After the President offers his support to a nuclear disarmament treaty, several military leaders in the US plan to overthrow him, as they fear an attack from the Soviets.
Kirk Douglas is an American actor, producer, director, and author from the film industry's Golden Age, who debuted opposite Barbara Stanwyck in the film 'The Strange Love of Martha Ivers' (1946). With his explosive acting style, he became a lead box-office star, acting in successful films like 'Champion' (1949), 'Young Man with a Horn' (1950), 'Ace in the Hole' (1951), 'Detective Story' (1951), 'The Bad and the Beautiful' (1952), and 'Lust for Life' (1956).
Establishing Bryna Productions in 1955, he collaborated with emerging director Stanley Kubrick in critically acclaimed films such as 'Paths of Glory' (1957) and 'Spartacus' (1960). He then produced and starred in one of his best films, the cult classic 'Lonely Are the Brave' (1962), as well as the political-thriller 'Seven Days in May' (1964). In 1963, he starred in the Broadway play 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', based on Ken Kesey's 1962 novel, and subsequently purchased rights for a film adaptation, which his son Michael Douglas turned into an 'Oscar'-winning film.
His directorial ventures, Scalawag (1973) and Posse (1975), were failures. Some of the best films he worked on before his career ended are 'The Man from Snowy River' (1982) and 'Tough Guys' (1986).
After the President offers his support to a nuclear disarmament treaty, several military leaders in the US plan to overthrow him, as they fear an attack from the Soviets.
Two glory seeking French generals –Broulard and Mireau - decide to attack a well-protected German post despite objections from the commanding officer, Colonel Dax who sees its futility. After the failure of the first attack, the soldiers refuse to leave their trenches. To save himself, Mireau picks up three men for a court martial. Colonel Dax, also a lawyer, comes forward to defend these men.
Jack Burns, an independent cowboy, feels out of place in the modern world. He purposely gets into a brawl and gets himself arrested to be with Paul, a friend who has been imprisoned for helping illegal aliens. Jack wants Paul to flee with him, but Paul has too much at stake.
The Vikings is an action adventure film which tells the story of Einar, a warrior, and Eric, a former slave, who are half-brothers. They compete for the throne of Northumbria, although the actual root cause of their rivalry is their affection for Princess Morgana.
In 1866, Professor Pierre M Aronnax and his assistant come across reports of a giant sea monster that is attacking ships in the Pacific Ocean. They are asked to investigate the disappearances, and therefore they set out on an expedition. But soon they discover that the monster is actually an advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.
Arrogant Thracian slave Spartacus, who is trained in a gladiatorial school, rises in arms against his captors following repeated humiliations and incites a violent revolt involving thousands of slaves. As the group travels south to board ships to other lands, two opposing senators attempt to use the slave revolt to seize control of the decadent Roman Republic.
An unlikely alliance between a deputy federal marshal and an outlaw eventually leads to one of the most famous and legendary gunfights in the Old West.
Lust for Life is a biographical drama film which revolves around the life of Vincent Van Gogh, a Dutch painter who was known for his artistic genius. Despite this, due to his mental illness, he goes through several failures in his life. He fails as a preacher and also in his relationships with women. Eventually, with the support of his brother, he leaves for France, where he manages to earn respect among his fellow painters, although he does not get along with them.
Last Train from Gun Hill is a western film which tells the story of Craig Belden, who is the wealthiest and the most powerful man in the Wild West town of Gun Hill. He soon begins to believe that he is above the law, and when a Native American woman married to a US Marshall is raped and killed by his son, he refuses to allow his son to be arrested. Therefore, the Marshall decides to take on Craig’s henchmen himself to bring the killer to justice.
This science fiction film is about a modern aircraft carrier which is sent back in time to 1941, near Hawaii, just a few hours before Pearl Harbor is attacked by the Japanese.
Michael Kelly runs away from his shotgun marriage, and eventually takes up a job as a boxer. He becomes quite ruthless, and wins his games by back-stabbing his friends and knocking out opponents. His difficult life and fiery temper eventually makes him one of the most popular fighters. However, things take a turn when his bosses ask him to forfeit a championship match.
Young Jim Craig decides to go to work to earn money after the death of his father, in order to get the farm back on its feet. Craig starts working for horse rancher Harrison, where he is ill-treated by fellow cowboys but he is able to make his place in the heart of Jessica, Harrison's daughter. Will love conquer all?
The Bad and the Beautiful is an American drama film which tells the story of a film producer who starts to distance himself from everyone around him. The film then shows us his past in a series of flashbacks.
A private eye escapes his past and begins a new life in a small town, running a gas station. However, his past soon catches up with him. He is now forced to return to the city and face the world of corruption and double crossing.
