50 Classic Movies Every Woman Over 40 Should See
50 Classic Movies Every Woman Over 40 Should See
Life can throw all sorts of distractions at you, from career to family. As a result, you might have missed more than a few key films (and a ton of hidden gems). Instead of a Netflix binge, get caught up on the classics, ranging from epic romances to iconic tear-jerkers.
"9 to 5" (1980)
Think back to every nightmare boss you've had. Chances are, they pale in comparison to the sexist, horrible boss that makes life a living hell for three secretaries (Jane Fonda, Lilly Tomlin and Dolly Parton). So they do what any person in this situation does: They kidnap their boss and maybe poison him.
"A Raisin in the Sun" (1961)
A heartbreaking tear-jerker of a movie, "A Raisin in the Sun" tells the story of an African-American family that tries to improve their situation with an insurance payout from the death of the father.
"Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974)
This is the movie spawned the classic line "Kiss my grits." In it, a recent widow takes to the road to California with her son, determined to become a singer. Financial hardship gets her only as far as Tucson, where she sings in a lounge and has a few relationships. It's a story of coming into your own, despite where circumstances lead you.
"Alien" (1979)
Heroines don't come any stronger than Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who fights (and fights, and fights) an invasion of aliens from taking over the commercial towing space vehicle she works on.
"All About Eve" (1950)
Aspiring actress Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) becomes friends with veteran actress Margo Channing (Bette Davis) before completely turning her world upside down in every way. Take it as a cautionary (yet somehow funny) tale of mentoring the wrong up-and-comer.
"Auntie Mame" (1958)
Auntie Mame (Rosalind Russell) is the fabulous cosmopolitan aunt we all wish we had. Left to raise her late brother's son Patrick, she teaches him how to live a more fabulous life than her staid brother would ever have wanted. It's a musical that is occasionally cheesy, but still so inspiring.
"Baby Face" (1933)
In a movie that was very ahead of its time, Lily Powers (Barbara Stanwyck) escapes a bleak life in Pennsylvania by working her way up the company ladder at a New York City office firm by using her feminine charms and, well, sex. She eventually finds love with the company's handsome heir, but not before it's (possibly) too late.
"Barefoot in the Park" (1967)
She's a free spirit, he's an uptight career guy. Can this marriage survive? You'll have to see to find out, but one thing's for sure — Robert Redford and Jane Fonda are a gorgeous couple.
"Bonnie and Clyde" (1967)
Based on the famous couple, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty star as Bonnie and Clyde. You know the story: Bonnie runs off with Clyde, robbing banks in the process. They're doomed criminals, but you'll want to go along for the ride.
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961)
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a movie that changes with age. In your late teens or early twenties, you might fall in love with Holly Golightly's (Audrey Hepburn) style or her seemingly independent nature. But as you get older, you realize it's as much a story about how you just can't outrun your past. Reinvention is more than just a matter of the right necklace and a little money.
"Cabaret" (1972)
Liza Minelli takes a star turn as Sally Bowles, Weimar Republic-era Berlin nightclub entertainer becomes involved in a love triangle while the Nazi Party takes over the country.
"Casablanca" (1942)
A love story set in World War II, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) has to help his former love Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) and her rebel husband escape Casablanca before Nazis find the couple. They both fall in love again, which makes a dangerous situation for Ilsa even harder to escape.
"Gaslight" (1944)
If there's a movie that will make you resolve to always trust your gut, it's this one. Paula (Ingrid Bergman) travels to Italy to become an opera star when she meets Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer). They become involved, but things are not what they appear to be. Gregory slowly manipulates Paula into believing she's going insane after she finds an incriminating letter related to her aunt's mysterious death. A surprising bonus to this movie: Seeing an impossibly young Angela Lansbury make her screen debut.
