27 Movie Scenes From Old Hollywood That Are So Good, They May Be The Best Ever

"The entire scene is so haunting. You finally see Norman in his mother’s dress, with a knife, and you realize that it was him the entire time."

—makinl

"Rita Moreno's voice is amazing, and her dancing is just mesmerizing. It's no wonder she won an Oscar for this performance. I always love rewatching West Side Story just for her performance."

—courtnie13

"The best scene is from It's a Wonderful Life when everyone in town gives away their money to George. I just can't help but tear up during that scene."

—maggieshannon1

"In this particular scene, the Nazis started singing their anthem, so everyone else started singing 'La Marseillaise' to drown them out. This one moment represented every character and every theme of the film so perfectly: Rick subtly (but definitively) picked a side, Sam showed his loyalty, Laszlo was fearless, Ilsa was conflicted, Renault was secretly pleased at the the turn of events, and everyone else risked their lives for a small victory over the Nazis, which expertly foreshadowed what was to come. It was beautifully filmed and acted, and few scenes will ever live up to it."

—olivia4

"The ending of Some Like It Hot is so good. Gerald keeps failing at convincing Osgood that they can't get married, so he reveals he’s a man. Then Osgood delivers the iconic 'Well, nobody’s perfect' line. The whole conversation is brilliant."

—egonzo

"The moment in Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window when Lisa sneaks into the neighbor's apartment and then signals that she has his wife's wedding ring...perfection. The look of pride on Jeff's face and then the shot of Thorwald realizing she's signaling someone is so good."

—isola

"My favorite movie moment is the opening of The Sound of Music when Maria twirls and sings that the hills are alive. It's such an iconic scene, and I've always wanted to try it."

—theatergirlbb101

"Christina's employee at the art gallery drives to her house, expecting to gossip about how horrible it is that her daughter is marrying a Black man, and Katharine Hepburn's character fires her. Epic and regal."

—facebk10

"The entire chariot race scene is a nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat spectacle that still amazes over 60 years later."

—scottaaronm

"Honestly, the song they sing is just so catchy, and I sometimes find myself absentmindedly singing 'We accept her! One of us!' It's such a great movie that shows that those who look different aren't monstrous, and sometimes true evil hides behind a pretty face. I really wish that the extra footage from that film had never been destroyed, as it is such a brilliant film."

—monikap6

"It's iconic. No other description is necessary."

—marvelouscomet53

"Sidney Poitier responding to the racist cop in In the Heat of the Night is easily one of the best scenes from Old Hollywood. You can see and feel the anger radiating on his face, and it's so deserved, but he has to remain as calm as possible. The power dynamics are so apparent. He deserved an Oscar nomination for this scene alone."

—laurengarafano

"The last scene of the movie is absolutely perfect, but this one is especially good too. Fran hands Baxter her broken mirror, and he suddenly realizes just where he's seen it before. This is the moment when things REALLY start to unravel."

—JoshLemmings

"Atticus Finch's courtroom speech in To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the best scenes ever. Gregory Peck solidified his Oscar win by nailing it in one take."

—margannlaurissa

"The best scene is the one from Sunset Boulevard when Norma Desmond and Joe have a movie night in her mansion and watch old movies from her silent film career. Her desperation and vanity really are something fascinating to watch, especially in that scene."

—ryanmahrt

"This scene is too good. It's amazing that a movie made in the 1930s would have such subversive conservation in it."

—tomb4a

"I'll always get emotional during the scene when Homer returns from war and his family notices that he lost both of his hands. They go from feeling so much joy to absolute heartbreak, but they can't let it show. It's just so real. The whole scene is so simple, yet there are so many layers to it."

—spenceralthouse

"This is one of the best musicals ever, but this particular scene is especially great. You can't help but smile while watching Dorothy Dandridge in this scene. It had such an impact on me that this was the first song I ever learned on the piano."

—kaylayandoli

"The best and funniest scene is from It Happened One Night when Clark Gable's character teaches Claudette Colbert's character how to hitchhike. He confidently walks out to the street to demonstrate, yet no cars stop. In the end, Claudette Colbert shows part of her leg to oncoming cars (scandalous at the time!) and immediately gets one to stop. This film as a whole is as fun to watch as it is Pre-Code."

—gotoadstools

"I know a lot of people don't like John Wayne movies, but do yourself a favor and watch this one. It's not the macho John Wayne people think of — his acting throughout it is very subtle and will pull at your heartstrings. The shot through the doorway of him walking away, alone, is beautiful. John Ford was a genius filmmaker, and that shot was replicated by so many others, none with his touch though."

—nicole06

"Barbara Stanwyck seduces an obviously hot and bothered Henry Fonda on a luxury ocean liner in The Lady Eve. Fonda's eyes are closed the entire time in this particular scene, and you just watch this man begin to sweat in real time as Stanwyck devilishly plays with his hair. It's as potent as that damn perfume she's apparently wearing. Their onscreen chemistry is a masterclass."

—nevareesem

"The best scene is the beginning of Rebel Without a Cause when James Dean's character is in the police station and makes siren noises. This opening is wild and rough and random and weird, and it sets the tone for the whole movie."

—erink41

"It's hard to narrow it down from many of the beautiful and groundbreaking scenes in this absolute epic, but I would go for the opening scene in Sergio Leone’s Once Upon a Time in the West. The build-up is incredible, and the cinematography is unmatched."

—gbuffs

"Everything about this scene is just so well done. The way the music flourishes as the Crown Prince enters is just breathtaking."

—emma1515

"When Henry Fonda whips out the knife...pure class. There's nothing else to say."

—niallh459

"There are too many great scenes from Old Hollywood to count, but the one that always sticks with me is Holly Golightly singing 'Moon River' on the fire escape in Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's just so beautiful."

—audreysixx

"You just can't beat this movie or scene. When Dorothy arrives at Oz and walks through the door and the bright, vibrant colors are shown for the first time, it's magical."

—ajb9047