The (other) 50 best films of all time – a female perspective
The (other) 50 best films of all time – a female perspective
Serena DaviesSat, May 9, 2026 at 5:00 AM UTC
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The 50 greatest films of all time — according to women
Last week we published our chief film critic Robbie Collin’s 50 greatest films of all time. A few commenters observed that this was a list collated by a man. Robbie is indeed male. Would a female film critic have chosen differently? That’s of course unknowable. But those comments gave a few women on the Culture desk the excuse to jot down a selection of films they simply adore. The ones we watch again and again. And here they are.
Note that any film that had multiple votes ended up in our top 10 of favourites. The rest of the list is in date order.
The top 10The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Follow the yellow brick road – Oz is one of the greatest of all time - 2011 Silver Screen Collection
It’s simple: Hollywood, and cinema, would not exist as we know it today without The Wizard of Oz. No film has ever come close to being as dazzling, awe-inspiring or influential, led by a timeless star in Judy Garland and containing a core message that prevails throughout the ages – there’s no place like home. PP
Gone with the Wind (1939)
Clark Gable and and Vivien Leigh as Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara - Getty
Victor Fleming turned Margaret Mitchell’s tedious novel into a box-office-smashing masterpiece that is both epic – the South burning, war raging on – and heart-rending (Scarlett O’Hara’s quest for happiness! Poor little Bonnie’s death!). PP
Roman Holiday (1953)
Audrey Hepburn as Princess Ann and Gregory Peck as Joe Bradley in Roman Holiday - Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
Audrey Hepburn’s loveliest role, and the one Gregory Peck was born to play (thank heavens Cary Grant said no). When mollycoddled Princess Ann is let loose on the streets of Rome, dreaming of pixie cuts and Vespas and ancient ruins, little did she know she’d find something much rarer: true love. PP
A Room with a View (1985)
Julian Sands and Helena Bonham Carter in A Room with a View - Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
Repressed emotions unleashed! Maggie Smith! Nude frolicking in a pond! Puccini in a field! Is there no end to the delights of this film? SD
Thelma and Louise (1991)
Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon as Thelma and Louise
Gave the world Brad Pitt. Possessed of the greatest ending of all time. SD
Before Sunrise (1995)
Before Sunrise was the first of the ‘Before’ trilogy - Photo 12 / Alamy Stock Photo
Train rides have never been the same since I first watched Richard Linklater’s yearning masterpiece aged 16. Though I’m yet to be swept off my feet during a standard class trip to Vienna, I do still believe Ethan Hawke is Hollywood’s most effortlessly charming modern star. Even with that twentysomething haircut. PP
Romeo and Juliet (1996)
‘My only love sprung from my only hate’: Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as Romeo and Juliet - Allstar Picture Library
Hands down Baz Luhrmann’s best work. Take Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers and drop them in Nineties crime-riddled Miami-esque Verona Beach. Plus: the most romantic meet-cute of all time. JC
Erin Brockovich (2000)
Erin Brokovich was played by Julia Roberts – a role for which she won the Oscar - Universal Images Group North America LLC / Alamy Stock Photo
Bolshy, sweary, sexy: Julia Roberts is a magnetic force as the single mother who takes on corporate baddies – all while refusing to wear anything other than low-cut tops and tight miniskirts. KG
Lost in Translation (2003)
Scarlett Johansson as Charlotte in Lost in Translation
What does he say to her at the end? WHAT DOES HE SAY TO HER AT THE END?! Sofia Coppola’s paean to loneliness, in which two lost souls (Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray) form an unlikely friendship, while staying at the same Tokyo hotel, spoke to a generation of sad girls and boys. JC
Lady Bird (2017)
Greta Gerwig’s affectionate coming-of-age drama about a flawed 17-year-old (Saoirse Ronan) is a joy. Lady Bird’s turbulent relationship with her mother (Laurie Metcalf) will make you want to call your parents immediately and apologise for all the times you were an insufferable teen. (At least I never threw myself out of a moving car mid-row.) KG
The rest of the listIt Happened One Night (1934)
The perfect romantic film, equally hilarious and intelligent, with two stars – Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert – at the absolute top of their game. PP
His Girl Friday (1940)
Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in screwball office romcom His Girl Friday
Rosalind Russell’s fast-quipping, whip-smart, no-nonsense journalist Hildy is one of the best female characters of the Hollywood golden age, perfectly paired with Cary Grant – even if a few of the jokes are wincingly of their time. CG
Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
I once watched this enchanting film about serial murder and wrote all its hilarious bon mots down on Post-it notes and stuck them around the house to inspire me. Also, there is no sexier voice on film than Joan Greenwood’s husky RP here. SD
All About Eve (1950)
