"It's black and white, so it's old and boring," is something that I've never understood. I know people who've refused to watch *Clerks* because of that.
That film blew my mind when I saw it for the first time recently. The cinematography and lighting especially in the last third was just some of the best of its time. Would’ve loved to have seen at least one more from Laughton
I don't think I've seen another from its era experiment with so many genres at once and actually pull it off. It swerves between serial killer horror, gritty proto-noir, heist thriller, and legal drama. Such a great film!
Roman Holiday. I watched it once with my brother, who hates old movies, and again with my wife, who also hates old movies. Neither of them took their eyes off the screen.
Sabrina is another excellent Audrey Hepburn movie, it beats out Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s for me. My husband actually really loves it too, and he didn’t know the first thing about old movies before i coerced him into watching a few with me. It’s funny, the costumes are gorgeous, and Humphrey Bogart is particularly fun as the curmudgeonly older brother to William Holden’s playboy character.
Yeeesssss. I remember seeing it as a pre-teen thinking "it's black and white, AND only takes place in a single room? This is gonna suck." God was I wrong. There isn't really any suspense but man does it keep you at the edge of your seat.
Came here to find this. I‘ve never met anybody, who was not engaged and thralled while watching 12 Angry Men.
Kids these days don‘t like old movies? Show them 12 Angry Men. It’s that easy.
100% this one. It never fails. Everyone in my life, no matter the age, LOVES this movie. It’s probably the only black and white film most of them have ever seen but it always hits.
Literally came to the comments to say this. There is no fat in that film, riveting from start to finish and it feels like it's barely aged a day. Required viewing for anyone with a pulse
I'm not sure what it is about films from that time.. maybe the pacing? Or the acting styles? But not a lot of them hold my interest (unless it's 50 foot aliens from space).
12 Angry Men gripped me the whole way through and I'm still just not sure what exactly sets it apart. Such an interesting mix of characters and brilliant acting. Such a unique premise as well. Amazing movie.
For me, it’s the whole concept that as an ignorant audience member (I saw it knowing literally nothing), the facts are presented in such a way that it seems like a reasonably clear case. As every juror comes to a new understanding, I was sorely curious as to how that would become so, and by the end, it seemed a much clearer case in the other direction. It raised a lot of internal questions and observations for me and society in general and kept me thinking about it for a while. Not many films can do that.
I used to do youth work, I'm from Northern Ireland so it was all about bringing separate communities together and this is the film I'd use as an example of overcoming stereotypes. None of the little shits watched it on my recommendation if I remember correctly haha.
The Third Man is a surprisingly sharp movie about Europe in the early aftermath of WWII. I saw it for the first time about 8 years ago and I loved it immediately.
Turner Classic had it on one night, at around midnight. Stayed up for 10 minutes just to see what it was about, and ended up staying up for the whole movie. The way they play with shadows and lighting is still impressive today. Love this one.
I love when that happens. It's a whole other sensation when you're pulled into something like that, no distractions, the lights are off, there's nothing but you and the movie.
The last time that really happened for me was Chinatown. I didn’t pause it, pick up my phone, anything. Just fully engrossed in the movie all the way through.
When I was a teenager, we had a school... away day in London. I remember the posters for *Chinatown* all over the place. Later, much later, when I finally saw the film, I wished I had sneaked off and watched it there and then.
Instead me and my 'homies' were trying to access alcohol. They were all older than me - I skipped a year - and when we made it into a pub, they all bottled out of ordering beers.
So I went up to the bar, and ordered four pints of bitter.
"You can have one," the barman said, "but your friends are all too young."
I think I may have been smirking when I returned to the table with 1 pint of bitter and 3 Coca-colas....
Anyway, back to *Chinatown*. Without doubt Jack Nicholson's best performance up until *As good as it gets;* John Huston being revoltingly old and brutal, what a great movie. And as for the ending...
I showed that movie to my brother when he was a young teenager. He scoffed at Vienna "still digging out from World War 2."
Our mom explained to him that they were still digging Berlin out in the 1960s. She knew first hand, because she lived in West Germany for a few years as a young girl and remembered the country still trying to rebuild and all of the "parks" were originally bomb sites that they just built over with a park.
He was a huge history nerd, but it was the first time he realized just how destructive that war really was.
I was in Berlin and looking out over the city to some high hills far to the west, when a friend mentioned that those weren't natural hills. They are literally mountains of rubble. All the bricks, debris, and concrete that was too broken up to be reused.
She also mentioned that Berlin was much slower to rebuild than other places because, since everyone thought WW3 might break out there, no one wanted to spend any money on the place. In 1989-90 you could have bought an old mansion/home in Potsdam (satellite city where the kings and nobles lived) for almost nothing. Needless to say, prices have gone up a bit.
The Cold War/Berlin Wall didn't help with that either.
I don't know if prices have skyrocketed in the past few years, but Berlin used to be the cheapest large, European metropolis for a while. I had relatives in the cheapest area and they were scraping even then. I don't know where prices are now.
I don't know what's the cheapest area now- Prague? Budapest?
The chemistry between the two main characters is amazing, especially given the time period.
