Movies About The 50s

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Rated PG-13

Forrest Gump is a 1994 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, and Mykelti Williamson. It tells the story of a slow-witted but kind-hearted man, Forrest Gump (Hanks), who, despite his mental handicaps, has achieved great success in life. Through a series of flashbacks, we see how he overcomes adversity with help from his devoted mother (Wright) and best friend Jenny (Robin Wright). He eventually finds himself in the middle of some of the most influential moments of the 20th century, including the Vietnam War, Watergate, and the hippie movement. Despite his lack of intelligence, Forrest manages to touch the lives of many people and make a difference in his own unique way.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco
Rated R

Goodfellas is an American crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese, based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi. It tells the story of Henry Hill, an Italian-American mobster from an Irish-American family. Hill is portrayed by Ray Liotta and charts his rise through the ranks of the mob and his ultimate downfall. The film follows Hill and his friends and associates, who include the infamous mobsters Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito, as they partake in organized crime, such as robbery and drug dealing. The film's other stars include Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Lorraine Bracco. As Hill's life spirals out of control, his world of privilege and power is slowly unraveled and replaced with a life of fear and paranoia. The film is widely regarded as one of Scorsese's best films and is considered by some to be one of the greatest films of all time.

From Rob Reiner, starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O'Connell
Rated R

Stand By Me is a classic coming-of-age drama directed by Rob Reiner. The story follows four young boys in Castle Rock, Oregon, as they embark on a journey to find the body of a missing boy. Along the way, they encounter a variety of obstacles, as well as some unexpected discoveries. As they come to terms with the harsh realities of life, they develop a strong bond that will last a lifetime. The film is a reflection of growing up and the importance of friendship in life.

From Peter Weir, starring Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles
Rated PG

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 drama film directed by Peter Weir and starring Robin Williams. Set in 1959 at the fictional Welton Academy, a private boys' preparatory school in the northeastern United States, the film tells the story of an English teacher, John Keating, who inspires his students through his teachings of poetry and encourages them to “seize the day” and make their lives extraordinary. The film follows the lives of seven students—Neil Perry, Todd Anderson, Knox Overstreet, Charlie Dalton, Richard Cameron, Steven Meeks, and Gerard Pitts— as they come of age under Keating's tutelage and confront issues of authority, freedom, and the pressure to conform. Ultimately, Keating's teachings are both celebrated and rejected by society. The film ends with the boys standing on their desks in a show of solidarity and rebellion against the school's oppressive educational system.

From Michael Cimino, starring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Cazale, John Savage
Rated R

The Deer Hunter is a 1978 American epic war drama film directed by Michael Cimino. The film follows a group of Pennsylvania steelworkers from Clairton, Pennsylvania who enlist in the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam War. The film stars Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage, Meryl Streep and John Cazale. The film begins with the wedding celebration of Steven (De Niro) and Angela (Streep) and their friends Michael (Walken) and Nick (Savage). Steven, Michael and Nick are soon drafted and sent to Vietnam, where their Russian roulette playing captors force them to engage in the deadly game. The film follows their journey of survival as they confront the tragic consequences of war and their psychological scars that remain long after their return home. The Deer Hunter is a powerful exploration of friendship and courage in the face of overwhelming odds.

From David Mickey Evans, starring Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Art LaFleur, Patrick Renna
Rated PG

The Sandlot is a 1993 classic coming-of-age story about a young boy named Scotty Smalls. When Scotty moves to a new town, he quickly finds the local sandlot baseball team. Despite having never played before, Scotty joins the team and quickly falls in love with the game. Through the help of the team’s leader, Benny, and other members of the team, Scotty learns the ropes of the game. The team also gets into all sorts of hijinks, including dealing with a menacing, baseball-eating dog. As the summer progresses, the team will come to learn important lessons about friendship, hard work, and what it means to be part of a team.

From Robert De Niro, starring Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, Lillo Brancato, Francis Capra
Rated R

A Bronx Tale is a 1993 American crime drama film directed by Robert De Niro and written by Chazz Palminteri. Set in the 1960s and based on Palminteri’s semi-autobiographical stage play, the film depicts the coming-of-age of an Italian-American boy named Calogero Anello. Calogero lives with his honest working-class father, Lorenzo, and is enthralled by the local Mafia boss, Sonny. When Sonny takes a liking to Calogero and offers to take him under his wing, Calogero must decide between the virtues of his father and the glamor and power of the criminal life. The film explores themes of loyalty, family, honor, and ambition in a story about a boy’s struggle to do the right thing. The film stars Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, and Lillo Brancato.

