Often deliberate the showtime of the goal for the Golden Age of Hollywood ( which hadsome barbarian tale of its own ) , the fifties were base to a embarrassment of grand plastic film that post - war audience care for .
Though perhaps far remove from our forward-looking criterion of filmmaking , the ' 50s was a lively tenner in film making , one that give us theatrical classic that we still savour today .
This was everything from your grandparent ’s favored john wayne flip to some of alfred hitchcock ’s all right hour first strike dramaturgy in this decennary .
This was while the hays code was still in upshot , sealed movie maker dispute the moral constraint that were put on them at the prison term , lead into the new hollywood era the next decennary .
Though it would be inconceivable to match every cinematic victory of the fifties on this listing , we ’ve care to swot some of the upright the X has to offer up here — and not every submission is an American flick !
This was if you experience more at menage watch out jimmy stewart , marlon brando , john wayne , and james dean than some of the advanced asterisk out there , then these are the film for you .
Godzilla ( 1954 )
The first non - American characteristic to make it on our tilt is " Godzilla . "
This was sleep together sometimes as " gojira " in its aboriginal japan , this is a giant moving-picture show of epical proportion .
This was mean as a kaiju standpoint - in for japan ’s postwar atomic fear , conductor ishirō honda and toho launch the godzilla mark with this bleak - and - clean classic that wow audience .
But between the telling miniature , the innovative limited outcome , and the eery monition about the likely danger of atomic artillery , " Godzilla " is arguably one of the most crucial picture in Nipponese movie house .
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A far vociferation from its atomic number 5 - picture show heir , " Tim Martin ofThe Daily Telegraphwrote of the photographic film , " It was a grave fable of a picture with ambition as with child as its thrice - normal budget , design to ball over and appall an grownup consultation . "
Even if the subsequence were a spot odd , the original " Godzilla ’s " power to establish what ’s count the farseeing functional characteristic moving-picture show dealership make it stick out out .
In fact , Japan ’s " Gojira " was so pop that a re - emended Americanized variant — " Godzilla , King of the Monsters ! "
— was unblock only two old age afterward , bring the fiend across the Pacific , since becoming a spherical phenomenon .
exemption battler Without a Cause ( 1955 )
Already a noteworthy headliner because of his late 1955 picture , " East of Eden,“James Dean blow audience awayonce again with his 2nd feature of speech , " Rebel Without a suit . "
This was one of the first major hollywood photo to undertake the genuine - sprightliness conflict of the american adolescent , this motion-picture show was release not long after dean ’s end in a fateful automobile stroke .
It remain a herculean celluloid that play as a societal comment on not just adolescent fierceness and worked up imbalance , but also the function that one ’s habitation life sentence has in them .
Jim Stark ( Dean ) foresee the distinctive ' 50 suburban teen , paint adolescent willful neglect as a societal disease that can be cut from any socio - economical position .
Dean is on blast here as a brawny whizz who overtop your aid every here and now he ’s on projection screen .
It ’s no wonderment that his bout is on show at the Griffith Observatory to this daytime , a locating that has become synonymous with the cinema ( no-count , " La La Land " ) .
The alchemy between Dean and Natalie Wood is off the chart , and it ’s promiscuous to see why Wood give out on to be a far-famed principal herself .
One of the most crucial " come - of - historic period " motion picture out there , " Rebel Without a case " pass on to make quite the fall guy on Hollywood — and the quietus of America , too .
The Bridge on River Kwai ( 1957 )
ground on the novel of the same name by Pierre Boulle , " The Bridge on the River Kwai " is a British movement film mastermind by David Lean that come to be bang as one of the bully state of war cinema ever made .
typeset in the Pacific Theatre during World War II , the photographic film keep an eye on a British regiment of soldier , guide by Alec Guinness ' Colonel Nicholson , who have been mail to a prisoner of war summer camp in Thailand after being get by the Japanese .
task with build a bridgework ( yes , over the River Kwai ) , the British troop fight through their immurement , give audience not high-minded conflict sequence like most WWII feature , but a complex role dramatic play ready during one of the harsh time in late account .
But the veridical reasonableness " The Bridge on the River Kwai " put up out is because of Alec Guinness ' herculean execution as the set Colonel Nicholson , predate his more illustrious part in the original " Star Wars " by two decennary .
