Buffalo-made ‘Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe’ has July premiere

Grab a frozen hot chocolate – Christmas is coming early with another Buffalo-made holiday movie premiere.

“The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe,” which filmed here in March, debuts July 9 on Pure Flix streaming and at 8 p.m. July 11 on the Great American Family channel and the GFam+ app as part of the “Great American Christmas in July” programming.

Set in the fictional small town of Brookhollow, N.J., the movie utilizes locations in South Buffalo, East Aurora, Niagara Falls and Wilson. It’s the second film here for actress Jillian Murray who was in Buffalo last year making Mario Lopez Presents: “Chasing Christmas” which premiered in December 2025 on Great American.

Murray plays an acquisitions executive at a New York City development firm who returns home at the holidays to buy the old Brookhollow Community Center. Her plans stall when she discovers it is now owned by her former fiancé, Luke (Brett Varvel of “County Rescue”) who has no interest in selling. The 70-year-old community center has seen better days, but it’s been an important part of the community for decades and Luke considered it his second home growing up.

Seeking community support, Victoria visits the home of Mrs. Kingston, her former teacher and the mayor’s mother. But it’s Luke who opens the door as the new owner of the historic Kingston House. (He’s been busy.) Both the community center and Kingston House have special memories for Luke and Victoria which played into his decision to buy them. “This was the last place we were in love,” the sensitive Luke finally tells Victoria about the community center.

But Victoria fights her emotions. She repeatedly calls the community center “rundown” and coldly tells Luke that “the last thing I’m interested in is buying an old Victorian home in a small town.” Ouch.

Yes, it has the familiar plot of a person sent from their big-city job back to their small hometown to facilitate a business move that involves a beloved community landmark. And there is the person they left behind who wants to preserve it. (The script references this conflict when a disheartened Luke talks about Victoria’s big-city ambition vs. his small-town reliability.) One of them will have to make a sacrifice if they want both love and a career.

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Brett Varvel and Jillian Murray star in “The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe.” The locally made film premieres in July on Great American Media platforms. (Great American Media)

Not with this film, however, and I appreciate it. Neither Victoria nor Nick must give up on their dreams even though they are both willing. And there isn’t a nefarious corporation stirring up trouble. In fact, it is Victoria’s boss who reminds her she has options. It feels more honest this way.

To work through their differences and emotions, they will need help from their believable support system including Victoria’s mother, played by  Buffalo native Josie DiVincenzo (“Friends,” “Daredevil”) and Luke’s best friend, Jim (Anthony Carvello).

“The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe” is one of 13 films made locally by Great American over the past year. It is the 10th to premiere via Great American Media platforms. All but two of the 13 films are holiday themed.

Great American recently wrapped production on “Christmas at the Starlight” starring Mario Lopez and Tony Danza. It is expected to premiere Thanksgiving weekend.

BUFFALO LOCATIONS

Some of the locations used in this film will be familiar to holiday TV viewers (like Vidler’s), but there are other spots that are getting their first time in the spotlight. Here’s a look at the main locations.

The Knights of Columbus Monsignor Nash Council 3875 in South Buffalo stands in for the community center. The brick exterior and several spaces inside are used for multiple scenes.

The Hyde Park Pavilion in Niagara Falls is the ice rink at the community center.

Yeoman’s House in East Aurora is the Kingston House. Its grand exterior is impressive on screen. Built in 1885, the High Victorian Queen Anne home with a 75-foot-tall tower, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024.

Erway’s Christmas Tree Adventure in Wilson basically plays itself in several scenes for holiday events.

East Aurora, which has been integral in multiple locally made holiday movies, again plays a role. One of the first images is Vidler’s familiar red and white awning, with a close-up of the clock and street thermometer that was registering near zero. Characters walk and talk along Main Street and use one of quaint stairways between stores that connects Main Street to the back parking lots.

Great Point Buffalo film studio on Niagara Street, a partner of Great American Media, serves as the New York City offices of Clark and Johnson, Victoria’s employer.

NOTES

“The Trouble with Christmas Mistletoe” is the new title of this film, which until very recently was called “The Trouble with Mistletoe.” Slight difference, but significant because there was a 2017 movie of the same name. Online searches will call up both movies (and use the wrong photos), so look at the year the film was made for clarification.