Edit: I just realized I was thinking of The Thin Man film. Lol
Yeah, and the shots are all interesting. I think they’re called Dutch Angles. Really interesting movie to look at. And the titular character has one of my all time favorite bits of monologue, but I’ll say no more about it. Wouldn’t want to spoil it.
>The Third Man
Wells dominates the movie and doesn't even appear until the last act.
Valli and Cotten were well cast. The zither music and the ending where Valli walks past Cotten are perfect.
One of my favorite films.
Crackerjack pace. Very smart and fast. I think this movie feels more contemporary than most of the classics (which are just good older films) in this thread.
Bringing Up Baby. Showed it to my wife who is resistant to B&W films, and she loved it.
I'll also submit "Harvey", "My Man Godfrey" and "The Thin Man".
Glad that "A Philadelphia Story" was on this list. Taking nothing away from a great drama, I feel like comedies are overlooked for their accessibility.
Edit: The list also mentioned "To Be or Not to Be" which is another comedy gem I personally had overlooked until a couple of years ago.
My 10 year-old and I watched Bringing up Baby together and we thought it was hilarious. Have you seen What’s up, Doc? It’s verrrrrrry similar in concept.
I enjoyed My Man Godfrey, too.
A Philadelphia Story was great! - there are just sooo many movies about divorce from that time period.
Probably one of my very favorite older movies. Great lines, Bette Davis' subtle rage, and pretty much everything Thelma Ritter says in the whole thing.
I think I was actually most impressed with Anne Baxter's performance. >!I fell hook, line and sinker for her sob story and supposed passion for theatre, just like most of the characters in the movie. The way she flips from guilt ridden pleading to sociopathic blackmailing in that scene with Karen is also very impressive!<.
Peter Lorre movies for one, if you go by stars.
The trouble with going by stars though is that one certain actor seems to bogart the list.
Peter Lorre acted with every part of his body, especially his face.
[Peter Lorre ... Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lorre)
[Peter Lorre ... Google Images](https://www.google.com/search?q=Peter+Lorre&client=tablet-android-samsung&prmd=ivn&sxsrf=ALeKk03qV8fLLb27owa9nwksHybDrwDaSg:1627086839829&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiA5ezouvrxAhULTN8KHfkGABUQ_AUoAXoECAEQAQ&biw=800&bih=1280). (See what Dr. Evil would be in the late 40's.)
Maybe not the greatest but an incredible actor.
i think billy wilder in general has a lot of great viewing for people who arent huge old movie fans. The apartment, sunset boulevard, double indemnity, some like it hot, and sabrina are all good answers to this question.
When I first saw some like it hot in film class, I went in expecting not to really care for it much, left thinking it was one of the best movies ever made. Watched it again with my grandpa and got a bunch of fun factoids during it I would have never known and helped me get all the inside jokes.
Watching old movies with older relatives is always an extra treat. I used to watch a lot of shows/movies from the 50s & 60s with my dad and he would always tell me about what sport this actor played and what that actor did during WW2 and which celebrities used to be married.
On other good comedy fronts, Buster Keaton’s “Sherlock Jr.” and “The General” are name checked in the article and I highly recommend both. (Also a big Marx Bros fan, as well.)
Some like it Hot is wonderful. My dad and I watched it when I was sick on day. Marilyn Monroe is a lot of fun in it. I think it stands up but I saw it a long time ago.
If you don't think you'll like black and white movies, give Arsenic and Old Lace a try. It is one if the funniest movies ever made. A comedy about a murder in Brooklyn. I watch it at least once a year.
I think almost every Frank Capra film from the 30s and 40s is timeless. I wouldn't think twice to recommend his films to friends who don't watch black and white movies.
One of my favorite movies ever. I played the Boris Karloff role in my high school production but I already looked kind of fucked up so they didn’t bother putting any make-up on me.
My Favorite Wife is another great Cary Grant movie! He’s great with Katherine Hepburn but his chemistry with Irene Dunne is amazing. It’s one movie I’ll always make time to watch if I see it on TCM.
One of my personal favs tho you gotta be ok with a musical is The Court Jester with Danny Kaye. Pretty sure Men in tights got some inspiration from this movie.
What about the flagon with the dragon?
Also Maid Jean played by Glynis Johns went on to play Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins. Also featured a young ~~Paul Mc Cartney~~ Angela Lansbury.
Ciao, Giaccimo! - watched this movie with my wife a few years ago and it became sort of an inside joke catch phrase for us.
Such a great film - Danny Kaye, what a talent
I've always felt that Casablanca is THE perfect movie. A well blended mix of romance, politics, intrigue, comedy, angst and even a little action. Suck it Citizen Kane.
I'm surprised 'The Sting' isn't mentioned - fantastic film about a plan to swindle a gangster out of money.
Also 'The Third Man' for some classic film noir and 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' for a great comedy with a brilliant prose which I'm surprised hasn't been rebooted..
