Quick Preview of TCM in November

Thanks to Ivan of Thrilling Days of Yesteryear for passing on the good news that Turner Classic Movies posted its tentative November schedule online this week.

Constance Bennett will be the November Star of the Month.

Over 20 Bennett films will be shown, including a number of pre-Codes, as well as screwball comedies such as TOPPER (1937) and MERRILY WE LIVE (1938).

One of the Bennett films I most look forward to checking out is WILD BILL HICKOK RIDES (1942), costarring Bruce Cabot, Warren William, and Ward Bond.

November will also feature multi-film tributes to Burt Lancaster, Merle Oberon, Vivien Leigh, Hedy Lamarr, Stewart Granger, Eleanor Powell, Alfred Hitchcock, Gloria Grahame, and Virginia Mayo.

I'm particularly looking forward to the FIVE LITTLE PEPPERS series, which will be shown on Saturday mornings. I've never seen these films, which star Edith Fellows, but I loved the Margaret Sidney books when I was growing up.

There's also a great lineup of family classics on Thanksgiving Day, including LASSIE COME HOME (1943), THE SECRET GARDEN (1949), LITTLE WOMEN (1949), CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (1950), SITTING PRETTY (1948), ROOM FOR ONE MORE (1952), and PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES (1960). It's interesting to note that all of these Thanksgiving Day films are based on good books!

Other interesting odds and ends on the schedule include THE SWORDSMAN (1947), a film directed by Joseph H. Lewis, starring Larry Parks and Ellen Drew; WICKED AS THEY COME (1957) with Arlene Dahl, Phil Carey, and Herbert Marshall; and QUANTRILL'S RAIDERS (1958) with Steve Cochran, Diane Brewster (Samantha from MAVERICK), and Leo Gordon.

In the meantime, the current Star of the Month is Lauren Bacall, and the October Star of the Month will be Spencer Tracy.