The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter

by Jeremy Arnold, Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osborne (Foreword)

Showcasing 52 Essential films from the silent era through the 1980s, Turner Classic Movies invites you into a world filled with stirring performances, dazzling musical numbers, and bold directorial visions that mark the greatest moments in film history.Since its inception on Turner Classic Movies in 2001, The Essentials has become the ultimate series for movie lovers to expand their knowledge of must-see cinema and discover or revisit landmark films that have had a lasting impact on audiences everywhere.Based on the TCM series, The Essentials book showcases fifty-two must-see movies from the silent era through the early 1980s. Readers can enjoy one film per week, for a year of stellar viewing, or indulge in their own classic movie festival. Some long-championed classics appear within these pages; other selections may surprise you. Each film is profiled with insightful notes on why it's an Essential, a guide to must-see moments, and running commentary from TCM's Robert Osborne and Essentials guest hosts past and present, including Sally Field, Drew Barrymore, Alec Baldwin, Rose McGowan, Carrie Fisher, Molly Haskell, Peter Bogdanovich, Sydney Pollack, and Rob Reiner.Featuring full-color and black-and-white photography of the greatest stars in movie history, The Essentials is your curated guide to fifty-two films that define the meaning of the word "classic."

Genres: Nonfiction, Film, Media Tie In, Reference, History, Pop Culture, Essays

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 3, 2016

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

"This doesn't pretend to be a list of anyone's idea of of the fifty-two best movies of all time, or the most underrated, or the highest grossers . . . Instead, this book is a sampling of some of the nearly three-hundred films that have been shown so far on TCM [network] as 'essential' movie-watching . . ." -- from the foreword by the late TCM host Robert Osborne

Film fans assemble! The Essentials offers concise mini-essays - plus occasionally some rare and/or behind-the-scenes photographs - on fifty-two films featured in Turner Classic Movies' long-running and weekly Essentials series. Although skewing mostly American (notable exceptions include The Red Shoes, The Bicycle Thief, and Seven Samurai) and top-heavy with many inarguable classics (such as King Kong, Casablanca, On the Waterfront, and To Kill a Mockingbird) it also occasionally veers into the offbeat with selections like the New Wave-era's Breathless and the mockumentary This is Spinal Tap. It may not provide (nor was it exactly intended to) much new or enlightening information about the films themselves, but is more composed in a celebratory nature on the everlasting effectiveness and entertainment value offered by them. FYI, the 'banner year' in this collection - and also the subject of the excellent book Pictures at a Revolution by Mark Harris - is 1967, represented here with the 'New Hollywood' triple-threat of Bonnie & Clyde, In the Heat of the Night, and The Graduate.

[ALLEN · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE ESSENTIALS: 52 MUST-SEE MOVIES out of TCM is a honey of a book. I couldn't possibly disagree that the movies profiled here, which would occupy a whole year at the rate of one per week, are essential viewing (I have seen all but eight of them). Of course, any cinemaphile is going to raise a few objections: I wish more photos had been taken from publicity stills or lobby cards rather than blown-up film frames. A book with such respect for screwball comedy that has room for IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT and THE LADY EVE somehow fast-forwards over other recognized Thirties screwball classics like MY MAN GODFREY, THE AWFUL TRUTH, EASY LIVING and BRINGING UP BABY. Why are the last two movies profiled ANNIE HALL (1977) and THIS IS SPINAL TAP (1984), with no room in between for RAGING BULL from 1980?

Still, it's a lovely paperback production with exciting and informative prose by author Jeremy Arnold, and would make a great gift for any movie-lover or neophyte.

[Jeff Grosser · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's obvious that a lot of time and effort went into putting this book together. I enjoyed it very much. Now I just have to find the time to watch all the movies that I haven't seen yet.

[Ricky Balas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been working on this for over a year--not because it's a slog, but just to savor it. It's a great book for classic film enthusiasts and provides enough insight on 52 films selected from TCM's essentials list. I especially enjoy the thoughts from present-day celebrities like Drew Barrymore which sort of provides a connection between an old craft and a modern expression of that very thing. I look forward to the second volume.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very readable book. I'd like to have this book next to me when I watch these movies. Each movie has: "Why it's Essential" and "What to Look for". The writer is very adept at quickly pointing out key movie elements that appreciate the production, direction, acting, score or whatever make these particular films revered in the film community.

