TCM in February: 31 Days of Oscar Highlights

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

The annual 31 Days of Oscar series runs from February 1st through March 3, 2025. 31 Days of Oscar concludes the day after this year's Academy Awards ceremony, which will be broadcast on ABC on March 2nd.

As always, every film shown on TCM during 31 Days of Oscar was either nominated for or won an Academy Award.

This year each day's primetime hours will feature acting nominees and winners. They're grouped into fun categories such as "teachers," "seafarers," "cowboys," "politicians," "Shakespearean characters," and more.

A printable .pdf schedule for 31 Days of Oscar is available here.

As I often note when this series rolls around, there typically aren't many surprises to be found in the 31 Days of Oscar schedule, as so many of the same films are shown each year, but at the same time the vast majority of films are worthwhile, given that they're all Oscar nominees. It's a great time to cross some movies off the "need to see" list!

This year I'm recommending a few of the films from the acting category being shown in prime time. Please click on any hyperlinked title for a complete review.

...The very first evening of 31 Days of Oscar on February 1st focuses on actors nominated for movies about actors! This is a very strong lineup, and I'm going to particularly suggest a favorite film, ALL ABOUT EVE (1950). The performances and sharp script never get old! A gallery of stills from the movie may be enjoyed here.

..."Oscar-Worthy Criminals" on February 3rd include Barbara Stanwyck as the murderous wife in the crime classic DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944).

...MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (1935), showing the evening of February 6th, features a trio of Best Actor nominees: Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone. I saw this film theatrically when I was in my early teens and it made quite an impression.

...An evening of movies about mothers on February 8th includes William Wyler's remarkable WWII film MRS. MINIVER (1942), which thoroughly impressed me when I revisited it for the first time in years a couple of years ago. Highly recommended.

...Charles Laughton is very enjoyable playing an attorney in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957) on February 9th. The movie has a great cast -- Power! Dietrich! -- and should definitely be seen.

...An evening of films with Oscar-nominated performances by children on February 10th includes SHANE (1953), featuring young Brandon De Wilde opposite Alan Ladd. George Stevens directed.

...Valentine's Day on February 14th features Oscar-nominated actors in great movie romances, including CASABLANCA (1942). Humphrey Bogart and Claude Rains received acting nominations in this Best Picture winner, directed by Oscar winner Michael Curtiz.

...A night of movies featuring "Oscar-Worthy New Yorkers" includes Best Picture winner WEST SIDE STORY (1961) on February 16th. George Chakiris and Rita Moreno won Supporting Actor and Actress for this film.

...You can't go wrong with MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939) on February 17th, which I last saw at the 2018 TCM Classic Film Festival. Three cast members were nominated for acting Oscars; I knew about James Stewart and Claude Rains, but I'd completely forgotten that Harry Carey (Sr.) received a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

...I take every opportunity to highly recommend THE HUMAN COMEDY (1943), which features an outstanding Oscar-nominated performance by Mickey Rooney. It's on February 19th.

...BORN YESTERDAY (1950) was a favorite film at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival, featuring Best Actress Oscar winner Judy Holliday. It airs on February 21st.

..."Oscar-Worthy Soldiers" is an especially good evening on February 22nd. William Wellman's BATTLEGROUND (1949) features Oscar-nominated James Whitmore among a very fine cast.

..."Oscar-Worthy Women in Danger" is a fun theme, which includes Joan Fontaine in Hitchcock's SUSPICION (1941). It's on February 24th.

...Another fun theme is "Oscar-Worthy Nuns and Priests" on February 26th. The list includes Karl Malden in ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) -- one of three Supporting Actor nominees for that film.

...William Powell in LIFE WITH FATHER (1947) is featured as part of an evening of "Oscar-Worthy Dads" on February 28th.

..."Oscar-Worthy Heiresses" on March 2nd is probably my favorite evening of the series, featuring Carole Lombard in MY MAN GODFREY (1936) and Claudette Colbert in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934).

...31 Days of Oscar comes to an end on Monday, March 3rd, with "Oscar-Worthy Heroes" including Gary Cooper in PRIDE OF THE YANKEES (1942).

For more on TCM in February 2025, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in February: 31 Days of Oscar along with TCM's printable schedule for the month.

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New Review at Classic Movie Hub: The Lonely Man (1957)

My newest Western RoundUp column is now available at Classic Movie Hub!

