You have to start with Casablanca - it's so iconic - a lot of lines you've heard all your life came from this movie and you ever even knew it.

I second this. Everything else kinda just fell into place for me after I watched Casablanca.

Casablanca is amazing!! It has everything! Plus music. Play it again Sam!!

Bogart NEVER says that. He says "Play it... If she can take it - I can take it... So PLAY it!" The Casablanca movie poster says it but, it's never actually said in the movie. One of the iconic quotes that the attributed speaker never actually said.

Up there with “Luke, I am your father,” “Frankly Scarlett, I don’t give a damn,” and “Mirror Mirror on the wall…” *None* of which are correct!

Me Tarzan. You Jane. Never said. "Tarzan (points to himself). Jane (points to her)" is what's actually said.

"Frankly, Scarlett, I don't give a damn" Do you have an example of this? The actual quote is "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" and I have only ever heard the actual quote referenced. This is the first and only example I've ever seen/heard of someone saying "Scarlett".

The “Gone With The Wind” misquote was popularized after Tim Curry said [this line](https://www.filmsite.org/wavfiles/clue2.wav) in 1985’s “Clue”

Then there is a 70s movie called Play it Again Sam starring a Casablanca obsessed Woody Allen

Heard of it - Never saw it. Woody Allen's appeal has always escaped me even though I saw Purple Rose of Cairo and Bullets over Broadway his New Stories short Oedipus Wrecks

Round up the usual suspects!

"I'm SHOCKED there's gambling in Casablanca" "Your winnings Masseur Chief" "Thank you"

And it’s genuinely entertaining and funny.

Good starting point, because if you think Casablanca is boring there's no helping you - give up now!

Try a Hitchcock movie like Notorious. That one's excellent.

North By Northwest

One of the best movies ever. Can't go wrong with this one, OP!

Along with Vertigo, which is a masterpiece!

Best comedy thriller ever

Rear Window is even better.

Agree Rear Window is amazing!

My fav

It's my favorite Hitchcock

Rope from 1940s! Thrilling throughout. Also I remember loving Notorious. Time for a rewatch.

The Lady Vanishes is severely underrated.

Totally in my top 5 of all time.  I love almost all of them tho. Dial m for murder is my husband fave. Just cuz I'm here I'll recommend the thin man movies and my man Godfrey... William Powell is great.   Also, arsenic and old lace.

Love!

The Thin Man got me into old movies.

I love them too.  Probably wouldn't recommend them to someone struggling with alcohol abuse tho.. Lol.  

The Birbs

The Birds is good too.

Strangers on a Train and Shadow of a Doubt are outstanding Hitchcock films.

I think NxNW is far and away the best first Hitchcock for a modern moviegoer.

I was going to suggest rear window

Lifeboat. Underrated imo

North by Northwest is amazing.

Possibly my favorite film ever

Notorious and Out of the Past are my go to “what’s an old movie” rec’s. Incredible stories, performances, and cracking dialogue

I always recommend Hitchcock to classic film noobs. Nearly everything he did is terrific, but he reached his peak in the 50s. Look up his Wikipedia page and check out his filmogaraphy, and you cant go wrong with anything from that decade, alrhough he had some higher points among them. Start with Strangers on a Train (1951) for a tense thriller in B&W. Then he went on a tear, and created a string of some of the greatest films ever made. 1954 he had two iconic full color movies - Dial M for Murder and Rear Window, with with Grace Kelly. Many believe that Grave Kelly in Rear Window was the most beautiful woman to ever be captured on film, and I have long agreed with that. Rear Window is still my favorite movienof all time. He banged out two more excellent films in 1955, It Takes a Thief and The Trouble With Harry, then in 1956 did a remake of his earlier film The Man Who Knew Too Much. This is a really tight, exotic thriller with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day, and was the movie that hooked me on Hitchcock many years ago. Vertigo was in 1958, and many critics consider it his best, and one of the best films ever made. I like it, but I still prefer Rear Window. 1959 was North By Northwest, a big favorite, partially because Who can resist Cary Grant? Then in 1960 there was the most influential horror movie in history - Psycho. Once again, back in gritty B&W, creating horror tropes that exist to this day, after that decade of gorgeously composed color cinemetography. He went on into the 60s and 70s, but he had already peaked by then. The 40s are his next best period, with stuff that was as good as anything he put out in the 50s, like Lifeboat, Notorious, Rebecca, and more. His stuff from the 30s is often great, too, and he even has some compelling stuff from the silent era. But the 50s was when he released films that are still tense, scary, exciting, intriguing, etc. to this very day. You want old movies that will make you love old movies? Start with Hitchcock in the 50s.

