TO BE A BOY IN THIS WORLD
by ethanael | created - 01 Feb 2015 | updated - 06 Nov 2017 | Publica collection of films (1921-2016) about a boy´s life in this world - a list which i have made from scratch (and not copying it from other imdb user lists). all these movies represent BOYHOOD in different cultural historical societal religious etc. context and from various viewpoints and ages (the protagonists age being approximately from 1 to 18).
most of these films offer an alternative to uninspiringly sweet and stuffy family movies or commercial spectacles (harry potters etc). i think that a constantly and consistently happy boy is a phony anomaly and he is also very boring and disgusting to watch.
if you are a responsible (and perhaps unconventional) adult in a boy´s life you can watch these films together but see and read up my comments and reviews if necessary! many items i have listed here are more or less inapproriate for the youngest viewers or are only relevant for adult audience.
UPDATING OF THE LIST FINISHED AFTER 2016 because of the copycats. I may still add comments and reviews for those films already on the list.
- Instant Watch Options
- Genres
- Movies or TV
- IMDb Rating
- In Theaters
- Release Year
- Keywords
1. The Kid (1921)
Passed | 68 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
The Tramp cares for an abandoned child, but events put their relationship in jeopardy.
Director: Charles Chaplin | Stars: Charles Chaplin, Edna Purviance, Jackie Coogan, Carl Miller
Votes: 134,675 | Gross: $5.45M
a timeless classic; even a smart phone generation will like it. perhaps a little overrated now as all the chaplin films but mostly enjoyable and watchable.
2. A Pál -utcai fúk (1929)
Drama
A couple of boy gangs in Budapest constantly fight over the neighborhood turf. One of the Paul Street gang members is a highly sensitive youth that is humiliated and taunted by members of ... See full summary »
Director: Béla Balogh | Stars: Géza Berczy, Ernö Verebes, Imre Kis
Votes: 25
one of the early filmings of the famous novel by ferenc molnar.
3. Emil and the Detectives (1931)
75 min | Adventure, Family, Drama
Emil goes to Berlin to see his grandmother with a large amount of money and is offered sweets by a strange man that make him sleep. He wakes up at his stop with no money. It is up to him and a group of children to save the day.
Director: Gerhard Lamprecht | Stars: Rolf Wenkhaus, Käthe Haack, Fritz Rasp, Rudolf Biebrach
Votes: 715
a german classic. remade in 1954 and 2001.
4. Road to Life (1931)
Passed | 105 min | Crime, Drama
Young hobos are brought to a new camp to become good Soviet citizens. This camp works without any guards. But crooks kill one of the young people when they try to damage the newly build railroad to that camp.
Director: Nikolai Ekk | Stars: Nikolay Batalov, Yvan Kyrlya, Mikhail Dzhagofarov, Mikhail Zharov
Votes: 473
this was the first soviet talkie and nikolas ekk´s only prominent work strongly influenced by other soviet masters of the era. the story is of course propagandistic and unintentionally comical for contemporary viewers but disregarding the funny aspects it still remains a fascinating film and also highly influential in world cinema. especially film freaks and history students will appreciate it. recommended.
5. I Was Born, But... (1932)
Not Rated | 90 min | Comedy, Drama
Two young brothers throw a tantrum when they discover that their father isn't the most important man in his workplace.
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Tatsuo Saitô, Tomio Aoki, Mitsuko Yoshikawa, Hideo Sugawara
Votes: 6,203
one of the greatest silent classics in world cinema by the japanese master yasujiro ozu; absolutely charming and very highly recommended.
6. Poil de carotte (1932)
91 min | Drama
A red-haired boy is his mother's punching bag ; only his father's presence is a great comfort to him,but this weak man is under the shrew's thumb. His pain is so great he feels suicidal.
Director: Julien Duvivier | Stars: Harry Baur, Robert Lynen, Louis Gauthier, Simone Aubry
Votes: 747
the suicide of any child is a tragic event, and although relatively rare, it is still a leading cause of death in children under 15 years old worldwide - did you know that? this very old film deals with this painful and terrible topic. of course it is over 80 years old and perhaps handles the theme a bit too lightheartedly but the climax is still horrifying! how rejected and unloved must a child feel that he decides to do the utmost act?
this is not the first cinematic dramatization of the famous autobiographical novel by jules renard (the first was in 1925 by the same director) but i think it is the best and most recommendable. see also comprehensive and illuminating user reviews.
7. Zero for Conduct (1933)
Not Rated | 47 min | Drama
In a repressive boarding school with rigid rules of behavior, four boys decide to rebel against the direction on a celebration day.
Director: Jean Vigo | Stars: Jean Dasté, Robert le Flon, Louis Lefebvre, Du Verron
Votes: 9,351
a surrealist french classic; its anarchism is appealing.
8. David Copperfield (1935)
Passed | 130 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
A gentle orphan discovers life and love in an indifferent adult world.
Director: George Cukor | Stars: Freddie Bartholomew, Frank Lawton, Edna May Oliver, Elizabeth Allan
Votes: 4,762
old and perhaps outdated now but many consider this to be the best interpretation of the novel.
9. An Inn in Tokyo (1935)
80 min | Drama
Unemployed Kihachi and his two sons struggle to make ends meet. But that doesn't keep Kihachi from wooing single mother Otaka.
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Takeshi Sakamoto, Yoshiko Okada, Chôko Iida, Tomio Aoki
Votes: 1,644
the last silent film is only a minor piece in ozu´s career but is worth a look if you are a really serious fan of the japanese master.
10. Paradise Road (1936)
86 min | Comedy, Drama
Simultaneously filmed Czech language version of a German film, in which an unhappy dogcatcher in the poor part of town has a transformative experience befriending an abandoned boy and a stray animal.
Director: Martin Fric | Stars: Hugo Haas, Hana Vítová, Zdenek Stepánek, Jirí Dohnal
Votes: 19
a czech classic. i have taken all the available measures to watch this film, to no avail (yet). so i cannot give any personal comment or recommendation but read up on the other reviews.
