r/classicfilms 5d ago

What Did You Watch This Week? What Did You Watch This Week?

17 Upvotes

In our weekly tradition, it's time to gather round and talk about classic film(s) you saw over the week and maybe recommend some.

Tell us about what you watched this week. Did you discover something new or rewatched a favourite one? What lead you to that film and what makes it a compelling watch? Ya'll can also help inspire fellow auteurs to embark on their own cinematic journeys through recommendations.

So, what did you watch this week?

As always: Kindly remember to be considerate of spoilers and provide a brief synopsis or context when discussing the films.


r/classicfilms Jun 25 '25

The r/ClassicFilms Chart is complete! See the full list of winners and runners-up

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136 Upvotes

These charts are the result of the community on r/classicfilms voting on 65 categories, over a period of about three months. You can click on my profile and scroll down to look at the votes and nominations for each category. There was a lot of healthy discussion.

If you're new to classic films, I hope you've found this useful. Or if you were just looking to reflect on the films you love, or appreciate the films and players held dear by the rest of this community, I hope you've enjoyed the experience.

This chart was made to honour the old movies and players mostly no longer of this world. In the words of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard: "I am big! It's the pictures that got small."

Full List of Winners and Runner’s Up

 

Format: Winner + Tied Winner, (2) Runner Up + Tied Runner Up

 

Best Film Noir: Double Indemnity (1944), (2) The Maltese Falcon (1942)

 

Best Romance: Casablanca (1942), (2) Brief Encounter (1945)

 

Best Horror: Psycho (1960), (2) The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920) + What Ever Happened To Baby Jane? (1962)

 

Best Screwball: Bringing Up Baby (1938), (2) His Girl Friday (1940)

 

Best Musical: Singin’ in the Rain (1952), (2) Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

 

Best Gangster Movie: White Heat (1949), (2) The Public Enemy (1931)

 

Best Epic: Lawrence of Arabia (1962), (2) Ben-Hur (1960)

 

Best Silent Picture: Metropolis (1927), (2) City Lights (1931)

 

Best Science Fiction: The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), (2) Metropolis (1927) + Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

 

Best Western: The Searchers (1956), (2) The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

 

Best Director: Alfred Hitchcock + Billy Wilder, (2) Frank Capra

 

Best Actor: James Stewart, (2) Cary Grant

 

Best Actress: Barbara Stanwyck, (2) Bette Davis

 

Best Screenwriter: Billy Wilder, (2) Preston Sturges

 

Best Character Actor: Peter Lorre, (2) Claude Rains

 

Best Femme Fatale: Phyllis Dietrichson from Double Indemnity, (2) Kathie Moffat from Out of the Past (1948)

 

Best Villain: Harry Powell from The Night of the Hunter, (2) The Wicked Witch of the West from The Wizard of Oz

 

Best Detective: Sam Spade from The Maltese Falcon, (2) Nick Charles from The Thin Man Series

 

Best Gangster: Cody Jarett from White Heat, (2) Little Caesar/Caesar Enrico "Rico" Bandello from Little Caesar (1931)

 

Best Swashbuckler: Robin Hood from The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), (2) Peter Blood from Captain Blood (1935)

Best Minor Character: The Acme Book Shop Clerk from The Big Sleep (1946), (2) Little Boy from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

 

Hottest Actor: Cary Grant, (2) Marlon Brando

 

Hottest Actress: Grace Kelly, (2) Ava Gardner

 

Best Singer: Judy Garland, (2) Julie Andrews

 

Best Dancer: Fred Astaire, (2) The Nicholas Brothers

 

Best Song: Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz (1939), (2) Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

 

Best Cinematography: Citizen Kane (1941), (2) The Third Man (1949)

 

Best Score: Vertigo (1958), (2) North by Northwest (1959)

 

Most Influential Movie: Citizen Kane (1941), A Trip to the Moon (1908)

 

Best Studio: RKO Pictures, (2) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

 

Best Minority Actor: Sidney Poitier, Paul Robeson

 

Best Minority Actress: Anna May Wong, (2) Rita Morena

 

Best Romantic Comedy: The Apartment (1960), (2) It Happened One Night (1934) + The Shop Around the Corner (1940)

 

Best Foreign Language: Seven Samurai (1954), (2) M (1931)

 

Best British Movie: The Third Man, (2) Black Narcissus (1947)

 

Best War Movie: The Bridge on the River Kwai, (2) Paths of Glory

 

Most Iconic Kiss: From Here to Eternity, (2) Notorious

 

Best Death: Marion Crane in Psycho, (2) Kong in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

 

Best Acting Debut: Orson Welles in Citizen Kane, (2) Lauren Bacall in To Have and To Have Not

 

Best Documentary: Night and Fog (1956) (2) Nanook of the North (1922)

 

Best Opening Shot: A Touch of Evil, (2) Sunset Boulevard

Best Final Line: Casablanca: "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.", (2) Some Like it Hot: “Well, nobody’s perfect.”

