Movies

Mr. Holmes – the Movie

May 12, 2017

My husband and I watched the movie, “Mr. Holmes” a little while ago. This is a terrific story about Sherlock Holmes living in retirement. To me, at least, this movie seems like it could be a continuation of the British Sherlock Holmes television series starring Jeremy Brett. The movie is based on “A Slight Trick of Mind” (the novel is by Mitch Cullin) and is directed by Bill Condon.

There are three main characters in the movie – all three superbly played. Sherlock (Ian McKellen), his housekeeper Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney), and the housekeeper’s little boy (Milo Parker). Whereas Poirot retired to the county to raise “tubers” this Sherlock has retired to become a beekeeper in the country. The housekeeper’s young son becomes a fan of Sherlock’s – both in the criminal and the beekeeping arenas.

Sherlock has decided to write his own version of this last case – which took place some thirty years ago. Dr. Watson wrote about the case – unsatisfactorily >>> anyway that’s what Sherlock thinks! Unfortunately, Sherlock is having a difficult time remembering all the details of this particular case which convinced him it was time to retire.

I’m not going to say anything more about the plot because I strongly urge you to see the movie. I will warn you, though, that if you’re looking for car chases or lots of computer-generated action, this movie isn’t for you.

I will tell you, though, that the acting, costumes, makeup, scenery, and ambiance are absolutely terrific.

For more Cozy viewing ideas, click on my Cozy Mystery TV & Movies page.

Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for May 2017

April 22, 2017

It’s the time of the month again to find out about next month’s upcoming mystery movies that will be on television. As usual, I’m posting the Turner Classic Movies channel mysteries (and some non-mystery movies with my favorite actors and actresses) that I think are definitely worth looking at.

There will be two marathons for mystery lovers this month. The first will be on Friday the 19th, a marathon of the Whistler series starring Richard Dix. The other marathon will be a 1960s movie marathon on the 22nd, which will star actresses who were much bigger in the ’40s and ’50s, who were the subjects of the recent miniseries “Feud”. Be sure to check them both out! (Just one more week until the miniseries is complete. I can’t wait!)

Also, on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel:

Sunday – May 21, 2017
8:00 PM (central)

A Bundle of Trouble: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery
Aurora Teagarden and her boyfriend Martin are thrilled when they get an unexpected visit from his niece and her new baby. Their excitement is short lived when his niece disappears and the baby is left behind. Once again, Aurora finds herself drawn into a deadly investigation as she risks it all to help Martin reunite with his family. Stars Candace Cameron Bure and Marilu Henner.

***** ***** ***** *****

May 2017 Turner Classic Movies Channel Mystery Movies (Central time zone):

***** ***** ***** *****

Monday – May 1, 2017

8:30 AM
GILDA (1946)
A gambler discovers an old flame in South America, but she’s married to his new boss.
Dir: Charles Vidor Cast: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready.
BW- 110 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Tuesday – May 2, 2017

5:45 AM
GAMBLING ON THE HIGH SEAS (1940)
A reporter tries to nail a gambling-ship owner for murder.
Dir: George Amy Cast: Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman, Gilbert Roland.
BW- 55 mins, CC

5:15 PM
KEY LARGO (1948)
A returning veteran tangles with a ruthless gangster during a hurricane.
Dir: John Huston Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren Bacall.
BW- 100 mins, CC

7:00 PM
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)
A newspaperman tracks a runaway heiress on a madcap cross-country tour.
Dir: Frank Capra Cast: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly.
BW- 105 mins, CC
*****This is quite funny – with the two leads at their best!*****

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – May 3, 2017

4:00 AM
NIGHT NURSE (1931)
A nurse discovers that the children she’s caring for are murder targets.
Dir: William A. Wellman Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Ben Lyon, Joan Blondell.
BW- 72 mins, CC

5:30 AM
THE FINGER POINTS (1931)
A naive reporter takes payoffs for keeping a prominent gangster out of the papers.
Dir: John Francis Dillon Cast: Richard Barthelmess, Fay Wray, Regis Toomey.
BW- 85 mins, CC

10:30 PM
MRS. O’MALLEY AND MR. MALONE (1950)
A lawyer and a widow encounter murder on a train ride.
Dir: Norman Taurog Cast: Marjorie Main, James Whitmore, Ann Dvorak.
BW- 69 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – May 6, 2017

