The Top 100 Movies of the 20th Century

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1 The Godfather [Film Series]
The first two movies in Francis Ford Coppola’s operatic, mafia series (starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino) are genre-defining classics. 269 1637

2 Casablanca
Michael Curtiz’ critically beloved, landmark 1942 romance stars Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in career-defining turns. 250 1330

3 The Shawshank Redemption
This life-affirming Stephen King adaptation stars Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as two jailed prisoners who strike up an uplifting friendship. 250 918

4 Schindler's List
Often considered Spielberg’s masterpiece, this wrenching drama starring Liam Neeson as the titular hero is based on true events. 245 1375

5 Citizen Kane
Director and star Orson Welles’ masterful, fictional biopic about the titular tycoon set a new standard for the movies that followed. 241 1277

6 Psycho
Possibly the most influential thriller ever made, Alfred Hitchcock’s tale of a psychotic momma’s boy (Anthony Perkins) hasn’t dimmed with age. 241 1267

7 Star Wars [Film Series]
The first entry in George Lucas’ much-heralded, fantastical space trilogy broke big technological ground, as well as box office records. 236 1650

8 The Wizard of Oz
Victor Fleming’s timeless 1939 musical boasts some of the most loved songs in movie history, as well as a star turn by Judy Garland. 233 1359

9 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Jack Nicholson as a crazy-sane mental patient is one of many fine performances that anchors Milos Forman’s adaptation. 231 1263

10 It's a Wonderful Life
This tale of a stricken average joe (James Stewart) whose life is saved by a guardian angel made director Frank Capra a household name. 229 1233

11 To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee’s story is poignantly reimagined in this 1962 coming-of-age pic, with a career-defining performance by Gregory Peck. 226 1166

12 Rear Window
Alfred Hitchcock’s voyeuristic triumph finds James Stewart and Grace Kelly navigating the twists and turns of a nail-biting thriller. 221 1073

13 Pulp Fiction
Quentin Tarantino's stylish cult classic interweaves a series of vignettes about low-life criminals, lovers, and thugs. 221 841

14 Gone With the Wind
Victor Fleming’s 1939 star-studded Civil War tour de force finds Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh entangled in a fiery love affair. 219 1275

15 Taxi Driver
Robert De Niro and Martin Scorsese make movie magic in the tale of a rage-filled New York cabbie bent on correcting the world’s injustices. 203 1151

16 Vertigo
James Stewart stars as the acrophobic detective at the heart of this 1958 tale of obsession, also from the Hitchock canon. 167 1029

17 Apocalypse Now
Coppola’s nightmarish 1979 Vietnam epic, starring Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen, redefines the war flick... and the dangers of the jungle. 165 1151

18 Jaws
Steven Spielberg’s unforgettably terrifying flick brings Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss to their knees before a giant mechanical shark. 164 1300

19 Lawrence of Arabia
Peter O’Toole nabbed the Oscar for his first major role in this, David Lean’s breathtakingly gorgeous 1962 biographic epic. 164 972

20 North by Northwest
One of Alfred Hitchcock’s finest works of suspense, this mistaken-identity movie boasts crack performances by Cary Grant and James Mason. 149 975

21 The Bridge on the River Kwai
Based on a true event, this 1957 war drama finds Alec Guinness’s British commander leading a perilous effort in the wilds of Burma. 139 875

22 Raging Bull
A visceral, black-and-white drama about an aging boxer (Robert De Niro), Martin Scorsese’s 1980 flick is one of the best of its decade. 129 945

23 2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick’s hypnotic, thought-provoking mindbender was revolutionary in 1968 and has been a scifi staple ever since. 129 1175

24 E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Spielberg’s feel-good 1982 hit stars Drew Barrymore and Henry Thomas as the young siblings who form a powerful bond with a cute alien. 122 1112

25 Chinatown
Jack Nicholson’s world-weary gumshoe anchors Roman Polanski’s atmospheric 1974 noir, also starring Faye Dunaway and John Huston. 107 945

