The 1950s were the last full decade of the Golden Age of Hollywood. Hollywood filmmakers weren’t the only ones flourishing in the ‘50s. Filmmakers from Italy, Japan, France, Mexico and many other countries were also producing enduring cinematic classics. From popular 1950s movies to art films and hidden gems, there is so much to love about ’50s films. Whether you are looking for sci-fi or melodramas, the best '50s movies have something for everyone. Sometimes older films can feel inaccessible, but in many ways, great movies from the 1950s transcend time.

In the U.S., 1950s films were unfortunately influenced by Mccarthyism and the Hays Code. While the Hays Code (a self-imposed morality code on Hollywood productions) technically ended in 1968, the '50s saw a weakening of its reach. Directors subverted the code, and growing competition from international and art house markets changed the type of movies that audiences could access.

While the highest-grossing film of the 1950s (1956’s The Ten Commandments) doesn’t appear on this list, many other popular Hollywood films do. During the 1950s, Hollywood produced numerous musicals, Westerns, melodramas and historical epics; however, it also witnessed the rise of the sci-fi and horror genres. With actors like Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor, the '50s were an iconic decade in Hollywood, but this list seeks to take a broader perspective and celebrate the amazing films made around the world in the decade. It is hard to rank a list like this with many industries and genres. The tastes of the writer are certainly baked in; however, quality, legacy and craft have also been considered.

How to Marry A Millionaire is a screwball comedy about gold diggers played by Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe and Lauren Bacall. Directed by Jean Negulesco, the film follows three resourceful women who rent out a luxury penthouse as part of their plan to land a rich man.

The performances in How to Marry a Millionaire are what really cement it as a classic. Monroe gets to show off the sharpness in her comedy and persona, while Bacall balances raw sex appeal and comic timing. Grable adds a beautiful zaniness to the film.

Here’s where you can find How to Marry A Millionaire.

There are a lot of film adaptations of Tennessee Williams’ plays, with many even from the 1950s. However, arguably the best is Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (sorry, A Streetcar Named Desire). Directed by Richard Brooks, the film follows a recently injured man who returns home to the South with his wife for his father's 65th birthday.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof stars Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, Jack Carson and Judith Anderson. Melodramas aren’t the most accessible films for modern audiences, but there is a lot to enjoy in this one. Unfortunately, the film is slightly crippled due to the Hays Code which saw the removal of many of the Gay themes of the original stage production. However, it was still nominated for six Oscars.

Here’s where you can find Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Madame Freedom is the only Korean film on this list. In many ways, it is also among the most dated. However, it is a historically important film that doesn’t get revisited as much as it may be should. Directed by Han Hyung-mo, it stars Kim Jeong-rim and Park Am.

Madame Freedom follows a professor’s wife as she mingles with Seoul’s elite through lavish parties, Western influence, Jazz, dance halls and extramarital affairs. While it was scandalous for its time, it examines morality and a new way of post-war life. The film is visually stunning, particularly in its costumes, and it was a massive hit in Korea upon its release.

Here’s where you can find Madame Freedom.

Big Deal on Madonna Street is an Italian comedy classic. The film follows a group of thieves who try to rob a pawn shop in Rome. However, their bumbling antics and mishaps derail their plan.

Directed by Mario Monicelli, it stars Vittorio Gassman, Renato Salvatori, Memmo Carotenuto, Rossana Rory, Carla Gravina, Claudia Cardinale, Marcello Mastroianni and Totò. While the film is digestible enough, it may prove challenging for non-Italian audiences to fully enjoy. The dialogue is fast, and the jokes also come at a rapid pace. It is a dense film that tends to get a little lost in the subtitles, but there is so much to love about it, and it truly is a very funny film. Here’s where you can find Big Deal on Madonna Street.

Historical epics were long part of Hollywood’s DNA, and Ben-Hur is one of the last great ones from Hollywood’s Golden Era. Based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, the film follows a fallen Jewish aristocrat living as a Roman tribune and his quest for revenge. Directed by William Wyler, the film stars Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd and Jack Hawkins.

