# what is your ONE favorite film of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 21, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768 "2010-01-21T00:21:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/41 "2010-01-21T02:53:15Z")
_Rear Window_: it’s a comedy, romance, drama, murder mystery, and horror film all in one. I like how each of the neighbors that Jeff spies on through his eponymous apartment window all have their backstories, and each of them is related back to the issues with Jeff and Lisa’s troubled relationship. Grace Kelly is at her most lovely, Jimmy Stewart is most personable, and Thelma Ritter (as the insurance agency nurse who is drawn into the investigation) is at her most acerbic. There are few movies I would say could not have been improved with a little dialogue doctoring or editing, but I would touch a single frame of this one. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/42 "2010-01-21T02:57:32Z")
**Fargo** …with a bullet. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/43 "2010-01-21T02:59:11Z")
I have three or four movies that I own (as opposed to having Netflix send me when I want to watch them), and I watch them quite a lot. But the one that always makes me the most emotional, the one I quote from, the one I’ll curl up on the couch with a good port with, is [Cyrano de Bergerac (Depardieu version)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099334/). (But dammit if the [The Court Jester](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049096/) isn’t a VERY close second!) 😛 The pellet with the poison’s in the … ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/44 "2010-01-21T02:59:55Z")
To Kill a Mockingbird - just perfect. Story, acting, score, cinematography. There are still a few classics I haven’t seen yet, though. ---
**Author:** ![rolandgunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cdc98d/32.png) [@rolandgunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rolandgunslinger)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/45 "2010-01-21T03:02:38Z")
Open Range. ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/46 "2010-01-21T03:07:09Z")
Someone already named _Fargo,_ so I’ll go with [The Third Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/). There isn’t a false moment in the entire movie, and it has the greatest closing shot in the history of film. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/47 "2010-01-21T03:15:04Z")
Grosse Point Blank. When it came out, I was the same age of the characters. I identified with it very much, and it was a total surprise to me because I knew nothing about the plot before I saw it. Some great lines. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/48 "2010-01-21T03:18:57Z")
> [@](#): > > To Kill A Mockingbird > > or > > A Few Good Men A pie in the face for you, Poysyn. > [@](#): > > Perhaps Philadelphia Story, or Casablanca. And you as well, Samclem. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/49 "2010-01-21T03:19:36Z")
Kind Hearts and Coronets. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/50 "2010-01-21T03:20:56Z")
_Rear Window._ I like some of the others mentioned here a lot, too, such as _Fargo._ _Jaws_ is great, too. But Rear Window, I think, is my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![kapri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kapri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kapri)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/51 "2010-01-21T03:22:09Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > Someone already named _Fargo,_ so I’ll go with [The Third Man](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041959/). There isn’t a false moment in the entire movie, and it has the greatest closing shot in the history of film. Oh, that’s a great one, too. That might be my second favorite movie; it’s so beautifully filmed/photographed. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/52 "2010-01-21T03:49:51Z")
**Last of the Mohicans** Works as a romance. Works as an action movie. Works as a historical drama. Works as a tragedy. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/53 "2010-01-21T04:05:19Z")
Peter Jackson’s Fellowship of the Ring The first movie stuck closest to the books, and the books were absolutely marvelous. From using the exact dialogue in some of the scenes and the few changes that actually made sense, this movie has everything perfectly done. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/54 "2010-01-21T04:08:48Z")
The original **Willy Wonka**. Never do I tire of watching this. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/55 "2010-01-21T04:27:30Z")
All of my favorites movies of all time have already been mentioned. I’ll have to dig deep and come up with another of my favorite movies of all time…Sunset Boulevard! Don’t own it but I find myself watching at least part of it every time it’s on TCM. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/56 "2010-01-21T04:28:04Z")
Casablanca. ---
**Author:** ![wedgehed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8edcca/32.png) [@wedgehed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wedgehed)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/57 "2010-01-21T04:38:50Z")
_To Kill a Mockingbird_. It’s just a perfect movie to me. Cast, screenplay, music, whatever…it’s flawless. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/58 "2010-01-21T04:57:21Z")
For years, my stock answer has been _Pulp Fiction_, but I have seen so many movies in the last few years I don’t know if that is any longer true. I have seen most of the movies mentioned so far in this thread and they are good choices for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/59 "2010-01-21T05:04:29Z")
_Undercover Blues_. Great acting, great writing, great location. It’s just an enjoyable, rewatchable film with equal parts comedy and action, with _amazing_ chemistry between the two leads. It’s not a classic or “great” film by any means, but if I was locked in a room for a year with a TV and DVD player, with only one DVD to keep me company, it’d be that one. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768/60 "2010-01-21T05:08:59Z")
_A Man For All Seasons_ (Scofield) Great acting, great original play (which in many places followed historical reports very closely), great cinematography. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-your-one-favorite-film-of-all-time/525768.md?page=4)