This month I've reviewed a relatively little-known Western, THE LONELY MAN (1957), which has just been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber Studio Classics.

The movie stars Jack Palance, Anthony Perkins, and a terrific cast of familiar Western character actors.

Please click over to Classic Movie Hub to check it out, and thanks very much for reading!

Previous Classic Movie Hub Western RoundUp Column Links: June 2018; July 2018; August 2018; September 2018; October 2018; November 2018; December 2018; January 2019; February 2019; April 5, 2019; April 30, 2019; May 2019; June 2019; July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; November 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; April 2020; May 2020; June 2020; July 2020; August 2020; September 2020; October 2020; November 2020; December 2020; January 2021; February 2021; March 2021; May 2021; June 2021; June 2021 (No. 2); July 2021; August 2021; September 2021; November 2021; December 2021; December 2021 (No. 2); January 2022; February 2022; March 2022; April 2022; May 2022; June 2022; July 2022; August 2022; September 2022; November 2022; November 2022 (No. 2); January 2023 (No. 1); January 2023 (No. 2); March 2023; April 2023; May 2023 (No. 1); May 2023 (No. 2); June 2023; July 2023; September 2023; September 2023 (No. 2); October 2023; November 2023; December 2023; January 2024; February 2024; March 2024; April 2024; May 2024; June 2024; July 2024; August 2024; September 2024; October 2024; November 2024; December 2024.

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Tonight's Movie: Flight Risk (2025)

As I've shared here before, every so often I enjoy a good action movie -- and if it's set on an airplane, so much the better.

Airplane action films I've enjoyed in the last decade include the excellent PLANE (2023) starring Gerard Butler and the very enjoyable NON-STOP (2014) with Liam Neeson.

Neeson had two costars in NON-STOP, Julianne Moore and Michelle Dockery, with Dockery as a plucky stewardess.

A decade later Dockery has returned to the skies in a far different role, playing a tough FBI agent in FLIGHT RISK (2025).

FLIGHT RISK, which was written by Jared Rosenberg and directed by actor Mel Gibson, is nothing we haven't seen before, but it's also engaging and entertaining.

Dockery plays Madolyn, an FBI agent who has recently returned to field work after a tragedy during a past case.

She tracks down and arrests an accountant named Winston (Topher Grace) at a remote motel in Alaska. Winston agrees to be a cooperating witness against a mafioso, but first he must be flown to Anchorage.

Madolyn's department rents a small private plane to transport Madolyn and Winston to Anchorage, piloted by a fairly obnoxious good ol' boy type named Daryl (Mark Wahlberg).

The flight hasn't been underway for long when Winston and Madolyn each begin to suspect that Daryl isn't who he's supposed to be...

As I mentioned above, much of the movie will be familiar territory. The movie's theme about transporting an endangered witness to testify is familiar, with shades of films like THE NARROW MARGIN (1952) or THE GAUNTLET (1977).

The movie also conjures up memories of "stewardess learning to fly the plane" films such as JULIE (1956) and AIRPORT 1975 (1974). In this case the voice of a charming pilot named Hasan (Monib Abhat) must coach Madolyn on flying and landing the plane. A satellite phone comes in handy for communications in the wilds of Alaska but batteries must be conserved...

And a rookie pilot flying a plane for the first time with a psycho killer tied up in the back is just that much more challenging!

I honestly like my action movies on the predictable side, more of a fun rollercoaster ride than anything disturbing or overly violent. FLIGHT RISK is rated R for profuse bad language, but honestly, watching the movie, the viewer understands some of the cursing! The film's violent moments are a bit bloody but not overly gory.

Dockery, known to many of us as Lady Mary from DOWNTON ABBEY (2019), does a fine job as the agent experiencing one of the worst days of her life on a plane careening perilously close at times to Alaskan mountains. Grace, along with Abhat, provides some needed levity and is actually rather moving towards movie's end.

As for Wahlberg, he's an out-and-out creep, making Madolyn's ultimate exclamation regarding his fate amusing and understandable.

To be sure, this isn't a perfect movie. I like the familiarity but sometimes the dialogue and moments are a bit too predictable, and at times the plane is on autopilot unbelievably long with no one in the cockpit. It would probably be easy to tear apart the plot and find holes if one was inclined to do so, which I was not.

