50 Favorites of the ‘50s

So now we’re in the 1950s. It was a time of great conservatism. Of Eisenhower, McCarthyism, the Korean War, and suburban sprawl. This was the first decade that the television became a full force in the market. The film studios felt they needed to compete to bring people to the theater with sprawling epics complete with overtures and intermissions, the advent of 3D, and adapting Broadway musicals to the screen. It ultimately paid off.

This was the decade of Marilyn Monroe, the first Disney live action films, and the last gasps of Charlie Chaplin and Universal Studios monsters. Speaking of monsters the horror and sci-fi genres were heavily inundated with post-nuclear war monster movies and alien invasions. This decade saw the rise of Billy Wilder, Stanley Kubrick, and Sydney Lumet. Foreign films exploded in the ‘50s after the U.S. release of Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon with other examples of Japanese cinema, the French New Wave, and Italian Neo-Realism. Film was expanding its view and range for audiences. It was both dazzling spectacle and challenging political and social commentary. It just depended on the week.

I’ve seen over 120 films from the 1950s, a bit of a leap from the 70+ I’ve seen from the ‘40s. I wish I was able to squeeze in Niagara, Carmen Jones, La Strada and The Spirit of St. Louis. That said, below are my 50 favorites. I hope it serves as a guide for those who have some catching up to do and need some direction. For others it’ll be an enjoyable read to look out for their favorites.

NOTE: If you’re using a phone to read this article turn it to landscape view to read the article as it was intended.

50. Pather Panchali (1955)

This Indian film by Satyajit Ray was a seminal film for India and a new discovery for me. Unlike the glamorous musical comedies one might normally think of when they think of Indian cinema, Pather Panchali is more akin to films by Fellini or De Sica in that it’s a slice of life look at one family’s struggles. There’s very little in the way of the dramatic plotting of American films of the time. And yet it’s a very interesting and extremely influential film for filmmakers of every generation since.

48. A Star is Born (1954)

Having not seen the 1937 original, my impression is this is the version the 2018 Bradley Cooper version must be compared. Judy Garland and James Mason are the pair of show biz lovers. If you’re lucky you’ll see the “restored” cut with a roughly 20-minute section of the film whose audio was restored intact, but large stretches of frames were not, so we get stills of those moments with the restored audio to give a sense of what was intended. As a cinephile or film historian it’s essential viewing. And Garland, who was only 12 years younger than Mason, goes big every time here.

46. Nights of Cabiria (1957)

Federico Fellini is one of the giants of international cinema in the ‘50s and ‘60s. I’m not sure I’m a big fan of his work, although I am able to recognize its greatness and significance. Of the few films by Fellini I’ve seen this one is my favorite so far. It stars his wife, Guilietta Masina, as a prostitute in Rome. It is an interesting film made more fascinating and engaging by Masina’s performance. I think, wherever you fall as a fan, Fellini’s work is required viewing for anyone who considers themself a cinephile.

44. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

Probably the most famous and iconic of James Dean’s tragically brief career. While so much has changed since 1955 there’s still a lot that holds up regarding the conflict between teens and parents. Because of this - as well as Dean, the rest of the cast, and the direction by Nicholas Ray - it remains one of the best teen movies ever made.

42. The Diary of Anne Frank (1959)

George Stevens, who helped discover the Holocaust with his film crew, makes his WWII film here, an adaptation of The Diary of a Young Girl. I think this film gets taken for granted these days. I also think the film makes more out of the crush Anne had than is necessary, extending the runtime to 3 hours. But there are some terrifying and suspenseful scenes here. And sound is used to great effect to add to the subjective experience of the characters and the tension throughout.

40. River of No Return (1954)

This is a nearly forgotten film in Monroe’s filmography, as well as those of director Otto Preminger and Robert Mitchum. Mitchum had been a working actor for the previous decade, but hadn’t been in anything as high profile as this film. He definitely benefited from the wattage of Monroe’s star power here. Yet, they apparently didn’t get along. A handful of actors and directors found Monroe difficult to get along with by this point. And Monroe considered this film beneath her. It’s a fairly simple script, sure. But the leads elevate the material to something enjoyable.

38. The Shaggy Dog (1959)

This was the decade Walt Disney Pictures branched out into live action. Not many of them are very good, but this is one of a couple I’ve always enjoyed. It stars three of the studio’s recurring actors: Tommy Kirk, Kevin Cocoran, and Fred MacMurray. There’s a bit of Cold War nonsense in it, but there’s also a lot of fun in the teen-transformed-into-dog plot.

36. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Elizabeth Taylor and a young, on-the-rise Paul Newman is all you should need to be sold on this film. But add in a Tennessee Williams script and Burl Ives in a supporting role and you’ve got more than enough reason to make this a must-see. What is incredible about the film are the hours of discussion it can spark afterwards. It’s a layered story of parents and their children, of toxic masculinity, and homosexuality. And Taylor brings the heat in more than one way.

34. Rashomon (1950)

This is the film that, arguably, brought international cinema to the United States. It’s also one of the single most influential scripts in all the world. It’s a tale of rape and murder told from various perspectives. There is no reliable narrator. The reality lies somewhere in-between what we’re told. It isn’t one of my absolute favorite Kurosawa films, but there’s no way I could exclude it from a list like this.

32. The Ten Commandments (1956)

This is, by far, my favorite of the biblical epics of the decade. I was raised in a moderately Christian household and so I grew up with this film. I’m no longer Christian, but I’m still able to enjoy this epic. Yes, it screams self-importance and reverence in the first 15 minutes. And it could probably be nitpicked to death by today’s standards. But so could other films on this list. I appreciate the fact that there are so many things in this movie that nobody would do today. So many shortcuts would be made today. I appreciate that it was all done for what would equal $143 million today ($13 million in ‘50s dollars) and that it would never earn the equivalent of $1.3 billion today ($122.7 million in ‘50s dollars). I mean, Gods of Egypt is what this film would look like today (translation: bad) and it bombed. The Ten Commandments is an iconic film of its kind and I love it more than its more celebrated peers.

30. Sansho the Bailiff (1954)

I discovered this film in a college course. It is truly one of the greatest Japanese films ever produced and is constantly overshadowed by dozens of other films. It’s a story about an aristocratic family torn apart from each other and their journey towards a reunion. Director Kenji Mizoguchi was a prolific director who must have made over 50 films in 30 years, dozens of which are lost. Sansho the Bailiff is among his final 10 films before dying young at the age of 58 of leukemia. It is an incredible and powerful tale that should stand right along side some of Kurosawa’s period films.

28. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

Monroe had her two big musical comedies in 1953: this one and How to Marry a Millionaire. This one came 4 months before the latter and I prefer this one by far. Part of it is it stars Jane Russell, who really didn’t star in much notable beyond this film, unfortunately, but brings a flavor to the film that is different from Monroe’s and is every bit as enjoyable. It’s also the film with the iconic ‘Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend’ sequence. Of all of the bubbly musical comedies this is a knock-out.

26. The Quiet Man (1952)

John Wayne, John Ford, Maureen O’Hara, and Ireland. Most people don’t think about Ford’s non-westerns when considering his work. The Quiet Man is one of his best and entertaining outside of that genre. Most people also don’t realize that Wayne had Irish roots. So, it was great to see him play an American boxer who goes back to his childhood Irish village. There’s plenty of banter between Wayne and O’Hara that walks the line between chauvinism and entertainment. But it’s a film that has been treasured by so many that even Spielberg paid tribute in E.T.

24. The African Queen (1951)

John Huston, Humphrey Bogart, and Katharine Hepburn. That’s a great trifecta and it made for an interesting and entertaining film set in Africa during WWII. The pair of Bogart and Hepburn are exceptional to watch together. Bogart would pass away 6 years later, but not without cranking out a few more classics like The Cain Mutiny and The Barefoot Contessa. But he was 51 years old here and his behaviors and mannerisms are enjoyable to observe.

22. Father of the Bride (1950)

Spencer Tracy imparts to the audience some thoughts on weddings, especially as related to his daughter’s (Elizabeth Taylor). This is still the best version of this story. It is so incredibly funny and Tracy is such an excellent performer of situational comedy. Elizabeth Taylor, only 18 at this point, is luminous and wonderful as his daughter. The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli and it is easily my favorite of his films. A lot of people think of the Steve Martin remake, but that film relies more on physical comedy and isn’t quite as sharp as this one.

20. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

This was my first version of the Jack Finney story and, while I like the ‘78 remake, I prefer this one starring Kevin McCarthy. This is possibly the only film that rivals The Day the Earth Stood Still as the best sci-fi movie of the ‘50s. Its depiction of a town where everyone is slowly being taken over by aliens is still chilling and terrifying. It was an awesome metaphor for conformism and the McCarthyist paranoia of the time. And that ending is one of the greatest endings of all time.

