Classic Movie Recommendations
A place to find your next classic movie...
(If you simply want to skip my wordy intro, scroll down to the "Comedy" header. Return regularly, as I plan to add to this list every week with new recommendations.)
When I was 12 years old, my parents purchased a small TV for my bedroom as a Christmas present. At that stage of my life, I often stayed up late on the weekends to watch late night TV, mostly Johnny Carson and old movies, and I think my parents were tired of me falling asleep in the living room. I have been a "night owl" for as long as I can remember. However, the coolest thing about this gift was the rule they gave me with this gift. My father told me that I no longer had a "bed time" (including weekdays!) but he also told me that, if I ever failed to get up in time for school or work, I would be in big trouble. That was a lot of trust to have in me, and I never let them down. I felt I was the luckiest kid in the world, so I wasn't going to do anything to lose this privilege. This was the beginning of my love affair with movies.
This was an era when there were four channels to watch; ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS. At that time, movies didn't appear on these network stations for at least five years after they had been released to theaters, many even longer than that. Therefore, my movie options were limited to what we now refer to as classic movies. These were shown in the afternoon on weekends and on weeknights after the last local newscast, which was after 10:30 PM in my area. I usually watched whatever was on, so I was introduced to a wide variety of old movies. The more I watched, the more I learned to appreciate these classic films.
As an adult, I was ecstatic when the Turner Classic Movies channel was introduced in 1994. While I always loved these old movies, I hated the commercials that continually interrupted the director's vision. The advent of TCM meant I no longer had to endure these annoying interruptions, and I could enjoy these classics the way they were intended to be seen.
I have met a lot of people, especially younger people, who feel that if a movie is in black and white, it isn't worth watching. In their opinion, it's "old fashioned" and not very entertaining. While I admit that the production values of current movies are elevated from the movies of this bygone era, I still feel that there are hundreds of great, entertaining movies that were made before 1975.
What I hope to do with this section is to share my recommendations for great old movies that I feel younger people (or those prejudiced against black and white movies) could enjoy. I will categorize the movies into genres so that you at least know what type of movie I am recommending. You may have heard of some of these movies but I would bet that I will suggest more than a few titles that you have never heard of unless you, too, are a fan of old movies. Also, since color movies became more mainstream in the '60's (yes, there are exceptions, such as The Wizard of Oz and Gone with The Wind, If you enjoy movies, I encourage you to invest 75-120 minutes of your life and give these titles a chance. You may just find that old movies have more value than you originally thought.
NOTE: Some dialogue and actions in these movies reflect stereotypes and opinions that will be considered, by today's standards, wrong, especially in the areas of race and gender. I certainly don't agree with these stereotypes and opinions but they are a snapshot of what life in our country was like during this era. Before you discount an entire movie based on these occurrences, I encourage you to realize that we've come a long way from this time and, rather than allow these situations to turn you away from a particular movie, view these scenes as examples of what we needed to rise above to reach the point of where we are today.
I will add new movies to this list every few weeks, so come back often to see if you agree or disagree with what I feel are some of the best classic movies around. I've added a comments section (scroll to the bottom of this page) so that you can provide your own feedback and opinion of these movies. I encourage you to provide your thoughts so that this may become an interactive process. Here are a few of my favorites, by genre. I will try not to share too many details about each movie, as I don't like spoilers and I want you to experience the movie without many details.
How can I watch these movies?
There are multiple sources where you can find these movies. If your television provider offers the TCM network, many of these titles will be shown on a rotating basis, so check TCM's listings. In addition, here is this month's TCM alphabetical movie listing (as long as I'm still updating this, that is.) Another excellent resource is your local library, which provides a free way to check out many of these titles on DVD. Kanopy streams some classic movies, and you can use this service for free if you have a library card. As a more robust alternative, the best way to find where to stream one of these movies is the WatchNow website, which lists any streaming channels currently offering these and other titles, as well as opportunities to rent these titles if you are so inclined. Finally, if you know me personally, you can ask me to borrow the DVD of the title. Sorry, I can't offer this to people I don't know. Just email me and make sure I have your current mailing address.
