The best list ever of the best movies ever from
You all know by now how much I love old movies; I’ve been recommending them in my books and calendars forever. I know you love them too, so I thought I’d give you a list of 
my very favorite movies — wonderful stories guaranteed to make you laugh, cry, swoon, dream, yearn, or think.
Please forgive me if I’ve left your favorite out. There’s no rhyme nor reason to this list; I didn’t include lots of really good movies, like Sound of Music for example, or An American in Paris, Mildred Pierce, Casablanca, Funny Face, or even My Fair Lady . . . and I’m sure there are plenty I’ve simply forgotten. But this is still a very good start. These are films I never tire of. ♥
Many of the movies I love best were made before I was born, and I saw almost all of them on the TV. Wonderful, romantic, beautiful, magical, touching, funny and charming 
movies which, because they’re in black and white, lots of people have just never seen. They don’t know what they’ve been missing! That’s why I’m doing this . . . a cozy afternoon on a freezing day, with a cup of hot chocolate and one of these movies is my idea of heaven. They are soul soothers, inspiration-givers, joy spreaders. And I adore going back in time.
I came by my love for these movies naturally, my mom started me very young. She’s the same age as Shirley Temple; she fell in love with Shirley when she was a little girl. By the time I was old enough to be propped in a chair, she made sure the Good Ship Lollypop was tap dancing its way into my heart. She and I know the words to all of Shirley’s songs; we sang them while we did dishes. I still love Shirley. If there was ever anything cuter or more adorable than Shirley Temple in Baby Take a Bow, I don’t know what it is. All my life, I could be having a bad day, turn on Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, hear Shirley sing “Come and Get Your Happiness,” see the darling curtains at Aunt Sarah’s house and the roses on Tony’s Porch, and cheer right up.
From Shirley Temple, it was natural for me to move up to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies; they were made about the same time. I think they’re sort of the grownup version of Shirley Temple, sweet, innocent and charming; the fabulous genius-inspired dances they did (like this one in Swing Time); the creative visuals their early movies presented in the height of 1930’s fantasy fashion, elegant clothes, beautiful furniture and architecture, not to mention the music! It was magic! A world of inspiration; a feast for the senses!
By the time I was old enough to live out on my own, I was half-formed about what life was going to be like, and all of it, for better or for worse, was based on books like Pollyanna and Little Women and these wonderful old films, most of which I saw on the Million Dollar Movie on television.
I moved from my parents house into an apartment with my best friend Janet. Her mom loved old movies too. I’ll never forget us, lying on the floor, watching TV at two in the morning; A 
Farewell to Arms had just ended with Jennifer Jones dying, we were both sobbing hysterically. I had to get up and go into the other room. Oh we loved it! Janet called me Sue-Sue Applegate after the Ginger Rogers character in The Major and the Minor. (We called her Natasha after Boris’ wife.) We would get in her huge old car and go to the drive-in movies, wearing our jammies with big coats over them so we could go to the snack bar for a giant popcorn and coke that would last us the length of the films; we set our hair in big rollers while watching The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, in French with English subtitles, and sobbed all the way home. We really loved to cry at movies! Splendor in the Grass almost killed us. (You can tell by these photos, we were already legends in our own minds!) We dyed Janet’s hair the same color as Ann Margaret’s.
Old movies shaped my dreams: they showed me what I wanted my house to look like, how I wanted to dress, what kind of a person I wanted to be; those shipboard romances in An Affair to Remember, The Lady Eve, Sabrina, and Shall We Dance; the rose-covered cottages in Father of the Bride and Love Letters; houses with darling curtains and wallpaper like in Dear Ruth; the train rides in The Palm Beach Story, Some Like it Hot, North by Northwest, and Brief Encounter. I dreamed of fields of bluebells as high as my knee, like the ones I saw in Howard’s End, and one day I went to England to see them and they were just as wonderful as I knew they’d be. ♥
You could go around the world, even from a one-bedroom apartment, with The Quiet Man, Roman Holiday, Mrs. Miniver, Ninotchka (prettiest dress in the movies is in Ninotchka), Out of Africa, Two for the Road, and A Room with a View.
I planted flowering trees because of the tree-lined road Anne Shirley (of Green Gable fame) drove through, the petals flying, in the buckboard with Matthew just after she arrived on the train. Remember?
Miracle on 34th Street made me decide to never grow all the way up. I could see the fairy-tale life was the life for me. I knew we lived in a beautiful world full of magic and charm, I saw it in movies such as It’s a Wonderful Life, The Bishop’s Wife, Margie, and The Secret Garden.
When 9/11 happened I was glued to the TV like everyone else, but after a while, the intensity was too much, the grief, sorrow, anger, pain was unbearable; the real world 
was just too real. I couldn’t sleep, thinking about man’s inhumanity to man; the TV news was unrelenting. I felt like it wasn’t healthy to hear it anymore. I finally turned it off, and began feeding my soul with childhood favorites . . . at first it was all Shirley Temple movies. Then, watching Cary Grant, cutie-pie Walter Pigeon, gorgeous Gregory Peck, Jeanne Crain, Barbara Stanwyck, or Myrna Loy — the laughter, beauty, whimsy, and charm made my troubles float away. It took a few weeks for me to find my equilibrium and remember that the overwhelming majority of people in this world are good; those movies really helped. One big bad apple had upset the balance.
If you’re starting from scratch, trying to learn more about classic movies, it’s hard to know where to start. So here is my list of favorites, many times tried and forever true. I added links to some of the trailers for these movies — I didn’t put trailers on all of them, just want you to know that the ones without the links are just as good as the ones that have them! You’ll find many of these movies on Turner Classic Movies. Public Libraries are also a wonderful source! Kanopy is a free service where you can access 30,000 films with a library card from a participating library. You can look them up on Google to learn more about them; some of them are full length and free on Youtube. This is also a helpful site. So here we go! ♥ Enjoy! Here’s my list of the best of the best:
- Hobson’s Choice (Hard to find but HEAVEN!)
- On Borrowed Time (1939)
- Brief Encounter
Apartment for Peggy- The Quiet Man
- The Apartment
- Ball of Fire (Learn how to play Yum-Yum!)
- A New Kind of Love
- Roman Holiday
- Rear Window
- Ninotchka (the prettiest dress in all movieland)
- Love with the Proper Stranger
- Christmas in Connecticut
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- The Lady Eve
- Margie
- Witness for the Prosecution
- Vertigo
The Seven Year Itch- An Affair to Remember
- Laura
- Notorious
- State of the Union
- Enchanted Cottage
- Mr. Smith goes to Washington (J. Stewart)
- Woman of the Year
- Double Indemnity
- The Thin Man (first one first)
- Yankee Doodle Dandy
- Sullivan’s Travels
- Top Hat
- Adam’s Rib
- Swing Time
- Bell Book and Candle
- Meet Me in St. Louis
- The Major and the Minor
- Wuthering Heights
- I Was a Male War Bride
- Pat and Mike
- The Spirit of St. Louis
- The Heiress
- It’s a Wonderful Life
- The Secret Garden
- How to Mary a Millionaire
- Mrs. Miniver
A Stolen Life- Love Letters (for the cottage and neighborhood)
- Random Harvest
- Philadelphia Story, K. Hepburn
- Sabrina (w/Audrey Hepburn)
- Bachelor Mother
- State Fair (Jeanne Crain)
- Father of the Bride (Spencer Tracy)
- Bundle of Joy
- Great Expectations (John Mills)
- It Happened One Night
- The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
- Friendly Persuasion
- Holiday Inn
- The Life of Henry the VIII (1933)
- Monkey Business
- George Washington Slept Here
- The Egg and I
- Harvey
- Some Like it Hot
- Going My Way
- Phffft
- Born Yesterday
- Little Women (all of them!)
