Al's Top Rated Films: 1950–1959

Powerful and brilliantly made legal/crime drama from Sidney Lumet and Reginald Rose, set on a blazing hot day in New York City, 1957. The story follows the fate of a poor 18-year old Puerto Rican boy who’s been a victim of abuse and an overall troubled upbringing. He’s on trial for murder after being suspected of stabbing his father to death with a switchblade knife. After the case is presented, all 12 jurors retire to a conference room to deliberate the outcome of the case. Most of them believe it’s an open and shut case, and favor a quick decision so they can all get on with their lives. However, Juror 8 (Henry Fonda) feels there is considerable doubt about the boy’s guilt after scrutinizing the prosecution’s case, and pleads with the other jurors to reevaluate the evidence before they possibly send an innocent man to death. Incredible story with compelling and important messages throughout. The dialogue boasts some of the most clever, gripping, dramatic, and intense dialogue I've witnessed in any film. It's one of the few movies that I would consider all 12 acting jurors to be lead stars of the film. Every actor involved delivered arguably their most memorable role to date. The film was highlighted by Oscar nominations for best picture of 1958, best direction from Sidney Lumet, and best writing/screenplay from Reginald Rose. It’s a travesty that arguably the greatest film of the entire 1950s was robbed of any Academy Award. Henry Fonda arguably delivers his all-time greatest lead performance. Lee J. Cobb, Martin Balsam, John Fiedler, E.G. Marshall, Jack Klugman, Edward Binns, Jack Warden, Joseph Sweeney, Ed Begley, George Voskovec, and Robert Webber also delivered outstanding and impactful starring roles.

Superbly suspenseful mystery thriller from Alfred Hitchcock, that follows a brash risk-taking photo-journalist named L. B. "Jeff" Jefferies, who's wheelchair-bound after risking a dangerous snapshot of an intense car wreck during a race. He's stuck in his apartment while he recovers, and stays entertained thanks to visits from his wise-cracking physical therapist Stella, and his gorgeous and alluring girlfriend Lisa. Being mostly alone and confined to his apartment, he starts spying on his neighbors from his rear apartment window out of pure boredom. After a short while, he witnesses suspicious actions by his neighbor and costume-jewelry salesman Lars Thorwald, which makes him believe that he murdered his bedridden wife. Jeff continues to investigate the mystery with the help of Lisa and Stella, along with his friend, boss, and police detective Tom Doyle, and a large-lensed camera for better viewing. It all leads up to tension-filled suspense as the story builds to a thrilling and dramatic conclusion. This is hands-down my favorite film from the “Master of Suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock. The story is fantastic, and reaches new heights in production design and cinematography, which peels back compelling complexities with repeat viewings. The film was highlighted with Oscar-nominations for best directing from Alfred Hitchcock, best screenplay from John Michael Hayes, best cinematography, and best sound. It’s one of the many movies that have been robbed of its accolades at the Academy Awards. It’s one of the most beautiful films I’ve ever seen, and all the characters are interesting and well-developed. The soundtrack/score is also fantastic. James Stewart arguably delivers his greatest and most iconic lead performance of all time. The gorgeous Grace Kelly instantly became one of my favorites actresses with her fantastic starring role. Thelma Ritter also delivered a particularly great supporting performance, along with very nice roles from Wendell Corey, Raymond Burr, Judith Evelyn, Ross Bagdasarian, Georgine Darcy, Irene Winston, and Jesslyn Fax.

Outstanding legal drama/mystery/thriller from Billy Wilder set in 1952 London, and follows a brash and well-respected veteran lawyer named Sir Wilfrid Robarts, who's propelled back into the courtroom against his doctor and private nurse’s wishes, following a heart attack. The case involves a seemingly good-natured man named Leonard Vole who stands accused of murdering a wealthy widow named Emily French, who had loved Vole enough to put his name down as her main beneficiary in her will. The case is all too fascinating and challenging not to take, Robarts believes Vole to be innocent, and gets to work on the case right away. However, when Vole’s cold-hearted wife Christine must take the stand in his defense, she makes the appalling decision to appear in court against him, which boasts many tension-filled plot twists along the way. Fantastic story with a grand production the emphasizes excellent suspense, which builds to a superb surprise ending that I did not see coming. The film took home Oscar nominations for best picture of 1958, best direction from Billy Wilder, best sound, and best film editing. I was immediately hooked by Charles Laughton's brilliant and very humorous Oscar-nominated lead performance as Sir Wilfrid Robarts. He delivered all the right words and actions in every scene he was in. Just watching his performance throughout the picture is entertainment enough for several repeat viewings. Tyrone Power and Marlene Dietrich also deliver a couple of their all-time best lead performances, and Elsa Lanchester delivered a hilariously fantastic Oscar-nominated supporting role. John Williams, Henry Daniell, Ian Wolfe, Torin Thatcher, Norma Varden, Una O'Connor, and Francis Compton, Ruta Lee, and others also had very nice supporting roles.

