I rewatched two movies recently that are worthy of mention here:

"Love With the Proper Stranger" - stars Steve McQueen and Natalie Wood (mmmmm) in a highly stylish love/comedy story. Filmed on location in New York (New Yorkers will love seeing the real life streets) in black & white, this showcases the two stars in among their best roles. Made in 1963, it tells the tale of abortion (then a taboo subject) and two people who discover love. Some of the scenes are crudely filmed but that adds to the gritty feeling of the movie.

Italians will LOVE the mothers in this, somewhat cliched, portrayals (they're absolutely hilarious).

Look for Richard Castellano ("Clemenza") as an uncredited extra in a scene about 5 minutes into the movie (he appears just briefly).

"Shenandoah" - stars James Stewart as a widower raising a family during the Civil War. The family is drawn into the war despite Stewart's wishes against it and the movie depicts how he and the family deal with the consequences of the conflict. Its a wonderfully told story and Stewart is outstanding as the tough patriarch. Some decent action but the movie's true strength comes from its insights into the sense of family (above everything else).