Happy August, everyone! Since we’re heading into August, that can only mean one thing — it’s time for TCM’s Summer Under the Stars! As you know, I’m a big fan of Summer Under the Stars and this year’s line-up has a lot for me to look forward to. Of course, there are the crowd-pleaser days dedicated to stars like Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, and Barbara Stawnyck, but there are quite a few names on this year’s schedule I wasn’t expecting to see such as Alexis Smith, Betty Grable, Gladys George, and Arlene Dahl. Betty Grable day is the day I’m most looking forward to this year; I haven’t seen many of her movies, but I’ve liked the ones I’ve seen. I’m also looking forward to Gladys George day. I’ve seen many of the movies being shown on her day, but I don’t have a strong opinion on her as an actress, so it will be cool re-watch those movies in a new way.
14 of the stars being featured this year have never been featured before, including the one and only William Powell. Before we get on to the highlights, let’s take a quick look at the full list of this year’s stars:
- Jane Fonda
- David Niven
- Walter Pidgeon
- Judy Garland
- Barbara Stanwyck
- Paul Muni
- Jimmy Stewart
- Jeanne Moreau
- William Powell
- Carole Lombard
- Marlon Brando
- Alexis Smith
- Cary Grant
- Charlie Chaplin
- Faye Dunaway
- Herbert Marshall
- John Hodiak
- Claudette Colbert
- Paul Newman
- Thelma Ritter
- Lee Tracy
- Audrey Hepburn
- Ernest Borgnine
- Gladys George
- Dick Powell
- Sophia Loren
- Edmond O’Brien
- Arlene Dahl
- Joseph Cotten
- Betty Grable
- Alan Ladd
August 1: Summer Under the Stars kicks off with a day of Jane Fonda movies. For me, I’m most looking forward to seeing Klute at 12:15 AM, Any Wednesday at 2:15 AM, and Tout va Bien at 4:15 AM.
August 2: Gotta love watching David Niven in Dodsworth at 6:00 AM, Bachelor Mother at 12:00 PM, and The Pink Panther at 8:00 PM.
August 4: Since I’m a big Judy Garland fan, there isn’t anything on today that I haven’t seen before. But I’m always happy to see Girl Crazy (8:00 AM), Summer Stock (6:00 PM), Strike Up the Band (8:00 PM), The Clock (10:15 PM), and A Star is Born (12:00 AM).
August 5: I’m always down for a day of Barbara Stanwyck movies. I’m really intrigued by Cry Wolf at 4:15 PM, but I also love Illicit at 6:00 AM, Stella Dallas at 7:30 AM, The Two Mrs. Carrolls at 2:30 PM, Meet John Doe at 5:45 PM, Ball of Fire at 8:00 PM, and Night Nurse at 10:00 PM.
August 6: If you watch nothing else for Paul Muni day, don’t miss I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang at 8:00 PM and Scarface at 9:30 PM.
August 7: It’s pretty hard to go wrong with a day of Jimmy Stewart movies. Wife vs. Secretary at 6:00 AM, Vivacious Lady at 9:30 AM, and The Shop Around the Corner at 12:00 AM. I’m really excited to see Come Live With Me at 1:00 PM. I caught part of it a while back and it looked good, so I look forward to seeing the whole thing.
August 8: TCM always does a day of movies with a star primarily known for foreign films during Summer Under the Stars and this year, that distinction goes to Jeanne Moreau. There’s The 400 Blows at 6:00 AM, La Notte at 7:45 AM, Elevator to the Gallows at 10:15 PM, and Jules and Jim at 12:00 AM.
August 9: At long last, William Powell finally gets a Summer Under the Stars tribute! We’ve got Road to Singapore at 6:00 AM, Jewel Robbery at 7:30 AM, Lawyer Man at 8:45 AM, Double Harness at 10:00 AM, Manhattan Melodrama at 11:15 AM, Libeled Lady at 1:00 PM, Double Wedding at 2:45 PM, I Love You Again at 4:30 PM, Love Crazy at 6:15 PM, The Thin Man at 8:00 PM, After the Thin Man at 9:45 PM, Crossroads at 11:45 PM, Mister Roberts at 1:15 AM, The Girl Who Had Everything at 3:30 AM, and High Pressure at 4:45 AM.
August 10: After William Powell, we get a day of Powell’ former wife, the wonderful Carole Lombard! Virtue at 6:00 AM, No More Orchids at 7:30 AM, In Name Only at 9:00 AM, Lady By Choice at 11:00 AM, Twentieth Century at 12:30 PM, The Gay Bride at 2:15 PM, Made For Each Other at 4:00 PM, Mr. and Mrs. Smith at 6:00 PM, To Be or Not to Be at 8:00 PM, True Confession at 10:00 PM, Nothing Sacred at 11:45 PM, Vigil in the Night at 1:15 PM, and Fools for Scandal at 3:00 AM.
