My stepmother's cable provider offers Turner Classic Movies (TCM), a channel I have been coveting for years and thought I would have on my new digital system, but do not. I was pleasantly surprised to find last night that TCM is showcasing a different actor every day of this month. Via tvtattle.com, I came across this great blog, called Out of Focus, which has posted a list of the most noteworthy films being shown this month. It's a very helpful guide for those of you who have TCM but have never seen some of these classics. I agree with almost all of his recommendations, and would add:

Aug 6 - Lucille Ball - "The Long Long Trailer", just for the scene where Lucy tries to cook dinner in the trailer while Desi tows it.
Aug 8 - Katharine Hepburn - Watch everything, but especially "The Philadelphia Story", "The Lion in Winter" and "Bringing Up Baby".
Aug 16 - Elvis Presley - "Follow That Dream" for a sweet, simple and sexy Elvis.
Aug 21 - Jimmy Stewart - "Bell Book and Candle" with Kim Novak (and the inspiration I believe for "Bewitched" - not sure on that score, though) and "You Can't Take It With You", a very funny Frank Capra movie.
Aug 25 - Shirley MacLaine - "The Children's Hour" with Audrey Hepburn, about 2 teachers at a private girl's school, one of whom falls for the other.
Aug 27 - Cary Grant - "Notorious" with Ingrid Bergman. Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Raines, Alfred Hitchcock and Nazis? Perfection.

I caught "The Lady Eve" last night, with Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda, a movie I have always wanted to see but never got around to viewing. Very funny and sweet and very smart and witty. They really don't write roles for women like they used to, and there aren't many actresses around like Stanwyck anymore. How ironic that roles for women were more fully realized and smarter way back in the day than they are now.

Anyhoo, check out the listing at Out of Focus - it's a wonderful guide for all you classic movie lovers.