Days of Wine and Roses (1962)

Directed by Blake Edwards and adapted from a teleplay, this is an excellent portrayal of alcoholism and its destructive role on a couple’s relationship.

Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick are entirely convincing as a young, seemingly happy couple who slowly learn that they simply cannot be together, such is the destructive effect their addictions have on themselves and one another. 

Their downward spiral makes for slightly gruelling, if hypnotic watching.

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Superb courtroom drama directed by Otto Preminger. 

James Stewart plays a brilliant but unconventional former district attorney, who acts as a defence lawyer for a suspected murder. 

There are plenty of quirky and strange characters, and dialogue is also attractively offbeat – particularly given the repeated reference to "panties". 

Every actor is remarkable, and there are memorable performances by Lee Remick (as the ambiguous Laura Manion), Ben Gazzara (as Lt. Frederick Manion) and George C. Scott (as the prosecutor Claude Dancer). Especially memorable is the judge played by Joseph N. Welch (a real-life lawyer). 

There's also an excellent soundtrack by Duke Ellington.