My 10 Perfect Films

10 Perfect Films
These are not favorites. These are films that are perfect. Flawless in execution. Timeless in appreciation.

Ten Perfect Films:

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). There is only one Robin Hood. And here he is… in tights. Everything on this film clicks. The cast is perfect, from Errol Flynn’s dashing Robin Hood to Ian Hunter’s playfully pompous King Richard. Olivia de Havilland is an educated, compassionate, honorable Maid Marian. Claude Rains is a sniveling Prince John, desperate to seize power from his absent brother, Richard the Lion-Heart. Alan Hale is the definitive Little John, boisterous, brash, and always quick with a joke. And, we cannot forget the gorgeous, smoldering Guy of Gisbourne, Basil Rathbone. He’s evil, jealous, charming, vindictive, and brilliant. The final duel between Robin Hood and Sir Guy is one of cinema’s finest. It’s two hours of lush color, rich costume, splendid music (courtesy of one of the greats, Erich Wolfgang Korngold) and just a movie-watcher’s delight. And, Errol Flynn, can speak with an English accent.

The Wizard of Oz (1939). Isn’t this the film that everyone knows? Come on. What’s not to like? It’s part musical, part action adventure, part fantasy, part allegory, and it’s all Judy Garland! There is not a dull moment in this film. A few years back, this film was released to theaters. My sister and I went to see it. There were only about seven or eight of us in the theater but we all sang along (except for “Over the Rainbow,” which received deserved silence as it is Judy Garland’s standard). This is a perfect film. It’s been seen over and over by millions of people and it never gets old or tired. We all know it by heart. We can recite lyrics on command. If it has been awhile, pop in the DVD and just sit back and watch. Embrace your inner child!

Gone With the Wind (1939). My sister and I will probably disagree on this. In my defense, I can say that she has not watched this film completely from beginning to end. She herself will admit that she has only seen fragments of it. And, I know that there will be some who ask why I think this film is a perfect film. Here’s why: this film did in 1939 in about three hours or so what it took the television miniseries North and South twelve episodes to do. GWTW is one of the best examples of early filmmaking ingenuity there is. It uses visual effects, quick-cut editing techniques, pans, and all the camera tricks we have all grown so used to better than any film prior to its release. The story, while still controversial, focuses on one of the most popular heroines ever created. You’ve heard all the rumors about the great casting call for this film. Bette Davis, Kate Hepburn, Paulette Goddard, Rosalind Russell—these are just some of the names but it took an Indian-born British actress to flesh out Scarlett O’Hara. Vivien Leigh’s performance is what makes this film perfect. She wants Ashley Wilkes and is unstoppable in her machinations to win him, only to realize at long last that she possesses a strength he will never know. She wants to hate Melanie, Ashley’s wife, but Melanie’s simple adoration becomes a source of Scarlett’s power. It’s a film from the Confederate point of view and while some of it is (historically) grossly inaccurate and somewhat offensive, it is a glimpse into the “Southern belle” persona, taking the stereotype and shattering it to a thousand pieces.

The Philadelphia Story (1940). Two words = Cary Grant. One word = delicious. This is the first “romantic comedy.” It’s no wonder other romantic comedies fail in comparison. Kate Hepburn could’ve stopped making films after this and she would still be remembered. Her character, Tracy Lord, is the thoroughly modern woman. She wants independence but she still dreams of romantic love. Her first marriage to C.K. Dexter Haven ended badly. Now, she is determined to marry for security. (Though, in my cynicism, I have to ask “why marry at all?” But that’s just me.) Grant’s Dexter is determined to stop the wedding, because he still loves Tracy. He arranges for struggling writer, Macaulay Connor, to crash the engagement party in hopes of getting something delicious for the gossip columns, something Tracy frowns upon. It’s got all the classic romantic comedy delights: misunderstandings, inappropriate flirtations, and outraged tantrums used to disguise true feelings underneath. The dialogue is crisp, witty, urbane, and just plain fun. This film is just a treat to watch over and over again.

All About Eve (1950). You can watch every film of Bette Davis and know why she was a film star. You can watch Jezebel and Dangerous, the two films for which Miss Davis won her Academy Awards, and see why she won them. But, all you need see is All About Eve to understand why Bette Davis is, and ever shall be, the greatest film star of all time. There is no greater performance than Davis’ Margo Channing. Comical, icy, vulnerable. Anne Baxter’s Eve Harrington is delightfully calculating and deceptively sincere in her admiration for Margo. Even weaker performances by Gary Merrill and Hugh Marlowe cannot overshadow the stunning dialogue of this film. It’s a film fan’s delight.

