Monday, May 16, 2016

NATIONAL CLASSIC MOVIE DAY: Five Movies on an Island

Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. (1966)

Last year Rick of Classic Film and TV Café instituted the First Annual Classic Movie Day, which takes place on May 16. He hosted the My Favorite Classic Movie Blogathon in which I wrote about one of my favorite films, Libeled Lady (1936). This year the theme is Five Movies on an Island. That's right. Just FIVE.  The object is to write about the "five classic movies you would want to have with you if stranded on a deserted island. (Yes, you can assume you have electricity, a projector, big screen, and popcorn!) These might be your all-time five favorite movies. Or, you might mix in some 'comfort films' to give your tropical habitat that desired homey feel.' " The only thing I would want to change in this scenario is the popcorn - not a fan. I'll have chocolate please (or if it HAS to be popcorn at least let it be Fiddle Faddle).

I Dream of Jeannie

As any movie fan knows, choosing just a certain number of favorite films is both agonizing and fun. Agonizing because there's so many you want to choose (not counting that it depends on your mood) and fun because... well it's just fun that's all!

When making such a momentous decision such as choosing five movies to watch for who know's how long (remember how long it took to get off Gilligan's Island??), one must have some sort of criteria. Here is what I have come up with:
1. The films must leave you with a "feel-good" feeling, you certainly don't want to be sad or scared on you're island!
2. They must be films that stand up to the test of time - you can watch them again and again.
3. It would be good to have happy memories associated with the film, such as the annual family Christmas movie.
4. It should be long - why waste a choice on a film that only lasts 80 minutes!
5. At least one should have some great songs in it.
Notice I did not say it should have helpful hints on how to survive. The Swiss Family Robinson is ok, but not anywhere near the top of my list of favorites!

Lt. Robin Crusoe U.S.N. (1966)

Now that I have my criteria, here are my five films in order of release date (pre-1970s):

The Thin Man (1934)
William Powell & Myrna Loy

Because I HAVE to have at least one Powell/Loy movie! The mystery may not be all that exciting, but their on-screen chemistry is! Need proof? Click here!

Ever since I discovered Powell a couple years ago, I have been hooked. That man is an amazing and often overlooked actor. I have seen almost all of his "talkies" and I can honestly say he's great in all of them. The Thin Man is the film that boosted his career and made him a top box-office draw as a romantic leading man (this to a man who had played mostly villains in his silent career). This film also made Powell and Loy every movie fan's favorite couple and put the fun back in marriage. I could quote the series all day and look at gifs for hours. I adore these two together.


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Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Katharine Hepburn & Cary Grant

This movie is just flat-out, laugh out loud, funny. Hepburn's fast-talking may take a couple viewings to get used to but once you've got it, it just gets better and better. Practically every line is "quote" worthy and THAT HOUSE is to die for. And since on an island I'd most likely be living in a hut I need a house I can dream about.

My absolute favorite line in this movie is when Susan (Hepburn) and David (Grant) are out in the woods looking for Baby (the leopard) when they suddenly fall down, breaking David's glasses and Susan's heel to her shoe. In a completely ad-libbed looking moment, Susan begins walking around and says laughing in that funny laugh of hers, "I was born on the side of a hill." I. Love. That. Line. Luckily it's on YouTube for your viewing pleasure.


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Rio Grande (1950)
John Wayne & Maureen O'Hara

I have always loved John Wayne. I have never known a time without John Wayne. It is therefore no surprise that a John Wayne film should show up on this list. In fact, I could easily choose ALL John Wayne films for this list and be very happy on my island. But I limited it to one (if you were wondering, my other four would be Donovan's Reef, The Quiet Man, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, and The Searchers).


