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By this point in time, there are thousands of films in existence for audiences to relish in. Some of these films remain timeless classics due to their exquisite plots, incredible performances, and universally palatable themes. There are also films that, while critically acclaimed during their initial release, are no longer fan-favorites for various reasons. Here are twenty movies that were once considered masterpieces, but no longer hold up.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Audrey Hepburn can do no wrong, and Breakfast at Tiffany’s is a testament to that. Her most iconic role to date, Hepburn’s Holly Golightly goes through life seemingly carefree as she sports Givenchy attire and dates older men to sustain her socialite lifestyle. In reality, Holly is filled with existential dread about where she belongs in life, which catches the interest of her new upstairs neighbor, Paul Varjak.
While Paul and Holly’s romance is chaotic through and through, it isn’t the most problematic aspect of the film. Breakfast at Tiffany’s perpetuates a racist characterization through Mickey Rooney’s Mr. Yunioshi makeup, exaggerated accent, and the character’s overall personality make Breakfast at Tiffany’s an offensive film.
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Arguably one of the most complicated, and unhealthy relationships depicted in cinema, Gone with the Wind teaches incredibly flawed lessons about romance. Scarlett humiliates and mistreats every man she’s surrounded by, Rhett included; Rhett, in turn, physically and emotionally belittles Scarlett, and their entire relationship revolves around them trying to outdo each other in their general mistreatment–then there’s the unforgivable sexual assault scene between both characters. Rhett walking out on Scarlett was a move long overdue by the film’s finale.
My Fair Lady (1964)
Another Audrey Hepburn film on the list, My Fair Lady has Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn bringing Alan Jay Lerner’s stage musical to life for the big screen. The plot revolves around phonetics Professor Henry Higgins taking in Eliza Doolittle, a flower girl with a strong Cockney accent, and teaching her how to speak proper English in hopes of passing her off as a Duchess among high society.
Using Eliza as his social guinea pig isn’t the worst of Higgins’ offenses, though; it’s his constant humiliation towards Eliza, from insulting her, and threatening her, to treating her less than simply because she speaks and acts a certain way. To see Eliza return to the classist Higgins by the end of the film is preposterous, even if his teachings did improve her quality of life in the long run.
A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
This Tennessee Williams film adaptation has, well, aged like milk. While Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh give their respective roles every bit of their raw acting talent, A Streetcar Named Desire is a difficult watch nowadays, simply because its two leads are morally reprehensible characters. Blanche is a compulsive liar, a social climber, and proves to be an added burden to Stella’s already complicated life. Stanley is an abusive misogynist who, by the end of the film, becomes a sexual predator. There is no character worth rooting for in A Streetcar Named Desire.
Forrest Gump (1994)
There is no doubt that Tom Hanks gave this role his all and deserved the Academy Award for Best Actor. What makes Forrest Gump go down as a reprehensible film is its depiction of women. Almost every woman in Forrest Gump is a victim of circumstance in the worst of ways; Mrs. Gump is forced to sexualize herself to give Forrest a better chance at excelling in school. Jenny is abused and objectified throughout the entire film, vilified simply for surviving as best she can, and then dies tragically by the end of the film. What was once considered a feel-good odyssey film about Forrest Gump is now a poor depiction of female characters in cinema.
Psycho (1960)
Suspenseful and disturbing, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is one of the best horror films ever produced, ahead of its time by defying the Hays Code through its treatment of Marion Crane. Nevertheless, Psycho also vilifies Marion for being a sexual being, for making mistakes, for being human; her punishment? Death. Norman Bates himself is a queer-coded character who, much like Marion, is vilified for his state of being.
Sixteen Candles (1984)
This John Hughes movie should not be directed toward younger audiences (or any audience) at all. Sixteen Candles contains sexual assault, misogyny, with its protagonist, Samantha, being objectified and demeaned by just about every male character in the movie. Samantha didn’t need to pick between love interests Jake and Ted; she needed a fresh start away from such morally-flawed people. Sixteen Candles is a cautionary tale for the foundations of abusive relationships and obsessive individuals. Not even Molly Ringwald’s charismatic performance can make Sixteen Candles hold up nowadays.
