30 Movies In 30 Days. Day 10 – Fail.
Questions like this are for people who stay stuff like: “I don’t usually like black and white movies, but…” Y’know, morons.
At stretch, I’m taking it to mean the Golden Age of Hollywood (1920s – 1950s). That’s over three decades of movies though, in which some of the best directors of all-time (Hitchcock, Hawks, Capra, Ford) filmed their best work.
So I’m dismissing the question today, because it displeases me. Thus, what follows is my favourite classic movies from the best classic directors.
Hitchcock – Vertigo. Filled with his standard tropes (wit, mystery, blondes, Jimmy) but the forced transformation of Judy into Madeleine feels disturbingly confessional for Hitch. The Herrmann score is hypnotic, too.
Hawks – Rio Bravo. John Wayne and Angie Dickinson light up the screen, and the mundane problems of a handful of flawed fellows become captivating, thanks to highly influential pressure cooker scenario.
Capra – It’s A Wonderful Life. Clearly. For the idyllic school dance, the heart-breaking decision to save the buildings and loans company with savings, and the message in Clarence’s card at the end.
Ford – The Searchers. Primarily because the scope of the thing. Ethan and Martin travels across The Old West span years. Finding her is an obsession borne out of Ethan’s racism, and so the revelation about her fate – although obvious from the start – is highly evocative.
Tags: 30_days
July 22, 2010 at 6:43 pm |
Ah, my first real disagreements – though I’m well aware I’m firmly in the minority when I say I can’t stand It’s A Wonderful Life. Neil adores it and we watch it every year. Sigh.
(I’d go for Mr Smith Goes To Washington, myself, and Rope for Hitchcock. But I’m not particularly well versed in either director.)
July 22, 2010 at 6:49 pm |
(Neil’s stepfather once asked him if he still watched black and white films. He struggled for a while as to whether to break it to him that they still make black and white films…)
July 22, 2010 at 7:47 pm |
I’ve never understood the B&W bias. Can’t understand the It’s A Wonderful Life dislike, get Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, find Rope baffling. I always considered it as an exercise in Hitchcock seeing what he could do with the camera, rather than him making a good film. Each to their own, though!
July 22, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Especially as Neil’s a huge Woody Allen fan and Manhattan is one of his favourite films.
I feel a bit that way about Vertigo – it was all very clever, but didn’t add up to an interesting or entertaining film for me.
July 28, 2010 at 12:41 pm |
[...] the ‘favourite classic movie’ day, this question displeases [...]