It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

George Bailey is a man with big dreams who continually puts his plans on hold due to the unforeseen circumstances of life, while he prioritizes everyone else's needs ahead of his own, until he finally reaches the end of his rope.

Frank Capra's masterpiece about the guardian angel who watches him and steps in to interfere actually reveals a grand love story at its center. There are multiple ways you can interpret this film; the most obvious one being that you don't appreciate what you have until it's gone. George is imbued with a lot of thorny character traits, and he can be a bit of an asshole at times. It's Mary who's the real saint for putting up with all his crap. And Mr. Potter may be the villain of the piece, but he's also the one who ends up all alone at the end.

Anyway, it's the kind of sentimental holiday classic that will either put a fire in your heart or leave you feeling miserable and cold, but you have to admit, it's a great example of cinema. Of course, it's all fantastical bullshit; but then again, isn't that why we escape to the movies?

5 bells rung out of 5

Broken Arrow (1950)

Celebrated more these days for what it did contemporaneously than for its story; i.e. being one of the first post-war Westerns to not portray its Indian people as one-note Hollywood savages, Dir. Delmer Daves' film stars Jimmy Stewart as a man who seeks to negotiate peace between the "white" US military and the Apache Indians, who were waging war upon each other. Both sides are characterised as being noble and honest or wicked and prideful.
I'm no expert on 1950s values, but I do wonder if 42-year-old Jim romancing a 16-year-old Debra Paget wouldn't have raised at least a few eyebrows back in the day? And what of the respected Christian General who condones murder as a punishment? Were they viewed as reflective of the 1870s in a similar manner to how we view the film's built-in 1950s social commentary today?

3½ long-distance signals out of 5

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

An ageing US senator has an 'old west' story to tell, one that he's been holding onto for decades, from before railroads connected the civilised parts of the country with the lawless parts. The majority of the film details it in flashback.
Stewart is an outsider lawyer who advocates non-violence. Wayne is a weathered cowboy who advocates gunfire if the situation calls for it. One is a talker, the other a doer. They nevertheless develop a strong respect for each other over time, but their differences remain.
The physical threat isn't as mean as he could've been, perhaps by way of avoiding overshadowing the emphasis placed on the relationships? I don't know. I do know that the comedy moments weakened the established tone a little too often for my liking. But the wrap up is excellent, and it's Wayne and Stewart in the same film! That makes it more than worth anyone's time.

3½ cactus roses out of 5

REAR WINDOW [1954]

Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly find themselves in a bit of a nosy pickle in director Alfred Hitchcock's classic voyeuristic thriller Rear Window.
Stewart plays a man confined to a wheelchair in his New York apartment, where he gleefully spies over the neighborhood through his window, leading him to believe he's seen a man murder his wife.
Hitchcock allows the camera to only move throughout the apartment, thereby limiting the audience to what only Stewart's immobilized character can hear and see.  Shot and told with complex simplicity, lovingly detailed ambience, light-hearted thrills and plenty of snappy dialogues, Rear Window is the type of film that needs the sharp precision of The Fat Man in order for it not to fall apart.  Perhaps it's just an entertaining way for Hitchcock to tell us to just get out and talk to folks or he'll break both your legs.

4½ types of relationships out of 5

HARVEY [1950]

You can't really go wrong with Jimmy Stewart and a 6-foot tall bunny.
The screen treatment of Mary Chase's comedic stageplay, Harvey, tells the story of an alcoholic who is the bane of his sister & niece's social life because his best buddy is a big ol' bunny that only he can see and hear.
At best it's 'gentle chuckle' funny but never gets outright outrageous nor does it really pack the wit it could have with the bizarre subject matter.  If anything, the film is classic only because of it's eccentric premise and not the actual final product.  Still, it's just harmlessly entertaining with enough meat to conjure a few conversations afterwards.  
As far as classic Stewart films go this one isn't an essential but fares better as light-hearted family fun.