Local behind-the-scenes crew include cinematographer Matthew Quinn, costume designer Erin Meegan, camera operator Mandy Hebblethwaite, casting director Frank Rossi and casting associate Josh Nuncio.

MORE TO READ, WATCH

Read about two other recent premieres of Buffalo-made movies from Great American.

Blessings in Disguise is next Buffalo-made movie to premiere on TV, streaming

Buffalo-made ‘Meet Me in the Margins’ is a charming bookish romance

Buffalo-made ‘Meet Me in the Margins’ is a charming bookish romance

The first time I saw the new television movie “Meet Me in the Margins” starring Merritt Patterson (above), it was on my laptop during a group screening. It was still awaiting last-minute tweaks like credits, but that’s not unusual and it didn’t matter. This is another made-in-Buffalo film ready to gain national attention, so I was eager to see how the city looks. (Yes, it looks great.)

But the reason I watched it a second time was because I loved the writing so much that I wanted to write out quotes from the film. (More on that later.)

It’s based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Melissa Ferguson so there’s a built-in audience. Popular television actress Merritt Patterson stars as a book editor who is surprised to find someone has written notes in her romance manuscript she has secretly been writing.

“Meet Me in the Margins” is the latest made-in-Buffalo TV movie from Great American Media. It is streaming now on Great American Pure Flix, premieres at 8 p.m. June 13 on the Great American Family channel and the GFam+ app. It’s one of 12 films made so far in Buffalo under a two-year agreement signed in 2025 between Great American Media and Great Point Buffalo film studios. Mario Lopez and Tony Danza will next make “Christmas at the Starlight” here.

Merritt Patterson stars in the new Buffalo-made film "Meet Me in the Margins."
Savannah (played by Merritt Patterson) learns the hard way not to carry her secret romance manuscript around the office in “Meet Me in the Margins.” The Buffalo-made film includes scenes shot in one of the city’s historic mansions. (Photo courtesy Great American Media)

Patterson plays Savannah, a book editor at a publishing company that focuses on nonfiction and refuses to bow down to consumerism like the romance market. Think of it as a high-brow boutique publishing company that would rather sell fewer books than lower itself to make more money by offering popular novels and paperbacks even as it faces difficult financial times.

Because of that, Savannah keeps her passion for romance literature a secret, writing her book under a pen name. After a mishap at the office, she hides her manuscript in a secret room (bonus points for a secret room) and is shocked to later find anonymous notes written in the margins.

“The entire opening needs to be rewritten.”

“This metaphor doesn’t quite work. What are you really trying to say?”

Ouch!

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Liam McIntyre stars as the new boss for book editor Merritt Patterson in the Buffalo-made romance “Meet Me in the Margins.” (Photo courtesy Great American Media)

Savannah’s not happy, but the words ring true as her sensible roomie and co-worker Lyla (Marisa Brown) makes her see. Thus starts a “relationship on paper” with her mystery editor, who signs himself “A Fellow Storyteller.”

Each time she returns to the room, something has been added: flameless candles, a comfy reading chair, a table and flowers, fairy lights, a cozy blanket. This is starting to feel romantic, doesn’t it? Then there are the words. And there are so many that they start to read like letters, similar to classic films where letters (and emails in “You’ve Got Mail”) bring two people together. 

We see the words written in the margins on the manuscript pages (in red ink) and hear Savannah read them out loud, her face gently reacting. (Patterson is wonderful in these scenes, as her subtle reactions feel genuine. Then again, her authenticity is what makes her a fan favorite.) There is wisdom and compassion in the words that help her become a better writer and turn her inward to see how much of herself she put in the book.

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“Meet Me in the Margins” stars Merritt Patterson, left, Marisa Brown, Buffalo native Charlene Amoia and Austin Valli. (Photo courtesy Great American Media)

But who is the mystery editor? Is it her sweet co-worker Sam (Austin Valli)? The tall, stoic William Pendleton (Liam McIntyre), who has arrived from the big city to help the family business? Or perhaps someone else? There will be a few red herrings before his identity is confirmed although you’ll probably be able to guess.

Complicating matters is mean girl boss Giselle. She’s played by Buffalo’s Charlene Amoia, who clearly has fun as the devious co-worker.

