Welcome reader to part 2 of Musea's fairly complete, chronological movie guide to the best films of all time. Last issue 1894-1949. This issue 1950-1990's.

But listings alone are boring so: Look for lots of asides, spotlights on great directors (it's a director's art), best of the best films (* after title), super years in cinema (*'s after year) and terribly biased personal comments. Even if you skip every listed movie you'll still have a fun short, history of film.

Musea encourages you to save these issues by your TV set for your personal movie guide. The complete listing is free on our website or send $6 to Musea and we'll send you all issues ($3 for each separate).

READ, DISCUSS, ENJOY -
Overture, Curtain, Lights... Action!

1950

Sunset Boulevard.* Closeup of aging film star, Nora Desmond and her boy toy. Billy Wilder directs.

All About Eve.* Bumpy roads all around in this classic of battling actresses.

Los Olvidados. (Mex.) Juvenile toughs in the slums of Mexico. Bunuel directs.

Rabbit of Seville. Bugs and Elmer sing opera (cartoon).

Rashomon(Jap.) 4 versions of a rape. Akira Kurosawa's first international hit.
DIRECTOR: Akira Kurosawa is Japan's first world reknown director. His films are dark, dramatic, always serious, and often epic in scale.

The Asphalt Jungle. Caper film with Marilyn Monroe as the gorgeous moll. John Huston directs.

Born Yesterday. Tutoring the junk dealer's girl, Judy Holliday, to give her class.

La Ronde . (Fr.) French affairs galore!

Cinderella. Disney's animated version of the Fairy Tale.

Gun Crazy. Film noir classic of couple on crime spree.

Atoll K (Utopia). Castaways Laurel & Hardy land on an Island and form a utopia. Their last film. 1951
Scrooge.* Alistair Sim as best Scrooge in Dickens Christmas classic.

The African Queen. * Bogart & Hepburn battling each other, the Congo, and the Nazis.

A Streetcar Named Desire.* Brando yells 'Stella', and Blanche whispers, 'I've always depended on the kindness of strangers.' Elia Kazan directs the Tennessee Williams' play.

Strangers On A Train. Double murder (?) from Hitchcock.

An American In Paris. * Gene Kelly does Gershwin with Oscar Levant on piano - oui!

The River. Jean Renoir directs this tale of 3 teen Brits in Bengali. Stunning color.

The Lavender Hill Mob. (Brit.) Bank heist with adventure and laughs.

The Lemon Drop Kid. Christmas gem about kind-hearted hustler, Bob Hope.

Happy Go Lucky. (Brit.) Beauty, Vera-Ellen and disguised millionaire David Niven in a fun and too often overlooked, musical. MONSTERS INVADE THE SCREEN: With TV coming into more and more homes, the movies are more and more geared to the teen market. One outcome is an outpouring of both horrid and classic sci-fi films such as:
The Day The Earth Stood Still. Aliens land and they want peace. Code phrase: "Klaatu barada nikto!"

The Thing From Another World. Arctic researchers unthaw alien. Big mistake!

1952
Singin' In The Rain.* Talkies invade film, is backdrop of Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, etc. singing and dancing. Just may be the best musical.

Umberto D. * (Ital.) Pensioner, dog, and unmarried pregnant maid in post war Italy.

Ikuru.* (Jap.) Bureaucrat dying of cancer Akira Kurosawa directs.

Tragedy of Othello. Orson Welles directs and stars in Shakespeare's play on a budget.
DIRECTOR . Orson Welles was a director of tragedies, most of which seemed to be in getting the funding for his visions. Time & again after Citizen Kane, studio funding & fights seems to doom all of Welles' flawed masterpieces. An original genius with a somewhat incomplete body of very great films.

Limelight. Chaplin's Pygmalian. Note Chaplin and Buster Keaton together!

Monkey Business Cary Grant tells blonde bombshell secretary, Monroe to "Find someone to type this." Best drug comedy of the 50's.