Added 6/11/24
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Cast: Cary Grant, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Priscilla Lane, John Alexander, James Gleason, Jack Carson
Director: Frank Capra
Whenever I try to list my favorite comedies of the classic era (and I find it impossible to name my #1 favorite comedy), this movie is always within the top five. This falls under the heading of "screwball comedies," meaning it's an absurd premise. Cary Grant was one of the best comedic actors of his era. While this is one of his earliest attempts at comedy, he plays the part to perfection. In fact, I feel that this is an example where almost all of the actors in this movie do an excellent job of playing their parts and make the unbelievable believable. Josephine Hull and Jean Adair are spectacular in their roles as Grant's aunts who have a secret from the nephew with which they live. Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre are excellent as unexpected guests that only add to the mayhem of this story.
Added 6/11/24
Harvey (1950)
Cast: James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Victoria Horne, Jesse White, Cecil Kellaway, Peggy Dow, Charles Drake
Director: Henry Koster
James Stewart is one of my all-time favorite actors. His comedic talents weren't always on display in his leading roles but this movie proves what a talent he had. It is no coincidence that Josephine Hull appears here for the second time in two movies, as she was a tremendous comedy character actress, and she's just as fantastic in this role as she is in Arsenic and Old Lace. While alcoholism probably shouldn't be the source of a comedy, Stewart brings a warmth to this role that makes you wonder if all of the rest of the characters in this movie shouldn't take a drink or two to gain some humanity. For the second comedy in a row, sanity is on trial.
Added 6/25/24
Monkey Business (1952)
Cast: Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn, Marilyn Monroe, Hugh Marlowe, Henri Letondal, Robert Cornthwaite, Larry Keating, Douglas Spencer, George Winslow
Director: Howard Hawks
There are a lot of movies with this title, not the least of which is the 1931 Marx Brothers classic. However, this 1952 version stars Cary Grant as a scientist who has apparently discovered a youth potion. Not only does Grant's character enjoy the benefits of the potion, his wife (Rogers) also accidentally drinks the elixir. The results are Grant and Rogers providing some pretty funny scenes, the latter scenes sharing the screen with child actor Winslow, whose voice alone is worth experiencing. Monroe plays the role of seductress, while Coburn rounds out the comedy as he often did in the 40's and 50's. This is a perfect example of why I don't believe Rogers ever got credit for how great she was in comedy, mostly because everyone remembers who as Fred Astaire's most accomplished dancing partner.
Added 8/1/24
Duck Soup (1933)
Cast: Groucho Marx, Harpo, Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont, Raquel Torres, Louis Calhern, Edmund Breese, Leonid Kinsey, Charles Middleton
Director: Leo McCarey
I don't feel The Marx Brothers (TMB) get enough credit these days for the wonderful comedies they created. If you like zany comedy with political and social overtones, such as Monty Python, you will appreciate TMB if you give their movies a chance. Duck Soup is my favorite among all TMB movies. Groucho becomes the leader of Freedonia who declares war on neighboring Sylvania and comedy ensues. As usual, Harpo and Chico continually work against Groucho with hilarious results, while Zeppo mostly walks around being "normal." Dumont was TMB's constant movie companion, and she puts up with all the nonsense TMB can dole out. She was a consummate professional and, in my humble opinion, deserves a "lifetime achievement" Oscar for all the she endured over the years from TMB movies. She was the perfect "straight man" to their antics.
Added 6/11/24
12 Angry Men (1957)
Cast: Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, Lee J. Cobb, John Fiedler, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden, Ed Begley, George Voskovec, Joseph Sweeney, Edward Binns, Robert Webber
Director: Sidney Lumet
This courtroom drama never shows one scene in the courtroom. Instead, it takes place after a jury of twelve men have begun deliberations on a murder case, the details of which become known through the discussions of the jury. If you've never served on a jury (I'm proud to say I've done my civic duty once and hope to do so again), this is an interesting case study of the process. Director Lumet assembled a tremendous cast of actors that represent a variety of demographics and personalities that make for an emotion-packed movie where the men dissect not only the facts of the case but also the differences between each man. Henry Fonda is another one of my all-time favorite actors, and he provides a stirring performance of a man trying to get the jury to respect the process. I list each of the twelve actors' names because I feel each of them does an excellent job of portraying a variety of personalities that make for a wonderful movie.