I’ve always written out quotes from books and movies to remember them and I was surprised to do that with “Meet Me in the Margins.” I didn’t find the quotes in the novel – that’s written as a broader story that includes a former fiance now engaged to Savannah’s sister – so they’re original to Riley Weston’s script. Weston is an actress and frequent writer for Great American Media who previously penned the Buffalo-made movies “Have We Met This Christmas,” “Christmas at the Inn” and “Christmas on Every Page.” “Meet Me in the Margins” is the best film I’ve watched that was written by her. 

On the surface, the film is a likable romance with a mystery. But it goes deeper as a love letter to the written word and that elevates it to the top in my book.

BUFFALO IN THE FILM

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Merritt Patterson, left, Austin Valli and Marisa Brown stand near the grand staircase in a Buffalo mansion that is seen multiple times in “Meet Me in the Margins.” (Photo courtesy Great American Media)

“Meet Me in the Margins” opens with pure beauty shots of Buffalo that could be used by the tourism bureau: the downtown skyline, overhead views of Lake Erie and tree-lined city streets. Buffalo City Hall always impresses on screen, but so do other recognizable images you’ll see including Buffalo Savings Bank and its gold dome, the Electric Tower, Connecticut Street Armory, the Peace Bridge and Niagara Square.

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This screenshot from the opening credits of “Meet Me in the Margins” shows the Buffalo skyline.

Much of the movie is shot inside one of the city’s impressive historic homes that appears as the fictional Pendleton Publishing. You’ll see the 1885 home’s grand foyer and marble staircase, a fantastic kitchen and other impressive rooms turned into meeting spaces and offices for the film. The secret room is also there, although it’s a much larger space with at least another wall of the ornate bookshelves. It’s a stunner.

Scenes filmed in Penny’s Coffee Shop make me want to hang out at the downtown staple.

HOW TO WATCH

“Meet Me in the Margins” is streaming on Great American Pure Flix. It premieres at 8 p.m. June 13 on Great American Family channel and on the GFam+ app. There are repeated showings on Great American Family that include June 14 (2 a.m., 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.), June 15 (12:30 a.m.), June 16 (8 p.m.) and June 17 (2 a.m.). Learn more at greatamericanfamily.com.

Taking a smile-filled journey with Grant, Loren in ‘Houseboat’

I often poke fun at myself by telling people I don’t like to laugh so I don’t watch sitcoms and comedies. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but I still had a chuckle that the theme of Classic Movie Blog Association’s spring blogathon was “Make ‘Em Laugh.”

There was no doubt I would join in, but my topic was a challenge. Yes, I adore James Stewart and Jean Arthur, enjoy the hilarity of Abbott and Costello (especially when they meet the monsters), and the cleverness of screwball comedies. Yet comedy doesn’t top my watch list. Instead, I look for big bugs, Universal and Hammer horror, and the delicious melodramas of the 1950s (the sappier the better). Those are not comedies.

So, to participate in the “Make ‘Em Laugh” blogathon, I asked myself, “What makes Toni Laugh?” It didn’t take long to realize it’s not a film that screams “comedy” or makes me Laugh Out Loud. But one that makes me relax and smile – like “Houseboat.”

The 1958 romantic comedy starring Cary Grant and Sophia Loren also has the quality of my favorite classic films: it feels like a hug. I sit on the couch, pull up my legs, get comfy and smile from start to finish. (And yes, I can find this same quality with my big-bug films – it’s just that when I pull up my legs, it’s because I’m cowering on the couch!)

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Look familiar? ‘Courthouse Square’ is a regular character in film, tv

Universal Studios backlot sets seen in films from ‘Tarantula’ to ‘Back to the Future’ and beyond.

It was toward the end of “The Monolith Monsters” (1957) when déjà vu hit.

Terrified residents of a small California town were helplessly watching destructive giant black slabs rising in the distance, then destroying everything in their path and inexorably moving closer to them – and the rest of the world.

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The deadly title creatures in “Monolith Monsters” descend on a small town. In reality, it’s a set at Universal Studios in California that includes the famous “Courthouse Square.”

Wait! Pause that shot. Where have I seen it before?

That would have been in “Tarantula” (1955) where terrified residents of a small Arizona town are also helplessly watching an approaching danger – this time it’s a creepy house-sized arachnid.

Filmmaker Jack Arnold was involved with both sci-fi films and understood a giant creature on its way to destroying a vulnerable small town before moving on to the rest of the world is a frightening visual. (Arnold directed “Tarantula” and came up with the story for “Monolith Monsters.”)