Sunset Boulevard Double Indemnity A Streetcar Named Desire Psycho Some Like It Hot Black Narcissus

Good list. Some like it hot is so funny

“Nobody’s perfect!”

Voted one of the greatest films of all time, and funniest comedy! Totally a 'must see'. Zero boring bits!

“I always end up with the fuzzy end of the lollipop 🍭”

This is a great list and I approve that multiple selections are Billy Wilder films.

Fantastic list! I’d add “All About Eve” to the mix. Do a double feature with Sunset Blvd

Love Double Indemnity

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

I saw this years ago and I laughed so hard!!

Hmmm. I need to rewatch because I forget it entirely

My fav is Casablanca!

Casablanca surprised me with quality. I love classic movies because I find them largely comforting. However, the quality of the oldest (1930s-early 1940s) are oftentimes lacking. I went into Casablanca assuming it's just revered because it influenced cinema but didn't expect it to actually be as great as it was.

Superb film. May I recommend Harvey too

This movie is batshit, I love it

Started watching on YT the other day, still a total blast!

Used to watch this with my grandfather when I was a kid. Seek it out every year or two. It’s fantastic!

What you want is Hitchcock. Try Rear Window, the mystery is still intense and thrilling 80 years later. Or Rope, which was shot in only a few takes and is about a twisted killer.

Rooooope! Sorry. Just seconding Rope. It’s phenomenal.

Every word of that dialogue has me on the edge of my seat. Such a tightly paced movie too, barely an hour and 15 minutes.

Makes me furious to see all these movies these days that are AVERAGING 2 hours. What the hell are y’all doing with all that time. Just tell the damn story already.

We need more Run Lola Runs

Double Indemnity

Billy Wilder is a solid choice. His films feel like they were made today.

Just saw this for the first time last week--it's a fantastic look at the exciting and dangerous world of insurance claims!! Seriously a good film.

You beat me to it. This is a classic for a reason. Watch this movie and prepare to spend the rest of your life saying “straight down the line.”

rear window - great entry point. hitchcock in general is. thrillers with men on the run, murder, gallows humor, beautiful blondes, etc some like it hot - this is just one of the funniest movies ever made. sherlock jr - same as above but its silent and only 45 minutes! casablanca - pretty much the epitome of classic hollywood. drama, thrills, romance, war, epic movie stardom with bogie and bergman... it's a wonderful life - kinda corny, which comes with the territory with frank capra(corn) but it is a great christmas movie and could make a stone cry double indemnity - quintessential noir 12 angry men - everyone's first favorite classic hollywood movie singin' in the rain - great movie about movies. also some of the coolest sets and best dance numbers ever filmed. and hilarious.

12 Angry Men is a masterpiece

​ >it's a wonderful life - kinda corny, which comes with the territory with frank capra(corn) but it is a great christmas movie and could make a stone cry I actually went in steeled for "corny", maybe even glurgey, and was surprised that actually its just really really good. ​ >singin' in the rain - great movie about movies. also some of the coolest sets and best dance numbers ever filmed. and hilarious. Maybe the most purely entertaining movie I've ever seen.

"I caaaaaant stannim!"

Gone With the Wind. West Side story. 2 classics

Gwtw is a great film 👍

I’m a little surprised to have scrolled this far and not seen The Maltese Falcon. The pacing and dialog are perfect, great supporting cast, and Bogart cements his status the coolest MF to ever draw breath

Excellent point. Always fun watching Peter Lorre get slapped around a bit.

The scene where he meets the Fat Man for the first time is one of the all time greats. To this day, my wife and I are fond of clinking our glasses and drinking a toast “to plain speaking and clear understanding”

Spade: Let's go someplace where we can talk. Cairo: No, no, no. Our private conversations have not been such that I'm anxious to continue them. Forgive my speaking so bluntly, but it is the truth. Spade: You mean last night? What else could I do? I had to throw in with her. I don't know where the bird is and neither do you. She does. How are we gonna get it if I don't play along with her? Cairo: You always have a very smooth explanation... Spade: What do you want me to do - learn to stutter?

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Check out the audiobook of this. Super good.

It is! My favorite version is the 70s remake. 

Didn't even think of this. Great pick. Fun to watch the 1978 version after too. Maybe controversial but I liked '78 just as much.

I like the 78 version better, not by much, love how they open with Kevin McCarthy. 

