# Older Film that you feel have stood the test of time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 6, 2004, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511 "2004-04-06T06:13:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ilsa\_Lund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a6a055/32.png) [@Ilsa\_Lund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ilsa_Lund)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/21 "2004-04-06T16:10:42Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > _Star Wars_ and _The Blues Brothers_ are “old movies?” > > [**Eve** lies down on her fainting couch with a damp cloth over her eyes] How about : _Intolerance_ _Orphans Of The Storm_ _Broken Blossoms_ _It_ \*The Big Parade[i/]. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/22 "2004-04-06T16:18:28Z")
I can’t believe no one’s mentioned [The Night of the Hunter](http://imdb.com/title/tt0048424/) yet. ---
**Author:** ![ColonelDax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/23 "2004-04-06T16:23:55Z")
_Paths of Glory_, the inspiration for my screen name and an extremely well-crafted film that packs a great deal into about 90 minutes. ---
**Author:** ![Lao\_Tsu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lao\_Tsu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lao_Tsu)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/24 "2004-04-06T16:36:41Z")
I would only add a couple. _The Philadelphia Story_ _All Quiet on the Western Front_ but it’s got to be the original. Oh yeah, seeing as you have Netflix, I loved - Alexander Nevsky\* ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/25 "2004-04-06T16:37:52Z")
[M](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0022100/) (1931) [Seven Samurai](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047478/) (1954) [Triumph of the Will](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025913/) (1934) - I am not endorsing its content, but seriously - show me any 1930s party convention documentary that aged better ---
**Author:** ![Breezy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@Breezy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Breezy)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/26 "2004-04-06T21:11:37Z")
[All About Eve](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0042192/) [Cat on a Hot Tin Roof](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051459/) [Butterfield 8](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053622/) [Giant](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049261/) [Singin’ In the Rain](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045152/) [Splendor In the Grass](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055471/) I really like older movies and these are a few that I’ve watched lately and really liked. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/27 "2004-04-06T21:21:28Z")
_Imitation of Life_ (the Stahl film, 1934) ---
**Author:** ![vl\_mungo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc8723/32.png) [@vl\_mungo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vl_mungo)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/28 "2004-04-06T21:51:30Z")
I’ll start by seconding some of the ones already mentioned (mostly pre-60’s releases so as not to send **Eve** into conniptions)… The Manchurian Candidate Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf Treasure of the Sierra Madre North by Northwest The Thin Man Maltese Falcon Cool Hand Luke Double Indemnity Some Like It Hot Paths of Glory M and I’ll add… [Arsenic and Old Lace](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0036613/) [Bad Day at Black Rock](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0047849/) [The Big Sleep](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0038355/) [The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0010323/) [Duck Soup](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0023969/) [Elmer Gantry](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0053793/) [Harvey](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0042546/) [Invasion of the Body Snatchers](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0049366/) [Marty](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0049366/) [Public Enemy](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0022286/) [The Spy Who Came In From The Cold](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0059749/) [The Thief of Bagdad](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0033152/) [Thunder Road](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0052293/) ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/29 "2004-04-07T00:44:18Z")
My apologies for all the typos in the OP; it was really late. Thanks for all the responses so far. I’ll definitely be adding a few of these to my Netflix list (though quite a few of them are there already). Lots of movies mentioned that I’ve seen and agree with, too. I think the definition that a lot of people are using for “Older Film” is “something that was made before I was born.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/30 "2004-04-07T01:20:59Z")
A Fistfull of Dollars For a Few Dollars more The Good the Bad and the Ugly I’ve been watching these movies on DVD since I bought the box set. Best $30 I’ve ever spent. and there’s quite a few great old Christmas movies. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/31 "2004-04-07T01:23:55Z")
Pretty much everything listed above. \*\*Duck Soup \*\* \*\*Yankee Doodle Dandy \*\* **Lion in Winter** Yes, Shirley, we know it’s your favorite movie. \*\*Gone with the Wind \*\* \*\*Robin Hood \*\* **The Music Man** \*\*An American In Paris \*\* and \*\*On the Town \*\* " The Bronx is up and the battery is down!" **White Christmas** and \*\*Holiday Inn \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/32 "2004-04-07T01:25:20Z")
A newer one, but just a classic: \*\*My Favorite Year \*\* “I’m a movie star, not an actor!” ---
**Author:** ![Bumbazine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbazine/32/362_2.png) [@Bumbazine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbazine)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/33 "2004-04-07T04:50:57Z")
**Yojimbo** 1961 (the original FistFull of Dollars) **A night at the Opera** 1935 (Marx Brothers) **We’re No Angels** 1955 (the original movie by that name, with Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray, Peter Ustinov, Joan Bennett, Basil Rathbone, and Leo G. Carroll. One of my personal favorites.) There’s more in the back of my mind, but they won’t come out. ---
**Author:** ![schplebordnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@schplebordnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schplebordnik)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/34 "2004-04-07T05:04:52Z")
> [@JoeSki](#): > > A Fistfull of Dollars > For a Few Dollars more > The Good the Bad and the Ugly. Once Upon a Time in the West puts those three to shame. ---
**Author:** ![Quint](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/76d3ee/32.png) [@Quint](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quint)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/35 "2004-04-07T05:29:35Z")
An impressive list so far! I’ll add: [My Darling Clementine](http://www.suntimes.com/ebert/greatmovies/clem.html) [The Taking of Pelham One Two Three](http://www.destgulch.com/movies/p123/) [The General](http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue08/reviews/bkeaton/text.htm) [Taxi Driver](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/TaxiDriver-1020915/) [High Noon](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0044706/) and the greatest movie ever made… **JAWS** Any movie starring a fairly unconvincing rubber shark that holds it’s own in today’s Computer Generated World has a thing or two to teach about suspense and character development. ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2004, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/36 "2004-04-07T05:30:34Z")
I’ve heard it was good. I’m renting it from my library pretty soon. From everything that I’ve heard about it I should love it, and will probably look for a way to get the DVD. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/37 "2004-04-09T02:27:14Z")
\*\* Patton The Great Escape The Hustler The Longest Day High Noon The Searchers Rio Bravo The Sound of Music Singing in the Rain \*\* And if we’re going slightly newer: \*\* The Godfather Part I and II Jaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid The Sting \*\* ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/38 "2004-04-09T04:11:12Z")
“The Big Sleep” is on it’s way from Netflix right now. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/39 "2004-04-09T04:41:46Z")
_Inherit the Wind Captain’s Courageous How Green Was My Valley The Grapes of Wrath_ ---
**Author:** ![JoeSki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b487fb/32.png) [@JoeSki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoeSki)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2004, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511/40 "2004-04-09T07:30:35Z")
[hijack] Just got done seeing Once Upon a Time in the West, and I honestly liked The Man With No Name trilogy better. I just thought OUATITW wasn’t paced as well as Sergio’s other westerns, wasn’t as adventurous, and Harmonica’s harmonica playing irritated me. I liked his character, but I wish he played something with a better tune. Maybe the fact that I watched the Special edition “uncut, unedited” edition had something to do with it :-/. [/hijack] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/older-film-that-you-feel-have-stood-the-test-of-time/238511.md?page=3)