TCM in May: Highlights

I'm back from a wonderful time at the TCM Classic Film Festival! I'll have much more on that here in the near future, but first it's time to take a look at the terrific May schedule on Turner Classic Movies.

Mae West is the May Star of the Month. Nine West movies will be shown on the first three Sundays of the month, with the lineup including three TCM premieres.

I'll have more details on the Mae West schedule posted here in a couple of days. (Update: Please visit TCM Star of the Month: Mae West.)

This month's Noir Alley titles are RIFFRAFF (1947) on May 3rd and 4th, THE KILLERS (1946) on May 10th-11th, TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI (1954) on the 17th and 18th, CORNERED (1945) May 24th-25th, and THE BIG STEAL (1949) the weekend of May 21st and June 1st. All four of the films which I've previously reviewed are very worthwhile.

I'm excited about this month's TCM Spotlight, "The Defining Frontier," which will focus on the history of Westerns every Tuesday and Thursday. 46 titles will be shown, and I've highlighted a number of the films in this series below.

Here are a few additional highlights from this month's programming. Please click any hyperlinked title to read my full-length review.

...The Westerns series kicks off on Thursday evening, May 1st, with several silent films. While John Ford's THE IRON HORSE (1924) is historically significant but a bit dull, I enthusiastically recommend Ronald Colman and Gary Cooper in THE WINNING OF BARARA WORTH (1926). BARBARA WORTH is a visual masterpiece which features a touching love story and an exciting flood sequence.

...The "Two for One" series returns on Saturday evening, May 2nd, with Lin-Manuel Miranda discussing THE BAND WAGON (1953) and ALL THAT JAZZ (1979).

...I'm always glad to have the opportunity to recommend LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA (1962), a lovely film starring Olivia de Havilland which airs on Sunday, May 4th.

...Cinco de Mayo features an eight-film run of Mexican Spitfire films starring Lupe Velez, followed by an evening of four Rodgers and Hammerstein films, including SOUTH PACIFIC (1958).

...I have fond memories of seeing actor-director Norman Lloyd at many Los Angeles area classic film screenings before his 2021 passing at the age of 106 (and a half!). TCM pays tribute to Lloyd on May 6th with a seven-film lineup plus his LIVE FROM THE TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL (2016) interview. Movie titles include THE BEGINNING OR THE END (1947) and SCENE OF THE CRIME (1949), a pair of MGM films I enjoy very much.

...On the evening of May 6th the Westerns series continues with John Wayne in THE BIG TRAIL (1930), STAGECOACH (1939), and RED RIVER (1948). Although I haven't yet written a full-length review of RED RIVER, I shared some enthusiastic thoughts after seeing it at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival.

...The Westerns on May 7th include one of my all-time favorite films, Budd Boetticher's RIDE LONESOME (1959), starring Randolph Scott, plus FORTY GUNS (1957) and other worthwhile titles.

...Alexis Smith is honored with several films showing on May 9th. It's a good lineup, and I especially recommend ANY NUMBER CAN PLAY (1949) with Clark Gable. It's an absorbing film with a tremendous cast.

...The Two for One series on May 10th features Jamie Lee Curtis cohosting THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE (1962), starring her mother, Janet Leigh, and SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS (1957), starring her father, Tony Curtis.

...Mother's Day, on May 11th, will featured themed viewing including BACHELOR MOTHER (1939), I REMEMBER MAMA (1948) and MILDRED PIERCE (1945).

...A birthday tribute to Katharine Hepburn on May 12th includes one of my all-time favorite films, LITTLE WOMEN (1933), in which Hepburn memorably portrayed Jo. That evening there will be a five-film memorial tribute to the late Gene Hackman which includes THE FRENCH CONNECTION (1971).

...The Westerns on Tuesday, May 13th, include Jacques Tourneur's WICHITA (1955), featuring Joel McCrea as Wyatt Earp, and John Ford's SERGEANT RUTLEDGE (1960).

...On May 15th the lineup includes HIGH NOON (1952), a film I've struggled to like -- click the title link for my extensive thoughts on the subject -- along with one of my very favorite Westerns, John Ford's MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946).

...An evening of film noir on May 16th includes a favorite Alan Ladd-Veronica Lake film, THIS GUN FOR HIRE (1942).

...On May 18th Silent Sunday Nights will feature the TCM premieres of a pair of films directed by Yasujiro Ozu: A STRAIGHTFORWARD BOY (1929) and I GRADUATED, BUT... (1929).

...I love a good "airplane movie," and the schedule is packed with them on Monday, May 19th. Titles include FIVE CAME BACK (1939) and SKYJACKED (1972).

...When I was at the TCM Festival I attended a screening of THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (1945) directed by John Cromwell, with his son, James Cromwell, present. TCM will honor Cromwell on May 20th showing several of his films including the wonderful IN NAME ONLY (1939) with Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, and Ka Francis.

...A wonderful TCM birthday tribute takes place May 21st, celebrating one of my all-time favorite actors, Robert Montgomery. The seven titles shown will include John Ford's THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (1945), which many consider to be one of the greatest films on World War II. Montgomery not only starred in the film with John Wayne, but he directed some of the movie when Ford fell ill.

...Another film I saw at the TCM Festival was LILI (1953), starring Leslie Caron and directed by Charles Walters. I hadn't seen it in a great many years and had forgotten how enjoyable it is. It's on May 22nd as part of a day of Caron films.  (Update: Here's my brand-new review of LILI.)

...There's a day of absolutely terrific crime films on May 23rd, including MYSTERY STREET (1950) and CRIME WAVE (1954).

...TCM's annual Memorial Day Weekend war movie marathon begins on Friday evening, May 23rd, continuing through Monday evening, May 26th.  There are a wide variety of titles on the schedule, including the MGM musical HIT THE DECK (1955), showing in the weekend Musical Matinee time slot.

...The May 27th Westerns will include THE SEARCHERS (1956), WINCHESTER '73 (1950), I SHOT JESSE JAMES (1949), and BLOOD ON THE MOON (1948). A terrific lineup! 

...Howard Hawks is honored on May 30th with TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT (1944) and half a dozen other films. TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT was the first pairing of Bogart and Bacall; it's one of the films which made me fall in love with classic movies.

...The month closes on May 31st with Clint Eastwood in THE GAUNTLET (1977), a movie I quite enjoyed last year. It struck me as an updating of THE NARROW MARGIN (1952).

For more on TCM in May 2025, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in May and TCM Star of the Month: Mae West, along with TCM's online schedule.

Happy viewing!

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