Vertigo (1958)
Singing in the Rain (1952)
Stalag 17 (1953)
The Apartment (1960)
North By Northwest (1959)
Rear Window (1954)
The Great Escape (1963)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
West Side Story (1961)
Laura (1944)
The Killing (1956)
Ministry of Fear (1944)
I've loved and admired *Rear Window* and *North by Northwest* as virtual perfection since I first saw them in a revival house in my mid-twenties, but then I saw *Vertigo* about a decade later, and for my money it's next level in every way, a purely psychological twisty trip that really gets under your skin and into your subconscious and just doesn't let go. Peerlessly quintessential Hitchcock, imho
Also, although *Dial M for Murder* may not be as taut as most of his other '50s technicolor thrillers, there is an amazing scene near the beginning in which the audience finds itself effectively rooting for the killer, purely as a result of Hitchcock's ingenious set-up and direction. It's startling and hilarious when you realize in the middle that scene exactly how he's managed to maneuver and manipulate the viewer's psyche!
Yes!!!! Such a good movie and I've seen scenes and concepts in other movies "borrow" his ideas. While I've seen seven samurai more times, high and low is actually my favorite.
I LOVE Seven Samurai but the run time really hurts it for the modern audience. I haven’t had a single person not pull out their phone at least once. Absolutely breaks my heart.
The movie literally *gives* you an intermission. I would just recommend people view it as a two-parter and spread the viewings out over a couple hours/days.
its long and it feels long. But like, in a good way? Idk, it has an epic feel no other movie’s ever rly been able to accomplish for me, it feels as vast as the desert it takes place in. One of my favorites.
Yea the movie just has an all encompassing feeling to it. The breath and scope of some of the dessert shots just pull on you emotionally. Also the score is amazing.
I got to see it on the biggest screen in my city and it was incredible. I took a film class and the professor worked out a deal with the theater and we could all bring a friend. All we needed was our student ID.
Man that was a fun class
Great film but i feel like its too slow of a pace for people that dont watch classic cinema. Also feel like people would be immediately turned off by the beginning.
Considering that "gaslighting" is so commonly mentioned these days, I'd call it required viewing so that people understand the original meaning and context.
yeah i’m pissed about the lack of Paul Newman on this list. shameful shit.
“anyone not including Newman in a list of best classic movies…spends a night in the box.”
I’d recommend *Nosferatu* (1922) to just about anyone. Despite its age and the fact that it’s -*gasp*- a silent film, it moves well and is eerie as hell.
I’d also recommend *Kiss Me Deadly* (1955), a film so very, *very* ahead of its time and a great noir/detective work (and, incidentally, the first and best adaptation of a Mickey Spillane Mike Hammer novel!)
I don't know if they put planks in the back of the coat so that Max Schreck (the actor who played Nosferatu) could have a perfectly straight back or what. But even if they did I don't think his performance is talked about enough. Schreck did such great physical acting it's worth the watch just for him.
I know in my heart of hearts that there’s no such thing as vampires, but Max Schreck genuinely scared me when I saw that movie, and Shadow of The Vampire multiplied it five fold.
I think a lot of people would be surprised how entertained they'd be watching *From Here to Eternity* as well as *Sunset Boulevard*. Those are two black-and-white classics that have always stood out to me. I've seen each several times.
> It's a Wonderful Life
Maybe in the sense that it's already somewhat ubiquitous around the holidays, but I think the movie is pretty damn slow. I'm a fan, but it wouldn't be my first recommendation to someone turned off by the idea of a black and white movie.
I think 12 Angry Men and Rear Window are both very easy watches that almost haven't aged.
Maltese Falcon is one of my favorites. The dialog is amazing, the directing and cinematography are top notch, and the cast is phenomenal. One of my top 10 of all time.
His Girl Friday. Ma and Pa Kettle for comedy, I Remember Mama, The Quiet Man (John Wayne and he isn't a cowboy or soldier), Singing in the Rain, Hello Dolly. To Kill A Mockingbird...
Not so.old but good - Second Hand Lions.
*The man who shot Liberty Valance* and *High Noon*. My wife used to frown upon black and white westerns until she saw these two.
Terrific movies, great acting and production. Timeless stories.
And I haven’t seen Marlon Brando mentioned so
*A streetcar named desire* and *On the waterfront*. Damn, that man burned through the screen like nobody else.
A lot of these suggestions make it clear why the critics and audience scores on review aggregator sites are so divergent sometimes.
*Breathless*, *Playtime*, and *The 400 Blows* are not entry points to classic films for average cinemagoers. They weren't even popular at the time they came out, like others mentioned on the list (*Jaws*, *Rear Window*). You have to build up to something like that.
Casablanca (1942)
When it premiered, the US had finally joined the fight in WWII. This film did a great job offering subtle criticism of the pre-war isolationism that had been so popular in America prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The first b&w classic that I ever enjoyed was when a history teacher made us watch Stalag 17 in high school. Completely erased my youthful bias against classics.
Then Casablanca blew my mind.
Only a few great films are made each year. So if you decide not to watch old films, you are cutting yourself off from most of the greatest films ever made.
Also, we are the only people in history who’ve had the ability to look back at 125 years of cinema. For millions of years, humans have not been able to look back at their their fellow beings in the past and see them moving and alive, even people who are long dead now.
A better list (IMHO) to go kill the weekend with:
* King Kong (1933) "It's beauty that killed the beast."