11. Children in the Wind (1937)
88 min | Drama
Two young boys are usurped from being the head of their gang of children. Their father is fired and arrested for this, and they are sent to live with their uncle, only to spend their time thinking of ways to escape back home.
Director: Hiroshi Shimizu | Stars: Reikichi Kawamura, Mitsuko Yoshikawa, Masao Hayama, Tomio Aoki
Votes: 317
an excellent film by japanese director hiroshi shimizu. highly recommended but the film is unfortunately hard to find.
12. Four Seasons of Children (1939)
141 min | Drama
The brothers of Children In The Wind deal with declining family fortunes: they must work when the father becomes sick, and eventually live with their grandfather, which means making new friends and struggling with a different environment.
Director: Hiroshi Shimizu | Stars: Teruo Furuya, Masao Hayama, Shin'ichi Himori, Zentarô Iijima
Votes: 145
another marvellous movie about boys life in the 1930s japan, right before WW2; highly recommended. it´s a pity hiroshi shimizu is not so widely known in the west, his films for children are extraordinary!
13. Captains Courageous (1937)
G | 117 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
A spoiled brat who falls overboard from a steamship in the 1920s gets picked up by a New England fishing boat, where he's made to earn his keep by joining the crew in their work.
Director: Victor Fleming | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Freddie Bartholomew, Lionel Barrymore, Melvyn Douglas
Votes: 10,914
a little outdated adventure now, still modestly entertaining.
14. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)
Passed | 91 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
Tom Sawyer and his pal Huckleberry Finn have great adventures on the Mississippi River, pretending to be pirates, attending their own funeral and witnessing a murder.
Director: Norman Taurog | Stars: Tommy Kelly, Jackie Moran, Ann Gillis, May Robson
Votes: 2,234
old-fashioned charm - and in early technicolor!
15. Boys Town (1938)
Passed | 96 min | Biography, Drama, Family
When a death row prisoner tells him he wouldn't have led a life of crime if only he had had one friend as a child, Father Edward Flanagan decides to start a home for young boys.
Director: Norman Taurog | Stars: Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, Henry Hull, Leslie Fenton
Votes: 6,344
the film is here mainly because of mickey rooney, a big star at the time doing his most memorable role in andy hardy films...
16. Gorky 1: The Childhood of Maxim Gorky (1938)
98 min | Biography, Drama
A drama reveals the great writer's inauspicious early years as an orphan raised by conniving relatives.
Director: Mark Donskoy | Stars: Aleksei Lyarsky, Varvara Massalitinova, Mikhail Troyanovskiy, Elizaveta Alekseeva
Votes: 778
childhood of a writer; a soviet masterpiece and therefore recommended.
17. How Green Was My Valley (1941)
Passed | 118 min | Drama, Family
At the turn of the century in a Welsh mining village, the Morgans, he stern, she gentle, raise coal-mining sons and hope their youngest will find a better life.
Director: John Ford | Stars: Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara, Anna Lee, Donald Crisp
Votes: 26,463
john ford john ford john ford... an american classic.
18. Jungle Book (1942)
Approved | 108 min | Action, Adventure, Family
A boy raised by wild animals tries to adapt to human village life.
Director: Zoltan Korda | Stars: Sabu, Joseph Calleia, John Qualen, Frank Puglia
Votes: 4,692 | Gross: $2.83M
kipling and korda: an exciting jungle adventure for boys of all ages. note also "the thief of bagdad" (not on the list).
19. Aniki Bóbó (1942)
71 min | Drama, Family
The story takes place in the old streets of Porto and by the banks of the Douro River. A gang of very young kids has just accepted a new member, Carlitos, a shy boy who has "played it tough... See full summary »
Director: Manoel de Oliveira | Stars: Nascimento Fernandes, Vital dos Santos, António Palma, Armando Pedro
Votes: 1,884
a distant mirror into portuguese life in the middle of the global turmoil in 1942 though the thunder of the ww2 seems to be far away. the childrens acting is little akward but it is perhaps forgivable for the first feature of manoel de oliveira who was to become the most famous and prolific director in the country. a curiosity and a national treasure in portuguese cinema.
20. Torment (1944)
95 min | Drama, Romance
An idealistic adolescent suffering under the thumb of a sadistic schoolmaster falls in love with a loose girl who is bullied and tormented by another lover.
Director: Alf Sjöberg | Stars: Stig Järrel, Alf Kjellin, Mai Zetterling, Olof Winnerstrand
Votes: 3,764
a swedish curiosity from 1944 is a very dark story; for adults only...
21. A Diary for Timothy (1945)
40 min | Documentary, Short
This brief documentary-style film presents the status of Great Britain near the end of the Second World War by means of a visual diary for a baby boy born in September, 1944. Narration ... See full summary »
Director: Humphrey Jennings | Stars: Michael Redgrave, Myra Hess, John Gielgud, Frederick Allen
Votes: 751
an extraordinary documentary about britain in 1944-45 and about atmosphere of the country during the last year of the war. poetic and poignant and repeating the intimate mood of "listen to britain" (1942) jennings asks baby timothy jenkins a serious question or rather makes a sincere wish that the post-war generation would be wiser to create a better world. but have we succeeded? perhaps a little borderline film in the list but utterly charming and disarming.
22. Shoeshine (1946)
Not Rated | 87 min | Drama
Two shoeshine boys in postwar Rome, Italy save up to buy a horse, but their involvement as dupes in a burglary lands them in juvenile prison; the experience take a devastating toll on their friendship.
Director: Vittorio De Sica | Stars: Rinaldo Smordoni, Franco Interlenghi, Annielo Mele, Bruno Ortensi
Votes: 8,107
an italian neorealist classic; the tragic end needs little parental guidance but it is a beautiful film, a world cinema gem.
23. The Yearling (1946)
Approved | 128 min | Drama, Family, Western
A boy persuades his parents to allow him to adopt a young deer, but what will happen if the deer misbehaves?
Director: Clarence Brown | Stars: Gregory Peck, Jane Wyman, Claude Jarman Jr., Chill Wills
Votes: 6,461 | Gross: $5.20M
a charming old-fashioned hollywood film.