Magnificent film-noir/psychological drama from Billy Wilder that follows a washed up and dangerously delusional silent film star named Norma Desmond, who lives in a large run-down Sunset Boulevard mansion alongside her loyal butler Max Von Mayerling. It’s been a long time since the silent film era of the 1920s, but Norma still entertains lofty ideas of making a comeback after being forgotten by filmmakers, fans, and critics alike. When a young struggling Hollywood screenwriter and script reader named Joe Gillis randomly comes to meet Norma at her mansion, she insists that he help rework a lengthy movie script that she has written and also plans to star in. Joe isn’t confident about the project from the start, but gladly accepts high pay, a room to live in her mansion, and other expensive gifts as payment. Major tensions come into play when her manipulation of Joe’s life and actions becomes unbearable, along with her self-proclaimed masterpiece of a script that isn’t something modern audiences will be interested. This is hands-down Billy Wilder's most thrilling film-noir masterpiece. The writing was fantastic, along with the direction, editing, cinematography, set design, and musical score. Films don’t come much more critically acclaimed than this, as evidenced by its Oscar wins for best screenplay from Charles Brackett, Billy Wilder, and D.M. Marshman Jr.; best art direction, and best music scoring from Franz Waxman. The film also received Oscar nominations for best picture of 1951, best direction from Billy Wilder, best cinematography, and best film editing. If that wasn’t enough, the cast may be the best part of the film. Gloria Swanson and William Holden both deliver outstanding Oscar-nominated lead performances. Erich von Stroheim and Nancy Olson also delivered top-notch Oscar-nominated starring roles. Cecil B. DeMille, Jack Webb, Fred Clark, Lloyd Gough, and others also had very nice supporting roles.

Spectacular action-packed mystery adventure/thriller from Alfred Hitchcock, that follows a sharp-witted New York City advertising executive named Roger Thornhill who's kidnapped by a group of spies that are convinced he's a government agent by the name of George Kaplan, following a bout of mistaken identity in the restaurant where they abducted him by gunpoint. He’s then brought to a large mansion, and meets a foreign spy posing as the home’s owner, Lester Townsend. His name is actually Phillip Vandamm, and demands Thornhill give up the information he’s after. When Thornhill tries to explain that he’s not George Kaplan, they don’t believe him. They quickly conclude that he won’t cooperate, they force him to drink a giant bottle of bourbon, and attempt to get him to drive off a cliff to make his murder look like a drunken accident. Their plan fails and Thornhill miraculously gets away before getting picked up by police for being intoxicated and driving recklessly. Nobody believes Thornhill’s story about these so-called mysterious men trying to kill him (including his mother). After he's implicated in a murder as the mysterious George Kaplan, he goes on the run from a band of ruthless spies trying to kill him, and also from the authorities who are trying to arrest him. The outstanding Oscar-nominated screenplay from Ernest Lehman boasted superb dialogue, hilarious comedy, and powerful/thrilling drama. The production is epic in every way, which is highlighted by Oscar nominations for best art direction and best film editing. The casting couldn’t be more perfect. Cary Grant arguably delivered his all-time best lead performance. It’s the first film of his I’ve seen, and it made me a life-long fan of his. Eva Marie Saint also had a fantastic starring role. She and Cary Grant arguably have some the steamiest chemistry of any couple in a Hitchcock film (which is always a debate). James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll, Philip Ober, Martin Landau, Josephine Hutchinson, Adam Williams, Robert Ellenstein, and Ken Lynch have great supporting roles among many others.

Fantastic legal drama/mystery from Otto Preminger set in 1950s upstate Michigan, and follows a small-town lawyer and former district attorney named Paul Biegler who’s hired by a beautiful woman named Laura Manion to defend her husband and US Army Lieutenant Frederick "Manny" Manion, who’s been arrested for murdering a man that raped and beat up his wife, Laura. Biegler fights for temporary insanity since it is understandably a crime of passion, but complications come up when it’s reported that the police surgeon finds no evidence of rape. Manny is very jealous, controlling, and can become violent at times, while Laura subsequently encourages his erratic behavior by flirting with other men and dressing seductively. With the evidence now stacked against Manny, Biegler must find new evidence and ways to convince the jury of his innocence. First-rate story with compelling dialogue that involves uneasy and unsettling questions involving sex and rape for the late 1950s. The messages and story still holds up powerfully today, boasts and great production, and also features a fantastic jazz score by Duke Ellington (who also has a great cameo). The film was highlighted with Oscar nominations for best picture of 1960, best screenplay from Wendell Mayes, best cinematography, and best film editing. If that wasn’t enough, the cast is arguably the best part of the film. James Stewart was made for the attorney role, and he arguably delivers his all-time best Oscar-nominated lead performance. I'd have to say it's my personal favorite of his career. Lee Remick and Ben Gazzara also delivered fantastic starring performances, along with George C. Scott (Oscar-nominated) as the prosecuting attorney, which is one of his finest smaller roles. Arthur O'Connell (Oscar-nominated), Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant, Brooks West, Joseph N. Welch, Murray Hamilton, Alexander Campbell, John Qualen, Don Ross, and many others had great supporting roles.

