The Classics.  The original Hollywood.  The best of the best. 

The classics pull at your emotions and show the beauty of original filmmaking. They show the rawest of the raw and have the ability to make you laugh, cry and make you feel alive again. The classics are capable of so much and they really show us how far we’ve come.

Regardless of how old they are, how grainy the film is or how bad the shots are, I think there is a lot to be said about what they were able to accomplish with what they had… not to mention the platform they set up for some of the greatest movies ever to be made to use as a launching point.  So, let’s get started.

Gone with the Wind (1939):

Gone with the Wind is adapted from the book written by Margret Mitchel in 1936. Anyone who has any interest in romance will love this movie that was based on an epic historical romance. Rotten Tomatoes has given it incredible scores, with one of the highest scores on the site from both the audience and tomato meters.

The film, set in southern America against the backdrop of the American Civil War, tells the story of a strong-willed daughter of a Georgia plantation owner and follows her romantic pursuit of the husband of her cousin. The leading roles are played by Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable, both of whom create a tragic yet stunning love story.  It’s definitely worth spending more than the runtime of three and a half hours watching it.

Citizen Kane (1941):

Forced to watch this movie in my grade 12 English class, I wasn’t sure that I would like it. (I rarely liked the things we had to watch in high school.)  But this movie surpassed all my expectations, and had my classmates and I yelling at the screen as the plot unfolded. 

Citizen Kane starts off slowly but, as the story unfolds, it pulls you in rather quickly. Directed by and starring Orson Welles, this quasi-biographical film examines the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, a character based in part upon American newspaper magnates and Chicago tycoons. Kane’s career in the publishing world is born of idealistic social service, but he gradually becomes ruthless in the pursuit of power. This film is narrated principally through flashbacks and is told through the research of a reporter trying to solve the mystery of Kane’s dying word: “Rosebud”. This story is dramatic and flourished but is told in a way that mesmerizes its viewers and has you wondering what is going to happen next.

Casablanca (1942):

Casablanca is a romantic drama based on an unproduced stage play, Everybody Comes to Rick’s. You can’t possibly go wrong with this story starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman.  The chemistry between the two characters on screen is phenomenal and keeps viewers seated while waiting for the next big turn.  Set during World War II, it follows the story of an American expatriate who must chose between his love for a woman and helping her and her husband, a Czech resistance leader, escape from Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Germans.

The story is intense, dramatic and keeps you wanting more.  It’s one of my personal favourites, and also one of the first classics I was introduced to. I can’t help but suggest this movie to anyone who asks.  It’s a great story, and tells of a beautiful yet tragic love.          

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946):

It’s a Wonderful Life has already made an appearance in one of my other blogs, but it’s just too good to leave out. It’s a Christmas fantasy drama film that is one of the most beloved in American cinema and has become a traditional viewing for many during the Christmas season. 

The film stars James Stewart as George Bailey, a man who has given up so many of his dreams to help others.  He has planned to commit suicide on Christmas Eve but this plan is intervened upon by his guardian angel, Clarence Odbody.  The movie follows the two as Odbody shows Bailey all the lives he has touched and how he has impacted so many people in his time on earth.  He than shows how different life in his community of Bedford Falls would be if he had never been born.  This movie is touching and a tear jerker while also being beautifully produced. It really is a great film to watch at any time of the year, regardless of the genre it falls under. It shows the beauty of life and how there are people out there whose lives you may have impacted for the better without even realizing it.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952):

Singin’ in the Rain was first introduced to me when I was in my grade nine music class.  I’ve always been a huge fan of musicals and maybe that’s why this one has always stuck with me. 

Regardless though, I’m sure I’m not the only one who has undying love for this film.  The musical-romantic comedy film starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds has so much to offer.  Lighthearted and funny, this film depicts Hollywood in the late 1920s with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to ‘talkies.’  This film is full of laughter and catchy tunes, including the titular track ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. I don’t think you can’t ever go wrong with musicals and this one, in particular, is next to flawless.

That’s all I’ve got for you, but I hope you spend some free time this December catching up on the classics! Enjoy their originality and the creativity they bring.  If you have any suggestions of movies you want me to review or classics you think should have been in my top five, please let me know!  I hope you enjoyed, and I’ll be back with another blog post soon!

Esther J

Esther is a lover of travelling and is always going to new places. To pass time between adventures she can usually be found with her nose in a book