Movie Listings by Genre

Director: Clyde Geronimi    More Info
Starring: Iline Woods, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Mike Douglas, William Phipps, James MacDonald, Luis Van Rooten, Don Barclay, Rhoda Williams, Earl Keen

 This is the classic Disney animated version of poor Cinderella (voice of Ilene Woods) who lives with her evil stepmother, Lady Tremaine (voice of Eleanor Audley) and stepsisters Drizella and Anastasia (voices of Rhoda Williams and Lucille Bliss) but ends up going to the ball and meeting Prince Charming (voice of William Phipps/singing voice of Mike Douglas).

Director: Henry Koster    More Info
Starring: James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy Dow, Charles Drake, Victoria Horne, Cecil Kellaway, Jesse White, Wallace Ford, Nana Bryant, Clem Bevans

 James Stewart plays Elwood P. Dowd, a middle-aged eccentric who often drinks too much. Elwood has an imaginary friend–a very tall rabbit named Harvey. This social commentary on sanity pits Elwood against his social-climbing relatives. Josephine Hull won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for her fine performance as Elwood's sister Veta Louise Simmons. Stewart received a nomination for Best Actor.

Director: Clyde Geronimi    More Info
Starring: Kathryn Beaumont, Ed Wynn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Holloway, Jerry Colonna, Verna Felton, J. Pat O'Malley, Heather Angel, Bill Thompson, Doris Lloyd

 This is Disney's animated version of philosophy teacher Lewis Carroll's classic book about a girl named Alice (voice of Kathryn Beaumont) who falls down the rabbit hole and ends up in a magical, if illogical, world where animals talk. Hit songs include "Alice in Wonderland," "T'was Brillig," "I'm Late," "Painting the Roses Red," and "A Very Merry Un-birthday."

Director: Clarence Brown    More Info
Starring: Paul Douglas, Janet Leigh, Keenan Wynn, Donna Corcoran, Lewis Stone, Spring Byington, Bruce Bennett, Marvin Kaplan, Ellen Corby, Don Haggerty

 An angel tells Pittsburgh Pirates baseball manager Guffy McGovern (Paul Douglas) to mend his unholy ways, and, as a reward, guardian angels will help his seventh-place team win the pennant. Guffy agrees, and invisible ghosts of former baseball stars begin to help the Pirates win their games. It turns out that a big fan, orphan girl Bridget White (Donna Corcoran), had prayed for help for the Pirates. While attending a game, Bridget insists that she can see the angels helping the players on the field. Newspaperwoman Jennifer Page (Janet Leigh) publishes Bridget's story, and complications arise big time between scheming sportscaster Fred Bayles (Keenan Wynn) and Guffy. But, despite all the problems, will the Pirates win the N.L. pennant?

Director: Brian Desmond Hurst    More Info
Starring: Alastair Sim, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Patrick Macnee, Peter Bull, Michael Hordern, Miles Malleson, Ernest Thesiger

 This popular version of Charles Dickens' classic story "A Christmas Carol" stars Alastair Sim as the miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, whose life is turned around one Christmas Eve when he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future (Michael Dolan, Francis De Wolff, and C. Konarski). After their visit, Scrooge reassesses his treatment of Tiny Tim (Glyn Dearman) and his family. Sim is great and makes this film a must for everyone.

Director: Roy Ward Baker    More Info
Starring: Tyrone Power, Ann Blyth, Michael Rennie, Dennis Price, Beatrice Campbell, Kathleen Byron, Raymond Huntley, Irene Browne, Felix Aylmer, Arthur Denton

 American nuclear physicist Peter Standish (Tyrone Power) is working in England and living in an 18th-century mansion he inherited from an ancestor. One rainy evening, Peter is strolling in the neighborhood when he is hit by lightening. He awakens transported back into the 18th century and is now his own ancestor. While "living" in the past, he meets and falls in love with his cousin Helen (Ann Blyth) and uses his scientific knowledge to help improve 18th-century living conditions. Another thunderstorm shoots Peter back to the 20th century, and he learns from old, family documents that Helen had died before ever marrying. Now his friend Roger (Michael Rennie) introduces him to his sister Martha (also played by Ann Blyth) who looks just like Helen, and Peter and Martha instantly fall in love. This film begins in black and white, and then switches to color when Peter awakens in the 18th century.