Part of what makes Ben-Hur interesting is its production. The film had a record-breaking budget for the time ($15.175 million) and utilized giant sets and an equally large costuming department. In many ways, it is also remembered as an early LGBTQ film (though only subtextually). While he did not receive screenplay credit, Gore Vidal worked on the screenplay for Ben-Hur. In the 1995 documentary The Celluloid Closet, Vidal recalls telling Boyd to play a scene with the idea that "it will be perfectly clear that Massala (Boyd) is in love with Ben-Hur." Boyd agreed to play the scene as if the two had been former lovers. However, it had to be a secret on set from the notoriously conservative Heston, who played Ben-Hur. The film was the second highest-grossing film in history at the time and won a record 11 Academy Awards.

Here’s where you can find Ben-Hur.

Journey to Italy (also sometimes called Voyage to Italy) is an Italian film, but it doesn’t always feel like it. It is partially in English and stars Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders. Directed by Italian master Roberto Rossellini, it follows a couple on the verge of divorce on a trip to Naples after inheriting a villa from an uncle.

Although it is an Italian film, it served as an essential precursor to the French New Wave. John Patterson said of the film in the Guardian, “French critics at the Cahiers du Cinéma – the likes of Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Rivette, François Truffaut and Claude Chabrol – all saw it as the moment when poetic cinema grew up and became indisputably modern.” Outside of the New Wave, it is the favorite of directors like Akira Kurosawa and Martin Scorsese. The film did poorly at the box office and was initially met with poor reviews, but it has been largely reassessed.

Here’s where you can find Journey to Italy.

Invention for Destruction is a bit of a deep cut. It is a Czechoslovak sci-fi film based on several works by Jules Verne. It is also sometimes called The Fabulous World of Jules Verne (or at least the dubbed English version is). It follows a professor who is kidnapped by pirates intent on gaining access to the professor’s new powerful weapon.

Directed by Karel Zeman, Invention for Destruction stars Lubor Tokoš, Arnošt Navrátil and Miloslav Holub. The film has a highly unique and inventive visual style. Many of the scenes trick the eye with visual effects that still feel impressive today.

Here’s where you can find Invention for Destruction.

Rebel Without a Cause might not be the best 1950s movie, but it is the most '50s movie. The film follows a teen delinquent who moves to a new town for a clean slate but finds himself wrapped up in trouble. Directed by Nicholas Ray, the film stars James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. It is also the film debut of Dennis Hopper (though he is in a very small role). While Dean is better in his Oscar-nominated role in 1955’s East of Eden, Rebel Without A Cause is his most famous picture.

The film is a melodrama, which won’t be for everyone. However, there is so much to love in this movie, including outstanding performances. It is also an important early LGBTQ film. While the queer themes are all subtextual, in the 1970s Mineo confirmed that his character was supposed to be gay and also mentioned Dean’s bisexuality in the same interview. Rebel feels relatively tame by today’s standards, but was controversial for its content in the 1950s. Although it received mixed reviews upon its release, it was nominated for three Oscars.

Here’s where you can find Rebel Without a Cause.

While Vincent Price had been working in films since the late 1930s, in the 1950s, he made the transition from drama to horror films, for which he would become known. The best of these 1950s Price horror films is arguably House of Wax. The film follows a mysterious wax figure sculptor in the early 1900s who is pushed to nefarious means after his wax museum is burned down.

The film is notable in part for its use of 3-D. It was the first 3-D film with stereophonic sound with a wide release and the first 3-D studio feature film. It did well at the box office, but was initially met with mixed reviews. In subsequent years, it became a cult classic. In 2014, it was selected for preservation at the Library of Congress.

Here’s where you can find House of Wax.

White Christmas comes with a bit of a warning. It is a musical holiday classic, but it has drawn criticism for its number “I’d Rather See a Minstrel Show." While there is no blackface in the number, it is very much a part of a larger history of racism and blackface in America.

Directed by Michael Curtiz, White Christmas stars Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. The film follows four performers who band together to save a struggling inn. The song “White Christmas” had already been introduced in the 1942 film Holiday Inn (which has a similar plot), but eight years later, Crosby returned to sing the Irving Berlin classic again. White Christmas is easily the more iconic and impressive of the two.

Here’s where you can find White Christmas.

Billy Wilder’s Sabrina follows the daughter of a chauffeur who returns from France to romance one of the brothers of a wealthy Long Island family. The rom-com stars Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden.

It is a deeply charming movie that also features Bogart in a surprisingly comedic and romantic role (the role was originally offered to Cary Grant, but he turned it down). It was nominated for six Oscars, winning for Best Costume Design – Black-and-White for Edith Head. It has been remade several times, including a 1995 Hollywood version and the 1994 Hindi version, Yeh Dillagi.

