Best Documentary Movies of the 1950s

1. 1
   Night and Fog 1956

   Directed by Alain Resnais · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel
   8.0

   8.3 · 594 votes
2. 2
   Along the Coast 1958

   Directed by Agnès Varda · Streaming on Criterion Channel
   6.6

   7.3 · 73 votes
3. 3
   Kon-Tiki 1950

   Directed by Thor Heyerdahl · Streaming on The Roku Channel, The CW, Kanopy
   6.6

   7.4 · 60 votes
4. 4
   The Mystery of Picasso 1956

   Directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, Kino Film Collection
   6.6

   7.4 · 58 votes
5. 5
   Glass 1958

   Directed by Bert Haanstra
   6.6

   7.7 · 42 votes
6. 6
   The Living Desert 1953

   Directed by James Algar · Streaming on Disney Plus
   6.5

   7.1 · 69 votes
7. 7
   Daybreak Express 1957

   Directed by D. A. Pennebaker · Streaming on Criterion Channel
   6.5

   7.2 · 50 votes
8. 8
   I, a Negro 1959

   Directed by Jean Rouch · Streaming on OVID
   6.5

   7.4 · 38 votes
9. 9
   Window Water Baby Moving 1959

   Directed by Stan Brakhage
   6.4

   6.9 · 74 votes
10. 10
    All the World's Memory 1956

    Directed by Alain Resnais · Streaming on Hoopla, OVID
    6.4

    7.1 · 50 votes
11. 11
    Statues Also Die 1953

    Directed by Chris Marker · Streaming on Mometu
    6.4

    6.9 · 52 votes
12. 12
    Araya 1959

    Directed by Margot Benacerraf · Streaming on Kanopy, Kino Film Collection
    6.4

    7.2 · 33 votes
13. 13
    The Vanishing Prairie 1954

    Directed by James Algar · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.4

    7.2 · 33 votes
14. 14
    The African Lion 1955

    Directed by James Algar · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.4

    7.1 · 37 votes
15. 15
    Letter from Siberia 1957

    Directed by Chris Marker · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.3

    7.0 · 38 votes
16. 16
    The Artist and the City 1956

    Directed by Manoel de Oliveira
    6.3

    7.8 · 17 votes
17. 17
    Diary of a Pregnant Woman 1958

    Directed by Agnès Varda · Streaming on Criterion Channel, DocAlliance Films
    6.3

    6.7 · 57 votes
18. 18
    The Conquest of Everest 1953

    Directed by George Lowe · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, GuideDoc, Pluto TV
    6.3

    7.2 · 25 votes
19. 19
    Grand Canyon 1958

    Directed by James Algar
    6.3

    7.5 · 18 votes
20. 20
    The Olympic Elk 1952

    Directed by James Algar · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.3

    8.0 · 12 votes
21. 21
    The Age of Swordfish 1955

    Directed by Vittorio De Seta · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.3

    6.8 · 38 votes
22. 22
    Bear Country 1953

    Directed by James Algar
    6.3

    7.5 · 16 votes
23. 23
    Islands of Fire 1955

    Directed by Vittorio De Seta · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.3

    6.9 · 31 votes
24. 24
    Nature's Half Acre 1951

    Directed by James Algar · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.3

    7.4 · 17 votes
25. 25
    Disneyland: U.S.A. 1956

    Directed by Hamilton Luske
    6.3

    8.0 · 11 votes
26. 26
    Secrets of Life 1956

    Directed by James Algar · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.3

    7.3 · 18 votes
27. 27
    Toss Me a Dime 1958

    Directed by Fernando Birri
    6.3

    7.1 · 22 votes
28. 28
    La Villa Santo-Sospir 1952

    Directed by Jean Cocteau · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.2

    7.2 · 18 votes
29. 29
    Afrique 50 1950

    Directed by René Vautier
    6.2

    6.8 · 29 votes
30. 30
    The Silent World 1956

    Directed by Jacques-Yves Cousteau
    6.2

    6.6 · 50 votes
31. 31
    Our Mr. Sun 1956

    Directed by Frank Capra
    6.2

    7.3 · 15 votes
32. 32
    Broadway by Light 1958

    Directed by William Klein · Streaming on MUBI
    6.2

    6.8 · 28 votes
33. 33
    A Day in Barbagia 1958

    Directed by Vittorio De Seta · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.2

