As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

Throughout our lives, there have been movies that we had to see. Sometimes, we felt we needed to see them for their merit and sometimes so that we could say that we had seen them and our opinion is…

Some of these films are epics and some are little films. Whatever their scope, they are memorable.  Some are very good and some are barely adequate. But, they have been talked about, certain lines have entered daily conversation, and they remain in our movie memory bank.

I’m sure the ones I pick will not be the ones you might pick. Generation, gender and inclination play their roles in selection. Let’s see how many we have in common.

Casablanca: How many famous lines can you remember from this classic? Every time I see this movie, and I have seen it many times, I cry when the Marseilles is sung. I am always shocked to find out gambling is allowed in Rick’s place.

Gone with the Wind: Not a great movie but still very watchable. Why couldn’t Scarlett have seen what millions of women have seen—Clark Gable is more desirable than Leslie Howard.

The Wizard of Oz: It’s not just for children. I watch it every few years and still enjoy it. I love the munchkins. There are several lines that remain a part of our everyday conversations, my pretty.

The Graduate: Ah, Mrs. Robinson. She knew what she wanted and went for it. But—Dustin Hoffman? Simon and Garfunkel provided the perfect music.

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark: Who can forget the snakes or smile at the gun/whip episode? I still see a few of Harrison Ford-type hats. I believe my husband has one.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: This film is brilliant and funny and impossibly cruel. I’ll never forget or forgive Big Nurse.

Easy Rider: This is a film that symbolized to me that I was past my youth—motorcycles, men without jobs, drugs, oh my, what were they doing? Even so, they sure didn’t deserve their demise.

Terms of Endearment: This is your basic tear jerker, plain and simple.

The Godfather: What did any of us know about the mafia? This movie paints a romantic but violent picture. Great acting, beautiful cinematography, flawless story lift this film to classic. 

Psycho: Whoever saw this film will never forget the Bates Hotel. I think it is still the scariest film I ever saw and ever hope to see.

Lawrence of Arabia: My favorite movie (next to Paul Newman’s The Hustler) has so much scope it is past cinemascope. Each scene in the desert combined with the score make for an indelible memory. Not to mention Peter O’Toole’s blue eyes. Did you know he broke the bank at Monte Carlo?

On the Waterfront: All together now, “I coulda been a contender.” This is a gritty movie  based on the Budd Schulberg book. Brando is at his mumbly best. Karl Malden sure can play the bad guy well.

Peyton Place: I lived in a small town, but I can’t remember it being anything like this. It’s steamy and wonderfully trashy. Everyone was talking about this movie.

The Usual Suspects: I hate to admit it, but I was completely taken in, as I suppose were most viewers. What a clever plot. This movie has to be seen twice to really appreciate it.

Grapes of Wrath: No one talks about this film much anymore, but when I was young, it was both admired and reviled for its depiction of the “Okies.”

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: This is an enjoyable film, both for the acting and the subject matter. It was nice that Tracy and Hepburn were sophisticated parents. Otherwise…

The Big Lebowski: The Coen brothers made a big, rollicking, whacky, lovable film. And I love them for so doing. My son and I refer to it often.

In the Heat of the Night: Winner of an Academy Award among four other strong contenders, this film was discussed frequently among my friends. I would never call Sidney Poitier anything but Mr. Poitier.

Fargo: The Coen brothers again with this quirky, to say the least, film about a pregnant sheriff on the trail of a killer. I could never think of a woodchipper in a benign way again. And, I can still say you betcha with the best of them.

2001: A Space Odyssey: And thus Spake Stanley Kubrick and Hal. I enjoyed this film. I don’t think I fully understood though. All my friends had a different interpretation. Maybe that’s what made it a must see.

Apocalypse Now: Everyone was talking about this movie years ago. I finally saw it. Do I detect something burning?

Judgment at Nuremberg: I think this was the best holocaust film. I remember being so depressed after I saw it that I spent three days in bed crying.

The Birds: Every time I see a crow I look around for more. I just hope no crows ever see the film. I’ve been in many discussions about this Hitchcock film.

And, at least one film in the following series:

Charlie Chan: Who can remember number one son?

The Three Stooges: Let’s all get goofy.

Sherlock Holmes: Elementary.

The Thin Man: Sophisticated humor, a tiny mystery, banter, and Asta.

The Marx Brothers: Just plain silliness. Good for the soul.