18. Sunset Blvd. (1950)

We are very firmly in masterpiece territory at this point in the list and the films I feel the most passionate about. This Billy Wilder melodrama is a perfect story about the Golden Age of Hollywood, the stars the talkies left behind, and delusional ambition. Gloria Swanson, a Silent Era star who was left behind by talkies in real life, is exceptional here. William Holden gives one of the best performances of his career here as the sardonic, doomed screenwriter trapped in Gloria’s web.

16. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

Charles Laughton only directed one film. In all honesty, his directorial debut either signaled an extraordinary creator with lots of unfulfilled potential having not directed any other work OR it would’ve been too hard to follow or ever live up to. The Night of the Hunter shows up on lists for greatest horror films, noir films, and overall great films for a reason. Robert Mitchum was a tremendous actor, but I don’t think he ever played a character nearly as interesting as the convict-as-faux-preacher and wanna-be child-killer Harry Powell. His tattooed knuckles and monologue about love and hate were later recalled by Spike Lee in Do the Right Thing.

14. Some Like It Hot (1959)

Writer and director Billy Wilder, Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe - that’s a can’t-lose combination. Two musicians on the run from the mob go into hiding in a traveling female band. The sexual antics, the double identities, the gender-bending themes, and witty situational humor all stack up to make one of the greatest comedies of all time. You throw in a dose of Joe E. Brown and it just overflows with irresistible silliness.

12. Limelight (1952)

The last great Chaplin movie was his third talkie and his third-to-last film. I wish this was Chaplin’s final film, as it has the melancholy of a swan song and is thinly autobiographical in many ways. It also features one of my favorite scores in any Chaplin film. For more of my thoughts, read my article on Chaplin’s feature films.

10. The King & I (1956)

I’m actually a little surprised this film isn’t as beloved now as it was in my youth. It is one of the only Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals I can stand, let alone love. What is it I adore about it? I think it’s largely the songbook and the leads, Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner. This musical based on a play based on a novel based on memoirs has such unforgettable songs as ‘Getting to Know You’ and ‘Shall We Dance?’ and a score by Richard Rodgers himself. It is the definitive version of this story.

8. Harvey (1950)

I didn’t get to see this movie until it landed on AFI’s Greatest Comedies list. I adored it immediately. First of all, I love just about everything James Stewart did. Elwood P. Dowd is one of his greatest characters, eccentric - maybe even alcoholic - but so harmless and friendly. Ostensibly, it’s about a guy whose best friend is a puca - and there is a lot of fun had with that concept. But you could also question if Dowd is cuckoo, a drunk, or perfectly sane. Josephine Hull was a character actress that was great at being daffy or hysterical. She’s wonderful here, also.

6. 12 Angry Men (1957)

I almost have to double-check myself as I’m writing this at number 6. 12 Angry Men is such a great film, such an incredible directorial debut, and a riveting character drama that I’m doing a double-take when I see it’s not in my Top 3. This film has a cast that most people couldn’t name, but would recognize at least half of. Henry Fonda is the single hold-out juror in a murder trial. He slowly pokes holes in the prosecution’s evidence that forces the other jurors to question their biases and assumptions. It’s incredible stuff that will work with every generation until we’re a post-racial society. Lee Cobb (On the Waterfront), Ed Begley (The Unsinkable Molly Brown), Martin Balsam (Psycho), Jack Klugman (TV’s The Odd Couple), John Fiedler (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh), E. G. Marshall (National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation), Jack Warden (All the President’s Men), along with Fonda make up 2/3 of the cast and that alone is an astounding collection of talent. Director Sidney Lumet was just getting started.

4. Seven Samurai (1954)

With a runtime of nearly 3 and a half hours, Seven Samurai is a commitment. But it is every bit as entertaining as any epic-length superhero film the past decade - and even richer and more rewarding. It’s about a village that’s had enough of the oppression brought on by bandits and hires a group of ronin to protect them with little reward to offer in return. It’s an excellent tale of bravery, honor, justice, and features a wonderful cast that includes Takashi Shimura and Toshiro Mifune, among others. You will get invested in these characters. You will pick a favorite. You will realize all those movies you’ve seen that have used the same premise pale in comparison.

