Classical Hollywood narrative

Classical Hollywood cinema is a term used in film criticism to describe both a narrative and visual style of filmmaking which became characteristic of American cinema between the 1910s (rapidly after World War I) and the 1960s. It eventually became the most powerful and pervasive style of filmmaking worldwide.

Similar or associated terms include classical Hollywood narrative, the Golden Age of Hollywood, Old Hollywood, and classical continuity.

For centuries, the only visual standard of narrative storytelling art was the theatre. Since the first narrative films in the mid-late 1890s, filmmakers have sought to capture the power of live theatre on the cinema screen. Most of these filmmakers started as directors on the late 19th-century stage, and likewise most film actors had roots in vaudeville (e.g. The Marx Brothers) or theatrical melodramas. Visually, early narrative films had adapted little from the stage, and their narratives had adapted very little from vaudeville and melodrama. Before the visual style which would become known as "classical continuity", scenes were filmed in full shot and used carefully choreographed staging to portray plot and character relationships. Editing technique was extremely limited, and mostly consisted of close-ups of writing on objects for their legibility.

The maturation of silent films (1913 – late 1920s)

Though lacking the reality inherent to the stage, film (unlike the stage) offers the freedom to manipulate apparent time and space, and thus create the illusion of realism – that is temporal linearity and spatial continuity. By the early 1910s, when the Lost Generation was coming of age, filmmaking was beginning to fulfill its artistic potential. In Sweden and Denmark, this period would later be known as the "Golden Age" of the film; in America, this artistic change is attributed to filmmakers like D. W. Griffith finally breaking the grip of the Edison Trust to make films independent of the manufacturing monopoly. Films worldwide began to noticeably adopt visual and narrative elements which would be found in classical Hollywood cinema. 1913 was a particularly fruitful year for the medium, as pioneering directors from several countries produced masterpieces such as ''The Mothering Heart'' (D. W. Griffith), ''Ingeborg Holm'' (Victor Sjöström), and ''L'enfant de Paris'' (Léonce Perret) that set new standards for the film as a form of storytelling. It was also the year when Yevgeni Bauer (the first true film artist, according to Georges Sadoul) started his short, but prolific, career.

In the world generally and America specifically, the influence of Griffith on filmmaking was unmatched. Equally influential were his actors in adapting their performances to the new medium. Lillian Gish, the star of ''The Mothering Heart'', is particularly noted for her influence on on-screen performance techniques. Griffith's 1915 epic ''The Birth of a Nation'' was ground-breaking for film as a means of storytelling – a masterpiece of literary narrative with numerous innovative visual techniques. The film initiated so many advances in American cinema that it was rendered obsolete within a few years. Though 1913 was a global landmark for filmmaking, 1917 was primarily an American one; the era of "classical Hollywood cinema" is distinguished by a narrative and visual style which began to dominate the film medium in America by 1917.

Classical Hollywood cinema in the sound era (late 1920s – 1960s)

The narrative and visual style of classical Hollywood style developed further after the transition to sound-film production. The primary changes in American filmmaking came from the film industry itself, with the height of the studio system. This mode of production, with its reigning star system promoted by several key studios, had preceded sound by several years. By mid-1920, most of the prominent American directors and actors, who had worked independently since the early 1910s, had to become a part of the new studio system to continue to work.

The beginning of the sound era itself is ambiguously defined. To some, it began with ''The Jazz Singer'', which was released in 1927, when the Interbellum Generationers became of age and increased box-office profits for films as sound was introduced to feature films. To others, the era began in 1929, when the silent age had definitively ended. Most Hollywood pictures from the late 1920s to 1960s adhered closely to a genre — Western, slapstick comedy, musical, animated cartoon, and biopic (biographical picture) — and the same creative teams often worked on films made by the same studio. For instance, Cedric Gibbons and Herbert Stothart always worked on MGM films; Alfred Newman worked at 20th Century Fox for twenty years; Cecil B. DeMille's films were almost all made at Paramount Pictures; and director Henry King's films were mostly made for Twentieth Century Fox. Similarly, actors were mostly contract players. Film historians and critics note that it took about a decade for films to adapt to sound and return to the level of artistic quality of the silents, which they did in the late 1930s when the Greatest Generationers became of age.

Many great works of cinema that emerged from this period were of highly regimented filmmaking. One reason this was possible is that, as so many films were made, not every one had to be a big hit. A studio could gamble on a medium-budget feature with a good script and relatively unknown actors. This was the case with ''Citizen Kane'' (1941), directed by Orson Welles and regarded as one of the greatest films of all time. Other strong-willed directors, like Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Capra, battled the studios in order to achieve their artistic visions. The apogee of the studio system may have been the year 1939, which saw the release of such classics as '' The Wizard of Oz''; ''Gone with the Wind''; ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame''; ''Stagecoach''; ''Mr. Smith Goes to Washington''; ''Destry Rides Again''; ''Young Mr. Lincoln''; ''Wuthering Heights''; ''Only Angels Have Wings''; ''Ninotchka''; ''Beau Geste''; ''Babes in Arms''; ''Gunga Din''; '' The Women''; ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips''; and ''The Roaring Twenties''.

Style

The visual-narrative style of classical Hollywood cinema, as elaborated by David Bordwell, was heavily influenced by the ideas of the Renaissance and its resurgence of mankind as the focal point. It is distinguished at three general levels: devices, systems, and the relations of systems.

Devices

The devices most inherent to classical Hollywood cinema are those of continuity editing. This includes the 180-degree rule, one of the major visual-spatial elements of continuity editing. The 180-degree rule keeps with the "photographed play" style by creating an imaginary 180-degree axis between the viewer and the shot, allowing viewers to clearly orient themselves within the position and direction of action in a scene. According to the 30-degree rule, cuts in the angle that the scene is viewed from must be significant enough for the viewer to understand the purpose of a change in perspective. Cuts that do not adhere to the 30-degree rule, known as jump cuts, are disruptive to the illusion of temporal continuity between shots. The 180-degree and 30-degree rules are elementary guidelines in filmmaking that preceded the official start of the classical era by over a decade, as seen in the pioneering 1902 French film ''A Trip to the Moon''. Cutting techniques in classical continuity editing serve to help establish or maintain continuity, as in the cross cut, which establishes the concurrence of action in different locations. Jump cuts are allowed in the form of the axial cut, which does not change the angle of shooting at all, but has the clear purpose of showing a perspective closer or farther from the subject, and therefore does not interfere with temporal continuity.

Systems

Narrative logic

Classical narration progresses always through psychological motivation, i.e., by the will of a human character and its struggle with obstacles towards a defined goal. This narrative element is commonly composed of a primary narrative (e.g. a romance) intertwined with a secondary narrative or narratives. This narrative is structured with an unmistakable beginning, middle and end, and generally there is a distinct resolution. Utilizing actors, events, causal effects, main points, and secondary points are basic characteristics of this type of narrative. The characters in classical Hollywood cinema have clearly definable traits, are active, and very goal oriented. They are causal agents motivated by psychological rather than social concerns. The narrative is a chain of cause and effect with causal agents – in classical style, events do not occur randomly.

Cinematic time and space

Time in classical Hollywood is continuous, linear, and uniform, since non-linearity calls attention to the illusory workings of the medium. The only permissible manipulation of time in this format is the flashback. It is mostly used to introduce a memory sequence of a character, ''e.g.'', ''Casablanca''.

The greatest rule of classical continuity regarding space is object permanence: the viewer must believe that the scene exists outside the shot of the cinematic frame to maintain the picture's realism. The treatment of space in classical Hollywood strives to overcome or conceal the two-dimensionality of film ("invisible style") and is strongly centered upon the human body. The majority of shots in a classical film focus on gestures or facial expressions (medium-long and medium shots). André Bazin once compared classical film to a photographed play in that the events seem to exist objectively and that cameras only give us the best view of the whole play.

