Rio Lobo (1970) ***

El Dorado (1967) ****

Superb western starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum.

Man's Favorite Sport ? (1963) ***

Rock Hudson stars in this amusing comedy directed by Howard Hawks.

Hatari! (1962) ***

Typical (and typically good) film by Howard Hawks, set in Africa. Memorable score by Henry Mancini.

Rio Bravo (1959) *****

Sexy Angie Dickinson spices up this otherwise testosterone-heavy western starring John Wayne as a beleaguered sheriff in a lawless town. This film was Howard Hawks's response to Fred Zinnemann's "High Noon", with an identical premise, but diametrically opposite ideological point-of-view. While "High Noon" was a leftist cry in the wilderness bemoaning the lack of solidarity among human beings, ''Rio Bravo" is a right-wing allegory about experienced professionals doing their jobs without caring about anything else. In fact, both film could be seen as allegories about George W. Bush's presidency: "High Noon" about his unsuccessful diplomatic efforts to built an anti-Saddam coalition, and "Rio Bravo" about the efforts of his tiny "coalition of the willing" in Iraq.

Land Of The Pharaohs (1955) ***

The building of the Cheops pyramid. Not among Howard Hawks' best films, but still impressive and fascinating.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) ***

Marilyn Monroe plays a smart-but-acting-dumb blonde whose eyes sparkle every time she sees a diamond or a tiara. Jane Russell plays her brunette friend who's slightly more romantic (i.e. naive) when it comes to men. Songs: 

"Two Little Girls From Little Rock" ** 

"Bye Bye Baby" ** 

"Ain't There Anyone Here For Love" * 

"When Love Goes Wrong" ** 

"Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend" ***

Monkey Business (1952) ***

Funny comedy with Cary Grant and Ginger Rogers acting like little children.

The Big Sky (1952) ***

An epic western about a trading expedition deep into the Indian territory in the 1830's. The film is quite remarkable for its positive representation of Indians.

The Thing (1951) ****

A sci-fi horror film about a monster from outer space.

I Was A Male War Bride (1949) ***

French officer Cary Grant marries an American female G.I. and tries to get to United States as a war bride.

Red River (1948) ****

Excellent western starring John Wayne and Montgomery Clift.

The Big Sleep (1946) *****

One of the best detective movies ever made, starring Humphrey Bogard as Philip Marlowe. There are two versions of this film, both excellent.

To Have And Have Not (1944) ****

The first pairing of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. It's the only film ever made that is based on a novel by one Nobel Prize-winning author (Ernest Hemingway), and adapted for the screen by another Nobel Prize-winning author (William Faulkner). Consequently, it has enough memorable lines of dialogues for a dozens of films. The classic lines:

Slim: Who was the girl, Steve?
Steve: Who was what girl?
Slim: The one who left you with such a high opinion of women.

Slim: I'm hard to get, Steve. All you have to do is ask me.

Slim: You know you don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything, and you don't have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow.

Air Force (1943) ***

Fine war drama about a bomber crew flying to Hawaii during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Sergeant York (1941) ***

Two movies for the price of one: a rural melodrama set in Appalachia and a war movie set in the trenches of WWI.

Ball Of Fire (1941) ***

A gangster moll (Barbara Stanwyck) hides among stuffy professors. An amusing variation on the Snow White tale.

His Girl Friday (1940) *****

One of the best (and fastest) comedies of all times. Superb dialogues, delivered at the speed of light.

Only Angels Have Wings (1939) ****

Heroic pilots fly over the Andes in this excellent Howard Hawks' drama.

Bringing Up Baby (1938) *****

The best, the funniest and the wildest of all the 1930's screwball comedies. It stars Cary Grant as a bumbling palentologist and Katherine Hepburn as a crazy heiress who falls in love with him.