6 Films 6 Decades Blogathon

It's National Classic Movie Day and to celebrate the occasion Rick at the Classic Film and TV Cafe is hosting the 6 Films 6 Decades Blogathon. Participants are asked to list six favorite films spanning six decades. Quite a difficult task to do! My sister Diana wanted to join in on the fun, too, so she added her favorites as well...without the commentary.  

We're just going with personal favorites here. If one was to choose a favorite film from each decade that represented the best of the best, this would be an altogether different list! 

1930s

The Adventures of Robin Hood ( 1938 ) 

There were so many great films made in the 1930s, from the Universal horror classics to the MGM costume dramas to the Paramount comedies, it was a decade rich in variety! This was the era that launched a number of excellent series too ( Andy Hardy, Dr. Kildare, The Thin Man, Sherlock Holmes ) so what a tough choice to make. The Adventures of Robin Hood stands out even among such classics as Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz. Who can resist Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland.

1940s

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir ( 1947 )

A childhood favorite. This film has such a wonderful atmosphere! The turn-of-the-century seaside setting is great in itself but when you add in a handsome ghost ( Rex Harrison ) and the beautiful Gene Tierney, yum! Also of note is the music score - the fantastic composer Bernard Herrmann penned one of his greatest movie themes for The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.

1950s

Gigi ( 1958 ) 

The 1950s featured some of the best films ever made, epics such as Ben-Hur, dramas like Imitation of Life, and great comedies like Harvey. But the 1950s was also the golden age of musicals, and when I think of musicals, Gigi always ranks top. This film captures the spirit of France and the carefree days of summer. The musical score is scrumptious and Louis Jourdan and Leslie Caron are adorable. 

1960s

The Chalk Garden ( 1964 )

Undoubtedly, the hardest decade to pick a favorite film from! The Pink Panther, Good Neighbor Sam, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang were all vying for the top-spot, but I ended up choosing the little known dramatic thriller The Chalk Garden. Why? It was shot in beautiful Technicolor, was set in England, features a great script with a cat-and-mouse theme, and stars two favorite actresses ( Deborah Kerr and Hayley Mills ). 

1970s

The London Connection ( 1979 )

Most of the films from the 1970s I find uninteresting so, when it comes to this decade, Walt Disney pictures always win out. The studio made a lot of really fun ones, too including Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Snowball Express, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, Freaky Friday, and The Strongest Man in the World. But once again, I went with an underdog here. The London Connection is one that I never tire of. It features a young James Bond-style agent who teams up with a friend to rescue a Soviet defector and capture the dangerous Mr. Minton. 

1980s

A View to a Kill ( 1985 ) 

Roger Moore had made seven James Bond films since he took over the role of the dapper secret service agent in 1973. A View to a Kill was the last in his series and Bond was showing his age, but I always thought this film packed quite a punch. It boasted great location shooting in Paris and at the Château de Chantilly and was one of the rare films where Bond got to spend some time in the States. It was a childhood favorite and remains so after numerous viewings. 

Diana's Picks

1920s - Safety Last! ( 1923 )

1930s - Paradise for Three ( 1937 )

1940s - The Ghost and Mrs. Muir ( 1947 )

1950s - To Catch a Thief ( 1955 ) 

1960s - Charade ( 1963 ) 

1970s - North Avenue Irregulars ( 1978 ) 

6 From the '60s - Favorite Films of the 1960s

Back in March, Rick of the Classic Film and TV Cafe announced the subject for the annual National Classic Movie Day blogathon - 6 From the '60s - and what fun it has been trying to narrow down the choices to only six favorites.

My sister and I were first introduced to classic movies through the films of the 1960s since this was the decade that our father loved the most growing up in. He started us off on children's classics from this time period and then worked us back to his favorites from the 1950s and then 1940s. Most of my personal favorite films have ended up being the ones from the 1960s as well, so it was difficult to choose only six. These are not what anyone would call "top recommendations" or "best films" of the 1960s - they are just six favorites that are especially dear to me ( and I am sure to many others as well ). 

