TCM in May: Highlights

April has flown past and May has arrived, whichmeans it's now time for a detailed look at the May schedule on Turner Classic Movies!

The May Star of the Month is Sessue Hayakawa, with his films shown on Monday evenings, beginning May 6th.

In conjunction with the celebration of Hayakawa's career, his films will be followed by late Monday night screenings of movies featuring other Asian actors and themes, with stars including Anna May Wong, Toshiro Mifune, and James Shigeta.

This month's Noir Alley films are DARK PASSAGE (1947) on May 4th and 5th, FOLLOW ME QUIETLY (1949) on the 11th and 12th, and the TCM premiere of TAKE AIM AT THE POLICE VAN (1960) on May 18th and 19th. The last weekend of the month will feature BAD FOR EACH OTHER (1953) on May 25th and 26th.

The TCM Spotlight is called "A Single Name" and features movies with one-name titles, including a relatively rare TCM airing of SHANE (1953) on May 8th. The Spotlight series will air on Wednesdays.

Additional "Special Themes" this month include "The Art of Artifice" on Tuesdays and "Directed By Frank Borzage" on the first three Thursdays of May.

Below are just a few more of the month's notable highlights. Please click any hyperlinked title to read my full-length review.

...The Frank Borzage series begins on Thursday evening, May 2nd, with a lineup that includes STRANDED (1935), starring Kay Francis and George Brent, and DESIRE (1936), starring Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper. I've seen both these films multiple times and enjoy them very much.

...A tribute to Steve Martin on May 3rd includes DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID (1982). It's rather a one-joke film, but it has some great classic film clips and Rachel Ward has a wonderful Edith Head wardrobe.

...The Musical Matinee on May 4th is one of my all-time favorite films and a movie I think is a really unsung musical: TONIGHT AND EVERY NIGHT (1945). It's set in WWII London during the Blitz. Rita Hayworth stars, along with Lee Bowman, Janet Blair, and Marc Platt.

...A Raoul Walsh double feature on May 5th consists of John Wayne in THE BIG TRAIL (1930), another relatively rare TCM showing, followed by the classic James Cagney crime film WHITE HEAT (1949). I just revisited WHITE HEAT in 35mm at the TCM Classic Film Festival. What a great movie, packed with terrific actors down to the smallest roles.

...The "Art of Artifice" series focuses on production design and special effects. The series kicks off on May 7th with Hitchcock's NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959).

...I mentioned above that SHANE is having a fairly rare TCM airing as part of the "A Single Name" series. Another movie not shown on TCM often, Shirley Temple's HEIDI (1937), will follow SHANE on May 8th. SHANE is from Paramount Pictures and HEIDI from 20th Century-Fox, which cost more for TCM to license than some other studios, hence fewer of their films are shown on the network. (Seen at left: Temple with Marcia Mae Jones in HEIDI.)

...There's an eight-film tribute to Clark Gable on May 9th - FORSAKING ALL OTHERS (1934) costarring Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery is a particular favorite - followed by another fantastic evening of films directed by Frank Borzage. The Borzage films kick off with the superlative HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT (1937) starring Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer. It's part romantic comedy, part melodrama, part disaster movie, and all wonderful.

...A birthday tribute to producer David O. Selznick on May 10th includes A STAR IS BORN (1937), starring Janet Gaynor and Fredric March. This version is my favorite.

...Mother's Day on May 11th includes THREE DARING DAUGHTERS (1948), starring Jeanette MacDonald, and I REMEMBER MAMA (1948) with Irene Dunne.

...A tribute to director Clarence Brown on the 13th includes the very enjoyable WIFE VS. SECRETARY (1936) starring Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow, and James Stewart.

...The Art of Artifice series on May 14th includes RANCHO NOTORIOUS (1952), which I wrote about last year for Classic Movie Hub. Marlene Dietrich and Arthur Kennedy star.

...The lineup of movies featuring one-name titles includes MGM's Leslie Caron musicals GIGI (1958), seen at right, and LILI (1952) on May 15th.

...There's a fantastic '40s film noir lineup on May 16th which includes PITFALL (1948), starring Dick Powell, and LADY IN THE LAKE (1947) with Robert Montgomery. Then stay tuned for more Frank Borzage films that evening!

...The "Two For One" series on May 18th will feature Steven Spielberg introducing JAILHOUSE ROCK (1957) and FORTY GUNS (1957). Those are interesting choices for a double feature!

...The Art of Artifice on May 21st will include favorite musicals THE RED SHOES (1948), THE GLASS SLIPPER (1955), and BRIGADOON (1954).

...TCM is honoring MGM musical fave Betty Garrett on her May 23rd birthday. Films include NEPTUNE'S DAUGHTER (1949) and ON THE TOWN (1949).

...On Friday evening, May 24th, TCM's annual Memorial Day Weekend war film marathon begins. It continues through Monday evening, the 27th, when it merges with a pair of WWII films starring Star of the Month Sessue Hayakawa, THREE CAME HOME (1950) and THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957).

...The one-name movies on May 29th include Greta Garbo in NINOTCHKA (1939).

...A lineup of "international incident" movies on May 30th includes the delightful PRINCESS O'ROURKE (1943) starring Olivia de Havilland. I love to recommend this one, which is reminiscent of the later ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953).

For additional information on TCM in May 2024, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in May, along with TCM's online schedule.

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