New York movies: The 100 best films set in New York City

From King Kong's spire down to the scummiest subway tunnel, TONY ranks the definitive list of the 100 best New York movies: crime dramas, romantic comedies, documentaries and more.

By David Fear, Stephen Garrett, Joshua Rothkopf, Keith Uhlich and Alison Willmore Tue Jul 3 2012

New York movies: Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
New York movies: Man on Wire (2008)
New York movies: Marty (1955)
New York movies: Flaming Creatures (1963)
New York movies: Network (1976)
New York movies: Kids (1995)
New York movies: Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
New York movies: My Dinner with Andre (1981)
New York movies: The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
New York movies: The Godfather (1972)

New York movies: Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

Soon enough, Madonna’s grungy downtownness would be buffed to a mainstream sheen. But here it is, captured for all eternity. The rom-com’s mystery meeting point is Battery Park, yet its more lovable locations include the bygone East Village thrift store Love Saves the Day (where the fought-over jacket is purchased) and Danceteria, a perfect place to get into the groove.—Joshua Rothkopf

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Man on Wire (2008)

Brit documentarian James Marsh enshrines the rogue-immigrant romance of New York in French equilibrist Philippe Petit, who sneaked to the top of the newly built World Trade Center in 1974 and enjoyed a death-defying tightrope walk between the Twin Towers’ lofty heights. Not even terrorists can erase this city’s most lyrical expression of skylarking.—Stephen Garrett

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Marty (1955)

Romance blooms on the Bronx’s Arthur Avenue, as a coupla dogs—lonely butcher Marty (Ernest Borgnine) and plain schoolteacher Clara (Betsy Blair)—meet at the Stardust Ballroom and find love against the odds. Borough native-son Paddy Chayefsky nabbed a screenplay Oscar for this Best Picture winner, a beautiful homily to homeliness.—Stephen Garrett

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Flaming Creatures (1963)

Jack Smith’s self-described “comedy set in a haunted music studio”—a 45-minute chronicle of delirious degeneracy—limits its vamping to a single rooftop on Grand Street, but the shock waves continue to reverberate. Having virtually created New York’s underground-film scene overnight, its influence is incalculable.—David Fear

Network (1976)

More jeremiad than satire, Sidney Lumet’s well-oiled production of Paddy Chayefsky’s prophetic masterpiece follows an amoral TV conglomerate that exploits a mentally ill news anchor by turning his low-rated national news show into whorehouse entertainment. This still-prescient vivisection of modern culture’s vapidity crackles with the nervous energy of midtown’s hothouse broadcasters.—Stephen Garrett

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Kids (1995)

Marking the breakthroughs of two signature NYC voices—director Larry Clark and screenwriter Harmony Korine (age 19 when writing it)—this docu-style provocation put Washington Square’s sexually active skaters at the center of an NC-17 controversy. Critics and moral guardians tut-tutted, but New York City’s urban rep was burnished as the place where wayward youth party hardest.—Joshua Rothkopf

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Six Degrees of Separation (1993)

You play the Kevin Bacon game; it’s worth returning to this adaptation of John Guare’s witty, class-conscious play, costarring a rising Will Smith as a lonely Central Park hustler (would that he’d remained this adventurous). The city is the movie’s star—a cauldron of art-gallery hauteur, liberal piety and, ultimately, the need to make a difference.—Joshua Rothkopf

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My Dinner with Andre (1981)

A playwright (Wallace Shawn) and a stage director (Andre Gregory) chew the fat while literally chewing the fat in a tony New York restaurant—and create a philosophical feast. Cinema’s ultimate jawbreaker (the verbal script was penned by its stars and midwifed by director Louis Malle) celebrates the restless ruminations of a city’s eat-out culture.—Stephen Garrett

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The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)

Together again! The last Muppet adventure created under Jim Henson’s watch follows Kermit and friends as they try to make it on Broadway. Central Park and Sardi’s are key locations, and our beloved amphibian has an inspiring epiphany (“This frog is stayin’!”) atop the Empire State Building.—Keith Uhlich

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The Godfather (1972)

Francis Ford Coppola’s film is the great myth of a shadow New York: an immigrant tale of assimilation pitted against the impulse to honor one’s dark roots. Its vision of the city is fittingly grounded in real locations, from Manhattan’s New York State Supreme Court steps to the Calvary Cemetery in Queens.—Alison Willmore

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(31 ratings)

The wanderers is better than 90% of this list.

Matt About 10 days ago
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Great list but where is "Ghost"? That surely has to be included here!

Louis Lilakos About 12 days ago
Rated as: 4/5
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"We will gather data from El Paso neighborhoods in spring 2014 using trained student-researchers from UTEP and begin analyzing the results that summer," Curry said. The Gucci replica products are always the best in the sphere and that is the reason they always come up with some unique and extraordinary work.. Thoughtful. The french are indeed the most designer savvy among us, and often choose to purchase higher end clothing, but the rationale is for fit, and durability, as opposed to the Americanized appeal of sporting outward brand labels on every piece of clothing/accessory we have. Echaud茅s par les d茅convenues ant茅rieures, les leaders du MNLA ont proclam茅 solennellement le 6 avril l'ind茅pendance pleine et enti猫re de l'Azawad.

XRwogannimeieTest Tue May 7
Rated as: 2/5
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Ghost Dog was filmed in Jersey City. This is a well known fact so why is it in this list? And yes, I'm from Jersey City.

John O'Hara Thu Apr 25
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Where is Scent of a Woman?

casey Mon Mar 25
Rated as: 2/5
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What about "LIMITLESS" and "How to Lose A Guy In 10 Days" ????????????

AM Wed Mar 20
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coming to america Home alone 2 Big Daddy the list here is shi*

Dean Tue Mar 19
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What about Breakfast at Tiffanys? Coming to America? Sister Act? The list goes on. I will say that you guys did a good job of putting "Do The Right Thing" in the Top 10.

Jordan Sun Mar 17
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How could you not include "An Affair to Remember" and even "Working Girl"? aacch!!

liz Sat Mar 9
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Whaaaat? No Die Hard with a Vengeance?!

Creon Thu Mar 7
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