Thread by @salonium

Looking for a movie to watch this weekend?

I watched around 250 films from the “classic Hollywood era” of the 1930s-50s, while I was at university.

Screwball comedies, film noir, lots of great films still fun to watch today. Here are my favourites with one-line synopses. 🧵

First, the comedies:

The Thin Man (1934):

A witty couple solves mysteries with their dog.

(This is the first of six films in The Thin Man series, which are all great)

Bringing Up Baby (1938):

A paleontologist's life is turned upside down by a woman and a leopard.

Top Hat (1935):

A dancer falls for a woman who mistakes him for her friend's husband.

The Philadelphia Story (1940):

A socialite's ex-husband and a reporter complicate her wedding plans.

(won an Oscar)

Ball Of Fire (1941):

A group of professors enlist a nightclub singer to help with their research.

Roman Holiday (1953):

A princess escapes her duties and falls for an American reporter in Rome.

(won an Oscar)

To Catch A Thief (1955):

A retired cat burglar must prove his innocence in a series of heists.

My Man Godfrey (1936):

A socialite hires a "forgotten man" to be her family's butler.

(won an Oscar)

Desk Set (1957):

A computer expert and a TV network researcher clash over automation.

Indiscreet (1958):

A love affair between a famous actress and a diplomat under false pretense.

Charade (1963):

A widow is chased by men after her murdered husband's stolen fortune.

And now the dramas... 🎭

Gone With The Wind (1939):

A tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Civil War.

(won an Oscar)

Rebecca (1940):

A young bride is haunted by her husband's glamorous first wife, Rebecca.

(won an Oscar)

Casablanca (1942):

A nightclub owner faces past love in WWII Morocco.

(won an Oscar)

Shadow of a Doubt (1943):

A young woman suspects her uncle is a serial killer.

The Lost Weekend (1945):

A four-day alcoholic bender leads to self-realisation.

(won an Oscar)

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946):

Three WWII veterans adjust to civilian life with changes and challenges.

(won an Oscar)

Gilda (1946):

A complex love triangle unfolds in a Buenos Aires casino.

Gentleman's Agreement (1947):

A reporter pretends to be Jewish to expose antisemitism.

(won an Oscar)

High Noon (1952):

A marshal faces a gang alone as the townsfolk refuse to help.

(won an Oscar)

Rear Window (1954):

A wheelchair-bound photographer suspects a neighbour of murder.

The Country Girl (1954):

A director helps a has-been actor and his wife face their demons.

(won an Oscar)

12 Angry Men (1957):

Jurors reconsider their decision in a murder trial.

Witness For The Prosecution (1957):

A lawyer defends a man accused of murdering a wealthy widow.

Rebel Without A Cause (1955):

A troubled teen forms deep connections while confronting the challenges of adolescence and authority.

All About Eve (1950):

A ambitious young actress schemes to upstage an aging Broadway star.

(won an Oscar)

To Kill A Mockingbird (1962):

A lawyer defends an innocent black man accused of rape in the deep south.

(won an Oscar)

Advise and Consent (1962):

Political intrigue unfolds around a controversial Secretary of State nomination.

In the Heat of the Night (1967):

A black detective and a white chief of police solve a murder case in a racially tense Southern town.

(won an Oscar)

And that's all!

Did I miss any of your favourites?

I might not have seen them... yet 😅

I'm always looking for more to watch, so let me know below!