Room for One More (1952)

Room for One More (1952)

[7]

Cary Grant already has three children and little time alone with his wife (Betsy Drake), but that doesn’t stop her from bringing home a few troubled foster children. Room for One More is a sweet comedy with just enough dramatic heft. Grant (at his droll, beleaguered best) and Drake have some great exchanges, especially after one of their boys inquires where babies come from. Grant draws the figure of a woman in the sand and explains. Drake then comes along and asks what the drawing is.

The Thing from Another World (1951)

The Thing from Another World (1951)

[7]

In this Howard Hawks production, an arctic science team finds an alien buried in the ice, so they bring it back to their facility for closer inspection. Things go awry, the monster gets loose, and before long, all the men are in danger of becoming food for the alien’s progeny. This is a great atomic-age monster movie that well exceeds expectations for the genre and the period it was made.

The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)

The Teahouse of the August Moon (1956)

[6] An American colonel (Glenn Ford) is tasked with enforcing democracy in a small Okinawan village but slowly begins to embrace the villagers' hedonistic lifestyle in this off-kilter comedy based on the play by John Patrick. It's a sweet and…
Green Mansions (1959)

Green Mansions (1959)

[5] Bizarre, lavish misfire featuring Audrey Hepburn as a jungle girl who falls in love with a political refugee played by Anthony Perkins. The movie's beautiful in a kitschy kind of way, but the story is slow-moving and suffers from…
The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)

[8]

Sinbad must rescue his wife-to-be from the clutches of an evil sorcerer who takes her away to an island full of dangerous monsters in this ebullient fantasy adventure from director Nathan Juran and pioneering effects artist Ray Harryhausen. Harryhausen’s stop-motion animation combine with Bernard Herrmann’s music to give this romantic adventure wings. You can see and hear the passions of both men in the film, and these achievements pretty much make The 7th Voyage of Sinbad what it is:  sweet, charming, escapist fare for the whole family. 

Rio Bravo (1959)

Rio Bravo (1959)

[10] An unshakable sheriff and his riff-raff crew brace for a days-long siege when a swarm of bad guys descend on their town, threatening to free one of their own from jail. Rio Bravo is the last great film from…
Auntie Mame (1958)

Auntie Mame (1958)

[10] A young boy is orphaned and left in the care of his only living relative, an eccentric aunt who defies convention and encourages discovery. The pair endure challenge after challenge in an episodic narrative that ends in the boy…
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)

[10]

This terrifying tale of emasculation is my favorite sci-fi/horror flick from the atomic age. Grant Williams stars as Scott Carey, a man who gets caught in a strange mist while boating with his wife. Afterwards, he notices his clothes don’t fit quite like they used to. His wife assures him everything is fine, that he just needs to eat more. A few days later, she finds she no longer has to get on her tip-toes to kiss him, and before you know it, his wedding ring falls right off his shrinking finger.

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

[8]

A British colonel (Alec Guinness) leads his fellow POWs in constructing a bridge for their Japanese captors, unaware of the fact that allied forces, guided by a reluctant American (William Holden), have launched a covert mission to destroy it. David Lean’s film zips along remarkably well considering it’s nearly-three-hour running time. The film benefits from its exotic locale, Oscar-winning cinematography, and distinguished performances.

Friendly Persuasion (1956)

Friendly Persuasion (1956)

[9]

William Wyler directs this story about an Indiana Quaker family trying hard to keep their pacifist faith while the Civil War creeps up on their doorstep. The screenplay makes the period setting completely accessible, skillfully blending comedy and drama with character and substance. I quickly invested in the family, especially Gary Cooper as the father, a man who enjoys horse racing his neighbor to church on Sunday mornings. Dorothy McGuire is beautiful and endearing as his stalwart wife, and Anthony Perkins makes a memorable turn as their oldest son.