ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – PHENOMENON (1996)

 

“Phenomenon” is a fantasy romantic drama, screenplay by Gerald Di Pego and Directed by Phil Jon Turteltaub.

The film is set in a small California town and tells the story of George Malley (John Travolta), the owner of the local auto repair shop.

George heads for home, after celebrating his birthday at the local bar with friends, but pauses to watch a strange light in the sky, and collapses for a few seconds in the middle of the deserted street.

It becomes apparent in the days and weeks that follow that something is amiss as George finds his IQ and consciousness expanding dramatically, and he reveals to his closest friends Doc (Robert Duvall) and Nate Pope (Forest Whitaker) that he had developed telekinetic abilities, and while he’s with the girl he loves, Lace Pennamin (Kyra Sedgwick), his new-found abilities allow him to correctly predict an earthquake.

However despite his attempts to explain what has happened to him, with just a very few exceptions, most of the local townspeople treat George as a freak.

His state of isolation becomes even more pronounced when outside authorities become interested in what's happened to him in particular the FBI, but worst of all Dr. Wellin (Richard Kiley) who wants to dissect his brain, but George has other ideas on how his life will end.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962)

 

“The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” is a western drama, based on the story by Dorothy M. Johnson and Directed by John Ford.

While Senator Ransom Stoddard (James Stewart) returns home to Shinbone for the funeral of Tom Doniphon (John Wayne), he tells the story behind his sojourn to a local newspaper editor, about how he had arrives in the town many years before, as a young lawyer, and how he first met local outlaw Liberty Valance (Lee Marvin) when the stage he was on was robbed.

After the holdup Stoddard was left with nothing more than a few law books to his name so he had to get a job in the kitchen at the Ericson's restaurant and there he met his future wife, Hallie (Vera Miles) but he has both a friend and a love rival in Tom Doniphon.

All this is against the backdrop of the territory vying for Statehood.

Eventually Stoddard is selected by the townspeople as a representative, with his main rival being Valance, who does not take defeat well and terrorizes the town, but when he destroys the local newspaper office and attacks the editor, Stoddard calls him out, though the conclusion is not quite as straightforward as legend would have it.

Other notable cast members in this classic western are Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, Ken Murray, John Carradine and Jeanette Nolan.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE JACKAL (1997)

 

“The Jackal” is a crime drama, screenplay by Kenneth Ross loosely based on the novel by Frederick Forsyth and Directed by Michael Caton-Jones.

The action starts in Moscow, where the FBI and their Russian counterparts, the MVD, are working on a joint mission to apprehend Russian mobster Ghazzi Murad (Ravil Isyanov) for murder, but he is killed in the process.

In retaliation Ghazzi's brother, Terek (David Hayman) hires an assassin by the code name Jackal (Bruce Willis) to carry out a hit on a high profile American target.

Initial intelligence points to that target being Donald Brown (John Cunningham), the Director of the FBI.

The Jackal is known only by name and reputation, no one in authority knows who he is or what he looks like, some are not sure he even exists, FBI Deputy Director Preston (Sidney Poitier) learns of only one person alive who they know has had ties to the Jackal: former Basque separatist Isabella Zanconia (Mathilda May) , but her whereabouts are unknown, so Preston, MVD officer Valentina Koslova (Diane Venora) turn to the only person who might lead them to her, former IRA gunman Declan Mulqueen (Richard Gere), but first they need to get him out of Federal Prison.

 

It’s a great intelligent thriller rather than an all action thrill fest, Willis portrays the perfect cold-blooded assassin, if I have one criticism it would be Richard Gere’s dodgy Irish accent, but it’s still a great thriller.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE DAY OF THE JACKAL (1973)

“The Day of the Jackal” is a crime drama, screenplay by Kenneth Ross, based on the Novel by Frederick Forsyth and Directed by Fred Zinnemann.

The story is set in France during the early 1960s and centres around a professional assassin codenamed “Jackal” (Edward Fox) who is contracted by the OAS to assassinate General De Gaulle and follows his meticulous preparation including target practice, false identity, forged documents and weapons purchase.
But the authorities become aware of the target and the Minister of the Interior (Alan Badel) assigns the mission to locate the Jackal to his best investigator, named Lebel (Michael Lonsdale) and he is assisted by Caron (Derek Jacobi) as they attempt to pick up his trail.

The film is a brilliant thriller lavishly produced by John Woolf, full of action, tension, and intrigue which holds your attention from beginning to the end.