On the up side this is a fast-paced 91 minutes which does what it sets out to do, entertain. It's a film from the days when not every movie has to be either a four-star classic or a multimillion dollar box office smash; it's simply a solid, mid-range film providing an hour and a half of fun, no more, no less. As the saying goes, "Your mileage may vary," but I liked it and would watch it again.

FLIGHT RISK was filmed by Johnny Derengo. The film's voice actors, heard in conversations with Dockery, include Leah Remini, Paul Ben-Victor, and Eilise Guilfoyle.

The FLIGHT RISK trailer is here.

Previous reviews of Mark Wahlberg films: THE ITALIAN JOB (2003), CONTRABAND (2012), TWO GUNS (2013), DEEPWATER HORIZON (2016), PATRIOTS DAY (2016), INSTANT FAMILY (2018), and UNCHARTED (2022).

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Tonight's Movie: Merchant Ivory: The Documentary (2024) - A Kino Lorber Blu-ray Review

Not long ago I was surprised to discover I've never seen a film made by Merchant Ivory Productions, though I have copies of several of their best-known titles.

When I learned that MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY (2024) would be released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber and Cohen Media Group, I thought it would be a great starting point to learn more about their films.

The documentary traces the filmmaking partnership of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant, which began in 1961 and lasted until Merchant's death in 2005. Together they made over 40 films in that time span, and they also quietly shared a personal relationship.

Most of the company's films were produced by Merchant and directed by Ivory, with many scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who died in 2013. Ivory has continued to work, setting a record as the oldest screenwriting Oscar winner for his screenplay for CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017).

Some of the best-known Merchant Ivory films, all of which are in my collection, are THE EUROPEANS (1979), A ROOM WITH A VIEW (1985), HOWARDS END (1992), and THE REMAINS OF THE DAY (1993). Based on clips from the documentary and recommendations from friends, A ROOM WITH A VIEW seems to be their most popular film and the best starting point for my viewing.

MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY struck me as somewhat unusual, as film documentaries go, in that much of its 112 minutes is critical of its subjects.

Actor after actor, including Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham Carter, discusses what a difficult experience it was to make films with Merchant Ivory, chiefly because of their very low budgets. Merchant was often cobbling together funding "on the go" as filming was underway.

At the same time the actors clearly had an appreciation that whatever the difficulties during filming, they were part of some very special, high-quality productions. And they were often fed well, with Merchant cooking for the company; Martha Stewart even turns up in the documentary. (There are multiple Merchant cookbooks!) Actors such as Thompson and Carter chose to appear in multiple Merchant Ivory films despite the challenges involved.

While the documentary presents a number of clips and an overall appreciation for the elegance and quality of Merchant Ivory films, it particularly focuses on the filmmakers' lives and relationship(s), which I found somewhat less interesting than their movies. I did smile upon learning that Ivory attended two schools attended by our daughters, the University of Oregon and USC's School of Cinematic Arts.

I preferred the approach taken by another recent documentary celebrating a cinematic partnership, MADE IN ENGLAND: THE FILMS OF POWELL AND PRESSBURGER (2024), which, as its title implies, focused on their movies, providing in-depth analysis of what was admittedly a shorter list of films.

That said, MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY was interesting and a good entry point for understanding the filmmakers and their work. Perhaps one day there will be a companion piece focusing on their movies in greater depth.

MERCHANT IVORY: THE DOCUMENTARY was written and directed by Stephen Soucy from a script he wrote with Jon Hart.

The Kino Lorber print of this new film, as expected, looks and sounds fine.

Disc extras include interviews with five actors; the trailer; a featurette on music in Merchant Ivory films; a deleted scene; and two film festival introductions.

Thanks to Kino Lorber for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray.

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Tonight's TV: The West Wing - The Complete Series (1999-2006) - A Warner Bros. Blu-ray Review

The classic TV series THE WEST WING (1999-2006) celebrated its 2024 silver anniversary with a Blu-ray release of the complete series late last year.

This Warner Bros. set is absolutely beautiful, and I must note right off the top that it's also space-friendly. Whereas the seven seasons of DVD boxes take up 8.5 inches on my shelves, the compact Blu-ray set only takes 2.75 inches, while retaining all the original featurettes and commentary tracks which came with the DVDs. This alone might be worth a Blu-ray upgrade for some people!

