Best Films Of 1953
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- DirectorJoseph L. MankiewiczStarsLouis CalhernMarlon BrandoJames MasonThe growing ambition of Julius Caesar is a source of major concern to his close friend Brutus. Cassius persuades him to participate in his plot to assassinate Caesar but they have both sorely underestimated Mark Antony.7.5/10
- DirectorIda LupinoStarsEdmond O'BrienFrank LovejoyWilliam TalmanTwo fishermen pick up a psychopathic escaped convict who tells them that he intends to murder them when the ride is over.In this modern era of politics, it seems that some would have us believe that women have been held down and were never able to accomplish much besides looking good and be directed around by men. Well, I'm not sure what kind of agenda these clowns have trying to sell ideas like this. However if you want to see that women were even making very good films in the early 1950's, look no further. Actress Ida Lupino co-wrote the screenplay and directed this impressive and tense little film. 7.5/10
- DirectorJean NegulescoStarsMarilyn MonroeBetty GrableLauren BacallThree women set out to find eligible millionaires to marry, but find true love in the process.This is one of those fun 1950's romantic comedy type films. Which really are quite different than most of the romantic films of the last few decades. It's more creative and yes, the real word is fun!
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsFrank SilveraKenneth HarpPaul MazurskyFour soldiers trapped behind enemy lines must confront their fears and desires.5.4 rating at the moment? What a joke! Sure, it's not an outstanding film in every way, but the young IMDb users sure seem to love to bomb rate the Kubrick films over the last quite a few years now. It wasn't all that long ago that 2001 was rated #9 on the top 250 list here, and somehow now it's barely hanging in the top 100? The entire site has become questionable in nearly every way in recent years. I don't even bother to look at the homepage here anymore, it's so riddled with ads. Anyway, this is not a groundbreaking film, like most Kubrick films are. In fact he even disowned this film basically. Nonetheless, it does have one very great quality that nearly all of Stanley's films have, it's thought provoking for sure! It is technically his first feature length film. It's not nearly the greatest debut film around, but it's well worth watching for certain. It is in my view, Stanley's worst overall film. However the majority of filmmakers wish their best film was this interesting in all truth. 7/10
- DirectorLaslo BenedekStarsMarlon BrandoMary MurphyRobert KeithTwo rival motorcycle gangs terrorize a small town after one of their leaders is thrown in jail.Brando for the most part makes this film what it is. 7/10
- DirectorHenry HathawayStarsMarilyn MonroeJoseph CottenJean PetersAs two couples are visiting Niagara Falls, tensions between one wife and her husband reach the level of murder.This really is one of the more interesting and impressive performances of Monroe's career. Here she's not in her typical role of the not so bright bombshell. Those are the roles she's mostly known for really, and she was definitely great at them. Here however she shows that she really wasn't limited to such a part. Hollywood, as is often the case in the past and present, rarely gives their performers the quality of work both the stars and us film lovers deserve. The film is good for the most part, but it does have some problems here and there for sure. Nonetheless, Monroe is definitely a real standout here, and not just for her sultry persona and visual beauty, though she's definitely looking extremely fine here too. For the most part, she really does carry this film and make it worth watching. If you really want to see what she was capable of as an actress, this is definitely one of the better films in showing that. 6.5/10
- DirectorIngmar BergmanStarsHarriet AnderssonLars EkborgDagmar EbbesenA pair of teenagers meet one summer day, start a reckless affair and abandon their families to be with one another.When Young Dreams Become Adult Nightmares
Warning: Spoilers
An early film from Bergman that is both terrible, and a real landmark all at the same time.
For the most part I'd say that the film is a real bore, and suffers greatly from mediocre editing and some very unauthentic feeling moments. There are some really unconvincing scenes here. A young and fairly amateur Bergman for sure, but yet there is such a powerful statement delivered below the surface of the film. In this way, the film separates itself from other very standard love stories, and Bergman separates himself from the average artist or filmmaker.
Bergman as he often was, is very uncompromising here, and he has definite ideas, and wide and powerful views of his modern industrial and social society. Bergman loved to use cinema as a multi layered way to speak to viewers. Most people may even miss much of the major statements in his work, because they're often relayed so subtly, and yet are so grand at the same time. They lay under the surface of his work, weaved quite loudly, but yet not overtly obvious. It takes a deeper eye and eventually reflection to truly understand and appreciate a good Bergman film. In this way he was among the pioneers in creating new ways to convey ideas, themes, messages and feelings through the medium of the cinema. In Summer With Monika he certainly has some large social political feelings that he expresses, and quite obviously to the seasoned viewer, these are the main themes of the film. Most people seem to believe this is just a story of young lovers that eventually goes stale due to naivety and the realities of modern life, and it is, but it is so much more than that at the same time. It's a story of dreams destroyed by nightmares, a story of social and industrial entrapment that often kills the young and hopeful human spirit.
If you know Bergman's work very well, you know that he was a person who often loved to relay a very bleak view of things. After all he was a man who lost his faith, and he was an artist. An artist without pain or something to stand up for, is often not much of an artist at all.
While I didn't think that this film was very good in terms of it's overall delivery and execution. I did still greatly appreciate the underlying themes and ideas conveyed by a very young, determined and dramatic artist. It is obvious by watching this film that Bergman was already becoming a director who could do and say special things with a story. I don't think the final product here is quite as great as he had hoped for, but he was at this stage learning and developing the style that would eventually make him a legend. 6.5/10