Where, if not in films about America in the 50-60s, can you fully feel the beauty of the atmosphere of those times? And you can pull yourself up a bit in history and even become interested in independently studying the events of a given period. The plot of such paintings can be revealed from a wide variety of sides: from a demonstration of everyday life, romantic relationships and the struggle of people for their rights to mafia showdowns and the Cold War period. Our current list of feature films about America of the 1950s and 1960s will surely appeal to all lovers of historical cinema.
Hidden Figures (Hidden Figures, 2016)
One of the modern films about America 50-60 years, shedding light on the forgotten history of NASA. The cosmic confrontation between the USA and the USSR is not the only historical period that is described in The Hidden Figures. It is also a period of racial intolerance and constant conflict erupting on this basis.
Moreover, the main characters of the picture were black women mathematicians, which added even more social significance to the film. The events taking place in The Hidden Figures are based on real historical references of that time.
“Guys What You Need” (The Right Stuff, 1983)
Another film about America of the 50s, dedicated to the space race between the two famous superpowers. The painting was based on the book “Battle for Space” by the American writer and pioneer of “new journalism” Tom Wolfe. This is not just a film about America of the 50-60s, it is a film that focuses on how American astronautics was developing at that time. At the beginning, viewers are introduced to the first successes of the United States in this field - this is overcoming the sound barrier with a jetpack, the hard training of the first astronauts, and many other interesting events. Then the plot approaches the situation with the Soviet Union and shows how the aces of American astronautics were drawn into this race. The film turned out to be quite lengthy (about 3 hours), but at the same time very interesting and lively.
The Road of Change (Revolutionary Road, 2008)
After watching this charming drama, directed by the oscar-breaking Sam Mendes, you involuntarily begin to adopt the warm atmosphere of America of the 50s. The film is about an ordinary family, middle-class immigrants who have been in a happy marriage for seven years now. The main characters are Frank and April, they have children and one big common dream is to move to Paris. However, the plans of the spouses are destined to pass the test of serious life tests, which will call into question not only their motivation, but also the strength of family relationships.
And in "The Road to Change" starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. The reunion of this acting duo and best friends was the first after the actors played together in the Titanic.
Goodfellas (GoodFellas, 1990)
The outstanding work of Martin Scorsese, which was based on the real story of the American gangster Henry Hill. It is noteworthy that the release of “Good Fellows” took place in the same year as the release of the third part of “The Godfather” by Francis Kopolla. At the same time, it was the first one who managed to set a special bar among the significant gangster films.
At the beginning of the film, Henry Hill (Ray Liotta played the role of an adult character) appears before the audience as a very young man. From childhood, he was attracted to the idea of gangster life: fast cars, expensive suits, universal respect, secret reverence and other delights of this dangerous world. The plot of "Good Fellows" traces Hill's life path - from the "errand boy" to one of America's most influential and daring criminal authorities. Before the eyes of the viewer, the biographical story of a real historical personality, filmed in the best Scorsese traditions, unfolds. This is a truly cult film about America and the mafia of the 50-60s.
Hitchcock (2012)
The main material for this biopic dedicated to Alfred Hitchcock is considered the documentary book of Stephen Rebelo. In it, the author described the process of creating the film "Psycho", which subsequently became a great success for the cult director. All this was reflected in the film Hitchcock, the filming of which was directed by the British Sasha Gervasi.
In addition to creating Psycho, the movie tries to touch on the other side of Hitchcock's life, namely his relationship with his wife. This, without a doubt, is one of the best biopic and films about the 60s in America.
The Servant (The Help, 2011)
The events of the film take place in the American outback 60 years. The main character is a young girl named Skiter, who had to return to her hometown after completing her studies at the university. Skiter is obsessed with the desire to become a successful writer or journalist - such a career would surely help her break out into a big metropolis and live a truly vibrant life. One fine day, the girl decides to take up the creation of the book "Servant". She was inspired to take such a step by the stories of black maids about their difficult situation in society and their unfair attitude to their work.
This beautiful feature film about America of the 50-60s was able to touch upon many historically important issues and told the general public about the various features of that time period. By the way, it was based on the bestseller of the same name by the writer Catherine Stockett, with whom we also recommend that you familiarize yourself.
Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump, 1994)
Who doesn't know Forrest Gump? The story of this fictional guy has long been recognized as a true classic of world cinema, and for director Robert Zemeckis this is also the most successful work in his career. Despite the fact that at the beginning of the film, events hinted to the viewer of the 80s, the childhood and youth of the protagonist pass in 50-60 years. Watching the life of Forrest, you involuntarily begin to notice how the American reality of that period was.
Well, if someone else has not watched Forrest Gump, then we have only one question for this: how is this possible?
Window to the Courtyard (Rear Window, 1954)
Window to the Courtyard is a true classic of world cinema and one of the best films about America of the 50s, shot by Alfred Hitchcock himself. The main character of the picture is a photojournalist who finds himself in a wheelchair due to a broken leg. Missing in his apartment, the man decides to watch the life of neighbors from opposite apartments. His routine leads the photographer to terrible suspicion: it seems that one of the tenants killed his wife! From this moment, he begins to investigate in the hope of proving a possible crime.
12 Angry Men (12 Angry Men, 1957)
Another film about America 50-60 years straight from the past! The 12 Angry Men helps you find out many interesting details about how the US judicial system worked at that time. The plot focuses on the case of an 18-year-old guy who is accused of killing his father. The verdict must be passed by a jury, and it must be adopted unanimously. The responsibility for the fate of the defendant rests on the shoulders of 12 men who will have to try hard to get to the bottom of the truth and make the right decision.