Golden Oldies

Lately, when I have wanted to seriously veg out, I’ve sat down and watched movies from the heydays of Hollywood. 1940s and 1950s classics, like Rebecca, The Philedelphia Story, To Catch A Thief and North by Northwest.

And when I’m really, really in the mood for schmaltz, I’ve been dipping into tear-jerkers like An Affair to Remember, and Three Coins in the Fountain.

One of the most fascinating things about these movies is the clothes — especially how high the waistbands of the men’s trousers rose. But the women’s clothing is all fascinating. Even if they’re a penniless orphan in the movie, the lead actress still manages to look glamorous and glowing.

The three women in Three Coins in the Fountain, for example, were all supposed to be working girls, who could apparently afford designer clothing, a maid and a cook to take care of their palatial apartment, and endless time off to attend soirees and country festivals, all while living in Rome, one of the most expensive cities in Europe.

But if you let that trifling annoyance drift away, the classic movies from those two decades are so much fun to watch. With the current trend in dressmaking for vintage patterns, these movies are very inspirational indeed.

What’s your favourite movie from the 1940s or 1950s, and why?

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