Top Ranked Films by Year: the 50s

The top-ranked films of the 50's

© 2009, William L. Sinclair

This continues our series of top-ranked films by year, based on the Top Ranked 1000 Films on the Net that we compiled. This decade has the most ranked films so far. (Photo: Tishiro Mifune, Seven Samurai)

Total Ranked Films in the 50's: 144

- [ 1950 ] -
1. Sunset Boulevard #14 - Wilder, Billy (photo rt)
2. Rashomon #22 - Kurosawa, Akira
3. All About Eve #33 - Mankiewicz, Joseph L.
4. Diary of a Country Priest #248 - Bresson, Robert
5. Asphalt Jungle, The #345 - Huston, John
6. Orpheus #358 - Cocteau, Jean
7. In a Lonely Place #360 - Ray, Nicholas
8. Los Olvidados #364 - Buñuel, Luis
9. Gun Crazy (Deadly is the Female) #582 - Lewis, Joseph H.
10. Harvey #649 - Coster, Henry
11. Chant d'amour, Un #681 - Genet, Jean
12. Stromboli #741 - Rossellini, Roberto
13. Ronde, La #829 - Ophüls, Max
14. Wagon Master #841 - Ford, John
15. Flowers of St. Francis, The #871 - Rossellini, Roberto
16. Rio Grande #990 - Ford, John
Best Picture: All About Eve

- [ 1951 ] -
1. Strangers on a Train #121 - Hitchcock, Alfred
2. Streetcar Named Desire, A #150 - Kazan, Elia
3. African Queen, The #160 - Huston, John
4. Forbidden Games #303 - Clément, René
5. Day the Earth Stood Still, The #319 - Wise, Robert
6. Place in the Sun, A #426 - Stevens, George
7. An American in Paris #433 - Minnelli, Vincente
8. River, The #449 - Renoir, Jean
9. Miracle in Milan #473 - De Sica, Vittorio
10. Plaisir, Le #571 - Ophüls, Max
11. Ace in the Hole #604 - Wilder, Billy
12. Thing from Another World, The #791 - Nyby, Christian/Howard Hawks
13. Early Summer (Bakushû) #984 - Ozu, Yasujiro
Best Picture: An American in Paris

- [ 1952 ] -
1. Singin' in the Rain #26 - Donen, Stanley/Gene Kelly
2. Umberto D #53 - De Sica, Vittorio
3. High Noon #106 - Zinnemann, Fred
4. Wages of Fear, The #134 - Clouzot, Henri-Georges
5. Ikiru #197 - Kurosawa, Akira
6. Golden Coach, The #218 - Renoir, Jean
7. Quiet Man, The #297 - Ford, John
8. Life of Oharu, The #478 - Mizoguchi, Kenji
9. El #520 - Buñuel, Luis
10. Casque d'or #543 - Becker, Jacques
11. Limelight #569 - Chaplin, Charles
12. Europa '51 #635 - Rossellini, Roberto
13. Bad and the Beautiful, The #697 - Minnelli, Vincente
14. Othello #800 - Welles, Orson
15. Lusty Men, The #967 - Ray, Nicholas
Best Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth

- [ 1953 ] -
1. Tokyo Story #57 - Ozu, Yasujiro
2. Ugetsu #58 - Mizoguchi, Kenji
3. Earrings of Madame de..., The #264 - Ophuls, Max
4. Shane #283 - Stevens, George
5. Roman Holiday #298 - Wyler, William
6. Band Wagon, The #308 - Minnelli, Vincente
7. Mr. Hulot's Holiday #326 - Tati, Jacques
8. Madame de… #376 - Ophüls, Max
9. Voyage in Italy #379 - Rossellini, Roberto
10. Big Heat, The #463 - Lang, Fritz
11. Vitelloni, I #593 - Fellini, Federico
12. Stalag 17 #682 - Wilder, Billy
13. Sawdust and Tinsel #715 - Bergman, Ingmar
14. From Here to Eternity #729 - Zinnemann, Fred
15. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes #774 - Hawks, Howard
16. Anatahan #810 - von Sternberg, Josef
17. Pickup on South Street #826 - Fuller, Sam
18. Sun Shines Bright, The #931 - Ford, John
19. Naked Spur, The #946 - Mann, Anthony
Best Picture: From Here to Eternity

