1942: Mrs. Miniver

I saw this movie once almost seven years ago, and I remembered very little about it.  Even so, I am surprised that I didn't remember what an incredible film it is.

This film is so good that it's hard to know where to begin praising it.  The story is extremely intriguing.  It's about a small town in England that is trying to keep a semblance of normalcy during the air raids of World War II.  I was going to elaborate, but that's the general premise, and I don't know how to summarize the rest of the story without seeming incredibly long-winded.  Basically, they're normal people who try to keep a positive attitude in the face of war and death.

The performances were magnificent.  Greer Garson deservedly won Best Actress for her portrayal of the extremely likeable title character.  Her husband was played by Walter Pidgeon, which makes this his second Best Picture winner in a row.  Richard Ney and Teresa Wright are wonderful as Vin Miniver and his love interest, Carol Beldon.  Then there's Lady Beldon, played perfectly by Dame May Whitty (who will nevertheless always be "the diggy biscuit lady from Gaslight" in my mind).  And Henry Travers (aka Clarence from It's a Wonderful Life) is adorable as the train station master who names his rose after Mrs. Miniver.

I think what intrigued me most about this film is that it was made in 1942, which means the events that the film portrays were happening as it was made.  Therefore, there's no real happy ending because no one knew for sure how the war was going to end.  However, the film ends on a hopeful note.  I loved how the last title said "The End.  America needs your money.  Buy defense bonds and stamps every pay day."  Naturally, the film struck a deep chord with audiences of its day, but that doesn't make it any less profound now.  It remains an incredibly powerful, encouraging film.  Yes, it's idealistic, but that's kind of the point.  Also, it's nice to know that a film can have explosions and a really good story with decent writing.  Hollywood seems to have forgotten that.

I'm very excited because I get to follow this truly excellent film with another fabulous film: Casablanca

1941: How Green Was My Valley

This film is INCREDIBLY depressing!  It was powerful and well-put-together, for the most part, but oh my goodness, what a downer!

Basically, it's about this big family in a little Welsh coal mining town.  They start off happy enough, but then something bad happens to them, and then something else bad happens, and then another bad thing happens, over and over throughout the entire film.  Yes, there are a few good things that happen, but they either turn out bad or are immediately followed by an unrelated bad event.  Super depressing.

The beginning is kind of confusing, partly because they all have really weird names - like Angharad, Gwillym, Ianto, and Cyfartha - and there are so many brothers in the family.  But once the brothers start leaving or dying, it's easier to keep the remaining ones straight.  I think the best aspect of the movie is Roddy McDowall as the adorable little kid.  Even though bad stuff keeps happening around him, and to him, he still believes that people are ultimately good, he keeps his enthusiasm for life, and he knows that the loved ones who have left or died are still with him in spirit.  That is the only truly uplifting aspect of this film, though it is uplifting in a rather dismal way.  I love when Walter Pidgeon helps him walk again, after the doctor has said he probably won't, and the faith that they both have (some of that gets lost later in the film, but thankfully not all of it).  My other favorite part of is Walter Pidgeon's diatribe against the hypocritical deacons, but the coal mine caves in before we find out if they get the message or not.  Basically, this film just made me feel really, really lucky to not live in a Welsh coal mining town at the turn of the century.

Coming up next: Mrs. Miniver

1940: Rebecca

This movie is freaky, but in a good way.  Of course it is; it's Alfred Hitchcock.

Rich, handsome, troubled Maxim de Winter (aka Laurence Olivier) and Joan Fontaine's very unwealthy but untroubled character fall for each other and get married.  The second Mrs. de Winter (who has no other name in the film) soon discovers that, not only does she have to adjust to a completely different lifestyle than she has been used to (in a mansion with doorknobs level with her shoulders, to make her seem more insignificant), but she is also constantly being compared to Maxim's late first wife, Rebecca, whom everyone adored, none more so than the majorly creepy housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson).  Thus begins a film so full of plot twists and thwarted expectations that it must be watched several times before everything is fully understood.  Phrased differently: it's a good Hitchcock film.

