Fav OLD (B&W) Movie - let's make it pithy, eh?

[LOCIfan]

These are all such great pics! Makes me want to stay home all week and just watch movies!! It's been so long since I last saw most of these great flicks.

Michael, thanks for the head's up on the Comedy Collection. Not a bad price for 4 DVDs. I may need to splurge!

[michael]

LOCIfan:

It's actually six movies on eight DVDS. "Philadelphia Story" and "Bringing Up Baby" are two discs each (with several extra features). The other movies are "Dinner At Eight", "Libeled Lady", "Stage Door" and "To Be or Not To Be." (Just do a Google search on "Classic Comedy Collection")

I've already ordered mine...

[Techguy]

I agree, this is a great topic. As some members already know, I am a huge fan of old movies so now I have to put on my thinking cap to make my selections. Many have already been mentioned, but nevertheless, and in no particular order:

"All About Eve" for its sophisticated, crackling dialogue, a Bette Davis who takes no prisoners, and the scene-stealing George Sanders
"Casablanca," "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," "To Have and Have Not," and "The Maltese Falcon" for Bogey
"To Kill a Mockingbird" for one of the best screen performances of all time--Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch--and its commentary on family and social mores
"Dr. Strangelove" one of the best political satires ever made
"It's a Wonderful Life" for its sentimental and nostalgic look at life in a simpler time, and how one person can make a difference
"Citizen Kane" for its technical achievements, and clarity of vision of how power corrupts
"City Lights," "The Great Dictator," and "The Gold Rush" because no one is funnier than Chaplin at his best, and these three films are must-haves for anyone's movie collection
"Some Like It Hot" because any movie with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in drag has to be seen to be believed

I think I failed the pithy test, too.

[Metella]

yah, I'd say the pithy test is a tough one for most - ya'll get D+'s ;D

I forgot about the Treasure-Madre flick .... I've never seen that either & I quote a scene from it .... so I guess I better get to watching it to make sure I have been quoting it correctly .....

OK - Homework time starts this weekend -

[NikkiGreen]

You won't be disappointed with The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Mr. Bogart and Mr. Huston are fabulous. Another Bogart movie I really like is Sabrina...way better than the remake.

I was reading that Teresa Wright passed away on Sunday. One film that's fantastic is The Best Years of Our Lives. I first saw that decades ago on late night TV. Rest in Peace, Ms. Wright.

So Ms. Metella, which picture is first on your homework assignment list?

[janetcatbird]

I love all the old Universal Horror films--"Frankenstein" and his "Bride", "The Mummy", "Dracula" is alright. (I'm a big Karloff fan, though Lugosi isn't bad either.) For thsoe who want to see a spoof, see "You'll Find Out" which has Peter Lorre, Karloff and Lugosi spoofing the whole horror genre of a haunted house--although the movie was built around Kay Kyser and his band, so I'll warn you now of the musical numbers.

Silent movies are also cool. I'm really getting into Lon Chaney--"Phantom of the Opera" is interesting (and had elements from the book many versions don't), "Ace of Hearts" and "Laugh Clown Laugh" are also very good. For foreign silent movies I reccomend the Russian 1920s flick "Bed and Sofa".

"Arsenic and Old Lace", "Georgy Girl", "Casablanca" and "Maltese Falcon" have been mentioned before. "Three Strangers" and "The Verdict" for Peter Lorre and Joan Lorring. My mother loves "Gaslight" but I can never watch it without thinking of Jeff Foxworthy. "M" from the 1930s is wonderful, a group so into the psychology and stuff of "Criminal Intent" could really sink their teeth into Peter Lorre's performance as the child murderer.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is terrific--one of the few movies that actually is as good as the book (although you miss some little scenes and I wish they could have done more with the neighbor Miss Maudie). Harper Lee herself loved Greogry Peck in that--when people tried to get the rights for a stage production she turned it down saying nobody could ever do that role after Peck. (On the set when Peck first came out in the white suit she burst into tears saying "Oh my God, that's Daddy! You've even got a little potbelly just like him!" "That's not a potbelly, Harper, that's good acting" he responded. She gave him her father's pocketwatch--which he had with him when he won the Oscar. Thanks to TCM website for those tidbits.)

Pithy--ha! You know us better than that Metella! And I'm sure I'll come up with more films as we go. I brought home a whole bunch of tapes for break so I could get to enjoy what I got off TCM last month, yay for vacation! Take care all, stock up on your popcorn!

