Reel Old Movies

"Gaslighting" is Merriam-Webster’s word of 2022. 

“Here’s looking at you, kid.” “We’ll always have Paris.” “Out of all the gin joints …” “Round up the usual suspects.” While today’s movies would be lucky to have one or two memorable quotes that permeate pop culture, 1942’s “Casablanca” is bursting with dozens of great lines that are woven into our language. I will argue it's the most quoted movie of all time – with many people ignorant that they’re actually quoting the movie! Not bad for a movie marking its 80th anniversary.  “Casablanca” is a staple for classic film buffs, but I encourage any Old Hollywood novice or fan of modern movies to watch for the first time. (Or if it’s been a while since you’ve seen it, re-discover it).  Don’t let the fact that it’s in black and white and decades-old deter you. The star power of Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman will certainly pull you in, but the allure of “Casablanca” is also rooted in its screenplay, a masterclass of a movie script.  Which goes to show us there is no formul...

Now Available!“It’s a Wonderful Life” is part of many families’ holiday traditions, but the 1946 Frank Capra movie starring James Stewart offers inspiration all year long. Order a paperback or download the ebook to “It’s a Wonderful Life: Quotes & Inspiration” – a collection of the best quotes, excerpts, scenes from the movie, posters and other material in a small volume, perfect for holiday gift-giving.

Movie lovers know that old movies are priceless: the memories, the enjoyment, the emotion. But what to get that classic movie lover as a holiday gift that they don’t already have – and that isn’t a copy of a movie they already own? 

Whether it’s blood and gore or creepfest thrills or just a classic monster movie – what do these movies all have in common? Enough scares to last all year long.  If you’re looking for classic horror movie favorites or searching out new frightful films for the Halloween season, here are a few ideas for when you want to jump and shiver.  It’s a mix of popular fright favorites, horror classics, psychological thrillers and hidden gems, from the silent era into the 1960s. What would you add to the list? What would you remove? Share your thoughts @ReelOldMovies on Instagram.   The Phantom of the Opera (1925) While in more modern interpretations, the phantom is portrayed as a singing misdirected figure, the 1925 silent movie version showed the phantom is all his most obsessed and grotesque glory. Lon Chaney, the Man of a Thousand Faces, created the Phantom’s skull-like look himself and the big “reveal” scene would make audiences recoil for generations. Night of the Hunter ...

A hundred years after her first leading role, classic Hollywood actress Anna May Wong will appear on U.S. coins as part of the American Women Quarters program, which celebrates pioneering women in their fields. 

Angela Lansbury, everybody's favorite TV detective and star of an eclectic body of stage and film work, died Tuesday, October 11, 2022 , just shy of her 97th birthday.   Her long career began in the movies when the "Murder, She Wrote" actress was a teenager. She was just 17 when she got the role of sharp-tongued Cockney maid Nancy in 1944's "Gaslight."

It’s not Joaquin Phoenix’s The Joker. It’s Conrad Veidt’s Gwynplaine from 1928’s “The Man Who Laughs.” 

Audiences went on "A Trip to the Moon" with Georges Méliès 120 years ago, and the world of cinema was forever changed.

In honor of 2022’s National Silent Movie Day on September 29, check out these silent film classics that are considered must-see favorites by silent film fans.