LonesomePolecat

Of course it's similar to A Star Is Born-- I really doubt it was trying to hide that. Which is why the suicide scene is so moving -- you know that if this really is A Star is Born he's not going to make it. The film is crowded with references to lots of classics like Metropolis and Citizen Kane. It's leading man intentionally looks like Douglas Fairbanks with a Gene Kelly smile. If tributes bother you, I can see the objection, but they don't bother me. As someone who saw this in a literal vacuum (never saw trailers or even pictures, just heard it was a silent film) before no one else had even really heard of it, I walked in with no expectations at all (except, like any movie, that I hoped I might like it) and away feeling like this was the best film of 2011. And I still think that-- better than Hugo, The Help, Midnight in Paris, and all the other Best Picture contenders that I have seen. (Mind you I haven't seen The Descendants or Moneyball). After the lucky few of us in big cities saw it first, we naturally were so delighted to see something well made and well written, we wanted to tell everyone about it. Then it started winning awards and getting lots of Best Picture buzz. And THEN, after it was picking up awards, it finally got released other places. So of COURSE if you came to the film during all that, after people started talking about it, or especially after it started getting Oscar buzz, you would naturally walk in with what would most likely be overly high expectations. Some people are able to hear other people's opinions and still be objective about a film, but most people allow it to raise their expectations. In this case, then, if your expectations were raised to the level that "this is the best film of 2011", you will probably be disappointed, since no film can live up to any intelligent person's ideal of a Best Picture Winner. Someday in the future when the hype is gone and it's just another movie, maybe you can watch it again and enjoy it much more because this time you have low expectations. But then some people are like Mr Darcy: "My good opinion once lost is lost forever." It's sad because this happens with movies all the time. It comes out, and if it's good word of mouth and Oscar buzz blow it out of proportion, etc etc etc. There are lots of people around me that I know would have loved a certain movie if they hadn't had such high expectations for it. And in fact often they will revisit the movie later on and find they actually do like it. Which is why I often will revisit movies I didn't like the first time. I for one am so glad I got to see THE ARTIST (and, actually MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, too) in a vacuum knowing little more about a movie than the title, perhaps some actors, perhaps a wee hint of the premise or a tip from a friend saying "I think you'd like this one," having never seen a trailer or anything, with absolutely no expectations beyond "I hope this will be worth the ten bucks." That's my favorite way to see any movie. I wish we could all see movies this way. Alas. Anyway, that's my theory, which comes from lots of testing in the field, and is presented with absolutely no hard feelings intended. I love you all (and I'm not just saying that because it's almost Valentine's Day) and wouldn't let a movie come between us (especially a recent movie for Pete's sake). Now, forum buddies, go let loose and pick it apart-- I know you all want to!

skimpole- Best Picture to 12 Angry Men Lionel Barrymore Jack Klugman Nights of Cabiria TWO studio Ghibli films = LOVE!!!

So you noticed that every schedule I do (and I'm on #8 or 9) I schedule What a Way to Go, What's So Bad About Feeling Good, and A New Leaf? Yeah, it's true, I'm pretty predictable. And I'll keep doing that til TCM schedules them. This is, after all, the best way to "request a movie" in my experience.