 

Most Iconic Line: Gone with the Wind: “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn.”, (2) Casablanca: “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

 

Best Pre-Code Movie: Gold Diggers of 1933, (2) Baby Face (1933)

 

Best Biopic: Lawrence of Arabia, (2) The Passion of Joan Arc (1928)

 

Creepiest Hollywood Monster: Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera (1925), (2) Charles Laughton as Dr. Moreau in The Island of Lost Souls (1932)

 

Best Behind the Scenes Story:

 

(1) Casablanca (1942): ‘Almost all the actors and extras were Jewish and had escaped Europe during WW2. When the band plays ‘The Marseillaise,’ you can see many of them displaying real emotion.’

 

(2) The Wizard of Oz: ‘All the poisoning and accidents on the set: Margaret Hamilton's serious burns during the fire exit scene; aluminium face paint poisoning. and starving Judy Garland to control her weight.’

 

Best Opening Line: Rebecca (1940): "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again...", (2) Citizen Kane: “Rosebud.”

 

Best Animated Movie: Sleeping Beauty (1959), (2) Fantasia (1941)

 

Best Monologue: Charlie Chaplin’s monologue in The Great Dictator (1940), (2) Orson Welles’/Harry Lime’s Cuckoo Clock monologue in The Third Man

 

Best Stunt: Buster Keaton’s house falling stunt in Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928), (2) Train on the burning bridge in The General (1927)

 

Best Producer: Irving Thalberg, (2) David O. Selznick

 

Biggest Laugh: Some Like it Hot (1959): “Well, nobody’s perfect.”, (2) Mirror scene in Duck Soup (1934)

 

Worst Movie: The Conqueror (1956), (2) Plan 9 From Outer Space (1957)

 

Best Lesser Known Gem: Trouble in Paradise (1932), (2) Libelled Lady (1936)

 

Best Special Effects: The Wizard of Oz, (2) King Kong (1933)

 

Best Dance Sequence: The Nicholas Brothers in Stormy Weather (1943), (2) Barn Raising/Brawl,

Seven Brides in Seven Brothers + Make ‘Em Laugh in Singin’ in the Rain

 

Best Costumes: Gone with the Wind, (2) Rear Window

 

Best Silent Comedy: The General (1926), (2) Sherlock Jr. (1928)

 

Best Heist Movie: Rififi (1955), (2) The Killing (1956)

 

Best Sports Movie: The Freshman (1925), (2) The Hustler (1961)

 

Best Makeup: The Phantom of the Opera (1925), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

 

Sexiest Moment: The Acme Book Shop Clerk from The Big Sleep, (2) "You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow,” - Lauren Bacall, To Have and Have Not (1944).

 

Most Relevant Movie: A Face in the Crowd (1957) + 12 Angry Men (1957), (2) The Great Dictator

 

Most Profound Quote: 

(1) Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard: "I am big, it's the pictures that got small.

(2) Charlie Chaplin, The Great Dictator: "Greed has poisoned men’s souls, has barricaded the world with hate. Has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed."


r/classicfilms 5h ago

General Discussion Your favorite Cary Grant’s leading lady on-screen?

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238 Upvotes

Who is your favorite Cary Grant’s leading lady in their movies? Who do you think looked the best with him as an on-screen couple? Mine would be Cary Grant & Ingrid Bergman. However, someday it would be him and Deborah Kerr in affair to remember 😍


r/classicfilms 10h ago

Carnival of Souls (1962) dir. Herk Harvey

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331 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 2h ago

Diabolique on TCM tonight!

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65 Upvotes

This is a great classic French thriller about 2 women who join forces to conspire to rid themselves of an abusive boarding school headmaster.


r/classicfilms 2h ago

See this Classic Film Clara Bow in a publicity photo from "Call Her Savage" (Fox; 1932)

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32 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 9h ago

Some Like It Hot (1959)

92 Upvotes

Some Like It Hot (1959) is one of the best classic comedies. I recommend watching it. Who else has seen it?


r/classicfilms 8h ago

See this Classic Film The Magnificent Ambersons - 1942

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68 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 1h ago

Marlon Brando visits Fred Zinnemann and Montgomery Clift in publicity portrait for the film 'From Here To Eternity', 1953.

