OLDIE GOLDIES: The Great Ziegfeld (1936)

Luise Rainer with her Best Actress Oscar

After a long hiatus, "Oldie Goldies" is back again with a look at one of the earliest Best Picture winners "The Great Ziegfeld". This grand musical recounts the life of the ambitious stage producer Florenz Ziegfeld, who went through many ups and downs in his quest to make the most spectacular shows. In addition to Best Picture, the film won Best Actress for Luise Rainer and the now discontinued award for Best Dance Direction. It was also nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Director, Best Editing and Best Original Screenplay. Opinions of the film have soured over the years, but I was thoroughly captivated by its extravagant spectacle and strong performances. The elaborate "A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody" sequence is truly a sight to behold.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Gone With The Wind (1939)

Vivien Leigh with her Best Actress Oscar

"Oldie Goldies" returns with a bang this week, as we shine a spotlight on "Gone With The Wind". This epic film is known for its immaculate production values and stellar cast, especially Vivien Leigh as Scarlett. Her performance is perfectly judged, nailing the role's self-involved superficiality while also giving it incredible nuance. It's truly one of the greatest female characters and performances of all time. It's no surprise that the film was hugely successful at the Oscars, winning in 8 categories - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel), Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction and Best Editing. It was also nominated for Best Actor (Clark Gable), Best Supporting Actress (Olivia de Havilland), Best Sound, Best Special Effects and Best Original Score.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

The first Oldie Goldies post for 2014 is the classic war film "All Quiet on the Western Front". This impressive production follows a group of young German soldiers as they experience the horrors of World War I. With its astonishing direction and writing, it remains one of the most convincing anti-war statements ever put on film. It perfectly captures the madness and dread that accompanies the front line. The Academy was certainly impressed, awarding the film for Best Picture and Best Director, in addition to other deserved nods for Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Room At The Top (1959)

Simone Signoret receives her Best Actress Oscar

This week's featured film is Jack Clayton's impressive debut feature "Room at the Top". This British film is about an ambitious working class man who schemes to wed a beautiful upper-class young girl, all while getting entangled in a love affair with an older woman. As you can probably tell, it has elements of kitschy melodrama but this smart screenplay keeps it grounded. The script has such a rare openness about sexuality, especially for a pre-1960 film. In addition to the writing, the highlight is the alluring performance of Simone Signoret as the older woman. She deservedly won Best Actress at the Oscars (in addition to an equally deserved Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay) and the film was also nominated for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director and Best Picture.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: A Face In The Crowd (1957)

This week on Oldie Goldies I looked at one of the many great films by Elia Kazan - "A Face in the Crowd". This rags to riches story follows the rise of a charismatic everyman who becomes an overnight media sensation. It makes for a thoroughly compelling film, as the potent screenplay brilliantly shows the power that comes with fame and celebrity. It's so timeless that you could easily adapt it to a contemporary setting without changing a thing.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Sunset Blvd. (1950)

This week on Oldie Goldies I highlight one of the best movies about the movies - "Sunset Blvd.". Similar to its thematic sibling of the year ("All About Eve"), the film centers largely on an aging actress desperately trying to hold on to her fame. Playing that role here is the striking Gloria Swanson, who does justice to this plum role. The film surrounding her is equally as riveting, from the brilliant screenplay to the haunting art direction and cinematography. The AMPAS certainly agreed, awarding the film with 3 Oscars (Best Writing, Best Art Direction, Best Score) in addition to nominations for: Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Actress, Best Actor and Best Picture.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Sweet Smell of Success (1957)

This week's Oldie Goldies pick is 1957's "Sweet Smell of Success". This film tells the story of a Broadway columnist and his efforts to break up his sister's romance with a musician, with the help of a press agent. On the surface, the plot seems trivial (by film-noir standards), but its sly undercurrents reveal a brilliant screenplay at work. It's also stylishly directed with rock solid acting from the entire cast.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: The Grand Illusion (1937)

This week's Oldie Goldies pick is a quintessential prison drama - Jean Renoir's "The Grand Illusion". Recounting the World War I tale of French prisoners of war and their risky escape, it almost seems ahead of its time. Maybe I'm wrong, but many contemporary films seem to hint towards this benchmark film, from "The Pianist" to "The Shawshank Redemption". This is one of the few foreign language films to get a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars (curiously, it was the film's only nod).

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OLDIE GOLDIES: The Philadelphia Story (1940)

James Stewart with his Best Actor Oscar

"Oldie Goldies" is back after a long hiatus and this week I'll be looking at the 1940 George Cukor film "The Philadelphia Story". This romantic comedy is about a rich woman (Katharine Hepburn) who gets entangled with a trio of men on the eve of her remarriage. It features a starry cast who all give radiant performances, especially Hepburn. It went on to receive considerable attention at the Oscars with 4 nominations (Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Picture) and 2 wins (Best Actor and Best Screenplay).

