Singin’ In The Rain Dir. Stanley Donen (USA, 1952)
This is possibly the most joyful film ever made. It is very funny, especially the scenes with Jean Hagen, as dumb a blonde as you are likely to come across; it is romantic; it contains some good songs; but, above all, the dancing (from Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Cyd Charisse) is truly memorable. And I’m not even a fan of musicals.
Roman Holiday Dir. William Wyler (USA, 1953)
A classic romantic comedy starring Gregory Peck and the utterly delicious Audrey Hepburn.
On The Waterfront Dir. Elia Kazan (USA, 1954)
A very powerful drama with Marlon Brando in one of his best roles (“I coulda been a contender…”).
Bad Day At Black Rock Dir. John Sturges (USA, 1955)
The tension is gripping in a film, starring Spencer Tracy, which a cross between a western and a thriller.
The Ladykillers Dir. Alexander Mackendrick (UK, 1955)
A black comedy from Ealing Studios starring Alec Guinness and a terrific supporting cast, including Peter Sellers.
Pather Panchali Dir. Satyajit Ray (India, 1955)
Any lover of world cinema should see this film, the first in the famous Apu trilogy. This is a deeply moving and poetic work. Having seen it, you will, hopefully, want to watch the other two, Aparajito and The World of Apu (in that order). An unforgettable experience.
The Night Of The Hunter Dir. Charles Laughton (USA, 1955)
A weird, scary thriller starring Robert Mitchum as an evil psychopath. This was, apparently, the only film directed by the actor, Charles Laughton. Not a success at the time of its release, it has grown in stature with the passage of time.
The Seventh Seal Dir. Ingmar Bergman (Sweden, 1957)
A medieval knight plays chess with Death, with his soul at stake, in this metaphysical masterpiece. It is far more entertaining than it sounds.
The Sweet Smell Of Success Dir. Alexander Mackendrick, 1957)
With this film, Alexander Mackendrick moved from English black comedy (see The Ladykillers above) to American film noir, and they don’t come much darker than this. This is a fascinatingly unpleasant movie with outstanding performances by Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis.
Some Like It Hot Dir. Billy Wilder (USA, 1959)
This is a strong contender for the best film comedy ever made. Written and directed by Billy Wilder and starring Marilyn Monroe (combining innocence and sexiness), Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon (both hilarious in drag), this is a film of the highest pedigree. It also contains one of the funniest final lines.
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November 2nd, 2009 at 3:59 am
I was just a kid when A Bad Day At Black Rock was released. I was captivated by this film too. It did not seem to be very popular at the time, but I agree it was one of the best films ever made
February 13th, 2010 at 4:46 am
Hi, first I want to say great blog. I don’t always agree with your posts but it’s always a nice read.
Keep up the nice work.
February 27th, 2010 at 5:10 pm
This is great. Really nice post. Very Informative and helpful post.