The Geezer Flicks List began in November 2006, with contributions from many of this blog’s readers. I have not seen them all and they are not personal recommendations, but most, according to contributors, meet the criteria that were set up when the list began:
- Films about being old or growing old
- Films with elder characters that are respectfully portrayed and well-acted
- Films that may not be about aging overall, but include good scenes about or with elders
- Films that add to our understanding of or celebrate what getting older is really like
They are sorted alphabetically by Title (year release) Genre, and each title links to its page in the Internet Movie Database where volumes of information can be found about each film.
Additionally, Ziv Schteinberg keeps a list of movies about aging that are available on DVD.
Availability or not on DVD is not noted on the list here.Geezer Flicks is a dynamic, growing source of films that treat elders and getting old with dignity, respect and, frequently, humor. It becomes more valuable if it is kept up to date, so your suggestions of older films that have been overlooked here and new films as they are released is actively sought. Please send them to: ronni AT ronnibennett DOT com.
[Last updated as of 12 October 2008. Documentaries are in their own section at the bottom of the page as are Non-English Language Films.]
TGB GEEZER FLICKS
About Schmidt (2002) Comedy/DramaAfter Life (2005) Comedy
Antonia (1995) Comedy/Drama
Assisted Living (2003) Comedy/Drama
Atlantic City (1980) Crime Drama
NEW Aurora Borealis (2005) Drama
Autumn Spring (2003) Comedy
Away From Her (2006) Drama
The Boynton Beach Bereavement Club (2005) Comedy/Drama
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) Horror/Comedy
NEW The Bucket List (2007) Comedy/Drama
Calendar Girls (2003) Comedy/Drama
Checking Out (1995) Comedy
The Crew (2000) Comedy/Drama
The Dead (1987) Drama
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005) Drama
Do You Remember Love (1985 - TV) Drama
Driving Miss Daisy (1989) Comedy/Drama
Enchanted April (1992) Drama
NEW The Evening Star (1996) Comedy/Drama
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) Comedy/Drama
The Gin Game (1981 - TV) Drama
Gods and Monsters (1998) Drama
Grumpy Old Men (1993) Comedy
Guarding Tess (1994) Comedy/Drama
Harold and Maude (1971) Comedy/Drama
Harry and Tonto (1974) Comedy/Drama
The History Boys (2006) Comedy/Drama
The Holiday (2006) Comedy/Romance
Ikiru (1952) Drama
Il Postino (1994) Comedy/Drama
I'm Going Home (2001) Comedy/Drama
I'm Not Rappaport (1996) Comedy
In Her Shoes (2005) Comedy/Drama
In Good Company (2004) Comedy/Drama
Innocence (2000) Drama
In the Line of Fire (1993) Suspense
Iris (2001) Drama/Biography
Keeping Mum (2005) Comedy
Kitchen Stories (2003) Comedy/Drama
Ladies in Lavender (2004) Drama
The Last Lieutenant (1993) Drama
Last Orders (2001) Drama
The Lion in Winter (1968) Drama
NEW Lonely Hearts (1982) Drama
Make Way For Tomorrow (1937) Drama
NEW Man of Flowers (1983) Drama
The Memory of a Killer (2003) Crime Drama
Miracle at Sage Creek (2005) Western
A Month By the Lake (1995) Comedy/Drama
The Mother (2003) Drama
Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005) Comedy/Drama
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont (2005) Comedy/Drama
Murder Ahoy (1964) Mystery
Murder at the Gallop (1963) Mystery
Murder Most Foul (1964) Mystery
Murder She Said (1961) Mystery
The Notebook (2004) Drama
Notes on a Scandal (2006) Drama
Oh, God (1977) Comedy
On Golden Pond (1981) Drama
The Other Side of the Street (2005) Thriller
NEW Pather Panchali (1955) Drama
Pauline & Paulette (2001) Comedy/Drama
Providence (1977) Drama
The Remains of the Day (1993) Drama
Requiem for a Dream (2000) Crime Drama
The Road Home (1999) Drama
Robot Stories (2003) Sci-Fi
Rocket Gibralter (1988) Drama
Rocky Balboa (2006) Drama
Rooster Cogburn (1975) Western/Comedy
Saraband (2003) Drama
NEW The Savages (2007) Comedy/Drama
Schultze Gets the Blues (2003) Comedy/Drama
Secondhand Lions (2003) Comedy/Drama
Seconds (1966) Sci-Fi/Drama
The Seven Samurai (1954) Drama
Shadowlands (1993) Biography/Drama
Shirley Valentine (1989) Comedy
The Shootist (1976) Western/Drama
The Simian Line (2000) Western/Drama
Something's Gotta Give (2003) Comedy/Drama
A Song for Martin (2001) Drama
The Son of the Bride (2001) Comedy/Drama
Space Cowboys (2000) Action Comedy
The Straight Story (1999) Drama
Strangers in Good Company (1990) Drama
The Sunshine Boys (1975) Comedy
