14 Classic Movies to Watch With Your Kids
14 Classic Movies to Watch With Your Kids
Earlier this week, out of nowhere, my two children, ages 7 and 10, asked if they could watch Frozen. Hardly an unusual occurrence—this query is made every second of every day in households around the planet—but these particular offspring had long claimed to be “done” with the loquacious Arendellians. “It’s a baby’s movie,” said both.
But after a week of no school, pandemic-imposed physical isolation, and less-than-perfectly-parented online learning, they (okay, we) had viewed, multiple times, every single standard-issue kids movie and TV series. We were bored stiff.
I turned to my colleagues at T&C for help. What should we watch that we’ll all enjoy? They responded with a list of classic films that are different and more challenging than what we usually select. Some are old, some serious, some silly—we will have to spend plenty of time discussing each movie before and after we watch it, explaining jokes and giving context. Suddenly things don’t seem so dire.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
“My husband and I weren’t sure what our kids would make of Monty Python, but they took to it instantly. The gleeful sillines of the crew made them giggle hysterically—those coconut shell horse hooves and an invincible killer rabbit? No second grader can resist. My girl and boy seemed entirely unbothered by obscure references to Arthurian legend. And I’ll admit to being a little proud when we talked about the spread of coronavirus and how dangerous viruses can be, my 8-year-old piped up with 'I’m not dead yet!'” —Elizabeth Angell, Digital Director
The Great Gatsby (1974)
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“My daughter read the book [F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel about money, class, and the American dream] in English class and enjoyed it so much that she wanted to see the movie. We watched the 1974 version [starring Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby and Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan] and couldn’t get enough of the costumes and sets. That experience served as a catalyst for a regular movie night in our home and an ongoing family trip down movie-memory lane.”—Darrick Harris, Visuals Director
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963)
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“After a recently released convict crashes his car en route to dig up the fortune he buried, he shares the secret location of his treasure with the good Samaritans who stopped to help. What ensues is a wild, weird, and very funny race to see who can get there first and pocket the loot. A delicious cast of the period's biggest stars—including Spencer Tracy, Ethel Merman, Sid Caesar, and Mickey Rooney—give this 1963 six-time Oscar nominee a charm that hasn't dulled more than a half-century later. It's zany enough to keep kids entertained, smart enough to appeal to grown-ups, and long enough (at over three hours) to make for an entire evening of family entertainment..”—Adam Rathe, Senior Editor, Arts and Culture
Time Bandits (1981)
“Maybe I am a supremely weird person, but I was VERY into Time Bandits [Terry Gilliam’s 1981 time-travel fantasy starring Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelly Duvall, and many others] when I was about ten. The ending traumatized and confused me (still does), but it also sparked really interesting conversations with my parents about history that have always stuck with me.” —April Long, Beauty Director
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (1967)
“Loving vs. Virginia, the Supreme Court case that ultimately struck down laws against interracial marriage, was a research topic in one of my daughter’s history classes. Learning about the case made her want to watch this movie [Sidney Poitier and Katharine Houghton star as a young couple who pay a visit to her parents, played by Katherine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy], which came out the same year as the case was tried. Watching this of course led to my suggesting To Sir With Love, which also stars Poitier.”—Darrick Harris, Visuals Director
Some Like It Hot (1959)
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“When I proposed watching this iconic comedy starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemon, and Tony Curtis, my children were skeptical. Black and white is a hard sell. But I prevailed (ok, promised to let them choose the next 10 movies) and they agreed. Then they fell in love. The film is hilarious, with the warmest heart, and we all practiced walking like Marilyn after. They don’t know who Billy Wilder is yet, but one day they will and they’ll have an early memory of his genius.” —Elizabeth Angell, Digital Director
The Music Man (1962)
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$12.99
“Okay, anyone who knows me is definitely not going to be shocked when I say: EMBRACE THE MOVIE MUSICAL! It’s a gateway for children to learn to love live theater and so much more. Start with The Music Man [starring Robert Preston, Shirley Jones, and Buddy Hackett] and then move onto Oklahoma, Meet Me in St. Louis, Gypsy, West Side Story, Mame, and...should I keep going? Do dinner and a show in your living room. And then promise them dinner and show for real once Broadway lights shine again (and the restaurant Joe Allen is back open).”—Stellene Volandes, Editor-in-Chief
Bringing Up Baby (1938)
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“Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant starred in this classic screwball comedy, directed by Howard Hawks, about a befuddled paleontologist, a besotted heiress, and a pet leopard. Kids love it because it’s fast paced and deeply silly. It’s full of double entendres, some of which they’ll get; the rest you can either explain or hold off until a later viewing.” —Karen Lubeck, Research Editor
The Goonies (1985)
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“We made my nine year old and 13 year old watch The Goonies [an adventure fantasy starring Sean Austin and Josh Brolin among others]. They were hesitant at first because of the dated-seeming film quality, but they ended up really enjoying it. It's nice to see children in a movie facing challenges and grappling with their fears. And the plot—finding a map, solving puzzles with friends, and searching for treasure—is exactly the type of adventure my kids crave.”—Chiun Lee, Designer
Sing Street (2016)
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“Sing Street is great for teens because it's a romcom about a bunch of cute Irish boys forming a band so that one of them can impress a girl. It has great original songs and great ’80s oldies. It also features the best Older Brother character ever written, brilliantly played by Jack Reynor, who later came to a mind-bogglingly gruesome end in Midsommar, which is so disturbing that not only should parents not watch it with their kids, they probably shouldn't watch it at all.—James Lochart, Copy Chief
His Girl Friday (1940)
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“Howard Hawks's screwball comedies are a welcome distraction for all ages right now, but they're especially great to watch with young girls because they all feature the sort of whip-smart and funny leading ladies, like Katherine Hepburn and Rosalind Russell, that, until recently, remained in short supply at the movies. Here's an idea for a double feature: Start with His Girl Friday, starring Russell and end with a more recent comedy she would have relished, like Olivia Wilde's Booksmart.” —Erik Maza, Style Features Director
Coco (2018)
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“In terms of animated films or movies for really young kids, I think Coco is one of the best out there. The songs are great, and it introduces Mexican culture and traditions in a way that is vibrant and easy to understand, but if you want to take the conversation to the next level, the movie’s message about death and its inevitability as well as how borders function and the pain of being separated from your family lend themselves to deeper more topical discussions.”—Caroline Hallemann, Senior Digital News Editor
Bean (1997)
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"My family always watched the Mr. Bean television series and movies on the plane trip to Copenhagen (back then it was a staple on SAS’s movie schedule) to see family for the holidays. The “Merry Christmas Mr. Bean’ episode felt like a part of the upcoming pageantry. Both my husband and my daughter would ask me to quiet down, though, because I laughed too loud.”—Nelida Mortenson, Visuals Editor
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
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"Growing up Singing in the Rain [starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds] was a go-to father-daughter watch in my household. Not only is the plot funny and relatable (even if you are a young viewer), the soundtrack and lyrics to all of the songs transcend the era. I still listen to them when I feel down. Sometimes I sing 'Good Morning' to myself when I get ready."—Roxanne Adamiyatt, Senior Digital Editor
These films stand the test of time, and you can feel good that it's not the 85th viewing of Frozen.