Old yet glorious and obscure movies

Desire with Gary Cooper and Marlene Dietrich.

The Maggie; cheeky puffer captain and American businessman clash,

I'd forgotten about that one - it was directed by the same man who directed Whisky Galore. I've got the dvd somewhere, I must dig it out.

National Velvet 😍

The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness

Seven Women, John Ford director, about a mission in China with Margaret Leighton and Anne Bancroft.
Separate Tables, David Niven and Deborah Kerr
Born Yesterday
The V.I.Ps

The Maggie; cheeky puffer captain and American businessman clash,
Tunes of Glory; Alec Guiness & John Mills
The Catered Affair, Bette Davis & Debbie Reynolds
Tom Jones; Albert Finney.
Going My Way; nuns and Bing Crosby.

Last Emperor; Peter O'Toole.
Lost Weekend; Ray Millan
Sergeant York; Gary Cooper.
Anne Of A Thousand Days; Richard Burton.
Judgement At Nuremberg; Judy Garland & Spencer Tracey.

The Song Of Bernadette.
Guess Who's Coming To Dinner Katherine Hepburn & Spencer Tracey (his last film) . Sister Kenny; Rosalind Russell.
The Man With The Golden Arm; Frank Sinatra

Also another vote for This Happy Breed. A lovely, gentle, at times funny , story of live between the wars. Perfect 'Sunday afternoon in winter' movie.

Great choice Inmyownlittlecorner and Wincarnis , 'A matter of life and death' is DH & my favourite film. Funny, touching, and clever (use of colour/b&w for earth and heaven) Great cast, including David Niven, Roger Livesey, Kim Hunter , Raymond Massey. Pressburger/Powell . (1946)

From more recent times. Charlie Wilsons War . A movie with three of the top stars of our time but weirdly not well known . It has Philip Seymour Hoffman at his finest in one of the greatest 'tell your manager what you really think of him' moments. As well as Tom Hanks in the title role and Julia Roberts extraordinary as a wealthy southern belle. True story. Also very funny in parts. Best Hanks film .

Another vote for Letter from an Unknown Woman.

A Matter of Life and Death

The Lady from Shanghai

Oh, I’ve just seen Days of Heaven mentioned, outstandingly beautiful and I can’t believe I’ve never even heard of The Amazing Mr Blunden, how did that pass me by?

I’ve never forgotten The Bitter Tea of General Yen, such a poignant story with fabulous Barbara Stanwyck.

What a wonderful thread! Agree that many of these films don’t seem old to me at all!

Thank you for reminding me of so many great films. I love The Red Balloon, the Powell & Pressburger Films, The Thin Man with William Powell and Myrna Loy. The Big Sleep with Bogey and Bacall. Local Hero, so wonderful. Ditto The Wicked Lady, old St Trinian’s and all the old war films. Saturday matinees on BBC2!

The Greengage Summer! How could I have forgotten that. So haunting. Loved Peter’s Friends bit have never ever seen it again on tv.

Took my DD to see It’s a Wonderful Life in the cinema a few years ago. She loves it now. Thanks for the tip about Talking Pictures channel - can’t believe I’ve never noticed it before

This happy breed.
12 angry men
the haunting (1963 b/w)

Ring Of Bright Water 1969.

IKWIG, Dead of the Night (v scary), Arsenic and Old Lace, Jean de Florette - all fabulous films. I'd also add It Happened One Night and My Beautiful Laundrette to the list. (And probably a million more!)

Am loving this thread, although a lot of the films mentioned are only obscure by dint of the fact that the people who mentioned them probably weren't born when they were released (I was intending to stoutly defend Local Hero as being neither old nor obscure until I realised it was released in 1983 )
I second Jean de Florette (you'll need tissues)
A Kid for Two Farthings
Loved Yanks as well, & if you like that film you'll also like Hope & Glory
Kes
The Incredible Journey

The Quiet Earth - on loads in the 80's never to be seen again. Such a good ending.

Does anyone know the name of a B&W film that starts with two couples in open top car and for what ever reason they end up in heaven? My mum said I'd like it when I was a kid but I never remembered to find out what it was called.

And on the subject of Nanette Newman I can thoroughly recommend 'The Raging Moon' which she stars in with Malcolm McDowell. Deals with some quite controversial issues at the time.

Fatbird God yes! The Wrong Box is hilarious. Pete'n'Dud, Peter Sellers as the Venal Doctor, all sorts of people doing bonkers cameos. The oddity is Nanette Newman as the love-interest, because she was married to Bryan Forbes and he produced it I think. The book is very funny too

Clockwise was based on my headmaster Colin.

I'm still stuck on there being a sequel to Ricky horror!!

The Man in the White Suit

Heavens Above

Perfect Friday (My absolute favourite!)

elQuintoConyo I know the secret handshake! Delicatessen was a fabulous film. I remember seeing Barton Fink with a friend when it first came out - friend HATED it, I loved it, but then I love pretty much all Coen Brothers films.
Not too obscure but The Ladykillers is such a fabulous film. Alec Guinness as a dastardly spivvy criminal, brilliant.
1979's Spanish film, The Spirit of the Beehive - some might find it dull, I found it charming and totally atmospheric. Loved it.

Mr Blunden is one of my all time favourites. I also like the Ealing Comedies and the classic Hitchcocks.

I can't believe that no one has mentioned The Wrong Box. It's completely bonkers and very English. The cast is amazing........ Just had to buy a copy off Amazon

Christ. Sorry for typos.

Quartet. Somerset Maugham. Pronouncing.

I thengyou.

Quartet not Quarter.