New look

We've made some changes
to The Sunday Times

Navigation - link to other main sections from here

Skip Navigation

From Times Online

April 26, 2008

Top 100 Films: 10 - 4

Hitchcock's finest feature, Gloria Swanson's revival and a couple of classic performances by Jack Nicholson

10 - THE GODFATHER (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)

Nobody makes fully blown mobster movies like Francis Ford Coppola. They started with Brando and Pacino as Corleone father and son in the original Godfather, with the latter a revelation as the reluctant mobster enforcing the family tradition. In The Godfather : Part II, Pacino’s Michael is still concerned with legitimacy, while Brando’s Don is given a sprawling back story and a younger self in Robert De Niro. The film is longer than the first, and regarded as the best of the series. The Godfather: Part III, often derided, has another magnetic turn from Pacino, and, most importantly, reveals that the story is utterly incomplete without it. Kevin Maher

9 - ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (Michel Gondry, 2004)

It should never have been this good. The story of an introspective New Yorker, Joel (Jim Carrey), who erases his memories of a recent doomed romance with the irascible Clementine (Kate Winslet) emerged from a smart yet solipsistic school of tricksy movies that included Being John Malkovich and Adaptation. Eternal Sunshine took this same innovation, with non-linear narrative and berserker-style visual storytelling, and injected it with the agony and ecstasy of genuine human relationships. The result was a magnificent pairing in Winslet and Carrey, who transformed Clem and Joel’s chemistry into a relationship as painfully touching as it was tragic. Kevin Maher

8 - SUNSET BLVD. (Billy Wilder, 1950)

Wilder turns his razor-blade cynicism onto a subject close to home — Hollywood — and reveals it as a relentless machine that digests and discards its stars. It’s a brilliantly cold-hearted piece of film-making, featuring several cruelly apposite pieces of casting. Forgotten silent star Norma Desmond was played by Gloria Swanson, whose career had stalled in the 1930s. Her butler was played by Eric von Stroheim, the silent-movie director who worked with Swanson on Queen Kelly in 1929. Screenwriter Joe Gillis is played by William Holden. The film’s longevity is evident in Norma’s endlessly quotable, magnificently deluded line: “I’m still big. It’s the films that got small.” Wendy Ide

7 - KES (Ken Loach, 1969)

This beautifully judged adaptation of a novel by Barry Hines is never permitted to lapse into sentimentality or “it’s grim oop North” clichés. Instead, the story of a lad from Barnsley who escapes the bullying of his older brother, the sardonic indifference of his teachers and the depressing inevitability of his future by training a kestrel is a clear-eyed portrait of a boy with few options and the bird that represents hope for him. The naturalistic performances are universally impressive but it’s the teenaged David Bradley, who won the central role of Billy at an open audition, who dominates the film. He later said that he was more excited by the free food and drink at the audition than the role itself. Wendy Ide

6 - VERTIGO (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)

A disappointment on its original release, described as tedious and overlong, Hitchcock’s Vertigo has grown in stature over time and has become, ironically, easily his best feature. It is, of course, a deeply creepy film, and the story of an obsessive relationship between a neurasthenic detective (James Stewart) and a suicidal blonde (Kim Novak) was hardly going to appeal to a contemporary audience expecting a cutesy Catch a Thief redux. Yet Vertigo gets more eerily modern as the years progress. When, for instance, Stewart’s Scottie witnesses the “death” of his new lover, Novak’s equally fragile Madeleine, he has a complete nervous breakdown. When he meets Judy (Novak again) her low-grade doppelganger (she has bad lipstick and hairy eyebrows), his bullying attempts to remake her in Madeleine’s likeness cut to the heart of Hitchcock’s project. Thus the film, it is said, is the director’s most autobiographical, and speaks of his compulsive desire for, and brutish treatment of, icy blonde women. Yet it’s also a testament to an image-obsessed culture that believes, like ours, in re-creating and re-moulding to create an archetype that doesn’t exist — a culture, like Scottie, that has fallen completely for the allure of fantasy over reality. Kevin Maher