LP’s NOTES: *50th Anniversary of 1962: A Great Year in Cinema* - I consider 1962 to be one of the greatest years in cinema. Lots of great movies, or in some cases just movies I like, all turn 50 this year. This is just a small sampling that includes one of Kurosawa’s greats, the first James Bond film, and two of my top 5 favorite movies, THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD. *When Lawyers Flirt With Defendants* - These are two movies in which a lawyer falls in love with the attractive defendant, proving that lawyers are human after all. Once again , REMEMBER THE NIGHT is one of my all time favorite movies *SILENT SUNDAY NIGHTS* - I chose one of the great silents of all time, THE CABINET OF DR CALIGARI, because everyone must see it before they die. *TCM IMPORTS* - Okay, really, even taking great Kurosawa and Fellini films into account, I think BABETTE’S FEAST is one of the greatest foreign language films of all time and it’s about time TCM showed it. But maybe it’s just me. *Guests at the Butler’s Ball* - About a year ago I “discovered” the classic 1970s British TV series UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS. Between that and DOWNTON ABBEY, I’m ever conscious of servants in movies. Before I ignored them, rather in the way their masters did, but now I’m fascinated by their lives and daily duties. So I decided to do a tribute to my favorite cinematic butlers by inviting them to a Butler’s Ball. Although I love them all, I saved my favorite for last: Tommy Steele in the classic Disney musical, THE HAPPIEST MILLIONAIRE. *A spy? Me?* - These are all movies in which the main character is falsely believed to be a spy. In the last three the others around them decide they are a spy, and they try to convince the others that it is not true. But in the first film, the hugely undervalued FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO, Franchot Tone takes the identity of someone who turns out to be a spy. This is a cracking great film that should be released on DVD for Pete’s sake. *East Meets West* - This summer I’m directing the Gershwin musical CRAZY FOR YOU, which is all about New Yorkers who come to an old Ghost Town in Dead Rock, Nevada to help cowboys put on a show. Part of the fun of the show is seeing a bunch of New Yorkers adjusting to the ways of the West. So the idea of “East Meets West” is on my mind. Therefore I scheduled a few movies with this same theme, usually a city person encountering Cowboy Country (although in the very fun CALLAWAY WENT THATAWAY the cowboy goes to the Big City). Plus, of course, some classic cowboy-related Warner Brothers and Disney shorts. I am also pleased to schedule CALAMITY JAME, which shows Doris Day playing an Annie Oakley-esque Tom Boy singing fun songs with Howard Keel. Although the reason I love this is that the theater in the movie was the inspiration for the Golden Horseshoe in Disneyland’s Frontierland. If you’ve ever been inside that theater, you watch the movie and can see it’s exactly the same. *As Seen on MASH* - Our friends at the 4077th watch lots of classic movies to help pass the time. It’s ever so fun to watch these movies with Hawkeye and the gang, but seeing the episodes does make me want to watch the whole movie, so I scheduled them. For those of you who haven’t seen the series as recently as me, here is a summary of how each film is featured in the show. In an early episode, Frank restricts Hawkeye to quarters, so they show the nighttime feature, LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN, in the Swamp. In a later episode Colonel Potter screens his favorite movie, MY DARLING CLEMENTINE, for the 4077th who make a party out of it with singing, impressions, and their own gunfight. Finally comes the classic episode in which Hawkeye longs to see THE MOON IS BLUE when he discovers it was banned in Boston for “explicit sexual content.” (How could Hawkeye resist those words?) When he discovers the 4077th will instead receive STATE FAIR, he asks the clerk to put the film of THE MOON IS BLUE inside the STATE FAIR canister, only to realize that a visiting General had THE MOON IS BLUE sent to them (or, rather STATE FAIR switched into the MOON IS BLUE canister). At the end of the episode Hawkeye is disappointed to discover how squeaky clean THE MOON IS BLUE is, with no explicit content at all. Father Mulcahey points out, “They did say ‘virgin.’” Hawkeye angrily replies, “That’s because everyone was one!” *SOTM Peter Ustinov* - It is my goal in life to schedule deserving SOTMs who have never been SOTM. And I can’t believe this two-time Oscar winner was never SOTM! He is an incredible actor who is a pleasure to watch. I am so pleased to schedule one of my dad’s all time favorite movies from his childhood, BLACKBEARD’S GHOST. Every Halloween he longs to see this movie, so I schedule it just for him. WE’RE NO ANGELS is a great one I saw in college in which Pete is fairly young. Had to schedule THE GREAT MUPPET CAPER (my favorite Muppet movie) in which he makes “a very brief cameo” as a truck driver. And I adore him in DEATH ON THE NILE as Hercule Poirot, a movie with a stellar cast. But I want to especially point out HOT MILLIONS. I saw it for the first time when TCM showed it in the last few months (Bob Newhart’s name on the cast list caught my eye) and my family greatly enjoyed it. In the movie Maggie Smith tells Peter Ustinov she is pregnant by saying, “I’m in the Pudding Club!” Whether or not this is a real expression