Classic films appreciation thread - come and join us!

[PrivateParkin]

Following on from the recent thread about favourite actors from old films, @FatBallsAndSunflowerSeeds had the fab idea of an old movies appreciation thread... So here it is! If you like old films and actors of any kind, come and join us.

old thread

We thought we'd look out for any classic films being shown on TV, post them on this thread and then discuss them afterwards... But if you want to post about any of your favourite old films and actors at any time, that would also be fab. Basically, this is just a place to chat about old films - please come and join us!

I'm off to check the TV schedules for any potential gems coming up - I will post again with anything that looks good.

Meantime, here's James Cagney tap dancing down the stairs in Yankee Doodle Dandy - happy bank holiday everyone
//m.youtube.com/watch?v=xlvB4xk4LNQ

[BagelGoesWalking]

Pimpernel Smith with Leslie Howard is on Film4 Thursday 10 May at 16:15
I think I've seen this but can't remember if it's any good?

The Dam Busters Film4 Thurs 17 May at 16:10

Magnificent Obsession Film4 Fri 11 May at 11:00 Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson - I assume an overwrought melodrama?

[CharDeeMacDennis]

No, not All Aout Eve, Halsall, good shout though! It's a similar kind of thing but more rural setting. This is going to bug me now

[Halsall]

I'm sure the power of film-loving MNetters will find it, CharDee

[PrivateParkin]

Would you know it if you saw the title CharDee ? www.films101.com/y1941r.htm lists the top films of each year so if it had a descriptive title?! Bit of a long shot though!

Bagel thanks for the viewing tip offs!

[Childrenofthesun]

Quite by chance I caught Mildred Pierce starring Joan Crawford when it was on television over Christmas. I thoroughly recommend for anyone who likes a bit of noir. Ann Blyth was outstanding, although I can't recall ever having seen her in anything else.

My all-time favourite old film is Calamity Jane though!

[onemouseplace]

How did I miss the first thread? I am a big classic movie fan - my Dad is as well so I grew up watching films like Passport to Pimlico, This Happy Breed and Genevieve on what seemed like a daily basis!

[ppeatfruit]

I recently saw Mommie Dearest , and I can't look at Joan Crawford in the same way. She was vile and despicable. Probably had a bad childhood herself but to inflict that on her adopted children [anger]

[ppeatfruit]

West Side Story is my favourite film of all time! Shall we all tell our favourites?

[PrivateParkin]

Yes go for it ppeatfruit* ! Top 3?!

[PrivateParkin]

My top 3:
It's A Wonderful Life
Mrs Miniver
The Philadelphia Story

I was going to choose The Grapes of Wrath, which I love, especially Ma Joad (aka the bird lady in Mary Poppins - am a bit obsessed with that fact), but I would not want to be stuck on a desert island with The Grapes of Wrath, if you know what I mean. So I had to go with sweet, funny, perfect Philadelphia Story

[ppeatfruit]

Yes I love Philadephia Story too ( I even like the more modern version High Society)

Rebecca (the Charles Dance version is better than the older one IMO!)

Oklahoma of course ! (I DO love musicals). With West Side Story that makes four though!

3 isn't enough for me!

[ppeatfruit]

Can you tell I prefer escapism too Private ?

[Greenglassteacup]

I love Mildred Pierce with Joan Crawford.

Also recommend Bell Book & Candle with Kim Novak

[BagelGoesWalking]

Ma Joad (aka the bird lady in Mary Poppins - am a bit obsessed with that fact)

What?! 😳 amazing fact!

[Greenglassteacup]

Oh & Gone With The Wind of course

[dietcokemango]

Placemarking for recommendations. I watched Un Chien Andalou the other week, not quite the same thing but YouTube recommendations were more of the classic variety after seeing that

[Greenglassteacup]

Dr Zchivago with Omar Sharif

[PrivateParkin]

Bagel I know!! Her name was Jane Darwell. I think she's fantastic in The Grapes of Wrath, I can barely think about that scene where she surveys the Joad homestead for the last time without bursting into tears, she is fantastic. Apparently she was in a home for retired actors when Walt Disney requested her personally for Mary Poppins. She must have been well into her 80s I think by then.

[Halsall]

ppeat apparently Jane Darwell (Ma Joad/Birdlady) had retired and was living in a home for actors. Walt Disney asked her specially to be in Mary Poppins. She said yes, did the role, then went straight back to retirement and never acted again

I've got so many favourite films I couldn't pick three, but most things by Powell & Pressburger would have to be in the running, especially A Matter of Life and Death. I'm probably a bit more of an English obscure films type than anything, but I'm happy to watch most things from the 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's.

[Halsall]

Haha, x-post with PrivateP

[PrivateParkin]

Tee hee x-post Halsall ! I heard about Ma Joad/bird lady on Soul Music on Radio 4 when they featured Feed The Birds. I'm a bit obsessed with the Sherman brothers as well but that's possibly going a bit off topic...

[Halsall]

No, you should talk about the Shermans, PrivateP, it's all grist to the mill! I think I heard that programme too.

I was just coming back on to ask if anyone else has listened to any of the You Must Remember This podcasts? They're about old Hollywood actors (although some are more up to date) and full of interesting gossipy anecdotes. An American woman called Karina Longworth writes and narrates them - tbh I suspect she might not be doing them any more, as the latest one I can find is from last November, but there's a big archive of past episodes. Worth checking out. There are several episodes about Joan Crawford, for example.

[ChinkChink]

@CharDee Can anyone help me remember the name of another one I enjoyed a lot? It was an old melodrama, probably 1940s or 1950s, about a woman who seemed wonderful and worked her way into the lives of a family, but who was actually very messed up and destructive confused I just can't think of the title or who was in it or anything!

British or US movie? Black & white or colour? I could only think of 'No Man of Her Own' with Barbara Stanwyck but it doesn't quite fit.

My favourites are Hitchcock movies, Powell & Pressburger movies and Ealing comedies. I don't generally enjoy musicals but notable exceptions would include the wonderful Calamity Jane and West Side Story.

Also in my top ten would be a movie a lot of critics disliked - Death in Venice, directed by Visconti. Dirk Bogarde's one of my favourite actors. Love also anything with Alistair Sim or Margaret Rutherford, particularly the latter's Miss Marple series [though Agatha hated them!]

[ppeatfruit]

Oh yes Margaret Rutherford in Blithe Spirit was brilliant. I liked her in the Miss Marple films but I particularly enjoyed Geraldine Mckewan as Miss Marple on the telly.

She was beyond brilliant as Lucia in Mapp and Lucia too. I know that was on the TV but I liked it a lot.

[Halsall]

We need to solve the puzzle for @CharDeeMacDennis - it's really bugging me now, too! Can you remember any of the details that Chink asked about, Char?