This treatment of space consists of four main aspects: centering, balancing, frontality, and depth. Persons or objects of significance are mostly in the center part of the picture frame and never out of focus. Balancing refers to the visual composition, i. e., characters are evenly distributed throughout the frame. The action is subtly addressed towards the spectator (frontality) and set, lighting (mostly three-point lighting, especially high-key lighting), and costumes are designed to separate foreground from the background (depth).

Relations of systems

The aspects of space and time are subordinated to the narrative element.

Legacy

The New Hollywood of the mid-1960s to early 80s was influenced by the romanticism of the classical era, as was the French New Wave.

Major figures from Classic Hollywood cinema

Names in boldface type were recognized on the American Film Institute's list ranking the top 25 male and 25 female greatest screen legends of American film history. The top stars of their respective genders are Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, who starred together in the classic adventure 1951 film '' The African Queen''. Sophia Loren, is the only living star listed in the top 25.

*Carl Laemmle (1867–1939)
*Marie Dressler (1868–1934)
*Adolph Zukor (1873–1976)
*D. W. Griffith (1875–1948)
*Lionel Barrymore (1878–1954)
*Max Factor (1877–1938)
*Cecil B. DeMille (1881–1959)
*Samuel Goldwyn (1882–1974)
*Lon Chaney (1883–1930)
*Douglas Fairbanks (1883–1939)
*Louis B. Mayer (1884–1957)
* Henry King (1886–1982)
*Sessue Hayakawa (1886–1973)
*Chico Marx (1887–1961)
*Harpo Marx (1888–1964)
*Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)
*Victor Fleming (1889–1949)
*Stan Laurel (1890-1965)
*Groucho Marx (1890–1977)
*Oliver Hardy (1892-1957)
*Jack L. Warner (1892–1978)
*Ernst Lubitsch (1892–1947)
*William Powell (1892–1984)
*Mary Pickford (1892–1979)
*Harold Lloyd (1893–1971)
*Mae West (1893–1980)
*Lillian Gish (1893–1993)
*Hattie McDaniel (1893–1952)
*Edward G. Robinson (1893–1973)
*Gummo Marx (1893-1977)
*Norma Talmadge (1894–1957)
*John Ford (1894–1973)
*King Vidor (1894–1982)
*Rudolph Valentino (1895–1926)
*Buster Keaton (1895–1966)
*José Mojica (1895–1974)
*Ruth Gordon (1896–1985)
*Marion Davies (1897–1961)
*Dorothy Arzner (1897-1979)
*Edith Head (1897–1981)
*Hal B. Wallis (1898–1986)
*Irene Dunne (1898–1990)
*Randolph Scott (1898–1987)
*Fred Astaire (1899–1987)
*Gloria Swanson (1899–1983)
*Irving Thalberg (1899–1936)
*James Cagney (1899–1986)
*Alfred Hitchcock (1899–1980)
*Humphrey Bogart (1899–1957)
*George Cukor (1899–1983)
*Ramon Novarro (1899–1968)
*Spencer Tracy (1900–1967)
*Jean Arthur (1900–1991)
*Helen Hayes (1900–1993)
*Mervyn LeRoy (1900–1987)
*Clark Gable (1901–1960)
*Walt Disney (1901–1966)
*Gary Cooper (1901–1961)
*Marlene Dietrich (1901–1992)
*Zeppo Marx (1901-1979)
*Darryl F. Zanuck (1902–1979)
*David O. Selznick (1902–1965)
*William Wyler (1902–1981)
*Norma Shearer (1902–1983)
*Bing Crosby (1903–1977)
*Bob Hope (1903–2003)
*Claudette Colbert (1903–1996)
*Vincente Minnelli (1903–1986)
*Joan Crawford (190?–1977)
*Cary Grant (1904–1986)
* Dolores del Rio (1904–1983)
*George Stevens (1904–1975)
*Greer Garson (1904–1996)
*Clara Bow (1905–1965)
*Henry Fonda (1905–1982)
*Greta Garbo (1905–1990)
*Myrna Loy (1905–1993)
*Anna May Wong (1905–1961)
*Gilbert Roland (1905-1994)
*Louise Brooks (1906–1985)
*Janet Gaynor (1906–1984)
*Billy Wilder (1906–2002)
*John Huston (1906–1987)
*Fred Zinnemann (1907–1997)
*Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003)
*Laurence Olivier (1907–1989)
*John Wayne (1907–1979)
*Rosalind Russell (1907–1976)
*Barbara Stanwyck (1907–1990)
*Bette Davis (1908–1989)
*Carole Lombard (1908–1942)
*David Lean (1908–1991)
*James Stewart (1908–1997)
*Lupe Vélez (1908–1944)
*Rex Harrison (1908–1990)
*Tito Guízar (1908-1999)
*Douglas Fairbanks Jr. (1909–2000)
*Errol Flynn (1909–1959)
*Carmen Miranda (1909–1955)
*Elia Kazan (1909–2003)
*Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1909–1993)
*David Niven (1910–1983)
*Luise Rainer (1910–2014)
*Vincent Price (1911–1993)
*Jean Harlow (1911–1937)
*Ginger Rogers (1911–1995)
*José Ferrer (1912-1992)
*Gene Kelly (1912–1996)
*Vivien Leigh (1913–1967)
*Loretta Young (1913–2000)
*Burt Lancaster (1913–1994)
*Tyrone Power (1914–1958)
*Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000)
*Orson Welles (1915–1985)
*Ingrid Bergman (1915–1982)
*Frank Sinatra (1915–1998)
*Anthony Quinn (1915–2001)
*Alice Faye (1915–1998)
*Betty Grable (1916–1973)
*Gregory Peck (1916–2003)
*Olivia de Havilland (1916–2020)
*Kirk Douglas (1916–2020)
*Van Johnson (1916–2008)
*Jane Wyman (1917–2007)
*Lena Horne (1917–2010)
*Susan Hayward (1917–1975)
*Robert Mitchum (1917–1997)
*Joan Fontaine (1917–2013)
*June Allyson (1917–2006)
*William Holden (1918–1981)
*Ida Lupino (1918-1995)
*Rita Hayworth (1918–1987)
*Jennifer Jones (1919–2009)
*Mickey Rooney (1920–2014)
*Maureen O'Hara (1920–2015)
*Gene Tierney (1920–1991)
*Montgomery Clift (1920–1966)
*Ricardo Montalbán (1920–2009)
*Shelley Winters (1920–2006)
*Yul Brynner (1920–1985)
*Esther Williams (1921–2013)
*Deborah Kerr (1921–2007)
*Jane Russell (1921–2011)
*Cyd Charisse (1921–2008)
*Lana Turner (1921–1995)
*Dorothy Dandridge (1922–1965)
*Doris Day (1922–2019)
*Judy Garland (1922–1969)
*Ava Gardner (1922–1990)
*Charlton Heston (1923–2008)
*Marlon Brando (1924–2004)
*Stanley Donen (1924–2019)
*Lauren Bacall (1924–2014)
*Katy Jurado (1924-2002)
*Jack Lemmon (1925–2001)
*Paul Newman (1925–2008)
*Rock Hudson (1925–1985)
*Tony Curtis (1925–2010)
*Angela Lansbury (1925–2022)
*Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962)
*Janet Leigh (1927–2004)
*Sidney Poitier (1927–2022)
*Shirley Temple (1928–2014)
*Audrey Hepburn (1929–1993)
*Grace Kelly (1929–1982)
*Jane Powell (1929–2021)
*James Dean (1931–1955)
*Elizabeth Taylor (1932–2011)
*Debbie Reynolds (1932–2016)
*Anthony Perkins (1932-1992)
*Omar Sharif (1932-2015)
*Jayne Mansfield (1933–1967)
* Sophia Loren (1934–present)
*Elvis Presley (1935-1977)
*Diahann Carroll (1935-2019)
*Natalie Wood (1938–1981)

Living actors from Classical Hollywood

Those listed in bold were either awarded or nominated for a position on the American Film Institute's list ranking the top 25 male and 25 female greatest screen legends of American film history.
See. AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars.

