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Acknowledgments I want to thank my original editor, Anthony Chiffolo, for suggesting a further exploration of the film canon. He was also helpful in finalizing the list of 25 films within. Kevin Downing took over the project and shares my love of the movies. He also carefully shepherded the project through the publishing process. My sincere thanks to everyone at ABC-CLIO. All my love and admiration to my late parents Rose and Anthony LoBrutto for their unconditional support, for bringing me to the movies and for being my “first producer” in the fullest sense of that notion. My son Alexander Morrison has engaged in a lifelong seminar about the cinema with me. My daughter-in-law Sharon Morrison knows most of what there is to know about television, its aesthetics, and analysis, which has influenced my study of motion pictures. I’ve sat at the edge of our bed interviewing my grandson Noah and watched shows with him, all the while gaining valuable information about his perceptions. My granddaughter Callie Rose is too young to take to the movies now, but I sure look forward to the day when I can. My daughter Rebecca Roes continues to teach me about tenacity and commitment to study. My son-in-law Jürgen Roes teaches me it doesn’t matter so much how much you say, but what you say, and how you say it. My wife Harriet Morri- son is the best movie-going companion a guy could ever ask for, and I always look forward to the in-depth discussions afterwards. She is the first reader of all of my manuscripts. Harriet is a true life partner my love and respect for her grows endlessly. I’m now in my sixth decade as a perpetual student of film. I express my gratitude to those who helped me become film literate. Everett Aison has provided steadfast encouragement and inspiration for 40 years, first in New York at the School of Visual Arts and then during stimulating phone calls from Washington State where he relocated. The late Gary Carey taught me lessons about the art of film criticism and the dramaturgy of theatre. He was