r/classicfilms

My late mother told me many years ago about a movie she loved from way back when. She was born in 1940, but I'm not sure how old she was when it came out, so likely between 1940-1960. It featured an older priest who worked with sick children, I think in a children's hospital, or he may had been visiting them at their homes...

But the one scene she described and loved that really stuck with me is, a bedridden scared little boy who was dying asked the priest "What will happen when I die?"

And the priest's answer was, "Well, you know how sometimes when you're out with your parents, and you fall asleep? And they bring you home and carry you to your bed and tuck you in. So you fall asleep in one place and wake up in another; safe and cozy in your own bed. That's what I believe dying feels like - falling asleep in one place and waking up in another place that's safe and warm and familiar."

Surely I don't have the exact wording there, but that's the gist. Does anyone know what movie this is? Thanks in advance!

Anyone know this Movie Name?? I have this faint memory of a film I'd like to locate and see again. I know these details are vague, but I'm hopeful if anyone can figure this out, it will be one of you on reddit! MOVIE: Black-and-white American film, likely 1940s. Main character is an older man, short/stocky build, warm and friendly (not gruff) — think an older version of Charles Winninger, or somewhere between him, Edward G. Robinson, and Ernest Borgnine in general look. He was down on his luck, possibly due to gambling or drinking, and was homeless or very poor for at least part of the film (not sure which). Dramatic tone overall, not really a comedy. No child character. No family reunion, no holiday/Christmas setting, no wedding. Near the end, there's an outdoor scene, possibly a soup-kitchen type setting, where other down-and-out/working-class men — his friends — are celebrating him. He's wearing a tuxedo (for some event, not a wedding) with his bow tie popped/undone. Possibly a happy ending.

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In our weekly tradition, it's time to gather round and talk about classic film(s) you saw over the week and maybe recommend some.

Tell us about what you watched this week. Did you discover something new or rewatched a favourite one? What lead you to that film and what makes it a compelling watch? Ya'll can also help inspire fellow auteurs to embark on their own cinematic journeys through recommendations.

So, what did you watch this week?

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As always: Kindly remember to be considerate of spoilers and provide a brief synopsis or context when discussing the films.

I've been watching a lot of classic movies recently and I really want to explore some horror movies. Horror is my favorite genre but I haven't seen many old ones. I've seen quite a few but I want more niche recs or even foreign ones.

Leslie Caron who is still with us was a major star at MGM in the 1950s primarily in musicals and comedies. However she became fed up of the narrow ingenue type roles she was given.
So she took the risk of staring in a gritty British New Wave movie - The L Shaped room, in which she plays a pregnant single woman living in a run down lodging house in Notting Hill, London. This is not the Notting Hill of Richard Curtis, but a Notting Hill of poverty, bed lice, greasy spoon cafes were outsiders end up living.
The film follows her relationship with the other lodgers who become a bit of a found family. From the sex workers in the basement (including Pat Phoenix better known for playing Elsie Tanner in Coronation Street) to black Jazz Trumpeter (Brock Peters), a faded old musical hall star (Cicely Courtneidge - who had been a musical hall star herself) and struggling writer (Tom Bell).
For its time it’s quite frank about sex, sexism and has sympathetic gay characters. Whilst not maybe quite up there with the very top tier of the British new wave (for me that’s Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, A Taste of Honey, Billy Liar) it’s still a very good film that in that community that rallies around Caron I think is a bit more hopeful then some of the other movies in that film movement.
It’s also a testament to Leslie Caron that she took such a risk that paid off in a great performance quite outside her usual lane.