This is part of a series of top ten lists from the years before I started this blog. Entries are listed below in no particular order. Enjoy.
Scrooge - I truly feel that every subsequent cinematic adaptation of "A Christmas Carol," including the ones featuring Mickey Mouse, CGI Jim Carrey, and Kermit the Frog, owe something to this version, featuring Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge. This is the version that establishes so many of the visual tropes and familiar images that we all know and love. And Sim himself is such a perfect, curmudgeonly Scrooge, whose transformation into a benevolent man is such a joy to behold.
Bellissima - A very different film about fame is Luchino Visconti's neorealist drama about a woman intent on making her unexceptional little daughter famous. The mother is played by Anna Magnani, giving a committed performance that is all nerves and anxiety. As her hopes are continuously strung along, Visconti gives us a critical look at the way show business works in Italy, and how dreams of stardom can make even the most devoted mother lose sight of what's most important for their child.
Ace in the Hole - One of Billy Wilder's most cynical films explores the dark side of news media sensationalism. Kirk Douglas is memorably awful as a jaded reporter who seeks to profit off of an accident that has left a man trapped in rubble. Though the methods and the media are different, the appalling lapses in journalistic ethics are all too familiar. Wilder does a fantastic job of depicting how the situation spins out of control, and how easy it is to be swept up in the excitement of the crowd.
The River - A lovely film about a white girl growing up in India, about a first love that goes sour, and about social divides that aren't as insurmountable as they seem. There are difficult subjects lingering around the edges of the story related to colonialism, exploitation, and colonial strife, but Jean Renoir is able to present a sensitive, thoughtful portrait of adolescence that acknowledges the troubled waters that the children will have to navigate, while still their celebrating their momentary innocence and joy.
A Streetcar Named Desire - The melodrama feels very tame today, but at the time of its release, this adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play was considered one of the most shocking, daring films ever made. Simply making veiled references to Blanche Dubois and Stanley Kowalski's sexual impropriety and psychological issues was considered pushing boundaries. The intense performances, especially on the part of Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh make "Streetcar" a striking piece of cinema to this day.
The African Queen - Famously, this is the film that Humphrey Bogart finally won his Oscar for, and it was well deserved. The story of the behind-the-scenes madness of the making of this film is the stuff of movie legend. John Huston shot much of "The African Queen" on location in extreme conditions, but the resulting images were worth it. The chemistry between the leads, however, is what really makes the film a great watch, and helped to set the template for so many adventure film romances that followed.
M - The Joseph Losey remake of Fritz Lang's crime classic is a fantastic film in and of itself. I especially appreciate it for the way that it transplants the action from Berlin to Los Angeles, and is largely shot on locations. Thus, it is able to serve as a time capsule for the city during the 1950s, preserving views of neighborhoods that don't exist anymore. And while it does a great job of recreating segments of the original "M," the remake comes up with a few of its own - including the fantastic Bradbury building heist.
Death of a Salesman - This adaptation of Arthur Miller's play has become fairly obscure over time, but I enjoy it greatly for its stellar cast and its intense, dramatic filmmaking. I also find the story of Willy Lohman and his family more poignant when it's being told using the familiar dramatic devices of the time period from which it was originally conceived. The bleak cinematography pairs beautifully with Miller's language, and I appreciate the film retains certain sequences other adaptations tend to remove.
Strangers on a Train - The critics didn't like this Alfred Hitchcock thriller much when it was first released, as they thought it was too sensational and too contrived. However, the precisely orchestrated thrills and chills, and the outre characters are so clearly the point of the film, and Hitch used them to create some of his most wonderful moments of cinema. My favorite is the tennis match sequence, where the crowd is watching the ball go back and forth - except for one man, whose steady gaze is instantly disturbing.
An American in Paris - Possibly the apex of the Gene Kelly musical extravaganza. The dance sequences were never bigger or more elaborate, with a full blown ballet serving as the film's thrilling climax. The art direction, which not only recreates Paris, but multiple artists' versions of Paris, is absolutely spectacular. The George Gershwin music is, of course, a marvel. And then there's Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron, falling in love through song and dance in a way that could only happen in the movies.
Honorable Mention:
The Steel Helmet
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