Hosting Two Movies at the 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival!

The 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival is fast approaching--April 25th through April 28th--and the excitement is palpable.  Last year's event set the bar very high with a theme of Style in the Movies...even had the pleasure of discussing all things style on air with TCM hosts Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz (above).  This year's theme is Cinematic Journeys and the schedule is even more packed with great films--from silent classics to film noir to timeless musicals.  And I'll be staying at Hollywood's historic Roosevelt Hotel which, as home base to the festival, puts me right at the center of all the activity.

Adding to the excitement is that TCM has invited me to host not one but two films at this year's festival.  Friday night I'll be introducing A Foreign Affair (1948), a lesser known Billy Wilder film that features Marlene Dietrich and a wardrobe by my hero Edith Head.  Then Saturday night I'll introduce the picture that first brought Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers together (as well as choreographer Hermes Pan)--Flying Down to Rio (1933).  The beautiful Cybill Shepherd will be joining me to discuss her own affection for Flying Down to Rio before the live theater audience.  

TCM's film festivals are well known for forcing classic cinema lovers to make very tough choices with their screening schedules because the options are just that good.  In fact, a number of movies I consider The Style Essentials--iconic costume design that continues to influence fashion today--will be screened at this year's event.  You can bet I'll be trying to see as many as I can on the big screen.  Here are just some of the films I have on this year's wish list with links to learn more about their inspirational style.

Two of The Style Essentials--Clara Bow in 1927's It and

Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in 1934's It Happened One Night

I'm fortunate to be introducing Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in 1933's Flying Down to Rio 

and Marlene Dietrich in 1948's A Foreign Affair

More of The Style Essentials--both from film noir, too--

Festival Special Guest Ann Blyth (co-starring with Joan Crawford) in 1945's Mildred Pierce

and Rita Hayworth in 1946's Gilda

Hitchcock blondes Grace Kelly in 1954's Dial M for Murder and

Festival Special Guest Tippi Hedren in 1963's The Birds

Faye Dunaway in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde (another of The Style Essentials) and the

Opening night presentation of Barbra Streisand in 1968's Funny Girl

In case you missed it, or if you'd like to get in the mood, check out my coverage from the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival:

• Wednesday with the Press at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel
• Thursday Opening Day On Air and On the Red Carpet
• Friday Interviews and Kim Novak in VERTIGO
• Kim Novak's Handprint Ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theater
• Closing Day Sunday at the Movies

Thanks to Adam Rose for the opening photo with me and Ben Mankiewicz