Apart from the principles there is an all star supporting cast: Michel Auclair, Cryil Cusack, Maurice Denham, Eric Porter, Timothy West, Ronald Pickup, Donald Sinden, Edward Hardwicke, Andrea Ferreol, Feodor Atkine, Howard Vernon, Olga Georges-Picot and Delphyne Seyrig.

The film is beautifully photographed by expert cameraman Jean Tourneir, with a suspenseful and atmospheric musical score by George Delerue.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942)

 

“Yankee Doodle Dandy” is a Musical Biographical Drama, Screenplay by Robert Buckner, Edmund Joseph, Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein Original Story by Robert Buckner, Music by George M. Cohan and Directed by Michael Curtiz.

It’s a biographical film about George M. Cohan (James Cagney) who produced, directed, wrote and starred in his own musical shows for which he composed his famous songs.

The film begins with his early days as a child-star in his family's vaudeville show, all the way through to the time of his comeback at which he received a medal from the president for his special contributions to the country.

Joan Leslie is delightful as his wife Mary, Walter Huston plays his father, Richard Whorf is his partner Sam Harris, Irene Manning shines as Fay Templeton, while the fine and varied supporting cast is completed by George Tobias, Rosemary DeCamp, Jeanne Cagney, Frances Langford, George Barbier, S.Z. Sakall, Walter Catlett, Douglas Croft and Eddie Foy Jr.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA (1984)

 

“Once Upon a Time in America” is a Crime Drama, Screenplay by Leonardo Benvenuti, Piero De Bernardi, Enrico Medioli, Franco Arcalli, Franco Ferrini and Sergio Leone from the Novel by Harry Grey and Directed by Sergio Leone.

The film chronicles the lives of best friends David “Noodles” Aaronson (Robert De Niro) and Maximilian “Max” Bercovicz (James Woods) as they lead a group of Jewish ghetto youths from being petty criminals to being prominent Jewish gangsters in New York City's world of organized crime on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

The film explores themes of childhood friendships, love, lust, greed, betrayal, loss and broken relationships.

The film benefits from a fine and varied supporting cast including, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams, Tuesday Weld, Burt Young, Joe Pesci, William Forsythe and Danny Aiello.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE (1941)

 “The Strawberry Blonde” is a Musical Romantic Comedy, Screenplay by Julius J. Epstein and Philip G. Epstein, from the Play by James Hagan and Directed by Raoul Walsh.

It’s the story of pugnacious but likable young Dentist, Biff Grimes (James Cagney), around the turn-of-the-century, who lives with his ne'er-do-well father (Alan Hale), and they are both are noted for their scrappy personalities and quick tempers.

However, like every other young man in town, Biff has a crush on gorgeous and flirtatious 'strawberry blonde' Virginia Brush (Rita Hayworth), who gets catcalls every time she walks down the street, but he’s joined in his admiration by his friends, Nick Pappalis (George Tobias), an immigrant Greek barber, and Hugo Barnsfeld (Jack Carson), an unscrupulously ambitious young man who doesn't let anything stand in the way of what he wants, including Virginia.

Meanwhile Virginia’s friend Amy Lind (Olivia de Havilland) sets her cap at Biff.

The Strawberry Blonde is a Charming and entertaining turn-of-the-century romantic comedy and a great film to watch on a rainy afternoon, it will brighten your day.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE COTTON CLUB (1984)

 

“The Cotton Club” is a Crime Drama, Screenplay by Mario Puzo, William Kennedy and Francis Ford Coppola and Directed by Francis Ford Coppola.

The movie is centred around The Cotton Club in the late 1920s and early 30s Harlem, it’s a premium night club owned by Owney Madden (Bob Hoskins) and Frenchy Demange (Fred Gwynne),

Featuring the very best jazz musicians, singers and dancers and is frequented by the great and the good and the very not so good of the underworld.

A musician named Dixie Dwyer (Richard Gere) begins working with mobsters to advance his career but falls in love with Vera Cicero (Diane Lane) the girlfriend of gangland kingpin Dutch Schultz (James Remar).

The film benefits from a fine and varied supporting cast including, Gregory Hines, Lonette McKee, Nicolas Cage, Allen Garfield, Laurence Fishburne and Maurice Hines.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE PUBLIC ENEMY (1931

 

“The Public Enemy” is a Crime Drama, Written by Kubec Glasmon, John Bright and Harvey F. Thew and Directed by William A. Wellman.

The movie is the story of best friends and fellow gangsters, Tom Powers and Matt Doyle (James Cagney and Edward Woods).

However their lives are frowned upon by Tom's straight laced brother, Mike (Donald Cook), and Matt's straight laced sister, Molly (Rita Flynn).

