29. On The Waterfront (1954)
Just like he did three years prior in A Streetcar Named Desire, Marlon Brando revolutionised acting in his portrayal of Terry Malloy in this gritty, atmospheric classic. The film is a very personal work to director, Elia Kazan and certain allegorical readings can be made relating to Kazan testifying against former associates who were involved with Communism during the years of McCarthyism in the 50's. Kazan was ostracised by the far-left and On the Waterfront was payback in his eyes. The script is tight and immediately quotable - Brando's "I coulda been somebody" line has been repeated thousands of times. Personal feelings about Kazan and his agenda aside, the film is a masterpiece and it got Brando his long overdue first Academy Award. Brando powered great films such as this one, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Wild One and Viva Zapata into masterful ones, his unrestrained energy wowing audiences and critics. He was great at improvising, most notably during the "glove scene" in this film; he did little things that added so much to the big picture. The classic story of a fight against corruption may not seem as fresh today as it did then, but the power of the performances and script have not diminished a single bit.
28. Seven Samurai (1955)
Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai was a watershed in Japanese cinema, becoming the highest-grossing Japanese movie ever at that point. It was Kurosawa's first venture into the samurai genre, but it being Kurosawa it was no ordinary samurai movie. It was an indie movie on a blockbuster budget and an action movie about people, it transcended the constraints of language and has gone on to become one of the greatest films of all time. The climatic action sequence is still the benchmark for action scenes despite all the evolution in technology - Kurosawa created legend with the sequence with the atmospheric rain pouring down, ramping up the intensity. Long-time Kurosawa collaborator Toshiro Mifune is the standout actor, though each of the seven are uniquely drawn in a way rarely seen. Seven Samurai has been the inspiration for movies such as The Magnificent Seven and A Bug's Life and Kurosawa's movies had a huge impact on the directors of New Hollywood. Not my personal favourite Kurosawa movie, but Seven Samurai is his most important and influential film.
27. Rebel Without A Cause (1955)
James Dean's Jim Stark became a hero to the disillusioned youth of America. Dean and the character both became icons of cinema as Stark's brooding loner resonated with the rebellion of the fifties and sixties. It's an accurate portrayal of teen angst without being patronising, helped mostly by Dean's magnetic performance and Nicholas Ray's dynamic direction. There is always a hint of sadness when watching Rebel Without A Cause - knowing Dean would die so young and his great talent would never be fulfilled, though his legacy is as strong as it ever was. The cool Stark inspired a new type of character - the complex youngster - and a phenomena was born. The film still holds importance because of its socially aware themes and is the definitive movie for teenage rebellion.