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My Ten Favorite Films from Before The Year I was Born
It had to be done
I recently completed a daunting five-part series on my favorite film from every year I’ve been alive. It was good fun (even for those who grudgingly joined me like Simon Dillon and Eric Pierce). The only downside was something I mentioned in the first installment: because I was not born until 1966, I had to leave off one of my all-time favorites, 1963’s The Great Escape. This has bothered me for a while now, and I just can’t move on to the next thing until I correct my mother’s poor planning regarding the year of my birth.
Therefore, I now give you my ten favorite films from before the year I was born. Let me be clear that this is not another challenge to everyone who took part in the earlier prompt, but rather a case of pop culture OCD run amok on my part. I will say that I was surprised at the number of movies on this list that would qualify not simply as personal favorites but as some of the greatest ever as well; that did not happen often in my earlier series.
All that said, here are my ten favorite films from before the year I was born. There is a preponderance of war films and John Wayne classics, for which I make no apologies at all. Also, be aware that there are spoilers below.