3½ bunny names which should not be spoken out of 5

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU [1938]

Actors Jean Arthur, Jimmy Stewart & Lionel Barrymore make their first film together with director Frank Capra's cinematic adaption of George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart's stageplay, You Can't Take It With You.
Stewart plays a man from a family of snotty money-hungry rich folk who gets engaged to a young woman from a less-than-rich family of free-spirited oddballs, which eventually leads to all sorts of problems.  It teeters on the brink of The Great Depression and World War II so much will be lost on modern viewers but much should be taken in as well.  The values and lessons taught are done in such a light-hearted and humorous manner one can't help but feel great by the time it reaches it's final reel.  The performances are all wonderful (particularly Barrymore), the direction is busy yet simple and it's funny enough to feel fine leaving your worries at the door.

4 fireworks out of 5

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

A fast-talking, opinionated socialite (Hepburn) is soon to be married, but two tall, suited, skinny spanners (Stewart and Grant) put themselves on the visitors list, effectively clogging up the works with their smugness and charm.
TPS is a classic era romantic comedy based on a play by Phillip Barry. The three stars light up every scene each time they cross paths, testing the tolerances and attractions of each other, inadvertently or otherwise. It starts slow, but once it hits its stride it doesn't ever disappoint. The supporting cast deserve credit, too, from the eldest to the youngest they're all excellent.

5 names for a boat out of 5

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)

Hitchcock remade his own film. It’s preferable to someone else doing it, I suppose. The 1956 version improves on the 1934 version by having Jimmy Stewart as the leading man, but by the same token it’s weakened in not having Peter Lorre as the antagonist. The story is similar (well, duh) but also different enough to keep people who've seen the previous version unsure of the outcome. The extra length allows for heightened tension, but at other times it drags on too long and becomes unnecessary. In many ways it’s a balancing act between improvements in one area vs change for the sake of it in another. Thankfully, when the scales come to a stop they favour the former. It’s a better film, but the plot is still a bit crap.

3½ moments in life out of 5

Rope (1948)

Hitchcock’s experimental stage play on film is a post-murder story that takes place in real time. The long takes and minimal editing would've been a logistical headache for everyone involved, but the result is a fine example of how groundbreaking the director was. It also highlights how closely linked the stage and screen used to be.
The pressure on the actors to hit their marks at the correct time and not screw up the shot for everyone else must have been immense. It does sometimes feel like that preoccupation is preventing them from giving the performance 100%, even Jimmy Stewart isn't exempt, but that shouldn't detract from the masterful way everything is orchestrated.

5 artistic signatures out of 5

The Shootist (1976)

John Wayne plays an ageing shootist whose life is winding down. It was his final film and served as a fitting tribute to the big man while simultaneously marking the end of an era in style.
Wayne gives an understated performance filled with empathy because the same disease that plagues his on-screen character was killing him slowly in real life. When he looks tired, it's probably because he was.
It was The Shootist that convinced me The Duke was the 'Giant' that folks said he was when I first saw it over twenty years ago, and of all the classic John Wayne films that I've watched since it's still my favourite.

4 streaks of kindness out of 5

The Big Sleep (1978)

Robert Mitchum's second outing as Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe was poorly received at time of release, but that doesn't stop me loving it.
Director Winner transposed events from California to London and updated it to a modern setting. I think it works. It shows that Noir storytelling can be effective even when bastardised by a pompous Brit. It's also much more graphic than the earlier Howard Hawks version.
Mitchum's intensity is restrained but his methodological effectiveness isn't; he's no time for fools and he makes every word count.

4 long drives out of 5

Vertigo (1958)

Everyone has their favourite Hitchcock film. Vertigo is mine.
A retired detective reluctantly takes on a new case at the request of an old friend. It’s an unusual case that leads him into a spiral of doubt and conflicting emotions. To the casual viewer it doesn't matter that it explores the fat man's favourite themes from a different perspective, or that it’s full of technical innovation, because the plot is fantastic and it has Jimmy Stewart as the leading man. That’s recommendation enough.
Hitchcock aficionados will happy-clap at every turn and change in lighting.

5 sentimental souvenirs out of 5