Another month is coming to an end, so it’s time to discuss the upcoming TCM mystery movies for August!
August 2018 Turner Classic Movies Channel Mystery Movies (Central time zone):
Wednesday – August 1, 2018
11:45 PM
SUDDENLY (1954)
Gunmen take over a suburban home to plot a presidential assassination.
Dir: Lewis Allen Cast: Frank Sinatra, Sterling Hayden, James Gleason.
BW- 77 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****
Thursday – August 2, 2018
7:15 AM
EVELYN PRENTICE (1934)
A criminal lawyer’s wife faces blackmail when she has an affair.
Dir: William K. Howard Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Una Merkel.
BW- 79 mins, CC
9:00 PM
I LOVE YOU AGAIN (1940)
A solid married man discovers he’s forgotten a past existence as a con artist.
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke II Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Frank McHugh.
BW- 99 mins, CC
12:45 AM
THE THIN MAN (1934)
A husband-and-wife detective team takes on the search for a missing inventor and almost get killed for their efforts.
Dir: W. S. Van Dyke Cast: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O’Sullivan.
BW- 91 mins, CC
Friday – August 3, 2018
5:00 AM
THE FIREBIRD (1934)
A young girl’s secret romance is exposed when her lover is murdered.
Dir: William Dieterle Cast: Verree Teasdale, Ricardo Cortez, Lionel Atwill.
BW- 74 mins
6:30 AM
RENDEZVOUS (1935)
A decoding expert tangles with enemy spies.
Dir: William K. Howard Cast: William Powell, Rosalind Russell, Binnie Barnes.
BW- 94 mins, CC
11:00 AM
THE MURDER MAN (1935)
A hard-drinking reporter specializes in murder cases, until he becomes a suspect in one himself.
Dir: Tim Whelan Cast: Spencer Tracy, Virginia Bruce, Lionel Atwill.
BW- 69 mins, CC
1:45 PM
THE SECRET OF MADAME BLANCHE (1933)
A murder brings together a woman and the son she was forced to give up years earlier.
Dir: Charles Brabin Cast: Irene Dunne, Lionel Atwill, Phillips Holmes.
BW- 84 mins, CC
7:00 PM
MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM, THE (1933)
A disfigured sculptor turns murder victims into wax statues.
Dir: Michael Curtiz Cast: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell.
C- 77 mins, CC
8:30 PM
SECRET OF THE BLUE ROOM (1933)
Dir: Kurt Neumann Cast: Lionel Atwill, Gloria Stuart, Paul Lukas.
BW- 65 mins
10:00 PM
DOCTOR X (1932)
A reporter investigates a series of cannibalistic murders at a medical college.
Dir: Michael Curtiz Cast: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Lee Tracy.
C- 76 mins, CC
11:30 PM
ABSOLUTE QUIET (1936)
Murder follows when a plane filled with shady characters is forced to land on a tycoon’s ranch.
Dir: George B. Seitz Cast: Lionel Atwill, Irene Hervey, Raymond
Walburn.
BW- 70 mins
Saturday – August 4, 2018
7:00 PM
HANG ‘EM HIGH (1968)
A mysterious drifter survives a lynching then goes back for revenge.
Dir: Ted Post Cast: Clint Eastwood, Inger Stevens, Ed Begley.
C- 115 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
9:15 PM
COOGAN’S BLUFF (1968)
An Arizona sheriff tracks an escaped killer to the wilds of New York City.
Dir: Donald Siegel Cast: Clint Eastwood, Lee J. Cobb, Susan Clark.
C- 94 mins
***** ***** ***** *****
Monday – August 6, 2018
7:00 AM
THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946)
Illicit lovers plot to kill the woman’s older husband.
Dir: Tay Garnett Cast: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway.
BW- 113 mins, CC
4:00 PM
THE SELLOUT (1951)
A small-town newspaper editor risks everything to expose a corrupt sheriff.
Dir: Gerald Mayer Cast: Walter Pidgeon, John Hodiak, Audrey Totter.
BW- 83 mins, CC
7:00 PM
TENSION (1950)
A man who had planned to murder his wife’s lover becomes the prime suspect when somebody beats him to it.
Dir: John Berry Cast: Richard Basehart, Audrey Totter, Cyd Charisse.
