Older kids? Maybe 14+.
There’s no explicit content, but it does deal with mature themes. Oh, and because it’s a drama, there’s a lot of back and forth in the relationships, which is why I don’t usually watch them, but the acting was still good.
Edit: watching season 3 now and Netflix has feminized it. Booo.
I understand what you mean about Danny Kaye. Like Will Ferrell, Kaye is palatable only when he’s confined to a well-written character, such as in White Christmas.
I also affirm the Swiss Family Robinson pick. I’d also like to add Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Abbott and Costello (they have a number of shorter movies and skits) as other kid’s movies that I didn’t see mentioned. My siblings and I loved Abbott and Costello even more than Laurel and Hardy. “Who’s on First” is arguably the best piece of comedy ever created. I would also be interested in more discussion about the animated Robin Hood. It was, far and away, the most watched movie in our home for a number of years.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang the book is one of my favorite read-aloud ever, but the movie is frankly a little creepy in my memory and scary for younger kids (kidnapping pirates, etc.)
My brother was very afraid of the pirates. He would hide behind the chair until that scene was finished. I don’t remember being frightened by the child catcher but he is quite creepy. I watched the movie so often as a child though that it’s hard for me to separate my very young viewing experience vs. my older viewing experience when I knew that the pirates and the child catcher were going to get what was coming to them.
The child catcher is quite possibly one of the scariest villains of all time.
I first saw this movie as an adult, and he freaked me out. I have no idea why my kids weren’t phased by him.
My kids love Chitty, Chitty. They sing Toot Sweets all the time.
My kids and I use a line from that Toot Sweets scene all the time, “Had your chance. Muffed it.”
I’d add The Great Escape to the list.
Just watched it with the kids, and they sat through the almost 3 hours without complaint and loved it. Cracked up at a few parts. I always loved it when I was younger, so I’m glad they enjoyed it.
A well-made film based on a true story.
Some great stunts at the end by Steve McQueen.
The ending is incredibly depressing but may go over the heads of smaller children.
Perhaps for older children or younger teens, I don’t know, but Chariots of Fire? Eric Liddell’s story is amazing, anyway.
And if you haven’t read the book you really should! Though it is even more depressing than the film.
I think the Marx Brothers are the pinnacle of film comedy. But a warning to the reader - there is a lot of content and worldview to contend with or swallow. Just because its old doesn’t mean it has moral fiber! Lucky for us the early Hays Code kept them somewhat in check.
Night at the Opera and the other MGM films probably have less questionable content than the earlier Paramount films, but I don’t think they are as good.
Agreed on all counts.
Worth noting that the Hays Code didn’t really go into affect into 1934, which is why all the Marx movies up through Duck Soup can get quite spicy indeed.
I’m sure you know the history of the Hays Code much better than I do. But I think it was at least partially adopted/enforced from 1930. I’m pretty sure that the scene in Duck Soup with the men’s shoes, women’s shoes, and horse shoes next to the bed was poking fun at the Hays Code.
We’re both right if you’re being technical. It was instituted in 1930, but it wasn’t rigorously enforced until 1934, as you can tell from some of the not-so-veiled innuendo in the Paramount Marx pictures.
Watching beyond the mask with my family right now I’m really enjoying it