Eisenhower Elected

Jesse Walker has gone back to 1952, which only seems forever ago.

https://jessewalker.blogspot.com/2023/01/52-card-pickup-so-far-ive-blogged-my.html

Here are his top ten films:

1. Ikiru

2. The Tragedy Of Othello, A Moor Of Venice

3. Singin' In The Rain

4. Viva Zapata!

5. The Lusty Men

6. My Son John

7. Water, Water Every Hare

8. The Narrow Margin

9. Rancho Notorious

10. Casque d'Or

Hard to argue with Ikiru (even if it's a bit long).  Now that it's dropping off critics' lists, I feel even better about it.

Welles' tends to wrestle Shakespeare to a draw, which is why his adaptations of the Bard tend to be my least favorite films of his. Further, Othello was made under trying circumstances and I think it shows.

Singin' In The Rain should be #1.  In fact, there are very few years where it wouldn't be #1.

Marlon Brando gave a number of fine performances early in his film career.  While Emiliano Zapata isn't my favorite, it's still pretty good. Same for the movie. (Is it worth noting he wouldn't be allowed to do it today?  Same with Welles above?)

There were a lot of Westerns in the 50s, but The Lusty Men stands apart.

I wouldn't call My Son John a good film, but I don't know if you can judge such an oddity by normal standards.

Water, Water Every Hare is a short.

The Narrow Margin reminds you how much fun film noir could be.

Rancho Notorious, while not a classic, is one of a number of films that makes me think maybe Lang was better in America than Germany.

Casque d'Or holds up pretty well.

Here are Jesse's honorable mentions:

11. Magical Maestro

12. Forbidden Games

13. Umberto D

14. A Phantasy

15. Bells Of Atlantis

16. Son Of Paleface

17. The Beast Must Die

18. La Jeune Folle

19. Scaramouche

20. The Happy Family

12 and 16 might make my top ten.  13 and 19 definitely would. 11, 14 and 15 are shorts.  Haven't seen 17, 18 or 20.

Here are other films that might make my top ten or twenty.

The Bad And The Beautiful

The Crimson Pirate

The Life Of Oharu

This Is Cinerama

The White Sheik

Other films I like:

5 Fingers, The Belle Of New York, The Golden Coach, Hans Christian Andersen, The Importance Of Being Earnest, Jumping Jacks, Mexican Bus Ride, Park Row, Pat And Mike, Road To Bali, Sailor Beware

Other films of note:

Abbott And Costello Meet Captain Kidd, Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla, Bend Of The River, Beware, My Lovely, Big Jim McLain, The Big Sky, The Big Trees, Bloodhounds Of Broadway, Breakdown, Bwana Devil, Clash By Night, Come Back, Little Sheba, Deadline--USA, Don't Bother To Knock, Europa '51, A Girl In Every Port, The Greatest Show On Earth, The Happy Time, Here Come The Marines, Here Come The Nelsons, High Noon, Hold that Line, Holiday For Henrietta,  Invasion, USA, Ivanhoe, Jack And The Beanstalk, Kansas City Confidential, The Las Vegas Story, Limelight, Lone Star, Lovely To Look At, Ma And Pa Kettle At The Fair, Macao, Mandy, The Marrying Kind, Meet Danny Wilson, The Member Of The Wedding, Million Dollar Mermaid, Monkey Business, Moulin Rouge, O. Henry's Full House, Plymouth Adventure, The Quiet Man, Room For One More, Ruby Gentry, Scandal Sheet, The Sound Barrier, The Star And Stars And Stripes Forever, Wait Till The Sun Shines, Nellie, We're Not Married!, Where's Charley?, The White Reindeer, With A Song In My Heart