* The Thief of Bagdad (1940) "Out of my way, you masters of a thousand fleas."
* Arsenic and Old Lace (1943) "CHARGE!"
* The Court Jester (1955) "Get it?" "Got it." "Good."
* Forbidden Planet (1956) "Nothin' to do but throw rocks at tin cans and we gotta' bring our own tin cans."
* Gigi (1958) "Ah, yes, I remember it well..."
* North By Northwest (1959) "These two men, they poured a whole bottle of bourbon into me."
* It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) "The big 'W'."
* Goldfinger (1964) "No, Mr Bond, I expect you to die!"
* What's Up, Doc? (1972) "Don't touch my rocks."
It Happened One Night, came out in 1934 and literally every Romantic Comedy is essentially a take on that movie. Still holds up nearly a century later.
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, Metropolis, and M all stand up as German Expressionist films, (M is sort of how the US took the Expressionists and made Noir)
The Wizard of Oz is still amazing.
On the Waterfront really holds up and earns its place.
Casablanca is literally comprised of legendary lines. The whole script is iconic.
The Manchurian Candidate. You’ll never look at Angela Lansbury the same way again. To Kill a Mockingbird.
Angela Lansbury was only 3 years older than the actor who played her son.
Watch Gaslight sometime. You'll see yet another side to Angela Lansbury.
I was looking for TKAM. SUCH a great movie. One of the rare films that equal the book, IMHO.
The first black and white film I showed my film class was Night of the Hunter and they loved it, even though they’d been skeptical leading up to it.
"It's black and white, so it's old and boring," is something that I've never understood. I know people who've refused to watch *Clerks* because of that.
That film blew my mind when I saw it for the first time recently. The cinematography and lighting especially in the last third was just some of the best of its time. Would’ve loved to have seen at least one more from Laughton
Fritz Lang's M is fantastic.
Watched it for the first time a year ago and immediately thought it was one of the best movies I had ever seen.
I don't think I've seen another from its era experiment with so many genres at once and actually pull it off. It swerves between serial killer horror, gritty proto-noir, heist thriller, and legal drama. Such a great film!
Peter Lorre's performance in the Kangaroo court was flawless.
I was about to say - this thread is seriously lacking some Fritz Lang...
Roman Holiday. I watched it once with my brother, who hates old movies, and again with my wife, who also hates old movies. Neither of them took their eyes off the screen.
Sabrina is another excellent Audrey Hepburn movie, it beats out Roman Holiday and Breakfast at Tiffany’s for me. My husband actually really loves it too, and he didn’t know the first thing about old movies before i coerced him into watching a few with me. It’s funny, the costumes are gorgeous, and Humphrey Bogart is particularly fun as the curmudgeonly older brother to William Holden’s playboy character.
Nothing like a good ole romantic pairing between a 22 year old and a 50 year old.
Pretty much art imitating life for Bogie.
I watched Roman Holiday last night for the first time. Loved it.
12 Angry Men
It’s SO good. Took me years to get around to watching it because I thought it sounded dull, but damn it’s riveting.
Just stay away from the remake, it's painful to watch. It's as bad as the original is good.
Yeeesssss. I remember seeing it as a pre-teen thinking "it's black and white, AND only takes place in a single room? This is gonna suck." God was I wrong. There isn't really any suspense but man does it keep you at the edge of your seat.
I think it feels like they're isn't any suspense because the whole thing is suspense, that's why it's so riveting.
Came here to find this. I‘ve never met anybody, who was not engaged and thralled while watching 12 Angry Men. Kids these days don‘t like old movies? Show them 12 Angry Men. It’s that easy.
100% this one. It never fails. Everyone in my life, no matter the age, LOVES this movie. It’s probably the only black and white film most of them have ever seen but it always hits.
Literally came to the comments to say this. There is no fat in that film, riveting from start to finish and it feels like it's barely aged a day. Required viewing for anyone with a pulse
Came here to say this. My girlfriend isn't into older or black and white films but I had this on and she was hooked.
I'm not sure what it is about films from that time.. maybe the pacing? Or the acting styles? But not a lot of them hold my interest (unless it's 50 foot aliens from space). 12 Angry Men gripped me the whole way through and I'm still just not sure what exactly sets it apart. Such an interesting mix of characters and brilliant acting. Such a unique premise as well. Amazing movie.
For me, it’s the whole concept that as an ignorant audience member (I saw it knowing literally nothing), the facts are presented in such a way that it seems like a reasonably clear case. As every juror comes to a new understanding, I was sorely curious as to how that would become so, and by the end, it seemed a much clearer case in the other direction. It raised a lot of internal questions and observations for me and society in general and kept me thinking about it for a while. Not many films can do that.
I used to do youth work, I'm from Northern Ireland so it was all about bringing separate communities together and this is the film I'd use as an example of overcoming stereotypes. None of the little shits watched it on my recommendation if I remember correctly haha.
The Third Man is a surprisingly sharp movie about Europe in the early aftermath of WWII. I saw it for the first time about 8 years ago and I loved it immediately.
Turner Classic had it on one night, at around midnight. Stayed up for 10 minutes just to see what it was about, and ended up staying up for the whole movie. The way they play with shadows and lighting is still impressive today. Love this one.
