ALONG COMES MARY

I consider myself a movie lover, yet have not seen a huge amount of the newer, popular films that many reference & love today. Growing up with my Grandma in the house, I was exposed at an early age to all the great classics of her generation. John Wayne, Judy Garland & Marilyn Monroe were household names.

Enter my boyfriend, Michael! A Film major & huge buff in his own right, we have been having a ball introducing each other to our kinds of films. Through him, I have new favorites like Kill Bill, Pacific Rim, Star Gate & The Avengers, & so far some favorites from my end I’ve shown him have been Say Anything, My Own Private Idaho & Hannah & her Sisters.

Here are 7 classic golden oldies I still need to show him:

Pillow Talk
Back in the 1960’s, total strangers actually had to share a party line on their telephone. A party what?! A party line meant 1 phone number yet 2 people having it. In the rom-com of them all, Doris Day is dealing with a Don Juan Rock Hudson on the other end of her line always serenading & seducing girlfriends, making it impossible for her to get a call through. When they have a chance encounter meeting at a night club, Rock decides to pull a prank on her & pretend he is a naïve Texan man needing a nice gal like Doris to show him around New York. The hijinks that go on to occur are priceless & showcase one of the first great chick-flick on screen couples.

The Parent Trap
Another comedy from the 1960s, this is one I could recite nearly every word to. Hayley Mills stars as twins Sharon & Susan, separated at birth due to divorce, these girls meet at summer camp & decide to switch places in hopes of reuniting their star-crossed parents, played to perfection by a suave Brian Keith & a hysterical Maureen O’Hara, using her Irish charm & feistiness to the max. When Sharon as Susan arrives home to discover her Dad is to be remarried, the girls will go at nothing to “submarine” the bride to be. Between the acting, comedic timing & a tight script, this is easily one of the greatest films Walt Disney made.

Splendor in the Grass
This is a film that never fails to make me cry, & recall past memories. Natalie Wood stars as young Denee, hopelessly in-love with high school jock, Bud (Warren Beatty). When their fling turns sour, Denee puts on a happy face but soon has a nervous breakdown & Bud moves on from her as she heads off to a hospital to get well. The scenes between the both of them, especially upon her return, are so poignant & heartbreaking. A real under-rated coming of age drama that reminds us life does not always turn out how we planned it, & that anyone who has grown up can understand.

All About Eve
Yes, this is the film with Bette Davis’ famous quip, “Fasten your seat belts. Its going to be a bumpy night!” Bette is easily one of my favorite actresses, she stars in this theatrical drama not as Eve, but as Margo. An aging actress who meets one of her most devoted fans following a performance, Eve. Little does Margo realize Eve is a conniving wanna-be actress who will stop at nothing to make it to the top, all at the benefit of Margo & those around her. Having such a love for the theatre, I thought this movie captured how some may become to get into the business, all while losing their dignity & true passions along the way. You can also catch a young Marilyn Monroe in All About Eve, too.

Giant
One of the most epic films I grew up with, Giant tells the story of a young & wealthy Texas ranch man (Rock Hudson) who meets & courts a Maryland socialite (Elizabeth Taylor). Upon their marriage & move to Texas, she learns that life on the ranch may not be as glamorous as she once thought, while along the way developing feelings for a ranch hand (played to perfection by James Dean) & dealing with much prejudice as her family grows & her son marries a Latina. Giant spans the lives of these complex characters well into their later years. You truly feel like you’re growing up with them, & I was always mesmerized by this movie as a little girl.

Bringing Up Baby
Although considered a bit of a flop back in the day, Bringing Up Baby has gone on to be pegged one of the best comedies of the 1930’s! Baby stars a hysterical Katherine Hepburn as ding bat Susan, & Cary Grant as uptight David, a Paleontologist. David is to be married the week he meets Susan, but when her brother sends her Baby, a tame leopard, Susan, mistakenly thinking David is a Zoologist, recruits his help to bring Baby to her Aunt in Connecticut. Thus begins their crazy adventures as they tow Baby to New England & encounter much mayhem.
There was much trouble surrounding the filming of Bringing Up Baby, including budget set backs & an insecure Hepburn needing countless tutorials as she did not feel cut out for such a humorous role, despite the character being written based on her.

Its A Gift
Another comedy gem from the 1930s, Its A Gift is W.C. Fields at his best as general store owner, Harold, who dreams of moving to California to grow orange groves. When his old Uncle Bean passes, he has the financial stability to finally do so. What is so genius about Its a Gift, is that, actually, the plot is secondary & what makes this film such a beloved classic are all the routines throughout it. My favorite being the chaotic store opening scene that finds Harold trying to assist a hurried man in purchasing cumquats, keep a baby out of molasses & make sure a blind man doesn’t take out the entire store with his cane! Any film buff must see Its a Gift.

Have you seen any of these films? 🙂 xo