Our family first got to know the series about White House life under Democrat President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet (Martin Sheen) via DVD beginning late in its original run. A couple of my adult kids who especially love the show are going to draw straws for our family's DVD sets! They've watched the show so often they can quote much of the dialogue.

The new Blu-ray set contains 28 discs -- four per each of the seven seasons -- in two plastic cases which are contained in a larger cardboard sleeve. The first case includes a glossy folded program listing the disc contents. Photos of the inner cases and front of the program are included in this review.

It's been a great pleasure to revisit the series in recent weeks for the first time in many years. While I well remembered the show's characters, broad outlines, and key moments, each episode is so packed with its famous "walk and talk" dialogue and interesting bits of business that it's almost like watching it for the first time. I've also wondered how much of each episode sailed past me on the first viewing simply because there's so much in the frame to watch at any given moment.

While I'd forgotten many small details, I did find a certain pleasure in looking back at characters such as Josh (Bradley Whitford) and Donna (Janel Moloney) early on, knowing where their characters were ultimately heading.

Rewatching the series, I have some thoughts on what makes the series work for viewers of all political persuasions:

1) First and foremost, the show's overall excellence of execution. I noticed some dialogue in the early episodes was a bit obviously trying to fill in characters' background exposition, but overall it's engagingly written and, more than that, often funny. There's a bit of Season 3 dialogue about C.J. (Allison Janney) "crossing a line" with the President which still makes me laugh out loud.

2) Well-rounded, imperfect characters who aren't always the best representatives of their own party and political beliefs. The President hides a serious medical condition from voters; Toby and Josh, in particular, are way too superior about the righteousness of their beliefs (Josh insisting to Donna "You won't spend your money right" grates); and they don't always make responsible personal choices. Sure, Sam didn't mean to sleep with a call girl in the first episode, inviting a potential national scandal, but if he hadn't gone to bed with a total stranger he wouldn't have ended up in that situation to begin with.

3) This is key: It transcends politics to be the ultimate office drama. It's the busiest and most impactful of offices, to be sure, but it's watching the various personalities navigate situations and relationships which makes it so fascinating, not the politics.

That said, the show has some flaws, and an example of that is seen in the pilot, where Christians are turned into cartoon characters fended off by the "high-minded" President and staff. We've seen too much of that stereotype over the years and the show falls right into it, even while simultaneously trying to avoid it by having the President be a practicing Catholic who is personally pro-life but politically pro-choice.

On the up side, conservative Associate White House Counsel Ainsley Hayes (Emily Procter, seen here) is absolutely charming and does her part to provide the show with a bit of political balance. And scenes with Josh and Donna arguing taxes remain some of the show's most memorable moments years later.

Along with Ainsley and Donna, other favorite characters are Claudia Jean (C.J.) Cregg (Allison Janney), the whip-smart press secretary who reels off sassy one-liners like Eve Arden; Leo McGarry (John Spencer), completely believable as the old Washington hand who's the chief of staff (though he screams "MARGARET!" at his long-suffering secretary, played by NiCole Robinson, way too often); and General Fitzwallace (John Amos), the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I've always had a soft spot for Amos, who passed away last summer, since he gave a talk about ROOTS at my high school decades ago.

Recurring and guest characters are a "who's who" of well-known names including Tim Matheson, Amy Adams, Kate Burton, Jimmy Smits, Laura Dern, Glenn Close, Marlee Matlin, and even Kevin Tighe from EMERGENCY! -- and that's just for starters. You never know who will turn up episode to episode.

On this revisit, years after my last viewing, I also enjoyed what I like to call the "so near and yet so far" aspect of the show: It doesn't seem that long ago, but when the show began in 1999 the characters all used pagers and then picked up landlines to make calls; no social media; and, in this era of many offices being "paperless," it's hard not to notice that there's soooooooo much paper everywhere!

On this visit I'm still partway through rewatching the entire seven-season series in chronological order, but for those who might like to skip around sampling episodes, Variety published a list of the 25 best episodes last fall. It's a pretty good list, in my view, and not surprisingly, the well-remembered "Two Cathedrals" from Season 2 came in first place on Variety's list.

The Warner Bros. Blu-ray prints look and sound great, and I recommend this set for series fans and newcomers alike. It provides countless hours of top-notch entertainment in one fine package.