Nonetheless the hoodlums rise up through the ranks of the Chicago underworld, from their teen-aged years into young adulthood, and have an increasingly lucrative life, bootlegging during the Prohibition era.

Tom in particular becomes more and more brazen in what he is willing to do, and becomes more violent against those who stand in his way, disagree with him or cross him, until a gangster's accidental death threatens to spark a bloody mob war.

Also in the line up are Robert Emmett O'Connor as Paddy Ryan and Joan Blondell as Mamie.

The most famous scene is of course, Cagney smashing a grapefruit into the face Mae Clarke (Jean Harlow), but there is a lot more to this film than that.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – EACH DAWN I DIE (1939)

 

“Each Dawn I Die” is a Crime Drama, screenplay by Norman Reilly and Raine Warren Duff, from a Novel by Jerome Odlum and Directed by William Keighley.

In this prison classic, a top notch newspaper reporter Frank Ross (James Cagney) angers a corrupt District Attorney with political ambitions, and with Ross’s news stories implicating him in criminal activity he decides to frame Ross for manslaughter in order to silence him.

Although innocent, he is found guilty and is sent to jail but while his friends at the newspaper try to find out who framed him, Frank gets hardened by prison life and his optimism turns to bitterness and then he meets fellow-inmate 'Hood' Stacey (George Raft) and they decide to help each other.

This impressive crime drama also features: George Bancroft, Maxie Rosenbloom, Victor Jory, Emma Dunn, Stanley Ridges and John Wray.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE SKY'S THE LIMIT (1943)

 

“The Sky's the Limit” is a Musical Romantic Comedy, screenplay by Frank Fenton and Lynn Root and Directed by Edward H. Griffith.

Flying Tiger Fred Atwell (Fred Astaire) and his squadron are on a coast to coast personal appearance tour, but he is tired and bored with all the attention and he knows he only has two weeks to have fun so he sneaks away from his famous squadron's train and goes in search of a few days leave away from the spotlight.

He travels incognito for a day or so in the guise of a carefree drifter until he goes to a Cabaret and meets photographer Joan Manion (Joan Leslie) and quickly falls for her.

Initially she gives him the brush off, but eventually she takes pity on him and tries to get him a job but he is resistant, but he was only interested in being with her but eventually his time runs out and he has to leave, without her knowing his true identity.

Her boss sends her to do a story on the Flying Tigers, and she is still aware until the last moment that Fred is one of them, and they have a big kiss good bye before he jumps on the plane.

 

Astaire and Leslie have a wonderful chemistry, in this very under-rated film even though many critics consider it to be one of Fred's worst movies, personally I don't understand why.

In addition, Robert Benchley puts in one of his best, patented befuddled speaker routines.

So take my advice don't listen to the critics, watch the movie for yourself, it has wit, romance, good music, and trademark dance routines; I promise you will not be disappointed.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS (1957)

 

“The Spirit of St. Louis” is a biographical drama, based on the book by Charles A. Lindbergh adapted by Charles Lederer and Directed by Billy Wilder.

The film is a Biography of Charles “Slim” Lindburgh’s life, covering the period from his days on the precarious mail runs in aviation's infancy with his friend Bud Gurney (Murray Hamilton) to his solo transatlantic crossing from Roosevelt Field on New York's Long Island to Le Bourget Airport in Paris.

But he was more than a pilot because Charles Augustus 'Slim' Lindbergh (James Stewart) co-financed the Spirit of St. Louis, a fabric-covered, single-seat, single-engine “Ryan NYP” high-wing monoplane which he jointly designed with Ryan's chief engineer Donald A. Hall (Arthur Space).

But the drama of the story comes once he is airborne and alone in the empty skies with only the open ocean below him.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – GREEN FOR DANGER (1946)

 

“Green for Danger” is a crime thriller, based on the book by Christianna Brand and Directed by Sidney Gilliat.

The film is set in a rural English hospital during World War II, where a postman Joseph Higgins (Moore Marriott) dies on the operating table after which one of the theatre staff Sister Carter (Wendy Thompson) states publicly that Higgins was murdered and she has proof of who the murderer is, but before she can unmask the killer she is then murdered herself.

So the facetious and enigmatic Scotland Yard Inspector Cockrill (Alastair Sim) arrives to investigate and very soon suspects one of the doctors and nurses who were in the operating theatre during the surgery to be the assassin, but which one?