Reasons I love this particular John Wayne movie the most:
  • It has a fantastic cast: Maureen O'Hara, Victor McLaglen, Ben Johnson, Harry Carey Jr., and a host of other familiar "Ford" faces.
  • It has a great soundtrack (yes we have the cd): the soft, heart-stirring instrumentals, the beautiful theme of "I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen" running throughout, and the melodious harmony of the Sons of the Pioneers (watch above).
  • It has some of the best on-screen chemistry in the entire history of film: John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara... need I say more? The Duke really knew how to kiss a woman so that she'd never forget it and if you all alone on that island, well... you need something to never forget either.
  • Lastly, everything else! The directing by John Ford, the majestic vista's of Monument Valley, the action, suspense, romance... how could it NOT be on my list??
Just LOOK AT HIM!!!
 
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Roman Holiday (1953)
Audrey Hepburn & Gregory Peck

Roman Holiday is the most beautiful romantic comedy of all time. Not only is it pretty much everyone's introduction to the magic of the bewitching Audrey Hepburn, but it's filmed in the Eternal City itself. Upon finishing it I always want to start it over and watch it again.

Both Hepburn and Peck are perfect in their roles of European Princess and American newspaper man. And I love Eddie Albert as Irving, the photographer. He brings the perfect amount of humor to the film. And of course I HAVE to mention the award-winning costumes by Edith Head. One day I WILL go to Rome and I WILL be wearing an outfit like Hepburn's as I go on my own "Roman Holiday" (I would say I WILL eat gelato on the Spanish Steps but I don't want to be arrested - I don't think I could get out of it like Hepburn and Peck did).

Recommended Post: Audrey Hepburn's Roman Holiday Outfit

And yes, I'm so obsessed with this movie that I MADE MY OWN TRAVEL BROCHURE tracing all the locations they visited IN ORDER.

 
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White Christmas (1954)
Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, & Vera-Ellen

I have watched White Christmas with my family every year for as long as I can remember. I know all the words to almost all the song (Mom always fast-forwarded "Mandy"). I would say more about this amazing film but I'm writing about it next week for the Gotta Dance! Blogathon. I will say that, for me, this movie embodies Christmas and because we only watch it at Christmas, we look forward to it all year long (it's really unbearable around July - one is always ready for Christmas in the heat of the summer).

Two more things that are a PLUS in this movie: VistaVision & Technicolor :)

To satisfy you until next week.

There are so many more I could choose, but these are tried and true favorites that I will NEVER tire of. My last word to you is, go, watch as many of your favorite movies as you want and be thankful that you will never have to actually make this decision!

In case you were wondering what my post-1970s list would look like, and you probably weren't: Rocky (1976)...... Moonstruck (1987)............. Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)...................... You've Got Mail (1998) and................................ Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) - man was that agonizing!!!

UPDATE: Let's hope that if this ever DOES happen, it's on the TCM Cruise and then we can watch each others movies!!!

This list is William Powell approved.

28 comments:

  1. Great movies (though I haven't seen Rio Grande yet), and I included Bringing Up Baby on my list, too! Such a great film!
    I also love your post-70 list, especially You've Got Mail, though I think I would have included The Parent Trap, as well :)
    Domi (Little Bits of Classics)

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    1. You definitely need to see Rio Grande! Thanks! I'm partial to the original Parent Trap - in fact, my sister just put it on downstairs as I typed this :)

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  2. Wonderful choices! If this was a "10 Movies on an Island" blogathon, "The Thin Man," "Bringing Up Baby" and "Roman Holiday" would definitely be on my list. Such brilliant films!

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    1. 10 movies would have been so much easier and way less agonizing :)

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  3. Regarding "Rio Grande" - you have the CD and I still have the album.

    My favourite bit in "Bringing Up Baby": "I wasn't going to hit George!" Hee-hee.

    Gosh, I do not know how I am going to survive on my island without Bing. (Actually, I have a secret stash of 5 CDs. Don't tell.)