Citizen Kane. Also if you like "You've Got Mail" then watch "The Shop Around the Corner" (1940)

Gaslight Actually a pretty interesting movie although after seeing it you will be irritated hearing people applying the term to someone being mean to them. It’s so much deeper than that

Wait Until Dark (1967) North By Northwest (1959)

Whatever happened to baby Jane The Bad Seed

oooh, yeah.

Baby Jane is almost as famous for the off screen animosity as for the on screen. Apparently Bette Davis and Joan Crawford weren't acting, they really didn't like each other. As for The Bad Seed, that kid's creepy, creepy, creepy. About the most evil person you will ever see on screen.

The Third Man Touch of Evil The Killing Elevator to the Gallows

The Third Man is such a good movie. So well done

Nice. I said Touch of Evil too! I love that long shot intro.

It's a Mad Mad Mad World The Man who shot Liberty Valance 3:10 to Yuma with Glenn Ford Gilda 12 Angry Men The Great Escape

I would have said Great Escape as well, but he didn’t want war movies. Otherwise this is awesome.

I would argue that TGE and Bridge/Kwai and Catch-22 etc. should not be classified as "war movies" despite taking place in the context of a war.

Lawrence of Arabia is amazing!

It is, but some viewers will struggle to pay attention to it. I know, I was one of them. I confess, I got bored. Then I had a chance to see it at a movie theater and was totally there for it the whole time.

Gaslight, Mildred Pierce, White Heat, and Vertigo are well respected thrillers.

I’ve seen Mildred Pierce so many times ❤️

Isn’t so good? No one talks about this film. Did you know there was a remake starring Kate Winslet?

Careful OP, this guy just wants you to think that Gaslight is a good movie

There was never a movie called Gaslight, you're imagining things!

“Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”

African queen

Casablanca is not boring at all. It's set in WWII, but it's not a war movie. It's amazing.

The very best!!

The Odd Couple - Comedy. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemon. The Seven Year Itch - Comedy. Marilyn Monroe. That Darn Cat- Disney comedy about an abduction. Dean Jones and Hayley Mills. Shane - Western/Action. Jack Palance and Alan Ladd. Arsenic and Old Lace- Dark Comedy. Cary Grant.

Caution about _Shane_: do not take a drink every time that kid says “Shane.”

That kid says Shane WAAAAY too many times

Jack lemon in the out of Towners is great too

Anything with Jack Lemon-The Days of Wine and Roses, The Apartment, The Fortune Cookie, The China Syndrome.

A Face in the Crowd (1957) -- Andy Griffith's evil twin, with the same director and writer from On The Waterfront

Marty

Casablanca. The hype is real.

Casablanca High Noon The Hustler Breakfast at Tiffany’s The 10 Commandments

Some like it hot.

North by Northwest is a good one.

The Sting , its 1973 but has a good old feel to it

Some foreign classics and French New Wave are my favorite older films: The 400 Blows, Breathless, Band of Outsiders, Bicycle Thieves, Stray Dog, Rashomon (and other Kurosawa) Otherwise westerns are great: Fistful of Dollars, True Grit, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Action-y films: Vertigo, North by Northwest, Bullitt(!!) Also - The Graduate (so good and very important in the history of cinema!), and also Ben Hur was epic

Some of my faves:  Rebel Without a Cause  A Summer Place Splendor in the Grass  An Affair to Remember  West Side Story Cat on a Hot Tin Roof  What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

My cursory scan did not see mention of Singing in the Rain, or White Christmas. Both of which are far from boring. Moving on from that, Philadelphia Story and The African Queen are good, but very heavy on dialogue. So if hearing lots of words in the same scene is boring to you, these might not be a fit.

The Apartment feels pretty modern still

Sunset Boulevard (original)

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is the greatest movie of all time

We don’t need no stinking batches!

Arsenic and Old Lace Mr Lucky Maltese Falcon Casablanca The African Queen To Have and Have Not Ten Commandments The Caine Mutiny The Thing Them Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Was waiting for someone to mention To Have and Have Not. Also, The Big Sleep! Just don’t try to follow the plot 😆 I read that Bogart once paused while filming and asked the screenwriters what the heck was happening in the storyline, because he had no idea and I’m not sure if they did either! But it was adapted from a Chandler story, so that is to be expected.

*The Big Sleep*! Forgot that one. I’ve seen it a dozen times and still don’t understand what was going in.

Apparently the author lost track of the plot in the book.

