My Picks for 2016 #TCMFF

Beth and I arrive Wednesday around lunchtime (look out In-n-Out!)  But here's what I'm planning on seeing during the fest proper.  Each film includes a few comments on why I chose it.



Thursday

• One Potato, Two Potato (1964) - Star Barbara Barrie and director Larry Peerce will be in attendance.  (Fans of Breaking Away [1979] know that Barrie plays the mother in that film.)  Also Donald Bogle will be onhand for the intro...and I love Donald Bogle, he's so informative.  This will be my first time seeing this.
• Los Tallos Amargos (1956) - An Argentine noir film?!  If you know me, you know I love foreign film.  This is a no-brainer.

Friday

• The More The Merrier (1956) - One of the few 're-watches' I'm seeing this year at the fest.  This is simply a great film.  If you've never seen it, please consider watching it...get there early, fans 'in the know' will fill the Egyptian Theater.  Coburn won Oscar for his role...well deserved.  "Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead!"
• Double Harness (1933) - Hopefully I can get in and out of the Illeana Douglas book signing in time to get to this screening.  She's delightful on Twitter and I'm looking forward to letting her know (...and getting my book signed!)  James Cromwell is intro-ing this...and it's a pre-code I haven't seen before.
• When You're In Love (1937) - Hey, there's opera in this film!  And I hear the lead actress does a mean version of "Minnie the Moocher".  A Cary Grant film I've never seen.
• Pleasure Cruise (1933) - Roland Young & Una O'Connor in a pre-code I haven't seen.  (Thanks for the correction @PreCodeDotCom!)
• The Passion Of Joan Of Arc (1928) - This is one of two films that were on my 'must-see' list.  Gladly the other film wasn't screening in the same time slot.  I agree with many critics who call this perhaps the finest acting performance in the history of film.  I've see it before, but never on the big screen with live orchestra.
• Repeat Performance (1947) - Since this is a restoration from Film Noir Foundation...it'll likely be intro'd by the 'Czar of Noir' Eddie Muller.  Another first-time watch.
• Roar (1981) - This first midnight screen look terrifyingly terrible!  One quote from the re-release trailer said "It's like Walt Disney went insane and shot a snuff version of Swiss Family Robinson."  I mean...how can you not see this film?!

Saturday

• 90th Anniversary of Vitaphone - These 'film history classes' that they do at The Egyptian are always worth going to see.  I was amazed last year with the early Technicolor presentation.  Looking forward to this.
• A House Divided (1931) - Young Walter Huston in an early William Wyler talkie.
• Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back (1934) - Una Merkel.
• Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968) - Gina Lollobrigida to introduce this...looks interesting.  My first film at the Chinese Theater this fest!
• The Song of Bernadette (1943) - So I was watching the trailer for this earlier this morning (I was finding a YouTube link for my friend who asked about the fest.)  Sitting at my desk...eyes welling up with tears.  This is such a beautiful film and Jennifer Jones is so good in it.  It's been a long time since I've seen it...looking forward to it being on the silver screen.
• Band Of Outsiders (1964) - Reading the notes on this film...all I needed to see was Jean-Luc Godard & "love letter to Paris".
• Gog in 3D (1954) - Could it be worse than Roar?  I'll find out!

Sunday

• The Fallen Idol (1948) - This looked rather interesting...initially I had thought of seeing All That Heaven Allows, but I opted for the new-to-me film instead.
• Law And Order (1932) - (The TCMFF website says this is the 1953 version...but based on the write-up, it's the 1932 film.)  Looking forward to this western I've never seen before.  Script by John Huston, starring Walter Huston, Harry Carey, Andy Divine, etc.
• Horse Feathers (1932) - Among the tears...I need a few laughs.  The Marx Brothers should provide them for me.
• She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949) - This was a weak slot for me...give me your thoughts on Fat City or TRACTRAC.  I've seen "Yellow Ribbon" more than once before...it's a good film...and on the big screen it should be great, what with all that Monument Valley lush footage.
• Cinema Paradiso (1988) - Another year where the festival closes with a foreign film?  An Italian foreign film?  Yes, indeed.  And what a way to end the festival with--what is essentially--a love letter to the movies.  You can talk about the over-sentimentality...while you're talking, I'll be eating it up with fork and knife (and likely bawling my eyes out in the final frames.)  In case you didn't read yet...Salvatore Cascio will be onhand to intro.  (He played young Toto in the film.)

So, that's the plan for now.  Hope to bump into you while in line for a film!