Same old movies. Too bad they can't show Bing's other movies - Mississippi. Dixie, the Rhythm movies etc. Etc. From the 30's and early 40's but I suppose we have to be grateful they are screening some at all.

All times are EDT starting 8/3/2016 morning
6:00am Going Hollywood - 1933
7:30am Pennies From Heaven - 1936
9:00am Road To Hong Kong - 1962
10:45am Man On Fire - 1957
12:30pm High Society - 1956 (C)
2:30pm Connecticut Yankee - 1949 (C)
4:30pm Blue Skies - 1946 (C)
6:30pm Rhythm On The Range - 1936
8:10pm Going My Way - 1944
10:15pm The Country Girl - 1954
12:15 am Road To Morocco - 1942
2:00am Sing You Sinners - 1938
3:45am Robin And The 7 Hoods - 1964 (C)

Both Grace Kelly films, both Frank Sinatra films, what many consider the best and worst Road film, two of Bing's Best Actor nominations, Bing's first non-singing role, only 4 in color.

I am partial to "Pennies From Heaven" because it takes place in Union County, New Jersey, where I grew up, but there is  no Middletown in Union County, but there is one in Monmouth County, a little further south, close to where  my wife grew up. I also like "Blue Skies" a lot, great music (Berlin, of course), drop-dead gorgeous Joan Caulfield, Astaire, De Wolfe, San Juan in a great cast, and Bing playing a bit against type as a selfish, unfeeling cad, who comes to his senses at the end. Playing against type would prepare him for "Country Girl" and "Man On Fire" later on. "High Society" was just on TCM on Sunday, but I could watch that every day, as well "Going My Way".

 

Dial "O" FOR O'MALLEY AT 8PM. To Ra Loo!

I don't know about anyone else, but I had a blast. Got to see almost everything, but only parts of the last three. Like most of you, I have all Bing's films in my private film library and can watch them anytime I want. The problem is that I very seldom do that. But when I know millions of others are watching the film at the same time as I, it just adds a special satisfaction to the viewing. I was a bit disappointed that there were no introductions to the films by TCM hosts until, I think, "Going My Way" was about to be aired. Michael Feinstein certainly showed his true enthusiasm for Bing and his films and singing when he did make opening and closing remarks. And it was very coincidental that I was reading the article about Rhonda Fleming in my newly received BING magazine at the same time as I was watching "Connecticut Yankee"

I always find something new or rediscover something when I watch these films, especially if I have not viewed them in some time. My something new is that in the "High Society" film when Bing and Frank are singing, "Well, Did You Evah?", Bing goes to the bar to refill his glass, which he does, and them he goes to the front of the bar and Frank goes behind the bar and refills his glass, and then Bing picks up the glass Frank had been drinking from and Frank picks up the glass Bing has been drinking from. They march out of the room never consuming anything from the glasses and return from off camera with empty glasses which they then refill. Very trivial, but something I had never taken notice of before.

My something rediscovered was the song, "Our Big Love Scene", from the film, "Going Hollywood". I understand that "Temptation" is the definitive song from that film, but "Our Big Love Scene" is not too far behind it. A really driving song that Bing gets to belt out and raise emotions at a critical point in the film.

When can we do this again?