This was Hitchcock's first American film (although the cast is primarily British and it takes place in England), and it was also the only film he directed that won Best Picture.  While I would not call it my absolute favorite of his films, I would definitely call it one of his best.  The story unfolds beautifully, the pacing is very good (well, okay, the intro is a little boring, and the whole movie feels a bit long, but other than that the pacing is good), and the costumes and sets perfectly complement the character development and story.

The casting was marvelous.  Joan Fontaine always seems to look upset, which was perfect for this character, since she was usually scared, worried, nervous, intimidated, or otherwise uncomfortable.  I don't know where to begin praising Laurence Olivier; he was fabulous, not that that's any surprise.  Mrs. Danvers is one of the most disturbing, sinister characters I've ever seen, so Judith Anderson must be a very talented actress, though I've never seen her in anything else.  George Sanders's voice always makes me think of a tiger, thanks to The Jungle Book, which totally worked for his role in this film.

Fontaine, Olivier, Anderson, and Hitchcock were nominated for Best Actress, Actor, Supporting Acress, and Director, respectively, but none of them won.  Of course, this was the year that Ginger Rogers won Best Actress, and Jimmy Stewart won Best Actor for The Philadelphia Story (which was also nominated for Best Picture and should have won, not because Rebecca isn't a great movie, but because The Philadelphia Story is just so wonderful), so I forgive the Academy for overlooking Fontaine and Olivier.

Rebecca is kind of an uncomfortable film to watch, but if you want a good suspense thriller, this is the perfect choice.

Coming up next: How Green Was My Valley

1939: Gone with the Wind

I think the best word to describe this film is "epic."  The first film in color to win best picture, the longest film ever to win best picture, and one of the most famous love stories ever told: this film has a lot to recommend it.  And, for the most part, it deserves all the praise it has been given.

Yes, it is painfully long, but it is never boring.  Considering that the book has over 1,000 pages, the film would have to be much longer to include everything.  Obviously, they had to cut things out.  While it might be annoying to a fan of the book that Scarlett only has one child instead of three, or that some of the minor characters are eliminated, I think that the filmmakers did a surprisingly good job of including the important parts without losing the heart of the story.

And what a story it is.  War, reconstruction, love, hate, spite, jealousy, forgiveness, tragedy, adventure, and more; this story has it all.  Not to mention the incredibly well-developed characters, who are also spectacularly cast.  Clark Gable is Rhett Butler.  Olivia de Havilland is Melanie Hamilton Wilkes.  And while I think other people could have played Scarlett O'Hara Hamilton Kennedy Butler, Vivien Leigh did an outstanding job, especially with all the onscreen crying, which very few actors can do convincingly.

But this film has more than just an amazing story.  The special effects, while lame by today's standards, must have wowed audiences in 1939.  The sets and costumes are spectacular, in dazzling Technicolor.  I love this movie, and if it wasn't so long I would watch it much more often.

Next up: Rebecca

1938: You Can't Take It With You

Okay, so I have to admit that this film does get a bit cheesy and ridiculous at times, but in the best way possible.  And it's happy and uplifting, which is more than can be said for many of the films on this list.

In a nutshell, the message is that friends are more important than money, and if you don't like what you do for a living you should quit your job.  It tells the story of a family that basically does whatever it wants: making fireworks, throwing giant darts, constantly doing ballet all over the house, that sort of thing.  The most normal member of the family falls for her boss (he's played by Jimmy Stewart, so who can blame her?) who comes from a snooty, rich background, so naturally his parents greatly disapprove of her family.  Hilarity ensues when the two families get together, but some serious life lessons manage to find their way into the story.  Basically, it's a happy film, but it makes viewers think about their priorities.

Poor Lionel Barrymore was in lots of pain and almost completely crippled from arthritis, but that didn't stop him from giving a fabulous performance as the carefree, hermonica-playing grandpa, who conveniently sprains his ankle so he has an excuse to use crutches.  Jean Arthur's performance was fantastic, as usual.  And then there's Jimmy Stewart.  Words cannot express how much I love Jimmy Stewart.  So I guess to a certain extent I'm prejudiced in favor of this film because I love its stars, and I love Frank Capra as a director, but I thought it was really good.  Maybe not quite as good as It Happened One Night, but close.

