By: Sarah Patriarca
When thinking about Hollywood movies, we tend to think about the famous rom coms, thrillers, Marvel superhero movies, and so on. Usually these movies involve sex, drugs, violence, or some other world discussing complex and complicated stories. Majority people fail to remember that the movies we love today come from the movies and era that was around in the beginning of the 20th century. The Classical Hollywood Cinema in the Sound Era were Hollywood movies that came with the new studio system that involved a visual and narrative style. To me, the Old Hollywood Era means so much more. Not only did it pave the way for the technology to produce sound but there is some sort of nostalgic feeling that comes with watching these types of movies. The simplicity, the way each gender carried themselves and the music are what make “Old Black and White Movies’ so great to watch. For beginners in wanting to watch and be introduced to this era, here are some movies that are my favorite to watch:
Swing Time (1936)
Swing Time was the first Old Hollywood movie I had ever watched and instantly fell in love. Swing Time is a musical comedy that includes the dancing pair, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the dance partners of the century. The story starts with Lucky (Fred Astaire), travelling to New York City after being tricked into missing his wedding and has to make up $25,000 in order to marry his fiancée, Margaret. He ends up meeting a dancing instructor (Ginger Rogers) along the way and falls in love with her. The story is comedic and musical following the rollercoaster of love between both characters. What struck me the most about this film was the tap dancing of Fred Astaire and the chemistry between Astaire and Rogers. Fun fast about this film is the song “The Way You Look Tonight” usually performed and thought to be written by Frank Sinatra, actually originates from this film, being its score and performed by Fred Astaire himself!
Roman Holiday (1953)
Roman Holiday is a timeless romance involving the scenery of Rome back in the 50s. Being a complete Audrey Hepburn fan, I just had to watch this movie! Audrey Hepburn was the fan favorite women in the Old Hollywood Era and we can see why. Her poise and grace has always striked me as a perfect image of women in the 50s. The story follows Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) who is sheltered and bored of her royalty life affecting her mentally. She runs away from her hotel and misses her engagements with the public. Ann bumps into Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), an American news reporter who is on the verge of getting fired. In the beginning, he uses Princess Ann’s story of running away from royalty to his advantage in becoming a huge news journalist, until he starts to fall for her. In the movie, you join Ann on her journey in trying to find herself with the help of Bradley. Both of their performances are remarkable and tug on your heart strings, so that you are searching for your box of tissues at the end of the movie!
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a comedic film with the famous Audrey Hepburn. Most people have heard of this film for its classic performance and storyline that revolves around the Tiffany store in New York City. The storyline follows Holly Golightly (Hepburn), a Manhattan party girl, who becomes interested in a young author, Paul Varjak (George Peppard), who moves into her apartment building. Paul follows Holly on her adventure in moving up the social hierarchy and becomes instantly fascinated with her. Holly character is described as “a wild thing that can’t be locked up in a cage” due to her feeling trapped in her past. In the midst of Paul starting to fall for her, Holly’s past comes back and threatens to get in the way of her plans of marrying the rich. What I loved most about this film, was of course the actors performances but also, that the audience can see what party life in New York City was like in the 50s. As well, throughout the film we are able to see Holly’s character develop and get over her fear of being who she is and being able to love. It’s a movie that must be seen at least once, and will be a classic that we will still talk about 50 years from now!
It Happened One Night (1934)
It Happened One Night is an Oscar movie that was the first ever film to make an “Oscar Grand Slam”, in which is swept all five Academy Award categories. After learning about this, I had to watch it and was pleasantly surprised and pleased about its storyline and performances. Considering the fact that this film is on the earlier side of film making, the shots you can tell are very underdeveloped compared to these other films I’ve mentioned. In thinking I wasn’t going to like it for this reason, I was surprised to find out that these film shots worked perfectly for this move. The storyline follows an heiress, Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert), who has just become engaged to a high society man. Her father not liking this arrangements, steals her away from her husband and takes her on his yacht. She escapes her father’s yacht and ends up on a bus headed back to her husband so that they can be together. On this journey, she meets Peter Warne, (Clark Gable), a reporter looking for a story. Ellie must accept Peter’s help in aiding her back to her husband in threat that Peter will tell her father where she is. During their story, being dependent of each other they fall in love. I loved Ellie’s character of being strong and fighting for what she wants. Fun fact, this movie started the famous scene of women hailing down cars with their looks!
Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
Singin’ in the Rain is by far one of my favorite musicals of all time! The music, the dancing, and the singing all come together to make one huge, amazing performance! The storyline follows the Hollywood entertainment business transitioning from the Silent Era and the era of sound. The cast members and crew are most affected when trying to figure out placement of microphones. The movie follows an on screen couple Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) and Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), who are affected by this transition the most due to Lina’s voice being to high pitched for sound in the microphone’s being used. Don then meets Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), who is an aspiring actress who wants to make it big in the business. With her help, they find a way to make movies enjoyable with the use of sound by making a musical. Along the way, they end up falling in love but are threatened by Lina who wants to be a part of the musical! This movie has musical numbers that will make you sing along from “Good Morning” to “Singin’ in the Rain”, with comic relief in the middle and a romance that will make you fall for both of the main characters!
Some Like It Hot (1959)
An Old Hollywood movie wouldn’t be complete without Marilyn Monroe, a sex symbol and fashion icon of the century. Some Like It Hot is a movie about two male musicians who witness a mob hit and must flee the scene in fear of getting murdered themselves. In order to run away and not get found out, they join an all-female band on a train by disguising themselves as women as well. This is where they meet Marilyn Monroe’s character Sugar Kane Kowalczyk who is a part of the band. Complications arise when both men are fighting for Sugar’s affection and have to deal with the mobster’s as well! This movie is hilarious, witty, and romantic. Monroe’s performance is captivating as she sings and talks throughout the movie. My favorite part of this movie is the complication arises when both men have to go back and forth between being a man and woman.