(The following is a new edition of an old project, first done for a "Vital Signs" radio program years ago and edited and expanded several times since. I edited this last version last week for a good friend over in Great Britain. Claire urged me to post it here. And so I do...most humbly.)The American Film Institute recently released a list of the 100 best American movies. However, when I scanned the list and discovered such inclusions as Dances with Wolves and On Golden Pond I knew I had to counter with my own. Doing so also serves as an answer to those frequent requests I receive about movie recommendations for it seems that Claire and I are becoming known as classic movie aficionados. Therefore, we regularly hear from people who are looking for films which put a priority on good stories, talented artists and wholesome values instead of modern Hollywood's emphasis on sophomoric plots, computer-generated effects, blasphemy, a mean-spirited treatment of religion, sexual promiscuity and perversion, graphic violence, political correctness and all of the rest.
I'm pleased that more Christians are getting fed up with Hollywood's schlockmeisters but also very disturbed about how many believers there are (young and old) who foolishly drink from the polluted waters of what passes for modern culture. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. So too is a person's conscience, reputation and family.
We do, of course, have alternatives. We are in no way obligated to take whatever entertainment is shoved at us from the entertainment powers that be. Indeed, the first and best alternative to the garbage sold to America by the television networks and the movie studios is to simply, as the phrase goes, go get a life! In other words, be more of a doer than a watcher. For the believer that should mean more good works, more conversation, more reading, more praying, more enjoyment of God's amazing creation. Entertainment and relaxation are fine when properly balanced with “a life well lived” and when they do not involve compromising basic principles of the Christian faith.
Movies can be a terrific form of entertainment, relaxation, education, even inspiration but don't let that one “spectator sport” dominate your leisure time. Go for a walk. Go to the zoo or the circus or a ball game. Play tennis or croquet or gin rummy. Listen to good music. Read. Putter in the garden. Talk to your neighbors. Have a water balloon fight in the summer and build a snow fort in the winter. Learn how to paint or dance or launch model rockets. Many American Christians would be surprised to learn how easily even an addiction to television can be broken – just by trying a few more active pursuits.
But with all that being said, I openly admit I like movies and in between all of the other activity of our lives, Claire and I do manage to sit down and watch a couple every week. So, in response to those requests from friends I mentioned earlier as well as that unsatisfactory list compiled by the American Film Institute, I hereby submit my own. Now let me explain at the outset I've taken a few liberties in doing so. For instance, you'll see that I occasionally list a “category” of films instead of a single movie. Note also that I have concerned myself with Hollywood films in this list so you won't find herein the Moody science films or the flavorful offerings of Focus on the Family's Veggie Tales or, for that matter, Campus Crusade's amazing Jesus film (which will clearly top heaven's list of the most important movies ever made). All of these should be standards for the Christian family anyway.
No, in this list I have concentrated on those particular "Hollywood movies" which I believe are classics -- movies which provide entertainment that is far superior to the contemporary offerings available on television and in the theaters. I submit it not merely as a trivia piece, but as a legitimate service, hoping that some who might otherwise be tempted towards cinematic "junk food" will find some more hearty and healthy choices. So here you go: Denny Hartford's stab at the 100 Best Films.
Disclaimers: There are bound to be differences in taste, experience, preferences and even sensitivities between any two readers, music listeners or film watchers. Therefore, I have no doubt that most people who try out the films on this list will find some they will treasure forever. But they'll also find some that they will scratch their head over and wonder how on earth I could have put that one down as a favorite. So be it. I'm not going to be bothered by that and I sure hope you aren't either.
A more important issue is considerations of morality. I have tried to be responsible in making this list (knowing that others will take seriously my recommendations) but it is, after all, an honest representation of my favorites. As I made clear earlier, I don't enjoy movies that are gross or mindless or profane. And every film listed here will be remarkably better in those respects than the standard fare in American movie houses. But that doesn't mean that you might not find something off-putting in one or more of them. For example, people are shot and killed in many of the Westerns, the war movies and the mysteries you'll find here. I don't believe the violence is gratuitous or excessive or particularly graphic. But there is violence. And here's another example – I can watch the Thin Man movies (whose detective character is overly fond of martinis) without being tempted to start drinking. That could bother some – not only the on-screen martinis but my daring to be so insensitive to former alcoholics by listing those films in the first place.
So, as you should always be in every part of life, be careful. Use your best judgment and perhaps check out other reviews of the film before giving two hours of your evening to it.