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    1. I would LOVE to have the album!!! We have a lot of records but unfortunately not that one. I wish the original soundtrack to The Quiet Man was on cd too. And yes, you could easily hide a Bing cd in each dvd case ;)

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  4. Phyllis, you've compiled an impressive list for your island! Toto, my Cafe collaborator, had both BRINGING UP BABY and WHITE CHRISTMAS in her top ten en route to her final five. I'm a huge fan of those films, too. My favorite number in WHITE CHRISTMAS has to be Danny and Vera-Ellen in "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing." I like your post-70s picks, too, especially ROCKY and MOONSTRUCK (which gets better every time I watch it).

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    1. That's my favorite song too :) For a while there I was watching Rocky one week, the next week Rocky II, then back to Rocky, then.. you get the picture. And watching both of those films makes me want to be Italian so bad. My college roommate and I serenaded the "Bella Luna" once by singing That's Amore accompanied by the ukulele. I introduced her to Moonstruck :)

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  5. Wow. You have a very impressive list here Laura. I added "Bringing Up Baby" too. My second favorite movie. It looks like that your all decked out for some cozy island entertainment.

    I also invite you to check out my contribution for the blogathon. Here it is below.

    https://crystalkalyana.wordpress.com/2016/05/16/five-movies-on-an-island-blogathon-national-classic-movie-day/

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    1. Thanks! I've noticed it on several lists :) And to think it didn't do well at the box-office. Shocking!

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  6. Fantastic selection! I love that two of my all-time favourite classic films (White Christmas and Roman Holiday, respectively) landed here. You've got me thinking now as to what my picks would be. Hmmm, definitely going to have to ponder that for a while (White Christmas in particular would be up there :)).

    Big hugs & happy mid-May wishes,
    ♥ Jessica

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    1. Thanks! When you finalize your picks you'll have to let me know :)

      Hope you have a fantastic day!!

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  7. Love every movie, especially Rio Grande. You can never have too much of the Duke. Also, if I ever visit Rome, I'll definitely ask for that list.

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  8. Roman Holiday is my #1, so I definitely agree with you! And yes to The Thin Man! I actually discovered Powell recently, and I adore him. I love Myrna too. Together, whether they're Nick & Nora or some other enviable married couple, I call them my mom and dad. Bringing Up Baby is just perfect. Susan Vance is the reason I want to be a screwball comedy heroine.

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    1. Nick and Nora are definitely relationship goals (without all the drinking though). I hope you get the chance to see as many Powell films as possible!!

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  9. Great choices... The Thin Man, Bringing Up Baby... I could watch any of these on a desert island and be perfectly happy :)

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  10. I really love your choices - diverse, yet all classic and endlessly watchable.

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    1. Thanks! Yeah, I just went with the films I could never not watch :)

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  11. You know what I especially loved about your choices! Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, William Powell, John Wayne, and Danny Kaye and Bing Crosby are all pretty easy on the eyes. So not only do your choices feature great entertainment but they also feature good looking gentlemen. Well done!

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    1. I need something easy on the eyes with all that bright island sunshine!! ;)

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  12. Oh my gosh! All of us deserted after a TCM cruise? We'd have the best time ever! Hahahaha. I put "White Christmas" on my list of 5 too. I'd make a replica of Rosemary Clooney's black dress from island grasses. Who would ever want to go back home?

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    1. It would be like a constant film festival!!! Good idea about making repicla costumes. We be the most stylish islanders ever!!

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  13. Now I want to rewatch Rio Grande! I didn't expect it to show up in any list, but it is definetely a great film. Can I visit your island for a screening? LOL
    Kisses!
    Le

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  14. OMG YES TO ALL! I would cheat a bit and take double features with me! so I could take ten- hahaahahaha! But in all honestly, I would seriously take The Thin man, but would probably have to take the quiet man over rio grande- I STILL HAVE TO SEE THAT ONE!!!! Its tough!

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    1. Haha you're smart! I didn't even think of that!! I've seen The Quiet Man so many times I have it memorized! But as I said above, I could easily bring all John Wayne movies ;)

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