David Farnor | On 22, Nov 2020

Just when you think BBC iPlayer can’t spoil us any more, it’s lined up a second collection of classic films from RKO, the studio that was once one of Hollywood’s Big Five players.

This second wave of iconic cinematic offerings includes the classic Gershwin musical A Damsel in Distress, classic 1950s chiller The Thing from Another World, and more Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers and Cary Grant than you can shake a stick at.

Here’s the full rundown of films added this week:

Second Chance

I Remember Mama

Holiday Affair

Bachelor Knight

Yellow Canary

Primrose Path

Sylvia Scarlett

Hotel Reserve

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Windy Poplars

The Thing from Another World

A Damsel in Distress

 

From Kane to Kong: BBC Two and BBC iPlayer line up classic films

12th May 2020

BBC Two and BBC iPlayer are bringing a wealth of classic films to our screens this May with a new season of Silver Screen Classics.

The season comprises 23 films from RKO, the studio that was once one of Hollywood’s Big Five players. Its output ranged from King Kong to Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, as well as Welles’ follow-up, The Magnificent Ambersons. Other classics from the studio include the Ginger Rogers musical Top Hat, Howard Hawk comedy Bringing Up Baby and John Ford Western Wagon Master.

The Beeb snapped up 100 films from RKO back in 1958, ushering in the first wave of films screened on Saturday nights in living rooms across the UK. This time round, the movies – many of which have screened on BBC channels before – will be available on BBC Two at a more convenient hour: in the afternoons on weekdays. The season will kick off with Wagon Master on Monday 18th May, followed by The Sky’s the Limit on Tuesday 19th May, Vivacious Lady on 20th May, Beautiful But Dangerous on 21st May and Carefree on 22nd May.

They will also all be reportedly made available on BBC iPlayer from Monday 18th May. They join three other RKO films already available to stream, including Cat People, The Curse of the Cat People and I Walked With a Zombie.

You can read the full list of RKO films coming soon here – or click here to read our regularly updated comprehensive list of the best films on BBC iPlayer. You can also follow our hashtag #iplayerfilms on Twitter for recommendations and reminders of what’s leaving soon throughout the week.

Angel Face (1952)

Beautiful But Dangerous (1954)

Blackbeard the Pirate (1952)

Bringing Up Baby

Carefree (1938)

Citizen Kane (1941)

Fort Apache (1948)

The Gay Divorce (1934)

King Kong (1933)

Kitty Foyle (1940)

Love Affair (1939)

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)

Miracle of the Bells (1948)

Mr Blandings Builds His Dreamhouse (1948)

My Favourite Wife (1940)

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)

The Sky’s the Limit (1943)

The Spanish Main (1945)

Suspicion (1941)

Top Hat (1935)

The Velvet Touch (1948)

Vivacious Lady (1938)

Wagon Master (1950)

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