High Noon. Gary Cooper in showdown with clock beating and town retreating!

The Bad And The Beautiful. Kirk Douglas, ambitious producer, claws his way to the top in Hollywood.

Kansas City Confidential. Film noir about ex-con

1953**** (great year for foreign films and foreign places)
Roman Holiday. * Best princess, Audrey Hepburn, and pauper love story.

From Here To Eternity. * Pearl Harbor, waves on the beach love scene, and Sinatra's comeback role.

Mr. Hulot's Holiday. * (Fr.) Jaques Tati is the French version of Buster Keaton and is arguably as hilarious. Here he visits a resort.

Tokyo Story. (Jap.) Elderly couple dealing with the trials of old age.

Wages Of Fear.* (Fr./Ital.) Transporting nitro in S. American jungle.

Ugetsu. (Jap.) Story of 2 peasants in 16th century Japan.

I Vitellone. * (Ital.) Fellini directs this comedy / drama of 5 slackers in a small town.

Earings of Madame de ... (Fr.) earring mixup.

Welcome Mr. Martial. (Sp.) Little town prepares for dignitary.

Sawdust and Tinsel. (Swe.) Circus comes to town and complications follow. Ingmar Bergman directs.
DIRECTOR Swedish director Ingmar Bergman is often heavy handed but also masterful in his dark films of very high drama.

Stalag 17. * POW's with spy amongst them. Billy Wilder directs.

Salt Of The Earth. * Film about Mexican mine workers got everyone blacklisted: director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. Even banned by Congress!
IS EVERYON IN HOLLYWOOD A COMMIE? The red scare becomes epidemic and anyone who favors workers over fat cats is given the once over, and often is shamelessly blacklisted. Hollywood for the most part caves in and purges itself of any "un-American activities" The cold war is at its coldest!

Shane. Gunfighter rescues family, and boy yells for his return in famous ending scene. But does he? Duck Amuck. * Chuck Jones directs. Daffy is being hassled by the animator's hand.

Duck Dogers in the 24 1/2 Century. * Daffy battles Marvin the Martian.

The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. Dr. Suess tale of fiendish piano teacher Hans Conreid.

Peter Pan. Disney does the Barrie classic of the boy who refuses to grow up.

Lili. Leslie Caron, puppets & music.

War of The Worlds. Martians attack (again! See above.) H.G. Wells' classic.

AND NOW FOR 2 I AWARD AS BEING THE WORST OF THEIR KIND: '(x)' after film means it's sooooo bad it deserves special recognition.
Robot Monster.(x) Worst costumed monster - gorilla suit with diving helmet!

Glen or Glenda.(x) Unbelievable Ed Wood bomb about the trials of a transvestite. Worst film ever?
DIRCTOR: Ed Wood has in recent years gained notoriety as the worst director of all time and it's hard to find a worser! See the awful originals, then see the '94 film Ed Wood.

1954
Rear Window. * Wheelchair bound peeping Tom sees murder? Hitchcock.

Seven Samarai. * (Jap.) Terrified village hires mercenaries to protect them from bandits. Kurasawa directs.

Rififi.* (Fr.) Best completely silent burglary scene in a big heist movie.

On The Waterfront. Brando coulda been a contender in this Elia Kazan story about the NYC longshoremen
DIRECTOR: Elia Kazan comes from the theater with the Stanislavski method of acting. His films seem to pit characters against overwhelming odds And tragedy results.

La Strada. (Ital.) Mother sells daughter to wrestler and then... Fellini film.

Sansho The Bailiff. (Jap.) Family troubles in 16th century Japan.

The Wild Ones. The original motorcycle gang movie. When Brando is asked what he's rebelling against he says, "Whadda ya got?"