Here’s where you can find Sabrina.

The 1954 version is probably not the most famous of A Star Is Born, but it is a wonderful one. There are four versions of A Star Is Born, three of the four are musicals. Of the musicals, 1954’s was the first. The film follows an unknown’s rise to stardom, which eclipses her famous beau.

Directed by George Cukor, the film stars Judy Garland and James Mason. For Garland, A Star Is Born was a comeback, as it was her first film after negotiating her release from her MGM contract. She went on to earn an Oscar nomination for the role.

Here’s where you can find A Star Is Born.

Director Federico Fellini is far more famous for his work in the 1960s and 1970s. However, he made several classic films in the 1950s, including Nights in Cabiria. The film follows a sex worker with a heart of gold in post-war Rome.

The film stars Fellini’s wife, Giulietta Masina, who is simply spellbinding in the central role. While the film feels solidly a part of the Italian Neorealist movement of the 1950s, it also feels transitional as it has some of the flourishes and imagination of later Fellini. Nights of Cabiria won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1958. Another Fellini film to star Masina, La Strada, had won the same award the year before.

Here’s where you can find Nights in Cabiria.

A Night To Remember is a film about the sinking of the RMS Titanic. However, unlike the flashier and more fictional retelling seen in James Cameron’s Titanic, A Night To Remember is a realistic and serious dramatic take on the disaster. The film is based on a nonfiction book of the same name, which was in turn based on 63 survivor accounts.

Directed by Roy Ward Baker, it has long been celebrated for its unflinching accuracy. The film stars Kenneth More, Michael Goodliffe, Laurence Naismith, Kenneth Griffith, David McCallum and Tucker McGuire. A Night To Remember largely focuses on the perspective of the second officer, played by More. It is a must-watch for fans of history, the film Titanic and the disaster film genre.

Here’s where you can find A Night To Remember.

Anatomy of a Murder is a courtroom drama about the murder of an inn-keeper by an Army Lieutenant and the small town, semi-retired lawyer who takes his case. Directed by Otto Preminger, the film stars James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Eve Arden, George C. Scott, Arthur O’Connell and Kathryn Grant.

The film is very direct around sexual themes, especially sexual violence, which made it somewhat shocking in the late '50s. It was nominated for six Oscars. While there are a lot of courtroom dramas from the 1950s, this one is elevated by great acting, a good score and an interesting examination of jurisprudence.

Here’s where you can find Anatomy of a Murder.

Mon Oncle is one of several iconic Jacques Tati comedies, in which Tati plays the character of Monsieur Hulot. In the film, Hulot connects with his nephew, whose parents have become obsessed with modern life. Like much of Tati’s work, the film offers a comedic take on modern consumerism, relying heavily on visuals and ambiance to make its points.

The film won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film as well as a Special Prize from the Cannes Film Festival. For those interested in French comedy but worried about understanding the language, Mon Oncle is a perfect choice; the jokes of this film rarely rely on dialogue and the film ages surprisingly well for a comedy.

Here’s where you can find Mon Oncle.

Touch of Evil was originally slightly overlooked when it first came out. Written, directed and starring Orson Welles, the film is about mounting tensions on the Mexican-American border after a Mexican special prosecutor and his new wife are killed by a car bomb.

Touch of Evil stars Janet Leigh, Welles, Joseph Calleia, Akim Tamiroff, Marlene Dietrich, Zsa Zsa Gabor and, unfortunately, Charlton Heston as “Ramon Miguel Vargas” in brownface. There are some issues with representation in this film, but if you can get past it, it is a tight drama with some really impressive directing (it is most remembered for an impressive opening tracking shot). It was named the best film at the 1958 Brussels World Fair by a jury of European filmmakers that included Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut. While Roger Ebert was not the first person to revisit Touch of Evil, adding it to his Great Movies list in 1998 brought many new eyes to the film.

Here’s where you can find Touch of Evil.

Los Olvidados, also called The Young and The Damned, is a classic from Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema. Directed by Luis Buñuel, the film follows a juvenile delinquent whose leadership of a group of kids on the streets of Mexico City leads to consequences for a young member of the gang. The film stars Stella Inda, Miguel Inclán, Alfonso Mejía and Roberto Cobo.