is inconsequential — our family has used it rampantly ever since, so it’s a real expression now. (Perhaps our British friends could tell me if this expression does exist outside the film and my house?) *All That Jazz, in the Background* - I love jazz, and I love films with jazz for background music. This list features music by some of the greats like Henry Mancini, Duke Ellington, Peter Nero (with the great Mel Torme singing the title song of “Sunday in New York”), and of course Charlie Brown’s personal favorite Vince Guaraldi. (Had to throw some animation in this schedule somehow). And what Jazz schedule could be complete without a Bond film like GOLDFINGER? *A Powell Powwow* - I only recently noticed that three of the classic movie stars were named Powell, and all unrelated, too. When I realized that there was also the great director Michael Powell, I had to get these guys together. *Happy 100th Birthday to the Great GENE KELLY* - Ladies and Gents, behold the reason I chose to do my schedule this week. I wondered who was turning 100 in 2012, so I went on Wikipedia and looked up who was born in 1912. There are a fair few classic movie actors turning 100 this year, and I almost featured them instead (as it is my other mission in life to bring character actors into the spotlight). But when I saw that this year was Gene Kelly’s centennial, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I’m sure TCM will want to just make him SOTM for August so they can show all his films. He is one of The Greats of All Time, and one of my absolute favorites, too. Other than his first movie, his two masterpieces, and a couple other MGM musicals, I had to throw in THE THREE MUSKETEERS which shows off Gene’s amazing swashbuckling abilities. I also scheduled one of my favorite foreign films, an all jazz musical called LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT (a follow up to THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG). Then I close with the film WHAT A WAY TO GO in which Gene Kelly makes fun of himself. So hilarious. *How the Other Half Lives: Rich People Undercover* - These are all movies in which a rich person pretends to be a poor person for one reason or another. Fun movies all. *How the OTHER Other Half Lives: Cinderella Stories* - These are all literal Cinderella stories, which means they are the esact opposite of the movies before: POOR people pretending to be RICH. I especially wanted to schedule SLIPPER AND THE ROSE, a Sherman Brothers musical with the fairy godmother and everything, which is the only Cinderella movie in which they deal with the question I always wonder: how can a Prince politically be allowed to marry a commoner? *I Am My Own Evil Twin* - These are all movies in which an actor plays their own sibling(s), or in the case of KIND HEARTS AND CORONETS (my favorite in the bunch), he plays other relatives as well. There is some clever split screening as well, but mostly some first rate character acting. *Can’t You Take a Hint?* - I’m sure you can see the connection between these movies. But I did want to point out that GOODBYE CHARLIE really needs to be shown on TCM. It shows off Debbie Reynolds’ acting abilities as she plays a dead ladies’ man who has come back to life as a lady. She is quite believable as a man trapped in a woman’s body. And Walter Matthau is quite hilarious in the film as well. *TCM UNDERGROUND* - Other than THE MOLE PEOPLE, a classic B-movie starring Mr. Shirley Temple and Ward Cleaver, I scheduled Tim Burton’s twisted and fun short film FRANKENWEENIE (which is being made into a feature length film). It’s ever so much fun. *A Real Fixer-Upper* - As someone who bought a fixer-upper, I sympathize with these movies in which people have to live in run-down houses as they make them liveable. (Although I never threw rocks through the windows of mine, like George and Mary Bailey did.) *Happy Birthday to Music Master LEONARD BERNSTEIN* - This could also be named after an album I own: “Leonard Bernstein’s New York.” To celebrate Lenny’s birthday, I scheduled two films based on Broadway shows he wrote (though ON THE TOWN only has a few of his original songs), the only film he scored, and the 1958 TV movie (thanks, kingrat!) WONDERFUL TOWN. This is one of my favorite musicals and I want everyone to see it. To me it is the definitive version of “My Sister Eileen” and it’s so funny and great I pretty much hate all the other versions. There are lots of fun and memorable songs with lyrics by Comden & Green, such as “100 Easy Ways to Lose a Man”. This TV movie features the Broadway show’s original star, Rosalind Russell, who rocks this part. Isn’t that enough reason to show this on TCM? *OSCAR CHALLENGE: Never Nominated? Not Anymore* - For my last magical trick, I fulfill my duty and reassign some Oscars. Since I could be here all day fixing Oscar injustices, I chose to narrow it down by giving Oscars to fantastic classic movie actors who were never even nominated. It’s one thing never to win, but to go an entire career and never be nominated is absolutely disgraceful. And although “reassigning Oscars” means I’m taking Oscars away from people, I decided not to worry about that and am simply awarding what I consider to be their best performances. So here are five great actors who are now, through the magic of tcm.com, finally receiving Oscars: Joseph Cotten, Myrna Loy, John Barrymore, Edward G Robinson, and the highly underrated Ward Bond. Congratulations to the new winners!