Sure, this book has pictures, but the text is clear, well-spaced, and with a professional yet positive tone. It could easily have gone over-board into an artsy-layout that looked great, but then lacked substance. Or it could have gone for insane substance and deterred the reader. The middle-road taken in this book's design pleased me greatly and kept me reading for a couple hours at a time, thus finishing the book quickly.

I see there is also a volume 2:
The Essentials Vol. 2: 52 More Must-See Movies and Why They Matter

My local library does not (yet) have this second volume.
I am grateful for a station like TCM that shows no-commercial versions of all these classics. My local library has each of these movies in their DVD/Blu-Ray collection so I can check them out casually over time. I used this book to add to my 'watch-list' on IMDb.

1. Metropolis (1927)
2. All Quiet On the Western Front (1930)
3. City Lights (1931)
4. Grand Hotel (1932)
5. Duck Soup (1933)
6. King Kong (1933)
7. It Happened One Night (1934)
8. The Thin Man (1934)
9. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
10. Swing Time (1936)
11. Gone With the Wind (1939)
12. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
13. Citizen Kane (1941)
14. The Lady Eve (1941)
15. Casablanca (1942)
16. Now, Voyager (1942)
17. Double Indemnity (1944)
18. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
19. Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)
20. Leave Her To Heaven (1945)
21. Out of the Past (1947)
22. The Bicycle Thief (1948)
23. The Red Shoes (1948)
24. Adam's Rib (1949)
25. The Third Man (1949)
26. White Heat (1949)
27. All About Eve (1950)
28. Gun Crazy (1950)
29. Sunset Boulevard (1950)
30. Winchester '73 (1950)
31. Singin' In the Rain (1952)
32. Roman Holiday (1953)
33. On the Waterfront (1954)
34. Rear Window (1954)
35. The Seven Samurai (1954)
36. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
37. The Searchers (1956)
38. Ben-Hur (1959)
39. North By Northwest (1959)
40. Some Like It Hot (1959)
41. Breathless (1960)
42. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
43. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
44. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
45. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
46. The Graduate (1967)
47. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
48. Once Upon a Time In the West (1968)
49. Jaws (1975)
50. Rocky (1976)
51. Annie Hall (1977)
52. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

[Prince William Public Libraries · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love movies. Old movies, new movies, foreign films, comedy, drama, sci-fi, horror, romance, kid’s movies, westerns—you name it and I’ll watch it. I even love reading books about movies almost as much I love the movies themselves. So when I saw The Essentials: 52 Must See Movies and Why They Matter sitting on my coworker’s desk, I immediately rushed to put a hold on it here at the library.

The Essentials: 52 Must See Movies is a great book for the beginning movie enthusiast and the avid film buff alike. With 52 entries dating from 1927’s Metropolis to 1984’s This Is Spinal Tap, movie lovers will be set for a whole year of viewing excitement by watching one film each week. Easy! Each entry contains a brief essay on why the film is essential, a short section of technical aspects to look for when watching the film, lots of obscure movie trivia, plenty of beautiful photographs, and quotes from the many hosts of TCM’s The Essentials program, including critics Robert Osborne and Molly Haskell, performers Carrie Fisher, Rose McGowan, Alec Baldwin, Drew Barrymore, and Sally Field, and directors Rob Reiner, Sydney Pollack, and Peter Bogdanovich.

Best of all, many of the films mentioned in the book are available on DVD in the Prince William Public Library System. So whether you want to revisit some favorite old classics or you’re just looking for something new to watch on DVD, Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hoopla, this is a wonderful book to check out.

- John D.

Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite rides at Disney World in Hollywood Studios is the Great Movie Ride, the journey through the movies. This feels like a book version of the ride. In this book we are taken on a journey through 52 movies. The book is beautifully done with stills from all of the movies, as well as cast information, a brief history of the movie and some interesting trivia. The book was a quick read; each movie has a section that is about 4 pages long, and many of it are pictures. I have not seen most of these films but reading this book makes me want to see them even more.