* Elisabeth Waldo - born 1918 (age )
* Caren Marsh Doll – born 1919 (age )
* Margia Dean – born 1922 (age )
* Janis Paige – born 1922 (age )
* Jacqueline White – born 1922 (age )
* Glynis Johns – born 1923 (age )
* Carole Cook - born 1924 (age )
* Eva Marie Saint – born 1924 (age )
* June Lockhart – born 1925 (age )
* Lee Grant – born 1925 (age )
* Miiko Taka – born 1925 (age )
* Dick Van Dyke – born 1925 (age )
* Marilyn Knowlden – born 1926 (age )
* Terry Kilburn – born 1926 (age )
* Lisa Lu- born 1927 (age )
* Phyllis Coates born 1927 (age )
* Harry Belafonte – born 1927 (age )
* Cora Sue Collins – born 1927 (age )
* Gina Lollobrigida – born 1927 (age )
* Peggy Dow – born 1928 (age )
* Nancy Olson – born 1928 (age )
* Ann Blyth – born 1928 (age )
* Earl Holliman – born 1928 (age )
* James Hong – born 1929 (age )
* Don Murray (actor), Don Murray – born 1929 (age )
* Vera Miles – born 1929 (age )
* Terry Moore (actress), Terry Moore – born 1929 (age )
* Bob Newhart – born 1929 (age )
* Tippi Hedren – born 1930 (age )
* Gene Hackman – born 1930 (age )
* Robert Wagner – born 1930 (age )
* Joanne Woodward – born 1930 (age )
* Clint Eastwood – born 1930 (age )
* Gena Rowlands – born 1930 (age )
* Mary Costa – born 1930 (age )
* Mamie Van Doren – born 1931 (age )
* James Earl Jones – born 1931 (age )
* Claire Bloom – born 1931 (age )
* Carroll Baker – born 1931 (age )
* Leslie Caron – born 1931 (age )
* Barbara Eden - born 1931 (age )
* Mitzi Gaynor – born 1931 (age, )
* Angie Dickinson – born 1931 (age )
* Rita Moreno – born 1931 (age )
* William Shatner – born 1931 (age )
*Piper Laurie – born 1932 (age )
* Felicia Farr – born 1932 (age )
* Kim Novak – born 1933 (age )
* Joan Collins – born 1933 (age )
* Debra Paget – born 1933 (age )
* Audrey Dalton – born 1934 (age )
* Shirley MacLaine – born 1934 (age )
* Jean Marsh – born 1934 (age )
* Sophia Loren – born 1934 (age )
* Russ Tamblyn – born 1934 (age )
* Bobby Vinton - born 1935 (age )
* Julie Andrews – born 1935 (age 87)
* Warren Beatty – born 1937 (age )
* Margaret O'Brien – born 1937 (age )
* George Takei – born 1937 (age )
* Paul Collins (actor), Paul Collins – born 1937 (age )
* Connie Frances - born 1937 (age, )
* Jane Fonda – born 1937 (age )
* Kathryn Beaumont – born 1938 (age )
* Dolores Hart – born 1938 (age )
* Millie Perkins – born 1938 (age )
* Connie Stevens - born 1938 (age )
* Stella Stevens – born 1938 (age )
* George Hamilton (actor), George Hamilton – born 1939 (age )
* Raquel Welch – born 1940 (age )
* Ann-Margret – born 1941 (age )
* Fabian Forte – born 1943 (age )
* Frankie Avalon - born 1940 (age, )

List of selected notable films

The following is a chronological list of notable American films that were made during Hollywood's Golden Age.

Silent era

* ''The Mothering Heart'' (1913)
* ''The Birth of a Nation'' (1915)
* ''Intolerance (film), Intolerance'' (1916)
* ''Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1917 film), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'' (1917)
* ''The Immigrant (1917 film), The Immigrant'' (1917)
* ''The Poor Little Rich Girl'' (1917)
* ''Wild and Woolly (1917 film), Wild and Woolly'' (1917)
* ''Broken Blossoms'' (1919)
* ''Pollyanna (1920 film), Pollyanna'' (1920)
* ''The Last of the Mohicans (1920 American film), The Last of the Mohicans'' (1920)
* ''Within Our Gates'' (1920)
* ''Way Down East'' (1920)
* ''Orphans of the Storm'' (1921)
* ''The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (film), The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse'' (1921)
* ''The Kid (1921 film), The Kid'' (1921)
* ''A Woman of Paris'' (1921)
* ''The Covered Wagon'' (1923)
* ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923 film), The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1923)
* ''Safety Last!'' (1923)
* ''Greed (1924 film), Greed'' (1924)
* ''Sherlock Jr.'' (1924)
* ''The Thief of Bagdad (1924 film), The Thief of Bagdad'' (1924)
* ''Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925 film), Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'' (1925)
* ''The Big Parade'' (1925)
* ''The Gold Rush'' (1925)
* ''Little Annie Rooney (1925 film), Little Annie Rooney'' (1925)
* ''The Phantom of the Opera (1925 film), The Phantom of the Opera'' (1925)
* ''Flesh and the Devil'' (1926)
* ''Sparrows (1926 film), Sparrows'' (1926)
* ''The Black Pirate'' (1926)
* ''The Canadian (film), The Canadian'' (1926)
* ''The General (1926 film), The General'' (1926)
* ''7th Heaven (1927 film), 7th Heaven'' (1927)
* ''It (1927 film), It'' (1927)
* ''The Unknown (1927 film), The Unknown'' (1927)
* ''Wings (1927 film), Wings'' (1927)
* ''The Circus (1928 film), The Circus'' (1928)
* ''The Wind (1928 film), The Wind'' (1928)
* ''City Lights'' (1931)
* ''Tabu: A Story of the South Seas, Tabu'' (1931)
* ''Legong: Dance of the Virgins'' (1935)
* ''Modern Times (film), Modern Times'' (1936)

