So Filmstruck is gone. I’m a little misty, a lot angry, and terribly, terribly tired. I eulogized it last month, and November was a bevvy of frustrations as people scrambled to both mourn and save the service. Tens of thousands of people signed a petition to save it, and even some well-known celebrities sent letters pleading to Warners begging them to reconsider. This was unfortunately countered by a poorly-timed announcement from Criterion promoting their own stand alone service and a film-press eagerly self-congratulating itself and buying into corporate double-talk before any actual results were to be seen.

So now there’s nothing, except a promise from Warner Bros. to create something more expensive and less unique to fill its void in a year or so. … yay.

Let’s talk about something else. Anything else.

Passes are on sale for the 10th annual Turner Classic Movies Film Festival— I got mine! They’ve announced about a dozen film screenings, including When Harry Met Sally, Gone with the Wind, Love Affair, and, most importantly, Tarzan and His Mate. (Also, my wife is in that preview image up above, so I have to go. It’s the law.)

Also of note: on TCM this month, they’ve begun doing Saturday morning showings of the Hildegarde Withers film series. I wrote a book about those movies! You should buy it!

If you were a Patron and left me your address, your November treats are in the mail– a ton of Filmstruck merch as well as a few DVDs I wanted out of my house. A friendly reminder: if you want to support my site, you can become a Patron over at Patreon. Cheers!

Pre-Code Movies on TCM in December

Please note:

  • All times listed here are Eastern Standard. This schedule is subject to change (like if someone dies or the world ends– you know how it is).
  • Plot descriptions and casts lists below come from TCM. See the full listings for the month here.
  • If you subscribe to TCM via cable, you can watch TCM online via the TCM Watch site.
  • If you don’t have cable, check out Sling TV, where (Americans) can watch TCM online, via an app or on their Roku.

 

Date & Time Film
1st
10:08 AM

The Penguin Pool Murder (1932)

A feisty school teacher sets out to solve a murder in an aquarium.

Dir:  George Archainbaud Cast:  Edna May Oliver , James Gleason , Robert Armstrong .

BW- 65 mins, CC,

3rd
12:30 PM

Trader Horn (1931)

An African trader and a white jungle goddess join forces against a hostile tribe.

Dir:  W. S. Van Dyke II Cast:  Harry Carey , Edwina Booth , Duncan Renaldo .

BW- 123 mins, CC,

3rd
8:00 PM

The Kennel Murder Case (1933)

Society sleuth Philo Vance investigates a murder tied to a Long Island dog show.

Dir:  Michael Curtiz Cast:  William Powell , Mary Astor , Eugene Pallette .

BW- 73 mins, CC,

3rd
12:15 AM

The Bishop Murder Case (1930)

Society sleuth Philo Vance investigates a series of murders inspired by Mother Goose rhymes.

Dir:  Nick Grindé Cast:  Basil Rathbone , Leila Hyams , Roland Young .

BW- 87 mins, CC,

6th
8:45 AM

Pardon Us (1931)

Selling homemade beer lands a two friends in prison together.

Dir:  James Parrott Cast:  Boris Karloff , Stan Laurel , Wilfred Lucas .

BW- 70 mins,

6th
5:15 PM

The King’s Vacation (1933)

Monarch thinks he can find a simpler life with his former wife.

Dir:  John G. Adolfi Cast:  Mr. George Arliss , Marjorie Gateson , Dudley Digges .

BW- 61 mins,

6th
6:30 PM

College Coach (1933)

A timid chemistry major becomes a college football star.

Dir:  William A. Wellman Cast:  Dick Powell , Ann Dvorak , Pat O’Brien .

BW- 76 mins

6th
8:00 PM

Blessed Event (1932)

An unscrupulous gossip columnist lands himself in hot water.

Dir:  Roy Del Ruth Cast:  Lee Tracy , Mary Brian , Allen Jenkins .

BW- 80 mins, CC,

6th
9:30 PM

42nd Street (1933)

The definitive backstage musical, complete with the dazzling newcomer who goes on for the injured star.

Dir:  Lloyd Bacon Cast:  Warner Baxter , Bebe Daniels , George Brent .

BW- 89 mins, CC,

6th
11:15 PM

Footlight Parade (1933)

A producer fights labor problems, financiers and his greedy ex-wife to put on a show.

Dir:  Lloyd Bacon Cast:  James Cagney , Joan Blondell , Ruby Keeler .

BW- 103 mins, CC,

7th
1:15 AM

Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Three chorus girls fight to keep their show going and find rich husbands.

Dir:  Mervyn LeRoy Cast:  Warren William , Joan Blondell , Aline MacMahon .