Director: Michael Powell    More Info
Starring: Moira Shearer, Robert Rounseville, Robert Helpmann, Pamela Brown, Leonide Massine, Frederick Ashton, Richard Golding, Philip Leaver, Ludmilla Tcherina, Meinhart Maur

 In Jacques Offenbach's beautifully staged opera, university student Hoffmann (Robert Rounseville) experiences doomed love affairs. For example, Hoffmann romances Olympia (Moira Shearer), but she turns out to be a life-sized mechanical doll. His other romances with Giulietta (Ludmilla Tcherina) and Antonia (Anne Ayars) also result in failure, but, in the process, Hoffmann learns to turn those bad experiences into art.

Director: Jean Yarbrough    More Info
Starring: Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dorothy Ford, Barbara Brown, Buddy Baer, William Farnum, Joe Kirk, David Stollery, Shaye Cogan, James Alexander

 While babysitting for young Donald (David Stollery), Jack (Lou Costello) reads the story "Jack and the Beanstalk" to Donald and falls asleep. Jack enters a fairytale world inhabited by real people in his life. Mr. Dinklepuss (Bud Abbott) talks Jack into selling his cow for magic beans. The beans grow into a beanstalk, which Dinklepuss and Jack climb and run into the Giant (Buddy Baer) who captures them and puts them in prison with a prince (James Alexander) and princess (Shaye Cogan). Now, Jack and Dinklepuss plot their escape and the rescue of the prince and princess.

Director: Roy Rowland    More Info
Starring: Peter Lind Hayes, Mary Healy, Hans Conried, Tommy Rettig, Noel Cravat, Henry Kulky, John Heasley, Robert Heasley, George Chakiris, Tony Butala

 This Dr. Seuss tale is brought to the screen in the story of 10-year-old Bart Collins (Tommy Rettig) who much prefers playing baseball and spending time with his dog than practicing the piano. One night, Bart has a nightmare in which he stumbles into the castle of his piano teacher (Hans Conried)–now named Dr. T.–who has kidnapped 500 young boys and is forcing them to practice the piano 24 hours a day, all week long. Even worse, Bart discovers that Dr. T. has hypnotized Bart's mother (Mary Healy), and she is now his helpmate. Bart is determined to put an end to Dr. T.'s "school" and to save his mother, and with help from a plumber (Peter Lind Hayes), Bart succeeds in rescuing them all.

Director: Clyde Geronimi    More Info
Starring: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Bill Thompson, Heather Angel, Tom Conway, Paul Collins, Tommy Luske, Candy Candido, Roland Dupree

 Disney Studios brought to the screen this delightful children's story by James M. Barrie. It is the story of Peter, the boy who refuses to grow up. Captain Hook, Tiger Lily, and Tinker Bell are all there along with Wendy and her siblings.

Director: Herbert Wilcox    More Info
Starring: Anna Neagle, Errol Flynn, David Farrar, Kathleen Harrison, Peter Graves, Helen Haye, Alan Gifford, George Margo, Scott Sanders, Jennifer Mitchell

 Following a head injury during a London air raid, Carole Beaumont (Anna Neagle) is knocked unconscious. She suffers identity problems while unconscious, and she seems to be King Charles' (David Farrar) courtesan Nell Gwyn (also played by Neagle). Later, while recovering at a country home, Carole loses consciousness again and appears to be Queen Victoria (also played by Neagle). Finally, Carole reprises her mother Lillian Grey's (also played by Neagle) life and is married to John Beaumont (Errol Flynn) who helps her find love and success on the stage.

Director: Vincente Minnelli    More Info
Starring: Howard Keel, Ann Blyth, Dolores Gray, Vic Damone, Monty Woolley, Sebastian Cabot, Jay C. Flippen, Jack Elam, Ted de Corsia, Ross Bagdasarian

 Howard Keel plays Baghdad beggar, The Poet, whose daughter Marsinah (Ann Blyth) falls in love with the young Caliph (Vic Damone) while the sexy wife (Dolores Gray) of the Wazir (Sebastian Cabot) has her eyes on The Poet. Fate steps in, and all live happily ever after. The songs "Stranger in Paradise" and "Baubles, Bangles, and Beads" are highlights of this Arabian Nights musical.

