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Learn About the 1950s With These Eight Films
by Kevin Faber
How much does the average person know about the 1950s? History books remind us that the horrors of the Korean War, the inception of NASA, and the bravery of Rosa Parks were part of this decade, but countless films also depict this time period. If you're interested in learning about the news, culture, and people of the 1950s, look no further than these eight movies.
1. October Sky
Take a peek into the 1950 census records, and you'll find schoolboy Homer Hickam in the state of West Virginia, dreaming of a future career with NASA that he thinks is out of his reach. The film October Sky depicts this ambitious young man's journey out of coal mining country and into life as a NASA engineer.
2. A Beautiful Mind
This Academy Award-winning movie reveals the true story of mathematical genius John Nash, who also suffered from schizophrenia. His life was dramatic, inspiring, and heartbreaking in many ways as it sheds light on the perils of mental illness, particularly while navigating tremendous highs and lows in life.
3. Great Balls of Fire
Released in 1989 but set in the 1950s, this film is a biographical account of several years in the early music career of Jerry Lee Lewis. Lewis had a promising future as a rock-and-roll musician and was often compared to Elvis Presley until a scandal all but destroyed his career. He married his 13-year-old cousin, Myra Brown. This movie is an excellent depiction of a fascinating, often tortured character with lots of talent despite some questionable life decisions.
4. The Long Walk Home
The Long Walk Home is a 1990 film about bus boycotts that took place in the 1950s in an attempt to end racial segregation. The story follows a black woman, played by Whoopi Goldberg, who is participating in the boycott and walking to work, and a white woman, played by Sissy Spacek, who offers to drive Goldberg's character. This movie will give you a better understanding of the pivotal events that took place in this decade and the impact that these events had on race relations in the United States.
5. Bridge of Spies
This dramatic, Spielberg-directed movie follows the character of James Donovan, who is played by Tom Hanks. Donovan was a lawyer responsible for negotiating the release of POW Francis Powers, whose plane was shot down over the Soviet Union, in return for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel. Both critics and the public alike received this film well.
6. Good Night, and Good Luck
Despite being made in the 21st century, the critically acclaimed Good Night, and Good Luck was released in black and white. This goes a long way in making the viewer get a feel for that time in history when there were no color televisions. This film portrays the contentious relationship between Senator Joseph McCarthy and journalist Edward Murrow in the year 1953.
7. Raging Bull
Raging Bull follows boxer Jake LaMotta through his adult life as he navigates his career, his relationships, and his own psyche. It follows LaMotta from his first losing match in 1941 and ends in the 1960s. This film has been at the top of best movie countdowns for decades and is dubbed a classic by many critics and filmgoers.
8. Quiz Show
Robert Redford's Quiz Show was released in 1994 and was well received by the public. In the 1950s, game shows became incredibly popular as the imprint that television would leave on culture was just beginning to become apparent. Along with this came multiple scandals that came about as a result of game show rigging.
Movies are an art form that can transcend time and language barriers to introduce viewers to periods and locations in history that they have never experienced in real life. Studying films gives us the chance to look at true events from the perspectives of the moviemakers who have turned these events into entertainment.
from Review Blog https://ift.tt/JNSbQ24
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