Comments on: A Classic Movie Starter Kit

By: Dusan

Dusan — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 00:42:22 +0000

@K
I was searching google for the same movie as you, and eventually found out that name of that movie is Pillow Talk, enjoy… :)

By: moirafinnie

moirafinnie — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:50:48 +0000

"I am trying to remember the name of a romantic comedy from the early sixties." Hi K., I think you may be referring to Any Wednesday (1966) with Jason Robards, Dean Jones and Jane Fonda. HighHurdler, This is a thought-provoking article and the suggestions for a list of movie classics chosen by others is always fun and revelatory.

By: K

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 03:42:21 +0000

I have a movie question unrelated to this post. I am trying to remember the name of a romantic comedy from the early sixties. It is about two men in New York City that are fighting over the same girl (I thought Cary Grant was one of them). One of the later scenes involves the couple traveling to a log cabin in upstate NY and of course both of them show up. One of the men has also hired the girl to decorate his apartment. And at the end of the movie the man that wins carries the girl down a couple blocks in New York to his apartment over his shoulder. Any help would be appreciated.

By: Patricia

Patricia — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:48:40 +0000

Over the last few years my teenage daughter has developed a strong interest in classic film (I’m sure part of that is a survival instinct). Her moto is: If Ward Bond is in it, I’ll watch it!

By: MDR

MDR — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 15:15:59 +0000

Thanks for your additional selections everyone!

Jenni, I also considered B&W westerns RED RIVER (1948) and THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962), which is one of my favorites. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934) was in my top 30 (as was LIFE WITH FATHER (1947), but I went with ROMAN HOLIDAY (1953) instead for my romantic comedy choice. I wish that A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (1945) was available on DVD! Most of your other picks are among my favorites too, some great recommendations; it was obviously very hard for me to narrow it down to just 10 (er, 12;-)

Jeff and others who’ve suggested THE SEARCHERS (1956), though I like this undeniably great classic, I’ve always thought it a bit too dark to suggest to first timers as an introduction to the genre (it’s almost an acquired taste) and tend to recommend the two Wayne B&Ws I’ve mentioned above before it.

mjryan, though I’d probably go with NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) before REAR WINDOW (1954), both are terrific Technicolor Hitchcock picks. As you’ve probably surmised, I eliminated THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946) because of its length, but perhaps I should have considered NOW, VOYAGER (1942) for my Davis film. I love Capra and probably should have found a way to include one of his on the list for introduction purposes alone.

By: mjryan

mjryan — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:41:42 +0000

A solid list. It’s difficult to argue against any of these selections. But, I’ll try. ;)

I’ve been watching all of Hitchcock’s movies this year, a little goal I set for myself last October. While I haven’t watched all of them, of the ones I’ve watched Rear Window stands out. I’ve always thought that Notorious, while good, is overrated. When the appeal of the leads is a push – Kelly and Stewart versus Grant and Bergman – I think the story and suspense should win. Notorious’ plot is just too thin, IMO.

Since I haven’t seen The Little Foxes I can’t argue against that per se. But, I will say that of the Davis movies I’ve seen, Now, Voyager is by far my favorite.

I think any list of top 10 should include The Best Years of our Lives. I would think twice about suggesting it only because of the length.

In lieu of including silents, I would at least include The Great Dictator by Chaplin. It might just encourage the new viewer to request a suggestion for a Chaplin silent, to which I’d reply Modern Times.

To give a little variety, I’d add a war movie to the bunch. Probably They Were Expendable, Run Silent, Run Deep or On the Beach.

I also think Capra’s work before the war is accessible to newbies: Mr Smith Goes to Washington, Meet John Doe, Mr Deeds Goes to Town.

By: Jeff (Atlanta)

Jeff (Atlanta) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:16:36 +0000

I can’t fault your list as an entry point for classic film novices. All great choices. The only one I would switch out for personal preferences only would be HIGH NOON with THE SEARCHERS because the latter film marked the first time I began to view John Wayne as a good actor and prior to that I avoid his movies because I hated his politics. Plus the movie had a grimness to it that many westerns avoided in their eagerness to deliver the expected chases and showdowns. Although there are things about HIGH NOON I admire – the performances, the real time aspect, the central premise – it still feels self conscious and too regimental in design compared to Ford’s vivid epic about the type of men who really won the west but didn’t really fit into the society they defended and protected.

By: Jenni, St. Louis

Jenni, St. Louis — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:06:25 +0000

Hmmmm. What films would be on my list? Westerns: Who Shot Liberty Valance?, The Searchers( a technicolor choice,) Shane, and the one starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift, Red River.

Comedies: Bringing up Baby(I let my kids watch this one last year and they all loved it,) My Favorite Wife, It Happened One Night,Pillow Talk-I believe that comes in under the 1969 rule,Life With Father, Mr. Blanding’s Builds his Dream House.

Dramas: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, To Kill a Mockingbird, A Letter to Three Wives, Penny Serenade(I know some think this is a
silly tearjerker,but I love it,)A Patch of Blue,Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,Mildred Pierce,A Woman’s Face,The Best Year of our Lives.

Noir/Suspense: Night of the Hunter, North by Northwest,Ace in the Hole,Out of the Past,Stalag 17,Laura.

There are many more great old films I love and would recommend to a novice viewer, but here’s where I’d start.

By: MDR

MDR — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:35:52 +0000

More great suggestions, most of which were in my final 30 (or were eliminated due to my obtuse guidelines). Thanks Laura (who recommended LAURA(1944), naturally, a movie which is revelation for those who only know Vincent Price’s later horror genre works) and Al; I like Otto Preminger’s films too! Perhaps a future list of Technicolor classics is in order (for those that are put off by B&W)?

By: Al Lowe

Al Lowe — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 10:18:10 +0000

This is a good list.

I only argue with one choice and I know I am in the minority on this one. Heck, I may be totally alone on this opinion.
Although I love Billy Wilder and Stanwyck, I’m not a Double Indemnity fan. First of all, I prefer The Postman Always Rings Twice, with Garfield, Turner and Hume Cronyn at their best. (Wilder got a lot of turn-downs trying to get a male lead for Double Indemnity; did he consider Garfield?)

Also, there are other things that make this tough for me to watch.
Stanwyck wears a bad blonde wig.
Watching Fred MacMurray trying to be sexy both amuses and rattles me.
That supermart where they meet should have brand names displayed; there’s probably some stupid reason why it doesn’t.
The scene where Edward G. doesn’t see Stanwyck in the hall reminds me of bad farce.

The movie gained high regard because it was a trailblazer and trendsetter. But there are better examples of that genre.
I also like Angel Face, a film that is consistently underrated.

But other than that choice that everyone loves but me, it is a fine list.

Although I don’t know if it would really appeal to nonbuffs, just because the nonbuffs I meet don’t like black and white films and think the classics move too slowly.
But that’s not your fault.