griggs's - 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die List

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A two-fisted adventure tale set in South America, feature stars Cary Grant as the tough-talking head of an air-freight service operating in the dangerous Andes Mountains. Jean Arthur co-stars as a vacationing showgirl competing with Rita Hayworth for Grant's affections.

A potent combination of humor, romance and action...

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Set in a five-story guesthouse in the middle of a Parisian working class neighbourhood, "Daybreak" opens on the top floor of the building with shouts and a gunshot. A door opens and the body of a man tumbles down the stairs.

As the police start to besiege the building and a crowd gathers, the killer, Francois (Jean Gabin), flees the crime scene and locks himself in his room. After failing to shoot their way into his room the police climb on top of the roof, and Francois, starts to recall previous events... His love for Frangoise (Jacqueline Laurent), the beautiful florist, and her love for Valentin (Jules Berry), the attractive dog trainer. Also starring the renowned Arletty as Clara, Valentin's assistant and suggested lover.

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Denigrated by the public, vilified by the critics, re-cut at the insistence of its producers, and finally banned by the French government as 'demoralising' and unpatriotic, La Regle du jeu was a commercial disaster at the time of its original release.

On the surface, a series of interlinked romantic intrigues taking place at a weekend shooting party in a country chateau, the film is in fact a study of the corruption and decay within French society on the eve of the outbreak of World War II.

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This charming animated version of L. Frank Baum's classic will delight even the youngest child. When Dorothy and her dog, Toto, are whisked away from their home in Kansas, they find themselves in the strange and magical land of Oz.

While on her journey to find the Wizard, hoping he will help her to return home, Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. They accompanyher to the Emerald City. When they arrive, however the Wizard refuses to help them unless Dorothy destroys the Wicked Witch of the West.

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When Kikunosuke (Shôtarô Hanayagi), the son of a famous actor, falls in love with his brother’s nurse, Otoku (Kakuko Mori), his father vehemently opposes the affair.

Forced to cut ties with his family, Kikunosuke forges his own way in life, but his fortunes dwindle until Otoku decides to sacrifice her own future for the sake of her lover’s. Finding Mizoguchi operating at the height of his powers, 'The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums’ is a beautifully photographed and deeply moving romantic tragedy.

James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Claude Rains star in this award-winning 1939 classic about an idealistic, small-town politician who heads to Washington and suddenly finds himself single-handedly battling ruthless politicians out to destroy him.

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Garbo Talks!, proclaimed ads when silent star Greta Garbo debuted in talkies. Nine years and 12 classic screen dramas later, the gifted movie legend was ready for another change.

Garbo Laughs!, cheered the publicity for her first comedy, a frothy tale of a dour Russian envoy sublimating her womanhood for Soviet brotherhood until she falls for a suave Parisian man-about-town (Melvyn Douglas). Working from a cleverly barbed script written in party by Billy Wilder, director Ernst Lubitsch knew better than anyone how to marry refinement with sublime wit. "At least twice a day the most dignified human being is ridiculous", he explained about his acclaimed Lubitsch Touch. That’s how we see Garbo’s lovestruct Ninotchka: serenely dignified yet endearingly ridiculous. Garbo laughs. So will you.

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Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart ride high in this superb comedic western, both a boisterous spoof and a shining example of its genre.

As the brawling, rough-and-tumble saloon singer Frenchy, Dietrich shed her exotic love-goddess image and launched a triumphant career comeback, while Stewart cemented his amiable every-man persona, in his first of many westerns, with a charming turn as a gun-abhorring deputy sheriff who uses his wits to bring law and order to the frontier town of Bottleneck. A sparkling script, a supporting cast of virtuoso character actors, and rollicking musical numbers - delivered with unmatched bravado by the magnetic Dietrich - come together to create an irresistible, oft-imitated marvel of studio-era craftsmanship.

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Epic romantic drama based on Margaret Mitchell's Pulitzer-winning novel set during the American Civil War. Southern belle Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) often uses men to get what she wants, but is unable to get the one man she truly desires, Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard).

She soon meets her match in the roguish Captain Rhett Butler (Clark Gable) and in the war itself which destroys the genteel way of life she has always known. With determination she rebuilds her life from the shattered remains the Union Army leaves behind.

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Chicago Morning Post editor Walter Burns (Cary Grant) is about to lose his ace reporter and former wife Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell) to Bruce Baldwin (Ralph Bellamy).

Then a late breaking story involving the impending execution of an anarchist who escapes and is hidden from the police by the former husband and wife throws the pair together once again.

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Walt Disney's beloved classic Pinocchio reminds us all that dreams really do come true...

and never more brilliantly than in this restored and remastered Special Edition of the timeless tale that makes every Disney collection complete! It is the little wooden puppet's greatest wish to become a real boy. But first he must prove himself worthy, so with the help of his Cricket conscience, Jiminy, Pinocchio promises to be brave, loyal and honest. Unfortunately, when he breaks his promises and his nose begins to grow and grow and grow - it leads to a challenging test of his true character.

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Following a prison term he served for manslaughter, Tom Joad (Henry Fonda) returns to find his family homestead overwhelmed by the weather and the greed of the banking industry.

With little work potential on the horizon of Oklahoma dust bowls, the entire family packs up heads for the promised land - California. But the arduous trip and harsh living conditions they encounter offer little hope, and family unity proves as daunting a challenge as any other they face.

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Whilst on holiday, young timid ladies companion (Joan Fontaine) meets handsome and wealthy widower Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) whose wife Rebecca has recently died in a boating accident. The two fall in love and marry.

However, her joy is short lived when she returns to the de Winter estate and soon discovers that Rebecca still has a strange, unearthly hold over everyone there.

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University professor Victor Roth (Frank Morgan) leads a contented life with family and friends in the south German Alps of 1933. This changes quickly and dramatically once Adolf Hitler comes to power.

Most of the town embraces the new creed while a few friends such as Martin Breitner (James Stewart) do not. Victor himself is 'non-Aryan' and his two step-sons soon leave his house, while his loyal daughter Freya (Margaret Sullavan) breaks her engagement from Nazi-inclined Fritz (Robert Young). Against increasing difficulties an attachment between Freya and Martin starts to grow.

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Never before have music and movie magic been blended to create such an exhilarating sight and sound experience.

The special wonder of Mickey Mouse as the mischievous Sorcerer s Apprentice, the breathtaking beauty of mythical lady centaurs, winged fairies and cascading snowflakes, the pure fun of hippos in tutus performing the most hilarious ballet ever! These images, familiar and beloved by generations of moviegoers all over the world, can now be enjoyed again and again in this timeless original. See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and experience the excitement that is Walt Disney's innovative Fantasia!