Samurai. * Trilogy of Samurai films directed by Hiroshi Inagaki: Saumrai 1, Musashi Miyamoto, Samurai 2 Duel at Ichijoji Temple (55), Samurai 3 Duel at Ganryu Island (56)

TV IS COMING TO MORE AND MORE HOMES. Note the next 2 entries
Top Banana. Phil Silvers does burlesque

The Long Long Trailer. Honeymooners Lucy & Ricky drive across country with a house trailer.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Disney does Jules Verne tale with great special effects.

Godzilla, King of the Monsters. (Jap.) Giant lizard attacks for the first time.

Them. Giant ants!

1955**** (Darkly romantic year)
Marty.* Paddy Chayefsky story of lonely bachelor who finds romance with a plain looking girl

. Mister Roberts.* Officers on board. Masterful blend of comedy and tragedy. And what happened to James Cagney's palm tree?

The Night Of The Hunter. * Really creepy story of killer with 'love' & 'hate' tatooed on his fingers. Robert Mitchum stars.

Rebel Without A Cause. * Best teen movie with a curse on the leads: James Dean (his best), Natalie Wood, and Sal Mineo.

Diabolique. * (Fr.) Where's the body?

To Catch A Thief. Hitchcock film with an incredibly romantic fireworks scene starring Cary Grant & Grace Kelly.

The Seven Year Itch. Sex comedy of married man and MM. Note Marilyn's billowing white dress over the street vent, scene.

Picnic. Sizzling love story with sexy dancing by Kim Novak.

Oklahoma. The groundbreaking stage musical (cause its not all lite comedy) comes to the screen with music by Rodgers & Hammerstein.

Lady And The Tramp. Disney's 2 dogs (sharing a string of spaghetti) animated cartoon.

Davy Crockett King of The Wild Frontier. 3TV shows of the wildly popular Disney frontier bio. And yes, I too had a coonskin cap.

Night & Fog. Holocaust documentary shot in Auschwitz.

Ordet. (Dan.) Family troubles on Danish farm.

Smiles of a Summer Night. Bergman's sex and more comedy.

Pather Panchali.*(Ind.) First of 3 films about the struggles of Apu, an Indian boy. Followed by Aparjito (56) and World of Apu (59)

Kiss Me Deadly. Influential film noir - What's in that box?

1956
Court Jester. * Danny Kaye in his best sophisticated silliness as the Jester. How does he do that? And so fast.

A Man Escaped (Fr.) French resistance fighter escapes.

The Searchers. * John Wayne searching for niece kidnapped by Indians.

The Killing. Racetrack robbery. Stanley Kubrick directs.
DIRECTOR: Stanley Kubrick will continue to make, calculating, quirky, and brilliant films, slowly and methodically till his death in the 90's.

The Red Balloon. (Fr.) Boy & balloon on the town.

Ten Commandments. Big Bible epic amazes in the parting of the Red Sea scene. Melodramatic and almost campy in spots. Cecile B. DeMille directs.

Forbidden Planet. * Ambitious 50's sci-fi version of the Tempest. Note the electronic music score.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Enough said! Warn the people!

Rock Around The Clock. This first film featuring Rock & Roll, from Bill Haley & The Comets and others, stirs up the teen-age theater audience too much and is banned in many countries.

1957 **** (very serious year for social issue films.)
The Seventh Seal. * (Swe.) Best chess match with death. Best Bergman (?)

Paths Of Glory. * One of the all time best insanity of war films, and based on fact! Kubrick directs, Kirk Douglas stars.

Sweet Smell Of Success.*The machinations of ruthless columnist, Burt Lancaster.

A Face In The Crowd. * Andy Griffith goes from nowheresville to media manipulating mega-star.

Wild Strawberries. (Swe.) Flashback life of Stockholm professor. Bergman directs.

Throne of Blood. (Jap.) Macbeth in Samurai clothes. Kurasawa directs.

Nights of Cabria. (Ital.) Young prostitute dreams of the sweet life. Fellini directs.

12 Angry Men. Jury Suspense.

Witness For The Prosecution. London courtroom suspense. Billy Wilder directs.

