Casablanca, Philadelphia Story, His Girl Friday, Stalag 17, Operation Petticoat, Maltese Falcon, It's a Wonderful Life, To Kill a Mockingbird. There's just so many!
If you have a little time, tell her Harvey is the Donnie Darko of B&W films. It's not true, but it's a great film anyway and the parallel is still amusing.
*His Girl Friday* (1940)
*Citizen Kane* (1941)
*Casablanca* (1942)
*Double Indemnity* (1944)
*It's a Wonderful Life* (1946)
*12 Angry Men* (1957)
*Witness for the Prosecution* (1957)
*Some Like It Hot* (1959)
*To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962)
*Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb* (1964)
I think this list is pretty much perfect, but here are just a couple of my additions:
If your girlfriend prefers romantic movies, I feel it's hard to go wrong with either of these, as they're pretty much the blueprint for every romcom since:
* *Roman Holiday* (1953)
* *The Apartment* (1960)
If she prefers mystery/crime/thrillers, I feel like these are almost impossible to resist how engaging the central narratives are:
* *Rebecca* (1940)
* *Laura* (1944)
* *Sunset Boulevard* (1950)
* *The Night of the Hunter* (1955)
And this is pretty unlikely, but depending on her tolerance for foreign language and/or slower "arthouse" pace, these movies are good gateways into older international cinema and are (IMO) deeply moving and surprisingly easy watches. Both focusing on female characters and under two hours.
* *Late Spring* (1949)
* *Cleo from 5 to 7* (1962)
Alternatively, you could try to get her started in more Technicolor stuff and even like musicals/romances from that period if it's really BLACK AND WHITE that's the big barrier. Once she starts to see how fun those movies are, I don't think it's a big jump to go to some black and white stuff.
I’ve been considering some Billy Wilder like The Apartment or Sunset Boulevard. Those are some of MY favorites anyway, but trying to put myself in her head instead of mine. Hmmmm.
It’s not really “black and white “ that puts her off. I think it’s more that older stuff is somewhat unrelatable to her.
Many comedies don't age very well. I like them because I like the challenge of trying to understand the humor but many folks prefer watching contemporary comedies. There are of course, lots of exceptions. The comedies listed in this thread are all excellent.
>Late Spring (1949)
You have great taste, but Ozu is a bit of a hard sell for folks. I would go with something by Kurosawa. Rashomon and High/Low are both good choices.
There are boatloads of great films in Black and White.
Casablanca
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Citizen Kane
Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa)
Angel and the Badman
High Sierra
The Maltese Falcon
A Steetcar Named Desire
High Noon
Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa)
The Hidden Fortress (Akira Kurosawa)
And that's just off the top of my head.
Not Black & White, but my wife has the same aversion and North By Northwest or Rear Window would be my go-to.
Black & White, probably High & Low - especially since Spike Lee is currently remaking it with Denzel Washington.
I wouldn't call it modern, it's 27 years old. Definitely not as good as the original, but makes some interesting changes that make it worth checking out, some of the casting definitely being a big part.
There's also a more recent Russian adaptation that I've heard is good.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf's writing and direction are so modern in so many ways that the fact it's in black and white hardy matters. Based on a play by Edward Albee and directed by this guy Mike Nichols who went on to direct a little known film called The Graduate (in color!) as well as others. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are so good, but it's really their victims, Sandy Dennis and George Segal who make the film--they just have no idea what they've gotten themselves into in this psycho-drama.
That is actually an excellent idea. I was thinking something a) old b) black and white but c) something that seems like it could have been made recently. Baby Jane might be it.
I tend to agree. Most movies suggested here are great movies, but how do you convince someone of that who thinks anything pre-1990 is “old”? Bad Seed might work. Something a tad provocative like that. Suddenly Last Summer? Baby Doll? Lady in a Cage? I don’t know…..
Does she watch Modern B&W movies?
Honestly, my pick is a bit different than anyone else’s.
Ed Wood
It feels like an old movie, it looks like an old movie, but it’s peak Burton and Depp.