Superb film-noir mystery from Nicholas Ray set in Los Angeles, California, and follows an eccentric and impulsively tempered Hollywood screenwriter named Dixon "Dix" Steele who hasn’t had a hit film since before World War II. After meeting with his agent about a potential job at a restaurant, Dix is persuaded to adapt a cheap bestselling novel into a movie. Due to his disinterest in the job, he notices the beautiful hat-check girl is almost finished reading the copy meant for him, and invites her back to his apartment so she can explain the lackluster story to him. That night after leaving Dix’s place, the girl is murdered, and Dix immediately becomes the prime suspect in the case until his gorgeous neighbor Laurel Gray provides an alibi for his whereabouts after seeing him through her neighboring apartment window that evening. That kicks off a friendship that soon blossoms into love and romance. However, Dixon's increasing temper, fascination with murder, and mysterious dark side has the police and Laurel worried that he might actually be a killer. Fantastic story, dialogue, and suspense. How this film didn’t win any Oscars or other reputable awards is beyond me. It’s a criminally underrated film all around. I often feel this is one of Humphrey Bogart’s most underrated and overlooked classics, and ranks as one of best and most convincingly complex lead performances. The same could be said for Gloria Grahame's intricate character and superb starring role. The chemistry between the two rivals the best of their careers. Frank Lovejoy, Carl Benton Reid, Art Smith, Martha Stewart, Robert Warwick, Morris Ankrum, Steven Geray, and others also had great supporting roles.

Powerful and superbly made drama from Richard Brooks, which is based on Tennessee Williams' original 1955 three-act play of the same name. The story follows a deeply troubled young man named Brick Pollitt, whose life is in the dump for a few reasons. Late one night, he drunkenly breaks into the track and field stadium at his old high school to relive his glory days as a former football star, when he breaks his ankle. He drowns his sorrows drinking booze as drama and anxiety increases with his sexually-driven and frustrated wife Maggie’s wants and needs. To top it off, he soon faces a painful climax of emotions driven by deep-rooted family issues when he and Maggie visit his family in eastern Mississippi to celebrate his father Big Daddy’s 65th birthday. When the family finds out Big Daddy has terminal cancer, it sets off a rollercoaster of emotions and memories for both Big Daddy and Brick, which they must finally work out together. The writing is powerful and fantastically crafted, the direction is spot-on, and the casting is arguably perfect. It’s simply a fantastic movie for fans of dramatic and complex dialogue stemming from relationship and family struggles. The film was highlighted with Oscar nominations for best picture of 1959, best direction from Richard Brooks, best writing/screenplay from Richard Brooks and James Poe, and best cinematography. Paul Newman delivered one of his all-time best Oscar-nominated lead performances. Elizabeth Taylor matches suit with one of her best and most dramatic Oscar-nominated lead roles. Burl Ives also delivered a superb starring role as Big Daddy. Jack Carson, Judith Anderson, and Madeleine Sherwood also had excellent supporting roles.

Outstanding war drama/adventure from John Huston, set in German-occupied East Africa during World War I, 1914. The story follows an experienced and good-humored gin-drinking Canadian riverboat captain named Charlie Allnutt, who delivers mail and supplies to an English Methodist missionary on his steamboat named the “The African Queen”. When the missionary and village is burned and destroyed by Germans in horrific bloodshed, the strong-willed sister Rose of the missionary survives the attack, and persuades Charlie to take her with him. Their personalities, lifestyles, and backgrounds couldn’t be any different, and they immediately clash from the start. But as time goes on, they start to gain respect for each other, which slowly blossoms into an unexpected romance. However, tension and disagreements set in when Rose demands that she and Charlie take the “The African Queen” on a dangerous and treacherous trip up river in an attempt to destroy a German Nazi gunship using makeshift torpedoes on Charlie's boat. This film boasts a fantastic story, compelling dialogue, stunning color and camera work, great humor, poignant drama, and big thrills. The gorgeous production was highlighted by Oscar nominations for best direction from John Huston and best screenplay from James Agee and John Huston. All these elements are undoubtedly held together by superb lead performances by two of the best in the business. Almost all the screen time is devoted to Humphrey Bogart (Oscar-winner) and Katharine Hepburn (Oscar-nominated), and they were fantastic together and held the picture together with ease. Their chemistry was incredible. Robert Morley, Peter Bull, and Theodore Bikel also had very nice supporting roles.

