Okay, these are the 10 best films from the year I was born, 1949. (Of course, "best" can mean so many things.)
In no particular order:
Criss-Cross: A film-noir classic starring Burt Lancaster, Dan Duryea, and Yvette DeCarlo. Directed by Robert Siodmak and briefly introducing Tony Curtis. A Greek tragedy as bleak as they come, but compelling.
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon: Stars John Wayne, Joanne Dru, John Agar, Ben Johnson, Victor McLaglen, Harry Carey, Jr, etc. The second of John Ford's cavalry trilogy (after Fort Apache and before Rio Grande), this one is melancholy, touching, humorous, insightful, and full of great characters, to the point that it has Shakespearean tones. It works better as the end of the trilogy, and reflects on what's been lost and what was magical about the untouched frontier.
Sands of Iwo Jima: A credible drama depicting a now-familiar trope in war films - a sergeant first training men, then taking them into combat. It stars John Wayne, John Agar, Forrest Tucker, Martin Milner (who made it all the way to Adam-12), Richard Jaeckel, and Julie Bishop, who gives a lovely performance and helps to humanize the brutal sergeant John Wayne plays, and also helps us see what a good man he really is. The raising of the flag over Iwo Jima is evocative. The film's only real weakness might be that John Agar overacts.
Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Busby Berkeley, somewhat subdued. Singing and dancing with Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly as ballplayers who come up against a crooked gambler trying to ruin their pennant chances. Of course, Gene falls for the new owner, played by Esther Williams (the most beautiful woman in Hollywood). Other people are in the movie, too. Ignore them and the plot and enjoy the stars on display.
Samson and Delilah: Another of Hollywood's biblical epics, but crafted on a more personal scale. You know the story. Starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr (another great Hollywood beauty, she gives a subtle but smouldering performance). Angela Lansbury is Samson's love and intended bride Semedar. She is also courted by Philistine Henry Wilcoxin. George Sanders, Philistine Saran of Gaza, is Samson's nemesis and rival for Delilah, who loves Samson. There's a great scene right out of the Odyssey. At Samson's wedding feast, he is betrayed by his bride-to-be Semedar, who marries Wilcoxin instead. Samson kills the Philistine warriors in the same fashion as Odysseus did when he finally returned from Troy to find Penelope's suitors settled into his house. Powerful scenes, high drama, great style from George Sanders.
It Happens Every Spring: Okay, another baseball film. Disney could have made this one. Ray Milland plays a chemistry professor who creates a solution that repels wood and becomes a star pitcher. His catcher, Paul Douglas, is both strong and funny. Jean Peters plays Ray's wife. Let's not think about the ethics of all this. It's entertaining.
Love Happy: The last Marx Brothers film. That puts it on this list. Detective Sam Grunnion (Groucho narrating), Chico and Harpo. A criminal farce.
Rope of Sand: A South African adventure starring Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Corinne Calvert and Burt Lancaster. Diamonds, greed, lust and violence in the desert.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court: Okay, you didn't even believe they made this movie. From Mark Twain's book. The time-traveling Bing Crosby becomes Sir Boss to Cedric Hardwicke's King Arthur. Also starring William Bendix (one of my favorites) and Rhonda Fleming. Merlin (Murvyn Vye) plots with jealous Lancelot (Henry Wilcoxin again) to thwart Bing. A really odd film.
All the King's Men: Robert Penn Warren's book, the film recalls Huey Long, a popular politician who was assassinated. Broderick Crawford (who won an Academy Award) plays Willie Stark, populist politician who climbs the ladder, becomes corrupted by power, and is, well, assassinated. Powerful film.
And some more hits of 1949:
The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand's book and script, incredible subtext)
Battleground (fine war story)
Champion (boxing, powerful)
Intruder in the Dust (from Faulkner novel, about racism)
Kind Hearts and Coronets (black comdey with Alec Guinness)
The Stratton Story (another baseball film, stars Jimmy Stewart)
Twelve O'Clock High (great war drama with Gregory Peck)
The Third Man (suspense with Joseph Cotton, from Graham Greene's book)
White Heat (crime drama with James Cagney, over-the-top but compelling)
I Was a Male War Bride (romantic comedy with Cary Grant)
Orpheus (Jean Cocteau's fantasy)
And I'm done.
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