- Leave Her to Heaven
- African Queen
- The More the Merrier (this is what they mean when they say “Chemistry.”)
- Foreign Correspondent
The Canterville Ghost- Arsenic and Old Lace
- Miracle on 34th Street (1947 version)
- Anne of Green Gables
- A Room with a View
- Suspicion
- Meet John Doe
- Indiscreet
- National Velvet
- Cheaper by the Dozen
- Stage Door
- My Man Godfrey
- Palm Beach Story
- Yankee Doodle Dandy
- Mr. Jordan
- Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (just to hear Marilyn Monroe sing Bye Bye Baby)
- Gone with the Wind
- The Moon’s Our Home
- Shall We Dance
- Camille (hair, dresses, lace, jewels, tufted rooms, for the beauty!)
- The Scarlet Pimpernel
- The Bridge on the River Kwai
- Moon Over Miami
Holiday Affair (love the train scene at the end!)- The Glenn Miller Story
- The Women (Rosalind Russell; terrible women, great hats!)
- Remember the Night
- Dear Ruth
- The Talk of the Town
- Theodora Goes Wild
- Rear Window
- The 39 Steps
- A Letter to Three Wives
- Young Mr. Lincoln
- Topper
- To Catch a Thief
- Sayonara
- Test Pilot
- On Moonlight Bay
- Enchantment (David Niven)
- A Guy Named Joe (Spencer Tracy)
- Too Hot to Handle
- The Shop Around the Corner
- Broadway Melody of 1940 (LOVE this dance!)
- In the Good Old Summertime (This is a musical remake of The Shop Around the Corner, later it was made again, called You’ve Got Mail.)
- I Married a Witch
- All Shirley Temple — here’s another ….
- All Fred and Ginger
Apartment for Peggy
The Seven Year Itch
The Canterville Ghost
Holiday Affair
- Niagara
- The Awful Truth
- The Teahouse of the August Moon
- Casanova Brown
- The World of Suzie Wong
- Meet Me in St. Louis
- The Bride Came C.O.D.
- A Place in the Sun
- The Bells of St. Mary’s
- The Bishop’s Wife
- 1952 A Christmas Carol
- White Christmas
- Young Victoria
- The Birdcage
- The Unsinkable Molly Brown
- On Golden Pond
- Harold and Maude
- Love Among the Ruins
- Mr. Roberts
- The Long Long Trailer
- Shirley Valentine
- I Know Where I’m Going (British)
- Miss Potter
- Muriel’s Wedding (it has Abba Music!)
- Becoming Jane
- Falling for a Dancer
- Howard’s End
- Enchanted April
- Soapdish
- All of Me (Steve Martin)
- Mrs. Brown
- Finding Neverland
- Heaven Can Wait (Warren Beatty)
- Thelma and Louise
- Cinema Paradiso
- Emma (w/Gwyneth Paltrow)
- Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightly)
- Waking Ned Devine
- Jane Eyre (2007 version)
- Millions
- Fly Away Home
- The Remains of the Day
- Coal Miner’s Daughter
- Peggy Sue Got Married
- The Family Man
- It’s Complicated
- The Devil Wears Prada (watch Emily Blunt, so good!)
- Moonstruck
- Roxanne
- The King’s Speech
- Chicago
- Jerry Maguire
- Joe vs the Volcano
- Nowhere in Africa
- Greenfingers (if you like Cotswold gardens)
- The Piano
- Babette’s Feast
- Roots
- Cranford
- Back to the Future
- Life is Beautiful
- Doc Hollywood
- The Fabulous Baker Boys
- Somewhere in Time
- Something’s Got to Give
- This Property is Condemned
- Tall Story
- Les Miserables (Liam Neeson)
- The Parent Trap (with Lindsay Lohan)
- Body Heat
- E.T.
- Chances Are
- Don Juan de Marco
- Breathless (just to look at Richard Gere in his prime♥)
- The Prime of Miss Jean Brody
- My Cousin Vinnie
- Almost Famous
- Two Popes
- The Age of Innocence
- Risky Business
- The Marrying Man
- Father of the Bride (Steve Martin)
- Dave
- Cold Comfort Farm
- Schindler’s List
- Splash
- Love Actually
- Bridget Jones Diary
- First Wives Club
- L.A. Story
- Animal House
- Gigi
- Atonement (I can only watch the first half, still worth it)
- Like Water for Chocolate
- Finding Nemo
- Educating Rita
- The Young Victoria
- Shakespeare in Love
- Dirty Dancing
- What Women Want
- Practical Magic
- Sleepless in Seattle
- Groundhog Day
- Pretty Woman
- You’ve Got Mail
- The Color Purple
- Clueless
- When Harry Met Sally
- Two For the Road
- French Kiss
- Young Frankenstein
- Four Weddings and a Funeral
- Baby Boom
- Sex and the Single Girl
- The Madness of King George
- Out of Africa (the clothes! The airplane ride and music!)
- A Fish Called Wanda
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Working Girl
- Midnight in Paris
- Miss Potter (Story of Beatrix)
- A Christmas Story
- Grease
- The Full Monty
- Bread and Tulips (subtitles; darling and filmed in Venice!)
- The Man Who Invented Christmas (Story of Charles Dickens)
All of Me
Something’s Got to Give
I loved reading this….. I also Love old movies!!! And some newer ones too. Have you ever seen? The Grass Harp (Susie Spacek, Walter Math-how (sp?), Jack Lemon).
And a couple of my other favs are Chocolat & Fried Green Tomatoes.
So many of these are my favorites, too. Here are a few other great ones:
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, All About Eve, and The In-Laws (incredibly funny with Peter Falk). What fun watching.
Hi Susan! Because of your recommendation…..and I know you have excellent taste!!!!!……I have so far watched Christmas in Connecticut, The Bishop’s Wife and Holiday Affair……LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!!! Thank you for sharing your list of favorites! So delightful and fun to “discover” these wonderful movies! In appreciation, Kathy *****See you at the movies!!!*****
I love hearing that . . . I know you’re having fun; I’m living vicariously through you, you are in for such treats with these movies, I feel like a fairy godmother!
As Iread through this list, I realized that I might as well call it “my” list, too because, with only a couple of exceptions, our lists are nearly identical. Wow!!! I am in wonderful company!!!
Definitely, good company!
Hello Susan,
I have most of these old movies, we seem to have the same taste in so many things. 🙂 I love your dishes, books and house etc…. I look forward everyday to reading your blog. I am writing Children’s Books and I use watercolors for my illustrations. I wish I could come to Martha’s Vineyard and meet you someday, you are my MUSE! I love the music you add and I thank God he has blessed us with YOU! You are wonderful! Thank you for everything, you put the sunshine in my day.
