So I guess I saw 20 more films in February than I did in January, even though the month is shorter. I would blame this almost solely on TCM’s 31 Days of Oscar (which still has two more days to go), but I watched a number of other films as well. As I did last time, after the cut I’ll list all 131 films, as well as a breakdown by decade and list my five favorites. I’d also like to point out that I watched a number of foreign films this month. I try to watch at least one foreign film a month, but I think I watched 14 in February (and they weren’t all in French!) As much as I wish every month were 31 Days of Oscar (because zomg I watched so many Best Picture nominees in the last few weeks, you don’t even know), I’m kind of looking forward to not having a million films on my DVR looming every morning.

1. The Rain People
2. Manhattan Melodrama
3. Richard III (1955)
4. The Private Life Of Henry VIII
5. Anne Of The Thousand Days
6. Anthony Adverse
7. The Great Waltz
8. Lonelyhearts
9. The Moon Is Blue
10. The Last Detail
11. Witness for the Prosecution
12. For Whom The Bell Tolls
13. Un chien andalou
14. The Love Parade
15. The Big House (1930)
16. The Divorcee (1930)
17. Disraeli (1929)
18. Edward, My Son
19. Separate Tables (1958)
20. The Sundowners (1960)
21. The Champ (1931)
22. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
23. The Lion in Winter (1968)
24. Mourning Becomes Electra
25. Othello (1965)
26. One Hour With You
27. Stand and Deliver
28. Irma Vep
29. Conquest (aka Marie Walewska)
30. La nuit américaine (Day For Night)
31. The Pride of the Yankees
32. The Kiss (1929)
33. Viva Villa!
34. Trader Horn (1931)
35. Libeled Lady
36. The Black Swan (1942)
37. Blossoms in the Dust
38. Madame Curie
39. L’illusionniste (The Illusionist)
40. Mrs. Parkington
41. The Valley of Decision
42. Ball of Fire
43. In weiter Ferne, so nah! (Faraway, So Close!)
44. On the Beach
45. The Caine Mutiny
46. The Sin of Madelon Claudet
47. Come Back, Little Sheba
48. After Hours
49. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
50. Trois couleurs: Rouge (Three Colors: Red)
51. The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
52. National Velvet
53. The Yearling
54. Random Harvest
55. Of Mice and Men (1939)
56. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
57. Quo Vadis (1951)
58. Executive Suite
59. A Free Soul
60. None But the Lonely Heart
61. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
62. Here Comes Mr. Jordan
63. The Story of Louis Pasteur
64. Alice Adams
65. Flirtation Walk
66. The More the Merrier
67. The Talk of the Town
68. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
69. Le dernier métro (The Last Metro)
70. Mon oncle
71. My Man Godfrey (1936)
72. Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness
73. Lady For A Day
74. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
75. Pote tin Kyriaki (Never On Sunday)
76. Street Angel
77. Anna Christie (1930)
78. September
79. Do the Right Thing
80. The Tourist
81. Dead End
82. Five Star Final
83. On the Town
84. The Goddess
85. Inherit the Wind
86. Mr. Saturday Night
87. Come and Get It
88. The Westerner
89. Blow-Up
90. Summertime
91. The Inn of the Sixth Happiness
92. Night Must Fall (1937)
93. Watch on the Rhine
94. Trois couleurs: Bleu (Three Colors: Blue)
95. Trzy kolory: Bialy (Three Colors: White)
96. State Fair (1945)
97. Pygmalion (1938)
98. Two Arabian Knights
99. The Divine Lady
100. Limelight (1952)
101. Skippy
102. Ship of Fools
103. The Devil and Daniel Webster (aka All That Money Can Buy)
104. You Were Never Lovelier
105. Cover Girl
106. A Song to Remember
107. Don’t Look Now
108. Amarcord
109. 8 1/2
110. La Strada
111. The Lavender Hill Mob
112. Dodsworth
113. The Blacksmith
114. Great Expectations (1946)
115. Marie Antoinette (1938)
116. Bus Stop
117. The Corn Is Green (1945)
118. The Search
119. Ivanhoe (1952)
120. King Solomon’s Mines (1950)
121. Mutiny on the Bounty (1962)
122. Fanny (1961)
123. Silkwood
124. I’ll Cry Tomorrow
125. Sunrise At Campobello
126. Joan of Arc (1948)
127. The Informer (1935)
128. Smilin’ Through (1932)
129. Arthur (1981)
130. Broadway Melody of 1936
131. The Citadel

