Katie Connolly's TEN FILMS THAT CHANGED MY LIFE

It was a difficult choice, but here are my top 10 movies,
in no particular order.

1. Top Hat (1935)
my favorite musical with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers..includes dancing and great songs, as well as some amusing supporting characters. It has to be included because it is the film that got me started on classic films.
2. The Third Man (1949)
a great film noir with Orson Welles and Joseph Cotton in Vienna after WW2. It takes some surprising twists and turns in the plot and is directed well.
3. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
everybody loves to see this inspiring movie during the holidays..I know almost every line but still watch it every year.
4. The Music Man (1962)
one of my favorite musicals with great songs. It is inspiring, humorous, and very enjoyable. It was probably also the movie that introduced me to musicals.
5. Woman of the Year (1942)
my favorite Hepburn/Tracy movie. It was their first together, I think. It is consistently at a contant level of humor with moving performances by all.
6. The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
the bumbling but impeturbable Inspector Clouseau has maddened his long-suffering boss Dreyfus to insanity. Clouseau, played by the talented Peter Sellers, sharpens his wits and martial skills with his manservant Cato, and foils the bad guys without ever having a clue about what he is doing.
7. American Graffiti (1973)
I love the oldies music, the acting, and most of all, the creation of an atmosphere of a time that can never be recaptured.
8. Brideshead Revisited (1980)
this is a British mini-series from the book by author Evelyn Waugh, concerning the period in England between the two world wars. Charles Ryder is the main character who becomes involved in the life of the Marchmain family. This movie is slow moving but the directing, scenery, music, and acting is superb.
9. Harvey (1950)
I just can't explain my liking for this unusual film. It is funny but touching in an offhand way. It has a very unusual premise. James Stewart is a man whose best friend is a giant invisible rabbit...it is surprisingly good..only James Stewart could pull that role off.
10. Citizen Kane (1941)
considered the best movie of all time. I saw it at home first and thought it was very engrossing, but when we studied it in school I learned a lot about how it revolutionized filmmaking. I saw many subtle details that added to the enjoyment of the movie. 

There are a few more movies I could throw in there, but I had to choose only ten!


*Contributed by: "Katie Connolly" Date: Wed, Jun 14 2001

Movie still displayed: Top Hat (1935)