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The town square in “Tarantula” was seen in many other films including “Monolith Monsters.”

Small towns and village squares have always played an important role in movies and TV by providing familiarity, comfort, nostalgia and a gathering place. (Just turn on the Hallmark Channel where these picturesque locations are a requirement.)

In horror films, however, that town square is where people run when there is danger. The sense of déjà vu I felt watching “Monolith Monsters” and “Tarantula” was because they are using the same town, buildings and town square. (You’ll also see them in Arnold’s 1953 film “It Came From Outer Space.”)

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‘Blessings in Disguise’ is next Buffalo-made film to premiere on TV, streaming

Buffalo won’t have to wait until Christmas to see itself in another television movie.

“Blessings in Disguise” from Great American Media will premiere March 27 on Great American Pure Flix (streaming) and at 8 p.m. March 28 on Great American Family channel (broadcast TV) and GFAM+ (app). Encore presentations on GAF include March 29 at 2 a.m., 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

It is the ninth Buffalo-made movie from GAM to premiere since the company announced a two-year partnership with Great Point Buffalo film studio last July. At the time, GAM founder and CEO Bill Abbott expected to make up to two dozen movies and original series by utilizing the studio’s multiple sound stages and locations throughout Western New York. The first eight films were all Christmas movies that premiered in November and December, 2025.

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A twisted soul of pure evil shows itself in ‘The Unknown’

Not all monsters look like one. Nor are they all made in a laboratory, mutated from radiation or unleashed from hell.

Evil can be human. And that’s the worst type of monster, isn’t it? We are born with a heart and mind that should guide us away from violence and our darker instincts, not toward it. But in the case of the worst human monsters, evil is inherent. It can be hidden but will eventually show itself.

The Classic Movie Blog Association’s Fall Blogathon, “Early Shadows and Precode Horror,” seeks to explore films made from early cinema up to the end of the pre-Code era in 1934 that “blend horror and societal unease, revealing terror not only in monsters but in human frailty, darker instincts, and existential dread.”

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The description immediately brought to mind a fascinating character from a 1927 silent film who took his darker instincts and need for love to a macabre place. “The Unknown,” my choice for the blogathon, is a silent masterpiece that was one of 10 collaborations between director Tod Browning and star Lon Chaney.

It is a gruesome and unpleasant movie filled with that existential dread that somehow also has touching moments that can leave you heartbroken. That’s all from one character, Alonzo, who is masterfully played by Lon Chaney. Alonzo will fool you for a while, but he is pure evil.

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From ‘The Alamo’ to ‘Bonnie & Clyde,’ true Texas tales shared at ‘It Came from Texas’ film festival

Large, star-studded film festivals often focus on, well, the stars. Reports from the red carpet are considered just as important (sometimes more) than the films. And movie fans are often left out because of logistics (how do we get to Cannes?) and the highs costs.

But there are other festivals that are welcoming to the average movie fan. Filling the void are regional film festivals across the United States that are made for movie fans: they’re affordable, friendly and have celebrity guests, too.

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One such event is the fun and celebratory “It Came from Texas” film festival, returning for its third year from Sept. 12-14 in Garland, Texas. As you can tell by its name, the three-day fest is all about movies made in Texas.

The theme this year is “True Texas Tales” and includes screenings of four award-winning films based on true stories: “The Alamo” (1960), “Bernie” (2011), “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967) and “The Great Debaters” (2007). They all include visits by very special guests.

For the closing night screening of “The Alamo,” the 1960 historical epic directed by and starring John Wayne, Wayne’s granddaughter Anita La Cava Swift will be in attendance. Joining her is Alamo historian and author Jack Edmondson.

It will be followed by a 1969 film with a far different tone, the satirical comedy “Viva Max!” And that’s just how festival director Kelly Kitchens likes to mix it up. (You’ll see comedy sprinkled throughout the fest.)

“Yes, I know this one isn’t based on a true story, but can you imagine a Mexican General coming to retake the Alamo in 1969? That premise is just too funny,” Kitchens said. “Come see it with me, and let’s laugh ourselves into the next week.” 

“Bonnie and Clyde,” the 1967 Oscar winner starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway, will be augmented with appearances by two family members of the real-life characters. Rhea Leen Lindeer, Bonnie Parker’s niece, and Buddy Barrow, Clyde’s nephew, are both working to have Bonnie’s body buried next to Clyde’s. It will be fascinating to hear them talk about their efforts on behalf of their relatives.