24. Great Expectations (1946)
Approved | 118 min | Adventure, Drama, Mystery
A humble orphan boy in 1810s Kent is given the opportunity to go to London and become a gentleman, with the help of an unknown benefactor.
Director: David Lean | Stars: John Mills, Valerie Hobson, Tony Wager, Jean Simmons
Votes: 26,385
a great interpretation of the dickens novel. highly recommended. note also lean´s oliver twist.
25. Oliver Twist (1948)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama
In Charles Dickens' classic tale, an orphan wends his way from cruel apprenticeship to den of thieves in search of a true home.
Director: David Lean | Stars: Robert Newton, Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, Francis L. Sullivan
Votes: 13,642
david lean´s interpretation of the dickens story is quite haunting.
26. Hue and Cry (1947)
82 min | Adventure, Comedy, Crime
A gang of street boys foil a master crook who sends commands for robberies by cunningly altering a comic strip's wording each week, unknown to writer and printer. The first of the Ealing comedies.
Director: Charles Crichton | Stars: Alastair Sim, Frederick Piper, Harry Fowler, Vida Hope
Votes: 1,775
terrific and thrilling entertainment and fun for boys of all ages. the first of the famous ealing comedies and one of their best, too. excitingly filmed partly around authentic post-ww2 london and in its destructed buildings. highly recommended.
27. The Fallen Idol (1948)
Approved | 95 min | Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery
A butler working in a foreign embassy in London falls under suspicion when his wife accidentally falls to her death, the only witness being an impressionable young boy.
Director: Carol Reed | Stars: Ralph Richardson, Michèle Morgan, Sonia Dresdel, Bobby Henrey
Votes: 9,657 | Gross: $0.34M
a modest thriller, suitable for boys over 12.
28. Children of the Beehive (1948)
86 min | Drama
The movie focuses on the plight of ten war orphans hailing from different cities across Japan. With nowhere to go, they scavenge around train stations, scratching out an existence by means ... See full summary »
Director: Hiroshi Shimizu | Stars: Shunsaku Shimamura, Natuski Masako, Gosho Shoichi, Kiyomi Imoto
Votes: 314
a heartbreaking film from the post ww2 japan. the total devastation is still overtly and distressingly portrayed in this story about war orphans travelling through bombarded japan looking for a better life - there is even a scene shimizu shot in hiroshima burned to ashes. the film has thus historical and documentary value as well but ABOVE ALL IT IS A SAD STORY (but not without subtle humour) ABOUT THOSE WHO ALWAYS SUFFER THE MOST IN ANY WAR: - even today in syria iraq yemen libya gaza kongo south sudan - THE CHILDREN. but watch it with your kids and do not be afraid of them feeling sad. that is only good for them. the ending is emotionally overwhelming but with optimism and hope! very highly recommended.
29. The Last Vacation (1948)
95 min | Drama, Romance
A schoolboy remembers his last holiday in the big house of his family in the country, before it was sold.
Director: Roger Leenhardt | Stars: Odile Versois, Michel François, Jean Lara, Renée Devillers
Votes: 180
a genuine french classic.
30. Louisiana Story (1948)
Approved | 78 min | Adventure, Drama
The idyllic life of a young Cajun boy and his pet raccoon is disrupted when the tranquility of the bayou is broken by an oil well drilling near his home.
Director: Robert J. Flaherty | Stars: Joseph Boudreaux, Lionel Le Blanc, E. Bienvenu, Frank Hardy
Votes: 2,150
an american semi-documentary drama classic; highly recommended.
31. Germany Year Zero (1948)
Not Rated | 78 min | Drama
A young German boy faces the problems of the tough life in the immediate post-WWII Berlin.
Director: Roberto Rossellini | Stars: Edmund Moeschke, Ernst Pittschau, Ingetraud Hinze, Franz-Otto Krüger
Votes: 13,696
devastated childhood in the devastated country, a very sad story that is not suitable for the youngest viewers (or only with little parental guidance).
32. The Search (1948)
Approved | 104 min | Drama, War
In post-war Berlin, an American private helps a lost Czech boy find his mother.
Director: Fred Zinnemann | Stars: Montgomery Clift, Ivan Jandl, Aline MacMahon, Wendell Corey
Votes: 4,834
perhaps more a career boost and a vehicle for young montgomery clift. see also a sort of a remake of this film with exactly the same title "the search" made in 2014 (about a chechnyan war).
33. It Happened in Europe (1947)
100 min | Drama
A band of runaways and orphans of the war scour the countryside in search of food and shelter. They invade and then taken in by a musician and former concert pianist who's hiding out in a ... See full summary »
Director: Géza von Radványi | Stars: Artúr Somlay, Miklós Gábor, Zsuzsa Bánki, György Bárdy
Votes: 1,074
a hungarian classic but not easily available so it is likely to remain unwatched. see other (mixed) user reviews
34. Border Street (1948)
110 min | Drama, War
The story of Polish and Jewish families living side by side in one Warsaw street. Everything changes once and for all with the Nazi invasion.
Director: Aleksander Ford | Stars: Mieczyslawa Cwiklinska, Jerzy Leszczynski, Wladyslaw Godik, Wladyslaw Walter
Votes: 253
holocaust in poland through a boy´s eyes
35. The Quiet One (1948)
65 min | Documentary, Drama
A documentary account of the rehabilitation at the Wiltwyck School of an emotionally disturbed Black boy who is unwanted, misunderstood, and inwardly tortured.
Director: Sidney Meyers | Stars: Gary Merrill, Donald Thompson, Clarence Cooper, Sadie Stockton
Votes: 307
this famous document can be watched free at internet archive.
36. The Boy with Green Hair (1948)
Approved | 82 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
This parable looks at public reaction when the hair of an American war orphan mysteriously turns green.
Director: Joseph Losey | Stars: Pat O'Brien, Robert Ryan, Barbara Hale, Dean Stockwell
Votes: 3,255
a good allegory about racism and prejudice - theme that is always topical, unfortunately...
37. Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Not Rated | 89 min | Drama
In post-war Italy, a working-class man's bicycle is stolen, endangering his efforts to find work. He and his son set out to find it.
