Monday 15 February 2016

Lovely 40's Movies

I had originally planned this post to be a long list of all my favourite 40's movies where I rambled on about how brilliant they were.
The ramblings will definitely still be there, but when I started listing the 40's movies I've seen, I realised that I actually haven't seen that many, so the list won't be as long as I expected.

But without further ado, these are the 40's movies I've seen and enjoyed:

State Fair
                        

This is one of my favourite movies of all time!! It's so sweet and delightful and just too grand for words to describe it properly!
The story is fairly simple, following a family going to the annual state fair where the grown up children each find some romance along the way. Add in some catchy songs and an extravaganza of pretty dresses, and you've got yourself a hit.
I wrote a post about the wardrobe of the main character here if you want to see some of the costumes.


To Be Or Not To Be
                       

Another one of my favourites! This is one of the most hilarious movies I have ever seen.
Taking place during WWII where the Polish underground movement is trying to stop a double agent giving information to the Germans, it does have its suspenseful and dramatic moments. But it gives way more laughs than shivers. I'll do a proper review of this movie later this week, where I will talk way more about all the funny scenes.


Anchors Aweigh
                       

Here's another gorgeous movie with pretty dresses, happy songs and dancing sailors. What more can anyone wish for? To be honest this was the movie that made me fall in love with the 40's, and thus indirectly started all this.
The movie's about two sailors on shore leave. They meet a girl that they somehow promise to introduce to Jose Iturbi (someone famous in the music industry), who they don't actually know. So they spend the next day partly searching for and trying to meet Jose Iturbi and partly keeping the girl convinced that she really shall meet him.
A really funny and sweet movie all in all.


On The Town
                      

It seems I have a weakness for Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra musicals! On The Town is another lighthearted and fun movie following 3 sailors at shore leave trying to meet some girls, and singing all the while.
The songs are really catchy, the costumes pretty and the story really sweet. For more of my thoughts on this move check out my full review of it here.


His Girl Friday
                     

Here's another lovely comedy. The story of a newspaper editor who learns his ex-wife is about to remarry, and tries his best to sabotage it by getting her to cover a hot news story, so he won't lose his star reporter, is certain to create more than a few laughs.
And though it's not as hilarious as its 80's remake, it is still a delightful movie with some real quality acting from Cary Grant.


Casablanca
                     

This movie really surprised me positively. I had expected it to be extremely dull, and though it is kind of slow going, as dramas often were back then, it's actually a really good movie.
The story of a bitter bar owner who by chance meets his old flame and her husband, asking for his help in fleeing the country, is surprisingly touching and the actors all do a very good job.


It's A Wonderful Life
                       

To think that I nearly forgot this one on my list! If this isn't a true classic I don't know what is!
The timeless story of a man spending his life fighting for others and who at a low point in his life is shown what the world would be like if he had never been born, is so touching and heartwarming. I think it's one of the movies everyone have seen at least once (and if they haven't they should).


That is the 40's movies I've seen and enjoyed this far, but there's so many more movies from that decade that I am dying to see.

Did you see some of your favourites on this list? If not, which movies do I need to watch?
I always love getting recommendations!
                       

14 comments:

  1. Oooh I love this list! State Fair is quite nice even though I don't really "get" Margie.
    I've never heard of To Be or Not To Be. It looks really good!
    Anchors Aweigh and On the Town are two of my favorites. I love the music in both of them! Ooh and the dancing, especially that weird but awesome detour with the mouse!
    His Girl Friday was great cuz CARY GRANT for pete's sake! And journalists are cool :)
    I just rewatched Casablanca last night to review for this week!
    Have you seen the baseball movie with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly? It's not quite as good as the others. Netflix has it!
    I can't wait for the other posts! I'll be linking up with my review as soon as I get it up!

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    1. I love Gene Kelly's movies! And that dancing scene with the mouse was to precious for words!
      Completely agree - Cary Grant was the best part of His Girl Friday.
      Ooh, looking forward to your review:)
      No I haven't seen the baseball movie yet, but it is on my to watch list.

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  2. I have seen a few of these (Casablanca, It's a Wonderful Life, His Girl Friday, and State Fair) and like them a lot. Especially It's a Wonderful Life!! I'll have to keep an eye out for the others you mentioned. :)

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    1. The 40's was a great decade for movies! I also adore It's A Wonderful Life

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  3. I really want to see His Girl Friday now! It sounds great.

    Gene Kelly!!<3<3<3 He is CHARMING. And the songs in Anchors Aweigh.<3<3 ( "We hate to leave";)) Aren't they both so screamingly adorable and hilarious in that scene??!!!

    Let me see-- 40s movies I enjoyed and recommend. A lot.;) Holiday Inn, Sorrowful Jones, One Night In The Tropics, Meet Me In St. Louis, Lady on a Train, (Deanna Durbin stars in that. Love her!) Swing Time, Yankee Doodle Dandy with Jimmy Cagney ( That one is really special, somehow.) Angels In The Outfield, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. Sorry, long list!! All of these are TREMENDOUSLY good, in my opinion, I hope so much you'll get to see them sometime.:)( And let me know what you think of them:))

    ~Rilla Blythe

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    1. It is a great movie, I hope you'll like it!

      Anchors Aweigh is just a gorgeous movie, I don't recall much of the songs at the moment, but I am planning a rewatch of it soon:)
      Thanks for all your suggestions! I have been wanting to watch Holiday Inn and Meet Me In St. Louis for quite some time now. Hopefully I will get around to it eventually. And I'll definitely look the other ones up:)

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  4. I like how you included a short synopsis of each movie. Some of them sound quite interesting.

    It's a Wonderful Life is definitely one of my favorites. We watch it every year at Christmastime. As for other 40s movies...have you ever seen The Shop Around the Corner starring Jimmy Stewart, or Random Harvest starring Grer Garson? Those are two excellent films.

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    1. I also watch It's A Wonderful Life most years around Christmas (that's the season for all the classics)
      I have heard about The Shop Around The Corner is that the one You've Got Mail is a remake of?
      Thanks for the suggestions, I will put them on the list:)

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    2. Yes, I believe so. I've never seen You've Got Mail, though. Have you?

      You're welcome!

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    3. Amazing! Then I will definitely watch it.
      Yes, I've seen You've Got Mail many times, it's such a sweet movie. Me and my mom are big Meg Ryan fans so we have seen most of her movies.

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  5. Eeeepers!!! YOU LOVE ANCHORS AWEIGH, TOO!!! AND YOU ACTUALLY HAVE IT IN YOUR HEADER!!!!! Eeeesh. I loooooove that movie!!! ;D

    Hee. And this is funny, but the more I got thinking about it, the more I realized I haven't actually seen a lot of movies set IN the 40's either. But I feel like I have, because I've seen so many made in/totally shaped by the era. ;D

    (And just so you know, I did do an announcement post yesterday and I'm still working on my review. :))

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anchors Aweigh will always have a special place in my heart! Glad you like it too, it shows good taste;)

      That's exactly what happened to me when planning this post. I thought I had seen SO many classic films and the nrealised most of them were from the 50' instead (also a great decade).

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  6. Good list! I've seen all of these except To Be or Not to Be, which I've wanted to see for years.

    Of these, I love State Fair, It's a Wonderful Life, and Casablanca the most :-) Two of those will get mentioned in my upcoming post as well.

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    1. Exciting! I am really looking forward to your post!

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