- [ 1954 ] -
1. Seven Samurai, The #7 - Kurosawa, Akira (Japanese title: The Magnificent Seven, so when that western was released, they changed this title in the U.S.)
2. Rear Window #52 - Hitchcock, Alfred
3. On the Waterfront #67 - Kazan, Elia (photo rt)
4. La Strada #113 - Fellini, Federico
5. Sansho the Bailiff #203 - Mizoguchi, Kenji
6. Star is Born, A #329 - Cukor, George
7. Johnny Guitar #336 - Ray, Nicholas
8. Senso #348 - Visconti, Luchino
9. French Cancan #624 - Renoir, Jean
10. Dial M for Murder #701 - Hitchcock, Alfred
11. Barefoot Contessa, The #813 - Mankiewicz, Joseph L.
12. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers #979 - Donen, Stanley
Best Picture: On the Waterfront

- [ 1955 ] -
1. Pather Panchali / Apu Trilogy I #32 - Ray, Satyajit
2. Night of The Hunter, The #35 - Laughton, Charles
3. Ordet #111 - Dreyer, Carl
4. Diaboliques, Les #163 - Clouzot, Henri-Georges
5. All That Heaven Allows #233 - Sirk, Douglas
6. Rebel Without a Cause #281 - Ray, Nicholas
7. Lola Montès #305 - Ophüls, Max
8. Kiss Me Deadly #337 - Aldrich, Robert
9. Night and Fog #454 - Resnais, Alain
10. Smiles of a Summer Night #456 - Bergman, Ingmar
11. Floating Clouds #481 - Naruse, Mikio
12. East of Eden #549 - Kazan, Elia
13. Maîtres fous, Les #752 - Rouch, Jean
14. Princess Yang Kwei Fei (Yokihi) #833 - Mizoguchi, Kenji
15. Moonfleet #850 - Lang, Fritz
16. Il Bidone #959 - Fellini, Federico
Best Picture: Marty

- [ 1956 ] -
1. Seventh Seal, The #29 - Bergman, Ingmar (photo rt)
2. Searchers, The #46 - Ford, John
3. Man Escaped, A #151 - Bresson, Robert
4. Aparajito #309 - Ray, Satyajit
5. Written on the Wind #313 - Sirk, Douglas
6. Killing, The #325 - Kubrick, Stanley
7. Invasion of the Body Snatchers #343 - Siegel, Don
8. There's Always Tomorrow #687 - Sirk, Douglas
9. Bigger Than Life #698 - Ray, Nicholas
10. Bob le flambeur #768 - Melville, Jean-Pierre
11. While the City Sleeps #956 - Lang, Fritz
12. Beyond a Reasonable Doubt #1011 - Lang, Fritz
Best Picture: Around the World in 80 Days

- [ 1957 ] -
1. Paths of Glory #83 - Kubrick, Stanley
2. Bridge on the River Kwai, The #85 - Lean, David
3. Wild Strawberries #108 - Bergman, Ingmar
4. 12 Angry Men #124 - Lumet, Sidney
5. Sweet Smell of Success #133 - Mackendrick, Alexander
6. Nights of Cabiria #136 - Fellini, Federico
7. Throne of Blood #254 - Kurosawa, Akira
8. Witness for the Prosecution #559 - Wilder, Billy
9. Pyaasa #561 - Dutt, Guru
10. Affair to Remember, An #602 - McCarey, Leo
11. Funny Face #733 - Donen, Stanley
12. Cranes Are Flying, The #880 - Kalatozishvili, Mikheil
13. Night of the Demon #925 - Tourneur, Jacques
Best Picture: Bridge on the River Kwai, The

- [ 1958 ] -
1. Vertigo #6 - Hitchcock, Alfred
2. Touch of Evil #30 - Welles, Orson
3. Ashes and Diamonds #114 - Wajda, Andrzej
4. Mon oncle #407 - Tati, Jacques
5. Music Room, The #434 - Ray, Satyajit
6. Some Came Running #609 - Minnelli, Vincente
7. Tarnished Angels, The #764 - Sirk, Douglas
8. Man of the West #803 - Mann, Anthony
9. Hidden Fortress, The #867 - Kurosawa, Akira
10. Big Deal on Madonna Street #916 - Monicelli, Mario
11. Murder by Contract #951 - Lerner, Irving
12. Gigi #996 - Minnelli, Vincente
Best Picture: Gigi

