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

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

Created by TomServo.

Favorited 11 times, disliked 0 times, added to 4 watchlists.

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.

Remove ads
  1. 37 new

    Stagecoach

    1939, in 21 top lists Check
  2. 38 new

    Young Mr. Lincoln

    1939, in 8 top lists Check
  3. 81 new

    Only Angels Have Wings

    1939, in 10 top lists Check
  4. 165 new

    Ninotchka

    1939, in 20 top lists Check
  5. 196 new

    La règle du jeu

    1939 — a.k.a. The Rules of the Game, in 24 top lists Check
  6. 267 new

    Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

    1939, in 16 top lists Check
  7. 282 new

    The Women

    1939, in 8 top lists Check
  8. 305 new

    Union Pacific

    1939, in 2 top lists Check
  9. 368 new

    Love Affair

    1939, in 7 top lists Check
  10. 429 new

    Gunga Din

    1939, in 7 top lists Check
  11. 472 new

    The Roaring Twenties

    1939, in 8 top lists Check
  12. 531 new

    Frontier Marshal

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  13. 547 new

    Eternally Yours

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  14. 620 new

    When Tomorrow Comes

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  15. 794 new

    Of Mice and Men

    1939, in 4 top lists Check
  16. 815 new

    Beau Geste

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  17. 816 new

    The Light That Failed

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  18. 845 new

    Wuthering Heights

    1939, in 10 top lists Check
  19. 863 new

    Babes in Arms

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  20. 873 new

    Made for Each Other

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  21. 891 new

    Dodge City

    1939, in 2 top lists Check
  22. 892 new

    Daughters Courageous

    1939 — a.k.a. A Family Affair, in 0 top lists Check
  23. 893 new

    The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  24. 894 new

    Four Wives

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  25. 920 new

    Dark Victory

    1939, in 6 top lists Check
  26. 921 new

    We Are Not Alone

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  27. 922 new

    The Old Maid

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  28. 962 new

    The Great Man Votes

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  29. 963 new

    Bachelor Mother

    1939, in 2 top lists Check
  30. 977 new

    The Four Feathers

    1939, in 1 top list Check
  31. 984 new

    Midnight

    1939, in 7 top lists Check
  32. 1047 new

    The Man in the Iron Mask

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  33. 1220 new

    Back Door to Heaven

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  34. 1237 new

    Jesse James

    1939, in 0 top lists Check
  35. 1327 new

    The Wizard of Oz

    1939, in 38 top lists Check
  36. 1328 new

    Gone with the Wind

    1939, in 31 top lists Check
  37. 1360 new

    The Cat and the Canary

    1939, in 2 top lists Check
Remove ads
Show all 1392 movies

Last updated on Sep 28, 2019;