Free movies on YouTube that might fly under your radar
As you can imagine, your local film critic has been recommending plenty of titles lately — mostly from my forthcoming book on under-the-radar movies. Friends without paid streaming often ask about free viewing, so here’s a list of 12 lesser-known picks that are all currently available free on YouTube. Keep in mind that many are older, that quality can be iffy and that free movies sometimes get taken down unexpectedly.
“Comfort and Joy” (1984)
Director Bill Forsyth’s follow-up to his cult-fave “Local Hero,” this is a mild-mannered Christmas film about a Glasgow disc jockey who inadvertently becomes involved in a turf-war between competing ice-cream companies. Charming, funny, offbeat and very well acted.
“The Fighting Sullivans” (1944)
True story of five brothers growing up in the Great Depression and then all going off to fight in World War II, where their distinguished service eventually changed American military policy forever. All five boys are played by a pair of young and old actors, including child-star sensation Bobby Driscoll; Dad is played by Thomas Mitchell, best known as Uncle Billy in “It’s a Wonderful Life.”
“Fools’ Parade” (1971)
Unavailable for years (because it was never released on DVD or VHS), this gem stars James Stewart in a late-career triumph as Depression-era ex-con Mattie Appleyard, who finds himself with a huge bankroll that is attracting far too much attention. Co-starring Kurt Russell, George Kennedy and Anne Baxter.
“The Hurricane” (1937)
When was the last time you praised the special effects in an 83-year-old movie? Well, this tropic-isle epic from director John Ford is truly impressive in that category.
It starts as an examination of colonialism and romance, with two young lovers broken up when the man is jailed after striking an abusive racist; but the movie’s triumph is its astounding climactic typhoon — using mostly practical effects, a 600-foot-long island set, 150,000 gallons of water and 150-mile-an-hour winds generated by airplane propellers.
Starring Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall as the couple, plus Mary Astor and Raymond Massey.
“M. Hulot’s Holiday” (1953)
Nearly wordless French farce from revered comic master Jacques Tati, who also plays the titular bumbler, struggling through a hapless vacation at the beach. Loaded with priceless sight gags and gently tinged by the wistful sadness you feel at the end of nearly every vacation, this is one of my three favorite films. I could watch it every weekend.
“Monte Walsh” (1970)
Cult-fave Western that is by turns comical, exciting and elegiac. It stars Lee Marvin and Jack Palance — both playing good guys for a change! They’re old pals and aging cowhands whose frontier lifestyle is coming to an end; but the trouble is, they know no other way. Co-starring Jeanne Moreau, with a wonderful happy-sad theme sung by Mama Cass.
“Pretty Poison” (1968)
This little sleeper initially vanished without a trace, finally reemerging with a 2006 DVD release to the delight of many dedicated film fans. Anthony Perkins plays Dennis Pitt, a troubled young man who takes a new small-town job and tries to cozy up with fresh-faced cheerleader Sue Ann Stepanek, beautifully played by Tuesday Weld. Before long, we can see that Sue Ann is a good deal more troubled than Pitt, and a lot more manipulative.
Somewhat underappreciated, Weld eventually saw her biography take its title from this creepy and effective chiller.
“The Point” (1971)
Whimsical animated fable about a boy named Oblio, the only person with a round head in a land where everything has to have a point. So he’s banished to the Pointless Forest, where he and his faithful dog Arrow encounter a number of other oddballs before a triumphant return to their kingdom.
Narrated by Ringo Starr and loaded with gorgeous tunes from Harry Nilsson, adapted for TV from Nilsson’s 1970 album of the same title.
“The Navigator” (1924)
Silent-film genius Buster Keaton is well represented on YouTube these days. Honestly, you could cue up “The General,” “Our Hospitality,” “Sherlock Jr.” or “Seven Chances” (all free) and have a lot of fun.
“The Navigator” is 59 minutes of lovely visuals and subtle sight-gags, with Keaton playing a pampered millionaire marooned at sea on a massive freighter along with his equally clueless fiance. The kids will like this one, too.
“The Satan Bug” (1965)
Based on a novel by best-selling phenom Alistair MacLean, this timely contagion tale may seem tame by today’s overheated action-movie standards; yet it is nonetheless an intelligent, handsome and sometimes scary thriller about the theft of two biological-warfare bugs from a government lab, one of which could wipe out humanity in a mere two months.
There’s atmospheric location filming; a terrific Jerry Goldsmith score; convincing futuristic production design; cool Depatie-Freleng credits; a brief but truly rattling climax; and muscular acting from George Maharis, Richard Basehart and the lovely Anne Francis. Watch also for a young Ed Asner as the psychopathic henchman.
“Sudden Fear” (1952)
You won’t believe how buff and handsome Jack Palance looks in the romantic noir thriller about a playwright (Joan Crawford) and her late-in-life, too-good-to-be-true love affair. Co-starring Gloria Grahame and a dashing young Mike Connors (of TV’s “Mannix”).
“Sunrise” (1927)
German pioneer F.W. Murnau (who had such an influence on later directors like Alfred Hitchcock) can feel slow to modern audiences. And indeed, this deeply moving tale, with a rural husband temporarily lured away from his wife by a seductive vamp, does take a while to get moving. But if you can spot it about 45 minutes, you’ll be astounded how much emotional power the story accumulates, especially in its furious storm-at-sea climax. It’s also very funny in spots. And romantic!
Considered by some the greatest product of the silent era, “Sunrise” stars Janet Gaynor, who successfully transitioned to sound with the first version of “A Star Is Born” (1937).