Sound era

* ''A Few Moments with Eddie Cantor'' (1923)
* ''My Old Kentucky Home (1926 film), My Old Kentucky Home'' (1926)
* ''The Jazz Singer'' (1927)
* ''Lights of New York (1928 film), Lights of New York'' (1928)
* ''Interference (film), Interference'' (1928)
* ''In Old Arizona'' (1928)
* ''Steamboat Willie'' (1928)
* ''The Broadway Melody'' (1929)
* ''On with the Show!'' (1929)
* ''A Free Soul'' (1930)
* ''All Quiet on the Western Front (1930 film), All Quiet on the Western Front'' (1930)
* ''Anna Christie (1930 English-language film), Anna Christie'' (1930)
* ''Morocco (film), Morocco'' (1930)
* ''King of Jazz'' (1930)
* ''Romance (1930 film), Romance'' (1930)
* ''The Divorcee'' (1930)
* ''Bad Girl (1931 film), Bad Girl'' (1931)
* ''Blonde Crazy'' (1931)
* ''Dracula (1931 English-language film), Dracula'' (1931)
* ''Frankenstein (1931 film), Frankenstein'' (1931)
* ''Platinum Blonde (film), Platinum Blonde'' (1931)
* ''The Public Enemy'' (1931)
* ''A Farewell to Arms (1932 film), A Farewell to Arms'' (1932)
* ''Flowers and Trees'' (1932)
* ''Forbidden (1932 film), Forbidden'' (1932)
* ''Freaks (1932 film), Freaks'' (1932)
* ''Grand Hotel (1932 film), Grand Hotel'' (1932)
* ''Red Dust (1932 film), Red Dust'' (1932)
* ''Scarface (1932 film), Scarface'' (1932)
* ''Shanghai Express (film), Shanghai Express'' (1932)
* ''The Animal Kingdom'' (1932)
* ''Trouble in Paradise (1932 film), Trouble in Paradise'' (1932)
* ''She Done Him Wrong'' (1933)
* ''42nd Street (film), 42nd Street'' (1933)
* ''Baby Face (film), Baby Face'' (1933)
* ''Design for Living (film), Design for Living'' (1933)
* ''Dinner at Eight (1933 film), Dinner at Eight'' (1933)
* ''Duck Soup (1933 film), Duck Soup'' (1933)
* ''Flying Down to Rio'' (1933)
* ''Footlight Parade'' (1933)
* ''The Invisible Man (1933 film), The Invisible Man'' (1933)
* ''King Kong (1933 film), King Kong'' (1933)
* ''Lady for a Day'' (1933)
* ''Man's Castle'' (1933)
* ''Snow-White (1933 film), Snow-White'' (1933)
* ''Queen Christina (film), Queen Christina'' (1933)
* ''Broadway Bill'' (1934)
* ''Imitation of Life (1934 film), Imitation of Life'' (1934)
* ''It Happened One Night'' (1934)
* ''Manhattan Melodrama'' (1934)
* ''No Greater Glory'' (1934)
* ''Of Human Bondage (1934 film), Of Human Bondage'' (1934)
* ''Poor Cinderella'' (1934)
* ''The Gay Divorcee'' (1934)
* ''The Old Fashioned Way (film), The Old Fashioned Way'' (1934)
* ''The Thin Man (film), The Thin Man'' (1934)
* ''Twentieth Century (film), Twentieth Century'' (1934)
* ''Woman Haters'' (1934)
* ''Wonder Bar'' (1934)
* ''Mutiny on the Bounty (1935 film), Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1935)
* ''A Night at the Opera (film), A Night at the Opera'' (1935)
* ''A Tale of Two Cities (1935 film), A Tale of Two Cities'' (1935)
* ''Anna Karenina (1935 film), Anna Karenina'' (1935)
* ''The Band Concert'' (1935)
* ''Becky Sharp (film), Becky Sharp'' (1935)
* ''Gold Diggers of 1935'' (1935)
* ''Sylvia Scarlett'' (1935)
* ''Top Hat'' (1935)
* ''Disorder in the Court'' (1936)Fandor
/ref>
* ''Camille (1936 film), Camille'' (1936)
* ''Follow the Fleet'' (1936)
* ''Libeled Lady'' (1936)
* ''Mr. Deeds Goes to Town'' (1936)
* ''My Man Godfrey'' (1936)
* ''Popeye the Sailor Meets Sindbad the Sailor'' (1936)
* ''San Francisco (1936 film), San Francisco'' (1936)
* ''Swing Time (film), Swing Time'' (1936)
* ''Theodora Goes Wild'' (1936)
* ''The Awful Truth'' (1937)
* ''Captains Courageous (1937 film), Captains Courageous'' (1937)
* ''Easy Living (1937 film), Easy Living'' (1937)
* ''Gold Diggers of 1937'' (1937)
* ''Heidi (1937 film), Heidi'' (1937)
* ''Lost Horizon (1937 film), Lost Horizon'' (1937)
* ''Make Way for Tomorrow'' (1937)
* ''Marked Woman'' (1937)
* ''Nothing Sacred (film), Nothing Sacred'' (1937)
* ''The Prisoner of Zenda (1937 film), The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1937)
* ''Shall We Dance (1937 film), Shall We Dance'' (1937)
* ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' (1937)
* ''Stage Door'' (1937)
* ''A Star Is Born (1937 film), A Star Is Born'' (1937)
* ''Stella Dallas (1937 film), Stella Dallas'' (1937)
* ''True Confession'' (1937)
* ''Varsity Show (film), Varsity Show'' (1937)
* ''Wee Willie Winkie (film), Wee Willie Winkie'' (1937)
* ''The Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1938)
* ''Algiers (film), Algiers'' (1938)
* ''Angels with Dirty Faces'' (1938)
* ''A Yank at Oxford'' (1938)
* ''Bringing Up Baby'' (1938)
* ''Holiday (1938 film), Holiday'' (1938)
* ''Jezebel (1938 film), Jezebel'' (1938)
* ''The Lady Vanishes'' (1938)
* ''Pygmalion (1938 film), Pygmalion'' (1938)
* ''You Can't Take It with You (film), You Can't Take It with You'' (1938)
* ''5th Avenue Girl'' (1939)
* ''Babes in Arms'' (1939)
* ''Beau Geste'' (1939)
* ''Dark Victory'' (1939)
* ''Destry Rides Again'' (1939)
* ''Gone with the Wind'' (1939)
* ''Goodbye, Mr. Chips'' (1939)
* ''Gulliver's Travels (1939 film), Gulliver's Travels'' (1939)
* ''Gunga Din'' (1939)
* ''Love Affair (1939 film), Love Affair'' (1939)
* ''Midnight (1939 film), Midnight'' (1939)
* ''Mr. Smith Goes to Washington'' (1939)
* ''Ninotchka'' (1939)
* ''Only Angels Have Wings'' (1939)
* ''Stagecoach'' (1939)
* ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1939)
* ''The Little Princess (1939 film), The Little Princess'' (1939)
* ''The Oklahoma Kid'' (1939)
* ''The Roaring Twenties'' (1939)
* ''The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle'' (1939)
* '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939)
* '' The Women'' (1939)
* ''Wuthering Heights'' (1939)
* ''Young Mr. Lincoln'' (1939)
* ''All This, and Heaven Too'' (1940)
* ''Broadway Melody of 1940'' (1940)
* ''Fantasia (1940 film), Fantasia'' (1940)
* ''Foreign Correspondent (film), Foreign Correspondent'' (1940)
* ''The Grapes of Wrath (film), The Grapes of Wrath'' (1940)
* ''The Great Dictator'' (1940)
* ''His Girl Friday'' (1940)
* ''Kitty Foyle (film), Kitty Foyle'' (1940)
* ''The Letter (1940 film), The Letter'' (1940)
* ''The Long Voyage Home'' (1940)
* ''The Mortal Storm'' (1940)
* ''My Favorite Wife'' (1940)
* ''The Philadelphia Story (film), The Philadelphia Story'' (1940)
* ''Pinocchio (1940 film), Pinocchio'' (1940)
* ''Pride and Prejudice (1940 film), Pride and Prejudice'' (1940)
* ''Primrose Path (film), Primrose Path'' (1940)
* ''Rebecca (1940 film), Rebecca'' (1940)
* ''The Shop Around the Corner'' (1940)
* ''The Thief of Bagdad (1940 film), The Thief of Bagdad'' (1940)
* ''Waterloo Bridge (1940 film), Waterloo Bridge'' (1940)
* ''49th Parallel (film), 49th Parallel'' (1941)
* ''Ball of Fire'' (1941)
* ''Blossoms in the Dust'' (1941)
* ''Citizen Kane'' (1941)
* ''Dumbo'' (1941)
* ''Here Comes Mr. Jordan'' (1941)
* ''High Sierra (film), High Sierra'' (1941)
* ''Hold Back the Dawn'' (1941)
* ''How Green Was My Valley (film), How Green Was My Valley'' (1941)
* ''The Little Foxes (film), The Little Foxes'' (1941)
* ''The Maltese Falcon (1941 film), The Maltese Falcon'' (1941)
* ''Meet John Doe'' (1941)
* ''Mr. Bug Goes to Town'' (1941)
