What to Catch on TCM This Week - July 29-August 4, 2018

I wish that TCM still did Foreign Film night and Pulp Movies night, some of the most unusual movies in cinema, but this week isn't bad at all, with Walter Matthau heading up the line up as a Transit Authority Police Lieutenant.

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 -  Zachary Garber has just had  one of his subway trains taken and a number of passengers held hostage. I'm a Walter Matthau fan and this is one of his best roles and one of my favorite. This film has great photography and the realism of the situation works really well. The supporting characters are very well written and add a lot to the story. All around this is a really good film, much better than the remake in 2009. Sunday, July 29th  12:00 A.M. MST. 

Period of Adjustment - A young Jane Fonda plays a newly wedded nurse that believes she has made a terrible mistake in marrying her husband and Lois Nettleton is having problems with her husband who married her for her money. The couples meet in a bar and counsel each other on their problems while trying to decide if it's worth working it all out. Just a sweet little comedy in which Jane Fonda learns how to develop characters for the big screen. Sunday, July 29th 4:00 P.M. MST.

The Idiot - One of Akira Kurosowa's longest running films and by far one of his best, (also the original cut has been missing for years and topped out at more than 200 minutes). Love and death and insanity plague Kurosawa's vision of Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot. As I've said about other Kurosowa films, he just knows how to tell stories of humanity and suffering very well. Monday, July 30th 1:00 A.M. MST.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore - Ellyn Burstyn is a woman who has been left uncared for by her somewhat abusive husband after his sudden death in an auto accident. She sells everything she owns and loads her son and heads for Monterey, California to become a singer. This is one of Burstyn's best roles, so much so that it launched the T.V. show Alice starring Vic Tayback. Monday,  July 30th 8:00 P.M. MST. 

Ocean's Eleven - The whole Rat Pack is in this film, not as interesting as the remake, but still very good. It's a fun buddy film. My favorite in this is Sammy Davis, Jr. his character is the best. Tuesday, July 31st 1:15 A.M. MST.

It Happened at the World's Fair- This is where Elvis's dreams of becoming one of the top leading men and dramatic actors is really squished. Cute and quirky at first, the film has no real plot other than to make a woman fall for Elvis. It's the worst, but worth a mention because of it being filmed at the 1962 Century 21 Exposition held in Seattle. Tuesday, July 31st 8:00 P.M. MST.

The Graduate - Another film that I most undoubtedly saw way to early. Ben is home after graduating from college and not wanting to spend another 4 years on what he sees as a waste of time. He begins an affair with his father's law partner's wife, Mrs. Robinson, until he meets her daughter Elaine and falls in love with her and decides on his future, kind of. Catch a young Dustin Hoffman on Wednesday, August 1, 1:45 A.M. MST.

The Man with the Golden Arm - Frankie has just been released from a rehab hospital and armed with a new lease on life and a set of drums that he is determined to get a job playing drums in a band with, unfortunately Frankie's wife is pretending to be disabled to make him feel guilty and stay with her and keeps him trapped in their tiny apartment and tells him he will never make anything of himself and makes him turn back to his former self. Wednesday, August 1, 6:00 P.M. MST.

Libeled Lady - A somewhat silly comedy with a lot of beautiful ladies and a lot of fun! Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow play the women that run the men through their paces. Thursday, August 2nd 8:00 A.M. MST.

Mr.Blandings Builds His Dream House - Jim and his wife, Muriel decide to purchase a house in the Connecticut countryside, unfortunately nothing goes to plan and everything goes downhill. Cary Grant plays the husband suspicious of wife's intent. Thursday, August 2nd 4:15 A.M. MST.

Stamboul Quest - A pre-code spy film set in World War I with Myrna Loy as a German Agent that has fallen for a British Spy. Loy is beautiful in the film, able to get information not only by using her looks, but by using her very smart brain. George Brent plays her love interest that makes her turn her back on her country, kind of. It's a suspense filled love story worth the watch.Friday, August 3rd, 1:30 A.M. MST.

The Devil is a Woman - Conchita Rodriguez uses mean like most women use handkerchiefs, until she falls for the intriguing revolutionary Antonio and decides he's all she's ever wanted, that is until he is imprisoned for nearly killing her ex-lover. Marlene Dietrich is beguiling as Conchita and you can see why men throw their lives after her. Friday, August 3rd, 2:15 P.M. MST.


Every Which Way But Loose - Kelly's Heroes - Saturday is Clint Eastwood day on TCM. It starts with a classic Clit favorite Every Which Way But Loose (That I know we all watch for the orangutan), and followed up with classic westerns, Fist Full of Dollars and For a Few Dollars More. I really enjoy old Clint Eastwood movies you know the ones before he went a little senile and said some crazy stuff on a stage, another topic for another day, I love the lightheartedness of Every Which Way But Loose and the idea that a guy like Philo would fall for a woman with no real substance. Saturday, August 4th 8:00 A.M - Sunday, August 5th 1:15 A.M MST.