Anabela

Hi

Last friday, I watched Arsenic and Old Lace. I don't know how many times I've seen it before but I still loved it. I love Cary Grant and this is one of my favourite movies. I also love Frank Capra.

StellaSlight

Hello guys, and welcome to all the newbies in this thread

I read all the replies and I'm glad that so many people share my love for classics, and I'm even happier to see mentioned some of my favourites movies.

Anabela Did you watch It Happened One Night for the first time? It's definately one of my three favourite movies, so I'm glad that you loved it.
Wasn't Clark just adorable in that one? I'm totally insane everytime I watched the hitchiking scene with the whole 'thumb lesson'.

You're lucky. My friends don't watch classics at all, they don't even know the most famous of all, like Casablanca or Gone With the Wind. My family is allergic to black and white movies, after all those years of me hammering them with my love for classics. And it looks like my boyfriend is allergic to it too.


Hee, Capra is my man.

Toscane

Hey eveybody!

It's really nice to have a thread about classic movies here!
By reading all your posts, I realized I had a lot of movies to watch! As for me, I'm very lucky because my family is fond of old movies.
I just began to watch the movie "Charade". I just saw few scenes so far. Did someone watch it?

I remember someone mentioning Sophia Loren. I really like this actress: in most of her american movies, she is only the exotic beautiful woman but she is really amazing in the italian movies she played in.
Actually, I love old italian movies such as The Leopard by Visconti and "Il bel Antonio" with Mastroianni!

Later guys!

StellaSlight

Hi Toscane

Are you French? I can see that you put a very famous Gainsbourg's song in your signature.

I liked Charade alot, although it's not my favourite Stanley Donen movie, and far from being my favourite Cary Grant movie either. I just thought Grant/Hepburn weren't such a great couple together, mostly because of the age difference.

I'm not too fond of Sophia Loren. I've always thought she looked gorgeous in all her movies, but there's something that always bugged me in her. But again, I didn't see that many movies with her.

Toscane

Hey StellaSlight!

That's right, I'm French! are you too? because you're the only one in the forum who knew what was my signature. I love the song "Elisa". It's so beautiful. As you can see, I didn't choose the most controversial lines. I didn't want to frighten someone!

I understand what you say about Cary Grant. When I saw his first scene in "Charade", I remember telling to myself : "oh, he's not quite young in this movie" Actually, I really like Audrey Hepburn, that's the main reason why I wanted to watch the movie!

Oh, I think I already said it but again your avie is awesome! You made it yourself?

Anabela

Yes.
I love classic movies, but I have some huge flaws. There are movies that I mean to see for a long time, but end up never actually seeing. It Happened One Night was one of those movies.
The "thumb lesson" scene was very funny.

StellaSlight

Toscane Great to know you're also French, compadre. I won't feel too lonely in this site anymore.
I like the song too, although there are many other Gainsbourg songs I prefer.

I love Audrey Hepburn too. She's graceful, elegant, adorable, moving, and an excelllent actress. That reminds me that I ordered on Amazon a copy of Breakfast at Tiffany's. I love that movie, and Audrey was just perfect in it.

Yes, I did my avatar myself, thanks. That was such a pain doing it, but I'm kinda glad of the result. Basically, you can see all my favourite actors in it.


Anabela oh hehe, don't be ashamed. I should probably spank you for not watching that particular movie before, but now that you did I can forgive you.
I love everything in It Happened One Night : the characters, the screenplay, the lines... Capra managed to make a great movie centered on two people, and with a limited set (the bus) half of the movie.
Did you watch lots of Capra movies, Anabela?

Anabela

Yeah! I love Capra. IMDB will help me here. I've seen:
- It's a Wonderful Life
- Arsenic and Old Lace
- Meet John Doe
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (it was a long time ago, I should see it again)
- Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
- It Happened One Night

Not much, I realize now.

~Holly~

I bought Gilda a couple of months ago, and although I've watched it before and enjoyed the dynamic between Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford I totally forgot how much chemistry these two shared. Everytime they were on the screen the sparks were flying everywhere, and the amount of sexual tension between the two was just phenomenal. I really want to see the other movies that they made together now...

I too love Capra, even his sometimes idealistic notion of the good in humanity was heartwarming and not too sickly, which sometimes can be the case with some directors. And I know its a cliché but Its a Wonderful Life has to be my favourite of his, Mr Smith Goes to Washington would be a close second though, I love his direction and his themes that run throughout his movies, like one man overcoming all the odds to trimuph above the evils in society. Its sentimental, but its so good.

Anabela

What I love about Capra is that those stories could be terribly lame if someone else directed them. But I think Capra has a special sensibility to deal with those ideals. That's why I think he made the best feelgood movies ever. They're still sentimental and heartwarming but not lame, in my opinion.

Profaine Angel

Alright, recommendation time then

You Can't Take It With You - terrific fun
Lost Horizon - absolutely beautiful. It's just so enchanting and mystical
Broadway Bill - not one of his most famous works, but absolutely darling nonetheless.

And the early Stanwyck quartet: The Bitter Tea of General Yen, Forbidden, Ladies of Leisure and The Miracle Woman

Anabela

We posted at the same time.

Thank you for the recomendations. I'm not sure if I'll be able to watch those movies, though. Capra movies are kinda rare in my country. It's a Wonderful Life is shown sometimes on tv, but that's pretty much it.
Some time ago, The Bitter Tea of General Yen was shown at my Cinemathèque, but I missed it.

StellaSlight

That's one of my favourite movie too. I love the chemistry between Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford, they did sparkle onscreen. That reminds me that I should probably check if I can get the DVD for a decent prize online. I haven't watched it for too long now and just talking about that movie makes me want to see it again.


Anabela : one of the Capra movie I would recommend too would be Lady For A Day. I liked that one very much.

Anabela

Yesterday, I watched a documentary about Jean Harlow's life and I got really sad. She just wanted to be a wife and a mother. Instead, she was the sex symbol she never wanted to be. It was great to see how everybody in Holliwood admired her and liked her.
And I would never do that to my hair. I couldn't stand the pain.