Sleeping Beauty (1959). As far as I am concerned, this is Walt Disney’s masterpiece. Using the music of Tchaikovsky and pooling variations of the story, this film captures the splendor, romance, and adventure of the fairy tale. The animation style of this film echoes French tapestries. The colors are soft, muted, allowing the story itself to take center stage. The characters are memorable. Briar Rose, our Sleeping Beauty, wants only to find the man of her dreams. She has no idea of her royal duty. The three fairies, Flora, Fauna, and (my personal favorite) Merryweather, are equally humorous and courageous. Prince Phillip gets to be more than just the guy who shows up to save the day with a kiss. And Maleficent. Eleanor Audley voiced two of Disney’s top villains. She voiced the Wicked Stepmother in Cinderella and she brought a touch of elegant evil to Maleficent. In her rage as she pursues the escaping Phillip, her voice reverberates with power even as she calls upon the forces of Hell. (A little Disneyland trivia: Eleanor Audley provided the original voice of Madame “Hurry Back” Leota in the Haunted Mansion ride.)

Psycho (1960). Every horror filmmaker today needs to go back and watch this to see how to make a truly frightening film. This gets what Saw and Hostel don’t. You don’t need to see buckets of blood or people being hacked to pieces to be scary. This is Hitchcock’s masterpiece. The film’s “main” character, Marion Crane, is murdered forty minutes into the film. What begins as a tale of a mild-mannered woman involved with a divorced man who, in a moment of misguided judgment, steals money so she and her lover can run away together. The film ends with one of the greatest psychological profiles ever. It’s gruesome without being exploitative. The killer is outwitted by a woman, Marion’s sister who is concerned over Marion’s sudden disappearance. And, even though she has no screen time whatsoever, it unleashes the frightening character of Norman Bates overbearing, domineering, and controlling mother. And who can forget, “Mother is, what’s the phrase, not quite herself today”?

Young Frankenstein (1974). This is the gold standard of film parodies. Airplane, Hot Shots, Naked Gun, Scary Movie all strive for this kind of perfection. Mel Brooks is no stranger to spoofing other films but somehow, Young Frankenstein goes beyond any of Brooks’ other works. Gene Wilder and Brooks’ screenplay manages to make us laugh while still keeping a bit of that “monster movie” element. Filmed in glorious black and white, it captures the mood of the monster classics and gives the viewer the sense that the film came from another era entirely. The entire cast is spot on, including the late, great Madeline Kahn, who gives one of her best performances in this film. Cloris Leachman as Frau Blucher… and somewhere a horse just whinnied in protest.

Star Wars (Episode IV A New Hope) (1977). You need not see any other Star Wars film to understand this film. You need not see the updated special edition. The original release stands alone as a tale of a young boy flying off to face his destiny. The good guys win. The bad guys get blown up. There are minor hints of romance. There’s spirituality, honor, and decency. It’s the hero’s journey. It introduced one of the most iconic villains of all time. The script, yes, even with all the techno-babble, tells of a longing for adventure and excitement. Lines from this film are oft-quoted with loving reverence to the source material. The music—it is my personal belief that people of my generation started paying attention to film scores because of this film—remains one of the greatest film scores of all time. It is recognizable. It’s ingrained in us. Star Wars changed films forever and left its mark on my generation.

Wo hu cang long aka Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000). Lest anyone think I am a purist who can only find perfection in films made prior to 1980, allow me to offer this cinematic gem. I don’t know why you went to the theater. I know why I did. I had long read about the Wu Xia filmmaking tradition. This is Ang Lee’s take on that style. It’s a love story. It’s a hero’s journey. It’s an adventure tale. It mixes martial arts with philosophy and tackles all those oh-so-human issues of duty, honor, revenge, sacrifice, desire, and retribution. Chow Yun Fat is perfect as Master Li Mu Bai, a warrior who has decided to give up the sword as he has yet to find a worthy pupil. Michelle Yeoh plays Yu Shu Lien, the woman Li Mu Bai loves but will not claim. And Zhang Ziyi portrays the tempestuous Jen Yu (or Jiao Long, if you must watch it dubbed—but why would you?), a spoiled rich kid who decides to steal the legendary Green Destiny Sword, Master Li Mu Bai’s blade. It’s a tale of embracing one’s destiny. The film is gorgeous, fluid, exciting, palpable. The fight scenes are unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The story pulls you in and does not let go until the exquisite end. I dragged my sister to see this film and she ended up enjoying it almost as much as I did. If you haven’t seen it, watch it RIGHT NOW!