TCM in September: Highlights

It's time for a close-up look at the September schedule for Turner Classic Movies!

Peter Sellers is the September Star of the Month. His films will be shown on Monday evenings beginning September 8th. Please note there will not be a separate Star of the Month post for September.

The Noir Alley films in September will be HE RAN ALL THE WAY (1951) on September 6th and 7th, SUDDEN FEAR (1952) on the 13th and 14th, THE MURDERERS ARE AMONG US (1946) September 20th-21st, and BERLIN EXPRESS (1948) on the 27th and 28th.

THE MURDERERS ARE AMONG US is a German film which is a TCM premiere, as noted in my September preview last July. I especially recommend SUDDEN FEAR, which has a remarkably good performance by Joan Crawford.

The TCM Spotlight focuses on famed costume designer Edith Head every Wednesday evening. The series traces her career from the '20s through the '70s.

Below are just a few of this month's highlights. Please click on any hyperlinked title to read an extended review.

...There's a Tracy-Hepburn marathon on the Labor Day holiday, followed by an evening of Johnny Weissmuller Tarzan moveis. Among the Tracy-Hepburn films on the schedule I especially like PAT AND MIKE (1952).

...An evening of Cary Grant movies on September 2nd includes the classic HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940), costarring Rosalind Russell.

...NEVER LET ME GO (1953) was shown last month for Clark Gable's Summer Under the Stars day, and I'm glad to see it turning up on the schedule again so quickly, as it's not shown especially often. Gene Tierney costars as Gable's Russian ballerina wife. It will air on September 3rd.

...The first night of the Edith Head schedule on the evening of September 3rd is packed with classics, including LOVE ME TONIGHT (1932) and SHE DONE HIM WRONG (1933); Mae West is seen above in the latter film. The whole schedule is worth watching!

...September 4th features an evening with a "Noir or Not?" theme, including the great Western BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948).

...I enjoy Virginia Mayo in SMART GIRLS DON'T TALK (1948), showing on September 5th. She's seen here with costar Bruce Bennett.

...The Musical Matinee film on Saturday, September 6th, is TWO GIRLS ON BROADWAY (1940) with Lana Turner and Joan Blondell.

..The entertaining Rin Tin Tin film CLASH OF THE WOLVES (1925) will be shown as part of Silent Sunday Nights on September 7th.

...A day of WWII films on the 8th includes ASSIGNMENT IN BRITTANY (1943), a minor yet enjoyable film starring Jean-Pierre Aumont and the luminous Susan Peters.

...One of my favorite days on the September schedule is the 9th, dedicated to films from director Jacques Tourneur. The movies are all great, including such diverse pleasures as CAT PEOPLE (1942), EXPERIMENT PERILOUS (1944), STARS IN MY CROWN (1950), and EASY LIVING (1949) to name some of them. All wonderfully entertaining. STARS IN MY CROWN is pictured here, with Dean Stockwell, Joel McCrea, and Ellen Drew.

...The September 10th schedule is also pretty great, with a daytime birthday tribute to Edmond O'Brien followed by an evening of films with costumes designed by Edith Head. Among the O'Brien films, it's a minor movie but I'm very fond of the Western COW COUNTRY (1953), which I've seen multiple times. And from the Head films, you can never go wrong with ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)!

...September 11th is the first of two nights of William Wyler films this month; it features the TCM premiere of the documentary WILLIAM WYLER: FORTY TAKES WILLY (2024). More Wyler films will be shown the evening of the 18th.

...There are several MGM musical biographies on September 12th; the movies aren't always great, but they have terrific musical numbers! One of the best on the schedule is THREE LITTLE WORDS (1950) starring Fred Astaire, Vera-Ellen, and Red Skelton.

...I like ROADBLOCK (1951), a short 73-minute crime film starring Charles McGraw and Joan Dixon. It's showing on the 13th.

...The September 15th schedule includes a favorite Robert Montgomery film, THE MYSTERY OF MR. X (1934). It's shown on TCM relatively infrequently and has never had a DVD release, so set those DVRs!

...September 16th features an evening of MGM films starring Fernando Lamas, including the very enjoyable DANGEROUS WHEN WET (1953), costarring his future wife, Esther Williams.  They married in 1969.

...It's June Allyson Day on September 19th. TWO GIRLS AND A SAILOR (1944) is a favorite at hour house.

...I love YOLANDA AND THE THIEF (1945), directed by Vincente Minnelli and starring Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer. It's an "under-the-radar" film which some musical fans don't care for, but it's always been a personal favorite. Check it out on September 21st.

...THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA (1942) is a charming "B" film starring Marsha Hunt and Richard Carlson. On an occasion when I had a conversation with Miss Hunt, she shared that THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA was one of her favorite films to make. It will be shown on TCM September 22nd.

...TCM celebrates films restored by UCLA on the evening of September 25th, running through most of the following day. Among the many interesting titles is UCLA's important restoration of the "pre-release" version of MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946). Although I personally prefer the theatrical release, the pre-release version is an important piece of film history.

...Loretta Young stars in the 60-minute pre-Code PLAY-GIRL (1932) on the 27th. I always love Loretta's pre-Codes!

...The little-known yet quite fun MGM musical ATHENA (1954) will be shown on TCM September 28th.  Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds star, along with Vic Damone (seen here). The only unfortunate thing about the movie is that MGM swiped the story idea from Esther Williams and director-choreographer Charles Walters without giving them credit.

...The month comes to a close on September 30th with a day of films directed by Nicholas Ray, including the great ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1952) starring Robert Ryan and Ida Lupino.

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

Happy September movie viewing!

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