Screenwriter Skip Hollandsworth and actor Larry Jack Dotson will be in attendance for the 2011 dark comedy “Bernie.” The true story about a popular small-town mortician and his relationship with a rich Texas widow is based on a story in Texas Monthly magazine by Hollandsworth, who then wrote the screenplay with director Richard Linklater. Dotson plays the minister in the film.

“I’m thrilled that we are playing ‘Bernie’ and bringing in the screenwriter, Skip Hollandsworth, to talk about how his original article in Texas Monthly Magazine led to his writing the screenplay with director Richard Linklater,” Kitchens said. 

There will be a double feature of “The Greater Debaters” (2007) and the documentary “The Real Great Debaters” (2008). The 2007 feature was directed by and stars Denzel Washington as Melvin B. Tolson, the professor who started a debate team at the predominately black Wiley College (Marshall, Texas) in 1935. In attendance will be Wiley University debate coach Ernest Mack.

Also:

  • Film historian Gordon K. Smith returns to provide the deep backstory of films including “The Alamo” and “Bonnie and Clyde.”
  • For more laughs, there will be a secret screening with live riffing from the comedy troupe Mocky Horror Picture Show. “Since I love to laugh, I had to throw in some merriment in this festival with a Secret Screening of a Larry Buchanan film with live riffing from the Mocky Horror Picture Show comedy troupe,” Kitchens said.
  • A deep dive into true Texas film footage from the William G. Jones Film Archives at the SMU Libraries (Southern Methodist University).

    PREVIEW
    The “It Came from Texas” film festival is held Sept. 12-14, 2025 at The Plaza Theatre on the Downtown Square, 521 W. State St., Garland, Texas. For information, visit garlandarts.com and prekindle.com/calendar/ItCameFromTexasFilmFest.

How I learned to watch – and enjoy – TCM’s ‘Summer Under the Stars’

I love Turner Classic Movies.

Better yet, I am devoted to Turner Classic Movies.

That must be said right at the top of this piece because I am about to make a confession you won’t like: I was not always a fan of “Summer Under the Stars.”

There, I said it. Please don’t hate me. I have learned the error of my ways.

“Summer Under the Stars” (SUTS) is one of TCM’s most popular programming franchises. Every year in August, the network devotes a full day of movies to a different star, hence 31 stars in 31 days. Viewers love it. They really love it.

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But then there was me. Too many times, my TCM viewing in August was noticeably lighter because I didn’t know how to watch “Summer Under the Stars.” I looked specifically for my favorite stars (because this was all about me, of course). Then I looked at other names, and if I wasn’t a fan I wouldn’t tune in.

Boy, did I miss out.

If I had just done the math – 12 movies on the daily schedule would equal 408 films in the month – it would be obvious there would be so many great films that it didn’t matter who was the star of a particular day. Plus, it would be a chance to discover films I had never seen or that could give me a new appreciation for an actor. And all of that is exactly why I watch TCM every day!

Now, instead of searching only for my favorite actors during “SUTS,” I study the full schedule, first star-by-star and then – and here’s the big change – film-by-film.

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Take this year, for example.  Jennifer Jones has her day on Aug. 17 and while I’m never going to watch a full day of her films, I am excited that two of the lovely movies she made with Joseph Cotten (they did four together) are showing: The magical “Portrait of Jennie” (1948) and the mystery romance “Love Letters” (1945 – note that this is not the A.R. Gurney story).

While I enjoy the work of Christopher Plummer – who makes his “SUTS” debut on Aug. 2 – I won’t be watching “The Sound of Music” for the 50th time. But the DVR is already set for the early-morning showing of the 1975 remake of “The Spiral Staircase” with Jacqueline Bisset.

And so it goes because there really is so much to watch and I’ve already made a list.

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A fun lobby card for the Claude Rains thriller “The Unsuspected.”

MY 10 HIGHLIGHTS FOR ‘SUTS’

Claude Rains, Aug. 5. This day showcases some of the greatest movies ever made in classic film history and they all star Mr. Claude Rains including “Now, Voyager,” “Notorious” (he breaks my heart in this one), “Casablanca” and “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” I’m looking forward to watching two other movies he did with director Michael Curtiz: “Stolen Holiday,” a 1937 romantic drama with Kay Francis, and a fantastic 1947 murder mystery thriller called “The Unsuspected.”