White Chicks
People laughed during its time of release, but White Chicks has not stood the test of time at all. Marlon and Shawn Wayans are comedic geniuses, and while their characterizations brought audiences to tears of laughter during the film’s original release, modern audiences view their characterizations as offensive, perpetuating the worst of stereotypes about race. Nonetheless, every actor in the movie gives flawless performances, notably Jennifer Carpenter as the bubbly and insecure Lisa, who proves a scene-stealer every time she was on screen.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Wizard of Oz in and of itself isn’t a problematic film. If anything, it teaches important lessons about transparency, self-identity, and friendship; it’s the behind-the-scenes details that make the film less and less palatable through the years. From the injuries, and general disregard for the safety of performers, to the grueling details of MGM executives exploiting Judy Garland, The Wizard of Oz is a painful reminder of the abuse that hides behind the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.
The Parent Trap (1998)
Lindsay Lohan’s breakthrough film, The Parent Trap was a Disney classic all across the board when it first released in the late ’90s. Lohan portrays Annie and Hallie to a tee, giving each character nuances that made audiences wonder if there were actually two different girls portraying the characters. Performances aside, The Parent Trap isn’t the fairytale it tried presenting itself as back in the ’90s, notably because of the adults in the film.
While Meredith Blake is technically the antagonist in the film, the real villains are the twins’ parents, Nick and Liz. One thing is to get a divorce over irreconcilable differences; another is to separate and lie to your daughters for years about their living sibling and parent. Nick and Liz were nothing short of self-centered and narcissistic.
Blank Check (1994)
If this were a ranking list, Blank Check would be number one. For starters, Blank Check is based entirely around one big scam enacted by eleven-year-old Preston Waters. Sure, Preston gets a pass because he is, after all, just a kid stealing from even bigger thieves. That’s where the problem lies in the film; Preston is just a kid. Ignore that his parents seem to be the most negligent parents in cinema, but Preston has an extremely inappropriate relationship with undercover FBI agent, Shay Stanley.
Shay goes along with Preston’s attempts to win her over in order to crack down on the real criminals at large, but… when all is said and done, Shay gives Preston hope that once he’s of age, they could contemplate a real date; what an unsettling way to end the film. To think this is a Disney film…
Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone had to be on the list. The main problem with Home Alone is that it’s difficult to root for any character. Kevin’s parents seem just as keen as his siblings to belittle and punish Kevin at first chance; Harry and Marv, for as bumbling as they are, are sadistic thieves bent on torturing Kevin for his tricks when they manage to get the upper hand, but Kevin is just as maniacal. When Kevin realizes Harry and Marv are going to break into his house, he creates a series of booby traps to stop them, and inflict as much physical pain on them as humanly possible.
These aren’t just amateur machinations, Kevin’s traps could easily have killed Harry and Marv, and were Home Alone a real-life scenario, they would have. Kevin takes genuine joy in seeing Harry and Marv suffer… and he’s supposed to be the hero audiences root for.
Léon: The Professional (1994)
Before pointing out the flaws in Léon: The Professional, it’s best to point out what did work well in its favor. It’s a grueling story that depicts dysfunctional families, criminal life, and attachment issues. Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, and Gary Oldman give the performances of a lifetime in their respective roles as the film’s leads. As for what didn’t work… Mathilda and Léon’s entire dynamic. While Léon sees Mathilda as a mentee of sorts, Mathilda quickly establishes that she does not see Léon as a paternal figure whatsoever. The relationship is completely inappropriate in every conceivable way, making Léon: The Professional a difficult film to digest.
Clueless (1995)
A quintessential ’90s film for millennials, Clueless is still a pretty funny film. That noted, some elements of the movie are no longer as comedic as they are awkward. Cher is the classic materialistic protagonist with a heart of gold; Cher herself isn’t an unlikable hero as she grows throughout the film, learning to see people for who they truly are beneath their fashion sense and popularity, and this works both in positive and negative ways.
Cher manages to avoid getting into some pretty tricky situations with classmates of hers, whether friends or dating prospects, but she also develops a very unexpected relationship with her older, adoptive brother, Josh. In the style of hate-to-love in romantic comedies, Clueless ends with Cher and Josh starting a romantic relationship. Yikes! What a twist!
Grease (1978)
Grease is a timeless classic for its dance numbers, production value, and characters such as Rizzo, who was ahead of her time with her views on gender and society. Then there’s its protagonists, Danny and Sandy. Danny and Sandy seem to be in love, but the ways they both refer to each other to their respective friend groups are very different. While Sandy praises Danny for being a kindred soul who loves her, Danny describes Sandy as a fun, yet meaningless, summer fling.