Enjoy!
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Send Me No Flowers ( 1964 ) 

How can one write about favorite films of the 1960s and not even think about Rock Hudson and Doris Day! This lovely couple practically started a whole new genre of "bedroom comedies". Of the four films that they made together, Send Me No Flowers is probably the most underrated. Rock Hudson plays a man who thinks he is dying and, with the aid of his friend Tony Randall, plots to find a husband for his wife Doris Day after he is gone. This was the film that introduced me to Doris Day and it has always remained my favorite. The suburban setting is marvelous, the dialogue is very witty and the comedic delivery of this dialogue from all the main actors is what makes this such a gem. The main title theme song - performed by Day of course - is happiness itself.  

Favorite Scene: The country club dance, especially when Burt ( Clint Walker ) begins to dance with Judy and steps on her toes!

Good Neighbor Sam ( 1964 )

And speaking of suburban settings....here is another underrated gem that features some beautiful suburban ranch sets. Good Neighbor Sam showcases Jack Lemmon in one of the funniest roles he ever played. Sam ( Lemmon ) and his wife Min ( Dorothy Provine ) help her old school friend Janice ( Romy Schneider ) move in next door. When Janice discovers that she inherited $15 million from a long-lost uncle, they naturally help her claim her inheritance - which includes proving that she is still happily married. The catch is, she isn't. So Sam pretends to be her husband and things work well until her real ex-husband shows up! I've watched this film countless times and never tire of it. It's chock full of familiar character actors from film and television, including Edward G. Robinson, Edward Andrews, Louis Nye, Charles Lane, and Joyce Jameson. The location scenes around San Francisco are great, Romy Schneider never looked more alluring and the whole plot idea of a woman "loaning" her husband to her best friend is too much fun. 

Favorite Scene: When Sam spends the evening at Janice's house, eats a steak dinner, and then comes home and pretends he hasn't eaten, only to be fed burnt macaroni and cheese ( "Here's some more of that crust that you love" ). 

The Pink Panther ( 1963 ) 

Now, this is a real childhood favorite and one that's probably a favorite for many. Heist films were all the rage in the 1960s, but The Pink Panther is great because it is played for laughs. David Niven makes such a debonair jewel thief ( he also starred in the original Raffles ) and the beautiful location setting of the film ( in Paris, Cortina d'Ampezzo and Rome ) really make this a delight. My sister and I loved watching this on winter evenings when we were youngsters. Peter Sellars made the character of Inspector Clouseau so lovably bumbling that he reprised the role in four more films. 

Favorite Scene: The informal dinner party at the Princess' mountain lodge. Sir Charles thinks he is going to have a private dinner with the princess and then discovers that it is a party affair. 

The Parent Trap ( 1961 ) 

No favorite list of mine would be complete without a Hayley Mills film included and, in this case, there are two - both from Walt Disney Studios. The Parent Trap tells the story of twin sisters who were separated at birth and meet up at a summer camp by accident. They then switch places with each other in order to meet the parent they never knew. This was the movie that launched Hayley Mills career in Hollywood. She was such a talented child actress and she plays both parts so well that you really DO believe that there are twins in this movie! 

Most favorite films are chosen for a reason and, in my case, location settings have a lot to do with why I enjoy a certain movie. The Parent Trap was filmed in and around beautiful Big Bear Lake in California and at the Walt Disney ranch and these sets conjure up wonderful summer feelings of camping, hiking, and being out in the woods. Since they are a family of two sisters and a mother and father, it also makes me think of my own home life...especially Saturday evenings with my mom cooking stew in the kitchen. 

Favorite Scene: There are too many favorite scenes in this movie, but the stew scene does stand out as one of the tops. This is when Mitch ( Keith ) and the twins come back from a camping trip with Vicki and Mitch sees Maggie ( O'Hara ) in the kitchen making stew. It reminds him of the old days when they were married and he realizes that he still loves her and wants to marry her again. 

That Darn Cat ( 1965 ) 

This Disney classic was made when Hayley was a few years older and this acted as a nice transition film for her. She was no longer a child star and not quite ready for adult roles. In the film, she plays Patty, a teenager who has a bent for getting into trouble. Her cat comes home one night with a wristwatch around its neck and scrawled on its backside are the letters HEL. Patty believes it belongs to a kidnapped woman who was trying to write "help" and so she enlists the aid of the FBI and her cat becomes an agent. This is a light-hearted mystery comedy and always enjoyable to watch. Walt Disney knew how to pick good talent and the cast in That Darn Cat is especially great - Dean Jones as the FBI agent, Dorothy Provine as Patty's sister, Frank Gorshin as one of the criminals, William Demarest and Elsa Lancaster as the neighbors, and Roddy McDowall as an obnoxious coworker. 

