# What are the ten best movies of all time? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 2, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315 "2000-05-02T00:00:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/1 "2000-05-02T00:00:05Z")
Here are my selections (not necessarily in any coherent order): 1. The Quiet Man 2. Sunset Boulevard 3. All About Eve 4. The Godfather 5. Taxi Driver 6. The Wizard of Oz 7. Rear Window 8. Lawrence of Arabia 9. Midnight Cowboy 10. Ben Hur Maybe I should have posted on Great Debates. ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/2 "2000-05-02T01:20:14Z")
Can we count the entire Godfather trilogy as one movie? 'Cause if we can’t, I’ve got some serious thinking to do. ---
**Author:** ![Wordsmith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/47e85d/32.png) [@Wordsmith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wordsmith)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/3 "2000-05-02T03:27:48Z")
I’ll admit I haven’t seen all those movies, but I can’t imagine that _all_ of them are better then Dr. Strangelove. Aside from having the longest subtitle of just about any movie I know of, it is probably the flick most watched by students of strategic thinking. Besides, it’s damned good. ---
**Author:** ![evilbeth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/evilbeth/32/2268_2.png) [@evilbeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilbeth)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/4 "2000-05-02T03:49:46Z")
Just a warning for everyone to watch out. Not too long ago some people tried to do this and the Movie Police came by and slammed anyone who mentioned movies less than 20 years old. Apparently, all movies appreciate over the years so if it was made recently, you have to wait a couple of decades for it to get good enough to make a “Best Film” list. Continue on!! ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/5 "2000-05-02T03:55:45Z")
Casablanca Gone With The Wind Citizen Kane The Sand Pebbles Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure Attack of the Killer Tomatoes Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid The Seven Samurai The Big Sleep The Princess Bride ---
**Author:** ![LBJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecae2f/32.png) [@LBJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LBJay)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/6 "2000-05-02T04:05:12Z")
I didn’t start this thread, but no, you can’t count The Godfather trilogy as one movie. Godfather I & II, maybe since they tell the entire story as related in the book; but Godfather I still rises far above the pack, all by itself. Godfather III was an abortion, an Abortion, Michael. I’m convinced that the good Lord took Mario Puzo from us to prevent him from working on Godfather IV. I don’t like the idea of a 10-best list at all, though because it will invariably leave out such classics as “The Great Race”, “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Mad World”, “Hard Day’s Night”, “Bride of Frankenstein” (usually in favor of the more mundane original "Frankenstein), “Young Frankenstein” for that matter. “The Quiet Man”? Nah. “Sons of Katy Elder”, maybe. “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence”, definately. How about “Dr. Zhivago” for a sappy, sprawling epic. That’s an eclectic film festival I’d pay to see. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/7 "2000-05-02T04:14:50Z")
Good point. I forgot Liberty and Young Frankenstein. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/8 "2000-05-02T05:00:17Z")
12 Angry men (the old one, of course) ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/9 "2000-05-02T05:39:00Z")
Considering there are zillions and zillions of movies I haven’t seen, and I imagine at least half of them (the first zillions) are better than the ones I _have_ seen, I will settle for listing “The ten best movies that I’ve seen”. In no particular order: -Braveheart -Star Wars -Thelma and Louise -Cool Hand Luke -To Kill a Mockingbird -Mary Poppins -The Adventures of Robin Hood -Sixth Sense -Undercover Blues -Field of Dreams Some of these were a tossup between the movie listed and another, but I’m not saying which ones. ---
**Author:** ![Homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homer)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/10 "2000-05-02T05:54:33Z")
You people sicken me! American Beauty American History X Braveheart Dogma Sixth Sense Usual Suspects Saving Private Ryan Back To The Future Shawshank Redemption Freeway Honorable Mentions: Go! Tommy Boy Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure Matrix Run Lola Run Princess Bride Neverending Story Land Before Time Aladdin Ha-HA! Take that! –Tim Erm, admittedly, I like quirky movies, and I haven’t seen alot of the ‘classics’. ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/11 "2000-05-02T06:15:11Z")
