So, this is my introduction to the classics for anyone that would like to jump into that genre (which I highly recommend!). I'm not saying that I never watch current movies. There are some great ones out there that I really enjoy. However, old movies are my mac and cheese. They are so comforting and wonderful. I hope that this list gets you to consider watching some of these great films!
1. Oklahoma! (1955)
One of the best things about a lot of old movies is that actors back then really were incredible. Most all of them were a triple threat, meaning that they could sing, dance, AND act. I love movies like Oklahoma because it really showcases how versatile those actors were. The movie opens with Gordon MacRae on his horse walking threw a cornfield under the bright blue skies of Oklahoma. MacRae's character, Curly begins singing the famous "Oh, What a Beautiful Morning," as he makes his way past the tall stalks of corn. I think hands down Gordon MacRae is my favorite male singer in a movie. His voice is just perfection.
This is one of my favorite musicals. The story centers around Curly (Macrae) and Laurey (Shirley Jones) and the fact that they are both in love with each other but both are too stubborn and proud to be the first one to admit it. I love the witty writing in this one, for example Laurey has just given Curly a tongue-lashing and storms off into the house leaving her Aunt Eller outside with the poor guy. Aunt Eller smiles a knowing smile at Curly and tells him that Laurey likes him. To which he replies, "If she liked me any more she'd sic the dogs on me."
If you end up loving the movie like I do, there is a lot of information out there about the production of if it that is really interesting to read. For example, despite the title being Oklahoma, it was actually filmed in and around Sonoita, Arizona. Also, the corn that is as "tall as an elephant's eye" had to be hand planted in individual containers because the movie was shot out of season and there was no corn tall enough to be found! Take that CGI!
2. Gone with the Wind (1939)
I almost didn't put this one down, simply because it so cliché when asked for your favorite classic movie to say, "Gone with the Wind." Everyone's heard of it, most people have watched at least snippets of it, and most everyone knows the general plot outline to it. This movie always makes it into the top 5 of every "Top 100 Greatest Movies Ever Made" list that you will see. It is iconic and has certainly withstood the test of time. However, I'm not convinced that many people actually LOVE it like they say they do. For starters because I doubt that many people watch it all that often. It's 4 hours long guys...and not 4 hours of fluffy light-hearted romantic comedy...4 hours of Civil War history, a family's saga, death, and hard times. For that reason I think it's not the sort of movie that, when you're sitting around with your girlfriends contemplating what movie to pop in on a Friday night, is likely to be chosen. It's one of those movies that falls into the category of "you see it once and you figure you're good for another several years."
I really do love this movie. Not going to say I watch it on a weekly basis, cause like I said before - it is dang long...but I do love it. The movie manages to walk the narrow line of being funny, clever, sad, inspiring, and heartwrenching all at the same time. In a nutshell the movie is about Scarlett O'Hara's life from the time she's 16 to 28. Most people have very polar reactions to the character of Scarlett. She's young and beautiful and has no scruples about getting what she wants by any means necessary. She's also very much a child in a woman's body. People either love her or hate her. At first I hated her. Most of Scarlett's misfortunes in her life are her own doing and yet she doesn't see that until the very end - literally like the last 10 minutes of the movie the lightbulb finally goes on for her. As I've gotten a little older though I don't hate her anymore. Yes, she makes plenty of wrong choices, but don't we all? Hindsight is 20/20. What I admire and love about Scarlett is that even through all her conniving and manipulation she at least has the guts to go for what she wants and to pick herself up and keep trying when she gets knocked down.
The movie is pretty serious but actually has a lot of very funny dialogue if you pay attention. Every time I watch it, it seems like I discover something new about it that I hadn't seen or heard or noticed before.