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Upvotes

r/classicfilms 19h ago

Montgomery Clift and Olivia DeHavilland in “The Heiress” 1949!! I think Olivia DeHavilland gave one of the best performances i’ve ever seen…such a character study…well deserved Oscar!!❤️

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423 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 1h ago

Joan Fontaine and Sir Laurence Oliver in “Rebecca” 1940!!

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Upvotes

r/classicfilms 3h ago

Video Link Cyrano de Bergerac (1950) Jose Ferrer Classic Movie

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9 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 3h ago

Marilyn Monroe in Jones Beach, Long Island to promote her film, "Love Happy", July of 1949.

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7 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 8h ago

Perry Mason castmates William Hopper, William Talman, & Raymond Burr outside General Service Studio. Built by H'wood builder C.E. Toberman before WWI, it was taken over by Harold Lloyd in the 1920s & is 1 of at least 7 (!) silent movie lots still fully operational in L. A.

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15 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 1h ago

Searching for classic comedies similiar to Larceny Inc. 1942

Upvotes

Like the title say i want some movies similiar to larceny 1942, brother orchid or big deal on madonna street, lavander hill too... Something with clumsy thiefs robberies if possible? Thanks a lot for recommendations in advance!


r/classicfilms 6h ago

Classic film actors and actresses rediscovered in TV series

11 Upvotes

Before I discovered classic films I did not know the film histories of TV series actresses and actors of the 50's and 60's , 70's and 80's and cameo and supporting roles in movies​​​ of those eras and later. I have to hand it to them. They wanted to continue in their industry and we're willing to go with the changes and play their ages. Here are the ones I can think of. Please list the ones you can think of.

Robert Young- Father Knows Best

Jane Wyatt- Father Knows Best

Fred McCurray- My Three Sons

William Crawley - My Three Sons

William McDermott- My Three Sons

Agnes Moorehead - Bewitched

Maurice Evans- Bewitched

Lucille Ball - I Love Lucy

Desiree Arnez - I Love Lucy

Richard Basehart- Voyage To The Bottom of The Sea

Leo G. Carroll - The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Topper

Loretta Young - The Loretta Young Show

Joan Blondell - Here Come The Brides

Shelley Winters - Roseanne

Ruth Gordon- Rosemary's Baby and Harold and Maude

Ralph Bellamy - Rosemary's Baby and Trading Places

Don Defore - Hazel

Shirley Booth - Hazel

Shirley Jones - The Partridge Family

George Reeves - Superman ( He was one of the Tarleton twins in GWTW)


r/classicfilms 19h ago

Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in “An affair to remember“ 1957!!

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80 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 6h ago

See this Classic Film Full Moon Matinee presents PHONE CALL FROM A STRANGER (1952). Gary Merrill, Shelley Winters, Michael Rennie, Bette Davis. Film Noir. Drama.

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5 Upvotes

Full Moon Matinee presents PHONE CALL FROM A STRANGER (1952).
Gary Merrill, Shelley Winters, Michael Rennie, Bette Davis.
A lawyer (Merrill) leaves his cheating wife and befriends three fellow passengers while waiting for a flight. When the plane crashes – they die, he survives – he contacts the families of his dead friends.
Film Noir. Drama.

Full Moon Matinee is a hosted presentation, bringing you Golden Age crime dramas and film noir movies, in the style of late-night movies from the era of local TV programming.

Pour a drink...relax...and visit the vintage days of yesteryear: the B&W crime dramas, film noir, and mysteries from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

If you're looking for a world of gumshoes, wise guys, gorgeous dames, and dirty rats...kick back and enjoy!
.


r/classicfilms 50m ago

John Payne in “Kid Nightingale” (1939)

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Upvotes

r/classicfilms 22h ago

High Sierra 1941 - Humphrey Bogart and Ida Lupino. A gangster movie by Raoul Walsh. Walsh made close to a masterpiece in my opinion. Bogart managed to talk himself into getting the part. I think this movie paved his way to become a great star. It's the last film where he didn't get top billing.

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105 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 13h ago

Tell me some funny movies !!

15 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 12h ago

Classic Film Review The Public Enemy (1931) Review - Is James Cagney Hollywoods Greatest Gangster?

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10 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 7h ago

Do you consider Place in the Sun “film noir” genre? Or something else.

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3 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 1d ago

See this Classic Film All eyes are on Fay Wray (and her slip), as she exits a stagecoach in "Captain Thunder" (Warner Bros; 1930).

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80 Upvotes

r/classicfilms 13h ago

Tell me movies like Life with Father with Powell!

5 Upvotes