Timeless Romance and Noir: 6 Classic Films from the 50s and 60s

Tired of noisy blockbusters, excessive special effects, and over-the-top sexuality? Looking to fill your evening with romance and authenticity? We’ve got you covered with a selection of exceptional films that exude the sweet charm of the past. Here, you’ll find everything: complex yet sincere love, unforgettable travel experiences, revolutionary spirits, and even poetic beauty. Life, examined from various angles, with its simple problems, filtered through the minds of cinematic masters, reveals new hues in black-and-white cinema. In other words, six outstanding films from the 50s and 60s.

Gilda (1946)

An excellent example of a Hollywood-style noir built around an incredibly sensual female character is the film “Gilda.” The main character, Johnny Farrell, a swindler who manages to escape from yet another tight spot thanks to his new acquaintance, the mysterious Ballin Mundson. Mundson turns out to be the owner of a large casino and the husband of the fatal beauty Gilda. As soon as Gilda’s identity becomes known to Farrell, the viewer witnesses a secret love story between Farrell and Gilda. This is where the dizziness begins, keeping everything in this intoxicating tension until the end of the film.

The film might seem illogical or even be considered an example of a poorly written script. However, knowing that the role of Gilda was played by the incomparable Rita Hayworth in her fatal persona, everything absurd becomes seductive and passionate. The classic noir female character, driving both the film’s heroes and the viewer into a serious nervous disorder, is an exceptional detail of Hayworth’s acting skills. In other words, a very simple plot draws you into a whirlpool of passion, excellent music, and charming ambiguities.

Breathless (1960)

It seems impossible to underestimate Godard’s mastery, yet this film has mixed reviews. Nevertheless, “Breathless” is a stunning work, an excellent example of new wave cinema, subtle, deep, and opaque. Here, you’ll have to think; simply trying on the main characters’ images won’t be enough. But despite the multilayered nature of Godard’s thought, this film is about everyone and anyone.

The young, charming Michel Poiccard, played by the incomparable Jean-Paul Belmondo, lives his life on the edge. His main occupation is stealing expensive cars. He doesn’t think about the consequences of his actions or what tomorrow will bring. But one day, Michel finds himself in a situation much more serious than a simple theft. He has to commit a murder, and his feelings and behavior are left entirely to the viewer’s analysis.

Besides Michel, there is a female character in the film—the young, beautiful, and completely undecided about her life, newspaper seller Patricia, played by the lovely Jean Seberg. Naturally, a romance develops between Michel and Patricia, but as often happens in Godard’s films, love does not define the plotline. The relationship between the two young people is peculiar and complex due to the overall lostness of the main characters. However, the charm that reigns in this film will linger for a long time, as it is love and life, as if on its last breath.

Two for the Road (1967)

“Two for the Road” is a magnificent story proving that life is worth living. A timeless classic with the endlessly stylish Audrey Hepburn in the lead role is an excellent choice for an evening watch. The young couple, Mark and Joanna, are tired of married life and are experiencing a crisis not only on a domestic level but also in their love life. Together, the heroes decide to go to the French Riviera to return to the roots of their romance and give their marriage a second chance.

Throughout their lives, Mark and Joanna have traveled, and each time their love has undergone different trials. This time, the couple managed to convince themselves that divorce is not the solution for them, as despite all the quarrels and dissatisfaction, they still truly love each other.

The charming atmosphere of travel, reality, and the sincerity of everyday problems are the main qualities of this film. Along with the heroes, the viewer will have the opportunity to be convinced that life is good and that one should not miss a single moment.

Masculin Féminin (1966)

Another beautiful film filled with Godard’s subtle maximalism is “Masculin Féminin.” The plot of the film is simpler than it might seem: for the main character Paul, a young poet with left-wing views and lonely due to his elitist intellectuality, as well as for the director himself, there are two sides to life. The “feminine” side is a calm and measured existence led by Paul and his beloved Madeleine. Every day, people shop, travel, meet friends, and want to be like movie and advertising stars. This is the civilian life that Paul views skeptically, as he has just returned from service. Inside the young man lies a passionate desire to be part of the second side of being—the “masculine,” meaning revolutionary, protesting, and romantically lonely.

Godard’s narrative is intellectual, like his hero, charming, and sometimes monotonous, like life itself. His film is a philosophical thesis. But if understanding the artist can sometimes be difficult, enjoying the rebellious spirit of France in a beautiful black-and-white drama is always possible.

Orpheus (1950)

Director Jean Cocteau’s film “Orpheus” is poetry brought to life, elegant, multifaceted, and fatally beautiful. The main character of the film, Orpheus, is a modern poet tired of fame and glamour, who falls in love with Princess Ada, who, by the way, reciprocates his feelings. In turn, the princess’s servant, Artebius, harbors feelings for Orpheus’s wife, Eurydice. Between the characters, a love quadrilateral unfolds, drawing both them and the viewer into a phantasmagoria full of allegories and references.

This film is full of action, metaphorical dialogues, and fantastical elements. Deciphering Cocteau’s complex style can sometimes be challenging, but the film is undoubtedly full of romance and originality, capable of making the heart tremble and the mind wander and tear.

Summertime (1955)

“Summertime” will quench the thirst for travel for those who have not yet realized their plans, as the film is filled with landscapes of Venice, perhaps a textbook setting for love quests. The young and lonely teacher Jane Hudson, played by the magnificent Katharine Hepburn, comes to Venice for the summer holidays to be inspired by the beauty of this incredible place, attend all cultural events, and finally get rid of her longing. But sadness and loneliness do not leave Jane, no matter how she tries to enjoy the landscapes and culture. Until a charming antique shop owner appears in her life…

Undoubtedly, this story is a classic of holiday romance, filled with the charm and naivety of the 50s. The atmosphere of the most passionate and sensual experiences of the heroine against the backdrop of beautiful architecture and art. The director not only managed to create a touching love story but also to show all the facets of Venetian life with walks along the canals by moonlight, long farewells on the platform, and, of course, unforgettable summer evenings.