Shane (1953)
[8] George Stevens (A Place in the Sun, Gunga Din) directs this Western morality tale based on the novel by Jack Schaefer. Alan Ladd plays the title character, a drifting cowboy who wanders into a sprawling Wyoming valley in the…
The War of the Worlds (1953)
[8] The War of the Worlds, based on H.G. Wells classic sci-fi novel, hits the ground running with Martians invading the world! We experience the invasion through an ensemble of characters in a quaint California community where one of the…
House of Wax (1953)
[7] While it wasn't the first major motion picture released in 3D, House of Wax still has the distinction of being the first commercially popular one. Vincent Price became a household name after starring in this gothic spook show about…
It Came from Outer Space (1953)
[6] Richard Carlson (Creature from the Black Lagoon) stars as an amateur astronomer who sees a spaceship crash in the Arizona desert. He tries to tell the community about it, but no one believes him -- especially after the crater…
Jeopardy (1953)
[6] Barbara Stanwyck stars in this intimate thriller from director John Sturges (The Great Escape, The Magnificent Seven) about a woman who is kidnapped by an escaped convict (Ralph Meeker) while trying to find help for her husband. While the…
Man on a Tightrope (1953)
[7] Fredric March plays a 1950s Czechoslovakian circus owner trying to lead his troupe in a daring escape from the Iron Curtain. The plan is to obtain a permit to perform for communist soldiers in the border territories -- then…
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
[8] If you told me I'd enjoy a movie about a unabashed gold-digger and her showgirl best friend traveling to Paris while trying to pull the wool over the eyes of a private detective attempting to catch one of them…
Peter Pan (1953)
[4] The Darling children -- Wendy, Michael, and John -- take a magical trip to Neverland with a hero only children can see or believe in: Peter Pan. Once there, they meet Pan's Lost Boys, visit the mermaids, pow-wow with…
The Actress (1953)
[6] Spencer Tracy and Jean Simmons star in this adaptation of an autobiographical stage play by writer/actress Ruth Gordon (Harold & Maude, Rosemary's Baby). The story centers around teen-aged Gordon's final year at home with her parents, when she first…
The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms (1953)
[5] This monster romp was the first solo effort by effects wizard Ray Harryhausen. All the stop-motion animation has the usual Harryhausen charm, including a famous scene where the dinosaur rages down Wall Street and chomps on a policeman. Unfortunately,…