griggs's - Roger Ebert's Great Movies List

Show moreShow less

Opening with a shot of an x-ray, showing the main character's stomach, 'Ikiru' tells the tale of a dedicated, downtrodden civil servant who, diagnosed with a fatal cancer, learns to change his dull, unfulfilled existence, and suddenly discovers a zest for life.

Plunging first into self-pity, then a bout of hedonistic pleasure-seeking on the frenetic streets of post-war Tokyo, Watanable (Takashi Shimura) - the film's hero - finally finds satisfaction through building a children's playground.

Show moreShow less

Humphrey Bogart stars as Dixon Steele, a screenwriter who is faced with the odious task of scripting a trashy best-seller. He enlists hat-check girl Mildred Atkinson to tell him the story in her own words.

Later that night, Mildred is murdered and Steele is a prime suspect; his record of belligerence when angry and his macabre sense of humour implicate him. Fortunately, lovely neighbour Laurel Gray (Gloria Grahame) gives him an alibi. Laurel proves to be just what Steele needed. and their friendship ripens into love. m Will suspicion, doubt, and Steele's inner demons come between them?

Show moreShow less

In Cold Blood is the powerful, true story of a callous murder, based upon the best-selling novel by Truman Capote. A prosperous and respected Kansas farmer, his wife and his two teenage children are wantonly and brutally slaughtered.

The murderers are two mindless ex-convict drifters: Perry Smith and Dick Hickock. The story penetrates the inner workings of the criminals' minds as it follows their purposeless meanderings through Mexico and the United States in evasion of the law and finally to the dramatic end of their journey.

Show moreShow less

The controversial subject of evolution versus creation causes two polar opposites to engage in one explosive battle of beliefs.

Attorney Henry Drummond (Spencer Tracy) faces off against fundamentalist leader Matthew Harrison Brady (Frederic March) in a small Tennessee town where a teacher has been brought to trial for teaching Darwinism. Let the trial begin...and watch the sparks fly!

Show moreShow less

George Bailey (James Stewart) has spent his entire life in the small town of Bedford Falls.

Despite his yearning to see the world, George has always sacrificed his personal ambitions for the sake of his family and the local community, settling down to marry his childhood sweetheart, Mary (Donna Reed), and raise a family. However, when a huge amount of money goes missing from the savings and loans company he panics and finds himself preparing to commit suicide. However, he is shown the error of this idea by Clarence (Henry Travers), an angel who has been sent to Earth in order to earn his wings. To this end, Clarence shows George just how badly Bedford Falls and its residents would have turned out had he never been born.

Show moreShow less

Before his birth in 1530, many omens were observed and many prophecies made about the child to be born to the second wife of Vasily III as he was to be descended from generations in conflict and, to aid these predictions, he was born in the middle of a thunderstorm.

Ivan (Nikolay Cherkasov) had Greek origins although his mother was from the line of Khan Mamay of the Golden Horde and his father, Vasily III, was descended from one of the Khan's enemies, Dmitry Donskoy. On hearing of his birth, the wife of the Khan of Kazan is reported to have said, "A Tsar is born among you; two teeth has he. With one he will devour us. But with the other, you". Ivan became Tsar (from the word 'Caesar') at the age of three, although power was held by regents who were named by Ivan's father on his deathbed. Ivan and his brother were treated like princes in public but, when not in public, treated harshly. As a result to this, Ivan began to treat others badly too, torturing animals, running down peasants with his horse; thus learning this cruel side of ruling at an early age. The story begins with Ivan's coronation at the age of sixteen. One month later, contrary to custom that demanded he marry a foreign princess, he marries Anastasia (Lyudmila Tselikovskaya), a Russian girl from the Romanov family - much to the distaste of the establishment. Influenced by the Metropolitan of Moscow and his good friend the chamberlain Alexi Adashev, Ivan institutes many reforms to the legal code, the church and the military. The nobles try to overthrow him but without success and he destroys the Mogul's centuries-old power base. He then seeks to break the coalitions of neighbouring states that are cutting off Moscow's maritime access to the West. Ivan then decides to expand his power eastward and, in 1552, with 100,000 men and 150 cannon he advances on Kazan. The gateway to the Urals and Siberia was taken after months of fighting although Ivan does not advance further east. Ivan becomes ill in 1553 and is told that he will die. He tries to force the boyars, who are headed by his aunt Euphrosinia (Serafima Birman), swear allegiance to his son who is not yet one year old, but they refuse. This outrages Ivan. In 1560, during a period of consolidation of power against the boyars, Anastasia is poisoned. This causes Ivan to retreat to an estate outside Moscow and threaten to abdicate. A mass delegation from the city arrives to beg him to return. This is the decisive moment for Ivan - now he can achieve full power.