Director: Fred F. Sears    More Info
Starring: Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ankrum, John Zaremba, Grandon Rhodes, Harry Lauter, Thomas Browne Henry, Charles Evans, Frank Wilcox

 When UFOs attempt to make peaceful communications with Earth, their mission is mistaken for an invasion. They land on an Army base and are the target of gunfire. Dr. Russell Marvin (Hugh Marlowe) is on hand when the pilots announce that they plan to take over Earth within 60 days, and he is given the job of heading up Operation Skyhook, which will probe the atmosphere for future space flights. Dr. Marvin and his team develop a missile that, when fired, shatters the flying saucers. But big problems result from the attack, and the saucers crash into Washington, D.C., landmarks. Special effects by the master: Ray Harryhausen

Director: Walter Lang    More Info
Starring: Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, Rita Moreno, Martin Benson, Alan Mowbray, Geoffrey Toone, Terry Saunders, Rex Thompson, Carlos Rivas, Patrick Adiarte

 This lavish Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, adapted from the stage, has become a classic. It is the story of Anna (Deborah Kerr and singing voice of Marni Nixon) who goes to Siam to teach the King's (Yul Brynner) children. At first, Anna and the King do not get along, but when they perform their dance number to "Shall We Dance?" there is more than a small hint of romance. Brynner won an Oscar for his portrayal of the King. The film won four other Oscars and was nominated for an additional four, including Best Picture, Actress (Kerr), and Director.

Director: Albert Lamorisse    More Info
Starring: Pascal Lamorisse, Georges Sellier, Sabine Lamorisse, Renee Marion, Paul Perey, Michel Pezin, Vladimir Popov

 This fanciful short movie is captivating. It is the story of a small, French boy (Pascal Lamorisse) who is befriended by a giant balloon that begins to follow him wherever he goes in Paris. The neighborhood bullies try to destroy the balloon and finally succeed. At that point, the other balloons swoop down, grasp the boy, and carry him away.

Director: Aleksandr Ptushko    More Info
Starring: Boris Andreyev, Shukur Burkhanov, Natalya Medvedeva, Andrei Abrikosov, Yelena Myshkova, Sovol Martinson, Georgi Dyomin, Aleksandr Shvorin, Nikolai Glazkov, Vladimir Solovyov

 This Russian epic revolves around the legend of a crippled farmer, living in the Middle Ages, who regains use of his legs and then battles human enemies, demons, and a three-headed dragon as a service to his king.

Director: Ralph Nelson    More Info
Starring: Julie Andrews, Jon Cypher, Howard Lindsay, Dorothy Stickney, Ilka Chase, Kaye Ballard, Alice Ghostley, Edie Adams, Robert Penn, Alexander Clark

 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote this musical especially for Julie Andrews, and it was performed live on TV to a record audience (for that time). (Andrews was also performing in "My Fair Lady" on Broadway at the time.) It is the rags-to-riches story of Cinderella who is oppressed by her mean-spirited stepmother (Ilka Chase) and stepsisters Portia and Joy (Kaye Ballard and Alice Ghostley) until she meets Prince Christopher (Jon Cypher).

Director: Bretaigne Windust    More Info
Starring: Van Johnson, Kay Starr, Claude Rains, Jim Backus, Doodles Weaver, Stanley Adams

 This rendition of the children's story stars Van Johnson as the Pied Piper who is hired by the town of Hamelin to rid it of rats. After doing so, the Burgomaster (Claude Rains) doesn't pay as promised, so the piper lures the children from the town. In this version, there is a happy ending. The musical score is a plus.

Director: Ingmar Bergman    More Info
Starring: Max von Sydow, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Bengt Ekerot, Nils Poppe, Bibi Andersson, Gunnel Lindblom, Anders Ek, Inga Landgre, Gudrun Brost, Inga Gill

 Existentialism is the theme for this Ingmar Bergman film about Death (Bengt Ekerot) claiming a 14th-century knight, Antonius Block (Max von Sydow), who is returning to Sweden after spending 10 years in the Crusades. The Crusades have left Antonius cynical about the existence of God, and he challenges Death to a game of chess to gain time before passing on. Sweden is engulfed in a plague, and, with turmoil surrounding them, Death and Antonius discuss whether or not there is a God as they play the chess game.

