Best Movies

[Herlock Sholmes]

Two of my all-time favourites that didn’t make it are Waterloo (Rod Steiger was fantastic as Napoleon) and Cromwell with Richard Harris. A Man For All Seasons is great too.

[caz]

Cracking thread, Herlock, with many wonderful contributions from all. I'm humbled that my own film, The Ladykillers from 1955, has had a shout.

As some have touched on, a film is a bit like a meal. You always want something tasty and enjoyable. However, rather than a banquet each time, there should also be a serving of egg and chips every now and again.

Rather than repeat so many of the films that have already been so rightly highlighted, here are 20 more (apologies if I missed any being in the above lists) which I like and have tried to slightly group. They all merit a place on my own personal menu. All comments are no more than personal opinions.

Classics
1. A Place in the Sun - a worthy contender for the greatest film ever. Montgomery Clift at his finest with Shelley Winters not far behind.
2. M - Peter Lorre at his creepiest best.
3. I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang - title role superbly acted by Paul Muni who deserves to be much better remembered. Smart use of ''am' in the title reflecting the never ending torment.
4. The Godfather Part II - a superlative sequel to almost rival the brilliance of its predecessor.

Hitchcock
5. Psycho - slightly derided nowadays but the ending was unique for its time. Very clever also how the story begins and heads off in one direction led by Janet Leigh before dramatically changing course.
6. Frenzy - one of the director's last films with nice touches of dark humour.

Bond
7. Goldfinger - Connery and the car.

Cagney
8. Angels with Dirty Faces - Cagney was an amazingly versatile actor, here in what might appear a typical gangster role but with so much more beneath the surface.

Ghosts
9. Dead of Night - first (think that's right) anthology of ghost and horror stories.
10. Field of Dreams - feel good ghost story with a lovely cameo from Burt Lancaster.

Comedies
11. The Apartment - Billy Wilder masterpiece with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine on excellent form.
12. Two Way Stretch - Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins and Lionel Jeffries plus a host of British comedy actors from the '50s and '60s in a neat variation of a prison escape.
13. Carry on Up the Khyber - so very annoyed with my cyber friend Caz plumping for Carry On Screaming which was going to be one of my banker choices here, Harry H Corbett was a much frustrated actor who merited more than Steptoe and stole the show in Screaming. Khyber some way behind but still an honourable runner up.
14. National Lampoon's Animal House - beginning of the genre.

Boys Own Films
15. The One That Got Away - one of my favourite actors Hardy Kruger attempting and eventually succeeding in his own one man version of The Great Escape.
16. The Flight of the Phoenix (obviously the original) - Kruger again alongside a top cast (Richard Attenborough, James Stewart, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine and an Oscar nominated Ian Bannen), neat twist late on concerning Kruger's character.
17. The Italian Job (obviously the original again) - I'm sure I must have missed this being flagged above! Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Irene Handl and Fred Emney all in one film and succeeding beautifully even if the heist didn't quite.

Two Oddities
18. Theatre of Blood - Vincent Price always gave good value for money and this was said to be his ''personal favourite movie'' alongside the delectable Dianna Rigg who regarded it as her ''best movie''. Darkly comic story of a Shakespearean actor who, with his daughter, takes murderous revenge on the literary critics who have snubbed him.
19. The Masque of the Red Death - Price again in a Roger Corman film based upon a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. However, the acting honours are stolen by Skip Martin as the warped Hop Toad, a dwarf jester. Martin was a wonderful but criminally under used actor who would have fared much better today where his dwarfism would not have automatically closed so many doors.

More Recently
20. Stan and Ollie - enchanting true story of friendship. Staggered that neither Steve Coogan or John C Reilly were Oscar nominated.


With apologies to Julie Christie for being unable to find a place for Don't Look Now. Fifty years on, I have not forgotten her role in that ''18'' rated film from when I snuck into the cinema as a fifteen year old. It was being shown in a double bill with The Wicker Man. You sure don't get two films like that for the price of one anymore.

Best regards,
OneRound

Hi OneRound,

Nice choices!

I love Hitchcock's Frenzy. My Mum was walking past County Hall when a scene was being filmed and saw the great director in action and a 'dummy' fished out of the Thames.

I nearly had a Bond film but couldn't decide between Goldfinger, On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice.