Anne Baxter (left), Bette Davis (right) and Marilyn Monroe (background) in All About Eve - Moviepix
One of those rare films that rewards repeat watching, because there’s simply so much to dig into – especially in today’s beauty and youth-obsessed world. Anne Baxter is quietly terrifying as a malevolent fan; Bette Davis never better as the ageing Hollywood star trying desperately to keep her life from falling apart. PP
Rear Window (1954)
Has anyone ever looked as beautiful as Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock’s sweltering thriller? Despite this, Jimmy Stewart is more interested in spying on his suspicious neighbour than flirting. As the suffocating suspense builds, his obsession inevitably becomes ours too. KG
On the Waterfront (1954)
While I wouldn’t want to (or dare to) question the superiority of The Godfather, it’s impossible not to be bowled over by Marlon Brando’s performance in Elia Kazan’s drama, playing the gruff but sensitive longshoreman who decides to stand up to union corruption. KG
The Nights of Cabiria (1957)
Giulietta Masina as Fellini’s Cabiria - Alamy
From the electrifying near-drowning of the first two minutes, Federico Fellini’s extraordinary tale of prostitute and naïve optimist Cabiria, played by the Chaplin-esque Giulietta Masina, is constantly startling and disarming. The end must be the most moving in all cinema. SD
Funny Face (1957)
Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face - Getty
It has all the hallmarks of a musical romcom classic: Audrey Hepburn, a high-fashion makeover, Paris. Givenchy provided the wardrobe (and the chicest wedding dress of all time). JC
Some Like it Hot (1959)
This Billy Wilder classic tears apart gender expectations and is riotously fun, with three brilliant comedy performances from Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. CG
Dr Strangelove (1964)
Has there ever been a greater satire than Stanley Kubrick’s anti-war black comedy? Peter Sellers and George C. Scott brilliantly skewer the greedy and deluded people in power, with yet another story that feels far too relevant today. CG
The Sound of Music (1965)
The hills are alive: Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music - Alamy
Each and every Christmas Day since I can remember, I’ve rewatched The Sound of Music. It’s the film that made me fall in love with musicals – and history. PP
Doctor Zhivago (1965)
David Lean’s tragic epic set during the Russian Revolution may feel dated – and with a 197-minute running time it is not on my regular rewatch list. But, if you’re after grandeur and romance, the fervent passion Omar Sharif and Julie Christie bring is unmatched. KG
The Graduate (1967)
And here’s to you, Mrs Robinson: Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate
Dustin Hoffman’s drifter felt particularly pertinent when I watched Mike Nichols’ film after finishing my finals during the hazy Covid summer of 2020. The Simon & Garfunkel soundtrack fits perfectly; the ambiguous ending is haunting. KG
To Sir, With Love (1967)
Here’s my ultimate comfort film: Sidney Poitier in the East End, in the Sixties, with a tear-jerking Lulu soundtrack that brings to mind all those brilliant school teachers who once changed your life. What’s not to love? PP
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Funny Girl (1968)
Barbra Streisand as Fanny Brice in Funny Girl - Michael Ochs Archives
The best song in a movie musical (Don’t Rain On My Parade), sung by the Queen herself, Barbra Streisand. Funny, moving and endlessly rewatchable; West Side Story is often declared the Quintessential American Musical, but I’d opt for this one. PP
Annie Hall (1977)
Woody Allen rewrote the rules of the romcom here. Driven by the witty sparring between Allen’s Alvy and Diane Keaton’s luminously eccentric Annie (donning a fabulous waistcoat and tie), it’s a modern classic for good reason. KG
Mississippi Burning (1988)
Three of Hollywood’s all-time greatest actors – Gene Hackman, Willem Dafoe and Frances McDormand – in one of those rare films that makes you see the world a little differently, and pray that, one day, things will get better. PP
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
The third (and purists would consider final) film in the Indiana Jones series is the strongest by dint of its comedy, presence of Sean Connery as Indy’s father, and a femme fatale in Alison Doody who doesn’t, for once, spend the film screaming her head off. CG
Pretty Woman (1990)
Julia Roberts as Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman
Has anyone ever looked better than Julia Roberts in that red dress? This is Hollywood’s most irresistible modern romcom, spanning class, sex, romance and correct piano protocol (instruments are expensive! Get off there, Julia!) with hilarious, heartfelt ease. PP
Beauty and the Beast (1991)
Paige O’Hara and Robby Benson voiced the leads Belle and Beast
Straight from Disney’s greatest era, the (short-lived) partnership between Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. Extra points for the Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson theme song. JC
Terminator 2 (1991)
Linda Hamilton played Sarah Connor in Terminator 2 - Alamy
Featuring possibly the greatest female film character ever written in Sarah Connor, this thrilling sequel also boasts special effects that still look stunning 35 years later. Not to mention a potent anti-AI lesson currently being ignored by tech billionaires everywhere. CG