12:45 AM
WINTER KILLS (1979)
An assassinated president’s brother investigates the unsolved crime.
Dir: William Richert Cast: Jeff Bridges, Anthony Perkins, John Huston.
C- 97 mins

9:30 AM
UP GOES MAISIE (1946)
A showgirl working for an inventor battles crooks out to steal his ideas.
Dir: Harry Beaumont Cast: Ann Sothern, George Murphy, Hillary Brooke.
BW- 89 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – May 7, 2017

11:00 AM
THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (1955)
A corpse creates a world of trouble for several passersby who each believe they may have caused the death.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred Natwick.
C- 99 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

2:45 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, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – May 10, 2017

7:45 AM
AFTER OFFICE HOURS (1935)
A society newspaperwoman tries to prove to her editor that she can crack a murder case.
Dir: Robert Z. Leonard Cast: Constance Bennett, Clark Gable, Stuart Erwin.
BW- 72 mins, CC

5:30 PM
GAMBLING HOUSE (1951)
A gambler faces deportation when he gets mixed up with murder.
Dir: Ted Tetzlaff Cast: Victor Mature, Terry Moore, William Bendix.
BW- 80 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Thursday – May 11, 2017

7:00 AM
THE YELLOW CANARY (1943)
A socialite poses as a Nazi spy to mask her activities as a British agent.
Dir: Herbert Wilcox Cast: Anna Neagle, Richard Greene, Nova Pilbeam.
BW- 84 mins

3:30 PM
MURDER AHOY (1964)
Elderly sleuth Miss Marple takes to the seas to investigate murder on a naval training ship.
Dir: George Pollock Cast: Margaret Rutherford, Lionel Jeffries, Charles Tingwell.
BW- 93 mins, CC
*****Don’t expect to see a run-of-the-mill Miss Marple in this movie!*****

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – May 12, 2017

8:00 AM
DR. SOCRATES (1935)
A small-town doctor gets mixed up with gangsters.
Dir: William Dieterle Cast: Paul Muni, Ann Dvorak, Barton MacLane.
BW- 70 mins, CC

2:30 PM
THE AMAZING DR. CLITTERHOUSE (1938)
A doctor plots crimes so he can study criminal psychology.
Dir: Anatole Litvak Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Claire Trevor, Humphrey Bogart.
BW- 87 mins, CC

9:00 PM
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967)
A black police detective from the North forces a bigoted Southern sheriff to accept his help with a murder investigation.
Dir: Norman Jewison Cast: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates.
C- 110 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – May 13, 2017

9:30 AM
UNDERCOVER MAISIE (1947)
A stranded showgirl joins the police force and risks her life to expose a phony psychic.
Dir: Harry Beaumont Cast: Ann Sothern, Barry Nelson, Mark Daniels.
BW- 90 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – May 14, 2017

9:00 AM
THE PROWLER (1951)
A policeman’s obsession with a married woman leads to murder.
Dir: Joseph Losey Cast: Van Heflin, Evelyn Keyes, John Maxwell.
BW- 93 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Monday – May 15, 2017

11:00 PM
BLOOD SIMPLE (1984)
A Texas bar owner hires a private eye to kill his cheating wife and her boyfriend.
Dir: Joel Coen Cast: John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya.
C- 96 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – May 17, 2017

8:30 AM
THE SECRET SIX (1931)
A secret society funds the investigation of a bootlegging gang.
Dir: George Hill Cast: Wallace Beery, Lewis Stone, John Mack Brown.
BW- 84 mins, CC

2:15 PM
THE CUCKOOS (1930)
Two tramps-turned-fortune-tellers try to solve a kidnapping.
Dir: Paul Sloane Cast: Bert Wheeler, Robert Woolsey, June Clyde.
BW- 97 mins

***** ***** ***** *****

Thursday – May 18, 2017

4:45 AM
LOVE IS A RACKET (1932)
A beautiful girl convinces a reporter to cover up her involvement in a murder.
Dir: William A. Wellman Cast: Douglas Fairbanks, Ann Dvorak, Frances Dee.
BW- 71 mins

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – May 19, 2017

I don’t think I’ve seen any of these Whistler movies, but I plan to tape them and hope they’re good…