Dead of Night is also a favourite.

Apologies for annoying you by plumping for Carry On Screaming. Agree with you about Harry H Corbett, although my better half would argue that it was Fenella Fielding who stole the show. We met her in 2017 when we were staying in White Horses in Portmeirion, of Prisoner fame. When we booked, we hadn't appreciated that our stay would coincide with a 50th anniversary celebration of The Prisoner. Fenella was fabulous and made hubby's day by flirting with him! We also bumped into the actor Derren Nesbitt, who was generous enough to share with us some hilarious moments from his career. Just looked him up and it turns out he played an uncredited stoker in A Night to Remember - which I can't believe I forgot when compiling my list!

Theatre of Blood - wonderful stuff! Vincent Price acting his socks off as usual. I also remember watching The Pit and the Pendulum when I was quite young and being reassured that my Dad was watching it with me and finding it very funny.

Don't Look Now is a great film and I adored Julie Christie. I nearly chose the original Far from the Madding Crowd and the book was a firm favourite of mine at school. I keep meaning to read it one more time, but worry about breaking the spell that kept me enchanted as a teenager.

Love,

Caz
X

[Herlock Sholmes]

Hi Herlock and all - well, those in the UK anyway,

Just to flag that Stan & Ollie is on BBC1 tonight at 11:40. Worth a late night or at least dusting down the Betamax.

Best regards,
OneRound

Hi OneRound,

Betamax?

I’m not that hi-tech.

[OneRound]

Great choices OneRound. I loved Stan and Ollie too. I’ve been a Laurel and Hardy fan since I was a kid and so I was slightly concerned when this came out but it’s a fantastic evocation of the work and relationship between those two (imo) geniuses.

...

Hi Herlock and all - well, those in the UK anyway,

Just to flag that Stan & Ollie is on BBC1 tonight at 11:40. Worth a late night or at least dusting down the Betamax.

Best regards,
OneRound

[c.d.]

Lord of the Flies

Not only a great movie in and of itself but in my opinion one of the very best adaptations of a book. Perfect casting of the characters as well.

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Many thanks, Herlock.

My favourite character in the 1955 film The Ladykillers was .... OneRound. Slow witted and one of the robbers but with a good heart which elevates him above the others. Beautifully played by Danny Green in his stand out film.

My user name stemmed from my liking of the character together with a bit of a p1ss take of the Court of Appeal's 2002 judgment upon James Hanratty in which they emphasised the importance of seeing matters ''in the round'' but were highly selective as to what they saw.

Best regards,
OneRound

Of course! That just hadn’t clicked for me. I’ve seen The Ladykillers a few times but I didn’t connect the name of the character OneRound. Doh!

[OneRound]

Great choices OneRound. I loved Stan and Ollie too. I’ve been a Laurel and Hardy fan since I was a kid and so I was slightly concerned when this came out but it’s a fantastic evocation of the work and relationship between those two (imo) geniuses.

Now, you clearly know your films but this part intrigues me:



Care to elaborate?

Many thanks, Herlock.

My favourite character in the 1955 film The Ladykillers was .... OneRound. Slow witted and one of the robbers but with a good heart which elevates him above the others. Beautifully played by Danny Green in his stand out film.

My user name stemmed from my liking of the character together with a bit of a p1ss take of the Court of Appeal's 2002 judgment upon James Hanratty in which they emphasised the importance of seeing matters ''in the round'' but were highly selective as to what they saw.

Best regards,
OneRound

[Herlock Sholmes]

Cracking thread, Herlock, with many wonderful contributions from all. I'm humbled that my own film, The Ladykillers from 1955, has had a shout.

As some have touched on, a film is a bit like a meal. You always want something tasty and enjoyable. However, rather than a banquet each time, there should also be a serving of egg and chips every now and again.

Rather than repeat so many of the films that have already been so rightly highlighted, here are 20 more (apologies if I missed any being in the above lists) which I like and have tried to slightly group. They all merit a place on my own personal menu. All comments are no more than personal opinions.

Classics
1. A Place in the Sun - a worthy contender for the greatest film ever. Montgomery Clift at his finest with Shelley Winters not far behind.
2. M - Peter Lorre at his creepiest best.
3. I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang - title role superbly acted by Paul Muni who deserves to be much better remembered. Smart use of ''am' in the title reflecting the never ending torment.
4. The Godfather Part II - a superlative sequel to almost rival the brilliance of its predecessor.

