80 Reasons Why I Love Classic Films (Part III)

I started this blog six years ago as a way to share my passion for classic films and Old Hollywood. I used to watch dozens of classic films every month, and every time I discovered a new star I liked I would go and watch their entire filmography. But somewhere along the way, that passion dimmed down. For instance, I watched 73 classic films in 2016, and only 10 in 2020.

The other day, I found this film with Douglas Fairbanks Jr. that I had never heard of — the film is Mimi (1935), by the way — and for some reason it made me really excited about Old Hollywood again. It made me really miss the magic of that era and all the wonderful actors and actresses. And it also made me think of all the reasons why I fell in love with classic films. I came up with 80 reasons, which I thought would be fun to share. Most of them are just random little scenes or quirky little quotes, but put them together and they spell Old Hollywood to me. This is part three the 80 reasons why I love classic films. You can also see part one and part two.

 

41. Barbara Stanwyck successfully flipping a pancake in Christmas in Connecticut (1945). Honestly, I was as surprised as she was.

42. Robert Walker and Judy Garland having breakfast in The Clock (1945). These two would have been great silent movie stars.

43. Van Johnson's duck hunting scene in Easy to Wed (1946). He may be rubbish at duck hunting, but he's wonderful at everything else.

44. The final scene in It's a Wonderful Life (1946). It's true what they say — every time a bell rings, an angels gets his wings. Attaboy, Clarence!

45. John Howard calling Olivia de Havilland «mother» at the end of To Each His Own (1946). You will understand why if you have seen the film.

46. Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart's cameo at the end of Two Guys From Milwaukee (1946). Completely unexpected, but such a nice treat.

47. Peter Lawford speaking French in Good News (1947). A man is instantly more attractive to me if he can speak more than one language. (FYI, he could actually speak French.)

48. Eleanor Parker folding her bed cover in The Voice of the Turtle (1947). You know, that's a pretty nifty trick she got there. I might try it some time.

49. James Stewart and Henry Fonda in On Our Merry Way (1948). Their characters in the film are called Slim and Lank. I wonder how they came up with those names...

50. Van Johnson trying to write while Richard Derr plays golf in front of him in The Bride Goes Wild (1948). Poor thing can't catch a break.

51. Gene Kelly's quadriceps in The Pirate (1948). I mean, do I even have to explain?

52. Gene Kelly's smile at the end of The Three Musketeers (1948). Has he got a perfect smile, or has he got a perfect smile? Yes.

53. Van Johnson bumping into Judy Garland in In the Good Old Summertime (1949). You can tell Buster Keaton wrote this scene.

54. The «Nuts!» scene in Battleground (1949). When the Germans demanded a surrender, General MacAuliffe said, «Nuts!» Just so we're clear, «nuts» is strictly negative.

55. Gary Cooper declaring his love for Patricia Neal in The Fountainhead (1949). This film is borderline mediocre, but I'm a sucker for these two.

56. James Stewart putting on his wooden leg and taking his son for a walk in The Stratton Story (1949). He learned to walk along with his son, and that warms my heart.

57. Judy Holliday and Broderick Crawford playing gin rummy in Born Yesterday (1950). It's actually unhealthy the amount of times I have watched this scene.

58. Gene Kelly's behind in An American in Paris (1951). Again, pretty self-explanatory.

59. Marlon Brando imitating a cat in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Is it weird that I find this scene incredibly sexy? I mean, my god! Just look at him!

60. James Dean's scene in Has Anybody Seen My Gal? (1952). I have no idea whatsoever what he ordered, but it sure sounded good.

 

To be continued... > Part IV