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Here are the 10 best classic movies on Netflix

Newies are often goodies, and these are the besties!
By
April 4, 2022
What to watch on Netflix
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Netflix is mostly focused on offering its subscribers new and original content. However, there are also lots of classic movies on Netflix. From dramas from the 1950s to the best movies of the 1970s, 1980s, and even 1990s, there’s plenty of critically-acclaimed films on Netflix. Let’s take a look at the best ones. You can sign up for the service  at the link below:

Netflix icon
Netflix
Netflix is still the leading premium streaming service, with over 200 million worldwide subscribers. It offers thousands of movies and TV shows to binge watch, including its always growing list of original films and series, including Stranger Things, The Witcher, Bridgerton, and many more.

The best classic movies on Netflix

Editor’s note: We will regularly update this list of the best classic movies on Netflix.

The Guns of Navarone

This 1961 film was one of the most popular movies of its day. It’s definitely one of the best classic movies on Netflix. Gregory Peck and David Niven star in this World War II thriller, as their characters lead an Allied commando team behind enemy lines. Their mission is to destroy a set of massive Nazi guns on the Aegean island of Navarone, that threaten to destroy any Allied ships that come in their path.

My Fair Lady

This 1964 musical, based on George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion, was a huge hit. It tells the story of Henry Higgins, a college professor in Edwardian London, played by Rex Harrison. He believes he can take a girl off the streets and turn her into a “real lady.” The woman turns out to be Eliza Doolittle, played by Audrey Hepburn. Higgins works with Doolittle and actually does achieve his goal, but at what cost?

The movie went on to win eight Oscars that year, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Harrison.

Apocalypse Now Redux

Francis Ford Coppola followed up his success with the first two Godfather movies, with this 1979 Vietnam War epic. This version of the film adds nearly 50 minutes of new footage, not in the original release. Martin Sheen plays a US Army captain who’s ordered to find and assassinate a rogue colonel who’s running his own war in Cambodia. Marlon Brando’s performance as that colonel is reason enough to check this movie out.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Considered one of the best comedy films of all time, Monty Python and the Holy Grail takes the Arthurian legend and turns it on its head. That means King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, Camelot, and even God are all accounted for.

Also read: The 10 best movies on Netflix you can stream right now

However, this isn’t a simple retelling of King Arthur’s journey to find the Holy Grail. From the projectionist accidentally putting the wrong film in the projector at the beginning of the movie, to Sir Robin the Not-Quite-So-Brave-As-Sir-Lancelot, Monty Python and the Holy Grail messes with your expectations from the very beginning and never lets up. It’s a lock for one of the best classic movies on Netflix.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut

blade runner
Warner Bros

Director Ridley Scott went back and reedited his classic 1982 sci-fi drama for this edition of the film. It is still one of the best sci-fi movies of all time, with Harrison Ford playing a cop who’s been recruited to terminate a group of rogue androids in the near future of Los Angeles. It’s definitely one of the best classic movies on Netflix, and one of the best 80s movies of all time.

Full Metal Jacket

full metal jacket
Warner Bros

Stanley Kubrick brought his considerable directing talents to tell this unique tale set during the Vietnam War. The first half shows soldiers training to go to war, with one of the most unexpected endings of all time. The second half shows the US going to war in mostly urban areas, which gives the film a different look compared to other Vietnam War movies. It’s one of the best classic movies on Netflix you can watch.

Bonnie and Clyde

bonnie and clyde
Warner Bros

This 1967 drama made stars of Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty as they portrayed the real-life 1930s bank robbers Bonnie Parker and  Clyde Barrow. This film went much further in violent content compared to other movies at the time and definitely is not for kids.

Stand by Me 

stand by me
War

This coming-of-age film, based on Steven King’s short story The Body, finds four friends in Maine who go on a journey to see a dead body. However, the trip turns into much more than just getting a cheap thrill for these boys.

White Christmas

White Christmas Netflix Christmas movies
Paramount

Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye play two former WWII soldiers in this 1954 musical, who become successful music producers. They tag along with two singers, played by Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen to a holiday inn in Vermont, only to discover it’s owned by Crosby and Kaye’s former military commander.

The inn is in danger of shutting down, due to a lack of snow and guests. The foursome try their best to stage a musical at the inn to save it. The storyline doesn’t matter much; what matters are the Irving Berlin songs featured in White Christmas and sung by the cast, including the title tune (which actually debuted in an earlier movie, Holiday Inn).

The Exorcist

exorcist
Warner Bros

This 1973 horror movie reportedly caused many audience members to get sick while watching it in theaters. Two priests try to get rid of a demon that’s taken control of a 12 year old girl. This movie contains some of the most iconic horror film sequences in history. 

Classic movies on Netflix – honorable mentions

Here are a few more classic movies on Netflix that didn’t make our top 10 list:

  • Silverado  – A group of cowboys clash with the leaders of a corrupt Wild West town in this classic Wester film.
  • She’s Gotta Have It – Spike Lee made his feature directing and writing debut with this black-and-white 1986 comedy.
  • Taxi Driver – Robert De Niro plays the psychotic taxi driver Travis Bickle in this classic film from director Martin Scorsese.
  • Mobile Suit Gundam – This 1981 Japanese anime movie is the start of the long-running Gundam sci-fi franchise.
  • Annie – This 1982 adaptation of the hit musical is fun for the whole family.

These are our picks for the best classic movies on Netflix. We’ll update this post with new titles once they hit the streaming service.