Outstanding and masterfully done crime drama/thriller from Alfred Hitchcock, that follows a former tennis star named Tony Wendice who discovers that his wealthy wife Margot has been cheating on him with and author named Mark Halliday. He then meticulously plans to murder Margot so he can inherit her fortune. Margot and Mark know somethings amiss when a letter shared between them goes missing and Margot is blackmailed to get it back. Meanwhile, Tony invites a former college colleague to their apartment while she's away, and blackmails him to murder her so he can get away with a clean alibi. Tony believes his plan to be the perfect crime as long as everything goes as planned, which turns out to be littered with imperfections that puts his clean getaway in jeopardy. Fantastic story that is kept superbly focused with the entire film being shot in a single apartment, and features a slim and powerful cast. What really makes it great is Hitchcock’s masterfully done suspense, and he presents his very best with this film. That alluring suspense is driven by compelling dialogue and beautifully crafted series of plot-twisting events. The cinematography, camera angles, and casting all adds up to another Hitchcock classic. Ray Milland delivered a shockingly excellent lead performance. He stole the show with his witty and bloodthirsty personality. Grace Kelly also delivers one of her all-time best lead performances. Robert Cummings, Anthony Dawson, and John Williams also delivered fantastic starring roles. George Leigh and Patrick Allen also had nice supporting roles.

Influential and masterfully done war drama from Stanley Kubrick set during World War I in Northern France, 1916, and follows the French Army being pushed into a hopeless mission to invade and take control of a well-defended German Nazi anthill. The story mainly follows Colonel Dax and his men who are already exhausted and suffering from severe shell shock. While Dax objects to the mission and realizes it will kill most of his men and a good portion of the French Army, he’s forced to proceed with his superior’s pigheaded and self-willed plans. Once in the heat of battle, many French soldiers refuse to attack the enemy position since it would prove to be certain death for them all. After losing the battle in dreadful fashion, Dax’s unit is accused of cowardice. Three soldiers are picked at random (one from each company) to face a trial to determine whether they should be executed for their crimes. Colonel Dax tirelessly fights for his men’s lives and rights, and struggles greatly with the power his superiors and country have abused. Simple, powerful, and incredible film all around. The messages hold up extremely strong to this day, and truly portrays the horrific and hopeless nature that war can bring. The action was great and the casting was perfect all around. It blows my mind that this film wasn’t even nominated for any Oscars, as it’s definitely one of the finest war dramas of all time. Kirk Douglas delivers one of his all-time best and most complex lead performances as Colonel Dax. Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou, George Macready, Wayne Morris, Richard Anderson, Timothy Carey, Joe Turkel, Christiane Kubrick, Emile Meyer, Bert Freed, and others also had excellent supporting roles.

Outstanding film-noir survival drama from Billy Wilder that’s based on a fascinating and mostly true news story from 1925. The story follows a former big-city news journalist named Chuck Tatum who reluctantly takes a job with a small New Mexico newspaper after being fired from 11 major newspapers for his brash behavior and a fiery temper, which is fueled by a drinking problem. While the job is boring and uneventful, it’s a quick and easy way to earn $60. However, tension ramps up to alarming levels when a local man gets trapped in a collapsed cliff dwelling. Chuck selfishly seizes the opportunity to exploit the story to revitalize his failing career by taking every opportunity he can to slow down the rescue effort, which makes huge headlines in the newspapers as a media circus swarms around the entire area. Chuck couldn’t be happier with how things are unfolding in his benefit. But as time passes, the situation changes regarding the structure of the dwelling, which could possibly result in a horrific tragedy. Spectacular Oscar-nominated screenplay from Billy Wilder, Lesser Samuels, and Walter Newman; with fantastic direction to match from Wilder. Kirk Douglas' quick and desperate unapologetic demeanor fits the character of Chuck Tatum perfectly, and he delivers one of his all-time best lead performances. Jan Sterling also delivered a superb starring role. Robert Arthur, Porter Hall, Richard Benedict, Ray Teal, John Berkes, Gene Evans, Frank Jaquet, Harry Harvey, Lewis Martin, Frank Cady, Richard Gaines, and others also had great supporting roles.

Spectacular western from Howard Hawks set in the small southwest Texas town of Rio Bravo in the late-1860s, and follows a dedicated small-town sheriff named John T. Chance who locks up an outlaw named Joe Burdette in the town jail after he murdered a man in a saloon. Joe is the son of a wealthy land proprietor named Nathan Burdette, and we soon follow Joe’s brother Nathan visiting the jail and threatening to bust Joe out if Chance won’t let him go. Seeing how the Burdette family is very powerful and has a team of men to fulfill Nathan’s deadly threats, Chance enlists the help of a local old-timer deputy named Stumpy, a troubled town drunk and former deputy named Dude, and a young ambitious gun fighter named Colorado; in an effort to stop the Burdette clan from taking over. Meanwhile, Chance strikes up a dramatic romance with an alluring gambler named Feathers. This is one of my all-time favorite westerns. The story is fantastic all around and boasts nice action, poignant drama, cleverly crafted humor, and outstanding direction highlighted by some of Howard Hawks’ finest signature styles. It’s simply great entertainment from front to back, even with it’s lengthy 2 hours and 21 minutes running time. The cast was phenomenal throughout and they all worked together perfectly. John Wayne arguably delivers the best lead performance of his career, and is one of my personal favorites. Dean Martin and Walter Brennan also deliver a couple of their all-time best starring roles. Ricky Nelson’s starring role wasn’t quite as superb as the aforementioned established actors, but he added nicely to the starring cast as well. Angie Dickinson, Claude Akins, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, Ward Bond, John Russell, Estelita Rodriguez, and others had great roles among an excellent supporting cast.

Fantastic film-noir crime drama from William Wyler that follows the dedicated, brash, short-fused, and idealistic police detective James McLeod over the course of a single night in the detective bullpen of New York City's 21st Precinct. We follow the room as everyone works out everyday minor complaints and misdemeanors, and the occasional major felony. McLeod is the central detective in the swing of things, and is extremely dedicated to the strict nature of the law and serving justice when it’s due. He's currently working a case involving an abortionist named Karl Schneider who’s responsible for the death of several young women, and has a personal vendetta out for him. That becomes severely complicated when his wife becomes involved, which adds major stress and tension on how he should handle the disastrous situation. There are plenty of other extremely interesting characters who show up throughout the film that add drama and striking dialogue to the story, which unfolds with a superb ending. Brilliantly focused Oscar-nominated screenplay from Philip Yordan and Robert Wyler, and superb Oscar-nominated direction to match from William Wyler. Kirk Douglas arguably delivers his all-time best lead performance. He was absolutely perfect for the role. Eleanor Parker also delivered a fantastic Oscar-nominated starring role. William Bendix, Cathy O'Donnell, George Macready, Horace McMahon, Gladys George, Joseph Wiseman, Lee Grant (Oscar-nominated for her performance), Gerald Mohr, Frank Faylen, Craig Hill, Michael Strong, Warner Anderson, and others had great roles among an excellent supporting cast.

Outstanding and epically crafted historical adventure/drama from William Wyler set in A.D. 26 Jerusalem, and follows a faithful and idealistic Jewish prince and merchant named Judah Ben-Hur who lives with his devoted mother Miriam and younger sister Tirzah. Judah grants the family's steward Simonides’ daughter Esther her freedom and ability to marry a freeman as a wedding gift, even though Judah deeply loves her. He meets with his boyhood friend Messala, who is a commander of the Roman Empire that supports the wiping out of Jewish culture and lives. While they try to find common ground to work together, they soon find there is no hope, and they immediately become enemies. Shorty after, Messala imprisons Judah's mother and sister and sends Judah to the galleys to live out the rest of his short days as a slave. However, Judah is stronger and has more will than any man, and plans to make his may back to Rome where he will take his vengeance on Messala in most epic fashion. I initially thought this would be more of a biblical story (which I wasn’t too excited about), but it’s actually a fantastic redemption story fueled by revenge. Every part of this film is epic, boasts stunning visuals, and is immensely entertaining throughout its lengthy 3 hours and 32 minutes runtime. The film was so intriguing that I wouldn’t shorten it a bit. This film swept the Academy Awards like only few films have throughout cinema history. It won Oscars for best picture of 1960, best direction from William Wyler, best cinematography, best art direction, best costume design, best sound, best film editing, best special effects, and best music score from Miklós Rózsa. The film was also Oscar-nominated for best screenplay from Karl Tunberg. Charlton Heston arguably delivers the best Oscar-winning lead performance of his career. Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins, and Haya Harareet also had superb starring roles. Hugh Griffith (Oscar-winner), Martha Scott, Cathy O'Donnell, Sam Jaffe, Finlay Currie, Frank Thring, Terence Longdon, George Relph, André Morell, and many others had great supporting roles.

