The World Comes to Hollywood is the theme of the 17th annual Turner Classic Movies Film Festival (TCMFF), which runs from April 30 to May 3 this year. While the excitement of a few thousand little people doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world, for those people this four-day festival is a highlight.
There is a lot to be excited about at this year’s TCMFF and while I probably say that every year about this festival, the schedule this year is truly outstanding. Visit TCM’s festival web site for all the details while I plan my own experience.
As usual, I will miss the official opening night gala screening, one I would have loved to take part in this year. Jane Fonda will be talking about her friend, the great Robert Redford who passed away in September. Fonda will introduce Gene Saks’s delightful Barefoot in the Park (1968) on opening night. Directed by Gene Saks Barefoot is the second of four movies they made together as stars. They both appeared in Joshua Logan’s Tall Story in 1960, which was Fonda’s debut with Redford in an uncredited role.
Fonda is not the only legendary name expected at TCMFF this year. Carol Burnett will be interviewed at Club TCM, which is beyond spectacular. I am already overcome with emotion. Also, Glenn Close will be immortalizing her hand and footprints during the festival. All that plus notable world premiere restorations and anniversary screenings. This year’s is the most stacked schedule I can remember with highlights too numerous to list.
Now we get to the difficult part of the weekend, picking gems among gems, one difficult decision after another because FOMO is real. That said, I always like to mention to those who attend the festival for the first time, in the end there are no bad choices.
Thursday, April 30
If you will not be at the Chinese Theatre to see Jane Fonda talk about Robert Redford, then kicking off this year’s festival with Jacques Tourneur’s Out of the Past (1947) is a no brainer. To me anyway. A quintessential film noir with an unforgettable femme fatale played by Jane Greer opposite one of the screen’s most fascinating actors in Robert Mitchum, and glorious photography by Nicholas Musuraca, Out of the Past is one of my favorite movies of all time that will be introduced by Dana Delaney, a great fan of noir whose introductions are terrific. Yet I am leaning toward missing all of that in favor of the 90th anniversary screening of Charlie Chaplin’s Modern Times in 35 mm introduced by Tony Shalhoub who I would love to see in person. We shall see how this goes for me. I should add I have seen Out of the Past on the big screen before, which influences my decision.
I expect there will be a scramble to line up for Josef von Sternberg’s Blonde Venus (1932) in tiny Theater 4 at the multiplex for the next time slot. That is the obvious choice, but I will not be there. Although I would love to hear the behind-the-scenes stories about Billy Wilder, Jack Lemmon, and Walter Matthau as told by Charlie Matthau when he introduces The Fortune Cookie (1966), I am planning to fo to the screening of Fritz Lang’s Man Hunt (1941). Gotta grab the noir when I can.
Friday, May 1
‘The King of Pre-Code’ Warren William will start my Friday in the new-to-me The Mouthpiece (1932) at the Egyptian. From there I am heading straight to Club TCM for A Conversation with Carol Burnett. Does it hurt that I will miss the world premiere restoration of the rare Letty Lynton? Sure as hell does, but I cannot miss Ms. Burnett in person.
Next, I would love to make the screening of Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train (1951) at the Egyptian introduced by Burnett, but I expect that will be a sellout. Then it is Billy Wilder’s biting, cynical Ace in the Hole (1951). I will do whatever it takes to get into that one even if I have to kneel and bag my nylons.
My final screening on Thursday poses another conundrum. The obvious choice for many will be the restoration of George Stevens’s Shane (1953) at the Egyptian introduced by George Stevens, Jr. But I am drawn to George Cukor’s Gaslight (1944) at the Chinese Theatre. When will that picture in that theater ever present themselves to me again?
Saturday, May 2
The first time slot on Saturday is insanely rich. You have Charles Barton’s Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein in 35 mm, H. C. Potter’s The Farmer’s Daughter (1947) in nitrate, the 75th anniversary screening of Robert Wise’s The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), and the 90th anniversary screening of George Cukor’s Camille (1936). Having every single one of those pictures offered in succession would make anybody’s day at the festival, but we can only be at one place at a time and that place for me will be the Chinese Theatre for the 75th anniversary presentation of George Stevens’s A Place in the Sun (1951), for my money one of the greatest movies ever made. And for the first time ever, I may stay at the TCL Chinese Theatre for an entire day.
I will follow one George Stevens picture with another George Stevens picture on Saturday. This time it’s my favorite Fred and Ginger outing featuring a score by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields, it is the 90th anniversary screening of the essential Swing Time (1936). This is another stacked slot, and it particularly kills me to miss Captain Blood (1935).
I have a conflict in the next slot, but I don’t think I can miss the 50th anniversary screening of Alan J. Pakula’s All the President’s Men(1976) with a John Dean introduction. The best political thriller ever made, and the best newspaper movie ever made accompanied by what will no doubt be an interesting conversation. I cannot resist that. I just must avoid thinking about what I will be missing in Theater 4 at the multiplex.
Another rare choice for me at a TCM festival is likely to be Blake Edwards’s Victor/Victoria (1982) with Lesley Ann Warren in attendance. However, we have Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington screening at the same time and I have never seen that on a big screen. Tough choice!
Finally, there is no conflict for me during the last Saturday slot as I will be watching a favorite, the 80th anniversary screening of one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best, Notorious (1946). What would a TCMFF be without a Cary Grant movie? Not to mention Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, outstanding crane shots, espresso, and a terrific MacGuffin.
Sunday, May 3
As usual, the Sunday TCMFF schedule is not complete until all the TBAs have been announced, but there is one screening I will attend, the 80th anniversary presentation of William Wyler’s The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) to start the day. From there we will see. I will mention there is a killer afternoon slot with three screenings I would love to attend: the special presentation of John Guillerman’s The Towering Inferno with a Barron and Burtt introduction is bound to be memorable, and Hitchcock’s Rope (1948) is another favorite of mine. But I do not think I can miss Donald Bogle introducing Vincente Minnelli’s historic Cabin in the Sky (1943).
Turner Classic Movies is not making my choice of screenings to end TCMFF 2026 easy either.
Although quite different, there are two movies among my essentials scheduled for the last festival slot, Sidney Lumet’s Network on its 50th anniversary, and Donen’s and Kelly’s On the Town (1949). However, I will not be able to resist getting up, going to the window, and yelling for Lumet’s biting indictment of television and corporate greed. It is just too good – the cast, the writing – all of it.
I would also love to see the 60th anniversary screening of Stanley Donen’s Arabesque (1966) earlier that day, but if I do, I am not sure if I’ll make it into what promises to be a popular choice for the official last screening of TCMFF 2026.
_______________________________
There you have it. If all goes as planned, I will cover several film genres, some of the biggest names to ever appear on the silver screen, iconic performances, and the work of some of the best filmmakers to ever do it. Not bad for a weekend. Let’s just say I am not mad as hell about this, and I hope to see you in Hollywood. If not, I will be covering the festival as a member of the media live across social media. Follow me, Citizen Screen, on the following platforms:
A final note – whether you are attending TCMFF for the first time this year or are a seasoned pro at navigating the choices and the Boulevard, visit Chris Stuhan’s Blog of the Darned and his comprehensive, entertaining, TCMFF Survival Guide.
I leave you with a few images I took at last year’s festival.
Once upon a screen... 