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TCM puts the spotlight on Ruby Dee on Aug. 7.

Ruby Dee, Aug 7. I want to watch everything being shown on her inaugural visit to “SUTS.” It’s embarrassing to admit, but I have only seen two of her movies that are on the schedule, so this is a great way to catch up. I’m looking forward especially to “Black Girl,” directed by her husband Ossie Davis, and “Buck and the Preacher” (1979), a groundbreaking Western directed by Sidney Poitier and also starring Harry Belafonte. The DVR will be recording for the bulk of the day.

Elizabeth Taylor, Aug. 9: I can’t resist a double feature of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the passionate (and lustful) “The V.I.P.s” (1963) and “The Sandpiper.” And who can ever tire of Taylor and Paul Newman in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”? The sexy, heat-soaked film is perfect August viewing.

Glenda Farrell, Aug. 11. Today we can see all seven films where Farrell played the spunky Torchy Blane. With 17 movies in total being shown, there’s plenty more to watch, too. All are from the 1930s and the day starts with “Little Caesar” (1931).

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“The 3 Godfathers” will be shown on Aug. 12 as part of a day honoring Pedro Armendáriz, right, who stars with John Wayne and Harry Carey Jr.

Pedro Armendáriz, Aug. 12. I thought I didn’t know this Mexican actor, but I do – and I bet you do, too. There’s a chance to watch him in three of his most famous films with John Wayne including “Fort Apache” (1948), “3 Godfathers” (1949, yes he was one of the godfathers) and “The Conqueror” (1956). There’s also a great opportunity to see him in the Mexican-made “La rebellion de lost colgados” (“The Rebellion of the Hanged,” 1954).

 Janet Leigh, Aug. 15. I won’t watch “Little Women” (I can’t listen to June Allyson’s “Marmie! Marmie!”) but I will enjoy (again!) the super fun “Bye Bye Birdie” (1963), which was one of my favorite screenings ever at a TCM Film Festival. And do not miss the crazy giant bunny horror film “Night of the Lepus” (1972).

Charles Bronson, Aug. 16. I will tune in on Charles Bronson Day as a tribute to my dad who would have set his DVR to record all 12 movies. While his favorites included “The Magnificent Seven,” “The Great Escape” and “The Dirty Dozen,” he would watch any Bronson film and so will I.

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Watch James Gleason and Edna May Oliver in three of their Hildegarde Withers mysteries.

James Gleason, Aug. 18. Well, this is a long overdue celebration of the great character actor. TCM is showing 16 of his films including five of his six turns as Police Inspector Oscar Piper in the entertaining Hildegarde Withers mysteries: “The Penguin Pool Murder” (1932), “Murder on the Blackboard” (1934), “Murder on a Honeymoon” (1935), “The Plot Thickens” (1936) and “Forty Naughty Girls” (1937). Pick anything to watch – he’s great.

Gina Lollobrigida, Aug. 23. It will be fun watching “Trapeze” (1956) and “Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell” (1968), but I’m thrilled to finally see her as Esmeralda in the 1956 remake of “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” with Anthony Quinn.

Alexis Smith, Aug. 29. Here’s another underappreciated actress. Some picks include “The Woman in White” (1948), “Steel Against the Sky” (1941, with future husband Craig Stevens), “Night and Day” with Cary Grant, and two films with Errol Flynn, “Gentleman Jim” (1942) and “San Antonio” (1945).

FINALLY GETTING THEIR DAY

This year, eight stars are getting their first full day of programming on “SUTS” and I have challenged myself to make sure I watch at least two films I haven’t seen by each of them.

In addition to Plummer (Aug. 2), there’s Ruby Dee (Aug. 7), Glenda Farrell (Aug. 11), Pedro Armendáriz (Aug. 12), Sterling Hayden (Aug. 14), Charles Bronson (Aug. 16), James Gleason (Aug. 18), Gina Lollobrigida (Aug. 23), Shirley Jones (Aug. 25), Tom Courtenay (Aug. 26) and a 100th birthday celebration for Donald O’Connor (Aug. 28).

