If you've been paying attention to any of my articles, you'll know that I love movies, especially the classics. What is bothersome to me is that most people my age haven't seen any of my favorite films, citing disinterest or the lack of time that they have. Being that its summer, I would like to offer you a list of ten movies you must see before the summer ends, something to tide you over until the school year starts again.
1. "Sunset Boulevard" (1950)
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Released in 1950, "Sunset Boulevard" was a dark and cynical look into the world of Hollywood and the true price of fame. Joe Gillis (William Holden), a down on his luck Hollywood screenwriter, finds himself at the decrepit mansion of the faded silent film star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson). Joe is then sucked into a world where Norma Desmond is still the greatest star of them all and plans on making a major comeback. The film divided critics when it was released. Some found the film to be a fantastic look into the dark underbelly of Hollywood, while others were disturbed by the content of the film. However, the film still stands as one of the greats of the Film Noir genre.
2. "Leave Her to Heaven" (1945)
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Released in 1945, "Leave Her to Heaven" was only Film Noir to ever be released in Technicolor. Based on the best-selling novel by Ben Ames Williams of the same name, the story is about a writer named Richard Harland (Cornel Wilde) and his whirlwind romance with the beautiful and intense Ellen Berent (Gene Tierney). He marries her and settles into a happy, loving marriage. However, Ellen's obsessive love for him grows deadly, and soon, the American Dream becomes a living nightmare. Gene Tierney was nominated for an Academy Award for best actress but lost to Joan Crawford in "Mildred Pierce". I will warn you though, the film is quite disturbing, even by today's standards.
3. "Mildred Pierce" (1945)
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Another entry from 1945 is the film "Mildred Pierce," based on the novel by James M. Cain. The film stars Joan Crawford as the eponymous character, Mildred Pierce: a newly single mother who is trying to carve out a living for her two daughters. She's eager to please her selfish, ungrateful daughter Veda (Ann Blyth) but Veda's resentment towards her mother intensifies when Mildred becomes successful within the restaurant business. As I've mentioned before, Joan Crawford won the Oscar for best actress; a huge win for the actress after being labeled "box office poison" in the late '30s and early '40s.
4. "Rebecca" (1940)
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Yet, another film based on a best-selling novel of the era. 1940s "Rebecca" was Alfred Hitchcock's first major American success, putting him on the map as one of the most influential directors of the decade. "Rebecca" tells the story of a young, unnamed woman (Joan Fontaine) who meets and marries the mysterious widower Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier). The second Mrs. de Winter comes to Manderley, Maxim's country estate, to find a house full of secrets and a housekeeper (Judith Anderson) obsessed with the memory of Rebecca. The film would go on to win "Best Picture" at the 13th Academy Awards, giving Hitchcock his first Oscar.
5. "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964)
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Before there was the "the Notebook" there was "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg." "This French film is considered a musical but is considered more of an opera since the film is entirely sung through. The film is about two young lovers, Genevieve (Catherine Deneuve) and Guy (Nino Castelnuovo) who are suddenly separated when Guy is drafted into the Franco-Syrian war. The film's music is beautifully haunting and it's ending will leave you in tears. Be sure to have an entire box of tissues at the ready.
6. "Double Indemnity" (1944)
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When people mention Film Noir, "Double Indemnity" usually follows right after. This 1944 classic is often cited as the perfect example of the "Noir" genre due to its gritty plot and morally ambiguous characters. Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) is an average joe insurance salesman who falls into the tangled web of Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck), a housewife with murder on her mind. This film is, again, based upon a novel by James M. Cain. Cain also wrote "The Postman Always Rings Twice" which is often compared to "Double Indemnity" due to their similar plotlines.
7. "Gilda" (1946)
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There never was a film like 1946's "Gilda." Largely considered a vehicle for Rita Hayworth to demonstrate her dramatic acting, "Gilda" became one of Noir's defining films. Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) comes to Argentina looking to make his fortune, as well as escape his past. He becomes acquainted with a shady casino owner who offers him a job as an associate in his illegal business. However, when he learns that his friend's new wife is his old flame Gilda (Rita Hayworth), old feelings of love and hate soon let themselves be known. The film is awash in sexual innuendos as well as suggested homosexuality. Rita Hayworth felt like she would forever be known as Gilda, famously stating that: "Men went to bed with Gilda and woke up with me."
8. "Singin' in the Rain" (1952)
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If someone tells you that they hate musicals, be sure to show them "Singin' in the Rain" to remedy that. "Singin' in the Rain," tells the story of when Talkies became the norm in 1920s Hollywood. Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is a beloved silent film star who's beginning his first Talkie along with his on-screen partner Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen) only to find out that her accent is quite unbecoming. He enlists the help of Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), an aspiring actress, and his friend Cosmo (Donald O'Connor) to turn the failed Talkie into the first-ever movie musical. This was Debbie Reynolds first feature film, she would remember "Singin' in the Rain" as being the hardest thing she has ever done, famously comparing it to childbirth.
9. "A Star is Born" (1954)
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1954's "A Star is Born" is a tale of the price of fame and how it can be a source of happiness and despair. The film was also known as Judy Garland's comeback to the screen after a long hiatus due to her heavy drug use. "A Star is Born" is also known for its many remakes, the 1954 version is the second of four remakes. The fourth remake is set to come out in 2018, starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
10. "Laura" (1944)
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Again, we visit the lovely Gene Tierney in another one of her iconic roles. "Laura" is about the murder of a woman by the name of Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) and the following investigation by Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews). As McPherson learns more about the dead woman, he slowly begins to fall in love with her, ultimately losing his handle on the case. But, it all changes when he finds out that the dead woman is actually alive. The film is also famous for its haunting score, which later became a jazz standard sung by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra.
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