- [ 1959 ] -
1. North by Northwest #19 - Hitchcock, Alfred
2. Some Like it Hot #55 - Wilder, Billy
3. 400 Blows, The #60 - Truffaut, François
4. Pickpocket #125 - Bresson, Robert
5. Ben-Hur #137 - Wyler, William
6. Breathless #178 - Godard, Jean-Luc
7. World of Apu, The #216 - Ray, Satyajit
8. Hiroshima mon amour #280 - Resnais, Alain
9. Anatomy of a Murder #293 - Preminger, Otto
10. Rio Bravo #300 - Hawks, Howard
11. Imitation of Life #384 - Sirk, Douglas
12. Eyes Without a Face #393 - Franju, Georges
13. Shadows #405 - Cassavetes, John
14. Tiger of Eschnapur, The #742 - Lang, Fritz
15. Kaagaz Ke Phool #851 - Dutt, Guru
16. Indian Tomb, The #883 - Lang, Fritz
Best Picture: Ben-Hur

Top Ranked of the Decade
1. Vertigo #6 - Hitchcock, Alfred
2. Seven Samurai, The #7 - Kurosawa, Akira
3. Sunset Boulevard #14 - Wilder, Billy
4. North by Northwest #19 - Hitchcock, Alfred
5. Rashomon #22 - Kurosawa, Akira
6. Singin' in the Rain #26 - Donen, Stanley/Gene Kelly
7. Touch of Evil #30 - Welles, Orson
8. Pather Panchali / Apu Trilogy I #32 - Ray, Satyajit
9. All About Eve #33 - Mankiewicz, Joseph L. (photo)
10. Night of The Hunter, The #35 - Laughton, Charles
11. Rear Window #52 - Hitchcock, Alfred
12. Umberto D #53 - De Sica, Vittorio
13. Some Like it Hot #55 - Wilder, Billy
14. Tokyo Story #57 - Ozu, Yasujiro
15. Ugetsu #58 - Mizoguchi, Kenji
16. 400 Blows, The #60 - Truffaut, François
17. On the Waterfront #67 - Kazan, Elia
18. Paths of Glory #83 - Kubrick, Stanley
19. Bridge on the River Kwai, The #85 - Lean, David

Unranked best picture winners: The Greatest Show on Earth, Marty, Around the World in 80 Days

My Favorites

1-Seven Samurai, 2-All About Eve, 3-Sunset Boulevard, 4-Singin in the Rain, 5-Night of the Hunter, 6-Umberto D., 7-Bridge on the River Kwai, 8-On the Waterfront, 9-The Sweet Smell of Success, 10-Paths of Glory, 11-12 Angry Men, 12-Vertigo, 13-A Streetcar Named Desire, 14-Rashoman, 15-In a Lonely Place, 16-The Seventh Seal, 17-Shane, 18-Ugetsu, 19-Some Like it Hot, 20-Stalag 17

Great Film Roles Refused

These famous roles were all refused by the directors first choice, making someone else famous or more so as a result.

The Maltese Falcon – George Raft was well-known for turning down roles that made Bogart’s career: High Sierra (41), Maltest Falcon (42), Casablanca (42). He refused Falcon because he didn’t want to work with first-time director John Huston! As for High Sierra, Paul Muni also turned down the part.

Casablanca – the role of Ilse was first offered to Hedy Lamarr, who refused as the script was not finished. Ingrid Bergman turned this into the role of a lifetime, and of course the film won best picture and remains a legendary classic of romance. By the way, the phrase "Play it again, Sam" was never spoken, but did become the title of a Woody Allen spoof on Bogart's sex appeal.

Lawrence of Arabia – David Lean’s first choice was Marlon Brando, who decided to make another film first, luckily for us after seeing his British officer in Mutiny on the Bountry remake. Rather than wait, Lean went with little-known stage actor Peter O’Toole, who turned in the performance of a lifetime, in one of the best films ever made, winning 7 Oscars, including best picture. This movie also was instrumental in inspiring Martin Scorsese to become a director.

