List of the best movies of 1953, with movie trailers when available. Action hero Steve McQueen made his first appearance on the big screen in 1953. These top movies of 1953 are listed by popularity, so the movies with the most votes are at the top. This list consists of all different movie genres, but each film was released in 1953. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1953 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1953 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.
List features movies like Shane, Peter Pan and more!
This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1953?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1953?"
1953 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1953. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1953 aren't just one persons opinion.
1
40 11
ShaneJack Palance, Jean Arthur, Alan Ladd Shane is a 1953 American Technicolor Western film from Paramount. It was produced and directed by George Stevens from a screenplay by A. B. Guthrie, Jr., based on the 1949 novel of the same name ...more
2
30 11
Calamity JaneDoris Day, Howard Keel, Dick Wesson Calamity Jane is a "Wild West"-themed film musical released in 1953. It is loosely based on the life of Wild West heroine Calamity Jane and explores an alleged romance between Calamity ...more
3
25 9
TitanicBarbara Stanwyck, Robert Wagner, Thelma Ritter Titanic is a 1953 American drama film directed by Jean Negulesco. Its plot centers on an estranged couple sailing on the maiden voyage of the RMS Titanic, which took place in April 1912.
4
24 9
NiagaraMarilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters Niagara is an American 1953 thriller-film noir, released by Twentieth Century-Fox, directed by Henry Hathaway, and starring Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, Casey Adams, and Marilyn Monroe. Unlike ...more
5
20 7
The ActressSpencer Tracy, Anthony Perkins, Jean Simmons The Actress is an 1953 American comedy-drama film based on Ruth Gordon's autobiographical play Years Ago. Gordon herself wrote the screenplay. The film was directed by George Cukor and stars ...more
6
23 9
Peter PanJune Foray, Bobby Driscoll, Heather Angel Peter Pan is a 1953 American animated fantasy-adventure film produced by Walt Disney and based on the play Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up by J. M. Barrie. It is the 14th film in the ...more
7
18 8
Never Let Me GoClark Gable, Gene Tierney Never Let Me Go is a 1953 MGM romantic adventure film starring Clark Gable and Gene Tierney. The picture was directed by Delmer Daves, produced by Clarence Brown, from a screenplay by George ...more
8
20 10
Young BessDeborah Kerr, Jean Simmons, Charles Laughton Young Bess is a 1953 Technicolor biographical film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer about the early life of Elizabeth I, from her turbulent childhood to the eve of her accession to the throne of ...more
9
19 9
The Band WagonFred Astaire, Julie Newmar, Cyd Charisse The Band Wagon is a 1953 musical comedy film that many critics rank, along with Singin' in the Rain, as the finest of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musicals, although it was only a modest box-office ...more
10
20 10
H. G. Wells' War of the WorldsTom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Channing Tatum The War of the Worlds is a 1953 American Technicolor science fiction film from Paramount Pictures, produced by George Pal, directed by Byron Haskin, and starring Gene Barry and Ann Robinson. The ...more
11
27 17
House of WaxVincent Price, Charles Bronson, Carolyn Jones House of Wax is a 1953 American 3-D horror film about a disfigured sculptor who repopulates his destroyed wax museum by murdering people and using their wax-coated corpses as displays. It stars ...more
12
29 19
From Here to EternityFrank Sinatra, Burt Lancaster, Ernest Borgnine From Here to Eternity is a 1953 drama film directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on the novel of the same name by James Jones. The picture deals with the tribulations of three soldiers, played by ...more
13
13 6
A Blueprint for MurderJoseph Cotten, Jean Peters, Mae Marsh A Blueprint for Murder is a 1953 thriller film noir starring Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, and Gary Merrill. Andrew L. Stone wrote and directed the film.
