems include Jeanette MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier in ONE HOUR WITH YOU (1932).

...It's great to see the charming comedy-fantasy IT HAPPENED TOMORROW (1944) on the February 19th schedule. Dick Powell and Linda Darnell star, directed by Rene Clair. It's a treat.

...I hadn't seen the comedy MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940) in years and had a wonderful experience seeing Cary Grant's daughter Jennifer introduce it at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival. She also stayed and watched it with us! Besides Grant, the great cast includes Irene Dunne, Randolph Scott, and Gail Patrick. It will be shown February 20th.

...DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK (1939) was one of the films I saw most often on TV when I was growing up. I'm due to revisit it! Henry Fonda and Claudette Colbert star in this Revolutionary War era story, directed by John Ford and filmed in gorgeous Technicolor by Ray Rennahan and Bert Glennon. The air date is February 21st.

...February 22nd one of my very favorite movies will be shown, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954). I never tire of the delightful cast, the songs, and especially the amazing dancing! Howard Keel and Jane Powell star, directed by Stanley Donen and choreographed by Michael Kidd.

...THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER (1947) was another film seen at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival -- in 35mm nitrate! What a joy to laugh at the antics of Cary Grant, Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple, and Rudy Vallee with a packed crowd. It's on TCM February 23rd.

...When I saw THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT (1967) for the first time at UCLA a few years ago, I felt a real sense of discovery. This candy-colored musical is pure joy. Catherine Deneuve, her real-life sister Francoise Dorleac, George Chakiris, and Gene Kelly are among the cast. Check it out on TCM on February 24th.

...Norma Shearer, Chester Morris, and Robert Montgomery star in the very entertaining pre-Code melodrama THE DIVORCEE (1930) on February 25th.

...February 26th is another particularly excellent day on the schedule. I just rewatched Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers in SWING TIME (1936) last November for the first time in a few years, and I was particularly blown away by their spectacularly good number "Never Gonna Dance." Don't miss this one.

...KISS OF DEATH (1947) is a huge favorite starring Victor Mature and Coleen Gray, seen at right, and it made a star out of Richard Widmark. Don't miss it on February 27th.

...I most recently saw A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (1949) a little over a year ago, in 35mm nitrate. What a great movie! I especially love the performances of Linda Darnell and Paul Douglas. Jeanne Crain, Kirk Douglas, Ann Sothern, Jeffrey Lynn, and Thelma Ritter costar. It's on March 1st.

...It's been over a dozen years since I reviewed the Korean War drama I WANT YOU (1951) starring Dana Andrews and Dorothy McGuire. It's shown infrequently on TCM, so be sure to take advantage of the chance to see it on March 2nd. (And while you're at it, don't miss the next movie in the lineup, LAURA.)

For more information on TCM in February 2020, please visit my post Quick Preview of TCM in February, as well as TCM's online schedule and this year's 31 Days of Oscar TCM microsite.

For those who are interested, this year's Academy Awards ceremony is earlier in the year than usual, airing on February 9th.