Director: Vittorio De Sica | Stars: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell, Elena Altieri
Votes: 174,988 | Gross: $0.33M
another italian classic; a milestone in world cinema and very highly recommended.
38. The Winter of Three Hairs (1949)
Not Rated | 74 min | Comedy, Drama
Three Hairs was the name of a popular comic character, a street urchin with a bald head save for three thin stalks sticking straight up towards the sky. After a night on the streets, Three ... See full summary »
Directors: Gong Yan, Ming Zhao | Stars: Mo Cheng, Longji Wang, Long Gongboan, Ma Fei
Votes: 190
39. The Window (1949)
Approved | 73 min | Drama, Film-Noir, Thriller
To avoid the heat of a sweltering summer night a 9-year-old Manhattan boy decides to sleep on the fire escape and witnesses a murder, but no one will believe him.
Director: Ted Tetzlaff | Stars: Bobby Driscoll, Barbara Hale, Arthur Kennedy, Paul Stewart
Votes: 4,851
thrilling, even scary; parental guidance is needed.
40. Youth of Athens (1947)
72 min | Drama, War
A rich widower impregnates a poor young woman and dumps her. Her brother, member of a resistance group during the Occupation, tries to mend things up.
Director: Takis Bakopoulos | Stars: Ellie Lambeti, Nikos Kazis, Nikos Filippopoulos, Christoforos Nezer
Votes: 37
i have not been able to watch this film so i cannot comment it. see the user reviews or critics elsewhere.
41. The Barefoot Battalion (1953)
Approved | 89 min | Drama, War
A young survivor of World War II and former member of the reputed "Barefoot Battalion", a close-knit pack of disciplined orphaned boys, recounts to a homeless street urchin the story of 160 orphans who aided the Resistance.
Director: Gregg G. Tallas | Stars: Maria Kosti, Nikos Fermas, Vasileios Fragedakis, Antonis Voulgaris
Votes: 235
i have not been able to watch this film so i cannot comment it. see the user reviews or critics elsewhere.
42. The Young and the Damned (1950)
Not Rated | 80 min | Crime, Drama
A group of juvenile delinquents live a violent and crime-filled life in the festering slums of Mexico City, as the morals of young Pedro are gradually corrupted and destroyed by the others.
Director: Luis Buñuel | Stars: Alfonso Mejía, Roberto Cobo, Estela Inda, Miguel Inclán
Votes: 21,980
a cruel story about mexican street boys is still as powerful and relevant as it was in 1950 and highly recommended. tragic ending needs some parental guidance if you watch this with small children.
43. The Magnet (1950)
Approved | 79 min | Comedy
A boy steals a powerful magnet from a younger boy and gets him into all sorts of trouble.
Director: Charles Frend | Stars: Stephen Murray, Kay Walsh, James Fox, Meredith Edwards
Votes: 611
an ealing film starring young james fox. i have not seen this but it is interesting. do not skip it if you have the chance to watch it.
44. Tom Brown's Schooldays (1951)
Approved | 93 min | Drama
Tom Brown (John Howard Davies) starts at Rugby boarding school. He is tormented by Flashman (John Forrest), the school bully.
Director: Gordon Parry | Stars: John Howard Davies, Robert Newton, James Hayter, John Charlesworth
Votes: 521
the story have been told many times, the first filming was made already in 1916, later in 1940. this british version from 1951 seems to have the highest valuation among the audience and critics; later also a tv serial and a tv movie.
45. The Big Night (1951)
Approved | 75 min | Drama, Film-Noir, Thriller
A teenager comes of age while seeking revenge on the man who beat up his father.
Director: Joseph Losey | Stars: John Drew Barrymore, Preston Foster, Joan Lorring, Howard St. John
Votes: 1,081
an effective little thriller and noirish melodrama by losey. for adults though it is not very violent.
46. The Red Badge of Courage (1951)
Passed | 69 min | Drama, War
Truncated adaptation of Stephen Crane's novel about a Civil War Union soldier who stuggles to find the courage to fight in the heat of battle.
Director: John Huston | Stars: Audie Murphy, Bill Mauldin, Douglas Dick, Royal Dano
Votes: 4,830
a war film based on stephen crane´s american classic is interesting enough to be included on the list.
47. Talk About a Stranger (1952)
Passed | 65 min | Drama, Film-Noir, Mystery
In an idyllic setting, a likable but dangerously volatile twelve-year-old boy tries to settle a score with his disagreeable, mysterious neighbor.
Director: David Bradley | Stars: George Murphy, Nancy Reagan, Billy Gray, Lewis Stone
Votes: 735
despite my efforts i have not been able to watch this film so i cannot comment it. see the user reviews or critics elsewhere.
48. The Stranger in Between (1952)
Approved | 84 min | Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
A violent fugitive and a mistreated small boy team up to flee from authority.
Director: Charles Crichton | Stars: Dirk Bogarde, Jon Whiteley, Elizabeth Sellars, Kay Walsh
Votes: 1,415
an excellent little thriller - but perhaps seriously underrated? at least i never had heard of it until i came across it by accident. i am glad i did (it is in youtube - no subs). young dirk bogarde is in his finest form here and so is also jon whiteley as little robby. chrichton does a satisfying directing here almost as well as he did in "hue and cry" five years earlier. recommended, suitable for boys over 10 years of age (it is not very violent). see also praising user reviews!
49. The Little Kidnappers (1953)
Approved | 93 min | Drama, Family, Romance
A Scotsman, Jim MacKenzie, living on a primitive homestead in Nova Scotia, is raising his two grandsons, Harry and Davy, following the death of their father in the Boer War. His son's death... See full summary »
Director: Philip Leacock | Stars: Jon Whiteley, Vincent Winter, Adrienne Corri, Duncan Macrae
Votes: 548
this is hard to find anywhere so i have not been able to watch it. little jon whiteley is here as well. see above ("the hunted" 1952)
50. The Secret Cave (1953)
62 min | Family
Director: John Durst | Stars: David Coote, Nick Edmett, Susan Ford, Lewis Gedge
Votes: 16
51. Little Fugitive (1953)
Not Rated | 75 min | Drama, Family
A young boy fears that he shot his older brother, who is only faking. He then runs away to Coney Island, a crowded beach area, and gets money by returning soda bottles for their deposits.