[Lois · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a movie buff it is a must read. Enjoyable sections in each movie on what to watch for. Of the 52, I've seen all but 7. I'll be watching TCM to see how soon I can catch up.

[Gina Dalfonzo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful writing about some wonderful movies! I had my quibbles about a few of the selections (e.g., fond as I am of them, I would have said Rear Window and North by Northwest were less essential than Vertigo and Psycho), but for the most part I thought the choices were excellent and the author did a great job of demonstrating the value and merits of these movies.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I just ate this up with a spoon!

I love everything about classic movies. The actors/actresses, the music, the dance numbers, the conveying every emotion imaginable without using a single word, the romance that didn't need to be (nor was it allowed to be) sexually graphic to get the point across, the way a great on-screen couple would pair up time and time again because well why not?

This book has great pictures, great information on the actors, actresses, and other behind-the-scenes details for each movie listed, and a great list of movies. I learned so many neat things and am pumped to watch all of these. There were a handful I've already seen but will rewatch, a number I've heard of and had wanted to see previously, and some that weren't on my radar at all but certainly are now. As the book notes, this is not an exhaustive list nor is it a ranked list. There are many I would have wanted included (but may be in the next book - not sure yet), but I'm not disappointed in the list because it was truly interesting as is. There are many genres included - from spaghetti westerns and westerns to musicals to film noir to thriller to drama to romance to comedy to war and others in between.

My only gripe is that some of the movies included what I would consider spoilers (end scenes, certain characters dying, etc.). I wish these had been left out.

4 Stars

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Are there influential and essential movies in this 52 film list? Yes. Do they all matter? I don't really think so. And the lack of films post-1960s kind of undermines the goal of this book to me. That is, must-see essential movies that matter. Not every "groundbreaking" pre-1960 movie is essential while there are certainly several essential films from the 70's, 80's, and even 90's (No Ridley Scott's "Alien"? I know I'm bias on this one, but seriously? And also "Black Christmas" or Carpenter's "Halloween", both literally creating tropes of the uber-popular slasher flicks of the 80's? How would they not be considered essential when several founding horror films are?) I like movies. I like this book as a list of movies worth watching. I think it lacks in several spots though.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great list of essential movies to watch. Unfortunately, I’ve only seen 9 of the 52. Imagine what that number would be if I read more books!

[jamie]

Metropolis (1927)
All Quiet On The Western Front (1930)
City Lights (1931)
Grand Hotel (1932)
King Kong (1933)
Duck Soup (1933)
*It Happened One Night (1934)
The Thin Man (1934)
Bride Of Frankenstein (1935)
Swing Time (1936)
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)
*Gone With The Wind (1939)
The Lady Eve (1941)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Now, Voyager (1942)
*Casablanca (1942)
*Double Indemnity (1944)
*Meet Me In St Louis (1944)
Leave Her To Heaven (1945)
The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)
Out Of The Past (1947)
The Red Shoes (1948)
The Bicycle Thief (1948)
The Third Man (1949)
White Heat (1949)
Adam's Rib (1949)
Winchester '73 (1950)
Sunset Boulevard (1950)
Gun Crazy (1950)
All About Eve (1950)
*Singin' In The Rain (1952)
*Roman Holiday (1953)
Seven Samurai (1954)
On The Waterfront (1954)
Rear Window (1954)
Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956)
The Searchers (1956)
*Some Like It Hot (1959)
North by Northwest (1959)
Ben-Hur (1959)
Breathless (1960)
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962)
*To Kill A Mockingbird (1962)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Bonnie And Clyde (1967)
In The Heat Of The Night (1967)
The Graduate (1967)
Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
*Jaws (1975)
Rocky (1976)
*Annie Hall (1977)
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

As of March 2020 I have seen 11 of these movies. Admittedly I do not remember them all. Obviously they are not as essential to me as they are to TCM.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended for fans of classic movies, or even a great starting point for those not overly familiar with them. I found myself getting nothing done today because I kept wanting to read about just one more movie! I miss Robert Osbourne. 😌

[Nadine in NY Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a new-comer to classic movie fandom, and this book was the perfect introduction.

