They Don't Make 'em Like They Used To - Movie Nostalgia

This week, we’re Gonna make you an Offer you can’t refuse, sit in the back of the cab with Rod Steiger and talk about we coulda been contenders, and look at the results of Hollywood glamour brushing the Isle of Wight. Welcome to They Don’t Make ‘em Like They Used To Films discussed The Godfather Trilogy Laurel and Hardy On The Waterfront That'll Be The Day

This week on They Don't Make ‘Em Like They Used To, Tosin and the team broadcast from Sunshine Radio at St. Mary's Hospital on the Isle of Wight. We’re diving deep into the golden age of cinema with a focused look at the epic Godfather trilogy, debating the merits of Cary Grant versus Jimmy Stewart, and highlighting a classic filmed right here on our island.

Note: music tracks edited out due to licensing issues

• The Godfather Trilogy: We discuss Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece, focusing on the incredible performances of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro. We also explore the fascinating "off-screen" drama regarding casting and the trilogy's legacy.

• Battle of the Legends: It’s Cary Grant vs. James Stewart. We break down their careers, from Stewart’s versatility in Westerns and Hitchcock thrillers to Grant’s manufactured persona as the ultimate Hollywood leading man.

• I Love Movies - That'll Be the Day: Sharon introduces this 1973 classic starring David Essex and Ringo Starr. Filmed extensively on the Isle of Wight, we reminisce about recognizable locations like Shanklin Pier and Sandown High School.

• Cinematic Legends Quiz: Joe provides clues for a mystery screen legend. From military service in the Army Air Corps to a complicated birth certificate, can you guess who it is before the reveal?

• Exceptions to the Rule: Sean spotlights the 2011 film Ironclad, a gritty historical action movie that captures the spirit of old-school cinema while standing out in the modern era.

"I could’ve been a contender. I could’ve been somebody." — Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront, another iconic performance discussed this week.

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• Broadcasting from: Sunshine Radio, St. Mary's Hospital, Isle of Wight

Who do you think was the more versatile actor: Cary Grant or James Stewart? Join the conversation on our Facebook page!

In this Episode:

Featured Films & Legends

The ClassicThe Godfather (1972)

The LegendClark Gable

Island ConnectionThat'll Be the Day (1973)

Modern ClassicIronclad (2011)

Show 19, we are still going. Check out Joe's new feature on Great movie Composers. This week, Franz Waxman, about 15 minutes in. Good show (nods sages)... good show.

This episode of They Don't Make Them Like They Used To on Sunshine Radio takes a deep dive into the 1940 Alfred Hitchcock classic, Rebecca. Hosts Tosin, Sean, and Joe explore the film's gothic atmosphere and its enduring legacy as Hitchcock’s only Best Picture Oscar winner.

Inside This Episode:

• The Bone-Fide Classic: A breakdown of Rebecca, starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. The team discusses the film's source material by Daphne du Maurier and the chilling performance of Judith Anderson as the sinister Mrs. Danvers.

• A Musical Legend: The hosts pay tribute to composer Franz Waxman, whose haunting scores for Rebecca, The Bride of Frankenstein, and Sunset Boulevard defined the Golden Age of Hollywood.

• The Exception to the Rule: Joe draws parallels between the psychological themes of Rebecca and the 2014 thriller Gone Girl, noting how both films explore the dark secrets hidden behind the facade of marriage.

• The Movie Legend Quiz: Joe tests the team with a riddle about a screen icon known for her humanitarian work with UNICEF. Did you guess who it was?

NOTE: Due to licensing restrictions, the music tracks featured in this broadcast have been edited out of the recording.

Tune in every Friday at 6:00 PM for more cinematic archaeology and remember—they don't make them like they used to!

Shaun finds a kindred spirit, Joe comes up with another good quiz and Tosin wonders if as great as they are, all films back then were racist. This week we go to deepest darkest "Africa", fly far east to China, and slum around LA (I guess, all good film noirs are based there).

Join Tosin, Shaun, and Joe as they journey back into the archives of classic cinema to celebrate iconic films, unmissable tunes, and timeless stories of classic film history (with a few special exceptions!).

(Please note: Due to music rights issues, the music mentioned and played during the broadcast has been edited out of this podcast version.)

🍿 On Tonight's Reel:

• St. Mary's Hospital Chat — Meet Roy Prouten: Tosin sits down with Roy Prouten on the St. Helens Ward for a charming conversation about his family's long island heritage, growing up going to the cinema up to four times a week, and his fondest movie-going memories.

• The Bonafide Classic — Tarzan the Ape Man (1932): Shaun picks the pre-1980s jungle adventure starring Olympic swimmer Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan and Maureen O'Sullivan as Jane. The team breaks down the film's 1930s cinematic thrills, early Hollywood studio backlots, real animal stunts, and its lasting cultural legacy.

• The Patient's Choice & Film Noir Gem — Out of the Past (1947): Joe spotlights a defining piece of film noir starring Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, and Kirk Douglas. We talk through classic noir tropes—from dark pasts and cynical antiheroes to brilliant, manipulative femmes fatales and sharp, iconic dialogue.

• The Hidden Gem — 55 Days at Peking (1963): Roy Prouten’s personal favourite film of all time! The team explores this historical epic starring Charlton Heston, David Niven, and Ava Gardner, detailing the siege of the foreign legations during the Boxer Rebellion.

• The Exception to the Rule — John Carter (2012): Shaun breaks the pre-1980s rule to defend Disney's underrated sci-fi adventure based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' classic Mars novels. The team discusses why the film deserved a better fate at the box office and how its marketing hid a genuinely fun action spectacle.

• Movie Legend Quiz: Can you guess the screen legend who started her career at 14, won an Academy Award for a non-English language performance, starred alongside Cary Grant, and commanded a record $1 million salary for The Fall of the Roman Empire? Tune in to find out!

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