Movies have shaped public opinion, most so in the past than today. The influence is not by superficial, though popular movies, but by the ones having substantive content.
Here's a growing list of the most influential movies:
| Movie | Year | Influence |
|---|---|---|
| Citizen Kane | Destroyed the reputation of William Randolph Hearst | |
| Fort Apache | Destroyed the reputation of George Armstrong Custer | |
| Gone With the Wind | Restored the reputation of The South | |
| Mommie Dearest | 1981 | Destroyed the reputation of Hollywood; the film won many "worst film" awards and was a ridiculous hatchet job. |
| Twelve Angry Men[1] | 1957 | Promoted the importance of the jury in defending the innocent, which is almost uniquely American. |
| On the Waterfront | 1954 | With a riveting performance by Marlon Brando, this movie helped break the communist grip on Hollywood. |
| Rambo | An America First-type of movie that really struck a nerve. | |
| Wizard of Oz | 1939 | Boosted populism. |
| Sergeant York[2] | 1941 | Boosted support for World War II. |
| Casablanca | 1942 | Encouraged Americans to be supportive of involvement in World War II. |
| Doctor Zhivago | 1965 | Boosted opposition to communism. |
| Spellbound | 1945 | Gave credibility to the field of psychiatry, and boosted awareness of surrealism as drawn for the movie by Salvador Dali |
Only one movie has sold more than 200 million tickets: Gone With the Wind.[3] Only 11 movies have sold more than 100 million tickets, including Doctor Zhivago.[3]