Cinema: Critics' Choices

In the past, movie critics have rarely seen eye to eye with the paying customers. Last year, for example, Manhattan's film critics chose High Noon as the best picture of the year over such big moneymakers as Greatest Show on Earth and Quo Vadis. Last week the New York reviewers cast their votes closer to the box-office mark. Their choices:

Best picture: From Here to Eternity (Columbia), James Jones's novel of pre-Pearl Harbor Army life (TIME, Aug. 10).

Best actor: Burt Lancaster, for his role as Sergeant Warden, in From Here to Eternity.

Best actress: Newcomer Audrey Hepburn, for her princess in Paramount's Roman Holiday (TIME, Sept. 7).

Best director: Fred Zinnemann (From Here to Eternity).

Best foreign film: Justice is Done, a French picture showing how the lives of seven jurors affect their verdict in a murder case (TIME, March 16).

Special citation: two British documentaries—A Queen Is Crowned (TIME, June 22) and The Conquest of Everest (TIME, Dec. 21).

Other big moneymakers for the year—Shane, The Robe—showed up on a few other "best" lists. The National Board of Review picked MGM's Julius Caesar as the No. 1 film. The remainder of the national board's top ten: Shane, From Here to Eternity, Martin Luther, Lili, Roman Holiday, Stalag 17, The Little Fugitive, Mogambo, The Robe.

The trade sheet Film Daily polled critics and commentators around the U.S. for their choices of bests in every category except "best movie." Best starring performances: José Ferrer (Moulin Rouge) and Audrey Hepburn (Roman Holiday). Best supporting performances: Frank Sinatra (From Here to Eternity) and Gloria Grahame (The Bad and the Beautiful). Best director: Fred Zinnemann (From Here to Eternity).