5:00 AM
THE WHISTLER (1944)
A grieving widower hires an assassin to kill him only to have his late wife turn up alive.
Dir: William Castle Cast: Richard Dix, J. Carrol Naish, Gloria Stuart.
BW- 60 mins, CC

6:30 AM
THE POWER OF THE WHISTLER (1945)
A young woman seeks an amnesiac’s true identity in the clues in his pockets.
Dir: Lew Landers Cast: Richard Dix, Janis Carter, Jeff Donnell.
BW- 66 mins, CC

8:00 AM
VOICE OF THE WHISTLER (1945)
A dying millionaire marries his nurse for companionship, only to experience a miracle cure.
Dir: William Castle Cast: Richard Dix, Lynn Merrick, Rhys Williams.
BW- 60 mins, CC

9:30 AM
THE MYSTERIOUS INTRUDER (1946)
A detective discovers the woman he’s been hired to track down is the key to an unusual inheritance.
Dir: William Castle Cast: Richard Dix, Barton MacLane, Nina Vale.
BW- 62 mins

11:00 AM
THE SECRET OF THE WHISTLER (1946)
An artist plots murder when his rich wife when she catches him in an affair with one of his models.
Dir: George Sherman Cast: Richard Dix, Leslie Brooks, Michael Duane.
BW- 64 mins

12:30 PM
THE RETURN OF THE WHISTLER (1948)
When a woman goes missing on the eve of her wedding, her fiancee hires a detective to track her down.
Dir: D. Ross Lederman Cast: Michael Duane, Lenore Aubert, Richard Lane.
BW- 63 mins

2:00 PM
I LOVE A MYSTERY (1945)
A detective tries to protect a man who has predicted his murder will take place in three days.
Dir: Henry Levin Cast: Jim Bannon, Nina Foch, George Macready.
BW- 69 mins

3:30 PM
THE DEVIL’S MASK (1946)
A detective tries to identify a shrunken head found in a crashed cargo plane.
Dir: Henry Levin Cast: Anita Louise, Jim Bannon, Michael Duane.
BW- 66 mins, CC

5:00 PM
THE UNKNOWN (1946)
A woman with amnesia hires two detectives to keep her alive long enough to claim her inheritance.
Dir: Henry Levin Cast: Karen Morley, Jim Bannon, Jeff Donnell.
BW- 71 mins, CC

6:30 PM
DARK SHADOWS (1944)
This short film focuses on a psychiatrist investigating the murder of another psychiatrist.
Dir: Paul Burnford Cast: Paul Guilfoyle, Morris Ankrum, Henry O’Neill.
BW- 22 mins

11:15 PM
POINT BLANK (1967)
A gangster plots an elaborate revenge on the wife and partner who did him dirty.
Dir: John Boorman Cast: Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, Keenan Wynn.
C- 92 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – May 20, 2017

3:00 AM
WAIT UNTIL DARK (1967)
A blind woman fights against drug smugglers who’ve invaded her home.
Dir: Terence Young Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna.
C- 108 mins, CC

9:30 AM
MEET BOSTON BLACKIE (1941)
A reformed thief uncovers a spy ring while investigating a murder at sea.
Dir: Robert Florey Cast: Chester Morris, Rochelle Hudson, Richard Lane.
BW- 61 mins

11:00 AM
THE SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION (1976)
Sherlock Holmes seeks psychiatric help from Sigmund Freud and gets caught up in mystery.
Dir: Herbert Ross Cast: Alan Arkin, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Duvall.
C- 113 mins, CC

7:00 PM
GILDA (1946)
A gambler discovers an old flame in South America, but she’s married to his new boss.
Dir: Charles Vidor Cast: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready.
BW- 110 mins, CC

11:00 PM
CORNERED (1946)
A World War II veteran hunts down the Nazi collaborators who killed his wife.
Dir: Edward Dmytryk Cast: Dick Powell, Walter Slezak, Micheline Cheirel.
BW- 103 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – May 21, 2017

9:00 AM
CRIME OF PASSION (1957)
An executive’s wife barters sex for her husband’s business success.
Dir: Gerd Oswald Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Hayden, Raymond Burr.
BW- 86 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Monday – May 22, 2017

*****If you’ve been watching Feud, then (if it’s based on true facts!) Baby Jane was the first of these types of movies starring favorite actresses from Hollywood’s Golden Age.*****