Added 6/11/24
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Cast: Dana Andrews, Harold Russel, Frederic March, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O'Donnel, Hoagy Carmichael
Director: William Wyler
In an era when movie studios shied away from controversial issues, this amazing movie explores the less glorious aspects of veterans returning home from World War II. Three veterans with three different challenges return from the war to find that things aren't as easy as they thought they would be. I feel Dana Andrews was an under-appreciated actor, and I feel he provides one of his best performances in this movie. Harold Russel only appeared in three movies in his career but none as enlightening as this one, and I applaud Director Wyler's decision to include him here to show the American public the real life issues with veterans who returned after losing limbs in the war. Russel was a real-life vet who lost both of his hands in the war, and the movie shows what life was like for those veterans who sacrificed so much for their country. March puts in a solid performance who questions his former life after spending time in the war. As a fellow Hoosier, I am a big fan of Hoagy Carmichael, a leading songwriter of the time, and he makes a couple of appearances in this movie, as he did on several important movies.
Added 6/25/24
A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)(color)
Cast: Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, Paul Ford, Charles Bickford, Burgess Meredith, Kevin McCarthy, Robert Middleton, John Qualen, Jean-Michael Michenaud
Director: Fielder Cook
While I would categorize this as a Western drama, there certainly are elements of comedy to it. However, the overall story is one of drama. Woodward plays a mild-mannered frontier wife thrown into a very difficult situation, and her acting makes the story quite believable. While Fonda got top billing, Woodward carries this movie as only she can. Robards and McCarthy also create powerful roles that help add to the drama. This is one of those movies where you have to watch all the way to the end to truly appreciate. One element that was unusual for movies of this era is how many minor characters help tell this story, so I give props to director Cook for keeping all the different side stories flowing smoothly and efficiently.
Added 7/16/24
Goodbye, Mr Chips (1939)
Cast: Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills Paul Henreid, Judith Furse, Lyn Harding
Director: Sam Wood, Sidney Franklin (uncredited)
Robert Donat doesn't have the star recognition that many of the stars of these movies have but you will quickly come to like him in this story of a teacher's career in an all-boys school in England. He has a terrible beginning to his career but things change drastically after he meets Garson on vacation. You will enjoy Donat's transformation, as well as the story following this teacher's life. It is a bit of a tear-jerker but remains one of my all-time favorites.
Added 8/1/24
The Caine Mutiny (1954)(color)
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Jose Ferrer, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray, Robert Francis, May Wynn, Tom Tully, E.G. Marshall, Tom Tully, Lee Marvin, Claude Akins, Jerry Paris
Director: Edward Dmytryk
As a young man, watching this movie solidified Humphrey Bogart as one of my all-time favorite actors. He is not the strong character he normally is in most of his movies, so I applaud him for playing a non-heroic role in a time when that was not usual for the bigger stars. However, there is a lot of great acting in this movie besides Bogie. Ferrer is a convincing lawyer who, in one of the closing scenes, provides the narrative of what really happened on the USS Caine, a World War II battleship on which this story plays out. Johnson plays a clearly conflicted second in command who slowly sees his commander losing his grip. MacMurray stokes the fires of discontent, while keeping his hands clean of the conflict. Francis portrays the young ensign from which whose perspective the story is told. Tully plays the laid-back commander that Bogart replaces. This is one of Marvin's and Paris' first roles. I also love the twist at the end of the movie.
This category will include not only movies that portray a classic fantasy or sci-fi setting but also those whose storyline is fantastic, in nature.
Added 6/25/24
The Enchanted Cottage (1945)
Cast: Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young, Herbert Marshall, Mildred Natwick, Spring Byington, Hillary Brooke, Richard Gaines
Director: John Cromwell
This movie is not set in a classic fantasy or sci-fi setting but, rather, involves the magical nature of a cottage and its affect on two people, Laura, a homely caretaker, and Oliver, a rich, dashing young man who has been disfigured in the war. Both McGuire and Young are excellent at transforming the characters and Marshall, often portrayed as a villain in other movies, moves the plot along as a blind, pianist friend. I have always found this story to be full of hope, and I love the lesson it provides in physical attraction, something that was especially important to me when I was a young boy.
