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The Best Movies of 1959

Updated February 23, 2020 4.7k votes 176 voters 8.5k views

List of the best movies of 1959, with movie trailers when available. Fans of The Three Stooges remember 1959 as the year that the trio made their last short film, Sappy Bull Fighters. These top movies of 1959 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 1959. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1959 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1959 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.

With movies ranging from Some Like It Hot to North by Northwest, this is a great starting point for a list of your favorites.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1959?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1959?"

1959 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1959. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1959 aren't just one persons opinion.

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North by Northwest
Cary Grant, Alfred Hitchcock
Released: 1959
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
North by Northwest is a 1959 American spy thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and... more on Wikipedia
More North by Northwest
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Anatomy of a Murder
James Stewart, George C. Scott
Released: 1959
Directed by: Otto Preminger
This film is a 1959 American courtroom drama film. It was directed by Otto Preminger and... more on Wikipedia
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Ben-Hur
Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins
Released: 1959
Directed by: William Wyler
Ben-Hur is a 1959 American epic historical drama film, directed by William Wyler, produced by... more on Wikipedia
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Rio Bravo
John Wayne, Dean Martin
Released: 1959
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Rio Bravo is a 1959 American Western film produced and directed by Howard Hawks and starring... more on Wikipedia
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The Hound of the Baskervilles
Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing
Released: 1959
Directed by: Terence Fisher
The Hound of the Baskervilles is a 1959 British gothic horror and mystery film, directed by... more on Wikipedia
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Some Like It Hot
Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon
Released: 1959
Directed by: Billy Wilder
Some Like It Hot is a 1959 American comedy film set in 1929, directed by Billy Wilder,... more on Wikipedia
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House on Haunted Hill
Vincent Price, Richard Long
Released: 1959
Directed by: William Castle
House on Haunted Hill is a 1959 American horror film. It was directed by William Castle,... more on Wikipedia
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Sleeping Beauty
Marvin Miller, Mary Costa
Released: 1959
Directed by: Clyde Geronimi
Sleeping Beauty is a 1959 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney based... more on Wikipedia
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Pillow Talk
Doris Day, Rock Hudson
Released: 1959
Directed by: Michael Gordon
Pillow Talk is a 1959 Eastmancolor romantic comedy film in CinemaScope directed by Michael... more on Wikipedia
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Imitation of Life
John Wayne, Lana Turner
Released: 1959
Directed by: Douglas Sirk
Imitation of Life is a 1959 American romantic drama film directed by Douglas Sirk, produced by... more on Wikipedia
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Operation Petticoat
Cary Grant, Tony Curtis
Released: 1959
Directed by: Blake Edwards
Operation Petticoat is a 1959 comedy film directed by Blake Edwards, and starring Cary Grant... more on Wikipedia
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Journey to the Center of the Earth
Pat Boone, Bernard Herrmann
Released: 1959
Directed by: Henry Levin
Journey to the Center of the Earth is a 1959 adventure film adapted by Charles Brackett from... more on Wikipedia
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Suddenly, Last Summer
Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn
Released: 1959
Directed by: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Suddenly, Last Summer is a 1959 American Southern Gothic mystery film based on the play of the... more on Wikipedia
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The Horse Soldiers
John Wayne, William Holden
Released: 1959
Directed by: John Ford
The Horse Soldiers is a 1959 film that was directed by John Ford and starred John Wayne,... more on Wikipedia
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The Diary of Anne Frank
Shelley Winters, Ed Wynn
Released: 1959
Directed by: George Stevens
The Diary of Anne Frank is a 1959 film based on the Pulitzer Prize winning play of the same... more on Wikipedia
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The Nun's Story
Audrey Hepburn, Peter Finch
Released: 1959
Directed by: Fred Zinnemann
The Nun's Story is a 1959 Warner Bros film directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Audrey... more on Wikipedia
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The Mating Game
Debbie Reynolds, Tony Randall
Released: 1959
Directed by: George Marshall
The Mating Game is an MGM film directed by George Marshall and starring Debbie Reynolds, Tony... more on Wikipedia
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The 400 Blows
Jeanne Moreau, Jean Piere Leaud
Released: 1959
Directed by: François Truffaut
The 400 Blows is a 1959 French drama film, the debut by director François Truffaut; it stars... more on Wikipedia
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A Bucket of Blood
Dick Miller, Paul Horn
Released: 1959
Directed by: Roger Corman
A Bucket of Blood is a 1959 American comedy horror film directed by Roger Corman. It starred... more on Wikipedia
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Left Right and Centre
Eric Barker, Ian Carmichael
Released: 1959
Directed by: Sidney Gilliat
Left Right and Centre is a 1959 British satirical comedy film directed by Sidney Gilliat and... more on Wikipedia
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16
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Watusi
George Montgomery, Rex Ingram
Released: 1959
Directed by: Kurt Neumann
Watusi is a 1959 MGM adventure film directed by Kurt Neumann and produced by Al Zimbalist and... more on Wikipedia
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15
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Ride Lonesome
James Coburn, Lee Van Cleef
Released: 1959
Directed by: Budd Boetticher
Ride Lonesome is a 1959 Western film directed by Budd Boetticher and starring Randolph Scott,... more on Wikipedia
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Anari
Raj Kapoor, Lalita Pawar
Released: 1959
Directed by: Hrishikesh Mukherjee
Anari is a 1959 Bollywood film directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee. The film stars Raj Kapoor,... more on Wikipedia
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Kaagaz Ke Phool
Mehmood Ali, Waheeda Rehman
Released: 1959
Directed by: Guru Dutt
Kaagaz Ke Phool is a 1959 Hindi film produced and directed by Guru Dutt, who also played the... more on Wikipedia
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The Young Philadelphians
Paul Newman, Robert Vaughn
Released: 1959
Directed by: Vincent Sherman
The Young Philadelphians is a 1959 drama film starring Paul Newman, Barbara Rush and Alexis... more on Wikipedia