38. Gone With The Wind (1939)
Ever since the time of its release, Gone With the Wind has been considered a classic. Even though it runs at an incredibly length of 224 minutes, Gone With the Wind is never boring, but handsome and distinctive, its iconic score passionately embracing the audience, being completely at one with the film - like all great movie scores are. It's an epic tale of romance, perfectly acted by Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and Lesley Howard and a progressive leap forward for cinema. When it was released, it was the greatest movie ever made and all these years on, it's still one of them because its story is so strong and pure and a good story transcends time. The vision of the film was something completely new to the medium, taking cinema to an entirely new level as the form was continually evolving as the changes in the last ten years are notable. The film is as monumental in its greatness as it is its importance and will continue to be watched by generations to come.
37. Citizen Kane (1941)
Citizen Kane's critical acclaim has continued to grow ever since its release in 1941, even though it was a commercial failure at its time of release. The film's structure has gone on to become a template for classics such as Paul Schrader's infinitely underrated Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters and Lawrence of Arabia and is a good reason as to why the film hasn't aged a day. The story is a universal one that was expertly parodied in The Simpsons - an all-powerful man who wants the one thing he can't have - and can still resonate with audiences because of its simplicity but emotional depth. Welles was only 26 when he made Citizen Kane and due to studio politics, his career could never reach the same heights - which is a shame because films like Touch of Evil, The Stranger and The Trial are all classics that have been little seen in comparison. For five decades, Sight and Sound named it the greatest film of all time and directors such as Martin Scorsese, Sergio Leone, Francis Ford Coppola, Ridley Scott and Steven Spielberg have all acknowledged the film's influence on their own work. Citizen Kane changed the way movies could look - Welles' use of flashbacks was unprecedented, the way he used lighting was revolutionary and it has gone to be one of the most talked about and acclaimed movies of all time. You can't claim to be a fan of cinema until you've seen Citizen Kane.
36. Casablanca (1942)
Seventy-one years on, Casablanca is still the greatest romance film of all time. It has everything - Humphrey Bogart's finest performance, one of the best screenplay's ever written, memorable dialogue and a beautiful theme song. It was by no means a revolutionary picture, it just elevated that successful formula to a new level. To talk about the great, iconic moments in Casablanca would take forever - there are so many - but the one that always stands out to me is when Rick sees Isla at his bar - Bogart acts the scene perfectly - his face full of confused emotion. Casablanca wasn't a maverick film like Citizen Kane but it is the perfect studio film and as important as Welles' masterpiece. Casablanca has continued to grow in legend as more and more people have seen it - its timelessness perfected by a combination of love, humour, heroes and villains - even the hardest of souls have been broken down by Casablanca. Bogart and Bergman gained immortality with the film as it is truly theirs as the reunited then parting lovers who occupy the hearts of the millions who have watched the Hollywood classic. One of the most quoted movies of all time and an inspiration for every romantic drama since, one of the few films that truly lives up to its great hype.