The 50+ Best Movies of 1954

Ranker Film
Updated May 1, 2024 51 items
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5.3K votes
229 voters
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List of the best movies of 1954, with movie trailers when available. Film legends Paul Newman and Jack Lemmon made their big screen debuts in 1954. These top movies of 1954 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 1954. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1954 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1954 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.

This is a list that features movies like Rear Window and On the Waterfront.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1954?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1954?"

1954 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1954. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1954 aren't just one persons opinion.
Most divisive: La Strada
Over 200 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 50+ Best Movies of 1954
  • Rear Window
    1

    Rear Window

    James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey
    80 votes
    In Alfred Hitchcock's classic suspense thriller Rear Window, James Stewart portrays the role of L.B. Jeff Jefferies, a photographer confined to his New York apartment due to a broken leg. Grace Kelly stars as Lisa Fremont, Jeff's high-society girlfriend, who becomes embroiled in his voyeuristic routine. As Jeff observes his neighbors through his rear window, he suspects one of them may have committed murder. This Academy Award-nominated film cleverly combines elements of mystery with intense character development, making it a masterclass in the genre of psychological thrillers.
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  • Dial M for Murder
    2

    Dial M for Murder

    Ray Milland, Grace Kelly, Bob Cummings
    67 votes
    Ex-tennis pro Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) wants to have his wealthy wife, Margot (Grace Kelly), murdered so he can get his hands on her inheritance. When he discovers her affair with Mark Halliday (Robert Cummings), he comes up with the perfect plan to kill her. He blackmails an old acquaintance into carrying out the murder, but the carefully-orchestrated set-up goes awry, and Margot stays alive. Now Wendice must frantically scheme to outwit the police and avoid having his plot detected.
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  • On the Waterfront
    3

    On the Waterfront

    Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Karl Malden
    67 votes
    Dockworker Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) had been an up-and-coming boxer until powerful local mob boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb) persuaded him to throw a fight. When a longshoreman is murdered before he can testify about Friendly's control of the Hoboken waterfront, Terry teams up with the dead man's sister Edie (Eva Marie Saint) and the streetwise priest Father Barry (Karl Malden) to testify himself, against the advice of Friendly's lawyer, Terry's older brother Charley (Rod Steiger).
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  • White Christmas
    4

    White Christmas

    Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney
    54 votes
    Singers Bob Wallace (Bing Crosby) and Phil Davis (Danny Kaye) join sister act Betty (Rosemary Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. There, they run into Gen. Waverly (Dean Jagger), the boys' commander in World War II, who, they learn, is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing. So what's the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a fun-filled musical extravaganza that's sure to put Waverly and his business in the black!
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  • Creature from the Black Lagoon
    5

    Creature from the Black Lagoon

    Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning
    61 votes
    Remnants of a mysterious animal have come to light in a remote jungle, and a group of scientists intends to determine if the find is an anomaly or evidence of an undiscovered beast. To accomplish their goal, the scientists (Antonio Moreno, Richard Carlson, Richard Denning, Whit Bissell) must brave the most perilous pieces of land South America has to offer. But the terrain is nothing compared to the danger posed by an otherworldly being that endangers their work and their lives.
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  • Seven Samurai
    6

    Seven Samurai

    Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Eijirō Tōno
    78 votes
    In the heart of 1586 Japan, Seven Samurai unfolds. A rural village, terrorized by marauding bandits, recruits seven ronin - masterless samurai. Leading them is Kambei (Takashi Shimura), a seasoned warrior with a strategic mind. Among his team are personalities as diverse as Kikuchiyo (Toshiro Mifune), a boisterous yet compassionate soul, and Kyuzo (Seiji Miyaguchi), the silent sword-master. Directed by Akira Kurosawa, this epic adventure-drama won several awards, including the Silver Lion at Venice Film Festival. A tale of courage and sacrifice, it's a pivotal entry in the cinematic world that transcends its genre.
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  • 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
    7

    20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

    Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas
    57 votes
    20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a riveting adventure movie that takes us on an underwater journey like no other. It features Captain Nemo (James Mason), a mysterious seafarer who navigates the ocean depths in his advanced submarine, the Nautilus. Joining him are Professor Aronnax (Paul Lukas), his assistant Conseil (Peter Lorre), and harpooner Ned Land (Kirk Douglas). Their voyage through the ocean's depths uncovers fascinating marine life and perilous threats alike. A blend of science fiction and adventure, this film won two Academy Awards for its groundbreaking special effects and art direction.
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  • A Star Is Born
    8