Barbara B.
Sweet Barbara! Thank you!
What a great list! I love many of the same movies for the same reasons you do. I look for the clothes, rooms and beautiful homes, too. Stepping into another world, even for a little bit, is magic!
A bit of a lifesaver sometimes too!
You have listed a lot of the movies that I love too! Fell in love with them because of my mom. She loved old movies too. She no longer is with us but my love for the oldies continues! The Quiet Man is one of my all time favs! John Wayne, Marueen O’Hara and the rest of the crew, the scenery, the story and the love story is wonderful! Great list!
Mine too, that one I had to own — so wonderful. That hat with the blue ribbon blowing in the wind, all alone on the fence post!
This is definitely one post I will have to print out for reference!! Of course, I have seen every Shirley Temple movie over & over!! My mother was in the same hospital room when she had my sister – so we feel connected- LOL!! Anything with Audrey Hepburn I would swoon! Funny how you know where & when you saw these movies – like Gigi, my Grandma took us. Bet I could sing every word of “Thank Heaven for Little Girls” (in the shower, of course!!)
I am a little bummed today, as I have had trouble with my internet and when I would get on your site to order my calendar it would say something about error detected in the firewall or something silly. I order on line, so never knew what it was talking about and it happened several times after I would look at about 3 items. I will try again, as there are several items I must have, and am patiently waiting for several items to come back in stock.
Thanks for a fun post – the movies we grew up on, and yes, shaped our lives and values!
We were so lucky that they were so good!
Here’s one almost no one has seen — it’s the only comedy Alfred Hitchcock made in Hollywood. It’s called Mr. and Mrs. Smith with Carole Lombard, Robert Montgomery and Gene Raymond. The set design/interiors by Van Nest Polglase are DREAMY! The story is Carole Lombard asked Hitch to do it and he turned her down because he didn’t do comedies. Soon she asked again, and Hitch said he could never say no twice to a beautiful woman.
So many of my favorites are on your list. All my Christmas favorites are there: Love watching the skating scene with Loretta Young and Cary Grant
(even though I know there must be stand ins in parts). I agree about “The Quiet Man”. When visiting family in Ireland, I even got to reenact a scene with my cousin and friend at a “Quiet Man” museum…what fun!
These are fabulous picks. I haven’t seen them all. One movie I have to record when I see it playing on FMC or TCM (commercial-free viewing) is That Thing You Do with Tom Hanks. It will completely take you back to the Sixties and how crazy we were about Beatle and Beach Boy music. I LOVE it!! Every time!! Another more adult but amazing movie is Scent of a Woman. It’s all about redemption and it’s amazing! I cry every time. Why is it that An Affair to Remember, no matter how many times I’ve seen it, makes me sob at the end, as if it’s the first time? I call that Masterful Moviemaking!! By the way, my best friend’s name is Janet, too. We are friends because 39 years ago, she dated my brother. THEY only lasted a brief time, but she and I have been together through thick and thin… all this time <3
🙂
Glad to see Love Actually on the list. That’s my favorite!
LOVE IT!!
Dear Susan,
Loved reading through your list, and following the links to Youtube. It was great to get the chance to have a brief visit back into those movies. Last night I saw “The Artist” at our local theater, and I am convinced it is another one you will love! It tells the story of a silent film star who is passed over at the time of the introduction to the “talkies.” If you caught the golden globes the other night you saw some of these people on stage accepting awards. It is a silent film, with a musical background, and I feel, it is genius! Costars John Goodman.
Just finished watching Mrs. Miniver for the first time – I was enjoying it so much but then I became a sniffling fool! I wasn’t expecting a good cry but it is amazing how sometimes that’s just what we need, isn’t it? Anyway, I thought of your darling Jack, I’m sure if it was to be remade today he would be a shoo in for Toby’s cat. : ) Thank you for the suggestions – Ninotchka, Remember the Night, and Holiday Affair are next. Thank goodness for good libraries! So nice to still be able to rent oldies but goodies.
Hi Susan! I have been a fan of yours for many years but new to your blog! I love this movie list and will share it this Febuary with my girlfriends at my tea party I am having! My friends are really excited! (that idea came from reading your suggestion about a tea party around Valentines day! Thanks!)
So happy to hear it! Let me know how it goes!
Dear Sweet Sue: Thank you for the movie list! Just printed it & I’m looking forward to many delightful hours on rainy days (hopefully we’ll get a lot more!), with tea & crumpets, & movies to watch! Have a great day! xoxo
Love your artwork! This is a wonderful site.
Some of my favorite movies are Danny Kaye,Abbott and Costello,Esther Williams, Jane Powell,Meet Me in St. Louis,State Fair,To Catch a Thief,Funny Girl,Funny Lady,GiGi,The Eddy Duchin Story,Bell,Book,and Candle,Radio Days, Annie Hall,How To Succeed in Business,A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To The Forum,Casablanca
Susan,
If you haven’t seen BBC’s North and South from 2004, I highly recommend it! I received it for Christmas and it has replaced Pride and Prejudice as my favorite movie…It’s a good one for a snowy Sunday afternoon!
so true! Loved this movie, watched it with my kids last year as part of their homeschooling education. What a treat for us all. My 14 year old even appreciated it.
Jena
I totally agree. Wonderful.
OMG. Richard Armitage is so good and it is a lovely little gem of a movie. Glad to see others have discovered it too.
Such wonderful movies!!!! I think you have almost all of my favs on your list! I would like to add: “How Green Was My Valley” and “Captains Courageous”! Also, “Bringing Up Baby”.
I love your taste in movies (as in ALL things). Gosford Park is another lovely one for your list. Even bought the CD ’cause I loved the music too.
I have been a fan for many, many years & was thrilled to meet you at two book signings. I even saved a little note that you wrote me a long time ago. My oldest daughter (now all grown up!) and I love to talk about Susan Branch. My daughter has a kitty, named Sasha, that she loves. We have all your books, of course. Doesn’t EVERYONE? Reading your blog makes the winter here in Syracuse more enjoyable. Really, we like snow too. Why do so many people complain about it??
Maybe they didn’t read Pollyanna?
So many great movies! Susan, you have such excellent, eclectic and varied taste in movies, just like me and many others here! My daughter introduced her best friend to ‘Love Actually’ yesterday for the first time, and she loved it. I had to stop making dinner and come in to watch the Jamie/Aurelia proposal scene (yummy Colin Firth!), and teared up as always! Sigh… it never gets old! And I would second Janie Russell’s recommendation of Gosford Park. It’s in my top 10 all time favorite movies. Also, I’d second Cindy N’s recommendation of That Thing You Do. Such fun! And it takes place the year I was born, 1964, so it holds a special place in my heart. I think you’d love it.
Oh for the LOVE of classic movies! You are so fortunate to have discovered them at such an early age. I never watched them until around 15 years ago…..and I was hooked. I have seen almost every one of the old classics that you have listed, and have LOVED every single one of them. There’s nothing like a classic film <3 It's not often to find someone that enjoys these films. I introduced them to my husband, and he also shares a love for them. Thank you for this post! Bless you! 🙂
I almost think, from talking to people, they just don’t know about the old films. My young hairdresser, just yesterday, told me she’s never seen French Kiss. How can that BE?
