Top 17 Drama Movies Editor's Pick Released in 1959

A New York City advertising executive goes on the run after being mistaken for a government agent by a group of foreign spies, and falls for a woman whose loyalties he begins to doubt. Explore North by Northwest / IMDB / YouTube

A Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, but it's not long before he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge. Check out Ben-Hur / IMDB / YouTube

A young boy, left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime. See more about The 400 Blows / IMDB / YouTube

After living a life marked by coldness, an aging professor is forced to confront the emptiness of his existence. Details on Wild Strawberries / IMDB / YouTube

An upstate Michigan lawyer defends a soldier who claims he killed an innkeeper due to temporary insanity after the victim raped his wife. What is the truth, and will he win his case? See more about Anatomy of a Murder / IMDB / YouTube

Michel passes the time by picking pockets, careful to never be caught despite being watched by the police. His friend Jacques may suspect, while both men may have their eyes on Jeanne, the pretty neighbor of Michel's ailing mother. Learn about Pickpocket / IMDB / YouTube

A successful farmyard revolution by the resident animals vs. the farmer goes horribly wrong when the victors create a new tyranny among themselves. Details on Animal Farm / IMDB / YouTube

An aspiring white actress takes in an African American widow whose mixed-race daughter is desperate to be seen as white. Look into Imitation of Life / IMDB / YouTube

A surgeon is assigned the case of a young woman whose aunt wants her lobotomized to cover up a family secret. See more about Suddenly, Last Summer / IMDB / YouTube

A teenage boy grows to love a stray yellow dog while helping his mother and younger brother run their Texas homestead while their father is away on a cattle drive. First thought to be good-for-nothing mutt, Old Yeller is soon beloved by all. Explore Old Yeller / IMDB / YouTube

In 1964, atomic war wipes out humanity in the northern hemisphere; one American submarine finds temporary safe haven in Australia, where life-as-usual covers growing despair. In denial about the loss of his wife and children in the holocaust, American Captain Towers meets careworn but gorgeous Moira Davidson, who begins to fall for him. The sub returns after reconnaissance a month (or less) before the end; will Towers and Moira find comfort with each other? Learn about On the Beach / IMDB / YouTube

A drunken doctor with a hot temper and a violence-prone gangster with tuberculosis form a quicksilver bond. Get info on Drunken Angel / IMDB / YouTube

In Nazi-occupied Holland in World War II, shopkeeper Kraler hides two Jewish families in his attic. Young Anne Frank keeps a diary of everyday life for the Franks and the Van Daans, chronicling the Nazi threat as well as family dynamics. A romance with Peter Van Daan causes jealousy between Anne and her sister, Margot. Otto Frank returns to the attic many years after the eventual capture of both families and finds his late daughter's diary. Details on The Diary of Anne Frank / IMDB / YouTube

A retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth, set during the time of the Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro. Explore Black Orpheus / IMDB / YouTube

Two boys begin a silence strike to press their parents into buying them a television set. Info on Good Morning / IMDB / YouTube

After leaving a wealthy Belgian family to become a nun, Sister Luke struggles with her devotion to her vows during crisis, disappointment, and World War II. Read about The Nun's Story / IMDB / YouTube

In 1863, a Union outfit is sent behind Confederate lines in Mississippi to destroy enemy railroads but a captive southern belle and the unit's doctor cause frictions within ranks. More about The Horse Soldiers / IMDB / YouTube