Favorite Scene: When Zeke ( Dean Jones ) tracks "DC" the cat around the town and follows her into the drive-in movie theatre where Patty and her boyfriend ( Tom Lowell ) happen to be watching a surfing film. 

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ( 1968 ) 

Ian Fleming's classic story about a magical motorcar was brought to the big screen by Albert "Cubby" Broccoli in an attempt to mimic a Walt Disney film. He hired the best crew, including the Sherman Brothers to compose such a wonderful score, and created quite an entertaining musical. This is another childhood favorite that I simply cannot resist. Although, I must admit that the first half of the film is what intrigues me the most. Once Professor Potts and his family arrive at the castle of Baron Bomburst the story is primarily fantasy. Nevertheless, it is a favorite I never tire of. Sally Ann Howes is "truly scrumptious" and, once again, the settings are beautiful. The movie was shot on location in France, Germany, and England ( at a windmill that Hayley Mills later purchased for herself ). This film also reminds me of my own childhood and seeing the children wait while their father repairs the car, brings back fond memories of hearing my dad clanking away in the garage repairing automobiles. 

Favorite Scene: When Sally Ann Howes sings "A Lovely Lonely Man" on the grounds of her mansion ( which happens to be Heatherton Hall at Pinewood Studios ). 

So there you have it....six favorites from the 1960s. And not a single drama in the lot!

It was very difficult making a choice of only six films for this blogathon, especially because The Comfort Films Blogathon is next week and so many of these titles would have been repeated for that list. So, because of that, favorites like The Chalk Garden, Blue Hawaii, and the Miss Marple Mysteries were omitted. Other runner-ups include It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World ( 1963 ), The Ghost and Mr. Chicken ( 1966 ), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie ( 1968 ) and First Men in the Moon ( 1964 ). 

Be sure to check out other film fan favorites from this blogathon by clicking the link here. 

Thank you, Rick, for picking such a swell topic for this year's National Classic Movie Day blogathon!

Five Favorite Films of the 1950s

Today is National Classic Movie Day and to celebrate Rick of The Classic Film and TV Cafe is hosting the Five Favorite Films of the 1950s Blogathon, an event that is sure to perplex all of its participants for how can any movie lover narrow down their 1950s favorites to five?! 

What makes it so difficult is determining the criteria that constitute calling a film a favorite. The first thing I eliminated was thinking in terms of Best Pictures or Most Important Films of the 1950s and, instead, I picked only the ones that really made me happy. If just the title of a film makes you happy than it is worth more than ten Best Picture winners. But, even then, it was hard to narrow down because so many of those happy-favorites are seasonal and day/time dependent, such as Favorite Film on a Friday Night ( The Bat, Here Come the Nelsons ), Favorite Film to Watch When the Magnolias Bloom ( Picnic, Giant ), Favorite Saturday Morning Breakfast-in-Bed Musical ( Kiss Me Kate, Annie Get Your Gun ), Favorite Week-Before-Halloween Must-See ( Harvey, The Trouble with Harry ) or Favorite Meaty Drama ( A Catered Affair, A Place in the Sun ). 

Ultimately, it boiled down to the pictures that I enjoy the most because I have fond memories of all the times when I viewed it....those titles that hold a so-dear-to-my-heart place. And, not surprisingly, only two could be considered important films of the 1950s. 

Here are the top faves....in no particular order ( Goodness gracious, ordering them would have been impossible! ).

Gigi ( 1958 ) 

The Arthur Freed MGM classic. One of the last great musicals that MGM made. It was based on the book "Gigi" by Colette that tells the story of a young girl named Gigi ( Leslie Caron ) who - upon her blossoming into a woman - becomes the love interest of an old and dear family friend, Gaston ( Louis Jourdan ). As was the custom in Paris, she was instructed in the ways of becoming a good mistress to him for marriage was rare among the rich and influential bachelors of the city. But she does not want to be his mistress and plainly tells him so!

Gigi is not only a personal favorite but a three-generation favorite in our family. My dear Oma Rozi lived for many years in France and always talked fondly of Paris, so this film was especially dear to her and we loved watching it with her. All of us have our favorite scenes. For my father, it is Gaston's walk in the park when he turns from being upset to being in love. For my sister, it is the scenes in Trouville and, for myself, Gaston's visit to Mamita's for camomille tea and a game of cards. 

