TCM in February and March: 31 Days of Oscar Highlights

It's time for the annual 31 Days of Oscar movie series on Turner Classic Movies!

I previously covered highlights for the first part of February here, and now we'll be looking at 31 Days of Oscar, which runs this year from February 13th through March 15th.

The Academy Awards ceremony will be held March 15th, the same day TCM's Oscars movie series concludes.

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

This year the movies are grouped around themes such as Paris, New York City, the desert, crime, and scientists, to name just a few.

A printable .pdf is currently available through March 7th, with more to come closer to March.

As I note every year, there typically are few movie surprises during this series as most of the films tend to be well known. At the same time, the vast majority of films are worthwhile; it's a great month to revisit old favorites or finally catch up with some previously unseen films.

Below are a handful of recommendations for this year's schedule. Please click on any hyperlinked title for a complete review.

...Valentine's Day features films set in Paris, including Woody's Allen's entertaining MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (2011). I've seen seven of the films showing that day, and it's a great lineup.

...Crime films on February 15th include the Hitchcock classics REAR WINDOW (1954) and STRANGERS ON A TRAIN (1951). This is an especially great opportunity for those who might be newer to Hitchcock films to watch two of his best back to back.

...I loved revisiting I REMEMBER MAMA (1948) for the first time in years last year and recommend it on February 16th. Irene Dunne leads an impeccable cast, directed by George Stevens.

...The desert theme on February 17th is particularly fun. The lineup includes Bing, Bob, and Dorothy in ROAD TO MOROCCO (1942), which received two Oscar nominations.

...A lineup of films set in the theater on February 18th includes Jack Benny and Carole Lombard in Ernst Lubitsch's TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942).

...A day of war films on February 22nd includes William Wellman's BATTLEGROUND (1949), which features a superb cast and remarkable outdoor filming which makes the viewer feel cold just looking at it.

...George Folsey's great Technicolor cinematography was nominated for ALL THE BROTHERS WERE VALIANT (1953), airing on February 23rd. Robert Taylor, Stewart Granger, and Ann Blyth star. I especially like the score by Miklos Rozsa.

...Oscar-nominated remakes on February 25th include MGM's LITTLE WOMEN (1949), with Janet Leigh, June Allyson, Margaret O'Brien, and Elizabeth Taylor as the March sisters.

...There's a fantastic lineup of Oscar-nominated Westerns on February 28th, including favorites such as STAGECOACH (1939), SHANE (1953), and HONDO (1953).

...Moving into March, I also love the March 1st lineup, which focuses on dancing. There are many great films deserving of mention that day, so I'll limit myself to a top favorite, MGM's SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954).

...My favorite Hitchcock film, FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT (1940), airs on March 3rd. Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, and George Sanders star.

...I sometimes think Brian Donlevy's ability to swing from drama to comedy and back again is underrated. He's superb in Preston Sturges' THE GREAT MCGINTY (1940), being shown on March 5th.

...There's a strong lineup of various types of adventure films on March 7th, including one of the greatest movies ever made, THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938).

...Films set in New York City on March 8th include Harold Lloyd in SPEEDY (1928), which I enjoyed at the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival.

...The 1933 version of LITTLE WOMEN, featuring Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Frances Dee, and Jean Parker, will be shown on March 9th.

...Ginger Rogers, David Niven, and Charles Coburn star in the delightful comedy BACHELOR MOTHER (1939) on March 10th.

...Clark Gable and Jeanette MacDonald star in SAN FRANCISCO (1936) on March 11th. The earthquake sequence still thrills, and Gable and MacDonald are the essence of movie stardom.

...I just reviewed THE NARROW MARGIN (1952), one of my favorite movies, which is part of a day of films about train travel on March 12th.

...Another terrific early '50s crime film, MYSTERY STREET (1950), is on March 13th. Ricardo Montalban stars.

...Comedies on March 14th include another classic Clark Gable film, IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934). He's well-represented by Oscar-nominated films in this schedule! Claudette Colbert costars.

...The series comes to an end on March 15th with films about the movie industry, including the delightful SUSAN SLEPT HERE (1954) with Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds.

TCM has released a promo video for this year's 31 Days of Oscar festival.

For more on 31 Days of Oscar, please visit my Quick Preview of TCM in February and TCM's online schedule.

I'll have a brief preview of what's coming in late March posted here soon, with more detailed information on highlights published here around March 15th.

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