The Bridge Over The River Kwai. Japanese POW's build bridge, Ka-BOOOM!

Desk Set. Efficiency expert and his computer raise havoc in the office. Hepburn Tracy comedy.

Old Yeller. Boy & dog Disney story. Best kid cry film.

The Incredible Shrinking Man. xxs tale.

Funny Face. Fred Astaire as Richard Avedon, model photographer in stylish musical with Gershwin tunes. Audry Hepburn as the funny face.

Jailhouse Rock. Elvis's best film though he'd never watch it due to the too young death of leading lady, Judy Tyler. He's a con who makes it big in records.
Also noteworthy are: Les Girls. Gene Kelly and 3 beauties, & Girl Most Likely. Lite musical with notable choreography by Gower Champion.

1958
Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. * A Tennessee Williams play about Southern mendacity and what a cast!

Touch of Evil.* Best film noir (if you see the restored version) by Orson Welles. Opening shot is miraculously loooong, complicated, and brilliant.

Mon Oncle. * (Fr.) Jacque Tati as Hulot, who lives a simple life, but his sister and her husband! Everything so modern!

Ivan The Terrible. (Rus.) Part 2, the saga continues. Eisenstein directs.

Vertigo. Hitchcock classic. Don't look down or you'll see double.

Night To Remember. * Docu-style account of the Titanic shipwreck.

The Hidden Fortress. (Jap.) Kurasawa story of 2 peasant farmers caught in a war. Influenced Star Wars' robot characters.

Ansiktet. (Swe.)Vogler's Magnetic Health Theater comes to town. Bergman directs.

No Time For Sergeants. Andy Griffith drives his sergeant crazy!

1959
Some Like It Hot.* On the lamb guys, hide in women's band. Wilder directs.

400 Blows. * Best up - in - the - air ending of all time in this tale of boy growing up in mean world. Francois Truffaut directs.
DIRECTOR. French director Francois Truffaut has a body of films that are bitter sweet., a mix of pleasant dreams and harsh reality. Always intriguing.

Hiroshima Mon Amour. * (Fr.) Stunning film class favorite, mixing passion and the bomb, that no one can be blasè about.

North By Northwest. * Hitchcock has his characters hiding in the Mount Rushmore faces!

Anatomy Of A Murder. * Courtroom drama with large cast.

Ben Hur. Roman chariot race is the all time action scene classic. Charlton Heston stars.

On The Beach. Kubrick tale of post nuclear war, Australia waiting for the fallout.

Black Orpheus. (Fr./Port.) Updating of the legend of Orpheus, at Rio Carnival. Note the music of classic Bossa Nova composer Antonio Carlos Jobim.

Ballad Of A Soldier. (Rus.) 19 year old soldier's mettle is tested.

Journey To The Center Of The Earth. James Mason, Pat Boone, etc. on a trek to the center. Overlooked Jules Verne gem of adventure and fantasy.

Pillow Talk. One of a series of Doris Day, Rock Hudson romantic comedies. Party line mix ups provide the confusion. (Epitome of the 50's couple?)

Sleeping Beauty. Disney cartoon of the fairy tale.

Plan 9 From Outer Space. (x) Ed Wood at his worst again! Plot here means an area of the ground!

1960
Psycho. * Motel, shower-scene, drain, Hitchcock!

Breathless. *Jean-Luc-Godard directs in the new wave style of cinema. Avant garde story of a day in the life of a petty thief. Note Jean Seberg's Beatle haircut!

The Apartment. * Boss wants to use Jack Lemmon's apt. to bed his girl! Billy Wilder directs.

La Dolce Vita. *(Ital.) Marcello Mastoianni as tabloid reporter in Rome. Anita Ekberg as fountain decoration! A Fellini film.

The Entertainer. Laurence Olivier as vaudevillian. World's best actor in his best performance?

