Love at First (Old) Movie

A couple weeks ago, I wrote about movies I’d show someone for the first time if they’d never seen a film before. This week, I was thinking about what I’d choose to show someone who had never seen an old (pre-1960s) movie. I've listed some recommendations here, based on what people have told me their reasons are for not having seen one.

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In my experience, a lot of people who have never seen an old movie haven’t done so because they think they’re outdated, or that they’re not relevant to anything this society struggles with today. But even in the 40s and 50s, Hollywood was making films that dealt with various hot topics; including suicide, alcoholism, and racism. A few examples:

It’s a Wonderful Life

The Lost Weekend

12 Angry Men

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I’ve also met people who think old movies are boring, or that they're all too happy-go-lucky. So I might show a movie that packs a punch, and makes the point that Hollywood was capable of creating films that were intense (while still being interesting and having solid storylines). I just saw Sunset Boulevard a few weeks ago and I was floored. I think it would knock anyone’s socks off.

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For someone who wants a good romance, but assumes the old ones are "cheesy," here are three love stories with superb dialogue and beautiful chemistry between the leads. (Bring tissues for the first two.)

Roman Holiday

Casablanca

It Happened One Night

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Musicals are not everyone’s cup of tea, but for someone who might like them (or for someone I’m trying to convert), I’d show Singin’ in the Rain. It truly doesn't miss a beat, and perfectly blends the musical numbers with the storytelling.

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My hope is that if I ever got to show someone their first old movie, it would serve merely as a springboard for them to continue exploring. And if you’re reading this, having not seen an old movie, I hope you find this useful as you explore even more of what Hollywood’s Golden Era had to offer.

How about you? Which pre-1960s film would you use to introduce someone to Old Hollywood? If you've never seen one, is there one on this list that looked interesting?