The Top 50+ Films Released In 1959

Ranker Film
Updated May 1, 2024 52 items
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224 voters
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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.
Most divisive: The Hound of the Baskervilles
Over 200 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Top 50+ Films Released In 1959
  • North by Northwest
    1

    North by Northwest

    Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason
    86 votes
    In the classic suspense film North by Northwest, Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), an unsuspecting New York advertising executive, becomes entangled in a web of espionage. Mistaken for a government agent by foreign spies, he's thrust into a perilous cross-country chase. Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint), a mysterious and alluring woman, aids him in his desperate struggle for survival. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this thrilling masterpiece of intrigue and mistaken identity is filled with iconic scenes, including the famous crop-duster sequence and the climactic Mount Rushmore showdown. It's a testament to Hitchcock's mastery over tension and suspense.
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  • Some Like It Hot
    2

    Some Like It Hot

    Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe
    74 votes
    In the classic comedy Some Like It Hot, musicians Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) find themselves on the run from Chicago mobsters. Their clever solution? Disguise themselves as women and join an all-female band headed to sunny Florida. Amidst their high-stakes charade, Joe falls for the sultry Sugar Kane (Marilyn Monroe), while a wealthy admirer relentlessly pursues Jerry, further complicating their predicament. This 1959 Billy Wilder-directed film, celebrated for its impeccable comedic timing and witty script, won an Academy Award for Best Costume Design.
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  • Sleeping Beauty
    3

    Sleeping Beauty

    Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley
    60 votes
    Set in a fantastical kingdom, Sleeping Beauty is a classic Disney animation from 1959. The film follows the story of Princess Aurora (voiced by Mary Costa), cursed at birth by the vengeful Maleficent (Eleanor Audley). As per the curse, upon her sixteenth birthday, Aurora will fall into an eternal slumber only to be awakened by true love's kiss. Attempting to protect her, three good fairies - Flora (Verna Felton), Fauna (Barbara Jo Allen), and Merryweather (Barbara Luddy) - whisk her away to live as a humble peasant. Despite their best efforts, destiny takes its course. This movie garnered an Academy Award nomination for its exceptional music score.
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  • Anatomy of a Murder
    4

    Anatomy of a Murder

    James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara
    68 votes
    Semi-retired Michigan lawyer Paul Biegler (James Stewart) takes the case of Army Lt. Manion (Ben Gazzara), who murdered a local innkeeper after his wife (Lee Remick) claimed that he raped her. Over the course of an extensive trial, Biegler parries with District Attorney Lodwick (Brooks West) and out-of-town prosecutor Claude Dancer (George C. Scott) to set his client free, but his case rests on the victim's mysterious business partner (Kathryn Grant), who's hiding a dark secret.
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  • Ben-Hur
    5

    Ben-Hur

    Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins, Stephen Boyd
    78 votes
    Ben-Hur is a historical drama set in the 1st century AD. The film portrays the life of Judah Ben-Hur, played by Charlton Heston, a Jewish prince betrayed and enslaved by his childhood friend Messala (Stephen Boyd). After enduring years of hardship, Ben-Hur earns his freedom and returns home seeking revenge but instead finds redemption. The movie features epic chariot races and sea battles, bringing ancient Rome to vivid life. Directed by William Wyler, Ben-Hur won 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, underscoring its standing as a cinematic masterpiece.
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  • The Diary of Anne Frank
    6

    The Diary of Anne Frank

    Millie Perkins, Joseph Schildkraut, Shelley Winters
    40 votes
    In Nazi-occupied Holland in World War II, shopkeeper Kraler hides two Jewish families in his attic. Young Anne Frank (Millie Perkins) keeps a diary of everyday life for the Franks and the Van Daans, chronicling the Nazi threat as well as family dynamics. A romance with Peter Van Daan causes jealousy between Anne and her sister, Margot. Otto Frank (Joseph Schildkraut) returns to the attic many years after the eventual capture of both families and finds his late daughter's diary.
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  • Rio Bravo
    7

    Rio Bravo

    John Wayne, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson
    67 votes
    When gunslinger Joe Burdette (Claude Akins) kills a man in a saloon, Sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) arrests him with the aid of the town drunk, Dude (Dean Martin). Before long, Burdette's brother, Nathan (John Russell), comes around, indicating that he's prepared to bust his brother out of jail if necessary. Chance decides to make a stand until reinforcements arrive, enlisting Dude, an old cripple named Stumpy (Walter Brennan) and baby-faced cowboy Colorado Ryan (Ricky Nelson) to help.
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  • Journey to the Center of the Earth
    8

