Yahoo Lifestyle 35 Movies From Before 1975 That Everyone Needs To Watch At Least Once In Their Lifetime
Recently, I asked the BuzzFeed Community which classic movies from before 1975 everyone should watch at least once. There were 100+ comments from fans sharing their favorites. So, here are 35 of the most popular:
1."First, without a doubt, To Kill A Mockingbird (1962) is an essential movie. From acting to soundtrack."
2."One of my favorite movies of all time is All About Eve (1950)."
3."The Philadelphia Story (1940). Just a spot-on comedy, and Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart have never been better!"
4."Sunset Boulevard (1950) is a masterpiece of the film noir genre."
"The acting, cinematography, and unconventional storytelling create a hypnotic viewing experience."
5."Vertigo (1958)! The music by Bernard Herrmann in the scene when Jimmy Stewart ascends the bell tower is the best in any Hitchcock movie, including Psycho."
"Also, Hitchcock, wittingly or unwittingly, told us a lot about himself and his thoughts."
6."Rebel Without a Cause (1955) is essential viewing."
"First, James Dean — duh. His performance is equal parts charming and absolutely gutting. He is so beautifully vulnerable and yet unbelievably cool. Everyone should watch this to understand why his legend lingers.
Second, it tells an American story that anyone can relate to. There's just something traumatizing about being a teenager, and this movie really captures the challenges of being an outsider and not relating to an older generation that wants to buy you happiness but not sit down and get to know you. It might be set in the '50s but the themes resonate still."
7."There are SO many great movies to choose from, but I'm going to pick what I think is the most classic horror movie...and that is The Exorcist (1973)."
"The reasons why to watch it are that it is known as one of the scariest films ever made, it has a deep, disturbing, and true representation of demonic possession, and it also dives into the topics of faith, doubt, and the human psyche.
All of that together makes it way more than just your typical jump-scare horror movie. All of these things together leave a big impact on the viewers, making them think about this film decades after it has been made or even possibly them seeing it. Every time I bring it up, my Mom always mentions how scary of a movie it is."
8."The Apartment (1960) with Shirley MacLaine and Jack Lemmon."
9."The Shop Around The Corner (1940). Fans of You've Got Mail will recognize it."
10."The African Queen (1951)! It is one of my all-time favorite adventure films with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn."
"Talk about two of the greatest Hollywood legends in one movie!"
11."Singin' in the Rain (1952). It’s one of my favorite movies of all time, and this is coming from a Gen Z'er. Truly a feel-good movie with so much to offer."
"The musical numbers are so impressive and exuberant. Every scene is so pitch-perfect that it’s incredibly hard to choose a favorite moment.
However, the scenes that stand out to me the most are 'Moses' (the tap dancing in that is astounding!), 'Make ‘Em Laugh' (Incredible tricks and flips), 'Singin’ in the Rain' (the title song that’s so beautifully performed in the rain), and the ballet scene where Gene Kelly dances with Cyd Charisse (I’ve had dreams about this scene, it is so magnificent and spellbinding).
I mean, the whole movie is really pitch-perfect from beginning to end, and the premise is timelessly funny and heartfelt."
12."A Clockwork Orange (1972). Disturbing as heck but oh so worthy of the watch!"
13."Bringing Up Baby (1938). Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant magic."
14."The Sound of Music (1965)!"
15."Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)! Another Judy Garland film. My cousins and I always watched it whenever we went to our grandmother's house."
"Upon its release, Meet Me in St. Louis was both a critical and a commercial success. It became the second-highest-grossing film of 1944, behind only Going My Way, and was also MGM's most successful musical of the 1940s."
16."I never get tired of watching Now, Voyager (1942). My all-time favorite. A classic and inspirational film for any age."
17."Some Like It Hot (1959) is a great movie. It showed Marilyn Monroe's comedic talent and brought drag into the movies."
"Also, her costars Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis were first-rate playing their parts."
18."It's A Wonderful Life (1946)."
19."National Velvet (1944) with Mickey Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor."
"This movie portrays so much about how life should be. The parents in this movie are phenomenal!! Mr. and Mrs. Brown are the parents I always wished I had. The story is great, the actors superb, and overall, a heartwarming experience."
20."The Sting (1973). One of the first and best heist movies. Paul Newman as a mentor to Robert Redford."
"Their chemistry, the music, and the rest of the cast all enhance the super smart heist shenanigans. I rewatch it every year!"
21."Freebie and the Bean. The 1974 film with James Caan and Alan Arkin."
"This is the movie that's the forerunner to all the cop 'buddy' films that followed. True, it has a gay villain who wouldn't be portrayed today the way he was back then, but don't let that scare you off.
The chemistry between Caan and Arkin is compelling, and the car chases are hilarious. With a solid supporting cast, two of whom were legitimate television stars at the time, this movie is an overlooked gem well worth the watch!"
22."Stage Door (1937). This has some of the sharpest, wittiest, and smartest dialog of any movie ever."
"Plus, the chemistry between Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers is unlike anything seen in most movies since."
23."Ben-Hur (1959). There’s a reason why it was the first movie to win 11 Oscars."
24."Wings (1927). It won the first Oscar for Best Picture!"
25."My fav? The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)."
26."Lawrence of Arabia (1962)."
27."Anything by the Marx Brothers, but especially Duck Soup (1933)."
"Their work is still influencing comedy today and is funny AF!"
28."Double Indemnity (1944)."
29."I want to suggest 12 Angry Men (1957). It is an amazing character study. You have to watch the classics! They crawled so we could walk!"
30."Portrait of Jennie (1948). I don't normally go for romantic movies, but this one was done exceptionally well."
31."Cool Hand Luke from 1967."
"Paul Newman is a prisoner who refuses to submit to authority, especially when the punishment doesn't fit the crime."
32."Harvey (1950) is an amazing and under-watched Jimmy Stewart movie!"
33."M*A*S*H from 1970. Directed by Robert Altman and starring Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, and Sally Kellerman, amongst others."
"The way Altman was able to create a movie set during the Korean War and bring humor and satire to a serious situation, all while addressing many of the social issues of the Vietnam War era, is absolutely brilliant."
34."Rear Window (1954)."
35.And finally: "Spartacus (1960). Directed by Stanley Kubrick."
"With Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, and Tony Curtis. I watch it every year or two. Still an amazing movie."
We can't fit every film into one post, so which other classic Hollywood movies do YOU think are essential viewing? Tell us in the comments below!
Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Also, if you're a Letterboxd user, you can find the list of these movies here.
If you're wondering where to watch these classic films, many of them can be streamed, so make sure to check out your go-to streaming services for these movies.
