As much as I love discovering new films, there are many films that I consistently return to. They’re the warm, snuggle-y blanket hiding within the abyss of my many hours of move-watching each month. The following are the final five of my fifteen of my favorites classics to re-watch. (This is not a definitive list of the most re-watchable classic films ever.)
11. Stella Dallas (1937)
Directed by King Vidor
Starring Barbara Stanwyck
I had to include at least one Stanwyck film in this list, and Stella Dallas fits the bill perfectly. Though I didn’t discover this film until near the end of 2012, it has already become one of my favorites from Stanwyck’s filmography. It’s the perfect film to put on when you’re in the mood for a tearjerker, and Stanwyck gives one of her greatest performances of all time. I always find her enjoyable to watch no matter what the film, but high-impact performances like this one are even greater to see.
12. The Thin Man series (1934 – 1947)
Directed by W.S. Van Dyke, Richard Thorpe and Edward Buzzell
Starring Myrna Loy and William Powell
These are the best mystery-comedies ever made, without a doubt. It’s also terribly hard to beat Loy and Powell as a screen couple. They’re magnetic and the viewer instantly falls in love with Nick and Nora Charles. Plus, adorable puppy bonus for Asta! Each film follows the same formula but the adventures of the Charles’ never get old, even if you watch a marathon of all of the films back to back. (I can attest to that. I’ve marathon-ed them on more than one occasion!)
13. The Tingler (1959)
Directed by William Castle
Starring Vincent Price
The “acid trip” scene, which blends black and white cinematography with striking touches of red, is reason enough for me to re-watch this film over and over again. It’s one of my favorite scenes from a horror film ever. I also must give William Castle props for his campy brilliance, both in directing the film and in crafting special in-theater effects to go along with it. (I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: GIVE US A THEATRICAL RE-RELEASE!) And on top of that, there’s Vincent Price, who gives a brilliant performance as Dr. Warren Chapin.
14. To Catch a Thief (1955)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly
This is not Hitchcock’s most well-known film and certainly nowhere near his most well-loved. In fact, I’ve met many Hitchcock fans who don’t care for it at all. This Hitchcock fan loves it, though. Cary and Grace have great chemistry, the photography is freakin’ amazing and the story (though somewhat fluffier than Hitchcock’s usual work) is fun to watch.
15. The Women (1939)
Directed by George Cukor
Starring Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, et al.
The web of intermingling plot lines, the absolute plethora of witty, biting one-liners and the all-star, all-female cast make this film unmissable. It’s well-known that Cukor is one of my favorite directors, and this is one of my very favorite films from him, as well as from most of the talent involved. Luckily I’ve never had to deal with any of the drama these ladies encounter in their lives, making it even more fun to watch all of the craziness play out.
The Motion Pictures 
Of those I’ve only seen To Catch a Thief, but only once. I guess I’ll give another try, since it’s that re-watchable!
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You should add the rest to your watch list, too! Especially the Thin Man series. Those films are so much fun — I don’t know a single person who doesn’t enjoy them.
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Me too, I’ve only seen To Catch a Thief as well, but that is an incredible movie. Totally rewatchable!
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Yay, another fan of To Catch a Thief! Some Hitch fans give me flack for considering that one a favorite. :) I look forward to reading your thoughts if you get around to seeing any of the others on the list!
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I’m a total Hitchcock fan, and I will NEVERr give you flack over To Catch a Thief! A great bit of fun, and though you may be partial to the tanned presence of Cary Grant, I could not take my eyes off the lusciously tanned form of Grace Kelly. Kudos, too, to The Tingler and The Thin Man series…both worthy of repeated viewings!
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The presence of Cary Grant definitely doesn’t hurt. :P Neither does the fact that I completely covet every piece of clothing Grace wears in the film! Between the two gorgeous stars, their equally gorgeous clothes, the highly saturated color and the setting, it just has a complete overabundance of visual appeal.
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And some great innuendo, and a cool Hitchcock cameo, and did I mention a delicious Grace Kelly? I’m now tempted to watch this again, but I’ve already reviewed it…I can’t waste a movie-watching slot on a repeat!
Which is what your post above is all about, so…okay, maybe I will watch it again. And trust me, I will never, NEVER misspell ‘never’ again!
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I agree with all of these, except for “The Women”. Stella Dallas is one that I watch at least part of, each time it’s on TCM.
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The Women is definitely a bit of an “acquired taste” film. My sister always leaves the room when I’m watching it because she can’t stand any of the characters, haha. I will admit I’m blinded a bit by my love for the cast & director!
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I started watching The Thin Man, but the VHS copy I found was a bad version and the sound dropped out after about ten minutes. Would love for movies like The Tingler to be released again in theatres
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That’s a bummer! That whole series of films is so wonderful, I hope you get the chance to watch it again(/finish it) with a better copy.
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