5. On The Waterfront
Famous for the "I could have been a contender" monologue, On the Waterfront is one of the most gripping dramas ever made thanks to Elie Kazan's assured direction and an iconic performance by Marlon Brando. Brando brings such a layer of remorse and buried pain to his role as Terry Malloy that is perfectly captured in black and white. I like to think that On the Waterfront was the movie that Welles was thinking of when he made the remark about black and white being an actor's friend. This is just one film that utilizes the full potential that black and white allows an actor. There are no distractions from Brando's performance which, in turn, causes the entire film to revolve around his central character. The supporting actors are excellent and the locations of the movie are authentic and fit the narrative well but everything falls by the wayside when Brando is on the screen.