List of American films of 1951

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A list of American films released in 1951.

Danny Kaye hosted the 24th Academy Awards ceremony on March 20, 1952, held at the RKO Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. The winner of the Best Motion Picture category was Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's An American in Paris.

The other nine nominated pictures were Decision Before Dawn, A Place in the Sun, Quo Vadis and A Streetcar Named Desire.

Vivien Leigh won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. Leigh had also played Blanche in the London stage production that had been directed by her then-husband Laurence Olivier. Other Best Actress nominees that year were Katharine Hepburn for The African Queen (Hepburn's 5th Best Actress Nomination), Eleanor Parker for The Detective Story, Shelley Winters for A Place in the Sun and Jane Wyman for The Blue Veil.

Humphrey Bogart won his only Oscar for his portrayal of Charlie Allnut in The African Queen. Other Best Actor nominees for that year were Marlon Brando for A Streetcar Named Desire, Montgomery Clift for A Place in the Sun, Arthur Kennedy for Bright Victory and Fredric March for Death of a Salesman.

The 9th Golden Globe Awards also honored the best films of 1951. That year's Golden Globes also marked the first time that the Best Picture category was split into Musical or Comedy or Drama. A Place in the Sun won Best Motion Picture - Drama, while An American in Paris won Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy. Fredric March won Best Actor, Drama for Death of a Salesman, while Danny Kaye won Best Actor, Musical or Comedy for On the Riviera. Jane Wyman won Best Actress, Drama, for her role in The Blue Veil, while June Allyson won Best Actress, Musical or Comedy for Too Young to Kiss.

1951 also saw the film debut of Grace Kelly and Carroll Baker.

Contents

A

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
The 13th Letter Otto Preminger Linda Darnell, Charles Boyer Film noir
Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man Charles Lamont Bud Abbott, Lou Costello Comedy-Horror
Ace in the Hole Billy Wilder Kirk Douglas Drama aka The Big Carnival
Across the Wide Missouri William A. Wellman Clark Gable Western Based on the novel
The African Queen John Huston Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn Drama Academy Award for Bogart
Alice in Wonderland Clyde Geronimi Kathryn Beaumont Animation Walt Disney
Along the Great Divide Raoul Walsh Kirk Douglas Western
An American in Paris Vincente Minnelli Leslie Caron, Gene Kelly Musical Academy Award: Best Picture
Angels in the Outfield Clarence Brown Paul Douglas, Janet Leigh Comedy Remade in 1994
Anne of the Indies Jacques Tourneur Louis Jourdan, Jean Peters Adventure
Apache Drums Hugo Fregonese Stephen McNally, Coleen Gray Western
Appointment with Danger Lewis Allen Alan Ladd, Phyllis Calvert Film Noir
As Young as You Feel Harmon Jones Constance Bennett, Monty Woolley Comedy Marilyn Monroe in a small role

B

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
Baby Sitters Jitters Jules White Three Stooges Comedy
Ballot Box Bunny Friz Freleng Looney Tunes Animation
A Bear For Punishment Chuck Jones Looney Tunes Animation
Bedtime for Bonzo Fred de Cordova Ronald Reagan Comedy Sequel is Bonzo Goes to College
Behave Yourself! George Beck Farley Granger, Shelley Winters Comedy
The Best is Yet to Come Kroger Babb - Exploitation
The Big Lie War Cold War propaganda
The Big Night Joseph Losey John Drew Barrymore Film Noir
Big Top Bunny Robert McKimson Looney Tunes Animation
The Blue Veil Joseph Losey Jane Wyman Drama Currently still in litigation
A Bone for a Bone Friz Freleng Looney Tunes Animation
The Brave Bulls Robert Rossen Mel Ferrer, Anthony Quinn Drama Based on the 1949 novel
Bride of the Gorilla Curt Siodmak Raymond Burr, Lon Chaney Jr., Barbara Payton Horror Pre-release title The Face in the Water.
Bright Victory Mark Robson Arthur Kennedy, Peggy Dow, Julia Adams Drama Based on Lights Out by Baynard Kendrick
The Bullfighter and the Lady Budd Boetticher Robert Stack, Joy Page Drama
Bunny Hugged Chuck Jones Looney Tunes Animation Remake of the short Rabbit Punch

