The production of movies in the English language started a hundred years ago, and since then tens of thousands films were produced and screened around the world. Picking up just ten best movies out of thousands is not easy.
I think such a list depends on the taste of the picker. Many thinks the recent movie A BEAUTIFUL MIND starring Russell Crowe is great, while others may pick a different one. Hence the topic itself is controversial. Nevertheless, careful consideration was made with notes on ten best English (Hollywood) movies after seeing the American Film Institute's broadcast on 100 thrilling movies. Unfortunately those notes were lost, and I had to rely on my memory which is not very accurate on certain days, especially on the weekends. Anyway, here it is, according to one man's opinion.
1. GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) David Selznik's classic, starring Clark Gable as Rhet Butler and the newly discovered Vivien Leigh as Scarlett O'Hara. Directed by Victor Flemming and filmed in gorgeous technicolor. The film grossed millions of dollars around the world, and still remain one of the top money makers of all time. The film won several academy awards including best actress for Vivien Leigh.
2. BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) A David Lean Classic, based on a true story of captured British soldiers in a Japanese P.O.W. camp, starring Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins and William Holden. An epic film with location in Sri Lanka. The film won several academy awards including the best actor for Sir Alec Guinness for his brilliant portrayal for the role as Col. Nicholson.
3. AFRICAN QUEEN (1955) John Huston's marvellous film starring Humphrey Bogart and Kate Hepburn. Filmed entirely in Kenya, Tanganyika (Tanzania) and Uganda in gorgeous color. The film received several academy award nominations. One of Huston's best!
4. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. Sergio Leon directed this epic western that became a cult movie. Due to its Italian location, this film is also known as a Spaghetti western, starring Clint Eastwood as Blondie (the Good), Lee Van Cleef (the Bad) and Eli Wallach as Tuco (the Ugly). Eli Wallach's role as the bandit was exceptionally good, he should have nominated for the best supporting actor. The music too was electrifying. One of my favourites!
5. TITANIC. Another epic, this one from James Cameroon and starring Leonardo De Caprio on the title role. One of the most expensive film when completed the production, but they grossed well after the world wide release to the tune of over $500 million. A bit long, but the time pass quickly while watching it for the first time. It also made Canadian singer Celine Dionne a multi millionaire with her touching song. The film won several academy awards for direction, production, script, cinematography, music and other categories. Perhaps the highest box office success for any film made todate.
6. FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) was the second James Bond film made by Alberto Brocoli and Harry Saltzman with Sean Connery as Bond and Robert Shaw as the villain. Filmed on location in Venice, London, Istanbul and Eastern Europe, the film grossed millions in theaters and video sales and catapulted the career of Connery into international stardom.
7. THE GODFATHER. A Francis Ford Coppala classic starring Marlon Brando as Don Corleone, and Al Pacino and James Caan as his sons. A first major film to expose the true mafia, triggering several sequels later on. Brando won the best Actor award for the film, but he refused to accept it on the grounds that the US government's poor treatment towards the local Indians. The film was based on the book by Mario Puzo.
8. GANDHI. An epic from director Richard Attenborough and starring British actor Ben Kingsley in the title role (the producers first approached Sir Alec Guinness for the title role, he refused and suggested to recruit an Indian actor). The film features the life and struggle of Mahatma Gandhi from his early years in South Africa fighting for the rights of Indians in that country to his later arrival in India to end the British colonialism. After the Amristar massacre, the world turned against the British cruelty in India. Faithfully filmed in India with thousands of actors and extras and winning several academy awards including the best actor and best director categories. This also brough much fame to Ben Kingsley. Soon Richard Attenborough was knighted by the Queen of England.
9. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. This great film was the result of several years research and filming by one of Hollywood pioneers Cecil de Mille. Filmed in various locations with exceptional cinematography and script, the movie won several academy awards including best actor for Charlton Heston (Moses). Also starring Edward G. Robinson, John Derek and Yul Brynner.
10. PSYCHO was a masterpiece from Alfred Hitchcock and hailed as the best thriller by the American Motion picture Institute after examining films made in the last 100 years. Starring Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins and Martin Balsam, the film was received with much enthusiasm around the world, triggering several sequels in the next several years. But the first Psycho from Hitchcock remains as the best Psycho.
There we go. It is easy to include several other titles here. Will include ten others as the best runner ups.
- The TIME MACHINE, the original film based on H.G. Wells' book and starring Rod Taylor and Eva Marie Saint.
2. NORTH BY NORTHWEST. Another Hitchcock Mystery starring Cary Grant and James Mason.
3. BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, from the director Geoge Roy Hill, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford.
4. ROBIN HOOD, the original starring Errol Flynn as Robin ans Basil Rathbone as the evil sheriff of Nottingham.
5. WILD GEESE with Richard Burton, Richard Harris , Stewart Granger and Roger Moore. Adventures of British mercenaries in the wilds of Africa.
6. THE MATRIX starring Keanu Reeves. One of the best films to come out with so much electrifying special effects. Grossed over $100 million in box offices and many more in video sales prompting two more sequels. Matrix Reloaded (2003) had already broke all box office records during the first month of its release and Keanu Reeves gave millions of dollars away to the technicians who did the special effects for the series.
7. CAPE FEAR, the original starring Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchum. The sequel starring Robert De Niro was good, but the original was better.
8. The RAINMAN starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman who won another oscar for the best actor category.
9. THE STING starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford and directed by George Roy Hill featuring the exploits of two con men against a powerful underworld figure played by Robert Shaw. Won several awards including the best musical score.
10. THE ODD COUPLE. Based on Simon's broadway play, starring Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon. A well made comedy by the duo resulting in several other films by these two actors including a sequel (The ODD COUPLE 2) made 19 years after the original one.
The SOUND OF MUSIC (Christopher plummer and Julie Andrews), INDIANA JONES & THE LAST CRUSADE (Sean Connery and Harrison Ford ), THE MIDNIGHT RUN (Robert de Niro), THE PIANIST, and Disney's MARY POPPINS and PARENT TRAP also warrants special mention.
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