"Gilda" (1946)
Rita Hayworth is at her peak as Gilda, the wife of a casino owner and the ex-love of a gambler currently in his husband's employ. After her husband dies, she finds herself trapped in a marriage that's the definition of "distrustful." We won't spoil the plot further, but rest assured that Gilda earns the title of the ultimate femme fatale.
"Gone With the Wind" (1939)
Still haven't seen this epic? What are you waiting for? It's hard to put such a masterpiece in a nutshell, but here it goes: This iconic movie is about the transformation of spoiled Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), who schemes to break up an impending marriage, watches her family fortunes dwindle, falls for the dashing Rhett (Clark Gable), and more, all against a backdrop of the Civil War.
"Harold and Maude" (1971)
With a mood that feels like a Wes Anderson movie, this film features a story of an unlikely love affair between 20-year-old suicidal Harold (Bud Cort) and 79-year-old Maude, a woman with a zest for life. The old adage is true: Age is nothing but a number.
"His Girl Friday" (1940)
An ace reporter (Rosalind Russell) essentially shows up her ex-husband/newspaper editor (Cary Grant) when his scheme to get her away from her insurance broker fiancé (and certain domestic boredom) results in her finding a bombshell of a story. Her independence and sharp suits prove her to be a woman ahead of her time.
"I Remember Mama" (1948)
Think mommy blogs and Facebook set the bar too high for motherhood? Just watch "I Remember Mama," a series of vignettes about a mother who puts herself last in every situation. She sneaks into a hospital to sing to her ill child, she pawns an heirloom for a graduation gift and faces financial sacrifice, all without losing a serene outlook on life.
"I'm No Angel" (1933)
The unstoppable Mae West wrote and starred in this smart, sexy movie where she gets to have flings with a variety of men, including list favorite Cary Grant. Does it get any better? Yes. There so many sassy one-liners you'll want to rotate in your general vocab.
"Imitation of Life" (1959)
Motherhood, families and racial identity are explored in this movie. Lana Turner plays Lora Meredith, a single mother who leaves her daughter with widowed African-American acquaintance Annie Johnson (also a single mother) while she pursues fame. Lora's daughter struggles with her mother's absence, while Annie's daughter struggles with her African-American identity. It's a tear-jerker.
"Little Women" (1933)
Remember how much you loved the Louisa May Alcott book? Remind yourself with a viewing of the classic movie. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll want to hug your sister (or best friend).
"Mildred Pierce" (1945)
The hard-working titular character triumphs against all odds, going from single mother to savvy businesswoman ... only to see her daughter grow up into a resentful monster. Call your mom after this one.
"Network" (1976)
After an anchorman's on-air rant becomes ratings gold, it inspires his producer (Faye Dunaway) to egg him onto more and more outrageous situations. For those critical about sensationalization in cable and news, this will resonate.
"Norma Rae" (1979)
You'll root for Norma Rae (Sally Field), a single woman who goes up against all odds to help unionize her coworkers who face horrible working conditions at a textile mill. Your own workplace woes will pale in comparison.
"Notorious" (1946)
Set in World War II, Alicia Huberman (Ingrid Bergman) and government agent T.R. Devlin (Cary Grant) fall for each other while working together to take down Nazis. But when Alicia has to win over a target, she has to go deeper and deeper undercover, threatening life and love.
"Now, Voyager" (1942)
Tinder problems pale in comparison to the journey of Charlotte Vale (Bette Davis), who overcomes a domineering mother through plenty of therapy and then the help of a dashing lover while on a cruise. The catch? He's married. Can she get over him? You'll have to see.
"Pillow Talk" (1959)
This charming film is the closest thing to a visual anti-depressant. A radiant Doris Day plays a successful designer who gets caught up in a battle of wits with her breathtaking neighbor, Rock Hudson. You should watch it for the fabulous sets alone.
"Queen Christina" (1933)
Greta Garbo is the fearless Queen Christina, a powerful and influential monarch. Despite her achievements, she has to find love. Queen Christina does, albeit in unorthodox ways that involve briefly posing as a man and hiding her royal identity.