Thanks to Allied Vaughn and Warner Bros. for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray set. THE WEST WING may be purchased from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...Kino Lorber Studio Classics has announced the Dark Side of Cinema XXV collection, coming to Blu-ray on April 8th. The three titles in the set are THE FLAME (1947), CITY THAT NEVER SLEEPS (1953), and HELL'S HALF ACRE (1954). The set will include two commentary tracks by Heath Holland and one by Imogen Sara Smith.

...Kevin Costner's HORIZON: AN AMERICAN SAGA - CHAPTER 2 (2025) will have its U.S. premiere at the Santa Barbara Film Festival next month.

...Film historian J.B. Kaufman's January "Movie of the Month" is THEY CALL IT SIN (1932) with Loretta Young and George Brent.

...Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye of the Marvel films) has announced a memoir, MY NEXT BREATH, which will include the story of his near-fatal snowplow accident two years ago.

...I might check out FLIGHT RISK (2025), starring Mark Wahlberg and Michelle Dockery. The "terror in the air" theme sounds a bit reminiscent of JULIE (1956) or AIRPORT 1975 (1974). This isn't DOWNTON ABBEY star Dockery's first time in an airplane thriller; a decade ago she costarred in NON-STOP (2014), which I thoroughly enjoyed revisiting last year. Here's a FLIGHT RISK review from Frank Scheck at The Hollywood Reporter. A trailer is here.

...Toby Roan reviews the Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray release of JOURNEY INTO FEAR (1943) at The Hannibal 8.

...New cookbook alert: BAKING FOR TWO from America's Test Kitchen will be published in February 2025.

...CineSavant Glenn Erickson has just reviewed Kino Lorber's release of THE COURT-MARTIAL OF BILLY MITCHELL (1955), and his colleague Charlie Largent takes a look at Kino Lorber's new 4K release of HATARI! (1962).

...I enjoyed Samantha Richardson's survey of films which debuted in 1945 at her blog Musings of a Classic Film Addict.

...Attention Southern Californians: The American Cinematheque has announced a five-film nitrate festival which is coming to the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood next month. I've purchased tickets for PORTRAIT OF JENNIE (1948) and ROPE (1948). The other films in the series are MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS (1944), GONE TO EARTH (1950), and THE UNHOLY THREE (1930). (The only reason I didn't choose MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, one of my favorite films, is it's one of the films I've seen on screen most frequently over the course of my life!)

...Last week I shared reminisces regarding film historian Donna Hill, who passed away unexpectedly in late December. Here's another tribute, from the Classic Movie Blog Association.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my January 18th column.

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Tonight's Movie: I Remember Mama (1948) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

My junior high school library was a treasure trove of great reading, including many books which had also become movies: GONE WITH THE WIND, DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK, MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS, JUBILEE TRAIL, HONDO, OUR HEARTS WERE YOUNG AND GAY, and many more.

One such favorite book I discovered thanks to that library was MAMA'S BANK ACCOUNT by Kathryn Forbes; I liked it so much I later found my own copy at a used bookstore back in pre-Internet days.

MAMA'S BANK ACCOUNT became a Broadway play in 1944, written by John Van Druten, and then was adapted for RKO Pictures by DeWitt Bodeen. I first knew Bodeen's name as a teenager also, thanks to his articles in Films in Review magazine.

Like some other great books turned into movies, the cast of characters in MAMA'S BANK ACCOUNT was slightly reduced when it was dramatized; for example, just as with NATIONAL VELVET (1944), the five children in the book were changed to four, with the baby born midway through MAMA'S BANK ACCOUNT dropped from I REMEMBER MAMA.

But also like NATIONAL VELVET, the film version is pure magic, regardless of adjustments from the original source material. It's a superb film which encompasses much of the original book, running a fairly lengthy-for-its-era 134 minutes.

The film was lovingly directed by George Stevens and filmed in black and white by the great Nicholas Musuraca (OUT OF THE PAST). Musuraca was Oscar nominated for this film.

Irene Dunne plays the title character in I REMEMBER MAMA, with Barbara Bel Geddes as her daughter Katrin, whose reminisces of Mama and the rest of her family in early 20th Century San Francisco frame the story.

Much like the book, which is a collection of stories, the film is a series of vignettes about a large family, headed by Mama (Dunne) and Papa (Philip Dorn).

