The MoFo Top 100 of the Forties: The Countdown

This is my prediction for the Top 5

1. Citizen Kane
2. Casablanca
3. The Third Man
4. The Maltese Falcon
5. It's a Wonderful Life

__________________
Letterboxd

Strange, I thought it would be higher.

My predictions:

1. Citizen Kane
2. Casablanca
3. The Third Man
4. It's a Wonderful Life
5. The Maltese Falcon

All of which are on my list for the final 5. Curious to see who beat out who

3/5 are on mine. Think Casablanca is the favourite with Citizen Kane having a great chance too. It's A Wonderful Life could be the dark horse though, even people who don't watch old movies have usually seen that and it's extremely well loved. Would only be surprised if Maltese or Third Man won.

Ideal top 5

1. Maltese Falcon
2. It's A Wonderful Life
3. Citizen Kane
4. Third Man
5. Casablanca

Likely top 5

1. It's A Wondeful Life
2. Citizen Kane
3. Casablanca
4. Maltese Falcon
5. Third Man

My broken record - I've loved Double Indemnity for over 40 years but it didn't make my list. It's got wonderful performances, cinematography and music. It's also got the ultimate femme fatale. Interesting trivia: Richard Crenna played Walter in a TV version and later played the part of the husband in the most stylish variation of the film, Body Heat. The most pertinent thing I've posted here about the film is below.
Opening Scene:

__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Double Indemnity was my #1. I think It's the best Noir there is. Tough choice between Indemnity and Wonderful Life for my top spot but there it is.

__________________
Letterboxd

It wasn't romance, it was lust.

25. The Spiral Staircase
24. Gaslight
23. The Treasure of Sierra Madre
22. didn't make it
21. didn't make it
20. didn't make it
19. Rope
18. All The Kings Men
17. didn't make it
16. The Devil and Daniel Webster
15. Rope
14. I Walked with a Zombie
13. didn't make it
12. Pride of the Yankees
11. didn't make it
10. The Great Dictator
09. Black Narcissus
08. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
07. should be out next
06. Double Indemnity
05. Rebecca
04. not going to make it
03. Le Corbeau
02. Likely in this or #3
01. perhaps the #1

I had Double Indemnity at #7. As far as I'm concerned it's one of the two most important films to lay the foundation for all noir films to come, the other one being one I figure will be showing up next on the countdown next. With Double Indemnity you have the typical ordinary guy who succumbs to lust and greed in a moment of weakness, manipulated by a sexy femme fatale, with his well-constructed plans ultimately unraveling. The dialogue is hard-boiled, corny, very pulpy, and utterly delicious. It's quite faithful to the short novel my James M. Cain, with the ending being the one part they changed the most, and it's worth a read if you're into hard boiled fiction from the 30s.

My List:

2. Shadow of a Doubt (#17)
3. The Great Dictator (#11)
5. Bicycle Thieves (#9)
7. Double Indemnity (#6)
8. Notorious (#15)
9. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (#7)
10. Out of the Past (#32)
11. The Philadelphia Story (#37)
12. Stray Dog (#64)
13. The Grapes of Wrath (#13)
14. Laura (#12)
15. His Girl Friday (#14)
16. Rope (#8)
17. Drunken Angel (#54)
18. The Ox-Bow Incident (#39)
19. Sullivan’s Travels (#68)
22. Gaslight (#41)
24. The Lost Weekend (#24)
25. Five Graves to Cairo (1-pointer)

__________________
I may go back to hating you. It was more fun.

Double Indemnity was my #25 and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre was #7 on my list, the same spot in achieved in the actual list!

My list so far (with predictions):
1. Top 3 (title contender)
2. Late Spring (#25)
3. Top 5
4. Bicycle Thieves (#9)
5. Top 3 (title contender)
6. The Great Dictator (#11)
7. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (#7)
8. Meshes of the Afternoon (#69)
9. The Grapes of Wrath (#13)
10. The Big Sleep (#22)
11. Brief Encounter (#21)
12. Rope (#8)
13. Didn't make it
14. Stray Dog (#64)
15. Shadow of a Doubt (#17)
16. Top 5
17. White Heat (#42)
18. Didn't make it
19. Cat People (#49)
20. Rebecca (#10)
21. Top 5
22. Gaslight (#41)
23. Didn't make it
24. Gilda (#72)
25. Double Indemnity (#6)

We've been getting into the tall cotton now.. FWIW, "DI" was likewise my #6. This film was nearly flawless, and it's subject most likely inspired 1946's The Postman Always Rings Twice. Raymond Chandler co-wrote the screenplay, and it did seem like the mood of a Chandler novel.

It's one of those rare films where the viewer could believe that he was watching a documentary, filmed by the aide of hidden cameras as the drama unfolded. The actors never seemed as though they were acting. But I'm a sucker for noir narrators.

To me it would not have been possible for any other actor to play Neff as perfectly as did Fred MacMurray; not Dick Powell, or even Bogart. Others might have been as good in the roles as Stanwyck, and even Robinson. But it was MacMurray who made the film.

Just Doc's 2 cents.

I agree about MacMurray, but if any other actress played Stanwyck's role, I'm not sure I would believe MacMurray would agree to commit murder for sex (and money).

not even Gene Teirney or Hedy Lamarr??
I'd take out a entire town and do a floor slide right into the electric chair for either of those ladies!!

I could say that Double Indemnity is a great movie, but it didn't make my list, but rather than sound like a broken record for the last few movies, I'll just say that all of these last 5 movies could easily have made my list, but I had to make some tough cuts, so only one of these movies made my list. I'll let you know which of these movies made my list when it shows up in the countdown.

I like Double Indemnity but it didn't make my list. I loved a few others a bit more.

__________________
"Miss Jean Louise, Mr. Arthur Radley."

Double Indemnity isn't a favourite of mine. Treasure of the Sierra Madre is good but wasn't on my list. I think The Maltese Falcon will be next.

yeah, maltese or third man should pop up

__________________
I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity - Edgar Allan Poe

I hated It's a Wonderful Life but I know I'm in the minority on that.

__________________