C-D

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
Callaway Went Thataway Melvin Frank, Norman Panama Fred MacMurray, Dorothy McGuire Comedy Also known as The Star Said No
Call Me Mister Lloyd Bacon Betty Grable, Dan Dailey Musical Based on the Broadway Musical
Captain Horatio Hornblower R.N. Raoul Walsh Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo Adventure Based on Horatio Hornblower novels
Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere Spencer Gordon Bennet Judd Holdren, Larry Stewart Serial
Casanova Cat Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Cat Napping Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Cattle Drive Kurt Neumann Joel McCrea, Dean Stockwell Western
Cause for Alarm! Tay Garnett Loretta Young, Barry Sullivan, Bruce Cowling Film Noir
Chained for Life Harry L. Fraser Hilton Twins Exploitation
Cheese Chasers Chuck Jones Looney Tunes Animation
China Corsair Ray Nazarro Jon Hall, Ernest Borgnine Adventure
Chow Hound Chuck Jones Looney Tunes Animation
Close to My Heart William Keighley Gene Tierney, Ray Milland Drama
Come Fill the Cup Gordon Douglas James Cagney, Gig Young Drama Oscar nomination for Young
Comin' Round the Mountain Charles Lamont Abbott and Costello Comedy
Cruise Cat Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Cry Danger Robert Parrish Dick Powell, Rhonda Fleming Film Noir Shot in 22 days
David and Bathsheba Henry King Gregory Peck. Susan Hayward Historical from 2nd Old Testament book of Samuel
Day of the Fight Stanley Kubrick Walter Cartier Documentary First picture directed by Kubrick
The Day the Earth Stood Still Robert Wise Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal Science Fiction Remade in 2008
Death of a Salesman László Benedek Fredric March, Mildred Dunnock Drama Based on Arthur Miller play
Decision Before Dawn Anatole Litvak Richard Basehart, Gary Merrill War From the novel Call It Treason
The Desert Fox Henry Hathaway James Mason, Cedric Hardwicke Biographical Based on the book Rommel
Destination Meatball Walter Lantz Woody Woodpecker Animation
Detective Story William Wyler Kirk Douglas, William Bendix, Eleanor Parker Film Noir Based on Sidney Kingsley play
Distant Drums Raoul Walsh Gary Cooper, Richard Webb Western
Don Daredevil Rides Again Fred C. Brannon Ken Curtis, Aline Towne Serial
Don't Throw That Knife Jules White Three Stooges Comedy
Double Dynamite Irving Cummings Frank Sinatra, Jane Russell Musical Comedy
Drip-Along Daffy Chuck Jones Looney Tunes Animation
Duck and Cover Anthony Rizzo Propaganda

E-H

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
The Enforcer Bretaigne Windust Humphrey Bogart, Zero Mostel Film Noir Based on the Murder, Inc. trials
Father's Little Dividend Vincente Minnelli Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor Comedy Sequel to Father of the Bride
The Family Secret Henry Levin John Derek, Lee J. Cobb Drama
The Fighting Seventh Charles Marquis Warren Lloyd Bridges, John Ireland Western
Flight to Mars Lesley Selander Cameron Mitchell, Arthur Franz Science Fiction
The Flying Cat Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Flying Leathernecks Nicholas Ray John Wayne, Robert Ryan Action
Flying Padre Stanley Kubrick Fred Stadmueller Documentary Kubrick's second film
Follow the Sun Sidney Lanfield Anne Baxter, Glenn Ford Biographical Based on life of Ben Hogan
Fort Worth Edwin L. Marin Randolph Scott, David Brian Western
Fourteen Hours Henry Hathaway Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart Drama
French Rarebit Robert McKimson Looney Tunes Animation
The Frogmen Lloyd Bacon Richard Widmark, Dana Andrews War First film about scuba diving
Gerald McBoing-Boing Robert Cannon Marvin Miller Animation Academy Award: Best Animated Short
Go for Broke! Robert Pirosh Van Johnson, Lane Nakano War
The Golden Horde George Sherman Ann Blyth, David Farrar Historical
Goodbye, My Fancy Vincent Sherman Joan Crawford, Robert Young Romantic-Comedy Based on 1948 play
Government Agents vs Phantom Legion Fred C. Brannon Walter Reed, Mary Ellen Kay Serial 12-chapter serial
The Great Caruso Richard Thorpe Mario Lanza, Ann Blyth Biographical Based on life of Enrico Caruso
He Ran All the Way John Berry John Garfield, Shelley Winters Film Noir Garfield's last film
Here Comes the Groom Frank Capra Bing Crosby, Jane Wyman Musical
His Kind of Woman John Farrow, Richard Fleischer Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Vincent Price, Jim Backus, Raymond Burr Film Noir
His Mouse Friday Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Home Town Story Arthur Pierson Jeffrey Lynn, Marilyn Monroe Drama
The House on Telegraph Hill Robert Wise Richard Basehart, Valentina Cortese Film noir
Hula-La-La Edward Bernds Three Stooges Comedy