7:00 PM
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962)
A crazed, aging star torments her sister in a decaying Hollywood mansion.
Dir: Robert Aldrich Cast: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono.
BW- 134 mins, CC

9:30 PM
DIE! DIE! MY DARLING! (1965)
A religious fanatic imprisons her late son’s sinful fiancee.
Dir: Silvio Narizzano Cast: Tallulah Bankhead, Stefanie Powers, Peter Vaughan.
C- 96 mins, CC

11:30 PM
STRAIT-JACKET (1964)
Murder follows an axe murderer home when she’s released from a mental hospital.
Dir: William Castle Cast: Joan Crawford, Diane Baker, Leif Erickson.
BW- 93 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Tuesday – May 23, 2017

1:15 AM
WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH HELEN? (1971)
After their sons are convicted of murder, two women relocate to Hollywood to start a talent school.
Dir: Curtis Harrington Cast: Debbie Reynolds, Shelley Winters, Dennis Weaver.
C- 101 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

3:15 AM
THE NANNY (1965)
A disturbed young man tries to prove his nanny is out to kill him.
Dir: Seth Holt Cast: Bette Davis, Wendy Craig, Jill Bennett.
BW- 93 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

6:45 AM
ACT OF VIOLENCE (1948)
An embittered veteran tracks down a POW camp informer.
Dir: Fred Zinnemann Cast: Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, Janet Leigh.
BW- 82 mins, CC

11:30 AM
THE VERDICT (1946)
A retired Scotland Yard chief tries to prove his friend is innocent of murder.
Dir: Don Siegel Cast: Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Joan Lorring.
BW- 86 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – May 26, 2017

4:15 PM
WASHINGTON MELODRAMA (1941)
A philanthropic businessman is framed for murder during a lobbying trip to Washington.
Dir: S. Sylvan Simon Cast: Frank Morgan, Ann Rutherford, Kent Taylor.
BW- 81 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – May 28, 2017

3:15 PM
SABOTEUR (1942)
A young man accused of sabotage goes on the lam to prove his innocence.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Priscilla Lane, Robert Cummings, Otto Kruger.
BW- 109 mins, CC

5:15 PM
ACROSS THE PACIFIC (1942)
An American agent tries to keep Axis spies from blowing up the Panama Canal.
Dir: John Huston Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Sydney Greenstreet.
C- 96 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Tuesday – May 30, 2017

10:30 AM
THE BIG SLEEP (1946)
Private eye Philip Marlowe investigates a society girl’s involvement in the murder of a pornographer.
Dir: Howard Hawks Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, John Ridgely.
BW- 114 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – May 31, 2017

11:00 PM
SEPARATE TABLES (1958)
The boarders at an English resort struggle with emotional problems.
Dir: Delbert Mann Cast: Deborah Kerr, Rita Hayworth, David Niven.
BW- 100 mins, CC
*****Not a mystery.*****

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

If you’re particularly looking forward to these or other mystery-themed tv specials coming up in May, be sure to leave a comment below!

In case you’re interested in seeing the rest of this month’s television mystery movies, here’s the April television mystery movies schedule:

Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for April 2017

And of course, here is the page on my site with plenty of entries about movies and television shows you may enjoy:

Cozy Mystery List TV and Movie Section

What Happened to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Cozy Mystery Movies Premieres?

March 26, 2017

I thought I’d write a quick not to tell you why I stopped posting the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel’s mystery movies. I hated to stop posting them, but I found that it took more time than it should have to find the dates and synopses of the different new mystery movies. Since I post the Upcoming Television Mystery Movies entries during the month before they air, a lot of the time I had to rely on outside sources to post the actual dates of their premieres. Perhaps the channel likes to keep us unaware of the actual airing dates of the movies so that we watch the channel hoping to find out when the movies will finally air, or possibly the channel just wants us to really anticipate the movies. (I don’t know why they use the “Coming in April” tactic, but it doesn’t work for me… I’d much rather they simply tell us when in April the movies are going to air.)

