In his 2014 book, Not to be Missed: Fifty-Four Favorites from a Lifetime of Film, film critic Kenneth Turan discusses fifty-four films which he considers like ‘friends who’ve enriched my life.’
The book, as well as nearly every film on this list, is readily available through the Minerva network, as part of the collections of the South Portland Public Library and other Minerva member libraries. This page collects quick links to the titles so that, if you are interested, you may easily request the items.
In addition to the main list of fifty-four films, Turan’s book also contains A Second Fifty-Four, an additional list of films which the author considers to be well worth a watch.
Fifty-Four Favorites
- Fantômas (1913)
- Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
- Pass the Gravy (1928) – Not available on DVD, but you can watch it online: Pass the Gravy on YouTube
- I am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
- Bombshell (1933)
- The Dybbuk (1937)
- Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
- Love Affair (1939)
- Pride and Prejudice (1940)
- The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
- The Lady Eve (1941)
- Strawberry Blonde (1941)
- Casablanca (1942)
- Random Harvest (1942)
- To Be or Not to Be (1942)
- Children of Paradise (1945)
- Great Expectations (1946)
- Bicycle Thieves (1948)
- The Third Man (1949)
- All About Eve (1950)
- The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
- Sunset Boulevard (1950)
- Casque d’Or (1952)
- The Importance of Being Earnest (1952)
- Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
- The Earrings of Madame De… (1953)
- Seven Samurai (1954)
- Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
- Seven Men from Now (1956)
- Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
- Vertigo (1958)
- Touch of Evil (1958)
- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence (1962)
- The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
- Chimes at Midnight (1965)
- Point Blank (1967)
- Le Samourai (1967)
- Kes (1969)
- The Godfather (1972)
- Chinatown (1974)
- The Day After Trinity (1981)
- First Contact (1983)
- Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988) – Coming Soon!
- Howards End (1992)
- Léolo (1992)
- Unforgiven (1992)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- The Best of Youth (2003)
- The Five Obstructions (2003)
- Stranded (2007)
- A Prophet (2009)
- Senna (2010)
- Of Gods and Men (2010)
- Footnote (2011)
The Fifty-Fifth Film
(a split decision, which you can read about in the book)
- Beauty and the Beast (1946)
- Pickup on South Street (1953)
A Second Fifty-Four
- 7th Heaven (1927)
- Show People (1928)
- Baby Face (1933)
- Footlight Parade (1933)
- The Sin of Nora Moran (1933)
- Top Hat (1935)
- Camille (1936)
- The Crime of Monsieur Lange (1936)
- The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
- Pygmalion (1938)
- City for Conquest (1940)
- Citizen Kane (1941)
- How Green Was My Valley (1941)
- The Maltese Falcon (1941)
- Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
- Double Indemnity (1944)
- I Know Where I’m Going (1945)
- White Heat (1949)
- Outcast of the Islands (1951) – Coming Soon!
- From Here to Eternity (1953)
- On the Waterfront (1954)
- East of Eden (1955)
- Paths of Glory (1957)
- North by Northwest (1959)
- Eyes Without a Face (1960)
- The Misfits (1961)
- Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
- A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
- Dr. Strangelove (1964)
- Up series (1964-2012)
- Coogan’s Bluff (1968)
- Amarcord (1973)
- The Godfather II (1974)
- The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
- Broadcast News (1981)
- Blade Runner (1982)
- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
- Fanny and Alexander (1982)
- Witness (1985)
- Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
- Hope and Glory (1987)
- Decalogue (1988)
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- The Fugitive (1993)
- Hoop Dreams (1994)
- Toy Story (1995)
- La Promesse (1996)
- L.A. Confidential (1997)
- After Life (1999)
- Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
- Kitchen Stories (2003)
- Sideways (2004)
- Animal Kingdom (2010)