TCM Schedule for Thursday, January 28, 2020 -- What's On Tonight: Star of the Month Miriam Hopkins

[Staph]

6:30 AM -- The Iron Mistress (1952)
1h 50m | Western | TV-PG
American adventurer Jim Bowie fights to make his way in the lumber business.
Director: Gordon Douglas
Cast: Alan Ladd, Virginia Mayo, Joseph Calleia

This film was physically hard on Alan Ladd - he injured a knee during the shoot and broke a hand on the last day of filming.


8:30 AM -- Drum Beat (1954)
1h 51m | Western | TV-PG
While negotiating a peace treaty with North California Indians, a presidential emissary has to fight off a renegade.
Director: Delmer Daves
Cast: Alan Ladd, Audrey Dalton, Marisa Pavan

General Edward Canby, whose death is depicted in this movie, was in reality the only U.S. army general killed during the American Indian Wars. "General" G. A. Custer, killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876, was not in fact a general at the time of his death. After the Civil War, he held the permanent rank of Lieutenant Colonel.


10:30 AM -- The Badlanders (1958)
1h 25m | Western | TV-PG
Western outlaws join forces for a daring gold robbery in this remake of The Asphalt Jungle.
Director: Delmer Daves
Cast: Alan Ladd, Ernest Borgnine, Katy Jurado

The opening scene, of Alan Ladd's character being released from prison, was, as scripted, actually filmed at the Yuma Territorial Prison in Yuma, Arizona.


12:15 PM -- Guns of the Timberland (1960)
1h 31m | Western | TV-PG
Logging partners with a government contract lock horns with a rancher and her neighbors.
Director: Robert D. Webb
Cast: Alan Ladd, Jeanne Crain, Gilbert Roland

Film producing debut for Aaron Spelling. Alan Ladd had been so impressed by Spelling's work on two television pilots that he gave Spelling his first film producing job.


2:00 PM -- Badman's Territory (1946)
1h 38m | Western | TV-G
A sheriff and a newspaperwoman take on a band of outlaws invading the Oklahoma panhandle.
Director: Tim Whelan
Cast: Randolph Scott, George "Gabby" Hayes, Ann Richards

Ben Johnson appears uncredited as a member of Marshal Hampton's posse. He even has a line or two of dialogue. He and the marshal and another deputy dismount and enter a building on location. In the next shot, the studio interior, Hampton and the deputy come through the door, but not Ben, he has disappeared and is seen no more.


3:45 PM -- Canadian Pacific (1949)
1h 35m | Western | TV-G
A railroad surveyor faces an Indian rebellion.
Director: Edwin L. Marin
Cast: Randolph Scott, Jane Wyatt, J. Carroll Naish

Randolph Scott was 52 years old (born in 1898) at the time of this movie's release, but his love interest, Nancy Olson, was only 21 at the time (born in 1928).


5:30 PM -- Carson City (1952)
1h 27m | Western | TV-PG
When the local stagecoach is raided by bandits, a western banker sinks all of his capital into a railway line.
Director: Andre Detoth
Cast: Randolph Scott, Lucille Norman, Raymond Massey

This was Warner Bros.' first film shot in WarnerColor.


7:15 PM -- MGM Parade Show #8 (1955)
25m | Documentary | TV-G
Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant perform in a clip from The Philadelphia Story.



WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: PRIMETIME THEME -- STAR OF THE MONTH MIRIAM HOPKINS



8:00 PM -- The Heiress (1949)
1h 55m | Drama | TV-PG
A plain young woman's wealth makes her prey to fortune hunters.
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Olivia De Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson

Winner of Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Olivia de Havilland, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- John Meehan, Harry Horner and Emile Kuri, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Edith Head and Gile Steele, and Best Music, Scoring of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture -- Aaron Copland

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actor in a Supporting Role -- Ralph Richardson, Best Director -- William Wyler, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Leo Tover, and Best Picture

Olivia de Havilland wisely chose William Wyler as her director, considering that such a meticulous director would be able to coax a strong performance from her. As it turned out, Wyler became a staunch supporter of his leading actress, particularly in regard to the sneering attitude that Montgomery Clift displayed toward her (he didn't value her talents as an actress) and Sir Ralph Richardson taking every opportunity to steal scenes from under her nose with his improvisations.


10:15 PM -- The Children's Hour (1961)
1h 47m | Drama | TV-PG
A malicious student tries to destroy the teachers at a girls' school.
Director: William Wyler
Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner

Nominee for Oscars for Best Actress in a Supporting Role -- Fay Bainter, Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Franz Planer, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White -- Fernando Carrere and Edward G. Boyle, Best Costume Design, Black-and-White -- Dorothy Jeakins, and Best Sound -- Gordon Sawyer (Samuel Goldwyn SSD)

Miriam Hopkins who played Martha in the original film These Three (1936) played the part of Martha's Aunt Lily. Merle Oberon, who played Karen in the original film, turned down the part of Mrs. Tilford.


12:15 AM -- The Chase (1966)
2h 15m | Drama | TV-14
A convict's escape ignites passions in his hometown.
Director: Arthur Penn
Cast: Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, Robert Redford

Rex Reed famously said about this film "the worst thing that has happened to movies since Lassie played a war veteran with amnesia." He also said "Marlon Brando, who gave up acting shortly after On The Waterfront, sounds like he has a mouth full of wet toilet paper."


2:45 AM -- Mail Order Bride (1963)
1h 25m | Western | TV-PG
An aging cowhand tries to help a young rancher settle down by buying him a wife.
Director: Burt Kennedy
Cast: Buddy Ebsen, Keir Dullea, Lois Nettleton

Based on a short story by Van Cort.


4:15 AM -- Zandy's Bride (1974)
1h 56m | Western | TV-PG
This western follows the relationship that tough rancher Zandy Allan develops with his mail-order bride.
Director: Jan Troell
Cast: Gene Hackman, Liv Ullmann, Eileen Heckart

Eileen Heckart and Frank Cady played a very different married couple eighteen years earlier in The Bad Seed (1956).