I’ll start this article off with a confession: I’m a total movie nerd. I’ve seen way too many movies in my lifetime and missed way too many social events to watch a screening of an obscure movie on TCM than I’d care to admit. Sad, I know, but my nerdiness is here to help you! Whether you were inspired to get more into classic movies by Aria from Pretty Little Liars or because you recently saw a picture of young Marlon Brando and decided he was the hottest man on Earth, I am here to guide you through your journey. I’ve left off all-time greats like Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and Gone With the Wind on the assumption that somebody has already told you to watch them, and I’ve limited myself to American movies made before 1970, because I don’t want this list to be even more woefully incomplete than it already is.
The Wild Party (1929) dir. Dorothy Arzner
I know I probably shouldn’t start off this list with the movie you’re least likely to have heard of, but hear me out. This was the first “talkie” of original Cool Girl Clara Bow, and it was directed by the only mainstream female director in Hollywood at the time, the underrated Dorothy Arzner. Bow stars as a college girl who parties a little too hard and ends up getting mixed up with a professor. Made before the restrictive Hays Code of the 1930s, it’s surprisingly risqué. For more great pre-Codes, check out Baby Face, She Done Him Wrong and Design for Living. Scandalous!
City Lights (1931) dir. Charlie Chaplin
In an effort to make this list more accessible, I’m only including one silent film. I know silent movies can seem daunting, and that they have a reputation for being sluggish in plot and over-the-top in acting, but they really can be quite charming! That charm is never more apparent than in this Charlie Chaplin classic. Chaplin plays his Tramp character once again, and this time falls in love with a blind flower seller. If you don’t tear up at the final scene, you’re probably a robot. If you’re up the task of watching more silents, I recommend Sherlock, Jr., and the German films Pandora’s Box and Metropolis.
Top Hat (1935) dir. Mark Sandrich
I limited myself to only one musical here, so you know it’s a good one. Famous duo Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers get mixed up in another crazy adventure, but really it’s all about the dancing. This film, the fourth of their 10 together, features the classic number Cheek to Cheek and is, in my opinion, their best. I could talk about Ginger’s backless feather gown for day. For more classic musicals, check out Singin’ in the Rain, My Fair Lady and of course The Wizard of Oz.
The Philadelphia Story (1940) dir. George Cukor
I have a special place in my heart for The Philadelphia Story. It was the first classic film I ever really loved (other than my childhood obsession The Wizard of Oz) and was pretty much responsible for getting me hooked on old movies. Plus, it’s a great way to get introduced to three of the greatest stars of the era: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart. Other great rom-coms on this period include It Happened One Night, Bringing Up Baby, and My Man Godfrey.
The Big Sleep (1946) dir. Howard Hawks
Like with Top Hat, I picked this film to represent a genre; this time, it’s film noir. Humphrey Bogart stars as detective Philip Marlowe, who has been tasked to help a wealthy family clean up a blackmailing case. Along the way, sparks fly with Bogart’s offscreen wife Lauren Bacall. This film is typical of the film noir genre, but if you want to delve further, go for The Maltese Falcon, The Third Man or Gilda.
Sunset Boulevard (1950) dir. Billy Wilder
If you’re still doubting whether or not old movies can be fun to watch, look no further. This movie is absolutely INSANE, and I mean that in the best way possible. Any movie that begins with its main character floating dead in a pool is alright by me. It follows an aspiring screenwriter as he gets to know a retired actress from the silent era, and things spiral out of control from there. Worth watching for Gloria Swanson’s iconic performance as faded star Norma Desmond alone.
All About Eve (1950) dir. Joseph Mankiewicz
The one liners! The dresses! The talent! Really, what’s not to love about this movie? Bette Davis is at her best as aging Broadway star Margo Channing. Tensions arise when her pretty young assistant, Eve, starts expressing interest in taking Margo’s latest Broadway role (and her boyfriend.) The original Mean Girls.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) dir. Elia Kazan
Ah, the aforementioned Marlon Brando. The plot of this one is irrelevant (although Vivien Leigh is also wonderful in it!), just look at him in that tight shirt and get watching.
Some Like It Hot (1959) dir. Billy Wilder
I tried to avoid putting two films by the same director on the list, but I just couldn’t resist. Marilyn Monroe is at her best here as a musician pursued by two men (in drag) running from the mob. It’s an absolutely ridiculous film, and the funniest black-and-white movie I’ve ever seen. If you watch this one and find that you love Wilder as much as I do, make sure to check out The Apartment as well!
Psycho (1960) dir. Alfred Hitchcock
I debated for a while over which Hitchcock film to include, but ultimately it came down to Psycho. This was the first film of his I ever saw, and it’s arguably the scariest. Anthony Perkins and Janet Leigh both give fascinating performances, but I won’t say much more than that to avoid spoiling the ending. For more Hitchcock, check out Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Strangers on a Train.
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) dir. Stanley Kramer
Finally, by the 1960s, actors like Sidney Poitier came along to begin the slow process of diversifying Hollywood. Although stars like Dolores del Rio and Anna May Wong had been doing their best to combat Hollywood’s cyclical racism since the 1920s, they were still trapped in “exotic” supporting roles, while white actors continued to play people of color (don’t even talk to me about Laurence Olivier’s Othello.) In Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Poitier played a black man meeting his white girlfriend’s parents for the first time, and officially confronted the old with the new.
So free up your weekend and your couch for these Hollywood classics.