TCM Schedule for Sunday, March 3 - 31 Days of Oscar: United Artists

[Bolo Boffin]

6:30 AM
The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

All-star epic retelling of Christ's life.
Dir: George Stevens
Cast: Max von Sydow, Dorothy McGuire, Robert Loggia.
C-199 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format


10:00 AM
Topkapi (1964)

An international band of thieves plots to steal a priceless treasure from a heavily guarded museum.
Dir: Jules Dassin
Cast: Melina Mercouri, Peter Ustinov, Maximilian Schell.
C-119 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format


12:15 PM
It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)

A group of greedy clowns tears up the countryside in search of buried treasure.
Dir: Stanley Kramer
Cast: Spencer Tracy, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar.
C-159 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format


3:00 PM
The Pink Panther (1964)

In the first Inspector Clouseau film, the bumbling French police detective tries to stop a notorious jewel thief from nabbing a princess' diamond.
Dir: Blake Edwards
Cast: David Niven, Peter Sellers, Capucine.
C-115 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format


5:00 PM
Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

In Russia before the revolution, a Jewish milkman tries to marry off his daughters who have plans of their own.
Dir: Norman Jewison
Cast: Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey.
C-181 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format


TONIGHT ON TCM
31 DAYS OF OSCAR – UNITED ARTISTS

8:00 PM
Annie Hall (1977)

A comedian and an aspiring singer try to overcome their neuroses and find happiness.
Dir: Woody Allen
Cast: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts.
C-93 mins, TV-14, CC, Letterbox Format


10:00 PM
The Landlord (1970)

A spoiled rich boy buys a Brooklyn tenement and gets mixed up in his tenants' lives.
Dir: Hal Ashby
Cast: Beau Bridges, Pearl Bailey, Diana Sands.
C-110 mins, TV-MA, CC, Letterbox Format


12:00 AM
Heaven's Gate (1981)

A Wyoming sheriff tries to protect immigrant farmers from ruthless ranchers.
Dir: Michael Cimino
Cast: Kris Kristofferson, Christopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert.
C-219 mins, TV-MA, CC, Letterbox Format


3:30 AM
Equus (1977)

A psychoanalyst tries to help a young man who blinded a stable full of horses.
Dir: Sidney Lumet
Cast: Richard Burton, Peter Firth, Colin Blakely.
C-138 mins, TV-MA, CC, Letterbox Format

[longship]

1. Topkapi and Mad Mad World are fun diversions.

The cast in Topkapi is top knotch. Reminds me of Hitchcock's North by Northwest. The heist is irrelevant, it's how one gets there that matters.

For Mad, Mad World, I think Stanley Kramer was honoring all the screwball comedies ever filmed by cramming as many stars as possible into a single film and doing as many gags as possible. I think pretty much all of Hollywood appears in it. Stand outs all over this film as the actors compete to chew maximum scenery. My favorites: Sid Caesar, Jonathan Winters, and Ethyl Merman. Terry Thomas' bosum rant is pricelessly British. I originally saw this in Cinerama in downtown Detroit at the Music Hall. Laughed so hard I was literally rolling in the aisle. Really!

[Bolo Boffin]

2. Ustinov got his Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Topkapi.

One of my favorite heist movies.

[Graybeard]

3. 'Fiddler'...is...so...good.

Fiddler On The Roof 5PM is fast becoming my favorite movie musical (over West Side Story). It's characters are in no way portrayed as 'victims'. They are gritty and strong in adversity.

Director Jewison said he cast TOPOL in the lead because he didn't want his film to sound like 'NY Yiddish" but went for an authentic Russian feel and it paid off in a wonderful film.

[CBHagman]

4. I grew up on the original Broadway cast album of "Fiddler on the Roof," but...

...seeing The Front made me realize that a little Zero Mostel goes a long way (not that DUers shouldn't see The Front; it's terrific).

Topol brings the requisite warmth and sense of humor to one of the best Everyman roles in musical theater.