# A Cafe Society Poll: You Rate The Movies

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 3, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364 "2007-07-03T15:56:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [July 3, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/1 "2007-07-03T15:56:29Z")

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Yes, it’s a poll. Yes, it’s about movies. Wrong forum? Maybe.

Here’s the idea, though. Regardless of who does the polling (AFI, IMDb, Netflix, Roger Ebert, Mr. Cranky, Rotten Tomatoes) there’s a better than even chance that the outcome of the poll for the **Top X Number Movies Of ALL Time** is in mild to violent disagreement with your own tastes and sensibilities. So here’s a way to vent your spleen and to see how said venting compares with other Dopers’ spleens.

Two parts.

First Part. Provide your own 10-star rating for each of these “classics” and “poll winners”:

1. The Godfather
2. The Godfather Part II
3. Citizen Kane
4. Pulp Fiction
5. Blade Runner
6. It’s A Wonderful Life
7. Singin’ In The Rain
8. The Usual Suspects
9. Casablanca

Second Part. List (in as close to the order of preference as possible) your **Top Nine Movies Of All Time**. And if you’re up to it, indicate the number of stars (out of 10) you give to each of your Top Nine.

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/2 "2007-07-06T15:23:08Z")

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bump

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/3 "2007-07-06T18:57:10Z")

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First Part. Provide your own 10-star rating for each of these “classics” and “poll winners”:

1. The Godfather **10**
2. The Godfather Part II **10**
3. Citizen Kane **10**
4. Pulp Fiction **7**
5. Blade Runner **6**
6. It’s A Wonderful Life **8**
7. Singin’ In The Rain **never seen it!**
8. The Usual Suspects **10**
9. Casablanca **10**

Second Part–List (in as close to the order of preference as possible) your Top Nine Movies Of All Time.

1. Man for All Seasons **1,000,000,001**
2. In the Heat of the Night **99**
3. To Kill a Mockingbird **10**
4. The Silence of the Lambs **10**
5. The Lion in Winter **10**
6. Magnificent Seven **10**
7. On the Waterfront **10**
8. The Wizard of Oz (1939) **10**
9. Maltese Falcon **9**
10. 12 Angry Men (1957) **9**
11. Harvey **9**
12. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance **9**

Yeah, big tie at #9. I couldn’t decide.

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**Author:** ![Autumn\_Almanac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d26b3c/32.png) [@Autumn\_Almanac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autumn_Almanac)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/4 "2007-07-06T19:13:12Z")

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Ratings:

1. The Godfather **10**
2. The Godfather Part II **9**
3. Citizen Kane **10**
4. Pulp Fiction **7**
5. Blade Runner **4** (been a long while since I’ve seen it, but I remember feeling let down)
6. It’s A Wonderful Life **8**
7. Singin’ In The Rain **-** (haven’t seen it)
8. The Usual Suspects **6**
9. Casablanca **-** (haven’t seen it)

My own personal Top 9:

1. Serenity
2. The Searchers
3. Kiki’s Delivery Service
4. Citizen Kane
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
7. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
8. Ghost in the Shell
9. Jurassic Park

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**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/5 "2007-07-06T21:49:14Z")

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1. The Godfather - 9.5
2. The Godfather Part II 9.5
3. Citizen Kane - 9
4. Pulp Fiction - 8
5. Blade Runner - haven’t seen it
6. It’s A Wonderful Life - 7.5
7. Singin’ In The Rain - 8.5
8. The Usual Suspects - 8
9. Casablanca - 8

My own top 9, excluding any already listed above and any that I’ve forgotton:

1. Rushmore
2. A Fish Called Wanda
3. The Apartment
4. Annie Hall
5. Pan’s Labyrinth
6. Fargo
7. Goodfellas
8. Clerks
9. Glengary Glenn Ross

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**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/6 "2007-07-06T22:28:30Z")

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[ol][li]_The Godfather_ **7** [/li][li]_The Godfather Part II_ **7.5** [/li][li]_Citizen Kane_ **8** [/li][li]_Pulp Fiction_ **8.5** [/li][li]_Blade Runner_ **8** [/li][li]_It’s A Wonderful Life_ **3** [/li][li]_Singin’ In The Rain_ **2** [/li][li]_The Usual Suspects_ **5** [/li][li]_Casablanca_ **6** [/ol][/li]  
My list:  
[ol][li]_The Passion of Joan of Arc_ **10** [/li][li]_Ugetsu_ **10** [/li][li]_Sunrise_ **10** [/li][li]_The Searchers_ **9.5** [/li][li]_Night of the Hunter_ **9.5** [/li][li]_Solyaris_ **9.5** [/li][li]_Europa 51_ **9** [/li][li]_Sullivan’s Travels_ **9** [/li]_City Lights_ **9** [/ol]

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/7 "2007-07-06T22:33:31Z")

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1. The Godfather **9**
2. The Godfather Part II **9**
3. Citizen Kane **8**
4. Pulp Fiction 8
5. Blade Runner **7**
6. It’s A Wonderful Life **2**
7. Singin’ In The Rain **haven’t seen it**
8. The Usual Suspects **7**
9. Casablanca **9**

I’m hoping the perfect “10” has yet to be made.

