1952 BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

This is my choice (choices) for Best Picture for the year 1952.  My criteria is that I can only use films that are on the 1001 list. To make it a little easier on myself, I am using the rules of the first Academy Award and name a winner for Best Picture (won by Wings for 1927-1928) and Best and Unique and Artistic Picture (won by Sunrise from 1927-1928). 

This year is often noted as being the best year of the Classic Movie era. There are a lot of potential choices here, but my two winners seem pretty clear.

And the nominees on the entries from every edition of 1001 Movie You Must See Before You Die are...
The Quiet Man
Forbidden Games
Angel Face
Singin' in the Rain
Ikiru
Europa '51
The Bad and the Beautiful
The Big Sky
High Noon
Umberto D
The Golden Coach

                  

And the winner for the Best Picture of 1952 is…Singin' in the Rain

Singin' in the Rain

This most famous of musicals is a pretty interesting piece to see after just seeing the recent Oscar-winning film The Artist cover similar terrain.

The plot of Singin' in the Rain involves two silent movie stars who have trouble adjusting to the new "talking" picture phenomenon. It's funniest moments involve either Jean Hagen and her grating voice or Gene Kelly's sidekick Donald O'Connor.

Kelly's mammoth Broadway Melody number is memorable,though his waterlogged rendition of the title song is such a part of movie lore it overshadows virutally everything else. However, I still am giving this the nod over worthwhile contenders The Bad and the Beautiful and High Noon.

Singin' in the Rain

And the Award for Unique and Artistic Picture of 1952 is...Ikiru

Ikiru

Ikiru is a story that seems to look better the older you get. The plot involves a by-the-book office manager who finds out he has only a few months to live and decides to do something meaningful with his life. It doesn't sound all that exciting by the description, but it is in an emotionally charged and inspirational film if you are in the right mood for it. The unusual storytelling order with the last half of the movie being told in flashback is another effective touch.

Ikiru