BW- 91 mins, CC,
9:00 PM
HIGH WALL (1947)
Psychiatry provides the key to proving a veteran flyer innocent of his wife’s murder.
Dir: Curtis Bernhardt Cast: Robert Taylor, Audrey Totter, Herbert Marshall.
BW- 99 mins, CC
11:00 PM
LADY IN THE LAKE (1947)
Philip Marlowe searches for a missing woman in this mystery shot entirely from the detective’s viewpoint.
Dir: Robert Montgomery Cast: Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan.
BW- 103 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****
Tuesday – August 7, 2018
1:00 AM
THE UNSUSPECTED (1947)
The producer of a radio crime series commits the perfect crime, then has to put the case on the air.
Dir: Michael Curtiz Cast: Joan Caulfield, Claude Rains, Audrey Totter.
BW- 103 mins, CC
Thursday – August 9, 2018
11:00 AM
CHARADE (1963)
A beautiful widow tries to find her husband’s lost fortune while eluding the killers who want it themselves.
Dir: Stanley Donen Cast: Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau.
C- 113 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
11:15 PM
THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE (1974)
Gunmen hold a New York subway train and its passengers for ransom.
Dir: Joseph Sargent Cast: Walter Matthau, Robert Shaw, Martin Balsam.
C- 104 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
***** ***** ***** *****
Friday – August 10, 2018
12:00 PM
THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS (1954)
A wrongly convicted man takes a young woman hostage while fighting to clear his name.
Dir: Edwards Sampson Cast: John Ireland, Dorothy Malone, Bruce Carlisle.
BW- 74 mins, CC
1:30 PM
CONVICTED (1950)
A prison warden fights to prove one of his inmates was wrongly convicted.
Dir: Henry Levin Cast: Glenn Ford, Broderick Crawford, Millard Mitchell.
BW- 91 mins, CC
Sunday – August 12, 2018
3:00 AM
TIP ON A DEAD JOCKEY (1957)
A grounded flier gets mixed up with smugglers in Madrid.
Dir: Richard Thorpe Cast: Robert Taylor, Dorothy Malone, Gia Scala.
BW- 99 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
*****Next, TCM will be airing three Doris Day/Rock Hudson comedies, followed by a Doris Day/James Garner comedy, and then on to a mystery with Doris Day.*****
5:00 PM
PILLOW TALK (1959)
A man and woman carry their feud over the telephone line they share into their real lives.
Dir: Michael Gordon Cast: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall.
C- 102 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
7:00 PM
LOVER COME BACK (1961)
An ad exec in disguise courts his pretty female competitor.
Dir: Delbert Mann Cast: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall.
C- 107 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
9:00 PM
SEND ME NO FLOWERS (1964)
When he mistakenly thinks he’s dying, a hypochondriac tries to choose his wife’s next husband.
Dir: Norman Jewison Cast: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall.
C- 100 mins, CC
11:00 PM
THE THRILL OF IT ALL (1963)
A doctor tries to cope with his wife’s newfound stardom as an advertising pitch woman.
Dir: Norman Jewison Cast: Doris Day, James Garner, Arlene Francis.
C- 108 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****
Monday – August 13, 2018
1:00 AM
MIDNIGHT LACE (1960)
A young woman can’t get anyone to believe she’s being stalked.
Dir: David Miller Cast: Doris Day, Rex Harrison, John Gavin.
C- 108 mins, CC
3:00 AM
JULIE (1956)
A stewardess is stalked by her psychotic estranged husband.
Dir: Andrew L. Stone Cast: Doris Day, Louis Jourdan, Barry Sullivan.
BW- 97 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****
Thursday – August 16, 2018
10:30 PM
THE STORY OF TEMPLE DRAKE (1933)
A society girl gets mixed up with blackmail and murder after a vicious sexual assault.
Dir: Stephen Roberts Cast: Miriam Hopkins, William Gargan, Jack La Rue.
BW- 71 mins, CC
Saturday – August 18, 2018
7:00 AM
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
*****Not a mystery, but very funny!*****
***** ***** ***** *****
Monday – August 20, 2018
2:00 AM
JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961)
An aging American judge presides over the trial of Nazi war criminals.
Dir: Stanley Kramer Cast: Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark.
BW- 179 mins, CC
11:00 PM
SCARAMOUCHE (1952)
In 18th-century France, a young man masquerades as an actor to avenge his friend’s murder.