In this straightforwardly plotted mystery Leo Genn, Henry Edwards, Trevor Howard, Ronald Adam, Judy Campbell, Wendy Thompson, Rosamund John, Sally Gray and Megs Jenkins make up the medical contingent in a little gem from the heyday of British Cinema.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – COTTAGE TO LET (1941)

 

“Cottage to Let” is a wartime comedy thriller, based on the play by Geoffrey Kerr, adapted by Anatole de Grunwald and J.O.C. Orton and Directed by Anthony Asquith.

The story is centred around a Scottish Estate during World War II with a cottage to let where the landowner is also a key British military inventor John Barrington (Leslie Banks), who is working to perfect a bomb sight with his assistant Alan Trently (Michael Wilding).

So it is no surprise that the cottage becomes a focus of attention when,  not only the new tenant Charles Dimble (Alastair Sim), but a London evacuee Ronald (George Cole) and a downed RAF fighter pilot Flt·Lieut. Perry (John Mills), all arrive at the same time, no thanks to the very scatterbrained Mrs. Barrington (Jeanne De Casalis).

The Germans are desperate to get their hands on the new bomb sight or its creator and someone either in the main house or the cottage is a Nazi agent and the only security is a Scotland Yard flatfoot posing as the Butler Evans (Wally Patch).

Other characters crucial to the tale are Mrs. Trimm (Muriel George), Dr. Truscott (Hay Petrie), Mrs. Stokes (Catherine Lacey) and the romantic interest comes from Helen Barrington (Carla Lehmann).

Cottage to Let is a very enjoyable film and should not be missed.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – WENT THE DAY WELL? (1942)

 

“Went the Day Well?” is a World War II thriller, based on the story by Graham Greene and Directed by Alberto Cavalcanti.

The residents of an English village during WWII welcome a platoon of soldiers who are to be billeted with them, but the trusting residents eventually discover that the soldiers are really German paratroopers who proceed to hold the village captive in advance of a planned invasion.

The Germans block all the roads, so no one is allowed in or out, so the villagers must try to smuggle someone out to alert the outside world to the impending invasion.     

 

“Went the Day Well?” is one not to be missed and is very watchable with a large familiar cast that reads as a veritable who’s who of British Cinema in the 1930’s and 40’s including;

Leslie Banks, C.V. France, Valerie Taylor, Marie Lohr, Harry Fowler, Norman Pierce, Frank Lawton, Elizabeth Allan, Thora Hird, Muriel George, Patricia Hayes, Mervyn Johns, Hilda Bayley, Edward Rigby, Johnnie Schofield, Ellis Irving, Philippa Hiatt, Grace Arnold, Basil Sydney, David Farrar and John Slater.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – IN WHICH WE SERVE (1942)

“In Which We Serve” is a World War II drama, written by Noël Coward   and Directed by Noël Coward and David Lean.

It tells the story of a British Naval Destroyer, H.M.S. Torrin, from its construction on the Clyde to its sinking during action in the Mediterranean Sea in World War II, and is told in flashbacks by the survivors as they cling to a life raft.

Among them are the ship's commanding officer Captain E.V. Kinross (Noël Coward), Ordinary Seaman Shorty Blake (John Mills), Chief Petty Officer Walter Hardy (Bernard Miles), Stoker (Richard Attenborough) and Flags (Michael Wilding).

But although the men have served valiantly and heroically in their time aboard the Torrin we also get to see the stoic and determined women behind them, Alix Kinross (Celia Johnson), Freda Lewis (Kay Walsh), Kath Hardy (Joyce Carey) and Maureen (Penelope Dudley Ward).

 

“In Which We Serve” is a shameless story about naval heroism and was based on Lord Mountbatten's wartime experiences and is a compelling and highly rated piece of British cinema history.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – LOVE STORY (1944)

“Love Story” is a romantic drama Directed by Leslie Arliss based on the short story by J.W. Drawbell.

Concert pianist Lissa Campbell (Margaret Lockwood) learns that she has a serious heart condition after a spate of fainting spells, so she vows to enjoy what time she has left and gives up her music career.

On taking her first holiday for many years she meets Kit Firth (Stewart Granger) in Cornwall, a former pilot on medical leave after being having his sight impaired by an exploding bomb while on active service.

As a former mining engineer he fills his days searching the local mines and locates a rare mineral Britain desperately needs for the war effort, which is of interest to a Government appointee Tom Tanner (Tom Walls) who is staying at the same hotel and has struck up a friendship with Lissa.

Tom sends in a team of miners to begin production but following an explosion, Kit and several others are trapped, but due to his knowledge of the mine workings, he leads the others to safety.

