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. 46 new

    She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

    1949, in 8 top lists Check
  2. 87 new

    I Was a Male War Bride

    1949 — a.k.a. You Can't Sleep Here, in 3 top lists Check
  3. 109 new

    Under Capricorn

    1949, in 3 top lists Check
  4. 181 new

    Caught

    1949, in 2 top lists Check
  5. 182 new

    The Reckless Moment

    1949, in 8 top lists Check
  6. 286 new

    Adam's Rib

    1949, in 8 top lists Check
  7. 287 new

    Edward, My Son

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  8. 318 new

    I Shot Jesse James

    1949, in 1 top list Check
  9. 348 new

    Reign of Terror

    1949 — a.k.a. The Black Book, in 1 top list Check
  10. 349 new

    Border Incident

    1949, in 2 top lists Check
  11. 350 new

    Side Street

    1950, in 2 top lists Check
  12. 379 new

    Madame Bovary

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  13. 392 new

    Whirlpool

    1950, in 1 top list Check
  14. 464 new

    The Fountainhead

    1949, in 2 top lists Check
  15. 486 new

    Colorado Territory

    1949, in 3 top lists Check
  16. 487 new

    White Heat

    1949, in 15 top lists Check
  17. 513 new

    On the Town

    1949, in 10 top lists Check
  18. 536 new

    Sands of Iwo Jima

    1949, in 2 top lists Check
  19. 567 new

    The Undercover Man

    1949, in 1 top list Check
  20. 571 new

    Whisky Galore!

    1949 — a.k.a. Whisky Galore, in 6 top lists Check
  21. 612 new

    Criss Cross

    1949, in 6 top lists Check
  22. 693 new

    Le mura di Malapaga

    1949 — a.k.a. The Walls of Malapaga, in 2 top lists Check
  23. 742 new

    We Were Strangers

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  24. 750 new

    Pinky

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  25. 765 new

    The Passionate Friends

    1949 — a.k.a. One Woman's Story, in 0 top lists Check
  26. 777 new

    A Letter to Three Wives

    1949, in 5 top lists Check
  27. 778 new

    House of Strangers

    1949, in 1 top list Check
  28. 803 new

    The Third Man

    1949, in 37 top lists Check
  29. 820 new

    Battleground

    1949, in 3 top lists Check
  30. 865 new

    Take Me Out to the Ball Game

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  31. 866 new

    Passport to Pimlico

    1949, in 3 top lists Check
  32. 901 new

    Flamingo Road

    1949, in 1 top list Check
  33. 931 new

    Too Late for Tears

    1949, in 1 top list Check
  34. 1030 new

    The Barkleys of Broadway

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  35. 1061 new

    Thieves' Highway

    1949, in 5 top lists Check
  36. 1108 new

    All the King's Men

    1949, in 8 top lists Check
  37. 1113 new

    The Walking Hills

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  38. 1126 new

    The Set-Up

    1949, in 10 top lists Check
  39. 1157 new

    Once More, My Darling

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  40. 1194 new

    Intruder in the Dust

    1949, in 5 top lists Check
  41. 1240 new

    Twelve O'Clock High

    1949, in 4 top lists Check
  42. 1333 new

    Tulsa

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  43. 1342 new

    Love Happy

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
  44. 1362 new

    The Great Gatsby

    1949, in 0 top lists Check
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Last updated on Sep 28, 2019;