    Journey to the Center of the Earth

    Pat Boone, James Mason, Arlene Dahl
    45 votes
    A geologist (James Mason) and his assistant (Pat Boone) set off on an expedition to the center of the earth. Following directions found in an inscription hidden in volcanic rock, the explorers travel to a volcano in Iceland to begin their journey. Along the way, a widow of a famous scientist (Arlene Dahl) and an Icelander (Peter Ronson) join their party. However, the treacherous terrain and prehistoric monsters are not their only concern when a rival scientist (Thayer David) is on their trail.
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  • Suddenly, Last Summer
    9

    Suddenly, Last Summer

    Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Katharine Hepburn
    46 votes
    In this adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play, young socialite Catherine Holly (Elizabeth Taylor) is traumatized and committed after witnessing her cousin's violent death on a trip to Europe. Her aunt, Violet Venable (Katharine Hepburn), wants to hide the events of her son's death and attempts to bribe young surgeon Dr. John Cukrowicz (Montgomery Clift) to perform a lobotomy on Catherine. But John vows to find out the truth about Catherine's state before taking any action.
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  • Pillow Talk
    10

    Pillow Talk

    Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall
    45 votes
    Playboy songwriter Brad Allen's (Rock Hudson) succession of romances annoys his neighbor, interior designer Jan Morrow (Doris Day), who shares a telephone party line with him and hears all his breezy routines. After Jan unsuccessfully lodges a complaint against him, Brad sets about to seduce her in the guise of a sincere and upstanding Texas rancher. When mutual friend Jonathan (Tony Randall) discovers that his best friend is moving in on the girl he desires, however, sparks fly.
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  • The Shaggy Dog [1959]
    11

    The Shaggy Dog [1959]

    Annette Funicello, Fred MacMurray, Jack Albertson
    31 votes
    The Shaggy Dog is a black-and-white 1959 Walt Disney film about Wilby Daniels, a teenage boy who by the power of an enchanted ring of the Borgias is transformed into the title character, a shaggy Old English Sheepdog. The film was based on the story, The Hound of Florence by Felix Salten. It is directed by Charles Barton and stars Fred MacMurray, Tommy Kirk, Jean Hagen, Kevin Corcoran, Tim Considine, Roberta Shore, and Annette Funicello. It was the first ever Walt Disney live-action comedy. Walt Disney Productions filmed a successful sequel in 1976 called The Shaggy D.A. which starred Dean Jones, Tim Conway, and Suzanne Pleshette. It was followed by a 1987 TV-movie sequel, a 1994 TV-movie remake and a 2006 theatrical remake. A colorized version of the film can be found on the 1997 VHS.
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  • House on Haunted Hill
    12

    House on Haunted Hill

    Vincent Price, Carol Ohmart, Richard Long
    30 votes
    Rich oddball Frederick Loren (Vincent Price) has a proposal for five guests at a possibly haunted mansion: Show up, survive a night filled with scares and receive $10,000 each. The guest of honor is Loren's estranged wife, Annabelle (Carol Ohmart), who, with her secret lover, Dr. Trent (Alan Marshal), has concocted her own scheme to scare Loren's associate, Nora Manning (Carolyn Craig), into shooting the potentially crazy millionaire. But more spooks and shocks throw a wrench into the plan.
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  • The Nun's Story
    13

    The Nun's Story

    Audrey Hepburn, Peter Finch, Edith Evans
    34 votes
    Willful and outspoken Gabrielle van der Mal (Audrey Hepburn), the daughter of a prominent Belgian surgeon (Dean Jagger), leaves her upper-class existence to become a nun. As Sister Luke, she is eventually sent to the Belgian Congo, where she excels as a nurse working with a skilled doctor (Peter Finch). However, her willingness to continue as a nun is challenged when her father is killed by the Nazis, and she no longer feels that she can maintain the neutrality of her order.
  • The Mummy
    14

    The Mummy

    Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Felix Aylmer
    32 votes
    The Mummy is a 1959 British horror film, directed by Terence Fisher and starring Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing. It was written by Jimmy Sangster and produced by Michael Carreras and Anthony Nelson Keys for Hammer Film Productions. Though the title suggests Universal Pictures' 1932 film of the same name, the film actually derives its plot and characters entirely from two later Universal films, The Mummy's Hand and The Mummy's Tomb, with the climax borrowed directly from The Mummy's Ghost. The character name Joseph Whemple is the only connection with the 1932 version.
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  • Imitation of Life
    15