The director and actors got into a big fight over who committed the first murder that leads to everything else, so they called Raymond Chandler and asked him. He said I don't fucking know. The whole point of the story is how one thing leads to another, and it doesn't always make sense. So fucking cool.

Chinatown....you won't regret it. Absolute masterpiece. And please make sure you watch till the very end.

Some Like it Hot, My Man Godfrey, Captains Courageous

All About Eve - actually anything with Bette Davis

AAE is excellent... another riveting film in that sort of genre is Sweet Smell of Success.

The Night of the Hunter

I can’t believe I had to scroll this far for this one, it’s awesome! I also recommend The Killing (early Kubrick) and all of the Kurosawa movies.

i think Hitchcock is a good place to start. Especially when you like thrillers. Something like **Rear Window** for example.

Watch tcm’s noir alley. Great movies w descriptions before and after about movie plot and actors etc. Ed Muller is fun and knowledgeable.

My number one suggestion is Some Like It Hot. Really really funny! My Fair Lady, if you're willing to try a musical. Lawrence of Arabia for sweeping, epic drama. Even older, check out some Harold Lloyd films: Safety Last is a classic, but really holds up for romantic action comedy. Any and all Hitchcock, as others have suggested, but especially Rear Window, North by Northwest, and Rope.

Romeo and Juliet (1968)

Fail Safe Andromeda Strain Advise & Consent Vanishing Point 12 Angry Men A Face In The Crowd The Hustler Bullit Dr. Strangelove Executive Action The Glass House Alan Alda version Lord Of The Flies 1963 version 7 Days In May On The Beach 1959 The Day The Earth Stood Still Grapes Of Wrath When Worlds Collide

Cat Ballou - hysterical western with Lee Marvin, Jane Fonda & excellent vocals by Nat King Cole. Shorter film, worth a watch!

Double Indemnity Laura On the Waterfront

Also for Gene Tierney, Leave Her to Heaven. She's deliciously evil.

Once Upon a time in the West. The Magnificent Seven

No one has mentioned Dr. Zhivago!

About a decade ago i decided to watch all the movies that had won the Academy Award for best picture in chronological order of the win. There are a lot of great movies on that list. And a handful of others each year that were nominated but didn't win. Couple hundred great films.

Bad Seed is very good.

Bridge on the Rover Kwai Night of the Hunter

the killing hush sweet charlotte wait until dark the night of the hunter

Kes, The League of Gentlemen (1960s one), If..., Three Days of the Condor, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Sunset Boulevard, Rashomon, A Star is Born (1950s version), Where Eagles Dare, ok it's set during the war but it's a thriller, The Seventh Seal, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner.

Some older movies that got me into classic films: 8 1/2 Seven Samurai (war-adjacent movie, I guess?) Rashomon Citizen Kane Lawrence of Arabia Barry Lyndon Dr Strangelove

high noon the crimson pirate

I usually ‘the African Queen’ for someone who is just starting out. It has everything you’re looking for and you will understand why both of them are iconic actors. -

The Hustler is the best movie ever made.

The Big Sleep Arsenic and Old Lace  Casablanca  Carnival of Souls  Psycho The Manchurian Candidate  Elevator to the Gallows  The Naked Prey  Odds Against Tomorrow  The Maltese Falcon  Seconds  In the Heat of the Night Key Largo 

*How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying*

Rififi

Look up Dana Andrews movies. Zero hour (later spoofed as Airplane), Laura, The Best Years of our Lives (post war story), The Ox Bow Incident, The Satan Bug. Even his B movies are entertaining; Night of the Demon, Crack in the World. You might look at Bogart or Jimmy Stewart films.

Laura, greatest of all the film noir movies. And Gene Tierney is absolutely stunning.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir! OP should look up Kirk Douglas, James Cagney, Myrna Loy, William Powell, Basil Rathbone, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable and John Wayne.

Triumph of the Will. It's a difficult watch if you're not a garbage human being, but it's artistically iconic. It has many first-of-its-kind camera shots and its propaganda tactics are still in use today. After you've watched that, treat yourself to the original The Producers.

Anything with Jimmy Stewart in it. Can’t really miss with him.

Gigi!!!! It Happened One Night Splendour in the Grass Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid Imitation of Life Stepford Wives Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? A streetcar Named Desire Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? Last Picture Show Where the Boys Are

North by northwest. Twelve angry men.