While (at least in the States), Los Olvidados does have the same name recognition as Rebel Without A Cause or The 400 Blows, it is a beautiful, heartbreaking and bleak film that is a must-watch. Upon its release, it wasn’t popular with the Mexican press, who found it too brutal. However, it earned Buñuel the Best Director award at the 1951 Cannes Film Festival. In 2003, it was enshrined in UNESCO's "Memory of the World" Register in recognition of its historical significance.

Here’s where you can find Los Olvidados.

There are many great westerns from the 1950s. It is hard to talk about 1950s films without Westerns, even if this genre has largely fallen out of favor with modern audiences. For those interested in 1950s western films like Shane, Rio Bravo, The Searchers and even Johnny Guitar are must-watches. However, if you are only going to watch one, make it High Noon.

The film follows a former Marshall in a small town in New Mexico who learns of a revenge plot by a local criminal. He must choose to uphold his duty or start a life with his new Quaker wife. Directed by Fred Zinnemann, the film stars Gary Cooper, Thomas Mitchell, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado, Grace Kelly, Otto Kruger, Lon Chaney and Henry Morgan. The film was controversial upon its release because screenwriter Carl Foreman was outed as a former member of the Communist Party during its production. John Wayne turned down the lead role in the film as he thought it was a parable and response for Foreman’s blacklisting (which Wayne supported). The film was nominated for seven Oscars, winning four (including a Best Actor Oscar for Cooper, which Wayne accepted on his behalf since Cooper was in Europe during the Awards). High Noon was also chosen as one of the first 25 films selected for preservation in the Library of Congress in 1989.

Here’s where you can find High Noon.

Witness for the Prosecution is a legal drama about a man accused of killing a wealthy widow and his wife, who testifies against him. It is a twisty, sometimes funny and suspenseful film that is based on the 1925 Agatha Christie story of the same name.

Directed by Billy Wilder, the film stars Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester and John Williams. Screenings of the film ended with a voiceover stating, “The management of this theater suggests that, for the greater entertainment of your friends who have not yet seen the picture, you will not divulge to anyone the secret of the ending of Witness for the Prosecution.” The ending of this film was so guarded that Wilder didn’t allow the actors to read the final ten pages of the script until they needed to shoot the scenes. It was nominated for six Academy Awards.

Here’s where you can find Witness for the Prosecution.

Screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar once wrote, “All Hindi films come from Mother India.” Mother India is a classic of ‘Bollywood’ cinema. The film follows an impoverished woman’s struggle to raise her sons and contains many references to Indian nationalism and Hinduism. Even the film’s name comes from Katherine Mayo’s 1927 book of the same name, which criticized Indian culture and society. Director Mehboob Khan said of the name, “We have intentionally called our film Mother India, as a challenge to this book.”

Mother India is one of several films (including 1960’s Mughal-e-Azam and the 1975 classic Sholay) that have had many rereleases in India. Mother India ran continuously in theaters for so long that some screenings continued into the mid-1990s, resulting in a lack of reliable data on its final box office earnings. The film was the first Indian film to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.

Here’s where you can find Mother India.

Les Diaboliques is often remembered as the French film that heavily influenced 1960’s horror classic Psycho. However, the film is a very worthwhile, scary movie classic in its own right. Les Diaboliques follows a wife and mistress who team up to kill their shared lover. However, his wife starts to be haunted by his ghost.

Written and directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, the film was based on the 1952 novel She Who Was No More by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac. It stars Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot, Paul Meurisse and Charles Vanel. While the film is likely most famous for its twist, it’s still worth watching even if it has already been spoiled.

Here’s where you can find Les Diaboliques.

Horror and Sci-Fi films are important to 1950s cinema. From The Blob to Plan 9 From Outer Space, these films often vary in quality. However, Forbidden Planet is easily among the best of the 1950s Sci-Fi genre. A loose retelling of Shakespeare’s The Tempest in space, the film follows astronauts who travel to the planet of Altair IV in search of a group of scientists who disappeared on a previous mission.

Directed by Fred M. Wilcox, it stars Walter Pidgeon, Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen and Warren Stevens. The film also “stars” Robby the Robot, a Robot character who made his film debut in Forbidden Planet. It is a camp masterpiece and an essential foundational work in Sci-Fi filmmaking. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the Library of Congress for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Here’s where you can find Forbidden Planet.