26 Singin' in the Rain
The inimitable Gene Kelly directs and stars in one of the most beloved movie musicals of the ‘50s, opposite Jean Hagen and Debbie Reynolds. 106 936

27 Some Like It Hot
Billy Wilder directs Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon in this wonderfully satirical 1959 work about two jazz musicians on the lam. 103 899

28 Ben-Hur
This 1959 Charlton Heston classic tells the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur on an ambitious scale made evident by its famed chariot race. 102 882

29 The Graduate
Mike Nichols’ 1967 coming-of-age classic stars Anne Bancroft as the rapacious seductress to Dustin Hoffman’s naive Benjamin Braddock. 97 983

30 The Maltese Falcon
John Huston’s influential, prototypical noir mystery stars Humphrey Bogart as a hard-drinking gumshoe tracking the elusive titular statue. 97 875

31 Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
In Kubrick’s satire, fears come true when a psychotic general starts a nuclear war. 87 1011

32 On the Waterfront
Elia Kazan’s gritty, evocative drama posits Marlon Brando as the former boxing champ who utters the famous line “I coulda been a contender.” 81 809

33 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Disney’s first full-length animated masterpiece is a classic fairy tale that won hearts (and an Oscar) in 1937. 79 929

34 Blade Runner
Ridley Scott’s moody, futuristic thriller boasts visually stunning effects and unmissable performances by Harrison Ford and Sean Young. 78 1092

35 The Grapes of Wrath
John Ford’s adaptation of the Steinbeck novel features one of Henry Fonda’s greatest performances ever. 64 808

36 High Noon
Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly are the newly-married couple who add romance to this terse 1952 Western, a much-lauded classic of the genre. 64 792

37 A Streetcar Named Desire
Marlon Brando’s portrayal of a vulgar brute in Elia Kazan’s intense adaptation of the Tennessee Williams play is the stuff of movie legend. 63 783

38 Bonnie & Clyde
Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway star as the irresistible outlaws at the heart of Arthur Penn’s controversial, stylish 1967 flick. 46 794

39 King Kong
The pioneering 1933 horror fantasy favorite, stars Fay Wray as the comely blonde who entices the lovestruck giant ape to his doom. 46 860

40 The African Queen
Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn’s odd-couple chemistry anchor John Huston’s 1951 romantic adventure. 35 775

41 The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
John Huston’s 1948 adventure stars Humphrey Bogart as one of three gold prospectors undone by their own good fortune. 34 756

42 Sunset Boulevard
Billy Wilder’s dark 1950 comedy features Gloria Swanson as an aging film queen, and William Holden as her suitor. 33 777

43 Fantasia
Disney’s legendary cartoon fantasy, which animates beloved selections of classical music, is still a freewheeling visual delight to this day. 29 831

44 Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
This inspiring Frank Capra parable tells the story of a starry-eyed senator (James Stewart) who takes a stand against the corrupt political machine. 29 805

45 Double Indemnity
One of Billy Wilder’s finest works, this classic noir stars Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck as co-conspirators in marital murder. 21 753

46 The Searchers
This complex Western, John Ford’s 1956 favorite features the Duke in Indian territory on the hunt for his missing niece (Natalie Wood). 18 778

47 It Happened One Night
Frank Capra’s madcap rom-com pairs Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert as a mismatched reporter and a socialite who fall in love despite the odds. 11 711

48 Notorious
Alfred Hitchcock’s ninth movie, starring Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant, features many iconic shots, including that famous marathon kiss. 8 710

49 The Philadelphia Story
George Cukor’s sophisticated romantic farce stars Cary Grant, Katharine Heppburn, and James Stewart in a battle of societal wits. 6 710

50 Rebel Without a Cause
The melodrama that made James Dean an anti-hero icon for decades to come is also an unmissable snapshot of the ‘50s generation gap. 4 746

51 The Adventures of Robin Hood
This 1938 swashbuckling costume epic/spectacle stars Errol Flynn in arguably his greatest role as the titular prince of thieves. 2 702

