TCM gives multifaceted look at ‘Garbo’
Turner Classic Movies marks the centenary of Greta Garbo’s birth with “Garbo” (5 p.m., Turner Classic Movies), an extensive profile of the quintessentially elusive star as well as an appreciation of her film career, which she walked away from in her mid-30s.
“Garbo” includes archival interviews with her friends, colleagues and co-stars, many of them long-since departed to the Grand Hotel in the Sky.
While I have long admired Turner Classic Movies’ documentaries for their visual sophistication and respect for the audience’s film knowledge, I found myself wishing that “Garbo” was a tad more remedial in nature, particularly in its discussion of the silent era and Garbo’s background in Swedish cinema.
But “Garbo” does a great job of showing, and explaining, the Swedish actress’s long love affair with the movie camera. We’re told how different lighting techniques and specially developed lenses created the classic Garbo image.
The film also ponders her mysterious self-imposed exile on New York’s East 52nd Street. Some contend that she retreated there because the barge traffic on the nearby East River reminded Garbo of her native Stockholm.
Whatever her reason, New Yorkers embraced the moody Swede for her very reclusive nature. Garbo-spotting became a sport for Manhattan denizens.
Playwright Charles Busch explains how he had to run out of a store when he once spotted Garbo shopping casually in a Japanese trinket shop. He was simply too excited. After all, there was Greta Garbo looking at a lampshade!
Turner Classic Movies will air 24 Garbo films over Tuesday nights this month, including the erotic 1926 silent classic “Flesh and the Devil” (6:30 p.m., TCM).
Mark Zupan appears on “Miami Ink” (10 p.m., TLC). Zupan appeared in this summer’s documentary hit “Murderball,” about the world of wheelchair-using rugby players. In tonight’s “Ink,” Zupan asks skin-ink expert Ami James for a little tattoo touchup, but upon arrival in Florida he finds his wheels misplaced by his airline.
And he seems like somebody you really don’t want mad at you.
An inner-city teacher puts his immigrant students through a rigorous curriculum in the documentary “The Hobart Shakespeareans” on “P.O.V.” (10 p.m., KSPS).
Other highlights
House frets about his ex-lover’s request on “House” (8 p.m., Fox).
On back-to-back episodes of “Gilmore Girls” (WB), Rory’s professional work founders (8 p.m.), and Rory’s rash decision shocks Lorelai (9 p.m.).
Tommy debates the ethics of file sharing on “Tommy Lee Goes to College” (9 p.m., NBC). And, no, I didn’t just make that up.
Michael needs help on “Prison Break” (9 p.m., Fox).
A fetching purse peddler gets everyone’s attention on “The Office” (9:30 p.m., NBC).
An abandoned body appears to have been harvested for its organs on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (10 p.m., NBC).
The firm launches a long-shot battle to save a mentally challenged man from a Texas execution on “Boston Legal” (10 p.m., ABC).
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld appears on “Late Show with David Letterman” (11:35 p.m., CBS). And, no, I didn’t just make that up, either.
Cult choice
Gene Hackman camps it up as Lex Luthor in the 1980 sequel “Superman II” (8 p.m., Family), starring Christopher Reeve as the man of steel and Margot Kidder as Lois Lane.
Series notes
Crime takes a powder on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS) … Blunders and bloopers on “TV’s Most Outrageous Moments” (8 p.m., NBC) … On two episodes of “According to Jim” (ABC), botched anniversaries (8 p.m.), and an assault on the clergy (9 p.m.) … Jabari acts out on “Girlfriends” (8 p.m., UPN).
On two episodes of “Rodney” (ABC), two incomes, no laughs (8:30 p.m.), and no TV party tonight (9:30 p.m.) … Dee Dee’s secret liaison on “Half & Half” (8:30 p.m., UPN).
Julie Chen hosts “Big Brother 6” (9 p.m., CBS) … The search continues on “R U the Girl” (9 p.m., UPN) … Auditions on “Rock Star: INXS” (10 p.m., CBS).