I have no idea…I loved French Kiss! And I love your blog! (btw how do you make the little hearts??)……Kathy 🙂
The man that made my blog gave me the hearts with it!
Kathy, you may never swing back here (btw, it would be great if there was a function here that automatically pinged your e-mail when someone responded to a post you made as a guest), here’s how to make ♥’s. Hold down the ‘alt’ key and hold while pressing number 3. ♥♥♥♥
Kathy,
You can make the hearts by using Alt and 3 together.
Carol
♥♥♥
Susan, I’ve been stalking your blog, I don’t leave comments because I don’t have a blog…smile, I’m a first-born Norwegian work-a-holic. I’d hold myself to a level of perfection and don’t dare start blogging! I LOVE old movies and saw that you had Dear Ruth listed as a favorite. Do you know that there are two more follow-up movies? Dear Wife and Dear Brat. I had to do a lot of searching to find them not available on TCM I’ll tell you! If you are interested, email and I’ll be happy to send you a copy. I think you’ll love them both!
You don’t have to have a blog to leave comments! So glad you’re here . . . I will follow up on those movies, Dear Wife sounds familiar, but not Dear Brat! Thanks Tammy!
Thank you so much for posting your list. As a little girl, I would watch old movies (reluctantly) with my dad. Over time, I grew to love them, and now my 13 year old daughter and I have a ritual every week to watch an old movie together. We will be adding a few of yours to the list. Her favorites are Doris Day movies, My Fair Lady, Funny Face, The African Queen, the list goes on and on! 🙂
Good for you, it’s a wonderful thing to share with your daughter!
Kerri, I love all the old classics, but Doris Day is my favorite too. Of hers, my favorite is her first; Romance on the High Seas. I also love her music. If I’m feeling stressed or anxious, I just pop in one of her movies or if I’m doing housework I play her music and she just does something no one else can do.
And I agree with all the other comments. Reading Susan’s list is almost like reading my own. LOVE A Room With A View and Enchanted April. I have watched them both a million times.
Susan, I’ve been buying your books and calendars and stickers for years. I decorate the envelopes of letters that I send to my friends with your stickers. You’re really a kindred spirit. ;^)
I too love so many of these movies, and its funny when i need to escape all reality I always turn to Harold and Maude my children knew when they came home and it was on mom was escaping lol.Thanks for this article it brought back alot of fond memories and I am glad to know I am not the only one who is in love with these 🙂
Ha ha, Harold and Maude, what a classic! I almost walked out, the beginning of it was so dark … took me a while to get into the groove of the humor, but it’s SO wonderful, I’m glad I stayed!
They just don’t make movies the way the used to! Another one to add to this wonderful list is ‘People Will Talk’ (Cary Grant)… check it out, I think you’ll love it… I know I do!
I just watched “A Fish Called Wanda” last week. I have it saved on my media center. Jamie Curtis was such a beautiful young woman and now she is just as beautiful in her maturity. That movie cracks me up every time!
So funny!!
I sometimes feel watching old movies (or new ones) is a guilty pleasure, so it’s great to see my favourite past time celebrated like this. I especially related to your experiences around the time of 911. Escaping with old friends from the movies has helped and soothed me through some troubled times too.
Here’s to many more rainy afternoons…..Jean x
I like to think of them as “educational” — takes any guilt all away! 🙂
I’m sure I watched all the Shirley Temple movies once. While wondering why none of them registered as a favorite, the thought came to me that I avoid them because of the nasty permanents my mother gave me to make me look like Shirley. LOL
hahaha! That would do it!
So agree with you on “Room With A View”…my favorite of all times. May I suggest some of my favorite movies? “Possession” with Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam, and Jennifer Ehle and “The White Countess” with Natasha Richardson and Ralph Finnes. A neat British series titled “Clatterford” with great women in a small village with lots of laughs….on DVD. And I just saw Glenn Close and Janet McTeer in Albert Nobbs and thought it was great.
I’m thinking you might be talking about Cranford? I haven’t heard of Clatterford, but from the way you’re describing it …sounds like Cranford and if so, it’s one of my favorites too– wonderful!!!
There is an English series called Clatterford — contemporary stories about women in England. funny and heartfelt, too. You might also enjoy another English series called Lark Rise to Candleford.
I second the recommendation of “Lark Rise to Candleford”!! I am a couple of episodes into season 2 and absolutely adore it! 19th century costume drama (but with a ton of humor as well) about a “hamlet” girl making the adjustment to living in the larger village of Candleford, a whole 8 miles (more or less, see season 1) down the road. Very strong female leads, beautiful costumes and a fabulous cast of true characters from both Lark Rise and Candleford. Amazon has it available for streaming and Netflix has the discs. Bonus points for any Ab Fab fans who recognize Saffy all grown up!
Susan look for and watch Maggie Smith’s performance as “The Millionairess” (DVD on BBC Video). You will love this Bernard Shaw rendition and you will laugh…..heartily! This performance should be part of your collection. It fits right in. Her costumes are amazing. I hope you can enjoy this film with a very British cup of tea in your Emma Bridgewater teacup. Such a fitting pair. Tah tah!
http://www.amazon.com/Millionairess-Maggie-Smith/dp/B000E8JNQU/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1329079082&sr=1-2
Just added it to my Netflix queue — thank you Carol!
Hi Susan!
It is Lisa and long haired Jessie in California, we met you at the book signing in SLO.
LOVE this list of movies, I have seen some but missed a lot. Thank you for this great guide. I am finding that having a little one really changes your taste in movies and the old ones are tried and true goodness for these little souls. Thanks again!
Lisa & Jessie
And big souls too 🙂
your story about you and your mother watching Shirley Temple together brought back memories of me and my mother doing the same thing! we would enjoy popcorn and chocolate milk and sing along, we had so much fun together.
I enjoyed your list of movies. I have to say, many of them are also my favorites
and the few that I have not seen I plan to asap. love your web site, it’s so much fun, I have to thank my friend Linda H. for giving me your web address and to “Check it out”
Then I thank Linda H. too! Nice to see you here Cindy!
Hi. Just left a message on the books blog so I’ll be brief- (hope I’m not repeating anything someone else has already mentioned because I don’t have time to read them all) but thought you might like-
Dogfight (don’t be put off by the title or the premise at the beginning of the movie- very romantic)
Ice Storm
Dan in Real Life
What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (my husband and I watch this each year on the same day we saw it the first time- when we were dating- it had such an impact on us)
Vanilla Sky – also very romantic theme if you make it through the whole thing, takes several watchings actually to get it all but one of my all-time favorites – along with Love Actually, Two for the Road (saw those on your list) and Fever Pitch
also, I saw you had Bridget Jones’ Diary on your list for books and for movies. Don’t you think the book was so LOL hilarious and endearing (unlike the movie which was so different from the real story) Have you read the sequel also? Just as good. And I just heard they’re making a third Bridget Jones’ movie to be released soon. (alas, not a third book)
well, so much for being brief……
Thanks Vicki! Very helpful! LOVE Bridget Jones Diary!
My all time favorite is on your list………….Arsenic and Old Lace………….everytime I see it I still laugh and laugh outloud. So different from any other movie I’ve ever seen. And, of course, I love all Cary Grant movies.
