The 50 Classic Movies Every Woman Should See
Because Holly Golightly is a character that reads very differently when you're an adult.
Life can throw all sorts of distractions at you, and as a result, you might have missed more than a few key films (and a ton of hidden gems) that you really should see. Instead of a Netflix binge, get caught up on the classics, ranging from epic romances to iconic tear-jerkers.
"9 to 5" (1980)
Think back to every nightmare boss you've had. Chances are, they pale in comparison to the sexist, horrible boss that makes life a living hell for three secretaries (Jane Fonda, Lilly Tomlin and Dolly Parton). So they do what any person in this situation does: They kidnap their boss and maybe poison him.
"A Raisin in the Sun" (1961)
A heartbreaking tear-jerker of a movie, "A Raisin in the Sun" tells the story of an African-American family that tries to improve their situation with an insurance payout from the death of the father.
"Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974)
This is the movie spawned the classic line "Kiss my grits." In it, a recent widow takes to the road to California with her son, determined to become a singer. Financial hardship gets her only as far as Tucson, where she sings in a lounge and has a few relationships. It's a story of coming into your own, despite where circumstances lead you.
"Alien" (1979)
Heroines don't come any stronger than Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who fights (and fights, and fights) an invasion of aliens from taking over the commercial towing space vehicle she works on.
"All About Eve" (1950)
Aspiring actress Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) becomes friends with veteran actress Margo Channing (Bette Davis) before completely turning her world upside down in every way. Take it as a cautionary (yet somehow funny) tale of mentoring the wrong up-and-comer.
"Auntie Mame" (1958)
Auntie Mame (Rosalind Russell) is the fabulous cosmopolitan aunt we all wish we had. Left to raise her late brother's son Patrick, she teaches him how to live a more fabulous life than her staid brother would ever have wanted. It's a musical that is occasionally cheesy, but still so inspiring.
"Baby Face" (1933)
In a movie that was very ahead of its time, Lily Powers (Barbara Stanwyck) escapes a bleak life in Pennsylvania by working her way up the company ladder at a New York City office firm by using her feminine charms and, well, sex. She eventually finds love with the company's handsome heir, but not before it's (possibly) too late.
"Barefoot in the Park" (1967)
She's a free spirit, he's an uptight career guy. Can this marriage survive? You'll have to see to find out, but one thing's for sure — Robert Redford and Jane Fonda are a gorgeous couple.
"Bonnie and Clyde" (1967)
Based on the famous couple, Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty star as Bonnie and Clyde. You know the story: Bonnie runs off with Clyde, robbing banks in the process. They're doomed criminals, but you'll want to go along for the ride.
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961)
"Breakfast at Tiffany's" is a movie that changes with age. In your late teens or early twenties, you might fall in love with Holly Golightly's (Audrey Hepburn) style or her seemingly independent nature. But as you get older, you realize it's as much a story about how you just can't outrun your past. Reinvention is more than just a matter of the right necklace and a little money.
"Cabaret" (1972)
Liza Minelli takes a star turn as Sally Bowles, Weimar Republic-era Berlin nightclub entertainer becomes involved in a love triangle while the Nazi Party takes over the country.
"Casablanca" (1942)
A love story set in World War II, Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) has to help his former love Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman) and her rebel husband escape Casablanca before Nazis find the couple. They both fall in love again, which makes a dangerous situation for Ilsa even harder to escape.
"Gaslight" (1944)
If there's a movie that will make you resolve to always trust your gut, it's this one. Paula (Ingrid Bergman) travels to Italy to become an opera star when she meets Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer). They become involved, but things are not what they appear to be. Gregory slowly manipulates Paula into believing she's going insane after she finds an incriminating letter related to her aunt's mysterious death. A surprising bonus to this movie: Seeing an impossibly young Angela Lansbury make her screen debut.
"Gilda" (1946)
Rita Hayworth is at her peak as Gilda, the wife of a casino owner and the ex-love of a gambler currently in his husband's employ. After her husband dies, she finds herself trapped in a marriage that's the definition of "distrustful." We won't spoil the plot further, but rest assured that Gilda earns the title of the ultimate femme fatale.
"Gone With the Wind" (1939)
Still haven't seen this epic? What are you waiting for? It's hard to put such a masterpiece in a nutshell, but here it goes: This iconic movie is about the transformation of spoiled Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh), who schemes to break up an impending marriage, watches her family fortunes dwindle, falls for the dashing Rhett (Clark Gable), and more, all against a backdrop of the Civil War.
"Harold and Maude" (1971)
With a mood that feels like a Wes Anderson movie, this film features a story of an unlikely love affair between 20-year-old suicidal Harold (Bud Cort) and 79-year-old Maude, a woman with a zest for life. The old adage is true: Age is nothing but a number.
"His Girl Friday" (1940)
An ace reporter (Rosalind Russell) essentially shows up her ex-husband/newspaper editor (Cary Grant) when his scheme to get her away from her insurance broker fiancé (and certain domestic boredom) results in her finding a bombshell of a story. Her independence and sharp suits prove her to be a woman ahead of her time.
"I Remember Mama" (1948)
Think mommy blogs and Facebook set the bar too high for motherhood? Just watch "I Remember Mama," a series of vignettes about a mother who puts herself last in every situation. She sneaks into a hospital to sing to her ill child, she pawns an heirloom for a graduation gift and faces financial sacrifice, all without losing a serene outlook on life.
"I'm No Angel" (1933)
The unstoppable Mae West wrote and starred in this smart, sexy movie where she gets to have flings with a variety of men, including list favorite Cary Grant. Does it get any better? Yes. There so many sassy one-liners you'll want to rotate in your general vocab.
"Imitation of Life" (1959)
Motherhood, families and racial identity are explored in this movie. Lana Turner plays Lora Meredith, a single mother who leaves her daughter with widowed African-American acquaintance Annie Johnson (also a single mother) while she pursues fame. Lora's daughter struggles with her mother's absence, while Annie's daughter struggles with her African-American identity. It's a tear-jerker.
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