Army v. McCarthy; Brown v. Board

Jesse Walker is now back to 1954.

https://jessewalker.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-year-we-found-elvis-ive-reeled-off.html

Here's his top ten movies for the year:

1. Rear Window

2. Seven Samurai

3. Johnny Guitar

4. Wuthering Heights

5. The Age Of Swordfish

6. Sansho The Bailiff

7. On The Waterfront

8. Inauguration Of The Pleasure Dome

9. Journey To Italy

10. Track Of The Cat

Rear Window is an experimental Hitchcock film that actually works.  I've grown to appreciate it more over the years though I still don't think it would be my #1.

Seven Samurai is one of Kurosawa's greatest.

Johnny Guitar is an unusual Western for the era.  It's okay.

Wuthering Heights is the Bunuel version--good, but not his best film of the year (see below).

The Age Of Swordfish is a short I've never seen.

Sansho The Bailiff is one of Mizoguchi's greatest. (Whenever I see that title during holiday season I can't help but sing it to "Frosty The Snowman.")

On The Waterfront was the year's Oscar winner.  I consider it a decent melodrama with excellent acting.

Inauguration Of The Pleasure Dome is a Kenneth Anger short I've never seen.

Journey To Italy is a well-done film from Rossellini.

I've never seen Track Of The Cat.

Here are Jesse's honorable mentions:

11. Illusion Travels By Streetcar

12. Corral

13. The Far Country

14. Closed Vision

15. Islands Of Fire

16. Late Chrysanthemums

17. Father Brown

18. Jazz Dance

19. La Strada

20. Senso

I like 11, should be on the list--but still not the best Bunuel of the year (see below). 13 is a pretty good Anthony Mann/Jimmy Stewart Western.  16 is a fine Japanese drama. 19 is one of Fellini's best.

I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't seen 12 (a short), 14, 15 (a short), 17 (an Alec Guinness film I've been planning to see for years), 18 (a short) and worst of all, 20.

Other films that might make my top 20:

Robinson Crusoe (the best Bunuel film of the year, though I haven't seen The River And Death)

Seven Brides For Seven Brothers

Touchez Pas Au Grisbi

Top Banana (partly for historical value)

Other films I like:

Casanova's Big Night, Creature From The Black Lagoon, Dial M For Murder, Doctor In The House, Godzilla (the Japanese film Jesse left out), Hobson's Choice, Living It Up, The Million Pound Note, White Christmas

Other films of note:

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, 3 Ring Circus, Alibaba And 40 Thieves, Apache, April In Portugal, The Atomic Kid, Bang! You're Dead, The Barefoot Contessa, The Beachcomber, Beau Brummell, Betrayed, The Black Knight, Black Widow, The Bob Mathias Story, The Bowery Boys Meet The Monsters, The Bridges At Toko-Ri, Brigadoon, The Caine Mutiny, Carmen Jones, The Count Of Monte Cristo, Dangerous Cargo, Demetrius And The Gladiators, Desiree, Destry, Dragnet, Drums Across The River, The Egyptian, Executive Suite, Fear, Forbidden Cargo, French Cancan, The Glenn Miller Story, Go Man Go!, Gorilla At Large, Hell And High Water, Hell's Half Acre, The High And The Mighty, Impulse, It Should Happen To You, Jail Bait, King Richard And The Crusaders, Knave Of Hearts, Knock On Wood, The Last Time I Saw Paris, Lost Continent, Ma And Pa Kettle At Home, Magnificent Obsession, The Men Of Sherwood Forest, Night People, Phffft, Prince Valiant, The Raid, Riot In Cell Block 11, River Of No Return, The Rocket Man, Sabrina, Salt Of The Earth, The Silver Chalice, A Star Is Born, Star Of India, The Student Prince, Susan Slept Here, Them!, There's No Business Like Show Business, Three Coins In A Fountain, Twist Of Fate, Valley Of The Kings, Young At Heart