Vincente Minnelli’s An American In Paris is one of the best movie musicals of all time, mainly due to its impressive dance sequences. The plot is pretty simple; however, the film is made by its performances and stunning visuals. It concludes with a 17-minute dance and ballet sequence that is a visual masterpiece.

The film follows a young artist torn between love and money in post-war Paris. It stars Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron in her film debut. An American in Paris won six Oscars, including Best Picture. The film was inspired by the 1920s tone poem An American in Paris by George Gershwin.

Here’s where you can find An American In Paris.

Rififi is a bit of a hard film to find. It is often not available on streaming, but if you can track it down, it is a fantastic watch. The film is a French film noir about an aging jewel thief who attempts to pull off a heist with the help of other European gangsters. Directed by Jules Dassin, Rififi stars Jean Servais, Robert Hossein, Magali Noël and Janine Darcey.

Dassin was blacklisted in Hollywood after being outed as a former communist. The film was also slightly controversial in itself for a nearly silent half-hour scene that is arguably too realistic in its approach to robbery. Many worried that it would serve as a how-to for would-be buglers. However, the film was well received in the U.S.

Here’s where you can find Rififi.

William Shakespeare retellings aren’t for everyone. However, the 1950s saw several great ones, including 1955’s Richard III and 1953’s Julius Caesar. Throne of Blood isn’t the typical Shakespeare adaptation. Directed by Akira Kurosawa, the film is a retelling of Macbeth in feudal Japan with elements of Noh theater. The film stars Toshiro Mifune and has special effects by Godzilla’s Eiji Tsuburaya.

At the time of its release, Throne of Blood was one of the most expensive Japanese films ever made, and its quality remains notable over 65 years later. While it isn’t the most conventional Shakespeare adaptation, literary critic Harold Bloom once called it "the most successful film version of Macbeth.” It was even adapted for the stage at the 2010 Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

Here’s where you can find Throne of Blood.

The Wages of Fear is a French masterclass in suspense. Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, the film follows a group of Europeans hired to drive nitroglycerin over a dangerous South American route.

In 1992, Roger Ebert said of it, “The film's extended suspense sequences deserve a place among the great stretches of cinema." Not to be confused with the 2024 remake of the same name, the 1953 version is sweaty, nail-biting and tense in a really rewarding way. Based on a novel by Georges Arnaud, the film version stars Yves Montand, Charles Vanel, Folco Lulli, Peter Van Eyck and Véra Clouzot.

Here’s where you can find The Wages of Fear.

The original Godzilla is a quintessential sci-fi classic. While there are now 38 films in the international franchise, the first remains easily among the best of the series. Directed by Ishirō Honda, Godzilla follows the now-famous kaiju as his home and family are destroyed by an American hydrogen bomb, leading him to cause mayhem in Tokyo.

Haruo Nakajima played the titular monster in a physical suit in many of the films in the franchise including the first one. While some of them may seem cheesy now, the practical effects from the legendary Eiji Tsuburaya are a milestone in filmmaking.

Here’s where you can find Godzilla.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is probably best remembered for the song “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” performed by Marilyn Monroe. The number has been referenced in the films Burlesque and Moulin Rouge! as well as by artists like Madonna and Megan Thee Stallion. However, there is so much more to love about this romantic musical comedy.

Based on the stage play of the same name, it follows two showgirls on a transatlantic cruise en route to meet one of their fiancés in France. Directed by Howard Hawks, the film stars Monroe, Jane Russel, Charles Coburn and Elliott Reid. Hawks isn’t known for musicals, and many of the musical scenes were actually directed by Jack Cole and his assistant, Broadway icon Gwen Verdon. While “Diamonds” is the more iconic number, “Anyone Here for Love?” performed by Russel is another must-watch and has been notable for its homoerotic themes.

Here’s where you can find Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

Director Alfred Hitchcock was prolific in the 1950s. Arguably, this spot could have been easily taken by Strangers on a Train, North by Northwest or even To Catch a Thief. However, in many ways Dial M for Murder is one of Hitcock’s more creative films.

Dial M for Murder follows a man who comes up with a plan to murder his wealthy, adulterous wife. However, when she survives the attempt, he finds himself scrambling to avoid getting caught. It stars Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Robert Cummings and John Williams.

Here’s where you can find Dial M for Murder.