Hitchcock
5. Psycho - slightly derided nowadays but the ending was unique for its time. Very clever also how the story begins and heads off in one direction led by Janet Leigh before dramatically changing course.
6. Frenzy - one of the director's last films with nice touches of dark humour.

Bond
7. Goldfinger - Connery and the car.

Cagney
8. Angels with Dirty Faces - Cagney was an amazingly versatile actor, here in what might appear a typical gangster role but with so much more beneath the surface.

Ghosts
9. Dead of Night - first (think that's right) anthology of ghost and horror stories.
10. Field of Dreams - feel good ghost story with a lovely cameo from Burt Lancaster.

Comedies
11. The Apartment - Billy Wilder masterpiece with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine on excellent form.
12. Two Way Stretch - Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins and Lionel Jeffries plus a host of British comedy actors from the '50s and '60s in a neat variation of a prison escape.
13. Carry on Up the Khyber - so very annoyed with my cyber friend Caz plumping for Carry On Screaming which was going to be one of my banker choices here, Harry H Corbett was a much frustrated actor who merited more than Steptoe and stole the show in Screaming. Khyber some way behind but still an honourable runner up.
14. National Lampoon's Animal House - beginning of the genre.

Boys Own Films
15. The One That Got Away - one of my favourite actors Hardy Kruger attempting and eventually succeeding in his own one man version of The Great Escape.
16. The Flight of the Phoenix (obviously the original) - Kruger again alongside a top cast (Richard Attenborough, James Stewart, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine and an Oscar nominated Ian Bannen), neat twist late on concerning Kruger's character.
17. The Italian Job (obviously the original again) - I'm sure I must have missed this being flagged above! Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Irene Handl and Fred Emney all in one film and succeeding beautifully even if the heist didn't quite.

Two Oddities
18. Theatre of Blood - Vincent Price always gave good value for money and this was said to be his ''personal favourite movie'' alongside the delectable Dianna Rigg who regarded it as her ''best movie''. Darkly comic story of a Shakespearean actor who, with his daughter, takes murderous revenge on the literary critics who have snubbed him.
19. The Masque of the Red Death - Price again in a Roger Corman film based upon a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. However, the acting honours are stolen by Skip Martin as the warped Hop Toad, a dwarf jester. Martin was a wonderful but criminally under used actor who would have fared much better today where his dwarfism would not have automatically closed so many doors.

More Recently
20. Stan and Ollie - enchanting true story of friendship. Staggered that neither Steve Coogan or John C Reilly were Oscar nominated.


With apologies to Julie Christie for being unable to find a place for Don't Look Now. Fifty years on, I have not forgotten her role in that ''18'' rated film from when I snuck into the cinema as a fifteen year old. It was being shown in a double bill with The Wicker Man. You sure don't get two films like that for the price of one anymore.

Best regards,
OneRound

Great choices OneRound. I loved Stan and Ollie too. I’ve been a Laurel and Hardy fan since I was a kid and so I was slightly concerned when this came out but it’s a fantastic evocation of the work and relationship between those two (imo) geniuses.

Now, you clearly know your films but this part intrigues me:

. I'm humbled that my own film, The Ladykillers from 1955, has had a shout.

Care to elaborate?

[OneRound]

Cracking thread, Herlock, with many wonderful contributions from all. I'm humbled that my own film, The Ladykillers from 1955, has had a shout.

As some have touched on, a film is a bit like a meal. You always want something tasty and enjoyable. However, rather than a banquet each time, there should also be a serving of egg and chips every now and again.

Rather than repeat so many of the films that have already been so rightly highlighted, here are 20 more (apologies if I missed any being in the above lists) which I like and have tried to slightly group. They all merit a place on my own personal menu. All comments are no more than personal opinions.

Classics
1. A Place in the Sun - a worthy contender for the greatest film ever. Montgomery Clift at his finest with Shelley Winters not far behind.
2. M - Peter Lorre at his creepiest best.
3. I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang - title role superbly acted by Paul Muni who deserves to be much better remembered. Smart use of ''am' in the title reflecting the never ending torment.
4. The Godfather Part II - a superlative sequel to almost rival the brilliance of its predecessor.