Outstanding and beautifully crafted western from William Wyler set in the 1880s, and follows a wealthy New England sea captain named James McKay who travels to the 'big country' of Texas to marry his lovely fiancée Pat Terrill. While McKay plans to build a future with Pat in Texas, he soon learns that her wealthy and powerful father/rancher Major Henry Terrill has built an embittered feud with the working class and less fortunate Hannassey family, involving land that provides the access of water for their cattle. After some drunk Hannassey boys rough up McKay on his first day in town, the Major takes harsh actions which sets off a deadly war between the two families. Rufus (the head of the Hannassey family) and the Major have made their feud very personal, which takes a toll on every other family member and townsman who doesn't want to fight their fight. Fantastically epic story all around with excellent writing and compelling dialogue throughout. The production was gorgeously crafted with radiant cinematography, which is highlighted by an excellent Oscar-nominated music score from Jerome Moross. The cast is arguably the greatest part of the film. Gregory Peck arguably delivers his all-time greatest lead performance as James McKay. Burl Ives' (Oscar-winner), Charles Bickford, Jean Simmons, Charlton Heston, Carroll Baker, and Chuck Connors also deliver some of the best starring roles of their careers. Alfonso Bedoya, Chuck Hayward, Chuck Roberson, Buff Brady, Dorothy Adams, Bob Morgan, and others have very nice supporting roles.

Powerful and superbly done drama from Elia Kazan and Tennessee Williams set in the summer of 1947, and follows a troubled and sophisticated English teacher named Blanche DuBois who once enjoyed a fanciful upper class life after she married a wealthy man. All that comes crashing down after her family property in Mississippi was taken over by creditors, which forces her to move to a modest working-class area of New Orelans to live with her younger sister Stella Kowalski and her husband Stanley. Blanche is immediately appalled and scathingly critical about the way they live, and certainly doesn't approve of Stanley’s rough, rugged, loud, and combative vulgarity. But she has no money and nowhere to go, and half-heartedly tries to make the situation work and attain some control and happiness over her life. Tensions start high and reach boiling levels when Stanley feels Blanche is sabotaging their relationship and lives for her own benefit, which is aggravated by Stella’s weighing loyalty to both Blanch and Stanley. Fantastic Oscar-nominated screenplay with outstanding direction to match, beautiful Oscar-winning production design, and a great Oscar-nominate score. The best part of the film is the extraordinary dialogue and acting from a highly impressive cast all around. I didn't think Vivien Leigh could've top her performance from Gone with the Wind (1939), but she did so in a bold and dramatic fashion and truly deserved the Oscar she won. She was the perfect pick for Blanche. Marlon Brando's dirty, brash, and sexualized Oscar-nominated lead performance was just as superb. Kim Hunter and Karl Malden also round out the lead/starring casting with phenomenal Oscar-winning performances, and arguably the best work of their careers. Rudy Bond, Nick Dennis, and Peg Hillias also had great supporting roles.

Epic and beautifully made western drama from George Stevens set in mid-1920s Texas, and follows the lives of a wealthy rancher named Jordan "Bick" Benedict Jr. and his strong and independent wife Leslie. It follows their lives from their first meeting to their surrounding family and friends, which dives into many interesting conflicts and stories. Meanwhile, they employ a ranch hand named Jett Rink who has never been welcomed by Bick or the family in general, accept by Bick's sister and ranch manager Luz, who gives Jett a small piece of their 600,000 acres of land as a token of the family's appreciation when she passes away. Conflicts amplify when Jett discovers massive amounts of oil on his new small plot of land, and becomes a rich and powerful businessman, which imposes a rivalry between him and Bick that lasts for many years. Fantastic Oscar-winning direction, superb Oscar-nominated writing/dialogue, gorgeous cinematography and production design, and a stellar cast all around. There isn’t a dull moment in its near 3.5 hour running time, and is a must-watch for all fans of westerns and historic American stories. It could have easily won the Oscar for “Best Picture” of the year, which it was also nominated for. Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson (Oscar-nominated), and James Dean (Oscar-nominated) all deliver fantastic lead performances, and stand as some of the finest work of their careers. Carroll Baker, Mercedes McCambridge (Oscar-nominated), Dennis Hopper, Chill Wills, Jane Withers, Sal Mineo, Judith Evelyn, Earl Holliman, Paul Fix, Fran Bennett, Elsa Cárdenas, Rod Taylor, Carolyn Craig, Monte Hale, Victor Millan, and others also had great supporting roles.

