Movies have always been a beloved pastime in American culture and while some turn their noses up at classic movies, believing they are a thing of the past, they are in fact a crucial cornerstone that has continued to shape and define the world and cinema today. From Hollywood’s Golden Age to the New Hollywood Movement, movies have been an ever-changing reflection of society and many, including The Searchers, Some Like It Hot, and The Godfather, reign as some of the most timeless classic movies of all time.
Certain classic movies, such as The Wizard of Oz and To Kill a Mockingbird, have maintained a prominent legacy in the world of cinema, having an immense and everlasting impact on film fans from generation to generation. Out of the extensive list of noteworthy titles, including the iconic romantic war drama, Casablanca and Frank Capra‘s essential Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, these are the ten most timeless classic movies ranked!
10
‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ (1968)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick
Stanley Kubrick‘s 2001: A Space Odyssey was a groundbreaking film that introduced audiences to innovative special effects and a highly accurate depiction of space travel that inevitably changed the science-fiction genre forever. The epic sci-fi follows a group of astronauts and scientists who are on board a spacecraft headed for the planet Jupiter on a mysterious mission. Controlled by a supercomputer known as HAL, the crew begin to notice HAL exhibiting unusual behavior, leading to an intense stand-off between man and machine and a remarkable journey through space and time.
Even with today’s advanced technology, 2001: A Space Odyssey still stands to be one of the greatest contributions to American cinema that has yet to lose its appeal to generations of movie fans. Kubrick’s sci-fi masterpiece features an imaginative story that still resonates with modern audiences compared to the majority of other sci-fi movies today. 2001: A Space Odyssey earned four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Kubrick and famed sci-fi author, Arthur C. Clarke and went on to rightfully win for Best Special Effects.
9
‘North by Northwest’ (1959)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Cary Grant stars in Alfred Hitchcock‘s classic espionage thriller, North by Northwest, as a New York advertising executive, Roger Thornhill, who, after being mistaken for a government agent, finds himself being pursued across the country by a group of unknown men who are in search of a top-secret roll of microfilm. The film also stars James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, and Martin Landau and is considered by many to be the Master of Suspense’s best movie of all time.
North by Northwest was a cultural phenomenon that essentially popularized the spy thriller and had a significant influence on future films of the genre, notably the James Bond film franchise. On top of laying the groundwork for the quintessential spy thriller, North by Northwest features several ingenious action shots and scenes, specifically when Grant is being chased by a crop-dusting plane in a desolate field which has since become an iconic moment in movie history. North by Northwest received three Academy Award nominations, including Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Art Direction.
8
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ (1962)
Directed by Robert Mulligan
To Kill a Mockingbird is a vital coming-of-age legal drama and one of the best courtroom dramas based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel written by Harper Lee and takes place in Alabama during the Great Depression. The story focuses on two children, Scout (Mary Badham) and Jem (Philip Alford), and their father, Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), who is a well-respected lawyer in their small town of Maycomb. When an African American man (Brock Peters) is wrongfully accused of rape, Atticus takes on his case while also striving to teach his children about the ugliness of racism and prejudice.
To Kill a Mockingbird is regarded as a timeless classic movie primarily for its bold statements on racial injustice, discrimination, and having the moral courage to do what is right. Peck delivers a profound performance as Atticus Finch, who is considered to be one of the most heroic figures in cinema history, serving as a prolific symbol of equality and morality today. To Kill a Mockingbird earned eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Director and Best Picture, and went on to win three of its nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for Peck.
7
‘Some Like It Hot’ (1959)
Directed by Billy Wilder
Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon star in Billy Wilder‘s classic romantic comedy, Some Like It Hot, as musicians, Joe and Jerry, who, after accidentally witnessing a mob hit, flee Chicago disguised as women and join an all-girls band that is headed for sunny Florida. When Joe catches feelings for a fellow band member, Sugar (Marilyn Monroe), he tries to woo her by impersonating a millionaire, but things take a dangerous and unexpected turn when the mobsters who are after Joe and Jerry end up checking into their hotel.
Some Like It Hot is a classic film that was way ahead of its time and features hysterical performances by an all-star cast which also includes Joe E. Brown, George Raft, and Mike Mazurki. The film also had a significant influence on being one of several movies that led to the end of the Hays Code, which ultimately allowed filmmakers and writers more creative freedom and the ability to include certain themes and subjects that were previously considered to be taboo. Some Like It Hot was a sensational hit with both audiences and critics, earning several Oscar nominations, including Best Director and Best Actor for Lemmon (who undoubtedly steals the show) and went on to win for Best Costume Design.
6
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1944)
Directed by Frank Capra
It’s a Wonderful Life is a fantasy drama and one of the most entertaining movies of the 1940s that has since become a favorite among film fans during the holiday season. James Stewart stars as a loving family man, George Bailey, who sacrificed his own ambitions to help his community of Bedford Falls. On the night of Christmas Eve, George is overwhelmed by the problems in his life and contemplates ending his life, but he’s saved by an angel (Henry Travers) who shows him what life would look like if he had never existed.
It’s a Wonderful Life is a sentimental classic that embodies the timeless message of the power and influence one person can have on those around them. The movie was originally met with mixed reviews, but it still earned several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. It’s a Wonderful Life eventually faded from the limelight until 1974, when television broadcasts revitalized the film’s popularity and appeal to audiences, and today, is considered by many film fans and historians to be one of the greatest movies of all time.
