Making Change: The Most Significant Political Films of All Time on TCM Friday Nights from September 6 to November 1

Every Friday night from September 6 to November first on Turner Classic Movies is dedicated to the theme Making Change: The Most Significant Political Films of All Time. Ben Mankiewicz will talk with various politicians, journalists, movie critics, filmmakers, writers, and musicians exploring the historical context of each film and the message of each film, as well as their impact on society.

The films range from a  wide variety of genres, from war movies such as The Battle of Algiers (1966) to comedies such as The Great Dictator (1940) to documentaries such as Harlan County , U.S.A. (1976) to thrillers such as The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Turner Classic Movies is showing a number of truly great films, including Fail-Safe (1964), Battleship Potemkin (1925), Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), A Face in the Crowd (1957), Wag the Dog (1997), and Citizen Kane (1941). If I have only one complaint it's that some of my favourite movies are being shown really late at night (or early in the morning, if you prefer). As far as I am concerned, Salt of the Earth (1954), Battleship Potemkin (1925), Bicycle Thieves (1948), High and Low (1963), and The Manchurian Candidate (1962) are more deserving of being show in prime time than some of the movies that are.

Below are my picks for what to watch during Making Change: The Most Significant Political Films of All Time. Unless you are a night owl, you might have to set your DVR for some of them. All times are Central.

Friday, September 6:
9:15 PM All the King's Men (1949)
11:15 PM The Great Dictator (1940)

Saturday, September 7:
1:30 AM Fail-Safe (1964)
5:00 AM Salt of the Earth (1954)

Friday, September 13:
10:30 PM The Parallax View (1974)

Saturday, September 14:
3:30 AM Battle Potemkin (1925)

Friday, September 20:
7:00 PM Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
8:45 PM Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Saturday, September 21:
5:15 AM Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Friday, September 27:
7:00 PM Three Days of the Condor (1975)

Saturday, September 28:
2:45 AM Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Friday, October 4:
11:00 PM  I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)

Saturday, October 5:
4.15 AM High and Low (1963)

Friday, October 11:
7:00 PM A Face in the Crowd (1957)
9:15 PM Wag the Dog (1997)

Saturday, October 12:
4:00 AM Z (1969)
6:15 AM Night and Fog (1956)

Friday, October 18:
10:30 PM Lincoln (2012

Saturday, October 19:
1:15 AM Malcolm X (1992)

Friday, October 25:
7:00 PM All the President's Men (1976)
9:30 PM Citizen Kane (1941)

Friday, November 1:
9:30 PM The Candidate (1972)
11:30 PM Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976)

Saturday, November 2:
1:15 AM The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
3:00 AM Weekend (1967)