America's 100 Greatest Movies
100 YEARS...100 MOVIES


AFI's 10 Top 10 Film Genres

Part 6 - Sports



Sports Films:
See Filmsite's extensive section on Sports Films

AFI described sports films as "a genre of films with protagonists who play athletics or other games of competition. Whether smashing a ball into the outfield, landing a right hook in the final round or crossing a finish line to the roar of a crowd, sports movies create myths and larger-than-life heroes. The stakes in sports may be simple—someone wins and someone loses—but cheering for a character who faces adversity and aims for the top is an exhilarating reminder of the power of the human spirit."

(Winners marked with this icon and ranking number)

  1. ALI, Columbia, 2001
  2. ANGELS IN THE OUTFIELD, MGM, 1951
  3. ANY GIVEN SUNDAY, Warner Bros., 1999
  4. THE BAD NEWS BEARS, Paramount, 1976
  5. BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY, Paramount, 1973
  6. THE BINGO LONG TRAVELING ALL-STARS & MOTOR KINGS, Universal, 1976
  7. BODY AND SOUL, United Artists, 1947
  8. BREAKING AWAY, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1979 (# 8)
  9. BULL DURHAM, Orion, 1988 (# 5)
  10. CADDYSHACK, Orion, 1980 (# 7)
  11. CHAMPION, United Artists, 1949
  12. CHARIOTS OF FIRE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1981
  13. THE COLOR OF MONEY, Touchstone, 1986
  14. COOL RUNNINGS, Touchstone, 1993
  15. DAMN YANKEES!, Warner Bros., 1958
  16. DOWNHILL RACER, Paramount, 1969
  17. EIGHT MEN OUT, Orion, 1988
  18. FEAR STRIKES OUT, Paramount, 1957
  19. FIELD OF DREAMS, Universal, 1989
  20. THE FRESHMAN, Pathé, 1925
  21. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, Universal, 2004
  22. THE GREAT WHITE HOPE, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1970
  23. HEART LIKE A WHEEL, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1983
  24. HOOSIERS, Orion, 1986 (# 4)
  25. HORSE FEATHERS, Paramount, 1932
  26. THE HURRICANE, Universal, 1999
  27. THE HUSTLER, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1961 (# 6)
  28. JERRY MAGUIRE, TriStar, 1996 (# 10)
  29. THE KARATE KID, Columbia, 1984
  30. KNUTE ROCKNE – ALL AMERICAN, Warner Bros., 1940
  31. A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN, Columbia, 1992
  32. THE LONGEST YARD, Paramount, 1974
  33. MAJOR LEAGUE, Paramount, 1989
  34. THE MIGHTY DUCKS, Disney, 1992
  35. MILLION DOLLAR BABY, Warner Bros, 2004
  36. MIRACLE, Disney, 2004
  37. MYSTERY, ALASKA, Hollywood, 1999
  38. NATIONAL VELVET, MGM, 1944 (# 9)
  39. THE NATURAL, TriStar, 1984
  40. NORTH DALLAS FORTY, Paramount, 1976
  41. PAT AND MIKE, MGM, 1952
  42. PERSONAL BEST, Warner Bros., 1982
  43. THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, RKO, 1942 (# 3)
  44. RAGING BULL, United Artists, 1980 (# 1)
  45. ROCKY, United Artists, 1976 (# 2)
  46. RUDY, TriStar, 1993
  47. SEABISCUIT, DreamWorks, 2003
  48. SLAP SHOT, Universal, 1977
  49. SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME, MGM, 1956
  50. WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1992

Nominees: 12 movies were based on baseball; nine movies were based on boxing; and eight movies were based on football.

Winners:

  1. Raging Bull (1980)
  2. Rocky (1976)
  3. The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
  4. Hoosiers (1986)
  5. Bull Durham (1988)
  6. The Hustler (1961)
  7. Caddyshack (1980)
  8. Breaking Away (1979)
  9. National Velvet (1944)
  10. Jerry Maguire (1996)

Comments: Jerry Maguire (1996) was sports-related, but more properly should have been categorized as a romantic comedy (where it was a top 50 nominee). And Caddyshack (1980) was a golf-related comedy! National Velvet (1944) - more a children's or family drama than a real horse-racing sports film, should have been replaced by either Slap Shot (1977) or Hoop Dreams (1994) - not even nominated! The selection of The Hustler (1961) - although a film about pool-playing, was more an intense drama than a traditional 'sports film'.


AFI's 10 Top 10 Film Genres
Introduction | Part 1 - Animated | Part 2 - Fantasy | Part 3 - Gangster | Part 4 - Science Fiction | Part 5 - Western
Part 6 - Sports | Part 7 - Mystery | Part 8 - Romantic Comedy | Part 9 - Courtroom Drama | Part 10 - Epic



Previous Page Next Page