AFI 100 Years...100 Cheers
100 Most Inspiring American Movies

100 YEARS...100 CHEERS

The 300 Nominees


The American Film Institute (AFI) in Los Angeles, California conducted its ninth polling, 100 Years...100 Cheers. It was to be a definitive selection of the 100 most 'inspiring' American films of all time, as determined by more than 1,500 film artists (directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers), critics and historians. AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers revealed America's 100 greatest inspirational films, as chosen by leaders of the entertainment community, in a three-hour television event, that aired on the CBS Television Network in June 2006.

A ballot was distributed with 300 nominated films to a jury of 1,500 leaders from the creative community, including film artists (directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers) critics and historians.


AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers
America's 100 Most Inspiring Films

(The 300 Nominees,
alphabetical by title)
(Winners noted in bold, with Ranking #
)

  1. ABE LINCOLN IN ILLINOIS, RKO, 1940
  2. THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD, Warner Bros., 1938
  3. AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1957
  4. THE AFRICAN QUEEN, United Artists, 1951 (# 48)
  5. AIR FORCE, Warner Bros., 1943
  6. THE ALAMO, United Artists, 1960
  7. ALI, Columbia, 2001
  8. ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, Warner Bros., 1976 (# 34)
  9. AMERICAN HISTORY X, New Line, 1998
  10. THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, Columbia, 1995
  11. AMISTAD, DreamWorks, 1997
  12. ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD, MGM, 1951
  13. ANTWONE FISHER, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2002
  14. APOLLO 13, Universal, 1995 (# 12)
  15. AWAKENINGS, Columbia, 1990
  16. BABE, Universal, 1995 (# 80)
  17. THE BABE RUTH STORY, Allied Artists, 1948
  18. BABES IN ARMS, MGM, 1939
  19. THE BAD NEWS BEARS, Paramount, 1976
  20. BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY, Paramount, 1973
  21. BATAAN, MGM, 1943
  22. BEAU GESTE, Paramount, 1939
  23. A BEAUTIFUL MIND, Imagine, 2001 (# 93)
  24. BEN-HUR, MGM, 1926
  25. BEN-HUR, MGM, 1959 (# 56)
  26. BENJI, Mulberry Square, 1974
  27. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, RKO, 1946 (# 11)
  28. THE BIBLE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1966
  29. THE BIG COUNTRY, United Artists, 1958
  30. BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ, United Artists, 1962 (# 76)
  31. THE BISHOP'S WIFE, RKO, 1947
  32. THE BLACK STALLION, United Artists, 1979 (# 64)
  33. BLACKBOARD JUNGLE, MGM, 1955
  34. BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, Universal, 1989
  35. BOYS TOWN, MGM, 1938 (# 81)
  36. BRAVEHEART, Paramount, 1995 (# 62)
  37. THE BREAKFAST CLUB, Universal, 1985
  38. BREAKING AWAY, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979 (# 8)
  39. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, Columbia, 1957 (# 14)
  40. THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI, Paramount, 1954
  41. CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS, MGM, 1937 (# 94)
  42. CAROUSEL, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1956
  43. CASABLANCA, Warner Bros., 1942 (# 32)
  44. CAST AWAY, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2000
  45. THE CHAMP, MGM, 1931
  46. CHARIOTS OF FIRE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981 (# 100)
  47. CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD, Paramount, 1986
  48. A CHRISTMAS CAROL, United Artists, 1951
  49. CITY LIGHTS, United Artists, 1931 (# 33)
  50. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, Columbia, 1977 (# 58)
  51. COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER, Universal, 1980 (# 70)
  52. COCOON, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1985
  53. THE COLOR OF MONEY, Touchstone, 1986
  54. THE COLOR PURPLE, Warner Bros., 1985 (# 51)
  55. COMING HOME, United Artists, 1978
  56. CONRACK, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1974
  57. COOL HAND LUKE, Warner Bros., 1967 (# 71)
  58. COOL RUNNINGS, Disney, 1993
  59. COP LAND, Miramax, 1997
