All Of The Best Films From Hollywood's Golden Age To Add To Your Watchlist

As we head into 2026, the entertainment calendar is packed, to be sure. With releases like The Odyssey, Project Hail Mary, and Sunrise On The Reaping in store, this year is slated to be major for cinephiles across the world.

Whether you’re already prepping your Letterboxd account, or simply scouting must-watch films for the year ahead, consider looking back in time across film history as you await the year’s highly anticipated movies. Although modern movies have plenty to offer in terms of artistry, storytelling, and costuming, so too do some of Hollywood’s most iconic classic movies, which paved the way for today’s biggest films. Whether you’re seeking a tear-jerking romantic drama or a classic screwball comedy, peruse the L’OFFICIEL-approved guide to must-watch classic movies from Hollywood’s golden age, featuring stars like Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and more. 

It Happened One Night (1934)

In this classic movie, directed by Frank Capra, Claudette Colbert plays heiress Ellie Andrews, who runs away from her father to elope with a young pilot. On her journey away from her overbearing father, the socialite falls in with Clark Gable’s Peter Warne, an ambitious young journalist looking for a career-making scoop. If you’re looking for a screwball romance with plenty of hijinks and romance—plus some top-tier style moments—It Happened One Night should be on your radar. 

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Throughout the ’30s and ’40s, the comedy of remarriage genre was booming, and though there are numerous classic movies that fit the bill, The Philadelphia Story is among the most beloved. Katharine Hepburn plays Tracy Lord, a socialite about to be married to John Howard’s George Kittredge, but in the wake of the wedding plans, her suave ex-husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (played by Cary Grant) and charming reporter Mike Connor (played by James Stewart) show up, forcing Lord to choose between all three men. 

The Lady Eve (1941)

The beloved screwball comedy, The Lady Eve, follows a scheming father-daughter duo, made up of Barbara Stanwyck’s Jean Harrington and Charles Coburn’s Colonel Harrington, as they attempt to scam Charles Pike, a young, wealthy heir (played by Henry Fonda). Jean seduces Charles, but he soon finds out about her scheme and leaves her. Not long after, she returns to his life as the Lady Eve Sidwich, a foreign-born socialite. Bewitched by her resemblance to Jean, Charles falls in love with her. Antics and romance ensue as the pair come to terms with their complex relationship. 

Costumed by the legendary Edith Head, the film also features a number of stunning ensembles that any fashion fan—casual or fanatic—will appreciate.

Roman Holiday (1950)

In this classic movie, Audrey Hepburn plays Princess Ann, a royal on a trip to Rome, who meets American reporter Joe Bradley (played by Gregory Peck). After meeting, the pair hit it off and embark on misadventures around the city. Though the film is beloved for countless reasons—mainly, the on-screen chemistry between the two leads and Hepburn’s fabulous wardrobe—it also marked Hepburn’s breakout Hollywood role. 

Casablanca (1950)

If you haven’t seen Casablanca yet, consider it a true must-watch. The film follows Rick, an American in Casablanca, played by Humphrey Bogart, during World War II. Rick owns a popular nightclub in the city that acts as a popular hangout spot for French and German officials, refugees, and neutral parties. By way of his social circle, Rick acquires two documents that would allow their owners to travel freely throughout Europe.

When his former lover, Ilsa Lund, and her resistance leader husband, Victor Lazlo, stumble into the club, looking for safe passage away from the war, Rick must choose between his own romantic desires and the greater war effort. 

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Set in Prohibition-era Chicago, this classic movie follows two musicians (played by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon) who witness a mob murder and are forced to flee the city, fearing for their lives. In their escape, the pair dresses up as women to avoid suspicion. Along the way, they meet Sugar (played by Marilyn Monroe) and immediately become infatuated with her. The two compete for her affections, all while attempting to maintain their disguises.