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| The Paramount, Abilene, Texas |
In college, one of
the very best things about going to school in Abilene, Texas was the
Paramount Theatre, built
in 1930, renovated, and showing a classic film almost every weekend.
It was there that I saw Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest
and Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face.
Seeing that my
family is full of list-makers, from time to time we would
ask one another: “What are your 10 Best Movies of All Time?” I’ve
probably given more thought to this complex and challenging question
than figuring out who gets my stuff when I die someday. You can
dispute the reasonableness of my priorities, but it’s an
interesting line of inquiry nonetheless.
As usual, I can’t
settle on a Top 10, but I have 12 movies that would make the list. My
standard is that they are perfect films; I can’t think of
anything to change to make them better. Here they are (in no
particular order and with descriptions provided by the Internet
Movie Database).
Raiders of
the Lost Ark (1981). Archeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones
is hired by the US government to find the Ark of the Covenant before
the Nazis. Starring Harrison Ford, Karen Black.
Directed by Steven Spielberg.
When Harry
Met Sally (1989). Harry and Sally have known each other for
years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the
friendship. Starring Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno
Kirby. Directed by Rob Reiner.
Ordinary
People (1980). The accidental death of the older son of an
affluent family deeply strains the relationships among the bitter
mother, the good-natured father, and the guilt-ridden younger son.
Starring Timothy Hutton, Mary Tyler Moore, Donald Sutherland.
Directed by Robert Redford.
Singin’ in
the Rain (1952). A silent film production company and cast make
a difficult transition to sound. Starring Gene Kelly, Donald
O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen. Directed by Stanley Donen
and Gene Kelly.
Sunset
Boulevard (1950). Gloria Swanson, William Holden. A hack
screenwriter writes a screenplay for a former silent-film star who
has faded into Hollywood obscurity. Directed by Billy Wilder.
Rear Window
(1954). A wheelchair bound photographer spies on his neighbors from
his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed
murder. Starring Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter. Directed
by Alfred Hitchcock.
All About
Eve (1950). An ingenue insinuates herself in to the company of
an established but aging stage actress and her circle of theater
friends. Starring Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste
Holm. Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.
Roman
Holiday (1953). A bored and sheltered princess escapes her
guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome.
Starring Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert. Directed by
William Wilder.
Schlinder’s
List (1993). In Poland during World War II, Oskar Schindler
gradually becomes concerned for his Jewish workforce after
witnessing their persecution by the Nazis. Starring Liam Neeson,
Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
A Room with
a View (1986). When Lucy Honeychurch and chaperone Charlotte
Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without views,
fellow guests Mr Emerson and son George step in to remedy the
situation. Meeting the Emersons could change Lucy's life forever
but, once back in England, how will her experiences in Tuscany
affect her marriage plans? Starring Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham
Carter, Julian Sands, Simon Callow.
Dancer,
Texas Pop. 81 (1998). Four guys, best friends, have grown up
together in Dancer, Texas Pop. 81, a tiny town in West Texas. Years
ago, they made a solemn vow to leave town together as soon as they
graduate. Now, it's that weekend and the time has come to "put
up or shut up." The clock is ticking and as all 81 people in
the town watch, comment, offer advice and place bets, these four
very different boys with unique backgrounds struggle with the
biggest decision of their lives . . . whether to stay or leave home.
Starring Breckin Meyer, Peter Facinelli, Eddie Mills, Ethan Embry.
Directed by Tim McCanlies.
The Empire
Strikes Back (1980). While Luke (Skywalker) takes advanced Jedi
training from Yoda, his friends are relentlessly pursued by Darth
Vader as part of his plan to capture Luke. Starring Mark Hamill,
Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford. Directed by Irvin Kershner.
I wavered on whether
to include a Star Wars flick, but I truly believe that episode
was the best and could not have been improved in any way. As for the
other selections, my taste runs from drama to suspense to humor.
So what movies would
you deem to be the “Best of All Time”? Could you get your list
down to a Top 10? Which of my movies do you agree with? Which ones do
you disagree with? Are there movies on my list you haven’t seen? Do
you enjoy making Top 10 lists?