Besides Katrin, there are her siblings Nels (Steve Brown), Christine (Peggy McIntyre), and Dagmar (June Hedin); Aunts Trina, Sigrid, and Jenny (Ellen Corby, Edith Evanson, and Hope Landin); and cantankerous Uncle Chris (Oscar Homolka), who periodically arrives in San Francisco on a visit from his farm.  

Mama is at the center of every tale, whether she's mediating relationships between her squabbling sisters, circumventing hospital rules to visit her little girl post surgery, or encouraging Katrin's writing, Nels's education, or Dagmar's love of animals.

The film is moving yet not manipulatively so, thanks in large part to its natural and realistic characters, headed by Dunne.

Dunne is magnificent in one of her several Oscar-nominated performances, playing a determined woman at the heart of her family. Life is sometimes difficult but Mama is always there to provide reassurance, whether it's clearing the way for Aunt Trina (Corby) to wed, living up to her promise to visit Dagmar in the hospital, or sitting by a dying Uncle Chris's bedside.

Bel Geddes, Corby, and Homolka were all also Oscar nominated and do a fine job.

Homolka, reprising his role from the original Broadway cast, carries on a bit too loudly for my taste but he certainly creates a unique character, and I loved the relationships he developed with Katrin, Christine, and their cousin Arne (Tommy Ivo). Initially intimidated by their loud relative, the children are drawn into better relationships with their uncle thanks to shared secrets and jokes.

Corby gets her own special moment in her final scene with her husband (Edgar Bergen), and it's easy to see why she received a nomination. It's very satisfying seeing Trina find happiness somewhat later in life.

One of my favorite moments in the film is when Mama and Papa wordlessly decide Katrin is ready for a true rite of passage, her first cup of coffee...which she's then too emotional to drink! It's a lovely scene, and again the dash of starch at scene's end offsets the sentimentality.

I especially enjoy McIntyre as the stubborn Christine. She's a unique character who adheres to the truth and her inner moral compass at all times; McIntyre has plenty of screen time and is quite memorable. McIntyre, sometimes billed McIntire, was 15 when this was filmed. She retired from the screen in 1954. IMDb does not provide a death date so it's nice to think she may still be with us; her screen siblings have all passed on.

The superb cast also includes Rudy Vallee in a small role as a kindly doctor and Barbara O'Neil as Uncle Chris's steadfast wife. Vallee was such a good actor; compare, for instance, his note-perfect serious performance here with his comedic role in THE PALM BEACH STORY (1942).

The film's refusal to embrace treacle is especially strong in the film's final scene, as the camera pulls back from the family home to foggy San Francisco streets; "The End" comes up without a drop of music. Roy Webb provided the fairly somber score.

The Warner Archive Blu-ray looks incredibly good. It's a 1080p HD master from a new 4K scan of nitrate preservation elements.

The lone extra for this release is the film's trailer.

Recommended.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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97th Annual Academy Award Nominations

The 97th annual Academy Award nominations were announced this morning.

The complete list of nominees was published by The Hollywood Reporter.

This year's list frankly has little interest for me, but per annual tradition, I'm making the information available here "for what it's worth"!  

I may see a couple of the films eventually, but overall there's just not much of interest to me among the nominees.

I will make the comment that when I was watching Demi Moore on GENERAL HOSPITAL back in my college days, as seen here, it would have been hard to imagine the likeable actress would decades later be an Oscar nominee!  Good for her.

The Oscars ceremony will air on March 2nd, 2025.

As a side note, the annual 31 Days of Oscar festival on Turner Classic Movies begins this year on February 1st, running through March 3rd.

Previous Oscar nomination posts: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024. There was no Oscar post in 2009 and just a brief news roundup mention in 2021.

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Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...Happy birthday to Tippi Hedren, who turns 95 on January 19th.

..."Coming soon" to Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics: HOLD THAT BLONDE! (1945) starring Veronica Lake and Eddie Bracken...Dates have been announced for CRY, THE BELOVED COUNTRY (1952), coming March 11th; HI-JACK HIGHWAY (1955), aka GAS-OIL, out on March 25th; and the Dark Side of Cinema XXIV collection, coming on March 4th. The Dark Side of Cinema collection will include UNION STATION (1950), JENNIFER (1953), and THE CROOKED CIRCLE (1957).

