Note that I’m not asking for the greatest American movie of all time, but the one that best exemplifies the United States. According to this webcomic, it’s Ghostbusters. I say it’s 1776, mostly because it’s my favorite film.
What do you think?
That’s easy. *** It’s a Wonderful Life***.
First one that comes to mind is American Grafitti. 'Cause, you know, it’s got “American” in it.
Wow. So many possibilities: Singin’ In The Rain? Blazing Saddles? To Kill A Mockingbird? A Few Good Men? Must think on this…
Forrest Gump
The Godfather, probably. Maybe I’d throw in Jaws.
THE AVENGERS: even if you remove how heroic leader Captain America always stands for what’s right – including quick mention of how he took on the Nazis – it’s the story of how faceless bureaucrats make a stupid-ass decision but the rich-businessman private citizen saves the day, sure as the world’s most brilliant scientist is an American who meets a deity and delivers an unimpressed smackdown.
Oh, and immigrants are totally welcome as long as they share our values.
Citizen Kane. Kane is the American dream (one working title for the film was American) and the dream is a chimera.
Born on the Fourth of July? Rambo?
Silkwood? Norma Rae?
Three Days of the Condor? Cool Hand Luke?
Platoon? Full Metal Jacket?
I’m feeling very cynical today.
12 Angry Men
This will be very hard to beat.
National Lampoon’s European Vacation
Top Gun.
Yes it will. But I’ll toss out She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, The American President and How the West Was Won as alternatives. I also support American Graffiti as an option.
All the President’s Men.
Team America: World Police
:D:D
I almost think it HAS to be a Western, possibly the most American genre of all. High Noon?
Birth of a Nation, racism and all?
Gone with the Wind would be another, but I suspect my “most American” would be Casablanca. A perfect product of Hollywood movie machine at the height of its powers in WW2.
Well, Twelve Years a Slave, if we’re going that direction.
A few more:
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Sullivan’s Travels
Easy Rider
Nebraska
Moneyball (What’s more American than baseball, and the economics thereof?)
Boy, that’s a toughie. A movie that says something important and defining about America… hard to narrow it down to one. In the running for me:
Casablanca
1776
Glory
The American President
Inherit the Wind
All the President’s Men
Lincoln
Amistad
Seven Days in May
To Kill A Mockingbird