Love to laugh! Gail Buss, Beverly Hills, Florida
A family favorite is “Harvey” with Jimmy Stewart. My 28 year old son named his puppy Elwood after the main character in Harvey. We also enjoy the films “Waking Ned Devine”, “Singing in the Rain” and “Guys and Dolls”. Favorite quote from Harvey, “. . . you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.” Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.” Elwood P. Dowd
Darling movie! Jimmy Stewart was perfect for that role!
Susan I must thank you for your Movie list. My husband and I had not seen most of them–believe it or not! We’ve been busy raising two children–when we went to a movie it was for them. We are empty nesters now and have more time to persue other endeavors. One of which is to enjoy these movies of long ago. My husband has alphabetized them and we check each off as we watch them. He enjoys them as much as I do! Splendor in the Grass yesterday was amazing–Natalie Wood and Warren Beaty–so young and beautiful!—I loved it! Thank You again! xoxo ♥
How fun! I often wish I could see them all again for the first time! Enjoy!
What a great list..I just watched the trailer for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (which I have never seen!) and it’s so fun to see the amazing Maggi Smith in her younger days since we are so used to seeing her as the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey. Have you seen “You Can’t Take it with You” with Jimmy Stuart? One of my all time favorite Capra films. I just die laughing at Ann Miller in that one! Thanks for all the recommendations…just love all the old films.
Oh yes, hilarious. Love Capra anything!
Hi, i’m a new kid on the block, after looking through your site I feel like I am home . Feel so much warmth, enjoy everything many thanks .
bobbie
I would love the news letter and the blog will look at it all.
thanks
bobbie
How about “What a Way to Go!” with Shirley Maclaine, Gene Kelley, Dean Martin, Dick Van Dyke…etc etc…one of my faves!!!
I feel like you are my long lost twin. Everything you say resonates with me. I love all these movies also, TCM is my fave channel. Your creativity and love of beauty and home and longing for the fairy tale life are all exactly how I feel and think also. thank you for expressing it so eloquently for all to see. I feel so encouraged and validated when I read your words. Thank you again.
Thank you Kathleen, I do know how you feel — I search for the others that long for it too! And the ones that make it happen, or some good version of it!
Susan, I finally found time to read your movie list. I love old movies! Gone With The Wind is my all time favorite. Doris Day movies are wonderful, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, …oh the list could go on and on. A lot of new movies have left me feeling disgusted with the language and sexually explicit scenes. But some of them are still great, such as You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless In Seattle, Midnight In Paris, Nights In Rodanthe, Under The Tuscan Sun, …….
You know sometimes a little left to the imagination is a good thing. 🙂 Hallmark has made a lot of really good movies, too. (I like movies I can watch with others and not be embarrassed.)
Anyway, love your list.
Maria
So happy Maria, thank you!
I just discovered your website, quite by accident, but I’m so glad I did! I love your movie list, and have seen lots of your favorites, and have to agree that they are wonderful! Some I’ve not seen, so I must track them down and watch them when time allows. My all time favorite movie is Gone With The Wind, but I also love The Enchanted Cottage (brilliant), and Now Voyager (Bette Davis was AWESOME in this movie). The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is probably my all time 2nd favorite. I’ll never forget the first time I saw it: Chilly Fall night, 3 a.m. in the morning, nine months pregnant and ready to bust, sleep evaded me that night. BUT I am so glad because I may not have seen that movie otherwise!
After reading your blog and realizing our favorite books and movies are nearly identical, I’ve come to the conclusion that we must be sisters (tragically separated at birth). Or perhaps, more likely, sisters of the heart and kindred spirits. It’s actually a bit thrilling to feel that connection and know that someone else out there is truly on the same wave length. Thank you, Susan, for sharing and for being YOU.
Nice to hear from you Linda! You will run into lots of kindred spirits here, you’re in the right place!
Susan,
Well, I can’t believe this is my second e-mail to you in one day. Having just discovered your blog in the last few weeks (you were on your way home from England), I have been going through all that you have to offer. I came upon your favorite movies and can’t believe you so enjoy all the old classics, and I, like all your followers, have the same great taste! Having purchased your books years back I felt even then what a wonderful lady you must be and what a pleasure it would be to call you friend. I believe I have just found a friend! Thank you for all the wonderful fun, enjoyment and inspiration you give to others, including me!
A pleasure my friend! It’s fun that we are all finding each other!
Thanks for the list. I believe you would love a new movie called, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”. It’s sort of in the vein of some of the “oldies” – I’ve seen it twice, some of my friends have seen it several times – it’s just hard to “put down”
Best,
Kay.
We say that in England! One of the little highlights!
Susan, this is a great list! I love so many of these. I was going to suggest Waking Ned Divine…one of my faves that most folks don’t know about, but I spotted it on the list. 🙂 One I think you would enjoy (may be on your list and I just missed it) is The Red Violin. The music and scenery is amazing and it has a great story line. A couple of other faves are Under the Tuscan Sun and Green Card. You would love the greenhouse in Green Card. Oh, one more that’s fun: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. You may already have these on your list and I missed them. Thanks for the list…I’m definitely going to watch some of these.
Hope you add LARK RISE TO CANDLEFORD to the list, they are wonderful..
I never knew anyone else who had the same movies on their list until reading this! I also am so happy to hear about how movies shaped your life and kept your spirits up. I’m now trying to teach my 7 year old boy about ‘old movies’ and how fabulous they are.
I’m also a big fan of those chick flicks…Where the Boys Are, and the Gidget Movies….Also love the Madame X movies.. Lana Turner and Tuesday Weld version…Also Joy in the Morning with Yvette Mimieux….I could go on and on…Not enough time
Thanks for all your loveliness in everything you do.
Thank you Deborah!
Wow, I love all of your movie collection. I’ve been watching all the old classics for years and never get tired of them. I have four childern who are grown now and they laugh at me for only letting them watch movies such as these. Our family lived in England for 18 months backin 1999 and we loved british movies as well. Have you ever seen Good night Mr.Tom I lovedit so much and was happy to find it here in U.S. at a Barnes and Noble.
Dark Victory with Bette Davis is my no 1 with the charming house in the last third of the movie. Agree with lots of your favs. Prefer old black and whites over anything else. The stories, sets, acting and clothes were so good they didn’t require color.
Loved Dark Victory!
I have all the DVDs of the young Bette Davis—what a wonderful actress—and my favorite!!!
Oh my stars! Love the “oldies”. These were the films my Mom watched, and taught me about. I took care of her the last few years I had with her, and you could always find us watching TCM. I remember growing up with Shirley Temple, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire, and, Gene Kelly . And who can forget Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney? Your list makes me think you read my mind! So many great movies! I am an almost empty nester. My 33 yo son live with me to help me out a bit, and he will say, so and so movie is on. Why don’t you watch it? My reply is because I am watching TCM today because Little Women (or whatever) is on. I really don’t watch much “regular” TV. I have cable soley for watching “my old movies”. Thanks so much for your movie list. I am printing it out so I can watch the few I haven’t seen and rewatch the ones I have seen. BTW, I have seen “Meet Me In St. Louis” so many times I can probably cite the film by memory. My favorite scene is the snowy evening when the littlest one, Tootie, is heartsick about moving and Judy Garland sings, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”. I cry every time. Sorry so long. Taking a beautiful walk down memory lane! I really love your work. You are blessed with such talent. Thank you so much for sharing with us all! <3 (((hugs)))
Oh, wow! Thanks so much for putting this all together….. fresh ideas… and some dearly loved favorites! =]
xxo
It was fun to do Katy and now I have a list I can go to too!