...The February 2025 Criterion Channel streaming lineup will include "Argentine Noir," "New York Love Stories," films directed by Buster Keaton and Joan Micklin Silver, and a collection of 15 Claudette Colbert films.

...Here's an article by Mary Mallory on the 1961 Bel-Air fire, a topic sadly relevant given this month's fire tragedies in the greater Los Angeles area.

...Coming from Flicker Alley in March: MERRY-GO-ROUND (1923) with Mary Philbin, directed by Erich von Stroheim and Rupert Julian, and a two-film set starring Hobart Bosworth, BEHIND THE DOOR (1919) and BELOW THE SURFACE (1920).

...On a happier Los Angeles note, I'm looking forward to the April release of sportswriter Bill Plunkett's book on the 2024 Dodgers season, L.A. STORY: SHOHEI OHTANI, THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS, AND A SEASON FOR THE AGES.

...A recently published book I've seen strongly recommended by a friend on Twitter is CHURCHILL'S CITADEL: CHURCHILL AND THE GATHERINGS BEFORE THE STORM by Katherine Carter, published last November by Yale University Press.

...Voting on Oscar nominations was extended due to the Palisades and Altadena fires.

...Rachel of Hamlette's Soliloquy is hosting the blogathon "We Love Musicals Week" in mid-February. Check out her site for details and to sign up.

...Glenn Erickson's latest reviews at Trailers From Hell include WINCHESTER '73 (1950) from the Criterion Collection and MR. LUCKY (1943) from the Warner Archive Collection.

...Over at Riding the High Country, Colin has written about SHE PLAYED WITH FIRE (1957) starring Arlene Dahl and Jack Hawkins...Toby has written about the Rough Riders film ARIZONA BOUND (1951) at 50 Westerns From the 50s...Kristina wrote about Kay Francis in MANDALAY (1934) for her blog Speakeasy...and check out John McElwee on "B" movies and "pulp noir" at Greenbriar Picture Shows.

...Phyllis Loves Classic Movies gives us some great close-up views of Ellen Drew's wedding gown in THE MAN FROM COLORADO (1948).

...I was very happy to hear that the Bay Theatre in Seal Beach is reopening. I saw a couple films there in 2012, shortly before it closed that summer, and am delighted by this good news. (Thanks much to Christine for sending me the news.) I snapped this photograph of the Bay in 2012. There's more on the theater's history at Cinema Treasures.

...THE PREVIEW MURDER MYSTERY (1936), hosted by Jeremy Arnold at the American Cinematheque's Los Feliz 3 Theatre, was originally scheduled for January 12th but was cancelled due to the Southland fires and evacuations. The movie has been rescheduled for Sunday, January 26th, at 1:00 p.m. Thanks to Elizabeth for letting me know!

...Notable Passing: I was very much saddened by the passing of Leslie Charleson at 79. She played Monica Quartermaine on GENERAL HOSPITAL for close to half a century. Monica's storyline was what first drew me to the show as a teen in the late '70s. Most of the actors who played the senior members of the Quartermaine family have now left us, including Anna Lee, David Lewis, John Ingle, and Stuart Damon (seen here with Charleson), as well as Jeff Donnell, who played the family housekeeper. Emmy-winning actress Jane Elliot, who just turned 78 a few days ago, continues to play Tracy Quartermaine.

...Another Notable Passing: Thanks again to Christine, who passed on a couple of lovely tributes to my friend Donna Hill of the blog Strictly Vintage Hollywood. Donna, who was the author of RUDOLPH VALENTINO - THE SILENT IDOL: HIS LIFE IN PHOTOGRAPHS, died suddenly around Christmas, and her loss has been felt deeply in the classic film community. Please read more about Donna at Silent-ology and the Louise Brooks Society.

...More Notable Passings: Former child actor Christian Juttner has passed away at the age of 60. His roles included RETURN FROM WITCH MOUNTAIN (1978). He played guest roles on many popular TV series in the '70s...Writer-Director-Producer David Lynch (TWIN PEAKS) has died at 78...Director Jeannot Szwarc (SOMEWHERE IN TIME) has died at 87...British actress Joan Plowright, the widow of Laurence Olivier, has died at 95...Editor John F. Burnett (THE GOODBYE GIRL) has passed on at 90...Costume designer Phyllis Dalton (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA) has passed away at 99.

...For additional recent links of interest to classic film fans, please visit my January 11th column.

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