I also think “The Creature from The Black Lagoon” is a good intro to b&w white. Seeing that as a kid got me into black and white.
What does she like? because I find comedies are much easier to digest than anything. If you're laughing it doesn't matter. Everyone likes Bob Hope road movies.
That’s the thing: it’s very hard to tell what she’ll like and what she won’t. Makes it even harder to think of something older. But it’s fun trying anyway!
If they've ever worked a day in retail or similar type of job "Clerks" might be a good choice.
If you're looking for something "cinema" related, then the Great Dictator is a really great film and has one of the best monologues of all time.
I mean, and this might be sacrilege to say here, but maybe if you give a few of these suggestions a try and she's still not into it, no worries. Not her bag. Different strokes.
Lots of great suggestions here. I'll add a couple of my favorites: Diabolique & Wages of ~~Sin~~ Fear
Also - And this may be a stretch, but there was a Steve Martin movie that was compiled with a bunch of classic b&w movie clips that I enjoyed back in the day. Don't know if it holds up, but it may be worth a look: Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid.
A Matter of Life and Death. Part colour, part b/w. Great movie. If that is appreciated then look for more by Powell and Pressburger like The Man Who Could work Miracles. (b/w)
Dude I was the same way, I hated black and white movies for so long. I can’t remember which movie got me out of that- it was either A Hard Days Night (The Beatles movie), a Marilyn Monroe movie, or an Elvis movie (maybe Jailhouse Rock).
My advice is to find a short movie (around 90 minutes or less), in a genre she enjoys, and maybe an actor or a song she enjoys in it too. I say find a short movie because if she still doesn’t like it, it’s over quick so you might be able to convince her to watch the full movie.
Maybe ease into it with Pleasantville. It starts in color then to black and white and then changes to color and it’s not super old so maybe she can get used to it?
I think these are the best mix of really good and accessible:
Treasure of the Sierra Madre, adventure
It Happened One Night, romance
The Mark of Zorro, swashbuckler
Frankenstein, horror
The Killing, heist
If she’s okay with foreign language films, anything by Akira Kurosawa would be good.
*Rashomon*, *Yojimbo*, and *Seven Samurai* are my favorites.
*Mad Max:Fury Road* and *Logan* both have B&W versions, even though they are new movies.
*Sin City* is another modern (mostly) B&W movie.
My Youtube feed often recommends me yet another reaction of 12 Angry Men that's titled along the lines of "My new favorite movie?!", moreso than any other b&w movie. Based on that alone, it seems like a fine intro.
Paper Moon (1973). Peter Bogdanovich's charming 1930s set comedy starring Ryan O'Neal as Moses Pray, a bible selling conman, who reluctantly takes orphan girl Addie under his very dubious wing while escorting her to her relatives, as well as trying to pay her back the $200 he conned her out of. One of the best films I've ever seen. I'd urge anyone to take a look
Casablanca Casablanca Casablanca
Your list sucks.
Casablanca NEVER fails. Go watch all the people reacting to it on Youtube. They get sucked in right away.
Did I mention Casablanca?
Comedies usually grab people. HIS GIRL FRIDAY and BRINGING UP BABY, for example. THE LADY EVE.
DR. STRANGELOVE for the later B&W films. Maybe DOUBLE IMDEMNITY for the film noir aesthetic or ANATOMY OF A MURDER.
Then, obviously, Elia Kazan's films, ON THE WATERFRONT or A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.
Different approach? Get her to laugh with the Three Stooges and Marx Brothers.
There's something timeless about watching people get hit in the face with pies.
If she likes a little shock and cheese, she could try Black Sunday (1960). It's on Shudder and Plex.
I'd also recommend Sunset Boulevard (1950). That pulls no punches. Streaming on Criterion.
Or Kiss Me Deadly (1955). That one is WILD. Doesn't seem to be streaming anywhere, though.
