Quick Preview of TCM in November

It's time for a preview of the November schedule on Turner Classic Movies!

Shelley Winters is the November Star of the Month. Over two dozen movies with Winters will be screened spread across Monday evenings in November.

The TCM Spotlight on Friday nights will focus on "Under the Big Top," featuring films such as THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH (1953), THE BIG CIRCUS (1959), and BILLY ROSE'S JUMBO (1962).

The Women Make Film series continues in November, concluding its three-month run on December 1st.

November's Noir Alley titles are NIGHTFALL (1957), FEAR (1946), KISS ME DEADLY (1955), and SUSPENSE (1946).

I'm quite intrigued by FEAR, a Monogram Pictures film which I've never seen. It stars Warren William and Anne Gwynne. I also highly recommend NIGHTFALL, a big favorite of mine. SUSPENSE is a film I haven't seen yet with a good cast: Barry Sullivan, Bonita Granville, and dancer-skater Belita.

On November 5th TCM will present an evening inspired by Jeremy Arnold's forthcoming book, THE ESSENTIALS VOL. 2: 52 MORE MUST-SEE MOVIES AND WHY THEY MATTER. The book will be published in late October, and I anticipate reviewing it here this fall. The "Essential" movies shown that evening include THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947), VERTIGO (1958), and CAT PEOPLE (1942).

I'm also excited about an evening of "Leonard Maltin's Neglected Classics," including the TCM premieres of THE GILDED LILY with Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, and Ray Milland and COME NEXT SPRING (1956) with Ann Sheridan and Steve Cochran. I've heard good things about the latter film and am glad I'll finally have a chance to see it.

(Update: I've learned that this is actually TCM's "high definition" premiere of THE GILDED LILY. The movie was shown on the channel a decade ago, as I noted in my original review. I'm grateful to faithful reader Ashley for helping make this post as accurate as possible!)

I'm delighted that TCM is finding new roles for Mr. Maltin now that the quarterly Treasures From the Disney Vaults series has come to an end; in addition to the night of Neglected Classics, this month he's hosting "Leonard Maltin's Short Film Showcase." I hope that his Neglected Classics will become a regular feature.

As is usually the case, there are lots of family-themed movies on Thanksgiving Eve and Day, including titles like CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (1950) and A LITTLE PRINCESS (1939). A 24-hour Hitchcock marathon launches in prime time on Thanksgiving night.

Filmmakers receiving multifilm tributes in November include Ann Rutherford, Lizabeth Scott, Joel McCrea, Claude Rains, Cary Grant, Nancy Kwan, Michael Caine, Susan Hayward, Humphrey Bogart, and Virginia Mayo.

November themes include Parisian painters, big families, New York City romances, national parks of the Western U.S., "Unlikely Hideouts," and "Problem Pictures of 1949." The MEXICAN SPITFIRE series will be featured on Saturday mornings.

There are some blank spots on the schedule, including prime time on Veterans Day, November 11th, so I'll be watching the schedule for updates, and I'll have a closer look at the month's highlights posted here sometime around Halloween.

In the meanwhile, Dorothy Dandridge is scheduled as the September Star of the Month and Peter Cushing will be featured in October.

Update: For more on TCM in November 2020, please visit TCM in November: Higlights.