Year Released: 1942
This film came out in the middle of World War II and uses comedy to shine a light on some very real things that were happening in those days. The movie tells the story of a Polish theater company that’s threatened by the invading Nazis, so they turn into spies to support themselves.
The reviews for To Be or Not to Be were mainly positive, with Rob McShane of Time Out saying, “It’s certainly one of the finest comedies to come out of Paramount.”
Duck Soup
Year Released: 1933
Duck Soup is another one of the films on our list that didn’t do so hot in the box office but gained more recognition and appreciation as time went on. The Marx Brothers comedy follows some silly spies trying to stage a revolution in the small nation of Freedonia.
It has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 50 reviews, and holds a 7.8/10 on IMDb. Roger Ebert gives it a 4/4, including in his review that he believes it to be the best of the Marx Brothers films.
Out of the Past
Year Released: 1947
This 1947 flick is based on the novel Build My Gallows High by Geoffery Homes, which is the same title used for the film adaption in the United Kingdom. No matter which title you prefer, the film noir is filled with mystery, twists and turns, and of course, amazing cinematography.
Out of the Past is often hailed as being one of the best of its kind, including in a review by Roger Ebert, which is accompanied by a perfect rating of 4/4. It holds an impressive 94% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. In 1984, the film was remade, being released under the title Against All Odds. Among the cast members of the remake include Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges and James Woods.
The Silence of the Lambs
Year Released: 1991
You probably won’t run into many people who haven’t at least heard of The Silence of the Lambs. Or, even if they’ve never heard the title, who don’t know about Hannibal Lecter. Anthony Hopkins stars as the deranged cannibal who gets inside the head of the young detective played by Jodie Foster.
The film won several awards, including four Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Actress. Jodie Foster then won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role in the film.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope
Year Released: 1977
With Star Wars being the immensely popular film franchise that it is, it shouldn’t come as any surprise that they would make an appearance on the list. This film stars the original cast, including Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, and hit theaters in 1977. It was met with nearly $776 million – and it was filmed for just $11 million.
Star Wars: Episode IV won a whopping six Academy Awards, including Best Film Editing and Best Visual Effects, along with the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score in 1978.