* ''Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941 film), Mr. and Mrs. Smith'' (1941)
* ''One Foot in Heaven'' (1941)
* ''Penny Serenade'' (1941)
* ''Sergeant York (film), Sergeant York'' (1941)
* ''Sullivan's Travels'' (1941)
* ''Suspicion (1941 film), Suspicion'' (1941)
* ''The Bride Came C.O.D.'' (1941)
* ''The Lady Eve'' (1941)
* ''You'll Never Get Rich'' (1942)
* ''Tulips Shall Grow'' (1942)
* ''All Through the Night (film), All Through the Night'' (1942)
* ''Bambi'' (1942)
* ''Casablanca'' (1942)
* ''Holiday Inn (film), Holiday Inn'' (1942)
* ''Kings Row'' (1942)
* ''The Magnificent Ambersons (film), The Magnificent Ambersons'' (1942)
* ''Now, Voyager'' (1942)
* ''The Man Who Came to Dinner (1942 film), The Man Who Came to Dinner'' (1942)
* ''Mrs. Miniver'' (1942)
* ''The Palm Beach Story'' (1942)
* ''The Pied Piper (1942 film), The Pied Piper'' (1942)
* ''The Pride of the Yankees'' (1942)
* ''Random Harvest (film), Random Harvest'' (1942)
* ''Saboteur (film), Saboteur'' (1942)
* ''The Talk of the Town (1942 film), The Talk of the Town'' (1942)
* ''Tortilla Flat (film), Tortilla Flat'' (1942)
* ''Wake Island (film), Wake Island'' (1942)
* ''Woman of the Year'' (1942)
* ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' (1942)
* ''You Were Never Lovelier'' (1942)
* ''For Whom the Bell Tolls (film), For Whom the Bell Tolls'' (1943)
* ''Heaven Can Wait (1943 film), Heaven Can Wait'' (1943)
* ''The Human Comedy (film), The Human Comedy'' (1943)
* ''Journey into Fear (1943 film), Journey into Fear'' (1943)
* ''Madame Curie (film), Madame Curie'' (1943)
* ''The More the Merrier'' (1943)
* ''The Ox-Bow Incident'' (1943)
* ''Shadow of a Doubt'' (1943)
* ''The Song of Bernadette (film), The Song of Bernadette'' (1943)
* ''Stormy Weather (1943 film), Stormy Weather'' (1943)
* ''Watch on the Rhine'' (1943)
* ''Arsenic and Old Lace (film), Arsenic and Old Lace'' (1944)
* ''Cover Girl (film), Cover Girl'' (1944)
* ''Double Indemnity'' (1944)
* ''Gaslight (1944 film), Gaslight'' (1944)
* ''Going My Way'' (1944)
* ''Henry V (1944 film), Henry V'' (1944)
* ''Laura (1944 film), Laura'' (1944)
* ''Lifeboat (1944 film), Lifeboat'' (1944)
* ''The Lodger (1944 film), The Lodger'' (1944)
* ''Meet Me in St. Louis'' (1944)
* ''The Miracle of Morgan's Creek'' (1944)
* ''National Velvet (film), National Velvet'' (1944)
* ''The Barber of Seville (1944 film), The Barber of Seville'' (1944)
* ''Since You Went Away'' (1944)
* ''To Have and Have Not (film), To Have and Have Not'' (1944)
* ''The Uninvited (1944 film), The Uninvited'' (1944)
* ''Wilson (1944 film), Wilson'' (1944)
* ''Anchors Aweigh (film), Anchors Aweigh'' (1945)
* ''The Bells of St. Mary's'' (1945)
* ''Hangover Square (film), Hangover Square'' (1945)
* ''The Lost Weekend (film), The Lost Weekend'' (1945)
* ''Mildred Pierce (film), Mildred Pierce'' (1945)
* ''Spellbound (1945 film), Spellbound'' (1945)
* ''Anna and the King of Siam (film), Anna and the King of Siam'' (1946)
* ''John Henry and the Inky-Poo'' (1946)
* ''The Best Years of Our Lives'' (1946)
* ''The Big Sleep (1946 film), The Big Sleep'' (1946)
* ''Cluny Brown'' (1946)
* ''Duel in the Sun (film), Duel in the Sun'' (1946)
* ''Gilda'' (1946)
* ''Great Expectations (1946 film), Great Expectations'' (1946)
* ''Humoresque (1946 film), Humoresque'' (1946)
* ''It's a Wonderful Life'' (1946)
* ''The Killers (1946 film), The Killers'' (1946)
* ''The Locket'' (1946)
* ''Notorious (1946 film), Notorious'' (1946)
* ''The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946 film), The Postman Always Rings Twice'' (1946)
* ''The Razor's Edge (1946 film), The Razor's Edge'' (1946)
* ''The Yearling (film), The Yearling'' (1946)
* ''The Bishop's Wife'' (1947)
* ''The Cat Concerto'' (1947)
* ''Crossfire (film), Crossfire'' (1947)
* ''Dead Reckoning (1947 film), Dead Reckoning'' (1947)
* ''Gentleman's Agreement'' (1947)
* ''The Ghost and Mrs. Muir'' (1947)
* ''The Lady from Shanghai'' (1947)
* ''Miracle on 34th Street'' (1947)
* ''Monsieur Verdoux'' (1947)
* ''The Paradine Case'' (1947)
* ''Tubby the Tuba (1947 film), Tubby the Tuba'' (1947)
* ''Easter Parade (film), Easter Parade'' (1948)
* ''Fort Apache (film), Fort Apache'' (1948)
* ''Johnny Belinda (1948 film), Johnny Belinda'' (1948)
* ''Key Largo (film), Key Largo'' (1948)
* ''Moonrise (film), Moonrise'' (1948)
* ''Red River (1948 film), Red River'' (1948)
* ''Unfaithfully Yours (1948 film), Unfaithfully Yours'' (1948)
* ''Rope (film), Rope'' (1948)
* ''The Snake Pit'' (1948)
* ''State of the Union (film), State of the Union'' (1948)
* ''The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (film), The Treasure of the Sierra Madre'' (1948)
* ''Adam's Rib'' (1949)
* ''All the King's Men (1949 film), All the King's Men'' (1949)
* ''Battleground (film), Battleground'' (1949)
* ''The Heiress'' (1949)
* ''Intruder in the Dust (film), Intruder in the Dust'' (1949)
* ''A Letter to Three Wives'' (1949)
* ''She Wore a Yellow Ribbon'' (1949)
* ''The Third Man'' (1949)
* ''Twelve O'Clock High'' (1949)
* ''All About Eve'' (1950)
* ''Annie Get Your Gun (film), Annie Get Your Gun'' (1950)
* ''Born Yesterday (1950 film), Born Yesterday'' (1950)
* ''Caged (1950 film), Caged'' (1950)
* ''Cinderella (1950 film), Cinderella'' (1950)
* ''Father of the Bride (1950 film), Father of the Bride'' (1950)
* ''In a Lonely Place'' (1950)
* ''King Solomon's Mines (1950 film), King Solomon's Mines'' (1950)
* ''Rio Grande (1950 film), Rio Grande'' (1950)
* ''Summer Stock'' (1950)
* ''The Furies (1950 film), The Furies'' (1950)
* ''Sunset Boulevard (film), Sunset Boulevard'' (1950)
* ''Treasure Island (1950 film), Treasure Island'' (1950)
* ''Ace in the Hole (1951 film), Ace in the Hole'' (1951)
* '' The African Queen'' (1951)
* ''Alice in Wonderland (1951 film), Alice in Wonderland'' (1951)
* ''An American in Paris (film), An American in Paris'' (1951)
* ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (1951)
* ''Decision Before Dawn'' (1951)
* ''A Place in the Sun (1951 film), A Place in the Sun'' (1951)
* ''Quo Vadis (1951 film), Quo Vadis'' (1951)
* ''Rooty Toot Toot'' (1951)
* ''Royal Wedding'' (1951)
* ''Strangers on a Train (film), Strangers on a Train'' (1951)
* ''A Streetcar Named Desire (1951 film), A Streetcar Named Desire'' (1951)
* ''The Bad and the Beautiful'' (1952)
* ''The Greatest Show on Earth (film), The Greatest Show on Earth'' (1952)
* ''High Noon'' (1952)
* ''Ivanhoe (1952 film), Ivanhoe'' (1952)
* ''Limelight (1952 film), Limelight'' (1952)
* ''The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima'' (1952)
* ''Monkey Business (1952 film), Monkey Business'' (1952)
* ''Moulin Rouge (1952 film), Moulin Rouge'' (1952)
* ''The Prisoner of Zenda (1952 film), The Prisoner of Zenda'' (1952)
* ''The Quiet Man'' (1952)
* ''Singin' in the Rain'' (1952)
* ''The Story of Robin Hood and His Merrie Men'' (1952)
* ''Calamity Jane (film), Calamity Jane'' (1953)
* ''The Band Wagon'' (1953)
* ''The Big Heat'' (1953)
* ''Duck Amuck'' (1953)
* ''From Here to Eternity'' (1953)
* ''Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953 film), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (1953)