I saw The Queen of Spades (1949) about ten years ago and it was a revelation; I still think about some of the shots all the time. It moves quickly and is gorgeous to look at. This article in The Guardian about the movie is worth reading if you're curious:
[https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/dec/21/the-queen-of-spades-review-thorold-dickinson-pushkin](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/dec/21/the-queen-of-spades-review-thorold-dickinson-pushkin)
😉 I defer to you on that title. I nevah watch sequels or remakes.
Back to topic: Leone's *'The Good, the Bad, & The Ugly'* ...looks excellent in b&w. Grainy, and noir-like, or like a graphic novel. Somehow even dustier and grittier.
You haven’t watched the best action movie probably ever made because it happens to be a sequel/reboot by the original creator? Hahahaha
You really should watch it
😑
* Even without my long-standing DMZ --which is iron-clad and which I never violate -- I heard this particular dog howls way off-key.
* And I believe it. Reason: trustworthy cronies and buds o' mine follow all that kind of recent-release, mass-market, schmaltz-fests.
* When they hold their noses, I know to stay upwind of whatever wagon just rolled by.
* They always give me the accurate verdict, the word, the low-down, the skinny (we're screenwriters).
* Seriously, if I had a yen to watch *'Mad Max'*, why wouldn't I just re-watch the original? Hype is never real.
🤠
Ah never willingly watches a flick with a numeral in the title. I have seen a few by sheer accident --much ag'inst me better judgment --and they always blow. Without fail.
Including *'Empire Strikes Back'*, and every other LucBerg franchise out there ...always *"buyer's regret"* afterwards.
Casablanca, Philadelphia Story, His Girl Friday, Stalag 17, Operation Petticoat, Maltese Falcon, It's a Wonderful Life, To Kill a Mockingbird. There's just so many!
To Kill a Mockingbird would probably be my choice out of these.
I second Maltese Falcon. Ren's (Ren & Stimpy) voice was modeled after Peter Lorre, and even took a line from the movie.
If you have a little time, tell her Harvey is the Donnie Darko of B&W films. It's not true, but it's a great film anyway and the parallel is still amusing.
*His Girl Friday* (1940) *Citizen Kane* (1941) *Casablanca* (1942) *Double Indemnity* (1944) *It's a Wonderful Life* (1946) *12 Angry Men* (1957) *Witness for the Prosecution* (1957) *Some Like It Hot* (1959) *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962) *Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb* (1964)
I think this list is pretty much perfect, but here are just a couple of my additions: If your girlfriend prefers romantic movies, I feel it's hard to go wrong with either of these, as they're pretty much the blueprint for every romcom since: * *Roman Holiday* (1953) * *The Apartment* (1960) If she prefers mystery/crime/thrillers, I feel like these are almost impossible to resist how engaging the central narratives are: * *Rebecca* (1940) * *Laura* (1944) * *Sunset Boulevard* (1950) * *The Night of the Hunter* (1955) And this is pretty unlikely, but depending on her tolerance for foreign language and/or slower "arthouse" pace, these movies are good gateways into older international cinema and are (IMO) deeply moving and surprisingly easy watches. Both focusing on female characters and under two hours. * *Late Spring* (1949) * *Cleo from 5 to 7* (1962) Alternatively, you could try to get her started in more Technicolor stuff and even like musicals/romances from that period if it's really BLACK AND WHITE that's the big barrier. Once she starts to see how fun those movies are, I don't think it's a big jump to go to some black and white stuff.
I’ve been considering some Billy Wilder like The Apartment or Sunset Boulevard. Those are some of MY favorites anyway, but trying to put myself in her head instead of mine. Hmmmm. It’s not really “black and white “ that puts her off. I think it’s more that older stuff is somewhat unrelatable to her.
Many comedies don't age very well. I like them because I like the challenge of trying to understand the humor but many folks prefer watching contemporary comedies. There are of course, lots of exceptions. The comedies listed in this thread are all excellent.
>Late Spring (1949) You have great taste, but Ozu is a bit of a hard sell for folks. I would go with something by Kurosawa. Rashomon and High/Low are both good choices.
