# Your All-Time Favorite Black & White Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 26, 2016, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284 "2016-01-26T19:06:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/21 "2016-01-26T20:42:23Z")
Raging Bull (if it counts, some color home movies are shown) King Kong ( the real one, not the cheap imitations) A Night at the Opera (their best film) ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/22 "2016-01-26T20:46:17Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Raging Bull (if it counts, some color home movies are shown) > King Kong ( the real one, not the cheap imitations) > A Night at the Opera (their best film) Raging Bull? Of course it counts. At least up to ten anyway. After that it’s a knockout. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/23 "2016-01-26T20:50:59Z")
I’ve already posted my “knee jerk” Top 3, but I’d like to add for consideration some others that were excellent films from a technical standpoint, that ought to be on whatever Final List we come up with. (Excellent nominations so far, I would say.) Night of the Hunter Psycho Judgment at Nuremberg [Compulsion (1959)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052700/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_133) How can we narrow this (growing) list down to some meaningful Top X-Number? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/24 "2016-01-26T20:53:12Z")
Third Man Kind Hearts and Coronets Seven Samurai ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/25 "2016-01-26T21:00:57Z")
I could list hundreds but I’ll just pick 3. 1. All Quiet on the Western Front 2. A Hard Days Night 3. Mutiny on the Bounty ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/26 "2016-01-26T21:05:26Z")
The Seventh Seal Bride of Frankenstein The Innocents ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/27 "2016-01-26T21:16:29Z")
The General, with Buster Keaton. And even though it’s a silent film, it’s just as enjoyable as the best modern films. Two years ago I decided to make a big list of all the movies I’ve always wanted to see at some point but never got around to, and then watch them in chronological order. The last one I saw was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which is a total snoozefest, by the way. Maybe it would have been better in black and white. It’s really cool to see things develop: technology, fashion, story telling. Interestingly, some old movies are very slow as expected, but some of them are just fine. Unfortunately my list keeps growing faster than I manage to see movies… ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/28 "2016-01-26T21:25:07Z")
**Anatomy of a Murder** - James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazarra, George C. Scott, Duke Ellington, Eve Arden, and Joseph Welch. Great movie. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/29 "2016-01-26T21:44:12Z")
Pretty tough to pick just 3. My Man Godfrey Seven Samurai Captains Courageous ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/30 "2016-01-26T22:31:03Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > I’ve already posted my “knee jerk” Top 3, but I’d like to add for consideration some others that were excellent films from a technical standpoint, that ought to be on whatever Final List we come up with. (Excellent nominations so far, I would say.) > > Night of the Hunter > Psycho > Judgment at Nuremberg > [Compulsion (1959)](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052700/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_133) > > How can we narrow this (growing) list down to some meaningful Top X-Number? 😃 I suggest we give it a day or two and see just how big it gets first. There may not be much of a problem at all. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/31 "2016-01-26T22:36:17Z")
> [@iljitsch](#): > > The General, with Buster Keaton. And even though it’s a silent film, it’s just as enjoyable as the best modern films. > > Two years ago I decided to make a big list of all the movies I’ve always wanted to see at some point but never got around to, and then watch them in chronological order. The last one I saw was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, which is a total snoozefest, by the way. Maybe it would have been better in black and white. > > It’s really cool to see things develop: technology, fashion, story telling. Interestingly, some old movies are very slow as expected, but some of them are just fine. > > Unfortunately my list keeps growing faster than I manage to see movies… You certainly have my sympathies. I have a similar problem. One of the reasons I started this thread is because I waste so much time watching films that got good reviews but I just couldn’t stand them. I usually give them at least 20 minutes before deciding they are a waste of time. I was hoping to get some good leads from this thread and I’ve already seen several films that I’ve never heard of before but because other people here count them among their favorites, I’m more inclined to give them a try. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/32 "2016-01-26T22:38:04Z")
> [@cormac262](#): > > Pretty tough to pick just 3. > > My Man Godfrey > > Seven Samurai > > Captains Courageous My Man Godfrey was a lot of fun. I had forgotten all about it. But you can keep coming back and post three at a time. Or if you feel strongly about it, there is no reason you have to limit yourself to three. I just didn’t want anyone to feel overwhelmed by someone posting a huge list. Same goes for **Dalej42** ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/33 "2016-01-26T23:07:02Z")
Gentleman’s Agreement The Artist The 39 Steps ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/34 "2016-01-26T23:16:38Z")
\*Forbidden Planet Young Frankenstein Miracle on 34th Street\* ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/35 "2016-01-26T23:22:01Z")
The Thin Man ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/36 "2016-01-26T23:22:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > _Forbidden Planet_ This is in B&W?!? :eek: Don’t think so… :dubious: 😕 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/37 "2016-01-26T23:23:50Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/BWQbnyHNY3k/maxresdefault.jpg "Forbidden Planet - Trailer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWQbnyHNY3k) ---
**Author:** ![iljitsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/77aa72/32.png) [@iljitsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iljitsch)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/38 "2016-01-26T23:25:23Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > One of the reasons I started this thread is because I waste so much time watching films that got good reviews but I just couldn’t stand them. Yes, that’s something that happens to me with alarming regularity, too. I don’t know what it is, but some movies and TV shows just seem to get universal praise but I just can’t stand them. But it’s worse when the movie isn’t all that bad, but disappoints because it fails to live up to the hype. Citizen Kane and Casablanca are coming up on my list so we’ll see what happens with those… ---
**Author:** ![davey77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90ced4/32.png) [@davey77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davey77)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/39 "2016-01-26T23:26:57Z")
Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid Plan 9 from Outer Space 12 Angry Men ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2016, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284/40 "2016-01-26T23:39:34Z")
Casablanca The Maltese Falcon Ninotchka The General Beau Geste (Gary Cooper version. Haven’t seen the Ronald Coleman version.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-all-time-favorite-black-white-movies/744284.md?page=3)