125 - 101 - Great Films
125. DAY FOR NIGHT (1973) France
Director: Francois Truffaut
124. GIANT (1956) U.S.
Director: George Stevens
123. CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (2000) Taiwan
Director: Ang Lee
122. WALL-E
THE SUNDOWNERS (1960) U.S.
Director: Fred Zinnemann
121. DRIVING MISS DAISY (1989) U.S.
Director: Bruce Beresford
120. THE WIND (1927) (Silent) U.S.
Director: Victor Sjortrom
119. TOOTSIE (1982) (Ed.) U.S.
Director: Sidney Pollack
118. THE FUGITIVE (1993) (Ed.) U.S.
Director: Andrew Davis
117. E.T. - THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) U.S.
Director: Steven Spielberg
116. THE STING (1972) U.S.
Director: George Roy Hill
115. THE AWFUL TRUTH (1937) U.S.
Director: Leo McCarey
114. MODERN TIMES (1936) U.S.
Director: Charles Chaplin
113. APOLLO 13 (1995) (BTS) U.S.
Director: Ron Howard
112. WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION (1957) U.S.
Director: Billy Wilder
111. THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING (1975) U.K. / U.S.
Director: JOHN HUSTON
110. KOYAANISQATSI (1982) (Doc) U.S.
Director: Godfrey Reggio
Writers: Godfrey Reggio / Ron Fricke / Michael Hoenig
109. MY MAN GODFREY (1936) U.S.
Director: Gregory La Cava
108. OLIVER! (1968) U.K.
Director: Carol Reed
107. THE LITTLE FOXES (1941) U.S.
Director: William Wyler
Screenplay: Lillian Hellman (Based on her play) / Arthur Kober / Dorothy Parker
In 1942, William Wyler’s 5th listed film broke the record for most Oscar-nominated movies (9) to never win the award. It remains one of the single best examples besides Citizen Kane in dealing with unsavory greed. Based on Lillian Hellman’s play, it takes you through the sinister maneuverings of the Giddens family, and how they hypocritically pass their lives in wealth while scheming to manage and grab the family fortune. At the head of this ruthlessness is Regina Giddens (Bette Davis), evil personified, always at odds with her husband’s failing health (Herbert Marshall) and her daughter’s (Teresa Wright) anxiety over her boyfriend’s (Richard Carlson) advances. Standouts in acting are the abused Birdie (Patricia Collenge,) and deceptive Ben Giddens (Charles Dingle). Gregg Toland’s camera work is amazing and Bette Davis’s stellar performance (check back story) includes the momentous reaction of her husband’s heart attack…Chilling and Riveting!
Link #1 Regina (Bette Davis) watches as her husband (Herbert Marshall) struggles to get his medicine. Link #2 Daughter Alexandra (Teresa Wright), breaking free of her mother’s influence, challenges her for the first time.
106. DIABOLIQUE (1954) France
Director: Henri-Georges Clouzot
105. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) U.S.
Director: Steven Spielberg
104. THE LIFE OF PIE (2012) Taiwan / U.S.
Director: Ang Lee
Screenplay: Yhan Martel David MaGee
Similar to The Black Stallion, a disaster at sea completely turns a young man’s life to a story of survival, only this time the youth has to survive on a lifeboat with a Bengal Tiger named Rochard Parker. This sets the story as an Adventure, Fantasy, Mystery, with stunning, jaw-dropping CGI effects, and imagination that may surprise even the most doubting movie fan. As an adult Pi Patel (Irfann Khan) relates his story of his miracle of survival and deliverance, and what a story it is! Ang Lee’s meticulous direction is almost inspired
Link #1 Link #2 Link #3
103. ASHES AND DIAMONDS (1958) Poland
Director: Andrzej Wajda
Screenplay: Jerzy Andrzejewsky / Andrezej Wajda
Without a doubt, Andrezej Wajda, (pronounced Andre Vida.) His works such as
Link #1 Link #2 Link #3
102. CHARIOTS OF FIRE (1981)
Director: Hugh Hudson
Screenplay: Colin Welland
As one of the best sports biographical films to ever win the Academy Award as best picture, this timeless classic takes us back in time to 1924 featuring the British Olympic running team. Taking criticism now but in 1980 it was a sensation, due to Hugh Hudson’s superb direction, Colin Welland’s inspiring screenplay and the #1 selling electronic soundtrack by Vangelis, who won an Oscar for his musical score. Based on a true story, this piece of history follows two athletes, Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), an English Jew running to defeat prejudice, and Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), a Scottish Christian running for God’s glory. The developing back story and final races are emotionally powerful. With a great cast, especially Ian Holm as Harold’s coach, the two devise a way to win each other’s races, winning two golds in the process! Overcoming all obstacles, Eric doesn’t violate his conscience by running on the Sabbath…A Contemplative, Heartwarming Film!
Link #1 Eric Liddell (Ian Charleson), before the U.K, Committee, defends his faith, “I will not run on the Sabbath!” Link #2 Eric Liddle has something to prove on his 3rd race of the day. “God made me fast!” Link #3 Eric’s main competitor, Harold Abrahams (Ben Cross), watching from the stands, can’t believe what he witnesses after Eric falls down.
https://youtu.be/usIpld3BZWw?si=VkrMdUAbb36aW8Nq
101. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) U.S.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Screenplay: Ernest Lehman
In this film classic we experience one of the greatest spy vs. spy mysteries os all time, with a more than sensational ending. With his 5th listed film, Alfred Hitchcock displays his superb craftmanship in direction by not letting his main character, advertising executive Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), have access to Ernest Lehman’s finished script. Grant thought it was very confused, precisely what Hitch wanted, a man who was constantly off balance because the villains, led by Philip Vandamm (James Mason), are trying to steal government secrets. Eve Kendall, (a luminous Eva Marie Saint,) also in the mix, falls for Roger, who tries to sort it out, never sure Eve’s intentions. The chase goes from the U.N. Building in New York to an Indiana cornfield, to South Dakota’s Mt. Rushmore, all in the interest of international security and espionage. With Bernard Hermann’s frantic music score, Saul Bass’s amazing screen credits and Robert Burks wondrous camera…A Breathtaking Thrill!
Link #1 The United Nations scene, Roger’s (Cary Grant) case of mistaken identity. Link #2 Roger disrupts an elegant art auction to devise an escape from Vandamm’s spies. Link #3 The crop duster scene, Roger runs for his life.
https://youtu.be/N4HqPnm0yEc?si=Fs86DquMc5t9bR1J