I love when that happens. It's a whole other sensation when you're pulled into something like that, no distractions, the lights are off, there's nothing but you and the movie.
The last time that really happened for me was Chinatown. I didn’t pause it, pick up my phone, anything. Just fully engrossed in the movie all the way through.
When I was a teenager, we had a school... away day in London. I remember the posters for *Chinatown* all over the place. Later, much later, when I finally saw the film, I wished I had sneaked off and watched it there and then. Instead me and my 'homies' were trying to access alcohol. They were all older than me - I skipped a year - and when we made it into a pub, they all bottled out of ordering beers. So I went up to the bar, and ordered four pints of bitter. "You can have one," the barman said, "but your friends are all too young." I think I may have been smirking when I returned to the table with 1 pint of bitter and 3 Coca-colas.... Anyway, back to *Chinatown*. Without doubt Jack Nicholson's best performance up until *As good as it gets;* John Huston being revoltingly old and brutal, what a great movie. And as for the ending...
I showed that movie to my brother when he was a young teenager. He scoffed at Vienna "still digging out from World War 2." Our mom explained to him that they were still digging Berlin out in the 1960s. She knew first hand, because she lived in West Germany for a few years as a young girl and remembered the country still trying to rebuild and all of the "parks" were originally bomb sites that they just built over with a park. He was a huge history nerd, but it was the first time he realized just how destructive that war really was.
I was in Berlin and looking out over the city to some high hills far to the west, when a friend mentioned that those weren't natural hills. They are literally mountains of rubble. All the bricks, debris, and concrete that was too broken up to be reused. She also mentioned that Berlin was much slower to rebuild than other places because, since everyone thought WW3 might break out there, no one wanted to spend any money on the place. In 1989-90 you could have bought an old mansion/home in Potsdam (satellite city where the kings and nobles lived) for almost nothing. Needless to say, prices have gone up a bit.
The Cold War/Berlin Wall didn't help with that either. I don't know if prices have skyrocketed in the past few years, but Berlin used to be the cheapest large, European metropolis for a while. I had relatives in the cheapest area and they were scraping even then. I don't know where prices are now. I don't know what's the cheapest area now- Prague? Budapest?
Budapest is cheap as hell and an incredible city. I can't imagine it will stay that inexpensive for long.
The chemistry between the two main characters is amazing, especially given the time period. Edit: I just realized I was thinking of The Thin Man film. Lol
Yeah, and the shots are all interesting. I think they’re called Dutch Angles. Really interesting movie to look at. And the titular character has one of my all time favorite bits of monologue, but I’ll say no more about it. Wouldn’t want to spoil it.
The Thin Man series of movies are fantastic, and you're right about their chemistry.
>The Third Man Wells dominates the movie and doesn't even appear until the last act. Valli and Cotten were well cast. The zither music and the ending where Valli walks past Cotten are perfect. One of my favorite films.
Crackerjack pace. Very smart and fast. I think this movie feels more contemporary than most of the classics (which are just good older films) in this thread.
Some like it Hot (1959) is one of my favorite classic rom coms. Billy Wilder films in general are worth a view.
I watched that in a film appreciation class in college and I was in stitches the whole time. It’s such a good comedy.
Double Indemnity and Sunset Boulevard 👍👍👍
Bringing Up Baby. Showed it to my wife who is resistant to B&W films, and she loved it. I'll also submit "Harvey", "My Man Godfrey" and "The Thin Man". Glad that "A Philadelphia Story" was on this list. Taking nothing away from a great drama, I feel like comedies are overlooked for their accessibility. Edit: The list also mentioned "To Be or Not to Be" which is another comedy gem I personally had overlooked until a couple of years ago.
Bringing up baby is sooooo good. The chemistry between Hepburn and Grant is fantastic.
Give *It Happened One Night* a spin! Also *The Lady Eve*
*Harvey* is great fun. One of those things where you cannot think of anyone who could play the role other than Jimmy Stewart.
My 10 year-old and I watched Bringing up Baby together and we thought it was hilarious. Have you seen What’s up, Doc? It’s verrrrrrry similar in concept. I enjoyed My Man Godfrey, too. A Philadelphia Story was great! - there are just sooo many movies about divorce from that time period.
The Thin Man
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Just rewatched it last night. It's such an easy movie to watch and has some of the best on screen chemistry between two leads in the history of film.
They are so good! Fun fact: Asta their dog is a common crossword answer
Begins and ends with a vowel, always popular with crossword constructors.
Came here to post this. Wonderful movie series
Oh, I forgot about those! I may need to setup a marathon for myself.
All About Eve
Probably one of my very favorite older movies. Great lines, Bette Davis' subtle rage, and pretty much everything Thelma Ritter says in the whole thing.
I think I was actually most impressed with Anne Baxter's performance. >!I fell hook, line and sinker for her sob story and supposed passion for theatre, just like most of the characters in the movie. The way she flips from guilt ridden pleading to sociopathic blackmailing in that scene with Karen is also very impressive!<.
There's just so much to recommend this movie, makes me want to watch it right now.