Directors: Ray Ashley, Morris Engel, Ruth Orkin | Stars: Richard Brewster, Winifred Cushing, Jay Williams, Will Lee
Votes: 3,033 | Gross: $0.03M
a small classic outside hollywood conventions. it has an authentic feel and flavour of the early 50s. a truly genuine and incredibly honest film, an absolute delight. very highly recommended!
52. White Mane (1953)
Approved | 47 min | Adventure, Drama, Family
In the Camargue, France, a young boy bonds with a white haired horse that escaped from ranchers.
Director: Albert Lamorisse | Stars: Alain Emery, Laurent Roche, Clan-Clan, Pascal Lamorisse
Votes: 2,315
an interesting short which has aesthetic and ethic values rising above the average? i have not seen it, it is only my anticipation.
53. Five from Barska Street (1954)
108 min | Drama
In war-ravaged Warsaw, five juvenile delinquents are given probation for stealing, to rehabilitate themselves, but remain under the influence of their profiteer-boss.
Director: Aleksander Ford | Stars: Aleksandra Slaska, Tadeusz Janczar, Andrzej Kozak, Tadeusz Lomnicki
Votes: 119
an early colour film from the gruesome aftermath of the most brutal and horrific modern war in any country: ww2 poland. strength of this film is a bit undermined by political tendencies but you can it still see that it was an obvious model for wadja´s own later works to come - he was an assisting director for ford here. the colours are now faded because the film material used behind the iron curtain then was far inferior to that of the western technicolor but despite and considering the post-war shortcomings "the five boys from barska street" is important and impressive but also raw and uncompromising film making and recommended especially for film and history students.
54. A Generation (1955)
Not Rated | 87 min | Drama, War
Story of youth during the German occupation of Poland in World War II who come to adulthood through love and adversity.
Director: Andrzej Wajda | Stars: Tadeusz Lomnicki, Urszula Modrzynska, Tadeusz Janczar, Janusz Paluszkiewicz
Votes: 2,922
a polish classic by andrzej wajda. and of course easily recommended. of course there is a political tendency because it was made in the fifties under the communist rule but as a film it is fine. the first part of a trilogy (other parts not listed here).
55. Pather Panchali (1955)
Not Rated | 125 min | Drama
Impoverished priest Harihar Ray, dreaming of a better life for himself and his family, leaves his rural Bengal village in search of work.
Director: Satyajit Ray | Stars: Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Banerjee, Chunibala Devi
Votes: 38,489 | Gross: $0.54M
the first and the best of satyajit ray´s apu trilogy, one of the most beautiful and poetic films ever made and very highly recommended!
56. Aparajito (1956)
Not Rated | 110 min | Drama
Following his father's death, a boy leaves home to study in Calcutta, while his mother must face a life alone.
Director: Satyajit Ray | Stars: Pinaki Sengupta, Smaran Ghosal, Kamala Adhikari, Rani Bala
Votes: 15,971 | Gross: $0.17M
the second film in ray´s apu trilogy
57. The World of Apu (1959)
Not Rated | 105 min | Drama
This final installment in Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy follows Apu's life as an orphaned adult aspiring to be a writer.
Director: Satyajit Ray | Stars: Soumitra Chatterjee, Sharmila Tagore, Alok Chakravarty, Swapan Mukherjee
Votes: 16,729 | Gross: $0.02M
a father and a son and hardships of life... the last of the apu trilogy, still highly recommended though adults find it more interesting.
58. Rio, 40 Degrees (1955)
100 min | Drama
A semi-documentary on the people of Rio de Janeiro. The camera follows boys from a hillside shanty town who sell peanuts at Copacabana, Sugar Loaf Mountain, and a soccer game. Various ... See full summary »
Director: Nelson Pereira dos Santos | Stars: Modesto De Souza, Roberto Bataglin, Jece Valadão, Ana Beatriz
Votes: 859
a hard to see document, if you have the opportunity to watch it, do not waste it. -- i noticed the other day that it is in youtube but without subs and the picture quality is quite terrible.
59. A Kid for Two Farthings (1955)
Approved | 91 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Kandinsky informs Joe that a unicorn can grant wishes, the hopeful lad ends up buying a baby goat with one tiny horn, believing it to be a real unicorn. Undaunted by his rough surroundings, Joe sets about to prove that wishes come true.
Director: Carol Reed | Stars: Celia Johnson, Diana Dors, David Kossoff, Joe Robinson
Votes: 1,150
60. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
PG-13 | 111 min | Drama
A rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies.
Director: Nicholas Ray | Stars: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo, Jim Backus
Votes: 97,851
too obvious a choice for the list? perhaps. quite outdated now but has value as a historical curiosity... for boys who are interested in sociology or james dean. remember also jimmy´s film "east of eden" (not included on the list).
61. Moonfleet (1955)
Approved | 87 min | Adventure, Drama
A young orphan is sent to the village of Moonfleet in Dorset, England to stay with his mother's former lover, who has the facade of a gentleman but leads a gang of swashbuckling bootleggers; the duo go on a treasure hunt.
Director: Fritz Lang | Stars: Stewart Granger, George Sanders, Joan Greenwood, Viveca Lindfors
Votes: 3,971
an exciting adventure, recommended!
62. An Adventure in the Bay of Gold (1955)
69 min | Family
Director: Bretislav Pojar | Stars: Ilja Cernohorsky, Vladimír Hlavatý, Jarina Rejskova, Ladislav H. Struna
Votes: 22
when there is a will there is not always a way. with this idiom i try to say that this film remains one of those (unfortunate?) watching experiences that will never happen because the film is unavailable.
63. Ciske de Rat (1955)
88 min | Drama
Popular Dutch story of a troubled boy who doesn't get along with his mother while his sailor father is gone, and whose only help saving him from a career of crime is a schoolteacher.
