We’re No Angels in VistaVision

John Robie (Cary Grant), a former French Resistance fighter and cat burglar, is enjoying his early retirement in the Riviera when a series of thefts make him once more the prime suspect—and for the beautiful heiress Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly), these suspicions only add to his appeal. Alfred Hitchcock paired two of Hollywood’s most effortlessly glamorous stars for this witty combination of romantic comedy and caper thriller, adapted by John Michael Hayes (Rear Window, 1954) from the novel by David Dodge. The Oscar-winning VistaVision cinematography of Hitchcock’s regular collaborator Robert Burks (Strangers on a Train, 1951) captures the beauty of the co-stars and the setting in all its splendor.

Hitchcock plays with the concept of the wrong man, a frequent theme in his narratives, in one of the most admired and entertaining of his mid-career films. North by Northwest stars four-time collaborator Grant as Roger O. Thornhill, a suave ad executive whose identity is mistaken for a government agent. Ruthless spy Philip Vandamm (James Mason) is after Thornhill; on a separate mission is a group of secret agents who follows Thornhill across the country. On the run, Thornhill meets Eve Kendall, a mesmerizing, peculiar woman whose mysterious identity amplifies the level of danger he is in. The film’s ironically ecstatic tone parallels the enchanting aspect of Grant’s portrayal of Thornhill—elegantly sarcastic with a witty sense of humor. Processed in Technicolor, this spectacular thriller showcases now-iconic action sequences such as the crop duster plane chase and climax at Mount Rushmore.

The second film from Dena Enterprises, the production company founded by actor Danny Kaye (White Christmas, 1954) and his songwriter wife, Sylvia Fine, The Court Jester is a delightful vehicle for the comedic icon to showcase his unparalleled timing, physical humor, and witty wordplay. Kaye is Hubert Hawkins, a retired carnival performer who disguises himself as a jester to help overturn an evil plot against a rightful British king. This ridiculous romp, with undeniable star Kaye at its center, is buttressed by a sincere Glynis Johns (Mary Poppins, 1964) as Maid Jean and an arch Basil Rathbone (Sherlock Holmes,1939–1946) as Lord Ravenhurst. The most expensive comedy ever made at the time, primarily for its lavish sets, The Court Jester earned Kaye a Golden Globe nomination, and in 2004, the National Film Registry added the film to its list of titles considered “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

This gritty biopic dives into the smoky, dangerous glamor of Prohibition-era Chicago for the true story of nightclub performer Joe E. Lewis, famous for being one of the few people who could make gangster Al Capone laugh. Crooner Frank Sinatra, lauded by the film's marketing as “the most electric personality of our time,” follows Lewis’s highs and lows with the same realism and range he brought to The Man with the Golden Arm (1955). Ol’ Blue Eyes also adds musical dimension to the character — the real Lewis was more comedian than singer—with director Charles Vidor (no relation to fellow director King) compounding his experience with musicals and comedies into a story with dramatic nuance.

This zany romantic comedy was the fourteenth film to pair iconic comic duo Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, released a year before their professional breakup. Martin plays Rick, a struggling painter, and Lewis is his roommate, Eugene, who is obsessed with a comic book character called Bat Lady. They become entangled with Bat Lady’s creator (Dorothy Malone) and her roommate/model (Shirley MacLaine) in a farcical plot that manages to incorporate government secrets and enemy spies. Frank Tashlin’s background in animation made him the perfect choice to direct this cartoon-infused romp, and he would collaborate often with Lewis after the split with Martin.

Fast-talking Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday, 1940) is absolutely captivating as Kim Halliday, the daughter of a deceased career gambler who joins her father’s former business partner to run a Vegas casino. Russell's unflappable confidence is a fine match for the swagger of Fernando Lamas as Victor Monte, a rival club owner who vies for Kim’s affections—and her casino. There’s nothing quite like the neon lights of Sin City captured in high-definition VistaVision and vibrant Technicolor, which appear here in gorgeous documentary footage of the Strip; like most studio productions of the era, however, the bulk of this musical comedy was shot on producer Paramount’s lot.

In person: director Paul Thomas Anderson, cinematographer Michael Bauman, and producer Sara Murphy

In person: actor Peter Weller