I’ve been to Wisteria Lane, and the Bates Motel and Amity and Skull Island … well actually, I’ve been on the Universal Studios back lot tour.
It was a lot of fun – and it got me thinking about my favourite films.
Just like my favourite books, my favourite films all have the most amazing characters. They could be good guys or bad guys, heroes or heroines but I care about what happens to them. I love good story-telling, and a happy ending doesn’t hurt either.
I had trouble coming up with a top ten – but here it is…
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To Kill A Mockingbird – Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch. I love Gregory Peck’s films (Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn came very close to making the list). He is just amazing in this film which is a very good interpretation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Harper Lee. I am always moved to tears when I watch the powerful final courtroom scene.
Sabrina – Audrey Hepburn as Sabrina Fairchild. It’s Cinderella – and it’s wonderful. Watching Linus fall for the sweet Sabrina is a joy. But then, almost any Audrey Hepburn film is a joy. Am I allowed to include Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Nun’s Story and My Fair Lady as a side list?
An Affair to Remember – Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. I challenge anyone not to reach for the tissues as Nickie finds out why Terry never met him on top of the Empire State Building… oh my!
Star Wars – Harrison Ford as Han Solo. On this first of the series, Han is THE perfect hero. He’s a bit of a bad boy – but you always know that in the end he’s going to join the rebellion because deep down he’s honourable. Underneath those rough edges he’s funny – and not at all hard on the eyes.
Pirates of the Caribbean – Johnny Depp as Captain Jack. OK – this is not the best film ever made. The plot has its weaknesses – but I was SO in love with Captain Jack that nothing else mattered.
Con Air –John Malcovich as Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom. John Malcovich does THE best bad guys – and Grissom is the best of the best. The film is not hurt by Nic Cage with his shirt off. There’s also a great John Cusack role, and Steve Buscemi does another great villain. It rocks!
The African Queen – Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn as Charlie and Rose. It’s hardly a traditional romance. A gin-swilling riverboat owner falls for a strait-laced missionary spinster. The characters are so wonderful drawn and so beautifully played that I put this above Casablanca when it comes to a romantic Bogart role.
Lord of the Rings – an epic piece of film making in every way. It’s visually quite staggering. Of course, Viggo Mortensen’s Aragorn is pretty much a classic hero – especially in the last film. I also give a nod to David Wenham as Faramir.
Pulp Fiction – for the story. While there are some great characters and fabulous acting, what I love is the intricacy and pace of the storytelling. The individual stories are wound around each other into such a breathtaking whole story. When it comes to this sort of film, Tartantino is the man!
The Princess Bride – because it is the greatest fun. The film teases us about our love of fairy tales – but at the same time reminds us just why we love them. It’s funny and romantic and clever. I fell in love with Mandy Patinkin as the swordsman bent on avenging his father’s murder. This film never fails to cheer me up on a dull rainy day.
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There’s a lot of inspiration for a romance writer in these films… Making this list, I realized something else about my favourite films – there usually needs to be a box of tissues nearby when I watch them.
What are your favourites?