TCM Star of the Month January 2018: Charles Boyer

We're into a new month on TCM, which means a new Star of the Month. This month I think is a first-timer for the Star of the Month honor, Charles Boyer, whose movies are going to be on TCM every Thursday in prime time continuing into Wednesday morning Unfortunately, the only image I could find already on my hard drive is from The Garden of Allah, which does not seem to be part of the tribute, which is a bit of a shame because despite the silly story, it's a physically gorgeous movie to watch. Apparently, I don't even have any photos of Boyer in Gaslight, which kicks off prime time next Thursday, Jan. 11, at 8:00 PM. (Surprisingly, I've got several of that other French actor, Louis Jourdan.)

Anyhow, this first Thursday in January features movies from the earlier part of Boyer's Hollywood career, up to about 1940. It looks like the latest movie this week is All This and Heaven Too (9:45 PM), from 1940 and starring Boyer as the father in a mid-19th century French family who falls in love with the governess (Bette Davis) with tragic results. Considering this is a Warner Bros. movie and the star power it has, it's one that shows up rather less than you'd think.

Boyer has a small role as Jean Harlow's chauffeur in Red-Headed Woman tomorrow at 8:15 AM; this is a really fun one thanks to Harlow's performance as a social climber out to get a rich husband. Boyer has very little to do here except look handsome, and get a key shot late in the story; I don't want to give that away if you haven't seen the movie yet.

One that I haven't seen before is Liliom at 12:30 AM; this movie is the same story that was later turned into the musical Carousel. This version of the story was filmed in France by Fritz Lang. The story is by Ferenc Molnár, who also gave us The Guardsman and No Greater Glory (a version of his "Pal Street Boys" story).