14
18 10
It Came from Outer SpaceRussell Johnson, Richard Carlson, Dave Willock It Came from Outer Space is a 1953 American black-and-white science fiction film, the first in the 3-D process from Universal-International. It was produced by William Alland, directed by Jack ...more
15
24 16
The Big HeatLee Marvin, Glenn Ford, Carolyn Jones The Big Heat is a 1953 film noir directed by Fritz Lang, starring Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame and Lee Marvin. It is about a cop who takes on the crime syndicate that controls his city, after the ...more
16
10 3
InfernoRhonda Fleming, Robert Ryan, William Lundigan Inferno is a 1953 American film noir drama/thriller starring Robert Ryan and Rhonda Fleming, directed by Roy Ward Baker. It was shot in Technicolor and shown in 3-D Dimension and stereophonic ...more
17
12 6
Street CornerDora Bryan, Ronald Howard, Peggy Cummins Street Corner is a 1953 British drama film. It was written by Muriel and Sydney Box and directed by Muriel. It was marketed as Both Sides of the Law in the United States. While not quite a ...more
18
17 10
Abbott and Costello Go to MarsAnita Ekberg, Lou Costello, Harry Shearer Abbott and Costello Go To Mars is a 1953 American science fiction comedy film directed by Charles Lamont and starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. The film follows the misadventures ...more
19
21 14
Julius CaesarMarlon Brando, Deborah Kerr, John Gielgud Julius Caesar is a 1953 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film adaptation of the play by Shakespeare, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who also wrote the uncredited screenplay, and produced by John Houseman. ...more
20
22 15
Gentlemen Prefer BlondesMarilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Harry Carey Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a 1953 American film adaptation of the 1949 stage musical, released by 20th Century Fox, directed by Howard Hawks, and starring Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell, with ...more
21
23 18
Torch SongJoan Crawford, Gig Young, Harry Morgan Torch Song is a 1953 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Technicolor romantic musical drama film starring Joan Crawford and Michael Wilding in a story about a Broadway star and her rehearsal pianist. The ...more
22
12 8
JeopardyBarbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan Jeopardy is a 1953 suspense film noir directed by John Sturges. The black-and-white film stars Barbara Stanwyck and Barry Sullivan as a married couple and Ralph Meeker as an escaped killer. The ...more
23
10 6
Romeo and JulietAída Villadeamigo, Susana Campos, Domingo Márquez Romeo y Julita is a 1953 Argentine film.
24
9 5
Martin LutherNiall MacGinnis, Philip Leaver, Alexander Gauge Martin Luther is a 1953 film biography of Martin Luther. It was directed by Irving Pichel, and stars Niall MacGinnis as Luther. It was produced by Louis de Rochemont and RD-DR Corporation in ...more
25
9 5
I, the JuryPeggie Castle, Preston Foster, Alan Reed I, the Jury is a 1953 mystery-thriller film noir, based on the novel I, the Jury by Mickey Spillane. It was directed by Harry Essex, produced by Victor Saville's company, Parklane Pictures and ...more
26
19 16
Knights of the Round TableAva Gardner, Robert Taylor, Stanley Baker Knights of the Round Table is a 1953 British historical film made by MGM. Directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman, it was the first film in Cinemascope made by that studio. ...more
27
19 16
Kiss Me KateAnn Miller, Keenan Wynn, Kathryn Grayson Kiss Me Kate is the 1953 MGM film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. Inspired by The Taming of the Shrew, it tells the tale of musical theater actors, Fred Graham and Lilli ...more
28
18 15
The Glenn Miller StoryJames Stewart, Louis Armstrong, Marion Ross The Glenn Miller Story is a 1954 American film about the eponymous American band-leader, directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart in their first non-western collaboration. ...more
29
18 15
I ConfessAlfred Hitchcock, Montgomery Clift, Anne Baxter I Confess is a 1953 drama film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and starring Montgomery Clift as Fr. Michael William Logan, a Catholic priest, Anne Baxter as Ruth Grandfort, and Karl Malden as ...more
30
15 12
The RobeRichard Burton, Jean Simmons, Harry Shearer The Robe is a 1953 American Biblical epic film that tells the story of a Roman military tribune who commands the unit that crucifies Jesus. The film was made by 20th Century Fox and is notable ...more
