TCM in June: Highlights

It's time to take a look at what promises to be a terrific June on Turner Classic Movies!

The month's schedule is filled with interesting things, including a Jazz in Film series every Monday and Thursday evening, hosted by Eddie Muller, and History of the Swimsuit the last three Wednesdays of the month.

The June Star of the Month will be Ann Sheridan. Approximately three dozen of Sheridan's films will be shown on Tuesday evenings beginning June 2nd. A detailed look at the schedule of Ann Sheridan films is coming soon. (Update: Please visit my post TCM Star of the Month: Ann Sheridan.)

The June Noir Alley films are THE UNDERWORLD STORY (1950) on June 6th and 7th, MURDER BY CONTRACT (1958) on the 13th-14th, UNDERWORLD, U.S.A. (1961) on June 20th and 21st, and THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (1948) on June 27th and 28th. I really enjoyed THE UNDERWORLD STORY, which stars Dan Duryea and Gale Storm. I was fortunate to see it at the Noir City Film Festival half a decade ago.

Below are just a few of TCM's June highlights; please click on any hyperlinked title for my full-length review.

...A tribute to Frank Morgan on June 1st includes the classic MGM Americana THE HUMAN COMEDY (1943). If you've never seen it, don't miss it; among other things, it contains Mickey Rooney's best performance. Donna Reed, Van Johnson, James Craig, and many other wonderful actors are also in the film. There's even a brief appearance by Robert Mitchum!

...Rosalind Russell's June 4th birthday is celebrated with half a dozen films including SISTER KENNY (1946), in which she portrays the nurse who developed important treatments for polio.

...Later on the 4th the Jazz in Film series kicks off with titles including Lena Horne in CABIN IN THE SKY (1943) and STORMY WEATHER (1943), followed by A SONG IS BORN (1948), and HIGH SOCIETY (1956). I had a wonderful time revisiting HIGH SOCIETY, which has Louis Armstrong in a featured role, at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival.

...As a Preston Foster fan I need to see SEA DEVILS (1937), also starring Ida Lupino and Victor McLaglen. It's on June 5th.

...TCM is showing William Wyler's DODSWORTH (1936) on June 7th. I've reviewed it twice in the last few months, first after seeing it at a Robert Osborne tribute in October and very recently via Blu-ray. Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, and Mary Astor star, and as a bonus there's a very young John Payne in a small role. Check it out and see what you think.

...There are some great "B" Westerns on TCM in June, including an entire daytime lineup of films on June 9th. Along with films starring Tim Holt and Roy Rogers, TCM is showing THE DESPERADO (1954), a terrific little film which should be better known. It stars Wayne Morris, Beverly Garland, Lee Van Cleef, and Jimmy Lydon, who turned 97 on May 30th. (Update: An important note, Tim Holt's DESERT PASSAGE, showing today, is not on DVD!)

...Judy Garland's birthday on June 10th is the occasion for a wonderful lineup of MGM musicals including SUMMER STOCK (1950) and MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944). Hollywood musical entertainment at its very best.

...The History of the Swimsuit lineup on the evening of the 10th includes Virginia Mayo in the delightful comedy THE GIRL FROM JONES BEACH (1949). Ronald Reagan is her leading man. This one is a lot of fun; I've enjoyed it multiple times.

...On June 11th the Jazz in Film series features bios and screen appearances of big band leaders. THE GLENN MILLER STORY (1954) was one of those wonderful films which encouraged my love for classic films as I was growing up; James Stewart and June Allyson star. The schedule also includes Benny Goodman in SWEET AND LOW-DOWN (1944) which I saw at the 2018 Cinecon 54 Festival.

...June 12th is a wonderful day of pre-Code goodness including THREE ON A MATCH (1932), WHEN LADIES MEET (1933), and OUR BETTERS (1933). Also airing on that date is NO MORE LADIES (1935), a quite enjoyable Joan Crawford-Robert Montgomery film released shortly after the end of the pre-Code era.