> [@](#):
>
> Second Part. List (in as close to the order of preference as possible) your **Top Nine Movies Of All Time**. And if you’re up to it, indicate the number of stars (out of 10) you give to each of your Top Nine.

Need to think about this one…

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**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/8 "2007-07-06T22:35:08Z")

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1. The Godfather - 8
2. The Godfather Part II - 8
3. Citizen Kane - 9
4. Pulp Fiction - 8
5. Blade Runner - 5
6. It’s A Wonderful Life - 9
7. Singin’ In The Rain - 10
8. The Usual Suspects -7
9. Casablanca - 10

1. Charade - 10
2. The Apartment - 10
3. Mister Roberts - 10
4. Three Days of the Condor - 10
5. Viva Zapata - 10
6. Chinatown - 10
7. Annie Hall - 10
8. Cool Hand Luke - 10
9. African Queen - 10
10. Young Frankenstein - 10

Forgot to stop at 9. Sorry. (Would have preferred to go on until I run out of 10’s.)

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**Author:** ![some\_white\_dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b487fb/32.png) [@some\_white\_dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/some_white_dude)\
**Post date:** [July 6, 2007, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/9 "2007-07-06T22:57:09Z")

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1. The Godfather - 8.5
2. The Godfather Part II - 8
3. Citizen Kane - 7? Not sure…only saw it once and long ago
4. Pulp Fiction - 7
5. Blade Runner - haven’t seen
6. It’s A Wonderful Life - haven’t seen
7. Singin’ In The Rain - 9
8. The Usual Suspects - 6
9. Casablanca - haven’t seen

Heh, only saw 6/9. I should really get around to Casablanca. That one is inexcusable.

Mine:

1. 12 Angry Men - 10
2. United 93 - 10
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - 10
4. Die Hard - 9
5. North by Northwest - 9
6. Singin’ in the Rain - 9 (and I don’t even care for musicals)
7. Dr. Strangelove - 9
8. High Fidelity - 9
9. The Shawshank Redemption - 9

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**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/10 "2007-07-07T00:03:55Z")

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1. The Godfather **8**
2. The Godfather Part II **9**
3. Citizen Kane **9**
4. Pulp Fiction **10**
5. Blade Runner **6**
6. It’s A Wonderful Life **7**
7. Singin’ In The Rain **5**
8. The Usual Suspects **9**
9. Casablanca **9**

My List

1. Fargo **10**
2. Dr. Strangelove **10**
3. One Flew Over the Cuckoos nest **10**
4. Pulp Fiction **10**
5. Sense and Sensibility **9.5**
6. Miller’s Crossing **9.5**
7. High Fidelity **9.5**
8. Schindler’s List **9.5**  
9)The Bridge on the River Kwai **9.5**

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**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/11 "2007-07-07T00:31:07Z")

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part 1:

1. The Godfather **7**
2. The Godfather Part II **6**
3. Citizen Kane **8**
4. Pulp Fiction **8**
5. Blade Runner **7**
6. It’s A Wonderful Life **6** it’d have gotten a higher mark if not for those several years during which every network showed it (what seemed like) every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas
7. Singin’ In The Rain **9**
8. The Usual Suspects **6**
9. Casablanca **10**

part 2:  
The Princess Bride **10**  
Rent **10**  
A Pocket Full Of Miracles **9**  
Casino Royale (1960’s) **8**  
The Pink Panther (1960’s) **8**  
That Thing You Do! **7**  
Johnny Dangerously **7**  
The Boys In The Band **7**  
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie **7**

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**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/12 "2007-07-07T02:52:59Z")

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1. The Godfather **9**
2. The Godfather Part II **9**
3. Citizen Kane\*\* never seen it\*\* (yea, I know)
4. Pulp Fiction **10**
5. Blade Runner **10**
6. It’s A Wonderful Life **NSI**
7. Singin’ In The Rain **NSI**
8. The Usual Suspects **8**
9. Casablanca **NSI**

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/13 "2007-07-07T05:02:38Z")