A few years back, my kids and I started having Friday night movie night: I'd get a movie from library, bring home take out, and voila. But after several years of weekly movie nights, we started running out of decent movies that we might all enjoy. My daughter asked to watch Breakfast at Tiffanys, and I was surprised that we all enjoyed it. So I figured we'd try another classic that I'd never seen: Casablanca. I was amazed at how fantastic it was! Then my daughter asked for Roman Holiday and All About Eve, and they were great! This was eye-opening. Up to this point, I'd been under the impression that (non-Hitchcock) older movies were dull and dry, or dull and silly. (I based this opinion on my impressions of Cutizen Kane and The Third Man, which I saw as a teen. I found them to be confusing and boring. ... Yes, I had seen The Apartment and enjoyed it, but I figured that was a fluke, because, Jack Lemmon can't miss.) I checked out Strangers on a Train, since I'd just read the book, and Rebel Without a Cause (a classic that I HAD liked as a teen.) I put The Big Sleep and The Maltese Falcon on my list, because I'd just read those books, too, but I wasn't really sure what else to add.

Then I learned about this book, and it sounded perfect! It spans from 1927 (Metropolis) to 1984 (Spinal Tap). Limited to only 52 movies, a lot of movies are necessarily left out. You have On the Waterfront, but not The Wild Ones. Double Indemnity, but not The Maltese Falcon or The Big Sleep. Bonnie and Clyde, but not Easy Rider. Some Like It Hot, but not Getlemen Prefer Blondes. Rear Window and North by Northwest, but not Psycho or Vertigo or The Birds.

There are very few foreign movies on the list: Metropolis, The Red Shoes, The Bicycle Thief, Breathless, and Seven Samurai are all I see. So, consider this very USA-centric.

The iconic 70s movies included are: Jaws, Rocky, and Annie Hall. No Star Wars or The Godfather. The biggest surprise was that there isn't a single James Dean or Clint Eastwood movie included in the list.

The choices are very focused on movies that pioneered a particular movie-making technique, which was actually very interesting for me, because that's never been how I look at movies. I look for big stars or good stories. This book helped me round out my list of movies to see; I probably never would have included movies such as It Happened One Night, The Thin Man, Now, Voyager, Sunset Boulevard, or Seven Samurai if I hadn't read about them in this book.

I understand that this is just a sampling from each film genre, focusing on movies that pioneered certain things. I am kind of surprised that Star Wars wasn't included, though (and it's not because Star Wars is a "duh, of course!" kind of movie that needs no introduction, because Gone With the Wind and Jaws are on the list.) The list is pretty light on science fiction flicks, in general. Along with Metopolis, they list only Bride of Frankenstein and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Sorry, Alien, you don't make the cut. Blade Runner, you just get a one-line mention.

I really enjoyed the behind-the-scenes trivia about each movie, background about how the directors and actors prepped for the roles, and information about how these "essential" movies influenced future movies. What I found least interesting were the quotes from current actors and directors who have been involved with the TCM "Essentials" TV program (such as Alec Baldwun, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Bogdonovich) about how they felt about these movies.

[Jim Dooley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever encountered a book title that you were certain you had read ... only to discover that you hadn’t? Well, that was my experience with this one, and why I read the second volume first. I can only think that I must have confused it with one of the four GREAT MOVIES books by Roger Ebert!

Once more, the presentation of the book is outstanding. It covers 52 titles that have been included in the 300+ titles identified in TCM’s “Essentials” program. So, between the two books, I’ve now read about approximately a third of them. Very often, I find myself in disagreement with “Stand Out” labeled collections of titles. I questioned two mentioned here, although I didn’t disagree with their inclusion. Instead, I was impressed that I had seen all but two of the ones mentioned (and one of those, Roman Holiday, I plan to stream this month).

I loved the format used in Volume 2, which is the same one used here. There is a description of the film and key production members. An overview includes “Why it is Essential,” quotes from show hosts, special moments to look for, and reams of wonderful photographs. Part of the fun of such books for me is that they get me all excited to watch a good movie.

Usually, I’ve read enough through the years that I uncover very little new information. And I certainly don’t want to steal away potential surprises. There was one bit of information that caused my jaw to drop, though ... and I just have to spill the beans. For the original 1933 King Kong, the production company sought Jean Harlow for the role of Ann Darrow, but MGM wouldn’t release her. Now, I very much enjoyed Fay Wray ... but, Jean Harlow?! Wow, I shiver with delight just imagining it!

