this decade saw Hollywood compete with
television by way of vast epics
outrageous sci-fi and stark realism
welcome to watchmojo.com and today in
this installment of our series on the
greatest movies of all time we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
movies of the 1950’s you’re tearing me
apart what for our series of the best
movies of all time we’ve chosen 10
movies per decade based on their iconic
status critical acclaim box office
success and watchability
and just so you know we’re not
necessarily choosing the movies your
film studies professor would pick so sit
back and relax as we hop on our
motorcycle whistle a tune and sing in
the rain I’m singing in the rain
yes singing in the rain hey number 10 a
streetcar named desire oh you stole
sister he ah the movie based on the play
by Tennessee Williams follows the
relationship between ashamed southern
belle
her sister and her sisters abusive
husband no that’s how I’m gonna put a
table although the film was edited for
themes not yet acceptable on the
widescreen it was still highly
critically acclaimed winning four Oscars
it also gave Marlon Brando a vehicle to
flex his acting chops landing him an
Oscar not for his role as the brutish
Stanley Kowalski forever you know it’s
too bad you didn’t connect he could have
gone to juvenile hall
number nine rebel without a cause you
stepped into school and singing nobody
does it ever I’m sorry I miss my first
day here and nobody told me about it so
no one knows hardship like suburban
teens in this case these suburban teens
have seen some wild days James Dean
plays a rebellious youth whose family
just doesn’t understand him what’d you
say one thing he says another and
everybody changes back again the movie
is ostensibly about the dangers of
wayward youth and the growing generation
gap but it really just managed to propel
Dean into stardom turning him into a
heartthrob overnight even though the
star died a month before its release
what does this give us in your quail
number eight seven samurai watch your
villainy tortelloni me and Johnny hurrah
I’ll send you out even better mo na ma
cakes avec ariana the story told by
employing a unique storytelling
technique at the time whereby the
characters are listed gradually into the
team sees a small village hire Seven
Samurai to help ward off impending
Marauders
directed by Akira Kurosawa Seven Samurai
marked the first major Japanese
crossover hit for American audiences
painstakingly crafted in its story and
cinematography seven samurais influence
has never faltered with many spaghetti
westerns and subsequent films mimicking
Kurosawa’s plots themes and directorial
style Ando laka
okay cut up Donna you may conquer the
land
you may slaughter the people but that is
not the end we will rise again number
seven been her tireless no try this film
is epic and scale and ambitious in scope
it was also a smash hit we watch as the
titular star goes from friend to slave
to expert chariot racer meets Jesus and
learns the message of peace and
forgiveness for this day
this beginning much like battleship
potemkin did previously with its Odessa
steps sequence bent her changed cinema
with its famed chariot race thanks to a
captivating and unwaveringly human story
the film swept the Oscars winning 11 out
of 12 categories
somebody call the police come on come on
number six North by Northwest you know
this man being mistaken for a spy can be
life-threatening
just ask Cary Grant’s character in this
Alfred Hitchcock classic as he struggles
to evade certain death he must also save
the life of a secret agent love interest
I could use a drink
it has all the makings of an
entertaining thriller and not only were
audiences and critics delighted by its
charms the stylish film also captured
the paranoid vibe of the time perfectly
to us to a long and lasting friendship
meaning from now on I’m not going to let
you out of my sight sweetheart
okay that’s eleven guilty ones buddy not
guilty one number five twelve Angry Men
well there were 11 votes for guilty it’s
not easy to raise my hand and send a boy
off to die without talking about it
first shadowing a 12 man jury as they
deliberate over the life or death of an
accused teen this Sidney Lumet movie was
unique for its time utilizing one set
for all but a few minutes of its run
time the movie was heavily driven by
character and plot what’s the matter
with you guys
you all know he’s guilty he’s got to
burn you’re letting him slip through our
fingers while audiences had to
eventually warm up to the story 12 Angry
Men found a captive audience with film
critics who praised its themes and the
deliberation process but we have a
reasonable doubt and that’s something
that’s very valuable in our system no
jury can declare a man guilty unless
it’s sure number 4 rear window as you
lay a wheelchair-bound photographer
thinks he may have witnessed a
neighbor’s murder and it’s up to him to
prove it another Hitchcock thriller the
film sees its protagonists portrayed by
Hitchcock regular Jimmy Stewart and
the help of his girlfriend played by
Grace Kelly in an attempt to solve the
case I mean to say you can explain
everything that’s gone on over there and
is still going on no neither can you not
only did this suspenseful film snag
Hitchcock for Oscar nominations it also
solidified his legacy as a cinematic
heavy hitter
