The 1950s were a long time ago, but the decade produced plenty of classic films that are just as powerful and entertaining today. Even for those who don’t usually watch older movies, there are still some masterpieces from the ’50s that are worth breaking this rule for.
Hollywood was gradually transitioning from black-and-white movies to color throughout the 1950s, which means the decade’s finest films offer a mix of the two styles. There are gorgeous, vibrant technicolor masterpieces likeSingin' in the RainandVertigo,as well as striking monochrome classics likeRashomonand12 Angry Men.
Many ofAlfred Hitchcock’s best moviescame out in the 1950s.Rear Window, North by NorthwestandDial M for Murderare all considered classics.Vertigomight be the best of Hitchcock’s entire career, and its power to captivate and entertain hasn’t diminished at all over the years.
Rear Window, North by NorthwestandDial M for Murderare all considered classics.
James Stewart delivers a stirring performanceas a retired detective who stumbles onto a knotty mystery while trying to conquer his paralyzing fear of heights. Hitchcock uses dolly zooms, San Francisco’s undulating landscape and a dramatic score to visualize the inside of his detective’s mind, which givesVertigoa personal hook.
There’s a common misconception that12 Angry Menis based on a stage play or a book, but this is simply because the script is so powerful that it stands out above most other original movies. The action is almost entirely confined to a single room, as a jury deliberates on a murder trial, and they gradually question their assumptions and prejudices.
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12 Angry Menhas a great castto complement its script.Henry Fonda, often the good guy, brings one of cinema’s most admirable heroes to life. An interesting aspect of12 Angry Menis that it takes places on the periphery of an intriguing murder mystery, but it doesn’t offer any solutions, only doubt and unease.
A Streetcar Named Desireisbased on the seminal play by Tennessee Williams, and the adaptation is often seen as definitive. This is partly due to the excellent work of the cast, with Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh both delivering powerful performances worthy of high praise.
A Streetcar Named Desireis an intelligent story about gender roles, the struggle for autonomy and identity, and the harsh nature of reality. The fact that the movie can be so entertaining while maintaining its cerebral qualities is testament to Williams' writing, but also Elia Kazan’s even-handed direction and the strength of the cast.
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck turn out to be a match made in heaven inRoman Holiday,and their resulting chemistry helped propel Hepburn to stardom. She stars as a European princess who ditches her chaperones while visiting Rome and spends time exploring the city with Peck’s charming reporter.
Roman Holidayis a light, breezy rom-com that leans more into its romantic side than the comedic side.It’s rare to see a movie these days placing such an emphasis on romance, but it works wonderfully.Roman Holiday’s endingsolidifies its heartwarming charms, and it’s easy to get swept away in its picturesque fantasy.
Singin' in the Raintells the story of Hollywood’s transition from silent films to talking pictures, and the extravagant, colorful musical acts as a celebration of the art of film. It embodies the type of lavish, Broadway-inspired musical that was popular in the 1950s and 1960s, but seems to have died out now.
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Compared to modern musicals,Singin' in the Rainhas a more staged feeling to it. Kelly and the rest of the cast are putting on a show for the audience, first and foremost, and it’s hard to resist the story’s earnest charms. As well as having several of the most gorgeous musical numbers ever filmed,Singin' in the Rainis a soaring tale of romance and triumph.
Compared toSingin' in the Rain,Sunset Boulevardrepresents the other side of the coin. While both movies are about a tumultuous time in Hollywood history,Sunset Boulevardshows the dark fate of those who were left behind by a changing industry.
Sunset Boulevardstill demonstrates Billy Wilder’s talents as a master of comedy, but the humor is much darker than many of his other classics. There’s also a deeper and more disturbing exploration of the psyche inSunset Boulevard,grounded by an outstanding performance from Gloria Swanson.
The crime genre was reinvented throughout the 1950s, and no filmmaker was as important to this process as Jules Dassin. Although he was blacklisted in Hollywood, Dassin found freedom in France, where he produced a lot of his best work.Rififiia arguably his best and most influential film.
Rififigave rise to the heist genre as it is understood today. It’s remarkable to see how many of the genre’s tropes can be traced back toRififi,butthe film is still gripping despite being imitated so freely. The lengthy safe-cracking sequence is a masterpiece in and of itself, cementingRififi’s reputation as one of thebest heist moviesever.
Many of Disney old classics look great, butSleeping Beautysets itself apart from the crowd as one of themost gorgeous animated moviesever. Walt Disney wanted something different forSleeping Beauty’s art style, and he certainly got it.The film takes inspiration from tapestries and stained-glass windows, and this fits in with the story’s medieval setting.
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As for the story,Sleeping Beautyis another Disney movie that subtly adapts a classic fairy tale. The most disturbing elements are stripped away - such as the cannibalism - and what remains is an enchanting fable about magic and romance.Sleeping Beautyretains the feeling of a classic story, with clear morals and a striking depiction of evil.
Some Like It Hotfollows two musicians who witness a gangland killing in prohibition-era Chicago, so they dress up as women to join an all-female band and flee the city. For a comedy about gender,Some Like It Hothas aged surprisingly well, and its timeless comedy is still hilarious.
Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis make a fantastic duoas the squabbling musicians, while Marilyn Monroe brings every ounce of her glamorous charms to the role of a dim-witted but lovable singer.Some Like It Hotgets a lot of laughs from its risible premise, but its tightly-written dialogue and flair for physical comedy are also outstanding. Overall, it’s one of the finest comedies ever filmed.
Rashomonis a fascinating exercise in non-linear storytelling, as the same story is told from different perspectives, so that details are changed and characters become either heroes or villains depending on who’s in charge of the narrative. This intelligent deconstruction of the crime genre questions whether empirical truth can ever exist in such cases, and whether criminal justice is an inherently flawed, optimistic notion.
It’s rare to see such a thought-provoking and fully-formed story packed into such a short runtime.
Rashomon’s non-linear structure has inspired countless filmmakers over the years, as has its complex approach to the nature of memory and storytelling. It’s rare to see such a thought-provoking and fully-formed story packed into such a short runtime. It’s undoubtedly one ofAkira Kurosawa’s best movies, and probably his most influential.