*Week of August 19-25, 2012* STAR OF THE MONTH: *Peter Ustinov* SILENT SUNDAY NIGHTS: *The Cabinet of Dr Caligari* (1919) TCM IMPORTS: *Babette’s Feast* (1989) TCM UNDERGROUND: *The Mole People* (1956) & *Frankenweenie* (1984) THE ESSENTIALS: *Shadow of a Doubt* (1943) PREMIERES: 1. *A New Leaf* (1971) 2. *The Happiest Millionaire* (1967) 3. *Calamity Jane* (1953) 4. *Blackbeard’s Ghost* (1968) 5. *The Great Muppet Caper* (1981) 6. *A Boy Named Charlie Brown* (1969) 7. *What’s so Bad About Feeling Good?* (1968) 8. *What a Way to Go* (1964) 9. *The Slipper and the Rose* (1976) 10. *The Family Jewels* (1965) 11. *Goodbye, Charlie* (1964) 12. *It’s a Wonderful Life* (1946) 13. *Summer Magic* (1963) 14. *Wonderful Town* (1958) -------------------------------------- *SUNDAY, AUGUST 19, 2012* -------------------------------------- *50th Anniversary of 1962: A Great Year in Cinema* 6:00am *Lawrence of Arabia* (1962) Peter O’Toole & Alec Guinness, dir David Lean COLUMBIA 216min (p/s) 9:45am *The Manchurian Candidate* (1962) Frank Sinatra & Angela Lansbury, dir John Frankenheimer UA 127min (p/s) 12:00pm *Dr No* (1962) Sean Connery & Ursula Andress, dir Terence Young UA 110min (p/s) 2:00pm *The Miracle Worker* (1962) Anne Bancroft & Patty Duke, dir Arthur Penn UA 106mn (p/s) 4:00pm *Sanjuro* (1962) Toshiro Mifune & Tatsuya Nakadai, dir Akira Kurosawa TOHO 96min (p/s) 5:45pm *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962) Gregory Peck & Mary Badham, dir Robert Mulligan UNIVERSAL 130min (p/s) *When Lawyers Flirt With Defendants* 8:00pm *Remember the Night* (1940) Barbara Stanwyck & Fred MacMurray, dir Mitchell Lester, Paramount 95min (p/s) 9:45pm *The Paradine Case* (1947) Gregory Peck & Alida Valli, dir Alfred Hitchcock SELZNICK 115min (p/s) *SILENT SUNDAY NIGHTS* 11:45pm *The Cabinet of Dr Caligari* (1919) Werner Kraus & Conrad Veidt, dir Robert Weine, GOLDWYN 67min *TCM IMPORTS* 1:00am *Babette’s Feast* (1989) Stephanie Audran & Jean-Phillipe Lafont, dir Gabriel Axel MGM 103min ---------------------------------------- *MONDAY AUGUST 20, 2012* ------------------------------------ *Guests at the Butler’s Ball* 2:45am Alec Guinness in *Murder by Death* (1976) dir Robert Moore COLUMBIA 95min (p/s) 4:30pm Halliwell Hobbs in *Platinum Blonde* (1931) dir Frank Capra COLUMBIA 89min (p/s) 6:00am Dick Van Dyke in *Fitzwilly* (1967) dir Delbert Mann UA 103min (p/s) 7:45am Robert Greig in *Animal Crackers* (1930) dir Victor Heerman PARAMOUNT 97min (p/s) 9:30am George Rose in *A New Leaf* (1971) dir Elaine May PARAMOUNT 102 min *PREMIERE* 11:15am Erich Von Stroheim in *Sunset Boulevard* (1950) dir Billy Wilder PARAMOUNT 111min (p/s) 1:15pm Anthony Hopkins *Remains of the Day* (1993) dir James Ivory M/I 135min (p/s) 3:30pm William Powell in *My Man Godfrey* (1936) dir Gregory La Cava UNIVERSAL 94min (p/s) 5:15pm Tommy Steele in *The Happiest Millionaire* (1967) dir Norman Tokar, Disney 164min *PREMIERE* *A spy? Me?* 8:00pm *Five Graves to Cairo* (1943) Franchot Tone & Anne Baxter, dir Billy Wilder PARAMOUNT 97min (p/s) 9:45pm *The Glass Bottom Boat* (1966) Doris Day & Rod Taylor, dir Frank Tashlin MGM 110min (p/s) 11:45pm *Stalag 17* (1953) William Holden & Peter Graves, dir Billy Wilder PARAMOUNT 120min (p/s) 2:00am *North by Northwest* (1959) Cary Grant & Eva Marie Saint, dir. Alfred Hitchcock MGM 137min (p/s) ---------------------------------------- *TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012* -------------------------------------- *East Meets West* 4:30am *Don’t Fence Me In* (1945) Roy Rogers & Dale Evans, dir John English REPUBLIC 71min (p/s) 5:45am SHORT: *A Cowboy Needs a Horse* (1956) dir Bill Justice DISNEY 7min 6:00am *Callaway Went Thataway* (1951) Howard Keel & Fred