THE “SUMMER UNDER THE STARS” SCHEDULE

Aug. 1: Lana Turner

Aug. 2: Christopher Plummer

Aug. 3: Audrey Hepburn

Aug. 4: Howard Keel

Aug. 5: Claude Rains

Aug. 6: Judy Garland

Aug. 7: Ruby Dee

Aug. 8: James Garner

Aug. 9: Elizabeth Taylor

Aug. 10: Clark Gable

Aug. 11: Glenda Farrell

Aug. 12: Pedro Armendáriz

Aug. 13: Shirley MacLaine

Aug. 14: Sterling Hayden

Aug. 15: Janet Leigh

Aug. 16: Charles Bronson

Aug. 17: Jennifer Jones

Aug. 18: James Gleason

Aug. 19: Hedy Lamarr

Aug. 20: James Cagney

Aug. 21: Patricia Neal

Aug. 22: Frank Sinatra

Aug. 23: Gina Lollobrigida

Aug. 24: Henry Fonda

Aug. 25: Shirley Jones

Aug. 26: Tom Courtenay

Aug. 27: Joan Crawford

Aug. 28: Donald O’Connor

Aug. 29: Alexis Smith

Aug. 30: Kirk Douglas

Aug. 31: Irene Dunne

To learn more and see the full daily schedule: Visit tcm.com.

‘If Winter Comes’: A quiet tearjerker with warm heart

Two people, once deeply in love but now married to others, are reunited for the first time in two years.

The woman reaches her hand out, then quickly pulls it back to remove her white glove before shaking his hand. “There,” she smiles.

That scene between actors Deborah Kerr and Walter Pidgeon in “If Winter Comes” is a quiet gesture that speaks volumes about the need for the human connection that runs through the 1947 melodrama.

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Deborah Kerr removes her glove to touch Walter Pidgeon’s hand in a moment that speaks volumes throughout “If Winter Comes.”

The film is set in the picturesque English village of Penny Green, circa 1939, where cottages with rows of hedges and quaint gates surround a serene pond in the village center.

But don’t be fooled by the idyllic setting: It hides the nasty gossip of the villagers who judge others – even those within their own homes. Whether it’s because they’re mean-spirited or just unhappy is never clear, but the pain they cause is evident.

That’s why I chose “If Winter Comes” for the Classic Movie Blog Association’s spring blogathon, “Cry Me a River: Tearjerkers.”

It may not make tears roll down my face like a three-hanky tearjerker might, but my heart aches throughout the film as cruelty is used against those with good hearts, especially the caring and noble Mark Sabre played by Walter Pidgeon. And if it can cause an aching heart, it makes it a tearjerker to me – a quiet and understated one that clutches at you in the most unexpected ways. I wasn’t prepared for the emotional wallop the first time I watched it that comes from the suffering of one of the nicest, compassionate men on film.

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Ready to explore the TCM Film Festival’s ‘Fantastic Worlds’

The NFL draft isn’t the only annual event in April where people spend weeks debating picks.

Pre-gaming for the Turner Classic Movie Classic Film Festival, taking place this year April 24-27 in Hollywood, starts as soon as the full schedule is released.

Fans debate and agonize – yes, agonize – over their choices. If you want to see, say, a classic drama showing on Nitrate film at the Egyptian Theatre, can you then make it afterward to that pre-Code in the intimate House 4 of the TCL Multiplex a few blocks away? How do you make the impossible choice between finally seeing your favorite musical on the big screen or hearing an admired filmmaker discuss a movie? The choices are endless – and so are the decisions.

That’s why classic movie fans attending the fest painstakingly make their perfect itinerary by creating movie draft boards, spreadsheets and Google docs that break down the films and events.

Except for me. I’ve never gone to TCMFF with a full itinerary, like many of my fellow festival attendees. While I marvel at their preparation, I usually only have a few choices made in advance. In 2024, my list was one – yes, one – film and I absolutely had to see it: Craig Barron and Ben Burtt’s special presentation of “Them!” Not only do the Oscar winners put on entertaining and educational presentations, “Them!” is a film I often watched with my dad, so it’s very special to me.

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In 2024, Craig Barron and Ben Burtt gave a fantastic presentation on the sci-fi classic “Them!” at the TCM Classic Film Festival. Go see them any chance you get.

I figured everything else would fall into place – and it did. I had a great time and saw many films despite my lack of planning.

But TCMFF 2025 has been different, starting as soon as the theme was announced: “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film.” Nothing describes my favorite movies more than fantastic films, so this festival was meant for me.

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