Journey to the Center of the Earth ( 1959 )

Jules Verne's classic tale of exploration was beautifully adapted to film in 1959 featuring James Mason heading the expedition to the center of the earth. Along for the journey is Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, Peter Ronson, and Gertrude the Duck. This is one of those adventure films you can never tire of. From the opening at Edinburgh University to their kidnapping in Iceland and their descent into the volcano, each and every scene is a favorite. The film has a beautiful color scheme, great music by Bernard Herrmann and Mason and Dahl's slowly growing romance throughout the expedition also make this film extra charming. 

You're Never Too Young ( 1955 )

Like Abbott and Costello, Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis are a comedy duo that you either love or hate. Personally, I love them, even though they did make a number of film duds. You're Never Too Young is a musical remake of The Major and the Minor ( 1947 ) which starred Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland. That film was about a young woman who has to spend a week at a boy's military academy and - in order not to put one particular major in a jeopardizing position - pretends she is a little girl. For the Martin/Lewis film, the gender was changed and the setting is now a girl's private school in Washington state. To make things a little more interesting, the screenwriters tossed in a jewel robbery incident with Raymond Burr playing the thug on the hunt for Lewis. 

The film has its moments of silliness, but overall it is never tiresome. Dean Martin croons some wonderful tunes, the colorful pinewoods/lake setting is fantastic, the gangster addition adds to the merriment, and Diana Lynn ( the leading lady ) is cute as a button. 

The Bat ( 1959 )

Cornelia Van Gorder ( Agnes Moorehead ), a famous mystery writer, rents a secluded mansion in the country in order that she can work in peace on her next novel. But a mysterious killer known as The Bat is on the loose in the neighborhood. His face is cloaked in a black mask and he wears gloves with metal claws to slay his victim's throats! Along with her faithful maid Lizzie ( Lenita Lane ), she attempts to unmask this culprit before he murders them both. 

The first time I saw The Bat was a good 17 years ago when it aired on Cleveland's popular "The Big Chuck and Little John Show" on a Saturday morning. It's a cheaply made film ( from Allied Artists ) but Agnes Moorehead and Vincent Price's presence make it so entertaining. Price was a master in the horror/sci-fi genre but I always thought he was particularly good at mysteries, too. This film, often mistakenly classified as horror, gives him a chance to show just how good he is at keeping the audience baffled as to whether he is a murderer or not. And to tell you the truth, after 20+ viewings, I still don't know the answer to who really was "the Bat" in each scene! 

Picnic ( 1955 )

Picnic is one of those movies that you watch once and then feel a need to re-visit. It is when you go back to it the second time that you find an even deeper meaning in the film, messages of hopes, dreams, failures and successes, change and constancy. It is all about a drifter ( William Holden ) who comes to a small town in Kansas looking for a job. He falls in love with Madge ( Kim Novak ), the most popular girl in town, much to the chagrin of her mother ( Betty Field ) who hopes to see her married to Alan ( Cliff Robertson ). Interwoven in their struggle is the life of a lonesome schoolteacher ( Rosalind Russell ). During the annual Labor Day picnic, each of them feels a sense of desperation to open a new chapter in their life. 

William Holden claimed that he was too old for the part and turned it down initially, but thankfully he was convinced otherwise. His role was supposed to be that of a youth in his mid-20s, but because Holden was indeed older ( 37 years old ) he made the character seem all the more pitiable. 

This is one of my favorite films to watch in May/early June and for years I always thought the picnic was a Memorial Day event because it looked so much like May in the film. If you watch the picnic sequence you'll notice the beautiful cottonwood seeds falling - a clear giveaway that Picnic was indeed filmed in May. 

Want to see more picks of Five Favorite Films of the 1950s? Click here to check out the full roster of classic film bloggers who participated in the event! 

Five Stars Blogathon - National Classic Movie Day

In celebration of National Classic Movie Day, The Classic Film and TV Cafe is hosting the Five Stars Blogathon, an event that lets bloggers share their top five favorite actors and actresses.....undoubtedly a tough decision for any avid film fan to make, but I'm giving it the old college try.  

Much like the Miss America pageants, these favorites had to satisfy a few rules before they were even considered. 

