Expert: Mel - 11/18/2007

Question
Hi Mel
I embarked a few years ago on the marathon path of '1001 Films to see before you die'. I've crossed off 250 so far, and to tell you the truth, it's been pretty hit-and-miss. While I've loved films like 'Down By Law', 'Richard III' and 'The General' which I might never have watched otherwise, other flicks like 'The Jazz Singer' and 'Gone With The Wind' seem more *important* than enjoyable.
I've got a long list ahead of me. How can I steer towards the good while minimising the I-have-to-sit-through-this?
I realise that it's a tough question because film preference is so idiosyncratic, but any help you can give me will save me untold hours of suffering!

Answer
Hello Logan,

As you realise, one man's meat is another man's poison, and your question is obviously very difficult, if not impossible, to answer.

However, one idea that comes to mind would be to contact as many people like myself as possible and ask them to send you their lists of favourite films.

I have been working on a list of my own favourites for some time, which I add to whenever I see, or think of, another title. It's by no means complete, only covering the period 1930-1975, but I am happy to share it with you and I hope you find a few titles that might be of interest. They are in no particular order and there are hundreds more that I could add.


Most things directed by Frank Capra
Anything directed by Preston Sturges
"This Gun For Hire" (1942)
"The Blue Dahlia" (1946)
"Paths Of Glory" (1957)
"The Glass Key" (1942)
"The Train" (1964)
"Shane" (1953)
"The Party" (1968)
"Block-Heads" (1938)
"The Searchers" (1956)
"She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" (1949)
"Stagecoach" (1939)
"The Hill" (1965)
"I Married A Witch" (1942)
"Sullivan's Travels" (1941)
"Them Thar Hills" (1934)
"Double Indemnity" (1944)
"Play Misty For Me" (1971)
"The Adventures Of Robin Hood" (1938)
"A Kind Of Loving" (1962)
"One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" (1975)
"Frankenstein" (1931)
"Battle Of The Bulge" (1965)
"Bride of Frankenstein" (1935)
"Guys and Dolls" (1955)
"A Shot In The Dark" (1964)
"Charley Varrick" (1973)
"Angels With Dirty Faces" (1938)
"The Ladykillers" (1955)
"Mr. Bug Goes To Town" (1941)
"Coogan's Bluff" (1968)
"The Roaring Twenties" (1939)
"Cool Hand Luke" (1967)
"Last Train From Gun Hill" (1959)
"The 39 Steps" (1935)
"Seconds" (1966)
"Viva Zapata!" (1952)
"Zulu" (1964)
"The Lady Vanishes" (1939)
"Du rififi chez les hommes" (1955)
"The Italian Job" (1969)
"Anthony Adverse" (1936)
"We're No Angels" (1955)
"Cape Fear" (1962)
"Champion" (1949)
"On the Waterfront" (1954)
"The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" (1939)
"Sweet Smell Of Success" (1957)
"Destry Rides Again" (1939)
"On the Town" (1949)
"Goodbye Mr. Chips" (1939)
"Ace In The Hole" (1951)
"High, Wide And Handsome" (1937)
"Golden Boy" (1939)
"A Touch Of Class" (1973)
"Love Me Tonight" (1932)
"Psycho" (1960)
"Von Ryan's Express" (1965)
"The Taking Of Pelham 1-2-3" (1974)
"Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hide" (1931)
"Madigan" (1968)
"You Only Live Once" (1937)
"The Big Street" (1942)
"Twelve Angry Men" (1957)
"Dark Star" (1974)
"The Sand Pebbles" (1966)
"The Postman Always Rings Twice" (1946)
"The Dawn Patrol" (1938)
"Detective Story" (1951)
"The Egg And I" (1947)
"Hud" (1963)
"Murphy's War" (1971)
"Dames" (1934)
"Lonely Are The Brave" (1962)
"Calamity Jane" (1952)
"Spartacus" (1960)
"Borsalino" (1970)
"All Quiet On The Western Front" (1930)
"The Killing" (1956)
"A Man For All Seasons" (1966)
"Pal Joey" (1957)
"Get Carter" (1971)
"It Happened One Night" (1934)
"The Far Country" (1954)
"The Detective" (1968)
"Harvey" (1950)
"Days Of Wine And Roses" (1962)
"Alexander Nevsky" (1938)
"The Man Who Would Be King" (1975)
"Ball Of Fire" (1941)
"The Joker Is Wild" (1957)
"Angel And The Badman" (1947)
"The Third Man" (1949)
"The Vikings" (1958)
"The Card" (1952)
"The Dirty Dozen" (1967)
"Beau Geste" (1939)
"I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang" (1932)
"The Plainsman" (1936)
"Love Is A Many Splendored Thing" (1955)
"Stalag 17" (1953)
"The Thief of Bagdad" (1940)
"Union Station" (1950)
"Rachel And The Stranger" (1948)
"Things to Come" (1936)
"Suddenly" (1954)
"Camelot" (1967)
"The Heiress" (1949)
"Shanghai Express" (1932)
"Gunga Din" (1939)
"Scarecrow" (1973)
"The Big Country" (1958)
"Dead End" (1937)
"Kelly's Heroes" (1970)
"The Desperate Hours" (1955)
"Wild Boys of the Road" (1933)
"Moby Dick" (1956)
"His Girl Friday" (1940)
"The Private Life of Henry VIII" (1933)
"Duel In The Sun" (1946)
"Quo Vadis" (1951)
"The Stepford Wives" (1975)
"Topper" (1937)
"Lady And The Tramp" (1955)
"Kind Hearts And Coronets" (1949)
"Westward the Women" (1952)
"Peter Ibbetson" (1935)
"Random Harvest" (1942)
"Gunfight At The O.K. Corral" (1957)
"Waterloo Bridge" (1940)
"Union Pacific" (1939)
"There Was A Crooked Man" (1970)
"The Best Years Of Our Lives" (1946)
"The Man Who Could Work Miracles" (1936)
"Bataan" (1943)
"Shall We Dance" (1937)
"Santa Fe Trail" (1940)
"The Victors" (1963)
"If I Were King" (1938)
"The Westerner" (1940)
"What's Up Doc" (1972)
"The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937)
"The Prisoner of Zenda" (1952)
"Saturday Night And Sunday Morning" (1960)
"The African Queen" (1951)
"The Sign of the Cross" (1932)
"The Little Hut" (1957)
"Holiday Inn" (1942)
"Camille" (1936)
"Rosemary's Baby" (1968)
"Westworld" (1973)
"The Lives of a Bengal Lancer" (1935)
"Penny Serenade" (1941)
"The Last Hunt" (1956)
"Top Hat" (1935)
"They Died with Their Boots On" (1941)
"Ruggles of Red Gap" (1935)
"Singin' In The Rain" (1952)
"Incendiary Blonde" (1945)
"Red River" (1948)
"The Producer" (1968)


Hope that's of some help to you. Cheers......Mel.