TCM this week

Let's see what is coming up this week on TCM.

Today, Monday 4/11, continues April Fools with Charlie Chaplin all day. I haven't really watched enough to say too much, but I have to admit that I have never been a huge fan of his. There is something about the comedy style that I don't like - I am tempted to say that it is too aggressive for my taste, but I need to see more to clarify that.

Tuesday night continues the Errol Flynn tribute. I watched more of The Adventures of Robin Hood last week than I had seen in quite some time, but still found it lacking some of his other films. I certainly see his charm, though. He may not have been the most talented actor, but the camera sure does love him and his voice is superb. Anyway, tomorrow night there are no films of his I have seen, but The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936), Escape Me Never (1947), and Dodge City (1939) sound the most promising to me. I take that back, though. I did see Virginia City (1940) last month and found it about typical for a Flynn vehicle - good action with some romance with Flynn sving the day all around. Bogart makes a good villain here.

Wednesday continues April Fools with "Classic Stage to Screen Comedies." All look great, but I highly recommend The Front Page (1931), Dinner at Eight (1933), and The Women (1939).

Thursday morning is a brief tribute to Lee Tracy who, frankly, I have never noticed or heard of. I'm trying to put a face to the name. TCM will screen five films that morning from 1932 to 1937. I will try and see a couple to see who this is. To top it off, some of the titles sound interesting.

Friday's April Fools features Brown & Carney in the morning and Abbott & Costello at night. I haven't seen any A&C since I was a kid, so I'm not sure how I will feel about them now. I may try and see some with my son to see if there is a similar reaction as there was to Laurel and Hardy. I am going to suspect not as the medium will have changed between the early 1930s and the 1940s. I suspect that the humor of A & C is much more narrative driven and thus might not be as accessible to a four year old.

Enjoy the week!