31 days of Oscar: day 19

This month, Turner Classic Movies celebrates movies and the Academy Awards by presenting 31 Days of Oscar. Each Day from Feb.1 through March 3, a different category of the awards will be the theme of the day; featuring films that were nominated or won in that category. The Shelf will be joining in the celebration by giving you our Oscar pick of the Day!

Today's category is Best Costume Design - Nominees and Winners. Some excellent films again today, with at least four making their premiere on TCM. Here's today's schedule (all times are EST):

6:00 AM Pal Joey (’57)
8:00 AM Bell, Book and Candle (’59)
10:00 AM Pepe (’60)
1:00 PM Flower Drum Song (’61)
3:15 PM The Hawaiians (’70)
5:30 PM Funny Lady (’75)
8:00 PM The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (’62)
10:15 PM The Slender Thread (’65)
12:00 AM The Solid Gold Cadillac (’56)
1:45 AM The Talented Mr. Ripley (’99)
4:15 AM Pennies from Heaven (’81)

And our Oscar pick goes to... The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance ! It's been quite a while since westerns were serious contenders for any Academy Award. In fact the western is undergoing a serious renaissance, one that Sam Elliott and Tom Selleck have championing on television, and that Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner was able to bring back to the big screen with Open Range. In fact, there are several westerns slated for release this year, including a remake of 3:10 to Yuma. I am excited by that film in particular. Here's hoping fans will go in droves and bring back even more westerns to the big screen. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance stars James Stewart and John Wayne, and was directed by John Ford. It's a tight, almost psychological, western and character study about what who makes a hero and what makes a up the true character of a person.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Costume Design, but did not win. You can watch the film today on TCM, or you can order the DVD through the usual online retailers and the TCM shop. The film is available as a single disc release.

For more information on TCM's 31 Days of Oscar, visit the Turner Classic Movies website.




This is the west, sir. When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.