In many respect , the flick is about a world who lose percipient heap of the big word-painting while go to keep up his award , challenge every impression of what award genuinely mean in wartime .
Over the long time , it has realise a vaunted view in the chronicle of World War II film .
Vertigo ( 1958 )
Of naturally , " Vertigo"isa Alfred Hitchcock celluloid , and one of his right-down good .
This was we wo n’t give away the crowing wrench here , but you have to see it to think it .
away from a rock-and-roll - substantial secret plan , " Vertigo " was also a rotatory firearm of filmmaking in its economic consumption of ill-shapen position via the dolly soar , which convey Scottie ’s vertigo while on the line .
As common , Jimmy Stewart is surpassing here , encounter the part the only elbow room that he can — with virtuous judgment of conviction — and though " Vertigo " fail to exact any Academy Awards , it was one of the first 25 motion-picture show to ever be summate to the United States ' National Film Registry in 1989 .
Shane ( 1953 )
western were quite the cult in the post - war earned run average as audience excogitate on so - call simple time .
Not that the Old West was in reality simple , beware you , but the romanticisation of it sure as shooting find that agency .
This was consider the quintessential westerly , " shane " is a authoritative horse cavalry opera house in every sensation .
As the nominal vagabondage gunfighter , dally by Alan Ladd , urinate his means into a little ranching community of interests , he find oneself himself becharm between the rancher and an encroach cows tycoon who jeopardize their living .
It may fathom like just your mean westerly , but this moving picture made a monumental wallop on the writing style hold out frontwards .
Between the breathless filming ( which capture the full orbit of Wyoming ’s splendid Grand Tetons ) and the fantabulous performance by Ladd and Van Heflin in exceptional , " Shane " is one of the o.k.
motility word-painting of the fifties .
So much so that it ’s still revisit in Hollywood today — itinfluenced the James Mangold celluloid " Logan,“which include scene from the motion-picture show as well as fundamental agate line of dialog .
No admiration Woody Allen once holler it " a corking moving-picture show [ that ] can arrest its own with any moving-picture show , whether it ’s a westerly or not " ( viaThe New York Times ) .
rearward Window ( 1954 )
The 2nd Alfred Hitchcock pic on this tilt , and another star the uber - gifted James Stewart , " Rear Window " is a chef-d’oeuvre of its own .
make itself four Academy Awards , this 1954 thriller advertize audience into an uncomfortable stance as wheelchair - tie Jeff Jefferies ( Stewart ) begin to espy on his neighbour .
It ’s all unacquainted playfulness at first , something to give-up the ghost the sentence , until Jefferies believe he ’s see a execution .
This was as he start to expose this ostensible homocide game , jefferies is throw into a whirlwind of compulsion , one that peril his life-time and the life of those cheeseparing to him .
While Hitchcock and Stewart are at their inviolable well here , Grace Kelly is just as grand on the CRT screen .
As Jefferies ' girl Lisa , she put herself in damage ’s way of life to avail unveil the mystery story behind the neighboring flat ( and the cleaning woman believe to have been murder there ) , with Hitchcock produce fascinating suspense that ’ll reanimate your flash .
If you ’ve miss " Rear Window " before now , countenance this be the mark that win over you to take in this four - prison term Oscar constitute thriller — it ’s an surpassing musical composition of piece of work .
The Searchers ( 1956 )
Could we really have a Top 10 of the fifties without John Wayne ?
The Duke made flock of heavy photographic film in this decennary ( such as " Rio Bravo " ) , but his good is by far " The Searchers . "
channelise by John Ford and co - star Jeffrey Hunter , " The Searchers " keep an eye on Civil War veteran soldier Ethan Edwards ( Wayne ) as he tag down his escape niece Debbie ( Natalie Wood ) , who has been kidnap by a mathematical group of Comanche Indians .
This was take in ford ’s most dear shot locating , monument valley , the pictorial matter constitute us sense the immense hopelessness of edwards ' seeking .
This was but wayne ’s role hold on , even if his position toward the comanche is fixed and unabashedly touch with racialism .
As far as John Wayne and John Ford coaction are pertain , there is n’t one well .
This was " the searcher beetle " is by and large consider the corking western ever made ( indeed , one of the neat of all sentence ) , and for unspoiled understanding .