52 West Side Story
Star-crossed love gets the spotlight, via Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, and music by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim. -7 819

53 The Third Man
Carol Reed’s haunting 1949 mystery has too many iconic shots to mention, plus a sardonic turn by Orson Welles as a man presumed dead. -8 746

54 All About Eve
This acerbic, Oscar-sweeping drama stars Bette Davis as the aging Broadway dame to Anne Baxter’s scheming young social climber. -15 683

55 All Quiet on the Western Front
Lewis Milestone’s hugely popular adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's novel is the first great anti-war movie to be made with sound. -34 634

56 The Quiet Man
Lushly filmed on location in Ireland, John Ford’s gorgeous 1952 romance follows John Wayne as he travels to the country and finds a wife. -43 641

57 Roman Holiday
Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck’s chemistry drives this old-fashioned courtship story, which was nominated for 10 Oscars in 1953. -43 719

58 City Lights
Charlie Chaplin’s final and best silent film finds the Little Tramp helping a blind flower seller (Virginia Cherell) regain her sight. -44 670

59 Easy Rider
In Dennis Hopper’s generation-defining 1969 classic, he, Jack Nicholson, and Peter Fonda hit the road in search of nirvana. -45 771

60 Stagecoach
Amazing stunt work and great turns by John Wayne and Thomas Mitchell drive John Ford’s genre-defining, high-stakes 1937 Western. -46 648

61 Shane
A great cast (Alan Ladd, Jack Palance) anchors George Stevens’ 1953 Western, about a lone gunman defending a pioneer family. -47 677

62 Annie Hall
Often considered Woody Allen’s finest work, this bittersweet New York romance posits Diane Keaton as Allen’s flighty, adorable foil. -51 817

63 Midnight Cowboy
John Schlesinger’s gritty, provocative portrait of two unlikely friends provided career-defining roles for stars Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight. -53 691

64 Modern Times
Charlie Chaplin bids farewell to silent comedy with this laugh-a-minute 1936 satire in which he plays a victimized factory worker. -53 679

65 The Wild Bunch
This controversial 1969 Western was one of the most brutal of its day, with plenty of stomach-turning violence courtesy of director Sam Peckinpah. -54 634

66 The Best Years of Our Lives
William Wyler’s landmark 1946 drama follows three WWII vets, including Oscar winner Harold Russell, as they return back home. -56 634

67 Rebecca
The only Hitchcock movie with a Best Picture Oscar, this Gothic mystery stars Laurence Olivier as a moody widower. -59 665

68 Bringing Up Baby
Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant shine in the definitive screwball comedy of the ‘30s, courtesy of ace director Howard Hawks. -60 666

69 The Big Sleep
Howard Hawks’ classic noir sets the standard for private-detective flicks to come, with star turns by Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. -62 628

70 Paths of Glory
Stanley Kubrick delivers a powerfully bleak, predictably intense anti-war drama, starring Kirk Douglas, about a military incursion gone horribly awry. -68 660

71 Duck Soup
Packed with gags and zany humor, this 1933 comedy is one of the Marx Brothers’ funniest, most surreal, and most beloved works. -69 635

72 Touch of Evil
Orson Welles’ offbeat 1958 thriller follows a narcotics agent (Charlton Heston) out to take down a corrupt old cop (Welles). -71 655

73 The Night of the Hunter
Robert Mitchum’s performance drives this noirish thriller from director Charles Laughton, about a psychopath prowling the Ohio River Valley. -72 620

74 The Bride of Frankenstein
Boris Karloff’s iconic lurching monster meets his match in Elsa Lancaster in this darkly witty 1935 sequel to the horror classic. -85 653

75 His Girl Friday
This hilarious battle-of-the-sexes romp is vintage Howard Hawks, full of bawdy double entendres quipped by Rosalind Russell and Cary Grant. -93 625

76 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Mike Nichols’ directorial debut stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton as the acerbic love-hate pair who dominate the story. -103 609

77 Red River
For Montgomery Clift’s first-ever role, he stars as the adoptive son to John Wayne’s vicious rancher in this Howard Hawks Western. -111 565