  60. THE COWBOYS, Warner Bros., 1972
  61. CRY FREEDOM, Universal, 1987
  62. DANCES WITH WOLVES, Orion, 1990 (# 59)
  63. DARK VICTORY, Warner Bros., 1939 (# 72)
  64. DAVE, Warner Bros., 1993
  65. THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1951 (# 67)
  66. DEAD MAN WALKING, MGM, 1995
  67. DEAD POETS SOCIETY, Touchstone, 1989 (# 52)
  68. THE DEFIANT ONES, United Artists, 1958 (# 55)
  69. DESTINATION TOKYO, Warner Bros., 1944
  70. DESTRY RIDES AGAIN, Universal, 1939
  71. THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1959 (# 18)
  72. DIRTY DANCING, Artisan, 1987
  73. THE DIRTY DOZEN, MGM, 1967
  74. DISRAELI, Warner Bros., 1929
  75. DO THE RIGHT THING, Universal, 1989
  76. DR. EHRLICH’S MAGIC BULLET, Warner Bros., 1940
  77. DRIVING MISS DAISY, Warner Bros., 1989 (# 77)
  78. DUMBO, Disney, 1941
  79. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL, Universal, 1982 (# 6)
  80. EDISON, THE MAN, MGM, 1940
  81. 8 MILE, Universal, 2002
  82. EL CID, Allied Artists, 1961
  83. ERIN BROCKOVICH, Universal, 2000 (# 73)
  84. EXODUS, United Artists, 1960
  85. FAME, MGM, 1980 (# 92)
  86. FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF, Paramount, 1986
  87. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, United Artists, 1971 (# 82)
  88. FIELD OF DREAMS, Universal, 1989 (# 28)
  89. FINDING NEVERLAND, Miramax, 2004
  90. FLASHDANCE, Paramount, 1983
  91. FOOTLOOSE, Paramount, 1984
  92. FORREST GUMP, Paramount, 1994 (# 37)
  93. FOUR FEATHERS, Paramount, 1929
  94. FREE WILLY, Warner Bros., 1993
  95. THE FRESHMAN, Pathé, 1925
  96. FRIED GREEN TOMATOES, Universal, 1991
  97. GANDHI, Columbia, 1982 (# 29)
  98. THE GENERAL, United Artists, 1927
  99. GENTLEMAN'S AGREEMENT, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1947
  100. GHOST, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990
  101. GLADIATOR, DreamWorks, 2000
  102. GLORY, TriStar, 1989 (# 31)
  103. GO, MAN, GO!, United Artists, 1954
  104. GOD IS MY CO-PILOT, Warner Bros., 1945
  105. GODSPELL, Columbia, 1973
  106. GOING MY WAY, Paramount, 1944
  107. GONE WITH THE WIND, MGM, 1939 (# 43)
  108. THE GOOD EARTH, MGM, 1937
  109. GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM, Touchstone, 1988
  110. GOOD WILL HUNTING, Miramax, 1997
  111. GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS, MGM, 1939
  112. GORILLAS IN THE MIST: THE STORY OF DIAN FOSSEY, Universal, 1988
  113. THE GRAPES OF WRATH, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1940 (# 7)
  114. THE GREAT ESCAPE, United Artists, 1963
  115. THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD, United Artists, 1965
  116. THE GREEN MILE, Warner Bros., 1999
  117. GUADALCANAL DIARY, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1943
  118. GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER, Columbia, 1967 (# 35)
  119. GUNGA DIN, RKO, 1939 (# 74)
  120. THE GUNS OF NAVARONE, Columbia, 1961
  121. A GUY NAMED JOE, MGM, 1941
  122. HAROLD AND MAUDE, Paramount, 1972 (# 89)
  123. HEIDI, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1937
  124. HERO, Columbia, 1992
  125. HIGH NOON, United Artists, 1952 (# 27)
  126. HOOSIERS, Orion, 1986 (# 13)
  127. HOTEL RWANDA, United Artists, 2004 (# 90)
  128. HOW THE WEST WAS WON, MGM, 1962
  129. THE HURRICANE, Universal, 1999
  130. I AM SAM, New Line, 2001
  131. ICE CASTLES, Columbia, 1978
  132. IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, United Artists, 1967 (# 21)
  133. THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY, Disney, 1963
  134. THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1958
  135. THE INSIDER, Touchstone, 1999
  136. IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, RKO, 1946 (# 1)
  137. THE JACKIE ROBINSON STORY, Eagle-Lion, 1950
  138. JERRY MAGUIRE, TriStar, 1996
  139. JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, Universal, 1973
  140. JIM THORPE - ALL-AMERICAN, Warner Bros., 1951
  141. JOAN OF ARC, RKO, 1948
  142. JONATHAN LIVINGSTON SEAGULL, Paramount, 1973
  143. THE JOY LUCK CLUB, Hollywood Pictures, 1993
  144. THE KARATE KID, Columbia, 1984 (# 98)
  145. THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1944
  146. THE KID, First National, 1921