Hitchcock
5. Psycho - slightly derided nowadays but the ending was unique for its time. Very clever also how the story begins and heads off in one direction led by Janet Leigh before dramatically changing course.
6. Frenzy - one of the director's last films with nice touches of dark humour.

Bond
7. Goldfinger - Connery and the car.

Cagney
8. Angels with Dirty Faces - Cagney was an amazingly versatile actor, here in what might appear a typical gangster role but with so much more beneath the surface.

Ghosts
9. Dead of Night - first (think that's right) anthology of ghost and horror stories.
10. Field of Dreams - feel good ghost story with a lovely cameo from Burt Lancaster.

Comedies
11. The Apartment - Billy Wilder masterpiece with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine on excellent form.
12. Two Way Stretch - Peter Sellers, Bernard Cribbins and Lionel Jeffries plus a host of British comedy actors from the '50s and '60s in a neat variation of a prison escape.
13. Carry on Up the Khyber - so very annoyed with my cyber friend Caz plumping for Carry On Screaming which was going to be one of my banker choices here, Harry H Corbett was a much frustrated actor who merited more than Steptoe and stole the show in Screaming. Khyber some way behind but still an honourable runner up.
14. National Lampoon's Animal House - beginning of the genre.

Boys Own Films
15. The One That Got Away - one of my favourite actors Hardy Kruger attempting and eventually succeeding in his own one man version of The Great Escape.
16. The Flight of the Phoenix (obviously the original) - Kruger again alongside a top cast (Richard Attenborough, James Stewart, Peter Finch, Ernest Borgnine and an Oscar nominated Ian Bannen), neat twist late on concerning Kruger's character.
17. The Italian Job (obviously the original again) - I'm sure I must have missed this being flagged above! Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Irene Handl and Fred Emney all in one film and succeeding beautifully even if the heist didn't quite.

Two Oddities
18. Theatre of Blood - Vincent Price always gave good value for money and this was said to be his ''personal favourite movie'' alongside the delectable Dianna Rigg who regarded it as her ''best movie''. Darkly comic story of a Shakespearean actor who, with his daughter, takes murderous revenge on the literary critics who have snubbed him.
19. The Masque of the Red Death - Price again in a Roger Corman film based upon a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. However, the acting honours are stolen by Skip Martin as the warped Hop Toad, a dwarf jester. Martin was a wonderful but criminally under used actor who would have fared much better today where his dwarfism would not have automatically closed so many doors.

More Recently
20. Stan and Ollie - enchanting true story of friendship. Staggered that neither Steve Coogan or John C Reilly were Oscar nominated.


With apologies to Julie Christie for being unable to find a place for Don't Look Now. Fifty years on, I have not forgotten her role in that ''18'' rated film from when I snuck into the cinema as a fifteen year old. It was being shown in a double bill with The Wicker Man. You sure don't get two films like that for the price of one anymore.

Best regards,
OneRound

[c.d.]

The Postman Always Rings Twice - original or later?

Original. Lana Turner was a hottie.

Also in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde with Spencer Tracy. Another of my favorites.

c.d.

[Herlock Sholmes]

Casablanca

It Happened One Night

The Great Train Robbbery

Cool Hand Luke

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

It's a Wonderful Life

Animal House

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The Thin Man

The Postman Always Rings Twice

In Cold Blood

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

c.d.

Great choices c.d.

The Postman Always Rings Twice - original or later?

[c.d.]

Casablanca

It Happened One Night

The Great Train Robbbery

Cool Hand Luke

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

It's a Wonderful Life

Animal House

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The Thin Man

The Postman Always Rings Twice

In Cold Blood

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

c.d.

[Darryl Kenyon]

Anything by Sergio Leone

Regards Darryl

[Losmandris]

I can't believe I missed these...

Doctor Zhivago

Ice Cold in Alex

Witness for the Prosecution


Love,

Caz
X

The scene at the end of Ice Cold In Alex in the bar is perfection. Sure Calsberg turned it into an advert at some point?

[Losmandris]

Hoskins was brilliant; the very final scene when he is in the car with a young Pierce Brosnan... acting perfection



RD

Absolutely!