Suggestions for action packed or thrilling vintage movies

[LTDAVIS]

Looking for vintage movies (anything old with lots of hats or significant characters that are hated, I like vintage fashion and hats and old movies will always be more authentic than modern ones) that are action packed or thrilling or are engaging for lack of better terms. I like old movies and find them good and interesting their plots but they generally have a slower pacing which can I feel bore the people I'm watching with. Sometimes I'll get into a movie with a character holding a gun on the cover that looks action packed but ends up being just a social commentary with a small shooting at the end (Dead End with Humphrey Bogart is a good example, still a good movie). Movies I've watched that fit the criteria I'm talking about would be White Heat with James Cagney and The Man Who Knew Too Much with James Stewart. Thanks for your suggestions I look forward to watching them!

 

[Mighty44]

There are so many great film noirs. Short list would include Out of the Past, and the Big Steal with Robert Mitchum. The Killing and Asphalt Jungle with Sterling Hayden. The Big Sleep, Dead Reckoning and Dark Passage with Bogart. The Turning Point with William Holden. There are many more really good ones.

If you haven’t seen any of these you are in for a treat.

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

Liam Neeson in Marlowe. Caught the trailer, and truthfully can't say when or if released but looks a good 1930s private eye Los Angeles. And Lliam wears tweed or less expensive field wear suit regulation de rigueur trench with ubiquitous fedora.

 

[Fading Fast]

A few more to add to @Mighty44's excellent list would be "The Maltese Falcon," "Murder My Sweet," "The Killers" (1946), "Double Indemnity," "Criss Cross," "Key Largo" and "The Blue Dahlia" and there are many, many more from there.

 

[Mighty44]

D.O.A is spectacular as well. “I want to report a murder….”

 

[AmateisGal]

Can't go wrong with North by Northwest. Nonstop action and thrills!

 

[LTDAVIS]

Can't go wrong with North by Northwest. Nonstop action and thrills!

Watched and loved!

 

[Granville]

Sterling Hayden

Crime Wave (1954). The hats are all squashed, just like the characters. Sterling Hayden's world weary and pissed off detective wears a hat that might as well have a shoe print on the bash. Just look at that cigarette he's smoking! Jay Novello also sports a ruined lid (but I couldn't find a good pic of it). Great thriller, loads of suspense, snappy dialogue, and lots of murder. You'll love it.

 

[EngProf]

Three classic action/gangster pictures:
"Little Caesar" (Edward G. Robinson)
"The Public Enemy" (James Cagney)
"Scarface" (The real one with Paul Muni in 1934.)

 

[Worf]

Crime Wave (1954). The hats are all squashed, just like the characters. Sterling Hayden's world weary and pissed off detective wears a hat that might as well have a shoe print on the bash. Just look at that cigarette he's smoking! Jay Novello also sports a ruined lid (but I couldn't find a good pic of it). Great thriller, loads of suspense, snappy dialogue, and lots of murder. You'll love it. View attachment 510594

I've seen this flick a couple of times. Believe it or not, I find his broken hat so distracting that it pulls me out of the film every time I see him in it. What self respecting Detective of that era would walk around looking homeless? I KNOW it was done on purpose but DAMN! Didn't anyone think about what such Fedoral mutilation would do to us Loungers?

Worf

 

[FOXTROT LAMONT]

I'm hooked on HBO series Perry Mason and Sterling Hayden above reminds me of the LA PD sergeant detective
who wears a fedora with world weariness. The guy's on the take and is of the heavy rumple school of sleuth with
crushed pack camels with shoulder holstered .38 revolver and a lousy fat tie circa depression sale wear.
Overall this drama gives its times the full monty no holds barred look.

 

[naancy98]

If you're seeking action-packed or thrilling vintage movies, you're in for a treat! The golden era of cinema offers an array of timeless classics that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful masterpieces like "Vertigo" and "Psycho" to the heart-pounding adventure of "Indiana Jones" in "Raiders of the Lost Ark," these vintage films deliver excitement in spades. Don't forget the gripping crime dramas like "The Godfather" or the adrenaline-pumping chase sequences in "Bullitt." Whether you're a fan of suspense, adventure, or crime, these vintage movies are guaranteed to captivate and entertain you with their thrilling storytelling and iconic performances. Get ready for a cinematic journey that will leave you breathless!

 

[Edward]

If you're seeking action-packed or thrilling vintage movies, you're in for a treat! The golden era of cinema offers an array of timeless classics that will keep you on the edge of your seat. From Alfred Hitchcock's suspenseful masterpieces like "Vertigo" and "Psycho" to the heart-pounding adventure of "Indiana Jones" in "Raiders of the Lost Ark," these vintage films deliver excitement in spades. Don't forget the gripping crime dramas like "The Godfather" or the adrenaline-pumping chase sequences in "Bullitt." Whether you're a fan of suspense, adventure, or crime, these vintage movies are guaranteed to captivate and entertain you with their thrilling storytelling and iconic performances. Get ready for a cinematic journey that will leave you breathless!

My favourite bit in Bullit is that car that loses five hubcaps during the chase sequence. I've no idea why it amuses me so much, but it does!

 

[ChanceEnglish]

There's just something authentic and charming about them. If you're into action-packed or thrilling classics, you've gotta check out "North by Northwest" with Cary Grant – it's a total adrenaline rush with a dash of vintage style.
Another one to add to your list is "The Great Escape" starring Steve McQueen. It's got action, suspense, and an iconic motorcycle chase.And if you want something with a noir vibe, "The Third Man" is a must-watch, featuring Orson Welles in a gripping storyline set in post-war Vienna.
If you're ever looking for a cinematic adventure, don't forget to keep an eye on the best movies in theaters. There's always a chance to discover some fresh gems on the big screen.

 

[The one from the North]

This one has been mentioned in several threads a decade ago but I thought to freshen it. From 1953, english title The Wages of Fear. One of my all time favourites.

 

[Edward]

5 Against the House is an interesting picture (1955), don't recall how many hats, though. Vets in College on the GI Bill plot the "perfect crime" for fun, on - doubtless we'd say today suffering from undiagnosed PTSD - takes it too far. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048077/

The Killing is a 1956 Kubrick picture about a heist at a racetrack gone wrong. I remember seeing it years ago in the wake of having first seen Reservoir Dogs. Very different stylistically, but his the same notes on paranoia and betrayal. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049406/