1957 - The Bridge On The River Kwai: "Queer bird...even for an American"

1957 Best Picture Winner

Premiered December 18, 1957 in New York

Budget $3 Million

Gross $33.3 Million

I (Joel) feel that this is the best movie we've seen so far. My two favorites so far have been Rebecca and Casablanca, however this one gets the edge because this film has such a great message. The film has many redeemable qualities to it: courage, honor and the message that you should work hard at everything put in your path. The theme of the movie really spoke to me as a man. 

The acting is excellent, the script is great and the ending is the most exciting and suspenseful that we've encountered yet. We recommend this movie to everyone, especially if you've never seen it. 

Joel

Favorite: The theme of the movie resonated with me.

Least Favorite: I wanted a purely honorable character. All of them were flawed: Nicholson began to go insane, Shears was a coward at times, Clipton was pessimistic but was the closest to being "pure"

Callie

Favorite: The last 10 minutes were tense and exciting. 

Least Favorite: It was too long.

1956 - Around The World In 80 Days: "Follow that ostrich"!

1956 Best Picture

Premiered October 17, 1956 in New York

Budget $6 million

Gross $42 million

This was the first epic film we've seen since Gone With The Wind. Everything about the film is big: The Special effects, the sets, the acting. The movie was very entertaining and the scenes moved along rather quickly even though the movie is quite long. They just tried to pack as much story into the film as possible. It is a good, entertaining movie, not a great movie. 

Joel

Favorite: I am glad to see that Hollywood had finally figured out that each scene does not have to drag on and on. Each scene showed the essentials and then moved on.

Least Favorite: The film started out with a cartoon about the universe. Callie made me check to make sure that I really put the right movie into the DVD player.

Callie

Favorite: It was action packed and quick moving. 

Least Favorite: Fogg rescues the princess but she doesn't play a role in moving the story forward after that scene, she is just present in every scene after that.

1955 - Marty: "College girls are one step from the street I tell you"

1955 Best Picture

Premiered April 11, 1955 in New York

 Budget $343,000

Gross N/A

Marty was a nice, sweet innocent movie. It follows a bachelor and his quest to find love. He is rejected time and time again until he finally finds his match. It is entertaining to follow his whirlwind romance, then to see his friends who try to talk him out of it and the the sweet ending.

It surprised us that it won because it is such a light movie. It doesn't have a political message. It doesn't have much serious content at all. It is just a fun movie to watch on a Saturday night. 

Joel
Favorite: I like the innocence of it all.

Least Favorite: The movie was still in black and white. 

Callie: I felt for Marty. The director did a good job making me like the main character.
Least Favorite: I didn't like the ending. I wanted more closure. 

1954 - On The Waterfront: "I Could've Been A Contender"

1954 Best Picture Winner

 

Premiered July 28, 1954

 

Budget $910,000

 

Gross $9.6 million

 

The great movies were all ahead of their time. Rebecca introduced the Hitchcock type suspense to the world, Casablanca took acting to a new level, It Happened One Night brought Romantic Comedy to to Hollywood. This was a great crime drama before the era of great crime dramas in the 1970s. The action and suspense make it a film worth watching. It also worked to expose the corruption of unions in blue collar industires.

 

Joel

Favorite: I really liked the performance of Marlon Brando. He is the best actor we've seen since Clark Gable.

Least Favorite: I liked everything about the film.

 

Callie

Favorite: The plot was good and the movie had a nice pace to it.

Least Favorite: It was hard to follow the characters and who was who.





1953 - From Here To Eternity: "I don't want to be an officer. I'm happy where I am"

 

1953 Best Picture Winner

Premiered August 5, 1953 in New York

Premiered: $1.7 Million

Gross: $30.5 Million

 

This was a movie that had a very progressive plot, meaning that I could imagine a movie with the same script hitting theatres today. It was also a plot that would not have made it into a movie ten years prior to the release date either. The movie centers around an adulterous affair and it romanticizes the relationship. Again, we see the evolution of what is seen as acceptable from a moral perspective.

 

The film was quick moving and compelling. We also liked the way that it built toward the attack on Pearl Harbor. We saw how the attack affected all of the main characters.

 

Joel

Favorite: I liked the fact that they casts Frank Sinatra in the film and didn't make him sing!

Least Favorite: I did not like the fact that the main love story was actually an affair.

Callie
Favorite: It has fun to see the time period depicted in Pearl Harbor.
Least Favorite: The attack on Pearl Harbor only took up the last five minutes of the movie. 

1952 - The Greatest Show On Earth: "Grab your waterwings girls, here comes a big wave"

1952 Best Picture Winner

Premiered January 10, 1952 in New York

Budget: $4 Million

Gross: $14 Million

 

This movie was a spectacle. It was fun to see the different acts from the circus. However, it was a good movie, not a great movie. The film was entertaining but it did not advance the art of film making.

 

If you miss the old big top circus days, this is a movie that you would enjoy. The movie takes a lot of time showing the acts, in many cases, in their entirety. That reason caused the film to drag a little bit. Overall though, it was a solid film.

 

Joel

Favorite: I liked seeing Jimmy Stewart as "Buttons" the clown.

Least Favorite: I did not like the female lead, "Holly". I did not like the way the writers scripted her character.

Callie

Favorite: I liked the whole spectacle of the film. The animals, real trapeze artists, it was like watching a real circus.
Least Favorite: The length. It was way too long and they showed the entire acts and they could have just showed a portion of each act.

1951 - An American In Paris: "I'm a concert pianist. That is a pretentious way of saying that I'm unempoyed"

 

1951 Best Picture Winner

Premiered October 4, 1951 in New York

Budget: $2.7 Million

Gross: $4.5 Million

 

We did not like this movie at all. This film had good music and dancing but the screenplay was so bad that the movie became a disappointment. It took almost 30 minutes for the plot to get going. The music was well written but did not always fit the context of the film.

 

Joel

Favorite: Some of the Gershwin songs were fun to hear. I really liked "Who Could Ask For Anything More"

Least Favorite: I hated the ending. It was a 20 minute song and dance that did not make any sense at all.

Callie
Favorite: The storyline was interesting. I also liked the romance.
Least Favorite: Everything else. The last dancing scene was terrible and I still can't figure out what was happening.



1950 - All About Eve: "Everyone has a heart, except some people"

1950 Best Picture Winner

Premiered October 13, 1950

Budget: N/A

Gross: N/A

 

This is one movie where we'd like to be able to give half popcorn bags because this movie would have gotten 2 and a half bags. The movie was a nod to showbiz and those who made it work. It also showed the skeletons that those in the limelight had. It is ironic that the last three films (Hamlet, All The King's Men and this one) show people at their worst. Watching this movie makes you feel as if no one in the entertainment industry had any character at all.

 

On the upside, I thought the writers of the Office must have watched this movie because the script was witty, funny and smart. The acting was also excellent. Bette Davis knocked it out of the park as Margo Channing.

 

Joel

Favorite: I loved the humor. It wasn't a comedy but it made me laugh out loud several times.

Least Favorite: I wanted Eve to be a rags to riches character but she turned out to be evil.

 

Callie

Favorite: The storyline was very modern. It could easily be done today.

Least Favorite: The actress who played Eve was a bad actress. That character could have been cast better.







1940s Wrap Up

The 1930s ended with such promise in filmmaking. The 40s began with a bang (with Rebecca) and went down hill from there. Casablanca was one of the great films of the last 100 years but most of the other films failed to deliver.

These Oscar winning movie showed a change in society. The soldiers were coming home from the War and it became evident that society did not cling to the same morals as it once did. Movies like The Lost Weekend winked at prostitution and The Best Year's Of Our Lives portrayed alcoholism, infidelity and divorce in a favorable light.

Another change is the fact that women begin to be the heroes in many of the movies. I believe that the ceremonial torch was passed during Mrs Miniver when he captured an enemy solider in her kitchen. Hollywood showed the world that women were worthy of being the main characters rather than just being a pretty face to bring a change of pace, as was the case in Cimarron.

Overall, the 40s showed the social change going on in America but did not give us an improvement in movie making. We're hoping that the 50s bring an improvement in film.

1949 - All The King's Men: "They say he's an honest man"

1949 Best Picture Winner

Premiered November 8, 1949 in New York

Budget: N/A

Gross: N/A

 

This movie was a solid film. (Of course, after watching Hamlet, watching paint dry would have looked interesting). All kidding aside, this was a good movie. The story moved along nicely and the plot took us by surprise. I thought that the film would be a rags to riches story but the movie did not turn out that way at all. The movie closed in a surprising fashion and totally caught me off guard. I also got a chuckle out of watching the movie in light of the election. Overall, this is a film that you should watch at some point in your life.

 

Joel

Favorite: I liked the fast pace of the movie. The scenes were tight and did not drag on.

Least Favorite: I wanted to root for Willie but found out that I couldn't.

 

Callie

Favorite: It was very entertaining.

Least Favorite: The story was depressing. There were no honorable characters. It lacked a character with redeemable qualities.



1948 - Hamlet: "Get thee to a nunnery"

1948 Best Picture Winner

Premiered September 29, 1948

Budget: N/A

Gross: N/A

 

The story is timeless...The actor is an all time great...This equation adds up to...a really awful movie! I'm serious. The worst movie since Cavalcade. Now, it isn't Shakespeare's fault. It isn't even Lawrence Olivier's fault (although he directed it too so I guess he is partly to blame). The stanging, acting and camera shots were done as if they just filmed a production done on a stage. The production values brought nothing new to the art form and the actors "over acted" like they were in front of a live audience. It was a terrible way to spend a couple of hours.