Added 6/25/24
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)(color)
Cast: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Laurence Naismith, Niall MacGinnis, Michael Gwynn, Douglas Wilmer, Jack Gwillim, Honor Blackman, John Cairney, Nigel Green
Director: Don Chaffey
Associate Producer (Special Effects): Ray Harryhausen
I have to preface this recommendation with a warning. The special effects in this movie are pre-CGI (1963!), so they are not as impressive as current movies. These effects were created by Ray Harryhausen, the master of stop-motion animation. If you've never heard of stop-motion animation, the effect is achieved by taking still shots of a model one at a time, slightly moving the model and taking the next shot, until you have created a series of shots that create animation. If you can look past the advances that have been made over the last 60+ years, I think you will find what he accomplished is pretty amazing. You will not recognize any of the actors in this movie, unlike every other movie I recommend, although I feel the actors are adequate for the story. It is the story itself and the cutting-edge effects for its time, that make this one of my all-time favorite fantasy movies. The term "Argonauts" makes it sound like it is based in space but the term comes from the sailing ship that is built, called the Argo, and the adventures Jason, a Greek hero, and his crew must endure in search of the Golden Fleece. I was introduced to this movie at a very young age (7?) by my older brother, J.D., who loved these kinds of movies when he was younger. Some of you may categorize this as a "fantasy, 'B' movie" that should be relegated to Saturday morning TV but I feel it is a crowning achievement of the fantasy genre that I continue to enjoy watching to this day. If you become a fan of Harryhausen's work, check out Clash of the Titans (1981), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), the latter starring John Wayne's son, Patrick Wayne
Added 7/9/24
North By Northwest (1959)(color)
Cast: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Martin Landau, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carrol, Josephine Hutchinson, Philip Ober, Adam Williams, Edward Platt
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
No doubt, I will be adding multiple titles from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Despite what a despicable human being Mr. Hitchcock was in real life, he was an amazing director and film tactician. In this movie, along with Rear Window, Hitchcock shows us how to put together a story filled with excitement and drama. Grant, Saint, Mason and Landau are all excellent in this cross country adventure in which Grant is involved in an international case of mistaken identity, where he is eventually accused of murder. Grant proves he can add humor to a role that requires sincerity. There are numerous iconic movie scenes in this classic Hitchcock tale you should see.
Added 7/9/24
Rear Window (1954)(color)
Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr, Wendell Corey, Judith Evelyn, Ross Bagdasarian, Georgine Darcy, Frank Cady, Sara Berner, Jesslyn Fax
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Hitchcock created an amazing set on which to film an amazing movie that takes place in an unlikely location for a murder drama; the courtyard of an apartment complex. Stewart is a photographer laid up with a broken leg who becomes obsessed with the tenant dramas that unfold within view of his apartment rear window. At one point, he believes he has witnessed a murder but he must convince his socialite girlfriend Kelly and his hard-nosed physical therapist Ritter. Leave it to Hitchcock to create danger and intrigue in a seemingly tranquil neighborhood.
Added 7/16/24
Fail Safe (1964)
Cast: Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Larry Hagman, Dan O'Herlihy, Edward Binns, Fritz Weaver, Frank Overton, William Hansen, Russel Hardie, Russell Collins
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director Lumet assembled a tremendous cast to show how things could have gone terribly wrong during the Cold War era. This film displayed the fears of most Americans during this tense time in history. A bomber carrying nuclear warheads receives a mistaken message to drop their payload in Russia. Based on the protocols in place, the officers on the bomber have no other option than to go through with this horrific plan, so the US president gets on the phone to try and stop this catastrophe before its too late. The ending is not what you will expect, and Lumet keeps the audience on the edge of their seats right up to the end.
Added 8/1/24
Gaslight (1944)
Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotten, Angela Lansbury, Dame May Whitty, Barbara Everest, Emil Rameau, Edmund Breon
Director: George Cukor
If you want to explore the movie that is the basis for the term gaslighting, invest the time to watch this powerful movie starring one of the greatest actresses of all time, Ingrid Bergman. Bergman works well off of Boyer, as she struggles to maintain her sanity. Lansbury, in her first film role, plays an unsympathetic housekeeper happy to see Bergman lose her husband in the process. The final dialogue between Bergman and Boyer is a classic twist.
- - - - -
If you've seen these movies and want to provide your opinion, tell me what you think. I welcome conflicting opinions if you have them IF you can do so with respect to myself and others. I will not allow just anyone to create a toxic environment on this website. There are plenty of other opportunities to do that online but I have no interest in hosting such a place.
