The Golden Age of Hollywood is credited as the height of cinema and a pivotal period when classics such as Casablanca, The Searchers, and Rear Window paved the way for the future of filmmaking. Throughout Hollywood’s Golden Age, an abundance of memorable and groundbreaking movies graced the silver screen, with many leaving a lasting impression on audiences around the world.
Although there is an extensive list of exceptional classics from Hollywood’s Golden Age, some, such as On the Waterfront, Singin’ in the Rain, and All About Eve, rank as movies that are close to cinematic perfection. Out of an array of iconic titles, including Rebel Without a Cause, My Man Godfrey, and Some Like It Hot, these are ten classic movies that are bangers from start to finish.
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‘Rebel Without a Cause’ (1955)
Directed by Nicholas Ray
James Dean stars in the classic coming-of-age melodrama, Rebel Without a Cause, as a troubled teen, Jim Stark, who, after moving to a new town, befriends a loner classmate, Plato (Sal Mineo) and falls for a local girl, Judy (Natalie Wood). Unfortunately, being the new kid in town comes with its problems and, as Jim tries to establish and maintain some stability in his life, his efforts make it difficult to keep a clean slate.
Rebel Without a Cause was a culturally significant film of its time and one of the first major films to create a social commentary surrounding the relationship between parents and teenagers. While the overall cast is spectacular, Dean delivers a sensationally profound performance which earned him immense praise from both audiences and critics. Rebel Without a Cause earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor for Mineo, Best Supporting Actress for Wood, and Best Story for director, Nicholas Ray.
- Release Date
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October 27, 1955
- Runtime
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111 Minutes
- Director
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Nicholas Ray
- Writers
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Stewart Stern, Irving Shulman, Nicholas Ray
10
‘The Searchers’ (1956)
Directed by John Ford
John Ford‘s The Searchers is the epitome of a classic Western starring John Wayne as a Civil War veteran, Ethan Edwards, who, after his family is brutally murdered by Native Americans, learns that his nieces were taken by their attackers and might still be alive. As Ethan sets out into the dangerous wilderness, his rescue mission slowly turns into a toxic obsession fueled by anger and vengeance.
The Searchers stands to be one of the most influential classic films of all time and has gone on to inspire modern award-winning filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas. While Ford’s mastery of the Western genre is perfectly showcased in The Searchers, Wayne’s performance as Ethan Edwards is one of the Duke’s most profound and is riddled with emotional honesty and an unwavering raw passion that keeps audiences engaged in the character’s journey from start to finish.
9
‘Rear Window’ (1954)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
James Stewart stars as a photojournalist, Jeff Jefferies, who, while recovering from a broken leg, passes the time by watching his neighbors, becoming familiar with their everyday lives. After witnessing a heated argument between a married couple one night, Jefferies becomes suspicious of the husband (Raymond Burr) when the wife suddenly disappears.
No classic movie list is complete without a contribution from the infamous director, Alfred Hitchcock, and his 1954 psychological thriller, Rear Window, is a thrilling mystery full of unsettling suspense. Rear Window is recognized for its exceptional cast, including Hitchcock blonde, Grace Kelly, and Thelma Ritter, and its riveting plot, but the beauty of this Hitchcock classic is the immersive point-of-view shots, which give audiences a whole new kind of movie-going experience.
- Release Date
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September 1, 1954
- Runtime
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112 minutes
- Writers
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John Michael Hayes, Cornell Woolrich
8
‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952)
Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen
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When silent film star Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) is faced with movies transitioning into the Talkies, the film star convinces the studio to make their upcoming movie into a musical. The only problem is Lockwood’s diva co-star, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen), who not only has an unappealing voice but also an unbearable singing voice, but when Lockwood meets an aspiring actress, Kathy Selden (Debbie Reynolds), he asks her to dub Lamont’s voice in exhange for her own studio contract.
Singin’ in the Rain is a signature movie musical and romantic comedy that is an all-time favorite among many classic film fans. The movie features some of the most well-known musical numbers in history, notably ‘Good Morning’ and Kelly’s iconic number to the titular song, which has become a cornerstone of classic musical cinema. Singin’ in the Rain capitalizes on the qualities that established the genre’s popularity while still incorporating enough slapstick comedy, physical humor and a subtle romance that makes this banger of a classic appeal to even those who aren’t big fans of movie musicals.
7
‘On the Waterfront’ (1954)
Directed by Elia Kazan
Marlon Brando stars in his Oscar-winning role as a former up-and-coming boxer turned dockworker, Terry Malloy, who works on the Hoboken, New Jersey waterfront, which is controlled and operated by a local ruthless gangster, Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). When a longshoreman who is scheduled to testify against Friendly winds up murdered, Malloy bravely decides to work with the dead man’s sister (Eva Marie Saint) and a priest (Karl Malden) to help put Friendly behind bars for once and for all.
On the Waterfront is a gritty criminal melodrama that not only earned Brando his first Academy Award for Best Actor but introduced method acting to a mainstream audience, deeming On the Waterfront to be one of Brando’s most essential films. Brando’s performance is simply spellbinding, never once losing his grip on the audiences’ undivided attention and luring them into a poetic tale of tragedy and redemption that earns this crime classic a spot on the list. On the Waterfront earned a grand total of ten Oscar nominations, and went on to win eight, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress.
