Top Ten List

Frequently people ask me what my favorite film is, and I always find this the most impossible question to answer. How can I pick one movie that I like more than any other on earth? It depends on what genre I'm in the mood for and how I feel at a particular moment. I don't have just one all-time favorite film to give as a pat answer. However, someone suggested that I do a post on my favorite classic films, so here is my top ten list in no particular order. This is just what I decided on today. If you were to ask me next week, next month, next year, the list would most certainly look different.

1. Gone with the Wind -- I know, I know, it's four hours long, completely historically inaccurate, and incredibly over-the-top and melodramatic. But, I still absolutely adore this film. If it's on TV when I'm channel surfing, you can bet I'm going to stop and watch it no matter how many times or how recently I've seen it. The story and the lines are classic. The costumes are to die for -- what I wouldn't give for just one of Scarlett's gowns or bonnets. The acting is wonderful when you consider the melodramatic content that the actors were given to portray (Vivien Leigh has suffered much criticism in my family, but I still believe she did a phenomenal job and was the perfect Scarlett). Rhett Butler is the bad boy that every girl can't help but fall in love with (and scream at Scarlett for not noticing his superiority to the wimpy Ashley). And Melanie is the woman that all of us should try to strive to emulate -- if I could be half the lady she is, I would be content. Not to mention, it's a stunning visual masterpiece. The cinematography in this film is still some of the best I've ever seen, in classic and modern films. No shot will ever move me as much as the iconic view of Scarlett and her father under a tree at sunset surveying Tara while Max Steiner's score swells underneath. Many may question my adoration of this film, but frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn.

2. The Maltese Falcon-- the best film noir ever made in my opinion. It had a great deal of influence on film noir films made after it, and helped define the gritty realism of Warner Bros. films in the 1940s. The film features a scintillating mystery that keeps you guessing(and on the edge of your seat) for the majority of the film. The performances are brilliant -- this film is still tied with Casablanca for my favorite Bogart role. A tale of backstabbing dames and intrigue that introduces us to the sexy, dangerous world of femme fatales and stolen treasure that we all wish we could be a part of for a little while. Not only a superb story, but some of the sharpest, cynical and biting dialogue to ever be written.I've loved it since I saw it in middle school. Truly, the stuff that dreams are made of...

3.The Quiet Man -- Despite the fact that it's not a Western, this is still my all-time favorite John Wayne film. It probably has something to do with Maureen O'Hara's portrayal of the feisty Mary Kate Danaher. Oh, that I could have the fire that she has. A touching love story with a hysterical ending involving Maureen O'Hara being dragged across a mile of Irish field, this film truly captures the spirit of John Ford and Ireland for me. The entire film, with the right Technicolor print, is a gorgeous ode to the Emerald Isle and its landscapes. Add a wonderful cast, some humor and romance, and it really is a perfect film.

4.Casablanca -- I think most would find it difficult to make a list of favorite classic films without including this. It has long been held up as the most iconic of all classic films, and rightly so. Featuring a strong cast, with stand-out performances from Bogart, Bergman, Claude Rains, and Paul Henreid, the film is a master class in acting. The script is one of the best ever-written and one of the most quoted as well -- every few minutes, first-time viewers are presented with yet another classic line. And, in my opinion, one of the greatest love stories ever -- Ilsa's love for both her men, and Rick's final sacrifice are some of the most heart-breaking sequences ever put on film. They don't make men like Rick any more, and they certainly don't make films like this anymore.

5.Notorious--Though I love all Hitchcock films, this for some reason is one of my favorites. Don't get me wrong, I love the classics - "Rear Window," "North by Northwest," "Psycho," and "Vertigo." But this, "Strangers on a Train," and "The Man Who Knew Too Much" stand as my three favorite Hitchcock films, which probably seems odd to most. But I'm a sucker for a good love story, and this tale of two lovers who are insufferably cruel to each other is a thrilling film that perfectly captures human beings frequent inability to admit to their love for each other. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are effortlessly beautiful in this film,and Claude Rains gives a brilliant portrayal of a man torn between love and duty. Of his early work, this is certainly Hitchcock's best.

6. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid-- I know this film just barely falls into what some may call classic film, but it still is, with "The Sting," one of my all time favorites. The witty banter and bromance between Paul Newman and Robert Redford is simultaneously hysterical and touching. This film was part of the beginning current of revisionist Westerns, and it manages to capture the sadness of the end of an era, while injecting humor that makes for a masterpiece.

7. White Christmas-- It doesn't really matter to me what time of year it is, I will watch this film. Of course, it is always better at Christmastime. And I never feel that it's truly Christmas, until I've watched this film at least once during the holiday season. The score, by Irving Berlin, features some of the best songs ever written in American history. "White Christmas" is one of my all-time favorite songs, and no one can sing it like Bing Crosby (and yes, I prefer this film to "Holiday Inn" even though he sang it there first). The combination of Bing crooning such hits as "White Christmas" and "Count Your Blessings," the wonderful dance numbers featuring Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen, and the great comedic exchange between Kaye and Crosby makes this one of the best films ever made. Add the finale honoring General Waverly that never fails to bring me to tears, and you have a nearly flawless picture.

8.The Graduate -- Although I haven't seen this film in a while because I started to get a little tired of it, I still count it among my favorites. Mostly because, in conjunction with "White Christmas," it has the best soundtrack of any film ever made. From the opening bars of "The Sound of Silence" to the stirring chords of "Here's to you, Mrs. Robinson," the songs of Simon and Garfunkle really define this film and cement it as a true icon of the 1960s. Additionally, Dustin Hoffman's comic, but touching portrayal of the terribly confused Benjamin is one of the best break-out performances any beginning actor ever gave. A film all graduating college students can relate to, "The Graduate" never fails to please me.

9.The Pirate -- A lot of people find this film silly and over-the-top, but that's precisely why I love it. It's great to see Gene Kelly and Judy Garland just having a hell-of-a lot of fun goofing around and being melodramatic. The scene where Judy attacks Gene in mock anger consistently has me rolling on the floor with laughter. Not to mention, the combination of Judy's voice and Gene's dancing make this to be a superb showcase of the pinnacle of musical talent. A delightful romp that never fails to make me smile.

And now for number 10...I battled with what to put here because it is my last choice...Should I list another of my favorite Hitchcock films(Strangers on a Train, The Man Who Knew Too Much) or what about "The Sting" or "The Searchers" or "Charade" or "Funny Face"? Though those are all some of my favorites and great films(and may have made it onto the list on another day), I decided to go with...

10. On the Town--I've only seen it once, but I can't wait to see it again. The cast in this is fantastic -- all are wonderful, but particular stand-outs are Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen,and Betty Garrett. The film, particularly when showcasing Frank Sinatra and Betty Garrett, is hilarious. But in its depiction of 24-hour romance for GI's who must return to war, it is also extraordinarily touching and topical for when it was made. Great dancing, great songs, an all-around good time and wonderful film.

Until next week, Here's looking at you kid!

-Reel Classic Dame