Dir: George Sidney Cast: Stewart Granger, Eleanor Parker, Janet Leigh.
C- 115 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****
Wednesday – August 22, 2018
9:00 AM
BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT (1956)
A novelist frames himself for murder to prove the fallibility of circumstantial evidence.
Dir: Fritz Lang Cast: Dana Andrews, Joan Fontaine, Sidney Blackmer.
BW- 80 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
10:30 AM
WHILE THE CITY SLEEPS (1956)
Reporters compete to catch a serial killer.
Dir: Fritz Lang Cast: Dana Andrews, Rhonda Fleming, George Sanders.
BW- 100 mins, CC, Letterbox Format
10:30 PM
FALLEN ANGEL (1945)
A man is accused of killing a waitress he had tried to seduce with his wife’s money.
Dir: Otto Preminger Cast: Alice Faye, Dana Andrews, Linda Darnell.
BW- 97 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****
Thursday – August 23, 2018
2:45 AM
BRAINSTORM (1965)
A young scientist fakes insanity so he can kill the husband of the woman he loves.
Dir: William Conrad Cast: Jeff Hunter, Anne Francis, Dana Andrews.
BW- 105 mins, Letterbox Format
7:00 PM
FLAXY MARTIN (1949)
Messing with a mobster’s girlfriend gets a lawyer framed for murder.
Dir: Richard Bare Cast: Virginia Mayo, Zachary Scott, Dorothy Malone.
BW- 86 mins, CC
8:45 PM
BACKFIRE (1950)
A veteran tries to clear an old friend of a murder charge.
Dir: Vincent Sherman Cast: Viveca Lindfors, Dane Clark, Virginia Mayo.
BW- 91 mins, CC
10:30 PM
SMART GIRLS DON’T TALK (1948)
A society woman gets involved with a gangster only to find he has hidden plans.
Dir: Richard Bare Cast: Virginia Mayo, Bruce Bennett, Robert Hutton.
BW- 81 mins
Friday – August 24, 2018
6:30 AM
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944)
A young man about to be married discovers the two aunts who raised him have been poisoning lonely old men.
Dir: Frank Capra Cast: Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, Raymond Massey.
BW- 118 mins, CC
1:00 PM
ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT (1942)
A criminal gang turns patriotic to track down a Nazi spy ring.
Dir: Vincent Sherman Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Conrad Veidt, Kaaren Verne.
BW- 107 mins, CC
4:45 PM
SCENT OF MYSTERY (1960)
Dir: Jack Cardiff Cast: Denholm Elliott, Peter Lorre, Beverly Bentley.
BW- 125 mins
*****Wikipedia says: “the first to use the Smell-O-Vision system to release odors at points in the film’s plot. It was the first film in which aromas were integral to the story, providing important details to the audience.” – Sounds pretty 1960-ish!
7:00 PM
M (1931)
The mob sets out to catch a child killer whose crimes are attracting too much police attention.
Dir: Fritz Lang Cast: Peter Lorre, Theo Lingen, Otto Wernicke.
BW- 110 mins
9:00 PM
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (1935)
A young student murders for money then tries to escape his guilt and a brilliant detective.
Dir: Josef von Sternberg Cast: Peter Lorre, Edward Arnold, Marian Marsh.
BW- 88 mins, CC
10:45 PM
THE MASK OF DIMITRIOS (1944)
A meek novelist investigates the mysterious death of a notorious scoundrel.
Dir: Jean Negulesco Cast: Sydney Greenstreet, Zachary Scott, Faye Emerson.
BW- 96 mins, CC,
***** ***** ***** *****
Saturday – August 25, 2018
12:30 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
***** ***** ***** *****
Monday – August 27, 2018
11:00 PM
HUSH… HUSH, SWEET CHARLOTTE (1964)
A wealthy southern spinster fights to keep her family’s secrets hidden.
Dir: Robert Aldrich Cast: Bette Davis, Olivia De Havilland, Joseph Cotten.
BW- 133 mins, CC
***** ***** ***** *****
Tuesday – August 28, 2018
2:30 PM
THE UNFAITHFUL, THE (1947)
While her husband is away, a woman gets mixed up in murder.
Dir: Vincent Sherman Cast: Ann Sheridan, Lew Ayres, Zachary Scott.