* ''How to Marry a Millionaire'' (1953)
* ''Julius Caesar (1953 film), Julius Caesar'' (1953)
* ''Mogambo'' (1953)
* ''Peter Pan (1953 film), Peter Pan'' (1953)
* ''The Robe (film), The Robe'' (1953)
* ''Roman Holiday'' (1953)
* ''Shane (film), Shane'' (1953)
* ''The Sword and the Rose'' (1953)
* ''The War of the Worlds (1953 film), The War of the Worlds'' (1953)
* ''20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'' (1954)
* ''A Star Is Born (1954 film), A Star Is Born'' (1954)
* ''The Caine Mutiny (film), The Caine Mutiny'' (1954)
* ''The Country Girl (1954 film), The Country Girl'' (1954)
* ''Dial M for Murder'' (1954)
* ''On the Waterfront'' (1954)
* ''Rear Window'' (1954)
* ''Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue'' (1954)
* ''Sabrina (1954 film), Sabrina'' (1954)
* ''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' (1954)
* ''Three Coins in the Fountain (film), Three Coins in the Fountain'' (1954)
* ''Vera Cruz (film), Vera Cruz'' (1954)
* ''When Magoo Flew'' (1954)
* ''Blackboard Jungle'' (1955)
* ''Kiss Me Deadly'' (1955)
* ''Lady and the Tramp'' (1955)
* ''Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (film), Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing'' (1955)
* ''Love Me or Leave Me (film), Love Me or Leave Me'' (1955)
* ''The Man with the Golden Arm'' (1955)
* ''Marty (film), Marty'' (1955)
* ''Mister Roberts (1955 film), Mister Roberts'' (1955)
* ''Picnic (1955 film), Picnic'' (1955)
* ''East of Eden (film), East of Eden'' (1955)
* ''Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955)
* ''Richard III (1955 film), Richard III'' (1955)
* ''The Rose Tattoo (film), The Rose Tattoo'' (1955)
* ''The Seven Year Itch'' (1955)
* ''Around the World in 80 Days (1956 film), Around the World in 80 Days'' (1956)
* ''Autumn Leaves (film), Autumn Leaves'' (1956)
* ''Forbidden Planet'' (1956)
* ''Bigger Than Life'' (1956)The Beginner's Guide: Hollywood Melodramas, Film Inquiry
/ref>
* ''Friendly Persuasion (1956 film), Friendly Persuasion'' (1956)
* ''Giant (1956 film), Giant'' (1956)
* ''Invasion of the Body Snatchers'' (1956)
* ''The King and I (1956 film), The King and I'' (1956)
* ''The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 film), The Man Who Knew Too Much'' (1956)
* ''The Searchers'' (1956)
* ''The Swan (1956 film), The Swan'' (1956)
* ''The Ten Commandments (1956 film), The Ten Commandments'' (1956)
* ''War and Peace (1956 film), War and Peace'' (1956)
* ''12 Angry Men (1957 film), 12 Angry Men'' (1957)
* ''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' (1957)
* ''Paths of Glory'' (1957)
* ''Sweet Smell of Success'' (1957)
* ''A Face in the Crowd (film), A Face in the Crowd'' (1957)
* ''Peyton Place (film), Peyton Place'' (1957)
* ''Sayonara'' (1957)
* ''What's Opera, Doc?'' (1957)
* ''Witness for the Prosecution (1957 film), Witness for the Prosecution'' (1957)
* ''Auntie Mame (film), Auntie Mame'' (1958)
* ''The Big Country'' (1958)
* ''The Brothers Karamazov (1958 film), The Brothers Karamazov (1958)
* ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958 film), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' (1958)
* ''The Defiant Ones'' (1958)
* ''Gigi (1958 film), Gigi'' (1958)
* ''The Long, Hot Summer'' (1958)
* ''No Time for Sergeants (film), No Time for Sergeants'' (1958)
* ''Separate Tables (film), Separate Tables'' (1958)
* ''Touch of Evil'' (1958)
* ''Vertigo (film), Vertigo'' (1958)
* ''A Hole in the Head'' (1959)
* ''Anatomy of a Murder'' (1959)
* ''Ben-Hur (1959 film), Ben-Hur'' (1959)
* ''Darby O'Gill and the Little People'' (1959)
* ''The Diary of Anne Frank (1959 film), The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959)
* ''Imitation of Life (1959 film), Imitation of Life'' (1959)
* ''North by Northwest'' (1959)
* ''Pillow Talk (film), Pillow Talk'' (1959)
* ''The Nun's Story (film), The Nun's Story'' (1959)
* ''Sleeping Beauty (1959 film), Sleeping Beauty'' (1959)
* ''Some Like It Hot'' (1959)
* ''Suddenly, Last Summer (film), Suddenly, Last Summer'' (1959)
* ''The Last Angry Man'' (1959)
* ''The Time Machine (1960 film), The Time Machine'' (1960)
* ''The Alamo (1960 film), The Alamo'' (1960)
* ''The Apartment'' (1960)
* ''Elmer Gantry (film), Elmer Gantry'' (1960)
* ''Hell to Eternity'' (1960)
* ''Home from the Hill (film), Home from the Hill'' (1960)
* ''The Magnificent Seven'' (1960)
* ''Psycho (1960 film), Psycho'' (1960)
* ''Spartacus (film), Spartacus'' (1960)
* ''The Sundowners (1960 film), The Sundowners'' (1960)
* ''Breakfast at Tiffany's (film), Breakfast at Tiffany's'' (1961)
* ''The Children's Hour (film), The Children's Hour'' (1961)
* ''Fanny (1961 film), Fanny'' (1961)
* ''The Guns of Navarone (film), The Guns of Navarone'' (1961)
* ''The Hustler'' (1961)
* ''Judgment at Nuremberg'' (1961)
* ''One Hundred and One Dalmatians'' (1961)
* ''Pocketful of Miracles'' (1961)
* ''Splendor in the Grass'' (1961)
* ''West Side Story (1961 film), West Side Story'' (1961)
* ''King of Kings (1961 film), King of Kings'' (1961)
* ''The Misfits (1961 film), The Misfits'' (1961)
* ''Dr. No (film), Dr. No'' (1962)
* ''Gay Purr-ee'' (1962)
* ''Hell Is for Heroes (film), Hell Is for Heroes'' (1962)
* ''How the West Was Won (film), How the West Was Won'' (1962)
* ''Lawrence of Arabia (film), Lawrence of Arabia'' (1962)
* ''The Longest Day (film), The Longest Day'' (1962)
* ''The Music Man (1962 film), The Music Man'' (1962)
* ''Mutiny on the Bounty (1962 film), Mutiny on the Bounty'' (1962)
* ''Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation'' (1962)
* ''To Kill a Mockingbird (film), To Kill a Mockingbird'' (1962)
* ''What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (film), What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?'' (1962)
* ''Gypsy (1962 film), Gypsy'' (1962)
* ''America America'' (1963)
* ''The Birds (film), The Birds'' (1963)
* ''Charade (1963 film), Charade'' (1963)
* ''Cleopatra (1963 film), Cleopatra'' (1963)
* ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963)
* ''From Russia with Love (film), From Russia with Love'' (1963)
* ''Love with the Proper Stranger'' (1963)
* ''Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film), Jason and the Argonauts'' (1963)
* ''Lilies of the Field (1963 film), Lilies of the Field'' (1963)
* ''The Sword in the Stone (1963 film), The Sword in the Stone'' (1963)
* ''Bye Bye Birdie (1963 film), Bye Bye Birdie'' (1963)
* ''Irma la Douce'' (1963)
* ''Move Over, Darling'' (1963)
* ''Hud (1963 film), Hud'' (1963)
* ''McLintock!'' (1963)
* ''A Hard Day's Night (film), A Hard Day's Night'' (1964)
* ''Becket (1964 film), Becket'' (1964)
* ''Dr. Strangelove'' (1964)
* ''Goldfinger (film), Goldfinger'' (1964)
* ''Sex and the Single Girl (film), Sex and the Single Girl'' (1964)
* ''Mary Poppins (film), Mary Poppins'' (1964)
* ''My Fair Lady (film), My Fair Lady'' (1964)
* ''Zorba the Greek (film), Zorba the Greek'' (1964)
* ''Send Me No Flowers'' (1964)
* ''Viva Las Vegas'' (1964)
* ''The Night of the Iguana (film), The Night of the Iguana'' (1964)

