AFI's Most Inspiring Films - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

maleficent · 06-15-2006, 05:35 AM

'Wonderful Life' is most inspiring movie

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LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- George Bailey's brother proclaimed him the richest man in Bedford Falls. Now the story of the despondent businessman, who got a chance to see how ugly the world would be without him, has been proclaimed the most inspiring American movie.

Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life," starring James Stewart as the disillusioned George, led the American Film Institute's list of inspirational films revealed Wednesday in the group's annual top-100 TV special that aired on CBS.

"We all connect to that story. We may not all connect to the story of a fighter from Philadelphia or a singing family in the Austrian Alps," said the TV special's producer, Bob Gazzale, referring to two other films on the list, "Rocky" and "The Sound of Music."

"But there's no way to get away from the inspiring story of George Bailey. It relates to us all."

"To Kill a Mockingbird," with Gregory Peck as the upright Southern dad seeking justice for a wrongly accused black man, was No. 2 on the list chosen from 300 nominated films on ballots sent to 1,500 filmmakers, actors, critics and others in Hollywood.

Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List," starring Liam Neeson as a German businessman who saves his Jewish workers from extermination by the Nazis, was No. 3.

Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky" was fourth, while another Capra-Stewart collaboration, the political saga "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," ranked fifth.

Spielberg landed two other films in the top 10, "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (No. 6) and "Saving Private Ryan" (No. 10). Rounding out the top 10: "The Grapes of Wrath" (No. 7), "Breaking Away" (No. 8) and "Miracle on 34th Street" (No. 9).

The 1946 classic "It's a Wonderful Life" is the story of a man who dreamed of escaping his dreary town and making a mark in the world. Circumstance traps George Bailey in tiny Bedford Falls, where he runs his family's penny-ante building and loan and battles the town's miserly overlord.

One Christmas Eve, facing scandal and criminal charges after his uncle misplaces $8,000, George is driven to attempt suicide, but an angel steps in to show him all the good he's done and what a harsher place the world would be without him.

As family and friends rally to his rescue, George learns to embrace the life he thought he loathed and receives a heartfelt toast from his sibling: "To my big brother George -- the richest man in town."

With five films, Spielberg led directors in the top 100. Spielberg's others were "The Color Purple" (No. 51) and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (No. 58). Capra was next with four films, his others being "Meet John Doe" (No. 49) and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" (No. 83).

Sidney Poitier and Gary Cooper each appeared in five films. Poitier had "In the Heat of the Night" (No. 21), "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" (No. 35), "Lilies of the Field" (No. 46), "The Defiant Ones" (No. 55) and "A Raisin in the Sun" (No. 65). Cooper was in Capra's "Meet John Doe" and "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town," plus "The Pride of the Yankees" (No. 22), "High Noon" (No. 27) and "Sergeant York" (No. 57).

The films ranged widely, including sports tales ("Hoosiers" at No. 13 and "Field of Dreams" at No. 28), real-life drama ("Apollo 13" at No. 12 and "What's Love Got to Do With It" at No. 85), musicals ("The Wizard of Oz" at No. 26 and "Fiddler on the Roof" at No. 82), science fiction ("Star Wars" at No. 39 and "2001: A Space Odyssey" at No. 47) and family films ("Pinocchio" at No. 38 and "Babe" at No. 80).

The oldest movie was Charles Chaplin's 1931 silent film "City Lights" (No. 33). The newest were two from 2004, "Hotel Rwanda" (No. 90) and "Ray" (No. 99).

Past AFI lists have included best comedies, movie quotes, songs and love stories.

With the September 11, 2001, attacks, the war in Iraq and the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the group wanted to examine films that offer hope.

"This was kind of an interesting moment in American history, coming off September 11, being at war, having natural disasters of such tremendous impact. What role do the movies play at times of really emotional turmoil?" said Jean Picker Firstenberg, AFI director. "I think the movies are fundamentally a very inspirational way we communicate, and we thought this was an exciting opportunity to recognize those films."

AFI's MOST INSPIRING FILMS

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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

Some interesting movies on the list.. I don't think that It's a Wonderful Life would be number 1... given some of the other movies, maybe because i've seen it a bazillion times, I just find it absolutely cheesey. Breaking Away at number 8 is a big suprise... I have seen that movie a bunch of times, and really enjoyed it, but inspiring? Any movies missing from the list? any movies absolutely not belong there or too low on the list?

Charlatan · 06-15-2006, 05:54 AM

They aired this special on TV last night... I was quite happy to see It's A Wonderful Life at the top of the list, as well as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington at number five. Frank Capra was a great filmmaker and Jimmy Stewart was great in both films.

I am not sure what the criteria was for the list but I would say IAWL is not only a GREAT film but it maxes out on the number of people who have seen it and been influenced by it...