 

Joel

Favorite: I actually liked the "ghost" scenes. That was the only time when the film makers actually showed some creatvity.

Least Favorite: The movie is slow. Mel Gibson was "Hamlet" in the same story and is was not slow and boring at all so I know that it is not the story.

 

Callie

Favorite: I liked the story.

Least Favorite: Bad acting, bad sets, it all seemed "hokey".



1947 - Gentlemen's Agreement: I've even got the title 'I was Jewish for six months'

1947 Best Picture Winner

Premiered November 11, 1947 in New York

Budget: $2 Million

Gross: N/A

This movie is like the last two Oscar winners, the story has a great premise but the execution is terrible. The main character is tasked with writing a magazine article on anti-semitism. This film takes the strongest stance on a social issue of any Oscar winner yet. We were impressed with the bold stance that the movie takes.

One thing we have noticed is the decline of morality after World War II. Before the war, movies showed marriage and worth fighting for and they portrayed biblical values. The last few movies have had heroes that are divorced and some main characters contemplate having affairs and script writers show that to be socially acceptable.

Joel
Favorite: I loved the passion and conviction that Gregory Peck portrayed in his role.

Least Favorite: The sound effects were terrible. For example, each time a scene took place near a street the movie makers used the same car horn sound effect.

Callie
Favorite: The honesty of the way that they addressed anti-semitism.
Least Favorite: The relationship between Phil and his mom (it was a little creepy)



1946 - The Best Years Of Our Lives: "My Career As A Homewrecker Is Officially Over"

1946 Best Picture Winner

Premiered: November 21, 1946 in New York

Budget: $2.1 Million

Gross: N/A

This movie was tough to rate: not quite good enough to warrent two popcorn bags, not bad enough to be one popcorn bag. We gave it one and a half, rounding it up to two. Watch it if you ever need to kill 3 hours.

This film pushes the limits on social and moral issues: The movie winks at extra martial affairs, divorce and alcoholism. In many ways, you could see the script in a movie today. It did not have the moral innocence that the other Oscar winning movies had in the 1940s.  

The movie follows 3 soldiers returning from World War II. The message of the film is this: The Best Years in the lives of the servicemen were the years when they were serving in the war. All three struggle to adjust to life in society.

Joel

Favorite: I liked the concept of the movie. The story in the movie was what real people were dealing with in the post war U.S.

Least Favorite: I did not like the way the movie made it seem that having an affair was ok. It had the values of 2012 America, not 1946 America.

Callie

Favorite: It had a good storyline. It brought me into the perspective of a soldier returning home.

Least Favorite: It was way too long. The length watered down the impact of the movie.

1945 - The Lost Weekend: "Don't Be Ridic"

1945 Best Picture Winner

Premiered November 29, 1945 in LA

Budget: $1.25 Million

Gross: N/A

I can sum this movie up in one word: unique. I've never seen a movie like it. The movie is about an alcoholic and the grip that the addiction has on him. It is a very serious movie that deals with some tough subjects. The movie does not include any humorous moments to occasionally lighten the mood, it leaves the viewer more and more discouraged an upset at the main character and his choices.

The production values were pretty poor. The opening scene features a wide shot of the New York skyline, only the shot is obviously of a picture made to look like a New York skyline. I don't think movie goers cared about production values back then. On the upside, the acting is very good and the story holds your attention and makes you think.

Joel

Favorite: The female lead, Helen, sticks by Don even though his bad choices spiral out of control during his bender. She sticks by his side even though he betrays her over and over again.

Least Favorite: The soundtrack was terrible. It sounded like the Star Trek soundtrack. Each time Don took another drink I wondered if the aliens were going to come down and get him.

Callie
Favorite: I liked the raw storyline and the way that it hit what was happening at the time.
Least Favorite: It was a bad movie. The production was bad, music was terrible, effects were horrible and the story was slow moving and boring.

1944 - Going My Way: "You even throw like an athiest"

1944 Best Picture Winner

Premiered May 3, 1944 in New York

Budget: N/A

Gross: N/A

"Bing looks so young", that was the first thing we said when the movie started. It was fun to see an actor that we watch each year in one of our Christmas tradition (in White Christmas). This movie has a very nice message: that faith is not a boring set of traditions but it is really about loving helping people and reaching out to those in need. It could almost be a Christian film.

The movie started out with so much promise. It was filled with lots of humor and a very likable main character, Father O'Malley. About an hour into the movie though the plot disappeared and it became a very poor musical. Bing did well on the songs but the music written for the movie was subpar. Overall, we gave it two popcorn bags because it is a feel good film with a nice message.

Joel

Favorite: I liked the humor. It was lots of one liners and some dry humor delivered by Bing Crosby.