Tommy Boy?! _ **TOMMY BOY??!!** _ Heck, you might as well have included a Pauly Shore movie. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/12 "2000-05-02T07:22:52Z")
In no particular order, and for no particular reason… Star Wars (IV, V, and VI… mostly V) UHF ('89, Weird Al flick, really hilarious, all of you rent it) Monty Python and the Holy Grail ("…it’s just a flesh wound…") The Princess Bride Aliens Terminator 2 (it kicked off the CG movement, and was well-made) Dr. No Dumbo (“Pink Elephants on Parade, here they come, hippity hoppity!”) Tron American Beauty (that’s mostly a gratuity to my friends, though) I should explain the absence of movies like Citizen Kane or Gone With the Wind… part of my nature is to be contrary as much as possible, so I try to avoid saying something is good just because other people say it’s good. Also, I haven’t seen many movies. Well, except the porn ones, but y’all don’t care about that, do you? ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/13 "2000-05-02T09:36:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\* > Godfather III was an abortion, an Abortion, Michael. I’m convinced that the good Lord took Mario Puzo from us to prevent him from working on Godfather IV. > \*\* [Brando Voice] You come in here, and show me no respect… [/Brando Voice] Rumour has it that a Godfather IV might be underway. Although I fully agree that GF III is the worst (well, “least good”, really) of all three, it is still an _awesome_ movie by any standard. The shooting scene at the steps of the Scicilian Theatre is a classic, IMHO. And don’t forget Corleone’s death scene. Wow. ---
**Author:** ![zuma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9c0ed/32.png) [@zuma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zuma)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/14 "2000-05-02T11:02:34Z")
Keep in mind, as much as i love movies, I haven’t seen WAY TOO MANY of the films which probably should be on the top 10. So, here are my top 10 films I have actually seen, in no particular order: Psycho Lost in America Taxi Driver Apocalypse Now 2001: A Space Oddyssy Dr. Strangelove Citizen Kane Pulp Fiction Vertigo Grand Canyon This is Spinal Tap Well, that’s 11. “But this one goes to eleven” ahaha. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/15 "2000-05-02T11:21:30Z")
Citizen Kane Raising Arizona Bull Durham Fargo Pulp Fiction Kids in the Hall ‘Brain Candy’ Deathtrap Clerks M_A_S\*H Jaws ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/16 "2000-05-02T13:04:29Z")
Oh, please. Will someone change the name of this thread to “my ten favorite movies,” and stop this farce of these being the ten BEST movies? And did any of you know that they did indeed make movies—damn good ones—BEFORE 1940? ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/17 "2000-05-02T13:16:04Z")
No rules against entering your ten favorite movies – it looks like that’s what everyone is doing, anyway. Yes, I LOVE movies made before 1940, but didn’t want to display my old-fashioned tastes before the whippersnapper cybercrowd. Okay, here are some pre-1940 “best,” “favorite,” whatever, selections (forgive me if a couple of them edge up into the early 40s): 1. City Lights 2. It Happened One Night 3. The Old-Fashioned Way 4. Red Dust 5. The Circus 6. Monkey Business (Marx Bros., not Grant and Rogers) 7. Stagecoach 8. The Women 9. 42nd Street 10. Double Indemnity I know, Gone With The Wind and The Wizard of Oz are both 1939, but they throw the handicap way off. Two killer films in the same year! The rest of you guys have given me some good ideas about what to go out and rent. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Milossarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Milossarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milossarian)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/18 "2000-05-02T13:34:00Z")
1. Godfather 2. Braveheart 3. Cool Hand Luke 4. The Natural 5. The Hustler 6. Dances With Wolves 7. Jaws 8. The Ten Commandments 9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind 10. Caddyshack Strangely, although war movies are probably my favorite film genre, none made my top 10. “Full Metal Jacket” would probably be No. 11. ---
**Author:** ![RTA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b4bc9f/32.png) [@RTA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTA)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/19 "2000-05-02T13:46:45Z")
Apocalypse Now The Man Who Would be King The Jerk Yellowbeard Zulu Akira Stop Making Sense A Shot in the Dark Fast Times at Ridgemont High Crumb ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2000, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315/20 "2000-05-02T13:49:32Z")
Today’s list, in no particular order: Singin’ in the Rain Citizen Kane Pulp Fiction Dr. Strangelove City Lights The General North by Northwest Bringing Up Baby Casablanca The Princess Bride [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-ten-best-movies-of-all-time/18315.md?page=2)