MacMurray, dir Norman Panama & Melvin Frank MGM 82min (p/s) 7:30am SHORT: *The Daffy Duckaroo* (1942) Mel Blanc, dir Norm McCabe WB 7min 7:45am *Girl Crazy* (1943) Judy Garland & Mickey Rooney, dir Norman Taurog MGM 99min (p/s) 9:00am SHORT: *Drip Along Daffy* (1951) Mel Blanc, dir Chuck Jones WB 7min 9:15am *Wagon Master* (1950) Ward Bond & Ben Johnson, dir John Ford RKO 86 min (p/s) 10:45am SHORT: *A Star is Bored* (1956) Mel Blanc, dir Friz Freleng WB 7min 11:00am *Calamity Jane* (1953) Doris Day & Howard Keel, dir David Butler WB 101min *PREMIERE* *As Seen on MASH* 12:45pm *Leave Her to Heaven* (1945) Gene Tierney & Cornel Wilde, dir John M Stahl FOX 110min (p/s) 2:45pm *State Fair* (1945) Jeanne Crain & Dana Andrews, dir Walter Lang FOX 101min (p/s) 4:30pm *The Moon is Blue* (1953) William Holden & David Niven, dir Otto Preminger UA 100min (p/s) 6:15pm *My Darling Clementine* (1946) Henry Fonda & Ward Bond, dir John Ford FOX 97 min (p/s) *SOTM Peter Ustinov* 8:00pm *Blackbeard’s Ghost* (1968) Dean Jones & Peter Ustinov, dir Robert Stevenson DISNEY 106min *PREMIERE* 10:00pm *We’re No Angels* (1955) Humphrey Bogart & Peter Ustinov, dir Michael Curtiz PARAMOUNT 106min (p/s) 12:00am *Death on the Nile* (1978) Peter Ustinov & Mia Farrow, dir John Gillermin COLUMBIA 140min (p/s) 2:30am *Hot Millions* (1968) Peter Ustinov & Maggie Smith, dir Eric Till MGM 106min (p/s) 4:30am *The Great Muppet Caper* (1981) Frank Oz & Jim Henson, dir Jim Henson HENSON/DISNEY 98min *PREMIERE* ----------------------------------- *WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2012* ------------------------------------------ *All That Jazz, in the Background* 6:15am *Anatomy of a Murder* (1959) James Stewart & Lee Remick, dir. Otto Preminger, COLUMBIA 161 min (p/s) 9:00am *Sunday in New York* (1963) Cliff Robertson &Jane Fonda, dir Peter Tewksbury MGM 105min (p/s) 11:00am *Goldfinger* (1964) Sean Connery & Gert Frobe, dir Guy Hamilton UA 112min (p/s) 1:00pm *The Pink Panther* (1964) Peter Sellers & David Niven, dir Blake Edwards UA 115min (p/s) 3:00pm *Le Desordre et La Nuit* (1958) Jean Gabin & Danielle Darrieux, dir Gilles Grangier OREX 93min (p/s) 4:45pm *A Boy Named Charlie Brown* (1969) Peter Robbins & Glenn Gilger, dir Bill Melendez PARAMOUNT 86min *PREMIERE* 6:15pm *What’s so Bad About Feeling Good?* (1968) Mary Tyler Moore & George Pappard, dir George Seaton UNIVERSAL 94min *PREMIERE* *A Powell Powwow* 8:00pm Jane Powell — *Seven Brides for Seven Brothers* (1954) dir Stanley Donen MGM 102min (p/s) 9:45pm William Powell — *Libeled Lady* (1936) dir Jack Conway MGM 99min (p/s) 11:30pm Michael Powell (dir) — *A Canterbury Tale* (1944) Eric Portman & Dennis Price THE ARCHERS 125min (p/s) 1:45am Eleanor Powell — *Broadway Melody of 1940* (1940) dir Norman Taurog MGM 102min (p/s) ---------------------------------------- *THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 2012* ------------------------------------------------- *Happy 100th Birthday to the Great GENE KELLY* 3:30am *Anchors Aweigh* (1945) Gene Kelly & Kathryn Grayson, dir George Sidney MGM 143min (p/s) 6:00am *The Three Musketeers* (1948) Gene Kelly & Lana Turner, dir George Sidney MGM 125min (p/s) 8:15am *For Me And My Gal* (1942) Gene Kelly & Judy Garland, dir Busby Berkeley MGM 104min (p/s) 10:00am *Summer Stock* (1950) Gene Kelly & Judy Garland, dir Charles Waters MGM 110min (p/s) 12:00pm *Les Demoiselles de Rochefort* (1966) Catherine Deneuve & Gene Kelly, dir Jacques Demy WB 125min (p/s) 2:15pm *An American in Paris* (1951) Gene Kelly & Leslie Caron, dir Vincente Minnelli MGM 114min (p/s) 4:15pm *Singin’ in the Rain* (1952) Gene Kelly & Donald O’Connor, dir Stanley Donen MGM 103min (p/s) 6:00pm *What a Way to