What to Catch on TCM This Week - August 12 - August 18, 2018

A big week on TCM with Doris Day, Lupe Velez, George Brent and Peter Finch headlining 24 hours of selected movies. I knew that Doris Day had been in a lot of films, but really I had no idea the extent of her filmography.

The Tunnel of Love - Augie and Isolde Poole have been trying to have a baby, but with nothing happening they decide to try to adopt. Unfortunately for Isolde, Augie is having doubts about having a baby because he and Isolde are still living off of her family's money while he's been trying to get his career started. Doris Day and Richard Widmark play off each other wonderfully in this sweet comedy about marital bliss. Gene Kelly also has a small part in this dramatic comedy. Sunday, August 12th, 2:00 P.M. MST.

Send Me No Flowers - George Kimball, a severe hypochondriac, believes he has just overheard his doctor telling a nurse that he is dying in a few weeks. George, deciding that his wife doesn't need to know about his impending death, throws himself into the task of finding her a new husband. Another cute comedy with Doris Day, with the addition of Rock Hudson as her ailing husband. Sunday, August 12th, 8:00 P.M. MST.

The Painted Veil - Greta Garbo marries Herbert Marshall to combat loneliness and to live an exciting life outside of Austria. Unfortunately, she is not really in love with her husband and begins an affair with George Brent. When Garbo's husband finds out he insists that is she wants a divorce he will grant it under the condition that Brent sign a contract stating that he will marry her and divorce his wife. Not wanting the scandal Brent ends the affair and Garbo stays married following her husband inland to fight cholera. Monday, August 13th, 8:30 A.M. MST.

The Great Lie - Sandra and Peter have just gotten married on an impulse and find that it is not valid because her divorce was not finalized before they married. Peter leaves her and marries his old flame, Maggie. Shortly after their marriage, Peter's plane crashes and he is assumed dead. Sandra finds that she  became pregnant by Peter during their brief marriage. Maggie tells Sandra that perhaps it would be best if she raises the child and Sandra agrees, and the women move to Arizona for the baby to be born. Davis and Astor give spectacular performances and even re-wrote some of the film, making it one of Astor's best films. Monday, August 13th, 4:00 P.M. MST.

My Reputation - Jessica's husband has just died after a long illness and she becomes lonely. She falls for Major Scott Landis and they become involved, but her young sons are hurt by her betrayal to her deceased husband and run away. George Brent is excellent as the understanding Army Major that will wait for the woman he loves. Tuesday, August 14th, 2:00 A.M.

Laughing Boy - Slim Girl, impressed with Laughing Boy, seduces and gets him to marry her and then begins an affair with a rich rancher. Lupe Velez is gorgeous as Slim Girl. Even with her tragic end, Lupe was someone that was going somewhere. Tuesday, August 14th, 12:45 P.M. MST.

The Girl From Mexico - A hot headed singer from Mexico takes a chance and goes to New York for a radio ad opportunity and falls in love with the Ad Exec handling the ad. This is the movie that starts the Mexican Spitfire series of movies that Lupe Velez became famous for starring in. She became one of the only Mexican Woman who became a real success in Hollywood during the silent and beginning of the talkie era. Tuesday, August 14th, 6:00 P.M. MST.

Honolulu Lu - Consuelo Cordoba is starring in a risque nightclub act in Honolulu when she becomes popular with all the sailors and decides to become a beauty queen. Once again Lupe Velez stuns in this quirky little romance. Tuesday, August 14th, 9:00 P.M. MST.

The Abdication- Kristina, The Queen of Sweden has just abdicated from her throne and become a Catholic and goes to live in The Vatican. She promptly falls in love with a Catholic Cardinal despite her vow of celibacy. Peter Finch plays the Cardinal who falls for the Queen and Liv Ullman plays the Queen devoted to her religion. Wednesday, August 15th, 6:00 A.M. MST.

Far From the Madding Crowd - Bathsheba Everdene inherits her uncle's farm and decides to run it herself. She's bold and beautiful and turns suitors away and marries the wrong man. Terence Stamp plays the wrong man that Bathsheba marries and Peter Finch plays second fiddle to him with Alan Bates playing the man that finally wins her. Wednesday, August 15th, 3:00 P.M. MST.

Girl with Green Eyes - Young Kate has just moved to Dublin where she works as a grocery girl with her friend Baba. They are up to typical twenty year old girl things when Kate falls for older, married Eugene Gaillard. Things go about as you would expect, and Kate ends up back living with Baba, who is leaving for a better life in London. The realism of this film is what gets me, it's just exactly what you would get, but it's totally unexpected. The acting is great and so is the life that this sweet, innocent girl is living. Wednesday, August 15th, 8:00 P.M. MST.


Network - How could I ignore Network when talking about Peter Finch films, it's only one of his greatest roles. The breakdown that Finch portrays in anchorman Beale is one of the best ever given on film, he truly lets you know what it's like to be washed up and discarded and Faye Dunaway is just stunning in this film as the woman who seduces him only to exploit him some more. Wednesday, August 15th, 9:45 P.M. MST.

Sunday, Bloody Sunday - Prolific for the times, this love triangle plays out in London between an openly gay Jewish doctor, a young divorcee and a bisexual artist. It's an interesting film and look at love, Murray Head plays the young artist that is caught between the two lovers and he plays it amazingly well. Worth the watch and a welcome after Network. Thursday, August 16th, 12:00 A.M. MST.

The Old Maid - Charlotte and Delia Lovell are cousins and best friends until jealousy comes between them and almost destroys their lives. Although extremely musty and a little played out, this film is still well acted and somewhat a tear jerker because of the material. Davis is great as usual and her and Miriam Hopkins play well, but you can see that Davis was not all that happy with sharing that much screen time with the actress and that Hopkins wasn't happy being in a film with Davis, all because Davis had won an Oscar for Jezebel, a role that Hopkins had played on Broadway. Thursday, August 16th, 2:00 P.M. MST.

The Main Event - Friday, August 17th is Barbra Streisand's day to shine, starting with the ultra kitchy and probably the best/worst Streisand movie, The Main Event, in which Streisand takes a boxer and tries to turn him into a winner. It's a soapy movie with a thin plot, O'Neal does an okay job but Streisand is the one who actually makes this film work. What's up Doc?, Funny Girl, The Way We Were, Yentl, A Star is Born, and Up the Sandbox help round out the Streisand movie block. All are actually worth watching, with Funny Girl being one of the best to catch. Starting on Friday, August 17th 4:00 A.M. MST and ending August 18th 2:00 A.M. MST.

It Happened One Night - This movie is a classic for a reason and it has been Gable's most well known role. It's a quirky romantic comedy about a young woman who has married a man that her father disapproves of and when separated she falls for a reporter. Quick wit and good acting make this a very watchable film. Saturday, August 18th, 6:00 A.M. MST.

Mogambo - Hunting guide Victor Marswell is in the business of big game hunting and ends up finding love in the French Congo. It's a beautifully shot movie with Grace Kelly and Ava Gardner both looking amazing on screen with Gable bringing the acting chops to match their beauty. Saturday, August 18th 10:00 P.M. MST.