Reel Old Movies

Now available!  "101 Classic Movie Trivia Questions" -- order your ebook or paperback at Amazon  You may love classic movies, but how much do you really know? This collection of 101 trivia questions (and answers!) puts your knowledge to the test.  Who dated who in Old Hollywood? What movies set records at awards shows and at the box office? Who made silver screen history? From Charlie Chaplin to “Citizen Kane,” from sci-fi firsts to iconic final films, from “The Jazz Singer” to “The Quiet Man” – the questions pull from a range of classic movie history, from easy tidbits about the most famous films to more deep dives into hidden gems that only true classic connoisseurs may know.  Generally, the questions span movies and stars from early cinema to the 1960s, with emphasis on the Golden Age of Hollywood (roughly the 1930s and 1940s).  The topics covered include: Historic firsts Award winners Early days of cinema Famous quotes Scandals Romantic entanglements in real...

“Charade” starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant is among the 25 movies inducted to the National Film Registry, the Library of Congress announced Wednesday, December 14. 

The 2022 movie “Babylon” dives into the transition from silent to talkies in Hollywood with an ensemble cast that includes Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Jean Smart and Diego Calva.  But “Babylon” isn’t the first movie to be set among the glittery world of showbiz or portray a cinematic past. The movie industry has a storied history in putting itself – or at least a made-for-Hollywood version of itself – up on the big screen.  While there are numerous modern movies as well, let's look at these Old Hollywood classics that took audiences inside movie magic: Singin' in the Rain (1952) The plot of "Babylon" mines similar territory as "Singin' in the Rain" – the 1952 musical looks back at the transition to talkies 25 years before. Gene Kelly is Don Lockwood, the silent screen star who is making the leap to sound with comedic and musical help from Debbie Reynolds' Kathy (an aspiring actress) and Donald O'Connor's Cosmo. The scene stealer is Jean Hage...

"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."