# Tell us about your favorite movie made before 1950. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 16, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923 "2014-06-16T18:01:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/1 "2014-06-16T18:01:15Z")
In which we discuss our favorite movies released on or before 31 December 1949. If you want to list and discuss 2 such movies–or 3 or 4 or 5–knock yourself out. 12 in one post is probably excessive, but I don’t really care. If you categorically dislike movies from that era, it mystifies me that you would even open this thread. I can only assume you’re motivated by masochism or sadism. And now to the topic. The first two pre-1950 movies that come to mind as my favorites are [Tarzan & His Mate](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025862/?ref_=nv_sr_1) and [The Bishop’s Wife](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039190/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1). The former, despite its implicit racism and sexism, is still one of the best action movies ever made, because it cares much more about Tarzan & Jane’s emotional states than anything else. (Also because this Jane is far from a wimp. Captured by natives and condemned to death by lion pride, her reaction is to start killing her some lions.) BW is simply fun. Watching the subtly angelic Cary Grant screw around with the stuffily episcopal David Niven is hilarious–but the moment when Grant’s character realizes that, in trying to teach the bishop to value his wife more, he has accidentally fallen in love with her himself, is more so. Anybody else? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/2 "2014-06-16T18:09:56Z")
**Treasure of the Sierra Madre** , 1948. Bogie, John Huston, Walter Huston, and great gang of Mexican actors. A story of greed, treachery and karma. A great movie that I will always watch if I see it coming up. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/3 "2014-06-16T18:26:16Z")
I got on a “classic film” watching kick a few years ago, and finally saw _ **Stagecoach** _ (1939). What a fantastic film that doesn’t seem dated at all. Also, _ **Notorious** _ (1946) is one of my all time favorites. And let’s not forget _ **Casablanca** _ (1942). Just because it’s popular doesn’t mean it’s not great. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/4 "2014-06-16T18:31:11Z")
I can watch John Huston’s **The Maltese Falcon** (1941) over and over. Perfect casting, although why Sam Spade would fall for Bridget when Effie is right there mystifies me. It is clear in the book, where Bridget is 19 and a stunning redhead, but while I like Mary Astor in other movies I don’t think she was the best casting choice for a femme fatale. This movie made me a life-long fan of Peter Lorre, who I thought effortlessly walked off with every scene he was in. 1944’s **Arsenic and Old Lace** is probably my number two favorite. Again, nearly perfect casting except Priscilla Lane who just can’t keep up with the rest of them. A fun, fun film that for years was my Christmas Eve movie. **Notorius** (1946) is probably the best of my top three, and easily my favorite Hitchcock. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman have amazing chemistry, and Claude Rains can do no wrong. Tense, beautifully acted, complex characters, everything I love in a Hitchcock film. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/5 "2014-06-16T18:32:29Z")
[The 39 Steps](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0026029/) 1935 “Beautiful, mysterious woman pursued by gunmen” Awesome chase scenes, intrigue. Early (!) Hitchcock at his best. ---
**Author:** ![toast\_pakora](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@toast\_pakora](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toast_pakora)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/6 "2014-06-16T18:43:11Z")
[**My Man Godfrey**](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028010/reference) (1936), a classic screwball comedy. Arguably William Powell’s best, although most people probably go with The Thin Man. Some great supporting characters, Molly the maid, the Father, the Sister. It is heresy but I always found Carole Lombard (Powell’s ex-wife IRL) performance on the screechy side but despite that, just a great, great, fun movie. **Godfrey:** Prosperity is just around the corner. **Mike Flaherty:** Yeah, it’s been there a long time. I wish I knew which corner. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/7 "2014-06-16T19:01:28Z")
“A Day at the Races” and “A Night at the Opera” are still very funny today, some 80 years after their release. Groucho was way ahead of his time. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/8 "2014-06-16T19:02:23Z")