1) Citizen Kane. Orson Welles' unique and incredible film. You either love this movie or you're bored to tears by it. Since I was a child, I have been in the first category.
2) The films of the Marx Brothers (especially A Night at the Opera & Animal Crackers)
3) Casablanca (Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, et al)
4) Harvey (starring Jimmy Stewart and a lovable, though invisible 7-foot rabbit!)
5) We're No Angels (starring Humphrey Bogart, Peter Ustinov, Also Ray, Leo G. Carroll) This is as offbeat a Christmas picture as you can imagine. It is what sometimes is called a dark comedy, but it is brilliantly written and acted. And wholesome virtues do triumph in the end.
6) Prancer. Another splendid Christmas movie. Very well done (though on a shoestring budget) with humor, tenderness and plenty of Christmas schmaltz.
7) The films of Fred Astaire (especially those co-starring Ginger Rogers) What style and grace! In their dreams, all men dance like Astaire!
8) The Thin Man movies (starring William Powell & Myrna Loy) Terrific.
9) The Never-Ending Story. A delightful, provocative movie for kids of all ages. It closely follows the insightful German novel on which it is based.
10) Fiddler on the Roof (starring Topol) A compelling musical/drama about Russian Jews before the Revolution, this film deals with such momentous themes as faith, family, tradition, and conscience. Excellent.
11) Scandalous John (starring Brian Keith) This is a mystical, modern version of the Don Quixote story set in the American Southwest. Unfortunately, it is extremely rare to find.
12) White Christmas (starring Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen) I mentioned earlier that men dance like Astaire in their dreams. Well, when we sing in our dreams, we sing like Crosby!
13) True Grit (starring John Wayne, Glen Campbell, Kim Darby) An unexpectedly moving film that touches the heart on several levels.
14) A Man for All Seasons (starring Paul Scofield, Orson Welles) A brilliant cinematic account of the martyrdom of St. Thomas More. (There is a newer version starring Charlton Heston which is also quite good.)
15) A Christmas Carol (especially the versions with Alistair Sim or George C. Scott)
16) The Maltese Falcon (starring Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Sidney Greenstreet) Film noir at its best!
17) It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (A panoply of comedic stars)
18) Going My Way (starring Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Gene Lockhart) Remember when religion was a positive virtue to Hollywood producers?
19) Robin Hood (starring Errol Flynn) Dashing, witty, gallant - a great adventure film from the days when movie heroes had to be heroic!
20) South Pacific (starring Rossano Brazzi, Mitzi Gaynor) Ah..."Some Enchanted Evening,” “Younger Than Springtime,” "This Nearly Was Mine,” “I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy," “Bali-Hi.” Rodgers and Hammerstein were never better.
Okay, that's the Top Twenty. From here on out, there's not much given besides the title. And there's not necessarily much difference between #21 and #99. I throw 'em all in together. For more details, use the internet. Look at sites like Netflix or Blockbuster to get additional information about plot, stars, length, ratings, other reviews and so on.
21) African Queen (Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn)
22) West Side Story (Richard Beemer, Natalie Wood)
23) Help (The Beatles)
24) Where Eagles Dare (Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood)
25) Rebecca (Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine)
26) Babe. A delightful fantasy with a talking pig, an inventive duck, and sheep dogs.
27) Ben-Hur (Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd)
28) The Longest Day (Many stars)
29) Lawrence of Arabia (Peter O'Toole, Omar Sharif)
30) The Little Rascals series
31) Singin' in the Rain (Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds)
32) Bells of St. Mary's (Bing Crosby, Ingrid Bergman)
33) My Fair Lady (Rex Harrison, Audrey Hepburn)
34) Sounder (Paul Winfield, Cicely Tyson, Taj Mahal)
35) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart)
36) El Cid (Charlton Heston, Sophia Loren)
37) Sink the Bismarck (Kenneth More, Dana Wynter)
38) Brigadoon (Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson)
39) Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy)
40) King's Row (Ronald Reagan, Ann Southern)
41) Prisoner of Zenda (either the Ronald Colman or the Sterling Hayden version)
42) If I Were King (Ronald Colman)
43) The Big Sleep (Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall)
44) Von Ryan's Express (Frank Sinatra)
45) The Music Man (Robert Preston, Shirley Jones)
46) North by Northwest (Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint)
47) A Tale of Two Cities (Ronald Colman)
48) To Catch a Thief (Cary Grant, Grace Kelly)
49) You Can't Take It With You (Jimmy Stewart) (However, there is an exact version of the award-winning play that stars Jason Robards, Jr. That is preferable. But that is pretty hard to find.)
