"It's a Wonderful Life" Tops AFI List of 100 Most Inspiring Films of All Time
Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 and updated on Friday, June 16, 2006 2:08 PM by Scott Jentsch
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LOS ANGELES, June 14, 2006—The American Film Institute (AFI) revealed the most inspiring films of all time in AFI’s 100 Years…100 Cheers, a three-hour special television event on CBS with commentary from many of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors and filmmakers. A jury of 1,500 film artists, critics and historians selected the classic IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE, starring James Stewart, as the most inspiring movie of all time.
Rounding off the top 10 inspiring films are: TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (#2), SCHINDLER’S LIST (#3), ROCKY (#4), MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (#5), E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL (#6), THE GRAPES OF WRATH (#7), BREAKING AWAY (#8), MIRACLE ON 34th STREET (#9) and SAVING PRIVATE RYAN (#10).
The Criteria
The jurors were asked to consider the following criteria in making their selections:
- FEATURE-LENGTH FICTION FILM: Narrative format, typically over 60 minutes in length.
- AMERICAN FILM: English language film with significant creative and/or production
elements from the United States.
- CHEERS: Movies that inspire with characters of vision and conviction who face adversity and often make a personal sacrifice for the greater good. Whether these movies end happily or not, they are ultimately triumphant--both filling audiences with hope and empowering them with the spirit of human potential.
- LEGACY: Films whose "cheers" continue to echo across a century of American cinema.
*Only feature-length American films released before January 1, 2005, were considered.
About the American Film Institute
AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, maintains America's film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education through the AFI Digital Content Lab and K-12 Screen Education Center. As the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the U.S., AFI ON SCREEN encompasses the annual AFI FEST presented by Audi: AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival—as well as year-round programming at ArcLight Hollywood and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, including SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival. AFI AWARDS, the annual almanac for the 21st century, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year, while AFI's 100 Years… series has ignited extraordinary public interest in classic American movies. And, during the past 33 years, AFI's Life Achievement Award has become the highest honor for a career in film.
More information about AFI can be found by visiting its Web site, located at www.AFI.com.
Source: AFI Press Release
# | MOVIE | YEAR |
1 | IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE | 1946 |
2 | TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD | 1962 |
3 | SCHINDLER'S LIST | 1993 |
4 | ROCKY | 1976 |
5 | MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON | 1939 |
6 | E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL | 1982 |
7 | THE GRAPES OF WRATH | 1940 |
8 | BREAKING AWAY | 1979 |
9 | MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET | 1947 |
10 | SAVING PRIVATE RYAN | 1998 |
11 | THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES | 1946 |
12 | APOLLO 13 | 1995 |
13 | HOOSIERS | 1986 |
14 | THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI | 1957 |
15 | THE MIRACLE WORKER | 1962 |
16 | NORMA RAE | 1979 |
17 | ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST | 1975 |
18 | THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK | 1959 |
19 | THE RIGHT STUFF | 1983 |
20 | PHILADELPHIA | 1993 |
21 | IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT | 1967 |
22 | THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES | 1942 |
23 | THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION | 1994 |
24 | NATIONAL VELVET | 1944 |
25 | SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS | 1941 |
26 | THE WIZARD OF OZ | 1939 |
27 | HIGH NOON | 1952 |
28 | FIELD OF DREAMS | 1989 |
29 | GANDHI | 1982 |
30 | LAWRENCE OF ARABIA | 1962 |
31 | GLORY | 1989 |
32 | CASABLANCA | 1942 |
33 | CITY LIGHTS | 1931 |
34 | ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN | 1976 |
35 | GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER | 1967 |
36 | ON THE WATERFRONT | 1954 |
37 | FORREST GUMP | 1994 |
38 | PINOCCHIO | 1940 |
39 | STAR WARS | 1977 |
40 | MRS. MINIVER | 1942 |
41 | THE SOUND OF MUSIC | 1965 |
42 | 12 ANGRY MEN | 1957 |
43 | GONE WITH THE WIND | 1939 |
44 | SPARTACUS | 1960 |
45 | ON GOLDEN POND | 1981 |
46 | LILIES OF THE FIELD | 1963 |
47 | 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY | 1968 |
48 | THE AFRICAN QUEEN | 1951 |
49 | MEET JOHN DOE | 1941 |
50 | SEABISCUIT | 2003 |
51 | THE COLOR PURPLE | 1985 |
52 | DEAD POET'S SOCIETY | 1989 |
53 | SHANE | 1953 |
54 | RUDY | 1993 |
55 | THE DEFIANT ONES | 1958 |
56 | BEN-HUR | 1959 |
57 | SERGEANT YORK | 1941 |
58 | CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND | 1977 |
59 | DANCES WITH WOLVES | 1990 |
60 | THE KILLING FIELDS | 1984 |
61 | SOUNDER | 1972 |
62 | BRAVEHEART | 1995 |
63 | RAIN MAN | 1988 |
64 | THE BLACK STALLION | 1979 |
65 | A RAISIN IN THE SUN | 1961 |
66 | SILKWOOD | 1983 |
67 | THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL | 1951 |
68 | AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN | 1982 |
69 | THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS | 1957 |
70 | COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER | 1980 |
71 | COOL HAND LUKE | 1967 |
72 | DARK VICTORY | 1939 |
73 | ERIN BROCKOVICH | 2000 |
74 | GUNGA DIN | 1939 |
75 | THE VERDICT | 1982 |
76 | BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ | 1962 |
77 | DRIVING MISS DAISY | 1989 |
78 | THELMA & LOUISE | 1991 |
79 | THE TEN COMMANDMENTS | 1956 |
80 | BABE | 1995 |
81 | BOYS TOWN | 1938 |
82 | FIDDLER ON THE ROOF | 1971 |
83 | MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN | 1936 |
84 | SERPICO | 1973 |
85 | WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT | 1993 |
86 | STAND AND DELIVER | 1988 |
87 | WORKING GIRL | 1988 |
88 | YANKEE DOODLE DANDY | 1942 |
89 | HAROLD AND MAUDE | 1972 |
90 | HOTEL RWANDA | 2004 |
91 | THE PAPER CHASE | 1973 |
92 | FAME | 1980 |
93 | A BEAUTIFUL MIND | 2001 |
94 | CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS | 1937 |
95 | PLACES IN THE HEART | 1984 |
96 | SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER | 1993 |
97 | MADAME CURIE | 1943 |
98 | THE KARATE KID | 1984 |
99 | RAY | 2004 |
100 | CHARIOTS OF FIRE | 1981 |
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