TCM in January: Highlights

Happy New Year wishes to all my readers!

It's time for a detailed look at the January 2025 schedule on Turner Classic Movies.

The January Star of the Month on TCM is George Raft, beginning on Tuesday, January 7th. I'll have a complete look at this month's Raft films posted here early next week.

This month's Noir Alley films will be SUSPENSE (1946) on January 4th and 5th, DEADLINE AT DAWN (1946) on the 11th and 12th, WITHOUT PITY (1948) on January 18th and 19th, and WOMAN ON THE RUN (1950) on the 25th-26th. As I mentioned in my earlier January preview, I especially enjoy SUSPENSE, featuring the dazzling skating of noir's ice queen, Belita.

The TCM Spotlight on Friday nights has a "movie dreams" theme, including films such as THE WIZARD OF OZ (1939), I MARRIED AN ANGEL (1942), CABIN IN THE SKY (1943), and SPELLBOUND (1945). Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy are seen here in the charming I MARRIED AN ANGEL, which I found better than its reputation; it airs on January 24th.

Here's a look at a few of this month's interesting titles. As always, please click on any hyperlinked title to read my complete review.

...New Year's Day features a series of concert movies followed by an evening of THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! films (from 1974, 1976, and 1994) featuring great moments from MGM musicals.

...It's great to start a new year off with laughter, and January 2nd features several screwball comedies. The fun lineup include THREE LOVES HAS NANCY (1938), LOVE ON A BET (1936), and THE EX-MRS. BRADFORD (1938) along with better-known titles. Relax and enjoy wonderful stars including Robert Montgomery, Franchot Tone, Janet Gaynor, Wendy Barrie, William Powell, and Jean Arthur, plus a host of great character "faces."

...A Marion Davies birthday tribute on January 3rd includes EVER SINCE EVE (1937), which I really enjoyed over a decade ago. Robert Montgomery costars.

...THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT (1957) is a charmer about the employees who work at a nightclub owned by Paul Douglas and Anthony Franciosa. Jean Simmons and Joan Blondell are among the cast. It was directed by Robert Wise. It's on January 5th.

...I'm excited about a primetime six-film tribute to Julie Adams on January 6th. It includes a TCM premiere, TARAWA BEACHHEAD (1958), in which she costarred with her longtime husband Ray Danton.

...A day of films with "seven" in the title on January 7th (of course!) includes the fun MGM musical SEVEN SWEETHEARTS (1942) starring Kathryn Grayson, Van Heflin, and Marsha Hunt.

...The 90th anniversary of Elvis Presley's January 8th birthday will be celebrated with a 24-hour tribute which includes my favorite, VIVA LAS VEGAS (1964).

...A day of Dane Clark films on January 10th includes EMBRACEABLE YOU (1948), a Warner Bros. film which is shown on TCM relatively rarely and is not otherwise available for home viewing. Geraldine Brooks costars in a film I described as "an unexpected treasure...anchored by Clark's sensitive performance."

...FOOTLIGHT PARADE (1933) is probably my favorite of the three great 1933 Warner Bros. musicals featuring choreography by Busby Berkeley. Numbers like "By a Waterfall" are simply mind-blowing. It will be the "Musical Matinee" hosted by Dave Karger on January 11th.

...January 13th features a 10-film birthday tribute to the great Kay Francis! I've seen all but one of the movies and it's a marvelous day to stay home with TCM running. The movies are all enjoyable; favorites include MARY STEVENS, M.D. (1933) and THE KEYHOLE (1933).

...January 14th features a day of films scripted by Frances Marion capped by the documentary WITHOUT LYING DOWN: FRANCES MARION AND THE POWER OF WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD (2000). The late historian Cari Beauchamp served as a producer; the documentary was based on her book.

...The early British films of Alfred Hitchcock will be featured on TCM across two evenings, January 15th and 22nd. Each evening will featuring a screening of a new documentary, BECOMING HITCHCOCK: THE LEGACY OF BLACKMAIL (2024), along with several Hitchcock movies made between 1929 and 1940.

...A day of "farm" movies on the 16th is one of my favorite January lineups. It includes favorites such as THE PURCHASE PRICE (1932), THE ROMANCE OF ROSY RIDGE (1947), HIDE-OUT (1934), and SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954).

...Classic swashbucklers on January 17th include favorites SCARAMOUCHE (1952) and THE PRISONER OF ZENDA (1952). (Yes, the 1937 ZENDA is the best, but the 1952 version was the first one I saw and I love it too.)

...The second night of early Hitchcock films on January 22nd includes two of my all-time favorites, THE LADY VANISHES (1938) and FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940). FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT wasn't made in England but has the same "feel" as Hitchcock's British output, and I suspect it was included for that reason.

...On January 24th Lawrence Tierney stars as DILLINGER (1945), a crackerjack gangster movie costarring Anne Jeffreys. "Stylish" and "zippy" were among the adjectives I used when I reviewed it.

...A day of fantasies on January 28th includes a big favorite of mine, Rene Clair's IT HAPPENED TOMORROW (1944), starring Dick Powell and Linda Darnell.

...January 29th is another great day, with a daytime birthday tribute to director Ernst Lubitsch followed by a prime time tribute to dancing great Cyd Charisse. The Charisse lineup includes favorites THE BAND WAGON (1953) and PARTY GIRL (1958).

...It's Jeanette MacDonald day all day on January 30th! The seven films include two of my very favorite MacDonald movies, SWEETHEARTS (1938) and NEW MOON (1940).

For more on the TCM schedule for January 2025, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in January, along with TCM's online schedule.

Coming soon: TCM Star of the Month: George Raft.

Best wishes for 2025!

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