  147. THE KILLING FIELDS, Warner Bros., 1984 (# 60)
  148. THE KING OF KINGS, Pathé, 1927
  149. KING OF KINGS, MGM, 1961
  150. KNUTE ROCKNE ALL AMERICAN, Warner Bros., 1940
  151. LASSIE COME HOME, MGM, 1943
  152. THE LAST TEMPTATION OF CHRIST, Universal, 1988
  153. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, Columbia, 1962 (# 30)
  154. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, Columbia, 1992
  155. LEAN ON ME, Warner Bros., 1989
  156. THE LIFE OF EMILE ZOLA, Warner Bros., 1937
  157. LILIES OF THE FIELD, United Artists, 1963 (# 46)
  158. THE LION KING, Disney, 1994
  159. LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE, RKO, 1932
  160. THE LONGEST DAY, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1962
  161. THE LONGEST YARD, Paramount, 1974
  162. THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, New Line, 2001
  163. LORENZO’S OIL, Universal, 1992
  164. THE LOST WEEKEND, Paramount, 1945
  165. LOVE STORY, Paramount, 1970
  166. MADAME CURIE, MGM, 1943 (# 97)
  167. THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, United Artists, 1960
  168. MALCOLM X, Warner Bros., 1992
  169. A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS, Columbia, 1966
  170. THE MARK OF ZORRO, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1940
  171. MARTY, United Artists, 1955
  172. MARY POPPINS, Disney, 1964
  173. MASK, Universal, 1985
  174. MEET JOHN DOE, Warner Bros., 1941 (# 49)
  175. THE MEN, United Artists, 1950
  176. MIDWAY, Universal, 1976
  177. THE MIGHTY DUCKS, Disney, 1992
  178. MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID, MGM, 1952
  179. MIRACLE, Disney, 2004
  180. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1947 (# 9)
  181. THE MIRACLE WORKER, United Artists, 1962 (# 15)
  182. THE MISSION, Warner Bros., 1986
  183. MISSISSIPPI BURNING, Orion, 1988
  184. MOULIN ROUGE!, Twentieth Century-Fox, 2001
  185. MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN, Columbia, 1936 (# 83)
  186. MR. HOLLAND'S OPUS, Hollywood Pictures, 1995
  187. MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, Columbia, 1939 (# 5)
  188. MRS. MINIVER, MGM, 1942 (# 40)
  189. MUSIC OF THE HEART, Miramax, 1999
  190. MY FAIR LADY, Warner Bros., 1964
  191. MY FAMILY, MI FAMILIA, New Line, 1995
  192. MYSTERY, ALASKA, Hollywood, 1999
  193. NATIONAL VELVET, MGM, 1944 (# 24)
  194. THE NATURAL, TriStar, 1984
  195. 9 TO 5, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1980
  196. NORMA RAE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979 (# 16)
  197. NORTH DALLAS FORTY, Paramount, 1979
  198. THE NUN’S STORY, Warner Bros., 1959
  199. OCTOBER SKY, Universal, 1999
  200. AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, Paramount, 1982 (# 68)
  201. OLIVER!, Columbia, 1968
  202. ON GOLDEN POND, Universal, 1981 (# 45)
  203. ON THE WATERFRONT, Columbia, 1954 (# 36)
  204. ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST, United Artists, 1975 (# 17)
  205. OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES, MGM, 1945
  206. THE PAPER CHASE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1973 (# 91)
  207. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST, Newmarket, 2004
  208. PATTON, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1970
  209. PHILADELPHIA, TriStar, 1993 (# 20)
  210. PINOCCHIO, Disney, 1940 (# 38)
  211. PLACES IN THE HEART, TriStar, 1984 (# 95)
  212. POCKETFUL OF MIRACLES, United Artists, 1961
  213. POLLYANNA, United Artists, 1920
  214. POLLYANNA, Disney, 1960
  215. PRIDE OF THE MARINES, Warner Bros., 1945
  216. THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, RKO, 1942 (# 22)
  217. PT 109, Warner Bros., 1963
  218. QUEEN CHRISTINA, MGM, 1933
  219. QUO VADIS, MGM, 1951
  220. RAIN MAN, United Artists, 1988 (# 63)
  221. A RAISIN IN THE SUN, Columbia, 1961 (# 65)
  222. RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II, TriStar, 1985
  223. RAY, Universal, 2004 (# 99)
  224. THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE, MGM, 1951
  225. REDS, Paramount, 1981
  226. REGARDING HENRY, Paramount, 1991
  227. REMEMBER THE TITANS, Disney, 2000
  228. REVENGE OF THE NERDS, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1984