1920s: 9
1930s: 35
1940s: 32
1950s: 21
1960s: 15
1970s: 4
1980s: 7
1990s: 6
2000s: 2

Here are my five favorites. Believe it or not, two of the films are from the 80s.

The Moon Is Blue, 1953 (dir. Otto Preminger)

I feel bad for not being able to find a picture that also included Maggie McNamara (she was nominated for Best Actress for her performance in this film), but it was really David Niven and William Holden who made this film for me. This film is infamous for being released despite not be approved by the censors board. This film marked a slow, but steady, disintegration of the Hayes code. I still think the film is one of the raciest things I’ve ever seen, so I can only imagine how audiences must have reacted back then. I like to think it would be like when your average middle American viewer accidentally stumbles into a John Waters film.

After Hours, 1985 (dir. Martin Scorsese)

This. Movie. This is everything I want in a comedy. It is probably one of the weirdest films I’ve ever seen. Every note is executed perfectly. The pace is perfect, the script is sharp and the performances are all impeccable. It makes me wish Martin Scorsese would make more comedies. I’d also be lying if I didn’t say that my love for this film isn’t in part due to the attractiveness of Griffin Dunne. The film was in competition for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes film festival, and although it did not win that prize, Scorsese took home the Best Director award. I loved this movie so much that I actually immediately bought it on DVD ($5.99 on Amazon ftw) and have already re-watched it. Most definitely a legitimate purchase.

Pygmalion, 1938 (dir. Anthony Asquith, Leslie Howard)

Once again a Leslie Howard film makes my list. I just love him so much and I think in playing Professor Henry Higgins, he found the perfect role. You can just tell that Howard loved playing this part; he’s practically glowing throughout the film. He meets his match, too, in Wendy Hiller as Eliza Doolittle. Both were nominated for Academy Awards for their performances, sadly they both went home empty handed. As much as I love My Fair Lady, I think I prefer this film.

Bus Stop, 1956 (dir. Joshua Logan)

This has got to be one of Marilyn Monroe’s best performances, if not her best, period. She is heartbreaking. If anyone doubts her abilities as an actress, they need to watch this film. I actually didn’t really know much about this film going in and was surprised at how kind of dark it was, despite outwardly appearing to be a romantic comedy. It’s filled with great performances and the art direction/costumes are just to die for. It’s definitely a film I’d like to revisit in the future; I have a feeling it’s got more layers than it seems.

Arthur, 1981 (dir. Steve Gordon)

I actually just watched this last night, but I am so in love with this film. I didn’t know what to expect, because based solely on the plot summary I wasn’t sure that I’d like the film. What I discovered was that the film is so much more than the story of a playboy alcoholic. It’s a romance about an ill-adjusted man, who was maybe just a little too scared to fully grow up, who finds the love of his life. I’m a big fan of (and believer in) love at first sight and this film does it so well. The script is tender and witty and insightful and the characters are some of the most charming, interesting and fun ever written. I’m pretty dubious about the upcoming remake. I just don’t see how they can capture the same sweetness that this film had.

So here we are, the first day of March. I am a little behind already (subbed for a half-day today!), but I have watched two films and have plans to watch Cabaret for the first time later tonight (cannot. wait.) I’ll check in with y’all again in 30 days with my look at March’s film-watching exploits. Until then, I’ll keep watching films and you keep watching films and the world’ll keep spinning round.