32. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
Marlon Brando's sexual magnetism - dripping with sweat, bursting out of his shirt - shocked audiences as he roared through the adaptation Tennesse Williams' masterful play, picking up his first Oscar nomination in the process. Brando's performance as Stanley Kowalski is perhaps more important and influential than his turns in The Wild One and The Godfather. Stanley is a brute, dripping in raw sexual energy and American cinema-goers had never seen anything quite like it. Like all of Williams' work, it is an absorbing drama that grips you until the end and haunts your head long after the credits have rolled. It's a masterclass in creating a claustrophobic atmosphere, as being adapted from a play, there are very few settings and the fierce fire of Williams' script is overwhelming, trapping you within the confines of the Kowalski household. Even in 2013, the film is compelling, its powerful themes ahead of their time in terms of cinema and the pure brilliance of the story makes it irresistible.
31. Singin' In The Rain (1952)
Singin' in the Rain is perhaps the most celebrated of all Hollywood musicals. It was one of the few not adapted from theatre and was all the more successful for it. Gene Kelly serves us an experience that is enchanting, enjoyable and features a great set of memorable songs. The film hilariously satirises the transition between silent movies and the talkies and the revolution of the industry in the late 20's. Singin' in the Rain is one of the very greatest films for using music and the music of the picture was immortalised during the infamous rape scene in A Clockwork Orange. Still today, the movie remains fun and fresh, its originality unquestionable and it is one for pure movie lovers. It's a happy experience watching Singin' in the Rain - something that doesn't happen too often and is an underrated quality. The breathtaking song and dance numbers bring pleasure to the heart and it always, without fail, makes you smile. Kelly's masterpiece is a magical dream and is still the finest Hollywood musical and it more than lives up to its hype.
30. Tokyo Story (1953)
Yasujiro Ozu's intimate family drama has been named the 3rd greatest movie of all time on the two most recent Sight and Sound polls, evidence that the Japanese classic is improving in acclaim as it grows older. And rightly so as it flawlessly profound with intrinsic character detail. The movie is quiet and gentle, though it refuses to approach anything resembling sentimentality, for it is a passionate and devastating work, with Ozu working at his very, very best. The mood of the film can become overwhelming because of Ozu's unique camerawork - the camera very rarely moves. As a result, the camera is trained on facial expressions a lot and the pure emotion of the human beings Ozu has created can carry you away. Many of the important events in the movie are never shown and only revealed through dialogue. It's a movie that observes human emotion as well as any other - without judgement and as the film heads towards its tearjerker of an ending, you realise you are watching a remarkable cinematic accomplishment.