[Critterbee❇ · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well done compilation of 'must-see' movies, from 1927 to 1984. The films included are mostly classics, and recognizable titles like King Kong, Jaws, Casablanca, In the Heat of the Night, and Rear Window.

I am not a big movie fan (I much prefer books), but I do watch movies occasionally, and usually older movies. This book is a great resource for finding quality movies, and learning a bit about their history.

The book is beautifully produced, and very easy to read. Film mega-fanatics will probably not learn a lot, but overall a very enjoyable, informative read. Great for updating your 'to-be-watched' queue!

[Jillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Turner Class Movies. I think they do wonderful work and programming, and I've been able to watch so many cool things on their channel. Weirdly, though, I bought this book before I became obsessed with TCM.

I love Old Hollywood and particularly books that are just basically lists of movies I should watch with analysis and fun facts. Therefore, this is exactly the kind of book that is up my alley. As expected, it's a well-produced book with good analysis and some great facts. Though some of the movies are predictable (i.e. Gone with the Wind and Casablanca), I had never heard of others. It was also incredibly well-sourced, which I always love. The only thing I really didn't like were the celebrity quotes. They felt a little out of place to me.

Recommended for any film fan!

[Jill booksandescape · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter is a guide by Turner Classic Movies to the go-to movies from the silent era to the 1980s. It is written by Jeremy Arnold and includes a foreword by Robert Osborne.


I was surprised by some of the choices of films in this book. I have seen quite a few of these, and I loved reading about them. I definitely have some new films added to my watch list.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable book. Disagree with a few choices but still liked reading about why they were chosen.

There is very little written about each film - it's pretty much a quick reference. But the pictures are beautiful, the production values are high and the whole package looks very appealing.

I enjoyed the Robert Osborne quotes. Did not really need quotes from Drew Barrymore and Alec Baldwin... I would have preferred to hear from Ben Mankiewicz but c'est la vie.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very useful reference, whether to find great classic films you may have missed, or to learn more about some of your favorites. I concur with most of Jeremy Arnold's picks and with his reasoning, although I don't care for several of the movies from later years. A beautiful book and enjoyable read!

[Christine Sinclair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfection! Great movies, great writing, great photos in a beautiful format. Throw in quotes from the late, great Robert Osborne and you've got a real winner. Some picks are debatable, of course (This Is Spinal Tap?) and there are several movies I haven't seen yet, but each summary revealed a fact or two I didn't know, along with presenting a fresh spin on many old favorites. Loved it!

[Mfaiella2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does exactly what it set out to do. It provides a guide to newbies and cinephiles alike with short, informative chapters on some of the greatest films. Truly deepens your appreciation for the films by pointing out key facts, history, and scenes to gives you a richer experience when you watch them. I wish I had this for every film I've ever watched.

[Steven Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at how 52 movies changed the way movies were made, topics they covered, or otherwise influenced, culture and changed future movies forever. Some of theses “essentials” were box office and oscars winners, but others had much more subtle, but profound impact that still influences movies today.

[Cool · Rating 5 out of 5]

A totally fun book. It is fun to read about the movie and then watch it and then go back to the piece in the book. Great way to learn more about classic movies. Book is well constructed and lies open; also has built in flap on front cover to use as a bookmark.

[Ricky Kimsey]

Classic Movies

This is about classic movies and includes movies from all genres and eras. I have seen most of the movies discussed and I agree that those do deserve the attention they get.

[Daniel Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up watching TCM with my grandpa when I was a kid. This book is for those into old Movie fans! It has movies like; Gone with the Wind, Casablanca, King Kong, Metropolis, Duck Soup, The Searchers and more that'll give you inside looks at the movies.

[Justin Raabe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of movies and stories about them. Perfect as a springboard for 52 dates! So many winners in this book, and not just the obvious ones (Roman Holiday, Singin in the Rain, and Casablanca come to mind as “gimmes”)

[Meaghan Steeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full review to come on my Instagram. :)

[Nora Feehan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great