5 - THE SHINING (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)

The supernatural and the precarious nature of sanity are the themes explored in Stanley Kubrick’s outstanding horror movie. Adapted from a novel by Stephen King, the film stars Jack Nicholson as former schoolteacher turned aspiring writer Jack Torrance and Shelley Duval as his wife Wendy. Jack has taken a job as a winter caretaker at the Overlook Hotel, where he and his family will be snowed in for several months. His son, Danny, senses that something is amiss at the hotel — a feeling confirmed by the hotel chef Dick Hallorann (Scatman Crothers), who shares Danny’s telepathic gift. Danny’s fears are well-founded. Before long his dad is conversing with the dead and pursuing his mother with an axe. Kubrick’s perfectionism ensured that it wasn’t the easiest film to make: he allegedly demanded 127 takes from Shelley Duvall in one scene, and reduced the 69-year-old Crothers to tears. But the film that resulted is one of the scariest yet made. Wendy Ide

4 - CHINATOWN (Roman Polanski, 1974)

This ultra-stylish thriller was the last film that its director Polanski made in the United States before his exile to Europe. By all accounts, Chinatown was not the easiest of shoots. Polanski apparently argued violently with both his leads. The movie truism that the more difficult the production, the better the film would seem to hold true. It is a masterful piece of work: superbly crafted and bleakly brilliant, it was one of the films that defined the golden era of Hollywood of the 1970s. Jack Nicholson plays small-time private detective Jake Gittes, Faye Dunaway plays Evelyn Mulwray, the mysterious blonde who hires him to investigate whether her husband is guilty of infidelity. The role of Evelyn was originally destined for Ali MacGraw, until she had the temerity to divorce the film’s producer, Robert Evans, for Steve McQueen. It’s evocatively set in the sun-baked Los Angeles of 1937, a city in the middle of a crippling drought where corruption is rife and nobody is trustworthy. Wendy Ide

Im sorry but where the hell is Shawshank Redemption?

Matt Bell, Leeds, England

great films that should be way on top are Black Orpheus, La Strada, Barefoot Contessa, to mention a few.

sylvia silverstein, honolulu, usa

No Se7en, no Schindlers List and no American Beauty? Enough said.

PHIL O' KEEFFE, Dublin, Ireland

no SCHINDLERS LIST in top twenty shows critics have no idea

tony longden, birchington,

You've got The Shining, a mediocre film that didn't even scare me, at #5, but you've neglected Jack Nicholson's far more impressive film Carnal Knowledge (1971). I might put that at #5, above even Chinatown. The Breakfast Club?!? Why?

Carol, Michigan, US

The rankings, such as they are, are, at best, laughable, and, at worst ridiculous. I wonder if the listers have seen more than 100 films in total because the scope of films listed is so limited.

chris, killingworth, usa

The Godfather, Vertigo, Chinatown, and Sunset Boulevard are great. The Shining and Eternal Sunshine are good but ranked way too high.

By the way, I've just realized that Citizen Kane is nowhere on this list. Therefore I cannot take it seriously at all.

Sam Bailey, Florida,

Um. Lord of the Rings?

Kim, London,

What about Young and Dangerous and I Am A Triad ? Hong kong films are the best

Owen John Nando, Manchester, Lancs

Raiders of the Lost ark??

Steve, Magherafelt, Northern Ireland

how can kes bee in the top 10 when fight club, ladykillers and many more are not even in the top 100

adam, durham,

I think that have the GodFather as number ten behind films like Eternal Sunshine is a disgrace and an insult to both movie goers and to the history of cinema. Very few films can even come close to comparing to such an epic film. Who ever came up with this list clearly has an absent mind for cinema

big T, NEW YORK,

Shawshank Redemption?
Garden State?
The Japanese version of "Shall we Dance?"
Devdas (A good Bollywood)

Then again, if I made a Top 100 it would probably have Endless Summer in it... so who am I to talk...

