Cinematic Storytellers
POSTED BY: JEWELSTAITEFAN
UPDATED: Sunday, July 26, 2026 16:22
VIEWED: 9028
PAGE 4 of 7
My Fair Lady with H & H: Hepburn and Harrison.
Robin Hood with Errol Flynn
The King and I with Brynner, of course!
I often thought that maybe, just maybe, Casablanca could be remade (actually Pamela Anderson attempted it in 1996's Barb Wire), but thought better of it and decided, along with the experts, that that was not such a good idea. Some classics are better off left alone.
You see, it doesn't matter so much the advances we've made in the tech side, because it's about the story, setting, characters and ultimately, the director. They wrote a fantastic script and it has stood the test of time. Yes, they're both in black & white, which adds to their mystique and film noir vibe. A colorized version of Casablanca or Falcon would be considered by many to be a mortal sin. The black and white versions of these films is what gives it it's charm and appeal.
You see, it doesn't matter so much the advances we've made in the tech side, because it's about the story, setting, characters and ultimately, the director. They wrote a fantastic script and it has stood the test of time. Yes, they're both in black & white, which adds to their mystique and film noir vibe. A colorized version of Casablanca or Falcon would be IMHO a mortal sin.
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:My Fair Lady with Hepburn from Cukor in 1964?
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
is it later?
Yes.
Casablanca - goes without saying, one of the best stories on film ever told.
2001: A Space Odyssey - Kubrick's genius redefined storytelling in film.
The Searchers - John Ford's classic western that seamlessly went from drama to comedy with equal aplomb
To Kill a Mockingbird - Great story, well acted and directed, well defined characters
Some Like It Hot - Classic comedy, a twist on the Valentine's Day Massacre; guys in drag seems to always bring the funny. Billy Wilder knew how to put together a comedy.
Maltese Falcon - Sam Spade, master detective. Again the story drives the movie.
Singing in the Rain - As musicals go, among the best ever. Like you say, there's more there than what's on the script.
My Fair Lady - The rain in Spain, falls mainly in the plain
Special Mention:
Citizen Kane
Robin Hood
It's A Wonderful Life
Mister Roberts
The Quiet Man
The King and I
SGG
Having played in it in High School, I normally discounted the cinema version because it seemed so precisely suited to the stage.
Which Robin Hood?
King and I with Brynner?
Regarding Casablanca and Falcon, do you think these are ultimately unimprovable, meaning they were state of the art for their time, and further cinematic progression of sound, CGI, would not have significant impact upon their storytelling? I somewhat feel they are almost stuck in time, and I would likely be dismayed at attempts to remake them. I cannot recall, were they bot black and white? If so, do you think color would have improved or detracted? I normally prefer still photos to be B/W, for their artistic depiction.
I agree they were excellent examples, but I didn't want to put everything in my list.
I tried to keep my list to under 10, and mostly from the Golden Age of Film in our history between 1935 to about 1950. Bogart, Bacall, Stewart, Davis, Wayne, Edward G., Kelly, Garland, Astaire and Cagney. The storytellers were actors and directors; and sometimes studio chiefs. Couldn't talk about film without mentioning those iconic giants of cinema.
SGG
Did you realize Beautiful Life was a Box Office disappointment?
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Edited for readability.
I assume this is what was intended.
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:My Fair Lady with Hepburn from Cukor in 1964?
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:Yes.
is it later?
Casablanca - goes without saying, one of the best stories on film ever told.
2001: A Space Odyssey - Kubrick's genius redefined storytelling in film.
The Searchers - John Ford's classic western that seamlessly went from drama to comedy with equal aplomb
To Kill a Mockingbird - Great story, well acted and directed, well defined characters
Some Like It Hot - Classic comedy, a twist on the Valentine's Day Massacre; guys in drag seems to always bring the funny. Billy Wilder knew how to put together a comedy.
Maltese Falcon - Sam Spade, master detective. Again the story drives the movie.
Singing in the Rain - As musicals go, among the best ever. Like you say, there's more there than what's on the script.
My Fair Lady - The rain in Spain, falls mainly in the plain
Special Mention:
Citizen Kane
Robin Hood
It's A Wonderful Life
Mister Roberts
The Quiet Man
The King and I
SGG
Having played in it in High School, I normally discounted the cinema version because it seemed so precisely suited to the stage.
Which Robin Hood?
King and I with Brynner?
Regarding Casablanca and Falcon, do you think these are ultimately unimprovable, meaning they were state of the art for their time, and further cinematic progression of sound, CGI, would not have significant impact upon their storytelling? I somewhat feel they are almost stuck in time, and I would likely be dismayed at attempts to remake them. I cannot recall, were they bot black and white? If so, do you think color would have improved or detracted? I normally prefer still photos to be B/W, for their artistic depiction.
My Fair Lady with H & H: Hepburn and Harrison.
Robin Hood with Errol Flynn
The King and I with Brynner, of course!
