Best 5 Movies Starring ...

John Wayne

Be sure to see these movies starring the big guy.

• Blood Alley (1955): Good story, interesting location shots, and Lauren Becall.
• Donovan's Reef (1963): Christmas in the South Pacific. Good story, with humor and Dorothy Lamour.
• McLintock! 1963): with Maureen O'Hara, but both a little more mature than The Quiet Man. Great chase.
• Hatari! (1962): catching animals in Africa for zoos. Good story, humor and ostriches.
• Big Jake (1971): Western about the time when horses and revolvers were being replaced by automobiles and automatic handguns.
• El Dorado (1967): James Caan spouting poetry and JW save the day, and the town, and everything else.
• Hell Fighters (1968): oil well fire fighters. Good story.
• The War Wagon (19670: Kirk Douglas, precious.
• Sons of Katy Elder (1965): Extra good story.
• The Comancheros (1961): JW as a Texas Ranger. Another good story.
• The Horse Soldiers (1959): The Civil War, but a good movie anyway.

Jimmy Stewart

Mr. America (not the muscle-bound one)

• Harvey (1950): The ultimate eccentric movie, star, story.
• Rear Window (1954): great mystery.
• The Man Who Knew Too Much (1958): Alfred Hitchcock's second stab at this story, and Jimmy Stewart does a good job.
• Bell, Book and Candle (1958): comedy about witches in New York.
• The Cheyenne Social Club (1970): comedy with Jimmie Stewart and Henry Fonda.

Cary Grant

The ultimate good looking movie star.

• Holiday (1938): with Katherine Hepburn and better than Bringing Up Baby as far as I am concerned.
• The Philadelphia Story (1940): Katherine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart in a secondary role.
• Arsenic and Old Lace (1944): comedy tonight.
• To Catch a Thief (1956): Cary Grant, Grace Kelly and Monaco. No more needed.
• Father Goose (1964): war flick about the coast watchers in the South Pacific (true) and one man's involvement with a pelican, French diplomat and seven girls.
• Charade (1963): If you can only have one Cary Grant movie, take this one.
• others:
  Walk, Don't Run
  That Touch of Mink
  North by Northwest
  Operation Petticoat
  Houseboat
  People Will Talk (offbeat movie ends with CG conducting an orchestra, and humming along)

Katherine Hepburn

One of the great talents of Hollywood.

• Desk Set: Christmas in New York and the company library.
• The Philadelphia Story (1940): Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart, a swimming pool and a society wedding.
• Holiday (1938): Cary Grant again. Fun.
• Summertime (1955): Venice.

Audrey Hepburn

A beautiful lady with an impressive list of good movies.

• Roman Holiday (1953): her second movie and a winner.
• Sabrina (1954): called a musical because there is a theme song, but really just a fun movie.
• Love in the Afternoon (1957): this movie convinced me that Gary Cooper was sexy, and Audrey did it.
• Funny Face (1957): a real musical with Fred Astair.
• Charade (1963): probably her best drama/mystery/comedy movie.

Richard Burton

Great Dramatic Actor

• Becket (1964): if you are gong to watch only one Middle Ages movie, make it this one. It demonstrates the conflict between the Catholic Church and the King of England even though it does take a few liberties in the details.
• Where Eagles Dare (1968): a really good WWII movie and mystery.
• Anne of a Thousand Days (1969): more history of England.
• Cleopatra (1963): a favorite costume drama. Just watch the costumes and sets, and the parade, nevermind the rest.

Fred Astaire

The Dancing Man

• Funny Face (1957): New York and Paris, and Audrey Hepburn
• Daddy Long Legs (1955): Leslie Caron, music and dancing.
• The Gay Divorcee (1934): OK, one movie with Ginger Rogers. A case of mistaken identity, and Wilfrid Hyde White also.
• Silk Stockings (1957): Cyd Cherisse, music by Cole Porter, dancing. Much fun.

Gary Cooper

Known for his western persona, I prefer his European incarnation.