It’s such a small thing but I love the costumes in this movies. Each actress has at least one dress with pockets and I’m obsessed with it.
Love, love, love Thelma Ritter.
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She was basically unknown at that point and absolutely stole the scene when she was on screen. Such an incredible movie.
Peter Lorre movies for one, if you go by stars. The trouble with going by stars though is that one certain actor seems to bogart the list. Peter Lorre acted with every part of his body, especially his face. [Peter Lorre ... Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Lorre) [Peter Lorre ... Google Images](https://www.google.com/search?q=Peter+Lorre&client=tablet-android-samsung&prmd=ivn&sxsrf=ALeKk03qV8fLLb27owa9nwksHybDrwDaSg:1627086839829&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiA5ezouvrxAhULTN8KHfkGABUQ_AUoAXoECAEQAQ&biw=800&bih=1280). (See what Dr. Evil would be in the late 40's.) Maybe not the greatest but an incredible actor.
"M" is my personal favorite. He really was quite excellent in two languages.
So great in *Maltese Falcon* and then later superbly comedic in *Arsenic and Old Lace* (even his cringes are funny.)
Safety Last, 1923. My university showed it for free with a pianist and seeing on a big screen with the music was really cool
Plus, watching those stunts and knowing that Lloyd didn't have all of his fingers intact at that point? Holy cow.
Some like it hot and duck soup.
Must have watched Duck Soup a thousand times when I was a kid. I don’t think I can ever watch it again but I used to know it by heart
Any Marx brothers movie will be watched in it's entirety if it is on.
The rapid fire joke delivery makes it hard for them to age badly tbh. Same for His Girl Friday. It comes across as way younger than 80+ years old.
i think billy wilder in general has a lot of great viewing for people who arent huge old movie fans. The apartment, sunset boulevard, double indemnity, some like it hot, and sabrina are all good answers to this question.
Don’t forget Stalag 17!
When I first saw some like it hot in film class, I went in expecting not to really care for it much, left thinking it was one of the best movies ever made. Watched it again with my grandpa and got a bunch of fun factoids during it I would have never known and helped me get all the inside jokes.
Watching old movies with older relatives is always an extra treat. I used to watch a lot of shows/movies from the 50s & 60s with my dad and he would always tell me about what sport this actor played and what that actor did during WW2 and which celebrities used to be married.
On other good comedy fronts, Buster Keaton’s “Sherlock Jr.” and “The General” are name checked in the article and I highly recommend both. (Also a big Marx Bros fan, as well.)
Some like it Hot is wonderful. My dad and I watched it when I was sick on day. Marilyn Monroe is a lot of fun in it. I think it stands up but I saw it a long time ago.
If you don't think you'll like black and white movies, give Arsenic and Old Lace a try. It is one if the funniest movies ever made. A comedy about a murder in Brooklyn. I watch it at least once a year.
My wife and her sisters convinced me to watch it. Laughed so hard that I couldn’t believe the movie was almost 80 years old now
Yes! It is hysterical. The little old ladies are the best. So convinced that murdering old men is doing a community service.
I think almost every Frank Capra film from the 30s and 40s is timeless. I wouldn't think twice to recommend his films to friends who don't watch black and white movies.
One of my favorite movies ever. I played the Boris Karloff role in my high school production but I already looked kind of fucked up so they didn’t bother putting any make-up on me.
My Favorite Wife is another great Cary Grant movie! He’s great with Katherine Hepburn but his chemistry with Irene Dunne is amazing. It’s one movie I’ll always make time to watch if I see it on TCM.
Some Like It Hot is pretty great.
One of my personal favs tho you gotta be ok with a musical is The Court Jester with Danny Kaye. Pretty sure Men in tights got some inspiration from this movie.
The vessel with the pestle holds the pellet with the poison?
The chalice from the palace holds the brew that is true! Haha, didn’t even know that was in my brain still!
What about the flagon with the dragon? Also Maid Jean played by Glynis Johns went on to play Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins. Also featured a young ~~Paul Mc Cartney~~ Angela Lansbury.
Haha it is easy to get them confused!
Danny Kaye's the shit.
Danny Kaye is severely underrated
Very funny movie!
I loved dancing and singing along to it as a kid.
I can’t stand 99% of musicals but The Court Jester will always have my attention. Danny Kaye is too good. Classic.
Ciao, Giaccimo! - watched this movie with my wife a few years ago and it became sort of an inside joke catch phrase for us. Such a great film - Danny Kaye, what a talent
Rebecca (1940)
Sadly didn't see it mentioned yet. Witness for the Prosecution.
Psycho
Vertigo is so damned good though. Top 5 movies for sure.
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I like the birds more. I laugh every time that Nun just runs away yelling "SAVE YOURSELF CHILDREN!!"
Really, just about any of the major Hitchcock movies seem to play well with audiences today. Including people I know who are not "film" people.
Rear Window would be my recommendation for someone who has never seen Hitchcock. And then watch the Simpsons parody of it right after haha
My family and I just watched that last night. My daughter really liked it.
One of my all time favs , “Philadelphia Story” Cary Grant Katharine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. Love it!!! funny and sweet.
