moonspinner55

IMDb comments

50 lesser, but still significant and fabulous "runners-up" films which must be seen by all movie-lovers:

  1. The Great Race (1965) .. Blake Edwards
    Giddy homage to early slapstick is packed with joy.
  2. Whistle Down the Wind (1961) .. Bryan Forbes
    Moving, occasionally sly and cynical slice of childhood.
  3. Sleeping Beauty (1959) .. Clyde Geronimi
    Walt Disney's austerely composed mix of old-fashioned laughs with modern animation.
  4. Dark Victory (1939) .. Edmund Goulding
    The very best of the Bette Davis/Warner Bros. heavy-breathers.
  5. Up the Sandbox (1972) .. Irvin Kershner
    Bravura, unblinking look at life and marriage through a distorted lens.
  6. La Luna (1979) .. Bernardo Bertolucci
    Brave, certainly, but also ballsy, complicated; Jill Clayburgh digs deep within as an actress.
  7. How To Steal a Million (1966) .. William Wyler
    Another great '60s heist film, this one with the added pleasure of Audrey Hepburn.
  8. The Love Cage (1964) .. René Clément
    Criminally underrated psychological study of conflicted lives from French director René Clément.
  9. Teacher's Pet (1958) .. George Seaton
    Clark Gable putting the moves on Doris Day; pure fun!
  10. Carrie (1976) .. Brian De Palma
    It has stood the test of time well; performances from Sissy Spacek and Piper Laurie unbeatable.
  11. Funny Girl (1968) .. William Wyler
    The unveiling of Barbra Streisand, a musical from William Wyler almost as fresh today as in 1968.
  12. Lenny (1974) .. Bob Fosse
    Unshakable, unsettling Lenny Bruce biography from Bob Fosse.
  13. Pollyanna (1960) .. David Swift
    Feel-good whimsy from Mr. Disney; irrepressible characters and unending charm.
  14. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) .. Paul Mazursky
    Disarming, unsettling, voyeuristic, and very funny.
  15. Tommy (1975) .. Ken Russell
    Provoking, passionately eccentric, surprisingly human, and amazingly acted by Ann-Margret.
  16. Dream Lover (1986) .. Alan J. Pakula
    A chilly gem from Alan J. Pakula; needling and unsentimental.
  17. Interiors (1978) .. Woody Allen
    Woody Allen's brittle, Bergmanesque view of entangled lives; an actor's dream.
  18. Moonstruck (1987) .. Norman Jewison
    Big voices, grand gestures, small and lovely pleasures.
  19. The Sheepman (1958) .. George Marshall
    Easily one of the best, most enjoyable westerns of the era; Glenn Ford is irresistible.
  20. You Only Live Twice (1967) .. Lewis Gilbert
    Peak James Bond, imitated but seldom equaled; eye-popping art direction.
  21. Kansas City Bomber (1972) .. Jerrold Freedman
    B-movie idea turned into a tough, gritty character study; Raquel Welch's 'Raging Bull'.
  22. I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982) .. Jack Hofsiss
    Profound addiction-drama providing Jill Clayburgh with another bravura turn.
  23. Melvin and Howard (1980) .. Jonathan Demme
    Jonathan Demme's early triumph.
  24. Husbands and Wives (1992) .. Woody Allen
    An amazing showcase for a great cast; lumpy towards the end, yet still pretty terrific.
  25. Coma (1978) .. Michael Crichton
    For lovers of medical dramas, mysteries, and conspiracy thrillers, this one is hard to beat.
  26. The Greengage Summer (1961) .. Lewis Gilbert
    Youthful emotions gone terribly wrong; a scintillating film.
  27. The Stepford Wives (1975) .. Bryan Forbes
    Paranoia thriller-cum-quirky black comedy; imminently watchable and well-acted.
  28. That Darn Cat! (1965) .. Robert Stevenson
    Slapstick and sleuthing in suburbia, Disney style; utterly beguiling and charming.
  29. Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) .. George Roy Hill
    Julie Andrews right where she needs to be; not exactly self-effacing, but exuberant.
  30. Slither (1973) .. Howard Zieff
    James Caan in a black comedy about mercenary crooks and kooks; one-of-a-kind.
  31. Second Best (1994) .. Chris Menges
    Little-seen movie about a bachelor who wants to adopt; William Hurt's best work in years.
  32. Brokeback Mountain (2005) .. Ang Lee
    A bittersweet gem.
  33. Resurrection (1980) .. Daniel Petrie
    Flawless acting by Ellen Burstyn is the centerpiece of an unforgettable human story.
  34. Tiger Bay (1959) .. J. Lee Thompson
    Nearly-perfect wise-child melodrama superbly captured.
  35. Cinderella (1950) .. Clyde Geronimi & Wilfred Jackson & Hamilton Luske
    The movie that saved Walt Disney in the post-WWII years; gleaming and glossy.
  36. Atlantic City (1980) .. Louis Malle
    Crafty criminal exploits in the modern age; sneaks up on you.
  37. The Glass Bottom Boat (1966) .. Frank Tashlin
    Spy-spoof with slapstick; an unappreciated blend, but highly entertaining.
  38. The Sugarland Express (1974) .. Steven Spielberg
    The changes in tone caught audiences off-guard; today, it amazes with its depth.
  39. The Wicked Lady (1945) .. Leslie Arliss
    Elegant, rollicking rogue-comedy from Leslie Arliss.
  40. Defending Your Life (1991) .. Albert Brooks
    Albert Brooks' very best film; a giddy high for clumsy romantics.
  41. Funny Lady (1975) .. Herbert Ross
    Streisand didn't want to do it, but the raucous spirit and sandpaper sentiment makes it one of her best.
  42. Doctor Faustus (1967) .. Richard Burton & Nevill Coghill
    Maniacal poetry meets mad-scientist filmmaking; stunning.
  43. All That Jazz (1979) .. Bob Fosse
    Almost made my list last time; an amazing high-wire act from Bob Fosse.
  44. The Fastest Gun Alive (1956) .. Russell Rouse
    Glenn Ford western is more than quick on the draw--a rousing audience-pleaser.
  45. The Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox (1976) .. Melvin Frank
    Tasty, bawdy western romp, laugh-filled larceny from start to finish.
  46. The Moon-Spinners (1964) .. James Neilson
    Disney's entry in the Hitchcockian sweepstakes; beautifully made.
  47. Airport (1970) .. George Seaton
    Elegant disaster epic from super-sudsy producer Ross Hunter.
  48. Caprice (1967) .. Frank Tashlin
    Doris Day goes mod, hooks Richard Harris; marvelous nonsense.
  49. Irreconcilable Differences (1984) .. Charles Shyer
    Manages to be both funny and insightful.
  50. Black Widow (1987) .. Bob Rafelson
    Femme match of wits; a perfect showcase for Debra Winger.

Also considered: The Quiet Man, Cactus Flower, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, Crash (2005), Max Dugan Returns, Peter Pan (1953), Sweet November (1968), Mahogany, Only When I Laugh, Houseboat, The Misfits, Old Acquaintance.

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