Hiroshima mon amour is a beautiful film from the early years of the French New Wave. The French and Japanese co-production follows a Japanese architect and a French actress’s love affair and the destruction of the Atomic Bomb. The film is non-linear and primarily consists of lengthy conversations and flashbacks.

Directed by Alain Resnais, Hiroshima mon amour wasn’t the first New Wave film to use a nonlinear plot (Resnais worked on Agnès Varda’s 1954 film La Pointe Courte and was inspired by the earlier film’s nonlinear plot). However, its influence on nonlinear filmmaking is staggering. Kent Jones wrote in a piece on the film in Criterion, “It’s difficult to quantify the breadth of Hiroshima’s impact. It remains one of the most influential films in the short history of the medium, first of all because it liberated moviemakers from linear construction.”

Here’s where you can find Hiroshima mon amour.

Disney made several classic movies in the 1950s, including 1950’s Cinderella, 1951’s Alice in Wonderland, 1953’s Peter Pan and 1955’s Lady and the Tramp. However, the last film of the decade,1959’s Sleeping Beauty, is an animated masterpiece. The film stands out for its visually rich animation with an art style inspired by pre-Renaissance tapestry art.

The film is a retelling the fairytale of the same name which follows a cursed princess who must be saved by a prince by the evil Maleficent. Sleeping Beauty took almost a decade to produce and was originally a box office bomb, partially due to its high budget of $6 million. However, its re-releases and cultural imprint have more than made up for its initial release.

Here’s where you can find Sleeping Beauty.

Rear Window is easily among director Alfred Hitchcock’s best films. It follows an injured man who believes he has seen a murder and spies on his neighbors in hopes of proving it. The film stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr.

Rear Window is an impressively static film that revolves around one back window (as the name suggests). It is also extremely tense. Many Hitchcock films play with the theme of voyeurism; however, Rear Window almost inverts the typical horror surrounding the theme by making the audience the voyeur. It was nominated for four Oscars.

Here’s where you can find Rear Window.

Night of the Hunter is a real hidden gem that has influenced many other films. It is directly referenced in many Coen Brothers’ films, Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman. The film is loosely based on the life of serial killer Harry Powers. It follows a conman and murderer who terrorizes two kids in Depression-era West Virginia while pretending to be a priest. Night of the Hunter stars Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters and Lillian Gish.

Night of the Hunter did poorly at the box office and with critics when it was first released. It was the first film directed by actor Charles Laughton. With the film flopping, he never directed another film and passed before the film was largely revisited. The expressionist style and dark tone of the film age beautifully. Mitchum’s character notably has knuckle tattoos spelling “love” and “hate,” which has also generally permeated into popular culture.

Here’s where you can find Night of the Hunter.

Rashomon isn’t just an essential film of the 1950s; it is a pivotal entry in the history of storytelling. It even lends its name to The Rashomon Effect, a psychological phenomenon about issues with eyewitness testimony. The film shows the same story of the rape of a bride and the murder of a samurai from several perspectives, including a thief, the bride, a woodcutter and the ghost of the samurai.

Written and directed by Akira Kurosawa, Rashomon is an outstanding example of the Jidaigeki film genre (Japanese period dramas). By 1950, Kurosawa was already a well-established director in Japan; however, Rashomon was one of the first Japanese films to receive critical acclaim in the West. It won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and an Academy Honorary Award at the Oscars (as it predated the Academy's International Film Category).

Here’s where you can find Rashomon.

On the Waterfront follows a dock worker and former boxer who must testify against a mobster who controls the Hoboken waterfront. Directed by Elia Kazan, the film stars Marlon Brando in one of his best roles. Brando’s acting in the film is widely considered a masterwork that redefined the craft of acting. The film received 12 Oscar nominations, winning eight.

On the Waterfront also occupies an interesting part of Hollywood history, and has been seen as a response to the criticism Kazan faced for naming eight names in a testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee. The film also stars Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb and Eva Marie Saint, and Leonard Bernstein composed the music for the film.

Here’s where you can find On the Waterfront.

Ugetsu is sometimes referred to as a ghost story, but it isn’t really a horror film. It is a historical fantasy film about Japan’s Azuchi–Momoyama period and civil war. The film follows a potter-turned-hopeful-samurai who leaves his wife only to be seduced by a spirit.

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi, Ugetsu stars Masayuki Mori and Machiko Kyō. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it won the Pasinetti Award and the Silver Lion. Ugetsu went on to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Costume Design, Black and White. It is a treasured masterpiece of Japan’s Golden Age of Cinema.