I can't believe I've already made it through 11 films!  I'm almost out of the '30s already!  But of course, the 1939 winner is almost 4 hours long, so that might slow things down a little bit.

1937: The Life of Emile Zola

This film's title is very misleading.  True, it covers Emile Zola's life from his struggling youth to his death, but that's not its main focus.  The majority of the film is dedicated to Zola's fight for the freedom of Captain Alfred Dreyfus, who has been wrongly convicted of treason.  But it shouldn't have been done any other way.

I thought this was going to be more like The Great Ziegfeld, with time passing at a steady pace through a famous man's life.  Instead, Zola went from starving youth to successful, renowned author relatively quickly, and I thought, is it over already?  But no, it was just setting up his backstory.  The young Zola was obsessed with presenting the truth at all costs, but the older Zola thought his work was done and he could retire in peace.  Then he hears of the cover-up involved in the Dreyfus case, and his old yearning to present the truth returns.  Even when all of France is crying out against him, Zola never stops fighting for truth and justice.  That may sound cheesy and cliche, but the way this movie presents it, it's not.  Part of it is Paul Muni's performance as Zola, particularly in the courtroom scene, but the film wouldn't have worked without Joseph Schildkraut's fantastic performance as the incredibly likable, unfortunate Dreyfus.  Zola could have been as devoted to the truth as possible, but if the audience didn't care so implicitly for Dreyfus and his wife (played magnificently by Gale Sondergaard), the film would not have been nearly as effective.  Thankfully, the Academy reconized this and called Schildkraut the Best Actor in a Supporting Role that year.

Before watching this, I knew absolutely nothing about the real Emile Zola, so I have no idea how accurate this film is.  There is a disclaimer at the beginning saying that some of the characters' names have been changed, and some of the characters and events are fictitious, but I'm not sure which ones they are.  I find it ironic that a film about a man dedicated to the truth doesn't seem to care if it portrays the truth or not.  Nevertheless, this remains a powerful film.  The pacing is a little odd, but it works.  The writing is at times a bit melodramatic, but again, it works.  Parts of it are very depressing, like many other films on this list, but at least it provides hope, unlike Cavalcade.

Next up: You Can't Take It With You

1936: The Great Ziegfeld

Okay, first of all, this film was WAY too long!  They could have definitely cut out some of the show and focused more on the story.  There was no reason for it to be three hours long.

To a great extent - much more than necessary - this film is made up of moving scenery and beautiful girls in exotic costumes.  Yes, it tells a story, but the story keeps getting interrupted by the Follies.  I did like that Fannie Brice and Ray Bolger played themselves, and I thought the giant moving staircase was pretty cool.  Obviously, I understand why they needed to include Ziegfeld's shows in a biopic about Ziegfeld, but those scenes just went on and on.  The film could have easily been at least a half hour shorter.

The story itself, when the filmmakers decided to focus on it, was well-told.  I'm not sure exactly how accurate the film really was, but it was certainly believable.  The characters were well-developed, and I enjoyed the cast immensely.  Luise Rainer's fabulous performance deservedly won her the Best Actress Oscar that year.  Frank Morgan was wonderful, although I can't see him without thinking of the Wizard of Oz (the same was true for Ray Bolger).  I never would have cast Myrna Loy as Billie Burke, but I was surprised by how well it worked (I shouldn't have been; it's Myrna Loy after all).  What I didn't like was waiting two hours and fifteen minutes for her to show up!  She got second billing, and she's barely in any of the film.  What's that about?  William Powell was very good, too, but as far as his 1936 films go, there is really no comparison: My Man Godfrey should have won the Oscar over this film.  And it wasn't even nominated!  Go figure.

Stay tuned for The Life of Emile Zola (oh, dear, another biopic, should I be worried?)