From Joe Johnston, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Chris Owen
Rated PG

October Sky is an inspirational film based on the true story of a young boy's dream to become a rocket scientist. Set in a small town in West Virginia in the 1950s, the film follows Homer Hickam, Jr., a coal miner's son who is inspired by the launch of the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, to pursue a career in rocket science. With the help of a teacher, a local engineer and some of his friends, Homer manages to overcome the odds and build his own rockets. Despite initial opposition from his father, Homer perseveres and eventually wins a place in the National Science Fair, where he presents his project. Ultimately, Homer's dream comes true as he is accepted into a prestigious engineering school and begins a successful career in rocket engineering. October Sky is an uplifting film about the power of dreams and the triumph of the human spirit.

From Rob Reiner, starring Madeline Carroll, Callan McAuliffe, Rebecca De Mornay, Anthony Edwards
Rated PG

Flipped is a romantic coming-of-age story about two 8th graders, Juli and Bryce, whose mutual disdain slowly turns into love over the course of two tumultuous years. Juli, a dreamer and romantic, is smitten with Bryce from the start, while Bryce, a jock and troublemaker, is unimpressed. As the two get to know each other, they find that they have more in common than either of them realized. Along the way, their paths are complicated by their respective families, school, and their changing feelings for each other, until eventually, thanks to a series of fortuitous events, the two realize the truth of their feelings. In the end, Juli and Bryce discover that love is the most powerful thing in the world.

From Peter Yates, starring Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley
Rated PG

Breaking Away is a 1979 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by Peter Yates and written by Steve Tesich. The film stars Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley, Barbara Barrie, Paul Dooley and Robyn Douglass. The film follows a small-town working class teen, Dave Stoller (Christopher) who is obsessed with Italian cycling and culture, to the dismay of his family and friends. With the help of his friends, he enters a bicycle race against the snobby college students of a nearby university. Along the way, he learns important life lessons about maturity, solidarity, and self-worth. Breaking Away won the 1979 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor. It is widely praised for its accurate portrayal of teenage rebellion, coming-of-age struggles, and the difficulty of leaving home to pursue one’s dreams.

From Gary Ross, starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H. Macy
Rated PG-13

Pleasantville is a 1998 fantasy comedy-drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Gary Ross. The film stars Tobey Maguire, Jeff Daniels, Joan Allen, William H. Macy, J. T. Walsh, and Reese Witherspoon. The film follows two siblings, David and Jennifer, who are transported into a 1950s black-and-white television show called "Pleasantville". As they adjust to life in the town and its strict social norms, they slowly begin to change the town and its inhabitants in unexpected ways. Through their actions, the town of Pleasantville slowly starts to evolve into a vibrant, colorful, and modern world. The film ends with David and Jennifer re-entering the real world, changed by their experience in Pleasantville.

From George Lucas, starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith
Rated PG

From Woody Allen, starring Mia Farrow, Dianne Wiest, Mike Starr, Paul Herman
Rated PG

From Richard Curtis, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Nick Frost, Michael Hadley
Rated R

From Philip Kaufman, starring Ken Wahl, Karen Allen, John Friedrich, Toni Kalem
Rated R

From James Mangold, starring Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy
Rated R

From Kathryn Bigelow, starring John Boyega, Anthony Mackie, Algee Smith, Jacob Latimore
Rated R

From Werner Herzog, starring Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies, Zach Grenier
Rated PG-13

From Robert Mulligan, starring Sam Waterston, Tess Harper, Gail Strickland, Reese Witherspoon
Rated PG-13

From Oliver Stone, starring Tom Cruise, Bryan Larkin, Raymond J. Barry, Caroline Kava
Rated R

From Gina Prince-Bythewood, starring Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys
Rated PG-13

From Francis Ford Coppola, starring C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze
Rated PG

From Barry Levinson, starring Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Daniel Stern
Rated R

From John Milius, starring Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt, Gary Busey, Patti D'Arbanville
Rated PG

From Edward James Olmos, starring Edward James Olmos, William Forsythe, Sal Lopez, Vira Montes
Rated R