What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
With my local movie theater charging $12.50 per ticket, and with all of the expenses that come with planning my upcoming nuptials (as I commented below on C.J.'s post, I wish we had opted to elope), I’m determined to avoid the cinema this summer. Instead, I’m raiding the public library for every 1940s and 50s film I can get my hands on and plan to write a series over at Acculturated on the selections I watch. While plenty has changed in the sixty to seventy years since these films were produced, the basic human themes of love, truth, happiness, meaning, forgiveness, and mutual understanding are as relevant now as ever.
My first selection, which I write about here, was the 1947 film Gentleman's Agreement, directed by Elia Kazan and starring Gregory Peck. It's a great movie, if at times a bit on the preachy side, that treats the subject of anti-Semitism. Not the blatant, kill-the-Jews strain of anti-Semitism of Hitler's Germany or Ahmadinejad's Iran, but rather the passive and incredibly pernicious strain of anti-Semitism prevalent in postwar America.
My next selection will be on the 1950 film Sunset Boulevard, starring William Holden and Gloria Swanson. Member Adrian has already sold me on Elia Kazan's On the Waterfront, which I plan on reviewing as part of my series, but I welcome your recommendations for other outstanding films from the 1940s and 50s that stand the test of time and remain relevant for today's generation.
- Comment (89)
- · Quote
- · UnfollowFollow (4)
Comments:
Apr '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
The Fountainhead; film adaptation of Ayn Rand's novel.
"An uncompromising, visionary architect struggles to maintain his integrity and individualism despite personal, professional and economic pressures to conform to popular standards."
You can watch it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SsGpu1cXJc&feature=related
Edited on July 11, 2012 at 2:48amMar '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Of course The Best Years of Our Lives. That's my favorite.
But Alfred Hitchcock's Lifeboat is a close second for me.
And I always enjoy Roman Holiday.
Jan '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
No vote for "12 Angry Men" yet? For shame! Great story with an all star cast. Sidney Lumet's cinematography is brilliant - shots get tighter as the movie progresses
Apr '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
I second, third and fourth Preston Sturges. The Lady Eve, oh, my goodness!
Edited on July 11, 2012 at 3:02amApr '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
My favorite movie is 1947's The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, and a blasted monkeypuzzle tree.
Aug '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
All About Eve, The Great Dictator, 12 O'Clock High, Roman Holiday, Mister Roberts, Life with Father ...
I could just go on and on. Most of the movies I watch are pre-1965.Sometime after that, movies stopped being made for adults.
May '10
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Harvey - a delightful Jimmy Stewart movie.
Apr '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Even if you are not a Sci Fi fan, you may get a laugh from Forbidden Planet which is a take of The Tempest by Shakespeare but set on another planet. It is racy and Lesley Nielson is in it, but without his jokes. You will see Star Trek's doors and techie equipment. Maybe even Captain Kirk's inter alien embraces were inspired by this movie?
Apr '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Was this the best era for the movies? I know that the correct film snob answer is the '70s, but in which period's movies would you prefer to immerse yourself for a week? Me, I'd prefer a week straight of nothing but '00s and '10s super hero sequels and reboots and remakes and movies based on video games. Oh, my. Where is Hitchcock? Grant? Lean? Bogart?
Oct '10
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Roman Holiday, Love Is A Many Splendid Thing, Double Indemnity, Winchester 73, Shadow of a Doubt, Laura, The Defiant Ones, Anatomy of a Murder, A Place In the Sun, High Noon, Strangers On a Train, Giant, The Paleface, Witness For the Prosecution, Written On the Wind, Dial M For Murder.
Edited on July 11, 2012 at 3:24amAug '10
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Rio Bravo...can I say that again? Rio Bravo.
Some Like it Hot, Ben Hur, Disney's Sleeping Beauty, Anatomy of a Murder, The Devil's Disciple (Patriotic Classic), House on Haunted Hill, Pillow Talk, On the Beach (Depressing but Great), Operation Petticoat, The Hound of the Baskervilles (Hammer Films version), The Mummy (Hammer), The Tingler, Pork Chop Hill, No Name on the Bullet...and many more just in 1959.
Apr '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Twelve Angry Men with Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with Jimmy Stewart
The Big Sleep with Bogart and Bacall
White Heat with James Cagney
Casablanca with Bogart and Bergman
Sergeant York with Gary Cooper
....The list is way too long
Apr '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
The Seventh Veil with James Mason from 1945.
Apr '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
And for a bit of fun: The Prisoner of Zenda from 1952. (James Mason is also in this movie as a dashing bad guy.)
Edited on July 11, 2012 at 3:34amMar '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Citizen Kane (and someone already mentioned The Third Man).
The Wolf Man
Destination Tokyo
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon
Mr. Roberts (one of my favorite movies of all time)
The King and I
Rio Bravo
The Caine Mutiny
Julius Caesar
Curse of Frankenstein
Mar '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Paul A. Rahe: Let me suggest something from 1981 that I just watched -- the eleven-hour BBC seriesBrideshead Revisited.
While recuperating further, I will join my wife in watchingForeign Correspondent,North by Northwest, andThe Third Man.
We recently watched To Have and Have Not(the movie where Lauren Bacall says to Bogart, "You know how to whistle, Steve, you just put your lips together and blow) and Key Large(the return of Bogart and Bacall). · 1 hour ago
D'oh! Wrong movie! Sorry about that.
Jan '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Ikiru (1952, Akira Kurosawa) is probably my favourite film of all. No point watching it before you're 40 though, Diane. You need to be old and wistful. Seven Samurai is a good guy film
Feb '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Starting in 34 for The Thin man series for the delights of Loy and Powell enjoying each other for all those years and the wit.."They never came near my Tabloids" Nick Charles ...
All About Eve for Bette Davis..
My Darling Clementine and Stagecoach f0r westerns and Ford..
The Lady Eve for the brillainace of Preston Sturges who proved you could have it all.. bought it today just by chance $19.99 at Criterion sale
Five Graves to Cairo and Run Silent Run Deep for Wilder in the North African desert and a great submarine picture Cable and Lancaster.. not forgetting The Enemy Below in 59. Twelve O'Clock High for the drama and not an actress in sight.. just the drama unfolding..
Plus the Hitchcock and the rest.. Great actors and actresses, great writers and directors just making good flicks and telling stories well..
Oct '11
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
Diane Ellis, Ed.
I do really love old Hitchcock films. I envy the person who still hasn't seen them all because of all the hours of awesomeness they have in store there. I watched Hitchcock's Mr. & Mrs. Smiththis weekend, which was a cute one on the theme of marriage (one of his only non-suspense flicks). And one of my recent favorite Hitchcock discoveries is Foreign Correspondent. · 1 hour ago
Foreign Correspondent is definitely one of Hitchcock's best. Although, I love Shadow of a Doubt.
But my choice is Bridge on the River Kwai. No one makes movies like that any more.
Jun '12
Re: What are Your Favorite Films from the 1940s and 50s?
It Happened One Night (1934) with Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert is fantastic! I first encountered it in a film class at Michigan State in 1991. Considered the first "screwball comedy," it led to other great films such as Bringing Up Baby (1938) and The Philidelphia Story (1940) that continue its madcap attitude. The backstory on the movie is almost as good as the film itself. The studio (Columbia) was on its last legs, the leads hated it (Claudette Colbert commented on the last day of shooting, "I just finished the worst picture I've ever made.") and Ms. Colbert, although nominated,skipped the Academy Awards to head out on vacation.