BW- 98 mins, CC,

8th
10:08 AM

Murder on the Blackboard (1934)

A schoolteacher matches wits with a police detective when they both try to solve a pretty music teacher’s murder.

Dir:  George Archainbaud Cast:  James Gleason , Edna May Oliver , Bruce Cabot .

BW- 72 mins,

10th
6:00 AM

Whistling In The Dark (1933)

A mystery writer’s plan for the perfect murder greatly interests a mobster.

Dir:  Elliott Nugent Cast:  Ernest Truex , Una Merkel , Edward Arnold .

BW- 79 mins,

10th
7:30 AM

They Call It Sin (1932)

An innocent young chorus girl fights the advances of her lecherous producer.

Dir:  Thornton Freeland Cast:  Loretta Young , George Brent , Una Merkel .

BW- 69 mins, CC,

10th
8:45 AM

Man Wanted (1932)

A female executive falls in love with her male secretary.

Dir:  William Dieterle Cast:  Kay Francis , David Manners , Una Merkel .

BW- 62 mins, CC,

10th
10:00 AM

Day of Reckoning (1933)

A man’s nagging wife drives him to crime.

Dir:  Charles Brabin Cast:  Richard Dix , Madge Evans , Conway Tearle .

BW- 69 mins,

10th
11:15 AM

Beauty for Sale (1933)

An innocent young hairdresser snares herself a rich husband but he’s already married.

Dir:  Richard Boleslavsky Cast:  Madge Evans , Alice Brady , Otto Kruger .

BW- 87 mins,

10th
12:45 PM

Private Lives (1931)

A divorced couple rekindles the spark after landing in adjoining honeymoon suites with new mates.

Dir:  Sidney Franklin Cast:  Norma Shearer , Robert Montgomery , Reginald Denny .

BW- 84 mins, CC,

10th
2:15 PM

Murder in the Private Car (1934)

A speeding train becomes the setting for murder.

Dir:  Harry Beaumont Cast:  Charles Ruggles , Una Merkel , Mary Carlisle .

BW- 63 mins, CC,

10th
3:30 PM

Women in His Life, The (1933)

When his ex-wife is murdered, a hard-living lawyer defends the chief suspect.

Dir:  George B. Seitz Cast:  Otto Kruger , Una Merkel , Ben Lyon .

BW- 75 mins,

10th
9:15 PM

“Helpmates” (1932)

A married man has to get his house back in order before his wife returns.

Dir:  James Parrott Cast:  Stan Laurel , Oliver Hardy ,

BW- 21 mins,

10th
9:15 PM

“Towed in a Hole” (1932)

Laurel and Hardy decide to go into the fishing business in this comedic short.

BW- 21 mins,

11th
6:00 AM

Make Me A Star (1932)

A grocery clerk goes to Hollywood in search of fame and fortune.

Dir:  William Beaudine Cast:  Joan Blondell , Stuart Erwin , ZaSu Pitts .

BW- 86 mins, CC,

11th
7:30 AM

Hollywood Party (1934)

A movie star’s gala celebration creates chaos.

Dir:  Allan Dwan Cast:  Stan Laurel , Oliver Hardy , Jimmy Durante .

C- 69 mins, CC,

11th
8:45 AM

Goldie Gets Along (1933)

A small-town girl schemes to get to Hollywood only to run into the man she left behind.

Dir:  Malcolm St. Clair Cast:  Lily Damita , Charles Morton , Sam Hardy .

BW- 68 mins, CC,

11th
2:00 PM

Lady Killer (1933)

A criminal on the run becomes a Hollywood movie star.

Dir:  Roy Del Ruth Cast:  James Cagney , Mae Clarke , Margaret Lindsay .

BW- 76 mins, CC,

13th
1:30 PM

Happiness Ahead (1934)

An heiress falls for a singing window washer.

Dir:  Mervyn Le Roy Cast:  Dick Powell , Josephine Hutchinson , John Halliday .

BW- 86 mins, CC,

13th
3:00 PM

Twenty Million Sweethearts (1934)

A promoter neglects his wife to make a singer a radio star.

Dir:  Ray Enright Cast:  Pat O’Brien , Dick Powell , Ginger Rogers .

BW- 90 mins, CC,

14th
1:45 AM

Dames (1934)

A reformer’s daughter wins the lead in a scandalous Broadway show.

Dir:  Ray Enright Cast:  Joan Blondell , Dick Powell , Ruby Keeler .