    Imitation of Life

    Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee
    39 votes
    Lora Meredith (Lana Turner), a white single mother who dreams of being on Broadway, has a chance encounter with Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore), a black widow. Annie becomes the caretaker of Lora's daughter, Suzie (Sandra Dee), while Lora pursues her stage career. Both women deal with the difficulties of motherhood: Lora's thirst for fame threatens her relationship with Suzie, while Annie's light-skinned daughter, Sarah Jane (Susan Kohner), struggles with her African-American identity.
  • The Bat
    16

    The Bat

    Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead, Gavin Gordon
    28 votes
    A killer called "the Bat" has claimed many lives in the small town inhabited by novelist Cornelia van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead) and her maid, Lizzie (Lenita Lane). As Cornelia implores Dr. Malcolm Wells (Vincent Price) to help her ailing maid, $1 million in the town's bank goes missing. With greed and fear reaching new heights, police Lt. Andy Anderson (Gavin Gordon) goes to Cornelia's house to investigate additional murders committed by the Bat.
  • The Horse Soldiers
    17

    The Horse Soldiers

    John Wayne, William Holden, Constance Towers
    34 votes
    During the Civil War, Colonel John Marlowe (John Wayne) is tasked with leading a Union cavalry division to raze a Confederate railroad depot. Marlowe faces further challenges as a result of his frequent disagreements with the regiment's surgeon, Major Henry Kendall (William Holden), and the presence of Miss Hannah Hunter (Constance Towers), a Southern belle who overhears Marlowe's secret plans and is brought along to prevent her from spreading the word.
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  • Darby O'Gill and the Little People
    18

    Darby O'Gill and the Little People

    Albert Sharpe, Janet Munro, Sean Connery
    29 votes
    Just-fired Darby O'Gill (Albert Sharpe) does not want to tell his daughter, Katie (Janet Munro), that his position has been taken by a dashing younger man (Sean Connery). Then, on his way home, Darby slips through a portal to the land of the little people. There he meets the leprechaun king, Brian (Jimmy O'Dea), and winds up accidentally bringing the little monarch home with him. Darby then demands Brian grant him three wishes, but the request brings Darby bittersweet, and unexpected, results.
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  • Operation Petticoat
    19

    Operation Petticoat

    Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Dina Merrill
    39 votes
    Lieutenant Commander Matt Sherman (Cary Grant) is in charge of the submarine "Sea Tiger," which was badly damaged at a Philippine shipyard by a Japanese air raid. Seeking to make sail before an oncoming invasion, Sherman enlists the help of newly transferred Lieutenant Nick Holden (Tony Curtis) to use his talents as a con artist to procure the needed supplies. Once they're underway, Sherman evacuates a group of beautiful nurses, but can't find anyone who will take them off his hands.
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  • A Summer Place
    20

    A Summer Place

    Richard Egan, Dorothy McGuire, Sandra Dee
    24 votes
    The big-screen adaptation of Sloan Wilson's popular novel follows wealthy Ken Jorgenson (Richard Egan) as he brings his wife (Constance Ford) and teenage daughter, Molly (Sandra Dee), to the Maine vacation spot where he worked as a middle-class youth. When Ken reunites with his former flame, the now-married Sylvia (Dorothy McGuire), it sparks a passionate tryst. Meanwhile, Sylvia's son, Johnny (Troy Donahue), and Molly begin a romance of their own, unaware of their parents' affair.
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  • On the Beach
    21

    On the Beach

    Gregory Peck, Ava Gardner, Fred Astaire
    21 votes
    After World War III, Australia is the only remaining haven for mankind. However, wind currents carrying lingering radiation all but condemn those on the continent to the same fate suffered by the rest of the world. When the survivors receive a strange signal from San Diego, Cmdr. Dwight Towers (Gregory Peck) must undertake a mission with Lt. Peter Holmes (Anthony Perkins) to see if there is hope for humanity -- leaving behind Moira (Ava Gardner) and Mary (Donna Anderson), the women they love.
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  • Porgy and Bess
    22

    Porgy and Bess

    Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis
    22 votes
    This musical drama focuses on the poverty-stricken residents struggling to survive in the Charleston tenement of Catfish Row. The sultry Bess (Dorothy Dandridge) becomes the object of desire of Porgy (Sidney Poitier), a disabled man who gets around in a cart. But Bess is also involved with thuggish Crown (Brock Peters) and drug dealer Sportin' Life (Sammy Davis Jr.). Crown kills a man and goes into hiding, and Bess seeks shelter with Porgy. But, when Crown returns, Porgy must take a stand.
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  • Ride Lonesome
    23

