http://www.listal.com/list/miguel-marias-essential-melodramas This list was made in 1990 for Peter von Bagh's book Elokuvan ilokirja and includes 121 films. The following is my own translation: "Choosing the best melodramas is a difficult task, especially since I consider melodrama to be as one with film dramaturgy. Are The Wings of Eagles, Seven Women, Tabu, Sunrise, Akasen Chitai or Vertigo melodramas? I think they are without a doubt among my top 25 favorite films of all time. If I try to be hard and squeeze inside some sort of borders this genre, which for me means vision, way of life, form of expression and the most cinematic way of delivering with a touching way thoughts, emotions, characters and stories to the audience... I have to expel many of my favorite films and directors and some films which in my opinion DEFINE melodrama. Yes, there are melodramatic directors but even melodramatic countrys (China, Italy, Mexico). I would assume that about 600 of the 700 or 800 best films I've ever seen are melodramas - true, absolute masterpieces. I am leaning towards the American way of defining melodrama: from Shakespeare to trash, from Welles to soap opera, through all the genres of film and especially the gothic fairy tales, fantasy romances, sentimental comedies and sometimes even musicals, westerns and thrillers." The only film missing from the list is The Shadow Box (Paul Newman, 1980) because it is a tv film. en-us GMT GMT Listal.com <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-blossoms' title="Broken Blossoms"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/80684/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-blossoms' title="Broken Blossoms">Broken Blossoms</a> Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:52:45 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-blossoms http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-blossoms 6305339821 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/way-down-east' title="Way Down East"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/383217/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/way-down-east' title="Way Down East">Way Down East</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:10:46 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/way-down-east http://www.listal.com/movie/way-down-east 6305131139 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/johan' title="Johan"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/0/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/johan' title="Johan">Johan</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:08:37 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/johan http://www.listal.com/movie/johan <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-kid-1921' title="The Kid"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/174469/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-kid-1921' title="The Kid">The Kid</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:10:29 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-kid-1921 http://www.listal.com/movie/the-kid-1921 6305760047 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/merrygoround' title="Merry-Go-Round"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/productsus/50/B00008H2GZ/movies/.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/merrygoround' title="Merry-Go-Round">Merry-Go-Round</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:10:05 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/merrygoround http://www.listal.com/movie/merrygoround B00008H2GZ <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/he-who-gets-slapped' title="He Who Gets Slapped"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/313229/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/he-who-gets-slapped' title="He Who Gets Slapped">He Who Gets Slapped</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:11:27 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/he-who-gets-slapped http://www.listal.com/movie/he-who-gets-slapped <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/sunrise-a-song-of-two-humans' title="Sunrise"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/418827/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/sunrise-a-song-of-two-humans' title="Sunrise">Sunrise</a> Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:53:25 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/sunrise-a-song-of-two-humans http://www.listal.com/movie/sunrise-a-song-of-two-humans <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-unknown-1927' title="The Unknown"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/846787/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-unknown-1927' title="The Unknown">The Unknown</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:09:01 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-unknown-1927 http://www.listal.com/movie/the-unknown-1927 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/docks-new-york' title="The Docks of New York"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/383191/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/docks-new-york' title="The Docks of New York">The Docks of New York</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:09:34 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/docks-new-york http://www.listal.com/movie/docks-new-york <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/street-angel' title="Street Angel"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/660254/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/street-angel' title="Street Angel">Street Angel</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:41 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/street-angel http://www.listal.com/movie/street-angel <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/student-prince-old-heidelberg' title="The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/308521/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/student-prince-old-heidelberg' title="The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg">The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg</a> Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:56:25 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/student-prince-old-heidelberg http://www.listal.com/movie/student-prince-old-heidelberg <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wedding-march' title="The Wedding March"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/214921/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wedding-march' title="The Wedding March">The Wedding March</a> Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:53:36 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wedding-march http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wedding-march <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wind' title="The Wind"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/643662/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wind' title="The Wind">The Wind</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:04:37 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wind http://www.listal.com/movie/the-wind <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-river-1929' title="The River"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/660253/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-river-1929' title="The River">The River</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:19 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-river-1929 http://www.listal.com/movie/the-river-1929 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/city-lights' title="City Lights"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/174170/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/city-lights' title="City Lights">City Lights</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:14:45 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/city-lights http://www.listal.com/movie/city-lights 