NEW Tea With Mussolini (1999) Comedy/Drama
Terms of Endearment (1983) Drama
That's Life (1986) Comedy/Drama
Tokyo Story (1953) Drama
Tough Guys (1986) Comedy
NEW Traveling North (1987) Comedy/Drama
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) Drama
The Trip to Bountiful (1985) Drama
Turning Point (1977) Drama
Tuesdays With Morrie (1999) Drama
Twilight (1998) Crime Drama
Umberto D. (1952) Drama
An Unfinished Life (2005) Drama
Used People (1992) Comedy/Drama
Venus (2006) Comedy/Drama
The Way Home (2002) Drama
Waking Ned Devine (1998) Comedy
NEW A Woman's Tale (1991) Drama
The World's Fastest Indian (2005) Drama/Biography
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993) Drama
Yi Yi (2000) Drama
ELDER DOCUMENTARIES
Ballets Russes (2005)Brother's Keeper (1992)
Exit (2005)
NEW Goodnight, We Love You (2004)
Nine Good Teeth (2003)
Number Our Days (1976)
The Open Road: America Looks at Aging (2005)
Ram Dass: Fierce Grace (2001)
NEW Surfing For Life (1999)
Sunset Story (2003)
Last night I watched "Age of Adeline" (2015) which I found to be very powerful and well acted. While there are days I bemoan the creeping effects of an aging body, Living on forever without aging (in a world where others DO continue to grow old) would certainly have its own pitfalls. I was particularly impressed by the portrayal of the relationship between Ellen Burnstein as the daughter who physically appeared more like a grandmother to her never aging Mum (payed by Blake Lively).
Posted by: Lynda Bennett | Sunday, 23 August 2015 at 03:45 PM
Another movie with elderly cast is "Strangers in Good Company," from Canada. It used to be on Netflix.
Posted by: Simone | Sunday, 23 August 2015 at 08:20 PM
"Beginners" is a film (2003 I think) about a 75 year old man coming out as gay to his son after the death of his wife. Christopher Plummer doesn't have the biggest part in the film, but he charmed viewers and critics alike, and clearly steals the show,
Posted by: Emmajay | Monday, 24 August 2015 at 03:52 PM
These movies should be on list:
Awakenings
Cocoon
Grey Gardens
Whatever Happened to Baby Jane
Mr. Skeffington
Sunset Boulevard
Mommie Dearest
Whales of August
and.....
Marvin's Room!
Posted by: Peter Haritakis | Sunday, 29 November 2015 at 02:36 AM
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Posted by: my website | Tuesday, 06 June 2017 at 01:41 AM
A Man Called Ove is another great geezer flick!
Posted by: Lizziee | Sunday, 08 October 2017 at 06:32 PM
I just watched the wonderful Lily Tomlin in "Grandma".
I enjoyed it so much. Many ways to help even when we
are aging.
Posted by: b white | Thursday, 16 August 2018 at 06:10 PM
Great list, but missing a couple of my favorites:
Quartet, a quiet, lovely British romantic comedy about aging musicians in a retirement community, with Tom Courtenay, Maggie Smith, and others;
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a rollicking, slightly overdone and slightly colonialist British comedy, set in India at a very imperfect hotel/retirement home for older folks running out of money in England, that is nevertheless funny and sometimes touching. It features an ensemble of wonderful actors, among them Dames Judy Dench and Maggie Smith (again), Tom Wilkinson, and Penelope Wilton (Matthew's mom in Downton Abby).
The Company You Keep, with Robert Redford and Julie Christie; a former political radical who has gone underground goes on the run and reunites with his former lover: memories of the sixties
Posted by: Deborah Rosenfelt | Wednesday, 14 November 2018 at 03:20 PM
Is it possible for some of these lovely suggestions in the Comments section to be folded into the list to update it? If so, I’d Like to add "Anne of Green Gables" for the sensitive, amusing, and kind treatment of older and elderly characters.
Posted by: Claudia | Sunday, 21 April 2019 at 01:44 PM
Another one is Venus, 2006, with Peter O'Toole and Vanessa Redgrave. Rotten Tomatoes says: Audiences may attend to witness Peter O'Toole's Oscar-worthy performance, but they'll also be treated to a humane, tender exploration of maturing with both dignity and irreverence.
Posted by: Teri G | Monday, 08 July 2019 at 02:24 PM
I loved Melvyn Douglas in Hud, 1963. As Paul Newman's father, Douglas gave a masterful performance of man of principle and dignity in the face of adversity. This role inspired me to go back and look at earlier roles of his that I also enjoyed.
Posted by: Dona Mularkey | Wednesday, 11 March 2020 at 07:10 PM