The Man With the Golden Arm – another part turned down by Brando, this one reviving the career of Frank Sinatra in a gritty role as a heroin addict. Brando may have performed it better, but Sinatra looks more the part for this. Brando won an Oscar for On the Waterfront (best actor), while Sinatra won one for From Here to Eternity (supporting actor).

It Happened One Night – one of my favorite goddesses, the queen of cool Myrna Loy turned down the part of the runaway heiress that won Claudette Colbert an Oscar. In fact, the film was the first (until Cuckoo's Nest) to win the big four of actor, actress (Gable), director (Frank Capra) and picture. I have to believe that Myrna (The Thin Man series) would have been even better in this part, no one shows disdain of maleness quite like her.


The Graduate – Robert Redford was first offered the role of Benjamin Braddock by Oscar-winning director Mike Nichols, but he felt that he couldn’t portray the naïve college grad, which of course made star Dustin Hoffman famous. Overall, the casting was excellent, including Buck Henry in a small part as the desk clerk at the hotel where Braddock went for the affair.

Giant – Alan Ladd felt that he was too old to play Jett Rink, who was ironically aged with makeup anyway, in the multi-generational epic Giant. The role, of course, went to James Dean, who was nominated for a record two posthumous Oscars (East of Eden was the other), as all three of his films were released after his death in a car wreck. He was driving at a high speed when a car pulled out in front of him on the highway; ironically his passenger only had minor injuries.

Sunset Boulevard – Billy Wilder’s scathing noir about the seedy side of Hollywood stardom was first offered to Montgomery Clift, who declined thinking his fans wouldn’t buy him in the part. William Holden was excellent and totally believable as a screenwriter willing to sell his affection for another chance at success. Once again, the entire cast was perfect, especially director Erich von Stroheim as Norma’s idolizing butler and former director. (I was eMailed that Wilder first wanted Mae West for Swanson's role - yikes!)

Gone With the Wind – the role of Scarlett was first offered, understandably, to Bette Davis, who had played southern belles before with great success. Thinking she would be co-starring with Errol Flynn, she refused. Vivien Leigh, wife of Laurence Olivier, won her first Oscar in the role; her second would be in A Streetcar Named Desire.

The Wizard of Oz – the title part was actually written and tailored for W.C. Fields, who reportedly turned down the part because he wanted 100k and the most that MGM would offer was 75k. It seems like such a small amount for the connection to have been missed, and in fact, Fields’ agent actually said he really wanted to work on the script for You Can’t Cheat an Honest Man instead.

My Fair Lady – rather than come out of retirement, James Cagney refused the part offered as Alfred P. Doolittle, father of Eliza. Performing two musical numbers with style and humor (With a Little Bit of Luck, and Get Me To the Church), Stanley Holloway turned in the performance of his career and received the Oscar for supporting actor. The scene where he haggles with Rex Harrison over payment for his daughter is classic. Once again, the audience got lucky here!

Bonnie and Clyde – the original actress offered the role of Bonnie was Jane Fonda, but she was married to Roger Vadim at the time, making cult hits Barbarella and The Game Is Over, and didn’t want to come to the states to make films. She ended up doing just that a year later, making They Shoot Horses, Don’t They in 69, which got her first Oscar nomination and moved her up into the ranks of serious drama. Meanwhile, Faye Dunaway used the role of Bonnie to vault into stardom, getting her first Oscar nomination. She would later win for Network, while Fonda won two, for Klute and Coming Home.

Ben-Hur – the title role was first turned down by Burt Lancaster, whose athleticism and build would have been perfect for this. Instead, Charlton Heston won his only Oscar in Wyler’s record-setting 11 Oscar movie. Heston had taken a supporting part in Wyler’s The Big Country just before this, so he was due a starring role. All actors wanted to work with Wyler, whose was notorious for winning Oscars, as his films were nominated for a record 127 Oscars, winning a record 39.

The Three Faces of Eve – choosing her roles very selectively, Eva Marie Saint turned this role down (in spite of her name!), and Joanne Woodward turned in the performance of her career as a women with at least three distinct personalities, winning her only Oscar as best actress. Of course, she later married actor Paul Newman, who won his only Oscar for The Color of Money, a reward for a career of distinctive roles.