6305759774 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-struggle' title="The Struggle"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/610777/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-struggle' title="The Struggle">The Struggle</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:22:49 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-struggle http://www.listal.com/movie/the-struggle <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/tabu-a-story-of-the-south-seas' title="Tabu"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/660314/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/tabu-a-story-of-the-south-seas' title="Tabu">Tabu</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:12:10 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/tabu-a-story-of-the-south-seas http://www.listal.com/movie/tabu-a-story-of-the-south-seas B00006FMCF <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/bird-of-paradise' title="Bird of Paradise"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/214967/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/bird-of-paradise' title="Bird of Paradise">Bird of Paradise</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:15:55 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/bird-of-paradise http://www.listal.com/movie/bird-of-paradise B00002E20F <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/blonde-venus-1932' title="Blonde Venus"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/174130/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/blonde-venus-1932' title="Blonde Venus">Blonde Venus</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:15:04 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/blonde-venus-1932 http://www.listal.com/movie/blonde-venus-1932 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-lullaby-66488' title="Broken Lullaby"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/174123/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-lullaby-66488' title="Broken Lullaby">Broken Lullaby</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:26:30 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-lullaby-66488 http://www.listal.com/movie/broken-lullaby-66488 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/shanghai-express-1932' title="Shanghai Express"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/174097/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/shanghai-express-1932' title="Shanghai Express">Shanghai Express</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:24:17 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/shanghai-express-1932 http://www.listal.com/movie/shanghai-express-1932 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-bitter-tea-of-general-yen' title="The Bitter Tea of General Yen"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/224645/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-bitter-tea-of-general-yen' title="The Bitter Tea of General Yen">The Bitter Tea of General Yen</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:18:27 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-bitter-tea-of-general-yen http://www.listal.com/movie/the-bitter-tea-of-general-yen <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/queen-christina' title="Queen Christina"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/336088/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/queen-christina' title="Queen Christina">Queen Christina</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:15:25 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/queen-christina http://www.listal.com/movie/queen-christina B0009S4IJC <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/l-atalante' title="L'Atalante"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/173679/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/l-atalante' title="L'Atalante">L'Atalante</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:14:04 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/l-atalante http://www.listal.com/movie/l-atalante B00008OSD5 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/partie-de-campagne' title="A Day in the Country"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/705764/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/partie-de-campagne' title="A Day in the Country">A Day in the Country</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:19:29 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/partie-de-campagne http://www.listal.com/movie/partie-de-campagne <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/green-light' title="Green Light"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/660279/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/green-light' title="Green Light">Green Light</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:18:00 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/green-light http://www.listal.com/movie/green-light <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/make-way-tomorrow' title="Make Way for Tomorrow"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/856849/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/make-way-tomorrow' title="Make Way for Tomorrow">Make Way for Tomorrow</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:19:42 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/make-way-tomorrow http://www.listal.com/movie/make-way-tomorrow <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/stage-door-1937' title="Stage Door"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/173074/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/stage-door-1937' title="Stage Door">Stage Door</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:24:43 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/stage-door-1937 http://www.listal.com/movie/stage-door-1937 B0006Z2KYS <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/star-born-1937' title="A Star is Born"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/70448/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/star-born-1937' title="A Star is Born">A Star is Born</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:26:54 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/star-born-1937 http://www.listal.com/movie/star-born-1937 B00003ETIO <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/three-comrades' title="Three Comrades"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/643625/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/three-comrades' title="Three Comrades">Three Comrades</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:19:09 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/three-comrades http://www.listal.com/movie/three-comrades <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/werther' title="Le roman de Werther"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/660283/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/werther' title="Le roman de Werther">Le roman de Werther</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:22:12 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/werther http://www.listal.com/movie/werther <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/disputed-passage' title="Disputed Passage"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/0/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/disputed-passage' title="Disputed Passage">Disputed Passage</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:25:53 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/disputed-passage http://www.listal.com/movie/disputed-passage <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/intermezzo-a-love-story' title="Intermezzo: A Love Story"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/172193/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/intermezzo-a-love-story' title="Intermezzo: A Love Story">Intermezzo: A Love Story</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:27:29 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/intermezzo-a-love-story