Jasper, Cape Town / Secunda, South Africa

I am staggered that Godfather one of the greatest films ever made is only ranked at 10!! Behind films like the eternal whatever of the spotless sunshine or whatever it's called!! Staggering!!

Mike Evans, London,

What an amazing film Sunset Boulevard is! I just can't stop watching it: its eerie, almost psychotic atmosphere and Gloria Swanson's performance as the unforgettable Norma Desmond. Astonishing!

Gonzalo, Buenos Aires, Argentina

This really makes me laugh....although There Will Be Blood is my favourite movie 0f 2007, a 2007 movie should not be #2 on this list. By the way, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless does not out- rank The Godfather, Coppola is amazing with the Godfather trilogy

Mike Mayer, Medicine Hat, Canada

I agree with Sharon Adams. I would go further and say not only is it frustrating when a film is shot mostly in the dark - what about when the speakers have their back turned to the audience, and the main character speaks through cheeks stuffed with cotton wool.
<br/>

Sally Wylie-Harris, Farnham,

Yes, yes, a top 100 list of movies is subjective. I've seen several movies mentioned in the comments of which I absolutely loathe, but that is the beauty of film. One person's poison is another's nectar. And I certainly won't mention any titles. I couldn't care less what others think of my favs.

Gary, Clearwater, USA

"The Godfather" was a rotten movie! Yes, I said "The Godfather" was a rotten movie. I absolutely LOATHE movies that are shot in semi-darkness - what a STUPID technique !! Directors should stop trying to be avant-garde/artistic or whatever they're hoping to seem, and SHOOT THE DAMN THING IN LIght

Sharon Adams, New York, USA

Stop these lists. They subjective! There is no such thing as a greatest movie. The one that you think is the greatest is the greatest.

Paul, Eatontown, usa

Who is better: Mozart or Beethoven? Dali or Rembrandt? Royal Worcester, Spode, Chelsea or Bow?

All are 'classics', can we just leave it at that please?

Mark, London,

Who makes these lists and how? :-)

Put up a website and ask people to submit their top five movies. We should, of course, consider demographics and present them by geography/time/gender?

Is the voter male or female? (yes, we tend to like different movies)
Is the voter 18/38/68 years old? etc.

John Cowboy, North Pole,

Another silly list compiled by people who should know better.
There will be blood is a fine movie, but it is ridiculous to place it second on a list of the 100 greatest films.

Michael Rigby, blackburn,

Fight Club
American Beauty
Twelve Monkeys
Don Juan de Marco
Jeux d'enfants
Requiem for a Dream
Schindler's List
Sin City
Stalker
Sweet November

... at least, are absent

Jean Pierre, Paris, France

Re: Sunset Blvd.: Endlessly inaccurately quotable, innit? Ain't it "I AM big. It's the PICTURES that got small"?

Jim Beaver, Studio City CA, USA

I shut off Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind after the first 30 minutes, because it was one of the most irrelevant, boring, uninspired movies I have had to endure.

Daniel, Californial,

whoa, where is cool runnings?
suggesting the top 100 films or however many is like asking everyone 100s obscure questions of what they prefer and expecting everyone to have the exact same answers. if that were true then wouldnt everything be perfect? wow, there might even be world peace :S excuse me

james , Norwich, United Kingdom

Comparing your Top 100 Films to the IMDB's Top 100 Film list shows that your list contains films that you think should be in the top 100 but often, don't deserve to be in there. How can the Shawshank Redemption not be in your list? This is one of THE most rented Films of all time.

James, Liverpool,

100 is a random number; any collation will always be unfair, A being better than B, and B better than C doesn't necessarily mean A is better than C. Still, for a short list, I miss: Gatacca, Requiem for a Dream & Memento.

Vicente, Madrid, Spain

I am so pleased to see Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind on the list. It is one of the imaginative executions of and unbelievably great script. Plus the star-ridden cast all gave career best performances.

