Best Action Movies of the 1950s

1. 1
   Seven Samurai 1954

   Directed by Akira Kurosawa · Streaming on HBO Max, Kanopy, Shout! Factory TV
   8.4

   8.5 · 4.4K votes
2. 2
   The Hidden Fortress 1958

   Directed by Akira Kurosawa · Streaming on HBO Max, Shout! Factory TV, YouTube Free
   7.8

   8.0 · 750 votes
3. 3
   A Night to Remember 1958

   Directed by Roy Ward Baker · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Pluto TV, Shout! Factory TV
   7.3

   7.7 · 307 votes
4. 4
   Bob le Flambeur 1956

   Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville · Streaming on Kanopy
   7.0

   7.3 · 306 votes
5. 5
   Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto 1954

   Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel
   6.9

   7.2 · 218 votes
6. 6
   The Vikings 1958

   Directed by Richard Fleischer · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Free, Tubi TV
   6.8

   7.0 · 392 votes
7. 7
   Samurai II: Duel at Ichijoji Temple 1955

   Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel
   6.8

   7.2 · 148 votes
8. 8
   Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island 1956

   Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel, IndieFlix
   6.8

   7.2 · 144 votes
9. 9
   The War of the Worlds 1953

   Directed by Byron Haskin · Streaming on Hoopla, YouTube Free
   6.7

   6.8 · 743 votes
10. 10
    The 7th Voyage of Sinbad 1958

    Directed by Nathan Juran · Streaming on The Roku Channel, YouTube Free, Cultpix
    6.7

    6.9 · 334 votes
11. 11
    The Steel Helmet 1951

    Directed by Samuel Fuller · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.5

    7.0 · 92 votes
12. 12
    The Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel 1951

    Directed by Henry Hathaway
    6.5

    6.7 · 121 votes
13. 13
    No Name on the Bullet 1959

    Directed by Jack Arnold
    6.3

    6.6 · 91 votes
14. 14
    Decision Before Dawn 1951

    Directed by Anatole Litvak · Streaming on fuboTV
    6.3

    6.8 · 50 votes
15. 15
    King Solomon's Mines 1950

    Directed by Compton Bennett · Streaming on HBO Max
    6.3

    6.5 · 142 votes
16. 16
    To Hell and Back 1955

    Directed by Jesse Hibbs
    6.3

    6.6 · 71 votes
17. 17
    The Blue Lamp 1950

    Directed by Basil Dearden · Streaming on Kanopy, BFI Player
    6.3

    6.6 · 64 votes
18. 18
    Secret of Naruto 1957

    Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa
    6.3

    7.0 · 27 votes
19. 19
    Hurdy-Gurdy Hare 1950

    Directed by Robert McKimson
    6.3

    7.2 · 21 votes
20. 20
    Al Capone 1959

    Directed by Richard Wilson
    6.3

    6.6 · 57 votes
21. 21
    Eight Hours of Terror 1957

    Directed by Seijun Suzuki
    6.3

    7.5 · 15 votes
22. 22
    Samurai Vendetta 1959

    Directed by Kazuo Mori · Streaming on IndiePix Unlimited
    6.3

    7.5 · 15 votes
23. 23
    Armored Car Robbery 1950

    Directed by Richard Fleischer
    6.3

    6.5 · 74 votes
24. 24
    Knock on Wood 1954

    Directed by Norman Panama · Streaming on Plex, Plex Channel
    6.2

    6.7 · 35 votes
25. 25
    Nine Lives 1957

    Directed by Arne Skouen
    6.2

    6.6 · 34 votes
26. 26
    Fixed Bayonets! 1951

    Directed by Samuel Fuller
    6.2

    6.5 · 44 votes
27. 27
    Samurai Saga 1959

    Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.2

    6.9 · 19 votes
28. 28
    The Bounty Hunter 1954

    Directed by André de Toth · Streaming on YouTube TV
    6.2

    6.7 · 24 votes
29. 29
    The Desert Rats 1953

    Directed by Robert Wise
    6.2

    6.3 · 105 votes
30. 30
    Hangman's Knot 1952

    Directed by Roy Huggins · Streaming on YouTube Free
    6.2

    6.5 · 36 votes
31. 31
    Colt .45 1950

    Directed by Edwin L. Marin · Streaming on YouTube Free
    6.2

    6.6 · 25 votes
32. 32
    Botany Bay 1952

    Directed by John Farrow
    6.2

    6.6 · 24 votes
33. 33
    Gigantis, the Fire Monster 1959

    Directed by Motoyoshi Oda
    6.2

    6.4 · 41 votes
34. 34
    The Dark Avenger 1955

    Directed by Henry Levin
    6.2

    6.9 · 13 votes
35. 35
    Shake Hands with the Devil 1959

    Directed by Michael Anderson · Streaming on ScreenPix, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
    6.1

