Carrie Fisher’s guilty pleasure movies
Given that her iconic role as Princess Leia remains culture-defining, Carrie Fisher‘s place as one of the all-time Hollywood greats is etched into the annals of history. Through her film and novel work, Fisher cut through as a deeply funny, relatable and lovable figure whose sharp wit captured the world’s love.
Starring in one of cinema’s most-loved rom-coms, When Harry Met Sally, and having cameos in TV shows like Big Bang Theory, Sex And The City, 30 Rock and more, Fisher was no stranger to appearing in guilty pleasures.
But while a pleasure should never really be ‘guilty’, and people should always be allowed to wear their likes and dislikes on their sleeve with pride, Carrie Fisher had a handful of clear guilty favourites. From classic old Hollywood flicks to Christmas specials, Fisher’s comfort picks are eclectic.
Fisher clearly loved the 1940s era of Hollywood as she picked three movies from the same decade. First up, Hold Back the Dawn from 1941 stands out. “It was one of Billy Wilder’s first writing credits, starring Olivia de Havilland and Charles Boyer, and it’s about people who just don’t belong,” Fisher said. Unable to hide her love for this classic rom-com, Fisher admitted, “I went up to Billy Wilder once and said, ‘I love that movie’. And he looked at me like I was insane.”
Similarly, the 1944 film The Canterville Ghost also tells a story of someone a little different who doesn’t quite belong, touching on the kind of bravery and power Fisher possesses as Princess Leia. That strength appealed to Fisher, as she stated: “I like Margaret O’Brien in this one because she’s going up against her ancestor who’s literally like Henry VIII, and she’s the only one who’s not afraid of him.”
“I like movies that deal with amnesia and ghosts,” Fisher added as she moved on to her next pick, The Enchanted Cottage. “This one I really like,” she adds, explaining the strange plot about vanity, sanity and identity, “I love things like this”.
Fisher seemed to have a real penchant for strange, kooky films with odd plots or moments of pure silliness. The 1952 Million Dollar Mermaid has all of the above as Fisher said, “Esther Williams gets on a trapeze, and goes sailing through a ring of fire and into a pool. It’s absurd and it’s incredible and you have to be on acid.”
Perhaps the most guilty of all her guilty pleasure picks, Fisher opted for one of her own projects in the form of the Star Wars Holiday Special. “It’s so bad, it’s not even good. They could use it now instead of waterboarding,” Fisher said bluntly. But there is one saving grace that makes her love the special, “There’s a song in that thing that I really want to start singing again: ‘Happy Life Day.’”
The most modern movie on Fisher’s guilty pleasure list is the 1990s classic Ghost. “I have to say that I’m not a fan of the ghost-hunting shows that are on now,” she said, adding: “Ghost movies are better because you have to have a real ghost.” But mostly, her love for the film comes down to a crush, “with ghosts, you need to find somebody. I like there to be someone. Like Patrick Swayze.”
Carrie Fisher’s guilty pleasure movies:
- Hold Back the Dawn (1941)
- The Canterville Ghost (1944)
- The Enchanted Cottage (1945)
- Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
- Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
- Ghost (1990)
