There are movies that we cannot just forget; try as hard we may, they tend to just linger forever in our memories. No matter the new blockbuster that seems to excite us for the time being, the impacts of such newbees never actually match up to the old classics that may have, in one way or the other, influenced our lives.
Classic movies come in all genres and times and always elicit in us the same degree of emotions as they did the first time of our seeing them.
Sound of Music (1965):
One of the last great roadshow musicals, The Sound of Music, directed by Robert Wise, stars Julie Andrews as the trainee-nun-turned-governess Maria, based on the real-life wartime adventures of the Von Trapp family singers. The songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein make this musical one of the most beloved of all time.
The Godfathers (1972):
The first film of Francis Ford Coppola’s epic Mafia trilogy, adapted from Mario Puzo’s book, launched Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro to superstardom and brought us a whole new Marlon Brando as Don Corleone. The film that inspired a thousand marble-mouthed Brando impressions, it’s the mob movie you can’t refuse.
Rebel Without A Cause (1955):
Hollywood icon James Dean only starred in three films during his short life. Rebel Without A Cause, directed by Nicholas Ray, is the most memorable, and one of the earliest cinematic depictions of teen angst. Dean’s co-stars in the film, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo, also met tragic early ends, which gives the film a mythical status.
Psycho (1960):
Alfred Hitchcock’s experiment with exploitation cinema proved the Master of Suspense to be the Master of Marketing, and became his most notorious film in a career of classics. It also changed showers forever. Anthony Perkins’s Norman Bates is still one of the most memorable screen weirdos of all time, and Bernard Herrmann’s screeching strings left a lasting influence on movie scores
Lawrence of Arabia (1962):
David Lean’s 70mm desert epic stars Peter O’Toole in the sweeping film about T.E. Lawrence, the British archaeologist, military officer, and World War I liaison to the Ottoman Empire. It was shot in Morocco, Spain, Jordan, and England—try to catch those stunning locations and O’Toole’s baby blues on the big screen if you can.
Casablanca (1942):
Casablanca is up there with the Godfather for the most quoted screenplay of all time. This WWII classic, directed by Michael Curtiz, pairs Scandinavian beauty Ingrid Bergman with tough-guy Humphrey Bogart for a story of lovers ripped apart by war and reunited in a far-flung Moroccan piano bar—of all the gin joints in the world.
Gone With The Wind (1939):
The original "sweeping epic," this film stars Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O’Hara, the plucky Southern belle who romances Clark Gable's Rhett Butler against the backdrop of the Civil War. It’s one of the most indelible films ever made, and though it has been criticized for its racial politics, supporting actress Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American actor to win an Academy Award. (It also won the best picture in what might arguably be the most the crowded field in the history of the Oscars, beating The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights, Stagecoach, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, among others.
The Wizard of Oz (1939):
There’s no place like home, and no classic movie as beloved as Dorothy’s adventures in Oz. The film left its imprint on the kinds of narratives and character types—wicked and good witches, scarecrows, tinmen, and cowardly lions, oh my—we see on film. “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” sung beautifully by Judy Garland, is the cherry on top of the delicious cake of a movie that is the Wizard of Oz!
Stagecoach (1939):
John Ford’s definitive Western follows a group of strangers traveling by coach through dangerous Apache territory and is one of the most influential films ever made. Starring John Wayne as the Ringo Kid in a breakthrough performance that made him a star, this was the first film Ford shot in Monument Valley.
An Affair to Remember (1957):
Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr meet on a transatlantic boat trip—and even though they are both involved in relationships, they have a beautiful and brief affair. But before their ship docks in New York they make a plan to meet at the top of the Empire State building after six months to get married. But an accident gets in the way the day of the meet-up and both are left to wonder if they ever really loved one another at all. It is one of those movies that made the Empire State Building an iconic American landmark.
Well, there you have it: my ten all-time movie classic. You can make your own list in the comment section of this post. Hope you enjoyed the read.
