Top 100 Films of the 20th Century – Part 22: Top 25 by Decade

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Top 25 – 1900-1929

1)      Sunrise (1927) – directed by F.W. Murnau

2)      The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) – directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer

3)      Man with the Movie Camera (1929) – directed by Dziga Vertov

4)      Battleship Potemkin (1925) – directed by S.M. Eisenstein

5)      The General (1926) – directed by Buster Keaton

6)      Metropolis (1927) – directed by Fritz Lang

7)      Sherlock Jr. (1924) – directed by Buster Keaton

8)      Greed (1925) – directed by Erich von Stroheim

9)      Un chien andalou (1928) – directed by Luis Bunuel

10)   Intolerance: Love’s Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916) – directed by D.W. Griffith

11)   Nosferatu (1922) – directed by F.W. Murnau

12)   The Last Laugh (1924) – directed by F.W. Murnau

13)   Napoleon (1927) – directed by Abel Gance

14)   The Gold Rush (1925) – directed by Charles Chaplin

15)   A Trip to the Moon (1902) – directed by Georges Melies

16)   The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919) – directed by Robert Wiene

17)   Pandora’s Box (1929) – directed by G.W. Pabst

18)   The Crowd (1928) – directed by King Vidor

19)   The Wind (1928) – directed by Victor Sjostrom

20)   The Big Parade (1925) – directed by King Vidor

21)   Safety Last (1923) – directed by Fred Newmeyer & Sam Taylor

22)   The Phantom of the Opera (1925) – directed by Rupert Julian

23)   Broken Blossoms (1919) – directed by D.W. Griffith

24)   The Kid (1921) – directed by Charles Chaplin

25)   Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) – directed by Charles F. Reisner and Buster Keaton

Top 25 – 1930s

1)      The Rules of the Game (1939) – directed by Jean Renoir

2)      Modern Times (1936) – directed by Charles Chaplin

3)      City Lights (1931) – directed by Charles Chaplin

4)      L’Atalante (1934) – directed by Jean Vigo

5)      La Grande Illusion (1937) – directed by Jean Renoir

6)      M (1931) – directed by Fritz Lang

7)      Bringing Up Baby (1938) – directed by Howard Hawks

8)      Gone with the Wind (1939) – directed by Victor Fleming

9)      The Lady Vanishes (1938) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

10)   Stagecoach (1939) – directed by John Forrd

11)   The 39 Steps (1935) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

12)   Partie de campagne (1936) – directed by Jean Renoir

13)   L’Age d’Or (1930) – directed by Luis Bunuel

14)   Trouble in Paradise (1932) – directed by Ernst Lubitsch

15)   The Wizard of Oz (1939) – directed by Victor Fleming

16)   Vampyr (1932) – directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer

17)   Only Angels Have Wings (1939) – directed by Howard Hawks

18)   Tabu (1931) – directed by F.W. Murnau

19)   Earth (1930) – directed by Aleksandr Dovzhenko

20)   The Story of the Late Chrysanthemums (1939) – directed by Mizoguchi Kenji

21)   I Was Born, But… (1932) – directed by Yasujiro Ozu

22)   Duck Soup (1933) – directed by Leo McCarey

23)   The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) – directed by Fritz Lang

24)   Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) – directed by Frank Lloyd

25)   It Happened One Night (1934) – directed by Frank Capra

Top 25 – 1940s

1)      Citizen Kane (1941) – directed by Orson Welles

2)      Bicycle Thieves (1948) – directed by Vittorio De Sica

3)      The Red Shoes (1948) – directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

4)      Casablanca (1942) – directed by Michael Curtiz

5)      The Third Man (1949) – directed by Carol Reed

6)      A Matter of Life and Death (1946) – directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

7)      The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) – directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

8)      Children of Paradise (1945) – directed by Marcel Carne

9)      A Canterbury Tale (1944) – directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

10)   The Great Dictator (1940) – directed by Charles Chaplin

11)   Brief Encounter (1945) – directed by David Lean

12)   Black Narcissus (1947) – directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

13)   Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) – directed by Max Ophuls

14)   Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) – directed by Robert Hamer

15)   Notorious (1946) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

16)   The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) – directed by William Wyler

17)   Rebecca (1940) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

18)   Mrs. Miniver (1942) – directed by William Wyler

19)   Late Spring (1949) – directed by Yasujiro Ozu

20)   The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) – directed by Orson Welles

