My Six Favourite Cary Grant Movies

Cary Grant was born today in 1904, so I thought today I would list my six favourite movies he ever did. Here I must point out that this list is not definitive. Except for North by Northwest and Arsenic and Old Lace it is very much subject to change. Cary Grant appeared in so many great films throughout his career that it is hard for me to make my mind as to which ones I like the best. Anyway, here is my list of six of my favourite Cary Grant films (at least for now).

1.  North By Northwest (1959): This is not only my favourite Cary Grant film, but also my favourite Alfred Hitchcock film and one of my favourite movies of all time. Cary Grant is perfectly cast as Madison Avenue executive Roger Thornhill, who is mistaken by enemy agents for a spy who doesn't even exist. It is fun, action-packed, and the chemistry between Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint is palpable. I have to think that North By Northwest may have spurred the spy craze that began in the United Kingdom with the TV shows Danger Man and The Avengers and spread to the United States through the James Bond movies. It certainly had an impact on the spy shows of the Sixties, particularly The Man From U.N.C.L.E.

2. Arsenic and Old Lace (1944): For me Arsenic and Old Lace is the perfect Halloween film. Mortimer Brewster (Cary Grant) returns to his childhood home with his new bride (Priscilla Lane) on Halloween only to discover his maiden aunts' (Josephine Hull and Jean Adair) dark secret. Worse yet, his brother Jonathan (Raymond Massey), a well-known serial killer, shows up with his plastic surgeon (Peter Lorre). No, it isn't a horror movie (although it has a few scares), but an at times sweet natured black comedy. It is uproariously funny and very well acted.


3. The Awful Truth (1937): I think Cary Grant may have been at his best in screwball comedies, and The Awful Truth is a prime example of the genre. A misunderstanding between Lucy Warriner (Irene Dunne) and Jerry Warriner (Cary Grant) results in divorce proceedings. As it turns out Lucy and Jerry discovered that staying apart isn't as easy as they though it was. The Awful Truth is hilarious, and features several moments that push the boundaries of the overly strict Production Code of the time. Cary Grant and Irene Dunne are wonderful together, and Irene Dunne remains my favourite of Cary Grant's leading ladies. They would appear together gain in by My Favourite Wife (1940) and Penny Serenade (1941).

4, The Bishop's Wife (1947): I think it is safe to say that the majority of classic film fans count The Bishop's Wife among the greatest Christmas movies of all time. It certainly has an excellent cast, including David Niven as Bishop Henry Brougham, Loretta Young as his wife Julia, and Cary Grant as Dudley, the angel sent to offer Henry guidance. The cast is filled out by Monty Woolley as Henry and Julia's friend Professor Wutheridge and Elsa Lancaster as their housekeeper Mathilda. The Bishop's Wife and warm without being too maudlin, altogether an inspiring movie.

5. Bringing Up Baby (1938): This is among the greatest screwball comedies ever made. Mix in Cary Grant as a palaeontologist, Katharine Hepburn as the extremely free-spirited Susan Vance, and a leopard named Baby, and you have Bringing Up Baby. Even for the genre, Bringing Up Baby is fast paced and one might not catch all of them in one viewing. Even today the movie seems amazingly fresh.

6. The Philadelphia Story (1940): The Philadelphia Story is often called a romantic comedy, but I think it might be better called a screwball comedy blended with a comedy of manners with a good deal of farce thrown in for good measure. Katharine Hepburn stars as socialite Tracy Samantha Lord, whose wedding plans are snarled up by the arrival of her ex-husband C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant). Matters are complicated further by the arrival of reporter Mike Connor (Jimmy Stewart) and his photographer Liz Imbrie (Ruth Hussey), who are supposed to cover Tracy's wedding. The Philadelphia Story is filled with witty dialogue, some great performances, and truly hilarious situations.