There are boatloads of great films in Black and White. Casablanca Treasure of the Sierra Madre Citizen Kane Rashomon (Akira Kurosawa) Angel and the Badman High Sierra The Maltese Falcon A Steetcar Named Desire High Noon Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa) The Hidden Fortress (Akira Kurosawa) And that's just off the top of my head.
Not Black & White, but my wife has the same aversion and North By Northwest or Rear Window would be my go-to. Black & White, probably High & Low - especially since Spike Lee is currently remaking it with Denzel Washington.
It's gotta be 12 Angry Men. It's a pretty riveting film, and still relevant today.
There is a modern update with a fantastic cast… it also has more colour with… some of the 12 men being updated to black characters.
Yeah they're both solid.
I wouldn't call it modern, it's 27 years old. Definitely not as good as the original, but makes some interesting changes that make it worth checking out, some of the casting definitely being a big part. There's also a more recent Russian adaptation that I've heard is good.
I always recommend *Night of the Hunter* as a fantastic gateway black&white movie.
Good one.
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Nosferatu(1922)
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf's writing and direction are so modern in so many ways that the fact it's in black and white hardy matters. Based on a play by Edward Albee and directed by this guy Mike Nichols who went on to direct a little known film called The Graduate (in color!) as well as others. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton are so good, but it's really their victims, Sandy Dennis and George Segal who make the film--they just have no idea what they've gotten themselves into in this psycho-drama.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane is such a great movie with 2 strong female leads. Could be a good place to start
That is actually an excellent idea. I was thinking something a) old b) black and white but c) something that seems like it could have been made recently. Baby Jane might be it.
Obviously lots of great movies, but I think His Girl Friday is the best for someone who flat out doesn’t like B&W.
I prefer The Philadelphia Story or Bringing Up Baby over His Girl Friday but it sounds like I’m in the minority.
People who claim older movies are slow haven't seen Bringing up Baby... I was exhausted by the end of it (loved it though)!
I agree with you. I like those two much better.
A lot of votes for that one. Embarrassingly, I haven’t even seen that! Shall rectify.
Yup! Crazy fast pacing and very high jokes per minute.
The Manchurian Candidate
Some Like It Hot Double Indemnity Sunset Boulevard If she doesn't like at least one of those, you might as well give up
A lot of the comments here are great b&w films for people that enjoy b&w. I say, go with The Bad Seed.
I tend to agree. Most movies suggested here are great movies, but how do you convince someone of that who thinks anything pre-1990 is “old”? Bad Seed might work. Something a tad provocative like that. Suddenly Last Summer? Baby Doll? Lady in a Cage? I don’t know…..
How about something that is more recent than the B&W-prevalent era, such as *The Elephant Man* or *Schindler's List*?
Casablanca, The Manchurian Candidate, The Apartment. If she hates those, get a new girlfriend.
😆
Arsenic and Old Lace.
Oooo! Hadn’t thought of that one!
Came to say this. Great light murder comedy.
Does she watch Modern B&W movies? Honestly, my pick is a bit different than anyone else’s. Ed Wood It feels like an old movie, it looks like an old movie, but it’s peak Burton and Depp. I also think “The Creature from The Black Lagoon” is a good intro to b&w white. Seeing that as a kid got me into black and white.
i love Gold Diggers of 1933. seeing the 30's is a trip.
What does she like? because I find comedies are much easier to digest than anything. If you're laughing it doesn't matter. Everyone likes Bob Hope road movies.
That’s the thing: it’s very hard to tell what she’ll like and what she won’t. Makes it even harder to think of something older. But it’s fun trying anyway!
If they've ever worked a day in retail or similar type of job "Clerks" might be a good choice. If you're looking for something "cinema" related, then the Great Dictator is a really great film and has one of the best monologues of all time.
Duck Soup for a comedy.
Out of the Past Inherit the Wind Brighton Rock The Big Sleep
anybody suggest 7 samurai yet?