Strictly Ballroom, Back to the Future, Donnie Darko and more comedy would have been nice.

Caroline, Exeter, United Kingdom

you must be high to put 'eternal sunshine' ahead of 'the godfather'. really high.

terry, rotterdam, netherlands

I spotted Kes at No7 and decided not to watse my time looking any further

out of touch or out of their mind

David, Kingston, England

Not a single Wes Anderson mention? No Memento or Donnie Darko?
I dont expect them to be at the top of the list, but there are far worse movies included here...I also agree that if you're going to call the list "Top 100 Films", you need to consider non-English language movies. Or change the title.

Michael, Chicago, United States

I always find these numerical list weighted towards mens tastes.If you had a top 100 for most enoyable films would movies like Madam X ,Imitation of life,housesitter or Meet Joe Black for instance, make the cut instead of the usual fare of The Searchers,The Godfather etc

john kenneth quigg, inverkip, renfrewshire

Dr Strangelove

Ben, bath,

The omission of at least one of director Stanley Donen's stylish musicals is implausible. Les Girls with the inimitable Kay Kendall and the pairing of two of filmdon's most elegant stars Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire in Funny Face , as instances, rank way up there in my estimation.

Dadblasted, Fort Lauderdale, FL , USA

Since the list is completely boased towards English language films, it should have declared itself purely as being within those restrictions. For example, nothing by cinema's only true genius- Andrei Tarkovsky?!
Distinctly lightweight, all in all.

Andrew, Cork, Ireland

Poppy, it is an English paper. I would not expect to find the same list in a Japanese paper, for example.

Andrew, Salford, UK

Respect for including Beau Travail but this list is far too English language orientated.

John, London,

There are some excellent films in your list. I realise, of course, that all such lists are personal but I would have included:
The Shawshank Redemption,
The Usual Suspects,
Twelve Angry Men,
Field of Dreams.
Well done for Blade Runner and Fargo!

Steve

Steve Mortimore, Nr Stornoway, Scotland`

Is it a worldwide selection? Because i'm missing the whole world here, except England and America. Where is Imamura, Zan Yimou (his first period is scintillating!), Fasbinder, Almodovar, Aggelopoulos, Pasolini (i suggest to watch Mama Roma again), brothers Taviani, the genius shootings of Bela Tarr.

Poppy, Athens,

shawshank redemption should definatly be there, gladiator maybe also.

Hiro Nakamura, yesugi, greenland

Sex, Lies, and Videotape anyone? Or how about Reservoir Dogs? Certainly Schindler's List should have made it. One of those should have replaced E.T. at any rate - and what on earth is The Jungle Book doing on the list?

Abbey , Cambridge ,

I've looked all over and it appears that the Shawshank Redemption isn't even in the top 100. This film should certainly be in the top 10 but for me it's the best film every made. The Internet Film Database seems to agree - Shawshank is at number 2 with Godfather at number 1.

Tom Swade, Manchester,

The Shining was ruined for me by the little kid "redrum redrum" but it is still generally acknowledged as the best adaptation of a Stephen King book.

Mark, Blandford, UK

no forrest gump :( no truman show :( no walk the line? :(

michelle, huddersfield,

The shining at No. 5! Have a word with Stephen King and see if he agrees.

Dave, Exeter, UK

"ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND" - am I the only one not to like this pile of tosh?

Jamie, Maidenhead, UK

I quite agree.Everytime time there is an new top 100 list we hardly ever see the truly best movies.Where is "Stalker" or "the four hundred blows"?

Christine, Athens,

You're having a laugh - 100 best movies? From the US and Britain with a few "foreign" movies thrown in for "balance". Ok. let's be trendy and have Withnail & I and Trainspotting, not Brief Encounter. Towering Inferno and ET, not Gandhi? No Tarkovsky, Truffaut, Bertolucci, Wenders, Pasolini, etc. etc

Woody, CHIANG MAI,