Go* (1964) Shirley MacLaine & Gene Kelly, dir J Lee Thompson FOX 111min *PREMIERE* *How the Other Half Lives: Rich People Undercover* 8:00pm *Sullivan’s Travels* (1941) Joel McCrea & Veronica Lake, dir Preston Sturges PARAMOUNT 91min (p/s) 9:45pm *The Devil and Miss Jones* (1941) Jean Arthur & Charles Coburn, dir Sam Wood RKO 93min (p/s) 11:30pm *It Happened One Night* (1934) Clark Gable & Claudette Colbert, dir Frank Capra COLUMBIA 105min (p/s) 1:15am *There Goes My Heart* (1938) Fredric March & Virginia Bruce, dir Norman Z MacLeod UA 84min (p/s) ----------------------------------- *FRIDAY, AUGUST 24, 2012* ---------------------------------------------- *How the OTHER Other Half Lives: Cinderella Stories* 2:45am *Midnight* (1939) Claudette Colbert & Don Ameche, dir Mitchell Leisen PARAMOUNT 95min (p/s) 4:30am *Lady for a Day* (1933) May Robson & Warren William, dir Frank Capra, COLUMBIA 96min (p/s) 6:15am *The Slipper and the Rose* (1976) Gemma Craven & Richard Chamberlain, dir Bryan Forbes UNIVERSAL 143 min *PREMIERE* *I Am My Own Evil Twin* 8:45am *Cat Ballou* (1965) Lee Marvin & Lee Marvin, dir Elliot Silvertein COLUMBIA 97min (p/s) 10:30am *Royal Wedding* (1951) Keenan Wynn & Keenan Wynn, dir Stanley Donen MGM 94min (p/s) 12:15am *The Parent Trap* (1961) Hayley Mills & Haley Mills, dir David Swift DISNEY 130min (p/s) 2:30pm *Kind Hearts and Coronets* (1949) Alec Guinness & Alec Guinness, dir Robert Harner EALING 106m (p/s) 4:30pm *The Family Jewels* (1965) Jerry Lewis & Jerry Lewis, dir Jerry Lewis PARAMOUNT 99min *PREMIERE* 6:15pm *Wonder Man* (1945) Danny Kaye & Danny Kaye, dir. H. Bruce Humberstone, RKO 98m (p/s) *Can’t You Take a Hint?* 8:00pm *Goodbye, Charlie* (1964) Debbie Reynolds & Tony Curtis, dir Vincente Minnelli FOX 117min *PREMIERE* 10:00pm *Goodbye, Mr. Chips* (1939) Robert Donat & Greer Garson, dir Sam Wood MGM 115min (p/s) 12:00am *Good-bye, My Lady* (1958) Walter Brennan & Brandon de Wilde, dir William Wellman WB 96min (p/s) *TCM UNDERGROUND* 1:45am SHORT: *Frankenweenie* (1984) Shelley Duvall & Daniel Stern, dir Tim Burton DISNEY 29min 2:15am *The Mole People* (1956) John Agar & Hugh Beaumont, dir. Virgil Vogel UNIVERSAL 75min ------------------------------------------- *SATURDAY, AUGUST 25, 2012* ----------------------------------------- *A Real Fixer-Upper* 3:30am *Please Don’t Eat the Daisies* (1960) Doris Day & David Niven, dir Charles Walters MGM 112min (p/s) 5:30am *Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House* (1948) Cary Grant & Myrna Loy, dir HC Potter RKO 95min (p/s) 7:15am *It’s a Wonderful Life* (1946) James Stewart & Donna Reed, dir Frank Capra RKO 132min *PREMIERE* 9:30am *Summer Magic* (1963) Hayley Mills & Dorothy Maguire, dir James Nielsen DISNEY 110min *PREMIERE* *Happy Birthday to Music Master LEONARD BERNSTEIN* 11:30am *On the Waterfront* (1954) Marlon Brando & Eva Marie Saint, dir Elia Kazan COLUMBIA 108min (p/s) 1:30pm *West Side Story* (1961) Natalie Wood & Richard Beymer, dir Robert Wise UA 152 min (p/s) 4:15pm *On the Town* (1949) Gene Kelly & Frank Sinatra, dir Stanley Donen MGM 98min (p/s) 6:00pm *Wonderful Town* (1958) Rosalind Russell & Sydney Chaplin, dir Mel Ferker CBS 120min *PREMIERE* *OSCAR CHALLENGE* *Never Nominated? Not Anymore!* 8:00pm *THE ESSENTIALS* Joseph Cotten for *Shadow of a Doubt* (1943) dir Alfred Hitchcock UNIVERSAL 108min (p/s) 10:00pm Myrna Loy for *The Best Years of Our Lives* (1946) dir William Wyler GOLDWYN 171min (p/s) 1:00am John Barrymore for *Grand Hotel* (1931) Greta Garbo & John Barrymore, dir Edmund Goulding, MGM 112 min (p/s) 3:00am Edward G Robinson for *Little Caesar* (1931) dir. Mervyn LeRoy WB 80 min (p/s) 4:30am Ward Bond for *The Long Voyage Home* (1940) dir John Ford UA 106min (p/s)