For me, there are two ways to answer this question. 1. Of movies that I **saw** before 1950 it would have to be [Samson and Delilah (1949)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041838/) 2. Of those I saw later than 1950 but which were **made** before then, I’m going with [Red River (1948)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040724/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_16) This in spite of all the great movies that came out in 1939 and the wealth of _noir_ things in the 40’s. I’m not one of those who place extreme value on _Citizen Kane_ but I won’t challenge anyone’s taste for naming it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/9 "2014-06-16T19:08:39Z")
It’s next to impossible for me to pick one. In addition to some already mentioned, I’ll go with **Bringing Up Baby** , the greatest of all screwball comedies. Three’s also **City Lights.** For a noncomedy, I’ll go with **The Public Enemy.** Cagney is electric. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/10 "2014-06-16T19:11:54Z")
The first movie that sprang to my mind was \*Double Indemnity \*(1944). So I’ll go with that. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/11 "2014-06-16T19:13:08Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > It’s next to impossible for me to pick one. You don’t have to pick just one. Go as whacko as you wish. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/12 "2014-06-16T19:22:15Z")
_Casablanca_ is my all-time favorite movie. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/13 "2014-06-16T19:23:17Z")
I prefer **Duck Soup** to the MGM Marx movies already mentioned - not that they aren’t great. How can we leave out **King Kong**? For my out there choice I’ll pick **Hellzapoppin’**. I saw it on TV as a kid, and when I finally got a tape I watched it for the first time alone in case it was a disappointment. It wasn’t. In fact, I had other people watch just the great opening sequence, in hell, and they all were so enrapt by it they stayed for the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/14 "2014-06-16T19:25:00Z")
[Goodbye, Mr. Chips](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031385/combined) (from the cinematic annus mirabilis 1939). A great film in so many ways - supremely well-acted, teaches you about teaching, memories, life, decisions and their effects . . . just an all round terrific movie. If you’ve never seen it, do so. Now. ETA: Of course, and it should go without saying, **The WIzard of Oz** _must_ also be on any such list - after all, how many movies are loved and enjoyed by five generations? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/15 "2014-06-16T19:29:19Z")
I’ll add my “+1” to the nominations for _Casablanca_ and the Marx Brothers’ movies. The 1930s may have been the greatest decade for film. I’ll add _The Wizard of Oz_ (1939). I was going to suggest _All About Eve_, which is practically Sorkin-esque in its witty banter, but checking IMDB I see it came out in 1950. Missed it by _that_ much. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/16 "2014-06-16T19:51:53Z")
I’m going to nominate _To Have and Have Not_ (1944), sometimes referred to as “Casablanca Light” by critics. H. Bogart as a fishing boat captain who gets tangled up with the Resistance in Vichy Martinique early in the war; L. Bacall as a stranded small-time grifter who would “walk home, if it wasn’t for all that water”. You can practically see the sparks jumping back and forth between them. Some of the most suggestive cigarette smoking in film history. Sparkling Howard Hawks direction and dialogue. “Was you ever bit by a dead bee?” “I’m hard to get, Steve. All you have to do is ask me.” _Bacall finds Bogie with an unconscious woman in his arms_ “What are you trying to do, guess her weight?” ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/17 "2014-06-16T19:57:33Z")
The Big Sleep, Casablanca, Stagecoach. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/18 "2014-06-16T20:08:38Z")
_Ninotchka_. Hilarious dialog. _The Prisoner of Zenda_ and _Beau Geste_. Action classics. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/19 "2014-06-16T20:09:34Z")
**Casablanca** and **Gone with the Wind** I’m not sure what needs to be discussed; both are rightly near the top of most lists of the greatest movies ever made ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2014, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923/20 "2014-06-16T20:37:19Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I was going to suggest _All About Eve_, which is practically Sorkin-esque in its witty banter, but checking IMDB I see it came out in 1950. Missed it by _that_ much. On the other hand, you have _The Third Man_. It feels like a more modern film but it was released in late 1949 so it just made the qualifications for this thread. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-about-your-favorite-movie-made-before-1950/690923.md?page=2)