Least Favorite: I disliked the song "Going My Way". At the end it is performed by an orchestra, a boy's choir and an female opera singer and it was awful.

Callie
Favorite: I liked the honor and integrity of the film. It was a feel good story.
Least Favorite: At times the plot got lost in the slow pace of the movie and it felt aimless at times.

1943 - Casablanca: "This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship"

1943 Best Picture Winner

Premiered November 26, 1942 in New York

Budget: $950,000

Gross: $10.5 Million

Casablanca has it all: romance, action, a great plot and a great performance by the male lead. Casablanca is one of the most iconic movies of all time and for good reason. It is an excellent movie. We enjoyed every minute of the movie immensely. Unlike Gone With The Wind that is all hype and little substance, this movie delivers.

The film gives us a very different look at the war. It is set in a small Moraccan town that has people loyal to the allies and many German soliders. This mix of indeals in one town makes things quite interesting.

Joel
Favorite: I loved the way that they developed the main character, Rick. The viewer doesn't know if he is loyal to anyone but himself until the very end.
Least Favorite: I wish that the movie would have been in color. Otherwise, it was perfect.

Callie
Favorite: I love the speed of the story line. The plot progressed at a nice pace. I also liked the way that Rick honors the marriage of Victor and Ilsa.
Least Favorite: I don't have a least favorite.

1942 - Mrs. Miniver: "What goes into making a rose, ma'am, is breeding...and budding...and horse manure."

1942 Best Picture

Premiered June 4, 1942 in New York

Budget: $1.34 Million

Gross: N/A

After suffering through How Green Was My Valley, we were ready for an improvement. Mrs. Miniver delivered. It was fairly engaging and inspirational. It showed the affects of war on those in England as they endured having their sons go off to war, their evenings spent underground during the nightly air raids and the desire to have hope even when little hope existed. The Miniver family are the central characters in the film and the audience begins to root for them as they experience the peaks and valleys of life.

The Miniver family are the central characters in the film. The script was believable and engaging. The actors did a good job and the camera shots were well done.

Callie
Favorite: Many of the movies we've seen have tried to captured how war affect a single family. This is the first movie to do this in a moving and effective way.
Least Favorite: There were a few holes in the story - for example, all of the sudden Mr. Miniver was on the river patrol and there was no indication of him being pressed into duty.

Joel

Favorite: I like the youngest Miniver family member, Toby. He provided a lot of comic relief with his childish comments and questions.

Least Favorite: The movie was still in black and white. The technology existed to shoot in color and color would have added to the power of the movie.

1941 - How Green Was My Valley: "Tis a coward I am. But I will hold your coat"

1941 Best Picture Winner

Premiered October 28, 1941 in New York

Budget: $1.25 Million

Gross: $6 Million

I went into this movie excited because this film beat out Citizen Kane and Sergent York. I thought that it must be something special to beat out two excellent movies. I was wrong. How Green Was My Valley is an awful movie. The production values were about 5 years behind the standard that Gone With The Wind had set. The story was not that good either.

The story is a combination of A Christmas Story and Newsies. It is a story of innocence lost: the boy, Huw, coming of age and the town losing its innocence with the coal miners strike. The only good character in the movie is the preacher who stands up for truth in the face of adversity.

Callie

Favorite: There was some comic relief set by two men who were teaching Huw to box to protect himself.

Least Favorite: The spontaneous singing throughout the movie. From the beginning with Angharad singing poorly and throughout it did not enhance the film or the plot. 

Joel

Favorite: I like the fact that the preacher stands up for truth against the wicked members of his church. He believes so strongly in the truth that he leaves his job rather than be a part of the hypocrisy.

Least Favorite: The camera angels and special affects were years behind the pace that had been set by the previous two winners.

1940 - Rebecca: "Please promise me never to wear black satin or pearls...or to be 36 years old"

1940 Best Picture Winner

Premiered March 27, 1940 in LA

Budget: $1.28 million

Gross: N/A

We watched this movie and we received a very pleasant surprise! Alfred Hitchcock introduced Americans to a kind of film that kept you on the edge of your seat. This movie had many twists and turns and the ending shocked us both. If you changed the production values and kept everything else, this could have been a movie that was made in 2012. Hitchcock was a talent that was decades ahead of his time. This movie is truly a hidden gem.

Joel
Favorite: I liked the fact that it was not a stuffy, dull portrayal of life of life in the past. It was a just a movie that was designed to entertain, not make a political statement.
Least Favorite: After watching a movie in color, it was tough to go back to black and white.

Callie
Favorite: I enjoyed the suspense and thrill throughout the movie. I loved how Alfred Hitchcock used small gestures from his characters to create an eerie scene.
Least Favorite: The product seemed to go down a little bit. There were times when they were driving when the scene around them seemed to speed up and slow down without the appearance of the driver changing scene.