21)   The Lady Eve (1941) – directed by Preston Sturges

22)   His Girl Friday (1940) – directed by Howard Hawks

23)   Great Expectations (1946) – directed by David Lean

24)   Double Indemnity (1944) – directed by Billy Wilder

25)   The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) – directed by John Huston

Top 25 – 1950s

1)      Vertigo (1958) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

2)      Singin’ in the Rain (1952) – directed by Stanley Donen

3)      Tokyo Story (1953) – directed by Yasujiro Ozu

4)      Seven Samurai (1954) – directed by Akira Kurosawa

5)      The 400 Blows (1959) – directed by Francois Truffaut

6)      The Searchers (1956) – directed by John Ford

7)      Rear Window (1954) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

8)      Rashomon (1950) – directed by Akira Kurosawa

9)      The Night of the Hunter (1955) – directed by Charles Laughton

10)   Some Like It Hot (1959) – directed by Billy Wilder

11)   Sunset Blvd. (1950) – directed by Billy Wilder

12)   North by Northwest (1959) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

13)   Touch of Evil (1958) – directed by Orson Welles

14)   The Seventh Seal (1957) – directed by Ingmar Bergman

15)   The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) – directed by David Lean

16)   Sweet Smell of Success (1957) – directed by Alexander Mackendrick

17)   On the Waterfront (1954) – directed by Elia Kazan

18)   All About Eve (1950) – directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz

19)   Ben-Hur (1959) – directed by William Wyler

20)   Roman Holiday (1953) – directed by William Wyler

21)   The Wages of Fear (1953) – directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot

22)   Ordet (1955) – directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer

23)   Witness for the Prosecution (1957) – directed by Billy Wilder

24)   Paths of Glory (1957) – directed by Stanley Kubrick

25)   Diabolique (1954) – directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot

Top 25 – 1960s

1)      Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – directed by David Lean

2)      2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) – directed by Stanley Kubrick

3)      8 ½ (1963) – directed by Federico Fellini

4)      Persona (1966) – directed by Ingmar Bergman

5)      The Battle of Algiers (1966) – directed by Gillo Pontecorvo

6)      Psycho (1960) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

7)      Breathless (1960) – directed by Jean-Luc Godard

8)      Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) – directed by Sergio Leone

9)      The Leopard (1963) – directed by Luchino Visconti

10)   The Apartment (1960) – directed by Billy Wilder

11)   The Wild Bunch (1969) – directed by Sam Peckinpah

12)   Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) – directed by Stanley Kubrick

13)   The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) – directed by John Ford

14)   Kes (1969) – directed by Ken Loach

15)   Goldfinger (1964) – directed by Guy Hamilton

16)   To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) – directed by Robert Mulligan

17)   Army of Shadows (1969) – directed by Jean-Pierre Melville

18)   The Graduate (1967) – directed by Mike Nichols

19)   Au Hasard Balthazar (1966) – directed by Robert Bresson

20)   L’Avventura (1960) – directed by Michelangelo Antonioni

21)   Andrei Rublec (1966) – directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

22)   La Dolce Vita (1960) – directed by Federico Fellini

23)   The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966) – directed by Sergio Leone

24)   Yojimbo (1961) – directed by Akira Kurosawa

25)   Bonnie and Clyde (1967) – directed by Arthur Penn

Top 25 – 1970s

1)      Apocalypse Now (1979) – directed by Francis Ford Coppola

2)      The Godfather (1972) – directed by Francis Ford Coppola

3)      Taxi Driver (1976) – directed by Martin Scorsese

4)      The Godfather: Part II (1974) – directed by Francis Ford Coppola

5)      Chinatown (1974) – directed by Roman Polanski

6)      Barry Lyndon (1975) – directed by Stanley Kubrick

7)      Nashville (1975) – directed by Robert Altman

8)      Days of Heaven (1978) – directed by Terrence Malick

9)      Annie Hall (1977) – directed by Woody Allen

10)   Don’t Look Now (1973) – directed by Nicolas Roeg

11)   Star Wars (1977) – directed by George Lucas

12)   The Conformist (1970) – directed by Bernardo Bertolucci

13)   A Woman Under the Influence (1974) – directed by John Cassavetes

14)   Badlands (1973) – directed by Terrence Malick

15)   One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) – directed by Milos Forman