  229. THE RIGHT STUFF, Warner Bros., 1983 (# 19)
  230. THE ROBE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1953
  231. ROBIN HOOD, United Artists, 1922
  232. ROCKY, United Artists, 1976 (# 4)
  233. ROLLERBALL, United Artists, 1975
  234. THE ROOKIE, Disney, 2002
  235. RUDY, TriStar, 1993 (# 54)
  236. RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP, United Artists, 1958
  237. SANDS OF IWO JIMA, Republic, 1949
  238. SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, Paramount, 1977
  239. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, DreamWorks, 1998 (# 10)
  240. SCENT OF A WOMAN, Universal, 1992
  241. SCHINDLER'S LIST, Universal, 1993 (# 3)
  242. SEABISCUIT, Universal, 2003 (# 50)
  243. SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER, Paramount, 1993 (# 96)
  244. SERGEANT YORK, Warner Bros., 1941 (# 57)
  245. SERPICO, Paramount, 1973 (# 84)
  246. SHAFT, MGM, 1971
  247. SHANE, Paramount, 1953 (# 53)
  248. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, Columbia, 1994 (# 23)
  249. SILKWOOD, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983 (# 66)
  250. SINCE YOU WENT AWAY, United Artists, 1944
  251. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE, TriStar, 1993
  252. SO PROUDLY WE HAIL!, Paramount, 1943
  253. SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME, MGM, 1956
  254. SONG OF BERNADETTE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1943
  255. THE SOUND OF MUSIC, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1965 (# 41)
  256. SOUNDER, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1972 (# 61)
  257. SPARROWS, United Artists, 1926
  258. SPARTACUS, Universal, 1960 (# 44)
  259. SPIDER-MAN 2, Columbia, 2004
  260. THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS, Warner Bros., 1957 (# 69)
  261. STAGECOACH, United Artists, 1939
  262. STAND AND DELIVER, Warner Bros., 1988 (# 86)
  263. STAND BY ME, Columbia, 1986
  264. STAND UP AND CHEER!, Fox, 1934
  265. STAR WARS, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1977 (# 39)
  266. THE STORY OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1939
  267. THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR, Warner Bros., 1935
  268. THE STRAIGHT STORY, Disney, 1999
  269. SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, Paramount, 1941 (# 25)
  270. SUNRISE AT CAMPOBELLO, Warner Bros., 1960
  271. SUPERMAN, Warner Bros., 1978
  272. SWEET CHARITY, Universal, 1969
  273. THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, Paramount, 1956 (# 79)
  274. THELMA & LOUISE, MGM, 1991 (# 78)
  275. THE THIEF OF BAGDAD, United Artists, 1924
  276. THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO, MGM, 1945
  277. TO HELL AND BACK, Universal, 1955
  278. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, Universal, 1962
  279. TOP GUN, Paramount, 1986
  280. A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1945
  281. THE TRUMAN SHOW, Paramount, 1998
  282. 12 ANGRY MEN, United Artists, 1957 (# 42)
  283. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, MGM, 1968 (# 47)
  284. AN UNMARRIED WOMAN, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1978
  285. THE VERDICT, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1982 (# 75)
  286. WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT, Touchstone, 1993 (# 85)
  287. THE WILD ONE, Columbia, 1954
  288. WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, Paramount, 1970
  289. WINGS, Paramount, 1927
  290. THE WINNING TEAM, Warner Bros., 1952
  291. WITH A SONG IN MY HEART, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1952
  292. WITHOUT LIMITS, Warner Bros., 1998
  293. THE WIZARD OF OZ, MGM, 1939 (# 26)
  294. WORKING GIRL, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1988 (# 87)
  295. YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, Warner Bros., 1942 (# 88)
  296. YENTL, MGM, 1983
  297. YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU, Columbia, 1938
  298. YOUNG MR. LINCOLN, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1939
  299. YOUNG TOM EDISON, MGM, 1940
  300. ZORBA THE GREEK, International Classics, 1964

Facts About the 300 Nominees for Most Inspiring Film:




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