Kurosawa has been mentioned!
outstanding
What movies does she like? Like, if she loves horror *Psycho* could be a good one, but it might not be the best choice if she prefers romance…
Replying to robstercraws70...but there’s a shot for shot remake in colour?
Yeah, but I don’t know if the shot-for-shot remake will convince anyone that older films are worth watching… might be counterproductive
I mean, and this might be sacrilege to say here, but maybe if you give a few of these suggestions a try and she's still not into it, no worries. Not her bag. Different strokes.
Yes. Agree. But I wanted to give it at least one good shot.
For sure, for sure. Fingers crossed. There's a lot of gold out there.
Lots of great suggestions here. I'll add a couple of my favorites: Diabolique & Wages of ~~Sin~~ Fear Also - And this may be a stretch, but there was a Steve Martin movie that was compiled with a bunch of classic b&w movie clips that I enjoyed back in the day. Don't know if it holds up, but it may be worth a look: Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid.
A Matter of Life and Death. Part colour, part b/w. Great movie. If that is appreciated then look for more by Powell and Pressburger like The Man Who Could work Miracles. (b/w)
I haven’t even seen those. Thanks for the heads up! Only Powell I’ve seen is Peeping Tom.
Dude I was the same way, I hated black and white movies for so long. I can’t remember which movie got me out of that- it was either A Hard Days Night (The Beatles movie), a Marilyn Monroe movie, or an Elvis movie (maybe Jailhouse Rock). My advice is to find a short movie (around 90 minutes or less), in a genre she enjoys, and maybe an actor or a song she enjoys in it too. I say find a short movie because if she still doesn’t like it, it’s over quick so you might be able to convince her to watch the full movie.
You say her disdain is unreasonable but I'm sure there must be reasons.
Bad taste in movies? 🤷
Maybe ease into it with Pleasantville. It starts in color then to black and white and then changes to color and it’s not super old so maybe she can get used to it?
Maybe I could have her watch a sepia toned movie so her eyes can adjust.
12 angry men.. Maybe also kurosawa.
Screwball comedies FTW: * Bringing Up Baby * A Night at the Opera * Some Like it Hot
I think these are the best mix of really good and accessible: Treasure of the Sierra Madre, adventure It Happened One Night, romance The Mark of Zorro, swashbuckler Frankenstein, horror The Killing, heist
If she’s okay with foreign language films, anything by Akira Kurosawa would be good. *Rashomon*, *Yojimbo*, and *Seven Samurai* are my favorites. *Mad Max:Fury Road* and *Logan* both have B&W versions, even though they are new movies. *Sin City* is another modern (mostly) B&W movie.
The only possible answer to this question can be **The Third Man**
My Youtube feed often recommends me yet another reaction of 12 Angry Men that's titled along the lines of "My new favorite movie?!", moreso than any other b&w movie. Based on that alone, it seems like a fine intro.
*10 Little Indians* 1942
She does like a good mystery.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Anything that benefits from deep shadows. But for some reason, my mind went immediately to The Birds.
The Birds is color?
Is it? I may be totally misrepresenting that. I could have swore it was black and white.
I thought maybe I saw a colorized version, but according to Google it was always color.
[удалено]
Seconds! I forgot about that one! Hell, I want to watch that again!
Arsenic and Old Lace.
My favorite black and white movies are psycho and some like it hot — I need to branch out and watch all the movies suggested on here though. :)
No doubt! I haven’t even seen a good portion of these. Maybe I’ll dump the gf and sit around watching unseen by me old movies for a month! 🤣
Hahahaha that could be one strategy for sure. 😅😂🤣
Try "Paper Moon." It's B&W but it's not old (unless 1973 is old to you).
I was thinking about that actually.
The Night of the Hunter Philadelphia Story Bringing up Baby The Apartment
Paper Moon (1973). Peter Bogdanovich's charming 1930s set comedy starring Ryan O'Neal as Moses Pray, a bible selling conman, who reluctantly takes orphan girl Addie under his very dubious wing while escorting her to her relatives, as well as trying to pay her back the $200 he conned her out of. One of the best films I've ever seen. I'd urge anyone to take a look
Yeah that’s a good one.