31
11 8
Second ChanceRobert Mitchum, Jack Palance, Linda Darnell Second Chance is a 1953 American color thriller, directed by Rudolph Maté. The picture, shot on location in Mexico in 3-Dimension, features Robert Mitchum, Linda Darnell, and Jack ...more
32
9 6
A Lion Is in the StreetsJames Cagney, Anne Francis, Barbara Hale A Lion Is in the Streets is a 1953 drama film directed by Raoul Walsh and starring James Cagney as a southern politician loosely based on Huey Long. Cagney's brother William was the producer, ...more
33
7 4
The Red BeretAlan Ladd, Leo Genn The Red Beret is a 1953 British war film directed by Terence Young and starring Alan Ladd, Leo Genn and Susan Stephen. It is the fictitious story about an American who enlists in the British ...more
34
7 4
Time BombGlenn Ford, Maurice Denham, Anne Vernon Time Bomb is a 1953 British-made MGM post-war thriller film written by Kem Bennett and directed by Ted Tetzlaff. It starred Glenn Ford and Anne Vernon. In the US it was released under the title ...more
35
7 4
The Golden BladeRock Hudson, Anita Ekberg, Piper Laurie The Golden Blade is an adventure film from 1953 directed by Nathan Juran and starring Rock Hudson as Harun Al-Rashid and Piper Laurie as Princess Khairuzan. It is set in ancient Bagdad and ...more
36
7 4
The Sword and the RoseMichael Gough, Richard Todd, Glynis Johns The Sword and the Rose is a 1953 United States family and adventure film, produced by Perce Pearce and Walt Disney and directed by Ken Annakin. The film features the story of Mary Tudor, a ...more
37
7 4
Thunder BayJames Stewart, Harry Morgan, Dan Duryea Thunder Bay is a 1953 American adventure film directed by Anthony Mann and starring James Stewart in their second non-western collaboration.
38
7 4
Man with a MillionGregory Peck, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Joyce Grenfell The Million Pound Note is a 1954 British comedy, directed by Ronald Neame and starring Gregory Peck. It is based on the Mark Twain short story, "The Million Pound Bank Note".
39
6 3
Heidi Heidi is a 1953 TV film.
40
6 3
Small Town GirlNat King Cole, Ann Miller, Fay Wray Small Town Girl is a 1953 musical film directed by László Kardos and starring Jane Powell, Farley Granger, and Ann Miller. Busby Berkeley choreographed several dance numbers. Bobby ...more
41
6 3
Sunflower Girl Sunflower Girl is a 1953 film directed by Yasuki Chiba.
42
6 3
Man in the AtticJack Palance, Frances Bavier, Isabel Jewell Man in the Attic is a 1953 mystery film directed by Hugo Fregonese. It was released in the United States on December 23 by Twentieth Century Fox. The movie, based on the 1913 novel The Lodger by ...more
43
6 3
Small Town StoryDonald Houston, Susan Shaw, Alan Wheatley Small Town Story is a 1953 British thriller, directed by Montgomery Tully and starring Donald Houston and Susan Shaw. The film is set in the world of association football and features ...more
44
5 2
The Living Desert The Living Desert is a 1953 American nature documentary film that shows the everyday lives of the animals of the desert of the southwestern United States. The movie was written by James Algar, ...more
Love LetterKinuyo Tanaka, Kyōko Kagawa, Chieko Nakakita Love Letter is a 1953 black-and-white Japanese romance film, the first film directed by the actress Kinuyo Tanaka, who was the second woman to have a career as a film director in Japan. It was ...more
47
18 16
The Robe The Robe is a 1942 historical novel about the Crucifixion of Jesus written by Lloyd C. Douglas. The book was one of the best-selling titles of the 1940s. It entered the New York Times Best ...more
48
17 15
Roman HolidayAudrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck, Eddie Albert Roman Holiday is a 1953 American romantic comedy directed and produced by William Wyler. It stars Gregory Peck as a reporter and Audrey Hepburn as a royal princess out to see Rome on her own. ...more
49
12 10
The Hitch-HikerEdmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, José Torvay Two fishermen pick up a psychotic escaped convict who tells them that he intends to murder them when the ride is over.
50
12 10
Folly to Be WiseAlastair Sim, Edward Chapman, Elizabeth Allan Folly to Be Wise is a 1953 British comedy film directed by Frank Launder and starring Alastair Sim, Elizabeth Allan, Roland Culver, Colin Gordon, Martita Hunt and Edward Chapman. It is based on ...more