    A Star Is Born

    Judy Garland, James Mason, Jack Carson
    50 votes
    Hollywood actor Norman Maine (James Mason) is a celebrity whose star is on the wane, but when he meets aspiring actress Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland), he is inspired to help her, and soon the two appear in a musical together. Now known as Vicki Lester, she marries Norman and finds herself in demand, while his reputation continues to decline, resulting in heavy bouts of drinking. Eventually, Vicki must choose between moving forward with her career and attempting to save her husband.
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  • Sabrina
    9

    Sabrina

    Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden
    57 votes
    Chauffeur's daughter Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) returns home from two years in Paris a beautiful young woman, and immediately catches the attention of David (William Holden), the playboy son of her father's rich employers. David woos and wins Sabrina, who has always been in love with him, however their romance is threatened by David's serious older brother, Linus (Humphrey Bogart), who runs the family business and is relying on David to marry an heiress in order for a crucial merger to take place.
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  • Brigadoon
    10

    Brigadoon

    Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse
    17 votes
    Tommy Albright (Gene Kelly) and Jeff Douglas (Van Johnson), two American pals on a Scottish hunting trip, get lost in the woods and come upon the magical village of Brigadoon. Rising out of the Scottish mist only once every 100 years, and only for one day, Brigadoon is an enchanted place where life is simpler and easier, untouched by the worries of the modern world. When Tommy falls for beautiful villager Fiona Campbell (Cyd Charisse), he must decide whether to stay or to return to his life.
  • The Country Girl
    11

    The Country Girl

    Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, William Holden
    40 votes
    This adaptation of Clifford Odets' stage drama features Bing Crosby as the hard-drinking Frank Elgin, a once-popular Broadway star whose glory days have passed. When director Bernie Dodd (William Holden) gives Elgin a role in his new musical, he must also deal with the actor's sour and ever-present wife, Georgie (Grace Kelly), who Dodd believes is the cause of her husband's failure. However, as Dodd spends more time around Georgie, the truth about her husband becomes clear.
  • Animal Farm
    12

    Animal Farm

    Maurice Denham
    24 votes
    In this animated film based on George Orwell's novel, animals on drunken Mr. Jones' (Maurice Denham) farm, led by prize hog Old Major (also Denham), gather to discuss their abuse. Old Major exhorts the animals to rebel. Boxer the horse, donkey Benjamin, pigs Snowball and Napoleon and the others agree, and when Old Major dies, they turn against Jones. But Napoleon secretly raises a group of puppies to do his bidding, and over time the efficiently run farm falters as Napoleon schemes to take over.
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  • Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
    13

    Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

    Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn
    49 votes
    In the heartland of 1850s Oregon, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers unfolds. Millie (Jane Powell), a townswoman, marries backwoodsman Adam Pontipee (Howard Keel) only to discover his six unruly brothers living in their cabin. A romantic musical comedy ensues as Millie guides the brothers through courtship etiquette. The film is punctuated by vibrant dance sequences and memorable songs, earning it an Academy Award for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture. The story climaxes with a surprising twist, leaving audiences captivated till the last scene. All this happens under Stanley Donen's deft direction, making it an iconic Hollywood musical.
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  • Them!
    14

    Them!

    James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon
    50 votes
    While investigating a series of mysterious deaths, Sergeant Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) finds a young girl (Sandy Descher) who is unable to speak. As Peterson joins forces with FBI agent Robert Graham (James Arness) and scientist Dr. Harold Medford (Edmund Gwenn), he discovers that all the incidents are due to giant ants that have been mutated by atomic radiation. Peterson and Graham, with the aid of the military, attempt to find the queen ants and destroy the nests before the danger spreads.
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  • River of No Return
    15