I often thought that maybe, just maybe, Casablanca could be remade (actually Pamela Anderson attempted it in 1996's Barb Wire), but thought better of it and decided, along with the experts, that that was not such a good idea. Some classics are better off left alone.
You see, it doesn't matter so much the advances we've made in the tech side, because it's about the story, setting, characters and ultimately, the director. They wrote a fantastic script and it has stood the test of time. Yes, they're both in black & white, which adds to their mystique and film noir vibe. A colorized version of Casablanca or Falcon would be considered by many to be a mortal sin. The black and white versions of these films is what gives it it's charm and appeal.
Quote:
I agree they were excellent examples, but I didn't want to put everything in my list.
I tried to keep my list to under 10, and mostly from the Golden Age of Film in our history between 1935 to about 1950. Bogart, Bacall, Stewart, Davis, Wayne, Edward G., Kelly, Garland, Astaire and Cagney. The storytellers were actors and directors; and sometimes studio chiefs. Couldn't talk about film without mentioning those iconic giants of cinema.
SGG
Quote:
Did you realize Beautiful Life was a Box Office disappointment?
SGG
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:My Fair Lady from Cukor (1964)
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Edited for readability.
I assume this is what was intended.
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:My Fair Lady with Hepburn from Cukor in 1964?
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:Yes.
is it later?
Casablanca - goes without saying, one of the best stories on film ever told.
Maltese Falcon - Sam Spade, master detective. Again the story drives the movie.
My Fair Lady - The rain in Spain, falls mainly in the plain
Special Mention:
Robin Hood
It's A Wonderful Life
The King and I
SGG
Having played in it in High School, I normally discounted the cinema version because it seemed so precisely suited to the stage.
Which Robin Hood?
King and I with Brynner?
Regarding Casablanca and Falcon, do you think these are ultimately unimprovable, meaning they were state of the art for their time, and further cinematic progression of sound, CGI, would not have significant impact upon their storytelling? I somewhat feel they are almost stuck in time, and I would likely be dismayed at attempts to remake them. I cannot recall, were they bot black and white? If so, do you think color would have improved or detracted? I normally prefer still photos to be B/W, for their artistic depiction.
My Fair Lady with H & H: Hepburn and Harrison.
Robin Hood with Errol Flynn
The King and I with Brynner, of course!
The Adventures of Robin Hood from Michael Curtiz and William Keighley (1938)
The King and I from Walter Lang (1956)
Quote:I have no intention of restriction to 10 items. There might be a restriction of that type in recent years, due to non-existence of candidates, but not an artificial governor.
I often thought that maybe, just maybe, Casablanca could be remade (actually Pamela Anderson attempted it in 1996's Barb Wire), but thought better of it and decided, along with the experts, that that was not such a good idea. Some classics are better off left alone.
You see, it doesn't matter so much the advances we've made in the tech side, because it's about the story, setting, characters and ultimately, the director. They wrote a fantastic script and it has stood the test of time. Yes, they're both in black & white, which adds to their mystique and film noir vibe. A colorized version of Casablanca or Falcon would be considered by many to be a mortal sin. The black and white versions of these films is what gives it it's charm and appeal.Quote:
I agree they were excellent examples, but I didn't want to put everything in my list.
I tried to keep my list to under 10, and mostly from the Golden Age of Film in our history between 1935 to about 1950. Bogart, Bacall, Stewart, Davis, Wayne, Edward G., Kelly, Garland, Astaire and Cagney. The storytellers were actors and directors; and sometimes studio chiefs. Couldn't talk about film without mentioning those iconic giants of cinema.
SGG
Quote:After you use the racist term, suddenly I'm thinking that Black Cinema (film noir) would have originally been defined by colorless cinematography and the mood encouraged by the lack of color. But now using the term black/noir/negro in film has become merely descriptive of dark mood or dark subject matter.Quote:
Did you realize Beautiful Life was a Box Office disappointment?
SGG
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
But now using the term black/noir/negro in film has become merely descriptive of dark mood or dark subject matter.
Noir used to be used for skin color?
Hell... I didn't even know what "Film Noir" meant before today. I never looked into it. I thought it was just a description for some old timey flicks lol.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Sorry about that, I've been having problems with my lap top.
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Edited for readability.
I assume this is what was intended.
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:Quote:My Fair Lady with Hepburn from Cukor in 1964?
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:Quote:Yes.
is it later?
Casablanca - goes without saying, one of the best stories on film ever told.
2001: A Space Odyssey - Kubrick's genius redefined storytelling in film.
The Searchers - John Ford's classic western that seamlessly went from drama to comedy with equal aplomb
To Kill a Mockingbird - Great story, well acted and directed, well defined characters
Some Like It Hot - Classic comedy, a twist on the Valentine's Day Massacre; guys in drag seems to always bring the funny. Billy Wilder knew how to put together a comedy.
Maltese Falcon - Sam Spade, master detective. Again the story drives the movie.
Singing in the Rain - As musicals go, among the best ever. Like you say, there's more there than what's on the script.
