A former San Francisco police detective juggles wrestling with his personal demons and becoming obsessed with the hauntingly beautiful woman he has been hired to trail, who may be deeply disturbed. Confession time: I have never seen Vertigo in one sitting, in its entirety. I have seen many scenes, and I knew an awful lot about the film. For example: did you know that Vertigo was one of the … Continue reading 9. Vertigo (1958)
An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed. I thought it was very poetic that my watch day for It’s a Wonderful Life just happened to land on Christmas eve, the night that my father and I would always have a viewing of this film. For those that … Continue reading 20. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946 )
A naive man is appointed to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. His plans promptly collide with political corruption, but he doesn’t back down. Screenplay by Sidney Buchman, directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Claude Rains, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is still as relevant today as it was in 1939. Honestly, it’s probably more relevant now than … Continue reading 26. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
When a rich woman’s ex-husband and a tabloid-type reporter turn up just before her planned remarriage, she begins to learn the truth about herself. I love a good black and white, 20th century romantic comedy. I especially love it when that black and white, 20th century romantic comedy stars Jimmy Stewart. Lucky for me, The Philadelphia Story is exactly that. Directed by George Cukor, The … Continue reading 44. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
