50 Years of American Cinema
Created by Fidelio.
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Since its first publication in the early sixties and over various updates, "50 ans de cinéma américain" has become the Holy Book of most french cinephiles. Initially published by Jean-Pierre Coursodon and Yves Boisset (with Bertrand Tavernier writing some unsigned articles) as an opuscule called "20 ans de cinéma américain", the book has been totally restructured by Coursodon and Tavernier in the early seventies as "30 ans de cinéma américain", then in 1991 as "50 ans de cinéma américain" and finally updated - for the time being - in 1995.
Due to its form and long sedimentation, division into many sections and the piling up of informations over the years, none list here can really do justice to this book. The highlight and largest section of the book is indisputably the "Dictionary of filmmakers" in which the authors virtually discuss the whole filmographies of more than 250 american directors (this part can't be materialized into a list).
The present list focuses on the first part of the book, a timeline between 1939 and 1993 including the most important and noteworthy movies of each year ("works"). Please note that this section also includes other comments ("facts" and "talents") impossible to transpose here.
The two authors bring up the unmissable masterpieces and commercial triumphs but also a lot of personal picks from overlooked directors or victims of the blacklist (residue of their early years as fervent publicists). They deliberately include some turkeys ("le coin du nanar") and obscurities ("à redécouvrir"), with a strong attention to short features (mainly cartoons).
I hope this list, despite its flaws and restriction to american movies, could be of some utility to ICM users and bring to light which is my favorite book about movies (along with the "Dictionary of Films" from Jacques Lourcelles).
The authors are currently working on a definitive edition of their book - presumably entitled "100 ans de cinéma américain" - that will considerably enlarge the scope, starting from 1914 and to likely reach 2014. Needless to say that most of the previously summoned french cinephiles are awaiting for this like men of God were devotedly expecting the Parousia back in the days.
Missing : "Seven lively arts" (John Hubley, 1959) ???
Pssst, want to check out the 50 Years of American Cinema list in our new look?
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876 new
Dances with Wolves
1990, in 18 top lists Check -
907 new
Unforgiven
1992, in 24 top lists Check -
544 new
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
1969, in 21 top lists Check -
635 new
Blazing Saddles
1974, in 14 top lists Check -
137 new
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1948, in 25 top lists Check -
235 new
High Noon
1952, in 18 top lists Check -
330 new
The Searchers
1956, in 26 top lists Check -
542 new
The Wild Bunch
1969, in 25 top lists Check -
439 new
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
1962, in 16 top lists Check -
391 new
Rio Bravo
1959, in 19 top lists Check -
663 new
The Outlaw Josey Wales
1976, in 11 top lists Check -
253 new
Shane
1953, in 18 top lists Check -
357 new
3:10 to Yuma
1957, in 7 top lists Check -
543 new
True Grit
1969, in 2 top lists Check -
577 new
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
1971, in 20 top lists Check -
105 new
My Darling Clementine
1946, in 20 top lists Check -
560 new
Little Big Man
1970, in 9 top lists Check -
280 new
Johnny Guitar
1954, in 22 top lists Check -
51 new
The Ox-Bow Incident
1943, in 14 top lists Check -
803 new
Pale Rider
1985, in 1 top list Check -
669 new
The Shootist
1976, in 6 top lists Check -
168 new
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
1949, in 8 top lists Check -
145 new
Fort Apache
1948, in 5 top lists Check -
597 new
Jeremiah Johnson
1972, in 2 top lists Check -
258 new
The Naked Spur
1953, in 10 top lists Check -
374 new
The Big Country
1958, in 6 top lists Check -
198 new
The Gunfighter
1950, in 8 top lists Check -
121 new
Duel in the Sun
1946, in 7 top lists Check -
307 new
The Man from Laramie
1955, in 5 top lists Check -
373 new
Man of the West
1958, in 8 top lists Check -
427 new
One-Eyed Jacks
1961, in 10 top lists Check -
508 new
The Professionals
1966, in 2 top lists Check -
346 new
Forty Guns
1957, in 9 top lists Check -
438 new
Lonely Are the Brave
1962, in 4 top lists Check -
195 new
Wagon Master
1950, in 6 top lists Check -
240 new
Bend of the River
1952 — a.k.a. Where the River Bends, in 3 top lists Check -
523 new
The Shooting
1966, in 4 top lists Check -
279 new
Vera Cruz
1954, in 2 top lists Check -
668 new
The Missouri Breaks
1976, in 3 top lists Check -
335 new
7 Men from Now
1956, in 2 top lists Check -
595 new
Ulzana's Raid
1972, in 6 top lists Check -
234 new
The Big Sky
1952, in 6 top lists Check -
7 new
The Westerner
1940, in 0 top lists Check -
406 new
The Unforgiven
1960, in 2 top lists Check -
196 new
Broken Arrow
1950, in 1 top list Check -
284 new
Silver Lode
1954, in 3 top lists Check -
488 new
Major Dundee
1965, in 2 top lists Check -
430 new
Two Rode Together
1961, in 4 top lists Check -
524 new
Ride in the Whirlwind
1966, in 2 top lists Check -
261 new
The Sun Shines Bright
1953, in 5 top lists Check
Last updated on May 13, 2018;