I love your movie list! Two others for consideration: The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, which has Cary Grant, Myrna Loy AND Shirley Temple. Also, a newer one called Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day. Also, loved your trip to England!
Wow, Susan, so many of my favorite movies! “I Married a Witch” I noticed was in your stack – I just can’t beleive there are so many of us out there that continue to enjoy the wonderful “old movies!” Thanks so much for sharing and bringing back such great memories! You now have me on a quest…
Great list…just what I needed…but did you forget” Jaws” ??? Xxx
Hahahaha Rachel, I must have!!! I thought about you when I was saying, hey here’s the list!!!
Two of my favorites from 1995 and 2004 starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. Watch them in order. They are no longer available on Netflix Streaming but you can still get them in DVDs. I believe you will love them!
Ok, two things, sweet Susan! Since you listed Meet Me In St. Louis twice, which I totally understand, and you mentioned in passing not listing Funny Face, which I don’t understand at all (!), maybe, you could put Funny Face where the second MMISL is listed? Just to appease me? 😀 Thank you.
And, one of the best things I did this summer to soothe myself while you were in England was, I went to a Grease sing-a-long at the Hollywood Bowl! It was AMAZING! Hosted by Didi Conn, who was adora-belle, and oh my gosh, just imagine the whole tribe singing along to every song. Talk about magical! I’ll never forget it and hope to make it an annual tradition now. Summer lovin’, had me a blast….
Oh how fun! My family does that every time we get together, we need to go to one of these!
Thanks so much for this wonderful list. I enjoy old movies and really appreciate the suggestions and links, Susan.
-Karen
I am posting this again as my comment from yesterday is still in Moderation so it may or may not show up. . .
Two of my favorites from 1995 and 2004 starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy are Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. You must watch them in order as they portray the same two characters in both films. They are no longer available on Netflix Streaming but you can still get them in DVDs. I believe you will love them!
Thanks Kathy!
Wonderful selection Susan. You’re the reason I watched and love, love, love “Love Actually” (my daughter too, she pinched my copy !”
I don’t think I saw this movie on your list “Life as a House”……..wonderful story, get the tissues out.
Isn’t it the best? Now you can get her the soundtrack for Christmas, it’s great! I always have mine in the car! Love Kevin Kline, will have to watch Life as a House!
“The Egg and I” with Fred McMurray and Claudette Colbert set my mind as a young girl to the possibilities of love and determination. I’ve never forgotten that movie and the idea of hope against all odds. And they are an adorable couple yet he wasn’t a Hollywood Hunk but I still love him in all the movies he’s been in! And Colbert along with Irene Dunne solidifies for me what a woman should be (oh how I wish)!
Just when I thought we could be friends 🙂 I am sorry, the ONLY Pride and Prejudice, in my humble opinion, is the BBC version. Those stitches in the fabric at the beginning, the conservation of the beautiful language, of Austin, glorious. Friends and I gather once every winter for brunch and later tea (because it IS 5 hours long.) But it is one of the great, cheap, escapes from Maine winters!
Cyndee, EXACTLY what I was thinking about P&P! The BBC version is so incredibly awesome, I could not even bring myself to see the Knightly version and probably never will. The oldie with Greer Garson is fun to see, but the BBC rocks! I watch it at least once every year since it came out.
Oh, I’m with you both! The modern movie changed the beautiful language of Jane Austen. I walked out of the theater disappointed I had spent the money. Besides…could there possibly be a more perfect Mr. Darcy than Colin Firth?
A more perfect anything!
Another beautiful Jane Austen movie is Sense and Sensibility, with screenplay by and starring Emma Thompson. Excellent cast and acting and true to Jane Austen’s language and spirit. I have watched it so many times I’ve lost count.
Love the list! Don’t forget about “The Trouble With Angels”!!! Haley Mills and Rosalind Russell were wonderful. My sister and I watched it as kids and laughed and sobbed and were sooo happy!!
Loved your movie list – I have seen 75% of your favorites and love them too.
But have you seen Back Street starring Susan Hayward and John Gavin.
If not – you will love it. Get the kleenex out ! It’s a great old movie when style was elegant and movie stars were gorgeous. It’s hard to catch on TCM but I’m sure you can find it somewhere. Great for a rainy night.
Oh yes, Back Street! I know it well. Also the version of A Farewell to Arms with Rock Hudson and Jennifer Jones. These two movies had my girlfriend and I crawling on the floor (which is where we were laying when we watched them) with sobbing tears!!! 🙂
Two treasures not on the list that are fairly new; ONLY YOU – a fun romance with Marisa Tomei and Robert Downey Jr. and my favorite Christmas movie, SCROOGE, the musical version with Albert Finney. The “Thank You Very Much Song” will have you dancing around your tree!
Susan: I love your choices, but here are three wonderful ones: “The Best Years of Our Lives”, “Since You Went Away”, and “An American in Paris”. If you love Myrna Loy as much as I do, “Best Years” is a must and a classic. I watch it over and over, and cry every time and in the same places… Claudette Colbert and a grown up Shirley Temple (who NEVER went through an awkward stage – was always beautiful) were wonderful in “Since You Went Away” – Jennifer Jones is in it too, and is excellent. The kind of movie you want to sit and watch on either a rainy or snowy day, in front of the fire, with a hot cup of tea… And Gene Kelly is so wonderful in “An American in Paris”, and so is Leslie Caron. The dance sequences are magical and dreamy… Happy Movie Watching!
Hey Susan!
Thanks again for the great list. I think I sent some before but thought of another when I saw the link from the latest Willard (very special and appreciated, as usual!). Did you have Before Sunrise on your list or have you seen?
Happy Halloween!
I have seen it! Not everything gets on my list, although this was an interesting one, it really felt to me like there was a lot of ad libbing going on!
I love I MARRIED A WITCH and BELL, BOOK AND CANDLE. I think whoever thought up (another of my favorites) BEWITCHED got the idea from a combination of these two stories. Thanks for reminding me will go see if that is available on youtube
I want to order a movie on Netflix but can’t remember the name. It starred Diane Keaton and she had to give up her high powered job to raise a baby. She moved away from the city to the country. I know you know it!
It’s so darling, and it is called BABY BOOM!!!
I have been watching the old movies since I was in grade school. We would ride the bus home to the country and race into the house and turn on the Big Show and watch from 4-6pm. I have a collection of the Shirley Temple movies but don’t know if the grandchildren would ever sit still long enough to watch one. I am the Dircector of our town’s museum and I am strongly thinking of putting them there. Maybe I could have a Saturday at the museum and show one of her movies to all us oldies. Thanks for all the time you put into your site–I am sure we all certainly apprecicate it- love to relax and read and look at all you have to offer.