- Release Date
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June 22, 1954
- Runtime
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108 Minutes
- Director
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Elia Kazan
- Writers
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Budd Schulberg
6
‘All About Eve’ (1950)
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Joseph L. Mankiewicz‘s All About Eve stars Golden Age icon, Bette Davis, as an aging stage star, Margo Channing, who takes a young aspiring actress, Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), under her wing after being won over by Harrington’s unfortunate past and losses. As Harrington infiltrates Channing’s social and professional circles, Channing begins to suspect there’s more to her angelic protégé than she initially thought and slowly begins to see Harrington’s true colors emerge.
All About Eve is a must-see classic dramedy, which also features an all-star supporting cast including George Sanders, Gary Merrill, and Marilyn Monroe in one of her earliest film roles. The movie’s authentic depiction of the cutthroat world of show business wins its spot on the list, demonstrating the tragic but very true concept of a woman’s shelf life and the cruel lengths many are willing to go to for universal fame. Out of fourteen Oscar nominations, All About Eve went on to win six of its nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Sanders.
5
‘Citizen Kane’ (1941)
Directed by Orson Welles
Orson Welles directs and stars in his feature film debut, Citizen Kane, as a media tycoon, Charles Foster Kane, who, while on his deathbed, uses his last breath to say one final word, “rosebud,” leaving the world with a cryptic mystery behind its meaning. When one reporter is assigned to try and decipher Kane’s final words, he speaks to the man’s friends and colleagues and slowly begins to see a portrait of a vulnerable and complicated man who lived an empty and unfilled life.
Welles’ Citizen Kane infinitely altered the artistic landscape of cinema and today is regarded as one of the greatest movies of all time. Citizen Kane is generally recognized for its innovative cinematography and filming techniques, its hauntingly beautiful musical score by Bernard Herrmann, and a unique narrative structure that places it in a category of its own brilliance. Citizen Kane earned nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture, and went on to win for Best Original Screenplay for Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz.
- Release Date
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April 17, 1941
- Runtime
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119 minutes
- Writers
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Herman J. Mankiewicz, Orson Welles, John Houseman, Roger Q. Denny, Mollie Kent
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3
‘My Man Godfrey’ (1936)
Directed by Gregory La Cava
My Man Godfrey is an essential screwball comedy starring William Powell as a forgotten man, Godfrey, who accepts a job as a butler for the family of a young socialite, Irene Bullock (Carole Lombard), after helping her win a scavenger hunt. While Godfrey has no problem taking on his new job, he’s not sure how well he’ll hold up against his new employers, who are a rowdy and dysfunctional bunch, and as Irene starts to fall for the new butler, Godfrey realizes he may be in over his head.
My Man Godfrey is considered to be one of the best screwball comedies of all time and is known for its cheeky and quick-witted humor and its satirical take on high society, which made it a pivotal film of its time. Powell and Lombard, who were briefly married prior to the film, are comedy gold together. The former husband and wife have an undeniable chemistry that is both endearing and humorous, making them the perfect duo to carry this classic screwball comedy. Between the well-constructed comedy and the authentic dynamic of Lombard and Powell, My Man Godfrey is a banger of a classic movie that will have audiences in stitches from start to finish.
2
‘Casablanca’ (1942)
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Humphrey Bogart stars as a cynical American, Rick Blaine, who owns and operates a popular nightclub in Morracco and has successfully carved out a life for himself, but his peaceful existence is shattered after his former flame, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), arrives in town with her husband and war rebel, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henried). When Nazi troops begin to close in on Laszlo, Lund asks Blaine to help them escape before her husband is caught, forcing Blaine to choose between his heart and his conscience.
Casablanca was an unexpected success that elevated the careers of the overall cast, but none as significant as Bogart, whose performance solidified him as both an effective leading man and a major box-office draw. The movie follows a torrid and captivating love story which is set against a turbulent backdrop of war, adding an element of thrills that will make any heart leap with anticipation and excitement. Casablanca was both a commercial and critical success and went on to earn eight Academy Award nominations, ultimately winning three of its nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
1
‘Some Like It Hot’ (1959)
Directed by Billy Wilder
Billy Wilder‘s infamous romantic comedy, Some Like It Hot, stars Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis as musicians, Jerry and Joe, who, after accidentally witnessing a mob hit, flee Chicago by disguising themselves as women in an all-girls traveling band which is headed for sunny Florida. When Joe becomes infatuated with one of the women in the band, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), he risks blowing their cover, but the guys are soon faced with a more serious problem after the mobsters who are looking for them check into the same hotel as them.
Some Like It Hot is a banger of a classic movie that everyone should at least once in their lifetime. The movie was a massive success and received several Oscar nominations, including Best Actor for Lemmon and Best Director, and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Costume Design. Curtis and Monroe serve as the film’s romantic focus and are a genuinely delightful on-screen couple, but Lemmon undoubtedly runs away with the show. The actor delivers a hysterical performance that is the main source of the film’s unpredictable humor and spontaneity that makes Some Like It Hot a well-balanced rom-com classic.
