Movie Picks by Year - 1950s

I posed a challenge to myself. If I were only able to pick one movie from each year since 1930, which ones would I choose? I went through each and every year and I managed to select one per year, although there are some honorable mentions from each decade. Of which there are several for this decade, some tough choices had to be made.

This is all about personal preference; in the end there is some variation but it’s all about what movie from each year do I enjoy the most.

If you’re a movie fan I highly recommend this fun little exercise. It’s a good way to pass the time. Plus, in your research, you might find some interesting movies you’d want to check out. I did.

I started with the year 1930 and went all the way into this year. Here are my picks 1950 – 1959:

1950. Father of the Bride - A very funny movie, with a nearly comparable remake. A father must cope with losing his daughter to marriage. I love Spencer Tracy as the father, he is one of my favorites, and he shines in this movie. His opening monologue is great. Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor are great as mother and daughter also. From the musical director Vincente Minnelli, this old-fashioned comedy is timeless.

1951. An American in Paris - Back-to-back years for director Minnelli. This is one of the greatest triumphs of American musical movies. Minnelli masterfully crafts this beautiful movie about American artists displaced in the city of love. Gene Kelly is at the top of his game. His songs and dances are fun and impressive. Leslie Caron gives her break-out performance and Oscar Levant is funny as the cynic.

1952. Singin' in the Rain - Back-to-back Gene Kelly. His two best movies in two years. Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds deliver good performances too. Arguably the best musical ever. Great songs, dances, and art direction.

1953. Julius Caesar - Powerfully performed on all accounts. Marlon Brando, James Mason, John Gielgud, Louis Calhern, Edmund O'Brien, Deborah Kerr, and Greer Garson. Adapted from Shakespeare and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, this is one the best Shakespearian film adaptations out there.

1954. Rear Window - My personal favorite Hitchcock film. A great suspense story. Jimmy Stewart is brilliant as a temporarily invalid photographer who suspects a neighbor of murder. Grace Kelly delivers one of her most elegant and fierce performances as well. Hitchcock says a lot in his camera shots, the story is brilliantly told through the script and his work.

1955. Marty - A perfect slice-of-life movie. It tells the story of a man trying to deal with issues of being a single-aged male. It does not take camera angles, symbolism, or brilliant writing to see the struggle of this man; it is the Oscar-winning acting of Ernest Borgnine. The story simple, but it works so well. Winner of Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor.

1956. The Court Jester - This is one of the years where I went off the map a bit. The Court Jester is one of those movies that just gets me. Danny Kaye is funny, charming, and he has great presence on the screen. One of the most underrated song and dance men of this era. The story is of a showman who must go undercover as the royal jester to try and dethrone the wrongful king. A whimsical musical that is lots of fun.

1957. The Bridge on the River Kwai - A unit of British soldiers take it upon themselves to do a better job of building a bridge for their Japanese jailers, meanwhile a plot to blow up the bridge is being hatched. Winner of 7 Oscars, including Best Picture, this is David Lean at his best. A wonderfully large epic, with a unique story. There are some great side performances, but this is Alec Guinness' movie. As the Lieutenant Colonel of the unit he is refined, dignified, and a symbol of resolve to his men.

1958. Vertigo - Another Hitchcock essential. Subtle, powerful. Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak journey through the mystery and suspense with ease. The film is now receiving the recognition it was denied during its initial release.

1959. Some Like it Hot - American Film Institute dubbed this the funniest movie of all time, the case is very easy to make. The story of two musicians who finally find work but only after dressing like women is hilarious. The ending is my favorite ending in a comedy. The dialogue is brilliant and it is delivered well by Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe. Directed by the incomparable Billy Wilder.

Honorable Mentions:

1950. Harvey - Hilarious and heart warming comedy of a man, Jimmy Stewart, whose best friend is a six-foot three-and-one-half inch invisible rabbit.

1951. The African Queen - Humphrey Bogart's one and only Best Actor win. He and Katherine Hepburn have incredible chemistry in this adventure story.

1954. On the Waterfront - Marlon Brando is amazing and Karl Malden is a great highlight also. A statement about the blacklisting era from director Elia Kazan and writer Budd Schulberg.

1957. 12 Angry Men - My favorite courtroom movie. An all star cast headed by Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb, this movie is the story of a criminal jury who must decide the fate of a young man on trial for murder. A very striking movie in black and white, the setting is unique because it is nearly the entire movie takes place in the jury room.