Director: Wolfgang Staudte | Stars: Kees Brusse, Jenny Van Maerlant, Riek Schagen, Stine Lerou
Votes: 196
this old dutch classic is in youtube but the english subs are not working there. it is a film almost every dutch boy has seen sometimes, either this or the remake (1984), which is also in youtube. a solid story about a boy and his down and out life with bad mother and absent father but also about other adults that can make the difference. recommended.
64. The Red Balloon (1956)
Not Rated | 34 min | Short, Comedy, Drama
A red balloon with a mind of its own follows a little boy around the streets of Paris.
Director: Albert Lamorisse | Stars: Pascal Lamorisse, Sabine Lamorisse, Georges Sellier, Vladimir Popov
Votes: 20,098
short but seminal
65. The Brave One (1956)
Approved | 100 min | Drama, Family
A young boy named Leonardo adopts a bull after saving it during a storm, but their friendship is soon threatened by the legal owners of the animal who claim ownership of it and ship it off to the bullring to face a legendary bullfighter.
Director: Irving Rapper | Stars: Michel Ray, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Elsa Cárdenas, Carlos Navarro
Votes: 1,089
66. The Line of Destiny (1956)
89 min | Drama
A sprawling portrait of rural life in Sri Lanka; the story revolves around a boy and his friend--a blind girl who he accidentally 'heals' by giving her sight. Though the girl believes the ... See full summary »
Director: Lester James Peries | Stars: Somapala Dharmapriya, Myrtle Fernando, Shesha Palihakkara, Romulus de Silva
Votes: 121
i have taken all the available measures to watch this film, to no avail (yet). so i cannot give any opinionated and personal comment or recommendation but by all means read up on the other reviews (if there are any) and then make up your mind about it.
67. My Uncle (1958)
Not Rated | 116 min | Comedy
Monsieur Hulot visits the technology-driven world of his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, but he can't quite fit into the surroundings.
Director: Jacques Tati | Stars: Jacques Tati, Jean-Pierre Zola, Adrienne Servantie, Lucien Frégis
Votes: 24,223
uncle knows best... hilarious french comedy from the master, a little borderline film on the list.
68. Bari Theke Paliye (1958)
124 min | Drama
A misbehaving boy who runs away from his village and goes to Calcutta.
Director: Ritwik Ghatak | Stars: Param Bhattaraka Lahiri, Padmadevi, Gyanesh Mukherjee, Kali Bannerjee
Votes: 263
this film is in youtube without any subs. i may give it a glimpse but it does not belong to my immediate watching list.
69. Black Pearls (1958)
99 min | Drama
Reform school teacher tries to carry his class to the right path by teaching them diving.
Director: Toma Janic | Stars: Severin Bijelic, Mihajlo Viktorovic, Milan Ajvaz, Franjo Tuma
Votes: 60
this old classic is in youtube but curb your enthusiasm: there are no subs whatsoever to be found anywhere. either you skip it (1) or watch it without subs (2) (of course if you understand the original language there is no problem) which is like enjoying a meal without eating it. i try the second manner of an approach some day and see where i will end up with that.
so i did and what happened: what a nice little film from yougoslavia (bosnia). i watched it without subs and was impressed by its warm and human treatment of the story though i did not get the most of it - a pity. recommended anyway.
70. Conflagration (1958)
99 min | Drama
Goichi Mizoguchi, an aspiring Buddhist monk who became involved in the temple that was owned by his father, through a series of flashbacks, framed as a police interrogation, Mizoguchi ... See full summary »
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Raizô Ichikawa, Ganjirô Nakamura, Tatsuya Nakadai, Yôichi Funaki
Votes: 947
ichikawa´s interpretation of yukio mishima novel is fascinating even striking in its visual style but this is no kids cinema.
71. Good Morning (1959)
Not Rated | 94 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Two boys begin a silence strike to press their parents into buying them a television set.
Director: Yasujirô Ozu | Stars: Keiji Sada, Yoshiko Kuga, Chishû Ryû, Kuniko Miyake
Votes: 11,002
a sort of a remake of ozu´s 1932 film "I was born but"... the boys rebel and crank to get a TV :) a wonderful look into japanese family life in the late 1950s. FARTING as bodily function has seldom been treated so casually as in this film...
72. A Town of Love and Hope (1959)
62 min | Drama
A young man runs a scam selling pigeons that always return to his home. A rich girl takes an interest in him and tries to help him find a good job.
Director: Nagisa Ôshima | Stars: Fumio Watanabe, Yuki Tominaga, Kakuko Chino, Yûko Mochizuki
Votes: 605
oshima´s first film already shows his personal style. well worth checking out if you happen to come across it.
73. La verte moisson (1959)
95 min | Drama, War
In 1943, a group of high school students decide to take action against the Nazi occupying forces. Showing courage and imagination, they manage to blow up the Kommandantur and to release ... See full summary »
Director: François Villiers | Stars: Pierre Dux, Dany Saval, Jacques Perrin, Francis Lemonnier
Votes: 116
74. The Bridge (1959)
Not Rated | 103 min | Drama, History, War
In 1945, Germany is being overrun, and nobody is left to fight but teenagers.
Director: Bernhard Wicki | Stars: Volker Bohnet, Fritz Wepper, Michael Hinz, Frank Glaubrecht
Votes: 8,640
16-year-old german boys and cruelly abrupted childhood in the last days of the ww2. this critique of futile and hollow military heroism has no happy end.
75. The 400 Blows (1959)
Not Rated | 99 min | Crime, Drama
A young boy, left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime.
Director: François Truffaut | Stars: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Albert Rémy, Claire Maurier, Guy Decomble
Votes: 127,978
one of the first films of the french new wave and still as refreshing as it was in 1959; jean-pierre léaud is simply amazing.
76. We Are the Lambeth Boys (1959)
53 min | Documentary
Seminal piece of documentary film by New Wave director Karel Reisz follows the daily activites of members of the Lambeth Youth club in late 1950's London.
Director: Karel Reisz | Stars: Jon Rollason, Tony Benson, Adrian Harding, Brian Mott
Votes: 288
a fresh document and a different view about working-class youth in the late 1950s. you cannot get any closer to the authentic mood of the day and no doubt this work also inspired reisz to do his "saturday night and sunday morning" (1960). recommended.