http://www.listal.com/movie/intermezzo-a-love-story <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/dance-girl-dance' title="Dance, Girl, Dance"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/115899/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/dance-girl-dance' title="Dance, Girl, Dance">Dance, Girl, Dance</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:28:34 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/dance-girl-dance http://www.listal.com/movie/dance-girl-dance <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-mortal-storm-1940' title="The Mortal Storm"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/316927/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-mortal-storm-1940' title="The Mortal Storm">The Mortal Storm</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:28:11 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-mortal-storm-1940 http://www.listal.com/movie/the-mortal-storm-1940 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/how-green-was-my-valley' title="How Green Was My Valley"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/85057/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/how-green-was-my-valley' title="How Green Was My Valley">How Green Was My Valley</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:29:00 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/how-green-was-my-valley http://www.listal.com/movie/how-green-was-my-valley B00003Q435 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/penny-serenade' title="Penny Serenade"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/171112/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/penny-serenade' title="Penny Serenade">Penny Serenade</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:31:50 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/penny-serenade http://www.listal.com/movie/penny-serenade B000007SF9 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/smilinx27-through' title="Smilin' Through"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/660323/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/smilinx27-through' title="Smilin' Through">Smilin' Through</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:30:40 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/smilinx27-through http://www.listal.com/movie/smilinx27-through <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/a-womans-face' title="A Woman's Face"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/535360/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/a-womans-face' title="A Woman's Face">A Woman's Face</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:31:22 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/a-womans-face http://www.listal.com/movie/a-womans-face <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/casablanca' title="Casablanca"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/170719/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/casablanca' title="Casablanca">Casablanca</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:37:37 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/casablanca http://www.listal.com/movie/casablanca B000050XXO <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-magnificent-ambersons' title="The Magnificent Ambersons"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/170588/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-magnificent-ambersons' title="The Magnificent Ambersons">The Magnificent Ambersons</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:32:45 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-magnificent-ambersons http://www.listal.com/movie/the-magnificent-ambersons <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/ciel-est-vous-le' title="Le ciel est à vous"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/540422/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/ciel-est-vous-le' title="Le ciel est à vous">Le ciel est à vous</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:34:44 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/ciel-est-vous-le http://www.listal.com/movie/ciel-est-vous-le <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/till-we-meet-again' title="Till We Meet Again"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/0/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/till-we-meet-again' title="Till We Meet Again">Till We Meet Again</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:36:56 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/till-we-meet-again http://www.listal.com/movie/till-we-meet-again <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/ladies-of-the-park' title="Les dames du Bois de Boulogne"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/169724/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/ladies-of-the-park' title="Les dames du Bois de Boulogne">Les dames du Bois de Boulogne</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:39:51 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/ladies-of-the-park http://www.listal.com/movie/ladies-of-the-park B000087EY6 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-enchanted-cottage-1945' title="The Enchanted Cottage"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/689707/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-enchanted-cottage-1945' title="The Enchanted Cottage">The Enchanted Cottage</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:41:00 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-enchanted-cottage-1945 http://www.listal.com/movie/the-enchanted-cottage-1945 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/love-letters-1945' title="Love Letters"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/659260/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/love-letters-1945' title="Love Letters">Love Letters</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:40:38 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/love-letters-1945 http://www.listal.com/movie/love-letters-1945 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/tva-manniskor' title="Två människor"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/749608/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/tva-manniskor' title="Två människor">Två människor</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:38:59 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/tva-manniskor http://www.listal.com/movie/tva-manniskor <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-best-years-of-our-lives' title="The Best Years of Our Lives"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/80672/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/the-best-years-of-our-lives' title="The Best Years of Our Lives">The Best Years of Our Lives</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:44:12 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/the-best-years-of-our-lives http://www.listal.com/movie/the-best-years-of-our-lives 6304696639 <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/ix27ve-always-loved-you' title="I've Always Loved You"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/0/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/ix27ve-always-loved-you' title="I've Always Loved You">I've Always Loved You</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:42:21 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/ix27ve-always-loved-you http://www.listal.com/movie/ix27ve-always-loved-you <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/strange-love-martha-ivers' title="The Strange Love of Martha Ivers"><img src='http://img.listal.com/image/169335/50full.jpg' style="float:left;" /></a> <a href='http://www.listal.com/movie/strange-love-martha-ivers' title="The Strange Love of Martha Ivers">The Strange Love of Martha Ivers</a> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:32:16 GMT http://www.listal.com/movie/strange-love-martha-ivers http://www.listal.com/movie/strange-love-martha-ivers 6305010625