Five Movies From The 1950s That Never Should Get A Reboot

In the modern era of Hollywood, reboots, sequels, and superheroes seem to be the business model for filmmaking these days. A remake should only exist to enhance a film that has a strong premise but failed in execution, yet classics such as Psycho and Ben-Hur have been butchered to add a few extra bucks into an executive’s pocket. This article will examine the five classic movies that came out in the 1950s that should never get the reboot treatment.

1. Singin in the Rain

Musicals don’t always have the best track record when it comes to big office hits, though given the impact that Singin in the Rain had when it burst onto the scene in 1952, it’s still surprising that a remake has yet to be discussed for the all-time classic. Starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, a silent film production company struggle to make the difficult transition to sound. The musical dazzles on screen thanks to a sharp script and a game cast, who brings songs such as Singin in the Rain, Good Morning, and Beautiful Girls to life. The movie tackles the movie’s industry’s big change to sound in a profound and entertaining manner, and given the subject of the film then it would likely be a hard transition for executives to reboot Singin in the Rain for the 2021 audiences without adjusting the story.

2. Touch of Evil

Let’s get one thing straight, the one flaw of Touch of Evil is that Miguel and Susan Vagas aren’t played by actual Hispanic actors. Still, Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh do a fine job in this Orson Welles classic, which is about a Mexican drug enforcement agent investigating a murder that saw a car explode on the American side of the U.S./Mexico border. As the investigation grows deeper, possible corruption by Hank Quinlan and Menzies is revealed, which could put the couple in jeopardy. Despite being considered one of the greatest movies of all time, Touch of Evil was never nominated for any Academy Awards; however, this complex and compelling story doesn’t need any Oscar to be deemed great. While the themes of Touch of Evil remain timely, the key to this great film is the direction from Orson Welles, who has complete command of his craft from beginning to end. Welles is a one-of-a-kind director, so it’ll nearly be impossible to live up to the strong standards that the original films set.

3. The Asphalt Jungle

One of the hottest actresses during the film noir era stars in this crime thriller as Marilyn Monroe, Sterling Heyden, and Sam Jaffe get tangled in a string of deceit, betrayal, and murder following a successful major heist. The Asphalt Jungle was nominated for four Academy Awards including best screenplay and director; Like any good noir film, the movie following the shady cast of characters does an excellent job of crafting an intriguing story with compelling characters. Like Touch of Evil and The Big Heat, this movie was a product of its time and shouldn’t be remade to satisfy modern standards.

4. The Big Heat

Another film that flew under the radar of the Academy Awards was The Big Heat, starring Glenn Ford, who plays Detective Dave Bannion, who investigates a fellow police officer’s suicide. Bannion believes there’s more to the story and when he discovers the corruption that leads back to the police station, he finds himself marked for death. Like many noir classics, this film is packed with twists and turns that you don’t see coming; however, those big changes never undermine the overall narrative and the top-notch cast pulls off their characters with ease. The ’50s were a time when the era of film noir started to slow down; however, there’s no denying that the genre went out with a bang by the time the ’60s rolled around.

5. North By Northwest

Like Welles, Hithcock was one of the biggest directors around this time. Dubbed “the master of suspense”, the acclaimed director created another classic, North By Northwest. The film stars one of the biggest actors in the ’50s, Cary Grant, who plays New York City ad executive Roger O. Thornhill, who gets mistaken for a government agent and is pursued by spy Phillip Vandamm. Thornhill then goes on a cross-country journey, meeting the beautiful, but mysterious Eve Kendall, who may or may not be a form of trouble in her own way. For the time, North by Northwest was a thrilling film that didn’t rely on acting to create suspense and intrigue. While an update of this classic could certainly bump up the visuals thanks to modern technology, the key thing missing would be Hitchcock’s mastery as a director. The Psycho remake was a shot-by-shot copy of Hitchock’s classic film and it paled in comparison to the original. There’s a reason why Hitchcock was called “the master of suspense” and without his guidance then a remake will likely fall flat like so many others.