The Silver Screen Oasis

As most people know, the down-to-earth and rather lovely Ann Sothern has been celebrated as TCM''s Star of the Month in March, with many of her earliest and more obscure films being featured each Wednesday evening. Pre-codes, musicals, dramas, comedies, film noirs, film and television series--heck, she was one workhorse! Tonight on TCM features two decades' worth of her appearances at three different studios. More about Annie and her many movies can be seen here on the TCM site.

Do you have a favorite Sothern movie?

Mine is a tossup between Swing Shift Maisie (1943) and Gold Rush Maisie (1940), which aired last week on TCM and are available on DVD. The latter movie followed the iconic working class show biz veteran as she becomes acquainted with a family of Okies looking to strike it rich and hanging on by their fingernails. It didn't hurt to have Virginia Weidler as the central character's little pal in this hardscrabble family. This and all the other picaresque adventures of Maisie are available on DVDs. Here's tonight's lineup of films:

8:00 PM
NANCY GOES TO RIO (1950)

Mother-and-daughter singers compete for the same role and the same man.
Dir: Robert Z. Leonard Cast: Ann Sothern , Jane Powell , Barry Sullivan .
C-100 mins, CC,

9:45 PM
APRIL SHOWERS (1948)

A family vaudeville act is torn apart by the father's drinking problem.
Dir: James V. Kern Cast: Jack Carson , Ann Sothern , Robert Alda .
BW-94 mins, CC,

11:30 PM
PANAMA HATTIE (1942)

A nightclub owner in Panama takes on Nazi spies.
Dir: Norman Z. McLeod Cast: Red Skelton , Ann Sothern , "Rags" Ragland .
BW-79 mins, CC,

1:00 AM
LADY BE GOOD (1941)

Married songwriters almost split up while putting on a big show.
Dir: Norman Z. McLeod Cast: Eleanor Powell , Ann Sothern , Robert Young .
BW-112 mins, CC,

3:00 AM
WALKING ON AIR (1936)

A girl torments her parents by hiring a phony suitor.
Dir: Joseph Santley Cast: Gene Raymond , Ann Sothern , Jessie Ralph .
BW-70 mins,

4:15 AM
HOORAY FOR LOVE (1935)

A playboy student backs a musical show.
Dir: Walter Lang Cast: Ann Sothern , Gene Raymond , Bill Robinson .

Mine would be A Letter to Three Wives, Lady Be Good, Swing Shift Masis, and Nancy Goes to Rio. Those are the only films that I seen of her in. And having said that ... I would stay that A Letter to Three Wives was the best of the four that I've seen and sad to say that I did not seen a whole of lot of Ann Sothern in my lifetime and that's why I've been spending too much time with Liz Taylor, Gene Tierney, Hedy Lamarr, Rita Hayworth, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, and countless others that I just have a hard time keeping track of.

I repeat ...

A Letter to Three Wives
Lady Be Good
Swing Shift Masis
Nancy Goes to Rio

are the only Ann Sothern films that I seen.

Just have to say how much I thoroughly enjoyed The Whales of August last night. I had never seen this film before and it really was something special. The cast was terrific.. Miss Gish, Miss Davis, Mr. Price AND Miss Sothern (ha. she was a lot of fun and quite "whimsical) and even a nice role for Harry Carey Jr. too. Very good story. I'm really glad to have caught it.

(I am editing my post to share the following link with those who might enjoy it.. I saw this over on the TCM message board.. someone else shared it there... and I thought it was a really nice treat to read (and there is also a video interview with Miss Sothern too. Enjoy!) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-kapl ... 01088.html