When I was 12 years old, my parents purchased a small TV for my bedroom as a Christmas present. At that stage of my life, I often stayed up late on the weekends to watch late night TV, mostly Johnny Carson and old movies, and I think my parents were tired of me falling asleep in the living room. I have been a "night owl" for as long as I can remember. However, the coolest thing about this gift was the rule they gave me with this gift. My father told me that I no longer had a "bed time" (including weekdays!) but he also told me that, if I ever failed to get up in time for school or work, I would be in big trouble. That was a lot of trust to have in me, and I never let them down. I felt I was the luckiest kid in the world, so I wasn't going to do anything to lose this privilege. This was the beginning of my love affair with movies.
This was an era when there were four channels to watch; ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS. At that time, movies didn't appear on these network stations for at least five years after they had been released to theaters, many even longer than that. Therefore, my movie options were limited to what we now refer to as classic movies. These were shown in the afternoon on weekends and on weeknights after the last local newscast, which was after 10:30 PM in my area. I usually watched whatever was on, so I was introduced to a wide variety of old movies. The more I watched, the more I learned to appreciate these classic films.
As an adult, I was ecstatic when the Turner Classic Movies channel was introduced in 1994. While I always loved these old movies, I hated the commercials that continually interrupted the director's vision. The advent of TCM meant I no longer had to endure these annoying interruptions, and I could enjoy these classics the way they were intended to be seen.
I have met a lot of people, especially younger people, who feel that if a movie is in black and white, it isn't worth watching. In their opinion, it's "old fashioned" and not very entertaining. While I admit that the production values of current movies are elevated from the movies of this bygone era, I still feel that there are hundreds of great, entertaining movies that were made before 1975.
What I hope to do with this section is to share my recommendations for great old movies that I feel younger people (or those prejudiced against black and white movies) could enjoy. I will categorize the movies into genres so that you at least know what type of movie I am recommending. You may have heard of some of these movies but I would bet that I will suggest more than a few titles that you have never heard of unless you, too, are a fan of old movies. Also, since color movies became more mainstream in the '60's (yes, there are exceptions, such as The Wizard of Oz and Gone with The Wind, If you enjoy movies, I encourage you to invest 75-120 minutes of your life and give these titles a chance. You may just find that old movies have more value than you originally thought.
NOTE: Some dialogue and actions in these movies reflect stereotypes and opinions that will be considered, by today's standards, wrong, especially in the areas of race and gender. I certainly don't agree with these stereotypes and opinions but they are a snapshot of what life in our country was like during this era. Before you discount an entire movie based on these occurrences, I encourage you to realize that we've come a long way from this time and, rather than allow these situations to turn you away from a particular movie, view these scenes as examples of what we needed to rise above to reach the point of where we are today.
I will add new movies to this list every few weeks, so come back often to see if you agree or disagree with what I feel are some of the best classic movies around. I've added a comments section (scroll to the bottom of this page) so that you can provide your own feedback and opinion of these movies. I encourage you to provide your thoughts so that this may become an interactive process. Here are a few of my favorites, by genre. I will try not to share too many details about each movie, as I don't like spoilers and I want you to experience the movie without many details.
How can I watch these movies?
There are multiple sources where you can find these movies. If your television provider offers the TCM network, many of these titles will be shown on a rotating basis, so check TCM's listings. In addition, here is this month's TCM alphabetical movie listing (as long as I'm still updating this, that is.) Another excellent resource is your local library, which provides a free way to check out many of these titles on DVD. Kanopy streams some classic movies, and you can use this service for free if you have a library card. As a more robust alternative, the best way to find where to stream one of these movies is the WatchNow website, which lists any streaming channels currently offering these and other titles, as well as opportunities to rent these titles if you are so inclined. Finally, if you know me personally, you can ask me to borrow the DVD of the title. Sorry, I can't offer this to people I don't know. Just email me and make sure I have your current mailing address.
