February is here and with it comes TCM’s 31 DAYS OF OSCAR. This is a month that divides some TCM fans, some preferring to stick to the classics from before 1970 and others welcoming the more modern “classics” of the recent Oscars. Regardless of your feelings about 31 DAYS OF OSCAR there are still some great films showing on TCM this month. Here is a quick round-up of the offerings to be had!
31 Days of Oscar
Every night TCM will highlight a different year of the Oscars starting on February 1st with 1927-1930. The greatest year of the golden age of Hollywood, i.e. 1939, will be featured on February 6th. Here are some great movies being shown as part of the 31 Days of Oscar, in my opinion, as well as some I am looking forward to checking out!
February 4th (1936-1937) – SWING TIME 8PM EST, THE AWFUL TRUTH 10PM EST
February 5th (1938) – THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD 8PM EST
February 7th (1940-1942) – THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 8PM EST, HERE COMES MR. JORDAN 10PM EST, MRS. MINIVER 2AM EST
February 8th (1942-1944) – GASLIGHT 12AM EST, WOMAN OF THE YEAR 2AM EST
February 9th (1944-1946) – THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 8PM EST, LAURA 1AM EST, MILDRED PIERCE 3AM EST
February 10th (1946-1947) – THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER 2:45AM EST
February 12th (1949-1951) – BORN YESTERDAY 1:30AM EST
February 13th (1951-1953) – HOW TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE 8PM EST
February 14th (1954-1956) – MARTY 1AM EST
February 15th (1957-1958) – I WANT TO LIVE! 1AM EST
February 18th (1960-1962) – THE APARTMENT 8PM EST
February 24th (1979) – A LITTLE ROMANCE 8PM EST
February 25th (1980-1985) – OUT OF AFRICA 12AM EST
Here are some other movies being shown in February that I am interested in, or that I think are worthy of a look!
February 5th – MANHATTAN MELODRAMA 6AM EST How I have not seen this film, the one that got John Dillinger killed, I do not know but I intend to see it this month! Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, and William Powell!, LITTLE CAESAR 9:30AM EST Edward G. Robinson’s iconic pre-code gangster film
February 10th – AFTER THE THIN MAN 4PM EST I love all movies in the Thin Man series and this one has Jimmy Stewart in it!
February 11th – CAPTAIN BLOOD 11:45AM EST Nothing beats a good Errol Flynn/Olivia de Havilland swashbuckler…nothing
February 13th – WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? It seems somehow fitting that this movie is being shown on Friday the 13th…Bette David and Joan Crawford at their campy horror best
February 14th – VIVACIOUS LADY 6:30AM EST I recently got this movie from the Warner Archive and can’t wait to see it, Ginger Rogers and Jimmy Stewart and Beulah Bondi, LIBELED LADY 8:15AM EST Can’t wait to see this one for the first time, Spencer Tracy and Myrna Loy are always great but I am interested to see a post-code Jean Harlow, HOLIDAY 10AM EST I think this is one of my favorite Katherine Hepburn movies and Cary Grant makes it magical
February 15th – THE BLUE DAHLIA 2:30PM EST This one intrigues me with Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake, a man fighting to prove he didn’t kill his wife…I’ll be watching, KEY LARGO 6PM EST Bogie and Bacall with gangsters in the middle of a hurricane…fantastic film
February 19th – WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION 12:30PM EST This is a really interesting and fun film directed by Billy Wilder, Marlene Dietrich as the wife who might have more to do with the murder her husband is on trial for and Charles Laughton as the lawyer defending him
February 20th – I AM A FUGITIVE FROM A CHAN GANG 10AM EST Paul Muni and Glenda Farrell in a pre-code film about what happens to a WWI veteran sentenced to a chain gang, I have been meaning to see this film for some time and I can’t wait to do that this month, WHITE HEAT 11:30AM EST James Cagney is a twisted gangster with mommy issues, I watched this some years ago and you really can’t take you eyes off him
February 21st – THE PRODUCERS 6:15PM I’m wearing a cardboard belt!
February 24th – BERKLEY SQUARE 5PM A lovely film with Leslie Howard as a young man transported back in time to meet his ancestors during the American Revolution, IT HAPPENED TOMORROW 6:30PM EST The premise of this one got me, a newspaper editor who writes headlines that predict the future is too good to resist
February 25th – MISTER ROBERTS 5:45 PM EST Just a great film that should be seen, Henry Fonda with Jack Lemmon and James Cagney
February 28th – THE NARROW MARGIN 12:45PM I recently posted about this great noir that shows how B movies should be made, make sure to catch this one
If you are looking for more suggestions about what to catch on TCM this month, Kristina at Speakeasy has a great round-up to check out! And because I love pre-codes…here is Danny at Pre-code.com‘s list of what movies are coming up this month. Finally, here are some musings from Laura on what to see in February!
Now Voyaging 
Definitely see Manhattan Melodrama, The Blue Dahlia and I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang. I kind of envy you seeing those for the first time! Ladd and Lake were one of the coolest couples ever, so if for some reason you don’t enjoy the story it’s worth it just to stare at them 🙂
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I’m looking forward to seeing them! The last movie I saw with Veronica Lake was SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS and I MARRIED A WITCH
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