Harry and Archie are two elderly gangsters, who are released from prison after serving a sentence of 30 years for trying to hijack a train. They are in for a shock upon seeing that the world is no longer the same, and many things have changed, including clothing, sexual lifestyles, clubs, advances in technology, as well as lack fo respect from the younger generations.
After being shot by a gunslinger and framed wrongly for a crime, Rancher Taw Jackson decides to take revenge against those who wronged him. He targets a heavily fortified stagecoach belonging to his enemy, which is known as the ‘War Wagon', as it carries half a million dollars in gold.
Ace in the Hole is a drama film which tells the story of a former big-city reporter named Chuck Tatum, who is now working in a small newspaper in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He wants to make it big but is unable to find much important news. Things get interesting when he exploits a story of a man trapped in a cave to rekindle his career.
Set in Germany-occupied Norway in the time of the Second World War, this historical war drama film tells the story of how Norwegian resistance forces try to prevent the Nazis from producing an atomic bomb component during the War, by destroying a Germany heavy water production plant near a village.
The Villain is a western comedy film which tells the story of Charming Jones, a beautiful woman, who is being escorted across the west by a naïve cowboy named Handsome Stranger. Throughout the journey, she tries several times to make advances towards Handsome, but he acts indifferently. Meanwhile, they are unaware of the fact that a man named Avery Simpson wants to rob them on the way. Simpson has hired an outlaw named Cactus Jack to get the job done.
Worried about finding a suitor for her shy and crippled daughter Laura, delusional snob Amanda asks her son, Merchant Mariner Tom Wingfield, to bring home friends who might be interested in dating her. However, the expectations of the mother and the daughter are reversed when Tom invites the eligible bachelor Jim O'Connor for dinner.
Detective Story is a crime drama film which tells the story of Detective Jim McLeod, who is on a mission to bring an abortionist named Karl Schneider to justice, as he is responsible for the death of many women. Meanwhile, Schneider’s lawyer informs the police that Jim has a personal reason for wanting to hunt down Karl.
Frankie and Noll, the infamous bootleggers partway in order to escape being captured by the police. Unfortunately, police gets hold of Frankie who is put behind the bars, while Noll escapes the police and opens a posh nightclub in New York City. Years later, Frankie is released from the jail and visits Noll with the intention of claiming his share of the club's profits. However, Noll has other plans, surely not the one of dividing the profits.
County attorney Dave Connors is not happy in his marriage to Belle. But when Algeria, the wife of Dave’s best friend, Tucker Wedge, makes advances towards Dave, he rebuffs her overtures. A furious Algeria sets out to create trouble in his personal life, and also tries to ruin his political aspirations of running for the senate. Can Dave overcome her mean manipulations?
Navy Captain Torrey manages to bring his ship through the Pearl Harbor bombing unscathed. However, the ship is later damaged in a subsequent battle due to his negligence, which leads to his demotion. Soon, he tries to mend his relationship with his estranged son, and begins to take a liking to a nurse named Maggie. However he is soon called back for duty. Torrey sees his as his second opportunity to prove himself.
This technicolour anthology film presents three stories narrated by three passengers on board a cruiser. The relationship between a ballet choreographer and a ballerina with a heart condition is featured in the first. In the second, a boy miraculously converts into a young man and charms his governess. In the third, a failed trapeze artist along with a suicidal woman perform a daring circus act.
As a former soldier is vacationing in the French Riviera, he recalls his time in France during the Second World War and his romance with a French peasant woman.
The Juggler is a war drama film, which tells the life of a Jewish refugee who fights to overcome the psychological effects he suffered during the Second World War as an inmate in a concentration camp.
On his deathbed, Angelo promises to his dying father that he will leave the world of crime, and live an honest life. Although he has no experience in making money legally, he tries to keep his father’s promises.
After the Civil War ends, the Mannons, a wealthy family in New England, await the return of Ezra, their patriarch, who was the General of the Union Army, and Orin, his son. However, their daughter, Lavina, is shocked when her mother kisses another man named Adam Brant, on whom she has a crush herself. Eventually, she learns that her mother has never loved Ezra since the day they had got married.
A thirteen year old girl named Martha Ivers tries to run away from the guardianship of her wealthy and despicable aunt Mrs Ivers, but she is eventually caught and brought back home. When Mrs Ivers starts to beat her kitten, Martha tries to prevent it, and strikes her across the head, which causes Mrs Ivers to fall down the stairs, killing her in an accident. Martha lies about the incident to Walter Jr., the son of her tutor, although he plays along, despite knowing the truth. However, his cunning father decides to use this fact to his advantage.
Two aging legendary gunfighters, Will Tenneray and Abe Cross, become best friends contrary to everyone’s expectations after running into each other. They decide to stage a last gunfight to death as both of them need money and the tragic decision ends with Tenneray’s death.