number three singing in the rain Gene
Kelly plays a famous silent movie star
with an inseparable leading lady who
falls in love with an ambitious
struggling actress I haven’t been able
to think of anything but you ever since
– as they adapt to the modern era of
talking movies their true talent or lack
thereof is thrust to the forefront Oh
Donna
you couldn’t just be like that and not
mean it just a teensy-weensy bit meet
the greatest actor in the world I’d
rather kiss a tarantula the film is a
delightful musical affair that wasn’t an
instant hit at the box office but it
grew an influence over the years
eventually earning universal acclaim and
say
number two the bridge on the river kwai
i hope they can remain soldiers colonel
as for me I’m just a slave British
soldiers stuck in a Japanese prison
during World War two are tasked with
constructing a bridge to aid the
Japanese war effort initially sabotaging
the process the POWs are eventually
prompted by a British lieutenant played
by Alec Guinness to build a perfect
construction but there’s the challenge I
beg your pardon sir you mean you really
want him to build a bridge taut in the
middle with loyalties and friendships
testa’s and external forces plotting to
destroy the bridge
the soldiers struggle was both a
critical and commercial success which
nabbed seven Oscars
before we unveil our pick for best movie
of the 1950’s here are a few honorable
mentions are you have I always figured
you for guts I never give you any credit
for brains till now what said me red I
got music my gal who could ask for
anything more
Eve Harrington is never by word look
thora suggestion indicated anything to
me but her adoration for you and her
happiness at our being in love number
one on the waterfront
hey kid is half a bill go get you loaded
on no I’m exciting present from your
uncle Johnny murderous union bosses and
corruption or the name of the game in
this 1950s standard made as a response
to critics of director Elia Kazan’s
decision to identify communists to the
house on American Activities Committee
the film follows an ex-boxer turned dock
worker as he fights to do what’s right
in a world fraught with deception you
think you got almighty but you know what
you are
come on get a cheap lousy daddy stinking
mug Marlon Brando’s performance earned
him the Oscar for Best Actor and the
gritty multi Oscar winner itself became
one of the most influential movies ever
made you don’t understand I could have
had class I could have been a contender
I could have been somebody do you agree
with our list what’s your favorite movie
of the 50s for more thrilling top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
you
television by way of vast epics
outrageous sci-fi and stark realism
welcome to watchmojo.com and today in
this installment of our series on the
greatest movies of all time we’re
counting down our picks for the top 10
movies of the 1950’s you’re tearing me
apart what for our series of the best
movies of all time we’ve chosen 10
movies per decade based on their iconic
status critical acclaim box office
success and watchability
and just so you know we’re not
necessarily choosing the movies your
film studies professor would pick so sit
back and relax as we hop on our
motorcycle whistle a tune and sing in
the rain I’m singing in the rain
yes singing in the rain hey number 10 a
streetcar named desire oh you stole
sister he ah the movie based on the play
by Tennessee Williams follows the
relationship between ashamed southern
belle
her sister and her sisters abusive
husband no that’s how I’m gonna put a
table although the film was edited for
themes not yet acceptable on the
widescreen it was still highly
critically acclaimed winning four Oscars
it also gave Marlon Brando a vehicle to
flex his acting chops landing him an
Oscar not for his role as the brutish
Stanley Kowalski forever you know it’s
too bad you didn’t connect he could have
gone to juvenile hall
number nine rebel without a cause you
stepped into school and singing nobody
does it ever I’m sorry I miss my first
day here and nobody told me about it so
no one knows hardship like suburban
teens in this case these suburban teens
have seen some wild days James Dean
plays a rebellious youth whose family
just doesn’t understand him what’d you
say one thing he says another and
everybody changes back again the movie
is ostensibly about the dangers of
wayward youth and the growing generation
gap but it really just managed to propel
Dean into stardom turning him into a
heartthrob overnight even though the
star died a month before its release
what does this give us in your quail
number eight seven samurai watch your
villainy tortelloni me and Johnny hurrah
I’ll send you out even better mo na ma
cakes avec ariana the story told by
employing a unique storytelling
technique at the time whereby the
characters are listed gradually into the
team sees a small village hire Seven
Samurai to help ward off impending
Marauders
directed by Akira Kurosawa Seven Samurai
marked the first major Japanese
crossover hit for American audiences
painstakingly crafted in its story and
cinematography seven samurais influence
has never faltered with many spaghetti
westerns and subsequent films mimicking
Kurosawa’s plots themes and directorial
style Ando laka
okay cut up Donna you may conquer the
land
you may slaughter the people but that is
