This is part of my continuing series looking back on films from the years before I began this blog. The ten films below are unranked and listed in no particular order. Enjoy.
Hobson's Choice - This is my favorite David Lean film. It's a small, spry domestic comedy-drama starring that takes place mostly in a boot shop and stars Charles Laughton, John Mills, and Brenda De Banzie - all at the top of their game. It manages to constantly defy expectations, combining a comedy about a tyrant father pitted against his sharp-minded daughter, and a sweet "Pygmalion" story that develops real weight by the end.
It Should Happen to You - I adore Judy Holliday. When she got going, she was the most wonderful, funny, vivacious screen presence. Paired with Jack Lemmon in his first leading man role, she's an absolute delight. Holliday plays a fame-hungry young woman who finds unlikely success through sheer obstinance, and has to choose between her new career and her new guy. But she wants both, and she wants both vehemently.
La Strada - A fable-like Fellini masterpiece that gives us a good snapshot of his worldview. His characters are tropes, but so humanely crafted - the brutish strongman, the thoughtful fool, and of course the simple-minded innocent, Gelsomina, played perfectly by Giulietta Masina. Their connections are tenuous and their happiness is brief, limited to their time on the road as travelling performers. And, alas, it's all too brief.
Late Chrysanthemums - Mikio Naruse made several films about the modernization of Japanese society, and the struggles of women in particular to adjust to the changing times. "Late Chrysanthemums" is about a quartet of middle aged geisha, who are barely scraping by due to their low status and limited options. The lead is played by Haruko Sugimura, a reliable character actress in so many other Japanese cinema classics.
Rear Window - Alfred Hitchcock had a wonderful habit of coming up with these wildly ambitious productions, just to try something new and different. "Rear Window" involved the construction of an entire, gigantic courtyard set, all diegetic music, and having the leading man stuck in a wheelchair for nearly the entire running time. As Hitchcock thrillers go, this is one of the most entertaining and the most influential.
Sabrina - Frankly, I don't like Audrey Hepburn paired with either of her leading men in this movie, but she is at her most winning as the chauffeur's daughter who is in love with the wrong person. This was her follow-up to "Roman Holiday," and cemented her status as a star. Meanwhile, Billy Wilder was in the middle of his legendary 1950s streak, and Linus Larrabee has my vote for the last truly great Humphrey Bogart performance.
Senso - The wow factor of "Senso" cannot be overstated. This was Luchino Visconti's first historical drama, and his first stab at really capturing the grandeur of the Italian aristocracy. As the title alludes, the film is full of sensory pleasures, especially in the visuals. It has such richness to its textures and colors, and the scope of the production is breathtaking. The opera sequence is one of the greatest things Visconti ever did.
Seven Samurai - It is very difficult to try and summarize the immense success that is Akira Kurosawa's "Seven Samurai." It's easily the most beloved Japanese film ever made, a perfect action picture that feels shorter than it is, that has been remade and remixed a hundred different ways, and that still somehow plays as well as it did decades ago. I think it's safe to say that if you love movies, you probably love "Seven Samurai."
Twenty-Four Eyes - Teaching as a profession is endlessly romanticized on film, because it has such dramatic potential. What starts out as a sweet little film about a first grade teacher and her twelve pupils transforms into a tearful WWII melodrama as we learn what happens to everyone over the next eighteen years. What makes it so interesting is that it embraces the quieter moments, staying far away from the action, but not the drama.
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - Kirk Douglas sings! James Mason menaces! If I go by my usual rules of saving a place on every yearly list for the film with the most pure entertainment power, this is it. This was the big Disney produced blockbuster action picture of the year, with an all star cast, and a big special-effects laden ending. That giant squid showed up as a clip in Disney branded media for decades. How could I not love this?
Honorable Mention:
Track of the Cat
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