HIGH NOON (1952)

A western parable in which Gary Cooper is very convinced he is right and everyone else is wrong. He would have fit right in on Twitter.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946)

The ultimate feel-good movie, or harrowing exercise in existential angst? Possibly both.

MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (1939)

If Frank Capra’s particular brand of idealistic American mythmaking feels dated today, that may be more our problem than his.