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100 years... 100 laughs                                                                                         June 15, 2000
This week the American Film Institute revealed its choices for the 100 best comedies ever made. Called “100 Years 100 Laughs” the Institute honored some of the most remarkable, and some of the most memorable American films of the comedy genre that ever graced the silver screen.

AFI distributed a ballot with 500 nominated films to a jury of 1800 leaders from the film community, including film artists (directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers, etc.), critics, historians and film executives. The jurors were asked to consider the following criteria while making their selections:
AFI

 

  • Feature-Length Fiction Film: The film must be in narrative format typically over 60 minutes in length;
  • American Film: The film must be in the English language with significant creative and/or financial production elements from the United States;
  • Funny: Regardless of genre, the total comedic impact of a film's elements that creates an experience greater than the sum of the smiles;
  • Legacy: Laughs that echo across time, enriching America's film heritage and inspiring artists and audiences today.

Jurors were also allowed to include up to five write-in votes should a film they deem to be among America's funniest not appear on the AFI ballot. The 500 nominated films range alphabetically from “Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein” to “Zelig”.

This final list was televised this week, combined with interviews by many stars and clips from each movie. If you have missed the event, here is a look at the 100 funniest American movies ever made. All titles marked in red color are currently available on DVD or have been announced for release shortly.

1. Some Like It Hot (1959)

2. Tootsie (1982)

3. Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying About And Love The Bomb (1964)

4. Annie Hall (1977)

5. Duck Soup (1933)

6. Blazing Saddles (1974)

7. M*A*S*H (1970)

8. It Happened One Night (1934)

9. The Graduate (1967)

10. Airplane! (1980)

11. The Producers (1968)

12. A Night At The Opera (1935)

13. Young Frankenstein (1974)

14. Bringing Up Baby (1938)

15. The Philadelphia Story (1940)

16. Singin' In The Rain (1952)

17. The Odd Couple (1968)

18. The General (1927)

19. His Girl Friday (1940)

20. The Apartment (1960)

21. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)

22. Adam's Rib (1949)

23. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

24. Born Yesterday (1950)

25. The Gold Rush (1925)

26. Being There (1979)

27. There's Something About Mary (1998)

28. Ghostbusters (1984)

29. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

30. Arsenic And Old Lace (1944)

31. Raising Arizona (1987)

32. The Thin Man (1934)

33. Modern Times (1936)

34. Groundhog Day (1993)

35. Harvey (1950)

36. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

37. The Great Dictator (1940)

38. City Lights (1931)

39. Sullivan's Travels (1941)

40. It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)

41. Moonstruck (1987)

42. Big (1988)

43. American Graffiti (1973)

44. My Man Godfrey (1936)

45. Harold And Maude (1972)

46. Manhattan (1979)

47. Shampoo (1975)

48. A Shot In The Dark (1964)

49. To Be Or Not To Be (1942)

50. Cat Ballou (1965)

51. The Seven Year Itch (1955)

52. Ninotchka (1939)

53. Arthur (1981)

54. The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek (1944)

55. The Lady Eve (1941)

56. Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

57. Diner (1982)

58. It's A Gift (1934)

59. A Day At The Races (1937)

60. Topper (1937)

61. What's Up, Doc? (1972)

62. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)

63. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

64. Broadcast News (1987)

65. Horse Feathers (1932)

66. Take The Money And Run (1969)

67. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)

68. The Awful Truth (1937)

69. Bananas (1971)

70. Mr. Deeds Goes To Town (1936)

71. Caddyshack (1980)

72. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948)

73. Monkey Business (1931)

74. 9 To 5 (1980)

75. She Done Him Wrong (1933)

76. Victor/Victoria (1982)

77. The Palm Beach Story (1942)

78. Road To Morocco (1942)

79. The Freshman (1925)

80. Sleeper (1973)

81. The Navigator (1924)

82. Private Benjamin (1980)

83. Father Of The Bride (1950)

84. Lost In America (1985)

85. Dinner At Eight (1933)

86. City Slickers (1991)

87. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

88. Beetlejuice (1988)

89. The Jerk (1979)

90. Woman Of The Year (1942)

91. The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

92. Ball Of Fire (1941)

93. Fargo (1996)

94. Auntie Mame (1958)

95. Silver Streak (1976)

96. Sons Of The Desert (1933)

97. Bull Durham (1988)

98. The Court Jester (1956)

99. The Nutty Professor (1963)

100. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)

If you found this list of movies interesting, you may also want to take a look at AFI’s 100 years... 100 movies celebration that was held in 1998.
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