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Introduction to 1939, Hollywood's Greatest Year
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Seven decades after Hollywood’s greatest year, TCM celebrates the
amazing accomplishments of 1939 with – what else? – 39 examples of
the great filmmaking that abounded during this golden era. It was a relatively
carefree time for the country; we had survived the Great Depression,
had yet to enter World War II, and were relishing the fruits of the studio
system as it reached new heights of productivity and expertise.
Our tribute showcases a sparkling array of 1939’s ground-breaking
classics grouped by genre. Musicals and Comedies include The Wizard
of Oz, which grew over the years into the best-loved musical
fantasy of all time; and The Women, a bitingly hilarious, all-star film version of Clare Boothe Luce’s satire of bitchy Manhattan socialites.
Among the year’s great Westerns was John Ford’s definitive Stagecoach,
which set the pattern for countless sagebrush sagas to follow and brought
stardom for John Wayne. Crime Dramas flourished during the period, and
The Roaring Twenties – with James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart as rival
bootleggers—is a thrilling example. Action and Adventure epics include
the TCM premiere of the stirring biographical drama Stanley and Livingstone,
with Spencer Tracy as the heroic 19th century journalist and
Cedric Hardwicke, we presume, as the missionary missing in Africa.
Another exciting TCM premiere, Of Mice and Men, falls into
the category of Literary Adaptations, being a screen treatment of John
Steinbeck’s wrenching story of a tragic friendship between itinerant farm
workers. Romances don’t come any more spectacular than Gone With
the Wind, the crown jewel of a truly dazzling year with its historical sweep,
riveting story and iconic performances led by Vivien Leigh as spitfire Civil
War heroine Scarlett O’Hara.
The festival also features the premiere of the new Warner Home Video
documentary 1939 (2009), which recounts the astonishing accomplishments
of Hollywood during this historic film year.
by Roger Fristoe
 
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31 Days of Oscar Highlights for Feb. 14
Katharine Hepburn co-stars with Humphrey Bogart in the WWII adventure, The African Queen (1951), followed by another Hepburn favorite Summertime (1955), a nominee for 2 Academy Awards. Other honorees include Casablanca (1942) & The Lady Eve (1941).
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