TCM Schedule for Sunday, June 24, 2012 -- What's On Tonight: Essentials, Jr. - Send In The Clowns

[Bolo Boffin]

6:15 AM
KEEPER OF THE FLAME (1942)

A reporter digs into the secret life of a recently deceased political hero.
Dir: George Cukor
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Richard Whorf.
BW-101 mins, TV-PG, CC


8:00 AM
HOLLYWOOD CANTEEN (1944)

A serviceman and a starlet find love at the star-staffed serviceman's center.
Dir: Delmer Daves
Cast: Andrews Sisters, Jack Benny, Joe E. Brown.
BW-124 mins, TV-G, CC


10:15 AM
THE MYSTERIOUS HOUSE OF DR. C (1976)

A whacky scientist invents a dancing doll.
Dir: Ted Kneeland
Cast: Walter Slezak, Claudia Corday, Caj Selling.
C-93 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format


12:00 PM
DADDY LONG LEGS (1955)

A tycoon anonymously sponsors a French girl's college education.
Dir: Jean Negulesco
Cast: Fred Astaire, Leslie Caron, Terry Moore.
C-127 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format


2:15 PM
THE FARMER'S DAUGHTER (1947)

When she goes to work for a congressman, a Minnesota farm girl takes Washington by storm.
Dir: H. C. Potter
Cast: Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore.
BW-97 mins, TV-G, CC


4:00 PM
BORN YESTERDAY (1950)

A newspaper reporter takes on the task of educating a crooked businessman's girlfriend.
Dir: George Cukor
Cast: Judy Holliday, Broderick Crawford, William Holden.
BW-102 mins, TV-PG, CC


6:00 PM
PICNIC (1955)

A handsome drifter ignites passions at a small-town Labor Day picnic.
Dir: Joshua Logan
Cast: William Holden, Kim Novak, Betty Field.
C-113 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format


WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: ESSENTIALS, JR.
SEND IN THE CLOWNS

8:00 PM
THE CIRCUS (1928)

In this silent film, the Little Tramp joins a circus to hide from the police.
Dir: Charles Chaplin
Cast: Charles Chaplin, Merna Kennedy, Betty Morrissey.
BW-72 mins, TV-G


9:30 PM
THE BIG CIRCUS (1959)

A ringleader tries to keep his circus on the road despite the efforts of a saboteur.
Dir: Joseph M. Newman
Cast: Victor Mature, Red Buttons, Rhonda Fleming.
C-108 mins, TV-PG


11:30 PM
THE CIRCUS CLOWN (1934)

A young man defies his father's wishes to join the circus.
Dir: Ray Enright
Cast: Joe E. Brown, Patricia Ellis, Dorothy Burgess.
BW-65 mins, TV-G


12:45 AM
LAUGH, CLOWN, LAUGH (1928)

In this silent film, a circus clown falls for a young innocent in love with another.
Dir: Herbert Brenon
Cast: Lon Chaney, Bernard Siegel, Loretta Young.
BW-74 mins, TV-PG


2:15 AM
LA STRADA (1954)

A traveling strongman buys a peasant girl to be his wife and co-star.
Dir: Federico Fellini
Cast: Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart.
BW-108 mins, TV-PG


4:15 AM
MERRY ANDREW (1958)

An archaeologist's search for Roman treasure gets him mixed up with a circus troupe.
Dir: Michael Kidd
Cast: Danny Kaye, Pier Angeli, Baccaloni.
C-103 mins, TV-G, Letterbox Format

[CBHagman]

1. Among other things, a schedule with some politically themed movies.

I haven't seen Keeper of the Flame[b/], but I can recommend Born Yesterday and The Farmer's Daughter.



Born Yesterday



The Farmer's Daughter

[Bolo Boffin]

2. If you've not seen La Strada, that's the big recommend from me today.

Giulietta Masina is an force of nature. That Anthony Quinn fellow ain't too shabby, either.

[CBHagman]

3. Yes, I've seen "La Strada"

...as well as The Nights of Cabiria.

May I say, though, that I'm not into TCM's evening theme. Never cared much for clowns.

[Matilda]

4. Keeper of the Flame is worth a look,

but it lacks something that other Tracy/Hepburn films had. Perhaps it's because there is no sexual relationship between their two characters, so there's an element that just doesn't fire.

But it's an intellectually interesting film about the way people can be manipulated by an image created for that very purpose, and how loath they are to let go of what they think they see. I can't say more for fear of giving away the plot, but it's relevant not only for its reference to the fascist dictators of the time, but also more recent history.