Based on a novel of the same name, The Fury is a supernatural thriller film which tells us the story of Peter, a former CIA agent, whose son Robin is a psychic. Their lives take a turn after Ben Childress, Peter’s old colleague, kidnaps Robin, as he is studying people with supernatural powers. He hopes that he will be able to develop their talents, to use them as weapons. Peter soon teams up with a teenager with special abilities to rescue his son.
When an Army General is about to be appointed as the chairman of an atomic energy committee, a female tycoon is disappointed. Therefore, she invites the former to her country estate, in an attempt to entrap him as well as ruin his reputation.
A millionairess Chloe Brasher has three beautiful daughters named Bonnie, Kate and Jan. When she feels that it is time for them to get married, she hires a lawyer named Donald to play matchmaker.
A group of sadistic pirates take over an isolated lighthouse on a rocky island, overpowering its small crew, and turn off the light with the aim of salvaging the wrecked ships. However, one of the lighthouse crew, Will Denton, manages to escape and teams with an Italian wreck survivor in an attempt to stop the wreckers.
A seductress living in a small town writes a letter to her three best friends notifying that she is going to run off with one of their husbands. However, she doesn’t inform them which one, which makes things more complicated.
Steve Wallace is a convicted burglar and safecracker who is released from prison after serving two years. Although his girlfriend wants him to get rid of his old ways, Steve decides that he will perform one last job, which will either settle him for life or put him in prison again.
Rich and old Uncle Joe is surrounded by relatives who are waiting for him to die and leave his fortune to them. Things soon take a turn when their uncle decides to hire a new beautiful nurse named Molly.
A would-be writer is thrilled when she is offered a job by her favorite romance writer. But as she joins him as his secretary, her admiration turns into dismay. Although constantly in debt he cannot even start writing a contract novel that offers a lucrative advance because of his shabby work ethics and playboy approach. Yet they fall in love and gets married.
It Runs in the Family is a comedy drama film which revolves around the highly successful Gromberg family in New York. The film shows how three generations of the family are forced to come together, despite being estranged for years, and make peace when Evelyn, the family’s matriarch passes away.
Vince Ginetta marries Emma, daughter of mob boss, Dominick Bertolo. Vince’s brother, Frank, is also a Mafia Don. Dominick dies of heart attack when he realizes Frank wants to kill him as revenge for betraying the mob. Now the new board of organized crime has sent Vince to kill Frank who is hiding in Sicily.
Saturn 3 is an adventure science-fiction horror film which tells the story of two lovers at a remote space-station, whose lives are turned upside down, with the arrival of a scientist and his malevolent eight-foot robot.
When British Fabienne goes to Bucharest for honeymoon, her husband gets arrested as a spy by the Soviets. When she is told that a spy is necessary to trade for her husband, her efforts to get one lead to amusing situations. She encounters Andrej, a microfilms smuggler who had used her luggage for smuggling, but both get abducted by the enemy, complicating the matter.
After quitting his job as a cop, Jim accepts a job offer from a lawyer, He gets hired to protect Rena Westabrook who is about to go on trial for the murder of her wealthy husband. Eventually, he finds himself in the middle of a bigger conspiracy.
Aspiring filmmaker Denis Byrd has started filming everything that happens at his own home. Rather unfortunately for him, his cult guru and film instructor mentor who calls himself The Maestro decides to give frequent instructions to Keith on how to shoot the movie.
Peg-legged pirate Peg, with parrot ‘Barfly’ and crew of land-locked pirates, is in search of a treasure buried by the deceitful Mudhook and his twin. Peg asks young Jamie and his sister Lucy-Ann to help locate the treasure. As they fight the Native Americans while traversing the rough territory, Peg and Jamie form a bond which is strained by Peg’s untruthful ways.
Wrongly imprisoned, Eddie Macon stages a prison break to reunite with his wife and son and escape to Mexico. But fast on his trail is veteran detective Carl Marzack. Eddie is, however, helped on his way by the governor’s daughter, Jilly Buck, who is looking for some excitement.
After a young woman goes home to New York, after a long stay in Europe, she is introduced to the decadence of her birthplace by her former schoolmate. She also falls for an older man, who is a stand-in for her father, but eventually tragedy strikes.
This sports drama film tells the story of race car driver Gino Borgesa, as he struggles on the track as well as in his love life. In order to achieve his goal to become a famous race-car driver worldwide, he starts alienating even the people closest to him.
Peg-legged pirate Peg, with parrot ‘Barfly’ and crew of land-locked pirates, is in search of a treasure buried by the deceitful Mudhook and his twin. Peg asks young Jamie and his sister Lucy-Ann to help locate the treasure. As they fight the Native Americans while traversing the rough territory, Peg and Jamie form a bond which is strained by Peg’s untruthful ways.
Kirk Douglas Awards
Lust for Life | Best Actor - Drama | 1957 |