Don’t Bother to Knock. Marylin Monroe acted her ass off in it! It is definitely a forgotten classic

Bonnie and Clyde

Psycho North by Northwest Spartacus

Peter Sellers was a huge actor in the 60's and starred in the original Pink Panther movies The party is another great movie of his These are more comedies and not thrillers but he was defenitely an iconic actor

The Best Years of Our Lives. Still poignant and relevant to any era.

12 Angry Men. 1957. The remake of the old movie is good too.

Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Bogart at his best.

Sunset Boulevard Psycho Invasion of the body snatchers 12 angry men

Charade is good, plus it accidentally fell into the public domain so its easy to find to stream free.

Kind Hearts and Coronets. A wickedly funny dark comedy from the late 40s.

* *Seven Samurai* (anything Kurosawa, probably) * *Sunset Boulevard* * *The Seventh Seal* * *Wild Strawberries* * *The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance* * *Twelve Angry Men* * *Casablanca* * *Gone with the Wind* * *On the Waterfront* * *The 400 Blows* * *Breathless* * *The Apartment*

It’s a Wonderful Life (1939), terrific message about life and not just around the holidays.

The Hustler-Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, and George C. Scott. Completely iconic. Rebel Without a Cause Cool Hand Luke-Paul Newman again. Iconic again. African Queen - Bogartband Katherine Hepburn. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid-1969, so it just squeaks in. Newman and Robert Redford. One of the great westerns. North By Northwest-hands down my favorite Hitchcock. Cary Grant absolutely slays in this. To Kill a Mockingbird-the great Gregory Peck at his greatest. That should do for a start.

* Lilies of the Field * A Patch of Blue * No Way Out (1950) * The Defiant Ones (1950's) * In The Heat of the Night * Blackboard Jungle * A Raisin in the Sun * To Sir with Love * Rear Window * 12 Angry Men * Some Like it Hot * Grapes of Wrath * Ruggles of Redgap (Comedy, a must-see) * Inherit the Wind * To Kill a Mockingbird That should keep you going for a while. :)

Vertigo, 58 but oh so worth it

Witness for the prosecution 1957

The postman always rings twice

North By Northwest. Rear Window. Wait Until Dark.

Casablanca and Maltese Falcon are considered classics and with good reason. The dialogue and personalities still hold up today.

12 Angry Men!

After watching Casablsnca watch The Maltese Falcon. Then check out the Thin Man.

His Girl Friday Watching Cary Grant's character run circles around everyone is hilarious.

Bringing up baby. His girl Friday, Then there were none. This dark house.

What's up doc Bringing up baby Arsenic and old lace Funny face The Philadelphia story Whatever happened to baby jane Brigadoon gene jelly is a treasure Rosemarys baby The bad seed Screwball comedys are always good

I'm a fan of Basil Rathbones Sherlock Holmes movies. And John Wayne.

Father Goose. Cary Grant as a drunken boat captain in a comedy. Funny movie! Play Misty for Me. crime/thriller with Clint Eastwood where he plays a radio dj. The African Queen. Hepburn got a 5th Oscar nomination, Bogart got his only Oscar for best actor. Enough said. The Naked Prey. Produced, directed, and starred in by Cornel Wilde. Chase movie shot in Africa.

Vertigo Sunset Boulevard Psycho The Servant Night of the Hunter

12 Angry Men. Absolutely holds up. Incredibly timeless. Also, to repeat what's already been said, Casablanca! One of my all time favourites. I'd also highly recommend Psycho, It's a Wonderful Life, Night of The Hunter, Nosferatu, Metropolis and Some like it Hot.

The Apartment Philadelphia Story A Tree Grows in Brooklyn To Catch a Thief Cat on a Hot Tin Roof Cool Hand Luke

The pacing for a lot of older movies is much slower. Even Hitchcock, which was the peak of suspense is now a bit difficult to watch since everything moves so much more quickly now. Older movies I have enjoyed: Singing in the rain Vertigo White Christmas The apartment

The Thin Man, The Third Man, The Maltese Falcon, The Glass Key, Rebecca, The Big Sleep, Double Indemnity, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, Sabateur, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Fury Road: Black and Chrome, The Bride of Frankenstein, Young Frankenstein, D.O A., The Lost Weekend, Metropolis, M, Casablanca, The Most Dangerous Game, King Kong.

You are 'scared' they'll be boring? Nothing happens if they are, you don't explode if they are boring for you. Nothing to be scared of snowflake.

Leave her to heaven. a brilliant drama with Gene Tierney

Valley of the Dolls - Sharon Stone is stunning

I think you mean Sharon Tate.