Selected international films made during the Golden Age

* ''The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari'' (1920, Germany)
* ''Nosferatu'' (1922, Germany)
* ''Häxan'' (1922, Sweden/Denmark)
* ''Die Nibelungen'' (1924, Germany)
* ''Battleship Potemkin'' (1925, U.S.S.R.)
* ''The Adventures of Prince Achmed'' (1926, Germany)
* ''Metropolis (1927 film), Metropolis'' (1927, Germany)
* ''Napoléon (1927 film), Napoléon'' (1927, France)
* ''The Passion of Joan of Arc'' (1928, France)
* ''Un Chien Andalou'' (1929, France/Spain)
* ''Pandora's Box (1929 film), Pandora's Box'' (1929, Germany)
* ''L'Age d'Or'' (1930, France)
* ''Limite'' (1931, Brazil)
* ''M (1931 film), M'' (1931, Germany)
* ''Vampyr'' (1932, Germany/France)
* ''Les Misérables (1934 film), Les Misérables'' (1934, France)
* ''Two Monks'' (1934, Mexico)
* ''L'Atalante'' (1934, France)
* ''The 39 Steps (1935 film), The 39 Steps'' (1935, U.K.)
* ''Let's Go with Pancho Villa'' (1936, Mexico)
* ''La Grande Illusion, Grand Illusion'' (1937, France)
* ''Terang Boelan'' (1937, Indonesia)
* ''The Rules of the Game'' (1939, France)
* ''The Story of the Last Chrysanthemums'' (1939, Japan)
* ''Forty Thousand Horsemen'' (1940, Australia)
* ''You're Missing the Point'' (1940, Mexico)
* ''María Candelaria'' (1943, Mexico)
* ''Day of Wrath'' (1943, Denmark)
* ''Ivan the Terrible (1944 film), Ivan the Terrible'' (1944–1958, U.S.S.R.)
* ''Rome, Open City'' (1945, Italy)
* ''Brief Encounter'' (1945, U.K.)
* ''Children of Paradise'' (1945, France)
* ''Paisan'' (1946, Italy)
* ''A Matter of Life and Death (film), A Matter of Life and Death'' (1946, U.K.)
* ''Enamorada (film), Enamorada'' (1946, Mexico)
* ''Shoeshine (film), Shoeshine'' (1946, Italy)
* ''The Overlanders (film), The Overlanders'' (1946, Australia/U.K.)
* ''Beauty and the Beast (1946 film), Beauty and the Beast'' (1946, France)
* ''Neecha Nagar'' (1946, India)
* ''The Pearl (film), The Pearl'' (1947, Mexico)
* ''Quai des Orfèvres'' (1947, France)
* ''Black Narcissus'' (1947, U.K.)
* ''Bicycle Thieves'' (1948, Italy)
* ''Hamlet (1948 film), Hamlet'' (1948, U.K.)
* ''Drunken Angel'' (1948, Japan)
* ''The Red Shoes (1948 film), The Red Shoes'' (1948, U.K.)
* ''Spring in a Small Town'' (1948, China)
* ''Late Spring'' (1949, Japan)
* ''Begone Dull Care'' (1949, Canada)
* ''Stray Dog (film), Stray Dog'' (1949, Japan)
* ''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' (1949, U.K.)
* ''Stromboli (film), Stromboli'' (1950, Italy)
* ''Rashomon'' (1950, Japan)
* ''Orpheus (film), Orpheus'' (1950, France)
* ''Los Olvidados'' (1950, Mexico)
* ''Genghis Khan (1950 film), Genghis Khan'' (1950, Philippines)
* ''Víctimas del Pecado'' (1951, Mexico)
* ''Miracle in Milan'' (1951, Italy)
* ''Umberto D.'' (1952, Italy)
* ''Neighbours (1952 film), Neighbours'' (1952, Canada)
* ''Mexican Bus Ride'' (1952, Mexico)
* ''Ikiru'' (1952, Japan)
* ''Él (film), Él'' (1953, Mexico)
* ''Ugetsu'' (1953, Japan)
* ''The Wages of Fear'' (1953, France)
* ''Tokyo Story'' (1953, Japan)
* ''Sansho the Bailiff'' (1954, Japan)
* ''Robinson Crusoe (1954 film), Robinson Crusoe'' (1954, Mexico)
* ''Godzilla (1954 film), Godzilla'' (1954, Japan)
* ''Seven Samurai'' (1954, Japan)
* ''The Crucified Lovers'' (1954, Japan)
* ''Journey to Italy'' (1954, Italy)
* ''La Strada'' (1954, Italy)
* ''The Criminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz'' (1955, Mexico)
* ''Ordet'' (1955, Denmark)
* ''A Generation'' (1955, Poland)
* ''Journey to the Beginning of Time'' (1955, Czechoslovakia)
* ''Les Diaboliques (film), Les Diaboliques'' (1955, France)
* ''The Apu Trilogy'' (1955–1959, India)
* ''Bob le flambeur'' (1956, France)
* ''A Man Escaped'' (1956, France)
* ''The Burmese Harp (1956 film), The Burmese Harp'' (1956, Japan)
* ''Floating Clouds'' (1955, Japan)
* ''Kanał'' (1956, Poland)
* ''Hang Tuah (film), Hang Tuah'' (1956, Malaysia/Singapore)
* ''Pyaasa'' (1957, India)
* ''The Seventh Seal'' (1957, Sweden)
* ''Wild Strawberries (film), Wild Strawberries'' (1957, Sweden)
* ''The Cranes Are Flying'' (1957, U.S.S.R.)
* ''A King in New York'' (1957, U.K.)
* ''Mother India'' (1957, India)
* ''The Snow Queen (1957 film), The Snow Queen'' (1957, U.S.S.R.)
* ''Nights of Cabiria'' (1957, Italy)
* ''Cairo Station'' (1958, Egypt)
* ''Thunder Among the Leaves'' (1958, Argentina)
* ''Mon Oncle'' (1958, France)
* ''Jalsaghar'' (1958, India)
* ''Ashes and Diamonds (film), Ashes and Diamonds'' (1958, Poland)
* ''Madhumati'' (1958, India)
* ''Invention for Destruction'' (1958, Czechoslovakia)
* ''The Day Shall Dawn'' (1959, Pakistan)
* ''Hiroshima mon amour'' (1959, France)
* ''The 400 Blows'' (1959, France)
* ''Black Orpheus'' (1959, Brazil/France)
* ''Room at the Top (1959 film), Room at the Top'' (1959, U.K.)
