Beyond the Classics

Beyond the Classics is a recurring column in which Emily Kubincanek highlights lesser-known old movies and examines what makes them memorable.

Browse the full archive for Beyond the Classics below

Clark Gable And Carole Lombard

‘No Man of Her Own’ was Carole Lombard and Clark Gable’s Precursor to Real-Life Romance

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Before they fell in love, they starred in this romance that gives modern viewers a peek at their relationship.

Christmas In July

‘Christmas in July’ and Preston Sturges’ Overlooked Dream Project

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Writer-director Preston Sturges made his passion project ‘Christmas in July’ early in his career, but its sincerity is passed over to talk about his classic hits.

It Happened On Th Avenue

‘It Happened on 5th Avenue’: the Holiday Movie That Frank Capra Passed Up

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This rediscovered Christmas movie has a fascinating history and is the perfect watch for this year’s turbulent holiday season.

They Made Me A Criminal John Garfield

‘They Made Me a Criminal’ and the Persecution of an Innocent Star

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John Garfield stars in this precursor to film noir, a tragic representation of the happy ending he never got to have.

Island Of Lost Souls Creature

The Real Evil in ‘Island of Lost Souls’

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This Universal horror movie from 1932 didn’t shy away from the violence of a mad scientist, making it the most realistic sci-fi movie of its time.

The Old Dark House

The Unconventional Haunts in ‘The Old Dark House’

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No ghosts or spirits inhabit the haunted house in this once lost Universal horror film. What is still alive is much scarier.

The Devil And Miss Jones

How ‘The Devil and Miss Jones’ Disguises Class Politics as Screwball Comedy

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In one of Old Hollywood’s positive depictions of the working class, this screwball challenges the negative legacy of workers’ protest in movies made during and after the Depression.

Sin Of Nora Moran

Pre-Code Surrealism in ‘The Sin of Nora Moran’

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This existential nonlinear Pre-Code melodrama has remained largely unseen, but the film is just as exciting to watch today as it was in 1933.