Catbird

[Metella]

How about Citizen Kane as our first homework assignment - I'll try to get it in this weekend - no promises - but def by 2 weeks from now.

[MelTex]

Oh good Metella, you picked the homework assignment movie I've been needing to see. ;D

And as seriously scary as this may sound, with all the times it is broadcasted on TV, I STILL have not seen It's a Wonderful Life! *ducks thrown objects*

I guess during Christmas, which can be a hard time for me, I didn't want to see a tear-jerker...but I know I need to see it.

Does Mr Smith Goes to Washington count in this? I've seen bits of it and really liked it, though I can't remember if its B&W. *face-palm*

[NikkiGreen]

Metella, you're on. Citizen Kane it is.

MelTex, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a B&W movie. I've seen that quite a few times. Isn't Jimmy Stewart marvelous!

I don't believe It's a Wonderful Life started out as a Christmas time movie?? And it didn't too well at the box office when it first came out. It only caught on when it started airing on TV. There's a few teary moments, but it all works out in the end.

Well, I was forced to watch To Kill a Mockingbird last night! HaHaHaHa

My nephew's 10th grade just finished studying it. I had to proof his essay analyzing the differences in the views of the young (and innocent) vs the oldies. The scene where the mob went to lynch Tom Robinson the evening before the trial starts seemed so much more powerful. Also, realized just how brilliant and perfect GP's performance really is!

The poor kid. Next up is Romeo & Juliet. Not only does the class have to watch the original version, but also the DiCaprio version.

[domenicaflor]

I have a q which might be best placed in Forum Questions, but since it relates to this thread I left it here.

If many of us want to discuss old movies (or for that matter, other non-D'Onofrio, Erbe, Vance, Sheridan films), should we have a master thread for Film Talk like we have Other TV Talk?

Then we could have one thread for Kane, etc.

An idea for the Squad.

D.

[Patcat]

D.,

I like that idea.

James Stewart was a brilliant actor, and one who sustained a career for a very long time. He took chances too, particularly with his films for Alfred Hitchcock and Anthony Mann.

IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE did not do very well in its initial outings. It became a Christmas standby when it went off copyright in the 1980s (I think), and Ted Turner began running it endlessly on his various stations. It was shown so often during December that there were references to IT'S A WONDERFUL MONTH. Now, of course, NBC owns the film and only shows it a couple of times.

My IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE story--

I got stuck alone on a Christmas Eve during a spell of bad weather. I was going to be able to get down to my family for Christmas Day, but this was the first time I'd spend Christmas Eve by myself (friends had already made plans, etc.) I ordered a pizza, and was doing well.
Then, I made the mistake of turning on the TV. 60 channels, and Jimmy Stewart contemplating suicide on every one of them. I got very depressed, then the silliness of the situation struck me, and then I got to watch the late Joseph Cardinal Bernadin say Midnight Mass from Chicago, so I was ok.

Patcat

[MelTex]

D. I like that idea as well!

Pat: Sorry you got depressed, but hey, I got teary eyed watching the Budwieser commercial in their "I'll be Home For Christmas" ride through the snowy countryside.
For a beer company, they have some of the best comercials. *sniffle*

[michael]

I hate to get a zero on the first homework assignment, but I'm watching the ACC tournament this weekend, and also I simply do not care for "Citizen Kane" and good old "Rosebud". (Maybe I just heard so much about it that when I finally got around to seeing it I was disappointed...)

Here's a few I don't think have been mentioned: (1)a young Jimmy Stewart and Hedy Lemarr in "Come Live With Me" (I hope that's the correct title!) (2)"People Will Talk" with Cary Grant and Jeanne Craine (3) The Marx Brothers in "Animal Crackers" or "Duck Soup" (but you'll have to be in the right mood for their style of comedy... )

Happy hunting...

[jethro]

domenicaflor said:

If many of us want to discuss old movies (or for that matter, other non-D'Onofrio, Erbe, Vance, Sheridan films), should we have a master thread for Film Talk like we have Other TV Talk?

Then we could have one thread for Kane, etc.

Enjoy!

[Techguy]

Michael, thanks for reminding me of the inspired genius of the Marx Brothers. Not only "Duck Soup" and "Animal Crackers" but also "The Cocoanuts," "Horse Feathers," "A Day at the Races," "A Night at the Opera," and "Monkey Business." But you're correct, you have to be in the right mood for their style of on-screen lunacy and mayhem!

How in the world could I have left them off my list of favorite B&W movies? *slaps self on the side of the head* In my defense, I can only say, "There is no sanity clause!"