TCM 31 Days Of Oscar 2015: Your Weekly Guide, Schedule For Feb. 16 - 22

The countdown is almost over for the 87^th Academy Awards! Pass the remaining time with Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar movie selection leading up to the awards on Sunday at 8 p.m. EST on ABC. Until the red carpet rolls out, here are a few Oscar nominees and winners to fill your screen:

Monday, Feb. 16.
James Stewart and Duke Ellington are one-time co-stars thanks to Otto Preminger’s “Anatomy of a Murder,” which begins at 8 p.m. EST. Later Monday night (actually Tuesday morning), pay homage to the late actor Louis Jourdan with the colorful musical “Gigi” at 1 a.m. EST.

Tuesday, Feb. 17.
The Tramp talks! Charlie Chaplin directs and stars in “Monsieur Verdoux” playing a seemingly pleasant bluebeard wooing his way through a string of wives. Chaplin's late-career comedy-drama plays at 9:15 a.m. EST. Check in to the original Bates Motel for the midnight showing of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.” The legendary director never won an Oscar himself, but “Psycho” scored four nominations, including one for Best Director.

Wednesday, Feb. 18.
If you haven’t caught the recent documentary “And the Oscar Goes To ...” yet, geek out starting at 7:15 a.m. EST over the amount of behind-the-scenes footage and testimonials from winners, nominees and hosts. Then hang around for a suave Paul Newman in two-time Academy Award winner “The Hustler” at 12:30 a.m. EST.

Thursday, Feb. 19.
In an unlikely role, Gene Kelly joins stalwart actor Spencer Tracy in the courtroom drama about the Scopes "monkey trial," “Inherit the Wind.” The four-time Oscar-nominated film begins at 2:30 p.m. EST. If you missed the Beatles in the newly restored theatrical release of “A Hard Day’s Night,” stay up late to sing along; TCM's showing kicks off at 3:30 a.m. EST.

Friday, Feb. 20.
“Look ma, top of the world!” James Cagney brings one of the most cold-blooded gangsters to the screen in “White Heat” at 11:30 a.m. EST. Stay bright-eyed at 10 p.m. EST for the iconic sci-fi original “Planet of the Apes,” which won an honorary Oscar for makeup artist John Chambers before there was a regular makeup category.

Saturday, Feb. 21.
Kick off your weekend with Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers and Mae West before concluding with a showing of Mel Brooks’ “The Producers” at 6:15 p.m. EST. If you haven’t had enough of snow outside your window, stay up late for Robert Altman’s Western drama “McCabe and Mrs. Miller,” starring Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, at 11 p.m. EST.

Sunday, Feb. 22.
Sunday is the night of the 87^th Academy Awards, but you can prep beforehand with a healthy dose of classic sci-fi like “The Time Machine” and “Forbidden Planet.” If you’re not into the red carpet pageantry, you can watch “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” beginning at 5:30 p.m. EST until the Oscars telecast begins at 8 p.m. EST on ABC.

Be sure to check the TCM schedule for any updates. You can catch several of these movies and more on the Watch TCM app.