Spectacular war drama from David Lean set during World War II in 1943 Burma, Southeast Asia, and follows a group of British prisoners of war led by the idealistic Colonel Nicholson, who are forced to build a bridge on the River Kwai to service the the Burma-Siam railway for their Japanese captors. Tensions immediately set in when Nicholson argues the Geneva Convention exempts officers from manual labor, and finds Japanese camp consultant Colonel Saito irate with his arguments, who subjects him to torture and solitary confinement. Saito later releases Nicholson to convince the allied men to get the job done on time, which causes further friction. Meanwhile, these Japanese soldiers and British POWs are completely unaware that 4-man allied unit led by escaped former inmate US Commander Shears are being sent on a secret mission to blow-up and destroy the bridge in an effort to foil Japan’s plans for domination. This fantastic film earned a whopping 7 Oscars and was nominated for one other. Aside from winning the Oscar for best picture of the year, best direction, best screenplay/writing, best cinematography, film editing, and musical scoring, the casting was phenomenal all around. William Holden delivered one of his all-time best lead performances, with Alec Guinness delivering one of his finest Oscar-nominated starring roles along with Sessue Hayakawa’s Oscar-nominated role as the militant and desperate Colonel Saito. Geoffrey Horne, Jack Hawkins, James Donald, André Morell, Ann Sears, Peter Williams, John Boxer, M.R.B. Chakrabandhu, and others also had excellent supporting roles.

Outstanding film-noir crime drama/thriller from Fritz Lang, set in the fictional crime-ridden city of Kenport, and follows a dedicated, principled, and extremely skilled homicide detective named Sergeant Dave Bannion, who’s also a loving husband and father. After investigating what looks to be an open-and-shut case in the suicide of a fellow police officer, Bannion meets the secret mistress of the dead cop, who gives him sensitive information that demands attention. The next morning, she’s found brutally murdered, and later Bannion receives threatening phone calls at his home warning him to lay off the investigation. He quickly begins to suspect massive corruption within the police department that correlates with a powerful mob boss named Mike Lagana. Once he gets too close to Lagana and facts of the case, a tragedy occurs that finds Bannion raging with vengeance as he vows to take down Lagana and everyone involved, even if it’s the last thing he ever does. Superbly entertaining story with an excellent dark and gritty noir-filled production that correlates nicely with the suspense throughout the picture. The true star of the show is the innovative writing for Bannion’s character, and Glenn Ford’s monumentally fresh lead performance. He broke the character mold in the genre and delivered one of the best roles in the history of film. He was perfect for the role. Gloria Grahame, and Lee Marvin also deliver superb starring roles. Alexander Scourby, Jocelyn Brando, Jeanette Nolan, Peter Whitney, Willis Bouchey, Adam Williams, Dorothy Green, Edith Evanson, and others also have great supporting roles.

Fantastic drama/romance from Delbert Mann set in the Bronx, New York, and follows a 34-year-old Italian-American butcher named Marty Piletti. Marty is a good, wholesome, honest, and hard-working man who's younger siblings are all married, and is hassled on a regular basis by his mother, friends, and customers that he should get married. But Marty sees himself as a fat ugly dog who's been hurt so many times that he is content to live a lonely life without the pain of rejection. One night his mother pushes him into going to the Stardust Ballroom in hopes he will meet a woman to marry. What starts off as a typical disaster turns into a magical night he will never forget. He meets a 29-year-old woman named Clara Snyder who may be average looking, but has a beautiful personality, and shares many of the same life experiences as Marty has. Tensions come into play when Marty's skirt-chasing friends dog him into brushing her off, and his mother becomes scared of living her life alone without any purpose once Marty finally does decide to marry. This story is so relatable, realistic, and unique; since it focuses on two normal people who suffer with the loneliness that a vast percentage of the population deals with on an everyday basis, which is rarely presented on film. It was an underrated sleeper hit in every way, and won a slew of unexpected Academy Awards for its near-perfect representation of everyday life and relationship struggles. The film won Oscars for best picture of 1956, best direction from Delbert Mann, and best screenplay from Paddy Chayefsky; and also received Oscar nominations for best cinematography and best art direction. Ernest Borgnine was absolutely perfect as Marty, and delivers his all-time best lead Oscar-winning performance. Betsy Blair also delivers a fantastic Oscar-nominated starring role, and had fantastic chemistry with Borgnine. Esther Minciotti, Augusta Ciolli, Joe Mantell (Oscar-nominated), Karen Steele, Jerry Paris, and others also had great supporting roles.

