Old Movies, Vintage Movies Classic Movies, Beginning with the letter A part 1 of 2 Review

Classic, Great, Older Movies worth savoring, watching, and remembering.  My series of great movies that you might not have seen is coming to a close. A through Z listings. 

The A list.  Great movies beginning with the letter A  you should see or watch again!!!   (part 1 of 2)

Annie Hall (1977) directed by Woody Allen

Witty, warm, incredibly innovative and influential semi-autobiographical love story. One of Woody's finest  with a wonderful Diane Keaton performance.  Her self-styled fashions in the film influenced millions!!!!

 Ashes and Diamonds (1958), aka Popiol i Diament, Poland, directed by Andrzej Wajda
This is one of the most beloved films of Eastern Europe and its star Zbigniew Cybulski was the European James Dean who wound up dying 9 years later. A polish resistant fighter tries to find love with a good woman, assassinates the wrong man and questions the meaning of it all as World War 2 comes to a close. It's the last of a trilogy that includes A Generation and Kanal based on a novel by Jerzy Andrzewski. Those are great movies, this one is a masterpiece.

Asphalt Jungle 1950 Directed by John Huston

The template for nearly all modern robbery and heist films was blue-printed in this no-nonsense story about an aging thief (Sam Jaffe) with a weakness for young women, getting out of prison with an idea to rob a kings ransom in diamonds. He can't quite trust his backer however and for good reason. The gang includes a hunchbacked driver (James Whitmore), a safe-cracker Louis Calhoun, and a look-out Sterling Hayden. Jean Hagen is here too. AND in a small supporting role we have MARILYN MONROE. Everyone has a weakness and those weakness can be your downfall. Based on a story by W.R. Burnett. Several deserved Oscars followed.

ATLANTIC CITY 1980 directed by Louis Malle

Louis Malle's rich character study tells the story about hopeless dreamers stuck in time in a city that is undergoing a huge transformation that will leave most of them behind. Burt Lancaster gives one of his finest performances (which is saying a lot) as an over-the-hill two-bit hood who is full of style but has never had much success. Susan Sarandon is the object of his obsession. Bittersweet, beautiful made memorable film.

The Awful Truth (1937) Director Leo McCarey

As their divorce becomes final, Jerry and Lucy Warriner (the first teaming of Cary Grant and Irene Dunne) do their best to thwart each other's plans for remarriage. Jerry is set to marry socialite Molly Lamont, while Lucy is betrothed to an oil-rich country bumpkin. They fight over custody of the dog (Astor of the Thin Man series, called Mr. Smith here), and then there is Lucy's flamboyant impersonation of Jerry's fan dancing "sister" at a snooty cocktail party thrown by Jerry's prospective bride's scandalized family. The chemistry and comic timing of Grant and Dunne couldn't be better. They are hysterical. Grant steals several scenes and the movie with the most perfect comic reactions I've ever witnessed on screen. A superb screw-ball comedy that remains as fresh and funny today as it was back then.