78 The Gold Rush
Charlie Chaplin’s most critically-acclaimed movie, this melodramatic silent work reimagines the Little Tramp as a prospector in the 1800s. -112 594

79 A Night at the Opera
The first big-budget Marx Brothers movie, this 1935 gem, about a group of wisecracking stowaways, is widely considered their best. -112 592

80 My Darling Clementine
One of John Ford’s most riveting Westerns, this semi-historical work stars Henry Fonda as Wyatt Earp and Walter Brennan as his foe. -114 562

81 Yankee Doodle Dandy
James Cagney and Walter Huston star in this '42 flag-waving musical biography of legendary composer George M. Cohan. -120 584

82 The General
Buster Keaton directs himself in this 1926 visually-stunning silent train comedy that many consider to be the amazing talent’s finest work. -121 599

83 Wuthering Heights
Laurence Olivier brings Emily Bronte’s Heathcliff to life in this brooding 1939 adaptation of the famous love story set on the moors. -123 591

84 An American in Paris
One of the greatest screen musicals of the ‘50s, this colorful, toe-tapping classic finds the grace and athleticism of Gene Kelly on full display. -179 587

85 Meet Me in St. Louis
Some of Judy Garland’s greatest songs are integrated into this upbeat, captivating 1944 musical from director Vincente Minnelli. -181 583

86 Out of the Past
Jacques Tourneur’s beguiling 1947 noir classic stars Robert Mitchum as a laconic private detective who falls under the spell of a femme fatale. -201 531

87 Top Hat
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers are in fine form for this 1935 gem, mixing romantic comedy, endless dancing, and a superb Irving Berlin score. -201 539

88 Sunrise
F.W. Murnau’s American debut, in this silent movie with roots in German Expressionism, a deadly love triangle is raised to the level of art. -203 535

89 The Birth of a Nation
The first ever feature-length silent movie, D.W. Griffith’s sweeping, Lillian Gish-starring Civil War drama was a massive technological coup. -204 602

90 A Star Is Born
George Cukor’s classic tearjerker stars Judy Garland as a young singer whose marriage to an alcoholic film star ends in tragedy. -214 532

91 The Lady Eve
Barbara Stanwyck and Charles Coburn play the con artists to Henry Fonda’s millionaire in Preston Sturges’ still-fresh romantic comedy. -215 533

92 The Magnificent Ambersons
Orson Welles displays a refined touch with this 1942 costume drama about a 19th century family’s struggles with the changing times. -216 544

93 Greed
Erich von Stroheim’s notorious silent era production charts one man’s descent into insanity due to his wife’s unending greed. -220 514

94 Ninotchka
This sparkling, delightfully witty Ernst Lubitsch romantic comedy was advertised, famously, as the movie in which “Garbo Laughs!” -234 522

95 42nd Street
This behind-the-scenes musical tells the story of a flailing producer (Warner Baxter) and a chorus girl (Ruby Keeler) who dreams of fame. -235 533

96 Trouble in Paradise
A predictably exquisite, bubbly work by Ernst Lubitsch, this good-natured 1932 comedy follows a pair of con artists en route to romance. -235 515

97 Intolerance
D.W. Griffith’s silent epic starring Lillian Gish is a series of vignettes remarkable for their exquisite sets, photography and editing. -248 528

98 Nashville
Robert Altman’s country-music flick finds a colorful cast, including Shelley Duvall and Keith Carradine, converging in the title city. -257 561

99 The Crowd
King Vidor’s sad, silent masterpiece stars James Murray and Eleanor Boardman as a young couple struggling to make ends meet. -279 523

100 Letter from an Unknown Woman
Max Ophuls’ 1948 tearjacker tells the story of the unspoken love of a woman (Joan Fontaine) for her neighbor (Louis Jourdan). -293 529

Filmsite.org's Tim Dirks has spotlighted 100 all-time great movies, many of which have improved with time. How would you rank them? Vote below. Want to learn how Tim picked them? Click here.

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