5
‘The Searchers’ (1956)
Directed by John Ford
John Ford‘s classic Western, The Searchers, is hailed as one of the greatest Westerns of all time and features John Wayne as one of the most fascinating and tragic anti-heroes in cinema history. The Duke stars as a callous Civil War veteran, Ethan Edwards, who sets out to find his nieces, who are reportedly still alive and being held as prisoners by Native Americans who brutally murdered their family. As Edwards sets out into the unpredictable wilderness, he relentlessly searches for the girls while slowly being consumed by his hatred and desire for vengeance, turning his search into a dangerous obsession.
The Searchers is a magnificent piece of cinema that has had an immense influence on modern filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, and is widely regarded to be Ford’s finest film. While the movie is in itself a timeless treasure, the character of Ethan Edwards has been credited as one of the Duke and Ford’s most compelling and complex characters ever created. Ford brilliantly plays off Wayne’s heroic image to present Edwards with a facade of being a traditional hero of the American West, only to gradually reveal a cold and calculated individual who is haunted by loneliness and the ghosts of his past.
The Searchers
- Release Date
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May 26, 1956
- Runtime
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119 minutes
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Jeffrey Hunter
Martin Pawley
4
‘Sunset Boulevard’ (1950)
Directed by Billy Wilder
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Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard is the best classic film noir of all time and explores the darker side of Hollywood, showcasing the rise and fall of a star of the silver screen on a grand scale of intensity and fascination. William Holden stars as an aspiring screenwriter, Joe Gillis, who meets a former silent film star, Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), and eventually agrees to write a script that would mark her career comeback. As Gillis is showered with adoration and expensive gifts, he soon realizes that Desmond’s affection has turned into an intoxicating obsession, forcing him to find a way out before it’s too late.
Sunset Boulevard is a signature classic that gives audiences a look behind the glitz and glamour of the movie industry and reveals the devastating downfall that is, unfortunately, a reality for many like Desmond. The movie has a bit of irony as it marked the return to the big screen for Swanson, who was one of the biggest stars of the silent film era. Swanson gives a gripping and enchanting performance that not only earned her an Oscar nomination but is also the heart and soul of this timeless essential.
Sunset Boulevard
- Release Date
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August 10, 1950
- Runtime
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110 Minutes
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William Holden
Joe Gillis
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Gloria Swanson
Norma Desmond
3
‘The Godfather’ (1972)
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
Based on Mario Puzo‘s 1969 best-selling novel, The Godfather is an epic crime drama that follows aging and well-respected mob boss Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), the head of one of the most powerful families in the country. When Vito declines a risky business offer, he finds himself and his family in the middle of a bloody civil war. As the violence rages on, his youngest son, Michael (Al Pacino), steps up and eventually becomes the future head of the Corleone family.
Francis Ford Coppola‘s The Godfather redefined the gangster genre, with a more central focus on timeless themes of family, honor, and respect, which resonate on a deeper and more relatable level with audiences than classic gangster films. The Godfather was a surprising success that not only put Paramount Pictures back on the map but also earned a slew of Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Best Supporting Actor for Pacino, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. Out of its eleven nominations, The Godfather won three Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor for Brando, and Best Adapted Screenplay for Coppola and Puzo.
2
‘Casablanca’ (1942)
Directed by Michael Curtiz
Humphrey Bogart stars in the romantic World War II drama, Casablanca, as a jaded American, Rick Blaine, who owns one of the hottest nightclubs in Casablanca, but his world is shattered when his former love, Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), and her husband and famed war rebel, Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid) arrive in town. When word spreads of Laszlo’s presence, Ilsa turns to Rick to help them escape, forcing him to choose between his heart and his moral compass.
Since its original release, Casablanca has become a staple in American pop culture due to its iconic quotes, riveting performances, and a love story that has withstood the test of time. Casablanca was both a critical and commercial success that came as a surprise to many involved and ultimately elevated many careers, notably Bogart, who went on to become the most popular leading man of the 1940s. The movie received eight Academy Award nominations, including Bogie’s first for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for Claude Rains, and went on to take home the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay.
Casablanca
- Release Date
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January 15, 1943
- Runtime
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102 minutes
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Humphrey Bogart
Rick Blaine
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1
‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
Directed by Victor Fleming
Judy Garland stars in The Wizard of Oz as Dorothy Gale, who is swept up in her home by a tornado and is dropped in the middle of the magical land of Oz. When Dorothy learns that, if she ever expects to get back home, she must go and see the great and powerful wizard. As she follows the yellow brick road, she meets new friends along the way and must overcome the efforts of the Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton), who desires a pair of ruby slippers that Dorothy has acquired.
Based on the novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz has remained a beloved classic for over eight decades, awing generations of movie lovers with its dazzling Technicolor, lovable characters, and a wholesome story that has yet to lose its endearing charm. Even those who are not major film fans are still somewhat familiar with The Wizard of Oz, which essentially makes it a culturally significant and timeless piece of cinema. The Wizard of Oz earned five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, and went on to win for Best Original Score, Best Original Song for Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and an Honorary Juvenile Award for Garland’s outstanding performance.