TCM in February: Highlights

February is another great-looking month on Turner Classic Movies!

As was the case last month, I've put together my highlights post based on information available from several sources, but the monthly schedule is no longer available at the TCM website until the 1st of the month.  (You can now see most of the February schedule using the daily calendar instead.)  TCM's February link will go live on February 1st here.

The February Star of the Month is John Garfield. This is Garfield's third time to be so honored, but it's the first time in 18 years. 30 Garfield films will be shown spread across Tuesday evenings this month.

I'll have a separate Star of the Month post here early next week, with a complete list of the Garfield titles on the schedule and a number of review links.  (Update: Please visit TCM Star of the Month: John Garfield.)

This month's Noir Alley films are THE KILLER THAT STALKED NEW YORK (1950) on February 6th and 7th, NATIVE SON (1951) on the 20th and 21st, and ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW (1959) on the 27th and 28th.

As mentioned in my February preview, Noir Alley will take a break on Valentine's weekend for TCM's "Romantic Getaway Weekend."

There's also a Valentine's theme for this month's TCM Spotlight, called "Kiss Connection."  These films, on Thursday evenings, will feature movies linked by the actors who kiss in each film.  

Wednesday evenings will feature a "special theme," "Noteworthy African American Performances," cohosted by Ben Mankiewicz and historian Donald Bogle.  The complete lineup may be found at the link in this paragraph.

I mentioned in my February preview that Ernst Lubitsch's silent film SO THIS IS PARIS (1926) was on the Silent Sunday Nights schedule, but unfortunately it's disappeared from the final February lineup.  The rarely seen ONLY YESTERDAY (1933) with Margaret Sullavan also didn't make the final schedule.  We'll cross our fingers that they can be shown on TCM in the future.

Here are additional highlights from the February schedule on TCM.  Please click any hyperlinked title to read my full review.

...I have a soft spot for NEVER LET ME GO (1953), a Cold War thriller starring two all-time favorites, Clark Gable and Gene Tierney.  It's on early on February 1st as part of a day-long Gable birthday tribute.

...TCM is celebrating Groundhog Day with a lineup of snow-themed movies on February 2nd.  The films include a delightful comedy, SNOWED UNDER (1936), with George Brent, Genevieve Tobin, and Glenda Farrell heading a top cast. Then later in the day stay tuned for some spring-themed titles including SPRING MADNESS (1938), a college drama with Lew Ayres, Maureen O'Sullivan, and Ruth Hussey.

...I was able to see Cary Grant's daughter Jennifer introduce MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940) at the last TCM Classic Film Festival I attended in 2019.  What a fun movie!  Irene Dunne, Gail Patrick, and Randolph Scott costar.  It's shown in prime time on February 4th.

...Irene Dunne is back on the 6th in JOY OF LIVING (1938), costarring Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

...The classic Ernst Lubitsch comedy TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942) is on the December 7th schedule.  I have such wonderful memories of seeing it at UCLA at 2016 and dream longingly of seeing a movie in 35mm once more!  In the meantime, don't miss it on TCM, especially if it's a first-time watch.  Jack Benny and Carole Lombard are in top form along with a superb supporting cast.

...On February 8th TCM will celebrate the centennial of the birth of Lana Turner with a 24-hour marathon featuring a dozen Turner films.  I've seen most of the films on the schedule and it's a very entertaining lineup, featuring everything from DANCING CO-ED (1939) to KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY (1945) to THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (1952).  Don't miss MARRIAGE IS A PRIVATE AFFAIR (1944), in which Lana is at her very loveliest, gowned in an amazing wardrobe designed by Irene.  I was fortunate to see one of the dresses (seen here) at the Hollywood Museum a couple of years ago.

...The very next day, February 9th, there's a spectacular nine-film tribute to Robert Ryan.  The entire lineup is worthwhile; I particularly recommend ACT OF VIOLENCE (1949), costarring Van Heflin and Janet Leigh, and BORN TO BE BAD (1950) with Joan Fontaine, Zachary Scott, and Joan Leslie.

...On February 10th TCM will show the very special film MOONRISE (1948), starring Dane Clark, Gail Russell, and Allyn Joslyn, directed by Frank Borzage.

...BEAUTY AND THE BOSS (1932) is a wonderful pre-Code comedy starring Marian Marsh, Warren William, and Charles Butterworth.  It's on February 11th.  Very much recommended.

...There's more Lana on TCM on February 12th with the enjoyable TWO GIRLS ON BROADWAY (1940), costarring Joan Blondell and George Murphy.  Turner was quite a proficient dancer in her early films, making me wish she'd done more musicals.

...TCM's "Romantic Weekend Getaway" begins the evening of the 12th and runs through Valentine's Day.  It's a weekend filled with great movies, including THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940), which I just revisited very recently, and SWING TIME (1936).  Those titles air on the 13th and 14th, respectively.

...Mary Astor stars as a SMART WOMAN (1931), an interesting pre-Code showing on the 15th.  It's airing as part of a day of films on jealous lovers, which also includes RAGE IN HEAVEN (1940) starring Robert Montgomery, Ingrid Bergman, and George Sanders.

...A day of "royal romances" on February 17th includes Ernst Lubitsch's THE SMILING LIEUTENANT (1931) starring Miriam Hopkins, Maurice Chevalier, and Claudette Colbert.

...There's a great day of "Western Noir" on February 19th, featuring wonderful titles such as STATION WEST (1948), BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948), ROUGHSHOD (1949), and COLORADO TERRITORY (1949), to name a few.

...The visually stunning SINBAD THE SAILOR (1947) airs on February 20th, starring Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Maureen O'Hara.

...Although SO THIS IS PARIS dropped off the final schedule, February is still a great month for Ernst Lubitsch films on TCM.  February 21st's titles include TROUBLE IN PARADISE (1932) with Kay Francis, Miriam Hopkins, and Herbert Marshall, and DESIGN FOR LIVING (1933) with Hopkins, Gary Cooper, and Fredric March.

...On February 22nd, TCM is showing both FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950) and its sequel, FATHER'S LITTLE DIVIDEND (1951).  Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth Taylor, and Joan Bennett star in both films.

...A wonderful day of "Dream Cinema" on February 25th includes Vincente Minnelli's YOLANDA AND THE THIEF (1945) and BRIGADOON (1954).

...There's more Minnelli on February 28th with THE STORY OF THREE LOVES (1953), an anthology film with a cast including James Mason, Moira Shearer, Kirk Douglas, Pier Angeli, and Leslie Caron.

Have a wonderful month enjoying classic movies!

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