TCM Schedule for Monday December 26 - Last Man Standing

[rdmtimp]

After some Elvis movies by day, it's an evening of post-apocalyptic dramas.

(all times Eastern)

7:30 AM MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)
An idealistic Senate replacement takes on political corruption. Dir: Frank Capra Cast: Jean Arthur , James Stewart , Claude Rains . BW-130 mins, CC,

9:45 AM GREAT MCGINTY, THE (1940)
A hobo rises to town mayor when he hooks up with a crooked political boss. Dir: Preston Sturges Cast: Brian Donlevy , Muriel Angelus , Akim Tamiroff . BW-82 mins, CC,

11:15 AM TICKLE ME (1965)
A singing cowboy signs on with an all-woman dude ranch. Dir: Norman Taurog Cast: Elvis Presley , Jocelyn Lane , Julie Adams . C-91 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

1:00 PM DOUBLE TROUBLE (1967)
A teen heiress falls for an American rock singer in London. Dir: Norman Taurog Cast: Elvis Presley , Annette Day , John Williams . C-92 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

2:45 PM STAY AWAY, JOE (1968)
A young Indian tries to save his failing reservation by selling grazing rights to a corrupt tycoon. Dir: Peter Tewksbury Cast: Elvis Presley , Burgess Meredith , Joan Blondell . BW-101 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

4:30 PM TROUBLE WITH GIRLS, THE (1969)
A traveling show's star gets involved in a small-town murder case. Dir: Peter Tewksbury Cast: Elvis Presley , Marlyn Mason , Nicole Jaffe . C-99 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

6:15 PM CHARRO! (1969)
A reformed outlaw takes on his former cohorts to defend a Western town. Dir: Charles Marquis Warren Cast: Elvis Presley , Ina Balin , Victor French . C-98 mins, CC,

8:00 PM OMEGA MAN, THE (1971)
The only human survivor of a biological war fights to end a plague that has turned everybody else into monsters. Dir: Boris Sagal Cast: Charlton Heston , Anthony Zerbe , Rosalind Cash . C-98 mins, CC,

10:00 PM WORLD, THE FLESH, AND THE DEVIL, THE (1959)
One woman and two men are the only people left alive after a nuclear disaster. Dir: Ranald MacDougall Cast: Harry Belafonte , Inger Stevens , Mel Ferrer . BW-95 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

11:45 PM ON THE BEACH (1959)
After a nuclear war, U.S. sailors stationed in Australia deal with the end of civilization. Dir: Stanley Kramer Cast: Gregory Peck , Ava Gardner , Fred Astaire . BW-134 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

2:15 AM FIVE (1951)
The five survivors of a nuclear war struggle to build new lives. Dir: Arch Oboler Cast: William Phipps , Susan Douglas , James Anderson . BW-91 mins, CC,

4:15 AM NO BLADE OF GRASS (1970)
A family tries to escape an environmental holocaust. Dir: Cornel Wilde Cast: Nigel Davenport , Jean Wallace , John Hamill . C-97 mins, Letterbox Format

[longship]

1. Oh no! Oily Elvis! Try "On the Beach" instead.

Can't stand him. The King? Of what! Bad teen flicks and horrible sartorial taste?

However, what we all need now is some end of world drama. It's appropriate.

I'm not especially a fan of Heston, but if one wants an Omega Man, his is the choice.

World, the Flesh, and the Devil is a worthwhile view. Acting is done well.

On the Beach is one of my guilty pleasures. The cast is outstanding. Fred Astaire's first dramatic role is damned good as the alcoholic physicist. Ava Gardner is outstanding, playing opposite the always good Gregory Peck. Their underplayed love scene with the increasingly harmonic Waltzing Matilda is one of those iconic metaphorical scenes of passion in cinema (see also the end of Hitchcock's North by Northwest). The deal sealer is a small scene near the end, when everything is falling apart, with minor characters Admiral Bridie and his ever loyal aide, Lt. Hosgood. It never fails to bring tears. Often maligned, this is one of the best. Although Neville Shute hated it, it works well, thankfully to a very good cast. Ignore the soapy scenes and let the message flow.

Five and No Blade of Grass are both somewhat worthy in this night of Armageddon.