I-M

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
I Can Get It for You Wholesale Michael Gordon Susan Hayward, Dan Dailey Romance
I Was a Communist for the FBI Gordon Douglas Frank Lovejoy, Dorothy Hart Film Noir
I'll See You in My Dreams Michael Curtiz Doris Day Biographical Based on life of Gus Kahn
Inside the Walls of Folsom Prison Crane Wilbur Steve Cochran, David Brian Drama Inspired Johnny Cash song
Jerry and Jumbo Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Jerry and the Goldfish Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Jim Thorpe -- All-American Michael Curtiz Burt Lancaster, Charles Bickford Biographical
Just Ducky Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Kind Lady John Sturges Ethel Barrymore, Angela Lansbury Comedy
The Last of Mrs. Cheyney Edwin H. Knopf Greer Garson, Michael Wilding Comedy aka The Law and the Lady
The Lemon Drop Kid Sidney Lanfield Bob Hope, Marilyn Maxwell Comedy Remake of 1934 film; Introduced the song Silver Bells
Let's Make It Legal Richard Sale Claudette Colbert, MacDonald Carey Comedy
Lost Continent Sam Newfield Cesar Romero, Chick Chandler Science Fiction
Love Nest Joseph Newman June Haver, William Lundigan, Marilyn Monroe Drama
Lullaby of Broadway David Butler Doris Day Musical
M Joseph Losey David Wayne, Howard Da Silva Drama Remake of 1931 film
The Magnificent Yankee John Sturges Louis Calhern, Ann Harding Biographical Based on life of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
The Man from Planet X Edgar G. Ulmer Robert Clarke, Margaret Field Sci-fi
The Man with My Face Edward Montagne Barry Nelson, Carole Mathews Film Noir Jack Warden film debut
The Man with a Cloak Fletcher Markle Joseph Cotten, Barbara Stanwyck Drama Based on the short story The Gentleman from Paris
The Mating Season Mitchell Leisen Gene Tierney, John Lund Comedy
Merry Mavericks Edward Bernds Three Stooges Comedy
The Mob Robert Parrish Broderick Crawford, Betty Buehler Film Noir
The Model and the Marriage Broker George Cukor Jeanne Crain, Scott Brady, Thelma Ritter Romantic comedy
Mr. Imperium Don Hartman Lana Turner, Ezio Pinza, Marjorie Main Romance
Mysterious Island Spencer Gordon Bennett Richard Crane, Marshall Reed Serial Based on the Jules Verne novel

