1953 in film

The year 1953 in film involved some significant events.

Events
February 5 — Walt Disney's production of J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan, starring Bobby Driscoll and Kathryn Beaumont, premieres to astounding acclaim from critics and audiences and quickly becomes one of the most beloved Disney films as well as the most definitive Peter Pan film adaptation ever. It was an impressive achievement by Disney's animation department and a vast improvement on Alice in Wonderland, which nearly bankrupted the studio after it had managed a dramatic and bold comeback to greatness with Cinderella the year prior to Alice July 1 — Stalag 17, directed by Billy Wilder and starring William Holden, premieres and is considered by the critics and audiences to be one of the greatest WWII Prisoner of War films ever made. August 5 — Fred Zinnemann's romantic and war masterpiece From Here to Eternity, starring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra, and Donna Reed, premieres. August 27 — William Wyler's immortal romantic tale of Roman Holiday, starring Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn, premieres and it propelled Hepburn to super stardom. September 16 — Religious epic The Robe, starring Richard Burton and Jean Simmons, debuts as the first widescreen anamorphic film in cinema history, filmed in CinemaScope.

Top-grossing films (U.S.)
Rank

Title

Studio

Director(s)

Actors

Gross

1. The Robe Twentieth Century Fox Henry Koster Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Michael Rennie, Jay Robinson, Dean Jagger $17,500,000 2. From Here to Eternity Columbia Pictures Fred Zinneman Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Montgomery Clift, Frank Sinatra, Donna Reed, Ernest Borgnine, Philip Ober, Jack Warden, George Reeves $12,500,000 3. Shane Paramount Pictures George Stevens Alan Ladd, Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Brandon deWilde, Jack Palance, Ben Johnson, Edgar Buchanan $8,000,000 4. How to Marry a Millionaire Twentieth Century Fox Jean Negulesco Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall, William Powell, Cameron Mitchell, Rory Calhoun $7,500,000 5. Peter Pan RKO / Walt Disney Productions / Walt Disney Feature Animation Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Hans Conried, Paul Collins, Tommy Luske, Heather Angel, Bill Thompson, Margaret Kerry, Corinne Orr, Robert Ellis, Jeffery Silver, Johnny McGovern, Stuffy Singer, Tony Butala $7,000,000 6. Hans Christian Andersen RKO Radio Pictures Charles Vidor Danny Kaye, Farley Granger, Zizi Jeanmaire $6,000,000 7. House of Wax Warner Bros. André de Toth Vincent Price, Charles Bronson, Frank Lovejoy, Carolyn Jones, Phyllis Kirk $5,500,000 8. Mogambo Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer John Ford Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Donald Sinden $5,200,000 9. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes Twentieth Century Fox Howard Hawks Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Charles Coburn, Elliot Reed, Tommy Noonan $5,100,000 10. Salome Columbia Pictures William Dieterle Rita Hayworth, Stewart Granger, Charles Laughton, Judith Anderson, Sir Cedric Hardwicke $4,750,000

Awards
Academy Awards: Best Picture: From Here to Eternity - Columbia PicturesBest Director: Fred Zinnemann - From Here to EternityBest Actor: William Holden - Stalag 17Best Actress: Audrey Hepburn - Roman HolidayBest Supporting Actor: Frank Sinatra - From Here to EternityBest Supporting Actress: Donna Reed - From Here to Eternity Golden Globe Awards: Drama:Best Picture: The RobeBest Actor: Spencer Tracy - The ActressBest Actress: Audrey Hepburn - Roman HolidayMusical or comedy:Best Picture: No awardBest Actor: David Niven - The Moon Is BlueBest Actress: Ethel Merman - Call Me MadamOtherBest Director: Fred Zinnemann - From Here to Eternity Grand Prix (Cannes Film Festival): The Wages of Fear (Le salaire de la peur), directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, France / Italy Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival): Not awarded

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival): The Wages of Fear (Le salaire de la peur), directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot, France / Italy

Notable films released in 1953

 * 1) Peter Pan

Serials
Canadian Mounties vs Atomic Invaders, starring Bill Henry The Great Adventures of Captain Kidd, starring Richard Crane Jungle Drums of Africa, starring Clayton Moore and Phyllis Coates The Lost Planet, starring Judd Holdren

Short film series
Mickey Mouse (1928)-(1953) Looney Tunes (1930–1969) Terrytoons (1930–1964) Merrie Melodies (1931–1969) Popeye (1933–1957) Donald Duck (1934)-(1956) The Three Stooges (1934–1959) Goofy (1939)-(1953) Tom and Jerry (1940–1958) Bugs Bunny (1940)-(1962) Chip and Dale (1943–1956) Droopy (1943–1958) Sylvester the Cat (1944–1966) Yosemite Sam (1945–1963) Ranger Don (1953-1956) Speedy Gonzales (1953-1968)

Debuts
Stanley Kubrick(director) - Fear and Desire Steve McQueen - Girl on the Run Anthony Perkins - The Actress