"Rear Window" (1954)
In the age of TMI, "Rear Window" is a reminder of the days when the only way you could making assumptions about your neighbors was through spying on your neighbors. Of course, the situation is far more suspenseful and dramatic in this classic Hitchcock film. You'll spend a good amount of time yelling at your screen while watching this.
"Rebecca" (1940)
Joan Fontaine plays the second Mrs. de Winter, who seems to have it all — a grand house, a wealthy husband and a staff to take care of everything. As you can guess, things aren't what they seem: She can't measure up to the first Mrs. DeWinter, the grand house is frightening, the housekeeper is downright scary and her husband has a secret. If there's a lesson here besides learning a bit more about potential love interests, it's about coming into your own as a person.
"Red-Headed Woman" (1932)
Another gem before the Hayes Code would essentially require that sexually free women get punished on-screen, Red-Headed Woman stars Jean Harlow as the crass yet charming Lilian Andrews, who won't let a little thing like being accepted into high society get in the way of her ambitious dreams of wealth and power.
"The Seven-Year Itch" (1955)
You know the iconic scene, but have you seen the movie? Basically, Marilyn plays a sexy young model who is renting the apartment above a lonely husband (Tom Ewell) whose family left for vacation. Hilarity ensues when Ewell has the nerve to even delude himself into thinking he could have an affair with Monroe. It's a frothy, light comedy that's perfect for whiling away a weekend afternoon.
"Splendor in the Grass" (1961)
Bud (Warren Beatty) and Deanie (Natalie Wood) are high school sweethearts who struggle with love, heartbreak and the overbearing expectations of their parents. While you will feel for the couple, it's also one of those movies that make you glad to be an adult that has some distance from the passions of youth.
"Star Wars" (1977)
If you're one of the handful of people who has managed to avoid seeing the epic first installment of the Star Wars franchise, go ahead and make time to see it now. Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia is also quite possibly the best princess to introduce to your daughters (present or future). Yes, she gets saved, but she's also a strong-willed woman.
"Stella Dallas" (1937)
This is another movie that requires having a box of tissues handy. Barbara Stanwyck plays the title character — a woman who marries above her station and is ultimately rejected by high society for being "vulgar." Her husband leaves her for an old flame, yet Stella refuses divorce. But it's when her beloved daughter gets a proposal from a wealthy heir that Stella will have to make a heart-breaking sacrifice.
"Sunset Boulevard" (1950)
An aging, reclusive former silent movie star (Gloria Swanson) invites a young screenwriter (William Holden) into her over-the-top home as she awaits her big comeback. And while she'll make headlines by the end of the movie, it's not in the way she would ever imagine. Yes, it's an incredible movie. But it's also incredible when you realize that Swanson's character is only supposed to be 50ish.
"The African Queen" (1951)
Set against the backdrop of World War I, Katharine Hepburn is Rose Sayer, a fearless missionary who becomes a passenger of gin-swilling captain Charlie Allnut (Humphrey Bogart). As is the case with complete opposites who eventually come across dangerous situations, sparks fly in very surprising ways.
"The Apartment" (1960)
If you loved "Mad Men," you'll "get" this movie. The plot revolves around an apartment that's kept by the married gentlemen of an insurance company to use for affairs. After being used in such a way, elevator operator Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine) nearly kills herself. Yet, she'll eventually find love in an unexpected place.
"The Awful Truth" (1937)
This classic screwball comedy stars Cary Grant and Irene Dunne as a couple who suspect each other's infidelity, file for divorce and then do everything to spoil each other's plans for possible future remarriage. It's just about as realistic as "Alien," when you really think about it, but the movie will remind you that relationships require a good sense of humor along with good communication skills.
