TCM, 6:00 a.m. ET
Today on TCM’s “Summer Under the Stars,” the star being saluted is the great Katharine Hepburn, in an all-day lineup beginning at 6 a.m. ET with 1933’s classic Little Women. The rest of the day is an embarrassment of riches – 1938’s Bringing Up Baby at 11:30 a.m. ET, 1952’s Pat and Mike at 1:15 p.m. ET, and 1949’s Adam’s Rib at 3 p.m. ET. And in prime time, the riches continue with 1935’s Alice Adams at 8 p.m. ET and 1968’s The Lion in Winter at 10 p.m., a fabulous late-career film in which she stars opposite Peter O’Toole (pictured) and Anthony Hopkins.
TCM, 6:45 p.m. ET
As yet another element of today’s TCM salute to Katharine Hepburn, the network shows, in their entirety, both parts of Dick Cavett’s revealing, unforgettable 1973 interview with the no-nonsense actress. Part 1, televised at 6:45 p.m. ET, begins very unofficially and candidly, with Hepburn entering the space set aside for the interview and becoming acquainted with the furniture and cameras. Part 2, unfortunately, is being withheld by TCM until 2:45 a.m. ET – but set your recorders, and watch them both. It’s a terrific two-part extended interview from a time when TV talk shows, on occasion, really let their guests talk.
Cinemax, 7:25 p.m. ET
When a movie is directed and adapted by Paul Thomas Anderson, and based on a novel by Thomas Pynchon, it’s not going to be a straightforward narrative – or, for that matter, an easily described or analyzed movie. It’s strange, that’s for sure – and Joaquin Phoenix, as 1970s pot-addled private eye Larry “Doc” Sportello, adds to his roster of increasingly interesting and unusual film roles. I’m looking forward to seeing this 2014 movie again, because after the first viewing, I left wondering what the hell I’d just seen. The performances, like the performers, hardly seem to belong in the same movie, but they’re certainly odd enough to sample. Phoenix’s co-stars include his old screen teammate Reese Witherspoon, as well as Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Benicio Del Toro and Martin Short.
Encore, 8:00 p.m. ET
On slow TV nights, it’s a nice idea to gravitate to an old favorite – and revisit, perhaps for the first time in a long time, a movie that entertained you in a previous era. This 1988 action film, starring Bruce Willis, might not be what you think of as a cinematic golden oldie, but it’s influenced more than one generation of action movies since – and seldom has been surpassed in terms of raw energy and sleek storytelling. Yippee-ki-yay, indeed…
HBO, 10:00 p.m. ET
As he returns with a new live hour after some time off, Bill Maher’s scheduled guests are Michael Mann, Mary Matalin, Gavin Newsom, Steve Schmidt, Caitlin Flanagan. And for the record, it’s not Michael Mann the director. It’s Michael Mann the climate change expert and author. And with Jon Stewart gone now, Maher gets the first shot at commenting in depth about Thursday's Republican debate.