...As a big fan of George O'Brien's "B" Westerns, I'm delighted to see so many of them turn up on TCM this month. On the 13th TCM is showing BORDER G-MAN (1938), costarring Laraine Johnson, who would soon change her name to Laraine Day.

...Can I ever recommend FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933) too many times? Nope! It's on June 14th. James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, and the most dazzling Busby Berkeley routines ever put on film.

...The Jazz in Film evening on June 15th includes ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW (1959), which has a score by John Lewis of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Robert Ryan and Harry Belafonte star.

...The next day, on the 16th, there's a multifilm tribute to Robert Ryan which includes the deliciously entertaining BORN TO BE BAD (1950), costarring Joan Fontaine, Joan Leslie, and Zachary Scott, directed by Nicholas Ray.

...The History of the Swimsuit on June 17th, which carries over into the early morning hours of the 18th, includes the always-entertaining WHERE THE BOYS ARE (1960), with charming Dolores Hart leading a terrific cast including Paula Presley and Jim Hutton.

...It's Jeanette MacDonald Day on June 18th! Movie entertainment just doesn't get any better than NEW MOON (1940), where she duets "Lover Come Back to Me" with Nelson Eddy, or SAN FRANCISCO (1936) opposite Clark Gable and Spencer Tracy. I highly recommend these films for anyone who's not yet had the pleasure.

...Anyone who missed NIAGARA (1953)  on TCM this past week can enjoy it as part of a day of crime films on June 19th. This colorful suspense film features a charming performance by Jean Peters plus Marilyn Monroe in an early starring role as the femme fatale. Add in eye-catching locations and it's a visual treat in more ways than one.

...Father's Day on June 21st includes traditional favorites for the holiday such as William Powell in LIFE WITH FATHER (1947) and Spencer Tracy in FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950). Also on the schedule is the very first Andy Hardy film, A FAMILY AFFAIR (1936), with Lionel Barrymore as Judge Hardy; the role was played by Lewis Stone in all the later entries in the series.

...TCM celebrates the June 22nd birthday of director-screenwriter Billy Wilder with half a dozen films including the delightful THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR (1932), starring Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland.

...Later on the 22nd, the Jazz in Film selections include JAZZ ON A SUMMER'S DAY (1959), which I recall seeing at the FilmEx festival in Century City as a young teen. As I recall, it was part of the movie musical marathon in 1977.

...One of the few films I've seen in a theater so far this year was LITTLE WOMEN (1933), which was an extremely special viewing experience. It's on TCM on June 23rd, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

...There are more "B" Westerns on June 24th, including RIDING THE WIND (1942), a not-on-DVD Tim Holt film I've never seen. There are also multiple George O'Brien films and STAMPEDE (1949), a very good Western starring Rod Cameron, Gale Storm, and Johnny Mack Brown. This is one of those "stay on the couch and enjoy the entire lineup" kind of days! (Update: Thanks to Lee for pointing out that RIDING THE WIND is in the Warner Archive's Tim Holt Vol. 4 collection, which I missed on an initial search. However, 1952's Holt film DESERT PASSAGE, showing on the 9th, is not on DVD!)

...Jazz in Film on June 25th will include PETE KELLY'S BLUES (1955) and BLUES IN THE NIGHT (1941).

...Ronald Reagan and Gloria Blondell star in ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN (1938), an interesting if not entirely satisfying programmer which airs on June 27th. Worth checking out for its storyline about an avaricious wife which seems to be a forerunner of later film noir titles such as TOO LATE FOR TEARS (1949).

...There's an enjoyable selection of "B" crime films on June 29th including Robert Douglas in HOMICIDE (1949), Priscilla Lane and Lawrence Tierney (seen here) in BODYGUARD (1948), and Barbara Payton and Paul Langton in MURDER IS MY BEAT (1955). Each of these films runs 77 minutes or less and the first two mentioned are especially entertaining.

For more on TCM in June 2020, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in June, TCM Star of the Month: Ann Sheridan, and TCM's complete online schedule.

Enjoy all the great movies showing in June on TCM!