    River of No Return

    Robert Mitchum, Marilyn Monroe, Rory Calhoun
    41 votes
    After serving a prison sentence, farmer Matt Calder (Robert Mitchum) returns to his 19th-century Pacific Northwest gold rush town and retrieves his adolescent son, Mark (Tommy Rettig). Meanwhile, goodhearted barroom singer Kay (Marilyn Monroe) is heading downriver with her boyfriend, Harry (Rory Calhoun), to explore a potential gold claim. When their raft sinks, Harry robs Matt of his gun and horse to continue without Kay on land. Sailing downriver toward the claim, the trio plan their revenge.
  • My Little Duckaroo
    16

    My Little Duckaroo

    Mel Blanc
    15 votes
    My Little Duckaroo is a 1954 Warner Bros. Merrie Melodies theatrical cartoon short produced by Edward Selzer. It was directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese. This cartoon in many ways resembles the 1951 short directed by Chuck Jones entitled Drip-Along Daffy. In this animated piece, upon seeing a wanted poster with a reward of $10,000.00 for the dead or alive capture of Nasty Canasta, Daffy Duck sets out alongside his companion Porky, and his trusty steed to retrieve the villain and collect on the money.
  • The High and the Mighty
    17

    The High and the Mighty

    John Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day
    39 votes
    On a flight from Hawaii to California, the engine dies on the plane Dan is flying. As he prepares for a crash landing, the passengers reassess their lives. The template for disaster movies with an Oscar-winning score and a cast list that reads like a who's who of 50s film.
  • Executive Suite
    18

    Executive Suite

    William Holden, June Allyson, Barbara Stanwyck
    30 votes
    A ruthless expose of the machinations of big business. A power struggle ensues when the president of a large corporation dies. Avery Bullard, President of the Tredway Corporation left no instructions as to who should take his place, and the board is having difficulties deciding who the job should go to, Loren Shaw, the corporate shark, or Don Walling, the genius engineer.
  • The Caine Mutiny
    19

    The Caine Mutiny

    Humphrey Bogart, José Ferrer, Van Johnson
    51 votes
    During World War II, a dilapidated vessel, the Caine, gets a new ensign, Willis Keith (Robert Francis), and a new captain, Commander Queeg (Humphrey Bogart). The crew sees Queeg's unconventional behavior as irrational, and communications officer Thomas Keefer (Fred MacMurray) spreads suspicion about his suitability as captain. When a dire situation during a storm forces the executive officer (Van Johnson) to relieve Queeg of his duties, he and Ensign Keith are tried for mutiny.
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  • Johnny Guitar
    20

    Johnny Guitar

    Joan Crawford, Sterling Hayden, Mercedes McCambridge
    38 votes
    On the outskirts of town, the hard-nosed Vienna (Joan Crawford) owns a saloon frequented by the undesirables of the region, including Dancin' Kid (Scott Brady) and his gang. Another patron of Vienna's establishment is Johnny Guitar (Sterling Hayden), a former gunslinger and her lover. When a heist is pulled in town that results in a man's death, Emma Small (Mercedes McCambridge), Vienna's rival, rallies the townsfolk to take revenge on Vienna's saloon -- even without proof of her wrongdoing.
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  • The Naked Jungle
    21

    The Naked Jungle

    Eleanor Parker, Charlton Heston, Abraham Sofaer
    33 votes
    Moved by lonely letters written to her brother by cocoa plantation owner Christopher Leiningen (Charlton Heston), New Orleans widow Joanna (Eleanor Parker) agrees to marry Christopher by proxy. Upon arriving at his South American plantation, Joanna clashes with the moody Christopher over his dismay about her previous marriage and the harshness of jungle life. The relationship appears doomed -- until a horde of attacking black ants forces the Leiningens to pull together.
  • Baby Buggy Bunny
    22

    Baby Buggy Bunny

    Mel Blanc
    21 votes
    Baby Buggy Bunny is a Merrie Melodies animated short film directed by Chuck Jones and written by Michael Maltese in 1954. The story is about a dwarf gangster named "Babyface" Finster who, after a clever bank robbery, loses his ill-gotten gains down Bugs Bunny's rabbit hole, forcing him to don the disguise of an orphan baby to get it back.
  • Betrayed
    23

    Betrayed

    Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Victor Mature
    24 votes
    When the Dutch resistance brings in Carla Van Oven (Lana Turner) to spy on the Nazis, Col. Pieter Deventer (Clark Gable) initially suspects she could be a double agent. Van Oven eventually convinces Deventer of her character, and when she is sent into occupied territory, she joins up with a rebel leader known as "The Scarf" (Victor Mature). As the resistance endures severe losses and their missions fail, Deventer starts to wonder whose side Van Oven is fighting on.
  • Three Coins in the Fountain
    24

