A Filmmaker's Guide to: 20 Films of the 1950s

The 1950s are probably my personal favourite decade because of the fact there is such brilliant music from the era. Another thing about the 50s is that it is considered the true beginning of the Modern West. The Second World War is over, Hitler is dead and gone, American Production is up ten-fold and more and there are reparations all over the world. Peace and Love would come along in the form of the 1960s as a result of the Cold War (it isn't really a war, but it is a war - just nobody's fighting and just collecting random weapons).

Film in the 1950s was becoming more and more realistic by the second. Acting was becoming more methodical with the likes of the great Marlon Brando and the amazing director, Alfred Hitchcock. Films like "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951) and "Rebel Without a Cause" (1955) became icons of culture not only because of their subversive attitudes towards traditional ideas of gender and expectations, but also because of the great acting of its casts.

Great actors were one of the feats of this decade, and that not only meant the king that is Marlon Brando, it also meant men like the late James Dean were on the make and great actresses who followed in the footsteps of Katharine Hepburn and Ingrid Bergman such as: Kim Novak of "Vertigo" (1958) and "The Man With the Golden Arm" (1955), the Queen of the Rom-Com, Marilyn Monroe of "Some Like it Hot" (1959) and even the great charisma of Audrey Hepburn in "Roman Holiday" (1953).

Genres were expanding left, right and centre. Musicals became evermore popular with the unforgettable music of Gene Kelly's "Singin' in the Rain" (1952) alongside the brilliance of Debbie Reynolds. The courtroom drama changed from detective drama to the likes of "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959) and "12 Angry Men" (1957). Animation became more popular than ever with Disney exploring classic works of children's literature - my personal favourite being "Peter Pan" (1953).

Whilst all of this was happening, Alfred Hitchcock's films were definitely on the rise with many of the best ones being released in the 50s and the 60s. Films such as "Vertigo (1958), "Rear Window" (1954) and "North by Northwest" (1959), "To Catch a Thief" (1955) and "Dial 'M' For Murder" (1954) are just a few of his greats and all released during this decade. Actors on his cast list regularly included James Stewart, Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. Hitchcock would go on to make his magnum opus - "Psycho" - at the beginning of the next decade.

As for the genre of crime, things were changing entirely. Humphrey Bogart had just given one of his greatest performances in the adaptation of "In a Lonely Place" made in 1950. "Quicksand" (1950) came out starring Mickey Rooney and proved that crime escapades could also be hilariously funny with his gift of dead pan humour, he was an absolute blast. All of this and so much more happen as we move into the next decade on the 1960s.

Monster movies also made a resurgence as Werewolves become more involved in our lives and the grand "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" (1956) was released on the screens - scaring the hell out of the audience altogether. All this while, George Romero was probably having some real great ideas.

Frank Sinatra was also dipping in and out of acting as he had been doing for a while, but when "The Man With the Golden Arm" (1955) came out, you really have to admit that was his greatest performance ever, co-starring alongside the brilliant Kim Novak. Directed by the same man who would come to make the epic "Anatomy of a Murder" (1959), Otto Preminger, it was based on a novel by Nelson Algern.

20 Films of the 1950s

The 1950s were a great decade for film and music, but it was an even better decade for those who wanted to innovate in the script world. Post-modern storylines, great dialogues and amazing characterisations through some real twisted plot lines. So here are 20 films from the 1950s in no particular order at all.

1. Vertigo (1958)

2. Quicksand (1950)

3. North by Northwest (1959)

4. In a Lonely Place (1950)

5. Rear Window (1954)

6. 12 Angry Men (1957)

7. Alice in Wonderland (1951)

8. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

9. Singin' in the Rain (1952)

10. To Catch a Thief (1955)

11. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

12. Some Like it Hot (1959)

13. Peter Pan (1953)

14. Dial 'M' For Murder (1954)

15. Roman Holiday (1953)

16. The Man With the Golden Arm (1955)

17. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

18. A Star is Born (1954)

19. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

20. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)