• Bluebeard's Eighth Wife (1938): a man that loves a woman until he marries her, and then he doesn't. See the smart one catch him for good.
• Love in the Afternoon (1957): Audrey Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier and a gypsy band capture the man who loves 'em and leaves 'em.

Mathew Broderick

His best, so far. More good stuff is expected.

• Ladyhawke (1985): pseudo-Middle Ages tale of love and betrayal. Michelle Pfeiffer and Rutger Hauer as well. Worth your time.
• The Freshman (1990): great spoof on "The Godfather", with Marlon Brando, and a live Komodo dragon.
• Godzilla (1998): the best Godzilla movie ever (which is not hard) and a good movie in general.
• WarGames (1983): the first and still worth watching. But he is so young.

Humphry Bogart

Well known gruff.

• The Left Hand of God (1955): Bogy in China, pardon Lee J Cobb as the local warlord.
• We're No Angels (1955): Comedy.
• Sabrina (1954): Humphrey as an industrial tycoon trying to keep William Holden from marrying the chauffeur's daughter. Remade in 1995 with Harrison Ford playing this part, which was good, but see the original.
• Dark Passage (1947): interesting man with a new face movie, worth watching.

Peter O'Toole

• Lawrence of Arabia (1962): learn about the politics of the Middle East, WWI and Omar Sharif.
• Becket (1964): Mr. O'Toole is an excellent foil against Richard Burton.
• How to Steal a Million (1966): museum theft caper, but fun.
• My Favorite Year (1982): the best use of the 1812 overture in filmdom.
• King Ralph (1991): Mr. O'Toole tries to groom an American into an English king.

Henry Fonda

Mostly starring in dramatic or western films, but occasionally in something different.

• Sex and the Single Girl (1964): Mr. Fonda is a hosery manufacturer.
• A Big Hand for a Little Lady: western that builds up to a real surprise ending.
• The Cheyenne Social Club (1970): partner of Jimmy Stewart who follows him to Cheyenne.
• In Harm's Way (1965): really good WWII Pacific theater movie with a hoard of starts included.

Leslie Howard

Forget the wuss of "Gone With the Wind".

• The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934): you have to see this one. It will make you a fan of Leslie Howard.
• Pygmalion (1938): non-musical version of "My Fair Lady".

Clint Eastwood

I love "Squint with Clint" week.

• Two Mules For Sister Sara (1970): I judge movie rating books based on their rating of this movie.
• Paint Your Wagon (1969): Clint sings!
• Pink Cadillac (1989): See Clint with a mustache.
• Kelly's Heros (1970): WWII.
• City Heat (1984): The Roaring Twenties live again.

Tim Robbins

A great dramatic actor, but try these films also.

• The Hudsucker Proxy (1993): With Paul Newman. Sure, sure.
• Eric the Viking (1989): Saved from a fate worth than death.
• I. Q. (1994): Albert Einstein returns.

Julia Roberts

Everything she does is worth watching, but I like these the best.

• I Love Trouble (1994): with Nick Nolte.
• Something to Talk About (1995): don't miss the Junior League meeting.
• My Best Friend's Wedding (1997): no surprise this is on my list, or anyone's.
• Conspiracy Theory (1997): with Mel Gibson. Two that cannot lose.

Sandra Bullock

Comedic actor of the first water.

• While You Were Sleeping (1995): my new favorite Christmas movie.
• Miss Congeniality (2000): if only the FBI had a sense of humor.
• Demolition Man (1993): as an eternal ingenue. What a world that would be.

Rock Hudson

Oh, so good looking.

• Man's Favorite Sport (1963): man's favorite sport turns out to be fishing.
• Pillow Talk (1959): with an ingenious technique for intimate scenes that got past the film censorship board of 1959.
• The Mirror Crack'd (1980): Made from an Agatha Christi story, well done.
• Send Me No Flowers (1964): Rock finding his wife her second husband.
• The Undefeated (1969): a western with southern accents.

Rutger Hauer

He is always memorable.