"The Big Sleep" (1946)
Philip Marlowe (Humphrey Bogart) gets hired by a wealthy general to investigate his youngest daughter's gambling debts, but it's his oldest daughter Vivian (Lauren Bacall) who reveals to Marlowe the real mystery: What happened to her father's friend, who mysteriously disappeared? Vivian keeps her cool while Marlowe nearly unravels as he uncovers the truth.
"The Color Purple" (1985)
You'll need all the tissues in your house as you watch this 1985 classic. Whoopi Goldberg is Celie Harris Johnson, a woman who endures staggering horrors throughout her life, against a backdrop of rural Georgia. It's touching, it's heart-wrenching and all-around unforgettable.
"The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" (1947)
If you loved "Ghost," you'll love this frequently-overlooked classic. The gorgeous Gene Tierney is Mrs. Muir, a recent widow who moves her adolescent daughter and maid to a stunning cliffside cottage. The problem? It happens to be haunted by a dashing sea captain. After the initial fright, the ghost and Mrs. Muir develop a relationship that defies all logic. It's an unusual love story, yes, but also a statement on the fleeting nature of time and living your best life.
"The Graduate" (1967)
Like in "The Seven Year Itch," this is a movie in which you might know the iconic scene but haven't watched the film. Anne Bancroft is, of course, Mrs. Robinson, who is indeed trying to seduce Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman). Yet, the older you get, the more you feel a little more empathy toward Mrs. Robinson. Her husband is awful, her neighbors are eye-rolling upper middle class bores, and she's only in her '40s but treated like she's ancient.
"The Miracle Worker" (1962)
Anne Bancroft's other iconic role: That of Anne Sullivan, who taught Helen Keller how to communicate. Your heart will leap with joy when she succeeds.
"The Philadelphia Story" (1940)
Old Hollywood did romantic comedies best, and "The Philadelphia Story" remains a top example of the genre. Katharine Hepburn dazzles as spoiled Main Line heiress Tracy Lords, who must reconcile loves past (such as her first husband, a role handsomely filled by Cary Grant), present (her stick-in-the-mud "sensible" fiancé), and possible (the newspaper reporter Jimmy Stewart, who was sent to cover Tracy's impending wedding). Who will she choose?
"The Stepford Wives" (1975)
A chilling sci-fi horror film that skewers the notion of unreasonable standards men were setting of what a "perfect" wife should be, this is the film version of Ira Levin's classic novel. While the book's a bit better, you'll still find yourself transfixed as Joanna Eberhart (Katharine Ross) uncovers a shocking mystery of why the women of Stepford are just so unbelievable.
"The Thin Man" (1934)
Nick and Nora Charles (played by William Powell and Myrna Loy, respectively) are a stylish wealthy couple and also happen to be fabulous detectives. Watch it for the martinis and wonderful sets, but also for the way both Mr. and Mrs. remain on equal footing.
"The Women" (1939)
Pay no attention to the ill-advised 2008 remake, and instead watch the classic. The plotline involves a woman who learns her husband is having an affair with a salesgirl, then learns her friend's husband is also having an affair, and the relationships (and all the gossip) that follow these bombshells. Yes, it's a bit of a catty portrayal of female friendships, but it's a delicious indulgence and positively drips with wit.
"Vertigo" (1958)
You'll be on the edge of your seat with suspense during the entire film (that is, when you're not dazzled by scenes of vintage San Francisco). Jimmy Stewart is "Scottie" Ferguson, a retired detective who suffers from vertigo, who is hired as a private investigator to follow Madeleine (Kim Novak), a friend's wife who is "behaving strangely." Mystery ensues. (Any more will just give the plot away.)
"Wuthering Heights" (1939)
While reading Emily Bronte's classic novel, you may have noted that Heathcliff is certainly no prize. In the film version (which only features about 16 of the chapters in the book) you do see how Cathy could fall hard for him when the role is played by the smoldering Laurence Olivier.
Because Holly Golightly is a character that reads very differently when you're an adult.