Call Your Five, Raise To Ten

Howard Hawks may be my favorite Hollywood director. (He's a lot of people's favorite director. Years ago when I had a short conversation with Quentin Tarantino we discussed Hawks.) Hawks is special, not just in speed and attitude, but in how he made a definitive film in numerous genres. The latest list at The Cinematheque is fave Hawks films. Here are the winners:

1. The Big Sleep

2. Rio Bravo

3. His Girl Friday

4. Red River

5. Bringing Up Baby

Hard to argue, but here's my top ten:

1. His Girl Friday

2. Only Angels Have Wings

3. Bringing Up Baby (used to be #1, may be again)

4. Red River

5. The Big Sleep

6. Ball Of Fire (his least appreciated great comedy)

7. To Have And Have Not

8. El Dorado

9. Rio Bravo (fine, but overrated by Hawks' fans)

10. Scarface

Special mention for The Thing, which he directed but didn't take credit for.

His biggest hit by far was Sergeant York, which wasn't on a single list.

I'm getting together with a number of friends in a couple months and we're going to watch To Have And Have Not, so maybe that'll go higher. Of course, I have a friend who shows Hatari! a lot and I don't think he's convinced too many people to put it on their list.