Director: Akira Kurosawa    More Info
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Minoru Chiaki, Takamaru Sasaki, Takashi Shimura, Akira Kubo, Hiroshi Tachikawa, Chieko Naniwa, Yoshio Tsuchiya, Isao Kimura

 Shakespeare's "Macbeth" is transplanted into 16th-century Japan during a civil war in this excellent film from director Akira Kurosawa. The story begins when Washizu (Toshiro Mifune) and Miki (Minoru Chiaki) are lost in a forest where they encounter a ghostly woman who predicts that Washizu will rise in power. Later, Washizu listens to the goading of his wife, Asaji (Isuzu Yamada), and becomes involved in a plot to kill the ruler. The evil deed is done, but now Washizu must deal with his guilt and ultimate downfall.

Director: Nathan Juran    More Info
Starring: Kerwin Mathews, Kathryn Grant, Richard Eyer, Torin Thatcher, Alec Mango, Danny Green, Harold Kasket, Alfred Brown, Nana DeHerrera, Nino Falanga

 Special effects innovator Ray Harryhausen adds stop-motion to his bag of tricks, resulting in a near-classic. The evil magician Sokurah (Torin Thatcher) has put a spell on Sinbad's (Kerwin Mathews) beloved princess (Kathryn Grant), making her just a few inches tall. The spell can be broken by getting an eggshell from the giant, ferocious, two-headed bird Roc, who is on the island of Colossa. Sinbad must fight all sorts of creatures to reach his goal.

Director: Richard Quine    More Info
Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester, Janice Rule, Philippe Clay, Howard McNear, Beck Nelson

 A modern-day witch, Gillian (Kim Novak), and warlock, Nicky (Jack Lemmon), live in New York City's Greenwich Village. When Gillian falls for Shepard Henderson (James Stewart), she uses her magic spells to draw the unsuspecting Henderson to her.

Director: George Pal    More Info
Starring: Russ Tamblyn, Alan Young, Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers, Jessie Matthews, June Thorburn, Bernard Miles, Peter Butterworth, Peter Bull, Stan Freberg

 This classic story by the Brothers Grimm is about a five-inch-tall boy, Tom Thumb (Russ Tamblyn), who the magical Forest Queen (June Thorburn) gives to childless couple Jonathan and Anne (Bernard Miles and Jessie Matthews) as a gift for woodcutter Jonathan saving a tree. When villains Ivan and Anthony (Terry Thomas and Peter Sellers) plot to rob the village, Tom becomes the hero as he outwits those who are much larger than himself. Tom also helps with a romance between the Forest Queen and forester Woody (Alan Young). Good acrobatic dances by Tamblyn. The film won the Academy Award for Best Special Effects.

Director: Jack Kinney    More Info
Starring: Jim Backus, Kathryn Grant, Dwayne Hickman, Hans Conried, Herschel Bernardi, Alan Reed, Daws Butler, Clark Sisters

 The cartoon character, Mr. Magoo (voice of Jim Backus), is the near-sighted focus of this animated film about the genie, Aladdin (voice of Dwayne Hickman), and Mr. Magoo's adventures in Arabia.

Director: Aleksandr Ptushko    More Info
Starring: Nina Anderson, Jon Powers, Ingrid Elhardt, Peter Sorenson, Andris Oshin, Urho Somersalmi, Anna Orochko, Eve Kivi, Ivan Voronov, Marvin Miller

 This Russian adaptation is based on a Finnish epic poem and Scandinavian mythology. It tells the story of a magical mill that produces food as well as gold. The evil witch wants the mill for her own, but her attempts are thwarted by a daring hero. His job becomes harder when the witch steals the Sun from the sky, resulting in a frozen world. All ends well. The U.S. version ("The Day the Earth Froze") used English-speaking actors for speaking parts with Marvin Miller narrating.