Here’s where you can find Ugetsu.

Roman Holiday is an essential rom-com about a reporter and a princess who spend an off day together in Rome. It’s a dreamy and sweet film that really packs a punch at the end. Directed by William Wyler, it stars Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.

The film was nominated for ten Oscars, winning for Best Costume Design – Black-and-White (Edith Head) and Best Actress (Hepburn). It also interestingly won for Best Story for Dalton Trumbo. Trumbo also co-wrote the script with John Dighton; however, Trumbo was blacklisted by Hollywood and thus banned as a suspected communist. While he received a story credit, he did not receive recognition for co-writing the film, and Ian McLellan Hunter fronted for him. Bernard Vorhaus, a blacklisted director, also worked as an assistant director on the film under a pseudonym.

Here’s where you can find Roman Holiday.

Umberto D. is an important Italian Neorealist film from the 1950s. While the genre is primarily associated with the 1940s, this film is a classic of the genre. Directed by Vittorio De Sica, Umberto D. follows an elderly man and his dog as he tries to avoid eviction. Like most Neorealist films, most of the cast of the film were not professional actors, including the star, Carlo Battisti (it was Battisti’s first and last acting role).

It is a beautiful film about shame, poverty and post-war Italy. Ingmar Bergman once said of the film, “[it’s] a movie I have seen a hundred times, that I may love most of all."

Here’s where you can find Umberto D..

The 400 Blows is a profoundly influential film. Directors like Steven Spielberg, Richard Linklater, Norman Jewison, Wes Anderson, and Akira Kurosawa have listed it among their favorite movies. Furthermore, the film helped establish the French New Wave alongside other 1950s classics, such as 1955’s La Pointe Courte and 1958’s Le Beau Serge.

The 400 Blows follows a rebellious young boy misunderstood by his parents. The film is semi-autobiographical, and the main character is loosely based on the film's director, François Truffaut. It stars Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy, Guy Decomble and Georges Flamant.

Here’s where you can find The 400 Blows.

The Seventh Seal is an iconic fantasy film. Written and directed by Ingmar Bergman, it follows a medieval knight’s quest against the backdrop of the Black Death in Denmark. It is likely most remembered for a chess game between the knight and the personification of death, which has been referenced in many other films and TV shows, such as Monty Python, Sesame Street, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, and even the 1968 Oscar-nominated short film De Düva.

It is a dark and heavy film, but one that is also deeply beautiful. The Seventh Seal won the Special Jury Prize at the 1957 Cannes Film Festival.

Here’s where you can find The Seventh Seal.

Some Like It Hot is a classic comedy about two jazz-age musicians who get into drag to join an all-girl band to avoid the mob. Directed by Billy Wilder, the film stars Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe.

While it was a remake of the 1935 French film Fanfare of Love, Some Like It Hot was controversial upon its release and was protested by conservative groups. However, it was a turning point in cinematic history. It helped bring an end to the Hays Code and is an early example of an accepting LGBTQ film. The studio even hired a female impersonator, Barbette, to consult on the film. Some Like It Hot was nominated for six Oscars, winning for Best Costume Design – Black-and-White. In 1989, it was selected as one of the first 25 films to be preserved in the National Film Registry and is widely regarded as one of the greatest American comedies ever made.

Here’s where you can find Some Like It Hot.

While director Akira Kurosawa began making films in the 1940s, he was highly prolific in the 1950s, producing some of his best films during that decade. There are many Kurosawa films to choose from, but Ikiru is easily among his best. It is a surprisingly funny and deeply intimate look at living.

Inspired by Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan Ilyich, Ikiru follows a terminally ill bureaucrat on his final quest for meaning. It stars Takashi Shimura and Miki Odagiri (it is one of only a couple of Kurosawa films to not star Toshiro Mifune). It was remade in Britain as 2022’s Living (“Ikiru” translates to “To Live”), starring Bill Nighy. However, the original 1950s version is better.

Here’s where you can find Ikiru.

12 Angry Men follows a jury tasked with deciding the fate of a teenager charged with murder and the issue of reasonable doubt. It is a gripping and wonderfully made film, which is also a great early example of modern indie filmmaking. Directed by Sidney Lumet, the film stars Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb, Ed Begley, E. G. Marshall and Jack Warden.