Outstanding film-noir psychological crime drama/thriller from Charles Laughton, set in 1932 West Virginia during the Great Depression, and follows an evil and maniacal conman and serial killer named Harry Powell, who poses as a god-fearing traveling preacher to lure and deceive his victims. After being arrested for stealing a car, he’s sentenced to prison for 30 days where he meets a man named Ben Harper who claims he killed two men in a bank robbery and got away with $10,000 in cash. He tells Harry that he made his children John and Pearl promise to never reveal the location of the cash, just before he is executed for his crimes. Being the daring conman Harry is, he decides to make his way to Ben Harper’s small hometown, where he charms his way into a relationship with Harper’s widowed wife, Willa. After they quickly married, Harry moves froward with his plans to pressure her children John and Pearl to reveal where the hidden $10,000 is located, but the kids are smarter and braver than he anticipated, which elevates tensions to a deadly level. Powerful and superbly written ‘good vs. evil’ story with compelling dialogue throughout, and gorgeously styled cinematography and film editing that enhances the chilling and disturbing suspense and horrors that present themselves over the course of the story. It all comes together with a phenomenal cast that delivers great acting all around. Robert Mitchum arguably delivers his all-time greatest lead performance as the evil Harry Powell. The same could be said for Shelley Winters' fantastic starring role. Billy Chapin was also superb as the son, John. Lillian Gish, Sally Jane Bruce, Gloria Castillo, Peter Graves, Evelyn Varden, Don Beddoe, and James Gleason also had great roles among the supporting cast.

Phenomenal historical drama from Roy Ward Baker that follows the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic British ocean liner on April 14–15, 1912, and the events leading up the legendary disaster that claimed the lives of over 1,500 passengers and crew. While James Cameron’s “Titanic” (1997) is the most familiar movie depicting this disastrous incident for most folks, this film decides to bypass a dramatic love story as the main focus of the story, and instead focuses on the mood and tension of a widely diverse array of first class, second class, and lower class steerage passengers; as their individualistic fears bring them to a panic-stricken struggle for survival. The story is more fascinating and thoroughly done than any adaptation of the tragic story, as it spends more time with the Titanic’s communication challenges with other rescue ships in the area, and presents far more terrifying events in the water after the ship finally sinks; which leads up to the eventual rescue of only 700+ people. The lack of any major Hollywood stars doesn’t hurt the film in the slightest, and the entire cast of actors was directed superbly. While it failed to reach big numbers in the box office, the critics showered it with praise concerning its excellent historical accuracy and superb production. Kenneth More, Laurence Naismith and Michael Goodliffe all delivered excellent lead performances. Tucker McGuire, David McCallum, Kenneth Griffith, Richard Leech, James Dyrenforth, Honor Blackman, Ronald Allen, Robert Ayres, Jane Downs, Anthony Bushell, Jill Dixon, Frank Lawton, and several others also had great supporting roles.

Powerful and fantastically made drama from Elia Kazan, which is based on John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel of the same name. The story is set in 1917 Monterey, California, and follows a young man named Cal Trask who deeply struggles to win the love and acceptance of his extremely religious father, farmer, and wartime draft board chairman, Adam Trask. His brother Aron is clearly their father’s favorite, who is cheerful, religious, responsible, and dedicated to his work; which stands in stark contract to Cal’s resentful and troubled disposition. Both sons were led to believe their mother Kate died at childbirth, until Cal discovers she's alive and running a brothel in nearby Monterey. Tensions rise when Cal also begins to fall in love with Aron's girlfriend, Abra. When their father Adam loses his savings in a failed business venture, Cal secretly works with their estranged mother to try to win his father's love with money for a new business, which sets off a turbulent series of tragic events for all three of them. Fantastic and emotion-filled Oscar-nominated screenplay from Paul Osborn with powerful dialogue all around, which correlates beautifully with Elia Kazan’s Oscar-nominated direction. This was the first time I've seen James Dean on screen, and his young, innocent, emotional, and dramatic acting fits his character of battling with his bible-thumping father perfectly. He was fantastic, and was arguably robbed of the Oscar he was nominated for. Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, and Richard Davalos also delivered fantastic starring roles. Jo Van Fleet (winning the Oscar for her performance), Burl Ives, Albert Dekker, and Lois Smith all had great roles among the supporting cast.

Superb film-noir drama from Alexander Mackendrick set in 1950s New York City, and follows a powerful, controlling, and influential Manhattan-based columnist and media heavyweight named J.J. Hunsecker. He ends up manipulating a young, desperate and shameless New York Globe press agent named Sidney Falco into breaking up the romance between his 19-year-old sister Susan and a jazz guitarist named Steve Dallas. Hunsecker has brushed off Sidney’s inquiries to publicize his clients for 5 days straight, and Sidney’s willing to do whatever it takes to get Hunsecker’s support and advance his career; even if it means flagrantly meddling in others’ personal lives and creating chaos. Fantastic story filled with grimly beautiful film-noir elements that shine without the inclusion of the crime you typically see within the genre. The highlight of the film is the powerful dialogue and how it unfolds with superb acting from the entire cast. I’m a bit puzzled how this film was completely ignored by the Oscars, but I suppose 1957 was a monstrous year for film. Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis deliver a couple of their top-tier lead performances and had great interaction together. Susan Harrison, Martin Milner, Sam Levene, Barbara Nichols, Edith Atwater, Jeff Donnell, Emile Meyer, and others also had excellent roles among the supporting cast.