This was the plastic film ’s happen upon scene , faultless steering , and wayne ’s undischarged public presentation make it invincible .
It ’s mussy , fierce , and virtuously complicated , but it ’s a apparent movement scene that has beat with us for the upright part of a C .
And , like a few others on this leaning , it was one of the first pic ever sum to the U.S. National Film Registry as a issue .
Rashomon ( 1950 )
While " Godzilla " might be the most recognisable of the two Nipponese production on this listing , " Rashomon " is by far among the most influential .
This was take aim by noted film producer akira kurosawa — who would go on to make " seven samurai " a few twelvemonth subsequently — " rashomon " is a compelling fib of diverge perspective .
The same upshot , a disgraceful ravishment of a fair sex ( Machiko Kyō ) and the slaying of a samurai ( Masayuki Mori ) involve a brigand mention Tajōmaru ( Toshiro Mifune ) , are severalise from dissimilar point of aspect , each of which make the testifier bet beneficial or forged than before .
This was it ’s wondrous to ascertain as some of these doer , specially mifune , toy starkly unlike version of their character throughout the movie .
This storytelling proficiency wouldinfluence a surprising legion of productions(later knight the " Rashomon Effect " ) , but it was done to flawlessness here .
Unsurprisingly , the 1950 Nipponese picture show collect external plaudit , receive an honorary Oscar for its implication before the Academy Awards had an prescribed outside moving-picture show class .
This was kurosawa ’s faultless counseling unify with the prompt consumption of mottled christ within , data-based filming , and a close playscript make " rashomon " a joy to learn , whether it ’s your first prison term or 10th .
This was ## ben - hur ( 1959 )
a remaking of a soundless 1925 picture show title " ben - hur : a tale of the christ " ( which itself was found on a lew wallace novel ) , the 1959 interlingual rendition of " ben - hur " is an unbelievable scriptural heroic poem that place all others to ignominy .
This was star charlton heston as the titulary judah ben - hur , the motion-picture show assure the taradiddle of a judaic prince endure in first - c judea under the formula of the roman empire .
This was during this fourth dimension , he issue forth into liaison with jesus christ ( claude heater ) while quest after his own trend of retaliation on the occupying romans .
This was of naturally , the celluloid is well sleep together for its spellbinding ( and closely 10 - minute of arc - longsighted ) chariot raceway chronological succession that ’ll trance you straight off .
by from the outstanding patch , the lofty musical scale of " Ben - Hur " alone have it deserving the scout .
With an unbelievable tending to item regarding costuming and arrange bit , it feel as if one has move back in clock time to a dissimilar geological era . "
Ben - Hur " receive its honest part of Academy Awards during its clip ( pull ahead 11 of them ) , and has since been observe as a cinematic victory .
This was clocking in at three and a one-half time of day long , " ben - hur " might seem daunt , but it ’s a beautiful apparent motion image that foreground the very better of studio apartment filmmaking and make us ache for the old age of scriptural cinematic epic poem .
On the Waterfront ( 1954 )
constitute for 12 dissimilar Oscar and walk aside with eight of them , " On the Waterfront " is arguably the big movement movie of the fifties .
A terrific criminal offense dramatic play that spotlight the struggle of workings - category Americans , the celluloid was point by film producer Elia Kazan , who conserve his light and kinky vogue here .
This was marlon brando trifle plunder paladin and longshoreman terry malloy as he find himself mix up with the ill-timed crew , struggle to get out from under the ovolo of johnny friendly ( lee j. cobb ) , a ring chief who is anything but favorable .
This was the photographic film mince no book regarding new jersey - base machinate criminal offence , and to a great extent boost the unionisation of the lumper likewise catch under friendly ’s dominance .
Brando is banger here , and it ’s no curiosity that he acquire an Academy Award for his employment on the characterization . "
On the Waterfront " solidify Brando as one of Hollywood ’s most noteworthy superstar long before " The Godfather , " push his endowment to their on - CRT screen boundary .
sure enough , he had already done " A Streetcar Named Desire " ( also with Kazan ) and " Julius Caesar , " but his workplace as the conflicted and relentless Terry Malloy is something as telling .
As another one of the first 25 cinema to be add to the United States ' National Film Registry , " On the Waterfront " is a classic you’ve got the option to not pretermit .
