TCM in February: Highlights

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

The monthly version of the February schedule may be found here at the TCM website.

TCM's February Star of the Month is Henry Fonda. Over 30 Fonda films will be shown on Tuesday evenings this month. Please note there will not be a separate Star of the Month post for February.  Some of my favorite Fonda films are mentioned below.

There are three Noir Alley films this month: THE TURNING POINT (1952) on February 5th and 6th, SIDE STREET (1950) on February 12th-13th, and CAST A DARK SHADOW (1957) on 26th and 27th. I believe THE TURNING POINT, starring William Holden, Edmond O'Brien, and Alexis Smith, is a TCM premiere.

There will not be a Noir Alley selection the weekend of the 19th and 20th due to a 12-film marathon honoring the late Sidney Poitier.

The February Spotlight on Monday evenings focuses on Breakup Classics. Titles include THE DIVORCEE (1933), BRIEF ENCOUNTER (1946), ADAM'S RIB (1949), and KRAMER VS. KRAMER (1979).

Below are additional February highlights. Please click any hyperlinked title to read my complete review.

...The first evening of Henry Fonda films on February 1st includes a pair of favorite films he made with John Ford, YOUNG MR. LINCOLN (1939) and DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK (1939). I've seen them both many times but have never reviewed them here; that's a definite goal!

...There's a fun prime time theme on February 2nd: "We Came, We Saw, We Conga'd." Titles include MY SISTER EILEEN (1955) and MOON OVER MIAMI (1941).

...February 3rd there's a multifilm tribute to Janet Leigh which includes her lovely film debut in THE ROMANCE OF ROSY RIDGE (1949). Van Johnson costars.

...February 6th includes Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934), a film which never fails to make me happy.

...The "Breakup Classics" on February 7th include GOODBYE AGAIN (1933), starring Warren William, Joan Blondell, and Genevieve Tobin, and FORSAKING ALL OTHERS (1934) with Clark Gable, Joan Crawford, and Robert Montgomery.

...Henry Fonda Night on February 8th includes the very fine D-Day epic THE LONGEST DAY (1962). I was impressed by the way members of the huge cast contributed unforgettable character sketches in relatively brief screen time, including Fonda as Brigadier General Teddy Roosevelt Jr., who led the assault on Utah Beach while using a cane.

...A daytime tribute to Kathryn Grayson on her February 9th birth date includes another film I need to review here, LOVELY TO LOOK AT (1952). An underrated charmer with a great cast including Howard Keel, Ann Miller, Red Skelton, and Marge and Gower Champion, who have a couple of remarkable dance numbers!

...February 10th features a wonderful day of RKO film noir, including Laraine Day in THE LOCKET (1946). Sharyn Moffett, an impressive young actress who played Day as a child in the film, recently passed away; I wrote a brief tribute to her at the end of a recent link roundup post.

...February 11th there's a wonderful eight-film memorial tribute to Arlene Dahl. It includes fine films such as THE BLACK BOOK (1949), aka REIGN OF TERROR (seen here with Robert Cummings); SCENE OF THE CRIME (1949); AMBUSH (1950); THE OUTRIDERS (1950); and four more titles.

...TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944), starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, makes excellent Sunday viewing on February 13th.

...Joan Leslie is celebrated on February 15th with a seven-film lineup which includes the underrated THE SKY'S THE LIMIT (1943) opposite Fred Astaire.

...February 17th features a trio of Gene Tierney films in prime time, including one of my all-time favorite movies, LAURA (1944). Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, and Judith Anderson costar, directed by Otto Preminger.

...Late on the 17th or early on the 18th, depending on the time zone, there's a documentary of note, LESLIE CARON: THE RELUCANT STAR (2016).

...You can never watch ANGEL AND THE BADMAN (1947) too many times! An all-time favorite Western starring John Wayne and Gail Russell. It was a thrill to see where it was filmed on last year's visit to Sedona! It's on Saturday, February 19th.

...There's a nine-film birthday tribute to Ann Sheridan on February 21st which includes WOMAN ON THE RUN (1950), costarring Dennis O'Keefe.

...A dozen years ago I enjoyed THE ARNELO AFFAIR (1947), which starred John Hodiak, Frances Gifford, George Murphy, and Dean Stockwell. It's a film I've wished would be released by the Warner Archive Collection. It will air on TCM on February 23rd.

...February 24th features a day of adaptations of classic novels, including the superlative 1933 version of LITTLE WOMEN (1933) directed by George Cukor. (At right, Jean Parker, Katharine Hepburn, and Joan Bennett as Beth, Jo, and Amy.) LITTLE WOMEN was one of a very small number of classic films I saw on a big screen in 2020, and I treasure the memory.

...On February 25th the lineup features films set in major U.S. cities, including Clark Gable in MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (1934) and SAN FRANCISCO (1936).

...For perfect entertainment on February 26th, look no further than John Ford's STAGECOACH (1939), starring John Wayne and Claire Trevor.

...I really enjoyed Glenn Ford and Geraldine Page in the gentle romantic drama DEAR HEART (1964). It makes fine Sunday viewing on February 27th.

...February ends in fine style with a birthday tribute to director Vincente Minnelli on February 28th. Titles include AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951) and BRIGADOON (1954).

For more on TCM in February 2022, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in February along with TCM's online schedule. Happy classic movie viewing!

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