This year’s Oscars featured Kenneth Branagh’s autobiographical film Belfast, which took home the award for Best Original Screenplay. The impactful film was made all the more poignant as it was filmed entirely in black and white. Sometimes, moviegoers want a break from flashy colors and special effects. Thankfully, there are a number of delightful black and white films, both from the early days of cinema as well as the past few years.
Whether it’s a classic flick from Billy Wilder or a brand new film from Kenneth Branagh, there’s always a place in film lovers’ hearts for black and white comedies.
Belfast (2021) – 7.3
Available To Rent On Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, & YouTube
Oscar-winner Belfast follows the story of a young boy in Ireland during the late 1960s. Viewers follow Buddy, played by Jude Hill, as he comes of age amidst a growing crisis in Northern Ireland.
Even though it’s 2022, the need for a touching black and white family film hasn’t gone anywhere. Loosely based on director Kenneth Branagh’s own life, the film is enlightening, heartfelt, and cute all at the same time.
Frances Ha (2012) – 7.4
Available To Rent On Apple TV+ & YouTube
With highly advanced technology and visual effects, it’s sometimes hard to find a modern film that’s still in black and white. Thankfully, Noah Baumbach has viewers’ backs.
In his 2012 film, Baumbach sheds light on the funny yet touching components of female friendship. Both Greta Gerwig and Sophie Levee do a wonderful job conveying to fans what it really means to be a good friend, all while showing a beautiful transformation of Gerwig’s character as she finds herself in her mid-20s.
A Hard Day’s Night (1964) – 7.6
Stream On HBO Max
One of the greatest movies about The Beatles, Richard Lester’s 1964 musical/comedy A Hard Day’s Night is an essential watch for fans of the band. With a relatively simple plot, the film follows the fab four in mockumentary style as they work together to grow even more renowned than they already are.
A Hard Day’s Night is fun, relaxing, and easy to watch, not to mention a great way to watch the four rock stars for an hour and a half.
The Artist (2011) – 7.9
Stream On Netflix, Tubi, & Pluto TV
Only a decade old, director Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist came out in 2011, though it feels more like a 1940s romantic comedy.
The film takes place in 1927 Hollywood when egocentric silent film star George Valentin grows uncertain about his future with the phenomenon of the talking picture on the rise. As he begins to question his place in the world of cinema, a romance ensues between George, an older, more renowned actor, and Peppy, an up-and-coming actress. Viewers will be enamored by The Artist‘s unique ability to take viewers back into the golden era of entertainment.
Manhattan (1979) – 7.9
Available To Rent On Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, & YouTube
Viewers will laugh and smile watching this quirky romantic comedy film, which feels far more vintage than its actual release year. Disgruntled television writer Isaac Davis faces a mid-life crisis, feeling lost and alone in 1970s New York. Davis then starts dating a much younger girl and quits his job.
Though the film has proved controversial in the years since its release (per The New York Times), the unorthodox comedy does still have its merits, keeping viewers interested from start to finish as they wonder what Isaac Davis’s next move might be.
His Girl Friday (1940) – 7.9
Stream On Paramount+ & Amazon Prime Video
An oldie but a goodie, Howard Hawks’ 1940 film His Girl Friday elegantly weaves together numerous genres, including comedy, romance, crime, mystery, and more.
When Hildy, played by Rosalind Russell, gets engaged to insurance worker Bruce, her former spouse named Walter, played by Cary Grant, does everything in his power to stop them from tying the knot. What follows is an hour and a half of fast-paced and hilarious dialogue, several twists and turns, and finally a resolution.
Some Like It Hot (1959) – 8.2
Available To Rent On Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, & YouTube
One of the funniest films of the 1950s, Billy Wilder’s timeless comedy Some Like It Hot will leave people laughing from start to finish.
When friends Joe and Jerry witness a mafia shootout, they must leave the area as fast as they can so they don’t get killed. They then dress up as women so they can join an all-girls band headed out of town. Throughout the movie, Joe and Jerry, aka Josephine and Daphne, try to keep up the façade in order to save their own skin. Featuring Tony Curtis as Joe, Jack Lemmon as Jerry, and Marilyn Monroe as Sugar Kane, Some Like It Hot has become a black and white comedy classic.
The Apartment (1960) – 8.3
Stream On Amazon Prime Video
The Apartment is another classic romantic comedy from Billy Wilder. It follows lonely insurance clerk C.C. Baxter played by Jack Lemmon as he lets corporate executives and their loves come into his living space to mess around under the radar.
In just over two hours, viewers will find it hard to stop laughing as they watch main character Baxter navigate his feelings for one of the mistresses, played by Shirley MacLaine, as well as his desire to move up in the corporate ranks.
Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964) – 8.4
Available To Rent On Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video, & YouTube
Dr. Strangelove is just one of many Stanley Kubrick favorites. The film is a humorous yet powerful examination of what might happen in a nuclear war, meaning Dr. Strangelove still holds up today.
When U.S Air Force General, ironically named Jack Ripper, loses his mind, the world more or less starts to fall apart. Though the ending is pretty dystopian, the film is no doubt funny and entertaining as viewers witness US government officials use and abuse their power, ultimately leading to the end of the world.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) – 8.7
Stream On Amazon Prime Video
Simultaneously a comedy, fantasy, romance, and Christmas movie, It’s A Wonderful Life is director Frank Capra’s most renowned and celebrated film. For many families, it’s a holiday classic.
When George Bailey, played by James Stewart, appears to lose everything, including an amazing wife, family, business, and home, he struggles with the question of whether he’d be better off not existing. Through the power of some Christmas magic, he’s forced to realize what a great person he is and how wonderful he has it, problems and all.
