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31 Days of Oscar: Feb. 3-6
Turner Classic Movies’ “31 Days of Oscar” rolls on with more cinematography noms/winners, acclaimed foreign language films and great supporting actors.
SATURDAY: CINEMATOGRAPHY
4:45 p.m. — The Longest Day: Some wags like to call this “The Longest Movie,” but this 1962 rendering of the D-Day invasion is still impressive, even after “Saving Private Ryan.”
8 p.m. — Shane: Come back!
10 p.m. — She Wore a Yellow Ribbon: The second part of John Ford’s Cavalry trilogy (in between “Fort Apache” and “Rio Grande” looks great, and the most famous scene - the lightning in Monument Valley - was caught purely by chance. Ford liked to say the director’s job is to “preside over accidents.”
2 a.m. — A Passage to India: The last film by epic director David Lean doesn’t rank alongside his masterpieces “Bridge on the River Kwai” or “Lawrence of Arabia,” but it is fascinating and does look impressive.
SUNDAY: FOREIGN FILMS
8 p.m. - Cinema Paradiso: Giuseppe Tornatore’s ode to cinema set in World War II Italy should be seen by all film lovers. So I intend to watch it.
10 p.m. - The Battle of Algiers: Many say this film about a revolt against the French Foreign Legion gained a new relevance post 9-11.
MONDAY and TUESDAY: BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Noon - Sunset Blvd.: Eriich von Stroheim was nominated as the servant who is rather intently devoted to Norma Desmond in Billy WIlder’s superb acidic take on Hollywood.
9:30 p.m. - The Maltese Falcon: Sydney Greenstreet, who later memorably teamed up with Bogart in “Casablanca” earned a nod for his work as Casper Gutman. Some say all his roles that followed imitated this one in John Huston’s directorial debut.
1:30 a.m. - In the Line of Fire: Few people can play creeps as effectively as John Malkovich, who was tapped for playing the shooter here in this crackerjack thriller.
TUESDAY
2:15 p.m. - Treasure of the Sierra Madre: Another John Huston masterpiece. This time he directed his father Walter to an Oscar win. His little dance is unforgettable.
4:30 p.m. - Stagecoach: This prototypical western by John Ford made John Wayne a star, but it was Thomas Mitchell who got the Oscar as the alcoholic Doc Boone.
8 p.m. - The Big Country: You’ll never look at Mr. Holly Jolly Christmas the same way again after seeing Burl Ives as a total lout in this William Wyler western.
1:15 p.m. - Jerry Maguire: Cuba Gooding Jr. has spent plenty of time squandering his talent since winning for this movie, but his exceedingly enthusiastic turn was deserving at the time.
3:45 a.m. - The Last Picture Show: Ben Johnson was terrific as the man who owned the pool hall and the movie theater in a little Texas town with a fading past.
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