Rule 1 : My heart has to skip a beat when I see their name on the back of a DVD case or appearing anywhere online. 

Rule 2 : No matter how bad some of their movies are I must still conclude that the film was enjoyable simply because that favorite actor/actress was present. 

Rule 3 : There has to be an eager desire to watch ALL of their movies, even the ones that normally I wouldn't consider watching due to its plot content, release year, or supporting cast. 

Rule 4 : When I see a photo of this actor/actress I have to find myself smiling, because it is like recognizing an old and dear friend. 

Simple stuff, but would you believe that few actors meet this criteria? So many actors whom I thought were my favorites were labeled that simply because I enjoyed their performances in a handful of select films. So here are the ones that lived up to these points : 

Don Ameche

Look at that smile. Oh man, just look at that smile! Hands down, this dapper Dan ( ahem, Don ) ranks at the top of my favorite actors list. I love him so much his photo is framed and has a prominent place on our living room mantle. He isn't the best actor ( although better than many ), and he made a number of dud films, but Don is my dreamboat....so I'll hear no arguments about him. There aren't many actors who can play a cad so well as he and yet leave you pining for him as badly as his leading lady. I enjoy every movie he ever made. Mr. Ameche has the most winsome personality that ever hit Hollywood and even boasted a fine singing voice. If you're not convinced of his appeal, take a gander at Midnight ( 1939 ). 

Favorite Films : Down Argentine Way, Confirm or Deny, Midnight, Ladies in Love. 

Deborah Kerr

I'm not quite sure what it is about this prim English rose that makes her so appealing, but I cannot resist any of her films. Her characters are always beautiful, elegant, and oftentimes courageous even though she brings a shyness and vulnerability to every part. Kerr had the gumption to tackle a variety of different roles and the meatier the better, but she was truly in her element playing sophisticated modern society women. I would have liked to have befriended her in real life. 

Favorite Films : The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The End of the Affair, Heaven Knows Mr. Allison, Separate Tables, The Sundowners, The Grass is Greener, The Chalk Garden.

Gene Kelly

Errol Flynn has long been one of my all-time favorite actors and, even though I grew up with Kelly's films, I was never particularly fond of him....but within the last few years he swept me away with his charm. Poor Errol got bumped off of this list because of him. Gene Kelly was equally adapt at playing comedic or dramatic parts but he was best when he was prancing around the screen or flashing his smile in a light-hearted role. Ah yes, a winsome Irish lad he was! Incidentally, my friend Cynthia just published the definitive Gene Kelly biography, He's Got Rhythm, which is the first biography published since his death. I'll be reviewing it in depth later this month, but I'll say now it is well worth reading. 

Favorite Films : Thousands Cheer, The Three Musketeers, On the Town, Summer Stock, The Happy Road, Les Girls.

Claudette Colbert

Colbert brought a vivacious Continental flair to all of her films. Her characters take the hardships of life with a cheery smile and a sticktoitiveness that is extremely admirable. I like that trait in movie characters. Plus, she was beautiful, never proud or arrogant, and just so captivating. Colbert never won an Oscar but she put her whole heart into every role she played, even the minor films. What a woman. 

Favorite Films : I Met Him in Paris, Midnight, Since You Went Away, Family Honeymoon, Let's Make it Legal.

Anne Baxter

Anne Baxter is an actress I never even considered as my favorite until this blogathon*, when I realized just how excited I always feel when I know our next film to watch has Anne Baxter in it. Thinking of it now, there were a number of movies where I was wishing she was among the cast ( especially if the leading lady failed to capture the essence of the part she was playing ). Anne is one of the most underrated actresses in Hollywood's history and deserves to be ranked among Bette Davis and Helen Hayes as one of America's great talents. 

Favorite Films : The Magnificent Ambersons, Five Graves to Cairo, Sunday Dinner for a Soldier, The Razor's Edge, The Luck of the Irish, O'Henry's Full House, The Ten Commandments

A few other favorites I have to acknowledge : 

Errol Flynn, Robert Young, Ann Sothern, Hayley Mills, Frances Dee, Debbie Reynolds, Norma Shearer, Agnes Moorehead, Charles Coburn, Bob Hope, and Deanna Durbin.

* I think if this event were called the Fifty Stars Blogathon it would still be a tough decision to make. 

Head on over to The Classic Film and TV Cafe to find out which stars other film bloggers have selected as their favorites!