* ''Fires on the Plain (1959 film), Fires on the Plain'' (1959, Japan)
* ''Nazarín'' (1959, Mexico)
* ''Kaagaz Ke Phool'' (1959, India)
* ''Look Back in Anger (1959 film), Look Back in Anger'' (1959, U.K.)
* ''The Soldiers of Pancho Villa'' (1959, Mexico)
* ''Ballad of a Soldier'' (1959, U.S.S.R.)
* ''Pickpocket (film), Pickpocket'' (1959, France)
* ''The Human Condition (film series), The Human Condition'' (1959–1961, Japan)
* ''Breathless (1960 film), Breathless'' (1960, France)
* ''Two Women'' (1960, Italy)
* ''The Housemaid (1960 film), The Housemaid'' (1960, South Korea)
* ''Sons and Lovers (film), Sons and Lovers'' (1960, U.K.)
* ''The Sundowners (1960 film), The Sundowners'' (1960, Australia/U.K.)
* ''La Dolce Vita'' (1960, Italy)
* ''Obaltan'' (1960, South Korea)
* ''L'Avventura'' (1960, Italy)
* ''Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960 film), Meghe Dhaka Tara'' (1960, India)
* ''Mughal-e-Azam'' (1960, India)
* ''La Notte'' (1961, Italy)
* ''Viridiana'' (1961, Mexico/Spain)
* ''Surogat'' (1961, Yugoslavia)
* ''Yojimbo (film), Yojimbo'' (1961, Japan)
* ''Very Nice, Very Nice'' (1961, Canada)
* ''A Taste of Honey (film), A Taste of Honey'' (1961, U.K.)
* ''Gunga Jumna'' (1961, India)
* ''The Exterminating Angel'' (1962, Mexico)
* ''L'Eclisse'' (1962, Italy)
* ''Ivan's Childhood'' (1962, U.S.S.R.)
* ''Jules and Jim'' (1962, France)
* ''An Autumn Afternoon'' (1962, Japan)
* ''Cléo from 5 to 7'' (1962, France)
* ''Sanjuro'' (1962, Japan)
* ''O Pagador de Promessas'' (1962, Brazil)
* ''8½'' (1963, Italy/France)
* ''Tom Jones (1963 film), Tom Jones'' (1963, U.K.)
* ''This Sporting Life'' (1963, U.K.)
* ''Billy Liar (film), Billy Liar'' (1963, U.K.)
* ''Mahanagar'' (1963, India)
* ''Gamperaliya (film), Gamperaliya'' (1963, Sri Lanka)
* ''Black God, White Devil'' (1964, Brazil)
* ''Gertrud (film), Gertrud'' (1964, Denmark)
* ''Red Desert (film), Red Desert'' (1964, Italy)
* ''Charulata'' (1964, India)
* ''A Fistful of Dollars'' (1964, Italy/West Germany/Spain)
* ''I Am Cuba'' (1964, Cuba/U.S.S.R.)
* ''The Umbrellas of Cherbourg'' (1964, France/West Germany)
* ''Dry Summer'' (1964, Turkey)
* ''Simon of the Desert'' (1965, Mexico)
* ''Pierrot le Fou'' (1965, France)
* ''For a Few Dollars More'' (1965, Italy/West Germany/Spain)
* ''Loves of a Blonde'' (1965, Czechoslovakia)
* ''Subarnarekha (film), Subarnarekha'' (1965, India)
* ''La muerte de un burócrata'' (1966, Cuba)
* ''Persona (1966 film), Persona'' (1966, Sweden)
* ''Black Girl (1966 film), Black Girl'' (1966, Senegal/France)
* ''The Battle of Algiers'' (1966, Algeria/Italy)
* ''Blow-Up'' (1966, U.K./Italy)
* ''A Man for All Seasons (1966 film), A Man for All Seasons'' (1966, U.K.)
* ''A Man and a Woman'' (1966, France)
* ''Andrei Rublev (film), Andrei Rublev'' (1966, U.S.S.R.)
* ''Au Hasard Balthazar'' (1966, France)
* ''Closely Watched Trains'' (1966, Czechoslovakia)
* ''War and Peace (film series), War and Peace'' (1966–1967, U.S.S.R.)
* ''Three Days and a Child'' (1967, Israel)
* ''Le Samouraï'' (1967, France/Italy)
* ''Jules Verne's Rocket to the Moon'' (1967, U.K.)
* ''Playtime'' (1967, France/Italy)
* ''Mouchette'' (1967, France)
* ''Belle de Jour (film), Belle de Jour'' (1967, France)
* ''Entranced Earth'' (1967, Brazil)
* ''Once Upon a Time in the West'' (1968, Italy)
* ''Romeo and Juliet (1968 film), Romeo and Juliet'' (1968, U.K./Italy)
* ''Mandabi'' (1968, Senegal/France)
* ''Oliver! (film), Oliver!'' (1968, U.K.)
* ''Memories of Underdevelopment'' (1968, Cuba)
* ''Kes (film), Kes'' (1969, U.K.)
* ''Army of Shadows'' (1969, France)
* ''The Damned (1969 film), The Damned'' (1969, U.K.)
* ''Fellini Satyricon'' (1969, Italy)
* ''Z (1969 film), Z'' (1969, Algeria/France)

See also

* New Hollywood – overlapping/succeeding age from 1965 to 1983
* Golden Age of Television – overlapping age from 1947 to 1957
* Golden age of American animation – overlapping age from 1928 to 1969
* Poverty Row – B movies during this era
* Maximalist film, Maximalist and minimalist film, minimalist cinema
* Modernist film

References

Further reading

*
*
* Fawell, John. (2008) ''The Hidden Art of Hollywood''. Westport Conn.: Praeger Press.
*
*
*

External links

* David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson
"Happy Birthday, classical cinema!"
December 28, 2007. Analysis of classical continuity in narrative film from 1917 to this day.

{{Portal bar, Film, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s

1910s in film
1913 establishments in the United States
1969 disestablishments in the United States
1920s in film
1930s in film
1940s in film
1950s in film
1960s in film
20th century in American cinema
Cinema of the United States
Film genres particular to the United States
Film styles
History of Hollywood, Los Angeles
Modern art