• Blade Runner (1984): dark movie, but good acting.
• LadyHawke (1985): a love story in medieval times.
• Buffy the Vampire Killer (1992): scary as usual, bad guy again.

Kirk Douglas

Dimple? What dimple?

• The War Wagon ((1967): heist movie with stagecoaches and horses.
• The List of Adrian Messenger (1963): seldom broadcast but excellent mystery, with a dozen well-known actors you will not recognize. Stick around for the unveiling at the end of the movie.
• The Devil's Disciple (1959): a different look at the Revolutionary War.
• The Vikings (1958): costume drama set in old Scandinavia.
• The Villain (1979): over the top western comedy.

Dean Martin

Mostly sober.

• Rio Bravo (1959): great western.
• Texas Across The River (1966): comedy western with Joey Bishop as an Indian.
• Five Card Stud (1968): western mystery.
• Bells Are Ringing (1960): New York City for a change.
• The Sons of Katie Elder (1965): western again, but a good one.

William Holden

Prolific and talented.

• The Horse Soldiers (1959): Civil War raid of a Northern force into Dixie. I don't usually do Civil War movies, but this one is interesting.
• Sunset Boulevard (1950): The results of taking the easy way out. It never ends well, in this case, in a pool.
• Sabrina (1954): Mr. Holden is blond and irresponsible, but quite irresistible as well.
• The Devil's Brigade (1968): WWII, but with Canadians.
• Born Yesterday (1950): playing against Billie Holiday, as an intellectual.
• The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957): an unforgetable movie.
• Stalag 17 (1953): WWII prisoner of war camp, with no Hogan's Heros or Sargent Schultz. Powerful acting with a good script from a riveting book.
• S. O. B. (1981): and for the final call, a comedy about how movies are made. Warning: this is an adult movie, for language, adult situations, nudity, and general lack of propriety. But probably closer to the truth than we know.

James Garner

Tall, dark and good looking.

• Cash McCall (1960): financial comedy, which might not be so funny just now, but a nice movie.
• The Wheeler Dealer's (1963): similar to Cash McCall, but with scratchy art.
• Support Your Local Gunfighter (1971): what some people will do to get out of a marriage.
• Support Your Local Sheriff (1969): He never did get to Australia.
• Victor/Victoria (1982): if alternate life styles bother you, do NOT watch this movie, because you will not find it funny. Everyone else, get ready to laugh.
• Maverick (1994): Brett Maverick from TV turns up as someone else in the latest Maverick movie. Go figure.

Yul Brynner

Who says you have to have hair to look good?

• The Magnificant Seven (1960): The gathering of the seven is the best part of the movie for Mr. Brenner, but watch the whole movie for all of the cats.
• The King and I (1956): the quintessential king.
• Anastasia (1956): Mr. Brenner plays a Russian very well, given his exotic appearance.
• Taras Bulba (1962): Mr. Brenner as a Cossack, n a movie about a time which we hear little of. No doubt liberties have been taken with the facts, but the overall situation is historical.

Katherine Hepburn

Enormous talent with a wide variety of film types.

• Summertime (1955): swimming in Venice.
• Desk Set (1957): research department or computer, you decide.
• The Philadelphia Story (1940): a great cast performing beautifully with a good script. Love in the upper classes.
• Holiday (1938): good early film. Happy New Year.

Walter Matthau

A face only a mother could love, but what talent.

• A New Leaf (1971): can the useless spendthrift catch a marriageable heiress to save his way of life?
• First Monday in October (1981): a crotchety Supreme Court Judge.
• I. Q. (1994): can you say Albert Einstein?
• Hopscotch (1980): great spy flick.
• Charade (1963): great thriller set mostly in Paris.

Gene Wilder

With that hair, comedy is the only way to go.

• Young Frankenstein (1974): even if he had no other credits to his name, this movie would keep him in the minds of movie-goers forever.
• Silver Streak (1976): romantic comedy.
• Blazing Saddles (1974): how to describe this movie?
• Murder in a Small Town (1999): Mr. WIlder in a trench coat, solving mysteries, and good at it.