Articles Index
Dog Day Afternoon
Al Pacino delivered the best performance of his career in Sidney Lumet's 1975 classic that combined a thrilling real-life bank heist and hostage situation with searing social commentary on police brutality and the three-ring circus mentality of the media. It starred Al Pacino as Sonny Wortzik, a desperate Vietnam War veteran who tries robbing a Chase Manhattan bank in Brooklyn. Pacino earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, Lumet received a nod for Best Director, and the film itself was up for Best Picture.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
At a time when the Western had all but run its course, an Italian director named Sergio Leone came along and resurrected the genre. The stylistic film starred Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Cleef and Eli Wallach as three desperados in search of a cash box full of money. Allegiances shift, double-crosses ensue and the three resolve their conflict with a violent finale punctuated by Ennio Morricone's classic score.
'The Big Sleep' - Bogart and Bacall in a Dark Mystery
A complex film noir, 'The Big Sleep' features Humphrey Bogart in one of his most layered roles as Phillip Marlowe, and provides a great showcase for the Bogart and real-life love Lauren Bacall. Clever dialogue highlights intelligent, suspenseful mystery in 'The Big Sleep.'
The Third Man
'The Third Man' takes place in post-war Vienna, a film noir classic set among the ravaged buildings, political squabbling and desperate lives of refugees. Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten and Trevor Howard star in the Graham Greene thriller.
Alfred Hitchcock's Strangers on a Train
What if two 'Strangers on a Train' meet and plan a couple of murders - but only one of them knows it's not an idle joke? Alfred Hitchcock's tense thriller plays it out in a movie with a memorable villain.
Monty Python's Life of Brian
'Monty Python's Life of Brian' is a merry sendup of old-style Bibilical epics, and a biting satire on religion, politics and fanaticism. Rude, crude and side-splitting funny, it follows the life of Brian of Nazareth, an ordinary guy who is mistaken for the Messiah.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Gene Wilder was never better than in 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.' His off-kilter turn as a genius candy inventor who teaches a lesson to some very naughty children is a quirky classic children's movie.
'Witness for the Prosecution'
Billy Wilder's witty screen adaptation of the Agatha Christie play features Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton in a classic movie courtroom battle as the 'Witness for the Prosecution' provides plenty of twists and a surprise ending.
The 39 Steps
A fast-paced, tightly woven 1935 suspense film by Alfred Hitchcock, 'The 39 Steps' establishes many of the themes that would return in Hitchcock's later work. With clever dialog, darkly comic scenes, and Robert Donat as the dashing hero.
'The Invisible Man' - A 1933 Classic
Claude Rains stars in the original 'Invisible Man,' the first movie made from H.G. Wells' classic science fiction novel. A bit campy, the special effects hold up surprisingly well, and Rains' liquid voice carries the movie when his unseen face cannot.
'Stalag 17' - Suspicion in a POW Camp
A compelling study of human nature set in a WWII POW camp, 'Stalag 17' is also a sly dig at the red-baiting of the communist era. Billy Wilder directed William Holden to a Oscar for his cynical performance as the outsider in 'Stalag 17'.
Ben Hur
One of the greatest sword-and-sandal epics ever filmed, 'Ben Hur,' stars Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins and Stephen Boyd in a magnificent, thrilling story of the Roman Empire and the birth of Christ. They just don't make 'em like this anymore.
The Day the Earth Stood Still
A messenger from the stars lands among the Washington monuments with his giant silver robot and makes first contact with humankind. One of the great science fiction films of the '50s, 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' is a classic movie with a message, but still good fun. "Klaatu barata nikto," sci-fi fans!
'3:10 to Yuma' - a Tense Western Thriller
A serviceable western with a solid cast and a classic Old West storyline, the original '3:10 to Yuma' is a showcase for veteran actor Glenn Ford as a charming outlaw and Van Heflin as a stoic rancher caught in a tense conflict.
Charade - A Genre-Spanning Gem with Two Great Stars
A witty and suspenseful outing set on the streets of Paris, 'Charade' is the only classic movie to pair its two great stars: Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. A clever plot, sparkling dialogue and elegant costumes make this a watchable favorite.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The best film ever made about the power of greed to corrupt men's souls. Humphrey Bogart and Walter Huston in the "Treasure of the Sierra Madre,' a sweeping tale of fortunes made and lost in the mountains of Mexico.
Sergeant York - A Classic Biopic
'Sergeant York' is a sharp-shooting pacifist from the backwoods of Tennessee becomes an unlikely war hero in the true story of Sergeant York and his courage in WWI. Gary Cooper stars in this great classic movie as Sergeant York, wrestling with duty to God and country.
To Kill a Mockingbird
In Depression-era Alabama, softspoken lawyer Atticus Finch takes on the case of a black man accused of assaulting a white woman. A classic coming-of-age movie from Harper Lee's best-selling novel, 'To Kill a Mockingbird.'
'She Done Him Wrong' - Racy Mae West
Mae West utters her most famous - and most often misquoted line - in 'She Done Him Wrong,' a scandalous melodrama that shot Cary Grant to stardom in 1933. Sexual frankness and racy songs helped spur enduring censorship after the blue-nose backlash to 'She Done Him Wrong.'
Mary Poppins
'Mary Poppins' is the kind of classic children's tale that never grows old. One of Disney's most successful films, the story of a magical nanny, studded with catchy tunes and wonderful dance numbers, will keep children spellbound.
His Girl Friday
My personal favorite of all the great screwball comedies, 'His Girl Friday' is a fast-paced, funny showcase for Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. Made in 1940, it's one of the first comedies to explore the conflicts of women in the work force, and skewers both politics and journalism with a merry cynicism.
The Taking of Pelham 123
A gritty action/suspense thriller with twists of wry humor, 'The Taking of Pelham 123' boasts a clever plot, great direction, and Walter Matthau at his best.
Citizen Kane
'Citizen Kane' was nearly strangled in the crib by its target, William Randolph Hearst, but Orson Welles' masterpiece of film noir survived. Over the years, 'Citizen Kane' has come to be seen as perhaps the finest classic movie ever made.
The Wizard of Oz
A timeless classic, 'The Wizard of Oz' has delighted legions of children and adults the world over for decades. Based on a much-loved children's book, the 1939 classic movie has stood the test of time.
'Gone With the Wind' - A Civil War Epic
A sweeping movie about the Old South, the Civil War and the adventures of Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler, 'Gone with the Wind' is the epitome of a star-studded Hollywood blockbuster based on a best-selling novel. A soap opera, a period piece, a costume drama and a Civil War epic all rolled into one of the most famous films of all time.