16)   A Clockwork Orange (1971) – directed by Stanley Kubrick

17)   Mirror (1974) – directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

18)   The Conversation (1974) – directed by Francis Ford Coppola

19)   The Deer Hunter (1978) – directed by Michael Cimino

20)   Jaws (1975) – directed by Steve Spielberg

21)   Stalker (1979) – directed by Andrei Tarkovsky

22)   Network (1976) – directed by Sidney Lumet

23)   Day for Night (1973) – directed by Francois Truffaut

24)   Being There (1979) – directed by Hal Ashby

25)   Alien (1972) – directed by Ridley Scott

Top 25 – 1980s

1)      Raging Bull (1980) – directed by Martin Scorsese

2)      Blade Runner (1982) – directed by Ridley Scott

3)      The Shining (1980) – directed by Stanley Kubrick

4)      Once Upon a Time In America (1984) – directed by Sergio Leone

5)      Amadeus (1984) – directed by Milos Forman

6)      Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) – directed by Steve Spielberg

7)      Ghostbusters (1984) – directed by Ivan Reitman

8)      Shoah (1985) – directed by Claude Lanzmann

9)      Close-Up (1989) – directed by Abbas Kiarostami

10)   Blue Velvet (1986) – directed by David Lynch

11)   Fanny and Alexander (1984) – directed by Ingmar Bergman

12)   L’argent (1983) – directed by Robert Bresson

13)   Come and See (1985) – directed by Elem Klimov

14)   E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) – directed by Steven Spielberg

15)   The Thin Blue Line (1988) – directed by Errol Morris

16)   The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – directed by Irvin Kershner

17)   Aliens (1986) – directed by James Cameron

18)   Back to the Future (1985) – directed by Robert Zemeckis

19)   Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) – directed by Steve Spielberg

20)   Das Boot (1981) – directed by Wolfgang Petersen

21)   Brazil (1985) – directed by Terry Gilliam

22)   The Killing Fields (1984) – directed by Roland Joffe

23)   Do the Right Thing (1989) – directed by Spike Lee

24)   The Untouchables (1987) – directed by Brian De Palma

25)   The Princess Bride (1987) – directed by Rob Reiner

Top 25 – 1990s

1)      Goodfellas (1990) – directed by Martin Scorsese

2)      Pulp Fiction (1994) – directed by Quentin Tarantino

3)      Three Colours: Blue (1993) – directed by Krzsztof Kieslowski

4)      Chungking Express (1994) – directed by Kar Wai Wong

5)      The Thin Red Line (1998) – directed by Terrence Malick

6)      Schindler’s List (1993) – directed by Steven Spielberg

7)      Trainspotting (1996) – directed by Danny Boyle

8)      The Big Lebowski (1998) – directed by The Coen Brothers

9)      Rushmore (1998) – directed by Wes Anderson

10)   Satantango (1994) – directed by Bela Tarr

11)   Beau Travail (1998) – directed by Claire Denis

12)   A Brighter Summer Day (1991) – directed by Edward Yang

13)   The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – directed by Jonathan Demme

14)   Fargo (1996) – directed by The Coen Brothers

15)   Unforgiven (1992) – directed by Clint Eastwood

16)   JFK (1991) – directed by Oliver Stone

17)   Three Colours: Red (1994) – directed by Krzysztof Kielowski

18)   Dances with Wolves (1990) – directed by Kevin Costner

19)   The Shawshank Redemption (1994) – directed by Frank Darabont

20)   Se7en (1995) – directed by David Fincher

21)   Saving Private Ryan (1998) – directed by Steven Spielberg

22)   Before Sunrise (1995) – directed by Richard Linklater

23)   Magnolia (1999) – directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

24)   Groundhog Day (1993) – directed by Harold Ramis

25)   Fight Club (1999) – directed by David Fincher

Top 25 – 2000s

1)      In the Mood for Love (2000) – directed by Kar Wai Wong

2)      Mulholland Dr. (2003) – directed by David Lynch

3)      The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)  – directed by Peter Jackson

4)      The Dark Knight (2008) – directed by Christopher Nolan

5)      WALL-E (2008) – directed by Andrew Stanton

6)      There Will Be Blood (2007) – directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

