Old movies are underrated. I’m not even talking about movies like “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Toy Story” or “The Princess Diaries,” which are well-established as old favorites, but haven’t been around for more than forty years.
No, we’re going WAY back. Like, pre-1975, maybe filmed in black and white and the cast probably isn’t even alive anymore type old.
With the cozy vibes ramping up and the holiday season almost here, it’s the best time to have a movie night. I would love to share my favorite oldies that I recommend for any movie night.
All movies listed here are light and fairly easy to watch. There’s minimal heavy content and are all G or PG rated.
The Sound of Music (1965)
Putting both Disney and Christmas movies in their own separate categories, this is the only musical I enjoy.
Set in Austria in the late 1930s, Julie Andrews plays Maria, a young, spirited nun-in-training. She lands a job outside the abbey, caring for the seven children of ex-sea-Captain Georg von Trapp (played by Christopher Plummer), whose wife has died. The captain can’t be bothered with his children, except for discipline, so it’s Maria who brings music and life back into the house—just before Hitler and the Nazis march into Vienna.
Based on a true story, this movie is another lighthearted gem, with a happy ending, and some of the most iconic songs of all time. Stream on Disney Plus.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
The movie is based on a novel by Truman Capote and is one of my favorites. It stars Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, a very independent and very eccentric young woman living in New York City. When aspiring writer Paul Varjak (played by George Peppard) moves upstairs in the same apartment building, the two build a sweet friendship and quickly discover both are hiding secret lives.
The movie takes some heartbreaking turns throughout its course, but is mostly a nontraditional friends-to-lovers trope. Available to stream on Paramount Plus and YouTube Premium.
Now You See Him, Now You Don’t (1972)
Have you ever wanted to see a young Kurt Russell…invisible? You’ve come to the right place.
Russell stars as Dexter Reilly, a student at a small, underfunded college. He and his friends accidentally invent a chemical that makes whatever it touches invisible. Their problem is keeping the chemical away from money grabbers.
This is the second in a trilogy of films about the character Dexter Reilly, all starring Kurt Russell, and it’s definitely my favorite of the three.
This movie is not on any streaming platforms, but it is available for purchase on Apple TV and Prime Video.
McClintock! (1963)
John Wayne in a Western is such a cliche. That’s OK; cliches make the world spin.
Obviously set in the Wild West, John Wayne plays a wealthy landowner with everything a rancher could ask for. His biggest problem is his hot-tempered wife (played by Maureen O’Hara), who happens to be bent on a divorce, and the fact that she wants to move back east and take their only daughter with them.
It’s a comedy. It’s a Western. It doesn’t take itself very seriously, leaving a very light-hearted feel. Stream on Peacock, or watch for free with the Tubi TV app.
Belles on their Toes (1952)
Based on the true story of the Gilbreth family, here is another heartwarming story that has everything from comedy to romance to drama.
The Gilbreths’ story begins in the movie “Cheaper by the Dozen,” relating the escapades of a family of twelve children growing up in the 1910s and 1920s with a motion study father and an engineer mother. The movies are retellings of the books by the same titles, written by Ernestine Gilbreth Carey and Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Jr., two of the twelve children.
This is probably my favorite of the two movies, detailing the family life (spoiler alert) after the death of their father.
It’s funny, sweet and a wonderful example of family members having one another’s backs (plus the sibling rivalry and pranks that are typical of most brothers and sisters, only multiply it by twelve).
There are hundreds of great movies from past decades that are well worth your time. I love a good oldie, and I feel like they don’t get enough praise. Never overlook the classics when making your movie choice.