15 Timeless Black and White Films That Remain Enjoyable to Watch

      If you believe that classic black and white films lack excitement, we hope this compilation will alter your perspective.

      **The General (1926)**

      Next time a CGI film leaves you unimpressed with its absence of style, you’ll be particularly struck by The General, a silent black and white film that embodies the idea of going all out.

      Buster Keaton’s character supporting the Confederate Army hasn’t aged particularly well, but everything else has. Once overlooked at its release, The General is now celebrated for its mechanical ingenuity and daring humor. It's astonishing to think that anyone produced something so ambitious so early in cinema's history.

      Keaton, famously known as the great stone face, immerses himself in humorous yet perilous situations while maintaining a deadpan expression — a talent he honed while being tossed around vaudeville stages by his father, leading to his nickname “Buster.” Perhaps that part hasn’t aged too well either.

      **Metropolis (1927)**

      Fritz Lang’s silent, expressionistic Metropolis still exudes a futuristic and avant-garde quality nearly a century after its debut.

      Expansive and operatic, it offers a visual spectacle that unfolds at a slower pace than today’s films — a pleasure if you give yourself the time to enjoy it.

      Its moral, plainly stated in the final inter-title, feels particularly pertinent in our AI-driven age: “The Mediator Between the Head and the Hands Must Be the Heart.”

      Originally running 153 minutes, Metropolis has seen many edits, and while we generally don’t favor altering a director’s vision, we think the essence of the film can be appreciated in its shorter versions.

      **It Happened One Night (1933)**

      Featuring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, this is one of two Frank Capra films on our list. It Happened One Night is a screwball comedy that paved the way for countless road films and romantic comedies, few of which compare.

      Gable and Colbert exhibit electrifying chemistry; he plays a resourceful reporter and she a runaway socialite aiming to reconnect with her husband. Yes, husband: This film joyfully endorses extramarital love, managing to do so just before the strict Hays Code was implemented.

      It also encourages a bit of leg-showing (oh, the scandal!) while hitchhiking (double scandal!). It may leave you feeling that life was a bit more carefree about a century ago.

      **Casablanca (1942)**

      When people speak fondly of classic films, this is likely the one they envision. It’s flawless from start to finish.

      Ingrid Bergman shines as Ilsa Lund, a woman torn between love and her obligation to combat fascism. Humphrey Bogart, portraying her former lover Rick, is one of the finest male leads the cinema has ever seen.

      Casablanca is a film where everyone involved, from director Michael Curtiz to writers Howard Koch and Julius and Philip Epstein, is fully committed.

      While everyone has their favorite scene, ours is “I’m shocked, shocked,” which we recall every time we read the latest news.

      **The Postman Always Rings Twice (1944)**

      If you ever yearn for the good old days, this film serves as a reminder that people from the past weren’t as naive as you may think.

      John Garfield makes a life as a drifter appealing as his character, Frank, stumbles into a service station run by the beautiful Cora (Lana Turner), who happens to be married.

      Frank and Cora concoct a plan to address that inconvenience, and it unfolds about as dramatically as you’d expect from a ’40s noir.

      **Double Indemnity (1944)**

      This is arguably the most entertaining movie ever made centered around insurance. This noir classic crackles with scenes like the anklet moment — or the “how fast was I going” scene — between Fred MacMurray as an insurance agent and Barbara Stanwyck as a manipulative client.

      It maintains a steady pace, which only amplifies its seductiveness.

      It inspired numerous films (many in color), including the very good Body Heat from 1981, but we still prefer the original black and white version.

      **High Noon (1952)**

      High Noon zips by as it unfolds in real-time over the 85 taut minutes leading up to the title. Gary Cooper portrays Will Kane, a New Mexico marshal looking to ride off into the sunset with his new bride Amy (Grace Kelly).

      However, Frank Miller, a vicious outlaw Kane once imprisoned, is set to arrive in town at noon, with his gang awaiting him. While it would be understandable for Kane to flee and leave others to handle the impending trouble, he chooses a different path.

      **It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)**

      Did you make it through another holiday season without viewing this Frank Capra classic?

      If so, like many, you may mistakenly remember it as