Show moreShow less

In 1564, Ivan (Nikolay Cherkasov) suddenly changed his methods of ruling and moved his family to his estate at Uglich outside Moscow. As a result of the pilgrimage to this country retreat by the populous of Moscow, Ivan is persuaded to return to the city.

Taking advantage of this mass support, he now has the backing to make his rule more powerful and decisive than ever. The boyars were forced to to accept some drastic changes including the formation of two different governments in Russia so that Ivan could be in control of his land. He develops his own secret police force, the Oprichinks, who became his main instrument of terror and assisted him by obtaining undercover information and also doing his evil bidding exacting a terrible revenge on the aristocracy. After learning that Anastasia was probably poisoned by his aunt Euphrosinia (Serafima Birman) who was in league with the boyars and the nobles whoa re all opposed to Ivan, the Polish king (Pavel Massalsky) is about to launch his attack on Russia. A titanic struggle ensues with Ivan managing to quell this aggression and subdue the boyars. He then is able to address his attention towards the foreign enemies of Russia and seeks support from various friends and associates. The complex story is full of intrigue, high level political in-fighting, family resentment and suspicion, an assassination plot, executions and murder in the cathedral.

Show moreShow less

When the seaside community of Amity finds itself under attack by a dangerous great white shark, the town's chief of police (Roy Scheider), a young marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a grizzled shark hunter (Robert Shaw) embark on a desperate quest to destroy the beast before it strikes again.

Featuring an unforgettable score that evokes pure terror, 'Jaws' remains one of the most influential and gripping adventures in motion picture history.

Upon examining the Warren Commission report on President Kennedy's assassination, New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison (Kevin Costner) suspects that there is more to the story than the public is being told.

Show moreShow less

Joan Crawford plays Vienna, a saloon owner with a sordid past. Persecuted by the townspeople, Vienna must protect her life and her property when a lynch mob led by her sexually repressed rival, Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), attempts to frame her for a string of robberies she did not commit.

Enter Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden), a guitar-strumming ex-gunfighter who has a history with Vienna.

Show moreShow less

Spanning two decades at the start of the 20th century, "Jules and Jim" follows the lives of two inseparable friends - timid German, Jules (Oskar Werner), and gregarious Parisian, Jim (Henri Serre) - and their shared love of the beautiful, capricious Catherine, played in mesmerising, luminous style

by Jeanne Moreau. Overcoming the destructive rift of World War I the trio create a new life for themselves, away from the structures imposed by society. But as the idyllic menage a trois begins to succumb to jealousy and rivalry their idealised existence finds itself slowly buckling under pressure. Frequently hailed as one of the greatest films ever made, "Jules and Jim" is a dazzling, boldly original tale of love, friendship and the vagaries of history that combines romance, comedy and tragedy in breathtaking, near-perfect dramatic harmony.

Show moreShow less

Giulietta Masina gives a superb performance as the bored, timid, frumpy and ultimately unfilled housewife who suspects her husband is being unfaithful.

In an effort to escape the hurtful reality of her situation she enters a surreal fantasy world of her own by conjuring up spirits who lead her into a world a world of sensual pleasure. The images that Fellini creates become more and more dazzling and hypnotic in their effect. Much of the fantasy involves Juliet's fabulously outgoing and sexually liberated neighbour Suzy, but are they part of plot or is Fellini exploring his own desires?

Show moreShow less

Killer Of Sheep is an undisputed masterpiece of African-American filmmaking and one of the most poetic, perceptive dramas ever made about family and community.

This acclaimed tale of a disillusioned slaughterhouse worker-and the solace to be found in the simplest moments of life-is tender, witty, and affectionate. With lovely neorealist photography - capturing the long, hot days of 1970s Los Angeles - and a gorgeous blues soundtrack (Dinah Washington, Paul Robeson and Little Walter all feature) the film has a quiet emotional power.

Show moreShow less

When ex-con Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) says he has a plan to make a killing, everybody want to be in on the action. Especially when the plan is to steal $2 million in a racetrack robbery scheme in which "no one will get hurt".

But despite all their careful plotting, Clay and his men have overlooked on thing: Sherry Peatty (Marie Windsor), a money-hungry, double-crossing dame who's planning to make a financial killing of her own...even if she has to wipe out Clay's entire gang to do it!

Show moreShow less

Louis Mazzini's mother belongs to the aristocratic family D'Ascoyne, but she ran away with an opera singer. Therefore, she and Louis (Dennis Price) were rejected by the D'Ascoynes. Once adult, Louis decides to avenges his mother and him, by becoming the next Duke (Alec Guinness) of the family.

Murdering every potential successor is clearly the safest way to achieve his goal.