30 Day Challenge | 30 Classic Movies in 30 Days Results

In August, I completed another 30 Day Challenge. I challenged myself to watch 30 Classic Movies in 30 Days. In total, I managed to watch: 13.

To see all the movies on the list you can pin the 30 Day Challenge image or review the original post.

Here are the movies I watched, with my star rating and my favourite moment and/or line.

30 Classics Movies in 30 Days Results

• On the Waterfront 

4 stars. My first ever Marlon Brando movie. It’s a black and white movie from the 1950s, about the mob and the unionization of men in the depression era of America. Marlon Brando did an amazing job as a washed-up boxer, used as a hard-man for the mob but with a heart of gold really. My favourite line ‘I coulda been a contender’.

• Some Like It Hot

5 stars. Unbelievably, this was my first Marilyn Monroe movie. It was also my first Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. I was laughing throughout, and simply put loved it. My favourite line ‘I’m Cinderella the Second’.

• The Godfather

2 stars. Slightly sacrilegiously perhaps but I didn’t really care for The Godfather. Even with all the famous murder scenes, it didn’t hold my attention. I was very moved by Marlon Brando in the scene where he dies. It’s a true grandfather moment, very innocent and very realistic sadly. I didn’t really have a favorite line or ‘scene’ otherwise though.

• Lawrence of Arabia

Did not finish. It’s a 3.5 hour movie of Peter O’Toole riding a camel. After an hour and a half of barely understanding any of it, and getting bored of Lawrence getting on and off a camel I just gave up.

• His Girl Friday

3 stars. A 1940s classic with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. It’s based on a play and the characters talk a mile a minute, often over each other. I really enjoyed the performances and the back-and-forth banter between Burns and Hildy. But the storyline was so quick it was hard to keep up. My favourite line: ‘Get back in there you mock turtle.’

• An Affair to Remember

4.5 stars. This sweet romance from the 1950s has been called one of the most romantic movies of all time, and I can see why. It has one of the strongest romance premises I’ve ever seen. Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr are lovely. Although Cary Grant looks very orange and I don’t quite understand why he’s so desirable if he’s never worked and isn’t rich. This is also part-musical and there are some sweet scenes with a children’s choir. I also desperately want Deborah Kerr’s whole wardrobe from this movie. My favourite line: ‘I have a confession. I’m a jewel thief.’ 

• All the President’s Men

2.5 stars. When I started watching this movie I hoped for two things. 1. That it would be like Spotlight. 2. That I would watch it and understand Watergate. Neither of those things happened, unfortunately. I liked Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman’s performances as Woodward and Bernstein. But apart from that, it was a hard-to-follow story and I lost interest by the end.

• Spartacus

4.5 stars. This is a 3+ hour movie that felt like a 90-minute movie, and that’s a good thing. I didn’t realise the length of the film as it was epic. The cast of Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Tony Curtis, and Peter Ustinov are famous. And of course, ‘I am Spartacus’ is probably the most recognisable line in movie history. But it was genuinely decent.

My favourite character was Peter Ustinov, who was hilarious in a stupidly modern way. The story is tragic and there are some very sad and hard-to-watch moments, but I really enjoyed it. My favourite line: ‘Where does the wind come from?’ and ‘Politics is a practical profession. If a criminal has what you want, you do business with him.’

• Roman Holiday

3.5 stars. A sweet romance set over the course of 24 hours, when a princess runs away and ends up being helped by an American newspaperman. It’s very cutesy, and Audrey Hepburn is stunning in it. But there isn’t any payoff to the sweetness. This is not a story that can have a happy ending, but there are moments of pure romance and comedy.

• Apocalypse Now

4 stars. A very dark Vietnam drama. Another long classic, but very well acted and directed. I know the drama behind this Francis Ford Coppola movie, having read Martin Sheen’s memoir. But I didn’t know the plot or which other actors were involved. Robert Duvall stole the movie as the surf-obsessed general who kills people for the sake of a good wave. Martin Sheen also gives a very strong performance. Although you can see how filming it caused him to have a heart attack at 36 years old.

• The Searchers

2.5 stars. I’ve finally watched a Western, and a John Wayne one at that. This culturally inappropriate classic was fine, but not my favourite. There is a very confusing 6-8 year timeline – although none of the characters bar one ever ages. But the story was very intriguing and very dark, and there’s a slightly ambiguous ending. But would I rush to another John Wayne movie, I doubt it.

• 9 to 5

3.5 stars. I have finally seen this fan favourite movie. It’s another movie that was just alright. I liked the three mains and some of the biting one-liners, but it’s a bit bonkers. And very outdated – although the sexism remains, if on a slightly more subtle level. My favourite line ‘Did you read my memo?’ ‘I tore right through it.’

• To Kill a Mockingbird

2.5 stars. I have finally watched To Kill a Mockingbird. I’ve yet to read Harper Lee’s famous novel, but after watching the movie I’m less inclined. I can see why people think it’s fascinating and the performance of Gregory Peck is great. But I found myself getting bored and I didn’t understand the relevance of Boo Radley at all. Not for me, surprisingly.

Not a bad amount for a first attempt. I still have plenty of movies on the list I want to see, I just need to find a few more evenings to sit down and watch them.

Here are all the movies I meant to watch, and will one day.

Which of the remaining 30 classic movies should I prioritise next? Are there any movies you think I should re-try or give the sequel a go? Let me know in the comments below.

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