Do you feel it? A heavy mix of sluggishness and ennui that feels inescapable this time of year. There’s something that is almost indescribably bleak about the first few weeks of the year. The holidays are over and the winter lies ahead. So it’s time to practice some serious self-care by treating yourself and taking in a classic flick or two (or ten, as this post would have it). The Warner Archive Collection is committed to making sure that films from all eras of Hollywood don’t get lost to the mists of time. We can think of no better way to shake off those new year blues than by checking out some of these Warner Archives favorites!
James Cagney shines in this classic romantic comedy set in 1890s New York City as Biff Grimes, an ex-convict/dentist who is married to a former suffragette (Olivia de Havilland). When the man responsible for his incarceration years earlier arrives in his office for dental work, Biff considers getting revenge against him while reflecting on his lost love─strawberry blonde bad girl Virginia Brush (Rita Hayworth). With Jack Carson, Alan Hale, and Una O’Connor.
Debbie Reynolds is delightful in this upbeat comedy about a troubled 17-year-old girl who becomes an unexpected source of inspiration for an Oscar-winning screenwriter (Dick Powell) who’s struggling with a script about juvenile delinquency. Reynolds moves in with Powell, turning his life upside-down, especially when the unlikely pair start to fall for each other. Anne Francis, Alvy Moore, Glenda Farrell co-star.
The golden-hued hero of books, comics, and radio fame hits the screen in this exciting, fun-filled adventure saga from producer George Pal. In search of his father’s murderer, Doc and his comrades─the Fabulous Five─head to the remote Republic of Hidalgo where they find a tribe of natives, a vast pool of molten gold, and the power-mad international criminal Captain Seas awaiting them. Ron Ely, Pamela Hensley, Paul Wexler, Paul Gleason star.
General store proprietor Glenn Ford wants to forget his father’s legacy for being incredibly fast with a six-shooter, but when gunslinger Broderick Crawford offers a challenge, he ignores his wife’s wishes and faces him in a showdown. Gripping western saga also stars Jeanne Crain, Russ Tamblyn, and Allyn Joslyn.
Real-life husband and wife Cary Grant and Betsy Drake play real-life husband and wife George and Anna Rose, parents of three who find room in their hearts (and their already crowded home) for two orphaned children─one emotionally troubled and one physically handicapped─who are in need of a stable and secure upbringing. The new bunch has a hilarious and heartwarming time of adjusting! Lurene Tuttle, George Winslow co-star.
Bette Davis plays a dual role in this classic drama as twin sisters (one virtuous, the other manipulative) who are both in love with the same man. When the bad sister dies in a boating accident, the sweet sibling takes her identity and sets her sights on the dead woman’s husband. But will her ruse be discovered? With Glenn Ford, Dane Clark, Walter Brennan, and Charlie Ruggles.
An exciting, fictional account of the evolution of the use of aircraft carriers during World War II as seen through the eyes of determined Navy officer Gary Cooper, who convinces the government of the vessel’s viability and is given command of his own ship after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Jane Wyatt and Walter Brennan also star.
Rousing adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale casts Dean Stockwell as the street urchin surviving in the streets of 1880s colonial India, concealing his heritage as the son of a British envoy. His wiles prove handy as he, along with charismatic horse thief Errol Flynn and kindly lama Paul Lukas, try to stave off a Russian attempt to invade the Khyber Pass.
Robert Stack plays the famous American naval hero in this exciting historical epic which follows Jones’ struggles commanding a small fleet of ships during the Revolutionary War, his adventures helping Russia after the war, and his final years living in France. Marisa Pavan, Charles Coburn, and Macdonald Carey also star; Bette Davis has a cameo appearance as Catherine the Great; look for a young Mia Farrow as an extra (her father John directed).
Highlighted by stunning production numbers and unforgettable 1950s fashions, this musical remake of “The Women” stars June Allyson as a jaded wife and mother who learns that her hubby has had an affair. Encouraged by her gal pals to get on with her life (and get revenge), she begins divorce preparations while trying to figure out what she wants. With Joan Collins, Dolores Gray, Ann Sheridan, Ann Miller; songs include “Young Man with a Horn,” “A Perfect Love,” “Yellow Gold,” and more.