COMEDY
Added 6/11/24
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Cast: Cary Grant, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Priscilla Lane, John Alexander, James Gleason, Jack Carson
Director: Frank Capra
Whenever I try to list my favorite comedies of the classic era (and I find it impossible to name my #1 favorite comedy), this movie is always within the top five. This falls under the heading of "screwball comedies," meaning it's an absurd premise. Cary Grant was one of the best comedic actors of his era. While this is one of his earliest attempts at comedy, he plays the part to perfection. In fact, I feel that this is an example where almost all of the actors in this movie do an excellent job of playing their parts and make the unbelievable believable. Josephine Hull and Jean Adair are spectacular in their roles as Grant's aunts who have a secret from the nephew with which they live. Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre are excellent as unexpected guests that only add to the mayhem of this story.
Added 6/11/24
Harvey (1950)
Cast: James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Victoria Horne, Jesse White, Cecil Kellaway, Peggy Dow, Charles Drake
Director: Henry Koster
James Stewart is one of my all-time favorite actors. His comedic talents weren't always on display in his leading roles but this movie proves what a talent he had. It is no coincidence that Josephine Hull appears here for the second time in two movies, as she was a tremendous comedy character actress, and she's just as fantastic in this role as she is in Arsenic and Old Lace. While alcoholism probably shouldn't be the source of a comedy, Stewart brings a warmth to this role that makes you wonder if all of the rest of the characters in this movie shouldn't take a drink or two to gain some humanity. For the second comedy in a row, sanity is on trial.
Added 6/25/24
Monkey Business (1952)
Cast: Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn, Marilyn Monroe, Hugh Marlowe, Henri Letondal, Robert Cornthwaite, Larry Keating, Douglas Spencer, George Winslow
Director: Howard Hawks
There are a lot of movies with this title, not the least of which is the 1931 Marx Brothers classic. However, this 1952 version stars Cary Grant as a scientist who has apparently discovered a youth potion. Not only does Grant's character enjoy the benefits of the potion, his wife (Rogers) also accidentally drinks the elixir. The results are Grant and Rogers providing some pretty funny scenes, the latter scenes sharing the screen with child actor Winslow, whose voice alone is worth experiencing. Monroe plays the role of seductress, while Coburn rounds out the comedy as he often did in the 40's and 50's. This is a perfect example of why I don't believe Rogers ever got credit for how great she was in comedy, mostly because everyone remembers who as Fred Astaire's most accomplished dancing partner.
Added 8/1/24
Duck Soup (1933)
Cast: Groucho Marx, Harpo, Marx, Chico Marx, Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont, Raquel Torres, Louis Calhern, Edmund Breese, Leonid Kinsey, Charles Middleton
Director: Leo McCarey
I don't feel The Marx Brothers (TMB) get enough credit these days for the wonderful comedies they created. If you like zany comedy with political and social overtones, such as Monty Python, you will appreciate TMB if you give their movies a chance. Duck Soup is my favorite among all TMB movies. Groucho becomes the leader of Freedonia who declares war on neighboring Sylvania and comedy ensues. As usual, Harpo and Chico continually work against Groucho with hilarious results, while Zeppo mostly walks around being "normal." Dumont was TMB's constant movie companion, and she puts up with all the nonsense TMB can dole out. She was a consummate professional and, in my humble opinion, deserves a "lifetime achievement" Oscar for all the she endured over the years from TMB movies. She was the perfect "straight man" to their antics.
DRAMA
Added 6/11/24
12 Angry Men (1957)
Cast: Henry Fonda, Martin Balsam, Lee J. Cobb, John Fiedler, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Jack Warden, Ed Begley, George Voskovec, Joseph Sweeney, Edward Binns, Robert Webber
Director: Sidney Lumet
This courtroom drama never shows one scene in the courtroom. Instead, it takes place after a jury of twelve men have begun deliberations on a murder case, the details of which become known through the discussions of the jury. If you've never served on a jury (I'm proud to say I've done my civic duty once and hope to do so again), this is an interesting case study of the process. Director Lumet assembled a tremendous cast of actors that represent a variety of demographics and personalities that make for an emotion-packed movie where the men dissect not only the facts of the case but also the differences between each man. Henry Fonda is another one of my all-time favorite actors, and he provides a stirring performance of a man trying to get the jury to respect the process. I list each of the twelve actors' names because I feel each of them does an excellent job of portraying a variety of personalities that make for a wonderful movie.