Finishing mine up as we speak.....

Yes, I'll be watching TCM instead of the Superbowl, as always. That and the new "Downton Abbey". Don't like Pro Football at all. College Football, yes, when it's my alma mater, but not Pro Football.

movieman- *Upstairs Downstairs* does take some getting used to, since it's a very different style of TV, at a much slower pace, with no background music, etc, but it is worth it once you do, if you ever have the time. Just watched one of my all time favorite *TWILIGHT ZONE* episodes: "A World of His Own" with Keenan Wynn. That one TOTALLY got me the first time I saw it. I love the ones like that that kind of have a double psych-out, "Spur of the Moment" is that way, too. I don't want to say any spoilers of course. Another classic show I've recently discovered is the 80s show *NEWHART*. Like Bob Newhart's 70s sitcom, which I already loved, it's good writing and good casting, whose real genius lies in its great characters. Bob plays his usual deadpan regular-guy persona and is a perfect springboard for crazies all around. Stephanie and Michael are so hilariously shallow and yet believable and sympathetic. How do you achieve that? George is a very simple guy, kind of the opposite of Stephanie and Michael, and very loveable too. And of course there's the comedy genius of: "Hi, I'm Larry, this is my brother Darryl, and this is my other brother Darryl." Have only seen the episodes once so I don't have a favorite. Plus I'm not through the series yet. But, man, they don't make great shows like that anymore, alas.