Virgin Spring. * (Swe.) Powerful drama of rape of farmer's daughter and his revenge. Bergman directs.

L'Aventura. (Ital.) Woman's disappearance gets the discussion going. First of trilogy by Michelangelo Antonioni,La Notte, and L'Eclisse.
DIRECTOR: Michelangelo Antonioni always seems to leave you up in the air. You come out saying what happens next? Some, like me, adore this ambiguity.

The Bad Sleep Well. (Jap.) Scandal in the company. Kurasawa directs.

Magnificent Seven. 'western' version of Kurasawa's 7 Samurai.

Rocco And His Brothers. (Ital.) Long epic of farm family that moves to Milan.

Peter Pan. * Mary Martin in the TV musical of the boy who could fly.

Little Shop Of Horrors. * Best movie shot in 2 days, of meat eating plant! A lot better than you think it will be.

The Time Machine. Rod Taylor at the controls.

Oceans 11. Sinatra and the Rat Pack in Las Vegas Casinos (plural!) heist. Pure entertainment.

1961
One, Two, Three. *James Cagney, Coca Cola sales, and the cold war. Fast-talking sophisticated comedy by Billy Wilder.

The Hustler. Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason play serious pool.

West Side Story. Romeo & Juliet as 50's teen gangs musical: choreography Jerome Robbins, music Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim.

Yojimbo. * Samurai soldier for hire works both sides of the conflict. Kurasawa directs. Also see sequel Sanjuro (62).

The Innocents. Deborah Kerr is governess to little boy and girl in this thriller based on Henry James Turn of the Screw

. Murder She Said. (Brit.) First of 4 Miss Marple (Margaret Rutherford) solves the crime, films. All first rate.

A Raisin In The Sun.* Lorraine Hansberry's play of Chicago Black family, starring Sidney Poitier.

Two Women. (Ital.) Mother (Sophia Loren) and daughter trying to survive WW2.

The Misfits. Marilyn does her husband, Arthur Miller's script of 4 misfits and Mustangs running free. Stellar cast. Clark Gable's last film.

Breakfast At Tiffany's. Audrey Hepburn as Holly Go Lightly with Henry Mancini score and a touching rain scene.

1962
To Kill A Mockingbird. * Black man accused of rape. Gregory Peck defends in his best performance.

The Pier. (Fr.)Sci-fi. Post apocalypse band sends one back in time, for food.

Cape Fear. Good family man Peck versus evil Robert Mitchum.

Manchurian Candidate. Sinatra's best film, with Angela Lansbury playing the scariest mother on film, is about political assassination. Note the year!

Music Man.* 76 trombones and more. Robert Preston leads the band.

Requiem For A Heavyweight. Best Rod Serling on film about beat up boxer.

Days Of Wine And Roses. Alcoholic couple battle their demons. Blake Edwards directs.
DIRECTOR: Though the above film is serious, Blake Edwards will do his best work in deep dark black comedies, a genre he has mastered.

The Exterminating Angel. (Mex.) The after- opera High society party never ends! Luis Bunuel

Knife In The Water. (Pol.) Couple pick up student for sailing weekend. First film for Roman Polanski.
DIRECTOR: Roman Polanski will push the envelope in his always controversial films. Then too, there's the murder of his wife Sharon Tate, and his conviction of having sex with a minor in his real life!

Cybele. (Fr.) French vet of Vietnam War tries to recover his old life.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Jimmy Stewart , as lawyer tries to tame the west. John Ford directs. Also stars John Wayne.

Lolita. May - December??? romance. Stanley Kubrick directs.

Miracle Worker. Anne Bancroft as teacher and Patty Duke as equally as stubborn Helen Keller .

Lawrence Of Arabia. Epic saga of T.E. Lawrence. Very exotic.

The Longest Day. Super big epic of Normandy Invasion with stars galore.

Carnival of Souls. A lot of thrills and chills in this horror film for its $30,000 budget.

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