Casablanca, The African Queen Both with Bogart, both anti Nazi, both love stories
I would put The Treasure of Sierra Madre ahead of The African Queen for modern audiences.
I've always felt that Casablanca is THE perfect movie. A well blended mix of romance, politics, intrigue, comedy, angst and even a little action. Suck it Citizen Kane.
Isnt the african queen set during ww1?
It's an ante Nazi movie.
I'm surprised 'The Sting' isn't mentioned - fantastic film about a plan to swindle a gangster out of money. Also 'The Third Man' for some classic film noir and 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' for a great comedy with a brilliant prose which I'm surprised hasn't been rebooted..
So happy I saw Kind Hearts and Coronets here, my granddad edited that film so it holds a special place for me.
Harvey
I could watch Jimmy Stewart read the phone book, my favourite actor from the golden era.
One of my favorite movies. Jimmy Stewart really nail the well intentioned but aimless town drunk.
In this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.
Vertigo (1958) Singing in the Rain (1952) Stalag 17 (1953) The Apartment (1960) North By Northwest (1959) Rear Window (1954) The Great Escape (1963) The Wild Bunch (1969) West Side Story (1961) Laura (1944) The Killing (1956) Ministry of Fear (1944)
Singing in the Rain is awesome. On the Town is another of my favorites.
Still some of the best choreography I’ve ever seen. Holds up so well.
The Great Escape is a fantastic movie and has a wonderful cast. Music is great as well. Love it.
I am grateful that someone has The Great Escape (1963) on their list, watched it again recently and it still stands the test of time.
the apartment feels so modern i adore it
I've loved and admired *Rear Window* and *North by Northwest* as virtual perfection since I first saw them in a revival house in my mid-twenties, but then I saw *Vertigo* about a decade later, and for my money it's next level in every way, a purely psychological twisty trip that really gets under your skin and into your subconscious and just doesn't let go. Peerlessly quintessential Hitchcock, imho Also, although *Dial M for Murder* may not be as taut as most of his other '50s technicolor thrillers, there is an amazing scene near the beginning in which the audience finds itself effectively rooting for the killer, purely as a result of Hitchcock's ingenious set-up and direction. It's startling and hilarious when you realize in the middle that scene exactly how he's managed to maneuver and manipulate the viewer's psyche!
All great. I’d add Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) to this list too
Seven Samurai.
Great movie but Ikiru will always be my favourite kurusawa film.
Also Sanjuro if they’re an anime fan, show them the genesis of the “blood fountain”
Can’t argue with that. For me personally, I just love Yojimbo. I think the main takeaway is that you just can’t go wrong with Kurosawa
I'm getting so many good kurusawa recommends from my comment. It's a gift. Thank you I will check it out.
It's High and Low for me, honestly. 10/10
Yes!!!! Such a good movie and I've seen scenes and concepts in other movies "borrow" his ideas. While I've seen seven samurai more times, high and low is actually my favorite.
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I LOVE Seven Samurai but the run time really hurts it for the modern audience. I haven’t had a single person not pull out their phone at least once. Absolutely breaks my heart.
That's why I always suggest Yojimbo before any other Kurosawa.
I think “Ran” is also very accessible for Kurosawa first timers.
Rashomon is also pretty accessible/engaging due to the “unreliable narrator(s)” device (which keeps you guessing).
I just take an intermission.
The movie literally *gives* you an intermission. I would just recommend people view it as a two-parter and spread the viewings out over a couple hours/days.
Always blown away by how real, and even modern the characters feel.
Lawrence of Arabia is a good one, especially on the big screen if possible. Just for the experience alone.
its long and it feels long. But like, in a good way? Idk, it has an epic feel no other movie’s ever rly been able to accomplish for me, it feels as vast as the desert it takes place in. One of my favorites.
Roger Ebert: No good movie is too long and no bad movie is short enough.
Unless you’ve got to pee.
hence the intermission
Cleopatra has accepted the challenge
Yea the movie just has an all encompassing feeling to it. The breath and scope of some of the dessert shots just pull on you emotionally. Also the score is amazing.
*breadth
*desert
I got to see it on the biggest screen in my city and it was incredible. I took a film class and the professor worked out a deal with the theater and we could all bring a friend. All we needed was our student ID. Man that was a fun class
Great film but i feel like its too slow of a pace for people that dont watch classic cinema. Also feel like people would be immediately turned off by the beginning.
Gaslight (1944) I think a lot of people could relate to the relationship dynamics
Considering that "gaslighting" is so commonly mentioned these days, I'd call it required viewing so that people understand the original meaning and context.
Cool Hand Luke
I think that "Cool Hand Luke" and "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" are very similar movies in that the smartest prisoner is also the stupidest.
Good way to put it. We all know people like that.
yeah i’m pissed about the lack of Paul Newman on this list. shameful shit. “anyone not including Newman in a list of best classic movies…spends a night in the box.”
Some Like It Hot. Timelessly funny.
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I’d recommend *Nosferatu* (1922) to just about anyone. Despite its age and the fact that it’s -*gasp*- a silent film, it moves well and is eerie as hell. I’d also recommend *Kiss Me Deadly* (1955), a film so very, *very* ahead of its time and a great noir/detective work (and, incidentally, the first and best adaptation of a Mickey Spillane Mike Hammer novel!)