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1. The Godfather - 6

2. The Godfather Part II - ? I can’t remember a thing about it – I’m not a big Godfather fan

3. Citizen Kane - 8

4. Pulp Fiction - 3

5. Blade Runner - 7

6. It’s A Wonderful Life - 5 - should be higher, but I’m thoroughly sick of this movie

7. Singin’ In The Rain - saw it too long ago to remember

8. The Usual Suspects - 8

9. Casablanca - 10

10. Dr. Strangelove -10

11. Rebecca - 10

12. Gallipoli - 10

13. My Fair Lady - 10

14. A Very Long Engagement - 9

15. Private Life of Sherlock Holmes - 9

16. Annie Hall - 9

17. 2001 - 9

18. Ran - 9

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**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/14 "2007-07-07T06:08:22Z")

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[QUOTE=drm]

1. Fargo **10**  
[/QUOTE]

I just don’t have the scope of viewing or the expertise to write a full answer in this thread, but I have to say, I completely agree with **drm** on his choice for #1.

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**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/15 "2007-07-07T06:42:35Z")

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I can’t tell you my top 10, or easily rate yours, but I know that Gone With the Wind doesn’t belong on a top 10 movie list anywhere, and that any list which doesn’t include the original Star Wars was written by someone who is lying to themselves.

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**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/16 "2007-07-07T08:38:51Z")

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1. The Godfather 7
2. The Godfather Part II 5
3. Citizen Kane NSI
4. Pulp Fiction 9
5. Blade Runner 7
6. It’s A Wonderful Life NSI
7. Singin’ In The Rain NSI
8. The Usual Suspects 3
9. Casablanca 5

My list:

1. Requiem for a dream 10
2. Alien versus Predator 10
3. Once upon a time in China III 10
4. The Outlaw Josey Wales 10
5. Hana-Bi 9
6. The legend of Fong-Sai Yuk II 9
7. Master of the flying guillotine 9
8. Spirited Away 9
9. Fight Club 9

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/17 "2007-07-07T12:35:23Z")

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I guess the responders half way agree with you since noone picked GWTW so far.

I myself have never seen Star Wars or any of its progeny (I don’t like sci-fi) but I must say I am surprised that noone has picked it yet. Of course these are only top 9 lists.

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**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/18 "2007-07-07T13:24:02Z")

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First Part. Provide your own 10-star rating for each of these “classics” and “poll winners”:

7 The Godfather  
9 The Godfather Part II  
6 Citizen Kane  
8.5 Pulp Fiction  
9 Blade Runner  
6 It’s A Wonderful Life  
6 Singin’ In The Rain  
9 The Usual Suspects  
10 Casablanca

Second Part. List (in as close to the order of preference as possible) your **Top Nine Movies Of All Time**. And if you’re up to it, indicate the number of stars (out of 10) you give to each of your Top Nine.

Casablanca-10  
Unforgiven-10  
Saving Private Ryan-9.5  
Raiders of the Lost Ark-9  
Lord of the Rings Trilogy-9  
The Outlaw Josey Wales-9  
Jaws-9  
Star Wars-9  
The Searchers-8.5

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/19 "2007-07-07T13:34:22Z")

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[QUOTE=straight man]  
I just don’t have the scope of viewing or the expertise to write a full answer in this thread, but I have to say, I completely agree with **drm** on his choice for #1.  
[/QUOTE]

My friends always ask me to make these movie lists and I’ve probably made 10 or 15 of them for various people over the years. Maybe 20 to 25 movies rotate in and out of the ten spots (I actually have a top 25 list where the movies on it never seem to change significantly- the places do). Anyhow, the point of this post is that Fargo never seems to move from number one.

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**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\
**Post date:** [July 7, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364/20 "2007-07-07T14:03:40Z")

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1. The Godfather **10**
2. The Godfather Part II **10**
3. Citizen Kane **6…lets not be a herd.**
4. Pulp Fiction **9**
5. Blade Runner **8**
6. It’s A Wonderful Life **4…good movie, just sick of it.**
7. Singin’ In The Rain **3…I get it, dancing, you still need a plot and the acid trip special effects don’t help**
8. The Usual Suspects **10**
9. Casablanca **10**

I’ll take the second part to mean, my 9 favorite movies and not the 9 movies I think are the best (two different things).

1. Raiders of the Lost Ark
2. Empire Strikes Back
3. Godfather
4. Unforgiven
5. The Usual Suspects
6. The Shawshank Redemption
7. The Princess Bride
8. The Last of the Mohicans
9. African Queen **all 10’s obviously**

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cafe-society-poll-you-rate-the-movies/410364.md?page=2)