BW- 109 mins
Wednesday – August 29, 2018
12:30 AM
NO ESCAPE (1953)
A woman and a songwriter suspected of murder join forces to crack the case.
Dir: Charles Bennett Cast: Lew Ayres, Sonny Tufts, Marjorie Steele.
BW- 76 mins
2:00 AM
FINGERS AT THE WINDOW (1942)
A magician uses hypnosis to create an army of murderers.
Dir: Charles Lederer Cast: Lew Ayres, Laraine Day, Basil Rathbone.
BW- 81 mins, CC
3:30 AM
THE GOLDEN FLEECING (1940)
A mild-mannered insurance salesman gets mixed up with gangsters.
Dir: Leslie Fenton Cast: Lew Ayres, Rita Johnson, Lloyd Nolan.
BW- 68 mins, CC
5:00 AM
DARK PASSAGE (1947)
A man falsely accused of his wife’s murder escapes to search for the real killer.
Dir: Delmer Daves Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Bruce Bennett.
BW- 106 mins, CC
7:00 PM
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
9:00 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
***** ***** ***** *****
Friday – August 31, 2018
9:45 AM
THE LAST OF MRS. CHEYNEY (1937)
A chic jewel thief in England falls in love with one of her marks.
Dir: Richard Boleslawski Cast: Joan Crawford, William Powell, Robert Montgomery.
BW- 98 mins, CC
7:00 PM
SUDDEN FEAR (1952)
An ambitious actor insinuates himself into the life of a wealthy middle-aged woman, then plots with his mistress to murder her.
Dir: David Miller Cast: Joan Crawford, Jack Palance, Gloria Grahame.
BW- 111 mins
Saturday – September 1, 2018
1:00 AM
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,
2:45 AM
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
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
If you’re really looking forward to these or other mystery-themed tv specials coming up in August, 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 July 2018 television mystery movies schedule:
Upcoming Television Mystery Movies for July 2018 on Turner Classic Movies channel
And 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 – all you have to do is click on the link to go to that page on my site.
(All of the movie descriptions were taken off their respective websites.)
Li d says
I’d like to see “Gaslight” with Charles Boyer.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Li, it’s definitely a classic worth revisiting time and time again!
Kathy says
I am so happy to see the Unsuspected. I think it’s an engaging movie.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathy, it’s one of the movies I have on my list to DVR. Now that I read your comment, I’m really looking forward to seeing it. And to top it off, it stars one of my favorite actors: Claude Rains!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathy, I just tried to set The Unsuspected up on my DVR and see they are actually showing it on Tuesday – August 7, 2018
1:00 AM (Central)
I just set it up, and thank you for letting us know it’s a good one!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathy, I’m so glad you mentioned this movie. I actually watched it a couple of months ago, and remembered it was so good that I had my husband watch it with me last night. If you hadn’t mentioned it I probably would have re-watched it later this year, so I’m glad you did!
Petie says
I simply LOVE William Powell & Myrna Loy. Didn’t know they made ‘serious movies’ though. Will have to record & check them out. THE THIN MAN series is the best … they sure don’t make them like that anymore. And ARSENIC & OLD LACE … another hit! Good reasons to stay inside in the A/C during this awful summer!
Hugs, Petie
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Petie, I know exactly what you are talking about when you say “this awful summer!” >>> I think it has already reached 106* this year in San Antonio! And with this humidity – AWFUL!
I also know what you are saying when you say “they sure don’t make them like that anymore.” >>> TMC has been increasing their movies from the 1950s to more recent movies, however I’m still gravitating toward the old movies from the 1930s and 1940s. They just seem to be a better fit for my TV viewing. (As much as I miss Robert Osborne’s introductions, I’m really enjoying some of the new hosts on the channel.)
Petie says
You know, I miss him too. So glad they showed YANKEE DOODLE DANDY the other evening. I believe I have that dialogue memorized !!! Take care and stay cool !!! Hugs!
Kathy says
This is the first time seeing your list of cozy mysteries. I was so excited and pleased that I’m having a hard time keeping myself under control. This is the best thing I’ve ever seen. I want to thank you so very for putting this information together for those of us who also love these movies. Thanks!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Kathy, you’re very welcome, and I’m glad that the movies list is helpful to you!