BW- 91 mins, CC,

14th
7:00 AM

Safe in Hell (1931)

On the run from the police, a New Orleans prostitute gets stranded in a tropical haven for outlaws

Dir:  William A. Wellman Cast:  Dorothy Mackaill , Donald Cook , Ralf Harolde .

BW- 73 mins, CC,

14th
1:00 PM

The Most Dangerous Game (1932)

A big game hunter decides to stalk human prey.

Dir:  Ernest B. Schoedsack Cast:  Joel McCrea , Fay Wray , Robert Armstrong .

BW- 63 mins, CC,

15th
11:30 AM

“Seasoned Greetings” (1933)

In this short film, an innovative greeting card shop owner attempts to beat out neighboring competition by inventing talking greeting cards. Vitaphone Release 1564-1565.

Dir:  Roy Mack Cast:  Lita Grey Chaplin , Harlan Briggs , Robert Cummings .

BW- 20 mins,

16th
11:30 AM

She Done Him Wrong (1933)

A saloon singer fights off smugglers, an escaped con and a Salvation Army officer out to reform her.

Dir:  Lowell Sherman Cast:  Mae West , Cary Grant , Owen Moore .

BW- 65 mins, CC,

16th
4:00 PM

It Happened One Night (1934)

A newspaperman tracks a runaway heiress on a madcap cross-country tour.

Dir:  Frank Capra Cast:  Clark Gable , Claudette Colbert , Walter Connolly .

BW- 105 mins, CC,

17th
1:45 PM

“Compliments of the Season” (1930)

In this short film, a criminal attempting to go straight stops a young lady on Christmas eve from committing suicide. Vitaphone Release 1094-1095.

Dir:  Arthur Hurley Cast:  Eric Dressler , Lenita Lane , Pat O’Brien .

BW- 14 mins,

19th
6:00 AM

Private Lives (1931)

A divorced couple rekindles the spark after landing in adjoining honeymoon suites with new mates.

Dir:  Sidney Franklin Cast:  Norma Shearer , Robert Montgomery , Reginald Denny .

BW- 84 mins, CC,

19th
7:30 AM

The Rich Are Always with Us (1932)

A socialite gets a divorce but can’t keep out of her ex-husband’s life.

Dir:  Alfred Green Cast:  Ruth Chatterton , George Brent , Bette Davis .

BW- 71 mins, CC,

19th
9:00 AM

The Keyhole (1933)

A private eye specializing in divorce cases falls for the woman he’s been hired to frame.

Dir:  Michael Curtiz Cast:  Kay Francis , George Brent , Glenda Farrell .

BW- 69 mins,

19th
11:30 AM

The Merry Wives Of Reno (1934)

Three couples raise a ruckus when they travel to Nevada for quickie divorces.

Dir:  H. Bruce Humberstone Cast:  Guy Kibbee , Glenda Farrell , Donald Woods .

BW- 64 mins,

20th
6:00 AM

Stingaree (1934)

An Australian bandit kidnaps an opera singer and falls in love with her.

Dir:  William Wellman Cast:  Irene Dunne , Richard Dix , Mary Boland .

BW- 76 mins, CC,

20th
9:30 AM

No Other Woman ( 1933)

A newly rich couple finds wealth drives them apart.

Dir:  J. Walter Ruben Cast:  Irene Dunne , Charles Bickford , Gwili Andre .

BW- 58 mins, CC,

24th
7:30 AM

Little Women (1933)

The four March sisters fight to keep their family together and find love while their father is off fighting the Civil War.

Dir:  George Cukor Cast:  Katharine Hepburn , Joan Bennett , Paul Lukas .

BW- 115 mins, CC,

30th
6:00 AM

42nd Street (1933)

The definitive backstage musical, complete with the dazzling newcomer who goes on for the injured star.

Dir:  Lloyd Bacon Cast:  Warner Baxter , Bebe Daniels , George Brent .

BW- 89 mins, CC,

31st
8:45 AM

The Thin Man (1934)

A husband-and-wife detective team takes on the search for a missing inventor and almost get killed for their efforts.

Dir:  W. S. Van Dyke Cast:  William Powell , Myrna Loy , Maureen O’Sullivan .

BW- 91 mins, CC,

Questions? Comments? Or do you just want to bug me? Leave a comment below!

Categories: TCM Schedules

Danny

Danny is a writer who lives with his lovely wife, adorable children, and geriatric yet yappy dog. He blogs at pre-code.com, a website dedicated to Hollywood films from 1930 to 1934, and can be found on Twitter @PreCodeDotCom.

1 Comment

La Faustin · December 2, 2018 at 1:19 pm

BEAUTY FOR SALE is fantastic — do try to catch it, I’d love to read your take.

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