N-R

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
Nit-Witty Kitty Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
No Smoking Jack Kinney Goofy Animation
On Moonlight Bay Roy Del Ruth Doris Day, Gordon MacRae Musical Followed by By the Light of the Silvery Moon
On the Riviera Walter Lang Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney Musical Based on the play The Red Cat.
Operation Pacific George Waggner John Wayne, Patricia Neal War
Painting the Clouds with Sunshine David Butler Dennis Morgan, Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson Musical Remake of Gold Diggers of 1933.
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman Albert Lewin Ava Gardner, James Mason Drama
Payment on Demand Curtis Bernhardt Bette Davis, Barry Sullivan Drama Originally titled The Story of a Divorce
Peking Express William Dieterle Joseph Cotten, Corinne Calvet Adventure Second remake of Shanghai Express
The People Against O'Hara John Sturges Spencer Tracy, Pat O'Brien Film Noir
People Will Talk Joseph L. Mankiewicz Cary Grant, Jeanne Crain Romantic Comedy
Pest Man Wins Jules White Three Stooges Comedy
A Place in the Sun George Stevens Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Shelley Winters Academy Award: Best Director
The Prize Pest Robert McKimson Looney Tunes Animation Final screwball Daffy Duck cartoon
The Prowler Joseph Losey Van Heflin, Evelyn Keyes Film Noir
Quebec George Templeton John Drew Barrymore, Corinne Calvet Historical Drama
Quo Vadis Mervyn LeRoy Robert Taylor, Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov Historical Epic
Rabbit Fire Chuck Jones Looney Tunes Animation
The Racket John Cromwell Robert Mitchum, Lizabeth Scott Film Noir Remake of the 1928 film
Rawhide Henry Hathaway Tyrone Power, Susan Hayward Western
The Red Badge of Courage John Huston Audie Murphy, Bill Mauldin War Based on the novel
Rich, Young and Pretty Norman Taurog Jane Powell, Wendell Corey, Danielle Darrieux Musical
The River Jean Renoir Nora Swinburne, Esmond Knight Romance
Roadblock Harold Daniels Charles McGraw, Joan Dixon Film Noir
Royal Wedding Stanley Donen Fred Astaire, Jane Powell, Peter Lawford Musical

S-Z

Title Director Cast Genre Notes
Santa Fe Irving Pichel Randolph Scott, Janis Carter Western
Scrambled Brains Jules White Three Stooges Comedy
The Secret of Convict Lake Michael Gordon Glenn Ford, Gene Tierney Western
Show Boat George Sidney Howard Keel, Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner Musical Based on Edna Ferber novel
Sirocco Curtis Bernhardt Humphrey Bogart, Märta Torén, Lee J. Cobb Film Noir Based on novel Coup de Grace
Sleepy-Time Tom Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Slicked-up Pup Hanna Barbera Tom and Jerry Animation
Smart Alec Silent Porn
Starlift Roy Del Ruth Janice Rule, Dick Wesson Musical
The Steel Helmet Samuel Fuller Gene Evans, Steve Brodie War
Storm Warning Stuart Heisler Ronald Reagan, Doris Day, Ginger Rogers Thriller
Strangers on a Train Alfred Hitchcock Farley Granger, Ruth Roman, Robert Walker Thriller
A Streetcar Named Desire Elia Kazan Vivien Leigh, Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Kim Hunter Drama Academy Awards: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress
Strictly Dishonorable Melvin Frank Ezio Pinza, Janet Leigh Romantic Comedy
Superman and the Mole Men Lee Sholem George Reeves, Phyllis Coates Action
The Tall Target Anthony Mann Dick Powell, Paula Raymond, Adolphe Menjou Thriller
Teresa Fred Zinnemann Pier Angeli, John Ericson Drama
That's My Boy Hal Walker Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis Comedy
The Thing from Another World Howard Hawks Kenneth Tobey, Dewey Martin, James Arness Sci-fi Remade in 1982 as The Thing
Three Arabian Nuts Edward Bernds Three Stooges Comedy
Thunder on the Hill Douglas Sirk Claudette Colbert, Ann Blyth Drama
Tomahawk George Sherman Van Heflin, Yvonne De Carlo, Preston Foster Western
The Tooth Will Out Edward Bernds Three Stooges Comedy
Too Young to Kiss Robert Z. Leonard June Allyson, Van Johnson, Gig Young Comedy Golden Globe for Allyson
Two Lost Worlds Norman Dawn James Arness, Bill Kennedy Sci-fi
Two of a Kind Henry Levin Edmond O'Brien, Lizabeth Scott Film noir
Two-Dollar Bettor Edward L. Cahn Steve Brodie, Marie Windsor Drama
The Unknown Man Richard Thorpe Walter Pidgeon, Ann Harding Drama
Unknown World Terry O. Morse Bruce Kellogg Sci-fi
Vengeance Valley Richard Thorpe Burt Lancaster, Robert Walker Western
The Wearing of the Grin Chuck Jones Porky Pig Animated
The Well Leo Popkin Richard Rober, Harry Morgan Drama
Westward the Women William A. Wellman Robert Taylor, Denise Darcel, John McIntire Western
When Worlds Collide Rudolph Mate Richard Derr, Barbara Rush Sci-fi
You're in the Navy Now Henry Hathaway Gary Cooper Comedy

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