Have just been introduced to your website and am still looking through it, love what I’ve seen so far, my oldie movies are more current than yours, I loved Cary Grant when he was older in such movies as Houseboat, Father Goose, That Touch of Mink and Walk Don’t Run, James Stewart in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation and also Take Her She’s Mine, Doris Day in Please Don’t Eat the Daisies and with James Garner in The Thrill of it All; and with Brian Keith in With Six You Get Egg Rolls; Lucille Ball in Yours, Mine and Ours; and the sequels to Cheaper By the Dozen – 1950’s version, Bells on Their Toes and The Trouble with Angels sequel Where Angels go Trouble Follows and another John Wayne favourite McClintock! I also like a lot of the Jane Eyre or similar movies especially if filmed in the UK.
Did you ever hear that Barbara Stanwyck’s character in Christmas in Connecticut is based on Gladys Taber? Must watch that movie again!
I did! She’s not too much like her, but it’s a darling movie!
I love your blog. Gosh, I read one of your recent posts (way back) about one of your favorite movies when you were deciding to make changes in your house. This old movie had reminded you of what you were planning on doing. I went back today to write down the name of the movie because I was anxious to watch it. 🙁 I can’t find the name. I remember the video clip that you had posted. She was explaining to the man exactly what color she wanted the wall painted–yellow, I think.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, with Cary Grant and Myrna Loy.
Thank you so much! 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Unless I’ve missed it………I couldn’t see “The Holiday”……..Have you seen it yet?
OH yes, it’s darling!
I want to recommend a fairly recent British movie Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont in which Joan Plowright tells her young friend Rupert Friend about Brief Encounter. He goes to the video rental place and meets a girl who reaches for it at the same time :-). Joan wears a Celia Johnson hat in the opening scene as an homage to her. Also a great older Maggie Smith movie – Love and Pain and the Whole Damn Thing. Quirky, touching love story.
Love your list. I’m old enough to have seen some when they were new, going to the movies with my parents in the late 30’s and early 40’s. My Dad at one time played piano for silent movies when he was a very young man. I know we saw Mrs. Miniver when it was new and it made SUCH an impression on me. I wanted to be just like Greer Garson.
Hope and Glory is another British movie with a different charming kid view of WWII times in suburban London, a favorite that I own and watch from time to time. Watch it in combo with The Kings Speech. Perfect match as the family sits around the table listening to one of King George’s speeches sighing with relief when it’s over. Charming. Thanks for the list.
I have enjoyed reading about the “movies” and how they have touched each of us in our lives…how we look at life…what a sweet little cottage means to the “heart”….the dignity given in the words spoken….the depth of understanding and “feeling” in certain scenes….we re-live over and over inside our heads…the RICH education given to us in these movies, books etc….its like getting all this wisdom from someone who has gone before us….It is now the closing days of this year and I am encouraged….each day ahead can…be better than yesterday..because OF yesterday…..yahoo!!! we are so blessed….so thankful to be able to appreciate the “old” and “new” movies that shape us…to be better and kinder to one another….still on the top of the list for me is….Life is Beautiful…..I have never been able to go thru the whole movie without having to stop and go to my secret place and cry my heart out……then come back and finish….it makes me want to be a better person..a much better person….and that is my wish for the coming year….how can I make life more “beautiful” for me and everyone in my world….love you Susan Branch…you are one of those beautiful people…I admire and appreciate you…evangeline
Such a wonderful picture, so wonderfully done, heartfelt, touching … I also loved them under the table, the dress she was wearing was darling.
Susan, I have been a huge fan of your work for years, and I am having such fun discovering your website (don’t know why I’ve never checked it out before)! Just want to say a big THANK YOU for all you do to enrich our lives!
I am excited about seeing your list of favorite classic movies! All of my favorites were there, too, except for one that I am sure you have seen in the past, “Boys’ Town” …. should be required reviewing in all schools! 🙂 The life lessons in this movie are just priceless.
Again, thank you for bringing goodness, love, happiness, contentment, and so many virtues to the lives of thousands in this world. You are a blessing in our lives, and I truly believe you will be rewarded!
We love movies too and our data base has over 500 we have on dvds… After your trip to England I think you might like Foyle’s War, all filmed in England. Its a WW II era series that was done by the BBC. I love the costumes and the historical fiction! Great stories that will have you checking Netflix. Watch them in order if you can, Michael Kitchen ages in the series and it’s easier to see him younger first!
Reading through your favorite list of movies I kept thinking out loud “that’s a good one,oh yes that one too,confirming so many of the same ones are my favorites too.
Someone else mentioned Since You Went Away-with an older Shirley Temple,I am glad they did,that I am not the only one who loves that one.
Anne of Green Gables,the ones with Megan Follows,gosh I have worn out VHS tapes,and DVD’s of those.They are my absolute favorites of all time.
I love Little Women too,and have seen all of the versions.
My mom and I saw Forrest Gump,Bridges of Madison County and Little Women(Wynona Ryder version) all in the year she passed away.We hadn’t been to a movie together in years. She saw all of the versions of Little Women too.
Have another to add that is not an old movie-Nanny McPhee,sweet and funny all in one.
Hi Susan!
I’ve seen most of the movies you have listed…and a lot of them are my favorites too. One of my all time favorites is Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” starring Amanda Root & Ciaran Hinds (BBC 1995). If you haven’t seen “Pride & Prejudice” with Colin Firth (BBC 1995) that is a must as well. Love them both! Have you seen the semi-autobiographical “Tea with Mussolini” starring Cher, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Lily Tomlin? How about “Always” with Richard Dreyfuss? Same story as “A Guy named Joe”. Speaking of Richard Dreyfuss…have you seen “The Goodbye Girl” with him and Marsha Mason? Love that one! Last one…”Lark Rise to Candleford”. I really enjoyed this British series by the BBC (only lasted 4 seasons). The actress that played Lydia in the 1995 P&P stars in it along with one of the actors from Downton Abbey.
Thanks for sharing your gifts, talents and your self with us. I have a boatload of friends and family who think the same and would love to sit down and visit with you and share a pot of tea. 🙂
I love so many of the movies you mentioned. Have you by any chance seen The Miracle of the Bells? It used to be shown on TV very late on Christmas eve.I think I have only found one or two people who have seen this movie. The young actress is so good as Joan of Arc. I cry whenever I see it. Unfortunately it’s been a while, because they don’t show it on TV anymore. Not where I live anyway. I must try to find a copy on DVD.
Oh yes I have, but it’s been a long time! So good! I wish they would put that back on the Movie Channel!
“Enchanted April” is my rainy day movie. Also Steve Martin’s “My Blue Heaven” and Steve Carell’s “Dan in Real Life”. What would we do without wonderful books and movies?
And Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin in “All of Me.” So funny!
Susan and Girlfriends,
I’ve spent much of the weekend in England through streaming a new-to-me series that you might like, Rosemary and Thyme. Cozy mystery series, dead bodies but no gore. Imagine “Murder, She Wrote” but instead of Jessica Fletcher you have Rosemary Boxer and Laura Thyme. They arrive at some grand garden to sort out a problem with the plants and wind up solving a murder (or two) while they’re there. Great houses, great gardens and really cute. I now want to be Felicity Kendal when I grow up!