The film didn’t do well at the box office, but was met with near-universal critical acclaim. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor even said that the film influenced her decision to study law.

Here’s where you can find 12 Angry Men.

Tokyo Story is one of the least accessible films on this list. It is a masterpiece from legendary director Yasujirō Ozu. However, it is extremely slow. The camera barely moves in the film, and even when it was released, it was thought of as "too Japanese" for international audiences. This film might not be for anyone with a short attention span, but for those okay with subtleties, it is a gorgeous and impactful film about changing generations.

The film stars Setsuko Hara, Chishū Ryū and Chieko Higashiyama. It is the last part of Ozu’s “Noriko Trilogy” with 1949’s Late Spring and 1951’s Early Summer. The three films are unconnected in plot, but all feature the theme of family and Hara playing a character named Noriko. Tokyo Story follows two aging parents as they visit their adult children in Tokyo.

Here’s where you can find Tokyo Story.

"I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.” Sunset Boulevard follows a struggling young screenwriter who is hired to work by an aging silent star on her comeback. It's a tense film that masterfully blends film noir and dark comedy genres. Directed by Billy Wilder, it stars William Holden, Gloria Swanson, Erich von Stroheim and Nancy Olson.

Sunset Boulevard is easily one of the best Hollywood films about Hollywood. It was nominated for 11 Oscars, including all four acting categories. It was also one of the first 25 films selected for preservation in the Library of Congress in 1989. It is often referenced in everything from literature to professional wrestling, and in 1993, it was made into an Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway show. The musical version has been put on many times, most recently the 2024 Broadway revival, which won a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

Here’s where you can find Sunset Boulevard.

Directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, Singin’ in the Rain is a classic musical comedy. The film follows a group of actors who transition from silent film to talkies. While it is set in the late 1920s, it feels beautifully 1950s. The movie stars Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds.

The musical was only a modest hit when it was first released, but has become a noted treasure of the musical genre. It has several iconic sequences, including the “Make ‘Em Laugh Number” and a breathtaking dance sequence from Kelley and Cyd Charisse. Singin’ in the Rain has become a cultural touchpoint and has been directly referenced in A Clockwork Orange, Glee, Silver Linings Playbook, and has served as an inspiration for La La Land.

Here’s where you can find Singin’ in the Rain.

“Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night!” All About Eve is a classic about an aging Broadway star, Margo Channing, and a new ingenue who emerges from Margo’s shadow. The film stars Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders and Celeste Holm. It also features Marilyn Monroe in one of her first roles.

Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, the film was nominated for a record 14 Oscars (it is tied with La La Land and Titanic), winning six. The film is also the only in Oscar history to receive four female acting nominations, with Davis and Baxter up for Best Actress and Holm and Thelma Ritter for Best Supporting Actress. Countless TV shows and movies referenced All About Eve, including Pedro Almodóvar's All About My Mother, All About Steve, Gilligan's Island and Will & Grace.

Here’s where you can find All About Eve.

Arguably, Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece, Seven Samurai, has been widely recognized as “the greatest foreign-language film ever made. The film follows a group of villagers who assemble a team of ragtag samurai to protect their crops from bandits in Japan’s Sengoku period.

Seven Samurai’s “assembling a team” trope directly influenced the genre of heist films. It has also inspired a wide array of films, from The Magnificent Seven to Star Wars to possibly Pixar’s A Bug’s Life. It is an essential film in the history of Japanese filmmaking and film history more generally. In 2016, Toho completed a 4K restoration of the film using second-generation fine-grain positive and third-generation duplicate negative elements. Unfortunately, the original negative of the film is lost.

Here’s where you can find Seven Samurai.

Vertigo is another classic film from director Alfred Hitchcock. The film follows a retired policeman who is hired as a private investigator to prevent an old acquaintance’s wife from suicide. It stars James Stewart and Kim Novak.

Vertigo is notable as the first film to use a dolly zoom. It is also beautifully shot on location in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s a visually dense film with interesting angles, costumes by Edith Head, and intentionally spiraling visuals. While it initially opened to mixed reviews, it has largely been reassessed as Hitchcock’s masterpiece. It has become a staple of “best of” lists, notably topping Sight & Sound Greatest Films of All Time in 2012.

Here’s where you can find Vertigo.

All these films are the bees' knees. So hopefully, you think this list is the ginchiest, cool cat.