For those of you who miss finding out about these Hallmark Movies & Mysteries premieres, I suggest you look you TV listings for Sunday nights at 8:00 PM (central) to see if they will be airing a new Cozy Mystery movie. That is when they premiere their mystery movies. That’s exactly what I am doing these days, which is how I found out about:

Joanne Fluke‘s Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts premiering tonight (March 26, 2017),

Kate Carlisle‘s Concrete Evidence: A Fixer Upper Mystery premiering next Sunday night (April 2, 2017),

and Nancy Grace‘s Hailey Dean Mystery: Deadly Estate premiering Sunday, April 9, 2017.

Also, last week Charlaine Harris‘ Dead Over Heels: An Aurora Teagarden Mystery premiered. Just in case you missed it, the next showing will be tonight (March 26), right after the premiere of Murder, She Baked: Just Desserts.

Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for April 2017

March 25, 2017

This April, the biggest TCM mystery news will be a Torchy Blaine marathon on April 21st. If you’re a fan of 1930s reporter Torchy Blaine, be sure to check it out!

***** ***** ***** *****

April 2017 Turner Classic Movies Channel Mystery Movies (Central time zone):

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – April 1, 2017

12:45 PM
VERTIGO (1958)
A detective falls for the mysterious woman he’s been hired to tail.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes.
C-128 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – April 2, 2017

9:00 AM
THE BLUE GARDENIA (1953)
A telephone operator kills in self-defense but can’t remember the details of the encounter.
Dir: Fritz Lang Cast: Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, Ann Sothern.
BW-88 mins, CC

11:00 AM
CALL NORTHSIDE 777 (1948)
A Chicago reporter re-opens a ten year old murder case.
Dir: Henry Hathaway Cast: James Stewart, Richard Conte, Lee J. Cobb.
BW-111 mins, CC

3:15 PM
SONG OF THE THIN MAN (1947)
Society sleuths Nick and Nora Charles investigate a murder in a jazz club.
Dir: Edward Buzzell Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Keenan Wynn.
BW-87 mins, CC

5:00 PM
SHADOW OF A DOUBT (1943)
A young girl fears her favorite uncle may be a killer.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotten, MacDonald Carey.
BW-108 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – April 5, 2017

2:30 AM
JOURNAL OF A CRIME (1934)
Before she can confess to shooting her husband’s mistress, a woman succumbs to amnesia.
Dir: William Keighley Cast: Ruth Chatterton, Adolphe Menjou, Claire Dodd.
BW-65 mins, CC

6:30 AM
DANGEROUS CORNER (1935)
Friends uncover a dark secret when they compare notes about a theft and suicide.
Dir: Phil Rosen Cast: Virginia Bruce, Conrad Nagel, Melvyn Douglas.
BW-66 mins

11:00 AM
FAST COMPANY (1938)
Married book-dealers Joel and Gerda Sloane try to clear a friend in the murder of a rival book-seller.
Dir: Edward Buzzell Cast: Melvyn Douglas, Florence Rice, Claire Dodd.
BW-75 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Thursday – April 6, 2017

3:00 PM
AND THEN THERE WERE NONE (1945)
Guests at a remote island mansion realize a crazed killer is stalking them.
Dir: René Clair Cast: Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, Louis Hayward.
BW-97 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – April 7, 2017

5:00 AM
NINE LIVES ARE NOT ENOUGH (1941)
A reporter tries to solve a series of boardinghouse murders.
Dir: A. Edward Sutherland Cast: Ronald Reagan, Joan Perry, James Gleason.
BW-63 mins

7:00 PM
LOVE LETTERS (1945)
A soldier falls for the woman who may have killed his best friend.
Dir: William Dieterle Cast: Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Ann Richards.
BW-101 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – April 8, 2017

5:00 AM
WHISTLING IN THE DARK (1941)
A radio detective is kidnapped and forced to plan the perfect murder.
Dir: S. Sylvan Simon Cast: Red Skelton, Conrad Veidt, Ann Rutherford.
BW-78 mins, CC

9:45 PM
BLACK WIDOW (1954)
The murder of a scheming female writer throws a group of theatrical friends into turmoil.
Dir: Nunnally Johnson Cast: Ginger Rogers, Van Heflin, Gene Tierney.
C-95 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – April 9, 2017

1:30 AM
THE ZODIAC KILLER (1971)
San Francisco police try to track down a vicious serial killer.
Dir: Tom Hanson Cast: Hal Reed, Bob Jones, Ray Lynch.
C-86 mins, CC

