Blab Entertainment
10 American Films That Have Shaped the Nations Cultural Landscape
When the United States marked its 250th birthday and celebrated Independence Day, a new YouTube series emerged to chart the movies that the creators say have defined American cinema. Split into three parts, the videos explain why each title earned a spot on the list and how it mirrors pivotal moments in the country’s history.
The first film on the roster is Citizen Kane (1941). Orson Welles not only directed and starred in the film but also co‑wrote it with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The story follows Charles Foster Kane, a composite of William Randolph Hearst and other newspaper magnates. Released in 1941, the picture earned nine Academy Award nominations and won Best Writing (Original Screenplay). Although Hearst reportedly tried to suppress the film, it survived and was re‑released in 1956. In 1989 the Library of Congress selected Citizen Kane for the National Film Registry.
Next up is The Godfather (1972). Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and co‑written with Mario Puzo, the film is based on Puzo’s 1969 novel. It premiered on March 14, 1972, and grossed between $250 million and $291 million worldwide, making it the highest‑grossing film of that year. The movie won Best Picture, Best Actor for Marlon Brando, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and the American Film Institute later ranked it second on its list of greatest American films.
Rocky (1976) follows as the third highlight. John G. Avildsen directed the sports drama, which was written by and starred Sylvester Stallone. Produced on a $1 million budget, the film earned roughly $225 million worldwide. It received ten Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Picture. In 2006 the Library of Congress added Rocky to the National Film Registry.
Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront (1954) comes next. Written by Budd Schulberg, the black‑and‑white drama stars Marlon Brando and centers on union violence along the Hoboken waterfront. The film garnered twelve Academy Award nominations and won eight, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Brando. It was selected for the National Film Registry in 1989.
The list continues with The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), directed by William Wyler. The war‑era drama follows three veterans returning to a Midwestern town, and it won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It entered the National Film Registry in 1999.
Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974) is the sixth film. The mystery, written by Robert Towne, received nine Academy Award nominations and won Best Original Screenplay, and it was added to the National Film Registry in 1999.
Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) follows as the seventh entry. Starring James Stewart as Jefferson Smith, the political drama won Best Picture and Best Actor for Stewart and was selected for the National Film Registry in 1999.
The final named film is Mudbound (2017). Dee Rees co‑wrote and directed the adaptation of Hillary Jordan’s novel, set in the Mississippi Delta during and after World II. The picture received critical acclaim, earned several Academy Award nominations, and was added to the National Film Registry in 2022.
The creators note that two additional films were included in the final list, though they were not named in the videos. The selection showcases the breadth of American cinema—from early black‑and‑white dramas to contemporary stories of race and war—and invites viewers to revisit these works and reflect on how each reflects a different facet of American society.
The series is available on YouTube in three parts, and the creators encourage discussion about the films’ lasting impact on American culture.
The first film on the roster is Citizen Kane (1941). Orson Welles not only directed and starred in the film but also co‑wrote it with Herman J. Mankiewicz. The story follows Charles Foster Kane, a composite of William Randolph Hearst and other newspaper magnates. Released in 1941, the picture earned nine Academy Award nominations and won Best Writing (Original Screenplay). Although Hearst reportedly tried to suppress the film, it survived and was re‑released in 1956. In 1989 the Library of Congress selected Citizen Kane for the National Film Registry.
Next up is The Godfather (1972). Directed by Francis Ford Coppola and co‑written with Mario Puzo, the film is based on Puzo’s 1969 novel. It premiered on March 14, 1972, and grossed between $250 million and $291 million worldwide, making it the highest‑grossing film of that year. The movie won Best Picture, Best Actor for Marlon Brando, and Best Adapted Screenplay, and the American Film Institute later ranked it second on its list of greatest American films.
Rocky (1976) follows as the third highlight. John G. Avildsen directed the sports drama, which was written by and starred Sylvester Stallone. Produced on a $1 million budget, the film earned roughly $225 million worldwide. It received ten Academy Award nominations and won three, including Best Picture. In 2006 the Library of Congress added Rocky to the National Film Registry.
Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront (1954) comes next. Written by Budd Schulberg, the black‑and‑white drama stars Marlon Brando and centers on union violence along the Hoboken waterfront. The film garnered twelve Academy Award nominations and won eight, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Brando. It was selected for the National Film Registry in 1989.
The list continues with The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), directed by William Wyler. The war‑era drama follows three veterans returning to a Midwestern town, and it won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It entered the National Film Registry in 1999.
Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974) is the sixth film. The mystery, written by Robert Towne, received nine Academy Award nominations and won Best Original Screenplay, and it was added to the National Film Registry in 1999.
Frank Capra’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) follows as the seventh entry. Starring James Stewart as Jefferson Smith, the political drama won Best Picture and Best Actor for Stewart and was selected for the National Film Registry in 1999.
The final named film is Mudbound (2017). Dee Rees co‑wrote and directed the adaptation of Hillary Jordan’s novel, set in the Mississippi Delta during and after World II. The picture received critical acclaim, earned several Academy Award nominations, and was added to the National Film Registry in 2022.
The creators note that two additional films were included in the final list, though they were not named in the videos. The selection showcases the breadth of American cinema—from early black‑and‑white dramas to contemporary stories of race and war—and invites viewers to revisit these works and reflect on how each reflects a different facet of American society.
The series is available on YouTube in three parts, and the creators encourage discussion about the films’ lasting impact on American culture.
