The Best Films According to Andrew Sarris's The American Cinema

The Best Films According to Andrew Sarris's The American Cinema's icon

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In Andrew Sarris's The American Cinema, every director in the book has their full filmography listed, and Sarris italicizes the best films of each director. Here is the full collection of every film italicized in the book (with the exception of Out of the Past, which remains unitalicized likely as an error as he calls it Jacques Torneur's masterpiece).

The book has multiple sections, with who Sarris viewed as the pantheon directors at the top, and slowly dwindling in quality as the list goes down. However, there is merit to be found towards the bottom, as he lists a series of oddities, one-shots, and, at the time, newcomers, as well as subjects for further research.

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  1. 808 new

    The Public Enemy

    1931, in 13 top lists Check
  2. 818 new

    The Ox-Bow Incident

    1943, in 14 top lists Check
  3. 806 new

    Wings

    1927, in 12 top lists Check
  4. 820 new

    Battleground

    1949, in 3 top lists Check
  5. 814 new

    Nothing Sacred

    1937, in 4 top lists Check
  6. 813 new

    A Star Is Born

    1937, in 5 top lists Check
  7. 821 new

    Yellow Sky

    1948, in 2 top lists Check
  8. 815 new

    Beau Geste

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  9. 822 new

    The High and the Mighty

    1954, in 1 top list Check
  10. 807 new

    Beggars of Life

    1928, in 3 top lists Check
  11. 810 new

    Heroes for Sale

    1933, in 1 top list Check
  12. 817 new

    Roxie Hart

    1942, in 1 top list Check
  13. 811 new

    Wild Boys of the Road

    1933 — a.k.a. Dangerous Days, in 2 top lists Check
  14. 819 new

    Story of G.I. Joe

    1945 — a.k.a. War Correspondent, in 3 top lists Check
  15. 823 new

    Good-bye, My Lady

    1956, in 0 top lists Check
  16. 809 new

    The Hatchet Man

    1932 — a.k.a. The Honourable Mr. Wong, in 0 top lists Check
  17. 812 new

    The President Vanishes

    1934 — a.k.a. Strange Conspiracy, in 0 top lists Check
  18. 816 new

    The Light That Failed

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
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Last updated on Sep 28, 2019;