The Remains of the Day (1993)
No one does English repression better than Anthony Hopkins and this role was his tour de force. Hopkins manages to convey a straight-laced butler’s heartbreak and longing for Emma Thompson with just the smallest of facial flickers. Devastating. KG
Dazed and Confused (1993)
Matthew McConaughey and Rory Cochrane in Dazed and Confused - Alamy
The denim! The weed! The Kiss and Sabbath-filled soundtrack! No film will ever be cooler than Richard Linklater’s ode to teen hedonism. PP
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Four Weddings: Richard Curtis’s funniest romcom - Alamy
As the dashing, bumbling posho Charles, Hugh Grant made women around Britain swoon. With a terrific ensemble cast and that unforgettable expletive-laden opening scene, Four Weddings is easily Richard Curtis’s funniest romcom in a stacked line-up. KG
Clueless (1995)
Stacey Dash and Alicia Silverstone in Clueless - Moviepix
As if! Jane Austen’s Emma is reimagined in 1990s Beverly Hills, with a yellow plaid-clad Alicia Silverstone as our comic heroine. It’s also one of the late Brittany Murphy’s best roles as Tai “you’re a virgin who can’t drive” Frasier. JC
The English Patient (1996)
Ralph Fiennes carrying Kristin Scott Thomas in a parachute. Juliette Binoche playing a piano in a bombsite. War; devastation; redemption, with a dash of Irving Berlin in the rain. This is greatness. SD
Titanic (1997)
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet as fateful Jack and Rose - Alamy
I was one of the pre-teen girls that contributed to the box office glory of James Cameron’s masterpiece. Romance, action, history – it’s got it all. Seemingly, I will never let go. JC
The Full Monty (1997)
Charm is never associated with greatness, which is why this very funny film will never feature in any serious ranking. But why can’t the sublime lie in a bunch of jobless former steel workers having a go at a striptease? Utterly uplifting and only 90 minutes. SD
In the Mood for Love (2000)
A visual feast: Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung in In the Mood for Love - Alamy
Wong Kar-wai’s sensually shot piece, about two neighbours who discover their spouses are having an affair, is set against the backdrop of a Hong Kong apartment block in 1962 – all bright reds, yellows and Mrs Chan’s floral cheongsams. A visual feast. JC
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in Ang Lee’s romantic cowboy epic
Is there a more devastating moment in this film than Jake Gyllenhaal’s “I wish I knew how to quit you?” Yes – Heath Ledger’s final scene. JC
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Daniel Day-Lewis’s Daniel Plainview is a broken monster and this film is an enthralling lesson in how ambition eats you. SD
Bright Star (2009)
The only film ever made where people recite poetry at each other and it makes you weep, not cringe. Director Jane Campion’s finest hour. SD
Gravity (2013)
Hypnotic: Sandra Bullock in Gravity - Warner Bros. Pictures
For most, 2001: A Space Odyssey is the greatest space film, if not the more populist Star Wars. Both are brilliant, but spare a thought for Alfonso Cuarón’s queasy lost-in-space adventure that has a powerfully hypnotic effect on viewers (I gripped the rail when leaving the cinema, as it felt like I’d float away). CG
Carol (2015)
Todd Haynes’s adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel is also one of the best (albeit saddest) Christmas films. Shot on Super 16mm film, its richness recalls a Saul Leiter photograph from the streets of 1950s New York. JC
Call Me By Your Name (2017)
First loves: Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet in Call Me By Your Name
Every frame of Luca Guadagnino’s sensual film about first love in the Italian sun is gorgeous. Frolicking around with an older Armie Hammer and exploring sexual desire using a peach, this breakout role launched Timothée Chalamet’s reputation as the “sensitive heartthrob”. KG
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Stephan James and KiKi Layne star in the adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel - Tatum Mangus / Annapurna Picture
Barry Jenkins’s follow-up to the marvellous Moonlight (also one of the best films ever made), this adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel is the divinely, mesmerisingly shot New York-set story of one couple’s battle to be together after a false rape accusation. The costumes alone will have you browsing for Seventies-inspired fashion. CG
West Side Story (2021)
Spielberg’s West Side Story is better than the original - Niko Tavernise
Yep, this is better than the original film and criminally undervalued. Better script, better direction, better singing. And the musical itself is the finest ever written. SD
Past Lives (2023)
Teo Yoo and Greta Lee as childhood sweethearts in Past Lives
What would have happened if you ended up with your childhood sweetheart? Celine Song’s exploration of ‘what ifs’ and life’s unfollowed paths will have you swooning and sobbing. JC
La Chimera (2023)
A bewitching Italian film about grave looting and the power (and truth) of myth. There’s a scene where a thief decapitates an ancient Etruscan statue that made me feel like I’d just seen a close friend murdered. The glorious Josh O’Connor learnt Italian to be in it. SD
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