9:00 AM
SCARLET STREET (1945)
A middle aged wouldbe painter falls into the clutches of an unscrupulous woman.
Dir: Fritz Lang Cast: Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Dan Duryea.
BW-102 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Tuesday – April 11, 2017

3:30 AM
DEAD OF NIGHT (1945)
Guests at a country estate share stories of the supernatural.
Dir: Charles Crichton Cast: Mervyn Johns, Roland Culver, Hartley Power.
BW-103 mins, CC

7:00 PM
THE LADY EVE (1941)
A lady cardsharp tries to con an eccentric scientist only to fall for him.
Dir: Preston Sturges Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Henry Fonda, Charles Coburn.
BW-94 mins, CC
*****I absolutely love this very funny movie! Not a mystery.*****

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – April 12, 2017

12:45 AM
WOMAN OF THE YEAR (1942)
Opposites distract when a sophisticated political columnist falls for a sportswriter.
Dir: George Stevens Cast: Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Fay Bainter.
BW-114 mins, CC
*****Tracy and Hepburn are delightful in this non mystery comedy.*****

***** ***** ***** *****

Tuesday – April 18, 2017

5:00 AM
M (1931)
The mob sets out to catch a child killer whose crimes are attracting too much police attention.
Dir: Fritz Lang Cast: Theo Lingen, Peter Lorre, Otto Wernicke.
BW-110 mins

7:00 AM
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955)
A bogus preacher marries an outlaw’s widow in search of the man’s hidden loot.
Dir: Charles Laughton Cast: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish.
BW-93 mins, CC
*****TCM has played this movie quite a bit recently, perhaps because it is so good…*****

12:30 PM
GASLIGHT (1944)
A newlywed fears she’s going mad when strange things start happening at the family mansion.
Dir: George Cukor Cast: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten.
BW-114 mins, CC

2:30 PM
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1962)
A crazed, aging star torments her sister in a decaying Hollywood mansion.
Dir: Robert Aldrich Cast: Bette Davis, Joan Crawford, Victor Buono.
BW-134 mins, CC
*****For those of you watching the FX channel Feud miniseries, you’ll be able to see just how wonderful Susan Sarandon’s and Jessica Lange’s portrayals are of these two dynamic actresses!*****

5:00 PM
SHOCK CORRIDOR (1963)
A reporter fakes insanity to crack a murder committed in an asylum.
Dir: Samuel Fuller Cast: Peter Breck, Constance Towers, Gene Evans.
C-101 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – April 19, 2017

6:45 AM
THE MURDER OF DR. HARRIGAN (1936)
A doctor investigates the murder of a colleague involved in experimental surgery.
Dir: Frank McDonald Cast: Ricardo Cortez, Kay Linaker, John Eldredge.
BW-67 mins

***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – April 21, 2017

1:00 AM
REAR WINDOW (1954)
A photographer with a broken leg uncovers a murder while spying on the neighbors in a nearby apartment building.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey.
C-112 mins, CC

3:15 AM
THE WINDOW (1949)
A boy who always lies witnesses a murder but can’t get anyone but the killer to believe him.
Dir: Ted Tetzlaff Cast: Barbara Hale, Arthur Kennedy, Paul Stewart.
BW-73 mins, CC

Torchy Blane movies:
5:00 AM
SMART BLONDE (1936)
An ambitious reporter forces her policeman boyfriend to let her help with a murder case.
Dir: Frank McDonald Cast: Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Winifred Shaw.
BW-59 mins, CC

6:15 AM
FLY AWAY BABY (1937)
Reporter Torchy Blane takes to the skies to track down a band of killers.
Dir: Frank McDonald Cast: Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Gordon Oliver.
BW-60 mins

7:30 AM
THE ADVENTUROUS BLONDE (1937)
Reporter Torchy Blane walks out on her own wedding to solve the case of a murdered actor.
Dir: Frank MacDonald Cast: Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Anne Nagel.
BW-61 mins

8:45 AM
BLONDES AT WORK (1938)
Even a jail term for contempt can’t keep reporter Torchy Blane from investigating the case of a murdered department store owner.
Dir: Frank McDonald Cast: Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Tom Kennedy.
BW-64 mins

10:00 AM
TORCHY BLANE IN PANAMA (1938)
An ambitious newspaper woman traces bank robbers to an ocean liner.
Dir: William Clemens Cast: Lola Lane, Paul Kelly, Tom Kennedy.
BW-59 mins