7)      Amelie (2001) – directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

8)      Spirited Away (2001) – directed by Miyazaki Hayao

9)      No Country for Old Men (2007) – directed by The Coen Brothers

10)   Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) – directed by Michel Gondry

11)   Memento (2000) – directed by Christopher Nolan

12)   The Departed (2006) – directed by Martin Scorsese

13)   Lost in Translation (2003) – directed by Sofia Coppola

14)   Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – directed by Guillermo del Toro

15)   Children of Men (2006) – directed by Alfonso Cuaron

16)   The Pianist (2002) – directed by Roman Polanski

17)   The Incredibles (2004) – directed by Brad Bird

18)   Cache [Hidden] (2004) – directed by Michael Haneke

19)   The Prestige (2006) – directed by Christopher Nolan

20)   The Lives of Others (2006) – directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck

21)   Up (2009) – directed by Pete Docter

22)   City of God (2002) – directed by Fernando Meirelles

23)   4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2008) – directed by Cristian Mungiu

24)   The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) – directed by Julian Schnabel

25)   Far from Heaven (2002) – directed by Todd Haynes

Editor’s Personal Top 10 Favorites

1)      The Red Shoes (1948) – directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger

2)      Ghostbusters (1984) – directed by Ivan Reitman

3)      The Dark Knight (2008) – directed by Christopher Nolan

4)      The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) – directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressbuger

5)      Lost in Translation (2003) – directed by Sofia Coppola

6)      Rushmore (1998) – directed by Wes Anderson

7)      Amelie (2001) – directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet

8)      Inception (2010) – directed by Christopher Nolan

9)      Rebecca (1940) – directed by Alfred Hitchcock

10)   Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – directed by David Lean

Movie of the Week – Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

This week’s movie: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Jefferson Smith is a naïve man who is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate by those in power in his state, thinking that he will not cause any trouble. Washington politics prove to be a rude awakening for Smith, as he decides to go head-to-head with political corruption, refusing to back down.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is one of American auteur Frank Capra’s greatest films. Capra promoted the ideals of American life with his films – a sense of morality and sentimentality. His best include: It Happened One Night, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, You Can’t Take It with You, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Arsenic and Old Lace, and It’s a Wonderful Life. On this film, he worked with composer Dimitri Tiomkin, cinematographer Joseph Walker, and art director Lionel Banks.

The cast is fantastic. The film stars James Stewart, and features Jean Arthur, Claude Rains, Edward Arnold, Thomas Mitchell, and Harry Carey in support.

To some, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is sentimental nonsense. The film believes in moral people willing to stand up for what is right against seemingly insurmountable odds. Jefferson Smith is a man who cares deeply about what America means (freedom and so on) and wants to leave the country in better hands than he found it. The film may seem sentimental now because it is abundantly clear that Washington (and really government at almost every level) is completely corrupt and not filled with those looking to make the country or their states better (in almost all cases). Rather, our government has become a cesspool of special interest groups and powerful lobbyists who bog down and mare everything in their filth, as politicians now serve at the pleasure of those willing to fund their campaigns and give them jobs, speaking engagements, and other perks (these groups usually representing large corporate interests and religious groups – both of which put profit/ideology ahead of what is best for the country in the long run). We all know the system is desperately broken and completely disgustingly corrupt, but no one really cares. Today, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is nonsense because apathy has put us all in a deadly malaise. It is also poignant, however, because it showcases a man willing to fight against the system for something better. We should be so lucky to actually have men and women like that today. This film is just as powerful today because America is on the precipice of disaster. We were the leader in the world in almost every area. Now we fear progress, technology, freedom, immigrants, those who are different, knowledge – we champion ignorance, stupidity, lies, and fear. Apathy is easy when the system is so far gone that actually trying to do anything to make a difference just seems like a waste of time – and, our own lives consume all our time anyway. Again, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is just as important and powerful today. The smallest can make a difference, if only he or she would try and believe.

Trailer: Here

Available on: DVD and Video On-Demand

Top 100 Films of the 20th Century – Part 21: 5-1

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Rank: 5

Title: Sunrise

Release Year: 1927

Genre: Romance

Director: F.W. Murnau

Cast: George O’Brien, Janet Gaynor, and Margaret Livingston

Plot Summary: A married farmer falls under the spell of a sultry city woman who tries to convince him to drown his wife so that he can be with her.

