King Kong (1933)
No list of adventure films would be complete without this classic of the genre. "King Kong" follows the adventures of a film crew who goes to a tropical island to finish the shooting of a film. While on the island, they encounter a massive gorilla who develops a passion for the film's female star (played by Fay Wray), and the movie follows the crew as they struggle to save her and themselves from the gorilla's brutal will.
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
This epic adventure film, directed by David Lean, tells the story of a real-life man named Thomas Edward Lawrence – an individual who led a guerilla army to triumph in the Arabian desert (during the Arab revolt against the Turks in World War I). The movie is packed with sweeping visuals and action-packed scenes as Lawrence forges ahead, eventually helping the British bring down the Ottoman Empire.
North by Northwest (1959)
This Hithcock classic combines intrigue with adventures when a New York ad executive gets mistaken as a government agent. He flees across the country while being ferociously pursued by a group of foreign spies, and the film brings viewers on a harrowing journey as he struggles to outsmart the spies and survive. The movie includes a romantic thread along with the ample amounts of adventure, so the movie appeals on many levels.
Goldfinger (1964)
This James Bond classic, directed by Gary Hamilton, follows Bond as he untangles gold magnate Auric Goldfinger's plot to infiltrate the Fort Knox gold reserve. The goal of Goldfinger and his henchmen is nothing less than to obliterate the world economy. Bond's mission to stop their plot and save the world brings up against many obstacles – and the fun is in watching him maneuver his way forward despite the tangles placed in his path.
Top Gun (1986)
This film, staring Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, follows the students of a top US flying school that are working toward becoming advanced fighter pilots. As they compete to be the best in the class, the main character Maverick combines his sky adventures with earthly pursuit of a female instructor in the flight school.
