by Rosalie Kicks, Old Sport & Editor in Chief

Every year in August, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) celebrates a different actor each day by showcasing various pictures from their filmography. Starting bright and early at 6am August 1st running straight through the 31st, viewers may expect to find an eclectic mix of masterpieces, forgotten films, and uncovered gems from a specific Hollywood star. I’ve always been enamored and quite overwhelmed by this program. I suppose, though, it truly is a welcoming predicament to find one self in… too many movies and not enough hours in the day.

With my recent escape from corporate drudgery (read about it here), I am now able to allocate time to catch some of the flicks I am most excited about. In fact, my partner in crime Benjamin believes I have a case of movie madness. A “disease” in which I am attempting to squeeze as many motion pictures into my eyes as humanly possible. Fortunately, TCM has created a printable schedule -found here - to assist with the daunting task of making my picks. This guide is perfect for narrowing down my selections and determining when I’ll have to pull an all-nighter like a vampire. Luckily, I happen to live on easy street with the use of the TCM app that allows me to create a watch list to view the pictures on demand and reminds me when movies are about to expire. For those that don’t have access to cable or a DVR, you can also catch TCM programming on YouTube.

Throughout the month of August I’ll be sharing motion pictures that I have deemed are must watches. If you decide to join me under the stars, shoot me a note and let me know what you’ll be checking out old sport!

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)
Airs 6:00 AM

Did I ever mention that I adore letterboxd? Well, I do and you can follow me here. Being able to pinpoint the exact moment in time that I watched a picture thrills me. Apparently it was on May 28, 2018 that I first watched The Last of Mrs. Cheyney and well I think it is time for a rewatch. Not only does it feature William Powell, but he stars alongside two of my favorite actors, Joan Crawford and Robert Montgomery. Joan plays Fay, who is working a grift that ends up getting derailed by love. And if that is not exciting enough, there is even a boudoir doll! If you’re not sure what in the hell I speak of, check out my review of Longlegs to learn more about these fantastic, soft-bodied, inanimate beings.

The Heavenly Body (1943)
Airs 12:00 PM

This picture was added to my watch list four months ago and I was excited to see it included in this year’s program. Powell portrays an astronomer and stars along side Hedy Lamarr, who plays his lonely wife. She believes an astrological predication that a new dream man will be come into her life. I have high hopes for this one as it was Directed by Alexander Hall, a filmmaker, that made one of my favorite supernatural fantasy flicks: Here Comes Mr. Jordan. I have a feeling I am really going to dig this one and love that it perfectly fits the summer under the stars theme.

Love Crazy (1941)
Airs 11:30 PM

Love Crazy reunites Powell with his The Thin Man costar Myrna Loy, which made this an obvious pick. The Thin Man series is one of my favorites and, in my mind, this acting duo can do no wrong. When Susan Ireland (Myrna Loy) suspects her husband Steve (William Powell) of cheating, she seeks divorce. Before the proceedings can be finalized, Steve pretends to be insane in attempt to stop his wife from leaving him. There is a still of this movie that shows Powell and Loy hacking up a cake with a pair of axes, which tells me I am in for a howling good time with this one.

Out of The Fog (1941)
Airs 5:00 PM

Sadly, Ida Lupino is a major blindspot for me. I have only watched seven of her one hundred and five acting credits and am hoping this trip under the stars will change that. First up is Out of The Fog, in which she stars with John Garfield (Fell down a rabbit hole about Garfield after reading this book). When a Brooklyn gangster (Garfield) attempts to bully two elderly fisherman into paying protection money, they get fed up and decide to turn to murder. From what I can tell by the set photos, this film promises to be a most excellent noir.

On Dangerous Ground (1952)
Airs 6:30 PM

On Dangerous Ground has been on my letterboxd watch list for six years! I can’t wait to finally check this one off. I was elated to discover this is not only a Nicholas Ray directed picture, but that Ida Lupino served as his assistant director. When big city cop Jim Wilson (Robert Ryan) is sent away upstate by his superior due to lack of anger management, he finds himself knee deep in a snowy mountain town with a murder case to solve. This sounds absolutely thrilling!

The Hard Way (1943)
Airs 4:00 AM

The Hard Way is a tale of two sisters. Poverty stricken Helen Chernen (Ida Lupino) is looking to leave her small town life behind. She sees potential and a way out in her kid sister Katie (Joan Leslie). Helen pushes Katie into an unwanted marriage to help open doors to Broadway. Helen soon becomes a domineering stage mother, pushing Katie to the extreme, and ultimately leads to her demise. Apparently this story is based on Ginger Rogers (who I love!), her relationship with her mother, and her marriage to her first husband when she was seventeen years old. It is also shot by cinematographer, James Wong Howe, who coincidentally has been the camera person on several flicks I have watched this year. I can’t believe I have not heard of this flick before… can’t wait to watch it.

Hey old sport, I gotta sleep some time and well, John Wayne is not my cup of tea. For those of you tuning in for “the Duke’s” western and war pictures, enjoy!

The Americanization of Emily (1964)
Airs 8:00 AM

Julie Andrews is not an actor that I have seen much of. In terms of my film watching, I tend to spend a lot of time in the thirties and forties, rather than the sixties and seventies when she made quite a number of films. The Americanization of Emily piqued my interest when I noticed her costar was the illustrious James Garner. Described as an anti-war picture, it makes me believe I will enjoy this picture.

Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
Airs 5:15 PM

I don’t typically go for musicals, but who can resist Julie Andrews’ pipes? Apparently, when this picture was released it was sold as “The Happiest Motion Picture of The Year!” Set in the roaring twenties, Millie Dillmount (Julie Andrews) is a wanna be flapper in New York City who has made her mission to wed her boss. I don’t know about the plot, but the costumes and set design look like a heck of a lot of fun.

Look For The Silver Lining (1949)
Airs 6:00 AM

I am trying my darnedest these days to see the good in the world. As no surprise to anyone, this is quite a ghastly chore. Movies help me a lot, as they provide a temporary departure from the vileness that is everyday life. Which is why Look For The Silver Lining had me at the title. It sounds upbeat and, from the looks of the trailer, it seems to be a colorful musical spectacle that is sure to be pleasing to the eyes. I am not familiar with Gordon Macrae, but look forward to meeting the old chap. I also spied in the credits of Look For The Silver Lining that it features Charles Ruggles, who is a favorite character actor of mine (as heard on my movie pod, Cinematic Crypt episode 032, here).

Carousel (1956)
Airs 10:30 PM

The cinemascope presented flick, Carousel is one that I have been meaning to revisit for a while now. I originally watched this picture on a VHS tape that I picked up at a flea market and it has been such a long time since I first viewed it, that I barely remember it. After being six feet under for the past fifteen years, Carnival barker Billy Bigelow (Gordon Macrae) is granted one day to return to planet Earth to assist his family with some trouble they have found themselves in. Any film set in a carnival, circus, or amusement park is always a must watch for me due to often having a striking production design and captivating atmosphere. Carousel promises to be a technicolor delight!

On Moonlight Bay (1951)
Airs 12:45 AM

Given that all but one of the Gordon MacRae pictures being featured are new to me, I was willing to take a chance with any of them. However, On Moonlight Bay called out to me given that his costar is the always charming, Doris Day. This motion picture tells the tale of a teen girl, Marjorie Winfield (Doris Day), who falls for college student William Sherman (Gordon MacRae). Apparently, William is somewhat of a misfit and has rather eccentric thoughts on how to live his life. This, of course causes, friction with Marjorie’s father. In the trailer I spotted a carnival, so even if it is yet another musical, it can’t be all that bad.

The Secret Six (1931)
Airs 6:00 AM

Earlier this summer I read the historical fiction book “Platinum Doll: A novel about Jean Harlow” by Anne Girard, and became enthralled with Jean Harlow and her tragic end in Hollywood. This led me to tracking down as many of her flicks anyway I could… from the library, online streamers, and archive.org. I was happy to see that she was picked as one of the featured stars, as several of the pictures listed were new to me. Starting with The Secret Six. This is one of Jean’s first features and was made after her breakout role in Howard Hughes’ Hell’s Angels. The Secret Six is a Pre-Code tale in which a bootlegger that goes by Slaughterhouse Scorpio eliminated his competition, a couple of journos and a gaggle of businessmen work together to take him down. Jean seems to be a bit far down on the cast list, but I did see a mention of an appearance by Clark Gable which makes this one promising. Apparently this was also Harlow and Gable’s first team up. They would go on to make five more features together.

Beast of the City (1932)
Airs 8:00 AM

Beast in The City is another organized crime picture in which Jean plays Daisy Stevens, who appears to be tangled up with a gangster that is being pursued by the authorities. I am not huge on the mobster movies, unless we are talking Cagney. However, I’ll give this one a go. I will admit, though, I was not thrilled to see Mickey Rooney listed in the credits.

China Seas (1935)
Airs 5:00 PM

This is another Gable and Harlow pairing set aboard a ship with a secret cargo! China Seas seems like it will be a fun adventure. In taking a peek at trailer, I can already tell I will be a fan of Harlow’s wardrobe. I also was ecstatic that Rosalind Russell is part of the cast. I always enjoy the enthusiasm she brings to a motion picture.

The Sundowners (1960)
Airs 2:30PM

Not sure if you heard, but at the start of the year I made it my mission to watch as many Robert MItchum films as possible. At the present time, my eyes have viewed seventy-five motion pictures featuring the glorious Mitchum. At some point I’ll have to do something with all this knowledge I have absorbed. For now, I am happy to share Mitchum movie recommendations, which brings me to The Sundowners, which also features performance from Peter Ustinov and Deborah Kerr. A family of sheep herders is constantly on the move and faces a predicament when Ida (Deborah Kerr) wants to settle down and Paddy (Robert Mitchum) prefers a life of adventure. Ustinov gives a great performance as Englishman Rupert Venneker, who has a run-in with the family and ends up sticking around to help them out with a one of their latest sheep herding gigs. I felt for wanderlust Mitchum in this picture and the tale it told of a sweet family just trying to get by. It also gets bonus points for the appearance of Glynis Johns.

Evil Under The Sun (1982)
Airs 1:45 AM

I was today years old when I learned that Peter Ustinov played the renowned sleuth, Hercule Poirot. This is astounding! I am so excited to watch this picture in which he attempts to solve a murder at a fat cat island resort. Bringing me even more joy was finding out James Mason is in this motion picture too.