What Makes It Special: Sunrise is stunningly beautiful. Its cinematography is groundbreaking and incredibly dynamic. In addition to being a visual marvel, it has a wonderfully deep emotional narrative as well. Love is at the center of the story, as German Expressionist filmmaker F.W. Murnau leaves behind some of his overbearing symbolism and politics to focus more acutely on the narrative of a man torn between the allure of the city and his simple life on the farm. The film is extraordinary in every way, with superb performances, directing, and unforgettable visuals.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray

Rank: 4

Title: 2001: A Space Odyssey

Release Year: 1968

Genre: Sci-Fi Drama

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Cast: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Leonard Rossiter, and Margaret Tyzack

Plot Summary: After humanity finds a mysterious object buried beneath the lunar surface, believing it is of alien origin, they set off on a quest to discover new life, bringing along the ultra-intelligent computer H.A.L. 9000.

What Makes It Special: Stanley Kubrick forever changed sci-fi cinema with 2001: A Space Odyssey, dramatically influencing everything to come after it. The film epitomizes our modern aesthetic for Space. Tonally, the film is also a masterpiece of suspense, tension, and atmosphere – the use of silence and darkness are as terrifying as any film monster (along with H.A.L.’s glowing red eye). 2001: A Space Odyssey marks the height of Kubrick’s style and directing prowess.  

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Rank: 3

Title: Citizen Kane

Release Year: 1941

Genre: Mystery/Drama

Director: Orson Welles

Cast: Joseph Cotten, Dorothy Comingore, Ray Collins, Everett Sloane, and Orson Welles

Plot Summary: With his final words, publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane uttered “Rose Bud”. Intent on discovering the meaning, newsman Jedediah Leland goes on an investigative assignment.

What Makes It Special: Coming from theatre, Orson Welles brought a whole new style and aesthetic to cinema, challenging everything. Citizen Kane remains today a profound work of art, Welles and his collaborators setting out to do everything different and more interesting. The result is a majestic film, both artistically and narratively. The film is loosely based on William Randolph Hearst, but the brilliance of the narrative comes from its story of a man who had everything except the one thing he really wanted, something that he lost long ago to his grand ambition. Citizen Kane is not just an influential film; it is the film that rewrote the language of artistic cinema. It is a touchstone of today’s movies – it is essential.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Rank: 2

Title: Vertigo

Release Year: 1958

Genre: Mystery

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, and Tom Helmore

Plot Summary: Retired police detective, Scottie Ferguson, who now suffers from acrophobia due to an accident involving the death of an officer as well as almost his own death, is hired by a wealthy old friend to follow his wife around San Francisco. She is behaving peculiarly, but as Scottie follows her around he begins to become obsessed with her.

What Makes It Special: Vertigo was a complete critical and commercial failure upon its release. The film is incredibly dark, as Scottie’s obsession with Madeleine Elster is just plan creepy. Yet, Alfred Hitchcock’s film is profoundly compelling as well. Hitchcock has the audience on Scottie’s side completely, even though his behavior is disturbing. The film peers into our own souls, revealing something a bit ghoulish in us all. In addition to the film’s magnificent aesthetics, music, performances, writing, and directing, Hitchcock also offers one of cinema’s most fearless endings. It may have been a failure in 1958, but today it shines as the embodiment of cinematic narrative, character, and emotional mastery.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Rank: 1

Title: Lawrence of Arabia

Release Year: 1962

Genre: Adventure/War Drama/Biography

Director: David Lean

Cast: Peter O’Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins, and Omar Sharif

Plot Summary: British officer T.E. Lawrence achieves wonders during his service in the Middle East during WWI.

What Makes It Special: David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia fulfills the promise of cinema in every way. It is a grand epic, featuring many of film’s most iconic and spectacular scenes. It is visually breathtaking, with startlingly beautiful photography and Lean’s flare for employing an ambitious and striking camera. Its music is absorbing and rousing. Peter O’Toole gives possibly the greatest film performance, and the supporting cast is excellent throughout. It is a film that challenges its viewer with its themes and ideas, while wholly entertaining and thrilling with its adventure, action, comedy, drama, and glorious locations. It is simply the finest film the medium has to offer.

Trailer: Here

Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

Top 25 by Decade