James, this is a great one. Jack Carson totally deserves SOTM and is very ignored. And I second the motion of showing Rudy and The Hudsucker Proxy on TCM. Especially the latter, which is influenced by classics like Meet John Doe and such. Really, very imaginative and a great kick-off for the challenge, wouldn't y'all say? Was planning on finishing my schedule last night, but when Life finds out you've made plans it says, "Oh really?" and changes them for you. But mine will be up within a few days... I hope...

So who is SOTM? Having trouble figuring that out. I was hoping for more of a Titanic tribute that just showing A NIGHT TO REMEMBER on April 14....

King- I can really reassign more than 4 oscars? Kuz I'd love to do a whole day or night's worth, so like 6-8. That would be nice. So I guess I'll have mine done pretty soon so no one else takes my SOTM or my anniversary tributes (not that it's too likely, but you never know). Sans- Just to throw out a "theme" idea-- any tributes to character actors or behind-the-scenes people (costumers, composers, cinematographers, or others that begin with C) are always the type of thing I like to see.

What a brilliant challenge! This is just too exciting. Just the sort of thing every single person on these boards can really sink their teeth into. But how can I limit it to only 4?

This year at the Bowl the "Big Picture" night as they call it is a tribute to Paramount Pictures, so there's a wide array of music. Then there's another night of movie music called "Pixar in Concert". I'm pretty excited about that one, having grown up with that music. I wish the Riders in the Sky would come to that and sing "Woody's Roundup." I love those guys. I love Patrick Doyle too, I must say.

Jane Wyman was in HERE COMES THE GROOM with Franchot Tone

ROME ADVENTURE

Last year I "discovered" the classic British TV show *UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS*. So great. One of my favorites now. Fascinating history. Great characters. Beautiful accents. Love, love, love.

I've been away from this thread way too long. Lots of recipes to try out. So I guess I'll have to pass along one of my greatest weapons of appetite destruction: CAKE MIX COOKIES 2/3 cup shortening 2 eggs 1 box cake mix, any kind you want (lemon is really good, as is spice, and chocolate too) Mix all this together. Add any raisins or chocolate chips or whatever you want, if anything. Drop by spoonful. Cook at 350 for 8min. Let cool on cookie sheet a minute or two before removing to cooling racks. No kidding--that's really it. Greatest last minute thing ever. Tasty and fast!

Speaking of jazz, the Hollywood Bowl schedule arrived at my house yesterday and I'm pretty excited that Diana Krall is coming back. Plus I'll get to hear Norah Jones and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. There will be lots of other good stuff this summer. Oh the joy.

I bring this up every time this topic arises, and I will keep doing so til I find it. My whole life my mother has been telling me about this movie she loves called *WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT FEELING GOOD* with George Pappard and Mary Tyler Moore. Does it exist anywhere? Not that I've been able to find. Anyone have any clues on how we can view this film?

Grazie mille, lzcutter! That is ever so helpful. So apparently Loretta Young was never SOTM. Interesting. If I didn't already have another plan I'd take advantage of that information.

Swithin- "Have a Little Priest" is also my favorite song. So unbelievable clever. It's Fop Finest in the shop And we have some shepherd's pie peppered With actual shepherd On top So clever. Steve has got to be one of the greatest lyricist of all time (but then I'm not familiar enough with opera lyrics to make that statement). Ok, TCM, now can you show the amazing stage production of Sunday in the Park with George, with Bernadette and Mandy and the height of their powers?

Might someone post the link to the list of previous SOTMs? I can never find it myself, and I always like to schedule a new SOTM.

Haven't seen this since college. Love it. So glad to be able to see it again. Beautiful filmmaking. Although the first time I didn't realize til the middle of it that this is the source material for the musical Sweet Charity. This film is better of course. Just thought I'd mention it.

Honor some character actors, please! Mildred Natwick, Ward Bond, Thomas Mitchell, etc...

I too think it's pretty dang cool that they're showing a non-movie when a non-movie is called for. I would love to see more things like this, sporatically and when appropriate. But, really, can you have Angela Lansbury as SOTM without showing this, one of her classic performances? Enjoy, all you newcomers!