By using their own criteria, Rotten Tomatoes has developed a list of the top 100 classic movies of all time. This list was compiled using a variety of criteria, but the adjusted score, which took into account audience ratings, review positivity, and review volume, had the largest role.
For the purposes of this article, we will use the definition provided by Rotten Tomatoes: “We define ‘classic’ as everything released up until the late-1960s, a tumultuous era that signaled a passing of the guard with national cultural revolutions, destruction of the Motion Picture Production Code, and the impending arrival of New Hollywood filmmakers.”
If we use these criteria, then the following films would be the best 10 classics of all time.
The Wizard of Oz
When asked what the greatest movie of all time is, The Wizard of Oz is often mentioned as a valid option, and Rotten Tomatoes tends to agree. They describe it as “an extraordinary masterpiece” with “groundbreaking images and skillful storytelling that are still every bit as resonant.”
After a tornado whisks Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog, Toto, all the way to Oz, they must use the guidance of their new companions to locate the Wizard and return to Kansas. Along the Yellow Brick Road, as they help Dorothy, they discover that each of their new acquaintances has what they’ve been searching for all along.
Citizen Kane
According to Rotten Tomatoes, Citizen Kane belongs in the annals of cinematic greatness. “entertaining,” “touching,” and “inventive in its storytelling,” according to the review.
With only the word “Rosebud” from Charles Foster Kane (Orson Welles) to go on, a writer must try to put together the biography of the late author by interviewing Jedediah Leland (Joseph Cotten) and Susan Alexander (Diane Keaton) (Dorothy Comingore). The reporter learns that Kane rose from poverty to wealth, but he worries that he won’t be able to reveal the whole complexity of Charles Foster Kane’s narrative.
The Third Man
Reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes unanimously agree that The Third Man is among the best films of all time. The story of Holly Martins, a struggling author, who pays a visit to an old buddy, only to discover that he has died, is at the heart of this atmospheric thriller directed by Carol Reed and starring Orson Welles.
Martins, still in shock over his friend’s death, speculates that a third man was present. Because of this assumption, a British officer starts following him and he ends up sleeping with the girlfriend of his dead comrade.
All About Eve
In All About Eve, Margo Channing’s character, Eve, is manipulated by a young actor who uses her tragic backstory to get her help. Margo and her pals take in the struggling young actress, but they don’t suspect that Eve is taking advantage of their generosity.
This film has been praised by critics at Rotten Tomatoes for being “intellectual, nuanced, and devastatingly amusing” and for holding up well over time, in contrast to many recent films.
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Metropolis
After learning that a dark and gloomy working-class underbelly lies beneath the magnificent future city he lives in, the young Freder in Metropolis wants to put his tremendous fortune to good use.
Strong conflict, particularly for a silent picture, is driven by his father’s displeasure and his odd friendship with a like-minded teacher. Rotten Tomatoes calls the visuals in the German science fiction film Metropolis “awe-inspiring.”
Modern Times
The satirical comedy Modern Times is as “politically incisive as it is laugh-out-loud entertaining,” according to Rotten Tomatoes. As silent film gave way to talkies, Charlie Chaplin brought back his Little Tramp character; here, he toils at a high-tech factory, where he is frequently harassed by his superiors and thrown in jail.
Along with a young orphan girl he meets, he tries to make sense of the rapidly changing world and pursue a career in show business.
It Happened One Night
A brief and beautiful summary of It Happened One Night can be found on Rotten Tomatoes, which states that the film “remains unequaled by the innumerable romantic comedies it has inspired.” The classic will-they-or-won’t-they plot of It Happened One Night served as inspiration for countless “spoiled girl meets grumpy gentleman” movies that followed.
King Westley marries Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert), and shortly after they leave on a yacht, Ellie jumps ship and runs into Peter Warne (a journalist) (Clark Gable). He offers to help her find her spouse in exchange for an exclusive article, but maybe after they’ve spent some time together she’d rather remain a mystery.
Singin’ in the Rain
Rotten Tomatoes does not overlook the fact that Singin’ in the Rain is one of the most amazing Hollywood musicals. Reviewers gush over the Gene Kelly staple, saying it’s “intelligent, smart, and amusing.”
In Singin’ in the Rain, the male half of a silent movie power couple (he is the only one who can sing) falls for the chorus girl who dubs his leading lady’s vocals, revealing the turbulent story of Hollywood’s shift from silent films to “talkies” in the 1920s.
Casablanca
In a Rotten Tomatoes analysis of Casablanca, it is impossible to gloss over the legendary turns put in by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. It’s been called “Hollywood’s definitive declaration on love and passion” and “an indisputable masterpiece.”
The majority of the action takes place in a nightclub, and it’s here that Rick Blaine must aid his ex-lover and her new spouse in the French Resistance to flee the country.
Psycho
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes love to gush over the shower scene in Psycho, but they say the film is worth watching all the way through for the innovative ideas it introduces to the thriller and horror genres.
“Hitchcock didn’t just develop modern horror; he validated it,” the assessment adds. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) of the film Psycho is a thief on the run. She meets the creep from the Bates Motel, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins).
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