Added 6/11/24
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Cast: Dana Andrews, Harold Russel, Frederic March, Myrna Loy, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O'Donnel, Hoagy Carmichael
Director: William Wyler
In an era when movie studios shied away from controversial issues, this amazing movie explores the less glorious aspects of veterans returning home from World War II. Three veterans with three different challenges return from the war to find that things aren't as easy as they thought they would be. I feel Dana Andrews was an under-appreciated actor, and I feel he provides one of his best performances in this movie. Harold Russel only appeared in three movies in his career but none as enlightening as this one, and I applaud Director Wyler's decision to include him here to show the American public the real life issues with veterans who returned after losing limbs in the war. Russel was a real-life vet who lost both of his hands in the war, and the movie shows what life was like for those veterans who sacrificed so much for their country. March puts in a solid performance who questions his former life after spending time in the war. As a fellow Hoosier, I am a big fan of Hoagy Carmichael, a leading songwriter of the time, and he makes a couple of appearances in this movie, as he did on several important movies.
Added 6/25/24
A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966)(color)
Cast: Henry Fonda, Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, Paul Ford, Charles Bickford, Burgess Meredith, Kevin McCarthy, Robert Middleton, John Qualen, Jean-Michael Michenaud
Director: Fielder Cook
While I would categorize this as a Western drama, there certainly are elements of comedy to it. However, the overall story is one of drama. Woodward plays a mild-mannered frontier wife thrown into a very difficult situation, and her acting makes the story quite believable. While Fonda got top billing, Woodward carries this movie as only she can. Robards and McCarthy also create powerful roles that help add to the drama. This is one of those movies where you have to watch all the way to the end to truly appreciate. One element that was unusual for movies of this era is how many minor characters help tell this story, so I give props to director Cook for keeping all the different side stories flowing smoothly and efficiently.
Added 7/16/24
Goodbye, Mr Chips (1939)
Cast: Robert Donat, Greer Garson, Terry Kilburn, John Mills Paul Henreid, Judith Furse, Lyn Harding
Director: Sam Wood, Sidney Franklin (uncredited)
Robert Donat doesn't have the star recognition that many of the stars of these movies have but you will quickly come to like him in this story of a teacher's career in an all-boys school in England. He has a terrible beginning to his career but things change drastically after he meets Garson on vacation. You will enjoy Donat's transformation, as well as the story following this teacher's life. It is a bit of a tear-jerker but remains one of my all-time favorites.
Added 8/1/24
The Caine Mutiny (1954)(color)
Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Jose Ferrer, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray, Robert Francis, May Wynn, Tom Tully, E.G. Marshall, Tom Tully, Lee Marvin, Claude Akins, Jerry Paris
Director: Edward Dmytryk
As a young man, watching this movie solidified Humphrey Bogart as one of my all-time favorite actors. He is not the strong character he normally is in most of his movies, so I applaud him for playing a non-heroic role in a time when that was not usual for the bigger stars. However, there is a lot of great acting in this movie besides Bogie. Ferrer is a convincing lawyer who, in one of the closing scenes, provides the narrative of what really happened on the USS Caine, a World War II battleship on which this story plays out. Johnson plays a clearly conflicted second in command who slowly sees his commander losing his grip. MacMurray stokes the fires of discontent, while keeping his hands clean of the conflict. Francis portrays the young ensign from which whose perspective the story is told. Tully plays the laid-back commander that Bogart replaces. This is one of Marvin's and Paris' first roles. I also love the twist at the end of the movie.
FANTASY/SCIFI
This category will include not only movies that portray a classic fantasy or sci-fi setting but also those whose storyline is fantastic, in nature.
Added 6/25/24
The Enchanted Cottage (1945)
Cast: Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young, Herbert Marshall, Mildred Natwick, Spring Byington, Hillary Brooke, Richard Gaines
Director: John Cromwell
This movie is not set in a classic fantasy or sci-fi setting but, rather, involves the magical nature of a cottage and its affect on two people, Laura, a homely caretaker, and Oliver, a rich, dashing young man who has been disfigured in the war. Both McGuire and Young are excellent at transforming the characters and Marshall, often portrayed as a villain in other movies, moves the plot along as a blind, pianist friend. I have always found this story to be full of hope, and I love the lesson it provides in physical attraction, something that was especially important to me when I was a young boy.
