I’ve written before that Humphrey Bogart is the greatest film star of all time. That makes Cary Grant the second greatest. This ultimate romantic leading-man doesn’t have the insane number of masterpieces under his belt that Bogart does, but he has multiple. And as far as generally good films go, he’s got more than Bogart, and probably more than any leading-actor. Grant being in a film is a good indicator that it will be enjoyable. Yes, there were a few true duds, but for every Night and Day, there were a few like My Favorite Wife, The Awful Truth, Gunga Din, and I Was a Male War Bride that you should watch. It would be easy to fill in a much longer list of “must see” Grant films, but the challenge is to choose only eight, so I’ve stuck to that for him.
Honorable mentions go to films that would make it on other actors’ lists (and did, with several of these already on best lists I made for other actors), but can’t fit on Grant’s because he has so many good films: Bringing Up Baby (1938) [on the Katherine Hepburn list], The Bishop’s Wife (1947), The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947), and Topper (1937).
8 – Charade (1963) – Audrey Hepburn is the window of a murdered man mixed up in a very Hitchockian mystery. There’s plenty of romance, humor, thievery, and killing. Grant may be a crook, may be a murderer, or may be a hero. [Also on the Audrey Hepburn list and the Walter Matthau list]
7 – To Catch a Thief (1955) – This is a light Hitchcock thriller and perfect as part of a double feature with Charade. Grant is an ex-jewel thief who needs to clear his name. Grace Kelly is the daughter of a woman with a lot of jewels.
6 – Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) – Another great one for Halloween. Grant plays a theater critic who discovers that his family is filled with psychopaths. The play is wonderful and this is an excellent rendition.
5 – Holiday (1938) – Often overlooked, this Grant & Katherine Hepburn romantic comedy has always been a favorite of mine. Grant plays a vunderkin whose set to marry the good sister of a high society family, but he wants more than money which doesn’t go over well with the family, except for black sheep Hepburn. This is where you go if you want depth and philosophy with your comedy. [Also on the Katherine Hepburn list]
4 – His Girl Friday (1940) – Who’d have thought gender-swapping one of the leads in a dramady newspaper play would produce this brilliant work. It has all the meaning and fun of the original, and extra layers of romance and feminism. It is extremely fast paced and very funny.
3 – North by Northwest (1959) – Grant in one of the greatest action thrillers, and the second of three Hitchcock films on this list. I suspect anyone reading this already knows this film. If not, go see it now.
2 – Notorious (1946) – A darker Grant and a darker thriller, once again directed by Hitchcock. It’s spies and cruelty and self-loathing and love and it is remarkably moving. Co-stars Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains.
1 – The Philadelphia Story (1940) – Just as it topped Katherine Hepburn’s list, so it tops this one. This is the essential romcom, and was the perfect vehicle for its three leads, Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. None of them ever had a role that more completely played to their strengths. This is as witty as film gets. [Also on the Katherine Hepburn list and the James Stewart list]
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