    Three Coins in the Fountain

    Clifton Webb, Dorothy McGuire, Jean Peters
    26 votes
    Three hopeful American secretaries visiting Italy -- newcomer Maria (Maggie McNamara), romance-seeking Anita (Jean Peters) and the more mature Frances (Dorothy McGuire) -- fling their coins into Rome's Trevi Fountain, each making a wish. Soon, Maria is pursued by a dashing prince (Louis Jourdan), Anita finds herself involved with a forbidden coworker (Rossano Brazzi), and Frances receives a surprising proposal from her boss (Clifton Webb). All three women vow to one day return to Rome.
  • Elephant Walk
    25

    Elephant Walk

    Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch
    26 votes
    When John Wiley (Peter Finch), an affluent plantation owner, brings his new wife, Ruth (Elizabeth Taylor), to his estate in the jungles of Ceylon, she's overjoyed by the exotic location and luxurious accommodations, until it becomes clear her new husband is more interested in palling around with his friends than spending time with her. Left alone on the plantation, Ruth strikes up a friendship with the foreman, Dick Carver (Dana Andrews), and it isn't long before a love triangle develops.
  • Yankee Doodle Bugs
    26

    Yankee Doodle Bugs

    Mel Blanc, June Foray
    18 votes
    Yankee Doodle Bugs is a Looney Tunes cartoon short, released in 1954, which was written by Warren Foster and directed by Friz Freleng. Bugs Bunny's nephew, Clyde, has trouble remembering important dates and events in history in preparation for an exam, so Bugs offers to help. The cartoon's title is a humorous portmaneau of the American folk song "Yankee Doodle" and the word doodlebug.
  • Broken Lance
    27

    Broken Lance

    Spencer Tracy, Robert Wagner, Jean Peters
    26 votes
    A patriarchal rancher's empire is threatened by conflict within his family. On the day of his release from prison, the son of a cattle baron swears vengeance on his three half-brothers responsible for dispossessing him of his inheritance and driving his father to a fatal stroke. The ensuing story unfolds in flashback, tracing the sibling rivalries that led to the man's imprisonment.
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  • The Dam Busters
    28

    The Dam Busters

    Robert Shaw, Patrick McGoohan, Michael Redgrave
    29 votes
    The Dam Busters is a British Second World War war film starring Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd and directed by Michael Anderson. The film recreates the true story of Operation Chastise when in 1943 the RAF's 617 Squadron attacked the Möhne, Eder and Sorpe dams in Germany with Barnes Wallis's "bouncing bomb". The film was based on the books The Dam Busters by Paul Brickhill and Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson. The film's reflective last minutes convey the poignant mix of emotions felt by the characters – triumph over striking a successful blow against the enemy's industrial base is greatly tempered by the sobering knowledge that many died in the process of delivering it.
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  • Robinson Crusoe
    29

    Robinson Crusoe

    Dan O'Herlihy, Jaime Fernández, Felipe de Alba
    22 votes
    When he is shipwrecked on a deserted island, aristocratic adventurer Robinson Crusoe (Dan O'Herlihy) must find a way to survive using only a few salvaged supplies and weapons. He also rescues a dog and a cat, who keep him company, but loneliness soon overwhelms him -- as does fear, when he notices that there are cannibals on the island. However, when he rescues one of the cannibals' prospective victims, he gains a new friend, Friday (Jaime Fernández).
  • The Bridges at Toko-Ri
    30

    The Bridges at Toko-Ri

    William Holden, Grace Kelly, Fredric March
    33 votes
    Naval Reservist pilot Lt. Harry Brubaker (William Holden) is stationed on an aircraft carrier in the Sea of Japan during the Korean War. Although suffering from battle fatigue and longing to return to civilian life with his wife, Nancy (Grace Kelly), he agrees to fly a dangerous bombing mission over North Korea, with the support of his faithful rescue crew, Forney (Mickey Rooney) and Gamidge (Earl Holliman), and his sympathetic commanding officer, Commander Lee (Charles McGraw).
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