If you like Felicity Kendall, be sure to see “Good Neighbors”. Felicity Kendal, the late Richard Briers, Penelope Keith, and the late Paul Eddinton. LOVE!!
sorry …Eddington
This is a wonderful list! I used it recently when my cousin had a hysterectomy and was going to be home for a couple of weeks. I sent her the list (with the names of a few other movies that I love too) along with an especially good magazine about creating things. (She is very creative and likes the same things I do.) I tied onto the magazine and movie list some copies of old family photos, like one of our great great grandmother behind the counter of our great grandfather’s general store and one of our especially special aunt who passed away a couple of years ago, a little bag of chocolate truffles, Burt’s Bees lip balm and cuticle cream, a book mark from your free stuff, a little bracelet I made with angel beads on it, a pair of turquoise earrings I made, just a bunch of little fun things, and gave it to her. She really liked it, and I had such fun putting it together. I told her in the get well card attached to it to check out your blog everyday for a dose of beauty and happiness and musica. What fun! She got well very fast, I think. I know it made my heart sing! Love, Anita
The best gift of all Anita is just plain YOU. What a nice, thoughtful thing for you to do! I’m sure she got well quick with all that tender loving care surrounding her! Thank you for sharing that with us — that’s what I call uplifting!
Another movie that I just love is Little Miss Sunshine. It’s so heartwarming.
wow—–so many of these movies that I love and haven’t seen in so long—–how about “Miracle in the Rain” (Van Johnson, Jane Wyman) , “Marty” (Ernest Borgnine)and “Heidi” (Shirley Temple)–my mom was a big fan of hers also—-always wished she still had her Shirley Temple doll!
All good, and Heidi! One of my favorites, so well done how could it ever be done better than that. “Grandfather!” I can still hear the cry!
I just watched a Masterpiece Theater production titled “Framed”- all about the collection of the National Gallery being transported to a remote English village while restoration is ongoing at the museum. Very quirky, very British!
Some other recommendations- Love’s Kitchen, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day,
and the Rosemary and Thyme mystery series.
Hi,Susan! This is a terrific list.I’ve been following you since HEART of the HOME was published and I did meet you many years ago at a bookstore in Santa Barbara.I’m now in Northern Ca and loving your blog.If you have not seen these movies,I think you will enjoy them: It Happened on 5th Avenue(good for the Holidays) and The More the Merrier(wonderful Jean Arthur comedy) One of your fans mentioned Mr. and Mrs Smith and I second that one!Best to you and Joe and please keep those photos of adorable Jack and beautiful Girl Kitty coming.
A fabulous list! I love almost anything with the young Cary Grant, especially “Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.” Most memorable scene: Myrna Loy so carefully describes the paint colors she wants (“Not a cold, antiseptic white…”), and the builder says to the painter, “Yellow. Blue. Red. White.” Pure genius writing and great comedic timing.
Dear Susan,
I love Bread and Tulips! So glad it made your list. (I have referenced your list before, but I guess it didn’t register that time). It’s cold and rainy and muddy here in California ( you got out just in time, girlfriend! LOL) so watching lovely sweet movies during our Thanksgiving Break from school sounds delightful! Tell Joe not to drive any faster than your guardian angels can fly… Safe travels, dear ones.
I love Two for the Road. The music and Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney were wonderful. Another old favorite that was on your list is The Enchanted Cottage. I saw that years and years ago and not many people are familiar with it. I also loved The Promise with Kathleen Quinlan and Stephen Collins. What a great romance!
I haven’t seen The Promise. Will have to look for that.
Dear Susan,
Love your list! I’ve not seen many movies, but have more time now that I’m retired and taking care of the Mama who will be 100 shortly. We love, love “Lark Rise to Candleford” a BBC TV series that aired in 2008. As the London times said, “This is shamelessly heartwarming…with extra sugar, double cream and chocolate on top”! Susan, you are a treasure, you lift my spirits when they need lifting!
Barb
Happy to hear that Barb! And these old movies will do more of that spirit lifting!
a must add for your movie list: portrait of jennie, starring jennifer jones and joseph cotton; a hauntingly beautiful old movie.
Thanks for the long list of favourite movies. And of course the books.
I just bought your book about the trip to England and the wonderful places you visited.
I read you were at Charleston farm house. Beautiful and interesting place. In your booklist I miss the biography of Dora Carrington from Gretchen Gerzina. She, Carrington, was one of the Bloomsbury group and a friend of Lytton Strachey. She was a painter and her life was exiting, difficult and tragic. A film about her was made, “Carrington.”
After Strachey’s death she wrote these lines from Henry Wootten in her diary:
He first deceased, she for a little tried
To live without him, liked it NOT and died.
I loved Emma Thompson in Carrington, she was perfect! I’ll have to look for that book. Thank you Johanna.
Thisisn’t about movies (though we have largely the same list). I can’t find a place for this, except here. I have to give you a standing ovation for A FINE ROMANCE, which I’ve just acquired. I adore every single page. One of the most beautiful and engaging books I’ve ever had. Even the paper feels good. Thank you for sharing this adventure, which I limiting my reading in so it won’t end too soon. WOW!
Love hearing such nice words, Jeanne! Thanks for taking the time to tell me. xo
Valentines day, our local paper listed 100 love story Movies & I can hardly believe, I had seen 99 of them. I love the movies,old ones are fun on a rainy or gloomy day.I get teased by my daughter she says(mom there’s an old movie on)
but I love the way their done, I don’t need to see them making love, just the
feeling that you know they are crazy about each other. Old Movies, bring them on.
Every once in a while I discover one I haven’t seen — it always surprises me because I feel like I’ve seen them all! Bishops Wife was one of those … I only discovered it around ten years ago. Was shocked! Where had I been all my life!
Susan, I have collected and enjoyed your books and calendars for years – thank you for all your beautiful and amazing work! I also love many of the old movies you listed, but here’s one you may not have seen: The Trip to Bountiful with Geraldine Page. The story as well as the music is very moving. It’s difficult to stop at mentioning only one movie and so another favorite is How to Make an American Quilt with Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft and Ellen Burstyn. Last of all, a very recently released movie that had me in tears is About Time. It makes us think about making the very best of each day we’re given! If you haven’t seen these movies, I hope you’ll enjoy them.
Love your contributions Donna! Thank you.
Here’s another one to consider, “Paradise for Three” (1938) with Robert Young, Florence Rice, Frank Morgan, and (love this woman) Edna Mae Oliver! I watched it this afternoon. A real delight!
I’m so happy someone else has a love for the “oldies but goldies” movies I enjoy too. I’m 25 and there is no one, no one my age that watches these movies let alone knows who acts in them. I can honestly say I know and recognize way more film noir/golden age actors and actresses in comparison to who’s in more modern movies. Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers are my favourite! I came across your blog by the way while trying to find some painting tips. I’m just a beginner and this may sound strange, but I assume you can relate. I feel like there’s this overwhelming feeling of letting my creativity flow but I’m so frustrated cause I can’t paint! Would love to start with something. I’m a big fan of your art!
Hi Ana … I’m so happy you’ve discovered the old movies! I think Ginger Rogers never quite got her full due, what a talented woman ~ she could do it all. I didn’t paint my first picture until I was thirty, you’re a mere baby. You just have to try and then you have to practice. Here’s a post I did about it . . . HERE …. I hope this helps. You never know unless you try. Painting with an old movie on in the background = pure happiness!