August 13: A Cary Grant day is always a crowd pleaser! You’ve got The Awful Truth at 6:00 AM, Bringing Up Baby at 7:45 AM, His Girl Friday at 9:30 AM, The Philadelphia Story at 12:45 AM, Arsenic and Old Lace at 2:45 PM, Hot Saturday at 8:00 PM, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House at 9:30 AM, Gunga Din at 11:15 PM, and Room for One More at 4:00 AM.
August 14: For fans of silent films, we have 24 hours of Charlie Chaplin movies! It will be nice to revisit some of his earlier stuff like Tillie’s Punctured Romance at 6:00 AM and A Day’s Pleasure at 9:00 AM since I haven’t seen those in a long time. There are the essentials like The Gold Rush at 11:45 AM, The Circus at 1:45 PM, Modern Times at 3:00 PM, The Great Dictator at 5:45 PM, The Kid at 9:45 PM, and City Lights at 12:30 AM. There’s also the under-appreciated favorites of mine, A Woman of Paris at 10:15 AM and Monsieur Verdoux at 2:00 AM. I’m also excited for the new documentary The Birth of the Tramp at 8:00 PM.
August 15: Faye Dunaway is one of my favorite actresses from the early days of the New Hollywood era. You can’t go wrong with Bonnie and Clyde at 3:30 PM or Chinatown at 12:00 AM.
August 16: Lots of gems to be found for Herbert Marshall day. Riptide at 6:00 AM, Trouble in Paradise at 11:30 AM, The Little Foxes at 2:30 PM, Foreign Correspondent at 8:00 PM, and a double feature of The Letter (1940) at 12:00 AM and The Letter (1929) at 1:45 AM.
August 18: I’m always happy to see some Claudette Colbert. Without Reservations at 12:00 AM, Boom Town at 2:00 PM, It Happened One Night at 6:00 PM, The Smiling Lieutenant at 8:00 PM.
August 19: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at 10:00 PM and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof at 12:00 AM are two of my favorite Paul Newman movies. But I’ve been really interested in seeing Harper (1:45 PM) for a while now.
August 20: Enjoy a day of movies featuring one of the greatest character actresses of all time, Thelma Ritter. How the West Was Won at 7:30 AM, Titanic at 10:15 AM, The Mating Season at 8:00 PM, Pickup on South Street at 10:00 PM, and Pillow Talk at 1:30 AM.
August 21: You can count on some pre-code classics for Lee Tracy day. The Strange Love of Molly Louvain at 2:30 PM, The Half-Naked Truth at 3:45 PM, Love is a Racket at 5:15 PM, Bombshell at 8:00 PM, Blessed Event at 10:00 PM, and Dinner at Eight at 11:30 PM.
August 22: Glad to see my personal favorite Audrey Hepburn movie, Wait Until Dark, is on today at 6:00 PM.
August 23: For Ernest Borgnine day, I’m really looking forward to seeing The Catered Affair at 9:45 AM. It’s one I’ve been meaning to see for a long time.
August 24: Lots of great stuff on for Gladys George day! Flamingo Road at 10:00 AM, Marie Antoinette at 1:15 AM, The Roaring Twenties at 6:00 PM, The Maltese Falcon at 8:00 PM.
August 25: Very excited for Dick Powell day! 42nd Street at 1:00 PM, Christmas in July at 8:00 PM, Murder My Sweet at 9:15 PM, Dames at 11:00 PM, The Bad and the Beautiful at 12:45 AM.
August 26: I actually haven’t seen many Sophia Loren movies, but I loved Two Women at 8:00 PM and Yeserday, Today, and Tomorrow at 2:00 AM.
August 29: Nice to see Joseph Cotten in this year’s Summer Under the Stars line-up! Gaslight at 3:00 PM, The Magnificent Ambersons at 5:00 PM, Portrait of Jennie at 8:00 PM, The Third Man at 12:15 AM, and Citizen Kane at 2:15 AM.
August 30: Betty Grable day is the day I’m most looking forward to this month! Old Man Rhythm at 11:30 AM, Give Me a Sailor at 1:00 PM, Meet Me After the Show at 2:30 PM, The Dolly Sisters at 4:00 PM, Mother Wore Tights at 6:00 PM, and Down Argentine Way at 10:00 PM are all on my t0-see list.
August 31: Summer Under the Stars 2014 draws to a close with a day of Alan Ladd. I’m intrigued by Joan of Paris at 7:15 AM, The Man in the Net at 11:00 AM, and The Glass Key at 12:45 PM. Shane at 8:00 PM and This Gun for Hire at 10:15 PM are both great.
