TCM in March: 31 Days of Oscar Highlights

Tomorrow is March, and that means it's time for Turner Classic Movies' annual 31 Days of Oscar festival.

Every film shown on TCM this month must have received at least one Oscar nomination or award. Since that necessarily limits the lineup of films to a relatively small, familiar group of titles each year, TCM always tries to come up with a creative presentation.

This year's 31 Days of Oscar films will be shown grouped by genre. Two and sometimes three genres per day will be spotlighted.

The complete March schedule is available on a special TCM microsite which also has a .pdf link allowing the schedule to be downloaded and printed.

As usual, the regular TCM franchises, including Silent Sunday Nights and Noir Alley, will be taking the month off.

Noir Alley also announced there will not be any film noir in April due to a centennial celebration of Warner Bros. Noir Alley will return in May.

I'm kind of curious why TCM isn't working some WB film noir into the centennial schedule, but we'll have to wait to learn more over the course of this month.

Needless to say, since the March schedule is comprised of Oscar winners or nominees the titles are always more familiar than most.

Last year I focused on highlighting a select number of titles which I've seen many times, sharing why they have been important to me over the course of my life.

This year my focus will be to highlight a few of the comparatively lesser-known titles on this month's Oscar schedule.

...March 1st features family films, including LIFE WITH FATHER (1947). I loved reading Clarence Day's book when I was young, before I ever saw the movie. This film has been available in poor public domain copies for years; ClassicFlix is releasing the film on DVD in April and the scenes in their clip look pretty good compared to what I've seen in the past. William Powell, Irene Dunne, and a young Elizabeth Taylor star.

...I really liked DILLINGER (1945), with Lawrence Tierney in the title role and Anne Jeffreys in an intriguing performance as his girlfriend. I described it in my review as "stylish" and "zippy." It's on March 2nd.

...John Garfield and Eleanor Parker star in PRIDE OF THE MARINES (1945) on March 3rd. The story, about a serviceman blinded during World War II, has some similarities to BRIGHT VICTORY (1951), which I recently watched for the firs time.

...Last year I revisited the William Wellman version of A STAR IS BORN (1937) starring Fredric March and Janet Gaynor. The color on the recently released Blu-ray was exquisite! For me this is the version of the story to see. It's on March 6th.

...Pretty much every version of LITTLE WOMEN has something to offer. The 1949 MGM version showing on March 7th has gorgeous Technicolor and a marvelous cast including June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Margaret O'Brien, Janet Leigh, and Mary Astor.

...There's more John Garfield during a lineup of "Spy Stories" on March 9th, as he stars in THE FALLEN SPARROW (1943). He has not one but three wonderful leading ladies: Maureen O'Hara, Patricia Morison, and Martha O'Driscoll.

...JANIE (1944) stars ebullient Joyce Reynolds in the title role as a giddy '40s high schooler. It has a large cast of fun faces and is an enjoyable watch. It will be shown March 10th during a lineup of "Teens on Screen."

...THE FLAME AND THE ARROW (1950), starring Burt Lancaster and Virginia Mayo, directed by Jacques Tourneur, was a delight at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival. I only haven't written about it here yet as there were so many movies to discuss after the festival! It's being shown on March 14th.

...Last year I revisited NATIONAL VELVET (1944) for the first time in many years and was thoroughly impressed. Elizabeth Taylor and Mickey Rooney star, directed by Clarence Brown. It's highly recommended. It airs March 15th as part of an evening of animal stories.

...Rosalind Russell stars as SISTER KENNY (1946), a nurse who devised effective treatments for polio, on March 17th. I found it an interesting film.

...ONE FOOT IN HEAVEN (1941) is a lovely piece of Americana starring Fredric March as a parson and Martha Scott as his wife. It airs on March 22nd. Definitely worth watching.

...Robert Taylor, Ann Blyth, and Stewart Granger star in ALL THE BROTHERS WERE VALIANT (1953) on March 24th. It has stirring Miklos Rosza theme music and lovely Technicolor photography by George Folsey. While not a great film, fans of the three leads will find it worth a look.

...SERGEANT YORK (1941), starring Gary Cooper in the title role, made an impression on me as a child, but seems to be a film not seen as often these days. When I revisited it a couple of years ago I found myself deeply moved. Joan Leslie costars. It will be shown March 25th.

...Jane Powell is RICH, YOUNG AND PRETTY (1951) on March 28th. It's an enjoyable film with good music, including a number sung by the Four Freshmen.

...MEET ME IN LAS VEGAS (1956), starring Cyd Charisse and Dan Dailey, will be shown on March 29th. It's minor as MGM musicals go, but Cyd has some great dances and it's enjoyable.

...Another lesser-known but very enjoyable musical, THE SKY'S THE LIMIT (1943), airs on March 30th. Fred Astaire and Joan Leslie star. The score includes "One for My Baby (and One More for the Road)" and the Oscar-nominated "My Shining Hour."

For more on TCM in March 2023, please visit TCM's online schedule along with my Quick Preview of TCM in March.

Finally, a reminder that this year's Academy Awards ceremony will be held on Sunday, March 12th.

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