2. Giant (1956)

The AFI named this among the greatest films of all time 25 years ago. I had never heard of it before then. It was my introduction to director George Stevens and stars James Dean and Rock Hudson and maybe even the first Elizabeth Taylor film I saw (if you don’t count 1994’s The Flintstones). It blew me away. I was absolutely captivated by the arcs of the three lead characters, by how racially progressive it seemed for the time, by the feminism and strength of Taylor’s character, by the appearance of a young Dennis Hopper… It’s currently falling into obscurity, as I never see the new generation of cinephiles mention or discover it. And that’s a shame, because it’s an extraordinary work that I’ve cherished since I discovered it. Read more here.

49. Born Yesterday (1950)

We’re definitely easing into the list through the first 10 or so with films I like, but not love. This film is about a crime lord (a great Broderick Crawford) who hires a journalist (William Holden) to smarten up his sassy gal (Judy Holliday) to impress politicians and investors. As you might imagine its characters are a bit chauvinist. But the core three players manage to make this adaptation of a play amusing.

47. Tokyo Story (1953)

After Kurosawa’s hit Rashomon, the world got exposed to other great masters of cinema, including Yasujiro Ozu. Ozu was notable for his fixed camera technique that forced all of the action to take place within the frame. Since the action involved domestic drama it was almost as if we were peering within a portrait or a window in the home. This film is my favorite of what I’ve seen by Ozu, a domestic drama that illustrates the conflict between the old and new generations post-WWII.

45. A Christmas Carol (1951)

Of all of the film adaptations of the classic Charles Dickens story, I think this is the best one. Alastair Sim is the greatest Scrooge, able to move the character through his arc in a manner that feels more organic than most.

43. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

There were a lot of silly alien invasion movies that would be released throughout the ‘50s. The Day the Earth Stood Still is probably one of the most high-brow and sincere even to this day. The world had recently put behind them a cataclysm we have, thankfully, yet to see the likes of again. And the U.S. was engaged in another war across the Pacific. This film asked us, “When will we stop fighting?”. It may not be as stunning as 2001: A Space Odyssey would be nearly 20 years later, but it was the first American sci-fi film that demanded it be taken seriously.

41. The Bad Seed (1956)

This was on my List of Shame until recently. While it feels like a stage play with majority of its action taking place in a living room, it’s a pleasant surprise to discover how chilling it is even to this day. An updated version - and there have been a couple - would probably heighten the horrific events. But what I didn’t expect is the exploration of the psychological elements here. Experiences make us who we are. But what if some of us are just born bad just as some of us are born without sight or hearing? I thoroughly enjoyed this one.

39. To Catch a Thief (1955)

This is considered one of Hitchcock’s lesser films and I would agree. This is despite the fact it stars two of the biggest stars of the decade: Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. It’s a cat burglar film (I don’t think there’s enough of those). Despite the unlikely age difference between Grant and Grace they are impossible to resist.

37. Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Not strictly one of my favorite Disney animated movies, but an impossible one to deny, as it was their most artful film of the decade. It may have nearly ruined the studio with its high production values, but it’s one of the iconic Disney Princess movies and arguably the best of the classic princesses. Besides, the villain turns into a fricken dragon. I mean… come on!

35. Godzilla (1954)

Known as Gojira if you want to get pedantic about it, this Japanese film is, I think, remembered commonly as being about little more than a giant monster destroying Japanese buildings. It isn’t NOT that - and certainly there were sequels that were basically JUST that. But let’s remember that Japan had experienced massive devastation less than a decade before and they were still rebuilding and recovering from that as a nation. It may be a giant lizard suit causing the destruction and not nuclear warheads, but witnessing their cities devastated once again couldn’t have been without some weight to Japanese audiences at the time. It’s easily the best Godzilla movie to this day.

33. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

There are other POW films like Stalag 17. But I like River Kwai. It’s one of the few David Lean films I thoroughly enjoy. The guy fit in perfectly with the “go big” biblical epic productions of the time, as he directed anywhere between dozens to hundreds of people at once and his visuals were enormous landscapes and scales. But the epics Lean is famous for didn’t start until this film. And it’s an epic film about a confined group of soldiers. It’s really cool to consider. Plus, any Star Wars fan must see Sir Alec Guinness in one of his most iconic dramatic roles.

31. Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

I grew up with this and River of No Return. For most of my childhood these films were the Robert Mitchum I knew. It wouldn’t be until I was in my late teens when I’d discover his best performance, which you’ll see later on. But Deborah Kerr plays against him here as a nun left behind in a remote island in the Pacific Ocean during WWII. What’s striking to me about this underrated John Huston film is how Huston brings a humanity to the Japanese soldiers, who are ostensibly the “bad guys”, in a couple of key scenes. This is very interesting, considering Huston was one of the “five who came back”, filmmakers who served during the war and experienced it first hand. Huston would wrestle with compromised moralities upon returning from the war with The Treasure of Sierra Madre and address the war afterwards with another film on this list. But I don’t think he previously gave the Japanese the dimension he does here. And that adds something unexpected in this flick.

29. Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Again, not one of my absolute favorite Disney films, but I do think this one gets underrated a bit these days. It is one of the first of Disney’s films to make unique creative decisions like keeping the frame mostly below waist-level of humans. It was also the first to be shot in CinemaScope and the first distributed by Buena Vista. As far as Walt’s animal-centered movies goes it doesn’t have the magic of Bambi or Dumbo. But it was definitely one of the best of the ‘50s and had a balanced songbook of contemporary snoozers and notable classics like ‘He’s a Tramp’, most of which were performed by pop and jazz vocalist Peggy Lee.

27. North by Northwest (1959)

Cary Grant, who starred in To Catch a Thief previously, returns to Hitchcock with this yarn of mistaken identity. Grant is excellent and Hitchcock keeps things interesting with such unforgettable moments like the dust-cropping scene and locales like the top of Mount Rushmore. Performances by Eva Marie Saint (On the Waterfront), James Mason (A Star is Born), and a young Martin Landau (Ed Wood) also keep things interesting.

25. The Court Jester (1955)

Danny Kaye was an icon of the late ‘40s and ‘50s Hollywood. He was handsome, yet silly. Talented with a singing voice and excellent comedic timing. And yet The Court Jester is his only film I thoroughly enjoy. He’s supported by an incredible cast that includes Glynis Johns (eventually of Mary Poppins), Angela Lansbury, and Basil Rathbone (considered the best Sherlock Holmes). It’s a very silly and wonderful TechniColor medieval comedy about a carnival entertainer turned spy that includes the delightful tongue twister about the vessel with the pestle. Easily one of the 10 best comedies of the decade.

23. Paths of Glory (1957)

Half war film, half anti-war film, this skewering of military officers and their callous disregard for their men over their own career advancements is incredible and impressive for the time. Yes, it is about French soldiers, but you get the feeling they could be American or British for all director Stanley Kubrick cares; the message is still the same and relevant. Often overlooked when discussing war films, but surely one of the greatest ever made.

21. Vertigo (1958)

Not only was this the film that canonically beat Citizen Kane as the greatest movie of all time for 10 years, but it was my favorite Hitchcock film for a long time. It’s now my third favorite. But it is a masterpiece and one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made. It was also the first film - and maybe only film - to depict my acrophobia anywhere close to accurately. Plus, it stars James Stewart and that’s a huge plus for me.

19. High Noon (1952)

Westerns were never as popular as they were between 1940 and the 1960s. And yet, I’m not a fan of most of them from that period. But High Noon is a film I absolutely can’t resist. With all due respect, forget the Wayne and Ford westerns Rio Grande and The Searchers. They got nothing on Gary Cooper and his attempts to recruit the men of his town - including Henry Morgan, Thomas Mitchell, Lloyd Bridges, and Lon Chaney, Jr. - to aid in defending the town against the return of the villainous Lee Van Cleef. Throw in a dash of rising star (and one of film history’s most stunning stars) Grace Kelly and I’m in love. What’s more: the film works in real time in that there is a ticking clock that mostly works within the film’s 85 minutes. It’s an excellent, tightly constructed and brilliantly written and acted piece of the genre.

17. All About Eve (1950)

There are a handful of perfect movies on this list and All About Eve is one of them. Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, and George Sanders give performances that are absolutely delicious. Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s direction and writing is as cutting and clever as anything else ever on screen. Plus, you get the bonus of an early Marilyn Monroe appearance two years before she became a leading lady. What’s not to love?

15. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

Walt Disney did a lot of expanding with Walt Disney Studio in the ‘50s. He created an amusement park, diversified merchandising opportunities, and ventured into live action filmmaking with Walt Disney Pictures. Half of the live action films Walt produced in the ‘50s aren’t worthwhile. One of the best of them - and, honestly, throughout the history of the live action studio - is this Jules Verne adaptation. It’s fun, it’s exciting, and it has an engaging cast with James Mason, Kirk Douglas, and Peter Lorre. The practical effects and adventure are still thrilling today.

13. Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954)

This was the last of the Universal monsters and it would have two sequels before the 25-year franchise would fizzle out. But I think Black Lagoon is probably the most underrated of all of the monster movies as a “guy in rubber suit” movie typical of sci-fi back then. I encourage you to read more of my thoughts about this movie from a previous article.

11. Alice in Wonderland (1951)

The ‘50s was a better decade for Disney than the ‘40s. In fact, the ‘50s was the studio’s best decade ever. One of two films from that decade I truly love and love above most Disney animated movies is Alice in Wonderland. It’s episodic. It’s not complicated or thematically deep. But its cast of characters are iconic and, for many, the version people think of when they’re mentioned. It’s also very colorful and trippy enough to be a touchstone of the ‘60s counterculture. For more thoughts read my review.

9. Peter Pan (1953)

This is easily my favorite Disney movie of the ‘50s. It’s just so magical, wondrous, and fun! Aside from perhaps Hook, which technically acts as a sequel to this film’s source material, this is the version of these characters we all know and love. Captain Hook may be Disney’s first fully-realized and dimensional villain. He’s certainly the first comic villain - and he is great! Yes, the depiction of Native Americans casts a blemish that has not aged well. But everything else is top shelf Disney. For more read on here.

7. On the Waterfront (1954)

On the Waterfront is an absolutely perfect film - one of the greatest ever - and I don’t think it’s as remembered today as it once was. Marlon Brando stars as a longshoreman who’s also muscle for a mob boss. Brando was a stage actor who had become a screen star previously for his work in A Streetcar Named Desire, Julius Caesar, and The Wild One. By this time he’d studied under Stella Adler and brought to the screen a more naturalistic form of acting. His performance in this film is a turning point for cinema acting. It is incredible to observe. Lee Cobb is one of the greatest big bads of any dramatic fiction. The themes around corruption and unionized work hold up today. This is cinematic gold.

5. Ikiru (1952)

I discovered this Akira Kurosawa drama in college. At that point, I hadn’t seen much of his work, maybe only Dersu Uzala. But this film shook me. It’s about a man who is slapped in the face by the ticking clock of time and realized he let his life pass him by. In the time he has left he attempts to live and to make his life matter somehow. The fact that his guide on this journey is a young woman allows the film to touch on generational issues the country was struggling with at the time. But the overall film and Takashi Shimura’s performance is sheer poetry.

3. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Most people think of Singin’ in the Rain as the superb, feel-good musical that it is. And, having landed among my 50 favorite movies of all time, it is absolutely one of my all-time favorite musicals. But what most people mention second or much later about the film is how it’s a movie about the transition of the film industry from the Silent Era to the talkies. It is, in effect, a period film released 25 years after the release of The Jazz Singer about the shockwaves that film sent through the industry. Yes, I love the song book. Yes, I love Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds so very much. I really love that this film that’s a painstakingly choreographed and performed musical is also about a piece of film history. It is one of the most joyful masterpieces ever put to film.

1. Rear Window (1954)

As a budding cinephile diving into Hitchcock’s career it was tough for me to land on an absolute favorite for a long time. At first I thought it was the extraordinary Vertigo, which happened to be the first movie I saw that depicted my fear of heights. Then I thought it was Psycho, because… it’s fricken Psycho. But I eventually came to realize it’s Rear Window. It’s a riveting piece of single-location mystery - and it’s fantastic for that reason alone. But I really love it because of James Stewart, Thelma Ritter, and the luminous, “how did Stewart land you?!” Grace Kelly. They are one of my favorite trios in film history. Since it’s among my 20 all-time favorite movies, I gush a bit more about it here. Go read that if you want to know more about why it’s my favorite movie of the 1950s.

So, those are my favorite movies of the 1950s. Every year of the decade is represented. The year 1954 made the list the most with 9 films. The years 1950 and 1955 came in 2nd with 6 films each. The only unique thing I can point to about those years are the collection of Japanese films that came from them. But that’s only 4 of the 21 films; there were also great films by Billy Wilder, Joseph Mankiewicz, and Alfred Hitchcock those years. Director Alfred Hitchcock has the most entries on this list with 4 films. Thanks to her bit part in All About Eve, Marilyn Monroe made the list more than any other actor or actress with 4 films. Along with Monroe James Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Takashi Shimura, William Holden, and James Mason make up my favorite actors of the decade with three films each on the list.

Again, the best resources for films from this decade are Amazon Prime and HBO Max. You can also rent many films on Amazon. I hope you find some new favorites. What are some of your favorites from the decade already? Feel free to share.