My Fair Lady - The rain in Spain, falls mainly in the plain
Special Mention:
Citizen Kane
Robin Hood
It's A Wonderful Life
Mister Roberts
The Quiet Man
The King and I
SGG
Having played in it in High School, I normally discounted the cinema version because it seemed so precisely suited to the stage.
Which Robin Hood?
King and I with Brynner?
Regarding Casablanca and Falcon, do you think these are ultimately unimprovable, meaning they were state of the art for their time, and further cinematic progression of sound, CGI, would not have significant impact upon their storytelling? I somewhat feel they are almost stuck in time, and I would likely be dismayed at attempts to remake them. I cannot recall, were they bot black and white? If so, do you think color would have improved or detracted? I normally prefer still photos to be B/W, for their artistic depiction.
My Fair Lady with H & H: Hepburn and Harrison.
Robin Hood with Errol Flynn
The King and I with Brynner, of course!
I often thought that maybe, just maybe, Casablanca could be remade (actually Pamela Anderson attempted it in 1996's Barb Wire), but thought better of it and decided, along with the experts, that that was not such a good idea. Some classics are better off left alone.
You see, it doesn't matter so much the advances we've made in the tech side, because it's about the story, setting, characters and ultimately, the director. They wrote a fantastic script and it has stood the test of time. Yes, they're both in black & white, which adds to their mystique and film noir vibe. A colorized version of Casablanca or Falcon would be considered by many to be a mortal sin. The black and white versions of these films is what gives it it's charm and appeal.Quote:
I agree they were excellent examples, but I didn't want to put everything in my list.
I tried to keep my list to under 10, and mostly from the Golden Age of Film in our history between 1935 to about 1950. Bogart, Bacall, Stewart, Davis, Wayne, Edward G., Kelly, Garland, Astaire and Cagney. The storytellers were actors and directors; and sometimes studio chiefs. Couldn't talk about film without mentioning those iconic giants of cinema.
SGGQuote:
Did you realize Beautiful Life was a Box Office disappointment?
SGG
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Did you realize Beautiful Life was a Box Office disappointment?
If you mean It's A Wonderful Life, no I didn't. I know that Capra was somewhat underappreciated.
SGG
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
I've never heard of Film Noir being used as a term for skin color. Film Noir, from what I understand means the tone of the film or story is dark in tone. The Maltese Falcon for example is considered Film Noir having to do with murder and espionage or intrigue. The Big Sleep, Dial M for Murder, Strangers on a Train, etc. Usually involves a crime or something menacing in the background.
I believe the term came out of that era during the Golden Age of Film during the 40s and 50s. It means "black" film or cinema that has dark undertones like sex, crime and double-crossing crooks. It's French literally meaning "dark film" melodramatic in tone and presentation, stylish and foreboding. Guns, dames and cigarette smoke. That's classic Film Noir.
SGG
Quote:
Originally posted by 6stringJoker:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
But now using the term black/noir/negro in film has become merely descriptive of dark mood or dark subject matter.
Noir used to be used for skin color?
Hell... I didn't even know what "Film Noir" meant before today. I never looked into it. I thought it was just a description for some old timey flicks lol.
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:
Originally posted by 6stringJoker:Quote:
Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
But now using the term black/noir/negro in film has become merely descriptive of dark mood or dark subject matter.
Noir used to be used for skin color?
Hell... I didn't even know what "Film Noir" meant before today. I never looked into it. I thought it was just a description for some old timey flicks lol.
Direct translation to American (English) from "noir" is black. French, and white is "blanc" in French.
Direct translation from "negro" is black, in Spanish. White is also "blanc' in Spanish.
Once Black & White meant without color. Now Black means colored, at times.
In film, noir is like slang for moody, dark thoughts or subject, shadowy cinematography, etc.
Other Black: Schwarz (German), Duh (Gaelic), Nero (Italian), Du (Welsh).
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:Couldn't possibly be as bad as the computer, wifi, and internet connection I was using last night. Took me about 22 separate edits to accomplish that.
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Sorry about that, I've been having problems with my lap top.
SGG
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME
Quote:Correct. I did have an inkling something there was not right. Edited my original post with that, now.
Originally posted by SHINYGOODGUY:
Quote:
Did you realize Beautiful Life was a Box Office disappointment?
If you mean It's A Wonderful Life, no I didn't. I know that Capra was somewhat underappreciated.
SGG
It was a dud in theaters. After about 17 years, the rights were not renewed by the film or production company, and it became public domain. This allowed broadcast TV to play it for free, which it did regularly, and habitually every holiday season. This is how it became a family favorite, and considered a classic. In cinema 1947, became widely viewed and then popular in the mid-60's. Didn't hurt that Jimmy Stewart had continued his beloved career during the interim, and then this favored actor was in an old film which was now free to view. This is one story that taught Hollywood a few things about Box Office, popularity, etc.
Other films that taught Hollywood a lesson were Once Upon A Time In The West, and the Man With No Name Trilogy (The Stranger, The Two Strangers, The Three Strangers, aka For A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good The Bad and The Ugly).
NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | PERMALINK | TOP | HOME