To Mark: Though I wouldn't necessarily advocating "teaching to the text," your list is probably contingent on the readings you use and the approach you take. Still, here are some possibilities (even if most are all too obvious): BIRTH OF A NATION--First "great" American film? Certainly one of the most controversial and a great focal point for both the art of film and the sociology of racism. SHERLOCK JR. (or almost anything else by Keaton)--highly innovative example of what silent film was capable of at its best. If you want a specific historical context, though, you might want to go with THE GENERAL. THE GOLD RUSH--best "early" Chaplin, or you might want to wait for the more pointed social critique of MODERN TIMES or comic/romantic lyricism of CITY LIGHTS. STAGECOACH--the first "adult" Western? Still worthwhile for its staging and cinematography (which influenced Orson Welles, among others) and its defining role in the mythos of the American West. Pair it off with a more pro-Indian film or two (FORT APACHE or BROKEN ARROW, then DANCES WITH WOLVES). At least one Screwball Comedy--MY MAN GODFREY is especially good at capturing Depression-era fantasies and anxieties while being very funny, but almost any Capra film from the 1930s might do. For sheer enjoyment, there's Hawks' TWENTIETH CENTURY. Speaking of Hawks, try RED RIVER as a slightly different take on the mythos of the American West. I could go on, but it's Friday and I still have stuff to catch up on. This year, PBS is doing a series on American Cinema, and there's an accompanying text by John Belton, as well as other support materials available. Call 1-800-LEARNER for more info. on the series and a desk copy of the book. Have fun! --Don Larsson, Mankato State U., MN