Old Timey film Suggestions

I am looking for old black and white films to watch. I am not opposed to silent films but I am more likely to enjoy Talkies.

I love the Marx Brothers, The Thin Man, and Some Like it Hot.

What old movies do you love?

Years ago, on a late night flight, I thought I would put on an old black-and-white movie, thinking I would fall asleep quickly.

I put on 12 Angry Men.

I did not get any sleep during that flight. I was riveted almost immediately, and hung on every word. I still go back and watch it from time to time, and it's still great.

My husband adores Buster Keaton, although most of his are silent. (Although he IS in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum)

As another idea....you can find a few movies through your library....streaming via hoopla or now Kanopy...if your library subscribes to the services.

One of my favorite movies is Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious. An early masterpiece from the master of suspense, staring Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman.

Another you can't go wrong with is the dark comedy, Arsenic and Old Lace, which also stars Cary Grant.

And if you like the classic monster movies (Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.) a more modern movie but filmed in classic B&W style- Young Frankenstein is highly recommended.

I've always liked The Philadelphia Story. Some parts will probably make modern viewers cringe (like the opening scene, for instance), but that's the price you pay for getting Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart all in one film.

Can't go wrong with Singing in the Rain and other such musicals.

This is a good thread, I love Horse Feathers and Duck Soup. Two films that should be watched back to back are Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein. They're short, they get to the point quickly (for the era), and hold up well, especially creepy reveal of the monster at the beginning of Bride.
Creature from the Black Lagoon also holds up well, it retains a sense of mystery.
The original King Kong from 1933 is awesome.

Casablanca
Any Film Noir - The Big Sleep, Maltese Falcon
Heck, anything with Humphrey Bogart is a winner in my book.

The Third Man, and Touch of Evil for your Welles noir fix. Note: Welles was made by the studio to cast Charlton Heston as a Mexican in Touch of Evil. He was so mad about it he had dialogue written into the movie mentioning how he didn't particularly look the part.

All About Eve was disturbing and brilliantly acted.

On the Waterfront was in turns depressing and inspiring.

If you are up for some old British films then the following are highly recommended:

Kind Hearts and Coronets - Sir Alec Guiness (Obi Wan Kenobi to most of the world) at his superlative best.
The Titfield Thunderbolt - High jinks in a small English village trying to keep their rail line after Dr Beeching decides to get rid of it. Very English but very funny.
A Matter of Life and Death. David Niven bails out of his failing plane over the English Channel but gets lost by the angel meant to be guiding him to his afterlife, so doesn't actually die. After he gets found again, he has to plead for his life in a heavenly court. a Powell/Pressberger film and one of the greatest films ever made.
The LadyKillers. Not the Coen Brother's version, which was a bit pants.
Whisky Galore. Alcoholic Scottish Village runs rings around English Customs man.

That'll do for now. Mostly old Ealing comedies but my word they were dark and very good indeed.

EDIT: In the US, A Matter of Life and Death was known as Stairway to Heaven.

If you want a RomCom done right, go with It Happened One Night. If you like the Thin Man movies then you'll feel right at home with the snappy banter.

Second on Arsenic and Old Lace. And they're silent, but Buster Keaton flicks are great, especially when you realize he's doing his own stunts and they're all completely bonkers. The General is a good starting point. Then, if you want to see where Tim Burton derived his visual style from, check out Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari.

As a film student, I assume everyone's seen Citizen Kane, but if you haven't, WATCH IT. There's a reason its essentially a cliche at this point.

For noirs, Touch of Evil is a classic, and DOA is interesting in that it's about a guy investigating the murder of a guy who's not dead yet.

Captain Blood is a great summer swashbuckling film. Otherwise, I’m a huge fan of Bogart- Casablanca, Maltese Falcon and African Queen are all terrific.

The Great Dictator
My Favorite Wife
Lifeboat
Brother Orchid
Scarface (1932) with Paul Muni
Freaks
M
Mister Blandings Builds his Dreamhouse
Phantom of the Opera (silent, sure, but the colors during the costume ball are amazing)
Flying Tigers
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Manchurian Candidate (kind of newer, but black and white and well-made)
Sunset Boulevard
The Rope
Sergeant York
Pride of the Yankees
All About Eve
Murder, He Says

Some are a little newer, into the late 40s early 50s.

Stan and Ollie. Way Out West

Love 12 Angry Men. What a cast.

My recommendation: City Lights. My favourite Chaplin by some measure.

MaxShrek wrote:

Freaks

That was really tough to watch. I don't think I finished it, although I think it's worth watching for the light it shines on exploitation in that era.

I found this list and it reminded me of a few:

Ice cold in Alex
Brief encounter
The Maltese flacon
The big sleep (I saw it as a student and, somewhat ironically, missed a huge chunk from the middle of the film because I fell asleep in the cinema.)
Seven samurai
Night of the living dead

I totally spaced on it, but yeah, Seven Samurai is real damn good.

The Apartment is one of my favorite films of all time. If you'd like to see a more nuanced take on Dr. Strangelove, check out Failsafe. Finally, a movie that will feel horrifyingly relevant, but actually brilliant, check out A Face In the Crowd.

Running Man wrote:
MaxShrek wrote:

Freaks

That was really tough to watch. I don't think I finished it, although I think it's worth watching for the light it shines on exploitation in that era.

The thing that's interesting about the film is how normal the "freaks" are and how despicable some of the "normal" people are.

Oh man, if you're up for some Kurosawa films then that would definitely bring in a lot of good films. As Chaz said, Seven Samurai, and in addition you've got Rashomon, The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo, Drunken Angel, The Bad Sleep Well, Throne of Blood... really it's hard to go wrong with most of Kurosawa's older films.

Love 12 Angry Men. What a cast.

Thank you. I almost feared we would reach a full page of suggestions
without a mention.

North by Northwest is great.
I am also a fan of war movies like Guns of Navarrone, Where Eagles Dare, Kelly's Heroes

Did anyone say Rear Window? Someone should say Rear Window.

I didn't see my favorite romantic comedies mentioned:

The Awful Truth

My Favorite Wife

The Divorce of Lady X

Just about anything with Jimmy Stewart in it. My wife is slowly turning me into a Danny Kaye fan as well, so that.

Danny Kaye is amazing!

fangblackbone wrote:

Danny Kaye is amazing!

He is. I'd only really seen him in White Christmas, but my wife made me watch The Court Jester recently, and my socks were blown clean across the room.

Veloxi wrote:
fangblackbone wrote:

Danny Kaye is amazing!

He is. I'd only really seen him in White Christmas, but my wife made me watch The Court Jester recently, and my socks were blown clean across the room.

"The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle..."

You should also check out Merry Andrew. It has a math song

MathGoddess wrote:
Veloxi wrote:
fangblackbone wrote:

Danny Kaye is amazing!

He is. I'd only really seen him in White Christmas, but my wife made me watch The Court Jester recently, and my socks were blown clean across the room.

"The pellet with the poison's in the vessel with the pestle..."

You should also check out Merry Andrew. It has a math song :)

Will do! Wife wants to watch The Kid from Brooklyn next!