    Ride Lonesome

    Randolph Scott, Karen Steele, Pernell Roberts
    24 votes
    Bounty hunter Ben Brigade (Randolph Scott) is on his way to California with his prisoner, Billy John (James Best), who is unaware that Brigade is really after his brother, Frank (Lee Van Cleef). The pair stop at a frontier post and and find themselves defending the poorly guarded settlement from a Native American assault. When the widow Mrs. Lane (Karen Steele) decides to accompany them to Santa Cruz, Brigade enlists the aid of two outlaws who may have a hidden agenda of their own.
  • The Hound of the Baskervilles
    24

    The Hound of the Baskervilles

    Peter Cushing, Andre Morell, Christopher Lee
    28 votes
    Sherlock Holmes (Peter Cushing) and Doctor Watson (Andre Morell) meet with a certain Dr. Mortimer (Francis De Wolff), who tells them of the legend of the "hound," born out of a murder committed by Sir Hugo Baskerville centuries ago. Explaining that Sir Charles Baskerville recently died in the same location as Sir Hugo, Mortimer expresses his deep concern that Sir Henry, the heir to the Baskerville estate, will also fall prey to the evil hound's curse. Holmes sets out to investigate.
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  • Compulsion
    25

    Compulsion

    Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman
    26 votes
    Sociopathic students Artie Straus (Bradford Dillman) and Judd Steiner (Dean Stockwell) murder a boy in a philosophical exercise to commit the flawless crime. Despite their precautions, one of them inadvertently left a key piece of evidence at the crime scene, and they have been arrested and put on trial. It's up to their nationally famous attorney (Orson Welles) to save these misguided souls from execution. The film is based on the infamous Leopold and Loeb case of 1924.
  • Plan 9 from Outer Space
    26

    Plan 9 from Outer Space

    Bela Lugosi, Vampira, Tor Johnson
    36 votes
    Residents of California's San Fernando Valley are under attack by flying saucers from outer space. The aliens, led by Eros (Dudley Manlove) and his assistant, Tanna (Joanna Lee), intend to conquer the planet by resurrecting corpses in a Hollywood cemetery. The living dead -- a cape-wearing ghoul (Bela Lugosi), a vampire (Vampira) and a slow-footed cop (Tor Johnson) who was killed for his nosiness -- stalk curious humans who wander into the cemetery looking for evidence of the UFOs.
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  • The FBI Story
    27

    The FBI Story

    James Stewart, Vera Miles, Murray Hamilton
    25 votes
    Recounting his storied FBI career, veteran agent Chip Hardesty (James Stewart) narrates events occurring from the 1920s to the 1940s. After marrying Lucy Ann (Vera Miles), a local librarian, Hardesty is supposed to resign from the agency. But when he hears J. Edgar Hoover speak, he has a change of heart, fully embracing the agency. As he travels from one investigation to another with his partner, Sam Crandall (Murray Hamilton), Hardesty faces down famous mobsters, Klansmen and spies.
  • Green Mansions
    28

    Green Mansions

    Audrey Hepburn, Anthony Perkins, Lee J. Cobb
    18 votes
    When his father is murdered by a corrupt political regime, Abel (Anthony Perkins) flees Caracas and for the Venezuelan forests, searching for hidden gold to fund his revenge. In the jungle, he finds Rima (Audrey Hepburn), a "bird girl" who has reverted to a natural and innocent state. Rima was raised by an evil grandfather who still tries to exercise dominion over her. It is up to Abel to try and save the girl from her grandfather, and also to protect her from superstitious natives.
  • North West Frontier
    29

    North West Frontier

    Lauren Bacall, Kenneth More, Herbert Lom
    15 votes
    North West Frontier is a 1959 British CinemaScope adventure film starring Kenneth More and Lauren Bacall. The film was directed by J. Lee Thompson from a screenplay by Robin Estridge and also features Wilfrid Hyde-White, Herbert Lom and I. S. Johar. The film is set in the North West Frontier Province of British India, which now lies within modern Pakistan. The film explores tensions between Hindu and Muslim Indians as Muslim rebels attack a fortress to kill a young Hindu maharajah. The success of the film led to J. Lee Thompson beginning his American career as a director. He went on to make the The Guns of Navarone in 1961 which was also noted for Geoffrey Unsworth's cinematography. Lauren Bacall called it a "good little movie... with a stupid title"
  • The Tingler
    30

    The Tingler

    Vincent Price, Judith Evelyn, Darryl Hickman
    19 votes
    Dr. Warren Chapin (Vincent Price) has made a surprising discovery -- the spine-chilling sensation that people get when scared is due to a parasite that he dubs the "tingler." Chapin concludes that in extreme circumstances, prolonged fear can cause the creature to damage a person's spine and even cause death if the victim can't scream, a theory that Oliver Higgins (Philip Coolidge) uses to deadly effect on his wife (Judith Evelyn). Soon the tingler that killed the woman is on the loose.