77. The Naked Island (1960)
Not Rated | 96 min | Drama
A family of four are the sole inhabitants of a small island where they struggle each day to irrigate their crops.
Director: Kaneto Shindô | Stars: Nobuko Otowa, Taiji Tonoyama, Shinji Tanaka, Masanori Horimoto
Votes: 6,171
this film will take your breath away, a masterpiece in world cinema and young viewers may be impressed simply because of its sheer aesthetic beauty
78. Serge (1960)
80 min | Comedy, Drama
The mother of a 5 years old Seryozha remarries. This man becomes a friend and a confident, an adult who see Seryozha not as a child, but as a person.
Directors: Georgiy Daneliya, Igor Talankin | Stars: Boris Barkhatov, Sergey Bondarchuk, Irina Skobtseva, Natalya Chechyotkina
Votes: 717
a soviet and also a world cinema classic and therefore highly recommended. watch it without prejudice, it is a sad and sensitive story.
79. Flemming og Kvik (1960)
93 min | Drama, Family
Director: Gabriel Axel | Stars: Steen Flensmark, Per Geckler, Johannes Meyer, Ghita Nørby
Votes: 64
this film is in youtube without any subs. i may give it a glimpse but it does not belong to my immediate watching list.
80. The Approach of Autumn (1960)
79 min | Drama
Single mum (father of child dead) from the country with 6th grade boy comes to Tokyo, leaves the boy to live with his uncle's family - wife, male, female teens, run a struggling greengrocer... See full synopsis »
Director: Mikio Naruse | Stars: Nobuko Otowa, Jun Fujimaki, Kamatari Fujiwara, Yôsuke Natsuki
Votes: 356
naruse made movies for adult audience but this is a rare exception. i have not watched it but seems to be a charming story and suitable for general audience and therefore i dare to recommend it without personally seeing it.
- i watched this on a rainy summer sunday recently and it was a bittersweet treat and thus quintessential naruse: a sad and uncompromising story on human ontological loneliness at any age and therefore recommended.
81. Vyssí princip (1960)
104 min | Drama, War
The story of High school in Czechia (then Protectorate Bohemia and Moravia) during occupation by Nazi Germany, where three students are arrested by Gestapo.
Director: Jirí Krejcík | Stars: Frantisek Smolík, Jana Brejchová, Ivan Mistrík, Alexander Postler
Votes: 664
i have taken all the available measures to watch this film, to no avail (yet). so i cannot give any personal comment or recommendation but read up on the other reviews.
82. Légy jó mindhalálig (1960)
95 min | Drama
Director: László Ranódy | Stars: Ferenc Bessenyei, József Bihari, Tibor Bitskey, József Szendrõ
Votes: 268
some sort of a hungarian "tom browns school days" though bullying is not the issue here at all, other hardships in the life of a young and exceptionally intelligent school boy at the private boarding school in the 1890s are the main concern here. a forgotten film these days in hungary i guess but it is actually quite a good film for children and still relevant!
83. Prace (1962)
84 min | Family, War
A young Czech boy is freed from a concentration camp and ends up working for the army against the Germans.
Director: Karel Kachyna | Stars: Michal Koblic, Marienka Magdolenova, Vladimír Hlavatý, Gustáv Valach
Votes: 118
despite my earnest serious sincere and solemn aims and efforts i have not ] been able to check out and watch this film to comment it personally. it is more or less some sort of a pity or is it?
84. The White Dove (1960)
76 min | Drama
A poetic film about a dove getting lost on its way to Prague getting shot down by a paralyzed boy. An artist who finds the dove becomes friends with the boy. Together they take care of it bringing it back to recovery.
Director: Frantisek Vlácil | Stars: Katerina Irmanovová, Karel Smyczek, Vjaceslav Irmanov, Gustav Püttjer
Votes: 748
experimental film making is not my cup of tea so i skip this.
85. Het mes (1961)
89 min | Drama
A young boy coming into puberty is resentful of his mother's budding romance with the best friend of her late husband, and is torn and confused about his emerging feelings for Toni, a young... See full summary »
Director: Fons Rademakers | Stars: Reitze van der Linden, Marie-Louise Videc, Ellen Vogel, Paul Cammermans
Votes: 193
"het mes or the knife" has 13-year-old thomas who must confront the arousing sexuality at the same time when his mother is having a new man in her life. reitze van der linden gives his first and last performance here. a dutch classic like "ciske the rat" and therefore gets my recommendation.
86. Il posto (1961)
Not Rated | 93 min | Drama
Bursting with big dreams and plans, an Italian teen goes to Milan to work in a big impersonal corporate office, where he becomes disillusioned and drained of all his individualism.
Director: Ermanno Olmi | Stars: Sandro Panseri, Loredana Detto, Corrado Aprile, Guido Chiti
Votes: 6,723 | Gross: $0.01M
a young man meets the world in his first job; early 60s atmosphere is here nicely represented!
87. The Steamroller and the Violin (1961)
46 min | Drama
Seven-year-old Sasha practices violin every day to satisfy the ambition of his parents. Already withdrawn as a result of his routines, Sasha quickly regains confidence when he accidentally ... See full summary »
Director: Andrei Tarkovsky | Stars: Igor Fomchenko, Vladimir Zamanskiy, Natalya Arkhangelskaya, Marina Adzhubei
Votes: 7,127
tarkovskis debut is a little gem.
88. Ivan's Childhood (1962)
Not Rated | 95 min | Drama, War
During WWII, Soviet orphan Ivan Bondarev strikes up a friendship with three sympathetic Soviet officers while working as a scout behind the German lines.
Directors: Andrei Tarkovsky, Eduard Abalov | Stars: Nikolay Burlyaev, Valentin Zubkov, Evgeniy Zharikov, Stepan Krylov
Votes: 39,892
a boy and the absurdity of war, an uncompromising story about ww2 in the soviet union.
89. Birth Certificate (1961)
99 min | Drama, War
Three episodes dealing with the harsh situation of children at the time of war. They stay at orphanages, wait for their parents to come back, help the soldiers, hide in the forests and do their best to survive.