Added 6/25/24
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)(color)
Cast: Todd Armstrong, Nancy Kovack, Gary Raymond, Laurence Naismith, Niall MacGinnis, Michael Gwynn, Douglas Wilmer, Jack Gwillim, Honor Blackman, John Cairney, Nigel Green
Director: Don Chaffey
Associate Producer (Special Effects): Ray Harryhausen
I have to preface this recommendation with a warning. The special effects in this movie are pre-CGI (1963!), so they are not as impressive as current movies. These effects were created by Ray Harryhausen, the master of stop-motion animation. If you've never heard of stop-motion animation, the effect is achieved by taking still shots of a model one at a time, slightly moving the model and taking the next shot, until you have created a series of shots that create animation. If you can look past the advances that have been made over the last 60+ years, I think you will find what he accomplished is pretty amazing. You will not recognize any of the actors in this movie, unlike every other movie I recommend, although I feel the actors are adequate for the story. It is the story itself and the cutting-edge effects for its time, that make this one of my all-time favorite fantasy movies. The term "Argonauts" makes it sound like it is based in space but the term comes from the sailing ship that is built, called the Argo, and the adventures Jason, a Greek hero, and his crew must endure in search of the Golden Fleece. I was introduced to this movie at a very young age (7?) by my older brother, J.D., who loved these kinds of movies when he was younger. Some of you may categorize this as a "fantasy, 'B' movie" that should be relegated to Saturday morning TV but I feel it is a crowning achievement of the fantasy genre that I continue to enjoy watching to this day. If you become a fan of Harryhausen's work, check out Clash of the Titans (1981), The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973) and Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger (1977), the latter starring John Wayne's son, Patrick Wayne
SUSPENSE
Added 7/9/24
North By Northwest (1959)(color)
Cast: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Martin Landau, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carrol, Josephine Hutchinson, Philip Ober, Adam Williams, Edward Platt
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
No doubt, I will be adding multiple titles from the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. Despite what a despicable human being Mr. Hitchcock was in real life, he was an amazing director and film tactician. In this movie, along with Rear Window, Hitchcock shows us how to put together a story filled with excitement and drama. Grant, Saint, Mason and Landau are all excellent in this cross country adventure in which Grant is involved in an international case of mistaken identity, where he is eventually accused of murder. Grant proves he can add humor to a role that requires sincerity. There are numerous iconic movie scenes in this classic Hitchcock tale you should see.
Added 7/9/24
Rear Window (1954)(color)
Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr, Wendell Corey, Judith Evelyn, Ross Bagdasarian, Georgine Darcy, Frank Cady, Sara Berner, Jesslyn Fax
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Hitchcock created an amazing set on which to film an amazing movie that takes place in an unlikely location for a murder drama; the courtyard of an apartment complex. Stewart is a photographer laid up with a broken leg who becomes obsessed with the tenant dramas that unfold within view of his apartment rear window. At one point, he believes he has witnessed a murder but he must convince his socialite girlfriend Kelly and his hard-nosed physical therapist Ritter. Leave it to Hitchcock to create danger and intrigue in a seemingly tranquil neighborhood.
Added 7/16/24
Fail Safe (1964)
Cast: Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Larry Hagman, Dan O'Herlihy, Edward Binns, Fritz Weaver, Frank Overton, William Hansen, Russel Hardie, Russell Collins
Director: Sidney Lumet
Director Lumet assembled a tremendous cast to show how things could have gone terribly wrong during the Cold War era. This film displayed the fears of most Americans during this tense time in history. A bomber carrying nuclear warheads receives a mistaken message to drop their payload in Russia. Based on the protocols in place, the officers on the bomber have no other option than to go through with this horrific plan, so the US president gets on the phone to try and stop this catastrophe before its too late. The ending is not what you will expect, and Lumet keeps the audience on the edge of their seats right up to the end.
Added 8/1/24
Gaslight (1944)
Cast: Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotten, Angela Lansbury, Dame May Whitty, Barbara Everest, Emil Rameau, Edmund Breon
Director: George Cukor
If you want to explore the movie that is the basis for the term gaslighting, invest the time to watch this powerful movie starring one of the greatest actresses of all time, Ingrid Bergman. Bergman works well off of Boyer, as she struggles to maintain her sanity. Lansbury, in her first film role, plays an unsympathetic housekeeper happy to see Bergman lose her husband in the process. The final dialogue between Bergman and Boyer is a classic twist.
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