11:15 AM
TORCHY GETS HER MAN (1938)
Female reporter Torchy Blane tries to crack a counterfeiting case.
Dir: William Beaudine Cast: Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Tom Kennedy.
BW-63 mins

12:30 PM
TORCHY BLANE IN CHINATOWN (1938)
A daring lady reporter sets out to catch a blackmailer.
Dir: William Beaudine Cast: Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Tom Kennedy.
BW-58 mins, CC

1:30 PM
TORCHY RUNS FOR MAYOR (1939)
After digging up the dirt on local politicians, a newswoman decides to run for office.
Dir: Ray McCarey Cast: Glenda Farrell, Barton MacLane, Tom Kennedy.
BW-60 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Saturday – April 22, 2017

4:45 PM
FAMILY PLOT (1976)
A phony psychic takes on a pair of kidnappers.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris.
C-120 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Sunday – April 23, 2017

4:45 PM
WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957)
A British lawyer gets caught up in a couple’s tangled marital affairs when he defends the husband for murder.
Dir: Billy Wilder Cast: Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton.
BW-116 mins, CC

***** ***** ***** *****

Monday – April 24, 2017

8:00 AM
THE TROUBLE WITH HARRY (1955)
A corpse creates a world of trouble for several passersby who each believe they may have caused the death.
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock Cast: Edmund Gwenn, John Forsythe, Mildred Natwick.
C-99 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

***** ***** ***** *****

Wednesday – April 26, 2017

10:15 AM
THE NAKED CITY (1948)
A step-by-step look at a murder investigation on the streets of New York.
Dir: Jules Dassin Cast: Barry Fitzgerald, Howard Duff, Dorothy Hart.
BW-96 mins, CC

2:15 PM
ALL ABOUT EVE (1950)
An ambitious young actress tries to take over a star’s career and love life.
Dir: Joseph L. Mankiewicz Cast: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders.
BW-138 mins, CC
*****I love, love, love this movie! Not a mystery.*****

***** ***** ***** *****

Thursday – April 27, 2017

12:45 AM
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT (1967)
A black police detective from the North forces a bigoted Southern sheriff to accept his help with a murder investigation.
Dir: Norman Jewison Cast: Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates.
C-110 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

8:30 AM
THE MALTESE FALCON (1931)
In the first screen version of The Maltese Falcon, detective Sam Spade investigates the theft of a priceless statue.
Dir: Roy Del Ruth Cast: Bebe Daniels, Ricardo Cortez, Dudley Digges.
BW-81 mins, CC

3:45 PM
THE PHANTOM OF CRESTWOOD (1933)
Five men have to prove their innocence when a blackmailer is murdered.
Dir: J. Walter Ruben Cast: Ricardo Cortez, Karen Morley, Anita Louise.
BW-76 mins, CC

5:15 PM
HAT, COAT AND GLOVE (1934)
A lawyer gets mixed up in a net of intrigue when he witnesses a suicide.
Dir: Worthington Miner Cast: Ricardo Cortez, Barbara Robbins, John Beal.
BW-65 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****

Friday – April 28, 2017

1:15 AM
BELLS ARE RINGING (1960)
An answering service operator gets mixed up in her clients’ lives.
Dir: Vincente Minnelli Cast: Judy Holliday, Dean Martin, Fred Clark.
C-126 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
*****You can’t go wrong watching any movie with Judy Holliday. Not a mystery.*****

11:00 PM
ABOUT MRS. LESLIE (1954)
An aging woman recalls the affair that consumed her life.
Dir: Daniel Mann Cast: Shirley Booth, Robert Ryan, Marjie Millar.
BW-104 mins, CC
*****If you are only familiar with Shirley Booth as Hazel from the old TV series, you’ll love seeing what a really great actress she was in this non mystery movie.*****

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

If you’re particularly looking forward to these or other mystery-themed tv specials coming up in April, be sure to leave a comment below!

In case you’re interested in seeing the rest of this month’s television mystery movies, here’s the March television mystery movies schedule:

Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for March 2017

And of course, here is the page on my site with plenty of entries about movies and television shows you may enjoy:

Cozy Mystery List TV and Movie Section

P.S. I just posted the premieres of the April 2017 Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel’s Cozy Mystery movies.

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