TCM in December: Highlights

Happy December, and welcome to a review of the great month ahead on Turner Classic Movies!

This month's schedule is loaded with gems, starting with Cary Grant as the December Star of the Month. 35 Grant films will be shown spread across Fridays this month, starting during the day and continuing into primetime.

The complete Star of the Month schedule, including several review links, is available in my post TCM Star of the Month: Cary Grant.

December also features plenty of Christmas movies, including a Christmas movie marathon from December 17th through Christmas Day. Please visit my post TCM in December: Christmas Movies for the complete schedule and numerous review links.

Noir Alley titles this month will be BLACK ANGEL (1946) on December 2nd and 3rd, I WOULDN'T BE IN YOUR SHOES (1948) on the 9th and 10th, and BEWARE, MY LOVELY (1952) on December 16th-17th. The first two titles are TCM premieres.

All three Noir Alley films are worthwhile, but BLACK ANGEL is superlative. The cast includes Dan Duryea, June Vincent, and Peter Lorre (seen here). In a just world, Duryea would have received an Oscar nomination for this film. Don't miss it.

Noir Alley will take off the last two weekends of the year, December 23rd-24th and the 30th-31st, for Christmas and New Year's, respectively. The franchise will return January 6th and 7th with PICKUP (1951).

The TCM Spotlight will focus on "Cool in the Movies" on December 5th, 12th, and 26th.

I've listed many great films in my Christmas movie and Cary Grant posts. Here are a few more highlights from a wonderful movie month. Please click any hyperlinked title to read an extended review.

...Esther Williams and Van Johnson star in the delightful THRILL OF A ROMANCE (1945), playing in the early hours on Saturday, December 2nd.

...I consider SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (1995) a perfect movie. It's playing as part of a two-film tribute to Hugh Grant on Sunday, December 3rd; the other film is FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL (1994). Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, and Alan Rickman are part of the superb cast.

...Donald Bogle has written a new book on Lena Horne and cohosts an evening of her movies on December 4th. The lineup includes CABIN IN THE SKY (1943) and STORMY WEATHER (1943); both are recommended.

...The lineup on December 5th features "bird" titles. I especially love the Joan Crawford melodrama FLAMINGO ROAD (1949), which features a marvelous cast.

...Pearl Harbor Day, December 7th, will feature several World War II films including the one which might be the best of all, John Ford's THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (1945). Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, and Donna Reed star.

...December 9th has an interesting primetime lineup, with FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (1971) followed by an older U.S. Yiddish-language production of the same story, TEVYA (1939).

..."Cool in the Movies" on December 12th includes tributes to Mae West (SHE DONE HIM WRONG), Veronica Lake (THE BLUE DAHLIA), and Rita Hayworth (GILDA).

...There's a wonderful lineup paying tribute to director George Stevens on December 13th, including favorites SWING TIME (1936), starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and THE MORE THE MERRIER (1943), starring Joel McCrea and Jean Arthur.

...The primetime schedule on the 14th will feature titles added to the National Film Registry. Titles will be announced the preceding day, so "stay tuned"!

...The very enjoyable comedy EASY TO LOVE (1934) airs on December 16th. Genevieve Tobin stars along with Adolphe Menjou and Mary Astor.

...Christmas Night will feature a quintet of Alfred Hitchcock films including REAR WINDOW (1954), starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly.

...There are some wonderful movies on December 26th, including THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938). It's another absolutely perfect film, with Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland heading the fine cast.

...A day of suspense films on the 28th includes the excellent LURED (1947) starring Lucille Ball and George Sanders.

...What better film to help close out the year than REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1947), which begins and ends on New Year's? It's a huge favorite of mine, and it airs December 30th.

For more on TCM in December 2023, please visit TCM's online schedule, along with my posts Quick Preview of TCM in December, TCM in December: Christmas Movies, and TCM Star of the Month: Cary Grant.

In addition, TCM's December promotional video previewing some of this month's titles may be viewed on Twitter or YouTube.

Happy December movie viewing, and Merry Christmas!

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