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The 10 Most Rewatchable Classic Hollywood Movies, According to Reddit

The golden age of Hollywood, which spanned from the end of the silent era in American cinema during the Great Depression in the late 1920s (when the talkies were on the rise) to the early 1960s, counts on several memorable, different-genre flicks from talented filmmakers.

Whether we’re talking engaging Westerns like Treasure of the Sierra Madre or romances that sweep audiences off their feet such as Casablanca, it is clear that, while this era was quite prominent for cinema, some movies undoubtedly stood out more than others, having equally gained massive popularity throughout the years and ultimately stand the test of time. On Reddit, cinephiles share which classic Hollywood movies they find themselves rewatching the most.

10. ‘Treasure of the Sierra Madre’ (1948)

Two men smiling while sitting behind a rock, wearing traditional Western movie clothes
Image via Warner Bros.

Directed by John Huston and starring Humphrey Bogart in a life-changing role, this well-known adventure-drama Western is set in the 1920s and narrates the story of two struggling Americans who looking for work in Mexico as they persuade an elderly prospector to help them mine for gold in the Sierra Madre Mountains.

According to therealmintoncard, the engaging 1948 movie “Treasure of the Sierra Madre” makes for a highly rewatchable one. In a reply to their comment, a Reddit user added that they couldn’t “believe this film has so few mentions. My favorite of all time. I’ve seen it at least 40 times and I don’t get tired of it. So many great lines. Epic film.”

9. ‘The Children’s Hour’ (1961)
Audrey Hepburn touching Karen Balkin's shoulder in The Children's Hour
Image via United Artists

If we’re talking romance dramas, The Children’s Hour may be a good pick. The Audrey Hepburn-led classic showcased a singular take on queerness (and its societal intolerance) by following a rebellious pupil (Karen Balkin) at a girl’s school who accuses two teachers (Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine) of having an affair.

When a now-deleted Reddit account mentioned “The Children’s Hour” in a list they made under the comments of a post, Puzzled-Journalist-4 could not help noting that the William Wyler movie is a great one. “This film has one of the greatest villains in movie history. She boiled my blood!”

8. ‘The Great Escape’ (1963)
Steve McQueen in The Great Escape
Image via United Artists

John Sturges‘ 1963 feature starring Steve McQueen is set during World War II and based on a true story surrounding a group of Allied escape prisoners of war as they plot the escape of several hundred others of their fellow captives from a German camp.

Given how good and how much of a timeless action classic The Great Escape is, it’s no wonder that movie enthusiasts love putting themselves through it for a second time. “Not sure how old we are going here, but The Great Escape is one of my all-time favorites,” pooldead0614 said.

7. ‘The Night of the Hunter’ (1955)
Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum) from 'The Night of the Hunter'
Image via United Artists

Set during the Great Depression, this timeless classic thriller directed by Charles Laughton — his only project as well, and a highly respected one — centers around an obsessively religious man (Robert Mitchum) who marries a gullible widow (Shelley Winters) with young children with the intent to steal the money their real father had stolen in a robbery.

While the rewatchable The Night of the Hunter is categorized as crime drama film-noir, a Reddit user admits that it is a unique film due to the way it deals with the genres. “This is a very strange film. Just watched it recently. It feels like a mix between a kids movie and a tense adult thriller.”

6. ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ (1961)
Audrey Hepburn lying down with a cat on her side in Breakfast at Tiffany's
Image via Paramount Pictures

Possibly Hepburn’s most famous movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s invites audiences to sneak peek inside the life of a young New York socialite who ends up catching feelings for a young man (Paul Varjak) who has moved into her building. However, her past poses a potential obstacle.

This Blake Edwards comedy-drama is undoubtedly among the most well-known movies of the time, and although some users agree that it did not age well in some bits — including UniDublin, who wrote that the “Mickey Rooney bit though aged poorly, aside from that, a great Audrey Hepburn film,” — it is still a comforting watch for some.

5. ‘The Apartment’ (1960)
The Apartment with Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine having a conversation
Image via United Artists

As for The Apartment, the story centers on a Manhattan insurance clerk (Jack Lemmon) who attempts to advance in his career by allowing corporate executives to use his apartment for trysts. Little does he know this causes complications and sparks a romance of his own.

Billy Wilder‘s highly accessible rom-com makes a debut in several users’ lists when it comes to the most rewatchable classics. According to the deleted Reddit account that initially asked Redditors for suggestions on the post, the movie’s “comedy is so on point.” In a comment, a Redditor says, “I caught it late in my life, but I’m grateful that I did when I did so that I could appreciate the full weight of the movie.”

4. ‘Rear Window’ (1954)
A man aims his camera at the audience
Image via Paramount Pictures

Very few movies are as memorable as Alfred Hitchcock‘s Rear Widow, a true classic involving a wheelchair-bound photographer (James Stewart) who observes his neighbors from the window of his apartment and becomes certain that one of them has committed murder.

While the movie delivers an intriguing storyline that makes it assuredly a highly rewatchable film, that doesn’t seem to be solely the reason behind its rewatchability. According to abijeet95, “2 words ‘Grace Kelly’! If you asked any 2010s teenager his celebrity crush, I’ll bet you a billion bucks, no one’s gonna mention her. But she still remains mine.”

3. ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ (1952)
Gene Kelly dancing with an umbrella in Singin' in the Rain
Image via Loews Cineplex Entertainment

Even after all these years, Singin’ in the Rain remains an extremely popular musical and one of the most beloved in the movie industry. It narrates a silent film star’s (Gene Kelly) struggles to make the challenging transition to the talkies in the 1920s while also finding love along the way.

The astounding choreography in Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s movie seems to be a key element in what makes the film so enjoyable — at least according to ikissedthebeifongs, who also admits to loving the “overall vibe” of the film.

2. ’12 Angry Men’ (1957)

The cast of '12 Angry Men'
Image via Orion-Nova Productions

12 Angry Men is arguably the best courtroom drama to ever exist, and what makes the film even better is the fact that it was a directorial debut. Set in a New York City courthouse, Sidney Lumet‘s outstanding movie centers on the verdict of a murder trial, where one member of the jury frustrates the others by making them deliberate the evidence more thoroughly before reaching a judgment.

“Quite possibly the best debut of any filmmaker in history, and every time I watch it, I notice something new, which is incredible considering how limited the cast and location is,” a now-deleted Reddit account gushed on the platform. “Absolute classic.”

1. ‘Casablanca’ (1942)
Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund looking at each other in Casablanca
Image via Warner Bros.

This legendary and timeless romance, which was filmed (and set) during World War II, follows an American expatriate (Bogart) who must decide between his love for a past lover (Ingrid Bergman) and assisting her husband (Paul Henreid), who is a leader of the Czechoslovak resistance, in leaving the city of Casablanca and resuming his fight against the German.

Without a doubt, Michael Curtiz‘s movie remains a classic today, sending out honorable messages on loyalty, friendship, and duty (while casually being the best romance film for people who hate romance films). According to AnthonyDigitalMedia on Reddit, the movie is “always good & so rewatchable.” In a reply, a Redditor said that “when we talk about films aging poorly and slowly losing their grasp on audience’s attention as generations go by, I think one of the few films to not be affected by this is Casablanca.”

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