Good taste in movies

One of the most important things to come out of the Congressional Grandstanding session officially known as the confirmation hearing of Judge Roberts, is that Roberts has impeccable taste in movies. He mentioned North by Northwest and Doctor Zhivago as his two favorite movies. North by Northwest is an all-time favorite of mine. Personally, I would have put Lawrence of Arabia ahead of Doctor Zhivago. However, a movie about a man leading a bunch of Arabs who today would probably be considered terrorists might not be politically expedient in a confirmation hearing. Double Indemnity would also be a good choice. Given that he is a candidate for the Supreme Court, perhaps a courtroom drama such as A Witness for the Prosecution would be appropriate.

It is interesting that no movies less than 30 years old make the list. Perhaps its because Hollywood has substituted special effects and action sequences in place of plot and character development. What director is there today who can hold a candle to Alfred Hitchcock? And what actor is in the same league as Cary Grant, James Stewart, Humphery Bogart, or Audrey Hepburn? If you are looking for a really good movie, check out anything on this list of my personal favorites:

Lawrence of Arabia
North by Northwest
Dial "M" for Murder
Chinatown
Dr. Strangelove
Casablanca
Vertigo
Shawshank Redemption
The Maltese Falcon
Charade
Notorious
The Sting
Rebecca
Bringing up Baby