TCM Schedule for Saturday, May 29 --- THE ESSENTIALS: MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

29 Saturday



4:21 AM Short Film: U.S. Army Band (1943)
A patriotic wartime short showcasing the U.S. Army Band with war and peacetime footage of the U.S. Army. BW-9 mins,

6:30 AM You're In The Army Now (1941)
Two incompetent door-to-door salesmen enlist by accident. Cast: Jimmy Durante, Phil Silvers, Jane Wyman. Dir: Lewis Seiler. BW-79 mins, TV-G

8:00 AM Buck Privates (1941)
Two small-time con artists enlist in the Army to avoid the police. Cast: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, The Andrews Sisters. Dir: Arthur Lubin. BW-84 mins, TV-G, CC

9:30 AM In Harm's Way (1965)
An aging Naval officer leads his men against the Japanese after Pearl Harbor. Cast: John Wayne, Kirk Douglas, Patricia Neal. Dir: Otto Preminger. BW-167 mins, TV-14, CC, Letterbox Format

12:30 PM Battle Of The Bulge (1965)
A crack Nazi unit holds off the Allies during World War II. Cast: Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, Robert Ryan. Dir: Ken Annakin. C-170 mins, TV-14, Letterbox Format

3:30 PM The Battle Of Britain (1969)
England defends itself against the Nazi Blitz. Cast: Sir Laurence Olivier, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer. Dir: Guy Hamilton. C-132 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format

5:45 PM Midway (1976)
Spectacular re-creation of the World War II battle that turned the tide for the U.S. in the Pacific. Cast: Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum. Dir: Jack Smight. C-131 mins, TV-MA, CC, Letterbox Format

What's On Tonight: THE ESSENTIALS: MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

8:00 PM The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)
Three returning servicemen fight to adjust to life after World War II. Cast: Fredric March, Dana Andrews, Myrna Loy. Dir: William Wyler. BW-170 mins, TV-PG, CC

11:00 PM Pride of the Marines (1945)
A blinded Marine tries to adjust to civilian life. Cast: John Garfield, Eleanor Parker, Dane Clark. Dir: Delmer Daves. BW-120 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS

1:15 AM Birdy (1984)
A wounded Vietnam veteran tries to help a shell-shocked friend who believes he's a bird. Cast: Matthew Modine, Nicholas Cage, Sandy Baron. Dir: Alan Parker. C-120 mins, TV-MA, CC, Letterbox Format

3:30 AM Let There Be Light (1946)
In this documentary, soldiers with debilitating emotional trauma and depression receive treatment. Dir: John Huston. BW-58 mins, TV-14

4:45 AM The Secret Invasion (1964)
Five criminals win early pardons to infiltrate a Nazi outpost. Cast: Stewart Granger, Raf Vallone, Mickey Rooney. Dir: Roger Corman. C-98 mins, TV-PG, Letterbox Format

In fact that's one I have on DVD.

The story and characters still pack a punch, 60-plus years on. I'm actually surprised they could even get it made without the censors dismantling it, given the content of the story.