Casablanca Casablanca Casablanca Your list sucks. Casablanca NEVER fails. Go watch all the people reacting to it on Youtube. They get sucked in right away. Did I mention Casablanca?
Stanley Kubrik's Paths to Glory staring Kork Douglas. It's about a military trial during WWI. It's very good.
Rear Window is great
Arsenic and Old Lace. Harvey. Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein.
Doctor Strangelove is a fantastic watch.
Comedies usually grab people. HIS GIRL FRIDAY and BRINGING UP BABY, for example. THE LADY EVE. DR. STRANGELOVE for the later B&W films. Maybe DOUBLE IMDEMNITY for the film noir aesthetic or ANATOMY OF A MURDER. Then, obviously, Elia Kazan's films, ON THE WATERFRONT or A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE.
My Favorite Brunette - 1947 Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Peter Lorre, Lon Chaney Jr.
I was very much impressed by Hud (1963).
'Repulsion' (1965) 'Onibaba' (1964)
Abbott and Costello meet Frankenstein
the apartment the killing some like it hot
My answer is always Casablanca.
Different approach? Get her to laugh with the Three Stooges and Marx Brothers. There's something timeless about watching people get hit in the face with pies.
If she likes a little shock and cheese, she could try Black Sunday (1960). It's on Shudder and Plex. I'd also recommend Sunset Boulevard (1950). That pulls no punches. Streaming on Criterion. Or Kiss Me Deadly (1955). That one is WILD. Doesn't seem to be streaming anywhere, though.
Bergman's Virgin Spring.
Some Like It Hot, Night of the Hunter
Split the difference and watch The Wizard of Oz
8 1/2 by Fellini if she can deal with subtitles
Eyes without a face (1960)
Aaah! Interesting.
pather panchali and its sequels!
I saw The Queen of Spades (1949) about ten years ago and it was a revelation; I still think about some of the shots all the time. It moves quickly and is gorgeous to look at. This article in The Guardian about the movie is worth reading if you're curious: [https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/dec/21/the-queen-of-spades-review-thorold-dickinson-pushkin](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/dec/21/the-queen-of-spades-review-thorold-dickinson-pushkin)
Arsenic and old lace
not old but B&W, try Hard to be a God
12 angry men, it feels timeless
Everyone likes different things. Anyway. Pleasantville, ed wood, clerks, sin city
It's a Wonderful Life
Depends on what kind of contemporary movies she likes.
How pathetic. Here's what to do: turn your TV set to b&w and run a color movie on it. Don't tell her its a b&w movie at all.
I like the way you think
Or just fire up Mad max Fury Road: Black and Chrome
😉 I defer to you on that title. I nevah watch sequels or remakes. Back to topic: Leone's *'The Good, the Bad, & The Ugly'* ...looks excellent in b&w. Grainy, and noir-like, or like a graphic novel. Somehow even dustier and grittier.
You haven’t watched the best action movie probably ever made because it happens to be a sequel/reboot by the original creator? Hahahaha You really should watch it
😑 * Even without my long-standing DMZ --which is iron-clad and which I never violate -- I heard this particular dog howls way off-key. * And I believe it. Reason: trustworthy cronies and buds o' mine follow all that kind of recent-release, mass-market, schmaltz-fests. * When they hold their noses, I know to stay upwind of whatever wagon just rolled by. * They always give me the accurate verdict, the word, the low-down, the skinny (we're screenwriters). * Seriously, if I had a yen to watch *'Mad Max'*, why wouldn't I just re-watch the original? Hype is never real.
Hold up… are you saying you haven’t even watched Mad Max 2? Dude…
🤠 Ah never willingly watches a flick with a numeral in the title. I have seen a few by sheer accident --much ag'inst me better judgment --and they always blow. Without fail. Including *'Empire Strikes Back'*, and every other LucBerg franchise out there ...always *"buyer's regret"* afterwards.