not the end we will rise again number
seven been her tireless no try this film
is epic and scale and ambitious in scope
it was also a smash hit we watch as the
titular star goes from friend to slave
to expert chariot racer meets Jesus and
learns the message of peace and
forgiveness for this day
this beginning much like battleship
potemkin did previously with its Odessa
steps sequence bent her changed cinema
with its famed chariot race thanks to a
captivating and unwaveringly human story
the film swept the Oscars winning 11 out
of 12 categories
somebody call the police come on come on
number six North by Northwest you know
this man being mistaken for a spy can be
life-threatening
just ask Cary Grant’s character in this
Alfred Hitchcock classic as he struggles
to evade certain death he must also save
the life of a secret agent love interest
I could use a drink
it has all the makings of an
entertaining thriller and not only were
audiences and critics delighted by its
charms the stylish film also captured
the paranoid vibe of the time perfectly
to us to a long and lasting friendship
meaning from now on I’m not going to let
you out of my sight sweetheart
okay that’s eleven guilty ones buddy not
guilty one number five twelve Angry Men
well there were 11 votes for guilty it’s
not easy to raise my hand and send a boy
off to die without talking about it
first shadowing a 12 man jury as they
deliberate over the life or death of an
accused teen this Sidney Lumet movie was
unique for its time utilizing one set
for all but a few minutes of its run
time the movie was heavily driven by
character and plot what’s the matter
with you guys
you all know he’s guilty he’s got to
burn you’re letting him slip through our
fingers while audiences had to
eventually warm up to the story 12 Angry
Men found a captive audience with film
critics who praised its themes and the
deliberation process but we have a
reasonable doubt and that’s something
that’s very valuable in our system no
jury can declare a man guilty unless
it’s sure number 4 rear window as you
lay a wheelchair-bound photographer
thinks he may have witnessed a
neighbor’s murder and it’s up to him to
prove it another Hitchcock thriller the
film sees its protagonists portrayed by
Hitchcock regular Jimmy Stewart and
the help of his girlfriend played by
Grace Kelly in an attempt to solve the
case I mean to say you can explain
everything that’s gone on over there and
is still going on no neither can you not
only did this suspenseful film snag
Hitchcock for Oscar nominations it also
solidified his legacy as a cinematic
heavy hitter
number three singing in the rain Gene
Kelly plays a famous silent movie star
with an inseparable leading lady who
falls in love with an ambitious
struggling actress I haven’t been able
to think of anything but you ever since
– as they adapt to the modern era of
talking movies their true talent or lack
thereof is thrust to the forefront Oh
Donna
you couldn’t just be like that and not
mean it just a teensy-weensy bit meet
the greatest actor in the world I’d
rather kiss a tarantula the film is a
delightful musical affair that wasn’t an
instant hit at the box office but it
grew an influence over the years
eventually earning universal acclaim and
say
number two the bridge on the river kwai
i hope they can remain soldiers colonel
as for me I’m just a slave British
soldiers stuck in a Japanese prison
during World War two are tasked with
constructing a bridge to aid the
Japanese war effort initially sabotaging
the process the POWs are eventually
prompted by a British lieutenant played
by Alec Guinness to build a perfect
construction but there’s the challenge I
beg your pardon sir you mean you really
want him to build a bridge taut in the
middle with loyalties and friendships
testa’s and external forces plotting to
destroy the bridge
the soldiers struggle was both a
critical and commercial success which
nabbed seven Oscars
before we unveil our pick for best movie
of the 1950’s here are a few honorable
mentions are you have I always figured
you for guts I never give you any credit
for brains till now what said me red I
got music my gal who could ask for
anything more
Eve Harrington is never by word look
thora suggestion indicated anything to
me but her adoration for you and her
happiness at our being in love number
one on the waterfront
hey kid is half a bill go get you loaded
on no I’m exciting present from your
uncle Johnny murderous union bosses and
corruption or the name of the game in
this 1950s standard made as a response
to critics of director Elia Kazan’s
decision to identify communists to the
house on American Activities Committee
the film follows an ex-boxer turned dock
worker as he fights to do what’s right
in a world fraught with deception you
think you got almighty but you know what
you are
come on get a cheap lousy daddy stinking
mug Marlon Brando’s performance earned
him the Oscar for Best Actor and the
gritty multi Oscar winner itself became
one of the most influential movies ever
made you don’t understand I could have
had class I could have been a contender
I could have been somebody do you agree
with our list what’s your favorite movie
of the 50s for more thrilling top 10s
published every day be sure to subscribe
to watchmojo.com
you
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