7 Essential Old Movies For Modern Audiences

6. Thriller - North By Northwest (1959)

An Alfred Hitchcock staple, starring an incredibly handsome Cary Grant, this film delivers. A classic case of mistaken identity, Cary Grant is thrown into a dastardly plot laced with murder, framing, and forbidden romance. Eva Marie Saint plays the sexy, yet ferocious Devil€™s advocate, Eve Kendall, who is the perfect counterpart to Grant€™s intelligent, level-headed Roger Thornhill, an advertising executive. Hunted by foreign spies trying to kill a government agent, Grant is shipped all around the country, hunting for answers and evading certain death. Not only is the movie exciting, but it€™s funny where it needs to be, it€™s sexy where it can be, and the epic scenes are extremely action heavy and certainly outstanding for its time. Even if you haven€™t seen the movie, you can recognize the pinnacle scene where Cary Grant is being chased through miles of farmland by a crop duster. It really is spectacular. I chose this movie because Cary Grant is such a captivating actor (who will appear later in this list) and because Alfred Hitchcock (who will also appear later in this list) redefined what it meant to direct a film. This film was true genius, has been a staple in most film school curriculums, and will remain a gem for the silver screen.