Looking down the list I can't see any that really stand out as not deserving to be on the list. I might shuffled the order a bit but that is mostly personal preference rather than anything else.

Ample · 06-15-2006, 06:42 AM

The list has a lot of older films. I don’t know why but for some reason I don’t watch them, with the expectation of Bogart films. Saying that, there are a lot of great films, but I don’t know if I would say some of them are the most inspirational, such as Saving Private Ryan, Forest Gump, and Serpico. Out of the one I have seen on that list, I would say totally agree with The Shawshank Redemption, Color Purple, and Dead Poet’s Society.

Two movies that I find imprinting that didn’t make the list is Fight Club and Swingers.

Grasshopper Green · 06-16-2006, 07:18 PM

There's quite a few I've never seen...but one that really stood out to me was Thelma and Louise. I didn't find anything inspiring about that movie...it depressed the hell out of me.

thespian86 · 06-18-2006, 04:16 PM

I'm a student actor and have been one of the male leads of FAME... on the list of most inspiring movies though? I think there are far more inspiring films then that of a sadly strewn together film about student actors. Agreed?

Derwood · 06-19-2006, 04:35 AM

I demand a definition of "inspiring".

Mr. Spacemonkey · 06-19-2006, 02:33 PM

There are a lot of good movies on the list but some I would question whether they were very inspiring. Especially for a list of what is supposed to be the most inspiring, I'm really questioning some of these. I'm sure we could bullshit our way and come up with reasons but come on ...

longbough · 06-25-2006, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Derwood

I demand a definition of "inspiring".

An "inspiring" movie is one that provokes a lot of emotion and makes you feel as if you learned something when you really haven't.

oracle2380 · 06-27-2006, 04:08 PM

Debbie Does Dallas really inspired me. I wonder why that didn't make the list?

But seriously Star Wars over Seabiscuit? what a travesty.

06-15-2006, 05:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
Charlatan Getting it. Super Moderator Location: Lion City	They aired this special on TV last night... I was quite happy to see It's A Wonderful Life at the top of the list, as well as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington at number five. Frank Capra was a great filmmaker and Jimmy Stewart was great in both films. I am not sure what the criteria was for the list but I would say IAWL is not only a GREAT film but it maxes out on the number of people who have seen it and been influenced by it... Looking down the list I can't see any that really stand out as not deserving to be on the list. I might shuffled the order a bit but that is mostly personal preference rather than anything else. __________________ "My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke

06-16-2006, 07:18 PM	#4 (permalink)
Grasshopper Green ...is a comical chap Location: Where morons reign supreme	There's quite a few I've never seen...but one that really stood out to me was Thelma and Louise. I didn't find anything inspiring about that movie...it depressed the hell out of me. __________________ "They say that patriotism is the last refuge to which a scoundrel clings; steal a little and they throw you in jail, steal a lot and they make you king" Formerly Medusa

06-18-2006, 04:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
thespian86 change is hard. Location: the green room.	I'm a student actor and have been one of the male leads of FAME... on the list of most inspiring movies though? I think there are far more inspiring films then that of a sadly strewn together film about student actors. Agreed? __________________ EX: Whats new? ME: I officially love coffee more then you now. EX: uh... ME: So, not much.

06-19-2006, 04:35 AM	#6 (permalink)
Derwood Who You Crappin? Location: Everywhere and Nowhere	I demand a definition of "inspiring". __________________ "You can't shoot a country until it becomes a democracy." - Willravel

06-19-2006, 02:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
Mr. Spacemonkey Wake up Location: Nowhere special	There are a lot of good movies on the list but some I would question whether they were very inspiring. Especially for a list of what is supposed to be the most inspiring, I'm really questioning some of these. I'm sure we could bullshit our way and come up with reasons but come on ... __________________ "I hope that when the world comes to an end, I can breathe a sigh of relief, because there will be so much to look forward to." -- Donnie Darko

06-15-2006, 06:42 AM	#3 (permalink)
Ample Psycho Location: In your closet	The list has a lot of older films. I don’t know why but for some reason I don’t watch them, with the expectation of Bogart films. Saying that, there are a lot of great films, but I don’t know if I would say some of them are the most inspirational, such as Saving Private Ryan, Forest Gump, and Serpico. Out of the one I have seen on that list, I would say totally agree with The Shawshank Redemption, Color Purple, and Dead Poet’s Society. Two movies that I find imprinting that didn’t make the list is Fight Club and Swingers.

06-27-2006, 04:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
oracle2380 Upright Location: Up in Washington watching the puddles grow.	Debbie Does Dallas really inspired me. I wonder why that didn't make the list? But seriously Star Wars over Seabiscuit? what a travesty. __________________ "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost