Turner Classic Movies Vintage Movies Top Picks for Old Movies June 5 2009 Review

Turner Classic Movies spotlights the work of great directors this month.  On the weekdays they feature two directors, one during the daytime and one at night.  On the weekend they will present 24 hours of a directors work.

This Friday June 5th  we have Carol Reed best known for 1949's masterpiece The Third Man (which should NOT be missed if you haven't seen it for a while) airing 4 p.m. PST.  The less known 1953 gem  The Man Between  starring James Mason and Claire Bloom and the superb

1948'S groundbreaking film  The Fallen Idol wherein a neglected child comes to believe the servant he's looked up to and idolizes has committed a murder.  It features a don't miss performance from Ralph Richardson. Airs at 1:15 p.m. EST.

In the evening it's Steven Speilberg films, beginning with Saving Private Ryan, and continuing with the first professional theatrical gem he directed, 1974's Sugarland Express which is an excellent road drama combining comedy, drama, suspense and action and featuring an excellent performance from Goldie Hawn and the always reliable Ben Johnson in a supporting role.  Goldie's a desperate mom on parole who springs her husband from prison to help her keep her child and they are on the run with the authorities in pursuit.  It airs Friday evening at 9:30 p.m. PST.   It's followed by the overly-loud, over budget, mess of excess known as 1979's 1941.  Some good visuals and scenes won't save you from the headache this movie will give you if you insist on trying to watch it.  A once in a lifetime cast is wasted.   Much better is the film that put Steven Speilberg on the map and eventually secured for him the job of directing JAWS.   That movie was the suspense, action, chase film called DUEL-one of the best t.v. movies ever made, starring Dennis Weaver being bullied by a horrifically persistent big rig trucker (from 1971).  It airs at 1:30 a.m. in the morning PST.  Record it...it will keep you on the edge of you seat-guaranteed.