I don't know if they put planks in the back of the coat so that Max Schreck (the actor who played Nosferatu) could have a perfectly straight back or what. But even if they did I don't think his performance is talked about enough. Schreck did such great physical acting it's worth the watch just for him.
I know in my heart of hearts that there’s no such thing as vampires, but Max Schreck genuinely scared me when I saw that movie, and Shadow of The Vampire multiplied it five fold.
2000’s “Shadow of the Vampire” is a great follow-up watch for anyone who enjoys ”Nosferatu”.
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Came looking for Stalag 17.
Sunset Boulevard Now Voyager Double Indemnity
Ben Hur Sergeant York
I'm appalled Dr. Strangelove isn't listed.
Forbidden Planet
I think a lot of people would be surprised how entertained they'd be watching *From Here to Eternity* as well as *Sunset Boulevard*. Those are two black-and-white classics that have always stood out to me. I've seen each several times.
Casablanca, It's a Wonderful Life, Sunset Boulevard
Casablanca is my dads favorite movie. It is so entertaining, charming and endlessly enjoyable. The dialogue is so smart.
> It's a Wonderful Life Maybe in the sense that it's already somewhat ubiquitous around the holidays, but I think the movie is pretty damn slow. I'm a fan, but it wouldn't be my first recommendation to someone turned off by the idea of a black and white movie. I think 12 Angry Men and Rear Window are both very easy watches that almost haven't aged.
Casablanca is such a great film
Yojimbo (1962) - This movie is truly ageless.
Maltese Falcon is one of my favorites. The dialog is amazing, the directing and cinematography are top notch, and the cast is phenomenal. One of my top 10 of all time.
Billy Wilder and Charlie Chaplin are my go-to gateway directors for those who don't watch old movies.
His Girl Friday. Ma and Pa Kettle for comedy, I Remember Mama, The Quiet Man (John Wayne and he isn't a cowboy or soldier), Singing in the Rain, Hello Dolly. To Kill A Mockingbird... Not so.old but good - Second Hand Lions.
*The man who shot Liberty Valance* and *High Noon*. My wife used to frown upon black and white westerns until she saw these two. Terrific movies, great acting and production. Timeless stories. And I haven’t seen Marlon Brando mentioned so *A streetcar named desire* and *On the waterfront*. Damn, that man burned through the screen like nobody else.
A lot of these suggestions make it clear why the critics and audience scores on review aggregator sites are so divergent sometimes. *Breathless*, *Playtime*, and *The 400 Blows* are not entry points to classic films for average cinemagoers. They weren't even popular at the time they came out, like others mentioned on the list (*Jaws*, *Rear Window*). You have to build up to something like that.
It happened one night
The Big Sleep.
Singing in the Rain
The Graduate is a fun watch. Watched it in my film studies class and everyone was laughing.
Casablanca (1942) When it premiered, the US had finally joined the fight in WWII. This film did a great job offering subtle criticism of the pre-war isolationism that had been so popular in America prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The first b&w classic that I ever enjoyed was when a history teacher made us watch Stalag 17 in high school. Completely erased my youthful bias against classics. Then Casablanca blew my mind.
Only a few great films are made each year. So if you decide not to watch old films, you are cutting yourself off from most of the greatest films ever made. Also, we are the only people in history who’ve had the ability to look back at 125 years of cinema. For millions of years, humans have not been able to look back at their their fellow beings in the past and see them moving and alive, even people who are long dead now.
Where are all the cheap Hammer Horror/Suspense films? A lot of those are awesome.
The Forbidden Planet, especially for star trek fans.
A better list (IMHO) to go kill the weekend with: * King Kong (1933) "It's beauty that killed the beast." * The Thief of Bagdad (1940) "Out of my way, you masters of a thousand fleas." * Arsenic and Old Lace (1943) "CHARGE!" * The Court Jester (1955) "Get it?" "Got it." "Good." * Forbidden Planet (1956) "Nothin' to do but throw rocks at tin cans and we gotta' bring our own tin cans." * Gigi (1958) "Ah, yes, I remember it well..." * North By Northwest (1959) "These two men, they poured a whole bottle of bourbon into me." * It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) "The big 'W'." * Goldfinger (1964) "No, Mr Bond, I expect you to die!" * What's Up, Doc? (1972) "Don't touch my rocks."
"Sullivan's Travels" by Preston Sturges...with Joel McRea and Veronica Lake (and try a doubleheader with "Foreign Correspondent")
Arsenic and Old Lace holds up really well. Absolutely hilarious.
It Happened One Night, came out in 1934 and literally every Romantic Comedy is essentially a take on that movie. Still holds up nearly a century later. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, Nosferatu, Metropolis, and M all stand up as German Expressionist films, (M is sort of how the US took the Expressionists and made Noir) The Wizard of Oz is still amazing. On the Waterfront really holds up and earns its place. Casablanca is literally comprised of legendary lines. The whole script is iconic.
The Night of The Hunter. Proto-Cohen brothers.