50) Up Periscope (James Garner, Edmond O'Brien)
51) Camille (Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor)
52) The pre-1960 Cartoons of Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck
53) Little Caesar (Edward G. Robinson)
54) El Dorado and Rio Bravo. I list these two John Wayne films together because they share the same basic storyline. But both are highly enjoyable. I'd give the edge to the 1959 flick (Rio Bravo) because of Wayne's co-stars: Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan and Ward Bond. The other film was made in 1966 and teamed the Duke up with Robert Mitchum, James Caan, and Michele Carey.
55) The Robe (Richard Burton, Jean Simmons)
56) Mr. Majestyck (Charles Bronson)
57) Murder, My Sweet (Dick Powell)
58) Goodbye Mr. Chips (Peter O'Toole, Petula Clark)
59) Holiday Inn (Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire)
60) King Kong (Fay Wray)
61) Ten Little Indians. Several versions of this Agatha Christie novel are around. My favorite is the one with Hugh O'Brien, Fabian and “Goldfinger Girl,” Shirley Eaton.
62) Caine Mutiny (Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson, Jose Ferrer)
63) Midway (starring Charlton Heston and an all-star cast)
64) Remember the Night (Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck)
65) Becket (Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton)
66) The Great Escape (Steve McQueen, James Garner)
67) The films of Shirley Temple. Hollywood has had no bigger star ever than this curly-haired, dimpled darling. Unless you're completely jaded, Shirley Temple will steal your heart in any picture she's in. If you want a suggestion for one to start on, go with Stowaway co-starring Alice Faye and Robert Young.
68) Breakheart Pass (Charles Bronson, Ben Johnson, Richard Crenna)
69) The Bing Crosby & Bob Hope “road pictures” -- Road to Rio, Road to Morocco, etc.)
70) Papillon (Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman)
71) Wizard of Oz (Judy Garland, Ray Bolger)
72) Stagecoach (John Wayne) This is a true classic but there is also a 1966 version that is very big on star power -- Bing Crosby, Ann-Margret, Alex Cord, Mike Connors, Robert Cummings, Van Heflin, Stefanie Powers, Red Buttons.
73) The Dirty Dozen (Lee Marvin, Jim Brown, Clint Walker)
74) Pot O' Gold (Jimmy Stewart, Paulette Goddard)
75) Ninotchka (Greta Garbo, Melvyn Douglas)
76) Foreign Correspondent (Joel McRea, Laraine Day)
77) The old Charlie Chan movies
78) My Man Godfrey (William Powell, Carole Lombard)
79) Cleopatra (either the Claudette Colbert or the Liz Taylor versions)
80) Desperate Journey (Errol Flynn, Ronald Reagan)
81) Once Upon a Time in the West (Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda)
82) On the Town (Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra)
83) The Shop Around the Corner (Jimmy Stewart, Margaret Sullivan)
84) Bullitt (Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset, Robert Vaughn)
85) Stalag 17 (William Holden)
86) A Double Life (Ronald Colman)
87) Ride the High Country (Joel McRea, Randolph Scott)
88) The Philadelphia Story (Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Katherine Hepburn)
89) The Magnificent Seven (Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughan, James Coburn)
90) Christmas in Connecticut (Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan)
91) The Shootist (John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard, Hugh O'Brien, Richard Boone)
92) Seven Days in May (Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Edmond O'Brien, Ava Gardner)
93) Witness for the Prosecution (Charles Laughton, Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power)
94) Dawn Patrol (Errol Flynn, David Niven)
95) Silverado (Scott Glenn, Kevin Kline, Danny Glover, Brian Dennehy, Kevin Costner)
96) The Guns of Navarone (Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn)
97) The Ladykillers (Alec Guinness, Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom)
98) Scrooge (Albert Finney)
99) Khartoum (Charlton Heston, Laurence Olivier)
100) It Happened One Night (Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert)
Yes, yes...if I made the list next week, there would probably be changes. But you've got to draw the line somewhere. As you might guess, most of these films I haven't seen for decades whereas others in the list (the Christmas movies, the Astaire and Rogers, the Marx Brothers, and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, etc) I watch every two or three years. I hope you find at least a few gems in the mix.
