1. (Alex Segal, 1956)
A rich industrialist's son is kidnapped and the police advise him to pay the ransom, but he refuses this fact and offers a reward for catching the criminals.
If the theme sounds familiar to you, it is because an adaptation of the same theme was later made and directed by Ron Howard and starring Mel Gibson, which for some moviegoers lived up to the original, even becoming one of the modern classics of action cinema. For its part, this original version stands out for its impression of a thriller, highlighting Glenn Ford as an important dramatic force to give the story a lot of credibility. It will be necessary to see both and judge which is better.
2. The Fastest Gun Alive (Russell Rouse, 1956)
In the old west, a famous gunman tries to rebuild his life by hiding in a community that recognizes him as part of its members, but another gunman knows of his existence and wants to confront him to prove that he is better than him. A very well-accomplished Western, with a magnificent performance by Ford in the role of a gunslinger who intends to resign and not carry arms again, but circumstances force him to assume his role again. Although there is another film of the genre with the same plot, but different development (The Gunfighter with Gregory Peck), the inclusion of Ford and the tragic-dramatic sense of the film also make it very enjoyable. Likewise, the tape has a very unexpected, but very convincing ending.
3. The Blackboard Jungle (Richard Brooks, 1955)
A veteran soldier accepts a job as a teacher at a conflictive public school and realizes that the rebellion of his students will subject him to many problems. A film that laid the foundations for other films on the same theme such as "To the Teacher with Love" (which ironically Sidney Poitier, his co-star here, would star), "Class of 1984", "The Director", and many more. The film was nominated for several Oscars, including best editing. Ford's performance, as well as the narrative imposed by Brooks, would largely create the archetype of that film master, one full of strength and who would symbolize the American dream.
4. Gilda (Charles Vidor, 1946)
One of the most representative noir. The story centers on Argentina, where the American Johnny Farrell (Glenn Ford) meets Ballin Mundson (George Macready) after a small incident, becoming his right hand in business. But the drama begins when Johnny finds out that Ballin is married to the Fatal Woman of the film, Gilda (Rita Hayworth), a woman he hates for matters that will become known as the story progresses. A film with an agile and entertaining script; Crimes, bullets, passionate dramas, the glamor of the golden years of Hollywood, and an interesting musical proposal, what more can you ask for in a good noir film?
5. (Delmer Dave, 1957)
A Western that tells how a rancher takes on the risky job of escorting a notorious outlaw to justice and putting him on the train to which the film's title refers. A splendid job by Ford in the role of the outlaw, who, despite his criminal record, proves in the end that he has moral qualities. Some remakes were made on this subject, which failed to reach the essence of the original film (although Mangold's also turns out to be of very good quality). In 2012, the Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