The rest of the film doesn’t really improve on this disparity, as Danny at first rebuffs Sandy in front of his friends, then tries to win her over once again, and then tries to force himself on Sandy during a date. Just when Danny seems to have learned his lesson by telling the T-Birds, he’s going to make a genuine change for Sandy; it’s Sandy who changes her appearance and personality entirely to match Danny’s. Sure, there’s the iconic dance number immediately after where Sandy says she needs Danny to shape up to be the ideal partner for her… still, Sandy is the only character that makes a drastic change for the sake of the relationship.
Never Been Kissed (1999)
Never Been Kissed is just problematic from beginning to end, with nothing particularly redeemable, neither from the plot nor characters. Josie returns to high school in order to get the perfect story and get a long overdue promotion, but was it warranted when she lacked any semblance of ethics and morality? Josie poses as a teenager, lies to all her classmates, and allows for her older brother to do the same.
Then there’s her teacher, Sam, who entertains a romance with Josie while believing her to be his student, and then takes offense to her lies. Even if Josie was an adult pretending to be a minor, this relationship was completely rooted in dishonesty and immorality. For both characters to finish the movie with what is projected as a romantic first kiss for Josie is, in extremely poor taste.
Pretty Woman (1990)
Everyone wanted for Pretty Woman‘s Vivian Ward to get her happy ending, and by all accounts, she deserved it…but perhaps not with Edward Leiws. Edward himself is a conflicted man who, while trying his best to do what’s right, often puts Vivian in compromising situations where her character is criticized, humiliated, and rebuffed. At one point in the film, one of Edward’s associates attempts to sexually assault Vivian when he discovers her profession as a sex worker.
Every hostile event Vivian experiences throughout the film is a direct result of her relationship with Edward. Despite Edward being a wealthy executive and Vivian finding herself struggling to survive, it’s Edward who has more baggage, which makes their relationship a recipe for disaster.
The Birth of a Nation (1915)
Entire essays and reviews have been written about why Birth of a Nation is problematic, but let’s get down to the bare bones of why it’s such a notorious film; it’s racist from beginning to end. The subtitles, the characterizations, the portrayed villains, the ending; Birth of a Nation is a cinematic disgrace that is hard to sit through, and no one should have to sit through it. Ironically, this is the movie D.W. Griffith is best remembered for.
Last Tango in Paris (1972)
Last Tango in Paris was controversial during its time of release, and not much has changed since then. Last Tango in Paris depicts a very sexually-charged narrative between two strangers that refuse to share personal information, and that’s fine; what isn’t acceptable, is that Brando’s character, Paul, sexually assaults Schneider’s Jeanne at one point in the film. When Jeanne attempts to break off their relationship, Paul becomes obsessive and attacks her inside her own home, prompting Jeanne to defend herself by shooting him dead. Last Tango in Paris sparked controversy due to its explicit depiction of sex, but there’s an even bigger scandal behind the film.
In recent years, Schneider has come forward to state that she had no idea the sexual assault scene was going to happen until the day of shooting, with her having no say in the matter and being forced to film the scene. Simultaneously, Brando had discussed the scene with director Bernardo Bertolucci for days before shooting, aware that Schneider had no knowledge of it. Schneider’s removed agency from the most explicit scene in Last Tango in Paris makes the movie lose any of its aesthetic value, and, quite frankly, redefines the way Marlon Brando is viewed among fans.
Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is a Christmas classic for many filmgoers, but it hasn’t really stood the test of time due to some of its depicted relationships, and its treatment of one specific character, Natalie. The most problematic relationship in Love Actually involves Juliet, Mark, and Peter. Juliet and Peter are newlyweds, and Mark is Peter’s best friend who seemingly dislikes Juliet; in reality, Mark is in love with Juliet and treats her contemptuously to avoids suspicion. When he reveals his feelings to Juliet, Mark makes further romantic advances by expressing his love through a series of cue cards right outside her and Peter’s home. Juliet’s responds by kissing him; there is nothing romantic about betrayal.
As for Natalie, she is subjected to humiliating commentary by the President, commenting on her physical appearance often until David comes to her defense; David and Natalie’s romantic spark could have been cemented in another, more savory way without sending a harmful message to impressionable audiences.
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