2012: A Film Odyssey Part II

For the second and final part of my 2012 film odyssey, I’ll just be noting filmographies of actors (all from the classic Hollywood era) and directors I delved into in the past year. Films are listed in the order in which I watched them, and titles in italics are personal favorites.

Directors

Three director filmographies I went into for the first time in 2012 are David Lean, Wes Anderson, and Paul Thomas Anderson. I actually watched all the films done by both Anderson directors. Other directors whose films I had watched prior to 2012 and watched more of were Martin Scorsese, Billy Wilder, Terrence Malick, and the Coen Brothers. I also finished watching all of Malick’s films in 2012 (I’d only seen The Tree of Life in 2011, though I re-watched it last year).

Brief Encounter (1945)

Brief Encounter (1945)

Films watched directed by David Lean: Lawrence of Arabia; Summertime; Brief EncounterThe Bridge on the River KwaiDoctor Zhivago

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Films watched directed by Wes Anderson: The Royal TenenbaumsFantastic Mr. FoxRushmoreMoonrise Kingdom; Bottle Rocket; The Darjeeling Limited; The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou

Boogie Nights (1997)

Boogie Nights (1997)

Films watched directed by Paul Thomas Anderson: Boogie NightsThere Will Be Blood; The MasterMagnolia; Punch-Drunk Love; Hard Eight

Taxi Driver (1976)

Taxi Driver (1976)

Films watched directed by Martin Scorsese: GoodfellasRaging BullTaxi Driver; Gangs of New York; Shutter Island; Cape Fear

The Lost Weekend (1945)

The Lost Weekend (1945)

Films watched directed by Billy Wilder: Double IndemnityThe ApartmentSabrinaSunset Blvd.; The Seven Year Itch; The Lost WeekendAce in the Hole

Badlands (1973)

Badlands (1973)

Films watched directed by Terrence Malick: Days of HeavenBadlands; The New World; The Thin Red Line

The Big Lebowski (1998)

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Films watched directed by the Coen Brothers: FargoNo Country for Old MenBurn After ReadingThe Big Lebowski; O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Actresses

I had only seen one film each from Jean Arthur and Marilyn Monroe prior to 2012, but I watched more of their films in the past year. Actresses I watched films from for the first time were Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Barbara Stanwyck, and Audrey Hepburn. Lauren Bacall was also another actress I watched films from the first time in 2012, but I’ll be focusing on her further down the post. Additionally, I watched many new films with my favorite actress Katharine Hepburn, but I’ll focus on her later.

You Can't Take It with You (1938)

You Can’t Take It with You (1938)

Films watched featuring Jean Arthur: You Can’t Take It with YouMr. Deeds Goes to Town; Only Angels Have Wings; Easy LivingThe More the Merrier

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Films watched featuring Marilyn Monroe: The Prince and the Showgirl; All About EveGentlemen Prefer Blondes; The Seven Year Itch; How to Marry a Millionaire; There’s No Business Like Show Business

All About Eve (1950)

All About Eve (1950)

Films watched featuring Bette Davis: JezebelAll About Eve; The Letter; What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?; Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte; Dark Victory; Now, Voyager; The Man Who Came to Dinner

The Heiress (1949)

The Heiress (1949)

Films watched featuring Olivia de Havilland: Gone with the WindThe Heiress; Captain Blood; The Adventures of Robin Hood; Dodge City; Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte; The Snake Pit

Ball of Fire (1941)

Ball of Fire (1941)

Films watched featuring Barbara Stanwyck: Double IndemnityBall of FireMeet John DoeChristmas in ConnecticutThe Strange Love of Martha Ivers; Sorry, Wrong Number; Remember the Night; The Two Mrs. Carrolls; The Lady Eve

How to Steal a Million (1966)

How to Steal a Million (1966)

Films watched featuring Audrey Hepburn: Roman HolidayFunny FaceCharadeSabrina; Paris When It Sizzles; Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Wait Until DarkHow to Steal a MillionTwo for the Road; My Fair Lady

Actors

Before 2012, I had only seen one film each from Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. For Humphrey Bogart, I’d only seen two. These other actors are ones I watched films from for the first time: Gary Cooper, Henry Fonda, and William Holden. I also watched several more films from my favorite actors, James Stewart and Cary Grant but decided to exclude them as this post is long enough as it is!

An American in Paris (1951)

An American in Paris (1951)

Films watched featuring Gene Kelly: An American in ParisOn the TownThe Pirate; Summer Stock; Cover Girl; Inherit the Wind

The Band Wagon (1953)

The Band Wagon (1953)

Films watched featuring Fred Astaire (excluding the ones where he’s paired with Ginger Rogers): On the Beach; Funny FaceEaster ParadeThe Band Wagon; You’ll Never Get Rich; You Were Never Lovelier; Holiday Inn

The African Queen (1951)

The African Queen (1951)

Films watched featuring Humphrey Bogart (excluding the ones where he’s paired with Lauren Bacall): SabrinaThe African QueenThe Treasure of the Sierra MadreIn a Lonely Place; Dark Victory; The Two Mrs. Carrolls

High Noon (1952)

High Noon (1952)

Films watched featuring Gary Cooper: Mr. Deeds Goes to TownBall of FireHigh NoonMeet John Doe

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

Films watched featuring Henry Fonda: 12 Angry MenJezebel; Sex and the Single Girl; The Wrong Man; The Grapes of Wrath; On Golden Pond; The Lady Eve

Sabrina (1954)

Sabrina (1954)

Films watched featuring William Holden: SabrinaSunset Blvd.; Paris When It Sizzles; NetworkThe Bridge on the River Kwai; The Country Girl; The Wild Bunch

Screen Teams

In 2012, I made a goal to watch all the films starring the famous movie pairings of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, though I did watch Tracy and Hepburn’s Woman of the Year and Astaire and Rogers’ Swing Time in 2011 and watched them again last year. I also watched three films starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, as well as two other films that aren’t part of the Thin Man series starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, but I decided not to discuss them here. I’m hoping to watch more if not all of the films starring those screen teams.

To Have and Have Not (1944)

To Have and Have Not (1944)

Films watched starring Bogart & Bacall: To Have and Have NotThe Big Sleep; Dark Passage; Key Largo

Desk Set (1957)

Desk Set (1957)

Films watched starring Tracy & Hepburn: Keeper of the Flame; Without Love; The Sea of Grass; State of the UnionAdam’s RibPat and MikeDesk SetGuess Who’s Coming to Dinner

The Gay Divorcee (1934)

The Gay Divorcee (1934)

Films watched starring Astaire & Rogers: Top HatThe Gay DivorceeShall We Dance; Flying Down to Rio; Roberta; Follow the Fleet; Carefree; The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle; The Barkleys of Broadway

I’ll write thoughts on some of these in future tribute and review posts.

3 thoughts on “2012: A Film Odyssey Part II

    • I did enjoy Sorry, Wrong Number? a lot, but not quite enough to warrant it a personal favorite. I’ll have to watch it again though, I might change my mind about it! Stanwyck gives another great performance.

      • I can’t remember if you mentioned Double Indemnity in your posts, but she’s worth checking out in that one as well. And if you haven’t seen it, I recommend giving it a look…it’s one of my Top 5 film noir movies of all time!

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