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Shane (1953)

This week on Oldie Goldies I highlight a classic Western - "Shane". This heartfelt film tells the story of a community of homesteaders struggling to protect their homes and land from a tyrannical rancher. The title character is a mysterious man who comes to help one family in particular. Although its production values may seem dated now, this is a solid adaptation of a deceptively complex novel. The film went on to earn 6 Oscar nominations, winning Best Cinematography alongside nods for Best Screenplay, Best Director, Best Picture and 2 nods for Best Supporting Actor (Brandon De Wilde and Jack Palance).

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Anatomy Of A Murder (1959)

With Hit me with your best shot going on hiatus for June, I will be bringing some new Oldie Goldies posts for the rest of the month. The first film I would like to profile is the fascinating courtroom drama "Anatomy of a Murder". This film depicts a rape trial and is one of the most thorough and insightful portrayals of the judicial process. Coupled with sterling performances from its cast, this film is both informative and entertaining. It picked up 7 Oscar nominations - Best Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Picture and a pair of Supporting Actor nods for Arthur O'Connell and George C. Scott.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Stagecoach (1939)

I've been neglecting "Oldie Goldies" lately and for that I must apologize. Have no fear though, we're back this week with the throwback John Ford Western "Stagecoach". This film felt a bit too frivolous in certain places, but the superb direction more than makes up for any minor shortcomings in the writing. In particular there's a shootout scene towards the end that is simply spectacular. The film won 2 Oscars (Best Supporting Actor and Best Music) in addition to its other well-deserved nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Director and most importantly, Best Picture.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: From Here To Eternity (1953)

Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed with their Oscars

On this edition of Oldie Goldies, I look at an iconic film (that beach scene) from 1953 - From Here To Eternity. This drama/romance/war film features a phenomenal cast who deliver all the depth of the equally fantastic script. All 5 of the principal players (Frank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed) were duly acknowledged at the Oscars, as the film was a major awards player. It picked up 8 trophies (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Sound and Best Screenplay) in addition to 5 other nominations - Best Score, Best Costume Design, Best Actress and a pair of Best Actor nods for Burt Lancaster and Montgomery Clift.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Marty (1955)

Ernest Borgnine receives his Best Actor Oscar

Oldie Goldies is back and we're kicking off 2013 with a sweet little film called "Marty". This is one of the most heartfelt films I've ever seen. Ernest Borgnine and Betsy Blair are so endearing as 2 misfits who find love. On first glance it's a simple story, but it actually makes some astute observations about mother-son relationships and marriage while also reminding us of the extremely patriarchal society of the 1950s. This film was a big hit at the Oscars, winning 4 awards (Best Actor, Best Director, Best Picture and Best Screenplay). It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: The 39 Steps (1935)

Alfred Hitchcock made many great films in his lifetime and one of them is this week's Oldie Goldies selection - "The 39 Steps". This classic thriller features all of the trademark Hitchcockian plot elements we have come to love (scenes on a train, mistaken identities etc). It's filled with lots of twists and turns, resulting in a very entertaining film.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

This week's Oldie Goldies choice is an iconic silent film - "The Passion of Joan of Arc". This chilling film really puts the "dark" in the Dark Ages! Mario Falconetti is devastating as the title character, giving one of the most accomplished acting performances of all time. She proves that silent acting can be equally as powerful and expressive as the modern spoken form.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)

This week's Oldie Goldies selection is the classic Cary Grant film "Arsenic and Old Lace". This wickedly funny comedy really shows the authentic movie star quality of Cary Grant in his prime. The film really shines when he is on screen.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Rashômon (1950)

This week on Oldie Goldies I bring you another impressive Kurosawa film - "Rashômon". This mesmerizing film tells a fascinating story that deeply explores the complex nature of human psychology. Centered around the aftermath of a disturbing murder, it brings up a plethora of issues such as guilt, pride and jealousy. All of this is probed in a brisk 88 minutes, reeling you in from start to finish. This extraordinary film earned an unexpected Oscar nomination for Best Art Direction, in addition to its Oscar win for Best Foreign Language Film.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: The Night Of The Hunter (1955)

This week on Oldie Goldies I bring you the 1955 classic - "The Night of the Hunter". This film tells the gripping story of a religious fanatic (played superbly by Robert Mitchum) who relentlessly hounds 2 children for $10,000 that their deceased father had stolen. It's quite a remarkable film from every aspect (cinematography, acting, screenplay) and I was shocked to find out that it never got any Oscar love.

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OLDIE GOLDIES: Stalag 17 (1953)

William Holden with his Best Actor Oscar

Every time I watch a Billy Wilder I'm always amazed by his story-telling and that was certainly the case with this week's Oldie Goldies film "Stalag 17". This is a great tale of courage and the power of community in a time of great duress. Even though it's a World War II film, it's also quite hilarious with its great ensemble cast. The film won an Oscar for Best Actor, along with 2 other well-deserved nominations for Best Director and Best Supporting Actor.

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