Favorite NON horror and sci fi films of the 50's.

RCMerchant · April 12, 2011, 05:46:56 AM

The REBEL WITHOUT a CAUSE post got me thinking....
Most of us-I could safely say ALL of us-here on the forum are fans of horror and sci fi above other genres. And the 50's was a great year for sci fi / horror films (the 2 genres really are kissing cousins)...but what are your favorite NON horror/sci fi films of the 50's? Here are a few of mine....

.12 ANGRY MEN (1957) Not a female in the cast. Never leaves the courthouse-hell-most of the movie takes place in one room!!! But-dam! helluva movie!
.ON THE WATERFRONT (1954) Marlon Brando,Rod Steiger,Lee J Cobb,Karl Malden...and directed by Elia Kazan!
.REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) nuff sed!
.PANIC IN THE STREETS (1950) in New Orleans, Richard Widmark has to track down psycho Jack Palance-and fast-he's infected with pneumonic plaque. This is worth it for Palance alone!
.the KILLING (1956) One of Stanley Kubricks lesser known films-but what a film! Sterling Hayden (who's great in anything)scores a big heist-and anything that can go wrong does. CLASSIC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py3k_CJtRxw

...I'll post some more later-I gotta get in the shower before I go to work-so-what are YOUR favorite 50's films?

crackers · April 12, 2011, 06:00:05 AM

The Girl Can't Help It!

RD · April 12, 2011, 07:27:59 AM

Bridge on the River Kwai
Sunset Blvd.

akiratubo · April 12, 2011, 07:41:17 AM

I don't think there are any, tbh.

The Burgomaster · April 12, 2011, 08:40:39 AM

In no particular order:

* THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM
* 12 ANGRY MEN
* WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
* NORTH BY NORTHWEST
* THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
* REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE
* ANATOMY OF A MURDER
* SHANE
* RIO BRAVO
* HIGH NOON
* BEN HUR
* THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
* BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
* THE DELICATE DELINQUENT (my favorite Jerry Lewis movie)
* SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
* FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

I may need to add more after I think about this.

Doggett · April 12, 2011, 10:38:03 AM

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

Thats all I can think of.

RCMerchant · April 12, 2011, 05:47:34 PM

Quote from: Dr. Strangelove on April 12, 2011, 04:44:13 PM
I think mine would be "the asphalt jungle" and maybe "The longest day", were they 50's movies?

The ASPHALT JUNGLE is from 1950. The LONGEST DAY-1962.

Some more....
For an excellent Robert Mitchum film (and Charles Laughtons only directorial effort) NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (1955)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5AKK_om1VU

Pilgermann · April 13, 2011, 09:30:13 AM

Vertigo
Rear Window
Paths of Glory
Seven Samurai
Rashomon
Sunset Boulevard
The Seventh Seal
Touch of Evil
All That Heaven Allows
Harvey
Little Fugitive
The Narrow Margin

I'd list Night of the Hunter but I kind of consider it a horror film, but I guess it's really in a class of its own.

Hammock Rider · April 13, 2011, 11:43:29 AM

Bowery to Bagdad-1955 The Bowery Boys find Aladdin's Magic Lamp!
Dig that Uranium-1955 The Bowery Boys buy a uranium mine from a guy named Shifty. Surprisingly it turns out to be fake.
Loose in London-1953 The Bowery Boys wind up in London and stand to inherit an old castle complete with ghost.
The Vikings-1958 The greatest Viking movie ever made! It stars among other, Ernest Borgnine.
Bad Day at Black Rock-1955 A one-armed Spencer Tracey vs an entire town. It also stars Ernest Borgnine!
Marty-1955 Ernest Borgnine strikes again with his Oscar winning performance of a lonely, unglamorous butcher looking for love in New York. Trust me, it's waay better than it sounds.

The Burgomaster · April 13, 2011, 12:30:04 PM

Quote from: Hammock Rider on April 13, 2011, 11:43:29 AM
Marty-1955 Ernest Borgnine strikes again with his Oscar winning performance of a lonely, unglamorous butcher looking for love in New York. Trust me, it's waay better than it sounds.

How could I forget this one? My wife and I dig out this DVD at least once or twice a year. This movie has some great characters and dialogue. I especially enjoy the banter between Marty and his friend Angie (played by Joe Mantell, who died recently).

JaseSF · April 13, 2011, 04:18:58 PM

A lot of the very best ones are SF/Fantasy/Horror genre or borderline genre (I consider Hitchcock films to be genre for example while other might not, also I consider Night of the Hunter, Kiss Me Deadly, The Man in the White Suit and A Christmas Carol, Les Diaboliques, Harvey, On the Beach to all be genre films)...most of the really great ones have been mentioned but I didn't see listed:

The African Queen
The Diary of Anne Frank
East of Eden
The Defiant Ones
Father of the Bride
Old Yeller
White Christmas
The Wrong Man
D.O.A.
Night and the City
Kansas City Confidential

Leah · April 14, 2011, 06:05:46 PM

Ohayo
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053134/
recommend it, It's friggen hilarious

Criswell · April 14, 2011, 10:50:35 PM

Honestly there isn't many. I do know seven samurai is one of them.

Rev. Powell · April 21, 2011, 12:11:24 PM

Most of my faves were named:

12 ANGRY MEN
THE SEVEN SAMURAI
SUNSET BOULEVARD
VERTIGO
RASHOMON
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
TOUCH OF EVIL
NIGHT OF THE HUNTER (I don't consider it horror)
THE KILLING

A few I didn't see anyone mention:

STALAG 17 (big oversight!)
ORPHEUS
THE WAGES OF FEAR

Sister Grace · April 21, 2011, 02:01:42 PM

The Three Faces of Eve