Director: Stanislaw Rózewicz | Stars: Henryk Hryniewicz, Beata Barszczewska, Andrzej Banaszewski, Edward Mincer
Votes: 421
harsh and uncompromising stories about polish children at war. it is a three-episode film, two of them has a little boy as a central character, in the third one there is a girl. all these stories are very distressing and there are no closures to the bleak stories which makes the film even more disturbing and unsettling. definitely not any disney sunshine with pink clouds here but you can watch it with your older children (over 12) and discuss with them about the eternal absurdity of war and children and their desperate situation occurring now in afghanistan, jemen, iraq, libya, syria... recommended.
90. Pojat (1962)
106 min | Comedy, Drama, War
A group of mischievous Finnish boys experience the ups and downs of life during World War 2.
Director: Mikko Niskanen | Stars: Pentti Tarkiainen, Vesa-Matti Loiri, Uti Saurio, Hannu Vironmäki
Votes: 975
a finnish classic about the school boys and their adventures in a northern town during the ww2. the ending here is emotionally devastating and has remained a part of the collective national cinematic memory ever since.
91. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)
Not Rated | 104 min | Drama, Sport
A young thief takes up long-distance running when he is sent to a borstal.
Director: Tony Richardson | Stars: Michael Redgrave, Tom Courtenay, Avis Bunnage, Alec McCowen
Votes: 9,369
this fresh film is a fine example of the british new wave and "angry young men" movies though this one has some nice humour, too. very british indeed.
92. War of the Buttons (1962)
90 min | Comedy, Family
The school boys of two villages in France are fighting. Their trophy are the buttons they will snatch from the enemy. This fight will bring those kids to everlasting friendship...eventually.
Director: Yves Robert | Stars: Jacques Dufilho, Yvette Etiévant, Michel Galabru, Michèle Méritz
Votes: 2,820
the original french "war of buttons"; remade several times. innocent fun? or the boys will be boys... whatever the reasons the film was a great success in the 60s. i watched it when i was 6 years old and i still remember it!
93. A Boy Ten Feet Tall (1963)
G | 118 min | Adventure
Ten year old Sammy travels 4500 miles on his own from the Suez Canal to Durban, South Africa.
Director: Alexander Mackendrick | Stars: Edward G. Robinson, Fergus McClelland, Constance Cummings, Harry H. Corbett
Votes: 648
a looooooooooooooooooong adventure.
94. Lord of the Flies (1963)
Not Rated | 92 min | Adventure, Drama, Thriller
Schoolboys marooned on a Pacific island create their own savage civilization.
Director: Peter Brook | Stars: James Aubrey, Tom Chapin, Hugh Edwards, Roger Elwin
Votes: 20,404
remade in 1990; a british classic but needs some adult discussion.
95. Barren Lives (1963)
Not Rated | 103 min | Drama
A poor family in the Northeast of Brazil (Fabiano, the father; Sinhá Vitória, the mother; their 2 children and a dog called Baleia) wander about the barren land searching for a better place... See full summary »
Director: Nelson Pereira dos Santos | Stars: Átila Iório, Maria Ribeiro, Orlando Macedo, Jofre Soares
Votes: 2,905
a brazilian classic, recommended.
96. Os Verdes Anos (1963)
91 min | Drama, Romance
19-year-old Julio has just left the provinces to settle down in the outskirts of Lisbon. He lives in a poor area with his uncle Afonso and starts working as an apprentice shoemaker. At the ... See full summary »
Director: Paulo Rocha | Stars: Rui Gomes, Isabel Ruth, Ruy Furtado, Paulo Renato
Votes: 941
despite my earnest serious sincere and solemn aims and efforts i have not ] been able to check out and watch this film to comment it personally. it is more or less some sort of a pity, i guess.
97. Alone on the Pacific (1963)
104 min | Adventure
Kenichi Horie is determined to challenge his family, the law and the nature crossing the Pacific to America in a small sailboat. Despite his careful planning many unforeseen events will test his determination.
Director: Kon Ichikawa | Stars: Yûjirô Ishihara, Masayuki Mori, Kinuyo Tanaka, Ruriko Asaoka
Votes: 503
i finally managed to watch it and it turned out to be a nice adventure film. nothing really dramatic happens on that boat sailing across the sea but it is still oddly entertaining and interesting. the young man against the sea. perhaps not the very best film in ichikawa´s production (as alexander jacoby claims in his critical handbook of japanese film directors) but one of the better ones, anyway.
98. The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
Approved | 118 min | Comedy, Drama, Family
Eddie thinks it is time for his father to remarry. However, in his opinion his father's taste in women leaves much to be desired. He believes the girl next door would be a far better choice...
Director: Vincente Minnelli | Stars: Glenn Ford, Ron Howard, Shirley Jones, Stella Stevens
Votes: 3,324
a light comedy from the early 1960s, nothing more and nothing less... young ron howard is quite cute(sy?) here.
99. Dimka (1963)
82 min | Comedy, Family
Director: Ilya Frez | Stars: Aleksei Zagorsky, Olga Lysenko, Vladimir Treshchalov, Svetlana Ageeva
Votes: 55
this film is in youtube without subs. despite that deplorable and unsurmountable fact i watched it, and it turned out to be most charming and delightful childrens film. the late soviet union may have had its serious faults and shortcomings but one thing the russians did well in the past was the production of good animations and high-quality cinema for the kids and this film - like almost all the soviet flms in the list - is one of them.
100. Opasni put (1963)
96 min | War
In the last days of World War II, two children from Yugoslavia manage to escape a German concentration camp. They begin a long and dangerous journey home.
Director: Mate Relja | Stars: Marinko Cosic, Zlatko Kovacic, Zoran Relja, Vanja Drach
Votes: 43
the story is touching and the visual style of the film is sometimes almost neorealistic. what a pity there are no subs available. no disney stuff here is safe to say though the story is not appallingly cruel; there is a war going on so it is not a sunny sunday picnic with strawberries and whipped cream, either. open end leaves the destiny of two little homeless boys obscure - something an average family film would never dare to do.
Tell Your Friends