    6.8 · 28 votes
34. 34
    The Poet of the Castle 1959

    Directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
    6.2

    6.9 · 23 votes
35. 35
    Water-Mirror of Granada 1955

    Directed by José Val del Omar
    6.2

    6.7 · 31 votes
36. 36
    Beaver Valley 1950

    Directed by James Algar · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.2

    6.9 · 21 votes
37. 37
    Memories of a Mexican 1950

    Directed by Salvador Toscano
    6.2

    7.1 · 16 votes
38. 38
    On the Bowery 1957

    Directed by Lionel Rogosin · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, OVID
    6.2

    6.7 · 28 votes
39. 39
    N.Y., N.Y. 1957

    Directed by Francis Thompson
    6.2

    6.9 · 19 votes
40. 40
    The Forgotten 1959

    Directed by Vittorio De Seta · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.2

    6.8 · 21 votes
41. 41
    The Golden Age of Comedy 1957

    Directed by Robert Youngson · Streaming on Hoopla, Amazon Prime Video, Fawesome
    6.2

    7.1 · 14 votes
42. 42
    Man in Space 1955

    Directed by Ward Kimball · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.2

    6.8 · 20 votes
43. 43
    Skyscraper 1959

    Directed by Shirley Clarke · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.2

    7.2 · 12 votes
44. 44
    The Unconquered 1954

    Directed by Nancy Hamilton · Streaming on Kanopy
    6.2

    7.4 · 10 votes
45. 45
    Water Birds 1952

    Directed by Ben Sharpsteen · Streaming on Disney Plus
    6.2

    6.8 · 18 votes
46. 46
    Bridges-Go-Round 1 1958

    Directed by Shirley Clarke · Streaming on Criterion Channel
    6.2

    6.9 · 15 votes
47. 47
    A Is for Atom 1953

    Directed by Carl Urbano · Streaming on Tubi TV
    6.2

    7.2 · 10 votes
48. 48
    Thursday's Children 1954

    Directed by Lindsay Anderson
    6.2

    6.9 · 14 votes
49. 49
    Le Grand Méliès 1952

    Directed by Georges Franju
    6.2

    6.9 · 14 votes
50. 50
    The Flute and the Arrow 1957

    Directed by Arne Sucksdorff
    6.1

    6.9 · 12 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
   We Are the Lambeth Boys 1959

   Directed by Karel Reisz · Streaming on OVID, BFI Player
   6.1

   6.8 · 13 votes
2. 2
   The Seine Meets Paris 1957

   Directed by Joris Ivens
   6.1

   6.9 · 10 votes
3. 3
   Le Sabotier du Val de Loire 1956

   Directed by Jacques Demy · Streaming on Criterion Channel
   6.1

   6.7 · 16 votes
4. 4
   Crashing the Water Barrier 1956

   Directed by Konstantin Kalser
   6.1

   6.8 · 12 votes
5. 5
   Windjammer: The Voyage of the Christian Radich 1958

   Directed by Bill Colleran · Streaming on Kanopy
   6.1

   6.8 · 12 votes
6. 6
   The Hollywood Ten 1950

   Directed by John Berry
   6.1

   6.8 · 11 votes
7. 7
   The Master of Apipucos 1959

   Directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
   6.1

   6.8 · 10 votes
8. 8
   Every Day Except Christmas 1957

   Directed by Lindsay Anderson · Streaming on OVID, BFI Player
   6.1

   6.6 · 13 votes
9. 9
   Men Against the Arctic 1955

   Directed by Winston Hibler
   6.1

   6.6 · 10 votes
10. 10
    Serengeti Shall Not Die 1959

    Directed by Bernhard Grzimek · Streaming on Hoopla, Fawesome, myfilmfriend
    6.1

    6.5 · 14 votes