    6.5 · 28 votes
36. 36
    The Mysterians 1957

    Directed by Ishirō Honda · Streaming on Criterion Channel, FlixFling, Mometu
    6.1

    6.3 · 65 votes
37. 37
    The Great Locomotive Chase 1956

    Directed by Francis D. Lyon
    6.1

    6.4 · 37 votes
38. 38
    Big House, U.S.A 1955

    Directed by Howard W. Koch · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
    6.1

    6.5 · 26 votes
39. 39
    White Feather 1955

    Directed by Robert D. Webb
    6.1

    6.8 · 14 votes
40. 40
    Revolt at Fort Laramie 1957

    Directed by Lesley Selander · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
    6.1

    6.6 · 20 votes
41. 41
    The Sea Chase 1955

    Directed by John Farrow · Streaming on HBO Max, YouTube TV
    6.1

    6.3 · 55 votes
42. 42
    The Lone Ranger and the Lost City of Gold 1958

    Directed by Lesley Selander · Streaming on Plex, Plex Channel, Mometu
    6.1

    6.6 · 18 votes
43. 43
    The Wreck of the Mary Deare 1959

    Directed by Michael Anderson
    6.1

    6.3 · 46 votes
44. 44
    The Moonraker 1958

    Directed by David MacDonald
    6.1

    6.9 · 10 votes
45. 45
    Chain Lightning 1950

    Directed by Stuart Heisler
    6.1

    6.4 · 28 votes
46. 46
    Vendetta of a Samurai 1952

    Directed by Kazuo Mori · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.1

    6.6 · 16 votes
47. 47
    5 Steps to Danger 1956

    Directed by Henry S. Kesler · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
    6.1

    6.6 · 16 votes
48. 48
    Kid Tabaco 1955

    Directed by Zacarías Gómez Urquiza
    6.1

    6.8 · 11 votes
49. 49
    Ambush at Tomahawk Gap 1953

    Directed by Fred F. Sears · Streaming on fuboTV
    6.1

    6.6 · 15 votes
50. 50
    Apache Territory 1958

    Directed by Ray Nazarro · Streaming on YouTube Free, Plex, Plex Channel
    6.1

    6.5 · 18 votes

Smart score = (votes × rating + 82 × 6.03) ÷ (votes + 82): the TMDB rating, pulled toward the catalog average as if every film had 82 extra average votes.

1. 1
   Foxfire 1955

   Directed by Joseph Pevney
   6.1

   6.7 · 10 votes
2. 2
   Sword for Hire 1952

   Directed by Hiroshi Inagaki
   6.1

   6.7 · 10 votes
3. 3
   Harry Black and the Tiger 1958

   Directed by Hugo Fregonese
   6.1

   6.7 · 10 votes
4. 4
   Struggle in the Harbor 1956

   Directed by Youssef Chahine · Streaming on Criterion Channel
   6.1

   6.5 · 17 votes
5. 5
   Gun the Man Down 1956

   Directed by Andrew V. McLaglen · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, IndieFlix, Plex
   6.1

   6.5 · 15 votes
6. 6
   Dakota Incident 1956

   Directed by Lewis R. Foster
   6.1

   6.5 · 14 votes
7. 7
   To Please a Lady 1950

   Directed by Clarence Brown · Streaming on HBO Max
   6.1

   6.5 · 14 votes
8. 8
   Mameluke 1958

   Directed by David Rondeli
   6.1

   6.5 · 13 votes
9. 9
   The Bandit of Tacca del Lupo 1952

   Directed by Pietro Germi
   6.1

   6.5 · 13 votes
10. 10
    The Great Warrior Skanderbeg 1953

    Directed by Sergei Yutkevich
    6.1

    6.4 · 18 votes