When it comes to notable actors, it’s fair to say George Clooney is up there with some of the best.
From Ocean’s 11 to The Peacemaker, he’s starred in some pretty varied films over the years. And, when it comes to his personal favourites, it turns out he likes quite a mixture.
Recently a clip was shared on Reddit of Clooney talking about some of his favourite movies with Letterboxd. People said seeing the star open up about his film knowledge was a “joy to watch”.
Little you may know, the actor, now 63, has four films which he considers to be his ultimate favourites, and what makes the list may surprise you. In fact, you may need to be a proper film fan to know what some of them are.
They all date back to the ’60s and ’70s, which means they really have stood the test of time in Clonney’s eyes. Here’s what he listed as his top picks when it comes to cinema.
All the President’s Men (Alan J. Pakula, 1976)
All the President’s Men was released back in 1976, and it’s an American biographical political thriller film which tells the story of the Watergate scandal that led to bringing down the presidency of Richard Nixon.
It was directed by Alan J. Pakula, and the screenplay was developed by William Goldman. The film was inspired by the 1974 non-fiction book by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, who were two journalists who investigated the scandal for The Washington Post.
The movie boasts major stars, with Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman taking on the roles of Woodward and Bernstein, respectively.
Fail Safe (Sidney Lumet, 1964)
Fail Safe is a 1964 Cold War thriller film, which was directed by Sidney Lumet. It was inspired by the 1962 novel of the same name by Eugene Burdick and Harvey Wheeler.
The film tells the tale of a crisis caused by a critical error that sends a group of US bombers to destroy Moscow, and how efforts are made to prevent the bomber group before it can deploy a nuclear strike.
The likes of Henry Fonda and Dan O’Herlihy star in the film, and the novel was re-adapted again years later. Perhaps not suprisingly, a televised play was developed which starred Clooney, Richard Dreyfuss and Noah Wyle and was broadcast live on CBS.
The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
For those who somehow haven’t seen it, The Godfather is a 1972 American epic crime film. It was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo.
The story is based on Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel, and it’s often considered to be one of the greatest and most influential films of all time. Not to mention, it’s a landmark of the gangster genre.
Stars of the movie include Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and James Caan, and it was the highest grossing film of 1972. As well as this, it’s still widely loved by fans today.
Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976)
Network is a 1976 American satirical comedy drama film. It was directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Paddy Chayefsky, and focuses on life at a fictional television network and how it struggles with low ratings.
Stars of the movie include Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Wesley Addy, Ned Beatty and Beatrice Straight. It’s quite commonly considered to be one of the “best films ever made”, as it was celebrated well critically.
In particular, people considered both the screenplay and performances to be quite captivating.