But he has greater challenges ahead as he needs to undergo an operation, that will hopefully save his sight and Lissa must decide if she is to return to music or stay by his side or selflessly allow the relationship between Kit and long term friend Judy Martin (Patricia Roc) to come to fruition.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – RANDOM HARVEST (1942)

 

“Random Harvest” is a romantic drama, based on James Hilton’s book of the same name and directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

Charles Rainier (Ronald Colman) a shell shocked veteran of World War I wanders out of the sanatorium and meets music hall star Paula Greer Garson who nurses him back to health and marry and settle happily into a quiet humble life, until he is involved in an accident which restores his original memories of a former life of wealth and privilege while erases all recollection of his post-war life.

So, a quiet and humble man disappears, and another man long missing as a casualty of war, turns up and claims his vast inheritance.

So, what of his devoted wife Paula, whom he no longer recognizes, what is she to do to reclaim her love? And will love conquer all in the end?

The film remains true to the Hilton novel and is one of the most beautiful and tender movies I have ever seen.

The acting is flawless, the cinematography memorable, the characterizations multi-dimensional, the scenery gorgeous and the peerless direction adds to the pleasure.

A strong supporting cast aids the story telling

Susan Peters as Kitty, Henry Travers as Dr Sims, Reginald Owen as Biffer, Bramwell Fletcher as Harrison and Philip Dorn as Dr Benet.

A film not to be missed.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THE LADY VANISHES (1938)

 

“The Lady Vanishes” is a thriller based on the story “The Wheel Spins” by Ethel Lina White and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

While travelling in continental Europe, a rich young playgirl, Iris Matilda Henderson (Margaret Lockwood), her friends Blanche and Julie (Googie Withers and Sally Stewart) are stranded in the mountainous European country of Mandrika, along with the rest of the passengers on a scheduled train delayed for 24 by a day due to an avalanche, and as a result they are forced to spend the night in an overcrowded Inn.

The next day Iris says goodbye to her girlfriends before heading back to England to get married but she receives a blow to the head from a falling flower pot and a middle aged English governess named Miss Froy (Dame May Whitty) takes her under her wing, and they spend some time in the dining car before taking their seats in their compartment where Iris promptly falls asleep.

When she wakes up Miss Froy is nowhere to be seen and she knew she was on the train but none of the people who saw them together will corroborate her story and she is universally dismissed and a possible concussion is cited as the cause.

Only one person is prepared to humour her, an Englishman named Gilbert Redman (Michael Redgrave), a musicologist, but will his help be enough to find Miss Froy?

 

As you would expect with a Hitchcock Classic there is a depth of quality in the cast to drive the story, Cecil Parker and Linden Travers as the Todhunter’s, Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne as Charters and Caldicott, Catherine Lacy as the Nun and Mary Clare as Baroness Athona all contribute to a great film.

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – MRS. MINIVER (1942)

 

“Mrs. Miniver” is a romantic war drama based on the story by Jan Struther and directed by William Wyler.

It tells the story of the Miniver’s, an English middle-class family, as they experience life in the first months of World War II.

The film opens with Mrs Miniver (Greer Garson) returning on the train to the idyllic village where she lives after a shopping trip to London and is desperately trying to figure out how to tell her husband Clem (Walter Pidgeon) she has squandered far too much on a frivolous new hat, although she needn’t have worried because Clem was in a similar position as he’d bought himself a new car.

When she disembarks from the train, the stationmaster, Mr. Ballard (Henry Travers), asks Mrs Miniver’s permission to name a rose he's cultivated after her for the flower show, and her gracelful acceptance brings about her first encounter with Lady Beldon (Dame May Whitty) the formidable Lady of the Manor.

However it was not to be the last, because their oldest son, Vin (Richard Ney), having left Oxford for the RAF, courts and marries Lady Beldon's granddaughter Carol (Teresa Wright).

But war touched the people of the village, Clem took his small boat to Dunkirk and his wife captured a downed German Pilot and again more tragically when a bad raid took the lives of several villagers on the day of the flower show, including newlywed Carol.

The film won a host of Oscars including Best Picture, Best Actress for Greer Garson, Best Supporting Actress for Teresa Wright, Best Director for William Wyler, and all well deserved.
While there were also other nominations, Walter Pidgeon for Best Actor, Henry Travers for Best Supporting Actor and Dame May Witty for Best Supporting Actress, but lost to her fellow cast member Teresa Wright.
I think it was the penultimate scene between Greer Garson and Teresa Wright that won them both Oscars.

But judge for yourselves, I would suggest that you have to see it, I can't say more than that; the hardest of hearts will be moved.